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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1917)
4. TllK MOEXIXG OKEGOXIAW. TUESDAY AUGUST 21, 1917. FRENCH MOVE TO CHARGE SINGING Crown Prince's Choice Divi sions Caught in Net Spread : in Irresistible Dash. TERRIBLE GAS APPEARS Xcw Form of Shell That loosens Vapor That Produces Slow and Painful Death Makes lis Ini tial Appearance on Field. (By the Asociatd Press.) GRAND HEADQUARTERS OP THE FRENCH ARMIES IN FRANCE. Aug. 20. When prisoners came back in hundreds shortly after dawn this morning the observers knew that the harp blow decided on by the French higher command to grlve more breath ing space at Verdun had been suc cessful. After the artillery had pounded the German positions, stretching along a front of 14 miles from south of Beth lncourt to Bezonvaux, until they must have been like pulp, the infantry ad vanced as the first streak of dawn lighted the sky and occupied all the positions they had set out to conquer, at the same time sweeping into their net many prisoners of several divisions of the German Crown Prince's army. French Slog: " They Charge. The French soldiers showed once more that they were not yet bled white. "When the order was given for them to po over the top in the face of hundreds of batteries of heavy and light artil lery and thousands of machine guns they advanced, singing, and nothing could stay their dash. They were handled In such a way by their officers that they escaped through the most dangerous part of the ground they had to negotiate with almost negligible losses, reaching the Germans before the German barrage fire. The correspondent passed the night on the battle field in the vicinity of the thickest artillery fire" and can testify to its intensity. During two famous French victories, on October 24 and December 15, 1916, before Ver dun, the correspondent was present on both occasions, and this time reached the conclusion, from the fierceness of the fire, that the French employed at least an equal number of guns. Night as Light Day. The night preceding this battle was fairy-like in beauty. There was no moon, but the stars were brilliant and the natural effects enhanced by the constant succession of flashes from i bursting shells, while all along both the ' French and German positions flares almost incessantly arose, making the surrounding area brighter than day. The only disturbing sounds were the terrifying screeches and the whistling of smaller shells and the train-like roar of larger projectiles as they tore through the air. while the dull thuds of trench torpedoes reverberated along the ground. The French troops awaiting the order to advance were not in the slightest dismayed by the difficulties of the task confronting them. They knew that this was unsuitable terrain for attacking forces, but the fullest confidence reigned among them., Enemy Massed on Front. Facing them were German divisions which had been massed for resistance to any effort the French might make to extend their circle of territory around Verdun, which the Germans call the door to the heart of France. The confidence of the French proved Justi fied, for they not only pushed the Ger man Intruders back as far as they In tended, but took many prisoners from chosen German regiments. All through the night the German artillery had poured thousands of shells of every caliber Into the roads and communicating trenches leading to the front. They introduced a novelty In the shape of 15-inch shells contain ing enormous shrapnel bullets, which burst overhead, scattering pieces far and wide. But the disposition of the French troops was so cleverly con trived that they suffered little. Verdun Heavily Shelled. Verdun itself received hundreds of shells which simply added to the de struction in the city. All the ground within eight miles of the front lines was strewn repeatedly with shells con taining a horrible new German gas known as "mustard gas," affecting the mucous membrane and any part of th body which was exposed, causing terri ble blisters, as Its base was sulphuric acid-, and bringing a slow and painful death if it entered the lungs. The aviators were busy as soon as the light permitted and the correspond ent saw two German machines shot down by gunfire, while German airmen who make a specialty of attacking ob servation balloons twice attempted to destroy the balloons, but were driven off on each occasion. Information comes from various parts of the line that the French have In several places gone further than was originally intended and that the pris oners taken number Into the thousands. found to be -veritable nests of machine guns. One field gun which a German artilleryman was abOit to blow up was taken near Les Lilas. the gunner being shot Just as he was placing the explosive. The examination of German prisoners taken by the British continues and out of 940 questioned only 25 per cent were found to belong to the 1910 class. Non commissioned German officers relate how they are hampered by the demoral ization of the younger recruits with whom they are supplied. They say they cannot rely on these youngsters, and similar complaints are heard about the inefficiency of the young German of ficers in the battle of Flanders. The demoralization of certain Ger man regimes at Langemarck and Polygon wo.. . last Thursday was com plete, and this was due, according to captured non-commissioned officers, to he preponderance of lS-year-old youths in the ranks. The 201st and 202d Regiments of the 79th Division fled to the rear at Lange marck and many were killed by the British artillery as they ran. Both these regiments were ordered to counter attack later, but could not be cause they were so exhausted and nerve racked. GERMANS WITHDRAW CANNON Prisoners Bitter That Gnns Are Held More Important Than Men. (By Canadian Press. Limited.) CANADIAN HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE. Aug. 20. Northwest of Lens, amidst the trenches and railway cut tings which form the last line of Ger man defense in that quarter, the Cana dians have established strong posts in a special trench which was the scene of desperate and indecisive fighting two days ago. These new posts give command of the last bit of ground from which de fenders of the city could overlook the advance from the west. They are now in a hollow all around the front which swings about Lens in a semi-circular form. The eastern exits from the city are now subjected to a constant and har assing fire of the artillery and machine guns. This makes difficult the bring ing up of provisions and ammunition. At 2 o'clock this morning a trench raid on the enemy's front northwest of Avion resulted in heavy fighting, in which a considerable number of the enemy were killed in hand-to-hand fighting. The Avion front was strongly held by the Germans as protection to Salau mines, a large mining village southeast of Lens, where many guns withdrawn from the German forward lines to es cape capture are located. German prisoners speak with bitter ness of seeing their guns in process of withdrawal while the infantry was sent forward. The loss of guns still appears to be more important to Ger man commanders than the loss of men. The enemy has been active in the air recently and has been bombing the back areas freely. OBJECTIVES QUICKLY GAINED Prisoners Arrive at French Rear Soon After Battle Starts. PARIS, Aug. 20. The Temps says that in one hour and 20 minutes after the French infantry advanced to the attack at Verdun, this morning, the first objective had been attained and German prisoners were going to the rear. A dispatch from Bar-le-Duo to the Temps says: "The last phase of the artillery preparation for the attack in the Ver dun region ended at 4:40 o'clock this morning. By 6 o'clock our first ob jective had been attained and German prisoners were going to the rear. "No adjectives can give an idea of the infernal action of the artillery, which lasted three days. Hill 304, Dead Man Hill and Talou Ridge were plowed up completely. The enemy was obliged to abandon his first line, but our attacking columns, with undimin ished spirit, passed from trench to trench, reducing all living combatants to submission. "Our aviators signalled our advance. It was tragic and overwhelming." 5000 GERMANS CAPTURED (Continued From Flint Pige.) MANY 1. W. W. INTERNED OREGON BOYS GUARD AGITATORS AT ELLEKSBCRG CAMP. Portland Motor Tourist Sees Miles of Haystacks From Hill in East ern Washington. Hundreds and hundreds of hay stacks, as far as the eye could reach, were what Robert C. Wright, Portland attorney, beheld when he climbed a hill near Ellensburg, Wash., while on a recent motor trip. Mr. Wright was still meditating on the value of that vast field of fodder when he left an Ellensburg hotel for an evening stroll. A man with rifle at ready halted him in the gloom, say ing: This way, please. The visitor made the detour without protest, ob serving that a certain square was roped-in and guarded. "What's that building you're guard ing?" he asked a soldier, who proved to be one of the Oregon boys. "That's 'Wobbley Hall.' " was the response. "They call the L. W. W, 'wobblers hereabouts. Eighty-five of em are prisoners in that building." Mr. Wright was told that members of the I. W. W. were arrested and im prisoned as fast as found. At North Yakima, where Mr. Wright next stopped, an even greater number of the agitators were under guard and companies of Oregon troops were on guard and patrol duty. . W. W. STRIKE IS NOT EVEN STARTED Nobody in Oregon Pays Any Attention to Call for Gen eral Tie-Up of Industry. AGITATORS FEEL HURT turned a heavy fire on the fortifica' tions and the Germans were killed or else they surrendered. The enemy casualties were heavy. Great num bers of Germans were seen fleeing, terror-stricken, as the tanks appeared in the distance and a great number threw down their arms and surrend ered without offering resistance. Tanks Clear Territory. The tanks cleared the whole terri tory desired and then trundled back home. They suffered no damage and the casualties for the operation totalled 15. Thi3 has been the most striking incident of the latest fight ing along this line. There have been Intense artillery bombardments and the air services of both sides have been unusually active. Last night the air was full of British and German planes, which bombed their way into each other's territory amidst picturesque but awesome flashes from breaking shrapnel and long white rays from searchlights. The French engineers have encoun tered considerable difficulties amid the marches into which their troops have advanced on their lefl, but the work Is proceeding with marvelous rapidity. Up to date the French have captured about 25 German guns since this of fensive began on July 31 and the ma chine guns taken are innumerable. Some of the captured redoubts were SHOT HITS PERISCOPE British Steamer Encounters TJ-Boats Both Ways on Trip. AT AN ATLANTIC PORT, Aug. 20. A. hit on & German submarine on the outward voyage and the successful thwarting of an attack by another Ger man submarine on the trip back to this country, were reported by officers of a British steamer which arrived to night. The first submarine was sighted about 300 miles off the coast of France. Naval gunners aboard the steamer im mediately opened Are. The third shot hit the submarine s periscope and the under-water craft disappeared. On the return voyage the steamer encountered the second submarine, but did not believe they scored a hit, as the enemy submerged too quickly. Leaders Are Keenly Disappointed That Workers Should So Thor oughly Ignore Them and Go Right on at Jobs. The so-called "general strike" of I. W. W. members yesterday resulted just as expected. It was a complete failure. So far as the civil and military au thorities could learn not a single man obeyed the strike order. Of course a large number of defections were re ported by employers everywhere, but the number yesterday was no greater than has been usual on any day for the last few months since the ab normal demand for labor has prevailed. Local officials of the I. W. W. were themselves unable yesterday to learn of any appreciable obedience to the strike order. In fact they predicted Sunday night that the strike would not be successful in Oregon. Washington Disappoints I. W. W. However, they had looked for more encouraging results from the Washing ton side of the river. Their reports, received during the day, from Everett, Seattle, Spokane and other centers of I. W. W. activity indicated that the re sponse to the order in those localities was not general. It must have been disappointing to the leaders of the or ganization, who .had been making great boasts of their Intention to "tie up" every construction activity of the Northwest. Meanwhile, however, the local au thorities were not to be caught unpre pared for possible disorders. Mayor Baker had arranged with Chief John son, of the Police Bureau, to hold a squad of officers in ready reserve for emergency calls. But the oflcers were not needed. The lumber mills. shiDvards and va rious other Industrial plants renorted their usual forces of workmen yester day. All plants are in need of men and there has been a constant shifting of men from one plant to another and irom one industry to another for many weeks. But the movement yesterday was no different than usual. Reports From Farms Few. Reports from the harvest fields of the Willamette Valley and the great grain belt of Eastern Oregon were slow in coming in yesterday, but this was taken as a hopeful sign. Local author- ties believe that had there been anv disturbances they would have heard about it. The prompt action of the militarv authorities in causing the arrest of 27 ringleaders of the I. W. W. at Spokane on Sunday night was the final blow, if any was needed, to break the backbone of the threatened strike, officials here Deneve. Ihe Spokane prisoners are held under military law and will be treated as such. Few I. W. W. agita tors have the temerity these davs to buck up against the Federal law. But those publio officials civil as well as military who know anything at all about the I. W. W. movement realize that their failure to make the strike yesterday a success is not going to Dreatc up the organization. Disgruntled Join Cause. The I. W. W. have cunningly appealed to almost every dissatisfied element of society pacifists, slackers, pro-Ger mans, anti-Americans and other oppo nents of the present war, and at the same time have sought to attract mem bers from the more conservative classes of working men and women. The lumber workers and shingle weavers of Western Washington, who have been on strike for the last few months for the eight-hour day, some what resent the insinuations of the I. W. W. leaders that the eight-hour movement is led by the I. W. W. They declare that the I. W. W. have appropriated the thunder of the real mill workers and that the confusion, in the minds of the public of the L W. W. and the eight-hour cause really has served to discredit the men who actual ly do the work in the mills and who are the only ones directly concerned In the outcome of the issue. GOVERNOR GETS NO REPORTS State Ready for Trouble, hut None Is Expected by Officials. SALEM. Or., Aug. 20. (Special.) No reports were received at the Governor's office of any trouble in Oregon grow ing out of the L W. W. strike, which was scheduled to start today. Miss Esther Carson, private secre tary to the Governor, will immediately advise Governor Withcombe, who is in the south for a conference with Governor Stevens, of California, and highway of ficials, and Adjutant-General White if any difficulties are reported, and it is understood that the Adjutant-General has instructions to act in any emer gency that may arise. But little fear of any trouble in Ore gon is expressed at the executive of fices. It is known, however, that if any trouble of a serious nature arises in Oregon steps have been planned in ad vance to meet and cope with It. HOG PRICE REACHES $19.75 Figure Rises Daily tor Almost Calcn dar Month. CHICAGO, Aug. 20. Hog prices, which have risen every day since July 21, reached a new high record today when they soared to $19.75 per 100 pounds. In August. 1914. hogs sold for 18.90 The top price during August, 1915, was $7.85: during August, 1916, it was S11.50. On August i. 1917, the price was S16.30. agitator, has been arrested under the espionage act. Bond has been placed at J6000, which he has been unable to furnish. ALU IDAHO REPORTED QUIET Governor Alexander Gets Messages Saying "Xo Disturbances." BOISE. Idaho. Aug. 20. "No disturb ances" was the tenr of reports re ceived tonight by Governor Moses Alex ander from every section of Idaho on the Indrstrial Workers of the World situation. Joseph Hansen, the Governor's -"war secretary," who has temporary head quarters at Lewiston, Idaho, tele graphed that everything was quiet there. T. A. Walters, Attorney-General, tel egraphed from Wallace, Idaho, that no trouble had been experienced with the Industrial Workers of the World in the entire northern section of the state. GOVERNMENT SEIZES I. W. W. Moscow Organizer Arraigned for Smuggling Way Into Country. MOSCOW. Idaho, Aug. 20. (Special.) C. S. Marhow, in Jail here as an I. W. W. for the past month, was taken into custody today as a United States pris oner on a warrant charging him with being in the country as an alien in violation of the immigration laws. He was arraigned before W. J. Mc Connel, Immigration Inspector, but the hearing was continued to enable him to get a lawyer. He admitted in a previous hearing of being an I. W. W. organizer, that he was a native of Bulgaria and that he smuggled his way into the country. STRIKE AT ASTORIA FIZZLES I. W. XV. Headquarters Knows Noth ing of Order for Walkout. ASTORIA, Or., Aug. 20. (Special.) The state-wide industrial strike that was reported to have been scheduled for today was a failure so far as Clat sop County and the lower river district were concerned, and no trouble oc curred. The local headquarters of the I. W. W. reported that it had received no strike orders and knew nothing of a contemplated strike further than state ments that had been published in the papers. NONE QUIT NEAR SEATTLE Vote on Strike Will Be Taken on Sep tember 10, Says Official. SEATTLE, Aug. 20. L W. W. con struction workers of the Seattle dis trict will take a referendum vote on a strike September 10, according to Frank Baker, secretary of the district. "We have no desire to see the work at American Lake delayed or held up," he said. No members of the organization in the Seattle district, which includes all of Washington west of the Cascade Mountains, went on strike today. ids!- -U plr ''3 : f' DOUBLE S.G?H. STAMPS ALL THIS WEEK FIRST THREE FLOORS Five years ago we moved to this, our new location 'Twas a trying period took confidence, credit and cash and work, work, work. A success? SURE. Faithful service has never gone unrewarded. The people of Port land today look to us in ever-growing numbers for the correct skillful execution of those responsible duties which fall to our vocation. Our Business Grows We're Proud of It. A Different Drug Store. One with the shortest hours, longest and largest payroll on this Coast. Dentox IMPERIAL' LEMON SI" GAR Fruit Acid, Cane Sugar. Delicious, Healthful. Pound Package 35c - Makes 64 Glasses of Lemonade. Try It. The antiseptic, as tringent, aromatic Tooth and Mouth Wash. A delightful hygienic prepara tion. Pint bottle, 50c til li Item III III! I A1TKIT Hikers Carry a Pedo meter measures your steps tells you how many miles you've walked. Works and looks like a watch. S1.25 Columbia Ignitor Cells 45c Fresh, Strong, Reliable. We test each cell before it leaves our store and warrant its efficiency. .No:6. ICQLUMBIAJ riGNITOR CRY CEI WtRALiarrrK WOODARW t LAKK o CO This Big 24 Inch Spirit Thermometer should be in or on every home. Worth a dollar. Our price, because it carries our ad, is 50 Special "Ringolite" Electric Lamps Nitrogen filled Extra brilliant 29 6 Always "S. & H." Stamps First Three Floors. 13 OFFICERS AT GAMP LIEl'TESANTS TO ATTEND BAKERY SCHOOL FOR. TRAINING. Men Will Have Charge of Installing Kitchen and Mess Equipment for Nevr Regiment. TACOMA, Aug. 20. (Special.) The first of the 1400 officers assigned from the Officers' Reserve Corps and from the National Army for the training of the 46,000 men to be gathered at Camp Lewis, American Lake, next month re ported for duty today to Major David L. Stone and his Adjutant-Captain, P. J. Rosenberg. The 13 Lieutenants who reported are the vanguard of the great tody which is to be at the camp Au gust 29. The officers have been or dered to attend the bakery school now open at Murray and prepare them selves for supervising the installation of kitchen and mess equipment of each regiment of the new troops. Also among the arrivals at camp was Captain James H. Como, Quartermas ters' Corps, U. S. A., who came from Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, to assume the duties of camp quartermas ter. Two officers of the Three Hun dred and Sixteenth Engineers, both from Los Angeles, have also reported. They are Captain R. EL Robson and Captain Edward Z. Collins. I. W. W. STRIKE FAILURE (Continued From First Page.) the World from Southern California to Join the armies in the Northwest that not enough- men remain In Los Ange le to launch any movement against the "capitalists." This is the consen sus of opinion of the few members who met today. "Southern California is not immune from an attack by our great army," said one speaker. "Our army is mobile and some day it may visit Southern California to correct some of the ex isting conditions which are far from being satisfactory to us. Much de pends on how the visit of the army to the Isorthwest ends. V. W. BliTJFF IS CALLED Federal Troops on Duty at Lewiston Are Ready for Trouble. LEWISTON, Idaho, Aug. 20. (Spe clal. ) "The threatened strike of the L W. W. is a colossal bluff, which has been called by the Federal, state and county officials," said Sheriff George w. v elkers today. Federal troops are stationed at Lew iston and have complete control of the situation. Captain Morse said his instructions are to use any force neces sary to uphold law and order. P. E. Stookey, special officer of the Department of Justice, has announced that Phil J. Pearl, a local barber and 30 CONVICTS "HOSED" RIOTOUS PRISONERS AT WALLA WALLA ARE SCBDl'ED. Warden Uses "Water Cure" After Mutinous Men Keep Bedlam. Throughout Night. WALLA WALLA, Wash.. Aug. 20. For the first time In several years the "water cure" was used on mutinous convicts at the State Penitentiary early today, after about 30 of them had kept the entire prison awaKe all night nam mering their cells with Iron buckets. Warden Drum would not use the hose only as a last resort, and then kept the prison physician nearby to prevent la.-talities. Tiger Johnson, of Spokane, Sears of Tacoma, and Casey, of Walla Walla, the ringleaders, withstood the punish ment for several minutes before giv ing In. The state prison has been undergoing reforms for several years, and there are no dark solitary cells any more. these having disappeared soon after the locksten was abandoned. The trouble arose several days ago when several were kept in their regu lar cells after being caught trying to escape. Bread and water failed to quiet them, and other men sympathized and aided in the disturbances. The situation was well under control to night. BRITISH ADMIRAL ARRIVES Great Xaval Battle Is Expected Be fore Germans Give Up. AN ATLANTIC PORT. Aug. 20. Rear Admiral Hugh T. Hibbert. of the Brit ish navy, arrived here today on a spe cial mission for the British Admiralty. As to the effectiveness of submarine warfare, he said that while the situa tion called for unrelaxed vigilance and was undoubtedly serious, he did not believe that It would ever be effectual. He believes that the Germans are holding back their navy as a last re sort and that they will not end the war without a great naval battle. FLAG PUT ON 1. W. W. HALL Minnesota Soldiers Raise Banner, Aided by Industrial Workers. HIBBING, Minn.. Aug. 20. Members of a military company surrounded the I. W. W. headquarters here today and climbing to the roof raised the Amer ican flag amidst cheers of those who witnessed the spectacle. As the flag was raised the company stood at atten tion. The few I. W. W. men in tne hall furnished ladders for the soldiers to climb to the roof. There had been no American nag on the hall for months. WEKERLE NEW PREMIER Successor to Esterhazy Formerly Hungary's Minister of Finance. AMSTERDAM. Aug. 20. The Wolf bureau, the semi-official news agency. in a . dispatch from Budapest, an- ounces that Dr. Alexander Wekerle has been appointed Premier of Hun gary, in succession to Count Ester hazy. Dr. Wekerle was Premier and Min ister of Finance in Hungary from April. 1906, to January, 1910. eating utensils $7.73. The soldier's gas mask costs $12; his steel helmet $3 and his rifle $19.50. The first 600.000 to 800,000 of Amer- lca's fighting men will be equipped with the present Springfield Army rifle, those to follow will carry the En field, used by English troops. TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY OUTFIT COSTS U. S. $156.30 Clothing for Each Soldier Repre sents Outlay of $101.21. Mn I WASHINGTON. Aug. 20. It costs the United States Just $156.30 to equip an infantryman for service in France. Figures made public last night show that of this total clothing represents $101.21: fightlner equipment $47.36. and I Habits of Thrift once formed in sure greater suc cess in life or business. Saving can't be gin too soon. Start with us to day. T.UMBERMENS NATIONAL.BANK Capital and Surplus $i,zuu,uuu THE "VARMINT" : r ; Owen Johnson's immensely popular story of college life, which appeared in THE SATURDAY EVENING POST, featuring JACK PICKF0RD and LOUISE HUFF both of whom have won success in such splendid attractions as "Freckles," "Great Expectations" and "Seventeen" supported by THEODORE ROBERTS dean of American IT'S A PARAMOUNT character actors. PICTURE If you ever were a boy if you ' have one if you admire life, en thusiasm, excitement, humor don't fail to see "The Varrnint" today. hi Liberty Corner Broadway at Stark 4 " i