s
he Omaha Daily B
VOL. XLVII. NO. 189.
OMAHA, THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 24, 1918. TEN PAGES.
Sfii. SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS
nn
rv
UvJ
THE WEATHER
Fair
j
Fa
Ju-
LABOR UNREST SPREADS IN
AUSTRIA AS LEADERS FAIL
TO APPEASE HUNGRY PEOPLE
Censorship Hides Dual Empire When Situation Threatens
to Overwhelm Government; Germany's Attitude ,
on Peace Terms Adds to Difficulties: Brit
ish Workingmen Discuss Plans.
(By AiMKiated PrM.)
With more than 1,000,000 workers on strike and wide
spread reports of disorders in Austria and Hungary, the situa
tion in the dual monarchy is beclouded, the censorship having
stifled all news.
The German censorship also has prohibited German news
papers from telling of the situation in Austria.
STATESMEN 17ATT. P
Efforts of Austrian statesmen to
quiet the hungry people in their de
mand for peace apparently failed of
their purpose and the censorship,
which permitted the promises of the
government's spokesmen, to reach the
outside world, again has resumed its
igor.
The trouble is said to be deep
seated and is a mixture of war weari
ness, hunger and anti-Germanism.
Germany Balks at Peace Plans.
Seemingly the one strong hope of
Austrian leaders in quieting the tu
mult is in the success of the negotia
tions at Brest-Litovsk with Russia and
the Ukraine.
The German attitude on occupied
territories has balked the conclusion
of peace with Russia and the central
powers have been unable to agree to
a treaty with the Ukraine.
A peace with the Ukraine would
open the food-producing territory of
little Russia to the Austrians, who
have been refused food by Hungary.
Little news has come from Ger
many on the political situation there,
but it is indicate J that the Austrian
emperor is not unmindful that the
trouble in his own land may force
Emperor William to change his atti
tude oward the peace negotiations. ,
It is reported that further pan-German
attempts to hold meetings in
Germany have been broken up by
peace adherents.
The tefusal on the part of Germany
to give a guarantee of-the evafcuatidn
of occupied territories is emphasized
in a long statement dealing with the
peace negotiations at Brest-Litovsk
issued through the Bolsheviki tele
graph agency.
The statement speculates on the at
titude of. the 'Germans during the ne
. gotiations and adds that the signifi
cance of the pour parlers is that it
stripped the imperialists of their false
pretentions to democratic principles.
Little Fighting at Fronts.
On the fighting fronts the situation
is unchanged. Small raids and spir
ited artillery actions at various points
are the only activities on the western
and Italian fronts.
.mere nave Deen no iuriner rsuiga
"n'an attacks in Macedonia, but in Al
bania the French have repulsed en
emy reconnaissances in the Skumbi
valley.
The British labor party opens its
annual conference at Nottingham to
day. Labor's attitude toward the
carrying on of the war and peace
aims will e-e discussed.
The food situation in England,
which has resulted in the ordering of
two meatless days a week by the
food controller, is expected to be the
subject of several resolutions.
n , , . . t .1 T . I
Dodge Pioneer Dead.
Fremont Neb., Jan. 23. (Special Tel
egram.) Wesley Frantz, 69 years of
age, a resident of Dodge county for ov
ra third of a century died at the home
of his son, Archie J., near Ethan, S.
D.
The Weather ,
For Nebraska Fair; colder.
Hourly Temperatures.
Hour. ' Peg.
5 a. m 17
6 a. m IS
7 a. m 32
8 a. m ...28
9 a. m it
19 a. m St
11 a. m 17
12 m 44
1 p. m 46
3 p. m ..42
3 p. m 43
4 p. m 43
6 p. m 42
6 p. m 41
7 p. m 40
8 p. m .... 39
Comparative Record.
1918. 1917. 1918. 1915.
Highest yesterday.... 46 28 61 5
Lowest yesterday 16 6 35 7
Mean temperature.... 31 17 43 1
freclpttatioD 0 0 0 0
Temperature and precipitation departures
om the normal:
Normal temperature 20
Excess for the day 11
Total de?clency since March 1 013
Normal precipitation 01 Inch
Deficiency for the day 01 Inch
Total precipitation 1ne Mar. 1 22.11 Inches
Deficiency since March 1 7.63 Inches
Deficiency for cor. period, 1918 12.46 inches
Deficiency for cor. period, 1916.. 1.76 inches
Be ports From Stations at 1 1f. M.
Station and State Temp. - High- Ealn-
of Weather. 7 p. m. est. fall.
Cheyenne, clear 26
Davenport, cloudy 3
Denver, clear 33
Des Moines, cloudy 40
32
to
44
42
46
42
44
46
44
4
38
38
36
42
38
Dodge City.
clear 38
Cinder, clear 30
orth Platte, clear 34
Dmaha, cloudy 44
.'ueblo, clear 3C
Rapid City, clear .38
.'alt Lake City, pt cloudy 34
Santa Fe, clear 30
Sheridan, clear 26
Sioux City, cloudy 32
Valentine, clear 34
indicate below zero.
T Indicates trace of precipitation.
I A. WELSH. Meteorologist.
GOMPERS URGES
SEVEN-HOUR DAY
FOR WAR PERIOD
Asserts Universal Short Work
ing Hours Preferable to Pres
ent Spasmodic Suspension
of Industries.
Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 23. A uni
versal seven-hour day during the
period of the war, instead cf present
spasmodic suspension of industries by
fuel administration to conserve toal
and relieve railroad congestion, was
suggested today by Samuel Gorapers,
president of the American Federation
of Labor, in a speech to the conven
tion of the United Mine Workers.
Mr. Gompers' speech to the miners
was regarded as labor's message to
the country on the action of the fuel
administration.' . . ' ' ;.
tie pretacea nis declaration tor a
seven-hour day with a' defense of
those in high governmental station
who may have made mistakes. They
are promoted, he said, by the patriotic
purposes to win the war and to think
that the great transition from, peace
to war could be made without mistakes-was
asking the impossible.
Continuing; he said:
' "The order issued a few days ago
I regard as an absolute necessity. You
know there is now a discussion to
repeal or modify the Sherman anti
trust law.
No Excuses for Railroads.
"I am not going to offer any ex
cuses for the railroads; they have
been lax so long, but the Sherman
law forbade them to do what now the
director general of the railroads has
the right to do.
"The jam had occurred and was in
creasing and something had to be
done to relieve the situation. If the
ice king has interfered there can be
no help for that.
"I think there is one mistake in the
making, and I trust it will be changed
or modified.
"I refer to the closing of the indus
trial and commercial plants of our
country one additional day each week.
I think it is a mistake to have a whole
day such as Mon'day idle and involv
ing from Saturday tfternoon until
Tuesday morning. I believe if the
order were changed so that instead
of there being ten, nine or eight hpurs
as a day's work the same power pro
claim a universal seven-hour day dur
ing the war better results would fol
low. Would Get Results. .
"We would have virtually the" same
results in the conservation of fuel
and all other needful commodities. It
would not do violence to the history,
the traditions, the work and the prac
tical operation of industry and com
merce. "I trust that the suggestion may
find lodgment somewhere and bring
about that change, but if it doesn't I
am going to obey like a soldier of
America; I am going to yield ryy
judgment to the judgment and the ac
tions of the men in whose hands the
destinies of our republic are placed."
Mr. Gompers said there can be no
neutrality in this war.
"You have got to be either for au
tocracy or democracy," he declared.
Labor must make victory sure for
democracy, but sounded the warn
ing that labor would not surrender
the standard of life except to 6ave the
republic; that no sacrifices would be
(Continued on Page Two, Column Three.)
United States Troops Are to
Guard Omaha's Big Industries
Omaha industries will be guarded
by at least 300 soldiers from the
United States Guard. Although no
order has been sent out designating
the location of guard units, army of
ficers are confident that Omaha in
dustries are of sufficient importance
in war time to be given federal pro
tection. 1
The German home has been offered
to the government for use as a bar
racks and will probably be use for
these troops. Two battalions of
United States Guards are now bein
He's Been
RETAILERS ASK
INVESTIGATION
OF HIGH PRICES
Assert, That they , Are, Unrea
sonable and Unjustified; En
dorse Late Opening and
' Early Closing.
The Nebraska Retailers' Conserva
tion council will ask congress to in
vestigate the rapid advances now
being made in prices of necessities.
This they resolved to do in the inter
est of the consuming public. This
was included in the resolution adopted
at the- Hotel Fontenelle Wednesday.
"We believe that the present market
price on all cotton, wool, and many
other manufactured products are un
reasonably high and unjustified, "the
resolutions ran. "We favor the reg
ulation of price on raw cotton and
wool, and an investigation of manu
facturing costs."
The retailers further endorsed the
late opening and early closing rule
of the stores for the conservation of
fuel; endorsed the one-delivery-a-day
proposal, and urged that where pos
sible the merchants , use the co-operative
delivery plan, and pledged them
selves to use the utmost endeavor to
see that these requests are put into
operation.
The association pledged its loyal
support of the president, to Governor
Neville and others associated with the
state and national movements for the
prosecution of the war, praised the
record of Nebraska in war stamps,
Liberty bonds, Young Men's Christian
association and Knights of Columbus,
and similar subscriptions, and favored
the election of men to the legislature
who are willing to serve the state ir
respective of politics.
Ross Hammond's Address.
Theodore Roosevelt for the cabinet,
or at least to help Baker, is what Ross
L. Hammond of Fremont urged in his
address before the 500 delegates of
the retailers war council at the Hotel
Fontenelle Wednesday afternoon.
Mr. Hammond, who was recently in
France with a congressional commit
tee, talked of the war situation and
gave his experiences in France.
"I am with the administration,"
concluded Mr. Hammond. " I don't
want to be considered a critic. The
time is past for' partisan politics.
But I suggest the advisability of a
coalition war cabinet.' I would take
from Secretary Baker -some of his
present duties and place them in the
hands of Theodore Roosevelt, the one
man to send chills down the spines
of the German war lords.
"I would also prohibit the publi
cation of all papers in a foreign lan
guage. I would prohibit the teach
(Contfnoed on Page Two, Column Two.)
organized from men between the
ages of 31 and 41. Previous military
experience is usually sufficient grounds
for waiving the age limit if applicants
are in scund health.
The guard is being recruited at the
regular army recruiting stations.
Spanish-American war veterans are
especially being urged to enlist. All
men enlisting in this branch will be
stationed as near their homes as prac
tical. The duties of this organiza
tion will not take its members outside
of the United States.
Telling 'Em
1W CoJ
FOUR DEAD TOLL
OF FATAL SMASH
ON CAR TRACKS
TwQ'More Vjptims of Monday's
Tragedy Die in Hospitals;
Eight Injured Are Rest
ing Easily.
Four dead and eight injured is the
toll to date of Monday night's street
car tragedy, when a runaway cinder
car on the Missouri Pacific Belt Line
crashed into a trolley at Twenty
fourth street.
Two more victims died Tuesday
night.
Frank Krasck, a passenger on the
ill-fated car, died at a hospital as a
result of injuries suffered in the crash.
His hojne was at Twenty-ninth and
Duponf streets.
Little Girl Dies.
Mary Tighe, 15-year-old girl, died
late Tuesday night in a hospital. She
was so badly injured in the accidents
that physicians entertained no hopes
for her recovery. He home was at
1412 rjorth Nineteenth street.
James Hutchinson, 3915 North
Twenty-fifth street, and John J.
Bradehoft, 3532 North Twenty-eighth
avenue, were instantly killed in the
crash. Both were street car con
ductors. Paul Steinwender, deputy in the of
fice of County Attorney Magney, ex
officio coroner, said no inquests will
be held over the bodies of the vic
tims. Injured Are Recovering.
The following injured are reported
by physicians to be recovering:
Oscar Brugman, 1324 North Twenty-second
street, motorman.
Walter Moraine, 4807 Seward street.
Belle Sprague, 2567 Ames avenue.
Mss. Jennie Brennan, Twenty
seventh and C' streets.
Mrs. Irene Faulkner', 2610 Patrick
avenue.
Charles Litton, 1513 South Twenty-fifth
street.
John H. Paulson, 4719 North Eight
eenth street.
Edward Warstat. 1138 North Twenty-second
street.
Spinal Meningitis Takes
Two Balloon School Men
i
Two deaths from -cerebro-spina!
meningitis at Fort Omaha on Tues
day prompted Health Commissioner
Connell to visit the fort to confer
with Captain Poole of the medical de
partment. William A. Watson and Charles
R. Koontz of the balloon school were
reported as having succumbed to
meningitis.
Oldest Indian In
America Attends
Automobile Show
' Chicago, Jan. 23. Kabenawwoy
wence, a Chippewa Indian, said to
be 130 years old, who is here from
his home at Cass Lake, Minn., to
attend the automobile show which
opens next Monday, does not like
the white man's bed.
Although he occupied a room
with a bath at a leading downtown
hotel last night, he slept on the
floor. He said that beds in -hotels
and berths in sleeping cars give
one a cramp.
According to the records at the
Indian agency, where Kabenawwoy
wence lives, he is the oldest Indian
in Amerka,
EMBARGO ON
MANY FORMS
OF FREIGHT
Three Big Eastern Railroads
Ordered by McAdoo to Rush
All War Shipments, Food
and Fuel.
Washington, Jan. 23. An embargo
on all freight except food, fuel and
war munitions on the Pennsylvania
lines east of Pittsburgh, Baltimore
& Ohio east of the Ohio river, and
the Philadelphia & Reading was
authorized today by Director General
McAdoo.
The action was taken on recom
mendation of A. H. Smith, assistant
director general in charge of trans
portation in the east.
Garfield Ignored.
No reference was made to the
recommendation for an embargo sub
mitted last night by Fuel Administra
tor Garfield.
The embargo is temporary and is
expected to last only a few days.
"On account of the extremely se
vere weather, which has particularly
affected operation of railroads cross
ing the Allegheny mountains," said
the railroad administration announce
ment, "Director General McAdoo,
upon the recommendation of Reg
ional Director Smith, has authorized
him to place an embargo upon all
freight except food, fuel and such war
munitions and war supplies as are
specifically approved by the War de
partment, upo,n the Pennsylvania
lines east of Pittsburgh; Baltimore &
Ohio east of the Ohio river, and the
Philadelphia & Reading, for the pur
pose of enabling those lines, which
are the heaviest bituminous coal
carriers, to continue specializing upon
coal for the double purpose of sup
plying the acute conditions in New
England and the harbor of New York
and elsewhere, and in the provision of
empty cars for mines and coke ovens.
Embargo Only Temporary.
"This embargo is a temporary one.
It should list but a few days, if the
weather moderates."
The practical effect of this order
will not greatly changa conditions of
the , last Jewdays, it jvas slated by
railroad administration officials, since
local embargoes already have been
declared By many eastern railroads.
These' have been made on the in
itiative of individual railroads with
the general approval of Mr. Smith.
Passengers Warned Not to
Sail on Nieuw Amsterdam
London. Jan. 23. A dispatch to the
Daily Mail from The Hague says it is
reported that some of the passengers
on board the Holland-America liner
Nieu Amsterdam have received anon
ymous warnings not to sail for the
United States on her. The corres.
pondent adds that the warnings are
similar to those issued before the
Cunard liner steamer Lusitania was
sunk. ,
The steamer has been lying in the
harbor at Rotterdam since .January
16 with 2,000 passengers on board,
among.thein 30 Americans. Augustus
Phillins. the new Netherlands minis
ter to the United States, intended to
make the trip on the liner.
No Labor Shortage in
Pacific Ship Yards
Washington, Jan. 23. Reports of a
general labor shortage in the Oregon
shipbuilding districts was declared un
founded today by the employment
service of the Department of Labor,
which issued a general warning to
skilled workmen in other parts of the
country not to attempt to seek em
ployment in those yards without first
communicating with the federal em
ployment office at Portland.
English Working Men to
"Fight On;" Will Back
Premier
Nottingham, England, Jan. 23.
At the opening today of the annual
labor conference Frank Purdy, the
president, said that if Germany
would not accept the terms Presi
dent Wilson, Premier Lloyd George
and the the labor party had laid
down as the minimum, "we must
fight on."
President Purdy said that in view
of the declarations of President
Wilson and Premier Lloyd George,
Germany could claim no longer that
it was fighting a defensive war.
"We see no signs yet," he added,
"that Germany and its allies are
willing to accept the principles enun
ciated by Mr. Lloyd George, Mr.
Wilson and the labor party."
Dances of Yesterday to Be On
Program at Next Muny Dance
A revival of the old-fashioned
dances has been planned by the Board
of Public Welfare for the next com
munity dance in the Auditorium on
Monday night, February 4.
Many requests have been received
for a terpsichorean carnival such as
the merry villagers of 50 and 60 years
ago enjoyed. This program will be
made up almost exclusively of the
dances of yesterday, when partners
bowed gracefully, tripped back and
forth, held hands now and then and.
during some of the steps, the young
Lochir.vars were permitted to place
their arms gently around the waists
of the village belles.
Square dances, much in vogue in
Omaha 50 years ago, will be favored.
SLA VS UNABLE TO
OBTAIN SUPPLY
OF FOODSTUFFS
Railroad Congestion in Large Centers Stops All Ship
ments; Soldiers Interfere With Rail Traffic;
Shortage of Bread Threatens to Create'
Distress Among All Classes.
PeHrograd, Jan. 23. Moscow, Petrograd and all the larger
cities of north Russia have little bread.
The bread allowance in Petrograd today has been reduced
to a quarter of a pound daily and the food commission hat lim
ited eggs to children under 3 years, each child to have four eggs
a month.
O REDUCE ALLOWANCE.
EAST RESUMES
BUSINESS WITH
CONDITIONS BAD
Adverse Weather Upsets Plans
of Fuel Administration to
Relieve Congestion Dur
ing Five-Day Period.
Washington, Jan. 23. America's in
dustries, idle for the last five days
under the fuel administration's clos
ing order, resumed operations today
in the face of a congested transpor
tation situation cast of the Mississippi
threatening daily to become worse
from adverse weather conditions.
At the end of the five-day restric
tion period no official could say today
just what were the effects of the in
dustrial shutdown except that it had
got coal to seaboard for ships.
Fewer Complaints Received.
Homes in many parts of the coun
try still were without fuel, although
complaints were fewer than they had
beeiirfor weeks.
Railroad cotieestion has not . been
much relievedbut it 'was impossible'
to say whether the closing order
helped or not. Bad weather nullified
much of the good effects the general
closing might have had in clearing
the railroads."
At the. same time Director General
McAdoo of the railroads was consid
ering proposals of the fuel adminis
tration to embargo all freight except
coal and food for the rest of the week
at least, to insure an adequate move
ment of these commodities,
Chicago Still Crippled.
Chicago, Jan. 23. Industries in the
Chicago district resumed operations
today after the five-day shutdown,
with the problem of fuel still con
fronting them.
Consumers were warned that the
most rigid economy in the use of coal
would be necessary if the factory
wheel? were to be kept moving. Hope
was Icen in the prediction of the
weather forecast of .warmer weather
for tonight and tomorrow, with some
prospect of a January thaw.
According to John E. Williams,
state fuel administrator, the shortage
of coal is 1,000,000 tons now, due
to further snowfalls and continued
zero weather in the coal fields of Illi
nois. GERMANS SINK
TWO SHIPS WITH
LOSS OF 718 MEN
' i
London, Jan. 23. By the sinking of
two steamers by the enemy in the
Mediterranean about three weeks ago,
718 lives were lost, it was announced
here officially today. ,
The amiouncement was made in
the House of Commons by Thomas
MacNamara, financial secret? ry of the
admiralty.
Mr MacNamara's announcement
'gave the first news received here of
any heavy loss of lite in recent sink
ings in the Mediterranean. A. dispatch
from Tokio on January 4 showed that
an attempt had been made by hostile
submarines to attack British trans
ports convoyed by Japanese warships
in the Mediterranean on December 30.
The Japanese admiralty announce
ment Uated that the submarines were
repulsed and that the warships were
not damaged.
Polkas, minuets and the waltzes of
other days will not be forgotten.
Mrs. R. M.- Ohaus, superintendent
of the Welfare board, intends to
dance some of these old-time forms
of the poetry of motion. Sophus
Neble and Jack. Walters, members
of the board, are looking forward
with interest to this recrudescence of
what they regard as real dancing.
They regard a Virginia reel as the
last word in dancing, expect perhaps
a minuet if it is done gracefully.
One of the numbers of the program
will be for the "boys and girls" who
were nimble of their feet SO years ago
Old-fashioned fiddlers will play some
of the numbers just as they played
them in the good old days hereabouts.
But eggs are not obtainable at any
price.
The commission also has limited
fresh meat to children between the
ages of 3 and 12, with a half pound
monthly to each child.
Potatoes have been substituted for
bread at Novgorod and many other
places in north Russia, but the cost
is equivalent to 18 cents per pound
in Petrograd and consequently thi
masses of the people cannot buy them
Since the dissolution of the con
stituent assembly and the disappear
ance of any immediate hope of recon
citing the striving political parties,
public attention in north" Russia U
centered on the bread shortage, th
lack of virtually all foodstuffs, th
breakdown of transportation and ths
commercial stagnation as the result
of the closing of the banks.
A general suspension of passengel
trains began today in an effort to
speed the' transportation of foodstuffs
from Siberia and south Russia to the
north.
Railroads Are Crippled.
Members of the railway men's
unions are remaining at their posts
trying to maintain transportation, but
locomotives and cars are badly dis
abled and traffic is hindered by the
masses of wandering soldiers from
all sections of the country who in
sist that .their trains have precedences
over freight. ,vV-n:'" ' -jT '
Virtually: til trains arriving at Pet
rograd are crowded with soldiers, the
windows in many of the passenger
coachesJiaving been broken by the
passengers to get air.
Former bank employes in Moscow
and Petrograd still refuse to work
under the direction of the Smolny in
stitute. "Withdrawals on checks are
limited to 500 rubles to each depositor
daily and long lines form at the bankj
because of the long delays and diffi
culties in getting money.
Bolsheviki agents are. opening safe
deposit boxes and confiscating
hoarded gold and silver for the gov
ernment and turning hoarded paper
money into current accounts for the
owners.
Street Cars Suspended.
Street cars and lighting plants have
suspended operations frequently in
Petrograd because of the lack of fuel,
and car lines, when operating,, are so
crowded with soldiers and refugees
that much of the .rolling stock is
broken down.
In Moscow the car lines are in
worse condition than here.
Soldiers and sailors have become
peddlers throughout north Russia and
are making excursions into the coun- '
try and returning to the cities with
bread, meat, tobacco and sugar.
Although the city shops are with
out stocks, the streets are lined with
soldiers offering supplies at high
prices. Illuminating oil is not obtain,
able in Petrograd and candles are sell
ing at 75 cents per pound. One pound
of sugar is allowed each . person
monthly by card, at 22 cen pet
pound, but sugar bought without a
card costs 75 efflts a pound. Flour
is unobtainable at any price and black
bread when bought with cards costs
5 cents a pound, when available. Dis.
patches from many points in the Sa.
mara and Moscow districts report
starvation. ,
Thousands marched yesterday in a
peaceful demonstration following the
funeral services for M. Logvinoff, Si
berian member of the constituent as
sembly, and the ether victims of last
Friday's demonstration. The city was
quiet during the day, the holiday anni
versarv of "Bloorfv Siinrtav" Iitmsnr
9,1901 " "
U. S. to Hqve Sugarless as
Well as Eggless Days
Chicago, Jan. 23. In addition to
present meatless, wheatlcss and pork
less days the people soon will be com.
pelled to observe sugarless and egg
less meals, according to Harry A.
Wheeler, federal food administrator
for Illinois. i . -
"Announcement will be made from
Washington as soon as plans are com
pleted," Mr. Wheeler said today. ;
"To what extent the food conserva
tion rules will be made more strin
gent has not as yet been determined
by the food administrator. The prime
factor in the proposition-is to draft
the order so that it will apply to all
equally."
Mr. Wheeler said the new order
probably would not be applied to
households, but its" observance by
hotels and restaurants would likely be
made compulsory.
Oil Producers Complain. -
Washington, Tan. 23. Indeoendenv
Oklahoma oil companies comdained
today to the Interstate Commerce
commission that rates to Montana
were discriminatory in favor of Kan
sas 'producers.
