Daily capital journal., April 18, 1917, Image 1

About Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

                
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CIRCULATION IS
OVER 4400 DAILY
.
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i
FULL LEASED
WIRE DISPATCHES
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FORTIETH YEAR NO. 93
SALEM, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1917
PRICE TWO CENTS
ON TRAINS AND NEWS
STANDS FTVB OKNTH
01 HUN
Or
DESPERATE BATTLE
Continuous Stream of Prison Flows Back Through
British Iines-227 Guns and K J Men Taken In Drive
Tremendous. British Shell kWeakens German
Soldiers' Nerves-Germany's Hold k French Territory
Almost Broken
By William Phipip Simms,
(United Press Staff Correspondent)
With the British Annies Afield, April 18. Captures
by the British army since April 9 in its.great push reached
the vast total of 14,000 men and 227 guns today.
There are still more streaming back constantly from
the front.
Around Lens and St. Quentin Field Marshal Haig is
stretching a tight nooseand increasing the pressure
every hour.
The Germans are fighting desperately against this
steadily applied pressure. But the prisoners exhibit a
loss of courage to face the tremendous hell of the British
artillery fire that must be giving the German general staff
deepest concern.
Between Guizecourt and Villeret the British made a
slight advance today. . ,
Wancourt tower, in which the Germans had regained
It was noticeable today that the German artillery has
a bad case of the nerves. Their gunners fire excitedly and
wildly on the slightest provocation. Their marksman
ship is very ragged.
The weather continued abominable today squally,
rainy, dark and windy. '
Hold on Trance Menaced.
By Henry Wood.
('United Press staff correspondent.)
With the French Armies in the Field,
April IS. All of Germany's hold on
Fin nee was menaced today by the!
worm's most manic onensive.
It is a struggle between Von Hindcn-!
burg and the master strategists of the
Fra-ico-Britich staffs, on a battle scale
undreamed of before
France's part in this greatest of all
drives was preceded by the greatest
lioinbardment in its history. The artil
lery roar began Friday. Millions of
shells hurled over the lines daily. The
French marksmanship was so deadly
th:tt the first German prisoners caught
in the infantry sweep forward declared
or their companies of 2D0 men the aver
age that survived was only 80 each.
The sudden Franco-British drive shat
tered Germany's hopes to avoid a spring
offensive by their retreat.
The French onslaught now gathering
its greatest momentum, combined with!
.'idvances begun by the British, makes a I
continuous battle line from Dixmude to
Rlicims. .
A Hundred Mile Fight.
Tt is the battle of a hundred mile
front. I
Today the French advance between
R'leims and Soissons menaces the entire
German line, coupled with the British
attack on St. Quentin and the advance
r" Haig's troops toward Cambrai and
l.eiis.
France's onslaught is ou too gigantic '
a scale over this hundred mile front to
pt'imit anyone to visualize the titantic .
' niggle ill its entirety. I
Hut from the crest or one hill one
Id -see durine- one stu"e of the great '
' K ft .
fct.ru cgle no less than the reasons for
the Germans' tremendous losses. This
one incident was France's feat in wrest
ing one of the Germans' strongest de
fensive positions from the enemy.
The position consisted of a village
surmounting n ravine. The bank of this
ABE MARTIN
Wearin' a Norfolk cost aft.-r vou're
litty don't toot nobuddv. 'Bout th
tamest, most uneventful thing wo know
'. next-t' a rubber plu-it, i t is.l
I'lincd child. j
DRFD MILES
ravine was honeycombed wltu cave.
hewn out .of solid stoue; in treacherous
ly dug quarry excavation and shafts.
They had stationed their machine guns
there strongly fortified in the rock
which French artillery could not pierce.
m mo impregnate quitinc
the village the German infantry waited
confidently the expected frontal attack
from the French,
Advance Resistless.
Two columns of French .infantry sud
denly began an encircling movement
from the right and from the left. Every
movement of these forces was visible to
the naked eye. The soldiers advanced at
almost a strolling pace alone the sum
mit of two converging ridges. ' Their
bodies were clearly silnouettect against
the sky.
Neither a veritable cloud of shrapnel
which hung low over their heads nor
high explosive barrages, nor gas shells
hindered the slow, measured advance of
these forces tor a single instant.
Kot until both these columns simul
taneously approached the outskirts of
the village did the Germans, hidden in
the quarry still awaiting that frontal
attack realize that they had
"out-Hindenbureed."
been
Instantly they rushed out their ma
chine guns in a desperate attempt to
cover a retreat. But they were too late.
The French converging columns met be
hind the village. They cut off all re
treat. The Germans did not relish an at
tempt to cut their way through. They
hurriedly returned to the protection of
the rock caves. And the French columns,
gnonng tlieir existence ami leaving
their ultimate capture to other troops,
1 4 4-1... i. ..til.,,.
swept on to the east from the village,
penetrating it. every step deeper into Since the story reached the navy dc
the Germnn line. ' parttnent, wild rumors of the capture or
destruction of the submarine have been
Another Great Thrust. widely circulated. The censor pwmiises
London, April 18. Field Marshal j that any such news will be made public
Haig's greatest thrust today was toward jas soon as it reaches his ears officially.
Cambrai. The incident is being used by recruit-
Capture of the village of Villers ! ing officers the country over to prove
Guislain, mm miles soutn or cambrai,
was reported by the British commander-,
in-chief. Improvement of the British
positions around Lngnicourt, about the
sumo distance to the west of this pivot
al point in the Hindenburg line, was
likewise achieved, he said.
By capture of Villera Guislain, north
east of Epehy, the British have pushed
another wall of steel parallel to the
artery of German communications be
tween Cambtui and St. Quentin. Like
Epeny, Ronssoy, Villeret, -Verguier and
M aisscmy-
all of which villages lie to
the south Villers Guislain is approxi- recovery. May opened up 3 3-4 and aft
matcly two miles distant from the Cam- er a temporary weakness climbed 11 1-4
brai-St. Quentin high road. The Bri- noints more to $2.32 1-4, making a total
tish now parallel the high road for
distance of 15 of tho 22 miles between
the two towns.
The drive which euveloped Villers
Guislain was from the direction of
Epehy, Haig reported, indicating ap
parently a definite plan to parallel the!
Cambrai-St. Quentin line by British May opened down 1-2, but subsequently
forces which may at anji time strike I gained 2 1-2, going to 1.40 1-4. July
suddenly somewhere along this 22 mile I opened lown 1, advancing 2 1-4 to $1.
stretch and sever the artery. I ;i5 5-8. September opened down 1-4
Inhe meantime, Haig's laconic re- j and later gained 1 1-8 to $1.28 7-8.
port,"the L.iguicourt position was im- Oats openiug lower, ruled steady.
proved," means a blow struck at the
key citv of CanibMi from the west.
"East of Fpehy this morning we pro
gressed." the British commander-iu-
chief reported. "We captured the vil-
-
(Continued on page four.)
OFFICERS SAW IT
Washington, April 18. All
doubt that submarine actually
fired at the IT. . 8. dt royer
Smiith taa swept aside today
when a report direct from the
Smith said the officers ou
watch actually saw a periscope
four hundred yards from the
vessel.
The statement of the officer
was substantiated by tlio quar
termaster and crew.
I'p to today some navy men
had thought perhRps the Smith
was mistaken. The message said
in substance:
"Officer on watch saw the
periscope four hundred yards
away. Submarine disappeared.
Wake' of torpedo then crossed
starboard bow. Quartermaster
oud guu crew substantiated of
ficer's statement.'.'
HEAVY FIRING HEARD
THIS MORNING OFF
NEW ENGLAND COAST
Three Stations Make Same
Report Indicates Fight
' with Diver
Boston, Mass., April 18. Lieutenant
Kdivard G. Wakesley, U. S. N, com
munication officer of the first district
at I'hnrlestown navy yard, announced
today that heavy firing was reported
off l'rincetown, Mass., by three dif
ferent coast guard stations this morn
ing. The reports were received by tele
phone from station ,'!3 at Race Point,
tation 34 at Peaked Bars Hills and
station 32 at Prine.etowu. The three
stations am located about l'rincetown
bav and the firing; was reported as
having occurred due . .north, which
would locate it approximately in- the
middle of the entrance to the bay.
The firing was said to appear to be
from heavy guns. It was thought that i
a patrol boat might have come into
conflict with a German submarine or
raider, but this was purely conjecture.
A wireless message with details of
the firing is expected shortly at the
navy yard. -:
"' Firing for Some Minutes
The first report was received at
9:15 from coast guard patrol station
'.V2, located at Provincetown Bay. This
station reported that they first heard
fifteen shots from heavy guns and af
ter an interval of fifteen minutes, con
tinuous heavy firing was heard. They
reported the firing as. due north.
The second report arrived at 9:30
from const guard station 'Si at Race
Point and told of hearing .shots from
five or six guns and continuous firing
after an interval of fifteen minutes.
(Continued on page two.)
American Navy Is
Hunting Submarine
Washington, April IS "Somewhere"
in the Atlantic today the navy is trying
to round up the sulking German sub-
marine which yesterday fired the first
shot of the war at the tinted States
destroyer Smith.
What craft was engaged iii the hunt
or just where and how it proceeds must
be withheld for military reasons. One
thing, however, is certain the hunt is
on with all tho enthusiasm of men who
have been spoiling for a light.
The warning to shipping to beware
of this new Unking peril still stands and
will be lifted only when the submarine
ns been destroyed or cantured, or when
; it is reasonably sure that she is streak
l. 1
j iujj homeward.
tlieir plea "join the navy, if you want
to get action and adventure."
Wheat Up 15 Cents . . . ....
Over Yesterdas Close
Chicago, April 18. Feeling that the
effect of free entry for Canadian wheat
into the United States had been over
estimated yesterday was prevalent
among traders in the wheat pit today
and May 'futures staged a spectacular
advance of 15 cents over yesterday's
close. July opened down 1 1-8, but later
gained 0, going to $1.9l. September
opened down 3-4, subsequently regain
ing half to 1.07 1-4.
torn developed weakness at the-open-
ing, but later advanced with wheat
May opened unchanged and later gain
ed 1 1-2 to 00 1-8. Julv opened down
1-8 and pained 7-8 to 03 7-8. Septem
ber opened down 3-8, later gaining 7-8
to 56 14.
Provisions showed light advances de
spite the sharp loss by hogs.
RAiSI'.G ARMY OF
2
STEP
!
Seven Billion Dollar Bond
Is Out of Way of Other
Matters
CONSCRIPTION SYSTEM
IS SURE TO BE ADOPTED !
Those Opposed Will Place
Blame On President and
Vote For It
By Carl D. Groat
(United Press staff correspondent)
Washington, April 18. Raising a
army of two million' men in two years i
is the next step confronting the nation.
The great $7,000,000,000 bond issue
bill is now virtually a law.
The senate, having unanimously pass
ed it with minor amendments last night
an agreement by conferees of house
and senate was expected by the time
both houses convene today at noon.
The president was expected to sign the
measure by this afternoon. The senate
military committee was to report to
day the administration bill for volun
teers to fill present open gaps in the
regular army and national guard, this
to do followed y selective dralt.
House opposition to selective draft
is believed to have been considerably
chilled by word from President Wilson
and Secretary of War Baker that the
administration will not hearken to any
general volunteer plan, but must have
selective conscription, and that soon.
Opposition Failing
As in times past white house pressure
now promises to crumple congress op
position. Members who heretofore have
frankly
declared they ieared to go
"back for votes" if they favored the
conscription plan, have changed over
night. Many of these said they would
support tho president regardless of po
litical futures.
Furthermore, recalcitrant, members
now feel that President Wilson, in in
sisting on his conscription system, as
sumes the trull (responsibility beforo
the country and relieves them in a
measure from home folks.
If opposition still menaces the bill,
the administration will not hesitate to
take the names and cases of the revolt
ing straight to the public.
(Continued on page four.)
Conducting Open Campaign
to Get Mexico to Fight
United States
El Paso, Texas, April 18. An expla
nation of the opposition reported to
have taken place on the floor of the j
Mexican house of deputies to Carranzas '
neutrality plans, is brought here by'
an arrival from the Mexican capital,
reaching Kl Paso today.
,00(1,000 1
ISNEXTWAR
FIE
According to his account, German : m". .".r """ !JO-v Ht o cioi r. mis
... , .. .morning,
propagandists arc conducting an ppen ! shp ,a(1 sl,(nt TueBdav ovcni nt
lobby against the Carranza plan among: tho lonie of lipr ,,nrcrltS) Mr. and Mrs.
deputies, using money freely to securo Paul F. Haubris, 610 Sixteenth avenue
the support of the legislators for a!m,r,h. a'1 lpft thero at 11 p. in. in
t, n, . ,, , jhappv spirits. They had been giving a
Gennan-Mexican alliance. . . '!-, ' ,. ..... . B "
f 'birthday party to a little niece.
The informant has requested that j A ,1(n, a(;n wag ftcI.0Sg tlie foung
nis name tie withheld, as lie is return- woman s torehcad. Tho body was in
ing to Mexico. ia sitting posture, and evidently had
According to his statement, the j been placed that way by the murderer,
strife over the neutrality plan, which, I A bottle of milk, package of shrub
according to dispatches, resulted injbery, a purse containing one cent and
wildest scenes of disorder in tho Mcxi- some cakes were scattered about. She
can congress Monday, is directly in
spired by pro-German sources. He as
serted that several deputies are openly
advocating a German-Mexican alliance
in opposition to the United States,
while rumors that certain deputies
have "sold out" to the German influ-
ences i
s common talk in the Mexican
capital.
TOOK OVER SHIPS
Buenos Aires, April 18. Ar
gentine formally took all Ger
man interned ships "into cus
tody" today.
The official explanation for
the action was to prevent Ger
man crews ilamaging tlieir ves
sels. Officially the government has
not yet announced its course on
the submarining of the Monte
Protegido.
A formal statement issued
today pointed out that all cas
ualties in Saturday's rioting
were foreigners except the po
liceman killed.
WALL STREET GETS
GHTQVERB
HOT BIG TAXED
Fear Investors In Stocks Will
Un!oad to Purchase the
Bonds
WANT HIGHER INTEREST
AND TAX KEPT ON THEM
Popular Subscription Would
Cut Out the Big.
Financiers
By Robert J. Bender.
(United Press staff correspondent.)
Washington, April 18. Wall street is
"inch perturbed over the proposed meth
od of floating the $7,000,000,000 bond
issue.
J. P. Morgan and other financiers of
tho country are in Washington today
attempting to have the present floating
plan modified so as to show a little
more consideration for the "street."
Their fears are:
That appeal for popular subscription
to the issue will result in many small
and even largo investors in stocks un
loading to purchase the government
bonds, because they are exempt from
i taxation.
That if this is done there will be fall
ing market and the big New York and
Chicago financiers would be unable to
sell the bonds at a rate, of only 3 1-2
per cent.
Tho "street" feels that the bulk oi
tho great issue must necessarily fall on
tho jNew.iork. financiers lor purchase.
Therefore they want the issue to carry
a higher rate of interest so that they
may successfully fe-distribute them.
They also don't want the bonds ex
empted from taxation.
Tho administration is deaf to these
appeals.
Tho issue will be launched as pro
posed, through the treasury department,
without provision for commissions and
Secretary McAdoo feels there will be a
great public response throughout the
country. Meantime he has arranged a
series of conferences with investment
bankers to get their ideas on details.
It is the purpose to make the first
issue between $2,000,000,000 and $3,
000,000,000, depending largely on the
immediate needs of the allies.
This question will bo settled when the
(Continued on page four.)
OF
Wife of Sculptor Wehn
Seattle Found Dead
in Alley
of
Seattle, Wash., April IS. Murdered
by a blow on tho temple, evidently
with a stone, the body of Mrs. Florence
Wehn, age 27, wife of Sculptor James
A. Wehn, was found on the parking
of an unused street near 11th avenue
west and. Wheeler street, Queene Anne
had left her parente home carrying tho
articles.
Wehn, the young husband collapsed
st the scene of the murder this morn
ing. He had been working at the, state
university last night, and did not ac
company his wite. Iney bad no chil
dren. '
Paul Haubris, the woman's father,
is a police telephone operator at cen
tral station.
FIGHTING- IN MEXICO
Kl Paso, Texas, April 18.
Fighting between Villistas and
General Murguia's government
forces is again in progress to
day at Kl Vallo, according to
reports reaching here today.
American telegraph operators
returning from Juarez where
they were suddenly relieved by
Mexican operators at their keys
declare that messago from Mar
guin, asking for hospital accom
modations for his wounded
were received at Juarez tele
graph offices.
,
1
Berlin, April IS. Via Loa
don. "Our prisoners on the
Aisno were increased today to
over .I.OOC." declared today's
official statement.
The war office said that, fol
lowing a, failure to advance yes
terday, the French under the
effect of their heavy losses and
exhausted eonditiuu, did not ,
continue en attempt today, "the
object of which was to pierce
our lines."
Enemy attacks were ropolsed
at, Legodani and Courcy, in the
Champagne, the statement con
tinued. Portions of the wood be
tween Moronvillcrs and Auber
ive wore wrested from the
French colored troops which had
already reached that place.
TO
Government Wants Coast To
Go the limit in Wooden
Ship Building .
Portland, Ore., April 18. Indicating
that the government intends to start
tho construction of the great fleet of
"Bea jitneys" in ship yards along the
north Pacific coast soon, telegrams were
received here today by shipbuilders
from the government advising them to
prepare for extensive wooden ship con
struction. Several are importuned to in
crease their facilities to the limit and
a number of new yards both on Puget
sound and along the Willamette and
Columbia are planned.
Shipbuilders .say they are unable to
learn whether the government intends
to deal directly in ships or to co-operate
with private interests. An announce
ment is expected soon, however, as
Theodore Brent, vice-chairman of the
federal shipping board; who has just
completed a trip through tho northwest
is now on his way east with a detailed
report.
GERMAN INSURANCE COMPANIES
Dcs Moines, Iowa, April 18. The
status of German insurnnco companies
in this country was under discussion at
today's session of the National Insur
ance Commissioners' convention. Presi
dent J. 8. Phillips, of New York, re
called the recent proclamation by Presi
dent Wilson authorizing Germnn com
panies having branches in this country
to continue business, providing no
tun do were transferred outside tho Uni
ted States or used as a basis of credit
to tho enemy.
IS
OVER BRITISH RAID
Thinks It Wrong to Attack
Them In Reprisal for Sink
ing Hospital Ships
Berlin, via London, April 18. An
official announcement by the war of
fice says Hint 11 persons have been
killed, 29 injured and considerable
damage done to the university build
ing by an air attack on Friedliurg.
The" official statement follows:
"On Saturday at noon an enemy air
squadron of 12 airplanes attacked the
open town of Freiburg in lireisgau.
At 5 o'clock in the nfternoon the at
tack was repented by two further
squadrons totaling 23 airplanes.
"To this nefarious attack several
people unfortunately fell victims. Sev
en women, three men and one soldier
were killed and 17 women, eight men
and two children injured.
Public Institutions Attacked
"The enemy airmen selected as ob
jectives the new municipal theater, in
stitueg and infirmaries. Tho anatomy
section of the university was consid
erably damaged. Owing to our effect
ive counter measures the attacks could
not be fully executed.
"In tho course of air battles, which
resulted, two euemy airmen were shot
lown near Sehlcttstndt and Markirch
A third was shot down in an air battle
combined with a bombardment from
the ground. All three airplunes were of
Kii'dish type with Knglish occupants.
"The leader of tho attnek, an Kng
lish lieutenant-colonel, fell into our
hands. According to his statement and
the contents of a fly sheet, which, was
thrown down, the attack was in re
prisal for the torpedoing of the
Gloucester Castle (Hritish hospital
ship) recently sunk by a German sub
marine. Ws must resolutely contest
'the right to make such attacks.
! "In justification, our government
igave England to understand in time
I enough that it could no longer toW-rate
the passage of so called hospital ships
in the precisely defined zone. If the
r.nglisn, despite our warning, misunu
the Red Cross and carry it on trans
ports in the war zone, they must bear
tho consequences of their action; but
to attack an open town from revenge
is cheap glory. There are no objects of
military importance in Freiburg to jus
tify the attack,"
BERLIN
illY MEASURES
PROPOSED, 01 IS
DRASTICSPY BILL
House Opposition to Conscrip
tion Weakens and Bill
WilPass
PRESIDENT WILL GET
POWER TO SEIZE SKIPS
Also Railroads, Telegraphs
and telephones, and to
Draft Operators
Washington, April 18. In anticipa
tion of speedy action by congress o
the draft bill, the war department, this
afternoon had nearly completed plans t
nave me nrsc levy or 600,000 men ia
training camps by August 1.
The first levy would be selected by
lot.
Figures compiled lv the denart mi lit
show that there are about seven mil
lion between the ages of 19 and 25 in
the country, of whom about 60 per cent
would be available for service. From
these, by lot, tho first levy would be
picked.
It is plunned to set the same registra
tion day throughout the nation. Voting
precincts would be made the places of
registration.
Tho president also saw Senator Me
Kellar, who favors a trial of the vol
unteer system to the-draft McKellar
remained firm in his stand for a volun
teer ystem and announced his inten
tion to fight to the last for an amend
ment providing for a call for 500,()0
volunteers.
The bill as presented provides for
filling the regular army and national
guard to maximum strength about
800,000ioen and raising in army of 1.
000,000 by draft. ,
Several Amendments.
The amendment by Senator McKellar
designed to try the volunteer system
first was defeated by a vote of 10 to 7
in committee. '
Tho minority will draft a report nnd
make a fight on the floor for the volun
teer system. , i
An important amendment providing
that no liquor can be sold to soldiers or
officers in uniform or taken upon mili
tary reservations, was appended by tlio
committee.
The seven senators favoring the Mc
Kellar plan against the draft feature
wore: Senators McKellar, New, Eeeil,
Kirby, Sutherland, Hitchcock and
Thomas.
In tho meantime, opposition crystal
ized on the house side into an amend
ment to tho general staff bill, recom
mended by a special subcommittee t
tho milititry committee, "nuthorizinK"
tho president to raise 500,000 volun
teers, but retaining authorization for re
sort to selective conscription at any timo
the president deems nceosnry.
Committee Favors it.
The military committeo is said t
overwhelmingly favor this amendment.
Representatives Field. Kentucky; Cald
well, New York; Shal1eiiborger,Nebra
ka; Anthony, Kansas; Hull, Iowa, and
Chairman Dent, Alabama, were immedi
ately set to work to draft the volufr
teer service amendment.
The committee's action follows a
heated fight by the eight universal serv-.
ice advocates Kahn, California; Tilson,
Connecticut; Green, Vermont; Crago,
Pennsylvania; Olney, Massachusetts;'
Harrison, Virginia; Lunn, New York,
and Mi-Kcnzie, Illinois.
While the army fight was on a reso
lution wns favorably reported by ihn
senate nnvul committee Hiithorissinfr the
president to requisition any ship or wat
er craft for use in wnr. Compensation
is to be determined by the president, la
the event the owner is not satisfied he
is to get DO per cent of the price sot
and may s e for ihc remainder.
Another measure reported by tho
same committee would increase the per
sonnel ut the navy academy. Kack sen
ator and representative will thereby h
permitted to appoint one additional mid
shipman. Spy Bill la Sever.
At the same time the senate began
consideration of the drastic spy bill
another vital wnr measure. Tho bill
provides the death -penalty for viola
tions of the provision dealing wilh
transmission of military Or naval infor-
(Continued on cage two.)
.f:
5 THE WEATHER 5
Orecon: Tonight
tnd TlursdayJtair,
light frost tonight
south and 'fast
portions; pouth
vrcsteily winds.
' PCtCES
.