Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, May 25, 1917, Page 1

VOL. LIX.—NO. 225 POPULATION 29,919 NORWICH, CONN., FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1917 PRICE TWO The Bulletin’s Circulation in Norwich is Double That of Any Other Paper, and its Total Circulation is the Largest in Connecticut in Proportion to the City’s Population REASONWHY ONIONS WERE SOCOSTLY Eighty-nine Corporations and Individuals Indicted for Conspiracy to Monopolize Trade DIVIDED TERRITORY TO ELIMINATE COMPETITION The Government Charges That the National Onion Associa- tion Has Had a Domineering Illegal Control of Onion Trade for Past Three Years—While Consumers Have Had to Pay Five to Fifteen Cents a Pound, the Producers Received Only Two Cents—The Charge to the Con- sumer Was Largely Due to Illegal Control of the Trade. Boston, May 24—Pight-eight corp- orations and individuals were indict- ed by the federal grand jury here to- day £ mspiring to monopolize in- terstate merce in onions. The tments allege that the de- dants divided up the territory of country between them for the pur- pose of eliminating competition, that aximum pri were fixed for the purchase of onions and that the sup- con piy was hoarded in order to increase prices. United Ftates District Attorney Anderson estimated that the annual orop of onions amounted to 200,000,000 pounds, three-fourths of which, he s alleged to have been con- trolled by the defendants. In a state- ment the case, Mr. Anderson seids National Association. The gist of charge is that the defendants have maintained a nation- al onion association composed of large onion dea. who buy up a bulk of the onions of the northern states dur- ing the summer and early fall, storing them in warehouses owned or com- trolled by the variaus members and putting them upon the market from September to April. The government charges that this association has had a dominating and illegal control of the omion trade for the past three years. Controlled 75 Per Cent. of Crop. “The government expects to show that as early as September, 1916, at east 75 per cent. of the years crop, then harvested, was in control of the members of this assoclation. The headquarters of the association are at Kenton, Ohio, where the regular an- nual meeting was held in July. The August meeting was held at Spring- fiel Mass. Subsequent monthly meetings were held in other parts of the country. Mnothly Meetings. “It is a part of the plan of this as- sociation to have monthly meetings in various parts of the country so as to get as large an attendance as possi- ble of members who might otherwise be reached onmly through the mails. After these monthly meetings, the Secretary issues to the members ‘con- fidential reports’ containing a sum- mary review of the amount of onions available in various producing sec- tions, followed by such suggestion as: “The bulk of the ion crop Is now in the hands of speculators, fully 75 per cent. of whom are members of this asso- ciation’ “This report shows that the movement for the entire United States need be only 80 cars. per day. The resuits rest with the members, and by all means arrange to keep onions moving rosnlarly.’ We should not fool oursel Sy 4 make this a fictitious wvalue et, but be sure of condi- tions and the key to the situation is to keep some moving all the time. Difference in Price. “For the 1916 crop the producers pjrobably received less than two cents per pound. In midwinter many of these onions were sold to retailers and through them to consumers at 10 to 15 cents a pound. It is claimed by the government that by tremendous mar- gin between the price accruing to the producer and the price pald by the consumer was largely due to the al- legal control of the trade enacted by this association. GOMPERS FROWNS ON STOCKHOLM CONFERENCE Tells Promoters This is No Time For Trade Unions to Have Trouble. Washington, May 24—Another effort to get Americans to participate in peace parleys at Stockholm failed to- Gay when President Gompers of the American_Federation of Labor declin- ed an_invitation to send delegates to a Stockholm trade union congress to discuss the claims of labor in connec- tion with peace negotiations. The con- gress will meet simultaneously with the socialist peace conference on which the state department has put its stamp og disapproval by refusing passports to Americans expecting to- participate. The federatlon of labor's invitation came in a cablegram from President Oudegeest of the Dutch Federation of “Trades s Mr. Gompers cabled this re T ore the United States en- ter war American Federation of Lai roposed an international con- after the war and at the time and place where the representatives of each government were to meet to de- ermine the treaties and international relations. . That proposition was re- “cied. Now, after the United States in the wa: opose a conference 1o be heia at same time nd pla interna- tional alist conference is to be ockholm and this proposition, ithout comsultation. with trade oemters of Daitad. States and| her countrie which Ameri- labor could select del- egates to attend the Stockholm confer- ence June § and I cannot see how any Zood could come from our participation n such a congress at this time.” can org: STILL DIVIDED ON THE ESPIONAGE BILL nferees of the House and Senate Will Resume Sessions Today. Washington, May 24.—Conferees of the senate and house on the espionage Bill will resume their conferences to- prepared to rspond to Pres- desire for a further ef- congress authorize cen- sorship of the press. Formal agreement on a compromise censorship provision, a modified sub- stitute for the original administration and house proposals is regarged cer- tain and it also Is predicted that the conferees will agree promptly upon the export embargo, mail censorship. search warrant and other disputed sections of the measure. The new provision. members of the committee said tonight, will be among lines s'milar to the Overman-Cum- mins-Thomas proposals for limited presidential authority to prohibit pub- Tication of inforation of a strictly mil- itary nature and not forbidding criti- cism of public officials or policies. Tn addition, the substitute proposing that jurles shall determine whether publication of prohibited matter was with deliberate intent to aid the ene- my, also may be accepted. The house conferses are insistent that such a pro- Viso, & part of the Gard amendment, shall be included. President Wilson has been told by some of the senators with whom he has discussed the censorship. situation, Creel es head of the bureau of public that untll the appointment of George information, congressional opposition to censorship was not so strong as at present. The present is said to have expressed full confldence in Mr. Creel's ability and discretion. Larvest Ship Ever Built in Maine. STEEL MAKES NEW HIGH; NEW HAVEN A NEW LOW. Leading Industrial Touches 131 1-2 Amid Great Enthusiasm. New York, May 24—United States teel commo nstock sold at the highest price in its history on the stock ex- change shortly after noon today, touch- ing 181 1-2. The previous maximum was 120 3-4, made yesterday and equalled in the great boom of last No- vember. Steel’s elevation to a new level was attended by much enthusiasm on the part of traders, although some of that element for a long time opposed the advance. The new price was, in fact, effected largely at the expense of the short interest. Steel's rise was marked by the cutomary large overturns in that_stock. Other steel and iron stocks and the several groups of equipments and mu- nitions were at highest levels of the ar, though for the most part well under top prices of the two preceding years. Ralls were irregular, on the new low record of 32 5-8 for New Ha- ven and the attendant weakness of other low szrade issue: GERMANY DENIES SHE IS HOLDING AMERICANS Their Departure Said to Be Due Sole- Iy to Routine—Even Neutrals Are Delayed. Berlin, May 24, 4.16 p. m. via Lon- don, May 25, 425 a. m.—The foreign office today emphatically denied asser- tions alleged to have emanated in the United States that Germany s inten- tionally holding Americans desirous of leaying the country. Their departure, it was explained, was délayed solely by official routine, which, in view of existing circum- | stances, was naturally slow of motion, even subjects of neutral nations as | well as Germans to cross the frontier, being without exception called on to secure permission from the police and military authorities. OWNERS OF RAILROAD SECURITIES ORGANIZE For Protection of Credit of Railway Systems of the Country. Md., May 23. Baitimore, tional Asso road Securities, having for jis object the protection’ of credit of rallway systems of the country, was formed here today at a meetinz of 400 men representing over $3.000,000 of rallroad securities. S. Davies Warfleld, chair- man of the board of the Seaboard Air Line, who called ths meeting, was elected president and vice presidents will be announced later. The organization committee elected include Gordon Abbott, John E. ©ld- ham and_ Jerome Greene, Boston; John R. Freeman of Providence; A. T. Daymon of Springfield, Mass., and E. C. Northrup of Waterbury, Conn. Smoke Bombs to Ward Off “Subs.” New York, May 24—Smoke bombs, designed to protect merchant vessels from submarine attacks, are now be- ing ueed on vessels passing through the war zone, according to information brought to an American port today on a French ship. The bombs are thrown by hand and on striking the water ignite and throw out a dense cloud of black vapor which hangs low over the water like fog. They will burn for more than an hour and are said to be effective In screening the movements of a vessel in danger of attack. Shugues Buestes Cuesten Arrested. : The a- | ation, of Owners of Rai- | PRIZES FOR THE INVENTION. Some of the Problems Awaiting Solu- tion at Hands of Scientific Men. (Special to The Bulletin.) ‘Washington, D. C. May 18—In = communication to_the National Geo- graphic Soclety, Dr. Alexander Gra- ham Bell, inventor of the telephone, points out some of the probiems await- ing solution at the hands of sclentific men and technical experts of the fu- ture. The Society issues a part of Dr. Belll's ‘wommunication las ja jbulletin from its Washington headquarters. “It is interesting and instructive to look back over the various changes that have occurred and trace the evo- lution of the present from the past,’ writes Dr. Bell. “By projecting these lines of advance into the future, you can forecast the future, to a cettain extent and recognize some of the fields of usefulness that are opening up for the young men of today. ‘We have one line of advance from candles and ofl lamps to gas, and from gas to electricity; and we can recog- nize many other threads of advance all converging upon electricity. We pro- duce heat and light by electricity. We transmit intelligence by the telegraph and telephone, and we use electricity as a motive power. In fact, we have fairly entered upon an elecirical age, and ‘it is obvious that the electrical engineer will be much in demand in the future. “On every hand we see the substi- tution of machinery and artificlal mo- tive power for animal and man power. There will, therefore, be plenty of openings in the future for younsg, bright mechanical engineers working in_this direction. “There is, however, one obstacle to further advance, in the imcreasing price of the fuel necessary to work machinery. 'Coal and oil are going up and are strictly limited in quantity. We can take coal out of a mine, but we can mnever put it back. We can draw oil from subterranean reservoirs but we can never reflll them again, We are spendthrifts in the matter of fuel and are using our capital for our running expenses. “In relation to coal and oil, the world’s annual consumption has be- come so enormous that we are now actually within measurable distance of the end of the supply. What shail we do_when we have no more coal or of!! “Apart from water power, (which is strictly limited )and tidal and wave power, we have little left, excepting to utilize), and the empioyment of the sun’s rays directly as a source of power, we have little left ,excepting wood, and it takes at least twenty- five years to grow a crop of trees. “There is, however, one other source of fuel supply which may perhaps solve this probiem of the future. (Al- cohol makes a beautiful, clean, and efficient fuel, and, where not intended for consumption by human beings, can be manufactured very cheaply in & in- digestible or even poisonous form. ‘Wood alcohol, for example, can be em- ployed as a fuel, and we can make al- cohol from sawdust, a waste product of our mills. “Alcohol can also e manufactured from corn stalks, and in fact from al- most any vegetable matter capable of fermentation. Our growing crops and even weeds can be used. The waste products of our farme are avatlable for this purpose and even the garbage from out cities. We need never fear the exhaustion of our present fuel sup- plies s0 long as we can produce am annual crop of alcohol to any extent Qesired. “The world will probably depend up- on alcohol more and more as time go on, and a great field of usefulness Is opening up for the engineer who will modify our machinery to enabie al- conol to be used as the source of pow- er. “Developments of wireless telegraphy are proceeding with great rapidity, and no man can predict, what startling disc coveries and applications may appear in the near future. I know of no more promising field of exploration. “Already privacy of communication has been secured by wireless transmit- ters and receivers ‘tuned,’ so to speak, to repond to electrical viaeations of certain frequencies alone. = They are sensitive only to electrical impulses. of definite wave length. The principle of sympathetic vibration operating tuned wireless receivers has also been applied to the control of machinery from distance and the steering of boats out a man on board. The possi. {lities of development In this Qirec tion are practically illimitable, and we shall probably be able to perform at a distance by wireless almost any me- chanical operats can be chan: peration that can be done at “Still more recently wireless tele- graphy has given birth to another new art, and wireless telophony has ape peared. /Only a ehort time ago & man in Arlington, Va., at the wireless sta. tion there, talked by word of mouth to a man on the Eiffel Tower i Baris France. Not only that, a man in Honolulu overheard the conversation! The distance from Honolulu o the Eiffel Tower must be 000 miles ag least—one-third the dietance asours the globe—and this achievement surec Iy foreshadows the time when we may be able to talk with a man in any pacs r1d by telephone and with- FEDERATION . OF WOMEN'S CLUBS Twenty-first Annual Meeting Was Held in Bridgeport Yesterday. Bridgeport, Conn., May 24.—Mrs. Edwin H. Smiley, president, presided at the opening session of the Federa tion of Women's Clubs at the twenty- first annual meeting held here today. Mrs. Andrew Cooper, representing the English Literary club, which 15 the parent of the federation, greeted the delegates to the city. General reports covering the activities and interests of the federation during the past year were given by Miss Dotha Stone Bine. neo, general federation secretary: Mrs, John C. Downs, director of the Gen- eral Federation: Mrs. F. W. Gerard of {n» congervation committes and OMiss elle Sprazgue of the h Estells Spr ome economics Then the Bugs Would Win. Someone suggests that we send the pacifists to the farms to help, but they’d probably insist on argulng it out with the potato bugs instead of sprinkling paris green on them.— Grand Rapids Press. The Real Trouble. As long as the kalser is at the head of things in Germany the American people will continue to think the Ger- mans are suffering not so much from hunger as from headache.—Indian- apolis News. | late today for the Texas Steamship company. “tons when | ‘Waterbury, Conn, May 24—State police tonight arrested Shugues Buest- es Cuesten, an Albanian, at the re- quest of the Danlelson authorities. He turned oyer to the morTow. . Point Overlooked. Germans looking for Von Bernstorft to restore peace with America have The Muine is 415 over all| was taken to Hartford and will be |overiooked the confidential papers for- Danielson police to-iwarded to this by Great government $100,000,000Fund For the Red Cross AMERICAN ORGANIZATION WANTS THE MONEY OUTLINE COUNCIL PLANS Chairman Davison, at First Confer- ence in Washington, Tells of Needs Russia and Other War ‘Washington, May 24.—The sreatest campaign the Red Cross ever has waged, designed to raise $100,000,000 to care for American soldiers who fight democracy’s battle on FRuropean fields and to lend a helping hand to thous- ands In the districts already devastat- ed by the war, was launched here to- day at a meeting of representatives of the larger cities of the country. } More than one hundred men and | women were present from forty cities and the meeting was enthusiastic to a degree that indicated a strong belief in the willingness of Americans to con- tribute to the cause of mercy. Henry P. Davison, chairman of the Red Cross war council, announcing the amount to be raised, said it is certain $100,000,000 will be required, “even to approach compliance with the most pressing needs.” of the plan for raising the money, but an intensive campaizn will be under= taken under the leadership of some of the most prominent and active men and women in each community. ®AREWELL ADDRESS OF SECRETARY BALFOUR Expressed Thanks For the Reception Tendered the British Mission. Washington, May 24.—Tn a farewell address to the American people today, Foreign Secretary Balfour warmly pressed thanks for the kindness and sympathy with which the British war mission has been regeived in coun- try; declared what the United States has accomplished during the forty days since it entered the war most re- markable: and said he would carry carry back to the allies across the wa- ter his belief that with as little delay as human imperfections allow the fi and_ decisive weizght of America wou be thrown into the struggle for dem- ocracy. The message wes delivered throush the Washington correspondents, gath- ered at the National Press chib to heas the last speech of the British state: man's visit. It was spoken with evi dent feeling. Of those who say the war prepara- tions of the United States have pro- ceeded slowly, Mr. Balfour said they “know ver: which public life is and_must be car- ried on in free countries.” “I think what has been accomplish- eq in these forty davs most remarka- ble” he said. “It is quite true that the action of the executive government has been delaved by the fact that cer- tain measures placed before congress took some time to pass, some of them have not vet passed. But it is that de- the are going to make rreat and ne partures in public policy sololy waving of a wand?’ He added that he felt confident Sat congress would give the president the great powers mnecessary to successful conduct of the war. Mr. Balfour called on President Wil- son at the White House for probahly the last time during the visit of mission. The two statesmen have e tablished a real personal friendship during their meetings here and the fi- nal meeting today was more than formal and perfunctory. Durham.—One of the farmers plant- ed a two-acre fleld with potatoes Sat- urday, the seed alone costing him $60. Mr. Davison did rot go into detafls | little of the actual wav in | suppose that representative assemblies | ltalians Smashing the Austrian Lines HAVE TAKEN POSITIONS AP- PROACHING GULF OF TRIEST ALL QUIET IN FRANCE itali The New Advances of the ns Brings Them Within Ten Miles of Triest—No Engagements of Any Im- portance on Any of the Other Fronts. On a front of nearly ten miles on the Carso plateau the Itallan troops have smashed the Austrian line hard and taken various positions from the | town of Castagnavizza to the head of |the Guif of Triest. In their renewal of their offensive the Italians received { valuable aid from some of the nine Eritish matteries which have hauled their big guns down to the Isonzo front to heip in the efforts aimed at {the conquest of Triest, Austria’s Dbig | seaport on the Adratic. | Not alone were the Italians success- {ful in capturing numerous points of | vantage ,but more than 8,000 Austri- vantage, but more than 9,000 Austri- {cess of 300, were taken. The Austri- ans are declared to have been taken completely by surprise by the sudden |onsiaught of the Italians who, to di- vert attention from the southern end {of the Isonzo line had struck a hard blow to the north. When, however, | nela the ground they had won The new advance of the Italians |brings them appreciably nearer Ari- est, which, from the lower part of the is less than ten miles away. The ed and yet to be passed over is dicult for military operat ind even with other successful ad vances such as the jast one the ob jective of the Itaiiuns will not be at- |tained except by the fiercest fighting. Comparative quet still prevails, on the western front in France held by |the British, but further south around |the bena in the line from Soissons astward intensive artillery duels are in progress between the French and the | Germans, being most severe in the regions of Moulin de Vauclere, the {Californie platean and Chevreux. On none of the other fronts has there been an engagement of any great importance. FIRST CONFERENCE OF RED CROSS RELIEF COUNCIL. Making Plans to Utilize the $100,000,000 War Relief Fund. ‘Washington, May 24—The new Red Cross war council, headed by Henry P. Davison, held its first conference here today, making plans for raising and_using ‘the $100,000,000 war relief fund. Representatives of more than 10 _cities were present. The hundred million doilar fund, un- der Chairman Davison's plans, is to be used not only for Red Cross relief for Americans, but aiso for the destitute in the foreign war zones, whatever their nationality. Today’s program included a general statement by Chairman Davison out- lining the details of the plan. Tan Mal- colm of the British official mission made a general statement of needs abroad; Trederick Walcott, a member of the Rockefeller commission, Iy returned from Poand, sboke Polish needs in particular; John H. Gade of the Belgian relief commission told of the needs of Belgium. An Explanation. What has become of the U-cargo boats? Are they, perhaps, responsibie for the increase in mine-laying which has swelled casualties at sea’— Springfield Republican. Chester.—The price of shad has dropped in this place from 90 cents and $1.25 to 50 and 55 cents. ! i Touring Long Island is the Long Island food reserve train, the purpose of which is spreading the gospel of fo0d_conservation and giving lessons in the art of canning to crowds of of housewives. The train is conduct- ed by well known society women, two of whom, Mrs. Arthur Scott Burden and Mrs. William Laimbeer, are shown at the right of the accompanying pic- ture. Amons those who visited the SOCIETY WOMEN TEACH FOOD CONSERVATION train was Ralph Peters, president of. the Long Island railroad. “The women of Long Island are surely going to do thelr share in the work of conserving the nation’s food supply,” said Mr. Peters. “This is shown by the keen interest that nearly 2,000 women have taken in the lectures given by the battalion experts. Women of the large estates as well as farmers’ wives have visited the train.” the Austrians recovered from their | surprise, they launched heavy counter- attacks,” but the Italians tenaciously ons | cent- | Condensed Telegrams Flour in Chicago dropped $2.10 a barrel from its record high of $16.80. The Hungarian town of Gycenyo: was devastated by fire, 1,000 homes be- ing destroyed. President Wilson will review the pa- rade of Confederate veterans in ‘Washington July 7. Twenty years of age will be the min- imum at which compulsory service will be enforced in Canada. Count Tiz Hungarian Ministry resigned, according to Budapest des- patches received in London. Ilinois toma- Heavy frost northern damaged garden truck. Beans, toes and potatoes suffered most. Adjt. Roaul Lufberry, of New York, aviator, was awarded the British Mil- itary Cross by direction of King George. . The Belgian Government at Havre recieved information that the Germans resumed the deportation of the Belgian civil population The Cuban Government put its army rifle ranges at the disposal of | Americans in Havana anxious to pre- pare for service. | Three hundred freight handlers em- | ployed on the stenmship docks of the Boston & Maine Railroad are ready to | strike in Boston. One hundred and twenty Americans { constitute the prisoners held by Ge: |many, according to information to the ! State Department. | The Lackawanna Steel company has |declared an extra dividend of 2z 1-2 per cent. out of earnings of the first two quarters of 1917 Technical schools were appealed to REVENUE BILL OF $1,800.000.01 Senate Takes It Up and is Cutting Dowr Enormous Incomes A FAVOR REDUCING GROSS TAX LEVY BY 0 While Not Definitely Decided the Conferees | Per Cent. Rate on Excess Earnings of 8 P Short Term Bonds to Take Up the Millions ably be Reduced—Favors the Taxing of All in Newspapers, Magazines, Billboards, P Street Cars Inztead of Increased Mail Rates {.—Revis reven Washington, ¥ the $1.800,000.000 passed vesterday by the hous begun today by the senate finance |the committee. Reduction of the gross tax | direct levy of the bill by about one-third, or |cent.) on a to about $1,250,000,000, is said to favored by most of the committee- |l men. It is deemed certain, at least, that the aggregate tax burden wil not be increased and that the commit tee will not consider adding the extra |p |estimates of $445,000,000 recently sub- | Imitted by the treasury department. | Short term bonds to take care millions hich the total le this year probably will be reduced ap parently is generally favored Chairman Simmons announced be Iboard | by the Department of Labor to furnish available men between 18 and 21 for {apprentices in shipyards. i e The Navy Department was advised that a minor explosion occurred at the Norfolk Navy Yard : of kilowatt turbine gene | The_State Department was advised that 500 Vilistas endered to the Carranza government at Chihuahua City and would be “distributed.’ Regular army recruiting totalled 11,542 men, making 79.920 already re- cruited of the 183,898 necessary to raise the army to full war strength. The Norwegian Foreign Office re- ports the sinking by a German sub- {marine of the Rorwesgian steamer Nor- mann Ashild. Part of the crew Is missing. After cutting the electric power lines bandits blew up the safe of the post office at Sandy Creek, New York, and got away with $400 cash and $200 In stamps. | Five Mexicans, two of whom are r |ported to be colonels in Villa’s army, | were captured by troops of the Sth |Cavairy near Faben, Tex., charged with | smuggling munitions. iculture which ates by Dbring of agi vessel s to The British minis requisitioned 22 Dutch wil Iproceed to the United way of Halifax in ballast, back 100,000 tons of grain. The funeral of United States Senator San Francisco Thursday night, is to take place in Portland, the home of the decedent, probably on Tuesday, accord- ing to tentative arrangements. Entire_direction of the reconstruc- tion of French railways behind the lines of the western front was placed in the hands of Simtel M. Felton, president of the Chicago Great West- ern. Honorary degrees will be conferred on all the Ambassadors and Ministers representing the allied nations as well as Secretary Lansing and Herbert Hoover at the Princeton commence- ment. In a free for all fight at a baseball game between colored teams at White Hall, Ky., Pearl Turner and Maggie ‘Winter were shot and killed and Stone Chenault and Rosalfinter mortally wounded. Placing their lives and treasure to the nation delegates to the annual con- vention of Knights of Columbus State Council_adopted resolutions in _the name of 50,000 members throughout New York State. Albert Thomas, French minister of munitions addressed a_delegation of the workmen’s and soldiers’ delegates of Moscow ,said thousands of French and British ' soldiers were perishing while awaiting Russia’s cooperation in the war. It was announced at Cincinnati that the Proctor & Gamble company had subscribed to the liberty loan to the amount of $1,000,00. The Union Cen- tral Insurance company also has sub- scribed to the loan to the extent of $1,000,000. Governor Whitman granted the re- quest of Pennsylvania authorities of the extradition of Clarence F. Birds- eye and his son son, Kellogg Birdseye, under arrest in New York in connec- tion with the looting of the Pittsburgh Life & Trust Co. The will_of Mrs. Mary Merchant, widow of Wilbur Merchant, of Port- chester, N. Y., was admitted to pro- bate. The document shows that the estate is worth approximately $330,000, practically all of which is left to im- mediate relatis WILSON AND PERSHING HAD A CONFERENCE 1t Was Short and Neither Would Tell What It Was About. Washington, May 24.—President Wilson conferred today with Major General J. J. Pershing, who is to com- | mand the first American expeditinary force to France. The conference wa short and neither General Pershing nor Secretary Biaker, who introduced him to the president would discuss it. OBITUARY. Hart Talcott. Hartford, Conn., May 24.—Hart Tal- cott, city marshal here since 1904, a member of the legislature in 1873 and for many years president of the Thames Woolen company of Mogtville, died here tonight. He was a Fepub- lican in politics and represented the town of Lebanon in the legislature. He was born in Marlborough in 1834 |today's meeting that ti tiad agreed to the following cf |the house measure [ o wiriie |active income 1$200,000,000 SHORT TERM | CERTIFICATES OVERSUBSCRIBED | Books Closed Two Days Ahead of Date Originally Set. Washington, May 24 whelming _response treasury department’ of $200,000,000 short t of indebtednes, part of the Iil r loan financing.' The offering has over-subseribed, it was officially nounced toni-ht, by approxima‘ely per cent. and ihe books have closed two days ahead of the da sinaliy set because no furthir sub scriptions can be taken The certificates bear interest rate of 3 1-4 per cent, one-fou one per cent. higher than the fering, are due July 30 and w ire not directly convertible I | erty bonds, are receivanl [accrued interest in_pasment subscribers to the bon ness of the bani {fering presents somenhat trast with the acceptanc offering of $200,000,000 w 3 per cent. interest Allotments of the offering wil made tomorrow. It to scale down the sub: proximately one-third because over-subscription. Subscriptions New York, it is understood, wer peclally large and in every federa serve district the amount the banks exceeded expectatl The prompt acceptance of fering reflects the quickened pu interest, officials’ think, in the Libert loan. While the campaign for placing the loan is almost in full swi rointed out that a tremendous . of work vet has to he done before t full amount is subscribed thout | considering the great hoped-for over- subscription RAILROAD EXECUTIVES AT I C. C. HEARINGS | Howard W. Elliott of the New Ha- | ained the ven Road, Was There. it P e of the lust| frem | i Washington, May 24 —Rai'road exe- | cutives from widely separated sections | I of the country appeared today at the | brothers Interstate Commerce Commission | afternoon tog | hearings on the carriers’ petition for a | ily 15 per cent. advance in freight rates | and submitted to vigoro Cresg-ex- amination by counsel for shippers, who probed into the finances of the rafl- roads, trying to get tht executives to say that the emergency the railroads’ | claim exists does not affect every line. T. C. Powell, vice president of the | lant Queen 'and Croscent, said that week his company declared a resul dividend of 3 per cent. on the comm, stock and an extra dividend of 3 1-2 per_cent. “You claim an emerzency exists |eaid the questioner. It that fs why have you seem fit to further de- plete the funds of vour road by de- claring an effitra dividend, and is the burden which has caus=d you to e mao hefore this commission not sufciont to have caused you to abandon that extra dividend?” Mr. Powell s1id the dividena regarded by the directors as a to_the stockholders. Henry Walters, chatrman of the board of the Atlantic Coast Line, sa'd it was a fact that the Increase in net |, revenue of the Aflantle Const Line was greater during the first thrcs months of this year than in the cor- responding period of 1916, hut addi- tlonal expenses which the road must stand did not show In fhe reports Howard Bliliott, of the New Haven and member of thie rallrond war board, tola ‘Cliftord W. Thorne, reprosensine | shippers, who ' cross-examined h'm that he favored some scheme of pool- ing cars and terminals she necessary n the Inter-sts of defenve. He said he belinved it q-s able that a government a~tncy be c ated to tell the ralroads just wh | was desired of them GERMAN FLEET BUSY | IN THE BALTIC temperat | Dr. Squire markab ever see day before t - LIBERTY LOAN FOR WEDC Are Expected to Be was New York auty New Yo | for weaain sccording It is e $10,000,0 for weddinz easily | benent the atinna t | jo o ed fiom SEA. Violent Cannonade, Lasting Through- out the Night, Heard by Persons ( Along the Shore. | and London, May 24.—Pronounced man naval activity In the Baltic on | ew Tuesday is reported in a Central despatch from Copenhagen day a violent cannonade lasting throughout the night was heard by persons living along the shore . i York and ul, Thomas French minister of mu-|the New York ling arrived jorway on his | survived by a widow . way to Petrograd. e 1 Newe was 68 Mr. Cia . a number ¢ mine