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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 1915)
VOL. LIV. XO. 16,903. PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY" 37, 1915. TRICE FIVE CENTS. GERMAN EFFORTS FOB PEACE DENIED BIG MAIL ORDER MELON IS COMING Grey Says Chancellor Distorts Facts. LARGE SURPLUS ACCUMULATES IX CHICAGO COFFERS. BRITISH NEUTRALITY DESIRE "Wreck of Hopes" Declared Result of Frustrated Plan. BELGIUM IN REAL PERIL I'orcin Secretary Retorts Truth Was Told in First Statements by Von Bethmann-Hollweg and Herr Von Jagow. LONDON', Jan. 26. Sir Edward Grey, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, authorized today the following statement In reply to an interview with Dr. von Bethmann-Hollweg. th German Irrmerial Chancellor, obtained by a representative of the Associated Tress and published in London Janu ary 26 and in the United States Jan nary 25: "The Secretary of State- for Foreign Affairs authorizes the publication of th following observations upon the report of an interview recently granted by the German Chancellor to an Amer ican correspondent: "It is not surprising that the Ger man Chancellor should show anxiety to explain away his now historic phrase about a treaty's being 'a mere scrap of paper.' Phrase Deeply Impressive. "The phrase has made a deep impres Bion because the world largely depends upon the sanctity of the agreements be tween individuals and between na tions. and the policy disclosed in Ilerr von Bethmann-IIollweg's phrase tends to debase the legal and moral currency of civilization. "What the German Chancellor said was that Great Britain, In requesting Germany to respect the neutrality ol Belgium, 'was going- to make war just for a word, just for a scrap Of paper' that is. that Great Britain was making a mountain out of a molehill. He now asks the American public to believe that he meant the exact opposite of .what he said, that It was Great Britain who really regarded the neutrality of Belgium as a mere trifle and that it was Germany who 'took her responsi bility toward the neutral states so se riously.' Farts Declared to Contradict. "The arguments by which Herr von Bcthmann-Hollweg seeks to establish the two sides of this case are in. flat contradiction of the plain facts. "First, the German Chancellor alleges i that 'England in It'll was determined to throw troops Into Belgium without the assent of the Belgian government. This allegation is absolutely false. It is based upon certain documents found In Brussels which record conversations between British and Belgian officers In 1306 and again in 1911. "The fact that there is no note of these conversations at the British War Cilice or the Foreign Office shows that they were of a purely informal char acter, and that no military agreement of any sort was at either time made between the two governments. Before any conversations took place between the British and the Belgian offices, it was expressly laid down on the British side that discussion of the military pos sibilities was to be addressed to the manner in which, in case of need, Brit ish assistance could be most effectually afforded to Belgium for the defense of Iter neutrality, and on the Belgian side a marginal note upon the record ex plains that 'entry of the English into l:elgtum would only take place after the violation or our Belgian neu trality by Germany.' Assurance Given Belgium. "As regards the conversation of 1911 the Belgian office said to the British office: "'You could only land in our country with our consent'; and in 1913 Sir Ed ward Grey gave the Belgian govern-1 nicnt a categorical assurance that no British government would violate the neturality of Belgium, and that 'so long as It was not violated by any other power we would certainly not send troops ourselves into their terri tory.' "The Chancellor's method of misus ing documents may be illustrated in this connection. He represents Sir Ed' ward Grey as saying: "He did not be lieve England would take such a step because ne am not minit ,ngusn pud- lie opinion would justify such action.' "What Sir Edward Grey actually wrote was: 'I said that I was sure that this government would not be the first to violate the neutrality of Belgium, and I did not believe that any British government would be tho first to do so, nor would public opin ion hero ever approve of it.' " Mratralc lUUn) Deliberately Built. "If the German Chancellor wishes to know why there were conversations on military subjects between British and Belgian offices he may find one rea son In a fact well known to him; name ly, that Germany was establishing an elaborate network of strategical rail ways leading from the Rhine to the Belgian frontier through a barren, thinly-populated tract. The railways were deliberately constructed to per mit a sudden attack upon Belgium such as was carried out in August last. Special Disbursement, if Made, Ex pected to Take Form of Stock Dividend of 5 Per Cent. CHICAGO, Jan. 26. (Special.) The directors of Sears, Roebuck & Co. will hold a special meeting in Chicago next Saturday for the purpose of deciding upon a policy concerning the distribu tion of an extra dividend. The New Tork members of the directorate will attend the meeting and, according to President Julius Rosenwald, it will not be known definitely what action will be taken until the subject has been dis cussed thoroughly. If a special disbursement is ordered, it is expected to be. in the form of a dividend payable in common stock to holders of the present Issue, and that the amount will not be less than 1U, 000,000 or at the rate of 25 per cent. The, mail order concern now has an authorized common capitalization of S40.000.000 and all is outstanding. The preferred stock is JS, 000,000. In 1911 the common stock was in creased from S30.000.000 to S40.000.000 and the S10.000.000 additional stocK distributed as a dividend. Since that time the surplus earnings have ac cumulated to the extent of between S23.000.000 and S24.000.0000. a large part of which has been reinvested In the property. The new stock would be distributed rainst these accumulations. The an nual meeting of the stockholders or Sears. Roebuck : Co. will be held in New York at noon, February 23. The transfer books close February 9 and reopen February 24. BRITONS DAMAGED TOD, IN SEAFiGH Battle Cruiser and De stroyerAre Disabled. NONE SUNK BY GERMAN FLEET All Ships of Squadron in Sun day Engagement Safe. 1 OFFICER, 13 MEN KILLED Lion, Leading Vessels and Bearing Brunt of Fight, Receives Shells Below AVater Line and Is Towed Back to Land. MAN'S WILL BENEFITS DOG Wealthy Bachelor at Riddle Gives Property if Puppy Gets Care. ROSEBURG. Or., Jan. 26. (Special.) "I hereby bequeath my entire estate, consisting of money in banks ana property to the children or -r. ana Mrs. A. E. Nichols, of Riddle, with the nderstanding that they are to care for my dog-puppy as long as it lives, was the essential part of a will Bled bv James Rice, of Riddle, in the Probate Court here today. Mr. Rice has lived in Southern Dousrlas Countv for many years and is great admirer of the Nichols chil ren. Recently ne oeciaea mat xney hould have his property and money following his death. The puppy, of which Mr. Rico speaks in his will, has been his constant companion for sev eral months. It Is understood that Mr. Rice is moderately wealthy. He is about 60 years of age and unmarried, 0LICEMAN ARRESTS SELF Sentence Suspended on Promise to Secure License for Dog. Patrolman John L. Green placed him self under arrest Monday night for ot having a 1915 license on his dog, when he found that John L. Green was among those upon wnom ne was ordered to serve warrants, sworn out roundmaster Boyd Welch. He guaranteed that he would be safe on his own recognizance and released him self, appearing in court yesterday Upon his promise to secure a license at once, his case was continued for sentence. Twenty-live other dog-owners ap peared in court yesterday and were warned to secure licenses at once. All promised and received continued sen tences. RAID ON ESSEN DENIED Cologne Gazette Says Xo Bombs Fell Xear Krupp Works. BERLIN, via London, Jan. 26. The Cologne Gazette says it learns the re port that bombs were dropped on Es sen during an air raid last week is ut terly unfounded. A passenger who arrived at Arnhein. Netherlands. January 21, said that allied airmen the previous day had thrown bombs on Essen, where the Krupp steel works are situated and destroyed several houses. A later dispatch received by the Am sterdam Handelsblad said the raid had resulted in the destruction of 400 war automobiles in a repair shop. (CouUuded oa ra& 3.4 DEAD MAN'S BROTHER RICH L. B. Babbitt, or South Dakota, Seeks Information of Death.' ROSEBURG. Or.. Jan. 26. (Special.) That James Hughey. the aged mining prospector whose body was found on Starveout Creek last Spring, isja brother of L. B. Babbitt, a wealthy resident of Huron. S. was the information re ceived by the Coroner here today. in a letter written to tho , Coroner Mr. Babbitt asked for details regard ing his brother's death, together with an itemized account of his estate. Mr. Hughey's body was found a short distance from his cabin last Spring and It generally was believed that he was caught in a snow storm and died irom exposure. He had been missing several months when his body was found. LOND.ON, Jan. 28. The British fleet did not escape unscathed in the naval battle in the North Sea with the Ger mans last Sunday. The battle cruiser Lion, which led the British squadron and the torpedo-boat destroyer Meteor both were disabled and had to be towed into port while one officer and 13 men were killed and three officers and 26 men wounded on three of the ships the Lion, Tiger and Meteor. This information is contained in an Admiralty statement Issued tonight. The statement gives denial to the German reports that one British cruiB er and two torpedo-boat destroyers were sunk, by declaring that all the British ships engaged in the action have returned to port in safety. Speedy Repairs Possible. The- announcement was made by the Secretary of the Admiralty, whose statement said: All the British ships and torpedo- boat destroyers engaged in Sunday's action have returned Jn safety to port. 'The Lion, which had some of her forward compartments flooded by shells below the water line, was taken in tow by the cruiser Indomitable. The de stroyer Meteor, which also was dis abled, was taken in tow by the de stroyer Liberty. Both vessels were guarded by strong escorts of destroy ers. Repairs" to both vessels can be speedily made. One Officer la Killed. The total number of casualties among the officers and men reported to the Admiralty is: On the Lion. 17 men wounded; on the Tiger, one officer and nine men killed and three officers and eight men wounded: on the Meteor, four men killed and one man wounded. It is not believed that any other casualties occurred, but If so they will be Immediately published. As soon as Admiral Beatty's report INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. TESTER DAT" S Maximum temperature. 43.5 degrees; minimum, 23.6 degrees. TODAY'S Probably fair; northerly winds. Legislature. Oregon Agricultural 'College may win fund tor experimental stations. Page 4. Anti-sportsmen win In clash In House over game fund. Page 4. Senate votes to submit single Hem veto plan tj people. Page 4. Governor of Washington and Legislature at war over T50,Ow patronage. Page o. National. Tillman advises Congress to defer battleship bunding until after war is over. Page , Ex-Governor Fort Quoted as saying Minister buiuvan s table manners proved him un lit tor diplomatic post. Page 7. Domestic. Federal authority over elections for mem bers of Congress involved in Indiana fraud coses. Page 8. James A. Patten says state of mind of peo ple aixects prices of commodities. Page s. Pacific tfrthwet. Restaurant cook confesses he started Baker lire. Page 0. Supreme .Court modifies Coe divorce decree, two-thirds of property now going to wife. Page 15. Commercial and Marine. Coarse grain stocks in Northwest are closely sold up. Page 19. Cargo of 1913 wheat sold in East for ex port. Page li. Bond market stron p and low-priced issues Portland man among members of old crew ui Dames nip Oregon gathering lor cruise i ii r jus n canai. page la. Sports. George Stovall angered by E. Johnson's hop oacK to Angels promises- war on Coast League. Page 14. - Columbia University basketball team trims Portland Academy, 01 to ltf. Page 14. Sportsmen to go to Salem on special tram to protest against diverting license fee fund. Page 15. Christy Mathewson thinks suit Federal league's last stand. Page 14. ' War.. British warships damaged also in Sunday's Dame. Page 1. tse of Norwegian flag by German mine layers is suspected by British. Page 2. British Foreign Secretary says Von Beth- man-Hollweg and Von Eagon told truth in first statements concerning violation of Belgium's neutrality. Page U Human life valued as dust, says American writer in Belgium. Page 8. Germans take vigorous offensive at many points on western battle line. Page 2. Portland and Vicinity. eorge C. Thacher declares new evidence points to Klerks as murderer of Mrs. Wehrman and child. Page 13. - Celilo Canal committee plans celebration of opening, page lo. Belgian relief steamer Cranley, delayed, to get away today. Page 18. C. -Colt new head of Commercial Club. Page 20. Retail hardware dealers in session discuss plans to meet- mail-order competition, i SON D. BEGAN GIVING EARLY Tuesdays War Moves r. Benefactions Estimated at Quarter Billion. "PHE GERMAN'S, who are reported X from.V. land to be making? prep- arat-c big military venture to CO V. Emperor's birthday to- T. , - more aeterminea effort tnan CURB ON OPINIONS DENIED Young Man Ignorant of Abuses Reported in Colorado. "BLACKLIST" IS FAVORED Employers Generally Regarded as Not to Be Trusted With Welfare of Employes Conference Is Promised "Mother" Jones. Pane S. $100,000 PAID FOR BEANS Los Angeles Firm Gets Record Or der From Europe. . LOS ANGELES, Jan. 26. (Special.) An order for 6100,000 worth of South ern California beans for' Immediate shipment from San Pedro by steamer through the Panama Canal for New Tork and thence to Europe was re ceived today by F. E. Harris & Co., importers and exporters of this city. The order, which is the largest ever placed in this country for beans, is the second received from Europe the last three weeks. in (Concluded on Page 2.) lllzen Coals Ofr Honolulu. HONOLULU. Jan. 26. The Japanese battleship Hizen and the armored cruiser Iwate appeared today outside the three-mile limit and began taking on coal from the collier Kamakura Maru. NEW TORK, Jan. 26 John D. Rocke feller, Jr., today told the United States Commission of Industrial Relations, which is Investigating the great phil anthropic foundations and the cause of industrial unrest, that he felt justified in placing the amount of money his father had devoted to philanthropy at $250,000,000. The bulk of this sum, he said, had been turned over to the Rockefeller Foundation, the University of Chicago, the General Educational Board and the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Re search. Gift. "Date From Boyhood." John D. Rockefeller, his son said, has been making gifts of money since his early boyhood. The witness had no data in his possession which would show "how much more the world would have benefited" if this $250,000,000 had been given to labor in Increased wages. Mr. Rockefeller announced after the hearing was adjourned late today that when he concluded his testimony be fore the Commission he would have a conference with "Mother" Jones, the aged labor organizer, regarding condi tions among the workers in Colorado. Mr. Rockefeller and "Mother" Jones shook hands and talked over the com ing conference in the room in the city hall in which the Commission is con ducting the Inquiry. . Testimony to Be Continued. When he stepped from the stand at the close of the proceedings today Mr. Rockefeller had. given testimony for 10 solid hours Ave today and five yester day. He will give some more tomorrow. The Commission dug deeply Into the charges that the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company controlled politicians in the mining districts; furnished Deputy Sheriffs with firearms when trouble seemed Imminent, and paid them sal aries; controlled utterances of minis ters; exercised power of removal from usual against the French and British lines in Flanders and Northern France. They have delivered an attack on the French to the east of Tpres and no less than five attacks on the first di vision of the British force on either side of La Bassee canal. BOTH HOUSES NOW FAIRLY UNDER WAY Legislature to Reach Glory or Ruin. Both British and French official re ports say that all these attacks failed of their object and that the Germans suffered heavy losses. The Germans, on the other hand, while admitting that their attack on the British north of the canal was un successful, say that on the south side of tho waterway their efforts have ended in complete success and that the British attempt to recapture these trenches was repulsed with heavy losses. These attacks followed a heavy bombardment by British artillery of the German positions beyond La Bas see In which, according to reports from Boulogne, one big German gun was destroyed, while the Germans were prevented from getting a second heavy gun Into position. This was on Sat urday. On Monday the Germans made their attacks and some of the hardest fighting of the campaign took place. The hospital at Bethune was shelled by the Germans and the wounded had to be removed to Boulogne. There also has been heavy fighting to the east and west of Craonne, In the Ar- gonne and in Alsace. BIG ISSUES UP FOR ACTION $7,000,000 Lease of Salt Lakes by State Debated. The Russians are making another effort to advance In East Prussia, while in Poland there has been a slackening in the fighting on both sides for the moment The Russians appear to be concentrating themselves on their of fensive north of the lower Vistula, while the Austro-Germans are busy making preparations to meet the Bus slan Advance through, the passes of the Carpathians and in Southeastern Bukowlna. Russian submarines have made their appearance in the western portion of the Baltic Sea and have succeeded In torpedoing the German cruiser Ga- zeile, which, however, reached port with the assistance of a Swedish steamer. Their activity has stopped the trade carried on by German steam ers between Germany and Sweden. Concluded on Pase CARTOONIST REYNOLDS GOES TO THE LEGISLATURE. ICE LOCKS UP COLUMBIA Navigation Halted by Blockade at Mouth of Deschutes. T11K DALLES, Or., Jan. 26. (Spe cial.) Heavy ice floes still are coming down the Columbia River. The big stream is blocked at the mouth of the Deschutes River. The local wharfboat has been re moved to a better harbor, three miles down stream. To prevent possible dam-- age, navigation has been suspended again. COME ON, AFRAID O YA I AM A Buy tHAve QOtlFIDEHCE. &r Jf you dar.e vS I Do Cr rvjy J llHfa RUSSIANS DROP ZEPPELIN Balloon Raiding; Libau Is Destroyed and Crew Captured. . LONDON, Jan. 26. It was officially announced in London this evening that the Zeppelin dirigible balloon which on Monday dropped bombs on the Russian port of Libau, in the Baltic Sea, was destroyed and that the members ot Its crew were taken prisoners. The Admiralty tonight made public the following official statement from the general staff at Petrograd con cerning the incident: iMonaay morning a Zeppelin ap peared above Libau and had time to drop nine bombs on the undefended part of the town. After being fired at by the forts the Zeppelin fell Into th water. Small craft sent out destroyed the Zeppelin and took her crew pris oners. Reports by way of Copenhagen from Russia say 30 persons were killed an 50 Injured In a bombardment of Klelce, Poland, recently by Austrian aircraft. BUREAU MERGERS PLANNED Prohibition Bill May Please l'ltra Dry and Liquor Dealers. Lawmakers Change Their Minds Often. GOES orv j-COfZ. 4S SY07T &essyQ Of. VZC7SV SA.H " GERMAN CRUISER DAMAGED Submarine Disables . Foe In Baltic Sea Engagement. LONDON", Jan. 26. The German cruiser Gazelle, according to a Copen hagen dispatch to the Exchange Tele graph Company, was struck yesterday by two torpedoes discharged by sub marines and was discovered adrift off Ruegen. In the Baltic Sea, by the Swedish ferry steamer King Gustave, which towed her to Sassnitz. The Gazelle was badly damaged. A Renter dispatcli from Amsterdam quotes a Berlin telegram received there as saying that the Gazelle was at tacked near Ruegen by a hostile sub marine and suffered slight damage. There were no losses among her crew. The dispatch added that the cruiser had entered a Grman harbor in the Baltic. COURT AND S0L0NS CLASH Judge Lindsay of Denver Objects to Boy Acting as House Page. DENVER, Jan. 26. The Colorado House of Representatives and the Juvenile Court over which Judge Lindsey presided, clashed today over whether Frank Dennis, aged 13, should be permitted to continue as a House page. The court issued a warrant charg ing the lad's mother, Mrs. Anna Dennis, with contributing to Juvenile delin quency in permitting the boy to act as a page. The House adopted a recom mendation of a special committee that every lawyer member be appointed to defend Mrs. Dennis at her hearing next Friday. KAISER'S GRANDSON ILL Infant Prince of Brunswick Suffers From Affection of Ear. AMSTERDAM. Holland. Jan. 23, via London. A dispatoh received here from Berlin says that the hereditary Prinre of Brunswick. Infant son of tile Duke of Brunswick, whonc wife is tne daughter of Emperor William, is seri ously 111. ' The child has been suffering from inflammation of the ear and an opera tion was performed recently: There is. however, no cause for immediate anx iety. . I BT RONALD O. CALLVEHT. STATE CAPITOL, Sulera. Or, Jan. It. (Staff Correspondence.) It may be safely said that the Legislature Is now fairly embarked on Its way to glory or to ruin, whichever road H Anally adopts. Most of the big Issues are now up for consideration In some form or other. Committee hearings nave begun on the leasing of Summer and Abert Lakes, which Is a proposition that may mean a return to the state of $7,000,000 in revenues within the next 4) years and the Investment at once of I' 0.000.000 In tiydro-electrlo and Industrlr.l plants, pipelines and red je tton work a Merger Bodies at Merit. Both House and Senate committees on centralization of state departments have been appointed and the members are conferring on a plan of procedure. The compensation bill, formulated along the lines ot the Michigan act. was Introduced In the Senate today. It promises to become one of the big Issues. The prohibition, bill probably will be reported out ot committee tomorrow. The bill repealing continuing ap propriations may be said to bo under process of debate. The House will dispose of It finally tomorrow. The bill abolishing special funds and placing fees and licenses which had supported them In the general fund has passed the House. The single-Item veto amendment to day got through the Senate. Tax payment bills and reform of the structure of the state courts are be fore' the proper committees. Dry Art Peresaest. These constitute moat of the legisla tion that had been forecast and had attracted general attention. Terhapa there is a more Intimate Interest In the Prohibition measure than any other. The alcohoiio trafflo com mittee will recommend one provision which, it seems to me, lias the delight ful prospect of pleasing both the ultra drys and the liquor dealers. This seem ingly Impossible provision Is the limita tion, on shipments of liquor for prlvste consumption. The bill will put no restriction on tho amount of liquor one may keep in nis cenar lor nis own use, provided be can get It, but no person will be permitted to Import from without the state more than two quarts of spirituous liquors or It quarts of malt liquors In any one month. Stock-ProTldiaar IavKed. If the law Is finally passed In that form I fancy all persons who keep liquors in the home will begin to stock up for the ensuing dry period about next December. They will do this to avoid as long as possible the annoy ance of shipping in, small quantities, or do It to satisfy an appetite that calls for more than one or two drinks a day. If the saloonmen have accepted the inevitable, and most of them seem to see nothing else to do. thsy surely ought to welcome the opportunity to unload what would otherwise become dead stock. So. as heretofore remarked, there ought to be placid Joy among the liquor dealers and the ultra drys. What the man who haa no cellar, or having one, has not suincient money 10 siock it. and still can't quench his thirst on a pint of beer a day what such man thinks about It is quite another matter. Arrldeat Pnn4 laaaturaeterr. Coincident with the Introduction ot Michigan compensation law, figures and complications are appearing which on their face show the state accident fund to be In a more unsatisfactory condition than has yet been admitted. On the same basis that 10 awards In fatal cases have been settled, there Is Just about enough cash on hand to settle 20 pending death claims. There Is duo from the state as Its contribution to the fund 40.6:6.t, but in addition to the 20 death claims to be adjusted, there are 2lt other laims In process of adjustment, and payments to keep up for 122 Injuries where the disability still continues. On the face of things a deficit Is la prospect before a- great while. Ilasard Flaws rreeeated. Other figures have been prepared for perusal of the legislators which show that the less hazardous employments have been carrying a part of the greater risks of the hazardous ones. Kor example, for every dollar paid Into the fund by firms and employes en gage'd in transportation, there has been paid out for accidents f 2.(0. In other employments the coat per one dollar contributed runs as low as a (Conclude! oa Pas o- -A