The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., October 05, 1917, Image 1

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IRK
The Telegraph Service of The
Daily Gate City and Constitu
tion-Democrat is received over
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VOL. 125. NO. 81.
[arvelous
I
[By Robert J. Bender, United Press
Staff Correspondent.]
WASHINGTON, Oct 5.—
America, rounding out its
|P|g3gA first six months in the
I world war today, has made
Viarvelous records.
From a nation of peace and unpre
laredness, the country in six months
bas developed into a powerful fight
ng machine—the greatest factor in
Ihe war. Congress, on the eve of
Adjournment of its war session has
fompleted a program, which, for mag
nitude and money, has no equal in
lie history of the world's parlia
aents.
On April 6—the day President Wil
011
signed the declaration of war—
tie American army was small and
^nsupplied. The navy was not fully
lanned. The railroads, under equip
ped, were unable to move their vast
reisht shipments, much less to
bandle gigantic troop movements.
America's merchant marine was a
loke among nations. The army had
less than a dozen aeroplanes. No
laws existed for the development of
In army and navy such as the emer
gency required, no money was at
band for the unprecedented expendi
tures necessitated and no authority
rested for carrying out the war talk.
Today, after six months, more than
million men ar^ under arms. Mil
lions more are registered for service
subject to call. Sixteen cantonment
Camps—cities each capable of hous
ing forty thousand men—have been
nuilt at a cost of $150,000,000. Bil
lions have been loaned the allies,
(billions have been appropriated for
equipping and supplying the soldiers
land sailors. There are now three
•times as many vessels in the navy
six months ago. The enlisted
Iftrength of the navy has increased
|from 300 to 500 percent in personnel.
Twenty naval training camps have
[been established and aircraft and pro
l|pctile factories are being built. The
I aeroplane construction program as
sures the presence of thousands of
I
American aviators on European
I fronts soon.
The shipping board has contracted
for 433 ships already. Seized vessels
lure rapidly being put into service.
Plans have been completed for three
Ft pel fabricating plants, to cost $30,
Dno.000. An operating department
has been created sufficient to run
1.200 to 1,500 ships. Responding to
I International appeals for speedy ship
(construction on Americrm ways, it is
[planned to build approximately six
million tons within the next eighteen
months and thereafter at least six
I million tons a yesyr.
The railroads are operating as one
great system.
With ships and troops moving
I steadily from this side to France,
the United States in the last six
months also has saved the financial
I life of her allies in tremendous loans.
Since April 6 she hffs advanced $2.
1518,400,000. Great Britain received
Claims Balance of Power in
1918 Congress, But no Can
didate for President.
llTnlted Press Leased Wire Service.]
CHICAGO, Oct. 5.—The new na
tional party intends to "hold the bal
|-ce of power in congress" in 1918.
'This was the declaration today of
&bn Spargo, of Bennington, Vermont,
ff'ice chairman of the convention just
cl08ed.
"We do not plan at present to place
candidate for president in the
r-eld,"
said Spargo. "That is too far
away.
We do plan, however, to
9^f^m
*\5
Record Made in Six Months by
Nation Since April Six, Date of
Declaration.
ILLION MEN NOW UNDER ARMS
'wo Million Dollars Per Hour is Now Being
Spent to Put Uncle Sam in Fight
ing Jrim.
-J
$1,240,000,000 France, $690,000,000
Russia, $275,000,000 Italy, $255,000,
000 Belgium, $55,400,000, and Serbia,
$3,000,000—a total which amounts to
loans at the rate of nearly $14,000,000
a day.
This country today is spending ap
proximately $2,000,000 an hour in all
war expenditures.
To meet these vast expenditures
congress has authorized by tax and
bond measures the raising of $20,
000,000,000. The treasury department
successfully floated a first Liberty
loan of $2,000,000,000' and has just
launched the second for $3,000,000,
000.
While these great movements were
going on, congress placed in the presi
dent's hands authority such as is not
possessed by any king or potentate.
April 25, eighteen days after war
was declared, congress had passed
and the president signed the $7,000,
000,000 bond bill. Simultaneously
$100,000,000 was placed in the presi
dent's power for emergency use.
Early in May congress passed a bill
permitting the allies to recruit their
citizens in this csountry. May 12, the
president signed a bill authorzing
seizure of Teuton ships. The first
big appropriation for the army—
$273,046.322—was promptly passed by
congress and signed by the president
May 12.
On May 17, the selective service
bill had become a law. June 5 ten.
million men between the ages of 21
and 31 registered for their country.
Meantime the bill to double the
navy and marine corps personnel was
passed and signed by the president.
May 22. A war risk insurance bureau
was created July 12. Early the same
month, congress passed the war bud
get bill of $3,390,946,381.
June 15 the drastic espionage bill,
giving the government broad powers
to handle spies, sedition spreaders
and propagandists of all kinds was a
law.
Answering a wide appeal for a
great air service, congress responded
with appropriations of $739,000,000
for an aviation program and later
provided a special board to direct
the work.
Threatened congestion in railroad
transportation appeared as the next
pressing problem and congress pass
ed two measures—one increasing the
Interstate commerce commission from
seven to nine members and the other
empowering the president to fix pri
ority shipments.
A long fight ensued over establish
ment of a" food controller, but the
president has had way and on August
10 signed the food bill and named
Herbert Hoover food administrator.
At the same time he signed the food
survey bill providing means for tak
ing an invoice of America's food
stocks.
There followed a long list of enact
ments. The $2,535,000,000 revenue
(Continued on page 2.)
NEW NATIONAL PARTY
EXPECTING GREAT THINGS
launch a nation wide campaign to have
a strong representation in the 1918
in thirty days.
The national committee will also
select a date and place for the pro
posed 1918 convention. Chicago and
St. Louis are mentioned as the prob
able site.
«j
-up"
EXPLORE MIND
OF LAFOLLETT.
Senate to Investigate CT
Against Him of Ma"'
Treasonable I?
marks. T7"
REPORT IN DECEMBER
Senator Stone Aaks That He Be Ex
amined Also to Se«
Just How He
Stands.
[United Press Leased Wire Service.]
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6.—Charges
of seditious utterances lodged against
Senator LaFollette are to be investi
gated by the senate. A sub-commit
tee of five will be named by Senator
Pomerene, Ohio, chairman of the
elections committee to first investi
gate the correctness of reports of
LaFollette's speech of September 20
at St. Paul, Minn., and second, to
inquire into the correctness of his
statements. It will then report to
the full committee the first day of
the December session. Senator Pom
erene will head the sub-committee.
Despite a request by Senator Stone
for an inquiry into his record, the
committee will not comply, it was
announced.
The senate will be asked to pass
a resolution conferring general
authority on a sub-committee to in
vestigate LaFollette's utterances. The
resolution is to be presented today
by Senator Pomerene, with a request
for Immediate action.
The sub-committee probably will
hold hearings, either calling wit
nesses to Washington, or going to
St. Paul and other Minnesota cities,
as well as to Wisconsin, to take tes
timony.
The committee received a letter
from Senator Stone, who also was
named in several of the hundreds of
petitions presented to it. After con
sidering this letter, the committee
issued the following statement:
"Action having been requested by
Senator Stone on certain communica
tions in which he was assailed, it
being charged therein that he had
obstructed the enactment of meas
ures for the prosecution of the war,
the committee finds that the charges
A
In his letter to the committee,
.Stone said:
"It appears that one of the papers
submitted to your committee by tho
vice president was a letter addressed
to him by W. E. D. Stokes. New
York, who accused me with others of
being guilty of disloyal acts.
"This communication is vicious and
incendiary in the highest degree and
I cannot refrain from expressing my
surprise that the vice president would
submit such a paper to the senate
for publication in the record and for
the Consideration of a standing com
mittee.
"I feel that have a right to in
sist, as I do insist, that a matter
which thus wantonly assaults my In
tegrity and my loyalty should not be
laid aside or even postponed for a
day toy the committee whose duty it
is to consider and dispose of the
matter.
"The author of the calumnies may
speak ignorantly or maliciously—as
to their motives I do not' know, nor
do I care—but when they are form
ally laid before the senate in the
way these were, no matter whether
the source of origin is irresponsible
or otherwise and without regard to
the knowledge or motive of the men
who prefer the charges, I insist that
a senator who knows that he is un
justly accused has a right to have
the committee examine into the facts St. Paul
at once and report their finding to I La Crosse
the senate.
Preliminary inquiry began today by
a special house committee into the
charges by Representative Heflin,
Alabama, "that thirteen or fourteen tlonary from Davenport
congress. I am confident we will hold peace, at-any-price members of con- during the next forty-eight hours,
the balance of power." gress" had acted suspiciously in con-
A conference of chairmen of the nection with the $50,000 Von Bern-
live groups represented in the newjstorff fund, "to influence congress." which Ts*ol
1
owine^cove^rs the^nlain^
party—socialists, progressives, prohi- Representative Barnhardt, Indiana,
bltionists, single taxers and independ-1 chairman of the committee, said to-1
ents—met today to select a national day's hearing was merely preliml- Lnrtp(1' tn North Dakota
committee of twenty members. The nary, so a report could be made to 1
committee will establish state execu-jthe house on what basis theer Is fori Local Observations.
tive committees in each state to aid continuing. Oct. Bar. Ther. Wind W'th'r
in the organization of the party. LaFollette has said that his speech 4 7 p. m. 29.88 6G W Clear
This work is expected to start with- was "garbled" as It appears in the! 6
newspapers. The committee will ask
La Follette whether he stated in his
speech that the pinking of the Lusit
ania and other acts committed by Ger-
/(Continued on page S.J,
I 'J"
£FSW-J"
anb Con&ttution-ltemocrat.
KEOKUK, IOWA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1917
NCLE SAM ABOUT READY TO FIGHT
If War Continues, America
May Suffer More Than She
Has Any Idea at
Present.
PREPARATIONS MADE
Time May Come When the Railroads
of the Country Operate Only
For Business of
War.
[By George Martin, United Press Staff
Correspondent.]
WASHINGTON, Oct. 5.—Foreseeing
possibility of a Tlesperate conflict be
fore the war is ended, the war de
partment today is preparing the rail
roads for transportation of millions
more men and billions of dollars worth
more munitions and supplies.
In a pinch the normal freight and
passenger traffic of the nation would
be reduced to a minimum and prac
tically nothing would move but men
and materials for war.
Public travel would be vastly cur
tailed and Instead of making trips,
business men would have to manage
their affairs by mail, telephone or
wire.
It was learned today that complete
plans are in the hands of the war de
partment for the turning of all freight,
flat and cattle cars into troop trains
and all day coaches and Pullmans into
hospital trains. The plan even includes
making hospital trains out of box
cars in emergency.
make mention of no facts warrant- ^as kept constantly in mind the pos-
ing action by it. The record dis
closes that though Senator Stone
opposed the declaration of war, he
has pince it was adopted, voted for
all such measures considered by the
senate on which a record vote was
taken."
Another plan has been evolved
sibility that America really may have
to make war to the last man and the
last ton of material before the balance
against kaiserism is swung.
If this final effort becomes neces
pary, the American people will be
called upon to make sacrifices of per
sonal convenience they have not
dreamed of.
Preachers Asked Change.
BUTTE, Mont.. Oct. 5.—The Liberty
loan mass meeting Snnday at whicfi
Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo
will spealc, was changed today to
•please Butte ministers. The meeting
was originally set for 10 o'clock Sun
day but the ministers protested that
McAdoo would empty their churches.
The meeting now Is set for 12 o'clock.
THE WEATHER.
Weather Forecast.
[U. S. Department of Agriculture
Weather Bureau.]
For Keokuk and vicinity: Fair to
night and Saturday cooler tonight
warmer Saturday.
For Iowa: Fair tonight, probably
with frost and slightly colder east
and central portions Saturday fair
with rising temperature.
For Missouri: Fair tonight and
Saturday and Sunday somewhat
cooler tonight warmer Saturday
northwest portion.
For Illinois: Fair and cooler to
night with frost north and central
portions Saturday and Sunday fair.
River Bulletin.
Flood
stage.
14
12
The river will
coo
ipr'
an
"WW
t^mv
Rain-
Stage.
2.0
2.2
2.7
1.4
3.2
remain
Dubuque IS
Keokuk 1#
St. Louis 30
Change. fall
xO.l Trace
-0.1 Trace
-0.1 0.00
0.0 0.00
xO.l Trace
nearly sta
to Warsaw
Weather Conditions.
tts
where the weather is fair and
temperature of '0 is re
Clear
7 a. m. 30.08 47 W
Mean temperature 4th, 62.'
Highest, 77.
Lowest, 47.
Lowost last night, 46.
FRED Z. GOSEWISCH,
Observer.
it-'
ate Cifg
GERMAN RAIDERS
III PACIFIC OCEAN
American and Japanese War
ships Searching South
Seas for Ruthless
Crews
MEN FROM SEEADLER
Nine Vessels, Long Overdue, May
Have Fallen Victims of
«the Teuton
Pirates.
[United Press Leased Wire Service.]
WASHINGTON, Oct. 5.—Watchful
ships of the American and Japanese
JPaciflc patrols are hunting today the
two German raider pirates known to
.he cruising the South Seas.
The raiders are manned by ruth
\less Teutons, who piloted the raider
,Seeadler out- of Germany under dis
guise of a Norwegian sailing Bhip,
..swept her over to the Atlantic, sink
ing victims as she went and then
around Cape Horn to Mophea island.
Some of the stranded Germans
after reaching Mophea fitted out a
motor sloop on August 21, others
seized the French schooner Lutece
when she put into Mopeha and rising
the Seeadler's guns, started out
afresh.
Captain Smith of the Slade reports
that he and other prisoners were
dumped on a desolate island. They
made their way to Tutuila, Samoa.
Meantime there is reason to. be
lieve that the. two raiders have con
tinued their operations.
Nine Vessels Overdue.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 5.—Nino
vessels plying in the Pacific, which
have been long overdue, may have
Aiiuuier yiuu uas ueen evoiveu miun
Schooner Encore, Captain Olsen, 131
the water front here that the nine
missing vessels and their cargoes
are worth more than $3,000,000.
Criticism of Congress.
[United Pre~n Leaped Wire Service.!
WASHINGTON, Oct. 5.—"Criticism
of congress, growing out of Impa
tience to place the country on a war
basis at the earliest possible moment
is unfair," said Senator Martin, dem
ocratic leader, in a review of the ses
sion issued today.
J'The present session has been
marked by a greater volume of legis
lation and enactment of mftisures of portant British victory of the war was
more momentous import than have how Field Marshal Haig's great stroke
ever been considered In any similar 10f yesterday morning appeared today,
period," said Martin. Latest reports at headquarters as
"The searchlight of industry and this is filed, give every Indication
wisdom has characterized congress'
work on each measure. The members
have scarcely taken time to eat or
sleep, because of the responsibilities
which the war has Imposed upon
them."
Will Bring Peace Niarer.
[United Press T.eased Wire Service.1
WASHINGTON. Oct. 5. Thar
"strenuous action" by America dur
ing the next six months will bring
peace nearer, was the prophesy made
to the United Press by French Am
bassador JuaBerand today.
"The first six months have seen
strenuous American preparations,"
said Jusserand. "The next, six months
will see strenuous American action.
in or a
time when it will be at last and for
ever In the words of the president,
'a safe place foe democracy.'"
[By William Phillip Simms, United
Press Staff Correspondent.]
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
THE FIELD, Oct. 5.—The British bull
dog held fast today to the great bite
where she" stranded and "pounded to on which his vise-like jaws closed
jPieces. After she had rounded up yesterday morning—close to the vital
twelve allied ships in her earlier center of Germany's positions in Bel
cruising and three American schoon-1 gium. German counter attacks failed
ers, Slade, Manila and A. B. Johnson
in the Pacific.
Hot fighting was •still in progress to
day as the tommies consolidated their
victories on the main Passchendaele
ridge.
tacking tommies has ever been seen
in the war. It was i." veritable clOud
1 urst of steel rain. It melted enemy
trench lines away it cleft whole lines
of German troops.
It was this unprecedented curtain of
fire which made the work of the troops
in reaching first objectives compara
tively easy. One position thus &-«•
ried Contained a dismal remnant of a
fallen "victim" to the "German"' raider company which had lost practically its
whereby every ton of railroafl equip- reported to be operating in the South j^'hole bayonet strength. Over all w.th losses under our rifle fire and
... .. frftnf r\9 tVin ittapb nnm. I rw /iTi ino ffiinnin P"
ment in the country would be quickly
turned into rolling stock to move un
precedented tons of war supplies
speedily to destinations anywhere in
the land. Every emergency has been
prepared for. The war department
Pacific, shipping men here believe, the eight mllo front, of the attack com-j machine gunning.
In addition to the schooners Manila, !™anders reported today that groups "In tfc- neighborhood of Lens threq
A N Johnson and Slade offl-!01, Germans and Bavarians came in, other attempted qnemy ralas were an
cfally reported in Washington to'have hands aloft and shouting '^kamerad" repulsed, in one case after stiff fight
been sunk by the raider, the follow- jthe first minut after tho rain of Brit-j Ing."
ins: vessels are long overdue: |steel dropped near their lines.
Steamer Wairuna, Captain Snun- Hut there was desperately hot fiRht
ders, now 126 days out from Welling-1 inp in numerous spots. Behind pre
ton, N. Z. Ovner, Union Steamship limin^ry trench lines, the enemy had
company. Wellington. spotted the fields with "pill boxes" or
Schooner Winslow, Captain Trudc- machine gun detachments cleverly
ett, now 130 days out from Sydney, N. hidden in patches of wood or derept-
S. W. Owners, G. E. Billings and com-jive .shell craters. Bombers and "mop-j public demand that the German sky
parv, San Francisco. pers up" encout.ered
Bark Bellugn. Captain Cameron, 141 slstenc-p here. I
days out from San Francisco. Owner, Polderhoek wood was particularly a
W. O. Stevenson. trouble spot. The German machine
Schooner Cecelir. Sudden, Captain pun nests literally studded the ground,
Poison, 150 days out from Grays Har
bor.
days out from Columbia river. Owners 'their brilliant success than the enemy
Hind, Rolph and company, San Fran
cisco.
Schooner W. H. Marston, 10!) days
out from Columbia river.
The schooner Slade, Captain Smith,
was owned by the Pacific Freighters
company of San Francisco: the
determined re-
but a concerted assault, finally silenc
ed them.
No sooner had the British achieved
As this dispatch.is written
schooner Manila, Captain Southard, by north are having trouble in dislodging the nrmv or the roval naval aero
tb same company, and the schooner the enemy and in cropsin the Stroom- service, but will rail on both those
Johnson, Captain Peterson, by Hind beek, but are slowly pressing on.
Kolph and company. It was stated on Troops a little below are reported
precht has received another stagger
ing blow.
Press StafT Correspondent.]
i'ijtr "v
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN Field Marshal Haig.
THE FIELD, Oct. 5.—The most im
Civil War for Russia.
Mulder Trial Proceeded After
Woman Had Taken Shot at
Defendant in Case.
[United Press Leased Wire Service.]
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 5.—Mrs.
Anna Dorsett, who anticipated justice
with a revolver in criminal court
late yesterday by shooting her hua-
THE WEATHER
Fair. "Warmer Saturday. Local
temp—-7 p. m. 66 7 a. m. 47.
British Advance Strikes Prussian Army An
other Staggering Blow Which Leaves
it Reeling.
SOME HOT FIGHTING IN SPOTS
Hopeless Counter Attacks Given up, Leaving
Victors in Undisputed Control of
Former German Spoils.
devil be fought with fire.
The war cabinet, decided to carry
out nn elaborate program of strict
retaliation on German cities for Ger
man airmen's murder raids over Eng
lish cities. It will be practically an
aerial offensive of tremendous pro
portions. General South, who with
Premier Lloyd-George is credited
flung his reserves Into ccunter attack, with inventing the aerial barrage
The strongest, of tnese early blows which has proven partly successful
came from Broodseinde, but it. was fn" repelling raiders on London, ap
broken up quickly. neared likely to be selected as the
a
man in charge of the now aero de-
quariers repcrfs show British attack- partment. TTe will operate Indepen
ers near Gravon? tafi*l and farther! d^ntly of tlio roval flying corps or
branches for eo-opemtlon.
I First fruit of this decision that
briskly advancing on both sides of the England must return measure for
stream. One great lumbering tank measure, was seen today in orders
was observed advancing rear Poel- for a"*speeding up of aeroplane pro
capelle. duction.
Every company commander's re- Officials realize that if a strict eye
port as it came to headquarters today, for
eye
Showed that the Crown Prince Rup- ied out and if a great aerial offen
sive is to achieve its aim of sweep
ing casual German bomb droppers
from the sky, a great number of aero-
Moot Important Victory. planes kept on patrol and defense
[By William Phillip Simms, United
WWi
V#'fWK-»w,,' r'
c•*
TEN PAGES
pointing to complete disorganization
of the enemy.
Specal praise was given all the
units engaged. They were represen
tatives of all sections of the British
empire. The Anzacs, English, Scot
tish, Irish and New Foundlanders all
participated. They can claim their
share of achieving a victory which as
its magnitude appeared more clearly
today, seems destined to be one of the
great marks of the whole great war.
Every man in the unending stream
of German prisoners which flowed
back to cages today vouched for the
tremendous losses suffered by the en
emy in Haig'® latest and masterful
stroke. No such barrage as that which sector early today, Field Marshal
British guns wove in front of the at- Haig reported. The British were left
Counter Attacks Abandoned.
LONDON, Oct. 5.—Tlio Germans
gave up their hopeless counter at"
tacks against the newly won British
position in the Passchendaele ridgo
in undisputed control of the great
•chunk of territory won in the drive of
yesterday*
"East of Ypres during the night
the enemy heavily shelled our new
positions," Field Marshal Haig re
ported. "We are engaged in organiz
ing our captured positions.
"North of Gon/.eaucourt a hostile
raiding party endeavored to enter our
trenches, at nifciit, but were driven off
policy of air raiding is car-
cjuty over
England can be sent to
the
fighting forces utilized by
PFTROG-RAD, Oct. 5.—Russia is
definitely on the verge of civil war.
FIFTY YEAR SENTENCE
WITH BULLET IN BODY
(Continued on page 2.)
bnnd'5 slayer, was at liberty under
52.000 bonds today.
William D. Jones, negro preacher,
her victim, was on trial for murder.
As the defense was making its con
cluding argument, Mrs. Dorsett drew
a revolver and shot Jones. Before
she could fire again she was dia
armed.
1
When it was learned that Jones
was not seriously wounded, the trial
proceeded. He was convicted and
given a fifty year sentence.
Mrs. Dorsett was arrested on a
charge of assault w^th intent to kill*
C*£rA\±-i-tiJxeU
•j I.
uisf
"If
'& I
J*
•i
OT1
To Fight German Sky Devil.
[By Lowell Melleti, United Press
Staff Correspondent.]
LONDON, Oct. 5.—What will be in
effect a "department of retailation,"
is England's answer today to the
."4i'