Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], September 12, 1918, Page 6, Image 6

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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■WINGFIELD. THURSDAY. SEPT. 12. ISIS
j, TWELVE PAGES
The Hindenburg Line
Since July 18 we have become so ac
•Ustomed to our daily record of towns
retaken by the allies that we find it a
little hard to get on without this
stimulating diet, but of course so sen
sational an advance could not be kept
up indefinitely. What the Germans
took in 171 days, the allies have prac
tically recovered in 52, besides cap
turing a little ground at certain points
in advance of the old line. Nobody.
«f course has been simple enough to
take the towns recaptured from day to
day as separate victories; in some
eases there was strong resistance, but
in the majority of instances the allies
recceupied towns either abandoned by
the enemy or held temporarily by a
rear guard. A vast army retreating
tinder such conditions does not stop
at random according to the dally fluc
tuations of battle. Even if the rear
guard action is successful, the work
of evacuation goes on, and when the
time comes the force left to cover the
retirement slips away.
Territory is under such conditions a
minor consideration for the beaten
army unless it is badly cramped for
room as the allies were last spring by
the necessity of protecting vital points
elose in the rear, like Paris and the
Channel ports. The Germans have no
such handicap, and having tossed the
Ludendorff offensive Into the discard,
they had to consider only the extrica
tion of their army. While naturally
they would prefer to give up no more
ground than was necessary, the im
portant thing, as for the Italians after
Caporetto, was to find a good defen
sible line.
Having credited the allies in a lump,
therefore, with a brilliant strategic
victory In forcing such a retirement,
their further credits will come not
from the ground retaken, which has
already been counted once, but from
the damage done to the retreating army
and from the success with which the
enemy’s designs for making a stand
are divined and defeated. In the first
particular, while the losses inflicted
upon the Germans are not crushing
they have been severe, and fairly bal
ance the losses of the allies jn men
•aptured during the German offensive.
But to take so many prisoners, over
150,000 In 50 days or 3000 a day, is
tpr the allies a much more notable
achievement because their forces have
.been little if at all superior, whereas
i the Germans were able to take pris
eners because they had concentrated
on the sectors to be attacked forces
several times as powerful as the de
fendfng armies.
As to the second point, the extent
i to which Gen Foch was able to upset
'the German plans for a definite stand,
'further information is still needed. It
seems probable that the Germans
meant to establish a provisional line
on the Somme, and failed because of
, the energy ■with which the allies
; pressed on, seizing points which made
that line untenable. But we cannot
be sure how long the enemy had meant
' to stay at the Somme, or how much
' the premature abandonment of that
» line has affected the stability of the
‘ Hindenburg Une.
F Thia trial la now to be made, and
1 with the attainment of the old lines
■ the battle enters upon a new phase
' of a wholly different character. While
• the stand at the Somme could be rea
f sonabiy viewed as merely a delaying
■. action, it is tolerably certain that a
' desperate effort will be made to hold
the Hindenburg Une. This does not
mean that it is the last Une of de
fense; on the contrary there are sev
eral strong Unes in the rear, including
the Meuse Une which is the last stand
on French and Belgian soil. But even
• if Hindenburg, who has been taken
down from the shelf since Ludendorff's
. offensive failed so dismally, has it in
mind later to retire as he did in the
spring of 1917, it is sure that he would
rather not do so now. when the condl
k tions, aside from a probably teropo
««ry rainy spell, are favorable for pur
suit by the allies. If his plan Is to or
ganise an impregnable lino in the rear
and slip away after wrecking the
eountry over which the allies must
pass, he might consider it a victory
to be able to hold on till the fall rains,
which last year held off till late No
vember.
The allies have the more reason for
i trying to take the Hindenburg line,
Jit possible, this year because when
! Winter comes their position in a deso
*la‘ed country will be extremely try
tn®. Winter in the trenches is hard
on the men under the most favorable
eonditlcns, and the side with snug
' Mileta has a great advantage. It is
probate that the Germans, even if
they contemplate a further retirement,
will try to stave it off till spring, and
hold fast till then much as was done
■set year. To defeat this purpose is
now the great problem set the allies,
and it may be some time before their
prospects of success can be judged.
Much will depend upon the weather,
which just now is bad, and an
early setting in of the autumnal
rains might defeat their purpose.
Or the other hand they are back at
the Hindenburg lines much earlier
than seemed possible even after the
tide turned, and have a month, pos
sibly two months, still available for
unimpeded operations; much may be
done in a month.
They have also certain initial ad
vantages which were lacking last
year, when the Hindenburg line
proved too hard a nut to crack. For
one th ng, they have already plowed
through one of its most redoubtable
sectors, the famous Drocourt-Queant
switch line, and while their progress
there does not yet suffice to turn the
positions further south, it already
menaces key points, including Cam
brai and Douai, But the special sig
nificance of this .thrust from Arras
lies in its demonstration that the
tank gives a means of attacking those
sectors the defense of which depends
on barbed wire and machine guns; a
line including such sectors can there
fore no longer be called invulnerable.
For the most part the tanks cannot
be used against the Hindenburg Jine
because it lies behind water, but there
are several lanes of dry land, including
the sector near Cambrai, which lend
themselves to this mode of attack.
Moreover, the allies are considerably
better equipped than a year ago for
dealing with so formidable an obstacle
as the forest of St Gobain, which is
tire key to the whole Laon-La Fere
salient Early in the war the Ger
mans began to take fortresses reputed
impregnable by the terrific concentra
tion of high explosive shell. While pre
sumably the allies will do their best
to flank the enemy out of Laon, it is
at least conceivable that the German
positions could be annihilated by such
a bombardment as has been unknown
even in this war. In general efficien
cy, too. the allies have improved im
measurably in a year. There will be
no repetition of the blunders of Gen
Nivelle’s attempt in April, 1917, to de
stroy the Laon salient by a break
through. As the official report showed,
the transport was badly organized, am
munition could not be got up, the in
fantry were short or rockets for sig
naling, mistakes were made in the cal
iber of shells and because of careless
ness of this sort the heroic sacri
fices of the French went for naught.
This year the allies have been show
ing conspicuous efficiency, and while
it is still to be seen whether they
can break the Hindenburg line, the
chances are much more favorable than
they were last year.
The College* and the New Draft
Law
This has been somewhat of an
anxious time with the universities and
coHeges as they are preparing to meet
the war requirements of the govern
ment. But the new situation is grad
ually being revealed. There is, of
course, the utmost desire on the part
of the college authorities to co-operate
with the war department in meeting
the changes precipitated by the new
man-power law that binds the .coun
try to the policy of devoting its en
tire energy to winning the war as
quickly as possible. Students are not
to be made a deferred or favored class
and the colleges must adapt them
selves to such service as will best
help the nation in this commanding
emergency.
What the government asks of the
colleges is pretty definitely outlined in
the official statements given on this
page. Young men who were plan
ning to go to college this fall are ad
vised by the committee on education
and special training of the general
staff to do so. Each is advised to at
tend the college of his choice, of
course registering with his local board
as required by law. In due course
students will be inducted into the
students’ army training camps at their
college, such induction to be voluntary
and not by enlistment Their military
training will then begin, and all phy
sically fit will be subject to assign
ment to active service in the field as
the government may need and direct.
The colleges are asked to maintain
their academic standards, while giv
ing the special training that will be
necessary during the progress of the
war. So far as the students’ artny
training corps is concerned the old/
designation by classes passes away,
and the men will be divided into three
groups—those of 20 years of age, who
will probably remain in college only
three months; the men of 19, whose
probable stay will be six months, and
the 18-years-old men, who can reck
on nine months. For all these the
government will pay the bills. Boys
below 18 may enrol In the students’
army training corps, but will have to
foot their own bills. The calendar
year is to be divided into periods of
three months each. While military
discipline Is to prevail, the command
ing officer Is expected to follow the
recommendations of the college au
thorities. In other words, the United
States is to make use of the colleges
for the training of young soldiers. As
Frederick P. Keppell, dean of Colum
bia university, now serving as third
assistant secretary of war. puts it:
"The need of the government Is to
‘test its men out for leadership as
‘quickly as possible, and we simply
•want to use existing institutions cf
'the country for that purpose. It is
‘part es the mobilising of the entire
‘organisation of the country' to meet
‘a given need. The boy who is in
ducted belongs to the army. It can
•do anything it pleases with him, but
'it Is a better plan to put a boy who
‘ha* had a high school education
•where we can train him for respon
'stbJHtlea"
There is thus much that is revolu-
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1918
tionary for the moment In this bend
ing of the colleges to military neces
sity, but the winning of the war will
release government control and per
mit the full reinstatement of the old
order. Young men will do w ell to take
advantage of such opportunity as is
offered them to make a start toward
ths education that they will need
more than ever as a help to effective
service in the army and after. There
should be the purpose to comple'e
the courses as opportunity comes.
Beyond the performance of military
duties Ues the desirability of intel
lectual and moral development that
will enrich character and widen the
outlook on life and the new problems
that are to demand intelligent han.
cling after the war. It is the part of
wisdom for every young man to take
what lie can get of advantage in a
time when the forced deprivations
must be so many. The advice which,
comes from the general staff of the
wsr department is sound and worthy
of general acceptance.
GIVES UP HIS TRIP
President Kept in Washington by
Important Matters Connected
With War
President Wilson in announcing
Monday that he had abandoned defi
nitely plans for a transcontinental
tour for the fourth Liberty loan, said
he was convinced that it was not right
for him to be absent" from Washington
for more than a day or two at a time
while the war continues. The pres
ident said he keenly felt the privation
of being confined to the capital, but
that it was impossible for him to deal
with important war questions by tele
graph or at a distance from sources
of information which exist only at
Washington.
"I had hoped and had even begun
to plan,” the president said, "a trip
to the western coast and back in con
nection with the ‘campaign’ for the
fourth Liberty loan, not because I be
lieved that the country had any need
of being, stimulated to subscribe to
the loan by anything that I could say,
but because I coveted the opportunity
to discuss with my fellow-citizens the
great undertaking which has made
such loans necessary and in which
our whole energy and purpose are
enlisted. It is the third or fourth
time that I have tried to persuade
myself that such a trip was possible
for me without serious neglect of my
duties here, because I have keenly
felt again and again the privation of
being confined to the capital and pre
vented from having the sort of direct
contact with the people I am serving
which would be of so much benefit and
stimulation to me.
“To my deep regret, I find that I
must again give the idea up. The
questions which come to me every day,
many of them questions of the utmost
delicacy and involving manv critical
matters, convince me that it is not
right for me to absent myself from
Washington for more than a day or
two at a time while the war continues.
Questions concerning our dealings with
other governments in particular, it is
impossible for me to deal with bv tel
egraph or at a distance from the many
sources of information which exist
only here.
“I should feel myself an uncon
scientious public servant if T yielded to
my wish in this matter and took any
chance of, neglecting even for a short
time things that must be decided
promptly and in the presence of all the
facts."
WILSON PRAISES ZIONISTS
Expresses ‘‘Deep and Sincere Inter
est’’ in Progress of Develop
ment of Palestine as Jewish
Homeland
On the eve of the Jewish New Tear,
which began at sundown Friday, a
message from President Wilson ex
pressing his deep and sincere inter
est in the progress of ths develop
ment of Palestine as the Jewish home
land was made public at New York
last week by Rabbi Stephen S. Wise,
former president of the provisional
Zionist committee. The president
wrote to Rabbi Wise:—
“I have watched with deep and sin
cere interest the reconstructive work
which the Weizmann commission has
done in Palestine at the instance of
the British government, and I wel
come an opportunity to express the
satisfaction I have felt in the progress
of the Zionist movement in the United
States and in the allied countries
since the declaration by Mr Balfour
on behalf of the British government,
of Great Britain’* approval of the
establishment in Palestine of a na
tional home for the Jewish people,
and his promise that the British gov
ernment would use its best endeavor
to facilitate the achievement of that
object, with the understanding that
nothing would be done to prejudice
the civil and religious rights of non-
Jewish people In Palestine or the
rights and political status enjoyed by
the Jews in other countries.
“I think that ail Americans will be
deeply moved by the report that even
in this time of stress the Weizmann
commission has been able to lay the
foundation of the Hebrew university
at Jerusalem with the promise that
that bears of spiritual rebirth."
Dr Chaim Weizmann, president of
the English Zionist federation and a
noted scientist in British government
service, was selected by that govern
ment as head of the Zionist commis
sion to Palestine to make a survey of
the Holy land. This appointment was
made after’Great Britain had issued
Its Palestine declaration. The com
mission includes Zionist representa
tives from France. Italy and Russia
and has received the fullest support
of the Zionist organization of Amer
ica under the leadership of Justice
Louis D. Brandies of the United States
supreme court and Judge Julian W.
Mack of Chicago, president of the
Zionist organization of America. The
cornerstone of the Hebrew univer
sity in Jerusalem was laid on July 24
by Dr Weizmann and his associates.
NEW WAR SAVINGS PLAN
Organization to Be Placed Under
the Supervision of Federal Re
serve Bank
Secretary McAdoo announced Sun
day the adoption of a suggestion by
Frank A. Vanderlip. chairman of the
national war savings committee, that
the war savings organization be placed
under the supervision of the federal
reserve bank so that the activities of
the war savings and Liberty loan com
mittees can be co-ordinated and even
tually consolidated. Thia is expected
to eliminate duplication of effort and
perhaps decrease the expenses of op
eration. The governor of each fed
eral reserve bank will be appointed a
direc'or of war savings and will have
supervision of all war savings activi
ties in his district, thus occupying the
same relation to the war savings or
ganzatlon that he does now to the
Liberty loan organization.
PRIORITIES LIST
NEW ONE ANNOUNCED
ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES
■•MASTER KEY'' TO LICENSES
Four Industrial Classes, but No
Distinction Between Those
Grouped Under Each
Heading
A new priorities list of industries
and plants essential to the war was
announced Sunday at Washington
by Chairman Baruch of the war in
dustries board. It was described as
the "master key” governing the is
suance of priorities certificates by
the priorities commissioner of the
board for fuel supply or electrical en
ergy. transportation, material, facili
ties. capital and labor and as the basis
for industrial exemption from tho
draft.
"The inclusino of the industries and
plants on this preference list," said
the announcement, "does not operate
as an embargo against all others, but
the effect is to deter the requirements
of all other industries and plants un
til the requirements of those on the
preference list shall have been satis
fied.”
Four Classes of Industries
Industries have been grouped into
four classes according to their rela
tive importance. No distinction, how
ever. has been made between any of
the industries or plants within any
one class, and it was explained that
no significance is io be attached to the
order in which they are listed within
any class. The industries or plants
under class 1 are of exceptional im
portance and include those most vital
to the prosecution of the war and the
public, and their requirements mus:
be fully met in preference to those
of three remaining classes.
Fuel for domestic consumption—
residences, apartment houses, restau
rants and hotels—is in class I. In
that class also are food, railways op
erated by the railroad administration,
the army and navy, aircraft, ships and
shipyards, war chemical plants, coal
mines and by-products, coke plants
certain public utilities, ordnance and
small arms plants and ammunition
and explosive plants. Requirements
of those grouped under class 2, 3 and
4 will be given priority over those
not on the preference list, but as be
tween these three classes there is no
complete or absolute preference pro
vided. Relative importance of the
industries and plants within each
group will be the basis of operation.
Each plant listed in the three last
classes will be required to file with
the war industries board before tha
15th of each month a report of its
activities during the preceding month.
Failure to comply with the order will
mean removal from the preference
list.
Complete Priorities List
Class I—Plants principally engaged
in producing aircraft supplies" and
equipment, ammunition for the Unit
ed States and the allies; chemicals
for explosives, ammunition and air
craft and use in chemical warfare;
ordnance and small arms for the Unit- i
ed States and the allies; metallurgical
coke and by-products, including to
luol: explosives for military purposes:
feed for livestock and poultry; food,
including cereals and cereal products,
meats, including poultry, fish, vegeta
bles, fruit, sugar, sirups, glucose, but
ter, eggs, cheese, milk and cream
lard, lard compounds, oleomargarine
and other substitutes for butter or
lard, vegetable oil. beans, salt, coffee,
baking powder, soda and yeast and
ammonia for refrigeration; fungicides,
oil and natural gas for fuel or me
chanical purposes (including pipe lines
and pumping stations); toluol (gas
plants), ships, other than pleasure
craft or vessels not built for the Unit
ed States or the allies or under li
censes of the shipping board; steel
plants; plants producing solely steel
ingots and castings by the various
processes: domestic consumers of fuel
and electric energy for residential
flats, restaurants and hotels, coal
mines, arsenals, cantonments and
camps of the army and navy-yards;
railways operated by the United States
railroad administration; maintenance
and operation of ships, excluding
pleasure craft, not common carriers
and maintenance of public buildings
used as hospitals or sanitariums.
Class 2—Plants principally engaged
In producing locomotive or traveling
cranes, rolling and drawing copper,
brass and other copper alloys, coke
not otherwise classified and listed,
ferro-alloys, machine tools and wire
rope; blast furnaces producing pig
iion; steel rail mills (producing rails
over 30 pounds per yard), construc
tion work of the war or navy depart
ments in embarkatloi. ports." harbors,
fortifications, flood protection, opera
tions. docks, locks, channels, inland
’..aterways and in maintenance and
repair of same; mines producing met
als and ferro-alloy minerals; street
railways, electric lighting and power
companies, gas plants not otherwise
classified, telephone and telegraph
companies; water supply companies
and like general utilities: raiways not
operated by the United States, ex
cluding those operated as plant facil
ities.
Class 3—Plants engaged principally
in producing food not otherwise listed,
not including soft drinks, confection
ery and chewing gum; Ice. mining
tools and equipment; equipment and
supplies for producing or transporting
oil or gas for mechanical purposes,
iron and steel chains, electrical equip
ment, explosives not otherwise listed,
tin plate, and small or hand tools for
working or metal; fuel and electrio
energy for domestic consumers not
otherwise listed: steel coiling and
drawing mills not otherwise listed;
maintenance of public buildings oth
er than those used as hospitals and
sanitariums.
Class 4—Laundries, plants engaged
principally in producing manufactur
ing hemp, jute and cotton bags, man
ufacturing chemicals not otherwise list
ed, medicines and medical and surgical
supplies, fertilizers, fire brick, gray
Iron and malleable Iron castings, food
c<ntalners. Insecticides and fungicides,
soap, tanned leather and tanning ex
tracts. cotton and woolen textiles. In
cluding spinning, weaving and fin
ishing. cotton and woolen knit goods,
textile machinery, binder twine and
rope; plants engaged exclusively In
manufacturing boots and shoes; plants
engaged exclusively in manufacturing
pulp and paper; rotton compressing;
plants engaged principally fn produc
ing newspapers or periodicals whleti
are entered at the post-office as second
ciass mutter; plants preserving, dry
ing. curing, packing and storing to
bacco, but not for manufacturing and
marketing.
HENRY FORD'S PROPOSAL
FOR DISABLED SOLDIERS
Asks Secretary Lane to Provide
Suitable Subject for Experiment
on Farm Which He Will
Lead
Special Dispatch to The Republican
WASHINGTON. D. C., Tuesdav,
September 10
Franklin K. Lane, secretary of the
interior, was asked to-day to select
a soldier who has been permanently
crippled while fighting for the United
States in France and who at tire sams
time is married and under the neces
sity of supporting his wife, for the
purpose of taking the personal part
in a sociological experiment of un
usual interest and importance.
The ex-soldier is to be used for the
solution of this problem “Can a man
of ord.nary intelligence, even though
physically handicapped, make a good
living, care for a family and even
provide for his old age on a small
taim?”
Henry Ford, the Detroit motor
manufacturer, wishes to prove his
be'lef that such a thing is practicable
and it was he. therefore, who asked
Secretary Lane to choose the man.
Mr Ford has already laid out a j.o*
acre farm on his 4000-acre estate at
Dearborn. Mich., and he is going >o
equip it and build a house and barn
on it at once, so that the test may
begin as soon as possible.
Mr j.ane. ever since we got into the
war, has been advocating a “back to
nature" life for our returned soldiers,
wounded or unwounded, when the
confllc* is over. He listened enthu
siastic;..ly to Mr Ford's proposal to
dav and said he would lose no time :n
picking out the proper sort of man to
carry the experiment through.
It is not to be a charitable proposi
tion. The motor manufacturer means
merely to finance the ex-soldier, >o
lend him the fully-equipped farm at
its fuii valuation, with the under
standing that it is to be paid for uy
the farmer’s earnings. That agrees
completely with Secretary Lane's
suggestion, which Is that the govern
ment sell them the land and lend
tnem the money to develop it, the
repayn.ent to be on the easiest pos
sible terms.
"This is my idea,” said Mr Fori
to the correspondent after his visit
to the secretary. “I will install the
crippled soldier and his wife in a
comfor'able home, with an appropri
ate-sized barn on the little farm
which I have already laid out on my
place. He will have five head of
cattle, some chickens, and a tractor
which will plow, harrow, thresn,
churn and do almost any sort of work
necessary. He can readily operate
this machine even though he ‘s
crippled.
“This whole layout I w|)l value at
SISOO which is as nearly as I can
figure Its actual worth. I firmly be
lieve that the man will be able io
earn an excellent living and to pay
back his indebtedness in 10 years,
after which he will own the property
and will be able to lay up his profits
."or his declining years.”
SEC BAKER NOW IN FRANCE
Accompanied by Surgeon-General
Gorgas, Ger. Hines and Others—
Went on Army Transport
The war department Sunday an
nounced the arrival of Secretary Ba
ker in France, accompanied by an
official party, including John D.
Ryan, assistant secretary in charge
of airciaft.
Mr Baker and his party made the
trip in an army transport which
carried its usual quota of soldiers to
France Before leaving this country
the war secretary said the personnel
of his party would make plain the
purpose of his second visit to France,
ami that he hoped the trip would not
keep h:m away from the United
States for a very long period.
It is understood that Mr Ryan
went abroad for the purpose of fa
miliarizing himself with the airplane
situation overseas and to inspect the
factories engaged in building planes
for the American army.
Surgeon-Genera! Gorgas will in
spect the American ’ army hospitals
overseas. Brig-Gen Frank T. Hines,
chief of the embarkation service,
who also accompanied Mr Baker, will
visit the American ports of debarka
tion in France to acquaint himself
with facilities and conditions in those
places.
Lieut-Col George H. Baird, mili
tary aid to Mr Baker, is also in the
secretary's party. This is Mr Baker's
second visit to the American army
in France. Several months ago he
■spent some time abroad inspecting
me ports at which American troops
and supplies are landed, the lines of
communication between those ports
and the army at the front and the
army itself.
WAR DEPARTMENT SIEVE
Secretary Baker Orders Chiefs to
Replace Men of Draft Age With
Others Where Possible
Secretary Baker has ordered the
chief of each bureau in the war de
partment to replace by December Fl
all men within the draft ages who
would be classified in class 1 and now
assigned to duty in Washington <.r
in war department branches else
where. with men physically disquali
fied foe general military service.
The positions thus vacated may also
be fill'd by men in the deferred classes
where such deferment has been
granted on the grounds of dependen
cy. Exceptions are to be made only
where incumbents are indispensable
and where men not within the draft
r.ge are not available to take their
places.
The chiefs of bureaus are instructed
to report to the adjutant-general on
December 31 the number and names
of all men within the draft age then
employed in their bureaus and to fur
nish a certificate that each of these
Is Indispensable and that others not
w'thln the draft age are not available
to replace them.
MORE ARMY INTERPRETERS
Flan Revives Report That Many
German Prisoner* Are to Be
Brought Over
Publication Friday of orders pro
viding for a substantial Increase in
the corps of interpreter* of the afw.
revived report* of plan* for bringing
to America large*number* of Ger
mans captured on the western front.
The new order* provide that In ad
dition to the commissioned personnel
of the interpreter corps already au
thorized, there will be "one Ist lieu
tenant. one 2d lieutenant and one ser
geant for each 600 prisoner* of war
interned in the United State*,"
FIRST IN DRAFT
19-20 AND 32-36
STATEMENT BY CROWDER
Employer* Urged to Assist in Work
of Making Proper Occupa
tional Exemptions
Youths of 19 and 20 years and men
between the ages of 32 and 36, inclu
sive, who register to-day will first
be called to the colors, Provost Marshal
General Crowder announcer Tuesday,
and until the supply or available fight
ing material in their ranks has been
exhausted older men will not be in
ducted into service. Questionnaires
jvill go out first to registrants of these
ages and local boards have been or
dered to proceed with their speedy
classification so that some of them
may be called in October.
Pointing out that in classifying men
above thw ages of 31 the- army draft
would be “attacking the country’s
economic life and entering an unex
plored field,” Gen Crowder in a public
statement to all employers and indus
trial repiesentatives besought their aid
in applying the plans of industrial
deferments so that “the maintenance
of the military establishments or of
the national interest during the emer
gency" may not be interfered with.
Before issuing his appeal Gen
Crowder had again pointed out that
on estimates of experts the war de
partment could expect to draw from
the classes above 31 only 601,000 men
physically fit for military service and
not entitled to deferred classification
on the grounds of dependency or occu
pation. He also said that men of 19
and 20 called were entitled to admis
sion to the students’ training corps at
the 400 secondary schools with which
the war department has made con
tracts, but added that this corps would
number 150.000 men. while over 3,000,-
000 youths below 21 will register to
morrow.
Methods of selecting those to be in
ducted into military service and edu
cational training corps, he said, were
the concern of other branches of the
administration.
Responsibility of Employers
In his statement to employers and
other representatives of industry, Gen
Crowder said the time had come when
he must address to them some recom
mendations as to their share of re
sponsibilities in the classification of the
new registrants and added:—
"I have noticed in the general ex
pressions of the public attitude which
reach this office too frequently, fea
tures which lead me to the present
comment. One of these features is the
belief that the process of awarding
deferred classification to a registrant
requires merely the filling out of the
questionnaire, and that the selective
service boards will perceive the propri
ety of making the deferment, without
the assistance furnished by the regis
trant's formal claim indicating the
deferment desired. The other feature
is the employer’s failurse to realize his
responsibility to intervene in aiding
the board's determination and, there
fore, to inform himself fully on all the
considerations which should affect the
dec'sion as to the deferment. Both of
these features are due to a single
larger fact, namely, a failure on ‘be
part of many to reflect on the industrial
considerations governing deferred clas
sification.
"As to the first-mentioned belief, it
must be pointed out that if it were
universally acted upon, the process of
classification would be seriously ham
pered and delayed, someone must In
dicate that the individual case is one
which should arrest the special atten
tion of the boards in respect to the
registrant's occupational status. The
boards do not possess a superhuman
omniscience. Nor are they permitted
by circumstances to devote unlimited
time to the search of questionnaires
for possible grounds of claim. In
1917. out of more than 3.000.00 reg
istrants called only 140,000 filed occu
pational claims, or 4.7 per cent; thus
95 per cent of all registrants raised
no question of such deferment.
Board WIU Do What They Can
"The boards will do al! that they
can possibly on their own initiative
to reach a just dec'sion by a com
plete examination of the ' question
naires even where no claim is ex
pressly made.
"Nevertheless, the boards will wel
come and will need all the aid that
can be furnished by the indication of
a claim made for deferment. But who
is to make that claim? Ordinarily
the registrant himself will indicate the
claim on his questionnaire. But if.
through mistaken chivalry he should
fail to do so. another may make it
for him. In industry, agriculture, or
other occupations, this other person
will naturally be his employer or some
ether representative of his associated
group.
“The employer in this situation rep
resents the nation because in the
statutory phrase 'the maintenance of
the military establishment or of the
national interest during the emer
gency,’ requires that some well-ad
vised third person should look after
that national interest which the regis
trant himself may not have sufficient
ly considered."
CLAIMS FOR EXEMPTION
Employers or Interested Depend
ents Requested to Put Them in
if Principals Do Not
Because many men of the draft ages
are expected to refuse to claim exemp
tion from military service, regardless
of the need for them at home, the
provost marshal-general’s office Fri
day suggested that employers or in
terested dependents should not fail to
file formal claims in such cases.
It Is pointed out that the form of
the questionnaire purposely leaves the
exemption claim open to be filed by
others than the registrant himself.
Gen Crowder’s staff feels that failure
to present legitimate exemption claims
for sentimental reasons will almost
certainly work hardship and injustice,
especially since the local board* are
now being asked to conduct classifica
tion at top speed. General failure to
have such claims filed. It is said, also
will serve to slow up the work.
New regulation* to govern exemp
tion under the occupational section of
the law have been published In special
pamphlet form to aid board and reg
istrants in providing the wider appli
cation.
At a conference Friday, Col War
ren of th* provost marshal-general’*
staff. Felix Frankfurter, chairman of
the war labor board, and a representa
tive of the department of agriculture
took up In detail the method of se
curing the trio of occupational advis
er* who will serve with each of the
100 odd district draft boards In can
vassing tha occupational exemption
•Jatos.
' *
RAILROAD SALARIES
M'ADOO'S FIRST REPORT
ON GOVERNMENT OPERATION
How Uncle Sam Pays Executives
—The Transportation
of Coal
Government operations of railroads
for the seven months ending August
1 are reviewed in the first report of
Director-General McAdoo to President
Wilson. The report, made public Sun
day reveals that salaries paid rail
road executives by the government are
much lower than received from com
panies under private control, but they
have not been pruned to the com
paratively small figures of other offi
cers in government service. The
seven regional directors of the rail
road administration, get between $40,-
000 and $30,000 a year and federal
managers of individual roads or sys
tems varying amounts between SSOOO
and $40,000, although under private
control salaries ranged as high as
SIOO,OOO for railroad presidents and
chief executives.
At the same time it is shown that
directors of the nine divisions of the
railroad administration are paid sala
ries between $20,000 and $23,000 each.
Mr McAdoo, their superior, receives
only the usual cabinet member’s sala
ry of $12,000 as secretary of the treas
ury and nothing additional as director
general of railroads. A number of as
sistant divisional directors of the rail
road administration are paid at his di
rection more than he receives.
Of the 2325 railway officers receiv
ing more than S3OOO under private
managements, 400 presidents and oth
er officers have been removed from
government payrolls—though they
may have been retained at company
expense—and the $21,320,000 paid offi
cers in the aggregate under private
control has been reduced to $13,062,000
by the government.
Explaining his policy of fixing sala
ries of executives the director said:
"It is not only equitable but necessary
that they should be justly remunerat
ed and the reward of brains, industry
and loyalty should bo sufficient to con
tinually attract able men to the service
of the railroads as their life's work.
It is not merely a question of operat
ing the railroads during the period of
the war—but it is a question of the
postbellum period as well, when rail
road work must continue to be suffi
ciently attractive to draw constantly
to it men of the right quality and cali
ber."
In reviewing accomplishments of
the government management. Mr Mc-
Adoo laid stress on the railroad admin
istration’s effort to move coal as fast
as mines can produce it, and denied
that production is limited by lack of
car supply.
“Of late cars have been supplied
to the coal mines more rapidly than
they have been able to load them,"
he said, "and it is probable that ade
quate transportation for the fuel re
quirements of the nation will be avaw
able provided the coal production dur
ing tho warm weather can be main
tained at a point that will fully em
ploy the cars requisitioned. The coun
try has been led to believe that coal
production is limited entirely by trans
portation and that any shortage is due
to the railroads. This is erroneous.
The maintenance of an adequate coal
supply depends in the first instance
upon production, which in turn is
restricted in the first Instance by
shortages of labor and other causes
aside from transportation.”
Up to August 1. 22.000.000 more
tons of coal had been hauled this yeai
than in the same period of last year,
Mr McAdoo reported.
To comply with the government's
gasoline conservation program, Mr
McAdoo declined to use an automobile
yesterday. He walked from Col
House’s home to the railroad station,
a distance of more than a mile. When
his special train reached Washington
other railroad administration officials
joined Mr McAdoo and the train start
ed for the West. Sir McAdoo and his
party will spend to-day in Cleveland
and Youngstown, 0., and to-morrow
jn Pittsburg. They will ge thence to
Altoona and Harrisburg a.nd then to
Charleston. W. Va.. and through the
coal fields to Norfolk. Va.
The- director-general recited many
measures adopted under common
management of rail lines for econo
mies by eliminating competition In
cluding c’osing individual company
tickets and traffic solicitation offices,
arranging for all lines to carry their
own insurance, unifying the express
companies, eliminating unnecessary
passenger service and consolidating
terminals. He also referred to In
creased efficiency through shortening
of freight routes, heavier loading of
cars, stimulating prompt removal of
goods at terminals, standardizing de
signs for cars and locomotives and
other operating reforms.
It was imperative and Just to raise
wages, the report said, and conse
quently, necessary to advance rates
25 per cent. "Summarizing generally,
there is good ground for believing
that substantial progress has been
made in accelerating the movement
of traffic, employing the available
equipment more intensively and run
ning trains more nearly on time."
Tn conclusion, the director-general
said: “A daily increase in facility
and efficiency is noticeable, and T
am confident that the railroads will
shortly be in condition to meet any
demands that may be made of them
if needed motive power already or
dered can be secured and if the neces
sary, skilled labor is not withdrawn
from the railroads for military and
other purposes.
"Officials and employes have worked
with such loyalty and zeal to accom
plish what has already been done that
It is a genuine pleasure to make ac
knowledgment of their splendid work.
It is a constant satisfaction to be as
sociated with them."
Ayer Soldiers Sulute McAdoo
Several hundred soldiers from Camp
Devens at the Ayer railroad station
Sunday afternoon awaiting the ar
rival of friends from Boston recognized
Mr McAdoo when the special train
pulled in. Mr McAdoo was on the ob
servation platform of the last Pull
man. As a unit the khaki-clad men
came to attention find gave a military
salute. The director-general promptly
returned the ealute and the soldiers
broke into cheers. The special did not
stop.
‘'DRY’ZONESAPPROVED
House Passes Senate Resolution
Without a Dissenting Vote
Without a dissenting vote, thq
House Monday passed, after a few
minute* consideration, th* Senate
resolution empowering the president
to establish proly l^Uon zojjes arouml
munition factories, mines. shipyards
and other war production plants.
The resolution was reported by the
rules committee with the Information
that acting Secretary of War Crowell
regarded its passage as urgently im
portant.
A brief hearing had been held
earlier in the day at which Represen
tative Miller of Minnesota told of con
d.tions near Duluth, the first large
city in America to go “dry,” Across
the river from a steel plant is tha
Wisconsin town of Oliver which, he
said, was organized solely for “booze
purposes.” and had demoralized con
ditions on the street car line running
between Duluth and the munitions
works.
Tho president is given full power
to establish dry zones when he deems
necessary and penalties of SIOOO fine
or one year’s imprisonment are pro
vided for violation of his regulation
WAR FUND CAMPAIGN
SEVEN SOCIETIES AT ONCE
President Wilson Decides on Plan
—Week of November 11 for
Raising $170,500,000
President Wilson has decided that
the seven recognized societies doing
welfare work among the American
soldiers at homo and overseas shall
conduct a joint campaign for the
funds necessary to carry on their
work during the coming year.
Tha president’s decision was com
municated to Chairman Raymond D.
Fosdlck of the commission of training
campaign activity who in making pub
lic tho president’s letter last week an
nounced that the campaign would be
conducted during the week beginning
November 11 and that the American
people would be asked to give $170,-
300.000 to the organizations.
The budget is divided as follows:
Young Men’s Christian association.
$100,000,000; Young Women's Chris
tian association, $15,000,000; National
Catholic war council (Including work
of Knights of Columbus and soeclal
war activities of women). $30,000.-
000; Jewish welfare board. $3,500,000;
American library association. $3,500.-
000: war camp community service.
$15,000,000; Salvation Army, $3,500.-
000.
Dr John R. Mott, chairman of the
war work council of the Young Men’s
Christian association, at a meeting at
New York Friday of representa
tives of the seven war work organiza
tions which are to conduct a drive
to raise $170,500,000 during the week
of November 11-IS was elected dlree
tor-general of the campaign. Cleve
land H. Dodge was chosen treasurer.
TO SPEED SOLDIERS’ MAIL
Regiment of Former United States
Postal Employes to Be Formed
in France
Formation of a postal regiment in
France composed solely of men wh?
have been in the postal service in the
United Slates to speed up the delivery
of soldiers' mail, was announced by
Congressman Isaac Siegel of New
York, who returned from France on
a steamship which arrived at an At
lantic port last week.
The regiment, he explained, will be
under the command of Col Hove
foime"ly a. Boston business man. and
mail for the fighting men overseas
w ill bi sent to four ports in France
instead of one, as has been the cus
tom.
Mr Selgel, who arrived in France
on July Hi. said he had consulted Gen
Pershing end other high military offi
cials In the Interest of “speeding up
the soldiers’ mail.”
“Three hundred young women of
England, the ‘Waacs’ as they are
called, are helping in the statistical
work and the letters will seek out the
men wherever they are.” said Mr
Siegel. "First of all the men want
their mall better handled. Next they
want more eigarets. more chocolat?
a quicker settlement of the war al
lowance to their folks at home and
quicker payment to themselves over
there. Mind you. there is no kicking,
for the morale is splendid, but when
I asked them what they wanted most
they told me of these things that
were uppermost In their minds.”
SENTENCES COMMUTED
Ten Negroes Condemned to Death
for Participation in Houston
Riot to Serve Life Terms
Death sentences of 10 Negro sol
diers who participated in the riot at
Houston, Tex., August 28. IHI7, have
been commuted to life imprisonment
by President Wilson. In six other
cases the president affirmed the death
sentences because the condemned men
had been found guilty of having de
liberated and with great cruelty mur
dered civilians.
This action, announced last week by
tho war department, concludes the
cases of 29 Negroes given the death
penalty lor their part in the riot.
Thirteen were executed and the presi
dent was tailed upon to review the
findings in 16 cases.
The president found that the 10
whose sentences he commuted had not
been convicted of personally and di
rectly causing deaths. The soldiers In
volved were not named In the depart
ment's statement.
“I commute the remaining sen
tences," the president said in a state
ment attached to the record, "be
cause I believe the lesson of this law
less riot will have been adequately
pointed out by the action already
taken nrd that now directed, and also
because I desire the clemency here
ordered to be a recognition of the
splendid loyalty of the race to which
these soldiers belong and an inspira
tion to the people of that race to fur
ther zeal and service to the country of
which they are citizens and for the
liberties of which so many of them are
now bravely bearing arms at the very
front of the great fields of battle.”
POETRY WRITING ESSENTIAL
Also Writing of Fiction and
Advertisements — Provost Mar
shal-General’s Statement
Person* writing poetry, fiction and
advertisements are engaged in essen
tial industries and are not affected
by the "work or fight" rules, accord
ing to information sent out by the
provost marshal-general’s office to a
Boston draft board Thursday. Ed
ward Sampson, chairman of the board,
found several registrants under those
olasslficatlons or his lists and asked
Washington for a ruling.
Politics In Chicago 1* now a dan
gerous compound of dynamite and
libel suits. As soon as the bomb explo
sion occurred, a newspaper charged
th* mayor with indirect responsibility
for It. The mayor promptly sued the
paper for s'oo,ooo damages, where
upon the said paper boomed circula
tion by printing an announcement tn
big type on the front page: —
"The bomb editorial on page 6 to
day caused Mayor Thompson W »u»
for $300,000 ÜbeL Read it,”