i 12 Pages Aran ' The Daily British Whig Pages 18 YEAR 85: NO. 61 GERMANS READY FOR THE DRIVE Airmen Report That Training Behind (he GREAT ARTILLERY BATTLE 18 RAGING ALL ALONG THE BEI- TISH FRONT. The Weather Is Favorable For Oper- ations on a Gigantic Scale--Enemy Batteries Busy Over Seventy Miles of Front, London, March 13. --Indications from the front in France last-night pointed strongly to the probability that the long-anticipated German of- fensive is at last ready for launching. A terrific artillery battle is raging along the sectors held by the British. Violent engagements on certain sec- tors of the French line are continuing, Allied aviators reported to-day that the preparations of the German in- fanigy seems to have heen completed. No longer are training attacks ob- served 'in progress behind the enemy lines. The series of German attacks now appear to be not so much for testing the allied lines as to afford ex- perience to the troops which will be sent to the assault, : The weather continues favorable to operations on a gigantic scale, A Dally Express correspondent on the British front says that heavy intermittent shelling reveals increas- ing getivity in many Germany battery groups. "They have been indulgihg in cur- lous bursts of fire on the front and support line trenches," he adds, "in a number of places, giving very fair imitations of practice barrage with- out the subsequent appearance of in- -fantry. "These spasmodic bombardments re distributed over a wide area and re laid! according to a timetable, obyiously arranged to keep our men in a state of expectancy. During the past four days the reinforced German artillery has been giving exhibitions of its strength over a front of more than 70 miles," . tp emit dn. \ BRITISH CABINET CHANGES. They are Being Discussed by Press at Length. 'Canadian Press Despatch) London, March 13.-- eéports of changes in the Cabinet are being dis- cussed at length in the press. Some newspapers state that Henry E. Duke, Chief Secretary for Ireland. 'has retired and will be appointed to a judicial position, and that James Tan Macpherson, Parliamentary Sec- retary to tae War Office, will go to Ireland in his place. The Liverpool Post says that among the persons involved in the Teconstruction, it asserts is approach- ing, 18 Foreign Secretary Balfour, who hds shown a tedency lately to take rather too diplomatic a view of international problems. - Zieppeline Made Raid. (Canadian Press Despatch.) London, March 13.--Three Zeppe- lines took part in an air raid last night on England. One of them dropped four bombs on Hull. The other airships flew about aimlessly over the country districts, dropping bouibs and then proceeded back to Sea. One woman died of shock dn consequence of the raid. The Germans have sustained such heavy losses in Zeppelins they they have employed them only at infre- quent intervals in the last year for ralds on England, substituting air- planes. The last previous Zeppelin rald on England was on Oct. 19th, 1817, when thirty-four persons were killed and fifty-six wounded. On returning the Zeppelin fleet was put to rout' by the French, fiive of the dirigibles being brought down, "We carried out successful raids north of Lens and brought back pris- oners. South of Armentieres one of our posts was raided by a strong panty of the enemy after heavy bom- bardment, A few of our men are missing. he enemy's artillery was active yesterday south-west of Cam- brai, opposite ; and during the night in the Messines sector and near 1--Germans Ready tor Drive; pry Amendment Sidetracked; Brit) -- Fie Damages ridin 2 Would Ratee License Fee; Inei- ts ie Day. i a--sivcial News: Ready. for the Edi : 'Rippling Rhymes. S~Firemen's Wages yr Local Happenings IN AGREEMENT | OVER FISHERIES Has Been Reached by the American And Canadian Governments: WILL REMAIN IN FORGE AT LEAST THE DURATION OF THE WAR. FOR It Will Do Away With Irritating De- lays To Fishing Vessels Of Either Country in Ports of the Other, (Canadian Press Despatch.) Ottawa, March 13.---The important announcement was made here to-day by Hon. C. C. Ballantyne, Minister of Marine and Naval Service, that an arrangement whch settles the" long- standing fisheries questions between and the United States has been reached. It will remain in force at least during the war The agreement which fs re-| garded as another evidence of how | Canada new two countries are striving to break down all barriers that stand in the way of greater production, provides for complete reciprocity of port privileges for fishing craft of the two countries, This will not enable an important increase in amount of fish produced to be made by the two countries, but will do away with the irritating delays to vessels of either country the ports of the other. While for some years past the fish have been admitted into the United States free of duty, Canadian fisher- men have been unable to take full ad- vantage of this. Canadian fishing vessels were not permitted to go di- rectly from the fishing grounds to United States ports nor to clear from such ports back to the high seas, but had to go back to a port in Canada. Thus all fish\going into the United States had to be shipped through ordinary commerical channels. This involved delay and additional ex- pense. The object of these laws was to prevent undue competition by Canadian fishing vessels with United States vessels in their own ports. On the other hand} United States fishing vessels under the treaty were not al- lowed to come to Canadian ports ex™ cept for wood, water, shelter and re- paits, BAILEY GOES TO JAIL FOR THREE MONTHS For Making Statements Dero- gatory to the Soldiers at 3 the Front. (Canadian Press Despateh.y Toronto, March 13.--Captain Geo. T. Bailey, C.A.M.C., was this after- noon sentenced by Magistrate Deni- son here to three months' imprison- ment on the jail fanm for making statements derogatory to the soldiers at the front. Captain Bailey was 'the man who told the recent prohibi- tion convention here that he heard that ninety per cent. of the troops in the trenches were drunk on Christ- mas Day. W. K. Murphy, counsel for the ae- cused, said that he would appeal the case to the Minister of Justice. The Crown produced several re- turned soldiers who were in the trenches Christmas Day. All these men declared that Captain Bailey's story was false. No such condition as jtated by Bailey prevailed. Captain Bailey was called as a witness in his own defence. He said that he had been given the informa- tion by a Captain Lyon of Calgary. URGES THE UNION .OF PRESBYTERIANS President Wilson Writes a Letter to the Commissions On Union. ? (Canadian Press Despatch) Atlantic City, N.Y., March 13.--] A letter from President Wilson urg- ing a union of the forces of Preshy- terjanism in the United States as "a very good thing for all Presbyter- lans," was to be read here to-day before the commissions on union of the Presbyterian church in the Uni- ted States, better known as the Presbyterian Church North and the Presbyterian Church South. in hb UNITED STATES COMMITTED With All Its Resources to Winning the War. (Canadian Press Despatch) Paris, March 13.-- ton D. Baker, United States Secretary of War, who to-day met a number of British, French and Americas news- paver men, said: ' "There can be but one result when the forces of civilization in great countries like those now Allied are together to defend the vital prin- ciples of liberty. Our President has nobly phrased the spirit in which American entered the war. and his subsequent declarations reflect the feeling of the entire country that are committed with all our resources to the winning of the war." : To Ourtail Quantity, : « Press Despatch) London, March 1 Patiamen- Goer Ben, amos 20 ' ro Commons that the Government would greatly reduce the § Permitted for brewing KINGSTON, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1918. FIRST PICTURE OF AMERICAN MACHINE GUN IN ACTION AGAINST PRUSSIANS IN FRANCE Ne This Is a British official photograph and the only one received he ni actually firing on the Geggpans a AA A tg DRY AMENDMENT 5 SIDETRACAED New York State Assembly Votes For Refer- ¢ndum on Prohibition Measure. ar ve we ACTION IS A DEATH BLOW TO RATIFICATION PROPOSAL FOR THIS YEAR. Governor Whitman Declares His Be- lief That the Assembly Legislators Have Made a Mistake by Their Ac- tion, Albany, March 13.=--A proposal to ratify the federal prohibition amend- ment this year received what is con sidered a death blow.n the New York Legislature late yesterday when the Assembly, by a vote of 84 to 64, and after one of the most sprited debates in years, adopted a substitute which would provide for a referendum this fall on the ratification question. The Senate has not yet acted upon the proposal, put a committee of that body earlier in the day favorably re- ported a referendum bill. The refer- endum proposition now is apparently up to Governor Whitman, as there is little doubt but that it will pass the Legislature, When informed of yesterday's ac- tion, the Governor made this state- ment: "I favor the ratification of the fed- eral amendment. It is clearly im- possible for me to say 'what disposi- tion 1 should make of a measure be- ore the Legislature has acted." The Governor let it be known, how- ever, that he considered the substi- tution by the Legislature a mistake. CUTTING OUT MILITIA CLERKS AT OTTAWA Four Hundred Go From One Branch--Records Staff Be- ing Cut in Half. . Ottawa, March 13.--S8triking re- forms amounting in some instances to reorganization are taking place in the Militia Department under the regime of Major-General Mewburn. Evidently the whole machinery of the department is 'being passed un- der review and radical action has al- ready been taken in three branches. In the records branch here at Ot- tawa, the services of no less than 400 clerks have recently been dis- pensed with. Two months ago the staff numbered tore than 1,000. It is now below 700 and there is short- ly to be a further reduction of 200. Simlified efficiency methods and the elimination of patronage have per- mitted this striking reorganization. In the separation dllowance branch a similar reorganization is in cess. Tabulating machines, etc., are replacing patronage appointees, who under the old regime "could not be fired." The magnitude of the work in this branch can be gauged where it is stated that separation allowance payments amount to about $6,000,- 000 4 month. The whole field is under scrutiny. ee ARE BEFORE ODESSA. This is the Announcement of War Office. J : (Canadiafi P D h Merlin, MATCh IT Gham Austro-Hungarian. troops are now > a, the War Office .an- 'nounces. the Austro-German advance was con- Hmin in some py Hotwith- Be a n of peace wit! Russia and Ukraine. Odessa, on the Black Sea, isa city of some £50,000 inhabitants. nt of grain|sian the | if LEADER OF BLACKMAIL GANG PLEADS QUILTY George Irwin Is Sentenced to Two Years at Atlanta | Penitentiary. New York," March 13.--George Irwin, leader of a 'band of black- | mailers, was sentenced to a term of two years in the Atlanta penitentiary to-day when he pleaded guilty in the Federal Court to an indictment re- turned two years ago charging him with conspiracy to swindle Mrs. Re- gina Klipper of Philadelphia by rep- resenting himself as an agent of the Department of Justice engaged in en- forcing the Mann Act, It was charged in the indictment that, operating" with. William But- ler, Edward Donohue, and Frank Collins, Irwin decoyed Mrs. Klipper to this city from, Philadelphia and ob- tained her savings amounting to $800. It was also charged that when she exposed them to the authorities the blackmailers kidnapped her on her return to Philadelphia and took her to Montreal, where they held her prisoner for two weeks. Irwin was firsgartested fn Chis cago, but defaulted hail 'bond. He was recaptured in Kausas City three weeks ago and brought here fo- trial. etm---- IMMENSE PROFITS BY - MUNITION MAKERS Twenty-six, Taken at Random, Make Five Times as Much as in Normal Times. London, March 13.-~The immense profits made by munition manufac- turers, and even greater profits which they would have made had it riot been for the supervision of their contracts, aro disclosed in the report of the committee on national expenditure, issued to-day. The committee found that in the aggrogate twenty-six firms selected at random have made profits five times greater than in normal times; others have made profits of 27 per cent. on the turnover, or 341 on their capital. On the other hand, technical in- vestigations have resulted in the sav- ing of £3,000,000 on cordite con- tracts, more than £35,000;000 on gun ammunition, £2,000,000 on gun equipment and £1,700,000 on air- craft, Serious bread riots occurred in Gratz, the capital of the Austro-Hun- garian Crown land of St. Yria. tL CORPL. S. J. MURRAY RELEASED Was Kingstonian in First Contingent and Taken Prisoner. 3 i i ii Pe (Copyright Underwood & Underwood.) re thus far showing a United States gun BAIISH BOMB PRUSSIAN TY Ton of Explosives Dropped on Coblenz, Calfal of Province of Prussia. BRITISH DAYLIGHT RAD ON MAINTZ RESULTED IN A NUM- BER OF CASUALTIES, Four German Machines Which At- tacked Paris Were Brought Down ~=The Crew of One Captured North of Soissons. (Canadian Press Despatch) 4 London, March 13.---- British avi- ators dropped a ton of bombs on the 'city of Coblenz, the eapital of the Rhrine provinces of Prussia. =... A telegram from FranKfort-on-the- Main says the British daylight raid on Maintz Saturday killed three sol- diers, four women and one child. Many were injured. The Raid on Paris, (Canadian Press Despatch) Paris, March 13.--Thirty-four were killed and seventy-nine others in- jured in the raid on Paris Monday night. In addition sixty-six persons were suffocated through crowding in a railway station to take refuge from the raiders, Sixty machines took part in the raid and four were shot down. One German airplane hit by French anti- aircraft guns fell north of Soissons. Three passengers, of which two were officers were captured. Casualties at Naples, (Canddian Press Despatch) Rome, March 13.--No dauage of a military nature was caused by the airplane attacks yesterday morning at Naples, Several civilians were killed and others wounded. Seven.victims are in hospital. RUMANIA EXPLOITED BY THE INVADERS $260,000,000 Worth of Goods Requisitioned Will Not Be Paid For. London," March 13. --"Gérman comment on the Rumanian peace makes even clearer than the terms of the treaty the intention to exploit that country to the fullest possible ex- tent, not only during the war, but after," says a Rotterdam despatch to the Daily News, "and to make it com- pletely dependent upon the Central Powers for ts commercial existence. "A Berlin correspondent states that while no direct money damages have been demanded, Rumanian goods already requisitioned by Ger- many to the value of more than a mil- liard marks ($250,000,000) 'will not be paid for. He further es the cynical confession: 'Our interest in the Rumanian peace is purely econ- omic. The participation of German to come the surplus i corn (grain) harvests are to Be for the advantage of Germany." A Com- | been in. BELGIANS ACCEPT GERMAN OVERTURE Flemish Soldiers Were In- vited to Go Over And Surrender. Washington, March 13.--How Belgian soldiers in the trenches recently answered a piece of German propaganda is told in an official des- patch received by the Belgian Lega- tion here. The message said: "At a point on the Belgian front near Nieuport, on March Sth, the Germans, continuing their vain ef- forts to separate the Flemish from the Walloon population, put up large proclamation inviting the Flem- igh soldiers of the Belgian army to come over and surrender. The in- vitation was promptly accepted, but not in the way expected by the Ger- mans, for that night the Belgians made three simultaneous raids on the Germans trenches. "In one trench, which was strong- ly held, to the west of Nieuvedam, near the Passchendaele Canal, the Belgians took 22 prisoners and left behind them 30 dead Germans. In this raid the Belgians had only a few of their own men wounded and none killed. The German trench west of the Union Bridge across the Yser was taken and cleaned up from top to bottom, "Finally the third trench, west of Lombartzyde, was taken without striking a single blow. All the oc- cupants of the trench had been kill- ed except. three, who promptly sur- rendered and were brought back in- to the Belgian lines." THE GERMANS DIFFER ON JAPANESE ACTION Some Papers Refuse to Be Dis~ quieted While" Others Ex« hibit Alarm, Washington, March 13.--German newspapers are following closely the. discussion of Japanese intervention in Siberia. An official despatch receiv- ed here from Switzerland gives a re- sume of the opinions of some of the important papers, The Munchener Nachrichten says: --"Germany can calmly await any new move the Entente may make, We must see things as they are and not as we wish them. What Japan will do in the future is still obscure, but what she is doing to-day is evident. She is preparing to make a new ef- fort against us." The Frankfurter Zeitung says: "What is going on to-day in Eastern Asia cinnot be a matter of indiffer ence to us. They want firmly to ex- clude Germany from Eastern Asia. For us a Far East policy is only pos- sible with the ald of Russia or Eng- land. Germany, consequently, should not think of allowing the state of an- archy which reigns in Russia to be prolonged indefinitely" The Deutsche Tages Zeitung de<| elares that the proceedings of Japaz are not in the last disquieting for the German Empire. All the eastern problems, according to this paper, will be solved in a manner favorable to Germany if the German Empire will impose a German peace upon the world. Bbbb bbb bb ddobb bbb bbb dddddd CHINESE COMMANDER WARNS BOLSHEHVIKI. (Canadian Press Despatch.) London, March. 13.--The # Chinese commander at Harbin, # Manchunia, warned leaders of % the Bolsheviki forces in 8i- # beria that the invasion of Chin- + ese territory would be con- # sidered an act of war. > PEPER REPR bbb bbb bb bib bb bbe LIFE IS INSECURE IN BERLIN CITY Property Also In Danger-- More Officers Are Demand- ed in Capital. The Hague; March 13.-- Berlin newspapers publish reports showing widespread public and private corrup- tion in Germany and the insecurity of life and property, especially in Berlin. The newspapers demand that, owing to thel great increase in burglaries and assaults, special constables should be armed and attached to the ordinary police with regular military patrols of the streets of Berlin. A neutral, recently arrived from Hanover, says that Captain Niemeyer, apparently a German-American, who is in command of one of the camps where the British are interned, pre- sumably Holzminden, has achieved, even in Hanover, a reputation for savagery against prisoners, Nie. meyer supplies the Hanover com- mand with butter, having an arrange- ment with a sergeant who owns a dairy. From this sale he realizes great profits. « SEPP rrr Pere r AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW, British and 'Fre Armies Are Bet. ter Than Ever, Paris, March 13.--General Dela- croix, the brilliant military eritic of the Temps, in a detailed review of the present position of the Allied armies on the western front, takes a distinctly optimistic view of the out- look, despite the Russian collapse. The British front and French fronts in the Champagne at Ver dun, be says, are now, from both offensive and defensive viewpoints, in the best situation they have ever The German forces from Alsace to Flanders, nd to be of the e .' He e | numbers, cannot pretend to same high quality as f asserts that France now, LAST EDITION FIRE DAMAGES CENTRAL SCHOOL to ag te $7,000 DAMAGE RESULTED FIRE WAS CONFINED TO THE SECOND STOREY. The Roof Was Saved--The Fire Was a Difficult One To Fight--Build- ing Out of Commission For the Present, Fire, which started in a paper chute at 6.30 o'clock on Tuesday evening, did damage estimated at $7,000 to the Central Public school on Sydenham street, As a result of the fire no classes were held on Wednesday, but ar- rangements will: be made for the scholars as soon as possible. The regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Thurs- day night, when some définite plans will be updertaken. It may be that half<time classes will be arranged for at Macdonald and Louise schools. Two or three of the rooms were not badly damaged, and could very easily be uded after-they have heen cleared up. The fire was discovered by Joseph Gould, the aged caretaker, ile he was sweeping up in the sement. He was busy at his work, and was surprised to see flames break out in the paper chute, Mr, Gould's daugh- ter was with him at the time, and they both tried to smother the fire with a couple of pails of water, but this was not sufficient to do the trick as the fire spread rapidly. No time was lost in sending an alarm to the firemen. In his attempt to extinguish the fire, Mr. Gould had tis Gaads scorched, and suffered 'much from Shock. However, the veteran care- taker was on the job all the time the firemen were fighting the fire, doing what he could, ' and was also out early Wednesday morning, guarding the property. The Roof Saved, Ounce the fire started in the paper ahute it spread very quickly to the first and second floors, and when the firemen arrived they were greeted with a merry blaze. The fire rapidly worked its way from one room to ane other, and it wae feared that the roof would fall a prey to the flames too, but Chief Armstrong had two of his men stationed in the attic, with a line of hose, and this saved the roof. The flaines reached within a few feet of the roof. The firemen certainly made a good job of it. Central Public school was built thirty-one yedrs ago. It has ten rooms, and has accommodation for 450 pupils. The Model School, of which W, PF. Inman is principal, is also located there, but this school is not in session at the present time. It was stated that this was the third fire to occur at this school and that all three were from the same cause. The school, as well as all the school property, is well insured. The school library was saved. A piano in one ot the rooms was flood- ed with water, and will suffer. Many of the pupils will suffer as a result of books, pencils and other equipment being destroyed, ' The Youngsters Tickled. A big crowd was attracted to the fire, and naturally the "kiddies" were "tickled to death" over the fact that they were to have a few even at the price of fhe loss school, Many of the that there had { school until they arrived on the scens on Wednesday morning, and befors nine o'clock, there was a crowd of three hundred sor more children around the grounds. not allowed to go into but some of the boys 18. to climb up on the fire escapes, and in this way get a peep of the inside con- ditions, Several of the ars were hand, and lost no bdo setting to their class rooms to see what damage had been accomplished. g One class room in the basement was not damaged. The fire fiend missed this on his travels, but made great haste to reach the . Just arg Bas the five ave vi © scene, were notified edrly Wedntsday morning, the work of clearing away the debris will be commenced. = et ------ All along the western from inten sive artillery duels are constan going on. The Americans on thelr front are making daily raids. holidays