Omaha Daily Bee
"DoYourBif
And Do It
Now
VOL. XLVII. NO. 160.
OMAHA, FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 21, 1917. TWELVE PAGES.
nUtSUStS. SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS
RED CIVIL WAR ENVELOPS ALL RUSSIA;
WOMAN
LIFE OF FUNSTON MEN
Of
A
The
. THE WEATHER ,
Fair
iinUWERiHIPli
n ji ii ii ii a v
OMAHA MOTHER DENOUNCES
. CONDITIONS AT ARMY POST;
SAYS MEN DIE BY THE SCORE
Mrs. A. B. McConnell Makes Scathing Arraignment of
Alleged Treatment f Soldiers at Big Cantonment;
Declares Boys Lack Proper Clothing and
Sufficient Medical Attention.
A scathing: arraignment of alleged deplorable conditions
at Camp Funston is made by Mrs. A. B. McConnell, who has
passed a great deal of her time in and near the big cantonment
since her son, Harold McConnell, was called to the draft army.
She says words cannot fitly describe certain conditions in
the big army post, where about 45,000 soldiers-in the-making
are quartered.
SAYS CONDITIONS PATHETIC.0 : :
Mrs. McConnell declares conditions Dirt II AM APT CHIT
at Camp Funston are "deplorable and p UHlflHUL OUl I
deserve immediate attention.
American boys in training there are
freezing to death and dying by the
score because of lack of sufficient
clothing and medical attention, she
alleges.
"Condition of the men is pathetic,"
declares. Mrs. McConnell. "Uncle
Sam has been trying to cut down the
amdunt of suffering, but has not suc
ceeded as yet. We mothers should
be allowed to help out the dear boys.
"The World-Herald has seen fit to
criticise mothers who know the truth.
It said the boys were well provided.
For that the World-Herald has gained
the ill will of all the boys at Funston.
If the World-Herald correspondent
cares to take a day off I will take him
down with me right now and show
him what is what.
"The first time I went down was on
September 27. When I arrived I was
astonished to find the boys in a
swamp. I am not for womatMcuffrage,
but if it were left to women to select
a training camp for .their sons, they
wonld not have picked a swamp in
which to kill the young men by de
grees. -
"On this trip I found that many
a boy lacked doming, mey wire
sleepping on metal springs on which
were no matresses or even blankets.
They had no shoes, in some cases.
The majority were in overalls and
had to use wooden guns. The medical
attention was poor.
Moved to Tears.
"I must tell you a few incidents to
prove jny statements. I will not use
t lie names of the boys concerned,
for God knows I want to protect the
boys from kitchen duty. When I
went into camp, I was requested to
open my handbag t see if I had a
camera. .When they found sweaters,
they said: 'lady, won't you please
send us one.' The appeal brought
tears to my eyes. By this time I have
sent 14 sweaters to boys who need
them most. .
"Another time I met a young man
on police duty. Pie said "We dread to
night. Ten of us have one blanket
among us. We will freeze to death."
"At another time I went to the
hospital and what a sight I saw. Men
had been waiting since 10 o'clock in
the morning till 4 o'clock in the after
noon and they had not yet been wait
ed on. Some of these men were al
most barefooted.
"I am not finding fault with the
efforts of the government. I do think,
however, that the suffering ought to
be stopped. Why not let the mothers
who are able to cloth their sons with
underwear and socks furnish them to
their sons and other soldiers? This
could be done until Uncle Sam is
ready to furnish them when the out
side work could be stopped. In my
opinion it is better to save the boys
directly than to kill half of them
through red tape. We are buying Lib
erty bonds and Red Cross member
ships while our soldiers are dying.
Let us do something1 right away. I
never swear, but present conditions
make me break my vows. The damned
(Continued on 1'agA Twelve, Column Four.)
The Weather
For
colder.
Nebraska Fair; somewhat
Hour
5 a. m . .
6 a. m . .
7 a. ni . .
H a. m . .
9 a. m. .
10 a. m . .
11 a. ra . .
Vi m
1 p. ni . .
2 p. m . .
.1 p. m . .
4 p. m . .
: r. mi. .
Dei?.
. .. ...38
38
40
40
41
44
4
49
17
37
S6
K 7. in Jib
7 p. m 37
8 p. rn 36
omparative Ixiral Iterord.
Highest yeHterday ... 49 4 35 19
Lowest yesterday 36 10 -Z 12
.Mean temperature ... 42 7 - 16
Precipitation 00 .On .on .60
Temperature and precipitation departures
from Tho normal:
.Normal temperature 16
KxceM for the day 16
Total deficiency since .March 1 419
N'orninl precipitation 03 Inch
deficiency for the day icj inch
Total rainfall Bince March 1 ... 21 .76 inches
Deficiency since March 1 7.17 inches
Deficiency for cor. period, 1916.12.60 Inches
Deficiency for cor. period. 191 3 . 1.93 inches
Reports From Stationx at 7 a. ni.
Station and State, Temp. Hi?h- Raln-
of Weather 7. p. m. c at.
CnVyonne. cloudy 32 li
Davenport, cloudy 46 4S
Denver, clear 42 CO
De Moines, cloudy 38 54
Dode City part cloudy. 34 70
Lander, part cloudy .36 32
North Platte, clear 36 60
Ou-.aha, Cloudy 37 49
I'ueMo. clear "2
TUpId City, cloudy 34 42
n'i ikt part cloudy.. 46 6!
t. (nr 42 '4
ntndkx. clour" 30 39
fall.
.00
.00
.00
.00
.0
.00
.00
.00
.00
.06
.0"
.
.12
! Cit. cla-idy 31 S .0
1 !. alouAy 32 26
T tadieat trace or nreclpltion
Y;4totff below zco
L. K. WELSH, MeteorUigist.
TO BE DROPPED AS
FRIENDS MAKE UP
Reconciliation Between Hales
and Dismissal of Divorce
Action to End Aliena
tion Proceedings.
Peace and the Yule-tide spirit reign
in the Hugh Hale suite in the
Angelus apartments.
After leaving Mr. Hale safely at
home with her daughter Mrs. Hale
dismissed hy divorce suit in .which
she had named "an Omaha blonde" as
corespondent, and left him "on pro
bation" for a month while she visited
in Minneapolis.
Now she has returned, and finding
him contrite but happy the, family
is reunited.
Mrs. Hale's suit' for $25,000 dam
ages against William S. Rowe and
his wile, iianche Maxwell Rowe,
whom she alleged to be the beautiful
blonde who aliei. ated Mr. Hale's
affections, has not been dismissed, but
the case is at a standstill and it is
understood that the tangle between
the two families, formerly the best of
friends, i unravelling itself.
Hale and Rowe were close per
sonal friends before .the late un
pleasantness and the Hales often
were guests at the Rowe home. Mrs.
Rowe said at the time the suits were
filed that it was all a mistake and
that she was the innocent victim of
Mrs. Hale's suspicions.
Shortly after filing the alienation
suit and a general airing of views on
the part of all the participants mat
ters began to straighten themselves
out without the aid of the law, it is
said by those who know. The recon
ciliation of the Hales' renders it im
possible to proceed with the aliena
tion suit, attorneys say.
Hale was again permitted the use
of his latch key to the apartment
(Continued on Pukc Two, Column Four.)
I (UI j
HOWARD WOULD RESIGN HIS
OFFICE TO SA VE 'LUCKY 7TH'
'
' A look of sadness overspread the face of Lieutenant Governor Edgar
Howard when a man at the water power conference pointedly declared
that "Edgar Howard is the sole reason for the failure of the Seventh
regiment to go to war."
"I positively know that if Edgar Howard would step over to the
World-Herald and promise to get out of the way, or, in plain words, to
resign his office as lieutenant governor, so that he could not occupy the
governor's chair in event of Neville's resignation, Hitchcock would with
draw his objection to the calling of the Seventh," Howard's friend is
quoted as saying.
To this statement Howard replied calmly:
"I do not know if this is true, I hear it on every side. But, if it be
true, then I must 'do something to help lift the mantle of shame which
Senator Hitchcock and Arthur Mullen have laid upon the splendid men
in the' Seventh regiment.
"If the secretary of war, or other proper authority, informs me that
Senator Hitchcock is holding the regiment back on my account. I shall
upon receipt of such information promptly get out of the way. It shall
not be said that any act of mine shall stand in the way of giving the boys
of the Seventh a chance to fight beneath the flag they love."
FLAG of) HUGE
STOCKING IS
RISING FAST
Omaha Workers Spurred to
Greater Efforts by Report
That Two Cities Out
distance Them.
Twenty-five thousand Red Cross
members in Omaha!
The flag on the Christmas stocking
hung on theFirst National bank build
ing was hoisted to this figure at
noon. Forty thousand and more is
the goal.
But no satisfaction beams in the
faces of the campaign committee
Omaha's record has been bettered by
two cities, Kansas City and Minne
apolis. Kansas City, with only twice
Omaha's population, reported 59,050
j" members in the first two days of the
campaign, and Minneapolis, in an in
tensive campaign, conducted Sunday
between the hours of 2 and 6 in the
afternoon, secured more than 58,000
members.
Calls Out the Reserves.
Spurred on by the receipt of these
wires Wednesday night, the local
campaign committee has called out
all reserve workers. They tele
phoned until midnight for more vol
unteer solicitors, and this morning
issued a general call for helpers..
DON'T WEAR A BUTTON IP
NOT A MEMBER.
Don't wear a Red Cross button
unless you are a signed-up member
of the Red Cross society.
A federal law provides for a fine
of $500 and imprisonment for one
year to the person found guilty of
wearing the button under false pre
tense. The campaign committee is in
formed that Omahans have pur
chased Red Cross batons from
children for small sums and are
now wearing these buttons.
The report is being investigated.
Warning of the federal law is
therefore issued by the local com
mittee. Mrsv Helen Hickel, a Syrian woman,
mother of four children and herself a
student at night school, volunteered
her services as a canvasser. She ob
tained 54 memberships in one day's
work. Mrs. John M. Mach. canvas
sing in restaurants, secured 500 names.
The committee urges Omahans to
display their Red Cross service flags.
"It saves the canvasser's time and you
from being solicited again," they say.
Workers are also urged to turn in
their money and unused supplies.
Only Count Money.
"No memberships are counted until
the money is in the hands of the
committee. The supplies are needed
for new volunteer workers."
A Mr. Seaman, who came here from
Kansas City several days ago and has
some unoccupied time before taking
up business connections here, volun
teered his services at headquarters.
Brownell Hall is the first Omaha
school to come in 100 per cent in Red
( Cross memberships. Miss Dorothy
Judson solicited faculty,students and
(help, obtaining 120 memberships.
Serbian Mission is
On Way to Washington
An Atlantic Port, Dec. 20. A Ser
hian diplomatic mission to the United
States arrived here today on a French
steamship. It is headed bv Dr. M. R.
Vesnitch, who represented Serbia at
the inter-allied conference at Paris.
Its members include a number of Ser
bian army officers. The mission plans
to go direct to Washington.
Dr. Vesnitch, who is Serb
lan minister 10 r ranee, will ex
press to President Wilson his cound
try s appreciation ot the heJp it has
received, financial and otherwise, from
the United States, and of the presi
dent's attitude toward small nations.
The president will receive an auto
graphed letter from King Peter of
Serbia.
The military members of the mis
sion, who are headed by General Mi
chaiio Rachitch, will confer with War
department officials. General Rach
itch commanded an army corps at
Adrianople during the second Balkan
war, and has represented Serbian
general headquarters at French gen
eral headquarters.
I
Wtot
o
tot
SUGAR SHORTAGE IS ACUTE;
CUT CONSUMPTION IS PLEA
More Even Distribution; More Prompt Movement of Cars
and Strict Limitation of Sales Imperative, Says
Federal Food Administrator in Tele
gram to Nebraska Aid.
That the sugar shortage is more critical han the average
citizen of Nebraska appreciates, was indicated yesterday after
noon in a telegram received from the federal food administra
tion by Gurdon W. Wattles, federal food administrator for Ne
braska. The telegram says:
PLANS FOR RELIEF. O
"A more even distribution of sugar,
more prompt movement of cars, and
strict limitation during the war of
sales by producers and other owners
of sugar to any purchaser are im
perative." The United States food administra
tion is making plans to relieve the
situation. In the meantime dealers in
sugar are asked to restrict their sales
to customers and to limit distribu
tion to small quantities.
Quite recently the administration j
suggested that one pound of sugar
per person per week was a reasonable
supply and purchasers were requested j
to bear this figure in mind when lay
ing in their supplies.
AVERAGE STILL HIGH.
The average consumption of sugar
by the people of the United States
has been around the 90-pound mark,
huf cttitpmfMitG wprp maHp smnp timp i
ago that the United States had cut
this average to 86, pounds through the
voluntary action.
The national administration in sug
gesting the one pound 4er week per
person had in mind the thought that
this saving would, in a large measure,
provide exportable sugar for the al
lies hi sufficient quantities to greatly
relieve the situation across the water.
Food Administrator Wattles, on
advices from Washington, has re
cently requested dealers in sugar not
to sell more than 10 pound lots in ex
treme cases and in ordinary cases to
limit the sales to f.ve pounds.
By buying in small quantities and
oftener Nebraska citizens can all get
some sugar where if the big aihounts
were purchased, .many would have to
go without.
Prices Lower Here.
Omahans are enjoying lower prices
on seven fundamental foodstuffs than
are those who live in 35 principal
cities of the United States. On five
they are paying a trifle more than the
average, and on two, milk and eggs,
they are lOwer than most of the
cities.
These facts are the result of a re
view by Gurdon W. Wattles, federal
3 i I I I I A
Rlrr. per lh 10 .14 .10 .12 .11 .10 .13 .1?, .1SV4 II .1 Ml 1.15
Sugar, prr lb.. .(Ml .lu'i .OH .00 .Oft .(( .08 1 .m .h .OH .0 .(W .OKS
Hrrad 1-lb. If .10 .10 .08 .10 .07 .10 . . .08 .10 .08 .OH .m .oS
Krit, lr. intto .65 .OS .70 8 .00 ..v .50 .18 .15 .." .58 .58
Milk, ijt .Vi .It .VI , .It .VI ... .10 .11 .10 ... .IS
(rmy. But., lh. .53 .HO .00 .54 ,5'J ,5'i .55 .4!) .15 .HI .48 V.Vi .517
Potat.. per bu.. 2.IO 1.75 2.25 1.75 1.50 1.90 1.55 1.50 . . 1.15 1..M 1.75 1.08
Bacon, Bird, lb. .45 .62V4 .50 .4 .45 .40 .50 .50 .55 .50 .BO .5 .505
Rd. Mk, per lb. .85 .38 .30 .23 .20 .25 ,2i .35 ..10 .30 .22 .SO .208
Hour, hfitt No. .
1, 4f-lb. hark 3.40 3. SO 3.20 3.50 3.25 2.00 3.00 2.80 5.75 2.70 3.05 S.DO S.12
rornmral. lb. . . .07 .08 .00 .07 .05', .04 .07 ."8 ... .0J .ill .0 .072
I'ure lraf lard,
Pr lh 32 .34 .35 .32 .33 .32 .32 .35 .35 .27 .33 .35 .330
Navy Bean, lb. .17 .10 .20 .18 .10 .20 .10 .20 .I7'4 .10 .17 .15 .183
l'ork Chops, lb. .40 .33V4 .35 .33 .30 .30 .30 .33 .35 .35 .35 .30 .3
an Odor!
LATE WAR
BULLETINS
PORTUGUESE IN FIGHT.
London, Dec. 20. Portuguese
troops near Laventie, north of Arras,
last night repulsed an attempted Ger
man raid arrnrHinir tn an iffirial
statement issued today from British
headquarters in France and Belgium,
The German artillery was active in
inc JJ "I:
INFANTRY INACTIVE.
Paris, Dec. 20. The French war of
fice says:
"There was moderate artillery ac
tivity along the front last night.
There were no infantry actions."
BLIZZARD BLOCKS FIGHTING.
Berlin, Dec. 20. The official state
ment isRued Tuesday reads: "Western
theater: The artillery activity was
moderate owing to the storm and
I blizzard. In Flanders and west of
Cambrai there was a slight increase
m the firing toward evening.
food administrator for Nebraska, of
a survey made by a national food
journal.
The survey covers the 35 principal
cities of the United States, 'but the
Omaha prices are those maintaining
here at present and are not average
prices. The Omaha prices quoted are
by two leading retail grocers and
represent the price for the best, while
those of other cities arc; averaged.
Just Over Average.
Omaha is low on rice, bread, sliced
bacon, wheat flour, cornmeal. navy
beans and pork chops, and higher on
sugar, cfeamery butter, potatoes,
round steak and leaf lard. Hut the
Omaha prices just "get over" the
average.
The following 11 cities, repre
sentative of the various parts of the
country, are selected because of geo
graphical location. The figures on
he right show the average price for
35 cities:
MAD MONK FIRED
WITH RELIGIOUS
ZEAL DO WM ALL
Defeats Both Cossacks and Maximalists in Province of
Samara, Advancing Against Foes Singing Prayer;
Russian Soldiers Leave Northern Front;
Germany to Propose Peace to Allies.
(By .WMatrd l'r..) '
London, Dec. 20.- Dispatches f rom N Petrojrrad indicate
that the struggle between the Cossacks and the Maximalist!
in southern Russia is increasing in severity. Reuter's corre
spondent at Petrograd, telegraphing under date of Tuesday,
says the flame of civil war is spreading northward along the
Volga river from Astrakhan to Samara.
KAISER WILL
OFFER ALLIES
WORLD PEACE
Tells Russia Proposals to Be
Made to Entente; Washing
ton Receives Outline of
"Christmas Terms."
According to press reports, Russia
has been informed by the central
powers that they intend to make
peace proposals to the allies.
The Evening Tost says the Ger
mans have officially informed the
Rolshcviki headquarters that the cen
tral powers are ready to consider the
arrangement of peace on the basis of
no annexations and no indemnities,
but pointed out that self-definition of
nations was impracticable.
Await Word From Allies.
The representatives of the central
powers informed the Russians they
were ready to discuss peace prelimin
aries, but desired to know the result
of Russia's efforts to induce the al
lies to join in the negotiations before
proceeding with them.
They said this point of view might
be changed, however, and that they
might be willing to discuss peace
with Russia alone. The Germans were
of the fjpinion that the Russian arm
istice might influence the other
fronts.
The first conference was devoted
merely to a discussion of who would
participate in the negotiations.
Sound the Allies.
This report is published in the
Evening Tost, which says the repre
sentatives of the central powers at
the first preliminary peace confer
ence with the Russians held yester
day, announced that their govern
ments intended on principle to put
the question of peace before all the
powers and that they had asked their
allies to do likewise. Russia was re
quested to take similar steps. It is
stated the Russians are endeavoring
by all means to sound the allies.
Christmas Peace Terms.
Washington, Dec. 20. What pur
ports to be an outline of the kaiser's
much advertised "Christmas peace
terms" has been received through
neutral diplomatic channels. The so
called terms include the following: .
To leave the disposition of Alsace
Lorraine to a plebiscite of inhabitants.
England to pay Germany for her
lost African colonies and the money
to be used for the rehabilitation of
Belgium, Serbia, Rouniania and north
ern France.
Russian provinces bordering the
Baltic sea, the Black sea and Prus
sia to become independent under a
German plan.
Poland to be called an independent
stale under Austrian suzerainty.
Disarmament, freedom of the seas
and commerce to be left to the peace
conference.
Rouniania, Serbia and Montenegro
to retain their original boundaries
with the right of acccs to the sea
benig granted to Serbia. ,
Turkey to remain intact.
Whether such a proposal of terms
(Continual on l'ae Two, Column four.)
Howard Denounces Shields
Bill Before Farmers' Meeting
Edgar Howard, lieutenant and
"waiting" governor of Nebraska, de
nounced the Shields bill in an ad
dress made before thw Farmers' con
gress, lie declared the water in
creeks and rivers should be the prop
erty of the oeoph and should never
be wrested from them and given to
private interests.
The audience shouted approval and
the congress asked Howard to use
his influence to stop passage of the
bill or any similar legislation and
to petition law-makers against vot
ing in favor of such a bill.
Gas Company Will Give
Christmas Entertainment
Following a custom of many years,
the Omaha Gas company will give
an entertainment and a Christmas
tree, with gifts, for the children of
the employes this year at the Metro
politan building, 2301 Harney street,
December 24, at 3 o'clock in the aft
ernoon. The program will be patriotic.
p COSSACKS AND REDS CLASH.
The Maximalists hold Astrakhan,
from which place the Cossacks were
reported on Monday to be 20 versts
distant. Fighting probably has now
begun.
The Maximalists are said to have
many machine guns but are almost
without cannon. The Cossacks are
reported o be equipped with light
field guns.
LED BY MAD MONK.
An extraordinary state of affairs is
depicted at Tsaritsyn, in the province
of Samara, where neither the Maxi
malists nor the Cossacks have gained
the mastery, both being beaten by the
forces of Heliodorus,, abbot of Tsar
itsyn and known as "Iliadore, the
mad monk," who advanced against
them singing "SaVe, Lord, thy
people."
Orenburg Cossacks, commanded by
General Dutoff. ar advancing against
Samara, the Maximalist garrison en
route being dispersed, , Cossacks have
occupied all the eastern part of the
province of Voronezh, a province in
south central Russia."
Fighting continues at Odessa, where
Ukrainian troops hold the arsenal anrr'
the telegraph and telephone stations.
The municipal theater repeatedly
changed hands before finally remain
ing in. the possession, f the Ukrain
ians. The Maximalists hold the port,
which the Ukrainians shelled with
heavy artillery and field artillery in
response to a bombardment of the
town by naval guns.
Ukrainians are disarming and re
moving the Maximilist troops in the
province of Kiev and at Konotop,
about 100 miles east of Tchernigov. '
Proclaim Ukraine Republic.
The Ukraine central Rada has is
sued a message to Ukrainians, pro
claiming a Ukraine democratic rP.
: public to form part of an all-Russiau
leoerai republic. Pending the meet
ing of the Ukrainian constituent as-,
sembly in January, the Rada in its,
message recognizes the principle of
e-xpropriation without compensation
of private lands, monastery lands and
some church lands for the benefit of
the laboring classes.
JnUic expectation of an early peace,
Russian soldiers in increasing num
bers arc leaving the northern front.
Urgent telegrams are being received
from 1'e.trograd for reinforcements,
the soldiers being promised the best
conditions and 'ood. Dr. Fctrofsky, a
lecturer at the Moscow university, has
been deputed by the Bolsheviki gov
ernment to discuss peace questions
with the Germans at Rrest-Litovsk.
According to the Russian official
news agency, delegates of the Uk
rainian council of workmen's and sol
diers delegates recently met at
Kharkov and received to regard the
Rada as a bourgeois and anti-revolutionary
institution and to oppose it.
U. S. Leary of Kaiser.
Washington, Dec 20. The news
reports from Petrograd arc regarded
in diplomatic circles here as disclos
ing the most insidious and danger
ous attempt yet made by the central
powers to disrupt and weaken the
entente alliance. It is believed that
the ofter to accept the Russian terms
so far as they relate to no annexa
tions or indemnities is insincere, and
is made for the sole purpose of open
ing up the whole subject and using
Russia in a plan seeking to compel
its late allies to join in the negotia
tions which the Germans have been
striving to bring about for more than
a year.
It was understood that the Bol
sheviki government, in obedience to
the suggestion of the German peace
plenipotentiaries, has undertaken to
sound out not only Russia's allies,
but also the American government.
It is apprehended in some quarters
that the mere discussion of this latest
German peace move is likely to prove v
very embarrassing to England, where
the labor councils are about to as
semble and record their views as to
war aims, and also in France, where
the socialistic elements are still
strong in their opposition to the
government.
Mothers' Circle, Gives
Dinner at Miller School
Miller Park Mothers' circle gave its
eighth annual Christmas dinner for
the principal and teachers of Miller
Park school Thursday. This is the
only school in the city where the cus
tom prevails. Engineer and janitor
were included in the party.
Miss Alice Orr, the principal, read
greetings from Superintendent Bever
idge and Miss Ora Russell, a former
teacher. Mrs. John W. Evans, "grand
mother" of the circle, gave Christmas
greetings. ' v
Mrs. Dean T. Gregg is president of
the mothers' club. Forty mothers
assisted at the party.
Fair prlct nuggmttd by Douf las Co. Committee
I,