THE FULTON COUNTY NEWS. McCONNEJ.LSBTJRO. PA. WILSON SERVES NOTICE ON BERLIN War on Merchant Ships Must Stop. NOTE THREATENS RUPTURE President Notifies Congress of Step Taken By Him. WAR NOW DEEMED PROBABLE Cermany Must Decide If Break Is To Ratult Failure To Meet Views Of tht United State Will End Friendly Relations. President Wilson has delivered an ultimatum to Germany, Unless the German government Immediately nnd completely abandons the present method ef submarine warfare against passenger and freight ships, diplomatic relations will be severed and Count von BernstorfT, the German ambassa dor, will b handed his passpnrts. The American note presenting this demand to the German government has been sent to Perlln. President Wilson's patience Is exhausted, and he will wall only the least possible period for the German answer. Tho note that went forward Wednesday was the twentieth SK)te sent by this government to the Cerman government, protesting gainst the long list of eubmarluo at tack!. It it the last. Washington. Sharply indicting Ger many for Its use of submarines against merchant vessels, President Woodrow Wilson, in a Joint sees ion of Congress, Issued public notice to the world that nnless that government changes Its Snethods the United States will have Iio choice but to sever diplomatic rela tions. The "history in the making" was witnessed by one of the largest gath erings that has ever been Jammed into the historic chamber of the Hou?e of Representatives. Every sln.s'le avail able Inch of space was utilized while literally thousand i were turned away. There was no questioning the seri ousness of the President's position. Ills Voice, somewhat hu;ky, penetrated very corner of the room and the mes sage was emphasized with an expres sion that showed its author was fear Jul of the outcome. That serlou-ness shared by the audience, the usual applause given the President's utter ances being absent. Following Is the rompleto teit of the President's address: "Gentlemen at the Congress: A Situation has arisen in the foreign re lations of the country of which It Is Jny plain duty to inform you very frankly. "It will be recalled that In Fcbruarr, 1315. the Imperial Cerman f'.overnmcnt announced Its Intention to treat tiie waters surrounding Great Ilrit.iin and Ireland as embraced within the seat of war and to dej'j-oy all merchant ships wned by Its enemies that r.ii;:ht be found within any part of that portion of the hch teas, and that it warned all vessels, of neutrr.l ns well as of kelllgerent ownership, to Keep out of the waters It had thus prescribed or else enter thorn at the.r peril. Protest By U. S. "The government of tha United States earnestly pro'ested. It took the oslUon that surh a policy could not be pursued without the practical cer tainty of gross and p;ilpaliie viola tions of the law of nations, particularly If submarine craft were to be employ ed ts Its Instrument?, ina-much as the rules prescribed by that law; rulos founded upon principles of humanity and established for the protection of the lives of non combatants at sea, eould not In tho nature of the ran t.e Cbserved by suuh ve-'i-l?. It based its protest on the rround that person.? of noutra! nationality and vessels of neu tral ownership would ho exposed to ex treme and Intolerable risks, and that BO right to Closo any part of the hls,'h lai against their U' or to pose them to such risks could lawfully be assorted by any belliKcrtiiit govern ment The law of nations In these Batters, upon which the government ef the United StBtes ba-i il In protest, is not of recent origin or found) d upon merely arbitrary principles set up by Convention, it is ba'ud, on the con trary, upon manifest rml Imperative principles cf humar.itv and bus long been established wi'h the approval and by the express assent of all civilized nations. Cerman Aisurance. "Notwithstanding the earnest pro test of our goTcrnmer., the Imperial German Government at once proceed ed to carry out tho policy It had an nounced. It expressed the hope that the dangers involved, at any me, the dangers to neutral vessels, would he reduced to a minimum by the instruc tions which It had Issued to its sub marine commanders, and assured the government of the United Slates tha1 It would take every pofsible precaution both to respect the rights of neutrals and to safeguard the livej of non-combatants. AMERICANS FLEEING MEXICO. Threatening Conditions Cause Them To Head For Border. Washington. Consul AU'er at Maxatlan, Mexico, reported to the f tate Department that praetlrally the entire American colony In that vk-inity is fleeirg from Me;.Ico ber ause of ' threatening conditions. Aler report- i td that the natives were under no gov ernmental faction's control, being free to loot as they please. Tliey are especially directing their rohbc.lcs against Americans, be reported, "What has actually happenel In tho vcar which has since elapsed ha.i hown that thojo hopes were not ful .tiled, those assui antes Insusceptible )f being fulfilled. In pursuance of the policy of sub marine warfare against the commerce if Its adversaries, thus announced and entered upon by the Imperial German joverr.ment In dosulte of the solemn protest of this government, the com mander of German undersea vessels have attacked merchant ships with greater and greater activity, not only tpon the hinh seas Btirrour.JIng Croat Britain and Ireland, but wherever tiny cou'd encounter them. In a way that has grown more and more ruthless, more and more discriminate as the months have gone by, less and less observant of restraints of any kind; and have delivered their attacks with out compunction against vessels of every nationality and bound upon every sort of errand. Sank Neutral Ships. Even vessols of neutral ownership bound from neutral port to neutral port, have ben destroyed along with vessels of belligerent ownership In constantly Increasing numbers. Some times the merchantman attached has been warned and summoned to surren der before being fired on or torpedoed, sometimes passengers or crews have been couchsafed the poor security of be ing allowed to take to the ship's boats before she was sent to tho bottom. But again and again no warning has been given, no escape even to the ship's boats allowed to those on board. What this government foresaw must happen has happened. "Tragedy followed trarcedy on the seas In such fashion, with such attend ant circumstances as to make it gross ly evident that warfare of such a sort, if warfare It be, cannot bo carried on without the most palpable violation of tho dictates alike of right nnd of humanity. Whatever the disposition and Intention of the Imperial govern ment, it has manifestly proved impos sible for It to keep such methods of attack upon the commerce of Its enemies within the bounds set by either tho reason or the heart of man kind. "In February of tho prosent year the Imperial German Government inform ed this government and the other neu tral governments of the world that It had reason to believe that the govern ment cf Great Britain had armed all merchant vessels of British ownership and had given them secret orders to attack any submarine of the enemy they mlht encounter v.pon the seas, and that the Imperial German Govern ment felt Justified In the circumstances in treating all armed merchantmen of belligerent ownership as auxiliary ves sels of war, which It would have the right to destroy without warning. Stand On Armed Ships. "The law of nations has long rec ognized the right of merchantmen to carry arms for protection and to use them to repel attack, though to use them In such circumstances at their Own risk; but tho Imperial German Government claimed the right to set these understandings aside In circum stances which It deemed extraordinary. ! Even tho terms In which It announced Its purpose thus still further to relax the rr-r.tralnts It had previously pro fessed its willingness and def-lre to put j upon th? operations of Its submarines carried the plain implication that at j 'ea.-t ves. els which were not armed i would sun do exc-mpi rrom aesirucuon i without warning and that personal safe ty would be accorded their pa.-sengers and crews; but even that limitation, if It was ever practicable to observe It. h.i in fact constituted no check at all upon the destruction of ships of every sort. "Asain and again the Imperial Ger man Government has given this gov eminent its solemn assurances that at lean pf-senger ships would not he thus dealt with, and yet it has again and again permitted Its undersea com manders to disregard those assurances with entire Impunity. Great liners lllie tho I.usitania and the Arabic and mere fern boats like tho Sussex have been at tacked without a moment's w amine, sometimes before they had even become aware that they wero In the presence of an armed vessel of the enmy, and the lives of non combatants, passi ngers and rrew, have been sacri ficed wholesale In a manner which the government of I he United States can not but regard a wanton and without the slightest color of Justification. No limit of any kind has, in fact, been set to the Indiscriminate pursuit nnd de struction of merchant ment of all kinds and rationalities within tho waters, constantly extendiiiR In area, where 'hese operation have been carried on; and the roll of American who have lost tliclr lives on ships thus attacked and destroyed has grown month by month until the ominous toll has mounted Into the hundreds. Susoex Destruction. "One of the latent and mo.it shock ing ir.r tances of this method of war fare wai that of the destruction of the. French cross Channel steamer Sussex. It must stand forth, as the sinking of ho .-tefir.er I.usitania did, as so sin gularly tragical and unjustifiable as to constitute a truly terrible example cf the Inhumanity of submarine warfare is the commander of German vessel:) have for the past 12 months been con I ictir.g IL If this instance stood alone, borne explanation, some dis avowal by tho German government, tome evidence of criminal mistake or ivllful disobedience on the part of the "onmiander of the vessel dial fired the 'orpedo night bo sought or entertain ed; but, unhappily, it does not stand alone. MUNITIONS PLANT DESTROYED. Fire At Heidelberg, Pa., Followed By Explosions. Pittsburgh. An explosion In the Heidelberg riant of tho Aetna Chemi cal Company, near here, was followed hy a fire which destroyed twr build ir, fa. Fearing additional explosions tho entire population of thn village moved out until the flames had been subdued. The explosion caused a loss of $30,OCO. Andre Dahl found the dahlia in Fern. Recent events make the conclusion Inevitable that It Is only one Instance, even though It be one of the most ex tromo and distressing in;;tance.i, of the plrlt and method of warfare which tho Imperial German Government has mistakenly adopted, and which from the first expose that government to the reproach of thrusting all neutral right asldo In pursuit of Its Immediate ob jects. "The government of tho United States has veen very patient At every stage of this distressing experi ence of tragedy after tragedy In which Us own citizens were involved It has sought to be restrained from any ex treme course of action or of protest by a thoughtful consideration of the extraordinary circumstances of this unprecedented wnr, and actuated In all that It said or did by the sentiments of genuine friendship which the people of the United States have always en tertained and continue to entertain to wards tho German nation. "It has, of course, accepted the suc cessive explanations and assurances of tho lmperinl German Government as given in entire sincerity and good fulth and has hoped, even against hope, that It would provo to be possible for the German government so to order and control the acta of Its naval commnnd cm as to square Its policy with the principles of humanity as embodied In the law of nations. It has been will ing to wait until the significance of the facts hao become absolutely unmis takable and susceptible of but ono Interpretation. But One Interpretation. "That point has now unhappily been reached. The facts are susceptiblo of but one Interpretation. Tho Imperial German Government has been unable to put any limits or restraints upon its warfare against either freight or pas senger ships. It has therefore become painfully evident that the position which this government took at the very outset iB Inevitable, namely, that tho use of submarines for the destruc tion of an enemy's commerce Is of necessity, because of the very charac ter of the vesels employed and the very methods of attack which their employ ment, of course, Involves, are Incom patible with tho principles of human ity, tho long-established and Incontro vertible rights of neutrals and the sacred immunities of non-combatant3. "I have deemed it my duty, there fore, to say to the Imperial German Government that If it Is still its pur pose to prosecute relentless and Indis criminate warfare against vesels of commerce by the use of submarines, notwithstanding the now demonstrated Impossibility of conducting that war fare In accordance with what the gov ernment of the United States must con sider the sacred and Indisputable rules of International law and tho universal ly recornized dictates of humanity, the government of the United Stales Is at last forced to the conclusion that there is but one course it can pursue, and that unless the Imperial German Gov ernment should now immediately de clare and ofJect an abandonment of Its present methods of warfare against passenger and freight tarrying vessels this government can have no choice but to sever diplomatic relations with the government of the Germnn Em pire altogether. Spokesman For Humanity. "This'dedsion I have arrived at with the keenest regret; the possibility of the action contemplated I am sure all thoughtful Americans will look for ward to with unaffected reluctance. Cut we cannot forget that we are by the force of circumsanees the respon sible spokesmen of tho rights of hu manity, and that we cannot remain silent while those rights seem in pro cess cf being swept utterly away in the malostrom of this terrible war. "We own It to a due regard for our own right as a nation, to our senre of duty as a representative of the rights of neutrals tho world over, and to a Just conception of tho rights of mankind to take this stand now with the utmost solemnity and firmness. "I have taken It, and taken It In the confidence that It will meet with your approval and support. All sober minded men must unite In hoping that the Imperial German Government, which has in other circumstances stood ns the champion of all that we ore now contending for In the interest of hu manity, may recognize the Justice of our demands and meet them In tho spirit In which they are made." TELEGRAPH TICKS. The Army Increase Bill was called up In the House by Chairman Hay, of the Military Committee, and was sent to conferences. The House Naval Subcommittee amended the Naval rill so as to con siderably Increase the fighting force of the Navy. Tlans were announced In New York for a $C0,0OO,0(.O steamrhip corpora tion to bo flnanced by American capi tal. Miss Harriet N. Winchel, Chicago's olcle. t school teacher, died while seat ed In hor automobile In front of her home here. Gulseppl Archlollo and Frank Fer rara, convicted in New York of the murder of Brrnctt Baff, tho poultry dealer, wore sentenced to death. The former president and vice-president of the defunct State Lank of Lit tle Rock wore sentenced to prison for n;ls application of funds. A street car on the Allegheny Valley division of the V.'ost. Penn Traction Company's lines, whoro a strike has been In progress for eifcht months, was attacked by a mob and almost de molish), tl. Scc-etary Daniels announced that 1,797 candidates for admission to the 1318 cl.ir.s at the United States Naval Acadoray had been examined during tho pa: t two months. A bill to make tho writing of a thioater.ing letior to the President a nilst'otueanor was reported favorably by tho House Judiciary Committee. Alfred I Sharpe shot his daughter and then killed hlmsolf at his home, In Llnghampton, N. Y. Fire resulted in tho destruction of the Warren (Ohio) City Hall. The loss will reach nearly 175.000. BERLIN SHOWS NO SIGN OE YIELDING Officials Against Weakening . Submarine Campaign. NO TIME SET FOR REPLY Refusal Likely To Be Sent United States Chance Cf Maintaining Friendly Relation! Ap parently Small. Berlin, via London. Nothing has yet developed as a result of the receipt of the American note to Germany con cerning Germany's submarino warfare. No expression of opinion is obtainable from the Foreign Office, where abso lute reticence is maintained. Neither the note nor any reference to it has been published in Cermany and there Is no Intimation as yet when the note will bo made public. Ministers Study Nets. The Ministers and other offlclals who were entitled to It received a copy of the note and wcro engagod during the day in studying the document. The note probably will be answered some time this week, after serious con sideration has bscn given the Ameri can contention, but there is little hope that any answer can go to the length demanded by tho Washington Govern ment, despite the fact that the Govern ment desires to maintain good rela tions with the United States. The sentiment Is against farther weakening of Germany's submarine campaign, to say nothing of an abandonment of It. Delivered By Gerard. It was delivered to Foreign Minister Ton Jagow In the usual manner, with no attendant circumstances to mark the unusual Importance of the occa sion. Owing to the length of the note and appendix and to the delayed ar rival of one section of the note, it was not ready for presentation until 7.30 P. M. Ambassador Gerard then rollod the document In a magazine, to pro tect It from a slight rain which was falling, and walked across the square to tho Foreign Office. The Ambassador was received Im mediately. The Foreign Minister read the note and a short, general conver sation followed. No Time Set For Reply. Washlnrton. Ambassador Gerard at Berlin cabled the State Department that be had delivered the Americas note on submarine warfare to the Cer man Foreign Office. Secretary Lan sing said later he bad not been ad vised Just when a reply might be forth coming. Other officials, however. In dicated they expected it by the middle of next week. NEW USE FOR AEROPLANES. Coast Guard Service Will Locate Ves sels In Distrecs. Washington. Within a week the Coast Guard Service will utilize aero p'anes to pick up steamers in distress. Assistant Secretary to the Treasury Newton, returning from a trip to Glenn Curtlss' Aviation School at Newport News, Va., announced that aeroplanes will be used experimentally at the Nor folk station. Curtlss will have In a few days a ses plane adapted to coast guard work. When the Coast Guard Is notified of a vessel in distress word will be sent to the Curtlss Matlon. A coast guard lieutenant Is at the station studying aviation. An aero plane will find the vessel, fly back and tell a cutter Us location. Then the aeroplane will convoy the cutter to the icene. SAYS CRISIS KILLS HYPHEN. Bartholdt Declares German-Americans Will Stick To U. 8. St. Louis. Itichard Dartholdt, for mer Congressman, apostle of peace and, since tho European war, pro tagonist of the German cause In Amer ica, declnred that the present crisis dehyphonated German-Americans. He was asked what the Germans In the United States would do in caso of war between the countries. "There Is no excuse for such a ques tlon," he said. "History has shown that the Germans always wore the most loyal citizens of the United Ftates In time of war. In this crisis there are no German-Americans. We sue all Americans." WAITE HELD TO BE SANE. Allenitsta Find Confessed Murderer "Somewhat Abnormal." New York. Alienists who spent more- than an hour examining Dr. Arthur Warren Walte, confessed slay er of his father In-law, John E. Peek, a wealthy drug manufacturer of Grand Kapids, Mich., reported tq District At torney Swann that In their opinion Walte is sane, but somewhat ab normal. While being returned to the Tombs from the District Attorney's ofhee, Walto Is alleged to have de clared to detectives that he was anxious to pay the penalty for his crime '.'and have it over with as soon as possible." FOR LARCER COMMERCE BOARD. House Pastes Adamsun Bill and Sends It To Senate. . Washington. The Adamson bill to enlnrge the Interstate Commerce Com mission to nine commissioners at $10, 000, with authority to subdivide tho commission Into threo or more sec tions for distribution of Its work, was passed b the Ilcuse and went to the Senate. Tho bill was nrgued by Presi dent Wilson on account of the in eiexsod business of the commission! , f , i.. . I, i. . i i TREASURE SEEKERS ; -.- ' : ; - ; ; - J 'Cupyrtfla.i GEN, SCOII TO SEE GEN. OBREGON To Discuss Villa Hunt With Carranza Minister. MAY REMOVE THE SNAGS Carranza's Request For Withdrawal Of American Force To Be Dis cussed By Full Cabinet. Washington. Major General Hugh L. Scott, chief of staff of the army, and Gen. Alvaro Obregon, minister of ar of the Carranza de facto government, will meet to discuss the military aspects of the American government's punitive expedition Into Mexico against Villa. It Is understood that efforts to ar range such a conference are being mnde through State Department chan nels and that the mooting of the rank ing military officers of the two govern ments will take place somewhere on Mexican soil. Whether the conference will be hold at Juarez or at some point farther south below the bordor, has not been determined because details of the plan for the meeting have not been perfected. Negotiations Walt Diplomatic negotiations with Cen crul Carranza; as well as tho pursuit of Villa by Amsrlcan soldiers, ap parently are at a standstill while President Wilson awaits full advices as to the military problems tho troops have encountered In Mexico. With the arrival of Major Coneral Scott, chief of staff, In San Antonio to consult with General Funston, the information sought by Secretary Baker will begin to come forward by wire. VON PAPEN BRAIN3 OF PLOT. Former Cerman Attache Indicted For Conspiracy. New Tork. Captain Franz von Papon, recalled military attache to tho German Embar.sy, at Washington, was Indicted by the Federal Grand Jury here as the organizer and financier of an alleged conspiracy to blow up the Welland Canal In Canada. With him also were Indicted Capt Hans Tausch er, alleged agent of the Krupps In the United States and husband of Mine, Johanna Gadskl, tho prima donna; Constantino Govanl, Alfred J. Frltzen, and another man whose name has not been revealed. It was learned from reliable source that the last-named Is a prominent German, whose name has been mentioned frequently In connec tion with German propagunda. Federal odlclals do not expect to bring Von Papen to trlnl. While he is no longer Immune from prosecution by the United States civil authorities, since ho ceased to bo a member of the German Embassy staff, the offense with which he Is charged Is not extraditable under any treaty with a foreign government SANTIAGO GREETS AMERICANS. Entire Press Welcomes International High Commission, Santiago, Chile. William G. Mc Adoo, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, and the other members of the dylegatlon to the International High Commission, arrived here from Buenos Aires. The entire pnvs of Chile has united In welcoming tho dele gation, the hope being genernlly ex pressed that the visit will reult In strengthening the friendly understand ing between the two countries. BODY NOT THAT OF VILLA. American Authorities In Mexico Utv ablo To Verify Report Field Headquarters of General Pershing by Wireless to Columbus, N. M. American military authorities detailed to Invertgate the report that the body recently dhintsrred at Pan Francisco Borja was that of Franclaco Villa reported they wore unablo to ob tain confirmation. L-3 DELIVERED TO GOVERNMENT. Largest Submersible One Of 6even Ready By July 1. Ponton. The submarine L-3, one of the largest suhmerslhles In tho United States Navy, was formally delivered 1o the Government by hor buildors, the Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation, at the Charleston Navy Yard and Im mediately placed In commission. The seven veols of this class, each with a cruising radius of C.G00 miles, will be in service by July 1, the builders stated. i A MILLION IN FOR IHE Ml Bill Passes the Senate Provid ing for Reserves. TO UTILIZE SCHOOLBOYS Important Amendments To the Army Bill Are Adopted By the Senate. Proposal To Have Schoolboy Volunteers la Passed. Washington. An army reorganiza tion bill that would produce regular army and reserve military forces In the United States aggregating a mil lion men was passod by the Senate without a record vote. It is a substi tute for the Hay bill passed by the House, and the differences will be worked out in conforenco. On the eve of a Joint session of tho houses ot Congress to hear a message from the President on grave Interna tional Issue;, the Senate hastened com pletion of the bill amid scenes ot ex citement repeatedly rejecting all amendments pending1 to reduce the proposed strengthening of the army. ' The apparently grave developments of the few hours preceding the passage ot the bill probably served to save the volunteer army provision. Champions J of the National Guard fought It bitter I ly In the committee of tho whole, and It was retained by a vote of 34 to 32. Senator Lewis again moved to strlko out the section. It was saved this I time by a vote of 40 to 37. Other. Provisions. Other important provisions of the Senate bill, not in the House measure, Include tho following: Appropriation of $13,000,000 tor con struction of government plants for production of nitrates to bo used in manufacture of ammunition. Provision for vocntlonnl education of enlisted men ot the regular array, compelling instruction cither in agri culture or the mechanical National Guard section in the general staff of the Army, and requiring all officers and enlisted men of the National Guard to subscribe to an oath to sup port the United States, as well as tho respective States. Provision f)r Federal pay of all Na- ! tlonal Guard officers above tho rank of captain. To Ask For Conference. Because of the radical differences, It Is expected that tho House will at onco ask for a conference and that work of perfecting tho final form of a new army measure will begin with in a tow days. MAY ABANDON VILLA CHASE. Break With Berlin Would Hasten Withdrawal Of Troops. Washington. Tho Administration is waiting on further reports from Ameri can officers In Mexico before deciding whether the expedition seeking Villa phall be withdrawn or reinforced for further operations. It was thought probable though no official would talk about this phase ot the question, that the Gorman situa tion would have some bearing upon the Impending decision, f a 'break in diplomatic relations with Germany is foreseen by the Administration, it Is virtually certain that the troops will be recalled from Mexico Immediately. Thoy would be needed at home, as military prudence would require that steps be taken to prepare fev eventual ities In Europe. ' MOB LYNCHED POSTMASTER. Florida County Authorities Trying To Learn Who Did It. Chlpley, Fla. County authorities are working to discover who was re sponsible for the lycchlng at Vernon of John Dykes, postmaster of Oreon Howl, Washington county. Dykes had been arre.-.ted on tho charge of killing S. A. Walker, a naval stores operator, and was taken from the Vernon Jail by a mob ot masked men, who over powered the deputy In charge. FOR AMERICAN "I M MORTALS." President Signs Bill Creating Arts and Letters Academy. Washington. President Wilson signed the bill Incorporating tho American Academy of Arts and Let ters, which Includes In its membership Mr. Wilson, former President Roose velt, and other authors, publicists and artists. The President used an eaglo feather pen with which ho signed the repeal of the Panama Tolls Exemption act f GREATEST OF ALL BATTLES Ninth Week of Conflict at Verdun. COSTLY GERMAN DRIVE A Review Of Operations In Many Respects Without Precedent 400, 000 Men Killed, Wounded Or Missing. The most gigantic conflict In the his tory of the world, the battle of Ver dun, has entered upon its ninth week. It Is In many respects without pre cedent The enormous scale of thi Gorman preparations and execution of the attack, the unparalleled concentre, tlon of artillery and the sustains ferocity of the fighting mark the batUt as one of the greatest efforts of the war. Verdun has been rated as one ot tht strongest fortresses of Europe, a cor nerstone of tho French dofensst against Germany. The evolution of military tactics during the war, how ever, and particularly the employment by tho Germans of long-range howlti era, capable of reducing the greatest forts, have donn much to change th character of the Verdun campaign, at compared with the earlier conception! of what such a struggle might be. Po fore the battle opened the French part, ly dismantled their forts around Ver dun, and here, as elsewhere on tht various fronts, chief reliance for re sistance wan placed on an elaborate system of trenches. In no previous battle were the lossei so high as those which have been esti mated in the fighting around Verdun These estimates, however, cannot bt regarded as conclusive evidence, for nelthor Germany nor France has an nounced Its casualties. Nearly 400,000 Eliminated. The French War Office has dodarM the Germans have lost 200,000 In kilt ed, wounded and captured. The Ger mans state semiofficially that lit French casualties number 150,000 kill ed and wounded and that 36,000 ua wounded French prisoners have bees taken. If these estimates are approx imately correct, nearly 400,000 met. have been eliminated as fighting units. The ground occupied by the Cer mans after 68 days of offensive opera tions may be roughly calculated as lot square miles. The Verdun drive was begun on Feb ruary 21 by the German Army, under Crown Prince Frederick William. Tht Germans are reported to have brought up seven army corps, or about 289.000 men, to reinforce the troops which had been In service there, and subsequent ly, according to French accounts, othnr large bodies of reserves were called In. Within the first 10 days of the bat tie the French lost Haumont, Samog neux, Brabant, Orncs, Beaumont, Chambrettee, Marraont, Cotellate, Champneuvllle and numerous other outer posit lons Including villages, woods, heights and fortified farms, to gether with the fortified works of Ilardaumont, and Dieppe, Fromexoy, Abaucourt and, most Important of a't, Fort Dounumont These positions lit east of the Mease and north, northeaM and east of Verdun. . Fighting continued intermittently northenst of Verdun during the third week, centering In tho struggle for tht possession of Fort Vaux. In this weei the Gonnans captured Freanes, 1J miles southeast of Verdun, making I three-mile advance In this sector. Meanwhile, a new phase of the bat tie had developed west of the Mouse. With batteries spaced, according to German correspondents, scarcely 104 yards apart, violent artillery attarVj were made against Dead Man's HI1L preceding the long expected offcnelTt from the northwoHt. Forges, near Dead Man's Hill, was captured earlr In the third week, after an Infantry assault along a front lesa than thret miles long. Positions south of Forgm changed hands frequently during ths following days. On Sunday of last week the German undertook a general onslaught alonit a 13-mllo front, both west and east of the Mouse, from the Ilaucourt-Bethla-court sector to Douaumont A hlgl French military official alluded to this movement as "an attack on the largest scale since the beginning of the of fensive." The Germans announces that within a few hours after it wsi begun Bethlncourt and two fortifi4 positions to the southwest were Iso lated. Trenches in the region of Dead Man's Hill were carried, but at no point was the French line broken through. Toward the end of last week this attack subsided, and fhore cam another pause- followed by Frenei counter-attacks over small sections of the line. PARADISE PLUMES BURNED. Were Valued At $25,000 and War Seized By Customs Officials. ' Laredo, Texas. Bird of Paradls plumes, valued at $25,000 and destined to adorn Easter millinery, wer burned here. They wero Belxed in bag gago which Ar Kallman was attempt ing to take across the border from Mexico. Originally the plumes came from India. Frederick J.' Burns order ed that they be burned, together wlta 527 blid skins, which were confiscated. YUNG WOMAN CUTS THROAT- Mist Flora Dickson Ends Life After Visiting Brlttol Friends.. Bristol, Va.-Tenn. Miss Flora PI" son, daughter of Noah Dickson, formef ly a resldont or Dristol, committed sui cide at Johnson City, Tenn., by slah Ing her throat with a razor. Ill hoaltk Is glvrn as tho cause. Miss Dlcksos wbb 25 years old and was popular. Sh was the guest of friends hero a P1 of the Reek. Her body raa found o the premises of her father's homo, wit blood (lowing from her Jugular vein.
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