The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, December 27, 1917, Page 1

THE WEATHER Falr and colder. THE BI THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR, NO. 300 UNCLE SAM TO CUT SAL BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, ‘K TRIB THURSDAY, DEC. 27, 1917. UNI EVENING EDITION. PRICE FIVE CENTS RIES OF BIG RAIL CHIEFS AUSTRIA-HUNGARY AGREES TO PEACE WITHOUT ANY INDEMNITIES OR ANNEXATIONS KAISER WILHELM TO KEEP WHA CALL WAR A DRAW APPROVED | ‘5 PLANS T HE HAS AND Central Powers Would Fall in Line with Proposal of Hun War Lord and Accept Terms Offered by Russia—Share Condemnation of Prolongation of Struggle. UNITED STATES AND ENTENTE ALLIES NOT READY TO RECOGNIZE BOLSHEVIK! ENVOYS Proffer Made at Beginning of with the Prussian Military Operations Resumed Wi Conference Declared Impossible Autocracy Still in Power— ithout Success on West. (By Associated Press.) Virtual acceptance of the peace terms offered by Russia was made by the central powers in a statement issued to the peace con- ference Tuesday by Count Czernin, the Austro-Hungarian minister, provided Russia’s allies also recognize them and ‘earry them out honestly toward the central powers. Peace Without Indemnities. Peace without forcible annexations and indemnities is agree- able to the central powers, and they will conclude a general peace immediately on conditions equally just to all the belligerents. The central powers share Russian condemnation of a prolongation of the war for the purpose of conquest. The return of Germany's lost colonies is made an essential part of the German conditions for peace. U. S. and Allies Hold Out. The United States and the entente allies up to this time have not recog- nized the Bolsheviki government or agreed to the terms Russia proffered at the beginning of the peace confer- ence. President Wilson ani Premier Lloyd George recently have declared TAKEINYOUR that peace with Prussian military au- NOSE TONIGHT URAINIANS IN | POSSESSION OF Occupy Former Headquarters of Three Armies in Rumania. SEIZE. ARMS AND MUNITIONS Disarm Resisting Bolsheviki Sol-| diery—Cossacks in LARGE REGION _UNCLE SAM TO CUT RED TAPE FOR SAMMIES Washington, D. ©. Dec. 26.— Aroused by reports of shortages of winter clothing‘in the national army camps, the senate military affairs committees today. in resum- ing Its investigation into army conditions, adopted a resolution requesting the secretury of war to immediately ascertain condi- tions by wire, supp'y deficient troops, and su nd departinental routine if necessary by direct purchases near the camps, London, Dec. 27.—Ukranian forces, according to a report received at Pet- rograd from the Ukranian Rada and forwarded by Reuters, have occupied the headquarters of the fourth, eighth and eleventh armies on the Rouman- ian and southwestern front. Those who resisted were disarmed, and a quantity of guns and rifles was seized. The Ukranians have occupied the station at Brailoff and disarmed the guard. A telegram received in Petrograd from Tomsk reports fighting in Ir- kutsk, Siberia. Cossacks and military cadets have engaged the garrison there for two days with alternating success. ‘ BROWN TO HEAD CONTROL BOARD | GENERAL BELIEF DISTRIBUTION OF GRAIN CARS IS RULED UPON Interstate. Commerce Commis- sion Insists Upon Fair Play. COVER 90 PCT. OF BUSINESS South Dakota’ Decision. Will Have Important Effect Here. Great importance fs attached by the \FEW WOMEN HAD BRAVED FROST | AT NOON TODAY | Chilly Reception for the First: Limited Franchise Election. LIGHT VOTE TO BE GENERAL Interest in Contest Fades Before Prosoect of Bitten Ears. A chilly reception greeted ‘North Da-| kota’s first limited franchise munici- pal election, ushered in tuis morning with a 20 degree below zero tempera- ture. At 9 o'clock not a single woman had ‘availed herself of the privilege for which her sister suffs fought so long and so vigilantly. At noon less than a dozen female votes had been cast in the whole city. . With the morning's housework out of the way, and with slightly warm- er weather, it is expected that more women will turn out to vote this af- ternoon, but it is predicted that the number of pink ballots cast will be much smaller than anyone anticipated. ‘Charged Discrimination. Early this morning prominent suf- fragette workers were confident of a big female vote. Visiting the Ward Two polling place, and finding that FANCY STIPENDS WILL BE ~ REDUCED AND WAGES GIVEN A BOOST, SAYS GOVERNMENT Systems Will Be Guaranteed Earnings Equal to Average Net Incéme of Three Years Preceding June 30, 1917, and Interest on Securities Will Be Guaranteed. CONGRESS ASKED TO APPROPRIATE SUM OF $200,000,000 FOR MORE ROLLING STOCK Immediate Provision to Be Made to Handle Flood of Traffic Which Has Swamped Roads—No Failure On Part of the Present Management to Be Inferr ed, and It Will Be Retained. STOCKS SOAR. New York, Dec. 27.—Stocks soared at the open- ing of the stock market today denoting the satisfaction of the financial community with the president's decision to take over the railroads. The advance ranged from two to eight points in the railroad lists, all the standard shares being bid up furiously. St. Paul jumped 11 5-8 points to 48. The advance spread to ail other points on the list, including war shares, equipments and utilities. Washington, D. C., Dee. 27.—One of the first acts of the gov- ernment in beginning operation of railroads at noon tomorrow will be to reduce largé salaries now paid to railway executives and increase in some measure the wages of the railway workers. Se- curities to be issued while the government is in control will be at interest rates of not Jess than four per cent, and the issues will be made under joint authority of the director-general and the inter- state commerce commission. President Wilson, when he outlines the government’s plans in North Dakota railway commission to a the ballot box provided for women his forthcoming address to congress, will ask that the government tocracy still in power was impossible. decision just handed down by the in-. Was much smaller than the ballot box Military Operations. : i ; Cai j ; for men, one mowan objected strenu-| be empowered to buy any quantity of new railroad securities. All Military: bberations are scdntiinéa FROST COMING Elevation of Senior Mernitier ‘Said terstate coutinerce commission. in ta ously. “You'll: find. before: thé day is} earnings over and above an.amount’to be agreed upon will go to the principally to the Italian northern Fp) e action involving unjust discrimination | over that you woitld have done better government. Ne frgnt, end ithe French front around}. —_—— t ti Be Favored by. ,on the part of the Milwaukee line in os To Buy Rolling Stock. Verdun. Snow has fallen along, the British front in» France. Three ‘at- tacks were made on the Verdun front, it was stated. In the third attack the Germans broke through the front lines, but were ejected immediately. Jellicoe Removed. Mercury Still Sliding Cellarward, and Colder Weather Predicted. Admiral Sir John R. Jellicoe’ has TRAINS ‘RUN A, “TRIFLE LATE been removed.as British first sea lord, and is succeedett by Admiral Sir Ross- lyn Wemyss, who, has been second sea British merchant shipping losses for the last week shows the lowest total since December 11, when six vessels were lost. CENTRAL POWERS’ STAND. | oO Brpthise of Allies., Petrogiit’ The central powers, Count Czernin, the Austro-Hungarian foreign minister told the peace conference at Brest-| dropping. Delay of No: 4 Yesterday Due to Wreck and Not to Chill. Delicate noses should be kept under “of cover this evening. Else they are quite Count Gebel sys They Must, Have| liable to be frosted. _| started jitsins cellarward about oan AT: BOARD : “Wednesday, Dec, 26.—| night. t The mercury is morning, and by 9 a. m. it had reached 20 below and was still The weather office pre- Litovsk yesterday, solemnly declare| dicts fair and colder weather for to- their resolve to on terms equally favorable to all bel- ligerents. The central powers are favorable to a peace without annexa- area to the weather immediately sign} night, with comtinued cold for Friday. terms which will terminate the war| The frigidity is blamed on a “high Pressure area” scooting around some- where up in Canada. A high pressure man seems to tions and indemnities. They could have much the same effect as blood not bind themselves to such terms pressure on a millionaire—it produces without a guarantee that Russia's a chill. allies will recognize them and carry them out honestly toward the central powers. The count declared the central powers believed that the basic prin- ciples uttered by the Russian dele- gates could be the basis of such a peace. He said they shared Russian condemnation of a continuation of the war for the sake of conquest. All Must be Obligated. It is necessary to indicate most! clearly, however, the count added that the Russian proposal could be realiz- ed only in the event that all belliger- ents obligated themselves to adhere to the terms of such a peace. The Austro-Hungarian foreign min- ister declared that the central powers did not intend to forcibly annex ter- ritories ‘seized during the war, nor to derive nations of political inde- pendence lost in the war. Subject of Nationalities. The question of the subjection of nationalities who have not political in- dependence to another country can- not be solved internationally and must be met by each government and its people by the constitution established by that government. The protection of the right of minorities is an es- sential part of the right of people to self-definition. DOUBT THEIR SINCERITY. Washington Regards Count Czernin as ~ Monumental Bluffer. The conditions surrounding Count Czernin’'s proposals‘for a basis of peace caused officials here to feel some. apprehension for their sincerity. There is a great disposition to feel that the object of the German pleni- potentiaries is simply to protract the negotiations as long as possible with- out any expectation of an immediate peace agreement, with the double pur- pose of leading the German people to believe that their government really is desirous of making peace, and of ‘Folks who awoke to a cold house this morning and blamed it on the furnace may transfer that blame to the weather. It was positively down- {right chilly. Were it summer time, | 'twould be said the great amount of , humidity in the air produced the chill. ,; Whether humidity applies in the win- ter time is beyond the humble inditer of these lines. But ‘tis true there was an unusual lot of moisture in the air this morning, and the chill was of ‘that searching variety more common to Iowa, Kansas, Illinois and Indiana than to the high and dry Dakotas. Trains Not So Late. Today's trains are not running so late as might have been expected. At 9 a. m. No. 3, from the east, was reported one hour late, and No. 4, from the west, was running two hours behind its schedule. Nos. 7 and 8, afternoon locals, were on time. Wednesday’s No. 4 got in last eve- {ning at 6:35. It was held up, how- ever, by a wreck west of Glendive and not by the weather. No 2 came in last night at 10, a very fair per- formance for the North Coast Limited. On the Ranges. Because the snows have not heen deep nor heavy to date, range cattle have not suffered to the degree they 1916. They have had little difficulty in getting to such grass as remains on the prairies. In the bottoms south of Bismarck crews still are engaged in baling hay. The weather is not un- seasonable. APPREHENDED BY GERMAN OFFICERS London, Dec. 27.—More than 300 art Associates. . James A. Lrown, ‘Rolla banker and business man and senior member on the state board of control, is to suc- ceed R. S._ Lewis of Fargo as chair- man of that body, it was announced at the capitol. today. Both Simon Nagel and,Patrick M. Casey, recent appointees of Governor Frazier, are sald to favor the choice of Mr. Brown, who is a hold-over from the Hanna administration. Mr. Brown has not been active in politics; has, shown much ability in performing the duties of his/ office, and, hig elevation to the chatrangpyhlp uld Pr i distribution of cars at Vermilion, Se as between the Farmers’ Ele- valk Cp. and line elevators located at th esame point. “The exaction complained of was exactly the same as a great many J. which have been the basis of. com- plaint in this state,” said J. A. Little, railway commission rate expert, today. “The farmers’ elevator stated that in normal times. the railway company distributed cars with the amount of grain on hand in the various hous- esas a basis, and in the event one house had ordered a great many cars, all of these cars; would oe suppiied: pe: to switch those boxes right around and give us, the larger one,” 5: he testant. Girl’ Clerks.” In Ward One G. J. Keenen, judge of election, proved himself a wiley poll- ticlan by appointing young women as clerks. His. assistants of the fair sex are , Misses Dansford and Hinckley, who seemed rather proud of their new- won honor. At Ward Six polling ‘place, in the fire hall, three women had vot- ed at noon. At Ward two lone fe- male votes had been cast. “They didn’t seem particular about who swore them’ in: Any property- holder that knew them siériied accept- able,” said'a ‘member of the’ board: And’ they voted just: like majors—not Ole of them took more than’ 'fitteén LEAGUE IS NOT CLAIMING ANY, Admitted That Membership May Not Be So Large as Year Ago. fi stent att as GAIN IN STATE Congress will be asked also to appro- priate a latge sum—probably $200,000,- 000—for the immediate supply of rol- ling stock to handle the flood of traf- fic, which has swamped the roads. Secretary McAdoo, still retaining his cabinet ‘post, will be.in charge as director-general and will have déuthor- ity to decide whether the government shall also assume operation and cbn- {trol of express companies. - ‘ H Decision Announced . The decision to take ‘over. the rall- |roads, the government's solution of ; the difficulties of the transportation problems, Was: announced last: night (be Generally, pop: ; ular, it 1s, peliev af ' fore, she-other elevators got their cars. by, President Wilson, taking oyer,.ev- Lery rajltoad engaged in genera} trans- did around the last of December in| gaining time for the further strength-| members of the German minority so- ening of the German lines in the west.! cialist party were arrested on Christ- One condition, regarded as impos-| mas eve by the German military au- sible, for the present, at least, is that| thorities to a Zurich dispatch given the adherence of all belligerents must} out today by the Wireless Press. be secured to the peace the Germans —_———______ are trying to make Russia before it ON FRAZIER’S STAFF. can become effective. This is ac- — comnanied by a demand for the return; Charles H. McVey Colonel and of German scovcnies mom in the pos-| Aide de Camp to Governor. session of Russia's allies. Position Not: Cha Governor Frazier has named Charles inged. It can be stated authoritively that j, McVey of Grand Forks a member the position of the American govern- of nis military staff, with the title of (Continued on Page Six) ‘colonel and aide de camp. TAKE UP CHARGES AGAINST DEPUTY Commission to Decide Here What Action Will Result from Attack. A stated meeting at the railway commission will be held at its office; in the capitol the first week in Janu-, ary, when it is expected the commis-; sion will decide as to the action to be taken with regard to the petition fil- ed by three elevator buyers in ‘the northern part of the state asking that chief deputy inspector of weights, grades and measures, J. A. McCovern, be required to show cause why he should not be.removed from office be- cause of alleged discrimination and unfairness. The elevator men also. question legal authority for the posi- tion which McGovern holds. On this point Dr. E. F. Ladd has replied, holding that he, as chief inspector, has a right to name a chief deputy to assist him, and declaring the attack a part of an organized effort to break down North Dakota's new grain-grad- ing act. | | DRIVEN TO BEGGERY Geneva, Dec. 27.—Features of the German Christmas’ according to news from across the frontier, were women and: children openly begging in the snow covered streets for food to ap- pease their hunger, and riots in some of the towns. Only the rich enjoyed a good, but ordinary dinner and for this they paid high prices, as much as fifty dollars. Most of the churches in Ger- many were closed owing to lack of coal. TREASURY PAYS DOLLAR PER OUNCE FOR SILVER Washington, Dec. 27.—A price to be paid by the government for silver in agreement with western producers has been agreed upon and will be an- nounced soon. It is said to be satis- factory to the producers and will be about one dolar an ounce. FIVE HUNDRED BLIND FROM HALIFAX HORROR Halifax, N. S., Dec. 26—The esti- mate that five hundred men, women and children had become totally or partially blind, as a result of the re- cent explosion and fire, is proving cor- rect. At least two hundred will be totally blind, the majority of them be- | ins young women and childrea. ' mg 91903 “9d ILE: ; 1 When thetietevators all were fullsof grein, asd a car shortage existe, the railway company distributed the cars in rotation, giving one car to each ele- vator, regardless of the quantity of grain to be shipped in any particular house. The Farmers’ Elevator Co. claimed that this rule of distributing cars in times of shortage discriminat- ed against it and forced the patrons of the farmers’ company to deliver grain to line house competitors until such time as all of the houses were full, and then each house could only buy the same quantity of additional grain, hared on its ability to ship grain out and make room for new receipts. “The interstate commerce commis- sion decided that this -method of dis- tributing cars was in violation of the interstate commerce act and ordered the raflroad company to make car dis- tribution rules that would at all times give elevator companies cars in pro- portion to the grain actually on hand for shipment. Under this ruling, if one elevator has 50 per cent of all the grain on hand for shipment at a sta- tion, it would receive half the cars available for loading at that station. The commission also held that an ele- vator company may not order a large number of cars to be supplied by the railway company when its turn came and have ali these cars delivered be- fore its competitors could receive ad- ditional cars. When all the elevators at a particular station are full, the commission held cars must be distrid- uted in proportion to the number of bushels of grain held by each house. “The North Dakota railway commis- sion recently has received a number of complaints of the method of distribut- ing cars in this state. which is su)- stantially the same as that adopted by 'mfutes to make, yp,her, te date. not a singel qt i het hes comie' back and‘ hbked for’ het ‘ballot BlajGuNs USED ELSEWHERE ‘portation in continental United’ 8 vack.” How They’re Identified. “Let’s see, Harry Thompson is the tall thin one, and John Larson fs the tall thick one, isn’t he?” asked one of the ladies who sought advice as to how to cast her ballot. Being a plumber, Mr. Thompson may be expected to have a generally wider acquaintance among the wom- en-folk than Mr. Larson, who runs a lumber yard. Ladies do not usually buy lumber, but they do have a lot toling: “I can’t say how many membets | do. with leaky pipes and fixtures and] we have in North Dakota just now. I the tl so forth. Whether their plumbing ex-| don’t know whether we have as many 1917 perience will influence the vote one way or another the count of the bal- lots this evening will tell. Polls Close at 5. The polls close at 5 this evening. Through a typographical error in Wednesday’s Tribune, the hour was made 6. BURLEIGH COUNTY TO ISSUE $45,000 WORTH OF BONDS Board Plans to Take Up War- rants and Save Two Per Cent Interest. The Eurleigh county board in spe- cial session at the court house today will decide upon the form in which an; issue of refunding bonds to the Bowen and the Woods in Minne- sota and Wisconsin ° Work Now. The Nonpartisan league is making no rash claims as to its membership in North Dakota, Edwin C. Wood, son of F. B. Wood, one of the Big Five of the National Nonpartisan league, and himself one of the best organizers on Mr. Townley’s staff, said this morn- as we had a year ago or more. The National league membersuip, I believe, is now around 150,000.” All ef the Woods now are engaged outside of the state. I. 8. Wood, one of the founders of the organization, is devoting all of his time to the work of the national offices in Saint Paul. Howard Wood, speaker of. the last house, and who had been acting as state manager for the North Dakota league, since Townley’s removal from the state, now is engaged in organiz- ation work in Wisconsin. E. C. Wood, who spent the fall and winter on his farm at Deering, has been here over the holidays with Mrs. Wood, sten- ographer to Governor Frazier, and he goes on to Minnesota to resume or- ganizatton work there. ' A. E. Bowen, clerk of the last house, is organizing in Minnesota, and O. M. Thomason, another of the league's leading organizers, is working in South Dakota. Joe and Hank Richard- son, the most effective organizers the league ever had in ‘North Dakota, pull- ed out some weeks ago for the south and are presumed to be in Nebraska, the Milwaukee line in South Dakota.| amount of $45,000, recently voted up- although local league managers pro- We are therefore taking this matterion by the board, will be issued. The fess ignorance as to their present vn with the rafiroad companies doing | ponds are proposed for the purpose of whereabouts. business in this state and calling their taking up outstanding warrants to the President Townley has returned attention to the decision of the inter-| amount of about $45,000 which are from the east and {s now at national state commerce commission in the: drawing 7 1-2 per cent interest. The headquarters in Saint Paul. The po- South Dakota case and asking that refunding bonds, to be issued for five litical situation in North Dakota the same rule be adopted by all lines| ang ten-year periods, will draw but|seems to havé attracted little atten- in this state. di “The interstate commerce commis- 5 1-2 per cent, effecting an interest saving of two per cent per annum. No tion from the league to date. A prom- inent leaguer stated this morning that sion has jurisdiction over the distri-| other matters of importance will come| Frazier undoubtedly will be a candi- bution of cars intended for shipment to Minnearolis and Duluth terminals, | and its ruling if applied to North Da- kota will cover over 90 per cent of all elevator shipments.” DUNN CENTER CLAIMS LOYALTY RECORD FOR ITS GRADE STUDENTS Dunn Center, N. D., Dec. 26.—The Dunn Center school claims a loyalty record. Of 21 youngsters enrolled in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, seven own liberty bonds; 21 helped buy a bond for the school; 21 have joined the Red Cross; 21 have agreed to contribute not less than a penny a each week to buy reading material for the soldiers, and five of the little girls ere diligent workers with the Cross sewers and knitters. before the board now known. ‘BUSINESS MEN HELP KIDDIES JOIN RED GROSS Hunter, N. D., Dec. 27.—In order that school children and others who | are not able to pay their dollar for memberships to the Red Cross im-! mediately, business men here have advanced the money to the children, and are being paid back at 10c a week. This, it was said, was a great stimu- lant for the Red Cross campaign, and the business men state the children are anxious to work at odd jobs to joy up their little debt more quickly. today so far as date for re-election as governor. He also hinted that State Auditor Karl Kositzky may seek the nomination in- dependently. Mr. Kositzky, himself, has denied that ne has any such aspir- . Friends of Secretary of State Tom Hall have been insisting since his recent vindication that he must be governor, but Mr. Hall so far has declined to give serious consideration to the suggestion. Tie most promi- nent possibility remains Dr. E. F. Ladd. NEWLANDS HELD TODAY Washington, Dec. 27.—Funeral ser- vices for Senator Francis Griffith Newlands, who died Monday night, ! were held here today at St. Al- ban’s Episcopal church, conducted by the rector, the Rev. C. T. Warner. In- terment will be made in Oak Hill cem- etery, Washington. . | including steamship lines. All linés | will be operated as a single system. ! Legislation Asked. | In a statement issued with the form- al proclamation, President Wilson de- |clared he would ask congress for leg- jislation guaranteeing: Ist: That the railroad properties will be maintained during the period ‘of federal control in as good repair jand as complete equipment as: when , taken over by the government, and 2nd: That the roads shall receive a net operating income equal in each case to the average net income of ree years preceding June 30, j Officials Retain Management. | Railroad officials will retain direct ‘management of the roads, and the railroad war board composed of five railroad heads will continue actual op- eration under Director McAdoo’s su- pervision. The president's statement made clear that his decision was not due to any failure of the railroads to per- form their duty as well as they could under the present restrictions, and the real reason for the plan was to per- mit complete unification of all rail systems impossible through private operation by such use prohibiting pooling of traffic and earnings. Although electrical lines engaged in general transportation are included in the proclamation, street railway and interurban lines are specifically ex- cluded. Not Forced to Accept. President Wilson will recommend to congress that the railroads be guar- anteed the average net income of the three years ending June 30, 1917, but any railroad may abide by its constitu- tional right and refuse to accept this basis of compensation. In that case, the question will pass to a2 arbitrat- ing body, the precise nature of which is to be determined by congress. Can Save Billions? The equipment fund will also be used to pay any defici: of earnings this year, under the pre-war average or the amount agreed upon, but offi- clals who have given the situation close study believe it may be unneces- sary to spend any great sum in this way. Taey believe that the govern- ment by eliminating wasteful compett- tion, and unnecessary expenses undet a common control can save hundreds of millions of dollars. Some officials even estimate that the saving will be a billion dollars a year, and that the government will be able to garner rev- enue from the government operation plon in addition to insuring railroad securities’ holders against loss. WOODEN SHIP PROGRAM NEARLY TOTAL’ FAILURE Washington, Dec. 27.—The wooden ship building program was pictured as an almost complete failure today by Rear Admiral F. A. Bowles, assistant general manager of the Emergency Fleet Corporation, testifying at the senate commerce committee investi- gating ship building.