davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
War Council to
Insure Larger
Single Crops

international News Service
WASHINGTON, Dec 20.-AIIH-
tary plans for war has led TO the
adoption by the newly cOordinated
war council Of . constructive pro-
gram 70 insure larger production Of
staple crops on American farms
The threatened shortage Of farm
labor is the first problem officials
have set out 10 solve This short
age will prove disastrous TO next
years production. according TO Off
Gals. unless a huge agricultural
army is raised and put in the field
The war council has approved
a program which calls for a coun-
try-wide recruiting campaign by the
department OF la Dor, serving as q
clearing house, through which labo-
employment agencies of every SORT
may round up the unemployed as
well as the mis-employed for service
on the farms.
The reports Of field agents OF the
department of agriculture indicate
that farmers everywhere have
greatly increased the acreage OF
grain and other crops on the basis
OF acreage reports now in hand il
e estimated that next years wheat
crop viii approximate 1000, 100000
bushels. about a quarter Of a billion
bushels in excess Of the crop this
year.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
CAPITAL
PLACED UNDER
MARTIAL LAW
BoISheViki Orders Trenches
Dug Around PetrOgrad in
Fear of City Being Be-
Seiged by CoSSackS.
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International News Service
COPENHAGEN, Dec. 2O.-With
Petrograd under martial law, the
bolsheviki war office is making
preparations for the city to stand
siege in the event the counter revo-
Iutionists are able 10 draw near.
The excuse given for the declara-
ton OF martial law was the disor-
ders arising from the footing OF
wine cellars by the lawless element
but advices received here today said
that trenches were being dug several
miles from the outskirts OF the city
and that artillery was being mount
co where it could sweep the main
approaches.
The fact that strong forces OF
Ukrainian troops have reinforced
the Cossacks is apparently causing
the bolsheviki regime considera bic
concern.
So far as known here there are
no anti bolsheviki troops near Pet
rograd despite the recent report
that Kerensky was approaching
Petrograd with several thousand
armed men. Nothing more has been
heard of the report and il is now
considered very doubtful that ker-
enskv is even in the field
Russia's turbulent domestic af-
fairs and the uncertainty Of their
outcome was still the first I'm the
worlds attention today
Civil war in the new republic is
apparently spreading and steps haze
been taken by the bolsheviki gov
eminent at Petrograd 10 defend the
city in case Of siege.
No news as 10 the progress of
the peace negotiations between the
boIsheviki and German delegates
has been received for upwards of
% hours, but there is every indica-
ton that Germany is trying 10 hast
en- them through with a rush.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
Lay Keel For
First Fabricated
Steel Ship Today
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international News Service
WASHINGTON. Dec. 2O.-Ths
keel for the first fabricated stee!
ship in the Submarine Boat corpora
tons yards at Newark bay. y. J..
was laid today 10y Edward \, Hur-
ley. chairman of the shipping board.
The driving OF the first rivet in the
keel for the 5000 ton vessel mark
ed the beginning by the government
In the big drive 10 increase building
IN Atlantic yards. The program now
calls for the completion OF $50 ia b.
ricated steel ships in the Newark
yard at the shortest possible time.
The Newark Bay plant is one of the
largest in the world and was ove~
90 percent completed in 81 days.
IL will be possible, officials stated.
10 have rs ships under construction
at one time in the new yard
The shipping board announced
today that with the completion of
The enormous building facilities az
the Newark yard finished ships will
be turned out from that plant with
Clock-like precision. Officials stated
that never before has the building
of ships by one plant been attempt
ed upon such a vast scale, as il
contemplated by the program for
the Newark Bay yard. The expert
ence which the company has gain
I'd in the past in reproducing sub
marines and submarine chasers in
larse quantities will count heavily
in the speed of production and rapid
completion of ships now under way.
More than 1000 cities and towns
are directly or indirectly interested
in Supplying material, labor and
equipment for the vessels being laid
at Newark Bay yard. This ship yard
is an assembly point which will be
fed by 46 fabricating shops accus-
toned TO manufacturing steel ma
terial for skyscrapers, bridges and
gas plants.
With the plant going at full speed
1000 workmen will be required up
On hull construction alone. Officials
estimate that fully 10000 more
workmen will be engaged at east
crn industrial centers at the big
task of fabricating the materials for
the new vessels.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
Up SUGAR
SHORTAGE PROBE
Sugar Trust Head on Stand
Before Investigating
Committee.
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International News Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2O.-Inves-
tigatiOn into the sugar shortage by
a senate subcommittee began TO
speed up today. Earl ID. Babst, pres
ident of the American Sugar Re
filming company was on the stand for
the third day but had passed from
the hands of Sen. Reed and was in
the hands of Sen. Jones.
Chairman Reed was not entirely
out, however. When Ba bst declared
that for the quarter ending in Sep
TENDER his company had made but
$3.50 on one brand of sugar, Sen.
Reed interjected It's a wonder to
me you are not i'm the hands Of a
receiver"
1T amazes me. too, and shall
certainly see that price on this
brand of sugar is increased declar-
ed Babst.
Sen. Jones gave Babst a chance
to make the statement which he he's
persisted upon and which Chairman
Reed has consistently deferred.
Ba bst explained the difficulties in
the sugar market early last spring.
which ne declared were due to labor
troubles. caused by l. w. w. agita-
ton. BabSt declared that these
troubles had given the sugar market
its first increase and had left il in
a depleted condition.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
APPROVES PLAN
Of GA FEEL
Cardinal Gibbons Says Mines
Should Operate During
Christmas Holidays.
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international News Service:
WASHINGTON. Dec. 2O.-Cardin-
al Gibbons today approved Fuel Ad-
ministrator Garfield's plan TO keep
coal mines at work during the
Christmas holidays 10 secure a max
imum output of coal
Il am pleased TO say that / APP
prove of your suggestion that the
miners perform their ordinary tasks
upon holy days and holidays until
the present crisis is over" Cardinal
Gibbons wrote i'm a letter TO Dr.
Garfield 1T Will be of invaluable
service to the country and 10 hu-
manity if they Will work regularly
and avoid unnecessary loss of time.
for every ton OF coal which they
place at the disposal of the cOuntry's
industries. contributes in large
measure towards the success of the
nation in the titanic struggle upon
which we have entered. Towards
accomplishing this laudable purpose
] would kindly suggest that the pub
lie places selling intoxicating drinks
might cooperate with the effort of
the government by closing their
bars from o'clock in the evening
until 3 o'clock the following morn
ing. This surely would not work
any hardship upon the patrons on
the contrary il would benefit them
and give them more time TO spend
with their families while at the
same time contribute 10 their greater
efficiency. These are days of sac
rihCe and ] feel confident that our
men in the coal regions will not be
less generous of their best efforts
than others in the country. Up to
the present they have done splendid
ly and / have no reason 10 think
that they would slow down i'm the
least in their part of national SER
vice.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
ITALIANS FIGHT IN
BLINDING SNOW STORM

ROME. Dec. 20.-Furious fight
ing i'm the midst of a bowling biz
Yard has marked the activities of
the past As hours on the Italian
front
In the sector of Monte Asolone
the Austro- Hungarians began
series of attacks with great masses
of troops and were able to advance
slightly, but the gain was of no
strategical importance. The assaults
were launched after a terrific bonn
bardment that was carried out
through a snow storm so severe
that the gunners could not see more
than a few yards in front Of them.
Owing TO the scarcity of cotton
and wool i'm the central empires the
AustrO- Germans are unable TO fall
back on their old trick of putting
white uniforms upon their troops
SO that they are hard TO distinguish
against the background of snow
Some Of them were CARRIED i'm white
but the most of them wore the reg
ulation field gray
The invaders have redoubled
their efforts 10 force a crossing OF
the Piave river. evidently fearing
that their efforts 10 drive through
the Venetian Alps will prove a fail
ure. Picked troops were thrust
across Pontoon bridges at the point
where the Austro- German line lies
nearest TO Venice. but after getting
across the stream they were held
az the waters edge and suffered
severely from the Italians artillery
which had the exact range.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
COSTELLO FACES
DEFENSE TODAY
Chief HeaIey'S Lawyers wiz
Attempt to Break Co.'S
teIIO'S Testimony.
1ternationaI News Service

International News service
CHICAGO, Dec. 2O.-Tom Cos
telIo. self-styled business manager
of Chicago's alleged police corTup-
ton syndicate. will face the first fire
of discrimination at the trial of
former Chief of Police Charles
Healey. William r. Skidmore and
Detective Sergt. stephen Barry to-
day. Costello is expected to con
clude his direct testimony by noon
and il is expected the defense will
launch a determined attempt TO
break down Costello's testimony.
Efforts of the defense. it is be
Heved. will be directed toward an
attempt TO prove false Costello's as
sertions that ne acted for Chief
Healey in the collection OF thousands
of dollars in tribute from resorts Of
the underworld. Costello's charges
that Chief Healey and the members
Of the graft syndicate plotted 10
collect $500 from 30 policemen
seeking promotions also is expected
TO be the object Of bitter defense
attack
That Healey also sought fOrcibly
to retain his place as chief by threat
ening Mayor Thompson with loss OF
IA $4,000 damage suit brought by
Robert Buck. a former alderman
was a feature Of Costello's testimony
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
Iv|L WAR NOW SPREADING THROUGHOUT ALL RUSS
W011n1or1 SloQn While MZn1 Department O1nhhl
A merjcan Liner in
Battle With U-BOdt

mediateIy sprans to their posts.
As the passengers poured from
their cabins and began to don life
belts the bow gun fired the first
shot which fell slightly short of the
U-boat. The boat was turning
around at the time and the stern
gun next opened FIRE. Two shots
were fred from the stern gun be
fore the submersible slid from view
beneath the waves.
Mai. Gen. Scott praised the gun
crews highly. He said they worked
rapidly and Well Had the U-boat
remained in sight a moment or two
longer the general directed his be-
lief that the gunners would have
scored a hit as they were fast find
ing the range.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
CONTINUE SEARCH FOR
SLAYER OF SMALL SON

international News Service:
MONTROSE, Colo, Dec. Cot
fcers today continued searching for
John O. Bush. who. his mother says,
killed his 11-year-old son and de-
stroyed the body in vat.
Despite the story of Mrs Nancy
Jane Bush. the 72-year- mother.
that she killed Bush. destroyed his
body i'm the same manner as that of
the boy, burying the body in the
yard Of the Bush homestead. no
trace of the bones Of the man have
been found q Ulcers are inclined to
the belief that the mother is trying
to protect Bush.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20

International News Service.
AN ATLANTIC PORT. Dec. 20
The American liner which arrived
here today with Maj. Gen. Hugh l..
Scott as one Of its IS passengers,
engaged a German submarine in
battle of the Irish coast on Dec. u.
The American gunners fired several
shots at the U-boat, which made its
escape, however. by submerging
without attempting 10 attack the
liner
The battle. if it could be called
one, took place at 7:45 o'clock in the
morning. A lookout posted in the
bow. sang out the alarm. He had
sighted a periscope about a thou
sand yards away. The gunners i'm
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
FRED \. COLVIN
TELLS Of OVER
PRECISENESS
He Says That Government
LIST Much Valuable Time
When Time Saving Was
Very Essential.
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international News Service
WASHINGTON. Dec. 20 Work
men i'm arms manufacturing plants
played checkers and slept in the
shops during August while the war
department dubbed over non-essen-
tial details Of rifle designs. Fred II.
Colvin, editor of the American Ma
chinist. testified today before the
senate military affairs committee. A
super-preciseness of requirement in
rife making. is holding down pro
duction 40 per cent.
Mr.. Colvin declared the govern
ment arsenals at Springfield. Mass,
and Rock Island. H.. do not under
stand manufacturing principles and
, have antiquated machinery. Some
of the machinery at the Springfield
arsenal is 80 years old
Nicely" Holds up Arms.
lie charged that IAN excessive
nicely of requirement I'm unimport-
ant parts Of rifles held up rifle pro-
duction tremendously"
For instance" he said, they
will insist upon exactness of bayonets
down to such fine fractions as one
two -thousandth. The bayonet is
only q butcher knife and a sixteenth
of an inch would not make any diff
ference Yet a slight variation is
sufficient cause for rejection
Mr.. Colvin said he had talked to
the manager of one big arms manu-
featuring plant who told him that
production could be increased 40 per
cent if exactness of the war depart
ments specifications could be re-
duced 10 those parts absolutely
necessary.
Il have photographs taken of men
! in the Winchester factory playing
checkers last August" q. said. DE
tails of manufacturing had not been
decided upon by the war depart
ment The one great weakness was
that everyone hesitated 10 take the
responsibility in deciding these de
| tails"
Were al the men playing check
| ers ." asked Sen. Hitchcock of Ne
! braska
Ordnance Department DiIatOry.
NO. some we're sleeping. Mr..
| Colvin answered.
That the dilatory tactics Of the
ordnance department Will prevent
/ first delivery of the Browning ma
chine guns until fun year after the
entrance OF the United States into
| the war was again emphasized by
! the next witness. b. NJ. w Hanson,
| vice president Of the Colt Arms Co.
| testified that his company will not
he able to deliver the first Browning
guns until next April. His testimony
| showed that the ordnance bureau
| had accomplished nothing by way Of
! preparation before the outbreak OF
! the war. I'm fact il was not until a
! fun month after the country went 10
war with Germany that the Brown
ing gun was finally adopted. This
was in May last. The contract for
the guns was not let until last JULY
and delivery viii not begin until
next April possibly May.
Committee members determined
that the ordnance department mus
explain all of these delays which
! leave the American army without
machine guns of its own until next
April
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
GOVERNMENT PROBES
POISONING PLOT
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NY A N~CyN~TT L Ind m

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. Dec Co.
Federal authorities have begun an
investigation Of an alleged attempt
10 poison the little son Of G. r.
Nfaxam. superintendent OF schools
Of Stewartsville, il became known
here today.
Maxam found a note on his type
writer warning him ito cease his
activity OF food conservation. Red
Cross and r. NJ. g. A." or the life
of his little boy would be taken. A
dav or so afterward chewing gun
was found i'm his boys wagon AZ his
home. and powder was noticed
sprinkled on the gum.
The gum was sent 70 the state
chemist at indianapolis. who report
cG that the powder was arsenic.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
GERMANY NOW
RECOUP|N 6
FRONT LINES
All Efforts of Central Powers
to Break Through Lines
of Allies Fail on East
ern Front.
International News Service

international News Service:
LONDON. Dec. 20.-Germany IS
regrouping her forces on the west
ern front under the cover of heavy
artillery fire and raiding activities
carried out with large forces.
Information received today shows
that German soldiers that have been
under the hardest fighting strain
are being sent to quiet sectors"
while troops fresh from the eastern
front are being pushed into the
zones where hostilites are ths hot
test.
where the much heralded German
blow will fall although military crit
les generally believe that. if an of
fensive is undertaken at all, it will
either be on the Franco Belgian
frontier or else in the Champagne
district Of northern France.
(The Champagne lies between
Rheims and the Argonne forest and
the increasing artillery fire of the
Germans in that district together
with continuous raids indicates that
the NeIlildHS may SlIlke lneIE.l
Use Russian Soldiers.
The Russian soldiers sent TO the
western front were posted in Cham
payne, but whether they are still on
that part of the front is not known
Inflamed by the revolution some of
the Russians mutinied and had to
be suppressed by the French with
machine guns. Since September
nothing of an official nature has
been said about the Russians but
the general impression is that they
have been broken up into small
groups and scattered along the line
where they can be used, but can
do no harm.
Advices from the West Flanders
front today stated that the German
artillery is very active in the dis
trict around Passchendaele, indicat-
ing that il may he part of Won Hin
denburg's plans to try to recapture
this important key position from
the British.
RepulSe German Attacks.
Since the British took Passche-
ndaele. on the northern end of the
famous Passchendaele ridge. early
last month. the Germans have made
sporadic efforts 10 bend back the
British line but all of the attempts
have proved costly failures. The
ground lying east of the ridge is
low. swampy and intersected 10.
small brooks so that counter at
tacks could he delivered only along
certain roads which the British
have kept under continuous shell
FIRE night and day.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
HANGS CAPTURED FLAG
UP AS WAR TROPHY

international News Service
man flag. taken 1y naval men from
the Sunkeu converted Cormoran.
was hung ln the office Of Sec'y Dan
iels TO-DAY The tattered ensign was
sent 10 Washington bF Capt. Roy
Smith. naval governor ~ Guam
The Cormorau was sent 20 the
bottom by It's crew in The harbor al
Guam @aen the United States went
o. war with Germany. The convert
ed cruiser had been Inter1ed there
for many months. The das was tho
only trophy recovered from the Cor
moran.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
EVANSTON WOMAN TO BE
HONORED BY WAR CROSS

International News Service
CHICAGO. Dec. %. Dr. Jane
Craven Of Evanston. today is be
leved TO be the first American
woman TO he honored by the French
Croix de Guerre. The cross has
been bestowed upon her by the
French government for aiding and
rescuing wounded under fire. accord
ing to word received in Evanston
from Mrs. Charles Hazzart. Of New
York. sister Of Or. Craven.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
PACKING PROBE
STARTLING IN
REVELATIONS
Questioning Brings Out That
Many Dummy Officials Are
Used to Carry Out Com
panieS' Plans.
international News Service


WASHINGTON. Dec. 20.-StartI-
ing revelations OF the manner in
which the packing business of the
country is conducted developed soon
after the federal trade commission
began its investigation into food
prOfiteering here today. Examina-
ton OF the first witness. Frank r
Pegram. treasurer Of the Chicago
stock Yards Co. showed that he is
merely a dummy official and that a
banking syndicate controls the or
ganizatiOn The members OF this
syndicate according 10 Francis J.
Heney. investigator for the commits
sion are the Old Colony Trust Co,
Boston: Merchants National bank.
Boston; Chase National bank New
YORK: r. S. Moseley and Co. brokers,
Boston. Pegram admitted that he
was the holder Of 1890 shares Of
stock in the stock yards company
which he has never seen.
Heney's questioning brought out
The fact that Pegram. two years
treasurer OF the stock yards COM
pany, was for 20 years a bookkeeper
with T. IT, Prince and Co Pressed
nu this point that he is merely a
dummy i'm the company. ne con-
fessed.
signs ANY Old Thing.
Yes. IN sign anything they put
iu front OF me"
They" it developed. were the
other officials of the company.
Heney also showed that commun-
ications from the federal trade com
mission to Pegram were not ans
Wered by him hut that ne merely
went through the motions" of re-
u.ymg the answers being dictated
iy others. Letters addressed 10 the
company at Chicago were found i'm
the Prince offices at Boston. Heney
charged.
The late Richard Olney of Boston.
.ormer secretary OF state. was one
uf the organizers of the Chicago
stock Yards Co. To take over the
stock OF the packers trust when the
TRUST was ordered dissolved by the
federal courts.
Papers produced by Atty Heney
howed that the plan for organizing
fIIf u4NdEN Clbth dIN> 20 Was
worked out I'm Boston on Sept -.
1911 10y a committee OF six men
shortly after the packers trust was
ordered dissolved The six men
were Richard Oney. Samuel Carr.
1;uy Norman. :. T. Schoonmaker.
D.. Y. r. Thaver and =. r.. Hart
Many Dummy Officials
AZ this meeting the scheme for
purchasing s 100000 shares of stock
IF the old packers trust for $1,000
roo in cash was formulated The
entire transaction was carried out i'm
the name of T. r Pegram
Pegram has been the treasurer OF
The Chicago stock Yards Co for the
asst two years. He said on the stand
hat while he was in on" the plan
ne understood little Of what il all
meant and the only service required
If him was 20 sign various papers
without reading them
The officers OF the Chicago stock
Yards Co. elected when the corpor-
alton was formed also we're dun.
my" officials. Pegram stated.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
Aerial Tanks is
Latest in War
Against Kaiser
InternatLonaI 90 -

International News Service
PARIS. Dec. 20.-An aerial
tank" is the latest. The Matin pub
fishes an article by Deputy Lasies
saying that armored bombing aero
planes. constructed after the same
Principle OF the land tanks, should
be pat into use right away The
deputy argues that the present type
Of machine is inadequate.
The Germans for several months
have been using "junker" machines.
composed entirely Of metal When
flying at great height bullet fired
from the ground has lost so much
of its force that it makes no impress
sion upon the steel of which the
T. ane is made.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
TWENTY NEW FIREMEN
INJURED IN BIG BLAZE
-nte.naLIonal ~ ServIce

Intprnational News Service
NEW YORK. Dec. 20. - Twenty
fremen were injured several OF
them seriously. early today. in a
terrific back draft during a fire i'm
a fve-story building occupied by the
New York Cordage co. on the East
river front The back draft com
pletely wrecked the building. The
bremen We're blown into the street.
The loss is estimated at 100000.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-20
COMMENDS MACHINIST'S
MATE FOR GAlLANTRY
TnternItiDnaI News Service

tnternatiOnal News Service.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 - David
Goldman. machinist's mate, second
class. attached TO the L. s. :.
O'Brien. was today commended for
gallantry by Secy Daniels Goldman
jumped overheard oct. SO. and res
cued Water Tender Arthur G Pal
mer. after lighting strong ebb tide.
His mother. Mrs. Katie r. Goldman.
lives 81 Philadelphia.