New-York Tribune from New York, New York • 1

ALL MERCHANDISE ADVER TISED IN THE TRIBUNE IS GUARANTEED Vou IAXVII No. 25,979 Truth: News Editorials Advertii SDAY, JAINTUAftY 171918 Srtbtnt? sements ONB CENT WEATHER Cloudy and not quite 00 cold to-tfayf tnir and warmer to-morrowj crate northeast Fall Report on Tace 7 TWO CKNTS In Orrat-r New Torfc Within In? IMatanre Coal Famine Here Unbroken; Milder Weather Promised Administrators Order Si: Lightless Nights a Week Office Buildings Without Fue Ten More Die and Hun dreds Suffer From Frostbite hour! of the go1 err ment the nu.i follow: a m. om P. Abov a third da; it brough to th it whei he present tem im cole i has nev er bol ore ex periei i completely tie Airead with failing supply partial para ys as set in. Ele at rs in sky icrap in the heart ol York's bi 'sa listrict were shut own yesterday lack of coal.

Light; ile i for- the same reason, nd ir many res ther was little or nc Hundreds in Streets persons died from tho rctic and hundreds dropped in the treets and were taken to hospital'! ti i days ended at yester rhty-t ree deaths from pneu? monia wore rep-jr': the Board of IVa't1 Yesterday, the ei Bureau said, little less than its prede? cessor, but thi th? tnoi ters lat? last registi re 2 al zero. To day it is beli? tl at the cold will te ax further. rhfl main developments in the coal tuation yesterday may be summar as follows: State Fuel Administrator berl Wiggin ai cal to i'i ector General of Rai vaj I am G. McA i to 3 ish oal to I city, a'? provision and Quei Director Genei il McAdoo asked Mayor ai who will assume new dutii to make one of his acts tl assignment of hs manj city lal or? rs can be spared to tl i rl of unloading coal now at ersey termina Mi McAdoo prom sed I i 1 or it3 expense i of coal i ac eel 0. McAdoo Bnd authorize a Rail Will to the of tl I' o- oi Brooklyn and Quei ns.

lightless nipht a ek for ay en decn ed by Mr. Wig or going into orL ct to rator Reeve prices on oal sold in I Adn nistrator nted hargo of dis nR to ci l8r dealers. companies of the greater appea ed to the public econo on for and heat Munitions Plant Shuts Down The John Thompson Press Com? pany's munition factory in Long Isl? and City was shut down because of coal shortage. At l0o apartment buildings the city are without anv coal. big office buil lings wore cold roay.

Prisoners in the Tombs because the coa! supply of I was exhausted. Mayor-elect Hylan called a the Heard of Estimate p.nd Ap ment immediately following nia inauguration to-day'to -leal with the coal problem. More than BOO urgent appeals for fuel register? at thi bi mch office of no County Fur! Administration in the EldridRc and "V-6013- At loast Beat dealers Su all rc attention. Hundreds stood In line at the nlacos MJ of cellar dealers and St tie conacquonces of exposure to The fuel dealers and fuel autl I uel Wio-win 'lea ers ivouhl hi Kg that Ih? la? be allowed to' a11 dealers wil1 cciit-Tnpr mnbarare a of 50 no, Pounds. 35 cents per.

30 pounds, and; scale ude, Pr'c? T-hcDe? delivery. for $8.25 Continued on Last Page Cold Wave Passes to Sea Warmer Weather is Due WASHINGTON, Dec. The cold wavo which has gripped the Eastern part of the country for the last two days rapidly is passing to sea, the Weather Bureau announced to-night, there will be a return to normal temperature by Wednesday. At far northern points, such as where degrees be? low zero was recorded, there was no abatement in the severity of the cold to-day, but generally throughout the East slight rise? in temperature reported. This will continuo to-mor? row, and warmer weather is forecast for Wednesday.

Snow fell in the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, Tennessee and some South Atlantic States today, and snow is forecast for Wednesday in 4 the lake region. In other sections 3 cast, of the Mississippi River, how ever, fail weather is expected for McAdoo Clears oads to Move Food and Fuel All Other Priority Rules Suspended in Move to End Freight Tie-Up WASHINGTON, Dec. 31. Orders i I went to'Lastern railroads to-day General McAdoo to clear up freight congestion, regardless of pre vious Government priority regulations, passengor schedules or any hampering practices under the old competitive system, and to pay special attention to movement of coal and food. Lines of the West and South were rotified that soon they might be called on to furnish locomotives and other c-quipmeni help lighten the traffic blirfixtt in the East, committee of Government officials was created to wi rk out plyn for diverting export freight to ports south of New York.

Quantities of coal actually were started moving to New England to relieve the serioua shortage there and priority ordorf? were suspended for roads east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio River to the extent necessary to clear tip congestion. At tho same time the Director Gen ral dissolved the Railroad War Board at its own request, and named a tem? porary advisory cabinet ot five mem? bers. One of these, Hale Holdene, president of the Burlington and a mem? ber of the War Board, will supervise the Which the War Board created within the last, nino months to coordinate the roads of the country. Other members of the new advisory cabinet are John Skelton Williams, Con? troller of tho Currency, who will have charge of financia! questions arising it government operation; Henry chairman of 'he hoard of the Atlantic Line, who also will as on operation problems; the traffic director of the Food i will have genera! charco of traffic, and Walker D. Dines, assistant to i he Director Gcrteral.

Other railway heads who made up the War Harrison, of the Southern, who was chairman; Rea, of of the Pennsylvania; Kruttschnitt, of the Southern Pacific, and Elliott, of the New Haven- will return to the active supervision of their roads, but all the i sub-committees and organization of the board will be turned over to Mr. Holden. Tho question of increased pay for railroad employes will be taken up soon by Mr. McAdoo, but he said to-day he 'had given little thought to wages, and did not know what his attitude would be. Heads of the four brotherhoods will confer with the Director General on Thursday at his invitation, and probably will unro that with the scarci? ty of railroad labor it will be neces? sary to pay higher wages to retain men.

advisers of the Director 'advocate increased wages, particularly many unorganized classes. Federal Board Mediation and I Conciliation will continue to pass on wage disputes now pending, it was an? nounced after a conference of the boardt 'with Mr. McAdoo, but eventually the letter probably will handle wage questions directly. The government's attitude toward wage changes will not bo determined for several weeks at least, or until the pressing problems of speeding up transportation are thrashed out. Mr.

McAdoo limited his comments on tho labor situation to-day to saying that he would "treat the men with jus? tice and equity," and would give "a just and square hearing" to the broth-' erhood heads. The Director General conferred dur? ing tho day with Secretaries Baker and Daniels, Chairman Hurley of the Ship? ping Board Food Administrator Fuel Administrator Garfield and other government officials. (Advisory Council succeeds Rail-' roads War 5). Boishevik Troops Routed by Cossacks Lose 400 Prisoners, 8 Big Gun? and 328 Machine Guns on Southwestern Front STOCKHOLM, Dec. I and Cossack forces in a grent battle on the southwestern front have defeat? ed Bolshevik troops, taking 400 pris? oners and capturing eiji'nt big guns and 328 machine guns, according to a dis- patch received by the "Dages Nynetor" from Petrogrud by way of Haparanda.

The Cossacks are in hot pursuit of the Bolshuviki. Five Arrested For Conspiracy Against Draft U. 'S. Agents Make Sudden Raid on East Broadway Law Office Say Prisoners Had Exemption Schemes i Birth Certificates of Foreign Born Citizens Falsified, It Is Alleged Fivo men were nrrcsted by specia agents of tho Department of Justic? last night a spectacular raid on i law office at 204 Last Broadway. were whirled away in taxicabs to tin Tombs, charged with conspiring to de feat tho draft law, and tho others wen held pending further investigation When the Federal agents surrounde? the building the office was full of pro spective clients seeking questionnaire: and filling out exemption blanks foi the coming draft.

So quietly and quickly was the rat? executed despite the bitter coUl of thi night, that it was fully an hour befor? the New Year's Evo crowds passing the door by the hundreds knew of the rail Tin: agents seized and confiscated nil the papers in the office and held tiit applicants until they had obtained nil their name? and addresses. The prisoners charged with con? spiracy are William Abramson, a law? yer; Morris Asofsky, a notary public, tenants of the office, and George R. who posed as a politician of great influence. Dr. Charles Brin, of East rBoadway, and Maurice Lesser were held for further investigation.

Charges will be preferred against them to-day Laid Followed Investigations Tho evidence on which the raid was mado was obtained by Morton E. Lew? is, Attorney General of the State, after several months' secret investiga? tion under tho direction of Alfred L. Becker. Deputy Attorney General. Se? cret agents of the Attorney General's offict; acting on received from'tho adjutant general of the state that aim Asofosky were doing a suspiciously rushing business filling out exemption claims.

Ringier did not make out. any of tho claims, but acted as a busi? ness agent, and after tho Secret Ser? vice men were working on the con? spiracy for several weeks they learned, it is alleged, it was to him that all those who had enough money to pur? chase exemption confided their desires to evada military service. Last night tho Attorney General's agents and the special agents of the department who were called in to con? duct the raid met at the Murray Hill Hotel. A Secret Service agent who had registered in the East Broadway dis-1 trict was on hand watching the quarry. When all except one of them had gath? ered for the evening's business in the law oVice, he flashed the signal to the waiting agents in the Murray Hill Hotel.

A large automobile, driven bv a so ciety woman, started downtown two minutes later. When the car had gone a blocks it broke down, and the raiders were compelled to commandeer two passing taxicabs. When they reached 1204 East Broadway they sur? rounded the building. Three entered che office, which was on the first, floor in the front, and found Abramson and Asofsky, seated at a large square table in the centre of the room, surrounded by a score of men within tho dge, asking for information and filling 3ut exemption claims. Dr.

Brin was: present affixing his signature to an I and Maurice Lesser had just signed an affidavit. Dr. Brin and Lesser Arrested "F.very one in this room is detained by tho authority of the United States government," said one of the agents placing men at ail tho doors. "I have warrants here for William I Abramson and Morris Asofsky," the special agent continued. The excited Drowd fell back and looked at the two prisoners, who collapsed in their chairs.

Five minutes later two special agents ippenred with George A. fungier, who I lad been traced to a restaurant in Es- jex Street, where he was just finishing lis dinner. Then Dr. Brin and Lesser, placed in custody and the prison- hurried away to tho Tombs in taxi- rabs. All except Dr.

Brin were placed in the Tombs; he was locked up for the I light in Police Headquarters. Claim Ringlcr Is Ringleader Mr. Lewis in the statement accused iingler of being the leading spirit of he draft fraud. He was introduced to irospective exemption applicants by Uiramson ami Asofosky. The appli- i ants were informed that Abramson vnd Asofosky attended to tho legal ec'nnicalities involved in properly fill out the exemption claims, but that Hngler was the power behind tho i hrone, whose political influence at Al- i mado it possible to get oxemp- ion.

The claimants were told that lingler had a broad acquaintance and i vas a boon companion o'" the Attorney i It was then that the proposi- ion for money was made. No one was i to get exempted unless he paid a ubstantial sum of money, was sug- 1 tested with grave impressiveness that certain officials had to be taken care i The scheme adopted by the. alleged ouspirators had many new and clever a- tications. The most favored one i to get hold of registrants born in particularly in the Russian dis- ricts now overrun by the revolution, evidence was then submitted that the. pplicant was under or over the draft In support of the claim affidavits cere prepared by Abramson and Aso- oaky, signed by alleged relatives who, swear that they remembered the i ate of birth.

Guns Ready in July, Crozier Says Plenty of Rifles for Army by February, Asserts General Men Now Overseas Are Fully Equipped I Senate Committee Hears War Department and Congress Blamed WASHINGTON, Dee. Complete of rifles within a month for all American forces under arms were promised to-day by Major General Crozier, Chief of Ordnance, testifying before the Senate Military Committee. Springfields for every regular and Na? tional Guardsman will bo ready before February ho said, and the manufact? ure of remodelled Enflelds for the First National Army will be finished in a As to machine guns, the. general said full supply of American make should be ready by July I next. Rifles for the next draft, ho declared, would be on hand before the men were in camp.

General Crozier appeared particular? ly to answer charges made by Colonel Isaac N. Lewis, inventor of the Lewis machine gun. He submitted a prepared statement detailing the official record of the War Department's dealings with the Lewis gun. and then submitted to a cross-examination of several hours, 1 during which many interesting points were developed. In reply to assertions made recently by other witnesses that tho Allies had furnished heavy guns to the American expeditionary forces only because the Americans were worse off than tney, i the general submitted official docu? ments to prove that England end France voluntarily offered to provide cannon, their output having developed i to the point where a surplus was being produced.

Blames the Nation General Crozier refused to 'responsibility for the failure to equip; the army adequately with ordnance be? fore the war. He said it. belonged to the country, and cited the refusal of I tho Secretary War and Congress Lp the past to approve "ruodest" programmes. The general vigorously defended course in regard to the Lewis machinal gup. He gave the committee the record of the various tests to which the gun.

was put and reports of the army ex-' ports to show that it had not been de- monstrated to be a satisfactory weapon until April. 1916, after which orders for them were given by the department. When General Crozier finished. Sen? ator Hitchcock, who has been one of his chief questioners, announced that he was entirely satisfied with the rec? ord before the war, but still did not understand why more Lewis guns wore not ordere afterward. Among other things.

General Crozier told the committee the govern-j ment already was building a powder: factory thai would have a daily co-j paeitv of 1,000,000 pounds. He denied stories of wooden guns furnished men the cantonments, explaining that what had been taken guns were' sticks for bayonet practice. There was some delay, General Crozier said, in making adjustments of machinery in American factories to change artillery ammunition from the American to rench type so that it could be used French heavy puns loaned Genera! Pershing. Telling of difficulty in getting toluol for making high explosives, he said much success with substitutes had been attained. Du Font Offer Declined Ail powder plants in tjie State- are being used to full.

capacity, the general said, and in nddi-j tipn the department has started erect-j ing a government plant, with capacity! ji' 1,000,000 pounds a day. An offer by the du l'ont interests to erect and iperate a new plant at government ex- pense was not accepted by Secretary Baker. Replying to questions of Frelinghuysen, General Crozier laid: "When the United States began making powder the du Ponts gave full formula in format Senator Frclinghuysen said he under? stood the du l'onts are operating at onlv per cent capacity. surprised if that is il Crozier replied. "If Crozier replied.

"If the du i nsl run nine; ful! capac vould give orders to enable Ce l'o itv them." Revertinc again to the machine gun; juestion, Senator Hitchcock said: think up to the declaration of war course was a wise one as to the i.ewis gun, as it had not met the army ests. Bit after the outbreak of war. vhy didn't, you order enormous quan- 1 General Crozier replied that last April, anticipating the official tests in day, he bad ordered Lewis guns also ordered many Vickers guns. "No matter what wo could have said General Crozier, "factories not have produced enough to re? leve us from some dependence on the "rench." Pershing Wanted Vickers Senator Hitchcock asked why Lewis juns were not used until the Brown rigs were ready, and General Crozier, taid Genera! Pershing wanted the! for ground work and had "unprecedented" demand for Lewis runs for aerial work. In conferences' the War College and other heads; was decided to use Lewis guiii.

ex lusively for the aviation service and he Hotchkiss und French guns for ground work until the Brownings arc eady. "The situation was not such as to all on us to get every Lind of ma-; bine gun we could get," said the wit- In view of the Italian situation and lemands for training purposes, Sen? ior Hitchcock said, the committee 'elt any and all kinds of machine guns ihould have been secured. General 'rozier replied that he did not under Continued on Page 4 Allies Plan Answer on Peace; France Holds Socialist Envoys THE STRING AT LEAST IS REAL Hope of Humanity Rests on Victory, Says Lloyd George in Greeting to America LONDON, Dec. from the British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, have been sent all the Allies except Russia, but including Greece. AU express the good wishes of the British War Cabinet io the governments and peoples addressed.

To President Wilson Mr. Lloyd George says: "At this season I wish, in behalf of the British War Cabinet, to send to your government and people a message of good will: Every day that passes must make us realize more clearly that the hopes of the. human race centre upon the triumph of our cause. "Every day proves to us that our friendship for one another is becoming more and more, the cement of that, league of i'ree nations which now stands as the guardian of justice and liberty throughout the world. "We wish in particular to send a message of thanks to the United States navy for the great services it lias rendered in the last yeiir and of greeting to the young American army now train i ing to take its place in the battle for human free dorn.

We are re'ying upon the groat addition this army will make to strengthen the Allies in joint struggle for free civilization, and we are confident that when the time of battle comes they will sustain the great traditions set by their own forbears by helping to win a complete triumph for the cause to which they have dedi? cated themselves." Premier Lloyd George said: "Despite many setbacks and disappointments, wo are far on in the path to victory, I have good i hope that before this New Year is past the purpose to which we have set otir hands will have been coni i pletely achieved." In a Now Yea1- message to the British nation the Premier appeals to all at home to work hard, practise economy, save money and buy war bond: He says: "It. will lead ere long to safely fur our own people and victory for our cause." French Pierce Lines on Piave; Capture 1,400 Blow Wins Seven Admits Reverse in Italy LONDON, Dec. elivered their first attack on Italian oil yesterday and scored the most im ortnnt. success achieved by Allied arms ince the Italians fell back to the Piave inc. s-triking on the eaatern end of the lountain front, between the Brenta nd the Piave, General Fayerol's troops rashed through the enemy's lines on a ront of three miles, near Monte 'oniba, and captured 1,400 prisoners, even cannon and sixty machine guns, te Rome War Office announced to-day.

tho attack both British and Italian atteries and airmen cooperated with he French infantry. That the French made good their old on the enemy's defences Is con rmed by an official communiqu? from ierlin, which admits the loss of the lonte Tomba positions. Even greater significance attaches the Austrian official report, which nnoune.es that "counter measures" re in preparation against the French, his expression has rarely been used i Teutonic communications except on when striking victories have aen scored by enemy forces, and so lay be taken an an indication of a rger French success than the Rome ulletins so far reveal. The Italian statement cays that the Bush Terminals Taken Over By U. S.

as a Supply Base I Staff Correspondence WASHINGTON, Dec. 31. The Bush Terminal piers and warehouses in Brooklyn were to-day taken over by the United States government for the period of the war, the War Depart I ment announced to-day. Major Gen eral George W. Goethals, acting quar? termaster general, took over the facilities, and his department, will have charge of the property while it is under government control.

in announcing the acquisition of the Bush properties Secretary Baker au? thorized this statement: "The War Department, through the acting quartermaster general, to-day the Bush Terminal pier3 and warehouses in New York City. 'These terminal facilities will pass im mediately under the control of the French occupied hostile positions be? tween Osteria di Monfenera and Maranzine. These two positions are between Monte Tomba and the junc? tion of tho mountain battle line with tiie Upper Piave. A serious reverse for the Austro Germans in this sector would force a realignment of their entire front be tween Asiago and the Piave. and would eventually deprive them of most of the recent gains achieved by their powerful attacks on the Asiago Plateau.

It was to relieve the menace of the Teuton thrusts toward the i Venetian plain that the French at tacked on the Monte Tomba front. Whether this operation is the first move in a wide offensive by the Allied i forces in Northern Italy it is difficult i at this time to foresoe. Up to yester day the British and French units in Italy had been comparatively inactive, supporting the Italians only with their War Department, in accordance with 'elegraphie notice to Irving T. Bush. Of the piers and warehouses available on the Atlantic seaboard the Bush piers are regarded as t.

best for the purposes ot the War Department." Bush S. Should Take Terminals Irving T. Bush, president of the Bush Terminal Company, did not know, until informed by a dispatch from Wash? ington laFt that the government had decided to commandeer his organ? ization's pisj-s nrd warehouses. "I have known, of he the government was considering the matter, hut I did not expect any immediate action. It is net a Btep that I welcome, as a business man, a Though as an American, I am willing to hand over to the United States anything that I possess." artillery, though the British one unsuccessful thrust.

It is now realized, however, that Venice and the plains are to be saved from invasion the Allies must adopt more aggressive as von Below'i forces already stand less than miles from the lowlands north of Bas? sano. Observers look for desperate fighting in next few critical weeka, with the Italians. French and British assuming more and more the offensive. British defeat German tfamsta to in Cambrai 3. ATLANTIC COAST LINE RA-tlROAD.

On account of charged Train N'o. 87. Jacksonville and ai! Florida. Eaa; Coast pointa, formerly to leave Washington, eJTtctive January 7th at 8:15 P. will leave Waehing-'on at 7:16 P.

M. Information and Pullman accommodations 1198 Broadway, New Toflt Lloyd George Report? ed Planning to Visit Clemenceau on Re? ply to Passports Denied By Clemenceau Refuses Request of Radicals to Join Conference in i Petrograd I LONDON, Dee. Mancheste? i Guardian" says it is y.he intention of the British government, when the Aus tro-German of peace are presenU officially, to return a serious and reasoned reply. Premier Lloyd George has arranged to visit France, according to the newspaper, to confer with Pre? mier Clemenceau on this subject. The terms referred to are those pre? 6ented by the representatives of ths Central Powers at the negotiations with the Russian? at Brest-Litovsk.

These negotiations were interrupted for ten day? to give the Entente Allies opportunity to state whether they would join in them. The principal point in the Austro-German outline of peace terms was acceptance of the Rus? sian formula of no annexations or in? I demnities. Clemenceau Blocks Socialists' Trip to Parley Dee. 31. Premier Clemen? ceau to-day refused 'he request of a deieg3tion of Socialist members of the Chamber of' Deputies for passports to Petrograd for Socialist delegates.

The Premier in hi? reply told tha Socialists that he did not doubt their i patrio'ism, but Baid the situation at Petrograd was too unsettled for a use. fui result to expected fro-a 'heir intervention, and that giving theni passports might aeem like an indorse ment oC their mission, which would produce a harmful effect on opinion at the front as well as in the rear. Many people would fail to say in that added the Premier, that France was taking part in preliminary negotiations for peace, which was in no vise thought of in the absence of serious propositions from the enemv. (A Allies May Answer wj Bolsheviki; To Halt 1 Berlin Propaganda I V.y WASHINGTON, Dec. efforts of the Germans Lo involve the United States and the L'ntentc Allies i the peace negot at nroceodings with the Russian Bolsheviki have de? veloped to such a stage that th? opinion of some officials here, notice of the propaganda must he taken snd ait attempt made to neutralize it.

the Brit and French Premiers are meet in Paris ioon ith the pur poso of iss'ing the advisability of re? ceiving and answering the proposals the Bolsheviki to participate In the has been reported by a leading Conservative British news? paper, they will act in accord with the agreement riiridly adhered to by all the Entente AlLes until the defection of Russia, not to entertain any peace proposals from the enemy without con? sultation with euch otiie'-. In diplomatic circles here to-day it v.as said that any decision from such meeting would be promptly laid before the American Department. Teutons Would Divide Foe Germany is believed to be prepared to offer almost any conceivable bait to an individual enemy in order to a wedge into the Allies and cause its dis? ruption. Having succeeded measurably with Russia, the Teutons arc trying to get that nation to influence her late allies. Rumors that have existed for the last fortnight to the effect that an? other proposal was about to be launched by the Central Powers, either through the Vatican or some neutrat are believed to have their foun? dation in the adroit attempt of the Ger? man negotiators to UFe the Russian del? egates for that purpose.

But im either case if there is to be another peace proposal through those channels, or if the Ruspiun negotiations are to be made the vehicle to carry forward the German designs, it is believed in soma quarters here that the time ripe for a strong and well considered tion by Entente Powers and Amar? le? that will effectively anticipate and counter this attack. It has been pointed out by State De? partment officials that President Wil? son already has twice announced America'? war aims in unequivocal terms. Therefore it is assumed that if Lloyd George and Clemenceau, after consulting tho spokesmen of the other Allies, decide that a reply shall be made to the German proposals tast reply must take some other form than an address by the American Chief Et ecutive. Swiss May Be Cal leid Upe? Since none of the Entent? countries hat recognized tha regime la Russia, it will Be dtifteull.