St. John's Daily Star, 1918-03-04

              The St. John's Daily Star weuifbttudlimcl i VOLUME IV. '({3.00 per Annum) MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1918. . i *3L-. [(PKOBS: Clear, Decide dly Cold.) . No. 51. BOLSHEVIKI SIGN SEPARATE PEACE TREATY WITH HUNS PETROGRAD, March 4—The peace treaty wttfi Germany has been signed. The Ukrainian army has occupied Kiev, Cornel and Berdichev. WON'T ACCEPT ENEMY TERMS King Ferdinand's Reply to Offer of Central Powers Is Considered Unsatisfactory.EXPECT FAILURE OF NEGOTIATIONS ■ MSTERDAM. March 3.—According to The Vossiche Zeitung, of Berlin, peace negotiations at Bucharest, Roumania. have failed. It is understood Kins Ferdinand's reply to the Central Powers was unsatisfactory. Semi-official German and Austrian statements received here today set forth claims of forward steps towards peace between the Central Powers and Roumania. A Berlin despatch quotes a Bucharest message under today's date declaring the Roumanians handicapped the basis for negotiations proposed by the Central Powers and will send representatives to deliberate upon the conclusion of peace. \ Vienna despatch says word has been receivec from Bucharest that the negotiations with the Roumanians are orogressing favourably. Big Supplies For Allies March 3.—Exports of :rain ?r.d cereals to the Allies showed a steady increase during February. The Food Administrator announced tonight that shipments in the first week of the month totalled 84,655 tons, while those in last week were 174,647 tons; February total was 533,429 tons. GERMANS WORRY OVER AIR ATTACKS Bavarian Legislators Want to Know What Will Be Done to Reduce Damage by Allied Airmen. Mar. 4.—According to a Munich despatch to The Cologne Gazette, the social democrats in the Bavarian lower house have introduced an interpellation regarding what the Government contemplates doing to meet "the heavy material damage from aerial attacks which are constantly increasing." Minister of the Interior Brettreich in replying said Germany did not begin the aerial attacks in this war. "When our enemies cease their attacks we shall also cease ours. With us it is mostly a matter of reprisals against which our enemies make unjustified aerial attacks on open towns." RAID ENEMY TRENCHES Successful Local Operations By British On West Front London, March 3—(Official.)—We carried out a successful raid last nighf against enemy trenches southeast of Armentieres. Hostile raids were repulsed before reaching our line northwest of St. Quentin and east of Arleux en Gohelle. A third party of the enemy attempted to raid our trenches in 'the neighborhood of Pontro but was met by our patrols and suffered considerable casualties in hand fighting. We captured a few prisoners in these various encounters.The enemy's artillery was active yesterday evening against our positions west of Lens. DISASTER TO HUN VESSELS German Torpedoboat and Two Minesweepers Run On Mines and Are Totally Destroyed. WARSHIPS, ASHORE, ARE TOTAL WRECKS March 3.—An Amsterdam • despatch to The Daily Mail says that one o'clock Friday morning a German torpedo boat and two German mine sweepers ran into mines off Vlieland Island and were blown up. A German vessel which was in the vicinity lowered a boat to save the crews, but the high seas made it impossible to reach the crews of the wrecked ships and the boat drifted to the island. The despatch says a Dutch fishing boat also struck a mine, all aboard being lost. Enemy Warships Run Asbore The Hague, March 3.—Several small German naval vessels ran into mines today six miles off the Island of Vlieland, in North Holland. In the course of attempts of the Germans to save the crews, one boat got into t*e surf and capsized. Five men from this boat were landed on the island. According to The Handelsblad, heavy gunfire was heard in this locality last night. AUSTRALIA GETS AFTER RECRUITS Premier Hughes outlines Scheme Under Which Volunteers Will Be Sought For Contingent JYDNEY, Australia, March 3—(via ! Reuter's Ottawa Agency)— Premier ; Hughes delivered a notable speech here today as the guest at a luncheon of the Empire League. He saKl that subject to the limitation which the p?o--ple of Australia had recently imposed, the Commonwealth must do its duty. The Government would appoint a high court judge as an impartial tribunal to determine the number of recruits necessary to maintain the Australian divisions in the field at full strength. I The Government Would also increase the separation allowance in the case of married men by thirty-three and onethird per cent, and deferred pay would, after twelve months, bear interest at the rate of 4/z per cent., or at the current rate for war savings' certificates. Rate cards, he said, would be sent to all men between the ages of 19 and 44 asking whether they were prepared to enlist if drawn in the ballot, provided so many others in the same district would submit their names to ballot as to make up the quota of recruits required in any month. Many of these enlisted would be given leave at full pay to canvass for eligibles in their home locality. Recruiting sergeants would receive a bonus of half a sovereign $2.50) for each recruit actually passed. The Government, said Premier Hughes, invited patriotic citizens to pay insurance premiums to cover cases of death or total disabilities. The women of Australia would be organised for recruiting purposes and the Government would exercise all its powers to encourage eligibles in the public service to enlist. WONT RESTORE HUN COLONIES Japan, Like Australia and New Zealand . . Against Such Proposal Sydney. Australia, March 3—(via Reuter's Ottawa Agency.)— The Japanese Consul General, in the course of a lecture delivered here today, said that Japan, like Australia and New Zealand, strongly desired that the German colonies shall not be restored to Germany after the war, as if they were the peace of the Pacific would not be regarded as secure. . Accept All German Peace Terms Petrograd, March 3.—The Russian delegation at Brest-Litovsk has accepted all the German peace conditions and is about to sign a peace agreement * »  GO IT, KAISER! GO IT, BOLSHEVIK! BOAST OF SUCCESSES OVER RUSSIAN FORCES Berlin Communication Describes Victorious German March Into Russian Territory 63,000 OFFICERS AND MEN TAKEN AND BIG STORES OF WAR SUPPLIES RERUN, March 4—(British Admiralty per wireless press) Operations initiated after the lap?e of the armistice treaty have led to great successes. Troops under Col. Kirchback have hastened in their victorious march through Livonia and Esthonia, to the support of the oppressed inhabitants. They were accompanied by detachments of troops from the Baltic Islands which were advancing across the frozen Moon Sound and also by Esthenian Regiments. Reval and Dorpat have been captured, our troops have arrived before Narva. The armies of Kirchback and Nichborn continued in their uninterrupt ed advance by way of Dvinsk and Minsk and after hard fighting captured Pskew. Poletovvsk and Borissoff. At Bobruisk a junction with the Polish divisions was affected. The bootyy taken from the enemy cannot as yet be even approximately es timated. According to reports at hand there are in our possession 6.800 officers and 57,000 men. In booty we have taken 2.400 guns 5.000 machine guns thousands of vehicles including 5,000 motor cars, eleven armoured automobiles 200,000 boxes of artillery ammunition. 12,800 rifles, 800 locomotives and 8.000 railway trucks. The booty taken from the enemy guns, 22 airplanes and a lot of rolling stock. Thirteen officers and 500 men were taken prisoners. WON'T RELINQUISH  ANY ADVANTAGES German Anxiety About Military Position Greatest Bar to Peace Negotiations. Mar. 2.—The Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant prints a long interview with a personage who returned recently from a week's visit to Berlin where he talked with a number of prominent persons, including Baron von Dem Bussche Haddan Bausen, under-secretary for foreign affairs; Dr., Drews, Prussian minister of the interior; Dr. Rolf, minister of the colonies, and Lieut. General Von Stein, Prussian minister of war. The concensus oh opinion, the visitor gathered, was that the great difficulty in arriving at negotiations is that Germany dare not or will not relinquish any military advantage unless certain that peace negotiations have a chance for success. He adds they agreed perfectly for instance with my objections against bombing London and admitted that for the sake of peace it were better they stopped, yet they said the raids must continue for military reasons. Among other* things the visitor, apparently a Dutchman, said: "I had occasion to meet several members of the American colony and to my surprise found Americans in Berlin enjoy the greatest freedom. They are quite satisfied with their treatment and, apparently, are possessed of sufficient means to live in the comfortable style to which they have been accustomed. No objections are raised against the speaking of English by them in hotels and restaurants, neither do the waiters object to speaking English with their American customers.BIG EFFORT MADE BY INDIA IN WAR Princes and People Enthusiastic In Support of Empire London, March 3—(via Reuter's Ottawa Agency)—A despatch from Delhi says that in the past few months India's keen interest in the war has been growing remarkably. All her strength has been brought in to assist the Empire and the Allies. Slight inconveniences of war are cheerfully counteracted by the women of India who are ever playing a most useful part in all war works. The latest recruiting figures make a remarkable showing and the enthusiasm of the fighting classes and the generous flow of war contributions from Indian princes and rajahs continues unabated. SLIGHT FIGHTING ACTIVITY Bad Weather Is Reported From West Front In Italy Rome, March 3.—Owing to bad weather, fighting activity has been very slight along the whole front, says an official statement from the Italian War Office, issued last evening. On Asiago Plateau, the statement says, our patrols took enemy arms and ammunition. French patrols crossed the River Piave and brought back a few prisoners from the left bank. RECOGNITION FOR FINLAND Sweder, France, Germany and Denmark Give Official Approval to New Republic.I  LOSS TO RUSSIANS IS VERY GREAT ONE JONDON, Feb. 15—(Correspondence of The Associated Press)—First Sweden, then France, then Germany and Dennurk, have recognized the independent of Finland. Finland until 1809 belonged to Sweden, uid men of Swedish blood and speecfi constitute the bulk of the Finnish arstocracy and middle classes. Sweden w{shes to resume, though not in the old'form, her ancient intimacy. There is n uch talk in Stockholm of a zollverein or customs union of the Scandinavian countries, to embrace P inland. A keen political struggle is expected in Finland between pro-Swedish elements anc1 the parties which incline rather to sympathies with revolutionary Russia. The pro-Swedish elements wil« correspond in general to the bourgeoisie of Russia, while radical elements oppo:De them. Numerically the radicals are stronger and with independence will have a much greater power than ever before. The significance of Finland's territorial loss to Russia is very great in many ways. Geographically, for instance, it may be noted that the Finnish coasl runs up to within a few miles of Petrograd. It has always provided the bulk of Russian seamen and pilots and in any future war would be.a formidable base against Petrograd. If, as 'Germany plans, Lithuania, Courland, Livonia and Esthonia are lost to Russia, then Russia will be left with no e :it on the Baltic except a small distuct around Petrograd. If Poland is detached, Russia will have lost n a three years' war the entire fruits of three centuries of striving westward. Fine Educational System. Stockho m, Feb. 15.—The new Republic of finland starts its career with at least one valuable asset, a highly efficient sy tem of education. Finnish elementar/ schools are models, and a few years ,-go Finland won the coveted disfinction of having the highest educational standard of any country m the world, exceeding even in the teaching of lai guages. Finnish, Swedish and Russian are taught in the elementary schools, and a knowledge of five or six languages is not exceptional among middle-class folk. KILLED OFF WHOLE ATTACKING FORCE Important Local Operations On West Front, End Mostly in British Advantages. Mar. 2.—A British official report s^ys: Several raiding operations by ttye Germans were conducted last night. In one case, near Hargincourt, German who succeeded in reaching the British trenches was either kille lor captured. British troops took prisoners in raids in the region and near Arleuxen-Gohelle. The text of the statement reads: Norfolk troops carried out a successful raid night south of Armentieres. They killed or tookD prisoners a number of 'he enemy. Prisoners also were brought in by our patrols in the neighborhood of Arleux-en-Gohelle. Raids wefCe attempted by the enemy during the rtight at several points. Two hostile raiding parties succeeded in entering ou*- lines in the St. Quentin sector. A f«jw of out men are missing. In a thijd raid attempted by the enemy in th a neighborhood of Hargincourt a few of his troops also succeeded in reacfcng our trenches, where they were C 11 killed or captured. After a hftavy bombardment carried out early this morning on a wide front from Neuvi Chapelle northward, a strong hostile raiding party attacked and entered the Portuguese front trenches in ;his area. The enemy was promptly ejected by an immediate counter-attack which oompletely restored the situation. Other hostile raids in the neighborhood of the Ypres-Comines Canal and south of Houtholst Forest also wei c repulsed with loss to the enemy,  captured a few prisoners and a machine gun. The enemy artillery has shown considerable activity during the night in connection with his raids also in the Passchendaele sector. MEN INCLINE TO FATALISM "If the Bullet is Not Made for You, You Won't Be Hit," Declares Average Soldier. WIDE PREVALENCE OF BELIEF IN LUCK DEHIND THE BRITISH LINES IN FRANCE, Feb. 15.—(Correspondence of the Associated Press.)—The feeling of fatalism is strong among soldiers. Many hold the opinion that "if the bullet is not made for you, you won't be hit." One soldier boasts that he knows he. will come through the war all right, because during his latest battle, a large piece of shrapnel on which he found his own initial fell at his feet. "It was made for me, all right," he said, "but it missed the mark so nothing else can kill me." Mascots and luck-bringers of various sorts, are numerous in all the armies of today. They are of great variety, although perhaps tiny rabbits and black cats made of "lucky" metal are encountered more frequently than anything else. Probably in most cases the lucky charm which a soldier carries is something sent him by his womenfolk in the homeland—a thimble, a ring, or a child's trinket of some kind that has been passed down in the family as a luck-bringer. Among scJdier's superstitions, of which the British soldier has his full share, one of the most characteristic is connected with the number three. "The third time is never the same," is a proverb among the Irish troops. "The third of anything is fatal," is a common expression among the English country battalions. Soldiers have been known to refuse to take their thira leave, feeling certain that it will be their last. A soldier's third wound is said to be the one which must be most carefully attended to. A development of this same superstition prohibits the lighting of three cigarettes with one match. Odd numbers, according to the British Tommy, are more likely to be unlucky than even ones, and thirteen is no worse than nine. Friday as an unlucky day has been dethroned, and there is no particular bad luck connected with any day of the week in Tommy's estimation. Sunday, however. is preeminently a lucky day for battles. The lucky flower, by common consent, is white heather, and a piece properly tucked away inside the hatband is supposed to save the wearer from a fatal wound. Some regiments regard certain decorations and medals as unlucky not to the wearer, but to the regiment in general. One very well known battalion objects strongly every time one of its number is awarded the Military Cross. As regimental pets, black cats are regarded as the luckiest possession a detachment can have, and the arrival of a stray animal of this color at a gun-pit or is an event of great importance. Everyone is bound *to be lucky for some hours at least. To meet a black cat while marching up to the trenches puts every member of the company in the happiest humor. On the other hand, a black magpie flying across the line of march is a bad omen. To hear the cuckoo calling before breakfast is another bad omen. Gen. French Goes To Ireland London, March 3.—According to The Globe. Field Marshal French arrived in Dublin yesterday. Sinking Steamer Is Salvaged Baltimore, March 3.—The steamer Ellmonton filling with water was picked up by the Crown of Seville which is towing her to Halifax. For LADIES' COSTIIMES or MESSES I I 4 ALSO NEW LINES BLACK TAFF. SILK 36 Inch Wfde. ALSO A FULL LINE ASSORTED SILK MUSLINS Many Shades to choose Iron. 3Se. yard. Bowring Bros. Ltd.