Germany and Her Allies Prop 6 ''Enter
HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
LXXXV— No. 288 20 PAGES
GERMANY AND
PROPOSE DEAL
TO BRING FORWARD
PROPOSITION FOR
LASTING HARMONY
Chancellor Von Bethmann-Hollweg Receives American,
Spanish and Swiss Representatives and Gives Them
Peace Proposal to Transmit to Hostile Governments
MESSAGE WILL BE READ BEFORE
REICHSTAG BY GERMAN STATESMAN
Jimilar Proposals Are Being Made by Austrian, Turkish
and Bulgarian Governments; Propositions Are Be
lieved in Germany to Be Appropriate For Establish
ment of Lasting Tranquility; Transmitted to Vatican,
Too
Berlin, Dec. 12—By Wireless to Sayville. —Germany
and her allies to-day proposed to enter forthwith into peace
negotiations.
The propositions which they will bring forward are,
according to Chancellor Von Bethmann-Hollweg appro
priate for the establishment of a lasting peace.
The Austrian, Turkish and Bulgarian governments
are making similar proposals. These proposals have been
transmitted also to the Vatican.
The Chancellor said the propositions which Ger
many was bringing forward had for their object the guar
antee of existence, of honor and of liberty of evolution for
the four allied (central) powers.
Chancellor Receives Neutral Ambassadors
The following announcement was given out to-day by
the semi-official Overseas News Agency:
"The Chancellor this nlorning received one after an
other the representatives of the United States of America.
Spain and Switzerland, that is, of the States protecting
German interests in hostile foreign countries. The Chan
cellor transmitted to them a note and asked them to bring
it to the knowledge of the hostile governments. The note
will be read to-day in the Reichstag by the Chancellor.
Allies Have Identical Notes
"In the note the four allied (central) powers propose to
enter forthwith on peace negotiations. The propositions
which they bring for such negotiations are, according to
the firm belief appropriate for the establishment of a last
ing peace.
"The governments at Vienna, Constantinople and
Sofia transmitted identical notes and also communicated
with the Holy See and all other neutral powers."
Rumored McCormick
Will Be Appointed Head
of War Department
Washington, Dec. 12.—Vance C. Mc-
Cormick, chairman of the Democratic
national committee, it is rumored, is
likely to become Secretary of War In
the new Wilson Cabinet. It is under
stood that Attorney General Gregory
desires to retire. Should he adhere to
his decision, it is believed that Secre
tary Baker will be shifted to the De
partment of Justice and Mr. McCormick
given the war portfolio.
Washington believes there will be no
other changes In the President's official
family. Secretary McAdoo personally
denied that he had any intention of
resigning, and it was given out that
Secretary Houston had been given a
further leave of absence by Washing
ton University at St. Louis.
THE WEATHER
For llarrlNhurn: and vicinity s Fair
and colder to-night and \Vwlneii
da.vi lowfNt temperature to-ulght
about '27* degree*.
For Etstfrn I*enn*ylvanla t Snow
nnd eolder to-night; Wednenday
colder and probably fnlrt freak,
MII Ift I nsr HIIMI.S becoming uewt.
Hirer
The Su*quehnnnn river nnd all It*
hranche* will fall Nlowly or re
main nearly Htatlonary. A Mtiige
of about 4.1 feet Im Indicated for
Hanisburg Wednesday morning.
General Condition*
The eenter of the We*tern aform
lin* moved to the North Carolina
const. It ha* ciiu*cd light to
moderately heavy rain* nnd
anowM over mont of the en*tern
half of the country In the la*t
twenty-four hour*. The weather
continue* un*ettled over mont of
the weatern half of the country,
with light precipitation, mo*tly
*now, in central and northern
dlntrlct*.
It In 4 to 22 degree* colder In the
South Atlantic State* and over a
hroad belt of country extending
from the Gulf of Mexico north
ward through the MIMMINNIPPI Val
ley and the I<nke Region Into
Canada.
Temperatures fi a. m., 32.
Sunt Rlnea, 7slo a. m.t aeta, 4.30
p. in.
Mooni Rides, St2o p. m.
River Stages 4.1 feet above low
water mark.
Yesterday** Weather
Highest temperature, 37.
I.owest temperature, 2tl.
Mean temperature, 32.
Normal temperature, 34.
Pittsburgh Plants Are
Considering Closing Plants
Because of Car Shortage
Pittsburgh, Pa.. Dec. 12. lmpor
tant manufacturing Interests in the
Pittsburgh district were to-day con
sidering the advisability of shutting
down their plants December 23 and
allowing them to remain idle until
January 2 for the two-fold purpose
of giving their employes a rest and
to enable the railroads to clear tracks
east and west of the vast quantities
of freight daily being offered. It was
said that machinery also needs over
hauling, it having been in almost con
tinuous operation for almost a year,
a much longer time than usual.
Tn spite of heroic measures adopted
by the railroads freight continues to
pile up at terminals. All freight, de
pots in Pittsburgh are now being
operated at night to allow consignees
to remove freight, and yesterday the
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and
St. Louis railroad placed an embargo
upon all freight except such as shall
originate on and is destined to points
along its own tracks.
O'NEIL SAYS WOOD
IS COVERING UP
Replies Sharply to Letter; 200
Insurance Claims Hidden
From State
Lyndon D. Wood, of Philadelphia,
whose connection with the Pension Mu
tual Insurance Company unit the Union
Casualty Company are said by Insur
ance Commissioner J. Denny O'Neil to
be largely responsible for the financial
difficulties In which those companies
find themselves has written the Insur
ance Department demanding that the
State revoke the Insurance license of
S. H. Whltely, one of his former as
sociates.
"Wood wrote me to-day," said Com
missioner O'Neil declaring that Whltely
perpetrated fraud in connection with
Ills contract with tho Pension Mutual
and demanding that 1 revoke his li
cense to do business In connection with
other companies. Wood has developed
Into quite a voluminous letter writer,
but he fails to recite the fact that he
signed the contract with Whltely which
he now declares to have been fraud
ulent. The fact is that Wood Is simp
ly using this method to cover up his
own delinquencies and to conceal his
own lack of good business Judgment."
HARRISBURG, PA.,TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 12, 1916.
PRIME LEADERS IN GERMANY'S PROPOSITION
KAISER WILHELM
PEACE TERMS ASK
ESTABLISHMENT OF
TWO NEW KINGDOMS
\\ ashington, Dec. 12. Advices from Berlin to the German
Embassy indicate that Germany's peace terms, in general measure
propose the restoration of the status quo before the war with the ex
ception of the establishment of independent kingdoms of Poland and
Lithuania.
They are understood to propose the complete restoration of the
occupied portions of Belgium and France in return for Germany's
captured colonies and to dispose of the Balkan situation because of
its extremely complicated nature, in the peace conference.
No Tiidlcntions of Stipulation I tins the belligerents together in some
Dispatches to the Gentian embassy manner to discuss the situation, and
telling of the Chancellor's action in ] this it was expected, would lead to a
calling In the neutral diplomats and basis for peace.
transmitting the. peace proposals of j n German quarters the crisis in
tht central powers, arrived soon after the British Cabinet, the coming of
the news dispatches, The terms for j winter and the lull in the fighting are
the restoration of Belgium and por- given as reasons for making the peace
tions of I"ranee gave no indication, so proposals at this time. It is declared
far as is known, of stipulations such that the successes of the Teutonic
as generally have been expected by arms in Rumania should convince the
ihe allies, although they did not abso- allied powers that the offer is not
lutely disposo of their possibility. made because of any military weak-
Hope For Conference ness. By making the offer now, it is
it. was indicated that while the said, the German powers feel that all
German allies might not entirely ex- sides may be saved the preparations
peet that the proposals would ac- for the Spring campaign. Should the
tually cause a peace conference, they offer be declined, it is said here, it
were not without hope that they will be made again next Fall and if
would, and they were hopeful at least
that they would be the means of get- [Continued on Page 18]
HOLLWEG IN SPEECH
AT REICHSTAG TELLS
OF PEACE OVERTURES
Berlin, I)cc. 12 (by wireless to Say
ville). Chancellor von Betlimann-
Hollweg's speech Is reported by the
Overseas News Agency as follows:
"Chancelor von Bethmann-Hollweg
to-day announced to the reichstag that
Oermany, togcthor with her allies,
'conscious of their responsibility be
fore God, before their own nations,
before humanity", had proposed this
morning to the hostile powers to enter
on peace negotiations."
Practically all the members of par
liament answered the unexpected sum
mons. The crowded house and
thronged galleries listened in atten- ;
tive silence when tho chancelor rose
for his speech.
Outlines Achievements
Tho chancellor first outlined the
extraordinary polittcal situation and
then, insisting upon the achievements
KAISER TELLS GENERALS
OF HIS PEACE OFFER BUT
ORDERS THEM TO FIGHT ON
London, Dee. 12—(4:05 p. m.) —A
Central News dispatch from Amster
dam says It Is announced officially
In Berlin that Emperor William has
notified his commanding generals of
Germany's peace offer and has In
formed them It Is still uncertain
whether the offer will he accepted.
Until that uncertainty Is ended, the
of the centra! powers, made an nn
nouncement which possibly may be
the turning point in the war, which
for more than two years has held the
world under its spell. The chancelor
said:
"The relchstag had not been ad
journed for a Ion*? period, but fortu
nately it was left to the discretion of
the president as to the day of the next
meeting. This decision was caused by
the hope that soon happy events in
(he field would be recorded, a hope
fulfilled quicker, almost, than expected.
J shall be brief, for elections speak for
j themselves."
The chancelor said Rumania had
entered the war In order to roll up
I the CJerman positions in the east and
those of Germany's allies. At the
[Continued on Page 18]
message says, they are to fight on.
The message Is quoted as follows:
"Soldiers: In agreement with the
sovereigns of my allies and with the
| consciousness of victory I have made
an offer of peace to the enemy.
Whether It will be accepted Is still un
certain.
"Until that moment arrives you will
light on.'
CHANCELLOR VON BETHMANN-HOLLWEG
MAY LIGHT CITY
WITH WATER FUND
| Council So Advised by Assist
ant Solicitor; Snavcly and
Gross Clash
After providing for all expenses of
the Water Department, including op
eration, reserve funds, extensions, bond
ed indebtedness, etc., Harrisburg may
very properly spend the balance of its
water departmental earnings "in the
same manner as other revenues of the
city"—that is, the electric lighting of
the city's streets.
In brief, that is the opinion Council
was furnished to-day by Assistant City
Solicitor E. Bruce Taylor.
The question of whether or not the
City Commissioners could use $65,000
to SKB,OOO of the water earnings to pay
for the lighting bill and thus lop that
sum from the general revenue ordi
nance with its consequent reduction of
the city tax rate by a mill and a quar
ter was referred to the legal depart
ment following the suggestion of
Mayor E. S. Meals.
Other Solicitors' Views
In addition to his own views on the
subject Mr. Taylor incorporates an
opinion by ex-City Solicitor Thomas
S. I largest and ex-Judge M. W. Jacobs,
j All the solicitors discuss the applica
tion of the old city and borough acts
and their relation to the Clark act.
Commissioner Bowman, in asking
[Continued on Page 16]
No Foundation For
Report of Revolt in
Bth Wires Finney
El Paso, Tex., Dec. H, 1918.
Absolutely no foundation for re
ports indicating a revolt or any
thing approaching that in this
regiment. l.cttcr following ex
plains in full.
COI.ONEIj FINNEY,
Commander Stli Reg.
In response to (lie Telegraph's wired
request yesterday morning for the
facts as to the reported "revolt" of
the Eighth Pennsylvana Regiment of
the United States National Guard on
the border, Colonel Maurice K. Kinney,
the regimental commander, last eve
ning telegraphed this cryptic ex
planation.
Sensational stories from "special
correspondents" had been to the ef
fect that scores of men of the Eighth,
including so mo fifty odd of I) Com
pany, one of the Harrisburg organiza
tions, had been arrested and confined
to quarters because they insisted upon
banging tin pans, etc.. In a "I-want-to
go-home" demonstration. Colonel :
Finney says most of the disorder was I
confined to D Company streets and In!
order to discover who was responsible j
the command was confined to the!
street limits. Only three men of the!
regiment were confined to quarters,
the Colonel explains, and one of these
was a member of D Company. At
that, the trio was released within a
few hours as their offense was not
considered serious enough to warrant
the preference of any charges.
AGED SISTERS DIE IN FIRE
Philadelphia, Dec. 12. Two aged
sisters, who lived alone, lost their lives
In their home here to-day In a fire
supposed to have originated from a!
lighted candle. The dead are Miss
Elsie Koeler, 82 years, and Mrs.
Josephine Kosenau. 79. Miss Koelcr's
charred body was found at the foot of 1
a stairway loading to the second floor, j
Her slater was suffocated by amoka. i
Single Copy, 2 Cents POSTSCRIPT
I LOCAL NEWS FLASHES
George F. Watts, Quincy Bent, C. W. Lynch, Edward
Bailey, Joseph H. Wallazz'and Robert H. Irons, and John
F. Dapp, chairman, make up the committee to ;; eet Edward
N. Hurley, who will address the Commerce Chamber.
Dauphin county's Poor Board expects to ask for an
additio a' $5,000 appropriation for 1917 to provide for im
provements at the almshouse, including a new cold storage
plant, new cattle and pig pens.
Council to-day again postponed the Riverside annex
ation ordinance. .
2,500,600 SHARES SOLD
New York, Dec. 12.—With the market demoralized in 1
the last hour the activity was so great that it brought the
otal transacions of he day up o more han 2,500,000 shares <
which is a record for many years.
GREGORY WILL NOT RESIGN ,
I Washington, Dec. 12.—Attorney General Gregory has
i no intention of resignii . now or
I tively to-day. 1
f DISCUSS PURCHASING BUREAU I
I . Harrisburg.—Members of the State Board of Public
f Charities and executive office iet with.
I the State Economy and Efficiency' Commission to-day for
£ discussion of the plan for a central purchasing bureau for
(the institutions. Governor Brumbaugh outlined what it
was proposed to do and the idea ot secure a money-saving
system at the hospitals. Other State officials spoke and,
committees will be named to work out ideas for legislation.
GENERAL OFFICER TO COMMAND PRUSSIA
< ■ 1
Amsterdam, Dec. 12,' via London.—The Cologne Ga
i zette says that General Von Stein, the Prussian war minis
-4 ; ter, has appointed a general officer commanding the home
I forces, With powers including control of the censorship laws
j ■ as v. cll as other laws relating to a state of siege. '
I CONSTANTINE ORDERS MOBILIZATION
j l London, Dec. 12.—An Exchange Telegraph dispatch*
( from Copenhagen says advices have been received there
[from Switerland that King Constantine of Greece has or-,
dcrcd a general mobilization.
MARRIAGE
Ilnrrv Payne Glllrttple and Gertrude Sofa Mnthlrn, Ilrldgeport, Conn.
C* Ilirnm White Itodenhafer, Jr., nnd Ruth lOllxnhetb Kllenhergrr, tltr, 1
TWO SOUTHERN
NEGROES FACING
MURDER JURIES
Trial of William Jackson,
Charged With Shooting
Charles Brown, Begins
5 CASES STILL ON LIST
\ ova no vie, Christley, Shepherd,
Misko and Kotur Are
Accused Men
Two negroes, charged with murder,
are now facing Dauphin county juries
in different courts in legal battles to
save themselves from the paying the
law's penalty on the electric chair.
Within a few minutes after the
trial of Elwood Wilson, one of the
Yiiginia negroes charged with shoot
ing Patrolmun Lewis C. Hippie, was
resumed this morning before Presi
dent Judge Ivunkel in No. 1 room,
another Jury was selected and the
trial of William Jackson, charged
with shooting Charles Brown, a fel
low Steelton negro, was begun before
Additional Law Judge McCarrell, in.
No. 2 room.
Five other murder cases are still
on the list. These include Vlada
Yovanovic, John O. Christley, Cor
nelius Shepherd, John Alisko and
Nick Kotur. The latter has already
been convicted but has been granted
a retrial.
The selection of the Jackson Jury
began at 10.33 and at 12.10 the twelve
had been selected after forty-six jur
ors had been examined just six
| more than were required to pick the
Wilson jury yesterday. Incidentally
half a dozen or more talesmen who
had been challenged for duty on the
Wilson Jury were accepted for the
Jackson case. Furthermore while
the defense exhausted its entire
[Continued on Page 15]
PROTKST DEPORTATIONS
London, Dec. 12. A strong pro
test against the deportation of Bel-
I gians was made at a great meeting of
the Social Democratic Labor Party
held at Amsterdam yesterday, accord
ing to a Renter's dispatch from that
city. Magistrate Kliegen. of Amster
dam, the principal speaker, strongly
condemned German methods in Bel
gium. A resolution was passed ap
pealing to all lovers of freedom, es
pecially German socialists to protest
against the deportations.