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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 1917)
THE O’NEIL FRONTIER D. H. CRONIN. Publisher. ^NEILL, NEBRASKA Women hold many executive educa tional positions in the United States. Of the 12,000 conspicuous positions, largely ot an administrative character. 2,500 are held by women. They Include col lege presidents, state an<J county sup erintendents of education, directors of industrial schools, heads of depart ments in colleges and universities, dl rectors of schools for afflicted, and li brarians. Twenty-four out of 622 col leges and universities are presided over by women. Of the nearly 3,000 county superintendents, 508 are women. Of ths 70 institutions for the blind 15 are di rected by women. In Persia the wedding sorvice is read In front of a fire. In Nicaragua the priest, taking the couple- each by ths little fingers, leads them to an ap artment where a fire is lighted, and there instructs the bride in her duties, extinguishes the fire by way of conclu sion. In Japan the woman kindles a torch and the bridegroom lights one from it, the playthings of the wife then being burned. The United States commercial at tache at Peking reports that tonnage of ships flying the Japanese flag has been increased 125,000 to 155,000 since 1814, and now constitutes 55 per cent of the total carrying capacity of vessels plying between Asiatic and American ports. Japan has Increased her home built merchant tonnage from nothing to 2,158,000 since 1891k The German state railroads for the second year of the war report freight receipts of *561,250.000 compared with *465,750,000, in the first year of hostili ties, and *556,500,000 in the last year of peace. Passenger receipts decreased 32 per cent in the first year of the war, and 21 per cent in the second year of the war. Dr. J. M. Hirsch, dye expert, asserts that the coagulated blood of cattle pro vides all the material necessary to the manufacture of artificial dyestuffs that sre now obtainable from coal tar, and that he has'procKiced every known color from stockyard products, llo says dyes can be made as low as 8 cents a pound. Gold Imports from Europe and Can ada that may yet come in the United States are placed at *400,000,00p, by F. J. H. von Engelken* director of the United States mint. He said these fig ures had been given him by financial agents of the allies In this country. It has been found that cork, notwith standing Its buoyancy, will not rise to the 'surface from a depth of 200 feet below the ocean’s surface, owing to tha great pressure of water. At any depth short of that it will gradually work its way to the surface. David R. Stubblefield, of Blooming ton, 111., is the possessor of "some loaf’ of breat. In 1874, two cousins went to France and as Souvenirs brought horn* several loaves. Mr. Stubblefield still has one of them. It is six feet long. According to the manufacturing plans of the 30 large rubber tire companies In the United States, their output dur ing the present calendur year will ex ceed 11.000,000 tires, of an average value of $20 at retail. Though the soli of Ladakh, Included tn the state of Kashmir, is sterile and the climate severe, the country is a great source of supply of the wool used in the manufacture of Kashmir shawls. A ratchet in the head of a golf club patented by a Philadelphian enables the head to be placed at any angle or the Blub used with the right or left hand. A machine has been developed for ipreading fine rock dust on the pass ageways of bituminous mines, to pre vent explosions, of coal dust. A Yorkshire (Kngland) farmer, em ploying eight women on his holding of 100 acres, says they "will work only when the weather Is flnfe." Chinese ship fresh eggs long dis tances in good condition by coating them with a paste made of sea salt, vegetable ashes and water. A Danish nerve specialist places con valescent patients on top of a piano so that they may be benefited by Its vi brations as It played._ Russian engineers soon will begin •xperlments that will cover three years, to ascertain if sugar beets can be raised profitably In Siberia. The larger part of Mexico consists sf an elevated plateau, with mountains >n the east and w.est. Tills plateau is of volcanic origin. Apparatus that simplifies the exam ination of paper money under a mag nifying glass has been patented by a California woman. _ _ New apparatus for filling automobile tires with air automatically cuts off the supply when th.e overinflation danger point is reached._ Sinne new telegraph cables to Cey lon have been opened, messages have Been transmitted from London within aalf an hour. _ Metallic titanium, it has bc.eu found, will cut and mark glass, leaving an H'jinmental silvery streak where it has Been used. _ Porto Rico has produced more than US.bOO short tons of sugar this year, the greatest output ever recorded for the island. The gov«mment of Argentina haa Blade the heating of passenger cars on railroad trains In the winter month! Bomputsory. __ The sew bridge across the Tiber at Rome, having a span ®f 328 feet, is the longest reinforced concrete arch tn the world. _ _ Motion pictures will be displayed on trains of the muss-Siberian railway tc relieve the monotony «f the long Jour neys. __ Petroleum deposits that have beer discovered in Somaliland are being In vestigated by the British government. Cabo-Rojo, Porto Rico, has a confec tioners' union affiliated with the labor movement of this country. • Pennsylvania leads the states in ttw use of steam power, having 2d per cent of all in the United States. -— Tavern keepers in Scotland have asked permission to employ women bartenders, as men are scare. Italy it enforcing a series of regula tions governing the wljth of wheel rim! flowed i>n hlxhsvtyr. Japan has a oi. il service retirement taw for socernreen’ employes. “WILD HORSE" MEN ARE FOUND GUILTY Many Iowa and Nebraska Farmers Were Swindled, Was Evidence. Omaha. Neb.. Dec. 30. The jury in the ease of ll defendants charged with use of the mails to defraud in sales of phantom wild horses in Coconino coun ty, Arizona, returned a verdict of guilt> against nine defendants and found one j not guilty. One other defendant was i dismissed by the judge. The following were found guilty: Al bert Hastings, Silver Creek, Neb.; C. VV. West. Lincoln. Neb.; William Hink le y, Brayton, Neb.; Jack Shercliff, Min neapolis; B. F. Beiwinkle. Ellston, la.; I. S. Smith. C. A. Smith. C. M. Thomp son and John Bolecy, Omaha. Clem ency was recommended for Thompson and Bolecy. F. V. Culdinger, of Minneapolis, was found not guilty. L. H. West, of Dos Moines, was dismissed by the judge, who said the prosecution had failed to make a case against him. Forty-two persons originally were in dlctcd by a federal grand jury for sell ing mustangs alleged to be on the gov ernment reservation in Coconino coun ty, Arizona, as “bred from imported Poreherons.” Bills of sale for six times, the number of horses on the range were filed at Flagstaff, witnesses for the government testified. The prosecution »lleged $1,000,000 was secured by the defendants through the fraudulent -sales. Of the 42 men indicted twc pleaded guilty to using the mails to de fraud, 13 were released and the case of 10 went to the jury. The prosecution produced evidence that 16,000 mustangs had been sold as ranging the Coconino reservation, when in fact less than 4,000 wild horses were on the reservation and the majority of these were mavericks arid belonged tc lbe state or were the property of ranch ers and settlers. The wild horses were worth $8 to $20 a head, western stock men testified. Victims of the wild horse operations testifying for the government, said the horses were represented to them as worth $90 a head on the market. They i traded for them, they said, because they desired to convert real property or other holdings into cash. The defend- ; ants declared they actually lost money in buying and selling wild hor^bs be cause purchasers frequently traded them property that was valueless or In which they had no interest. The de fense attempted to show there were ‘thousands and thousands of wild horses” on the Coconino range, but ad mitted "they were wild and it was ex pensive to catqh them,” CHANGES JUSTIFIED, RAILROADS CLAIM lvincoln, Neb., Dec, 30.—“A passengoi traveling from a point in Nebraska tc Siotix City constitutes interstate com merce and 1r bound to pay the interstate rate for every portion of the Journey, ever though he buy a ticket to South Siou> City, Neb., and leave the train at tha1 point, finishing his Journey by a stree car that operates interstate." This Is the point emphasized by official? of the Omaha railroad in their brief file*, with the state railway commission, in the matter of the hearing on complaint ol patrons of the road against the order 01 the road forbidding certain trains stopping for passengers at South Sioux City anc Dakota City. They set out that these two towns have four trains each way to accommodate these towns, besides trains of two llnei of tlie Burlington and hourly street cat service to and from Sioux City, and con tends that the trains in controversy art interstate trains carrying mail, baggage and passengers in interstate traffic, and that in order to ma-ke connections it is necessary to cut out these stops. They also hold that stopping interstats trains at these points enables passengers to evade the interstate passenger rate law. TROOPS RETURNING HOME; MANY WITHOUT JOBS Lincoln, Neb.. Dec. 30.—^Adjutant General Hall is in receipt of telegrams from the border that the fourth Ne braska regiment Is now on Its way north, and will arrive on the 1st or 3d of January. The regiment is coming on three speeial trains. But they will move slowly as is the custom with troop trains, and it will be a week be fore the boys are back wljh the home folks. Eighty-nine members of the regiment have listed their names with the adjutant general as being without employment on their return home, be cause their bid places could not be kept for them. An effort is being made to see that they will have a job as soon as they are ready to take one. The majority of the unemployed live in Omaha. Others listed are from Lin coln, friend. Stanton. Gordon. Fremont, Blair, Madison, Norfolk. Creston, Hem ingford. Rushvllle. Kearney. Calloway. Amhursl and Gibbon. •-♦ TAXPAYERS CAN SAVE THE SCHOOL LANDS l.lneoln. Neb.. Doe. 30.- Slate Lund Commissioner Beckmann declares in a statement issued today that unless the , taxpayers wake up and defend their interests the legislature will be induced to order all llie state school land sold 'He says thut if it is appraised for sale at what a is now appraised for rental, the state will not get half of Its *30. 000,000 value. He says the land grab bers have (been able to get by with low appraisals in the |si*l because the leg islature would not appropriate more than enough money to appraise land in seven of the 03 counties every two years, meaning it would lake 3ti years to gel all the way around. 4. OMAHA IS SELECTED AS "GOOD ROADS" STATION Washington, Doc. ;it). Director Png.-, of the bureau of good toads, depart ment of agriculture, announced today that Omaha had been selected as head quarters for the fifth go oil toads di vision, comprising Nebraska. Iowa. Kansas and Missouri. Quarters will lie in the Douglas county court house. The offei of office ipiarters decided tile contest between Omaha and Kan sas t'ity in tsvor of Omaha. The bu reau is endeavoi lug to sa\e money and whenever satisfactory railroad com munication was available the least ex pensive quarters were accepted. The work of Hie bureau will begin actively next spring after ’lie variom states shall have accepted the federal good roads appropriation bill. At pres ent. only California and Georgia are in a position tec make a demat.et for ac tual funds. — • * --- A brUliaut and permanent green can be produced from (be juice of the slalk and lee*yes of nettles and Is used 10 o’y<* woolen stuffs. Chinese juje is imitated sc* aiMoes* fuliy by German manufacturers 'hat experts of the far east frequently iris take tile artificial for t.h« teniiint. ! MOREHEAD ASKS A BIG | AMOUNT TO BUN STATE ' • j To Cost $8,793,945 to Pay Expenses For Next Two Years. Lincoln. Xeh, Dec. 30.—The modest sum of $<,793,943 is asked by Governor Morehead of the legislature for the purpose of keepltfg the ship of state off (he financial rocks during the next two years. The hist legislature asked the governor to present a budget for it, and the governor has obliged. He submits figures that show the income of the state. The budget system is one In name only, as it is but a perfunctory passing over to the legislature of a tabulation of what the various departments be lieve to be necessary to keep their wheels running. The amount is a little i more than $1,000,000 in excess of what was appropriated of what was appro priated by the legislature of 1915 for the same purpose. The estimated in come for the next biennium, based on ‘.he calculation of taxes collected dt the present rate is a little more than $11, 000,000. The largest amount asked for Is $3,396,524, for the support of the state university. Normal schools will take $820,000, while the other large items relate to the support of the various state institutions, which total almost half the whole sum. *-♦ • PEACE IN SIGHT BETWEEN TREASURER AND COMMISSIONER Lincoln, Neb., Dec. 30.— Without the ntervention of a presidential note, peace may be declared between the date treasurer and the food coramls •ioner as soon as Otto Murschel, the new appointee as commissioner takes bold. The dispute is really between lovernor Morehead, who is the head-of * the food department, and the state treasurer, but as1 both sides claim to hae won and the governor goes out and the treasurer stays in, the feud may end. Treasurer Hall says he will ask the legislature to prohibit any department from retaining fees collected by It and expended in its maintenance, and to provide that such fees shall go into the treasury and to be paid out only as authorized by the legislature. The treasurer caused the commissioner to adopt the system of which he com plains by refusing to honor warrants because no specific appropriation had been made by the legislature. The courts held the treasurer was wrong, and he now wishes to have the law makers change the law. ~-+~r TO ASK HOME RULE FOR ALL NEBRASKA COUNTIES Lincoln, Neb., Dec. 30.—The legisla ure will be asked at the coming session to pass a bill giving counties in Ne braska home rule. This information comes from the legislative reference bu reau where several members have been souring data, especially upon the oper ations of the law in California, Un der Its provisions a county may set up Whatever kind of a government It de sires. If It wishes it may continue un tier the laws governing the present or ganization. The model adopted In a number of California counties involves the short ballot proposition, five men are elect ed as supervisors. They employ alUpf fleers for four years and all assistants Hid clerks arc placed under civil ser vice. A purchasing agent buys all •utility supplies. The result has been the consolidation of offices and the do ing away with the figureheads who draw the best salaries, its in Nebraska, tad |et thcii deputies and clerks do the work. Many thousands of dollars can be saved yturly, according to the men I behind the movement. NEBRASKA WANTS STATE HISTORICAL SECRETARY Uncoli* Neb., T>ec. HO.—The directors »f <hrt ''ate Historical society are lca«lloci>‘tl over the matter of select 111:; a i clary to succeed C. S. Paine, Who recently died. Candidates were cut numerous. The names of A. O. Thomas, retiring state superintendent; A. K. Sheldon, head of the legislative t forenoe bureau, and Carson Hildreth, , retired ranker, all of Lincoln, were •nnsMered. 'The friends of the first two wer»» most numerous, but the feei ng occasioned bv the conflict of in \ rests has probably put both them out >f the running. A committee will he appoirtetl by President Webster tc sclcc; cud recommend a man for latei . <.-*»-• i<I• 1 lion. Mr. Sheldon was once secretary. but. Paine ’oumha! up a number of friends ■’ul secovrd the office. Since then hr has conducted a bureau that in a part of its work overlaps that of the so - • iety. ADVANCE GUARD OF LAW MAKERS ARE AT LINCOLN Lire •in. Xeh., Dec. HO. AT embers of <he legislature with lightning rods creel have already appeared on the scene Th** first meeting, will he held at noon next 'Tuesday. The party caucuses will he held tin night previous. An effort has been made to sound sentiment ir favor of doing away with party cau cuses and allow all members of thoN housu 1f, lake part in a preliminary meeting. The honor of being president pro 1cm of tin* senate will doubtless go to Senator Phil Kuhl. of Wayne, who was president u,t the last session, but who never got a change to wic^rl the • a\H ^cause of the zealous guard kept »V'”- “ bv James Pierson, of Monro - field 1 i• ut *ant governor. The fight for speaker of the hous will pvob-il.lv n suit in the reeleofion of 1 I cm0. *' Ja'-t son. of Xuekolls, depend nt upon -• hither he mak«s contest ho- p. r. AV iTntmblp. of Sherman, one f tbo Poor leaders of the i-mt •* already on the ground nursing his >mbit ion t»> be speaker. 4 UXCOky \ short winter course In the •aai'tvy .«<■•* 1 »oN ..f Xehra'ka foe the young % ‘curb who dealte to take Instruetfon }»». .iiikI the eighth grade Ts urged by state superintendent Thomas. Me says that here an* between.30.000 and 3fi.8tt0 pupils in Par 1 to al districts of y.e state who hav* lie lime dyrlnje the whiter months to Heive deeper tut<«• the well of^vuowledgi' .oul that.ay they are barred from attend! 1 race at high *t licol* in other seer ion* their len.aml for further tnstrm-iinn vught to .».* . i-cded in the interest of better, ua!r :t£ .»r farmery L! S'TOLN The I’n' -srs'Jy of Nebraska ims :»een made an orileers' reserve p; :.u:!r> ui.it by ;iie war department m;,r-r ; «e in w military law. This means that H«i • s who continue Military training at'U their ,n*. c-sscy tpiota of service 'n tor - ire.dun>n and >h»pItomo-« ycais win i get .i*t* uniforms and n year. #Tney will also oe paid for ;Ui"*id*r.ce at >um ' mn i.aiMing tamps. and may serve >i\ mot (.is in t iie regular si my. si the end of diei: college •..curse, at veeoud lieutenant''* pity lids method of crating an offkerw lest vt was adopted l.. congiefr tn p»ef. e 1 e 1 ■<• to t-ebt Mishin.*: note indi-ury ;u-aj. MUUiM to turn cut pn fotsiouah A*Jd;eia THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST. Here is an analysis of 200 letters re ceived at this desk, mostly within xth« last week. They were taken from the basket for letters not accompanied by stamps for reply. They do not Include letters answered us public letters and sent, with their answers, to the edi torial rooms. The 200 letters asked questions relat-’ ing to 240 subjects. Classified as well as they could be. they fall into the fol lowing heads: Menstruation, 12; other questions relating to female sex or gans, 4; rheumatism, 11; rheumatoid arthritis, 2; neuritis, 2; neuralgia, 2; high blood pressure, 9; low blood pressure, 2; constipation, 9; stomach trouble, r>; intestinal trouble, 4; liver trouble, 1; appendicitis, 1; biliousness, I; gallstones, 1; worms, 1; colitis, 1; bad breath, 2; piles, 4; poor circula tion, ,3 (this: includes Raynaud’s dis ease as well as cold hands, etc.); ques tions about babies, ii; about the ears, 7, about the eyes, 4, questions based on vanity, rather than health, were, pimples, 3; hair, 6; red nose, 1. A lot of questions concerning skin conditions were grotiped as follows. Corns, 1; bunions, 1; perspiring feet, 1; shingles, 3; hives, 1; itch, 1; bath itch. 1; winter itch, 4; eczema. 2; psoriasis, 2. A group relating to the nerves, in cluding emotionalism, 4; hysteria, 2; sleep, 3; paresis, 2; paralysis agituns 3; Infantile paralysis, 2; locomotor ataxia. 1; epilepsy, ,2; headache, 1; cramps in the legs, 3. Questions relating to the respiratory apparatus were classified as follows: Consumption, 4 ; croup, 1; bronchitis, 3; catarrh. 3; colds, 1; nose trouble. 1; asthma, 1; atrophic rhinitis, 1; hoarse ness, l; glands in nock. 2. There were two questions about the heart; food questions, 6; mineral water, 1: accidents and emergencies, 5. In formatiunwvanted about books, 5. 6 The foun questions on eugenics inquired es pecially fia to the advisability of cer tain marriages. There were five In quiries about drugs. Two fat people asked about reducing; cancer, 3; goi ter. 3; bed wetting, 1; questions about urine, 11; diabetes, 2; sex subjects (males), 3: gonorrhoea, 1: syphilis, 2: hernia, 2; cystitik, 1; diphtheria, 2; scarlet fever. 2. A frequent criticism of a health col umn is that it stimulates neurasthenia. IJpading the letters here does not lead me to think the crlticisnj well founded, t have sat in physicians’ consultation rooms and I have been to Wednesday night experience meetings at Christian Science churches and I have read the letters received here. Of the three, we arc least open to criticism of offering a forum for the neurasthenic. This analysis shows very clearly that :he interest in public health is not com parable with the interest in personal lealth. The interest in developed condi tions Is far greater than that In the iatS7ts and customs which produce those conditions. It is evident that symptoms 'orm the basis of tke major part of the nquiries. The symptom which stimu ,ates the largest number of people to .vrite Is pain. The largest number bf nquiries come from women inquiring ibout female disorders. The principal •eason for that is the few sources of in formation on questions which Intimately concern' one-half the population. Flan municipal creamery. From the Detroit News. Winnipeg, Manitoba, is about to try a new experiment in public ownership, which, if it proves workable, may open a new Held for the operation of civic control in distributing the necessites ot life. Tlie chief creamery company of the city has been interrupted in its de liveries by a strike. The company re fuses to recognize the union, its sup plies are being handled by some stores taring the emergency, but great incon venience to the public baa resulted. The city was forced into the fuel business this fall on account of the in creased price of supplies from retail dealers and the project proved profita ble to consumers and the municipality. Now the municipality is preparing to establish a civic creamery. The in creased price of all commodities has re sulted in so much agitation that the gi^ernment, by order of the council, lias promulgated a new law against all eoVnbinat ions for the advance or stor age ■'! food. II a new interpretation of the law prohoiuing '-'“straint in trade and un ie'* lilts it will he possible for any mu nicipality to investigate and penalize any ihddviduals or companies found guilty. This will apply especially tc creameries, for in Winnipeg at least it has longer been known fhat the com panies in this branch of trade were working under a 'gentlemen’s agree ment.’’ And at that the price of milk, cream and butter have not been ad* vanced in proportion lo other food products, but the existence of the agreement has acted as a perpetual menace to householders of the city. Now with wheat and the strike it is feared prices will lie advanced abnor mally in creamery products and the municipality is getting busy. Workers Benefit. From the Philadelphia Record. The Ingersoll-Rand company, which operates the largest industrial estab lishments In Fasten and'Fhiilipsburg, N. J., announced a stock distribution scheme for its employes, which will net them $.->40,000. 'Through the board of directors it has been arranged with a committee of stockholders to set aside 7,500 shares of the capital stock'of the company, which will be offered to the employes at $200 a share. The stock is selling in the market at $272. An easy pay ment plan has been evolved whereby (he employes will be enabled to acquire the stock by small monthly payments from their wages or salaries. Only those employed who have not partici pated in former stock allotments will be permitted to acquire shares. In making the announcement the compasiy stated that "the board of di rectors believed the plan to be tile com mon interest of the company and its employes." Tiie Ingersoll-Rand com pany is paying higher wages and lias more men on its payroll than ui. any previous time in its history. ' Putting Up Cider. With a weather eye toward the broil ing afternoons and sultry nights of next summer a woman who makes her weekly journeys to the city market :ounter is buying cider now that it can' oe had from bo farmers at 35 cents a e.P a and canning it just as she would ics. That is. She brings it to a ooll, skitnes it, allows the bubbles to form again, pours it into siertllzed Jars and seals securely. Served with aer ated waters nr a dasii of fruit juice <>i spice it is delicious. Why She Wanted It. From the laniisville Courier-Journal. ''Algv. I want you to buy me aabook.” ‘•1 am glad you see becoming literary, my dear.’’ “Fudge 1 Tins article says one way to acquire a good • ai rh/ge is io practice bal ancing a book on your head." A Devout Wish. From Jajndon Opinion. Maoyulrk—Ves. sir. my wife always ill.os something to harp on.” • MaeShirk- I . ope mine dots. loo. • MacQul’V —What makes you say you .hope she ,- ' MaeShirk —Mhe .« deal. In this country 1 o'* cities have pen sion funds for municipal employe*. % PLANT OF SUPERIOR STEEL COMPANY SOLD .— Big Carnegie Works Trans ferred For Consideration of $11,500,000, Pittsburgh, Pa., Dec. 30.—The sal£ of the plant of the Superior Steel com pany at Carnegie to a group of New York and Philadelphia bankers has been announced here. The price paid was $11,500,000, of which $6,000,000 will be paid in cash, and the balance in stock of the new organization which will be known as the Superior Steel corporation, chartered under the laws of Virginia. „ It was not announced whether the financial institutions beheld the deal are acting for themselves or for a larger steel concern that intends to make the Superior plant part of a new Inde pendent organization. The following banking firms are con cerned in the deal, according to the an nouncement. Cassatt & Co., and Frazier & Co., of Philadelphia, and Merrill, Dynch & Co., and White, Veld & Co., of New York. The new concern will have a capital stpck of $17,000,000. The Superior plant manufactures hot and cold rolled strip steel for hardware, automobiles and metal furniture. It has a capacity of 115,000 tons a year and employes 1,700 men. • Germans Driving Toward the Interior of Rumania and Menacing Bessarabia— Attack at Verdun. The opening of what may prove to be an importaht offensive by the Teu tonic forces along the Moldavian west ern frontier is revealed in the current Berlin statement. Apparently it is the Austro-German purpose to break through the mountain region here and force the Russo-Rumanian lihes back along the lower Carpathian barrier into interior Rumania. Several heights were captured in the effort, which evidently is made in con junction with the northward" thrust of the Teutonic armies from Wallaohie, to the east of this line, the southern flank of which is thus threatened. From Waliachia northward Field Marshal von Macke nsen's advance has been pressed on the west nearly 15 miles north of Rimnik-Sarat and now progress also has been made near the Danube, where Bralia, a grain and oil center, is the next important point in the line of the Teutonic progress. The Petrograd statement reveals that Rumanian troops are again in the field in northeastern Waliachia and the indications are that resistance of a most stubborn sort is being offered to Von Mackensen’s thrust towards the Sereth line, which runs northwest through Central Moldavia from a point on the Danube just north of Braila. The Germans, however, have taken 1,400 more prisoners from the Russians, to gether with three cannon. In Dobrudja, opposite Rraila and Ga latz. the Bulgarian-Turkish-German force has closed in further upon the Matchin bridge head, taking the town of Ratchelu, on the Danube, 10 miles across the northwestern neck of Do brudja frdm Matchin and opposite the Bessarabian shore. The apparent hope is to clear Do brudja completely of Russians and ef fect a permanent junction with the Teutonic forces in Waliachia at a point where the lower Danube will be closed completely to Russian uses and the way opened north of the river for possible advance into Bessarabia, just beyond which lies Odessa. Paris today' reports the repulse of an attack in force by the Germans between Hill 301 and Deadman hill, northwest of Verdun, admitting penetration of but one French trench south of the latter eminence. Berlin claims that German troops transferred from the Somme front penetrated into the sec ond and third French lines, captured more than. 200 prisoners and seven ma chine guns and repulsed several coun ter attacks. Paris. Dec. 29.—German troops Iasi night delivered an attack in strong force on a three-kilometer front be tween Hill 304 and Dead Man’s hill, northwest of Verdun, the war office announced today. The French infan try and machine gun fire broke the at' tack, but one of the French .trenches south of Dead Man's hill being pene trated and this only by a few hostile troops. The attack was delivered aftei long and violent artillery prepanption. North of Verdun on the right bank of the Mhuse. a strong German recon naissance was dispersed east of Har-» dan mom. . REPORT BIG BATTLE. Petrograd, (via London) Dec. 29 (British admiralty per Wireless Press) —Violent lighting took place betweer Russian troops and forces of the cen tral powers yesterday, in Central Ru mania. In the region of Amara, ac cording to the Russian official state ment issued .today, d Teuton force, 35,000 men strong, launched an attack on the Russian lines. The battle con tinued until evening, when the en gagements slackened. In the sector of Rimnik-Sarat and Boldu all the at tacks of the invaders were repulsed by the Russians. —*— TAKE 14,000 PRISONERS. Berlin, (by wireless to Suyville). Dec. 29.-e-ln Rumania yesterday Teutonic troops captured several positions, tak ing 1,400 prisoners, IS machine gunt and three cannon. The advance it Wullachia has been pushed to a dis tance of 9/i kilometers northwest -1 Rimnik-Sarat. In the lake sector. l,4vi) Russians, three cannon and several machine guns were taken. The town of Ralchelu in Dobrudja has been cap tured. . REACHED THIRD LINE. Berlin, tby wireless to Sayville), Dec. 29.'—On the Verdun front yesterday German troops transferred from the Somme front entered French position on hill 304 and on the southern slope of Deadman’s hill, the war office an nounces. The Germans advanced to the second and third French positions, capturing sev< n machine guns. Sev eral French counter attacks were re pulsed. the statement says. The Ger mans brought back 220 prisoners. The temperature of a new electric flatiron can be iescu!at»d to four dif ferent degrees POWERS 1Y GIVE TERMS TQ WILSON President Already Knows What Germany Proposes and the Allies Will Submit an Early Reply. FACTS ARE KEPT SECRET Administration to Divulge Noth, ing Until Proposals Are As sembled—Notes to Play Small Part. Washington. D. C., Dec. 30.—Secret ind subsurface peace moves are now the order of the day, with Washington a groat center of activity. Rumors and gossip of all sorts are current. Through soundings at foreign capitals the pres ident is getting important confidential information. He has been made aware, through Ambassador Gerard, of the general na ture of Germany's terms. Though not officially confirmed, the report persists hat Germany wifi give up the idea of Duffer states between her and Russia if she can get back her own colonies. The president is understood to have nformation from Vienna that Charles Francis, the new emperor, wants peace ind is influenced to this in part at least jy the serious internal condition in Aus :ria. This may make the solution of the oroblem of Serbia easier. To Know Terms of Alt. Apart from anything said in formal lotes, President Wilson expects to have n his hands a general outline of the Deace terms of all the leading bellige rents. This was asserted here in well nformed quarters in connection witli he fact that it has been given out Doth at the state department and the White House that the lid is on concern ing news of peace negotiations save foi such announcements as it is seen fit to make from time to time. The sudden policy of secrecy is caus ing much wonderment. The explana tion which is unofficially given is that the administration is already being acquainted with many facts from the different capitals ns to peace demands and conditions relating to peace and is getting these in confidence and that it is the desire of the president to make Germany and other nations feel the American government will be a safe channel through which to pursue con fidential exchanges and soundings. To Make No Comment. In many quarters the official atti tude was construed as indicating that secret exchanges were expected to fol low if they did not precede the forma) answers to the entente nations to the notes of President Wilson and the cen tral powers. Because of the highly confidential nature of any such nego tiations it is pointed out the inter mediary would he obliged to refrain from admitting even that they were in progress. So far as the entente governments are concerned, it is understood that little, if any, confidential information has reached here to shed more light oh their attitude than has been given publicly in the speeches of their pre miers and the comment of their press ConseqOently, there is no disposition here to doubt that the allies unani mously will refuse to enter any sort of peace conference until Germany has indicated clearly on wliat conditions she will stop fighting. On the Teutonic side, while the repl> to President Wilson’s note is regarded by the German embassy' as complying with President Wilson’s suggestion in offering a method of procedure, Ger many is said to be willing to consider Dther suggestions regarding methods from any quarters, including her ene mies. Turkey’s reply to President Wilson’s neace note was received today at the ■.he same as Germany’s and Austiia’s SOCIALISTS URGE ACTION. Paris, Dec. 29.—A resolution has been rdopted by the socialist congress, call ng upon the government to pursue a more vigorous policy both in military ind in economic action so that the usual resources of the country may he Drought into play and the war termi nated mure speedily. The resolution Is predicated on the assertion that the replies of the central powers to Presi Jcnt Wilson s note leave no doubt that [he offer of peace negotiations was a snare. Deputies who met German and other ioreign socialist delegates at the con erence in Switzerland supported a mo-* ion in favor of resumption of inter national relations among socialists. This proposal was defeated by a small majority after a long and heated dis cussion. —*■— UP TO BRITAIN, HE SAYS. * London, Dec. 29.—The Times military torrespondent today calls for greater iritish effort in the war. He contends [hat although the French are still ytroi • : heir reserves tire less numerous1 hat. .><uld be wished for. Russia, he adds. will bring new armies into the held in 1917, but their usefulness de- . tends on their being placed with,heavy tints, airplanes and mechanical efforts yhile Russia's poor railway systems ind other causes point to the necessity tf not exaggerating what Russia can Jo. Italy, says the correspondent, can tot easily increase her forces appre piably. 5 —*•— MADRID IS AROUSED. Paris. Dec. 2k.— (Delayed.)—A Havas dispatch from Madrid says the Spanish cabinet after consideration of th,g .tor pedoing of Spanish vessels has tlfciddd to take energetic measures to a,vdid the ^ constant diminution of the country's merchant marine. Another meeting Will be held to give precise form to these measures, the nature of which has not. been disclosed. MURDER SUSPECT HAD W|FPS UFE INSURED Ossipee. X. H„ Dec. 29.—Testimony was given today in the trial of Fred erick A. Small, charged with the mur der of his wife. Mrs. Florence A. Small, to show that he had paid a premium of 51,100 on an insurance policy for 520,000 covering the lives of both himself and his wife and payable to the survivor on the death of either. A bundle of fine glass threads forms a new ink eraser