66 Pages
Six Sections
Section One
Pages 1 to 18
VOL. XXXVI. NO. 52.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 30, 1917.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
piiinrif
MIDDLE WEST AND
EAST IN ICY GRIP
Death and Destruction
Accompany Cold.
THREE FROZEN AT CHICAGO
Some Temperatures Lowest
Known in December.
34 BELOW AT DEVILS LAKE
Prospect ot Relief Slight Before
- Tuesday Except in Territory Tbat
Benefits From Protection Af
forded by Great Lakes.
HOW THE TEMPERATURE
STANDS AT OTHER CITIES.
Chicago, 1 below zero.
Grand Rapids, Minn., El below
zero.
Devils LakeN. D., 34 below zero.
ruluth, 30 below zero.
Moorehead, 30 below zero.
Sioux City, la., 28 below rezo.
Greenville, Me., 24 below zero.
St. Paul, 22 . below zero.
Des Moines, la-, 15 below zero.
Aurora, 111., 9 below zero.
-Springfield, 111., 8 below zero.
Boston, 4 below zero.
New York City, 6 below zero.
Washington. D. C, zero.
CHICAGO, Dec. 29. (Special.) Three
in en frozen to death, another died from
injuries received through failing to see
an approaching streetcar because of
his muffled ears and face, many injured
in automobile and streetcar accidents,
two Loop hotel fires and a $15,000 fire
on the Arcady farm, belonging to Ar
thur Meeker, near Lake Forest, com
prise the record of death and destruc
tion due to the cold that has gripped
Chicago during the last 24 hoars.
Owing to cold. Samuel Levingston,
of the Food Administration, placed an'
embargo on the shipment from Chicago
of perishable foodstuffs. Hundreds of
carloads are affected. This order will
be lifted, however, if the weather mod
erates tomorrow, as predicted.
Flirt-Shortage Complaints Heard.
Complaints of fuel shortages are be
ing made, but have not been officially
verified.
The greatest loss from fire was that
on the Arcady farm. The dormitory In
which 35 men were sleeping was de
stroyed, causing damage estimated' at
$15,000. The cause of the fire has not
been learned.
Chicago, with 1 degree below zero,
seemed tropical compared with Devils
. Lake, N. D., where it was? 34 below. In
St. Paul it was 22 below and in Omaha
the mercury will have to climb 20 de
grees before It reaches the zero mark.
Thirty-five guests, many women, fled
from the New Central Hotel, when an
overheated furnace set fire to the base
ment. Scantily clad they huddled in a
restaurant across the street.
Hotel Life Made Uneasy.
A score of persons fled from the
Adelphi Hotel, when, a water tank on
an. adjoining building caught fire. Only
a few hours previously they had been
routeds by a fire in Buck & Raynor's
drug store, on the first floor.
Roomers in the house at 3800 Grand
avenue fled when a small fire origin
ated in the basement.
Restaurants in the vicinity of Ham
mond were unable to handle the rush
of business today, as many passenger
trains were stalled there. Three Mich
f Concluded on Page 3, Column 1.)
TUf 1
COOK Sse lS S-
GUATEMALA CITY
MOSTLY IN RUINS
EARTHQUAKE LEAVES CAPITAL
SCENE OF DESOLATIOX.
Forty Reported Dead and Thousands
Homeless President Extends
Sympathy of Nation.
WASHINGTON, D-c 29. Eighty per
cent of Guatemala City was demolished
by earthquakes which began December
26 and continued two days, the State
Department was advised today In a
wireless dispatch from the American
Charge there. Forty deaths had been
officially reported and thousands were
homeless. Martial law had been es
tablished and good order prevailed.,
The American legation building was
damaged and the consulate destroyed,
the dispatch said, but American and
other foreign diplomats were safe. The
legation was crowded with refugees.
This message of condolence has been
sent by President Wilson to Estrada
Cebrera, President of Guatemala:
"In the great affliction with which
you are now visited let me express
on my own behalf and on behalf of
the people of the United States the
greatest of sympathy. If there Is any
way in which we can be of assistance
to you, in your trouble, or in which
we may alleviate some ot the sorrow
and suffering you will experience be
cause of the calamity, we stand ready
to do so. Until it Is possible to render
some material assistance pray take this
opportunity to convey to the people of
your country the sympathy which we
feel for them in the 'circumstances; a
sympathy more profound by reason of
the proximities of our countries and
the relation of our people to yours."
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 29 An erup
tion of Mount Palin is feared by resi
dents of the city of Guatemala, which
was said to be in ruins following a
series of earthquakes which began De
cember 25, according to a cable re
ceived at the office of a local steam
ship company from Its Guatemala
agent. A number of former residents
of San Francisco in Guatemala were
said to be safe.
"Continued severe earthquakes here
since December 25," the message said.
"City of Guatemala in ruins; many
casualties. The populace is living in
public squares. An eruption of Palin
is feared."
The message closed with a request
for provisions, of which there was said
to be a serious shortage.
ARROWS FLY; STORM STOPS
Tribesmen Give Medicine Man Cred
1 it for Quelling Downpour,
TOLEDO, Or., Dec. 29. (Special.)
Regardless of whether his arrows had
any effect on the clouds. Jack Kelsey
is receiving credit by the tribesmen of
the Slletz reservation. for having
quelled the storm that has been rag
ing here for the last two weeks, when
the Siletz became a torrent and the
flood approached the highest mark
known to the oldest Indians.
Jack Kelsey, chief medicine man of
the Tootootnia tribe, resurrected his
ancient bow and quiver, tipped his ar
rows with the juice of the thunder
root (skunk cabbage), shot into the
clouds, waving his arms and pronoun
cing incantations to the great spirit.
The storm ceased, and the river,
which threatened to deluge the reser
vation, abated. During two weeks 25
inches of rain fell.
PERJURER GOES TO PRISON
Oakland Barber's Exemption Claim
Is Found Groundless.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 29. The first
perjury trial held here in connection
with filing exemption claims from the
selective draft res-ulted today in the
sentencing of Ellis E. Rey to two years
and six months' Imprisonment in the
Federal penitentiary on McNeils Island
and- a fine of-Jl.
Rey, a barber of Oakland, filed an
exemption claim in which he swore that
his wife and child were dependent upon
him for support. Later investigation
that Rey's wife had been supporting
developed. Federal authorities testified,
herself, and that his child had been
adopted by another family.
CARTOONIST
tSVtS
7ASV9
AMERICAN CAMP IN
FRANCE IS VIEWED
Congressional Party
Sees Troops Train.
GREAT HOSPITAL IS VISITED
Force of 400 Americans Care
for 2000 Wounded Men.
BRITISH TANK INTERESTS
Hoquiam Editor Tells of Seeing
"Landship" and of Inspecting-
Interior German Prisoners
Work Behind Battle Line.
BT H. W. FATTON.
(Fifth Article.)
In the afternoon we were taken out
to the grounds where the Americans
are being trained in all the arts of
modern warfare, including trench
fighting, which has become so common
during this conflict.
We saw them at light artillery prac
tice, rifle practice, shooting by perl
scope, bomb throwing, both by hand
and by guns designed for that purpose,
trench mortar firing, snappy bayonet
work and other of the arts of war
fare. This entertainment extended into
the night and we had another delight
ful dark run. to a town where we spent
the small portion of the night which
was left upon arrival.
Rained Region Seen.
The next morning, bright and early,
we drove down the valley of the Maine
through the beautiful Epernay district,
where I saw more grapevines than I
thought existed in the entire world.
We had our midday meal at Soissons,
crossed the Aisne River, passing
through a portion of that devastated
region scarred by shell fire, cut up
with trenches and disfigured by barbed
wire entanglements.
We crossed the Oise River and fi
nally reached Amiens, where we spent
the night, and the next morning were
taken in charge by the American Hal
son officer. We were slated to arrive
next day at a place where is located
one of the largest Red Cross hospitals
on the front. After luncheon we drove
to this place, reaching there about 3
a'clock in the afternoon, I only regret
that we did not reach there at 9 o'clock
in the morning and spend the entire
day at this wonderful place.
Hospital Well Equipped.
This is a hospital which has an aver
age of 2000 cases a day, mostly gunshot
wounds. It has a force of 400 Ameri
can doctors, attendants and Red Cross
nurses. The surroundings, conditions
and appliances, nothwithstanding the
buildings are of rude construction, are
the best I have ever seen These long
rows of spotless beds, each containing
a soldier with his arm In an appliance,
or his leg or some portion of him
strapped in a position where he will
have to remain for several weeks, are
most affecting.
Here I talked with several of the
Red Cross nurses from different por
tions of the United States, and I want
to say to those girls who want to go
abroad and serve in France that, while
they would be performing splendid
duty, it will be all hard work. Some
of those girls told me they worked 16
hours a day. They show the effects of
the strain. They are chee.ful. how
ever, and determined, and they are do
ing their duty. While this hospital
was manned by Americans a British of
ficer was in command. That, however,
will be altered in a short time and it
will be purely American.
Red Cross Praised.
The work which is being done by the
Red Cross In, these hospitals, both at
the, front and in the cities, and also
Con eluded on Page 4. Column X.)
REYNOLDS COMMENTS
0" T-S
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
TODAY'S Rain ; fresh southerly winds.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature 65
degrees; minimum, bO degrees.
War.
Major Patton tells of trip to American train-
ins camp in France. . Section I, page 1.
Full story of German submarine's destruction
told. . Section 1, page 2.
Hugh Gibson tells of Belgium during early
days of war. Section 1, page 4.
Chancellor Herting to' push Kaiser's peace
project. Section 1, page 1,
Foreign.
Earthquake leaves Guatemala scene of deso
lation. Section 1, page 1. .
China resents action of Japanese in Shan-
Tung. Section 1, page 2.
National.
Unification of railroads under McAdoo starts.
Section 1, page 1.
Senate inquiry indicates "shady" work at
letting clothing contracts. Section 1,
Page 4.
Pacific Coast white hope of wooden ship In
dustry, declares Hurley. Seclion 1,
Page 4.
Coal shortage may necessitate Government
control of mines and conscription of
labor. Section 1. page 5.
Coal shortage threatens to halt manufacture
of war supplies. Section 1, page 3.
W. H. Moran to be chief of Treasury Secret
Service. Section 1, page 6.
Domestic.
Entire East in grip of blizzard. Section 1.
page 1.
German mechanic accused of tampering with
torpedoes. Section 1. page 8.
Sports.
Mazamas announce schedule of 1918 Winter
hikes. Section 2, page 1.
Beavers to have plenty of players. Section
2, page 1.
Dick O'Brien heralded as "white hope." Sec
tion 2, page 2.
Sports to continue despite war. Section 2,
page 2.
Business men urged to take exercise. Sec
tion 2, page 3.
Portland hockey team experienced. Sec
tion 2, page 3.
Farren to box Trambitas here. Section 2,
page 3.
Seattle fans and players pick Rosebuds to
win hockey flag. Section 2, page 3.
Hunt Club paper chase Is January 1. "Sec
tion 2, page 4.
Marines and Camp Lewis elevens work out
at Pasadena. Section 2, page 5.
Pacific Northwest.
Alaska ready to enter bone-dry regime Tues
day. Section 1. page 9.
Mrs. William Logus visit Camp Mills and
other Eastern Army posts. Section 1,
page 8.
Little girl orphaned by war helps Red
Cross. Section 1, page 1.
Seattle flood-bound by destruction of rail
road bridges. Section 1, page 3.
Central Oregon settlers assured of water for
irrigation through ruling of Public Serv
ice Commission. Section 1. page 7.
Programme out for Farmers week at O. A.
C. Section 1, patre 8.
Commercial and Marine.
Lighter movement of potatoes during holi
day week. -Section 1. page 17.
Good outlet for all cattle received at stock-
. yards. Section lu page 17.
Low-priced railway shares In further de-
mand. Section 1. page 17.
Squeeze in December oats expected at Chi
cago, section l, page n.
Pupils tn nautical schools not exempt from
taxation.. Section 2, page 12.
New editions of Pacific and Alaska Pilots
issued Section 2, page 12.
Roads and Automobile.
Pacific' Highway is blocked again. Section 4,
Page 7.
Time to repair autos arrives. Section 4,
page 7.
Rex-Tigard road made good.. Section 4,
page 8.
1018 will be big year, says H. H EUng.
Section 4, page 8.
Ford branch here big asset to city. Section 4'
page 10.
Stutz car is here. Section 4, page 10.
Portland and Vicinity.
Draft board asks that relatives of enlisted
men inform board if questionnaire is not
received. Section 1, page 6.
Employers' Association officer discusses de
cision In anti-conspiracy case. Section 1,
page 7.
Alien enemy sues to recover lost citizenship.
Section 1. page 7.
Record of traffic offenses to be carried in
car is now proposed. Section 1, page 10.
Oregon war library fund grows. Section 1,
page 10.
Portland boy training to be aviator visits in
city. Section 1. page 11.
Prize-winners In essay contest named. Sec
tion 1, page 11.
War-sav) n gs drive to be next. Section 1.
1 page 12.
Alcoholic addicts turn to "tonics" in cele
brating Christmas. Section 1, page 12.
Report made on Halifax disaster. Section 1,
page 13. .
Gus C. Moser announces candidacy for Gov
ernor. Section 1. page 14.
Interstate bridge revenue for 1917 is pleas
ing. Section L page 14.
Oregon may be only, state In West or North
west to enroll quota in Red Cross mem
bership drive. Section 1, page 15.
M. D. Locke, I. W. W. organizer, sentenced
to 60 days in JaiL Section 1, page 15.
Fire Bureau report shows fitness. Section 1,
page 15.
December marriage licenses total 251, or 32
less than issued during June. Section 1,
page 16.
Portland boy at home In the air. Section 1,
page 16.
State teachers upset tradition by breaking
election slate. Section 1, page 16.
Potato grades agreed on by growers and
dealers' committee. Section 1, page 16.
Flour prices to stand for present. Section 2,
page 12.
PICTORIALLY ON SOME
ITTil 107.2
HERTLING KAISER'S
PEACE PROMOTER
ChanceIlorK&cC!!gated
or:v.i Project.
WASHINGTON IS NOT EXCITED
William's Right-Hand Man Can
Hardly Speak for People.-
CZERNIN TO BE FOLLOWED
Bolshevik! of Russia Supposed to
Be Channel Through Which New
" Proposals Are to . Come TJ.
S. Has Already Spoken.
BY CHARLES MICHAELSOX.
WASHINGTON, Deo. 29. (Special.)
The Kaiser has placed the power of
making: peace la the hands of Chancel
lor Hertling, but Washington refuses
to get excited over that.
It is recognized that in the act there
is pretense of an attempt to meet the
terms of President Wilson's declaration
that the people and not the German
Kaiser would beconsulted in any peace
proposition, but the Chancellor will
hardly be accepted as the people's rep
resentative, although he was ostensibly
the choice of the majority in the
Reichstag. Once before Wilhelm the
Hun delegated authority to treat for
peace to a Chancellor Bethmann-HoU-weg
but nobody had the hardihood to
uggest that he stood for anybody but
his Imperial master.
Csernln to Be Followed.
It la all prefatory to the new peace
balloon that is to be flown soon, prob
ably as an incident of Russian negotia
tions. What is anticipated is that the
Chancellor will make proposals to the
Bolshevik! along the lines of the Aus
trian Foreign Minister's recent decla
rations. The Bolshevikl will be the
pipeline by which the ' proposals are
supposed to reach the allies.
German peace terms offered through
the. 3olsheviki- government -of Russia
will get no answer from the United
States. ,
The Trotzky threat of concluding a
separata peace If at the expiration of
10 days the allies have not accepted his
invitation to participate in the peace
conference means nothing to Washing
ton. If the State Department officials
would talk they probably would say
that the Bolsheviki could not speak for
Russia. To force' this country to rec
ognize the Trotzky-Lenine regime is at
the bottom of all the recent develop
ments. They tried it by charging Am
bassador Francis1 with helping Kale
di tie's revolt under cover of the Red
Cross, , acknowledging that Francis
would have to come to them with his
denial and thereby show that America
was officially cognizant of them as a
government.
Ambassador Is Not Duped.
Instead Francis published his refuta
tion of the foolish charge in the Petro
grad newspapers. The stopping of an
American diplomat as courier at the
Russian border because his passes were
not vised by the Bolshevikl agents was
another effort in the same direction. If
the United States' sent lt messenger to
the agent for authority to enter Russia
that would be an admission of sover
eignty. It seems like trifling and hair
splitting to withhold recognition, but
there is a sound and substantial reason
for it. Trotzky and Lenine. whether
they are honest anarchists' or German
catppaws or half one thing and half
the other, are anxious to have the allies
indorse the structure they have built
They- do not know where their pro
gramme will land them any more than
the rest of their party. It is: an ex
ample of what the revolution habit
(Concluded on Page 3. Column 2.)
EVENTS IN THE PAST WEEK'S NEWS.
WAR-ORPHANED TOT
HELPS RED CROSS
LITTLE DOROTHY McKESCHIE,
EUGEXE, SELLS MAXi" STAMPS.
Little Girl's Daddy Is Killed In
France, Mother Is Dead and Her
Brother Is In Trenches.
EUGENE, Or., Dec. 29. (Special.)
The guns on the battlefields of Europe
deprived Dorothy McKenchie, . aged 10
years, of her papa. Dorothy's mamma
is dead and her brother is in the
trenches fighting to help, make the
world safe for democracy. Today she
heard that the mothers, sisters, wives
and "daughters of the soldiers were in
charge of the Red Cross membership
canvass in Eugene and it occurred to
her that she might be of Immediate
service to the cause. ,
She la a little girl, and when ehe
came to the headquarters of the Red
Cross she looked up into the face of
Manager Wetherbee and. with an ap
peal in her eyes, asked that ehe be per
mitted to sell stamps. She had no
money. The manager gave her 10
cents' worth. In 10 minutes she was
back looking for more. The second
time she -came back she got B0 cents
worth. By noon her total receipts ag
gregated $3.60. Her success as a stamp
saleswoman soon attracted attention
of the campaign managers and she was
given a place on one of the teams en
gaged in the sale of memberships, ap
pearing on the street in the afternoon
with white cap and apron. Just like the
others.
Dorothy became an orphan when her
father was killed while fighting with
the Canadian expeditionary forces. She
is now the adopted daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. F. W. McKenchie, of Eugene.
LAWS MAYBESET ASIDE
Suspension of Labor Regulations Is
Urged on Account of War.
DENVER. Dec. 29.- Notice that it
soon would ask the Governors of this
and other states to set aside, for the
duration of the war, laws affecting the
hours and conditions of labor of women
and children, was given In a letter
from the National Council of Defense
received today by Governor Julius C.
Gunter.
The letter said this step would be
made to apply to war work only and
that it was to be taken because "noth
ing must stand In the way of the war.'
RAILROADERS' WAGES RISE
Employes of Northern Pacific Get
lO Per Cent Increase.
ST. PAUL, Dec. 29. An Increase of
10 per cent in wages of the 15,000 em
ployes of the Northern Pacific Rail
road and of BOO employes' of the North
ern Express Company, effective Janu
ary 1, was announced today.
Last night a similar increase to 3500
clerks and station employes was
granted. Today's grant will add 1
500,000 to the company's payroll.
COATS FOR TROOPS SEIZED
Military Authorities Commandeer
Supplies at Waco, Tex.
WACO, Tex., Dec. 29. The military
authorities here today commandeered
all uniforms and military overcoats in
stores in Waco for the soldiers at Camp
MacArthur.
The arrival of drafted men made this
action necessary. The National Guard
has been adequately supplied. The
Government took the clothing subject
to a reasonable profit to the merchants.
CHICAGO LID WILL GO ON
Cafes, Hotels, Restaurants and Cab
arets Must Close at 1 o'Cloclc.
CHICAGO, Dec. 29. There will be no
tilting of the "lid" in Chicago on New
Tear's eve.
Chief of Police Shuettler told his cap
tains today that he would Insist on
strict closing of all cafes, hotels, res
taurants and cabarets at the legal clos
ing hour 1 o'clock.
o o yosv sett-iS
WORK OF WELDING
RAILROADS BEGUN
General Pooling Order
Is Sent Out.
SHORTEST ROUTES S0UGH1
Common Use of Terminals and
tolling Stock Decreed.
TEMPORARY STAFF NAMED
Director-General Asks That Present
Officers and Employes Be Re
tained Speedy' Movement of
Freight Is Promised.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29. Definite
steps toward National unification of
railroads and Improvement of con
gested conditions were taken today by
Director-General McAddo In the ap
pointment of a temporary staff and the
Issuing of his first formal order di
recting absolute pooling of all traffic,
common utilization of terminals, roll
ing stock and other facilities, hauling
of freight by the shortest routes and
retention of all present officers and,
employes.
Special instructions were issued for
the clearing of congestion in New York
and Chicago through pooling of ter
minals and other traffic facilities, and
Alfred H. Smith, president of the New
Tork Central, was named temporary
special assistant to supervise transpor
tation in the trunk line territory east
of the Mississippi and north of tha
Ohio rivers, where congestion is great
est. Walker D. Hines, of New York, a.
railroad lawyer and for many years a
special student of Government opera
tion, was appointed assistant director
general, pending the formation of a
permanent staff. The Interstate Com
merce Commission was drafted for an
immediate Investigation by its inspec
tors of general freight conditions on
Eastern trunk lines.
Labor Case Postponed.
While the director-general was con
ferring today with a number of rail
road heads. Interstate Commerce Com
missioners and members of Congress,
and planning immediate . action to
remedy faults of transportation, it be
came known that the demands of the
four railway brotherhodos for a 40 per
cent wage increase had been denied by
the railroads and that consequently
the labor men had decided to post
pone for probably 60 days the presen
tation of their case to the Government.
It was thought probable that Presi
dent Wilson would take up the labor
situation in his address to Congress
next Thursday or Friday.
Congressional agencies went to
work today on the new railroad situa
tion. The Senate Interstate Commerce
committee at a special hearing drew
from Chairman Hall of the Interstate
Commerce Commission the statement
that the Government's failure to cen
tralize priority administration was
largely responsible for freight conges
tion. Legislation Is Expected.
Senator Cummins, ranking Repub
lican member of the Senate Interstate
Commerce Committee, in a conference
with Mr. McAdoo, expressed the opin
ion that legislation to prescribe the
basis of Government compensation to
the roads would be passed speedily,
though not without some opposition to
the President's suggestion of guaran
teeing to the companies the average
earnings for the last three years.
The Railroad War Board, whose servl
ices have been solicited temporarily by
the director-general, today presented
ecommendation for speedy moving of
Veight in the Chicago congested cen-
(Concluded on Page 5, Column 1.)
111