Morning Oregonian., December 13, 1916, Image 1

- - i
5: 'V
V.,
VOL. IVT -NO. 17,491.
PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1916.
PRICE FrVE CENTS.
7
.."'4
GERMANY MAKES
PEACE
L
Neutrals Asked to Trans
mit Note to Allies.
CENTRAL POWERS ALL ACT
Reichstag Hears Chancellor's
Policy With Mingled Ex-
pressions of Feeling.
APPEAL SENT TO VATICAN
Abhorrence of War Expressed
and Need of Lasting
Peace Is Voiced. v
BERLIN, Dec. 12, by wireless to
Eayville. Germany and her allies, to
day proposed to enter forthwith into
peace negotiations.
The Austrian, Turkish and Bulgar
ian governments are making similar
proposals. These proposals also have
been transmitted to the Vatican.
Neutral Diplomats Get Note.
The following announcement was
given out today by the semi-official
Overseas News Agency:
"The Chancellor this morning re
ceived, one after another, the repre
sentatives of the United States of
America and Spain and Switzerland,
that is, of the states protecting Ger
man interests in hostile foreign coun
tries. The Chancellor transmitted to
them a note and asked them to bring
it to the knowledge of the hostile
governments. The note was" read to
day in the Reichstag by the Chancel
lor. Lasting Peace Desired.
In the note the four allied (cen
tral) powers propose to enter forth
with on peace negotiations. The prop
ositions which they bring for such ne
gotiations are, according to their firm
belief, for the establishment of a last
ing peace.
"The governments at Vienna, Con
stantinople and Sofia transmitted
identical notes and also communicated
with the Holy See and all neutral
powers."
The American Charge d'Affaires,
Joseph C. Grew, and Mrs. Grew were
among those present when the note
was read in the Reichstag, as were
the Ministers of Argentina, Brazil,
Chile and the other states of Central
and South America.
Applause Greets Utterance.
The Reichstag building was sur
rounded by a great crowd and the ad
joining streets were thronged. The
people were intensely interested and
- the Imperial Chancellor on his arrival
yvas cordially greeted in the usual
fashion.
The Chancellor began his speech in
a clear, loud, ringing voice. His first
utterances were greeted with applause
cn all sides and at frequent points in
his speech the assembly assented in
demonstrative fashion. Later, how
ever, when he touched upon the ques
tion of policy, differences of opinion
made themselves felt, the applause
coming mainly from the Catholic cen
ter and left. At the conclusion of his
address a majority of the house ap
plauded and the galleries joined in
the hand-clapping.
Support Pledged Chancellor.
The Reichstag adjourned, to be re-
convened at the call of the president.
Prior to adjournment the President of
the Chamber declared that the nation
and its representatives always would
support the Chancellor in a policy
which was far-sighted and intelligent,
The note presented by Dr. von Muhl
berg, German -Minister to the "Vatican,
to Cardinal Gasparri. papal Secretary
of State, follows:
"According to instructions received,
I have the honor to send to your emi
nence a. copy of the declaration which
the imperial government today, by the
good offices of the powers entrusted
with the protection of German inter
" ests in the countries with which the
German Empire is in a state of war,
transmits to. these states and in which
the imperial government declares itself
ready to enter into peace negotiations.
The Austro-Hungarian, Turkish and
Bulgarian governments also have sent
similar notes.
WarVi Destruction Cited.
"The reasons which prompted Ger
many and her allies to take this step
are manifest. For two years and a
half a terrible war has been devastat
ing the continent Unlimited treas-
A
DIPLOMATS HEAR
OF PEACE TERMS
GER MANY EXPECTED TO ASK
FREE HAND IN BELGIUM.
Allied Representatives Think Berlin
Will Demand Economic Control
in Northern France.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12. Based on
information from their home govern
ments the entente diplomats believe
Germany's terms are in general about
as follows:
Restoration of Belgium, but with
conditions which would practically
leave it under German control, and
probably give over the port of Ant-
werp to Germany.
Restoration of the occupied portions
of Northern France, but with economi
cal control which would guarantee to
Germany supplies of iron and other
raw materials drawn from there.
Domination of Mesopotamia by Ger
many and Austria, to give them a path
to the Persian Gulf and break Eng
land's gateway to India and Egypt.
To award to Bulgaria all of Serbia as
far south as Nish, which would take
from Serbia as much territory as she
gained in the Balkan wars. They ex
pect Germany will demand the return
of her African colonies, or at least pro
pose to exchange them for the French
colonies.
Turkey s Interests are considered a
minor affair and not fully developed
into consideration of peace.
The attitude of Balkan nations of the
Germanio allies, it is expected, will be
set forth in the notes which have been
dispatched from Sofia and Constanti
nople, and nothing of them is known
at the Balkan Legations here, except
that Bulgaria probably will expect to
get Macedonia and Dobrudja, which
formerly belonged to her, making the
Danube the boundary between Bulgaria
and Roumania. and shutting the latter
from the Black Sea.
RIVER SURVEY PROPOSED
Mr. Chamberlain Asks Amendment of
Harbor BilL
OREGGONIAN NEWS BUREAU,
Washington, Dec. 12. Senator Cham
berlain today proposed an amendment
to the river and harbor bill autborlz-
ng a survey with a view to improve
ment, of the .main ship channel near
the mouth of the Columbia River, on
the Oregon side, from Point Adams
to Tongue Point, and of Young's Bay
from the Columbia channel to a point
one mile above the-county bridge. ' ""
The idea is to develop a project which
will provide a 40-foot channel through
out.. ,
RESIDENT DINES CABINET
Other Government Officials and Per
gonal Friends Guests, Too.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12. President
Wilson- opened the formal White
House social season tonight with a din
ner in honor of his Cabinet.
The guests included the Vlca-Presi
dent and Mrs. Marshall, Colonel and
Mrs. E. M. House, ex-Governor Martin
Glynn, of New York, and Mrs. Glynn,
Robert S. Lovett, Cyrus H. McCormick,
Joseph E. Wlllard. American Ambassa
dor to Spain; Charles Dana Gibson and
Mrs. Gibson and a large group of Gov
ernment officials and personal friends
of the President.
HOLLAND HASTENS GRAIN
American Agents Told to Cancel
Other Freights After Crisis.
LONDON. Dec. 12. An Amsterdam
dispatch to the Times quotes the
Maasbode as saying that Immediately
after it was known that David Lloyd
George had become British Premier a
special meeting of the Dutch Cabinet
was held.
After this meeting, the Maasbode
says, telegrams were sent to all Dutch
shipping agents in America instruct
ing them to reserve all available ton
nage for government grain and . can
cel all arrangements for other freights.
200 TELEPHONES ARE OUT
Coal Banker Wreckers Break Cable
of Coos' and Curry Company.
COOS BAY, Or.. Dec. 12. (Special.)
A Southern Pacific crew of wreckers
engaged In tearing down the Break
water coal bunkers broke the subma
rine cable of the Coos Sc. Curry -Tele
phone Company and put out of com
mission 200 telephones on Coos River,
Willanch, Kentuck and Catching In
lets and at the city of East Side.
Three days will be required for re-
FRANCE STARTS SHAKEUP
General Nivelle Put in Command of
Troops at Verdun.
PARIS. Dec. ,13. General Nivelle,
I commander of the French troops at
Verdun, has been appointed com
mander-in-chief of the armies of the
north and northeast.
The official announcement of this
appointment says it is the first step to
ward the reorganization! of the higher
command.
GREEK ARMY MOBILIZING
King Constantine Said to Have Or
dered General Movement.
LONDON, Dec 12. An Exchange
Telegraph dispatch from Copenhagen
says advices have been received there
from Switzerland that King Constan
Una of Greece has ordered, a general
mobilization.
LONDON SENTIENT
IS AGAINST PEACE
Press and Public Men
Scoff at Offer.
OFFICIAL ATTITUDE UNCHANGED
End of German Militarism Re
garded as Essential.
NOTE IS HELD BOASTFUL
Foreign Office Withholds Comment
Until Terms Are Known Some
Persons Charge ' Political
Maneuver - by Berlin. ,
LONDON, Dec. 13. A strong current
of public sentiment opposed to the
German peace proposal was evident in
the expressions last night both from
public men and the British press,
although they were without any word
from high authoritative sources indi
eating the attitude of the government.
It was noticeable that the proposal
had not created any profound lmpres
sion among the "average Londoners.
There was little falk in the hotels or
other public places.
Official Attitude Unchanged.
Government circles also held aloof
from any discussion. The Foreign
Office would make no comment in the
absence of the terms, but indicated that
the British attitude up to the present
was embodied in the declarations made
from time to time by ex-Premier
Asquith and Viscount Grey and that
any new proposals would have to be
considered by all the entente allies be
fore a definite attitude was possible.
Those in -close association with the
new government took the view that the
proposals would prove unacceptable,
mainly because they ware not likely to
ouch . what the ruling authorities re
gard, as guarantees against German
militarism that will permit England
France and their allies to demobilize
their vast armies, reduce their enor
mous military expenses and return to
lasting conditions of peace.
Germany Regarded Boastful.
Some expressions, indicating the gen
eral drift of sentiment, were as fol
lows:
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: "We want
to know more about the terms, for
without them the. Imperial Chancellor's
suggestion of peace is preposterous and
ridiculous. We, too, are conscious of
victory and his boastings will be
laughed at."
The Marquis of Londonderry: "We
have got to win the war. Peace at
the present time would be disastrous
to the nation and the empire. It is
only a question of time' and we will
win out absolutely."
Principal Burrows, of Kings college
"No peace is possible on the basis
that Germany Is victorious."
Sir Gilbert Parker, after mingling
with his associates in the House of
(Concluded on Page- 2, Column 4.)
I
A GLIMMER
INDEX OF TODATS NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 49
degree; minimum. 39 degrees. ...
TODAY'S Unsettled with occasional light
rain; winds mostly westerly.
Peace Proposal.
Peace taTk knocks props from under wheat
prices. Page - 2.
London sentiment is .opposed to peace offer.
Page 1.
Germany proposes peace. Page 1.
German proposal opens way for neutrals.
Fam 3. ,
Wall street taken by surprise and stocks
slump. Page 3. -Germany
stronger than "ever, .warns Chan
cellor. Page 2.
War. ""
French cabinet announced. Pago 4.
Germany's financial policy declared sound.
. i-'age .
Germany defends . Belgian deportations.
Page 17. .
Situation somewhat better for allies In
Roumania. Page IT.
National.
Senate votes to exclude Asiatics. Page 1.
Domestic
Steamer off Cape Race fast sinking. Page L.
Efforts to blow up ships detailed. Page 4.
Sport.
National League magnates transact routine
business. Page 16.
Del Baker, of Detroit, may go to Seals, is
report. Page 18.
' Pacific Northwest.
Salem gets 1917 apple conference. Page 6.
Man, maid and moon appear in nlghtrlder
case. Page 0.
Commercial and Marine.
Grain trading In Northwest comes to com
plete stop. Page 21.
Peace news causes crash in Chicago grain
market. Page 21.
R. Swanson has pilot's license suspended for
BO days, page 20.
Columbia Engineering Works has contracts
tor nine ships. Page 20.
Portland and Vicinity.
San Francisco and Seattle will protest rise
In railroad rates. Page 17.
Judges and Commissioners open convention
here. Page 8.
Commerce ruling eliminates one differen
tial. Page 17.
Food brokers deny huge profits. Page 10.
Mrs. E. B. Hanley. of Medford. meets- Port-
lend friends. Page .
Judge McGinn scores delays of courts.
Page 11.
Falling school will give benefit play tomor
row, page -o.
Council to draft taxicab zones for Mr. Daly.
Page 15.
Practical demonstration of meat cutting
given for women. Page v.
C. L. Cadwallader makes deposition In ov,-
000 alienation suit. Page 20.
Mr. Stanfleld now has 37 pledges. Page 4.
Mass meeting tonight to consider tunnel
proposal, page J.
Students rally to Bank of Sympathy.
Page 10.
Frank Amato absolved by Coroner's Jury
from murder of brother. Page 7.
Campaign for permanent Medical Sohool
here brightens. Page 7. r
Spokane hockey team defeats Portland,
7 to 5. Page 16.
Eight elevens fix 1917 Interscholastlo sched
ule. Page IS.
Weather report, data and forecast. Page 21.
CLOTHING STRIKE CALLED
60,0 00 Workers Ordered to Quit
Posts at New York Today.
NEW YORK, Dec. 12. A strike In
volving 60,000 makers of men's) and
boys' clothing in this city and, Newark,
N. J., was" called tonight by officials
of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers
of America.
Sidney Hillman, president of the
union, announced that the strike would
begin tomorrow morning.
BULGARS LOSE FIVE POSTS
French Rejtort Series of Successes on
Macedonian Front.
PARIS, Dec. 12. Five small Bui
garian posts on the right bank of the
Varder River on the Macedonian front
have been captured, by the French, it
is announced officially.
The operations north of Monastir are
being Impaired by snow.
OF LIGHT THROUGH THE MURKY
SENATE VOTES TO
EXCLUDE ASIATICS
Races to Be Kept Out
Not Designated.
AFFRONT TO JAPAN AVOIDED
Act Not to Repeal Any Existing
Exclusion Treaty.
SOUTHERNERS OPPOSE BILL
Effort Made to Bring Negro Ques
tion Into Proceedings Western -
Senators Flead for Integrity
of the American Race. .
"WASHINGTON", Dec. 12. After an
other day of debate over the exclusion
of aliens on account of race, the Senate
late today adopted the committee
amendment to the immigration bill.
which would bar Hindus and certain
other Asiatics without mentioning them
by name, with an added provision stip
ulating that nothing in the act shall
be construed to repeal any existing
law, treaty or agreement which serves
to prohibit or restrict immigration.
This added . stipulation proposed by
Senator Phelan, of California, is de
signed to replace the direct reference
to the "so-called "gentlemen's agree
ment" with Japan, which was stricken
out of the House bill by the Senate
committee at the request of the State
Department.
Specific Racea Not Kamed.
The committee amendment prescribes
certain geographical areas from whicn
immigrants shall not be admitted in
stead of naming races or nationalities,
as was done in the bill as it passed
the House.
During the debate Senator Lodge and
Senator Phelan engaged in a lively col
loquy, the former insisting that it was
needless to insert in the bill any ref
erence to agreements because they
would not strengthen the position of
the United States.
"It is a great mistake," said Senator
Lodge, "for this Congress to give
wanton and needless offense to i
friendly nation by which we gain abso
lutely nothing."
Toklo Interference Resented.
Senator Phelan declared that after
the bill had passed the House certain
Japanese busybodles objected and that
he thought "this Government ought to
be conducted from Washington, not
from Tokio."
The Phelan provision prevailed with
out a rollcall and the committee amend
ment as modified was adopted by a vote
of 42 to 14, Western Senators voting
against it.
Senator Phelan gave notice "that he
would offer another amendment to
prohibit the entrance of so-called
Japanese "picture brides" into the
United States.
Senator Reed's amendment to exclude
(Concluded cn Page 4, Column 1.)
DARKNESS.
STEAMER SINKING
FAST, SAYS S. 0. S.
HELP IS ASKED BY GRILSE, OFF
CAPE RACE, N. F.
Distress Message Is Picked Up, by
United States Oil Supply Ship
at Rockland, Me.
;
BOSTON. Dec. 12. A radio message
saying the steamer Grilse was sinking
fast off Cape Race was picked up by
one of the wireless. stations on the New
England coast tonight. The message
said:
"Steamer Grilse off Cape Race, lati
tude 43.40 north, longitude 64.50 west.
Sinking fast. Immediate danger. Send
help."
The distress "message was picked "up
by the United States oil supply steam
er Kanawha, which arrived at Rock
land, yesterday, from Mare Island, Cal.,
to undergo her trial trips. The Kana
wha at once relayed the message to
all stations and ships within reach of
her radio outfit. At one of the shore
stations it was said that another
steamer, the identity of which was not
learned, had picked up the S. O. S.
signal at about the same time as the
Kanawha.
The name of the vessel asking" for
helpr was blurred in transmission, the
receiving station said.
Although the call for help said the
ehip was off Cape Race on the Eastern
coast of Newfoundland, the figures of
latitude and longitude given indicate
that she was nearer Cape Sable, off the
southeastern coast of Nova Scotia.
So many ships answered that they
were going to the rescue that shore
tations found, It impossible to identify
them. One, however, was believed, to
be the coast cutter Androsgoggin, fitted
out as a hospital ship, which was
thought to be on duty eomewhere in
the vicinity of Cape Sable.
NEW YORK, Dec. 12. The Grilse, ac
cording to shipping records, is a British
auxiliary schooner, or yacht, of 126
tons. She was built at Mahone Bay.
N. ., and her home port is Lunenburg,
N. S.
CHEMAWA SUM INCREASED
$30,000 Appraised for Repairs; Yaki
ma Project Fund Cut.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
injrton. Dec. 12. Before the Indian
appropriation bill passed the House
today. Representative Hawley secured
an amendment increasing the appro
priation for general repalrsat the Salem
Indian School from $25,000 to $30,000.
The House would not make any ap
propriation for new buildings at Che-
mawa.
Other Northwestern Items were as
recommended by the Indian Bureau,
except the Yakima irrigation project.
which. was cut from $400,000 to $200,-
000.
TEUTONS BUSY ON SOMME
German Attack in France Is Re
pulsed, Paris Reports.
PARIS, Dec 12. German" troops
made an attack yesterday evening on
the edge of Des Loges wo'od, near Les
signy. south of the Somme sector, the
War Office announced today. The ad
vance was checked by the French cur
tain of fire.
BERLIN, Des. 12. (By wireless to
Sayvllle, N. T.) Heavy artillery ac
tions on the Franco-Belgian front, both
in the Somme region and the Verdun
sector, are reported in today s army
headquarters statement.
FLOUR TAKES SHARP DROP
Decline of 20 Cents a Hundred Is
Made in Denver Market.
DENVER, Dec 12. Flour dropped 20
cents a hundred pounds on the local
market today, and dealers predicted a
further decline. The wholesale price
now is $4 a hundred.
Eggs dropped 5 cents a dozen, the
cold storage variety retailing at 3a
cents a dozen and country eggs at SO
cents.
FARE FOR TRAMPS ASKED
San Francisco Judge Proposes to Re
turn Seattle Wanderers.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 12. Police
Judge Morris Oppenheim, after facing
20 vagrants in his court today, de
clared he would go before the County
Supervisors and ask for a special fund
to send Seattle wanderers back home
He said 100 Seattle tramps had been
before him In the past week.
ELECTION AT NORTH BEND
J. M. Thomas Sent to Council and
Kern and Everitt Retained.
NORTH BEND, Or.. Dec. 12. (Spe
cial.) The city election today resulted
in Henry Kern, M. E. Everitt and J. M.
Thomas being chosen Councllmen.
The first two named were re-elected.
C. E. Maybee was re-elected City
Recorder; John H. Greeves, City Treaa
urer.
FOREIGN BUYING OPPOSED
Canadians "Urged to Put Savings in
Dominion Stocks and Bonds.
OTTAWA. Ont, Dec. 12. The FI
nance Minister today issued a requee
to Canadian investors to abstain from
buying non-Canadian stocks and bonds.
Instead of doing this, he asks that
Canadians invest only in Dominion de
benture stock, .or conserve their savings
GERMAN DESIGN Oil
AMERICAS
CHARGED
Previous Peace Offer
Rejected in London.
PLOT AGAINST I). S. ASSERTED
Chicago Editor, Back From
War, Warns Nation.
MEXICO INVOLVED, HE SAYS
James Keeley Quotes English Papers
as Saying Only Condition Asked
by Kaiser Is Free Hand for
Development of Trade.
CHICAGO, Dee. 12. (Special.)
James Keeley, editor of the Herald.
ust back from the European fighting
lines, in writing a series of articles on
actual conditions in the belligerent
countries, says that before America
throws up its hat over the prospect of
peace, before there is any committal,
governmental or by public opinion, as s
to the Justness or unjustness of terms
offered by either of the belligerents,
before America sits in Judgment on the
merits of the positions taken by the
entente or central powers. It should
learn what effect a settlement is going
to have here.
He says America may have to pay.
in a way unthought of by the jrreat
majority of Its citizens, part of the tost
of the conflict that has been raging
for two and a half years.
Speaker for Peace Answered.
'While I was in London." says Mr.
Keeley, "the Morning Post, on Novem
ber 28, printed a sensational editorial
on peace, which, I understand, was
cabled, in part, to the United States.
The editorial appeared a few days
after Mr. Schiffs celebrated speech in
New York.- and doubtless was -inspired
by what was regarded in England as
another concerted drive on the part of
peace advocates and German-American
citizens to force President Wilson to
intervene.
'The editor of the Post, commenting
on this recent activity, said that it was
apparent that America, or some Amer
icans, wanted peace.
Ttrmi Offered Before.
'Then he declared:
'"Now, let us tell the Americans a
secret it is a secret to them, although
it is known to every Chancellory in
Europe. . We can have peace tomor
row. We can have peace today. The
Germans have offered us peace upon
the most favorable terms. They are
willing to give us almost everything
we desire.
" "And they Impose only one condi
tion. What Is it? We .shall tell our
American friends.
" 'The German condition is that Ger
many should be allowed a free hand in
Central and South America. It has
been rejected by the allies.'
"The statement about Germany's al
leged designs south of the Rio Grande
was not news to me. The Herald'i
well-informed Washington correspon
dent had told me the story early in Oc
tober. Information Worries Diplomat.
"It was not news to an American
diplomat I met "somewhere in Europe.
He told me he had been wrestling with
his conscience for several days as to
whether he had the right to disclose
this important piece of information, be
cause 'I believe our people should
know what is going on.-
"The publication in the Morning Post
removed the seal of secrecy from his
lips and he added this interesting ind
significant statement:
" 'General X , an officer high in
command in the German army, some
time ago disappeared from the fight
ing lines. Considerable curiosity was
expressed as to his whereabouts. Re
cently it was learned he had gone to -
certain country in South America,
where he had been stationed for years,
and where he had made a study of con.
ditlons in the light of possible eventu
alities.'
Foreign Intervention Sogsnttd.
"The statements made by the Morn
ing Post are sensational and might be
open to question to my mind were it
not for the fact that I have absolute
first-hand knowledge of the following
incident:
"Shortly, before the war started
when the Mexican pot was boiling and
bubbling over, a member of the Kaiser's
entourage visited London, ghortly af
ter his arrival the German Embassy
requested a high government official
to give him an audience. It was given.
"Five minutes after the conversation
started the gentleman . from. Berlin
made this proposition to the English,
minister:
-"'Would it not be a good thing for
Great Britain and. Germany to inter
vene Jointly and take control of Mex
ico, thus checking the evident plans ot
the United States? There will be no
difficulty in arranging spheres of in
fluence for your nation and 'my na
tion." ' England Refuses Proposal.
"The German envoy was told that the
proposition did not interest the Eng
lish government and could not be dis
cussed. This ended an incident fraught
with tremendous possibilities for the
United States.
"This story may have newspaper de
nial, but history will tell it Just as 1
(Concluded on Fage 7. Column 2.)
i . .
?"
for Canadian war loans.
A 1 "
(Concluded on Page 3, Column 2.)
7f