Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 43, Number 263, 16 September 1918 — Page 1

MICHMOOT) PAIXABIUM

T Do It Now Do It Liberally Do It cheerfully Do It Now . Do It Lib rail y Do It Cheerfully SINGLE COPY, 2 CENTS VOL. XLni NO. 263 &";?iSSitoT I'all&dhim and Sun-Tlero RICHMOND, IND., MONDAY EVENING, SEPT. 16, 1918. IMI

AUSTRIA'S FEELER TOWARD PEACE RESULT OF ALLIED GAINS, U.S. LEADERS HOLD Allied Governments Denounce Proposal as Trick of Germany to Sow Discord Among United Nations May Be Attempt to Patch up Position at Home by Peace Propaganda While Hun Leaders Hold War Spoils Off er Not Yet Made Through Official Channels. NO SUCCESS ANTICIPATED FOR HUN EFFORTS (By Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 Austria's peace offensive note had not reached the state department early today, nor had the department heard through official channels of Germany's reported offer of a separate peace to Belgium. Both of these moves are recognized in both government and diplomatic quarters here as the definite beginning of the expected desperate Teutonic effort to confuse the issue, sow discord among the allies and patch up the positions of their governments at home through peace propaganda, while they still hold the spoils of war.

No doubt is to be found in any quarter as to what the answer of America and the allies will be to the Vienna proposal for "non binding" peace discussion, although, of course officials carefully refrain from formal comment before the note actually is received. Even when victorious German armies were advancing into France Buch a suggestion would not have been considered seriously. Now that the tide is turning and America and the allies propose soon to drive the enemy out of a conquered soil, there is no disposition to parley over twhat the Teutons shall b allowed to 'keep. Officials have read carefully the text of the Austrian communication in the press dispatches and exchanges between the co-belligerent governments on the subject probably already are under way. It is assumed that the official version will come in a few hours through one of the neutral legations. rt is reported from a Berlin semiofficial source that foreign minister Durlan's move In Indicating the note inviting the belligerents to a conference constituted an act binding Austria alone, says a Zurich dispatch today. Germany, it Is declared took no part whatever In drawing up the note. CONFERENCE IN BERLIN AMSTERDAM An important conference of leaders of the majority parties in the relchstag was held Sunday with reference to the Austrian peace note, telegrams from Berlin today report. According to some of the reports. Count von Hertling, the imperial chancellor, presided at the conference, which lasted two hours and a half. Admiral von Hlntze, the foreign secretary, and Hen- Walraf, the minister of the Interior, also are stated to have been present. It was said the deliberations would be continued today. The note in which Austria-Hungary invites the belligerents to a confer-; ence for discussion of the possibilities of peace was dispatched by Baron Burian the Austro-Hungarian foreign minister, on the - order of Emperor Charles, the Cologne Volkszeltung declares. BALFOUR AGAINST PROPOSAL. LONDON, Sept. 16. A. J. Balfour, the British foreign secretary giving his personal view point on the Austrian peace note to visiting journalists said: "It is increditable that anything can "come of this proposal. "Coming after the recent speech of Freidrlch Gayer ,the German Imperial vlce-chancelor," Mr. Balfour said, "this synical proposal of the Austrian government is not a genuine attempt to obtain peace. It is an attempt to divide the allies." Mr. Balfour said no one should take upon himself the task of rejecting with a light heart any proposal which would shorten the length of the war. He also declared that no coalition ever had been so strong as the allied coalition and that the enemy would not succeed in breaking It. Conversations such as were proposed by Austria-Hungary, Mr. Balfour said, undoubtedly would have great value nder certain circumstances. He said they would serve to smooth out obscurities such as question of pride, but he declared that the questions now between the beligerents were definitely defined. EXPECTED IN PARIS. PARIS, Sept. 16. The Austrian proposal for a conference of the belligerents was not much of a surprise in Parisian political centers, where it is considered to be a consequence of the recent military successes of the allies. The general impression is that the new peace offensive - cannot be fruitful. BERLIN IS SKEPTICAL. AMSTERDAM, Sept. 16. The peace Initiative should have been left to the entente allies, according to the Tages

Zeitung of Berlin, which comments on which alone make useful talk possithe Austrian peace note. ble." , "The fate of all previous announc- "Our peace terms have been made ments-a to readiness for peace and abundantly clear." says the Post.

a coinciliatory spirit on the part of the central powers does not encourage

great hopes that this offer will meet with greater success," the newspaper says. "It must naturally encounter great skepticism on our part." "After our experience hitherto with peace proposals," says the Lokai Anzelger, "we cannot help feeling thoroughly skeptical." Austria's move may prove quite a "risky step," says the Neuste Nachrichten, of Berlin. The Boersen Zeitung places no very great hope in the offer and the Berlin Post fears the offer will be again interpreted by entente countries as weakness and as a Blgn of impending collapse, as well as a begging for peace, on the part of the central empires. Can't Understand Motive "A discussion of the timeliness of the Austrian step Is useless," says the Vorwarts. "Once it was made without the German government taking a similar step, there is nothing for Germany to do but to give its adhesion. That is the only way of preventing harmful effects and permitting the good effects to be fully developed. Austria's peace tentatives will be welcomed by the widest circles of the German people and many hope will be placed in it, but it is necessary to utter a warning against over hasty opinion." "Through the fault of both sides, obFtacles to peace have been piled mountain high," according to the Kreuzzeitlng. which fears that the Austrian note will be futile and may even lead to a result opposite to that Intended. "All the ill success which similar steps by the central powers have encountered from the entente allies has not taught the Austro-Hungarian cabinet anything," says the Taegliche Rlndschau. "It is absolutely inconceivable what motives induced the Austro-Hungarian government now of ficially to repeat the step taken In the letter to Prince SIxtus. The Deutsche Zeitung says: "The lack of success which has hitherto attended our peace offers does not encourage us to hope for much from Count Burian's proposals for the promotion of the peace idea. That, of course, should not prevent the German government from examining the Austro-Hungarian notes benevolently and thoroughly. INDIGNANTLY REJECTED. LONDON. Sept. 16. Austria's Invitation to the belligerents to meet In informal peace discussions Is IndignanUy rejected by the London morning newspapers. The note Is seen by commentators as a German trick in which Austria is made the catspaws in an endeavor to gain time to enable the German high command to reorganize its shattered troops. The offer of peace to Belgium !s regarded as a shameless Insult. "The Austrian note does not bring real peace any nearer," says the Express. "Preliminary conditions to peace have been stated over and over again by the allies and there is not lh,e faintest suggestion that central powers will agree to any one of these conditions. They who drew the sword are scheming to save themselves from perishing by the sword. The disingenuiness of the note betrays that it was written In Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin." Relative to the offer of peace to Belgium the impress says, "This is another BresiiLitovsk scheme and part of the same plan for preserving the power of the Hohenzollerns." Democracy at Helm. After referring to the sinking of the liner Gal way Castle, as a coincidence to the offer of peace the newspaper says: "The allied peoples will not shake hands. They will not be friends nor will they agree to any hole-ln-the-cor-ner negotiations. Democracy now is at the helm of the world's affairs. Militarism is tottering and if the German people desire to save themselves from falling with it, they must Insist on the preliminary conditions

"Unbinding Peace Parley9 Suggested in Note From Austria to Allies

(By Associated Press) While Austria was preparing her note to the belligerent nations, proposing that they meet In Informal discussion of peace terms in a neutral country, Germany was making ready to make another offer of separate peace to Belgium. It is announced that the Belgian government has been approached with a proposal that if she will remain neutral during the remainder of the war Germany is ready to withdraw to the frontiers that were violated in August, 1914. It is affirmed from Berlin that the Austrian government acted on its own Initiative in sending out its peace proposals, but the offer of Germany to Belgium points to what may be said to be more than a coincidence and probably a desperate "peace offensive" is now well under way. Effort is Futile. If official sentiment is reflected by newspaper comment at the entente capitals, the efforts of the central powers to reach a peace by negotiation are doomed to failure. In Londan and Paris the offer of Austria was very coldly received while at Washington it is pointed out that the United States will not entertain any peace tentatives that can, at best, bring only a temporary respite from hostilities and will leave Germany and Aus

Attack at St Mihiel Launched at Right Minute to Prevent Huns9 Escape

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, Sunday, Sept. 14. The role of the French divisions engaged in the St. Mihiel battle was to attack the head of the salient and assist the Americans in their drive against its western front while the main mass of the Americans was pushing through the southern side of the salient. Only a few French divisions were engaged, one of which under American command formed the extreme left of the attack on the western front of the salient. It had a powerful force of Americans on its right. This Franco-American army started from the region of Les Eparges and advanced southeastward to Join hands with the Woevre army from Vigneulles. Other French divisions co-operated in the attack on both sides of the blunt head of the salient. The hardest task fell to the division which attacked north of St. Mihiel. It had to fight its way across the densely wooded massif of the heights of the Meuse and carry hills of twelve hundred feet in the face of enemy resistance. This division alone took 2,500 prisoners, of whom 2,300 were Austrlans. St. Mihiel, cut off from the north and the south, was taken without a fight, the Germans slipping out on Thursday night. Aware that an attack was imminent, they had begun a retreat to the Hlndenburg line, or as they call this section, the main line "When Germany and her dependents are ready to accept them, they can let us know. There will be no abatement to them. Germany must be beaten and must recognize she is beaten. Until then her suggestions for peace conferences are not to be regarded any more than the crackling of thorns under a pot." The pacifist Daily News is the sole exception to the prevalent tone of comment. Anticipating general rejection of the Austrian proposals, it says that responsible, sober-minded men should nevertheless face the proposals squarely. The newspaper argues that discussions must occur sooner or later as a preliminary to peace and says: "Impudent Sham" "There is no solid ground upon which statesmen sincerely zealous for peace can justify the rejection of the Austrian proposals. Discussion would not involve an asmistice. There would be no question qf the allies compromising their fundamental principles. Against the more than remote prospect that discussions might leave Germany obdurate they might have a very different result in the case of Turkey, Bulgaria and even Austria. The allies with an unassailable moral case, have everything to. gain and nothing to lose by discussion." "An impudent sham," is the Mail's editorial head over its comment on the note, which it describes as "another form -of an old German tricks." "The German emperor is a ventriloquist whose voice we may hear in this Austrian telegram," the newspaper continues, "and we hear it because the military masters under whom Germany is bleeding are afraid. It is not humanity which they have in view, but the safety of their own skjns. This German trick has been disposed of in advance by President Wilson's -masterly addresses. Mr. Wilson's great watchword, 'No peace with autocracy applies to Austria. It is needless to say that these peace feelers make little impression in either the government or the people here. Thy are pointed out, however, as a revelation of speedy enemy appreciation of the meaning of American military partcipation in the war. The view is held in political circles that Germany realizes she will soon be compelled to withdraw from Belgium and if she could secure a treatry barring Belgian territory to allied troops and aircraft she would be thereby protecting Germany against hostile attacks. In the speech made at Manchester by Premier Lloyd George it is believed he replied in advance to any peace tentatives. In fact, it is believed the (Continued on Page Eight.)

tria free to break the peace of the world at any future date. Even in the German press there seems to be little hope that the allies will agree to meet representatives of the central powers. The newspapers of Berlin point out that similar steps by Germany and Austria have failed in the past and that while the people will no doubt be hopeful for a cessation of the struggle, there is little prospect of its early termination

In extending an invitation to all the j belligerent governments to enter into nonbinding discussions at some neut-; ral meeting place, the Austro-Hungar- j ian government stated that the object i of the conference would be to secure an exchange of views which would show "whether those prerequisites exist which would make the speedy Inauguration of neace negotiations appear promising." The text of the official communication reads: "Without optimism it at least assuredly may be deduced from the utterances of responsible statesmen that the desire to reach an understanding and not to decide the war exclusively by force of arms is also gradually beginning to penetrate into allied states, save for some exceptions in the case of blinded war agitators, which (Continued on Page Ten.) of defense." This "ICriemhild" position spans the base of the salient from Etain to the vicinity of Pagny. The attack was launched at exactly the right moment. Had it been postponed a day or two longer ,the enemy would hae had his troops safely stowed away behind the Kriemhild trenches and the allies would have captured neither men nor material. Enemy stores and depots in the salient had to be burned and the Germans set fire to villages In the plain beyond the Meuse, but the damage done was less than anticipated. INDIANA QUAKERMINISTERS HOLD MEETING TODAY Reports and Discussions Occupy Preliminary Session of Friends Yearly Meeting. Sixty-three representatives were present at the meeting of Ministry and Oversight which opened the Friends Yearly Meeting at the East Main Street Friends church Monday. S. Edgar Nicholson was appointed to act as temporary' clerk. In the morning the reports from the following quarterly meetings were read: Wabash, New Garden, Whitewater, Faimount, Puget Sound, Ambroy, Perin, Dublin and Vanwert. Representatives were present from the following meetings: Wabash, Portland, Travers City, Dublin, Vanwert, Fairmount, New Garden, West France, Puget Sound, Marion, Whitewater, Spiceland and Winchester. A committee was appointed to gather up the exercises of the meetings. This committee is composed of Andrew F. Mitchell, Arthur Charles, Alice Lawrence, J. Lindley and Alice Hunt. Monday afternoon was devoted to miscellaneous business and the consideration of the state of the church, the discussion of which arose from the reports of the quarterly meetings read in the morning. Some of these reports states that the church had been affected by the war. Others were encouraging in that they reported that the young people were taking great interest in the affairs of the church. Others reported a lack of interest in the spiritual life in parts of their community. Reports were read in which it was stated that the meetings were feeling the d?ep stress of the times. Yearly Meeting proper will begin Tuesday morning. The Weather For Indiana by United States Weather Bureau Probably cloudy and cooler tonight. Probably light frost Tuesday morning in north portion if weather clears. Tuesday, fair continued cool. and Today's Temperature. Noon 60 Yesterday Maximum ......... 71 Minimum , 61 For Wayne county by W. E. Moore Rain followed by partly , cloudy to-; night. Cooler tonight. Tuesday most-! ly fair and continued cool. General Conditions Rains are now general east of the Mississippi and south of the lakes. A cool wave of considerable 6ize cowers the Great Lckes and northwest where tempera-, tures are near the freezing point. Very heavy rains are reported in Cali-1 fornia where 5.98 inches fell in 24 hours. I

LOAN CAMPAIGN IN COUNTY IS OPENED SUNDAY

Enthusiastic Meeting is Held at Abington" to Start Loan Drive. All Fourth Liberty Loan City committees, both Women and Men, are requested to be at the High School Auditorium, 7:30 p. m., Tuesday. September 17. ? This is to include the block, precinct, ward, and all special committees. No home to home canvassing to begin until the committees are Instructed to do so CITY LIBERTY LOAN COM. The speaking campaign for the Fourth Liberty Loan was auspiciously opened Sunday afternoon in Abington, an audience of several hundred persons listening to strong patriotic talks by the Rev. J. B. O'Connor, of Centerville; Attorney Byram C. Robblns, and former mayor Will J. Robbins, of Richmond. W. E. Caskey, chairman for the Liberty ' Loan committee, of Abington township was chairman of the meeting. All of the speakers reviewed at some length the needs of the government in the world war and gave special emphasis to the fact that United States Liberty bonds represent the safest and best investment in the world. No other nation, one of the speakers said, no matter its financial strength, could issue bonds that have the wealth behind them that the Liberty Bonds of the United I States carry with them. Praise Township Record. Citizens of all classes were urged to do their part toward placing Abington township and the entire county on a par with other Indiana counties that will raise their full quotas early in the campaign. A tribute was paid to Abington township's record during the last Liberty Loan campaign with it more than doubled its quota, and U,heprediction, was made that once more ine xownsnip wouia equai mis record. Monday night .meetings will be held in Boston and Greensfork and indications point to a large attendance at each. Tuesday night meetings will be held at Jacksonburg, Centerville and Whitewater. On Wednesday night the Dalton township meeting will be held. Demas S. Coe, chairman of the county committee Monday received a telegram from Will H. Wade, director of sales for Indiana, saying that Wayne county's official quota would be announced Wednesday. "You will be eafe in announcing it double that of the Third Liberty Loan," the telegram said. The Wayne county committee some time ago fixed thg township quotas on a basis of $2,200,000 or double the last loan, which Is now confirmed by Director Wade. County Mass Meeting. The county mass meeting to be held in the Coliseum next week, Tuesday evening, September 24, promises to be one of the big patriotic gatherings that the city has witnessed since the beginning of the war. Mayor Jewett, of Indianapolis is to make an address and in addition there will be an address by an American soldier just from the front trenches in France. The name of this soldier has not been announced as yet by the state committee. The high school orchestra will play, there will be a chorus of fifty voices, and the several quartets that are appearing during this week's speaking campaign in the townships will be merged for that night. The musical program will precede the speaking and plans are being made to devote an hour to the musical features. Details of the service flag parade on the evening of September 24, which is to be participated in by the near relatives of soldiers of Wayne county, are announced elsewhere by L. A. Handley, chairman of the committee in charge. The committee hopes to make this one of the most impressive pagepts that the city has ever seen. It will take place at 6:30 p. m.,'as a preliminary to the Jewett meeting. 29,016 COLORED SELECTS CALLED (By Associated Press.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 16. A draft call for 29,016 negro registrants from , 33 states qualified for general military service and to entrain for national army camp Sept. 25-27, was issued today by Provost Marshal General Crowder. Indiana's quota under the call is 408.

SEPTEMBER 25, 26 and 27 ' , If you have money to invest buy Fourth Liberty Bonds.

SERVICE FLAG PARADE. September 24, 1918. .6:30 P. M. Forms on South Fourth street facing Main. The parade moves promptly at 6:30, and all delegations should be in line by 6:09. No one permitted to participate behind the band except grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, wives, children, and brothers and sisters of men in the service. Each participant to wear or carry a service flag. Parade will be formed by townships. The first township to arrive at the place of formation will be first in line. H. J. Hanes and Omer Whelan will be marshals in charge.' Each township will be permitted to have marshals of its own if so desired. Floats or machines for those who cannot march will be permitted. The band and those entitled to carry service flags will form on west side of South Fourth street, and the military section will form on the east side of South Fourth. The line of march will be east on Main to Fifteenth, and countermarchback to Seventh and the Coliseum. L. A. HANDLEY, Chairman Parade Com.

WHOLE FAMILIES LOST WHEN HUNS SINK STEAMER English Vessel Carrying Women and Children Sunk Without Warning. (By Associated Pream PLYMOUTH, Sunday, Sept. 15. Heartrending scenes were witnessed here when hundreds of survivors of the torpedoed steamer Galaway Castle were landed at 7 o'clock Thursday morning. The passengers were mostly women and children, and it is believed that whole families were lost Among the survivors, little tots, scarcely able to walk, crying in vain for their parents. Parents were searching in all directions for news of their children and women were seeking vainly for lost husbands. It mattered nothing that warm, dry clothing was distributed to take the place of the scanty attire the survivors snatched as they left the ship. Thtr one thought was to get news of their relatives and friends. There seems no reason to doubt that the vessel was torpedoed without the slightest warning. . The explosion occurred between the engine room and the stokehold, a fact that is taken to rule out any possibility that the ship struck a mine. The explosion caused comparatively little noise, but caused the ship to buckle in an extraordinary manner. She was injured at the extreme bottom and was bent and torn clear to the upper deck and seemed likely to break In two at any moment. Praises Ship's Crew. In spite of the damage done to the Galaway Castle, some of the crew declared that the Impact was hardly greater than that of the vessel bumping heavily against the side of a quay. The inrush of water was tremendous. One engineer was swept into the tunnel from the engine room and drowned. Fearing that the liner would founder at any moment. Captain Dyer ordered the boats lowered and issued life belts to all passengers. One boat was swamped, another was damaged because the false bottom fouled, and another was swept back against the liner by a wave and was smashed by the propeller. Another narrowly escaped a similar fate. Harry Burton, minister of highways of the Union of South Africa, who was among the survivors, was not inclined to speak of his own experiences, but Joined with other survivors in praising the devotion to duty and self-sacrifice , of the officers of the ship and the i men on the naval vessels which rush ed to the rescue. Germans Got Out First Austrian prisoners captured by the Americans at St. Mihiel are bitter in their denunciation of the Germans. They accuse the Germans of leaving them in the lurch. Austrian officers declare they were not warned of the American, attack and that repeated reauests for ammunition were ignored. The Germans, they added, gave their entire attention to extricating themselves from the salient. BOY SCOUTS MEET TUESDAY The Boy Scouts will meet in the 1 Council Chamber Tuesday night.

ALLIES LAUNCH

NEW ATTACK AGAINST FOE IN MACEDONIA Three Important Hill Positions Taken by French and Serbian Forces in Offensive Against Bulgarian Positions FURTHER GAINS IH WEST (By Associated Press.) Allied troops are on the offensive on the Macedonian front. Reorganized Serbian forces, aided by French units are attacking the Bulgarian positions in the mountain on the Serbo Greek border east of Monastir. Three important hill positions which had withstood allied efforts through years already have fallen to the Serbs and the French. The captured positions are about midway between the Cerna and Vardar rivers and command the upper course of the Cerna after it makes a wide curve southeast of Monastir. Several hundred prisoners have been taken in the advance which continues. Meanwhile the French and British troops on the main battle front in France continue their progress. Allies Advance Lines. Between the Pise and the Aisne the French are pressing on North of the Aisne. They have taken ths town of Vailly and near the Chemln Des Dames have stormed Mt. Des Singees, an important hill position. Astride the Scarpe the British have pushed forward new posts while along the Ypres-Comines canal, southeast of Ypres, they have advanced on a front of two miles. West of Cambrai and around St. Quenetin the activity has died down after the British capture of Maissemy. " -r- -- AMERICANS REPULSE RAIDS WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN LORRAINE Activity of the German artillery increased somewhat during the forenoon today. No infantry attacks, however were made. Intense aerial activity marked the operations early today. The Germans have not resisted minor movements calculated to consolidate the Anterican line which now has become firmly fixed. Allied high bombing airplane Sunday night dropped more than 17 tons of bombs on Courcelles, Ehrange, Searbrucken, Boulay, Buhl, Conflans and other points. The bombs dropped on Conflans were directed against the railway yards the center of the German communication In this region. The roads crossing the Moselle also were attacked by the airmen. Many direct bits were observed. An enemy train was hit at Longuyon. Pursuit groups protected by a barrage carried out numerous raids and scored victories in several engagements. Aviators Fail In Attack. Attempts of German aviators to cross the American lines were unsuccessful generally. Enemy airplanes last night attacked points within the American lines. Bombs were dropped on St. Mihiel and the Germans used their machine guns against that town but with little effect points along the line show that the number of guns and the general material captured by the Americans is increasing. An entirely artillery park was captured at Jaulny. . BRITISH TAKE MAISSEMY. WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE, Sunday, Sept. 15. Maissemy, a village five miles northwest of St. Quentin has been captured by the British. The place was taken during a local attack directed against the high ground upon which this hamlet is situated. This adds another important position to these recently taken along the ridges west of St. Quentin. A little below this place and to the southeast of Holnon wood the British also improved their lines slightly. Fighting of a local nature continues on the northern battle front near La Bassee, where the enemy has been forced to give ground steadily. Beyond this, no important infantry action has been reported, but heavy artillery duels have been fought at numerous points. British gunners bombarded the Hlndenburg line fiercely for hours yesterday and heavy enemy losses were Inflicted. The German gunners have been maintaining an intense fire in the Gouzeaucourt sector and deluged Havrincourt with explosives yesterday. Toway brought the first fair weather the British front has seen for a week. The sun came out bright and warm this morning and has been rapIdly drying out the water-logged ground over which it was becoming increasingly difficult for troops to operate.. Along the battle line, American attention is directed chiefly at the front In Lorraine, where the Americans art under fire from the fortress of Meti and are apparently making ready foi a drive against the "Kriemhild" line to which the Germans withdrew theii shattered columns from the St Mlhie! salient. Along this front Amerlcai (Continued on Page Eight.)