La Grande evening observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1904-1959, February 07, 1918, Image 1

Historic Oregon Newspapers

La Grande evening observer., February 07, 1918, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Text(Irattflp I An Independent i J Newspaper. J Prlnti the News the , Dy It Happens ' phone The Observer i the News and J ' Your Want Ads.r ' i Main 37 L ............... VOLUME XVII LA GRANDE, OREGON, TIUJWSDAY, FISHltUAKY 7, 1918 NUMBER: 141 TWO HUNDRED AND TEN LIVES LOST ON THE TUSCANIA GERMANS BRITISH LINER TORPEDOED, ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE SOLDIERS RELIEVED LOST LOSS OF LIFE I UNITE THE NATION IVII SECRETARY. 11AKKH SAYS AM ERICA IS FIGIITlNtl A SAVAGE FOE "WE MUST AND WE WILL WIN THE WAR" All Departments Echo Dcterniiim tlon to Avenge tlio Deaths Lend ers of Congress Are liedoubling Thoir Efforts. (United Press.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 7. Secre tary of War Baker said,' after re ceiving the news of the Tuscania disaster: "An adversary who has refined but made more savago the stealth of war has challenged America. We must, we will win this war. Losses such as this unite the country in sympathy for the families of the victims. It will also unite all In a purpose for a move determined progress. Details will be given to the public as soon as received in order to relieve anxiety." All departments echo the deter mination to avenge the deaths and leaders In Congress are redoubllg their efforts. PRIVATE HAGER SURE UNDERSTANDS WOMEN American Steamer All- manance Torpedoed 7. - V (United Press) WASHINGTON. Fob j-i- Secretary Daniels announced the i American steamer Allmnnanco ! J- was torpedoed yesterday. Six of j- the crew were missing; gunners I- are safe. J .J.J. .t. J. . T. -T. J. J. ARTILLERY (S ACTIVE ON 1ST FRO T THIS TO C fl LI fv T R Y REGISTER EYE WITNESSES TELL OF THE SHIPS Governor Has Son With 20 th Engineers (United Press) SALEM, Feb. 7. Earl Withy- combe, son of the governor, is a member of the 20lh Engineers, Company 1). lie wroto recently J DEPARTMENT OF .IISTH'K HAYS THEY .MIST HE TIIKATKI) COl'ltTUOCSLY EVERY GERMAN ALIEN MUST REGISTER THIS WEEK By J. W. PEGLER (United Press Staff Correspondent.) WITH THE AMERICAN EXPED ITIONARY ARMY, FRANCE, Jan. 10. (By Mall.) Private Hagar of C Battery can understand some wo men and some he can't understand. Take the little girl who waits on the canteen American from the top of her golden hoad to the soles of her hobnailed field boots. ji Hus band an officer, no children, and wants to be doing things for the Boldiers. So she came out to this little mud-wallow of a town to put in nine hours a duy standing on slippery duck-boards behind the counter. "I can't understand a giti like her," said Private Hager. "Between us, this Is the third time I've come up to the counter this evening. Last time I bought chewing gum mo who's been in the field artillery seven years. Now I'm going to have a cup of chocolate if It chokes me. "It's so doggone fine to see her smile and hear her voice say 'Thank you' as though I'd done something for hor instead of she for me that I'll keep on remembering things 1 want to buy1 until the canteen closes." . "This isn't a stunt where she does two hours work every thirl Wednesday just for the fun In it. She's on the job every dav and she lives right here In this village. The Colonel and the Town Major went around to the mavor and shook him down for the best room In the best bruise In town but It isn't much of a house." rrlvate Hager got a letter last night from the kind of a woman lie can't understand. It wan postmarked "New York" nnd was addressed to "An Orphan Soldier." Having lmd no parents for several years Private Hotter ranked as Senior orphan of bis bat talion., and so drew the letter. "It's from a society girl." ho said She says: ''I'm going to take a Red Ooss course and come over to France and nurse the soldiers on the battlefields. Who knows," she savs. "hut what maybe some dav I shali bandage your head with the dead nnd dvine screaming all around us and the shells crashing everywhere and mav be save your life? Who knows, dear lonely 'Or phan." Hager said anv girl having that conception of what war Is like after three years of tt, must be lonely up stairs. Ho wrote her a polite reply, the kind or elrl he can't understand, saying; "Please don't trouble about that Red Cross course. In the first place I'd rather be tended by a man on the battlefield, if I get wounded, which, in the second place. I won . be. And in the third place I'd a li t rather ride with you on top of a Fifth Avenue Bus and hold your band than have you hold my hea with the dead and dying screaming all around us." o Home Guard Asks Armory The Home Guard, sixty-four in number, called on the city commission last night, asking for a fund for the lease of an armorv. Commissioners Mc Kennon and Brownton were present and said they would take the matter tinder advisement, final m l ion to ! taken next week. FRENCH REPEL ATTACKS THE BRITISH RAID ENEMY POSITIONS PARIS. Feb. 7AvHIIoi-vt fire i. active over a wide section of the French front, north nf tVn Ai'flno Chavniffnon and Parnu roe-inns, nn the right bank of the Meuso. Attacks in Alsace were repelled. Cannonading was reported north of Aisne nnd nlnnn the rio-hf lintiV nf the Mouse, near Hill 34, Hartmanns- weilerkopt, and elsewhere. The Ger mans bombarded Banholz, but were repelled when they attacked. LONDON, Feb. 7. The British raided positions east of Armentiercs. Enemy are artillerying southwest of Cambrai and south of Lens. o , EEii policy IN FULL IS BY BRAND WH1TL0GK U. S. Minister to Belgium Will Tell His Story of That Country in Sunday Journal PORTLAND, Feb. 7. (Special.) The tragedy of Belgium has awakened the world to the full significance of pan-Germanism that over-ambitious policy of territorial and economic ag grandizement that reckons not with treaty obligations and human consid erations in its accomplishment. Belgium was the quickest highway to France. Therefore, Belgium must be sacrificed, regardless of Belgian neutrality for, declared the Prussian machine, a treaty is only "a scrap of paper' and "necessity knows no law." For more than four years the United States has been represented at the seat of the Belgian government by Brand Whitlock as minister. Mr. Whitlock became famous in this coun try during the four terms that he served as mavor of Toledo. Ohio, when his broad understanding of civic prob lems was evidenced in his writings. No more suitable man could have occupied the Belgian legation during this critical neriod than Brand Whit lock. and his recount of Belgium's tragic experience, which will lib pub lished serially in the Oregon Sunday Journal, beginning February 17, is the biggest story that the war has produced. FRANCE TO Fl 1IMSH l ltl IT Amrriru Will Supply ugar Willi Which to Can Product for Troops PARIS, Feb. 7. An agreement has been conclmled between the French nnd American governments by which the canned fruit nnd vege tables required by the American ex peditionary forces will be supplied by France. This action was taken after a joint investigation by experts of the United States army purchasing board and French authorities showed that the normal fruit and vegetable crop in France was suffi cient to supply both armies as well as all domestic needs. The American army purchasing board expects that by purchasing canned goods in Fiance there will be a saving or 70 per cent In the tonnage required ror canned goods. TRAINING CAMP PROLONGED Two Weeks Added to Give Instruc tion in "Paper Work" WASHINGTON, Feb. 7. So the students may receive special instruc tion ill essential army "paper work," the war department today decided to oostpone for two weeks the gradua tion of the 17,0(10 men now attending the third series of officers' training camps. The camps were to have closed on April 5. In Some Cities , Chiefs of Police Curry on the Work In La Grande ami Cities of This Vicinity Postmast ers Act, , ' WASHINGTON,' Feb. 7. In an nouncing the provisions and require ments for the registration or Ger mans, which Is going on this week all over the nation, the Department of Justice took care to avoid creat ing the impression that the govern ment looks on each German with contempt "Registrants are not to be treat ed as persons of ovil dispositions,' instructions to registrants point out, and the registration officers are urged to deal with them in a cour teous and friendly manner." Cooperation or police, federal off icers, postal employees and private citizens is expected by the depart ment to see that the United States government has accurate Informa tion or every German nlien within the borders or this country. Certificates will be issued to registrants only alter every item declared has been checked trom all possible angles and round to have been correct. . Information so gathered, otflcials believe, will bo or material assist ance in tracing plots against the government and in discovering just which ot the Germans here should be most closely watched. The task of registration is a great one. In cities or 5,000 or more population, as shown by the census of 1910, the chief of police and his assistants will have charge of the work. In smaller communities and in rural districts registration will be conducted by the postmasters, with tho postmaster In the largest office in the local judicial districts, which in most cases Is the equiva lent of a county In charge. It will be his duty to gather the reports and forward them to the Depart- ( Continued on Page 5.) NO PANIC ON BOARD, SAY AMERICAN OFFICERS WHO SURVIVED he might be transferred to an other regiment. ! j j ! j j j VESSEL FLOATED THREE HOURS BEFORE SINKING Hard to Find Lifeboats and Swim mors British Dcslrovcrs Pick Up Thousands I.oss Believed to He 210. ' ' LONDON, Feb. 7. An e.vewit ness, who was a passenger on an other shin, said the Tuscania wan warned by a vessel spoiling the torpedo, and was turning when struck broadside a little astern. He said most of the passengers on the other ships did not know what happened, and continued en joying a merry evening. He said the destrovers and other vessels surrounded the Tus cania, picking survivors from the sea and lifeboats. He said there we're two explo sions, the second apparently the boilers. Lights were illuminated after the hit, flares sent up, then the lights went out. Survivors said there was trou ble lowering lifeboats, owing to a heavy list, which caused a number of casualties. RUSSIANS NO T YET READY FOR GERMAN PEA!- E (United Press.) PETROCRAD, Feb. 7. Russian delegates to Brest-Lltovsk unani mously refuse to concodo to tho Teutonic demands for a separate pence immediately. Negotiations will continue. GLASl'OW, Feb. 7. Aim-ric-iin officers uniong the survivors say there was in panic. Hell ish destroyers were alongside oven before tho men aboard re alized tho ship bad been tor pedoed . l'erl'ort , order was maintained in the rescue. Tho -ship flouted tliroef hours. The stowing; gear fouled mid smashed some liicboats In the dark it was almost Impossible to find their occupants or Iho swimmers who donned life belts uud jumped over-board. Soldiers ill lifeboats sang: "They Have Got to Cut That Out." WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 Lat est AVar Depart inenl. official estimates sluto that .1 1:1 Amer ican troops, 1)7 passengers a total of 1210 are still missing. 2,0-1:) troops surviving. PRIVATE KILLED IN ACTION II Infantrymen Wounded During 3 Duvs on French Front WASHINGTON, Feb. 7. General Pershing today reported that Private Rufus S. Atkins. Infantry, of Wiston Salem, N. C. was killed in action February 3. Details of fighting were not given, Ten infantrymen were slightly wounded in action February 2 and 3. They were: Corporal Luther L. Burnett, Spring ville, Penn.j Private Henry J. Rich ards, Elm Grove, W. Va.; Walter L. Beach, Eastwood, O.j Raymond Cesak, Chicago, 111.; Ernest E. Allen, Lan sing, Mich. j Mart Gantman Romonoff, Vol in ski Gubernia, Russia; James W. Lee, Garysburg, N. C; Roscoo Taylor, Woodbine, Ky.; David Snydor Car negie, Pa.; George H. Yarborough, Dickey, Ga. v " Corporal George R. Mitchell, of in funtry, was slightly wounded Febru ary 4, He enlisted from Holdredgc, Neb. (United Press) NEW YOUK, Feb. 7. London dispatches to the United Press indicate the total number of American troops lost on the Tuscania was 145... Of these, 102 were enlisted men. The total officers and soldiers aboard were 2.156. In addition, 16 officers of the ship and 125 sailors, three passengers and 32 undesignated were reported saved. The total losses therefore are placed at 210. ' WASHINGTON, Feb. 7. Tuscania was torpedoed Tuesday. Six hundred survivors landed at Larne, .Ire land, and thirty at Islay. British hospital ships rushed to the scene of the disaster. Admiral Sims telcftranhed he believes the Tuscania is still afloat. Ho did not men tion a navy convoy, but the officials believe either British or American vessels convoyed the ship. : The' strikingly. low casualties were due to torpedo, drill aboard all trans port vessels. . ; , OFFICER VIOLATES SECRECY WASHINGTON, Feb. 7. A young armv officer who confided to a rela tive the name of the ship on which he was going overseas and tho date of sailing is under arrest, pending an in vestigation of whether his superiors promptly instructed him concerning the requirement of secrecy. FAMOUS WAIt HEROES WHO HAVE DONE TIIEm BIT, BUT HAVE GONE BACK GLADLY TO DO EVEN" MORE LONDON, Feb. 7. The admiraltv 2187 saved. . announces 210 lost, WASHINGTON, Feb. 7. Tl.o Tuscania carried scat tered' units of headquarters and ;ompanies 1). and F, 20th Engineers;'' the 107th Military Police; supply trains; .the 100th, 158th and 213th Aero Squadrons and replacements; 51 unassigncd officers of the 32nd Divisfon, including Wisconsin and Michigan guardsmen, and regular officers. Many collegians in the 20ht had been training in "Washington. Tuscania Floated for Several Hours (United Press) LONDON, Feb. 7. The Tuscan'a floated several hours after the torpedoing in Irish waters. The Americans aboard the other ves sels who witnessed the torpedoing said they heard a report. The fact that she was afloat probably aided the big rescue. Ref erence to other vessels indicates .the possibility that either Amer ican ships convoyed the Tuscania or Bhe was one of a group car rying Americans. . , WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 Army officcru are hopeful' the num ber lost may he reduced as isolated parts of the Irish coast report. Thus far only thirty names of survivors have been received. No details of the encounter have been received yet. PORTLAND, Feb. 7. Harry Keller of Klamath Falls was saved. Other Orcgoniang believed aboard are: Guy Jamioson, W. G. Robertson, Portland; W. B. Curtis, Jr., Sidney Bcrnitt, William Durrand, II. Hnzelton, William Bell, Marshfield. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb.' 7. It is not believed many Pacific Coasters in the 20th 1 .ginccrs are endangered, as most of them have been abroad some :imc. TACOMA, Feb. 7. Camp Lewis said the members of the Hitith Depot Brigade filled out the 20th Engineeni. , LONDON, Feb. 7.The Admiralty announced ten additional sur vivors had landed on the Sco'ch coast in one boat. It did not state whether they were soldiers or civiliuns. MEXICO HEARS OF INVASION NEW YORK, Feb. 7. A Mexican paper, El Democrata, a copy of which was received heri, publishes a dis patch gravely informing its readers that tho United States government is planning an armed invasion of Mexico with Canada and Cuba operating joint ly with tho United States. The object of this purported occu pation, according to the newspaper, is to "assure the defense of the Gulf of Mexico against the threatened German submarine invasion." El Democruta's dispatch is dated "Laredo, Jan. 25,' as coming "from the Spanish-American News Agency." Much "I'm going back and I hope I'll get into it where it's thick," declared Major W. A. Bishop, V. C, D. S. O. and M. C, upon the eve of his de parture for Franco. . Major Bishop has done his "bit" by shooting down forty-seven German aero planes; he is known on two conti nents as the world's greatest air fighter, and yet he was boyishly en thusiastic about hurrying back to the firing line among the clouds. In one battle he single-handed attacked two German aerodromes and in two hours destroyed nine enemy ma chines. On another occasion he was lured into a trap by a silver colored machine and found himself cut plf by two squadrons of German ma chines, twenty-four in number. He fled forty miles into German terri tory hotly pursued by the enemy '.vKcse rri'-ierous machine guns (aim.'. I ijili ls about hizi, climbed 12,000 feet into the air and finally returned in safety to his own lines without even a bullet hole through his wings. "And the following afternoon," he remarked in quit a matter of fact way, "I came back and got the silver colored fellow who had led me into the trap. His example and that of Major Hugh W. Niven, D. S. O and M. C, one of four surviving officers of tho original "Princess Pats" (Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) now in service, should inspire every I Hritisher and Canadian of military i age in the United States to volun teer for war service. Major Niven ( has probably seen more continuous i service at the front in France than j any other officer. He has hammered the Germans and been hammered hy them for three years, and yet, after : a short furlough he has gono back ' to help lead the glorious "Princess Pats" to new victories. At tho see ond battle of Ypres detachments to the right and left of his men were forced back because of heavy casual ties, and Niven was ordered to re treat. ' "I played it like a game of poker,", the major said modestly, in describ the situation. "I had only a pair ot dirty deuces, but I didn't think tho other fellow knew it, so I bluffed him and refused to let him call me." Although almost surrounded, he held I on until dark when reinforcements came. lor this plucky, bull-doff de fence, nnd for a similar achieve ment when he held out with only forty men. Major Niven received the distinguished service order and the military cross. In referring to the German dug-out system nnd its ef fect upon the German morale, the major says ha observed that the Germans "don't like to come out where the noise is.";. - i REV. G. L. CLARK ARRIVES I SAFELY IN FRANCE i ! Mrs. G. L. Clark, wife of Rev. G. L. .Clark, was much relieved today when j she received a telegram from the New I York office of the army Y. M. C. A. that he had arrived safely in France. I Mr. Clark left the Presbyterian church here to engage in army Y. M. C. A. J work. The sinking of the Tuscania and the fact that Mr. Clark had only recently left for France gave Mrs. Clark great anxiety until she received the telegram. ! o ELGIN HOYS ARE MEM HERS OF COMPANY ON TUSCAN! A I Two Elgin boys are members of Company F, 20th Engineers, who were on board the Tuscania, Terry Tuttlc land James Hallgartli. Lee Tuttlc, (editor of the Recorder, is a brother of I Terry Tuttlc. Naturally he is greatly I worried and he called up The Observer 1 for the latest news today. THE WEATHER PORTLAND, Feb. 7. The United States weather bureau forecast: "Fair, colder." -J . .j. .j. .j. -j. .j. 4- 4 P 4 4" 5 DAMIITER OF ENVOY TO WED BRAZILIAN,' ft Iff, i-t K .. Dona Lus Mendez, daughter ot tho minister trom Guatemala, It be married In April to Paulo da Godoy, secretary of the Brazilian embassy. She Is a typical South American beauty who has been popular in Washington society,.