Majority Caucus Reveals That Lenine Faction Will Domin ate All Russian Soviet Congress. TO HASTEN JAP ACTION Decision Leaves Empire Open To Economic Domination by Teutons—Means Reopen ing of Trade. By Associated Press. From Russia today comes news of a vote by delegates to the All Russian congress of soviets at Mos cow overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying the peace treaty dictated by Germany to the Russian dele gates at Brest-Litovsk. The wording of the meager ad vices leaves the significance of the ballot somewhat in doubt, but it appears probable that the vote of 453 to 30 recorded was cast by the members of the majority, or bolshe vist party in a caucus. If this is the fact the final de cision on the ratification of the treaty had not yet been taken when the dispatch was filed yesterday. The forecast in Moscow dispatches of earlier date, however, was that ultimate ratification seemed prob able and the bolshevist vote would indicate an extremely strong cur rent running in that direction. Potrograd, Thursday, March 14.—The !All-KUssian congress of soviets meet ing at Moscow yesterday, by a vote of 453 to 30, decided to ratify the peace treaty with the central powers. M. Ryazonov, a prominent bolshe vist theorist and representative of all the professional unions resigned from the bolshevist party after the vote. One year ago today Emperor Nicholas abdicated as autocrat of Russia and yes terday the all-Russian congress of soviets by an overwhelming vote agreed to Ger man peace terms. German militarism takes from the pres ent Russian government thousands of square miles of land and millions of in habitantt contained in the former imper ial territories of p'inland. Poland, Cour land. Lithuania, Esthonla, Livonia and the Ukraine in Europe and Batoum, Kars and Erivan in the Caucasus. The Rus sian army must demobilize, the Russian fleet is interned and favorable trade agreements arc to be given Germany and her allies. The action of the all-Russian congress of i.oviets in accepting the German peace clears the way for announcement of allied Intentions as regards Japanese interven tion in Siberia and gives Germany vast opportunities for political and economic penetration of the former Russian em pire. The decision of the congress is the culmination of the peace steps begun by the bolshevist government last December. The first peace conference at Brest I.itovsk was abortive, Germany on Feb ruary 15. rejecting the declarations of Foreign Minister Trotzky and resuming hostilities against Russia. The Germans then made peace with the L’kraine and prepared to aid the government there in putting down the bolshevists. On Febru ary 13 the German advance into Russia was renewed and the Dvina river crossed at Dvinsk. Meeting with little opposition the Ger man advance soon menaced Petrograd ami the bolshevist government decided to ac cept Germany’s peace terms. Foreign Minister Trotzky refused to go to Brest Litovsk and Premier Lenine sent Zino vieff, a close follower of his. The pacifist policy of Premier Lenine brought a break in the bolshevist ranks and Trotzky resigned several days ago. This cleavage apparently had no effect on f/enine’s mastery of the congress of soviets. Bv the peace terms Russia must give up Poland, Oourland, Livonia, Esthonia and the Ukraine. In Asia Minor the Russians are compelled to retire from Armenia anil to cede to the Turks the Russian districts of Batoum, Kars and Erivan. Russia must renounce all claims to the occupied territories in Europe, Germany and Austro-Hungarv to decide the fate of these regions in agreement with their populations. The Russian army must be demobilized and Russian warships are to he disarmed. Mora important to the central powers Is tiie reopening of navigation in the Black and Baltic seas and the signing by Rus sia under compulsion of a new commercial treaty with guarantees of a most favored nation treatment, at least until 1925. The bolshevist also promised to put an end to all propaganda and agitation within the central empires and in occupied territories under their control. PEACE WITH UKRAINE. Amsterdam, (Wednesday,) March 13. The opening of peace negotiations at Kieve between Russia and Ukraine is reported in a iV naneasditlicp reported in a Vienna dispatch to the V03sisehe Zeitung of Rerlin. The Ukraine radn, the dispatch says, ■will meet soon to ratify the peace treaty with the central powers. The government set up in Ukraine after Its declaration of independence from Rus sia was onposea ar bourgeoise by the bol shevLst, who sent troops to suport a bol shevlst movement In Ukraine. A number of battles were fought ana Kiev was cap tured by the bolshevlst. The terms Im posed by the central powers in the peace — treaty with Russia and the advance of Teutonic troops into Ukraine hpwever compelled the bolshevlst to give up th' ir campaign. WASHINGTON IN DARK. Washington, D. O., March 15.—Aside from press dispatches, Washington had no information today on the decision of the all-Russian congress of soviets at Moscow ratifying the German peace terms. Nothing had come either from Ambassador Francis at Vologda or the American consul general at Moscow. Officials have no means of knowing whether the action was taken before or after receipt of President Wilson’s mes sage to the people of Russia promising American aid in obtaining for Russia full independence from German ag gression. The message was sent March 11 and the congress decided to ratify the peace with Germany March 14. Its receipt has not been acknowledged by the American consul general at Mos cow, by whom it was to have been de livered. BOLSHEVISTS DOMINANT. London, March 15,—A Reuter dis patch filed yesterday at Retro grad says that the bolshevlst majority at the Mos cow conference decided by a vote of 453 to 30 to supnort the peace treaty. The foregoing dispatch indicates that only the bolshevist. delegates to I oe Mos cow conference were represented in Un vote taken, In what may have been a majority caucus. The menshevist and probably other factions are reported ar the conference, hut owing to the strength of Ihe bolshevlst It is improbable that the decision could be reversed. Owing to the present condition of cable transmission dispatches received from Russia are ia completo and frequently almost unlnt-1 Ugible. STEPHENSON, FORMER U.S. SENATOR, DEAD Succumbs to Illness Resulting From Infirmities Due to Old Age. Marinette. Wis., March 16.—Former United States Senator Isaac Stephen son died at 1:30 o’clock this morning. Senator Stephenson had been ill at his home here for a week, due to in firmities of are. His condition sudden ly grew worse yesterday and physicians expressed doubt for his recovery, but later in the day lie rallied and last night ! was restin''' comfortably. British Foreign Secretary Tells Parliament Allies Cannot Stand by and See Slav Empire Wrecked. London, (Tuesday), March 14.—De bate on the question of Japanese Inter vention in Siberia in the house of com mons today brought from Foreign Sec retary Balfour the declaration that German penetration in Russia must be combatted. The allied point of view was that they should help Russia in protecting herself against Germany. Although he did not think that Ger many would send an army to Vladi vostok, he said he had absolute faith in Japan’s loyalty in carrying out any decision reached by the allies. Discussing the situation in Russia. Mr. Balfour said: “If Russia had not been at war, it would have taken many years to com plete the beneficient course of the rev olution. When autocracy fell almost without a blow, Russia immediately fell into -chaos. It is untrue to say that the same tiling happened in the French revolution, for there the effect was not the disintegration but the integra tion of France. Precisely the opposite happened in Russia. The revolution came and all the old divisions between regions and creeds became marked and prominent. Situation Doubly Difficult. “It must inevitably take time before we will see the end of that process and to know clearly how much of old Russia, if any, ought to cease to form a part of new Russia, and how new Russia will be constituted. It is a very difficult process in time of peace and prosperity, but how can you carry it on in time of war with a remorseless, persevering and quite unscrupulous en emy at the gate? “There will be classes, some from patriotic, others from selfish motives, ready- to welcome anything promising a semblance of stability and order in the government. When that time comes I can imagine Germany trying to re establish possibly ihe old form of au tocratic government. We. should then have Russia shorn of some of its fairest provinces and with a kind of autocracy fay- worse than the old autocracy, because it would lean upon a foreign power for continued exist ence. If that came to pass, all out dreams of Russian development and Russian liberty would be gone and Rus sia would become a mere outpost of the central powers. “That is the real difficulty of deal ing with the problems raised in this de bate. Mr, Lees-Smith’s speech is a strong attack on what he conceives as the government’s policy with regard to i Japan and Siberia. It is entirely- ob | livlous of the facts I have Just brought i before the house and is based on a pro j found misunderstanding of what any i human being had ever thought, con trived or desired with regard to allied i intervention, Japanese or other in Rus j sian affairs.” Questions Japan’s Faith. H. B. Lees-Smith, a liberal in ques tioning Mr. Balfour as to the British attitude, had declared that if Japan entered Russian territory- and occupied it at the mandate of tne alliance, it fol lowed with almost absolute certainty that this territory would not be re turned. | “I cannot let this debate end, said Mr. Balfour in conclusion, “without repudi ating to the full Mr. Lees-Smith’s sug gestion that Japan would be moved by selfish and dishonorable motives in any I course which may- be discussed in I Japan, either among her statesmen or | with the allies. “Japan has behaved with perfect 1 loyalty and if she gives promises with j regard to Russian integrity or any question connected with Russia, she would keep them as she has kept, all promises she had made in connection ; with this war or any great public i transactions with the United States and ! the allies. 1 draw no distinction in this matter between Japan and the allies j who make up the great body of the bel j ligerents on the entente side. "The decisions the allies may have to : take will not be without difficulty, but the principle upon which these decl ! sions may be arrived will be neither un ! generous, unfair, nor hostile to Russia i and the Russian revolution. Our ob j ject is to see Russia strong, intact, se j cure and /ree and if these objects can i be obtained then, and then only-, will the : Russian revolution bring forth all the ; fruits its best friends desire to see." I ROOSEVELT SENDS HIS SON CONGRATULATIONS New York, March 16.--Colonel Roose velt, through the United Press, today sent the following message to Capt. Archie Roosevelt, recently wounded and decorated by the French govern ment: "Archie: We. are very anxious, but we are prouder than you can imagine. Oracle arid the baby are all right. Your decoration is the greatest possession of this family. "Theodore Roosevelt." : RUSSIANS NOT REALLY SEAMEN BUT PLOTTERS Norfolk, Ya., March 1f>. -Forty-three j members of the crew of the Russian | steamer Omsk, in port here, today [ faced charges of violating the espion age act as the result of their efforts Thursday night to seize the steamer, i Documents found aboard the vessel in dicated, government agents said, that certain members of the crew were "not 1 bonafide seaman, but rather highly in tellectual parties to a political pint ' which planned to divert the Osmli's ! cargo to Russia.” The ship's cargo of cotton Is con ) signed to Liverpool. American Troops Now Occupy Mile and Half of Line After Driving Out German Occupants. FIRST GAIN BY U. S. ARMY Higher Ground Gives Them Ad vantage—Counter Attacks Are Beaten Off By Ef fective Fighting. By Associated Press. , Washington, D. C., March 16.— Genera] Pershing’s casualty list to day, it is learned at the war de partment, will be longer than any previously issued and for that rea son may not be available for pub lication before tomorrow morning. There is no outward indication of what a longer casualty list indi cates, although American troops in the last few days have been active In an offensive aguinst the Ger man trenches. By United Press. With the American Army in France, March 16.—American troops now occu py their first German trenches. They consist of nearly a mile and a half of front line positions in the Badenviller region on the Luneville front. The positions were occupied in broad daylight by tile Americans after Ger man evacuation. The German barrage later forced a withdrawal but the Sammies returned and now firmly hold the posts. The posts have been consolidated. Auto matic rifles have been mounted and the posts are fully defended. The trenches were so dominated by Yankee artil lery that the boches evacuated. The American found the trenches supported by strong timbers. The broken ones having been replaced. The boches are playing a safe de fensive game on all fronts today, where they are occupied by Americans. This has been made apparent by recent raids. In expectation of the raids the enemy simply evacuates all front posi tions and retires to the safety of the rear lines. The Sammies are alert and active and the Germans are unable to tell when to expect something. There was considerable sniping today on the Luneville front. The Sammies are becoming exceptionally proficient at tills art. There was also much gre nading back and forth while aerial activity is constantly increasing. This, though a small forward move ment, marks the first permanent ad vance by the American army in France. The consolidation of the trenches en ables the Americans and French to operate from higher ground than here* tofore. ON OTHER FRONTS. By Associated Press. Fighting activity on the British front from Ypres south toward Arras con tinues at a sharp pitch. On the hitherto quiet sector between Armentieres and Vermelles, about 3 5 miles, the German artillery fire continues intense, as it has been for several days past. A strong German detachment attempted a raid on this front, but was thrown back by the Portuguese. On the southern end of the Ypres sector, Australian troops have been successful in raids into enemy lines and in repulsing German raiding parties. There has been heavy artillery firing on the French front and the French have repulsed three Ger man raids. — IOWANS ARE DECORATED. With the American Army in France, March 3 6.—Col. I>ouglas MacArthur, Captain Handy and eight enlisted men, including Private O. S. Bordon, of Iowa, have been decorated with the French croix de guerre for bravery in action. MacArthur (deleted by censor) the troops in the Luneville sector. The colonel went over the top with the French recently when they took sev eral German prisoners, after passing through a German barrage. He also went over the top in Saturday’s raid. The others received the war cross for action in the same region. FRENCH MAKE GAIN. Berlin, Marcli 16.—A strong French ! detachment gained a footing yesterday ! west of the Nauroy road on the Ger man crown prince’s front (Champagne district), says today's army headquar ‘ ters announcement. TWO WOMEN KILLED AND 15 INJURED IN WRECK Harrisburg. Ba„ March 16.—Two women were killed and 15 other pas sengers were injured when the Cin cinnati. Indianapolis & Chicago express I west bound on the Pennsylvania rall I road was struck by boulders which I rolled on the Hack, while the train was I passing through a cut near Klizabeth ' town, 17 miles east of here, early to day. The boulders wrecked two sleep | ing cars, causing the death of the women. _ I PILOT OF MONT BLANC DISCHARGED BY COURT , - Halifax, X. S., March 16. The charge | of manslaughter against Francis Mac j Kay, who piloted the French munitions ship Mont Blanc at the time of her col lision here, with the Belgian relief ship I lmo, was dismissed today by Judge ; Bussell. The court held there seemed to be no evidence upon which an un biased tribunal could hold MacKay criminally culpable. The pilot was dis charged from custody. The explosion, which occurred when the vessels crashed, caused the loss of about 1,500 lives. 'demurrer of townley OVERRULED BY COURT Fairmont. Minn., March 15.—Judge I Tisk of Glencoe, sitting in the district court of Martin ccmnty, today over I ruled the demurer of attorneys repre ! senting A. C. Townley against indict ments recently returned against Town ley, charging circulating a pamphlet and other literature opposing the war and discouraging enlistments. The matter will now go to the su ! preme court and if the demurrer ts j overruled the case will be put on trial i at Glencoe. German Press Thrown Into Hot Rage by Allied Action in Re gard to Use of Hol land’s Ships. “GLY POLICY IS EXPOSED .'eutons Seek to Intimidate and Browbeat Neutral Neighbors and Cripple Their Fu ture Trade. London, March 16—The notice served on Holland by Great Britain and the United States regarding the taking over of Dutch shipping in allied ports has thrown the German press into a towering rage, the Copenhagen cor respondent of the Exchange Telegraph company cables. The newspapers de mand. that Germany take the most drastic counter measures if Holland gives way to the allies. Washington, D. C.. March IB.—Ger many's latest campaign of ruthless ness against neutral shipping is at tributed by the war trade board to a deliberate plan for cutting off the north European nations from Americun and allied food supplies and thereby reduc ing them through starvation to a po litical and economic dependence upon the Teutonic war lords. While the board makes no reference to the determination of the United States and Great Britain to take over Dutch ships in American and allied ports unless The Netherlands govern ment accepts a pending economic agree ment, its statement throws interesting light on the situation which led to this decision. The hope is expressed that the neutrals will contrast the respective attitudes of the United States and Ger many toward the problem of feeding them. To Starve Out Neutrals. Following is the statement in part: "Germany’s war leaders are using the submarine war weapon to prevent ful fillment of American agreements to feed and relieve European neutrals. A mass of cumulative evidence and indi cations in the possession of the war trade board show that Germany is em ploying the submarine menace to pre vent neighbor neutrals receiving any food or favors at the hands of the United States and its associates in the war and to coerce these neutrals through starvation Into political and economic dependence upon Germany, quite as much as to strike at the com munications of its opponents—Ger many's ostensible aim In proclaiming the ruthless submarine campaign. "Further indications tend to show that the submarines are being used, along similar dog-in-the-manger lines, to destroy neutral shipping without re gard to its employment, in order to weaken prospective neutral competi tors after the wnr, and to drag down neutral tonnage as far as possible to ward a position of equality (or inferiority) with the German mercan tile marine, which has lost between 40 and 60 per cent of its ocean tonnage, so that the neutral trader may be equallv as badly off as his German rival for tonnage in the after-the-war race for commerce. Hun Game Exposed. “The intent of the Germans to pre vent neutrals receiving food and sup plies under relief agreements concluded with the United States, is illustrated by the German veto placed upon the temporary modus vlvendl with Holland providing for tho provisioning of that country. Two food ships loaded with supplies for the Netherlands along with 11 Belgian relief ships, have been wait ing in American ports for weeks, un able to sail because of the refusal of Germany to permit an equivalent amount of tonnage leaving Dutch har bors. the obvious plan of the German authorities being to gather all Dutch ships into home harbors and then pre vent any of them sailing by threats to torpedo any vessel leaving Holland waters. “The present campaign of threats and intimidations ugainst the Scandinavian neutrals now carried on in the semi official North German Gazette, and other organs of the German press, is obviously intended to frighten the northern neutrals from completing agreements which benefit the neutrals quite as much as the Unlttd States and its associates.” MAINE PLAN PRAISED BY PRESIDENT WILSON Augusta. Me.. March 16.- A telegram from President Wilson saying that Maine in extending its national de fense organization by the creation of community councils was making an advance of vital significance, was re ceived today by Harold M. Sewall, chairman of the state committee on public safety. ‘‘It will I believe result, when thoroughly carried out In welding the nation together as no nation of great size has ever been welded before," President Wilson said. "It will build up from the bottom an understanding and sympathy and unity of purpose and effort which no doubt will have an immediate and decisive effect upon our great undertaking. "It Is only by extending your or' ganization to small communities that every citizen of the state can be reached and touched with the inspiration of the common cause. "Through this great new organiza tion we will express with added empha sis our will to win and our confidence in the utter righteousness of our pur pose.'* TIMBER SEIZURE BILL CONSIDERABLY MODIFIED Washington. March la.—Provisions In the administration’s timber requisi tioning bill to authorize the president to prescribe regulations for all timber ing operations were stricken out today by tlie Senate military committee, they had drawn vigorous opposition from lumber interests. The bill itself, retaining its principal provisions for commandeering timber and its products for the use of the army, the navy and the shipping board, was ordered favorably reported. HE PAYS FINE AND BUYS LIBERTY BONDS lies Moines, la., March IT,.—Abe Moore, of Van Meter, found guiltv in federal court of Inciting insurrection against the draft, was treed today by Judge Wade upon producing receipt showing that he has purchased $1,000 In I.lberty bonds In addition. Moon paid a fine of $1,308. Five Bottles Peruna Restored Me To Complete SH I 8 ITS — Mr. C. N. Petersen, dealer in One * boots, shoos and cigars, 132 S. Main St, Council Bluffs, la., writes: ‘1 ITJott/i cannot tell you how much good Pe -*■•*■** * runa has done me. Constant confine noon T-. ment in my store began to tell on my ■Dt-t-H 111 health and I felt that I was grad T'tir* Ti«ct ually breaking down. I tried several X I1C Dtol remedies prescribed by my physician, yar + but obtained no permanent relief V-JI opirixs until I took Peruna. I felt better im p • rucirista. ?!CUX CITY PTC. CO, NO. *8. Tell All He Knew. “We had been asked to entertain the bishop of a church strictly opposed to card playing and dancing during his visit to n convention held in our city. The bishop made n most charming guest nnd attempted to make friends with our small sou, Bobby, by begin ning a conversation. “(fan you tell me bow many days there are in a week, my boy?’’ he asked. Bobby answered correctly nnd the t bishop continued: “And How ritauy weeks are there in a year?'* “Fifty-two, proudly answered" Bob by, and then, prompted by some evil spirit to show his immense stock of knowledge, added: “Just as many as there are cards in the deck.”—Ohicag® Tribune. LEMONlillCE IS SKIN WHITENED CHEAP HOME-MADE BEAUTY LO TION TO REMOVE TAN, FRECK LES, SALLOWNESS. At the cost of a small jar of ordinary cold cream one can prepare a full quar ter pint of the most wonderful lemon skin whitener and complexion beautl fier, by squeezing the juice of two fresh lemons into a bottle containing three ounces of orchard white, ttire should be taken to strain the juice through a tine cloth so no lemon pulp gets In, then this lotion will keep fresh for months. Every woman knows that lemon juice Is used to bleach a dark ened skin and remove such blemishes as freckles, sallowness and tan and Is the ideal skin softener and beautlfier. Just try it! Get three ounces of orchard white at any drug store and two lemons from the grocer an® make up a quarter pint of this sweetly frag rant lemon lotion nnd massage It daily Into the face, neck, arras and hands. It is marvelous to whiten rough, red hands.—Adv. Voice of Prejudice. “I told you It was a mistake to take over those Hawaiian islands,” said the man who never gives up. “Why, those islands are now among our valued possessions.” “But look at the comfort they have destroyed. As soon as they got a lit tle encouragement they flooded the whole western hemisphere with uku leles." BOSCHEE’S GERMAN SYRUP • — | will quiet your cough, soothe the in 1 (lamination of a sore throat and lungs, | stop irritation in the bronchial tubes, ! insuring a good night’s rest, free from coughing and with easy expectoration I in the morning. Made and sold in ! America for fifty-two years. A won I derful prescription, assisting Nature in i building up your general health and ; throwing off the disease. Especially | useful in lung trouble, asthma, croup, I bronchitis, etc. For sale In all civil ized countries.—Adv. | An implement has been patented by t a New York man to enable it blind l person to thread a needle. I United States has 4,fi.S‘t,2S9 Metbod . i 1st." !i> the Northern state-* *