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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1917)
Witness Says Chicago Company 'ays Big Sum Annually to Reiain Big Packing Piant. IREATENING TO MOVE Con:]j i%:ny Would Locate Furth er (^est, Is Claim—Owner ship of Property at Issue. Washington, D. C„ Dec. 21.- Sensa tional i.ifclosures of • nigh finance” be tween ife Chicago packers and the ntockyuj'is and terminal railroads liiere —and jromise of more t<> come—feat ured ii'ly’s session of the federal trade commislpn’s investigation to get at some oflthe innsfirnost causes of the high t’ol of livinlP Backel with an array of facts and figures Inhered by trained investiga tors wolting with the new $250,000 fund r>clitiy appropriated by congress. franc A J. Htncy, in charge of the in vestigatijn for the commission, began erackinglne sensation after the other. Today session had wholly to do with a big ccfcoralion in which a $2,500, clerk waf the medium of forming an $8,000,00((corporation which took the risk of t| Chicago stockyards and ter minal rasvrtys being moved further west anibeveloped testimony to show how i he la ckers in return, to use the Ianguageif one of the participants, got their xha? of the “plunder” and took their “likings." J. Ogdi Armour, it was said, got all the profj over 9 per cent. ‘hreatened to Leave. The i.4it of the whole transaction as hrouft out by the testimony was that untackers were threatening to move aay from Chicago; that a cor poratioraias formed to take over the .stock v.is and properties and assume the risk? their becoming valuless, and that as result the enormous profits of ill" \a 4and terminal equipment was divided ith the packers as an tnduce nent tolc-m to continue their business in Chic® and not move further west. Whilefcday’s testimohy dealt only with thaphase of the packing indus try. it ie said the commission is in possessit Ad, facts which will broaden the invi Aon to show whether there is not uljJShtic combination in prac tical corol of the country a food sup ply. f I'iie irde story of how the big tran cic tionslime about was laid bare by tin intrjuction as evidence of letters passing {tween the organizers of the holding rporation and the stockhold er.' of ! companies which formerly control!'Ihe yards and the railways. cine her said that the directors, fearing jourt decision against the re organ i skin plan, were anxious to get it throul before the decision came down, i flroads Sought Change, Anoth/nelilng the reasons for the >rga.niz;«i of the new company said: “Koi- a % time some of the western r.cilroadfive been endeavoring to in duce thAckers to move west and it his eniylen on account of pecuniary cousiucijpns which your company has giv e n ; . packers from time to time, that t he Save remained in Chicago. inure of the packers in the coun trv's stef yards extends also to Kan sas Cityjpcording to K. V. R. Thayer. pr *sider6f the Chase National bank <if New >rk, who said he understood cm of tj packers owned part of the •, arus iso, but that the others did iiot. Held not name the packer. tui ufrSminutes of the first meeting of ' jit ciibago Stock Yards company on Septjber ST, 1911, were intro duced tcjve ({-tails of an agreement Ik iv, i uu^gi'a-JB and the company. The millntestcitedj that Pegrarri Had at tained tj asant of the holders of <>0,000 sites oi the common stock of the Chifeo Ji notion railways and Union Kvlk Yfds company to a plan foi-nuilay! by ji committee headed by I tic hard* ley. chairman. It wa.iaid ' » "plan assurer to ihe Chicago! unct i railways and Union Sid, k vlifls c< ipany th«, continuance of the tfcnesi lOW cariied on by the Jiackers/ijjon t ermanent basis and a great inefase profits and the value ' of rhe lures < stocks." PegrsSmtvas corded as having given d i ents and $1,000,000 in cc >any for $8,000,000 in . gram, who previously his salary was $2,500 a vear./titifie bat he knew nothing of' the aleem as sot forth in the minutes. | Mr. Hat tc the commission the plan wasoevlsbecause there seemed great dinger < ho buntness being driver) afay fn Chicago to place* further vest. _ HUROfi BUN ESS MAN rL d^ro-german V’ierrc.p. cjjeo. 31.—George Icc.r. huth. a lisin) man of Huron, was I mod uber 000 bonds by United ales C mm oner Whitcher an a arge ol mal ' seditious utterances, is char ed t lsenhuth on a train tween l-re ! Huron used the fol iving !a*ua| "We m st jtake our hats off to e Raise I is Justified in doing erythinihe loiug. He started the ,r imtaipe twelve preparing for it id ii waiusbim to strike the first OW Till ('Bail government is of a tv highlsMarl and the atrocities rimed bl (trailers to be committed the Hlrf government are not nr. Wa ij.fvilg under a corrupt tininislratl !f▼ The comlft was sworn out by D. H liapp- operdeen. traveling man, and R. 0.|ton. another traveling man truth fell was a witness. The arrest wattle by Deputy Marshal Vila.-. Isenirnve the required liouds lor his a#rnce in United States court In J| ^ OUEENfVN IS SWEPT Disastrous gale lamdoif' ay' Det'- I*-—A nor'h K.af'""Pioiif'l by snow and <.■<.. e~,efwept Queenstown Sar.ur i ; ,ta, ni«r#ordlnK to a Central News riispatc* that I,lsh l,ort and which was dell’1 acc°unt of wire trouble. Many ,were bijured ip the streets-* 0'man‘ft cathedral was dnmairP the police barracks and many N were J'Ptoofed. Cilanl waves? over the Teasels in the l'ttrbrr or a9V9r*1 hai,r9 they were cut of1 oonirputtic^lon with th« *aor«j HERO OF LIEGE HELD OP AT SWISS BORDER General Liman Arrested, Al though Promised Passage to Neutral Soil. Geneva. Switzerland. Tuesday, Dec IS.-—General Leman, known as the hero of Liege for his defense of that city at the time the Germans were going through Belgium in the first month of the war, was expected t& ar rive in Switzerland yesterday, the Ger man government finally having agreed to his internment in this country. New difficulties arose, however, and the general was arrested yesterday on the frontier at Constance. It may be re 'called that Genera] Leman, although seriously ill, declined last year to ac cept a German offer of permission to come to Switzerland because it was made on the ground of his ill health and age. The general said he did not wish to admit he was unfit to fight for his country. LUXBURG DISCLOSURES MAY FORCE ARGENTINE More Diplomatic Documents to Be Made Public—People Are Inflamed. — Washington, D. C., Doc. 20.—Dis closures of some of the sensational Dux burg telegrams which are expected to lay bare more evidence of the German diplomat’s duplicity, conies at a most interesting time, especially as it is be ing done by agreement with the Argen tine government. How the public mind in Argentine, al ready pressing President Irigoyan to go to war with Germany, will regard further exposure of German intrigue, is of no less interest to officials here than is its probable effect on the gen eral Latin-American attitude toward a aocalled neutrality conference Just called at Buenos Aires to attend which Luis Cabrera, Mexico's representative, unceremoniously left the United States recently while this government was waiting to begin negotiations over food exports to Mexico. While public sentiment for entering the war on the side of the United States and the allies has been spread ing through ail Latin-America, the conspicuous examples of inaction have been the governments of Mexico and Ai gentine. Tlie sudden visit of Cabrera at this particular time to a socalled neutrality corference in Buenos Aires excited much speculation. Whether there can be any connection between the new Luxburg exposures and the relations between Mexico and Argentine excited much more. 154 GERMAN DIVISIONS ON ANGLO-FRENCH FRONT Washington, D. Dec. 20.—Ger many’s strength on the Franeo-British front is placed in official dispatches re ceived here today at 154 divisions, or within one division of the great force massed there last July, when the Ger man military effort against France was at its maximum. Withdrawals from Russia and drafts upon the younger classes of reservists have enabled the kaiser not only to make up the enormous losses suffered in bloody battles with the allies, but to replace the men sent to aid the Aus trians in their invasion of Italy. Win ter, therefore, finds the Germans wHh armies facing the allies in France virtually equal to the largest over be fore mustered with advertisement of a great offensive which may presage another peace proposal. The allies, however, are believed to maintain a considerable superiority in numbers in the French front. SICK CHILDREN PROVE AUSTRIA I ^SUFFERING ! Geneva, Switzerland. Tuesday, Dec. 18.—Living proofs of the terrible eco nomic conditions in Austria were fur nished yesterday by the arrival at Buchs, on the frontier, of 576 pale and suffering children between the ages of ; 7 and 9. They are from Vienna and other Austrian towns. The children had not tasted milk for months. They had received bad bread in insufficient quan tities, stomach diseases resulting. Their clothing was most scanty and there was no fuel In their homes. They will be dis tributed among various places in Switzerland until tlieir health is re stored. WANT AMERICAN TOYS FOR TOTS OF HALIFAX Halifax, N. S,, Dec. 19.-—An American Santa Claus must provide toys for hundreds of blind and crippled chil dren in hospitals here. The limited stock carried by the local dealers has been exhausted. Americans have been asked to help. Although no approximate estimate of those blinded by the explosion is avail able, it is believed the number may reach 1,000. including those who lost the sight of one or both eyes. Many of these are children and little gifts which they never will see are sadly needed. CANDY MONEY WILL GO TO AMERICAN RELIEF Wheeling, W. Va., Dec. 20.—Sunday school scholars of West Virginia will sacrifice their Christmas candy this year and send the money that would be spent for sweets to the American com mittee for Armenian and Syrian relief in New York. DELAY PROBE AGAIN. Washington, D. C„ Dec. 20.—Inability to obtain a quorum compelled the Sen ate committee investigating Senator La Follette's recent St. Paul speech to postpone action again today for the fourth time. EVA TANGUAY GAINS DIVORCE FROM FORD Chicago Dec. 20.—Eva Tanguay ob tamed a divorce today from John W. l-ord after the actress had given her testimony before Judge David M. Brothers. Ford was her dancing part ner and the actress swore that after their marriage his habits were so ir regular that he would remain away from the show for days at a time. inem3marrl0d at Ann Arbor Italy, Yielding, Battles Valiantly, Awaiting Snow By ’Jnit-'d Press. vVi’.h t ie Krem h Armies In Italy Dec. ,’i. The fnto of the \ enetian plains this evening llangr. on the wea'her. If Italy’s line holds for a fortnight, under the tremendous Teuton pressure. win ter’" iee and snow will lock the door to the plains. Both sides realize the supreme necessity of a decision on both skies of the Brenta river. If Italy can make n successful de fense, as she now is doing, and check the Austro-Germans at their present lines, she will be ready for a spring counter offensive. Officials regard the present situation as the most favorable it has been for the -Italians since the original retreat commenced. Berlin, Deo. 21.—Repeated Italian counter attacks against the positions recently captured by the Austro-Ger -nans on Monte Petrica were repulsed yesterday the German general staff an nounced today. Since December 11 the Teutons have taken nearly 9,000 prison ers in the fighting between the Brenta and Piave rivers. By Associated Press'. Between Monte Grappa and the Brenta on the Italian northern front the Italians are resisting desperately renewed Austro-Gcrinan efforts u break through the hills to the plains The Italians after withstanding strong attacks and inflicting heavy losses or tiie enemy, were forced to retire tc new positions when the invaders brought up reserves. On the southern part of the Piave line the Austro Gc-rmans have been cheeked in several attempts to cross the river. On the western front the Germans have not yet given strong indication of where their advertised drive is to be gin. The German guns continue to bombard various sectors along the front from the North Sea to tho Swiss border, including the Ypres and Cham pagne areas, and enemy raiding parties are harassing the British and French soldiers. Enemy raids have been re pulsed by the British in the Arras area and northeast of Ypres, while the French have repulsed an attack at Regneville, northwest of Verdun. WORKMEN PLAY, CDNTFAGTSWAIT Factory Hands Played Check ers While Waiting for Ord nance Bureau Heads to Act. Washington, D. C„ Dec. 21.—With ts inquiry into alleged delays In sup plying the war army with gun3 and immunition virtually concluded, the Senate military committee today pre pared to question Quartermaster Cen tral Sharpe, regarding shortage of and production delays in clothing and food for soldiers. Chairman Chamberlain iromlsed a thorough investigation of die work of the quarter masters’ de partment of which Major General "Joethals. recently recalled to active service', soon will take charge. The re ation of the clothing shortage to pre valence of disease in various canton ments also will toe developed. Ordnance officers were criticised toy .-'red H. Colvin, editor of the American vlachinist, for imposing too rigid rifle specifications. Requirements lor inter ihangeability of parts, he said, delayed production three months last summer md lie cited one private factory where ast August workmen on a “cost plus" jontract played checkers while wait ng for work held up. Government irsenal methods he also criticised, say ng the Springfield arsenal has some machinery £10 years old, while many nmy ordnance officers, lie asserted, nave no special training to qualify ‘hem. Correspondence with Secretary tinker which he produced disclosed a controversy between Mr. Colvin and .leneral Crozier, chief of the ordnance jureati, the former told Secretary Baker that the arsenal officers were not qualified production engineers. General Crozier said Mr. Colvin should be barred from inspecting arsenals because he insisted expert machinists and not army officers should be in charge. Additional testimony regarding de lay in machine gun production was given by Vice President B. M. W. Han son, of the Colt Arms company at Hartford, Conn. Although the new Browning type was adopted last May, he said, no con tract was made until July, although aiders were anticipated and prelimin ary work begun. The delay was ex plained by Mr. I-Ianson as due to de liberations of the joint civilian army ooard appointed by Secretary Baker to test and adopt the new weapon. Hanson was a member of the board. Although given the Browning gun contract in July, Mr. Hanson said that Decause of time needed to prepare new machinery his deliveries would not be gin until next April. His firm, how ever, is making deliveries on previous nrders of Vickers machine guns, some contracted for a year ago. Regarding government arsenal pro duction, Mr. Hanson said the impuls ion that they are “away behind the limes" was wrong. The arsenals < om pare very favorably he said, with foreign government and American pri vate factories. The principal difficul ty of American arsenals, he said, is in •etaining skilled workmen. Rif • pro duction lias been greatly increr ed, he said, by adoption of the mot floated Enfield. The American rifle : id am munition, he said, are much sr _*rior to those of any of the allies anc. at least tqual to Germany's. American machine gun manufac turers Hanson declared, have had prac tically no encouragement from this government, most of their orders coni ng from abroad. In reply to questions by Senator vVadsworth, the witness admitted that ,f machine guns had been promptly or lered when the government went into :he war General Pershing’s machine gun units, now would not be required to use Prench arms and ammunition. Upon conclusion of Hanson’s testi mony, the hearing was adjourned until tomorrow, when Quartermaster Sharpe Is to be examined. SENSATIONAL STORIES CAUSED SUGAR FAMINE Washington, Dec. 31.—Foundation 'or tile sugar shortage vc*& laid while refiners held large stocks last Febru ary, by sensational stories of a threat ened famine and strikes caused by the •• W. W., Karl D. Babst president of :he American Sugar Refining company estified today at the sugar investiga tion. He did nt»t say who he believed was responsible for the stories. Con rumers began to hoard, he said, and luring the spring and summer demands ipon tlie refiners were unprecedented. When consumers began to. hoard, re tailers raised prices, he said, hut re finers did not increase prices corres pondingly, as they did not desire to in crease the alarm. Added to the stare stories came re ports of a Cuban revolution and de struction of cane fields, which stimulat 'd the demand r-eatly, Babst said. 1’hen after stocks became low there de veloped a difficulty in getting raw sugar. BLAIR RESIGNS. Chicago, Dec. 20.—Resignation of leorgo A. Blair, assistant freight traf :ic manager of the Chicago. Milwaukee fc St. Paul railroad to enter an lndua .rlal business was announced today. President Brvam said that for the time being the position would not be filled. GERMAN SOCIALISTS OPPOSE PEACE MOVE Minority Faction Say Russian Bolshevists Are Traitors to Their Country. By United Press. Stockholm, Dec. 21.—German inde pendent socialists are up In arms once again against the government. Confirmation of yesterday's exclusive United Press dispatch that Germany’s real socialists are violently opposing separate peace with Russia came today in the receipt of the current issue of the Leipziger Volks Zeitung. chief or gan of the independent socialists. Tlie leading editorial bitterly assails tlie separate peace movement as the "greatest danger yet menacing German and European democracy.’' Demand is voiced that the central powers immediately state tlieir terms making general negotiations possible. The bolshevists are denounced in the editorial as “traitors to the Russian revolution.” The editorial likewise reveals for the first time that the German government had refused passports to Stockholm to members of the independent socialist party. "This shows the soul of the German government is just the same as ever,” the editorial asserts, "and it should open the eyes of tlie Russian fanatics who are now dealing with the majority socialists. The majority socialists are tlie lackeys of the government." SHIP INVESTIGATION TO START TODAY Chairman Hurley Will Be JTirst Witness Before Senate Committee. Washington, D. C„ Dec. 21.—Investi gation of the government shipping board and emergency fleet corporation's operations under the resolution of Sen ator Harding, which the Senate adopt ed, the Senate commerce committee de cided today will begin tomorrow after noon with Chairman Hurley as the first witness. Other witnesses will he Vice Chair man Stevens and John A. Donald, of the board. By resolution at its meet ing today the committee called on chairman Hurley for the following in formation: "An itemized statement of all con facts for both steel and wood ships, with the full name of each contracting person, firm or corporation, when or ganized and when in operation and the place where the ship building under each contract lias been or is being car ried on. ' "The number of ships constructed, where, and by whom built. “Number of ships now under con struction, where and by whom, and the proportion of work done. "Copies of all ship building con tracts. “What ships are being built in pri vate yards for other than government account, and by whom.” Rescues Bartender Friend From Ocean After Sinking Sub Bondon, Dec. 20.—“Hey, Pete, don’t you remember me? I’ve sold you a good many beers!” That was the surprising greeting in perfect American language that an American bluejacket got from a mem her of a U-boat crew caught by an American destroyer. An American sail or in town today on leave brought the story. After the U-boat had been taken and sunk by the American destroyer and tile Germans fished out of the water, they were put abourd the destroyer They were at once taken below and given dry clothes. While dressing and warming in the heat from the boilers, all of the bluejackets who could leave their posts went down to take a look at the “catch.” Suddenly one of the Germans jumped to his feet and shout ed His greeting: “Don’t you remember me?” he de manded. "I tended bar at that saloon near the Brooklyn navy yard. You used to come in and tip over a few of them frequently.” The group of Americans crowded around while he shook hands with the former bartender. ”1 lived in New York 10 years,” the German continued. "I happened to be in Germany at the outbreak of the war and they grabbed me and here you see me. It looks like it is all over with us now, and I am glad. I atn done with this kaUerisui. I would like to be back in good old New York and I am going buck there Just as soon as It is possible for me. “This submarine business is a mean business and take it from me, I don't like it; but It is much better than freezing to death and starving out there In the trenches. I had my fill of that." The navy department announced the capture of a submarine crew on No vember 25. CHICAGO ROBBERS GET $30,000 IN BANK RAID Overlook Suitcase Containing $40,000—Main Vaults Not Touched. Chicago, Dec. 21.—Robbers last night #tole approximately $30,000 from the safety deposit vaults of the State Bank of Summit, a suburb. The money was In bills of small denominations and be longed to the Co'-n Products company. It was reported, and was placed In the vaults yesterday in preparation for pny day today. The robbery was discovered when the bank was opened this morn ing. H. Kilgore, who is president of the bank, is also vice president of the State Bank of I.a Grange, another suburb, which was held up in daylight a week ago by robbers, who escaped with $46,846. According to Mr. Kilgore, the pay roll at the Summit bank was in sured. The money stolen waa in a suit case in the vault. Another suitcase con taining $40,000 was ov erlooked. The robbers entered the bunk by r rear door, and, using a gus torch, burned their way through eight inches of steel and concrete to their booty. They left no clue, nor has any trace of the quartet which robbed the Da Grange bank been found. According to an official of a burglar Insurance company, there have been 17 bank robberies, netting approximately $400,000, and 14 payroll robberies of in sured firms, netting $200,000 to the bandits, in the past 18 months. The depradatlons have cost the lives of 17 policemen. A long series of house burglaries led to an increase of 10 per cent in the burglar insurance rates on residences and apartments. Payroll robberies last month resulted in an increase of 33 1-1 per cent in payroll insurance. Banks, it was said, will come next. The automobile lias made modern robber raids possible. The robbers us ually young, numbering four or five, lie in wait unnoticed among other ma chines, for tiie appearance of the pay roll messenger or descend suddenly on a bank. Further Draft on Man Power Is Necessary, Says Premier Allies’ Failures Cause— Sub Losses Less. London, Dec. 21.—Speaking In the house of commons today David Lloyd George, the British prime minister, said that the margin of losses at sea was narrowing. The sinkings by sub marines, lie declared, was decreasing, while ship building was increasing. The premier said the sinking of sub marines was increasing. Although the merchant tonnage was down by 20 per cent, he added, the loss had been only 6 per cent of imports over that of last year. Regarding the military situation, Mr. Lloyd-George said it was idle to pre tend that the hopes formed had been realized. This disappointment he at tributed to the Russinn collapse. The Germans, the premier said had had only one success, which was due to surprise and this was now engag ing Inquiry. The Germans, he stated, had lost 100,000 prisoners, valuable positions and hundreds of guns. Says Germany Must Pay. Complete restoration of the terri tories taken by the enemy, together with compensation, was demanded by Premier Lloyd George in explaining the war aims of the government. The premier said that the losses in shipping hud been lighter by 100,000 tons than he had anticipated in his August estimate. The premier said that if the Russian army had fulfilled the expectations of its generals, by this time the pride of the German military power would have been completely humbled. On the whole the British campaign had not achieved the expectations formed, he said, but there had been military successes in Palestine which would have a permanent effect on the history of the world. Jerusalem, he stated, never would he restored to Tur key. Greater Sacrifices Necessary. After referring to the Italian reverses the premier said it would be necessary for Great Britain to make greater sac rifices to strengthen Its armies in the coming year. The need would arise to increase the nation’s man power by taking some men now exempted. The premier’s speech was delivered when adjournment for the holidays was moved in the house of commons tills afternoon. He dealt first with the prob lem of food. Two circumstances, he said, hud contributed lately to the gravity of the situation—the failure to obtain marga rine and butter from Holland and Den mark and the fact that England had been required to make sacrifices in or der to supply deficiencies of her allies. Owing to the efforts of the food con troller an Improvement was visible in circumstances which had caused so much anxiety In the last few days. More tea was coming in and it wots hoped by increased manufacture to imrove the situation as regarded margarine shortly. Owing to the food difficulties in Ger many, the premier went on. the physi cal deterioration of workmen had been so marked that the output per man had been decreased by S3 per cent, a As for the British casualties. Mr. Lloyd George said they had not amounted to more Ilian one-fourth or one-fifth of the Germans’, opposed to Germany, Austria and their allies, he asserted, were man power and reserves more than double those which the Teu tonic allies possessed. The government, said the premier, would confer next week with trades unions on the rnan power proposals. FUEL SITUATION IN NORTHEAST CRITICAL fVaehington, D. Dee. 21.--A criti cal fuel situation in New England, was pictured to the fuel administration to day by J. J. Storrow, fuel administra tor for New ICngland and Governor Mc Call, of Massachusetts. Public utilities companies and manufacturing plants the fusl administration was told will bo forced to dose unless shipments are Increased ALTERED PEACE PLMTLIIO Kaiser Would Make England ^ay for African Colonies. Using Money to Pay Indemnities. TERMS REACH WASHINGTON Sincerity of Offer Open to Ques tion—Russia Informed Pro posals Soon Will Be Made. Washington. D. C„ Dec. 2t.—What purports to be an outline of the •taiser's much advertised "Christmas peace terms" has been received hrough neutral diplomatic channels. The socalled terms include the fol lowing: To le^ve the disposition of Al sace-Lorraine to a plebiscite of inhabitants. England to pay Germany for her lost African colonies and the money to be used for the rehabilit ation of Belgium, Serbia, Ru mania and northern France. Russian provinces bordering the Baltic sea, the Black sea and Prus sia to become independent under a German plan. Poland to be called an indepen dent state under Austrian su zerainty. Disarmament, freedom of the seas and commerce to be left to the peace conference. Rumania, Serbia and Montenegro to retain their original boundaries with the right of access to the ses being granted to Serbia. Turkey to remain intact. Whether such a. proposal of terms a merely another step In the Ger ■nan propaganda to impress the public nlnd that the allies are responsible for i continuance of the war. or whether :t is really a feeler for peace, is a subject for the estimate of the gov ernments concerned. —4— USE RUSIA AS TOOL. Pe'rograd, Wednesday, Dec. 1ft.—Ac jording to press reports Russia has Mien informed by the central powers that they Intend to make peace pro posals to the allies. This report Is published in the Eve ning Post, which says the representa :ives of the central powers at the first preliminary peace conference with the Russians held yesterday announced hat their governments intended in principle to put the question of peace pefore all the powers and that they sad asked their allies to do likewise, dussla was requested to take similar iteps. It is stated the Russians are sndeuvortng by all means to sound the lilies. The Evening Post says the Germans have officially Informed tiie bolshevist headquarters that the central powers ire ready to consider the arrangement af peace on the basis of no annexations and no Indemnities, hut pointed out that self-definition of nations was im practicable. The representatives of the central powers Informed the Russians they were ready to discuss peace prelimi naries. hut desired to know the result of the Russians' efforts to induce the allies to join in the negotiations be fore proceeding with them They said this point of view might be changed, however, and that they might be willing to discuss peace with Russia alone. The Germans were of the opinion that the Russian armistice might Influence the other fronts. The first conference was demoted merely to a discussion of who would participate in the negotiations. GIVE ALLIES TWO MONTHS. Stockholm, Dec., 21.—The Ruscian aolshevists have given the allies two months in which to Join in the 'gen eral peace," according to a speech by Leon Trotsky reaching here today. "We do not promise to conclude a separate peace," ho declared. "We are not uble to make war for JO years in the interest of the French aristocracy and the British imperialists. History will condone a separate peace.” Trotsky's speech was made to « group of members of the "left wing of the radical party" at the peasants' congress last Monday afternoon, after the bolshevist minister had been hooted down by the main convention. COMMENDS SEAMAN. Washington. D. r'.. Dec. 20.—David Goldman, machinists mate in the navy has been comm?nded by Secretary Daniels for gallantry in having rescued -Vrthur C. Palmer, water tender from drowning on October 30. Palmer fe! overboard from the U. S. S. O'Bi ien and Goldman Jumped over board aftei him and held him up until ne war rescued. HEADS BALLOONING IN ARMY SERVICE gVv'/A/f) Col. John Nance Col. John Nance is chief of the balloon division of the U. S. aviation service. Though airplane develop ment has been great during the war the use of balloons for observation and other purposes has been of in creasing importance.