SSBSx ? FINANCIAL EDITION ,i :'H NIGHT EXTRA 9TRA Unletting fieiiger NIGHT EXTRA v $ b VOL. III. NO. 142 LACONIA CASE 'CLEAR-CUT ACT,' WILSON THINKS U, S. Asks No Further proof of Germany's Intentions TWO AMERICANS DIE ON SHIP; PROBABLY 0 Next Step Now Up to Presi dent as Congress Quar rels Over Requests SPLIT ONV FLOOD BILL House Appears Opposed to Giv ing Executive Authority as Asked Yesterday Lacoma Sinking "Overt Act," View of London Newspapers LONDON, I'd). '.27. AFTERNOON newspaper comment today agreed that if the death of Mrs. Hoy and Miss Hoy was defi nitely estahlished, the torpedoing of the Laconia must he construed as an "overt net" hy President Wilson. Later consular advices established their loss. Here in London the attack on the ship an unwarned attack, accoid ing to unanimous opinion of sur vivors was regarded as hciiiR exact ly similar to that which sent the Lusitania down. The Laconia sank at a spot only J two hours steaming from the place where the Lusitania was sunk with a loss of 115 American lives. Sinking of the Cunard liner Laconia with the loss of at least two American lives, probably nine, was regarded by the Washington Government today as the "cfcar-cut act" in the crisis between Germany and this country. "Clear-cut act" is interpreted to mean the "overt act" for which Presi dent Wilson has been waiting. The next step in the international situation is up to President Wilson. President Wilson's action may or may not be determined by what Congicss does in reference to the Executive mes sage it received yesterday. Today Congress appears widely split on the Flood measure granting the President blanket powers in the crisis and" providing 8100,000,000 for defense. Both the House and Senate aic talking for and against the President's request. American Consul Frost, at Queens town, officially reports the death of the two Americans, Mrs. Mary and Miss Elizabeth Hoy, together with the posi tive statement that the Laconia was sunk without warning. Unofficial reports say a New York man and six American negioes of the new also perished. There were 2D1 persons nhonrdj thir teen arc dead and missing. Two tor pedoes were fired. A heavy sea was rolling. Austin'Hoy cables President Wilson asking to be 'the first volunteer for a citizen army to fight Germany. He is a son of Mrs. Mary Hoy. i t Washington is gravely concerned ' over the situation. ' Officials say un officially that the Laconia sinking is as suredly the "overt act" which must mean conflict with Germany. CONGRESS IN MUDDLE ON BACKING PRESIDENT WASHINGTON. Feb. 27 The sinking of tho Laconia. according to hlrhest ofll- ' clal Interpretation, Is "a clear-cut net " No Investigation is necessary. The sinking stands on Its own merits. This became known as tho Administra tion's attitude, following a conference at the White IIouso between Seetetary of Btato Lansing and President Wilson. Kvldence now In hand, presumably con tained In cable dispatches from Ameilcan representatives abroad, It was stated, elim inates any necessity for fuithor luvestlga tlon, The Laconia incident what shall be Continued on Vagr Tun, Column One Trolley Car Hits Bakery Wagon Bread was tossed into the street and a delivery wagon of the Mayer Dakery. Six tieth and ,Naudaln streets, was dameged early today In a collision with a Spruce treet car at Forty-nlntll street. The bak ery wagon was driving across Spruce street When the car struck It. Hundreds of loaves Of bread were scattered over the wet pave ment and Valtcr Ilayha, of 68m Spruce Street, was thrown out. At the University Hospital, where Bayha was taken, It was aid his Injuries were not serious. THE WEATHER yOUUCABT For Philadelphia and vicinity Qen trolly fair and colder tonight and Wed nesday, iirtth lowest temperature about thirty degrees "Wednesday morning; fresh tcinds. mostly orthu-est. I.F.NOTII OF II.W P" rl fl,37.m. I Moon rln..n.32 a m. ua ieti BUOp.m. 1 Moon souths, , S:lt p m. DELAWARK II1VKR TIK CHANGES CHESTNUT STREET hlr' water,. 12:8n a.m. I I-nwr water... 1.08 p.m. )ih vralr,6:55.m. I High wter,,ij:ll p.m. VKWJWATPHK T KAVM MtlUK, EXPLOSION KILLS FOUR IN GLASGOW, PA., PLANT Four-Inch Steam Pipe Bursts With Fatal Hesults in Engincroom of Nngcl Steel Works ITVITRTOW.V. Pa, Teh. 27Four em-""VF-i of inn N.igel Sled Company,, at HkifRou, near here. this morning met it intrihlo death when a fleam pipe burst hi tho dnglne mom. Tho men were tcrrl bly scalded and tried In aln to escape from tho steam. filled room. Tho dead ate: Franklin Kelm, aged thirty years, mar ried, of Pottstown; leaves ono child. Lewis Glnthcr, aged twenty-one years, "Ingle, of aiasgovv. ''ah In Schacffor. aged tuenty-sW years, son of Hairlson Kchaoffcr, proprietor of tho Halfway House. John Htichcrt. aged tlirlty-one. yents, of Ktowe. mart led, leaves two children. Iluch cit was tho engineer nt tho plant. Tim company slates that tho fatal nc ritlent was tho result of tho breaking of a four-Inch elbow on No. 1 boiler. This nused friction on tho lino nnd resulted In tho breaking of the water Jacket leading to the engine This fell nnd allowed the Meant In escape, Tho fatal incident oc runcd about 3-30 o'clock mil has caused tho shutting down of tho big plate mill of the concern, which has plants nfSoy ferls and Railway, N. J. Kelm, ShnefferandOlnther were employed nt the plate rolls In the mill Tho big steamplpo burst without warning and In stantly the englneroom was filled, with' blinding steam. Schacffcr seems to hao Ixen thrown fotclbly, for an examination of his body disclosed the fact that bo mis talned a compound fi actum of the right arm The body of Glnthcr was found nit top of a iljnamo, where he bad climbed In n aln attempt o en-ape from the '.tiding ste.im. Iluchetl managed to escape from the door and though In ,i dvlng condition, hoatsely called for help lie died at 9:30 o'clock in the Pottstown Hospital from ter rible bums and tho Inhaled steam Tho other thiee victims only lled a few minutes and illrd lu agony in tho stcam- (llled engine loom The company had hnt down the plant on Situid.iy and the boilers, steam lines, gauges, etc, weie thoioughly cleaned On Sunday an Inspctlor vlsttcd the place and matked the Mcamplpcs O. K. BRITISH SHIP SHELLED BY U-BOAT REACHES N. Y. Portuguese Prince Attacked by Subma rine 71 Miles Off Fiench Coast. Saved by Superior Speed Ni:V YORK. Feb. 27 When tho British steamship Portuguese I'rlnco arrived heto today front Hi pit sbo reported being shelled b n ''id man Mibmnrine. The ntt.uk was tnndo on IVbruaiv II. when the Portuguese Pilnco was about sev-ont-nne miles out fiom laml, sonio of tin shell splinteis falling on tho bridge. Front eight to ten shells were (lred, but the Ilrltlsh ship escaped, owing to her supeilor speed Tho Pottugucso Ptlnee displaces 4H81 tons and hails tiom Newcastle. B. AND O. PASSENGER TRAIN HAS NARROW ESCAPE Lives of 200 Endangered When Pony Trucks of Locomotive Jump the Track TAYI.OItSTOWN, Pa.. Feb 27. The lives of nearly "00 passengers on the Hal tlmoro nnd Ohio's Pittsburgh express were endangered today when tho pony trucks of tho engino jumped tho track as tho ttaln tea red n fifty-foot ttestlc here. The train was traveling fott-fho miles an hour nnd ctossed the long trestle before it iouM bo stopped. CUBAN TROOPS CAPTURE STRONGHOLD OF REBELS Iiayamo, Northwest of Santiago, Taken After Fierce Battle With .Heavy Losses HAVANA. Feb. 27. Government troops today captuted Hayamo fifty miles noith west of Santiago, tho rebel stronghold, and drovo tho revolutionists from tho streets on a series of savago engagements Roth sides vvcro equipped with machine guns nnd the losses weie heavy. Capture of the city was repotted to President Men- ocal this afternoon hy t-'oiotiei juiuias Metancourt. . Colonel Pujol, commanding tho troops that ato pushing tho routed rebels in the C.tmaguey Ulfctricc una ngaln defeated them, It nounced. overtaken and Is olllcially an BILL IN STATE SENATE TAXES MANUFACTURERS Bcidlcman, of Dauphin, Introduces a Measure to Provide Additional Revenue HAiytlSnunO. Feb. 27 "-Under a bill In tioduced lit' the, Senate today, manufac turing plants In Pennsy Ivanla will have to pay a State tax after tho first Monday of next November to help raise revenue for tho State, The bill, Introduced by Senator Reldlemun, of Dauphin, llxes u one-mill tax on manufacturing concerns capitalized at $100,000 or less: two mills on those capitalized nt more than 100.000 and less than J500.000, and live mills on those capitalized at more than 500,000. The bill also provides for a llcenso tax of one-half mill on capital stock. Senator Beldleman Introduced also an amendment to the school code providing for the Increasing of the salaries of county superintendents 500. Tho Senate passed the deficiency bill carrying an appropriation of approximately 1600 000. covering deficiencies In the various S600.000, covering State departments. Adt&urnmont until Mracn 1 J was voted on In both House and Senate Tankers Safely Back From War Zone NGW YOItK. Feb. 27. The American tank steamships Sliver Shell and the Narra-L-anBett arrived la New York today from the war "one. The Sliver Shell Is agister ship of the dold Shell, the first American ship to reach Ihe war one after the break ,.i,. . .,- on.,- filiAll i-aniM from 20 DIE IN P. R. R. SLEEPER AS FREIGHT PASSES SIGNALS, HID BY FOG, AND HITS EXPRESS Former U. of P. Athlete, Six Relatives, Twelve Other Passengers and Porter Killed at Mt. Union in First Pennsy Tragedy in Years Football Player's Party on Way to Kinsman's Funeral. Honeymoon Couple Among Lost Fatalities Con fined to Last Car of Steel Train, Split by Impact Twenty persons nineteen passengers nnd n porter wero killed In a Pennsylvania Hallroad wreck nt Mount Union early to. .lay. A fast freight crashed through the fog Into tho rear end of the Mercantile Hxprcss, splitting the rear sleeping coach In twain. Chester A. Minds, wealthy coal operator nnd former University of Pennsylvania foot ball star, nnd six members of his family, on their way to the funeral of Mrs Mlnds's father? lost their lives. A honeymoon con pi? It believed to have been killed In tho crash, the most disastrous suffered by the 1'cnnsylvanla Hallroad In years von nnscuitUD signals Tho express, a I'lttsburKh-I'hll.idelphU-New York flyer, was standing nt the Mount Union station, fort.v-flvo miles east of Al toona. Pcne fog obscured signals, train men said Investigations are being carried on by the l'ennsj Ivanla Hallroad, the Interstate Com merce Commission nnd the 1'ublic Service Commission Tho dead were Clir.vrr.lt A. MIMW, nf llnmpv, Clfnrnpl'l fnuntv wpnllh rnnl nprratnr nnil I filllliark nf tho University of l'ennsylvnnla's 1PI.I foot- IiaII tf-nnt Vlr. Clir.sTr.lt A. MIND", his wife. Clir.sTI'.ll A. JHMIs, ,tr,. their thrse-week- old li.iby Itl('II.VUI) 0VVI;N, (een-srnr-oM nfrh'w of Mr Mliid IXIKOTin (IIF.N. six sear-ol.l nlcc nf Mr. Minds , Ji;N lit! IIS, four-ear-old tilero of Mr. Mlnrti" VIIh MU'llU. .MIM)1, flstrr of Jlr. Minds. VI. A. CAUI.W II. Conlfrf. N. V.. brother of Mri. MlndM Miss A. V. DEI.l.l.Sfl, Cleveland. O, nuife In tho Minds family. P. It. KANMNO. riatlevllle. Wis. A ounB nnmnn, hllevefl tn have bull his brdln An liiililenllllrd woman, who mnv have Iwrn vtrs Krunies Darrlns, n relative of Mr. Minds II A. Itor.I l.l.lt. thousht to he of rialtvllle, .v y MII.TOV llMi:. ITI West 138lh street. New Vnrlc (IIVUI,i;S I.l'.MM'. 3"i Nassau slrcet, New York. r. II. I'lll.l, M. r.tl I.lsppnard street, New York C. M. MHIISKFJ (Mr.DsKM. SOS West Torty- slxth strfet. New York .1. r. Ki:i.l.V. Ilrookbn F. IV. MONTCiOVIKKY. salesman, M7 Kast Orove street. llloomlnBton, 111. N. ItKHlHT, negro porter of ear Itclhvood. The Injured were. A T Cook, liarrlsburg. engineer of ft eight train; hurt about legs. I'ortcr of 11 sleeping coach, Injured about legs CAIIS WUDCJIin TOGKTnnit So powetful was tho Impact that tho two last sleeping coaches of the all-steel train were wedged ho tightly together that they had to bo cut apart. Uvcry passenger In tho rear I'tillinnii of tho express train, tho steel Bellwood, was killed outright Tho Hcllwood split In two against tho next steel Pullman, the Biucc vllle, which cut Into tho Iiellvvood like a knife The living In tho Itrucevlllo and the deatl In the Bellwood wfcro imprisoned by tho telescoping of tho latter sleeping car, making rescue work and identification difilctilt. Theie wero nine In the Minds party, composing exactly half the passenger list of the Hcllwood. All presumably wero killed almost Instantly They were on their way to Brooklyn, where Mis. Mlnds's father, William Calllscb. died Sunday. They boarded tho train at Tvmne. buvlng tickets for Utlca. where. It Is thought, they Intended Joining other mem bcrs of tho family. jmOTHU.lt NOTIUIUI) Mlnds's brother, John A Minds, of this city, was notified and left Immediately for the scene of the wreck. John A. Minds, better known as "Jack" Minds, was the University of Pennsylvania's great all around athlete of the '90s, captain of the football team and all-American player. He Is a lavvj-or. with offices In tho Commercial Trust Building. Mlnds's father is James If, Minds, n wealthy coal operator of Itamey nnd the Clearfield County mining region. He is sur vived nlso by his mother. COUPLn ON HONEYMOON Many of. the bodies were crushed almost beyond Identification, One of these bodies, believed to be that of Mrs. P. It. Fanning, revealed a tragedy following close upon n romance. Mr. and Mrs. Fanning were on their honeymoon. A letter congratulat- t'ontlnufd on I'ate Sittren, Column One INCENDIARY PLOT BARED BY YOUNG PIIILADELPHIAN Man Delegated to Fire Tenement Hous inc- Twenty Families Informs tho Police NKW YOnK, Feb. 27. A plot to set lire to" a tenement Iioubb pn Second avenue containing twenty families was frustrated by the police today, deoige Marino, pro prietor of a barber shop on the ground floor of the building, confessed that he planned to fire the building and cover up the deed with evidences of "Black Hand" literature. Frank Quigley, twenty-two years old, of Philadelphia, was to have flred.the building. Instead, Quigley notified the police of Ma rino's plot. Marino said he wanted the J1600 Insurance on his shop, according to the police. v Muster Out Eighth Infantry HAMUSBUnG, Feb. 27. Muster out of the Eighth Pennsylvania Infantry, which returned to horn? stations from the Mexican border, was begun yesterday under the 2irohn of .Lieutenant, Colonel Quy.H. PHILADELPHIA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY Facts About Fata! Wreck of Pennsy Express Train DKAD Nineteen passengers nnd a Pullman pnitcr. Dead include Chester A. Minds, former I'cnn foot ball star, and seven members of his I fnmily, on way to a funeral. Inj'ured Two persons received I minor injuries. Place Mt. Union, forty-five miles cast of Altoona. Time 12:10 a. m. Wreck Kast freight crashed into rear of Mercantile Kxpress, standing at station; icar sleeping coach split in two. Cnuse Believed that freight en gineer did not see signal to slow j down because of dense fog. Railroad recoil 55:1,800,003 pas scngers carried in last three years ' without n passenger fatality. P.R.T.MUSTRUN DARBY 'L' TRAINS City Has Ample Power to Compel Use of Market Street Line FRANKFORD BENEFITED nu n Rtaff Conritpoiulrut II.MtrtlHHt'Tlf, lb '7 -- Tho eitv or Philadelphia without unv additional legis lative enactment lias nt the present time legal power to compel the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company to run high-speed trains front the Partly and the Krankford "I." roads over the tracks of the present Market street high-speed line, irrespective of any operating lease with tho company, according to the private view of n majority of the Public Service Commission. This fact beenmo known today In con nection with tho hearing befoio the com mission upon the city's application for a certificate of public convenience to permit tho construction of the levated lino from Thirtieth and Market streets to City Line, Dai by. Members of tho commission avoided committing themselves publicly to this view, but It was learned that a careful study of tho various enactments bearing upon the caso has resulted In the virtually unanimous opinion that the net of Juno 17, 1313, confers the power upon the city to compel tluough routing without an operat ing lease between city and company. The effect of this would be more high speed trains could run fiom Darby over th Darby "I" to Thirtieth nnd Market streets, over tho Market street high-speed line to Front nnd Arch streets nnd thenco over tho Frankford ' I." to tho Northeast, and returning over the same route. Another nllcrnatlve possible In the event no Ieaso Is ratified, Assistant Transit Di rector Atkinson explained, would bo to con struct the Chestnut street subway, and thus connect tho Darby and tho Frank ford lines. Tho Public Service Commission gave evi dence that It Is not disposed to rush the Issuance of certificates of public convenience for tho construction of the various lines of Philadelphia's high-speed system until the C'ontinurd on race Slvtffn. Column Six WILD WEST HOLD-UP ON PENNSY FLYER Cowboy Battles With Assailant and Is Thrown From Train Wounded, but Saves Money OREUNSBURa. Ta., Feb. 27 Held up by two men In the smoking compartment of a fast Pennsylvania passenger train near the Itadebaugh Tunnel, west of here, short ly after 8 o'clock this morning, Joseph Rose, a cowboy, of Butte, Mont., battled with the hold-up men until ho was thrown from the rear platform of the train. Un conscious, ho lay along the tracks for some time, then, recovering, he started to wander In the Greensburg pike and was picked up by automoblllsts, who brought him to the Westmoreland Hospital here. Ills condition is serious. Rosa was en route from Butte to New York city, and had nearly $200 In. his pockets, he told the local police. On the train he was approached by two strangers, who talked to him after the train left Pittsburgh. One of the men Invited Rose to smoke a cigar and the three men went to the moklng compartment. Rose was commanded to turn over his money, but, he told the police, he preferred to fight and attacked the men. The fight was finally carried to the rear platform of the train and the, estlbule door was opened In the scuffle. Rose was struck by one of the men and pitched headlong through the open door and rendered unconscious when hex struck the ground, lie .suffered nu. 27, 1917 CortmonT. EXTRA TRAIN HITS AUTOTRUCK! DOY DRIVER KILLED Theodore Jackson, sixteen "ycats old, 203 rederal street. Btnllng ton, W. J., died at the Cooper Hospital. C.uudfii. thin afternoon nhoitly nftei lie hnd been admitted suffeilng with injuiles iccelvcd when nn nutotiuck he was dtlving wns stittck by n train at Burlington. Kussel Stockton, seventeen, of Builtngtou, was In the machlno wllJi yuuus Jackson, but escaped any Injiity whatsoever. SENATE PASSES DILL TO PENSION FUNSTON'S WIDOW WASHINGTON, 1'cb. 37. The Senate today passed a bill granting a pension of $100 a month to Mis. Uillth I'miston widow of the lata Gcnci.tl rredcilck l'unston. I RAILWAYS GUT KATE INCREASES TO PACIFIC WASHINGTON. Kelt. :7. slecl tiriiclPH fiom I'iltslnirsh -t'cinilpslon nnil Clilcnitu Orient was Krantcil tlictronscontlnentnl railroads today liy the Interstate Com merce Commission The Commission allowed nn lncte.tso nf from thirty to fortv cents per lort pounds fiom Chicncn nnd from forty-two to fotty-flvo cents from Pittsburgh The slilpplnc "f inunltlnns tn Japan nnd ItusHla wilt be largely affected by the rulinc OPEN BIDS FOR GUNS TO MOUNT ON SHIPS WASHINGTON, I'cb. "2". The N.t Department tomortow will open lilds for 2100 nite pound tides nnd mounts, 3r0 throe-Inch rllles and mounts nnd a large number of fmn-liicli and flvc-lnrlt Runs, also with mounts. TIicfo ate tho types suitable for aiming merchantmen. DEFENSES OF WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON. Pcb. JT. Tho defenses of further strengthened today, when ltcmwotkoiH Iron gale at the hitherto open enttaneo In the street fiom tho State, War nnd Navv Iltilldlng. armed guard will be stationed Inside It from Invasion DUMA RECONVENES; TROOPS SURROUND BUILDING COPHNIIAC.IIN. i'cb. 27 A dispatch from Potr>ad wtntes that the Puma convened today. Tito Taviicheski Palace, tho building in which It meets, was sur rounded by troops, as there Is considerable poll t leu I unicst In l'etrograd. CRUISER PRAIRIE SAILS Tho cruiser Prairie left the Philadelphia Navy Yard this afternoon tn pick up marine recruits along the South Atlantic const. The men will bo distributed among tho ships of tho Atlantic fleet. The Ptaltlo ratricd a. load of guns to Washington, which will be cart led by the marines in the inaugural parade. WAR-RISK RATES LOWER DESPITE LACONIA DISASTER NEW YOItlv. Feb. 27. DesplU" the sinking of tho I.itconla, war-risk rates eased off about 7 per cent on vessels sailing tn tho United Kingdom. A risk on ono first-class passenger vessel sailing to .Liverpool hn been placed nt (i'4 per cent. While business was very light nndo,unsettled today, rates tanged between 7 nnd 8 per cent, shipowners, having little ditllculty in obtaining insurance at tho latter lovcl. Tho loss of tho Laconia, ono ptnmlnent underwriter stated, did not cost tho local market more than $100,000, sinco most of Iter cargo was insured by, the llritlsh Government. Itntes to the Medlteiianeau nro S to 10 per cent. 200 KILLED IN FRENCH ARMS PLANT EXPLOSION HHIU.IN, Feb. 27. Two hundred persons wcto killed nnd 700 wounded and 80,000 tons of nmmut'ltion were destroyed by tho blowing up of n French ammuni tion plant near Paris, says a dispatch to tho Overseas News Agency todny from a Swiss source. BALDWIN'S GET ORDERS FOR 3," FREIGHT ENGINES An order for tliirty-llvo freight engines lias been received by the naldwln Locomotive AVoiks from tho Illinois Central Hailroad Company. The locomotives wilt be of tho "Mikado" typo and will lie constructed under one of the several contracts awarded to Paldwin's nnd other concerns at a total of J3,000,000. TEXAS CROP FIGURES TO WASHINGTON, Feb. 27. Relief from .sight today wiien tho Depaitment nt ARilctillure estimated tho Bermuda onion ncreago In Tcn.is as 11,833. as compared with 10,0,"7 in 19IB, an Increase of 17.9 per cent. Tho Texas ctop will be ready for shipment early in March. In the mean time, 'Washington housewives ato paying as high as twelve cents for a single Ber muda onion. NEW YORK PAPERS RAISE PRICE FOR OUT OF TOWN NHW YORK. Feb, 27. The price of the morning papers In the terrltotics out sldo of New York, vvhete they have been selling for ono cent, will bo raised to two cents on Match 1. according to an agt cement entered Into by the Times, Sun, Herald, Tribune, World and American. Tho high cost of print paper Is given ns the reason. 130,000,000 POUNDS OF MEAT IN CHICAGO CHICAGO, Feb. 27. More than 33,000,000 pounds of hams, bacon and beef wero discovered by city nnd Federal food Investigators in an inspection of two cold storago warehouses in the stockyards, nnd estimates placed the total amount of meat foodstuffs in storage thero In excess ot 150,000.000 pounds. GERARD AND PARTY ARRIVE AT CORUNNA MADRID. Feb. 27. Ambassador Gerard and patty have arrived at Corunna, ac cording to a message received here fiom the Governor ot Corunnn. The Ambassador left Madrid Sunday afternoon nnd will take steamship from Corunna for the United States. FIREMEN'S LOBBY ON DUTY IN HARRISBURG HARIUSnURG, Feb. 27. A committee representing the citizens' committee which drafted the proposed firemen's legislation now in tho Legislature nnd the ordinance smothered by Philadelphia. City Councils to raise tho pay of the fire men 1 In liarrlsburg looking after tho Interests of tho two-platoon bill. The measure, which is on second leading In the House today, was introduced by llepre scntatlve Isadoro Stern, Philadelphia It amends the existing law requiring tho two platoon system for Pittsburgh and Scranton, making It applicable to Philadelphia- ' BOSTON WOMEN ASK EMBARGO ON FOOD EXPORTS BOSTON. Feb. 27. A delegation representing the Housewives' League visited Governor McCall's office and asked him to send a special message to tho Legislature requesting It to memorialize Congress to place an embargo on the export of food. The women bald the would go to Washincton Thursday to request President "Wit son to urge Congress to take some action on the food situation. t- STANDARD OIL OF CALIFORNIA ISSUES 525,000,000 STOCK NEW YORK. Feb. 27. Advicts from San Francisco say that the Commissioner of Corporations ot California has permitted the Standard Oil Company of Cali fornia to lssuo shares not to exceed 218,433 and a fraction to Us present stock, holders In the form of a stock dividend, amounting In tho aggregate to nearly J25.000.000. TAFT DECLINES TO DISQUSS PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - NEW HAVEN, Conn,, Feb, 27, Former rreside.nt Taft declined to, dlsouaa Prl- 1017, M jnr Tunc I.rrxin Commsji to Incieasn frelRht rales on Iron nnd to tlio I'ltcldiv roast for export to the GROUNDS STRENGTHENED the White House gi ounds weie began putting In place n huge executive otllccs, just across the When the gate is completed an and the grounds nt last icndcred hecute TO PICK UP RECRUITS BREAK ONION PRICES ptesent high prices for onions was in PRICE TWO CENTS' ARRAK.rAMRRj.1 LINE IS TEUTONS t -j t J& AIM IN RETREAT Germans Believed Preparing- to Evacuate Ba paume Stronghold BLOW UP DEFENSES BEFORE RETIREMENT Kaiser's Artillery, Mounted on Trucks, Ready for . Quick Getaway QUIT ON 11-MILE FRONT ' Haig's Troops Harass Enemy and Strengthen Their New Positions ITH THT. BRITISH ARMIES AFIEliD, Feb. 27. There seems every reason to believe the present German retirement will not b ended until tho Teutons .reach a line ap proximating the front between Arras and Catnbral. Meanwhile the British are still pressing forward today. They aro constantfy In touch with the Germans and the Germans aro breaking many war records In their retreat. The British pressure Is toward Papaume and the advance Is being rapidly. pressed. The Germans, however, arp offering stiff resistance with large caliber guns, which are evidently mounted on railway trucks, nil ready for a quick getaway at the psycho logical moment. Just before tho Germans took flight they blew up their strongest defensive works. But this didn't worry the British. A new line Is being established by the British 1 1 oops far back of what was the old enemy t ftont line. The Germans had many thousand sol- dlers and civilian prisoners working on the ' defensive works on the line from Arras to V Cambral for the last few' weeks. -, For the present moment all eyes are turned toward Bapaumo. The Germans j, have converted the city into an underground" Gibraltar and have lavished on It all the,,'V arts of modern fortress buliaing. siany extloslonc have been hpard In the clty,.anj there were various reports today that the' garrison had blown up all these wonderful " cellars and passages, as well as the city 4 wjls, preparatory to Icaylng when the pressure of the British forces becomes stronger. ' Tho clear weather 'of the last few days has enabled the British to harass the re treating Germans and has permitted aero plane activity. Thus the war god whose mists at first favored the Germans, preventing aerial re connnlssance, Is switching his affections from one side to the other. Prisoners taken by the British say the German retreat is an "unpleasant joo, - because the British guns keep hammering away, making the roads all but impassable either by day or night. This has been one of the great moves of the world war, with deep significance and rich possibilities for the British. Some military critics predict that the fall of Bapaume is near, but most of the war experts horn tnat ine uerman ucienuco west of Bapaume are too powerful to be overcome In a short series of rushes. The Germans have been compelled to fall back over a front eleven miles wide from east of Guedccourt to south of Gomme-' eourt. At some points the British pressed forward about three miles, encountering only rearguard detaenmems. BRITISH GAIN 2 MILES ON ELEVEN-MILE LINE LONDON. Feb. 27. "The movements re ferred to In the communications Saturday and Sunday were maintained during the, day on both banks of the Ancre" says th latest otllclal bulletin on the campaign In France. The statement continues: Our advance extends over a front of about eleven miles, from east ot Gueudecourt (southeast of Bapaume) to south of Gommecourt (north of the, Ancre,' on tho extreme flank of the original Somme battle front), and has attained a depth of two miles. In addition to the village of Serre. reported yesterday, we now occupy the strong point known as Butte de.WarIen court (about two miles south of Ba paume, the scene of the final deaperatsii struggle of last November, wjtere the British Colonials, after storming the hill, were driven back by the Prussian Guard) and the villages of Warlen-court-Faucourt. Pys and Mlraumont. We have reached the outskirts of Le Barcque (a mile south of Bapaume); lrles and ruisleux-nu-Mont (northeast ,'t of Serre.) a hnntllo attack on one ot our nosts-EOUtl rff ihA Knmme was driven off with losev (This is chiefly Interesting as the first (!!$ flclal intimation that the BrUlsWhave tak over still more of the French lines and t are now holding those south of the SomtM as well.) i,p ' IHU-tUllJ vxairr uiivuiiif , LOST HAST Of AKKXTjI t V BERLIN, Feb.. J7, - At only one point, between Ypres at j Somme Hlver, aia vno uriuaii "; penetrating tne uciiimh ". LW The British gain was made east of "i It was. stated, but ine -ngisn were-i driven oui wim twunwi-iiv. in nthtr sectors of the western artillery was more active than usual '(.'hiinr actlvltv on the eastern f uruiinr. the War Office annouiteel. wulher Is very rold, in Rumtnte Macedonia nothing has ooourrxi. ' ' i BW 'a . ., rM rtrol enKsemq and uermans sk n -9 '.' ..A'i )l v M 1J ? ' si I'. V V Willi mTvfny "tiw n"i wr - SrtLwMiV U" arm!tt kciHvLw: VtMtO. 'U -t- (.'v. ttM'T' 11
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers