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

only about 8 per cent was exported,
mostly to Canada Yet within the last
week England sent coal to us, in order
that supply ships might not be stopped.
~ -
Out of the fire of congressional in
the marine corps has come
with added luster, the contrast to war
conditions being sadly |
marked The house committee said the
corps has been kept supplied on a war
basis with no apparent delays, while
about $4,000 recruits during the year
have been properly housed, clothed, |
fed and trained. The secret of this
lies in the Fact that Maj. Gen. George
Barnett. commandant of the corps, be-
lieved in preparedness. Two months
before America entered the war he or
dered $4,000 pairs of shoes and 10000
Lewis machine guns. His purchasing
system has worked smoothly and eff
ficiently, possibly because he has had
the assistance of nos "dollar-a-week'
civilians, whose capabilities and knowl-
edge are not commensurate with their
patriotism. The bureaus of construc-
ton and repair and Of engineering of
the navy department also received high
praise from the committee.
"a
Secretary Baker and his manage
ment of the war department are still
the objects of sharp attack and the de-
| mands for his resignation or removal
| increase daily. His long defense be-
! fore the senate committee was the re-
verse of satisfactory, and there is de-
! cided diversity of opinion as to wheth-
! er or not his reorganization of bureaus
will cure the evils that have infested
| his department Daniel Willard told
| the committee the new plan was faulty
| in that it did not concentrate control
| and relied too much on voluntary eff
fort, and Immediately thereafter Mr..
Willard resigned his post of chairman
| of the war industries board. Tt was in
! timated a new chairman might not be
! appointed pending action on the pro-
posals for the creation of a war supply
department or administration.
Can it be that Mr.. Baker, deep in
his pacifist soul, believes the war will
come to an end before the American
troops are called on to fight and there
fore is willing that adequate prepare
tons for their active participation in
the conflict shall be delayed? In his
review of operations in Europe he says
a great German offensive is to be ex-
pected on the west front, but he is con-
fident that the war-worn British and
French armies can withstand it.
Ia
Fierce controversy ragged throughout
the week between the German groups
represented respectively by Won Luden.
dorff and Won KuehImann.-the pan.
Germans and the nonannexatlonists
There was a report that the govern.
ment had compromised the dispute by
yielding to Won Kuehmann as to the
east front, and assuring Won Luden
d0rff that he might grab any land or
the west front that the military forces
of the empire could seize and hole
through the peace negotiations. But
this report was unconfrmed.
Berlin stated officially on Thursday
that the central powers had found the
Russian proposals unacceptable, ant
that German and Austrian troop.
would not be withdrawn from the oc
cupied territories while the war lasts
The AuStro-Germans, the statemen
added, do not intend Incorporating
into their respective countries the +er
ritories now occupied by them.
Trotzky chung to his demands for n,
right of Self-determination for all nu
tionaities, and that principle, supporte'
by Lloyd-George and President Wilson
has taken its place as almost the leac
ing peace term of the opponents Of TIL
central powers. The German Genera
Hoffman taunts the bolsheviki with tlr
fact that they are inconsistent becaus
they are fighting the UkrainianS, bu
on the other hand Lenine, TrotZky an,
their fellows have permitted the set
ting up Of independent governments il
: various parts of Russia because tn
, people so wiIled it. They have jus
J declared, also, that their government
| supports lHe right u TIRE ATiuellidll
in Russia and Turkey TO be independ
ent and TO decide their own destiny
/ The British government has so far rec
ognized the bolsheviki as to estabns
! official relations with their minister i
: London.
Turkestan announced its independ
: ence on Tuesday.
t Petrograd announced that after tie