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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (June 16, 1915)
s K VOL. L.V. 0. 17,023. PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY. JUNE 1G, 1915. PRICE FIVE CENTS. V v BERNSTORFF ENVOY REGARDED AS HOAX State Department De ceived by German. MANTLE OF RED CROSS USED Errand in America Is Con nected With Munitions. SAFE CONDUCT NOT GIVEN Supposed Dr. Anton 3Ieyer-Gerhard Said to Be in Reality Dr. Alfred Meyer, Privy Councilor and Vj German Army Officer. 'Copyr1srM. 1015, by the New York Tribune. Published by arrangement with the Tribune.) NEW YORK, June 15. (Special.) Dr. Anton Meyer-Gerhard, German Red Cross lecturer, and Count von Bern storffs special envoy to the imperial government, who landed yesterday in Christiania, Norway, has perpetrated a hoax on the State Department of the United States, according to evidence now in the hands of the Tribune. He is none other than Dr. Alfred Meyer, privy councilor of the first rank, chief of the department of army supplies of the imperial German Min istry of "War. Name Assumed by Another. The real Dr. Anton Meyer-Gerhard has not been out of Germany since the beginning? of the war and has been re ported among the wounded on the east ern front. His name was assumed by Dr. Meyer and the protecting- mantle of the Red Cross thrown about him that his identity and true mission to the United States might not become known to those outside German offi cialdom. His much-advertised Red Cross propaganda was a farce. He came here to buy such war supplies as he could obtain and incidentally to learn the condition of military preparedness in this country. He takes to the German "War Office information of great im portance which he has gathered in his dealings with various munition brokers and manufacturers. Appearance la Altered. Tall and erect, his excellency has graced the lecture platform while be made his pleas for contributions, wear ing a toupee to change the appearance of his somewhat bald head, and gold rlmmed glasses to disguise his face; he has dickered with many dealers and done everything in his power to pre vent the allies from obtaining war ma terials here. At- a latter-day Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, he has been a note worthy success. His excellency's activities have been carried on with the knowledge and co operation of Ambassador von Bern storff. In fact, the men arrived together in the United States. Since then they have been in close communication. Now Dr. Meyer, armed with a safe conduct from Mr. Bryan in the name of "Meyer Gerhard," has been sent back by the Ambassador, and the German govern ment is awaiting Bis report before re plying to President Wilson's latest note. State Drpartmpn' Deceived. The Bcheme worked perfectly, and the State Department apparently has not had the slightest suspicion that Meyer. Gerhard was not Dr. Meyer-Gerhard at all. It Is a fact, however, that the French and British embassies at Wash ington did not issue a safe conduct guarantee, as in the case of Dr. Dern burg. They are said, however, to have made It plain that they would not in terfere with an accredited representa tive of the Red Cross. Dr. Meyer played his part well. The Email, whispering group that knew all about it recognized that If the truth of his "ellency's Identity and business became known to the allies it would prove fatal to the success of the en terprise. The allies would be sure to notify the State Department, and this might interfere with the prompt re turn to Germany of a high war of ficial. Vtmost Caution Observed. So the doctor flitted from lectures in behalf of the Red Cross to secret con ferences with great speed and much caution. The utmost discretion was ex ercised In arranging the various meet ings that took place. Telephone calls were made from public stations. Dr. Meyer lived at the Ritz Hotel only Intermittently and never regis tered after his first appearance there. His other address was known to fewet than four persons, and each conference with him was attended by an amazing attention to preliminaries. GERMAN EMISSARY IS XERVOrS Bernstorff s . Messenger Hastily Leaves Crowd at Copenhagen. COPENHAGEN, via London, June 15 Dr. Anton Meyer-Gerhard, the emis sary of the German Ambassador at Washington. Count von Bernstorff to Emperor William and the German For eign Office, arrived here tonight on the steamer United States. He was nervous on meeting at the pier a large crowd, Including newspaper reporters and pho tographers, and disappeared in a motor car a minute after he had landed. He will proceed to the German capital tomorrow. MANY STARVED DIE DAILY IN MEXICO REFUGEES REACHING GALVES TON CONFIRM REPORTS. Grave 'Condition Exists in Capital and Hundreds of Smaller Towns of Repnblic. GALVESTON, Tex., June 15. Three hundred and ninety refugees, of whom 284 are Americans, were brought to Galveston today by the United States transport Buford from Vera Cruz, Tarn plco and. Tuxpam. They are comfortably quartered on the ship while she undergoes a five days' quarantine. Information from the refugees brought by a few Government officials who had charge of the expedition and who were allowed to land to make their reports, is to the effect that every story told of the starving population in Mexico has been a true one. and that men, women and children are dying daily of starvation, not only in Mexico City, but in hundreds of the smaller towns of the republic FOOTBALL CONTRACT MADE Berkeley, in Return to Old Game, Takes Washington as Opponent. SEATTLE, Wash., June 15. A tenta tive contract for two American foot ball games between the University of Washington and the University of California was signed here today. Man ager Stroud, of California, who- is In Seattle, will have to obtain the ap proval of the faculty and student com mittees of California. California, which has hitherto con tested with Leland Stanford Univer sity In ruebv football, recently broke off athletic relations with Stanford. LONE ROBBEfTHOLDS UP 2 Bartenders Allow Highwayman to Rifle Till of Saloon. When a masked robber, armed with a Hue-black revolver, entered me saloon at Twenty-fourth and Vaughn streets shortly after midnight last night, Mike D. O'Shea, the night bar tender, and Ed Thoralth, day bartender, who was visiting there, both reached for the ceiling with both hands and let the marauder help himself to $7 from the till. Police obtained a good description of the man, who escaped. KING'S RECOVERY SLOW Worst Pliase of Constantine's Ill ness, However, Is Passed. LONDON, June 15. An Athens dis patch to Reuter's Telegram Company says the surgeons who operated on King Constantino Issued a statement prior to their departure that the worst phase of the King's Illness was over and that all immediate danger had been removed. The hope, they added, was justified that the King would soon become con valescent, although complete recovery necessarily would be slow. KING LUDWIG DENOUNCED German Socialists Declare Belgium Must Be Independent. INNSBRUCK, Austria, via London, Geneva and ' Paris, June 15. German Socialists at a meeting in Munich yes terday- are reported to have denounced King Ludwig of Bavaria, because of the speech recently made by him con cerning the annexation of Belgium. According to dispatches received here the Socialists are reported to have said that Belgium must be independent again no matter how the war results. WEST POINT CLASS SMALL Chinese Among "Plebes," but There Are Several Vacancies. WEST POINT, N. Y., June 15. One hundred and forty-two new cadets were admitted today to the Military Acad emy, the new men comprising the "plebe" class. One Chinese. K. Wang, reported among the number. Today's entering class is the smallest that has been admitted in some years and there are numerous vacancies in the corps yet unfilled. TOWN RAZED BY TORNADO Six Injured, Two Fatally, by South Dakota Twister. HIGHMORE, S. D.. June 15. Six were injured, two fatally, by a tornado which swept this vicinity today. Thirty build ings were rated by the twister In the city of Blunt, near Highmore. North of Blunt crops suffered and a heavy loss of livestock was registered. Telephone and telegraph lines are down in the rural districts and details of the storm are not available. 13,547 BRITISH TARS LOST More Than 8000 of Naval Casualties Are Killed. . ' LONDON, June 15. Thirteen thou sand five hundred and forty-seven of fleers and men of the British navy, in cluding marines and members of the naval division, have been killed or wounded or reported missing from the beginning of the war up to May 31. ac cording to announcement made in Lon don today. Of this total 8215 were killed. VILLA AND ZAPATA AGREE Oil LEADER Carranza Chief, How ever, Is Aloof. BATTLE FOR CAPITAL BREWS Foreigners Prepare Against Change in Mexico City. WILSON RESERVES PLANS Manuel Vasquez Tagle, Only Madero Minister Who Did Not Resign, Regarded as Possible Provis ional President. WASHINGTON, June 15. Manuel VasqueE Tagle, Kinister of Justice in the Cabinet of 'j'adero, who has taken no part In 'evolutionary activity in Mexico since Huerta's coup in Febru ary, 1913, has been practically agreed on by leaders of the Villa.-Zapata coali tion as acceptable to them for the pro visional presidency, should an agree ment with the Carranza faction be pos sible. Tagle was the only Cabinet Minister who did not resign when Huerta over threw the legally-elected Madero ad ministration. He left Mexico City then and has since lived in the United States. In official and diplomatic quarters there has been much discussion of Tagle. especially because the United States has been desirous of according recognition not only to a provisional president agreed on by the factions, but one who could be brought into power by a continuation of the legal machinery existing before the Huerta regime. Cirriiin Adverse to Conference. At present officials are watching closely political developments in Mex ico. General Vilja's overtures for peace. made directly to Carranza, have not yet borne fruit, but such information as has reached here from Vera Cruz indicates that the first chief is unwill ing to enter into any conference with his adversaries, insisting that . his forces' will soon obtain a military su premacy which will merit recognition from the United States and foreign powers. Word that General Pablo Gonzales, the Carranza commander who is ap proaching Mexico City, had refused to entertain peace proposals from a dele gation sent by the Vllla-Zapata con vention government reached here to day. The possibility tbat the Zapata lorces win engage tne i. rranza army for possession of Mexico C.ty has made foreigners apprehensive aid already efforts are being made through diplo matic channels by some of the foreign missions In Mexico City to secure pro- ( Concluded on Page 2, Column 1.) INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS I The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 72.3 degrees; minimum, 04.6' decrees. TODAY'S Fair; nodthwesterly winds. War. Knvny sent by Ambassador von Bernstorff said to have hoaxed State Department; reported to be high German official using t another's name. Page 1. , Foreign. Evidence relating- to measures of precaution , taken for Lusltania to be heard In secret. Page 2. Perjury, arrests in Lusltanla case surprise Berlm. Page 2. Japan's economic relief necessity, but domi nation over China questioned. I'ago t Mexico. Villa and Zapata agree on Manuel Vasquez Tagle for provisional president oi si ico; Carran&a holds aloof. Page 1. Hundreds die dally of starvation in Mexico, declare refugees. Pago 1. Domestic. Security League urges President Wilson to lay need of preparedness before Congress. Page 1. California scientist expects to limit typhoid fever period to week. Page 3; . Missionary says door is being closed to Christianity In Orient. Page 2. Magnificent necklace presented Miss Gene vieve Clark by members of Lower Honuse of Congress. Pag 3. Early arbitration of Chicago car strike la thought probable. Page 5. Sparta. Pacific Coast league results: Oakland Portland 1; Salt Lake 8, Venice 4; San Francisco S, Los Angeles 0. Page 10. Cubs again tie Phillies for leadership in Na tional League. Page 17. Boy of 17 furnishes thrills at state golf cnamplonsnip tourney. x-age 4. Oregon Alumni Association unanimous In op posing abolishing Intercollegiate athletics. Pago 16. Pacific Northwest. E. I. Cantlne is made Highway Engineer to succeed John Lewis, deposed. Page 7. Alumni of normal again on campus at Monmouth. Page a. University of Oregon regents elect deans of law and commerce departments. Page tt. Fight over Washington prohibition law is begun in court. Page 3. Commercial and Marine. Wheat surplus In Northwest Is gradually re duced. Page 17. Export trade flat and wheat falls to dollar at Chicago. Page 17. Foreign exchange rates drop to new low records. Pane 17. Lack of foreign demand causes wheat selling at Chicago. Page 17. , Liner Colusa to take first cargo of wheat from Portland to Vladivostok. Page 13. " Portland and Vicinity. O.-W. R. & N. announces extension of cross state road SO miles west from Riverside. Page 1. Sorrowing multitude . pays last tribute to Rose JBloch Bauer. Page 11. O.-W. R. & N. Company to have women passenger agents. Page 11. Donations to poor reach $1313. less than one-third of fund needed to carry on . charities. Pag 18. July 1 Is last day given Jitneys to comply with law. Page 9. War causes grain bag prices to soar. Page 12. Steamer Korlhern Pacific will not' sail; pas sengers to be handled by southern Pacific line. Page 4. -Suspects are., identified as streetcar robbers. Page 12. Oregon Eastern Star officers elected. Page 4. Weather report, data and forecast. Page 4. SUFFRAGE GETS $1 ,500,000 Amount of Sirs. Leslie's Gift Is Re lated In Inventory. NEW TORK. June 15. An inventory filed here today of the property men tioned in the will of the late Mrs. Frank Leslie showed that nearly $1,500,000 will be turned over to Mrs, Carrie Chapman Catt for the use of the suffrage cause. The will of Mrs. Leslie, who had the title of the Baroness de Bazus, left cash and property valued at nearly $1,800 000 and provided that all but about $200,000 was to be gjven to Mrs. Catt to be used entirely at her discretion the only proviso being that the suf frage cause shall benefit. WHO'S WHO AT THE PANAMA FAIR. ( say! - . . fiNs fe. inn nnn imrn rn W I h N AhU U " REQUEST DEFENSES Early Message to Con gress Is Urged. NEED IS DECLARED PRESSING Treaties Proved Valueless, Is View of Security League. RECENT VIOLATIONS CITED Germany and England Both Are Ac cused by ex-Secretary of War, W1k Hints Lord, Alone, Pro tects United States. NEW XORK, June 15. A resolution introduced by Mayor Curley, of Boston, appealing to President Wilson to call the attention of Congress to "the press ing need of prompt and efficient action" with regard to the National defense, was unanimously adopted today by the delegates to the peace and prepared ness conference of the National Se curity League. The Massachusetts delegates at first proposed that a special session be de manded to consider what they termed "the unprepared state of the country," but such action was deemed inadvis able and was abandoned. i Treaty Protection Donated. The preamble to the resolution read, in part, as follows: "Events of the past year have dem onstrated the fact that war, no mat ter how greatly it may be deplored, may suddenly and unexpectedly occur, notwithstanding the existence of trea ties of peace and unity, and they have shown that nations unprepared have paid and are paying the price of their lack of foresight. "The reports of our military and naval experts have made it clear that the defensive forces of the country are inadequate for the proper protec tion of- our coasts, to enable our Gov ernment to maintain its accepted poll cies, to fulfill obligations to other states and to exert in the adjustment of international questions the influ ences to which the republic is entitled, Early Action Is Urged. The resolution itself asked that the President be appealed to to call, the early attention of Congress "to the pressing need of prompt and efficient action." The resolution was adopted at an executive session following a luncheon in an uptown hotel, which more than 1000 persons attended. The speakers were George Von L. Mayer, ex-Secretary of the Navy; Luke E. Wright, ex- Secretary of War; Major George Haven Putnam and Frederick R. Coudert. Mr. Wright said in part: "We have seen the well-established (Concluded on Pafce 2, Column 3.) Tuesdays War Moves THE Austro-German rush in Galicla is on again. Both Berlin and Vi enna officially lay 'claim to progress along virtually the entire southeast ern front, and Lemberg, seems again to be in danger. Mosciska, to the east of Przemysl, has been captured by the Austro-Ger-Germans and according to the German contention the Russians are falling back south of the railroad connecting Przemysl and Lemberg. All the Rus sian counter-attacks have been re pulsed, with gains for the Teutons from a point north of Przemysl into Bessa rabia Far off as this front Is from England and France, it is being watched more closely than the western front because it would appear that these operations are being pressed, in an attempt to clear Gallcia of the Russians, preparatory to a breathing spell in the East, which is likely to be followed by a crushing blow aimed at Italy. The fighting is growing harder dally along the Austro-Italian frontier and. in view of past performances, it is con sidered reasonable to assume that Ger many will throw a great mass of troops on this front and endeavor to sweep into Italy and hold ground there. Just as she has done in Poland, Belgium and France. The fighting In France around Arras, while bitter and marked by dally at tack and counter-attack, has reached the stage where the German and French official communications flatly contradict each other. On the whole, it is believed, the advantage has been with the French. That England is prepared for long siege operations In' the Dardanelles Is indicated in an official statement Just issued, explaining the nature of the tedious trench warfare prevailing, al though asserting that the Turkish of fensive is not so sharp as It was for merly. Almost complete returns for the gen erai elections assure a war chamber for Greece, although with the King still In a precarious condition and the chamber not due to meet for more than a month, no Immediate events affect ing Greece's neutrality are expected. An allied air raid on Karlsruhe re sulted in considerable damage, although the nature of It has not been given in detail. These aviators reached a point in Germany farther from their lines than any point previously reached by French or British airmen. KLAMATH MAYOR QUITS F. J. Nichols Resigns In Midst of Trouble With Council. KLAMATH FALLS, Or., June 15. (Special.) After a row with the Coun cil in which the Mayor struck O. D. Mathews, acting-president, and made Chargrn that the. Cauzrcilrnen were in league against him. Thomas F. Nichols. Mayor, today presented his resignation and those of several of the police force. The trouble grew out of the failure of the Council to confirm the appoint ment of Joseph Smith as chief of police, and the reslgation of that official, to gether with those of Patrolmen Sam Walker and Hank Wilson, was pre sented. J. H. Carnahan. City Attorney, also resigned, saying that $1000 a year is not enough salary. Mr. Williams named committees and a special police force. A special election may have to be called. MRS. RAY BARKHURST HURT Wife of Portland Tailor Injured in Automobile Collision. LOS ANGELES, Cal., June 15 (Spe cial.) Mrs. Ray Barkhurst, wife of a prominent Portland tailor, was Injured in an automobile collision near Santa Ana late tonight. The machine was driven by D. G. Cole and carrfed four passengers, all of whom were badly hurt. Mrs. Barkhursfs collar-bone was broken and her body was .badly bruised. She was visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Shaw, at Santa Ana. Mr. Barkhurst said last night that his wife had gone to visit her parents two weeks ago and that he planned to meet her in the south in about a month for a trip to the exposition, GERMANS USE LIQUID FIRE Heavy Guns and Reinforcements Are Sent to Baltic Region. LONDON, June 16. Telegraphing from Petrograd. the Times correspond ent says: "The bombardment of Shavli (Baltic region) by heavy artillery is seen to foreshadow the adoption of tactics which proved successful on the San, in Gallcia. It Is noted that the Germans are now assembling in the Baltic re gion not only heavy artillery, but con siderable reinforcements, which they perhaps removed from the San. The Germans on the Bzura River are em ploying liquid fire in hand-to-hand en counters." MOUNT HOOD LILIES BLOOM Auto Parties Revel Slid Vast Fields of Beautiful Flower. HOOD RIVER, Or., June 15. (Spe cial.) The Mount Hood lily is now at Its best. Many fields of this beautiful flower, some of them almost an acre in extent, are now In full blossom at the base of Mount Hood, and motor parties journey out and return with gorgeous bouquets. The flowers exhale a rich perfume. They are also laden with honey and hundreds of gaudily-plumed humming bids may be seen hovering over the flowers, O.-W. fl. & N. TO TAP LAND WEST OF VALE Line to Corvallis to Be Made Electric. CHANGE PROMISED THIS YEAR Central Oregon Line to Go 30 Miles Past Riverside. PLAN IS TO CROSS STATE Officials Leave on Trip Over Pro posed Route; Southern Pacific Has Material on Hand Ready for Change From Steam. TWO EXTENSIONS OF RAIL PROJECTS ANNOUNCE!. J. D. Farrell, piesldent of O. W. R & N., and party go to Vale to plan extension of line from Riverside to Crane Creek Gap. 30 miles west. Robert E. Strahorn, president Portland, Eugene & Eastern subsidiary of Southern Pacific returns from San Francisco with plans for electrification of line from Whlteson to Corvallis, 43 miles. Two important development projects are provided for by two Oregon rail roads in their plans for the remaining months of the present year one each by the O.-W. R & N. and by the South ern Pacific. The O.-W. R & N. Company will build a 30-mile extension to Its line recently completed from Vale to River side, and the Southern Pacific will electrify the line between Whlteson and Corvallis as an extension of the existing electric unit between Port land and Whlteson. Officials Go to Vale. J. D. Farrell, president of tl O.-W. R. & N., together with F. J Piel, assistant to the president; J. P. O'Brien, vice-president and general manager; J. R. Holman. chief engineer, and Frank W. Robinson, assistant traffic manager, left yesterday for Vale, whence they will proceed over the newly completed line through Jun tura to Riverside. They will travel from Riverside over the route of the proposed line in automobiles. The western terminus of the pro posed extension will be Crane Creek Gap. near the northern shore of Mal heur Lake, In Harney County. Port land contractors have been asked to submit estimates on the cost of thl3 work, and several of them now are sending men into the interior to look over the ground. It is understood that Mr. FaYrell and his party will continue through Cen tral Oregon and return to Portland via either Condon or Bend. Road Will Cross State. The new line now is being operated from Vale to Riverside, a distance of 80 miles. It connects with the Oregon Short Line at Ontaria, but is a part of the O.-W. R. & N. system. It is in tended eventually ' to extend the line across the state to a connection with the Deschutes line now terminating at Bend. This route then will offer the company a new main line between Portland and the East. Mr. Strahorn, in discussing the South ern Pacific's proposed electrification of the Whiteson-Corvallis unit, said yes terday that definite plans for this un dertaking have not been completed, but he pointed out that most of the ma terial already has been assembled and that it is the intention of the company to do the work in "the very near future." Work Is Expected to Begin Soon. "Just how soon will that be?" Mr. Strahorn was asked. "I can't say definitely," he replied, "but it certainly will be within a very short time." Mr. and Mrs. Strahorn returned yes terday from a two months' visit to New York and Washington. D. C, and a month each in Florida and California, where Mr. Strahorn has been assisting in the transfer to the Southern Pa cific Company of the Portland, Eugene & Eastern and the other Southern Pa cific subsidiary lines in Oregon. Be sides the Portland, Eugene & Eastern this, about July 1, will wipe out of existence the Pacific Railway & Navi gation Company; Corvallis & Eastern Railroad Company; Salem, I 1s City & Western Railway Company, and the Coos Bay, Roseburg & Eastern Rail road & Navigation Company. The posi tions of all such executive officers as Mr. Strahorn will be abolished. Mr. Strahorn Outlines Plan. Asked about the change and his fu ture plans. Mr. Strahorn said: "Well, as this has been under way for about a year it Is rather a thread bare story. So far as the steam lines are concerned, it was inevitable from the moment of their completion and acquisition by the Southern Pacific that they would be finally amalgamated for more economical operation. After the parent company began operating them the only Justification for maintaining a local organization was the advantage ! .(.Concluded, ca Pase t. Column Jl r II m i r i I