Omaha Daily Bee The Sunday Dee is the only Omaha newspaper that fives its readers four big pctfes of colored comics. THE WEATHER. Fair VOL. XLV XO. 209. OMAHA, THUHSDAY MOUN1XO, FKHKUAKY 17, 1!K TWELVK J'AHKK. On Trains, a Hotel SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS. Tew ataad. ato ERZERUM'S FALL IS ANNOUNCED BY THE GRAND DUKE MERRICK COUNTY MAN WANTS TO BE SUPREME JUDGE. DEMOCRATS SWITCH TO OTHERTHEORIES Program of Leaders in Washing-ton Takes Up Some of Leading Tenets of Protection. TT 'IT TT H JUS GERMAN MnjE ;iR QUESTION V" Announced Intention of Sinking Armfd Merchantmen Without Warning- Delays Lnsit ania Settlement. KAISER ACCEPTS CHANGE MADE IN LUSITANIA NOTE New Draft Presented by Bemitorff Accept! American Amend menti and Alio Sag;, getts Othen. PROBABLY IS SATISFACTORY GREAT UHLAN IS RETIRED AT LAST 0. K. O. Billings, famous New York sportsman, has confirmed reports that Uhlan, 1:58, the greatest trotter the light harness world has ever known, has been definitely retired. In the future Bill, ings will use Uhlan as a saddle horse. :.,' I Nicholas Says "God Hat Granted Russians Snch Great Help" that City Taken After Tew Days' Storm. HE TELEGRAPHS THE EMPEROR Capture of Fortress the Objective of Recent Campaign in Caucasus. DER GOLTZ LED DEFENDERS PKTROGRAD. Feb. 16. (Via London.) Official announcement is made that the Russians hava ran- tared Ererum. Grand t)uke Mch-' o!ae has telegraphed the emperor as j follows: "God has granted the brave troops J r the army of the Caucasus such i great help that Erzerum has been j taken after five days of unprece-1 dented assault. I am inexpressibly j happy to announce this victory to ; your imperial majesty." ; LONDON. Feb. 1ft. Reuter'a petroirrad ! tnrrinnnHiit a1bm.i. .l.. , - ! has been captured by the Rusrlani. The capture of Krxerum haa been the objective of the recent campaign of the Russlana In the Caucasus. Its possession la of considerable atarteglc importance, as it la the chief city of Turkish Ar menia and the center of a aystem of roads. Press dispatches from Petrograd re cently said that German Field Marshal Von Der Goltz was In command at Kr erora with 80.000 men: that their escape had been cut off and that they had oro- vlalons for only a fortnight. A relief expedition was sent by the Turks, but It was reported these foroes had been defeated by the Russians with heavy losses. Krxerum Is about sixty miles west of the Russian border, lta capture. If ac complished as reported, represents one of the few definite accomplishments of the Caucasian campaign. The operations were designed to re lieve pressure on the British In Mesopo tomania and ' It Is assumed a junction with the British is hoped for. Thirteen Aeroplanes Shell Bulgar Town IXDNDON. Feb. 18. Thirteen French aeroplanes carried out a raid on the town and camp of StrumtUa. Bulgaria, I llll.li.IM lliMM in 4lMMr4itMtHl from Salonlkl today. . 'The machines dropped 15S bombs, causing several fires. It la added. - The dispatch atates .that. the machines, although subjected to a severe bombard ment, returned to their base untouched. COMMERCIAL CLUB MEN . -FOR ROAD COMMISSIONER -.-. i HASTINGS, Neb.. Feb. 16. (Special TelegTam.)-rAbout tifty members of the Nebraska. Association of oCmercial Clubs favored the drafting of a bill providing for a state highway commissioner at a meeting here today. It la planned to draft ' the highway commissioner bill, gather data In lta support, and then dis cuss th,e proposition with representatives from the farmers' organisation of the state. J. N. Clarke Was re-elected presi dent; A. T. Allyn. vice president; A. A. Lembach, treasurer, and R. A. Blake, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce last night FUNERAL OF MRS. ELIZABETH BEHRENS TO BE HELD TODAY The funeral of Mrs, Elisabeth Behrens, who died Tuesday aged M years, will be held from the Hoffman undertaking rooms at t o'clock this afternoon, with burial In Forest Lawn. Mrs. Behrens i had been a resident of Omaha many! years and at the time of her death lived : at 1U Blnney street. At the funeral this afternoon, conducted . kv Rev. Mr. Selfert. the pallbearere will I r i be: J. Btora, A. Eggem. j f B. IJver, Theodore Slnbold. j R. C. Btrehlow, Charlea Stors. The Weather Korecsst till 7 p. m. Thursday: For Omaha, Council Bluffs and Vicinity Fair; continued moderate temperature. Hour. Dee;.' m at m M m y a. m 34 8 a. in.... Vi 10 a. m S It a. m 44 11 m 47 1 p. m 4 2 p. m 4! I p. m 0 4 p. in 61 6 p. ru 60 6 p. m ...... 44 7 p. m 45 8 p. m o paratlvo Local Record. 1916. 1915. 1314. 113. 'Hldhot-t yesterday 1 4a Lowest yesterday ' 24 Mean temperature M Precipitation 00 .00 41 3 II) 82 & 4 .00 .00 Temperature and precipitation depar- turea from the normal: Normal temperature 24 Kxcmi for the day 16 Total defic'enry since March 1 iai Normal precipitation "2 inch Deficiency for the day 02 Inch 'total lainfall since March l.'.S.M Inches ivfletency since March 1 73 Inch )efii-iency cor. per'od 114.... 1.S7 Inches deficiency cor. period IMS ... .&5 Inches Reports from Stations at T I. M. Station and State Temp. Htuh- of Weather. 7 p. ra. Cheyenne, clear bii M Davenport, part cloudy.. 4o ' i lenv-r. Oar Mt t4 Ix-a Mol , Hear 4i i Rain fail. . .( .') .) .( .n .U0 .'0 .00 .uu .ander, ar : 3J xt Knrth !-Mniti f'l-ar. &1 :.: Moan i. nmr w r,i I'uclilo. clear i .u Kan Id It y. clear u m Hheridan. cloudy 3 i, Mioux-t'ity. clear H Valentine, clear i L. A. WELSH. Local Forecaster. . j m JOHN C. MARTIN. STATE CLOTHIERS ARE TO jCOME BACK Elect Officers, Vote to Hold Next Convention in Omaha, Ending with Banquet WOULD PROTECT DYE INDUSTRY ' Lincoln gave Omaha quite a tus sle for the next annual meeting of the Nebraska Retail Clothiers' as sociation, in the morning session at the Fontenelle. Omaha won by a vote of 14 to 13. 0. N. Magee of Lincoln gave the Invitation to the convention for Lin coln, and W. L. Holzman made the Invitation for Omaha. Lincoln bases Us claim for the convention on the fact that it has six members In the association, while Omaha has but five. Fred H. Barclay of Pawnee City was re-elected president, C. C. Wes cott ot Plattsmouth was re-elected secretary-treasurer and P. C. Perry man of Ord and D. A. Graff of Sew ard were made first and second vice presidents, respectively. New Director. Ed Matthfesen of Blair and Elmer Johnson, of Waboo were -clectad members of the board of directors. Charlea'' Beno of Council Bluffs was made., an honorary member. This waa out of recognition of the keen interest he 'has always taken In 1-s Nebraska association, and hi faithful attendance at all the meetings, , together with the fine ginger talks he haa riven the con vention. ' .; i The resolutions' adopted In the after noon favor the Hill bill now pending In congress, which seeks to protect the young dye Industries ' In the United States by an adequate tariff; pledged the support of the organisation to all associations and bodies working for the elimination of misleading advertising; and endorsed the efforts of the National Chamber of Commerce to Induce con greaa to establish a nonpartisan tariff board. Boosts r.ood Advertising. Charles Beno of Council Bluffs gave one of hla snappy talka during the morn ing session, advocating truthful advertis ing, and urged co-operation and organ isation to oppose untruthful advertising. N. P. Sase of the Thomas Kllpatrick company gave a fiery talk on "The Making; of Salesmen "You must know how to handle men," tie said. He urged the men to go home and tell their clerics what they had learned and not be con tent with keeping the good they got out' of tn convention all to themselves. "Tell It to Henry when you get home," he said. "He haa been at the store and on the Job all the lime. Teach your clerk the inside of the business; he cannot know too much about the dry goods business." This evening the clothiers are to be the guests of the wholesalers and manu facturers of Omaha at a banquet at the Fontenelle hotel. River and Harbor Bill is Perfected (From a Staff Correspondent.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. (Special Tela trram.) Memoranda relating to appropri ations and authorixattona to be included in the river and harbor bills, aa decided upon by the committee, was made public today. In It the Missouri river from its mouth to Kansaa City la to get SSOO.ooO; Kansas City to Sioux City. $50,000; Bloux (Cltjr to Fort Benton, $125,000; at Ht. Joseph, $75,000. Representative norland la a resident of Bt. Joseph and Is a member of the river and harbor committee, hency the $75,000. The bill carries a total of $39.60M10 with $1,710.00 under continuing contract, the balance being cash. The committee agreed to only two ex ceptions to the administration policy of adding no new projects, voting $700.00 for Improvement of the East river at New York, and $3,000 for work on the Colo rado river at Yuma, Arlx. The largest single Item in the bill Is $6,000,000 for work along the Mississippi liver south of the Ohio. Through a typrographical error thia amount ap peared in the printed document aa $.000, 000, bat waa corrected today by the com mittee. Dollar Diasrr Plaaaed. HASTINGS. Neb.. Feb. 16. (Bpeeal Telegram.) The Young Men s Democratic club has planned to nold a dollar dinner here in tlie near future. The rli.b haa re elected the following officers: A. W. Branagan, president; Albert B. Tibbetts, secretary; A. J. Vaneery. treasurer. TREASURY LOWER DAY BY 'DAY (From a Staff Correspond nt. WASHINGTON. Feb. 16. (Spe cial Telegram.) The riscal failures of the democratic party are becom ing more and more conspicuous as the majority of the ways and means committee wrestles with the grave problems of how to stop the contin ual emptying of the treasury. Notwithstanding the stimulation of a war revenue law the best evi dence of the failure of the 1'nder wood tariff for the revenue MM 13 found in the dally balance sheet is Biied from the department over which Secretary McAdoo presides. So serious is the situation that the democrats of the ways and means committee has about decided to bring in a bill covering four Rrcat questions: First The law removing the duly from etiRar la to be repealed and that Industry once more protected, which will bring some relief to a very Jaded money chest This, according to reliable sources, Is approved by the president and agreed to by Chairman Kllchln. Second Conl tar dyes are to be pro tected and the Industry fostered, t'pon this it seems the president, all republi cans and most of the democrats were agreed. Third A section Is to be added to the democratic measure which Is designed to prevent cheap goods from abroad flood ing our markets at the closo of the war. This clause, of the bill Is at once the acme, the xentth and the qulnteaoenre of protection. It Is expected the president favors this leslslatlon as do nearly all the democrats. Fourth A tariff commission ia pro posed to take the place of that estab lished by the republicans and destroyed by the democrats. This feature Is favored by the president and most of ' the demo crats though not favored by Majority Leader Kltchln. Thus Is change written over everything democratic, with one exception: The change In the treasury; that is getting lesa every day. Omahan Shoots Her Mother-in-Law in a Quarrel Over Spouse HASTINGS, Neb., Feb. 16.-(Speclel Telegram.) Mrs. Harry Radenbaugh of Omaha is held at the county Jail here pending' the flllna; ot formal complaint agalflKt her for shootlnjrher mother-in-law, Mrs. Ci A. Radenbaugh, with a re bolver at the letter's farm home near Hastings yesterday afternoon. The shooting followed a struggle be tween the two women over Harry Raden baugh, whose wife saya ha waa persuaded by his parents to leave her in Omaha two weeks ago. Radenbaugh haa been living with his parents here. He waa witness to the shooting, but took no part In the struggle. Mrs. Harry Radenbaugh came from Omaha yesterday morning and consulted the county attorney as to means of get ting her husband away fro hla parent. He fdvlsed her to Interview him and she was accompanied to the farm by the proaecutor'a assistsnt. While she wss embracing her husband the elder Mrs. Radenbaugh and the father appeared and ordered her oft the prem ises. It waa then that the Omaha wo man fired one shot, which lodged In Mrs. Radenbaugh'a hip. The Omaha woman says her husband la not strong, but that ahe la prepared to support him. Laymen Flock to Des Moines from All Parts of State DE8 MOINES. Ia., Feb. 16.-Close to 1.000 delegates are expected to attend the Iowa Laymen's Mlsxiorary convention! to be held In lies Moines February 10 to tX Already more than 400 delegates hava reg istered. Among the apeakera at this meeting, which Is to be one of a aeries of seventy-five In the United States, are Bishop Joseph Hartxcll. W. E. Doughty, S. H. Little, Frank W. Padelford and W. 8. Marquis, all of Iowa. In preparation for t!ic convention teams of men to address mass meetings and church delegations have been sent over the atate tha last few Sundays. Twenty teama T.-ere out last Sunday and thirty the Sunday before. Kansas Roads Want To Advance Intra state Freight Rates TOPEKA, Kan.. Feb. 16. Seven railroad companies operating In the state filed ap plications with the Kansas Public Utili ties commission here late today for per mission to increase intrastate fright rates 30 per cent on all shipping classifications. Additional Increases were asked In rates for petroleum, crude oil and slack coal. The roads filing petitions were the Atchi son, Topeka & Santa Fe; the Chicago. Rock Island ac Pacific; the Union Taciflc, the Missouri Pacific, the Missouri. Ksn saa & Texas; the St. Ixuis & San Fran cisco and the St. Joseph Grand Island. Bryan Speaks Here March Twenty-Third W. J. Bryan will deliver an addieai in Omaha on March 2? In following out lil program of aildre.saci over the slate. Notice of the date selected was tiiuj known In connection with the efforts o! tie Dcs Mo'nes Chamber of Commerce f secure him for an ad'liesa In Des Moines, the dale of which has not t been fixed MAY BE A POSTPONEMENT Bernstorff Discusses Possibility of Delaying Putting Order Into Effect. LANSING DOESN'T COMMENT WASHINGTON. Feb. 1C. Later Secretary loosing said the German communication was being studied closely to determine If anything contained In Germany's recent notice of intention to sink armed Bhlps without warning after February 2! conflicted with the at-surances given in the Lusltania negotiations. WASHINGTON. Feb. Ill-Secretary Lansing said today that the Uermnn gov ernment's announced Intention of sinking armed merchantmen without warning after February 29 has reopened the entire question of submarine warfare. The l.u sitanla agreement presented today can not be accepted finally until the L'nlted States determines whether anything In It conflict with the new policy of sinking armed merchant ahlpa. - It was pointed out that American offi cials realized that the Lusltania agree ment refers to liners" and that the newly announced Gorman submarine policy re fera to all armed ships. Before the Lu sltsnla agreement finally Is accepted It will be necesssry to clirify the situation. In his conference with Secretary Lans ing todsy the German ambassador dla cussed the advisability of a postpone ment of the effective date of tha new submarine orders to give opportunity for negotiationa. Secretary Iansing did nut commit himself and ninde no comment. Count Von Bernstorff told Secretary Lanaing it waa his personal opinion that In carrying out the new submarine cam paign It waa not the Intention of the German government to sink "liners." Mr. I-nnnlng Is understood to hava In formed him that auch a statement from the German government would be desir able. It developed that when the German ambassador presented the draft of the Lusltania agreement more than a week ago he. at that time Informed tha State department of his government's new sub marine policy, which later was an nounced from Vienna and Berlin. Wolf Wants to Give To Owner Big Ml Of Bills He Found Harry Wolf, real estate dealer. EM Ware block, wants to give somebody a roll of bills. Bald bills consist of currency, cer tificates of gold and silver, to an amount thaf will make a snug payment on a lot, buy a talking machine or lift the mortgage from off the old home. Wolf does not despise money, far be it from anything like , that, but the real estate business la getting so real that he Juts hates to find It, In any other manner. For Mr. Wolf found this roll of money on a downtown street, and, being a gentleman and a scholar and a real estate dealer, and one ot nature's noblemen, he wants the poor working man or woman, or child, who lost this money to appear at hla office, tell him how much they lost and where they think they lost It, and if they happen to bat 1.000, the Maxuma la "there'n." Hurrah, huxzah and bravo for Mr. Wolf, Eight Hundred Quarts of Nitro Glycerine Explode CLKVKLAND. O., Feb. 36. -Charles Raker, local manager for the Washlng- ! ton Torpedo company of Washington, l'a , was blown- to atoms today In the company's storehouse In Olmstead Falls, a suburb. Fight hundred quarts of n'tro glycerin blew up. New Enterprises For Grand Island GRAND ISLAND, Neb., Feb. 16.-(Spe-cial Telegram. Real estate transactions totalling between 130,000 and $15,000 worth of property became known here today, j when it waa found that half a block l n faalilunm nmitfrtt- lnrllltlnv tiv ........ .. . . . , , , - houses, had been bought for interests close to the Jobbing Industrial lines and tha Rurllngtoa railroad. Other deals are pending. It is property that will be able to acquire both Union Pacific and Bur lington side tracking. The purchases today were from Mrs. Conrad end Coleman Nay. The Geer company and tha Ikjnuld company have also msde recent purchases In the same vicinity close to the business portion on the east. There are runtnis that the llurllngton will use part of It for a city freight depot, but It Is believed the prop erty Is for new industrial and Jobbing enterprises. Woman is Murdered On Crowded Car HUNTINGTON, W. Va., Feb. 16-Mrs. Rose Wood, a young married woman, was shot and killed on a crowded Huntington Ashland Interurban car today by Mrs. Leonard Defoe, who claimed that Mr. Wood had alienated her husband'a affec tions Mr. Wood was seated In the car with Mr. Defoe, It as said, alien Mrs. Hefue boarded the car, drew a revolver from her muff, placed It against the back of Mrs. Wood's heaJ and fired. Mrs. Defoa surrendered to th polite. . wwx 1 1, y EYE SPECIALISTS IN CONVENTION Optometrists Break Away from Jeweler and Form Separate Organization. SPEECHES ON THE PROGRAM The eleventh annual convention of the Nebraska State Optical society opened yesterday at the Rome hotel. President A. 8. Miller of Madison congratulated the members on ad vance In optometry In Nebraska dur ing the year. "Favorable legisla tion." ho said, "has boosted the pro fession. In certain Instances where boards of education ruled that chil dren's eyes should be examined by occullsts, the optometrists succeeded in having themselves recognlred to gether with the occullsts." This la the first convention of the socletl to be held separate from the con vention of the state Jeweler and tha sentiment of "those present yesterday howed overwhelming sentiment in favor of thia practice. , ! Conducted. ' Last evening H. P. Gould of the educa tional department of the Ueneral Opti cal company,. New York, conducted a quia on "Thioiy of Opthalmometry,' demonstrating with Instruments. This morning ft. R, Raker of Rockland Mass., will apeak on "Dynamic 8k lame try." Albert Myer, Albert Iea. Minn., and W, H. Needles, Kansaa CltV, will be the speaker at the afternoon session. This evening the delegates till be banqueted by the Omaha Optical com pany at the Rome hotel. Officers of the aocluty are: President, A. 8. Miller, Miidlson; first vice presi dent, Mrs. Alice Hrooke, HastlnKs; sec ond vice prealdent, Wilbur McCIUaky, Falrlmry; secretary-treasurer, H. R. Tll lotaon. Harvard. The executive committee consists of A. W. Nelhart, Elm wood; li. B. Combs, Omaha; C. A. Hewitt, Ncllght, and J. (1. Pinston, Superior. South Methodists Want to Dance and Play Cards, They Say CHICAOO, Feb. lfl.-The ban on dancing and card playing In tha doctrine of cer tain branches ef the Methodist churvh waa aasailed today by representative of the Methodist church aouth at thu conference on union of Methodism in session In Evanston. Prof. Fltxgcrald S. Parker, general secretary of the Epworth league. Nash ville; Rlshop Collins Denny, Nashville, and Prof. Wilbur F. Tlllett of Vander bllt university, Joined In the warning. The Methodist church, south. Prof. Parker pointed out, haa adopted In Its general rules new phrases eliminating the specific naming of the prbhlolted In dulgences. Those named In the doctrine of the Methodist Kpiscnpal church ar.i dancing, card playing, attending theater and circuses. . . Other branches of the Methodist de nomination have prohibitions In matter of dress, diversions, singings, readings self-indulgence, hoarding, borrowing without prospert of repaying and buy. ing without prospect of payment, and all thints' that are "not for the glory of Clod." Prof. Parker said: "Weeley, the founder of the Methodist church, said that le coold not see a theatrical performance with a clear con si lence, but on his way home from Ox ford h stopped In London to enjoy a play and en.loyd dancing wtlh his sis ters. "The hideous result of systems of rasultry are a warning to the church of all agea against making a catalogue of this and attaching stales of dementi (hereto. "Jn the old church a smile was con sldered a vice; a laugh a crime.'' PRESIDENT COMMUTES TERM OF LANDER BANKER WASHINGTON, Feb. J6.-Pre!dent Wilaon today commulod to expire June 6 next the five-year sentence Imposed oa 1'aul Lariver of Lauder, Wyo., who pleaded guilty In 114 to embexxlement 0f funds of the Citizens National bank of Cheyenne. HUGHES FORCES IN NEW YORK YICTORS Resolution to Instruct Delegate for oot Defeated by Convention. WHITMAN AND BARNES FIGHT NEW VONK, Feb. 16. The re publican national campaign will bo waged as a fight for adequate mili tary preparedness nd tariff reform, opposition to granting early inde pendence to the Philippines and in sistence on a vigorous stand for American rights, both in Mexico and In relation to the European war, ac cording to the "key note" platform adopted today by the republican state convention. The outlines of . the platform, whith was approved unanimously, wer presented last night in the speech of former Senator Ellhu Root, There was no difference of opinion apparent anion g tha 832 delegates in regard 'lo' the " pla(form. but a bitter fight was precipitated by tha attempt of the supporters of Got ernor Whitman to obtain an un qualified endorsement of his admin istration and to force. his nomina tion as chairman of the delegation to the national convention in Chi cago. Will tie I nlnstrncied. The net result waa that New York atat will send an unlnatructed delegation to the national convention If the action of the convention Is upheld by the voter at the primary election In April. A determined fight led by Henry L. Htlnwion to obtain a reaolutlon reoom mending Mr. Root aa New York's favor ite aon for the prealdency waa defeated in the convention on reaolutlon and a counter reaolutlon that no presidential candidate be endorsedwas passed unan imously. Tha principal ground upon which tha opponent of the Root reaolutlon fought waa that an endorsement of Mr. Root would preclude tha possibility of New York putting forward Justice Charlea B. Hughe as tha state's candidate for tha presidency. Nicholas Murray Butler, chairman of the committee. Issued a formal statement In which ha aald Mr. Root himself was' oppoaed to tha us of hla name. The big battle In theconvention wa fought out between tha "old line" organ ization republican under tha leadership of William Hames and the supporters of Governor Whitman. Plan of Barnes Mti. The Rarnea men entered tha convention with the avowed purpose of refusing an endorsement of the Whitman administra tion and preventing the governor from heading the New York delegation to tha national convention. The question of endorsement ended In a compromise by which two' resolutions were presented, one dealing exclusively with national affairs and tha other "com mending" Governor Whitman's conduct of the state administration. . This partial victory ot Ue governor waa offsets by a complete defeat on tha ques tion of national delegatea. The Whitman forces had united all their strength In an effort to nominate David Jayne Hill of Rochester as one of tha "big four." The Baraea faction declared themaelvea 91 posed to Dr. Hill and presented In stead the name of Wl'llam Berrl of lirooklyn. After a fight which lasted four hours the committee on delegates finally agreed on l'nlted Blates Senator Jameaa VV. Wadsworth, Jr., Charlea B. Whitman, Frederick C. Tanner and Klon B. Brown, republican leader In the state senate. Aa As Wadsworth, Tanner and Brown area reputed anti-Whitman men the commit tee's decision waa accepted aa a defeat for Governor Whitman. MELL0R URGES LARGER PUBLICITY APPROPRIATION (From a Staff Correspondent.) LINCOLN, Feb. 16. (Special.) Secre tary W. R. Mellor of the Btate Board of Agriculture, who was Invited to attend tho meeting of tha commercial club of the atate held in Hasting today, was un able to attend, having been called to Ch lea bo on business connected with the National Board of State Fair Managers. He sent a paper In which lie urged a more generous appropriation for publicity of the slate' resource. Secretary Lansing Will Not DiscuM Details Until He Confers with President Wilson. SPIRIT OP OPTIMISM PREVAILS WASHINGTON, Feb. Is. Count Von Bernstorff, the German am bassador, today presented to Secre tary Unslng the latest draft of tha Lusltania agreement, embodying the changes suggested by the Amer ican government and also ona change suggested by Berlin. Th Indications were that the agreement In its present form probably would be acceptable to the United States. When Count Von Bernstorff came front Mr. Inslng' office after a visit ef lesa than ten minutes he said: ' "Gentlemen, I refer you to the secret tary of state." Almost at the same time Mr. Lanslnsj sent out this message: "I have nothing to say." Draft tioea to Wllsoa. Count Von Bernstorff presented for mally the draft of the agreement and 1 la understood, waa Informed It could nc4 be accepted aa final until It had beeil submitted to President Wilson. Tha In dications were that It seemed satlafao tory to Secretary Lansing. Aa now drawn and formally signed rf the German ambassador tha agreement Is In reply to the last American note. It begin with reference to the formal aesurancea given by Germany last Sep tember that submarines would not sink unresisting linen without regard for tha safety of Ufa aboard and that tha liw atructlons to submarine commander wera so definite as to allow no Tntsun demanding. It then atates that tha sub marine warfare around tha British Isles was a reprisal for what la characterised aa tha "Inhumane" blockade of Great Britain to starve the central powers and then promisee Indemnity for Americana lost on the Lusltania and expressed "pro found regret" for their deaths. Spirit ef Oatlnslaaa Pre-mlls. It goes en to say that tha Oennatn government, "recognising liability fo their loss," makes tha proposal cmnd talned in tha draft submitted today andf then deals with the question ef reprteaMSl against others than enemy anbHot Tbepj ebanaa which tha BarUa toralgaT t$afi has mads in tha wording of tha proposal haa not been publicly 4 tone from tha air et optimism which vailed today tliera waa a ronerj 1 slon that tha chances ot Its delaying- thssj negotiationa wera alight. i Whlla administration officials yrrotBa not aay the redraft wss entirely aeeepta table, they held tha confident ballet thaa) tha long controversy was at last comtn-p to a close. Water Six Feet Deep in Newellton, Lar, and Still Rising NATCHICZ. Miss., Feb. 16. Mtsdsstppf! flood waters, pouring through tha Umtn Ick leva crevasse, had Inundated s largo, portion of Tensas pariah, Louisiana, today. Newellton was flooded four tt Is feet and tha water was rising rap idly. Many resident of Newellton and aurrounding territory hava arrived here. Persons who remained are being reaoue In boats. 1 Tha cravaasa at laat reports was about 1,000 feet across. Tha, third drowning waa reported today at Pickett' camp. Tha flood Is expected to reach Bt Jo i seph, La., within a short time. That j town Is reported crowded with refugees. Illinois Women Denied Right to Vote for Delegates SPRINGFIELD, 111., Feb. 16. Woman of Illinois were denied tha right to vota for delegates and alternates to tha na tional nominating conventions, state, central and precinct committeemen, la a decision of tha atata supreme court today. Tha decision held that whlla tha legislature had tha right to give woman this suffrage. It had not yet dona so, and it waa not within tha province of the court to writs tba privilege Into tha law. The Day ' War fa WH1I.R FRANCES AND FLANDERS r the fields f military activity j that Jast mow romsuao eblef at lentloa, tho fentlaai of tho Haa 1 alaaa In tho laseatsa eampalarm are avrlotlasr notablo potato of Interest. Thai newest develop mest cornea with Petregras's aa, Booaeeateat of tho esptara of alao of tho forta of tho TnrkUh atrona; hold of lirarria, th chief elty ot TnrkUh Armenia, whero. It fa said, elO.OOO men aro lorkeo, with, aot atoro thaa two wee ha' jaroTfw aloaa. BRITISH MES OPATAMI AN appear to bo niaklasr llltl, latU KfeaavU P4 Imareaw PRICKS OP FOODSTUFFS eoatlaao rlslns; ta Ureat Britain. Prom tho i benlanlaar of tho war tho laereu ' has area 4T pejr real, Tho British j Hoard of Trade, which Intra these ! flg-orcs, derlares that tho Increase j la mora Important arilrlca of food ' la Berlin haa brra and la Vlrssa 1IS.U per rest,