davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

countries to be directed by both allies
after mutual understanding.

countries to be directed by both allies
after mutual understanding
For two reasons some doubt has been
cast In certain quarters upon this publ
cation. In the first place, it contains
certain matter--omitted in the above
summary-which would hardly find a
place IN any formal political document.
A more serious point is that apparently
no German newspaper calling itself "The
Deutsche Volkszeitung" exists.
Nevertheless, whatever be the terms
IN detail of this military agreement, the
very fact that some such agreement ex-
lists has aroused apprehension on both
sides. The leading Socialist organs of
Germany and Austria were not long in
pointing to the serious results, from the
Austro-German standpoint, which must
necessarily follow. The Vienna car
better Zeitung," which has spoken out
with remarkable frankness on many Of
Austria's other problems, wrote of this
new alliance under the caption, "The
Road to Hell," in the following terms:
The road that we are treadng leads to
the permanent division of Europe into tw,
systems of alliance, armed to the teeth.
directed against each other. and waiting to.
spring upon each other; it leads to in
creased rivalry of armaments between the
system OF the Central Powers on the one
hand, and the system of the Western Pow
ers on tho other; and it leads also. not
only to economic war, but to a war of arms.
n tH nI, II. \
defend what we have just extorted from the
conquered east and what we purpose to ex-
tort from the conquered west. The road
that we are treading leads not to new
order of tn" universe, which few months
ago we SO temptingly displayed before the
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

proclamations have been posted through
out Austria announcing that the govern
ment has discovered preparations for an
outbreak, which will be suppressed by
force.
Later in the week the cables brought
the news that the Vienna city council
passed resolution protesting against
the reduction of the bread ration, and
that the Austrian Food Minister had
posted off to Berlin to confer with the
military authorities there, evidently for
the purpose of obtaining food supplies
for the starving Austrians If the Min
lister still has his hopes set upon the
Ukraine they will probably again be dis
appointed, for at the same time news
came to hand that great revolt has
broken out at Kiev, which is SPREADING
to adjacent districts
Moreover, the seriousness of the situa
ton at Vienna is further reflected in
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

the 1orclgn enemy-who whether We like
1t or not, happens to have his own way of
thinklng-will conclude from such an at
titude that what is intended is German
hegemony in Europe which is to be sup
ported by arms.
"ln this way it will become ever more
difficult to dissuade him from the idea that
Mltteleuropa means the victory of German
milltarsm, which he thinks it is his duty
IN his own national interests to prevent"
And even the Vienna correspondent
of THE Frankfurter Zeitung," who is
really more in sympathy with the stall
wart policy of the pan-Germans than
with the moderate views of his own
newspaper, has serious doubts as to the
practical workings of the new military
agreement. He wrote on that point:
~ depends, above all, upon the contents
OF the Military Convention whether the aIli
ahce provides for such complete mutual
'hteTpenetration of the two armies as will
preclude Tor the future q separate military
policy on the one or the other part, If this
IL not provided for, the agreement NAV
provoke needless friction and NAV so be-
come actually perncous"
The "Zeitung" also SAYS:
'qnhappily 10 is to be apprenended that
large part of the Slav peoples of Austria,
IN particular the Czechs and Slovcnes, viii
regard an. extension of the alliance with
even less friendiness than they REGARDED
the original compact. 1t may therefore
prove not altogether simple task for Aus
tro-Hungarlan statesmen to secure the adop
'ioh Dy the Austrian Chamber of the alli-
ance in its widened and deepened form
There may, perhaps, be some idea Of
winning over the Poles in It's favor when.
that is to say. the new acre ements are mada
the instrument for carrying out the Aus
trian solution Of the Polish question by
uniting Galicia with the new Polish State.
Manifestly, therefore, it will not be pos
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23
The New Offensive

continue to carry on the government un-
der what might be called the "autocracy
paragraph" Of the constitution, which
gives the Emperor the right to promul-
gate the budget. This decision, it was
further shown, was brought about by
the refusal of the Poles to support the
government, which left it without
majority in the Reichsrat.
That the attempt to govern the coun-
try without the aid of parliament is
resented in quarters usually most faith
full to the government, is clear from
speech by DR.. Weiskirchner, the Burgo-
master of Vienna, reported by the
"Weser Zeitung," of Bremen. That Of
fetal said:
High treason and ingratitudc are RAM
pant and the government has proved weak
and unsteaay. In the present serious time
We need parliament, for even q bad par
Lament is better than none. 1t is true that
Parliament failed to deal with the food
question: but 1t remains the only platform
for free speech and the only place where
tthe arbitrary acts Of the bureaucracy and
the numerous military incroachments can
be discussed"
Evidently, too, the position of the gov
ernment has been rendered all the more
precarious by the growing strength Of
the South Slav movement. It VIII be re-
called that at Conference of Oppressed
Nationalities of Austria, held in Rome
early in April, various South Slav ele-
ments and number of leading men
adopted a scheme looking to the setting
up of a South Slav state, which shall in
clude Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, and
all or the greater part of Croatia. The
Italian government is apparently in SYM
pathy with this movement, which would
mean that Italy has waived the greater
part of her territorial claims on the east
coast Of the Adriatic.
In regard to this movement "The DaiIv
Mail' got this statement from the travel
ler already mentioned:
GAS for the Southern Slavs, the new policy
of the United States, italy and the Entente.
although perlously long postponed, is bear
ing fruit News that the Entente recog-
nizes a separate Southern Sav nation has
in whispers already thrilled the Southern
Slav soldiers on the Austrian front"
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23
%Y1hat the American
w Press Is Saying

Discussions of Austrian affairs have
been frequent in the American press, in
connection with the offensive against
Italy. Commenting upon Austria's lat
est military effort, c. w. Gilbert tele-
graphed The Tribune from Washington
as follows: =.
ats dissolution threatens. Its great ally
is insistent. The Hphenzollerns must have
an offensive out of the Hapsburgs. If the
offensive succeeds then the pressure Of re-
volt at home is relieved. IF it fails then
the deluge."
"The Philadelphia Inquirer" wrote:
"She resembles crazy quilt Of nursr
GUS pieces sewn together. Start the pieces
a-ripping and the whole fabric is socn
wreck. Austria has begun to rip. Her Sub
ject peoples Of different nationalities sss
demanding freedom"
In similar strain "The New York
World" said:
Austrian internal conditions are euet
that victorious advance has become sbsc.
lutely essential. A decided check would
greatly deepen the gravity of the crisis
defeat would spell disaster and collapss
The probable effects of the failure q
Austria's offensive are thus depicted y
"The Springfield Republican:
"If huge, costly and unpopular offensive
should lead to dreary deadlock at the ena
anything might happen, including mutiny y
the ranks and rebellion at home. The qusf'
rel between the Slavs and the Italians nss
been healed, and to great part OF the PEI
pie Of Austria, Germanysis the enemy. Aua
then depends on the first phases Of the sfess
battle; If the italians make O strong =
fence the morale Of the Austrian tfeep.S
may prove no better than it was asspn
Russia, when Czecho-Slovaks deserted
the thousands to the enemy"
Two possible reasons for the offensive
are suggested by "The Baltimore Spb'
thus:
"It may be sign of increased miis.1s
strength and confidence or it may be y.
Of desperation. From all the evidences = Z 4
internal conditions in Austria Hungary: !:l... g.
from all the probabilities as to Che nn"s.
situation on the Italian front, IL wouie 80
to be the result Of an unessapAese
cessity."
The meaning Of the heavy fgbtane
Austria, is thus stated by "The Wasn1e
ton STAR:
"The internal unrest is greater go
any period during the war. Win 49, -,
on the Italian front the Austrian sss
ment might again instil into the - -
and minds Of the people the desire = ~.
on. Without victory and with austria !! Z ss.l Z
fering definite and striking ds2eak ~
appears imminent, tho elements sAke 81
to the government are ccrtssH ss
headway." 4 5i|
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23
From The Bcltin,ore SIN

OF the vitality Of this South Slav move
ment G. Djuric says in the latest number
Of "The New Europe" to arrive in this
country:
"The will of the whole Southern Slav raee
toward freedom and unity is manifested 70.
day 80 powerfully that it forms one Of the
most striking examples in the history Of
corporate race feeling. Any one who knows
the conditions under which the Southern
Slsvs of Austria-H Hungary have to live will
recognize this will Of united and inde.
pendent life as vital impulse of the race
and the unity Of the Southern Slays must
be regarded as fact, which one day will
assuredly mature in the form Of an inde.
pendent state"
The same publication of an earlier data
quoted the following utterance from the
Vienna "Arbeiter Zeitung":
"Nos merely is the crisis Of the Austrian
stats not drawing to En- end; il is steadily
progressing, and the inevitable dav Il pesr
when every organ will be anectsd byM
The difficulties Of Austrian problems in
general are thus described by "Ths Ma.
ton" (London):
"In truth, political speculation upon the
future of Austria Hungary is like an a.-
tempt to square the circle. One is hypno-
tized by the evident impossibility of any
solution, even q violent one; one can but
wait for the thing to happen. whatever It
may be. In reality the political
problem is kind of fevered dresm Of which
the solid substance is imminent stsrvs.
ton"
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23
ME- new Austro- German treaty of
alliance agreed upon at the meet
L ing of the two Emperors on

alliance agreed upon at the meet
ing of the two Emperors on
May IL has met with a great
deal of opposition among both Austrians
and Germans and has required vast
amount of both explanation and excuse
The treaty is both military and eco
nomic. Naturally, at the present time
the military features loom up with the
most Importance, but on both counts it
is opposed by the Austrans.
According to press dispatches recently
sent from Holland, the military agree
ment has been published in "The
Deutsche Volkszeitung" The following
is resume of its seven paragraphs:
/. Close military alliance for twenty
five years between the two sovereigns,
both Of whom pledge themselves to main
tain universal military service and keep
their armies at the maximum of military
preparedness;
2. All males capable of bearing arms
to receive thorough military instruction;
an auxiliary service for producing arms
and munitions to be organized;
3. Armies to be organized and drilled
on one common principle, with Germany
taking the initiative, thus making the two
armies in effect one organization;
a. Armies Of the one country to draw
military supplies from nearest military
depot, irrespective OF which country owns
them;
s. Troops OF both countries to be
brought into contact with each other TO
foster spirit Of comradeship; officers also
to be trained together in part;
8. Preparations for futures wars to be
worked out in common by the two General
Staffs ~
z. Railway construction in the two
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

admirlng gaze of the world as our goal,
but to peace that will be hell"
And the Berlin "Vorwaerts," the Of
tlcial mouthpiece of the German Social
lst party, put its objection into this
form:
1T IS not very wise to declare right in the
lace OF enemies who have not yet sheathed
tne M sword that we Germans, Austrians and
nungarlans' da numbering altogether 100000
wy SOUS, intend to form an eternal union,
ol arms NO. 1T is far from wise, because
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

that the assumption was both general and
natural that hunger is the real impelling
force now driving the Austrian armies
INTO action. On al sides, accordingly,
there is full agreement with those Aus
trian prisoners that it is hunger often
sive.' Frank H. Simonds accepted in
The Tribune of Wednesday that desgna-
tion of the Austrian offensive
Even the Austrian Kaiser touched the
hunger motif in the speech that he made
to his troops before sending them into
battle. Here are the good things that
he held out to them as their reward:
Before you is the enemy There glory
awaits you, and also honor, good food,
abundant spoils, fina! peace
This recalls an anecdote told by one
of the Southern generals who took part
in the Battle of Chickamauga. A hungry
Southerner, dropping down wounded as
1he battle line rushed past him to the
attack, shouted to his comrades: GO for
EN-, boys; they've got bread in their
haversacks."
The "hunger offensive comedies in
time with a further aggravation of the
food scarcity in Austria. This week the
cables brought US news that the Vienna
bread ration, already very small, has been
people are now to have only $50 gramms
of bread a week, which is equivalent to
slightly more than three ounces a day.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

a USTRIA'S big attack upon the
~ Italian front was described by
Austrian prisoners captured
by the Italians as "hunger
offensive" 1t is a character
istic fact that it had already been de-
scribed with the same phrase in many
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

o t h er quarters.
Everybody, even
on the side of the
Allie ;. under
stands so fully
that the Austrian
people are suf-
fering most Sc
verely from the
pangs of hunger
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23
r ermany Also Tightens
NJ the Belt

lhis increasing pressure of hunger in
Austria corresponds to a similar ten
dency in Germany where the new bread
ration that went into effect this week is
one-flfth less than heretofore. The de-
cision to reduce the ration was adopted
May and was explained by the Ger
~lan press at the time as due to the fact
that the arrival of grain from the
Ukraine had failed to meet expectations:
moreover, the wheat from that region
; was costing $40 marks the ton whereas
me home price in Germany was 260
marks, The papers further explained
mat 1t had been found necessary, when
Germany and Austria came to arrang.
ing for the joint shipment of grain from
the Ukraine, that Austria should be
gwen most Of the first arrivals mas
much as the stress Of hunger was much
greater in Austria than in Germany.
This situation WAS also taken account
OF by Germany when, some weeks ago, it
was, arranged between the Berlin and the
Vienna governments that the Austrian
iyrol, be henceforsh supplied with food
from Bavaria and Bohemia from Saxonv:
The latest news coming out of Austria
by mail fully confirms the conclusion that
the food situation .was daily growing
more and more serious.
"The price of all kinds Of meats espe-
cially fowl, goes higher every day." said
recent number of the 'Neuc Freie Presse'
The price of pork, mutton, geese, chicken
and ducks would be ridiculous if the mat
ter were not of such Importance. The small
quantity Of potatoes and the insufficient
rations Of bread and -four, the entire lack
of vegetables, the delay in receiving eggs
and the total absence of fats make the pop-
ulation depend more and moro on meat for
nourishment."
The "Arbeiter Zetung" told how the
women marched on the markets, crying
that they were starving and their chill
dren had nothing to eat. They could not
live whole week on the small portion
of meat allowed, they declared.
This food crisis Is complicated with a
class quarrel. The inhabitants, of the
cities accuse the peasants and the rich
Of not submitting to the food restriction
that the working classes have to observe.
Thousands Of families in Prague are said
to be without bread.
Austria's food straits are partly due
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-12-19
Box SOciable Held at Heselton Hail
Last Thursday

The Milburn Commandery U. o. G.
c.. held a box sociable at Heselton
Hall last Thursday evening. There
was large number present. Tween
ty-one boxes were sold for $28,15. AZ
ter the sociable, a dance followed.
Previous to the social, officers Of the
Commandery were elected. Their
names are to be given out later.
The regular meeting OF the Com
mandery will be held tonight tThurs-
day. at Heselton Hall. Grand off,
GERS Herbert Mckinney OF Portland.
w S. Leighton, State Deputy OF Gar
diner, f. c. Pelton. State deputy OF
Portland, are to be present at this
meeting. They will assist in the de-
gree work. 1t is expected there will
be n large number to be initiated
After the meeting there will be So
cial and a dance. Mr.. Pelton. al
ready referred to will award the lodge
emblems. one to q lady member and
one to a gentleman member
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-12-19
High School Entertainment Course

The entertainment course of the
Skowhegan High School opens this
Thursday evening. with Davis, The
Magician. This form of entertain
ment is universally popular. and Mr.
Davis himself comes highly recon-
mended.
The second in the series Is sched-
uled for Wednesday. January 8th. The
entertainers are four young Hawaii
ans. Hawaiian music has been very
popular in recent years. and has a
popularity and charm all its own.
We have hitherto known very little of
it here, except through the Victrola
and other reproducing machines.
On January 30th, the Zedeler Sym
phonic Quintette will furnish the en-
tertainment This organization takes
its name from Niccolai Zedeler. 'cellist
and manager Mrs. Zedeler Is the
pianist and organist, and Mrs Emma
Bruce Beck is the soprano.
On Thursday. March 9th, we shall
hear the Victoria Concert Company, OF
five musicians. They will give bal
lads, folk songs, and dances.
The Orpheus Four will appear here
April 3rd These artists were the
winners of the $4,000 prize in the com
petition OF male choruses at the Pan
anna Exposition.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-12-19
E{Ss{sX5
,S1lE&H5
30c, 60c. $120
Arrested for Obtaining Money URder
False Pretenses
3Oc, 60c. $1.20

Charles f. Wholey. formerly resi-
dent OF this place, was arrested here
by Deputy Sheriff Charles II Chute
last Friday Mr.. Wholey was arrest
ed for irving to obtain money under
false pretenses His scheme was to
send kilograms to the parents OF en-
listed men OF the United States Navy,
asking for remittances. He sent ii
telegram from Waterville to T l..
Campbell at Atkinson, Kansas. who
has a son enlisted in the United
States Navy, asking Mr.. Campbell TO
send this money to r. Z. Campbell at
SkoWhegan. On arriving at the
Western Union Telegraph office to re-
ceive this sum, he was arrested by the
sheriff already mentioned, and was
taken to Somerset County Jail. He
will remain there until applications
are made for his transfer to naval
prison. Last Friday night Ensign
T. F. Rice arrived here from Bangor
and the following day he interviewed
Mr.. Wholey at the jail The former
left here Saturday for Bangor to make
his reports. 1t will be recalled that
Mr.. Wholey has served some time at
the county Jail in previous years,
During that period, he made an at
tempt to escape by gaining entrance to
the Jail work shop and climbing
through the cupola to the roof. How
ever, ne did not succeed He has
been classed as a deserter from the
navy. MIR. Chute had no difficulty
in finding Mr.. Wholey as he was clad
in his uniform.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-12-19
Food Administration and CoRserva.
ton Notes

The conditions that were and are
now existing in France and Belgium
appear from the following statements
Dr. Vernon Kellogg of the United
States Food Administration. now in
France on official business, writes
81 have now been in France three
weeks. eating in restaurants and
hotels of all grades. and l have had
butter on the table once. and total of
six Jumps OF sugar
Major Anthony l.. Geyelin. the first
American officer to enter the city of
Lille after its evacuation by the Ger
mans. has written to Mr. Hoover: =
81 wish that you and your coll
leagues and all the good people at
home Who have SO generously and
faithfully provided for invaded France
and Belgium could have gone along
the front from Lille to Bruges during
the week OF liberation and seen the
tears OF JOY and gratitude roll down
the cheeks Of those poor people whose
lives you have saved. wish you
could have seen them frantically way
ing their hats and handkerchiefs and
the little flags that they had hidden
for this day, and heard the cheers that
rang in our ears from morning till
night 'Nive fAmeriquei EiYe l.
Amerioue, Il IS you who have saved
our lives without yon we would
have died of hunger At many places
our car Mas actually stopped and We
could not Rct By until | responded to
thor cheers on your behalf and on be
h If of all those at home to whom
tLctr gratitude is due
II NOW remains to be determined
whether orr people with all restric-
tions removed and only appeals made
to their patriotism. sympathies and
love of humanity, will still generous
ly respond to tho coll for the saving
of food. In order that the pledge
made for the furnishing of a much
larger supply this year than last may
be met. our people cannot now sell
fishly crafty unnecessary desires,
This matter should be thoroughly un-
derstood by all good citizens, Mil
lions of people are now dying OF star
walton in war-stricken Europe.
Somerset County Food Administrator.
L. l.. WALTON,
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-12-19
Birthday Happily Chssen

Miss Dorothy Nye. while making
preparations for her birthday party
which was held at the home of her
parents. Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Nye, on
Bush street, last Monday afternoon
and evening, Dec. 16, received the
news from Washington, d. c., that
she now had a cousin Anne Marston
Fogler, born Dec 10th, whose birth
days hereafter will be celebrated the
same day as her own.
The guests, nine in number, arriv-
ed about three o'clock. stayed to lunch
and in the evening participated in
Christmas tree festivities. Those
present. all from Miss Dorothy'F
school class, attendants in the sixth
grade of the Garfield building, were as
follows Louise Stinchfield, Florence
Stinchfeld, Helen Leighton, Dorothy
Smith, Mary Merrill, Norma Smith
Phyllis Whiting. Esther Viles and
Fayalene Decker