VOL. L.TII. NO. 17,816.
PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1917.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
POOLING OFTRAFFIG
TO BE FIRST ORDER
KAISER ROUNDS UP
HIS DISLOYAL ONES
PARIS IN WAR TIME
GERMANS BACK OF
MEXICAN BANDITS
ARSON PLOT BARED
IN VALLEY TOWNS
OLD ENGLISH TOWN
IS "PASSING" CAMP
OREGON WILL BUILD
ONE SIXTH OF FLEET
MOKE THAN SOO SOCIALISTS
TEUTONS SOUTH OF BORDER
ARE REPORTED BUSY.
ANCIENT PLACE NOW HAS MOD
ERN MILITARY COLOR.
ARRESTED CHRISTMAS ETB.
SAD All D
UNWASHED
j Sail
i i r
? nanroau isornpeuuoii
Will Vanish.
SHORTEST ROUTE TO BE USED
Increased Efficiency Expected
to Relieve Congestion.
ADVISORY BOARD TO STAY
Equitable Distribution of Profits,
Increased "Wages for Employes
and Financing: of Improve-
ments Demand Attention.
3
WHAT UMTED STATES RAIL.
MANAGEMENT MEASS.
The properties that will pass
Into the control of the Govern
ment are:
All railroads, comprising 260,
000 miles of lines, valued at $17,
000.000,000. All coastwise, lake and river
steamship lines.
All terminals, terminal compa
nies and terminal associations.
The Pullman Company's sleep
ing cars and parlor cars.
The packers' and other con
cerns' private car lines.
All railroad elevators and
warehouses.
All railroad telegraph and tele
phone lines.
The Government guarantees to
the stockholders of each of the
railroads a. profit equal at least
to the average profits of the road
during- the fiscal years of 1916,
1916 and 1917.
The railroads will continue to
be operated by their respective
corporations under the direction
of Mr. McAdoo.
. WASHINGTON, Dec 27. Soon after
American railroads o flTirter'GOTem
ment operation at noon tomorrow, Director-General
McAdoo will Issue his
first official order wiping: out com
petitive conditions and providing: for
complete pooling: of traffic, equipment,
terminals and trackage facilities, and
for the retention of present officers
and employes.
The Immediate result will be a re
routing of traffic over shortest lines,
regardless of the company with which
shipments originate, and. the common
use of terminals to effect maximum ef
ficiency. Without expecting wonders
under the new plan, officials look for
ward to material improvement in the
present traffic congestion within a few
weeks.
Freight to Move Speedily.
Speedy movement of freight will be
the first aim of the director-general
But problems the solution of which
must press close on the heels of actual
transportation questions are the equit
able reimbursement of roads for the
use of their property on the basis of
pre-war earnings. Increased wages for
railroad employes, financing of neces
sary improvements, building of addi
tional lines or facilities and the tangled
priority situation.
Before most of these questions can
be settled special legislation will be
necessary and to urge this President
Wilson is preparing a message to be
delivered to Congress soon after It
convenes after the holiday recess next
Tuesday. Legislation already has been
drafted.
Advisory Board to Stay.
The legislation, however, and prob
lems . dependent on it can await the
Qellberatlon of Congress, while Director
feAdoo must get into action tomorrow,
-ith powers already conferred on him
by President Wilson. First he will con
fer with the railroads' war board of
presidents, whose services and advice
he said today would be retained under
the new administration. Then he will
organize a corps of assistants and ad-
leers, largely of experts of the Inter
state Commerce Commission,' in whose
building he will maintain headquarters
for railroad supervision.
Mr. McAdoo said today he had given
almost no thought to the personnel of
his staff and was not prepared to out
line the details of his administration.
He is determined, however, to avoid
disrupting any railroad organization
or any agencies already developed
which can lend efficiency to the new
order.
Order Meets With Approval.
Although the railroads' war board,
Ofter being in executive session all day.
sued no statement commenting on
. overnment operation, railway execu
( lives indicated privately they were well
pleased with the promised situation and
optimism was reflected in the unusual
rise In railroad securities on stock
exchanges. Hundreds of telegrams of
congratulation poured in on Mr. Mc
Adoo. A dubious note came from the Cap
itol, where several Republican mem
bers of Congress expressed fear that
the task was too big for the Govern
ment to handle efficiently under war
conditions, and others criticised the ap
pointment of Secretary McAdoo as
director-general.
The labor question under Govern
ment operation was discussed with
(Concluded on Page 4, Column 1.)
Men Forcibly Suppressed Have Long
Been Persistent Critics of War
Party's Government.
LONDON, Dec. 27. More than 300
members of the German minority So
cialist party were arrested on Christ
mas eve by the German military au
thorities, according to a Zurich dis
patch given out today by the Wireless
Press.
The dispatch reads:
"Following the arrest of minority
Socialists at Cologne and Karlsruhe re
cently, the German military authorities
made a large number of arrests on
Christmas eve in Munich, Frankfort,
Lelpsic, Magdeburg, Dusseldorf, Darm
stadt, Nuremburg, Dortmund, CasseL
Mannheim, Mayence, Coburg, Duisburg
and Gotha.
"More than SOO minority Socialists
and local leaders in the towns men
tioned were arrested."
No advices regarding the previous
arrests of minority Socialists in Cologne
and Karlsruhe had been received. The
German minority Socialists comprise a
strong faction in the party which re
fused to follow the lead of Philipp
Scheldemann and others in their
virtually raqualifled support of the
government.
GUATEMALA BADLY SHAKEN
Many Lives Lost and Property De
stroyed by 33a rt liquake.
WASHINGTON, Dec 27. An earth
quake, general throughout Guatemala,
yesterday caused a loss of from 10 to
40 lives and extensive property damage
in Guatemala City, the State Depart
ment was advised late today in a cable
dispatch from the American charge
there.
No mention was made as to damage
in the Interior.
Miss Mary Tillman, 215 Fast Six
teenth street, was much concerned yes
terday over the report of the severe
earthquake in Guatemala, where her
sister, Mrs. Sumner Shaw, now lives.
Mrs. Shaw has lived in Guatemala for
almost 20 years and has frequently
written of the earthquakes there. Mrs.
Shaw was Caroline Tillman prior to
her marriage to Mr. Shaw, who is a
civil engineer stationed at Guatemala.
VANCOUVER CAMP T0.GR0W
Five Aero Squadrons to Be Sent and
Buildings Will Be Erected.
VANCOUVER, Wash., Dee. 27. (Spe
cial.) Vancouver Barracks is to be
greatly enlarged, it was reported here
today. Five aero squadrons. In addition
to those already stationed here, are to
be sent here and five two-story build
ings to accommodate them will be
built at once. " Seven or eight ware
houses will be built for supplies for
the engineer depot. These buildings
will be of a permanent nature and will
be south of the cantonment buildings.
Lieutenant-Colonel R. C. Moore, for
merly here with the Company F En
gineers, will have personal charge of
the organisation of the 318th Engineers.
A replacement camp of probably 2000
men will be established here perma
nently. DRAFTED MEN CAN ENLIST
Spruce Division SfU Open; Demand
Great for Woodsmen.
Special orders have been dispatched
to the draft boards in this territory by
Provost Marshal-General Crowder to
the effect that any drafted man may
still be enlisted in the spruce produc
tion division of the Signal Corps If he
indicates a wish so to do.
"It is hoped that men, especially those
who have been working in the forests
or who have experience in this work,
will indicate their wish to Join the
spruce production division, as we are In
need of men for this line of work,"
said Colonel Disque.
"Such men virtually will be retain
ing their positions in the logging camps
and mills, as their services will be used
in that manner if they wish to enlist
In this section."
MOON WHOLLY ECLIPSED
Portland Watchers Catch Glimpse
of Kartb's Shadow.
A total eclipse of the moon, was an
astronomical event of the early morn
ing hours today. It was visible
throughout North America generally
and It was observed by many in Port
land! as the clouds lifted.
The moon entered the shadow at
11:55 last night. Totality began at
1:29 this morning and the moon left the
shadow at 3:18 A. M. This was the
second total eclipse of the moon this
year, the first having taken place Jan
nary 7-8.
DYNAMITE PLOT IS FEARED
Discovery of Explosive in. Coal Car
Leads to Guarding of Camp Grant.
ROCKFORD, III., Dec. 27. Discovery
of a stick of dynamite in a car of coal
billed from a Southern Indiana mine
to the Rockford City Hospital, com
bined with a furnace explosion that
wrecked' the bungalow of William A.
Ogden, resulted In an investigation be
ing launched tonight by Federal offi
cials and precautions taken to protect
Camp Grant from any possible plot.
Women Labor in Gar
ments 2 Years Old.
SHOES LOW, HOSE OF COTTON
Few Evidences of Immorality
Found by Major Patton.
CONGRESSMEN ARE , FETED
Hoqulam Editor Tells of Being: En
tertained by General Pershing
at Snmptnons Dinner and of
Start for War Front.
The Oregonian prints herewith the third
of several articles from the pen of Major
H. W. Patton. editor of the Hoqulam Wash
lngtonlan. describing his observations on a
recent trip to England and France. He
was a member of a party sent to the battle
front 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 MAJOR H- W. PATTON.
We visited Eton, the famous boys'
school, where the sons of titled and
blooded Englishmen are prepared for
college. The smaller boys wear round
about jackets and the older tailed
coats, but all are topped by tall silk
hats. There are few things funnier
than a 12-year-old boy wearing a plug
hat.
I talked with several youngsters and
found that all of them intended enter
ing the army when through at Eton.
They had no idea of going to college;
no career of statesmanship, finance, law
or commerce occupied their thoughts.
The army and the army alone was the
goal of their desire. If the war lasts
long enough the desire will be gratified.
I confess to a feeling of sadness when
I thought of those hundreds of bright-
faced youngsters in the front-line
trenches.
Policemen's Jons Easy.
There is an almost total absence of
crime in London, I read the newspa
pers "carefully and there were no police
court reports. The policemen have
nothing to do, as the motor travel is so
light that the streets may be crossed
in safety. No private motors are per
mitted to run.
I openly confess that I . formerly
thought very little of the English. The
memory Of the Revolutionary War and
the burning of the Capitol at Wash
ington rankled. Then my knowledge
of Englishmen had been obtained
through acquaintance with the "remit
tance" men who infested Southern Cali
fornia in early days, and I did not think
much of them.
Visit Alters Views.
My visit to London completely
changed this viewpoint. I never saw a
finer lot of peoDle. They fully meas
ure up to the Americans and in some
respects are far ahead of us. They are
(Concluded on Page 2. Column ft. )
NAPOLEON THE FOURTH VS. IVAN THE TERRIBLY FOOLISH.
WO PCI V ACCEPT
l' '
1 , , ...
Two Troops of V. ' S. Cavalry Now
Somewhere in Southern Repub
lic Chasing Outlaws.
EL PASO, Texas. Dec. 27. A reliable
report was received here tonight that
the Mexican bandit raids into the Big
Bend district of Texas were being in
spired by Germans now operating south
of the border in conjunction with
American draft evaders. Federal offi
cials are making a careful investiga
tion of this report.
MARFA, Texav Dec. 27. Two troops
of United States cavalry are "some
where in Mexico? today, after pursu
ing the Mexican bandits who raided the
Brite ranch, store and postofflce an
killed the mail-stage driver and his
passengers Christmas morning.
No information was received at mili
tary headquarters today from the com
mands of Captains Fiske and Ander
son, who hit a "hot trail" late yesterday
and followed it across the Rio Grande
Couriers are expected to reach the
river Signal Corps station today with
news from them.
3 U. S. SOLDIERS KILLED
German Airmen Drop Bombs on
Americans on Western Front.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMT IN
FRANCE, Thursday. Dec 27. (By the
Associated Press.) A corporal of
American engineers was killed and one
private was wounded Christmas eve
when a German shell dropped near a
party . of American engineers working
in trenches on a section of the French
front. The engineers for several weeks
had been working along the front with
veteran French engineers for purposes
of instruction.
During a recent moonlight night
German aviators dropped bombs near a
certain town and two American pri
vates, who were in a camp in a wood,
were killed. The German airmen flew
low and dropped their bombs accu
rately. EAST FACES ARCTIC WAVE
Ten Below Predicted for Chicago by
This Evening or Tomorrow.
CHICAGO, "Dec. 27. A drop of 40 de
grees in temperature to 10 Lelow xero
by Friday, night or Saturday morning
Is predicted for .Chicago in a., special
forecast Issued this afternoon.
BOSTON, Dec 27. Boston experi
enced the coldest weather of the Win
ter early today with a minimum tem
perature of 3 degrees above zero at 7
o'clock. The cold extended throughout
New England, Greenville, Me., report
ing a minimum of 18 below.
MUNITION TRAIN BLOWN UP
Town in Belgium Almost Laid Waste
by Explosion.
AMSTERDAM. Dec 27. The town
of Rousselaere (Roulleres), in' Belgium,
was almost laid waste recently by the
explosion of an ammunition train,
caused by bombs dropped by a British
airman, according to the frontier cor
respondent of the Telegraaf.
Gaston-Sheridan-Sa-lem
District Menaced.
LETTERS REVEAL FOUL PLAN
Fiends Mark Mills and Ware
houses for Destruction.
CARLTON FIRE INCENDIARY
State Fire Marshal Wells' Depu
ties Discover Explosives and Evi
dence to Show Reign of Ter
ror Has Been Planned.
SALEM, Or.. Dec 27. (Special.)
State Fire Marshal Wells and his depu
ties, following the burning last Sun
day morning of the Johnson grain
elevator at Carlton, have obtained
evidence which indicates a concerted
plot to destroy mills and warehouses
from Gaston to Sheridan and from
there to Salem.
Federal and local authorities have
been notified of the evidence at hand
and Deputies Gilbert Allen, H. H. Pom
eroy and George W. Stokes have been
instructed by Fire Marshal Wells to
continue their investigation, which may
bring to light still further evidence of
a plot to establish a Valley-wide reign
of terror.
Letters Bare Plot.
The three deputies have spent several
days at Carlton and the vicinity.
In another warehouse at Carlton dis
covery was made of a man's coat, prac
tically new, in which were 50 feet of
fuse, and in the immediate vicinity dis
covery was made of dynamite and ni
troglycerin. Two letters found in a
wallet in the coat, which have been
turned over to the authorities, disclose
the skeletonized details of a plan for
leaving a trail of smoke and ruin
through the central section of the
Willamette Valley. These letters are
addressed to a man in Portland, for
whom immediate search will be made
They mention the fact that numerous
warehouses are located in the valley
and intimate that they offer easy
prey.
Fast. Anto Is Used.
In addition mention is made of a new
automobile, which can "go like hell,
in the language of the letter.
The investigating deputies found
people at Carlton who declared that
they heard an automobile leave the
mill shortly before the fire was dis
covered and other parties vouch for
the fact that the automobile passed
farm houses shortly afterward, going
at great speed.
In addition to the coat and explosives
and fuse, a small sum of money and
some stamps were found, as well as
a new pair of shoes, all of which lead
the deputies to believe that someone
who was planning to - set fire to. or
blow up the other warehouse, was
(Concluded on Page 8, Column 1.)
Here American Soldiers Gather, Re
main for While and Fraternize
With British "Elizas."
SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND, Dec
14. (Correspondence of the Associated
Press.) Here, in one of the most an
cient cities of England, is the prin
cipal camp in Great Britain of the
United States Army.
The camp is what is known as a
"passing" one. Men come here after
landing on British soil and undergo a
sort of quarantine for a week or so.
Then, their whole unit having been as
sembled, they depart to be trained in
France. The camp is policed by men of
the United States marines.
The Colonel commanding the camp
is an old West Pointer. His Adjutant,
a captain of marines, is from An
napolis. There are a number of Brit
ish officers and soldiers assigned to as
sist the Americans. The British offi
cers are known technically as "liason
officers," but Tommy Atkins long ago
shortened this to "Elizas," a useful
nickname wl.lch has been adopted also
by the American soldiers.
PIDD C0URTMARTIAL ENDS
Young Wife of Soldier Assailant
Testifies Against Him.
TACOMA, Wash., Dec. 27. Hearing
of the case of Private George Pidd, 44th
Infantry, charged with assault to com
mit murder, was concluded by court
martial at Camp Lewis this afternoon.
Announcement of the findings is ex
pected soon. Mrs. Pidd, the young wife
of the prisoner, was one of the wit
nesses against him.
MILK DEALERS INDICTED
Minneapolis Men Charged With Fix
ing Prices and Controlling Supply.
MINNEAPOLIS. Dec. 27. Five mem
bers of the executive committee of the
Twin City Milk Producers Association
were indicted by the Hennepin County
grand Jury today, charged with viola
tion of the state anti-trust laws.
It Is alleged the association fixed
the price and controlled the supply of
milk in, Minneapolis.
73 DEAD FROM PNEUMONIA
Shortage of' Coal Blamed for 2 4
Hour Death Record.
NEW YORK, Dec. 27. Shortage of
coal was given by the Board of Health
today as one of the reasons for 73
deaths here of pneumonia within the
last 24 hours.
This is the highest record of deaths
from this disease in one day in the
last five years.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 1
degrees; minimum. 58 degrees.
TODAY'S Rain; fresh southeaaterly winds.
Foreign.
Ancient English town now American Army
camp. Page 1.
800 German Socialists arrested Christmas
eve. Page 1.
War.
Germans said to be inspiring Mexican
bandits. Page 1.
Germans twice repulsed by French on Verdun
front. Page 3.
Ten Aiistrn-German alrolanea hrmirht
in Italv. Pare 13. V
Central powers make general peace proposal.
rage z.
Hugh Gibson tells of Germans looting and
drinking in seigium. rage o
Major Patton. of Hoqulam. finds Paris dirty
alter tnree yean oi war. .rage 1.
National.
First railroad order will be for pooling traf
flc Page 1.
Deliveries or soldier clothing slow, says
General snarpe. rage s.
South declared derelict in shipbuilding.
Page 4.
Coal Inquiry narrowed by Government con
trol of railroads. Page 4.
Sports.
Bowling tourney Is postponed. Page 12.
Portland won't get Wlllard match. Page 12.
Hockey season to open here tonight. Page 12.
Wrestlers opposed . to "Strangler" Lewis'
head lock. Page 12.
Pacific Northwest.
Plot bared to burn mills and warehouses In
Willamette Valley. Page 1.
Oregon Supreme Court holds Portland's antl-
plcketlng ordinance unconstitutional.
Page 14.
Mayor Gill announces he will seek: re-election.
Page 6.
Willamette rising at Oregon City, but flood
stage deemed unlikely. Page 7.
Commercial and Marine.
Fair-sized wool transfers reported In local
market. Page 17.
Grain prices weaken in view of probable
larger movement. rage IT.
December rain exceeds normal by 5 inches.
Page 14.
Stocks of all classes rise sharply as result
of Federal control of railroads. Page 17.
Portland and Vicinity. .
Farmers and labor to confer as to forming
non-partisan league, rage is.
County tax levy may drop to 4.5 mills.
Page 11.
Men between 81 and 40 can Join TJ. S. Guard
for service at home. Page 11.
New traffic law In Portland proposed.
Page 9.
Erie office in Portland closed as result of
railroad change. Page 4.
Oregon pledges to build one-sixth of emer
gency fleet, rage 1.
Coos Bay country prospering, says A. R.
O Brifln. Page 7.
Troops visiting Portland will be well cared
lor. rage 7.
Shippers urged to co-operate with roads in
reducing car shortage. Page 4.
V. S. brings suit to confirm title to rail
road grant lands, rage lu.
Committee of Oregon teachers reports en sex
Instruction In schools. Page 6.
Civil Service Board supports Helber in city
incinerator controversy, rage a.
Draft advisory boards relieved of conges
tion, rage is.
Elks will assume charge of Red Cross mem
bership drlv. New Year's eve. Page 14.
Weather report, data and forecast. Page 14.
State's Pledge Sent to
Chairman Hurley.
TONNAGE MAY BE INCREASED
Wooden Ship Output Capable
of Expansion.
COAST DOING BIG SHARE
yards of "West Shoulder Big Part of
Burden of Providing Means ot
Moving Nation's Armies and
Supplies During War.
Oregon will undertake to deliver
525,000 tons of wooden ships and 400,
000 tons of steel ships in 1918 for the
United States Shipping Board, the com
bined tonnage being almost one-sixth
of the shipbuilding programme of the
Board for the coming year.
The estimate of 525,000 tons of
wooden ships for this state is asserted
to be most conservative, and it is not
improbable that it will reach 600,000
tons, say Informed builders.
A telegram was sent last night to
Edward N. Hurley, chairman of the
Shipping Board, advising him of Ore
gon's pledge. The message was in re
ply to one sent by Chairman Hurley to
the Chamber of Commerce last week,
and was signed by H. L. Corbett, presi
dent of the Chamber. It was as fol
lows: "Answering your message of the
18 th:
"Wood construction Under present
conditions of shipbuilding labor we
will launch 25,000 tons, deadweight,
in 1918. Installation of machinery will
be predicated on priority accorded our
builders by War Industry Board, which
controls. However, with Government
co-operation, we can arrange for in
creased engine and boiler construction
over present orders for this equipment.
Safety Margin Provided.
""Steel "construction We will launch
and equip 400,000 tons, deadweight, in
1918. We consider our estimates low
and contain ample margin of safety if
present efficient programme of your
Board continues."
Before the message was dispatched
the estimate was referred to Lloyd J.
Wentworth, In charge of the Oregon
District for the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration, and received his approval,
which was regarded essential in view
of the fact he is familiar with the
yards, the amount of material that can
be gotten out for wooden steamers and
the labor situation.
Puget Sound and Grays Harbor ship
builders have promised Chairman Hur
ley that they will deliver 600,000 tons
of steel ships and 400,000 tons of
wooden vessels during the year. San
Francisco shipyards have pledged 600,
000 tons of steel ships and 100,000 tons
of wooden vessels during 1918.
With 1,500,000 tons of steel vessels
and 1,025,000 tons of wooden vessels,
or a total of 2.525,000 tons, pledged
from the Pacific Coast, it is oertain
the West will play a considerable pare
in floating Uncle Sam's Army and ita
accoutrements and supplies during a
part of next year and all of 1919.
Failure Suggestion Discredited.
Taking into consideration the wooden
fleet alone. It would seem as if there
(Concluded on Page 18, Column 4.)
THE EVOLUTION OF A
STATE!
The Annual edition of The
Oregonian, for years an epic of
fact, figures and photographs,
will this year show Oregon's
part in the war preparedness
programme, and its evolution as
a state, in addition to telling a
systematic and absorbing story
of the vast resources that are
behind the "Oregon First"
spirit.
Designed to interest and at
tract, the Annual Oregonian this
year will feature a photographic
grasp of the state's growth, not
only in the last 12 months, but
during its history. Artists
trained in the fine execution of
an idea, and writers primed with
facts and skilled in writing them
into history and story, supple-'
ment the attractive survey of
the camera lens. Statisticians
have made romance out of truth
in such a way that figures be
come interesting not alone for
the story they tell and the work
they represent, but because of
the way they are presented.
The Annual Oregonian has al
ways been a prized document in
libraries and archives where rec
ords of the world are kept. It
is recognized as a standard story
of Oregon's evolution and prog-
A