Germans Losing Their Grip in France and Belgium, Military Experts Believe HARRISBURG SSslllll TELEGRAPH LXXXIII— Xo. 299 WILL SOON HAVE 100 DOING RELIEF SEWING Dansant to Be Given at Country Club to Raise Funds For War Sufferers SEND FIRST FOREIGN SHIPMENT Red Cross Division Busy Making Hospital Supplies For Wounded The full working force desired —100 women—to do plain sewing for the war sufferers, will probably be reached by the home relief division this week. By 3 o'clock to-day nearly forty women had secured work, which will net them at least S3 a week during the conduct of the war. At headquarters of the Home and War Relief Association, 7 South Front street, reports to-day showed a de cided increase in the number of ap plications. Activities of the Visiting Nurse Association and the Children's Aid Society, in addition to those of the Associated Charities, swelled the number of applications. Mrs. Francis Jordan Hall and Miss Mary Reily, in charge of tie division, were kept busy handing out supplies. Money Coming In Money for the conduct of tlie vari ous divisions into which the Home and War Relict' Association has been divided is beginning to be turned in. To date most of it has been contribut ed by individuals. Measures looking toward the securing of sums through dances, socials or other social activities on the part of churches or societies are already under consideration. To raise money for the general pur pose of the association, which is fur nishing work for needy women at home and supplies for the injured and the needy of the war-stricken terri tory. a "The* Dansant" is to be given at the Country Club. Miss Emily 15ai ley. Miss Sarah Hastings, Miss Frances Bailey, Miss Helen Hammond, Miss Louise Carney and Miss Mary Wil liamson are in charge. Sub Inscriptions are sl, payable whether attending or not. Sliip Out First Goods Shipment of winter supplies by the foreign division under Mrs. Lyman 1). Gilbert and Mrs. Philip T. Meredith was made yesterday. Two boxes, con taining 121 pairs of sabot linings, 57 heavy woolen shawls, 27 kitted searts, 11 children's dresses. 4 knitted muf flers an 4 pairs of wristlets were sent. They will leave New York to morrow. Although the foreign division is sending supplies mainly to the Bel gians. yet donations for any specified country will reach their destinations if so marked by the donor. The Red Cross division is prepared to instruct volunteers in knitting of mufflers and scarfs at headquarters. Making of other hospital supplies is constantly going on, though other workers are needed. The latest donation to the Red Cross division of the Home and AVar Relief Association was a dime set in the slot of a mailing card enclosed in a letter just received at headquarters, 7 South Front street. The letter, dated Union Deposit, December 21, is as follows: "Dear Sir: Enclosed line ten cents donation for the suffering European soldiers. Trusting it will be used for that purpose, T am, "Yours respectfully "KATIE E. SMITH, "R. F. D. No. 1, Union Deposit, Pa." VOL'NO MAN UOHS FATHER Special to The Telegraph Carlisle, Pa., Dec. 22.—Some time yesterday morning a young man named Charles Wolf, about IN years old. son of Charles B. Wolf, living at Middlesex, broke open a cash box in liis father's room and abstracted S9O and a revolver. He then disappeared from home and his whereabouts arc unknown, but It is thought he boarded a train for Harrisburg about 11 o'clock. CHRISTMAS CIlrfEK FOR MTTI.K ONES OF STRIKING MINERS By Associated P'f.ri ■Wheeling, W. Va., Dec. 22. —Christ- mas cheer for the children of the striking miners in Eastern Ohio was assured to-day when 34,000 oranges. 17.000 bags of peanuts and 17.000 packages of candy were sent to dif ferent points in the strike country. i THE WEATHER l'«r ll«rrl»hiird nu<i vicinity! Fair to-niuhi nnil WiMlnrNtliiyt colder 10-nlghl nHh lament tempern • lurr about IB degree*. For Kmrtrrn l*eniiN> I vnnla: Kalr In- IIIkIH nml Wednesday; colder t<>- nlglui frenli westerly winds. Illver material clihiirvh will m-cnr in Ice •■onilltlnnN or river stagen for Hovcral days. Colder weather to-night will lucrenMe Ihe t|tinn tlty of Ice. General Conditions The storm that was central over Ontario. Monday morning. hn« imaged on the Northern New r.ngland coast, lint the weather continues nomevvhat unnettled along 'lhe northern border of the l.akes, with strong winds anil nnow In Northern Michigan, liiif falo reported a ■outhwent rale of xtsty miles nn hour at S a. ni. to-day. Precipitation has occur red generally In the I.ake region nml upper Ohio Valley and thence eastward to the Atlantic coast kliicc last report. I'renaure con tinue* low In the South went and rain has occurred In \rlrona. >ew Mexico. Tcsas. Oklnhomn nml \nrthwcKtem l.oulKlnua anil *now In We»l Teunesnee, Temperatures S a. in., 21. Sun: nines, 7a. m.; nets. -li-t4 M. m. Mount First quarter, llec mlier -h. 3:2S n. m. Hlver Stages a.s feet above low water mark) frnr.cn. Venterday'n Weather lllghcnt temperature, to. I on est teinpernturc. JS, Menu (enipetntiire. :\4. JVurmnl temperature, 3-, , CO SMALL FOLKS TO BE CENTRAL GUESTS Students Plan Big Christmas Cele bration For Nursery Home Youngsters and Others SANTA TO SEND HIS "SUB" Autos Will Haul the Wee Cele brators; a Few Little Stories of "the Least of These" Most everybody, even the small folks at the Nursery Home, —'way up on Staple Hill—know that busy old Santa can't be expected to pet here before sometime Christmas eve to officiate in person at any social affairs that are being planned for kids. But most everybody knows also that there is nothing to prevent Mr. S. Claus from delegating someone to "sub" for him. Which is just what is to be done | to-morrow morning at Central High j School, when some sixty wee persons are to be guests of honor in chapel. Most of the youngsters are coming from the Xnrsery Home; the others' are the elect who have been chosen | here and there from poor and needy ; families where visits of Santa Claus are a myth in more ways than one. It's to be quite an affair, is this; Yuletide celebration at the Iligli I [Continued on Page 11] PROHIBITION ISSUE j UP IH HOUSE loony Sixty Members Will Speak; Vote Is Expected Before Midnight CHAMBER IS DECORATED I Charts and Temperance Slogans to j Show Sentimenl Throughout ! the Country i By Associated Press Washington, D. C., Dec. 22.—Under j a special rule which was adopted i without a roll call, the public hearing ! began this afternoon on the Hobson resolution to submit to the States a I constitutional amendment for national I prohibition. An aye and no vote will be reached to-night. Charts before the Speaker's desk | bore prohibition slogans and drapeo I along the gallery over the Speaker's! chair was a great strip of paper upon ! which were pasted printed names of | signers of prohibition petitions, urging I the adoption of the constitutional i amendment. There were thousands of [Continued on Page 0] M:\VL.\XDS 111 1.1, WILL FAIL Washington. D. Dec. 22.—Presi dent Wilson does not think it possible to pass at the present session of Con gress the Newlands bill creating a commission for the systematic co-or dination of rivers and harbors ini-1 provements. He declared to-day he thought it too large a subject to be disposed of in a short, time. Commerce Chamber Aiding in Taking of Manufacturing Census Blanks for use in compiling the federal census of manufacturers for 1914 are ready at the Harrisburg j t'hnmber of Commerce. They can be had on application. The local Cham ber of Commerce will assist in the work on this census. Any manufacturer in Harrisburg or vicinity who has not been supplied the blanks from Washington has been re quested to notify the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce. The need of Harrisburg manufactur ers lilling out the blanks accurately and returning them promptly is urged by the Harrisburg Chamber of Com merce. The data about Harrisburg and vicinity that is gathered from the returns of manufacturers will be the basis for considering this section in general and specific legislation where no other informations is available. The prestige of this district as a manu facturing center will be determined from the totals. Armed Desperado Who Shot W. Va. Sheriff Is Surrounded by Posse By Associated Press Charleston, W. Va., Dec. 22.—Matt Jarrell, who is alleged to have shot and killed Deputy Sheriff Silas F. Nance and wounded Frank Ratcliff and Josephine Wines last night at Oakdale on Cabin Creek, while Nance was trying to arrest him, was this morning surrounded in the mountains near Cane Fork by Sheriff Bonner Hill and a posse, who had trailed him all night. He was believed to be well armed and plentifully supplied with ammunition. Republican Club Will Be in Inaugural Line One of the big local features of the Inaugural parade will be the Harris burg Republican Club marching dele gation, which will be in line in now uniforms and accompanied by a band. Harry F. Oves said to-day that tlio club hopes to break all records for turnout. "Members of the club." said he. "who intend to take part in the parade and who have not sent posl card notice to the club must do so at once as measurements for overcoats iwill be made on December 2b." . HARRISBURG, PA., ' BEING A NURSERY HOME BABY'S GOING TO BE FUN THIS CHRISTMAS ' » -» SOME OF THE "LEAST OF THESE" OF THE NURS ERY HOME Barbers Putting on Extra Men to Handle Christinas Ru»b From Farm Whisker Trimmers Honing Sharpening Up As a result of the Christmas spirit that is in the air, a decided impulse will be givtm to one of Harrisburg's leading industries to-morrow and Thursday, when thousands of farmers from York, Cumberland, Perry, Leb anon and Dauphin counties will surge into town to get their semiannual and ante-Christmas haircut and whisker trimming. They will come by mule team, mar ketwagon, trolley car, automobile or on fbot from the farthest corners of the Cumberland, Lebanon and Sus quehanna valleys with money in their pockets earned from bountiful crops to pay for that artistic work which only Harrisburg barbers can do. Following an ancient custom in the CHRISTMAS TRADE 0000 Sfl DEALERS From Present Indications Sales Will Be Slightly Higher Than Last Year Harrisburg's Christmas trade is more than satisfactory, say local mer chants. Sales will show an increase over that of last year, they believe. This does not mean that any one of the local dealers will be able to retire on his increased profits. Stores were open last night, and will be open for business every eve ning until Christmas eve. There was a big rush last night, and with more favorable weather today, the mer chants expect to have ail the business they can handle. Up to, and includ ing Saturday night, business was just a trifle better than one year ago. The largest and best stock ever seen outside of larger cities is helnpr shown. Buyers who went out of town this year were very few, indeed. Harrisburg furnished everything that could lie bought elsewhere.. While there has been large pur chases of mostly and luxurious gifts such as jewelry, furs, and other luxu ries; the majority of the buyers are purchasing useful gifts. Articles sell ing from fifty cents to three dollars each, were the most eagerly sought after this year. Some dealers say the average purchase price will be $2.50; others put it as high as $3.00. Masked Robbers Break Into Sick Woman's Room and Take Her Christmas Money Carlisle, Pa., Dec. 22.—A bold rob bery occurred here last evening at the home of Mrs. Lydla Lewis, in North Pitt street. About 7.30 o'clock two masked men went to the house and, forcing an entrance, proceeded to Mr§. Lewis' room, demanding her money. She refused and they tried to break open a trunk In the room, but were unable to do so. One of the men then pointed a revolver at her head and compelled her to give him the key to the trunk. They took her Christmas savings. amounting to about S2O, and fled. Mrs. Lewis is about 60 years old and has been confined to bed by ill ness for some time. She was under the care of a nurse, who had just left the house for a few minutes. Her grandson had gone to the post office, leaving Mas. Lewis alone in the house. After the departure of the robbers Mrs. Lewis fainted from the fright and is now in a serious condition. WILSON'S INTENTION ON NKWLANDS BILL NOT KNOWN Washington, Dec. 22.—Whether the administration shall urge upon Con gress for action at this session Senator Nowlands' proposed bill for the crea tion of a commission to direct all fed eral waterway control and improve ments remained to-dnv an open ques tion. Although the plan was consid ered at a conference at the White House last night between President Wilson members of his cabinet and others no decision was reached, the matter having been left for determina tion at a future meeting. < TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBTR 22, 1914. Away at Their Razors and Their Shears rural districts, hired men, farm boys and prosperous agriculturists are cred ited with getting a haircut twice a year— before the Fourth of July and again at Christmas time. Harrisburg is prepared to care for the rush. Local barbers interviewed on the subject look forward to the anticipated traffic with feelings of mixed joy and dread. They are pleased at. the chance to make a few extra dollars, and on the other hand are troubled over the labor and the wear and tear on their tools in cutting a six months' growth of country hair. The greatest amount of country business is always felt on Wednesdays in the shops near the Broad street market, and in several of these estab lishments extra men will be on hand to-morrow. '■SCRABBLE' FOLK ASK THRICE SET VALUE Difference of SIOO,OOO in Prices Demanded and Assessment Figures of Properties "Hardscrabble" properties whose value had been nxed by their owners at $154,550 are assessed by the city at almost SIOO,OOO less— $54,870 in exact figures. City Council got lhat startling in formation this afternoon when a com parative statement of the demands and assessed valuations was submit ted by City Clerk Charles A. Miller. At last week's session of Council, City Solicitor D. S. Seitz submitted a list of thirty-three properties hold by twenty-three owners wlic had ans wered his formal request for prices on properties on the west side of l'ront street, between Herr and Calder streets, preliminary to the institution of proceedings incident to formally opening that section of F*ront street to low water mark. The opening of Front street will necessarily mean the elimination of "Hardscrabble." About forty-two properties will be affected and until some idea of the lvalue of the remaining properties Is ob tained, it is unlikely that any further steps will bo taken by the city. The next move will be negotiations leading to an amicable -settlement of prices for the land, to be followed in case no agreement can bo reached, by requests for boards of viewers to assess bene fits and damages. Included in the list of assessments submitted this afternoon was the Klizabeth Hiester and Caroline Bald win property. In answering City So licitor Seitz's request for a. price last I week the owners said they did not de sire to part with it and fixed no fig ure. In practically all instances there is | a difference of more than a hundred i per cent, between the prices asked I and the assessed valuation. The low lest demand is just twice the assessed | figure. This is the property of John [H. Tripner who wants $1,200 and |whose property is valued at S6OO. i Other radical differences Include: A. P. Dintaman, who asked $50,000 I for seven properties, valuation sß,lt>o; John Yingst, who asked $25,000, valuation $3,950; Joseph Berrier, who tasked $12,000, valuation $3,400. Skating Again Good at Wildwood Lake Skating is again good at Wildwood I.ake after a night of 22 degrees teiii perature which mode a smooth sur face over the slush and rain of yes terday. The nature of the weather to be expected for Christmas Day is pre dicted by the weatherman as uncer tain. The Indications or the pressure areas in the Western sections of the United States are that ;< damp at mosphere may prevail. The forecast for to-night predicts a temperature of llftoen degrees with fair skies 10 BRING 7.0011 NEW CONVERTS 111 CHURCH "Ingathering" Services Will Be Held by Every One of 53 Co operating Congregations ORGANIZE PERMANENTLY SOON Local Groups of Trailhitters to Be Formed in Various Sec tions of City Those of the 7,000 converts who hit the trail during the Stough campaign, and who are not already members of a church, will be given opportunity to affiliate themselves with the church of their choice within the next two weeks. Practically every one of the 53 pastors of the co-operating church es is arranging to take in the new members at the coming Communion service in his church. ' In a number ot churches this event will be next [Sunday and in others the following week. The "trailhitter" cards have not yet all been distributed from the. Stough headquarters to the ministers, be cause of the rush of work of tabula ting" the almost two thousand persons [Continued on Page ll] 50 Tons of Parcel Post Handled in One Day at Donaldson Station I'ift.v tons of parcel post mail in 1,500 sacks passing in and out of the substation in the Donaldson building. North Second street, during the last twenty-four hours is the result of the Christmas mailing rush. This amount is about four times the daily aver age in ordinary times and is far ahead of the quantity handled last Christ mas. The amount of first class mall has not been kept on record for each day, but is said by the postal authorities to be at least double the avenage. daily amount. The postage stamp sales arc seven or eight per cent, greater than on corresponding days last year. All the local post office employes with an extra, force of about thirty men are working at top speed to clear the mail sacks and prevent any con gestion or delay in distribution. The rush of the Christmas mail usually reaches its climax four or five days before December 25, and maintains Its high tide until the day after. Municipal Christmas Tree Carol Singers to Rehearse This Evening One of the delightful features of the municipal Christmas tree festivities on Thursday evening will be the music. A general Invitation la hereby extend ed to all singers to meet this evening at the Technical high school auditor ium at 7.30 for the purpose of form ing a choir and practicing the carols and hymns under the direction of Professors Rose and Decevee. A large attendance is earnestly requested. The Commonwealth Hand under the direction of Fred Weber will give a concert from 7.15 to 7.30. The pro gram will then begin with the singing of hymns and carols and a short, ad dress by Mayor Royal, after which beautiful pictures illustrating the life of Christ will be shown. These pic tures are furnished through the kind ness of State librarian Montgomery. TO RII) N. Y. or GUNMEN By .Jtroriatcd Prett New York, Dec. 22.—A movement to rid this city of gunmen following repeated acts of lawlessness, such a* the niuhler last month of liarnct liaff, j n wealthy poultry denier, is to be start- i ed at n masM i;icetlng in Cooper Union j to-morrow night. The Citizens' i*ro.! jtective 1 .league that arranged tor the | meeting has received assurances of I support from numerous civic and busi ness associations. 1 14 PAGES ALLIES G UPPER HAND IN BE Germans Fearful of Attacks Are Everywhere on Defen sive; Russian and German Reports Vary as to Prog ress of Campaign in East; Kaiser Bound For Front in West; England Ready With Reinforcements The battle in France and Belgium has become violent, both the Ger mans and the allies making furious attacks. Although it was said in an cttieial French account of recent light ing that the Germans were now on the defensive everywhere, to-day's French war office statement speaks of Mer man attacks at four points. The Ger man statement In turn describes sev eral attacks by the allies. So far as can be learned from these statements, there have been no mark ed changes in positions, although the French assert that in one instance they captured nearly a mile of entrench ed German positions. References taken and retaken, to violent bayonet engagements and to heavy losses in llicted show the desperate nature of the struggle. Concerning the situation in Poland there was little new information. The German war office said that llereo lighting was in progress there and that at some points German troops had crossed the Bzura river, on their way toward Warsaw. In the opinion of the French mili tary authorities the Germans are be ginning to lose their grip on France and Belgium. An official summary of the results achieved by the allies in their offensive movement recounts progress at many points, which "seems to have disturbed the enemy." It is asserted that the Germans are now fearful of attacks and are everywhere on the defensive. The latest com munications from Berlin, however, tell ol' spirited offensive movement, with resulting gains and make it appear that the German armies are firmly holding the conquered ground. There Is a similar conflict of state ments concerning the campaign in the east. The Russian War Office chal lenge recent accounts of a great Ger man victory in Poland by denying "malevolent reports" of the last few days. While it Is admitted at Petro grad that the recent retirement of the Russian forces to new positions was not entirely voluntary, the claim is I KILLED BY BURGLAR i San Francisco, Dec. 22.—William Montrose Alexander, J a retired attorney, said to be a millionaire, and for many years a resident of Dallas, Tex., was shot and killed early to-day by one of two burglars whom he discovered in his home. W. M. Alexander, Jr., endeavoring to aid his father, was shot in the breast. Another bullet severed a finger. CAMP HILL CONTRACTOR BANKRUPT f C. W. Strayer, of Camp Hill, one of the most widely known contractors in this section of the State, yesterday i Went into voluntary bankruptcy and filed his papers with V». W. Fletcher, the Federal referee in Carlisle. It is under- I stood that Mr. Strayer's liabilities totaled $200,000 and that | his assets will approximate $50,000. Friend . ay that Str I c. declares he lost track of-his obligations! through faulty w ookkeeping. He has a contract under way now for the f construction of seventeen houses in Camp Hi}l. a New York, Dec. 22.—Directors of the Central Leather 7 Ginp<-.ny declared to-day a 3 per cent, dividend on the com- C" mon stock. A 2 per cent, dividend was declared last year. C MARRIAGE LICENSES _ > John |>. I\ rutin 11 nml (hnpmnn, oM>. ( ♦ POSTSCRIPT made that the armies are now in safer and stronger positions. David Lloyd George, British chan cellor ol the exchequer Is quoted as saying that before spring Great Bri tain will have 500.000 men at the front. TWO GKRMAX STICAMKRS CAPTITKKI) BY BBITI.MI By Associated Prtss London, Dec. 22. 2:23 a. m.— It is announced that British warships have captured near the Falkland Islands two German-owned steamers which were acting as stbro ships to the Ger man ships. They were the Baden and Santa Isabel, both (lying the flag of the Hamburg American Bine. A Buenos Aires dispatch on Decem ber 0 reported that three German mer chantmen had been captured and sunk by British or Japanese o(T Terra Del Fuego. One of the steamers was said to have been the property of the Ger man Cosmos Bine. GKKMANY MAKIS \X OI'I'I'.H ANI> A THREAT TO SWEDKV By Associated Press London, Dec. 22, 4.47 A. M.—The correspondent of the Daily Telegraph at Copenhagen says he learns from a high diplomatic source that Germany proposed that Sweden help her in tho war, offering as compensation the Bal tic Islands and a protectorate over Finland. "As Sweden did not deign to reply," the correspondent adds. "Germany in timated that if Sweden refused tho offer Germany, at the peace confer ence after tho war, would let Bussia take Sweden as compensation for Po land." GEftM.W IX FRENCH ARMY By Associated Press Amsterdam, via London, Dec. 22, 9.04 A. M. —A Berlin dispatch publish [ Continued on Page »]
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers