Evening Star Newspaper, December 6, 1917, Page 1

* run into the millions. The north end of the city is in flames. Cloudy tonight and tomorrow, prob- ably snow or rain; not much change in 3: temperature. ‘Temperature for twenty-four hours || ending 2 p.m. today. Highest, 45, at 4 Lowest, 28, at I a.m. p.m. yesterday. ||__ Full report on page 24. CLOSING NEW YORK STOCKS PAGE 2%. : x Fg No. 26,889. = HUNDREDS ARE KILLED AND THOUSAND INJURED WHEN SHIP BLOWS UP AT HALIFAX ing Star. WASHINGTON, D. C.. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1917-TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES. Ammunition Craft Explodes as It Col- lides in Harbor---Much of City Wrecked and in Flames. Telegraph and Telephone Communication Broken by Blast, Said to Be on American Vessel. Big Damage on Water Front. By the Associated Fress. 1 HALIFAX, N. S., December 6, via Havana—Hundreds of per- (Gons were killed and a thousand others injured and half of the city ipf Halifax is in ruins as the result of the explosion of a munition -ship in the harbor today. It is estimated that the property loss will ' i THREE HUNDRED REPORTED KILLED. TRURO, N. S., December 6.—Advices from Halifax early this afternoon gave the number of dead from the munition ship explosion at 300. Reports also stated it was feared several score of people lost their lives when the railway station at Halifax collapsed. Twenty- five railway workers were killed on the track near Richmond. The advices further stated that the ship which collided with the munition vessel was a Red Cross liner. NORTHERN SECTION IN RUINS. : AMHERST, N. S., December 6.—The whole northern section | of Halifax isa mass of wreckage and fires have broken out in a dozen. parts of the city, according to reports received shortly after noon. The area of destruction covers several miles. The Canadian government depot, used by the Canadian Pacific railway, is described | as having entirely collapsed, while a big government repair plant at | HAVE GOOD CHANGE FOR BIGGER RSE Clerks May Get 10 and 15 Per Cent Salary Increases In- stead of 5 and 10. HOW COMMITTEE STANDS Prospect of the government employes getting 10 and 15 per cent increases in salaries, rather than the 5 and 10 per cent graded increases for all under $1,800, was the big development today, following the assurance given the thou- sands of clerks yesterday by The Star, due to a canvass of Congress, that they would not have their pay reduced by the lopping off of the increases given them after July 1, 1917. While Congress generally and the appropriations committee in particular faces the duty of economizing all along the line, yet there is a strong feeling growing in Congress and in the appro- priations committee that the govern- ment clerks must be taken care of justly, even if the government at this time cannot be generous to them. Members of the appropriations com- mittee, which is soon to consider the clerks’ salary question, decline to dis- cuss the subject for publication, but not one of those approached on the Cost OF LivinG DOUBLED IN LAST TEN YEARS GoverNMENT CLERKS GRANTED SMALL INCREASE For | Year outy Sworn Net Cirealation, Month of November, \ 1917, Daily Average, 92.632; Sunday, 66,490, aa ——$———> ONE CENT IN WASHINGTON NEARBY SUBUBBS, TWO CENTS PLSEWHERE. yy GOVERNMENT & EMPLOYES TOMORROW DAY SET BY HOUSE TO TAKE UPWARRESOLUTION Foreign Affairs Committee a Unit for Opening Hostilities Against Austria. LENGTH OF DEBATE YET TO BE DECIDED Unanimous Decision to Act Before Tomorrow Night—Causes of War Reviewed. With a formal report from the foreign affairs committee the resolution to declare war on Aus- |tria-Hungary was today brought \into the House of Representatives. There were no dissenting votes in the committee, and, at the re- quest of Chairman Flood, the Fires Are Started in London When 25 Aeros Raid England Two German Machines Brought Down and Crews Captured---Casualties Believed to Be Light. By the Associated Press. LONDON, December 6.—Seven persons were killed and twenty- SUGAR SUPPLY HERE FOR D.C. CONSUMERS Private Dealers Co-Operate With Officials for Delivering 129,000 Pounds. House gave its unanimous con- sent to take up the resolution to- morrow at the beginning of the session and take action before to- morrow night. The only question Teft undecided to- day was the length of the debate. Chairman Flood suggested that each side of the House take one hour, but Representative Gillett, acting republi- can leader, objected that that was too short a time for such an important subject. At the suggestion of Demo- cratic Leader Kitchin, a decision was put over until tomorrow morning. While the House was going through the preliminaries the Senate foreign relations committee was in conference on the war resolution. L 0.6. SUGGESTION : U.S. CONTROL RAILS BEFORE PRESIDENT Mr. Wilson Confers With Chairman Hall of Commis- sien and May Act. NOT THOUGHT UNLIKELY Railroad Men in Washington Less Fearful of Recommendations Than Might Be Expected. President Wilson today took up the Interstate Commerce Commission's rée= ommendations for government operation of railroads in the event that Congress | does not att to permit their practical unification for the war emergency. At a conference with Chairman Hall of the commission the President went over the recommendations in detail, with the possibility that he might alse make some recommendations to Com+ gress on the subject. It is not improbable that the Presi- dent might decide to address Congress: on the subject at a special occasion. It was said at the White House today, how, ever, that the President has not decided in what way he would take up the subs ject. View of Railroad,Men Here. Railroad men now in Washington seemed less fearful today about the recomendations of the Interstate Coms merce Commission regarding the war time operation of railroads than might be expected. Members of the railroads’ war board subject has discouraged the view that the clerks should get a still further increase. They quite frankly state that one injured in the air raid, Chancellor Bonar Law announced today in the house of commons. Of the victims three were killed and ten The House committee's report re-|this morning were considering whether Will Park, in the thwestern section of the city, is wrecked. views at length the causes leading up|they should issue any formal etate« to the declaration of war. The Queen’s Hotel, on Hollis street near Sackville street, marks i the southern limit of the devastated area, it is reported. ‘The vessels collided soon after 8:30 this morning, and it is pre- sumed that the munition ship was hit in the stokehole. Instantly flames were seen to pour from her. ‘The crew appeared to be making an effort to get the fire-fighting apparatus to work when the explosion occurred. Usion of an American ammunition and anottier ship €t Rockingham, ac- cording to telephone messages reaching here this morning. The explosion was 80 terrific that it destroyed the instal- Igtion in the telegraph and telephone offices for thirty miles/around Halifax, while it was heard ‘Truro, sixty-one miles distant." It is reported that the nition ‘explosion occurred after the col-] Communication with Halifax was estab- — 2 ship|lish by the Canadian Pacific "T American mu- another vessel. were tremendous explosion. which de- stroyed the two ships and killed their — crews. ‘The concussi roof of the railway depot at North street. to collapse, while all the ware- houses on the water front for a mile and a half were damaged. The premises affected in many places caught fire. The force of the concussion was 50 great that freight cars were blown off railway tracks along a stretch of near- ly_two miles. Messages asking for fire engines and fire-fighting apparatus, doctors and nurses, hospital supplies, etc., were re- ceived from Halifax by a number of lo- calities in Nova Scotia. Special trains ‘were made up with everything required that could be procured. Aid From Nearby Towns. At Truro, Windsor, and here the city. councils met this morning and decided te take immediate steps to render aid to the afflicted people at Halifax. is understood that large quantities of |‘ food were destroyed and that the citi- zens of Halifax may soon be in danger of starving. It was decided that car- loads of food must be dispatched at once. The damage done to the Western Union and companies and Nova Scotia Telephone Company is so complete it is likely to be days before wire communication with points outside Halifax can be re- st fored. Rockingham 1s located well within Halifax harbor, at the mouth of Bed- ford basin. It is at the northwest por- tion of the harbor, and since the war has been used as an examining sta- tion for ocean steamers. It was at this portion of the harbor that ex-Ambas- sador von Bernstorff and party were held and examined on their way fom the United States to Germany. St. John Hears of Disaster. ST. JOHN, N. B. December 6—A large part of Halifax, N. S., is in flames following the explosion in the harbor this morning. ‘The dead are lying thick in the streets, all the hospitals are filled to overflowing and many injured are compelled to walk ebout untreated. Tt | on learning Canadian Pacific Telegraph |™ along the waterfront were torn to pieces ama many, persons are believed to have been killed. Other shipping in the harbor suffered severe- ly and the crews of several are said to have been killed. x Later it was stated positively here that there were several transports in the har- bor when the explosion occurred. . Noth- ing as to the fate of these was obtainable. ‘Wire communication between this city reported ‘ras moving out from {and Halifax was interrupted soon after rammed from broad-|the explosion and before more than Se Soener ‘Instantly there | mentary reports had bee! frag- in received. At the moment of the explosion a fierce was sweeping the harbor and it is posed that the collision of the vessels jon resulting caused the| 4S due to Military Telegraph- Control. The last word received by wire f, Halifax regarding the explosion said the military had taken charge of the orders tel out of the building. Seep Onl two operators in the office es- caped injury. Scores of persons on the docks were killed. The fire started in the northern end of the city, which bore the brunt of the damage. It is announced here that the censor eee —— co} aoe of all wires at Hali- ig Reg with the explosion Boston Offers Assistance. BOSTON, Recember 6—Gov, McCall f the disaster at Halifax today filed the following tel eiade dressed to the mayor of Halifax: ‘Understand your city in danger trom explosion and conflagration. Reports only fragmentary. Massachusetts glands ready to go the limit in render- ery ass! nce you may be cod of. Wire me immediately.” °° For many years Halifax has bee chief British military and naval ste, tion on the American continent. Its harbor, one of the most spacious in the world, is large enough to float the entire British navy and 1s strongly for- tified. In addition to the fortifications, there is a government dockyard con. taining an immense dry dock. : The city’s population, according to the 1911 census, is about 47,000. fax is the eastern terminus of the Ci nadian Pacific railway and the Ca- nadian government railways. Steam. ship lines operate between the port and points in Newfoundland, Great Britain, the United States and the West Indies. Since the outbreak of the war Hall- fax has assumed a more important po- sition than ever, as it is the principal port from which men, munitions and supplies are transported from Canada to the battlefields of Flanders and Northern Franc; HELD AS ENEMY TO U.S. Clemens A. Haass Said to Have BOSTON, December 6.—Clemens A. Haass, a wealthy German resident of Milton, who is said by federal officials to be a close friend of Count von Bern- storff, former German ambassador to the United States, has been arrested at hi office here charged with having violated the enemy alien act. Haass was said to have given a dinner in celebration of the sinking of the steam- a#bip Lusitania, but this he denied em- phatically in the United States mar- shal’s office after his arrest. Federal officers said that in addition to being e in German propaganda work, had violated his alien enemy permit by makin, ized trips from this city to Providence, New York, Washington and Maine and also by having firearms in his posses- sion. ¢ Suggests Plan to Save Coal. NEW YORK, December 6.—A quarter of a billion dollars’ worth of coal, or about 10 per cent of the quantity burned for steam production, might be saved annually in the United States by the employment of proper operating methods in boiler plants, David Moffat frequent_unauthor- ; RECOGNIZES STAND OF swiss, Country Informed Its Neutrality Is to Be Respected by the U. §. BERN, Switzerland, December 6.—The American minister has handed to the political department a note informing the federal council that the United States formally recognizes the neu- trality of Switzerland, declaring itself in complete agreement with the allies on the subject of respecting Swiss neutrality and the inviolability of Swiss territory so long as the confed- eration maintains neutrality and the enemy respects that neutrality. The Journal de Geneve welcomes the formal recognition of Swiss neutrality by the United States as extremely im. —— = strenee eine: and consoli- lating the international sit; Switzerla nee Expects Sugar Relief Soon. are bright for an early return to nor- mat conditions so far as sugar is con- James H. Post, chaiman of the Amer- fcan refiners’ committee. The availa- Myers of this city declared yesterday at the annual meeting of the American nical Engineers. Such aid, would release freight r service equivalent to one loads each year, bility of crape te m after New Year, he sal 1 tend to eliminate the exi: i Serine wency, pected such increases. i Mcseanm pends NEW YORK, December 6—Prospects cerned, according to a statement by from the West Indies the situation might be éx- normal Febru- there is no doubt that the committee will see fit to ask Congress to con- tinue the 5 and 10 per cent graded in- crease. They say also that there is a strong possibility that a way may be found to raise this to 10 and 15 per cent. ‘One very prominent leader in this committee said today that he thought ft would be quite proper at this time to give the government workers a 10 and_15-per cent increase, and that he would not be at all ‘eurprised to see the subcommittees advised to figure on 2 presig arias “Byrns to Lead Fight. ‘With Joseph W. Byrns of Tennessee to lead their fight the government clerks are strongly intrenched. Al- though the committees have not been announced, there is little, if any, doubt that Mr. Byrns will be chairman of the legislative committee which will handle the salary increase question be- fore Congress. The thousands of clerks may rest assured that every dollar he can get added to their sal- aries will be worked hard for by Mr. rns. ‘Thomas U. Sisson of Mississippi is strongly mentioned as likely to be made chairman of the subcommittee on the District of Columbia under the appropriations committee. The 5 and 10 per cent graded increases received Mr. Sisson’s very strong support last year, and there is every assurance that he has not changed his mind. ‘There is particularly bright sunshine flooding the pathway of the clerks in the Department of Agriculture. Asbury F. Lever of South Carolina, one of the most influential men in all Congress, is chairman of the House committee on agriculture, which will consider the question of salaries as paid in the de- partment. “I have no doubt that the 5 and 10 per cent graded increase will be continued,” said Mr. Lever today. Talks with other members of this com- mittee showed a strong feeling in favor of increasing salaries up to 15 per cent. “1 don’t see how they could live com- fortably even then,” sald one of the Congress leaders today. “I feel sure that a strong effort will be made, both in the committee and on the floor, to give the people who are in office help- ing Uncle Sam do the war work all the encouragement that we possibly can under existing circumstances.” Miss Rankin for Biggest Rarse. Actuated principally by the fact that there are so many thousands of young women in the government service and that more of them are coming fiere each day, and a desire to see their best interests safeguarded, Miss Jeannette Rankin of Montana, the one woman in| Congress, today declared her strongest support to any effort to get larger sal- aries for the government workers. “The 5 and 10 per cent graded in- crease on all salaries under $1,800 | should be continued and I will vote and | Work for it.” said Miss Rankin. “I will vote for further increases just as high-as the members of Congress will permit. I believe especially in a larger increase for the lower paid | clerks. I would give the $800 to $1,200 clerk the 10 per cent increase in pref- erence to the $1,200 to $1,800 clerk— | but I want to see them all get it. For the, great, broad principle of justice I want to see all the clerks get all they earn. “I believe that the government should set a notable example of paying a liv- ing wage to women.” Heads of the various government de- partments are submitting for the in- formation and guidance of the appro- priations committee statements show- ing the number of persons employed, the grades or character of positions, the original rates of compensation and the increased rates of compensation. The latest reports of this kind are from the Secretary of War, the Secre- @ary of the Teasury, the ‘Postmaster General and the Secretary of the Navy. They Would If They Could A trite saying, but true, when applied to the stores that are exerting every effort to maintain « their selling and deliv- ery facilities somewhere near normal. Shop early for Christ- mas and your reward will surely be satisfac- tory service. injured in London. LONDON, December 6.—About twenty-five airplanes raided England today, it is announced officially. Of these, six reached Lon- don. Two of the raiders were brought down, the crew of three men on each machine being captured. Bombs dropped by the raiders caused a number of fires in London, but all of them were quickly brought under con- trol. The casualtiés RPS belfeved to be} Lo: light. - Shortly after 3 a.m. various machines roceeded up the Thames and some dis- fance’ Into’ Kent. Both the above groups appear to have carried out pre- liminary attacks with the object of drawing gunfire and exhausting the de- fenses, for it was not until an hour later that the most serious attack de- veloped. “Between 4 and 5:30 a.m., two groups of enemy machines crossed the Essex coast and three groups the Kent coast, proceeding toward London in converg- ing courses. “their tactical plan seems to have been to deliver five simultaneous at- tacks on the capital from the north- east, east and southwest. The whole of One group; however, was turned back by gunfire and the others, not more| than five or six machines, penetrated into First Raid in Month. This is the first German air rata over England in more than a month. The Jast previous raid occurred on the night of October 31, being made by about thirty airplanes in seven groups. Eight persons were killed and twenty-two injured. Bad weather conditions probably have been responsible for the pause in the German operations. An official British report on aviation last night said two raids were carried out over Germany on Wednesday by British airplanes, the first which had been possible for more than a month, owing to incessant bad weather. BRITISH AND RUSS SEIZE PASS FROM THE TURKS LONDON, December 6.—The British official communication dealing with the operations in Mesopotamia says: “after the action of October 20, in which we established ourselves on the Jebel Hamrin range (north of Bagdad) and on the left bank of the Diala river, the Turks continued to hold a position in the hills and on the right bank of that river north of Dely Abbas. Gen. Marshall reports that this position was attacked on the morning of Monday by converging columns, one of which suc- cessfully bridged the Diala near Kizil Zobat. “The enemy attempted to delay our advance by flooding the area between Nabrin and the Diala river close to junction, but by the morning of Tuesday our troops had driven back the Turks and were in possession of the Sakal Yutan pass, through which the road from Dely Abbas leads north. “A force of Russians under command of Col. Bicharakov operated on our right flank and renedered valuable as- siprisoners to the number of 105 and two field guns were captured.” ——_— 123 CARS OF COAL ARRIVE. Officials Are Hopeful of Gradual Im- provement in Conditions Here. Arrival in Washington today of twice a normal day’s consumption of coal caused fuel administration officials to be hopeful of @ gradual improvement in itions. county seven cars, or 2,722 tons, of an- thracite coal, arrived over the lines of the Pennsylvanta railroad and fifty-six cars, or 3,197 tons, of bituminous coal came to the District over the lines of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. “Putting Them Over™ On the Western Front It Is by Sergt. Empey And It’s a base ball story! this article Sergt. Empey tells how he and another American in- ad the “great America to the British “Tommies,” itting results. Every and ‘child iar account of @ game under fire, and no one can fall to read with keen- est delight this account of the sense ‘of humor and fun which does so much to mitigate the horrors and hardships of life on the firing line. ‘Don't miss reading “Putting it Over” next Sunday In the Special Features Section of The SUNDAY STAR GERMANY TO FORCE BOYS OF 16 AND 17 INTO ARMY AMSTERDAM, December 6.—Intima- tions that Germany is planning to force boys of sixteen and seventeen years into the army are contained in an ap- peal appearing in the Essen General Anzeiger that they immediately join the juvenile corps. “This great struggle between the { nations,” says the newspaper, “will ne- cessitate those who are now sixteen and seventeen being called up at no | Very remote date for army service.” DECLARES TESTIMONY FALSE. Mrs. Kidwell Also Makes Other Ad- missions in Bomb Case. SAN FRANCISCO, December 6.—Mrs, Alice Kidwell, a witness before the grand jury, which indicted Thomas J. | Mooney and four others for murder in connection with a Preparedness day bomb explosion sixteen months ago, in | which ten persons were killed, admits in an affidavit made public that her testimony was incorrect. She charges that the testimony of her daughter, Mrs. Estelle Smith and that of another witness was entirely false. All three testified to having seen various of the defendants near or in a Market street office building shortly before the ex- plosion occurred. Subsequently Mrs. Smith told her mother, according to the statement, that she had been offered $1,000 to appear as a witness for the prosecution. PARK PATRONAGE INCREASES. 36 Per Cent Advance in 1917 Season Over 1916. The first summer of the war brought to the national parks of the country an {increased patronage over past years, according to an announcement made today by the Interior Department. The season of 1917 registered an in- crease in national park patronage more than 86 per cent in advance of the sea- son of 1916. In numbers 487,368 per- sons visited the national parks last season, a8 against 358,006 the season before, an increase of 129,362 persons. | This year’s increase alone exceeds by 50 per cent the total attendance of the parks for 1909. Denies Part in Baby Keet’s Death. SPRINGFIELD, Mo., December 6.— Claude Piersol, convicted kidnaper of Baby Lloyd Keét, emphatically denied that he had participated in any of the circumstances which brought about the death of the child, as was charged in a TWO CAR LOT SHIPMENTS Private dealers today co-operated with the District food administration to supply Washington consumers with sugar. One hundred and twenty-nine thou- mand pounds of stigar was turned over to “the ‘fod ‘administration by "the Chapin-Sacks Company for distribution among wholesalers. ‘The sugar arrived yesterday in two car-lot shipments. The combined efforts of the District and the national food administrations were necessary to secure its quick movement to Washington, it was said today. It was from a New Orleans firm. Clarence R. Wilson, District food ad- ministrator, announced today that 150 barrels of sugar were given over to food officials by Christian Heurich, the ice manufacturer, for distribution to re- lieve the shortage here. The Connecti- cut Pile Company gave ten barrels for this purpose and promised fifty more barrels as soon as a new supply arrives for that concern. This sugar was turned over to the food administration three weeks ago to relieve an acute shortage at that time. Several wholesale dealers will meet Administrator Wilson this afternoon to determine on the most equitable distri bution of the sugar in order that fami- lies in many sections of the city may. be supplied. MONSTER CAKE FOR SOLDIERS. Wealthy New Yorkers’ Gift Big Enough to Serve 2,400 Men. NEW YORK, December 6.—A Christ- mas fruit cake, four feet in diameter, one foot high and weighing 360 pounds, has been completed in the kitchen of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel here and will be sent to France as part of the dessert for the Christmas day dinner to be served by the ¥. M. C. A. to American soldiers and sailors in and about Paris. It is surmounted with a gilded of liberty, which holds 100 tri-colored vine bons attached to tri-colored silk candy bags. The cake is the gift of a wealthy guest of the hotel. It is big enough to serve 2,400 men. An escort will be pro- vided to see the confection safely to France. 5,000 Hear Mr. Baker at Richmond. RICHMOND, Va., December 6.—Sec- retary of War Newton D. Baker made the opening address in Richmond last night of a series of war conferences to be held in every state in the Union within the next few months, at which speeches will be delivered by members of the cabinet and other prominent men to tell the people about the w. the City Auditorium he addressea an enthusiastic audience of more than 5,000 men and women, more than 2,000 others having been turned away. ” age ee a ae MORE PAY FOR CLERKS GETS STRONG SUPPORT IN HOUSE COMMITTEE The appropriations committee / of the House, which must initiate the graded percentage of in- Chairman Flood told the House, amid enthusiastic applause, that the Presi- dent and his advisers regarded it un- wise at this time. Representative Miller of Minnesota, the only member of the committee who was disposed to insist on including Turkey ment in regard to the report. In meantime, speaking informally, resentatives of the board poin' either by the board or by individuat railroad executives themselves. Only in the minority report of Come missioner McChord do the railroads with which find a recommendation and ia, told the , rouse he. fayored oe, are in direct soponition ss, ‘of, ‘war. on. two.countries, but waa Z rate : o resolution- when i was’ reported: - ae to a a the railroad of ‘Sriehy answeting ep- ‘control of rails resentative ~ stated that the United |roads would lessen, rather than States had not yet broken relations with |crease, the present efficie: Bulgaria; that ns were not fight- {Toad operat ing against American soldiers, and that this goyernment had no reason to declare war on her. Ei The Turks, he stated, had committed no act of war against the United States and should not be included in the reso- lution. Bulgarians Reported in France. The statement that Bulgarians were not fighting against Americans was challenged by Acting Republican Lead- er Gillett, who said he had information he considered reliable that Bulgarian officers were fighting with the enemy on the western front. At the conclusion of Mr. Flood’s statement the House adjourned until tomorrow. Troops Soon to Go to Italy. The House foreign affairs committee's report on the war resolution declared that the United States probably will soon send troops to Italy. The report says: “The depredations on American lives and rights by Austrian naval forces have been small compared with those of Germany, but they have been in- dulged in to an extent to constitute war on this country, and this fact, taken in connection with other acts of Austria-Hungary, has more and more brought this government into a position where the American people have realized that she must be includ- ed with Germany as an enem: ‘The report cites the past activities of the Austrian ambassador and Austrian consuls, and deals with Austria’s posi- tion as to submarine warfare. The joint declaration is quoted in the re- port as a declaration of the “existence of a state of war between the imperial and royal Austro-Hungarian govern- ment and the government and people of the United States.” Resolution to Secure Peace. While the House was discussing the Austrian resolution, Representative London, New York, socialist, introduced ization of an international league to secure a durable peace.” ‘The London peace resolution resds: “The Congress of the United States shall initiate the organization of an international league to secure a durable peace, and for that purpose shall, through the President of the United States, invite the representatives of the parliaments of all the countries now at war with the central powers to con- vene in joint conference, to be held at the city of Washington, D. Meeting of Senate Committee. At a three-hour session of the Sen- ate foreign relations committee, much | sentiment was developed among sen- ators for adding Turkey and Bulgaria to the war declaration. The meeting adjourned without action, however, to await advices from the State Depart- ment. Text of the Report Submitted to the House! a joint resolution “to initiate the organ-| warrant served on him in jail at Marsh- field yesterday. body of the baby was found in a well on an abandoned farm several days after the kidnap- ing: (a Gispatch to the ot sys that the 2 jer, Count Hadik, has crease in salary for government clerks, will be unan!mous in sup- port of continuing the 5 and 10 per cent increase which started July 1, 1917, Some favor a still further increase. Leaders in subcommittees which will consider the proposed in- creases for various departments are in sympathetic mood and their attitude now shows that they might easily be persuaded The report of the foreign affairs committee on the Austrian war resolu- tion submitted to the House is as fol. lows: i “The committee on foreign affairs, to which was referred the joint resolution declaring that a state of war exists {between the imperial and royal Aus- jtro-Hungarian government and the jgovernment and people of the United States, and making provision to prose- cute the same, having had the same under consideration, reports it back ro: tion, generally be at the highest point ever in the railroad history of this country. Favor Some Suggestions. Legislation which would permit pooling of railroad operation and reve~ nues, which would abrogate for the time being the anti-trust laws, and which would permit the government to finance needed expansion, all of whieh are touched upon in the majority re- port of the commission, find a hearty response among the railroad men them= selves. « Many railroad men do not even @ mur greatly to the suggestion that = railroad administrator be appointed. In anticipation of this move, it was point- ed out, the railroads’ war board itself, volunteer central agency of the rail- ways, named a committee of operating | vice “presidents, now established im | Pittsburgh, which is empowered to per- form substantially those functions which would be delegated to a federal administrator. > But there are two drawbacks, it is admitted, to the full effectiveness of this volunteer administration of the eastern railroads as a unit when car- ried on as a voluntary measure. One is the fact that the administrative body has no authority above that delegated by the railroads themselves, and, there- fore, the roads retain the right to dise regard its orders if they wish. So far, it is claimed, this objection is purely academic, since both the war board and. the special committee have hed the thorough co-operation and acquis escence of each eastern railroad in any, measures undertaken. oh Decreased Revenues Considered; -*, i The other objection is that an une fettered program of railroad operation as a unit might bring up the question of decreased revenues of one or mute roads, by the diversion of certain classes of paying business to compet= ing lines. It also is stated that so far | this condition has not been encountered. The policy the new committee has adopted, it was explained, is that of |shipping freight by the route which is least congested, and of taking away consignments from a road when that road cannot handle them. When this is done, it is pointed out, the road which loses the business already is doing all it can with its facilities, hence there would seem to be no danger of robbing it of reasonable revenues. So far, it should be remembered, all the rat war has attem; is the operation of the eastern roads aa a unit, meaning those roads east of Chi- cago. Even in this eastern territory the actual unification is limited. There is a large southern territory covered by the Southern railway alone, and all of New England, so far as steam roads are concerned, is ‘the exclusive territory of the New York, New Haven and Hart- ford. Therefore the present effort mt unification concerns: rims Pennsylvania and the Baltimore Ohio railroads. To a lesser degree. it also concerns a number of smaller lines, paralleling in a measure the of these two lines through the great industrial and manufacturing belt, exe tending from the seaboard to Railroad men admit that if the unifi- cation were extended all over the coun- try the question of a drastic realiet- ment of revenues which might result in the impairment of the securities” some of the railroads would loom up as a possible result. Nothing short of government backing for the roads, and. federal guarantees of the ultimate restoration of the business of these lines, has been found which would reme edy this condition. ee. Might Even Affect Men. .— to give serious consideration of | | with amendment, and recommends that the resolution, as amended, do pass. Government operation would sotra increases up to 15 or 20 per cent. Miss Jeanette Rankin has come out strongly in support of salary increases for government em- ployes, particularly for those who diplomatic relations with the govern- this problem, of course, but in govern- ment operation the raflroad men pro- _ fess to see & prospective slump in ef= they believe, would be of many “strike out the preamble and insert in lieu thereof the following: “Whereas the imperial and royal Aus- tro-Hungarian government. severed ment of the United States of and has committed acts of war get the lower grade salaries, and will vote and work for the larg- est percentage of increase ed its sul inst the government and people of the Unit- States of America, among which are ‘to the policy of ruthless: