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. •