The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-08-24

formulate his peace proposals.
| lost no time in assuring Americans
| that their country is firm In its deter
minatiOn to stand by its allies until
Germany is brought to its knees. The
| conference of these commissioners
with the officials of the United States
| in Washington is recognized as being
Of the utmost Importance, both in re-
gard to the war and in regard to the
relations between America and Japan.
That Stockholm Conference.
The Socialist conference at Stock
holm is causing trouble out of pro-
portion to the probable Importance of
its deliberations and conclusions. In
the different countries the Socialists
themselves are split over the advisa-
bility of attending it, and the govern
ments of the entente allies and of the
United States, recognizing that II Is
pro-German I'm its inception, have re-
fused passports to would-be delegates.
The English Labor party decided to
send representatives, whereupon Ar
thur Henderson, Labor member of the
war cabinet, was accused by Premier
Lloyd-George of double dealing and
resigned. His place was promptly
filled by George Nicoll Barnes, minis
ter of pensions, and the crisis was
passed, ut least for the time, although
general election may be called II the
Laborites insist on sending delegates
to Stockholm.
Marked reduction in the numbar of
vessels sunk by German submarines is
shown in the British admiralty's week
ly statement, while the number of ves-
sells unsuccessfully attacked increased.
A story from Copenhagen says the big
commercial submarine Deutschland
has been converted into war u
boat and may soon be operating in the
Pacific against ships from San Fran
cisco. The same dispatch says the
Germans have lost about 20 subma-
rines and now have nearly 800, these,
however, including many small ones
built for passage through the Belgian
canal. The newest and largest carry
six-inch guns.
Premier Lloyd George made two
speeches last week that heartened up
the British people immensely. Declar-
ing that the high point Of Germany's
strength had passed, he said the diff
culties of the allies from now on wouSd
grow less and their power increase
steadily, and that with patience, cour-
age and endurance the foes Of the
great military despotism could not Vail
to win. He called attention to the
waning efficiency Of the submarine
campaign, that though the U-bOat loss
es in April were 100000 tons, in July
and August the average was only 49,
600 tons q month. So far from being
reduced to starvation, he said, Great
Britain is now in better position so far
as food Is concerned than for years
past. The premier admitted that the
Russian collapse upset some of the
plans Of the allies for this year, but
called attention to the fact that Ger
many, even with one of her most pow
erful opponents paralyzed by internal
troubles, is failing to hold her own on
the west front.
Tired Of Spies and Traitors.
Throughout the country the demand
Is becoming insistent that the author
tiles put an end to the almost unham-
pered activities of the pro-German
propagandists, the traitorous /. w. w.
leaders and pacifists and the cowardly
draft-dodgers who are making the con-
duct of the war as hard as possible.
The demand was voiced by Ellhu
Root In an address at the Union
League club In New York. The spies
and traitors, he said, should be shot
down without mercy, and he included
among them, as worthy of death, the
editors Of certain papers. In some
states the councils of defense are or
ganizing campaigns of education SO
that the people may learn what the
war means to us and why we are In IL
and must win 1t; but this Is not
enough-the snakes must be crushed.
The Industrial Workers Of the
World, It seems, are about to be made
to realize that Uncle Sam is awake
They made several broad demands liz
the West and Northwest and declared
that they would bring on general
strike II these were not granted. Such
a strike would seriously retard the
harvesting Of crops and tho production
of the spruce lumber necessary In the
building of aJrplanes, and while the !.
w. w. leaders cannot be prosecuted
merely for strike activities, they can
be dealt with swiftly and severely for
interfering with the governments pros
iecution of the war. That, according to
advices from Washington, Is just what
"a going to happen to those disreputa-