PUBLISHED DfZLY under order of THE PRESZDENT of THE UNITED STATES by COMMITTEE o PUBLIC ZNFORMATIO, GEORGE CREEL, Chairman * * * COMPLETE Record of U. S. GOVERNMENT Activities VOL. 2 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1918. No. 458 President's Proclamation Extending AMERICA PROTESTS AGAINST The Food Licensing System to Cover GERMANY'S VANDALISM IN Articles Not Heretofore on the List ORDERING'DESTRUCTION OF COAL MINES INBELGIUM ALL WAREHOUSES NOW INCLUDED Purpose and Scope Are Explained TAKING OF SEDAN BY U.S. ARMY ACTS ARE DENOUNCED in Statement Issued by the Food "GOOD NEWS," SAYS MR. BAKER Violationof Solemn Promise Administration -Given Further Recent Advance of Americans, To Spare Private Property, Control Over Animal and Vege- Says the Secretary of War, Secretary Lansing Says in table Fats. "Fine Military Achieve- Note Sent Through Swiss ment." Minister-Can Not Fail to BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES or AMERICA. Press interview by the Secretary of Impress U. S. as "Wilfully War, November 7, 1918: (A PROCLAMATION.) "The news of the taking of Sedan is Cruel and Inhuman." very good news; it is a great military Whereas, under and by virtue of an achievement. At our last report the The Secretary of State makes public act of Congress entitled "An act to pro- Americans were a distance, I believe, of the following: vide further for the national security and 5 or 6 miles from Sedan, in the most DEPARTMENT OF STATE, defense by encouraging the production, difficult country along the western front, Washington, D. C., November 7, 1918. coiiserving the supply, and controlling the except thd flooded territory in Flanders. SIR: I have the honor to request that distribution of food products and fuel," " The advance of Pershing's Army from you will bring the following to the at- approved by the President on the 10th day the 28th day of September to the 1st of tention of the German Government: of August, 1917, it is provided among November, slow, difficult, in the face of " In its note of October 20th the Ger- other things as follows: tremendous opposition and against the man Government announced that 'the " That, by reason of the existence of a strongest kinds of positions, and its sub- German troops are under the strictest in- state of war, it is essential to the na- sequent very much more rapid advance, structions to spare private property and tional security and defense, for the suc- including the taking of Sedan, if that to exercise care for the population to cessful prosecution of the war, and for place actually has fallen, is as fine a mili- the best of their ability.' the support and maintenance of the Army tary achievement in a limited area as has " Information has now reached the and Navy, to assure an adequate supply taken place in the war at any time." Government of the United States to the and equitable distribution, and to facili- effect that the German authorities in Bel- tate the movement of foods, feeds, and gium have given notice to the coal min- fuel, including fuel oil and natural gas, ACKNOWLEDGES HELP GIVEN ing companies that all men and animals and fertilizer and fertilizer ingredients,- should be brought out of the pits, that all tools, utensils, implements, machinery, BY NATION'S BENCH AND BAR raw materials in possession of the com- and equipment required for the actual panies should be delivered to the Ger- production of foods, feeds, and fuel, here- The War Department authorizes the mans, and that the mines will be de- after in this act called necessaries; to pre- following statement by the Judge Advo- stroyed at once. vent, locally or generally, - scarcity, mo- cate General: "Acts so wanton and malicious, in- nopolization, hoarding, injurious specula- Some time ago the office of the Judge volving as they do the destruction of a tion, manipulations, and private controls, Advocate General found it necessary to vital necessity to the civil population of affecting such supply, distribution, and adopt a new method of selecting, from Belgium and the consequent suffering and movement; and to establish and maintain the country at large, the limited number loss of human life which will follow, governmental control of such necessaries of lawyers needed and especially quali- can not fail to impress the- Government during the war. For such purposes the fied to become officers in the Judge Ad- and people of the United States as will- instrumentalities, means, methods, pow- vocate General's Department of the fully cruel and inhuman. If these acts, ers, authorities, duties, obligations, and Army for service during this war. As in flagrant violation of the declaration prohibitions hereinafter set forth are the basic principles of the method re- of October 20, are perpetrated, it will created, established, conferred, and pre- quired, this office sought the views of confirm the belief that the solemn assur- scribed. The President is authorized to and conferred with the judges, both State ances of the German Government are not make such regulations and to issue such and Federal, and most distinguished dis- given in good faith. In the circum- orders as are essential effectively to carry interested members of the bar through- stances, the Government of the United out the provisions of this act." out the country, in order to determine States, to which the declaiation of Oc- And whereas it is further provided in those lawyers best qualified for service tober 20 was made, enters an emphatic said act as follows: in this branch of the Army. protest against the measures contem- " That, from time to time, whenever The investigations and conferences are plated by the German authorities for the President shall find it essential to about completed. The new method is es- whose conduct the Government of Ger- license the importation, manufacture, tablished. The results seen in this office many is wholly responsible." storage, mining, or distribution of any have shown its wisdom. Its success is Accept, sir, the renewed assurances of necessaries, in order to carry into effect demonstrated. All this is due entirely my highest consideration. any of the purposes of this act, and shall to the cooperation, interest, and help of ROBERT LANsING. publicly so announce, no person shall, af- the bench and bar. Both have rendered Mr. HANS SULZER, ter a date fixed in the announcement, en- a distinct service to this department and Minister of Switzerland, in charge gage in or carry on any such business this offipe takes pleasure in expressing of German interests in the United (Continued on page 7.) to them its sincere gratitude. States. THE OFFICIAL U. S. BULLETIN: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1918. 1N COMMITTEE TO REPORT MR. HURLEY URGES PEACE-TIME WAR DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS AGAINST FIXING BASIC PRICE NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT INALL FOR 851,000 LEATHER JERKINS lairmsan Page Issues Statement FORMS OF HIGHWAY TRANSPORT The War Department authorizes the a Necessity following from the office of the director of Declaring That The highways transport committee of for It Does Not Exist. purchase and storage: the Council of National Defense, which Contracts for the manufacture of Dr. Thomas W. Page, chairman of the was formed to do a vital war-time task, 851,000 leather jerkins to cost $3,703,400 manufacturers Cotton Committee appointed by the Presi- has been called upon by Chairman Ed- have been awarded to 23 dent, has issued a statement containing ward M. Hurley, of the United States in various parts of the country by the leather clothing section of the clothing several of the points included in the re- Shipping Board, to perform a peace-time port being prepared for the President. On and equipage division. These jerkins will function no less Important than that be supplied to the Government during De- the subject of price-fixing the statement which fell to it during the war. reads: cember, January, and February, and will Chairman Hurley points to the greater complete the requirements up to March " The Cotton Committee was directed need to-day than ever before for the 1, 1919. The list of contractors, with the to recommend basic prices on cotton if stimulation of all forms of highways amounts allotted to each, is as follows: upon investigation a fixed price should be transport In carrying down to the mer- found necessary. The committee has as- chant marine of to-day and to-morrov Manufacturer. Quantity. necessity does not Lyons Mfg. Co., Framingham, Mass- 20, 000 certained that such a the foodstuffs necessary to feed the hun- Boston Overall Co., Boston, Mass-- 100, 000 exist. and its report which is now nearing gry millions of stricken Europe. His let- J. B. Pearson Co., Boston, Mass - 50, 000 completion will be submitted to the Presi- ter follows : Knopf Mfg. Co., Boston, Mafs -------- 20, 000 dent within a few days. A. J. Bates Co., Webster, Mass - 50, 000 Mr. Hurley's Letter. Simon Coat Co., Boston, Mass -------- 10, 000 Exist." M. J. Collins Co., Boston, Mass - 40, 000 "Shortage Does Not UNITED STATES SHIPPING BoAnD, Fuller & Sullivan, Boston, Mass - 50, 000 been the policy of the Govern- H. Harris Co., St. Paul, Minn ------- , 000 "It has TVashington, November 7, 1918: Amity Leather Products Co., West ment to fix the price of any commodity HiGHwAYs TRANSPORT COMMITTEE, Bend, Wis ---------------------- 5, 000 only where there was an actual prospec- Monarch Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wis-. 00, 000 Council of National Defense. J. H. Rice & Friedman Co., Milwau- tive shortage, and in the case of cotton Washington, D. C. 18 000 such a shortage does not exist. kee, Wis ----------------------- GENTLEMEN: Our merchant Cohen Bros. Co., Milwaukee, Wis 18 000 " The committee further reports that marine of Edward Goldman Co., Boston, Mass_ 75 OQO a fixed price to-day and to-morrow will carry a mes- B.