davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
TEUTONS RETAKE
FRESNOY,LONDON
FRANKLY ADMITS
Town Recaptured After Two
0nslaughts Had Been
Repulsed.
FIRST GERMAN SUCCESS
Enemy's Counter Blows Around Bulle-
court Parried by Australian
Soldiers.

(By. the InfernafIonal News serylee.)
London, May S-For the first time
since the great allied offensive in the
west began. a German counter offensive
has been successful
The British war ONCE admitted tonight
the recapture by the Germans OF the
village Of Fresnoy, FIVE miles southwest
Of Lens, near the northern point Of the
''Wotan line"
Two powerful onslaughts aimed at
Fresnoy's recapture were beaten on this
morning by the Canadians, who had
conquered 1t on May Finally, after
the Teutons had thrown two fresh
dfvisions-40,OOo men-into the fray for
a third assault, the Canadians were
forced to yield both the village and the
adjoining wood.
To the north and northeast of the VII
lage all German counter-blows were
either stifled in the British gun and ma
chine gun fire or crushed in fierce hayo-
net fighting.
The German war office, in announcing
the recapture Of Fresnoy this afternoon
said 200 prisoners and six machine guns
had been counted up to that time.
The Australians at the same time beat
OF German onslaughts around the VII
lage of Bullecourt, on the southern END
of the wotan line. They held all the
gains recently made.
Violent gun duels ragged throughout the
day on the Aisne and in the Champagne.
In air battles Capt Guynemer demolished
his thirty-seventh and thirty-eighth Ger
man machines during the past few days,
while Sub. Lieut.. Nungesser added three
to his record, bringing his total up to
twenty-four.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
WAR MONEY BILL
To Be OFFERED
IN HOUSE TODAY
Measure Raising ST 800, ,000,-
600 In Revenues Framed
by Committee.
INCOMES ARE HIT HARD
Tobacco. Liquor. Perfumes, "Moviie"
Shows. Jewelry and Mail Among
Other Things Taxed.

The Ways and Means Committee last
night completed their draft Of the war
revenue bill. which will be introduced IN
the House today.
The measure in its present form pro
vides for all Of the vast sum urged by
the Secretary Of the Treasury-Sl.S 500, 900.
OO0. The committee have spent more than
a fortnight in the drafting OF the rev.
enue measure. Only as late as Monday
night they were admitting that try as
they would, the best they could frame
in the way of a revenue bill was one
which would produce approximately
81. COO. 10000 or less.
Yesterday they determined to supply
the complete demand Of the Treasury
Department, After they had framed all
the direct and indirect domestic taxes
they could think OF, they resorted TO the
old standby, the tariff The bill as il
will appear today provides for q nat in
crease Of 10 per cent on all imports.
1t even reaches into the sacred free
list" and a tax OF 10 per cent advslorem
will be placed on every item Of that list
1t is felt in Washington that the House
Committee has virtually determined to
throw the entire taxation problem into
the open House. There the debate will
adjust present incongruities temporarily,
and later the Senate COMMITTEES on Fl
nance VIII IelTdult Lut HledSAIe LT0Ln NAP
to bottom.
Incomes Taxed Heavily.
The income tax sections Of the bill,
which Chairman Kitchin made public
last night, show vast increases in the
rates OF taxation from present standards
The exemptions from tsXstions have been
lowered so that hereafter all unmarried
individuals drawing incomes Of more
than A,OO0 per annum will be taxed per
cent of that income, and all married men
drawing S2,O0o OF income per snnUm will
be taxed the same
The basic rate OF income tax has been
hNed at per cent Of incomes OF 5000
per annUm. The surtaXes grade from
that point upward The schedule Of sur
taxes is as follows: 5000 to S7.OOo. per
cent: $500 to $1,000 ? per cent; $4,000 TO
81, ,5OO ; per cent; S12BOO to $1,000. 4 per
cent; $1,000 TO $4,000 S per cent; $4,000 TO
$4,000 per cent; $4,000 TO SO. .Ooo s Der
cent; $4,000 to 5000. II per cent: So ooe
10 SlOo.O0o, ~ per cent; $4,000 to as0ooo
Il per cent; $4,000 TO S9OoOoQ - per cent
CONTINUED ON PAGE POUR
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
US. May Serve as Prison
For Captives of Entente

Plans have been practically COM
pIeted by the British mission with Of
ficials of this government for the
United States to act as the prison
for the entente allies. it was learned
here yesterday.
The plan contemplates the transpor-
tation to this country of all prisoners
of war captured by the entente, in
cIUding those now held as well as
those captured in the future. The
first prisoners are expected to arrive
in the United States within twenty
days.
Because of the shortage of supplies
in Europe, the entente allies would
be relieved of a vast burden by send
ing the captured soldiers to this
country, where supplies are compare
lively plentiful and could be spared
easily.
The matter of transportation would
be easy, officials have pointed out, as
the men could be put on commercial
vessels returning to the United States,
many of them at present without any
cargo, after having taken food to
England and France.
Senator Fred Hale, of Maine, held
long conference with Arthur James
Balfour yesterday afternoon concern
ing the transfer of German prisoners
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
By CLEVE H. STAUFFER.
tStaf Correspondent.l


Christiansburg, Va, May S-The Vaw-
ter murder trial here. which is airing the
sensational Virginian society scandal.
will come to a close tomorrow noon but
wonders in the wonder. case still con-
tfnue.
This time it is the using of poetry to
convict Prof. Charles L. Vawter for the
killing of Stockton Heth. jr., and the
resorting to the Bible to acquit him.
If it was an experiment, the constant
employing Of poetiCal and Biblical SINH
les had the desired effect in the argument
of the case today, because there was
not one Of the twelve jurors whose hand
kerchief was not drenched with tears
when court adjourned this evening
Judge MOffett mopped his eyes with a
red bandana on several occasions when
pleas in Vawter's behalf eloquently
SCARED to a dramatic climax. Prof. Vaw-
ter wept bitterly. 1t was the first time
during the trial that he betrayed any
emotion. There were few in the court
room who were not moved to tears.
How the alluring wife of Potiphar tried
to seduce Joseph, handsome and young.
when he went into Egypt. was one of the
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09

At a secret conference of the naval
and scientific experts Of the nation in the
home of Secretary of the Navy Daniels
here last night plans were laid to drive
the submarine from the seas.
The secret meeting followed confer
ence earlier in the day at the Navy De-
partment, attended by Mr.. Daniels, his
naval chiefs and the Special Problems
Committee of the Naval Consultipg
Board. Lawrence Addicks. William l..
Saunders, Thomas Robins. N. B. Thayer
and Z. A. Sperry, the full membership
of the committee, were present
The same group were in session at Mr.
Daniels home last night. The naval eX-
perts included Rear Admiral William 5.
Benson. chief of operations; Rear Ad-
miral Ralph Earle, chief of ordnance;
Rear Admiral Robert s. Griffin. chief en-
gineer; Rear Admiral David W. Taylor,
chief constructor. and Rear Admiral
Grant in command of the submarine
fiotilla, who came to Washington for the
conference.
As a result of the conferences, it may
be said that the special problems COM
mittee has made three discoveries which
promise to give the United States and,
through this nation. the European en-
tente the upper hand on the high seas,
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
Naval Experts Lay Plans
s. To Drive "Subs" from Sea

The devices have not yet been developed,
but so rosy is their promise that an air
OF optimism was evident in naval circles
last night
Every energy OF the government will
now be devoted TO perfecting the devices
and plans which have been found 10
stand out from the hundreds considered
by the committee. But its work will not
cease here. 1t will continue to delve
for further devices i'm order that every
means possible to combat the submarine
may be placed at the disposal OF the gov
eminent.
In addition, it was learned that prac-
tical experiments, in which submarine
are being employed, are being carried on
at the present time on a deserted stretch
OF the Atlantic coast by a large group of
navy officers. Besides these the experts
headed by Thomas A. Edison are work
ing night and day on laboratory expert
mentA
Il believe that American ingenuity
eventually will overcome the submarine
menace" said Secretary Daniels I do
not want to appear over-optimistic, but
there never has been a peril to human
life which has not itself been destroyed. -
The special committee will return 10
New York Immediately to continue its
work.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
$l00,000,000 WAR LOAN
GIVEN FRANCE BY u. S.
Initial Credit Marks Part Payment for
Services of Lafayette.

The United States made its first ma
terial repayment for the incalculable as
sistance given the struggling colonies in
their fight for independence by the
France Of La Fayette's day when Sec
retary OF the Treasury McAdoo yesterday
turned over to Ambassador Jules Jus
serand, of France, 800. 900 900 as an initial
loan. The loan is made at per cent in
terest and is due June 30, when it will
be converted into long-term bonds.
Secretary McAdoo handed Ambassador
Jusserand the American governments
check in the presence of Julius Simon.
French inspector of finance: NJ. Casen-
ave, of the French mission; Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury Crosby, and
Comptroller of the Currency Williams.
Motion pictures were taken to provide
a graphic memorial of the historic event.
Ambassador Jusserand, upon accent
ing the payment, told Secretary McAdoo
that the occasion was especially interest
ing inasmuCh as France had helped the
American colonies merely TO be fighting
in the cause of national freedom and that
now the United States is helping France
and the other allies for the same unseI-
fish reason.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
ENJOYS BRING
WORK TO END
British Mission Ready to Leave
Latter Part of Next
Week.

The work of the British mission in the
United States has about come to fin
ish, as far as the British are concerned.
However, officials of the United States
are anxious that the mission remain at
least a week longer, in order that some
details to be worked out may be covered.
Arthur James Balfour. head of the
British mission. and Sir HaTdman Lever,
who has represented England in finances
in the United States for several weeks
past, were in a long conference yester-
day afternoon, when it is understood
they agreed that England's loans from
the United States have been arranged
for.
Daily reports of the subcommittee Of
the British mission are now rounding
out, and it is understood that the trade
question has reached as near a finaIity
as possible, with the problem of shipping
still staring the allies in the face as their
biggest problem.
BY the close of the week all details of
England's needs will be made known to
the United States, and there then re-
mains nothing but the question of the
ships in which to send food and supplies
to England.
On Friday the British mission will 20
to New York and will join the French
mission somewhere in New Jersey; the
two missions will enter New York to-
gether.
The return to Washington will be made
on Sunday, and the mission probably
will leave the city finally on Thursday
or Friday Of next week for short trip
through the Middle West to Canada and
homewards, although all of the details of
their departure are not fixed by any
means.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
SLACKERS' FAULT
IF NATION FAILS
To ABSORB LOAN
People Able Greatly to Over
subscribe War Credit, Says
Currency Comptroller.
STIRS UP PATRIOTISM
Tells of Gemany's Accomplishments
and Declares U. S. Should Do
Infinitely Better.

II the 5000. 10000 Liberty Loan is not
oversubscribed by the American people
it viii be due to the failure of slackers
to contribute their fair shares to the
nations war needs rather than to
financial inability to aid, according to a
statement issued by Comptroller of the
Currency Williams last night The
comptroller declared that there are more
than 100000 individuals and corpora
ttons in the United States financially
able to subscribe amounts ranging from
800 to 100000
Comptroller Williams statement was
not prompted by any present indication
of failure, for the subscription to the
war bonds is booming. The Treasury
announced last night that the days
grist Of subscriptions amounted to $780,
+5OOO. bringing the total subscriptions
actually tabulated up to S472, l66 600. In
addition there are many subscriptions as
yet untabulated.
New. York City In Lead.
New York City held her lead, send
Ing in subscriptions at the rate of
$16.000.000 an hour. The tosaI for
New York City for the day was S7s,-
766.OO0, making an aggregate of $685.
$4,000, or more than h alf OF all sub
eSiApNiOhS itNtlNtu LOT Tue DerlOu
since the opening of the books Chi
cago held second place with $11,97O,-
600 for the day and S36,970O0e all
told. A telegram from Rolla Wells,
governor of the Federal Reserve
Bank of st. Louis, stated hat that
city will subscribe at least $25,
900.
Comptroller Williams pointed out
in his statement that If the people
of the United States would ubscribe
only five per cent of their posses
sions the Liberty Loan would be six
times Oversubscribed. He declared
that there are 100000 persons in
the country engaged in gainfui oc-
cupations.
Mr.. Williams stated that the wealth
of the country now amounts to more
than $220.O00. 900. 900. He stated that
after the German government had is
sued four or ive tremendous war
loans a further loan was asked of
the people and applications were re-
.ceiyeds trom 6,25n.0a0 subscribers.
Inasmuch as Germany's population is
less than two-thirds and her wealth less
than one-third of the population and
wealth of the United States, Mr.. WILL
liams' statement indicates that the Amer
ican peoples subscriptions will tremen-
dously exceed the amount of money put
up for the German war chest unless the
Americans are willing to be outdone in
patriotism by their national foes.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
Secret Pact Between US.
And Denmark Saves Enemy
Ships at Virgin Islands

The United States has a secret gentle
mems agreement" with Denmark where
by two German ships interned at st.
Thomas. in the Virgin Islands, and the
property OF all Germans in the islands.
are safe from seizure.
The agreement was made between Sec
retarY Of State Lansing and Minister
Brun, of Denmark, shortly before the
United States took over the islands
then the Danish West Indies-and after
the Senate had ratified the treaty pro-
viding for their purchase at a cost of
S25 00O, 900.
The first hint of this secret agreement
reached the public through a remark by
Representative Alexander, Of Missouri,
in the House on Monday. Yesterday the
complete character of the pact was
learned. 1t was further ascertained that
the islands are a hotbed of intrigue
against the United States and that the
administration suspects they have been
employed as a base for supplying Ger
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
Gems from Bible and Poesy
Quoted at Trial of Vawter;
Counsel Calls Wife Vampire

Biblical stories related and applied to
the Vawter case. A modern version Of
this story was also given, in which II
was declared that Mrs. Potiphar assault
ed Joseph.
The Vawter residence, on the campus
at the Virginia POLYTECHNIC Institute. at
Blacksburg, where the tragedy was
staged, was termed a regular Sodom and
Gomorrah when Prosecuting Attorney
r. I. Roop began the addresses to the
jury. He told in detail the wickedness
OF these two ancient cities. and said that
their reputation was rivaled by the
incidents which he described as having
taken place in the Vawter residence.
Mr.. Roop empha sized as horrifying the
finding of the two blood spots in the
Vawter guest chamber.
r. L. Jordan, of Radford. one of the
attorneys for Vawter, drew tears from
his hearers five minutes after he had
begun his three-hour address. He made a
deep impression when he told that there
Is not a case on record in Virginia in
which a man had been convicted of
murder for killing an intruder upon his
family's honor.
SObbing in the court room was at its
height when he preached what might be
CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
MORE ENJOYS
TO VISIT u. S.
Missions From Russia, Italy
and Japan Soon Coming
to America.

Three great missions from nations
fighting for the same ideals which
brought America into the war against
Germany will soon start for this country.
it was learned yesterday.
The State Department has been Official
ly informed that Russia and Italy are
preparing TO send high commissions to
bring tidings of friendship and offers of
service. while unofficial intimations have
reached the administration that Japan,
likewise, is soon to send a special body
of dignitaries to Washington.
The japanese mission, selected by the
Emperor, is to come on a warship to a
West coast port, it is said, and its object
is to endeavoT to end the misunderstand-
ings which have led to talk of a future
war between the two nations. Intima-
tions to this government are that Ninpon
believes the moment propitOus to seal a
closer understanding between the eastern
and western world, on the frontiers OF
which Japan and the United States stand
than ever before has been reached.
The State Department is, of course.
maintaining as close a silence reRardinp q
the plans for the Russian, Italian. and
Japanese commissions as it did concern
ing the French and British missions now
here. The reason is obvious The ItsI-
ian commission, at least would have to
sail through waters infested by subma-
rines. The other two missions nrohahIv
will cross the Pacific and come to wash
ington across country.
The danger of attempts against them
is as great. however, as the government
considered it in the cases of the French
commission. now touring the country, and
the British mission, regarding which the
utmost secretary was maintained until
it was safe In the Capital.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
WILL HURRY
SHIP PLANS
Bills Appropriating ,000,,
100000 May Be Intro
duced Today.

President Wilson will ask Congress 10
appropriate Immediately SlOOO 10000 for
the construction Of 100000 tons Of Amer
rine blockade.
The administration bill providing for
this colossal program and vesting in gov
ernment heads the most sweeping DOW
ers 10 make merchant shipping the most
powerful factor in winning the war will
be introduced probably today in both
Houses OF Congress and rushed with all
speed toward the statute books.
The entire program outlined by the
shipping board i'm the proposed legis-
latiOn will be completed within eighteen
months, or two years at the most.
The legislation which Congress is eS-
pectCd quickly to pass would authorize
the President to divert to government
use the products OF every steel plant in
the country and would provide for the
cancellation Of existing contracts be-
tween those plants and private consum-
ers
1t was explained by shipping experts
working out the problem that perhaps
part Of the billion dollar appropriation
will be used to indemnify fully parties
whose contracts are Cancelled
Only those steel manufacturers will
be exempt from the provisions OF the
proposed law who are needed in other
ways for national defense work In
cases where the need is imperative,
supplies for the railroads also will be
exempted. Steel mills will be permit
ted to supply the railroads with the
minimum amount Of steel products
which are shown to be absolutely nee
nessary to meet the nations war
needs.
such prompt action is expected by
Congress that administration leaders
last night were confident that the ma
Chinery for turning out the ships
would be set in motion within two
weeks.
Large numbers Of contracts have
been drawn and ready TO be signed as
soon as authorization for their con-
structiOn is given.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
Word Starving" Struggled
From Germany in Letter

PunxsutaWney, Pa, May S-'Starving.
This single word, telling the tragic
story Of conditions in Germany, was
smuEgIed through a German censor In
an exceedingly clever manner.
Mrs. Edith Graf received today
letter from relatives in Germany. 1t had
been opened and passed by the various
censors and contained nothing unusual
One paragraph, however, told Mrs. Gray
that this would probably be the last
letter to come out of Germany and sug-
gested she keep the stamp as a souvenir.
She steamed the stamp on the envelope
and found the single word message
written beneath. The family from which
the letter was received was wealthy be-
fore the war, she said.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
Negro Slayer Spirited Away
While Mob Cries for Blood

Memphis, Tenn, May S-while a mob
of 500 men was congregating around the
county Jail here this afternoon demand
ing his life, Eli Persons, the negro who
attacked l5-year-old Antoinette Rappal
and hacked her head on. was rushed into
the State Penitentiary at Nashville and
lodged in a cell.
Sheriff Tate told the mob that Persons
had been spirited away early this morn
ing after he confessed his crime and ha5
been taken to Nashville. The crowd re-
fused TO disperse. however. until the
sheriff permitted a committee OF three
men 10 search the country Jail. Mrs.
Minnie Wood, mother of the negro's VIC
tim, sent a message to the mob leaders
asking that they allow the law TO take
its course.
Persons was indicted this afternoon for
murder in the first degree and Tor asssnit
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
Brazil VIII Cooperate
With America in War

Rio Janeiro, May S.-Brazil is going to
cooperate actively with the United
States in the war against Germany.
ALI the tremendous resources of Brazil
are to be put at the disposal of the
United States government and all the
Brazilian harbors are to be thrown open
to the American fleet, it was announced
today by Senior Milo Pecanha, the new
minister of foreign affairs. Senior Pc
canah spoke of Brazirs policy as one of
hrmness without boastfulness,"
1T is to be our object to do everything
possible to strengthen the friendship be-
tween the two nations" added the for-
eign minister.
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09

man raiders and submarines in the South
Atlantic.
So serious is the situation in the is
Iands. IL was indicated in high circles,
that a number Of arrests are likely a,
any moment. There is a large German
population there. German financial inter
ests having long practically controlled
the wharfage facilities at St Thomas.
the principal harbor.
The islands were originally designed
as an American naval base to curtain
the Atlantic entrance of the Panama
Canal from the naval bases OF other
nations in those waters. Disloyalty'
among the population might prove so
serious that Admiral Oliver. governor
general of the islands, is understood TO
have been given full authority for deal
ing with any situation which arises. He
has a force of marines at his command
with which to patrol the islands.
Despite the reported condition OF af-
CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR
The Washington herald., 1917-05-09
Principal Features of War Bill
For Raising $1,800,0O0,OOO

Material that lowest
single and $4,000 for married
advanced point where enjoying
income of $4,000 per will Uncle Sam total
cent of income.
Advances inheritance which virtually double
present derived from
Advance present mposs tariff per ad
Vaoen horizontally including tariff of
on all articles IN rec list
Taxes railway freight, al
Sorts luxures of including cosmetics perfmes
patent medicines.
Taxes heat light and electric kilograms
long-dsance telephone taxes telephone bills
An automobile and pipe lines.
Advanced tobacco cigars
cigarettes, on whisky, beer, and wines.
The framed House Committee Ways and Means
expected follow embodied in President Wilson's
mand for declaration of against imperial German
that people present pose should
present 1t expected o raise 81 1Soooooooo