Nebraska Newspapers

    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.
<ILL POLICE OFFICER
THEN ESCAPE WITH $4
St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 9.—Michael Gib
bons, a police sergeant, was shot and
killed today by robbers in a suburban
Station of the Wabash railroad. The
men had bound the watchman in a
rhair and were in the act of robbing
the station when Gibbons entered. A
bullet killed him as he stepped over
the threshold.
The robbers then blew open the safe,
from which they took $4 and escaped.
CONGRESS CONFEREES
REACH_A£ AGREEMENT
Washington. Jan. 9.—House and Sen
ite conferences on amendments to the
immigration bill today agreed to (
eliminate the Senate provisions barring (
negroes and exempting Belgian farm- ,
ers from the literacy test and certain '
other requirements. All other dif
ferences none substantial, were com
promised and the perfected bill will I
next be presented to both Houses for
final passage before it goes to the
president, who will hold public hear
ings on the literacy test before de
ciding whether to sign or veto it.
SMOKES FOR PRISONERS. ■
Madrid, Spain, Jan. 9.—Tobacco sent ,
to Germany for French prisoners of j
war will be admitted free of customs
duty. The Spanish embassy at Berlin, ,
which is looking after French interests,
received word to this effect today from \
the German authorities. ,
PRESENTS CREDENTIALS. ]
Washington. Jan. 9.—The credentials
of Senator Cummins for the full term, l
beginning March 4, next, were present
ed to the Senate today by Senator
Cummins.
GINNING RECORD. <
Washington. Jan. 9.—Cotton ginned i
prior to January 1. amounted to 14,- <
447,623 bales, the census bureau an- i
nounced today. Round bales included
44.S16: Seaisland, 76,886 bales. 1
raw, BESET By
GROWING HORDE OF '
FOES, SCENTS BUI
Germans Send Aid to Ally to ]
Crush Servia—Rushing For
tification of Italian Frontier
—Rumania to Strike.
CRISIS IS NEAR AT HAND
Russians Sweeping Bukowina
—Germans Drive at Warsaw
From Two Directions—
Combat Rages.
London. Jan. 11.—The position o
Austria-Hungary, according to observ
Jrs who today are giving expression to
iheir views, is most critical. Fearing
lhat Italy is preparing to join the en
tente forces, feverish preparations are
neing made to defend her southern
'rontier, according to advices from
[nnesbruck, via Geneva. The line of
Srixen-Moran-Bozen-Trent is being
'ortlfied, cement platforms laid for
reavy artillery recently brought up,
md the roads remade under the super
vision of German and Austrian officers.
It is believed that the hour for Italy
:o strike Is near at hand. On the east
:rn Austrian front, Rumania is ex
oected to take the field at any moment,
rhe Morning Post's Bucharest co'fre
ipondent says that Rumania is mo- -J
Dilizing 750,000 men—500,000 of them
ire ready to take the field at once. Ru
nania, he adds, will strike even though
Italy decides to stay out of the war.
Will Try to Crush Servia.
Servia, with her army more or less
■ehabilitated, is described in London
lb attacking the dual monarchy from
he south with renewed vigor. Aus
ria declares that the latest Servian at
empts have been repulsed. Neverthe
ess, credence is given in Engrhnd to
he reports .that Germany is planning
o throw troops to the assistance
>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.