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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 1917)
The Omaha Daily VOL. XL VII. NO. 168. OMAHA, MONDAY MORNING, DECEMBB'R 31, 1917. Si Trtt. it MtMi. SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS Km SUM. Eft, GERMAMSIN PEACE PACT 'ESSARABlJTNOW IS REPUBLIC Bee I THE WEATHER Fair II II M li. 1 21 1 A RUSSIA BETRAYED BY BOLSHEVIKI, NOT YET UNDER GERMAN YOKE National Movement Organized Against Red Rule Will Turn Against Germany's Efforts to Destroy Russ Democracy and Conquer Country Econom ically, Says Slav Leader in America. Petrograd, Saturday. Dec. 29. Bessarabia has declared its independence as the Moldavian republic to form a part of the Russian federated republic. Bessarabia is a government of southwestern Russia, ad joining Roumania. About half the inhabitants are Roumanians. The population is about 2,000,000 people. Kishinev is the cap ital of Bolsheviki, which has an area of about 18,000 square? miles.. The Bolsheviki announce that tomorrow a general cele bration of the peace negotiations will be held in Petrograd and other Russian cities. PETROGRAD CELEBRATES. O London, Dec. 30. Dispatches from Petrograd say that the city was given over today to a celebration of the peace negotiations. The watchwords were: Down with international imperial ism! and Long live the third Interna tionale! A telegram received in Petrograd from Novo Tcherkack, capital of the territory of the Don Cossacks, an nounces that General Kaledines, who recently resigned as hetman of the Cossacks on the ground that there was opposition to him at the front, has been re-elected by 562 out of a total of 638 votes. The counsel of people's commis saries ordered the confiscation of the factories and all other property of the Russo-Belgiuni company because its directors on December 18 declared the company to be in a state of liquida tion and declined to submit to the con tronl of the .employes. Al the work men have been ordered to continue the J.;scharge of their duties. Anyone guiity of acts of sabotage will be brought before a revolutionary court. Bolsheviki Power Is on Wane, Declares Sack By A. J. Sack. iPifeetdr, Russian Information Bureau.) The rule of the Bolsheviki is tot tering and we may expect their down fall in a very short time. But, whether they fall tomorrow, or even today, they already have com mitted their greatest crime against Russia and the allies. They have disorganized and demoralized the once so glorious Russian army. While Trotzky is pathetically ex claiming that the Bolsheviki will not kneel before the kaiser, and that in case Germany offers Russia "offen sive peace terms," the Bolsheviki will declare a "revolutionary war" on Germany while play-acting so in the midst of the Russian tragedy, which the Bolsheviki have themselves cre ated, the truth of the situation is plain. The damage the Bolsheviki have already done to the Russian mili tary machine is almost irreparable; there is probably no longer a Rus sian army in existence and the roads to Russia are open. A separate peace between Russia and Germany, under present conditions, would be a peace on Germany's terms. Russia, under these terms, would become practically a vassal of Germany. Dream of Prussan Junkers. It should be understood that a separate peace with Russia, on the terms which Germany now is able to dictate, resorting probably to some pseudo-democratic camouflage, would be a realization beyond the wildest dreams of Prussian junkerdom. This victory would strengthen the political position of the German militarists and justify for the population of Germany their sacrifices during this war. If Germany extends her rule over Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, Roumania and Russia, with the pos session of the resources of these countries, with access to every kind (Conttnned on Page Two, Column Two.) The Weather Fair Monday; slowly rising tem perature in east portion. Temperatures at Omaha Yesterday. Hours. veg 6 a. m i 6 a. m 8 7 a. m I" 8 a. m 1 9 a. m 14 10 a. m .yii 11 a. m 18 12 m 19 1 p. m 20 2 p. m 22 3 p. m 23 4 p. m. .......... . 24 5 p. m 24 6 p. m 23 7 p. m' 23 Comparative Local Record. f 1017. 1916. 1915. 1914. 'Igfttet yesterday.... 24 27 33 14 owt yesterday 7 5 22 2 an temperature.... 16 16 27 6 Kt) ttatton 06 .00 .00 .00 fcerature and precipitation departures fee normal: m temperature 22 le icy for the day..' 6 U atflclency since March 1 463 m j precipitation "3 inch for the day 03 Inch M Rainfall since March 1 . . . .11.84 Inchftj 1 Incv since March 1 7.39 Inchen SMnejr for cor. period. In 1914.13.7! Inch's lncy for cor, rriod in 1915. 2.10 lnchcc icatcs below tiro. 'ULHII. Meteorologist. R HOME FOR GIRLS WHO WORK TO BE BUILT IN OMAHA Association for Betterment of Girls and Boys Has Brought Woolworth Site on St. Mary's Avenue. An up-to-date home for working girls of Omaha will be built on the old Woolworth property at Twenty second street and St. Mary avenue by the Omaha Association for the Betterment of Girls and Boys. The plaa4ia3.ip!l6gressed quietly and rapidly and with the co-operation of heads of wholesale' houses of the city where many young men and women are employed. The site has already been bought. According to Dr. Jennie Callfas, president of the association, the build ing will contain not less than 200 rooms, and will be outfitted to provide home comforts. On Beautiful Spot. "The site has many advantages over outlying rooming houses," says Dr. 'Callfas. "The place is high, within walking distance of the heart of the city, and is located on a beautiful spot, surrounded by trees. "The association lias been interest ed in the welfare of boys and girls who come to the city either to work or to mush their education, ana in the construction of this new home will be realized the hope and plan of the members of the association. "While the building is being con structed, we still will go ahead in our work of canvassing. Great Work Ahead. "Much can be done for the work ing girl and boy in our city and this is one way of arriving near our end. After the building is completed we shall organize various educational clubs for their interest." The executive committee of the association consists of the following: President, Dr. Jennie Callfas; vice president, Mrs. C. W. Hayes; second vice president, Mrs. George Joslyn; secretary, Miss Esther Johnson; treas urer, Mrs. Samuel Foote. The board of directors comprises Judge Charles Leslie, Judge Howard Kennedy, Herbert Rogers, George Payne and Gus Miller. The deal for the property was ar ranged through George Payne. Only Two Soldiers in 1,000 Die in Camps Washington, Dec. 30. Figures compiled at the office of Sur geon General Gorgas and made pub lic today, show that with more than 900,000 soldiers in training in this country from September 21 to De cember 14, there were only 1,391 deaths from all causes, an average rate of less than two per i,000. The record shows that the aver age strength of the army in the United States during the period was 916,722 men. Among the 202,009 regulars there were 144 deaths; there were 494 deaths in the 387,233 na tional army and 753 deaths in the 327,480 National Guardsmen. Finland Faces Starvation; Many Towns Breadless for Days (By Associated Press.) Washington, Dec 30. Food stocks in Finland are so, depleted that officials there fear a famine unless tonnage is obtained to transport he oats and corn granted the Finnish provisional administration here by this government. Official dispatches today from Helsingfors says the direst need exists throughout the country. The stock of cereals in Helsingfors was exhausted two weeks ago, the dispatches said and the surrounding country has been without food for a fortnight Wiborg has flour for one week, but the suburbs have been without bread for days. Hammarsfors has rice and oats for 10 days, but many other towns and villages are breadless and few farmers have stocks to last until the next crop. Dr. Kaarlo Ignatius, the Finnish commissioner, is endeavoring with the assistance of the State department and the shipping board to obtain tonnage to take food to relieve the situation and it is considered likely that two ships will be obtained. Condition of Civilians in Belgium ' Described as Heartrending by One of Them Who Made Escape to England QUEEN OF REALM OF AK-SAR-BEN TO WED f MAN Announcement Made of En gagement of Miss Elizabeth Reed and Lieut. I. W. Carpenter, Junior. The Ak-Sar-Ben queen, Miss Eliza beth Balch Reed, is to marry Lieuten ant Isaac White Carpenter, jr. Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln Reed, her parents, yesterday announcing, the engagement of their attractive eldest daughter, the reigning queen of the realm, to the young soldier in the Coast artillery, son of the Isaac W. Carpenters. Lieutenant Carpenter came home from Fort Andrews, Mass., where he is stationed, to spend Christmas, but leaves tonight to re turn to his post. The wedding date is indefinite but will probably be one of the "after-the-war" ceremonies, ac cording to the bride-elect. Of Pioneer Stock. The young people are numbered among the most popular of the young er set because of their likeable quali ties and achievements. Miss Reed, whose grandparents, the Balchs and the Reeds, were among the pioneer settlers in Nebraska, was mentioned as the first "real daughter of Omaha" in connection with her coronation as queen of Ak-Sar-Ben this year. Her choice as queen was heralded as one of the most popular decisions the board of governors ever made. She is a Brownell Hall graduate, after which she attended the Bishop school at La Jolla, Cal., and finished at the Bennett school, Milbrook, N. Y. No Formal Debut. Wm ReVd" Ws ' "among 1n first Omaha society girls to forego a for mal debut last year, with the prospect of war and she has given much of her time to Red Cross work since then. She is decidedly athletic in her tastes. Lieutenant Carpenter is a graduate of Central High school, where he was active in student affairs, and Dart mouth college. His fraternities are Delta Kappa Epsilon and the senior society, Casque and Gauntlet. He en listed in May and received his com mission at Fortress Monroe. German Professor Ousted From University of Denver Dencer, Colo., Dec. 30. Mrs. Martha Loescher Crook, professor of German at the University of Denver, was dismissed from the faculty of the school at a meeting of the board of trustees today. Pro-German sympa thies and utterances, it was an nounced, were the grounds for the action. The'trustees voted to continue her salary to the end of the academic year. W. G. Evans, chairman of the board of trustees, said that the vote was unanimous. Mrs. Crook has been connected with the University of Denver many years, is widely known in educational circles and holds degrees from the University of Berlin, Columbia university and the University of Chicago. Triple Murder Follows Mysterious Warning Muskogee, Okl.. Dec. 29. The bodies of C. E. Logan, his wife and 4-year-old daughter were found to night in the ruins of their home near McLain, a farming community 12 miles south of Muskogee. The bodies of Mrs. Logan and the child were burned, but an examination of Lo gan's body revealed that his head had been crushed. Neighbors of the Logans said that Logan received a mysterious message over the telephone yesterday threat ening his life. Snowbound Passengers Eat Ice Cream to Keep Warm Chicago, Dec. 29. Snow made in coming trains from the east hours late. Near Hammond, ' Ind., long lines of passenger trains from the east stalled so long that hundreds of passengers visited farm houses, gro ceries and drug stores for food. Some were hungry enough to order ice cream with the temperature around zero. Many Who Make Desperate Bid for Liberty Across Border Shot by Germans or De ported to Prisons. . BY AN ESCAPED CIVILIAN. In London Times. December 11. Some pacifists abroad, following the lead of Mr. Morel, having recent ly exploited the' suffering of the Bel gian population as an argument for an early and premature peace, the German newspapers hastened to re produce the news. It did more harm to the popular ity of the allies than the bombs drop ped by British airmen on the army's communication lines, which necessar ily cause a certain number of casual ties among the civilians. While realizing that air raids are unavoidable, we have often wondered why they were limited to Rclgian ter ritory. The taids carried recently into Germany wi'.t no doubt relieve the feelings of many. I. should mention here the case of a young friend of .mine, a boy of 18, who crossed the wire quite recently. A British bomb had fallen on his house at Bruges. His father had been killed. His mother and sister, both seriously wounded, were lying in hospital. "The only thing left for me was to join the army," he said to me when we met in England.' He is now in an instruction camp in France. Can't Cross Frontier. It is easy to speak of crossing the frontier; it is less easy to do it now that it is barred by a double fence of electrified wire and guarded by a sen try every 50 yards and patrols during the whole night. Many have failed and tried over and over again, 10 times, 15 times even, before succeeding. A large number of those who make the des perate bid for liberty are killed by the sentries or captured and deported to prison camps. There is perhaps some exaggeration in the statement current in Belgium that lle enemy, ueedet whole firmy. corpa to keep u troni slipping through the prison gates, but if we consider that the Dutch-German Jrontier must be guarded as well as the Dutch-Belgian, and that thou sands of spies and secret agents are kent busy in the occupied territory, this estimate does not seem very far from the truth. Persecution and Hunger. -Nothing can give a better idea of the obstinate resistance opposed by the Belgians to German edicts and regulations than the statement of a German newspaper the ' Deutsche Jurrstenzeitung which estimates at no fewer than 100,01)0 the number ot sentences inflicted on the people dur ing one year only (1915-1916). Most of them, of course, are fines or short terms of imprisonment. Formerly we used to have the choice and manv rich people prefer red to go to the St. (iilles prison rath er than help the enemy by paying their fine. But the prisons have he come so crowded and the financial situation of the empire has become so bad that only the destitutes pre serve' the privilege of sacrificing their liberty. The others, if they refuse to pay, have their watch taken from them or are obliged to give up a piece of val uable furnitur:. In Brussels these things are sold by auction in a shop in the Rue de la Limite. Now that winter has set in I should like to say a word about the food question. It is impossible to realize the spirit which inspires the Belgian people if one does not take into ac count their economic situation. To Break Belgium's Spirit. In their attempt to break Belgian nationalism the enemy has found a forceful ally hungery and the moral power necessary to resist the former is nothing beside that which is re quired to resist the second. Mainly on account of the submarine menace and of the torpedoing of a number of relief ships the imports of the com mission for relief have fallen this year far below the average. The workman must live on a ration of .100 grammes of bread a day and the platter of soup provided by the communal authorities. This is about half the food necessary to keep alive in ordinary times a man who is not doing any physical work. If the shop (Continued on Tage Two, Column Two.) Food at Danger Point In France and Denmark Washington, D. C, Dec. 30. Further reduction of civilian ra tions in European countries today was reported necessary. Information received by the food administration said the wheat short age in France was becoming alarm ing and that Maurice Long, min ister for general revictualling for the French government, had indi cated a decrease of 20 per cent in the bread ration soon would be im perative. Denmark also is looking forward to a reduction of the bread ration because final figures for the cereal harvest show a total of only 62,000,000 bushels, or 20,000,000 bushels less than in 1916. Food supplies in Switzerland are falling off to the danger point, the food administrator's information said. The Swiss now may have only a pound and a half of sugar per person each month, half a pound of bread daiiy, and one-fifth of a pound of butter monthly FUEL SHORTAGE JAMS I). S. GREAT WAR CONTRACTS New England Coal Administra tor Declares Unless Relief Immediately Forthcoming Factory Tieup Result. (By Amnciated TrwO Washington, Dec. 30. James J. Stor tow, fuel administrator for New Eng land, yesterday told Secretary Baker that war contracts calling for hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of clothing and war munitions could not be car ried to completion at the present rate of ctal supply. Some factories working on war contracts have fuel sufficient for only two weeks, Mr. Storrow said. Chairman Hurley of the shipping board also was called into the confer ence between Secretary Baker and Mr. Storrow, Mr, Storrow later made this statement: Lack of Carriers. "The railroad congestion, which now has reduced the car supply for commercial coal at the Pennsylvania mines is bringing us less than 20 per cent of our contracts, and no coal whatever for the hundreds of New England plants which depend upon buying spot coal in the market. "The taking of our tugs and ships for governmental purposes also has greatly reduced the supply of coal moving by water from the West Vir ginia mines to Boston, Providence, Portland and other New England coal distributing points. "Unless immediate and effective ac tion is taken by the government with in a few days to increase the move ment of coal to New England the tre mvndouir amount of war equipment which 'the gfiverrinicnf is '" expecting the New England factories to produce will not be -produced. Many people do not realize that even though we are at war, many million tons of coal must be burned for purposes which come ahead even of rifles, cartridges and poison gas." Student Aviator Flying in Seaplane Given Up as Lost Tensacola, Fla Dec. 30. Officials at the naval aviation station here to night abandoned hope of finding alive Student Aviator Edward K. Crowe, who disappeared last Wednesday while on a flight in a seaplane. It was believed that he was caught in fog bank and lost his course, probably being forced to land in the bay, where heavy seas wrecked 1ns machine. Crowe was the son of Michael F, Crowe of Parkersburg, W. Va., and was a graduate of Georgetown uni versify, Washington. He was a mem ber of the varsity foot ball team for two years. Mose Marks Arrested On Embezzlement Charge Mose Marks, Council Bluffs horse dealer, was placed under arrest yes terday at his home, 220 North Second street, upon a warrant based upon an information filed in St. Louis charging him with the embezzlement of $4,000. The complaining witness is Ben B. Franklin, Omaha horse dealer. The trouble has grown out of a partner ship deal. Coldest December Day Is Recorded in New York New York, Dec. 30. With a mini mum temperature of six degrees below zero at 11 o'clock last night, this city experienced the coldest weather ever, officially recorded for December. Only once before on December 30, 1880 was the temperature reached, ac cording to the records of the local weather bureau. Oldest Postal Employe Dies After Epochal Service Buffalo, N. Y., Dec. .10. Dennis Kinkade, the oldest emlpoye of the postal department in the country, died here today in his 90th year. He had delivered the mails in this city from 1853 until 1913 with a total absence of only II days. dram of band Louses Lxmosx Killing Two and Wreckin I By Ao-ltd rrro i Salt Lake Citv. Dec. 30. Two men! were killed outright and .u;r,i ;t exneeted to dc a the result ot an I explosion which occurred at the Bac chus plant of the Hercules Powder company, 18 miles from here at 4:30 o'clock yesterday. The dead are Frank Ellis and James Hansen, who were in the wrecked building at the time. Erer Hunter, who had just left the st.rture, had his eyes blown out and is considered fatally injured. The financial loss, ac cording to General Manager F. I. McGanncy, will not exceed $2,000. TUc explosion ccurp'd in the b1a;k powder press building. The force of BASIS FOR AGREEMENT TO END WAR IS REACHED; EACH OUTLINES TERMS j Decision Follows Preliminary Must Be Settled in Event of General Peace; Envoys of Teutons Submit Outline of Demands to Offset Slav Contentions. Br AMOflttnt Fmw.) Brest Litovsk, Friday, Dec 28. Via Berlin atid London, Dec 30." -Provisional agreement ' on a series of important points, including the liberation of war prisoners and resumption of commercial relations, was reached today by the delegates of Russia and the central power .s 0 BASIS QF AGREEMENT. THIRTEEN DEAD IN BABY KILLER RAID AT PADUA Palace of Giustiniami and Church and Seminary in Ruins and Three Women Slain. (Ht AMoclated Pri.) Headquarters of the Italian Army in Northern Italy, Dec. 30. A large en emy fleet of airplanes participated in the air raid over the city of Fadua and nearby towns Friday night. Thir teen persons were killed and 60 wounded, the majority of the latter being women. In Padua the bombs fell m public squares, near hotels, clubs ' and churches and from the manner in which the raid was earned, on unusual barbarism ; and , personal - .bUterness were nQwn. - ..,.. n. A origin niooniight layered tne raid ers, who operated -over wide aea embracing the . cities of Treviso. Montebelluna, Castel Franco' and Padua. This squadron first appeared over Padua at 9 p. m., when a deafen ing bombardment fairly - shook the citi- ... . ... hxplosions began in the Suburbs and gradually approached the center of the city, where the streets were filled with people. One bomb struck in the middle of the main square, opening a huge crater and killing one person and maiming many. Another struck a wing of the famous palace of Giustiniami, near the St. Antonio church, killing three women. . The Carmelite church and seminary also were struck and the oldest house in Venetia, dating from 1160, was damaged. Two people were killed outright in front cf the American Anglo club. The other cities within the raided area escaped with little or no damage. Pershing Visits King Albert In Quarters at Belgian Front Havre, Dec. 30. General Pershing commander-in-chief of the, American expeditionary forces, today visited King Albert of Belgium. On arriving at a station near the Belgian front, General Pershing was received by the king, who was accompanied by Gen eral Ruquoy, chief of staff of tne Bel gian army, and officers of the king's military suite and a company of infan try with a flag from the guard of honor. King Albert conducted Gen eral Pershing to the royal residence, where the visitor remained for luncheon. Later in the day the Amer ican commander left the Be front after further courtesies exchanged. Two Killed When Press Houi Salt Lake City, t Two men Were killed jured late this aftera black powder press 1 pout mill at Bacchus of Salt Lake City, wal I Steer Clear off Santiago, Chile, Chilean government1 permit the Chilea brazil, l'.cuador and charge of the ardiivt' legations in those coi the explosion blew tl " the bodies of Ellis a! i duced the building tj mew out rue conri foundation. An 8110-pound car the building was bl , Ellis came to B cules, Cal., and Fountain Green, I' The plant whici 000,000 supplies tl'. mines and other the state with expl guarded and the that there cannot ' picion of an out able cause iv blowing into th' !"8 inction, had,- Po I Parley Over Issues That The agreement followed t discus sion of issues which, in the event of a general peace, would have to be set tled among the nations represented in the negotiations here. Tihs provi sional discussion was terminated to day, the basis of an agreement adopted being reached under the res ervation that it was to be examined by the governments represented by the delegates. In respect of treaty relations, an understanding was arrived at regard ing the restoration of the situation as it existed when the war began. It was provided that certain laws adopted during the war shall be can celled, and that those affected thereby shall be restored to their previous rights or indemnified. The rules in regard to payment of war costs and damages were defined in greater detail. Provisions were made concerning damages sustained by civilians outside the war area. An agreement in principles was reached regarding the reciprocal liber ation and return to their homes of war prisoners and interned civilians, and also ,for the return of captured merchant vessels. Speedy resumtion of diplomatic and consular relations is embraced in the understandirig. , It is set forthvthat tlir shall be immediate stoppage of -ednomic. var,fare, establishment, of commercial1 intercourse and the or ganised exchange of commodities. A substantial understanding was ar rived at on which the basis of econo mic relations shall be settled perma nently. 1 ' Regarding the question ot occupied territory the Russians made the fol lowing proposals: Russ Submit Proposal. Jn full accord of the purpose dec larations both of the contracting par ties that they cherish . no bellicose plans and desire to .conclude peace without annexation's, Russia will with draw its troops from all parts of Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Persia, oc-. cupied by it. while' the powers of the quadruple alliance will w ithdraw theirs from Poland.' In accordance with the principles of the 'Russian government, which has declared the right of all peoples living in. Russia to self-determination, including even separation, the popula tions of these districts will be given an t opportunity within the shortest possible period of deciding entirely and freely the question of their union with one or the other empire, or their formation into independent states any troops, apart from national this Question is decided Ant jst i har rirtr the hands of re. other men 9J r