Daily Weather Report
Lowest temp, last night 63
Highest temp, yesterday 78
Tuesday,
Generally fair Tonight and
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VOL. VI.
ROSEftUHG, DOUGLAS COUNT V, OREGON
MONDAY, MAY 81, 1015.
No. 170
PLOEGSTREET
IS
Will Some Day be as Renown
ed as VVaterloo.
SCENE OF PRESENT DAY HARD FIGHTING
Last Winter the, Germans Tried to
Take the Allies At This Point
Hut Failed.
Ity Willlum G. Shepherd.
(Copyrighted 1915 by the United
Press; copyrighted in Great Britain.)
HEADQUARTERS OF THE BRITo
1SH ARMY, Northern France, April
21 (By mail to New York.) Ploeg
street wood, the Tommies call it
Flugstreet, Is In Belgium. Some day
it. will be a great historical park, like
the field of Waterloo. Just now its
ttrees are soarred . by bullets and
shells: German bullets whistle now
and then thrpugh the branches and!
clip them off with a lightning snip;
from time to time the ambulance
men run to some corner of the forest
to pick up a British soldier who has
been hit by a Btray German missile
and taking it altogether now is not
the time to see Ploegstreet wood.
Just beyond the wood lie the Brit
ish trenches; and just beyond the
British trenches Is the German line.
A rich brewer in Armentleres owns
Ploegstreet. It was his' pheasant
ground. The pheasants are gone
row; just before Christmas the Brit
ish soldiers in the wood bagged 22!
of them fpr Christmas dinner and'
that finished the lot.
In October the Germans, sweeping
down toward Calais, tried to take
the Ploegstreet wood. Commander-,
in-Chief Sir John French gave one'
of his Ironclad orders that It must
be held; the fighting for Ploegstreet
wood went on for days. The Gei-j
mans got into it and died; the Brlt-j
ishers fought them out of It and'
died. And when winter fell the great'
great forest was dottd with graves
and Its trees were battered by bul-;
lets and shells, but the British'
trenches circled its outer edge and
the German trenches were dug four
hundred feet from the forest's limit.
The forest Is two miles long and a 1
mile wide. We came to Us border!
after crossing ploughed fields where
German shells fell dally. We found :
a sidewalk two feet wide, made with!
sticks fastened together with wire, a
corduroy footpath. j
"It was unspeakable here In thej
winter. The men floundered in mud
FAMOlj
WOODS
ROSEBURG TO BE A LUMBER CENTER
There comes a time In the devel
opment of fcvery community when Its
citizens must place themselves on
record either for or against progress
and advancement. Such a time has
arrived in the history of Roseburg.
The Issue Is squarely up to the peo
ple. Will Roseburg place herBelf on
the side of self Improvement or will
Fhe take a step backward?
The News Is satisfied that the rank
and file of the voters are anxious for! proposition was a good thing 'for
better business conditions to prevail. Roseburg ana they have refused to
They want to see their home com- listen to the voice of Judas. The op
niunty advance and prosper. They position saw that It was useless to
are ready and willing to do their part.1 endeavor to convert the voters by 11
Yet there never was and never will logical reasoning and they therefore
be any progress without hard fought
opposition. Human nature Is so con-
stituted that there Is never a forward
movement except there be those who
are pulling, fighting, arguing and!
working aaglnst It Never was this
better Illustrated than at the pres-'
ent time.
Next Thursday the voters will have
an opportunity to go to the polls and
cast their ballot for or against the fu- shortsighted and absurd It might have
tnre of their city. There l only one1 accomplished what It set out to ac
Issne on the ballot and that Is "Shall compllsh. In Bhort tho plan was to
the City of Roseburg Issue bonds In obtain options of property along the
the amount of J300.000.00 for the
building of a railroad to the bonn-
dary of the Cascade forest reserve."'
There should be nothing confusing
about that proposition, and thers
should be no hesitation on the part
of the voters. Yet there are those
rmmg us who would urge you to cast
up to their waists until we built these
footways," explained the English ma
jor, who was acting as my guide.
The footway od straight into the
heart of the forest.
"It's rather ticklish living here,"
said the major. "You 'see the
trenches aren't far away and the Ger
man bullets that miss the tops of
our trenches come in here among
the trees."
The banging of rifle fire In the
trenches was Incessant. A bullet
sang above us and clipped off a small
twig which fell to me ground. Half
a dozen bulletB sang their songs be
fore we reached a dugout, which
stood among heavy trees. A fine
wooden sidewalk passed in front of
this dugout and stretched away down
an avenue of trees. Between the
dugout and the sidewalk in the front
yard, as it were, of the earthen resi
dence was a 'beautiful garden of
wild Bpring flowers which had been
transplanted from various corners of
the forest.
There were all the signs of spring
in the forest, except birds. They
have learned to stay away from
Ploegstreet grove.
"There are two or three robins,
who haven't gone," said the officer
who lives in the dugout, "but they
are specially foolhardy." Violets,
primroses and cowslips almost bed
ded the forest floor in places; a
clump of vioTet risjit, dug up with
tonB of earth by a German shell, lay
beside the great cavern, with Ub
flowers healthy aua strong.
There's one spot in Ploegstreet
wood that German shells ought never
reach. It's a grave with a carefully
made wooden cross on it and the
lettering says; "Here lie two gallant
German officers."
"That's rather unexpected,-' said
a civilian who was with us.
"But they were brave," said the
major. "The Germans aren't always
so bad. Five officers from my regi
ment were missing one time and wo
never even erpected to find their
bodies. But when we drove the Ger
mans back we found a grave on
which was marked: 'Here He five
brave English officers.' We identi
fied them all and their bodies were
taken back to England.'
We followed another sidewalk and
came to a huge mound, covered with
yellow spring flowers, which had
been planted by the English sol
diers. On a neatly made cross at
the head of the mound an English
soldier had patiently printed the
words: "Here lie seventeen German
soldiers."
There wasn't an English grave in
Ploegstreet wood that was better
tended or more heavily flowered than
these mounds of fallen Germans.
Knots of men passed along thai
narrow walk now and then going to
and from the nearby trenches. They
(Continued on page 8.)
your vote against this measure which
will have more to do with the real!
development of Roseburg than any
thing which has ever been proposed.
Three weeks ago the opposition to
this railroad was on the alert every
minute of the day. They buttonholed
voters on every street corner and
urged upon them their views.. But
the business sense of the voters told
them that the railroad and the mill
changed their tactics. There few
citizens, who seem to be guided-by
a false idea of economy, got together
and formulated another plan which
they could put Into operation after
the bond Issue had carried. This
plan alms to block the obtaining of
rights-of-way. The News was Inform-
ed of this plan yesterday. It Is very
well worked out and "era It not to
, proposed railroad. Farmers were ap
proached and were solicited to give
options on their farms for double, and
In some cases treble, their actual
value. After the option had been
signed the person taking It would
say to the farmer "of course yon
understand if the railroad , oes
BERLIN
SENDS
FORMAL NOTE
Germans Reject Wilson's Sub
marine Proposyl.
WILSON WILL REFUSE TO - ARBITRATE
President WU1 Take View That "Pat
ronizing Attitude" of Ger
many is Uilterly Re
sented Here.
WASHINGTON, May 31.-The sec
ond note from Germany dealing with
the sinking of the Lusitunia and the
Bubmarihe warfare of the Kaiser, is
expected to be forwarded from Ber
lin in 48 hours. The future policy
of America toward Germany is tak
ing shape. The official note of Ger
many rejecting the demand of Presi
dent Wilson that the submarine at
tackB either be stopped or that meas
ures be taken to safeguard the lives
of Amricans aboard merchant ves
sels, was received from Ambassudor
Gerard at midnight. No official
word as to the intentions of the ad
ministration are forthcoming, but it
Is known that the president hopes to
act promptly. It is expected that a
decision will be ready for the cabi
net tomorrow. The note will answer
the demand of Germany for "a bill of
particulars" in connection with the
sinking or the Lusltania In plain cold
terms. It will state the president
knew when he forwarded the first
protest, that the Lusltania wnB not
recognized as an auxiliary cruiser;
that the customs officials examined
the Lusitania and found that not only
was she unarmed, but that she car
ried no munitions In violation of the
lawB of the United States. Germany
will also be told that the liner was
not a troop ship, as alleged In the
reply of the Kaiser. Regarding the
attacks on the American ships Gulf
light and dishing, It will be made
clear that the expressions of regret
made by Germany, and the offers of
arbitration, do not carry any weight
with this country and government; It
Is believed that the president will
make it evident that the patronizing
attitude of Germany will be bitterly
resented. '
Germany, in lta reply to the Unit
ed States, flatly declares the sinking
of the Lusltania to have been justi
fied on the grounds of self-defense.
The Lusltania, it contends, carried
ammunition to be used In killing
German soldiers. It is also contend
ed that the Lusltania was an auxil
through your land It will be practic
ally impossible to obtain the sum we
have offered to you." The person
getting the option represents himself,
not as an antagonist to the railroad,
but as a real estate dealer. A large
number of farmers who were ap
proached refused to give, options on
their places at any figure. They came
Instead and gave Information of the
rcheme which 1b being worked. The
opposition has not "laid down". It
Is still doing It best to defeat the
railroad, but this other plan was put
Into operation so that In case the
progressive citizens outnumber those!
who are against the railroad it will
still have another card to play. !
If every citizen who favors the
railroad bond issue will go to the'
polls next Thursday and vote tholr I
convictions, the election will bo car
ried by a vote of four or five to one.
And why should It not carry by an
overwhelming majority? .lust pon
der over the following substantial
reasons why Roseburg should lRsue
these bonds and build the railroad to
the timber.
The road will tap Douglas county's
magnificent timber wealth, 20 billion
feel of which Is tributary to tho North
Umpqua along which strenm the pro
posed railroad will be built.
DoiirIeb county has one-fifth of the
standing timber of the entire state
of Oregon. Oregon has one-fifth of
the standing timber of the United
iary cruiser of the British navy; that
she was armed and that sho carried
Canadian troops, as well as war ma
terial. No Indication of desire or intention
of abating the submarine .plan of
warfare is glvon In the German reply.
The note, however, Is not framed as
a direct answer to the American de
mands, but Is rather an ad Interim
reply setting forth that certain facts
are first to bo decided on before the
main Issues are discussed by the two
governments.
Ktnrlng of Neutrals Intended.
The Uorlln government takes up
first the cases of the Gulfllght and
the Cushing. It says these are now
being Investigated but that it is not
Germany's intention to submit neu
tral ships on the high seas, guilty of
no hostile acts. When neutrals
through no fault of their own are
damaged Germany will pay Indemni
fication, she says.
Tho case of the Falaba also Is
mentioned, and in this instance it is
declared that the captain of the ship
is himself t oblamo because of his
efforts to escape and to summon aid.
'Destruction of LtiNitaniu Upheld.'
The declaration that the Lusitanln
had cannon aboard and was an auxil
iary cruisqr of the British navy Is
mado strongly. All blame for the
destruction of the vessel Is placed on
the British owners of the vessel, who
are accused of attempting "deliber
ately to UBe the lives of American
citizens as protection for the ammu
nition aboard and acted against the
clear provisions of the American
law, which expressly prohibits the
forwarding of passengers on ships i
carrying ammunition and provides a I
penalty therefor."
The reply says it deems those .cir
cumstances "Important enough to
recommend them to the attentive ex
amination of the American govern
ment." Early PropoHnls Itccallcd.
The reply snys that final decision
on the demands of the United States'
Is withheld until receipt of an answer!
to the preliminary note, but It re-
minds the United States that It "took'
cognizance with satisfaction" of thei
mediatory proposals submitted by
the United States to Berlin and Lon
don as a basis for a modus Vivendi
for maritime warfare.
The realization of these proposals,
says the reply, "was defeated, as Is
well known, by the declinatory atti
tude of the British government."
There will be a joint meeting of
tho Parent-Teachers associations of
tho city tomorrow (Tuesday) after
noon at 2 p. m. at the Lane school
building. This Is an Important meet
ing, as it will be for the election of j
officers and to put in force the plans!
to elect Mrs. Houck as a member of
the city school board. It is there
fore hoped that there will be a large
attendance,
States. This makes our own county
possess one thirtieth of the standing
timber of the entire country. Ore
gon's greatest wealth Is her timber.
And Douglas county owns nearly 20
per cent of all this vast empire of
uncut riches; Yet so fur tin the
people of this county aro concerned
the timber might Just as well be In
China or at the North Pole. Unless
an avenue is opened so that the tim
ber can bo transported cheaply to a
mill to be sawed Into merchantable
lumber it Is of absolutely no value
to us as a county or a community.
Roseburg Is the gateway for more
than twenty billion feet of this tim-!
ber wealth. The North Umpqua, with
Its many branches, reaches far Into'
the forest reserve and makes logging
roads from the main line a compara
tively b I in p 1 o matter of construction.!
This timber can make Roseburg the;
lumber center of southern Oregon.
Tho Kendalls have offered to build
the road to this timber, erect a mill
here at Roseburg, haul the logs to the
mill and manufacture them Into fin
ished lumber. They have a selling
organization which can dispose of
any output which they desire. They
ask the citizens of Roseburg to Issue
bonds In the amount of 1300,000.00
to start the road. They guarantee
to finish It and erect their mill.
Such a mill will give employment
to. hundreds of men who are now out
LOYALTYAND
PATRIOTISM
Mark Splendid Memorial Day
Exercises. .
SPLENDID ADDRESS BY REV. R. E. JOPH
A United People Gathered From
Every Nation on The Knrth
Honor Tile Stars
' aitd Stripes.
The beautiful balmy weather of
yesterday afternoon was propitious
for attracting a large number of citi
zens out to the memorial services at
the armory, and the capacious as
sembly ball waB filled to the capacity
of seatB. Promptly at three o'clock
the members of the Grand Army
Post marched down the aisle, follow
ed by the ladles of the Woman's Re
lief Corps, and took Beats provided
for them In the front, Just bolow the
speakers' stage. After them the lo
cal compnny of guards In dress uni
form, mnrched in under the com
mand of Capt. Buchanan. The great
hall was most beautifully and ap
propriately decorated In the national
colors and fitted In with the allus
ions of the speaker and the patriotic
songs w'hlch were sung. The opening
song was America, and was sung with
the audience standing and partici
pating. Loyalty and patriotism were
breathed in the Invocation by Rev.
Eaton, and by llev. Cloaves In the
scripture lesson and prayer which
followed.
The music was rurnlshed by a
double quartette from the Christian
church, and two solos by Harold F.
Humbert, nil of the selections helnir
suggestive of the occasion, nnd each I
were rendered In magnificent form.
The address by n. E. .lope, pantor
of tho Christian church, entitled,
"The Message of the Bronze Button,"
wns one of the moBt masterful ever
dollvered at an occasion of thlB na
ture In the city, and abounded In
flights of eloquence which were re
ceived with spontaneous and con
tinued applause. In tho beginning of
his address tho speaker referred to
the little trace of color nt his coat;
lapel, and said 'It was a part of the!
flag under which George Washington!
'had taken the oath of orflco nn the
first .president of these United
States. In spenklng of the privilege
enjoyed of bcjng a citizen under the
Stars and Stripes, Mr. Jope said that
while the majority of those present'
wore citizens because they were born I
of employment and who are citizens
of our community. Laboring men
who have been getting only a few
days' work each month will have an
opportunity to get steady employ
ment. Klghty per cent of tho Income
of all people is Bpont In the commun
ity where they reside and make their
money.
This trill! alone and the railroad
v.ill have a minimum payroll of more
than a thousand dollars a day. Such
a payroll In Kosnburg will forco us
from a community which Is suffering
from financial Ills to one abounding
with prosperity. It will create a de
mnnd for more groceries, more cloth
ing, more dry goods and more of all
the everyday necessities. The chan
nels of commerce which have become
stagnant will open up and thrive. Al
ready there have been a number of
application)1, for business rooms and
dwellings contingent upon tho carry
ing of tho bond election.
These reasons are well known. Ev
ery one who has resided hore any
length of time knows thnt If the rail
road Is built and the mill erected It
will be a triumph day for Roseburg.
But to The News tho most signifi
cant aspect of this bond election Is
not merely the securing of the rnll
road and the lumber mill. This Is
only tho entering wedge. Tho News
believes that Roseburg Ib on the eve
of a great era of expansion. The
here, he considered that his right to
honor the flag seemed to him still
more significant, for he is a citizen,
by choice, having been born la a
foreign country, and his aUeglanco
to the flag and constitution is sworn
to by solmen oath. Throug!out his
entire magnificent oration touching
and loyal references were made to
the underlying principles of patriot
ism and loyalty of the bronze button.
Its attributes of friendship and char
ity, aud to the sacrifices mado by
the honored possessors and wearers
of this tiny memento.
A Bplendld tribute was paid to this
country and its attitude on war, and
a forvent prayer was breathed that
this peace might continue, but if the
necessity should come for the United
States to take up arms, It would find
us united from north to Boutb,
wherever that emblem of freedom
floated. .
At the close of tho address which,
was greeted with tremendolus ap
plause, the audience Joined in sing
ing . the Star Spangled Banner.
TALIAN MINISTER
LEAVES TURKEY
ATHENS, May 31. The Italian
ambassador has left Constantinople
and 1b returning to Home, according
to unconfirmed reports. '
Dig Rare Is On.
INDIANAPOLIS, May 31 The an
nual five hundred mile international
sweepstake automobile race started
at 10 a. m. with 24 cars competing.
The track is dry and conditions fav
orable for a great race.
MRS. HUTCHINSON DEAD
W. C. T. U. Official Falls to Rally
After 0torntlon.
PORTLAND, May 31. Mrs. Eliza
beth B. Hutchinson, national treas
urer of the W. C. T. U. and ex-presl-dout
of the state union In Kansas,
died here Saturday night. Mrs. Hut
chlnBon underwent an operation at
a local hospltul nearly tour weeks
ago.
Mrs. Hutchinson's home was In
Wlnfleld, Kans. Sho came hore from
Scattlo to arrange- tho advertising of
the annual convention of the W. C.
T. U. in that city next October. Her
daughter, Mrs. Mabel Roberts, was'
at her bedside when the end came.
Harry Bryan, of Seattle, arrived In
this city last evening from Mnrshflold
for a short vlBlt wl'th W. A. Boll. Ho
left this morning for Eugene where
he has business to transact. ,
News feels sure that If wo, as a city.
show our faith In our future by vot
ing this bond Issue It will have more
lo do with attracting other capital
I nun anything else that we can do as
a community. This western country
!iub a great future. It lucks In de
velopment. But development re
quires capital. On every side of us
tho people nre ondeavorlng to enlist
capital In tho opening up of their
territory. In tho Willamette Valloy
the people nre working for a road
Into eastern Oregon to connect with
a transcontinental road. Tho plains
of eastern Oregon are appealing to
the Kast for capital for the develop
ment of Its arid lnnds. In tho Roguii
lllvor valley the people aro bendlne
every effort to open up to the mar
kets of the world their vast natural
resources. And how the people of
Roseburg have an opportunity next
Thursday by their votes to Bay
whether tho barriers which shut out
gigantic timber wealth shall be bat
tered down or remain closed ,ir
years to como.
Are you, Mr. and Mrs. Votor going
to stand up on tho side of progress
and prosperity for your city and for
yourself? You have never been call
ed upon to decide so vital, so im
portant a question. You bold In your
hand tho key which unlocks the gate
way to the future greatness of your
city.