St. John's Daily Star, 1918-01-24

              The St. John's Daily Star Newfoundland VOLUME IV. ($3.00 per Annum) THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1918 (Price: One Cent.) No. 20. STELLARTON, N.S. MINING DISASTER; 100 MEN ENTOMBED PETROGRAD.===This morning.=~(Specialto The St. John's Daily §tar.=~U. P.)~=A wireless message received by the Smolny Institute, the Bolsheviki headquarters here, reports a Revolution in Vienna, and that the Revolutionists have named a Provisional Cabinet GREATEST DISASTER IN PICTOU COUNTY Explosion in Allan Shaft Mine, Stellarton, Entombs Hundred Miners—Only Dozen Will Escape Alive MEN WERE 12G0 FEET BELOW SURFACE Rescuers Begin Work Immediately Manager -■'-■" More Lives Will Be Saved—Most Productive Mine r . N. S., Jan. 23.—The • ing disastei in the hisDu County, occurred at 5.45 ; when an explosion in le on ihe Ford pit scam fly 100 miners. Of this is believed at the time of dispatch not more than a escape alive. re three levels in the mine. I being 1242 feet from the nd generally called 1200 foot le men who escaped were on known as the 500 foot level w of them from the 900 foot lajority of men were at work deepest level from which some wore taken about 1 1 o'clock. 1 hod'.es were blackened and d. and in such condition as kD ccstroy hope for safety of the other D! ;i in that part of the mine. It wasn't long after the explosion re men with the Draegar apparatntered the mine. They had great difficulty in getting below the 900 foot level, but there was no lack ol willing volunteers. Great crowds of miners gathered around the bank head as the news quickly spread throughout Stellarton, Westerville and New Glasgow. Medical men and nurses were soon in readiness to give any assistance in their power should it prove possible to rescue alive any of the miners. News of the explosion was sent to Cape Breton, and on the night express there are coming more Draegar men, a number of them who so nobly and successmully worked at the disaster at New Waterford in July last. An official report about 11 p. m. said that the air at the bottom of the shaft hadn't yet become bad. It was farther in that the rescue parties found difficulties. They were only able to make short trips into the dargerous area and the reports they brought back confirmed the worst fears. Until a late hour tonight Manager Prudhomme was still hopeful that more lives could be saved. Up to midnight (Continued on Page 2) LORD READING WITH COL. E. D. SWINTON, D.S.O.—Lord Reading has been nominally appointed Ambassador io Washington-; Col. Swinton of "Tank" fame is stated to be Attache to the British Embassy. HALIFAX DISASTER QUESTIONS ASKED Commander Bellaire Asks Pertinent Questions in House of Commons —No Answers, lONDON, Jan. 23,-(V;a Renter's Ottawa Agency)—ln the House of Commons, Commander Bellaire asked when the Government would be in a position 1o issue a statement regarding the responsibility for the Halifax disaster, having special regard to the dangerous ana -nPammabie car;.o cairied with high explosives in the munition ship, and the admission of such a ship for a number of days to a crowded portion of the port; the precautionary rules regarding the movement of other ships; when a ship with dangerous expjlosives as a cargo is under way in the Channel, the instructions given frach ships regarding flooding arrangements in the event of fire, and finally as to the manning of neutral ship which have access to the ports and whose crews are brought into direct contact with the enemy through work of relief in territories conquered by the Germans. Hon. W. A. S. Lewins replied it is not possible to make any statement pending the receipt of the report of a commission of inquiry appointed by the Canadian Government. BOHEMIAN INDEPENDENCE Basel, Switzerland, Jan. 23.—1n the Austrian Chamber of Deputies, a Vienna despatch says, Premier von Seydler was interpellated by German and Czech deputies respecting the rej solution adopted at Prague demanding the independence of Bohemia. The Premier declared the resolution was unpatriotic. Such a policy is incomprehensible, he said. We desire an honourable peace in the spirit of justice and conciliation, but we must remain ; united. Strikes, Dr. von SeyciTer assertetT, : hadn't been of an excessive character, | but might have assumed a dangerous i form. He added that the concessions i which had been made hadn't been I granted in consequence of class : struggle, but as a result of the Gov; ernment*s wish to preserve the interests i of the States and of society. FRANCE PREPARES GHASTLY WELCOME Most Germans Can Do Is Push Back Little—Cannot Break Through —France Is Ready. IQNDON, Jan. 24.—(Via Renter's Ottawa Agency)—Reuter's headquarter's correspondent discussing the threatened impending German offensive, says: "It is taken for granted that the utmost, the most violent onslaught against any part of our front can hope to attain would be to push us back a little. Any prospect of breaking through is practically negible and scarcely worth discussing. In the meantime we are preparing ghastly hospitality for the enemy if he attempts an attack." SUBMARINE TOLL IS DOWN AGAIN * * Six Large British Ships—Two Small— No Fishing Vessels—Six Attacked Unsuccessfully [ONDON, Jan. 23.—Again the sinkings of British merchantmen by mine or submarine have been held at low point. Only ?ix ships of 1600 tons or over and 2 under that tonnage were destroyed the past week, according to the Admiralty report tonight. The sinking of British merchantmen the past week duplicates those for th*e previous week, when two fishing ships were also sunk. In the past week shipping craft escaped entiiely. The Admiralty reports of Jan. 2 and 9 gave the sinkings as 21 merchantships, of which 18 were over 1600 tons in each case. Arrivals were 2266, and sailings 2242. British merchant ships of 1600 tons or over sunk by mine or submarines, six; under 1600 tons, two; fishing ships, none. British merchantmen unsuccessfully attacked, six. FRENCH RETAKE GROUND Paris, Jan. 23.—The War Office announced tonight that the ground gained by the Germans east of Nieuport as a result of a raid this morning was retaken, by the French by a rapid counter attack. BIG GUNS ROAR ON WESTERN FRONT Infantry Idle Owing to Snow—St. Quen tin Fighting Growing Daily— Paper Suppressed WITH reported amelioration in political unrest in AustriaTHungary and , the continuation of silence, as regards ' the internal situation in Germany, the ; notable feature of the world war is the apparent resumption and on a some- i what larger scale of military operations on the west frost in France and Belgium.Although for the moment these operations, viewed from cold facts, as announced by the various War Offices, don't transcend in importance the usual small operations by raiding and reconnoitering parties which have been in progress since the. severe winter weather began, reading between the lines of communications it is not difficult to see that the manoeuvers now in progress on the various sectors are in the K&Uu* of trying out ororesses of ? marked character, from the North Sea to the Swiss frontier. Lessening in the rigors of the winter has permitted the belligerents to send forth their men again in enterprises which seemingly forecast their intention shortly to resume fighting activity move extensively. For weeks big guns along the whole Font have been voaring in intensive duels on the numerous sectors, but the infantry has lain idle owing to deep snow and later to morasses which formed as a result. On their extreme right of Northern Belgium the Germans have carried out an important raid and gained a footing in French advanced trenches east of Nieuport, while along nearly all of the front in Flanders the artilleries have increased the volume of their fire. To the south around Lens, Arras and St. Quentin fighting, although still by comparatively small forces, daily is growing in strength, while eastward along Chemin Dames, past Verdun, thence to the Swiss border, the French and Germans are continuously engaged on various sectors in aitillery fighting and infantry activities, considerably above normal as compared with the early days of the war. Italians Victorious Cm the front in Italy the change in the High Command evidently hasn't resulted as yet in any betterment of the strategic position of the Austro- German armies. From Asiago Plateau east to the Piavc River, and thence south to the Adriatic Sea, the Italians again have been victorious at many points, even though in minor raiding operations against enemy forces, raiding positions and bringig back prisoners, machine guns or materials, or holding in their tracks the Austro-German elements which were endeavoring to launch attacks. The greater portion of the striking workmen of Austria are said to have returned to work, but the situation both in Austria and Hungary is declared still to be acute owing to the desire of the people for peace. In Germany some trepidation is being evinced by papers of Pan-German leanings over the situation in Austria and the possibility of the peace move there working at a tangent from the objects uppermost in the minds of the leaders of the German Militarist Party. The Socialist paper Vorwaerts, Berlin, has announced the solidarity of the German proletariat with Austrian labor in the peace movement and for its pains has again been suppressed. British labor in conference again has upheld the war aims set forth by President Wilson and Premier Lloyd- George of Britain, and reasserted that if Germany will not accept them British labor must fight on. Two British steamers were sunk recently in the Mediterranean with the loss of 718 lives, according to the announcement in the House of Commons. LABOR CONVENTION SUPPORTS WAR AIMS IN A LOYAL MANNER Small Encouragement For German Emperor  Democratic Pea ce Only By Supporting War PRESIDENT WILSON A LABOR PROPHETS Amendments Suggested by Pacifists were Swept Aside—Change In Constitution Postponed a Month NOTTINGHAM. Jan. 24.—There has : been small encouragement for the j German Emperor and the Central Pow[ ers in the proceedings of the British Labor Party thus far. The leaders of the party show determination to take 1 a strong line in support of war as the only means of obtaining democratic ; peace, and in this they appear to have ; the lo support of the majority of \ delegates. As they arrived at the convention I yesterday or today they were handed a circil r entitled British Labor War j Aims, v was a copy of the messj age sent to Russia in the name of the ' British J([.abor a few days ago. This ! mendjjjpj is the keynote of the whole i present policy of the Labor Party. Its war yms show no very great divergence from the statements by President Wilson, Premier Lloyd George ana other Allied statesmen. The pacifist minority will make strenuDus efforts to win over the question c-f peace, but there is no reason to beli ve that the Conference will go any distance with them. Present Wilson figures as one or the Lnbor PaKy's prophets. In the openn g session today his name was mentioned no less than six times; in j each case in connection with his recent ;/ar aims speech winch was described as essentially the same point of view as the British Labor Party's. French Socialists Applauded The fraternal delegate of the French Social its gained a hearty applause when, (e said President Wilson has declared on behalf of the common people of thet whole world the terms which the common people want. This statement has now been agreed to by every Allied Government, including the Russian Bolsheviki. In "ace of this unanimity of opinion the C jitral Governments are silent, but their peoples are restless and disturbed and before long they, too, must come into »agreement. The British Labor Party today declared its position as regards war and peace. By a majority of about twothirds. Vote the delegates supported t,he i war ; ms programme recently promul: gated by their executive committee which* corresponds generally with the recent utterances of President Wilson and Lloyd George, the British Premier. All amendments suggested by the Pacifists were swept aside in favor of a single resolution of moderate length welcoming the utterances of President Wilson and Lloyd George, and an invitation was put forward to the Central Powers to make known their war aims as the Entente has done. One amendment which was downed with scant consideration was the proposal to eliminate the mention in tne resolution of President Wilson and Lloyd George, although the backers of it carefully explained that it was offered in no spirit of unfriendliness, but in the belief that the resolution would carry more weight with the German and Austrian Socialists if it avoided the appearance of approving of the acts of representatives of capitalistic Governments.Feautre Of The Day One of the features of the day's business was the postponement of the proposed change in the Constitution directing the enrolling of brain workers and others. This postponement is not interpreted as a defeat, but a concession to some of the larger unions which desired to further consider the matter. It is expected that the widening of the scope of the Constitution will be carried at a special conference to be held a month from now. That the moderate policy of the present Labor Party ex_~utive meers with the entire approval'of the membership was indicated by the virtually unanimous vote with which approval was given the annual report of the Executive Committee. It must be remembered that the annual conference is not merely a Labor Congress as in the United States, but the annual meeting of great political party at which the policy  conduct of its representatives in Parliament come up for review and report. The acceptance of the policy of the party last year was by a vote of 6 to 1, but th year it was virtually unanimous. This year, as at last year's conference, the attitude of the Party toward the war was a matter of most general interest and the question one on which the party representatives must stand or fall. The party gave them a wholehearted vote of confidence. COLLIERIES TIED UP Pottsville. Pa.. Jan. 23.—The overshadowing inability of the railways to move coal quickly from mine to market, ; id the water famine, has tied up several big collieries in the Pennsylvania, anthracite field. Arjout a dozen other collieries are on the verge of shut down for the same reason. Sca?city of water has crippled the production of coal seriously since the severe cold weather began. Thousands of loaded coal cars still remain in the railroad classification yards and on siiings. The congestion, however, is be lg gradually cleared. NEW STAFF OFFICERS. \\ ■  London. Jan. 23.—James lan Mc- Pherson. Parliamentary Secretary of the War Office, announced in the House of Commons today that Lt.-Gen. Sir Herbert Alexander Lawrence had been appointed Chief of the General Staff in France, Colonel W. Cox to be Brigadier-General on General Staff of the Intelligence Department, and General Traverse Clarke to be Quartermaster General. . These changes, McPherson said, had nothing to do with the report to the War Council on the recent operations at Cambrai, TROUBLE OVER FOOD Amsterdam, Jan. 23.—The resignation of Count Hadik, Hungarian Food Minister, has been accepted according to a despatch from Budapest. A Zurich despatch early in the month reported that Count Hadik had resigned as Hungarian Food Minister owing to the difference between Austria and Hungard over supplies of Hungarian foodstuffs for the Austrian civil pop* ulation. U.S. ENFIELD RIFLES. Washington, Jan. 23.—The first Americanized Enfield rifle turned out at the Winchester plant for American troops abroad, was presented today to President Wilson to be preserved as a personal souvenir. Ihe President was told the rifles are being made at the rate of 2,000 a day. MUST HAVE INDEPENDENCE. Havre, Jan. 23.—The Belgian Government's terms of peace so far as they concern Belgium herself, set forth in her reply to Pope Benedict's peace note, made public today, are in substance absolute, political, economic and territorial independence. SEE OUR NEW AMERICAN 10OR COVERING, 2 yards wide, $3.00, 1.20, 1.30 yd. | ALSO OUR NEW \ FIBRE SQUARES | All Artistically bordered. | All Sizes to fit any Size Room, | FIBRE MATS & RUGS 1 to match same. 1 QUITE AN ASSORTMENT § I CARPETS & 1 1 CARPET SQUARES | | ALL AT THE VERY LOWEST j | riARKET PRICES. | BOWRWG BROS., LTD. | WUlJllllllw.