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- - '? ^ <=" y""W*RT V^" T^r.T- '? -* ??' ?? ?? _ ----- - - WEATHER. Fair tonight and tomorrow; not much change in temperature. Temperature for twenty-four hours ending 2 p.m. today: Highest, "5, at 2 p.m. today; lowest, 44, at 7:30 a.m. to day. Full report on page 21. Closing New York Stocks, Page 21. Member of the Associated Press The Associated I*resa la exclusively entitled to the m for republication of all bcwi dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited la this paper and also the local news published herela. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. Yesterday's Net Circulation, 104,980 No. 27,198. WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1918-TWENTY-SIX PAGES. TWO CENTS. GERMAN CENTER BEFORE LA ON CA VING IN; HUNS ARE IN WILD FLIGHT BEFORE BRITISH Conference, Unprecedented in German History, Causes Widespread Speculation. MAY MEAN ABDICATION OR PLEA FOR SUPPORT Conjecture Ranges From Appeal to State Sovereigns for Renewed Fealty to Unconditional Surrender. Ty tho Associated Press. AMSTERDAM, October 11.?Emperor W illiam has summoned the sovereigns of all the German'federal states to Berlin for a consultation before an swering President Wilson's note, ac cording to a Cologne dispatch. Such a conference is unique in the history of Germany. LONDON. October 11.?Chancellor Maximilian's peace proposal to Presi dent Wilson was made in direct op position to the views of Emperor Wil liam, according to a report brought to London by a neutral who left Ger many a few days ago. It is suggest ed that this may be the reason for the summoning of the German sov ereigns for a conference. No official confirmation of this can be obtained here. No Decision Reached at Berlin. BASEL, Switzerland, October 11.? So far no decision has been reached t*y the ministers assembled at Berlin under Chancellor Maximilian to con sider President Wilson's answer to the peace proposals of the central powers, says a dispatch from Berlin received here today. As the new German government, however, the message adds, regards the peace measures most seriously, it is considered certain that an answer will be given to President Wilson on all three points with the same rapidity as that in which he answered Germany. It is believed from this that it is the purpose of the German government to , pursue the conversations commenced ] on the possibilities of a conclusion of i peace. I Speculation as to Significance. j Speculation here as to the meaning ! of the conference of the soverigns of the German states called by the kaiser ranges all the way from an appeal to the petty soverigns for renewed fealty to the supreme war lord and the suppression of any dis Katisfaction in their territories, to abdication of the kaiser and uncon ditional surrender to the allies. Those who suggest tho possibility of abdication argue that the kaiser must realize that the time when he may get cut with good grace is pass ing. and that ho may be preparing to be before the people proclaiming his abdication as a measure for their wel- ? fare and to save future suffering. It is assumed, of course, that the ! conference will deal with the reply to | President Wilson's inquiries in re- i Fponse to Prince Maximilian's peace i note. If that reply actually is to lead | to peace negotiations it must be a pre- | lude to drastic chancres in the German | empire, in which the subject sover eigns would have a hand. Discussion of B^forms, Possible. One official suggested that the con ference of kings might have been call ed particularly to work out details of reforms ordered in the decree of Sep tember 30, to which Prince Maximilian referred to in his first address to the reichstag as imperial chancellor. Just what this decree provides is rfot known here, and no report has been made of it to this government either directly or indirectly. Even the most radical socialist newspapers of Ger- I many have made no mention of it. J PEAK OF INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC DUE SOON Curgron General of Army Says Im provement in Conditions I Ma/ Be Expected. Within a short time the peak of the Influenza epidemic will be reached end an improvement in conditions may lie expected. This is the opinion of the surgeon peneral of the Army announced today. Influenza and pneumonia in Army tamps made the deatl' rate among troops at home stations iiigher dur ing the week ending October 4 than ):i any other week since the moblliza t 'ii began last fall. The surgeon i ? rtrral reported today that the rate ased from 32.4 deaths per thou nd for the week ending September i. ?* to si.8, an increase of 250 per cent. The admission rate for disease 1 radically doubled. During the week < ulii,,: September 20, before the in l.uenLa epidemic began, the death rate Vas only 4.4 per thousand. ' PRESIDENT'S LOAN PLEA HAS BEARING ON CRISISABROAD Blows Will Continue to Fall on Enemy as Officials Ponder. SQUIRM AS HE MAY, HE MUST ACCEPT U.S. TERMS i Such Action Tantamount to Sur render, Is View of Diplo mats Here. "We are in the midst of the greatest exercise of the power of this country that has ever been witnessed or fore cast, and a single day of relaxation of that effort would be of tragical dam age to ourselves and to the rest of the world. "Nothing has happened which would make it safe or possible to do anything but push our effort to the utmost. The time is critical and the response must be complete." This statement of President Wilson in connection with the liberty loan is construed in official circles to have a bearing upon the pending situation arising out of the President's com munication to Prince Maximilian on the appeal for an armistice looking to terms of peace. May Squirm, But Must Admit. There is no abatement of the con viction in diplomatic and official quar ters here that, squirm as it may, the German government will find itself compelled to read the terms of Presi dent Wilson's three questions as tantamount to insistence by the al lies upon unconditional surrender of the central powers before peace can t be visualized. I It is pointed out in the official com ! ment here that as the case stands to day President Wilson's note is not to [ be considered as the dictum alone of the United States. It is in fact expo 1 sition of the attitude of Great Britain, } France. Italy and Belgium as well. There is complete acquiescence among the allies in the President's course. Furthermore, it is reiterated in of ficial quarters that to advance the suggestion of the possibility of te dious and possibly entangling diplo matic correspondence over the note is to voice an apprehension which is not warranted by fact or logic. No Parleying Delays. There will be no repetition of the Lusitania correspondence, long drawn out. as some would seem to fear, nor of the Mexican interchanges. The sit uations are entirely different and the pending one possesses no aspect lending itself to parleying. Analying the logic of the situation j as it stands today, it is pointed out by officials that Germany's acceptance, through a governmental agency ac ceptable to the allies and therefore responsible to the people of Ger- i many, would be equivalent to sur [ render by the central powers, if and j ' when accompanied by immediate j retrocession of all occupied territory, j That means restoration of Russian, I | as well as Rumanian territory. | There cannot even be an armistice 1 with cessation of hostilities until such i action is taken by the central powers, I let alone discussion of terms of final j peace. In the meantime the victo- | rious forces of the allies are driving' ahead hourly, punishing the enemy at I every point and showing anything but a lowering of morale consequent upon the dispatch of the president's queries. Enemy Feels Blows. It is quite evident. It is declared, that Marshal Foch, Gen. Haig, Gen. Pershing and Gen. Diaz see nothing in the language employed by the President to suggest diminution of effort or the withholding of the mil itary hand. All that they perceive, it is said, is that the enemy is showing the effect of their blows by whimper ing through diplomacy and they know full well that the allied governments i in their administrative political i ! branches have no thought of ham- I pering or halting the work of the military. It is believed in Washington that if Germany comes back with a coun ter proposal, as has been hinted in some of the dispatches, that she will I accept the fourteen terms of peace, "if and provided," for instance, if concessions such as retrocession of her colonies should be assured. Presi dent Wilson will promptly refuse to engage in further correspondence and peremptorily dismiss the appeal of Prince Maximilian as unworthy of at tention. Force to Utmost Unadjourned. Persons In official authority declare that President Wlson's words spoken in his Baltimore address are undiluted by recent events and stand today as they were uttered: "Force, force in the utmost, force without stint or limit, the righteous and triumphant force which shall make right the law of the world and cast every selfish dominion down in the dust." Before the pressure of that force is releved Germany will have to agree | through responsible agencies to do all the things which will accomplish what the allies are fighting for. 73 MORE DEATHS IN 24-HOUR PERIOD, NEW D. C. RECORD Gain of Sixteen Over Yester day and Epidemic's Crest Not Reached. 1,472 NEW CASES WERE REPORTED HERE TODAY Commissioners by Ordinance Order landlords to Heat Up for Tenants. Seventy-three deaths from influenza, the highest number recorded in any twenty-four-hour period since the start of the epidemic, were reported to the health department between noon yesterday and 12 o'clock today. For the previous corresponding pe riod fatalities totaled fifty-seven, and in the course of the twenty-four hours prior to that thirty-nine. Today's gain in deaths, therefore, is sixteen, or two less than yesterday's gain of eighteen. New cases reported today reached the total of 1,472. There were 1,056 new cases reported yesterday and 1,722 the preceding day. The total number thus far registered is 7,704. Landlords Must Heat. With the adoption of a special regu lation requiring the heating of apart ment houses and other living abodes the Commissioners today continued to use every drastic means recommended for checking the spread of the dis ease. Federal and local authorities will not hazard a prediction as to how long it will take the epidemic to wear it self out. They do not believe it has reached its crest. New Ordinance Orders Heating of All Dwellings by Agents in Charge Compulsory heating of apartment houses, boarding- houses, hotels and other places used as dwellings is re quired by an emergency health ordi nance adopted by the Commissioners at noon today. This is the Commissioners' prompt answer to complaints of unheated living quarters which continued to reach the police departement today, despite the appeal made to landlords yesterday by the District heads and the Real Estate Brokers' Association to start up their furnaces for the protection of the lives of thousands of Washington residents. Corporation Counsel Conrad M. Syme drew up the ordinance after a conference with Health Officer Fow ler. It was sbmitted to the Commis sioners at a special board session called at noon and unanimously adopted. Text of Regulation. The regulation follows: "On account of the serious menace to the public health existing at this time from the epidemic of Spanish influenza and the opinion of the health officer of the District of Co lumbia that unheated dwellings and apartment houses contribute to the spread of this disease and are detri mental to the public health and safety. '"Now, therefore, by virtue of the powers invested in them by joint resolution of Congress, adopted Feb ruary 26. 1S92, the Commissioners of the District of Columbia do hereby make and promulgate a special health ordinance, as follows: New Ordinance. "That the owner, manager, superin tendent or other person in control of every apartment house, lodging house, hotel or rooming house, or other place irNthe District of Columbia used as a dwelling, who as principal or agent is under obligation to supply the in mates thereof with heat, is hereby required to heat such building to a temperature of not less than 70 de grees Fahrenheit and maintain it at such temperature while this ordinance remains in force, provided that a fluctuation of temperature of not more than 5 degrees from 70 degrees Fahrenheit and continuing for not more than one hour, shall not be con sidered a violation of this order. $40 Daily Penalty. "For each and every day any per son liable hereunder shall fail to com ply with the provisions of this ordi nance he shall be liable to a tine not to exceed forty dollars ($40)." The police will keep a close look out for violations. Persons knowing of unheated apartments or other buildings used as dwellings are asked to make report of them to the police. Prosecutions will be conducted to the limit of the law. Complain of Non-Heating. Complaints made to the police de partment this morning showed there were thirteen apartment houses and one hotel in which heat was not being furnished. Reports received by the police yesterday placed twenty-six apartment houses and -twelve board ing houses on the unheated list. The situation resulted in Health Of ficer Fowler recommending to the Commissioners yesterday that they take action at once to better the con ditions. His recommendation was as follows: "I desire to bring to your attention the serious situation existing in the District of Columbia at the present time by reason of the failure or re ft, Sal of the owners of certain apart * (Continued on Ninth Page.) HELP HIM REACH IT! CAPITAL OF THE NA TION IN DANGER OF FAILING TO MAKE GOOD ON LOAN Epidemic of Influenza Serves as Bar to Further Direct Solicitation. UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL TO HELP AVERT SHAME Goal Cannot Be Reached Unless Subscriptions Are Sent In Voluntarily. As it stands today Washington is in danger of failing on its quota for the Fourth Liberty Loan. With all its resources already overtaxed by the great army of war workers, the plans for a three week campaign have had to be abandoned because of the epidemic of influenza. With two-thirds of the time gone and only one-half of its quota made, the District seems to be facing de feat. But the fighting capital of this I fighting nation wants it understood i that it has only begun to fight. It does not intend to let disease, the bad effect of good war news,, German peace tricks, nor anything else prevent it from having its right ful place at the head of the honor roll of these United States. Washington is game! It is the beating heart of militant America, and its citizens are lining up to fight untowrd circumstance just as our boys are breaking through the gas and barbed wire of the German trenches. In the interest of the common good there can be no more meet ings nor parades nor canvassing. It's up to individual initiative and personal loyalty. Let's show what we can do! I I president Appeals to youi Recent events have enhanced, not lessened, the im portance of this loan, and I hope that my fellow-coun trymen will let me say this to them very frankly. The best thing that could happen would be that the loan should not only be fully subscribed, but very greatly oversub scribed. We are in the midst of the greatest exercise of the power of this country that has ever been witnessed or fore cast, and a single day of relaxation in that effort would be of tragical damage, alike to ourselves and to the rest of the world. Nothing has happened which makes it safe or possible to do anything but push our effort to the utmost. The time is critical, and the response must be complete. ' WOODROW WILSON. If you have not subscribed?do it now. If you have subscribed, take some more?all you can afford. This is the trumpet call for every Washingtonian to do his utmost for * ?? The Official Score Actual subscriptions in the Dis trict of Columbia for the first ten 1 working days of the fourth liberty 1 loan campaign were: $14,000,000 Subscriptions should have been $15,333,000 The loan is therefore $1,333,000 behind the schedule in Washing ton. Of the $27,608,000 quota of this city there remains to be sub scribed $13,600,000 An average of $1,700,000 must therefore be raised each working day during the remainder of the campaign. BUY NOW! the honor of his beloved and strick en city?to do voluntarily and to the fullest measure of his resources what it has a right to expect of him. It is an earnest appeal also for help from every stranger within the gates. This is your capital as well as ours. While Washington is the capital of the largest and richest country in the world, also it is the smallest and poorest of all world capitals. It has no factories, no immense industries, no great wealth?it is merely the home of your good old Uncle Sam, who has never gone to war for an ignoble cause, and who has never been licked. Give us a boost, in the knowledge that when you help us you also help yourself. It is OUR nation, and this is OUR capital. Fill out the subscription blank at the bottom of this page, mail it quickly to the Distiict Liberty Loan Committee, Washington, D. C, and then go to the bank and complete the transaction?cash or installment plan. Remember that Washington does not get the credit for your sub scription unless you use a local bank. Pick any bank in town. They are all good and any of them will welcome you. Fill in the coupon NOW! We want to cable Pershing that in spite of calamity Washington has again carried its portion of the line. Liberty Loan Subscription Pledge (Fill in and mail at once.) To the District Liberty Loan Committee: I hereby obligate myself to go at^nce and without further notice to the ? Bank and subscribe (Select any Washington Bank) to $ of the Fourth Liberty Loan. ' Name Address FOE IS GIVING UP CHEMIN DES DAMES AS FRENCH ATTACK Douai Now Seriously Menaced by Smashing Onward Rush of Anglo-Americans. YANKS AND POILUS SEIZE GRANDPRE, ABOVE ARGONNE By the Associated Tress. LONDON, October II, I p.m.?The Germans are evacuating the Chemin des Dames under the pressure of the converging attacks west and south of it. (The Chemin des Dames positions before Laon are the bulwarks of the German center on the west ern front.) The Hun line between Laon, between the rivers Serre and Sissonne, have been turned, making the German situation in the Laon area most difficult. Today's advices from the battle front indicate it is virtually certain the Germans will have to evacuate the St. Gobain forests almost immediately. In the Champagne the French and Americans joining hands north of Argonne in the Grandpre gap, have occupied the Grandpre station, while patrols are said to have entered that town itself. On the River Meuse, northwset of Verdun, the Americans have cleared out a little pocket in the direction of Sivry, which has held them up a long time. BRITISH BATTLE ON THIRTY-MILE FRONT. WITH THE ANGLO-AMERICAN FORCES SOUTH EAST OF CAMBRAI, October 11 (by the Associated Press).? The greatest battle now being fought in this region is on a front of nearly thirty miles today, it having been extended to the north. The British are gaining everywhere. There is virtually no enemy infantry opposition. The high ground on the eight-mile front between St. Hilaire and Le Cateau to the southeast was found to be alive with ma chine guns when the British approached and the cavalry patrols were held up for some time. The only resistance worth mentioning is coming from the enemy machine gunners. The bulk of the enemy artillery seems to have fled so far east of the battle ground as to be out of range. DOUAI'S EVACUATION NOW EXPECTED. North of the Le Cateau-St. Hilaire line the Germans are in headlong flight, according to the reports from airplane observers. The Douai salient has been made still deeper and the news that the Germans are beginning to evacuate that city may be expected at any time. \ Cambrai is being rapidly left behind in the battle area. As the armies push forward there are nowhere any signs that the Ger nans intend making a determined stand, but the British are going . little slower now. French Gain North of Aisne; Foe Retreats in Champagne By the Associated Press. PARIS. October 11.?French troops last night advanced in the region north of the Aisne and captured the towns of Chivy and Moullns and then ?pushed on beyond, the French war office announced today. In the Champagne French troops crossed the river Suippe and gained a footing between St. Etienne and Boult-sur-Suippe as well as at War mariville, Vandetre and St. Masmes. Farther east the French are pursuing the Germans, who are in retreat. On the front west of the Argonne forest French infantry has captured Semide and Mont St. Martin. The the heights at Cerny-en-Laonnois. PARIS, October 10.?French troops advancing east of St. Quentin have penetrated to a depth of nearly four miles and occupied numerous villages, according to the war office statement tonight. French troops today crossed the Aisne east of Oeuilly, southeast of Laon and drove the enemy north ward. The French have gained ground north of Berry-au-Bac and have taken prisoners, according to the official statement issued at the war office tonight. In the Champagne sector the Ger mans have begun a retreat toward the Aisne river. French forces have crossed the Aisne at Termes, which they hold and have occupied the sta tion at Grand Pre, where numerous prisoners were taken. French also stormed Corbon and i South of the Oise, in the St. Gobain 4 region, Servais has been captured arid Brieres. Italian troops reached a point south of Courtecon on the Chemin des Dames, which highway the French have gained possession of as far as prisoners have been taken Between the Ailette and the Aisne French and Italian troops advancing on both sides of the Chemin des Dames have forced the Germans back beyond the Oise canal. Yanks Sweep on With British, Capturing Important Points By the Associated Press. LONDON. October 11.?American troops operating with the British on the front southeast of Cambrai com pleted last night the capture of Vaux Andigny and St. Souplet. Field Mar the British north of Le Cateau. Fight ing is going od in the eastern section of that town. In the region immediately east of Cambrai the British have reached the outskirts of the villages of St. Vaast and St. Aubert. The British ar forward on the The River Selle has been crossed by i brai and Lens. They made progress shal Haig announced in his official . The Brjtjsj, are continuing to push statement today. j forward on the front between Cam Bonds Until You Feel Elated at Having Done Your Share?Never Mind the Hurt