Sherbrooke daily record, 28 décembre 1917, vendredi 28 décembre 1917

[" J roo ally Record.Established 1897 SHERBROOKE, QUE.FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1917.Twenty-first Year FRENCH REPULSE ENEMY SURPRISE Will NOT ACCEPIPROPOSED RAISE IBIG CONTRACIS ATTACK IN ARGONNE REGION ; QUIET ON THE BRITISH FRONT Activity of Artillery Continues on Both Sides of the Meuse.French Batteries Dispersed Troops Concentrating With Losses.Lull in Fighting on the Belgian Front.(Associated Press Despatch.) LONDON, Dec.28.\u2014\"There is nothing of special interest to report,\u2019\u2019 says today\u2019s communication from the War Office.HEAVY SHELLING IN LORRAINE (Associated Press Despatch.) PARIS, Dec.28.\u2014Artillery fighting continued during the night on the Verdun front near Caurieres Wood, where the Germans made an unsuccessful attack on Wednesday, the War Office reports.There also was heavy shelling in Lorraine.The communication follows: \u2018¦During the night there were artillery actions in the region of Caurieres Wood and in Lorraine, in the sector of Veho, where the bombardment became very severe late in the night.In Upper Alsace a French patrol brought back prisoners.There is nothing to report from the remainder of the front.\u201d PEACE BASED ONSTATUS QUO Foreign Minister of France Says Allies Will Discuss Proposals When Made Direct.BIG GUNS ACTIVE ON FRENCH FRONT (Associated Press Despatch.) PARIS, Dec.27.\u2014The French War Office issued the following < -tfal statement tonight: \u201cIn the Argonne we repulsed an enemy surprise attack.\u201cOn the right bank of the Meuse the activity of the artillery on both jtdes continued very lively in the region of Caurieres Wood and Bezonvaux.Northeast of Bezonvaux our batteries caught under their fire an enemy troop concentration which was dispersed with losses.\u201cBelgian communication: During the last 48 hours there has been little activity on the Belgian front.During the night of Dec.26-27 the artillery \u2022 fighting was rather intense in the Dixmude sector.\u201cArmy of the East: December 26: Nothing of importance occurred.The bad weather continues.AVIATORS KILL\t! dropped bombs near a certain town \u2014.-.Y//\u2014\\ t ] o cr'vï rxfrr m c ' two American privates, who were I - * kJ U.o.oULUIclKo j ;n a camp in a wood, were killed._______ | A corporal was killed and one pri- * (Associated Press Despatch) \u2019 was wounded Christmas Eve With the American Armies in I\te11 dropped \"t?'\u201c i Party of American engineers working France, Dec; 28.- During a recent in trenches on a section of the French moonlight night German aviators front.GERMANY AIMED AT DRIVING WEDGE IN AFRICA Object Was to Divide Domination of Britain in Ea*t and South Africa.(Via Reuter\u2019s Ottawa Agency) LONDON, Dec.28.\u2014In an article entitled \u201cThe world\u2019s political iniport-unce of German East Afrca\the Cologne Gazette frankly confesses .that Germany haa for years a-ui^u at the creation of a German wedge dividing Africa from sea to sea.Although Germany in 1911, by treaty with France, \u201capparently\u201d made final renunciation of the Idea of a Créât colonial empire, she \u201creally aimed at the creation of a German-Delgian economic area in the l on go Damn from the India Ocean to the Atlantic.\u201d Thus, when the war commenced, Germany was \u201cdeliberately exploiting r her incomparable geographical position in East Africa.\u201d The Cologne Gazette proceeds to aay this position constituted \"a wedge between the Eng.sh claims to sole domination in East Africa and South Africa\u2014a dividing and immovable wedge.As long as England did not let it come to a trial of strength, the newspaper confess a great difficulties obstruct Germany's colonial war aims, hut ¦'all our wishes will be realized only if by our battles in Europe we can compel En cl and to recognize ue as an equal colonial power, and \u2018to draw the necessary coneeuierses in the future rearrangement of Africa.\u201d * AMERICAN ROADS MERG- * * ED INTO ONE GREAT * ft\tCHAIN.\t» if\t Sf ft (Associated Press Despatch.) & ft WASHINGTON, Dec.28.\u2014 ift ft .At noon today the approximate- ift ft ly 250,000 miles of American ift ft railway systems silently merg- ft ft ed into one great continental ft ft chain for the winning of the ft ft war.\t^ ft Under President Wilson\u2019s de- ft ft cision, the great event, regard- ft ft ed by many as the opening of ft ft a new epoch in Government ft ft operation and control of public ft ft- utilities, passed by without ft ft any formal ceremony.\tft * * (Associated Press Despatch) PARIS, Dec.27.\u2014 (delayed \u2014 France will not accept a peace based on conditions before the war, Foreign Minister Picbon declared in replying in the Chamber of Deputies today to the peace terms of Central Powers outlined to Russia.He asserted that Germany was endeavoring to involve France in its negotiations with the Bolsheviki, but that the war would go on whether or not Russia made a separate peace.The foreign minister said Germany was seeking to protract the negotiations xvith the Russians, re-establishing commercial relations in the meantime, believing that in this way the Bolsheviki might be checkmated later.Referring to the terms which the Central Powers offered to the Russians, as published today, he said : \u201cGermany is trying to involve in her Maximalist negotiations.After suffering as we nave, we accept peace based on the statu quo.By agreement with our allies, we are ready to discuss direct propositions regarding peace, but this is indirect.\u201cRussia can treat for a separate peace with our enemies or not.In either case the war for us will continue.An ally has failed us, an ally who in preceding years carried off gfreat victories.It is a great success for our enemies, but another ally has come; from the other end of the world and that ally has risen against Germany\u2019s appetite for conquest.At the conference in Paris, a program was drawn up, and, in consequence, unity of action on the part of the Allies will make itself felt, even to Macedonia.Germany and her allies have undertaken the common task of conquering the world.The world will conquer them.M.Pichon declared that secret treaties published by the Bolsheviki had not compromised France.He said the German diplomats, who were pretending to show indignation were the very- men who sought to negotiate to a secret treaty with the old regime in Russia, who attempted to draw- Mexico into the war against the United States and the organized plots ; in Argentina.' 'ter referring to the German de-I claration that Alsace and Lorraine would never he restored to France.M: ! Pichon said : \u201cThe question of Alsace-Lorraine j does not affect France alone.It is a ! world question.It is not a territorial j problem, but a morale problem.In : its solution depends whether or not j the world shall have a durable ; peace.\u201d , This statement was greeted with j applause.The occupation of Jerusalem, M.Pichon said, was a victory for the civilized world.He added that the city would be given an internation: 1 sta-tUR.IN POWER RATES FORJENCKES Matter Discussed by Board of MACHINE CO.I rade.Resolution Adopted to Enforce Street Railway Franchise.HEAVY SNOWFALL IN DISTRICT Street Car Service Suspended and Trains Running Late./t Sherbrooke and surrounding dis-;rict are today in the grip of a severe snowstorm.The snow began to fall early this morning and at.six o\u2019clock there was a depth of several inches, while in places where it.had drifted «it was many feet deep.It is many years since such cold weather and such a heavy snowstorm , have been experienced so early in the winter season.The street railway service is suspended and all the trains are running *!atc.SHAME! SHAME! \u201cMy wife\u2019s felines and Fitlos prac-tically rule our house.\u201d \u201cA case of reigning cals and dogs, as it wer»\u2018\u201d SPEAKER OF THE COMMONS Expected Hon.Mr.Rhodes Will Again Fill Office.Difficulty in Securing Deputy.(Canadian Press Despatch) OTTAWA, Dec.28\u2014 There is little likelihood of a change in the speaker-ship when the House meets.Hon.El.N.Rhodes, who was speaker in the last parliament subsequent to the inclusion of Hon.Albert Sevigny in the Cabinet, was defeated in Cumberland, Nova Scotia, on the home vote by a majority of less than two hundred.Unless the unexpected happens, he will be confirmed in his seat by the overseas vote, and the votes of soldiers still in Canada.His choice os Speaker of the new Parliament is certain.The desirability of naming a permanent speaker as they do in England has often been discussed at the Capital, and the subject was broached by Sir Robert Borden to Sir Wilfrid Laurier sometime during the last session.Sir Wilfrid did not, think the time opportune to depart from the present system.With a Union Government it is possible that the matter may again be taken up, with more prospects of the British plan being accepted.The appointment of a deputy speaker affords more of a problem to the Government.Dn Chabot, of Ottawa, is the only French supporter of the Union Government elected and it is not likely that the appointment is one that would appeal to him.The difficulty that confronts the Government in connection with this post is similar to the problem arising out of the lack of French representation in the cabinet, except that in the case of Ministers, senator» could ho chos- AMERICAN PAINTER DIES IN BERLIN (Associated Press Despatch) AMSTERDAM.Dec.28 \u2014 The.death of Toby Rosenthal, an American painter, is reported by the Tngo-btatt, of Berlin.He was born in New Haven 6!) years ago.RESOURCES OF COUNTRY MUST BE CONSERVED Hon.F.B, Carvell Gave Address of Grave Import on Canadian Finances and the War, (Canadian Press Despatch.) ST.JOHN, N.B., Dec.28.\u2014At a reception tendered him here last night Hon.F.B.Carvell, Minister of Puolic Works, gave an address of grave import on Canadian finances and on the war.He said Great Britain was persistently calling for mu-, nitions and foodstuffs, and Canada must answer the call.But she must do her own financing for not a dollar could be borrowed now either in Britain or the United States.Tn the next fiscal year at least $500,000,000 would have to be raised by Canada, in addition to the $150,000,000 or $175,000,000 necessary to carry on the ordinary business of the country.He was presenting these matters squarely.He would be\u2019cold-blooded about it, for he was please.d to have the opportunity to talk cf them to a gathering of business men, and he asked them to take these matters home with them and ponder over1 * * them.'The question all resolved itself into this, that the Union Government\u2019s duty was to see that the resources of the country were conserved, that the people save money, and thereby have it to invest, in Government bonds for the carrying on of the war.If the peoples\u2019 savings and profits were not j to be available Canada could not | carry on as she has done in the past.That was the real reason for formation of the Union Government and there must be government along business lines.Speaking of the prohi-1 bition orders-in-council he said his hearers need not be surprised about once a week to learn of something just as drastic being done.1 , TWO MEN KILLED IN TORONTO.(Canadian Press Despatch) TORONTO, Dec.28.\u2014John Bo\u2019.a-hood, of Toronto, and Charles Resick, whose address is not known, dies! hero this morning from injuries sustained when they were struck by a radial car at New Toronto shortly before midnight.Many important questions were discussed at a genera! meeting of the Sherbrook Board of Trade in the City Hall last night.Mr.ÎJ.O\u2019C.Mignault presided over an attendance of about thirty members.The secretary gave a brief outline of the changes which are being made in the now by-law of the Electric Department.No change is being made in the price of lighting for domestic purposes, but there i.- a special rate provided for large industrial consumers of light, of four to five cents per kilowatt hour.The price of power is raised from 3-4 cent per kilowatt to 1 1-4 cents.The minimum per h.p.will be $18, $21 or $24, according to the quantity contracted for.Another important change is the system of making contracts.Instead of setting a minimum price per month per h.p.installation, as at present, the new by-law provides that a contract will be made for a stated supply of power, the maximum of which will be used for 20 consecutive minutes.The president theri introduced Mr.Desbailiets, the electrical engineer, who had kindly come to the meeting to answer questions and give explanations.Mr.L.H.Collet, manager of L.0.Noel & Co., pointed cut tnat during the past year he had paid $1,000 for power, arid under the new rates he would have to pay $1,300, as he understood it, and he was opposed to such a heavy increase.Mr.Desbailiets replied that while Mr.Collet had a 100-h.p.motor he had really used only 60 h.p., and under the new system of contracting he could make a contract for 60 h.p.and the percentage of his increase would not be so heavy as might appear.Mr.Collet replied that his bill was based on kilowatts and the rate was being increased by one-half cent per kilowatt and he did not see otherwise than that his bill would be increased in the same way.His reason for having a 100-h.p.motor was that under the old by-law the minimum monthly charge for a motor of from 50 to 99 h.p.capacity was 75 cents per h.p., whereas from 100 h.p.or more the minimum monthly charge was 50 cents per h.p.and he expected to make a saving in this way.Mr.Desbailiets saia this was one of the weaknesses of the old by-law.Nothing was so undesirable for an electric installation such as owned by the city as motors of excessive capacity.\u201cWe must insist that our customers use motors «.nut are rated to the load, as nothing is worse for the system than an idle motor or a transformer which is not loaded.All plants which have larger motors than they require make us draw a larger current from the line, and about 30 per cent, of the power is thus lost.\u201d Mr.J.Nicoi stated that he, with a number of others, did not know very much about the technical part of the Electric Department, but he thought that the industries of the city had been getting power for next to nothing, and there was no reason why these industries who were making a pile of money anould not pav for their power.He thought the by-law was perhaps a good plan.He believed (Continued on page 8.) BANKS SEIZED\" IN PETROGRAD _______ Among Number is National City Bank of New York._ _ (Associated Press Despatch! PETROGRAD, Dec.28.\u2014Bcldiers, acting under the orders of Finance Comnussioner Menshinsky, to-day surrounded and seized all private hanks in Petrograd, including the branch of the National City Bank, New Tons.The manager, E.R.Stevens, was arrested and detained for a short time.Many bank directors were arrested.Several surrendered the vaults, but Stevens refused.In explaining the seizure of the ban's, M.Menshinsky said: \"We let it be known long ago that private banks should send reports weekly to the State Bank.This was done, but the rennrte w re Incorrect.It was then decided to occupy the banks, revise their acti Itv and then see that they resumed business.The Uevs are in the bends of Oomrmssion-er Belenaky, of the Plate Bank, mi are the boots and documents which have been seized.\u201d Tt is reported t^at a speeial committee will investi'ate the closed banks, spending a week in the process, and that the institutions will not be permitted to resume business in the meantime.The eitv is facing a serious financial shortage, especially in currency of small denoml-ations, which has been unavailable for several days.BRITISH PRESS OPINION DIVIDED ON REPLY OF CENTRAL POWERS TO BOLSHEVIKI PEACE TERMS New Capital Brought Into Company and Great Industrial Activity Will Follow.It is learned that the Jenckes Machine Company have secured large additional contracts which will involve the employment of several hundred more men.Additional capital has been brought into the business through those interests which are identified with the Canadian Inger-soll Rand Company, another of Sherbrooke\u2019s large industries.At a meeting of shareholders of the Jenckes Machine Company held yesterday some changes were made in the personel of the board, Mr.George Doubleday of New York becoming the new president, and Mr.E.W.Gilman, general manager.Inasmuch as time is of the essence of the new contracts, operations on the augmented scale will be commenced immediately.The Jenckes Machine Company is one of Sherbrooke\u2019s oldest industries having been founded by the late Mr.Sylvestre Jenckes, the father of Mr.S.W.Jenckes, Mr.J.M.Jenckes and Mr.Albert Jenckes.The company started in a small way, its plant being located in the North Ward on what is known as Jenckes Lane.Later it was moved to the present site, where ' the main building was burned about twenty years ago.It was immediately restored on a larger scale, and important new buildings have since been constructed at St.Catharines.It is understood this will be operated as entheiy separate from the Sherbrooke plant.The new contracts which have been secured for the Jenckes plant here, it is understood, will necessitate the employment of about a thousand men.PEACE PARLEY FOR TEN DAYS One Section Sees Sincere Offer to End the War, While on the Other Hand, it is Declared a Cunning Trap Has Been Set With View to Catch the Alliés.Daily News Declares That Allies Should Make Candid Statement of War Aims.Times and Mail Declare the Entente Powers Are Not Thinking of Peace But of Victory.WEATHER REPORT VERY COLD TONIGHT AND SATURDAY.The disturbance which was over the Lake rcirion yesterday morning has moved eastward to the lower St.Lawrence Valley, accompanied by etronpr winds and snow', and the severe cold which hn* prevailed in the Western Provinces te now #prendinR into Ontario.Strong: northwest winds : fair and extremely cold tonight and Saturday.£ Trotzky to Send New Note to Allies Asking Them to Participate in Conference.(Associaied Press Despatch) PETROGRAD, Dec.28.\u2014The delegates of the Central Powers to the peace conference at Brest-Litovsk have agreed to a ten-day recess in the peace negotiations which will be resumed Jan.4 at a place not yet determined.Leon Trotzky, the Bolsheviki Foreign Minister, is reported to be drafting a new note to the Entente Allied embassies again asking them to participate in the peace conference.Trotzky is also said to be preparing a new message to the people of the world.The Russian delegates to the peace conference will return to Petrograd today or Saturday.An armistice is reported to have been reached between the Bolsheviki forces and that troops of General Kaiedines at Rostov, with a neutral zone between the opposing' lines.SITUATION IS STILL OBSCURE.(Associated Press Despatch) LONDON, Dec.28\u2014 The progress of the peace negotiations is expected to have a large influence on internal conditions in Russia, and the fighting in the south, where the position of affairs is still obscure.According to the best available information reaching London, the Bolsheviki Commissioners, the concentration of whose forces against the south is being only feebly conducted, are count ng upon two things to strengthen their position-first, the chance of securing a peace acceptable to the country as a whole, which would induce the nation to overlook the evident lack of administrative ability shown by the Bolsheviki ; second the fact of the existence of considerable lines, classes and cleavages even among the supporters of the Kaiedines movement in the south.General Kaiedines is reported to .lave recently resigned the leadership of the Cossack government, while the Cossacks themselves are divided, a large section of the moderates being undesirous of fighting the workmens and soldiers government so long as the latter is able to preserve order in the country.The Bolsheviki are said to be speculating or.the still further spread of the revolutionary feeling among the Cossacks against their «enerals, and among the Ukrainians against the Bourgeoise.Through French sources it is reported that the bolsheviki administration is quite powerless to revictual Petrograd, which now possesses only the barest reserves of food.All railway communication with the rich grain provinces in the Don territory and Ukraine lias either been cut or is disorganized.The Central Powers have rejected a Polish claim to be represented at the peace conference at Brest-Lito vsk, but, according to the Frankfurter Zeitung, the delegates at Brest\u2014Li-tovsk include representativef of the Ukraine republic.(Associated Press Despatch) LONDON, Dec.28.\u2014Opinion here on the reply of the Central Powers to the Bolsheviki peace terms, as far as can be judged from the editorials ! in the morning newspapersf'-fbllow : two main lines.On the one hand it seems to be felt that the Central Powers have made a perfectly sincere offer to end the war immediately, while, on the other hand, it is declared that they have set a corning trap in which they hope, although vainly, to catch the allies.The former view is not confined to papers generally regarded as having pacifist leanings.It is supported j strongly, for instance, by the Con-! servative Daily Express, which stands uncompromisingly for victory over the Central Powers, and is an ardent apostle of anti-Prussianism.In all the papers taking this view the statement of the Central Powers is being regarded as being addressed less to Russia than tothe allies collectively, and the offer made through Count Czerin is assumed to be an initial proposal which the Central Powers probably are prépared to modify in the course of bargaining, for nowhere are the terms of the Central Powers regarded as entirely acceptable in their platform.ASKS FOR CANDID STATEMENT.The Daily News, which warmly endorsed the recent letter of the Marquis of Lansdowne, and is regarded as being tinged with pacifism, contends that Germany had to choose between her extremists and her moderates, as no peace formula could possibly satisfy both Count Reventlow and Phillip Scheidmann.\u201cNothing could be too ill-advised,\u201d the Daily News continues, \u201cthen a , general denunciation of the German offer by the press or politicians of the Entente allies as such a reception is precisely what German diplomats are.playing for.That does not mean that the German proposals can be grasped at as a basis of immediate negotiations, their defects are self-evident.\u201d After denouncing the terms as they would affect Belgium, and other matters as being altogether unacceptable, the Daily News adds: \u201cThese deficiencies might seem for a moment to furnish sufficient ground for ignoring or summarily dismissing the German proposals.Reasons regarding that conclusion are.shortsighted and impolitic, as already has been suggested.\u201cIf the allies are appealed to by the Russians for their views, they should sieze without hesitation the opportunity of making a candid and reasoned statement of their war aims and their peace terms.\u201d SEES NO PROSPECT FOR PEACE.A highly interesting situation, the Daily Telegraph thinks, has been ; created by the reply of the Central ! Powers, but it does not see it in the ! prospect of any secure settlement of j the world\u2019s peace.SEES BERLIN TRAP.The Times and the Daily Mail are | exponents of the view that the proposals constitute a trap for the allies, and if accepted would leave the Cen-i tral Powers victors.The Times says ; that Count Czerin\u2019s statement fully j bears out President Wilson\u2019s explana-| tion of last summer that the purpose ! of the German peace intrigue is the i deceit of nations.] \u201cThe real object of the answer is Iransparent,\u201d it adds.\u201cGermany and her sattellites hope that the Prussian commissioners will ratify the action of their delegates, and intend to make ! use of this to strengthen the pacifists 1 in the allied countries and, Dernburg ; told us, to break the home front of Germany\u2019s enemies.The Bolsheviki j are to be the bait with which to ^ tempt the believers and half-behevers Î in peace by agreement into the Berlin Ï trap.I \u201cIn every instance where a conces-1 sion to a democratic principle is apparently made, it is nullified immediately by some craftily drawn quali-; fication or reserve.\u201d It is Germany\u2019s manifest policy, according to the Times, to secure while ; there is yet time, a peace which will preserve under her control her vassale in central and southern Euro-e, enabling her to boast truly that mili- \u2022J»\t**» ?** ?$» **4 ?}» »*?\t«.*-?»j« #?« .J»\t«J* 4* i BRITISH REPLY TO PEACE r Btr\u2014ÜL F.Uimwim, Umm^m f 180974 TWO SHERBROOKE DAILY RECORD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 191/.Bringing Up Father Copyright.1811, By George McManus that WUZ A PINE BIRD VOO BENT ^ HOME-) ^ Âi ^ I KNOV 'T- WHERE IB HE 9 I ATE IT!! 0*, WHAT 77?THAT WAB> A PARROT- ! 1 OOHT KNOW ¦ * ,HAT |T WUZ 1 5UT IT TABTED ; ALL RK,HT' \u2014M (A J oh:dear T-HAT OIR.D broke Two, lAH