THE WAR

Levin Daily Chronicle, 27 February 1917, Page 3

THE WAR

(Australia-New Eeaianc Cable Service") "hubs." Lost in February. Rome, Feb. 24. Berlin report "that of fifty submarines which put to sea on February 1, sixteen have not reported.

SPIES IN U.S.A. New York, Feb. 24. The,- "Providence Journal" ;sa.ys that high officials intercepted letters showing spy plots. They are now investigating. The plots embraced a scheme of l'rightfulness, including the assassination of President Wilson. A PI.SSHMISTIO GERMAN. A German officer in a pessimistic war "The time of happy nights and jolly article to n students' newspaper says : beer parties is over. Pierrots waltz succeeded by the dance of death. We are matching sadly towards a future full of doubt and gloom."

(Received This Day 8.35 a.m.) IN MESOPOTAMIA. London, February 26. The British have captured ICut-el-Amara. AMiEMCA AMD GERMANY. Six Americans were aboard the Laconia; 270 passengers were rescued. "Washington, .Feb. 26. 'President Wilson, when addressing the Congress, will immediately ask for power to protect American lives , and property on the high seas. It is understood that his future policy will be armed neutrality. London, February 26. The Laconia was torpedoed while en route from New York to England —without warning. Washington, Feb. 26. President Wilson asked Congress for authority to arm merchantmen and to taike any other meais to protect American lives and interests on the high seas. iH'e declared that the time had arrived when influences other than material things must be considered if the United States is to uphold citizens' rights. (Received This Day* 9. a.m.) A VJ3SSEL SUNK. London, February: 26. The Falcon, of Cardiff, 2244 tons, was torpedoed and sunk. ' r ITALIAN WAR LOAN. It is officially announced that subscriptions to new war loan exceed eighty-seven millions, whereof iifty'eight million represent new money.

A HORRIBLE STORY. London, Feb . 26. Italian newspapers have given prominence to a .horrible story of an escaped Roumanian prisoner, a robust young peasant, -who was imprisoned at various camps. Later on, he was sent to the Italian front to build roads. He says that sixty compatriots in one camp died of hunger. The Austro-lHungarians throughout treated I the Rumanians as the Kaiser ordered his soldiers to treat the Chinese Boxers. "When they entered a Rumanian village they destroyed everything not of iimmedjiate- nise, including "(farm buildings and orchards, shooting old men and women on mere suspicion. Life in the prison camps was constant torture; all the prisoners were starved and forced to work from morn to

night under threat of the whip. Some

prisoners at a few seeds with which they were sowing the fields, and a general punishment was ordered. Prisoners were beaten with thick sticks and their spines almost broken; some were hos'ited until their toes 'barely touched the ground, and wore thus left for hours, doubled up, tied with ropes and left lying on the ground' all day. Many fell dead of hunger in the fields and only the robust constitutions saved the escaped prisoners. GERMAN 1 PROPAGANDA AND FOOD RIOTS. New York, Feb. 25. A thousand fiood 'rioters stormed the Waldorf and Astoria Hotels. 'Fifty people were trampled on and injured. German propagandists are flooding the mails with bitte rattacks on the American Government, and also denouncing the Entente. Similar letters liavei 'been sent to members of th<T Congress. The authorities are endeavoring to trace their authorship. LONDON I DAILY MAIL. London, February 26. The Daily Mail is to toe reduced to eight pages and sold at Id during the tt-emainder of the war, commencing from March stli, 1917.

CLOSING LONDON CHURCHES (United Cable Service). The Bishop of London is "closing the London churches, except (eight, for the purpose of freeing the clergy and chaplains for national service.

WAR PRISONERS' RATIONS. (Reuter's Service). London, February 26. Lord Devonport approves 'of the new scale of rations for German war prisoners and internees, 'and jifs reducing the alowance in the proportion enjoined upon the British public. O (Reecived This Day 11.30 a.m.) THE U.S.A. POSITION.

President Wilson has recited the circumstances of Housatonic-Lyman law as evidence of the German deteimination to disregard the rules of humanity and international law. He pointed out how American commerce had suffered. He said:—"Our commerce is suffering rather in apprehension than in fact; rather 'because so many of 'our ships are timidly keeping; tq their home ports than because American ships have been hunk."

The situation, at present, he continued, was substantially the same as when he addressed Congress last, except that the tying-up of American commerce was an overt act. ' However;- it had not occurred; but the expressions of purpose on Germany's part ill ad given one the jimprefesion that if an over act was avoided it would be because the German submarine commanders had acted with unexpected discretion and restraint. The situation was fraught with the gravest dangers and possibilities. Necessity for definite action might! come at amy time; therefore, as Congress was about to expire, he asked for the full authority and power of Congress to deal with the situation in whatever way might be neecssary, with the purpose of defendoing the lives and commerce of the American people.