The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-09-15


boats. Now the South American re-
public Is In the thrOes Of great rail-
way strike which Is certainly fomented
and financed by Germans. Thousands
Of worknten have quit and there has
been serious destruction of property
and considerable rioting.
From fan American port" comes an
exciting story Of concerted attack
by seven German submarines on a
feet Of ~ allied merchantmen west
bound. Four of the largest of the
steamships were sunk by torpedoes,
but the guns Of the others destroyed
three Of the U-boats. The battle took
place 80 miles Off the coast Of Ireland.
Organized Labor Loyal.
Organised labor In the United
States. determined to assert Its loyal
ty, met last week in Minneapolis, to-
gether with many radicals and Social
lists, and formed the American Alliance
for Labor and Democracy. Under the
leadership Of Samuel qompsrs, Frank
P. Walsh, John Spargo and others, the
delegates declared the new organiza-
ton firmly back Of the armed forces Of
the government In their hght for "a
victory which will mean the coming
Of the greatest world democracy ever
dreamed Of" Definite reports have
been circulated that laborites are plan
ming to cripple various industries by
strikes. Especially the fuel industry.
These reports, Mr.. Gompers declares,
| do not relate to the American Fedora
tian 0fs@esssx aihey are. however, too
we'll sG6stantiated 10 be ignored.
The British trades union congress by
vote Of 2.S94,QO0 70 s1.0O0 declared
itself opposed to participation in the
Stockholm congress, and this, taken
with the refusal Of many countries to
| grant passports to delegates, probably
will result in the entire abandonment
Of the gathering In the Swedish city.
Pope Preparing Second Note.
! Not wholly discouraged by the fall
ure of his peace note, Pope Benedict
is preparing second proposal for the
ending Of the war. Premier Rtbot,
speaking on the Marne battlefield de-
clared that requisite In any peace
treaty acceptable to France was the
restoration Of Alsace-Lorraine.
The German press continues to heap
abuse and ridicule on President Will
son for his reply to the pope's note,
declaiming loudly against his demands
that the government Of Germany be
democrauzed before peace can be
made with 1t. But the reichstag ma
jority is insistently demanding just
about the reforms the president con-
siders essential.
Dispatches from Switzerland say the
central powers have determined on
the partition of Poland. According to
the plan, Germany is to take about
one-tenth of Russian Poland to rectify
her frontier, aud Austria will annex
the remainder. unite 1t to Gslicia and
proclaim the territory the united king
dom Of Poland. with Emperor Charles
as its king, It Is to have its own par
lament, but its foreign policy. finances
and army are to be controlled by Aus
tria. This plan does not please Hun
gary, because that country thinks It's
influence will be lessened II the en-
pire becomes a triple kingdom.
Led by President Wilson and men,
bers Of the senate and house, and es.
corted by thousands of soldiers and
sailors, the young men of the District
Of Columbia selected for service In the
National army paradsd the streets OF
Washington on Tuesday. and similar
parades took place In hundreds OF
cities and towns. Next day these men
OF the National army began streaming
from all points Of the compass into
the rs cantonment camps built FOR
their training and instruction. They
are the first per cent Of the 6s7, 000
men selectsd BY the draft.
The long wrangle in the senate over
war profits taxation ended in the de.
feat OF the high tax group and the
adoption Of the finance committees
provisions for total levy Of $1.2S6,'
100000, or shout third OF this years
war and normal excess profits This
would make the bill total $2.b22. 900,
600 D
Thursday night the house passed
unanimously the big war credits bill
authorizing ISL. 58s, e4e,48O in bonds
and certiAe tea Every effort of
group Of Iprblicans to limit Secre
tary McAd@ s control over these is
sues was DEBATED but an amendment
By Congress han Cannon was adopted
axampung rom taZRs iut9ceeS q