kllies Ready to Meet
I German Drive in West
Inemy Massing for Desper?
ate Blow on the West
Front, He Says
American Aviators
Ready for Battle
1
eW Centralized Control
Plan To Be Tested in
Coming Struggle
By C. \V. Gilbert
? WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. All the re?
torts feceived by the War Department
Indicate that the Germans are about
,'to strike upon the West front. They
Ureo with '.:.' newspaper dispatches
?row
ic war correspondents' head
; in Northern France, which say
m attack is expected between Ar?
as and St. Quentin.
Ihe War Department accepts the
ieory thai it is Germany's purpose to
uijver a hcavj blow soon, and Sccre
'??.:?.: Baker stamped the belief with liis
approval in his weekly review of the
ji?itai.v operations ended February 16,
jablished to-daj.
jlic ccntrali ut on of control of the
y -.,... has be? n made in unte to meet
coming Gcr\nan offensive. When
I ;;.,. ; George spoke of plans adopted
the Versa lies conference he un
,../,,;,; referred to plans to repulse
the expected German offensive, wher
.,,? ?t ? ? be delivered, for it is rcc
icnizcd that the ostentatious prepara?
tions in Northern France may really
.oufiage an attack upon Italy or
upon some other part of the Allied
front
Official information was withheld to?
day about the Allied council or about
this country's par! in pxtending its
powers. Secretary Baker said he Knew
nothing of the report of Lloyd George
referred to and assumed that ir had
boon written by General Bliss. When
Lloyd George's speech is read carefully
? iggests that the inter-Allied or?
ganization consists of a sort of inter?
allied '':1" cabinet the political si?l?'
V rsailles council made up of
,. vari? Premiers and an intcr
A li? d g? :? ral staff.
National Staffs
Now Subordinated
mal ? ,r arc subordinated *o
nter Allied general staff. '1 hat
by Lloyd George's state?
ment tnat General Robertson re fused i
p0! ? 0f cl i? E of staff, that is, of
the British it ip? rial staff, "with the
p, . ? | ich the Versailles confer?
ees had decided to be proper to it."
Of the exacl powers of the organiza
c n i othi ?_? is made public in the
British Premier's speecn as it has
reached this country. The only light
i on them is contained in the
paragraph quoted from Lord Curzon's
pi ? in the House of lords. Lord
i ?? .;?;,; that under the new scheme
eld Marshal Haig woukl 'nave the
ame power over the movements of
??.. ; .-, foi e. The only difference
:.- the V? ". allies conference
R ? certain troops at its dis ?
poga! ". : ?? h it could add to Haig's
troop "i .I elsewhere, according
-., th ;.- iicit'3 of the movement.
General Staff to
Distribute Reserves
And n g ?cral staff disposes of re-'
serv? i, ni i >rd Curzon suggested. It
forms the plan of campaign, and part
of '1 e p an of campai?.';! is the disposi?
tion of r? erves. The General Staff has
a staff man at A, at K. at G and so on.
If an action takes place at A its staff
representative keeps it informed, and
if reinforcements are needed the Gen?
eral Staff, acting on his information,
end t em from B or C or D, or
wherever, according to the plan, they
lar.c held in reserve.
Naturally, this gives greater mobil?
ity to the forces of the Allies than the
control of reserves by the several na?
tional staffs.
_ In army circles there is a belief that
the formation of what amounts to an
Allied general staff means that, the
French arc virtually in control of the
Allies' strategy and military policy,
under, of course, the political section
"f the allied organization. If there is
an allied general staff there is prob?
ably in effect, if not. in name, a chief
of that taff. Plainly, the dominating
figure is not British. General Robert?
son had a chance to bo thy British
member of the Versailles Council and
ueclin? d. If he had had the opportunity to
"?' head of it he probably would not
nave declined, Moreover, if a Briton
'Acre to be head of the organization.
Lloyd George and his associates would
presumably hav,c been particular what
"riton it was.
Baker's Report
Of Week's Progress
On the War Front
WASHINGTON, Kcb. 20. After ex
tUsi-jitte preparations, silently and
systematically carried on, it is ap?
parent that both the Germans and the
Allies ?re ready for the long-expected
offensive in the West, Secretary Baker
says to-day in his review of military
operations for the week ending Feb?
ruary 16.
"While there have been outwardly
no new developments in the military
situation in the West during the period
under review." says the communiqu?
"yet it is apparcn! that both the enemy
and the Allies, after extensive prep?
arations, which have been silently ami
systematically earned ??, ;m. ready
'or battle. The Germans have recent
!X withdrawn a number of their vet?
eran West-Iron', units from the first
?"o trenches and arc busily training
'hem in mobile warfare.
"According to advices received, the
yerman General Staff hopes that by
Casing ? large number of these
Hked shock battalions, which have
??en intensively trained, they may
"diver a crushing blow.
Warder Task Than In Kast
"The bulk of the German forces arc
?Hr?M?nbled in the West. But
MUJW number of these units are wholly
untrained ,n the method of Western
riT W.u xare' which differs radically
? n't. tha? ^ndUCted ??on* oth?
hSh? Purth?rm?re. ?he German
h, ,. r ro,nn,"!V1 realizes fully that
ht! forces will meet with far more
ffflcult tactical obstacles than nnv
pUnerto encountered by on attacking
army. A break-through was possible
1)1 Russia only after I he morale of
the Russians had been undermined; the
samo was true in Italy, and wo wit
llessed how speedily t'ni' Italian line
was mended.
"l'urine; the week there has been
much activity of a minor character
along the entire Western front.
"As has already been announced, in
Lorraine n segment of the lino is en?
tirely under the control of our for?es.
Along our front patrol encounters
were numerous. The Germans under?
took a rani against our positions and
succeeded in inflicting a few casual?
ties, A small American patrol, while
scouting in No Man's Land, was am?
bushed h\ the enemy.
"The weather was very rainy during
tin- first part of the wei'k. and our
troops wer?- busy manning the pumps
;n an effort to keep their tronches dry.
Later clear weather prevailed and hos?
tile aircraft mnd?' frequent flights to
reconnoitre our positions. A -marked
improvement in our anti-aircraft bar?
rage is reported. Artillery duels took
plaee, and the Germans showered our
lines with pas shells, which, however,
caused no casualties, owing to efficient
tras mask protection.
"In Champagne units of American ar?
tillery participated in an engagement
undertaken by French forces. This
operation was the most important of
the week in the West. After very
careful artillery preparation, during
which our batteries cooperated use?
fully, French infantry advanced to the
assault- southwest of the Lutte du
Mesnil. along a front of about 1,400
yards. The French, succeeding in
penetrating the German positions,
broke through the second ?ml reached
the third German line. During this
brisk attack the French destroyed
many enemy shelters, inflicted much
damage to enemy positions, besides
bringing back 150 prisoners.
"Other successful raids were under?
taken by French detachments in the
vicinity of the Chemin ?tes Dames, east
of Rheims, in upper Alsace and else
where. In all, the French drove for?
ward twelve very fortunate rcconnois
sancc undertakings along different
parts of the line.
"German units were also active.
Their attempts to reach the French
lines were temporarily successful in the
vicinity of Bezonvaux and in Alsace.
However, seven German raid at vari?
ous other points broke down. French
?artillery kept the enemy constantly
engaged along a widely scattered area.
"The British front was also the
scene of numerous minor engagements
No important actions took place, and
the enemy, who wa-> evidently busy
with the grouping of units and dispos?
ing fresh forces recently arrived from
other theatres, in the front line, under?
took only such reconnoitring engage
incuts as to familiarize the new units
with the nature of the terrain in front
of them. .
"In the Italian theatre the enemy has
again assumed an aggressive atti?
tude. . . .
''The concentration of an important
bode of German cavalry in the vicinity
of Lipa is noted, and it is believed that
the Germans may lind it expedient t.,
advance on Petrograd. It is difficult to
determine the exact status of affairs in
southwestern Russia. The Russian
contingents are evacuating the Arme?
nian centres south of the Black Sea.
which are being reoccupied by Turkish
detachments. Trebizond will probably
soon fail into Turkish hands.
"It is important to record that large
, contingents of Arabs are joining the
forces of tlie Sheik of Mecca, who is co
operating with the British.
"The Arabs 'nave defeated the Turks
in two encounters, occupied El Mazreh,
southeast of the Dead Sea. and are ad?
vancing along the Hedjaz railway tow?
ard Moan."
Trial of Caillaux
Pressed by Court
FARIS, Feb. SO. The investigation
in the ease of former Premier Cail?
laux, who is charged with treason, wa3
continued to-day with the examination
of several witnesses by Captain Bou
chardon, of the Paris Military Court.
' Among the witnesses was Charles Ber
tcHi, a newspaper correspondent.
The investigation into the cuse
;,gainst Senator Charles Humbert, who
likewise is accused of treason, also was
continued.
Lieutenant Bondoux, one of Captain
?ouchardon's assistants, heard two wit?
nesses, who had volunteered to give
testimony concerning the "affaires" in
volving Paul Comby. a lawyer, who
is under arrest charged with com?
plicity in the Call ?aux and Bolo Pacha
case?, and Louis Loustalot, Deputy for
Landes, who was arrested in January
after his parliamentary immunity had
. been suspended.
Women to Join Signal Corps
Telephone Operators' Unit
Will Serve in France
Women who speak both French and
English fluently can go to France with
the army and serve in the signal corps
;?s telephone operators, according to
the announcement of the chief signal
officer. Those with switchboard experi?
ence will he doubly welcome, but if
t'ne necessary units cannot bo made
ut) of experienced operators, this in?
struction will be given to those who
speak Loth languages ami are physi?
cally lit.
The uniform is navy blue. The or?
ganization is a beginning of a move?
ment to enroll something like the
British Women's Auxiliary Corps, the
signal branch of which has already
achieved fame in France.
Application blanks cm be obtained
from ?h?- office of I lu- chief signal of?
ficer, Room 826, Mills Building Annex,
Washington. Those selected will be
transferred from place to place at
government expense. Enlistment is
; for the duration of the war. Pay
! ranges from $.">0 a month for substi?
tutes to $125 for chief operators.
Red Tape Cut by Baker
Papers for Military Officials
to Reach Them Direct
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.?Through
tli?.' approval to day of an order per?
mitting the direct reference of military
- matters to th?' division handling them,
Secretary Baker eliminated a large sec?
tion of War Department "red tape."
Heretofore, all papers destined for
tlie military olficials had t<? pass
through 'channels" leading t?> the of
l.cc of the Adjutant General. From
liiere, they were distributed to the
staff departments. After a decision
had been leached, the papers in each
case had to move back over the route
: they had come.
Woman to Help Food Board
ITHACA, X. V., Fob. 20.- Miss Mar
; tha Van Rensselaer, of the department
of home economic!'. New York State
, College of Agriculture. Cornell Uni?
versity, has been, appointed head of the
division of home conservation of the
United State- food administration.
Miss Van Rensseluer will assume her
duties ?at Washington March I. Her
work will include the supervisi?n of
, the plans for conservation in the homes
in u-11 the st-tts.
S
I Cabinet Crisis Over,
London Press Agrees
I Lloyd George's Statement Ac- j
cepted as Satisfactory by
Most Papers
LONDON', Feb. 20. A majority of
I the morning papers accept the sta'te- ?
! ment mad?- in th.? House of Commons i
yesterday by Premier Lloyd George as
a satisfactory explanation, and entire
lv approve of the Versailles agreeent |
and consider the whole incident |
straightened, out.
Hostile newspapers continue to be
unconvinced and r?it?r?t?- their sharp
critieistns, hit; seem resolved to ac?
cept the situation. They express the
??pinion that no government crisis is ?
likely to arise at present, although
they belicvo Lie. government has been
L wekkenod by recent events
Some of the papers which ncept!
readily enough the Premier's stale
ment and commend it, nevertheless in?
dorse the regret expressed by former
Premier Asquith that, tin- Premier hail
not spoken with equal clearness n
week ago. Several support, tin' appeal
of Austen Chamberlain that the gov-?
eminent sever its, connection with the
press..
More New Yorkers
Get Commissions
War Department Announces
Names of Men Added to
Reserves
| Staff Correspondence]
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. Reserve
officers commissioned from Now York
City to-day by the War Department
; included the following:
Quartermaster Corps, Ntitior.nl Arm>
?IS. A. Simmons, 233 Broadway, major; Na
! thanicl Dain, 4fl Clurcmont Avenue, captain;
James U. O'Toolc, "20 West Fifty-second
. Street, first lieutenant.
Sanitary Corps, National Army Lewis B.
- Codding, Sixty-first street and Columbu
Avenue, first lieutenant.
Ordnance Reserve Corp.- Thonlus K. !
Brown. ir? 18 Kasl Korty-firsl Street; Jame
. 1 . Hunt. I',:: West Ninety-third Street., an.I
William T. .Ionian, j'-.. 223 Riverside Drive,
first lieutenants; Louis A. M. Bushnell, 227 I
Loring Place, and Donaldson Ciarle. 13 l-..^
change Piafe, second lieutenants.
Medical Reservo Corps- Ruy H. Bechtoll,
Blackwell's Island; Milton A. ?Miller, Lincoln
Hospital, and Murray L. Brandt, 030 Long
wood Avenue. Bronx, first lieutenants.
The War Department to-day an?
nounced promotions of the following i
New York National Guardsmen at Camp
Wadsworth, Spartanbui'g, S. C:
Captain William E. Lane, jr., of
Peekskill, to be major.
First Lieutenant George II. Storm,
"50 Park Avenue. New York City, to be
captain.
Second Lieutenants Jacob W. Vogt,
of Niagara Falls, and Edwin M. Rob?
erts, of Auburn, to be firs! lieutenants. '
\h: Charles \V, U. Bouchot, of Phila-I
delphia, one of the founders of the
Ambulance and surgeon in chief from
its inauguration until the taking over
of the institution by Cue army, has
been created a Chevalier of the Legion.
These decorations arc r.egardcd not
altogether as a recognition of the per?
sonal service of '?hese men. but as a
testimonial to the value of the work as
a whole and as a special honor to the
American people, who make ?t possible
by their contributions.
American Ambulances
Honored by France
PARIS, Feb. _0.?The American Am?
bulance, its founders and its work have
again been signally honored by the
French government. The Under Secre?
tary of the Department of Public
Health has notified Laurence V. Bcaet,
of Washington, one of the organisers
of the ambulance and chairman of the
ambulance committee since the death
of Captain Frank II. Mason, that he
has been promoted from officer to com?
mander of the Legion of Honor.
Eugene A. Lachaise, of New York, a
volunteer at the organization of the
?ambulance, former captain of orderlies
and director of eld work in the /.one
of the armies and now second in cotn
j mand of Cue American sections, has
been promoted from chevalier to of?
ficer of the Legion of Honor.
Camp Upton Hears Butler
CAMP UPTON, Feb. 20. Presiden!
Nicholas Murray Butler of Columbia
; University visited cam)) to-day as the
I guest of Colonel C. 0. Sherrill, of the
302d Engineers. In his address to the
regiment ho said :
"If a fire in the block threatened
j your house you would try to help put
? it out and not wait until it reached
? your home. That is what you are do?
ing in going to France. The whole na?
tion has volunteered to fight, some by
(making munitions, some by building'
ships and others by directing business,
i To you has been given the chief honor
i1 because of the danger and risk of fight
l ing. and you were, selected for it be
' cause you were found most fit."
Two Draft Evaders Get
Twenty Years Each in Prison
CAMP FUNSTON, Kas., Feb. 'JO.
! George Yoager, of Troy, Kan., con?
victed here recently by court martial
or. charges of evading the draft, to-day
was sentenced to twenty years in the
Federal penitentiary at. Leaven worth. I
Yeager, who is twenty-three years
old, refused to serve, denounced the
government and boasted that he was
u member of the I. W. W.
Gordon Spradlin, of Montrosc County,
, Colo., also was given twenty years for
1 evading the draft.
Ttie Great War?13 01st Dayj
Petaih Breaks
Line at Nancy;
Captures 400
French Shock Troops Carry
Out Brilliant Operation
Near the Border
Hindenburg Plan
May Be Weakened
German Attack on the Ar
gonne Repulsed; Foe
Loses Heavily
LONDON". Feb. 20. General L'etain's
shock troops carried out a brilliant
operation to-day on the front, north?
east of Nancy, where the trenches lie
almost against the Gorman border.'
The official statement, from Paris de?
clares that the enemy's lines were
penetrated deeply on a wide front and
that the attacking detachments brought
back over 400 prisoners.
The thrust was north of Bumcs and
east of Monee!, small towns in French
Lorraine, just west of the German!
frontier. The line in this region con?
stitutes part of the outlying defences
of the great French fortress "?' Nancy,
where sonic observers havo expected
a German drive. If this is par!, of
llindenburg's plan, the French are now
better rnformed of his strength in this
region.
French troops also repulsed, an at?
tempted German raid in the Argonne
and inflicted heavy losses on their as?
sailants. Paris reports heavy artillery
fighting in the Vosges, ami, in fact.
the whole Eastern portion i'\' the
French line, which include.-, the various
sectors occupied by the Americans.
seems to have become more active.
French aviators brought down live
German 'planes yesterday, The Portu?
guese, wlio arc now issuing a com?
munique, stall- that they captured a
Got ha aeroplane v.hich fell within their
lines, together with its crew of four.
Berlin declare- that the French un?
dertook strong reconnoissanccs north
'?: Rheims (west of the sector occupied
by the American artillery) and at
Juvincourt. British scouting parties
(perating in strong force west of
ttouthem arc said to have been re
pulsed.
General Ilaig reports that last night
i powerful German raid near Arleux
en-Gohelle, past of Arras, was thrown
hack, tin- Germans losing both killed
and prisoners. On the other hand, the
British took prisoners i:? a raid near
Wytschaete in Flanders. Some activity
is chronicled or. the battlefield where
General Byng mad" his famous tank
drice, the enemy artillery being kept
exceedingly busy and some prisoners
changing hands.
The Allied fliers are out in swarms
and British naval pilots last night' car?
ried out extensive bombing raids on
many military objectives behind the
German liners in Belgium, including the
docks at Bruges, "ne enemy seaplane
was'sent into the Channel, another was
brought down in the British, .lines and
r. third hurled ?Town out. of control.
American Died Fighting
Ten Enemy Seaplanes
Sims Reports Germans Claim
Downing U. ?S. Machine
YVASHI.XGTON, Feb. 20.?Viee-Ad
ii ira! Sims advised the Navy Depart?
ment to-day thai the American sea?
plane in which Ensign Albert Dalton
Sturlevant, United States army, was
lost, is claimed by the Germans to have
been shot down in flames. Ensign
Sturtevanl was second pilot in the
plane.
"Apparently this machine was at?
tacked by ten enemy planes." the dis?
patch sttit es.
600 in England Sign
Por American Draft
Th?3 Includes Practically AM
U. S. Citizens in the King?
dom ?Subject to Call
LONDON". Feb. 20. Approximately
600 Americans resident in the United
Kingdom are subject to the draft under
the Anglo-American treaty. That num?
ber, i; was announced to-day by the
American Consul General, Robert P.
.Skinner, have registered since the draft
scheme went into effect. This mean
tl'.at virtually nil the Americans in the
Kingdom have signed up.
There iji'e approximately 12,000 Amer?
ican citizens of both sexes and all ages
now resident in Die United Kingdom.
Sharp Praises American Youths
Learning to Fly at Camp in France
/
Envoy Visits Our Largest Aviation Base Abroad, Where
i
I kindreds Are Training To Be 'Aces"?Most of
Them Are College Men?Many ?Are Athletes
r. Ti o Associated Press!
PMUS. ]-t !.. 20. A city of 1,500 111
: habitants where, six months ago, there
was a vacant field; many of the.finest
: physical and intellectual specimen.- of
.America's young manhood vying with
one another in mastering the art of
I flying, and hundreds of airplane* con
: tinually hovering or spiralling over?
head, are facts which caused William
G. Sharp, the American Ambassador
here, enthusiasm and delight at the
achievements of the aviation depart?
ment of the American army when
i visiting the largest American aviation
? camp in France a few days ago,
The ambassador said he was great
; ly impressed by the work accomplished
j in the short space of time, as ??round
: at the aviation camp was only broken
, last August.
The boys a-rc working under ideal
condition.-. Modern sanitary methods
have been adopted and baths and swim?
ming pool* installed. The R?-?| Cross
land the Young Men's Christian As
J sociation have organized recruatiou
and amusement place.-, and the can:];
gives one the impression thai ii is
tiie campus of a large American uni?
versity. A largo percentage of the
men are university undergraduates
The French officer i>\ instruction
teld Die ambassador the American
youths are marvellous fliers, quick to
learn, courageous and energetic, and
will devele)) rapidly into "?'.n'<" com?
parable to the renowned men in other
armies. The men are given thorough
preparation in this camp, but have to
take a post graduate course at an?
other aviation camp near the front for
n few weeks before going over the
lines to face the Germans. The full
fledged aviators turned out daily at
this camp arc immediately replaced by
other novices.
"It was a mes! inspiring sight," Mr.
Sharp said. "The men radiate with
strength, physical and mental. They
have great .-pirit and confidence and
are eager t e 'do their bit.'"
Nearly ail the men "i the ?lying
force are trained athletes. Another
hundred men arc attending a Kreuch
camp nearby.
On the Road to Dixie
By Hey wood Broun
(,/iiitt bark from France)
One of the many American negroes employed in unloading ships
at French ports ?howcd such aptitud? that the army officer in charge
of his squad decided to give him an opuortunity for more important
hi bor.
"Henry," said the officer, "how would youflike to be shifted from
hero and go to Paris?"
"Paris? Paris?" said the negro. "? beg your pardon, sir, but is
that any nearer Savannah, (la.?"
Foe Cannot Break Through,
Returning Officers Assert
Major General Greene Says Our Troops and Allies Are
Ready for Onslaught?Morale of Men Praised
?General Wood Recovering
AN ATLANTIC PORT, Feb. 20.?The I
threatened spring drive by Germany '<
against the Western front is antici- :
pated with little concern by the Brit?
ish, French and American troops, ac?
cording to United States Army officers
who arrived here last night on an
American liner from England. All ex?
pressed the highest commendation of
the American troops and their Allies
and expressed the hope that Un
American people would discredit the
various unfounded and disparaging re?
ports that, drift about the country.
"The Allied line on the Western
front, is mighty in men, equipment and
morale," said Major General Henry A.
Greene, of the 01st Division. "I have
been over it and have talked with men
high m command of the British and
French forces. One of these high mili?
tary authorities expressed the situa?
tion in one sentence, and that was:
"'They may bend our line in places,
hut, by God, they can never break it.'
That is the way we all feel along the
Western front. The morale of our
men is perfect. They are doing ex?
actly what was expected of them, and
doinp: it well.
"I was particularly proud of my own
boys of the 01st. They are made'up of
men from the Pacific Coast and other
states as far East as Montana. They
are tine physical and mental specimens
of the true soldier, and have great
spi rit."
General Mood Now Better
General Greene, who hails from Ta
coma, Wash., is on his way back to re?
sume command at Camp Lewis, in
Washington. He said he met General
Wood in Paris the day before he em?
barked for England, and found him re?
covering splendidly from a rather se
vere wound.
The premature discharge of a higl
3 Missing Americans
Prisoners in Germany
Jersey City Man Captured;
6 Wounded on New Cas?
ualty List
WASHINGTON,Feb.20.- Three Amer
ican soldiers missing after an action o:
February 0 were reported ?o-dny lo
cated in a German prison camp.
They arc Corporal Nicholas Mulhall
infantry, 189 Ninth Street, Jersey City
Private Edwin B. Haines, infantry, F!
F, D. -1. Woodward, Okla., and Privat'
Frank E. McDougal, infantry. Mary
Second Lieutenant John J. McNceh
Washington, i). C, and Private Irvi:
c. Stutton, Lansing, Mich., were report
ed to-day slightly wounded in action i
Franco on February 12.
Corporal Elite L. Capley, Adrta, Ga
end Privates Charles VV. Durant, Shei
?dan, Wyo.; Frank Wolfe, Ashlanc
Wis., and Elmer Wise, Fairvicw, Wyo
were slightly wounded in action on Fch
ruary 17.
Died Serving Their
Country Abroad
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.- -Genen
Pcrshing reported to-day that Privat
Sidney A. South. Alexander, Penn., die
February 19 of. meningitis and Privai
Andrew Reymer, of McKeesport, Penr
was accidentally crushed to death o
February 17.
Hine to Reorganize
French Railway
Former Commander of 6()t
New York Appointed to
Pershing's Staff
Colonel Charles lime, commander
the 165th Infantry, formerly the 69
New York, has been appointed lo Ge
eral Pershing's staff. The command
the 165th will jro to Colonel John Wi'
?am Barker, recently detailed to tl
American Embassy in Paris.
Colonel Hine will take charge of tl
reorganization of French railway sy
tenis, a reform that General Pcrshii
has advocated for month-. lie is :
experienced railway man and w
termed by the late ?. II. Harriman t
best expert on reorganization in t
count ry.
After his graduation from We
Point, in 1891, Colonel Iline served f
a short time in the army, then took
railroading as a career. He served
major through the Spaif?sh-Americ
War ami returned to civilian life un
the outbreak of the present conflict.
Colonel Barker was graduated fr?.
West Point in 1890 and served throu
the Spanish-American War as a ct
tain in the Signal Corns. lie was
major in the 'iei Infantry at the time
received orders to go to Paris.
N.Y.Guardsmen in Trench?
Signaller With 165th Writ
of Work in Front Lines
Intimation that New York Guardsm
are already serving in the? trenches
France is contained in a letter
ceived yesterday by Mrs. Charles ??
Kinney, of 1430 Fifty-seventh Stre
Brooklyn, from her son Joseph, a me
her of Company A, 165th Infantry?t
old 69th?which went across with t
Rainbow Division.
"Since our arriva! in Franco," t
letter reads, "the company has und
Rone many changes, having been
modelled for trench lighting. I h;
been assigned with the signa! squ
and if- ?s my duty to assist in main ta
?ng connections between our compi
and others. Wc also do a ^reu'. deal
explosive shell in a quick-firing trench
mortar, he said, ripped the inner side
of the general's left arm from below
the elbow to the armpit, cutting deep
and snapping several blood vessels. The
main artery of the arm, however, was
not cut. The long wound healed well,
he said, but was accompanied by numb?
ness for several weeks.
Another traveller was Captain W. de
Vignier Be.'ily, an American aviator at?
tached to the Royal Flying Corps of
the North Staffordshire Regiment, lie
was honorably discharged from service,
and returns' to his home in Washing- j
ton. 1). (.'., to seek a commission in the
National Army. '
Officer Meld as German Suspect
lie told of an air raid made by Ger?
mans over London on February -'. He
and a party of friends, including Mrs. '
M. Bunyca Gideon, of New York, who
was a passenger on the vessel arriving
to-night, were on the roof of a hotel.
When the bombs dropped from the
German aeroplanes Captain Bealey
(lashed a pocket lamp. and. in a spirit
of fun. remarked in German, "Sehr ',
gut." Instantly an English woman who
was with another group on the roof I
shouted: "Those people are German
spies! "
"That vas al! the German I knew."
said Captain Bealey, "and I uttered it
merely in fun. Nevertheless the police
were called and arrested all of tu?.
Here was I in my uniform, but it. did
not save me. All of us were held until
we could prove we were not Germans."
Mrs. Gideon said that the office of
I he periodical "John Hu'1" was demol
'd that night by the German air
i :. ...,!?."?.
Among other passengers were Major
General II. '!'. Allen, Major Genera!
Harry C. Hale, of Camp Zaehary Tay?
lor, in Kentucky; Captain James Cald
weil, Captain G. S. Baker, Commander
H. C. Kimmell, Charles Urban, the
artist and scene painter, Captain
Waller Moore and D. Lome Thomas.
scouting and observing, most of the
work being done in 'No Man's Land' at
night.
"It is a pretty responsible iob and
chance.-, for advancement are good."
British Advance
East of Jerusalem
LONDON. Feb. 20.- The British army
in Palestine made an attack yesterday
cast of Jerusalem, advancing two miles
on a front, of fifteen miles, i! is an?
nounced officially. Tlie communica?
tion follows:
"Yesterday morning we advanced to
Die attack on a frontage of fifteen
miles east of Jerusalem. By evening
ell objectives had been 3s<jnfed to an
average depth of two miles.
British Seize Many Guns
LONDON'. Feb. 20. The British cap?
tures in the past year included IOS
heavy howitzers. OS heavy guns, ?:;7
field jruns, 1,055 trench mortars and
",81 I machine guns.
This statement was made by .lames
Ian Macpherson, Parliamentary Under?
secretary for War. in introducing tue
army estimates in the House of Com?
mons to-day.
Under Secretary MacPherson said
that the strength of the German army
was already far greater on the Western
front than at any previous period, and,
although the Allies at present are su?
perior in men and fcuns. the balance
might soon be in favor of the enemy.
The Allie; must be prepared for a de?
termined offensive at an early date, but
all measures to meet the situation had
been taken.
The strain on the British troops and
liioso of the Allies, lie added, might be
severe, but the successes of the British
and French armies in the last year had
inspired all ranks to the belief in their
ability to hold their own.
British gun power had increased by
almost 50 \.k\- cent (hiring the last year,
and the army was ?loing everything pos?
sible to economize with a view to sav?
ing tonnage. These economies would
save two billions tonnage in the distant.
theatres of the war this year.
How Wemyss Seemyss
To a German Rhymster
AMSTERDAM, Jan. 31.- In an at?
tempt to teach its German readers the
proper pronunciation of the name of
the new English First Sea Lord. "The
Cologne Gazette" published the follow?
ing impromptu limerick in English:
An Englishman whose name was Weymss
Went crazy at last, so it, xvm:-. ,
Because people would not
Understand that they oukH
To call him, not Wem-iss, hut Wcems.
German Ship Hits Mine
LONDON, Feb. 20. -A Cern?an guard
ship stationed in the Baltic, near
Langeland Island (north of Kiel Bay?,
has been damaged through striking a
Cern?an mine, according toan Exchange
Telegraph dispatch from Copenhagen.
About twenty men are supposed to
have been killed.
American Ocentric Co.
DENICOBAC
mild, aroma, e, highly recommended
Non injurious Cigars
liai ' opened an o.0?i o ai
507 5th Ave., ?r?.
Suif. 1 20?. Murray Hill l ?SO
t/./iere "DKSICOBA.C CIGAR" will br ex?
hibited and sold in addition to the offlc, ,n
'?f?'S Broadway,near l uitou. Cortlandt 3717
l,/,;.-.-. . ,-UI Corn pond, r, to Factory
i-., itlant ?? lee., /.?<?.? Uain i:?1
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\
Broadway at 34th Street
Announce, Beginning Today, an Important
Sale of Men's Silk
Neckwear at 55c
i
CJ Many producers of fine neckwear claim per?
fection for their cravats, but the manufacturer
who made these scarves has more nearly ap?
proached the ideal in tailoring his neckwear than
any other manufacturer we know of.
^f Only the newest patterns, in a wealth of heanti
f'ul colorings, arc represented in this event. A
brand new collection?each cravat made of silk of
a much better quality than is usually embodied in
cravats at a popular price. Some of the weaves:
Silk Serge, Moga/_ors, Society Silks, Meadowbrook
Sport Silks, Poplins, Grena<lines, Jasper
Silks and Twii!^
Official Statements j
i_I
West
BRITISH
LONDON, Feb. 20 (DAY).?After a heavy
preliminary bombardment, the- enemy at?
tempted to raid our line last night east o"
A?-!eu.\-en-Go!ielle. The attacking party was
completely repulsed by our troops, with tin
loss of a number of Germans killed or taken
prisoners.
A successful loca! enterprise was carried
out early last night northeast ot^Wytschaetc.
.Several prisoners were captured by us.
Except for some patrol activity northwest
of St. Quentin, nothing further o!' special
interest occurred.
Naval aircraft dropped many tona of ex?
plosives Monday night ?>n ?St. Denis Westrem
end the doc Its at Bruges and drove down an
enemy machine. Large quantities of explo?
sives were dropped Tuesday on the airdrome
ai Aertrycke aiul the dump at Engel; vi'?!:
;.:??od results. An enemy seaplane was
brought down at ea, another v.as downed
within the British lines, and :i third was
sent down out of control.
LONDON, Feb. CO (NIGHT).?A few
prisoners were brought in by our pat/ok? o?
lhi> southern portion of the front. A raid
was attempted by the enemy early this morn?
ing cast, of Armentieres, but v,a? repulsed.
The hostile artillery has shown some ac?
tivity during the day in the neighborhood
of St. Quentin ami southwest of La Busse .
FRENCH
PARIS. Fob. 20 (DAY). Three German
raids on small French posts in the region of
Quincy Wood, north.west of Courcy and in
the sector of Vauquois, were repulsed by the
French lire, says to-day's official report.
There was rather violent artillery fighting
in the Champagne, in the region of Butte-du
Mesnil, and in the Vosges.
On the remainder of the front the night
passe?! in quiet.
PARIS, Feb. 20 (NIGHT).?In the A
gonnc we repulsed an attack at Four-dc
Paris and inflicted appreciable losses on the
enemy.
In Lorraine, north o" Bumes and ea? t of
Moncel (nortlieast of Nancy) our detach?
ments penetrated the German lines deeply on
a large front. This operation, brilliantly
carried out. enabled us to bring back pris?
on? ?". the number of which arc known to ex?
ceed foUr hundred.
In the Vosges there was quite marked ar?
tillery fighting i',1 the region of La Favc.
GERMAN
BERLIN, via London, Feb. 20 (DAY). -
There have been artillery and mine firing
duels on several parts of the front. Strong
reconnoitring attacks by the British west i?f
llousthem. and by the French, near Juvin
courl and north of Rheir... , were repulsed.
Elsewhere nothing occurn ?.
East
GERMAN
BERLIN. Feb. 20 (DAY). -On both sides
of the Riga-Petrograd railway the Russian
positions we.'?* crossed, and we advanced
twenty kilometres beyond the line which had
been our front. feeble resistance on tin
part of the enemy near Inzeem, north of th<
railway, soon was broken.
Our divisions ptmhed on from Dvinsk tc
the nortlieast and to tiie east.
Between Dvinsk and Lutsk they advance?.
on wide sectors. Divisions which pressed for?
ward beyond Lutsk are marching on Rovno.
Prisoners to the number of 2,300, severa
hupdred guns and a great amount of rolHiip
stock fell into our hands.
(NIGHT)?The forward movement con
tinues in the east. German troop? have en
tered Ksthonia. Werfer ha3 been passe?
through in an easterly direction.
AUSTRIAN
VIENNA. Lob. 20.?In conformity will
the peace treaty with Ukraine, the provisiol
regarding restoration of the frontiers a
they existed befon? the outbreak of the wa
between Austria-Hungary and the Russia:
Empire li8\e been fully carried out. On
troops have occupied without incident lh,
region extending to the original Austro
Hungarian frontier.
Spring Shirts,
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$1.50 to $12
A COLLECTION of dis
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proffering the season's
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Oxweave . AV It i l o () \ t"or?i
Basket weave I, eollarless <:>r
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J?HND\VID
5lII^BlXX:KSMAirrG?OTHE5
Broadway at 32^?treet
itaiian Front
ITA LIA X
ROME, il'.. 20. C;: the n hole iront. tb*>
usual harassing actions >vere carried uut by
the opposing artilleries. They were more
intense ? ? t of the Frenze!? Valley ar.J
along the ? ".<- ts I ? egion.
^t Messo Lago ami east of Pcrtica strong
detachments attempting to reach on
positions were repulsed. A fi v prisoners re?
mained ?n ou ? liandi.
\erial activity on bot! hides ? a.- marked
r'or.K the front linps. M dawn n squadron
of British machines surprised the aviation
ground at C'asar-a. and K>nib.<] it with very
good effect. An airship shed ?. ? ? destroyed.
A: nixht one of our squadrons reached
11k- aviation oann? at I.u Comina end dropped
two tons of explosives, causing a lar^e fir-,
\!1 of our machines and those o?' the Allies
returned ?? it out '...; l?ge.
I.asl evening se enemy eirpla ?e returning
??? ' ' a bombing expedition was brought
? [ov a north of 'I've '? e.
Diaz Parries Thrust
At Monte Petrica
LO?\'DOX, Feb. 20. The war office
at Rome reports to-day that stronc
enemy thrusts at the Italian positions
on Monte Petrica, on Die Northern
front, were repulsed by General Diaz's
troops, who took prisoners. Vienna,
on the other hand, refers to the de?
feat of powerful Italian attacks ?:;
the *;>.??:<? region. Tie artillen.- du"!
was more violent west of the Frcn
zella Valley and along Die eoast-tt
reg on east of Venice.
The fliers on both sides were active.
A squadron of British machine?, fly?
ing ;:' dawn, attacked the foe's avi
ation grounds at Casarsa and destroyed
a hangar. At night an Italian flotilla
dropped two ton- <>f bombs on an ail
camp, I.a ?.'omina.
3L Altaran Se Ca.
Laces amid Embroideries
are to foe the vogye ior the
comuog seasop?
Bo A?t-man & Co. are amply prepared'to meet
the ?rceviitaMe deinr_a__d,a_-d, inanticipation
of it, are already dlspllay.mig a marvelous
assortmerat off the oiew creations, si ?eluding
the nove, asud fase 5 mi at! ?? g wool Saces feat?
ured ?im tike recent Exhibition.
There fis a?so a choke se.ectfo:. of Ven.se
.aces which inust infallibly co___?pe. interest
arad admSrat.oi..
( First Floor)
Wxftif Attrratr-*f?adU.im Amo*.
34fJ? att? 35?} ?tttrta %m f^