Evening star. [volume], August 25, 1918, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
WEATHER.
Probably showers today and not
quite so warm; Monday fair; fresh
southeast winds.
Temperature for past twenty-two
hours?Highest, 91, at 4:30 p.m. yes
terday; lowest, 65, at 6 a.m. yesterday.
Full report on page 3.
WASHINGTON, D. 0., SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 25, 1918*
FIVE CENTS.
m IN PILOTS,
BUT SHY PLANES,
GENJNLYSIYS
Only Thirteen Squadrons Are
in France, While There
Should Be 175.
1919 PLANS CALL FOR 350
TO ASSIST GREAT ARMY
3,000 Trained Aviators Beady.
Hope to Provide 18,000 or 20,
000 Machines by July 1.
America's aircraft program for the
great Army that is counted on to win
the war next year calls for 350 com
plete squadrons of planes, and the
man part of the program is already
ahead of schedule, with 3,000 pilots
^trained.
This information, given by Maj.
G$n. Kenly, chief of the division of
military aeronautics, and many other
facts hitherto held secret, were dis
closed yesterday, when the Senate
military committee made public tes- j
timony taken behind closed doors in
three mo-nths of investigations by the
aviation subcommittee headed by j
Senator Thomas of Colorado.
873 Machines in France.
Gen. Kenly told the committee |
there now are thirteen American air
Plane squadrons of 273 machines in
Prance, whereas there should be 175:
squadrons.
William C. Potter, assistant di- i
rector of airplane production, said j
Gen. Pershing had called for 25,000 i
planes by July 1. 1919. and had been
told it was hoped to deliver 18.000 to
20,000. This would meet replacement i
demands of squadrons in the field.
C. W. Nash, former president of the
Nash Motors Company, and now as- !
sistant in engineering and produc- j
tion to John D. Ryan, chairman of
the aircraft production board, gave ,
It as his opinion that nothing but
De Haviland machines could be deliv- !
ered before next January and if 10,- j
?00 airplanes were delivered by next I
July it would be "almost a miracle."
Show "Brutal Frankness.*'
Gen. Kenly and other officers?in
fact, all of the witnesses?apparentlv
gave their statements with what
Senator Reed characterized at one
stage as "bry.t^J_fc - - -
ing examined secret
without considering
the publicity now given. reraonai
criticisms were voiced with freedom.
An example is found in Gen. Kenlv's
examination concerning Gen. Persh
Ing's calls for airplanes. In response :
to uestions Gen. Kenly spoke of what j
he would do if he were in charge at I
home and abroad, and added:
"If you look over the cables you j
would find a cable --from overseas j
asks, for one thing one day and the
next day countermands the order, artd i
then the next day asks for It again, :
and a week later countermands it."
There is no real friction between '
the Army and Navy, Gen. Kenly told I
the committee, except "a very strong '
feeling that the Navy sometimes is I
Setting more than its share."
Gen. Pershing as a Critic.
Gen. Kenly and other officers con
firmed reports that Gen. Pershing]
stopped manufacture of Spad ma
chines last year and recently had
criticised several of the De Haviland
models forwarded.
In outlining next year's program
sent In by Gen. Pershing witnesses
told the committee that Gen. Pershfng
was advised that in trying to get
18,000 or 20.000 machines delivered
by next July the authorities are "aim
ing rather high." A squadron in the
aviation service, it was explained,
normally consists of eighteen fliers,
but they usually have twenty-one. i
During Secretary Baker's examina
tion he was sharply questioned re-1
gardlng airplane photographs dis
tributed by the committee on public!
information with what the Secretary j
conceded were "exaggerated" cap-1
tions. During the tilt Senator Reed j
of Missouri referred to George Creel,!
chairman of the public information
committee, as a "licensed liar," in
tending to mislead the public.
Some Testimony Kept Secret.
Much testimony, regarded confiden
tial?some giving new military se
crets and inventions?was deleted be
fore the testimony was given to the
public. Other testimony, the report
indicates, was of such a confidential
nature that it was not recorded by the
stenographer, who at times, even, was
excluded from the committee hear
ings.
Between the leaves of the volumes
of testimony are contained innumer
able tables, showing expenditure of
aircraft appropriations in detail, rec
ords of progress of the program, data
regarding training fields, and. besides,
masses of correspondence between
government officials, manufacturers
and others.
In principle Chairman Ryan an
prored centralization in one man of
all authority over aviation affairs,
whils Gen. Kenly specifically rec
ommended a department of aviation,
beaded by a cabinet officer, the prin
cipal proposal of the military sub
committee. Both detailed waste of
what they termed millions of dollars
? ?tages of aircraft production
and improvements being worked out
In the reorganization. Lack of proper
organization and executive direction
Gen. Kenly said, was responsible for
?arly delays and failures.
De Haviland Being- Perfected.
The P? ^^nd 4 machine was con
ceded by Gem Kenly not to be satis
*xrt?TT. but he said It Is being per.
?facted. with every prospect of auc
eeay. De Haviland 9s, he als<*
Bttrted. soon are to be built In quaoV
Mr. Byan stated that the libera
taoton of etrht cylinder, as well m
SStntSm perfected, and th"
?with the liberty motor a demon
Btrated success Its utility would be
expanded. Gen. Kenly said that
while the motor is successful air*
craft authorities should have devil
"J"1. ??n? individual machine
about It and also should have built
forelm Planes with foreign motors
of known value early in the war
Henry Ford testified that the lib
erty motor "is the best article that
has ever been rotten up alone- that
line." and stated that his -aftoriw
expected to turn out 100 m?ors dally
besides one "earlp," or Dwm subma
rine cnaser. Too many engineers
, jealousies and desire for ?r?o??i
. falory, Mr. Ford said, were responsible
I Jor wme -aircraft difficulties. He ad-1
(.Continued on Twelfth Pa?e.j '
18-10-45 MEASURE
PASSEDBY HOUSE
Vote 336 to 2 on Bill Only
Slightly Changed From
Original Draft.
YOUTHS, REGULAR CLASS
Authority to command th? m*n
power of the country between eighteen
and forty-five years is given to the war
executives in the draft bill passed
by the Ho*se late yesterday with only
| two opposing votes. These Were by
Representative Myer Iiondon of New
York, socialist, and Representative
William Gordon of Ohio, democrat,
who has been defeated for renomina
tion. As passed by the House the bill
i is changed only slightly from the
i original draft proposed by the War
; Department. The vote was 336 to 2.
I Chairman Dent of the military com
mittee lost a final fight for the
McKenzie amendment for separate
classification of youths from eighteen
to twenty, the House refusing. ?19t to
146, to recommit the bill with instruc
i tions to reinsert the provision. Then
I the roll call began on the bill itself.
Senate to lush Action.
The bill now goes to the Senate,
where leaders predicted its passage
early this week. The Senate plans to
[substitute the House bill for the
measure favorably reported by the
military committee of that body and i
thus expedite its final enactment.
| Congressional leaders hope to send
| the measure to the President by the
! latter part of the week.
The vote in the House was taken
i after three days* debate, which at
i times grew spirited, especially on the
! amendment offered by Representative |
Madden of Illinois to specifically desy
| exemption to all government employes
because of their being in the federal
'service.
The House reversed its action of
j Friday in removing the exemption of
members of Congress from the new
draft, and by a vote of 143 to 89
voted down the Gregg amendment to
make all congressmen and state leg
i islators amenable to the draft.
Amendment Xs Defeated.
An attempt in the House to insert
a work-or-fight amendment by which i
! those exempted from military Service ;
on occupational grounds would be re
quired to remain at their civil tasks
failed, 52 to 91. The amendment was
; directed against strikes and wa# char
acterized by officials of the American
Federation of Labor as a conscription
of labor.
Representative Small. North Caro
lina. asserted there was a disposi
tion by a, part of labor to take advan
tage of war needs to seek unwar
ranted wages and that with increased
wages had come decreased efficiency.
Chairman Dent of the mtlftsjy CMS*
taiU opposed the amendment, Mjiat
U. was no part of the War Depart
ment's program and the department
felt it unecessary.
An amendment by Representative
Smith of New York to exempt police
officers in cities of more than f00,006
population and designed.to relieve the
situation in New York, where a short
age of police officers is said to be
threatened, was defeated. *
An amendment by Representative
Treadway of Massachusetts, which
was adopted, provides for the ap
pointment of special examiners in lo
cal conscription districts for the re
examination of men placed in de
ferred classification, as a means of
| further curbing the deferred classes
j for additional men for active service.
Slackers Are Denounced.
Debate yesterday was featured by at
tacks on slackers in Washington and
criticism of government departments
which have placed men of draft age on
the exemption list while scientists and
chemists who do not claim exemption
are sent to the trenches, although they
could render much more valuable serv
ice to the government toward winning
i the war in the laboratories or with the
chemical section. -
Some memberrt>n each side of the
House denounced exemption given gov
ernment employes, while others con
tended that while there might have
been some abuses there should not be
an absolute bar to deferred classifica
| tion of essential men.
Representative Reavis of Nebraska
! said civilians^ studying mustard gas
| at the bureau of standards were pro
ducing a gas that would be far more
effective than that used by the Ger
mans. Representative Miller of Minne
sota opposed the amendment, but said
a single bureau in Washington had
! more civilian employes than all the
; civilian war activities of Great Britain
combined.
Man-Power Bill Takes
Place of Prohibition in
Senate Work Tomorrow
The Senate failed to complete con
sideration of the man-potfer bill yes
terday afternoon and arrangements
were made with the prohibition lead
ers of the Senate to give the man
power bill the right of way tomorrow.
The war-time prohibition measure,
which was scheduled to come up fpr
action, is to be temporarily laid aside
so as to permit the passage of the
man-power bill without delay. The
war-time prohibition bill, however,
will not lose its status as the un
finished business of the Senate, And
the prohibitionists Insist that It will
be passed after the man-power bill
has been disposed of.
Senator Chamberlain, chairman of
the military affairs committee, hopes
that the man-power bill may be
passed by tomorrow night, or on Tues
day at the latest.
Debated Eighteen-Age Proposal.
The debate in the Senate yesterday
dealt largely with the proposal to
draft men of eighteen into the mili
tary service. Senators Borah of Idaho,
Vardaman of Mississippi and Ster
ling of South Dakota, opposing the
immediate call^ of those of that age,
while Senator Nelson of Minnesota
and-others supported the'bill as re
ported by the committee. ^
Senator Penrose of Pennsylvania
made an attack on Secretary Baker
and the War Department for delay
in recommending extension of the
draft ages. He said the department
had completely changed front since
holding up consideration of the ques
tion last June, when the Army ap-"
propriation bill was before Congress.
Chairman Chamberlain of the mili
tary committee said the department
had explained that time was needed
to frame the new military program,
and when the Pennsylvania senator
declared this a "mere evasion" Sena
tor Hitchcock of Nebraska replied
that Secretary Baker and Gen. March
simply objected to the addition of
ill-considered legislation to an hp
' propriartioir bill, ? and asked fbr'thfib;
* (Continued on Twelfth Page.)
* &
No Resort to Consumption
Taxes or Any New De
vices Necessary.
SOURCES OF TAXATION
The $1,000,000,000 revenue bill, pro
viding: for the greatest tax in the his
tory of the United States, will be
agreed upon finally by the House ways
and means committee tomoitow, re
ported to the House Thursday and
M ??&r!?S&r105.
prbgTam was announced list nfjrht^by.
Chairman Kitehln. with the
that the House will pass the sin aftirt*
a week's consideration.
Final estimates submitted to the com
mittee by the Treasury experts yester
day made it unnecessary to resort to
consumption taxes or any new devices
or plans for raising additional revenue
beyond those already in the measure.
These estimates gave IS.100,000,000 as
the total probable annual yield of tie
bill as now framed.
Whence Honey Comes.
The excess profits schedule, agreed
to at a meeting yesterday, will provide
the largest amount of revenue, estimated
at $3,000,000,000. The income tax, both
individual and corporation, is expected
to yield 92,400,000,000; the estate or in
heritance tax, 9110,000,000; beverages,
including liquors as well as soft drinks,
91,100,000,000; tobacco, cigars and cig
arettes, 9350.000,000; automobiles, man
ufacturers' tax. 9125.000.000. and users
of automobiles and motor cycles. 973.
000,000. Other items, including luxuries,
make up the balance.
The committee in adopting the ex
cess profits schedule completed the
drafting of the measure exeept for
some detail* of the income tax, espe
cially the 3 per cent differential
against unearned incomes.
Excess Profits Plan.
The excess profits provision as
agreed upon directs that this tax?
the strictly excess profits tax. which
Is separate from the alternative flat
war profits levy of 80 per cent?shall
be computed on the following bases:
Thirty-five per cent of the net in
come in excess of the- excess profits
credit and not in excess of 15 per
cent of the invested capital for the
taxable year; 50 per cent of the net
income in excess of 15 per cent and
not in excess of 20 per cent of capi
tal, and 70 per cent of net income in
excess of 20 per cent of this capital.
The excess profits credit will consist
of a specific exemption of 93.000 plus
3 per cent of the investdB capital for
the taxable year. A foreign corpora
tion will not be entitled to the 93.000
specific exemption.
To Protect Small Concerns.
To safeguard the small concerns
against too great a hardship, the bill
provides that corporations having not
exceeding. 925.000 Invested capital
shall not be taxed more than 35 per
cent on their net' Income, while con
cerns with not exceeding 950,000 'cap
ital shall not be taxed snore than 40
per cent on their net income.
BANDITS KILL MARINES
i
Three Americans Slain and One
Wounded in light in
Santo Domingo.
Three American marine, were killed
and one wounded In a bloody flgtit
with hanrflts In the' Selbo province of
Santo Domingo on August IS. A re
port reaching Marine Corps headquur?
ters here yesterday says many of the
bandits were killed or oaptared.
The dead marines, who Were burled
at San Pedro Kacorls, ar?:
Gorp. Bascome Bnedtt. ArchvUle,
Tenn.; Private Russell W. Jones. Al
toona, Pa., and Private Joeeph 8. Ay
del. New Orleans, La.
Private Thomas J. Rushworth,
Brooklyn, N. Y., was wounded, but
escaped after a hand-to-hand light
with the outlaws armed with
machetes. 1
NEW ORLEANS. August 24 ?
Stanislaus Haydel, father of Private
Joseph Stanislaus Baydel, the marine
reported killed in a light with ban
dits in Santo Domingo August 13,
stated tonight he had received" a tel
egram from his son at Paris Island,
S. C-, since Augast is, stating that
he. was safe. Another sod, Henry
Haydel. was known to have basn In.
Santo Domingo and is believed to
have been the one killed- -
7
ON U. SJRANSPORT
Others Are Injured When
Steam Pipe in Coal
Room Bursts.
Bj the Associated J
AN ATLANTIC PORT. August 24.?
Seven men were killed and a' number j
are said to have been injured tonight
by the bursting of a steam pipe on
an American transport lying at a
dock here.
Fourteen coalpaasers, it was said,
were in the auxiliary coal room of
ttotJrtin rescuers mad# their way
it ml room they were dead.
Decline to Give Information.
The naval authorities declined to
give any information concerning the
cause of the accident, and no report
was made to the police.
The transport, which is\sald to have
been one of the largest and most popu
lar of the German liners before it
was taken over by the government,
has been in the harbor for some time
undergoing repairs.
Report Pour Others Killed.
It was later reported that four men
of the Naval Reserve had been trapped
in a steam fitted section of the hold
and were killed. In the absence of an
official report the story could not be
confirmed.
The transport, it was said, was about
to sail for France with men and sup
plies.
GERMANY MAY SEVER
RELATIONS WITH SPAIN
Declares That It Can Hake No Ex
ceptions in Its Subma
rine Warfare.
By the Associated Preaa.
LONDON, August 24.?Germany's
reply to Spain's announcement as to
submarine warfare, which is reported
to have been sent, says that such a
procedure on the part of Spain as was
indicated in the instructions to the
Spanish ambassador at Berlin might
possibly result in the severance of rela
tions , between the countries, according
to a' Copenhagen dispatch to the Ex
change Telegraph Company.
The. note declares,, however, that
Germany is ready to consider limiting
thi operations of submarines outside
or the danger sOne. It is said that
Germany has informed Spain that she
cannot render any guarantee in this
respect and cannot treat Spain in an
exceptional way.
Germany, the note says, cannot give
up the submarine warfare and hopes
that Spain, which has expressed a
desire to maintain her neutrality, will
really remain neutral.
MAT CHASING SHIP,
SAYS S O S. MESSAGE
.
Br the Associated Prws.
SAVANNAH, Ga., August 24.?The
wireless station on Tybee Island to
night picked up portions of an 8. O. a
call from a vessel off the South Caro
lina coast, which said It was being
chised' by a submarine. The message
Wjte indistinct, the wireless operator
{reported, and he was unable to catch
the name of the ves&el sending out
the call. i
There have been reports recently of
submarine operations off the North
Carolina coast, around Cape Hatteris,
and It Is believed that the U-boat has
worked Its way southward with the
intention of lying wait off the
south Atlantic coast for vessels In the
coastwise service.
VOLUNTEER AT FIRE
AS FIREMEN SULK
Pittsburgh Citizens and Sol
diers Extinguish Threat
I
ening Blaze.
STRIKERS BACK ON DUTY
,Bjr the Associated Press.
PITTSBURGH. Pa., August 24.?
[ Eight hundred city .firemen who went
ion strike at noon today, leaving the
city without fire protection, suddenly
returned to their stations tonight and
the eity. after stx hours ef much
anilei/TUg a thrniTcr Tew .* Sours
wttH i H&erAl alarm flre, now has
its fdrmer fire-fighting force on duty.
The men passed a resolution at a
meeting of the Firemen's Protective
Association, just before 6 o'clock,
agreeing to return, and immediately
left the labor temple for the fire
houses.
This action was brought about
through Mayor E. V. Babcock's ap
peal to the War Labor Board at
Washington, which upon previous ap
peals a week or more ago. when the
strike first threatened, ruled that the
board had no jurisdiction in the case.
While the firemen were in session a
telegram was received from the sec
retary of the board stating that a rep
resentative of that body would be in
Pittsburgh Monday morning to assist
in adjusting the wage differences be
tween the firemen and the city gov
ernment, if the men would return to
work immediately.
The firemen agreed to return to
work at once If Mayor Babcock and
Director of Public Safety C. B.
Pritchard would agree to restore
them to their old status and posi
tions. This the city officials agreed
to do, and at 6 o'clock the strike was
ended.
Volunteers Fight Fire.
When the fire broke out in the whole
sale business section about 2 o'clock a
general alarm was sent in. At the first
alarm one hose carriage and three fire
men who had stuck to their posts ap
peared on the scene. The .fire was in a
long row of two-story brick buildings,
and the flames were licking along the
structures and fast gaining such head
way as to threaten many blocks.
Hose Brought From Plants.
Men from manufacturing plants
nearby rushed ..with hose from the
plants'and coupled to street hydrants
and. attacked the blaze. Apparatus
was observed rolling to the fire from
all sections of the outer district,
manned by automobile experts and
civilians in" all walks of life, who
volunteered in - the city's distress.
One set of apparatus was manned by
soldiers from a training camp and
as it rushed through the streets
crOwds lined the curb and cheered.
About an - hour after the general
alarm had been sent In some one noti
fied the labor temple, where the fire
men were holding a meeting, and
the' four members of. a downtown
company rushed to their old station,
commandeered the apparatus and,
apparently forgetting their grievancesr
rolled off tofthe fire in citisens' clothes
as though from force of habit.
When they had reached the scene
the fire had been well controlled by
the amateur fire fighters.
Controversy Over Wages.
The trage controversy t of the'fire
men Was inspired when the city coun^
cil some months ago granted the po
licemen an increase of $15 a month
and but $5 a month to. the firemen;
The latter, through their organise-*
tiOn, threatened to strike several'
weeks ag<v but held the matter Itf
abeyance pending efforts to reach ai
agreement through the services ox
the National War Labor Board. Thf
latter finally held that it had no M
risdiction in the controversy, and
Mayor Babcock maintained that hfe
had no authority to promise- the fire
men an increase, because that was it
matter for the city councils.
At meetings of the firemen held
last night and today an appeals to
withhold the strike order were re
jected, and at noon -the night platoofa
refused to report for duty when thS
day platoon went out.
The/mayor has issued a proclama
tion to the public urging unusual
care in guarding against fire. Ini
surance underwriters are discussing
canceling all insurance except the
minimum on olty property, and in
junction proceedings are being ad
vanced- as a measure to compel the
men to return to the .fire stations. 1
Shortly after noon 300 men in the
officers* training camp of the Car*
negie institute of Technology volun*
teered as a unitv to man the city
flre-fH&ttaff apparatus, and Several
hundred technical men also have oJ
fsrcd their services.
BRITISH STAGGER GERMANS
BY BLOWS IN STEADY DRIVE;
SEIZE IMPORTANT TOWNS
MAY CRUSH GERMANS
BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Cablegram to The Saaday Star
aad CMeago Dally News.
Gopjrrlihti 1918.
LONDON, Aura at 24. ? The
opinio* la gala lag atreagth la
Loadea that provided the allies
aad the Halted States strata
every nerve, aad provided good
eaapalgalag weather lasts
oatll late la the aatama, the
Geraaa amy la the west aaay
be crashed before Chrlstatas.
This oaght to complete the
victory for democracy* which
* cannot be postponed loager
than next year aad prAably
will be achieved early la the
campaign.
ALLIES NOW HAVE
Enemy, Outclassed in Num
bers and Spirit, Lose
Hope of Victory.
AMERICANS' DASH TELLS
BY THOMAS M. JOHSSOX.
Cablegram 1* The St??w M" aad
New V.rk San. Curlflt, 1*18.
PARIS. August 24.?"The tide has
turned.at last; things are coming our
way." These have been the words of
the allied leaders both political and
military; these have been the words
of the French British and American
soldiers during all this recent fight
ing.
Everywhere the feeling prevails that
the Germans' last hopes of winning
the war, reaching Paris or the channel
ports have been dashed to the ground
by the succession of stunning blows
delivered ?y the allies since July 1*.
Tw?41t*niatM?r?
k?wt *h? dtirmana find themselves
facing two alternatives. They must
either go definitely on the defensive
along the western front, as they were
in 1916 and 1917, or withdraw to a
Bhorter line, thus freeing more troops.
The latter course might enable them
to make a short fierce attack this
fall and to gain epough ground and
prisoners to spur the flagging spirits
at home through another winter, but
it carries no hope of accomplishing
anything decisive.
It seems, indeed, that the much
heralded plan of the German^-to win
a complete victory on a grand scale
along the western front this year be
fore the American troops could make
themselves felt must be given up.
Four important facts stand out in
the present situation. First, the Ger
mans have loqt their numerical su
periority. Second, the Germans have
lost the initiative. Third, they have
lost their mass of maneuver. Fourth,
they have lost a good share of their
offensive spirit.
Based on Excellent Authority.
Those statements are all based upon
excellent and varied authority. The
exact extent of the present allied
numerical superiority cannot, of
course, be stated. On March 21, how
ever, when the first big German at
tack was made, the enemy's superi
ority was about thirty-five divisions,
the equivalent of about twenty Amer
ican divisions. "We have sufficient
divisions in France to add to the in
creased strength of the British due
ib their rigid combing out of all
available men mt home and in the
colonies, which is now bearing such
abundant fruit.
With the allies on the offensive and
Able to deliver a powerful attack vir
tually wherever and whenever they
desire with their numerical superior
ity. it is evident that the Germans
have lost their initiative, especially as
they have lost their mass of maneuver/
which means a superabundance of di
visions available for offensive action.
A few days ago,I asked an authority
on those things, TWhat is the German
mass of maneuver now?" He replied
with one word. ??Nil." The Germans
have behind their fighting line be
tween seventy and eighty divisions,
but of these little more than twenty
can be rated as fresh. The remainder
are so shot up and tired out by months
of campaigning that they cannot be
used for some time.
"Burns Out" His Troops.
By far the greater part of these dis
abled troops were "burned out" in the
crown prince's ghastly failure of July
15, when he tried to reach Paris, and
in the retreat to the Vosle, which fol
lowed. On the eve of the fiasco the
Qknnan mass of maneuver was some
fifty divisions, all fresh.
The allies have used tip these forces
at a rate amounting almost to one di
vision a day. /
That the allied wastage has not
been so terrific is shown by the fact
that they are still advancing. That
the German offensive spirit is waning
is quite patent to any one who has
examined the German prisoners taken
during the last month.
The morale is quite low, especially
among' the second rate regiments, but
even picked troops, while having
plenty of fight still left in them, have
lost much of their arrogant boastful
ness and confidence in themselves and
in their leaders.
Spirit of Allies High.
On the other hand tlie spirit of allied
troops was never higher. That of the
Americans, which is almost too high,
prompts them to rush in where vet
erans fear to tread.
What has brought this about: First,
be it said of all military success, must
be the fighting qualities of the sol
diers themselves. So it is the poilu,
the Tommy and the Tank, who have,
made success possible by their spte^
did fighting.
Two other great factors which stand
out are Foehland the dash of the
_ - * % If fou want to hear praise
led ieneralisaimo go to the
mfiBiM staif officers, who nave had
some insight litto the manner in which
he has handle^ the situation Ki.ice as
suming his great commend.
They , know how, beginning Ui July.
r
Thiepval, Grandcourt and Bray
Safely Held?Hun Dead
Litter Ground.
NEW DIVISIONS MOWED DOWN;
HAIG DRAWS NEAR BAPAUME
By the Associated Press.
Without pause, the British forcts battling against the Ger
mans are moving forward in the direction of Bapaume. The
fighting has been extremely heavy, but there has been no stopping
Field Marshal Haig's men, and the latest report from British
headquarters says that they are making progress along the entire
front of the British attack.
The important towns of Bray, Thiepval and Grandcourt, to
gether with several smaller places, have been captured and more
than 2,000 prisoners have been taken in the latest advance of the
British army, which now occupies the strategically important
Thiepval ridge.
Around Miraumont, which lies a little north of Grandcourt,
the fighting has been of great intensity, and this place apparently
has fallen, as Haig's report says that "the enemy held out until
outflaked by advancing columns."
British detachments have reached Avesnes-les-Bapaume,
which lies very close to Bapaume, whose capture is expected at
an early date, but not without severe fighting.
American troops holding the ground around Fismes have
moved up to the Soissons-Rheims road along a front of about half
a mile, while the French, though not extensively engaged, have
made some.progress south of Crecy-au-Mont.
Cannon Are Captured.
There are few details of the progress
of the fighting south of the Somme.
The capture of cannon is reported
from this region, but there has been
no news of further progress there by
the British.
Along the Chaulnes-Roye sector of
the line there Is comparative auiet.
Thli '1 Wt/W1 has uot-feeen mliWIiied
in recent attioei. Although the
French are known to be close to
Noyon, that city is still.held by the
Germans. The French hold ground
along the southern bank of the Oise,
and have been reported to be across
it at two points, but,they appear to
have ceased their attacks for the
moment, seeming to be waiting for
the outcome of the fighting in Picardy
and Artois.
Situation on Ailette.
The left bank of the Ailette is also
held by the French. There have been
reports that they have crossed this
stream, but these have not been
officially confirmed. South of the
Ailette, the French appear to be
definitely held up on the hills north
of Solssons. Their position there.
however, would seem to render the
German positions ?
Tronch raids by the French in the
Lorraine sector are reported from the
French war office. This activity in
what has been for some time a quiet
sector may be the prelude to an at
tack against the Germans there, but
there is nothing yet to substantiate
this suggestion.
Fighting Everywhere Heavy;
Foe Is Becoming Rattled
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE, August 24, 4 p.m.?Field
Marshal Haig's fighting armies
achieved further victories today. They
delivered blow after blow to the stag
gering enemy, who, in some places,
such as the Thiepval salient, was re
ported to be in a state of great con
fusion.
Thiepval itself, a mighty position
atop a comparatively high, hill from
which the surrounding country for
miles is under observation, has been
occupied by the British forces, and
the British line has been straighten
ed between Grandcourt. north of
Thiepval, and La Boiselle, to the
south. There has" been extraordi-<
narily hard fighting in this locality.
Choked With German Bead.
s
Miraumont, that boche position
which has held out for days in the
center of the battlefront. is grad
ually being ^surrounded . on all sides.
I The town is choked with German dead,
and many living Germans may be cap
tured there shortly. ?
In the advance on Bapafime, the
village of Avesnes-lez-Bapaume, just
at the ?edge of the larger town, has
been reached. It seems certain that
Bapaume will fall at an early date,
but more heavy fighting is expected
here. British troops have advanced
to a point north of Mory and have
also entered Croisilles, which is some
miles east of the Arras-Bapaume
road, and probably marks the peak
of-the advance eastward in the north
ern battle zone.
Fighting North of Scarpe.
There has also been fighting north
of the river Scarpe today, and the
British here have made progress,
penetrating the old German front line
for more than five hundred yards.
The British attacked Givenchy and
recovered the old front line from
which they retired .during an attack
last evening.
While Field Marshal Haig's men
pressed forward with mighty strides
on the main battlefront today, they
had to fight for every yard of ground.
Considerable numbers of guns and
prisoners have been captured all
Along the line, and the British have
again inflicted the heaviest possible
casualties on the enemy. The ground
over which the battle has been fought
was invariably littered with dead
Germans.
Germans Disorganized.
Still fighting a losing battle, the Ger
mans are unquestionably becoming- dis
organised and rattled. Officers who
have been taken prisoner have men
tioned recent reverses, and especially
the defeat which is now being suffered,
and said that Germany was willing to
give ^anything for peace.
These statements are of value only
as showing how*the German army is
ccming to look upon the war now go
ing against them.
New German divisions continue to ar
rive In the xone, only to be stood u**
before the advancing British and. moire. ,
down. While they have been able to (
check in a measure the allies, they have j
been unable to stay their eontiuuous |
forward movement.
Lose Faith in Command.
There are stories of leas than a dozen
men being left in some of the German
companies which had participated in the
recent fighting. SoIcHer prisoners cap
tured today expressed themselves gen- i
ps lost frith in the higher
vu<1.2UcUlJ, %ha(J
I cers attributed the defeats to the in
efficiencies of the German air -service,
and. more especially, to the presence of
many untrained recruits in the older
divisions. Some are said to have de
serted while on the way to the front* to
participate in this battle.
Retirement Contemplated.
There can be no doubt that prior to
the British attack the Germans were
contemplating a retirement, but they
intended to take their time. The.
British attack had the effect of hus
tling: the enemy and perventing him
from carrying out his plans. This
has been proved by the large number
of prisoners taken.
No return has yet been made of the ?
total number of prisoners taken by
the French, but a conservative esti
mate of the total of Anglo-French
captures since July 18 confirms the
earlier report from Paris placing
them well over 100.000.
There was some heavy fighting in
Flanders this morning on a small
scale in the neighborhood of Dra-"
noutte ridge in the Lys salient, whicfet
is reported to have been captured bT
the Germans.
i Advance in Teeth of Guns.
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS TN
FRANCE. August 24.?(Reuter's Lim
ited).?The town of Thiepval, north
east of Albert, on the Ancre front'
was entered today by British force!
in the teeth of much machine gun and
rifle fire. Bray also was captured by
the British.
At Bihucourt the boche is des
perately trying to hold up the ad
vance of the British by fighting from
the ruins of a large sugar factory.
The British are fighting in the vicin
ity of Mory and are pushing forward
east of the Arras-Bapaume road, as
well as at St. Leger, just to the north
ward. .
The area behind the German lines !e
jammed with men and transports,
indicating confusion, while south o 1
Bapaumo the Germans seem to bo
throwing in more troops.
Aeros Sweeping Enemy.
Never before have the entente atr^
planes had such ground targets. A
large number of planes are sweeping
over the roads, emptying their ma
chine gilns and cargoes of bombs into
the enemy masses, damming the roads
with wreckage and causing the great
est confusion.
The allied aviators emptied their
guns and dropped their bombs as fast
as they could and returned time and
again for more ammunition.
The British armies continued smash
ing through the Germans this morn
ing all along the . battle line. Bray
sur-Somme was reported in British
hands after heavy fighting. The
British pressed eastward of this place
and are kwell beyond Happy Valley.
German Counter Attack.
Becordel-Becourt is reported cap
tured and the British are said to have
reached the high ground southwest
of FrioOurt, where the Germans have
.launched a heavy counter attack.
Toward the north the distance be
tween the enemy and Albert is continu
ally widening. The position at Thiepval
is uncertain, but La Boisselle and Orvil
lers are reported to have been taken
from toe Germans. This'morning the
battle traged furiously in the vicinity
of Bihucourt and Sapignies, where tho
Germans were trying to save Bapaurae.
To say nothing of the great number
of wovtjp* Germans in British hospitals
:?7-/Jsan(i have passed througa