Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, December 12, 1916, Image 1

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Medford mail tribune., December 12, 1916, Page 1, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextUniversity of Oregon y Mebforb Mail Tribune FORECAST Tonight iiml Wi-diii'siliiy, . ruin. WEATHER Maximum yesterday, tit; Minimum totuiy, iiO. Forty-sixth Year. I'nlly movent h Yar. MEDFOKD, 01?E(iONT. Tl'KSDAV, WW KM WM 12. 19H. NO. 12.") GERMANY AND ALLIES. PROPOSE PEACE PROPOSALS LONDON MOST RESTORATION OF GERMAN REPLY PEACE OFFER 1 Tn I FN 1A AR PESSIMISTIC O'ER STATUS QUO ON Wj ' DEFENDS ORDER m ITI N n RV q RMinpn ' jmm nuANRF OR UUUIIIII I L li German Note Regarded as a Dramatic Unofficially Reported That Germany hy J2& 2 i Situation in Belgium Demanded Some U I I III 1 U LLLU II F(ilr Central Powers Offer to Enter eace Negotiations With Hostile : Powers to Secure Lasting Peace Which Will Guarantee Existence, - Honor and Liberty of Evolution as an Appropriate Basis Terms Of fered Not Made Known. UERMX, Dcp. li. Gi-riiiiiiiy and her allies today mipusi'd to vuirv forthwith into pence neirntinlions. The Austrian, Turkish mid Iului'- inn governments are making .similar proposals. These proposals also have been transmitted to the Vatican. The following announcement wan given out today by the semi-of ficia! Overseas Xews agency: Chancellor lli-cults Xews " "The chancellor this murnin re ceived one after another the repro senntives of the United States of Am erica and Spain and Switzerland, thatt is, of the states protecting German interests in hostile foreign countries. The chancellor transmitted to th?m a note and asked them to lirmic it to the knowledge of the hostile povera- nicntH, . The note will lie read today m the reiehstafr by the chancellor. "In the note the four allied (ecn tral) powers propose lo enter forth with on peace ncfrotinlions. The prop ositions which they brinjr for such negotiations are. according to their firm belief appropriate for the estab- lishmcnt of a laslinu: peace. "The governments at Vienna, Con- '! hardly prepared them for an ac slnntinople and Sofia Ir.insmillcd f'"' offer of peace and tho utmost identical noles and also eomiimnicat- " riosity was .to-played as to the (le- f.fvtl with the Holy See and all neutral i i powers." I The propositions which .thev will il jViiiR forward nre, neeordiiig to I jjjthnnecllor Von llethmann-Ilolhvc-. appropriate for the establishment iI,i'h ot-immieiy uu net- eunimua, a lasting peace. ,Mlt so far all the entente nations I have reiterated their intention to ad- Gcrmaiiy's 1'i-oiiosal. I here to their agreement made early IIKHI.IN, Dec. 12.-Kolluwins is the te.t of the nole addrcssctl by Gennanv and her allies to llie hostile govcnmirnts : ' 'In the miflt of (Ik imw terrific war ever oxpericitcod in h itury, rnir iiif? for the last two yc;irs himI n hull' over a nrie part of. the worltia cntnstropiic whi'li tlituisatuls of veins of civilization wns untibU- to prevent. and which injures the mot precious ( aehifvements of humanity, our anus arc not to shatter nor annihilate our adversaries. In spite of our con sciousness of our inilitnry and ( nomic stronpth and our readiness to continue the war, which we lind forc ed'pon us) to tlic hitter end if nec essary; at the same time, prompted by the desire to avoid further blood shed and make an end tc. the alroci- (Continued on Pago Eight.) PAY MEXICAN Ql ERETARO, Dec. 12. A decree 1 made public today provides that the salaries of all employes shall be on the basis of Mexican gold at the rate Paid, according to the employment in 1912. This modifies the October de cree, a modification considered neces sary on account of the economic situ ation and for the protection of the working classes. Another decree fixes the assessments on all cattle B over one year of age at seventy pesos Ll Mexican gold and on rubber produc P lug plants at 10 cents Mexican gold, a o kiln Thia r)APrr.A lnli iffo,t 1 li- cember 15. It Is understood that the cabinet has decided to leave to each minister Jfl e task of framing decrees in bis de partment for the purpose of relieving the economic situation. German Note Regarded as a Dramatic Coup Creating Interesting Devel opments but Skepticism Concerning Proposed Terms as Offering Even Basis for Negotiations. LONDON, Dec. 12. Thi foreign office today informed the Associated Press that it is unublo to discuss the German peace proposal until the terms have been received. Meauwhib the attitude of the British toward the proposition remains as frequently enunciated by the government. A general note of pessimism pre vr.l's in London. One prominent of ficial expresses himself to the As sociated Press today as bams very sceptical that the proposed terms would offer even a basis for uegotla tUn. ' .. This offieiul said, however, that the rote was a dramatic coup which v ould create Interesting dtvo..T iruits in the .-.iploniatic situation and provide the first of the peace over tures of the war. Foi-eiiri Offices Upset. The offer 51.us the foreign effice in the midst of a change of cabinet. Although r. Is still a matter of n ere speculation, diplomats believe :ii modus ape'i'indl would follow the precedent set by the negotiations, which ended io Spanisn-Amerioan war, when Vvuice presenter ihe Spanish offer through Jules Cainbon, I he French ambassador at WaEhliiijt ti n. No actlJii could be tuVcn, v4 course, without 'Ull consultit n'l wltli Creat Britain'? allies. Much specti- 1 i'' tion in officii-.! circles as to t)v; pos sible action of the relchsta? today t:'ils of the proposed terms. Offer Expected. ' It has been generally acknowledged in entente circles that efforts would ho made by Germany to conclude iu the war not to make a separate 1 eaee. The recent death of the Aus trian emperor, Francis Joseph, and the succession of King Charles to the throne of the dual monarch) also was discussed as one of the con siderations which might have been a factor in bringing out peace propo sals at this time. NKW YOIIK, Dee. 12. The stock niarlict became immediately unset tled today on the receipt of the news ot the Teutonic peace proposals. Mu nitions nqd shares of other companies uhich hav prottrcd by the war were most affected, licthlehem steel drop pin;: points. 1'nited States steel fell three points anil other prominent industrials yield I'd as much. I lailni" became feverishly active on the decline and urgent liquidation was evident. Selling- embraced prac tically every issue in that class of specialties which have been strongest anil most active recently. With the market demoralized in the :t-t hour the activity was so jjrent that it brought the total transactions ol the day up to more than 2,-"'IMI.00(i shares, wbi'-h is a record for inanv .if-. I I' s in the last hour sold from 2 to .", points under those of the early nttcinvon. The pressure was so yreat that the tidier was J."i to 20 minutes behind -ales. NKW ViiKIC. Pee. 12.- The an no Miccicufit of German pence pro Mi-.'iN served to stop the decline of Itic cotl-in market here thi iniH'uinu. Unofficially Reported That Germany Will Yield Belgium and France for Return of Colonies, Poland to be Independent, Balkans Fate Up to Conference. , WASHINGTON', Dec. 12. Advices from Ilerlin to the Geiman embassy indicate that Germany's peace terms, in general propose the restoration of the status quo before the war with the exception of the establishment of independent kingdoms of Poland and Lithunia. WASHINGTON, Dec. 12. News that Germany and her allies were about to enter on peace negotiations was immediately sent to President Wilson. Speukinjr for the president, Secretary Tumulty said he was deep ly interested but could niakc no com ment, at least until it , was learned what reception the proposal received from the entente allies. The state department received its first information of Gominny's pro posal through the Associated I'ress dispatches from which officials as sumed that the office of the neu trals addressed are asked only lo triiHsmit the. proposals. This will be done so far iis the United Stales is oncerued, promptly on receipt of (he official dispatches in Washington. They will he forwarded to all the en tente countries where the V'nited States represents the central powers diplomatically. Proposed Terms. Whether the Vniled States would accompany the transmission with any comment or suggestion, it was indicated, depends entirely upon the nature of the proposal and whether it .is considered likely of considera tion. If the offer is deemed one on which ull sides might negotiate, the United States would urge that it be tuken up. They are understood to propose he complete restoration of the oe- euptrd portions of llelgium and France m return lor Germany s cap tured colonies and to dispose of the Balkan situation because of its ex tremely complicated nature, in the peace conference. Cams ns Surprise. The foreign embassies and lega tions received their first information of the event through Associated I'ress di-patc.hes. On every hand the dis cussion turned to what had moved Gennanv and her allies to make the proposals at this time. Although for many weeks there have been persist ent and officially denied reports that some peace proposal was about to be made bv President Wilson there was no open indication that the central powers themselves were about to make one. Generally the announce incnt came as a distinct surprise throughout official diplomatic cir cles. Prevailing opinion was that the Germanic allies hnd brought out their peace offer at this time with the ex pectation of making terms which might be acceptable to the allies ot England and in effect might possibly cause the Itritish government to yield to the pressure of tbe nations fight ing with her. In this connection, the recent crisis in Russia, in which the dumn interfered to prevent the negotiations of a separate peace with Germany, was recalled as an indica tion of what the German foreign of fice might be looking forward to in peace negotiations. JOHN M'VICKER. VETERAN DETROIT EDITOR. DEAD CHICAGO, Dec. 12. John MV Yieker. 71 years old. once president of the International Typographical union and foimcrlv editor of the De troit New-, died here yesterday. He came here from Itetroit a few weeks alio for nn operation, from which he never rallied. ! ?5VI - . German Chancellor P FOR SPEAKER BY IE! The sentiment of the representa tives of Southern Oregon, as ex pressed Monday at the meeting held at Grants Pass when representa tives of Jackson, Josephine and Douglas counties met In public and private conference, is unaimous for tho support of L. K. Bean of Eu gene for speaker of tiio house of representatives. .Mr. Dean, the rep resentatives believe. will better serve the interests of Southern Ore gon than the other candidate, R. N. Stanfield of Pendleton, in-as-miicb as Bean resides closer to this sec 'tion and is more conversant with the desires and needs of Southern Ore gon. ' Dr. J. C. Smith, senator from Josephine county, expressed the opinion at the meeting that the elec tion of Gus Mosier as president of the senate Is assured. No statement was made as to who would be sup ported but it was considered at the meeting that Smith's remarks Indi cated his support of Mosier. Unite Southern Oregon. The meeting was held for the pur pose of welding the Southern Ore gon delegation Into a solid voting unit. In the past the votes from this section have been more or less split, but it is the opinion of C. M. Thomas, representative from Jack eon county, that t lie meeting, by bringing about better acquaintance and an understanding of what the different men are working for, will have the desired effect of bringing about unity. Those attending the meeting were. representatives, C. M. Thomas, Hen (Continued on Page Six.) GIVEN BY HIMSELF 4 '.KHUN", l-J.Ap ofti- 4 inl HliUnuiH'cint'iil i.-.ued hen today says thai Field M.tr- 4 !hal Von Hindenbuijf, its the oldest ai'tivp ire n era I of the 4 I'lnMjtn iirmy. ha- nmde a 4 request of the emperor 1 1 1 ; t he himself weiir llie finind I'io-h of the Iron Cros. The emperor h.is accepted, BEAN ENDORSED . REPORT GERMANS DEL THEOBALD EETiWiNN-HDLLXVEa roposes Peace Terms A LONDON. Dec 12. A itonie dis pnteh to the Wireless Press savs that Petrograd reports the Germans have begun the retirement 4if some of their divisions from Rumania, transferrin them to oilier fronts, and that the sit uaiion in Itumania is hecomuig more favorable for the entente. HKIU.IN, Dec. 12. Heavy allacl by the Hussians in the wooded Cur paunaus ami along llie .Moldavian frontier of Hmuania were renewe yesterday, says today's war offii pulsed. The town of Xizil, on the railway between Ploetchti and 1 1 it zcu, lias been captured by the An tio-Geinian forces. I'rzinceni also has been occupied. lu the field of war, the Teutonic advance In eastern W'nllaclua is con tinning with the liumauiaiis nppar ently seeking to take up a dcl'cnsiv line along llie Itu.cu river near th southern boiindai-v of Ihcir northern province of Moldavia. Petrograd rr polls the failure ol' Teutonic attack alone; the .Moldavian frontier and in cerlain Wallachian sectors, notabl northeast of Ploechti, where the Ails ) tro-Gcrman for es arc prc -in; to wards the P.nzeu New activity has been developed l the Germans on the Franco-Ilelgian front. They attacked last evenin on the edge of Dcs Kocs wood, south of the Sontme sector, hut according to Palis, were checked and driven out of portions of a'dvanerd position which they hud occupied. F E ;e PA IMS. Dec 12. Dermlv Geo Boniiffiis has introduced a bill for the creation of a parliamentary com mitlee for national defence which will continue for the durati"U of the war. This eouitnitlce would eni-Ut of thir ty delegate- elected bv depot ic J and l'oit elected by the -enate. The committee would im'ci weekly to con sider inlormation i dative to the mil itary, diplomatic and economic con duct of the unr a-, commanded by the government. The chamber and the senate would hold a brief sc-.iou not more than once a mouth in hidi to transact necessary bu-iiie-s and rat ify the decisions of the committee. Situation in Belgium Demanded Some Kind of Work for Belgians Because Idleness Was Causing Demoraliza tion Deported Workers Well Cared For in Germany. ItKKldN, Dee. l'J. Germany's answer to the Amcrimu nole reuard- injur t he deportation of Belgians is confined almost exclusively to a pres dilution of the situation in llelgium before the deportation order heeame effect ive. The nole declares that there was urgent need of some kind of work for the llelj;ians because their idleness was causing demoralixHtion and snys that the deported workers tire assured of well being in new sit - lint ions in Germany. The reply volunteers to permit iVmenenn diplomatic represent ntives to visit the workmen' camps and as sure themselves (hat the Heliums are 11 off. It enneludes with an ex prcssion of regret that the 1'nited States has never seen fit to protect against what it describes as the drag ig off of Gernums from Kast Prus sin, Alsace and other unices to Si beria and elsewhere. These actions, ot which M. licenses the allies, are characterized in the reply as a se yere violation of the laws of hinmni- ii y, ' - . (.'aim l S. Misinformed The note declares Unit the (leriniin :;ovcrniucnt is convinced that th I'niled Stiitcs litis been misinformed in regard lo the measures which have been taken and ways that the hick of work has increased until l.U.'iO.IMIO are suffering and an unbearable sit uation is created. Nothing reiuninedj therefore, the nole continues, but to offer the workless sitmilions in Ger many, since work for nil was not at hand iu llelgium. II is contended that the majority of those who have come lo Geriunuv arc hnppy nnd con tented, with high wages nnd increas ed personal liberties and Hint only those who prefer to lonf have been compelled lo work. The answer declares that I lie meas ure is entirely iu accord with inter niitionnl law and cites article 4'. of The Hague convention which requires an invading government to mniutaiu order. This, it is mniutnhicd, is pos sible only in Itclgiiun hy providing thnt people who nre iible to work shnll hiive opportunity h do so nnd not fall ii burden on charity. The note snys (he nienstrre hns been carried out with nil possible consider ation. AliMnkcs, il nsserls. hnve been due in i ii it lo the fact Hint llclginns themselves erred in innking up the lists of tlioM to he trim-ported to Gennanv by including persons un nffee,ed by Governor Genera ltis inn's order of Mnv lillli. ELEVEN CENTS ON !E CHICAGO. Dec. 12. Wheat on the I Chicago Hon rd of trade on receipt o' tho news of the proposals for peaco of Germany and her allies, broke over eight cents. May wheat ho1;J last night at $1.75. Within fifteen inln ii ton after the o)enliiK today, t!ie price touched $l.if. The extreme drop wan to $l.iHIa for the .May delivery, a loss of 8c an compared with yesterday's flnlnh. At Oil point buyers took bold with vigor und a rally to $I.US for May eiiHiieu. j rading was on a iihk heme. During the last fifteen minuted of the session, wheat for May delivery broke to $l.4, a drop of ll'ic a bushel In 2 4 hour. December touched $l.r,;;Vj, a fnll of I 1 Vi . The close wim wild. 4 to 10,c nnd'-r yesterdays finish, with May at $l.ii.1 to $1. anil July at $1.42 to $1.1.1. Von Bethmann-Hollweo Informs Reichstag That Germany and Her Allies Had Proposed to Hostile Powers That They Enter Upon Peace Negotiations Germany Vic torious ar.d Sure to Win Western Line Invincible and Opposition Fails BKHUX, Dee. Chancellor Von Belhniann-llollweg's sueeeh is reported by the Overseas News agen cy as follows : Chancellor Von Jtethuiaiin-Uollweg today announced to the rcichstuK that Germany," together with her allies ''conscious u' their responsibility.be. lore God, before their own nations, before humanity," has proposed this morning to the hostile powers to en ter on peace negotiations. Practically all the members of par liament answered the unexpected summons. The crowded house and thronged galleries listened in atten tive silence when the chancellor rose for his speech. Chancellor's Speech, '. , if V- ''-it1 Thv chancellor first outlined the extraordinary political-situation and then insisting upon the achievements of the central powers made an an nouncement which possibly may bo llie turning point of the war, which for more than two years bus held the world under its spell. The chan cellor said : ''The empire is not a besieged for tress, as our adversaries imagined. hut one gigantic and firmlv disciplin ed cnui with inexhaustible resour ces. That is llie German empire which is t irmly and faithfully united with its brothers in arms, who have been tested in battle under the Aus-tro-1 liingarinn, Turkish and Bulgar ian flags. Not confused by nsserva tions, we progressed with firm decis ion and we thus continue our pro gress, always ready to defend our--elves ami fight for our nation's ex istence, for its free future nnd al ways ready lo stretch out our hands to peace. Our God IEcsMUisihlttcs "Our si length has not made our ears deaf to our responsibility before God, before our own nation and be-, lore htiiniinily. The declarations for merly made by us concerning our readines-, for peace were evaded by our adversaries. Now we have ad vanced "lie step further in this di rection. (Continued on Page Six.) ON UNTIL PEACE LONDON, Dec. A. Central New di-puich from Amsterdam says it is announced oflicially in Berlin that Kmpeior William has notified hi- i'onunnuding generals of Germany"-, peace offer and has informed them it is stilt uncertain whether the offer will be accepted. I'ntil that un certainly is ended, the message adds, they are to fight mi. The mesMijie is quoted ns follows: 'Soldieis; In agreement with the sovereigns of my allies and with the con-cioiisnc-s of victory, 1 have made an offer of pence to the enemy. Whether it will be accepted is still uncertain. "I ntil that moment arrive. you will fight on." Kmperor William's order to his commanding generals wn addressed ul-n to "my navy, which in llie com mon fight lias loyally staked all its -trength."