THE WEATHER
Cloudy tonight and Tuesday;
warmer tonight; colder Tues,
O'CLOCK
EDITION
10 PAGES
VOL. XXIL NO. 321.
ASHEVILLE, N. C, MONDAY AFTERNOON, DEC. 24, 1917
PRICE FIVE CENTS
PEACE PROPQSftLS
SHOULD NOT STOP
E
How Tanks Worked in General Byng's Cambrai Push
CENTRAL POWERS
ARE CONSIDERING
RUSSIA'S TERMS
NOT GIVEN AID 10
IE CIS
ill
PLANS
mOLSHEII
Germany Again About to
Sue For 'Peace Before
i .Victory,' Says Baker
GERMANY KNOWS
AMERICA'S POWER
"Our Armies Constitute Re
serves of Victory in
This War"
Washington, Dee. 24.' Germany's
newest peace propaganda, viewed as a
forerunner to an offensive In the west
unless a German-made peace is ac
cepted by the allies and the United
States "should not lor a moment In
duce us to slacken our preparations
for war," says Secretary Baker today
in his weekly review of the military
situation.
"The Germans realize," continues
the statement, "that within a short
time our armies will form the princi
pal body of fresh strategic reserves
remaining available on the battlefields
of Europe.
"Our armies constitute the reserves
of victory ."
The review points out that the fight
ing morals of Italy may be relied upon
no matter how intensive the German
peace campaign comes and says:
"The Italian theater once again is
the sceno of important military activ
ity. "The enemy, impatient of the delays
which have occurred in bringing about
the successful penetration of the Ital
ian plain and the overthrow of the
Italian armies, has dispatched further
forces to the Italian front, with a view
to achieving a decisive result.
"The Germans are endeavoring to
follow the precepts of classic strategy
and by a successful enveloping move
ment effect the destruction of the Hal
ian and allied forces.
"It would appear that they are anx
ious to conclude their Italian adven
ture in a manner similar to the pre
vious campaigns of Russia, Serbia and
Rbumania, where, as a result of the
strategic envelopments gained at rela
tively small cost, vast tracts o terri
tory were conquered.
"Enemy pressure continues intense
along the entire front.
"The Germans hope to 'drive the
Italians back to the Adige, anticipat
ing that such a reverse would have a
very disintergrating influence through
out Italy.
"It is apparent that the Germans
fcavo not given up all hope of bringing
about a social upheaval in Italy, as
they did in Russia after their victo
rious campaigns of 1915.
"No matter how intensive this new
submersive propaganda may be, nev
ertheless, we can confidently rely on
the fighting morale of the Italian
people.
"Along the western front the enemy
has continued his harassing raids with
a view to keeping the allied forces on
the alert. However, none of lie en
gagements recorded in the west were
of more than local importance.
"It would appear that as a forerun
ner the German offensive heralded to
be launched in the west an intensive
peace propaganda Is te be initiated.
"Careful examination of the situa
tion reveals the enemy is again pre
paring to sue for 'peace before vic
tory.' "Information from' various sources
confirms the report that the Germans
would have the world believe that the
military situation Is such that they are
able to dictate tho terms of peace.
They therefore threaten that unless
, this dictated peace is accepted by the
allied powers and ourselves, the Ger
man forces, now being concentrated
on the western front, will break
j through the allied line in the west.
"The various reports of Immcdiatc
; ly peace proposals by the Germans on
seemingly favorable terms should not
for a moment induce us to slacken
our preparations for war.
"It Is only necessary for us to recall
' that during the Christmas season of
last year the Germans put forth simi
lar peace proposals.
"In considering the general mili
tary situation in its true light. It must
be understood that we realize that
if we are to fullill the pledge we made
on entering the war, if we are to fluid
this war to a successfuul conclusion,
we must assume the full responsibility
which rests upon us. We are the
freshest in the struggle; we have tho
reserve manpower and the reserve
mechanical power.
"Our armies constitute the reserves
of victory.
"In Russia, the armistice negotia-
tions having been concluded, peace ne
1 gotlations are about to be entered
upon by the representatives . of the
Russian government and the German
negotiators.
"Reports of the dissatisfaction of a
large element of the Russian popula
tion, especially in southern and central
Russia, with the terms of the armis
tice had led to the formation of an
active opposition, which It la bellved
will endeavor to resist all attempts
to enforce the proposals agreed to by
the Lenine government."
Convicts to Out Wood.
Washington, Deo. 24. Convict la
bor is to be used in Virginia to aid in
the fuel administrator's plan to pop
ularize the burning of wood in place
of coal wherever possible. Harry
Flood Byrd, Virginia fuel administra
tor, today reported that arrangements
had been completed for each of the
SO convict camps In the Btate to cut
100 cords of wood for public consump
tion t A Fat estimated at 1.2 a. cord.
Trotsky's Statements At
tributed to Ignorance of
Facts, Say Officials
COL. KOLPASHNIKOFF
IS BEING DETAINED
Headquarters of American
Red Cross For Russia Was
Raided By Red Guards
Washington, Dec. 24. State de
partment officials declared today that
the statements of Leon Trotzky, he
Bolshevikl foreign minister, that the
American Red Cross mission in Rus
sia was giving aid to the opponents of
the Blshevikl government, could be
attributed only to his ignorance of the
facts.
Reports from Ambassador Francis
on the arrest of Col. Kolpashinoif, an
atche of the Red Cross mission, while
in charge of a relief train, had not
reached the state department.
The state departmen does not be
lieve Trotzky will persist in his atti
tude, however, when he realizes the
true state of affairs. Arrangements
were made in this country some time
ago for strengthening the ambulance
corps of Russia with 78 ambulances
and other supplies much needed in
certain districts. It was deemed ad
visable to send them via the Ruma
nian frontier. This was done with the
approval of the Russian Red Cross.
The incident of money which it was
alleged Ambassador Francis had of
fered and the insinuation that it was
Intended as a bribe to the enemies of
tho Bolshevikl had another slgnlfi
cance,.it was announced, than human
itarian. It was merely the ordinary
transfer of money through the em
bassy sent by the Red Cross and In
tended for relief work.
j im'i'b.V state depatment regards the
Hactifm of Trotzkq as entirely unwar
ranted.
Alive But Held In Confinement.
London, .Dec. 24. -Col. Kolpash
ikoff, the American embassy at Petro
grad, has been assured, is alive but the
correspondent of The Morning Post in
the Russian capital says the former
agent of the American Red Cross is
being held in confinement and no one
has been able to see' him.
American Ambassador Francis, the
correspondent adds, is preparing a
statement on the case for publication.
Col. Kolpashnikoff's flat, the door
of which bears a plate with the words
"American mission of Red Cross for
Russia," was raided at 2 o'clock In the
morning by soldiers, sailors, red
guards and others. The rooms were
ransacked, the officers taking many
papers, while tho men appropriated
everything of tho slightest intrinsic
value. The search ended at 5 o'clock
and Col. Kolpashnlkoff was taken to
the fortress of St. Peter and St Paul.
Paris, Dec. 24. The wonders of a
vast American training camp for avia
tors in central Fiance are described
enthusiastically in The Petit Parisien
by Paul Ginisty, who has just visited
the camp. With the exception of a
few huts, he writes, all the nifitprial
! U'na KfrtitfrVif fpnm Amnl.a Tho .flr
was begun in September under the
direction of 250 men, and the driving
power which they are putting into
their tasks was evident on every hand.
From this camp fully trained pilots
will be sent to the front. French avia
tors are there to give the benefit of
their experiences.
The arrangements which have been
made for the comfort and entertain
ment of the American soldiers in all
the camps aro praised by M. Ginisty,
who also was greatly impressed by
the highly developed administrative
organization which hns been perfect
ed. He was especially struck by a
table at the aviation camp which
records the progress of each jjilot
from the time of his first flight until
he is performing acrobatic tricks
! in the air.
Sydney, Australia, Dec. 24. Furth
er returns from the referendum have
increased the vote against compul
sory military service and the defeat
of the plan is now beyond doubt.
The political situation Is very un
certain. Premier Hughes has made
no statement thus far but In certain
quarters there Is evidence of opposi
tion to his continued leadership of the
nationalists, the dominant party. It
Is not improbable that Frank O. Tu
dorfl a former cabinet member, will
be permitted by the nationalists to
form a government of the labor party,
giving this party an opportunity to put
Into effect its plana for raising troops
without conscription.
lw' ..Ht ' 'T' 'r'r5" -i;
-'2ikV 14 Ton s J'VJ&J
i - - - ' Ssr ."j& i
J
CHRISTI5 CHEER
FOR THE ITALIANS
American Red Cross to Re
member Soldiers in the
Trenches and Sick and
Wounded Around Venice
Venice, Dec. 24. American Christ
mas cheer will be carried to the Ital
ian soldiers in the trenches and to the
sick and wounded soldiers In and
around Venice by B. Harvey Car
roll, Jr., American consul at Venice,
acting for the American Red Cross.
Mr. Carroll will leave Venice so as to
make the tour of the trenches on
Christmas eve. He will be accom
panied by trucks bearing huge bun
dles of gifts for distribution among
the troops.
Each soldier will receive a package
containing socks, handkerchiefs, to
bacco, sweets, some articles of food
and a distinctive present.
Another distribution will be made
in Venice on Christmas eve and
Christmas morning to wounded sol
diers and civilian poor.
The civilian poor are being cared for
regularly to the number of 1200.
Eight hundred meals at one American
soup kitchen and 400 at another Am
erican kitchen. In addition to the
extra Christmas dinner each woman
and child will receive a present of
clothing and food. Most of the cloth-
! ing hns been manufactured In the
i American Red Cross factory at Maes-
tre. a suburb of Venice.
The city of Venice remains compar
atively undisturbed by the recent re
newal of enemy pressure on the lower
I'iave, where his line is 12 miles east
of the city. While shells from the
heavy guns could reach Venice, it is
known that the enemy has been un
able to bring across Ihe river any
thing except machine guns and a few
pclces of small calibre.
The rumble of the bombardment
can be heard day and night but the
population has become accustomed to
it.
flno nf thft nhtof r.nanna fnf calm to
the belief that l'ope Benedict has in
tervened in some way by which the
j Austrians will not shell the city. This
: report cannot be verified but it Is one
! of the main reasons for the calm with
in which the pressure on the lower
Piave has been accepted.
The custodians of the art treasures
in the city have considered it desir
able to move a large number of paint
ing and statues which up to this time
had been stored within the city. The
most valuable were sent south months
ago, but now the entire bulk of re
movable art treasures has been taken
away.
The famous enuestrlene statue be
fore St. Mark's is being dismounted
for removal, although it was at first
intended to protect it by a brick cov
ering. Few of the remaining civilians
wish to leave Vonice but the munici
pality and the, American Red Cross
assist all who wish to get away.
THE COLD WAVE IS
SWEEPING EASTWARD
Washington, Dec. 24. The cold
wave which has caused a drop In tern-
; perature of 40 to 60 degrees In the
Dakotas In the last 24 hours is iweep
! Ing eastward, the weather bureau an
I nounced today, and is expected to
reach tho Atlantic coast by Tuesday
i night. Cold wave warnings have been
j issued for the upper lake regions for
! tonight, and for the Ohio valley and
Tennessee Tuesday where lower tem
peratures are expected Tuesday.
I
UniiliTI
Hero of Verdun Will Com
mand Allies' Armies
Saloniki
, Paris, Dec. 23. (Delayed) Gen
eral M. P. E. Sarrall. head of the al
lies' armies at Saloniki. who has had
to struggle against serious dlfficulflp.s
and has rendered great services, will
be called to other duties as soon as
circumstances permit.
General Guillaumat arrived v.t Sa
loniki on Saturday. He is one of the
heroes of Verdun where he command
ed an army corps which was mention
ed In army orders as having "distin
guished itself by the methodical pre
cision of its preparations and the vigor
of its attacks." '
A London dispatch last Wednesday
said the announcement had been made
in Athens of the recall of General Sar
rall, who has been . In command In
the east since October, 1915. His suc
cessor's name was given at that time
as Gen. Gulllemet. The great French
victory at Verdun last summer was
under the immediate leadership of
General Gulllaumet '
REFUSED TO RECOGNIZE
'PAPER'
Washington, Dee. 24. Again today
the Interstate Commerce commission
refused to recognize a steamship com
pany organized only on paper and not
actually operating a transportation
system. The commission dismissed
the application of the Charleston and
Norfolk Steamship company, which
sought to have the commission estab
lish proportional rail rates from Louis
ville. Cincinnati and other Ohio rivers
crossing to Norfolk, promising to op
erate a steamship line between Balti
more. Norfolk and Charleston, S. C, If
satisfactory proportional rates were
(lrst obtained. -
Once previously the commission dis
missed the application on tho ground
that the company was not a common
carrier, but reopened the case last
year by request of the senate. .
I
Paris, Dec 24. The Strassburg
monument on the Place Concorde,
which during the years before the war
was draped with crepe and for which
flowers and bunting were substituted
in August, 1914, today flies the" Stars
and Stripes alongside the French tri
color. The American and French flags
were raised over the monument to the
Alsatian city yesterday afternoon in
the presence of the large crowd. Amer
lean Ambassador Sharp And a number
of delegates from societies of natives
of Alsace-Lorraine were, present
The flags were raised In the tiame
of the general Alsatian-Lorraine as
sociation of America and the World
League of New York for the Restitu
tion of Alsace-Lorraine.
Here are two Interesting photo
graphs of tanks taken in. General
Byng's push at Cambai, which re
sulted in such a great victory over
the Germans. The upper photo shows
one of the tanks making its way
through a French village street with
the men inside looking from the for
ward portholes. The lower shows the
possibilities of the tank in hill climb
ing. It Is able to go over very rough
ground.
LITTLE FIGHTING
:-V ON ITALIAN FRONT
Only Local Encounters
Along Line From Asiago
to Piave Germans Gain
In Ypres Region
The heavy fighting which has mark
ed the situation on the Italian north
ern 'front for the last few weeks has
almost subsided and only local en
counters have taken place alon; the
line from Asiago to the Piave. In
dications are, however, that the Aus-tro-Geimans
will again initiate a
strong offensive in an effort to reach
the plains or the northern adge at
least, before severe winter halts large
scale operations.
Raids and local attacks have been
carried out in tho Ypres and Verdum
sectors on the western front. The
Germans gained slightly In a local at
tack on the Ypres staden railway, but
at all other points on both the British
and French fronts they were repulsed.
The artillery has been extremely ac
tive in the Ypres and Verdun sectors.
German's Driven Off.
London, Dec. 2 4. German troops
yesterday afternoon attempted to raid
the British positions southeast of
Kpehy on the Cambrai front but were
driven off, tho war office announced
today. The statement reads:
"Last night hostile raiding parties
which attempted to approach our lines
in the neighborhood of Monrhy Le
Preux and west of La Basse wore re
pulsed. "Yesterday afternoon the enemy en
deavored to raid our positions south
east of Epehy but he was driven off."
Aerial Activity.
Paris, Dec. 24 Intense aerial ac
tivity Is reported by the war office. In
the course of 100 combats In the air
during the last few days the French
brought down IS German machines.
Teutons Driven Rack.
Rome. .Dec. 2 4. Knemy forces
which has crossed the Piave river at
Piave Vecchla have been driven back
over the river, the war office an
nounces. OHIO, DIED LAST NIGHT
Akron. Dec. 24. Representative
E. R. Bathrtck, of the fourteenth Ohio
district, died at his home here last
night.
Representative Bathrick had been
111 more than five weeks. Ten days
ago he underwent an operation for
gall stones. Mr. Bathrick was born
In Oakland county. Mich., January 6,
1863. He served In two congresses.
TO PROSECUTE
FRENCH DEPUTIES
Paris, Dee. 24. General Dubail yes
terday signed the order for the prose
cutlon of Deputies Calllaux and Lous
talot and M. Comby. It is alleged that
Comby was present at the lunch al
which former Premier Calllaux met
Cavalllnl and Is said to have accom
panied Loustnlot to Switzerland where
he saw the former khediv of Egypt.
Maltre Demange who defended
Dreyfus at Rcnns,. has been chosen by
M. Calllaux as his counsel.
No Annexation and No
Terms Submitted at Brest-Litovsk Confer'
ence Everybody Wants Peace, Says Kaiser,
Kuehlmann Made Chairman 4 fej
Peace without annexations and
ula adopted by the. Carman reichstas in its peace resolution last !
July, is the keynote of the Russian peace terms now being dis m
cussed at Brcst-Lilovsli. The
mitted to the representatives of
taken them under consideration.
AO ANNEXATION
No compulsory annexation of
and immediate evacuation of it
quired from belligerent countries
is similar to the rcichstag resolution which, however, was not ac1
vrpted by Dr. Michaelis, who was then German imperial chan- j
cellor. Russia suggests that countries deprived of their inde' i
penaence auring ine war oc remsiaiea ana mat national groups
not indejn'ndcnt before the war ; shall decide their status by a
referendum. '
Germany Scores a -Point.
Germany scored a point Id the se
lection of Dr. von Kuehlmann, her
foreign secretary, as permanent chair
man of the conference. Emperor Wil
liam, it is reported unofficially, intends
to go to BrCRt-Litovsk. if the diplomats
now there arrive at an agreement, to
atte.mpt. to asswmble all European
rulers in a peace conference. The Ger
man ruler Is said to have declared
that everybody wants peace.
To Negotiate With TJkralnlans.
London, Deo. 24.- Petrograd dis
patches report that attempts are being
made hy the Bolshevikl commissaries
to negotiate with the Ukrainians for a
settlement of the differences which
have arisen and it is also reported
that, the authorities of the new Uk
rainian government aro ready to ac
cept proposals lnokintr toward a peace
ful arrangements. The" movement Is
attributed hy the correspondent of the
Times to the fact, that the grow infe
dangers of the sit nation are being rec
ognized by the Bolshevifcl. For the
same reason, he says, they are believed
to he Inclined to modify their attitude
of hostility toward the constituent as
sembly which is likely to meet within
a week. ''..'';
Concurrently with these statements
appear numerous further reports of
military activities on the part of the
Ukrainians and Cossacks, and of the
sending of more Bolshevikl troops
southward to oppose the Ukrainians.
Apparently there have been no hostili
ties on a large scale or of such a na
ture as to Indicate important develop
ments. Many news dispatches from Petro
grad speak of the supposed Impending
arrival of the Germans there, which
Is said to be the universal topics of
discussion In the city, but every one
seems o have a different version.
Many of these stories center around
the reported concentration near the
capital of a large force of released
German war prisoners, to whom arms
are being handed over, according to
some of the reports. Referring to
these rumors, the Petrograd corre
spondent nf the Post says that unques
tionably thousands of German war
prisoners are flocking towards Petro
grad from all parts of Russia but he
believes that at present a more Im
portant phase of the situation is the
active and thorough manner in which
the Germans have been pushing trade
with Russia since tho frontier was
opened. He reports Ihcv are making
the most of a commercial opportunity
such as the world has never seen be
fore. Inasmuch as Russian Industries
are nearly dead and the Germans have
no competition..
The Germans have refused, to ad
mit M. Zlnovleff, a close associate of
Nikolai Lenine, and other Bolshevikl
whom the soldiers and workmen's del
IN VI, SAYS KAISER
Amsterdam, Deo. 24. Emperor
William visited the front north of
Verdun on Friday, according to a Ber
lin dispatch, and In an address to the
troops thanked them warmly for their
efforts.
"But for the calm and herioc war
riors on the western front," ho said,
"the enormous deployment of German
forces In the east and In Italy never
would have bpen possible. The fight
er in the west has exposed heroically
his body so that his brothers on tho
Dvina and the Isonzo might storm
from victory to victory. The fear
ful battles on the bloody hills around
Verdun were not in vain; they created
new foundations for the conduct of tho
Ciuuuh) Is "Bone Dry."
Ottawa. Ont, Dec. 24. Canada has
been added to the "bone dry" territory
of tho North American continent. Im
portation of intoxicating Iwuorg Into
Canada after Christmas eve is pro
hibited by order of the premier.
("aiica.Mlnn Army.
Petrograd. Dec. 24. A Caucasian
army of 100.000 men is advancing on
the rear of the troops of General
Kaledlnea, the Cossack leader, accord.
Ing to announcement made today by
the Bolshevikl press bureau.
Indemnities Keynote of )
without indemnities, the form
Russians J terms have been sub- i
the central potvers, who have
j
OF TERRITORY "
territory seized during the War'
and no contributions to be re-'j
are proposed by Russia. This ,
egates wished to send In to spread'
their doctrines in tho German army. :
They also declined to admit Trotzky's
newspaper printed in German for
army propaganda. The Bolshevikl are
negotiating with the social revolution
ists of the left for the formation of a
coalition government wherein the lat
ter will hold the ministries of the lnte- j
rlor. justice, posts and national af-1
fairs. - i
The trial of persons who have been.
arrested by the Bolshevikl authorl j
ties was to have begun yesterday be-i
fore a military revolutionary court,!
according tfi a delayed dispatch from
Petrograd. '
A dispatch from Tashkent, capital .
or Turkestan, flesnrioes tne lyncmngrj
under horrible circumstances of Gen-'
eral Korovitchenko, who was Keren-!
sky's military commander in the prov-.
luce.
Tho Italian embassy has made a for-i
mat protest against the pillaging- bsr'T
armert Wen of the apartment of the
embassy first secretary.
It is reported that the Germans aro
moving troops from the Russian
northern and western fronts to the
southwestern and the Rumanian front.
' Kaiser To Issue Declaration.
Rome, Dec, 24.-The' report that a
new German neace move is at hand is
supported by apparently reliable In- f
formation which has reached high
quarters here. It is said on Christ im
mas day Emperor William will issue J
a declaration containing peace propos-
als hut whether explicit, conditions of
peace may lip expected or merely an--. 1
other maneuver intended to throw on j
the allies responsibility for continu- i
ance of the war cannot be ascertain- " !
ed. - 3
r:p1ains fiusslan Pence.
'Paris. IH-c, 24. Leon Trotzky, the;
Bolshevikl foreign minister, according
to a note issued by the llavas agency,
called on Joseph Noulens, the French
ambassador to Russia, and explained ;
that the Bolshevikl wished to keep to f
the principle of a "democratic peace"
leaving to the peoples the right to dis-
pose of themselves. The ambassador
having asked him what he would do '
if Germany refused such a peace Trot- j
bky answered that then the peace '
would not ho signed and that the
Maximalists might be led to "wage a '
revolutionary war."
Trotzky added that "if public opin-,,
ion was opposed to such a war the
question would then be carried before
the constituent assembly". He con
cluded by saying that if the Bolshevikl
succumbed to the resistance they are
meeting within Russia tho country
would be given over to anarchy.
The Mavus note concludes:
"This conversation, which is cor
rect throughout,' must be considered
ns creating no new ' relation between
the Maximalist government and ub."
Telctng, Dec. 24. Gilbert Reld, an 'j
Anioriraii, accused of being a pro-German
propagandist and sympathizer, '
has been deported to AJanila at the
request of the Chinese government.
Dr. Gilbert Reld, editor of the Pek-'
tug Post, was released from prison at
Shanghai on July 23, 1917, when he
promised to refrain from criticism of
lh American government or Its oltl.
cials.
MEDICAL DIRECTORS TO
Washington, Dec. 24. Medical di
rectors Geo. H. Barber and Edward R.
Stltt, of the navy, will be promoted !
from the rank of captain to rear ad-i
mlral as soon as congress reassembles, 1
in recognition of distinguished ser-i
vice. 1
Dr. Bnrber Is at the head of the,
naval hotpltal at Los Animas, Col.,
and Dr. Btitt is president of the naval -medical
school in Washington, .
II