~~-—- * VALDEZ, ALA8KA, MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1914. NO. 382.
VOL. 10. _'
GERMANS VICTORIOUS IN POLAND
RUSSIANS DEFEATED AT MLAWA AND NEAR CRACOW
WARSAW MAY BE ABANDONED BY THE CZAR’S TROOPS
RUSSIANS HAVE LOST MUCH ARTILLERY AT CRACOW
PRESIDENT 1U.
STUMP THE STATES
<•_
Starts Next March After Attending
the Opening of the Panama Ex
position At San Francisco.
i
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28—President
Woodrow Wilson will start an active
campaign for re-nomination and re
election in the early spring. The
president will start at San Francisco
in March, when he opens the Panama
Pacific Exposition and will then
swing around the circle on a speak
ing tour.
The president has remained at
Washington for the past two years
and has refused many requests that
he make speeches at different civic
affairs. Ho now feels that conditions
are settled and that his presence is
no longer necessary in Washington at
all times and that he may take the
opportunity to speak, especially in
the West, where he has never been,
and more especially as he has plan
ned ‘o go to the exposition.
PRESIDENT WOULD
FREE PHILIPPINES
■
Christmas Revolt Has Not Changed
His Attitude-M-Other# With
the President.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28—President
Wilson announced today that the re
volt on Christmas by the Filipinos
had not altered his support for the
^ Jones bill, which would give them
independence. The president is quot
ed as saying that the United States
does not wish to hold in subjugation
any race of people and more especial
ly a race which cannot be amalga
mated with the people of the Unit
ed States.
While not urging independence at.
this time the president would in
crease the amount of liberty and civic
rights allowed the natives of the
Philippines until they would in a short
time be able to govern themselves,
when the American occupation would
* end.
The president is upheld by many
Americans, who would lilte to be rid
of the burden of the islands without
trouble with a foreign power and es
pecially as the islands are a military
burden in case of war with an Orient
al power.
Weather Report.
Valdez Dec. 27, 1914.
Barometric pressure .29,868
Temperature at 5 p. m. 29
Maximum temperature .30
Minimum temperature . 9
Mean temperature .191-2
Precipitation .9
Cloudy air, wind northeast 6 miles.
^ Snowed at night.
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ft.
England Is Happy Because of Raid Upon German Coast Forts—Lost One Sea
plane In the Attack—Germans Give Up Effort To Dislodge Russians Hold
ing Bzura Positions and Make New Attack On Warsaw via the Nida
and Pilica Rivers—Heavy Fighting Reported In Vosges District—Germans
Take French Trenches Near Hollebek.
PERLIN, Dec. 28—The German
troops have reoccupied Mlawa after
a hard battle in which the Russians
were routed and are ndw fleeing to
wards Novemjasto. The German vic
tory is of great strategic value as the
Russians holding Mlawa have pre
vented the junction of the two Ger
man armies and have thus been able
to strike the flank of Gen. von Mack
ensen’s force operating from Plock
along the Vistula.
Austrians Defeated Near Cracow.
PETROGRAD, Dec. 28.—After fight
ing for several days and nights the
Austrians have been defeated on the
Raba river between Tarnow and Cra
cow. The engagements were sharp
and heavy losses were inflicted upon
the Austro-German forces. The Rus
sians are again invading Hungary in
pursuit of the Austrians, who have
crossed the Carpathians.
Battle Along Nida River.
PETROGRAD, Dec. 28.—The new
German attack and drive for War
saw is developing from the south.
The Germans are endeavoring to
cross the Nida river and also the
Pilica. The Germans commanded by
Gen. Hetzendorf have been strongly
reinforced and are pushing through
from Czenstochowa. The opposing
forces are fighting at the Nida and
the Pilica rivers. The Russians are
holding strong positions and have
rolled back the Germans.
Hold Lines In East Prussia.
The German defense on the north
ern front in East Prussia occupies a
position along the River Angerapp
from Gumbinnen to Darkehmen, and
thence to the northern extremity of
the Masurian Lakes, at Angerburg.
Here the Russians are entrenched
close to the German line. On the
east front of the lakes and to the
Vistula the Russians have taken a
position slightly back of their line of
advance of ten days ago. Both sides
appear to be awaiting the outcome
of the struggle in Poland. The main
German forces in this region are con
centrated about Mlawa.
Russian Attacks Weakening.
LONDON, Dec. 28.—The German
attacks upon the Russian line in Po
land have weakened. The different
German armies under command of
Field Marshal Hinaenburg have fail
ed to work together because of the
lack of communication between the
armies. The German attacks upon
the Russian line along the Bzura have
almost quit and are now mainly ar
tillery attacks.
Seven 8eaplanes In Battle.
LONDON, Dec. 28.—Seven British
seaplanes were engaged in the at
tack upon the Gwman naval base at
the mouth of the HUbe on Christmas.
Four cruisers shelled the coast and
did considerable damage. The Ger
man air scouts and the British aerial
fighters were engaged in a battle ov
er the sea and high above the fog.
The British lost one machine, which
was wrecked. The aviator was pick
ed up from the sea. The air battle
was more exciting than the sea fight
which followed the bombardment.
The Germans attempted to cut off
the retreat of the British ships but
were fought off. The approach of the
German fast cruisers from Heligoland
was reported by the’ air scouts and
the warning allowed the British ships
to race down the North Sea to safe
ty. The British ships reached the
German coast under cover of the fog
and then began the bombardment of
the forts.
British Rejoice At Raid of German
Coast .
LONDON, Dec. 28.—The people are
rejoicing at the success of the raid
against the German naval base at
the mouth of the Elbe. The safe re
turn of the warships and the loss
of only one aeroplane caused consid
erable satisfaction here.
Russians Defeated At Cracow.
LONDON, Dec. 28.—The Russian
attacks upon Cracow have failed. The
czar’s troops have been defeated with
heavy loss of men and guns and have
been fore- d to retreat for 50 miles
from the Austrian fortress. The de
tails of the battle are just reaching
here and indicate that the Germans
have concenrated strong forces at
Cracow, using the frontier roads to
concentrate troops quickly before the
Russians could bring up more men
from Poland to Lemberg. The de
feat of the Russians at Cracow and
the smashing of the army in northern
Poland has caused military experts
here to fear that Warsaw must be
evacuated and that the Russians will
be forced to take up a new line of
defense east of Warsaw.
Anti-British Riots In Egypt.
BERIN, Dec. 28.—Serious anti-Brit
ish riots occurred yesterday in Alex
andria, Egypt. Eighty people were
killed and many wounded. The Brit
ish are fearful that the revolt will
spread.
Allies’ Attacks Repulsed.
The Allies have made a number of
minor attacks upon the German po
sitions in Flanders and France. All
the attacks have been repulsed. The
general position of the opposing arm
ies has remained the same for sev
eral weeks.
Steamers Strike Mines.
LONDON, Dec. 28.—One Dutch
steamer and a British boat hit mines
in the North Sea today. The British
boat reached port with a big hole
in her bow but remained afloat be
cause of her air tight compartments,
which were closed when the ship
passed through the mine district. The
Dutch steamer, however, sunk in 12
minutes after striking. Fishing boats
picked up the passengers and crew.
Turks Report Russian Defeat.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 28—The
commander of the Turkish troops op
erating in the Trans-caucasian reg
ion, reports that the Rusisan troops
have been defeated with heavy loss
and that the Turks are marching up
on Batum, an important Black Sea
port of the Russians.
Fear Northern Poland Situation Bad
for Russians.
PETROGRAD, Dec. 28—The Rus
FOOD SHORTAGE
NOW IN MEXICO
Constant Fighting Has Prevented
Tilling of the Soil—Many
Are Suffering.
MEXICO CITY, Dec. 28.^-American
consuls in Mexico have reported to
the State Department that a short
age of food exists in the republic as
a result of the constant fighting,
the destruction of the railroads has
prevented the transportation of the
grain to the cities, and consequent
ly causing want in the larger towns.
Unless conditions alter the Amer
ican diplomatic agents predict many
deaths and much misery. ■
The State Department has turned
the request for food over to the
American Red Cross Society, which,
however, is already overtaxed in pro
viding for the wants of the neutrals
in Europe and for the wounded in
all the armies.
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NEW MANAGER FOR
ADMIRAL UNE
C. W. Wiley Resigns«>and R. J. Ring
wood, of 'Frisco, Takes His
Place—Company To Expand.
SEATTLE, Dec 28.—C. W. Wiley,
a large stockholder and general man
ager of the Pacific-Alaska Steamship
Line, operating the Admiral boats,
has resigned his position with the
company and R. J. Ringwood, who
has been traffic manager at San
Francisco, succeeds him.
It is rumored that Wiley has sold
his stock in the company to a group
of capitalists who are anxious to ex
pand the business in preparation for
the big rush expected to Alaska next
spring. The Admiral Line may pur
chase several new steamers for the
Alaska run and a new boat for the
San Francisco run. The officials of
the company refuse to make any
statement at this time to confirm the
announcement of the resignation of
Mr. Wiley.
sian war office admits that the
situation in North Poland is serious.
The Germans have received heavy re
inforcements, which were brought to
Soldau by the German railroads and
have since been launched across the
border at the Russians holding Mlawa.
The grand duke has started reinforce
ments to the Russians holding the
position and guarding the Russian
flank, but the roads are bad and trav
el is slow and it is feared that the
reinforcements will only arrive in
time to cover a forced retreat to
wards the fortress at Novo Georgie
vsk.
Germans Abandon Bzura Attacks.
PETROGRAD, Dec. 28.—The Ger
mans have finally abandoned the ef
fort to pierce the Russian line along
the Bzura and Rawa rivers. The con
stant attacks in mass formation up
on the Russian lines have resulted
in losses estimated at fully 100,000.
The rivers are filled with dead bod
ies. The mining of the river bottoms
and the banks by the Russians and
the exploding of the mines when the
Germans were on the ice, caused a
frightful loss of life.
Germans To Try Pilica Route
Field Marshal Hindenburg has now
shifted his attack to Piotrkow and
will follow up the Pilica river to
wards Warsaw. Gen. Dankl, com
manding the right wing of Hindeu
burg’s army and operating from Cra
cow, has taken the offensive again in
an effort to aid the new line of at
tack. The German troops in East
Prussia have been weakened to send
him more reinforcements. Gen. Hetz
endorf, commanding the German army
operating at Czenstochowa, is driv
ing forward in an effort to cut off
the Russian left wing from the main
Warsaw army and prevent it from
sending reinforcements to the Pilica
positions.
Heavy Fighting In Vosges.
PARIS, Dec. 28.—Severe fighting
in the Vosges mountains is re
ported. The fighting has been con
stant since Saturday. Night attacks
have been frequent. The result of
the battle is uncertain. The Germans
have taken a number of French
trenches near Hollebek but on the
other hand the French have occu
pied German trenches at Lens.
Artillery Duel Continues.
The heaviest artillery firing of the
war has been going on all along the
Aisne river. The guns are constant
ly throwing shells Into the German
lines. In the Champagne district
the artillery duel has brought Into
play all the new French siege guns
and the British field pieces recently
brought to France from England. The
Allies have 3,000 cannon In use.
Serbs Need Medical Aid.
SALONICA, Dec. 28.—A letter re
ceived from a member of one of the
foreign Red Cross missions In Ser
via paints a gloomy picture of con
ditions in Nish.
The town Is crowded with wound
ed, fresh batches are still pouring
in and here tobacco factories are be
(Continued on page 2.)
GUITTEREZ STOPS
MANY EXECUTIONS
No More' Summary Court Mar
tials and Executions Is To Go
In His Army.
MEXICO CITY, Dec. 28.—In an ef
fort to end the constantly increasing
list of legal and semi-legal murders
and executions Provisional President.
Guitterez today issued an order that
summary executions must be stopped
at once and that the death penalty
cannot be enforced by court martial
except when approved by the provis
ional president.
It is hoped by this means to lessen
the foreign opposition to the pres
ent government. The American con
sul here has made repeated re
quests that the executions of Span
iards, British and Americans stop, but
so far his protests have been ignored.
Gen. Villa, commander-in-chief of
the Mexican forces, has endorsed the
order and instructed all military of
ficers to prevent summary executions.
TRIPOLI TROUBLE
WELL IN RAND
Italians Will Take Charge of Protec
tion of Foreigners, Who Are
Threatened By Turks.
ROME, Dec. 28.—The Italian gov
ernment has sent a cruiser to Trip
oli to aid the American gunboat no .v
at that place in protecting the for
eigners from attacks by the Turks.
The American consul held by the
Turks has been released and is aboard
the gunboat. The foreigners, and es
pecially Americans, are located in
hotels near the water front and are
protected by the gunboat, which has
guns trained upon the city and has
threatened to fire if the foreigners
are molested.
The American representatives havo
been informed by the Italian auth
orities that they have a free hand to
protect foreigners and that Italian
warships will soon reach the scene to
give further protection.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.—The re
ports from Tripoli are encouraging
and the situation Is now well In
hand. The Italian government is
sending a cruiser to take charge of
the protection of foreigners and will
relieve the American gunboat, ndw
undertaking that duty.
(It is impossible from the dispatch
to state if the Tripoli mentioned is
the African city governed by Italy
or if it is the Tripoli in Asia Minor,
on the Mediterranean Sea and a part
of Turkey. It is more likely the lat
ter city, as the Italians must have
enough forces at Tripoli in Africa
to protect foreigners, and especial
ly as warships could reach the city
from Italy in 36 hours. Tripoli in
Asia Minor is at the extreme eastern
end of the Mediterranean Sea.—Ed.)