PROGRESS OF 1917
The Oregonian s Great
Annual Review of Ore
' gon Development Ap
pears Tomorrow.
OUT TOMORROW
The New Year's Orego
nian Should Be in the
Hands of Your Eastern
Friends.
VOL. L.VII. NO.
17,818.
PORTLAND, OREGON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1917.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
GUATEMALA CITY
RAZED, 111 WIS
Bodies of Dead Skew
Wreckage.
80,000 PERSONS HOMELESS
Survivors of Big Earthquake
Disaster, Panic Stricken,
. " Take to "Flight.
MANY FACE STARVATION
American Red Cross Takes
Steps to Relieve Distress.
$10,000 to' Be Spent.
' SAN SALVADOR, Dec. SO. Guate
Snala City, capital of the republic of
Guatemala, has been completely de
stroyed by an earthquake. Many per
sons were killed in the disaster, some
in their homes and others in the
street. . '
The Colon Theater, which was filled
jvith people, collapsed. There were
many casualties among the audience.
Patients and Prisoners Perish.
Various hospitals and asylums and
the prisons were badly damaged and
many patients and prisoners were
killed., ;
The railroad depot, sugar mills,
postoffice, the American and British
legations, United States consulate and
all. the churches in the city have been
leveled.
Deep fissures opened In the middle
of the city. -
Panic Depopulates City.
The inhabitants, in panic, have fled
from the capital. More than 80,000
persons are homeless. The stock of
provisions in the city is scant and aid
is required promptly.
The Salvadorean government has
suspended the official New Year cele
bration and entered into mourning in
sympathy with Guatemala.
' WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. Another
Earthquake at Guatemala City yester
day virtually destroyed the city. A
Navy Department report today said
everything was in ruins and that 125,
DOO people were in the streets. Ameri
can naval vessels have been ordered
to render assistance.
Work of Devastation Complete.
The series of earthquakes began on
Christmas day and culminated last
night in violent shocks completed the
Jvork of destruction.
Following is the brief dispatch
which brought the news of the
catastrophe:
"Bad earthquake yesterday ; fin
ished the work of others. Everything
tn ruins and beyond description as a
result of last night's shock. One hun
dred and twenty-five thousand people
are in the streets. Parts of the coun
try are very cold and windy. Tents
are needed badly. Quite a number
killed yesterday by falling walls."
i Red Cross Acts Promptly.
' 4
The machinery of the American Red
Cross has teen set in motion to re
lieve the earthquake sufferers.
In response to an appeal for as
sistance from Alfred Clarke, chair
man of the Red Cross chapter at
Guatemala City, a preliminary appro
priation of $10,000 has been authorized
for the purchase of relief supplies.
Materials for temporary shelters
are being assembled, but mildness of
the climate in the devastated region
minimizes fears of suffering likely to
be caused by exposure.
At a Guatemala port large quan
tities of flour, potatoes, crackers and
other staple foodstuffs, as well as dis
infectants and stores of galvanized
iron for temporary buildings, already
are being loaded aboard a vessel to
sail for Puerto Barrios, on the east
oast of Guatemala.
Earthquakes have been prevalent in
Suatemaia since the day after Christ
mas, when shocks were general
throughout the republic With each
recurrent shock the damage in Guata
mala City, the capital of the republic,
has grown more extensive.
,. . News Grows Worse Daily.
'' "' Last Thursday it was reported that
' Trom 10 to 40 persons had been killed
in the disturbances of the previous
night, while dispatches of Friday and
(Concluded on Pase 4, Column 4.)
U. S. TROOPS KILL
MEXICAN BANDITS
AMERICANS CROSS BORDER IX
PURSUIT OF CATTLE THIEVES.
Punishment Follows Series of Raids
on Indio Ranch, W here Thou
sand Head pi Cattle Stolen.
EAGLE PASS, Tex., Dec. 30. At least
six Mexican belligerents were killed in
a fight between bandits and United
States troops and Texas Rangers Sat
urday at San Jose, Mexico, opposite the
Indio ranch, which is 20 miles south of
Eagle Pass.
The pursuit of a "hot trail" across
the border followed a series of raids
on the Indio ranch. In which it is esti
mated that a thousand or more head- of
cattle had been stolen and driven across
the Rio Grande.
In the latest raid on the ranch 160
goats were stolen. Colonel Frederick
It. Day, commanding at Camp Eagle
Pass, sent Captain A.. W. Howard with
four troops of cavalry and a machine
grun platoon to investigate. They ar
rived at Indio ranch at 4 o'clock Sat
urday morning and found 14 Texas
Rangers already on the scene. At 2
o'clock Saturday afternoon the Rang
ers crossed the border. They were at
tacked from ambush and surrounded.
Then the machine platoon under Lieu
tenant Charles B.. Herrick, and four
troops of cavalry under Major E. C.
Wells unexpectedly arrived on the
scene and opened fire. The bandits
fled in disorder.
After a short running fight the
Americans recrossed to the American
side. They did not take the time to
count the bandit dead, but six bodies
were seen and officers say there prob
ably were several others in the brush.
FOOD STOCKS BEING LISTED
Anyone Having More Than $250
Worth on Hand Must Report.
WASHINGTON:, Dec. 30. All dealers,
manufacturers, warehouse men, hotels
and other institutions having on hand
more . than $250 worth of. foodstuffs
must report to the bureau of markets
of the Department of Agriculture, giv
ing a detailed statement of their hold
ings, tomorrow, with a comparison of
holdings on the same day last year..
A statement tonight by Charles J.
Brand says every effort hag been made
to send schedules- to the firms and in
dividuals who handle the food supply
of the country, but that failure to re
ceive a schedule does not exempt any
one from complying with the regula
tions.
TROOPS' DEATH RATE LOW
Statement by Surgeon - General
Makes Favorable Showing-
- WASHINGTON. Dec. 30. Figures
compiled at the office of Surgeon-General
Gorgas and made public today
sh6w that, with more than POO, 000 sol
diers In training in this country from
September 21 to December 14, there
were only 1391 deaths from all causes,
an average rate of less than two per
1000.
The record shows that the average'
strength of the Army In the United
States during the period was 916,722
men. -Among the 202,009 regulars there
were 144 deaths; there were 494 deaths
In the 387,233 National Army, and 763
deaths in the 327,480 National Guards
men. YEAR'S LYNCH1NGS ARE 38
All Except Two groes and All But
One in Southern States.
TUSKEGEE, Ala., Dec. 30. Records
made public last night by R. R. Moton,
president of Tuskegee Institute, show
that 38 persons were lynched in the
United States this year. All except two
were negroes, and one of those was a
woman. One lynching occurred in Mon
tana and all the others were in South
er states, Georgia and Texas having six
each.
Attacks on white women were given
as the cause in 16 instances.
GERMAN TEACHER DROPPED
Pro-German Sympathies and Utter
ances Are Grounds for Action.
DENVER, Dec. 30. Mrs. Martha
Loescher Crook, professor of German
at the University of Denver, was dis
missed from the faculty of the school
at a meeting of the board of trustees
yesterday.
ProJerraan sympathies,- and . utter
ances, it was .announced, were the
grounds' for the action. The trustees
voted to continue her salary to the end
of the academy year.
NOME PAPER IS SEDITIOUS
Karl Rogers and five Others of In
dustrial Worker's Staff Arrested.
NOME. Alaska. Dec. 29. Earl Rog
ers, editor of the Nome Industrial
Worker, and the five members of the
editorial board' of publication, which Is
owned by the miners' unions, were ar
rested today for alleged seditious arti
cles, which, it is charged, appeared in
the Worker.
Rogers formerly lived In Seattle and
Tacoma.
Vocational Fund Allotted.
WASHINGTON'. Dec. 30. Eight states I
have been allotted shares of the Fed
eral fund for vocational education, hav
ing complied with tne law and agreed
to raise a dollar at home for every
Federal dollar received. Idaho has
been allotted $15,000.
RUIN MARKS TRAIL
OFGERMAIJ RETREAT
Hoquiam Editor Visits
DiTnrl irrv Trk -ec '
DAMAGE PAo I COMPUTATION
Country Cut by Trenches Seen
, From Vimy Ridge.
SCOUTING PLANES ADMIRED
Army Men Tell W'ashingtonian That
They Would Rather Have High
Hill for Observing Than'
. . a Thousand Airplanes.
BY MAJOR H. , W. PATTON.
(Sixth Article.) "
. Then .we drove -to the town of
Bapaume, where there is not a house
left standing intact. When the German
evacuation began they shipped to Ger
many air the women and children, and
the men under 60 years of age, and
then dynamited every house in the
town, so as to put it in a state where
repair was impossible.
In one instance, however, they left
a building in a very fair state of pres
ervation. This was 'the Hotel de Ville
or city hall, and against it the Huns
only made a pretense of Injury. When
the French occupied the town, - they
found the building in such good re
pair that they occupied it as head
quarters and housed their officers in it.
At the, expiration of 10 days,'when the
building was well filled, an explosion
took place and there was not enough
left of that hall when I saw it to have
built a box car. In the explosion 147
French officers were killed and a num
ber wounded.
Dastardly Trick Discovered.
I was told that the manner of the ex
plosion was in this wise: That under
a pile of debris in the basement a bomb
had been placed. Over it was suspend
ed a weight, by. a wire which had been
treated with acid which ate through in
10 days, and dropped the weight on the
bomb, causing the explosion.
At another place, we saw a large
crypt, -where in early. French days the
heads of the dead were placed. The
top of this had been' blown off.smd I
saw hundreds of skulls exposed to the
rain and sun.
AVe " next went to the town of
Peronne. Every house in this town al
so had been destroyed. In fact. I saw
upon this trip through France, enough
destroyed houses, that if they were put
together would make a city as large
as San Francisco.
We returned to Amiens for the night,
and the next morning ws started out
for our first actual visit to the im
mediate vicinity of the front line.
There was considerable reluctance on
the part of the British officers to take
us into the front line trenches. . They
realized the great risk that was being
(Concluded on Page 3, Column 1.)
j
r JIX&7&S3&m Jms&7?7 ZrVJii i
I-.--.- ...-. - . !V'-vl- ??: -."..- I I
I
WOMEN WILL KNIT,
CONVICT AND ACQUIT
SAX -FRANCISCO. TO HAVE MAXV
JURORS IX SKIRTS.
Twenty-five Per Cent of Names on
118. Panel Those of Fair Voters;
Notices Now Being Served.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 30. (Special.)
- To the click of knitting needles,
jurors in the Superior - Courts of San
Francisco during the coming year may
hear the evidence in the cases which
they are to try.
The reason is that -5 per cent of the
names on the 1918 jury roll will - be
those of women. The jury commission
Is now sending out notifications to
women members of the 1918 panel to
hold themselves In readiness to serve. ,
"They can knit," Presiding Judge
Thomas F. Graham said today. "Other
wise they will be treated Just like men.
They will be challenged Just as men
are. and no doubt they will become
quite as adept in providing - reasons
why they should be excused from duty."
ARGENTINE VESSEL ASHORE
Life Guards Rescue Passengers and
Crew by Breeches Buoy."
AN ATLANTIC PORT, Dec. 30. The
Argentine transport Pimento, under
stood to have on board members of an
economic mission to the United States
from Argentina, was driven ashore off
the Atlantic Coast during a storm last
night and now lies high on. the beach.
Everybody on board was taken off
safely In a breeches buoy by Life
Guards.
The shipwrecked Argentinians are
housed tonight in the lifesaving sta
tion. They hope to board their vessel
again tomorrow if she can be floated
and the wrecking crews now standing
by think this may be done if the storm
abates. "
A SO-mile gale was driving a heavy
fall of snow when the ship lost her
course ast night.
NEW YEAR'S EDITION OF
THE OREGON IAN OUT
TOMORROW. .
The big annual New Year's
edition of The Oregonian will be
on the streets tonight and to
morrow. This special annual fea
ture carries five sections show
ing ; Oregon's part in the war
preparedness programme, its ev
olution as a state, its progress
during the year, in addition to.
telling a complete and absorbing
story of the -vast resources' be-
hind the "Oregon First" spirit. "
; Every important industry will
be featured. Facts; figures and
pictures will vividly portray Ore
gon's onward march.
The edition will appear as a
part of tonight's early street edi
tion and as part of the regular
edition tomorrow. It will be on
sale at newsstands and at special '
street stands on all the principal
streets in the business district'.
The price will be 5 cents a copy.
The postage will be. 5 cents in
the United States and posses
sions. The postage will be 5
cents for American soldiers at
the front. All other foreign
postage will be 10 cents.
HIS SCHOOLING WILL SOON BEGIN.
PEACE PROPOSALS
TO GO TO NATIONS
Conference Delegates
Are in Accord.
TROOPS WILL BE WITHDRAWN
Prisoners Are to Be Liberated
and Commerce Resumed.
AUTONOMY INSISTED UPON
German Answer to Russian Pro
posals Indicates Great Probabil
ity Empire of Romanoffs Will
Be Broken - Up.'
BREST-LITOVSK. Dec. 28, via Berlin
and London. Dec. 30. Provisional
agreement on a series of important
points, including liberation of war pris
oners and resumption of commercial
relations, was reached today by the
delegates of Russia and the central
powers in discussion of issues 'which,
in the event of a general peace, would
have-to be settled among the nations
represented in the negotiations here.
This provisional discussion was ter
minated today, the basis of an agree
ment adopted being reached under the
reservation that it was to be examined
by the governments represented by the
delegates.
In respect of treaty relations, an un
derstanding was arrived at regarding
the restoration of the situation as it
existed when the war began. '
Jt was provided that certain laws
adopted' during the war shall be can
celled, and that those affected thereby
shall- be restored to their previous
rights or indemnified.
W'mr Costs and Damage Defined.
The rules in regard to payment of
war costs and damage were do-fined in
greater detail- Provisions were made
concerning damages sustained by civil
ians outside the war area.
An- agreement in principles was
reached regarding the reciprocal lib
eration and return to "their homes of
war prisoners 7 and Interned civilians
and also for the return of captured
merchant vessels.
Speedy resumption of diplomatic and
consular relations is embraced In the
understanding. It'is set forth that
there shall be immediate stoppage of
economic warfare, establishment of
commercial Intercourse and the or
ganized exchange of commodities.
A substantial understanding was ar
rived at on which the basis of economic
relations shall be settled permanently.
Troops to Be Withdrawn.
Regarding the question of occupied
territory the Russians made the fol
lowing proposal:
"In full accord with the public dec
larations of both the contracting par
ties that they do not cherish bellicose
plans and desire to conclude peace
without annexation, Russia will with-
'Concluded on Page 2. Column 1.)
PACIFIST SCHOOL
PRINCIPAL RESIGNS
E. ALLEX BEXXETT REFUSED TO
GET 'STIRRED UP' OVER W AR.
As Result of Warped Views Incum
bent of School Position at Coburg
Makes Place for Xew Man.
EUG EXE, Or., Dec. 30. (Special.)
E. Allen BennettV principal of schools at
Coburg, has resigned. , He had been
publicly criticised because of his paci
fist tendencies and his alleged refusal
to encourage co-operation with the
Government's war plans in the sahools.
The fact of Bennett's resignation has
been made public by County Superin
tendent of Schools E. J. Moore. Walter
Moore, now a member of the faculty of
the Springfield High School, has been
elected as his successor. '
Mr. Bennett, in explaining his atti
tude, said that he believed it best not to
get "stirred up" over the war and for
that reason he did not encourage war
projects in the schools. To preserve
his own state of mind, he has refrained
from reading the newspapers since the
United States entered the conflict, it
is said.' ,
Mrs. .Jennie M. Kemp, employed by
the food administration, following a re
cent visit to the schools of Coburg im
ported "to the state headquarters that
she had found less interest in the ques
tion of food conservation there than at
any other point in the state which she
had visited. The school authorities in
the- other cities and towns of Lane
County took the leadership in the food
pledge campaign in their Various com
munities. ' '
County Superintendent of Schools
Moore says that he does not believe
that Bennett is disloyal, but that his
ideas about war are wrong:.
APACHES JOIN RED CROSS
One Hundred and Eleven Full-
Blood Americans Get Buttons.
GLOBE. Ariz., Dec. SO. One hundred
and' eleven full-blooded Apache Indians
walked into an auxiliary of the Globe
chapter of the American Red Cross at
Rice, on the Indian reservation, yester
day and their leader handed T 2 in
bills over to the secretary. .
"What's that forT' asked the secre-tarj-.
"We want to join the Red Cross,"
said Arthur Johns, their spokesman,
who is a. Carlisle alumnus and whose
Indian name is Flying Fox. "We're
the first contingent. Two hundred more
will be In during the week." They asked
for the largest Red Cross buttons avail
abieand proudly- departed.' -
SLACKERS IN UGLY MOOD
One in Jail Rejects Questionnaire
and Another Tears Document Up.
TACOMA. "Wash.. Dec. 30. (Special.)
Paul Haffer, a Tacoma Socialist who
served a sentence for libeling George
Washington and who Is now confined
in the County Jail for refusal to regis
ter under the draft law. has declined
to fill out a questionnaire, according
to Sheriff Robert Longmire.
All slackers in the County Jail are
being given an opportunity to fill out
questionnaires. Haffer returned his
blank, and Henry Martson, alleged
slacker and I. W. W., tore his to bits,
it is reported.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 61
degrees; minimum, 56; rain.
TODAY'S Rain, fresh southeasterly winds.
War.
Editor visits French towns ruined by Ger
mans. Page 1.
Airplane fleet bombards Padua,
Page 2.
Italy.
Mr. Gibson tells of starting Belgian relief
work. Page 4.
Foreign. i
Guatemala Cltr reduced to complete ruin
by earthquake. Page 1.
United States troops cross Mexican border
and kill bandits. Page J. ;
Delegates at peace conference reach agree
ment, to be submitted to their govern
ments. Page 1. ;
National.
Question raised aa to validity of "dry"
amendment. Page 2.
Registration of half million Germans ' in
United States to begin , February 4
Page 2. '
Down grade to aea. under Government oper
ation of railroads, likely to make Port
land great Pacific terminal. Page 3. .
Press censorship to be leas severe. Page 1.
Congressmen return to Washington to expe
dite urgent legislation. Pago 11.
Domestic. - -
Palatial residence of wealthy Italian In Chi
cago wrecked by bomb. Pane 3.
Women jurors to figure extensively in trial!
at San Francisco. Page 1.
New Tork City, with mercury 13 below zero,
haa coldest day In Its history. Page 5.
Sports.
Marines and 01st Divisions ready for great
gridiron battle at Pasadena tomorrow.
Page 10.
Portland Motorboat Club to hold annual re
gatta tomorrow. . Page 30.
Main boxing titles shift to new hands in
1817. Page 10.
Minor sports thrive In year. Page 10.
Pacific Northwest.
Pacifist school principal at Coburg gives
- up position. Page 1.
Vancouver merchants advlaed of 6-o'clock
closing programme. Page 4.
Railroads to Seattle from East paralyzed by
flood. Page 11.
Portland and Vicinity.
Young Portland actress accepts offer t6
atar In East. Page 7.
New Year will receive big wartime welcome
in Portland. Page 7,
Exemptions from stamp tax noted. Page 8.
Listing of many registrants in Class I only
temporary. Pago 8.
Sugar restrictions to continue in force in
definitely. Page 11.
St. pavld'a Church dedicates service flag
containing 42 stars. Page 8.
Home for women to-be rushed. Page 9.
War Income tax must be paid at offices of
Internal Revenue Collector by June 15.
Page 14.
Roy Van Tuyl. runaway from Washing
ton State Reform School, says methods
of punishment are intolerable. Page V.
Music and fun will mark closing day of
Red Cross membership campaign. Page 14.
George. Stoney. of The Oregonian editorial
. staff, enlists. Page 5.
Western railroads ready to unify their serv
ice to meet wartime conditions. Page 5.
Weather report, data- and forecast. Page 12.
PRESS CENSORSHIP
TO BE LESS SEVERE
Important Changes Are
Effective January 1.
3 PROHIBITIONS WITHDRAWN
Certain Interesting Informa
tion May Now Be Printed.
EXPLANATIONS ARE GIVEN
Suppression of Military Information
Solely for Protection of Soldiers
and Sailors and for Success
of Government's Plans.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. Revised
regulations or requests to guide the
American press in the voluntary cen
sorship observed since the country went
to war were issued tonight by the com
mittee on public information, to become
affective January 1.
Several important changes have been
made, representing the lessons learned
by the committee and the Army and
Navy officers since the first regulations
were issued last June.
Three of the original requests to
which special importance was attached
and under which loyal newspapers have
gone to press without many an interest
ing piece of news have been withdrawn
entirely.
More .News May Be Printed.
They are the requests that nothing
be published tending to disclose the
names of line officers or individual
units of the expeditionary forces; tend
ing to disclose the identity of Amer
ican merchant ships and their crews
defending themselves against subma
rines, or giving information relatinjr to
drydocKs and repair and construction
work.
Unofficially it is explained that these
prohibitions are withdrawn largely be
cause of the difficulty of having them
universally observed, and in the belief
that such information would be ob
tained by the enemy regard lo.-s . of
whether it appeared in the American
newspapers.
Statement Gives Kxplanation.
With the regulations the committee
issued this statement:
"The committee on public informa
tion makes public herewith a revision
of the requests of July 30, with respect
to the concealment of military informa
tion, for the guidance of correspond
ents and editors who have patriotically
placed themselves under censorship of
their own enforcement."
Future revisions will follow in con
formity with the changing military
situation. Xone of these requests will
be retained when it Is established that
the secrecies now considered essential
for the successful conduct of military
onerations no longer serve a definite
military purpose.
Necessity Is Urged,
"The committee is requested by the
war-making branches of the Govern
ment to urge again upon the press the
serious necessity for observing these
requests. It is highly important that
military Information be kept out of
print. It is a matter of little conse
quence how widely military informa
tion of the most important character is
known within. the borders of the United
States. The purpose of these requests
is to prevent such Information from
reaching the enemy. The printed page
forms a safe and easy method of com
munication for the enemy agent.
"Whenever he can be forced to at
tempt the use of the telegraph, the
cable or any other medium for the
transmission of news the risks o( de
tection are immeasurably multiplied.
But he can mail a newspaper or a mag
azine without leaving a trace.
Loyalty Relied Upon.
"The committee is without legal au
thority or moral right to bring any
form of pressure on publications to en
force observance of these requests.
These paragraphs embody what the
military and naval experts of our coun
try hold to be the minimum that can
be asked at this time for the protection
of our soldiers and sailors and the suc
cess of our military plans. For their
observance the Government relics lm--pllcity
upon the loyalty and judgment
of the individual writer and publisher.
"In order that the American people
may clearly understand why certain
news does not appear in print it is
urged that these requests bo printed in
full.
"The attention of the press is called
to the provision that these requests do
not apply to news dispatches censored
by military authority with the expe
ditionary forces or in those cases where
the Government itself, in the form of
official statements, may find it neces
sary or expedient to make public in-,
formation covered by these requests."
Secrecy to Be Observed.
The requests follow:
"For the protection of our military,
and naval forces and of merchant ship
ping it is requested that secrecy be
observed in all matters of:
"1. Advance information of the routes
and schedules of troop movements. (Se&
paragraph No. 5.)
"2. Information tending to disclose
the number of troops in the expedi
tionary forces abroad.
"3. Information calculated to dis
close location of the permanent base
or bases abroad.
"4. Information that would disclose
the location of American units or the
eventual position of the American
forces at the front.
"5. Information tending disclose
an eventual or actual port of embarka
tion, or information of the movement
of military forces at seaports from
(.Concluded on Page 3, Column 1.)