Evening star. [volume], October 11, 1918, Image 1

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

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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