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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1917)
THE O’NEIL FRONTIER O. H. CWONIW. Pub>t»hw. | ^NEM-L, NEBRASKA '*S=P= .. Americans find It more difficult than the English to understand what Dick ens means when he nays In “David Cop- i perfield”: “Women went clicking along the pavement in pattens.” Pattens were an abbreviated form of stilts. The Word Is also used by builders as the name of the base of a coijjmn or pillar, and so, architecturally, the patten is the Jmpport used by a woman to keep her oat of the water and mud. From this architectural use has come the second ary application of the word, meaning as arrangement attached to the shoe, «o that the walker is raised three or tnr inches above the solid earth, if the mud and water did not exceed that depth, the Bhoes were thus kept fairly dry. It appears that pattens were not , worn solely by the rich, but were lux ■riea indulged tn by the very poor. In 1 ■peaking of ■ persons who was not es- ; peri ally speedy, Ben Jonson ubcs the | comparison, “You make no more haste now than a beggar upon pattens." In the ballad of “Farmer’s Old Wife” oc- 1 curs this startling expression: “She up with her pattens, and beat out their brains." I Another of I-ondon’s less desirable landmarks, 1 noticed from a bus top the ; other day, has Just disappeared In the ; last of the Great Smith street “com- ; mon” lodging houses, which lias been I pulled down to make way for a block of j offices. It stood on the southern end of the site of the "Long Ditch,” which , marked the western boundry of the isle ! of Thorney and the "sanctuary" rights of the Abbey of Westminster. Tho j street from its earliest days had been the refuge of men broken In health,, morals and fortune, and its character only began to change with the erection of the Church house and tho demoli tions that this entailed. Gradually the lodging houses have been wiped out, expensive blocks of flats taking their place. One curious result has been a great increase in the foot traffic, which toas necessitated the placing of a refuge at its Junction with Victoria street, op- I posite the Westminster Palace hotel— or must I say the National Liberal clubT All Guatemala celebrates tho feast of Minerva, the most elaborate observ ance in its ciU^ndar. Tho revival of this feast, educational and patriotic in its motives. Is tho Idea of the present president, Senor don Estrada Cabrera Like its Romnn precursor, It marks the close of the school year, and prizes are •warded for excellence in scholarship, Ono of tho prizes—$100 in gold and a trip to the United States—was given by on American company for the best essay written in English. Ceremonies intended to indicate love of country and devotion to duty form part of the cele bration. There is also an exhibition of the products of the republic held in connection with the annual event. Of the exhibits this year, coffee, sugar and •ugar cane doserve special mention. American made plows and disk plows specially adapted to sugar cane culti vation were on display. Great flights of locusts,(grasshoppers) occur in Syria, Arabia and other coun tries of the orient. Locusts Were used by the Israelites for food (Leviticus xl *1. 22) and later In Palestine. There are different ways of preparing them for food. Sometimes they are ground and pounded, mixed with Hour and water •nd made into calces. Sometimes they •re salted and so eaten; sometimes smoked, boiled or roasted, stewed or fried in butter. The assertion that the locusts that formed part of the food of John the Baptist were not the insects of that name but tho sweet pods of the locust tree is erroneous. The monks of Palestine call these pods "St. John's bread." The Southern Pacific railroad pro vide* transportation for the families of eont« of Its construction gangs, who are compelled to move as tho work pro cesses. The families include a number of children who do not remain in one place long enough to attend school. In order that they may receive an educa tion, the company has turned a box car Into a school room, equipped with desks, blackboards and other essentials. A teacher is provided and a regular school program Is in progress, even whon the children are traveling at a good speed. The pupils are of several nationalities, but are being turned into true Americans under the American Hag. which lloats over the school car. A railroad in the southern part of the United States, In order to make It plain to Its patrons why suburban trains are not stopped whether there are passen gers or not, has carefully computed the cost of stopping a train. The cal culation was made that it costs about 60 cents to stop a freight train of 2,000 tons and then to speed it up again to its normal rate of 25 miles an hour. This calculation was. of course, based upon the price of coal. One-half of this ex pense represented tho amount of coal burned; then there was the time wasted by the men. this being valued nt 10 cents. The wear and tear on the brakes and tho starting mechanism was estimated at 20 cents. Rhodesia's output of gold for August of this year amounted to 80,909 ounces valued at *1,644,881. According to Con sul John P. Bray, Johannesburg, this almost equals the record month of April, 1916, when the value of the pro duction reached *1,651,621. The yield for the first eight months of this year totaled *12,771,292, an increase of *519, 499 over the corresponding period in 1915. New factories, homes, and the open ings of the subway, between the c.raml Central terminal and the bridge plaza are held us the means for adding 1.500,000 more passengers to trolley lines In New York city. They carried (4,000,000 during 1916. Difficulty in procuring tinsel goods In France is due to the sequestration by government of many factories for merly devoted to this trade. A few plants have been allowed to run so as ■ to avoid a complete stagnation of the ■ Industry. P A company of Japanese capitalists ft has started a plant to manufacture egg jr products at Tslngt.au. China. Sales will I be made almost exclusively to the ■ American market. II Massachusetts proposes to remove H offensive billboards from scenic lngli ■ ways. I A substitute for milk lias been dis ■ covered in England. It is composed of ^B peanut:?, soya beans, sugar, wa'er and C' fumepal salts. The manufacturers a» sJ sort that it is wholesome and inexpen ■ oive. 9 Consul E. A. Wakefield, at Port j| '■ Elizabeth. South Africa, asserts that ■ office appliances from this country are g| rapidly gaining favor in that district. ■ Tile price uf caraway s< eds in this It country has increase;! since 1914 from ( cents to 65 cents a pound. / m wrnmammmmm i n __ _ . ft j \ 1 rib Frcposed Bill Would Appropri ate $700,000 ter a New Addition to the House. Lincoln, Neb.. March 12 -The house refused t<> make a special order for Tuesday morning of th< bill authoriz ing a .67 of a mill levy for money to build a $700,000 wing to the old slate Capitol, us part of a plan for a new building. As it Is an appropriation bill, however, it will come up within Ihe next few days. One of the big rights of the session Is scheduled over this. The finance committee stood 7 to 3 in favor of it. and the principal objection urged will be the big addi tion it will make to trie session appro priations. The bill originally carried a series of levies totaling $3,000,000. The house devoted a part of Friday afternoon to a bill Intended to Increase the number of Inspectors for the food, drug and oil department front 16 to 22, and to increase their pay to a max imum of $5 a day instead of $4. as at present. It also carries Increases of salaries for the chemist, clerks and stenographers and adds half a dozen different employes. The bill was amended in some respects, but as the salaries paid come out of fees the office earns, the figures were not much cut. Telephone Bill Defeated. Representative Anton, of I ioone county, lost out In a fight to save from the destruction a bill requiring physical connection of telephone exchanges In towns where tliere are two exchanges. It also provided for Ihe payment of a toll to be fixed by the railway com mission. The corporations committee said that it would mean the starting of a lot of exchanges where they were not needed, that the company charging the higher rental and giving the best ser vice would be soon driven out of busi ness and nobody would be benefited. Row Over Standing Committee. The senate is lining up for a big row over the appointment of a standing committee. The republicans object to the democratic majority picking the republican members of the sifting com mittee, and say that if they are not al lowed to do the picking ttie democrats can have all the committee. The out look for a peaceful settlement is not bright. The promise of giving each senator a stick of candy as a bribe, that Is to allow him to pick out one bill to be lifted, Is not taking well. Would Restore Land to Farmers. A bill that has Just passed the house Is expected to restore to the residents along the Union Pacific railroad the excess 200 feet of right of way that has led to a lot of litigation and action by oongress. When the road went through the state It secured a 400 feet right of way In many counties, but has never used but 200 feet. The remainder was farmed for years by the adjacent land owners, but several years ago the Union Pacific dispossessed them. No way to get the land away from the railroad was devised until this bill was drafted. It provides that rights of way through a county shall be of uniform width, 200 feet, and practically forces the Union Pacific to abandon the extra 200 feet or lose the power of eminent domain. New House Bills. The house passed the following bills Friday: H. It. 329, l>y Liggett—Counties of 19,000 or over instead of 16,000 or over shall have register of deeds; 77 for. 4 against, 19 ab sent and not voting. >1. It. 312, by Peterson—-Abolishes duties of Lincoln excise board; 81 for, 2 against. f7 absent and not voting. H. It. 194. by Fries—Candidates defeated at primaries shall not be permitted to tile by petition at general election; 81 for, 2 against, 14 absent and not voting.1 H. R. 283, by Gormley, Anderson of Phelps, and Parkinson—County fair prem ium money shall be paid first from moneys received; 86 for, 2 against, 12 ab sent and not voting. H. R. 710, by Jackson and Peterson— Provides for private operation of auto toll roads; 72 for, 23 against, 5 absent and not voting. H. R. 702. by Bulla—Prohibits movement of cattle affected with scabies and pro vides for treatment and quarantining of such cattle; 90 for, none against, 10 absent and not voting. H. R. 796. by claims and deficiencies committee—Biennial claims bill; 81 for, none against. 19 absent and not voting. M. R. 797. by claims and deficiencies committee—Biennial deficiencies bill; 86 for, none against, 14 absent and not vot ing. II. R. 73. by 10 members of Douglas del elation—(lives Omaha city commission wider powers; 55 for, 10 against. 5 absent and not voting. 11. R. 156. by Dalbey—Provides for dis tinctive auto license numbers for auto dealers and manufacturers; 87 for. none against. 13 absent and not voting. 11. R. 293, by Harris of Greeley and Neff -Provides for destruction of suntlowcrs and cockleburs; SO for, 11 against, 9 ab sent and not voting. H. R. 349. by Ostorman and 12 others— Provides for uniform right of way on railroads; 72 for, 23 against. 5 absent and not voting. Appoint Sifting Committee. The house voted to place a sifting committee to take charge of the gen eral file on Wednesday, March 14. It a ill be composed of seven democrats and four republicans, and will be se lected by the committee on committees This morning was spent in committee pf the whole, a dozen bills receiving approval. The principal ones created county workhouses, increased salaries xnd reorganized the food commission find eliminated all titles in state insti tutions so that the board of control nay assign employes to one or more Jobs. No Secret Sessions. During the morning Representative Fred Johnson offered a resolution provid ing that hereafter all standing commit tee meetings be held behind closed doors in order that the committeemen may be “free from lobbyists and filibusters." and thus be allowed t6 push their work to an early completion. The resolution was op posed by Swanson. Peterson and Hostet ler and was voted down. Medical Fee Bill Killed. The nenate killed the house bill which would penalize only the surgeon who split his fee with the doctor who fur nished a surgical case. The present law makes both receiver and giver an offender against the law. and for that reason has never been enforceable. May Bar German in Schools. The bill to repeal the existing law compelling the teaching of the German language in the public schools of Ne braska was reported out of committor for advancement in the house. The date f"i its final .disposition is uncer tain. The. law was enacted at the ses sion of four years ago. Opposition tc its provisions in Otoe county led to a court order instructing the school trus tees to enforce it and on an appeal to the supreme court the constitutionality of the law was affirmed. The law gen erally. however, has not been strictly enforced, except where local sentiment favored it. , $10,000,000, an increase of $3,000,000 Over Last Ses sion, to Be Appropri ated This Year. Lincoln, Neb.. March 10—The 1017 legislature will not be included in the piker class. The appropriations are certain to run over the $10,000,000 mark for the biennium, which is $3,000,000 more than last session, when the prun ing knife was carefully applied. Three quarters of a million of this increase will be represented by an appropriation for a new wing for the slate capitol. The present east wing is in such con dition that experts 'say it will tumble down wittiin a year. Much opposition developed to the Richmond bill, which provided a series of mill levies for six years, which would raise something over $3,000,000 for a new structure, in order to get the; bill through it was decided to push a bill that will create a capltol crftnmission. This will he headed by the governor and he will name four others. They will adopt a general plan. This legis lature will appropriate only enough to build a pew wing on the east, but this wing will be a part of the plans adopted. It will cost about $700,000. Future legislators will have the buck passed to them to provide next for a west wing and then for a new center. High Cost of Legislation. The total of bills that have passed the house so far runs up to $9,300,000, as compared to the 1915 total of $7,200, 000. The bills that carry appropria tions and which have not yet. been acted upon foot up over $3,000,000 more. Limiting Interest Rate. Western and northwestern Nebraska is to try out a new and novel method of trying to reduce interest rates on farms to 8 per cent. Jn that section rates run as high as 10 per cent, but by means of commissions the total is much above the usury limit. Some cases were cited in the debate In the house, which has passed the bill, where 15 per cent was charged on a five-year loan for $5,000 as commission, the $500 was deducted from the amount ,of the loan In advance, and while the interest ran on the $5,000 all the man actually got was $4,500. The bill provides that on loans of $3,000 or under no higher commission shall be paid than 2 per cent per an num or IV* per cent per annum where if exceeds that sum. It is also pro vided that no commission can be charged where the interest exceeds 6 per cent. As loan agents will not work without a commission it is figured that they will add the 2 per cent commission to the 6 per cent upon which they may lawfully charge com mission, and thus automatically will the loan limit In the state be reduced to 8 per cent. The one weak spot in it is that the loaner may charge ns high ns 10 per cent and pass up any commission. Picking Sifting Committee. Having decided that it had more work ahead than it could possibly get through with the senate' majority has been holding caucuses on the propo sition of naming a sifting committee to take charge of the file. The cau cus is understood to have agreed on tile democrats, who will be in control, but the republicans are Insisting on pick ing their own members. This is be cause the republicans think that Kena tor Rushee, the putative’ leader, has been flirting too much with the senate organization of democrats. Pass Many oenate Dills. The following bills were passed in the senate Thursday afternoon: H. R. 298:—Appropriating $55,767 to cover deficiencies in institutions under the board of control. H. R. 323.—Appropriating $15,000 to pay back salaries of supreme court com m i ss i o n e rs. H. R. 233. Appropriating $8,000 for the muster out or Nebraska national guardsmen from the government ser vice. S. R. 2S0, by Itushee—Allowing irri gation districts to buy tax certificates from counties. S. R. 215. by Chappell—Requiring contractors to apply payments in set tlement ol' claims for labor and ma terial. S. R. 193, by Chappell—Giving dis trict judges full power to call or not to call grand juries. S. 1«\ 141, by Moriarty—Authorizing the governor to appoint United States senators to fill vacancies until the next general election. S. F. 1S6, by McAllister -Fixing $3 a day as maximum pay for road over seers. S. F. 166. by Laihners—Authorizing Nebraska national guardsmen to vote while in United States service. S. F. 100. by Spirk—Owners of tax •certificates not to bo allowed 15 per cent interest unless they ask for a deed within five years, but to be allowed 10 per cent. S. F. 175. by Sawyer - In default cases in courts of record an affifavit of an agent shall be sufficient to sus tain judgment for goods sold. S. F. 176, by Sawyer- Making it un lawful to kill golden eagles or bald headed eagles. S. F. 192. by Chappell—Court report ers shall record statements of district judges in the presence of a jury when ever requested so to do by either party to a suit. Approve Toll Paid Roads. The house passed a number of bills, among them one permitting private companies to build toll paved roads, one to force the Union Pacific to abandon surplus land held for right of way. and one to empower the state live stock board to control scabies in cattle. Richmond Bill Reported Out. The Richmond bill, in its amended form, providing for iho construction of a new state capitol building was re ported out on the general file today by the house finance committee. The bill, as amended, provides for a levy to con struct the east wing of the proposed new building immediately. Friends of the bill will ask it be made a special order of business next Wednesday. New Form of Distribution. Two hundred thousand dollars is added as a result of the higher cost of maintenance wards of the state in the various institutions. Another $250,000 is represented by the fees earned by various departments and the cash funds uf state institutions, which heretofore have been expended direct by the de partments, the surplus being pu\ in the treasury. Under the new r method adopted, all money received must be paid into the treasury, and ihe cost «»f maintaining the departmental is ap propriated by the legislature. FIE TOLL PROBE CREATES i STIR Nebraska Senators Did Some Lively Stepping When a Probe Committee . Was Proposed. 4 COMMITTEE IS NAMED TO 4 4 PROBE TOLL CHARGES. 4 4 4 4 Lincoln. Neb.. March 10— 4 4 Lieutenant Governor Howard 4 4 today named Senators Wallace. 4 4 Wilson, Alams and Chappell a 4 4. committee to investigate charg- 4 4 es that telephone companies 4 4 have been trying to influence 4 4 legislators by giving free toll 4 4 service. He charged the com- 4 4 mittee that it must not be a far- 4 4 cial investigation and must be 4 4 pushed. 4 a a Lincoln. Neb.. March 10—A number of the senators did some lively stepping Wednesday when the motion, to ap point a committee to investigate charges that the telephone companies were giving free toll service to mem bers came up. Half of the senators voted in the negative, and the chair announced that he could not decide. A roll call was demanded, and only*four of the senators, these being from Doug las county, voted no. The leading spirit, Senator Wilson, said that the Lincoln company was not particularly attacked in the resolution for investigation, but that he knew what he was ttrlking about when he , said that the committee would find free service had been given members by companies. Senator Oberlies objected ' to an investigation based on vague ru i*ors and arraigned the introducer ot the resolution because he had em braced all of the companies in his charges. He said he had not felt any corporate hand at his throat trying t<» throttle him, and he doubted if there was any other senator so attacked. Lawyers Have a Bill. The ambulance chasing lawyers have been conducting a vigorous light to , secure the passage of d bill that per mits an injured employe to hire a law yer and sue under the common law, but that if he fails to make his case stick he can come hack and secure relief un der the compensation act. They claim to have enough members pledged to put the bill through the house. In the senate the friends of compensation say they have assurances that the only biil that will get through is one agreed up on by the labor union representatives and employers tliat is more favorable to the employe than the present act. Explains “Wet” Vote. Only one of the three house members who voted against the passage of the prohibition law explained his vote. This was Mcysenburg, who represents But ler county, one of the strong “wet” counties of the state. His objection Was that it did not conform with the prohibitory amendment, which did not l>rohibit the importation of liquors for private use. Koch, of Cuming, sat mo tionless in his seat when the roll was called, and no, effort was made to force him to vote. He also represents a "wet” county. Arthur Mullen, democratic national committeeman and big party boss, lias been enlisted in the service of those who desire the state to buy the normal school at Fremont run by State Super intendent Clemmons. The bills in the legislature provide that the state may have it for $165,000. The finance com mittee 'thinks it too much and was gbout ready to kill the bill when it was induced to take a trip to Fremont. It will soon pass on the measure. That Mr. Mullen had been employed to help out was admitted by the backers of the measure. A bop t the only hope of a deal being made is the acceptance of a pos sible offer of $100,000. The competi tion of state supported normals has in terfered with the prosperity of the school, which has about 700 pupils. nuu&e rasses I weive Dins. The house passed 12 bills Tuesday, besides I lie prohibition act. These in clude: Preventing county judges from recommending pet attorneys to persons with estates who ask for a lawyer: bounties on pocket gophers; requiring court conini:'y*.entK for girls and boys sent to stato'industria! schools; where precinct assessors are unable to ascer tain crop figures from rarmers, they may estimate; general maintenance hill. Wants Hitchcock Praised. A debate is scheduled in the house some time today over a resolution in troduced by Shannon, of Douglas. The senate having refused to censure Nor ris. Shannon wants the house to praise Hitchcock for standing by the presi dent. His resolution recites that the h.ouse cordially commends and sends its grateful appreciation of what the senator did, and declares that Ibis course has the approval of the house. ! The fight will probably result in a par j tisan lineup, wi^h German democrats voting with republicans. Favor Garden “Safety” Bill. Among the hills favorably reported from the house committee was one which prohibits poultry owners from allowing their chickens to trespass up on the premises of neighbors. Finance Chairman Defeated. An effort made by the chairman of the finance committee of the house to defeat appropriations for the state railway commission that are intended to enable it to fight the encroachment of the Interstate Commerce commission on state matters, failed in the house. The bill carries appropriations for $39,500 to resist threatened increases in freight, passenger, express and tele graph rates and interstate rates, and $20,000 to check the valuations of Ne braska niilronds, made by the inter state commerce commission. STOP BEER IN GERMANY. i openhageti. (via London), March S. - The Berliner Tageblatt says that the suspension of nil beer brewing in northern Germany is imminent. This action is due to the desire to save maize for bread and malt to take the place of coffee. AGED SALESMAN IS KILLED NEAR FREMONT. Fremont. Neb.. March S. ft. C. Phil lips. aged 50. a traveling salesman, of I'niversity Place, was Instantly killed when the automobile he was driving went into the ditch a few miles east of Fremont. Phillips was alone at the time. His neck was broken The car landed on top of him in the bottom of the ditch. Phillips turned his head to look after a‘ car approaching from behind and it is believed he lost control of the wheel. He was a member of the Travelers' ProlccUva. WITNESS MISSING TNI BY ORDEAL FOB WOMEN ASKED Police Agent Lured Women Intc Charge of Plot to Poison Lloyd-George, At torney Says. FAILS TO APPEAR AT TRIAL Turns Case Over to Another, Who Reads Evidence, to Hide Own Activity, Riza Charges. London, March 12—In an eloquent and vigorous speech today, in sum ming up the case of the four prisoners on trial charged with conspiring tc murder Lloyd-George and Arthur Hen derson, the premier and member of tin war council, respectively, S. H. Riza, the Mohammedan lawyer, who is act ing as attorney for the defendants, startled the courtroom by suggesting a trial by ordeal. He referred to the medieval form of judicial trial in whict in the place of evidence, super Aatun# aid is invoked, as in a test by fire, water, poison or other agencies. Main Witness Missing. Attorney Riza has been endeavoring to impress the Jury with the alleged sinister significance of the failure of the cro'wn to produce a certain witness against the four defendants, Mrs. Alice Wheeldon, her two daughters and Al fred George Mason, husband of one of the daughters. This person, he said was a “man who should have been it? principal witness, namely the myster ious secret government agent, known as Gordon.” The attorney declared Gordon was a police spy, who had started the whole plot, who had lured the defendants on and then when he got them well within his net had handed them over to an other agent, named Booth, so his own connection with the case could not be so flagrantly apparent. Jury Would Have Truth. “Why wasn't it possible for Gordon to como into the court and face the jury?” asked the lawyer. “Because from him,” he continued, "the jury would have been able to draw a very different version of the case. The ease rests wholly on the evidence of Booth, who, moreover, was allowed to read the whole of his evidence. In the absence of this mysterious Gordon this trial is not a trial. “Before the jury commits the defend ants it should insist on the production of Gordon in the interests of the pub lic safety of the country.” Asks Trial by Ordeal. Then after a long and impressive pause, Attorney Riza suddenly said: “In the absence of Gordon. I would suggest that the defendants should have a trial by ordeal." The judge was puzzled and said: “I fear that would be impossible. It has been abolished. Do you seriously suggest the ladies should walk over hot plowshares in order to prove their innocence V" “I do.” “It is no use submitting such a sug gestion. You are not serious,” the judge said. “I do seriously suggest it.” Riza re* plied. MUST SERVE YEAR FUR SINKING SHIP Officers on Liebenfels Also Are Fined $500 Each for Sink ing Vessel at Charlestown. Florence, S. C\, March 12—Light rti ficers of the steamship Liebenfels. sank in Charleston harbor the night of January 31, last, today were sentene^l to a year In the Atlanta federal peni tentiary and to pay a fine of $500 each. They were convicted yesterday of sink ing of a'vesf -l in a navigable stream in violation of the navigation laws. GERLACH PLOT CASE REOPENED BY ARRESTS Names of Accused Taken in Fresh Raid Withheld Until After Secret Trial. Paris. March 12—A number .if fresh arrests have been made in Rome and elsewhere in connection with what is known as the Gerladh case, according to a Milan dispatch to the Matin. The names of the accused will not be made public until the trial, which will be a secret one. Monsignor von Gerlach, an Austrian, was private chamberlain to the pope. He was forced to leave Rome in Janu ary througli pressure brought to bear on the Vatican, according to a semi official dispatch from Berlin, by the representatives of the entente. Prior to his departure an Italian named Ambrogetti, who claimed to be Mon signor Garlachs financial agent, was arrested, charged with being impli cated in the blowing up of the Italian battleships Benefetto Brin and Leo nardo Da Vinci. Monsignor Gerlach was the only Teutonic prelate in the pope's retinue. BERNSTORFF PLANS CHANGED. London. March 10.—A Morning Post’s Copenh igen correspondent says the Danish foisign office has been in formed that the steamer Frederlk S ill on which Count von Bernstorff, former German ambassador to the I’nited States and his party nre passengers, was prevented by a snow storm from entering Christiansand and has been ordered to Christiania. KIEL IS RENOMINATED. Si. Louis. Mo., March lo. -Mayor Henry V. Kiel was renominated for mayor by the republicans here today. Out of 300 precincts. 304 gave the may or a lead of 16.000 over Louis Alt, his closest rival. The same precincts gave Win. C. Connell a lead of 3,000 over John H. Simon, who is second in the democratic race. SHIPS WILL ,, ' FIRE WHEN SUBISSEEN Kaiser’s Policy as Announced Makes Undersea Boats Out laws, According to U. S. Authorities’ Ruling. HOPE FOR PEACE-IN EUROPE Only That or Failure of Sub Campaign Can Keep Amer ica Out of the Struggle, Officials Believe. Washington, March 12—The mere appearance of a German submarine or its periscope in the presence of an American armed merchant vessel would entitle that ship, according to state department opinion today, to take ail measures of protection on the pre sumption that the U-boat's purpose was hostile. Will Fire on Sight. Under this ruling an American armed merchantman would fire on a German submarine ihe moment it is sighted without being considered as having taken aggressive action. This view is based on Germany’s declared intention to sink on sight wilhin cer tain zones all vessels, neutral as well as belligerent, and whether passenger vessels, freighters or contraband car riers. The United States was said 1o stand flatly on its armed neutrality warning of March 27 last, in which it definitely recognized the Wight to prevent cap* ture as part of the right of self protec tion" which could bo exercised either by flight or resistance. Sees U. S. Near War. The mere presence of a German sub marine is declared ground for assum ing hostile intent because of the de liberate statement by Germany that all vessels are to be sunk on sight. De nial by Germany ,of the old mile of visit and search makes all the U-t>oats actually hostile. The concensus of opinion in diplo matic quarters was that the United States today was nearer to war with Germany than at any time within its history. Two Alternatives Seen. To uphold the rights and the honor of America, farseeing men are con vinced one of two tilings will before many weeks develop-—cither the Uni ted States Will be drawn into the war. or the German submarine campaign “will flatten out and fade; and with its failure will be written the ultimate de feat of tlie central powers, possibly defeat before many months liave passed. It is the general feeling here that al ready the German submarine campaign' Is doomed to failure, as a method of blockading the entente, and. that Ger many knows it is a failure. In fact, it Is hoped in administration and con gressional quarters that this is the ease, since it might enable the United States to keep out of the conflict. Thus far the administration has gone about the business of preparing for war in a fash ion far from strenuous, especially as to land preparation, but there arc many indications that from now on the grim nearness of war will energize prepara tions all along the line. If the interna tional conditions grow worse, as ex pected congress will fairly seethe with sentiment for preparedness on a great scale. Proponents of universal training are getting ready to urge it inor.- strongly than ever. Washington Is Busy. Washington, D. C.. March 32—Un jertainty felt about the capital for the :ast week over an early session of con gress was replaced today by prepara tions for the special session called for tiy President Wilson for April If., five weeks from Monday, to consider ap propriation hills and other important measures on which action was not taken before adjournment of the f4th Jongress last Sunday. The new body probably will he asked to consider the irmed neutrality bill, specifically au thorizing President Wilson to arm American merchant ships and appro priating funds for the purpose despite the president’s decision yesterday that tie already has executive power to put navy guns, gunners and ammunition aboard merchantmen. New House In Doubt. The organization of the now House oannot be foretold at this time, for a majority is 218 and the standing is: republicans, 215: democrats, 214: pro hibitionist, one: progressive, one: pro gressive-protectionist, one; socialist ami independent, one each; vacancy in democratic district one. The republi can and democratic leaders declare they will have support from enough of the go-catied independent group to control the organization, but there is consid erable talk of a coalition organization. The new Senate is democratic by a majority of 12. DETAILS KEPT SECRET. Washington. March 10.—Guns, tan ners and ammunition will la' placed aboard American ships immediately and they will he sent to sea under or ders to fire on submarines which at tack them illegally. Navy yards were ordered today to equip the vessels as fast as possible and the action will put the United States in the position of armed neutrality, the next step beyond the severance of diplomatic relations with Germany and possibly the pre liminary of war. What ships are to be armed first and when they will sail will he kept secret tn order to avoid endan gering the lives of Americans aboard tliem. Asks Secrecy from Press. In official circles today confidence was expressed that Secretary Daniel s appeal to the newspapers not to seek nor publish specific news of the arm ing and sailings of American mer chantmen would be observed. A simi lar appeal was made to telegraph and cable companies. "The Dos. news the readers can have," said the secretary, “is that the government will protect the rights of Americans to the freedom of the seas. The publication of details can serve no good purpose, and might jeopardize human life." CLEARING HOUSE REPORT. New York. March Hi.—The statement of the actual condition of clearing house banks and trust companies for the week shows that they hold 4142. 521.520 reserv* in excess of legal re quirements. This is a decrease of $21, S35.750 from last week.