A WEEK OF CONDENSED WIRE NEWS
MONDAY
Amsterdam.—Dispatches received
inthis city from Brest Litovsk this
afternoon state that the Russian gov
ernment declared yesterday that the
V war between that country and Ger
many had ended, and orders have
been issued for the demobilization
of the Russian forces on all fronts.
It is stated, however, that the presi
dent of the Russian peace delegation
has not yet attached his signature
to the formal peace treaty.
Washington.—The state depart
ment is in receipt of a telegram
from Ambassador Francis, under
date of February 6, in which the
diplomat states that Americans in
Petrograd are safe and well. This
is regarded as disposing of the re
ports received last week to the ef
fect that Allied diplomats had been
Spelled from Petrograd.
Washington—The establishment of
an airplane mail service between
Washington, Philadelphia and New
York during the coming sumer, is
indicated by action just taken by
the postoffice department, in calling
-‘or bids for the construction of five
machines for the service.
Washington.—Announcement has
been made by officials of the war
^department that a tag system has
*been adopted, similar to that in use
in the British and French armies,
for the purpose of insuring the
identification of killed and wounded
soldiers. Each man will wear a
numbered tag, corresponding to the
number after the soldier’s name as
it appears on the war department
hooks.
Glasgow.—The second officer of
the submarined liner Tuscania, who
escaped from the sinking vessel in
^one of the small boats, with forty
others, relates a remarkable experi
ence. He says that after they had
pulled some distance from the wreck,
their boat bumped into something
hard, and when he looked about, he
saw the murderous diver, lying a
wash, the captain of the craft ap
parently being engaged in watching
the struggle of his victims. A mom
ment later the craft submerged.
Paris.—An American patrol, con
sisting of fourteen men, clashed
with a much larger force of Ger
_£?nans on Friday night, in front of
the American wire entanglements.
The fight did not last long, however,
the Germans retreating to their own
lines after they had fired a few
volleys. They took four Americans
with them and left four dead and
wounded Yankees on the field. As
the Germans retreated, the Ameri
cans started a barrage fire, the
accuracy of the aim being attested
by the cries of the enemy troops.
The Americans fought with rifles,
pistols and grenades.
Shell fire on Saturday night killed
one American artilleryman and
wounded five others. The Ameri
cans sprinkled the German lines with
shrapnel all day yesterday, but
there were no encounters.
Washington.—In an address de
livered before a joint session of con
gress today, President Wilson made
reply to the recent speeches of the
German chancellor von Hertling, and
the Austrian foreign minister, Count
^fzernin. The president said that
the Austrian's speech had a very
friendly tone and indicated that he
saw the fundamental elements of j
peace with clear eyes, unobscured j
by German trickery. The speech
of von Hertling, on the other hand,
he said, had been vague and con
fusing and had led practically to
no conclusion. It was very differ
ent in tone from that of the Aus
trian foreign minister’s. The presi
dent reiterated that the United
States would put forth its whole
strength in the war of emancipation.
He said further, that Americans do
not desire to interfere in European
affairs and would disdain to take
advantage of any international weak
ness or disorder to impose their will
on other people.
>
Washington.—Secretary of the
Navy Daniels, in a statement issued
today, predicted that the dream of
President Wilson with regard to
early American naval supremacy
would soon be realized. The United
iitates, he said, in a very short time
wvill have by far the greatest navy
in the world. •
Washington.—The announcement
of American plans to emancipate
the world from the attempted mas
•'Tery of autocrots, which was made
' by President Wilson yesterday in
his address to congress, and the
statement of the kaiser that peace
will come only after the* Germans
have won a complete victory, are
regarded as the final words of two
great nations, spoken on the eve of
the world’s greatest battle. The
kaiser seemingly is exulting over the
collapse of opposition on the Eastern
front and is confident of Hinden
burg’s ability to wrest victory from
the Allies in the West.
Washington.—According to an
nouncement made by officials of
the war department there are 113
soldiers unaccounted for, among
those aboard the Tuscania. The
casualty list of those supposed to
have lost their lives, does not con
tain the names of any Alaskans.
Many on the list, however, were
from Oregon and Washington.
TUESDAY
Amsterdam—“We desire to live in
friendship with neighboring peoples,”
the kaiser informed his subjects this
i week in an address delvered at Ham
burg, “but the German arms must
first be recognized. Our troops and
the great Hindenburg will continue
to win this recognition—then peace
will come.”
Sanford, Ariz.—In an attempt to
arrest two slackers, John and Tom
Powers, who took refuge in the Gal
ure mountains, the sheriff and two
of his deputies were killed yester
day. The men had entrenched them
selves behind rock fortifications high
up in the mountains and picked the
officers off easily after they had
been warned to return to town. An
other posse is now being organized
and the outlaws will be starved out
of their hiding place.
Washington.—Tha members of the
j executive committee of the Demo
| cratic national committee have voted
j to endorse a federal amendment for
' woman’s suffrage.
New York.—Eight motor truck
loads of records, which arrived from
Amsterdam on the steampship Nieuw,
! have been seized by the federal gov
i ernment on suspicion that the records
I contain secret information of value
j to the enemy.
• London.—In an address delivered
j before parliament yesterday, King
, George said that the great struggle
had reached a critical stage, which
demanded more than ever the full
use of the country’s energy and re
sources. He said that the duty of
the British is to prosecute the war
j with all the vigor possible until re
cognition is offered of the oniy prin
I ciples upon which an honorable
peace can be concluded.
Washington.—The belief is freely
expressed in official circles today
that President Wilson’s latest speech
will have the effect of hastening the
elimination of Austria from the war.
Reports indicate that the Austrians
have utmost confidence in the Ameri
can executive and are eager to ac
cept the offer of American friend-1
ship.
London.—The kaiser is reported
to have removed his personal head
quarters to Spa, where he will take
treatment for nervous breakdown.
London. -^-Official dispatches re
ceived in this city today confirm the
report that orders have been issued
for the immediate demobilization of
the Russian army.
Petersburg, Va.—Members of the
Virginia general assembly attended
the Lincoln memorial exercises which
were conducted at Camp Lee today
by the 319 brigade, composed ex
clusively of Virginians. This is said
to have been the first participation
of a Southern legslature in Lincoln
day exercises.
Washington.—The establishment
of an airplane mail service between
Washington, Philadelphia and New
York, it is believed in local official!
circles, will be followed quickly by the !
use of airplanes for the transporta-!
tion of mails in Alaska.
St. Auton, 111.—Several alleged
Industrial Workers, including a
Chicago lawyer, were taken to the
city limits last night by the local;
American Protective league, where j
they were tarred and feathered and |
run out of town.
Scotch Seaport.—The number of i
American victims of the Tuscania j
wreck is now estimated at 159. ‘
Fourteen additional bodies were re-1
covered yesterday and buried near!
this place. A total of 145 bodies
have been buried along the Scotch
coast. Three hundred soldiers are
still unaccounted for, but American
war department officials express
the belief that the number of dead
troopers will not exceed 113.
WEDNESDAY
Seattle.—James L. Coutty, well
j known local attorney, died here to
i day, cause of death being pneu
monia.
New York.—The condition of Col
onel Roosevelt is growing better
steadily and it is considered almost
! certain now that he will recover.
! _
Berne.—In a telegram addressed
to von Hindenburg, the kaiser today
declared that the readiness of the
Russians to withdraw from the war
was due entirely to the victories
achieved by Hindenburg. Because
of this, the kaiser said further, the
big Hindenburg German army is the
real peace delegate and must be de
pended upon to bring the war to a
successful end.
St. Louis.—Mayor Thompson, of
Chicago, has introduced a resolution
before the Republican national com
mittee, asking that A>ody to go on
record as favoring free speech on
war resolutions.
Washington.—Secretary of War
Baker appeared before the senate
military committee today for the
purpose of disclosing to the mem
bers, secret information relative to
the movement of one million Ameri
can troops to France during the
present year. The members appar
ently were convinced of the prac
ticability of the plan.
Rome.—In his opening address to
parliament, Premier Orlando de
clared that the war situation has
been much improved by the action
taken by the United States ,in com
ing to the assistance of the Allies
and taking the place of the Rus
sians in an hour of need. He said
that the Italians are ready to fight
to the bitter end. His mention of
America was the occasion of pro
longed applause.
Estill Springs, Tenn."—Jim Mc
Illherron, a negro who killed two
white men on Friday, was taken
from his captors by a mob this morn
ing, and after he had been forced
to confess by the liberal use of a
red hot iron, was burned at the
stake in the presence of the entire
population. A sister of one of the
murderer’s victims addressed the
mob.
Washington. — Advices received
from General Pershing today state
that many enemy airplanes are
scouting along the American lines,
some of them having appeared over
the sector with the evident object
of taking photographs. A number
of spectacular aerial engagements
have taken place during the past
few days and several of the enemy
planes have been shot down by the
American aerial gunners.
Washington.—Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federa
tion of labor, has informed the
senate committee that there is no
labor shortage in the United States.
London.—Advices received from
the mainland today tell of steadily
increasing activity along the Wes
tern front and statements obtained
from German prisoners indicate that
the Germans are planning to launch
a big attack early in March. The
kaiser is still concentrating fresh
troops along .the front.
Chicago.—Jack Kearns, manager
for Jack Dempsey, the Utah heavy
weight, has announced that articles
have been signed for a championship
ring battle on July 3 between Demp
sey and Jess Willard. They will
fight for the title and a purse of
$100,000.
Wilmington, Del.—Thousands of
shipbuilders have gone on strike
here as the result of the refusal
of the companies to pay double time
for labor performed on Lincoln’s
birthday. The situation has an ugly
appeamace.
London.—Chancellor von Hertling
will address the German reichstag
today on the attitude assumed by
President Wilson regarding Austria.
Washington.—In an address de
livered before the senate yesterday,
in honor of Lincoln’s birthday, Sen
ator Lewis, of Illinois, scathingly
i denounced Germany’s war lords anc
i urged Americans to fight to the last
: drop of blood for the democracy im
! planted by Lincoln and advanced by
Wilson. Referring to the German
! peace offer, he pronounced it an
| open ruse to murder. Representa
j tive Russell read Lincoln’s Gettys
■ burg address in the house of rep
! resentatives.
London.—Commenting on the lat
est speech of President Wilson, As
quith told the house of commons
! yesterday that Wilson had discrim
inated justly in regard to the sub
stance between the declarations of
von Hertling and Foreign Minister
Czernin on the war aims of the
Central powers.
London.—In an address delivered
i before the house of commons yes
i terday, Premier George did not men
tion the latest speech of President
Wilson and he declined to see in the
! Czernin statement any nearer ap
proach to reasonable terms than was
j contained in the von Hertling state
ment. He said he regarded von
i Hertling’s demand that England
' surrender certain coal stations as
. proving that Germany is in no mood
j to discuss reasonable terms.
Amsterdam—German and Russian
delegates at Petrograd are reported
to have signed an agreement calling
for the earliest possible exchange
of war prisoners who are unfit for
further military service.
London.—The British government
has refused to recognize the treaty
of peace signed by the Teutons and
the Ukrainians. The French govern
ment has assumed a similar attitude.
| Rome.—The Italian artillery is
| raising havoc with the Teuton col
1 limns on the northern front, west
| of the Bretna river. The Austrians
have resumed the offensive in that
sector but thus far they have been
unable to make any progress.
I London.—-Premier David Lloyd
; George informed the house of com
mons this morning that the war
i must go on until victory has been
wrestled from the Teutons. He said
that neither the speech of Chan
cellor von Hertling, nor that of For
eign Minister Czernin contained any
j real peace meaning, and could not
j be considered by the Allies.
j Washington.—Orders have been
I issued for the trial of Thomas Hel
i muth Ritter in the federal court.
I Ritter is a suspected Camp Lewis
I spy. who was placed under arrest
| several weeks ago.
| Memphis.—Three American avi
ators were killed here yesterday as
the result of a collision of machines
during a practice flight. Two of
the men were T. C. Rodgers and W.
D. Cooley, cadet aviators.
San Francisco.—Wholesale pois
oning of livestock, especially lambs,
is in progress throughout this state,
and the authorities are convinced
that it is the work of enemy aliens.
A state-wide investigation has been
started.
Paris.—The war office announces
today that the French forces oper
ating in the Woevre sector, north
east of Paris, made three very suc
cessful raids yesterday, reaching
the fourth line of German trenches.
A considerable number of Germans
were captured.
Amsterdam.—Replying to a con
gratulatory telegram received from
Phillip Peinckn, commending the im
perial government for Germany’s
first peacf, the kaiser is reported to
have said: ‘‘It is only a small be
ginning, by Germany’s sword, against
the closed door leading to a general
peace.”
London.—Sir Bonar Law has in
formed the house of lords that
1,163,474 tons of shipping were con
structed by the British during the
past year, in addition to which 174,
000 tons were obtained abroad.
THURSDAY
Rome.—The letter of President
Wilson addressed to Foreign Mini
ster Czernin, of Austria, is regarded
in Italian official circles as a nour
ishing seed, calculated to encourage
the early elimination of Austria
from the world conflict.
Washington—In a statement made
before the British house of com
mons, Sir Bonar Law informed the
lawmakers yesterday that enemy
submarines destroyed nearly three
. times as much shipping during th<
past year as was constructed by
England and the United States com
bined. England produced, in that
time, 1,163,000 tons and the United
States over 900,000, while the ton
nage destroyed by submarines is
estimated at 6,000,000 tons. Offi
cials of both countries, however, ex
pect a different report at the end
of this year apd both Jellicoe and
Daniels have predicted that the
divers will be defeated before fall.
Washington.—Major General Bar
nett, commander of the marine
corps, whose term is about to ex
pire, will be reappointed, according
to a statement issued by Secretary
Daniels yesterday.
San Francisco.—Lieut. Robert H.
Hall, 48th infantry, is under arrest
here on the charge of embezzling
87,000 of the mess funds entrusted
to him. When Hall’s wife learned
of the trouble, she gave the police
her wedding ring, expressing the
belief that it had been purchased
with part of the stolen money. She
is a bride of seven months.
Stockholm.—Swedish residents of
the Aland islands are fleeing in ter
ror to the outlying islands, where
they are awaiting rescue expeditions
which have been dispatched from
Sweden. The trouble is the result
of acts of lawlessness committed by
Russians, who have run amuck on
the islands.
Salt Lake City.—The federal au
thorities are holding a woman in
custody in this city on suspicion that
she is a German spy. She was taken
up in connection with the arrest
on Saturday of Rev. Leehmann,
having been caught in the act of
trying to pass a letter to an in
terned alien. The officials have
■ refused to disclose the name of the
| woman.
London.—An important peace de
bate is reported to have begun in
the reichstag. Reports from Berlin
also state that Chancellor von Hert
:ing will address the lawmakers on
February 21 on the Ukrainian situ
ation and the replies of President
Wilson, Premier David Lloyd George
j and Premier Orlando.
Washington.—General Pershing
has requested the war department
to supply him with additional chap
lains. He wants three for each regi
ment.
Amsterdam.—Judging: from the
latest indications in the German
press, much dissatisfaction and sus
picion has been aroused by the lat
est move of Foreign Minister Trot
sky. Prominent political and mili
tary officials are conferring today
in an effort to find a solution of
the Russian puzzle.
Paris.—The war office announces
that American batteries took part
in the bombardment in connnection
with a large French raid which was
made on German positions yester
day in the Champagne district. ;
French army officials state that the
Americans rendered most effective '
assistance. This is the first men- ■
tion of American batteries in the i
Champagne and indicates that the j
Yankees have been distributed over i
a wide area of the Western front, i
Madrid.—The Spanish steamer
Ceferino is reported to have been j
sunk by a submarine. The members ;
of the crew were taken to the Can- ,
ary islands by the diver, all on i
board the steamer having been saved. 1
- !
Amsterdam.—A prominent Ger
man newspaper makes the announce
ment that the statement coming
from Petrograd to the effect that
orders had been issued for the im
mediate demobilization of the Rus
sian army was only a bluff. The
German government is warned to be
on the lookout for a resumption of
hostilities on the Eastern front, not
withstanding the peace agreement
entered into by the Bolsheviki gov
ernment.
London.—The admiralty is au
thority for the statement that 22
British vessels, including three fish
ing boats, were sunk by submarines
during the past week. In addition
to the British losses, one Spanish
and four Italian vessels were sunk.
Ottawa. — Former Ambassador
Spring-Rice was found dead in his
bed this morning.
Paris.—The French war office is
authority for the statement that
the Germans now have 175 divisions,
of 12,000 men each, on the Western
front, ready to participate in the
expected spring drive. The big
(I force includes 23 divisions recently
| arrived from the Eastern arena.
Washington.—Chairman Shirley,
of the appropriations committee, has
favorably reported to the house, the
billion dollar urgent deficiency bill,
the largest of its kind in the history
of congress. The bill makes pro
vision for the immediate needs of
the war, navy and other deprat
ments. Nearly $81,000,000 is asked
for the purchase of mountain seige
artillery, in addition to the billion
dollars already spent.
Washington.—President Wilson
has directed the attorney general to
start aninvestigation of the much
discussed Hog Island shipyard
contracts, for the purpose of deter
mining if there has been criminal
abuse of the public funds, as charg
ed before the senate military com
mittee. The sum of $42,000,000 of
government funds is involved in the
Hog Island project, in which the
American International corporation,
headed by Frank Vandorlip, presi
dent of the National City Bank, of
New York, figured. Officials of the
government express the belief that
the probe will disclose nothing worse
than inefficient management and
reckless expenditures.
Washington. — Secretary Daniels
has announced the launching of the
destroyer Taylor, which left the ways
yesterday 66 per cent complete, just
four months after the keel had been
laid. This establishes a new record
in naval construction.
Kansas City.—Three thousand em
ployees of the Jackson-Walker coal
| mine are on strike today as the re
I suit of the employment of non-union
j men as weighmen. Five of the mines
I in that district are now idle, and the
j owners have appealed to the federal
fuel administration for assistance in
| resuming operations.
Rome.—In reviewing the recent
supreme war council held at Ver
sailles, Premier Orlando pointed out
j that insofar as the Italians are con
| cerned, the continuation of the war
I is no longer a matter of choice, but
J a necessity. He also said that this
j fact is well understood by all pat
riotic Italians, who are now willing
to wage the war to the bitter end.
London.—The Daily News claims
to have received information indicat
ing that the possibility of separate
peace between Austria-Hungary and
the Entente allies is nearer now than
at any time since the war started.
Great reluctance, it is said, is mani
; fested in Austria toward the pros
pect of fighting against the British
and American forces on the Western
front.
Washington—President Wilson has
issued a proclamation restricting the
entire foreign commerce of the coun
try. The action was taken so that
every available ship can be used to
transport troops and supplies to
France. Every article of import and
export has been placed under license
and will be regulated by the war
trade board and the treasury depart
ment. The new order becomes ef
fective tomorrow.
Washington—The government has
ordered an increase of ten per cent
in the wages of shipyard workers
employed in the steel yards. Ina
bility to secure workers for night
jobs is responsible for the advance.
San Francisco.—John Crowley, an
important witness in the Mooney
case, is reported to have lost his
life on the Tuscania.
London.—Great Britain, Italy and
France have asked the Uniated States
for war credits for February arid
March aggregating one billion dollars
Paris.—Announcement is made to
day of the destruction of a German
submarine by two French hydro-air
planes, which attacked the diver in
the English channel. Bombs were
used to sink the sub.
London.—As the result of the re
fusal of the Bolsheviki representa
tives to accept the German peace
terms, it is reported this morning
that the Germans are planning to
resume offensive operations against
Northern Russia. Petrograd prob
ably will be the objective. This de
cision is reported to have been
reached at a conference held this
week and attended by the kaiser,
von Hertling and von Hindenburg.
The Brest Litovsk peace parley
ended in a stormy session, following
the announcement of Trotsky that
there would be “no war, but no
peace.”