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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1917)
1M VOL. LVII NO. 17,GOi. PORTLAND, OREGON, TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1917. PRICE FIVE CENTS. CHINESE FEELING FOR WAR GROWS BRITONS ARE DINNER GUESTS OF WILSONS GOVERNOR FAVORS VOLUNTEER PLAN KAISER'S HOPE IN POLES IS DASHED EUGENE CO-ED OFF TO SERVE IN NAVY LAND GRANT CASE LOST BY RAILWAY INDEPENDENT ACTION AGAINST GERMANY IS FAVORED. SIR WITH COMBE GOES ON REC ORD AS TO MOrrARY SERVICE. MISS CARMEX SWAXSOX CALLED TO COLORS AS YEOSLW. DRIVE RENEWED 111 BLAZEfiG FURY British Force Some of Hot test Fighting of War. FURTHER GAINS ARE ADDED Waves of Infantry, Long Idle While Awaiting Guns, Roll a. Over German Lines. 1300 PRISONERS ARE TAKEN Other Teuton Casualties High er Than Usual Because . Dugouts Are Lacking. ." (Prom a Staff Correspondent of til Asso- j elated Press.) ."':. WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN . ' FRANCE via London, April 23. The . ' battle of Arras, which has been smol- . dering for a week past, burst into ; flaming fury again today, and is still ; . '. raging tonight, with some of the heav- ; lest fighting of the war in progress. " The sky is alight for miles with . the flashes of guns, with star-shells that spread a moonlight paleness over the battlefield and with varicolored rockets which flashed signals to the , V opposing artillery. The cold east ' - wind carries the echoes of the rever t i. berating cannonade far back of the ', British lines. Fixed Positions Carried. The fighting today covered approx n imately. an eight-mile front, from '.'.' couth of Vimy ridge to a point well . - -."' below Croisseles. At the north end of the attack the British swept over j . .'""- German fixed positions running al- most due south from Lens and cap- tured long sections of German posi- ' tions in front of the Hindenburg line - -j and a great number of prisoners. -.' ; ; More than 1200 prisoners were --f counted in this sector late today and ' ,. others were still coming in. The larg- ; "- 'v est number of prisoners was from the 141st Pomeranians, who surrendered . i in hundreds after very brief resist- ance. A battery of field guns also , '.-V ' " was taken. ' "'. Between Gavrelle and Croiselles, ' I. the heaviest fighting occurred along y. ' j both banks of the Scarpe and around vV Monchy-Le-Preux, where the British 5 "." j eastern advance had projected a sharp '" y- "' 6alient into the German lines. Monchy " .. I was taken in the first phase of the Arras battle after three days' fight ing, and has been held against des perate counter assaults. Germans Cling to Slopes. The Germans always managed to cling to the slopes on either side of the hill on which Monchy-Le-Preux is perched, this being the highest point east of Arras and Vimy, overlooking the great, broad eastern plains of Northern France. The Germans today were undoubt edly throwing their full force into their resistance along the Scarpe. They had brought up strong reserves to oppose a further British advance and had thrown in scores of new bat teries of artillery. The fighting about Guemappe, due south of Monchy, was extremely bit ter. The attacking British waves "went over" in the half -gray light of dawn. It was still dark enough to make a fiery spectacle of the barrage which crept ahead of them a verita ble wall of exploding shells., Barrage Demoralizes Foe. Men wno have been over several times under the protection of a bar rage are apt to grow over-confident in following the shells and occasion ally get hit by bits flying back, al though virtually every shell clearing the way for the infantry bursts for ward with a great spray of shrapnel bullets. A morlern barrage, as set up by the British and French gunners, is a ter- ; rifying thing to face, and the Ger- mans involuntarily break before it, many of them seeking any dugouts i available. CJ- . - Today in many parts of the battle 1. y ' fronts there were no more dugouts to " use as shelters and the Germans' had to stand and fight, with the result that their casualties were higher and prisoners fewer than those of other sections of the line. The British advanced in nearly every t (Xoncluded on Pace 4. Column 3.) Resentment Over Detention of Min ister and Students Causes Agitation for War. PEKIX, April 23. The war sentiment in China is increasing- dally. The Chi nese , are incensed over the action of Germany in detaining the Chinese Min ister in Berlin pending: the safe arrival of Von Hintze, German Minister to Pekin. There is also great indignation over the detention of Chinese students in Berlin and Munich. The military governors will hold their first war conference in Pekin on April 25. The majority of the gover nors and Parliament favor war. but they differ over the attitude China should adopt toward the entente. The indications are that China will declare war independently. The Chinese newspapers reproduce a Washington dispatch from Dr. V. K. Wellington Koo. Chinese Minister to the United States, in which he urges China to declare war by itself and not in partnership with the entente. Dr. Koo argues that China's position would be stronger If it acted independently, and that it could co-operate freely with the allies and the United States. UNIVERSITY CAMPAIGN ON Big Enrollment Sought to Counter act Losses by Enlistment. EUGENE, Or., April 23. A state-wide university campaign, headed by Gov ernor Withycombe, has been launched to stimulate interest in the University of Oregon in an effort to secure a big enrollment of new students this Fall, in anticipation of scores of students going into the war service. The Governor, who is co-operating with the university alumni committee, composed of Karl Onthank, chairman; Earl Kilpatrlck and Ben Williams, has appointed a person in each community to take charge of the work of getting recruits" for th university. May 11 has been designated as "Uni versity day" throughout the state. BILL PR0VIDESSH1P TITLE Plan for XTse of Seized German Ves sels Offered In Senate. WASHINGTON, April 23. A bill to authorize the President to confer title and possession of the seized German and Austrian merchant ships was in troduced today by Chairman Culber son, of the Senate Judiciary commit tee, and referred to it for action. The Shipping Board would .be em powered to charter, lease or operate such ships either in the service of the United States or In commerce. Prop erty rights in the vessels would be de termined after the war. SHAVES MAY COST MORE San Francisco Barber Shops Asked i to Unite on Increase. SAN FRANCISCO. April 23. More than 900 downtown barbers were asked to sign petitions here today Indorsing a rise of 5 cents for hair cuts, shaves and other Items. If the petitions, which were Cir culated by the Barber Shop Proprietors' Association, carry, the new rates will become effective June 1, next. PASSENGERS UNDER RULE Riding on Platform Over Bridges Forbid by Railroads. CHICAGO, April 23. Passengers may no longer ride on railroad car plat forms while crossing bridges. This rule was put Into effect by railroads over all the country today, and it ap plies to the rear platform of observa tion cars as well as to other coaches. The chief reason -r the rule- is that the platforms offer a vantage ground for bomb dropping. LOST VESSELS ARE BEST Germans Reported to Have Had Two Destroyers Badly Injured Also. AMSTERDAM, via London, April 23. The Maandag Ochtenblad learns that both of the German destroyers which were sunk In the battle off Dover, sailed from Zeebrugge and were of the new est type. Two other destroyers were damaged and numerous wounded sailors were brought to Bruges on Saturday. BRYAN CALLS0N BALFOUR Ex-Secretary Starts for West to Preach Farm Gospel. WASHINGTON, April 23. William J. Bryan paid a visit of courtesy today to British Foreign Minister Balfour. Mr. Bryan then left for a tour of the Far West to help spread the Depart ment of Agriculture's appeal for In creased food production. GERMANS TO BE SEARCHED Detectives Ordered to Hunt for Arms in Every Home. CHICAGO, April 23. Detectives, on Federal authority, were today ordered 'to search the homes of every German for arms and warlike supplies. The time for turning In voluntarily : has passed. I s Affair Is Most Notable in Generation. DAY EXCEPTIONALLY EVENTFUL Members, of Commission Call on Various Officials. HONORS SURPRISE VISITORS Formal Conference and Address by Mr. Balfour Before Senate Await Arrival of French Party In terviews Are Promised. WASHINGTON, April 23. Great Brit ain's war commissioners spen today In the American capital receiving every mark of honor and courtesy within the. gift of the Government. Foreign Secretary Arthur James Bal four, formally presented by Secretary Lansing to President Wilson In the morning, was the guest tonight at the most notable dinner given at the White House in a generation. During the day he was presented to Vice-President Marshall at the Capitol, lunched at the French Embassy and received cards or calls from many prominent persons. including William J. Bryan. Military Officials Make Call. Meanwhile Lieutenant-General Bridges and other British army officers called on Secretary Baker, Major-General Scott, chief of staff, and War Depart ment officials; Admiral De Chair and his naval aides called on Secretary Daniels, Admiral Benson and other Navy Department officials; and Lord Cunliffe, governor of the Bank of Eng land, called on Secretary McAdoo at the Treasury Department. The conferences so far, with the en thusiasm that the people of the capital have shown and the courtesies and cor dialities extended by the officials, have taken the British commission by sur prise. IJ. iialfour, after three-quarters of an hour's conversation with Presi dent Wilson, remarked enthusiastically that his trip had been Justified by that meeting alone. Preliminary Conference Held. All during the day members of the commission exclaimed over the warmth of the welcome. As if to make it more perfect, Washington Just at this time is blossoming into the full richness of Its Spring dress. , While no formal negotiations were entered into today, the preliminary con ferences on all hands were stated not to have been wholly perfunctory, but rath er to have laid an excellent basis of ac quaintance and understanding for the detailed conferences to' follow. President Wilson and Mr. Balfour are known to havo touched on the broad phases of the situation in such a way as to give each other an insight into (Concluded on Page 3, Column 1.) " i ' -. maveX O -7 I ' I PROFIT QY Compulsory System Not Liked by Ore gon Executive Until Other Is Proved Failure. SALEM, Or., April 23. (Special.) Governor Withycombe today declared himself In favor of voluntary military service. If it can be accomplished suc cessfully, with compulsory service to be used only in event that the former system proves a failure. "It is true," said the Governor, "that voluntary service takes our best men and draws largely from country boys. If It were possible I believe that the volunteer system would be more ben eficial to the country if it could be hedged with restrictions so that it would be selective in its nature. We greatly need men on the farms, and it lsas essential that we have as large a volunteer army to conserve and en hance our food supply as it is essen tial that we have an army in the camps. To select from the volunteers such men as are not needed for caring for our internal needs would, in my mind, be the ideal volunteer system. "But I am 'against conscription until the volunteer plan has been tried out. Personally, I believe conscription will be unnecessary. I am satisfied there are a sufficient number'of red-blooded men in the country who will come for ward to the call of their country with out the need of a forced draft." GERMAN WIFE AIDS RECRUIT Bunker Hill Man Overcomes Ob stacles to Enlist. MARSHFIELD, Or.. April 23. (Spe cial.) H. L. Pratt, of Bunker Hill, did not let small discouragements keep him from Joining the Army, and had the approval of his wife, a German born woman. Examined here and re jected, Mr. Pratt paid his own expenses to Portland and pleaded with the Adjutant-General, who provided for his Joining the local Coast Artillery Com pan y. Instead of hindering his desires, Mrs. Pratt went to Captain F. K. Gettins and waived all the rights she might have claimed if she chose. GERMAN STRIKE BROKEN military Takes Control of Important Berlin Munitions Plant. COPENHAGEN, via London, April 23. The German military authorities have taken control of the German weapon and munition factory, the last important munitions plant In Berlin whose employes remained on strike. They ordered the workmen to return to work Immediately, stating that un less they did so they would be mob ilized and compelled to work dt sol diers' wages. This ended the strike. The plant la a large producer of rifles and cartridges. American Aviator Lost. PARIS,, April. 23. Sergeant William Dugan, one of the American aviators with the French army. Is reported missing. He was 27 years old and was born at Patchogue, L. I., but lived latterly in Rochester, N. T. HAVING A HEART-TO-HEART TALK. America May Defeat Conscription Plan. KINGDOM RECRUIT BAIT FAILS Many Thousands of Idle Men Decline to Serve Germany. PRUSSIANS KEEP CONTROL Real Purpose In Announcing: Free dom From Russian Rule to Se cure Army of 1,200,000 311 Enlist In Three Months. (Copyright. 1917. by the Tribune Associa tion. Registered in accordance with the copyright act. Canada. 1917. by the Tribune Association. Published by arrangement with the sew York Tribune.) BY CARL W. ACKERMAN. NEW YORK, April 23. Germany an nounced to the whole world several months ago the establishment of the Kingdom of Poland. It was explained in official communications to neutral powe.-s that Germany desired during the war to make the people of Poland free and to establish a great indepen dent kingdom to destroy the influence of the Czar. But what was Germany's real object? Ever since the Fall of 1915 Poland has been under German occupation. As the Russians retreated they burned or destroyed over 4000 cities and villages, left a great stretch of waste land and many thousands of men who were capa ble of fighting but who had not. been called to the Russian colors. Vnemployed Bis; Problem. "When Germany began the adminis tration of Poland one of her biggest problems was to deal with the unem ployed in the big cities, such as War saw and Lodz. The food problem was a vexing one, but because food was more plentiful in Poland than it was in Germany, even though prices were high, the solution of food difficulties did not require as much attention as the solu tion of the unemployment question. I was in Poland three different times during the last two years. On my first journey x went to Viina and a number of smaller villages in the extreme north of Poland. On my second Journey I weii to Warsaw and Brest-Lltovsk. Tne third time, on my way to the Vol hynlan battle front during General Brusiloff's offensive, I went through Warsaw again and scores of the south ern cities of Poland. During these visits I saw and obtained first-hand Information about conditions there. Food Hidden From Germans., At the time I was in Vilna. in Octo ber, 1915, food was reported to be very scarce, especially bread. I met in sev eral stores people with relatives in the United States. They told me with tears in their eyes that they were compelled ' (Concluded on Page 4. Column 1.) Seven More Oregon VnlTcrsity Men Summoned at Same Time for Duty on Land and Sea. TTNTVERSITY OF OREGON, Eugene, Or.. April 23. (Special.) Miss Carmen Swanson, a senior In the university from Lebanon, and the only co-ed of the university to enlist, was today called to the colors, and left this aft ernoon to take up her new duties. She enlisted as a yeoman tor stenographic duty In the Navy. With the same call that took Miss Swanson from the uni versity today came a call for seven more university men, making the total to date 40 who have been called from their duties to serve Uncle Sam. Miss Swanson was a student In the zoology department of the university, and was working her way through the university as an assistant in zoology and stenographer in the extension de partment. The seven men called are: Leo Baruk, to Bremerton, a freshman from Portland; Sprague H. Carter, to Flor ida in the aviation corps, a freshman from Baker; Norman Byrne, to Mare Island, a special student from Eugene; C C. Clark, from Clarksville. Tex., to Bremerton, a law student; E. T. Burch. to Bremerton, a Junior from Portland: Herman Edwards, to Bremerton, a spe cial student from Cottage Grove, and Harry Miller, to Company M, of Sale'm, a freshman from Salem. GIRLS KISS ALL RECRUITS Hood River Honor Guard Starts to Do "Bit" for Nation. HOOD RIVER. Or.. April 23. (Spe cial.) Hood River High "'School girls. who" are members of the local chapter of the Girls" Honor Guard, are doing their bit toward helping naval recruit ing officers. When Clifford McDonald, Lee Spauld ing, William Tollman and Howard Wilden, high school boys, naval re cruits en route to Portland, were board ing the train today a bevy of the school girls kissed -each of the boys good-bye. The girls have announced, that they will kiss all recruits. GERMAN MINISTER , HURT Diplomat From China In Collision at San Francisco. SAN FRANCISCO. April 23. Admiral P. W. von Ilinze. German Minister to China, who is In San Francisco en route to Berlin, was thrown from his auto mobile when a second machine collided with it on the state highway near here yesterday. - His hands and wrists were bruised and sprained. SUBMARINE H-3 FLOATED Vessel Stranded Off California Is Under Tow to Xavy-Tard. WASHINGTON. April 23. The Navy Department announced late today that the submarine H-3, which went ashore on the California coast several mcnths ago, has been floated. She Is under tow to the Mare Island Navy-yard for repairs. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 6 aeirrees; minimum, 4W degrees. TODAY'S Fair and warmer; westerly winds. War. British renew drive furiously. Page 1. Russia has new vigor' for defensive war, says Minister. Page 3. Members of British commission dine at White House. Page 1. American airmen on French front are ever daring. Page 4. , Chinese sentiment for war grows. Page 1. Kaiser's hope of Polish army Is dashed. Page 1. National. Oregon A California land grant case lost by railway before Supreme Court. Page 1. Senate asked to provide for regulation of food prices. Page 2. Great Britain to be first to get loan from America. Page 3. Army draft bill may reach vote In both houses Thursday. Page 2. Domestic. Treadwell mine loss In Alaska Is estimated at 1 0,000. 000. Page 7. Sport. Portland opens season here today. Page 9. Bronson and Plnkman clash tonight. Page 9. Bowling congress opens here. Page 9. Pacific Northwest. Governor Withycombe favors volunteer mili tary service. Page 1. Eugene co-ed yeoman called to colors by Navy. Page 1. Boys describe I. W. 'W. battle at Everett. Page a. Wllford Allen to fill in on Accident Com mission for Carl Abrams. Page 6. State Defense Council named by Governor. Page tt. Bllllngsley. yet free, puzzles Seattle police and Federal authorities. Page 7. Boys take stand In I. W. W. trial. Page 6. Sheriff declared to have given signal for I. W. W. battle. Page 6. Commercial and Marine. Local wheat and feed markets strong on California demand. Page 17. Speculative buying Jt wheat at Chicago sub sides. Page 17a Stock operations professional and prices ir regular. Page 17. Cattle and hogs higher at local stockyards. Page 17. Work on War Baron rushed. Page 14. Portland and Vicinity. Opening of grant lands to entry is early probability. Page' 5. Noted Red Cross lecturer la here. Page 13. Price of gasoline likely to drop, dealers say. Page 11. Portland recruiters get 100 men for Army, 30 for Navy, and 12 Marines. Page 8. Thousands clamor for potato seed, and county distributes 82 sacks. Page G. Strike threatened in city building. Page 8. Case of gypsy girl who took poison Is dis missed. Page Is. Weather report, data vad forecast. Ta& IT. Highest Court Upholds Congressional Act. WOLYERTON RULING AFFIRMED Company's Only Interest $2.50 Per Acre. Is RIGHT TO TIMBER DENIED Mortgage rfoldcrs Can Claim Xo More Tlian Oregon & California Com pany Holds; Interveners . Have Jfo Standing. OREGOXIAN NEWS BUREAC. "Wash ington, April 23. The United States Su preme Court, without dissent, today af firmed the decree of Judge Wolverton In the Oregon & Calif ornla , land-grant case, and sustained the action of Con gress in passing the Chamberlain-Ferris bill prescribing terms on which the unsold portion of the grant shall be dis posed of by the Government. The court briefly finds that Judge Wolverton's decree was in accord with the Supreme Court mandate, save on the one non-essential feature of costs; that Congress, In passing the act of Juno 9, 1916, was entirely within its rights and stayed within the limitations fixed by the Supreme Court; that "the interest under the granting acts con ferred upon the railroad company was $2.50 per acre," which the railroad will get under this law. Trust Company Right Defined. The Union Trust Company was found to have no rights in excess of those of the railroad company, for the court holds that the railroad could use the lands as & basis of credit "only to the extent of its Interest in them," namely $2.50 per acre. Once more the court points out that the applicants represented both by Laf -ferty and Puter have no standing in the case. The decision seems to leave the war clear for the carrying -out of the provi sions of the Chamberlain-Ferris act. Justice McKenna, who wrote the first' opinion, wrote the opinion handed down today. He firmly rejects every conten tion set up by the railroad company. Grant Not Absolute. Dealing first with the railroad's con tention that It should be permitted to cut the timber before disposing of the land, on the ground that the railroad had absolute ownership of the lands, the court says: "The grant was not absolute, but was qualified by a condition in favor of the settlers, and that if the lands granted carried by necessary Implication all that was above and below the surface to the railroad company, they carried such implication to the actual settlers." The court reviewed briefly the his tory of the litigation and in a foot note says of the applicants and interveners that "this case has no further concern with them." . Talcing up the provisos of the grant ing act. the court repeats that the pro visos were enforcible covenants which had been breached many times. It was not intended, says the court, that these breaches should be overlooked and the railroad company merely be enjoined against future breaches, although this was the railroad's contention. Time of Sale l'p to Railroad. Citing the language of its previous decision, the court repeats that the rail road might under the granting acts choose the time of sale, or use the grant as a means of credit, "subject ultimate ly to the restrictions imposed." and points out that this language rejects the railroad's contention that it had the power to mortgage the lands and sell on foreclosure, divested of the obliga tions of the proviso. . The remedy of the Government, the court shows, is found In another part of the previous decision. How the railroad sold In large tracts, ranging from 1000 to 45,000 acres and for prices ranging from $5 to $40 an acre, is related to show how the railroad company disregarded the law and to sustain the previous ruling that an Injunction against future vio lations of the covenants would not af ford the measure of relief to which the Government is. ei titled, nor was the rail road's response that its remaining lands are not suited for settlement, regarded as justification for its refusal to sell to those who honestly applied in face of the record of sales contrary to law. I.arr'a Validity Not Involved. The fact that the remaining lands are worth $30,000,000'and the fact that they are more valuable for the timber than for settlement moved the court on the first occasion to enjoin the railroad company from cutting the timber pend ing action by Congress. From this point the decision of the court in the main reads as follows: "The design of this and Its adequacy would seem to need no comment. It was intended to be a guide to the Dis trict Court; Indeed, a direction of the decree of the court. , The decree com plied with the direction. 'Judgment Adapted to Conditions. "It is no answer to the exertion of the power and remedy to say that the acts of Congress were Initially those of complete and absolute tyrants. It Is to (.Concluded on Page 6. Column 3.J. IV.t i r; V: i- " . I. . -. -"' '4 -y- 4