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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 1914)
THE 3IORXTNG OREGONIAN. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1914. ( GERMANS PRODIGAL WITH AMMUNITION Alternative Trenches Make Rapid Changes Possible, Says Observer. USE OF SNIPERS CHARGED Keeping of Prisoners in Trenches to Deceive Advancing Enemy Also Declared to Be Practice Val ley of Aisne Described. (Continued From First Page.) not so easily seen as our own flat, topped forage caps. Officers Easily Dtstiusuinbable. "From interrogation of prisoners it has been ascertained that at medium ranges both French and British of ficers are easily distinguishable from their men and that selected marksmen, provided with field glasses, are spe cially told off from each platoon of German infantry to pick off the of ficers. The French officer is betrayed by the greater visible length of his red trousers and by his accoutrements, while the British officer is given away by his sword, his open jacket with low collar and tie, his Sam Browne belt and absence of pacK. Kven such trifling differences as the collar or the cut of the breeches are said to be notice able. "The Germans certainly do employ snipers, and some of them have been found on church towers, up trees and in houses. One of them succeeded in killing two of our officers and wound ing two men before he was accounted for. Some of our prisoners report that their officers have been ordered to re move, their distinguishing shoulder straps, but this may be in order not to convey information to the enemy as to the units to which they belong. At any rate, to judge from the officers al ready captured, the order has not been carried out generally. Prisoner Held in Trenches. "The following notification to his troops by one of the French army com- manders bears upon the German meth- ' ods of warfare: " 'The Germans have forced some prisoners to remain in their trenches. When the French advanced under the impression that the trenches were in possession of their own side, they were tired on at close range. That this has actually been done is fully confirmed, with illuminating details as to German methods of war in the 20th century, by an entry in a captured field note book : " ' "Sixteenth September. At dawn shelling began. "We retired with pris oners. My two prisoners worked hard at digging trenches. At midday I got an order at village with them. I was glad, as I had been ordered to shoot them as soon as the enemy ad vanced. Thank God that it was not necessary." ' " Jlostafcea Shot mm Punishment. "On the other hand, an example is given of an order which prescribes only legal and suitable precautions except as regards the shooting of hostages for self-protection in the enemy's country. It was issued some time ago. 4Aix la Chapelle. 10th August, 1914. To protect ourselves from the ex tremely hostile attitude of the Belgian population it is necessary to take vigor ous and energetic measures against non-combatants who take part in the struggle. For this purpose no firearms or explosives may be retained by them. It is, therefore, ordered that before a locality is occupied a detachment of all arms will march ahead of the columns and warn the population through the mayor and local clergy, to deliver up all arms, ammunition and explosives. After they have handed over their arms the inhabitants will be collected out side the locality and searched. If any arms are found the hostages will be executed and the place set on fire. " 'When the inhabitants are sum moned to surrender their arms they will be Informed of the penalties to which they expose themselves by non compliance. The arms will be de stroyed and the explosives thrown into the water. VON QUAST, 4 'Commanding IX A. C Reeortl of Munitions Ordered. "Another order of the German sec ond army is quoted because it is pos sibly significant of the present state of Germany's military resources. " 'The Minister of War wishes to im press upon all the necessity for search ing the field of battle with the greatest are for all warlike material belonging to our army, such as field glasses, water-bottles, haversacks, rifles and cartridges, and all limbers and supply wagons which can be used again for new formations. In addition to this, the units must take care to pick up un expended ammunition and empty cart ridge cases.' "The lull In the operations on our inlmediate front, pending a general ad vance, affords an opportunity today, October 9. 1914, for giving some fur ther description of the country in which we are operating and of the Valley of the Aisne." Atsue Placid But Vnfordable. "The Aisne flows right across our front, following a tortuous course along the bottom of the valley, some hundred meters below the edge -of the plateau on either bank. It is a placid stream, between 150 and 200 feet in width, and unfordable. The bottom of the valley down which it meanders consists of practically flat meadow land, intersected by various roads leading north and south over bridges which span the river. These roads are lined with poplar or fruit trees, whose military significance lies in the fact that they screen the movements of troops along the roads, though on the other hand they make the position of the roads conspicuous from afar. "The chief place along the British front is Soissons, a town lying on the left bank at a pronounced bend north wards. The villages along the river it self are of considerable tactical Im portance, since most of the bridges are close to them, and they have, therefore, been the targets of the German artil lery, and some are now no more than masses of ruins. Hamlets Objects of Fire. "Several of the hamlets at some dis tance from the Aisne and on its left bank have formed the objects of simi lar attentions from the enemy's guns, probably because they might serve as points of concentration for our troops, as have also the great number of roads i winding down the hillsides facing north and leading across the meadows, which afford the only channels of approach to our troops on the north side. "In regard .o the villages one point which strikes the eye is their compact ness, for in most of them the houses are clustered up in one mass, outlying house being rare. They line the roads some sometimes almost entirely on one side. There are also outlying c ha tea us and farms quite isolated. "The other main topographical fea- tures of the valley are two railways and a canal. General speaking, the slopes forming; the north side of the valley are steeper than those of the south, but In, other respects the two sides are similar. Both are equally cut up into spurs and subsidiary val leys, the chief of the latter, on the south, being formed by the water course of the Vesle, which extends southeastward through Braisne. German Position Strong. "Both on the north and south slopes leading- down to the Aisne are thickly wooded in patches, the woods in some places stretching away back and over the edge of the plateau for some dis tance. On account of the existence of these woods on the edges of the slbpes on our bank of the river, it is at many points possible to obtain only glimpses of the short trenches of the opposite slopes, while the woods on that side screen large portions of the top of the plateau on the north. "Owing to the concealment afforded to the Germans' fire trenches and gun emplacements by the woods and to FI XER I. OF1 PORTLAND AT TORXUV MAY BE HELD TOMORROW. T. Brooke White. Funeral services for the late T. Brooke White, Portland attor ney and civil engineer, who died Saturday night after running for a streetcar, probably will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon at the Portland Crematorium. The date has not been set defi nitely, as R. L. Glisan, who is arranging the funeral, has been unable to reach by telegraph Mrs. Isaac Skidmore, a sister, and Hubert White, a brother, who reside near Victoria, B. C. Tele grams have been sent, but at a late hour last night no reply had been received. the fact nearly all the bridges and roads leading to them, as well as great part of the southern slopes are open to the fire, the postion held by them is a strong one. "Except for these patches of woods, the terrain generally is unenclosed. No boundaries between the fields ex ist, as in Kngland. There are ditches here and there, but no hedges, wire fences or walls except around enclos ures in the villages. A large propor tion of the woods, however, are en closed by high rabbit netting, which is in some places supported by iron stanchions. Caves and Quarries Numerous. "A feature of this part of the coun try, one which is not confined to the neighborhood of the Aisne, is the large number of caves, both natural and artl ficial, and quarries. These are of great service to the forces on both sides. since they can often be used as shel tered accommodation for the troops in the second line. "Other points worthy of note are the excellence of the metalled roads, though the metalled portion is narrow and the comparative ease with which one can find his way about, even with out a map. This is due partly to the prevailing straightness of the roads and partly to the absence of hedges. There are sign posts on all crossroads. while the name ot each village is post ed in a conspicuous place at the entry and exit of the main, highway passing through it KREISLER SHOT IN ARM VIOLINIST'S WOUND IS KECE1VED I5f CHARGES OF" COSSACKS. Heady Revolver Saves Austrian Re servist Ollicer From Lance as He Lies in Trench. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 11. A letter and a clipping irom a Vienna news paper confirming a report of the wounding of Fritz Kreisler, the violin ist, were received by a friend here to day from Mrs. Kreisler. The musi cian, who is an officer of the Austrian reserve, received a bullet in the right arm in a night attack by Russian Cos sacks September 6. He was In a trench with his men, when the Cossacks charged and rode him down. The news paper clipping gives Kreisler-s own ac count of his mishap. "Through the force of the Impact," he wrote, "1 was thrown into a ditch. Before 1 lost consciousness, and while lying on my back, 1 had enough strength and time to divert a thrust of a Cossack lance by a pistol .shot." ills orderly found him shortly after he regained consciousness and pre vented his capture. The wound and the effects." the ac count continues, "are not serious. I regret, however, that they are sufficient to prevent my return to the front." Mrs. Kreisler is serving with the Red Cross. ARTILLERY SCHOOL IS AIM Marines to Be Trained in Advance Base Military "Work. WASHINGTON. Oct. 11. The Navy Is about to establish an artillery school at Annapolis for the training o( ma rines in advance-base mobile artillery work. Two companies of the field artillery battalion, with the marine brigade now at Vera Cruz, will be stationed at Annapolis, while the third will go to the advance-base station at the Philadelohia Navy-yard. Colonel Eli K. Cole, who will be re lieved at headquarters in Washington by Colonel John A. Lejenne. now ni command of the Second Regiment of Marines at Vera Cruz, will command the artillery school. Tax for Publicity Asked. ASHLAND, Or., Oct. 11. (Special.) The Commercial Club is advocating a small municipal levy for publicity pur poses In lieu of a direct appropriation by the Council for such expenditures. A committee from the club has been appointed to take up the proposal with the city authorities, a levy of 1 mill being considered a fair unit as a beginning. i , ' If it j j I I r A v -J4 I t i Vsf , .H tW Z I I t I " y w it WILSON'S LETTERS FAIL TO SATISFY Senators Favored by Indorse ment Wish Praise Had Been More Personal. POSITIONS NOT DEFENDED Failure to Justify Chamberlain's Vote for Free Wool in Face of Party Promises Is One In stance in Point. OREGON I AN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, Oct. 11. There is no apprecia ble excess of enxnusiasm among Dem ocratic Senators and Representatives who have managed to secure letters of indorsement from the President for use in the campaign. For while those who have been favored with indorse ments from the White House are grate, ful that the President condescended to aid them in even a small degree, there is a general feeling that Mr. Wil son might, without difficulty, have made his indorsements more or less personal and been less general in his praise. The letter, for instance, which the President wrote to Senator Owen, in dorsing Senator Chamberlain, of Ore gon, dwelt mainly on the desire of the Administration to see a Democratic Senate elected this Fall, and contained little reference to Senator Chamber lain. Peslden t'a Keeling; Impersonal. Other Senators, who have received "indorsements" over the signature of the President, have the same com plaint. The President always has been less concerned with the Senators them selves than with the desire that the Republicans shall not gain control of the Senate as the result of the ap proaching November elections. Senators who appealed to the Pres ident for help expected that he would write at least a full page of indorse ment and take pains to give reasons why they are deserving of re-election. The President's letters, however, have been short and have said little about the men for whom he has asked sup port. He did not, for instance, justify the many votes which these Senators cast at his direction, against their bet ter judgment. In the case of Senator Chamberlain, the President did not de fend his vote for free wool, when the people of Oregon were demanding a wool duty, and when the Democratic party had given assurance that wool would be left on the dutiable list When Senator Chamberlain and other Western Democrats voted to put wool and sugar on the free list, they ex pected that the President at the psycho logical moment would come to their defense. There has been no such de fense. Letters Are Disappointment. It is no secret in Washington that Democratic" Senators look on the Presi dent's letters of indorsement as rather cold-blooded statements of his desire only that the Democrats shall retain control of the Senate a desire that w waII undftrsitnnd hpforp thA Vr- ident wrote the letters of "indorse- ment." The chances of wresting con trol of the Senate from the Democrats at the November election are slim; they have always been slim, and noth ing short of a general and unexpected upheaval would accomplish that re sult. Nevertheless, the Democratic leaders have been somewhat disturbed, and Senator Chamberlain has been one of the Democrats most fearful of what is likely to happen in November. For a time It was hoped that the President would go on the stump this Fall, at least in a few of the states, and make a direct appeal to the voters to return Senators in whom he is in terested. But that proposition was quickly vetoed by the President when it was submitted to him, and the writ ing of letters was decided on as a compromise. ANTWERP FOLKS WARNED Continued From First Page.) patch was received here tonight 'from Berlin by the Marconi Wireless Tele graph Company: "An official report from Antwerp says the forts there are in our possession. "Main headquarters report that the Belgians accepted the Geramn offer to arrange so that all historical monu ments should be spared as much as pos sible, and that the day before the bom bardment a plan showing the positions of the principal architectural features of the city was handed to the German civil administration through the Ameri can minister. Copies of the plan were given to every artillery commander and the greatest possible consideration was shown. When the surrender of the city was negotiated no military could be found." The dispatch adds that the Brazilian minister in Berlin has requested his countrymen in the German capital to inform their relatives in Brazil that they are in full enjoyment of security and liberty and that conditions In Ger many are absolutely normal, despite the war. ALLIES AXD TECTOXS INTERNED Holland Disarms Hostiles Crossing Her Borders. THE HAGUE, Oct. 11. The Courant gives some details of the arrival of 2000 British and 500 Belgian soldiers- on Dutch soil after their departure' from Antwerp. It says: "The British soldiers crossed into Holland near Clinge because they were cut off from the main body, and they are now interned at Koewag. Five hundred Belgians also were disarmed. The men appeared greatly fatigued and some were wounded. "Thirty-six Belgians were interned at Rilland-Bath. About 500 Belgian ar tillerymen crossed Into Holland near Putten. They were interned at Assen. Two hundred were Interned at 81uy skil and 50 at Sas." LONDON, Oct. 11. An undated dis patch received by Reynold's Weekly says that according to Belgian soldiers near the Dutch frontier a German division unwittingly crossed the bor der into Holland and has been in terned. A dispatch to the Reuter Telegram Company from Amsterdam says it is reported from Roosendaal that several trains carrying 500 Belgians and some English soldiers who had crossed the Dutch frontier proceeded today from Flushing northward to a military con centration camp. Thirty British bandsmen who had been through the siege of Antwerp ar rived in London tonight. They were at tired in Belgian overcoats and caps, having lost their own clothes when they escaped into Holland. The mu sicians had been serving in the trenches as "Red Cross helpers" And therefore were permitted to return home. The bandsmen describe the effect of the great German siege guns as ter You, or others near and dear to you, who sadly need the weekly income now received, might find it cut off. The world can pre sent no more sorrowful picture than worthy men and women seeking employment day after day, week after week, month after month, and failing to find it. While you are thinking' of the few unfortunates whom you might hope to "reform by law," you should also think of your duty to the thousands whom you would force out of work and perhaps onto the streets, hungry and starving, through lack of em - ployment and business stagnation. ' Register Before Thursday, October 15 A Solemn Doty Lies in Your Hands Defeat of the proposed prohibition amendment Till have no effect upon the efficient home rule or local option statutes now in force, and each community will continue to determine its individual stand on the matter of granting licenses. (Paid Advertisement, Taxpayer and Wife Earners League of Oregon, Portland, Or.) rible and say Antwerp suffered terri bly. The British marines, they de clare, did not get a chance to do much, as the battle was chiefly an artillery duel. The (xermans fire was exceedingly accurate and the screech of the shrap nel was nerve-racking. "The German guns," said one of the bandsmen, "were superior to those of the Belgians. We had to escape on Thursday or we would not have got away at all. Our losses were not'eon siderable. FALL- OF CITY 13 DISCOUNTED French Say German Gain of Little Strategic Importance. BORDEAUX. Oct.' 11. The occupa tion of Antwerp was discounted in government circles. Nevertheless the news of the triumph of the Germans caused a painful impression. It has long been realized that the German 42-centlmeter guns render Im possible the successful defense of any existing forts. Those at Antwerp, it is pointed out, held long enough to en able the Belgian army to evacuate. The best military opinion here con siders the event of no strategic im portance, it is said. It releases the German besieging force, but as this body numbers fewer than 100,000 men, its addition will have little influence, it is declared, on the great battle line in Northern France. FUGITIVES FORM VAST CAMP Esscben, on Belgian Frontier, Filled With People From Amsterdam. LONDON. Oct. 11. A Reuter dispatch from Amsterdam says that fugitives from Antwerp and the surrounding dis trict have transformed the Belgian frontier town of Esschen into a vast encampment. Every conceivable place offering shelter has been occupied. They have taken possession of a lot of empty freight and passenger cars. which they have converted into fairly comfortable temporary homes, furnish ing them with such articles as they brought in the flight. Their children may be seen playing in happy igno rance of the tragedy which brought them there. Between the cars small fires are kept burning, at which, the women prepare meals. LONGER WAR NOW EXPECTED French Official Circles Consider Ef fect of Antwerp's Fall. LONDON, Oct. 11. The Bordeaux correspondent, of the Times has sent the following "dispatch: "In official circles here it is recog nized that the fall of Antwerp may prolong the war. The Germans are certain to fortify the forts, which will become a base for Zeppelin attacks against the British coast. Yet it is obvious that under present conditions the Germans cannot revictual the city by way of the Scheldt River. "News of lively fighting between Ghent and Termonde, Belgium, where the allies repulsed 40,000 Germans, in dicates the far northward reach of the allies' lines." Columbia Sheriff Names Deputy. ST. HELENS, Or.. Oct 1-. (Special.) Sheriff John has appointed Martin White deputy sheriff to take the place of A. B. Yake who resigned the deputy ship to be a candidate for Sheriff on the Progressive ticket. Vote 333 X No Against Prohibition BARITONE SPY SUSPECT OPERA SINGER HELD DAY AND HALF BY AtSTRIAMS. Nearly All United States Citizens, Taking- Refuge in Switzerland, Reported to Be Oat. NEW YORK,' Oct. 11. Pasquale Amato. the American baritone of the Metropolitan Opera Company, was im prisoned in Trieste. Austria, for a day and a half on suspicion that he was a spy, he said today on his arrival here on the steamer Duca di Genova of La Veloce line. The authorities released him when his identity was satisfactor ily established. Enrico Caruso the tenor, who was expected on the Duca di Genova, was not aboard. The majority of the Met ropolitan Opera Company will sail with Manager Gatti-Casazza on the Canopic of the White Star Line which will leave Genoa within a week, it was said. David F. Wilboy, American Consul General in Zurich, Switzerland, re turned with the body of his wife who died of heart disease in Zurich on Sep tember 16. The strain of assisting American refugees hastened her death. the Consul believes. Nearly all Amer icans are out of Switzerland, the Con sul, said. BRITISH SURPASS IN AIR PLASES "MORE THAN MATCH FOR GERMANS, SAYS WRITER. Speed of ISO Miles Hair and Sharp Angles May Be Made; Foes Com pel Much Dodging. LONDON. Oct. 11. "The British aero planes have proved to be more than equal Jto those of the 'Germans," says the Pans correspondent of the Times. "Especial success has been scored with the new type of British aeroplane called the 'chaser, which Is capable of de veloplng a speed of 150 miles an hour and can rise from the ground at a sharp angle. "The German anti-airship guns are so effective that it is unwise for the British or French aviators to fly lower than 6000 feet from the ground. The Germans are using a new type of bomb, which when it explodes, leaves a smoke cloud that hangs In the air for several minutes, thus enabling the Germans to get the range of a hostile aeroplane quickly and accurately. "An airman, when under fire, has to keep up continual glides, sharp turns i and evolutions, in order to prevent the enemy from getting an accurate aim. Looping the loop however is strictly forbidden." JEWISH HERO RECOGNIZED Volunteer With Cossacks to Receive High Russian Decoration. LONDON, Oct.-11. Because of con spicuous bravery shown in the Rus- WOULD YOU VOTE TO THROW TEN THOUSAND MORE MEN AND WOMEN OUT OF WORK IN OREGON? Yet that is one of the first results that would follo-w the adoption of state-wide prohibition in Oregon. Aren't times hard enough now? Aren't too many men and women in Oregon even now vainly seeking em ployment? If state-wide prohibition should prevail here five thousand men and women would DIRECTLY be thrown out of employment in Portland alone. Practically every trade, industry and place of business in the entire state would be indirectly injured by the loss of trade, adding other thousands of unemployed to the steadily growing army of idle. "Would you be helping humanity when you knowingly cre ated hunger and -want? sian campaign in East Prussia, a Jew ish, non-commissioned officer named Miller has been recommended by Gen eral Rennenkampff for decoration with almost the highest class of the Order of St. George. This is related in a dispatch from Petrograd to the Reuter Telegram Company. Miller enrolled as a volunteer at the outbreak of the war and later was promoted to the rank of non-commissioned officer in a regiment of Cos sacks. Among- his exploits were the capture of a German armored automo bile, the seizure of a supply train and the taking of a quantity, of arms and ammunition. Also while ' the Russians were nearing Suwalki, Miller, dis guised as a peasant, entered the Ger man lines and obtained full details regarding their forces." DR. S. J. BARBER INJURED Pioneer Dentist Believed to Have Fractured Skull in Fall. Dr. S. J. Barber, who has been prac ticing dentistry in Oregon for almost 40 years, fell down the basement stairs at his home at 4S3 East Sixteenth street North yesterday morning and sustained serious injury. At midnight New Through Sleeping Car Service VIA. Great Northern Railway PORTLAND TO VANCOUVER, B. C XORTHBOl'XD TRAI.V NO, 450 Leavlnsr Portland 5 I. M. Dally. iit Carries Throath Standard Sleeping Car, Arriving Vancouver, B. C, "UIO A. M. This is a very desirable train for busy business men and others, as practically no time is lost. Excellent Dining Car Service, Similar x Service Returning Two ether rood trains leave Portland Daily 10 A. M. -t and 12130 Midnight For Taeoraa, Seattle, Vancouver. B. C, and Intermediate polnta A11 trains from NORTH BANK STATION", 11th and Hoyt streets. Tickets, parlor and sleeping-car reservations at City Ticket Office, 34 Washington street (Morgan Building) and at Depot. H. DICKSOX C. P. St T. A. Telephones Marshall 30T1 A 3S Dr. Barber had not regained conscious ness. Dr. A. W. Baird and Dr. G. N. Pease were summoned hurriedly and are at tending Dr. Barber. It is believed his skull Is fractured. Mrs. Barber has-been visiting in Chi cago and started for Portland last night. A. JOHNSON TO CAMPAIGN Representative Announces That He Will Visit Vancouver. VANCOUVER. "VVash.. Oct. 11. (Spe cial.) Albert Johnson, Representative in Congress, has telegraphed M. B. Kies, of the Clarke County Republican committee, that he wil visit this city and county before election. Mr. John son says he will start for home as soon as Congress adjourns. Stanton Wax bur ton. Bull Moose can didate for Representative, has been having advertisements published, of fering $25 for any word Mr. Johnson ever said asking for an appropriation for the Columbia River or any of its tributaries. Mr. Johnson will come here in person to refute such insinuation, he says, and will have proof that he did get appropriations for this section of his district. CITY TICKET OFFICE 348 IVashlnston St Portland, Or. H 108.0