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GENERAL NEWS NOTES OF THE DAY. The State Department .again has taken up with the British government the question as to tlie right to stop shipments of American lieef and meat products to neutral countries in the European war zone. Great Britain holds that the American packers intend that their meats shall be trans-shipiMid to Germany, even though consigned to neutral nations. Unless they are sent directly to lirms whose integrity is- approved by the neutral governments or consigned to the governments themselves the British claim the right to stop them In transit. The first steamer to sail direct from New York for a German port since war was declared four months ago, steamed out of New York hailwr yes-terdav. The vessel is the Elmontc of the Southern Pacific line. She is bound for Bremen, has aboard a full cargo of cotton and Hies the American Hag. The shippers of the cargo have accepted the sug-"estion of the English admiralty and will send the vessel through the straits of Dover, inviting full inspection of the ships papers and cargo. The interstate commerce commission, according to information from an authoritative source, has reached a decision to grant the application of tiw eastern railroads to increase their freight rates about 5 per cent. The decision is now being written and probably will be handed down by next Tuesday. Election returns indicate that national prohibition has not been carried in New Zealand. The pro hibitionists received a setback in several places. The returns give the government thirty-eight members of parliament, the opposition thirty and the labor social democrats eight. Railroad officials in Chicago have been advised by the interstate commerce commission that when for the purpose of collecting fares a conductor is in doubO as to the age of a child on a train, he may require whoever is in charge of the child to sign a statement. Provisional President Gutierrez has ordered Gov. Mavtorena, commanding his forces at Naco. to avoid operations altogether if he cannot confine his fire within -Mexican borders. This undoubtedly is r.i response to urgent representations from Washington. Representative Sereno E. Payne of New York died suddenly of heart failure at his apartment in Washington. He had been a member or Congress, with the exception of one term, since 1SS3, and was a noted Republican leader. The Kentucky Court of Apintals declared the workmens compensation, act, passed by the last legislature, unconstitutional.
