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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 1915)
REVIEW OF THE GRHT WAR AND OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS OF THE YEffi 1315 European Conflict Develops Into a Struggle to the Death, With Dead lock on Eastern and Western Fronts—Serbia Overrun by Teutons and Bulgarians—Trying Period for the United States—General Carranza Rec ognized as President of Mexico. THE EUROPEAN WAR The year 1915 has been so distinc tive from a historymaking viewpoint that in all the ages to come it will stand apart from those that have pre ceded it and from those which are to follow. During its entire length, the greater nations ot the European continent have abandoned themselves to a policy ot bloodshed which has fallen little short of delirium. To the neutral onlooker it has been a re vival on a huge scale of the irration al and murderous activity which char acterized the earlier ages of mankind. It has been the complete overthrow of ail the pacific theories which had ap parently gained so strong a foothold at the time of the firing of the first gun in the present conflict. At he beginning of the year, it was evident that it was to be a struggle to the death. It was plain that the Teutonic plan to force a speedy set lement by dint of superior armed preparedness bad failed. Six months had elapsed and the Teutonic allies were still faced by three great na tions, their strength unbroken and their determination inflexible. Aus tria had been driven repeatedly by her Russian invaders and twice the Serbs had routed Austrian armies sent against them. On other fields, also, Teutonic efforts had been futile. Thus far Turkey had been of little assist ance and the holy war had failed to come into being. German Southwest Africa had been lost and German in fluence in Asia had been smothered by the Japanese. As an offset, the Germans still held practically all the conquered territory which had fallen into their hands. Their lines still held firmly in Po land. in Flanders and in France. It was apparent that as yet the Teutonic combination showed no sign of weak ening, and a war of attrition seemed inevitable. Both in the east and in the west the military operations of the early part of the year were practically without decisive result. The fighting in Poland had resolved itself Into a complete deadlock. In January, the French-English combine made three attempts to break the Teutonic hold on French territory, but accomplished little. The German un successful drive at Warsaw and the rout of the Austrians in Galicia left a slight balance in the January lighting in favor of the allies. From a strictly military viewpoint, February was a promising month for the Teutonic allies. By the middle of the month, German troops were ad vancing all along the front from the Vistula to the Niemen, and thus, seven months after the breaking out of the war, German soil was practi cally cleared of its Russian invaders. The deadlock on the western front was still unbroken. Scene Shifts to Dardanelles With the advent of March, there came a sudden and dramatic change in the war situation. The scene of military activity was shifted to the Dardanelles. By the third week of the month, Rome, Athens, Sofia and Bucharest were centers of great po litical activity. The surrender of Przemvsl, March 22, was the most stirring victory for the allies since the battle of the Marne. The German assertion that the military power of Russia had dwindled into insignifi cance was disproved at once and the allied cause gained instant strength in ail the neutral capitals. One of the greatest strongholds iu Europe had been taken by t.he Russians. The disaster to the allifid fleet at the Dardanelles, which occurred dur ing the third week of March, put an end to the expectation of forcing the straits by naval means alone. Ger man prestige advanced perceptibly and the difficulty of the task under taken by the allied fleet was cow un derstood. In this month, also, the British won the battle of Neuve < napelle after a bloody fig*11 In April the French made a bold offensive stroke against the German position between the Meuse and the Moselle—the famous St. Mihiel wedgo —which resulted in a tremendous less of men on both sides, with small ad vantage for either. Nowhere had the allies made appreciable gain ter ritory. The invader held his own stubbornly and with success. About the middle of the month, Zeppelins made their appearance over English towns, inspiring great interest and not » little apprehension, but doing com paratively small damage. About this time. also, the attempted submarine blockade of the British coast proved to be ineffective. In the closing days of the month another great Teutonic offensive swept against the allied mes in Belgium, thrusting the enemy back upon Ypres, with great loss of life on both sides. in May the Germans sent their best troops to the aid of the ,, rd' pressed Austrians. By the mid-le of the month they had worked a star tling change in the situation. Prze tnvsl was retaken, the Russian cam paign in Galicia was shattered and the czar's armies were soon back where they started out in the previous September. Russia had suffered the greatest disaster in the war. A new Germany military hero had been re vealed in the person of Mackensen, who was now held with Hindenburg in popular esteem. In the last days of the month, Italy joined forces with the allies against Austria-Hungary. Fall of Warsaw. The campaign in the West was strangely quiescent. The allies kept to their trenches and the outside world wondered. Up to June 15 there was no claim of progress by the allies. The Teutonic claim that its side was still engaged in successful warfare on all fronts was not disputed. The splendid resistance interposed by the discred ited Turks came as a surprise to the world. Russia w-as unable to rally her badly demoralized forces to make a winning defense of Lemberg. Once that point had fallen. Warsaw became the main objective. It was not until August 6 that German troops made their triumphal entry into Warsaw, capital of Russian Poland. September marked a decided change in the Teutonic campaign in the East. Vilna fell on September 9, but imme diately afterward the Russians won a series of successes over the Austrians, capturing 40.000 prisoners. The escape of the Russian armies from the net planned by the German strategists was complete. The great Teutonic drive was brought to a halt, and in De cember the Germans withdrew slight ly and intrenched for the winter. The month of October marked a de cided revival of military activity on all fronts. After a long period of com parative quiet in the West, a desper ate offensive movement was made by the allies. The French drive in Cham pagne was one of the bloodiest at tempts yet made to pierce the German lines. After three weeks of incessant gunfire, the French troops left their trenches. September 25, and rushed the whole of the first German line. Nearly 20.000 German prisoners were captured, and upward of a hundred field guns, thus far the greatest single capture by the French during the war. But the Germans were not compelled to relinquish any great amount of ter ritory. In Artois the allies did not suc ceed in breaking through the German lines, but secured some coveted posi tions at an appalling cost. This brief period of allied success was followed by an unexpected turn of political affairs in the Balkans. For a second time the Greek king showed his lack of sympathy with the allies. ! In the spring he had prevented Veni zelos, his premier, an avowed sup porter of the allies, from sending troops to the Dardanelles. Now, when the allies were depending upon the Greeks to hold the Bulgarians in check. Constantine declined again to act. Serbia Is Overrun. Bulgaria announced her intention to cast her lot with the central powers and the latter opened a campaign hav ing Turkish relief for its apparent ob jective. On October 10 the Germans crossed the Danube and proceeded to advance southward, every step contest ed furiously by the outnumbered Serbs. France, England and Italy de clared war on Bulgaria. All at once the center of military activity was transferred to the Balkans. In November both the long-expected allied offensive in the West and the Teutonic drive in the East came prac tically tc an end. The allies failed to break the stubborn German lines and only achieved a possible moderate success in Champagne and Artois at tremendous cost. By the middle of the month military operations in Russia were practically at a standstill, the Germans having failed to accomplish the object of their campaign. At that time the big German drive to the Gold en Horn began to monopolize the at tention of the public. The preliminary invasion of Serbia by the Teutonic al lies—now including Bulgaria—was be gun with notable promptness. In fact, as early as October 27, the invading armies met in the northeastern part of the kingdom, by November 1 Kragu yevatz. the chief Serbian arsenal, had fallen, and by November 6 the Bulga rians were in Nish, Serbia'3 provi sional capital and railroad center. By November 19 it was announced that the invading armies held four-fifths of Serbia, and toward the close of the month Germany declared semiofficially that the campaign was over. By the middle of December the Franco-British forces had been driven out of Serbia. They fell back to Saloniki, which, with the consent of Greece, they prepared to defend. Since May 24, when the Italian army crossed the Austrian frontier, the fight ing has been continuous, especially along the Isonzo front. The strongly fortified and stubbornly defended town of Goritz was the Italian objective for weeks. In October the Austrian aero planes dropped bombs upon Venice, destroying art specimens and damag lag a church. The Italian liner An cona, bound for New York, was sunk by a submarine flying the Austrian flag on November 9. More than a hun dred passengers were killed, including several Americans. The United States made a vigorous demand on Austria to disavow the act and punish the com mander of the submarine. On December 15 the British war of fice announced that Gen. Sir Douglas Haig had superseded Field Marshal Sir John French as British commander in France and Flanders. WAR AND THE UNITED STATES Strictly neutral as has been the pol icy elected by this country, the gov ernment has been brought face to face with many serious problems which have arisen from the conduct of the European war. One of these was the seizure and detention by Great Britain of vessels carrying American goods to neutral ports in Europe. A protest was made by Washington and on Jan uary 10 Great Britain replied by of fering reasonable redress for any mis take of that nature. Early in February. Great Britain de cided to seize grain and flour ship ments to Germany even if intended for noncombatants, and. two days later, Germany declared the waters around Great Britain and Ireland to be a war zone, and announced her purpose to destroy every enemy merchant vessel discovered therein. Neutrals were warned of the danger sure to follow. On February 6. the Atlantic liner Lusi tania made the passage from New York to Liverpool flying the American flag as a protection against hostile submarines. On February 10, the United States sent notes to Germany and Great Britain concerning Ameri can shipping in the war zone. Ger many was warned against committing a breach of the rules of naval warfare and Great Britain was reminded that serious consequences might follow the use of the American flag by British vessels. On February 16, Germany of fered to withdraw from her crusade against British merchant ships if the British would permit the sending of food to the civilian population of Ger many. On the same day. the British government seized the American ship Wilhelmina. bound for a German port with wheat for civilian consumption. The German note in reply to the American protest against the subma rine blockade disclaimed all responsi bility. Great Britain affirmed its in tention to send the Wilhelmina to a prize court. In replies to inquiries from the Washington government, neither Germany nor Great Britain showed any disposition to recede from the positions already announced. On April 11, the German ambassador pro tested to the state department againBt the attitude of the United States to ward the shipment of war materials and British treatment of American trade with Germany. On May 1 the American oil carrier Gulflight was sunk off the Scilly islands by a Ger man submarine. Destruction of the Lusitania. On May 7. the big transatlantic liner Lusitania was sunk by a German sub marine off the coast of Ireland, with a loss of nearly 1,200 lives; including upwards of a hundred Americans. On May 13 the United States protested against the German submarine policy and declared its intention of main taining the* rights of American citi zens. On May 25 the American steam er Nebraskan was seriously damaged by a torpedo off the south coast of Ireland. On May 28 the German reply to the United States note of protest in regard to the submarine policy in the so-called “war zone" was received. Final statement of the German posi tion was reserved until a common ba sis of fact as to the status of the Lusi tania should be established. On May 31 Germany made official announce ment that the Gulflight had been sunk by a German submarine whose cap tain failed to recognize the American flag. On June 8 Secretary of State Wil liam J. Bryan resigned his office to avoid signing a second note of pro test to Germany against submarine in terference with merchant ships. On the following day this rote was sent and assurances were asked that in fu ture American ships and lives should be safeguarded. On June 22 the Brit ish government sent an official note to the American ambassador explain ing efforts made to protect neutral shipping. On June 28 the British steamer Armenian was destroyed by • a German submarine off the coast of southern England and a number of Americans in the crew lost their lives. On July 8 Germany replied to the i second Washington note regarding the submarine war against merchant ships, premising safety to United States ships in the war zone if specif ically marked, and suggesting that the American flag be placed on four hos tile steamers for the safe transporta tion of American passenger:. More Diplomatic Netes. On July 21 the United States sent a third note to Germany, with the state ment t'-at the German reply to a for mer note had been "very unsatisfac tory,” and that a repetition cf the acts complained of would be regarded as ‘deliberately unfriendly.'' On Aug ust S several uotes from Great Brit ain concerning interference with Amer ican tra^e in the war zone were made public, in which it was claimed that Great Britain was do ing nothing in violation of interna tional law. In the case of the William P. Frye, an American ship sunk by the Prinz Eitel Friedrich, January 28. Germany agreed to furnish Indemnity, and tr.a United States accepted the offer and pr: posed that the matter be referred to The Hague court. On .4 ugust 19 the British liner Arabic Was torpedoed by a German submarine and several Americans were drowned. A lively diplomatic controversy followed, and the tension in the United States was at the break ing point. On September \ the Ger man government notified the United States that the captain ot the subma rine had torpedoed the Arabic in seif defense. believing that she was about to ram him. On September 9 the United States asked Austria-Hungary to recall Doctor Dumba, its ambassa dor, charged with being active in a movement to cripple American manu facture of munitions. On October 5 the German government disavowed, the act of the submarine captain who sank the Arabic. At this time it was announced that the pending French British loan of ,$500,000,000 had been oversubscribed. The United States secret service. October 24, arrested a young man who called himself Robert Fay and de clared that he was a lieutenant in the German army and came to America to destroy merchant vessels of the allies and American munition plants! Early in December, the Washington govern ment demanded the recall of the Ger man attaches, Boy-Ed and Von Papen, on the ground of pernicious activity. They were recalled by the kaiser. Dr. Carl Buenz, managing director of the Hamburg-American line, and two employees of the company were convicted in New York in December of conspiracy to deceive the govern ment in sending vessels with supplies for German warships. THE CIVIL WAR IN MEXICO In the early part of the year it was evident that Francisco Villa had the ambition to become the political War wick of the republic of Mexico. On January 7 he deposed the provisional governor, Gutierrez, and installed Gen eral Garza in his place. He was still master of the situation at the City of Mexico, and Carranza still maintained his stand at Vera Cruz. Meantime, the fighting went on uninterruptedly, with varying results, but none decisive. In June the situation on the border and elsewhere became so irritating that the United States government felt compelled to give official warning to the factional leaders that failure on their part to come to some agreement would necessitate intervention. De spite this intimation, the forces cf Villa and Carranza continued to keep revolution aflame, and by midsummer the Mexican situation seemed to be more inexplicable than ever. Villa’s star waned perceptibly. A new mili tary influence. General Obregon, took the center of the stage. He assumed the leadership of the Carranza faction, add his military successes were con siderable. In July General Gonzales, another Carranza supporter, fought his way into Mexico City, displacing Gen eral Zapata. wrho held the place in the Villa interest. Later, Gonzales was driven out and the situation was so threatening to life and property in the capital that, in August, American bat tleships were ordered to Vera Cruz, but were not put into action. In this , month, also, an appeal signed by Sec retary of State Lansing and the repre sentatives of South and Central Amer ican governments asking all warring elements in Mexico to get together in an attempt at pacification was sent to the various leaders. During Septem ber the fighting on the Mexican border grew more desperate. There were many fatalities before United States troops gained control of the situation. On October 19, nine of the principal governments of the American hemi sphere. headed by the United States, recognized the de facto government of Mexico of which Carranza is the chief. OUR LAWMAKERS The Sixty-third congress came to a close on March 4, its final act of spe cial importance being the adoption of a resolution to strengthen the powers of the president in the enforcement of neutrality laws. Both branches agreed to the conference report on the naval appropriation bill calling for two new battleships, six destroyers and eight een submarines. The president's nom inations for the promotion of army and navy officers connected with the building of the Panama canal were confirmed by the senate, so that Colo nel Goethals and Brigadier General Gorgas became major generals. On January 26, the West Virginia legislature decided to submit a wom an suffrage amendment at the 1916 election. Two days later, in Tennes see, the house passed a bill for a ref erendum vote on woman suffrage, al ready passed by the upper house. Ar kansas declared for prohibition. In Iowa, prohibition again becomes ef fective on January 1, 1916. Both Idaho and Utah adopted prohibition bills March 5, the North Dakota legisla ture passed a bill abolishing capital punishment. South Dakota had taken similar action Januan- 30. March 10, Rear Admirals FleteAr. Howard and Cowles were made admirals, a new naval grade established by the last congress. March 18, Governor Spry of Utah vetoed the state-wide prohibition bill. April 7, the Alaska house passed a measure submitting prohibition to the voters. A week later, it agreed to the senate bill abolishing capital pun ishment. June 3, the government plea to have the United States Steel cor poration dissolved was denied by the United States circuit court for New Jersey and the defendant was held to be a lawful enterprise. Resignation of Bryan. June £, William J. Bryan resigned the office cf secretary of state, declar ing himself cut of sympathy with the president’s policy toward the Euro pean war. On the following day. Presi dent Wilson appointed Robert Lan sing, counselor for the state depart ment. to take charge ot the office. Mr. Lansing was made secretary ot state June 23. State-wide prohibition be came operative in Alabama on July 1. On July 22, the interstate com merce commission permitted advances in express rates and on August 11 it allowed increases in carload freight rates on 41 railroads in the middle West. On the following day. it ordered reductions irr freight rates on anthra cite coal. August 24, the Eastman Ko dak company was declared to be an il legal combination and ordered dis solved. September 10, the members of the constitutional convention of New York state adopted the proposed constitution, but it was overwhelming ly defeated at the polls November 2. State-wide prohibition triumphed in South Carolina, September 14, by a de cisive majority. President Wilson announced, Octo ber 6. his intention to vote for woman suffrage at the special election in New Jersey on October 19. At that election, the proposed constitutional amend ment was defeated by a majority of 50,000. November elections were held in eight states. Four of these—Ken tucky, Maryland, Massachusetts and Mississippi—chose governors. In three states—Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania—woman suffrage was rejected by large majorities. In Ohio, a state-wide prohibition measure was defeated by a majority of 35,000. Changes in the national house of rep resentatives reduced the Democratic majority to twenty-five. The Sixty fourth congress opened December 6. Senator Clarke of Arkansas was elect ed president pro tern of the senate and Champ Clark was re-elected speaker. POLITICS IN OTHER LANDS February 12, the protocol of the anti opium convention was signed at The Hague by representatives of the Unit ed States, China and Holland. March 5, Gen. Vilbrun G. Sam, leader of the revolution which overthrew Davilmar Theodor, was elected president of Haiti. March 7, the popular minister of Greece, Euletherios Venizelos, re signed. his policy of active participa tion in the war on the side of the al lies not meeting the approval of King Constantine. A new ministry was formed, with Demetrios Gounaris at its head, but he was soon succeeded by M. Skouloudis. April 23, the Danish diet passed a constitutional amendment giving the ballot to women. Before it can become law this measure must also pass the next diet. May 4, Italy repudiated her alliance with Germany and Austria, declaring that Austria's invasion o£ Serbia constituted a sufficient cause. May 25, the British Liberal ministry was reorganized on a coalition basis. Ex-Premier Balfour. Bonar Law. six other Unionists and a Labor party man accepted portfolios. May 29. Theophile Braga was elected president of Portugal. June 5, the new Danish constitution was signed by King Chris tian. One of its most important fea tures is the extension of the suffrage to women. July 21, the voters of Al berta, western Canada, carried pro hibition by a large majority. In the latter part of the month, a new revolu tionary movement broke out in Haiti and the president, General Sam, was killed. The United States cruiser Washington landed marines to stop further carnage. Juan Luis San Fuen tes was elected president of Chile on July 25, and Dr. Jcse Pardo was in augurated as president of Peru on Au gust 18. September 16, a treaty between the United States and Haiti was signed at Port au Prince, providing for Ameri can supervision of the finances and po lice regulation of that republic. Gen eral Dartinguenave was recognized as president. In November, it was announced that a majority of the Chinese provinces had vcted unanimously for the restor ation of the monarchial form of gov ernment with President Yuan Shih-kai as emperor, and on December 11 he announced his acceptance of the throne. The Japanese mikado. Yoshi hito, was crowned at Kioto Novem ber 10. INDUSTRIAL AGITATION Early in the year, the meetings of the industrial relations commission, held in New York city, attracted much attention on account of the promi nence of some of those who were called to testify. The chief purpose of the investigation was to obtain the opinions of well-known capitalists and employers on the present relations of capital and labor. January 19. guards in a factory near Roosevelt, N. J., lired on a group of striking workmen, killing one man and wounding several others. April 1C, in Chicago, 1,600 carpenters went on strike for an In crease in wages. June 14, motormen and conductors on the surface and elevated railways of Chicago, 14,000 in all. struck for higher wages and a complete tie-up resulted. The dis pute. however, was settled by arbitra tion after two days of business paraly sis. The carpenters’ strike in that city, which had crippled the building industry for several months, was end ed by a compromise wage agreement July 10. Ten days later, a strike of 60,000 garment makers in New York city was averted by a wage increase of from 12 to 15 per cent. In July the employees of the Stand ard Oil plant at Bayonne, N. J., went on strike and serious rioting followed. During the lawlessness which pre vailed, two strikers were killed and many policemen and onlookers were injured. After a week of disorder, a wage increase was obtained and the strikers resumed work. July 22, a strike for higher wages aud shorter hours at the Remington Arms works, Bridgeport, Conn., resulted in a vic tory for the employees. August 4, a threatened strike involving 60,000 workers on woman’s garments, in New York city, was prevented by an increase in wages. In September, the long aud not in frequently violent dispute over indus trial conditions at the mines of the Colorado Fuel and Iron company was brought to an end. John D. Rocke feller, Jr„ made an extended visit of investigation to the property and as an outcome suggested a plan for ad justing differences which was accept ed by the miners in a formal refer endum vote. An agreement was signed to maintain the present wage scale and the eight-hour day until January 1, 1918. The demand for union recognition made by the miners was not granted, but many conces sions were made by the company in favor of the employees. In July a miners’ strike practically put a stop to the great Welsh coal in dustry. After several conferences betwreen Mr. Lloyd George, the Brit ish minister of munitions, the colliery owners and representatives of the miners, the trouble was settled July 20, and the men went back to work. Further strikes and lockouts were prohibited by law. As early as June 30. the state ol American foreign trade showed a bal ance of exports over imports of more than $1,000,000,000. This was a new experience for the United States. The yield of wheat for the year, ac cording to the latest reports, exceeds 1,000,000,000 bushels, the largest on record. A corn crop of 3,090,000,000 bushels, at current prices, makes it the most valuable ever harvested in the country. The American oats crop is also one of the most bountiful on record. LAND AND SEA DISASTERS A seismic horror which recalled the Messina earthquake of seven years ago, occurred January 13. A large dis trict in central Italy, east of Rome, was laid waste and nearly 30,000 lives were lost. At Avezzano, 96 per cent of the population was destroyed and the property loss was more than $100, 000,000. February 10, earthquake, hurricane and an accompanying tidal wave vis ited the American Samoan group and caused great destruction on the Manua islands. In the latter part of June, severe earth shocks were felt through the Imperial valley, in southern Cali fornia. July 7, a violent storm swept over Missouri, Illinois, Ohio and In diana and left wide destruction in its wake. July 14. southern China floods destroyed 80,000 persons. Some parts of Canton were ten feet under water. August 3. a cloudburst at Erie, Pa., flooded a large area of the city, drowned 25 persons and caused great damage to property. August 11, an earthquake shock was felt in Italy, and Vesuvius, Etna and Stromboli be came active. August 16, a tropical storm which developed into a hurri cane struck the Texas coast and raged violently for two days. Nearly 200 persons were the victims of its fury and the property loss was computed in millions. September 29, a hurri cane dashed over the lower Mississip pi valley and gulf coast, destroying 300 persons and a great amount of property. January 21, a boiler explosion on the armored cruiser San Diego off the west coast of Mexico resulted in the death of six American sailors. March 2, there was an explosion of gas in a mine at Leyland, W. Va., and over 100 men were killed outright March 25 was the date of the shock ing submarine accident which resulted in the sinking of the United States boat F-4 during maneuvers in Hono lulu harbor. Her entire crew of 21 was drowned. April 3, a Dutch steamer, the Prins Mauritz, foundered ofT the Virginia coast and 59 persons lost their lives. On the last day of April, a big fire at Colon, Panama, destroyed 22 blocks killed 11 persons and entailed a prop erty loss of $3,500,000. May 22, Eng land experienced the most consider able wreck in the history of its rail way system. More than 150 persons, mostly soldiers going into quarters were killed near Carlisle. steamer Eastland Horror. The most conspicuous horror of the year for Americans was the overturn ing of the excursion steamer Eastland at her pier in the Chicago river. July 24. In broad daylight, a few feet from the shore. 852 persons, largely women and children out for a holiday, were drowned. A tornado of huge proportions swept over parts of Nebraska. South Dakota, Iowa and Kansas, November 10, destroying much property and causing the death of a dozen persons October 28, a parochial school at Pea body, Msbs., which was unprovided with fire escapes, was burned and 21 girls lost their lives. A factory fire in Brooklyn, N. Y„ November 6, re suited in the death of 12 persons. On November 10 the gun plant of the Bethlehem Steel company burned with a loss of $3,000,000, and next daj there was a million-dollar fire in the war material plant of the Hoebling Sons company at Trenton, N. J Flames destroyed much of Avalon Catalina island on November 25. The same day an explosion in the DuPont Powder company plant at Wilmington. Del., killed 31. On December 9 the DuPont powder town of Hopewell. Va., was burned down. (Copyright, 1915. by the McClure Newspa per Syndicate.) FLASH TIME TO HOMES Uncle Sam mav shortly begin sending regular time signals to the nation's housewives In view of the fact that the governments radio station at Washington is to flash the time of day to the mariner at sea, it has been suggested that the electric lighting wires in dwellings be utilized to furnish to the home accurate time signals. Time flashes might be prearranged by momentary interruptions of the lighting circuits, as has been successfully carried out in several western cities, for announcing electrions. It would be no great technical problem to have the family clock wired to the telephone, so that it could he set hourly by impulses from the central station and yet not interfere with the functions of the telephone. Prospectors' Lucky Strike. A rich field of cinnabar was the re ward of two prospectors in western Nevada who started out to trail some lo3t steers. The trail led over an old prospect in which a red mineral was exposed. One of the men recognized it as Cinnabar, and the two miners put in ten days staking out 17 clainiB. When their find was made known at Mina, Nev., nearly qll the inhabitants turned out and staked off claims. Mer- j cury (quicksilver) is obtained from cinnabar. Controversy. Gossiping upon the futility of liter ary controversy in general, Mr. An drew Lang once affirmed that Mat thew Arnold professed never to reply to anybody, and he once told Mr. Lang that he lines his bookcases with copies of replies to his boohs, placed sideways, to keep the damp from his own volumes. Yet when, breaking th-ough his general rule, he did in dulge in rejoinders, what he wrote was entertaining to others and ex tremely vexatious to his assailants. i < CAUSES OF RHEUMATISM One of the most important discourses yet given in connection with the Clinical Congress of Surgeons, in session here, was that by Dr. Charles F. Painter of Boston the other day. He explained to several hundred surgeons how that great bugaboo—rheumatism—is usually the result of ailing teeth, of the cold that wouldn't stay cured, or from disordered tonsils, ears and ether organs. The poison germ, he explained, is carried by the blood through the body until it lodges, usually choosing the joints as a resting place—New York Sun. Experiments in Italy seem to indicate that tomatoes planted in vineyards kill the insects that caused phylloxera in grapevines. WESTERN ROADS ALLOWED TO RAISE FREIGHT CHARGES. MOST IN EFFECT JANUARY 31 Many Commodities Affected, Including Farm Implements, Canned Goods Fcotware and Lumber. Washington. — Railroads operating the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and the Rocky mountains were grant ed increases in freight rates by the Interstate Commerce commission on many commodities, including agricul tural implements, canned goods and boots and shoes. No estimate of the additional rev enue ihe roads will derive troni the advances is contained in the commis sion's report on the case, but it will mount iuto the hundreds of thousands annually, despite the fact that numer ous increases sought were denied. Although there still is pending be fore the commission proposed increas es on a few other commodities the general campaign of the western roads to obtain higher rates on the more important commodities virtually is at an end. The increase proposed on agricultu ral implements was about 2 per ceut per hundred pounds, on canned goods about 1 cent per hundred, on flue lin ing about 3 cents per hundred, on I eggs about 3 cents per hundred, on I cider and vinegar from 2 to 7 cents ! per hundred pounds, on btixite ore about 90 cents per gross ton. on boots and shoes about 2Vi cents per hundred pounds, on dried fruits about 5 cents per hundred, on furniture 7 cents per hundred. The transit charge allowed on ; fruits and vegetables amounts to l' = i cents per hundred pounds; for stor j age in transit with a minimum charge [ of $5 per car. Among the miscellaneous increases allowed was one of 1 cent per loo pounds on lumber in carloads from i Chicago and St. Louis to Missouri riv er crossings, and an increase on lime of 1 to 5 cents per 100 pounds on ship ments from St. Paul and Minneapolis to Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska ■ points. Most of the new rates will become effective J*nuary 31, and the i taritfs containing the increases dlsal ; lowed must be cancelled by December 2? next. Epidemic of La Grippe in East. Philadelphia, Pa.—The death rate from the epidemic of la grippe now sweeping the state has been so high that Samuel G. Dixon, state health commission, issued a statement at Harrisburg, calling attention to the seriousness of the situation and cau tioned the public that if the disea.e is to be avoided “sacrifices must be made." “Keep out of crowded places,” Dr. Dixon says, “as one person having the grippe may give it to a carload of passengers.” In this city the bureau of vital sta tistics issued 650 burial permits dur ing the first three days of last week, the majority of the deaths being due directly or Indirectly to la grippe. This is more than double the ordinary death rate. It is estimated that near ly 15,000 persons in Philadelphia alone are suffering with the disease, which has been particularly fatal to the very old and very young. Mortality Among Flyers 47 Per Cent. New York.—William Thaw, Nor man Prince and Elliott C. Cowden, American aviators, who have been serving with the French army since the war began, arrived here on the steamship Rotterdam a few days ago. They said that approximately 47 per cent of the aviators who have hereto iore enlisted have been lost either lhro*th death or by capture or by wounds. As fast as the men drop out, however, there are many anxious and willing to take their places. Mother and Child Starve. Joliet, 111.—Mrs. William Hafner and her new born baby were found dead in their home on Bluff street here and the authorities gave starva tion as the cause. Four other children, Magdalene, 15 months, Julian, 4 years, Frank, 12, and Hubert, 8, are in a serious condition. It is said the two first named may die. It is said Haf ner deserted his family a year ago. 85,000 School Children Afflicted. Chicago, 111.—Approximately 85,000 pupils of the public schools are ab sent on account of a wave of influenza which is sweeping over the city ac cording to school physicians. Invention Disappears. New York.—A reversable telescopic indirect firing sight, the proper?;, the United States army, the design of which has been carefully guard* by the government, has disappear from a three-inch field gun in the ar mory, it is reported. Withdraw Men From Islands. Berlin.—The Cologne Gazette re ports that the British troops which have been stationed on islands in the eastern .Mediterranean have bee-i withdrawn to be sent to Saloniki. Find Cannon Buried. Berlin.—The discovery by Austro Hungarian troops of sixety-nine addi tional cannon which had been buried by the Serbians, is reported in an of ficial statement by the Vienna war of fice, as received here. It is expected other cannon will be discovered. Submarine Reported Captured. Paris.—Acording to a dispatch to the Messaggero from Malta, an Aus trian submarine has been captured by two torpedo boats, presumably Italian. •