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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1917)
r 1 VOL. LVII NO. 17,608. PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1917. PRICE FIVE CENTS. T. R. NOT ALLOWED DIG FOE OUT, SAYS FRENCH NAVAL MAN LONG WAR IS AHEAD, AMERICA IS ADVISED HIGH PRICE SPURS SALMON FISHERS DALY LIGHT PLANT PLANS ALL WRONG WOMAN SUED FOR HIDDEN TREASURE DISASTER EXPECTED IF RATES ADVANCE TO RAISE Dl) GERMANS MUST BE FOUGHT IN OWN WATERS, SAYS ADMIRAL. PREDICTION IS THAT ASTORIA WTXIi HAVE 1500 BOATS. HETRS DEMAND ACCOUNTING FOR MYSTERIOUS SACK OF GOLD. .ISIOIl V -i 1 V House Rejects Amend ment to Army Bill. SENATE LIKELY TO FOLLOW Democrats as Body. Manifest " Their Opposition. VOTE STANDS 1 70 TO 106 More Than 100 Republicans Fall to Express SelTes, 'While Only 42 of Other Party Are Absent. New Attempt Possible. . BY JOHN C ALLAN O'LAtTGHLIN. WASHINGTON, April 27. (Special.) -Congress will not permit Colonel Theodore Roosevelt to raise a division of volunteers for service In the Euro pean battle field. The House of Rep resentatives, by a vote of 106 ayes and 170 noes, today declined, to. amend, the pending- Army bill as earnestly desired by the man who led the Rough Riders to" victory In the war with Spain. The Senate probably will take like action ' tomorrow. Senator Chamber lain, -chairman of the Senate military affairs committee, said that, while a great deal of sentiment exists in the upper chamber In support of the Colo nel's plan, he was satisfied the bill as reported by his committee would be passed substantially unamended. . Record Vote Not Taken. No record of the vote In the House of the Roosevelt proposal was taken. Following the usual custom of dispos ing of amendments in the committee of the whole on the state or the Union, the chair appointed tellers, and between the men designated passed those in favor and those against the motion. The great majority, of those who de Ired to see the Colonel leading a division on the French front were Re publicans. The Democrats as a body manifested their opposition. Frankly . they were unwilling to give ,the Colo nel an opportunity which they forsaw must have political consequences. Even Chairman Dent, of the military. Affairs committee." who has been ad vocating the volunteer system, Joined his 'colleagues of the Same political faith In rejecting the plan to permit the raising of a division from men of exempt ages. . Opponents Voice Regrets. It Is a tribute to the Colonel that most of the men who voted against authorizing him to serve are tonight expressing regret at the necessity which they claim forced them to reg ister their opposition to his plan. They admit his mere presence In Europe would have a splendid moral effect. They recall the tour of the Old World he made In 1910, and the enthusiasm with which he was received by the common people and they believe if he were allowed to go at this time at the head of the American troops the British and French would be tremen dously heartened in the prosecution of the war. Bonn of the British and ' French statesmen and officers In Washington have privately expressed the view that It would be in the intere-' of the allied cause for the Colonel to go to Europe. They cannot, of course make any such statement publicly for they hold and hold properly, that It is for the United States 'to say how troops shall be raised and wheher or not they should be dispatched abroad. Appointment Would Prove Unity. But If the Colonel could be presented with an Army commission and assigned to duty In France they say It would demonstrate to the world the unity of the American people and their purpose to fight solidly in the cause we have espoused. It is not known whether the Presi dent will determine to appoint Colonel Roosevelt as a Brigadier or Major General, but some of the advisers of "the chief executive believe It would bo the part of wisdom to do so. Since the Colonel called upon the President at the White House a different feeling has prevailed in Administration circles concerning him. Undoubtedly there is a feeling of re lief in official quarters that the House rejected the Roosevelt amendment, but it is said this arises from the evidence the action gives that conscription will carry when the vote is taken tomorrow. . New Effort 'to Be Hade. The Roosevelt men Intend to make one further effort to obtain sanction for the -plan so close to the heart of the ex-President. An opportunity will be furnished when the committee of the House reports the bill to the House. An aye and nay vote will be demanded. It Is pointed out that 107 Republicans failed to vote today, while 42 Demo crats only were absent. If all the Republicans and one or two Democrats vote for the amendment it will be adopted. The Democrats In the Senate have not deemed it expedient to put forward in debate the argument that conscription would receive a serious blow if the amendment fathered by Senator Hard ing should be adopted. That amend ment was drawn with the greatest care. It specifically limits volunteers to men beyond the conscript age and leaves to the President the power to accept or re- (Concluded on Pace 6, Colubn 2-i. Pursuit of Submarines Is Not Re garded as Sufficient Means of Combating Menace. PARIS, April 27. Rear-Admiral De gouy, retired, today advocated a change of methods In dealing with the sub marine menace n view of the torpedo ing within one week of 40 vessels of more than, 1600 tons, according to fig ures given out In London. "It is Indispensable to prevent the greatest possible number '. of - subma rines from Beginning operations," the Admiral said. "To pursue and destroy when possible submarines in opera tion is very well and It is evidently advisable to continue In this direction, but that is insufficient. Only decisive means of preventing the German from disturbing the allies is to fight with him in his home waters. "The British Admiralty did well last February when it endeavored to bar out from the North Sea a maritime entrenched camp, whose supporting positions were Borkum, Helgoland and Sylt (a line drawn through these posi tions bars Germany's principal means of Ingress to the North Sea, as well as the entrances to the Weser and Elba rivers). This effort was not carried out with sufficient vigor and results were not what was expected. In brief the anticipated war is' still in a passive stage." MR. HUGHES TO TILL ACRE Lawyers' Club of New York Pledges Each 3Iember to Do Share. NEW YORK, April 27. Every mem ber of the Lawyers' Club of this city, which Includes In its membership some of the most prominent attorneys In the country, was asked today to sign a pledge "to plant or cause to be planted an acre of land, more or less, in such a manner as to produce a maximum yield of some staple food crop." Among the officers and members of the Lawyers' Club are Charles Hughes, Alton B. Parker and John Hays Ham mond. SUSPECTED DOCTOR FLEES Physician Jleld in $40,000 Robbery Case Makes Spectacular Escape. LOS ANGELES, Cal.. April 27. Dr. Raymond- A. Sweet, arrested by the police in connection with the 40,000 jewelry robbery February 28 at the home of William Wrigley. manufac turer. In Pasadena, Cal., escaped from the officers late today. He Jumped from the window, of his office onto the roof of another build ing and slid down a water pipe to the alley. GERMAN LOSSES PUT HIGH Casualties In Recent Battle Esti mated at More Than 2 00,000. PARIS, April 27. German losses in men in the recent fighting along the Aisne are estimated at more than 200. 000, with the probability that the total reached 235,000. These figures Include killed, wounded and prisoners, and con stitute one of the most formidable totals of the present war. The number of German prisoners aggregate approximately 20,000. The capture of 130 guns also is recorded. DEER RUNS DOWN WORKER Buck, Frightened by Train, Dashes Over Woodsman Near Divide. EUGENE, Or., April 27. (Special.) Peter Tonoli, while working in the woods near Divide, was knocked down by a deer - in flight from a passing train, according to word received in Eut ne. The deer was a large buck and dis appeared over a hill and was lost be fore Tonoli, who was operating a wood saw, realized what had hap pened. SIAMESE TWIN MINES USED Double Explosions Caused by New German Device. COPENHAGEN, via Londc.-. April 27. The Germans are said to be employ ing along the British coast a new sys tem of Siamese twin mines, resulting in a double explosion. It Is said they insure the Instant de struction of any ship, no matter what her size. 7 AMERICANS DIE ON VIMY Canadian Losses Since April 9 Are More Than 10,000. OTTAWA. Ont., April 27 Seven Americans were killed in the first day of the battle of Vimy ridge, the Cana dian military department announced today. The Canadian total casualties since April 9 are 10,064. it was announced. 4 SEIZED SHIPS REPAIRED Work Virtually Complete on Ger . man Vessels at Colon. ' COLON. April 27. Repairs to the four German steamers recently seized here are virtually complete. The steamers are the Grunewald, Prinz Higismund, Sachenswald and Savoia,, Frank Opinions Given by Visiting Experts. NEED FOR ARMY DRAFT SHOWN Volunteers Do Not Keep Up : With Drain at Front. 10 PER CENT A MONTH LOST Half Are Restored United States Military Authorities Oppose Send . tag Force Abroad That Can not Deal Real Blow. WASHINGTON, April 27. While defi nite ascendancy over the German war machine has been established by the allied forces In France, both in person nel and equipment, and eventual victory Is in sight, many months of bitter fight ing are still ahead. This is the view of military experts attached to France's war commission, as gathered by officers of the American General Staff today, during Informal conversations at the War Department. The French officers discussed the situ ation most frankly. Much of what was said was strictly confidential and in formation as to the immediate military situation of the most importance was f -ly given under that seal. Loon 10 Per Cent Monthly. In addition the American experts ob tained many facts and figures applying directly to problems to be considered by the United States in raising Its war army, and which are not regarded as military secrets. Statements of the French fully con firmed conclusions reached by the Gen eral Ctaff after its long study of losses In all armies actually engaged In Eu rope, in an effort to learn the provision they must make for maintaining- the fighting strength of an army at the front. . The terrible toll in dead, maimed and prisoners, computed on figures includ ing Russia's enormous losses in ap tured, amounts to 10 per cent a month of troops at the front. - Half of these are permanently out of action, and were It not for the constant stream of re cruits going forward every day, an army of a. million men soon would fade away. Science Restore Half. Of the wounded or ill, great numbers return to their regiments. With a medical corps service working at high est possible efficiency, half of the entire loss of any army is recovered to active duty, but the process takes more than three months.. This condition is one of the impelling reasons why the general staff stood firmly for the selective draft form (Concluded on Page 0, Colubn 2.) UNCLE SAM IF RUSSIA Better Rate Expected for All Grades and Kinds, So Workers Are Making- Ready. ASTORIA, Or, April 27. (Special.) The announcement that high prices will be paid this season for salmon has resulted in causing great activity along the waterfront, where the fisher men are overhauling their nets and get ting ready for the Spring season, which will open at noon on May 1. Usually the bulk of the fishermen do not begin operations at the opening of the season, but this year they will be out early and the indications are that before the end of next week not less than 1500 boats, manned by 3000 fish ermen, will be operating in the lower river district either with gillnets or trolling. Not only is an unprecedented price to be paid for Chinook salmon, but the rates for other classes of fish will be higher than last year. Steelheads, blue- backs and sturgeon, which were 5 cents last year, will command 8 cents a pound this season, while shad are to be advanced from 2 cents to 3 cents a pound. PRICE OF BREAD TO RISE Los Angeles and San Francisco Ba kers Announce Increase. LOS ANGELES, Cal, April 27. Bread prices will be raised Monday, Los Angeles bakers announced today. The 24-ounce loaf, which sells for 10 cents, will be IS cents. The 12-ounce loaf, which slls for S and 6 cents, will be sold generally at 8 cents. . SAN FRANCISCO. April 27. The Master Bakers' Association here an nounced today that, beginning next Monday, bread prices would be ad vanced In San Francisco and the bay cities from 5 to 10 cents to 8 and 12 cents per loaf. This action was taken because of daily advances in the price of flour. EARTHQUAKE KILLS MANY Two Italian Provinces Suffer From Disturbance. ; LONDON, April 27. Mar persons are reported to have been killed by an earthquake in Tuscany and Umbria Thursday, according to a Rome dispatch to the Exchange Telegraph Company. The province of Umbria Is directly north of the province of Abruzzo Ultrali, where 24,203 persons were killed by an earmquake January 13, 1915. U-BOAT SPARES 1 VESSEL Warning Shot Smashes Lifeboats and Germans Release Bark. COPENHAGEN, via London, April 27. The Norwegian bark Thekla owes her escape from sinking in the war zone to the fact that the "warning shot" from a German submarine smashed both of the bark's lifeboats. This led the submarine commander, who was unable to taxe the crew on board, to spare the vessel. FALTERS WITH THAT BURDEN, Estimate Is Declared $1,6 14,588 Too Low. $3,391,588 EXPERTS' FIGURE Whole Project Considered Based on Fallacies. THREE ENGINEERS CONCUR Summing: Up Is That Service Would Be Subject . to Frequent Breaks, While Cost Would Be Greater Than Is Charged City Now. In his proposal for a municipal elec tric lighting plant. City Commissioner Daly underestimated the cost $1,614,588 and recommended types of construction and methods not only unsafe and lm practical, but of a nature that would entail rates for lighting- streets far In excess of the present cost, with danger of the plant being unable to operate in the Summer time for lack of water power. Such Is the substance of a report filed yesterday with the City Council by J. L. Stannard, a hydro-electrlo engineer, who was appointed by the City Council a month ago when an ordinance to sub mit to the voters the question of issu ing bonds for the establishment of the plant was submitted by Mr. Daly. Mr. Stannard Daly's) Choice. Mr. Stannard. who is an engineer of National reputation, made his investi gations and report in conjunction with George C Mason, engineer engaged by the Portland Realty Board te investi gate the Daly plans, and H. L. Bowlby, an engineer representing an afternoon newspaper supporting Commissioner Daly's campaign for Mayor at the June 4 election. Mr. Stannard was recom mended to the Council by Mr. Daly as a man fitted to make the investigation and was appointed accordingly. The other engineers concur in Mr. Stannard' report in all the essentials. The request of Mr. Daly that his bond Issue be placed on the ballot was laid on the table by 'the-Council recently. The Council will meet ' either Monday or Tuesday to consider the proposition and dispose of it. "The possibilities of the project are not great enough to warrant its de velopment." says Mr. Stannard In his conclusions. "The cost of arc lighting would greatly exceed that now charged." Mr. Daly proposed an issue of Sl. 777,000 in 20-year 4 per cent bonds to finance his project. This, be estimated, wuulu install the electric plant on Bull Run River and would produce power to light the streets at half the present cost, leaving power enough for sale to net the city an annual profit of about (Concluded on Page 8. Column 1.) I'VE GOT TO TAKE IT UP. Mrs. Emallne Hoffman Accused of Disappearing With $4500 Before Husband Was Buried. OREGON CITT, Or, April 27. (Spe cial.) A mysterious sack of gold plays he stellar role among the charges made by the heirs of the estate of George T. Hoffman against Mrs. Emallne Hoffman, the administrator, in a petition for a new accounting filed today In the Pro bate Court. - a. picture of Mrs. Hoffman carrying the treasure sack'upstalrs to some un known hiding place while her husband lay dead below Is painted- in one of the sections of the petition. According to the docume- the con testing heirs have reason to believe that the sack contained $4500 in money. The new move on the part of the heirr reopens a case which wa at the point of settlement, after four years of u li gation. Mr. Hoffman died in August, 1913. The persons making the fight against the administrator's accounting are Ida E. Ogdeu. F. Hoffman. Curtis Hoff man and Cora Oens. ' Altogether they ask for $1279 more than the actuating says is due them. Of this sum $574 is claimed as rent, due from Mrs. Hoffman at tie rate of $25 a month for the use of t' o farm. 18 ADMIT VOTING FRAUDS Several City Officials of Evansille, Ind., Plead Guilty. INDIANAPOLIS. April 27. Eighteen of the 20 Evansville Democrats who pleaded not guilty to charges of con spiracy to violate the election . laws when arraigned some time ago, changed their pleas to guilty today In the United States District Court. Among those who admitted their guilt are several Evansville city officials, including Edward B. Os-lage, City Controller: Edgar A. Schmidt. Chief of Police, and Miles Saunders, City Surveyor. 23 GENERALS REPLACED Russian Army Undergoing Big Changes in Southwestern Front. PETROG RAD. via London, April 27. As a result of the visit of War Min ister Guchkoff to the southwestern front, 23 Generals, including some Gen erals of Divisions, have been replaced. On all fronts, 114 officers holding head quarters commands have been removed. Workmen in munitions factories, who were sent to the front under orders is sued' under the Romanoff regime for participation in strikes, are being re called. MILK RISES AT SPOKANE Advance to 12 Cents a Quart Is the Second Within Week. SPOKANE. April 27. For the sec ond time within a week the price of milk was raised in Spokane. Distributors quoted milk today at 13 cents a quart, a rise of two cents since last week. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature. 65 degrees: minimum. 46 decree TODAY'S Probably lair; norlhweiterlj wind. - War. Congress not to permit Koosevelt to raise Army division. Page 1. Army draft la likely to begin In tew day. Page 4. Visiting French mission !s asked for specific understanding. Page 2. Long, bitter fighting la ahead. French ex perts tell -Washington. Page 1. Irish question is principal one, aaya Lloyd George. Page 2. French Admiral advises digging German navy out. Page 1. President approves requests of Italy and France for loans. Page S. British win desperate air battle over Unea at twilight. Page 6. Domes tie. More than J 00 entombed lo burning mine. Page i- Faclflo Northwest. Oregon City woman aued by heirs for hidden sack of gold. Page 1. Salmon fishers prepare for big aeasoa at Astoria. Page 1. Four thousand attend flag-raising at Dallas. Page 6. Governor Withycombe reviews Ontario ca dets. Page 6. Governor advised how to proceed to make Curry officera call election. Page 15. General C. F. Beebe presents motorevciea to state for Portland committee. Page 15. Kesidents of Southern Oregon keenly inter ested In food problem. Page 7. Sports. Pacific roast League resulta: Portland 5, San Francisco 7: Oakland 4. Vernon 3; Salt Lake 6, Los Angeles 2. Page 14. Howard Berry wins pentathlon at Philadel phia. Page 15. Bowling honors won by Spokane. Page 14. Fishing outlook is good. Page 14. Mike Gibbons may show here. Page 14. Commercial and Marine. Local wheat follows advance In Eastern cash market. Page 19. May shorts In squeexe run up wheat at Chi cago. Page 19. Norwegian makes millions by sale of boats. Page 10. Portland and Vicinity. Northwest Industries predict disaster tf rati rates are advanced. Page 1. Expert engineers find Daly light plant proj ect entirely Impractical. Page 1. Portland Railway, Light ft Power Company grants 10 per cent advance to trainman. Page 18. Milk prices rlae 50 cents on May 1. Page 2. Statewide road rally today. Page 15. Chamber Indorses bond Issue for grain ele vators. Page 7. Fred Hauler pleads guilty In Federal liquor case. Page 7. Realty men hear dlscuaalon of ballot meas ures. Page 4. Food preparedness campaign starts well. Page 9. Political spar enlivens session of Council. Page 1L Seed aupply believed adequate. Page 8. Weather report, data and forecast. Pas 19. Northwest Industries Oppose Increase. LUMBER WOULD SUFFER MOST Service Commissions Warned Some Mills Would Close. FRUIT ALSO IN DANGER General Opinion of Shippers - Is .15 Per Ont Advance Cannot Be Absorbed and Millions . Would Bo Lost. T Every Important Industry of the Northwest will be seriously impaired if the 15 per cent increase in freight rates proposed by the railroads is permitted to go into .effect. . This composite opinion of representa tive shippers was embodied in a reso lution Informally adopted at the con clusion of an all day hearing;, on the subject conducted in Portland yester day by the Public Service Commissions of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. While the fruit ' growers, grain men and various other Interests' declared the proposed increase will work irre parable damage, it appeared that the lumber Industry is- due to suffer mora than any of the others. Lumber to Suffer Most. The case of the lumber . people was graphically presented by A. C. Dixon, manager of the Booth-Kelly Lumber Company, of Eugene, and inasir ucb as lumbering represents approximately 69 per cent of the industrial 'activity of the Northwest, his utterances were re ceived with close attention not only by the Commissioners, but by the railroad men and other shippers. As the authorized spokesman for the West Coast Lumber Association, em bracing plants in the three states, Mr. Dixon declared emphatically that the Industry will be virtually demoralized If the jxevr rates are Imposed. Increase to Cost l,SO0,OO0. "The Increase will cost the lumber men of Oregon, Washington and Idaho from Jl, 500, 000 to 12,000,000 right from the start," he said, "on business, al ready contracted for on the basis, of the present rates. . Some of this busi ness has been on the books for many months and unable to move, because the railroads have failed to furnish enough cars. "We cannot charge the Increase on this business to our customers because the contracts in most cases are closed. We'll Just have to absorb the loss our selves, and some plants will be usable to do it." $2.14 to Be Added at Thousand. Mr. Dixon asserted that the greatest damage to the lumber industry will arise from the disadvantageous posi tion in which the proposed schedule will place the plants of the Northwest. On the basis of present rates, ho said, the proposed 15 per cent advance will add $2.14 a 1000 feet totthe cost of lumber shipped from mills In this ter ritory to Chicago and the Mississippi Valley territory the biggest domestic market for Douglas fir and other local products. ' The same ratio will add only $1.01 to the cost of Southern pine shipped Into the same market a difference of $1.13 against the Northwestern mills, and one too great for them to absorb. Fir Would Lose, Market. Douglas fir and Southern pine now enter the Chicago and Middle Western market? on a practical parity of prices. A differential of $1.13 absolutely will make It Impossible for the fir manu facturers to compete with the Southern mills. They will be forced out of the market, asserted Mr. Dixon. He continued with a presentation of some Important facts showing ' how Douglas fir even now 4s laboring at a decided disadvantage compared to Southern pine.. Kir Stumpuge Not Ad ranee d. Fir lumber, bought on the stump six and eight years ago for 50 cents a thou sand, now is selling at $5 and $6, while fir stumpage, bought at the same time for $1 to $3 a thousand, has not In creased In value at all. Mr. Dixon im plied that the comparatlvelj poor show ing of the fir industry is due to the comparatively unfavorable rates. Commissioner Graham, of Idaho, asked whether an increase of rates might not be counteracted by the in creased efficiency that the rate advance would bring aRout. Mr. Dixon didn't think a 15 per cent increase could be absorbed under any circumstances. . '. Rate Strenueualy Opposed. He also opposed the suggestion of Commissioner Miller, of. Oregon, that the 15 per cent advance be permitted . to go in. as proposed by the Interstate Commerce Commission, with the under standing that injustices be handled, each In Its own merits, as they be come apparent. . At the conclusion of his discussion Mr. Dixon presented, verbally, the fol lowing resolution, which, after some discussion, was adopted: Resolved. That the state commission represented here appoint on member from each commission to form a committee and in other ways to make an appearance be fore the Interstate Commerce Commission to protoct the ablppera of the Korthvrabt from any unjustified advance In tranaporta- (Cfeficluoad on Pasa a. Column . . r-, . -' !.- . 1 ; IT- k - -