St. John's Daily Star, 1917-06-01

              The St. John's Daily Star. Newfoundland VOLUME 111. ($3.00 per Annum) FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1917. (Price: One Cent), No. 125. LULL IN FIGHTING ON ALL THE WAR FRONTS Coalition Movement Steadily Gains Favor In Canada NO IMPORTANT MOVES ON ANY OF THE FRONTS State of Virtual Inaction In All of the Theatres Of The War ITALIANS TAKE ALBANIAN VILLAGES; FRENCH REGAIN CHAMPAGNE LINE k STATE of virtual inaction prevails on al the war fronts. In only one re has there been any fighting yof note. This was in the Chamregion, France counter-attacking y against positions northeast of Haut, where, on Wednesday the Germans, in a violent offeniptured trench elements, drove c Teutons on Thursday and es\ed their former front in its enthe west of the region lying be- Soissons and Rheims there has a continuation of spirited artille.. duels in various sectors, notably of Vauxillon and Laffaux. South of Berry-au Bac, the Germans : the first time in several months ( ed out sapping operations. This them portions of trenches which were blown up. Intense fighting along the southern d of the Austro-Italian front has apparently entirely ceased for the moment, the Italians, probably, being engaged in the consolidating of the positions won and in bringing up guns for further operations in their campaign against the Trieste. Along the Isonzo line only artillery duels have been in progress, owing to bad weather conditions. There has been a renewal of activity the Italians in Albania, and several villages in the southern part of this theatre have been taken and held successfully against the counter-attacks of the Teutonic Allies. Eastward on the entire Macedonian front artilery duels are in progress. An indication of the heavy fighting during the, month of Auril is given by the official British casualties during this period, showing 112,233 of King George's men killed, wounded or made prisoners. Included in the aggregate are 5,902 officers.  ALBERTA ELECTIONS Eleven Members, Now Overseas Fighting Returned by Acclamation Edmonton, June I.— Formal nominations for 43 out of a toval of 58 constituencies to be represented in the next provisional legislature will be made throughout Alberta to-day. I p to the present time the headquarters or neither party here has received. V rd of any acclamations. Of 15 oth( eats there are eleven men returned I cement of the legislature by reas of thair absence in the Empire's as service. Two representatives will be nominated and elected by the soldiers. Deferred elections are arranged for Athabasca and Peace River. SIGNS FAVOR A COALITION Believed Premiers Murray and Gouin Will Enter the War Administration of the Dominionlaurierlsnot opposing move QTTAWA, June I.— The departure for Halifax this afternoon of A. K. Mac Lean strengthens the belief in Parliamentary circles that Hon. G. H. Murray may enter the Coalition Government. Mr. Mac Lean left here without making a statement, but the impression here to-day is that his departure from the Capital presages his accession to the premiership of Nova Scotia, in succession to Mr. Murray, who will come to Ottawa as a member of the proposed new War Administration.Another important fact in the situation to-day was a veen Sir Wilfred Laurier and his Quebec French-Canadian supporters. While no statement was made at its close, it is believed the Liberal leader gave an outline of his conferences with Sir. Robert Borden and Sir Lomar Gouin, but did not commit himself for or against Conscription beyond saying he would not take any definite stand unless or until he had consulted his party in Caucus. Contrary to expectations Sir Wilfred Laurier did not confer with the Prime Minister to-day. In well-informed circles on both sides of the House to-day there is a preponderance of opinion that unless some entirely unforseen obstacle arises, Sir Lomar Gouin, Premier of Quebec, will come to Ottawa as a member of the Coalition Cabinet. CANADA'S BIG REVENUE Largest Public Income In History Of The Dominion Ottawa, May 31—Customs* revenue for May amounted to $17,144,368, the largest monthly return in the history of the country. The revenue increased by $4,089, 987 over the corresponding month of last year. For the two months of the fiscal year ending May 31st the total Custom' revenue is $31,293,525, compared with $23,400,953 for corresponding period during the past fiscal year. ELMER A. SPERRY. Author of the gyroscope, who has invented a U-boat killer which has amazed naval experts. Early tests have been arranged. The device requires no elaborate preparation and Iβ of an offensive nature. . t u-^ COPYRIGHT UNDERWOOD A *-»i~-. START TO RECRUIT BRITONS IN U.S.A Effort Being Made To . Secure . Some Of the Many British Subjects Now Resident in America JjEW YORK, June I.—A campaign to enlist some of the estimated 800,--000 British subjects in this country was begun to-day when the officers from the British recruiting Mission were engaged here. Actual recruiting will not be: started/ however, until Brigadier-General White,'head of the Mission outlines its object in a statement, which is expected Monday. . " The Mission includes seven officers besides General White. have been here looking over the situation. Whether the Mission will estabish recruiting stations in other cities of the United States will depend' on the success achieved here, it is stated. CARPENTERS at Fairmont, West Virginia have a one hundred per cent, organization. SAMPLE OF EVILS OF DIVIDED POWER Cash at Sebastopol Between Russian Admiral and Soldiers, and Workmen's Delegates J ONDON, June I—According to Reuters despatch from Petrograd dated Tuesday, The Bourse Gazette reports a grave clash between Admiral Kolchak, Commander of the Black Sea fleet, one of Russia's finest naval officers, and a group of Workmen's and Soldiers' delegates at Sebastopol. The latter demanded the dismissal of" the Commander of the port who was carrying out the Admiral's orders. To this Admiral Kolchak refused to comply, whereupon the • Workmen's and Soldiers' delegates arrested the Commander and resisted the Admiral's demand for his- release. . , Admiral Kolchak then threatened to resign and the Government sent M. Tceretelli, Minister of Posts and Telegraphs to Sebastopol to investigate the matter. -  COURT INVESTIGATION OF BRITISH AIMS IN WAR British Government Permits Even Pacifists To Go On Mission To Russia DELEGATES CAN ONLY INFORM RUSSIA WAR WAS FORCED ON GREAT BRITAIN LONDON, June I.— In connection with the approaching visit of George M. Roberts, Lord Commissioner of the Treasury; James Ramsay McDonald, Chairmen of the Labor Party and Frederick W. Jowett, President of the Independent Labor Party to Russia, the following authorized statement has been issued: Since it is really desirous of mec'ing the views of the Russian Government that they should be enabled to learn at first hand the opinions of all sections of British thought, the Government is facilitating the journey to Russia of representatives of different political opinion. Among these are factions with a very small following who latterly, have not been over enthusiastic for a vigorous prosecution of the war. The British Government has nothing to hide. It entered the war in defence of the rights of small nations and democracies, of freedom and justice. A brutal war was forced upon the Allies, who were in a state of total unpreparedness. Now they are in a very different positions. They cannot allow Germany, to profit by gains wrested from them unscrupulously and in defiance of all right • Desiring, therefore a full investigation and having nothing to conceal, the Government will gladly allow all sections of the public to advance their views. Those delegates, including Messrs Roberts, McDonald and Jowett, will only further inform the Russian people as to how we are driven into a devastating war and will throw additional light on Germany's manoeuvres at this juncture to distort the predatory objects she had in forcing the war on .peaceful neighbors. A newspaper of May 12th said the Independent Labor Party, which is the pacifist Socialist section of the Laborites, had appointed Messrs. McDonald and Jowett, both Members of Parliament to go on a Mission to Petrograd. The paper added there was some doubt as to whether they would be able to obtain passports. Mr. Roberts is also a member of Parliament, being whip for the Labor Party. PROPAGANDA PLOT Young American Slackers To Be Induced to Refrain from Registering Columbus, Ohio, May 31.—A gigantic propaganda plot with national headquarters in this city, organized to induce young men of military age all over the States to refrain from registering for Conscription has been uncovered by the State and Federal Secret Service agents, according to an announcement made tonight by Governor Cox. The details 6f the plot which is said to have extended into many States became known when United States Marshals raided a print-shop office in South High Street where practically all the propaganda literature was printed and distributed. It is stated that the plot appeared to be well financed and well organized. Candidate Arrested Topeka, Kan., June I.—Prof. Kleibege, Socialist Candidate for Governor of Kansas in 1914, was arrested at Lawrence today on a warrant charging him with conspiracy in connection with the agitation against the selective draft law. RESTRICTS TRAFFIC Germany Forced To Economise of Railroad Rolling Stock Copenhagen, May 31—A Berlin despatch say? that passenger trafnic in Germany will be restricted in a most drastic manner in the near future. Railroads will be limited* to one fast train daily in each direction. The military authorities have been empowered to confiscate the rolling stock of all private railways. The measures are due to a shortage of rolling stock and the impossibility of keeping in repair or replacing the equipment of the state railroads. Tornado Kills 25 St. Louis, Mo., June I.—Reports received by The Globe-Democrat tonight from a correspondent at Marble Hill say there were at least 25 killed and more than 100 injured at ZaJraa, Bollinger County, by a tornado that struck there on Wednesday. Reports All Quiet Berlin, May 31—The War Office statement to-night says that here have been no fighting operations on a large scale. THE PEOPLE NEED PRACTICAL FRIENDS NOW F. COAKER Esq., MM A. President of the F. P. U.. O/K,—A Macedonian cry for *3 help rises from all parts of this Country, from the masses of the people, who find their strength and their means taxed to the limit to endure the strain imposed by the exceeding High Cost of Living. We have yet to note, Sir, that you are making any extraordinary haste in coming to the rescue of the sorely-tried wage-earners of Newfoundland.Being in the provision business yourself, it is scarcely necessary for us to remind you that flour has taken some fearful and wonderful leaps in price since the beginning of the present year. You know well how prominently this article figures in the food of our people and you are aware that the price per barrel thereof is now about five dollars in advance of what it was six months ago. How comes it, Sir, that such a trying development has occurred without your voice being raised there-against in emphatic protest? For many moons, now, this country has. heard Mr. Coaker loudly proclaim through his personal organ that he is the Heavensent and inspired and strengthened champion of the Toilers of Newfoundland. This same Mr. Coaker has been wont to tell of the ways and means whereby he has lessened for the wage-earners of the country their cost of living and has boosted for them the value of their fishery produce. Markets have been scorned and the laws of supply and demand flouted when this. Mr. Cooker set out to do deeds of derring-do for Newfoundland. You, Sir, are that Mr. Cooker. But you are also the Mr. Coaker who has stood aside while the price of provisions has sky-rocketed almost beyond the sight of our workers. You have failed our people in the greatest emergency they have ever; faced. . . . What avails it to talk of whatl you have put in the pockets of the\ people, when you have shown your self powerless to keep those savings in the possession of the earners? Let us grant, for argument's sake that you were instrumental in securing for the people of this country forty thousand dollars more than would have been theirs had you not boosted the price of fat. What use is that extra money to those who secured it, if the cost of living advances out of all proportion to the earning power? You claim to have put $40,00° in the pockets of the sealets. • What have you done to keep that money there? We are credibly informed thai over one hundred thousand barrels of flour have been imported into this Country since the beginning of the year. Each barrel of that flour cost the consumer an average of \five dollars more than it did last fall One hundred thousand barrels at the increased price cost our people half a million dollars in excess of last year's prices. The forty thousand dollars you say you secured for the sealers, only goes a small way toward meeting the advance in cost of food our toilers now have to pay. Why haven t you acted? Why haven t you undertaken to supply the flour requirements of even the members of your Union at a price\ materially lawer than that charged] by the other dealers, who, you habitually declare, are bleeding the people of excess profits? Is your infallibility a bubble? Is your commercial omnipotence a mere figment of your own brain? Or, are you also amongst the profiteers ? Any average man can navigate a craft when the skies are clear, the seas smiling and the wind propitious. It takes a competent mariner to steer that craft safely through a tempest, when jog palls the seas and where rocks and shoals abound. Are you but a fairweather and smooth water sailor? Must the affairs of the people with the con•con• duct of which you appear to have ' charged yourself suffer shipwreck ■ in great measure because the man ■so many of the people trusted is neither competent and so farsighted as he represented himself to be? As with the food of the people, so with the fuel. A few months ago, Sir, you owned and operated the famous steamer "Cant Lose," She, you told the people, Was to revolutionise the transportation trade of the Country; was to break the shipping monopoly; was to ensure us the carriage of coal at reasonable rates. Where, oh where is she now? The shipping shortage is respon \sible, to a considerable extent, for an increase of five dollars per ton in the price of coal. That increase means the expenditure of over a million and a half dollars per annum more by the people of this country for this article than theyl have ever paid before. And, at a time like this when the people are in such dire need of the relief thai such a ship as you once possessed and boasted of,\ could affordf you stand by inactive either powerless or indifferent in the matter. The flour and coal trade afford you the opportunity of endeavoring to save a couple of million doll j crs to the consumers of this count-\ ry. Why don't you attempt the great task? Are you prepared to admit now that even the Great President must bow to laws of supply and demand Is the dictator of fish and provision prices of yesterday, helpless now because of market conditions? Or, is he but playing an ordinary business role, paying more attention to profits and losses in which his share holders are concerned than to the trials and hardships of the general membership of his Union or those of the mass of the people of Newfoundland?You, Sir, are best qualified to an swer these questions definitely; we, however, can draw our own conclusions from your conduct. And we cannot see wherein either your organisation or yourself, as head of that organisation, can lay claim to that unselfishness of aims and disinterestedness in purpose that could entitle you to the guidance of the destinies of this people. In other words. Sir, your eleval ion to border would hut gtve Newfoundland Corporation control of her affairs. Corporation control is eminen'h) Selfish and emphatically undemocratic whatever the comfios ition of the membership of thatCarporathn It menaces a country with the administration of its affairs for the benefit of the few at the (Continued on page 2) Won't be Opposed Vancouver, May 31.—The election of Hon. Mr. Farris, recently appointed Attorney General in the Cabinet will not be opposed by the Conservatives. Strikes In Russia Petrograd, June I.—Three thousand tailors' and drapers' assistants in Petrograd have gone on strike for a one hundred per cent, increase in their wages. MEN S RAGLANS LATEST LONDON STYLES. JbWß| <y/V 1 I  ■ /Prices Ranging From $11.00, $15.00, $18.50 to $20.00. Bowring Bros., Ltd. (grßead The Daily Star