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GENERAL NEWS NOTES OF THE DAY. A dispatch of yesterday from Paris says: Positions captured yesterday by the French south of the Somme -were subjected to a vigorous counter attack during the night. The Germans charged the 1 reach lines south of Soyecourt, but the war office announced today, suffered heavy losses and were driven back in disorder. A strong German detachment which advanced to the attack in tiie Chaulnes region -was repulsed with the bayonet. Ret ween Solssons and Itheims the French penetrated a German- trench, -clearing. it of its defenders. On the Verdun front the artillery was "active on both sides in the vicinity of Cuattancourt and Fleury. Ireiieu aeroplanes successfully bombarded stations at Con-flans, Mars-la -Tour, Longuyon ami Rrieulles. The resumption of "the battle has greatly enhanced the general confidence in the situation. The protracted halt of operations on more than a minor scale was beginning to make the public fear that the first results would have no morrow, and that, as in the case of the Champagne offensive a year ago, there might be a reversion to the old trench warfare. The latest bulletins effectually remove this impression. A particularly fine piece of work from the French point of view was accomplished in the new sector attacked south of the river. East of the old French front, which ran from the east of ller-beville to half-way between that village and the Fouquescourt-Vermandovillers road, the Germans had constructed, by months of patient toil, an underground fortification in a star-shaped wood and in the slopes of a hill. There were ninety trendies in the wood, extremely deep, with two series of underground shelters, in which the soldiers lay snug during the hottest bombardments. The Germans here, as in the Rarleux ami Soyecourt region, where their positions formed an intricate mass of trenches, offered a stouter resistance than elsewhere on the long line of attack. Hut the French troops, cafe-fully prepared for their work and skillfully led, not only won through everywhere, but held on to their gains and were preparing last night to attempt to extend them. It now -.develops that yesterday s effort was due several days ago, but that the artillery preparation was delayed by heavy weather. The French commanders report that the prediiuinary bombardment was so effective that the losses of the attackers were conparatively light. Contrary to expectations, the .Germans have made no attempt to follow up the smashing blow delivered against the northern Verdun defenses a week ago. The French counter attacks, according to the official accounts, are gradually winning back the ground gained by the Germans at heavy cost in the vicinity of Thiaumont and Fleury. This inactivity on the part of the crown prince is interpreted by French military opinion as evidence that the Germans are finding increasing difficulty in concentrating troops at any one point on the front. The French officers say that each fresh assault on Verdun is requiring longer and longer time to prepare. They claim that the Germans took no less than eighteen days in preparation for the attack of July 12. A dispatch of yesterday from Rome says: A ministerial decree was issued today placing the persons anil property of Germans on the same footing of those of Austrian and Hungarians. The decree does not directly mention Germans, but states that allies of Austria are to be treated as enemies, and their subjects and goods are liable to sequestration. Prior to the war German property and interests in Italv were estimated to be wortii 50,000,000. Their value is now placed at about 50,000,000. There are only a few German subjects now in Italy, and these will be either placed in concentration camps or sent across the Swiss border. There has been a strong agitation in Italy for some time for the breaking off of all relations with Germany. The curious situation caused by Italy being at war with Austria while nominally at peace with Germany was emphasized by an agreement between Rome and Rerlin wherein all rights of the citizens of one country domiciled in the other were to be respected. On July lli this agreement was denounced by Italy on the ground it was not being observed in Germany. At the great council of the entente powers held in Paris last February, the Italian .representatives were pressed for an explanation as to why Italy had not declared war on Germany. On February 29 Italy requisitioned thirty-four German ships which were interned in Italian ports. As a similar action by Portugal had promptly called forth an ultimatum from Rerlin, which was followed by a declaration of war. it was confidently expected that the same sequel would follow in regard to Italy. As far as is known, however. Wilheluistrasse did not even make a protest. If war is now declared. Italian troops may be sent to western front, according to the expectations expressed in London and Paris. Three Americans George Ivey of Philadelphia, Richard Neligan of P.oston and David Rossencaii of Ohltowu, Me. were members of the crew of the British steamship Yzer, reported yesterday from London as having been sunk. The Yzer carried a cargo of 257.7:i0 bushels of oats and was commanded by Capt. William McL. Hunter. The state department yesterday received from Austria-Hungary, through Ambassador Pcnfield at Vienna, a request -for additional details regarding the attack bv an Austrian submarine upon the American tank steamer Petrolite. Mr. Penfields dispatch gave- no indication as to whether the Vienna government intended to comply with the American demands for an apology, punishment of the submarine commander and reparation for the damage done by the submarines shell fire. Officials of the department declined to divulge the nature of the information sought, on the ground that negotiations at this time were confidential. A reply will go forward soon. The Austrian claim has been that the submarine commander fired on the Petrolite by mistake and that later the master of the tanker voluntarily furnished the submarine with provisions. This Petrolites captain swears, however, that he was shelled without provocation and compelled, over vigorous protest, to surrender a part of the supplies, which were sufficient only to take him to port. Londons war report of.yesterday says, both the French and Rritisli had marked successes to announce last night. They constituted the greatest advances made this week. The French forces have captured the entire first German positions extending from Estrees to the height of Vermandovillers, according to the offcial statement issued by the war office last night. They also have taken on both sides of the river about 2.900 prisoners in todays engagement. The British advanced a thousand yards along the Bazeiitiii-Longueval line. The official statement sent out at midnight, from the Rritisli headquarters in France follows: North of the P.azentin-Loiigueval line we advanced about 1.000 yards in the face of stubborn opposition. Heavy fighting still continues in the northern outskirts of Longueval village ami in Delville wood. Yesterday our aeroplanes carried out successful bombing enterprises by day and night. Many tons of explosives were dropped with marked success on railway centers, enemy areodromes and other important points. One hostile nreoplane was destroyed; several others were forced to the ground in a damaged condition. Since July 10 four of our machines have failed to return to our lines. Alice Mazarvk, former University of Chicago Settlement worker, thought by Chicago friends to have been executed by the Vienna authorities, is still alive but in prison, according to information which has reached the State Department in Washington. Hope is renewed that her lfe will be saved. Thousands of letters from America have been sent to Vienna, asking that the life of the young woman be spared. Miss Jane Addams. Miss Mary McDowell and other prominent settlement workers of Chicago were among those who pleaded that the vouug woman be spared. In fact, the campaign organized in her behalf by Miss McDowell had grown" to national proportions, and it is estimated that not fewer than 40.000 letters pleading for her had been sent to Vienna. Ambassador Pen-field in Vienna reported to the state department that Miss Mazaryk is being detained on a charge of Irving to get her father. Professor T. G. Mazaryk, out of Austria. The professor is in bad graces of the government because of his activities in behalf of the Czech National Alliance, said to be friendly to Russia. Sir Roger Casement, convicted of high treason against the Rritisli crown, will escape the penalty of death. Information to this effect has been received at Washington. The understanding is that Sir Roger will be sent to an insane asylum. Ry direction of President Wilson, the state department unofficiallv has made representations to the Rritisli government in behalf of the commutation of the death sentence of the former Rritisli consular official. It was necessary for the department to proceed with a great deal of tact. In view or the fact that Sir Roger was a Rritisli subject, the United States could not officially concern itself with his fate. It is the understanding here that Sir Roger will be sent to an insane asylum because of evidence obtained indicating that his mind is abnormal. His diary contains reference to acts which he writes he committed and which are of a character the Rritisli government feels it can not make public. Personal messages were sent by President Wilson yesterday to European rulers urging their cooperation in getting food supplies from the Tinted States to the starving people of Poland. Eftorts in the same direction directed through the state department to the foreign offices of the countries involved, have met with failure. The president desires that France, Great Rritain and Russia allow the passage of the foodstuffs and that Germany and Austria-Hungary guarantee that the food will be given to the civilian population and not seized by the armies of occupation. The messages, which are identical, are addressed to the king of England, the president of France, the emperor of Russia, the emperor of Germany and the emperor of Austria-llungarv. It is understood thlit no definite plan is suggested, though the president intimates that the United States-would be glad to foster such a relief organization in Poland as has been maintained with such success in Belgium. The so-called Flemish movement has assumed new importance through the revival of the Flemish peoples tmrty and the promulgation of its platform, which demands, the reconstruction of Belgium as a federal uuion or two states one Flemish, and one Walloon after the model of AustriatHungary and: Switzerland. At a meeting recently held in Brussels, a constitution for a new Belgium was formulated. It is based upon complete self government for each state, leaving only the foreign policy, customs, currency legislation, railways, posts, telegraphs, telephones, the army and navy and national finances to the federal power. "Wc wish to be neither German nor French," said the chairman of the meeting, at which the constitution was formulated. "We demand a free Flanders." In order to increase Germanys gold reserve and otherwise to prepare to meet the. enormous outflow of specie to pay for needed raw . materials after the war, the rciehsbank at Berlin is buying articles of gold from the people and advising them to sell precious stones to dealers in neutral countries in exchange for gold. As an inducement for the people to part with their gold the bank is giving to every person selling over 5 marks worth a certificate to the effect that their sacrifice was made for the defense and honor of their country. The American schooner Prince Vahleniar has been captured by a German warship while on its way from Philadelphia to Sweden with a cargo of oil, according to a dispatch to the Iioudou Exchange Telegraph Company quoting the Copenhagen Poli-tiken. The .schooner was taken into Swinemunde. The only American schooner of this name, which i is listed in London, belongs to George W. McNear of San Francisco. The McNear firm is one of those included in the recent British black list. Miss Edna Wallace Hopper was attacked Thursday" night just after she had left the Palace Theater, Nov York, by a woman who was armed with a hatpin. Miss Hopper was on her way to a garage. Just as she started to enter the auto- mobile the woman sprang from the shadow of the garage ami thrust the hatpin several times into her face. The cuts were painful but not serious. Miss Hopper said she could give no reason for the act. With his followers scattered into small groups. Villa, accompanied only by a bodyguard of six men. is making for the mountains of Durango, according to a report received in Chihuahua at the military headquarters. Government troops under Gen. Matias Ramos, are following a hot trail after Villa, while Gen. Larreaga is moving up with reinforcements. He hopes to overtake Ramos by tomorrow. Announcement that it had closed a contract for 55,000 twelve-inch shells with the entente allies was made Thursday night by the Midyale Steel and Ordnance Company. The contract amounts to alM.ut ,000,000. National forests paid into the government treasury ,320,000 in the fiscal year 1910, which set a "new record. There was a growth in revenue from all sources, the largest being 03,000 in timber sales. The destruction in the northern Adriatic of two submarines, one of them Italian, by Austrian torpedo boats is announced in an official communication received at Berlin yesterday from Vienna.
