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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1917)
- '.-.4 .' 4 BRITISH FORGES D General Maude's Army En ters Ancient City. OFFICIAL TELEGRAM BRIEF Capitulation Marks Climax of Picturesque Phase of Great World War. TOMB OF JOSHUA TAKEN Another British Expedition Re ported Within Striking Dis tance of Jerusalem. LONDON, March 11. Bagdad, the chief Turkish city in Mesopotamia and formerly the capital of the em pire of the Caliphs, has been cap tnred by the British forces. Announce ment of the capitulation of "the city was made tonight by the British of ficial press bureau, on receipt of a telegram from General Maude saying the British forces had occupied Bag dad early Sunday mornine. No details were contained in Gen eral Maude's dispatch. Turks Surprised by Moonlight. The following official report was received today concernine the onera tions against Bagdad, carrying them up to Saturday morning, when the Turks had been forced back to within three miles west and southwest of the city. "Our forces engaged with the TnrV. on the Diala line the night of the eigntn, succeeded, despite the bright moonlight, in effecting a surnrise crossing of the Diala and establishing a strong post on the right, bank there of. Meanwhile, on the morning nf tfc eighth, the Tigris having been bridged at some distance down stream, a Brit ish detachment marched bank and found the enemy holding a position aoout six miles southwest of .Bagdad. British Advance Continued. "The enemy was driven from this position to another position two miles in the rear. During the night of the ninth a passage of the Diala was forced and our troops advanced some four miles toward Bagdad. "During the night our forces on the right bank (Tigris) drove the enemy from his second position, bivouacking on the ground gained. This advan tage, notwithstanding a blinding dust Btorm and a violent gale, was pressed on the morning of the 10th, the Turks being pushed back to within three miles west and southwest of Bagdad." City Known to Be 4000 Years Old. Bagdad's capture marks the climax to one of .the most dramtic and pic turesque phases of the world war. The city which has fallen to British arms links the present to the past so dis tant that it is semi-fabulous. The known history of Bagdad reaches back for more than 4000 years to' the shad owy times of King Nebuchadnezzar, of Babylon, a quay built by the scrip tural monarch still existing, sub merged in the Tigris. Within its pre cints also there still stand the tombs of the Jewish prophets Joshua, Ezra and Ezekiel and the well of Daniel. Long after the Babylon dynasty had ceased to be more than a memory, Bagdad rose to splendor as the artis tic, literary, scientific and religious capital of the world. The heart of the great Islamic empire of the Caliphs for hundreds of years, it was known throughout the .world as "The Glori ous City" and was the scene of the fantastic exploits of Haroun Al-Ras-hid, the potentate whose magnificence is immortalized in the Arabian Nights. Population 2,000,000 in 800 A. D. In 800 A. D. Bagdad was credited with a population of 2,000,000 souls and was easily the first city in the world in wealth and commerce. With the fall of the Caliphs before the Turkish Sultans the decline of Bag dad began. It was successively the prey of Turks, Mongols, Tartars and Persians, but it was not until 1638 that the city became definitely a part of the Turkish Empire. Its ancient importance was largely due to the fact that it stood at the crossing of the lines of communication between India .(Concluded on Page 5. Colubn 2.) CAPTURE BAGDA BERNST0RFF SAYS INTRIGUE IS 'NEWS' EX-AMBASSADOR "SURPRISED' BY MEXICAN" DISCLOSURES. Chance to Travel to Copenhagen by Rail Declined Because of Largo Quantity of Baggage. CHP.ISTIANIA. Norway, March 11. Count von Bernstorff. former German Ambassador to the United States, on arrival here on board the steamer Frederick VIII, told the Associated Press that ho was Igrnorant of the political developments of the last four weeks and was not In a position, there fore, to make any comment regarding them. When the ex-Ambassador was told of the disclosure of Germany's effort to make an alliance with Mexico, he expressed his surprise and added: "It is news to me.H The Count on his arrival received a large amount of mall, which he read hurriedly. It is not known when the ice conditions in the Cattegat will per mit the Frederick VIII to sail for Copenhagen. When Count von Bernstorff was told that he could travel to Copenhagen by rail he said he preferred to remain on board the ship, as he and his many friends had a large amount of baggage, which would make a change in his plans difficult. AMERICA GAINS TONNAGE Number of Ships Under Flag Cut Jn Two, However. WASHINGTON, March 11. The Amer- can merchant marine has made & net gain of 351,114 gross tons through transfers of registry since the Euro pean war began, although on the same account it has sustained a net loss of 201 vessels. Figures made public to day by the Department of Commerce show that ships transferred to the American flag numbered 204 of 664,926 tons. Vessels transferred to foreign flags numbered 405, but their average size was less than one-fourth that of ship gained by the United States and their tonnage was only 313,811. Most of the American gains came from Great Brit ain and Germany, while most of the osses went to Norway, Japan and France. LABOR FOR PREPAREDNESS Conference Favors Military, Naval and Economic Measures. WASHINGTON. March 11 The ex ecutive council of the American Feder tion of Labor completed tonight a gen era.! statement of organized labor's at tltude toward National defense prob lems, to be presented tomorrow to conference of more than 100 labor leaders for ratification. The statement is said to express ap proval of. military, naval and economic preparation for defense in general terms. Specific declarations on rnirh roblems as universal military service are to be left to the conference. Some leaders here expressed the belief that there would be no action on details. LIVESTOCK LOSSES HEAVY Montana Conditions Serious Unless "Winter Breaks Soon. HELENA. Mont.. March 11. Unless Winter breaks soon livestock losses will be extremely heavy, according to information given to Railroad Commis sioner McCormick, Who returned today from a trip over the eastern and north ern part of Montana. In Sheridan there have been large losses. In the Tellowstone and the Musselshell Counties and in the Miles City stock country there is much suf fering. Cattle are unable to reach the grass because of the deep snow. i SEER COMMITS SUICIDE Professor Zoroaster" Succeeds In Drowning at Third Attempt. SAN FRANCISCO. March 11. Ed ward G. Beck, known here through ex tensive advertising as "Professor N. Zoroaster, astrologer," ended his life today by drowning. According to the police, he jumped into the water twice yesterday and protested vigorously when rescuers dragged him ashore. He promised to make no further at tempts. Today, however, he removed his clothes and stepped off a wharf Into the water. BELGIAN TREES REMOVED Germans Taking Finest Growth to Own Country. HAVRE, France, March 11. The German military administration in Bel gium has begun systematically requi- itionlng the trees throughout the country. According to information received by the Belgian government here the Germans are taking the finest growths, province by province and sending them to Germany. STEEL 0RDERSAT RECORD United States Corporation Has Con- tracts for 11,576,607 Tons. NEW TORK. March. 11. The un filled orders of the United States Steel Corporation of February 28 were 11.- 576,697 tons, breaking all previous rec ords. The figures showed an increase f 102.643 tons over the report for Jan uary 31 last. The previous high record was that for December 31, 1916. when the un filled orders stood at 11,547,286 tons. PORTLAND, OREGON, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1917. GERARD CHAMPIONS VIGOROUS POLICY Ex-Ambassador at Ha vana on Way Home. EMPHASIS IS PUT ON MEXICO "Passive" War, Using Navy Against Germany, Advised. FURTHER INTRIGUE FEARED Carl Ackerman Interprets Diplo mat's Position, but Uatter Does v Not Talk Berlin Believed Prepared for War. BT CARL, ACKERMAN. Correspondent of the New Tork Tribune. Copyright, 1917, by the Trib une Association. Published by Ar rangement.) HAVANA, March 11. (Special.) Ex-Ambassador James W. Gerard and his party stepped ashore in Havana early this morning after an eventful voyage of 4000 miles from Corunna, Spain. The first act of Mr. Gerard after landing was to telegraph to Washington, asking President Wilson whether he desired a conference with him Wednesday or Thursday. He ap peared to be eager for an early meet ing with the President. ' After two years' association with Mr. Gerard I am convinced he will go to the mat fighting for one idea that of preparing the United States for a vig orous policy against Germany. I . be lieve he will suggest the President's intervention In Mexico and a passive war with Germany, without sending troops abroad, but with the United States Navy co-operating with the al lied fleets. Emphasis Put on Mexico. The ex-Ambassador is believed by all the Americans in close touch with him to lay great stress on the Mexican angle of the situation between Ger many and. the United States. While he still refuses to talk for publication. -It is believed that he takes the view that unless the United States assumes a stronger attitude Berlin, which is prepared for war with America at any moment, will continue Mexican prep arations with the purpose of engaging the United States at the first oppor tunity. Mr. Gerard warned the Administra tion last September that unless Presi dent Wilson settled the Mexican situa tion Germany would fight the United States . through Mexico. He considers Mexico Germany's potential a 7 and be lieves that if the United States can de stroy Berlin's hopes there one of Amer ica's greatest dangers from Germany would be eliminated. Ambassador Keeps Silence. Mr. Gerard refused to discuss his views until he confers with President Wilson. Colonel House and his New York political advisers. The ex-Ambassador Is refusing to permit his friends to work ic? his ap- (Concluded on Paso 3, Column 2.) I MORE SIGNS OF SPRING. ' - - T T T .... j - ' t RICH SOCIETY MAN HELD AS BURGLAR EDWARD T. BARRON IS FOUJfD ASLEEP NEAR TREASURE. Prisoner Says When He Awoke He Was Surprised to Find Himself In Cell Instead of Club. SAN FRANCISCO. March. 11. Ed ward F. Barron, wealthy society man and graduate of Harvard University was in the city prison here today charged with burglary. Barron was found by the police early this morning sound asleep in the offices of Smith Emery & Co., assayers, close to a box containing platinum valued At $10,000 The police had been called by the night watchman, who told them there was a man in the office with an elec trie flashlight in his hand. Barron was asleep when the police got there and no electric flashlight could be found. Barron said that he left the St. Francis shortly after midnight intend ing to go to the University Club, where he lived. "It's a deuce of a mess to be In," said Barron today; "if I really did what the police say I did. I woke up this morn ing and was amazed to find myself in this cell. That's all I know about the affair." ATHLETES BEST SCHOLARS assassaaasssaaa Oregon Faculty Committee Wishes All Were Up to Standard. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON. Eugene, March 11. (Special.) A thorough In vestigation made by the faculty ath letic committee on the comparative scholarship of athletes and those not participating in athletics of a competi tive nature were submitted to the board of regents at tht meeting Saturdajr. In the report it was emphatically stated the scholarship of athletics excels that of the other students. The report was signed by Professor II. C. Howe, chair man of the committee. The report concludes with the ex pressed hope that the scholarship of the rest of the students may be brought up to the standard of those engaged in athletics. CHINESE TO STUDY WAR Military Adviser Says Nation Non-Militant, but Observing Is SAN FRANCISCO, March 11. T. L. Tang, military adviser to the President of China, arrived here today from the Orient on his way to Europe to study modern warfare at the battle front. Tang said he wanted to. study Euro pean military strategy, both offensive and defensive. He said that China, while not a mili tant nation, was observing and that it might become necessary for her to take more interest in things military. SPECIAL ELECTION LIKELY New Hampshire Expected to Vacancy In Congress. Fill MANCHESTER. N. H., March 11. Po litical circles here generally expect that a special election to fill the place made vacant by the death in Washington last night of Representative Cyrus A. Sulloway will be called early In April to enable the new nicmuer to partici pate in the organization of the House for the special session April 16. Mr. Sulloway represented New Hamp shire in Congress for 20 years. He was a Republican. CASUALTIES IN WAR TOTAL TEN MILLION More Than 4,400,000 Are Killed. ENTENTE LOSS IS HEAVIES Cost to Central Powers Is Lit tie More Than Half as Much. RUSSIA LEADS ALL OTHERS tzar Pays Toll of 3,084,200 and Bulgaria Is at Bottom of List. Civilian Dead and Wounded Is Put at 400,000. WASHINGTON, March 11. More than 10,000,000 men are recorded killed, wounded, captured or missing In the European war in the first complete tabulation of official and authentl cated semi-official reports of the vari ous belligerents received here. Among the military proper. 4,441,200 are reported dead, 2.598,500 wounded, and 2,664,500 captured and missing. Among civilians, especially on the Russian and Balkan fronts and in Ar menia, another 400,000 are figured as either dead or wounded through the war. Entente Lou la 6,318,40O. These figures are admittedly only approximate and in some instances necessarily several weeks old. They are not called exact in any sense, but are known to be so nearly so as to give a fairly reliable picture of the war's results. They depend for their accu racy, first, on the official reports of the various belligerents, which are cer talnly minimum figures, and then on a careful re-checklng , with all available authentic Information. ine ententes losses are given as 6,318,400. as against 3,384.8 JO for the central empires. One reason for the great discrepancy between the two is believed to be the relative unprepared- ness of the entente, with the disastrous retreats in France at the beginning of the war, in Russia from the Maz rlan lakes and the Carpathians and in Roumanla. KannUt Is Heaviest looser. The entente's dead total 2,890,400, against 1.550,800 for the central em pires; the entente's wounded total 1,676,500 against 922,000 for their ene mies; and their captured and missing 1.652,500, against. 912.0C0 for the central empires. These losses are based on the as sumption in Cermany that 90 per cent of the total wounded return to the front and 80 per cent In all other countries. Russia is infinitely the heaviest loser so far, with a grand total of 3,084,200 men. The bulk of these losses occurred n tne Aiazurlan lakes disaster and the two retreats from the Carpathians when prisoners were taken by the tens of thousands. Moreover, lack of com munications and hospital facilities has (Concluded on Page 2. Column 2.) ANNUAL FRESHET TO BE SMALL ONE WILLAMETTE RIVER FALLS IN STEAD OF RISING. uericiency of Rainfall Since Sep. tcraber 1, 14.23 Indies Little Snow Now In Mountains. At a time when It is customary to have a more or less flooded condition at Portland, the Willamette River is going down this year instead, and yes terday the reading was but 4.7 feet nuuve normal. This was a drop. of foot since Saturday. Lack of precipitation ana a romnnri.. tlvely low temperature are held to be responsible for the low stage of the waier at tne present time. The defl ciency m rainfall since September inches, according to report of me earner Bureau. Hugh Brady, municipal erannler. an considered an authority on river condl lor years, predicted yesterday mai me spring freshet this year wou a. email one, and that the wate would not reach any great height. He bases this belief on the small amount or snow in the mountains this compared with preceding years. year cpnng iresnet Is due most any ....no now, according to Mr. Brady, and oniy requires a Chinook or a warm rain, or oom. to precipitate it. The rains of tne past few days have had no appre ciable effect upon the river at Port lana. rurus' experienced a freshet of somewhat damaging proportions dur ing the latter part of February and the first of March last year, the water reaching a height of over 20 feet above normal. NOTABLES VOICE LOYALTY Roosevelt, Morgan and Other Prom. Incnt Men Pledge Selves. i-.i luniv, Jiarcn 11. Governors .dge, of New Jersey, and Holcomb, o Connecticut. Colonel Theodore Roose velt. Franklin D. Roosevelt. Assistant oecretary or the Navy; Major-Genera Leonard Wood, J. P. Morgan, Mayo Juitcnel. w. Murray Crane. Robert Ba con and other men of prominence at tended a dinner given here tonight by Cornelius N. Bliss. They pledged themselves to sunnort mo national Administration in any measures necessary for the protection of American Interests and the honor of tne nag m the present international crisis. FLOWER FUNDS DIVERTED Jewish Charities Helped By Saving of Display at Funerals. NEW TORK. March 11. Br urclnr . ifiM to divert tne money spent i flowers at J?-vish funerals to the Fed eratlon for Support of Jewish Philan thropic Societies, that organization an nounced tonight it hoped to Increase its. rund by more than $163,000 a year. Felix M. Warburg, chairman of the federation. Issued a statement indors ing the move-nent. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, decrees; minimum. 85 dw.u 47 iujlja x o Fair: northwesterly winds. Submarines. German editors bitter In criticism of Wilson. War. Bacdad capitulates to British. Pare 1. Austrian army enier saya nation la united. B- a 0. Greeks starving; cable appeal for release of im supplies. ra 5. oerman rood shortage even m.nr .,. War casualties total 10,000,000. Pace 1 f orelsm. Bernstorff says story of German-Mexlran iuuisuc ia an newr' to mm. fae 1. Mexico. Carranza elected President by overwhelmlng- National. Gerard to leave Havana for Key West today. Senator Jones says Administration caused present crisis by past bungling. Fan 2. Coalition plan may be abandoned by House leauers. l-ag-3 Gerard believed to favor "passive" war with cermany, active campaign against Mex ico. Page 1. German efforts to draw Colombia and Ven ezuela inio war against United States known to Washington. Page 5. Domestic. Hindu student at Columbia arrested as sus pect in anti-neutrality plot. Page 2. Indiana towns swept by tornado. Page 1. Sport. Beavers will start home cn Friday. Page 12. Frankle Sanders Is picked to beat Duffy by 'Fighting Dick" Wheeler. Page 12. Multnomah Club basketball players will or ganize, f&ge 12. Cutshaw's fence-Cilmblng, homer voted freak iest niu race Portland Beavers shut out Honolulu l"e- groes. Page 13. Three tie for first honors at traps. Page 13. Pacific Northwest. Gill trial opens on second week. Page 4. W. W. trial at Seattle likely to continue tor six weeks. Pag T. Constructive legislation accomplished at Olyrapla. Page 7. Campaign of road bond education Is to reach every town. Page 11. Marine. Steamer Breakwater . meets two accidents. Pag 13. Portland and Vicinity. Spring- freshet on Willamette to be small. Page 1. Much depends on Southern-Central Pacific decision. Page IS. Gideons make annual distribution of Bibles to hotels. Page 10. Buxton, or double, seen In Portland. Page B. English playwright cannot realize he is in foreign land, ran 9. C. W. Hodson discusses closed shop' at church forum. Page 11. Ecrraon for boys and girls preached In ball terms. Page lo. Land fraud cases to come up In Federal Court today. Page 11. New Zealand business man believes war will end by June. Page . Sweden haunted by fear of Russian Princess L.trayal. page lu. Huge piling for Postofflce is being moulded. Page 13. Road bond Issue la debated at People's Forum. Page . Weather report, data and forecast, Pag 13, PRICE FIVE IWIIA TOWIIS HIT BY TORNADO Path Two Blocks Wide Is Cut Through Newcastle. DEATH LIST MAY BE LAEGE More Than Score Killed, 200 Injured and 300 Residences Are Demolished. $1,000,000 DAMAGE DONE Storm Comes Almost Without ' Warning, Deals Destruction, Is Over in Five Minutes. INDIANAPOLIS, March 11. A Tornado swept over Central Eastern Indiana late today, killing more than a score of persons at Newcastle and two children in Wayne County. The total number of injured will run over iJOO, some of whom are probably fatally hurt. The damage will total well over a million dollars at New castle and several thousand dollars in Wayne County. ' Wire communication was crippled by the storm and reports were meager. i Militia Ordered lo Scene. Adjutant-General Harry B. Smith, of the Indiana National Guard, was at his office late tonight directing, meas ures of relief. He said his reports were that 26 were dead and 150 in jured at Newcastle. Two companies of militia were ordered to Newcastle to police the city. Physicians, nurses, undertakers and ambulances were sent from nearby towns. Twenty special interurban cars car rying 30 physicians and 50 nurses were sent from here early in the evening. 42 Bodies Reported Found. George Dyer, general superintend ent of the Lake Erie & Western Rail road, said late tonight that he had re ceived word from railroad officials at Newcastle that 42 bodies had been removed from the wreckage in the storm-swept district and that at least 25 persons in the hospitals probably would die. He said the report came from a di vision superintendent, who, in an au tomobile, had made a trip through the devastated district. NEWCASTLE, Ind., March 11- More than a score of persons wero killed and 150 were injured, some) fatally, in a tornado which wrecked 300 residences in this city late today. The property damage was estimated tonight at $1,000,000. Path Is Two Blocks Wide. The storm swept over the city in a southeasterly direction, demolishing practically everything in a path al most two blocks wide and more than 10 blocks long. For several hours the city was entirely cut off from com munication. Governor Goodrich was asked to send troops to police the city, which is in darkness tonight, owing to the demolition of the power plant. The exact number of dead may not be known for a day or two, as prac tically all the bodies thus far found have been dug out of the wreckage of their homes. The search tonight was hampered by darkness, but with the coming of daylight tomorrow it is be lieved more bodies will be found. Revised List of Dead. Late tonight, 23 bodies had been re covered and six persons were missing. It was believed other bodies still were buried in the wreckage which had not been searched. A revised list of the dead follows: Everett Dunlap. Bernice Davis; Orris Davis. James Neilis. Gray Davis. Mrs. John Davis. Orville Davis, son of Gray Davis. Mrs. Archie Fletcher. Haler, young daughter of John Haler. ' Razer, 12-year-old son of W. T. Razer. Mrs. Archie Williamson. Miss Opal Williamson, daughter of- Mrs. Williamson. Newton. Bernice Day. June Day. Mrs. Mary E. Williams. (Concluded on rage 3, Column 3.) i f . r .-v r v I :