davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
NEW INCOME TAX
RULES FOR FARMERS
Levy Not Confined to Profits
on Products Raised
ALL GAINS ARE INCLUDED
Deductions To Be Claimed Only For
Expenses Connected Directly With
Farming Operations For
Last Year.

Neutrality-suspicious. tax regula-
lions for farmers. just issued by In
ternal Revenue Commissioner Roper,
provide that all gains, profits or in
come received in 1917 from sale or
exchange of farm products, whether
raised on the farm or purchased and
resold, must be included in the return.
The rules apply to all persons or cor
porations operating ordinary farms,
ranches, plantations. stock, dairy,
fruit or truck farms.
Deductions from gross income may
be claimed only for expenses connect
ed directly with farming operations
for last year and made during the
year, even though crops on which the
expenditures were made were not sold
within the year. A former ruling that
the cost of stock purchased for resale
is an allowable deduction under the
item of expense is annu.led and these
expenditures now are regarded as cap
ital investments. Consequently, when
the live stock is sold, the original cost
may be deducted from the sales price,
to ascertain the profit which is tax
able.
Under the same procedure, if the
cost of stock or farm products pur-
chased in any year previous to 1917,
were deducted in returns of those
years and the stock sold last year
the entire proceeds are to be included
in the taxable income. This applies
only to farmers who have made in.
come tax returns heretofore. If this
deduction had not been claimed, II
may be taken from the selling price
Of stock last year to determine the
taxable profit.
Farmers who keep books according
to some approved method of account
ing which clearly shows net income
and who take annual inventories, may
prepare their returns in accordance
with their inventory records. Live
stock purchased for draft, breeding OF
dairy purposes may be included in
the inventory for each year at figure
which will reflect the reduction in
value estimated on the basis of in
creased age of the animals.
These regulations relate only tc
farm operating income and not tt
profit which may have resulted from
! sale of a farm. Neither is farmer
required to include in his taxable in
come the value of farm produce con
sumed by himself and family.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
His Message To Troops.

WASHINGTON. - Secretary of War
Baker. now in France, is carrying
word to the American fighters that
the nation is backing them heartily
and that the War Department is doing
a vast task to support them.
He will have personal talks with
officers and men and try to impress
them with the thought that the work
behind the lines is going on as earn
estly as the work in the front-line
trenches.
Bakers visit will be brief, he an
nounced before departing. 1t will last
sufficient long. however, for him to get
a complete view of how affairs are
progressing at the front and directly
back of the lines. He will have an
opportunity to see the Sammies in
four sectors, and, more than likely. in
action. He is accompanied by Major
General Black, chief of engineers, and
lieutenant Brett, ordnance, indicating
that he intends a special study of the
work by the engineer and ordnance
branches.
He will visit ordnance bases, in
spect docks, railroads and cOnstruc-
ton projects. In addition, he will
have important confidential talks with
General Pershing and other officers
as to their needs and as to what, in
their opinion, the War Department
can do to further the task of beating
the Hun.
He may also consult the members
of the Versailles War Council, includ-
ing the American representative, Cen
eral Bliss. His mission is designated
officially as military, without any dip
lomatic phases.
The censorship on both sides has
kept some of the work hidden and
as a result the matter of what the
other fellow was doing has been sub
ject to doubt or misinterpretation
Baker will dissipate any such conM
ton.
Bakers visit is particularly timely
in view of the fact that the west front
is livening up and he can see at first
hand the problem before him. That
the Germans are planning more ex-
tensive operations" against the Amer
leans in the Toul sector was indicated
in the weekly War Department sum-
mary. This also suggested that moth
ing in the situation should lead us to
estimate that the Germans have aban-
doned their plans of major offensive
in the west"
Further, 1t is limited that the Allies
are content to remain on the defen-
sive, confident that, If the Teuton
blow comes, it cannot penetrate the
western wall. Despite Teuton efforts
to shift the struggle eastward, the
west remains the key position Of the
war, says the statement.
Baker, according to men just back
from Europe, will be especially heart
ened by his talks with men in the
trenches. Their morale is splendid
and If pessimism exists anywhere
back of the lines, it is strangely lack
ing up close to the enemy.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
ASKS MILLIONS FOR GUNS.
Army Urges Deficiency Appropriation
Of $4o0, 1000, 900.

observation-disclosures was asked
by the Army Ordnance Bureau for an
urgent deficiency appropriation for the
manufacture of ordnance, principally
heavy guns.
Addition of the $4OO,O0O,OOO item to
the Urgent Deficiency bill, pending in
the Senate, was requested by the act
ing chief of ordnance, but Senate lead
ers were disposed to delay action and
have the appropriation take its usual
course through the House. Although
the appropriation was requested imme-
diately, it was desired principally so
contracts for heavy guns could be let
now, with final actual expenditure con-
siderably delayed.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16

in Mesopotamia. The British after
their first disaster at kut-el-Amara
returned to their attack, captured
Kut and then Bagdad. and their
lines now stand firmly across the
route north of Bagdad. The Russian
lines for a long time stretched south
and southeast from the anatolian
coast of the Black sea, adding an adj
ditional menace, but they since have
retired before the Turks.
Meanwhile the British forces which
started their operations from Egypt
and the Suez have continued their ad-
vance across the Holy Land until they
now are within striking distance of
Aleppa, where a further advance by
them would cut the COnstantinOple
Bagdad railroad.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
100000 TESTAMENTS SENT.
Half OF Gift Of Million To Sammies
Completed In New York.

New York.-The American Bible So
ciety has just completed the first con-
Segment of 100000 copies Of its serv-
ice Testaments. bound in khaki, to the
American soldiers and sailors through
the Young Mems Cnristi'n Associa
ton, This is half of its promised gift
of 100000 volumes. the &c tar'ents
are being furnished at the rate Of TO-
GO copies day.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16

was the moral force of this country in
the prosecution of war for liberty and
"a higher moral elevation for human
ity." Earl Reading declared of the
president:
mo human being has the faculty of
stating in better language the true
nature Of those ideals than your presi-
dent. who speaks for you.
I'VE in Europe have learned to look
to those words Of his and to cherish
them rs representing to us the unal-
terable determination of America,
once it has commenced to war in vindi-
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16

"ation of right. never to sheathe the
sword until II has conquered. we
'Snow that the words spoken by your
president are words upon which we
can build. We do. They are messages
of hope and comfort to us"
Every man that YOU send over IS
more than one American" Lord Read
ing continued. "He is more than one
soldier going to the trenches; he is
message from you to us. over there
to be of good cheer to remember that.
after all, there is population OF
11O,OOO,OOO behind him."
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
TWELVE DIE IN Theatre.
More Than 80 Others Hurt As Wall
Crashes On Movie House.

Winchester, Ky.-Twelve persons
were killed, 10 of whom were chill
dren, % persons so severely injured
it was found necessary to remove
them to the Clark County Hospital
and about 30 others less seriously hurt
here when the walls of burned build
ing adjoining a moving picture the
atre collapsed, crushing in its roof.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
NO EXTRA SWITCHING CHARGE.
Federal Railroad Administration Of
flee Denies Reports.

observation-disclosures that the Rail-
road Administration contemplates
establishing extra switching and spot
ting charges were denied vigorously
at the Offices of Director-General Nc
Adoo. Nearly 1000 kilograms of pro-
test against establishment of extra
charges were received from shippers
and traffic managers.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
LOOK TO PRESIDENT WILSON
Earl Reading, at Public Meeting, TeHs
How Allies Take Cheer From His
Uttcrances.

A high tribute to President wilson
was paid by Earl Reading. Great Brit
aims special ambassador to the United
States. in an address ut New York IN
the presence Of 1000 members OF the
Merchants association.
Asserting that he doubted whether
Il was realized in Europe how sisnai
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
TO BUY eERMAN-owNED PIERS.

Senate Unanimously Authorizes Pres
ident To Acuire Property.
Washington.-With dissenting
vote, the Senate agreed to the amend
ment to the billion-dollar urgent def
cheney bill, giving the President pow
err to purchase the German-owned
piers at Hoboken.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
VICTOR L. BERGER INDICTED.

With Four Others He 10 Accused Of
Interfering With War Plans.
Chicago.-An indictment charging
former Congressman Victor L. Berger,
of Wisconsin, with interfering with
the United States prosecution of the
war was handed down by the Federal
grand jury.
Others indicted were Adolph Germ
er, national secretary of the Socialist
party; J. Louis Engdahl, William F.
Kruse and the Rev. Irwin St. John
Tucker
The men are charged with obstruct-
ing recruiting, causing disloyalty and
interfering with prosecution of the
war.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
BILLY SUNDAY TO TRENCHES.
Will Fight Devil There For Three
Months Says Son.

Atlantic City.-Billy Sunday will
spend three months in the trenches
at the battle front, fighting the devil,
according to his son. Lieut.. George A.
Sunday, United States Signal Corps,
who is at the Hotel Traymore on a
short furlough. AS soon as the evan
gelist completes 12-week campaign
which he opened in Chicago Sunday,
he will start abroad. He expects to
return next fall to conduct a revival
in Providence, R. l., in September.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
Daring Raids Into German Trenches.

Daring Raids Into German 'Te"c"es'
With the American Army in France.
American troops, cooperating with
the French, have carried out three
raids opposite the American sector IN
Lorraine. Two of the raids were exc
cuted simultaneously Sunday night.
The Americans swept past the Ger
man first line and penetrated to the
enemy,s second line, 600 yards back.
The two simultaneous raids, one
northwest and one northeast of --
(deleted), were made after intense
artillery preparation lasting for four
hours, in which the German positions
were leveled. At midnight two forces,
each orYe of (deleted), with
small French forces on their tanks
moved upon the German detectives
behind creeping barrage, each on
front of 900 yards. When the Amer
leans reached the enemy first lines
the barrage was lifted so as to box in
the German position at both points.
The men dropped into the enemy's
trenches, expecting hand-to-hand
fight, but found the Germans had fed.
Continuing the advance, they went
forward 600 yards to the second Ger
man line. All the time American ma
chine guns were firing on each flank
of the two parties to prevent the
enemy from undertaking aanking op-
erations.
One French flanking party found
two wounded Germans in a dugout
and took them prisoners. The Amer
leans found none.
The Americans remained As minutes
In the enemy lines They found ex
cellent concrete dugouts. which they
blew up, and also brought back large
quantities of material and valuable pa
pers. While they were in the enemy
lines German artillery began a vigor
Gus counter-barrage. It was quickly
silenced by American heavy and light
artillery, which hurled large quantities
of gas shells on the batteries.
An American trench mortar battery
the homes of most of whose men are
-- (deleted), participated in the
artillery preparation preceding the
raid, helping to level the enemy posi-
lions. The artillery, both light and
heavy, was manned by soldiers most
ly from (deleted).
Soon after these two raids had been
carried out the Americans staged an
other at a point further along the
line to the right They went over the
top after artillery preparation of Al
minutes in which the enemy's posi-
tons attacked were obliterated. Al
this place the dugouts were found tt
have been constructed principally Of
logs. Engineers accompanying the
raiding party completed the artillery's
work of destruction. The American
infantrymen who took part in thi:
raid are from (deleted), ant
the engineers from -- (deleted)
The raids were carried out skill
fully and but for the fact that thu
Germans fed more prisoners doubt
less would have been taken TIL.
American gas shells are believed t.
have caused many casualties among
the enemy. No Americans are un
accounted for.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
| RlkER PARTY REACHES PARIS
MADE TRIP TO FRANCE ON
UNITED STATES NAVAL
VESSEL.
Carries Word To Fighters That Coun-
try ls Backing Them
Heartily.

try 10 Backing Tnem
Heartily.
Paris.-Newton D. Baker. the Amer
lean Secretary of War, arrived in
Paris Monday morning. He was re-
ceived by General Pershing. General
Tasker H. Bliss, the American chief
of staff; French officers representing
Premier Clemenceau and Ambassador
Sharp.
The secretary's voyage was with
out incident.
Few people knew of the Secretary's
arrival. there being only a small
crowd at the station. The members
of the party were taken to the Hotel
Crillon. which will be their headuar-
ters during their stay in Paris.
No submarines were sighted during
the voyage across and the weather
was fine except on two days when
stormy. rough conditions were encoun-
tered.
Secretary of War Baker will see
President Poincare and Premier Gle
menceau, then visit the American
troops at the front.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
FOREIGN MINISTER
TR0TzKY RESIGNS
Former Exile and Bolshevik
Leader Quits.
lew REVOLUTION PROBABLE
Army Reported Forming To Fight
oIsheviki-Peking Hears General
Semenoff Expects Support From
Japanese Troops.

PetrOgrad.-LeOn TrOtZky, IN an ad-
dress at a meeting of the Maximalist
Party announced that he had resigned
as Commissary for Foreign Affairs.
A decree signed by Premier Lenine
announces the evacuation of the State
Institutions at Petrograd. The Peo-
pies Commissioners left for Moscow,
which is to be the new Russian cap
ital, at least temporarily. The Com
missioner of Education, M. Lunachars-
ky, will remain in Petrograd as the
representative of the Government and
will be invested with extraordinary
powers.
The Petrograd papers confirm the
report of Trotzky's resignation as For
eign Minister His duties now will
fall upon his deputy, M. Tchitcherin.
AS the BOlshevik Foreign Minister
Leon Tr0tzky, whose real name is Leb-
or Braunstein, was the most important
member of the revolutionary govern
ment formed after the overthrow of
Kerensky last November. Although
Nikolai Lenine, as Premier, was the
nominal head of the Government,
Trotzky virtually controlled Russia's
destiny up to the second peace confer
ence at Brest-Litovsk.
1t was Trotzky who made public the
text of secret documents exchanged
between former Russian governments
and foreign governments, and It was
he who proposed the armistice to the
Central Powers early in December
which eventually led to the abortive
conference at Brest-Litovsk. The nego.
tiations were disrupted in mid-Febru-
Germans then submitted partial peace
terms, but Trotzky took no part in
the conferences.
Trotzky's resignation is the second
among the Russian leaders forecast
by Berlin. On February rs. Berlin re-
ported that Ensign Krylenko, COM
mander of the Russian armies, had
been superseded. A dispatch received
in London said Krylenko had resigned
owing to differences with the Council
of Peoples Commissaries. Trotzky's
resignation was forecast by Berlin
last week. The Withdrawals of Trotz-
ky and Krylenko leave Lenine as the
survivor of the Bolshevik ruling trium-
virate. Trotzky also is president of
the Petrograd Council of Workmen's
and Soldiers Delegates and was ap-
pointed for dictator, with unlimited
authority. on February 20.
Having escaped from Siberia, where
he was sent for political offences,
Trotzky was an exile at the outbreak
| of the war. He was expelled from Eu-
rope for preaching peace and arrived
in New York on January II, 1917, but
| returned to Russia last April, after
the overthrow OF the Imperial Govern
mont
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16

France is the best foreign patxOn of
the United States Patent Office, with
Great Britain following closely.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
AMERICAN TROOPS (.
STARTING THINGS
Make Several Bold Raids Into
German Trenches.
BocHes GET OUT OF THE WAY
French War Office Reports A Bold
Raid BY The Americans Monday
Three Successful! Raids Made
On Sunday.

Paris.-For fully half hour Amer
lean troops early Sunday fought
brilliantly successful hand-to-hand
combat in German trenches on the
Toul front (Lorraine) in the first
large scale raid undertaken by our
men since their arrival in France.
Supported by a smashing barrage
from our big guns, they surged for
ward across No Mans Land, driving
the German advanced line troops to
fight. Then they dashed into the
enemy's positions to a depth OF more
than 300 yards and cleaned up" IN
hand-to-hand fighting they killed many
Germans and finally returned laden
with trophies and highly Informative
papers and insignia. No prisoners
were taken for the reason that there
were none to take. Those OF the
Germans who had not taken to flight
were trapped in their dugouts and
killed in man-to-man combats.
Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-03-16
2 AMERICAN AvlAToRs KILLED.
Naval Men Victims OF An Accident
In Farnce.

Washington.-Two American naval
aviators have been killed in an aero
plane accident in France. They were
Andrew d. Skaggs, landsman for
Quartermaster, and Leo S. Harvie,
boatswain's mate, first class.
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-10-15
WHEN FRENCH BATTLED
INTO CITY OF LAON
Released $500 Civilians Who Were
IoYful in Extreme.

Paris. Oct. l4.-SiX hundred civil
ians were liberated when French
troops entered the town OF Laon, it
was officially stated tonight. The
statement issued at the war office
says French have passed far beyond
the whole front between the Disc
and Ailette river. The official state
ment reads:
Pursuing the enemy, our troops
resumed the advance this morning
over cut-up roads, which the enemy
evacuated in haste, leaving guam
titles OF material, shells, barbed
wire and railroads intact. At l0.45
o'clock our advancing guards
reached the Laon-La Fere railroad,
where they were met by violent
machine gun fire coming from
Besny-et- Loisy and La Montague,
which were occupied by enemy rear
guards.
AT II o'clock all the St. Gobain
forest was clear OF Germans, and
the French flag was floating on the
Laon cathedral. Our soldiers lib
Grated about 6,500 civilians, who
welcomed them with JOY.
Continuing the advance, our
soldiers approached the Laon for
est at Samousey which was taken.
Marchais was also occupied.
Towards ? o'clock the enemy ma
chine guns reaction became most
severe. At 2:50 o'clock. an Italian
brigade had passed the town OF
Montague. At about 5 O'Clock the
advance continued. There is heavy
fighting with rear guards. which
have Tired upon us principally from
Nivaise. Couvron-Et-Aumencourt,
and dropped shells ON the road and
railroads. We passed into Sam
ousey and continued the pursuit.
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-10-15
Strangers Condition
Proves Perplexing

A man believed to be l.. /. Weir,
a sewing machine agent, met some
messenger boys on Main street, this
forenoon, between a and B streets
and asked them to take him to Dr.
Robert S. Wizards office. The man
appeared to be dazed and was hard
" able to walk. The boys took him
TO the doctors office. and Doctor
Willard, on first eXaming him. be
iieved he had been given dose OF
knock k-out" drops. Weir spoke in
coherently but kept mumbing about
somebody having got all his money.
lie was taken to the police station
and a pallet made for him in the as
sistant chiefs room. Later the doc
tor came to the conclusion that the
man was suffering from an overdose
of morphine. 1t could not be
learned if he was addicted to the
use of the drug, but at noon he was
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-10-15
ARM|ST|CE OR EASY PEACE FOR
GERMANY IS BITTERLY OPPOSED
BY PRESS Of BRITISH EMPIRE
MUST BE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER is DOMI-
NANT FACT IN COMMENT OF LEADING DAILY
NEWSPAPERS OF LONDON ENEMY'S PRO
POSAL REGARDED AS TRICKERY.

strategic points in Germany, More
over, it says;
The British nation has right
to speak on this question by virtue
OF its having borne the chief bur
denS OF the war and played a pre-
ponderant part in it,
London Times Says Fight.
The Times regards Germany's
answer as neither candid nor
straightforward, and asks that Ger
many regards attempts to confuse
plain issues, adding:
The associated governments
have not the slightest intention of
accepting mixed commissions to
make arrangements concerning an
evacuation OF allied territories. An
armisticc with the central powers
can be reached only on the condi-
tons analogous to those accepted
by Bulgaria. The lesson for the as
Sociated people sand governments is
plain. 1t is to hold firmly together
and support their armies on the
field by keeping united front at
home while President Wilson pre-
pareS that candid, straightforward
reply which it is his avowed inten-
ton to make. We may rest assured
that the government of the Unit
ed States is as fully determined as
the people OF this country that Ger
many in her present humiliation
shall abide by that arbitrament OF
force to which four years ago she
appealed in her preseumptious pride.
The sword must decide. There is
no other road to peace
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-10-15
LOCAL LIBERTY LOAN
DRIVE IS RESUMED
Continued from Page y

even after the quota is secured, is
stressed by the federal reserve banks
and state and district chairmen. The
following telegram, received from
the Kansas City Reserve Bank, was
relayed to all banks in Carter Coun-
ty, by Chairman Franklin, this fore
noon:
I'VE cannot too strongly impress
upon YOU and your people the fact
that there must be no slackening of
effort in the Liberty Loan Cam
paign on account of the publication
of the news of Germany'S acceptance
Of peace terms. 1t would be moth
ing short of a tragedy in American
history if the loan should fail. Our
task is not by any means finished
and Germany is watching the re-
suits of our loan just as closely as
ever. The facts are that the money
which is being subscribed to this
loan has already been contracted and
actually spent by the government.
Furthermore, our government has
enormous outstanding obligations
vet to be met and unless every unit
in the loan organization OF the
Tenth district meets its full obliga
tons we may properly be classed as
cutters"