Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 16, Number 36, Decatur, Adams County, 11 February 1918 — Page 1

Volume XVI. Number 36.

WOULD DISCUSS PEACE WITH AUSTRIA

PRESIDENT WILSON IN i ADDRESS TO CONGRESS MAKES NOTABLE STEP FORWARD FOR DEMOCRACY OF THE WORLD-RE WARNS CENTRAL POWERS THAT OUR RESOURCES ARE NOW .BEING MOBILIZED. J: I I

(United Press Service) Washington. D. C„ Feb. 11— (Special to Daily Demcorat) — President Wilson today openly invited Austria to further discussion of peace with the United States. In a remarkable address to congress in joint session. the president laid down the basis for such negotiations. “Austria," he said, “seeing and conceiving the essential principles involved and the necessities of applying them can respond to the purpose of peace as expressed by the United States with less embarrassment than to Germany. “No peace is possible." he declared, “on German Chancellor von Bertling's basis—individual barter and concession.” The address embodied an open bid to Austria and a powerful stroke at the German militarist;. It aimed again to widen the wedge between the Teuton people and their junker rulers. If the nations are to go further in their comparison of views, the president declared today, this foundation must be adhered to: 1. Every difficulty must be

settled on its merits. 2. There shall be no barter-1 ing of nations as at the congress of Vienna. 3. The voice of the people] must direct territorial settlements. 4. Full opportunity to carry out well defined national aspir-, ations must be acknowledged. I On this foundation the president , declared a general peace can be dis-; cussed. Until such a peace can be obtained "we have no other choice but to go on.” The president attacked Chancellor Hertling’s recent war aims speech as ‘‘vague and confusing.” ‘‘On the other hand Count Czernin. the Austrian premier, "he said, “seems to see the fundamental elements of peace with clear eyes and does not seek to obscure them." He expressed the belief that Czernin would have gone much farther in his reply to the president's war aim speech if it had not been for Austria’s alliance work and dependence, cn Germany. “These principles that we have announced. which we regard as funda-1 mental, are already accepted as imperative except among the spokesmen of the militarist and annexationist party In Germany," he continued. “If they have anywhere else been rejected the rejectors have not been sufficiently numerous or influential to make their voices audible. The principal circumstance is that this • one party in Germany is apparently willing and able to send millions of men to their death to prevent what all the world now sees to be just. “I would not be a true spokesman ’ cf the people of the United States if I did not say once more that we entered this war upon those several occasions and that we can never turn back from a course chosen upon principal. Our resources are in part mobilized now, and we shall not pause until they a.e in the entirety. Our armies are rapidly going to the. fighting front and wil. J.;go more and more rapidly. Our whole strength will be put into this war o emancipation, against the threat anc attempted mastery of selfisn groups o' autocratic rules. “We are indom.table in our power:

DECATUB DALLY DEMOCRAT

to independent action and can in no . circumstances consent to live in a . world governed by intrigue and force. f We believe that our own desires for a new international order under whicn f reason and justice and the common in- ( terest of mankind shall prevail in the desire of enlightenment everywhere. Without that new order the world wiH . be without peace and human lives wi'l , lack tolarable conditions of existance ( and development. Having set our , hand to this task of achieving it, we | shall not turn back.. I hope that it , is not necessary for me to add that no j word which I have said is intended as | i a threat. That is not the temper of . our people, but spoken thus—only that , (the worid may knew the true ( .spirit of America—that men every , where may know that our passion for justice and self government is no mere , passion of words, but a passion which ( once set in action must be satisfied. , I 1 The power of the United States is a ( menace to no nation or people. .It will , , never be used in agression or for seif . ( aggrandisement of any selfish interest •of cur own. It springs out of freedom and for the service of freedom.” Washington, Feb. 11—(Special to , J Daily Democrat) —• President Wilson

decided to move today again in his “open air propaganda” tending to hasten the movement throughout the i worid for a just peace. He announced this morning that he would address congress at 12:30 to make a formal reply to the recent war aims addresses of the German and I Austrian governments through Counts Hertling and Czernin. This move immediately created tremendous interest throughout the capital. There was a rush for seats in the galleries of the house chamber by 'thousands who expected the president's most momentuous of the war. When the president last addressed ‘ congress he believed that a month would determine whether the Teuton powers would meet his terms half way. That was on Jan. 8. That he is now going again before t ’ congress to reply to Hertling and j Czernin is taken here to mean that the president feels in the Teuton re-' sponses to his former message there has been a step forward. i Count Czernin’ reply particularly ' left the way open to further parley, at' i least in the open, it was felt here. The I Austrian premier openly avowed that there appeared little to prevent. Austria and America coming to terms. | Since the date of the president S| last message both Austria and Geri many have been shaken by internal unrest —believed by officials here to ! have been caused at least in part by the frank diplomacy of the U. S. in | showing the peoples of the Central '. Powers how futile was their struggle ] : and under what deceit it was being j conducted. > That this procedure by the presi--1 dent hast borne results has been indi--1 cated both in confidential dispatches - s unpublished—-and in reports which 1 have been permitted to seep out of r Germany and Austria. President (Wilson’s address today s was expected to sound once more the I- determination of this country to fight I to the end for those things which e prompted it to enter the great war—s but also once more offer the opportunid ty to the Central Powers to meet d America on a basis of “unselfishness, ] frankness and fairness,” to end the ■s.war.

Decatur, Indiana, Monday Evening, February 11, 1918.

DON'T BE AFRAID I To Sign Cards for “Boys’ Working Reserve of the U. S. of A.” NOT AN ENLISTMENT For Army But a Promise to Help in Production of Food and Material. ■ Many boys in Adams county are tak ing advantage of the opportunity of enrolling as members of the “United States Boys' Working Reserve" and in doing so are not only showing their willingness to do all in their power to • help their country in this critical time but they are becoming eligible to a War Service medal which the government will resent to each boy who shows that he has worked at least thirty days during the school vacation i»eriod. It is the desire of the enrolling officers. ea< h township of the county having four or more, to enroll every boy who is between the age of sixteen and twenty years. There is nothing compulsory aliout this movement and no boy it liable to military service. Many parents are unwilling to have their boys enroll for fear that the hoy will be taken from them and placed in the army or at work in some other place. There is nothing further from the truth. The only purpose of this organization is to get the boys of the country to do their part in the production of food and to help in the industrial works, taking the places of the many men who have been called to the colors” * Fathers, mothers and boys, don’t be afraid to sign the cards. It only shows your loyalty and absolutly makes you liable to no other service than that which you would otherwise do. WAS HIS BIRTHDAY Clark Brothers a Reunion of His Family at Home of Daughter CIVIL WAR VETERAN For His Ninety-fifth Birth Anniversary—Enjoys Fairly Good Health. An annual event always pleasantly celebrated, is the birthday anniversary | of Clark Brothers, veteran resident of ( Madison street this city, where he | makes his home with his daughter. D Elizabeth Burns and daughter, Mabel. Today is the ninety-fifty anniversary. It is very rarely that one attains to so many years, and at the same time retains such excellent health as does . Mr. Brothers who is able to walk down town occasionally and to mingle with his friends outside of the home circle. It was the plan to celebrate the birthday yesterday, but as one memi her of the family was delayed until today in arriving, it was postponed. The family eitcle was very nearly complete. The only ones who could not be here, were a grandson. Lieutenant Clark Siebold. of Camp Taylor, Louisville. Ky.; and a son. Harvey . Brothers and family of Minneapolis, .Minn., who were prevented from coming by the illness of their daughter. Portia. The twelve o’clock dinner, w'th the other hours of the day passed 1 leasantly in visiting and enjoying; the ■ music, was thoroughly enjoyed. Those who had the privilege of joln- ' ing with him personally in celebrating ■(the day, although those absent did so t in sending greetings and reraemt brances, were: Mr. and Mrs. George - Siebold and daughter. Dorothy, of ■ Hamlet; Miss Lucile Siebold, teacher t at Marion; Miss Mildred Siebold. a , chemist for Swift. & Company, Chi 5 ctgo; Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Brother."., of Chicago; Elmer Siebold, a student

at Chicago; Patrick J. Cleary, Fort Wayne; Mrs. Laura Stewart and children. Clarence ami Lynn, of Wren, O.; ' Miss Ella Brothers, of Mahoningtown, Penna; Miss Tracy Stevens, of Wren. ()., besides Dr Elizabeth Burns and ; slaughter, Mabel, and Mrs. Adam I Weis, of this city; Mrs. C. B. Ents- . minger, of Fort Wayne. | Mr. Brothers was wounded in the battle of Champion Hills, May IC, lSt>3 when he was shot through the right lung, a portion of the garment.- he wore being drawn through the bullet hole with the bullet. He still suffers from the effects of the wound, bnt not enough to seriouslv impair his health. NO OFFENSIVE FOR TWO WEEKS In Indication as Seen by Correspondent of the London Daily Express. ONE HOOSIER MISSING All Indianians on Tuscania Accounted for But Joe McKee, Indiana Harbor. (United Press Service) London, Feb. 11—(Special to Daily Democrat) —There is no indication of an immediate great German offensive on the west front, according to the military correspondent of the Express. Indications are, he said today, that the present condition will last for at least a fortnight. From authoritative sources it can,, be stated. fW TffiTespondent declared, that the transfer of German troops from the east to the west front is not faster nor greater than anticipated. The Franco-British forces in rifles and guns are slightly superior to the Germans, excluding the American, Belgians and Portugese. BULLETIN Amsterdam. Feb. 11- —(Special to Daily Democrat) —The Russian bolsheviki government has definitely withdrawn form the war, ordering complete demobilization of Russian forces on all fronts, it was reported here today. Dispatches received from Dvest-Lit-ovsk declared that Leon Trotsky, bolsheviki foreign minister, while refusing to sign a formal peace pact, asserted that "The war with the Central Powers is ended." German Sunday newspapers received in Zurich from Stuttgart today reported “Imminent supture of RussoGerman peace negotiations.” at BrestLi to vsk. This may indicate that Trotsky to save Russia from the threatened German invasion in the fact of what evidently amounted to an ultimatum front the Central Powers, ordered complete withdrawal of his country from the war. While minor factors favor continuable of the fight, and may still give the Teutonir armies some trouble, through guerilla warfare, the Lolsheviki rontrol is so overwhelming that if the Amsterdam report is true. Russia apparently is through as a falter in the conflict. Washington. Feb. 11 —(Special to Daily Democrat)— This government still was unable to announce the Tuscania death list today. United Press figures, based on a careful checking of announced surviv- ' ors, against the ships roster, showed 342 still unaccounted tor in official ' cables thus far compiled. War department reports show no change in the original statement that 113 American officers and soldiers are believed to have lost their lives when the vessel was torpedoed. 5 Amsterdam, Feb. 11 —(Special to o Daily Democrat) —Sinking of the Titsi- cania was pointed to by the Berlin e Mittag Zeitung. In copies received f today as proof that America will be r unable to play a great practical part ■i in life war. Allied capitals were said 1- to be greatly disturbed. . | Sinking of the American transport 1 i Continued on Page Two)

TIME IS EXTENDED For Registering of German Aliens at the Decatur Postoffice UNTIL WEDNESDAY Thirty-five or More Have Registered Here With Postmaster Bosse. Fully thirty-five German aliens have already registered at the local postoffice, under the alien law, and more are expected, as Postmaster J. W. Posse stated this morning that the time for doing so has been extended through today, tomorrow and Wednes day. being February 11. 12 and 13. All those who have not been naturalized fully, that is. received their second naturalization papers, come under the order and are expected to register. There are three affidavits to make, ' relative to age, birthplace, time of arrival here, boat on which arrived, e: > . German aliens are required to bring ] four photographs of themselves unmounted, three inches square and ! with a light background. A full and complete description of the men is also taken. Three pictures are attached to the affidavits and one is given back to the alien with his card. , Registration is done at the postoffice at which the alien receives his mail. Any German alien failing to do this is subject to arrest and imprisonment according to the laws. Boys of 1 German decent, over 14 years of age, : who were born in Germany and came ‘ jo this country with their parents, and < whose father has only taken out his first papers, are required to register. t If the naturalization papers are com- I pleted. and the boy was a minor when ' he came to this country, he is an American citizen. HOME FROM NAVY “Dick” Winans, from the Battleship Georgia, is at c Home i ON A FURLOUGH A In the Hospital Following t Accident and is Home t for Thirty Days. i Richard Winans, better known as “Dick,” son of J. D. Winans, promin- ( ent farmer of St. Marys township passed through town this morning on ] his way to the home of his parents. 1 Dick left Adams county ten years ago, going to Washingtcr. where he lias ‘ since made his home. On the sth day of last June ho enlisted in Uncie , Sam’s navy and has been doing duty on the battleship Georgia. On acount of an accident he was placed in’a hospital at Norfolk, Va., from which place he was sent home on a 30 day furlough. While in town he called on Yager & Beery who were neighbors of his while in Adams county. Dick seems • to he filled with the. same spirit which fills the hearts of all our boys and he intends to get the kaiser just as soon 1 as possible. [ RETAIL MERCHANTS 1 The regular meeting of the Business Men’s Association, will be held at the ’ city hall at 7:30 o’clock tomorrow eve--1 ning. At this time will be discussed ’ the proposition of combining the asso--1 ciation with the advertising association. It is important that all mem- , bars be present. JACOB ATZ. president. o " Y. P. A. AT HOCKERS d e The Young People’s Association of t the Evangelical church will hold their d*regular monthly business session at |the home of Mr. Hocker on First t street tomorrow evening at 7:30. All - members should be present.

"ROUND UP LOAFERS” Terre Haute, Feb. 11—To enforce I the "war loafer” ordinance just pass led by the State Council, the city hn adopted the plan of a metropolitan police force. increased the number of detectives from four to tin and greatly enlarged the traffic and bicycle departments of the force. The “war loafer" ordinance imposes a penalty on ablebodied mon hot ween the ages of 21 and Go who "are not earning enough to pay for their hoard" Divinity students and seasonal work ers, such as farmers, are excepted. \ very drastic ordinance in reference ti disloyalty also was presented to th< council and is now in the hands of p committee for final recommendation A GREAT MEETING Union Services Last Evening at Christian Church Were Inspiring. MANY TURNED AWAY Four Laymen and Rev. Mii ner of United Brethren Church on Program. Hundreds were turned away from the Christian church last night, where the union service was held. The union young peoples meeting was fine. Excellent talks were given by four men. Prof. V. C. Knepper gave the first talk on the subject “What the Church Stands for in the Community.” He brought out .man; fine points as to its uplifting force and power for good. He spoke of the future of the church —how that it was getting closer together. The next speaker was Professor Martin Worthmann, who spoke or “The Church and Nation.” It wat a splendid talk —very inspiring and helpful. He spoke of the fine spirit that was being manifested by the churches ni the union meetings, and the tact that the time had come foi a closer co-operation of the churches and how much that we needed a large auditorium that could be used for th< Sunday night union meetings. H< said, “‘So let us get busy and built it." (Applause). C. L. Walters gave the next talk on “The Church and Politics,” which was very timely and helpful, showing that the church should not take a part -in—politics—only to the extent that the church should build up the individual person so that when he got an office he would first of all be a Christian. Dore B. Erwin gave a very inter esting talk on the subject of “The Church and the Commercial World,’ which was very instructive, indeed He spoke of the church as the great est institution in the world anti that it paid more in real value for the amount of money invested in it than any institution in the commercial world. He spoke of the fact that we should be more liberal with tin church. Give more to its building up in the community. Special music was rendered by Miss Ruby Miller and Mrs. Eugene Runyon, which was appreciated by all. Harry Fisher gave a reading from Riley that was fine. In all the program was very good. The preaching service was one of the best thus far. Good singing—and a fine sermon by the Rev. C. J. Miner of the U. B. church, on the subject of "David’s Complete Victory,” which found a respondent chord. He spoke of the assurance that we had that we could have a complete victory over self and sin in this world. It was indeed an excellent sermon. Never was there a finer spirit manifested by ministry and members of the church than is being manifested in the growing interests in the union meetings. It now looks as if the Evangelical church would be too small to hold the crowd that will attend next Sunday night, where the f next union meeting will be held. Rev. J. G. Butler will deliver the mes- - sage at that time. And the following . Sunday night the M. E. church will be I the place, with the Rev. J. C. Hanna as the preacher.

Price, Two Cents.

BIG OFFENSIVE IS LAST GARD For Germany and Austria. Says Wm. Phillip Simms, War Correspondent FOR UNITED PRESS Victory and End of the War is Promised—Failure Means Disruption. (United Prejn, Service) (By William Phillip Simms. United Press Stall Correspondent) (Copyright 191 S by the United Press) Zurich. Switzerland. Feb 11—(Spe:ial to Daily Democrat) —An ominous unrest is growing daily throughtout the Central Empires. Germany and Austria must have oeace or go under. The people of loth countries demand it. If the allies stand pat on the Wilsonian program and make a stone wall of the western front, the end of the var is in sight. This sums up the situation, as seen 'rom here at this time. It doesn’t mean that Germany is on the brink of a revolution. But it loes mean the people are tired of war ind opposed to the pan-German policy if conquest. They are angry over the privations it home and the losses of men folk at the front. At the same time they believe President Wilson is sincere in ’is statement of war aims. There is io doubt but that the German masses ire beginning to see the light. Only ‘he diplomatic blunders of the allies lave kept them bound to the war larty this long. For instance, Philip Scheidemann, lighteen months ago threatened something little short of a revolution inless the junkers changed their ‘one. Shortly after this the allies rublished an intimation the war would lot stop until the Central Powers vere disrupted. Thereupon, Scheidemann and his ollowers automatically aligned them■elves with the government. Like ats in a corner, they meant to fight. Judging from what everyone fresh rom Germany is saying, the allies ire now on the right track, in that hey will only continue the war until ‘.he German war party gives up its ambitions for world conquest, when ‘hey are ready to make an equitable seace —but. until then they will fight elentlessly. Today the masses in Germany and Xustria are in a mood to listen to reaon. From the most dependable sources have learned that domestic condiions in both countries are appalling. Austria is threatened with disruption. Long processions of women and ahildren are common, marching through the streets of the cities, demanding bread. The recent strikes bro-ke out spon‘aneously because the people desire peace and are hungry. Illness is rampant. The death rate s steadily mounting. Deaths from consumption alone are something higher than the birth rate. A strange malady, popularly called the “bread disease’’ is taking off multitudes. The coal shortage is severe. There are many deaths from the cold. Milk is impossible to procure even for the babies. It Is the same with ■ butter and all fats. The rich still live well, securing their wants by bribery and stupen- ’ dous prices, or by sending their famt Hies to neutral countries. t But the masses are suffering horribly, despite plenty of work and high wages. Even when they manage to i- fill their stomachs the quality is so f poor the food fails to nourish. Their il constitutions are so weakened the n slightest malady takes them off in a e jiffy. o A crime wave is sweeping the countrp. People are robbed on the e streets in broad daylight. Discon- !. tent is rife. In the meantime, two i- parties are struggling for master. One g is the small, powerful plutocratic war e party which, clearly seeing the disasi I ter ahead, is attempting to bull bait I (dontfnued’on'Page Two)