TODAY'S
WEATHER
4,400 SUBSCRIBERS
(22,000 EEA.DCSS) DAILY
Only Circulation la Salem Guar
anteed by th Awiit Bureau of
Circulations.
FULL LEASED WIRE
ISPA.TCHES
PRICE TWO CENTS SAPct?
FORTIETH YEAR NO. 299
SALEM, OREGON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1917
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SPECIAL WILLAMETTE VAX ' STWT VV; , , . . , CJ V Vv. rtifU to 3
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RED TAPE COSTLY
IN ARMY YORK SO
CROZIER ADMITS
Ordinance Chief, hf?Nr,
Placed Chief Blame
Conditions On Congress
GermanytoTransmit
Peace Terms to Allies
CHAMBERLAIN TAKES
ISSUE WITH WITNESS
f.
. .Amsterdam, Doe. -17. Ger-
many will shortly transmit
pence terms to the allies through
neutrals and under pledge of
secrecy, according to word from
Berlin today. i
Reports declared the peace
terms would assert "Germany's
poltical disinterestedness as to
Belgium, but would not men-
tion Alsace-Lorraine.'.' Whether
they would cover the German
colonies or future disarmament
and future indemnities for dam
M ages in Belgium and northern
France was not known here.
i
MOTHER HEAVY
LOSS TO ENGLISH
SHIPPING-REPORT
One Destroyer and Five Mer
chantmen Sunk by Ger
man Raiders
Why Appropriation for Rifles
Was Diverted to Bay
Pistols for Army
Washington, Dec. 1 7. Frankly admit
ting there is too much red tone in tlin
PROHIBITION IN
LOW
HOU
EOF
ESS TODAY
var government, Major General CrozierjAlUCndmeat, ApprOVCU Dy
thief of ordnance, today again placed! O l T . tl I i.
the bulk of the blame on congress.
This Afternoon
A hot colloquy followed in tlin sen
ate war probe committee, with members
taking Crozier to task for continually
blaming congress for America's unpie
paredness. Senators Hitchcock and Chamberlain
forced him to admit-that when estimates
are made they must bo approved by the
Washington, Dec. 17. With the air
tense, the house of representatives to
day started debate on the national pro-
war college, then by tho general staff, hibition amendment approved by the
ana. msi oy rue secretary or War, be-1
iure congress sees mem.
This process. Crozier insisted is un
avoidable.
"You have no idea, evidently, how
intricate the ordering of artillery is,"
be said.
"What's intricate nbout ordering
guns?" demanded Hitchcock.
"You knew you would need a large
number of guns. Why didn't you go
ahead and order themf If a business
man's place is burned he doesn't sit
down and figure out to the dollar what
lie '11 need to spend to replace it; he
orders by telegraph what he knows
lie '11 need."
Senator Chamberlai
Fiunl vote, scheduled for five p. in..
was confidently awaited by the auti
snluon forces- It was regaided by both
sides as the preliminary to the bigger
fight in tho forty eight state legisla
tures approval of thirty six being nec
essary t'u make this a dry nation.
Bitterness over organized labor's
opposition to the amendment develop
ed in the opening speech lor the 'drys'
by Representative Webb, chairman of
the. judiciary committee and co author
of the resolution.
"Samuel (tampers never has ... and
doss not represent organized labor on
this -question. ' - - .
I ue great body of American labor
CONVOY OF SQUADRON
WAS CAUGHT NAPPING
Italians Assume Of ensive and
Drive Aasiro-Germans
from Positions
in said he couldn 't ,r 1 wi,: S "L CTJtlT.
understand how congMs tied things im'i it.. JST? JiY """"
by delaying the appropriation until Gomoers.: in a full Mw HIf,Hw.
June.
"You
ment in local papers, had addressed an
had money appropriated in ' inHm. vvku ;., j'..
918 which you had not spent," said beers and light wines.
Chamberlain. "Things you could have; oI10 democrat and one republican
ordered you didn't order; you didn't from ea'h side was selected to control
even contract for them." the division cf time in the debate;
"We had to revise the program, Webb and Volstead for the drys and
which was contemplated by the 1910 ap-. Gardo and Graham for the wets Thig
propriation," said Crozier. "It's true plan was $ulptod after republicans
(Continued on pager three)
(Continued on page six)
WAR OF LAGOONS IS
WAGED BY ITALIANS
TO PRESERVE VENICE
London, Dec. 17. Four German de
stroyers carried out a successful raid
in British waters early Wednesday
morning sinking five merchantmen,
erne British destroyer, five armed traw
lers and damaging one other trawler.
'Tho announcement of these losses
was made in tho house of commons
late today by First Lord of the Ad
miralty Geddes and Dr. MeNamara, fi
nancial secretary to the admiralty.
Sir Eric Geddes,' first lord of the ad
miralty, said five neutral merchant
ships had been sunk and one British..
MeNamara said two neutral nier
ehautmen had been sunk off the River
Tyne.
The British destroyer sunk was the
Partridge. The second British destroy
cr, which formed an armed escort for
the convoy described by Sir Eric
Geddes, was the I'ellew." The Pollow,
according to Geddes, had a hole blown
in her hull but escaped. On board her
there were four British killed and two
wounded.
Geddes reported that there wero' fif
ty survivors of tho Partridge and the
trawlers of which ten wero wounded
Nrhich had been picked up by -the four
German destroyers who attacKed ana
taken-1 :KieL 'fiighty. eight Scandiua'
vian citizens, of which two were wo
men and. ten British survivors wero
rescued- by destroyers.' Others reached
Norway in open boats.
. MeNamara 's statement told of the
sinking of one trawler, the damaging
of a second and the sinking of two neu.
tral merchantmen before dawn eff tho
River Tyne. Eight were dead.
These eight were.belioved to be civ
ilian casualties. With the total of nar
al dead reported by Sir Erie Geddes,,
the. total loss of life in the German
raiding activity would appear to be
twelve.
The River Tyne, mentioned in Dr.
MeNamara 's announcement, is in the
north of England and its most famous
city is New! Castle.
The German raiding squadron of four
destroyers apparently encountered tho
two convoys mentioned by Geddes and
MeNamara at different points, sweep
ing up tho coast in search, of their prey
This is the second time that fast
German warships have successfully at-
in, - .:-IP. ffPiWfM . ' it I
few MiMMhrnA 5, a i
. -
-" -" 1
Q 19IT, The BaHtrtifM Symli
ABOVE EVERY BATTLEFIELD
Give and be a partner with these brave Soldiers of Humanity in every charge
against' Autocracy
if
- By Henry Wood.
(United Press Staff Correspondent)
With the French Armies in Italv, Dec
17. Italy is waging the war of lagoons
to save enice the strangest, lialt-
ainmtic, lialt-water and half land con
flirt the history of war has ever known,
Centuries ago, Atill.i and his origin
al Huns reached exactly tho same spot
between the Piave and Sile rivers that
the. modern Teutonic Huns have reached
today.
Fifteen, hundred years ago the origin
al inhabitants in this section fled from
the mainland and on the guifs and flats
of the lagoons founded the island colon
ies which eventually became Venice.
Over the same intervening ' canals,
marshes, lagoons and lakes by which At
Abe Martin .J
- ."
lwfCCKfr
I sruL I
1 fo ALL
Toadyin' after somebuddy that's
yreat or influential is a never failin'
ign o' inferiority. Onions speak louder
'n words.
t ilia and his Huns were cheeked the
Italian forces today are checking the
niedern day Huns. '
They are checking the enemv bv a
highly perfected land and water defense
which, when the conflict is over, will
form one of the mojt interesting chap
ters of tho whole history "of the war.
Since November 19, on which the
Austrians, in crossing the lower Piave
in their headlong rush to Venice, were
suddenly checked by the Italian lagoon
defenses, the entire gulf of Venice, with
its endless canals and marshes, with
islands disappearing and reappearing
with the tide, has been the scene of
a continuous naval lagoon battle. It was
still progrewing today. The fighting is
absolutely without precedent.
The modern Hnns arc desperately try
ing to turn the Italian right" wing by
progresing around the northern limits of
the Venetian gulf.
For the purpose of the. lagoon bat
tle jSS well as for general defense, the :
Italians inundated the section and st-al-j
ed all Adriatic entrances into the gulf;
by mine fields. The Venetian irulf there-'
fore was converted into an isolated sea. I
Over this inland waterway the con-j
flict is ragingsbitterly. To ift their
purpose of defenses, the Italians have 1
developed a "lagoon fleet' ranging!
from the fleetest of motor boats, armed r
with machine guns, small cannon and
torpedo tubes, to huge, cumbersome, ;
tiat-bottomed British monitors, mount
ing the biggest of marine guns.
All the Italian vessels navigate sec
ret channels dug in the bottom of the
shallow lagoons. Onlv the Italian war
pilots know these courses. Even gondo-;
las steering off the channels are in-!
stantly and hopelessly stranded. j
Not onlv this, but since the mudflv!
flats and marshy islands do not permit 1
artillery emplacements, " the Italians
have developed an immense fleet of
fixating 1 atteries. The guns range from '
three inch field pieces to the great f if- (
te-u inch monsters. Each is camouf
laged to represent a tiny island, a gar-!
den patch or a houseboat. '
Floating on the class-like surface j
or ir,e lagoons, me guns lire a lew snots ;
and then change positions making it'
(Continued on page three)
KERR MAKES WEAK
ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN
FAKE KANSAS STORY
Lays Blame for Circulation
of $9,000 Offer to" Stori
Printed In His Absence
B11F0
000KEMBTRSOY
DID OF THE WEEK
Over One Hundred Active Men
and Women Enlist In
Campaign Today
Inspired with patriotism and enthus
iasm and backed by Mayor Keyes'
proclamation that overy man and wo
man in Salem should become a mem
ber of the American Eed Cross, up
wards of one hundred Bed Cross work
ers began the "drive" this morning
which is expected to net some 6000 new
members within tho city by the end of
the week..
And out in the country districts
something over 300 more earnest and
enthusiastic workers opened he drive
to secure another 6000 new Red Cross
workers before the end of the week.
Twelve thousand new members to
the Bed Cross is the goal set for Ma-
UILD BARRACKS CITY
TO HOLD EMPLOYES
OF THE WAR BUREAU
IPS
(Continued on page three)
(Portland Telegram, Dec. 15.)
Topeka, Kan., Dec. 14. The report
from Portland, Oregon, that W. J. 1
Kerr, president of the Oregon Agricul-!
tural college, had been . offered the '
nrejjiilencv nf the Kflnsnn State Acrri-'
cultural college and had declined the
position, was denied here last night by
former Governor E. W. Hoch, chairman
of the bSRrd of administration. Mr.
Hoch stated that the presidency of the
Kansas school was not even mentioned,
to Dr. Kerr while the board was in
Washington recently, and that the
Oregon man had never been considered
for the position.
r
Kr. Kerr fetakes Statement.
Corvallis, Ore., Dee. 15. President
W. J. Kerr, of the Oregon Agricultural
college, when informed of the dispatch
from Topeka, Kansas, dictated the
following statement:
"The whole situation is one of great
embarrassment to me. These things
ordinarily are settled without publicity.
All the agitation here was based on a
newspaper story of which I knew noth
ing until my return (from Washington)
about 10 days later.
"While under the circumstances I
dislike to discuss 4he matter, the fact
is that I was requested and urged to
consider the position. That was a
matter of common knowledge, not only
an;ong my friend in Washington but
ia Kansas as well."
Washington City Has Been
Overcrowded by Rush
Caused by War
.By George Martin,
(United Press Staff Correspondent.)
Washington, Dec. 17. A barracks
city iu the Patomae to house its largo
and rapidly growing army of civilian
war aides will be built by the Amer
ican government at once, it was learned
today.
Washington 'itself has crumpled un
dcr the imparft of sixty thousand war
emergency citizens. That number
probably will be doubled within six
months, as tho inflow of men, women
and girls from throughout the coun
try is constant. Without these bar
racks the situation would bo unbear
able. The emergency workers already here
Hon county bv Rev. Robert 8. Gill. : have overwhelmed tho public, and pri-
managcr of the drive within the coun- j vate living conveniences of this, cif
ty, e.nd his corps of co-workers. Of this of 310,000 peace time souls,
amount it is expected that one half j Tho barracks for families and board
will be secured within the city of Ha-' ers will be erected under the direction
lem and one half from the balance of
the county.
Salem has far less members at pres
ent according to population than any
other place iu the county, according to
estimates made at campaign headquar
ters. "In general the ratio of member
ship to peculation throughout the coun
ty is one to six plus. In Hubbard the
ratio of membership to population is
about one to two, and in Silvcrton it
is one to three plus. In Salem tho mem
bership ratio is only about one to
twelve. It is estimated that should as
many new members be seured whhin
the city in proportion to population
as now exist in some points in the
county, Salem would have a member
ship of close to 10,000. Three thousand
is the total of members now enrolled.
City Districted
Mrs. E. E. Fisher, who is manager
of the campaign within the city, in
addition to. dividing the city into 29
districts each of which will be can
vassed by an auxiliary, has arranged
for eiht booths at various points in
the city in order to catch thote who
cannot be seen at their residences or
are visitors in the city. Theso booths
are in charge of Miss Mabel Withy
combe and are located at the follow-
of the D. C. Commissioners and the
I D. C. Council of National Defense. The
Council of National Defense and con
gress will authcrize its construction.
The public utilities' breakdown un
der the present added load has become
.almost intolerable. Telephone service,
except through government offices, is
hopeless. The street car systems groa
and stagger very uncertainly along un
. der the unprecedented traffic,
j Thousands of men, women and girls
wolk long distances to work every day
rather than fight their way into the
cars. No new lines nnd cars are built
because of war shortage of materials
and freight space.
There aren 't enough houses. No
more can be built because contractors
cannot not materials or prices are too
high. Rent arc prohibitive.
Real estate men are cleaning up.
One agent who raised the rent on the
house occupied by another agent said
to him:
"We've been starting here for
four vears. How we're going to get
what's coming to us; and you're no
exception."
Hotels are filled to overflowing all
! the time. Boarding house profiteers
mg piaces-aiem jjanKoi commerce. rfBnintf . 0,,,n harv..t
nana, l. o. national -.!,:. t. . ,.ja ,..,;
Meyers and post rffice.
The 29 districts into which the city
has been divided and the auxiliary in
GERMAN SPY ROBS :
BRITISH MISSION'S
OFPICEAT CAPITAL
Officials Say It Was An "In
side Job" Which Amounted
To Very Little
SOCIALIST LEADER
SffllS-SEPARATE
PEACEVITIIRUSSIA
Philip Schudeman, Majority,
Leader of Party Now
. In Stockholm
CONFERS WITH DELEGATE
CF PRO-GERMAN RUSSIANS
German Socialist Leader Is
Strong Supporter of Kaiser's
Autocratic Program
BOLSHEVIKI DEFEATED
Petrograd, Dec. 17- Bolshe
viki regiments were defeated
by Ukrainian troops Saturday
at Odessa, according to word
received today.
By Joseph Saaplen
(United Press staff correspondent)
SiocKholm, Dec. 17. Philip Schcido
mnnn, leader of tbo German ma)rity
socialists, is hero today conferring
with Bolsheviki Minister Orlovsky on
peace between Germany and Russia.
"1 am very sorry, but I cannot dis
cuss tho nature of my conference with
M. Orlovsky," Scheidcmann told t.io
United Press today.
Odlovsky was equally reticent. ront
other sources, nowever, it was reported
that Scheidemann had been clothed
with full power by the German govern
ment, which had directed the peace
angling at Stockholm rather than at
Brest fcitovsk because proceedings at
the latter place were subiect to full
publicity by the Bolsheviki.
The Brest Litovsk conference of com
missioners representing the arfnies of
Germany and Russia will presumably
continue, irrespective of negotiations
at Stockholm. -
The Bolsheviki, it was reported, first
suggested the conference with Scheide
mann at the Swedish city in the belief
that would Jne up (Sfhaeidemann '
majority socialists against German im
perialism. After four months' effort, Scheld'i
mann has finally managed to meet
with a representative of Russia to an
gle for peace.
Scheidemann, leader of the majority
socialists, is a firm supporter of tho
Gorman government, managing in
slims Unexnlicable way to bend his
pseudo-socialistic creed to fit in with
Germany '8 autocratic course. It wa
Schoiilnninnn who last summer tried
for weeks to call an '.'international
socialist coufcreiKO on peace" at
Stockholm. At that time it was known,
that -he was a direct agent of thti Ger
man autocratic government and pre
Rumablv the erovernment was seeking
j...n. -I,,,, omit an nllprcd socialist
IU JUOW O'l' --".- - -
meeting, At any rate, tno uerman guf-
preparations wnerooy
Washington, Dec. 17. A German spy
entered and robbed the British war mis-
sion's offices in the Munsey building
here, according to a theory under offi
cial investigation today.
A key to tho mission's privato United
Stutes postoffice box is the principal
article missing.
It was an "inside job" according to'
detectives. 1
Art iron gate reaching from tho mar-1,
bio floor to the ceiline lias been erected eminent made
at the entrance and every lock in the the German socialists of the Scheide
suite and to the adjacent offices haslmann typo would mniinse to dominate
been changed. Under locks and bars in'and control any "such internationalo. "
the ission's offices is tho most impor-; 8cheidemann lined up the Interna
tant military and naval information in'tiomil Socialist Bureau of tho Hague
existence outside of England. American behind such an international confer
military secrets which constantly fig-!ence. Then French socialist and Brit
ure in the vital negotiations between ish laborito members were forbidden
this government and Great Britain also -to attend any such German inspired
are locked up in the mission's archives. ! meeting and the conference fell
Entry to these records would be a para-, through.
disc to a German spy. ! KerensKy was tnon ai w.e ...-
British officials, however, deny that, the Russian government.
He saw
(Continued on page three)
I
(Continued on pag3 two)
ARMY AND NAVY
P CHIEFS ARE HOME
FROM WAR COUNCIL
y By Carl D. Groat
(United Press Staff Correspondent)
Washington. Dec. 17.- Home from
planning broad guage war work, Admir
al Benson and General Bliss, army and
navy chiefs, today felt that all the al
lies, including the United Stutes, are!
Just when Colonel House, head of the
mission, will consult with President
Wilson is unknown though it is assumed
his written reports will be supplement
ed by a verbal one very soon.
Between his reports and those of
Bliss and Benson a new turn to the war
In the army
;.. i....tr t,w.k an,! l.nrTe and ! worn can do auticipaieu.
will uot turn Tack until victory is; tins win ue expeuiieu u, iuo
achieved. Though they gathered a full : council- announce omuruajr U.KUI, UJr
realization of the new menace from Secretary Baker.
strengthened Teuton forces on the west ' Meantime, Secretary Baker has a
ifr voci niatntottt Trnm tttcir r 'I Out ii n T uiv7ij vi'li""" v
capital .'National Dans, c.
j of patriotism, make much fuss about
! "never having done anything of thf
;lcinI before" and eharcre none too well
eharee of each are as follows, the P""1 K,r,s Government wora.-r. .,o or
boundaries named being north, south, fe a month for hall bedrooms and
east, west, respectively, in each case: ihash. Dozens of girls have come hero
1 Citv limits South street, High '. from different parts of the country
street, river. Highland auxiliary. ! and promptly returned home when thev
2 Highland avenue, Madison" strert, , learned that ro .m and board would
,. cost them more than their jobs paid
(Continued on page two) ' them.
problem than he, offered a week ago.
for his weekly summary last night de
nied that the Germans now have the
initiative iu the west. This report point
ed out that the enemy is making a des-
front.
expressions that the spirit of determin
ation among all the fighters is such that
the Germans must ultimately yield.
They were particularly pleased at the
hi,ll,1,r MTtirit flhiiHrti tiv America's men
on land and sea, and held it augured perate effort to "put across" some
well for the future. ! thing big there apparently to further
Both men reported to their secretar- his forthcoming peace moves. Incident
ies briefly, however, that real speed is I ally the summary added that reprisal
needed in sending more men and more air raids over Germany haye been sue
ships "over there" They are scheduled cessfully initiated, "bringing home to
to have longer conferences with the sec- Germany some of her own schrecklieh-
- ... i -i :n ,ii i,;i I koit ' "
roiariPS laier auu man win ......
j their leading subordinates problems pre
sented by the recent allied conference.
Only five more days.