OCR Text |
Show ITS a w-yv, 1 Belfian engineers repairing a roadway over which heavy guns are moved. 2 Flotilla of Italian submarine subma-rine chasers operating in the upper Adriatic. 3 Regiment of Cuban infantry in training in an American camp. 4Scene in Bethlehem, birthplace of Christ, now occupied by the British forces in Palestine. THE PAST WEEK Wilson's Assumption of Control of Railroads Is Long Step Toward Efficiency. GREAT POWERS FOR TOCO Secretary Baker Prodded by Senate Committee Teutonic Peace Suggestions Sug-gestions Made by Count Czernin in Reply to the Russian Bol-sheviki Bol-sheviki Proposals. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. The great event of the week, for the united States and, indirectly for the allied cause, was President Wilson's action in assuming contiol of the railways rail-ways and steamship lines within the matter, as in all others, Director Mc-Adoo Mc-Adoo has plenary powers. Indeed, next to the president, he is now the most powerful official in the nation, his authority being paramount to that of the interstate commerce commission and the state railway commission. He can revise rates, determine dividends divi-dends and even discharge and appoint directors and other officials. Senate Committee Prods Baker. Bureaucratic methods and the red tape in which they are entangled were rather mercilessly exposed in the inquiry in-quiry conducted by the senate committee commit-tee on military affairs, and as one result re-sult the committee did precisely what President Wilson successfully opposed last summer when he defeated the plan to create a congressional committee commit-tee on the conduct of the war. After hearing that more than 20,000 men in the army camps are without overcoats and nearly 47,000 without winter blouses, the committee adopted a resolution reso-lution asking Secretary Baker to supply sup-ply these deficiencies at once and to permit camp commanders to cut the red tape and purchase the garments wherever possible. The secretary of war also was requested to ascertain whether any other serious shortages existed and if so, to obtain the sup- The chairman of the Russian delegation dele-gation declared Czernin's reply to the Russian proposals was incomplete and in some respects unsatisfactory. The holsheviki leaders still seem to nope the entente allies and the United States will participate in the negotiations negotia-tions they have started, but there are no present indications that this hope will be realized. Meanwhile Germany continues to remove vast numbers of troops from the east front to the west, calmly ignoring the impotent protests of Trotzky. Though Czernin's statement was made on behalf of all four of the Teutonic Teu-tonic allies, it is not at all pleasing to Bulgaria. King Ferdinand declares his country irrtends to hold what she has won. During the week the bolshevik! made little if any progress in their civil war against the Cossacks and the Ukrainians. The former kept up their fight in southern Russian and the latter lat-ter were reported to have occupied the headquarters of the Fourth, Eighth and Eleventh armies on the Roumanian and southwestern fronts, disarming the troops that resisted them and seizing seiz-ing quantities of arms and supplies. Bolsheviki Accuse United States. Trotzky and his followers attempted attempt-ed to fasten on Ambassador Francis and other American officials guilt of engaging in a plot to assist Kaledlnes, by sending to Rostov motor cars and money consigned to the American Red Cross in Russia. Colonel Kolpash-nikoff, Kolpash-nikoff, who had bought the cars in America, was thrown into prison and the bolsheviki . newspapers railed against the Americans. Trotzky demanded de-manded an explanation from Mr. Francis, Fran-cis, and when it came it left him with no leg to stand on. However, he kept the colonel locked up, and then it developed de-veloped that Kolpashnikoff was one of those who strictly examined Trotzky at Halifax when he was on his way to Russia enter the element of personal enmity. The whole affair was a mare's nest, but on Thursday Trotzky telegraphed tele-graphed Commander in Chief Kry-lenko Kry-lenko : "New sympathy has been manifested mani-fested between the American imperialists imperial-ists and Kaledines." As was to be expected, Japan is paying pay-ing serious attention to the efforts of the bolsheviki to make peace with Germany. Ger-many. The emperor and some of his most trusted advisers conferred the other day on the steps Japan should take to protect her interests. China's Increasing interest in the war was demonstrated by events at Harbin, Har-bin, Manchuria, where Chinese fought and defeated the Maximalists, disarmed disarm-ed them and took possession of the city. Fierce Fighting in Italy. Military operations for the week were in' the main confined to Italy, but the fighting there was bitter enough to do for all fronts. The Teutons having hav-ing failed to break through to the plains between the Piave and the Brenta, renewed their attacks on the Asiago plateau west of the latter river. borders of this country. This step, Mr. Wilson said, had become imperatively impera-tively necessary because this is a war of resources no less than of men, and in order that the resources of America be completely mobilized the transportation transpor-tation systems of the country must be organized and operated under a single authority. This single authority is William G. McAdoo, secretary of the treasury, who was appointed director general because, as the president expressed it, "his practical experience peculiarly fits him for the service and his authority author-ity as secretary of the treasury enables en-ables him to co-ordinate as no other man could the many finaacial interests inter-ests which will be involved." Mr. McAdoo Mc-Adoo assumed control at noon Friday. Not only rail and steamship lines are included in the president's proclamation, proc-lamation, but also all terminals, sleeping sleep-ing and parlor cars, private cars and car lines, railroad elevators and warehouses, ware-houses, railroad telegraph and telephone tele-phone lines and interurban electric lines carrying freight only. Stockholders Stockhold-ers of railroads are guaranteed a profit equal at least to the average profits (luring the three fiscal years ending June 30. 1917, which will be about 5.21 per cent on the capita investment. Step Is Generally Commended. General and hearty approval was given President Wilson's action, alike by railway officials, financiers and the public. The first named gave assurance assur-ance of their earnest co-operation with Director General McAdoo, and in nearly near-ly every instance declared their belief be-lief that the plan adopted would be entirely satisfactory. They had known for some time that some such thing must be done, for the a Jlnmlttee of executives that has been in large measure meas-ure directing the operation of railways, though doing excellent and disinterested disinter-ested work, had been unable to solve the problem of equitable distribution of earnings. Complete unity of operation opera-tion will permit of this, and will result re-sult in more efficient conduct than has been possible heretofore. It' is probable that, under Mr. Mc-Adoo's Mc-Adoo's direction, competition for earnings earn-ings being eliminated, many competing trains will be withdrawn and passenger passen-ger traffic will be largely curtailed. There will be a general shifting of rolling stock and much freight equipment equip-ment will be sent to eastern territory terri-tory from the South and West to relieve re-lieve the congestion of transportation of war materials. Naturally, everything every-thing else will he subordinated to the war needs of the nation. It is not unlikely un-likely that passenger rates will be raised to three cents a mile. The one elemeut of the population that may not entirely approve of government gov-ernment control is the railway brotherhoods. broth-erhoods. Their opportunity to enforce en-force by strike their demands for increased in-creased pay hns vanished, though it is only fair to assume that their loyalty loyal-ty and patriotism would not have permitted per-mitted them to tie up I he country's transportation. The heaihJ of the brotherhoods were called to the White House to confer with the president on their requests for higher wages. The increases asked average about -10 per cent. What the government will grant of course is not yet knowu. In this plies at once. Mr. Baker said he would take the action requested. The committee has been finding out a great many thifigs that explain much of the exasperating and perilous delay in equipping our troops with arms, munitions mu-nitions and other supplies and the good effects of the investigation are already apparent in the speeding up that is being shown. Interesting (Developments in. Chicago. Without betraying government plans, it may be said that arrangements are being made to devote a great part of Chicago's manufacturing resources to the making of large caliber guns and finished shells. It was stated a local director of munitions might be appointed appoint-ed to apportion the war contracts. Another event of importance in Chicago Chi-cago important to the whole country was the definite settlement, during the war, of all labor troubles at the stockyards. Through the efforts of government officials an agreement was reached that there shall be no more strikes or lockouts and that all differences dif-ferences that cannot be adjusted by the companies' genera managers shall be referred to the United State's administrator, ad-ministrator, whose decision shall be final. John E. Williams of Streator, famed for his success In handling labor la-bor troubles, was appointed administrator adminis-trator by Secretary of Labor Wilson. It is understood that the agreement reached in this case represents the policy the government intends to pursue pur-sue in all pending labor disputes that affect the making or handling of war supplies. Union labor won a big point at Chicago in that the agreement provides pro-vides that the men and women at the yards can belong to unions if they so desire. Conscription of labor to build ships was suggested by Senators Sherman, Nelson and Bankhead when Vice Chairman Stevens of the shipping board told the senate commerce committee com-mittee that between 200,000 and 300,-000 300,-000 more men were needed to complete com-plete the board's program within the next year. Mr. Stevens, however, contended con-tended that conscription of labor would never be accepted by the American people. Christmas Peace Offer. Kaiser Wilhelm did not make his predicted Christmas peace offer. He did, however, deliver another of his bombastic proclamations to his armies, in which he gave the German soldiers high praise and added the statement that if his enemies would not consent to such peace terms as he has suggested sug-gested in the past, Germany's iron fist and flaming sword would compel them to yield. At the same time Count Czernin, the Austro-Hungarian foreign minister, was telling the peace conference at Brest-Lltovsk that the central powers were resolved to sign terms immediately which will terminate termin-ate the war on conditions that will be Just to all belligerents, without forcible annexations and indemnities. They approved, he said, of tiie basic principles princi-ples uttered by the Russian delegates, but insisted these proposals could be realized only if all the belligerents obligated ob-ligated themselves to adhere to the terms of such a peace. He said Germany Ger-many could not allow the right of self-determination of control to be applied ap-plied in her colonial possessions. Positions on the Col del Rosso and Monte del Val Bella changed hands three times, the Italians finally being forced to retire somewhat. But their opposition was so determined and the losses of the enemy so heavy that the latter could not follow up their gain. Every day Increases the probability that the Teutons will be held or will be compelled to fall back to preserve their lines of communication. The spirit of the Italians is high and help from B'rance and Great Britain is steadily flowing to them. Apparently Von Hindenburg had not yet found the soft spot on the west front at which to strike, for the only serious attack the Germans made there was in the Verdun sector east of the Meuse. Five successive assaults were made, but the French beat them all off with heavy loss to the enemy. Alarmed by the growing strength of the minority Socialists in Germany, that branch of the party that refuses to follow Scheidemann and that persistently persist-ently attacks the war program of the government, the kaiser caused the arrest ar-rest on Christmas eve of more than 300 members of the faction in a large number of cities. Another shakeup in the British admiralty ad-miralty started with the retirement of Admiral Jellicoe from the post of first sea lord. He is succeeded by Vice Admiral Ad-miral AVemyss. The senate lost a valuable and hardworking hard-working member last week in the death of Francis G. Newlands of Nevada. He died in the harness, suddenly. |