WtWKI ffirttger & NIGHT EXTRA NIGHT EXTRA i unletting e PRICE ONE CENT VOL. I-NO. 28 PHILADELPHIA, THUBSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1914. copiamnT. ibi4, r Prauo lcto commnt. WPI PROPERTY IN CITY SHOWS INCREASE OF $52,032,625 Tax Board Reports to Coun cils a Total Estimate of $1,660,206,400 as Valua tion Basis for Next Year. ENGLAND DUPED BELGIUM, SAYS VON BERNSTORFF An Increase In the assessed valuation bf Philadelphia property of $32,032,625 over the figures for 1914 13 shown In the report jof Hits Board of Revision of Taxes sub mitted lo City Councils this afternoon by City Controller Walton. The total estimate of all taxable prop fcrty In the city limits for next year Is Jl.WO.tfXUOO, divided as follows: Real es tate, city rate, $1,563,141,282; suburban rate, 7),632,78S! farm rate, $20,732,330, and per sonal property, horses and cattle, $1,700,000. In addition to this the board estimates the value of the personal property taxable tinder tho act of Juno 17, 1913, n-3 $570,000,000. Controller Wnlton declnrcs that the In creased valuation will mean an Increased, toorrowlnff poxver of about three and a half million dollars. He had not figured cut the borrowing capacity Increase from the personal property tnx. WARD CALLS CHARGES TEST OF BUILDING AND LOAN LAW Retired N. G. 3?. Brigadier General Defends His Conduct. Brigadier General Joseph H. C. Ward, Jtf. G. P., retired, of 6717 GIrard avenue, in ex-captaln of the United States Army, dentist and treasurer of tho Weston Terminal Building and Loan Association, yho was arrested on charges of making jfalso entries made by Albert Wagner, an Inspector for tho State Department of tanking-, said today he expocted Wagner would withdraw the charge before the further hearing scheduled for Monday. General Ward was arrested yesterday. Dr. Ward Is a veteran of the Army of the Potomac, in which he -was a captain. I also served In Indian campaigns In 1S59 and his oftlce at the GIrard avenue Bddress Is filled with Indian relics, in cluding two arrows shot at him by Jfavajos. Tho specific charge against Doctor (Ward, who Is 70 years old, is that he marked up his dues in the association as paid for 4 months. He declares that the laws permit him to do this, as .treasurer, for 6 months. Wagner InslsteuVthat it was against tho law, according to Doctor Ward, and the two had a lively argument on the point n lew days before the nrrest. Today Doctor Ward expressed tho opinion that 4Wagner had him arrested ns a warning to other building and loan officials that IBuch procedures weie against the law. The aged veteran bears no HI will figalnst Wasner. He says the banking in spector did his duty as he saw It. Doctor JVnrd was paying $75.30 a month In duo. Wagner admitted In a statement after Jthe hearing yesterday that the dis crepancy had been made good, but de clared the banking laws had been vio lated. I Doctor Ward retired as Brigadier Gen eral In the National Guard December m 11912. In addition to his duties with th building and loan association he is n practicing ocnusi, ana also a real estnte Bnd insurance operator. He has resigned as treasurer of the building and loan as- oclatlon, but Is still a director In It 'EACE PROPAGANDA RIDICULED IN THE HOUSE rnrdnar Says "Bombast" and "Plati tudes" Are Ineffective. , WASHINGTON, Oct K.-Statlng his fenlnlon thnt th TTnlfwd Rtntan 4 ilnn- Jpared for any kind of war. and that the ffect of the -vast sums of money spent jfiy Carnegie in hla peace propaganda had 4een to blind Americans to the fact that pur national security from a military olnt of view Is undermined. Representa tive Gardner, of Massachusetts, today in- imwuvcu a rtuotuiion provioing ror a ifcommlsalon of nine to investigate the preparedness of the United States for Avar, either offensive or defensive. .. vwiiiiiiiaQiuti wuuiu cuusiai or inree enators, three Representatives and three ijuio. thiamin iu ij ui'yuiniea oy tne president ( ' "I simply cannot understand," said iiardner, "how any Intelligent student of history can fail to see that we are im potent to defend ourselves and to en force the Monroe Doctrine by moral feuaslon and flnannlnl iriltrht atnna tk time has not yet come when the United pmies can arrord to allow the martial eplrit of her tons to bo destroyed, and nil the Carnegie millions in the world will hot silence those of us who believe that bullets cannot be stooped with hnmha.f or powder vanquished with platitudes," "Neutral" Nirtlon Was Left to Its Fate, Ambnssador States. WASHINGTON, Oct. 15. "England Instigated Belgium to go to war, and when the time come to protect the unfortunate little toUntry It was left to Its own resources," Count von Bern storff, the German Ambassador, replied today In an ofTlclal statement to the Brit ish denial of an Anglo-Belgian military agreement. The Ambassador said tho formal denial Issued by England "proved nothing." "Tho documents nro In tho hands of the German authorities, nnd will bo pub lished In full," s.iltl tho German Envoy. "The fact remains that a so-called 'neu tral country concluded a military agree ment with England, which provided for tho landing of British troops In this 'neutral' country. "The document nroved that bv Its own free will 'neutral' Belgium accepted the British offers nnd decided to right on tho side of tho Allies. "Germany, on this other hnnd, who had heard of Belgium's ngresment with Eng land nt the beginning of tlio'war. offered to protect Belgium and to pay full In demnity for all her losses. Germany would have religiously kept her promise. The documents found In Brussels further prove that as far back ns 1000 England was systematically trying to bring about tho coalition which has now forced war on Gcrmnny." SPEEDY AWARD OF CONTRACT MAYOR'S PLAN FOR THE POOR Will Urge Councils to Pre pare Ordinances Prion to Vote on $11, 300,000 Loan for Improvements. Mayor Blankcnburg will urge Councils today to prepare all necessary ordinances that will facilitate the early start on im provement projects in the $11,300,000 loan measure that comes before the voters at tho election next month. The ordinance could then be passed ns soon as tho vote on tho loan is ascertained. An opinion of City Solicitor Ryan nd vised against the preliminary nctlnn f Councils In passing ordinances before tho voting on the loan at the general election as suggested by Mayor Blankcnburg in his effort to provide work for unemployed men on loah piojocts early in December, One of tho messages the Mnvnr Wui send to Councils today will emphasize the duty of the legislative bodies to appro priato at least $5000 for tho .proper pres entation of the case begun by Director Coolte, of tho Department of Public Works, before the State Public Service Commission in an effort to lobtaln lower n3 ,frJ.h0!ty nntl residents from tho Philadelphia Electric Company. A hearing of tho case, which Is cham pioned locally by the United Business Men's Association, will be held before tho commission, November 17. The rooo appropriation asked from Councils would ' VlUcJ-.cJ f3 53 ' HARASSED ALLIES ' CHECK FOE'S RUSH BY FURIOUS CHARGE Paris Announces Wedge is Being Driven Between Armies of von Boehn and von Beseler German Defeat Near Arras and at Centre Reported. French, British and Belgian Troops Close With Kaiser's Forces and Bitter En gagement Now Is in Progress Lille and Bruges Captured. fW vC JVH.M 'IF YOU ARE HEALLY TRYING TO HELP ME, HELP HIM. PEACE IN MEXICO BELIEVED IN SIGHT President Becelvea Montreal Mayo? WASHINGTON. Oct. 15. Mavnr Mr-. tin, of Montreal, today called on Presl. Iflent Wilson. He Is conducting an In. I&ulry Into sanitary conditions in various titles of the United States. FLA I N THE WEATHER For Philadelphia arid vicinitu Tn. fettled tonight and Friday, with prob iuiy qecaaional ram; moderate tem peratures; gentle to moderate east. prly winds. r aeiain, see fast page, s&,ia. aeiray the expenses nf rnnnnitir,,. i ncers and other witnesses. nC.hnKn!Uib? ta,kcn '" committeo today on the bill introduced in Select Council to compel taxicab companies nnd other owners of public motor vehicles to estab lish definite rates and post the schedule of rates In each car in several different lUUKUUKCS. The Finance Committee will arrange for the trnnsfer of fundR from the $107,110 ex cess appropriation to tho Sinking Fund to provide the amounts necessary for the operation of municipal departments and county offices the rest of the year. Ap proximately 270,000 of that amount will be appropriated to the Department of Health and Chat i tics for heat and power plants and a sewage disposal system at the city's Institutions for the Indigent and feeble-minded at Holmesburg nnd By berry. Mayor Blankenhurg Is preparing to re fute the statement Included in the opin ion of the City Solicitor that approxl mately 511.000,000 Is at present available for use by the heads of the municipal departments In construction projects that would provide work for the city's unem ployed. VILLA FOLLOWER RULES COUNCILS OF PEACE PARLEY General Garza Dominant Figure, Commission Government Probable. AOUASCALIENTES. Mex., Oct. II (Delayed by Censor). That General Ttoque donzales Garza, personal repre sentative of General Villa, Is the domi nant figure In the national peace conven tion was proved today v.hetr the conven tion decided to postpono action on all Important matters until Octber 30 to await the arrival of 25 representatives of General Kmlllano Zapata, who are said to be on their way here from More los. The decision to postpone action was reached after a stormy session, which at first threatened to end in complete dis agreement and the Immediate resumption of hostilities by the warring factions. It was a brilliant personal victory for Gen eral Garza, and not a few of the north ern leaders expressed their disapproval of his fiery eloquence and the personal remarks he addressed to the convention Member after member arose and coun seled calmness General Yfcobet ItobleJ maae a, spienaiu, jiuiiunmi bjn-umi urg ing harmony, and was followed In a similar vein by General Alvaro Obrogon and General Eugenlo IlenaWdes. Har mony was at last restored, and after a recess of an hour the agreement to postpone action on all important meas ures until next Tuesday was reached. Eery thing now points to the success of the plan for a commission form of government for Mexico City and Indi cates that the commission will be com posed of seven members. Five of these will undoubtedly be General Francisco Villa, commander of the division of the north; General Alvaro Obregon, of the division of the northwest, General Kmlllano Zapata, leader of the rebels In the State or Morelos; General Pablo Gonzales, of the division of the north east; General Candldo Agullar, of Vera Cruz. The remaining two are yet to be agreed upon, but It is considered likely tnat the ftvo already named will have the controlling power. The commission, according to the plan already outlined, will have complete charge of the Meatlco City Government, with full civil and military powers. It AS CARRANZA YIELDS4 IS PARTY'S DUTY Situation Indicates "First Chief" May Be Succeeded as Provisional President by Calderon, Villareal or Hay Cencluded on l'ajt Tvro WASHINGTON, Oct. 15. Peace In Mexico will be obtained within a few days by the selection as Provislcnal President of either Fernando Iglnslas Calderon, Antonio Villareal or Eduardo Hay, according to confidential dispatches today from Aguascallentes to men high In diplomatic circles here. The situation at the Cnrranza-Vllla peace conference, as reviewed In these messages, is that General Curranza has stepped aside from the provisional leader ship, and may even withdraw as a can didate for the elective presidency. Tho advantage at Aguascallentes thus far is claimed by Villa, who has made certain of concessions from Carranzk. Administration officials today expressed the belief that the crisis on tho border, which yesterday threatened "grave Inter national complications," has been passed. The compliance of Governor Hunt, of Ari zona, with the request of Secretary of War Garrison not to send the rollltla to the border removed the chief cause for concern. It was stated. War Department ofllcials assert the Federal troops will be able to prevent any serious disturbances along the International line, The Department waited word from the Brazilian Minister at Mexico City In reply to Its request for information concerning the seizure of the tramways system by tho Carranza Government. The decisive attack upon Naco, Sonora, by the forces under General Maytorena is expected today, according to advices to the War Department from Colonel Hatfield, commanding the Amort, forces at Naco, Ariz. Colonel Hatfield reported that heavy reinforcements have reached Maytorena and that others are on the way. The rebel commander Is expected to overcome the Federal garrison Colonel Hatfield added that everything was quiet on the American side of the border and that the Government troops were doing everything possible to pre serve peace. Secretary of War Garrison said he did not anticipate any further trouble at Naco. No official word has yet reached the United States Government that General Cananza has resigned the Provisional Presidency of Mexico. TART'S FRIEND SAYS DEFEAT OF PENROSE Franklin W. S h o t w e 1 1 , Prominent Republican of Nebraska, Calls Pennsyl vania Senator "Menace to Country." OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 15.-Tho Pennsyl vania political tight and the effort to defeat Penrose for the Senate Is attract ing much attention in Nebraska. Many prominent Republicans are hopeful that he may he beaten. "Penrose Is a menace to the party and to the country and should be defeated," said Franklin W. Shotwell, prominent Re publican and friend of W. H. Taft. Mr. Shotwell last month came within less than 100 votes of being chosen the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Gov ernor, but he refused to contest the pri mary. "Pennsylvania Republicans should re member that a United States Senator belongs to all States," Mr. Shotwell said. "and not to a single State. A Senator's vote affects the entire country, not sim ply the affairs of a single State. Upon those broad lines Pennsylvanlans should carefully consider before it decides to send this man back to Washington to misrepresent that State and the entire nation as well. "Senator Penrose may not be every thing that ha is charged with being, but that should not save tho day for him. His usefulness as a public servant Is over; tho country is suspicious of him; the new era In public affairs calls for hla defeat. "Penrose stands at the very head of tho class of men who have made the word 'politician' a reproach. If Penn sylvania will not eliminate him from pub lic affairs for its own sake, it should do so for the sake of the remainder of the nation. Penrose and the things for which ho stands must go, and Pennsyl vanlans have it In their power to remove him from national politics. They should do so," CLUBWOMEN VOTE FOR SUFFRAGE, BUT NOT AS FEDERATION Delegates to Pittsburgh Con vention Go on Record "as Individuals," With a Two thirds Majority. VILLA SEIZES GERMAN PROPERTY WORTH $1,000,000 Large Estates In Durang-o Confiscated on His Orders. BI PASO. Tex . Oct 15 It Is reported here that on orders Issued by General Francisco Villa, German property valued at more than 1.000.000 In gold has been confiscated in the State of Durango. He haa given instructions to confiscate all large estates in that State, whether foreign or Mexican owned. The German property seized Is north of Durango City and comprise more than 1.000,000 acres. It was bought ten years ago for $500,000 gold; together with stock and Improve ments it Is worth 1,OW,000. Six hundred troops have been sent by General Villa to crush the Hen-era revolt In the Farral district Herrera is re perked to have 1500 well-armed men ua&r bite. LANDSLIDE IN CULEBRA CUT Canal Probably Will Be Closed Tem porarily to Traffic, PANAMA, Oct 15. A landslide occurred in the Culebra Cut this morning, which probably will cause the canal to be closed to traffic temporarily. It appears there were simultaneous slides from both sldea of the cut, the larger from Gold Hill, the highest point of elevation of the canal banks. The double character of the avalanche has complicated the work of clearing out a channel. Governor Goethals was apprised of the slide by telephone, and with canal engi neers hurried to Cucharacha to ascertain the amount of damage There were no ships in the cut at the time of the accident, according to reports here. Several vessels will be held up in the canal until the earth and rock Is dredged out. PITTSBURGH. Oct. 15.-Woman's suf frage was Indorsed "individually" by the delegates to the State Federation of Pennsylvania Women, In convention at Memorial Hall this afternoon, by abcAit a two-thlrda vote. But the organisation did not go on record as favoring it. Some preliminary routine business was transacted by tho federation this morn ing, but this gave the leaders of the contending forces an opportunity to mar shal their armies, strengthen the weak points and win over neutrals. The generals were busy while Mrs. .Kate talker Barrett, of Washington, president of the National Florence Crit tenden Home and confidential adviser of the United States Government on Immi gration problems, delivered an address on national and International relation ship, Mrs. 3arrett urged an International con gress of women, declaring that although men might not understand those speaking a foreign language, tho women of all nationalities understood each other be cause of the bonds of motherhood. She sulci women would play a great part In th settlement of the European war. The federation does not follow the usual parliamentary proceduto of pre senting a resolution and then discussing it. They work bnckward. Mrs. William I. Hull, of Snarthmore, chairman of the Suffrage Committee, read her report be foro the resolution was read. Mis. Hull recommended that the con vention adopt the resolution which was adopted at the convention of the Federa tion of Women's Clubs in Chicago last June. The resolution reads as follows: "Wrereas, The question of political equality of men and women Is today a vital problem throughout the civilized world, "ResoUed, That the General Federation of Women's Clubs give the cause of polit ical equality its moral support by record ing Its earnest belief In the principle qf political equality regardless of sex." Mrs. Horace Brock, of Lebanon, leader of the anti-suffrage delegates, entered a protest to the leport of Mrs. Hull, say. Ing It was an ardent appeal for suffrage and not the unbiased report which should have been made on the suffrage commit tee's deliberations. While Ostenrl lias been evacuated by French and British troops and the Germans are only 10 miles away, French War Office announces that the invaders have been pushed back all along the line. The Germans have evacuated the left bank of the River Lys in Belgium, the official statement adds, and reports French advances near Craonne and arras and the capture of German trendies near Rhcims. Heavy firing is reported near Dunkirk, France, on the French coast, southwest of Ostend. Unofficial dispatches state that the British and Belgians from Ostend have joined a strong French force, and that the combined armies have turned with fury on the German advance guard. Heavy fighting cast of Soissons and east of the Argonnes is in prog ress, according to the official Berlin statement, which denies French claims of successes in the Woevre region. The crucial battle in Russian Poland has entered the eighth day o! furious fighting without decisive result. It is known that the Austro-German forces are more than 100 miles across the border and are engaging the Russians vigorously on a 300-mile north and south line, parallel to the Vistula and running from the vicinity of Warsaw to Przemysl. Berlin advices report Germans have cut lines of communication between Ivangorod and Warsaw, the two strongest positions in Russian Poland. The Russian objective toward Silesia has been checked, as the troops are concentrated for defense of their own fortified cities of Ivangorod and Warsaw. Galicia is quiet, but the Russians deny Vienna reports of abandon ment-of the--Przemysl siege nnd the retaking of Lemberg. In East Prussia, Berlin reports holding back the Russian advance and defeat of a large force near Schirwindt. The battle of Wirballen has been under way since October 4 with constant losses to the Russians. Montenegrins report a decisive victory over 15,000 Austrians in the vicinity of Sarajevo. The Austrian mortality was enormous and many guni were taken. Turkey is reported to have opened hostilities by an attack on Russian ships in the Black Sea. However, it is also reported that the Turkish army has been ordered demobilized. While Portugal has not formally declared war against country is animated by martial spirit. Congress has been traordinary session for tomorrow to authorize mobilization which consists of 150,000 men on a war footing, and this action is regarded as directly preliminary to a declaration of hostilities. Martial law has been proclaimed in the Portuguese Congo, which is threatened from German Southwest Africa. German citizens have fled in numbers from Lisbon. British troops have been sent against Colonel Maritz, rebel leader of the Boers in South Africa. It is reported that only 500 troops comprise the revolutionary forces. Germany tho called in ex- of the army. ALLIES DRIVE BACK LINES OF ENEMY, FRENCH ASSERT FEARS DISRUPTION OF CLUBS. "If suffrage is indorsed by the federa tion," she said, "it simply will mean dis ruption in the clubs. A great number of clubs will drop out and some individ uals from other clubs. I do not think that the subject should be broached, since It will have such serious results Our by-laws eay we must have no religious or political plans in our platforms, and suffrage Is a political question. "I shall be sorry from the bottom of my heart if it Is indorsed, for the scope of the women s cluba will he crippled The clubs have done wonderful vvoik and are progressing rapidly It is a plti that they should be disrupted, ami if f. frage is Indorsed It will be because the federation practically has been packed with suffragists. We anti-suffragists will train eve nrvo to keep thla aubject rom betas Indorsed." PARIS, Oct. 15. An offensive move throughout the French battle line was Indicated In to day's War Offlce statements. It was the causo of unusual optimism here. From far up Into Belgium, zlg-zngginff hero and there across Into French ter ritory and down to Metz, tho Allies are apparently pressing the Germans hard. There is over- Indication hero, from reports, that the wedge of Belgians, British nnd French, with which the Allies countered the German blow at the North Sea ports in Belgium, is be- ins pushed forward between the armies of Generals von Boehn and von Beseler. Before the German occupation of Antwerp the Allies had prepared to engago the German right along the River Lys. The Germans' retirement from this position now is reported offi cially. So also have the Kaiser's troops been thrust bacjt east of Arras Unofficial dispatches here say the Ger mans lost heavily and that the town Itself was greatly damaged by incen diary fires The Hotel de Vllle, a splendid type of Gothic architecture, is reported greatly damaged. Particular satisfaction Is expressed here at the enforced German retire ment to secondary entrenchments along the centre a retreat forced by fierce French attack. Military observ ers noted a slackening; in the German offensive to tho extreme right, prompt ly met by French advances In this sec tion The official statement follows in full In the Belgium theatre of war the German troops comirir from twerp wo marchlnjr toward tha west and reached the region of Bruges and of Thielt on the eve ning of October 14. On our left wing1 the enemy evacuated the left bank of tho River Lys. Between the Lys and the canal of La Bassee the situa tion is stationary. In the region of Lens and between Arras and Al bert our progress has been notable. Between the Sommn and the Olse there is no change. The Germans have bombarded our line, but made no Infantry attacks. Lille has been occupied only mo mentarily by the Germans. At the centre, between the OIs and the Meuse, we have advanced toward Craonne. At the northeast of the road from Barry-au-Bac to Rhelms and at the north of Pru nay in the direction of Heine (a short distance east of Rhelms) nu merous German trenches have been captured. Between the Meuse and the Moselle, after having re pulsed on the night of October 13 14 attacks at the southeast of Ver dun, our troops advanced on the 14th to the south of the road from Verdun to Metz. On our right wing the partial of fenslve taken by the Germans in tha Ban-de-Sapt, in the north of St. Die, has been definitely stopped. In Russia the conflict continues on the front extending from the re glon of Warsaw along tho Vistula and the San as far as Przemysl and still farther toward the south to tha Dnelster. There is no change In East Prussia. French. British and German Infantry with their artillery support, that have been hidden behind screens of clashing cavalry on the Belgian border north of Lille, now are engaged In arHmportant combat on Belgian soil. The Allies' army that occupied Tprea 3 1 Ceacludtd aa Fj y9W IH: