Middletown transcript., 1917-06-02

report came the announcement that
German submarines had sunk the
British transport Pennsylvania and
French steamer Sontay, in the Medi-
terranean with the loss of 45S lives.
Another vessel torpedoed was an un-
named American steamer of 5000 tons
carrying cargo for Switzerland. The
British admit they are combating the
U-boats only with "hard work and in
finite palms," but American inventors
are still busy. Hudson Maxim said he
had perfected a device that would
make ships immune from the subma-
rine peril, and Lewis Herzog, an artist,
was said to have devised method for
painting vessels that greatly reduces
their visibility at sea. William Mar
conf, who came over with the Italian
war mission, says the Italians are now
using a device with which 13 subma-
rines were destroyed in the first three
weeks of it's operation.
The first detachment of United
States army engineers reached London
on Wednesday on its way to France.
Two units of the American hospital
corps also arrived in England.
Doings in Congress.
The house of representatives on
Wednesday passed the greatest war
tax bill in the history Of any nation.
1t carries total of about $1,870,O00,-
600 in all kinds Of taxes. The vote on
the measure was 329 to 76. There was
bitter opposition to many features Of
the bill, and many of those who finally
voted for it said they did so as mat
ter of patriotism.
The senate finance committee at
once began pairing down the measure
with the intention of reducing the to-
tai yield of taxes to about $1,OOO,OOO.-
600, planning to raise the additional
$SOO,000,000 by issues of bonds.
The second administration measure
dealing with the control of food and
other necessaries was introduced in the
house by Congressman Lever Of South
Carolina. Herbert G. Hoover, select
ed by the president to be food admins
traitor, said the bill should make it
possible to eliminate boarding, specula-
ton and waste in distribution.
The chief provisions of the bill are:
1. Prohibits the boarding or corner
ing of the necessaries of life.
2. Prohibits injurious speculation
in the necessaries of life and gives
the president power to regulate or pro-
hibit the operation of stock or grain
exchanges.
8. Gives the president power to fix
maximum and minimum prices on nee
essaries of life in certain instances.
4. Gives the president power to pre-
vent use of grain or food in the manu-
facture of liquor at his discretion.
5. Gives the president power to con-
troll all distribution agencies by means
of licensing.
6. Gives the president power to fix
food and grain standards.
7. Gives the president power to pur-
chase, store and dispose of necessaries
of life in order to break CORNERS" and
otherwise regulate supply and prices.
8. Provides for taking over by the
government Of factories, mines, or
plants the owners of which do not COM
ply with the presidents orders.
9. Gives the president power to per-
NIT the mixing of corn and wheat flour
and to establish percentage of flour to
be obtained from wheat.
10. Provides that the president may
delegate any or all of the powers con-
ferred on him by the bill to any per-
son he may designate.
Liberty Bonds Selling Fast.
Public officials, the press and fnan-
cial institutions are everywhere COM
bining to push the Liberty loan bonds,
and the demand for those securities
was great throughout the country, and
increased every day. 1t was predict
| ed that the bonds would sell at pre-
MUM as soon as the war is over, and
they are already popular with the
small investor.
The treasury department announced
that the $2OO,OO0,000 of short-term
treasury certificates recently issued
had been oversubscribed by at least SO
per cent This despite the opinion Of
J. P. Morgan that they would not be
readily absorbed.
John D. Rockefeller added $25,OOO,-
600 to the endowment Of the Rookie
feller foundation and the trustees de-
cided that $1O,0OO,O00 of it should be
used for war purposes. On the same
day rise of 2 cents a gallon in the
/ r,rioo Of naSnlino UaS ann0uncQd