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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 1917)
VOL.. LiVII. NO. 17,703. PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, AUGUST IS, 1917. PRICE FIVE CENTS. PERFECT E FLAMING FORESTS MENACE AVERY, IDA. GE TOLD 0. S. HOT FIGHT PHOSPHORUS FIRED CROPS, I. W.W.PL0T IDAHO OFFICIAL WARNS SHER IFFS OF DANGER. PIRATE ACTS SHOT OFF VIEW OF PEACE TELEPHONE GIRLS' UNION ORGANIZED 0CH0G0 VALLEY TO PROTECTS BECOME PARADISE MILWAUKEE ROAD IX DANGER. THREE HUXDRED PORTLAND OPERATORS ARE MEMBERS. 5 00 I. W. W. FIGHT FIRE. BARRA6 RaRD BR TONS WOULD Infantry Finds Taking of Langemarck Easy. STEEL CURTAIN ADVANCES Counter-Barrage Weakens as German Guns Are Silenced. MUD HAMPERS MOVEMENT Violent Counter-Attacks Are Made by Teutons, Tut No Gains Are Accomplished Fighting Is Fierce in Concrete Tunnels. (By the Associated Press.) BRITISH FRONT IX FRANCE AND BELGIUM, Aug. 17. Another phase of the battle of Flanders has. ended, and today the entente allies are looking back on one of the great achievements of the war. Attack against the Ger mans east of Ypres. which resulted In such sanguinary fighting, has not, to be sure, accomplished the advance desired, but the great push to the north of here represents one of the remarkable accomplishments of the year. , The French today were consolidating the positions won yesterday and the British -were establishing themselves well beyond Langemarck, their for ward positions being about half a mile to the east of that place. Germans Make Counter Attacks. Fighting is still continuing at various points where the Germans are attempt ing to regain lost ground, tut the posi tions remain much the same as at the close of yesterday's heavy battle. In the Lens theater of operations the Canadians today added another strong section of the German defenses to the positions already wrested from the enemy. The Canadians attacked a. strongly fortified trench system just a little northwest of Lens, and after several hours' hand-to-hand fighting captured it. . - 'The assault was on a rronf of ap proximately 450 yards, and the Ger mans made a determined resistance because of the importance of the posi tions, which formed a part of the de fenses of the city itself. Tide of Battle Kbbs. The Canadians attacked with bombs and bayonets. For four or five hours the fighting surged back and forth, first one side and then the other gain ing a hold. The Germans finally aban doned the fight. & The enemy territory beyond Lange ' marck already is showing the e'fects of the British artillery firing. The guns have been moved forward rapidly and are giving excellent support to the infantry in the advanced positions. And beyond here the German defenses rti not so strong. The concrete re doubts which dotted the region to the west of Langemarck are fewer. In stead, one can glimpse the green, culti vated fields of invaded Belgium, a striking change of scene from the ground over which the British have Just fought. Snipers Are Accounted For. Most of the German snipers who were concealed in shell holes and re mained behind the British advance have been accounted for, and the re doubts which had held out have sur rendered. One redoubt which gave great trouble, 'that of Au Bon Gite, southwest-of Langemarck, surrendered after being surrounded for many hours by bombers who waited for the open ing of one of the steel trap doors to throw In high explosive bombs. The Germans saw the situation was hope less and mustered courage to open the trap door far enough to call out that they surrendered. While less success was achieved by the British on their right wing, the fierce battle here reflects fully as much 1 credit on the troops which went into ' the attack. No more bitter fighting has been recorded in recent days than occurred in a nearby wood into which London troops fought their way an? held on. - English Barrage Effective. Evidence continues to multiply from both the prisoners nd British officers of the wonderful efficacy of the Brit ish barrage fire yesterday morning on the north end of the British line where the advance was so successful. The correspondent visited the casual ty clearing station for the Langemarck region and talked with a British artil lery observation officer, who was wounded in the fighting near Lange marck. He said: "I have seen much modern artillery work, but, frankly, I never dreamed there could be such perfection achieved In a barrage fire as we accomplished Wednesday morning. I was stationed in an advanced post, where I could see the full effects of our fire on the Langemarck region. While I directed the firing of the guns in the rear, I was amazed to see what our gunners could not see. Cnrtain of Steel Moves. "At the Jumping-of f hour, which was 4:45 o'clock, the British batteries dropped a barrage in front of our in fantry for the advance. It was as though a solid curtain of steel had been dropped hefore our men. It moved: f or- (Concluded on Page . Column 2.) Grave Situation Exists in Valuable Timbered Sections In Both Idaho and Montana. BUTTE, Mont., Aug. 17. A message received today by E. D. Gardner, in charge of the local forestry office, states that a forest fire of large pro portions threatens the town of Avery, Idaho, a division point on the Milwau kee road. Fire fighters have been taken on a special train to Saltese to fight the fire from this side. One hundred fire-fighters have been hur ried from Spokane to Avery. The mes sage adds that it is believed the fire is of incendiary origin. , MISSOULA. Mont., Aug. 17. Five hundred striking Industrial Workers of the World, lumberjacks, who have been sent from Missoula to fight fires for the United States Forest Service, will stick to their jobs even though the general strike of the Industrial Workers is called next Monday, ac cording to a statement made today by Arthur W. Smith, secretary of the organization here. The fire situation is now more seri ous than at any other time this year. Throughout district No. 1 dangerous fires are spreading rapidly through dry forests and men enough to combat them successfully cannot be hired. Fires near Falcon, Idaho, along the Milwaukee Railroad in the St. Joe forest, are the most serious in the dis trict. Here and five miles east of Mis soula fires are threatening the power lines which supply the electrified dis trict of the Milwaukee. In the Selway forest, Northwestern Idaho, and the Flat Head forest. North western Montana, serious damage is being done., A fire in the Bitter Root forest south of Missoula, threatens to break into valuable white pine stand ing timber in Idaho. WOMEN PICKETS ARRESTED Washington Police Tell Suffragets Placards at White House -Must Go. WASHINGTON, Aug. 17. Formal no tice was served by the police today upon leaders of the Woman's party that so-called picketing of the White House would be tolerated no longer, and that in future bannef-bearers would be arrested as fast as they ap peared. Several hours were allowed for the warning- to take effect. Then six women posted at the executive mansion gates were carried pft, in a patrol cit.ti, n'uri to uxe oi a waicn- ing crowd. All the prisoners gave bond for appearance tomorrow to an swer charges of obstructing traffic. WIDOW'S SONS CALLED Two Sets of Brothers Are Examined by rendleton Board. PENDLETON. Or., Aug. 17. In two homes in Pendleton two members of the same family were called in the first draft. Lawrence G. Collins and Wilbur R. Collins, sons of a widowed mother, were both in the first call. The elder claimed exemption. The younger passed the physical test until his mother point ed out a defect. His rejection was the cause of his brother's acceptance. Charles A. Fanshir was called on the first 8G. Though married, he claimed no dependency exemption. He .is a farmer. His brother, Edwin Fanshier, .has been named in the second call. He is not married, but also is a farmer. SENATOR SCORES 1. W. W. Letters Stand for Imperial Wil helm's Warriors, Says Mr. Ashurst WASHINGTON, Aug. 17. Senator Ashurst, of Arizona, denounced the Industrial Workers of the World today in the Senate. "With the Industrial Workers of the World perjury is a fine art and mur der has been reduced to a science," the Arizona Senator Ceclared. "After murder has been committed and a man is brought into court, the organization, produces fine alibis. I have been asked the meaning of I. W. W. It s"nds for Imperial Wilhelm's War riors." AMERICANS. NEAR FRONT Surgeons and Nurses Aid in Care for- Allies' Wounded. (By the Associated Press. BRITISH FRONT IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM, Aug. 17. -In a clearing sta tion during yesterday's battle on the Belgian front, the Associated Press found four American surgeons In the operating rooms hard at work. They were assisted by businesslike Ameri can nurses. A large number of American sur geons are now working close up to the front in tais region and others are be ing brought up continually. They are reported to be doing yeoman work. FAIR BUILDING BURNS Fire From Tinker's Soldering Pot Causes $150,000 Loss. SPRINGFIELD. 111.. Aug. 17. Fire said to have been caused from the soldering furnace of a tinker who had been working on the roof, early to night, completely destroyed the Dome building at the State Fair grounds, valued at $150,000. Records of the Illinois National Guard kept In the office of Colonel Daniel Devore, chief mustering offi cer for Illinois, and other military properties, were saved by the soldiers. Election of Wilson on Peace Plank Quoted. GERMANS EXPECTED VICTORY Only Two Months Are Needed, Says Zimmermann. NATION FOR U-BOAT USE Belief Universal in Minds of People That Resumption of Submarine Warfare Would Mean Suc cess and Glorious Peace. . BY JAMES W. GERARD, American Ambassador to the German Impe rial Court, July S, 1913, to February 4, 19t7. Copright, 1917, by the Public Ledger Company. Not only had I cabled the informa tion collected b- Commander Gherardi as to the orders given to submarines long before the date of the President's speech, but on the night after I had received the German note announcing this resumption I was taking a walk after dinner about the snow-covered streets of Berlin. In the course of this walk I met a young German woman of my acquaintance who was on intimate terms with the Crown Princess. She was on her way on foot from the opera house, where she had been with the Crown Princess, to the underground station, for by this time, of course, taxis had become an unknown luxury in Berlin, and I Joined her. I told her of the ultimatum which I had received at 6 o'clock that evening from Zimmermann and that I was sure it meant the breaking of diplomatic re lations and our departure from Ger many. She expressed great surprise that submarine warfare was set to com mence on January 31, saying that weeks before they had been talking over the matter at the Crown Princess' and that she had heard then that orders had been given to commence on the 15th. At any -event, it is certain that the orders to . the. submarine commanders had been given long prior to the 31st and probably as early as the lath. Peace Offers "Were to Split Allies. I sincerely believe that the only ob ject of the Germans in making these peace offers was first to get the allies, if possible, into a conference, and there to detach some or one of them by the offer of separate terms; or, if this scheme failed, then it was believed that the general offer and talk about peace would create a sentiment so favorable to the Germans that without fear of action by the United States they might resume ruthless " submarine warfare against England. A week or two before January 31, Dr. Solf asked me whether I did not think It would be possible for the . United States to permit the resumption of (Concluded on Pa?e 3. Column 1.) UNCLE SAM'S ITUIT..' ';;4Cr. -T , you" i-gpfti y I f iy -fe WHERE'S TNs I ij'i I fSj ItWSSS 5 Y THAT1 ORDERED M 11 - Cakes of Combustible Chemical Said to Have Been Shipped to. Or ganization Members. BOISE, Idaho, Aug. 17. The Indus trial Workers of the World are pre paring to use phosphorus with which to burn grain fields and grain held in storage throughout Idaho, Oregon and Washington, according to Information sent to Sheriffs of Idaho tonight by -arvey Allred, director of the state farm markets bureau. Mr. Allred asserts the phosphorus has been shipped into Idaho in cake form, and distributed by the Industrial Work ers of the World to be placed in fields of ripening grain and about buildings wnere cereals are stored. Phosphorus is kept in water and becomes a com bustible after the moisture has evapo rated. Vigilante committees are being or ganized in nearly all of the principal towns throughout the Snake River Val ley to guard against the destruction of property by the Industrial Workers of the World. SPRUCE ORDERS RELEASED Government to Allow Filling of Con tracts for British and French. OR EGO XI AN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, Aug. 17. Senator McNary, after further telegraphic correspon dence with Oregon spruce men today, had another conference with the Air craft Production Board, and finally brought about the sending of a tele gram to E. T. Allen, at Portland, in structing him to confer with the Brit ish consular's office at Seattle and G. S. Long, of Tacoma, of the lumber com mittee, Council of National Defense. These three in conference were in structed to authorize Oregon mills as they deem proper to fill outstanding contracts with the British and French governments for airplane spruce. TORPEDOES MISS U. S. MEN Members of Sawmill Unit No. 3 Es cape Being U-Boat Victims. MATNARD, Mass., Aug. 17. A steamer carrying American sawmill Unit No. 3 to a British port recently was attacked in mid-ocean by two German submarines, according to a letter received last night from a mem ber of the. unit; - - , - Two torpedoes were fired at the ship, but both missed their mark by a few feet, the steamer escaping by her great speed, the writer said. ONE-EYED MAN PASSED Applicant Tries to Enlist, Is Re jected, Then Passed, Appeals. SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 17. After having been rejected for various forms of Army service, in which he tried to enlist, because he has but one eye, E. B. Devoe. assistant cashier in the County Treasurer's office, was passed as physically fit by the examining surgeon of an exemption board here today. Mr. Devoe appealed to the district exemption board. BEST GIRL, THE ONE WITH THE MARKET BASKET. 1 1 DRvv?r n I Fate of Belgian Prince Sailors Recalled. FOPE'S MOVE HELD PREMATURE British Minister, of Blockade Says Reply Will Be Sent. ALL ALLIES TO CONFER Regret Expressed Pontiff Did Not Condemn Atrocities, Especially Invasion of Belgium, Subma rine Warfare, and Armenia. LONDON, Aug. 17. The aHied gov ernments will discuss Jointly the peace proposals of Pope Benedict and a reply will be issued in due course. Lord Robert Cecil told the Associated Press tonight. Whther the reply will be a joint note, or, as suggested in some quarters, through the medium of the United States, or by some other manner, will be decided later. When the correspondent entered the office of the Minister of Blockade he was seated at a desk with a package of documents dealing with the fate of the crew of the steamer Belgian Prince, while another packet lying near told the story of the American steamer Campana, sunk August 6, and from which the Captain and several gunners were removed by the crew of the submarine, whether as captives or to suffer a fate similar to the crew of the Belgian Prince is not yet known. Pirate Days Recalled. "It is difficult to talk of a 'condi tion, " remarked Lord Robert, in re sponse to a question concerning the papal note, "while reading stories like these. I hope sincerely the brave Americans taken from the Campana have not suffered the fate which the pirates meted out to our men aboard the Belgian Prince. It takes us back to the. awful days when old-time pi rates by way of reprisal' made sailors walk the plank to certain death In the sea.". ... ' Turning to the note from 'the Vatican, Lord Robert, after "prefacing his mo tives with the statement that, inas much as the matter now Is a subject for discussion by the allied govern ments, he could express only his own personal views, said: Prematnre Attempts Useless. "Premature attempts at mediation are not usually successful, and I fear this is premature. "I think we all recognize that the Pope's motives are the best in the world and that; he desires peace ar dently, as. Indeed, we all do. But the time is not yet ripe "The allies cannot think of condona tion until the criminals are really re- ( Concluded on Page 5, Column 2.) THANK You MADAM Affiliation With American Feder ation of Labor Perfected Wage Adjustment May Be Asked. Telephone girls of Portland have or ganized a union affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. The movement has been quietly under way here for the last two or three weeks, and culminated last night when a mass meeting of their members was held at Selling-IIirsch Hall. The charter of the new union was received and about 300 girls were ad mitted into full membership of Local Union No. 44-A of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Many girls were unable to get away, but most of them are expected to join at the next meeting next Thursday. It is estimated that fully 600 girls are employed in the telephone service and that 75 or 80 per cent will affiliate with the new union, which takes in operators on private switchboards as well as those in the big exchanges of the Bell system. Among the speakers at last night's meeting were President Howard, of the Central Labor Council; Otto Hart wig, president of the State Federation of Labor, and Frank Schubert, presi dent of the Electrical Workers' Union. The only apparent immediate purpose of the union is to obtain solidarity with other labor unions, -but it is not im probable that wage adjustments will be proposed to the employers as soon as the organization gets well under way. FIRE TAKES ALL; MAN DIES Resident of Sampler Expires Sud denly in Baker Refuge. BAKER, Or., Aug. 17. (Special.) Shock caused by the fire that destroyed Sumpter and took all his possessions caused the death today of V. R. Meador, aged 76. Mr. Meador's home was in the path of the flames and he gathered all his possessions and was taking them to safety when he stopped to assist some women who were strug gling alone to save their all. While doing so the flames destroyed every thing he possessed. He came to the home of Mrs. L. V. Case, of this city. He died suddeply this morning. , He came to Baker County from Dead wood, S. D-, 20 years ago. MIMIC WAR KILLS S1X Score. .of i Canadians Also Injured by Explosion of Mine. LONDON, Aug. IS. Six Canadians were 'killed and 23 injured in the ac cidental explosion of a mine during a mimic war at the maneuvers camp at Hampshire Thursday, according to the Daily Mail. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 72 degrees; minimum, 02 degrees. TODAY'S Fair; moderate westerly winds. War. Two divisions Instead of one may make up first guardsmen's contingent. Page 2. General Korniloff predicts vast operations in Russia. Page 6. Perfect barrage protects English. Page 1. French deny shelling St. Quentin Cathedral. Page 2. Day before break with Germany Gerard la told United States will not fight. Page 1. Allies will confer on Pope's peace proposal. Page 1. Full control over Army operations given General Korniloff. Page 4. foreign. Sharp fighting marked passing of Chinese empire. Page 2. National. " Senate Imposes $40,000,000 or $."0,000,000 war tax on auto owners. Page 3. Secretary Daniels severs Navy League's con nection with the Navy. Page 4. ' Tried officers to command troops of North west. Page 4. John "W. Kern, ex-United States Senator, dies. Page 3. Domestic. No half-hearted measures to be taken against I. W. "W. Page 3. ' Sports. Pacific Coast League results: Portland 8, Oakland ."; San Francisco 2, Salt Lake 1; Los Angeles 12, Vernon 6. Page S. Miss Mary K. Browne, of Los Angeles, de feats Miss Bjurstedt in Boston play. Page 8. Postponed boxing card to be held at Van couver August 24. Page 8. Rudolph Wilhelm and J. R. Straight to play for state golf championship toda,y. Page 8. Pacific Northwest. Lumbermen list 5000 men for work on Gov ernment contracts. Page 6. Patriotic appeal will be made to keep har vest hands at work. Page 6. L W. "W. plot to burn crops with phosphorus. Page 1. Governor reiterates arguments for eight-hour day In lumber industry. Page 5. Town of Ruthton wiped out by fire; brands set other fires. Page. 5. Forest fires menace Avery,- Ida. Page 1. Fred D. Fisher, consular agent, returns from long absence in Orient. Page 5. Commercial and Marine. Northwestern wheat farmers more disposed to find market. Page IT. Corn drops sharply at Chicago on stoppage of cash. buying. Page 17. Shipyard strike seems to be off. Page 14. Rail shares depressed with coalers' losses greatest. Page 17. Portland and Vicinity. "Willamette Valley gateway hearing set by Interstate Commerce Commission. Page 13 Packers say they make no big profits. Page 13. Mr. Griffith will discuss wages with carmen early next week. Page 9. Factories told that they must bid in. Gov ernment work. Page 9. Bond issue of $900,000 for Ochoco irrigation project underwritten and contract let. Page 1. Society women aid move to cut down store deliveries. Page 6. Changes in Police Burtau being worked out gradually. Page 11. Telephone girls organize union. Page 1. Fuel oil shortage stirs County Board to ap peal to Washington. Page 7. situation is not abnormal. Page 9. Clark Cochran, accused by ex-wife of murder, is arrestee., rage j.-. Weathor report, data and forecast. Pace IT. Bond Issue of $900,000 Is Underwritten. TWOHY BROS. GET GONTRAGT Water to Be Supplied for 22, 000 Acres of Arid Land. CATTLE INDUSTRY HELPED Hnge Earth-Filled Dam, 100 0 Feet Across at Top and 125 Feet High, Will Impound Flood Waters for Summer Use. After seven months of careful in vestigation and arrangement of the financial and construction details, a syndicate headed by Stephens & Co., with offices in San Francisco, Los An geles, San Diego and Coronado, Cal., and by Clark, Kendall & Co., of Port land, has underwritten a $900,000 bond issue of the Ochoco Irrigation project, in Crook County, Oregon, and has let contracts for Immediate construction work. This work is to begin within the next 20 days, probably on September 5. To the Twohy Bros. Company, of Port land, has been awarded the contract for construction of the project dam and the first X5a miles of canal. lrineville Center of Project. Announcement of the underwriting of the $900,000 bond issue by the syndi cate, and of its plans for the imme diate development of the project, which is to be completed by May 1, 1919, was made yesterday by Ralph H. Schnee loch, of Clark, Kendall & Co. Until then it had been known by only a comparatively few persons that ne gotiations for the forming of the syndi cate and development of the project were under way. The conservative and safe course of completing all prelimi naries to actual construction before giving publicity was followed by the men interested. -. The Ochoco project centers about the town of- Prineville; in Cook County. With Its completion, 22,000 acres of rich land will be placed under irriga tion. The' territory affected is one of the great stock-feeding centers of the Pa cific Northwest. The bringing of wa ter to the 22,000 acres will benefit not only the district itself, but the whole cattle industry of the state. Dam Will Save Flood Waters. The plan of construction provides for an impounding reservoir with a capacity of 47,000 acre-feet. This res-; ervoir, which will impound the flood waters of Ochoco Creek, will be created by means of a huge hydraulic earth filled dam, which will require about 500,000 cubic yards of material. The site of the dam is-5 miles above the city of Prineville. The dam will be 200 feet long across the base and 1000 feet long across the top. It will be 600 feet up and down stream at the base, 20 feet up and down stream at the top, and 125 feet high. The reservoir will be approximately 3 miles long, one-half mile wide, and will cover between 1100 and 1200 acres of land. Land Is Dry in Summer. Of the 22,000 acres in the project, about one-third, is at present irrigated by the flood waters of Ochoco Creek. However, this water is available only in the early part of the season. With the running off of the flood waters, the land under present conditions can no longer be irrigated. Of the remaining two-thirds, about half is now being farmed under dry farming methods. All but 2000 acres of the other one-third belong to the Oregon & Western Colonization Com pany, a Hill Railway company. All this land under suitable weather conditions produces fine grain and hay crops, but the size and quality of the crops depend on the amount of rain fall. When water is put on the 22,000 acres, two crops of hay can be pro duced where the yield is now only one, and the grain crop each year wilt be assured. The contract for construction of the dam and the first 15 Vz miles of the drainage canal was let to the Twohy Brothers Company this week. The dis trict has accepted the syndicate's as signment of the contract to this re liable firm. Cost of Dam Abont $300,000. The cost of the dam Itself will be approximately $300,000. The whole ditch system will cost another $300,000, and the cost of the 1100 td 1200 acres to be covered by the reservoir will be slightly more than $100,000. Options have been obtained on the land re quired for this purpose. The balance of the $900,000 bond issue will be used to complete the con struction. The underwriting syndicate has been examining the project since last De cember, and arranging all the details of construction and development. R. W. Rea, of Portland, is the project engineer. The consulting engineer for the district, on details of the dam de sign and location, is J. M. Howells, of San Francisco, who is considered one of the greatest authorities In tais coun try on hydraulic-filled dams. The engineer for the underwriting syndicate is A. j. Wiley, of Bol3e. Ida. Mr. Wiley is a hydraulic consulting en- (Cor.c'.uiied on Paso 7, Column u 9 s