Evening star. [volume], July 21, 1918, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WASHINGTON, D. C., SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 21, 1918*
Member of the Associated Press
The AmcHM Pm I* mlnMr eatltM to
tk> OH for repablleatloa of all am 1??trHo
crwMtad to It t art otkrrwlto cndltea la tkto
All rights ?! paMleattoa of woHal
WEATHER.
Fair..warmer today; tomorrow fair,
continued warm; gentle winds.
Temperature for twenty-four hours
ending- 10 o'clock last night: Highest,
91, at 6 p.m. yesterday; lowest, <2, at
7 am. yesterday.
Full report on pace *.
ALLIES SWIFTLY SWEEP HUNS OVER MARNE
No. 695?No. 27,116.
FIVE CENTS.
HIT FOE ON ALL SIDES
OF SOISSONS-RHEIMS
SALIENT FOR NET GAINS
20,000 Germans and 4(H) Guns Taken.
Frebch and Americans Capture
Several Miles of Territory.
TEUTONS SUFFERING TERRIBLY;
FRENCH HAVE SEIZED HARFEUX
Aeros Aid in Vicious Fighting?British Troops Force
Further Enemy Withdrawal Near Hebnterne
and Gain Important Position.
By tie Associated Press.
PARIS, July 20.?"The Germans, violently attacked on theij
right flank, and south of the Marne," says the war office announce
ment tonight, "have been compelled to retreat and recross the
rivet.
"The French hold the entire southern bank of the Marne.
More than 20,000 prisoners and more than 400 guns have been
captured." N
The text of the statement reads:
"We have not had long to wait for the resulf of our victorious
counter offensive. The Germans, violently attacked on their ngbt
flank, anrteouth of th<; Marne, liave been compelled to retreat and
recross the river. ':4ZpX~4-.
"We hold the whole south bank of the Marne. 1
"Between the Aisne and the Marne Franco-American troops
continue to progress and have driven'back the enemy, who is re
sisting stubbornly.
"We have reached Ploisy and Parcy-Tigny and have passed
beyond St. Remy-Blanzy and Rozet-St. Albin.
"Farther south we hold the general line of the Priez plateau,
northeast of Courchamps.
"The number of prisoners w? have
taken since July 18 exceeds 20,000.
Over 400 guns have been captured.
"Our aviators, redoubling- their ac
tivity on the day and nigrht of the
19th, multiplied their raids and en
gaged in ?he severest battles against
enemy forces. Franco-British bomb
ing1 squadrons, taking the Marhe
crossings as their principal objec
! tives, have ceaselessly hampered and
i at certain points completely stopped
J the enemy supply service, thus play
ing an important role in the conflict
which was about to provoke the re
treat,of the'German troopa.
"Attacking with machine guns and
bombs concentrations of troops which
the enemy was preparing for counter
attaak^ and his enemy columns of
convoys, our aviators inflicted heavy
losses on the enemy.
Violent Battles Continue.
"Between the Mame and Kheime
violent combats continue. Franco
British troops, attacking vigorously,
encountered large forces. Notwith
standing1 the enemy's desperate resist
ance^ we gained ground in Courton
wood, the Ardre valley and in the direc
tion of St. Euphraise.
"On the Mame and also at Oulchy
le-Chateau, Fere-en-Tardenois; Fismes
and Bazoches and over the whole
rear of the battlefield twenty-four
tons of projectiles were dropped dur
ing the day and twenty-eight tons at
night on enemy assemblages of
troops and communications.,
Aeros Join in Battle.
"A violent conflagration broke out
at Vouzteres, and several fires were
started at Fsre-en-Tardenois and the
station at Fismes. South of this region
explosions were observed at the sta
tion at Laon. Simultaneously our in
fantry airplanes indicated an advance
of our troops and tanks between the
Aisne and the Marne and reported the
arrival of enemy reserves, and by ma
' chine gunning the latter directly par
ticipated in the battle.
"Numerous combats were engaged
In by our crews in conjunction with
the British airmen and achieved good
results. Twenty-six German airplanes
were brought down or disabled and
four captive balloons were set afire.
Everywhere the German aviation
service was able to appreciate the
dash and superiority of the allied air
men."
Only Germans Remaining.
IiONDON, July 20.?"No Germans re
mam soutn or uie marne, except
prisoners and dead."*
This message is stint by the Renter
correspondent at ^French headquar
ters. and is timed.Saturday evening.
The ailles are iar pursuit.
North of the MSxne the French cap
tured the town of Marfaux, southeast
of Bligny, aftef heavy fighting, and
moved forward west of Pourcy.
The allied gains on the front of the
Alsne-Marne offensive have been fur
ther extended.
Present Allied Line.
Latest advices from the field of the
franco-American offensive between
the Marne and the Aisne report the
allied lino running as follows:.
From Belleau northward to the west
of Monthiers and on to Sonnelans,
Mont Chevillon, th* Bois-de-Lud, Ge
ronem.il farm, Le Plessier Huleu,
Parcy-Tigny, VI lie Montoire, Bersy
le-Sec, Courmelles, Montaigne-de
Paris, Pernant and Fontehoy.
The French have bitten off several
square miles of German territory In
the vicinity c-f the River Ourcq, about
midway between Chateau Thierry and
Soissons; and thlp afternoon-were re
ported to be holding Mont Cheslllon.
The present French line in this dis
trict is thus seven miles in front
of that held before the offensive be
gan. ?
Bitter fighting has been goings on.
The French, however, are declared to
have established their line definitely
and to have cleared the Germans out
of the rough. country.
Life Made Miserable.
The Germans are being compelled
to yield gradually on both sides of
the deep pocket of Soissons and
Rhelms edges. Meanwhile life in this
pocket is being made miserable for
the Germans by long-range guns and
air bombers. The enemy was reported
putting up ? stubborn resistance
everywhere. The French, however,
were doing terrible execution on the
Germans all along the fifty-mile cir
cumference of the loop.
Marne Withdrawal Admitted.
BERLIN, via London, July 10.?
While admitting oertain gains by the
British and also the French, the latter
in the Alsne-Marne battle, German
headquarters^ today declares that the
enemy thrusts southwest of Soissons,
in the center of the line and north
west of Chateau Thierry were re
pulsed.
Thd German war office adds that
the German troops were withdrawn
from the south bank of the Marne
river "without being/noticed by the
enemy." \
Franco-A mericans Squeeze .
Sack About the Germans1
*?4^ ?j|||
WITH THB AMERICAN AltlfT ON
TBS AE3NE-MARNB FRONT. July
20.?The French and Americana
I squeezed the sack in which the Oer
I mans appear to be caught somewhat
tighten Saturday. At midday they
[ had mad* an average gain of more
than a mile along the line Chateau
i ThlerrT-BolMon*. while another gain
[ of a similar distance had been made
- ?f_the Karne and jut of
stiffening
^ V I ?
now being shown by the. German
forces, the Franoo ?American troops
are holding their 11a* between Sols
sons and Chateau Thierry. The bat
tle raged all ntght.
The Germans this morning In
creased their artillery Are to a de
gree greater than any attained since
Thursday. , -
On* American unit since Thursday
has taktfn Mil prisoners. Including
offloers, while
American I
FRANCO-AMERICANS
III
ON WESTERN FRONT
Time Passed When Enemy
Can Hold Initiative, Says
Gen. March.
FURTHER GAINS LIKELY
BY TROOPS OF ALLIES
Yankee Transport! Steadily Swell
ing Han Power in Field Against
Hint in Eranop.
With the subsidence of the German
drive last week and counter'smashlng
blows administered by French and
American troops, the high-water
mark of German offensive on the
western front has been reached. The
initiative has passed to the allied and
: American armies.
This was the conclusion drawn by
Gen. March from the Aisne-Marne
fighting ol the last few days when he
talked to members of the Senate mili
tary affairs committee yesterday.
This week promises to be an event
ful one in the history of the world
war. Even today the situation may
bring further advances which will be
strongly Indicative of the turn of
the tide for the allies.
Counter Offensive Next.
In announcing that American troop
shipments have* now passed 1,200,000
men. Gen. March showed that the
United States is continuing its efforts
to the fullest to replenish the forces
of world liberty on the western front.
The conviction has become general
that- the operation ordered by Gen.
Foch this week is a preliminary per
haps not far removed from a counter
offensive whloh will equal or surpass
Gen. March explained to newspaper
men In his weiKfreonififtfMI that the
strSlU
Gorman forces in the Chateau _
*?gion. This objective has been at
ned, since the French and Amerl
i forces are either astride the line
certain points or have It under di
nflre, so that* it is not usable,
as Gen. March spoke, unoffi
cialveports flashed over the cables In
dicate that the German withdrawal
from whe sector south of the Marne
had borun under threat of onrush of
Gen. Mfikngln's attacking army in the
enemy'rf^rear. The withdrawal was
foreseenoy Gen. March when French
fend AmeAcan shells began raining on
the rallw|
Six American, Divisions. 4
??.
The Amerfean chief of staff told,
with- evident^ satisfaction, that six
American divisions are battling with
the French an<1 for the first time re
vealed their identity. They either are
on the advancing lines between Sois
sons and Chateau Thierry or on those
thajt are pressing the enemy along the
Marne front, where there is reason
to believe the Germans may suffer
serious losses In men and material be
fore they reach safety. Still another
division of Americans is with Gen.
Gouraud, the French leader who com
mands east of Rhelms, whercTthe ene
my assault hit against a stone-wall
defense.
Two regiments of American negro
troop# also are known to be engaged.
One Is east of Rhelms, where the
Americans held the right flank of the
whole front of attack when the Ger
man assault began, just as the Amer
icans at Chateau Thierry held firm on
the left flank. The other is with the
attacking* forcps on the Solssons
Chateau Thierry line.
Gen. March made little effort to
conceal his elation over the turn of
the fighting. His explanation of the
disposition of the American forces
indicates that at least 196,000 Ameri
can fighting troops are in the battle,
and probably thb total force is nearer
300,000 than 200,000.
Each division has a fighting strength
of 27.000 men, and each of the two
detached negro regiments a strength
of 3,600. The full strength of each
division with auxiliary units is 45,000
men/
Description of Gen. Gouraud.
Gen. March gave a personal impres
sion of Gen. Gouraud, under whom a
division of American troops is fighting,
as follows:
"Gouraud is one of the most striking
personalities in France among the
army commanders. He is a man about
fifty years of age, as he seemed to
me, erect and soldierly. He has been
in. action all over the world and hfcs
on his sleeve the five 'blesse* stripes
(wound chevrons), which means that
he has been wounded five times.
"Several of the wounds were of such
a character that he was absolutely
shot up. He has lost one arm. A man
of'less determination and force could
never have survived.
"The French call him 'tree soldat'
(every inch a soldier). He Is a man of
such determination and force thft In
any German drive against his troops
his men will be inspired by his pres
ence to die where they are."
Geiman Objective.
(Jen. March said that the objec^>f
the entire German attaoic was not a
great strategic object iiko an advance
on Paris or an advance on the English
ports. ; _
"It plainly had for its objective sim
ply the applying of the nutcracker
process on the city of Rhelms,'* he sa<d.
"If it were possible for them to come
in. there and squeeze Rheims they
could foree a surrender in time. ^
"Rhelms, however, as has been
shown,- Is well organised for defense.
Without going into details, it is organ
ized for house-to-house defense, and
that has been the reason why the Ger
mans have not been able to get in."
Utah Legislature Delays Dry Vote.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah. July 10.?
A special one-day session of the Utah
legislature for the purpose of -rotlnjc
on the national prohibition amendment,
whloh was proposed for the latter part
of this month, will not be called. It was
annotuwed today by Got. BamlmrcerJ
I that there U no
-<U>
FOOD IN BALTIMORE
10 TO 25 PER CENT
CHEAPER THAN HERE
Prices of Articles That Make Up
Ordinary Sunday Dinner Are
?jlS
Comparative prices of food articles purchased here and
in Baltimore yesterday > \
Washington. Baltimore.
Rib rout, 45c to SOo lb. Sic to 40c.
Chickens {broilers), 50c to 55c lb. 48c to 60c. ?
Chickens (boiling), 48c lb. 40c to 42c.
Fresh peas, 30c quarter pk. 35c.
String beans. 26c quarter pk. 20c.
Potatoes, SOo to 3*ttc half pk. 30c. t.
Tomatoes, 10c and 15c lb. 13c.
Beets, Sc bunch. * 7c.
Sugar corn, 75c do*. 76c.
Lettuce, small, 10c; large, 15c. Small. 5c; large, 10c.
Cucumbers, 5c. 6c.
Squash, large, 6c; small, 3 for 10c. 3 for 10o.
Carrots, 6c apiece. 3c to 10s a- bunch of 4 - and 5
Cabbage. 6c a lb. *c a lb.
Bermuda onions, 25c quarter pk. 20c quarter pk.
Butter, best. 66c to 60c per lb. Ego.
Eggs, best, 50o dos. 45c to 48c.
Ham, 34c and Sic lb. 3?c to*38c.
Blackberries, 30c Hi. 30c.
Peaches, 80c box 30c. '
Cantaloupe, 15c each. 2 for SSc.
Food articles to make up what
might be termed an average Sunday
dinner could have been purchased in
Baltimore at about 10 to 25 per cent
less than the same articles cost house
keepers in Washington, yesterday. .
A representative of The 8tar after
pricing roasting meats and chickens
and the various fruits and vegetables
at the local markets yesterday went
to Baltimore and obtained prices on
the same articles in the markets
there.
In most .cases the vegetables on the
Baltimore markets looked fresher and
far superior in quality to those of
fered for sale here.
Bib Roast Cheaper In Baltimore.
A good rib roast for a Sunday din
ner could have been purchased in
Baltimore for Just exactly IS per cent
less than the prevailing price here. In
Baltimore best rib roasts sold for 88
to 40. cents. Here they were 45 to 50
cents:. Chickens for broiling, which
sold here yesterday for SO to 55 cents
a pound, were costing the consumers
in the neighboring city only 41 and
50 cents a pound. Stewing chickens
sold in Baltimore at 40 and 42 cents,
while the price Jiere was 42 cents a
pound.
Bermuda onions cost 25 cents
quarter peck hare and only 20 cents
in Baltimore?a difference of 25 per
cent. -The same great difference was
found in the price of string beans?25
oents a quarter peck here, 20 cents in
Baltimore. Tomatoes, which are re
ported to be exceptionally plentiful on
the local market ,at this time, were
(Ming offered here^reeterday at prices
ranging from 10 tcM5 cents a pound,
compared with a price of 12 cents In
Baltimore. Although'.the difference In
the price of lettuce was not so gTeat,
there was a marked difference in the
quality. The samples of this popular
commodity being offered In Baltimore
were what the average housewife re
fers to as "beautiful." jit any rate,
they were tempting and actually made
ours mouth water. -This lettuce was
selling at 5 oents a head 'for the so
called small slsss and 10 ceWs tor the
Urge ones. In Washington, %here the
lettuce offering warn less Inviting, the
prices were 10 cents for the small
heada and It cents for thV large
ones. "
Trulta anift Berries Same. '
Blackberries, peaches, eucumters,
beets and sugar corn were selling at
practically the same prices in both
cities. '
The best fresh eggs were plentiful
in Baltimore at 45 and 48 cents *
dozen, compared with BO cents here.'
The beat print butter cost Washing
ton housksepers from, 86 to 80 cents
a pound, dawte the fact .that. the
last-named figure is 2 COM poond>
fair price list. The price In Baltimore
for the best butter wu 68 cents.
Fresh peas and ham were the only
articles priced by The 8tar*s repre*
sentatlve which could be purchased
here at prices under those asked In
Baltimore. Peas here were 30 cents
a .quarter peck, compared with 83
cents in Baltimore. Ham averaged $4
to 85 cents herer and 36 to 38 cents
in Baltimore.
The best grade of potatoes could
not be bought in Washngton. under
80 cents a half peck, and in .most
cases they cost 83 cents, which-is
in excess of the maximum quoted on
the fair price list. Some, retailers', are
reported to have, been charging 85
cents a half peck. In Baltimore the
prevailing price was 30 cents.
Prices at Carlisle, Pa.
The following food quotations
printed In a.Carlisle (Pa.) newspaper
were furnlj&ed The Star by one of
its readers: V-V-e
Eggs, 83 cents a dozen; butter, 28
cents a pound; potatoes. 48 cents a
peck; bacon, 25 cents a po&nd; shoul
der, 25 cents a pound; ham, 30 cents
a pound, and lard, 26 cents a pound.
Went Profiteering Here
I to Receive Attention of
I Federal Employes' Union
I Although the bringing down dt food
[prices Is the first aim of the Federal
Employes' Union In Its present cam
paign, rent profiteering'also will be
fought, John 8. Beach, president of
[the union, stated today.
?On a bla&k form which the union Is
[to send ont this week, the members
[will be asked to st%te not only, what
I they are lteing Charged for foodstuffs,
[but also any. knowledge they j may
have of extortionate, rent eases. Ac
cording to Mr. Beach, the'union al
ready haB collected substantial r data
Ion -the; rent question. ? -? ' '?it >i
?"While we are conoentratlng our ef
[forts on the food situation at .pres
ent," said Mr. Beacfe, "we. are .nt go
ing to overlook the .rent, phase , of
[PStne3fl8e'enactment' of the Sauls
bury resolution there .has bMB a
steady decrease, in the number of rent
case# In Municipal Court. ,
? Confidence In Housekeepers.
iKdwln a Her*, manager of the room
registration office of - the District
Council of Defense, expreMed the be
lief yesterday that SO per cent of the
housekeepers of Washington who axe
renting rooms to the, government?s
I war workers are endeavoring to
charge fair prices. ; t
? Complaints reoelved from day to day
the room registration office from
women who believe' tney are
KNOW!
ABOARD SAN DIEGO
WCOUNTM
Explosion Known to Have
Maimed three Lives in
Eitlffti froom. |
/ ?
NO WAKE OF TORPEDO
INDICATED SUBMARINE
DifMter Probably Due to Itine
I*id bj F-Boat, Such u Have
Been Picked TTp.
Announcement was made last night
that 1,188 men from the U. R armored
eruiier San Diego, rank off Fire bland,
New York, Friday, had been landed.
Unofficial report! were t&t there
were 1,255 men aboard. If that as
sumption is correct the loss of life
would not exceed seventy-two. There
still is a possibility of more survivors
being heard from. ,
The cause of the ship", destruction
still was -undetermined at the Navy
Department. Belief leaded strongly to
the theory that the vessel had hit a
mine recently laid by a German sub
marine. The commander of the
American patrol boats operating oil
Fire Island reported the picking up
and destruction of several .mines of
foreign design.
little Information Added.
Rear Admiral Palmer, acting Bern,
tary of the "Navy, last night made pub
c ? detailed account of the destruc
tion of the cruiser and rescue of the
crew. It added little ?> previous re
SJhi? Ckpt- a ? Christy and
S Sfe'etaktag8 the cause
op^OTto^e^'Lh^r. i?
th^crull" rMponaI^I? for the loss of
^?p.??^tcrs2t1rIthken^r
?m?aJ?fo3Sw??",nt Mn0Dnced th?lr
tonfohte E" D*Vl"' ?D*lM
Ch5S.no?- W?V? "ate,
Lake!"*?' Rochet' ?n*ine man, Blue
Statement of Admiral Palmer.
statement of Sear
P*??er regarding the ?Inkta.-folR1.!?!
tag the sinking of the U a ^S.
if* "S"*do J?wt aft
?WthT".as????
s^Rohinttti. Mkte> S?
?tl
on .the gun deck. , The veJdi mm
Ckftoty went from the bridge
ladders to the boat deck,
??*???* ?H?a to lh?MS
KX-CEAK HICHOLAS.
of. the ex-esar from the hands of the
council's authority. In view of this
fact, the president of the Ural region
al council decided to shoot the ex-coar
I and the decision was carried out on
July 16. .
"The wife and the son of Nicholas
Romanoff have been sent to a place
of security. Documents concerning
the conspiracy, which was discovered,
have been forwarded to Moscow by a
special messenger. It had been re
cently decided to bring the ex-czai
before a tribunal to be tried for his
crimes on the people. and later occur
rences led to delay in adopting this
| oourse. .
Accepts Council's Decision,
"lbs presidency of the central
ecutive committee, havlngr discussed
the olroura stances which oompelled
S2.tSl>?rlonal council to take its
n to NICbolas Romanoff,
14.4 as follows:The Russian cen
a. executive committee, in the per
II son of its president, accepts the de
Ifeislon of the nnul regional council as
I b^?Eerecentr?l .executive committee
s new at its disposal extremely lm
riant material documents , concern
II hr the affairs of Nicholas Romanoff
US .diaries, which he kept almost up
I to his last days, the diaries of his
D wife, his ohildren, and hls-oorreepond
I ence, amongst whlqh are the letters of
| oreiory ? Rasputin io the Romanoff
family These materials will be ex
amined and published in the near
'I futurjS."
Previous Beports.
ii There have been rumors since June
24 that former Kmperor Nicholas of
I Russia had been, assassinated. The
it first of these Stated that he had been
U killed ?t Yekaterinburg byredguards.
| This report wm d^?dUt?vbut this
JULY 1G BY ORDER
Official in Ural Gives Order |
Because of Discovery of
Conspiracy.
COUNTER REVOLUTION
SOUGHT SOVIET DEFEAT I
Former Empress and Heir Safe, |
Say* Bolshevik Message; Docu
menti to Be Hade Public.
By the Associated Ptcm.
LONDON, July 20.?Former Emperor I
Nicholas of Russia has been shot, a|
Bussian wireless statement today an
nounces.
The former emperor's correspond
ence, including letters from the monk, I
"Rasputin, who was killed shortly be
fore the revolution, written to the then |
emperor and his family, will be pub
lished in the near future, the wireless |
message declared.
The message announces that a coun
ter revolutionary conspiracy was dis
covered. with the object of wresting I
the ex-emperor from the authority [
of the soviet council. In view of this I
fact the president of the Ural region- I
al council decided to execute the for- I
mer ruler and the decision was car-1
rled out July 16.
Empress and Alexis Safe.
The former empress and the young I
Alexis Romanoff, the former heir ap-L
parent, have been sent to a place of I
security. N I
i The central executive body of the I
bolshevik government announces that!
I it has at its disposal important ma-1
terial documents concerning the for-1
Documents concerning the ronspir-l
i acjr. which wasi^MglWSSfctliere for-l
I senfef."*TlKldbeen recently decided,
the message explains, to bring theVx-,
I emperor before a tribunal "to be tried I
I for hiB crimes against the people.' ?
I Later occurrences, however, led to de-l
I lay In adopting this course.
Details of Proceedings.
The text of the Russian wireless I
[message reads: I
I "At the first session of the centrals
[executive committee elected by the!
| fifth congress of the councils a m?s-l
I sage'was made public that had been I
I received by direct wire from the I
I Ural regional council concerning the!
[shooting of the ex-oar, Nicholas Ro-|
1 man off.
I "Recently Yekaterinburg, the capi
fltal of the red Urals, was seriously I
threatened by the approach of Csecho-I
U Slovak bands and a counter revolu-l
Dtlonary conspiracy was discovered.!
J which had as Its object the wresting!
AMERICAN LEAGUE
TO QUIT BASEBALL
UNTIL AFTER WAR
i
Parks to Close Gates After
Today's Games, President
Johnson Announces.
OFFICIALS WILL BOW TO
WORK-OR-FIGHT RULING
Chance for Rehabilitation of Sport,
Mr. Johnson Says ? Business
Meeting in Cleveland Tomorrow.
By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, HI., July 20.?American
League base ball parks will close their
gates for the duration of the war after
tomorrow's games unless unexpected
developments occur, it was announced
tonight by Byron Bancroft Johnson,
president of the organization.
No Appeal to Be Made.
No appeal from Secretary of War
Baker's interpretation of the work-or
fight ruling as applied to ball players
will be made, and no effort Is planned
to finish the season with teams recruit
ed from veterans above the draft age
and amateurs below the draft age. Such
an attempt, base ball officials say, not
only would be an Imposition on the fans,
but would also be more or less of a vub
terfuge in view of the administration's
edict.
American League club owners will
meet in Cleveland Monday at the call
of President Johnson to wind up the
Reason's business and discuss the mwy
financial tangles which will result from
the sudden interruption of the national
pastime. National League club owners,
a few of whom are reported as favoring
efforts to weather the storm, will meet
in New York Wednesday to "" ?
the aitsatibn.
Base ball mm
American League
situation without an outward
of protest, but regrets were openly
f*Prggg?&.M taken as an
impliia*JMftMUKtott of slackerism in
the Issuance of such a drastic4>rder
, without any previous Intimation of
I the government's wishes It wan
pointed out that twice last season the
American League offered to close its
parks if such action would help In
winning the war, but that the Idea
was discouraged.
Settle on Contracts Monday.
Now that the administration wishes
are known, it was said, the club own
ers .hasten to comply. Pour of the
Ave club owners whom President
Johnson was able to reach by tele
graph today favored closing the sea
son at once. Just what will become of
the players' and umpires' contracts
will be determined at Cleveland Mon
day. Later an entire reconstruction
of the government and machinery of
base ball is planned.
"While the, ruling came out of a
clear sky, so far as our knowledge
of the government's wishes was con
cerned," said President Johnson, "we
accept the ruling without a protest.
If those 255 players affected can per
form useful and indispensable work
in the remaining three months of the
base ball season, the financial loss re
sulting to our business is inconse
quential. We only regret that we
have been placed in the position of
having to close our parks when we
already had offered to do so. One
word from an authoritative source
would have accomplished the same re
sult.
Chance to Rehabilitate Base Ball.
"Now we will wind up our affairs
as best we may and build for the fu
ture. We will extend every co-oper
ation in our power to the government.
This time, while professional base ball
is cast aside for the national emer
gency. will provide the opportunity to
rehabilitate base ball. Evils have
crept into the game. Wasteful ex
travagance on the one hand and lack
of proper government on the other
have been overlooked in the hurry
and bustle of the titnes. Major leagru'e
clubs must be better governed.
Minor leagues must be better super*
vised. They have scarcely shown
ability to govern themselves. We will
start at once to formulate plans for
the future?plans which will mini
mise the business and emphasise the
support and recreation so as far as
that is possible.
"I think the national emergency ul
timately will be of good to organised
base ball In giving it a much-needed
opportunity to clean house in its busi
ness methods and in the membership
of some of its present family."
At the Chicago National League
club, headquarters It was announced
tonight Cincinnati would play a dou
ble-header here Monday. The team is
scheduled to go east Monday Qlcbt.
but It was announced that tho trip
had been abandoned.
VIRGINIA LEAGUE CLOSES.
No More Games Until After the
War?Richmond in Lead, t
NORFOLK, V*., July JO ?The official
announcement was made in Norfolk to
night that the Virginia League closed
the ISIS season with this afternoon'*
games In Richmond and Norfolk. The
circuit wffl not bo operated again until
after the war.
Richmond finished on top by a margin
of half a game. -v
AMERICANS CAPTURE C
5 PRISONERS IN RAID
nT the 1 Min t. tr il Press.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY Es"
ALSACE, Jnly St.?A raid undertaken
by the Americana last night south'
weal of Monster resulted In a pen. -
; tratlon of the German, llnee for a dls
tanoe of from MS to SOS meters aad
the capture of Are prisoners. The
raid was preceded by effeothr* arttl
Jlery preparation which lasted ferty
U?e mloutea. The eaeay. ?Km
ikfayz ?susUtas.