The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-05-04
MORE COUNTRIES
TO enter WAR
Brazil, Norway and China
on Brink of MaelStrOm.
DIR. LAURO MULLER QUITS

Brazilian Foreign Minister, Strongly
Pro-German, Tenders Resignation,
indicating That Sentiment in That
Country Favors the Allies.
London, May 4.-Brazil has drawn
one step nearer to war with Germany
and is one OF three countries hover
ing on the brink OF the maelstrom.
Norway and China are the two other
countries which may shortly be
added to the list of Germany's foes.
Two events have happened in Brazil
which may easily form the impetus to
the last remaining step on the road to
war. DR.. Lauro Muller, Brazilian for
eign minister has rendered his resig-
nation on the eve of the day set for
the Brazilian congress to decide wheth-
er the republic shall draw its sword.
Dr. Muller has been persistently re-
ported as, if not actually pro-German,
at least a firm opponent of hostilities.
His resignation comedies with an or
der by President Braz OBTAINING the
dismissed German minister The or
der issued on receipt OF news from
Berlin that the Brazilian minister in
Germany had been refused permission
to leave the country.
Norwegians Have Grievance.
The possibility of Norway's en-
trance into the ranks of the allies is
based on the havoc wrought among
the Norwegian mercantile marine by
German submarines. Norway, prior
to the war fourth among the world S
seafaring nations, has suffered SO
heavily from the ravages of the L.
boats that her shipping is actually
threatened with extinction. The bit
terness among the Norwegians over
German war methods is growing rap
idly and many voices are urging that
she could not be worse off as a bel
ligerent and might find compensation
if peace found her in the lists with
the entente.
All reports from China agree that
the advocates of war are in the ma
jority at Peking, but apparently the
president is still reluctant to take the
fateful step 1t has been reported
that Japan was unwilling that China
should enter the struggle, but the
japanese foreign Office has officially
denied this
European Situation Obscure.
In the meantime the entire situa-
tion in Europe remains obscure
through conflicting reports and the
extraordinary efforts of the censors
especially i'm the realms of the cen
trail powers. The only definite fact
in regard to conditions in Germany is
that a political crisis exists and that
the antagonism between the parties
has blazed out with a violence un
known since the beginning of the war
Chancellor Won Bethmann-Hollweg is
the target for all shafts but apparent
ly can rely only on a lukewarm sup
port from the moderate Socialists
There is no light whatever on the
strike situation and no reliable news
Of any kind from Austria.
In their new attack the British
made progress in the direction oi
Fresnoy and Cherisy and also toward
Bullecourt, Reuters correspondent al
the British headquarters reports.
number of strong positions al
ready have been captured.
Fighting on TweIveMiIe Front.
The new British attack takes in
virtually the entire front on which
the battle of Arras was begun or
Easter Monday and evidently is ma
jor operation 1t is the fourth grea
attack which the British have made
along this line The attacking from
is about twelve miles long.
The French made an important gair
on the Champagne front, reducing ;
position which was still being helC
by the Germans in the new lines eas
of Mont Haut and capturing the Ger
man garrison of more than 200 men
the war office announced. There wa
active patrol fighting on the Chemin
des-Dames line.
The British continue to make head
way in Mesopotamia, but this is of
set by unexplained reports of Rus
sian retreat in the Caucasus. IL TIL
reports are true the Russians ar
withdrawing with no serious fighting
and in the face of the most success
full campaign yet undertaken agains
Turkey.