THE O’NEIL FRONTIER. D. H. CRONIN, Publisher. O'NEILL. NEBRASKA All the armies fighting In Europe have now whole troops of men who have received bicycles Instead of re mounts. If attacked In large numbers, the cyclists simply throw their ma chines In the middle of the road, where the spokes and wheels make a perfect obstacle to charging horses. The riders then take shelter In the hedges and pick off the struggling mass. A pigeon flew Into an optometrist’s •hop In New Bedford through an open transom and tried to make a meal of •ome expensive lenses In the show win dow. Finding this Impossible, the pig eon revengefully scraped together a pile of lenses and magnifying glasses and then kicked them about, repeat ing this exercise several times until the proprietor Interfered. Three 20-franc gold pieces have been extracted from the skin of Private Bolssey, now lying wounded In a Par is hospital. A piece of shrapnel plercod the pocket of another soldier, who had the coins, and who was marching ahead of him. The projectile and the coins lodged in the leg of Bolssey, who had not a penny on him before being wounded. James Sutherland, a blacksmith at Bedding, has recently received a check for $100 from the Canadian government for services rendered by him In Neva Beotia In 1866. During the Fenian raid of that year, when Canada was alarmed from one end to the other, thousands Joined the militia and Sutherland, with others, drilled faithfully In Nova Sco tia. _ During the bombardment, by a com bined British and French squadron, of the German positions on the Belgian coast, one British vessel Is said to have fired no fewer than 1,000 lyddite and shrapnel shells. Se rapid was the fir ing that some of the guns discharged 14 projectiles a minute. The action last ed for 12 hours. Should a mechanical cotton picker recently Invented prove practical, it will revolutionise the industry In this country. It Is a huge contrivance, driven by one man, much as an auto mobile is operated, and claim Is made that It will pick 96 per cent of the cot ton without injury to the unripe bolls or the plants. A French army corps is made up of 24 battalions of rather over 1,000 men each. These are sectioned Into eight regiments, each of three battalions, and these again are formed Into four brigades, two of which compose a di vision. "Tho coolest thing I ever saw In ac tion was that of a big Highlander, • who milked a cow under rifle and shell fire to get something for his wounded mates to drink when the water ran out," says Private Clarke, of the King’s Royal Rifles, In a letter home. Successful experiments have been conducted in Venice with a vessel de signed for tho work of raising sunken submarines to the surface. The sub marines Narvlo and Squalo were sub merged at a depth of 10 fathoms, and both were' raised within one hour. One of the steamship companies of Norway has contracted to make six trips a year to Spitsbergen, beginning with next spring. The vessel will be equipped with wireless and will carry passengers, freight and mall. A Japanese inventor has provided an iron kettle which bursts into song the moment the kettle begins to boll. The sounds are produced by steam bubbles striking against musical metallic bars, Just above the water. Ghee, the native butter of India, which has been known to keep for cen turies without becoming rancid, Is made by boiling butter until all the watery particles and curds have been removed by skimming. So valuable Is good date garden soil that the Arab will refuse $500 an acre for it. Through ages of cultivation it gives no indication of wearing out, hence the exceptional value placed on it Russia’s entire army represents about 4 per cent of her population. The czar has so many soldiers at his command ***** during peace times he can dispense with all but men In the prime of life. German army officers aro experi menting with rubber foot pontoons to enable soldiers to walk on water, car rying heavy loads and using their rifles freely at the same time. An automobile has been built for the csar which can be converted Into a motor sleigh by replacing the front wheels with runners and placing chains on the rear ones. Italian tests of plowing with electric motors demonstrated that it cost about half as much as If horses had been used and about two-thirds as much as steam plowing. A convict who escaped from Jail at Lydenburg, South Africa, was cap tured on a farm where he was mas querading as a policeman In search of himself. Billy, the pet goat of the Welsh regi ment, Is, It Is said “very much alive and has marched every mile with the regiment since it landed In France.” There are about 3.200,000 bicycles In use In France now, as compared with 500 - 000. 14 years ago. when the government began counting them for taxation. Portugal Is an agricultural and not a manufacturing country, and Its pros perity depends to a large extent on the •access or failure of the crops. Russia's population is Increasing at the rate of 2,500,000 a year, It le said ft now stands at about 147,000.000 of which 100,000,000 are peasants. In Lake Baikal, in Asia, the extra or dinary depth of more than 5.000 feet has been reached, making this by fur the deepest fresh water known. The first electric plant within the Arctic circle will be erected at a mis sion at Point Hope, Alaska, the power being supplied by a windmill. Forest fires lu the United States have caused an average annual loss of ft human lives and the destruction of I2I.OOC.OOO worth of timber. English society women have estab lished an institution in which nurses get three years of training in the care of dogs and other pets. J. B. Reed, of Ithaca, asserts he has trained rabbits to dig up and eat all the weeds In his garden without dam aging valuable plants. Rural carriers are now required to report forest fires throughout th» Uni ted flt&tws to proper authorities. | [~NEPRASKA NEWS NOTES j — GOVERNOR MAY CONSOLIDATE HOTEL AND LABOR BUREAUS I Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 11.—Phil Aeker : mann, state hotel commissioner, has been named labor commissioner by the governor, a position vacated by C. W. Pool, who became secretary of state. It is not stated whether the appoint ment will be made permanent, and the business of the two offices consolidated. I The governor has the power to do this without a legislative act. Under the constitution no new executive office can be created by the legislature, and 1 to get around this It has been the habit to name the governor as the man to undertake the new job and give him power to name a deputy. Thus the governor is also labor commissioner, hotel commissioner, food commissioner and oil inspector. Two years ago he arbitrarily consolidated the food and oil Jobs, and if he finds it advisable he will do this with the hotel and labor commissioners. R. I). Morlta, of Red Cloud, where he Is city school superintendent, has ac cepted an appointment as deputy un der State Superintendent Thomas. In order to get him to stay in Red Cloud, ! hts salary was raised to $1,800 n year, i and he was offered a three-year con | tract. He prefers to be deputy. “FAINTING BERTHA” STOPS WEEPING; FINDS TROUBLE Fremont, Neb., Jan. 11.—After an ab sence of several months Bertha Liebke of Omaha appeared In Fremont Wed nesday night. She was found ransack ing a suitcase in a room at the Eno hotel. A small bank containing $17 had been taken from another room and was In Miss Liebke's possession. Sheriff Condlt took "Fainting Bertha” to the county jail and kept her through the night. She was given a ticket that would carry her to Omaha and the sheriff provided an escort to the Omaha train. —4 MEASURE FOSTERED BY GOVERNOR TO BE INTRODUCED Lincoln, Neb.. Jan. 11.—Several measures are likely to be introduced next week in conformity with the gov ernor’s message relating to the judi ciary. The sectional election of su preme court Justices will meet favor with senators and representatives from those sections of the state which have so far been unable to secure a member of the supreme bench. Some members will also sponsor the formation of an Intermediate court, composed of dis trict court judges to take the place of the supreme court in disposing of minor cases appealed. PRIMARY LAW AMENDMENTS TO CAUSE BIG STRUGGLE Lincoln, Neb. Jan. 11—Amendment of the state primary law will be one of the storm centers of the session. As yet no bills 'have been produced on this subject, but it is understood sev eral are In the process of formation. One of these, backed by the governor, will amend so as to give the party committee more of a say as to who goes on the ballot as a candidate. The University Medical college, at Omaha, is usking for an appropriation of $100,000 for a hospital for clinical work. This was sponsored by the regents in their report. LOQUACIOUS INSPECTOR GETS MAYOR IN BAD Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 11.—Mayor Zeh rung 1b the storm center of criticism. The other day Ills Inspector of weights and measures told the newspaper re porters that on 11 loads of coal he had weighed, sent out by one dealer, he had found a shortage totaling two tons. Then the people began to demand who the man was. The coal dealers who didn't give short weight objected to all of them being smirched because no name was given. The demand for prosecution of the guilty man became so insistent that the inspector passed the matter up to the mayor, and the latter said there would be no prosecu tion because that would bring ruin up on the man. He based his decision also on a fear that the city scales, where the check was made, might not he correct. This does not, however, j still the storm. LINCOLN—The death at Wllllston, N. D., yesterday of Dr. D. P. Ludden, of Lincoln, came as a shock to his friends. Dr. Ludden had the widest acquaintance In the state of any resident of Nebraska. He had lived here 25 years, part of the time as pastor of one of the Lutheran churches and later as field secretary for the board of missions. During his resi lience in the state he took a very lively Interest in politics, being reading clerk at practically every state convention held here in years. He was in charge of the state relief commission during the drought of the ’90s, and later was a mem ber of the state normal board. In 1906 he came within a few votes of being nom inated lieutenant governor on the re publican ticket. WEST POINT—The body of Mr. Lier man, a former resident and pioneer set . tier of Cuming county, was brought to this county from Amelia, Holt county, Ne braska, on Wednesday, his death occur ring on the farm homo very suddenly from heart failure. Mr. Uerman was for many years prominent in the affairs of Cum ing county, being connected with a num ber of the most prominent families here. LINCOLN—Members of the local print ers’ union are up in arms in opposition to the recommendation of Governor More liead for the establishment at the state penitentiary of a printing plant to do the work of the state. This competition with free labor Is declared by them to be un fair and they Insist further that it is im practical, as few printers ever land In the state prison. WEST POINT—The funeral of Mrs. Caroline Kuester took place yesterday, her remains being interred at Rock Creek, Rev. M. Lierner officiating. Mrs. Kuester had lived In Cuming county 48 years. She bad attained the great age of 90 year*. She ie survived by three sons and two daughters. 42 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren. She was a native of Germany. Columbus. Neb., Jan. 9.—Louis Light er, attorney, has received his commis sion from Congressman Dan V. Steph ens as chairman for conducting the postoffice primary In this city. Six can didates are now in the race. The time for holding the primary has not been set. but it will take place sometime thts month. WEST POINT—On Thursday morning the county officers entered upon their two year terms. Two of them are new. the rest succeeding themselves. The new men are W. A. McDonald and Henry Schwlnk, deputy and treasurer: Rudolph Braatla, county cl-rk. and ,1. A. Ritter, deputy. The county judge, sheriff, coun ty attorney, superintendent and coroner succeed themselves. The new member of the board of supervisors is Robert Leisy, of Wtsner. The- political status of the board is five democrats and two republic ans. G. A. Helltv. for many years a rounty surveyor, is succeeded by G. County of Bancioft. REPORT OF REFORM COMMITTEE RESULTS IN FIGHT ON FLOOR I — Vote of Members Orders Print- i i ing of Daily Journal to Save Money. nwH um, >11111., jail. a.— me senate re- , form committee’s partial report of yes- ] terday will be put Into effect at once. The rules committee made a partial report in which it recommended that bills be printed in more convenient size, ] that new portions of the bill or amend- ! sd portions be printed in italics that bills be engrossed on a typewriter and enrolled on a printing press, and that the question of having a record of the daily proceedings printed each day and left on the desks of the members be left to the secretary of the senate. It was over this last recommendation that the fight arose and the charge was made by Senator Sandall of York that the senate was trying to throw the recommendations of the reform com mittee report over the transom one by one. These same senators, he charged, had used this reform recommendation as their platform in the last election. Senator Beal of Custer said he be lieved the reform committee honorable In its intentions but that the bringing of the daily record would save money and be a good thing besides. An amendment adopted ordered the print ing of the daily journal. This journal, as corrected, will be bound at the close Df the session and comprise the senate Journal. In former years the secretary of tho senate has spent weeks and even months after the session closed compiling this Journal and has usual ly received a bonus ranging from $1,2*0 to $1,5*0 for the work. This bonus is now a thing of the past. It used to be considered one of the main incen tives for the Job of secretary of the senate. The house is expected to adopt sim ilar measures at once, only it is prob able that the house will go farther In adopting the reform recommenda tions. Just what bills will be Introduced fol lowing the presentation of the water report of the committee appointed at the last session is not known yet. Former Representative McAllister, of Dakota county read the report before th.e house yesterday und the report was approved as read. It recommends a survey of the water power resources of the state, a report, and stringent regulations for water power companies already having a franchise, the cancel lation of franchises when work is not speedily completed and service fur nished, and It also provides for th.e states going into the power business, either as a whole or by sections as the state or sections of the state ex press a preference under the initiative and referendum. NEBRASKA COMMISSION FAILS TO RAISE EXPOSITION FUND Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 9.—Formal ad mission of the failure of the state commission to represent Nebraska at the Panama-Pacific exposition at San Francisco to raise funds sufficient to make a representation was made to day by Lieutenant Governor McKel vle, in charge of the cash raising. The legislature two years ago refused to make any appropriation. A self cre ated commission undertook to raise the $25,000 estimated as necessary by ap pealing to the patriotism of the school children, but newspaper opposition halted this. Later an effort was made to sell buttons to raise the money. No statement has ever been published showing the total amount raised, but it was less than $4,000. In his statement to the public, Mr. McKelvIe said that after the failure to secure funds he took up a proposi tion to have moving pictures exhibit ing the state’s resources shown, with a part of the cost to be paid by the exposition. This having been turned down, the effort is now formally aban doned and the money will be prorated back to subscribers, who divide what Is left after the expenses have been cared for. WOULD CREATE HEALTH BOARD OF GERM EXPERTS Lincoln. Neb.. Jan. 9.—Secretary Cummins, of the board of secretaries of the state board of health, tells the governor in his annual report that the Cubllc health of the state should not e entrusted to the hands of "three state officers who do not know a mi crobe of a germ when they see one.” He favors the consolidation of all of the activities In the hands of some one man who shall be responsible for what is sought to be accomplished. He wants the law amended so as to create the office of state health com missioner, who shall hold office from four to six years, and upon whom re sponsibility for the public health may be placed. Under him shall be in spectors of dairies, hotels, drugs and the like. —4— NEBRASKA SUPREME COURT JUSTICE DOCKED BY STATE Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 9.—Judge Reese, chief Justice of the Nebraska supreme court, who retired from office yester day, is out $72.49 because some Judge In the distant past overdrew the su preme court fund when he went oul of office. Every Judge since then hai done the same thing, but It fell tc Judge Reese to make up the shortage by being docked for the sum. He may sue In the courts or ask the legisla ture to make good to him. Judges ar< paid quarterly and the last warrant drawn by the Judge was for services up till the first of the year. He served six days over, but the attorney gen eral says that there is no provision of law which warrants the payment for that time because Judges are paid quarterly each year and they must take their chances on being in the quarter where the days are most nu merous. LINCOLN—Nearly $11,000,000 in securities and cash were turned over by the retiring state treasurer. W. A. George, to his suc cessor, George E. Hall. It consisted of $9,341,444 of bonds belonging to the state’s permanent educational fund, $550,000 of state warrants cashed by the school fund and held for payment later, $788,437.24. money on deposit to the credit of.the state in the various depositories in the state and $4,004 in cash in the treasury vault. The Incoming treasurer will receipt in full when he has checked over the account. BEATRICE—Clarence Glthems. held in the county Jail, confessed last evening to forging the name of John Collins, a farm er, living near Holmesville, to an $8.60 check and cashing it at the store of Rob ert Harris, in Holmesville, last Saturday. Next to agriculture, the forests of Sweden form the largest source of in come. In point of value, lumber and lumber products form the largest single Item of exportation from the country. In 1913 more thun 8,275,665 cubic yards of hewn, sawed and planed lum ber were exported from Sweden, be sides $1,146,772 worth of joiuery prod ucts. GOVERNOR MOREHEAD WOULD LIMIT TERMS OF STATE OFFICERS Nebraska Executive Strongly Urges Election For Four Years —Would Reform Taxation. Lincoln. Neb., Jan,9.—Governor More heart's message was read before a joint session of the house and senate shortly after 2 o’clock this afternoon. On this occasion. Governor Morehead. as retir ing governor, summarized observalt >ns of the past two years and the lessons to be drawn therefrom and as the gov ernor-elect recommended reforms of many sorts to the legislature. A supreme court commission to assist that body in clarmg the docket of some two years’ work, to which extent it has fallen behind, a convict printing plant to do all of the state printing, putting county and state superinten dents on a non-partisan basis, the con solidations of several state depart ments. economy, public warehouse leg islation. bank taxation and many other matters were subjects of recommended reforms. The governor commended the legisla ture upon a number of good men who had been returned after service two years ago, and upon the caliber of the men elected to that body for the first term. He referred with some pride to legislation of two years ago, but called the attention of the law makers to the reports of special commissions on re vision of school laws, on water power, and on revenue and taxation. To Restrict “Dope.” He recommended a law providing that each county pay for the return of its own fugitives from justice and pay the expense of the transportation of its own criminals to the state peniten tiary. More stringent laws regarding the “dope traffic,’’ the passage of an act which will authorize the food, drug and dairy department to make inspection of drug stores, and requiring all drug gists to keep a correct record of the sales of these drugs, was strongly ad vocated. Pointing out that the state veterinary department is controlled by the sanitary live stock board, while the stallion registration department is controlled by still a different board, he recommends that these two boards be consolidated and that inspections be made every three years and inspections made during the biennium be validated for three years. He recommends state manufacture and sale of hog cholera serum at cost. Finances Good. The bacteriological laboratory should be taken from the control of the board of secretaries of the state board of health and placed under the board of health proper. State finances are in excellent condition as are the institu tions, the governor points out, but there is need of more farm land, especially for the penitentiary. The floating debt wiped out and institutions in good shape, the time has come to cut down appropriations for the sake of econ omy. The university, with the location question out of the way and adequate appropriations made, should go forward rapidly. Reports of various state de partments are criticised because of the tendency to embellish with cuts and a lot of matter foreign to the department. The governor believes on report, a sort of blue book should be gotten out each biennium, covering the work of all state departments. This report could be edited by the legislative reference bureau. The governor is opposed to the em ployment of convict labor in competi tion with goods made by free labor. Convicts should make articles for use in state institutions, ana with the es tablishment of a printing plant, should be able in time to do all of the state printing. Banks Avoid Taxation. Banks now avoid a good share of their taxation, he asserts, and the law should make them pay their pro rata stare. In cases where the state bankirg board has refused to grant a charter to investment companies promising to loan at 6 per cent and pay investors 10 per cent, the board has been compelled to go into court to defend its position. The board should be given absolute power to deny charters. The board should also be given wide discretionary powers in granting bank charters. Feur-Year Term. The governor recommends an item ized statement from each department as to mileage used. This is in force in departments directly under the gover nor, he points out. A four-year term for state officers, and making them ineligible for re-elec tion. is strongly recommended. The state committee should certify out names before they are placed on the primary ballot. A supreme court commission should be created to help that body clear up work with which it is two years be hind. Some slight changes in supreme court procedure are recommended. Su preme judges to, should be elected by districts so as to allow electors to become more familiar with a candidate. An intermediate court to care for cer tain classes of cases now going be fore the supreme court could also be created from district judges sitting from time to time. Good roads should be systematically provided for and convict labor should be permitted for this work. The state game and fish laws should be made to conform to the federal laws. The nomination and election of state and county superintendents should be on a nonpartisan ballot as is now the case with judges. A public warehouse law, with proper safeguards, is recom mended as one of the party pledges. Hurry Appropriations. Appropriation bills should be passed within the first 40 days of the session so as to permit of due consideration of the items, both by the legislature and the governor. In the past they have been hurried through at the tail end of the session to the detriment of say ing. Co-operation of government and state in making an adequate survey of water power resources is recommend ed. Employes should b.e held down and the legislature should provide that they draw on per diem salary each day. Double salaries have been drawn in the past the governor says, for a few minutes over time. Plenty of legisla tive help can be secured at the one day salary rate. NEW MILWAUKEE BOND ISSUE NOW ON MARKET New York, Jan. 7.—Directors of the Chicago. Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail way company today authorized the is Bue of about $29,000,000 5 per cent con vertible debenture bonds to be offered to stockholders at par to the extent of 12% per cent of their present hold ings. The bonds have already been underwritten. Of the 1.522 women school teachers in Denmark, 42S are non-graduates. CUMMINS INTRODUCES SHIP PURCHASE BILL Measure Is a Substitute For That Supported By Presi dent Wilson. Washington, Jan. 11.—Substitute for the administration ship purchase bill, authorizing the president to acquire vessels suitable for naval auxiliaries at R cost not exceeding $30,000,000, for which Panama bonds would be sold, was introduced today by Senator Cum mins. All such ships would be under the secretary of the navy instead of a shipping corporation, as the adminis tration bill proposes, and in time of peace those not needed by the naval force would be leased to those engaged in foreign commerce. Iff STATE URGED r Proposed Bill Would Guard Against Losses That Have Reached High Figures In the Past. Tribune Headquarters, Pierre. S. D„ January 9, 1915. In a bill to be Introduced by Repre sentative H. G. Solem, of Minnehaha county, South Dakota will be asked to make an experiment in conducting in- < surance against losses by hail. The sys tem has not been completely outlined, ! but will include a number of optional ; and protective features. In the first place a majority of the voters in any township must give consent before such : township can be brought into the plan, i Further, an individual farmer can! stay out, even where the township has acted favorably, by filing the requisite statement. It is proposed to fix 4 per cent on the miximum benefit allowance ' as the assessment fee, with a provision j 1 to reduce the annual assessment after j < a specified reserve has been created. The maximum benefit allowance for, 1 losses on grain crops is fixed at $5 an : acre, with payment only of actual losses 1 1 incurred where it falls below that j ■ amount. On this basis those under the j ] benefits of the plan would pay 20 cents : an acre as assessments, and would be protected on hail losses up to $5 an acre. Mr. Solem feels certain that this i 4 per cent assessment would rapidly ; create a substantial surplus fund, as a , protection against any year of heavy ; losses, and that the regular annual as- ; sessments soon would be reduced to a i very low figure. j While the annual hail losses in South Dakota are not extensive they are i enough to make the subject of reason- j i able cost protection one of interest to ) nearly every farmer in the state. As ( the case now stands this protection '< must be secured from old line compa- ’ nies at exorbitant prices, or taken with ■ concerns which are sure to collect the i assessments, but not very sure about 1 paying losses. 1 Judges Dislike Receipts. Circuit court judges of South Dakota ! probably will ask a modification of the law to permit them to collect their ex pense allowances, $500 legal maximum, . on ordinary itemized and sworn state ments of disbursements, a privilege now 1 enjoyed only by the governor and mem- 1 bers of the supreme court. All other 1 state officials, including circuit judges. 1 must file the original receipt of each disbursement in order to get recom- 1 pensed, even though it be only for bus 1 fare. POPE IS TAKING DEEP INTEREST IN BELGIUM Rome, Jan. 9.—The pope again today received in private audience Monsignor teploigne, president of the Institute of j Philosophy at Louvain and had a pro longed conversation with him concern ing conditions in Belgium and the case of Cardinal Mercier. This second audience with Monsignor Deploignne is regarded as an indica-, tion of the pontiff’s deep interest in pelgium and of his purpose to do some thing to alleviate the sufferings of the Belgian people and show them his pa ternal sympathy. f her ally in a third attempt to crush he country of the Serbs. One a lundred thousand Prussians and 1 100,000 Austrians, it is said, are to be ■mployed in this campaign, the Teu onic allies deeming such a move im leratlve in view of the grave situa ion in the Balkans. Hungary Badly Shaken. Meanwhile the Russian sweep hrough the Austrian crown lands oi Bukowina continues unchecked, ac cording to news dispatches reaching l^ondon, and this army is expected by British observers soon to be well ovei he mountains forming the boundary nto Hungary. Threatened from the east and froir, he south and with Rumania preparing o cast her lot with the allies, the wai s being brought to Hungary's front loor. This is in sharp contrast to the comparative isolation from strife vhich Germany continues to enjoy vith only small strips of territory in cast Prussia and Alsace occupied by ler antagonists. Now more than ever >efore, therefore, followers of the con lict in England look to the eastern irena for immediate developments of mportance. New Drive at Warsaw. German armies are again striking at Warsaw from two directions. Along he Vistula to the west of the Polish capital, heavy fighting has been re iumed and at the same time a new cttack has been launched from the corth. The Petrograd war office de icribed the fighting as more and more lesperate, and admits that the Ger nans made advances at many points, >ut says that they were subsequently Iriven back again. A Geneva reports says that an Aus rlan army has been trapped m Galicia >y the Russians, who by an unexpected novement caught the Austrians at a isadvantage on difficult grow rid and faced them in a precarious position. 'here was no confirmation, however, if this report. Slow Work In West. In Belgium and France the allies are naking some hard earned gains and he Germans also here and there are aaking progress. The opposing force's re so nearly evenly matched and the ositions of their trenches are such that apping and bomb throwing must bo elied on chiefly to bring any gains and arring a lucky victory in the sporadic rtillery duels, this form of warfare oubtless will persist along the line ic 'landers and in France until the- weath r improves the ground antf permits aore extensive infantry operations. The French advance in Alsacce ap iarently has been checked. Both the 'reneh and the German officJal state nents of today tell of the recapture by he Germans of Burnhaupt Le-Haut. he town south of Steinbach, capture of I'hich by the French was announced esterday. In the Argonne violent fighting is gain in progress. In the charge ilie 'rench lost a number of men as the esult of traps set by the Germans, who ermltted them to occupy a trench ami hen blew it up. Fighting has been resumed In the dsne region, where the allies claim o have captured three lines of German renches. covering 600 matres of the ront. The German statement, however, ays that French attacks in this region (•ere repulsed. Several days have passed since the rst reports of Russian victories over he Turks in the Caucasus, but the 'urks have not yet admitted any re erses in this territory. MEW HAVEN OFFICERS TO MAKE TOUR OF WEST New York, Jan. 9.—A committee of fight officials of the New York, New fiaven & Hartford Railroad company, ncluding Vice President J. M. Tonilin lon and General Manager C. L. Barilo, las been appointed by President hfili itt, it was announced, to visit Detroit, Chicago, St. Paul, Omaha, St. Louis! ind other cities in the west and mid lie west, to study railroad operations here, with a view to obtaining infor nation and data that will be helpful n making the operation of the New fiaven safer, more efficient and more ■conornieal. FATHER DOWLING ILL. Kansas City, Mo.. Jan. 9.—Rev. M. *• Dowling. former president of 'reighton college, Omaha, Neb., i.ml ifidely known In Catholic educational ircles of the southwest, is critically 11 here. Bishop Lillis announced today, ittendlng physicians offered lilt!..- hope or Father Dowling’s recovery.