THE WEATHER. , TSK-Z (T ...
.(,-Tuesday; Wednesday fair. some-. j j : l j tlV. fe
X DVERTISING, Tike liniment,
jTTL doesn't do much good, when
applied with a feather. It needs
to be rubbed in for results.
VOL. XCTII-lSrO. 164
FURTHER ADVANCE IS
MADE BY GMAN A T
VERDUN;FORGES TAKEN
Gains Also Made in the Cham
pagne Some Attacks Re
pelled by the French,
FEW INFANTRY ATTACKS
Russian Artillery Smashes Ger
man Positions in Riga Sec-.
tor in Russia.
Hull Naval Depot in England
Damaged by Bombs.
Further advances by the Ger
mans in the Verdun region and in
Champagne are told of in the lat
est French official communica
tion which, however,, also records
successes in repelling a German at
tempt to debouch further from
captured position, the driving of
the Teutons out of a trench they
had taken, and the hammering
with .the French big guns of Ger
man organizations.
Village of Forges Captured.
After having vigorously shelled the
region between Bethincourt and the
Jleuse, the Germans in a strong infan
try attack captured the village of For
ges, about nine miles northwest of
-Verdun. Not satisfied with the gain,
they several, times essayed to debauch
from the village against the Cote De
L'Oie, but the French counter attacks
forced them back into the village and
held them there. :.
flanks of the French were attacked rby
the Germans in the region . between
Jlont Tetu and Maisons De Champagne.
At the former point, tne French fire
kept the Germans to their trenches but
near Maisons De Champagne they suc
ceeded in occupying a small section of
a French trench. In me Argonne the
French blew up near Cortes Chaus
sees a German post with a mine, and
captured a portion of the crater. Near
Haute Chavauchee the Germans sprang
two mines and later entered the French
trenches at several posnts. Counter
attacks, however, drove them out and
the French also occupied portions of
the mine crater.
Except for the infantry attacks at
Fprges guns on both sides of the, Ver
dun region have been doing all"the
work. To the southwest of Metz near
Pont A Mousson the French artillery
has heavily damaged German positions.
Land on Black Sea Coast.
The Russians under cover of the fire
of their fleet at last have been abl to
make a landing on the Black Sea coast
to the east of Trebizond capturing the
towns of Atina and Maprava, and driv
ing off the Turks who opposed them,
two officers and . 280 men were taken
prisoner and two guns and a quantity
of munitions were captured. ;
Considerable fighting between the
Russians and the Germans has taken
Piaof in Northwest Russia, the Russian
artillery smashing German trenches in
ihe Riga sector and dispersing scouting
parties in the vicinity of Friedrichstadt.
Owing, to the heavy rains and ava
lanches, fighting has almost ceased on
.the Austro-Italian front.
Berlin reports that in the Zeppelin
raid over England Sunday night the
Hull naval depot was combed with ef
fect. All the German air fleet return
ed safely. A; British official repbfct
fays that Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Rut
land, Huntington, Cambridgeshire, Nor
folk, Essex and Kent counties were
tfsit.ea.' Three men, four women and
five .children were killed by the bombs
dropped, and 33 other persons were in-i'-ired.
-
FOHTV-FIVE CASUALTIES.
Toil ot German Air Raiders Over Coast
. of England Sunday.
London. March 7. The three German
ir. raiders caused 45 casualties Sunday
night. according to reports received1
UP to midnight tonight. The Zeppelin
vjuadron on their arrival on the Eng
lish oast wandered about over eight
counties. i)Ut virtually all the damage
as done in Yorkshire town. Reports
from other parts of the raided territory
speak. of the Zeppelins remaining sta
tionery at comparatively low altitudes.
An three of them seemed to have lost
j it'ir bearings, owing to the. bad wea
conditions. At a t'uvn on the wouthern coast a
'T'l'-iin was observed hastening, some-"i!-
with its nose ftown, as if disa-ilo-t
s:evPTel- The German official re-"rt-
aya that all the raiders return-
'i !-; f-lJV . .
SV inlays raid proved two things to
British public, first, that snow
torn arc uo aindrane.e lo the Ger.
H!rraft and second, that the pub
; warnings which are given in ad
t?1f -e to most of the districts visited
"ot irad to panic, but probably les-
:it thf casualties. The snow was fall-
neavily when the raiders arrived;
nbov
snow cloud
during the
forrf-spondent in Kent telegraphs
only one airship visited the Kent
rJfct, approaching directly from the
rai- v pilot evidently had no accu-
of his whereabouts for only
frl, h.nvbs were dropped, all of which
- !" h marsh.
ri!f-Patch from an unnamed town
rf-. the most serious damage of the
Mrr 0,;f "rred says that one bomb de,
-hi i -a row of workmen's houses in
r.. entire famiry except the fath-
as killed. Another house in wfiich
sougnt refuge was
ttrccLc
TO
BE
Regarding Submarine Ques-
tion With Germany.
COL. HOUSE GIVES VIEWS
Understood to Have To:e the President
That Germany Think Her Action
is Justified in Adontinj? the
-t New Policy.
Washington, March 6. With the ap
pendices to the German declaration of
the new submarine campaign against
armed merchant ships of her enemies
before them, the administration is pre
paring to determine the next move of
the United States in the negotiations
with the Cemrai jSuropean powers. Ac
cording to present plans diplomatic ne
gotiations' on the subjec- are to' follow
a settlement of the controversy in Con
gress. Because of the necessity of translat
ing some of the documents appended
to the German declaration, Secretary
Lansing and President Wilson have
not yet had an opportunity to consider
them in their entirety. All the docu
ments probably will be ready for their
perusal tomorrow.
Germany "Not Bluffing.
Col. E. M. House, who returned from
Kurope yesterday, after visiting offi
cials in London, Paris and Berlin for
President .Wilson, . is understood to
have told the President and Secretary
Lansing today that the German gov
ernment believed itself justified in its
new submarine "policy and' was- not
bluffing
eo ta "bail
strengthened"" therview already held hy
both the President, and Secretary Lan-i
sing' that the stbmarine negotiations
must be handled with tne greatest care
if a break with Germany is to be avoid
ed, although he reported tftat Germany
had. no desire for wr with the United
States. He discussed the issue frank
ly with Herr Von Jagow, the German
foreign minister, and Dr. von' Beth-mann-Holweg,
the imperial chancellor.
The appendices of the German memo
randum arrived at the State Depart
ment today.. The Berlin foreign office
claims they offer conclusive evidence
that British merchantmen, armed, os
tensibly for defensive purposes, have
been using their armament offensively
against -German and Austrian subma
rines. They are said to include three
or four sets of instructions to arrived
British merchantmen, including those
dated October 10, 1915, which.' recently
were made, public b the British' gov
ernment and sent to this countryiri
press dispatches. :
It was authoritatively stated that the
British government will contend that
none of the instructions in any .' Jyay
violated the ' assurances which were
given to the United States that mer
chantmen would use the armament only
for defense-
It seemed clear tonight that the is
sue . hinges largely on a definition of
defensive action and defensive, arma
ment. The British instructions,. a.s
published, set forth in effect that the
commander of a Britlsn merchantman
is justified in taking offensive action
when submarines approacn within gun
range.
SIX PRISONERS BURN
10 DEATH; 40 INJURED
Explosion Starts Fire in El
Paso City Jail.
Many of the . Prisoners, Locked in Cells,
Were Thoroughly -Saturated 'With
Explosive . Solution . and
" Flames Enveloped Them.
El Pasqi Texas, March 6. Six prison
ers were burned to deatn and probably
40 others seriously injured when fire,
starting, from a large tub containing
a" solution of ' gasoline , and kerosene
used to exterminate germ-carrying ver
min, exploded . in the city --jail 1 today.
Many of the victims were thoroughly
saturated with the solution when the
flames enveloped them and their cries
of agony were heard by a great crowd
which had assembled, on the outside of
the jail. ' " ; . ' , ,
In their. first reports, 'jail.oflicials atr
tributed the orgin of the fire to the de
liberate act of a prisoner in throwing
a lighted match in -one of the contain
ers holding ;th eexploslW : fluid. . Sur
rounding the bath quarters are rows of
p.iu Qhrt It was-in this that most of the
' fatalities occurred. Locked in, the pris
! ..nohio to-escane the" blind-
ing sheet of flame. Those who were
rescued were-v found unconscious and
terribly burned. , .
About 50 prisoners were taken out
unharmed ind placed in quarters re
moved from the bath house under heavy
guard The Are' department, quarter eu
in the same building, quickly extin
guished the:flre and with the assistance
of five physicians reiered aid to the
'burned victims- , . - , , ,
MavorTim-iiea nas 0ruiou.i --(Continued
On,PaS ElsHt. j
EGO
TIATIDNS
RESUMED
SOON
W TUS lIKGr't'OK, N.
WlillE NAVY PRElEMFj
cniiiii pcdmamv'c mumw muzn
iiiiui in nmun i .ii in uu I it i ii iiuiii ii
I.UUFIU UUIUIIMIl I U I1LII I UW Ui UllllL.il
By Adding 3 Dreadnaughts
and 4 Battle Cruisers.
MAKE A GOOD DEFENSE
However, Admiral Fletcher Does Not
Tkialc We Would Have an Abso
lute Defense Disapproves
Promotion by Selection.
Washington, March, 6. Three dread-
naughts and. four battle cruisers added
to the American fleet, built and author
ized, would make it the, equal in fight
ing strength of the present German
fleet, Admiral Fletcher, commander of
the Atlantic fleet, declared today be
fore the House Naval committee.
While Germany has seven battle
cruisers and the United States none,
the admiral said, the 35-knot craft
proposed by the Navy Department
would be so much superior to anything
now afloat that four of them, possibly
three, would more than offset the seven
German boats.
WTith the present fleet of 42 battle
ships of all types, tnree additional
dreadnaughts and seven battle cruis
ers, Admiral Fletcher thought "we
could reasonably expect to make a
good defense, although not an abso
lute one," of both coasts against any
combination, of two enemy powers tnat
did not include Great Britain.
The admiral said that he and a ma
jority of the higher officers of the navy
disapproved of the personnel board's
proposal to substitute promotion by se
lection for the seniority, system. He
said that if the President were au
thorized to transfer 4. per cent of tho
Captains Commanders and lieutenant
commanders! to the reserve, employ
ing thjm in consular work abroad, as
instructors in military schools or on
other work for the -government, the
way for promotion , of- efficient officers
would be open without additional ex
pense. The present system ot selection
for high commands and bureau heads,
he said, provided a way of . putting the
right man in the .right-place.
Admiral Blohjrrylwr trattagi
training and education of all navy offi
cers was so nearly identical that to
make selection among the officers in
any grade of those qualified for promo
tion as proposed would be a. difficult
task. There waa little to cnoose among
90 per cent of the' men in any grade,
he added, all .being required to be ex
perts in many subjects such as sea
manship, gunnery, engineering and to
have -in addition a knowledge of inter
national law beyond that of the aver
age lawyer. -
VILLA IS REPORTED TO BE
ON HIS -WAY TO WASHINGTON
Message Says He Will Seek Interview
With President Wilson.
El Paso, Tex., March 6. Francisco
Villa is-within six miles of the United
States border and is en route to Wash
ington where he will seek an interview
with President Wilson, according to a
message received tonight by General
Gabriel Gavira, commandant at Juarez,
who transmitted the report through
Andreas Garcia, Mexican consul here,
to General . Pershing, commanding
United States troops along the border.
Washington, March 6. The street
car. strike which for two days has serir
ously crippled Washington's two trac
tion lines, was ended tonight after
mass-meeting of 1,500 carmen had rati
fied aii arbitration agreement reached
ate today between representatives of
the 1,000 or more union strikers and
officers Of the companies.
PREMIUM ADVERTISING
UNDER IRE STATE LAWS
Statutes in Florida and Wash
ington Upheld.
Supreme Court Rules That States Have
the Power to Impose Taxes on
Trade Coupons Redeemable
in Premiums.
Washington, March 6. By holding
that the states have the power to im
pose taxes, large or small, on trade
coupons redeemable in premiums, the
Supreme Court today put tne legality
of preiriium advertising, by which it xs
estimated' $12&,000,000 worth of mer
chandise is sold annually,' within the
scope' of state ,laws.
The widespread practice of givint?
coupons with cigars, cigarettes and
tobacco , or premium slips or trading
stamps with other merchandise - was
thus held, to 'be entirely under the con
trol of the states.
The court upheld the constitutionality-of
laws in Florida and Washington
imposing such taxes and dismissed the
appeal of F. S. Pitney, of Seattle, Wash.,
convicted for violating the Washington
trading stamp law, in that 'he as man
ager and agent of the United Cigar
Stores Company in connection with a
sale to a customer gave a trading
stamp or coupon.
-The attack on the laws contended
that the statutes were an unconstitu
tional -discrimination against a legiti
mate method of advertising and within
the -protection for freedom of contract
contained, in the - Federal constitution.
The court, however, held it was for the
legislators to pass on the public policy
involved In the question- and to adopt.
(Cuitinued on Page Sight.) r
7
C, TUESDAY J jDRKIXG,
SECRETARY OF WAR
Nomination of Former Mayor
of Cleveland Will be Sent
to the Senate Today.
IS LEADING DEMOCRAT
Understood to be in Thorough
Accord With President's
. Defense Policy.
Washington, March 6. Newton D.
Baker, former mayor of Cleveland, has
been selected by President Wilson for
Secretary of War. His nomination will
go to the Senate tomorrow and admin
istration leaders expect quick con
firmation so the nw secretary ( may
take active charge of the "0ar Depart
ment's plans for army increases and
reorganization;
Mr. Baker is a lawyer and as a leader
among Ohio Democrats has been a
warm supporter of the Wilson policies
since tho pre-conventiori campaign in
1912. He has been a 'close personal
friend of Mr. Wilson since. the latter
was his instructor years ago at Johns
Hopkins University, and was offered
the post of Secretary of the Interior
in the original Wilson cabinet, but de
clined because he then was mayor. He
is understood to be in thorough accord
with the President on the preparedness
programme and foreign questions.
Offer of the war secretaryship was
made to Mr. Baker by telegraph sev
eral days ago, after the President had
spent more than three weeks carefully
going over a long list of those suggest
ed to succeed Secretary Garrison. Mr.
Baker accepted and upon being notified
today that he would be nominated at
once telegraphed that he would be in
Washington Thursday; .
JIrB.ttvrrkr is-yeara-old; -will
be the youngest member of President
Wilson's cabinet by- more Uhan five
years The next youngest member is
Secretary Houston, who celebrated his
50th birthday-recently.
The. President will not select an as
sistant secretary of war' to succeed
Henry Breckenridge until he has con
ferred with Mr. Baker Thursday.
At the time of the Baltimore con
vention Mr.' Baker was prominently
mentioned for the Vice-Presidency be
cause of the fight he made for Mr
Wilson. Mr. Baker has been known
for years as a leader "of the Ohio bar,
and is highly regarded by the- Presi
dent as a lawyer. " Mrr Wilson wanted
the place filled by a lawyer because of
the legal questions constantly arising
in the administration of the War De
partment, the Philippines, the 'Panama
Canal and Porto Rico.,' Mr. Baker is
a member of the Ohio State Demo
cratic committee and chairman of the
executive committee of his county. He
has the record of having run for pub
lice office in Cleveland-during fourteen
consecutive years without defeat. Mr.
Baker is understood to have specified
when he joined his law Jirm that he
would be. free for six month prior to
the next election to work for Presi
dent Wilson's re-election.
The thiry-day period, for ' which
Major-General Hugh ii Scott, chief oi
staffs was designated as Secretary of
War ad interim, will expire March 11.
Mr. Baker was born in-Martinsburg,
W. Va., and at the age of 25 Was ap
pointed private secretary to Postmas
ter General Wilson in President Cleve
land's cabinet. In 1897 he began the
practice of law at Martinsburg. He
later moved to Cleveland, where he be
came city solicitor in . 1902.! 'He held
this office for ten years until his elec
tion as mayor. In 1914 he was re
elected mayor for a tMfO-year term. ,
CALL FOR 40,000 MEEN.
To Clear New York Streets of Snow.
. Shipping is Blocked.
New . York, March - 7. -Steamship
movement and street traffic was ser
iously interrupted today by a snow
storm. The weather Bureau: reported
that four -inches had rallen and admes
that this probably would be 'Increased
to six inches by tomorrow morning. A
call was iasued by the city tonight for
40,000 men to clear the snowrrom tne
streets.
THE DAY IN CONGRESS
SENATE
Met at noon- ....
Debate on Shields waterpower bill
was continued.
Indian committee resumed consider
ation of appropriation bill. s
.Confirmed nominations David R.
Francis, of Mjssduri, as ambassador to
Russia, and Joseph H. STiea, of Indiana,
as ambassador to Chile.
Recessed at 5:25 P. M. to noon Tues
day. HOUSE
Met at noon.
Rules committee considered, a rule
on the McLemore resolution.
Admiral Fletcher testified before the
Naval Affairs committees
Army re-organization bill reported
by Military committee.
Passed bill , authorizing Department
facturing; increasing number of steam
boat inspectors; incorporating the boy
scouts of America; - authorizing leave
of absence for homestead . settlers on
unsurveyed lands and authorizing con
struction of bridges across Ohio river
from Woods Run, Pittsburg,- to McKees
Rocks and across Merrimac river at
Low-ell.
Rules committee decided tto, report a
rule tomorrow providing for f vote on
motion to table the McLemore armed
ship warning resolution with debate
limited tot four hours. ' ,
Adjourned at 5:20 P. M. to 11 A. M.
Tuesday. .
ARCII 7, 1916
Naval Battle In The North
Sea Is Believed Impending
London, March 6. Certain somewhat vague but persistent rumors
which have been circulated here for several days by word f mouth
regarding the North Sea war zone have created a state of expectancy
among Loridoners. This expectancy has been heightened by dis
patches received from Scandinavia today, predicting that a battle
between British and Russian and German warships is not far distant.
Russian torpedo boats are reported to have been seen near the Is
land of Oland, Sweden, in the Baltic Sea, and a half dozen German
submarines have been observed off Oxelsund, on the Baltic, to the
south of Stockholm.
The general opinion in Scandinavia is said to be that Great Britain
and Russia will intercept German sailings to Sweden as soon as the
ice has melted. The ice already has partly broken up, and thus rend
ered it easy for forcing. Naval experts have expressed the opinion
privately for several days that the Germans are preparing to venture
out, and that important events are pending. As to whether the Brit
ish officials believe this; obviously, nothing is known.'
DISCUSS RELIEF IN
FREIGHTS1TUAT10N
Several Reasons Given for the
Present Congestion.
HEARINGS AGAIN TODAY
Representatives of Interested Carriers,
Shippers and Receivers of Freight
Appear Before Jhe Com- .
nterce Commission.
Washington, March 6. Reasons for
the freight congestion which has tied
up Eastern trunk line, railroads despite
-MSfcicJtonj? An:.J??.a,e4in, the-jsofTcoitelds.af. Western Penn
some oi tne remedies wnien may oe
used to correct this condition, were
discussed today before th Interstate
tives of the interested carriers, shippers
and receivers of freight.
Although the discussion dealt almost
exclusively with conditions at New
York, it ' was pointed out that Boston,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and other sea
ports probably woula te affected by
any changes made in the rules, and reg
ulations of carriers. The hearings
or conference will continue tomorrow.
The railroad representatives offered
a resolution for the consideration of
the commission proposing to cut down
the . free storage time allowed on
freight in . terminals, ana -increase the
demurrage charges. Snippers and re
ceivers of freight opposed this plan in
j a resolution declaring sucn measures
would not relieve congestion DUt wouia
add burdens to the public. . i
Reasons assigned for the piling up
of freight in the seaboara cities includ
ed the large export traffic, the desire
of the carriers and jrners to obtain
large supplies of coal in fear of a coal
strike and the lack of sufficient track
facilities around New York and of
lighters in New York narnor.
R. H. Large, coal agent of the Penn
sylvania railroad, declared . that at
Perth Amboy, N. J., tne Pennsylvania
system now had constantly on hand
from 5,000 to 7,000 cars of coal, when
the normal number there was only 2,
500. In his opinion the remedy lay in
(Continued on Page Eight.)
CONFIDENT OF
AT
1
They Have Faith in PetahVs
Preparedness.
Have Conviction That Although Ger
mans Persist to Continue Offensive
Their Power of Attack Has
Been Weakened.
Paris, March 6. The (French 'contin
ue to be absorbed, in the situation
around Verdun. The anxieties and
doubts of the first days of the fighting
have been replaced by quite jovial con
fidence in the strength of Petain's pre
paredness either for defense or a quick
offense.
The conviction regarding Verdun is
that although the Germans may persist
in their offensive, their power of at
tack has been weakened, as it is con
sidered that it will be difficult for
them to get the same dash out of the
troops, who have lost fights against the
;a'"'uv
Tne CJer-
French, in future attacks.
mans, therefore, have put a great num
ber of infantrymen successively into
the action and now appear to be re
placing their divisions.
The weather continues quite unfa
vorable. Rain and snow keep the earth
soft, where it has n jz already turned
into marsh. Automobiles near the front
look Tike moving blocks of mud. The
roads back of the French line, consid
ering the weather and the use to which
they are being put, are good.
Dod-ffe City, Kan.," March 6. Prairie
fires have caused an estimated loss of
$500,000 and swept an area 50 miles
long and 125 miles wide In the west
ern, -part of the state. A boy is re
ported to have lost 'his life in Finney
county, ' - . .
FRENCH
STRENGTH
VERDUI
T
Increases May Affect 200,000
Bituminous Workers.
MEANS $8,000,000 YEARLY
Agreement Reached Yesterday by Sub
Committee of the Conference of
the Coal Mine Operators
and the Miners.
New York,. March 6. . Wage increas
es that may affect' 200,000 men and an
nually, approximate $8.0.00,000 or more
sylvania; Ohio, Indiana and Illtnoisj
were agreed upon late today by the sub
committee of bituminous operators and
miners from those states, who are here
negotiating" a . new contract to go into
effect April 1. "The action of the sub
committee will be reported for ratifica
tion probably tomorrow to the full joint
conference of operators and miners.
Aside from the general increase of
three cents a. ton, granted by the coal
companies, the miners in western' Penn
sylvania won the mine-run system or
paying' wages, something the officers
of the union. say they' have been striv
ing to obtain for 30 years. The mine-
run system adds 2.39 cents a ton to the
miners' wages, and gives them about
?1,250,000 a year, not counting the 3
cents a ton general increase also won
by them. The mine-run was bitterly
fought by Pittsburgh operators, but
was agreed to through the persistence
of the officers of the western Pennsyl
vania district, strongly supported by
the international officers of the miners'
union.
The wage increases allowed on the
mine-run basis in western Pennsylva
nia are that the 39 cents a ton on the
machine mining making the rate 0
cents a ton and 3 cents on pick mining,
advancing this rate 67.64 cents a ton,.
In Ohio, machine mining is increased
3 cents a ton on Michigan coal to 50
(Continued on Page Two.)
SEVEN Iff ONE FAMILY
ARE FOUND MURDERED
Farmer, Believed to be the
Murderer, Kills Himself.
Daniel O'Kane Found In Dying Condi
tion in His Home Where the Oth
er Members of His Family
Had Been Killed.
Lawton, Okla., March 6. Testimony
tending "to show that Daniel O'Kane, a
farmer, killed seven members of his
family and then took his own life, was
introduced before a coroner's jury
which late today held an inquest at
the O'Kane home, near, here, where a
negro farm hand this morning found
the bodies of six of the murdered per
sons with O'Kane fatally shot, lying,
beside them. O'Kane died this evening.
Witnesses testified that O'Kane fre
quently had quarreled witn his aged
father, James O'Kane and gave their
i .
that: the strained relations exist
ing between son and . father caused
Daniel to become temporarily insane.
The dead are Mrs. Daniel O'Kane, tho
five O'Kane children,- Lewis, 13, Dan
iel, 8, Margaret, 7, Lillian 5, a baby,
Robert; James O'Kane, 75, and Daniel
O'Kane, about 48.
The children's heads had been crush
ed with a hammer ana tne throats of
the four elder children had been cut
with a razor. Mrs. O'Kane's head had
been crushed with a hammer, and she
also had been shot. The elder O'Kane
and Daniel O'Kane and tne baby, Rob
ert, also had bullet wounds through
their heads.
A blopdy hammer, a razor and a re
volver were found in me house.
MINERS
H
R
HIGHER WAGES
WHOLE NUMBER 39,525
PARTISAN POLITICS
IS MORE MANIFEST
IN FIGHT IN HOUSE
Absent Democrats Asked to
Hurry Back to Capital for
the Vote Today
HEATED DEBATE BEGUN
Bryan's Influence Considered
a Big Factor in Armed
Ship Controversy.
Washington, March 6. On. the ev
of what friends of the administration
have planned as the final fight to end
agitation in the House over the ques
tion of armed merchant ships debate on
the subject broke out on the House floor
late today and continued hotly for more
than an hour. When it was over there
seemed to be more of a partisan align
ment than at any time since the issue
arose. . .
Representative Mann, of Illinois, the
Republican leader, and Representative
Lenroot, of Wisconsin, Republican,
member of the Rules committee, gave
notice that they would oppose tomor
row the rule under which it is proposed
to table the McLemore warning resolu
tion after ninety minutes of debate on
the rule and four hours discussion of
the resolution. On the other hand.
i Chairman Flood, of the Foreign Affairs
committee, who has been understood
personally to favor a warning resolu
tion, voiced an appeal to all patriotic
congressmen to stand by the President,
Call to Absent Democrats. .
Realizing the task ahead of them, the
administration whips sent out calls to
all absent Democrats within reach to
hurry' to, Washington in time for the
vote tomorrow. . The President's sup-
jKu-tejrs.-beUeve..ihat a large, m,alority- .
the Democrats, as wen as many liepub
licans, will stand together to put
through the .rule .and kill the McLe
more resolution. There will be formid
able opposition both, in and out of the
party, however, and the influence of
William Jennings Bryan is being taken
into account as a big factor to be dealt
with.
Fourteen representatives and two
senators met at lunch today with Mr.
Bryan in the private dining room of a
hotel near'the capital and discussed af
fairs, generally. What transpired there
remained a secret except that Repre
sentative Bailey, of Pennsylvania, who
was the host, said no general agreement,
was reached on what action should be
taken in the armed ship question. -"Several
of the diners asked Mr.
i Bryan for a direct answer to what
they should do," Mr. Bailey said,
but
it was not forthcoming.
While all of
us felt strongly favorable to a warning
resolution, we do not want to do any
thing to embarrass the administration "
at the present time."
Those present were Senators Kern
and Vardaman, and Representatives
Lobeck, Stevens and Shallenberger, ,o
Nebraska; Ayres and Helvering,- of
Kansas; Bailey and Steele, of Pennsyl
vania; Slayden and Calloway, of Texas;
Hensley, Missouri; Gordon, Ohio; Tav
enner, Illinois; Huddleston, Alabama;
Dill, Washington; Sisson, Michigan;
Tillman, Arkansas, and Van Dyke, of
Minnesota.
Mr. Bryan left tonight for Wilming
ton, Del., to deliver a lecture.
, Both Sides Applauded.
Speakers on both sides of the warn
ing question were applauded during
today's .debate until it was difficult to
determine which sentiment was the
stronger. When Mr. Mann, vigorously
protesting that the question never
should have been thrown into the
House and criticising Americans for
taking passage of armed ships, ex
pressed the hope that such an act
would never draw the country into
war, he was cneerea neartny Dy tne
whole house.
Representative "Gardner, of Massa
chusetts, precipitated the debate after
working unsuccessfully all day- to have
the Rules committee pave the way for
a direct vote on a warning resolution.
The first step toward getting the Mc
Lemore . resolution before the House
was taken by Representative Foss, -of
Illinois, Republican, at the request 'of
the Democratic members of the Rules
committee, it is said. He asked that
it be placed on the calendar and It waa
done without - debate. A short time
later the Rules committee reported its
rule and the House, relieved of its long
days ' of anxiety as to when debate
would start, settled down contented to
await the official- opening at 11 o'clock
tomorrow morning, the time set by the
Rules ' committee.
Mr. Gardner did not wait. The
House was in the committee of the
whole considering a homestead bill
when he heard of the report, and ob
taining time for a speech, he launched
into "a vigorous attack of the Rules
committee, declaring that its failure to
report a straight warning resolution -could
be attributed only to partisan
ship and fear of the result of 'such a
vote. - , ,
Gardner Starts Debate.
"I hope to see the vote come directly
on the question of adoption or rejection
of the McLemore resolution," Mr. Gard-
fner declared, "because it has been
heralded to the world that our action
on the resolution is to be the test
showing what our attitude is on this'
question of supporting the President
or denying the President our support.
There is no parliamentary tangle. If
we send out from this House a con
fused action it is because we have
deliberately made it a confused ac
tion." As Mr. Gardner finished speaking a
score of representatives who have been
(Continued on Page Two.)
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