WHJB!t AW AT FROM HOHH
Tho Dee is The Paper
r as fori if fo pii t be
tssans wore than a raw says,
eve The In saailea u yea.
The Omaha
UTTV
JL
BTTATTX THE WI1THEH
JCV JLV Snow
VOL. XUV-XO. Ki4.
OMAHA, SATl'UPAY MOKXlXtt, PKCKMIIKK 'M, 1PI4.
On Trains and at
otsl Hswe Stands, B
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
MUNICIPAL TREE
LIGHTS UP MANY
A CHILD'S HEART
More Than Thousand Youngsters
Axe Presented with Christmas
Packages by Santa Claus.
LONG HOW OF DELIGHTED ONES
Hear Carols Sung and Receive Gifts
that Bring Shouts of
Happiness.
MUSICAL PROGRAM FEATURE
ISLAM'S CALL TO ARMS Proclaiming the Holy War
by the Turkish priest, Sheikh-ul-Islam, in fro , the
Mosque of Feith in Constantinople.
Audience Joins in Songs of Christ
inas Praise and Joy.
GAY SCENE AT AUDITORIUM
tlty Commissioners, Mmmtrr Lilian
id UnnU (lam Bonnie tilve
laungnlrri : ThrllliuK
Tlinr.
Over 1,00 little youngsters stood pa
tiently but eagerly In line at Auditorium
Christmas eve waiting their turn to
receive their Christmas packages of nuts,
candles, apples, oranges and other deli
cacies dear to the heart of little ones.
Juat 1,600 packages were distributed to
grown-ups and little folk alike, and when
tho last person in line, a tiny little girl
with a black Bhawl over her head, drew
her package, "Santa Claus," Boggle,
found that hla pile had been completely
exhausted.
The occasion was Omaha's second muni
cipal ChrlBtmaa tree. And you must hand
a few boquets, or a Christmas poinsetta,
or a wreath of holly to the city com
mlssloners who handed out the presents
and made the tree possible. When the
city commissioners do anything they do
it Just as the lady enters the cafe foun
tain on New Year's eve with both feet.
Music Before Santa,
Preceding the disposition of the Christ
inns sacks, a musical program was given
I'.v arioua musical organizations of the
c-itv.
Selections were given by the Omaha
Musicians' association band and the
Omaha Music verein, followed by a rhap
sody by the Omaha Symphony Study
orchestra.
Charles Gardner, vocalist at the Ak-Sar-Ben
den, sang a Christmas carol and
was an Instantaneous hit. Gardner's
powerful voice rang out true throughout
the entire Auditorium and tho crowd,
which was in attendance, applauded un
til he waa forced to advance to the front
of the stage and proclaim in a very em
barrassed tone, "Merry Christmas," be
fore the remainder of the program could
be oontinued.
The Omaha High school glee club and
the; Swedish Male chorus gave several
elections. . :. v. .
, ,.-..r,..-.-Adlie 81 Mc. . ...
The audience was asked to join In the
elnging of "Ades'te' Fldefcs'' and "HrU,
the Herald Angels Sing," led by Prof.
Cox and the Omaha Symphony orchestra.
They did, and with a will, and the big
Auditorium resounded as thousands of
voices raised In the Christmas carols.
Following this tho little tots, some ac
companied by their parents and some
bravely advancing alone, were murshalleil
into line to receive their presents. Claude
Bosste attired himself in the garb of the
popular version of Santa Claus and
handed out the presents.
The little folks were hustled to the
front of the line so as to bo sure that
they were supplied before the supply ran
out. But the supply didn't run out and
everybody who was in line received a
package.
Old and Young There.
It was a queer and unusual company
tlmt assembled In that line. Ranging
in ages from 3 to 83, they all were given
a package containing the same articles.
Color and race alike were served. Some
of those In line were tattered and torn
and manifestly the victims of a cruel
circumstance, while others wero more
prosperously draped.
Those in charge u the distribution were
a bit disappointed when apparently well-to-do
Individuals thrust themselves greed
ily Into line, but no word of protest was
passed. Even though the commissioners
had announced that the object of the
municipal tree waa to provide a little
Christmas cheer to those who are des
tined to spepd a dreary holiday, fully
400 persona who didn't appear to need
charity pressed forward. Nothing was
aid and each received a package.
hlldre.u in Readiness.
The sight of the little lads and lassies
In line waiting for their packages was
a treat for sore eyes. Mournful little
faces brightened perceptibly .when the
call to form In line was announced. Dur
ing the whole musical performance, from
8:15 until shortly before 10 o'clock, the
little ones sat patiently In the front rows
(Continued on Page Two, Column Four.)
t?- in p-
))
-w 7..
JAPANESE DIET
IS DISSOLVED BY
MIKADO'S ORDER
Popular Legislative Body Rejects
Army Expansion Measures Pro
posed by the Ministry.
! CLOSING SESSION DRAMATIC
Debate Extends Far Into the Night,
with No Prospect of Reach
ing an Agreement.
KAT0 DEPLORES THE WRANGLE
Russian Women Still Have Thirteen
Days to Do Christmas Shopping
In Opening Address, Dec. 5, He
Asked Members to Avoid Strife.
The Weather
Forecast of the weather for Saturday:
For Nebraska Snow flurries; cloudy
and rising temperatures.
Tejnperatnre at Omaha Yesterday.
Hours. Deg.
5a. m
WARMER
a. m
7 a. rn
a. m
a. ni
10 a. m
11 a. m
12 m
1 p. m
3 p. m
3 p. m
4 p. m
p. m
i p. m
T p. m
I!
7
7
. . 7
.. 7
.. a
.. It
.. T
.. 7
.. 7
" I
. . 7
.. V
..
.. 3
! CHRISTMAS TREE AT
! THE-WHITE HOUSE
! President Wilson Personally Directs
Holiday Festivities at the
i ., . Capital. ...... '
j i j-r .
' GRANDNIECEHEiGNS SUPREME
J liltlle Ann Cochran l' Center of A t
j traetlon at Home jof the t hief
j Mxecntlve Gifts Sent
j to Ihe Poor. j
j 1
j WASHINGTON. Dec. 35.-Presld.-nt Wll-
son aror.e early today to direct In
I rerson' the Christmas festivities- at tho
White House for his small grandnlece,
Ann -Cnthran. ' A largo Christmas tree
I wus erec ted In the library and the entire
j family gathered there before breakfast
to exchange gifts. .. After breakfast the
! president gave presents to the White
I House employes'.
During the morning several White
'House automobiles loaded with t lothing,
! fi nd and toys was sent Into" the poor
(section of the city at .the direction of the
j president who, In this way, paid a tribute
i to the memory of Mrs. Wilson's interest
I In Washington's poor.
! The president did not attenU church
i this morning. Prof. Stockton Axson,
i brother of the late Airs, Wilson, spent
j the day at the White House. Others In
! the family group were Secretary and Mrs.
jMcAdoo, Mr. ami Mrs. F. B. Sayre, Miss
Margaret Wilson, Ml:j f'allie McAdoo,
i Mrs. Edward Howe, Mr. Wilson's sinter;
! Mrs. Anno Cothran, his niee, and Miss
.Helen W. Bonos, his cousin.
The Christmas dinner was largely com
I posed of gifts from admirers In different
I parts of the country,
! The president saw no callers during the
day and attended to but little business,
j He received Christmas greetings from
i thousands of people in this and other
' countries.
j Uood Cheer In t.olhaiu.
I NEW YORK. Do 25. Christmas
! dawned with a thin mantle of snow over
the city. Ice for skating on the municipal
! lakes, tho weather sea.cnoble and with
j the many ublic and private charitable
I agencies prepared to extend comfort and
j good cheer to the toor throughout the
jcity. In church and cathedral and syna
gogue peuce was the keynote of hcrmon
. and hymmw
I The Yuletlde spirit hovered afloat and
; ashore. Mtn on the big; German liners,
lit port ut Hoboken since early August,
and the families who Inhabit the barges
i shared alike with the mcciy on land what
ever orrerings came with Chr'stmas. For
those In want the effe rings took r a
terial form In clothing tnd food ilistrih.
uted by the Salvation Army, the liowery
Mission, the Children's Aid society a..d
kindled organisation, and by the city In
hospital and correctional institutions,
(Continued on Page Two, Column Five!)
VILLA AND ZAPATA
ARE NEAR BREAK
Reports from Mexico City Tell of
Serious Friction Between Rev
olutionary Leaders.
EXECUTIONS IN PARTY CONTINtTE
Villa, la Address to Business Men of
Guadalajara, Says Convention
' Government Most Have. Money
If it Is to Survive.
KL PASO, Tex., Dec. Stories of ex
ecutions in the patio of the penitentiary
or by mysterious shooting In the streets
were brought here today by arrivals
from Mexico City. These Mexicans, who
declined to be quoted, told of rumors
current in Mexico City that partisans of
Francisco Villa and Emlllano Zapata
feared a break - between the leaders.
These same reports credited many of the
reported executions to Colonel . Rodolfo
Flerro, a inember of Villa's staff.
Julan C. Medina, a blacksmith, has been
appointed governor of the state of Jalisco
by General' Francisco Villa, according to
advices reaching here from Guadalajara,
the capital. Miguel Dleguez, '.the Car
ransa appointee, who was deposed when
Villa forces captured Guadalajara re
cently, was a carpenter.
During; bis recent visit to Guadalajara,
General Villa sought the loan of 1,000.000
pesos from tho people Of the state. The
major, part of this sum, it is said, will
be. supplied by the church party, which
(Continued on Page Three, Column Six.)
German Crown Prince
Sends Picture and '
Pipe to Each Soldier
BERLIN, Dec. 26. (Via London.) The
crown prince has issued tho following
address to his troops in the field:
"The celebration of Christmas in France
is in c'losest contact with the enemy.
Such a c-elebration none of us is likely
to forget. I wish for all members of my
brave army the blessing of God until we
have with ' the good luck of a dutiful
soldier established a peace of which we
and our beloved fatherland may be proud.
"My grandfather, Crown Prince Fred
crick William, on Christmas, 1870, sent
to every man of his brave army, your
futhers and grandfathers, a pipe with
his picture. J do the same. May this
humble token to my loyal companions In
arms be a souvenir of our common Christ
mus celebration In Germany's greatest
days."
BUSINESS MEN TAKE HAND
The Trj to Compose Ilf ferenres
Brrsuae Crisis In War Time
Would t rente t nfavorable
I iiiiiresNf on.
TON III. Dec. 2.Y The Imperial Diet
was dissolved today. The House of Rep
resentatives rejected the army expan
sion Pleasure proposed by the govern
ment. This led to the dissolution of the
house.
The closing session of the house was
dramatic in the extreme. Tho debate ex
tended all through the day and on into
the night. The house was unable to
compose Its differences and there was
no sign that the debate was approaching
its end. when shortly before 10 o'clock It
was announced that Fmperor Yoshlhlto
had exercised his royal prerogative, dis
solving the Diet.
Huron I'rars Compromise.
Considerable opposition developed In
the House of Representatives to the bud
get for 1915, which showed an estimated
expenditure of 586,000,000 yen t78.000,000)
and a decrease of the revenues of 140,
500.000. Recent dispatches from Toklo have
stated that there was good reason to be
lieve that unless the house adopted the
budget It would be dissolved by the em
peror. The Merchants' association and
liiirou Shibusawa, president of the American-Japanese
association, and Duel Na
kano, president of the Toklo Chamber of
Commerce, took steps a ftw days ago to
urge the Diet and cabinet to reach a
compromise in the hope of preventing dis
solution of the house and collapse of the
ministry. They urged that a crisis In
time of war would create an unfavorable
Impression abroad. The oppositionn
leaders declared that proposals for In
creases In the army would be rejected.
kSmprror Deplores Wranglt,
The Diet was convened on December 6.
Baron Kato. minister of foreign affairs,
In an address at that time, appealed to
the Diet to lay aside political strife. In
view of the unsettled International sit-
uatloa.' it "was the- emperor's wish, ha
said, that the session should not be
marked by political wrangling.
There were indications, however, that
the opposition could not be plarated so
long as tho government Insisted upon
Its program, and it was evident that the
struggle would center around the ques
tion of Increasing the army. The pro
posal to add two or more divisions to the
Army in Korea caused the collapse of
the last Salonjl ministry, and it was
felt that on this occasion the army ques
tion was likely to lead to either the col
lapse of the cabinet or the dissolution of
the Diet.
PKTROOHAD Vla T.ondonV Doc. 2.V
Whlle all the western world Is celebrat
ing Christmas, the Russian goes blandly
Hlwiut his business, still having thirteen
clays In which to do his Christmas shop
ping. This Is due to the Julian calendar,
which sets back Russian time nearly a
fortnight behind the rest of Christendom.
Probably in no other warring nation has
the war brought such a marked change
In the observance of the holiday season.
Religious ceremonies, always the distinc
tive feature of the Russian Christmas,
alone will be unchnnged, and doubtless
will be observed with more than usual
fervor.
The Christmas feasting vT former years,
the Animated street and cafe life which
customarily turned the holiday season
Into n carnival lasting well on toward
the new year, will bo lacking. This Is
Petrogruil's first Christmas without
Vodka.
Families broken up b.- the fortunes of
w-ar are unaMo to reunite on the one
occasion which usually brought home
ward the absent members.
Most foreigners who have resided for
a long time In this country have fallen
Into Ihe custom of observing the Rus
sian holiday. Hence, for them, too, tho
Christinas season Is Just getting under
way. Here and there among the more
recent coiners who, not withstanding the
tardiness of the mails, keep in touch with
tholr relatives In other lands, the Christ
mas of the modern calendar Is observed
today.
Among tho few celebrations today was
noonday dinner given to tho Russian
wounded at the new American hospital
by Mrs. George T. Msrye, Jr., wife of
the American ambassador. Most of the
patients are only slightly wounded, con
sequently they wero able to gather at the
table. They showed a pathetic eagerness
to psrtake of the good cheer provided by
the Americans.
Tho only official observance of the day
was a staff dinner by the British ambas
sador. Sir George Htichanan.
! ARTILLERY FIGHTS
i FROM LYS TO OISE
French Official Report Tells of Num
ber of Advances Made in
Belgium,
FORTIFIED FOREST CAPTURED
Five Arrests Made
In Connection with
Alleged Opium Plot
NEW YORK, Dee. 2o.-Wlth five men,
Including several sailors, already tinder
arrest here In connection with the uncov
ering of what the federal authorities be
lieve Is a wholesale opium smuggling; plot,
the crews' quarters of Incoming vessels
from England are being searched for fur
ther evidence, according to report pub
lished today.
It was stated that a woman, declared
to be the head of a conspiracy. Is on
the Baltic, now nearing England, and
that a wireless message has been sent to
the White Star liner and a cablegram to
the Scotland Yards authorities, looking
toward her arrest In Liverpool. She Is
said to have 120,000 worth cf opium with
her which she and others found they
could not smuggle Into this country owing
to the discovery of the plot.
The federal authorities declined to dis
close her identity.
RELIGION AND WAR
MIXED INLANDERS
Correspondent Describes Early
Morning Scene in Edifice
at Furnes.
OVER 18 MILLIONS
FIGHT Oil BATTLE
FIELDS OF EUROPE
Mighty Mass of Men Engaged in
Death Struggle of Nations Upon
Christmas Day.
FIERCE COMBATS EVERYWHERE
One of Greatest Conflicts Known to
History Raging from Prussia
to Carpathians.
RESULT NOT YET APPARENT
Warfare in Western Zone Seems
Just as Furious and No More
Decisive.
Five Attacks In Araunne anil trin
ity Are Repulsed and French
Positions Are Sirrnittli-ened.
Comparative Local Hreord.
114. Is) 13. 112. 1911.
Highest yesterday s 1 4: 21
lowest yesterday 4 8 28 11
Mean temperature 6 14 ?-' 1
Precipitation 01 T .Ou .00
Temperature and precipitation depar
tures from the normal:
Normal temperature 24
Deficiency for the day IK
Total exc9aa since March 1 nO)
Normal precipitation 01 inch
Deficiency for the day til Incii
Total rainfall since March 1.... 2"). W) inches
Iietlclency since March 1 Scinches
Deficiency for cor. peiiod, 1H13. 6.3s inches
Deficiency for cor. period, 1SI2. 4.11 Inches
T" Indicates trace of precipitation.
I A. WELtJU. Local Forecaster.
Mrs. Turner Pays
A Visit to Omaha;
Was Mrs. Brandeis
Making a flying vUit without advance
notice, Mr. and Mrs. Charles W, Turner
spent part of Thursday in Omaha, coming
almost straight from London, where they
had sprung a surpriso party by being
married last summer.
Mrs. Turner made the trip to see her
father, Ben Bdelman, and to attend to
personal business matters, and while here
called up by phone several of her Iriends
who used to know her as Mrs. Hugo
Brandeis. As far as (an be learned the
visitors left again on ai evening train,
expecting to stop over la Chicago on their
return to Nsw Turk.
Berlin Paper Warns
Against Feeding of
Grain to Animals
BERLIN (Via London). Dec. 2.V-The !
Norddeutsche Zeltung Issues a warnlni; )
against using grain to feed animals, ea- j
peolaliy rye, which is needed for bread- I
stuffs.- It says the e tn 1 . ire's food supply'
must be carefully husbanded to guard
against a possible shortage, which would
force upon the people a difficult problem.
Professors of economy In Berlin uni
versity Issued a similar warning a few
days ago. They drew attention to the
nutrltltlous qualities of potato meal and
advised greater consumption of milk prod
ucts and pork. They suggested limiting
the consumption of beef and wheat and
pointed out that conservation of these
resources was necessary to frustrate
England's pUa of starving Germany into
submission.
Signal Operator
Is Frozen to Death
VALDEZ, Alaska, Dec. 26.-Francla E.
Johnson, aged 36, of Meadow Valley,
Wis., United States signal corps operator
at Connellys, Alaska, waa frozen to
death Wednesday night on the trail near
his post. He left Donnellys lightly
dressed, on horseback, for a relief cabin
on the military telegraph line to Install
a stove. Johnson's body was found near
a large rock, about which he had tramped
down the snow In his efforts to keep
warm. Apparently his horse went
through an overflow and the rider, be
coming wet, started for safety and was
overtaken by a snowstorm.
FAMOUS FOOT BALL BACK
LOSES LEGS IN BATTLE
(Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
DUNKIRK. France, Dec. 12-Jean
faujolle, a famous French International
foot ball player and track athlete, who
was mentioned early In the war for a
charge which won him the military
midal, Is In a field hospital with both
legs amputated. The bones were shat
tered by a shell.
AVhen Caujolle recovered consciousness
and learned the extent of his wounds,
ho dl 1 Uited a letter to his superior offi
cer, asking that he be sent hack to the
front as a typist.
Caujolle was adjudged last year by sev
eral English critics to be the finest foot
ball back tn Europa,
PARIS, Dec. 26.-The following official
statement was Issued this afternoon:
"In Belgium there have been Intermit
tent artillery battles. From tho Lye to
the Olse. on the evening of December 23,
we gained the fork of the roads from
Loos to Rutolre and from loo to Ver
tnelles. "To the northeast of Albert we took
possession of a portion of the village of
La Rolsaelle, situated to the southwest
of the church, and of an advance trench
to the south of that village.
"To the north from itoye to Llhu, near
Lihons, we also have made some prog
ress. These various attacks, undertaken
with great spirit, have everywhere con
served the ground already gained.
"To the south of the Olse our artillery
has demolished the defense works of the
enemy In the region of Ballly and on the
plateau of Gouvron.
"On the Alane and In Champagne
thore have been artillery battles and
several German attacks have been re
pulsed. To the north of Puplgneul (near
Berry au Bsc) notably, a slight advance
of our troops has been followed by a
strong- counter attack, which has com
pletely fallad.
Frejsea Capture Forest.
"In tha region of Perthes and Mesnll-
le-Ilurlus our progress of previous days
has been followed up and strengthened.
To the north of Mesnll we took posses
sion of a forest strongly prepared by
the enemy, and to the east of trenches
captured by us December 23. To the
northwest of Mesnll, to the east of
Perthes we have driven the enemy from
tbe fragments of trenches which he re
occupied, and we are now masters of all
his first line of defense.
"In the Argonne, In the forest of La
Orurte, at Bagatelle, Fontaine Madame
and St. Hubert we have repulsed five
attacks and strengthened our front. Be
tween tha Argonne and the Meuse, ' In
spite of the snow and the fog, we have
made progress on the Boureullles-Vau-quols
front
"In the region of Oulsy and the forest
of Forges our heavy artillery, by sub
duing the batteries and machine guns
of the enemy, has enabled our Infantry
to make a leap In advance.
"On the light bank of the Meuse tbe
Germans bava bombarded the south cor
ner of the forest of Consenvoye, where
wa are established. In the forest of
Allly and Apremont our artillery has
forced the enemy to evacuate several
trenches.
"In the lower Vosges we have advanced
to within 1,600 metres of Clery, on the
Vesouse river.
Hermans Hurled nark In Poland.
"In Russia, on the left bank of the
Vistula, the Germans have been hurled
back from one of the positions which
they occupied on the right bank of the
lower Bsura and they have been rein
forced at another point. They are con
tinuing their attacks on Bochaczew and
are trying to debouch from Bolomow.
To the east of Pklernlewlce their night
attack waa repulsed, with heavy losses to
them. They have launched several fruit
less attacks to the west of the river
Rawka and are vigorously reslming the
Russian offensive on the north bank of
the Pllira.
In east Prussia and near Przemysl
and on the front In the Carpathians no
essentlsl chsnges have been noted."
Dr. Liebknecht Is
Enrolled in Army
PARIS, Deo. 26. Dr. Carl Liebknecht,
the German socialist leader who was the
only member to vote against war credit
at the recent session of the Reichstag,
has been enrolled tn the Herman army,
acocrding to a dispatch to Humanlte from
the 8wlas frontier. This move was de
rided upon, saya the dispatch, after his
protest against war in the reichstag, aa
the best means to stop his opposition, a
trial on a charge of high treason being
considered too dangerous an expedient.
FUNERAL AND SOLDIERS' MASSES
Two Services Maid Bide by aide
While Men lu Aisle Are Repair
ing; Merries to Be Used In
FIcMlnar Later,
Ft 'RN ES. West Flanders, Thursday,
Dec. 24 (Via London, Dec. tS.) While
waiting for an automobile to take him
to the battle front, a correspondent of
the Associated Press entered at dawn
today the church of St. Nicholas, the
great clock In the belfry of which towered
above the historic square In Furnes. In
stead of the small group of villagers
that he expected to find listening to the
Christmas masses, he saw 1,000 Belgian
soldier cyclists ramped on the floor.
Around the dlmly-llghted altar In the
apse, a pathetic family group waa gath
ered about the coffin of a small child.
While the clergy Intoned the funeral
mass at the side of the church a speolal
mass for soldiers was being oelebrated
with rows of mud-covere.1 men from the
trenches kneeling before the altar.
Bicycle la Aisle.
Down the center of the church a long
row of bikes were stacked, soma of tha
owners of which buelod themselves In re
pairing their battered maohlnea. Most
of the men In the church, however, slept,
huddled for warmth In a thin layer of
straw covering tha stone flagging of the
floor, apparently undisturbed by tha
sonorous notes of tha great organ which
now pealed through tha church. A few
soldiers had procured their morning ra
tions and they were eating their break
fasts of black bread.
War and Religion.
The scene was almost overpowerlngly
Impressive In Its mixture of war and re
ligion and yet their existence side by side
In this region where religion In the his
toric past haa been so intimately con
nected with war, did not seem Incon
gruous. The great tsnera at the ltr
provided the only light beyond the gray
streaks or dawn which filtered through
the oaken doors, and the ancient mmr.
goylea on the open beams were lost In
ooscurity. one altar was decorated for
Christmas with Its imaana of tha i.hi.
of Bethlehem arranged about It, and
here tha younger Hnlslan sniriUra fath
ered In reverent groups while a priest
cnaniea a Christmas mass of "peace on
earth, good will to men."
Duty Call, at Times.
Priests came and went, townspeople
hurried to early mass and than awav tn
thelr work, while the exhusted soldiers
siept on. Now and then a non-commissioned
officer would arouse a few m.n
and they would slip quietly away with
tneir bicycles on one of those expeditions
which, for daring, haa made the ru.
corps the moat famous of the Belgian
army,
As the rising tin Armr thm , . n
shadows from the church the roar of
uerman guns beginning an attack on
Nleuport awoke the ..h ..
-wa-xsuf svs IIITJ
great church became an animated scene
or military activity. The religious ser
vices, however, went on as before.
ALLIES UPON THE OFFENSIVE
Use All Means to Force Germans to
Give Up Ground.
Many Persons Dead
In Great Landslide
ROME, Dec. 20. (Dels vA 1-14...,.,
rains caused a landslide today at Valmon
tone, a city of about 4,000 Inhabitants,
thirty miles southeast of Rome. Part of
the city was covered bv the l.nd.HH.
many buildings collapsed. Forty persona
were Duriea beneath the ruins.
In the surrounding country the rivers
have overflowed their banks, causing
large losses to property.
New South Wales
Seizes All Wheat
SYDNEY, N. S. W.. Dec. 2S.-(Vla Lou-
don.) The government has seized the en
tire stock of wheat of New Houth Wales,
excepting the amount needed for seed
supplies for the farmers. This action is
aimed at speculators, who, taking ad
vantage of war conditions, have been
seeking to Inflate prices. The government
has fixed a price for the wheat of fle
shillings (SI 20) per bushel.
COTTON SANTA "MAKEUP"
CAUSE OF BOY'S DEATH
CHICAGO. Dec. 25. Vern Millard Olson,
11 years old, died today of bums re
ceived Christinas c"e while playing Santa
Claus for the amusement of his younger
brothers and sisters.
The boy found a roll of cotton in a
closet and used the material for a wig
and whiskers, in making up for Fanta
Claus.
He then lighted a candle and rushed
Into the room where the family guests
had assembled. In running about the
room the lighted candle IrnlM ih -
ton and he was fatally burned before
me names could be extlngulsc hed.
MANSLAUGHTER VERDICT
OF JURY AGAINST HELM
PIERRE. S, D.. Dec. 25.-(8perlal Tele
gram.) The Jury In the case in circuit
court at Fort Pierre In which A. P. Helm
was charged with the murder of O. C.
Hunter, the Northwestern railway station
a (tent at Midland, brought in a verdict
of manslaughter In tbe second degree.
SOME ADVANCES ARE MADE
Gain. Accomplished SHabt ana Only
Against Stubborn Opposition and
Counter Attacks of
Teutons.
LONDON, Deo. 25. The bellig
erent armies in the field of war
today number all told nearly 18,600,-,
000 men, or 28,000,000 with all re
serves and "new" troops counted,
according to a French, statistical),
Yves Ouyot.
The expenditure required, he estimates
at an average of nearly $2.50 dally per
man, or about 311,000,0(10,000 for one year
of warfare. A single year of tha present
war, he thinks, will cost about the same
amount of money as tha total expenditure
for all the wars of tha previous fifty
year.
Engrd lu Fleroe Battle.
Instead of the Christmas truce, which
Pope Benedict endeavored to arrange.
Christmas finds the armies of the bellig
erent powers engaged In fierce battles on
both the eastern and western fronts.
In the west the all lee' hammer la tap
ping at tha German entrenchments, try
ing to find a weak point, while In the
east the Russians, who have been driven
back from tha Austrian and Get man fron
tiers, seemingly nave oeen Drougnt Te
bay behind livers, which offer them
natural lines of defense gnd, turning,
hftv AAunter tli.lrMl. Hm . miIm n
man forces.
Drive Rusa Over Rivera.
' The Germane, In their rush towards
Warsaw, under direction of Field Mar
shal Von Hindenberg, drove tha Rus
sians over the Bsura and Rawka rivers
and they themselves succeeded In cross
ing these rivers: but, according to the
Russian official report tonight, the Ger
mans there reached the main Russian
Una and were routed. From this report
It Is gathered that the Germans directed
their main attacks against the Russian
front, which lies along the banks of
the Bsura river and thence southward
to the Plllca river, but without success.
Along the rest of tha front south to
tha Carpathian mountains the Russians
claim similar victories: but on the east
Prussian frontier the Germans apparently
have turned the scales on their adver
saries and, after hawing retreated to their
own territory, resumed tha offenstve and
again are back in Mlawa, whence they
originally tried to outflank tha Russian
forces north of tha Vistula and work
their way to Warsaw from tha north,
geek to Eater sir Back Door.
tovon now It Is possible that tha Ger
mans hava resumed tbelr outflanking
taotloa, and while keeping tha Russian
center busy by making frontal attacks,
are hoping to get into Warsaw by tbs
baok door.
All that Is oertain at present Is that tha
two armies, whose numbers can only
be roughly estimated, are engaged in
one of the greatest battles of the world's
history on a front which extends from
east Prussia to tha Carpathians and in
which the advantage sways first to one
side and then to the other.
Military experts ear that one of tha
advantages the Russians retain Is that
they hold the right bank of tha Vistula
as far west as Plock and thus oan pre
vent the Germans from using tha river
for keeping their army supplied, and
along the whole of the rest of the front
they have rivers and streams to fall be
hind when hard pressed. This, however,
will all be changed, the experts say, when
the rivers freese and tha armies can be
moved over them as easily as overland.
Warfare lu West.
Mining and sapping, artillery duels, at
tacks ana counter attacks and, In fact,
every meana of warfare la being em
ployed In Belgium and France by thai
allies In their effort to force the Ger
mans to give up their present lines of
defense. Some advance has been made.
but only against stubborn opposition and
counter attacks, which succeed occasion
ally In recovering the ground that the
allies have taken at great coat.
England this morning experienced an .
aerial attack when a German aeroplane,
coming from tho Belgian coast, flew
over Dover and dropped bombs in tha
garden of St. James' rectory, which is in,
front of Dover Castle. No damage was
dons.
QUARREL OVER DOLLAR
ENDS IN TWO DEATHS
SOLON SPRINGS, Wis., Dec. . In
an argument over the payment of s II
account, Louis Kurllla, aged SS, a farmer
living six miles west of Solon Springs,
today, murdered Fred Dickinson, aged 30.
a blacksmith, by shooting him with a
shotgun. After the shooting Kurllla at
empted to escape in his farm wagon,
but wss overtaken by a deputy sheriff
and a posse. As he wss about to t e ar
rested he shot himself with the samu gun
and died an hour later.
