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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 25, 1917)
aha Daily THE WEATHER Cold Wave VOL. XLVIL NO. 163. OMAHA, TUESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 25, 1917. FOURTEEN1 PAGES. On Train, at HMI. !. Stind. etc.. Sc. SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS 'ANY FEARS ALLIES ON WEST, FRONT; l KAISER'S PEACE TERMS Om .Bee 'XI H. ii ii IE, GERM RUSSIANS ? NO ANNEXATIONS AND NO INDEMNITIES ARE KEY TO NEW PROPOSAL Von Kuehlmann Presides Over Russ-German Conference at Brest-Li tovsk; Emperor Announces Intention to Attend if Agreement is Reached; All Euro pean Rulers May Be Invited. Peace without annexations and without indemnities, the formula adopted by the German Reichstag in its peace resolu tion last July, is the keynote of the Russian peace terms now being discussed at Brest-Litovsk. The Russian terms have been submitted to the representa tives of the central powers, who have taken them under con sideration. NO ANNEXATIONS. No compulsory annexatin of ter ritory seized during the war and im mediate evacuation of it and no con tributions to be required from bel ligerent countries are proposed by Russia. This is similar to the Reich stag resolution, which, however, was not accepted by Dr. Michaelis, who was then German imperial chancel lor. RussL suggests that countries de prived of their independence during the war be reinstated and that na tional groups not independent before the war shall decide their status b a referendum. Germany scored a point in the selec tion of Dr. von Kuehlmann, its for eign secretary, as permanent chair man of the conference. Emperor William, it is reported un officially, intends to go to Brest-Litovsk, if the diplomats now there arrive at an agreement, to attempt to as semble all European rulers in a peace conference. The German ruler is said to have declared that everybody wants peace. SUPREME EFFORT IN ITALY. The heavy fighting which has marked the situation on the Italian northern front for the last few weeks has almost subsided and only local en counters have taken place along the line from Asiago to the Piave. Indication are, however, that the Austro-Germans will again initiate a strong: offensive in an effort to reach the pLin- or the northern edge at least, before severe winter weather halts large scale operations. Raids and local attacks have been carried out in the Ypres and Verdun sectors, on the western front. The Germans gained slightly in a local at tack on the Ypres-Staden railway, hut at all other points on both the British and French fronts they were repulsed. The artillcryyhas been ex tremely active in the Yprcs and Ver dun sectors. Palestine in Allied Hands. General Allenby has begun suc cessfully an advance along the Med iterranean coast north of Jaffa. Pales tine. After crossing the Nahr El Auja, his troops on Saturday reached the plain of Sharon and captured ten towns near the Xahr El Auja. General Sarrail, who has been in command of the allied armies on the Macedonian front for the last two years, has been recalled by the 'French government. He will be suc ceeded by General Guillaumat; who commanded the French forces in their brilliant stroke northeast of Verdun last summer. Surgeons Barber ancT Stitt To Be Made Rear Admirals Washington, Dec. 24. Medical Di rectors George H. Barber and Ed ward R. Stitt, of the navy, will be promoted from the rank of captain to rear admiral as soon as congress re assembles in recognition of distin guished services. Dr. Barber is at the head of the naval hospital in Los Animas, Colo., and Dr. Stitt is president of the naval medical school at Washington. The Weather For Nebraska Fair: n southeast portion. cold Temperature at Omaha Ye;ercay, ( ouipnralitp 1 oral Keroril. 117. 1S1H. 1913. l!Ut. HiN'-st yesteliday 2.1 :i 35 ID !."vft ystorda)-. . . . 1 r, ft 4 '..in trmrt'-ratutv. . . . 19 11 "0 rrripi'ation 00 .0" .05 Jin TVmpTH Ufre an! precipitation dfParturps from the normal Ht Omjiha flnre March 1. ; nJ compared with the last two yt-nrs: Norma! trnnwraturc It l ftcienry fn rilic day h Total deficiency for the dny 391 N'ormn! precipitation .1)3 inch nefiriency fo rthe day fi3 inch Total rainfall since March 1 ... .11 .7 inched I' -ficlency since March 1 7.29 inches T. fi-Mrncy for cor. period, 191.1-. 70 Inches '.'ficiency cor cor. period. 1915. 2 . 02 Inches Report From Station at 7 r. M. Station a-icl State Temp. High- Rain- rif Weather. 7 p. m. est. fall. T .0ft fhevenne. clomly 20 Davsnport. cloudy Ii- Ptnver. cloudy 5 Pes Moines, cloudy IS DodKe City, part cloudy. 2" Lander, part cloudy 24 North Platte, cloudy... 14 Omaha, cloudy 1 TXiehlo. rluoriy S" 10 .12 24 Pi.nld City, f-now Salt Lake, pt. cloudy.. 4 Sr.nta Fe. cloudy 42 4. Shrld.-n, c!'.ir ' Mo'.ix '""Ity. clear I Valentine. ' loudy 4 S "T" Indicates trace of precipitation. - indicate- l.-low zero. Hour. I-(t 5 a. m K I Colder ji v ' r XT n m 17 V, M( P- m 17 if ;t n' W " P. m IS if V R 1 P -m 1 8 p. m 15 - OH RED CROSS WORKERS HOPE TO DOUBLE QUOTA Figures Reach New Height, With Many Solicitors Yet to Report; Pixley Sure of 70,000 Mark. At 1 o'clock yesterday Red Cross memberships totaled 60,833. "We may yet double our quota be fore the campaign closes tonight. Forty per cent of our workers have not yet reported," said committee members late Monday afternoon. No figures were given out on the result of Sunday's house-to-house can vass. Labor unions, which will have large numbers to report, have not yet been heard from, and county returns have not been received at all, with the exception of Waterloo, which sent in $400. "These facts make ifs additionally certain we will reach 70,000;. arid pos KlNy double our quota," said W. A. Pixley, Beri Warren of the whole salers' committee sent for ' J,000 sup plies Monday morning when those in charge thought their job of handing out supplies was already over. Swamped with Money. Cashiers were set up in three cages, with an assistant assigned to each cashier, to handle the large influx of money and memberships from the final drive. Headquarters in the Keeline building were open until 11 o'clock last night in order to permit workers to report. Monday morning's returns were much heavier than any morning since the campaign opened, which makes the committee especially hopeful for the final results. Splendid returns in the state are re ported by Frank W. ludson, state di rector. Callaway, with a population of 800. expects to send in 1,000 mem bers by Christmas day. Callaway claims the state record for volunteers to Uncle Sam's service. Pender has approximately 1,200; Chadron had 1,600 Friday; York, 2,400, and Butte also reports a 30 per cent member ship. Miss Irene McKnight and Dr. Jen nie Callfas entered the lists with Mrs. S. S. Montgomery Monday for the lead in ward and precinct canvassing, when each woman turned in $200 in memberships. Mrs.. Montgomery still has a slight lead. Charles E. Metz is credited with as sisting in obtaining at least 1,000 members, according to the campaign committee. "Let Charles do it" has been the slogan and "he's done it," thev say. Arthur Keeline, Harvey Millikcn and Mrs. J. W. Gill at the information desk have given yeoman service. Henry Cox enlisted all the musicians in the Red Cross. A street car conductor who volun teered in Sunday's canvassing ob tained 60 memberships. Cold Wave is Announced By the Weather Man Zero weather is booked for Omaha Christmas day. The weather bureau has the cold wave flag up. The tem perature dropped 27 degrees in the 12 hours ending at 7 a. m. Monday, v hen the thermometer stood at 21 degree's, with a gale sweeping down from the north. However, Meteorologist Welsh does not believe the cold snap will be of long duration. "The high barometer at present is directly north of us," he said. "If it were northwest we might be in for a long spell of cold. But, as it is, the probability is that the cold wave will sweep off northeast and spend itself before very long." NO EVENING BEE CHRISTMAS DA Y To giv: employes of this paper an opportunity to observe the holiday as far as possible, The Bee will not issue an evening pa per Tuesday. It was our desire to join with the other Omaha dailies to dis continue publication altogether on Christmas day, but to meet competition (w will print the morning edition as usual, and serve subscribers with The Morn ing Bee intecl. THE OMAHA BEE. OMAHA OPENS PURSES TO AID WORTHY POOR Xmas Relief Work Conducted by The Bee and Associated Charities Meets With Generous Response. RitAard and Marjoric Ilillcr, 3510 Farnam street, sent a sack containing 120 pennies to The Bee office for the Christmas relief work which has been maintained for several weeks by The Bee in conjunction with the As sociated Charities. These children said they would not enjoy their Christmas unless they could help some child who might be in need. The pennies were handed to Mrs. G. W. Doane, general secretary of the Associated Charities, and she promised to see that the money is used to make a little boy or girl happy Christinas. Notwithstanding the many demands which have been made during the last few weeks upon the people of Omaha and the state, the responses for aid have been surprisingly generous. The money and packages which have been sent direct to The Bee office have helped many families and individuals and, added to what has been sent to the Associated Charities office, the to tal relief has amounted to more than, can be indicated in mere words. Many Homes Brightened. Many homes wliere sickness and poverty stalked have been brightened; many hearts bowed down with fore boding of a cheerless Christmas have been made to beat a little lighter. Mrs. Doane says she will acknowl edge all contributions for which she has names and addresses. Monday morning The Bee received a $5 bill from a donor who did not wish to give a name. "I wish all those who gave and those who received a merry Christ mas and I certainly wish The Bee a merry Christmas, because the splendid co-operation of The Bee has made it possible to spread much Christmas joy among homes that otherwise would have been sad on the day when good cheer is so general," said Mrs. Doane. Germans' Will Rotf Women Of Italy as Those of Belgium Washington, 'Dec. 24. Official dis patches state that the enemy com mand in the city cf Udine has issued rules by which all workmen, women and cliidren are obliged to work in the fields from 4 o'clock in the morn ing until 8 o'clock in the evening, with half an hour rest in the morning, one hour and half at midday and half an hour in the afternoon. The trans gressors of these rules will be com pelled to work and watched by Ger man soldiers and at the termination of the harvest the will be impuison cd for six months and every three days they will receive only bread and water. Slow or lazy women will be exiled and lazy children will he flog ged. If necessary, the commander will inflict coporal punishment on workmen. DREAD MENINGITIS ENDANGERS THE GREAT MILITARY ENCAMPMENT AT CAMP FUNST0N, SAYS CONGRESSMAN RE AVIS OF NEBRASKA Surgeon-General Gorgas' Re port Shows Alarming Death Rate at Kansas Can tonment. Washington, Dec. 24. (Special Telegram.) The abandonment of Camp Funston, Kan., because it is infected with spinal l leningitis germs, as shown by the report of Surgeon General Gorgas. was urged today by Representative Charles F. Reavis, re publican, of Nebraska. Reavis visited Camp Funston in October and was dissatisfied with conditions at that time, but he de clared the situation as disclosed by Gorgas' report was appalling and one that demands an immediate change. Located in River Bottom. "The report states," said Rea.'is, "that the cantonment at Camp Fun ston is located in the river bottom and has been known to all health offi cers as a center for spinal meningitis for years." For the last few months, according to the report, there have been 84 deaths in this camp, of which 24 were from meningitis. There were 54 deaths from pneumonia, whilc the average death rate of the command should not have exceeded 12. Boys Inadequately Clad. "I visited Camp Funston in Octo ber." Reavis said. "I saw 40,000 boys drilling in the cold, clad in overalls and summer shirts. "It was so cold that I had a sweater on to keep warm. Not an hour dur ing the time I was there could - see further than 100 feet on account of blowing sand. 'There was no heat in camp, and the boilers of the heating apparatus were not yet in place. If this camp is as infected as the surgeon general states, these boys should be removed from there at Once. "It will n-,t improve the morale of the army, or the nation either, to know that nearly 50,000 American boys have been located at a camp that has been known as a disease cen ter for years." byTfenpy Wad$worUion$fellw Written Dec. 25. 18(4. 3 fjcatb tfjc telle; on Cfjristmas Cap Cfjeir oto, familiar carols plap. Sfaij toifo ant) stecet JDjc toorbg repeat Of peace on eartfy, cootj-Unll to men! lili tijotiQfjt fjoto, a tljt bap fyab come. Zt)c belfries cf all Cdrtitcnbom ftab toilets along Z)t unbroken sons Of peace on earti). goofe-hull to men! ringing. Singing on its toap, Z)t toarlb rebolbcb from nigfjt to bsj. 3 boice, a chime, a ifjant sublime Ot peace on earth, goob-tofll to men ! i3nb fn bespair 3 botocb mp fjeab ; "Ebftt is no peace on earth," 3 saib; "Jfor hate is strong, 3nb mocbs the song Ot peace on earth, goob-toill to men !" rjcn pealeb the bells more loub ajtb beep: 'ob fs not beab; nor both he Sleep ! (Efje IHrong shall fait, Z)t ftigbt prebail, ISith peace on earth, goob.toill to men!" CANTEEN AT FORT OMAHA IS CLOSED DOWN: MEASLES An epidemic of measles threatens Fort Omaha.' The Red Cross canteen, in charge of Mrs. Luther L. Kountze, was closed Sunday, when four employes were sent home, suffering from the disease. The stricken women are those who helped hand food over the counter. Their cases are light ones, according to Mrs. Kountze. Miss Kegina Connell and other can teen workers on Mrs. Kountze's com mittee, are authority for the statement that many cases are scattered over the entire post, and that the canteen was closed to avoid spread of the disease. Mrs. Kountze says the canteen had to be closed because the staff of help was crippled by the four sick people. (Continued on Page Two, Column Flv) Mrs. A. B. McConnell Spends Christmas Money on Hel mets and Sweaters for Boys at Funston. "I am not an agitator and I am not trying to get anybody into I rouble. All I am trying to do is to help the boys at Funston with some of the things that they need." This is the reply Mrs. A. U. Mc Connell makes to those who have been protesting against her statement of conditions as slif saw them when she visited her son at the Funston cantonment. Mrs. McCtnnell is now busv send ing sweaters and helmets to the sol diers at the camp. "After 1 sent the helmets to my son last Friday 1 wired one of the captains down there asking; how many sweaters and helmets could be used for his battalion for men who cannot afford to get them ami the answer came back, 'Can use up to 300 helmets and sweaters.' I am spend ing my Xmas money to furnish some of these necessities as Xmas presents to the Funston boys, although I can not supply all of them. Are any of my critics doing as much? "The things 1 have said are not en tirely new," she continued. ".Surgeon General Gorgas and Teddy Roosevelt said some of the things I said long before I did. "But do not implicate my son, for he does not even know that I am saying this. He is willing to take things as the rest do. I would like to say that I am not speaking for my son or any one in his circumstances. I am speaking for the less fortunate boy who gets $30 a month and las to buy Liberty bonds, send money home to mother, wife or baby. Can he af ford to buy the side things that the reader mentioned in The Bee last Sat urday. "I know he can no, for many of us Omaha mothers have equipped a number of such men. I know of an Omaha boy who borrowed money from a bank to keen his mother while (r'ontjnurd on Vfc Thre, Column Five.) AMERICA SHOWS SATISFACTORY TRADEBALANCE Washington, Dec. 24. America's balance of trade approximated $3,000, 000,000 at the close of November, ac cording to figures issued today by the bureau of foreign and domestic com merce. It was an increase of $141, 000,000 over the same period last year. During November export restric tions caused a substantial decrease in foreign trade. During the 11 months ended with November gold imports amounted to $535,000,000 and exports to $367,000, 000, leaving an excess of imports of $168,000,01)0 in '917 against $399,000, 000 in 1916. Silver imports during the 11 months amounted to $7,01)0,000, against $29, 000,000 a year ago, and the exports were valued at $74,000,000 in 1917 and $62,000,0110 in 1916. Young Soldier, Fresh From Camp, Says Stupendous Task of Organization Must Be Taken Into Consideration. Private Joe Kennedy of the 341st regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Kennedy, 543 South Twenty-sixth street, one of Uncle Sam's boys at Camp Funston, who was lucky enough to draw a leave of absence for the Christmas tide, comments on condi tions at the cantonment. He takes the altitude of a mediator, admitting that the r?;:ort is true in degree but also adding that the boys have been getting fat on the treat ment accorded them. "First of all," says young Kennedy, "I want to say that 1 am not kicking. Things that have happened at Camp Funston were to be expected on ac count of the stupendous task of or ganization. However, it is true some peculiar things do happen there. Charges True in Part. "Mis. McConnell, as a mother, would naturally see things a little different than ,.ne in the service. 1 am a member of the company in which her son, Harold, i a sergeant. Nearly evcrytin'ng Mrs. McConnell has said about the camp has been true at some time or oilier but only in degree. Anyway, the treatment has been good for us lor we ae all better' lookii.g now than we v.erc before we went down. We a'! fel fine, too. "Of course, majiy of us have had bad colds and wet feet many a time, but then we thought that was the beginning of war preparations and so thought nothing of it. "As to medical attention, I heard that a fellow who had an injured foot was sent to F"ort Riley from Funston. he returned in two weeks and had not yet received any attention. Now the foot is dressed and the fellow recuperating. "The only real criticism I would make concerns the distribution of uni forms. They gave us anything, regard less of size. A man who needs a number 40 coat eot a number 36 for instance. "PEACE BEFORE VICTORY" IS WHAT TEUTONS WANT, SAYS SECRETARY BAKER Kaiser Wants the World to Believe That Military Situa tion is Such That He Can Now Dictate Terms of Peace to the Nations at War. Washington, Dec. 24. Germany's newest propaganda, viewed as a forerunner to an offensive in the west unless a German-made peace is accepted by the allies and the United States, "should not for a moment induce us to slacken our preparations for war," says Secretary Baker in his weekly re view of the military situation. RELY ON UNITED STATES. ITALIANS TURN BACK ATTEMPT TO CROSS PIAVE Frustrate Another German Ef fort to Reach Venice; All Art Treasures Removed From City. Rome, Dec. 24. Enemy forces which had crossed the Tiave river at Piave Verchia have been driven back over the river, the war office an nounces. Foe Checked by Winter Stroke. Washington, Dec. 24. Checked in their attempt to drive through to the Italian plains east of the Brenta by the brilliant feat of the Italians last week in recapturing the Asolone heights, the Teutons have now switched their attack to the Brenta's west bank. Striking suddenly yesterday in this quarter, they pushed into the Ital ian lines on the Asiago plateau in the vicinity of Buso, where the Fren zcla valley affords a rortte to the Brenta valley. , Had they succeeded in driving southeast down the Frenzela valley to the Brenta at Valstagua, three miles distant, where the valleys merge, the Italian line on both sides of the Brenta would have been in serious straits. The Rome war office, however, reports the enemy checked at the Italian rear positions, whence a counter attack was launched. This counter stroke is proceeding with satisfactory results, the Italian state ment declares. Venice Undisturbed. Venice, .Sunday, Dec. 23. Ameri can Christmas cheer will be carried to the Italian soldiers in the trenches and to the sick and wounded soldiers in, and around Venice by B. Harvey Carroll, jr., American consul at Ven ice, acting for the American Red Cross. Mr. Carroll will leave Venice with General Di Viterfranchesoa, so as to make the tour of the trenches on Christmas eve. Another distribution will be made in Venice on Christmas eve and Christmas morning to wounded sol diers and civilian poor. The city of Venice remains com paratively undisturbed by the recent renewal of enemy pressure on the lower Fiave nearest to Venice, where his line is 12 miles cast of the city. While shells from the heavy guns could reach Venice, it is known that the enemy has been unable to bring across the river anything except ma chine guns and a few pieces of small caliber. No shells have fallen any where near the city. One of the chief reasons for calm is the belief that l'ope Benedict has in tervened in sonic way by which the Austrians will not shell the city. The custodians of the art treasures in the city have considered it desir able to remove a large number of paintings and statues which up to this time had been stored within the city. The most valuable were sent south months ao, but. now the entire bulk of removable art treasures has been taken away. It is estimated that 12, 000 square meters of paintings were taken from the ducal palace alone. The famous equestrian statue be fore St. Mark's is being dismounted for removal, although it was first in tended to protect it by a brick cov ering. Man Who Refused to Join Red Cross Pays $10 Fine Edward Sulak, arVes'ed Saturday morning when he refused to buy or wear a Red Cross button, was lined ?10 and costs in police court Mon day morning. Mrs. Allen Farmer, Red Cross worker, t;stitied Sulak used in sulting la.iguagc. Christmas Day Meatless Day, but Not "Fowlless" Christmas day, coming on Tues day this year, will be a meatless day, according to the regular sched ule. Of course, this in no way af fects the consumption of any kind of fowl or fish. Meatless day is intended to conserve beef, pork, and such other meats as can be readily- exported to our soldiers and those of the allies in the war, while the substitution of chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks and other fowls and fish is encouraged. So, after all, the turkey, roast goose or duck dinner, or chicken dinner will in no way be interfered with. "The Germans realize." continued" the statement, "that within a short time our armies will form the princi pal body of fresh stategic reserves re maining available on the battlefields of Europe." "Our armies constitute the reserves of victory 1" The review points out that the fight ing morale of Italy may be relied on, no matter how intensive the German peace campaign becomes, and says: "The Italian theater once again is the scene of important military ac tivity. x "The enemy, impatient of the de lays which have occurred in bringing about the successful penetration of the Italian plain and the overthrow of the Italian armies, has dispatched further forces to the Italian front, with a view to achieving a decisive result. Drive Italians Back First. "Before proceeding with any opera tions in the west the Germans hope to drive the Italians back to the Adige, anticipating that such a re verse would have a very disintegrat ing influence throughout Italy. "It is apparent that the Germans have not given up all hope of bring ing about a social upheaval in Italy, as they did in Russia after their vic torious campaigns of 1915. "No. matter how intensive this new subversive pr6paganda may be, nev ertheless we can confidently' rely on the fighting morale of the Italian people. "It would appeaf that as a fore runner to the German offensive her alded to be launched in the west, ati intensive peace propaganda is to bet initiated. "Careful examination of the situa tion reveals that the enemy is again preparing for 'peace before victory.' Germans Make Threats. "Information from various sources confirm the reports that the Germans would have the world believe that the military situation is such that they are able to dictate the terms of peace. They, therefore, threaten that unless this dictated peace is accented by the allied powers and ourselves, the German forces now being concen trated on the western front will break through the allied lines into the west. "In considering the general mili tary situation in its true light, it must be understood that the Germans real ize that within a short time our armies will form the principal body of fresh strategic reserves remaining available for action on the battlefields of Eur ope. Thus, no matter what superior ity in men1 and guns the enemy may for the time be able to bring, to bear on the west, and even admttting an eventual modification of the allied line in his favor, nevertheless he knows that insofar as it is humanly posst-ble-to foresee, his effort will inevita bly result in merely a local success, which can have no determining influ ence on the final outcome of the war France Bore Brunt. "For the first two years of the war France bore the brunt of battle, while Great Britain was preparing. "Since the defeat of the German forces in front of Verdun, England and the British dominions have taken over1 an increasingly large share of the burden of the war. "Italy has, to the limit of its forces, also assumed a considerable share of this burden. "When, as a result of the defection of the Russian forces, the weight of Austro-German pressure was directed against Italy, France and England united in coming to the rescue of their ally and are today aiding the Italian armies. "It is our duty, therefore, iti look ing to the future, to realize that if we are to fulfill the pledge we made on entering the war. if we are to fight this war to a successful conclusion, we must assume the full responsibil ity which rests upon us. We are the freshest in the struggle: we have the reserve man power and the reserve mechanical power." Kenneth Norton Cables Merry Xmas to Parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Norton, 117 South Thirty-eighth street, have received a cablegram from their son, Lieutenant William K. Norton, who has been flying in France for the last five weeks, wishing them a merry Christmas. He says in his letters he is well and happy, has plenty of good things to eat and good sleeping quar ters and that the French aeroplanes are wonderful. Cold Wave Moving Eastward From Dakotas Washington, Dec. 24. The cold wave which has caused a drop in tem perature of 40 to 50 degrees in the Dakotas in the last 24 hours is sweeping eastward, the weather bu reau announced today, and is expected to reach the Atlantic coast far Tuesday ! nigh ' - . ; 4 V IWiteWit'iwItimiiapaiMlj. m mi wi in ,i,r , - .-r , ' ' j - - -- - . , ' - ' ' -f
