Evening star. [volume], June 30, 1918, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WEATHER.
Fair today and probably Monday;
light variable winds.
Temperatures for twenty-four hours
ending: at midnight: Highest. 84. at 5
p.m. yesterday; lowest, 66, at 6 a.m.
yesterday.
Full report on page 9.
itlmj
Th<? Aao*Mato4 Pre*i la orrtnofwlj tl
tho nw for repnbl?c?tlo? of ?U a**?"
credited to It or no*, othorwtao fffdltw to to.a
poi?cr and a loo the local ufi?? poMlaHaO wrtli
All right? of publication of apeelal
dispatcWa herrlo aro ?lao rooorrod.
SUNDAY MORNING, JUNE 30, 1918*
FIVE CENTS.
AS FOE PREPARES
FOR NEW DRIVE
Belief Is Germans Have
Nearly Completed West
Front Preparations.
FOCH'S ARMIES BUSY
DURING PAST WEEK
Great Fleets of Allied Fliers Mak
ing life Miserable for
Kaiser's Forces.
By fi? .Associated Press.
There is reason for believing
that preparations are now near
ly completed for a resumption of
the German drive somewhere on
the western front.
Just where the blow will fall!
is not known, although the allied
command seems by its confident
attitude to have some clue a.s to
the intentions of the foe. The
blow, when it comes, is expected
to eclipse the ferocity of the at
tack before Cambrai on March
21 or along the Aisne on May 27.
An epidemic of influenza in the
German army is reported, and
this, together with the preva
lence of typhoid, dysentery and
other diseases, may delay the
onset for a time.
Allies' Local Actions.
The entente allies have shown the
greatest activity during this period
and in several parts of the battle
*one have carried the fight to the
enemy.
These actions have been local in
character, but have been fought for
important immediate objectives which
strengthened the allied line where it i
needed bolstering before the break- I
i Ing of the storm of shot and stoell ex- I
pected at any time. At various points !
the allies have placed in jeopardy f
the enemy's tenure of certain parts
of the line and have extended their f
control over wide sectors of the front. ;
This was the notable result of the 1
attack near Belleau wood, on the j
Marne front, by the Americans j>n j
Wednesday. They did not seek to
break through the German line, but
wanted to reach high ground which
would command the villages of Torcy
and Bouresches. This ground is now
securely in their possession.
Success of French.
The French, attacking southwest
of Sofssons, on the Aisne front, had
the same object in view. They hurled
themselves at the German line with
such gallantry that in little more
than an hour they penetrated to a
depth of more than a mile over a
front of almost three miles and cap
tured more than 1,000 prisoners. Ger
man counter attacks against the new
French positions have been repulsed
?with heavy losses to the enemy.
The British, on the extreme west- 1
ern tip of the Lys saJient on the
Flanders front, cut deeply into the i
German lines on Thursday, and sue- j
ceeded in shoving the enemy from '
Ms positions on several little ridges
of land to lower levels from which
he will find it more difficult to at- j
tack.
Quiet on British Front.
LONDON, June 29.?Quiet prevails
on the British front in northern
France, according to the official re
port from Field Marshal Haig to
night. The text of the statement fol
lows:
"Beyond the usual artillery activity
?n both aides there is nothing to re
port
PARIS, Jurte 29.?The war office
announcement tonight says:
"There is nothing to report except
quite marked artillery activity be
tween the Ourcq and the Marne and
the region east of Rheims.
Great Fleets of Aeros Active.
By the Associated Prp?*.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE, June 29.?Late last night
and again early today the Germans
put down vigorous barrages along
the sector north of Mervilie, but no
further infantry action has been re
ported. Great fleets of airplanes are
constantly wheeling over hostile ter- i
ritory today and conducting bitter !
warfare against the Germans.
Heavy artillery duels have been >
waged continually during the last
twsnty-four hours in the Mervilie '
regldn. where the British yesterday '
morning rushed .the Germans back by <
a successful surprise attack. Pris- '
oners secured in this operation now
total nine officers and 392 of other
rang. Two field guns, twenty-two
machine guns and one trench mortar
also were taken by the British. The
German losses in killed and wounded
were very severe.
Intense activity has been marking
the work of the royal air force. Pris
oners state that their casualties have >
been very heavy as the result of the
aerial raids.
Carry Misery to Germans.
What the German soldier thinks of
the British aviator may be indlcat- 1
ed by two letters taken from prison
ers. One letter written in May by
a man in the Bapaume region said:
"Enemy aviators have* caused us a
great deal of misery. They are inces
sant night and day. They T>ombe<I
the main roads of Peronne, Bapaume
and Cambrai. One isn't safe any
where/*
Another letter recently written by
* Soldier In Peronne read:
"We have nothing to fear from the
?nemy if It were not for his avia
tors. Since we have been here they
have bombarded Peronne every day.
Yesterday twenty-flve men were kill
ed and three munition trains were
blown up."
Word comes from the enemy camp
through prisoners that the high Ger
man command has issued orders for
a drastic reduction in rations, u>
come into effect July 1. No fat will
fbe issued under the new regula
tions.
Bernhardi Defeated.
An Interesting sidelight of the de
feat which the British dealt to two
_ (Continued on Twelfth Page )
I
CLOSE VIEW OF U. S. TROOPS
GUARDING CHATEAU THIERRY
Graphic Picture of Perilous Night Visit to
French City?River Marne Is
"No Man s Land."
IIV LISCOI.X EYRE* i
C?',l'?r?in to The Sundnj star and the
,? 1 ork World. Copyright. 101S.
WITH THE AMERICAN FORCES
ON" THE MARNE, June 29.?French
aiid American artillery, French and
American machine guns and French
and American snipers are turning the
northern part of the city of Chateau
Thierry Into a German cemetery.
Operating In even more perfect unison
than ever before, the poilus and the
boys from the United States "are
drenching the foe with a downpour
of lead and high explosives wherever
and whenever he raises his head.
In the strangest kind of fighting
that ever this war has produced, it
was the Americans to whom fell the
heroic role of stemming the enemy
onrush at the Chateau-Thierry
bridges four weeks ago, and they are
still demonstrating daily and nightly
the spirit of initiative and adapt
ability that is in their blood.
Tactics New to All.
There was little the French could
teach us about the tactics employed
in Chateau-Thierry nowadays, for it
was as new to them as it was to us.
How thoroughly our greenhorn
joungsters have familiarized them
selves with the needs of the entirely I
novel situation I learned last night
and early this morning in the course
or a four-hour tour through the
southern quarter of the citv. Accom
panied by a captain on the staff of the
American general commanding our
forces in this sector and another cor
respondent, I essayed to see what it
was like.
Despite warnings to the effect that
roaming about Chateau-Thierry is
about as safe as toying with a rattle
snake s rattles, we had a charmingly
placid visit. Neither shells nor ma
chine gun fusillades, both of which
evils were fairly plentiful, interfered
with our seeing the most peculiar
sights I have ever beheld during three
years' fairly intimate acquaintance
with this war.
What we saw was neither trench
w-arfare nor the open order of opera
tions. nor yet the "Injun fighting"
that prevails in Belleau woods. It
was something of all three with a
touch of the barricade of the Paris
commune and a reminiscent hint of a
Philadelphia street car strike.
Biver Marne Changes Conditions.
The element that makes it radically
different from all these is the River
Marne, the most ticklish no man's
land to fight across that could well
be devised. And fight across it they
do, for both French and American pa
trols have reached the German bank
ind engaged enemy groups in hand-to
hand encounters in the eastern sub
urbs of the town.
How they manage to cross and re
cross the deep, swift-flowing stream
is best not disclosed, but I may say
that more than one American has
been mighty glad he practiced the
Australian crawl so assiduously in the
old swimming hole back home.
It Is the machine gunners and expert
rlfl5!?e? wh2*\arass Germans most
In Chateau Thierry, however. Imagine
T?n J;nemy on the northern side of the
Harflem river and our soldiers holding
Manhattan Island with single snipers
or rittle knots of machine guns and
automatic rifles hidden away in the
cellar or perched on the roof of everv
building, industriously combing the
streets and structures across the wav
with fcpjllets. The Marne is about as
wide and runs through Chateau Thierry
L" ab<?"1 the same way as the Harlem
does through northern Manhattan Of
course, the enemy spatters our side of
it quite as busily, but we have reason
to believe we know more about his
whereabouts and movements than he
REPUBLICAN COMMUTE
' TO BE LOCATED HERE
Headquarters in Washington De
cided Upon by Chairman
Hays.
8p?'oial I)i*patrh to The Star.
CHICAGO, June 20.?Washington, is
to be the permanent headquarters of
the republican national committee.
This was practically determined upon
today by National Chairman Will H. I
Hays after a consultation with Na
tional Treasurer Fred W. Upham and
National Committeemen A. T. Hert of
Kentucky and Fred Stanley of Kansas.
While no official announcement was 1
made, the understanding reached was j
that Washington, with a continuous
session of Congress in progress, is
the logical spot from which to con
duct the republican presidential cam
paign after it gets into motion. There
will be no hurry, it is understood, in
opening the Washington headquar
ters.
Treasurer Upham will maintain his
own headquarters in Chicago, accord
ing to the understanding reached to
day. An assistant treasurer, quite,
likely, will be named, who may have
an office in New York. Heretofore
New York has had the main office
and Chicago has bee/i a branch af
fair.
Chairman Hays continued his con
ferences with republican leaders
from western states all day today,
and will be in Chicago all day to
morrow. He then departs for In
dianapolis and after two days will
start for New York and Washington.
BRITISH SUFFER 141,147
CASUALTIES IN JUNE
| LONDON, June 29.?British cas
ualties reported during the month of
i June totaled 141,147. This compares
with total casualties reported during
I May of 166,802. The losses for June
i were divided as follows:
j Killed or died of wounds?Officer?,
I SI6: men, 17,494.
j "Wounded <?r missing?Officers, 3,619;
i men. 119,218.
The. losses reported during the, last
! eight days rounding out tne weekly
reports for the month were?Killed
tor died of wounds, officers, 142; men,
i 4.773.
Wounded or missing?Officers. 553:
'men, 32,214.
does of our?. ami hence we Jo him
more harm than he does us.
We started from the m""s' " f 1
houses the headquarter* of one of the ;
American contingents in the
sector about twilight after calling
upon Gen. (deleted), who in formed
us he had known (Sen. von Schmetto?L,
commanding the German
group opposite his force, 9u'te Vim
in Washington twelve years ato. The
staff captain who was to be our guide
showed the chauffeur the way. At
one of the cross roads he waved his
hand toward the north and observed
nonchalantly:
"There is a German machine gun
nest straight ahead about hair a
mile."
"That's all right, sir, our brakes are
working fine," the driver rejoiped
briskly. The captain said: "We had
best turn ofT to the right, anyway, as
the machine guns function quicker
than the brakes."
We left the car in a village, the
church of which is being methodically
shelled by German "77's", and walked
down the rnaig highway into Chateau
Thierry. The moon was up and shin
ing more brightly, I thought, than I
had ever seen it. Nobody who has
been silhouetted by its rays to Ger- ,
man machine guns can grow senti- ,
mental over the moon. Even'the cap
tain, to whom such thrills are as >
morphine to a drug fiend, confessed
he would rather have it a bit darker. !
American Gives Warning.
A half hour's walk brought us to
the southern extremity of the city.
We passed a deserted but little dam
aged railroad station and started up
the main avenue that leads to the cen
ter of the town and to the Marne.
An American voice spoke out of the <
inky shadow of some trees bordering :
the'sidewalk: ?
"Better not take a chance that way. ,
it warned; "they cut loose on that
street every little while with machine
guns."
The soundness of the doughwr*
advice was proved a moment inter,
when we heard the sinister snapping
of bullets 011 the paving we had just
left.
A poilu guided us through a mystic
maze of gardens and back yards along
a path that led through holes chopped ;
out of stone walls. This was once
the fashionable residential district.
In many fine old houses we passed !
doors and windows that had been left '
wide open in the haste of the owner's
flight. Here we glimpsed a dining
room in which the table was set for a
dinner that never was eaten; there a
bedroom turned topsy turvy by its oc
cupant in his hurried preparations for
departure.
Then we came upon the debris that
was the evidence of a stray enemy
shell, but for the most part damage
had been slight.
An hour's stroll, always in the rear j
of rows of houses?because the streets
are unhealthy in Chateau-Thierry?
brought us to a. partly ruined factory
near the Marne.
Found American Infantrymen.
Piling past these structures, their,
accoutrements casting fantastic shad- 1
ows in the moonlight, was a company j
of American infantry. They were tak- j
ing up positions in the various eerie i
nooks and crannies that form the fir- j
ing line hereabouts. We accompanied ;
them to a place from which one made ,
out. gleaming whitely in the moon- ,
ligtit across the river, a villa that was
the nearest enemy machine gun fort- j
let.
The doughboys and the quickfiring
elements from the same unit were
part of the force that aided the
French in keeping the Germans north
of the Marne. Since then they have
become experts in the bizarre stride
that, goes in Chateau Thierry.
"There is nothing to it," one of them
informed me. "All you have to do is
to keep your head down when the
moon is up and du?'k when their bul
lets come over. We know twice as
much about them as they do about us.
If there was daylight now I could
show you where every German sniper j
within range of us hides himself. We j
' (Continued on Twelfth Page.)
ON TROOPS FOR ITALY
No Plan for Increase to Be Sent
Direct From TJ. S. Yet
Made.
Safe arrival in Italy of the flrut con
tingent of the military force which
will represent the United States was
announced yesterday by Gen. March,
chief of stafT. Sent direct from this
country, the troops landed Friday, to
supplement others ordered from
France, by Gen. Pershing.
Sanitary units compose the greater
part of the first arrivals, but "other
special units" also were Included.
Gen. March reiterated the statement
that the bulk of the combatant Amer
ican troops going to Italy will be sent
from the western front, their places
being Immediately taken by new regi
ments from the United States.
No Plan for Increase Msvde.
?'No definite plan for the Increase
of this force from the United States
has been reached." Secretary Haker
said later in commenting upon the
announcement. "It should be empha
sized that the shipment of further
Increments depends largely upon fu
ture developments."
Material Increase during the past
week in the forces under (Jen. Persh
ing was Indicated by the official an
nouncement that five American divi
sions. which had been brigaded with |
' the British for training, have now
been returned to the American Army.
' While the actions alon? the Ameri
i can sectors during the past week have
been entirely local in character, the
chief of staff said the results have
shown that American troops are
more than holding their own, and
fine examples of lhdivldual valor have
been reported.
Situation Favorable to Allies.
Viewing the military situation as a
whole. Gen. March was of the opinion
that the situation is extremely favor
able to the allies. He said the Aus
trian defeat was extremely valuable
both from a military and psycholog
ical standpoint.
Gen. March had not received official
reports of the British and French
successes on Friday, and. therefore,
withheld any comments. He also re
frained from announcing the total
number of men shipped from Amer
ican embarkation ports to date, but
intimated that a statement might be
made this week.
vet To
ME ?
The Allies want
a LEAGUE of
NATIONS after
THE wak -
ONLY those
Countries of
HIGH mo/fti.
status to be 1
admitted
I
SENATE HOLDS FIRM
FOR HALF-AND-HALF
?
Without Debate Again Votes
for Present System of D. C.
Appropriations. /
The Senate again went 011 recor?l
in favor of the half-and-half plan of
appropriating ftir the District late
yesterday afternoon without a dissent
ing vote. Senator John Waiter Smith
of Maryland, in charge of the District
appropriation bill, reported to the
Senate that the conferees on the bill
had failed to agree and moved that
the Senate further insist upon its
amendments still in dispute. One of
these amendments restores the half
and-half plan, which the House had
stricken out. The Senate adopted the
motion without debate.
Matter Now Up to House.
It is now up to the House to act in
the matter. Chairman Sisson of the
House appropriations subcommittee
on District appropriations waited all
day yesterday for an opportunity to
taring up the conference report in the
House to report the House conferees
firm in their disagreement with the
Senate. Chairman Sisson said that the
House conferees are firm in their in
sistence on the abolition ,of the half
and-half principle as provided in the
Gard amendment.
The new fiscal year begins tomor
row, and if some disposition is not
made of the District bill soon, it will
be necessary to put through a joint
resolution continuing present appro
priations for the District and also au
thorizing the District Commissioners i
to go ahead with the collection and
disposal of the garbage and refuse in
the District, the old contract expiring
today. Under the new bill, the Com
missioners are given $600,000 to pur
chase and operate the necessary
plants.
Hope of Adjusting- Differences.
The new bill, however, contains
many items which are much needed
by the District, and the hope of the
senators and representatives is that
it will be possible to adjust the differ
ences between the two houses and put
the bill through without further de
lay. Senator Smith expressed the
opinion that the Senate would not
yield on the half-and-half amendment.
ROBERT L. TEMPLE KILLED
BY HIS FIANCEE'S FATHER
Tragedy Enacted Within an Hour
of Time Set for Wedding.
Self-Defense Claimed.
MEMPHIS, June 29?Robert J,.
Temple, a traveling salesman of Chi
cago, was shot and killed her? late to
day within an hour of the time set
for his marriage to Miss Lena Gra
ham of Meridian, Miss., by J. R. Gra
ham, father of the young woman.
Graham, a railway conductor, sur
rendered after the shooting and, ac
cording to the police, claimed that he
was forced to kill Temple in self
defense.
The shooting occurred at the home
where the young woman boarded
while attending a college here as a
music student. She was standing
within a short distance of the men
and one of her fingers was shattered
by a stray bullet.
According to a police statement,
| Graham declared after his arrest that
Temple, just before the ceremony was
to have taken place, admitted that he
previously had been married, and that
| his wife, from whom he had not been
I divorced, was still living. After this
admission. Graham is said to have
I told the police. Temple leaped toward
him and the shooting followed. Tem
ple died within a few minutes.
CZAR'S DEATH' DENIED.
Lies Designed to Excite Public
? Says Official.
AMSTERDAM. June 29.?The ru
mors that former Emperor Nicholas
? has been murdered are described as
lies designed to Incite the public by
the president of the executive com
mittee at Ekaterinburg. The message
is dated June 24, and was telegraphed
from Moscow by way of Berlin.
LOSSES OF 100,000
ADMITTED BY FOE
Hungarian Premier Says Ital
ians Captured 12,000?Fur
ther Teuton Attacks Likely.
V?y tlio Associated Press.
1 A v.cek aj/o the Austrinns began
tlieir flight across the Piave river
lroin the western bank, where they
had received a sanguinary check at
the hands of the Italians. It is pos
sible now to view the event in its
true perspective and estimate the vic
tory of the Italians as a great defen
sive triumph. (Jen. Diaz, the Italian
commander-in-chief, has not pursued
the Austrians farther than the Piave,
except for the setting up of strong
bridgeheads on 1hc eastern bank of
the river.
There is still danger of another at
tack being launched against Italy,
this time from the mountain front
and with German forces leading their
allies in their attempt to force tlrfcir
path down into the Italian plains.
For this reason, apparently. Gen. Diaz
is content to hold the Pfave strongly
and to wait, for the moment at least,
any further attacks against his vital
mountain jjositions.
Admits 100,000 Casualties.
BASEL, Switzerland, June 29.?Ad
mission that about 12,000 men in
prisoners were lost by the Austro
Hungarian forces in their recent re
treat on the Piave front was made by
I ?r. Alexander Wekerle, the Hunga
rian premier, in a speech to the cham
ber of deputies, according to a Buda
Pest dispatch today. Or. Wekerle
said this covered the entire loss in
prisoners, the troops to this number
thus taken having been left to cover
the retirement over the Piave.
I)r. Wekerle, apparently treating of
the question of the Austro-Hungarian
losses in the recent fighting on the
Italian front, said he would not at
tempt to disguise the fact that the
casualties were heavy, totaling about
100,000, but he declared that a large
percentage was due to sickness. He
denied, however, that there had been
a single case of death due to lack of
food.
Artillery Battles Moderate.
HOME, June 2f>.?"The artillery
struggle, which remained moderate
on the remainder of the front, was
somewhat lively yesterday on the
Asiago plateau," nays the official
statement issued today by the Italian
war office. "Our patrols, with their
usual activity, effectively harassed
the enemy and damaged his defenses
at several points.
"Railway centers and enemy troops
in movement were bombarded by our
and allied airmen. Three enemy ma
chines were brought down."
Austrian Official Report.
VIENNA, via London, June 20.?The
Austrian war office statement today
says:
"Near Zenson-Noventa di Piave
enemy reconnoitering detachments
attempted to cross the river.
"On the remainder of the front
there have been artillery duels of
varying strength everywhere."
CHEERS IN MONTREAL
FOR UNIT OF U. S. TROOPS
Battalion Is Guest of City and Is
Beviewed By the Duke'of
Devonshire.
MONTREAL, .Tune 29.?Montreal
paid enthusiastic tribute to a bat
talion of American soldiers who were
the guests of the city today by cheer
ing them continuously as they
marched from their barracks to
Fletcher's Field, where they were re
viewed by the Duke of Devonshire,
Governor General of Canada.
The soldiers spent the morning as
the guests of citizens, being taken by
automobile to points of interest
throughout the city, while the officers
were the guests of the provincial
government at luncheon.
The Duke of Devonshire, who was
the principal speaker, welcomed the
troops on behalf of the Dominion gov
ernment, and declared that the pres
ence of American soldiers in Canada
indicated the mutual intention of the
Dominion and the United States to
carry on the war together.
The American commander, replying
for his men, said they were all proud
I to play their part in the war and to
make the sacrifice which Canada had
lieen making for the past four years.
IRE THAN SCORE
REPORTED MISSING
Probable Death Toll as Re-1
suit of Building Collapse !
in Sioux City.
By the Associated Press.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa, June 29.?More
than a score of persons are missing
and believed to be dead in the ruins
of the Ruff building, a three-story
structure, which collapsed today, bury
ing two adjoining structures. The
Ruff building and the two others were
reduced to embers *by the fire which
followed the collapse. Estimates to
night placed the number of dead at
from twenty to thirty.
The Ruff building had been under
going repairs and contractors bad
"Jacked" it up off its foundations. One !
of the jacks gave way and the entire !
Structure collapsed, burying the build- j
ings occupied by the Chain Grocery and
the Beaumont & Braugner butcher shop
next door. Both places were well filled
with customers, few of whom escaped.
All Fire Apparatus Summoned.
All the fire apparatus in the city re
sponded to the general alarm, and as
sisted by hundreds of volunteers made
frantic efforts to reach those imprison
ed in the ruins.
Hans Asper, a bookkeeper for the
Ruff Drug Company, was found alive
in the wreckage. A heavy beam rest
ing upon his leg held him prisoner. He
talked with rescuers and said three per
sons were imprisoned near him, all of
them alive.
Included Among Missing.
The list of missing includes a num
ber of workmen employed on the build
ing, eighteen clerks in the Chain Gro
cery and nearly as many patrons and
ten tailors employed in a loft at the
rear of the Ruff building. L*ouis
Loiseth, in charge of the work on the
Ruff building, died in the hospital.
The flames swept through the wreck
swiftly and occasionally there was an
explosion.
Oscar Ruff, proprietor of the Ruff
pharmacy, is reported to have been
caught in the ruins. He was seen talk
ing with Alfred Hanson, an employe,
just before the building collapsed.
Hanson is also missing.
Bodies of two unknown dead, burned
beyond recognition, were removed
from the ruins.
Several persons trapped in the
crumpled building were reported suffo
cating from ammonia gas.
BRITAIN BUYS SITE
FOR BIG STEEL PLANT
$1,000,000 Investment With 2,000
Employes Financed By Emer
gency Fleet Corporation.
BIRMINGHAM. Ala., June 29? H.
Li. Brittaln, president of the Mobile
Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville
Dry Docks and Repair Company, vice
president of. the Terry Shipbuilding
Company at Savannah and several
other corporations in New Jersey,
closed a deal here yesterday for a
flfty-three-acre tract of land upon
which will be constructed a mammoth
fabricating steel plant, representing
an immediate investment of $1,000,000
and to employ 2,000 men.
It will be financed by the Emer
gency Fleet Corporation for the
manufacture of steel plates, shapes
and other structural material for ship
construction. The plates will be sent
to Mobile for the steel ships there
being built for the Emergency Fleet
Corporation.
MOBILE, Ala.. June ?3.?Twelve
5,000-ton all-steel steamers complete,
at a price of approximately $1,000.
000 each, will be built here by
the Mobile Shipbuilding Company un
der a contract awarded by the United
States Shipping Board, Emergency
Fleet Corporation, H. L. Brlttain an
nounced today.
Bulgarian Artillery Active.
TARIS. June 29.?An official state
ment says:
"Eastern theater. June 28.?The
enemy artillery displayed particular
activity in the Doiran sector, along
the Vardar and uorth of Mayadag.
Our batteries replied with destructive
and harassing fire. An enemy detach
ment was dispersed on the Serbian
front. British aviators carried out
several bombardments In the nelgli*
borhood vX Seres.".
U. S. ASKS SQUARE j
DEAL FROM MEXICO
State Department Explains
Oil Tax Protest Sent to
Carranza.
HAD BEEN MISCONSTRUED
i
Declaring that &U the United States j
i asks of Mexico for American citizens !
i? justice and fair dealing, the State
. Department yesterday made public a
"solemn protest" sent to President j
Carranza against the Mexican decree 1
of February 19, 1JMS, establishing a :
tax on oil lands.
The statement says the new tax
amounts practically to confiscation,
or. at least, unfair imposition, and
cites extracts from President Wilson s
speech to the Mexican editors on the
fujture relations of nations, as fol
lows:
<(
As long- as there is suspicion there
is going to be misunderstanding, and
as long as there is misunderstanding
there Is going to be trouble. If you
once get a situation of trust, you have
got a situation of permanent peace."
The statement by the State Depart
ment says further:
Ir. Jhe Vn.Itedt statCM always desires
inrtlccord to the Mexican government
'"j people justice and fair dealing,
and it Is confident that it will be ac
corded the samo justice and the same
fair dealing In return."
Inconsistent, Says Carranza.
5enar,ment *ave out Its
*'atement, and the ,ext of its protest.
President wnarned that Koon af,er
. ilson s speech to the
hit an, editors hern recentlv had
teen printed |n the Mexican papers
IE . . ^nza government gave out
nrnt?Jt f the American governmenfs
protest against the oil decree, and it
, was commented upon as being incon
8,?'e.nt ?,'th the President's speech
wr3i!f >, States government 1
wou d have appreciated being asked j
for its consent to the publication of
this note. Inasmuch as this procedure
Is usually followed In diplomatic deal
ings between friendly nations." says
the departments statement. "Such
consent would, of course, have been
readily given if the Mexican govern
ment had intimated that it believed i
the note should be published."
Not to Meddle in Mexican Affairs.
The department's statement contin
ues:
An examination of the note proves
fj!? l?fMm" the t'nited States asks
for Its citizens who have made in
vestments In Mexioo, relying on the
good faith and the Justice of the
Mexican government and Mexican
laws. Is justice and fair dealings 1
TJ""". "? disposition on the part of
i government to in
ioo Internal affairs of Mex
the selrure of property
at the will of the sovereign, without
f.u? 'e^a' process. equitably admin
istered, and without provision for just
compensation, has always been re- i
garded as a denial of Justice and a
cause for diplomatic representations."
Ambassador Fletcher's Note.
Ambassador Fletcher's note of April
after stating that the United States
government had given careful con
sideration to the effect of the decree
says:
Ignited States cannot acquiesce
in any procedure ostensibly or nom
inally in the form of taxation or the
exercise of eminent domain, but reallv '
I resulting in confiscation of private
vesfed'rights.8 *b'?ra?ry d<>privatl0" ?{
"The, feizure or spoliation of prop
i at ,'he '"ero will of the sovereign
and without due legal process falrlv
and equitably administered has al"
Jf**" been regarded as a denial of
lYlv ? hfli aR affording lnternation
ally a basis of interposition
,?"^.,K?*,er?nT.e?t is not 'n a'Vosltion
l? "tate definitely that the operation
of the aforementioned decree will, in
i am.ount to confiscation of
American interests. Nevertheless, it
is deemed Important that the govern
S thta ttimUn!thed Stat.es should state
which It reaI aPPrehensi?n
7nlrt nt ^ "8 as to the Possible
rfLhf. , decree upon the vested
rights of American citizens in oil
properties in Mexico."
RUSSillON
REMAINS OBSCURE
No Confirmation of Bolsheviki
Overthrow?Kerensky Has
Beached Paris.
By the Associated Presa.
The situation in Russia is very ob
scure and, while there are indications
that the sway of the bolsheviki in
that country may be near its end.
there is no confirmation of the re
ports that the government of Lenine
and Trotzky has been overthrown.
The same situation obtains as to Si
beria, where the bolsheviki and the
German-Austrian prisoners oi' war
are fighting against the Czechoslo
vaks, on the west, and Gen. Semen
off's army, on the east.
Kerensky Beaches Paris.
PARIS, June 29.?Alexander Keren
sky, the former Russian provisional
premier, arrived in Paris from Lon
don today. Shortly after his arrival
he had a long conference with M.
Maklakoff, the Russian ambassador
in Paris.
GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN
PARLEY WILL CONTINUE,
COPENHAGEN. June 29.?The ne
gotiations for the extension of the
German-Austrian alliance will be con
tinued July 8 In Salzburg, according
to the Salzburger Volksblatt. Plans
are also taking shape for the drawing
up of a military agreement and for
the discussion of commercial rela
tions.
Sixty German and Austrian states, i
says the newspaper, will participate i
in the Salzburg conference. The con- 1
ferees will include the German vice
chancellor. Herr von Payer; Dr. Rich - '
ard von Kuehlmann, German foreign
secretary; Baron Buriaa* the Austrian j
foreign minister, and Ministers of I
Trade Wieser and Siiknukt.
Reason for Determined Ef
forts to Impose Peace Be
fore Winter Comes.
U. S. FLIERS VICTORIOUS
By th* Anxociat?>d Pr^n*.
I'AKIS, June 29 Agency).
(urinan prisoners are virtually unan
imon* in confirming the fear felt of
?he Americans by ths German bifch
command. According to tlio declare
tions ot officers this is I he principal
reason for the determination of Oct
many to seek at all costs to impose
peace on the allies before ucxt winter.
The prisoners make no secret of
their astonishment at the spirit sad
versatility of the American soldiers.
Gen. Pershing's Report.
Capture of 309 German prisoners
and the destruction of three Ger
man airplanes by American aviators
were reported by Gen. Pershing In an
official communique yesterday. It
follows:
"Section A?In the Chateau Thierry
region we again improved our posi
tions south of Torcy. The number of
prisoners taken by us at this point. ^
in the operation of June 25. haa In
creased to .109. of whom seven are of- ?*
fleers. There have been no new de
velopments at other points held by
our troops It is established that our
aviators have shot down three hos
tile machines in the Toul region
since the beginning of the week.
"Section B?Of the three planes
mentioned in the American official
communique of June 28, one was
brought down at 9:20 o'clock on the
morning of June 24 between Pont-a
Mausson and Thiaucourt by Lieut.
Ravmond. Lieut. Raymond encoun
tered a hostile biplane, which dived
under his own. Lieut. Raymond then
executed a dlvo on the hostile plane,
firing as he did so. He saw tracer bul
lets entering the fuselage of the
enemy plane. The destruction of tne
hostile machine has now been con
firmed.
Other Thrilling Fights.
The other two planes were shot
dow n on June 25 by MaJ. Hartney and
Lieut. McArthur. Mm j. Hartney re
ports that his patrol of four plane*,
answering the call at 8:30 o'clock In
the evening, encountered two tier
man planes, of which one was a bi
plane rumpler and the other a mono
plane. They were flying at an *ltl
tude of 4.500 meters. Th?.45}er"*"
monoplane obtained a
the tail of Lieut. Hill s machine. Ual
Hartney fired a Ion* burst at the
monoplane, which turnedovera^d
landed upside down. The V*rn,J
I ru.npler biplane ?was P"?*d,ev2L
Lieut. McArthur below the cloud le*ejj~
The two machines exchanged flre. On
emerging from the cloud
hostile machine went over backward
I ifut McArthur was at one time
within thirty yards of the ''"man
plane, was able to .Vl fuSi
tracer bullets were entering tne iu?e
Ige and is certain that the observer
was wounded before the plane tei>.
He fired a total of ?????&,
destruction of these planes has ala..
I been confirmed."
Why Germans Stayed.
Correspondence of I Ik- AMoclsted r7"
i WITH THE AMERICAN ARU1 IN
FRANCE. June 13.?The-attack made
last night by the Germans on Bour
esches. which the American troops
were holding. was so violent that the
worst was feared. A report wa, re
! ceived that the town had been occu
pied by the Germans and a major was
sent down from headquarters to as
I certain the facts. He fell in with th.
[officer who had been intrusted with th.
defense of the village. hl
"Are the boches in Boureschea. A'
' inquired hastily.
"Yes, sir," was the reply.
There was lurid Interlude and the
staff officer was then understood to
S"Was It not the order that no German
were to he allowed to remain in
1 Bouresches?"
"Yes, sir." , #
"Then, why the hell have you UU
them there?" was demanded.
"Burying party not yet arrived
sir." was the quiet answer.
VICTIM SHOT IN BACK;
SELF-DEFENSE IS PLEA
Banker Says He Killed Customer
Who Threatened Him With
Automobile Crank.
BAINBRIDGE. Ga.. June 29 ?R H.
May, cashier and vice president of the
Citizens' Bank, here, is in the county
jail charged with the murder of H. K.
Richardson, a prominent architect and
contractor, also of this city.
May claimed at the inquest that
Richardson entered the bank late yes
terday afternoon and demanded that
certain names be released as security
on papers Richardson had given the
bank for money advanced on build
ing contracts. May says he refused
and claims that Richardson advanced
on him with an automobile crank
which lay on the cashier's desk, aad
that he shot Richardson in self-de
fense.
The physician at the Inquest could
find no bruises on May's person, while
Richardson's skull was crushed from
a blow believed to have been made
by the crank. In addition, Ihe had
been shot five times, four of which
were from the back. There were
fvewitnesses to the shooting.
Both parties are prominent in social
and business circles here.
SHORT LINES RELEASED.
About 1,700 Railroads Returned to
Private Ownership.
About 1,700 short-line railroads were
turned back to private management
yesterday by the railroad aomlnlstrs
tion. a few- hours before Concrete
parsed legislation intended lo prevent
the relinquishment of many of them.
Between 200 and 400 of the road*
relinquished had sought to remain uti
ilir government management. Aoout
4C0 short lines were reta.nert aa par*
of the nations! system.