S's',s8t tilt: t-,vi'- i i
Fair and warmtr.r' Sunday ; Monday
cloudy, probably rain,, west portion.
rrr- . ' ' - - .- - . - - . n. . -,. ll
VOL. CIXKO; 90.
. y-irv A ' WW "W ' 41 m rwm-m-m -": 1 i
UE. l AiLstLu ztaljlMENT of object
FOR
United States Wants to Know
What Would be Called a ' 'Just
and Permanent Peace.
THIS NEVER MADE KNOWN
Leading Statesmen in Both Sets of
Belligerents Have Stated ,
Identical "Terms."
THEIR SPEECHES ARE VAGUE
No Nation Would be Embarrassed
in Answering Wilson's Note.
"Washington, Dec. 23. Infor
mation as to their exact meaning
in seeking a. "just and permanent
peace." is the whole purpose of the
note addressed to all the , belliger
ents by President Wilson. The
United States desires a full, practi
cal and detailed statement - from
each of the governments address
ed. This outline, and what fol
lows, was stated officially today
for the administration.
Xo Definite Meanins; Given. '
This government does not know, and
feels that it has no real means of
knowing, "what terms would be requir
ed by each of the belligerents to make
peace. It regards the recent speeches
of the leading statesmen in all countries
as vague and undefined and sees noth
lne in them that would enable. a! con
ference to draw up a treaty,' All apes'
of the rights of small nations,, the rer;
pugnance of conquest, and'the.glrari
ttea of a permanent peaces b,ut ,no--fne
nation has yet gone . into what it means
WHICH
FIGHTING
. t.ooo r 5" wftVTThaf' thlaclulres a aurerent value so soon asw
these phrases JJV5
government! of the United States can both partiets Tnts ls? tne passage which
understand. - . " ."'. '.' .' . .' '
Recent press comment- has been 'tak
en to enhance the vagueness, .France,
for instance, has not-disclosed , if whatl
she considers a just peace means tne
evacuation of her northern provinces;
or in addition to that, the restoration
of Alsace-Lorraine, or if in addition to
both those claims she expects a money
indemnity for the damage of invasion,
or beyond that if she - has an. actual
programme for doing : away with: sot
called German militarism.; In short the
I'nited States asks what Would' she ac
cept today as the basis of 'peace.
President Wants Details. ; -Similar
issues apply to? all the bel
ligerent countries in merely a varying
form. What President - Wilson wants
is tne details. As the largest neutrai
facing grave problems and as the
friend of all parties ", concerned, the
I'nited States feels most earnestly that
it is entitled to know those facts. Un
less gome one of the groups lays down
its actual terms there will be no basis
fw negotiation and no" possibility of
Peace till the world is bled white, offi
cials declare. ' . - :. : '
There is not the slightest expectar
tion that the terms laid down will be
reconcilable at first. - It is , known that
some of the nations will demand, what
in actuality is impossible. J Neverthe
less, the naming of those terms will
Afford a basis of negotiation, a start
is place from which the conflicting
Interests can begin to converge.
Nothing o EmsarrtH. - v
is any embarrassment seen to
n5' of the nations in naming such
wms.-it is understood in advance that
iey are apt to fluctuate with the mill
Ja!7 changes and are not permanently
"'nding under new conditions. What
f,er any nation feels must be included
i its terms for moral reasons can also
6e added to the terms without embar
rament, it is said. V ;-, ' ':;
As to permanent guarantees it. was
"eciared that, the United 'States .stands
eady to enter any klna of Internation
aerepment that may seem most de
Jable to the nations, whether perma
tll pPacf? is t0 be secured by' force, If
pessary, nr by law. The country Is
p' committed to any one plan and
tsident Wilson Is entirely open to
v;estions. it is the administration
K" that the country can pe committed
j' an abandonment of the policy of
oiation. much as President Monroe
vm!mtter1 5t to the MonrPe Doctrine,
'ttiout Senate action. . in the; plans so
tl COn t Dnir,lni. J -l ji 1. .AV.
Inc.
tre;
nations would be-.bound by
. niy have to h rnhA Wv Tia f?nat.
far
as the United States is con-
cerned.
Renentmentii Unwarranted.
tif as?mpnt caused to the administra
te r- the coincidence of its. note with
hJerman proposals was given today
taf n 11 was Paid that despite the early
tavorable effect which the note was
Retort to have in the Allied coun-
v rklnroush that fact lt w decided
t1'- u in view of the greater inter-
involved, it is expected it may be
too American view-
felt
accepted abroad, but it is
that
Tt.
m the end it certainly; will
o stated moat mnh timllv that
oM"ote waa rushed off on Monday In
VV0 eet to pemer Lloyd-George be
Ulio, had Irrvocably committed', the
hrf a"ainst peace -rs liis. speech to
""-. en t Tuesday. That assumption
vonunued on T-age Two.) .
.... : - ' - - : , : : rm
EACH
BELLIGERENT IS
WARNS A GAINS T ANY HASTY
A C TION ON WILSON'S NOTE
Manchester Guardian in Long Editorial Advises That Document be
Given Due Consideration and Endeavors to Interpret President's
View-Point European Press Comments Freely.
London, Dec 23. Analysing the criti
cisms of President Wilson's note to the
belligerent nations the Manchester
Guardian, in a remarkable editorial a
column long, which is unique because
I it endeavors to interpret the President'3
viewpoint, sounds a word of caution to
day against hasty and ill-considered
action in making a reply.
The Guardian believes that the note
"if. coolly considered and wisely an
swered can only help the Allies' cause
and throw into stronger relief the mor
al weakness of the German position.
The., newspaper says that a careful
reading of the passage in which Presi
dent Wilson suggests that both Hsides
are fighting for the same end reveals
that- the -President said that this is
what the belligerents tell their own
countrymen. - Continuing, the Manches
ter. Guardian says:
"Coming on top of Germany's sug
gestion j of negotiations, the note ap
pears to associate Itself with. the Ger
man view and the reference to meas
ures which the United States may have
totake, reads as follows: A little too
like a suggestion of menace. Howev
er, it must be. borne in mind. that a note
couched in similar if not identical terms
is being; sent to all the belligerents,
and if President Wilson wants war with
either side he cannot, without depart
ing from the appearance of strict neu
trality, avoid addressing the same
words to the other. For our part, it
will require the very strongest evidence
to persuade "us that In the face of the
great volume of sympathy for the al
lied cause which we are assured of on
the other side of the .Atlantic, that any
act seriously prejudicial to our cause
cannot be contemplated at Washing
ton" . .
"'.'Another passage in the note which
comes ;n-,f or-.jeven more-criUcisnV-a-leo
acquires a different .value. so -soon. as w-e
appears to ' suggest va: real identity of
views ' as .'.between the - belligerents
When the passage is carefully read, it
is seen to say not. that the tswi bellig
erent- parties have the same . views or
are fighting for the' same ends, but that
they profess to doing So when the gov
ernments justify the war to their own
countryman.. This Is a very different
proposition and a. passage as read by a
German , of any humor, might be taken
as a very "severe .piece of sarcasm."
The Manchester Guardian then
sounds a .warning against the "Allies
being betrayed into playing Germany's
game, because if. we put ; ourselves
wrong' with V America, we do play Ger
many's game." -
- The newspaper . then adds this ad
vice: -
r ."Let'us avcHd imputing motives, take
the President's note at . its face valus
as a" perfectly sincere document, mean
ing simply what tt says. The President
believes the two belligerent alliances
to. be. less far 'apart than appears on
DARGY SAYS HE IS NOT
A MILITARY SLACKER'
" 1 mm m 1 m
Will Join British Army When He
." Qains Support for Family.
Anstraltan . Middleweight ' Arrives
' New York Expects to- Sign Up
fw Bont With 'Carpentler, -Dillon
or Mlske. .
In
;New Tork, Dec. 23. Les Oarcy, the
Auistralian .middleweight, who arrived
here today after having left his home
as a stoaway . two months ago, declared
he did not leave Australia to evade
military, service, and that he expected
to enlist , in the British forces as soon
as be hadrmade enough . money to care
for his relatives. .. It. was expected here
he would, be signed within a few hours
to r meet. Georges Carpentler, Jack Dil
lon or Billy Miske.
He said he had kept in moderately
good condition on board ship,- where he
tj-javeled under, the name of Dawson,
and was. willing to meet any one.
' Darcy ' said he wanted to make it
clear that 'he was not a "slacker" and
had not left Australia to avoid 'going
to the front. '
'''I'am going to fight for, Great Britain
as soon as I have had a few fights here
and made enough money to support my
father and,-mother and sisters in com
fort,"; he said. ."After that I will go
to "Canada or England and enllst.
" "i:. would have gone, before, but I
would have left Vih'sp family In. want
then. Ope of my brothers is older than
I am .but he. is a ?rlpple. Another Is
1 and ' h works Ak and. night as a
baker. - The others' re dnly little . fel
lows. After I -have got enough money
for the family, then I will, go to warv
What : happens -after-that won't make
mueh difference then. I can be killed
then." -: -- .. i - i- -- . v; -
Ths . train igration authorities - waived
the usual exftininatlons in Darcy's case.
.-. . . 4' : ,. :-.. -'. ? .t:-v' rs 1v V V:
WILMINGTON,
the surface. Washington probably has
means of information that are not fully
available to us, and if this view is tak
en at Washington, it gives us a valu
able hint as to the mind of Germany
and conditions in Germany which are
working upon the minds of her rulers.
"In any case believing rightly or
wrongly Germany would go further to
meet us than we suppose. Dr. Wil3on
suggests that the two sides compare
views. Again be it remembered that
this suggestion is addressed to both
sides and not to one alone-"
VIENNA PRESS LOOKS WITH
FAVOR ON PRESIDENT'S MOVE
Vienna, Dec. 23, (via Amsterdam to
London). The keynote of the comment
in the Vienna press on President Wil
son's note to the belligerents is that
the idea of peace thus brought forward
will not easily be. dissipated.
"Neither exaggerated optimism nor
its opposite Is the proper attitude to as
sume," says the Neuss We'Iner Tages
blatt. Instead, it should be one of the
calm, patience and dignity. ' The Zeit
says:
"It is to be hoped that President Wil
son's action will further the' bringing
about of peace, but it may also have the
opposite effect."
The comment of the Reichspot is:
"If President Wilson's action really will
contribute to peace it will be welcom
ed." The Arbeifer Zeitung welcomes the
fact that a neutral power has spoken
for the first time. The Neues .Weiner
Journal says:
"President Wilson in any event, has
brought humanity a great step nearer
to peace." .- .-.'
SATS NOTE IS STARTING
POINT OF. A' NEWt lHPJUQMAPI
Pari?. Dec 23.--Pierre,.-Rehaudel, the
Socialist adrVkittiftg in-Humanite
regarding Trssi&n&?Vhjo&s' pote
says:..; ri'-i.'y
!Tbe note is the starting: iiolnt of a
new diplomacy whose merit 14 that It is
public and . submits, iri consequence, to
the 'judgments of the peoples em
selves the: care of their own destinies.
Secret diplomacy must die. " France-and
her allies will again serve human civil
ization in . showing that they appre
ciate new facts as they will serve their
pw cause.'by -speaking out plainly."
ASKS WHY WILSON DIDN'T
DEFEND BELGIAN NEUTRALITY
Paris, Dec. 23.-;-Senator Henry Berenr
ger, writing in the Paris Mrdi, says:
"Why didn't President Wilson make
on ; July. 30, 1914, the observations he
submits to; Europe In; December, 1916V
Why dMn?t- Wilson protest in" August.
1914, against the violation of Belgium?
Why does he wait until. today to pose as
a .champion 'of small nations? Why
didn't Wilson in August, 1914, defend
the law of nations, of which he is .a
professor, while in December, 1916, he
offers' himself as an arbitrator?
"When one has said nothing and has
; (Continued on Page Two.)
OLD BRIDGE REPLACED
BY HEW IN IS MINUTES
Remarkable Engineering Feat on
Union Pacific Railroad.
Structure . Built on False Work and
Weigrhtns ll,2O0,KO Pounds Is
Slipped Into. Place In Ten and '
. a Half Minutes.
Omaha, . Neb., Dec 23. The old steel
bridge of the Union Pacific Railway
over the Missouri river, between Omaha-and
Council Bluffs, which had been
in existence for 30 years, was today
removed , and replaced by a new steel
bridge which had been built on false
wdrk alongside the old." v
The actual 'operation of removing- the
old brMse, which weighed 5,600,000
pounds, and putting in place the new,
which weighed 11,200,000 pounds, re
quired 16 minutes, four and a half min
utes for removal of the old and ten
and one-half minutes to replace it with
the new. Five hoisting engines equip
ped with block and tackle, were used.
Union Pacific officials", said the work
was an unusual engineering feat.
The work of Removal began at 11:10
in the morning with 200 men and was
finished at 3:40 in-the afternoon. '
Delay was occasioned by the break
ing of . lashings. An ;hour after the
new bridge was in place trains were
running xver It.
. This is the third bridge across: the'
Missouri on the sarae site. A certain
historical 'interest' attaches . to the
place, for it was here that, pioneers
first crossed the river ;on a fiat boat. f
London,-Dec." 23. The Danish steam
ers Hroptatyr, 1,789 net tons, and
DansborgTi' , 18 3 gross tons, have been?
sunk. : ! , - - ' i"
C, STJ2TJXA.Y MO EKING, DECEMBER 24, 1916
BETTING IN BERLIN ON
PEACE BEFORE AUGUST
London, Dec. 23 A Frankfort dis
patch to the Exchange Telegraph
Company, via Rotterdam, says there
was heavy betting on the Berlin ex
change today, that peace would be
signed before August. The same
dispatch says that the German em
peror will return to Berlin for conv
ferences with the American , and
Spanish ambassadors. . . . "
Prominent Eurns Give
Opin-
ions to Nf al Conference
fcurea JIThj. Hague,
-: V
SOME FAVORABLE ; SOME NOT
TeliVhether The Think Central Pow.
ees' Overtures Should be Aecept-
ed
or
1 Rejected by . the
Entente Allies.
The Hague, Netherlands. Dec. 23, (via
liOndon).-OpinIon, of " various promi
nent men of Europe as to whether the
peace proposals ot the Central Powers
should be accepted or rejected by the
Entente and their constructive sugges
tions for a proposed peace, have beep
gathered by tho bureau of The Hague
of the neutral conference for continu
ous mediation resulting from Henry
Ford's peace movement. Among the
answers are the following:
Christian Lange, of Christiana. secre..
tary of the Inter-parliamentary Union.;
expressed the nope that the - Entente
would demand concrete proposals from
the Teutonic Allies;at the same time be
ready to state their own fundamental
conditions, after which, he said, oppor
tunities would offer themselves t clear
up the whole situation. ...
Professor Morgenstierne,; rector of
Christiana "University, . expressed the
tear that the conditions and ! assump
tions of "the belligerents .were "too conf
flicting to hope forJSsbeedy pacific jet,
tlement. ; -f- ' -"
.Hjahmir" Brantlngi the Swedish So
cialist, leader said:--
. "Germany, by contlnutngr the" Belgian
deportations,, has shown the unbroken
power of her. militaristic spirit. A de
mand for full definition of, war aims
must be put forward . by . democratlo
parties on ,-both sides, . as the starting
point for-a common movement toward
peace."
The Entente nations would be un
wise to decline unconditionally to con
sider peace proposals, in the opinion of
Dr. Svente . Arrheniixs, . president of the
Nobel Institute, of Stockholm, who also
said that if they did decline they should
stats their motives and define the
modifications they deemed- necessary.
He also appealed for the free" develop
ment of small nations. -
Admiral LJndman, former premier of
Sweden, appealed 'to the Entente not to
exclude the possibility "of further con
versations, "The proposaj of: the Central Powers
should not be accepted," .replied Baron
Al T. Adelswaerd, former Swedish, mln
ister.of finance, "bepause it conveys no
clear idea of the principal of the basis
of peace. '
"The .Central Powers - start from, the
view point that they have been attack
ed and that they have established a de
cisive military superiority. Neither of
these' points has been in any way prov
ed and so the outlook is not promising
for a just and durable peace."
Carl Xlndhagen, Socialist: mayor of
Stockholm, declared ' that impartial
judges must be uneasy with regard to
peace making as proposed by Germany.
The Entente nations, he said, should
state their conditions.. '
Pleter J. Troelstra, the Dutch Social
ist leader, replied:. 1
' "The German proposal could hardly,
contain anything, other .than the gener
al declaration of readiness to begin ne
gotiations, but the proposal should have
included a declaration of readiness in
the. spirit. of Chancellor Von Bethmann
Hoilweg's recent speech, to co-operate
in the establishment of an international
association to insure a durable peace,
including an agreement for the reduc-tion-of
armament on land and sea. Ail
the world knows that,- notwithstanding
its military, successes, ' Germany has a
very good reason to desire peace!"
NOT AliLiUDED TO AS "GREAT
WORLD EVENT OF THE DAY"
Rome', Dec 22, .(via Paris, Dec. 23).
The Popolo. Romano, in its - comment
on President -Wilson's note to.the bel
ligerents, alludes to Its issuance as the
"great world . event of the day' Its
tone is characterised . as friendly but
firm, with a certain . acceptance of the
"judge . who. proposes to wield the
sword of Solomon, wishing to end the
war." .
The Paris and London press, this
. (Continued on "ffage Two.v
NO PAPER MONDAY
UnlesB there are news, develop
ments of an Important nature, lo
cally or abroad, arrangements hav
ing been made for keeping in touch "
with the .-'situation', there will be no
issue of The jtforhihg Star tomorrow";
(Monday) morning in . order that:
members of The Star family may in'
a measure . share with the general.'
public' a -proper observance of the
Christmas holiday. '; ' ; ' . .. ..
b :The -Star wishes -eaeh and every
bne of its friends and readers " a;
vety, .MrryHstmas-,and,; a Happy '
New,' Tear," promising' to greet them"
again Tuesday morning- or earlier if
occasib
res!
EXPRESS VIEWS ON
pEjpALS
TORREON REPORTED
IE0 BY VILLA
Oarranza Officials Admit the Ban
dit Chief Could Easily De
feat De Facto Forces.
HAS AN ARMY OF 7,000 MEN,
Bandits Reported to Have Blown Up
Train, Ktlllnff Number of Consti
tutionalist Soldiers, South
of SaltUlo.
El Paso, Texas, Dec 23. Persistent
rumors that Torreon had been captured
by Villa were In circulation here today
but Carranza officials here andat Jua
res insisted that nothing had been re
ceived from the -Coahuila metropolis.
As the report originated from sources
known to be strongly pro-Villa, gov
ernment agents and military offi
cers here refused to accept them
until something more definite
could be obtained. However, Car
ranza officials admit that Villa
with his present force of 7,000 men,:
could capture Torreon from the de
facto forces without difficulty.
GARCIA REPORTS TORREON
AND CHIHUAHUA CITY SAFE.
Washington, Dec. 23. Consul Gen
eral Garcia, "at El Paso,, reported to the
Mexican embassy tonight that he has
been in communication with Carranza
officials at Chihuahua and Torreon and
was Informed that neither of those cit
ies had been captured or was In dan
ger of being captured by Villa forces.
TRAIN REPORTED TO HAVE
BEEJN BLOWN UP BY BANDITS
Laredo, Texas, Dec. 23. Villa fol-
l lowers blew up a train atl Carneros, 47
miles nouth of Saltillo, December 21,
killing a number of constitutionalist
soldiers, according to information be
lieved to be reliable which reached the
border this afternoon.- According -to
this information a number of the soU
diers.were massacred after having es
caped, injury from the explosion. :
FUNSTON OFFICIALLY ADVISED
TORREON HAS BEEN ATTACKED
confiranation' of " fhe ''epotT that" Tor
nfiranation pf the '. report- that -Tjsrf..
reon Ttas; fallen Into the hands of Villa
Is still awaited by officers of the South-,
ern. Department, Major-General Fred-'
erick Funston declared tonight that -he
had been advised officially of the fact
that the bandit leader had attacked
the city. The early reports said the
Villa followers appeared to be advanc
ing into the city. .
A telegram to the department com
mander today stated that Villa was at
Bermajillo ,26 miles north - of Coahiula
center. ; " . r ". ,
MURGIA SAYS GARRISON AT
TORREON? CAN DEFEND CITY
Chihuahua City,.Me.x., Dec. 22 (via El
Paso Junction, Tex.. Dec. , 23) General
Francisco Murgia, "nillftary -commander
of the northern military zone, at a con
ference today with the foreign consular
representatives, announced- that Villa
and hs forces yrere Advancing on Tor
reon, but that (General Talarhante, the
de facto commander in Torreon, had a
sufficient force to defend the city.
General Murgula declared he had re
captured all of the military train which
Villa took from Chihuahua City and had
garrisoned the town of Guerrero.
JUDGE
HARRISON TO TESTIFY
Star Witnesses in $30,000 Suit
Against Music Festival.
Ashevllle Jurist, President of Corpora
. tlon, Said to . Have Protested
Against Some of Alexander's
Deals Trial In January?
(Special Star Telegram.)
Durham, N. C, Dec. 23. Judge Jeter
C, Prltchard and President Fairfax
Harrison, of the Southern Railway,
will be called as star witnesses to tes
tify in the $30,000 civil action brought
by Frank S. Westbrook against the Na
tional Music Festival of America. The
case. will probably be called in Janu
ary. '
" Westbrook, who originated the idea
of establishing a mecca for music lov
ers from all over the United States at
Black Mountain, has come to Durham
to live. He is working insurance!
President Harrison's connection with
the movement has its origin in his sug
gestion that Judge Pritchard be made
president and the railway president
promised ' co-operation. The plaintiff
alleges that it was at a meeting in
Winston-Salem in a conference with
President Harrison tnat R. O. Alex
ander, H. D. Shutt and G. W. Kinshaw
"agreed with and in the presence of
Mr. .Fairfax Harrison to subscribe all
the ' money .necessary for promoting
the proposed organization."-The. South
ern' Railway .head declined to take the
presldency' but urged the appointment
of Judge Prltchard. The latter was In
Chicago and Westbrook went to the
f'Wlndy City" to secure his consent.
.The former : manager asserts tha
Judge - Prltchard has earnestly protest
ed the action of R. O. Alexander in
taking the funds subscribed for stock
, i: (Continued on Page Two.)
DGGUP
PR C ARD
AND
' .7 MI
RUSSIAN REAR GUARD
IS SLOWLY YIELDING
TO TEUTONIC ARMIES
4-
Also Granted Increase of Five
Cents an Hour and Straight
Pro Rata Over-Time.
THIRTEEN ROADS AFFECTED
Decision Announced by Federal Arbi.
tratlon Board Pojnts Out Duty
of Government to Protect
Railway interests.
New York, Dec. 23. An 8-hour day,
an increase in , wages of 5 cents an
hour, and straight pro rata over time,
were granted to the members of the
Switchmen's Union employed by thir.
teen Eaitern and Middle Western rail
roads in an award filed here today by
the Federal Board of Arbitration that
heard their differences.
The decision of the board had been
eagerly awaited by the railroads in gen
eral and the four major brotherhoods
of railroad trainmen for what , bearing
it might have-on the controversy be
tween them over the Adamson act, in
which the eight-hour day is a question
at issue.
The decision today in the switchmen's
case says that "eight hours or less shall
constitute a day's work," gives "an in
crease of five cents an hour on the
present rates of pay," and rules that
'overtime shall be paid at pro rata
rates," to be computed-"on the basts of
actual minutes worked Y '
c'. ": How Wages Are "Affected. r
Switchmen at present, receive a , max
imum hourly rat of 40 dents. "The
award increases-this rate to 45 cents,
so that, as explained tonight, by Judge
Charles. -B. Howrey, chairman of the'
htLt, - .', - - ?. -wb'-.i
Ul irecetve tor. a- day's work; 40
cents .lesa thajtihe received under the
ten-hour; oasis, ay worKing ..ten. npurs
upder the new J rate, they will receive
$4.50, or 50 cen'ts more than under the
old rate. ; f - '
Jn a statement appended to the award
by JudgexHovrey and Prof. Jeremiah
W. Jenks, thfe neutral members of the
joard of sixj it is declared that the
hours of : switchmen, dd not Imply "ex
cessive physical labor," that it has
been established it will not be possible
to make the actual working eight-hour
day effective in the case of "more thn
a small percentage of the switching
crews," and that "with the exception
of one experiment, the testimony was
unanimous- to the effect that the effici
ency of switchmen, on the shorter work
day. would be only slightly increased,
so that the burden of the shorter hours
would fall almost entirely upon the
railroads."
While the switchmen asked for aiO
'cent increase, the statement emphasizes
the point that the five-cent advance is
the largest given In any arbitration
The increase was granted, the neutral
arbitrators explain, by the high cost
(Continued on Page Twoj,
WILL DISCUSS TRADE
PROBLEMS fiFTEFi WAR
National Civic Federation to Meet
, January 22 and 23.
Chairman E as ley Says Present Moves
For Peace Vividly ruggest Disturb
ance That Is Bound to Occur
In This Country
New York, Dec. 23. Whether the
present moves to "end the great war
prove "effective or abortive" they viv
idly suggest the economic disturbances
that is bound to occur in this country
when peace does come," according to
Ralph M. Easley, chairman of the exec
utive council of the National Civc Fed
eration, in announcing today that the
annual meeting of the federation will
be held here January 22 and 23.
. "Already in 'ona of the nations at
war,"- said Mr. Easley, "a joint commit
tee . of employers and employes, is at
work trying to arrange an industrial
truce to operate for three years after
the termination og the conflict. In an
other nation : co-operative schemes of
almost every description, backed by the
government, are being formed in prep
aration for the economic war that is
sure to follow the military engagement.
Can the great industrial forces of the
United States .be brought into a more
harmonious relation that they may
give the best that is in them to meet
these grave problems is the question
which the Federation hopes to be able
to have answered in the affirmative, at
its annual meeting, by the leaders of
these forces."
Subjects to be considered at the meet
ing of the federation will include: "The
lesson from the mobilization on the
Mexican border." .,
"The indifference, -if not positive opt
position of the wage '-earners and farm
. iContinued on Page Two.)
EIGHT-HOUR DAY
GIVEN SWITCHMEN
WHOLE NUMBER 39,804
Continue Retreat North in Walla-r v
chia and Dobrudja, Although -Offering
Resistance.
. ti
IHU LI niTWr A WT 1 n ii n iiiTTTt in . --it
Big Guns Are Active in the Region
of Hardaumont and Cham
brettes, Near Verdun. r
BRITISH SHIPS SUNK, 435
This Represents 12 Per Sent of the
.
Total Vessels Owned.
Fighting a series of defensive
battles, but slowly yielding to Teu
tonic pressure, the Russian 'rear"
guard in Wallachia and Dobrudja
are being pressed backward to the
north. iHeavy fighting is in pro
gress in the vicinity of Rimnik-Sa-rat,
midway between the Buzeu
and Sereth rivers, in Wallachia.
Russian advanced posts at Ra
kovitcheni, in the foothills of the
mountains west of Rimnik-Sarat,
were "compelled to retire after bat
tles at that point and Vadiilsore
soi. An engagement at Balatche
nul, south of Rimnik:Sarat, also is
recorded, indicating that the Russ
ian lines still protect that town.
May be Covering Retreat.
These engagements are regarded . by
some Teutonjo military critics as an
effort on the part of the Russians and
Rumanians l to cover the retreat of
their armies and of the Rumanian ref
ugees aeros the line of the Sereth
iyer and to cover tho flank of the
Russo-Rumanian armies fighting in the
Carpathian mountains of Moldavia.
In Dobrudja the "Rumanian line Is re
ported to have withdrawn northward
Until lt is only 13 miles south of the
northern extremity of that province.
Only artillery activity is recorded on
the Russian front . in the Vicinity .of
Baranovichi.
The big guns are active also In the
region of Hardaumont and Chambret
tes near Verdun.
Operationson the Macedonian f rdht
are being prevented by bad weather. .
. President's Note Delivered.
The American ambassador at Petro
grad delivered the "German peace note
to the Russian government Saturday
and President Wilson's note to the bel
ligerent governments was handed to
the Italian ' foreign minister by tho
American ambassador at Rome.
It is unlikely that tne reply of the
Entente powers to the German note
will be dispatched before Monday and
It may be delayed fcr ten days, aceord-
11X " -aoiso uJieaoj qsnija etj oj 3uf
is attributed to the delays in communi
cation. It is reported in Paris, how
ever, that the reply is almost finished.
Rumors are circulating in London that
the Entente's answer is being drawn
up at Rome to be forwarded thence, to
Germany.
British Shipping: Losees.
tl is estimated that the losses of
British shipping resulting from the
war total 435 steam vessels, each of
more than 1,600 tons, or 12 per cent of
all steamships owned in Great Britain
at the beginning of the conflict. . ' ,T
. .
SAYS RUSSIANS IN DOBRUDJA
HAVE BEEN BADLY DEFEATED
Berlin, Dec. 23, (via Sayville). "The
Teutonic operations in Dobrudja are
developing further,'.' writes the Over
seas News Agency's military critic
"The Russians have been repeatedly de
feated In that war area, abandoning
two fortified positions and then offering:
resistance on another line in order to
cover a retreat on the road to Tultcha;
Isaktcha and Matchin. . The defensive '
line now is resting on the nills in the
northern extremity of Dobrudja, only:;
20 kil'ometres from Tultcha and Isakt-"
cha. The third Cossack division, which
reached Dobrudja onry on December 13,
was completely defeated -by the Bui-;'
garians on December 19, the Russian,
suffering heavy losses.
"Likewise in eastern Wallachia the ;
Russians and Rumanians are trying to
cover the retreat of the remnants of
their defeated armies and Rumanian
refugees across the line of the Sereth '
by an effort to hold up (he advance, of
the Central Powers at a point south of
Rimnik Sarat. This effort also is In
tended to cover the flank Of the Russo
Rumanian bodies fighting in the Moldavian-Carpathian-Rumanian
offen
sive." . .
GREAT BRITAIN HAS LOST '
12 PER CENT OF HER SHIPS ;
London, Dec. 23. In the shipping pa- ;
per Fair Play, Sii Norman Hill, secre
tary of .the Liverpool steamship owners .
association, makes calculations that the
effect of the German campaign on Brit
ish shipping has befcn as follows: X . f
"In the 27 months of the war from ..
August, 1914, to October, 1916, 435 steam
vessels, of more than 1,00 tons, repre- -senting
1,774,000 tons, cross register,,
were lost through war . perils. Great
Britain started the war 'with 8,600
steamships, of 16,000,000 tops gross," so
- (continued on rage - sixteen;.
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