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StJMTKK WATCHMAN. Fatab Oocsolidated Aur. u,1 WAR IN ITALY. Al'STRO-GEHMANS sKEK TO DOMINATE ITALIAN PLAIN*. Vtltth Recapture of Asolono Position* Bias's Men Take New Heart for Fu tare Battle*. With the French Armies In North? ern Italy. Saturday. Dec. 2S (By th? Associated Press.?Unexpectedly balk? ed In their march towards the plain by the loss of the Monte Asolone po? sitions within |4 hours after tin ?> had captured them, the Austro-Oer man forces are concentrating heavily, according to all availale reports, north and northeast of this important ap? proach to dominating Monte Grappa. A new and unprecedented vigorous onslaught on the barriers to the plains Is expected soon, not only at Grappa but on the Aslago plateaus and pos sibly the lower Plave. Although expert opinion appears to bo approaching unanimity that the Austrlans have given up hope of breaking through the Italian line at present, so far as to force another great retreat, all available Informa? tion indicates the enemy wants to ac? complish another big success by cap? turing all peaks commanding the plain and would vastly prefer a po? sition st the northern limit of the plain, st least where climatic condi? tions would fsvor his troops. Even a cursory visit to the Grappa sector, however. Is sufficient to reveal convincingly how very fnr the enemy Is from accomplishing this objective and how formidable the Italian posi? tions are. backed up by a rejuvenated army, thoroughly reorganizod and re quipped and whose spirit was shown by the counterattack In which he cap? tured the great Asolone positions. Im? mediately after the regaining of the Asolone heights the correspondent found it possible to proceed to a van tags point slightly south and west of Grappa, which at the time was being viciously bombarded with shapnel by the enemy who had lost it a few hours before. Had the enemy been able to hold It and conquered Monte Cooston. this key position would have n seriously menaced. Their rebuff at this important point, however, drove the Austro-German forces not only at a considerable dis? tance from the plain they are seeking but makes their progress toward it ' extremely difficult. now that the wsethsr conditions are severe. A single day spent with the Italian I forces on this mountain section serves to show convincingly what a stupen? dous task the Austro-German invac' - srs have. While German shrapnel was viciously peppering the lost Aso? lone heights, countless light and heavy it illan batteries, honeycombing and dotting the two adjoining moun? tains, were hammering the enemy unceasingly. Every path in the mountainside disgorged troops work? ing under the socslled rotation sys? tem, by which the enemy men in the ftrnt lines, after serving there for some days, fall hack Into the reserve, being relieved by reserves and then gradually working their way forward to the first line again. At many points- lay piles of ammu? nition and the way here and the ?<?? was almost impassable by reason ts the batteries that were making their m*< ? Mamies of troops lay wilting to relieve the first line fighters? troops obviously cheerful, well fed end confident that the reconquer* of a great part of the Asolone posltlo is had brought to n final halt the Aus? tro-German progress towards the plain. The concentrations on the Aslage, plateau and along the lower Piave. while perhaps numericaly less im? portant than those In the Grnp;>a re? gion, aro admittedly for the same pur? pose, according to the admissions of prisoners, who say the condition of their troops is terrible and they must at all costs secure a line on the plain and control the Brenta and Plave valleys so that they will not have to endure the winter In the mountains. "We must secure these things at whatever prlos and sacrifice may be necessary." were the words in which Austrlans summed up the sitiatlon. The prisoners, virtually wlthou'. ex? ception" predict that "the end of this year will be marked by "fjrious battles which, will last a fortnight." B \TTLE.K IN AIR. French Have iH-stroyrd Eighteen German Machine*. Paris. Dec. 24.?Intense aerial ac? tivity is reported by ths war ofllce Ir th?- MOres of ? hnndr. d combats in the air dor In* t he pavt few da; m. tb French brought down elghteer Ger mane machines. lied April, mo. "Be Just m 881. 8U SUGAR FAMINE UNBROKEN. SHORTAGE DtB TO MOVEMENT OF SI G AR FROM AMERICA TO Fl ROPE. Hoover DeOSSfOl Without Price Fix? ing; by Agreement Sugar Would he Silling for 25 Cents Pound. Washington, Dec. 25.?Food Admin-: i.strator Hoover's statement on the ?UgOf situation, which he tried un BOOC l fully to get before the senato - ommittee investigating the sugar shortage, woe made public tonight by the White House, it attributes the shortage there to the heavy move meat of sugar fron the Westorn Hemisphere to Europe, and asserts that without the fixing of prices by agreement sugar would have been selling for twenty-five or thirty cents a pound, and more than two hundred million dollars probably would have 1 een profiteered from the American people by this time. The statement contain* the food ad? ministrator's reply to charges made before the committee by Clau.v Spreckels, president of the Federal Refining Company, that the sugar situutlon was mismanaged and sets forth in detail the administration's efforts to keep sugar prices down. While supplying large quantities to the ullies. The committee, of which Senator Reed is chairman, not only had re-, fused to make the statement a part of the Congressional Record, but has declined thus far to permit Mr. Hoover to take the stand to answer Mr. Spreckels' charges. When the hearing is resumed Fri duy. however, it Is understood Mr. Hoover will be permitted to tell hi* story. At the outset the statement presents the world situation as It existed prior to the European war. The allies then produced much of their own supplies and purchased the remainder from Germany. Before the war they took only 000,000 tons annually from tho Western Hemisphere. This year they have taken 1,400,000 tons. "That," says the food administra? tor, "is the cause of the sugar short? age, and nothing Msg,*1 The statement says the food admin? istration has handled the situation with a view to sustilning the morale of France and England, where \h? sugar ration has been extremely low for months, and at the same time pro venting a Jump in price to twenty or twenty-five cents a pound here. EXPLOSION KIIXS TWO. Men Killed by tins Explosion in Ma con Hotel. Macon Ga., Dec. 24.?The explo? sion of a gas pine in the basement of the Hotel Dempsey early today fi - tally Injured Policeman John Alex? ander and John A. Truman, proprie? tor of a pool room. The explosion wan the result of a fire starting In the pool room. Both men were or. the sidewalk in front of the hotel. They were blown high fn the air. SWS NO FLOI'R SHORTAGE. Frank P. Carey Reports Big Supplies in Storage. \.inneapolis. Dec. 24.?Frank L> Carey? representative of tho food ad? ministration's grain corporation, who returned today from New York, where members of 1 the corporation have been in conference, declared in answer to reports of a Hour shortage that there is breadstuff supplies in storage and on market now sufficient to answer the needs of tho entire country for five months. Mr. Carey also announced that ap? proximately 1,000,000 bushels 0( wheat from the Pacific coast has been ordered shipped here for use of local flour mills. SHORTAGE OF CLOTHING IN NAT? IONAL ARMY. Army to be Supplied from Local Sources. Washington, Dec. 26.?Aroused by reports of a shortage of clothing in the National Army eampti the senate military committee today adopted a resolution requesting the secretary of war to immediately ascertain condi? tions by wire and supply all deficient troops by suspending departmental routine, if necessary by direct pur? chases front sources near the camps. Petrograd, Dec. 2d.?The Bolshe? vlkl government has decided to send rspesssnta tress to all countries, bei? llgerents s/otl si neutral? to furth? er their propaganda Of International? ism. Two Million rubles have bOOfl appropriated for this purpose. od Pear not?riet all the ends Thou Ain BITER, 8. C, SAToRDA WATCHING ALL AGITATORS. I. W, W., BOLSHEVIKI AND IRISH AGITATORS MAY BK SKICK? ING WORLD-WIDE UP? HEAVAL. Shilka Incident One of Many Cnsea Which Have Aroused Asents' Sus-1 picion. Washington, Dec. 25.?Evidence has been uncovered by government agents indicating that American In? dustrial Workers of the World, Rus? sian Bolshevikl, Irish agitators, and revolutionists in various countries at war with Germany may be seeking to k\y the foundations of an elaborate world-wide plan to overthrow existing social orders. This was admitted today by offi? cials here Including news of a discov try of a quantity of rifles, revolvers und ammunition on the Russian freighter Shilka. which has just ar? rived at a Pacific port manned by a mutinous Bolshevik! crew. Govern? ment agents suspect that the guns and munitions were intended for the ^ Industrial Workers of the World in j this country. The Shilka incident is only one of! many cases which lead officials to be? lieve the connection between plotter.' in several of the allied countries may j bo more tangible than the indefinite link of moral sympathy. Certain Irih agitators and Industrial Workers of the World leaders recently have gone from the United States to Rus? sia, after being in close touch with each other here, and reports have been received that Bolshevik! organ? izers would con.e to America before i I long to spread thoir doctrine of di? rect action for communal organiza jtion. No objection will be raised by the government to any agitation which does not in*eretere with the progress of the war, officials declare. Officials , do not intend to use ^the war ex? igencies as an excuse for suppressing free trpech. except in so far as it I I leads to hampering the government in ihe fight against the Central powers. This basis of judgment, however, is recognized as broad, and will permit drastic action against foreign agents whose conduct directly or indirectly fosters Cermany's war alms. AelOU will be particularly swID officials say. when armed resistar.ee to the law is threatened and when other material forces are employed by the agitators. Customs Inspectioi j will serve to prevent importation of arms and the close supervision of the [crews of incoming and outgoing ves? sels is expected to make impossible traffic of communications on a large SOSis intended to foster revoluntionary activity. There still are means of importing money into the United States, but government agents can , trace remitanoes and keep a watch? ful eyo on suspicious expenditures. Although prosecutions of Indus? trial Workers of the World have been vigorous officials have evidence which they claim shows that the Bienaee of this organization, believ? ed to be supported largely by Ger? man money, remains strong. Fur? ther action against the agitators is i forecast. This will be hastened if it is f( and that the band is Working With Russian Bolshsvlkl leaders to I bring about a premature peace in IGermany's behalf or hamper opera? tions of the war. Extreme care is being taken by this government to avoid antagonizing the Bolshevikl movement in Russia de i spite the international irritation it , has caused. American officials do not care to appear to resist the de , velopment of democratic ideals even j if it assumes the form of extreme and chaotic socialism reported hi Russia under the new regime. ! RUSSIAN ASSEMBLY CALLED! _ Soc'al Revolutionaries Will Hold Mooting in Bellum? of Bolsheviki. London. Dec. 20.?The Social rev? olutionary minority in the constitu ? ut assembly has decided to convoke that body on January 2d, according to a Petrograd dispatch to the Times, although the Bolsheviki government has said it was determined to pre? vent the meeting of the assembly in? dependent of its sanction. Conllrmation has been received of the reports that Stockholm will be the scene of the continuation of the Busso-German peaoe negotiations. starting early In January. Ohio Congressman Dead. Akron. ( duo, Dec, 24.?Represent? ative D. R. Dathrlek of the Four? teenth district died at his home hern, I last night. ' ist at be thy Country'*, fhj God's a Y, DECEMBER 29. 191 ENTIRE FAMILY PERISH. FLAMES CAUSE HORRIBLE! CHRISTMAS KVK TRACERY FEW MILES FROM GREENWOOD. Neighbor Hears Cries, But His Ef? forts to Save Victims Entrapped in Burning Home Fail. Greenwood, Dec. 23.?Mrs. J. Lam? bert Whitman and her six children, aged from three to thirteen years, wore burned to death last night at 1 midnight In their country home four miles west of Greenwood. This hor? rible tragedy on Christmas brought ti Greenwood a sadness that was very noted. Mrs. Whitman and her six children had presumably made their prepara? tions for Christmas, and the father was in town. A neighbor, Mr. J. H Davis, one of the cotton weighers here, was late getting home, and had just arrived in his yard when he saw the fire. Hastily putting his horso back in harness, he rushed down the road to the house. Although the building was blazing from every side, lie could still hear the cries of the unfortunate inside. Wrapping his laprobe about him, he attempted to enter time and again, but was driven back by the flames. The cries in? creased, and this morning all that was left of seven beings of the day be? fore was a charred heap of bones. The frame of the mother was clearly apparent, lying across a bed, where she had possibly tried to rescue some of the children and had fallen overcome by smoke. The charred remains have been brought here and are in the R. W. Blytha undertaking establishment. To? morrow they will be started to Due West in a single coffln and buried that way at the former home of the moth? er. The oldest child, a young boy. was' away from home on a visit. Hti and the father survive out of a fauiih of nine. The house was known an the Ryokard place, just beyond Salak and was one of the landmarks of that section of the country, where Mr Wultnian had lived only one year working a crop on the place this year j _ _ _ STEFANSSEX ARRIVES AT FOR! YUKON. Intrepid Explorer and Party Safe? First News of Thorn in Mnn> Mouths. Ottawa. Dec. 20.?Vilhjalmur Ste fasien, the noted Arctic explorer who was last heard from in a letter written in 1916. has arrived with his party at Fort Yukon, according to word received by the naval depart? ment. URGED TO ENLIST IN NATIONAL ARMY'. ' Greek Government Will Reward all Greek Citizens Who Will Serve Uncle Sam. Washington, Dec. 26.?Greece ; wants her citizens in the United Btatei , to enlist in the American army, ac ' cording to a note from the Greek government that was delivered to the State department today. Not only will she suspend punishments which ordi? narily follow the enlistment of 'Creeks with a foreign power, but she ; will reward them for the supporting I of American arms. MORE COAL NEEDED. - Production Has Increased But Con? sumption* is Greater. Washington, Dec. 26.?The war de? mands for bituminous coal have been greater than the mines could meet, although the increase in production tills year has been normal, fuel Administrator Garfleld testified. He said the administration is laying greater emphasis on the stimulation of production rather than regulating prices. Dr. Garfleld said he knew big : profits were being made, but believed it necessary to stimulate production. HI NT TAKES OVER OFFICE. Campbell Surrenders the Governor? ship of Arizona. Phoenix. Ariz.. Dec. 2T?.?Thomas E. Campbell turned over the gover? norship of Arizona to Gov. George W. P. Hunt today in obedience to the mandate of the State Supreme Court. Which found that Gov. Hunt was the legally elected governor by a plurality of forty-three votes. The ceremony was without fea? ture. Hunt's lirst official act was to ten dor to Campbell n place on the St it > tax commission. Mr. Campbell de? clined, onthi 7 AMERICA AIDS KALEDINES. TROTSKY CHARGES RED CROSS i WITH HELPING ENEMY. Ambassador Francis Says Neither I United State** nor Society is Help? ing Counter-revolution. Petrograd, Saturday, Dec. 22.?Leon Trotsky, the Bolsheviki foreign min- ! ister, at a meeting of the revolution? ary organizations assembled in con? gress today, read documents and tel- J i ?grams which he declared contained I evidence the Americans were helping General Kaledinee, leader of the Don Cossacks. I "Last night." said Trotzky, "we found that American agents in Rus? sia were participating in the Kale dines movement. We arrested Colonel Kolpashnlkoff, attached to the Amer? ican mission to Roumania, who was I trying to get a train load of automo- j biles, clothing and supplies to Rostov. Among the documents was a letter J I from David R. Francis (American ambassador to Russia), requesting that the train be given free passage I as it was bound for the mission at Jassy. "One letter from Colonel Anderson (head of the American Red Cross mission to Roumania) to Kolpashni koif said that if money were needed Ambassador Francis was ready to advance 100,000 rubles on the ac j count of the Red Cross. We think that the American ambasador must break his silence now. ' Since the revolution he has been the most ^ilent diplomat in Petrograd Evidently he belongs to the Bls mt rck school in which it was taught that silence is golden. He must ex , plain his connection with this con? spiracy. "We will tell all the ambassadors. If you think that with the help of American gold, under the guise of the holy mission of the Red Cross, lyou can support Kaledines you ar? i mistaken. If you think that you are no longer the representative of Amer? ica but private adventurers the heavy hand of the revolution will reach out , after you.' " "I desire to let the representatives of all the foreign powers know that ! we are not so blind as to allow our i feet to be trampled on. In the affair I of Tchiteherin and Petroff we have ? ! already had occasion to show the Brit - ? ish ambassador that the revolution? ary government is not lacking in dig? nity aad pride and that we are not acting under the influence of the AngloAmertean bourgeoise, but have ? a pure principle for which we will i j conquer or perish." ? The audienco cheered these utter? ances wildly. Mme. Alexandra Ko', lanta, Bolsheviki minister of public weifaro. moved then that the meet i ing send legeates to France and Eng? land "to light the torch of a world revolution." I Raymond Robins, head of the per? manent American Red Cross mission to Russia, on hearing of the arrest 'of Kolpashnlkoff, prior to Trotsky's II speech, offered to explain the matter to the Bolsheviki leader, but Trotzky refused to hear him unless he came , as the representtaive of the embassy. Ambassador Francis in a statement to the Russian press declares that the embassy and the Red Cross are in no way involved in counter-revolu? tion. He says that Kolpashnikoff re? ceived no funds from the embassy. CANADA CUTS OUT LIQUOR IN? DUSTRY. , Importation Is Prohibited and Manu? facture Will be Stopped. Ottawa, Dec. 22.?Importation of intoxicating liquors into Canada, af ! ter Monday next is prohibited and their manufacture will be prohibited alter a ?lato to be determined later, Premier Borden officially announced today. The premier said there would be an investigation and consideration of the situation in the liquor industry before the date for prohibition of manufac? ture is decided upon. The ban will remain in force dur? ing the war and for one year after conclusion of peace. A DEMOCRATIC PEACE. Trotr.ky Explains to French Ambas? sador Alms of the Bolshevikl. Paris. Sunday. Dec. 23.?Leon Trotsky, the Bolsheviki foreign min? ister, according to a note issued by the J lavas Agency, called on French Ambassador Nouleni at Petrograd. and explained that the Bolshevikl wished tel keep to the principle of a "Democratic peace." leaving to the peoples the right to dispose of thom < selves, ran. SOUTHRON, ?MMWi '?>*? 1 * Vol. XJ-V. No. 39. BRITISH NIVAL CHANGE. \dmiral jellico DISPLACED by vice admiral wemyss. Sliakc up Uic Result of Public Dis? satisfaction With Management of Navy and Continued German Raids. London, Dec. ?f.?Vice Admiral Sir Itosslyn Wemyss has been appointed first sea lord In succession to Ad? miral Sir John R. Jellicoe, according to an official announcement issued this evening. Admiral Jellico has been elevated to the peerage in recognition of his very distinguished service. The hope is expressed that; his experience may be utilized later In another important post. The translation of Sir John R. Jel licoei to the honorable eclipse of a scat in the bouse of lords and the promotion of the second sea lord to his place, briefly announced in an official communication tonight, will convey- but one interpretation to the mind of the general public in view of the strong criticisms for a long time passed upon t; e admiralty, which culminated in eep disappointment and dissatisfact >n at the impunity in which German .alders recently again sank a British :onvoy. The official announcement says nothing of Ad niral Jellicoe having for any reason desired to resign his appointment but merely announces his replacement, by Vice Admiral "Wemyss and Ue bestowal of a peer? age "in recognition of his very dis? tinguished services." Admiral Jelltroe, who had perform? ed notable serv ce in the British na? vy as commanier of the Atlantic and Home He s and also as second sea lord, was made supreme com? mander of the home fleet at the out j break of the war. In the summer (following the Jutland battle he was appointed first sea lord, turning over command of the grand fleet to Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty. Jellicoe is 58 years old. Vice AdmirtU Wemyss became sec? ond sea lord of the admiralty in Au? gust of the p/esent year. Although little known le the British public. Wemyss has always borne the repu . tation of beir.f a fighter of the first a ; order. He won commendation for the^ , part he took in the Jutland battk Wemyss was made'a rear admiral/ 1912. He represents the old arj cratic element in the navy. MAY HAVE BEEN SP Charles H. Ft lg Relieved Been Attempting to Send tion to Germany. El Paso, Doe. 22.?Charles H. Feig was shot and killed by United States army puirols when he attempt? ed to cross the river to Mexico here late today. I ?ig, it is believed, was a German spy who sought to trans ; mit military iv formation to Germany through Mexico. When his papers were examined a note book, drawings and ground p>ms of troop camps. Fort Bliss am other fortifications j near here were found. He carried ft : camera. Feige was ki led after he had crosa j ed the boundary line on what is known as Little Island, formed by a bend in the Rio Grande. Three , border guards ired shots at him with j pistols. His- body was beooght to th*? American side In a wagon by a Mex? ican woman. Charts found in his possession showed the loratron of in , ternational boundary monuments, i wireless towers and other military in? formation. RIs clothing bore the markings of New York clothing stores. GERMAN SOCIALISTS ARRESTED. Three Hundred Seized by Military Putty and Imprisoned Christmas Eve. London, Dec. 27.?More than three hudnred members of the German mi? nority Socialist party were arrested on Christmas Eve by the German military authorities, according to a Zurich dispatch given out today by the wiroles press. Birmingham. Dec. 26.?W. d. Wynne and his son Alfred are dead and his wife and another son and Miss Turner were injured when an Atlanta. Birm< ;ham & Atlantic train struck their automobile today at < 'wonion cross!"tg. Petrograd, Dec. 26.?An American! Red Cross tra n left hero yesterday with the approval of the Bolsheviki, carrying all its original supplies ex? cept automobiles. -u_j