Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, January 22, 1918, Page 1

VOL. LIX—NO. 19 NORWICH, CONN., TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1918 8 PAGES—64 COLUMNS 4 CLOSING OF INDUSTRIES BRINGING 600D RESULTS Two of the Chief Accomplishments‘Sought by the Gov- M Have Been Attained p—— TRANSATLANTIC SHIPS| fvr. Garfield Resists Pressure to Have the Number of {Manday Holidays Reduced—Exemptions Will Not be In- of Certain Department Stores That 4 Order be Modified Has Been Refused. e, —t ! WWashington, Jan.' 2L—Two of the Kchiet accomplishments sought by the government in closing down industry by cutting off fuel supplies have been achieved, Fuel Administrator Garfield wnnounced tonight, Homes throughout the east, he said, are receiving coal in larger quantities than bas been reported for weeks and bunker coal again is moving to sed- board In sufficient volume to supply trans-Atlantic shipping. A third aim—the clearing of rail- road congestion—has not been attain- ed as yet, largely, Dr. Garfield de- clared, ‘because of unusual weather conditions. Fow Violations of Order. The first of the ten Monday holidays ‘was observed generally today and bus- iness everywhere in the east was at a standstill.” Reports tonight told of few violations of the. order and said that thousands of _establishments were closed even thongh they had a tech- nical right to remain open. Reports tonight said New York had on hand tonight coal enough to fill the bunkers of fifty vessels and llampton Roads had received supplies sufficient for the more than one hun- dred ships held in port. Heavy Movement of Coal. The heavy movement of coal to ports has taxed tug and barge facilities heavily. Despite a pooling arrange- (ment put into operation at New York, {it was found difficul* to handle re- leeipts, At the S4irping Board to- night 1t was said .t both tugs and barges there would be commandeered if_necessary to make the work more efficient. but officials were of the opin- jorthat pooling would suffice. In declining to put an embargo on the receipt by raitroads of general freight, Director General McAdoo, it was learned today, acted against the advice of the War Conference Board, which adopted a resolution approving the suggestion. Officials who sought the embargo as a means of relief for congestion declared tonight this meas- ure still would have to be taken or ®vise non-essentials would have to be denied transportation before the rail- road situation is improved to any con- siderable extent, Penn. Road Accepted Only Food and Coal. The Pennsylvania railroad. with the mpproval of A. H. Smith, director of ailroads, today deglined to accept at its stations “-any " general freight for shipment. It tookionly food and coal and made an effort to move freight already on its lines. Some other lines accepted new freight but made no attempt to move it. Reports received during the day in- dicated that business generally ob- served the spirit as well as the letter of the closing order. Will Be Ten,Heatless Mondays. Asked tonight if he would extend the five days industrial closing if it appeared that the accomiplishments sought had not been fully obtained, Dr. Garfleld said he did not wish to cross that bridge until he came to it. There will be ten heatless Mondays, Dr. Gar- field said, despite pressure to have their number reduced. In selecting Monday as the day for general closing Dr. Garfield said that the fuel admin- istration took into consideration Wash- ington's Birthday, February 22, which falls on Friday. Since most plants give a Saturday half holiday officials expect a four day industrial shutdown in February. Exemptions Not to Be Increased. Exemptions, it was indlcated again today, will not be increased. A re- quest by certain department stores that they be permitted to remain open on Monday and operate only seven hours for six days a week was re- fused. P Dr. Garfield took occasion today to denounce proprietors of manufactur- ing plants who have announced that they will work overtime five days a week to- make up the' time lost Mo That, he said, would be a plain evasion of the order. A new ruling regarding the sale of food on Mondays was made tonight. Tn the original order ell food stores were directed to close at noom, but last night they were exempted entire- ly from operation of the regulations. Tonight the following telegram was sent to state fuel administrators dn respect to these stores:, Food Stores Urged to-Closé-&tNoon. “All wholesale and retail:stores sell- ing food are urged both and fuel administrations, on_ patriotic s'roundl,“lo chl:l-e at’ noon Mondays; except that wherever necessary dis- tribution of food to the people fs en- dangered by closing, food stores are at liberty to remain open all day, The necessity for remaining open is to be determined by the local food edmin- istrator, who is to notify the lo administrator.” i3 T CHANGES IN PRINCIPLES OF RAILROAD OPERATION Urged by McAdoo Before Senate In- teostate Commerce Committee. nston. Jan. 21.—Changes in mental principles of railroad inder government _control it inadvisable to turn the roads back to private ownership im- mediately after the end of the war, Di- recto ral “fcAdoo urged today wil make Gen before t 7at interstate commerve commiitee. 'ntil “comprehenstve and rational les slation™ to meet the chang- 4 cond nacted it would be in- tockholders for the relinquish control, he ion of the director general » administration’s railroad bill may be resumed later by the commit- tre but Ch ‘rman Smith announced that t nes, including argu- ments, will Iy completed by Saturday. onday the committee plans to work on the bill and report it senate o5 =oon as possibie. The sestions at issue are whether cure shall fix a definite time for the retur of the roads to private the basis of compensa- SSED A MOST " EXCITING AIR FIGHT in the Vicinity of Verdun German Machines De- Soldie~s Saw Three With the Trench Army in France, Jan The Associated Press.) —Thousands of soldiers in the vicin- ity of Ver'un Saturday witnessed a most exciting air fight, which ended in the destriction of ‘three German machir In the afternoon of the first ay of weeks a squadron o six encmy machines appeared above the ruincd eit vof Verdun. Whiie a from the French ar- them, three French machines ascended in angen- to cut off the retreat of’ the e enemy fliers attacked a »servation balloon, which it e, the occupant of the bal- Aropping in his _parachute to One of the French chasers thie_machine under his ma- gun fire and sent it crashing Fren sot on fir t BT d Then the same pursued the other;Germans and warp fight, infwhich there {uch_claver manoeuvering, sent other victim with his wings An r later the third enemy was destrosed by the same French souad- Sunday morning a fourth en- ¥ n met his end in the course 4 combat wih a French oppopemt & short distance, from the-same spot. ICE FLOES SANK'FOUR STEAMBOATS #IN MISSISSIPPI Tore Others From Their " Moorings and Damaged Small Craft, Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 21.—Ice floes Sweeping southward on the crest of a rapid rise in'the "Mississippi river, due to the breaking-of gorges in that wa- terway and streams today, caused four steamboats to sink, tore others from their moorings and 4am- aged a number-of small craft. There ‘was no loss. of life. The excursion steamer De Soto, velued at $50,000, the government tow- boat Gaham, valued at $2 500, the government grader boat, lied at $37.000 and a government quarter boat were the steamers sunk. The :!t:(er went down at Seyppel’s Landing, The excursion boat Majestic and the packets Georgia Lee and Fred He- rold were among the steamers torn from their-docks by the ice. Tcnight they were reported to have, success- fully fought their way through the ice to 2 safe anchorage after being buf- ;Ftted about, the greater 'part of the ay. The Jargest gorges that brought abont heawy ice iloe were lonafgd Tenn, and at Hickman, Ky., Eessie, Richardson Landing, Tenn. The sitmation below Caire, aceard- ing to old river men, is the most so- rious in the history of winter river traffié. . They-declare that they have no recoHection of such a quantity of ice Tunning. GOOD WORK DONE IN HARTFORD RAILROAD YARDS Ab'eut 6.000 Tons of Merchandise De- livered on First Fuelless Monday. Hartford, Conn., Jan, 21—With 400 men and fifty trucks engaged in the work, Hartford's first fuelless Monday was utilized in freeing the railroad yards o ftheir overburden, of goods as- signed here. During the,day 108 bulk and 52 cars on private sidings weer emptied and the merchandist de- livered. This made a total of 6,000 tons of freight moved, about one-fifth of the:task ahead to clear the yards. Among the men at work were 14 fire- men whose day off it was and who voluntaryily - passed their day of rest In aiding the work:of relieving con- on. ~ A like,number will do the same tomorrow, when workers will -again tackle the piled mp freight. Under the direction of Mayor Hag} arty, each orie of the workiess Mon- .days will be used to do the same pur- pose.and it is expected that by this means the Hartford yards will bo en- tigely emptied of goods consigned here by the end of the enforced days of | she went away _! duress. idleness for shop workers. . Sir Edward Carson Has Resigned. London, Jan. 21.—Sir Edward Car- son, minister without portfolio in'the war cabinet, has resigned. This an- nouncement was made official tonight, DUAL MONARCHY IS ANXIOUS FOR PEACE Emperor Charles’ Wish is to End the War at the Soonest Moment Possible. Vienna, Sunday, Jan. 20, via Am- sterdam 'to London, Jan, 2L—“It is His Maestiy’s wish torend the war at the soonest moment possible by an honorable peace. In pursuance of this desire and on the_principles it repeatedly has announced, the govern- ment of the Dual Monarchy has done everything in its power, and will con- tinue to do everythinz possibie, to bring about most speedily a_general peace. If for the present, however, only a separate peace with Russia is practicable, the responsibility rests solely with the entente powers, which have rejected repeatedly our peace of- fers.” i These striking statements were made today by Dr. Von Seydler, the Austrian prime minister, in the course of a speech at an important confer- rence between' the government and labor leaders in the ministers’ room in i parliament house. Those present in- cluded Count Von Toggenburg, min- ister of the interior; Lieutenant Czapp, minister of wefence, and labor repre- sentatives, Adler, Seitz and others. CHINESE_ FIRED UPON AMERICAN GUNBOAT A Sailor Named O'Brien Was Killed and Two Others Were Wounded. Peking, Friday, Jan. 18—The Amer- ican gunboat Monocacy was fired upon by the Chinese fifty miles above Yag- how, on the Yang-tse-Kiang, yester- day. A sailor named O’Brien was killed_and_two other sailors were ‘wounded. The firing lasted for half an ‘hour. It is prgsumed that the as- sallants were a detachment of the southern revolutionary forces. The reason for the attack and de- tails of it have not vet been received. Dr. Paul S. Reinsch, the American ‘minister, will demand of the foreign office that responsibility for the at. tack be fixed and the offenders pun- ished and also that measures shail be taken to safeguard shipping. Dr. Reinsch does not believe that the at- tack indicates an anti-foreign feeling but rather that it was intended to bring up complications for the central government. CHANGE IN FORM OF AMERICAN PASSPORT Vast Parchment Paper Has Givan\N-y to a Convenient Document. ‘Washington, Jan. 21—The time- honored old American passport with its vast expanse of parchment pa- per headed by an American spread eagle with talons full of javelins, has at last given way to a_modern and convenient document. Except in the case of persons- travelings< in. - the western continents, the old passports shall not be issued. Travelers bound to Europe and Asia must in every case take ont new passports. The first consideration In design- ing the new passport was protection egainst counterfeiting and abuse It is printed on a distinctive paper made especiaily“for the purpose, which is of a blue-gray cast by reason of the fact that the whole face is covered as a dackground by microscopic repeti- tions of the words ‘“United States Convenience was another object and that is served by reducing the size of the passport to just one-half of its old proportions so that it now moas- ures 8 3-4 imches by 12 inches. Also it is Inclosed within a small green Stiff cover fitting easily into an ordin- ary pocket. WOODEN SHIPBUILDING All Available is Being Sent to Atlantic .., Coast and Gulf. ‘Washington, Jan. 21.—Stoppage of the wooden ng is only tem porary and Is due to lack of material and labor, Charles Piez, general man- ager of the emergency fleet corpora. tion, today told the senate investi- gating committee. Lamber could be delivered to Pacific Coast yards, he in the east must be ocomploied as quickly-as possinle and available mo.- terial is being sent to the Atlantic { coast and gulf. | There is not emough material | sizht to buld the 400 wooden ships contracted for, Mr. Piez said. Frie- tion between government agencies sup- plying spruce timber for the aireraft board, and those 'tryine to_get out timber for shipbuilding Mr. Piez hop- ed to settle through an investization the fleet corporation recently began. igators already have been sent to the fa tern fields, he said. RECEIPTS OF $9.000 SIGNED BY COUNT VON BERNSTORFF Found in Records in the Office of the Freie Presse, Aberdeen, S. D. Aberdeen, S. D., Jan. 2}.—Receipts of $9,000 signed by Count Von Bern- storff, former German embassador, were found today, officials claim, fn a seizure of records in the office of the Frele Presse, whose editors, F. W. Sallett and J. F. Paul Gross, ars be- ing held for the federal authorities. The editors ar> charged with not filing correct translations of articles in the paper. Sallett ard Gross de- clare $30,000 was collected and sent east for the German Red Cross, but the records show, officials =aid, that only $1,000 was sent directly to that crganization and that the $9,000 was sent to the German embassy in Wash- ington, while the: remainder was sent to a firm on the New York stock ex- change calleq “K. N. and K.” in the records here. STATE POLICE SEARCHING FOR ESTHER STRICKLAND Letter - Received by Her Parents Shows She HasiBeen in Hartford. Middletown, Conn., Jan. 21.—State police and officers from Portland are in Hartford tonight seeking Esther| Strickland, daughter of F. E. Sthick- land of Pertland, who disappeared a week ago. A letter was receiver by the girl's parents today which showed' that she was in Hartford. The con- tentshof the message were not revealed but after the letter was received. the officials wer notified.and the hunt.for the girl began. She was last seen: in the company of the former:employe of Mr. Strickland and it is believed with 1him under} said, but vessels under u-r.-um-uz-tirmi Austrian Cabinet | TendersResignation BECAUSE OF DISCONTENT OVER CONTINUATION OF THE WAR SITUATIONIS CRITICAL Nation-Wide Strikes and Some Dis- turbances Have Resulted From the Bitter Opposition to the Government —No Battles of Importance. The crisis in Austria, arising from the discontent of the people over the continuation of the war, the scarcity of food and’a general desire for peace, has resulted in the resignation of the Austrian cabinet. weeks there has been bitter op- position to the government on the part of the people, and during the past few days thie has resulted in nation-wide strikes and some disturbances. Details Are Extremely Meagre. AltHough details of the exact situa- tion resulting from the troublous times are extremely meagre, the despatches that have crept through are indicative of a situation. that will require skilful handling by the authorities to again bring the dissatisfied populace into a state of tractability. Ban on Newspapers in Vienna. No newspapers in Vienna were per- mitted last Saturday. The only pub- lication allowed was a single sheet bulletin which told some of the details of the nation-wide strike and the de- velopments in the peace discussions at | Brest Litovsk. A usual, the hand of the German propagandists was to be| seen in this one sheet publication, for the chief announcement in it was from the German social democracy of Aus- tria. This lay stress on last year's declaration of the Austro-Hungarian foreign minister, Count Czernin. that the central powers were ready to make an immediate general peace, without annexations or indemnities. Desire for Peace is Paramount. Evidently, however, this statement failed to placate the Strikers in Vien- na, who sent a large delezation to wait upon the food minister to inform him of conditions among the working classes and to impress upon him that their desire for peace overshadowed and took precedence over all other de- mands. What the result of this visit was remains to be told. Discontent in Hungary. In Hungary also the people are en- deavoring to ascertain what are the Pprospects for a cessation of hostilities and a return to mormal life. So in- sistent has been their effort in this! direction that the Hungarian premier has been forced to annofince in the lower house of parliament_that | government adhered to -the principle of peace without annexations or in- demnities—that even the king shared in this view. The premier, however, added that the question of Alsace- Lorraine should ‘not at the present time enter into the situation, as it was not caiculated to strengthen the gov- ernment’s position. Industrial Situation in Germany. The censorship hae entirely closed | down with regard to the internal sit- uation in Germany, although one of the Berlin newspapers is Guoted as declar- ing that the oft-postvoned speech of the imperial chancelior to the main committee of the reichstag will be de- livered next Thursday. The debate following the speech of the chancelor is expected to estend over three days. Peace Negotiztions to Continue. Unofficial advices from Copenhagen are to the effect that Lein Trotzky, the Bolshevik foreign minister, has asserted that althouch ke has depart- ed from Petrograd, the peace negotia- tions at Brest Litovsl: would continue during hie absence. Trotzky is re- | ported to have informed the chief | German delegate at Brest Litovsk that his visit to Petrograd was merely for | the purpose of reporting to the con- ! gress of workmen's and soldiers' depu- ies. No fighting of great importance is taking place on any of the battle fronts. LABCR DISTURBANCES IN AUSTRIA ARE POLITICAL. | ging finger, hi Socialist Party Makes Demands Upon | Government Calling for Many Re- forms. Washington, Jan. 1.—Labor disturb- ances in Austria are described as po- litical rather than economic in offi- cial despatches received here tnday. The demands made upon the govern- ment in the statement of the commit- tee of directors -of the socialist party of Austria are as follows: Demands Made Upon Government. First, formal assurances that the negotiations at Brest Litovsk will not run the risk of failure because of ter- ritorial exigencies of any kind. Second, complete reform in the pro- visioning system. Third, an immediate proposai of a bill establishing universal equal and (&lrect suffrage in the communal elec- ons. Fourth, ‘annulling of the measures Which have been taken to militarize the work of the factories and which have deprived the laborer of all his rights. Only One Newspaper in Vienna. It is reported that only one news- paper has appeared in Vienna since the trouble started and that ome is in a much reduced size. Negotiations are sald to have taken place between Von Seidler, president of the minis- try, and other ministers and workers" delegates under the leadership of so- cialist deputies. To Obtain a General Peace. Von Seidier in a long statement de- clared that the government would do its utmost to obtain a general peace, and that it did not wish for an in- crease of territory at the expense of Russia. g Poland, he as- serted that Austria-Hungary would regard it as an independent state and that it did not wish to dictate its con- stitutional form or-to impose forced relations in case she should decide her own fate by a popular vete. U 8. Service Men to Observe Sabbath. ‘Washington, Jan. 21.—Observance. of the Sabbath by all men in military @nd naval service was directed by President Wilson in a statement is- sued tonight at the White House, All labor. he asked, be reduced to the measure of strict necessity. . Partisan Feeling Aired in the Senate RESULT OF SENATOR STONE'S ATTACK ON ROOSEVELT “MOST SEDITIOUS MAN” Accused Republicans of Playing Poli- tics in Their Criticism of the Con- duct of the War—Vigorous Defense Made by Penrose, Lodge and New. Washington, Jan. 21-—Smouldering fires of partisan feeling were set ablaze in the senate today by Senator Stone, veteran democrat, with a long pre- pared speech, accusing republicans of playing politics in their criticisms of the government's conduct of the war and calling Theodore Roosevelt “the most seditious man of consequence in America. Many Sharp Interruptions. There had been plenty of advance notice of the speech, which adminis- tration leaders sought vainly to induce the Missouri semator to abandon or postpone. The senate galleries were crowded and _republican spokesmen were waiting with replies. There were many sharp interruptions during .the two hours Senator Stone was speaking and when he closed Senators Penrose, Lodge, New and others on the repub- | lican side answered with vigorous de- fense of their right to make proper cirticism of inefficiencies and with counter-charges of partisanship. Senators Lewis, Kirby and other democrats joined in the fray, which lasted until the session ended tonight with adjournment until Thursday. was suggested in the lobbies thai two-day recess was arranged in the hope that both sides would cool off and permit the conroversy to be dropped. Many senators who did not take the floor today were busy with rotes, however, and doubt is generally expressed that another outbreak can be prevented. Semator - Johnson of California was particularly busy with his pencil when Senator Stone attack- ed Colonel Roosevelt, the Galleries Were Amused. In spite of the vigorous language used by the debaters, much of the time during today's battle the galleries and ioor were in laughter. Senator Pen- rose’s sallies would set the chamber into a titter when the discussion was taking its most serious turns. Senator Stone delivered his attack in characteristically vehement fashion, He strode the middle aisle, shouting, menacing with) clenchied fists or was- S political opponents on the other side. Senator Penrose in his. reply con- ceded his desire to oust the democrats from control of the government. de- ing -a -more-sfficient administra- tion would be thus secured. LLodye Spoke Seriousy. Senater Lodge of Massachusetts spoke more seriously. He deplored in. Jjection® of pilitics into the war, de- fended C'olonel Roosevelt, declared that the republicans have given and will continue to give their support to the administration toward winning the war, but will continue criticisms of mistakes and inefficiency. COL. ROOSEVENT IS GOING TO WASHINGTON Refused to Comment on Senator Stone’s Speech in the Senate. Oyster Bay, N. Y., Jan. 21.—Colonel Theodore Roosevelt left here tonight for Washington, where he will remain several weeks. He declined to: com- ment on Senator Stone’s speech in the senate today. Colonel Roosevelt intimated that while in Washington he wonld not make any public speeches or state- ments or attend any puglic functions. PRESIDENTIAL POWER TO FIX PRICES OF FOOD Bill Laid Before House Agricultural Committee by President Wilscn. Washington, Jan. 21.—A draft of a bill giving the president broad pow- ers to fix prices of foods and other products essential to the conduct of i the war or for domestic consnmption was laid before members of the huse agricultural committee today by Fres- ident Wilson with the request that it be pressed for passage. Members of the committee were called to the White House and told by the president that he believed a sit- uvation -had arisen that necessitated immediate legislation to provide these Powers, Members of the committee @clined to_discuss details of the bill. Chairmahn . Lever left the White House with the president’s copy to study over its provisions tonight and it satisfied with it, introduce It to- morrow. “COUNCIL OF FLANDERS” TO HOLD ELECTION To Altow Flemish People to Express Their Will on Independence. Amsterdam, Jan. 21. — Advices re- ceived here from the Brussels says that the self-constituted “Council of Flanders” announces that it will hold an election for the purpose of giving the. Flemish people the opportunity of expressing their will regarding full independence. The despatch, addsthat deputation of the. council, which waited on_the German minister of'the interior, Herr Waltraf, received a sympathetic re- ply, the secretary expressing hix best wishes for the further cultiva- tion of Flemish aims for autonomy. RAILROAD EMBARGOES ARE LOCAL IN.CHARACTER Bethlehem Steel Company Protests Because of Inability'to Move Steel. ‘Washington, Jan. 21.—FEml which have been put “mto aoaeC against the acceptance.of new t several railroads were’declared to- ‘Tght by Director General :Mcadoo to be_entirely iocal inicharacter and not indicative of any proposed general prohibition. against shipments of goods other than fuel, food and war sup- plies. * The Bethlehem Steel Compeny pro- tested vigorously during the day be- cause of jability to move steel. Coal was given preference and the steel had to wait. | Condensed Telegrams The Irazu volcano at Costa Rica is active. The United States army needs 300,- 000 trained mechanic In spite of the fixing of the price of potatoes in France, growers are alieged to be holding their crops. Clergymen of every denomination have been asked to assist in the col- lection of the income tax. Walter Spoerman, “master German &py,” has been sent to Fort Oglethorpe for the durdtion of the war. The value of the German mark has fallen sharply on neutral exchanges and is fast losing its value. Part of the private stock of coal in the home of the Garfield family at Mentor, O., will be sold to the needy. Capt. J. G. Cochrane of New Brigh- ton, Staten Island, was reported wounded on the Canadian casualties list. A special meeting of newspaper pul lishers was called for Jan. 23 at Chi cago to discuss the print paper ques- tion. Director McAdoo told Representative Moore that under the existing Xws th president has power to take over the canals. The right for the German kaiser to make war or peace has been reaffirmed by the house of Prussian'lords in a resolution. New York sena- s to give to each farmer a bonus of $5 for raising a calf until it is one year old. Christopher Magra, a “wealthy resi- dent of Rome, N. Y., was found cling- ing to the gravestone of his wife, his body rigid in death. Every brewer in Mossouri must stop work two days each week ac- cording to an order issued by State Fuel Director Crossley. British casualties reported in the week ending Monday were 17.043.e These figures represent a decrease of nearly 8,000 from last week. The navy has sent an urgent appeal to the people of the country who own binoculars, spyglasses and telescopes to send them to the department. 'The embassies of neutral countries in Berlin are suffering because of the food shortage and may not be able to stay there more than three months. The United States sérvice reserve has sent out an apreal for 7,000 men over and under the draft age to go to France for immediate duty behind the firing line. The. signal corps of the army needs women between 23 and 35 in_zood heglth for service in France, with aquarters and rations similar to those of the nurses. - = Cadet Frank L. Zety was killed and Cadet V. €. Dunham ‘suffered injuries from which he died at the base hos- pital, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, in a collision of airplanes at Kelly Field. Max Pam, one of the guarantors of the Chicago Grand Opera Company, said that the season just closed Sat- urday resulted in a deficit of more than $50,000. E. A. Strause, president of the Pe- oria (Ill.) State Trust and Savings Bank; who shot and killed his cashier, Berne M. Mead .in the bank on De- cember 23, was indicted for murder. A. I. Shingaroff, minister of finance in the Kerensky cabinet, and Pro- fessor F. F. Kokoshkine, state comp- troller under Kerensky, were murdered in their béds in the Marine Hospital at Petrograd. The strike movement throughout Austria-Hungary associated with a demand for immedi- ate peace, according to despatches re- ceived in London from Swiss and Dutch sources. Charter to the United States gov- ernment of all Dutch steamers now being held in American ports has been decided upon by the Dutch govern- ment in a_provisional agreement just signed in Lendon. Representative Jeanetts Rankin ap- pealed to Secretary Wilson to have the department of labor investigate the so-called rustling card system used by the copper companies among their miners in Montana. tional all political parties agree that the terms offered by the United States to Norway regarding food supplies and shipping cannot be accepted. Tidende of Copenhagen, Telegrams from the governors of T linois. Indiana Ohio and Kansas de- claring that unless the corn crop is moved wnthin the next few weeks much of it will be lost ,were laid be- fore Director General MecAdoo. Authentic news of the sinking at midnight of three large steamers, one of them an American freighter, while a convoy of which they were a part ‘was passing a lighthouse on the Med- iterranean-Spanish coast last month, was received in shipping circles in New York. Validity of the Idaho law of 1911 giving laboring men the right to coi- lect wages for a period not exceeding thirty days where employers fail to refuse to pay the wages due at the time of discharge or voluntary cessa- tion of 'labor was sustained by the supreme court. Definite information sald to have been obtained by the government that German agents had been instructed to use ‘all means to paralyze .the effort o mave freight and clear ships is un- derstood to be responsible for the doubling of guards at all piers ship- yards and terminals at New: York. freight overcharges may recover the excess without proving actual damag- es or that they had not shifted the ex-. tra burden to consumers was sus- tained and put into operation by the supreme court. in the lower house of the Hunm- by every organ of the monarehy, above all by-the kisg. DEFENSE Washington, Wilson i Jan ued a 21 statement Prasident tenight unjustifiable distortion of the truth” assertions made by~ Serator Chamber- lain in a speech ;at New York Sgt- urday concerning inaction. and - ef- ficiency on the ‘part of the govern- ment in its wartpreparations. Investigations conducted at the capitol, the -president said, had brought to the foreground delays and disappointments and had contributed to them by drawing from their "work. “Nothing helpful or likely to or facilitate the war tasks of the g ernment has come out of such cri cism and investigation,” he adde Legislation proposed by the senate military committee for the creation of a war council and a minister of mu- nitions, the president declared. had come after effective measures of re- organization already had been mature- ly_perfected. The president ;said he regarded Sec- cretary Bakerias onme of the ablest public officials‘he had ever known and that the .country would soon . learn whether he or his critics understood the business at hand. ~The state- ment; follows. President Wilson's Statement. “When . the president’s _staternent attention ‘was called to the speech made by Senator Chamberlain_ at a luncheon in New York on Saturday he immediately inquired of Senator Chamberlain whether he had been cor- rectly reported, and upon ascertaining from the :senator that he had heen, the president felt it his duty to make the following/ statement: Distortion of Truth. “Senator Chamberlain's statement as to the present imaction and inef- fectiveness of the government is an astonishing and absolutely unjustifi- able distortion of the truth. As a matter of fact, the war department ‘has performed a task of unparalleled magnitude and difficulty with extra- ordinary promptness and efficiency. There bave been delays and disap- pointments and partial miscarriages of plan, all of which have been drawn into the foreground and exaggerated by the investigations which have been in progress since the congress assembled—Investigations which drew indispensable officials of the depart- ‘ment constantly away from their work and officers from their commands and contributed a great deal to such de- lay and confusion as had inevitably arisen. But by comparison with yhat has been accomplished, these things much as they were to be regretted were insignificant and no mistake has been mage which has been repeated. Statutory Obstacle: officials away “ ‘Nothing helpful or likely to speed or facilitate the war tasks of the gov- erntrent has come of such criticism and investigation. understand that reorganizations by legislation are to be proposed—I have not been con- sulted about them and have learned of them only at second hand—but: their proposal came after effective Meas- ures or ‘reorganization had _ been thoughtfully and maturely perfected, and inasmuch as these measgres have PRESIDENT WILSON IN OF SEC'Y BAK REGARDS BAKER ONE OF ABLEST OF OFFICIALS Declares That Nothing Helpful Has Come Out of Such : Statements—Deprecates Delays That Congressional 3 Committees Have Caused by Calling Cabinet Officers From Their Duties—In Reply Senator Chamberlain As- serts That His Remarks Were Directed Against the Tfill tary Establishment and Not Against Other Departments of the Government—Asserts the Principal Weakness is the Vast Gulf, With No Legal Authority, Between the Army and the President—President is Outspoken in His Opposition to the Proposed War Council. 2 ,are much more likely than anv other characterizing as an “astonishing and | to be effective, if the congrass will but — Dbeen the result of exper ce they. remove the few statutory obstacles or rigid departmental organization which stands in their way. ““The legislative proposals T havy heard of would involve long addition- . al delays and turn our experience in- to mere lost motion. association and constant conference with the sec- retary of war have taught me to re- gard him as one of the ablest public officials T have ever known. The cour- try-will soon learn whether he or his critics understand the business in h: To add, as Senator Chamberlain Qid, that there is inefficiency in ey department and Wurean of the gove ment is to show such ignorance of actual conditions as to make it im~ possible to attach any importance o, his statement. I am bound to infer, that that statement sprang out of to the adminis‘ration's: rather than out of any fon to reform its prac- tice. Senator Chamberiain's Expl Senator-Chamberlaimsaid: < “In my New York speech T had not' prepared the address and spoke twen- ty minutes extemporaneously, With- out notes. T pointed out that from Bunker Hill to the present time we had had no military organization er policy. The press report of my ad- dress was correct. Bur my agru- ment was Wdirected to the military es-' tablishment and not to other depart-! ments of the government, although it/ was broad enough to _be subject to that interpretation. But those hear-; ing it knew I referred merely to the: military establishment and that the senate military committee had under-, taken, through the bills for a war' cabinet and a director of munitions, to work oue changes In the establish- ment. “T explained that these bills were not administration measures. I did not misrepresent them. Secy. Baker's Efforts Approved. “Secretary Baker's efforts to bet- ter his organization have my utmost approval. He has made much im- provement. But the inherent weak- ness of his reorganization is that mo- body between the army and thé pres- ident has Tegal authority. There is the Council of National Defense, the War Industries Board and the Clear- ance Committee—all purely voluntary organizations—between the president and the army. The War Cabinet and director of munitions would be cre- ated by law with definite legal pow- ers and duties, respectively, to map out and direct war policies and to have charge of war supplies. By this plan we would substituté a strong for the cnly weak link in the chain of organization. s “T regret very much that the ad- ministration is not with me. But am acting under my oath and wii have the approval of my own con- science even if not of the administra- tion. “The people are entitled to be let into the committee’s confidence. If the people don't want it, that will be all right. It's their war.” - CMANGES TO BE MADE IN FACULTY OF YALE A Number of the Members Have Been Given Leaves of Absence. New Haven, Conn,, Jan. 21.—At the Yale Corporation meeting heid to- day additional leaves of absence were granted to faculty members to cnzage in government work as follows: to Professor John C. Tracy, balance of year to work for the city war bureau; Dr. Percy W. Bidwell to go to Wash- ington to aid tariff commission: Pro- fessor Irving Fisher's leave was ex- tended until the end of the first term next year. Announcement was also made of the retisement at the end of this year of Henry W. Farmer, pro- fessor of economics in the college, and | Prank /. Gooch, professor of chemis- try and director of Kent laboratory Professor Gooch will be succeeded by Professor Bertram B. Boltwood. As- sistant Professor Mather A. Abbott was made professor of Latin in the College; Assistant Professor Charles St our, professor of history in the college and Percy W. Bidwell assist- pant professor of economics in Shef- field Scientific School. 'TWO ARMED MEXICANS KILLED BY U.-S. PATROLS One American Cavalryman’s Was Shot From Under Him. Horse El Paso, Texas, Jan. 21.—Two arm- ed Mexicans were shot and killed to- day on the “island” opposite Fabens, Texas, 32 miles southeast of here, when United States cavalry patrols re- ‘turned rifie fire from the Mexican side of the line, according to a report re- ceived at military headquarters here. One American cavalryman's horse was shot from under- him. TWO FUEL VIOLATIONS REPORTED AT WALLINGFORD One Dealer in Dry Gools, the Other & Confectioner. Wallingford, Conn, violations of Fuel Administrator Gar- field's order to suspend business tot! day were reported here. One is al dealer in dry goods and the other a seller of confectionery and soft Arinks: In each case purchases were made in order to secure evidence and_the vio= lations will be formally made kaown| to State Administrator Russell to-! morrow. | That fuel may be conserved here | the High School committes decided to- | night to have but one session in local| schools from mow until spring. AR the scheols will open at 8.45 a. ma| and close at 1.15. The nizht sckools' will be kept open as usual. Jan. 21.—Two THOMAS HOLT APPOINTED AS DAIRY COMMOSS|0NER‘ Southington Man Succeeded the Late Frank H. Stadtmueller. Hartford. Conn., Jan. 21.—Announce- ment was made here tonight of the appointment by Governor Holcomb of Thomas Holt of Southington as dairy commissioner to succeed the late; Frank H. Stadtmueller. The new. commissioner has been a deputy dairy oner since May, 1, 1917, and{ ent of the Connecticut’ Milkj Producers’ association and a director. in many other dairy and rural asso- ciations. . He has been first select: man of Southington and is prominent in Grange circies. His successor ‘dsvuty commissioner will be named, 'ater. .