Daily Bee
' THE WEATHER
FAIR
JLHE
VOL. XLVI. NO. 172.
OMAHA, FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY , 5, 1917 TWELVE PAGES.
In TMm, u H.Wt
Urn !. ttt., M
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS
Yoa ire u elott to . ..
The Be Want Ad Cept
u jovrjphoM la to yoa. . ,
Tyler 1000
Omaha
NEVILLE TAKES
OATH OF OFFICE;
MOREHEAD OUT
Incoming and , Retiring Ne
braska Executives Give Ad
dresses Before Joint
Session.
INTEREST IN INAUGURAL
Great Crowd Hears What New
Official Says About Pro- ,
", ..t ' hibition. t
RECEPTION HELD AT NIGHT
, (From a Stan Correspondent) '
' Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 7. (Special
Telegram.) Governor John H. More
head delivered his farewell message
to the legislature this afternoon and
- Governor Keith Neville took the oath
of office a Ad was formally inaugu
rated as governor of Nebraska.
The legislature convened in' joint
session in the dilapidated house cham
ber, which was crowded to the limit
by interested spectators. The oath
of office was administered to Governor
Neville by Chief Justice Morrissey,
after which the new executiva-read
his inaugural address to the law
makers. . '
The reading was listened to with
much interest, especially that part
which deals with the enforcement of
the prohibitory amendment. ;.:
The following took over state of
fices today:
Lieutenant Governor Edga' How
ard. "',.'.
.Auditor W. H. Smith.
.' Attorney General W. E. Beed.
. Treasurer 6orge Halt. -.
Secretary of State C. W. Pool.
School Superintendent W. "iH.
Clemmons. . ., r
Raitway Commissioner Victor
Wilson. :-v
Land Commissioner G. L, Shum
way. University Regents P. L. Hall and
Harry Landis. . ''.
The reception tonight was marked
by more informality and more sim
plicity than usual.
There was no ball; only a program
of music and handshaking.. This was
in the senate chamber, beginning
at 7:30. .
In the reception line was al the
principal incoming and outgoing offi
cers, including retiring' Governor
Morehead and Governor Neville, Sec
retary of State Pool, Land Commis
sioner Shumway and retiring Com
missioner Fred Becknunn; Attorney
General Reed, SUte.Aaditor W.'-H.
Smith, State Superintendent Clem
mons and retiring Superintendent
O. Thomas, Treasurer . Geotge E.
Hall, the judges of the supreme court,
including the new members, Judges
A. J. Cornish and James R. Deau;
the board of control and President
Pro Tern John Mattes of the senate
and Speaker Jackson of the house.,,,
(The text of Governor-Morehead's
message will be found on page four
and of Governor Neville on page five
of this issue.) ' . -,
Logging Camps in North
Woods Working Full Blast
Duluth, Minn., Jan. 4. Ten 'of tfie
logging camps of the -Virginia &
Rainy Lake Lumber company . are
working full crews and in the other
eight camps there are at least 125
woodsmen, according to a statement
today by officials. Fear of the spread
of the Industrial Workers' of the
World strike, it is. declared, has be
gun to fade and woodsmen are re
. ported flocking back to work.
Lobeck Resting Well v
y ' Following Operation
(Pronf a Staff Correspondent.)
Washington, Jan. 4. (Special Tele
gram.) Congressman Lobeck, who
was operated upon this morning for
an abscess at the Homeopathic hos-
' pital in this city, stood the ordeal
; splendidly, according to his secretary,
Mr. Hanley. . Hospital reports are
- that Mr. Lobeck will be confined to
his bed for ten days or two weeks.
Tonight Mr. Lobeck is, resting comfortably.-
; ? ' . ,
The Weather-
For Nebraska Fair.
t Omaha Ttrdri
i Hourl r
S a. m...
t3 a. m.. .
, 7 ft. m...
.' S a. m., .
a. m...
10 a. m. ,.
11 a. m...
Si m
..... 2t
...... 31
ao
29
29
30
n
..... 31
1 p. m
2 p. m.
b p. m 32
4 p. m-..,. 32
E p. m.. ... , SO
6 p. m. 28
7 p. m.'.......,.. 36
t p. m 34
Comparative, Local Beerd.
' t 1 . 1W. lilt, ltll. 1114.
HlffhMt ywturday ... 33 ft 43 g
Ixweat yesterday ... - 24 M ,30 18
Mean temperature .. 38 43 31 Is
Precipitation . . . . 00 . 00 . 00 .03
1 Temporatare and precipitation departures
from the normal:
Normal temperature II
Kzccbi for the day 7
Total exceaf since March 1..,. ! ...Ill
Normal precipitation .... .... .. ,..03 Inch
Deficiency for the day. 02 Inch
Total rainfall alnce March 1
..11.73 inches
..1M1 Inches
,. inches
. . 3.S1 inches
1P.M.
High- Rain-eit.-
fall.
Peflclency sine March 1
Deficiency cor. period, 1115..
Deficiency cor. period, 1314.,
Beports from Stations at
Station and State Temp.
of Weather. 7, p.m.
Cheyenne, clear ...... 22
Davenport, cloudy 86
Denver, clear .......... 34
Dos Moines, cloudy .... 33
. 30
28
40
.01
Dodge City, cloudy .... 31 44 . .00
Lander, clear ....22 86 ,00
North Platte, cjear .... S3 38 .00
Omaha, part cloudy.... 26 32 ,00
Pueblo, clear 36 - 46 .00
Rapid City, clear 30 43 - .00
Bait Lake, pt. cloudy.. 32 . 34 . ,01
- Santa Fe, clear ... 28 84 ; T
TaqeratarM
Sheridan, clear 22 38 ,0(
fiioux City, clear 24 .26 ,
Valentine, clear 30 IS .ft)
1 Indicates trace of precipitation.
...... U A. WEUJH, Meteoroloi-tot.
I ; ' 1 '
FIFTEEN CHILDREN
KILLED AS STORM
WRECKSJDILDING
Thirty-Fonr Others v Injured
When Tornado Strikes the
Lee-Baldwin School House
Near Blocker, Okl.
M0BE DEATHS REPORTED
Number Bumored to Have Per
ished at Featherstone, Few
Miles West. , ;
TWO GIRLS LOSE LIVES
Muskogee, Okl., Jan. 4. Fifteen
children were killed, and thirty-four
injured when a tornado wrecked the
Lee-Baldwin schoolhouse near Block
er, Okl., today, according ia a tele
phone message from J. S. Stett, a city
official of Blocker, received here this
afternoon. , . ,: - "
'Many Children Killed.
Blocker, Okl., Jan. 4. Between fif
teen and twenty children are believed
to have been killed in a tornado that
destroyed the Lee-Baldwin school
house, about seven miles south of
here,shortly before noon today. It
is also reported that several persons
were killed at Featherstone, a few
miles west of here, although confir
mation of the reports were lacking
late this afternoon. ' . ,. . - . . .
Early new,s received here was very
meager, but it is believed that many
lives were lost in the storm which
swept through the northe'n part of
Pittsburg county.
All telegraph and telephone wires
southwest of Blocker are down and
nta news has been received from the
country east of Featherstone.
According to Joseph Ting, a farmer
living two miles south of Feather
stone, whose home was blown away,
the'e are fourteen dead in the Ilee
Baldwin school ruins. Two girls
named Warner were identified by
Ting. Ting's home was carried a
quarter of a mile, he said.
Senator Works . . :
Attacks Wilson
With Hot Words
Washina-ton. ' ' ' Jan. 4 Senator
Works of California in his senatorial
valedictory today assanca tne icn
dencv toward centralized, unchecked
and unlimited power" in the president
of the United Mates ma attacked
growing profligacy tf wealth as indi
cation jif decadence of ,th American
government, v ' ' ' , r
i "The greatest danger now confronts
ing the nation," Senator Works de
clared, "is the unwarranted and un
constitutional usurpation of power by
the president, amounting" practically
to a dictatorship and the complacent
surrender of its powers and functions
and, abandonment of its duties and
obligations by the congress of the
United States. .- .
- "The ' tendency has .grow: rapidly
worse, and more offensive in the last
four years. Never has congress been
so submissive or so servient to a
power outside itself. Never ' in all
history have we come so near to a
despotic government." .
V Senator Works also asserted that
the nation, now was feeling the evil
effects of its growing wealth and ad
vocated laws to compel itUe rich -to
work for the state if not for them
selves., j v . . '. '
Health Officer is
Martyr to Fight ;
On Typhus Fever
El Paso, Tex., Jan. 4. After a des
perate effort had been made by United
States medical officers and public
health officers to save his life, Dr. W.
C. Kluttz, city health officer, died to
day of typhus fever. Dr. Klutta con
tracted the disease while conducting
a campaign against typhus, which had
been brought to the bordc by Mexi
can refugees from the interior. , On
December 22 he visited the home of
a Mexican family from Chihuahua
City, where the mother .and two
daughters were suffering from the dis
ease. Shortly afterward he became ill.
Dr. Kluttz was a native of Salis
bury, N. C. : - ' ;
South Dakota House Has :
) ' First Mixup of Session
Pierre, S. D., Jan. 4. The house irf
dulged in the first mixup of the pres
ent session this afternoon, when an at
tempt was made to reconsider a reso
lution adopted yesterday to move de
partment officials which occupy
rooms of the house- officers. The
motion Was defeated.
A number of road bills were intro
duced in the house which seek to
cover contingencies which may arise
under the adoption by the state of
the Shackleford congressional act
providing aid' to the states in road
building. - ;
The senate met at noon and imme
diately adjourned.
James B. McNamara Sent to"
. Dungeon for Three Days
San Quentin, Cat., Jan. 4. James
B. McNamara, serving a life sentence
in the state prison here for dynamit
ing the Los Angeles Times buildins
Un 1910, when twenty lives were lost,
was ordered into tne disciplinary dun
geon today for refusing to work in
the jute mill. Aocording to the prison
officials McNamara had been doing
unsatisfactory work in the laundry
where he had been employed for three
and a half years. When McNamara
persisted in his, refusal to go to the
jute mills, Warden J. A. Johnston
sent him to the dungeon, tor three
days. He will be given. another op
portunity to obey orders when his
close confinement expires, it was aaid.
WIRE LAWSON TO
COME TO CAPITAL-
ntx md rim
urr run v v.
,- , f ;
"Muckraker" Summed to
Give Testimony . Regarding '
"Leak" Charges and Ba-V
plies WU1 Leave Ooun
; ' . try Tomorrow'.
ASKS INQUIRY BE DELAYED
Suggests Investigation" - Be
Postponed Till His Return in
Spring or Summer. '
PUBLIC HEARINGS ON TODAY
BULLETIN.
" .Washington,; Jan. 4Thomas W.
Lawson telegraphed Speaker Clark
tonight that he had canceled plans
for a trip to Eutope and would be in
Washington "before breakfast" Mon
day morning to testify before the
house rules committee. ,',
. .Washington, Jan. 4. Public hear
ings on Representative Wood's "leak"
charges in connection with President
Wilson's peace note will begin tomor
row morning before the house rules
committee. Thomas W. Lawson of
Boston, - Representative Wood and
Representative Gardner of Massachu
setts will be the first heard. Lawson
was today subpoenaed by telegraph.
Arrangements for the hearings were
made by unanimous vote of the rules,
committee.
Democrats said they expected to
show that neither Lawson, Wood nor
Gardner have any tangible evidence of
a "leak" and thus the majority mem
bers of the committee will be justi
fied in reporting the Wood resolution
unfavorably.
Republicans, obviously pleased over
obtaining n open hearing, declared
emphatically today that they would
force a full investigation. ; . ,
Lawson Off to Europe.
New York, Jan. 4. Thomas W.
Lawson gave out here late today a
copy of a telegram he said he had sent
to Champ Clark, spcajcer of the
house, in which Mr. Lawson said he
would be unable to appear before the
house committee investigating "leak"
of the president's peace note because
he would sail for Europe Saturday.
Mr. Lawson said in his message that
if his testimony "should be needed"
the committee might "kindly postpone
the investigation, until my return in
the late Spring or early summer."
,. Mr. Lawson added that he "noted'.'
that "Wall street's leading banker,
whose -testimony naturally would be
the first essential to a real investiga
tion, also has decided to sail for Eu
rope on Saturday", . . -
Attacks Senator Stone.
Referring to his recent visit to
Washington at the request of the
house committee on rules and his
conference with Chairman Henry, Mr.
Lawson said in his telegram:
"( hereby release your . chairman
of the fules committed from the nrivi-
lege of secrecy, 'mutually' exchanged,:
on I uesday. He may give to con
gress any or all the information he
extracted from me, but, of course, I
shall not divulge anjr of the confi
dences imparted by him."
Mr. Lawson sent a telegram also
to Vice President Marshal, as presid
ing officer of the senate, attacking
Senator Stone, who recently referred
to Lawson's charges as the "bellow
ings pf this ass."
Alleged Murderer -4
Of, Sioux City Man
Attempts Suicide
Friday Harbor, Wash., Jan. 4. Al
bert W. Blancett, who 'attempted to
end his life here Sunday aftes being
arrested on a charge of murdering
Clyde D. Armour of Sioux City, la.,
his automobile traveling companion,
near Las Vegas, N. M., las October,
told Sheriff George Mead that he did
not kill Armour. Blancett offered no
excuse for shooting, himself. . He is
fast recovering from the self-inflicted
gunshot wound in his neck.
Armour's body - never has been
found, although Armour's brother-in-law,
M. L. Sawyer, recently made an
extended search for it. , The New
Mexico authorities allege that Blan
cett represented himself as Armour,
and as such disposed of Armour's per
sonal effects and attempted to obtain
money from Armour" relatives at
Fresno, Cat.
Adams County Bar
Slams Supreme Court
For Working Too Fast
Hastings, Neb., Jan. 4. (Special
Telegram.) The crowding of law
suits through the state supreme court
commission hopper at Lincoln at the
rate of 299 a vear was severely scored
by a number of speakers at the an'
nual banquet of the Adams County
Bar association last night. : Judge E.
B. Perry of Cambridge led in the
criticism, which was endorsed by sev
eral other speakers. ' i i
Wealthy Suspect in
Model Murder Case
Committed Suicide
v ' . i ii is " :
Atlantic City, N. J., Jan. 4. Ber
nard W. Lewis, the wealthy young
Pittsburgher wanted in connection
with the murder of Miss Maizie Col
bert, the Philadelphia artist's model,
committed suicide here .. tonight.
Whether he left anything to shed
light upon! the mystery is not yet
known. .. -
'
STATE HISTORICAL J
SOCIETY TO MEET
Session at Lincoln Will Be in
Conjunction With That of
v , 5 Pioneers' Body.. ,
GENERAL MILES TO SPEAK
, General Nelson A, Miles.iU. S. A.,
retired, will make one of the principal
addresses at the fortieth annual meet
ing of the Nebraska State Histbrical
society, .which will be held at Lin
coln next Wednesday and Thursday
in conjunction ! with the iwthty-fifth
tHuatanig Hh Nebraska Ter
ritorial Pioneers' association and the
sixth' annual meeting of the Nebraska
Memorial association. ' ' ' t. '" '..
The ' annual ' meeting of the Ne
braska State Historical society will
open Wednesday evening witl) a ban
quet at the Lincoln hotel. .John Lee
Webster of Omaha, President of the
society,' will preside. -.. He will call
upon Gurdtm W. Wattles of Omaha to
speak 'for the executive committee,
Francis A. Broean of Omaha to speak
for the generarcommittee and Major
General George H. Harries to tell
of his experiences upon the western
plains as a member of the staff of
General Miles. . t . ,
1 Committee a Guests.' '.
The entire eclebra'tion committee
of 1(XV appointed by M Webster to
stage-the semi-centennial celebration
of Nebraska's statehood, has been in
vited by the Lincoln contingent of
the society to attend the banquet as
Lincoln's guests.' The semi-centennial
celebration is not yet completed.
It is planned to have exercises in all
the county seats of the state in March,
together with exercises in the public
schools and a celebration at Lincoln
about the time of commencement at
the University of Nebraska. The
semi-centennial in Omaha was cele
brated during Ak-Sar-Ben last fall.
The annual business meeting of the
historical society will be held Thurs
day. At this meeting President Web
ster will make his annual address. Re
ports will be read and officers elected.
Thursday -evening, after- an, address
of welcome by Governor Neville and
a response by Mr. Webster, General
Miles will make his address.
The territorial pioneers, will hold
their annual ' business, ' meeting on
Wednesday morning and the Ne
braska Memorial association its an
nual business v meeting -'Thursday
morning. ,
Wanted-660 Girls;
Apply to the Fourth
; Nebraska Regiment
It's not because it will be January
15 before they will be mustered out
that soldiers of, the Fourth Nebraska
regiment are worrying. It's because
of the fact that they arrived in Omaha
after leap year. "It's this way," a
broad-shouldered sergeant was telling
a civilian. "We're going to give a big
dance in the post gymnasium Satur
day evening and we need 660 girls.
How are we going to get 'em? We
can't ask them because we don't know
very many of them. Some of the
Omaha fellows had sweethearts, but
they were' down on the border so
long that other fellows copped them.
So what are we going to do? We
gotta have the ladies or we can't have
the dance. , v
"You see," he added plaintively, "if
this was leap year, why they would
come down without being asked. But
it is just like the War department to
bungle things and send us to Omaha
after leap year." '.
It's true the soldier boys must have
660 girls, one for each man in the
regiment, if their dance Saturday
evening is to be a success. The post
gymnasium, where the dance will be
held; is being decorated - with pen
nants and flags and the floor waxed.
The regimental band will furnish the
music.. x -
A Shove or a Lift?
SHOULD CONTROL
INFLOW OF GOLD
Federal . Bank Board Advises
Rearranging Cash Reserves
. . So as to Avoid Trouble. .
NOT NECESSARILY MENACE
Washington, Jan. 4. The federal
reserve board's official bulletin this
month discloses that amendments to
the bank law governing reserves re
cently transmitted to congress and
now under consideration by the com-
mitteiari.'ihterideil' toi aid Iri con
trolling" the great gold flow into the
country and are -connected with the
board's recent warning against bank
investments in' foreign 'war obligations,-issued
November.
"It was suggested," says the bul
letin, "that the inflow of gold. into the
United, States need not be considered
a menace to the' well, being of the
community, provided that satisfactory
provision was made for . the. control
of its movement and accumulation.
The question raised is how to obtain
and exercise a sufficient authority in
connection with such control. t
"This, as is now suggested by the
board, can be accomplished by wiping
out the fictitious reserves carried in
the form of reserve balances, vesting
the board itself with power to in
crease when necessary the percentage
of member bank reserves carried with
reserve banks and rearranging the re
secve requirements of the country so
as to place all reserve funds, except
needed till money, in the hands of
the reserve banks themselves."
Federal reserve banks at Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland,
Minneapolis and St. Louis have been
authorized by the federal reserve
hoard to declare dividends of 6 per
cent for varying periods since the
opening of ,the banks in November,
1914. The other six reserve banks
have already declared dividends.
Dobrudja Almost Cleared .
; Of Defenders by Teutons
' Berlin Via Wireless to SayviHe),
Jan. 4. Dobrudja has been cleared of
Russian and Roumanian defenders
with the exception of a Russian rear
guard, which occupies a narrow 'strip
of land leading toward Galatz, says
the war office announcement today.
About 1,000 prisoners and ten ma
chine guns were captured in the tak
ing ot Hatchin and Jijila,
National Debts of
Powers Now Forty-Nine Billions
Washington, Jan. 4. The increase
in the national debt of Great Britain,
France, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary
is estimated by the fed
eral reserve board at $49,455,000,000
from the beginning of the war to the
laater part of 1916, with the exception
of Austria-Hungary, in whose case the
estimate extends only to May, 1916.
Twenty-nine' billions is the three
entente nations' share of the total and
$20,000,000,000 is that of the two cen
tral powers. ' '
- This estimate, the board stated in
tabulations made public today, is ap
proximate and does not cover the
cost of the war, as large revenues of
undetermined amounts have been,
raised by internal taxation. Following
are the estimated national debt in
creases: ',';
Great ' Britain, to November 11,
1916, $13,253,358,000; France, to Au
gust 31, 1916, $8,038,500,000; Russia,
to December 31, 1916, $7,973,274,000;
a total of $29,265,132,000 for the en
tente; Germany, to October 27, 1916,
$15,260,000,000: Austria, $3,716,200,000;
Hungary, $1,214,000,000; a total of $20,-
iyi,iuu,uuu ior ine uermanic nations.
Great Britain's national debt, the
board estimated, was approximately
$15,163,750,000 in November, having
FOURTEEN MILLION
TO BE SPENT BY U. P.
President Calvin Says Road
Decides to Double Expendi
tures for Coming Year.
HAD PLANNED BUT SEVEN
'.',.'..' i,. . '
. President Calvin of the Union Pa
cific is back from NewYork, - here
he attended the annual meeting of
the company stockholders and direc
tors. He brings the information -that
the Union Pacific budget of expendi
Ittf'eii for this yea wilt be $14,000,000,
Instead of $7,000,000, ' as t previously
announced. 7 ;' ''' iT:
I Seven million dollars' ; to be e
pended during 1917 -was the'estimate
made by Union Pacific headquarters,
and these figures were published in
The Bee's annual, issued the first of
the' year. Now, to this $7,000,000 has
been added, $4,000,000 for the- con
struction of 100 miles of second track
through Wyoming, reducing grades,
boring tunnels and building bridges.
Then , $3,000,000 will be expended in
the enlargement of shops', building
roundhouses and stations along the
system. -1 - -. . ri-'
The $7,000,000 exoenditure nrevi.
ously announced will all be used in
the purchase of new rolling stock and
other equipment. At no place in the
budget is there any mention made
relative to an expenditure for a new
union depot or freight house in
Omaha.
Carl Merker's Mates,
Tell Story of Death
By Drowning in River
Through the efforts of James Wat'
ton, juvenile detective, the police
have .learned that Ca1 Merker,
the boy who has been missing from
home for several days, met his death
by drowning , in the Missouri river.
James, who is 12 years old. led the
grpwn-up sleuths to Joe Motto, 10
years of age, 501 Pierce street, and
Sebasto Cerco, 11 years of age, who
were with the Merkle boy when he
slipped into the water and drowned.
"Carl was playing with a stick
on the river bank," Joe Motto says,
"when a part of the bank was washed
away Carl slipped on the snow and
went into the river. : , ,
Five Warring
risen from $3,449,813,150 in March,
. Loans to allies and dominions in
eluded in the grand total are estimated
at trom SJ.UW.UU0.U00 to S3.500.000.000.
France's total loans to its allies dur
ing the war are estimated at approxi
mately sjju.uuu.uuu.
The national debt of Russia' has
risen from 9,888,310,000 roubles Jan
uary 1, 1VM, to A"U,6,UUU roubles
(about $13,114,886,720) at the close of
Bank note circulation , in Germany
has increased greatly during the war
as in other belligerent countries, the
total of Keichsbank notes in circula.
tion on December 7 last being
placed at $1,652,271,000, as against
$450,212,619 on July 30. 1914. The cost
ot the war to Uermany since Kou
mania's entrance is placed at about
$524,880,000 monthly and the last new
credit granted by the Reichstag, $2,-
88U.uuu.uuu on October a last, is esti
mated to be sufficient for about five
months. The number of subscribers
to the various German war loans is
offered last March having the largest
placed at 16,928,057. the fourth loan,
offered last March, having the largest
number, s,y,M3.
The figures were taken from for
ergn sources which the board con
siders reliable. "
PRESIDENT WILL
HOT DROP MOVE
TO BRING PEACE
United States Will Make One
More Effort if the Note to
the Warring Nations 'n '
Fails. - , X
EXCHANGES PROCEEDING
Indications that Important De-
velopments Are Trantpir
ing Under the Surface. ,(
ALL OFFICIALS ABE SILENT
Washington, Jan! 4. t.' the entente
reply to President Wilson'; peace
note fails to meet his proposal for an
early occasion for an avowal of terms
the president wilt not let the negotia
tions drop, but will make at least one
more move.
This became known definitely to
day, although it was indicated that no
final decision on the nature of the
next step had been reached.
If another.1 communication is sent
it is expected to make clear the po
sition of the president, as it is Jelt
that as a result of comment abroad
and in the United States and the de
bate in the senate confusion has arisen
as to just what he intended.
President's Chief Hope.
President Wilson's chief hope in the
ultimate success of the negotiations
is known to tie in his suggestion that
a means be found for maintaining
peace in the future. If an agreement
on that point can be reached, the
president is said to teel it .mignt ne
possible to end the present conflict.
While the president never has pub
licly indicated willingness to act as a
medium for exchange of terms . be
tween the belligerents and it is known
that he would prefer that it be done
publicly, American diplomats have
been looking into -that point. Presi
dent Wilson's friends say he is un
concerned over efforts to connect his
note with the German peace propose
als. He is known to believe that in
the end the entente allies as well as
the central powers will realize that his
move was not directed against either.
The administration policy of abso
lute secrecy which curtains the moves
in the neace negotiations at this stage,--so
far as the United States is con
cerned, remains unrelaxed, but does
not alter' well defined impressions that
important developments are transpir
ing under the surface.
Alt officials are silent over the re
ports that Ambassador Gerard, as a ,
result of his talk with the German
chancellor, Dr. von Bethmann-Holt-
eg, probably transmitted a report
n details of Germany's peace terms
to make them available to the entente
allies. They also refuse to comment
on the statements attributed to the
former Hungarian premier, Count
Julius Andrassy, that the entente
could learn "Germany's peace terms
through the .president.
.Neither is there official, comment
available on the statement that the
entente reply to President Wilson's
note will be in his hands two days
before it is made public. ,
' President Consults House.
. Colonel E. M. House, who had d?'
vised closely with President Wilson
all along on the peace movement,
conferred at length with the presi- ,
dent today and was about the official
circle conferring with, others, in touch '
with the subject. - ( - .
Definite arrangements for publica
tion of the entente reply have not yet ,
been announced here. J , .
President Wilson's r attitude- was
again described today as being sure
that some beneficial results will come
of the negotiations and he is holding
himself ready for the next step.
Chicago Mercantile Company .
Pays Bonus to Its Employes
' Chicago, Jan. 4. A bonus of from
one to five weeks' salary, in propor- ;
tion to the length of service of the :'
employe, has been ordered by the di- i
rectors of Montgomery Ward & Co., :
it was announced-today. . . 1 I
Employes in Chicago, at the branch
houses in Portland, Ore., and Fort
Worth, Tex., and in several smaller
factories and warehouses throughout
the country are affected. The award, I
it was stated, is in addition to a wage - 1
increase in 1916 averaging well over
10 per cent,
Two Boys Badly Hurt
As Sled Runs Into Engine
Norfolk, Neb,., Jan. 4. (Special 1
Telegram.) Ronald Shoemaker, 7 1
years old, only son of Mrs. Sadie
Shoemaker, a widow. and Walter Ap- 1 j
fel, 14 years old, son of Mr. and Mrs. !
Henry Apfel, were run over and fa
tally injured by a Northwestern J
switch engine here Thursday after
noon. -Ine two boys were riding to- 1
gether on a sled and reached the rail-1
road crossing about the same time
as the engine.
2 Decembers
A comparison of Decern- I
ber, 1916, with December, -1915,
shows: . , , , I',1
Th Be Gained. . .78 ;
World-Herald Lost 754
v Room to Rent ads.
You, too, can rent your
room at less expense if you I
you will .. ' , , " ,';
Call Tyler 1000
You are as close to -
The Bee Want Ad Dept. r
as your phone is to you. .'"
f