i f ■ .
SOLDIER WHO STARVED
TO DEATH, DYING, PENS
VIVID PICTURE OF WAR
GERMAN MILITARISTS
OVERRIDE GOVERNMENT
t Even Foreign Minister Without
i Authority When Army Offi
cers Are Present.
Berlin, Oct. 29., by mail.—To say that
civil authority in Germany has every
where given way to military govern
ment would be to overstate the case,
and yet it is true that within its own
field of affairs the military is not only
absolute, but also at times inclined ut
terly to disregard even the highest
state officials. This prevails to such
| an extent that passes, for instance,
■ from the minister of foreign affairs aro
only valid when some army officer i3
disposed to recognize them.
The foreign correspondents left in
Berlin have recently had occasion to
witness the working of military gov
ernment. The foreign office sent to
them, unsolicited, an invitation to visit
the war prisoners’ detention barracks
at Doberltz, some 15 miles outside the
capital. The newspaper men assembled
at the time and place directed. With
them were Captain Lochleln, of the im
perial admiralty, and several high of
ficials of the foreign office. The com
mandant of the military camp, an el
derly general, approached the group
and addressed them brusquely.
“Nobody will be admitted to see the
prisoners,” ho said, “and as long as I
am commandant here, the same rule
will prevail.”
He turned his back on the state offi
cials and newspaper men and strode
back to his room without a word or
explanation. The fact that the visitors*
were present by invitation of the gov
ernment made no difference to him.
The civil officials of Germany realize
that the fact that the neutral nations
are getting so little news from the
German side is in some degree tho
fault of this lack of co-operation be
tween the civil and the military offi
cials. If the former could have their
way, the foreign press service from
Germany would be much more nearly
complete, but they are blocked by this
attitude of the army officials.
SHELLS PLAY HAVOC
IN MODERN WARFARE
English Inventor of Shrapnel
Never Reimbursed For
Deadly Discovery.
London, (by mail), Nov. 2:—Sharp
nel, which has done far more damage
to the allies than the German rifle fire,
' is a British invention over a century
! old. Its inventor was General Shrap
nel, an English officer who was born
in 1761 and given a comission in the
royal artillery in 1779. The thought
came to him during the war In Flan
ders. where he was impressed by the
trifling effect of round shot against
troops and the limited range of grape.
His shell, filled with balls and powder
and ignited by a time fuse, was adopted
' by the British army in 1802 and played
, an important part in the peninsular
i war under Wellington and also at
Waterloo. The secret of its action was
unknown outside of Britain until 1834.
With the customary ingratitude of
governments, General Shrapnel was
never reimbursed for the expense of
his experiments. All he received was
1,200 pounds a year ($6,000) and the
offer of a baronetcy he could not af
ford to accept. He died in 1842 a bitter
old man.
Dr. Louis Seaman, the American ex
pert who has visited the hospitals of
the allies at the front, says that the
| German shells break into largo pieces
I and do little damage compared with
, those used by the Japanese against
i Russia, which were torn into showers of
I steel splinters. But the shrapnel bul
| lets make ragged wounds and also carry
i Infecting material with them, eatising
a large percentage of deaths from blood
! poisoning.
CALIFORNIA VOTERS TO
DECIDE LIQUOR ISSUE
San Francisco. Nov. 2.—California
will decide at the polls in the general
state election of November 3 whether
it is to go into the dry column or re
main wet. The fight over the prohibi
tion amendment is overshadowing all
others on the ballot and both factions
already are claiming victory.
Millions of dollars are invested in
California vineyards and wineries and
the wet element holds that to dry up
the state would throw thousands of
persons out of employment and moan
a loss to the state of millions of dol
lars annually. It is estimated that
$321,000,000 is invested in wineries and
vineyards.
POPE HOPES TO SEE
PEACE BY CHRISTMAS
Rome, Nov. 2.—According to reports
circulating In the Vatican, the pope
is redoubling his efforts to find some
solution to allow peace to be concluded
by Christians. Consequently the pon
tiff is endeavoring in all possible di
rections through the many channels
which the Catholic church possesses to
bring together all forces to accomplish
this great work.
It is understood that Indirect rela
tions exist between the pope and Pres
ident Wilson, the two leading person
ages in the world who can hasten peace.
SPAIN WILL REBUILD
HER SHATTERED NAVY
Paris. Nov. 2.—The Spanish minister
of marine. Admiral A. Miry.nda, on
the opening of tlie chamber of deputies
at Madrid yesterday introduced a bill
regarding the rehabijitation of the
Spanish fleet, according to a dispatch
from the Madrid correspondent of the
Havas agency.
The I ill provides for the construc
tion of four fast cruisers at a cost of
1)0,000.000 pesetas tabout $12,000,000).
six torpedo boats, at a cost of 1.000,000
pesetas: 2s submarines and three gun
boats _ _
ITALIA' S TAKE ISLE
r1 G'JLF OF A VLON A
i
Paris, Nov 2.—A dispatch from
j Rome to the Havas agency reports
j that th<- i: i. ad » . seno, in the CJuIf
j of Avion, an : in; » ‘Vio Albanian port
j of Avion h ■ occupied by the
, italic. .ill.. the dispatch
add;, h. *ai erv and a com
nanv ot
LIES HOUR UNDER
PILE OF DEAD MEN ^
Story of Wounded Soldier
Recalls Grim Story By
Balzac.
Northern France. Nov. A wound
ed British soldier tells a story of an
experience which recalls the grim ex
perience of Balzac's Colonel Chabert
and which also illustrates the severity
of the fighting.
Tliis soldier said he remembered the
start of a tierce fight in the trenches.
Then his mind became a blank for
many hours. When he recovered his
senses it was morning nnd he had an
awful feeling of suffocation.- When ha
tried to move he realized that he was
in a trench buried beneath a pile of
Herman and British dead.
The enemy had retired" temporarily
and eventually the soldier was able to
crawl to the next line of trenches,
which were occupied by his comrades.
Aquas Galientes Conference
Lets Out Both Leaders—
Suggestion Once Made By
First Chief Adopted.
El Paso, Tex., Nov. 2.—Leaders of
the rival Carranza and Villa factions
of the constitutionalist party in Mex
ico today looked for an early settle
ment of the differences between the
twro chieftains, following the action of
the Aguas Callentes conference late
yesterday, in adopting a decree depos
ing both Carranza and Villa from of
ficial positions.
The plan, which would retire the two
opposing leaders, was drafted and
adopted unanimously by a joint com
mittee on civil and military matters,
the members of which are the leaders
of both factions. It arranged that the
provisional president, to be named la
ter. should take oath of office before
the assembled convention.
The document thanked General Car
ranza and General Villa for their revo
lutionary activity.
The proposition for the retirement of
both leaders was made to the conven
tion by Carranza himself, who insisted
that unless Villa also retired he would
be compelled to refuse to step down
from office.
Later in the night the protocol came
up before the assembled body was
passed a vote of 17 to 112.
The plan of Aguas Calientes differs
widely from many other revolutionary
plans adopted at various times during
Mexico’s present revolutionay move
ment in the fact that it is more defin
ite in the matter of arranging a pro
visional government and carrying out
civil reforms.
It places full power in the provisional
president and the present body of chief
tains which will act in the capacity of
a congress. The plan does not call foi
elections until after the arrangement
of civil reforms by this body. No time
is set for the general elections. The
plan in this regard says:
"Said president will take oath before
the assembled convention and arrange
the program of government, which will
emanate from this arrangement, along
the best lines to realize in a pre-con
stitutional period the social and politi
cal reforms needed by the country.”
This plan borders on the suggested
commission form of government, since
the provisional president would be act
ing as chairman of the convention.
General Carranza was demoted to the
position of general of division, which
he held prior to the drafting of the
Guadaloupe plan, which made him
commander in chief of the constitution
alist army during its fight against the
Huerta power. All commanders. Gen
eral Villa included, were placed under
the orders of the secretary of war, who
would be named under the new ar
rangement, although a previous clause
clearly stated that both "Carranza and
Villa would ceaso their present func
tions."
HAVE PROOF ALLIES
HAD PLANNED WAR
Cologne Gazette Quoted By Of
ficial Bureau on Finding of
Secret Document.
Berlin, Oct. 31.—The official press
bureau today Issued the following:
"The Cologne Gazette declares that
In the archives of the Belgian ministry
of war there has been found secret doc
! umonts setting forth the common plans
' of the triple entent powers and Bel
I gium for u campaign against Germany.
| “The Italian newspaper Stampa re
ports that German troops In cast Africa
have inflicted complete defeat on the
troops from the Belgian Congo at a
point near Kissenji.
“A special correspondent of the
Frankfurt Gazet>.« in east Prussia re
ports that there is now a total of 40,
; 000 civilians of east Prussia who are
missing as a result of the Russian
atrocities in this district.
“In consequence of the illtreatment of
! German civilians in England the gen
| oral command of the German army
corps stationed at Altona, has de
clared that if Great Britain does not
liberate these Germans all Englishmen
in Germany fit for military service 'all)
be arrested.
DREADED WARSHIPS
REPORTED CAPTURED
—
Two German Cruisers Said to
Have Surrendered Because
of Lack of Fuel.
I
--~—
Eondon, Nov. 2.—A dispatch to the
Post from Sydney. N. S. W., says It Is
reported that the Carman cruisers,
Seharnhorst and the Gnelgenau, have
been captured as a r-sult of the fail
ure of their coal supply. There Is no
official Kiiflrmation of the report to
be had here.
BELLIGERENTS MAY
BORROW MONEY HERE
Funds Thus Secured, However,
Will Be Used to Purchase
American Goods.
. . i
Washington. Nov. 2.—Viewing credit j
loans to belligerent countries as pri- ;
vate transactions, the Washington ad
ministration will not attempt to in- ,
torpose its Influence against transac
tions on tho part of the American
ba nkers.
This was learned on the highest au
thority after it became known that
German financiers were contemplating
the establishment of a credit loan In
tills country, similar to the $10,000,000
credit fund negotiated by the National
City bank of New York and other
banks for tho French government.
The decision of tho Washington ad
ministration may lead to the purchase
in the United Htatos of about $50,
000,000 worth of supplies by Russia
and an equal, if not greater, amount
by Germany. Details of the expected
transactions are lacking here.
High officials of the Washington ad
ministration insist that President Wil
son has not changed liis view, an
nounced at the outbreak of the war,
that the loaning of money to belliger
ents would be "Inconsistent with the
true spirit of American neutrality.” A
distinction was drawn by officials,
however, between the loans referred
to at that time—such as bond issues
offered for public sale—and credit
transactions Intended as a checking
account against tho purchase by bel
ligerents of foodstuffs and supplies
from American firms.
RAILROADS PREPARE
MEAT RATE INCREASE
Live Stock and Packing House
Products May Bear New
Burden.
Washington, D. C„ Nov. 2.—In
creases in freight rates, ranging from
10 to 40 per cent on dressed meats,
live stock and packing house products,
are being prepared by the eastern
railroads for submission to the Inter
state Commerce commission. The pros
pect today was that tho proposed new
rates would be suspended when filed,
pending an investigation.
Tho present rate on dressed beef
between Chicago and New York is 45
cents per 100 pounds on a minimum
carload weight of 20,000 pounds. It is
proposed by the roads to advance the
rate to 50 cents per 100 and increase
the minimum carload weight to 21,000
pounds. These two factors would in
crease the transportation charge per
car from $90 to $105, or about 16 per
cent. Similar Increases are proposed
on live ‘stock and general packing
house products. Live cattle would bd
advanced from 30 to 33 cents per 100
pounds between Chicago and New
York; hogs and sheep in double deck
cars from 28 to 33 cents; hogs and
calves in single deck cars from 30 trt
38 cents; sheep and goats in single
deck cars from 30 to 41 cents, and
packing house products generally from
30 to 33 cents.
The new tariffs are expected to be
filed by or before the end of November.
In that event they would become ef
fective, unless suspended by the com
mission, by the first of January.
DREADED WARSHIPS
REPORTED CAPTURED
Two German Cruisers Said to
Have Surrendered Because
of Lack of Fuel.
Uondon, Nov. 2.—A dispatch to the
Post from Sydney, N. S. W„ says it is
reported that the German cruisers,
Scharnhorst, and the Gnetsenau, have
been captured as a result of the fail
ure of their coal supply. There is no
official confirmation of the report to
be had here.
CLAIM WESTERN FARMERS
ARE HOLDING PRODUCTS
New York, Nov. 2.—One reason why
eggs were high in New York last
month 1b that farmers In the west held
hack their shipments in the expecta
tion that tile war in Kurope would
enable them to get $1 a dozen. An
other reason was the stringent rule#
of the board of health. Willard H,
Brown, who sells more than $1,000,00#
worth of butter ami eggs a year, so
testified in the investigation conducted
by State's Attorney Parsons to de
termine whether a butter and egg mo
nopoly exists in Now York.
Despite the threat of Deputy At
torney General Kennedy yesterday to
subpoena every employe of the firm
of Swift & Co., if books of the firm
were not forthcoming today, A. W,
.Johnson, chief accountant of Swift <Sj
Co., appeared at the hearing accom
panied by the Swift counsel, but with
out the hooks.
Asked regarding the records kept by
the branch offices In this city, he re
ferred Mr. Kennedy to William H,
Hurd, New York manager of the Swiff
butter and egg business, who yester
d iv had disclaimed all knowledge of
the manner of keeping tile firm's ac
counts. The Swift attorney told Mr.
Kennedy, however, that lie had re
quested the head office at Chicago to
permit an accountant to inspect the
records of sales in New York.
The hearing was adjourned until
November 9.
HORSES FOR FRANCE.
Serine-field. Mo.. Nov. 2 The ship
ment of SO car loads of horses intend
ed for the French army began here to
tho lot from four to five years old, and
costing from $90 to $140 each. The
animals will be shipped to New Or
leans where they will be Immediately
put aboard transports.
An “Association of Neglected Wives”
has been formed at Schoenbeek. on the
Kibe, to establish a time limit for hus
bands' visit to beer houses and cafes.
If necessary the wives will form a mi
litia to remove all husbands found on
the premises after 11 p. m.
The population of the city of Manila
has increased from 234.409 in 1910 to
266,943 at the beginning of the present
year, according to a census completed
under the direction of the bureau of
health. There is a marked movement
of the population of the islands to tha
£ FADS AND FANCIES }
l FOR THE MOTORIST *
Luncheon eases for the running
)oard are made In the lightest of
mameled duck and have aluminum flt
lngs. They are dust proof.
Palm Reach cloth coats are new and
itylish. They are cut in the cape coat
nodel, having, however, the full coat
ileeves. They are or three-quarter
ength. and where the cape is attached
it the back there Is an overlapped
leam finished with four buttons.
"Harem" veils seem to be popular
'or wear with the sailor hats. They
jroteet the face from the dust, while
inly the net mesh covers the goggles.
3reen Is the favorite color.
Vacuum bottles are now among the
:heaper commodities available for the
jlenle basket.
A cravenetted serge cape, fuH length,
s a new extra wrap that Is proving
popular for rain or shine. It comes in
ill of the tans and wood brown shades.
A short cape coat In mustard and
jlack half Inch check, lined with mus
:ard colored satin, Is without sleeves,
rhe coat part buttons singly and pearl
buttons adorn the front.
Shepherd plaid rohes with craven
;tted mohair linings are very much
used at this season. They are warmer
than those of linen and are weather
proof.
"La Promenade" Is the name given
to a glorified vanity case in long en
velope shape with stout wrist strap. It
opens out flat and is fitted with gold
powder box and other aids to the toilet.
Flower hats in turban form are be
ing 'worn more and more as the season
advances, and the shaded liberty scarf
veils are worn with them. Gardenias,
camellias and roses seem to be in the
greatest demand, with a few In green
or shaded leaves.
Panama hats for outing wear have
the Roman striped scarfs or those of
Canton crepe In stape colors knotted
around the crown, with the ends form
ing streamers eight or 10 inches oil.,
the back.
-—-—— i
Limit to Hiqh Buildings.
From the Indianapolis Star.
Metropolitans i"n the United Stales
have boon worit to deal in pleasant Jest
with the restrictions on the height of
buildings imposed in European cap
itals. and have pointed vauntingly to
architectural and structural limitations
as the only bounds on the loftiness of
skyscrapers in this country. The Wool
worth building. New York city, shoots
starward to an altitude almost realiz
ing the predictions of earlier days that
the country would see Inhabited struc
tures quite as high as Eiffel tower.
Its 750 feet are proof that architects
and structural engineers have not
reached the limit. Rut a practical rea
son Interposes a bar In the United
States, where neither the law nor man's
deficiency steps In. The Wall Street
Journal Informs us that extremely high
buildings are going out of style, except
perhaps as advertising novelties, for
the very sufficient cause that people
don't want to occupy their upper
stories. There is as much detachment
and remoteness from the zone of activ
ity on the 45th floor of a skyscraper, it
would appear, is In a location miles
away from the heart of the congested
district. Long elevator journeys, isola
tion, and dread of altitudes all play a
part in the growing unpopularity of
high buildings In the American metrop
olis, the Wall street Journal says:
It is declared on competent authority
that few buildings of more than 21
stories in New York city pay a credit
able dividend. One building of more
than 30 stories, that earned 14 per cent
for the first few years, hardly makes
expenses now'. The same authority re
lates that in another high building It is
difficult to rent space above the 40th
story. The conclusion of those who
have observed the distaste of the rent
er for upper floors is that the ideal
skyscraper will be from 15 to tories
high. In a very few dtstrh of the
most populous cities the effect of a re
striction of this kind will be to Increase
rents, or to reduce office space and
rfinko quarters more compact, or on
still another hand, to perfect Interior
planning so that there will be much
less unutilized space than there Is to
day. The economy of interior space In
modern buildings Is Interesting. Long
corridor vistas and much waste space
marked the older buildings before the
era of steel structures, and in the
earlier steel framed lofts there was an
unnecessary devotion of space to cor
ridors. Today the distribution of ele
vators and the evolution of wings min
imize the need of corridors, either for
passage or for lighting. It is not im
probable, however, in view of the con
clusion concerning the inutility of very
♦all buildings, that further economies of
space will be obtained.
Property Rights.
From the Duluth Herald.
A few landed families have a monopoly
of the land In Mexico.
That's the cause of all Mexico’s trou
bles.
These families took the land, and then
took the government. They got the gov
ernment to legalize their ioot.
Now their titles are lawful—though of
course they are not just.
So when the revolutionists propose to
redistribute the land they find themselves
In the position of attacking lawful titles—
of attacking and proposing to destroy
property rights.
And that’s generally considered rather
terrible business. So appalled is the av
erage mind at the notion of destroying
property rights that those whose prooerty
rights are grievously unjust benefit as
much as those whose property rights are
fair and honest.
Here is a pretty Issue of ethics.
It is wrong for the few proprietors to
hold all the land, because it is unjust.
There’s no getting around that.
And it’s wrong, seemingly, for the rebels
to confiscate and redistribute the land, be
cause that would he illegal. That seems
pretty clear, too. though not so clear as
the other proposition.
The situation raises a very Interesting
questlo -several questions: Can there bo
any right higher than human rights? Can
there bo any end higher than the common
good? Is a law that stifles human rights
sacred? Will such a law last—should It
last?
Are property titles, however secured,
more sacred than the well-being of hu
manity?
It's a very pretty question of ethics that
now confronts—Mexico.
Despite the fact that she was op
posed by several men Mrs. Mildred R.
Brooks has been nominated on the re
publican ticket for recorder in Marion
county. Oregon, having led her nearest
opponent by two to one.
In order to secure good looking
chorus girls for musical shows, man
agers are now compelled to pay $35 a
week salary, where it was possible to
secure them for $14 a week 15 year*
ago.
Forty-one women were recently
graduated from the National Training
school of the Young Women’s CJhristian
association in New York and are now
, eligible to act as secretaries in any par#
I of the world.
German Private’s Diary Found
on Dead Body Describes
Horrors of Battle.
HE SERVED CROWN PRINCE
(Written Evidence Gives Insight
to Terrible Suffering En
dured In France.
Paris, Oct. lf> (by mail).—Here is the
etory of a German private, who was
found dead' in a trench—not dead from
■wounds, but from starvation—and this
story, in the form of a daily journal
kept apparently up to the last day. was
found on him. It begins with the ad
~ Vance of the crown prince’s army up
on the Marne after the battle of Char
ier, it and the fa!! of Longwy.
It covers' the battle of the Marne and
the great part of the campaign in the
Aisne.
‘‘Yesterday was a day of rejoicing.
Our first army has pushed back the
French, defeated a division of English
cavalry and is before the gates of
Paris. In Russia our troops have taken
150.000 prisoners. The Joy would have
been greater if we had had something
to eat. Our division leaves for Marson
St. Amand and Bossliet, where we are
to bivouac before crossing the Marne
tomorrow. We hopo to get rations there.
"We finally stopped long enough to i
take a bite. It did not take long be- i
NERVY PHOTOGRAPHER”
WOUNDED IN BATTLE
■ II. Ml . M- I I .
Donald Thompson Shot While
Taking Chances at Front
In Belgium.
a I.ondon, Oct. 31.—Donald Thompson,
r the Kansas photographer who earned
a place for himself in the history of
American journalism by purchasing
egress to the war zone of Prance from
a Russian noblewoman with a hand
ful of cigar coupons representing
money, has again leaped lightly into
the rays of the calcium. This time Mr.
Thompson has achieved the not so dif
ficulty feat of getting shot.
Arriving here today from Holland,
the intorepid camera man was taken at
once to a hotel to get much needed
Bleep. Though his wound is not se
rious, Thompson was completely ex
hausted, having been unable to sit
down with comfort since his misfor
tune.
, Thompson’s exffloits, beginning al
most with the outbreak of war, have
been heralded all over the world. His
audacity, unquenchable curiosity and
sense of humor have pulled him
through numerous scrapes with the
military that seem well nigh impos
sible. At the time he was shot Thomp
son was the only camera man with the
German army at the front. He had
received instructions to leave, but had
postponed the time of departure.
The German battalion from which he
wras obtaining food went into action
at Dixmude. Thompson was standing
near the entrance to the camp kitchen,
when a shell exploded a few feet away.
A fragment struck him as he ducked,
carrying away his coat and plowing a
short but painful furrow.
JAPANESE SQUADRON
. BOMBARDS TSINGTAU
\ -
Tokio Reports Progress In As
sault on German Position
In China.
- 1
Tokio, Oct. 31.—The navy department
announces that the Japanese squadron,
assisted by English warships and
masked by a mist, approached and vig
orously and effectively bombarded the
forts at Tsing Tau on October 29. Some
of the defense works were destroyed,
and on the next day the bombardment
was repeated. Only the northeast fort
replied to the bombardment.
The funnel of a gunboat was shat
tered by the Japanese shells.
London, Oct. 31.—The official press
bureau announced that an Indian con
tingent has joined the British and Jap
anese forces operating against the
Germans before Tsing Tau, China.
Ne,w York, Oct. 31. — The East &
•West News bureau made public to
day the following dispatch received
from Tokio:
■'The official announcement of the
navy department, made today, Octo
_^ her .”t, to the effect that the Japanese
blockading fleet that has daily since
October 25, been bombarding the Tsing
Tau forts, has, with the addition of
British warships, redoubled its efforts
on October 29 and 30 in fierce can
nonading on the various forts of the
enemy
'"The Japanese army at dawn Oc
tober 31 commenced a general attack
on Tsing Tau and is now engaged in a
vigorous artillery battle. The martial
spirit of the attacking army runs
high.” _
KRUPP GUN STORIES ARE
FABLES OFFICIALS SAY
Berlin, Oct. 31, (by wireless).—Offi
cial -information given out by the gen
eral staff today says:
••Herman military authorities deny as
fables almost all the statements re
garding the German 16-incli howitzers
which are be ing circulated in Germany
and abroad. The test of these guns be
gan six years ago and German artil
lerymen have been trained in the use of
them for several years past. The se
cret of these guns was preserved with
remarkable success.”
reopen metal exchange.
New York. Get. 31.—The board of
managers of the New York metal ex
change voted to reopen tile exchange
for trading in tin on November 9, the
date of the reopening of the London |
iuetul exchange.
I
cause what they gave us was just
enough to put a sharper edge on our
appetites. Then we went toward the
Marne, pushing back detachments of
the French. They let us come to the
very edge of the stream, our advance
guard was even partly across the
bridge when their artillery opend fire;
it seemed to us that It opened the
gates of hell at the same time. We
could not advance and we had no or
ders to retire.
"Wo could only stand and watch the
carnage around the bridge, where our
losses were terrible. We succeeded in
saving the flag and our commander
and then were ordered to retire. It,
was not exactly a defeat, the officers
say—only a retirement. The battle
resumed a little later and lasted all
night. We went forward again, but;
were obliged to dig ourselves in to
escape the terrible artillery fire. Our
own guns seemed to be weak.
"This morning (September 7) the
French flying machines are circling
above us incessantly, obliging us to
keep to our trenches. Our artillery
seems unable to dislodge the French
guns and we fear an Infantry attack
from the left. It is an artillery duel
and our troops, occupying the canal
bridge, have suffered terribly. Out of
60 men, 25 only remained when the
combat was suspended without de
cisive results. We got out of the
trenches toward 9 o’clock and wore
lucky enough to dig up some raw po
tatoes. which comforted us a little.
"A great battle was announced for
today (September 9). We have been
in the trenches four days now and the
rest after long marches would lie
agreeable if there were no dead bodies
of men and horses and if the flies did
not pester us.
BELGIAN PLIGHT IS
AWFUL SAYS IOWAN
Newspaper Man In Letter De
scribes Refugees Fleeing
Before Germans.
Washington, D. C., Nov. 2.—Chas. S.
Smith, Iowa newspaper man, former
ly of Des Moines and Albia, now in Eu
rope for the Associated Press, has
written to friends here concerning the
war situation. Mr. Smith was in Os
tend and departed from there for Lon
don just before the Germans captured
it. He takes an impartial view of the
war hut described the homeless Bel
gians’ plight as unspeakable.
"American children certainly do well
to help Belgian children,” he says.
"There plight is awful.’’
Mr. Smith saw 40,000 helpless Bel
gian refugees crowding the Ostend
dock, with a German taube flying
overhead, while the cannonading was
going on within easy hearing distance.
SUFFRAGISTS DEBATE
QUESTION OF ETHICS
Figlit on Congressional Black
list Idea Becomes Warm
Wrangle.
Chicago. 111., Nov. 2.—Tho adoption
of a resolution endorsing the work of
tho congressional committee of the
American Woman Suffrage association,
of which Mrs. Medill McCormick is
chairman, has brought a form of peace
to the suffrage convention here.
Whether it will amount to more than
an armed truce remains to be seen.
The issuance of a blacklist of con
gressional candidates, opposed to wom
an suffrage, by the committee, was a
step that developed healthy opposition
to the work of Mrs. McCormick and
her associates. Mrs. Grace Wilbur
Trout, state president, asserted, in a
speech, that the committee was actu
ated by wrong motives. Mrs. An
toinette Funk and Mrs. McCormick
made reply. Tile debate became very
warm and for a time it appeared that
the organization might be disrupted by
the dispute.
THREE BRITAINS ON
MYSTERIOUS MISSION
David Lolyd George and Other
Officials Visit Continent on
Secret Errand.
Bondon, Oct. 31.—The British gov
ernment has sent three of its highest
officials to the continent on a most
mysterious and important mission.
The delegation consists of David Bloyd
George, the chancellor of the exche
quer; Bord Haldane, the lord chancel
lor, an ' Bord Reading, the chief jus
tice.
The destination and object of this
mission is being kept a profound sec
ret. Its importance is evident from its
membership, and apparently the busi
ness to be transacted concerns both
financial and legal matters. Bord Hai
rline and the chief justice rank about
the foremost authorities upon the law
in the United Kingdom.
The most plausible report has it that
the three have gone to Holland and
possibly will extend their journey to
the Scandinavian countries to deal with
the matter of the shipment of goods
from neutral countries into Germany.
If the statements of the English news
papers are correct, Holland and ihe
three Scandinavian nations are con
ducting a flurishing trade with Ger
many through trans-shipment of sup
plies from the United States and even
from England.
The newspapers of all those coun
tries assert that their importations are
for their own needs alone, while Eng
lish papers insist that they are receiv
ing consignnn .its of petroleum, grain
and foodstuffs generally which far ex
ceed their normal requirements.
ITALIANS TAKE ISLE
IN GULF OF AVLONA
Paris, Oct. 31.—A dispatch from
Rome to the Havas agency reports
that the island of Saseno, in the Gulf
of Avlona aud near the Alt union port
of Avlona, has been occupied by the
Italians. Admiral Patris !i bspatoh
adds, has landed a bill rj .... i .1 com
"iny of marines.
