West
h . ill k.w
4 . Vi
4
37.
TOL. XXXIV.
W12STON, OHIX30N, FK1DAV, MAJ.'OU C, J SIC
on
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Jul Resume of Important Events
Tliroustiout the World
Further relief to Belgian from the
United State la not guaranteed by tbe
German government.
An English trawler waa aunlt In tbe
English channel by German mine.
Tbe crew of It men were aaved.
Congreae baa re -convened and it li
predicted tbat the aeaalon will bold un
til the gavel fella at noon March 4.
. Tbe French army la said to be ad
vancing on the German strongholds In
spite of the atorma raging In that vi
cinity.
Plot to murder many rich men; of
New York City la aald to have been
discovered by tbe pollw department of
that city.
Two Portland woman, touring the
li. I. Lini i
automobile accident by being thrown
over a precipice.
Two Important witnesses In the noted
Los Angeles Times dynamiting
have died, badly crippling the state's
ease against the two rcently captured
fugitive.
The press of Germany I practically
unanimous in upholding the new note
(mm Amarlo rfaalln with the Irene-1
portatlon of foodstuff by neutrals to
belligerent. ,
Each employe of the City of Port
land, is now required to keep card
Index wblen contain the actual num
ber of hours worked per day, enumer
ating the kinds of work performed,
etc
Germany, in answer to the Amerl
can note, is willing to mane conces-
aiutw w vj. . i
.li-..I-- k tum i
one," reserving we rigni, nowever,
of searching veaael for contraband
, gooaa.
Many Amerlcana'trav.llnglaa "how
tender" on vessel bound for England
and France, with promise of good pay
and return ticket, are stranded in I
those coun trie, and are appealing to
the American consul for assistance.
The exchange of maimed prisoner
through Geneva began Wednesday
with the arrival of 1800 Frenchmen
and 800 German. The transfer was
made under the auspice of the Swiss
Red Cross society. Tbe soldier trav-1
eled la special coach, which were
euardad bv the miliary. Aoproxl-1
mately ton of gift were there await-
Ing the unfortunate, who probably
will number from 4000 to moo men I
I rum encn cvunirj.
The bill ch urging manslaughter!
against a provincial police officer and
three Candadlan soldier who laat fall
fired on two American duck hunter,
Walter Smith and Charles Dorsch,
killing Smith and wounding hi com-
panion, wa dismissed oy me weuano
county grand jury- Tbe snooting,
wblcn resulted in diplomatic eorre-
sponder.ee between the United State I
ana ureal Britain, uccurrvu on toe 1
agara Blver. After a protest bad
been made by Washington tne juomin-
Ion government paid to Smith rem-
tlves $10,000 and
a lesser sum waa I
given to Dorsch.
The allied fleets
Turkish forts at the
Dardanelles.
have silenced the I
entrance to the!
War experts say the loss or tbe uar-
danelles will mean tbe complete sub-
Jugatlon of Turkey.
The municipality of Berlin ha de
elded to acquire the Berlin electrical
work, which at present ha tbe mon
opoly of supplying current for trac
tion, light and power purposes. The
price will be about $31,000,000.
Governor Ferguson, of Texas, has
addressed to President Wilson a com'
munlcatlon saying continual raiding ia
going on along the Rio Grande border
for 76 mile Inland a a result of the
starving condition of the Mexican
people.
In the bouse of common Sir Edward
Grey, secretary for foreign affairs,
made the Important announcement,
which wa received with cheers, that
Great Britain aympathlied with Rut
aia's aspiration to gain access to the
open sea through Turkey.
Tbe American submarines C-8 and
C-6 have been ordered from Cristobal
to BalbOa to work out certain defense
problem In connection with the coast
artillery relating to mine laying and
target practice. The submarines will
be the first American fighting craft to
us the canal.
The friendly relation between Japan
and the United State were dwelt upon
ana me unuea oiaiea were oweii upon 1
by both Japanese and American at
if. 1 w .v.. 1 mn
the annual banquet of the Japan so
ciety In New York. Ambassador and
Vice Countess Cblnda and Admiral
Baron Dews, representing the Japan
ese government at the Panama-Pacific
exposition, were guest of honor.
Tbe Commerce commission reports
that the Louisville ft .Nashville rail
road spent millions In politic, to raise
which watered ' stock was Issued.
I
noatal authorltiea ahow that aince the
beginning of tbe war 864 German
".'.paper, have suspended public I
tlon.
Tbe London
Daily Mall's Copen-
hagen correspondent says it I reported
from Berlin that the German casual-
tie In East Prussia and Poland during
the last three weeks are estimated at
about 800.000.
Washington Gels Hopeful
Reports from Europe
Washington, D. C. Encouraging
reports from both Ambassadors Psg
and Gerard at London and Berlin,
respectively, war received by Prel
dent Wilson and bla eablnat concerning
tbo attlluda of Great Britain and Gar-
many toward tba latet American pro-
poaala for the safeguarding or neutral
commerce from tbe dangers of aub -
marlnea and mine, and the unreatrlct-
ed shipment of foodstuffs to the civil
Ian population of belligerent countries
Complete replies are not expected
for soma time, because the subject la
atlll under consideration by England
and bar allies.
Germany a willingness to make con
cessions and negotiate for an under
standing on the veietloue questions
already baa been made known Infor
mally to the United States and a
I formal araulaaranca la
expected in a
I day or two. All eyes now are turned
on London, where tbe opinion la un-
I derstood as vet to be divided on tbe
merits of the suggestions.
I leading men In tbe
Driuao caoinoi are eaiu w iw in
principle the American proposals as a
means of aolvlng the problem with a
little Inconvenience to neutral coun-
I tries as
possible. Another element,
however, I said to be Impressed by
the military value of further restric
tion of supplies to Germany and more
reprisals and there la some Indication
tbat when tbe final resolution on tbe
American proposals la to be made tbe
military taction
will present strong
opposition to them
The exact nature of the proposals Is
still unknown because or tbe rigid
rencence or we omciais coin oere ana
abroad, but each dsy adds Information
nn.ubUrt. Rrl.flv. thla murh of
tbe content, of the American a
hM hm ,(irmt. The
United States baa asked tbat the pre-
inu nilaa of International law with
respect to the ahlpmeot by neutrala of
eomiitionai eontranana aesunea uj i
...
)"""'- " -
Hgerent forces or an enemy, rema.n i
Hgerent force of
. -w u.l
"uThT .h. .T,nl
, b. u,j b v the civilian pop-
liTiZ 7
.
mint Ba wall mm Graat Britain ia I
uermanj mm w.u
nnuniHl. th inot In annlv. however.
tornlneeused for protection of coat
defenaea and harbors, pilot to be fur
nished to guide neutral ship through
such fields as remain.
Attention Is called to Germany'
promise that if foodstuffs are not de-
talned when destined to her civilian
population the submarine warfare on
merchant ships will be abandoned.
farmers Not Heard in
fixing Price of Wheat
" -
New
York Joseph Leiter, long a
I famous wheat operator,
testified at tbe
state Inquiry Into the coat of bread
I mat me larmor naa noining i aay
about the nriea at which his wheat I
inould be sold. That, he added, was
determined at the terminal market.
Th- Liverpool exchange, which la
(De leading exchange of the world,"
na "usually nxee me price.
Mr. Leiter said 75 per cent of the
l0vstors are owned either by tbe big
wheat operators or the railroads, while
25 per cent were owned by Independ
ent or amall operator and farmer!
co-operative societies. The United
State ha controlled the wheat price
of the world since September 1. 1914,
mnA will MintlniiA to An so until in.
olh mo ia raised. Mr. Letters.
MrtMi
Mr. Leiter gave It as his opinion
(hat the "Invisible supply" of wheat,
or that which is In the hands or farm
era and not recorded In the government
report, has been a large factor in
keeping down the price.
"The farmer bae become tbe larg
est speculators in the country; they
will bold crop after crop, sometimes
for - so long as four year, " he said.
"In a year such a w are having we
find
tbat there Is an enormous lot of
wheat that isn't covered by the gov
eminent records. If it waan t for
this fact the price today would be
much higher." .
There Isn't anybody left in tbe
speculative market now," Mr. Leiter
said. "The speculator got out after
the price passed the $1.40 mark the
end the
small trader wa forced out
big on was frightened out The rise
would have come much sooner bad it
not been for speculation."
German Succeu Cottly.
Petrograd "Many German prison
ers," says the itussian omciai news
agency, "have been captured on the
roads toward Grodno. They are unan
imous In affirming that their corps sua-
... .j - i i , .k ann. I
eeas of the German in the Auguatowo
forest, their ranks having been greatly
demoralised. According to the cap
tives, the large number of prisoner
taken by the Russians at the Moghely
farm was due to the suddenness of the
Russian attack and the lack of experi
enced German officers.
Traitor General Shot
CoDenharen The newspapers here
L 1 1 L r 1 1 J I -..k. I . (L. I
" t'vi""rv
.YainX
n?:0? t IcmmUt'tn I
In endeavoring to carry out negotia-
tions for peace. Tbe basis of the gen-
eral'a negotiations, it I ald, wa the
proclaiming of himself as sultan, the
limiting of Turkey to Asia and the
abandoning of Palestine and Mesopo-
tamia to England. I
. I
Sub-station at Umatilla
Issues Report of Work
Oregon Agricultural College, Cor
valll "Soil and elimatle conditions
prevailing on lb Umatilla reclame
tlon project war considered by tba
reclamation service to be better adapt
ed to the production of fruit than to
cropi- Ai , of thla early
1 deeialon, the land waa divided Into
email unlU with a view to the develop.
ment or email intensively larroea irun
and garden tract."
The foregoing Is a quotation from
the report of the Umatilla branch ex
periment station, made by Superin
tendent Ralph W. Allen and Issued by
tbe Oregon Agricultural College Ex
perlment Station under tba direction
of Director A. B. Cordley. Tbe report
tell further bow and for what purpose
tbe branch station was established,
bow It Is maintained and managed,
and review the leading feature of Its
activities since IU establishment. Tbe
report aays further:
"Tbe predominating soil type on tbe
Umatilla project, upon which tbe sta
tion la located, la sand, ranging in
texture from coarse to fine. Approxi
mately half of thla area ia of coarse
sand and tbe remainder range in char
acter from medium to fine. The
Legislature Appropriates
Salem Tbe appropriation of the
Twenty-eighth Legislative assembly
I make an approximate total of 16,477,
ai. or II.2E8.890 leaa than the pre-
, tt . ,,. ...
- ' "V'
I on the actual general and eon
u TOKJ1
"mate of $360,000 for special appro-
pr.auona.
Approprisu.
for tbe general fund
?7, "'."
and those eared for
'
Tbe ag-
..i- .rmmnrl.tfona for the 1918
----- we-'7 735 921.68. Money
was appropriated directly by tbe laat
legislature for the Unlveraity of Ore-
n " Oregon Agricultural eol-
lege, while all but three or four Items
will be taken care of In the future by
millage tax.
-- . mlt.
" T" """ . '
W 1.?'.''
duatrial Accident commission as $967,-
187, It I a matter of fact only
about $126,000, being one-seventh of
the amount collected in fees by the
department.
Following are tbe general state ap
propriation:
Uregon stale noepnai, oo,ioo;
Eaetera Oregon elate hospital, $305,-
860: penitentiary, $202,000; institu
tion for feeble minded, il44.ei; cap-
jw f Supreme court Midinn 168..
i860: institute for blind. $28,213;
tcbool for deaf. $(4,987: compilation
i.wa resolution and memorial of
jgth leglalative assembly, $8000; in-
duatrial school for gin, ass.zuu;
ntln l,nnl IKK S7K- Wlalativa
Mpenses. $65,000; special agent.
$7000; library, $23,800; Supreme
Umrt llhrarv. 11B.612: water board.
35 89$; engineer, $37,430; depart-
ment of education. $39,088; bounty on
wild animals, $110,000; orphans and
foundlings, $100,000; board or health.
$30,000; social hygiene society, $1B,
000; Florence Crittenden home, $7500;
Patton home, $6000; Historical so
ciety, $12,000; tuberculosis hospital,
$58,125; state treasury department,
$36,376; executive department, $23,-
700; secretary of stale, $61,000; old
soldiers' home, $31,658.75; board of
horticulture, $12,000; forestry board,
$60,000; livestock sanitary board,
$49,940; Humane society, $2000; Na
tional guard, $165,000; completing
Mutual Fire Insurance
Company Quits Business
Salem Upon application of the di
rectors of the company, wbicb is un
able to meet IU financial obligations,
Circuit Juge Galloway appointed Har
vey Wells, insurance commissioner, re
ceiver of the Horticultural Fire Relief
of Oregon, with offices In this city.
Asaets are estimated by Mr. Wells
at $20,000, with liabilities of from
850.000 to $60,000. The company ab
orbed the Oregon Merchants' Mutual
Fire Assurance Association of Dayton,
and the Pacific Home Mutual Fire In
surance company of Forest Grove in
1912. Recent large ' losses and the
absorption of the two companies are
ascribed as the cause of the failure.
The three companies had insurance ag
gregating about $13,000,000. Ar
rangement wiij be made with tbe Pa
cific State Fire Insurance company to
"w r j
of this business as
..... . 10 huia.
nossible on a 10 per cent basis.
Insurance Commissioner wens saia:
"The net premiums received by this
company during 1914 were $80,072 and
losses incurred were iBSf,76, plus an
expense of about bu per cent 01 me
Bank Ordered to Pag,
Salem "From the whole case it
appear that the defendant, through
... 1 J , J.nvA . n tm.wnt llft
WO. no reiiea upon me creun ot
,nt0 m,kin M lui'oc1
contract whereby ah. must probably
lose her money unless the defendant
pays it, as in good morale it ought to
do." Thi was the substance or an
opinion by the Supreme court affirming
a verdict of a Douglas county jury In
favor of Elisabeth; Byron against the
. .t a. T
irsi national oana u notour.
higher land that ilea back from tbe
Columbia river la mostly of finer
texture. Tbe soil are markedly defi
cient In organic matter and nitrogen.
The physical character of tbla land
render the duty of Irrgation water
very low. From a aoll standpoint, the
correction of tbeee two difficulties,
which are among tbe principal factor
Influencing crop production, ia of the
utmost Importance.
"Climatie condition of this district
are very congenial for crop growth.
They are a rare-coejblnation of dry at
mosphere and dry wnethar. Tbe effect
Is comparatively long growing season
and mild, open winter."
Condition on, this tract are such as
render necessary scientific investiga
tion in eradication of alkali, securing
stand of crop, crop rotation, and tbe
economical use of water and increas
ing soil fertility.
Reports of experiment wltb truck
crops, strawberries, cane iruii ana
tree fruits a carried on in field plats,
are given in the new bulletin, free
copies of which may be bad by all In-;
teres ted persons upon request ad'
dreaaed to the: Oregon Agricultural
College.
$6,477,031 All Told
Eugene armory, $6000; board or con
trol. $16,000: sealer of weight and
measure. $10,000: fee for legal
services. I. H. Van Winkle and Martin
Pipe. $2200; Bute Fair, $38,931.87
attorney general' office, $35,000; sun
dry deficiency claims, (13 items), 8,
179.27; 28th legislative assembly mie-
eellaneou printing, etc., IZ7.000
election expense, $56,000; fugitive
from justice, rewards, $19,298.56
miacellaneoua claims (28 items), $6,
467.63: Industrial Welfare commis
sion. $7000: Pilot commission, $2400
labor commissioner, $11,600; child
labor commissioner, $6000; wayward
girla, $20,000; Supreme court, $99,-
600: bureau of mine and geology,
$25,000: mineral exhibit Panama-
Pacific exposition, $10,000; dairy and
food commissioner. $39,000; Land de
partment, $18,000; Banking depart
ment, $16,000; tax commission, $30,
000; railroad commission, $80,000
Circuit judge. $200,000; diatrict at
torney and deputies. $134,000, and
purchase of land for Oregon hospital.
825.000.
Following are appropriations cared
for by existing laws, millage tax and
special funds, for which no new appro
priations are necessary
Agricultural rat re. lao.sw; oaroer
examiners, $15,000; corporation com
missloner. $37,200; teachers' exam'
iners. $20,900; dental examiners, $4,-
200; Oregon Agricultural college resi
dent instruction. $760,000; expert'
ment stations $207,400; Agricultural
college extension service $194,106;
University of Oregon. $570,000; high
way commission, $490,000; industrial
accident commission, $126,000; insur
ance department $30,000; optometry
board, $830; medical examiners,
$1095: motor vehicle registration.
$47,160, and stallion registration
board. $11,400.
Among the special appropriations
are the following :
Returning Oregon Panama-Facinc
exposition exhibit to state and estab
lishing permanent exhibit of Oregon
product, $15,000; exterminating rab
bita, $3000; Roseburg armory, $4000;
payment'deficiency traveling expenses
veterans to Gettysburg celebration,
$4819.90; issuing blue book, $2200;
naval militia. $15,000; special elec
tion to vote on measures of session,
$12,000.
premiums received. Practically the
same condition prevailed with the
business in 1913.
"A short time after I took posses
sion of this office it became apparent
to me from inquiries from ail parts of
the state tbat the Horticultural Fire
Relief of Oregon, Oregon Merchants'
Mutual Fire Assurance Association and
the Pacific Home Mutual Fire Insur
ance company were having trouble in
meeting their obligations and also in
collecting assessments levied during
tbe month of December. During the
first part of last month I requested the
president and secretary of these com
panies to call at this office for a con
ference. They readily accepted this
invitation, and in discussing their fu
ture plans, it was decided a thorough
investigation be made by an expert
insurance accountant. This met with
their approval and they employed W.
W. Chambreau.
"The results of this investigation
showed these three companies to be in
such financial condition that the board
of directors deemed it advisable to
notify the insurance department of
same, and on being informed of con
ditions I decided that immediate step
should be taken to protect the policy
holder and warn those who held insur
ance in these companies to secure new
insurance.
Annapolis Pott fit Won.
Klamath Falls Leon Boiler, of this
city, ha just been advised byRepre
sentative Sinnott that he has won the
highest place in the competitive exam
ination here February 15 ror appoint
ment to tbe United State Naval Acad
emy at Annapolis, and that he ha
been appointed principal by Mr. Sin
nott. Claude Hill, also of thia city,
won second place, and accordingly ha
been named first alternate. Thia is
the second time that Klamath Falls
youth have carried off the honors in
Annapolis tests in this district.
I fl!!i FORTS
fV .'a72it',.
3ii(.?t Ckar , Channel
mi l llterint I'-rt of Great
ft o' Yo c Pegun,
. .-I v-i;t; e V t warship of
KV a.iv-J ft :v fnlm( t ia Dardanellee
iiit-i r,,v boiUn.ed the inner
fo tii, 1 ijtd.-j i; a ,' patch from the
k c:r.-fpo. ',1 the Exchange
:V'-i,; Bpii -oraf)r. The message
v.-i. iK.tt a t a' '1 bombarded a
T Jt't', a .fir- lis C 'If of Saroe.
taut; i-ori;-lo'ed the deatruc-
'! n 4 tfcft f'-rw at i entrance of the
.).itv ,nal if, t aHl leetof Britiab
.'41 r.r-'i warot!'". the greatest
r,,h ' '.' fr V'p 1 action, is now
(t-;' 1 t;..j tl-.it h :, which here
. f; i.avs r r.c i fct een Turkey and
invasion by tue
Apparently the outer fort could not
withstand a great bombardment, and
when they bad been leveled and desert
ed by their defenders, men were land
ed from the ships to complete the work
of demolition, while mine-weeper
cleared a passage for ships in tbe
trait. '
More serious work is now ahead, for
the all-important fortification at Kilid
Bahr and Chanak. which guard tbe
narrowest part of the straits, which
the fleet is now approaching. There
is no doubt, however, tbat the allied
commanders have their instructions to
make their way to Constantinople in
spit of obstacle and have been sup
plied with tbe beat mean or carrying
out these order.
American Liner Captured
by trench Warships
Pari A French cruiser ha arrest
ed the American steamer Dacia in tbe
Channel and Uken her to Brest. Thi
announcement is officially made.
The steamship Dacia left Galveston
for Rotterdam January 31 with 11,000
bales of cotton to be trans-shipped to
Bremen. It waa fully expected at
that time that the abip woold.be seised
on her way to Rotterdam.
Great Britain questioned tbe valid
ity of the recent transfer of the Dacia
from German to American registry.
Tbe Dacia touched at Norfolk Febru
ary 11 and proceeded.
Tbe Dacia was formerly a Hamburg-
American freight steamship which had
been used before the war in trade with
Bremen and New Orleans and other
Gulf porta. At tbe outbreak of tbe
hostilities she was interned at Port
Arthur, Tex.
The Dacia was bought on December
24 by an American and on January
American registry was obtained. It
was then announced that she waa to be
used to relieve the cotton congestion
and loading was begun with a cargo of
cotton to be taken to Rotterdam and
thence shipped to Bremen, where it
was already sold. '
Representations were made immedi
ately by the British embassy at Wash
ington, questioning the validity of the
transfer of the interned vessel and it
wa generally understood that if she
sailed she would be seised by British
or French warships and taken before a
prize court.
War Budget Yet Grow.
Berlin The Federal council adopted
the preliminary budget estimate, in
cluding 10,042,000,000 mark ($2,510,-
500,000) for extraordinary expend!
turea, Thia amount is for carrying on
the war.
The estimate of ordinary expendi
tures ia 8,323,000,000 mark ($83,
075,000). Almost all of the amount
to be devoted to tbe war will be raised
by loana.
The Cologne Savings bank baa sub
scribed 20,000,000 mark and the Vic
toria Insurance company to $30,000,
000 of the new war loan.
Cent Per Letter Urged.
Washington, D. C. Senator Weeks,
of Massachusetts, has launched a cam
paign for 1-cent letter postage. In a
statement Senator Weeks declared
'The Amercan people have a right to
expect congress to consider enactment-
ing general 1-cent letter postage. The
government is making a large profit
from first-class mail, just how much it
is hard to say, but it must be nearly 1
cent on every 2 paid, and the profit de
rived on drop letters, or letter for de
livery in the same city in which they
are mailed, must be even greater." .
Russian Dislodge lurk.
Petrograd Russian successes are
reported in an official communication
from the general staff of the army in
the Caucasus. The statement says :
'On February 28, on a line from
Trans-Choruk, our troop progressed
with success, dislodging the Turkish
force from their position.
"In the passe south of Alacherkerte
our troops in 'an engagement seised
two Turkish artillery pieces."
German Cruiser Get Two. '
London Lloyd' correspondent st
La Conception, Chile, sends the fol
lowing dispatch : "The steamer Sker
ries reports that tbe British bark JCid
almon and the French bark Jean were
sunk by the German converted cruiser
Prins Eitel Frederich in December.
The crews are at Easter Island and
have refused to be taken off."
Remains ot Russian
Army 1 nought Powerless
SuwalkL Poland Tbe remain of
the Ruaaian tenth army, torn to rem
nants in the Masurian Lake country
by Field Marshal von Hinder) berg
East P ruaaian force, comprise but
negligible quantity in the operation
that are now under way.
The recent overwhelming victory of
the Germans waa accomplished by the
moat terrific fighting after striking
forced march.
This fighting baa been described a
the February campaign in East Pru-
sla and Northern Poland, and it ia
carded here as a second Tannenberg.
Tbe Russian composing the tenth
army were under command of General
Bier era. It 1 true that tbla com
mander, by a skillful use of to rail
road at hi diapoaal and by tbe sacri-
fieeaattime of entire battalion ia
order to bring off a few gun, succeed
ed in saving a greater part of hi ar
tillery, but no fewer than 60,000 of
hi 160.000 men are already counted
among the German prisoners, while
hi killed and wounded In tbe four
days' battle with which thee opera.
tion were inaugurated and tbe subse
quent running fight are estimated at
30.000 men.
- On the street of Suwalki there
could be beard the sound of artillery
from a swampy region to the south
east, where an isolated Ruaaian divis
ion, perhaps 10. 000 men strong.
been completely surrounded, but to
till offering resistance.
Several thousand Russians prob
ably remain In small scattered band,
or are wandering a straggler within
tbe ring which tbe German troop
have now closed around the wood and
swamps between suwalki, Aogustovo
and the German frontier, but the cap
ture of the wanderer ia expected here
and I regarded a merely an incident
in a campaign to which thi great suc
cess is called only the prelude.
It i not believed among German
military men at Suwalki that General
Siever will be able to bring one-fifth
of hi troop safely behind the fortress
at Grodno a safety which may not
be of long duration.
The foregoing statement may 1
to be exaggerated, but a correspond
ent, motoring along tbe line of the
Russian retreat over road deep with
... a.. 1
snow and tnrougn a oesoiate ana
awampy country, gained an impression
of complete defeat and demoralization
which scarcely can be conveyed in
words.
Carranza Loses 1500
Men, 6 Military Irains
Washington, D. C Fifteen hundred
Carranxa soldiers were killed and many
captured by Villa troops at the battle
of Zayula, according to General Villa'
version of the fighting, forwarded
from Chihuahua to tbe State depart
ment. After the battle, which took
place last Friday, Villa reported that
he personally headed tbe columns, par-
suing the Carranza troops toward atan-
xanillo. Villa said bia own losses were
100 killed and 250 wounded.
Sis military trains and tbe b
quarters of General Diegues, governor
of Jalisco, were among tbe equipment
which Villa said he had captured.
Defeat of General Carrasco, a Car
ranxa commander, and the capture of
Rosario. on tbe west coast of the re
public also were reported by Villi
Carrasco was said to have lost 500
men missing and to have retreated.
Allied Fleet Would
Lower Wheat Cost
New York If the Dardanelles
should be opened by the allies fleet,
releasing grain from Russia and the
Danubian countries, there would be a
radical change in the situation that is
keeping up wheat prices in tbe United
States, said C H. Canby, president of
the Chicago board of trade, testifying
before the state s investigation into
food price.
It wss Europe s tremendous de
mand, not speculation, that put up
prices," said Mr. Canby.
He knew on tbe nest 01 autnoriiy,
he said, that one European belligerent
would fladlv nav $2 a bushel for 60,
000,000 bushels of wheat, if it could
make the purchase. . .
He added that the situation la clear
ing up. wheat has reacnea 11s limit,
and by the spring, when the shipments
from Argentina begin, it wiU be well
in hand. .
The recent increase in the cost, of
wheat bread and flour will not cause
suffering among the poor, be added.
The rise in the price of wheat, he said,
will be balanced by a decrease in the
price of potatoes and other edibles.
Belgian Subsidy Refuted.
London The London foreign office
hao'declined in a letter to Herbert C
Hoover, chairman, to give a direct
subsidy to the commission for relief in
Belgium, because it is said bermany
refused to stop cash requisitions in
Belgium. Tbe letter is signed by Sir
Edward Grey. He says: "We did
not see our way to accede to your re
quest. Indeed, for some time we have
regarded the whole project of the dis
tribution of food in Belgium with some
doubt, in view of the action of the
German authorities."
Shetland Ides In Zone.
Amsterdam A semi-official dispatch
received here from Berlin says that
tbe Orkney and Shetland islands, lying
off the northeastern coast of Scotland
at the bead of the North Sea, and also
Kirkwall harbor, in the Orkney
Islands, must be regarded as lying
within the war sone. The pasages on
both sides of the France islands, al
most midway between Scotland and
Iceland, are not endangered, the dis
patch says.
AIMS CdULTED
Dislani Gives tar to Proposals of ;.
America to BeEpcoli
Lots of American Lice Might Re
sult in Abandoning frUnd
thlp to Europe.
Washington, D. C. Great Britain ,
has submitted to her allies, France -and
Russia, the porposats made by tbe
United Slate government designated
to end tbe menace to neutral com- ."
merco) arising from the retaliatory -
measure of tbe European belligerent
toward each other.
Briefly the American proposal,
which have been submitted to both
England and Germany, seek the eliro- ;
ination by Germany of the recently I
prescribed war cone around Great '
Britain and Ireland, with It dangers .
to neutral shipping through mines and
submarine torpedoes, and tbe adoption
by all the belligerent of a definite ;
policy with reference to food supplies
for civilian.
From such preliminary obaervatlona -
as American diplomatic officers abroad '
already have made there is said to be
some encouragement la the manner of -
the reception of the proposal at Loo-
don. Germany I inclined toward an -acceptance
of the suggestions, it is ,
understood, but upon the attitude of
Great Britain depend the next move
in the situation.
The strong opposition which tbe :
Scandinavian countries, Italy, Holland -
and other neutrals, have assumed .
toward the retaliatory measure adopt-
ed by the belligerent ia playing eon-
eiderable part in tbe situation.
Officials, while reticent about what .
has been said to Germany and Great ,
Britain in tbe latest communication, ,
do not deny tbat the gravity of the '
whole situation baa been made omnia
takably clear. In some quarter the r
suggestion waa made, but without eon-
Urination from soorces usually well In-
formed, that an embargo on exports of
foodstuffs from tbe United States to "
both tbe allies and Germany was being .
considered ss tbe next step in the "
event of an absolute rejection of the
American plan for ameliorating the
situation. -
It became known that the latest .
communcaition, described ss a confi
dential memorandum, wss sent Sunday '
to Ambassador Page and Gerard after
ajconference between President Wil
son. Secretary Bryan and Counsellor
Robert Lansing. The American gov-
Robert Laming. V j ,
VfhOm there was no official comment
on the sinking of the American steam
ers Carib and Evelyn because of tbe ,
absence of definite information as to
the cause of their destruction, it is
understood that the latest communica
tion from the United States urging an
acceptance of its proposals deal with
the grave danger to neutral vessels ,
that have arisen through the mines al-
ready laid and threata to strew more ;
of the explosives in tbe high seas. ;
It is taken for granted that the re
port that the captains of the two ves- .
sets followed instructions given them
by British naval officers will be
brought to the attention of the London
foreign office so that the British ad- .
miraltymay investigate the truth or ,
falsity of the report. . ,
Allied Armies Pressing
Toward Relief ot Rheinis
London News that the allies have
made fresh progress In the Champagne
distiret in France is contained in the '
official report of the French war office
issued in Paris Thursday. ' This la re
garded as especially important because
if the movement is succesarui on a .
scale of any magnitude, it will result
in relieving the pressure on K&eims,
which ha been under bombardment al
most incessantly since the beginning
of the war.. The report said;
There have been artillery engage- ,
ment from the Lys to tbe Aime, at
time rather spirited and all favorable
toss. -
"In the 'Champagne region to tbe
north to Meanil we have made fresh
progress and repulsed several counter
attacks. Our artillery on tbe heights
of the Meuse has silenced several Ger- '
man batteries.
"Supplementary reports emphasise :
the importance of the success at Lea
Eparges and the extent of the enemy's
losses. On a small section of aline
carried by us we have already found
over 600 German killed."
Britons Suspect Source.
London With regard to the assump
tion that President Wilson has infor
mally proposed "that Great Britain
should allow foodstuffs for civilians to
enter Germany under some form of
American guarantee and American dis
tribution, the Daily Mail in an editors!
declares that such a proposal is not
likely to prove acceptable to the Brit
ish government. ' "We must consider '
the" enemy of the proposal," the Mail
says, "and not the neutral and friend
ly channel through which it reaches us.
We prefer Germany to do her worst."
1,035,000 Allies Captive.
Frankfort On Tbe Main, Germany
The Frankfuretr Zeitung estimates
that the prisoners of war in Germany
and Austria now number l,03S,ouu.
This number, it says, is divided as fal
lows: Russians, 638,000; Franks,
237,000; Serbians,' 60,000, Ec!rn.
$7,000; British. 19,000. Atoot 7S
per cent of the total is Isid ? C-
many.