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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 1917)
Jjg tgmmn VOL. L.VII. XO. 17,814. PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 191?. PRICE FIVE CENTS. 'WORLD-WIDE I. W.W. WAR'S END MAY BE WITHIN TWO YEARS BRITISH BOMBARD CITY OF MANNHEIM MEXICAN RAIDERS KILL STAGE DRIVER HUNS CUT THROAT OF AMERICAN BOY PORTLAND HONORS RIVER-FRONT PLOT REPORTED IN CITY Police Guards Hastily Sent to Flour Mills. SDNS IN SERVICE TON" OF BOMBS DROPPED AXD BORDER TOWJf OF CANDELARIA MUTILATION OF LONE SENTRY SEVERAL FIRES STARTED. ATTACKED AND MAIL LOOTED OFFICIALLY TOLD. PLOT IS SDSPECTED Arms Found on Shilka O O: H.W.Patton, Back From Front, Optimist. CONSENSUS OF OPINION FIXED Great Things Expected by Time U. S. Is Ready. INFORMATION FIRST-HAND Editor of Hoquiam Washlngtonlan Enlarges on Details or Trip Taken by Congressmen Re cently to Get Knowledge. Th. Orearontan vrint. fc.rwtth firmi f several article, from the pen of Major ji. v. ration, editor or tne Hoquiam Wash- instfman, aescrlDlng- nis observation, on a recent trip to England and France. He was a member of a party sent to the battle- iront under congressional auspices. He had exceptional opportunities for investigation of facta and conditions. They will be found an exceedingly valuable contribution to cur rent wartime discussion. BY H. W. PATTOK. Lined up along- the rail of a most grotesquely camouflaged vessel, with Oevil-smelling life belts on, we steamed out of the harbor of an Atlantic port on October 15 last, bound for the stricken battlefields of France. A terse warning went forth that any per son caught striking- a match or smok ing: a cigrar on deck after dark would be put in irons. Injunctions also were given to keep our life belts handy at all times, and to sleep with one eye open. These Instructions had a somewhat disquieting- effect upon certain members of the party, and visions of death-dealing submarines arose before our eyes. As for myself, I had seen aboard this steamship some very large and for midable looking guns, manned by naval gunners, and I " felt that they were amply able to cope with any German U-boat which might poke its periscopic nose above the waves. The rest of the party hal provided themselves with highly recommended rubber suits guaranteed to keep them warm and dry in the water for months. These suits were provided with waters-proof pockrts, in which food, writing .material, etc. might be carried: all. at the small cost of 60 each.. I declined to invest, and put my . sole reliance upon the life preserver which I did not have occasion to use. While leaning over the rail watch ing the loading of our ship I saw a happening which gave me considerable concern. Guarding the gangplank was a short, stocklly built young soldier. A big man, who looked mightily like a German to me walked up behind the soldier and deliberately struck him in the neck. The soldier turned and punched the fellow with the butt of his gun, knocking him back some feet. Womea Lead Fellow Away. The fellow stormed a little and two friends dragged him away. No arrest. The young soldier then loaded his rifle, which was no sooner done than another man began to abuse him and started for him. The soldier presented his bayonet at the breast of the fel low, and a couple of women led him away, protesting. No arrest and no movement in the vast crowd assembled n the dock In favor of the soldier. I said to myself that the above In cidents presaged serious trouble and the situation could not be allowed to go unchecked. The day I got back to New York I read that the Gov ernment had declared the New York and New Jersey water fronts and dock entrances prohibited zones, had ordered all alien enemies out of the territory and had placed 5000 soldiers on guard to enforce its orders. Good work! It was through the courtesy and kindness of our distinguished Repre sentative in Congress, Albert Johnson, that I was enabled to accompany the unofficial party of ten Congressmen which visited England and the battle front in France. These Congressmen went abroad to 'Cro.lnded on Pag. 2. Column 2.) 3SO WORKERS EMPLOYED BY DOERXBECHER MANUFAC TURING COMPANY. . Activity in shipbuilding and spruce production has attracted to those employments labor from other Industries locally, with the result that some manufacturing concerns are handicapped by a shortage of help. Reporting more business of. fered than ever before, the Doernbecher Manufacturing Com pany, despite this shortage of labor, during the last year has Increased its force of operatives from 300 to 350 and is today dis bursing approximately 133.000 in wages every month. Last August this company sub stituted an eight-hour work day for the ten-hour schedule for merly observed and maintained the same scale of wages. Since then the scale of wages In some of the departments has 'been in creased. The management re ports that the shorter day plan for the same pay is working out In an eminently satisfactory manner. : : x Five Enemy Machines Brought to Earth Sunday and Only One English Raider Is lost. LONDON, Dec. 25. The city of Mann heim, in Germany on the Rhine, was bombarded by a British air squadron early Monday, says an official state ment covering the operations of Army aviators during Sunday and in Mon day's early hours. A ton of bombs was dropped and several fires were started. All but one" of the British ma chines returned. The text of the statement reads: "The enemy's machines were very active on Sunday. Five were brought down in air fighting, three falling in our lines. Two other machines were brought down in our lines by anti aircraft gunfire. One of these latter was a large twin-engined machine with three occupants, who were made pris oners. "Our night flying machines bombed several enemy airdromes with good effect." WOMAN DEFIES PERILS Schoolma'am Walks 30 Miles In Storm to Examination. TOLEDO. Or.. Dec 22. (Special.) Lincoln County, has many plucky schoolma'ams. Deserving of special mention, however, is Mrs. Archie Ste vene, of near Taft, this county. In order to be present at the teachers' examination held at Toledo last Wednesday she left her home on Mon day, the 17th Inst., In company of her husband, also a teacher, and walked to Newport, a distance of 30 miles, in 16 hours, arriving in time for the open ing hour of the examination. Part of the trip was made along the ocean beach, and around dangerous points, made doubly so by heavy, in coming tides. The remainder of the distance was over wind-swept head lands and sticky trails and swollen streams. During the whole time the wind blew at a velocity of at least SO miles an hour. NEWLANDS -FUNERAL SET Governor Boyle Expected to Appoint Democrat to Fill Vacancy. WASHINGTON, Dec. 23. The funeral of Senator Francis G. Newlands. who eHe'd suddenly last night, probably will be held here Thursday and burial will be in the Congressional Cemetery. A meeting of the Interstate Com merce Commission, of which the Sen ator was chairman, which was to have been held tomorrow to plan the forth coming Investigation of the railway situation, was today postponed. Senator Newlands' Senatorial term would have expired in 1921. but no regular election will be held In Nevada until the Fall of 1918. Governos Boyle has been in Washington several weeks, but left last, night for the West. He Is expected to appoint a Democrat to fill the vacancy until a successor has been selected. PERSHING RENEWS PLEDGE General In France In Message Home Sends Christmas Greetings. WASHINGTON, Dec. 25. Renewed pledges of devotion to the cause of democracy from all ranks of the Amer ican expeditionary forces In France were given in a Christmas message from General Pershing. The cablegram, made -public tonight by the War De partment, said: "Please extend to the President and the Secretary of War holiday greetings and best wishes for success of our arms during the coming year and convey to them, from all ranks of the American expeditionary forces in France, re newed pledges of devotion to our sacred cause. "Likewise express our greetings to our comrades at home, coupled with full confidence In the patriotism, courage ana devotion to the flag." CAPTIVES TO BE TRADED Prisoners of 4 0 Held hy French and Germans to Be Repatriated. PARIS, Dec 25. An official note to day announces the reaching of an agreement between the French and German governments for the exchange of prisoners by which non-commissioned officers and men of 40 years of age or more who have been in cap tivity more than 18 months will be re patriated. Officers in the same cate gory will be Interned in Switzerland. The negotiations for the repatria tion or Internment of men under 40 years and having three or more chil dren have failed, says the note, "not withstanding the generous efforts of the Swiss government." MARSHFIELD LAD DROWNS Roy Clark, Aged 10, Dies in Waters or Coos Bay When Boat Tips. MARSHFIELD. Or., Dec 25. (Spe cial.) Roy Clark, aged 10, was drowned and his brother. Melville Clark, aged 7, narrowly escaped death this evening when a rowboat in which they were riding on the bay capsized. W. A. Reld Jumped in the water in an effort to save the older boy. but was not in time. Efforts of physicians to resuscitate him were without avail. The smaller boy got close to shore and was rescued. The father is B. G. Clark, an engineer.. Arouse Suspicion. SOCIAL REVOLT IS INDICATED Irish Agitators Said to Be in League With German-Slavs. TANGIBLE CLEWS OBTAINED Government Not Contemplating Cur tailment of Free Speech Prlvl' lege, bnt Giving of Aid to En emy Will Not Be Tolerated. WASHINGTON-, Dec. 25'. Evidence has been -uncovered by Government agents indicating that American In dustrial Workers of the World, Rus sian Bolshevik!. Irish agitators and revolutionists In. various countries at war with Germany may be seeking to lay the foundation of an elaborate worldt-wlde plan to overthrow existing social orders. This was admitted today by officials hero in connection with news of the discovery of a quantity of rifles, re volvers and ammunition in the Russian freighter Shilka, which has just ar rived- at a Pacific port, manned by a Bolshevik crew. Government agents suspect that the guns and munitions were intended for the Industrial Work ers of the World in this country, al though it was said a full report on the mysterious cargo has not yet been for warded by officials at the port of ar rival. Tangible Connection Traced. The Shilka incident is only one of many cases leading officials to believe the connection between plotters in sev eral of the allied countries may be more tangible than the Indefinite link of moral sympathy. Certain Irish agi tators and I. W. W. leaders recently have gone from the United States to Russia, after being In cloae touch with each other here, and reports have been. received that - Bolshevik organizers would come to America before long to spread their doctrine of direct action for communal organization- No objection will be raised by the Government to any agitation .which does not interfere with the progress, of the war, officials declare. Officials .do not intend to use the war exigencies as an excuse for suppressing free speech except Insofar as it leads to hampering the Government in the fight against the central powers. This basis of Judgment, however, is recognized as broad, and will permit drastic action against foreign agents whose conduct directly or indirectly fosters Germany's war aims. Close Snpervlaloa Glvea. Action " will be necessary, officials say, when armed resistance to the law (Concluded on Page 5, Column 4.) 'Michey" Welch's Throat Cut and He Is Hanged and Two Mexican Passengers Reported Shot, EL PASO, Tex., Dec 25. An Ameri can mall stage driver was hanged and his throat cut early today by Mexican raiders, who crossed the line, raided the little . border i town of Candelarla and held up the mail stage, killing, the driver and looting the mail sacks. ' The . body, of "Michey" Welch, the American stage driver, was brought to Valentine tonight, according to a tele gram received here tonight. The looted mail sacks were also brought' from near Candelarla, where the stage was held up. . . Two Mexican passengers In the mail stage were reported to -have been shot. The men who brought in the body of Michey - Welch reported that American troops and the rear guard of the Mex ican bandits were fighting In the vicin ity of Candelarla. OFFICERS HURT IN MISHAP Military Motor . Overturns, Pinning Men Underneath. WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE. Dec 24. (By the Associated Press.) Two commissioned officers and two sergeants of the American forces were badly , hurt tonight in an automobile accident. A high power military motor of the aviation section left the road and plunged over an em bankment, turning turtle and pinning them underneath. CIVIL WAR , IN SIBERIA Bolshevik! Destroy Locomotive Shed and Workshops Near Irkutsk. PEKIN, Dec. 25 -The Trans-Siberian Railway has been severed near Irkutsk In Eastern Siberia, where the Bolshe vikl have destroyed the locomotive sheds and workshops. Heavy fighting between Bolshevikl forces and supporters of the original revolutionary party is occurring in may places in Siberia. . RED. CROSS" URIVK TO COX. TIN UK UNTIU QUOTA IS REACH B. . . Confident i that the. full Red Cross membership quotas of Port land and Oregon, will be attained by Saturday night. Rufus C. Hol man. cam pal gn manager for this city, decreed yesterday that the committees wonld remain In the field until the last name is listed. Oregon now" has a trifle less than. 69,000 members to" enroll,of . which number Portland mus-t en list 40.000, before the state's full quota of 240,000 Isreached. Port land's share of the entire quota is, 100,000. - ' "We are nearer the goal than it may appear," declared Mr. Hol man last night, "and there will be no turning back until that goal Is reached." IS THIS YOU? Olive Drab Is Favorite Christmas Tone. THOUGHTS OF OTHERS FIRST Day Made Happy for Depend ents and Prisoners. PROSPERITY NOTED IN CITY Big Affair for Soldiers and Sail ors Is at Auditorium, hut at Scores of .' Homes Hero of Family Is Honor Guest. Christmas greens were eclipsed by khaki throughout Portland yesterday. It was the first war Christmas for many years and into the holiday en tered the spirit of sacrifice. The high service for humanity Into which the country has entered lent a sentiment more exalted than that of mere ex changes of gifts and in the heart of everyone was thought for making it in truth a merry Christmas for the sol diers and sailors who were the city's guests. . . Gnests Rave Fine Time, The best expression of this feeling was given at the Auditorium,' where a special entertainment had been planned for the boys in khaki anil navy blue, From noon to midnight there was mu sic and dancing. Refreshments were served at intervals and the boys de clared they had the best possible Christmas. Innumerable Portland homes had for their most honored guests yesterday members of the family or friends who wore the service uniforms. By dther firesides there were vacant chairs, but the thoughts Of all followed across the continent- and ocean to - whero these Oregon heroes are serving their coun try in trench or camp to bring to pass the finest of all Christian - wishes "Peace 'on earth; good "Will to -men.' Prosperity la Apparent. - Collectively, all Portland , was on iti toes yesterday morning to see what old Santa Claus had brought for the holi day. . For war and sacrifice bring thoughts of others and perhaps not in recent years has there been such a generous distribution of gifts'. The fortunate dearth' of unemployment played Its part In making it a real Christmas for everyone. So Christmas stockings were crammed with all good things and hap piness was everywhere. Gloomy weather only made the home firesides brighter, and it was a happy day gen erally. The churches of the Catholic and Episcopal faith held early morn ing: services that were well attended. The story of the first Christmas was told again and special music and dec- (Concluded on Page 7, Column 2.) Savagery of Philippine Campaign Is Recalled to Veterans by Acts of German Soldiers. ' (By the Associated Press.) WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, Dec. 25. Information con cerning German savagery has reached the troops in one of a series of bulletins read to them by the unit commanders and posted on the bulletin boards. Here is what they heard: "After a raid by the Germans on trenches held by American troops a lone sentry of Infantry was found with his throat cut from ear to ear. He had been surprised by an over whelming force of Germans, and must have been so killed after capture. "Such brutality is familiar to old sol diers who served against savages in the Philippine campaign." Another bulletin tells the men how the Germans in occupied sections of France and Belgium are turning women and children out of their homes into the snows, the buildings being then given over to soldiers, horses and ma terial. SNOW FALLS AT REDMOND First Wintry Touch Finds Abund ance of Cattle Feed. REDMOND, Or., Dec. 25. (Special.) Snow fell Monday night to a. depth of one and a half Inches following a day of showers. The Winter so far has been the mild est in years and stockmen are re joicing because of the saving in feed. The hay market is showing a down ward tendency as a result. On account of a shortage of labor to convert timber from' cleared tracts into fuel, Prineville is having to pay $10 a cord for wood, while ranchers only a few miles out are pulling and burning much Juniper on land being cleared. BONUS GIVEN TO EMPLOYES II. W. Jolins-Manville Company Sur prises Force of Local Branch. Employes of the H. W. . Johns-Man-ville Company, of New York, which has a branch office in Portland and B5 other cities of the country, presented its employes as a Christmas gift a bonus of 20 per cent of their last year's salary. The, bonus, will be paid 10 per cent January 1, and 5 per cent on two dates soon thereafter. .In announcing the Christmas sur prise the head office notified Its- em ployes by card, saying the bonus was in appreciation of efficiency and be cause of the. increased cost of living. 2 SACRIFICE DOLL HEADS Toledo Youngsters,' Saving Pennies for Toys, Give to Red Cross. TOLEDO. Or., Dec. 25. (Special.) Two little girls in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Vermaas. of near Toledo, had saved up one dollar in pennies to buy doll hads for Christmas. Hearing their parents talk of the use to which the Red Cross money was put, they volun tarily asked to have the money given to the county Red Cross fund, which was done. The Red Cross people hear ing of the sacrifice by the little tots. saw that the patriotic little misses did. not lack for the coveted doll heads.- INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. TESTERpAY"S Maximum temperature, 3S degrees; minimum, 34 degrees. TODAY'S Rain; gentle easterly wlnda Christmas. Portland honors sons In service. Page 1, Christmas story retold In Portland churches wnn Deauttiui services. Page 7. Americans In war zone capitulate to Santa uiaus. i-age War. British bombard city of Mannheim, drop ping ion ox explosives, race jl. American sentry found with throat cut, evi dently axter capture, rage 1. Berlin reports capture of more than 9000 Italians, rage 4. Foreign. Germany's recompense for war sacrifices to be democracy. Page 2. National. World-wide X. W. W. plot with Irish agi tators in "league wun nusio-uermana sus pected. Page 1. Hoover's statement on sugar situation made public Page 5. Domestic. Mailcarrler killed In border raid In Mexico. Page 1. Stagedrt-ver killed and malt looted by Mexi can raia era, rage l. Sports, Fifth Company, Coast Artillery, eleven beats Albany A'll-Stars, 12 to O. Page 6. Hornsby, of St- Louts, latest storm center. rage o. Fnlton loses bout on fouL Page 6. BUI Rodgers, asked to manage Sacramento, replies Dy demanding big salary. Page 6. Pacific Northwest. School Influence on war discussed. Page 3. Camp Lewis boys observe holiday. Page 5. Commercial and Marine. Alta makes record run from Samoan Islands. Page 9. Portland and Vicinity. Riverfront plot reported and police guard ail riour mine, rage x. Thousands of soldiers and sailors attend Christmas celebration at Auditorium. Page 4. - Disability claims will be passed up to draft examiners, rage i Wife of poor homesteader offers valuable tract of spruce to Government, Page 14. Portland renews Red Cross campaign for 1 00, 000 members. Page 3. . - Tommy Swivel plays Santa Claus to 275 chil dren at annual Christmas party. Page 9. Ordnance class of University arrives In Portland to inspect methods of handling stores. Page 5. Portland Christmas mail business breaks record. Page 7. Annual State Teachers' Convention to open - here tomorrow. Page 11. War's end may be within two years, says H. W. Patton, back from front. Page 1. Weather report data and forecast. Page 14. SOLDIER DETAILS EXPECTED Officials Refuse to Dicuss Emergency Situation. FOOD SUPPLY PROTECTED Movement Revived for Transfer of Coast Artillerymen From Fort Stevens, Where Condi tions Are Reported Bad. Secret Information, received hy Chief of Police Johnson from Washington, I. C, at an early hour yesterday morning resulted in that official making a hur ried trip to police headquarters from his home to arrange for details of men to guard the 10 flour mills in Portland, all of which were said to be in danger from some source, the nature of whirh has not been disclosed. As a result of this information, what ever it may be, the waterfront, it Is said, will receive considerable more at tention from the military authorities In the future, beginning Just as soon as details of soldiers can be arranged. Arrangements Kept Secret. All of the activity of the Army offi cers in charge of the situation, as well as the police, are extremely secretive concerning any movements looking to ward strengthening of harbor patrols, but it was learned yesterday thst, since Chief Johnson took action, the flour mills have been closely guarded day and night by police, assisted during the day by some soldiers who belong to a Com pany of the Oregon Coast Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Stretcher, with headquarters in Portland, sent here to patrol certain docks at the re- ' quest of the Food Administration. The-first men assigned to guard flour mills along the river -were -assembled from Captain Inskeep'n relief of police, working out of headquarters; Captain Circle's shift relieved them In turn and yesterday Captain Moore had squads from the day relief scattered about the plants. Soldiers expected Soon. The same situation prevailed last night and will continue until such time as the military authorities displace them with soldiers, as it is understood they will be able to do in a day or so. Meanwhile, Portland has been ex tremely short of policemen and at headquarters the opinion prevails that it would have been an excellent op portunity for the War Department ti exercise its functions and take advan tage of the necessity for additional military protection by transferring companies of the Oregon Coast Artil lery, stationed at Fort Stevens, as had been suggested and requested by the war auxiliaries of 21 units in Portland at a recent meeting when resolutions were unanimously adopted. Transfer of Soldiers Urged. At Fort Stevens conditions have been and still are bad for the men stationed there, many of them having to live in this wet, cold weather In floorless tents and wet clothing, as was explained at the auxiliaries' meeting. The resolu tions adopted at that time called upon Governor Withycombe and Mayor Baker to ask the Secretary of War to transfer Borne of the companies to Portland for (Concluded on Page 4, Column 1., FUTURE OF PORTLAND AS A GREAT SEAPORT IS SECURE Portland's physical obstacles to shipping have been removed. Today the minimum depth of the channel at the entrance to the Columbia River is nearly 41 feet, for a width of more than 1000 feet. The uniform depth of the channel between Portland and the sea is in excess of SO feet. These facts are of stupendous importance to Port land, as they mean that the big gest ocean carriers now can have easy ingress and egress to and from this port. This great channel development, obtained at the expenditure of millions of dollars, means that Portland has within its immediate grasp a tremendous opportunity for maritime trade. That great opportunity will be capitalized and Portland will make its des tiny as a world port as secure as the great hinterland that will continue to pour its wealth and products to this city in ever-increasing volume. The story of "Putting the Port in Portland" will be told in the annual edition of The Ore gonian, which will be issued January 1, 1918.