A
CIRCULATION IS
OVER 4000 DAILY
FULL LEASED -
WIRE DISPATCHES
TIimTY-EIGHTH YEAR
SALEM, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1915
PRICE TWO CENTS K'rS
MONTENEGRINS PT IIP
Austria Hurries Troops to Aid In Crushing le Country
Serbs In Albania Defeat Bulgarians ing Them
Back After Two Days 'of Fierce Fighh - Expected
Bulgars Will Invade Greece In a Short Tue-Hungar-ians
Reported Demanding Peace
Taris, Pec. 17. Austria 1ms lurried
'fresh troops to reinforce her forces
pushing their bloody way through
Montenegro. She is hastening the at
tempt of either capturing or annihilat
ing the Montenegrins. Already her
forces have swung nearly 30 miles in
tide the little country and are now ad
vancing along a 70 mile front.
Despite the cold and the snow?, and
the lack of heavy artillery and suffi
cient ammunition, the home forces are
making heroie resistance. Meantime,
though, homes of pheasants and well to
do are being evacuated, while their
owners flee before tho wrath of the
oncoming foe.
Heavy lighting lias been resumed
between the Bulgars and Serbs in Al
baniu. Three thousand Bulgarians
crossed the Drinn after two days bnt
lling in a raging snowstorm. With re
inforcements, however, the Serbs drove
them back again tho following day.
Geneva dispatches today said that
Italian troops who reached Albania are
not ploughing their way toward Serbia
but instead have encamped near tho
Adriatic.
Indications in southern Serbia point
to a momentary entranco into Greece
against tiie nllies north of .Salonika.
Athens dispatches reported that ISO.
000 Hnlgars are massed at (liegveli and
Doiran, aud that 50,000 Ausrriajis will
soon reinforce them. At the same time
comes word that heavy artillery is
moving southward, rendy for the fray.
Will "Let 'Em Tight."
Salonika, Dec. 17. llulgarian troop-
continue to hold their lines about
two miles from the Greek frontier and
kIiow no intention of crossing, accord
ing to dispatches today.
The nllies, howovor, believe that au
invasion by either the liulgara or Teu
tons will begin in a few days.
In withdrawing from Salonika, tho
Greek commander Mosehopoulos noti
fied General Sarrail, French command
or: "The Hellenic army is ordered to re
tire for the purpose of leaving the
;;round freo for tho beligerent
armies."
This is taken as strengthening the
view of an invasion on the trail of the
(i Hied retreat.
Hungarians Demand Peao. -London,
Dee. 17. licports that the
ITuncrarinns are demanding peace were
received here by tho Post today. This
paper printed a Budapest letter report
ing that a peace demonstration oc
curred in the Hungarian 'parliament
December 7, but spying reports of it
hnd been censored within the country
and blocked from going out over the
cables.
Count Karolyi, the leader, was quot
ed as declaring that sinco the centrul
powers were victorious they should of
fer peace.
Moreover, lie was reporting as say
ing that tho Hungarian army had
brought the war to its present stage,
and hence had the right to propose
claims for compensation.
Esther and Mordecai There
I'etrograd, Dec. 1 Russian forces
have occupied the important Persian
city of ltamadeii, official announce
ment said today.
ITnmadnn gains the importance from
the fact that it is an entrepot for tho
commerce between Bagdad, Tabriz, Is
pahan and Teheran.
fr"?'"'"w' 'if.
$ Abe Martin $
Girls' necks, an' all territory ad
lacent thereto, '11 he protected thi!
winter, but ther shins 'II be allowed
t' roam. UarK an' cheap, th nickel
theatre jest suits th' bashful tightwad.
It is located 105 miles southwest of
Teheran at the base of Mount Elvond
(ancient Orontes) at an elevation of
0,000 feet. It houses the reputed tomb
of Esther and Mordecai.
700 Montenegrins Prisoners.
Berlin, by wireless to Sayville, L. I.,
Dec. 17. In their capture of Bielo
polpe in western Montenegro, the Aus
trians, said today's official statement,
took 700 Montenegrin prisoners.
On the west front, the British, by a
surprise attack, occupied a Teuton
trench southeast of Armenti'eres but
later withdrew under heavy fire.
As for the cast front ,the statement
said, "Russian attacks between Narosz
ami Miadstol lake broke down, the Rus
sians losing heavily."
Italian Liner Sunk.
London, Dee. 17. The SHOO ton
Italian liner Porto Said has been
sunk by a submarine, presumably in
the Mediterranean.
jsulgarian Loss 10,000.
Amsterdam, Dee. 17 The Bulgarians
lost 1.1,000 men in the Cerna river
fighting, advices here said today, i
Villa Is a Prisoner
of His Own Generals
El Pasco, Texns, Dee. 17. General
Francisco Villa, once proud leader of a
dominant Mexican faction is virtually
the prisoner of his 11 generals, facing
desposition and possibly deportation.
Though considering Villa and his cam
paign a failure, his followers are still
determined to make war against Car
rana. To this end, it is understood,
they nre meeting at Chihuahua to de
cide whether to continue Villa's lead
ership or select n successor. Since he
nrrived at (.nninahiin Wednesday, il
ia has been secluded in his home with
his "church" wife, Senora Luz Cor
ral De Villa, but has been under the
closest watch. Leaders forbade him
to attend the council of generals.
T- addition to considering Villa's
future, the council has deviled to in
augurate a campaign to tho south be
sides conducting guerrila warfare la
tno norm.
Fletcher Appointed
Ambassador to Mexico
Washington, Dee. 17. Henry P.
Fletcher was today appointed ambassa
dor to Mexico.
Fletcher, who was named minister to
Chile iu 1009, has had considerable
diplomatic experience. Born in Uroen
castlc, Pa., he became a lawyer.
He served in the Philippine during
the Spanish-American war, and later or
copied diplomatic posts in Cuba, Chinn
and Portugal. He went to the Chilean
post In the spring of 1010 following his
appointment by President Taft. He has
been there since.
Fletcher Is a republican, and his now
post will carry $17,500 pay, the same as
the Chilean ambassador.
Sixteen Killed In
English Train Wreck
New Castle, Eng., Dec. 17. Under
cover of a heavy fog, a freight train, a
pilot engine and a passenger train were
in triple collision today near .Tarrow.
killing 1(1 persons and injuring over 50.
Four coaches turned over and burned.
Sixteen bodies found in the burning
wreckage were charred beyond identifi
cation. As soon as word of the smash reached
here, a trainload of nurses and physi
cians set out, for the wreck, groping
their way down the coast in the densest
fog of months.
Will Not Permit His
Name To Be Presented
Chicago, Dec. .17. Colonel Roosevelt
will not permit his name to be present
ed to any primary, not even the bull
moose, nor will he be here during the
republican convention, according to
Harold Ickcs, progressive committee
men, from s conference with George W.
Perkins, bull moose lender.
However, an unidentified presiden
tial candidate has reserved the Floren
tine room at the Congress hotel in
which Roosevelt held his mass meetings
in 1P12.
OLD ACTOR IS DEAD.
Bennington, Vermont, Dec. 17. Dan
iel Worcester, said to be the last sur
vivor of a company which first pro
duced "Uncle Tom s Cabin" and who
was the original " Uncle Tom," is dead
here today at the age of 82.
WAR ODDITIES.
-
Liverpool. John Eaton, Bnf-
fin Hay, who heard about the
war in September arrived here
after a 14,000 mile trip and en-
listed in the Scottish Horse.
London Henry Collins, Cam-
bridge, has five sons, two
brothers, two grandsons, four-
teen nephews, one son-in-law
nml three brothers-in-law in the
army and has been eongrattilat-
ed by the king.
"
London. Over !i02,2;"0 past
and present students of Rug-
by have joined tho army of
which 207 have been killed and
280. wounded. .
' .
E
Says It Is Better Than Sham
Republic-Japan Stirring
Up Trouble
- By Wang Shi Young
(Written for the United Press.) '
r Washington, Dec. ' 17. President
Yuan Shi Kni hns recently been un
fairly criticised in connection with
China's ehnngo to a monarchial form
of government. However, a largo ma
jority of intelligent Chinese urged the
change, dl'siring thnt the government
be strengthened, mid foreseeing that
the republic, would lack permanence.
Restoration of peace and stability
within the nation was largely duo to
Ylun Shi Kni, but good citizens feared
that with his death, the settled govern
ment might disappear.
Between China nml Mexico, there is
a vast difference.
Having America as her protector,
Mexico could afford a gradual develop
ment of republicanism through civil
war, nssussinatioii and other violence,
without fear of intervention. But
China, on tho other baud, witli her
neighbor Japan, ever ready to crush
her before she ciin grow strong enough
to defend herself, cannot indulge in
this political luxury. This danger from
.lapnn is the impelling reason behind
the elinnge in government.
There will be no trouble in China
unless Japan desires it. The Chinese
believe in recourse to reason rather
than to force. They have reasons to
believe that it is better to give up a
sham republic and establish a condition
nl monarchy.
Japan's interference by tendering
her advice to postpono formation of a
monarchy was really intended to re
sult in the very disturbance she pro
fessed nn anxiety to prevent.
Attorney General Will
i "Opine" On Status of
Raw Meat and Sausage
The opening of the bids for the
meals for the Hlato institutions by tho
board of control yesterday afternoon
also opened up (he question of tho ft
per cent differential in favor of Oregon
Manufacturers. The board of control
hns the right to give preference to nn
Oregon manufacturer in awarding a
contract if the bid of the Oregon manu
facturer is not more than 5 per cent
higher than that of nn outside company.
The Union Meat company of Port
land bid 0.8!) per hundred pounds for
fresh beef and Cnrsten's packing plant
of Tacoinn bid $0.75, but the Portland
bid is not 5 per cent higher than the
Tacoma bid and the Union Ment com
pany chained the contract under the
five per cent limit. Then the question
came up ns to whether or not fresh
beef was n manufactured article. It is
admitted that snusnge, bacon mill the
by products of the meat market nre
manufactured articles but fresh beef
sold in tho bulk is another matter and
the attorney general will be called up
on to decide the mutter. The fresh
beef and mutton contract is tho big
Btnto contract and local packing plants
entered nn bid on this contract though
E. C. Cross Si Son and Steusloff Bros.
landed most of the contracts for the
other kinds of meats and market sup
plies that will be used next year nt the
state institutions.
WOMAN OOES TO PRISON
Stockton, Col, Dec. 17. Marguerite
I.overidge, the young woman who single
bunded held tip the court house restuu
rant on the night of December 14, se
curing the sum of i,2.!0, was sen
tenced by Judge C. W. Norton today to
a term of three years Imprisonment In
Sun Ouentin.
(she was reienseu irnm me nenirie
county jail a year ngo, having served
a tenii for grand larceny. .
Hhe received her sentence without
show of emotion,
KITCHEN EE TO MAURY
London, Dee. 17. Enrl Kitchener,
stern bacnelnr of flt, is about to wed
the Countess Dowager Mitito, widow
of tho former governor general of ( an
nda, society invorltfl of Washington
ami Newport, according to rumors to
day. The ronntem was a noted beauty
in her Younger days. Hhn hnd been
hostess for the ftooscvelts frequently,
THE NET TIGHTENS
AROUND SCHMIDT
IN MURDER TRIAL
Schmidt Identified As One of
Men Who Loaded Powder
On Launch '
POWDER AFTERWARDS
FOUND IN LOS ANGELES
Superintendent of Powder
Works Points Out Caplan
As Man With Schmidt
T.os Angeles, Cal., Dec. 17. Tracing
the movements of nu alleged dynamite
gang from Kansas City to Seattle,
thence to .San Francisco and to I.os An
geles, where the Times building wus
blown up, four witnesses told their
stories todny in the: murder trial of M.
A. Schmidt, charged with being one of
the plotters.
J. Brubaker, superintendent of a con
struction company In Kansas City, de
scribed tin explosion which damaged one
of his company's "jobs" a few week:
before the Times building affair. A
simiiar explosion occurred iu Scattb
about the name time, according to Har
ry Brant, superintendent of a construc
tion company there,
, Then the dynamiters, the stale claim
ed, moved to .San Francisco and be
gan plnuning the I.os Angeles disaster.
W. (i. Stolve, a San Francisco newspa
per man, employed iu tho advertising
department of a morning paper, there,
suid he received a "want ad" for a
"2 foot launch to be used by a party
of men," about the time the cunsipia
tors were securing a vessel to transport
their gelatin from (limit, Cub, to I.os
Angeles. Stol v f- unable to identify
Schmidt as one of the men who gave
him the advertisement.
Evidence of how tho dynamite was
loaded on n launch at (limit having
already been given, and Schmidt having
been identified ns one of the men who
received it, by Superintendent Phillips
of the Giant Powder company, the state
traced the explosive to its final disposi
tion. Detective F. B. Carroll of the l.i
Angeles police force said he went t
San Francisco on October 17, 1010, two
weeks after the Times was wrecked and
found 10 boxes of the stuff at No. 1022
Uineteenth avenue there. Nine boxes
were' full of HO per cent gelatin, Carroll
said. The tenth had been opened, but
stti.ll held several sticks of 40 per cent.
The chests were marked "J, B. Brice"
aud were all returned, declared Carroll,
to the Giant Powder company.
He Swears to Schmidt.
I.os Angeles, Cal., Dec, 17 With wit
ness after witness identifying M. A.
Schmidt as the man who purchased spe
cially manufactured high power dyna
mite near San rrnncisoo shortly net ore
the Times building here was blown up,
the prosecution's case in the Hchmidt
murder trial drew near to a close today.
District Attorney L. L. AVoolwino said
he hoped to finish it early next week.
Next to Ortie Ale.Maingnl, the most
important state witness up to date has
been (leorge If. Phillips, assistant su
perintendent of the Cliunt Powder com
pany, in Contra Costn county, lie as
serted positively that Schmidt wjis the
man who bunded him the order tor
dynamite on the powder compnny
wharf. Furthermore,- he stated t Hit ly
that one of the men with Schmidt was
David Ciiplnn, whom he pointed out in
court, nud the other J. B. MeNiimnia. A
gruelling cross-examination failed to
shake Phillips testimony.
Floods In Kentucky
Follow 40-Hour Rain
Louisville, Ky., Dec. 17. Wholo
fuimlies were driven from their flooded
homes todny following a forty hour ruin
in Kentucky.
The western part of tho state Is the
chief sufferer. At Jackson, the Ken
tucky river showed a '10-foot, rise, while
the greater port of the country outside
of Louisville Is submerged. Cherokee
Park, the principal sufferer here, is
damaged to the extent of f 10,(1(10.
J0f )ft )f )(( JC ?c )(C 31 31 )t ifc ))c
THE WEATHER
the wnimh
Oregon: Fair
tonight; colder
cunt portion;
Saturday rain
west, ruin or
snow east por
t i o n ; . winds
mostly southerly.
I5
ALL IS READY FOR
Honeymoon Will Be Spent
Somewhere Not Far From
Washington
THE ii ATE ST STYLE
IN WEDDING CAKES
js . ijc
The WilBon-Oalt wedding
cako is a wondrous heart
shaped affair, with icing that
forms orchids, orango blossoms
and lillies of tho valley. Atop
it, little cupids holding red rib- sjc
bon streamers tug gaily at wed-
, ding bells.
The cako, made by Mrs. Ma- ijc
rion Fisher, of St. Paul, was
accepted ' through Rcprosenta-
tive Van Dyke of Minnesota. It
arrived today by parcel post,
handled gingerly and cpcdi- $
tionsly by postal clerks all
along the line.
Washington, Dec. 17. International
events will not mar tho wedding nor
honeymoon of President Wilson and
Mrs. Norman Boiling (lalt. Their wed
ding trip will not be shortened because
of the Ancona case.
They will wed tomorrow. The hour
hns not been announced, though it will
probably bo in the ovening. The cere
mony by tho Itov. Herbert Scott Smith,
Kpiseopul minister, will bo held in Mrs.
Gait's home, without pomp. Only a few
will witness it. Where the couple will
honeymoon was shrouded today in mys
tery. Tho place, however, will not be
far distant, so thnt the president may
be in close touch with the White House.
Some suggested that White Sulphur
Springs, W. Vu., where the president
has been on other occasions muy be se
lected. If occasion arises for a conference
over, tho Austrinn situation during the
honeymoon, Secretary Lansing will
visit the president, but it is generally
thought such action would not be neces
sary for at least a fortnight, iu view of
expected further exchanges between
Washington and Vienna.
though the president today had upon
him the enres of state, involved in the
Ancona case, there lurked on his stern
countenance a trace of the happiness he
tcit at the approaching nuptials. In his
waist coat pocket there nestled a bem1
ring of gold initialled W. W. to E. B.
0 the band with which the president
will seal their troth tomorrow.
While Whito llouso attendants en
gaged busily in packing for the limit-
moon, florists invaded the palatial Gull
homo in cxclrwivo Massachusetts ave
nue and transformed it into n bower uf
lovolincss.
No rehearsal of tho wedding cere
mony was planned. .
Tho guests will ho:
Tho president's relatives his three
daughters, his brother Joseph and wife
and her sister, Mrs. Anna Howe; Mrs.
Howe's daughter, Mrs. Cothrnn, Mrs.
Column's little daughter, Josephine;
Secretary of the Treasury MeAdoo, the
president 's son-in lnw.
Airs, Halt s relatives her mother,
three sisters, five brothers, her brother-in-law
and three sisters-in-law.
Friends of the couple l)r, Carv N
Grayson, MiBB Helen Woodrow Bones
nnu miss Alice (Jertruilo Gordon, .Mrs
Gait's ward.
I'nofficial guests Mrs. Gait's aged
negro mammy anil other old servants
of the Boiling family lit Wytlieville
They will assist her with her wedding
gown, and in preparation of the wed
ding fi list.
Though White Sulphur Springs was
named hy some as the possible honey
moon spot, a rumor circulated todnv
that n Biiniiier place Jckyl Island, off
the Georgia coast hail been chosen,
ihis island is controlled bv a New
York millionaire's club, but tiiere are
on it several private coltages and
sumptuous hold. On the island, Wil
1 i ii in Itoikefcller once took refuge when
lie wus sought as witness In the gov
ernnient money trust, case.
Market Fluctuates
But Prices Unchanged,
(Copyright 1915 by the New York
Kvenlng Tost,)
New York, Dec. 17. Occasionally
prices on the stock market today
showed a decided Inclination to rise,
Onc.o during tho forenoon they rose
from hnlf to over one point. Mercantile-
Marino advanced 12 8-4; Crucible
Stoel 1 6 H, and U. 8. Steel half. Buy
ing was active nn the advances, and ap
parently speculators wore anxious to
reverse their stock positions. Buying,
howovor, was insufficient to continue
tho rise. Intervening between the
periods of Increasing prices were per
iods of d oid i ne, so that the net changes
for tho whole day's session did Include
somo declines, though mostly good ad
vances wero registered.
A LIVELY CENTENARIAN
Woodland, Cnl., Dec. 17. John 0.
Murphy, Cr., celebrated his loot h birth
day here today by rising at 8 o'clock,
gutting his own breakfast, splitting
wood and mending clothes and socks,
lie pollied tho other old timers who
called on him, referring to them as
"kids" and advised them of his Itr
plicit faith that ho will live to be 125
at least,
SANTA CLAUS IN PRISON
Sau Quentin, Cal., Dec. 17.
Santa Claus will walk along
Murderers' Bow in tho stato
penitentiary here.
Twenty-three hundred prison-
erg hove seen to it that the five
men in that cheerless row shall
have as happy a last Christmas
on earth as human kindness can
make it. Odd nickels and dimos,
strange pieces of hand carved
wood, pipes, cigars and cigar-
ettes today poured into the
Christmas fund I lint these pris-
oners are collecting for the men,
who are slnted to liang early in
tho now year.
Expect Bill To Pass Tonight,
and Congress Will Take
Its Holiday Recess
Washington, Dec. 17. With 16 dem
ocratic majority and no republican
filibuster threatened, final enactment
of the administration war tax exten
sion measure, passed by tho houso Into
yesterday, appeared likely before ad
journment tonight. The president will
approve it , tomorrow.
Vthilo the administration proposos
extending the tax a year, senate re
publicans insisted that it is only throo
to six months. Senator Simmons, head
of the finance committee, formally re
ported the necessity of extending tho
taxes to prevent a deficit.
A holiday recess, should tho measuro
pass by tonight, is expected to bo tak
en at once, und the house democrats re
mained on hand until the senate could
dispose of the bill.
The bill came in for biting attack
by Senator Penrose, Pennsylvania re
publican. 'This." he said, "is blamed on tno
war, while thousands of dollars worth
of iroods are coming in freo of duty.
The war bus saved the democrats from
the most- gigantic collapse ever known
in anv civilized country, for if it hnd
not been for the war, tho nation would
have witnessed tho blackest time it
ever experienced worse than tho dnyB
of President Cleveland."
In commenting on democratic claims
Senator Sm'oot of Utah expressed him
self as preferring a prosperity "'not
dependent upon roaring cannon and
bursting Bhrapnel, or upon tho numbor
of widows and orphans that can bo
made."
The Bill Passes.
Washington, Dec. 17. By a vote of
43 to 2(1, the senate early this evening
voted in favor of the administration
bill, extending emergency war taxes a
year. The bill goes to the president
tomorrow for approval.
Has Plan For Stopping
Unfair Competition
Washington, Dec. 17. Secretary of
Commerce Bed field has the axe out for
"unfair, destructive" competition
from Kiirnpe lifter the war ends. He
wants it treated ns an offense, not as
an economic problem. In his report,
published today, he advocates broaden
ing the scope'of existing agencies of
the government to cmnbnt any tariff
null raised against the products or 1111
dcr-iiiMil Inbnr.
In addition to having amendments to
the existing trust laws, he favors ac
linn ml the niirt of the American busi
ness concerns to see to it that Kurnpe
does not grab the commerce which the
United States bus obtained through the
wn r.
The iden he recommends involves the
principle that, undor-snld goods trom
I'.iiiiiiin which tend to create a mon-
m.iilir ml tlinse minds In the American
market, as against home made products
should be treated as misi iuw cniu
tors.
in tne Fighting
Aboard Peace Ship
By Charles P. Stewart.
(United Press staff correspondent.)
Aboard the Ford Pence Ship, Kirk
wall, I'.ng., Dec. HI. (Delayed. ) There
is a lull in fighting aboard the Ford
pence urgosv, the Osi-ar II. Kueh party
to the recent conflict, however, is keep
ing a close watch on the other s
trenches, llev. Charles F. Akcd, of San
Francisco,-and other "regulars" whoso
condemnation of President Wilson's
preparedness program caused a split in
the rnnks, still hold tho upper hand.
They selected the executitvc commit
tee which posted rules for conduct on
the pence ship Including a ban on card
playing, In fact, somo of the regulars
tried to inflict a curfew proposal on
the party, but went down in defeat.
Whether H, H, MeCluro and other "In
surgents" against the Aked combina
tion will quit nt Christiaasand cannot
be learned.
Oregon has 27 persons with annual
Incomes ranging from I0,000 to more
than :i(l0,O00, this news from Wash
ington going to show that at least 27
Oregoiilnus need not worry ouout their
Now Year's bills.
All ' REPLY
TO AUSTRIA VILL
Unless She Complies With De
mands Diplomatic Rela
tions Will End
BERLIN PAPERS ADMIRE
WAY AUSTRIA SAYS IT
They Also Condemn Wilson's
"Big Rude Words"-But
the Latter Will Win
Washington, Dec. 17. President Wil
son and his cabinet today read Aus
tria's unsatisfactory reply to Americaa
demands in tho Ancona torpedoing case.
Thoy mapped out a course which Hee
retary of Htnto Lansing will execute
after the president leaves on his honey
moon tomorrow night.
Lansing will draft a definito final re
joinder which is expected to mean ono
of throe things:
First, a sovoinnce of diplomatic re
lations between America and Austria.
Second, that Austria will back down.
Third, that Austria will nresent evi
dence, refuting the Austrian admiralty
statements ns to tho torpedoing, on
wlnc.a tho tirst note was based.
When ho has completed his rejoinder.
tho secretary will take it to. President
Wilson; if tho latter approves, it will
bo forwarded to Vienna.
This answer will lenvo positively no
loopholo for prolonged negotiations for
which the Austrian reply, received hero
early todny, is considered as bidding.
"Will Be Ultimatum.
In effect, it will bo an ultimatum, it
is believed. The only chnnco of not
sovering diplomatic rolationB lies in
Austria's admitting and furnishing un
questionable .proof that its first, admir
alty statement was wrong. Even this
chance will be worthless, if such evi
dence is not "promptly" presented.
The first statement confirmed the
administration evidence thnt tho shor
ing of the Ancona with its consequent
loss of American life, was improper
and, in tho administration's view, in
excusable and unnecessary.
The experts finished their tank of
decoding tho Austrian reply during the
forononn and the copy was taken to
tho cabinet sossion 30 minutes after it
convened.
In addition to considering the note,
tho cabinet received from Secretary
Lansing Ambassador Penfield's inform
al report received yesterday, mid heard
from Lansing about conversations he
had with Charge d' Affaires ZwiednieU
of tho Austrinn embassy in regard t
the situation.
Lansing told newspaper men this nft
crnoon that press forecasts of the Aus
trian reply from Kurope, giving full
quotes were "ridiculously Inaccurate."
-ocipliering the Note.
Washington, Dee. 17. Austria's re
ply to America's emphatic demands in
tho torpedoing of the liner Ancona
with loss of American lives reached the
stato department shortly after mid
night this morning, Code experts im
mediately started deciphering it. with
a view to turning it over ut once tr
Secretary of State Lansing. In view
of tin) complexity of the code, how
ever, it seemed likely that the task,
would consume home emirs.
Two - more notes America's reply
and Austria's answer will likely pass
now. These constitute slight barriers)
against a breach in diplomatic rela
tions between America and Austria.
The outcome of the negotiations de
pends hugely upon tho uttitude that
tho administration iissiimes toward
Austria's request for evidence of her
contentions as to tho Austrian com
manders nets.
Indications are that America's ans
wer will bo nn ultimatum.
It may recite evidence, but it is cer
tain that it will reiterate tho oiigiual
demands for immediate compliance
with America ' ileniands, under threat
of severance of diplomatic rolatlons.
High otnciuls insist tnat tno admin
istration will not. yield a whit unlcs
Austria produces evidence overwhelm
ingly contradicting that possessed herd
ami also contradicting her own previ
ous admiralty statement as to circum
stance surrounding the torpedoing.
Neither will tho state department con
sent to a long interchange of notes it
Is stated.
The experts ought to have It ready
for presentation when the cabinet
moots. It was 1,000 words long. To
code and transmit it required 'M hours,
for it was handed to Ambassador Pen
field at Vienna nt noon Wednesday.
It was to be mado public- after Presi
dent Wilson and the sccrotary hail
studied it.
Austria Will Yield
Berlin, Dec. 17. That A merle and
Austria will break over tho Ancona
case is not expeemd here. Austria Isj
willing to ninko concessions to prevent
such an outcome. Another exchange
of correspondence, It is felt, will prob
ably clear the situation.
If Austria, In her reply had compiled
(Continued on rage Six.)
ULTIMATUM