The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-02-01

Division Of fhe country's bituminous
coal fields Into twenty districts as the
first step toward instltuting 0 zone sys-
tenn Of coal distribution Is under way
by the fuel administration
Chicago win vote on the dry ques-
ton next spring. according to dry lead
ers who announced Thursday their pc
fition calling The election was com
Rlete. The fling Of the petition Is %
be made the occasion Of q great DEM
onstratlon and parade.
Threatened with lynehlug by neigh
bors f0r making alleged sedltlons re
marks critlcsing the president ana
ulalsing threatening renarks Henry
liafieIa NehruslgR farmer, has been
infernea ~ federal officers
Americas foreign trade surpassed az
records ID 1917. amounting y SiTis,-
100000 Official dgurea issued by the
department III commerce showed that
was d gain Of nearly 81, 300iO00o00 over
the preceding year.
WASHINGTON.
Tie army mndieui corps issued q call
for enlistment of 1000 specially select
en men for veterinary service. They
must De either below or above draft
ike and VIII be assigned 70 veterinary
hospitals with service overseas
| shortly
No advance toward peace Is seen Ia
file speeches made In Berlin aud
Vienna by the German chancellor and
Austrian foreign minister, upon the
| war aims Of The central powers.
Senator George 70. Chamberlain 81
Oregon, before On audience that
packed the floor and the galleries Of
the senate chamber, on Thursday spoke
for three hours In answer TO the
, charge ~ President Wilson that his
previous criticisms 81 the military es.
adjustment has constituted an 'abso-
lutte distortion Of the truth"
| President Wilson has sent 20 the SEN
ute d denomination of Postmaster Gen.
eral Burleson. This action was taken
hecnuse Of Il law which stlpulates that
the postmaster general shall not hold
office for more thun thirty days after
the end Of the term for which he was
appointed. The senate confirmed the
denomination.
| Prnise for the navy department,
praise and constructive criticism for
the shipping board and utter condem-
nation for the war department fen-
tured Rooseyelts address TO the Ma
tlonal Press club, on Thursday, on the
conduct Of the war.
FOREIGN.
Severe i0ting on Wednesday ana
Thursday Iii Berlin was reported In dis
patches received IN Amsterdam. One
REPORT asserted that mobs were march
1 ing Iii the streets demanding peace.
Early last week American forces on
The French front were IN action ON
several occasions, General Pershlng re-
ported 90 the war department. Four
were killed on january u and %.
| a food In the upper Rhine valley
has inundated the city Of Cologne, de
stroying quantities Of provisions, dis
patches received Friday spid. In some
localities the rise Of the river was 80
rapid that the people had to be aroused
by the telling OF bells, Troops were
sent 10 the nid Of the inhabitants.
| Ii Is authorltatiyely announced al
Amsterdam that the steamship Nieuw
Amsterdam Will sail soon for the
United State, having obtained permits
sion from Germany The Handelsblad
states that II has been learned that the
German government intends to plac,
an Dutch shipping Arms OH the black
list nnd to refuse Dutch supplies o.
coal because Of the agreement between
The shipping firms aud the Unltet
Suites
The proposal TO close the Port 0
London to merchant shlppiag has ere
lated strong opposition from Lond0i
+, commercial interests. A deputation o
, | London cammuners has been appolnte
, To confer with the shipping controller
A new contingent Of Portuguese
/ troops has Just been landed IN France
Before emharking, the troops We're 7,
viewed hy the Portuguese premier "
! Sldonlo paes, who rcaffirmea the Il
y IFnltNtl OF IpEkuNdl " ANtAltluN AhI y"
I to the end,
| Some OF the ambassadors at Petr'
! grad are reported to he comforting silt
reference to formal acknowledgment
: by their governments If the Bolsh,
( vtki government, II Is not stated whlc
9 ambassadors are concerned md thcr
Is no indication us 10 the decision
Brig. Gen, William Y, Judson, chi,
OF the American military mission
! Russia. who has been at Petrogru
: since the visit az the Root mission, hi
departed for the United States i
! has been relieved by Col j, A, Ru
= giles.
" British officers who have made
thorough Investigation ot conditions
e Rumanlu returned 10 rctrograd II,
ie gaye an account of the food situate
y there. They said RumapIau peasa
women have been almost starving 4
y mouths. or existing solely on mali
%, The effect Is shown particularly amor
U, newly shuru children many OF who