- 0- -r axxiv. WILMINGTONORTHiaMONi FEBRUARY 14, 1918. 5.' I PRICE FIVE-CENTS U- S. " r 0 TOIDWi; 'ptfTj -a n Pages ' Mi JJk4;-ik- y Todays j- , . , fL.i : INO.OO. 1 1 ' T . "8"u t t nr i i u r n Hip r y w Ms AME AiililS 5Sj? ;:; 1 Vmm" - ft fed m"m m 01 REUS ky's Refusal to Sign ' Peace Treaty. Causes Fear of A Trick 1340,000 GERMANS ON WESTERN FRONT fighting Confined to Larger Raiding Parties Three Times More Ships Sunk Last Year Than Were Built Uneasiness over the Russian situa tion in German and Austrian official tlrcles is indicated in reports in the German press. The Central Powers & gaid to be uncertain . concerning He future attitude of Foreign Minis tjr Trotzky and the Bolshevik govern Bent and one Berlin newspaper says tie announcement that the Russian jrmy had been ordered demobilized. nS a "sham maneuver." German leaders are said to have leld conferences as to the best course to pursued One report is to the effect that military operations against the Bolshevik! might be resumed : but' both Berlin and Vienna appear to be mxious over the probable fate of the many thousands of Austro-German prisoners in Russian hands. Circulation of the message ordering.; the demobilization of the Russian ar my, the German papers says, was Halted three hours after the order was lent out. Concerning the situation in Petromd there have been no press report's since early last Tuesday." Dis- j jatches last Thursday reported riot-i of in Petrograd In which 120 persons hrere killed. la France, there has been a flight iacreafle in the figfathlg'ctATity. v On the British front Canadian, troops Bare carried out two successtal-Jraids uid in the Ypres sector, the Germans Med in an attempt to hold two Urit Isfa. posts they had taken. In Cam- jagne French troops penetrated, "to third German line south of Butte Hesnil on a front of about 1,200 .yards. Shelters and . defenses were jlestroy- m and 100 prisoners captured. On le American front in France there m been no activity of consequence . Germans are reported to be work- Si assiduously buildine-new defenses Jti adding fresh troops on the-Western front The Associated Press cor- pesjondent at French army headquar ters says the Germans "now have JS5 pnons, probably 2,340,000 . men, m R .front between thp. Nnrth Spa and pits border. Nineteen British, four Ttalinn and N French merchantmen are reported m.v suDmannes or mines in the ""rant-statement of shipping losses. disclosures of British production in Hi 8h0WS that thp tormnp-o ornit In rear by submarines was three time3 f Peat as that built in the United 7 ana Great Britain. The com ed total of production is slightly Wfe than 2,000.000 tons whiip oinir. Ppby submarines have been estimat- ib,ooo,000 tons. Greatly increas f Production is exneetn din mis British Wrnco f cnmn-rM, .1 v.4 yj. Him lining, 0IJe,sterday D7 a large majority, ideated K -..uuulclil uiicicu uy a cai member which regretted that . - muaoponzed the energies of the K?!e?- The government minis-- rrs Had declared V,o 4u poluuon would cause th Tsietia- Li 7e Lloyl-George cabinet: In jjdebate m the House, Lord Robert NITS teLfl?l0Ckade' announc- !M "iUllsU government was Jd thi Lention t0 a leaie of nations lflat he had prepared a scheme for TO BLACKMAIL ATLANTA'S MAYOR Atlanta ri. , TT .... W " D 14 indictments fsmg an attempt "to blackmail ktliMo "Q'UUier- minonaire mayor of TPiiitn -juuy.vuu were returnee Mra tr a cai tJBiaLe man. er an-6 immediately placed ,4)SrIi.?d a,re helr in jail un- nj . auuier wont Vw Kon lv uay and gave the testl- ed me indictments were HsIk 6' U is charged Mrs. , J?a unless Mr- Candler Sredtol, ndler buiIding, en Jitimi e him in a comprmis- S' hu.h their 8tory to Mrs, JtJlr. B,5a"d unles Mr. Candler1 (ted trTaJ,f t the -sum be recenrlv e stated Xry University. here, it C?M w iaite the matter KfT. t,w iinrti. -uu n? in v. x. v SIA TRuTZKVS MOVES AMONG GERMANS Leaders Called to Berlin to Consider Best Solution of the Russian Puzzle CANCELS THE ORDER FOR DEMOBILIZATION Circulation of Request for De mobilizing Army Stop ped Three Hours After its Issuance Amsterdam, Feb. 14. Judging from the latest indications in the German press, much dissatisfaction and sus picion has been aroused by the latest move of Foreign Minister. Trotzky. Important political leaders are said to be conferring busily to find the best; solution, to the puzzle. .. The Kreua- Zeitung, of Berlin, on Tuesday . declared t&at on "reliable information" that Trotzky is in no circumstances td. be regarded as a peace offer, . wKile it is pointed out by other papers that the-Russia war theatre was mentioned especially in the official, aiibyeport.. Tnesday. A BerUn telegram tor the Koelinis- che Vols Zeitttng " of .Wednseday eaya: f .."The. feavernment is not willing, to continue' relations with Russia on any basis whatsoever unless the pres ent Russian, government signs a reg ular peace ? treaty. As, f. however, . it must v be reckoned for thejrpresentat any rate, that Trotzky does not think of signing any formulated peace dec laration, a situation is created which makes necessary a thorough discus sion between the government and 'the supreme army command." . The correspondent in an apparent ly inspired passage adds: "The Chancellor . is resolved under no circumstances to conduct farther negotiations in any neutral centre,; and it will be the affair of the Cen tral Powers to determine where such negotiations may best be held. The recall of the economic commission from Petrograd is under considera: tion. "On, the other hand, it is evidently' realized that the question of the big army of AusCro-German prisoners of war in Russian territory still controll ed by Petrograd cannot be overlook ed." A telegram from Vienna to the Taglisch Rundchau says: "It is pointed out in well informed quarters that the confusion and un ' certainty of internal conditions in Russia demand that the Central Pow ers adopt a cautious and waiting at titude, and that in spite of the ab sence of a formal conclusion of peace, there be no hinderance to the ex change of prisoners." . All German newspapers note the fact that three hours after a message was sent out announcing the issu ance of a demobilization order to the Russian army, another Russian mes sage was jssued, ordering that cir culation of this communication bel stopped. It is suggested tnat tms indicates that the Bolshevik .governJ ment no longer thinks-of adhering to the . declaration of Foreign Minister Trotzfey. The Zeitung Am Mittag goes so far as to say that there are proofs that Trotzky's promise of a Russian de mobilization is a sham maneuver. It declares .that reliable reports repre sent the Bolshevik! aenergetically forming a Red Guardarmy out of the remnants of the, Russian army, in the hope of raising a million men to establish Bolshevik power in the bor der States A dispatch from Brest-Litovsk re ceived in Amsterdam Monday said that Russia had declared the state of war to be at an end and that the demobilization of the Russian armies on all fronts had been ordered: Rus sia, it was added, did not sign a form al treaty with the Central Powers. It is Indicated in the abovedis patch that Foreign Minister Trotzky may haVe made further proposals to tie Central Powers. If . such is the case, rib -report -concerning ' it has beei received in this country. ..There have been no direct , dispatch es f ro Petrdgrad' for s several1' days: These Marines are in the tranche all-ready to'drive the invading Germans back from the soil" of .France They are equipped with all the-latest ;tiing81i4Tiiasks'-and . steel., helmets'- so that they wilt have every op portunity of beating the Teutons at their ownigame of war. (From Committee on Public Information). Copy- E W. H. Pleasant Tp Supervise Marine Section of Rail road Administration Washington, Feb. 14. Coastwise and Great Lakes steamship lines op erated by railroads today were plac ed by Director General McAdoo un der the supervision; of W. H. Pleas ants of New York, president of the Ocean- Steamship Company, who was designated manager of the marine section of the Railroad Administra tion. Among .the lines which, will be. un der Mr. t Pleasants' supervision are the , Old Dominion. Ocean Steamship and Southern . Pacific steamships. In dependent steamship lines not oper ated by" railroads vire not involved .1x1 the new. arrangetjr ,McAdd speciflS4T that htidirect abJppingT hereafter; will be removed f rom;4b:e thnti IregfdAal Miifotorr andf given exciosiYfiy tf MRweaaants. - : STom time; to. jume, it is planned, the railroad administration will take over temporarily any steamers not needed by the shipping board for trans-Atlantic traffic, - and use them in coastwise trade. Recently Retired' British Am r bassador Dies Suddenly in Ottawa Ottawa. Canada, Feb. 14,-rSir Ce cil Spring-Rice, recently resigned am bassador of the Britisn government to the United States, died here sud denly last night The diplomat passed away wnne virtually in his sleep. Sir Cecil had complained of not feeling wen ana Dr. Thomas Gibson was summoned shortly after midnight, but the pati ent exnired from heart failure not lmio- after he arrived. The diplomat had been ailing for some time and his last public appearance wnne Amoas sador was made when he delivered an address before the Canadian Club on the diplomatic side of the war. Funeral services will be held Sat urday afternoon and burial will be in Ottawa. ' v . Washington snocKea. Washington. Feb. 13 Diplomatic Washington was shocked by the news of the .sudden death in ttawa of Sir Cecil Arthur Spring-Rice who .retired after nearly five years service as Bri-; tish ambassarod to the. United States last month in favor of Lord Reading. Although It had been Known tnat ciir (Veil had desired for a long time befdre his retirement was announced tn h relieved of his duties, no inti mation 'was given when he left Wash ington that he was in ill health. However officilas here pointed out that he had been under, tremendous strain from the responsiDinues de volving upon him, especially during the negotiations on the operation of the Allied blockade before tne Ufited States -entered -the war. It was known that Sir Cecil tendered his resigna tion during his visit here of Arthur Balfour to take effect at the con venience of the Foreign Office. His retirement was announced from Lon don, January 2. Sir Cecil, who became British am bassador here May 6, 1913, succeeding Ambasasdor James Bryce, was born in 1859. , Roosevelt Continues1 to Imorove. New York, Feb. 14. he coalition of Theodore Rosevlet, convalescing from operations performed last week, show ed a. continued improvement today, ac cording toahysicians at the Roose yelt hospital. It wasstated, he pas sed ' another' comfortable . night . NAM MANAGER FOR RAILROAD STEAMERS r.-.r lEiifiiNT The First Obstacle to Lloyd George's Cabinet Remov-j ed byBi Majority PREMIEflUNDER HARttBRE ALtDAY Bonar-Law and Balfour Ren dered Premier? Valiant As- r ..." . .f v ' sistance-ADay of In- tense Excitement London, Wednesday Feb; nil The rovernment " onieht . tfecftsfnv confidence, wa rejected in the Hon; of Commons by . the - very substantial .majority , of 1$1. . The Holt amend ment expressed regret that continued military effort is to be the only-immediate task of the government, r It was supported mainly by pacifists. The event shows that however dis satisfied parliamentarians may be with the, government's conduct of the' war, the House of Commons is in no mood?yet to force a change in the government. It was in a highly charged atmos phere ithat the - House met today. First came the : sensational announcement inat'.vJOionei Kepington, military cor respondent of The Morning Post, was to be prosecuted in connection with disclosures concerning the Versailles conference. Colonel Repington has been a stout champion of Field Mar shal . Haig. and General Robertson against alleged ministerial endeavors to discredit or shelve these officers. An article by Colonel Repington ear 1 yin the year revealed a shortage of high explosives and indirectly aided in remedying that shortage. Should his trial be held in public it should prove of intense interest, but it is believed it will be held In secret. Verbal shafts were directed at Pre mier Lloyd-George again today from various quarters of the House. Her bert Samuel, former secretary of home affairs voiced the opinion of the government's short comings pre vailing in a discontented section of the Hose of Commons. He suggest ed the war cabinet was war-weary and should be aided by -special coun-? cils dealing both with war and home affairs. 1 Andrew Bonar-Law, Chancellor, of the Excheque, and Arthur" J. Balfour Foreign Secretary, came - to the -assistance of the hardly-pressed ' Premier! Mr. Bonar-Law produced statistics with the view of . disposing of charg es against, the government of failing to carry put promises with regard to shipbuilding, food and other matters. Like the Premier . yesterday, he chal lenged the House to change the gov ernment ifitno longer Jhad con fidence in its policy. t , Secretary Belfour supported, strong ly the Premier's view concerning the speeches of Emperor - William, Chan cellor von' Hertling and Count Czer hin, saying they gave not the slight est indication-of an approach to the Allies' war aims, but .rathe? gave the impression that three years of war had produced no change in Germany's military policy. His speech undoubt edly had a great inff uenee on the. House and, although the debate con tinued, a great many members left the chamber when he concluded. The vote was - taken in a comparatively thin house; Nothing to Report. ; London, Feb. 14. Except for some hostile artillery ' activity southeast of Epehy and in the neighborhood . of Bullecuort. there is nothing of Special interest "says today's .v official t. com munication. -v - r . ' ' ins iT8xisteTicerwnea-namndment i'111- iirbnosed by Rifchardvfl61L-wbJch'tter niinlsters had madea craeatiol & ofJhis m Senator James Vigorouily'De- f ended the American Mili tary Machine Washington, Feb. 14. With a broad suggestion that Senator Chamberlain's much discussed New York sneech in which' he charged that the American military machine had completely broken down,, might hare been fthe cause of the failure of the recent strike disturbanees Tpx ... Austria and Germany because .the enemy, tooknew heart and hopes of ytetpry, Senator James, of Kentucky, spoke today at length in defense; of th.e' administra tion's war accomplishments. Senator James specah.. . re-opehed the war discussion, which promtseis. to conUnue again for several "day;. with RepnltUcins v- leading tne attach kcA Democratst malunderessejm - .vtSatbtOhamtrlfa! t SclarediSnJtifijBd rky? SU latfCdjCat can measure the .mighty force titfcaranceii l thesiidsf otMnei KataerT' he asfcea, isatin,' tnat it probably was emphasised in t Gen&an- newspapers as responsible, coming from the chairman' of the committee. miiui "Of cours I know he did notini SAYS CHAMBERLAIN COMFORTED ENEMY tend to hav?that effect, rbutU'm jUsraiiLifth to lay down iships. . pointing out the ' danger v of such ut terances. Let's see if; they are war ranted. I will undertake to prove hey are not. t "Of course, America has made mis takes," he declared, Vbut we want to go back and live in the atmosphere before-the war. At length 'Senator James- reviewed the sudden expansion of the army, the quick passage of the draftLl'aw and the registration of 10,000,000 men, their mobilization and equipment and that whereas the French only had ask ed for 30,000 troops at ttha begin ning to enhearten the French people many more than 100,000 had been snt "How has a military establishment fallen down that can do? work like that?" he demanded. "No!" he shouted at Senator "Chamberlain, "the departments haye not ceased func tioning." DRAFT MOVEMENT ' TO LAST LONGER Washington, Feb. 14. Movement of men to complete, the first draft, be ginning on February - 23, will not be completed within the .following "five days as originally planned but will ex tend over into March. ' A movement" not included in. pre vious announcements will begin March 4, moving 10,077 -men to ; Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., and Camp Funston, Kas. - ,- Provost Marshall General - Crowder today notified Governors taht classi fication of selected men virtually has been y completed and that in the ; fu ture 'local boards' duties will consist only of supervsionbf he drawing of units from their; respective communi tfes and re-classification of men. un dergoing change ; of ': status. ' ' . Peace ; Debate Next Week. . London, r Feb. 14. An -important peace debate will begin-in the Ger man : Reichstag, on February . 21, ?ac cording to a wireless dispatch- frojn Amsterdam. . - Chancellor- von Hertling will - discuss the treaty with the Uk raine and will reply , to President Wil son, Premier Lloyd-George and Prem ier Orlando. . - AMERICANS IN CHAMPAGNE. Paris, ' Feb. 14. American .batter ies took part in . the artillery bom bardment in connection with the large French raid in the Cham pagne yesterday, it is announced pfficialiyrEffective assistance was given by the American '.gunners. (Thisis the first mention of American batteries on , the; Cham pkgbe front). 1 x "v The Great Shipbuilding Plant Philadelphia Ad versely Criticized SERIOUS CHARGES . HAVE BEEN MADE Government HasrBeen "Gouged V for - Millions -, Attorney GeiieJVfettsie: Wiwlongtei" Feb. 14; '-Eldeiit Wilson today directed Attorney Gen eral Gregory to investigatetae, mucn diicusstd Hog Island Shipyard con .fcrtctai Vlitch have been adversely criticised before the Senate Com mirceCommittee and . determine if there has been any criminal misuse ol "iovernmeni funds. The" President also directed the At torheyj General to work in conjimc tlott;tth ChaiiWn . Hurley of the Shipping Board in his investigation. About ,$42.00,000 for government mon ey, hjpu --been invested in the Hog Is land .; project in which the American Internation Corporation, headed by Frank-'A- Vanderlip, president of the NationalXfty Bank, of New York, has figured;-" Investigation by the Department of Justice was recommended by Chair manr .Hurley of the Shipping Board, who Lasked -that an assistant to the Attorney; General be sent to Hog is land to isrork with Assistant General Manager j-Bpwles, of - the Emergency Fleet i Corporation. Mr. Bowles was pat :ki active charge of the yard re- .Y'Ewles has ben directed ;ly ciinae Hurley' to put the, HogXIsf' iand yiurifpnia econgmie baaisJs IpS Kmiiaat iLr e Jias ixeentfltMng .irse at Hoi , Island than . inefHcit jman 4mMtii&QS spending . of iunas, out tney want - to ascertain all the facts. The Hog Island Shin vardl on the beware river, near Philadelphia, is planned to be the greatest in the country, with more than 50' ways on The American international Cor poration, through it subsidiary cor poration,; the American International Shipbuilding Company, has contracts for its " construction and for ship building there, from the Emergency Fleet Corporation, acting for the !EJriited State Shipping Board. Testimony before the Senate Com merce Committee, investigating the whole subject of shiping contracts, has developed statements that the government will be obliged to spend between 40,0b0,000 and 60,000,000 where government and civilian ex ports estimated $21,000,000 would suf fice. ' This testimony developed charges by Representative Lenroot, Republi can of Wisconsin, on the floor of the House, that through laxhes in the let ting of the contracts the 'American International and its subsidiary were placed in position to loot the treasury of millions of dollars. These charges, however, that the International was "gouging" the gov ernment have been characterized as "maliciflusljr false" by George J. Bald win, of New York, -head of the Amer ican International Shipbuilding Cor poration, in his testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee. V it was developed amonk other things at the Senate committee's hearing, that Colonel Black, of Phil adelphia, one of the former- owners' of Hog Island, got $2,000 an acre for his property whereas a year ago he held an option on Hog Island at $1,-000-an acre. . One of the principal points of at tack on the International Shipbuild ing Corporation in the Senate com mittee's inves.tigatten, has been that by its - contract with the "Emergency Fleet Corporation; it would receive a fle of. $6,000,000 for the "know how" or building the shipyard and getting ou' the "ships. N 5r Vanderlip's name, was brought into tie investigation as being president-of the mother- corporation ' and as having ' countersigned the con tracts. : . ' Mr. Baldwin, .-, before the Senate Committee, attributed . the 4 rise in costs to the fleet corporation's delay in signing contracts. The fleet cor poration, he declared, while pressing for speed, . wasted two months in sign ing a contract and threw the work in to ; mid-winter which brought also great increases in material, labor and everything else. Charles A. Piez, vice president of tie - Fleet Corporation, said in his testimony, before the committee that there had -been extravagance in build ing the, yard." Mr. Baldwin, however, reminded the committee : that the. en gineer 'e who V supplied - the data, on which that assertion was madcij later had withdrawn most of it Largest Bill of Its Kind in the r' History of Congress :v.. . j HUGE AMOUNTS FOR ...iiy military AcnvrriEs m Ordnance, Airplanes, "Fdod : Calf for Large Sums, Testimony Public 1 -3 iW4 Tt7.ohtn.rtnn T?o1 14. A billion doI- -?lf . Mil' lar ttrgent deficiency appropriation p bill, the largest of its kino in tne.. aia-; tory of Congress; was favorably repor ted to the House today by. Chairman ChariDT of thp A.nnronriations -O03aV mittee. Consideration of the .lUlti!; which nrovides for the immediate Heeds of the War, Navy and other de i -r- 1 ' -: IS partments, is expected to begin in the -js House tomorow. In presenting the measure Chair man Sherley made public testimenyyn given t othe committee by department chiefs durmg tne past montn vi cuin mittee investigation. Huge amonnts were asked for various military. activities. Among these was a. total 1 of, almost $81,00,00O for mountain. 4 field and siege artillrey in addition 1 . i -f AAA AAA t n itw r An i o more ;aan i,w,vu u ou nm; ii h -j ana -coniraci. aumui uauuus yu.. f im;'; 000.000 aditional. The testimony., of Colonel Ames, of the Ordance Departri'4 i, ment, said that the total ' amount . 1' available for this purpose smcetheXf f Viotrinninp' of tjife war under direct an-; s i a nropriatiens and-.contract authertxa-. t;! OKlwas ,41,81600)00 of-whlcb anvy .jlj-f. ount oroers nave pen piacea requiring;! a .tiltimate exn endituze . . of,: $t252,00C &m ' - t J , - ----- -. " 1 ' " g: stimavailabIe.. for.onVc f ;S64JO0O.OO0. He aaid ttaaf ft t ua nnfti t..,nt. i ,1 , .1 1 1 , t ii i i - "1 ' aniiniinition, ipon revised estimates ;ef m tiie-quantities Heeded, for 2000,00 mai Including thV?wnniUoxt'-e'ed;. ft ed : for Vif light IrencbmbTtai'a'-J1 $81,000,000 additionil he declaredr ijBV asked as ja result of a change in jthe 'RS quirem(6nts for a larger number' pfJ5 shells, for. amuni tion for gunsmoant ed on tanks, and $7,000000 for a plant' designed for the filling of projeetilea t i I with gases and $2,000,000 for a plant tr for the same purpose to be erected vittvw At his examination bfore the com mi tee, Chairmani-jBherley's report said; U General Wheeler, of the Ordanee' Bureau brought out that the ' govern- ment had an arangement wlthtfee French to supply artillery ana ammu nition to a certain number of : Amexl : can troops arriving in, France, butiaftv er these units are supplied the United States would fully equip additional' A Tn or! 'a ifiniiiaa ClaT ato 1 WhaT. i-3 er testified were sufficient to meet-all war, needs. He asserted the Wjar Oe partment had a, billion dollars worthy of amunition contracts. ' ..." Major General Squier, chief signal officer, testified the signal corps has spent or obligated al lthe $640,000,000 appropriated to carry out Its airplane , program and has incurred obligations. -that will equal $90,000,000 in addition and may go beyond that for the v pre sent fiscal year. He asked $277,732 000 to procure bombs for the - alp-' planes." ' yiy Discusing and shipping facilities "General Goethals said approximately $100,000,000 with authorization of $50,000,000 mofp, is needed for ,ator- j age of quartermaster supplies aIongr the seacoast, including huge amounts for various specific terminals. " Federal Food Administrator Hoover i said the combined food and fuel ad- ' mmiairazor8 so rar nave had total ap- J -r,r.v,iMt wui, ui nMMiil.v (i there has ben an actual expenditure t of $1,985,429 and there are now out- f; standing obligations of $2,272,383;: , 1 leaving $1,257,950 balance. He'asked $2,000,00 for now. --;y .-f. Provost Marshal Crowder in aslc. j ing an appropriation of an nrTditinnaf ?. $10,000,000 for draft registration and t, selection, tesdfled that there is a5om:: li ICOI6UOUUU. aiieauy or. ajt aliens, . -including enemy aliens, between --'21 and 30 and tTit,on June 5 there wera -1,200,000 aliens not enemy aliettSf v BRITISH LINE IN !! ITALY LENGTHENED?, ! Ottawa, Ont, Feb. 14. The British V line in Italy has been considerably ' -lengthened to the east of . Montello-" i ridge, along the Piave river, according I to a London dispatch to the Ottawa ' f Agency of Reuters, limited. . The line now extends to some miles j of . Nervesa. y . y-;--. Baker Before Committee. Washington, Feb. -14. Secretary Baker before the House Mijitary com- mltte todav. idfRniH tho naViVlfno . v . . w : yN.il., , . anny appropriation bill In executlva . f session. ' The - secretary's testimony f was described jasvbeing of:'a;higlily 5' confidential character. - . -. ? - I V f I I- I I. a - ft 5ls M i m Hi f; h l .I' m m 91 5 V si: i 4H !4 i-f I - -a. 4

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