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Over the Top/9 by Sergt Guy Empey, the Greatest Book of the War, will be published exclusively in
The Herald? beginning in the it?ue of Monday, February 11. Order your paper today.
I
ERALD
WAl SAVINGS STAMPS
?de.dir- ?MWN ?* -*lae
Uade Stu?
ttwa. Bay ?em today
NO. ?4124.
WEATHER-LIGHT RAIN.
WASjHD?GTON. D. C, SATURDAY, FjEBRUARY 9, 1918.
ONE CENT &."??%.?
Tare Osa.?.
U. S. SHIPPING
BOARD FACES
NEW SHAKE-UP
Amazing Revelations of Lax
Methods Bring Announce
ment from Hurley.
? new reorganization of the
Si-iipping Board ts on th? way.
Chairman Hurley, so informed the
Senate Commerce Committee, at a
secret session late yesterday. It
has, he said, the approval of the
President.
Declining to make public details.
Chairman Hurley said the principal
innovation would be bringing new
?nhlpbuildintr experts into the or
ganiza ? ion
He left the committee to hurry
to an appointment, he said, with the,
men whom he has asked to help
him.
Planning Details.
Announcements of names and
plans are to come today.
Hurley saw the ?'resident Tues
day night of this week, following
the Cabinet meeting, and laid his
plan before th?? Executive. Its gen
eral outline having been approved,
he worked out details, and laid the
whole proposition before the Senate
.'ommittee yesterday. No legisla
tion or Congressional action is
necessary.
It is understood that half a dozen
"zones'* will be created, with the
leading builders of the various dis
i rifts having large powers of super
vision. Districts probably will be:
New England. Central Atlantic
States. Great ?Lakes, Gulf States,
and the Pacific Coast. A separate
control may be provided for the
extensive wooden shipyards of the
North Pacific Coast region.
Hurley caught the committee com
pletely by surprise. All day long
they had probed into the Hog Is
land contracts, exposing half a
dozen new leakages of money, and
developing that only Ave of the
fifty ways there are even approach
in? a condition where ships can be
built on them.
At the Bristol, Pa., yard. It was
testified, none of the ships can be
launched because they draw twenty
feet of water, and there is but
twelve feat depth in the Delaware
Rivar. Dredging operation? nr?
under way.
t'umirinder Paul L. Reed, a navy
officer assigned aa government super
iiiten'Uni of the works, was another
witness.
He declared he had instructions not
t?- interfere with the contracting com
auq- cftener than necessary. H? said
iM-t one contract which the company
uroposed to him had been rejected.
H? admitted'that the government had
accepted th* company's estimate? of
n_MMM without preparing one of
its own. Inspection or piling and other
? inter ia Is. he testified, was left "Main
ly" to the contractor's employes.
Asked the theory of what Senator
Harding called this "remarkable ar
rangement. " he said the government
had believed it could -:et best results
by giving wide au thon* y to private
concern?, and holding inen, to respon
sibility.
X? Fixed Reap-aasibllItT.
lie admitted that no responsibility
had been fixed, however, which would
prevent the government from vast
money losses. His estimate was that
the yard would be completed for W2,
?-.-O.U09. as against half that originally
estimated.
Senator Vardaman?"The govern
ment paid all bills and there was no
attempt at economy." ?
Reed?"It is true that economy was
always a secondary consideration."
Nelson?"You tied up thousands of
ears of freight; you employed hun
dreds of men you couldn't use. Now,
whv?"?
Reed?"We-"
Nelson?"I didn't ask about 'we.*
What did you do to stop it?"
Keed did not answer.
Hire?! y.\rrjbeydj.
Senator Fletcher?When did too
many men begin to be hired?
Reed?At once. They hired all who
came. They ordered material far in
ailvance. I didn't feel in a position to
stop them. The government wished
to leave the Job to them.
Vnrdaman? Many were absolutely
untrained?
Reed?Yes, but much work was
common labor.
He said a macadam road had to be
hulit to the island, the rough piles of
dumped gravel graded, and plank
roadways laid. To Senator Johnson's
insistent queries as to what Interests
the American International Company
bought the land from, he could give
no answer. The government, he said,
is paying 6 per cent rent annually oa
its ?.7'J*>.000 valuation.
?Senator Vardaman asked If Its
whole value did not depend on a gov
ernment shipyard being located there.
Reed answered Delaware River prop
erty was increasing tn value.
Due to a policy of starting fifty
shipways all at once, he said, the
whole plant wa? thrown into confu
sion. He admitted there are today
only flve of the fifty ways even near
tng completion. He said there were
twelve on which nothing had been
done, and the Shipping Board had or
dered work on them stopped.
"Can you tell if material waa
largely bought from firms which
have interlocking directorates with
the contracting company?"
"Bids were always asked.**
"They selected the?firms?**
'"W? made suggestions. We could
and did."
" Who made original estimates oi
coat?'*
The shipbuilding company?" ?
?*? (???*????? Eatlmates.
"The government mede none it
?e|f, separately?*'
"No.''
"L?t me have >ou repeat that.
The government, called on to pay
all bilia, mad? no estimates of its
"Ce? you name one instance whe*?
?riginat estimate? were appioximated
. fe final coins*?'
<Xilsri*UJ> KM FACiJC TWO.
Is?
Hun Battery Blown
Up by U. S. Artillery
Fire; Raid Repulsed
With Ihr? Astri,?? Army la
Fraa???, Feb. ?t.?Otar "heavlea"
thl? at?rala? blew a? a ?.?erma?
hattery. ? heavy explaaian waa
?blrrvnl behlad lb? tar?;'?
raaa.aflas;., aad th? Uermaa bat
tery wa? *?t afire, ?aa af aar
?tarli, e,Idrati?- ?avias; laadrd la
a atanitlon? dama.
Mommi?, arlar ta thla aar bar
rase follrd ?a attempted raid of
tme ?trenf e?ea?y *aat*-a*s. whirl*
were aaabl?? ta atrvaaea through
harasalns marhlae fas. anto
m.llr rlflr. ?ad s"??*?* *re.
Th? ('?rmaa? attempted te
???tr?fe- our treaches aaa ?were
aa.ttered by ef/eetlve raaatrr
battery ?rtrk. the Aaserlcaaa
Jolalas la breabla?; aa the eaemy
Ere.
Oar patrol? have dlaplayed la
rrra.rd activity wlthla the laat
twelve haar?. The earnty pa
trai artltlty. sa |he ?ther aaad.
la dlmlal.htas.
EIGHT STATES
IN SOUTH FREE
OFCOALBAN
Garfield Order Modification
Indicates Monday Will Be
Last Fuelless Holiday.
Indication that at-at Monday will
be the last fuelless holiday wa? given
yesterday by Fuel AiJminlstrator Gar
field. when he received the coal
savins* regulation as affecting eight
southern Stjtes.
In a serie? of conferences a co
operative program affecting transpor
tation of f-iel, food and shipbuilding
material was di?cuseed by Director
McAdoo, Food Administrator Hoover,
Dr. Garfield and Chairman Hurley,
of the Shipping Board.
With thi? program a? a basis and
report? from all part? of the coun
try showing improved weather con
dition?, the official? charged with
handling of war necessities were hope
fa*? at ?peedy relief.
Tr?a?part I.lar. Gala.
Director McAdoo announced that ilu
transportatfon system? were aperat.
ing under better schedule than .
time since the cold weather 1 .1.
He issued an order giving pr? Ter
ence to box cara for movement of
(Tain and grain products In the West.
"Every effort should be made by
farmers, grain dealers .'nd others to
facilitate the accumulation, prompt
loading and shipment of all kinds of
grains." the Instructions read.
In partially lifting the fuel ban In
the East. Dr. Garfield notified the ad
ministrators in the states east of Mis
sissippi and Minnesota that necessary
fuel may be furnished on Mondays tn
heat and light loft? and workshop?
occupied by members of the Interna
tional Ladles* Garment Workers'
Union.
' The states Tfr the South which are
I removed from the Monday closing list
? are North Carolina, Tennessee, South
Carolina. Georgia. Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi and Louisiana.
Report? from New England ?tates
reettived by the fuel administrator in
dicated that shipment? of coal were
going through rapidly and at the same
time the material required at the gov
II ernment shipyards I? being delivered
in larger quantities.
The Middle West also reported the
: opening of many transportation lines
I which were blocked by storms.
40 HELD PRISONERS
ON SUSPECTED LINER
Secret Service Agents Making Rigid
Probe of Alleged Hun- Plot.
An Atlantic Port. Feb. 8.?Forty per
son? were detained by the Federal au
j thorities on board of the Nieuw Am
j ?terdam. Holland-American liner, and
; the vessel 1? ?till in?*"?T8,rge of the navy
j officials, and marines are walking the
, deck? with drawn bayonets tonight.
j The forty prisoners?as they may
? now be termed?are detained on board
until the Secret Service men. detec
tives, special agents of the Treasury
; Department and the Department of
Justice are able to decide their cases.
' There sre thirty-three men and seven
< women held.
The fate of the great liner itself is
not yet decided, it was stated tonight
by members of the Federal investigat
t ins; committee. The vessel will prob
' ?bly be turned back to the Holland
1 American Line, but thla i? not even
1 certain.
I Chemiet? from the Department of
1 Agriculture are analyzing all aus
picious articles that might possibly
? contain germs rumored to be aboard
the ship as a part of the German plot
to destroy the wheat crop in thi? coun
try.
CHARGES MADE
POLITICS BACK
OF WAR PROBE
Senate Debate Develops
Wann Exchange Over
Baker Quizzing.
Administration Democrats charg
ed yesterday on the Senate floor
that Republican? weak trying to
distort the war probe so that Sec
retary of War Baker might be used
as a campaign issue.
Senator Thomas of Colorado aaid:
"I hope the Inquiry Is not degen
erating Into what seems to be a
gradually growing sentiment?that
It 1? petty cross-examination of a
public official."
He read from a newspaper article
headed, "Baker Campaign Ieaue for
Republicans," and purporting to be
an interview with a Republican na
tional committeemen.
Senator Borah of Idaho denied In
behalf of Republicans that the War
Department would be made an Is
sue.
A stormy tilt ensued between
Senator Lewi? of Illinois and Sen
ator Chamberlain, chairman of the
Senate Military Affaira Committee.
( hataherlala Explain?.
"Why wasn't the 'Becretary called
flrat In the Inquiry?" demanded Sen
ator Lewis of Senator Thomas who le
a member of the Military Committee.
"Why If the Investigation waa to
obtain information, were witnesses
first called who made him the subject
of attack, and he was later brought In
aa if he were a defendant answering
an Indictment?"
"May I answer that?" said Senator
Chamberlain, rising to his feet "Well,
let me say," declared Senator Cham
berlain. "It was at the Secretary'?
own request he was not first called.
He preferred that the men under him
should testify aa experts first. And
we suited hi? convenience."
"If the chairman" ?aid Senator
Lewis, "say? he know? that from any
conversation he had with the 8ecre
tary, It would cloee the question with
me. But It the ?Senator tells it be
cause he bear?! it from others, he de
durne lt." J
Aaewers Lewie.
"I don't state thing? on the hear
say of others." Chamberlain said
very loudly and distinctly. "I state
things a? facts. I will say to the
Senator from Illinois, the committee
acted as It felt It had a right to
act. And I will say to the Senator,
it Intends to proceed aloni?- that
line."
This colloquy was precipitated
when Senator Thomas read the
newspaper article. He said he con
sidered it "human nature'' that par
tisan advantage would be taken
quickly by one side or another. Sen
ator Pindexter, of Washington,
asked:
"Why make a political Issue of
It? Does the Senator Imply that
the question ot efficiency In con
ducting the war should not be pre
sented to the tribunal of public
opinion? Have not the American
people a right to render their ver
dict in an election?"
"If? perfectly proper," said Mr.
Thomas. "I mention politics only
because I am afraid we are going
beyond the point in investigations.
Themas Retorts.
"Well possibly that's true," said
Senator Chamberlain. "But it was
en Mr.'Baker's own initiative that
he came agaiq. If ha 1? being
persecuted it Is at his own re
quest."
"I never said that," snapped Sen
ator Thomas.
"I did not ?ay you did."
"But I do say there seems to be
a sentiment to that effect in differ
ent parts of the country."
"That's not my information,'
came back Senator Chamberlain.
"Tou admit the investigation has
done good?"
"It certainly has."
"You do not disapprove of the
examination?-"
"I do not."
"Then do you think when a ma
jority of the committee decides on
an investigation, 'it should halt In
Its duty because the result creates
an Issue for one or the other
party?"
"Well." said Senator Thomas,
"after a man has been examined
and cross-examined and examined
again, there Is some justification
for the outside view that this is
not designed to accomplish any
good purpose."
Forty-five Indicted at L W. W.
Sacramento, Cal., Feb. 8.?The Fed
eral grand Jury today returned in
dictments against forty-five person?
charged with conspiring with "Big
Bill" Haywood, ?secretary of the I. W.
W., to prevent the execution of the
laws of the United States and hin
dering the prosecution of tbe war
with Germany.
.??
Empey's "Over the Top1
Begins in The Herald Monday
ON MONDAY. FEBRCART 11, The Herald will berin the pub
lication of Sergt. Guy Empey'? "Over the Top." R will b? con
tinued from day to day until concluded. Thi? ia tb? most remark
able ?tory of the world war.
Guy Empey, a New Jer?ey boy. went to England, joined the
King's army, and fought in Flanders for twenty-two months. His
experience? have thrilled the world. The Herald will publish this
serial exclusively in Washington, having paid a large sum for the
privilege.
Newsdealers will be wise who order additional copie? of Mon
day'? issu?*, for a reader startlag the Empey story, "Over the Top,"
will want every line that follows.
Prospective readers are urged to place their orders with new??
?Sealers today or tomorrow.
ON TO FRANCE!"
BERLIN ENVOYS
RENEW PARLEY
WITH RUSSIANS!
Annexationists Demands'
Abandoned by Teutons
at Brest-Litovsk.
Amsterdam, Feb. S.?Annexatibnlst |
?word rattling has been abandoned by j
the central powers at Brest-Lltovsk. ,
Suave, almost sweet, speeches, aimmg ,
at persuasion have taken the place of
Gen. von Hoffman's flst-banging
threats
How the Russian? are acting as the
result of the backdown Is not clear
from today's dispatches, though their
trend indicates the Bolsheviki atti
tude has become firmer aa the Teuton
attitude ha? weakened.
Peace parleys have been resumed,
and at last accounts no break seemed
Imminent. ?
Barely recovered from the Internal
crises, chiefly due to the annexatlon
ist demands, the central powers can
not now afford to court new trouble
at Brest.
There Is no doubt in the minds of
well-Informed observers here that the
German government would like noth
ing better than a complete break with
the Bolsheviki.
To both Teutonic governments the
recent strike?, with their demands
for non-annexationlst peace, have
been handwriting on the wall and
they must continue to negotiate.
All the time the Bolsheviki sol
dier?' hold on Russia is being
strengthened. Today news came
from Petrograd that the social rev
olutionaries, their erstwhile bitter
est antagonists, have realised there
is no chance to break the L?nine
rule and consequently have decided
to get as much of a share In it as
they can. Victor Tchernolf, whom
the short-lived constituent assem
bly elected chairman over the Bol
sheviki delegate. Is one of the so
cial revolutionaries who have ac
cepted a seat In a new all-Russian
soviet of 300 members, under Bol
shevist sponsorship.
Znamia Trade, of Petrograd, flat
ly states today the Germans would
?ot dare to break off now, adding:
"We must continue our policy of
deepening the German revolution."
There was a report from Moscow,
by way of Berlin, that Gen. Brue
iloff, who launched the last great
drive against the Germana under
csardom, haa been arrested In the
ancient capital.
Civil warfare in Finland contin
ue? unabated.
Deny Von Kuehhnann
WQ1 Wed Rich Woman
Amsterdam, Feb. 8.?The engage
ment of Dr. von Kuehlmann, the Ger
man secretary of foreign affairs, to
Frau von FriedlanderTuld Is denied
in a telegram sent to German papers
by the semi-official Wolff Bureau of
Berlin.
The betrothal of Dr. von Kuehl
mann and Fran von Friedlanderfuld.
who is said to be one of tbe rlcheat
women in Germany, was reported In
an Arasterdar? dispatck received In
laondoa Febr??^
Polygamy Encouraged,
Though Unofficially
By German Government
Polygamy !
Officially, tlie Kaiser dares not approve if. But unofficially, the
German government encourages it, writes Victor Morgan.
Morgan is editor of the Cleveland Press. He was sent to Europe
by The Washington Herald and other American journals to find out
just WHAT IS GOING ONT IN GERMANY TODAY. His articles
are appearing exclusively in Washington in The Herald. This is
his tenth:
BY VICTOR MORGAN.
F.ditor ef the Cleveland l'ita?.
Impresta?; Birth Rate.
One thing the Kaiser dares not do
?he dares not officially approve the
introduction of polygamy into the
empire.
For some time the semi-official
newspapers of Germany carried on
a discreet propaganda, iloubtle?? at
the behest of the authorities, to test
the temper of the people on the sub
ject. No progress could be made.
So officially the government con
?leinne polygamy; unofficially it en
courage? it.
A? a result, free love colonies have
sprung up in many parts of Ger
many. The Berliner Tageblatt, pre
sumable the mouthpiece of the Kai
ser, recently commented on this fact.
The tone of the comment was by
no means condemnatory.
"All these organizations." says the
Tageblatt, "desire to Improve the
German birth rate."
While the exact number of the Ger
man killed Is not available. l.?OO.ODO
would be a conservative estimate.
Most of the killed were young men.
the father? of the future.
Th? Kaiser ha? always had an af
fection for number fn population.
Early marriages have been encour
aged: race suicide -condcmn??d. Ille
gitimacy In Germany has always
been treated with greater liberality
than In any other country save Rus
sia.
Nanahers That count.
It Was numbers that counted?
men for the armies of the future?
and the Kaiser wa? on the side of
those measure? that made for in
crease.
Tbe German Society for the Re
generation of the Race is the name
of the leading organization which
believes that only plural wives can
overcome the vast disparslty be
tween the number of men and the
number of women In the empire
after the war. There are other or
ganisations of like character, known
aa the Ariana Society, the Eden
Colonies and the New Order.
Tbe various societies advocating
the practice ot polygamy advance
so much of scientific cant in their
reasons for existence that It Is easy
to trace in them the hand of the
university savant?, in peace time
the peta of the Kaiser. No man la
to have more wives than he can
support. The rights.of the wives
shall be equal. Every marriage la
for a lifetime. And so on.
Child Health Declines.
There is another group, led by Prof.
Thiele, medical director of the schools
at Chemnltx, which believes it 1?
Important that more should be don?
lor me living loaay an?i i?'?s lor uiost
yet unborn.
Famine-drop?y, hunger-typhoid, tu
berculosis?all due to lack of proper
food?have ?eixed upon thousands of
children in Germany and threaten
to wreck their health permanently if
more is not done for their relief.
With true German thoroughness.
Dr. Thiele has reduced the situa
tion to figures. Health recortaa for
000 children have been kept through
out the period of the war. Almost
without? exception the children have
lost weight, or have failed to make
the gains that should accompany in
creases in years. \
Maay Below Normal.
"This loss of weight." said Dr.
Thiele in a medical report, supposed
to circulate among doctors only, "Is
due, of course, to the fact that foods
to which the children have been ac
customed have disappeared from
their meals."
Fifty-six per cent of the children
were below normal, judged by the
?ONTINCED OX PAGE TWO.
GERMANS INCREASE
BIG GUN ACTIVITY
Allies Look for SpTihg Drive on the
Western Front.
Iaondon, Feb. 8.?Almost daily th.
fire of the big German gun? on the
West front is growins; in intensity.
The increase in violence i? very
gradual, but nevertheless noticeable
enough for the allie? to speculate
whether it means the tuning up by
degrees for the big drive all Ger
many ha? been heralding for weeks.
The earliest date that drive could
be launched with any promise is
the end of thi? month, military ob
servers agree. It was in the last
daya of February two years ago
that the crown prince opened his
Verdun offensive.
Significant in this connection ia
the fact that today'? official German
war bulletin made special mention
of the sustained Germany artillery
activity.
Infantry fighting was again con
fine?] to ralda during the last
twenty-four hours. Bad weather ia
hampering operations on the Italian
front, but the Italian artillery play
ed havoc with the Teuton line? be
tween the Brenta and Ptav? rrvers.
A ton of explosives waa hurled by
an Italian airship upon sfotta DI
Livens?. _
NAMES OF U. S. SOLDIERS
LOST ON LINER TUSCANIA
ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE
Relatives of Men Who Sailed on
Transport Sunk by U-Boat
Beg for News.
OFHCIAL SLOWNESS CRmCISED
2.134 of Tuscania'? 2,418 Saved.
Here are the latest figures which the War and Navy depart
ments have as to the number on board the Tuscania and known
survivors:
Total on board. 2,418, including 117 American officers and
2,060 enlisted men; 239 crew (British), and 2 ?civilian passengers.
Total reported saved, 2,134, including American officer* and
soldiers, passengers and crew.
Total unaccounted for, 284, including Americans and Brrttstt
crew.
The State Department has received no additional figures since
Thursday night, when the total number of Americans unaccounted
for was placed at 261.
The War and Navy departments' latest figures a? to ?o*r
vivors, received yesterday morning, did not, in ail cases, separate
the Americans from members of tbe British crew. They stated
that survivors had been reported as follow?:
Landed at Buncranna, Ireland, 76 officers and 1,274 American
enlisted men.
Landed at Lame, Ireland. 16 officers and seamen of the crew.
Landed at I slay, ?Scotland, "approximatel-r" 570 American of
ficers and enlisted men.
Keported in addition in hospitals, "approximately*' 99 soldiers
and members of tbe crew.
In military hospital at Loadonderry, 6 members of crew and
72 soldiers.
In Loughfoyle Hospival, Londonderry, 10 soldiers.
County Infirmary, Londonderry, 9 soldiers aad 2 members of
tlie crew.
With the death roll of tbe transport Tuscania still a matter of un
certainty, the War Department late last night was still unable to give
the names of the American soldiers missing and unaccounted for.
In the meanl-iine, parents and relatives of men belonging to fh?
military units that sailed on the ill-fated vessel are beseeching tbe
eminent for definite information.
TaRa'SCONDITION1
SHOWS GREAT
IMPROVEMENT
Wife Remains Near Bedside.
Many Inquire About Dis
tinguished Patient.
New Tork. Feb. 8.?Col. Roosevelt'?
condition showed marked Improve
ment tonight. At I o'clock it was an
nounced at the Roosevelt Hospitsl no
further conference of his physicians
would be held until tomorrow morn
ing. At that hour Mrs. Nicholas
Lonsworth. the Colonel'? daughter, left
the hospital for the night. Roosevelt?
illness, which has necessitate?! two
operations and seriously endangered
hia life, permitted him to rest tonight.
Dr. Walton Martin, the former Presi
dent's physician, reported early in the
evening that his temperature was
again normal.
The bulletin? that were Issued at the
hospital from 3 o'clock this afternoon
until 9 o'clock tonight reported the
Colonel improving with each hour.
Mrs. Roosevelt, who spent last night
in the room next to her husband, re
tired at an early hour tonight.
There was an endless stream of call
ers at the Roosevelt Hospital all day.
Although no one except the former
President's immediate family was ad
mitted, all were assured that the pa
tient'? condition showed progress
Cables from Europe poured in today In
large humbera.
All were answered immediately u,?in
receipt, but the name? of the *?eii<ier?
of the trant>atlantic message? were not
revealed.
It is presumed that many of them
were from officer? in the American
army in France, many of whom ?re
intimate friends of the Colonel.
The telephone ??t-ltchhoard at Ux
hospital also did tt? nart In setting
at ease the fear? of the anxious
friends and admirers of the Colonel.
'About 8:30 thl? evening a. boy called
j the hospital and after a wordy battle
; with the operator succeeded in geum?
the clerk on the wire.
"How is my old friend the Colonel,"
j demanded the boyish votos.
; "Who wants to know*?" retorted the
clerk.
"Well, its only a newsboy; but 1 like
the Colonel "
The boy learned that his "old friend"
was resting well.
<<
Watch on the Rhine"
Will Be Gummed Up
Pawtucket, R. I., Feb. S.?As a
measure of retaliation and rebuke for
the ?Inking of the Tuscania. the Cen
tral Falls achool coramltt?? haa voted
unanimously to past? together the
pages of tbe school song book? con
tamini- the German national air. "The
Wstch on the Rhine." be glue pots
sre being hsuled out for th? big past
tag bas that will tak? (Uc. at ones.
Early Haa?
Km ri y morning hop?? te oflieial <*?*
cime that th? number of ?dette weeM
no below 100 -Swindled ?oroewhat *??t
inc the dmy with tb? receipt et am
officimi mdvicem from lx>ndoa. tedtcaS
tng that the lou of Ufe wouM proe
?bly be greatly in ?sceas mt that fig
ure.
There is a diepoaritwe ia
quarters to And fmult with the
ness with which the Americas con
suls mnd mrmy representative? at vari
ous points where survivors hav? baett
landed ?re sending tn their report*
To make possible more expedi
tious Identifications ia future trag
edies of the kind. Secretary of War
Baker directed changes in the ?jr?
tem of identification tac?, which al?
soldiers are required to wear about
their necks. Key number? a? well
as nini?.?? and thumbprinta are to
be employed.
IM.k f?r Karl? Haa.
Every officer and enlisted man on
board the Tuscania was supposed to
have a metal disk bearing hie nan.?
?ecured to a cloth-covered wire
around his neck. Where the men had
I been assigned to designated unit? th?
I number of the unit wa? also on the
1 tail, it was stated.
Identification will be comparatively
easy, however, even if tags were not
on the bodies when recovered. Finger
prints of all enlisted men are taken
at recruiting; stations. It was said
further that officers recently have
had their finger prlnta taken. Com
parison of finger print? ar? conclusive
in the event of bodies beine disin
terred for that purpose.
The linger print system w??
adopted to avoid confusion in cas?*?
where more thmn one man bear?
the emme nmtne. To make the plma
perfect, prints of the entire hand
are recorded.
The Tuscania victim? will he ac
corded full military honors. Im
pressive funeral services will be
held and representative? of U>?
Entente nations are expected 10
particip?t? in the c?r?monie?. War
Department official?? indicated.
XaBafcer 1mr K.aefc ?.?Mlfr
In order to insui-e prompter identi
fication henceforth of all American
soldiers killed in action or who ma ?
lose their live? in future transport
sinking?. Secretary of War Baker yes
terday issued the following order,
which has been approved by General
Pershlng:
"In order to Insure prompt and ac
curate Identification, the department
has adopted a system of numbering
enlisted men of the army only, which
system provide? for but one ?ertas.of
numbers, without alphabetical prefix,
for all enlisted men in or who mar
enter the army, regardless of organi
sation, arm. corps or department.
Numbering begin?? with one and -con
tinues consecutively without limn
Kar ( arrapi Reparta.
"Consecutive number? will ?not ba
given men of ?ame surname.
"The number assigned a ?oMtar ?IM
become a part ef hi? official de-stgn-.
tion, will never be changed and WIN
never be assigned to snother solder
It- will be entered on ideatine 1
tag? and WtU be entered plain h <>u all
individuai record? of soldiers 1 d wie
be used ?a connection with oldter'e
name in rait?, reports and -turne m
which his nasa? appear?
"As some time will el? -*?* hafor?
record? of soldier? a*? I? ia tV?
OOKTINLCD OK Pat-SB* fwaV
