Evening Star Newspaper, March 8, 1916, Page 1

perature about 26 degrees fair, strong northwest. win Temperature for twenty- ending 2 p.m.—Highest, 59, | Sesterday: lowest, 39, at & | Full report on page 17. ; tomorrow ds. | four hours | at 4:30 p.m. | a.m. today. | =) a CLOSING NEW YORK STOCKS PAGE 17. \ » 2 — Ghe Evening Star. “From Press to Home Within the Hour” Sworm Net 1916, Daily A: Cireulation, Month of February, verage, 80,250; Sunday, 57,489. ae —_ 6. 20,251. WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1916.-TWENTY-TWO PAGES. * ONE CEN' GERMANY SUBMITS NEW MEMORANDUM ~ONSUBMARINE WAR Note From Berlin Handed Sec- | retary Lansing by Ambas- | ‘BAKER MAY TAKE OFFICE TOMORROW New Secretary of War Is Ex- pected to Reach Here This Evening. | NOTHING NOW REMAINS | sador Bernstorff. PUTS BLAME ON BRITAIN | FOR EXISTING CONDITIONS Says Orders to Captains of Mer- | clantmen Are Responsible for | Methods Now in Force. MAKES CONDITIONAL PROMISE! Is Willing to Comply With Law Pre- vailing Before the War if Eng- land Consents to Do Likewise. | The German government, in a memorandum handed today by Count von Bernstorff to Secre- tary Lansing, outlines in detail s position in regard to armed lips, reviews events leading up to its decision to torpedo without warning all armed merchantmen of its enemies, concedes thag in- ternational law, as at present constituted, makes no provision for the use of submarines, and} it sh expresses a willingness to operate s submarines in accordance with international law prevailing prior to the war on the condition that Great Britain does not violate the same laws. Text of the Statement. The text of the memorandum follows: “The imperial German government, on account of the friendly relations which have always existed between the two great nations, and earnestly desiring to continue them, wishes to explain the U-boat question once more to the American government. “At the outbreak of the war the Ger- man government, acting’ upon the sug- gestion of the United States, immedi- ately expressed its readiness to ratify i the declaration of London. At thet time a German prize code had airea been issued, which was entirely, a1 without modification, based upon the rules of the declaration of London. Ger- many thereby proved her willingness to/| recognize fully the existing rules of in- ternational law which insures the free- dom of the seas for the legitimate trade of neutral nations not only among themselves, but also with belligerent | countries. Action of Great Britain. “Great Britain, on the other hand, de- clined to ratify the declaration of Lon- don, and after the outbreak of the war began to restrict the legitimate trade) of the neutrals order to hit Ger- | many. The contraband provisions were | systematically. extended August 5, 20, September 21 and October 29, 1914." No- vember 3. 1914, the order of the British admiralty followed, declaring the whole North sea a war zone in which commercial shipping would be exposed to the most serious danger from mines men-of- Protests and fron from neutrals were of no| that time on the free- of neutral comme with Ger- was practically destroyed. Un- cireumstances: Germany was compelled to resort, in February, 1915, | to reprisals in. order to fight her | opponents’ measures whieh — were absolutely contrary to internationai aw ne chose for this purpose a new | Weapon the use of which had ava dom many der th ot yet been regulated by international jaw and, in doing s ould and did not Violate any existing rules. but only | took into account the peculiarity of this new weapon, the submarine boat “The use of the submarine nat necessitated a restriction of the free movement of neutrals and constituted a danger for them which Germany in- tended to ward off by a special warn- ng analogous to the warning Engiand had given regarding the North sea British Orders in Council. As both belligerents—Germany in her note of February 17 and Great Britain in those of February 18 and 20, 1915—claimed that their proceeding “as only enacted in retaliation for the violation of international law by their | opponent, the American government approached both parties for the pur- pose of trying to re-establish interna- | tional law as it had been in force be-! fore the war “Ger use of which had b naval weapon uraily | was asked to adapt the | new weapon to the rules| 1 existing for the former and England not to interfere with the food supplies in tended for the non-combatant German | population, and to admit their distr bution un American supervision Germany, March 1, 1913, declared her willingness to comply With the pro. bosal of the American government. while England, on the other hand. de. clined to do so. : “By the order in 1915. Great Britain what had remained of the freedom of neutral trade with Germany and her | neutral neighbors. England's object was to starve Germany into submission | by these illegal means. “Germany, after neutral citizens had lost their lives against the wish and intention, nevertheless, in the further course of the war, complied with the wishes of the American government re, council March 11, abolished even Barding the use of her submarines. The rights of neutrals regarding legal tr: ing were in fact nowhere limited by Germany Puts Blame on England. “Then England made it impossible for submarines to conform with the old rules of international law by arming |paredness program, it will tend to con- | been BUT TO TAKE THE OATH | Former Secretary Garrison May Not Be Present, as the Time Is Somewhat Uncertain. i { Newton D. Baker, former mayor ! of Cleveland, Ohio, will become Secretary of War as soon as he subscribes to the usual oath of office prescribed by the Constitu- 1 | i CARMEN IN SESSION WITH OFFICIALS 10 SETTLE GRIEVANCES Spirit of Conciliation Marks Deliberations of Men and Their Employers. SESSIONS BEING HELD AT COMPANY OFFICES pee Minor Details of Deliberations | Again Taken Up With Commis- sioner Newman. MEETINGS FOR THREE DAYS Should Differences Be Not Adjusted tion. Having been duly nomi- nated and confirmed by the Sen-! ate, he can qualify as the official head of the military establish- | ment at his convenience. He is: due to arrive here this evening.! and probably will make his first call at the White House to ascer-| 5 6 : | tain the President’s wishes. | Everything is in re: ness for the new Secretary at the War Department, with full expectation of his formal in- duction into office tomorrow morning. A few days after Mr. Garrison resigned | the War portfolio and had returned to his home in New Jersey he indicated his intention of coming back to Wash- ington for the purpose of assisting in the induction of his successor by intro- ducing him to the heads of the vari- ous military bureaus of the War De- partment and giving any information regarding unfinished business of im- portance that might be desired. He asked to be informed when his succes- sor was to be installed in office, 80 that he might arrange his affairs ac- cordingly. Owing to doubt at the War Department as to the actual date when Mr. Baker will take hold it has been impossible so far to inform Mr. Gar- rison on that point. In case it is arranged that Mr. Baker shall be installed tomorrow morning Maj. Gen. Hugh L. Scott, chief of staff, Secretary of War ad interim, probably will conduct the ceremonies at the War! Department, as the representative of former Secretary Garrison, in case the latter is not able to be ‘present. In accordance with custom, Gen. Scott has asked Judge Garrison to sit for his| portrait, to be added to the collection of his predecessors in office. The se- lection of the artist is left to the dis- cretion of Mr. Garrison. Nomination Confirmed. The nomination of Newton Dieht Baker to be Secretary of War was con- firmed by the Senate late yesterday afternoon. The nomination was sent to the Senate a few hours earlier by “he President. : Opponents of the administration at- tempted yesterday to make trouble for Mr. Baker by quoting frpm a telegram which Senator Pomerene of Ohio re- ceived from him when there was loud talk of a rebellion in the House against the President's policy regarding armed merchantmen. They quoted from the telegram as follows: “Cannot something be done to save party, which at present is a dismal lure.” ‘The full text of the message, how- ever, puts a very different light upon| the matter. It reads: “Opinion here is wholly with the President. He will doubtless eave the honor of the country, but cannot some- thing be done to save the party, which seems to be a dismal failure. When Telegram Was Sent. Mr. Baker's friends immediately called attention to the fact that the telegram was sent at a time when many of the democrats in the Senate and House were making “a dismal failure of the party” by opposing the President's submarine policy. ‘The anti-preparedness committee yes-| terday issued a trong indorsement of the appointment of Secretary Baker. This committee, which includes in its member- ship Miss Jane Addams, Stephen S. Wise, Lilhan D. Wald and John Haynes Holmes, has headquarters in Washington to work t the enactment into law of bills y the administration and con- ressional leaders for national prepared- ness. Statement of Committee. ‘The statement issued by the committee was as follows “If the President had appointed an Ohio democrat to be Secretary of War, instead of a New Jersey democrat, It is doubtful whether the country and the administra- tion would be in quite the situation it is in at present “For no democrat close to the people of the middle west would have encour- aged the President to reverse himself in his Manhattan Club address and no mid- dle western democrat would have talked quite so cheerfully as did Mr. Garrison about ‘universal compulsory military xervice.” Mr. Wilson is to be congratu- lated on his selection. While it comes too late to help the administration pre- vince the country ‘that the President is not entirely the Jingo which some would make him out to be.” BAKER LEAVES FOR CAPITAL. “I Shall Have a Great Deal to Learn,” Says New War Secretary. CLEVELAND. Ohio, March 8—His nomination already confirmed by the enate. Newton D. Baker, former mayor { Cleveland, left today for Washing- | ton, where tomorrow he will take the oath of office and enter upon his duties Secretary of War. Mr. Baker has occupied in the past two da. | with receiving the congratulations his friends ; fairs with” reference from Cleveland. To some of his friends Mr. Baker said jokingly just before leaving: “I shall have @ great deal to learn. Why as a boy I never even played with tin soldiers.” 200 Tool Machinists Strike. FRANKLIN, Pa. March §.—Machin- ists employed at the plants of the Chi- cago Pneumatic Tool Company, the of is and shaping his private af- his absence nearly all merchantmen and by order- ing the use of guns on merchant ves- sels for attack. Photographic repro- ductions of those instructions t neutral gover: the memorandum of the Ease.) been transmitted to Menta with have]! Colbarn Machine Tool Company and the Producers’ Supply Company here are on a strike. The men demand the re- instatement of several discharged men, increase of 20 per cent in wages, an jand employes were assuring one an- in That Period, Special Ar- bitrators Will Be Chosen. Committees representing the recently unionized street car motormen and conductors who} went on strike Sunday morning and returned to work Monday night met officials of the local street railway companies this} morning for a series of confer] ences which, it is believed, will adjust all grievances of the em- ployes. The meetings were held at company offices. It was an- nounceed that no details of the} conferences will be made public until they have been concluded. It was said, however, that the conferences are being conducted in the best spirit of conciliation, which, it is believed, will make for eventual success. Those in Conferences. ‘Phe committee of employes of the Washington Railway and Electric Company, comprising George A. Wil- byrt. H. E. Jones and F. M. Thompson, met at the offices of that company on 14th street at 10 o'clock this morning with Clarence P. King, president of the company; S. R. Bowen, secretary of the company, and other officials. The committee of-emploves of the Capital Traction Company. comprising J. H. Cookman, H. L. White and J. L. Gaither. met at the office of that com- pany on M street at 11 o'clock this morning. with George E. Hamilton, president of the company; J. H. Hanna, Vice. president, and B. §. Carll, vice president. Following the conference between the employers and employes, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. King and Mr. Hanna appeared at! the District building and had a brief talk with Commissioner Newman. It was said at the District building that the railway officials appeared at the Commissioners’ office simply to discuss minor details of the procedure of the conferences, and that their call was not related to the subject of the confer- ences, To Continue Three Days. The conferences adjourned for lunch- on and were resumed at an early hour at the companies’ offices this afternoon. It is expected that they will continue for three days, concluding Friday, un- der the agreement which brought them about. Questions such as the ri statement of the men who were dis- charged by the companies since Feb. ruary 13, because, the men charged, they had joined the union, are being thrashed out in the conferences, as well as the possibility of a readjustment of | working hours and wage scales, the in-| struction of new motormen and con- ductors, the right of the men to choose their “runs” according to Seniority in service, ete. It was provided in the which brought about the that if they are not success; ing up the grievances of end of three days, which Period will expire Friday, arbitrators are to be chosen to settle remaining disputed points, but the opinion prevailed today in all quarters that the company offi cials will be able to straighten out their differences with their employes without resort to arbitration. After an agree- ment is made between the conferees it will be subject to approval by the con- ductors and motormen as a body, and a contract for one year js to be made be- tween the employes and the companies. Good Feeling Is Shown - by Representatives of Carmen and Companies The decision to start the street rail way strike arbitration conferences this | morning was reached, at a meeting yesterday afternoon in the office of Commissioner Newman, at which were present the Commissioners, officials of the two confbanies and the committees representing the employes, Promptly at 2:30 o'cloek the arbi- trators arrived, remaining in session until 4 o'clock. There was eviden all sides of the best of feelin, were passed around agreement conferences ful in clear- the men at the on s. Cigars id soon officials other of their desire to co-operate to the fullest in bringing about an ami. cable settlement of the matters in cons troversy. President Clarence P. King, Vice | President W. F. Ham and Secretary 3, | R. Bowen appeared for the Washing- ton Railway and Electric Company. ‘The Capital Traction Company's rep- resentatives were President ree E. Hamilton and J. H. Hanna, vice pre! ident and general manager. Employes’ Delegation. H) ND \ ' HNN ANN \ WW yyy Jive = q “BOMBS” ARE BLAMED FOR BIG NIAGARA FIRE Explosions and Flames Threaten | Complete Destruction of Chem- ical Concern. NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y., March Fire following an explosion in the chlorate department of the Niagara Electric Chemical Company today threatened to complete the destruc- tion-of the plant, begun last night, when several explosions and the re- sultant fires inflicted damage estimated at $150,000. ‘The explosion was heard for several miles around, and across the Niagara cataract in Canada, where it caused a hasty mobilization of the militia guard-| ing the frontier. The police roped off the streets in the vicinity of the chem- ical plant as the fire was driven toward chemicals of a high explosive nature. The firemen were helpless to cope with | the. spreading fire because water mix- ing with the chemicals only added fuel to the flames. Says Plant Was Bombed. Dr. Hector B. Carrath, manager of the company, issued a formal statement to- day, saying the plant had been “bombed.” “I am convinced,” he said, “that the explosion in our plant was the result of outside agencies. Careful investigation has shown us the first explosion w not such as would have occurred had chemicals stored in our buildings let go. believe a bomb with only a small amount of explosive was set off just in- side the peroxidal plant, the slight ex- plosion that followed giving most of the employes a chance to escape. The second explosion was also caused by a bomb, but those that followed were those of the stores of chemicals in the plant.” No one was injured by the explosion today, but one man was killed and an- other badly injured by the explosion last night. GEORGIA WOMAN SHOOTS AND KILLS HUSBAND Mrs. L. E. Pannell, Held for Mur- der, Says Spouse Intended “to Beat Her. ATLANTA, Ga., March §.—Mrs, Pannell shot and killed her husband at their home here today as he was advancing on her with a strap and said he intended to beat her, according to her statement in jail here, where she is held for murder. The police found a razor strop clutched in the lifeless hand of Pannell. Chief of Police Mayo stated today that Mrs. Pannell came to him several days ago and said that her husband had been abusing her and their thrge chil- dren, and requested that he take steps to see that he was returned to North Carolina, where there was a warrant for him on a charge the chief does not recall. He told her to go back home and await developments. Police rec- ords do not show that any action was taken against Pannell. He was thirty- three years old. “SLIVERS,” THE CLOWN, DEAD. Had Made Millions of American Cir- L. E. Representatives of the recent strik- ere arrived in a body. The delegation was made up of the committee of Washington Railway and Electric Com- pany employes, including George A. Wilburt, Hi. E. Jones and F. M. Thomp. son, and the committee of Capital Trac- tion Company employes, including. J. H. Cookman, H. L. White and J. L. Gaither. After an informal session of “getting cquainted,” the commt eight-hour day and better shop condi- tions. The plants employ 700 men, but a0 far only about 200 are affected. | some time discussing the agreement un- der which the striking carmen returmed ~~ (Continued. on Second Page}. cus Goers Laugh. mW YORK, March 8.—Frank Oak- ley, who as “Slivers,” a circus clown, made millions of people laugh through- out the country, was found dead, a suicide, from asphyxiating gas in a theatrical boarding house here early today. “Slivers.” who was forty-five years old, came by his nickname through his height and slenderne His cleverness. a8, 8 contortionist earn im a circus job at the age of fourteen, and for years he traveled with Barnum's circus. Later he appeared im vaudeville.. He-was born in Sweden. es DEIS HEARING COMES 10 AN END No Indications When Report Will Be ‘Made to Judiciary Committee. SENATOR CHILTON STATES NO TIME WILL BE LOST 1 i | | Austen G. Fox, Attorney for Oppo- sition to Confirmation, to Submit Index of Testimony. | Public hearings on the nomina- ition of Louis D. Brandeis of Bos- ;ton to be assor Supreme Court ate justice of the the |States were terminated today by the judiciary subcommittee of the jSenate. The inquiry has been in The sub- committee gave no indication as jto when it would report to the ; judiciary committee. { The beommittee up consideration of its report. on trandeis’ nomination to the entire ju- diciary committee. Austen G. Fox, at- torney for the opposition to confirma. i obtained permission to file a index” to the testimony of the y-nine witnesses who appeared at the investigation. stating that he did not consider it within the keeping of {the digmity of the occasion to present an argument on the testimony. of progress for a month. took immediately Only One Committeeman Absent. participated in the executive session at the close of the taking of testimony except Senator Fletcher, who is leaving for a two-month absence in South America. It is understood he has au- thorized Chairman Chilton to cast his vote for a report to the entire commit- tee in favor of the confirmation, ‘At the executive session, United States District Attorney Anderson of Boston, representing the committee, suggested jthe “index” or brief to be prepared by Mr. Fox, and possibly one by himself for the use of the subcommittee only. |Mr. Fox declared he would send his to \all members of the Senate. To Make All Possible Speed. After the meeting Senator Chilton stated he had no idea when his sub- committee would be ready to report, but that all possible speed would be made in view of tie mass of testimony taken. ‘The last evidence laid before the com- mittee was a quotation from Mr. Brandeis’ book on “Business as a Pro- fession,” in which he referred to the value of the New England railroad to the public and the efforts of the New Haven to put it into receivers hands. George R. Nutter, 2 jnember of the Brandeis law firm, ‘was present to a swer any questions as to his connection with the Lennox case, but nothing was desired from him. | DAY IN CONGRESS, Senate: Met at 11 am. Brandeis inquiry ended. Shields waterpower bill up for final debate on amendments and a vote. Met at noon. Naval committee resumed hi ings on appropriation bill. ‘alendar bills considered. United | Mr. | All the senators in the subcommittee] SAYS PRESIDENT WANTS TO KEEP OUT OF WAR Senator Stone Sets at Rest Reports to Contrary, and Explains Post- ponement of Speech. “So far from the President desiring to involve this country in this dis- astrous European war, his supreme | wish is to avoid that calamity,” said |e Stone, chairman of the foreign relations committee, addressing the | Senator Stone’ said that he had had a very frank talk with the President last night. His statement today was made in explana- tion of his determination not to ad- dress the Senate upon the subject of jarmed merchant ships tomorrow as he had given notice he would do. Senator | | Stone's statement was, in part, as fol-| j lows: “I have a notice standing on the cal- |endar to the effect that I would on to- | morrow address the Senate on the sub- ject of armed merchant ships and on} jother related subjects. | |Senate this afternoon. | Defers to Colleagues’ Judgment. “With much care I haye prepared a speech which I purposed to deliver. ‘There are potent reasons why I would be glad to lay these matured views be- fore the Senate. But some of my col- jleagues in whose judgment Ihave great ‘confidence, a number of them being substantially in accord with my views, | have expressed to me their belief that | it would be wiser and better in every way if I should defer the delivery this address for the time being. “Last night I had another very frank talk with the President—I say frank | talk, for that is the way we talk with each other, as we should. I am sure that I will not offend Tf I say that so | tar from the President desiring to in- volve this country in this disastrous European war his supreme wish is to avoid that calamity. “I may not be in accord with some of his views. I have already stated | that on the Senate floor. But it should be impossible for any senator to be- Neve that the President has so changed the at itude he has so long maintained as an advocate of peace as to wish now to make this country a party to this conflict. Thinks It Against Public Policy. “As senators well know, I have from the first been earnestly opposed to having any of these questions presented in any formal way to the Senate and that 1 have been equally opposed to ‘any public discus- sion of these questions while they were the subject of diplomatic negotiation. in this view I ahve determined that I could better serve the cause that I have at heart —that is the maintenance of peace in this country—by withholding any expression of my opinions so long as the questions at issue are the leeitimate subject of diplomatic negotiations. “I profoundly hope that no occasion will arise when I shall feel obliged to take these subjects up in a public way, but ff. perchance, such an oc- casion should arise I will speak and act as I think. In the meantime I shall give the President whatever support I can in the discharge of those duties devolved upon him by the Constitution. “All through his service as President I nave co-operated with him and with all my heart I wish to continue that co-operation, and so I have concluded not to say anything at this juncture that might be misunderstood, espe- cially in foreign capitals and which might by any chance contribute to the difficulties with which the President is beset. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” of German-Born Electors Denied Vote. SYDNEY, N. 8. W., via London, March 8, 6:59 a.m.—The cabinet has decided to disfranchise all German-born elect- SIX LARGE STEEL CONCERNS INDICTED Charged With Conspiring to Fix Laborers’ Pay. JUDGE E. H. GARY AMONG THE BIG MEN MENTIONED cused by Grand Jury of Be- ing Implicated. 8—Indictments were returned today by the Mahoning county grand jury against the Youngs- town Sheet and Tube Company, the Republic Iron and Steel Company, the Brier Hill Steel Company, the Youngstown Iron and Steel Company, the Carnegie Steel Company, the United States Steel Company and Judge E. H. Gary, executive chairman of the United States Steel Company. The defendants are charged with having formed a trust to fix the wages of common labor in | violation of the laws of Ohio. These indictments followed a sweeping investigation of the East Youngstown riots and labor troubles of January. The specific offense charged against the six steel concerns is that they con- spired to keep the wages of common labor at the same figure at the time of the strike at the Repfblic Iron. and Steel Company and the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Comp%n in January. Announcement was made by all these companies within two days’ time of a 10 per cent increase in wages. This ac- tion is held to be due to an agreement. Mayor and Councilmen Indicted. Indictments were also returned against Mayor W. H. Cunningham and six councilmen of East Youngstown, charging them with being financially interested in property purchased for village purposes. The jury report sets forth that the grand jury was unable to fix any par. ticular cause for the recent East Youngstown reign of anarchy. The re. port flays Mayor W._H. Cunninghar and membéts of the East Youngstown police force. saying that neither the mayor nor any mémber of the police force made an effort whatever to dis- perse the mob. Mayor Cunningham is criticised for not closing the saloons of East Youngs- town early on Friday morning after he had received notice of the temper of the mob. The report says that the mayor and police officers of East Youngstown were guilty of such ineffi- ciency and disregard for the law as to be unfit and unworthy to fill the posi- tions which they hold. Thargeé Illegal Use of Militia. recites the fact that a Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company who is a member of the state militia, without legal author- ity took ten members of the National Guard to the Sheet and Tube Company’s property to guard the same, It is also stated that the guard ap- propriated state ammunition, although the grand jurors say that they do not feel that he intended to steal the am- munition. It is set forth that the ac- tion of the guard made it impossible for the sheriff or the captain of the militia to mobilize militiamen in ‘‘me of grave public danger. Guards on the Sheet and Tube Com- pany bridge. who fired into the crowd assembled about the time office before the rioting began, are censured. The report says that the guards were not of The report guard at the responsible duty. The report goes on to say that the grand jury was unable to find that the influence of any foreign government was responsible for the riot. The alleged combination of manu- facturers with the intent to keep down the wages of common labor is criticised. Calls Indittment an Outrage. NEW YORK, March 8&—When in- formed of the indictment returned at Youngstown against the United Steel Corporation, other steel compai and himself, Judge Elbert H. Gary to- day issued the following statement: “There are no facts to justify the in- dictments returned by the Mahoning county grand jury against the United States Steel Corporation or the Car- negie Steel Company or any of the offi- cers, or so far as I know against any travesty.” is an outrage—i BELGIANS SENT TO PRISON. Life Sentences Imposed Upon Many by German Courts-Martial. AMSTERDAM, via London, March s.— The Echo Belge says that so many Belgians have recently been sentenced to therms of imprisonment with hard labor, many for’ life, by Ger- man courts-martial at Antwerp, Ghent, Liege and Namur that, while it declares the list too long for publication, even a partial list of fifty names must make a serious impression on all persons in- terested in the fate of Belgium, as it includes many women and sprominent persons. f { In the list is the name of Count! Pierre de Liederkerke, member of one of the leading families of Belgium closely associated with the royal house. Swedish Protest to Germany. STOCKHOLM, via London, March s.— The Swedish minister at Berlin has been instructed to protest tp the Ger- vernment against the. 1 coastal SS Four 'German Steamers Seized. LOURENCO Marquez, Portuguese East Youngstown Companies Are Mayor and Six Councilmen Also Ac- | YO UNGSTOWN, Ohio, March} the standard to be trusted with such a/ of the other companies. The indictment , GERMANS CAPTURE FRENCH POSITIONS ALONG THE MEUSE | Berlin Reports New Successes on West Bank of River Near Verdun. CLIMAX EXPECTED BY TOMORROW OR FRIDAY Paris, Though Anxious, Proclaims Confidence in Outcome of Titanic Struggle. BATTLE FRENCH WIN IN CHAMPAGNE | War Office Announces That Trenches i Recently Taken by the Germans | Heve Been Re- captured. BERLIN, March & via Lon- don, 3:15 p.m.—The capture of a |French position west of the | Meuse on both sides of the Forges brook below Bethincourt, six jkilometers wide and three kilo- !meters deep. was announced to- jday by German army headquar- ters. It was announced also that the villages of Forges and Regne- ville. the heights of Rabene and the Cumieres woods were in Ger- man_ possession. Many Prisoners Taken. The capture of fifty-eight offi- cers, 3,277 men and ten cannon is officially reported. s In the Woevre district the French were driven out of the last houses they held in the vil- lage of Fresnes. More than 700 prisoners were made. "Official German Report. | Today's official report of the fighting on the western front follows: | “At 10 o'clock in the evening the 'French delivered counter attack jagainst the position of the farm of Maisons de Champagne, which he had recaptured. On the right wing a east jhand grenade fighting continues. Otherwise the attack was completely repulsed. “To improve upon our new lines we pushed forward on the right bank of the Meuse on the southern slopes of the Cote de Talou and of the Cote du Poivre and on the Douaumont posi- tions. “The enemy positions on the left bank of the Meuse, on both sides of Forges brook, below Bethincourt, were stormed over a width of six kilometer (3.7 miles) and a depth of more than three kilometers (1.8 miles). New Positions Occupied. “The villages of Forges and Regn ville, as well as the heights of Raben and the Cumieres woods, are in our possession. Counter attacks the French against the southern boun- daries of these woods were repulsed | with sanguinary losses. A great num ber of the occupants in the captured positions perished. Fifty-eight officers and 3.277 men were taken prisone: Furthermore, ten cannon and much other war material were captured. ‘in the Woevre district the enemy jwas driven out of the last houses in | Fresnes. The number of prisoners taken {there was increased to eleven officers and more than 700 men. A few machine guns were captured. “Our aeroplane squadrons dropped bombs on the villages west of Verdun which are occupied by the enemy.” Retake Champagne Trenches. PARIS, March 8, via London, 1:26 p.m. —In the Champagne the French have receptured portions of the trenches lost March 6, according to announce- ment made here today. The situation north of Verdun is un- changed. No infantry attacks were made last night, the announcement says. Artillery fighting continues, The text of the communication issued by the French war office this afternoon is as follows: Official French Statement. “In the Champagne district, in the re- gion to the east-of Maisons de Cham- pagne, we launched an attack which placed us again in possession of the section of trenches occupied by. the enemy on the 6th of March. In the course of this fighting we took eighty- = three officers, five prisoners, includ: and captured a machine counter attack on the part of the enemy .de- livered a little later against the po tions we held was successfully pulsed. n the Argonne our artillery hax shelled the highways in the vicinity of Mount Faucon, over which it was te- ported that automobile transports were making their way. Fighting Around Verdun. “In the region to the north of Verdun no change has been reported. During the course of the night the Germans continued their bombardment of our front to the west of the River Meuse, but without putting forward their in- fantry. “Our batteries responded with energy the fire of our adversaries in this ‘Africa, Mareh 7, via London, March §,— The four Geman steamers which have been seized in this port by the Portu- ese government are the Admiral, the Essen, the Kronprinz and the Hoff. Four hundred officers and men of the crews of ors for the duration of the war, fol- lowing the arrest and internment of several hundred aliens who are con- sidered of hostile disposition, vessels: p interned. It i: - (Re need. that the. seen bas aboard cargo of tin concentrates of the value of $1,250,000. oo . Sector, as well as to the east of the Meuse, where the artillery bombard: ment has been intermittent. “There has been very spirited artit- lery fighting in the Woevre. We have bombarded Blanzee, Grimaucourt and the environs of Fresne: “An attack by the enemy agaihst the railroad and the heulles was checked by our;