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AMERICA'S HISTORIC ANSWER?"UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER" 1 , - - ? ? . ?? ? ? ? ? ? i , - ? ? ? ? ? - ? ? ... , ,i ? ? ? i ? ? i ? ? i ?? . | jSlF *}* i II Tu~, f a ^%3 >43 a - - __' VOLUME LXY-$I.,?NO. 55. WHEELING, W. VA., MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1918. fggSI,SS?J THREE CENTS ! >J ? *'j LUDENDORFF OUT t GERMANY'S GREATEST MILITARY j GOMMANOER RESIGNS IN HOUR OF COUNTRY'S GREATEST NEED Reichstag Adopts Measure by Great Majority, Taking Over Control of the Military?Events in the German Empire Cause Sensation Throughout Europe. / N I LONDON, Oct. 27.?The resignation of Geneva! Ludendorff is re garded here as meaning German's acceptance of the allies' armistice term*. Whether this interpretation is correct, the resignation of the first quartermaster cannot fall to seriously affect the morale of the German army. Unofflolal announcements report the situation in Germany as daily growing worse. There are persistent reports of riots in various parts of the country, conflicts with the police and loss of life, and that lack of raw materials is seriously interfering with the production of munitions. The Socialist, George Ledebourr, Is quoted by the Cologne Volks Zeitung as saying in the reichstag: "The baneful influence of the kaiser must be removed," and ad vocating the abolition of the monarchical system. His speech was greeted by the Socialists with shouts of "abdicate." < ?. _ J (By the . Associated Press.) A crisis has come in the personnel of the German high command. Gen. oral Ludendorff, reputed to be the brains of the German army?the man who promised the Germans he would crush Great Britain and France before the United Staets could get under way in a military sense?has resigned his posi tion as first quartermaster general, and Emperor William has accepted his resignation. Simultaneously, while the German line continues to crumble under the allied attacks, and the German border is slowly but gradually being ap proached by German's forces, comes a report that the reichstag, by a large majority, has passed a bill placing the military command under the control of the civil government. COPENHAGEN, Oct. 27.?General Ludendorff, first quartermaster general of the German army, has resigned, says a telegram from Berlin. In accept ing hi* resignation thjt emoerar has decreed that the Lower Rhenish Infantry, regiment No. 39, of which General Ludendorff long had been commander, shalf bear his name. ? LONDON, 9ct. 27.?The German reichstag. by a great majority, has adopted a bill placing the. military command under control of the civil gov ffnmpnt 'aceordirifl to arT*Exchange Telegraph dispatch from Copenhagen. ll? Ludendorff Military j; "Brain" of Germany i In the resignation of General Ludon- j dorff. Germany loses what often has been described as her "military, brain." \ Vuknown before the war. General i Erich ' Ludendorff sprang into promi-j nonce in the fall of 1?14 as chief of| staff to Field Marshal Von Hindenburg, I then a. general in the operations against I the Itussians. When von Hindenburg [ was given the chief corusnd in August | J 191'!. Ludendorff was appointed tlrst! quartermaster general, but his positonji iti reality has been chief of staff And!1 collaborator with von Hindenburg. Soon after his appointment as first quarter-master general. Ludendorff bo-! gan to bo looked upon as the real "boss" i of Germany, and was recognised as the I representative of the 1 tan-Germans at I' gre.it headquarter*. It was Ludendorff!; who brought about the retirement ofj Chancellor von Bethmann Hollweg. and j he was reputed to have been responsible j for the appointment io the chancellor-j ship of Michaelis and von Hertling. j both of whom were described as stop j gaps. The general's rule as first quar-i termaster genera! has almost amounted f to military dictatorship. | General Ludendorff was reported to I have been the originator of the plan of j | the German offensive in 1918. The! plan called for offensive operations on j the western front which would split the ? British and French armies and compel j the allies to beg for peace before the j str?ngth of the American army could be ( available to any great extent. It was i planned that if the offensive failed.! then Germany would resort to a diplo-j mati>- campaign in order to maintain i peace. Since the death of the German offens- | ivc and the successful offensive of Mar shal Foch. reports front Germany have been to the effect that Ludendorff and . von Hindenburg were losing their popu larity In Germany, because peace did not result from the German attacks and because of the heavy casualties suffered by the Germans. As first quarter-master general. Gen eral Ludendorff was responsible for the official statements issued from Ger man general headquarters. He Is the man who has explained to the German people how the German troops during the last three months have carried out "strategic withdrawals." 11 BERNE. Oct. 27.?The resignation of General von Ludendorff has caused a sensation throughout Switzerland and the Central Empires and Is commented en as a sign that German miltarism is really abdicating. Among the German and Austrian peoples anger and indigna tion is increasing over the fact that the military situation has been so long con cealed or ivrongiv presented. LONDON". Oct. 27.?Official announce ment was made In Berlin Saturday night that Emperor William had acced ed to the request of General Ludendorft. first quartermaster general that he be permitted to resign. General surprise was caused in Berlin an Saturday afternoon by the fact that the daily report from German headquar ters was not signed as usual, with the name of General Ludendorff. Later the following official announcement was is sued: "The emperor, aeeeptfng the request to he allowed to retire ft-om the infantry General Ludendorff. the first quarter master general and commander in time i?f peace of the 25th infantry brigade, has placed him on the unattached list. The etnperor decided at the same time that the lower Rhenish infantry regi ment No. 3P. of which the general had long been chief, shall bear henceforth tli>- name of Ludendorff." His resignation, it is believed in Lon don. will still further shako the faith of the German people In their military machine. W???11 ? I \m I ? ? II?? How Party Votes Lined Up in House On Some Important War Measures WASHINGTON. Oct. 23.?Herewith are the partr records on votes in^tho house on important war Pleasures: Republicans. Democrats. For. ' Against. For. Against. Kahn amendment substituting con scription for volunteering...: 165 44 146 64 Conscription measures 2(>l x 196 14 Soldiers' and sailors! Insurance biil.... 114 ?' IIS 0 Woman suffrage (named by President as a war measure! 16S 91 100 102 1917 revenue bill - 119 76 204 0 jj.91S revenue bill 167 " 17$ 0 Allen slacker bill 1 ?:? 7 172 13 Food control bill 1R* 2 172 3 Bill to increase soldiers' pay to 13').. 156 37 43 141 "Which record shows the greatest patriotic devotion, and the greatest ear nestness In the work of the war? i The Hun, Under Incessant Hammering, Cad Find No Stopping Place By HILAIRE BELLOC, Author of "Elements of the Great War" and Britain's Most Distinguished Military Critic. ^ THZRHOHD \ C 9/// CALAIS ??JL^"-^ VyS / ? #/ t?x Jl * | a,^EL5 ^ C^JoCNE ?vt. ^ *^gv sW*^^ y V jj^^^-KKEIWS IPVlU v. / $N&? / / -v \^?; v 25/ M" PRESENT 3^LCVN^\\ V ^ ^ sJ|/ ???? PROBABLE GERMANPEFENSE 'UNE IS! J? y mmmSNORTEST " " V feft. - _ . ??? I The German Lines of Retreat. i Copyright* 1018. 'New York Tribune. Inc. Two things wo must do In the pres ent phaso of the campaign In order to understand It. Klrst?Grasp the fact that the disposi tion of troops la oounting leas, and less is time goes on and enemy wastage Is counting more and ntore. Second?Grasp the nature of the lines upon which the oncme/s reduced forces may attempt to stand. The Importance of the first principle, In lieu of the fact yiat the enemy's pres - ent defeat has .betfh continuous and- pro gressive, Is the-thing to be watched and caluculated. n?n so much in ground as In numbers. If lie can get back to the pre pared line with 'plenty of water defense ground may come again into importance for a period of longer than we expect, though shorter than he hopes, as we shall see In a moment's study of such 1 w possible lines which ar0 of value. But still the dominating element now Is numbers. Certain figures with which readers arc already familiar will bear repetition, for they are the soul of the business. The enemy has not many In fant*? divisions oh tbs V.'estern front. He has lost In the last three months at "a. rate something not far short of a quarter of a million a month?at any rate. 200.000. for he has lost prisoners alone at a rate of more than 100,000 a month. As every one knows it is the spccl&I task of dwindling Torres TTf Hlfc"'fTVce~6f an increasingly superior attack to seek the shortest line. Ideally the shortest line?supposing the enemy could revir? to It without dissolution in progress? is the line covering Ciogo and going over the high bare hills of eastern Ardennes. | which is called "Hause Fiigne.' and so down, covering Huaemlnirg. Thionvillo ind Mm to join the present front be 'ore Nancy. If the readers look in the map. they 'ee such a line from the Dutch frontier tear I-iege to a Junction with the prcs- i >nt line in front of Nancy, ?t little more ' hnn 150 tpllcs in length, whereas the I >resent extension line, even after recent retreats, is more than 115o miles and vlth all convolutions, much more than 150. Nevertheless, the eoomy won't idopt that shortest line, and this for nany reasons. In the first- place, he | ?ouldn't lull back to it with sufficient j "uqltULy. Up.tircinent from -the neighbor Hood of l,Jl|e to lAege would be about. 10(1 miles, oven hi a straight lino. The number of men and the amount of ma-t lerial to be moved <iuite prohibit the J rapid change in the face of lie tremend-i mis pressure the German line is suffer- ; rtg. Again, to adopt such a short line (Continued on Page Two.) ? --- u GERMANY IN REPLY AWAITS ARMISTICE WASHINGTON, Oct. 27.?The unofficial text of Germany's reply to President Wilson was re ceived to-night, too late to be seen by President Wilson and other officials. The question of an armis- i tice and peace is already being considered by the allied governments and the United States. ? ? I PROPOSALS 10 LUML | FROM MARSHAL FOCH George and Balfour Go to Paris for Conference t on Terms. f (By the Associated Press.) The German government has pre- l.c pared a rejoinder to President Wll- ! a son's note, in which, after again : v referring to sthe far-reaching |c changes which have been carried out, and are being carried out, in the German constitutional struc- ? ture to which the military powers j have been made subject, it de- j clares that Germany is now await- J, Ing the proposals for an armistice. A London dispatch, however, in reporting the fact that Premier Lloyd George and Foreign Secre tary Balfour had gone to France, with naval and military advisors, stated it Is understood authorlta tlvely that the allied governments will not reveal their armistice terms until Germany has replied to President Wilsons' last note, which It probably was expected would contain more than the mere fact that Germany was waiting for the terms of the armistice. LONDON, Oct. 27.?(Human's an- | ewer to President "Wilson's latest declaration states that Germany Is j now awaiting proposals for an ar mlstloe. . l.OinJON', Oct. 27.?It Is under stood In outho SLr.tive quarters that ( the allied gove ^nricuts will not re veal their arm Is terms until Ger- ? j many has replied to President Wll son's note. Premier Iiloytl George and Foreign 1 Secretary Balfour, accompaniod by j j naval aud military authorities, have | gono to Prance. |, LONDON,f Oct. 27 (Via Std'n- ' trsal.)?It is persistently reported J tnat rlot3 are of dally occurrence In i (Continued on Pago Eight.) TEXT OF THE GERMAH REPLY TO MR. WILSON | COPENHAGEN, Oct. 27.? (By the Associated Press.)?Germany's answer 1 o President Wilson's latest communication says: "The German government has taken cognizance of the answer of the; 'resident of the United States. "The President is awarp of the far-reaching changes which have been i :arried out, and are being carried out, In the German constitutional structure, j ind that peace negotiations are being conducted by a peoples' government, In j vhose hands rests, both actually and constitutionally, the power to make the i iecidlng conclusions. "The military powers are also subject to it. j "The German government now awaits proposals for an armistice which ! thai I be the first step toward a 'Just peace,' as the President has described It i n his proclamation. [Signed] ? "SOLF." ? . ? . . , ~ ? ? - i WHEELING BOYS ON TRANSPORT TORPEDOED BY THE GEfliN SUB REPULSE OF HIE EERiNATTJCK: i ' "WASHINGTON*. Oct. C7.?The Amcrl- I J "an .'firond army under command of | General Milliard is holding the linn In j ' !h" Wiiovro. This was diselosr-d to-day i ' ay General I'ershlng In his communique | t Cor to-day received to-night at the war j ' lepnrtnient. jt Repulse nf heavy German attacks on j , llio front northwest of Verdun by Major! ' GeneraI Liggett's first army, also was j ' reported ' EEITH LINTON, OT SPKINODAXE, ONE OP THE SUBVITOHS OP THE OTBANTO SINK IN O. JussoU Mooro ana Thomai Blinko, of Martina Parry, Savoa from tha S, S. Tlcottdarogw. Three Wheeling district boys are re sorted as nmonR' tbo survivors of tho rnnsports Otranto and Tleondnrogu, nrpedoed b.v German subs, while on liolr way to Europe. The lads arn Celth Linton, son of Mrs. K. 11, Union. >f Sprlngdftln, and HushoU Mn'ora and rhomus llllnko, of Martins Ferry, alt veil known and popular young man of ho loenl district, A message wiim received hy thr> I.ln 011 fmnlly last evening from tho gov irnntent, telling of thu rescuing of Celth I.lnton from ihe transport ttrnnto. when sho was torpedoed and mnk near tho Scottish const, while on icr way to France with a lond of huniun rejght. The names of L'fifi missing have 11 ready been reported from this vessel, fhe Martins Ferry lads were In trie | ?nine company on Ihe transport Tlcnn-; Icroga which was torpedoed off tho 1 ?oust of Ireland hy a "sub" and lot!, j (Continued oa Pago Bix.)^ Germans Repulsed in Counter J Attacks Near Valenciennes j . i HEAVY LOSSES FOR THE FOE INFLICTED French Armies Are Continu ing Their Progress Be tween Oise arid Aisne. BONBON, Oct. 27.?The British last night repulsed a determined counter attach against positions on the rail way Immediately northwest of Be Qnesnoy, southeast of Valenciennes, says to-day's official war office state . (m.oai.t. {Tlia attack preceded, by of heavy bombardment was checked by British rifle and machine fun fire. The statement reads: "After a heavy bombardment yos- j terdny evening-, the enemy delivered a determined counter attack in strength against our positions on the railway Immediately northwest of Bo Quesnoy. The attack was completely repulsed with great loss by our rifle and machine gun fire." ? LONDON, Oct. 27.?The Germans launched heavy -counter attacks against the British sonth of Valen ciennes to-day, but were repulsed with losses, rield Marshal Half reports from headquarters to-night. BONDON, Oct. 27.?There was little chanfe on tho western front to-day. The Trench, however, continued their progress toward G-ulso and np the Pe ron valley, advanclnf more than a mile. The fall of Aleppo Is expected to be a decisive factor In determininf Turkey to sue for peace. (Ry the Associated Press.) On the western battle front the Brit ish. I-rench and Americans have con tinued to make further gains against tiie Germans; in the Italian theatre both the British and Italians have scored successes, while in Asiatic Turkey tha British have captured Aleppo in Syria ond are driving ahead on both bunks of the Tigris in Mesopotamia, with the Turks unable tc check them. Tiie fall of Aleppo and tlie continued advance up the Tigris arc moves of such strate getir value that it Is not unlikely that Turkish opposition will shortly bo over come both in the Xloly Band and Meso potamia. The French armies fighting on the 40 mile front between the Oiso and Aisne rivers are keeping up their offensive ami nut i he GVrmans and have made additional gains, taking several vil lages and compelling the enemy to fall back at various points. In tin: region southwest of Valenci ennes, around Le Quesnoy. the Germans have delivered violent counter-attacks against the British. Their efforts to throw back l'-ield. Marshal Haig's men from the positions they hold wore un successful, and heavy casualties were Inflicted on the enemy by machine gun and rifle Are. . The Americans have begun the second month of Iholr operations in the region of Verdun by keeping up their attacks against the Germans from the Mouse to the wooded country north of Grand pro. Some further progress lias been made, notwithstanding continued strong opposition by German machine gunners from behind the natural fortifications which abound throughout this district. American airmen also arc continuing their bombing operations behind the German lines, their latest effort In this respect having been made against the territory around Briqucnay, north of Grandprc. in which 140 airplanes took (Contained on Pag" light.) AUSTRIAN ATTACKS MET WITH REPULSE BY THE ITALIANS HOME.' Oct. 27.?Heavy lighting took place Saturday in the Mont Grappa area, the Italians repulsing Austrian attacks, the war office reports todtiy. The Ital ians captured f>14 prisoners in tills re gion. The official statement reads: "On Monte Grappa strong and re peated attacks were launched by the enemy yesterday, the action being local i?ed In the areas of Monte Asolone and Monte I'ertica and at the salient of Monte Solnrolo. The enemy was -re pulsed with heavy losses and 614 pris oners remained In our hands. "On the middle Piave the fighting activity greatly Increased during the day. Yesterday possession of the island of Grave di I'apndopoll was completed and here 351 additional prisoners were raptured. Numerous enemy forces sent forward in a counter-attack, especially against the British troops, were de stroyed. "Our own and allied aircraft has dis played much activity, carrying out powerful bombing operations against the enemy's linos of communication and repeatedly attacking his troops in posi tions and on the march with machine gun fire. Ten hostile airplanes wera brought down In aerial combats. On the railway at Levico. which waa sur prised in full activity. 600 kilograms of bombs were dropped last night by one of our airships." 1 ALEPPO TAKEN; ! fit ALLENBY'S 1 BRITISH ARMY 1 CROWNING EVENT OF WINNING CAMPAIGN Further Advance Will Cut Off "|j .cTurks in Northern . H Ml"- Mesopotamia.* "?!* m ' LONDOX. Oct. 27.?The important s' city of Aleppo was occupied by British ? ^ cavalry and armored cars Saturday" morning says a British official state ment issued today on operations in j Syria and Palestine. "4 The statement reads: '? * ? "Our advanced cavalry and armored cars occupied Aleppo on the morning of October 26 after overcoming slight op position."' (The fall of Aleppo to the British is the crowning ?vent of the victorious campaign of General Allenby in which he captured Jerusalem and Damascus on his way northward through Palestino -"T and Syria. Aleppo is 1S5 miles north of Damascus and 70 miles east of tha -mediterranean Sea, At Aleppo the raifc way line from Constantinople branches! " .1 one lino going southward to Palestine and the other east and south to Bagdad. Th,. railroad from Aleppo has been the Turk's main source of supply and tho ;? cutting of the line at Aleppo renders it useless to th<*n. An advance northward '7 from 'Aleppo would cut off the Turkish " .'-i forces in Armenia and north of Mesopo tamia and would open a road over* wtilCh v? to send help to the Czecho-Slovak and - - other anti-Bolshevik forces in Russia. Aleppo has a population of about 125, 000.) - . ' mmm] Makes the Parliamentary Bodies of the Empire Responsible. ?I AMSTERDAM Oct. 27.?The Socialist Vorwaerts (Berlin) prints the reform bill which includes the following pro visions: First:?War can only be declared with the sanction of the Reichstag and , ^ the Bundesrat: Second: The Chancellor'can only re-* main in power while he possesses the ? confidence of the Reichstag. "Third: The Chancellor will be re sponsible for the political actions of the kaiser and the chancellor and ministry will be responsible for their tenure of their office to the Reichstag and Bundes-v rat. '"Tag "Fourth: The appointment promotion H and dismissal of officers of the army ' ? and navy can only be effective by the signature of the chancellor. The minis-. ? ter of war will be held responsble for H the same by the Reichstag.* Ludendorff Resigned I Because He's Beaten I ? PARIS, Oct. 27.?Via Montreal?The Echo do Paris, says that General Lu dendorff resigred because he saw the impossibility of continuing the war. The Matin says: "Germany will represent the retire-' ji ment of Ludendorff as a new proof of ffl the subordination of the military to the civil power, but this will deceive jio one. Ludendorff. who four months ago. ' made the Rechstag and the German peo- ^ pie believe that the fall of Paris and the surrender of France was imminent, now disappears because he is beaten and a desperate Germany is faced with ca pitulation." ' 5 TOT WIATEIH. WASHINGTON Oct. 37.?Porecaitf West Virgin!*?Shower* on Monday; much cooler: Tuesday fair and warmer. West. Pennsylvania?Probably show ers Monday and Tuesday; cooler Tuesu . day. v. ' Ohio?Showers early Monday morning, cooler by night; Tneeday warmer, prob ably showers in north. AMERICANS LIBERATE 45 VILLAGES AND CAPTURE 20,000 GERMAN PRISONERS , WITH THE AM ERIC AX ARMT XORTJTWEST OP VERDUX, Oct. 26.? (Ry Tho Associated Pross)?In Its first major operation against tho Germans, considering the clearing out of tho St. Mlhlcl hiiIlent us a local affnlr, tho Atn- ! erlcun urmy In a fow (lays less llnui a monlh has liberated moro than 43 vil lages ttn<l udvancial to an average depth of ten miles, freeing 186 squaro mllos of territory. In the offensive the Am- , Orleans have captured moro than 20,000 ! prisoners, Tho Americans attacked on n front of , twenty miles front I he Argon no to the Mouse and tho advance has bcrn mado in the face of utmost Insurmountable , difficulties, due particularly to tho na turn of the ground which 1m covered wlih hills, deep ravines and wood*, In 1 addition the Americans had fronting ' tin-in four organized systems of trandh e.*??the Hlndenburg line, tho H&ffrn po sition, the Volker poult on and tho Krlernhilda position. They have forood their way through all those lines, Ahead of them lies the Jfreyn JJflflltlQR . . y which has been reached at one point la the region of the JtanthevilJe wood. " The advance has been particularly dif flcult because the Germans have stub bornly resisted every foot'of the way, and have usod more than 33 divisions on Lhe 20-mile front. The enemy .continues lo mako a formidable effort to hold t this front in order to protect his great ;i lateral lino of communication running through Hlrson, Moslems, Sedan, Montr s-j| rnody and Mnpruyon. This line already "3 Is threatened and should the Gcrmani j lnso It they will lose their main line of communication from Germany into oc? - cupled France, . i .-"u In addition to the prisoners, General Pershing's' men havo taken mo>ro than; 137 guns of largo calibre, numerous ma ohlno guns and anti-tank gups, a great. storo of ammunition and much war ma terial, including locomotives and rail-1 way oars. .. i Since September 38, the Americans havo flrod more than 2,500,000 shells* . wt.> ^