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/ 'OAROING OF WOOL1 MAKES HIGH PRIOE5': NO SCARCITY IN WORLD SUPPLY ' EXISTS NOW ASSERTS THE WAR TRADE BOARD. TEST FOR THE ARMY TRUCK Delivered to Atlantic Seaboard Under Its Own Power-Liberty Theaters in Cantonment Camps Are Corhpleted Naval Aircraft Factory.' (I"rom-the Comnmittee on Public. Informa tlion.) Washington.--Iu a recent staterent the war trade board declares that nu i wool shortage exists, either in ine world's suiply or in the amoullt cn p hand In the t'i toi States, hotwith- a standing the increasei coansumption 1a for military piurposes. The clip in t most countries has steadily increased s sinee the outbreak of the war. "The price of wool has advanced t in the United States by a percentage t greatly in excess of such price ad- a vances in other countries," says the t statement. "The price in the United I States has advance(d 200 per cent r above the prewar level. The price in 1 england is fixed at 55 per cent in excess of prewar prices. "Cloth manufacturers (in the Unit ed States) have been impelled by fear } to carry abnormal stocks of wool, and to contract with dealers and i- n porters for unusual quantities for far forward delivery. Manufacturers of clothing have been infected by a like n dread, inciting the purchase of cloth n exceeding in volume their reasonable a needs. 11 "The consumaption of wool during a 1918 will be little if any greater than n it was during 1917." Army trucks for use in France are being delivered to the Atlantic sea- a board from Interior storage depots y under their own power. a If the plan is successful, the deliv- s Arf' of the 30,000 war trucks under r construction under their own power will release 15,000 freight cars which would be required to transport them r by rail. It will also provide adequate i effective corps of transport drivers t and oillcers, who will reach France with a minimum of training to be re quired. Wear and tear on the trucks will be slight compared with the ben efits derived from their use. The government "Liberty" theaters at the 10 National nriy' cantonments are all completed,' and in a few per formntces have been given. TheI buildings, which ire supervised by the war department '-commission on training camp activities, are 120 feet wide and 171) feet long, made of i'ne boards, unpainted, but . aced with heavy building paper, which makes the sides airtight. Complete ventilat ing systems have been lnstallel aind ( heat is supplied by steam 111(1 small t stoves. There are fiye large entrances and 15 exits, andl the theater, seating 8,000 men, may -be- emiptiedl in about 4 one inute. The stage is 65 feet wvide. The floor I of the audlitorium is salucer-shlapedl and sloping, so every seat provides a clear view of the stage. The seats are benches fitted with~ comfortable I backs, and sections will be0 reserved so tickets may be purchased in ad Vance. The "soallage" books, soon1 to be placed on Male, will ibe good for< all these theaters, as well as chautau- a *qua tents. Tihe mnotion-picture booth, housing two machines, Is asbestos lined, The a stage has an asbestas curtain. Light- 4 ing effects are similar to those of 4 standard city thleater's. The theater is placed on the highest I point of ground~ in each camp, andl in many camps the post ofmie, main library building .111nd hostess houses are near by, making a sort of towvn 1 cente:' where large iumbers of men 4 gathler each nighlt. - The tower on top of the stage loft, I about 75 feet from' the ground, serves< as a signal tower for -wigwagging. F The recently comnpletedl naval air cragdtrti'ycovers three acres, the s undng'heng400 by 300 feet. The v * keel of the first flying boat was laid 90 I1 days after building work was begun. t> The plant, with -equipment, cost 11 $1,000,000. *There is opportunity for employment at the aircraft factory for 2,000 skilled I workmen from :almost every trade, Women can sewv covers on the wings and perform sople of. the lighjter wood-J working operation~s, and it is expected that several hynd1red women will be employed. The post olflce department has estab- I liahed coastwise parcel-post water I routes td facilitate service for the can- I tonmients, which will operate to relieve 4 war-time railroad congestion,. The working hours of clerks in the Interior Departient building at Wash- I ington have been changed to run I from 8:45 to 4:15 Instead of 9 to 4:30, to relieve congestion in street railway care of the overcrowded capital. Mrs. Jason Dole of Northfleld, Vt., is I knitting for the Soldiers. This is thei third conflict she has been actively in. terested in, as her brother was In the i Civil war, her son Arthur in the Span- I ish-American war and her grandson, 4 fle Dole, ts now in France. The foll(owIng paagraph of Army Riegulaton.: is the only rule now exist ng regardiug the relatinship between dflicers and cn'isted uiren: "Su rioi it re f'otrl.1i In to injure hose utinder their altt iuthoity by tyran eal or capricious rwuiiuieit or by abu sl ae iziging ". r Ii' 1unu intatinting dis ipline andi the il riough and prompt terfornmtnt e ol tilltsry duty, all otil 'ers, in denting w hit enlisted men, will >ear in mind the blus.lite necessity of ro trenting (lbin ts to preserve their elf-respect. t tIlicers will keep in as 'lose touchi ;s poe sihh- with the men dreer thi-r co1nnanil. will strive to tuild up such reiltions of contflIence rid syrtait hy as will insure the free piprtnth.' of their men to them for "dunisel an aissistance. This relation hip tmtay be gained and maintained ritho'ut relaxati in of the bonnds of di1 -lpdine and1(1 with great benefit to the erg ie ais at whole." ;ali ng tmder American names in the i'rvice of the United States are 109 4'rmattn ships daaged by their crews rIor to their seizure by the govern oent when war was declared. They dd more than 500,000 gross tonnage the transport and cargo fleets in war ervice for the United States. There is evidence that a German cen-, ral authority gave orders for dhatago a these ships, so that none could be perated in less than eighteen months, 1nd d(iocumentary proof that the enemy elleved mnuch of the damage was ir eimrahle. In less than eight inonths 11 the ships were in service. The former Germtan liners, sailing lder distinctly American names, are ow fitted as troop and cargo ships, tn(h is convertible to a completely quilped hospital ship for return-voy. ge service. Distribution of allowance and allot tent checks to dependents of enlisted ten of the United States has required n extra night shift of clerks and typ. Its in the bureau of war risk isur. nee. The first checks represent allot tents made by enlisted men from theib rovember pay, together with stipu. ited government allowances. Every enlisted man in the militar3 nd naval forces of the United Stnte iho has a wife and children dependent n him is required to allot for their upport at least $15 a month, but not uore' than half his pay. To this the overnient adds monthly allowances. Commissioned otlleers are not re mired to make allotments, and the ;overnment does not provide allow maces for their dependents. The next examination through which ;raduates of approved engineer schools nay apply for commissions as provi ;lonai engineers, corps of engineers, vill be held about the middle of the Coming summer. Students in approved technical Ichools who are considered as rating n the upper third of their classes may titer the enlisted reserve corps, and to enlisted will be permitted to remain ' )n the inactive list until they have ompileted their college courses. When hey leave their colleges these students vill be called for active service in oime branch of the engineer service "f the army or will be discharged to ake their chances tinder the selective ervice law. Regulations made public by the air raft board corresp~onding to those ob aining in Great Britain providle that hould a military avintor make a orcedl landing, the public, after ascer aining that the aviator is not injured, ihall keep clear of the machine to ninimi ze danger from inexperienced tandlinig of control wires and instru nients. When there is no military post or en ampm~tent near the scene from which guard may be sent the police from lhe nearest town are requestedl to pro '(de guard at once. Railroad and teamship companies have been re iuestedh to instruct employees to ren Ier ali assistance to .aviators who may >e forced to land in remote places or n the water. S6 diers at the cantonments woulet ather see service at once on the battle ines as [privates than go later as ofil ers. In many instances enlisted men ~ligible for admission to officers' train ng schools have refused to apply be 'ause they feared the work would les en their chances of immediate active ervice in E~urope. In one division, with 380 men to be elected for training schools, only 40 gould apply. The rumor was abroad tcamp that the division would sail efore the work at the school was comn leted, and not until the men were as uredl that the schools would move vith the divisions were the quotaas Illed., F~liers and balloonists, although sub- I ect to the selective-service law, may tnlist as heretofore upon passing the I lxamitnation at the nearest aviation er, imining board. Nonflying officers un, I ier thirty-one years of age are not now I >eing accepted, except a limited num-n >er of graduates of recognized engi- I ueering colleges or others who can iualify as expert engineers, Aerial I ibservers are not now being accepted.1 Estimates show the government irinting office will use 100,000,000 toundis of paper, costing about $4,000,. '00, thin year. Men working in many coal mine. hroughout the country voluntarily rut down the Christmas holiday to ceep factory fires burning and house. rarm. The heaviest food contracts in the tistory of the world have been let re ently to 14 of the great packing tnnses ot the Uinitedaes. 1--Belgian engineers repairmng rine chasers operating in the upper 4-Scene in Bethlehem, birthplace< NEWS REVIEW OF THE PAST WEENi Wilson's Assumption of Control of Railroads Is Long Step Toward Efficiency. GREAT POWERS FOR M'ADOG Secretary Baker Prodded by Senate Committee-Teutonic Peace Sug gestions Made by Count Czernin in Reply to the Russiani Bol sheviki Proposals. By EDWARD W. PICK AIRD. The great event of the wve k, for the United States and, indirectly for the allied cause, was President Wilson's action in assuming control of the rail ways and steamship lines within the borders of this country. This step, Mr. Wilson said, had become implera 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 transpor tation systems of the country must he organized and operatt d under a singlc authority. This single authority is William G. McAdoo, secretary of the treasury, wniho was appond indirector general because, as the President expressed it, "his practical expierience peculiarly fits him for the service and his author ity as secretary of the treasury en ses him to co-ordinate as no other man could the many financmil inter ests which will be involved." Mr. Mc Adoo assumed control at noon Friday, Not only rail and steamship lines are included in the president's proc lamation, hut also all terminals, sleep Mng and parlor cars, private cars and car lines, railroad elevators and ware houses, railroad telegraph and tele phone lines and interurban electric lines carrying freight only. Stockhold ers of railroads are guaranteed a profit equal at least to the average profits diuing the three fiscal years ending June 30, 1917, which wvill be about 5.21 per cent on the capital investment. Step Is Generally Commended. General and hearty approval was given President Wilson's action, alike by railway officials, financiers and the public. Th - first named gave assur ance of their earnest co-operation with Director General McAdoo, and in near ly every instance declared their 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 committee of executives that has been in large meas ure directing the operation of railways, though doing excellent and disinter ested work, had been unable to solve the problem of equitable distribution of earnings. Complete unity of opera tion will permit of this, and will re miut in more efficient conduct than has ieen possible heretofore. It is probable that, under Mr. Mc idoo's direction, competition for earn ngs being eliminated, many competing rains will be withdrawn and passen rer traffic will be largely curtailed. rhere will be a general shifting of niling stock and much freight equip nent wvill be sent to eastern terrn ory from the South and West to re love the congestion of transportation ft war materials. Naturally, every hing else will be subordinated to the var needs of the nation. It is not uin ikely that passenger rates will be 'aised to three cents a mile. The one element of the population hat may not entirely approve of gov rnment control is the railway broth 'rhoods. Their opportunity to en ~orce by strike their demands for In ~reased pay has vanished, though it s only fair to assume that their loyal ~y and patriotism would not have per nitted them to tie up the country's transportation. The heads of the brothierhoods were called to the White Elouse to confer with the president on their requests for higher wages. The increases askled average about 44) per sent. What the government will grant af course is not yet knom.,. In thi 1 roadway over which heavy guns are in Adriatic. 8-Regiment of Cuban infantr if Christ, now occupied by the British fu matter, as in all others, Iirector Mc Adoo has plenary powers. Indeed, next to the president, he is now the most powerful oflicial in the nation, his authority being paramount to that of the Interstate commerce comnission and the state railway commission. He can revise rates, deterimne divi dends and even discharge and apipoint directors and other oflicials. Senate Committee Prods Baker. Bureaucratic methods and the red tape in which they are entangled were rather mercilessly exposed in the in quiry conducted by the senate commit tee on military affairs, and as one re sult the committee did preclsely what President Wilson successful Iy opposed last summer when he defeated the plan to create a congressional 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 reso lution asking Secretary Baker to 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 plies at once. Mr. Baker said he would take the action requested. Th'le committee has been finding out a great many things that explain much of the exasperating and perilous delay in equipping our troops with arms, 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 arrnngements 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 muniteons might be appoint ed to ap~portion the war contracts. Another event of importance in Chi cago-mportant to the whole country ---was the definite settlement, dlurlIng the wvar, of all labor troubles at the stockyards. Through the efforts of goveranmen t officials an agreemuen t was reached that there shall be no more strikes or lockouts and that all dif ferences that cannot be adjusted by the companies' general managers shall b~e referredl to tihe. United State's ad ministrator, whose dlecision shalml be final. John Es. Williams of Streator, famed1 for his success in handling la bor troubles, was appointed admainis trator by Secretary of Labor WVilson. It is understood that the agreement reached in this case represents the policy the government intends to pur sue in all pending labor disputes that affect the making or handling of war supplies. Union labor won a big point Iat Chicago in that the agreement 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 corn mittee that between 200,000 and 800, 000 more men were needed to com plete the boarn.'s program within the next year. Mr. Stevens, however, 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 sug gested in the past, Germany's Iron fist and flaming sword would compel them' to yield, At the same time Count Ozernin, the Austro-Hfungarian t foreign minister, was telling the peace t conference at Brest-Litovek that the j central powers were resolved to sign e terms Immediately which will termin- ~ ate the war on conditions that will be r just to all belligerents, Without forcible i annexations and indemnities. They e approved, he said, of the basic princi pies uttered by the Russian delegates, but insisted these proposals could be J realized only if all the belligerents ob-a ligated themselves to adhere .to the m terms of such a peace. He said Ger many could not allow the right of 5 self-determination of conirol to be ap plied in her colonIal possessions, . V~~ 4.,. /: 4s la oveed. 2-Flotilla of Italian subma- by y in training in an American camp. bc ca The chairman of the Russian dele- WE gation declared Czernin's reply to the at liussiani p roJosals was Ilcomplete and to in saune respects unsatisfactory. The bolsheviki leaders still seem to tope the entente allies and the United States will participate in the negotia- cr tions they have started, but there are tic no present indications that this hope will he realized. Meanwhile Germany continues to remove vast numbers of th troops from the east front to the west, :r calmly ignoring the impotent protests th of Trotsky. Though Czernin's statement was 01 made on behalf of all four of the Teu- er tonic allies, it is not at all pleasing m to Bulgaria. King Ferdinand declares ed his country intends to hold what she th has won. tb During the week the bolsheviki he made little if any progress in their m civil war against the Cossacks and the Ukrainians. The former kept up their er fight in southern Russian and the lat- ar ter were reported to have occupied the di headquarters of the Fourth, Eighth is and Eleventh armies on the Roumanian a and southwestern fronts, disarming wi the troops that resisted them and seiz ing quantities of arms and supplies. fr Bolsheviki Accuse United States. Trotsky and his followers attempt ed to fasten on Ambassador Francis and other American officials guilt of w engaging in a plot to assist Kaledines, by sending to Rostov motor cars and ?I money consigned to the American Red a Cross in Russia. Colonel Kolpash- to nikoff, who had bought the cars in America, was thrown into prison and v the bolsheviki newspapers railed against the Americans. Trotsky de- A manded an explanation from Mr. Fran- IF cis, and when it came it l.rft him with dt no leg to stand on. However, he kept SC the colonel locked up, and then it de- or veloped that Kolpashnikoff was one of ni those who strictly examined Trotsky P1 at Ialifax when he was on his way to C! Rusmsia-enter the clement of personal enmity. The whole affair was a mnre's al nest, b~ut on Thursday Trotzky tele- be grap~hed Commander in Chief Kry- ra lenko: "New sympathy has beein mani- w fested between the American implerial-. e ists and~ Kaledines."o As was to be expected, Japan is pay- os ing serious attention to the efforts of de the boisheviki to make peace with Ger- ei many. The emperor andl some of his ~ most trusted advisers conferred the ta other (lay On the steps Japan should take to protect her interests. .I China's increasing interest in the war was demonstrated by events at lHar-t bin, Manchuria, where Chinese fought and defeated the Maximnalists, disarm. bE ed thenm and took possession of them city. *Fierce Fighting in italy. c Military operations for the week ~ were in the main confinedl to Italy, butr the fighting there was bitter enough th to do for all fronts. The Teutons hav- Co lag failed to break* through to the oI plains between the Piave and the Brenta, renewed their attacks on the Id Asiago plateau west of the latter river. Itr Positions on the Col del Rosso and~ Am Monte del Val Bella changed hands e1 three times, the Italians finally being to forced'to retire somewhat. But their , o apposition was so determined and the ('e losses of the enemy so heavy that the Si< latter could not follow up their gain. Bvery day increases the probability ur hat the Teutons will be held or wvill ac ie compelled to fail back to preserve bil heir lines of communication. The be pirit of the Italians is high and help as ~rom France and Great Britain is be 'teadily flowing to them-.c Apparently Von Hlndenburg had not .pr ~et found the soft spot on the west de ront at which to strike, for the only be erious attack the Germans made oc here was in the Verdun sector east of or he Meuse. Five successive assaults WI vere made, but the French beat them WI LIl off with heavy loss to the enemy. og Alarmed by the growing strength of he minority Socialist, in Germany, pg hat branch of the party that refuses to ollow Scheidemann and that persist ntly attacks the war program of the :overnment, the kaiser caused the ar- i est on Christmas eve of more than 00 members of the faction in a large umber of cities, thp Another shakeup in the British ad airalty started with the retirement of kdpnirah Jelicoe from' the post of first of en lord. He is succeedeud by. Vice Ad- o airal Wemnyss. ti The senate inst a valuable and hard- i ror'king member last week in the death it Francis (I. Nedlands of Nevada. Re died in the haress, auddenhy. I&.SON ASKS FR4 NEW LEGISLATION NTS TO REGULATE THE GOV- I ERNMENT OPERATION OF RAILROADS IN U. S. APPROVED BY CONGRESS ks That Carrier Be Guaranteed ompensation on Oasis of Ayerage )perating Income for the Last rhree Years. Washington.--Legislation to regu ,e the government operation of rail ads and to guarantee the carriers mpensation on the basis of their erage operating income for the it three years was asked of Congress President Wilson in an address to th houses in joint session. Bills ibodying his recommendations and rrying an appropriation of a half Ilion dollars as a "revolving fund" re introduced immediately and an tempt will be made to rush them prompt passage. While the president's address met th general approval among demo ate and republicans alike, opposi n is expected to develop to a pro sion in the administration bill that. [leral control shall continue after e war indefinitely or until congresa lers otherwise and other details of e compensation basis. The plan will affect immediately ly the wage requests of the broth hoods but demands which may be ade later by other classes of organis labor probably will be handled in e same way, Mr. McAdoo reserving e right to make whatever decision i chooses without regard to recom endations of the advisers. Some increases, both to the broth hoods and to other railway labor, e generally considered certain. The rector general in a statement prom. ad every employee "that his rights d interests will be justly dealt th," and appealed for a hearty >ilt of enthusiasm and co-operation m every one. Efforts to speeed the movement of al and other freight continued along th the legislative and labor phases the railway movement and special ders were h.sued providing that 500 Iditional cars shall be furnished daily a certain specified bituminous and thracite mines, mainly in Pennsyl- 4 nia, for supplying New England. These problems forced Mr. Mc. 1oo to postpone action on eastern seenger traffic officials' reconimen tions for curtailment of passenger hedules but he is expected to issuc ders then for abandonment of a imber of trains and elimination of rlor and sleeping cars to a great tent. Mr. MoAdoo explained today tha4 though no general prooisions .can made under the law for exemnnting ilroadl employes tromi the draft, he Il not hesitate to anneal to local emp~tion boards to defer the calling these workers if the boards of their vn violition do not dianlay a ten ncy to regard the railroads as an sential industry from which em. syees should not be taken for mill ry service. When the president concluded, the ministration hill was htitroduced in e senate by Senator Smith, of South trolina, ranking Democratic mom r of the interqtate commerce com. ittee. In addition to nnnropnriatin 00,000,000 and nroviding for --the mnpensation basis under which the 'vernmnent guarantoo~s an. agr'egate turn of some $900.000lf 000 a year e measure sets forth in detail the liditions upon whfroh erovernment oration is to be carried on.. Under the last provision the pres. ant is expected to issue an order insferring to Director. General Mo. loo all functions vested in the chiel acutive. This will enahle the divec. r general to organize a cornoration r handling railroad securities in ao. rdance ulth a plan now under con.. leration. Railroad officials are exnectedl to go a number of mod'fications of the counting method prescribed by the I for reachinal the standard return isi. but officials exnect the scheme outlined in the bill nrobably will followed -in the main. Some di. elon is looked for over. the bill'e ovision that new federal taxes un; r the war revenue act are not tq charged against the revenue 111 mputing the standard retturn as ar dinary taxes. The effect of tis 11 be to reiquire railroads to pay tr taxes out of their 'goverrimentaj mpensation. ANS REVEALED FOR TWO BILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM Washington-Plans for a two-bit a dollar government ship-building agram were revealed when the ship. ig board asked Congress for an.. nrity to place $'701.000,000 worth of Sitional ship contracts. At the ne time an Immediate appropriation- . $81,000,000 .was asked for the exs talon of shipyards and for provid.. r housing facilities for workmen us far the board has been authon. 4 to upend for shipst$1234,000,00I