Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, January 25, 1918, Image 1

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    MP 4 n u w$
VOL. LYII. "0. 17,840.
PORTLAND, ORECON, FRIDAY. JAMARY 25, 1918.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
STRICKEN FRANCE
TURNS TO AMERICA
WORKERS TO RULE
WORLD-SCHWAB
SHIP BOARD RID OF
ARCHITECT FERRIS
AMMUNITION FROM
U. S. GOES TO HUNS
CRISIS SEEN
U. S. SENDS BLISS TO
L
F
"HOW SOON WILL TOC BE
HERE?" IS UNIVERSAL CRY.
LABOR DESTINED TO SOLVE BIG
.ECONOMIC QUESTIONS.
DESPITE WAR, 2 SHIPS CARRY
MUNITIONS TO ENEMY.
WAR
warn in
BY CHAMBERLAIN
HIGH
WAR
COU
Ofj WESTERN
OT
Oregon Statesman Refutes
Charge of Unlruth.
U.S.SENATE LISTENS AMAZED
Startling, Convincing Reply
Made to Statement of
President Wilson.
INEFFICIENCY IS ASSAILED
Thousands of Deaths in
Camps Attributed to Lack
of Proper Action.
Major Grayson M. P. Murphy, For
mer Red Cross Head, Brings Pa
thetic 3Iesare to This Country.
NEW TOttK, Jin. 14. Everywhere
In France the question Is being- asked:
How soon will America be berer
according to Major Grayson M. P. Mur
phy, former head of the American nea
Cross work In France, at a reception
riven In his honor here today.
-Ton do not know what America
means orer there." he said. Every
where you go. whether you are talk
Ina- to soldiers In the trenches, men
In the hospitals, the widows and the
mothers In the rear; whether you are
talking to statesmen, business men.
college professors o what not. the
nu.iMon is always the same, how
soon will America be hereT
"This war will be won by the nation
which has the grit to stick out longer
than the other fellow. America has
the greatest opportunity and the great
est obligation that was ever given
to any nation In history, and I pray
to God that we will live up to It.
The man in this country who. for
selfish purpose, personal vanity, pride
of party, pride of locality, or pride
of consideration, stands In the way
of the prompt and effective develop
ment of our country to fight this war
worse than a German In the
trenches."
General Reaches Paris
to Begin Duties.
HIGH SPOTS IX 9 EX A TOR
rillMBCRLAIV) REPLY TO
TUB PRESIDEXT.
I openly charge that the hun
dreds and thousands of deaths In
the training camps are due to In
efficiency In the War Depart
ment. I fear neither God. man nor the
devil when It comes to telling
the truth.
President Wilson doesn't know
the truth about the War Depart- ,
ment: I do.
Practically no cantonment In I
the country has trench mortars.
machine guns, howitzers or large-
caliber cannon. f
America, 'stands today unpre- 4
.
pared, aa far as ordnance Is con
cerned.
It . Is not a question between
the President and myself; It la a
question of America.
The Secretary of War tells us
we have nine of these (machine)
guns. Nine guns to go up against
the millions of Germany!
Germany knows more about
what America la doing today than
anyone connected with our d
partments. America, would be
better oft If she came out In the
spotlight.
I assume responsibility for the
speech (his address In New Tork
last Saturday) aa printed.
God grant every man will write
home and tell of conditions aa
they are; not to stay patriotism,
but to stimulate It In the right
direction. i
i
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU,
Washington, Jan. 24. President Wil
son, on Monday night, issued a state
ment faying Senator Chamberlain's
speech in New York last Saturday
was "an astonishing and unjustifiable
distortion of the truth."
Senator Chamberlain, in a three
hours speech in the Senate today,
proved by a letter signed by Wood
row Wilson himself that the White
House statement in question was an
"astonishing and unjustifiable attack
on a Senator who knew and had told
the truth."
Accusers Help Vindicate.
This morning Senator Chamberlain
was on the defensive, placed there by
the President; tonight President Wil
ton and Secretary Baker the entire
military administration, in fact are
on the defensive, for Senator Cham
berlain vindicated himself, and did so
with the written word and the oral
testimony of the very officials who
have been his accusers.
Senator Chamberlain made good.
Whole Country Enlightened.
Remarkable in many respects, the
speech of Senator Chamberlain was
perhaps most important, in that it
demonstrated to the country that
President Wilson does not know what
has been going on in the military
branch of the Government; does not
know how the Army has been mis
managed; does not know what of
fenses have been committed against
the boys in khaki under the guise of
patriotism.
Senator Chamberlain made it very
plain that the President does not
know, because he has derived his in
formation chiefly from Newton D.
Baker, Secretary of War.
Charitable Attitude Taken.
The Senator did not charge that
Secretary Baker deliberately misled
or misinformed the President. Rather,
he took the charitable ground that
Secretary Baker himself did not know
the deplorable plight of the Ameri
can military machine, and his au
thority for charging ignorance against
GERMANY STILL STRONG
Bat Enemy Staggers and Now Is
Time to Strike, Says Canadian.
CHICAGO. Jan. 24. Germany Is Just
aa atrong today as she ever was. Lieu
tenant Andrew Nalsmith. of the Cana
dian Field Artillery, told 1SU0 delegates
attending the convention of the Voca
tional Education Association of the
Middle West today.
-Germany haa made two mistakes
which will cost her the war. however."
he added. "In the first place, she failed
to mobilise enough men to accomplish
her purpose at the beginning and.
secondly, she started too late In her at
tempt to crush France. We have Ger
many staggering at the present time
and now la the time to drive home and
drive home hard."
NEBRASKA CORN IN DANGER
Crops Piled on Ground for Lack of
Storage; V. S. Aid Sought.
LINCOLN. Neb.. Jan. 24. Help In"
moving Nebraska corn to save it from
total loss was sought In a telegram
sent today by Governor Keith Neville
of Nebraska, to Director-General Mc
Adoo. The telegTam recited that In one
county, one million bushels of corn Is
plied unprotected on the ground, and
that unless cars are provided quickly
practically all of this will be lost. The
three elevators in the county are filled
to capacity and there Is no 'place to
store the corn.
AMERICA'S AIMS TO BE TOLD
Greatest Possible Offensive
May Follow.
GERMAN DRIVE COMING
Military Authorities Inclined to Be
lleTe Teutons Staging Big Bluff
Preparatory to Slaking An
other Peace Move.
JOHN D.'S. WEALTH LISTED
Cuyahoga Auditor Locates $880,
000,000, but Says There Is More.
CLEVELAND. C Jan. 14. County
Auditor Zangerle today sent figures
and information on the property hold
ings of John D. Rockefeller in Cuya
hoga County to J. A. Cantor, president
of the New Tork City tax department.
The figures show that Mr. Rocke
feller holds 247.693 shares of Standard
Oil stock, worth 1369.000.000, and held
real property . In Cuyahoga County
worth 1311.000.000 in 1914. Mr. Zan
gerle says Mr. Rockefeller owns many
other millions In United .States Steel
and other stocks, and has paid less
than $10,000 taxes hero In four years.
WASHINGTON. Tan. 24. General
Tasker 11- Bliss, chief of staff, who ar
rived In Paris today, will represent the
United States Army on the Supreme
War Council. W
Secretary Baker In so announcing
tonight disclosed that the General Is
accompanied by high officers of every
branch of the service to advise him
about any questions that may arise.
General Bliss attended the first
meeting of the Council. The decision
to send htm back to Europe as a per
manent representative In that body was
made because It was recognised that
General Pershing duties In organis
ing and commanding the ever-Increasing
American expeditionary forces were
too great to permit him to undertake
the presentation of American views
on "military operations and to sit with
the Council 'in framing plans of strat
egy that cover all fronts and all armies.
Fall Report to Be Made.
No word of the departure of General
Bliss had been published until the news
of his safe arrival came today.
From General Bliss the War Coun
cil will obtain an up-to-the-minute re
port on what the United States will be
able to contribute to operations on
the western front this Spring and Sum
mer. ' His report has been forecast to some
extent by President Wilson's ' state
ment to Congressional ..visitors -that
there would be In Europe In June
twice the number of American troops
which It had been originally . planned
to send by that time.-
General Bliss also can Inform his
conferees exactly the situation In which
the United States finds Itself now as to
delivery of supplies of all sorts to the
allies.
Greater Offensive Hinted At.
While Secretary Baker's statement
merely said that General Bliss had ar
rived in France to represent the Army
on the Council, there have been Intima
tions that renewed recommendations
In New Tork Address Steel King
Says All Most Stand Behind
"Our Nation and Cause."
. NEW . TORK. Jan. 24. Charles M
Schwab, president of " the Bethlehem
Steel Corporation, declared In an ad
dress at a dinner here tonight that the
time Is near at hand "when the men
of the working class the men without
property will control the destinies of
the world."
"The Bolshevlkl sentiment must be
taken into. consideration, Mr. Schwab
declared, "and In the very near future
we must look to the worker for a so
lution of the great economic questions
now being considered. I am not one to
turn over carelessly my belongings for
the uplift of the Nation, but I am one
who has come to believe that the work
er will rule, and the sooner we realize
this the better it will be for our coun
try and the world at large.
"In these times of war we of Amer
ica should not criticise the actions of
our President and our Nation. We are
behind him and we are behind the Na
tion. When I say 'we' I mean the steel
men of the United States. Within the
next 18 months we will have more ton
nage on the ocean than all .the nations
of the world.
"But don't let us run away with the
Idea that we have a light Job on our
hands. We must realize that It Is the
duty of every citizen to give his last
dollar and his last drop of blood In
defense of his country."
(Concluded on Page 2. Column 4.)
GERMAN DESTROYERS SUNK
Mines or Torpedoes Wreak Disaster
to War Vessels Near Helgoland.
COPENHAGEN. Jan. 24. Seventeen
men from a German destroyer which
was struck by a mine or torpedo have
landed on the west coast of Jutland.
The sailors relate that five German
destroyers on Sunday morning started
for Helgoland. The destroyer A-79
struck a mine and sank. The A-73,
hastening to the aid. of the other, also
struck a mine and sank. The three re
malnlng' destroyers, fearing the same
fate, turned southward.
The whole crew of the A-73 perished,
while only 17 of the A-79 survived,
Nineteen of the men were saved, but
two have since died.
POLICE JOBS LURE MANY
Applications for Examination by
City Civil Service Board" Made.
Many men are anxious to get jobs
on tho police force, judging from the
applications received by the Municipal
Civil Service Board for the patrolmen's
examination to be held at the City
Hall. February 7.
Secretary Bortzmeyer, of the Civil
Service Board, reported yesterday that
he haa received a large number of - alls
for application blanks and expects to
have a big class in the examination.
From the list of men passing the ex
amination, appointments to the police
force will be made during the ensuing
year.
Demotion Bared During
Sloan Hearing.
PROFITS FOR WORK ARE BIG
Besides $2500 Monthly Salary,
Fees Total $58,000.
'PATRIOTIC ACTS ARE TOLD
Head of Sloan Shipyards Says In
Selling Ship Contracts to V. S.
at Profit, Cllnchflelds Really
Made 'Patriotic Sacrifice.'
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington, Jan. 24. Theodore E. Ferris,
appointed by General Goethals as naval
architect of the Shipping Board, no
longer occupies that office. The man
ner and time of his going is still held
secret, but the fact that he is gone be
came known today.
Perhaps the reason for his going was
contained in the testimony given today
before the Senate commerce committee
by Phillip D. Sloan, of Seattle, presl
dent of the Sloan Shipyards Corpora
tion. According to Mr. Sloan, this sit
uation existed:
Bis Fee Is Provided.
Mr. Ferris Is In the employ of the
Clinchfleld Navigation Company of New
Tork, which secured for the Sloan yard
contracts for 16 wooden ships.
Mr. Ferris has received or -is to re
ceive a fee of 1 per cent on 12 of the
ships. Which are to cost $490,000 each.
Mr. Ferris fee therefore Is $4900 per
ship, or $58,800 In all.
He Is to receive this fee for his serv
ices as architect in designing the ships.
The Clinchfleld Company Is to pay half
of the fee; the Sloan Company is to pay
the other half. Mr. Sloan has not yet
paid his half. ,
Testimony at Variance.
These additional facts are well
known, but were so related by Mr.
Sloan:
1. The ships for which Mr. Sloan
holds contracts are to be built accord
ing to the standard Ferris plan.
. The Ferris plan Is property of the
Government, and for drawing them Mr.
Ferris was paid a salary of $2500 per
month.
3. Mr. Ferris testified some days ago
that he was receiving no commissions
from firms building for the Shipping
Board according to his plans.
4. The testimony of Mr. Sloan and of
Mr. Ferris does not agree.
Whatever the cause, Mr. Ferris Is out
and the testimony which Mr. Sloan
gave was only confirmatory of infor
American Defense Society Exposes
Illicit Trade in Open Letter to
Senator Chamberlain.
NEW TORK, Jan. 24. Although the
United States has been at war with
Germany since April 6, last, ships car
rying ammunition destined for Ger
many cleared at New Tork as late as
last month, the American Defense So
ciety declared today in an open letter
to Senator Chamberlain, chairman of
the Senate committee on military af
fairs.
"On December 20, last," the letter
said, "a steamer which had been
cleared by Federal authorities for
Copenhagen at New Tork carried half
a million rounds of German small arms
ammunition and on December 31 an
other steamer sailing from New Tork
carried a million rounds of ammunition
either manufactured or stored In this
country and Intended for Germany."
Co-ordination of the various Govern
ment Intelligence bureaus and "the
strict enforcement of military meas
ures against the enemy in this coun
try" were urged in the letter to Sen
ator Chamberlain.
CHINESE PROFESS REGRET
Attack on U. S. Gunboat in Yangtse
Kiang River to Be Investigated
PEKIN, Jan. 24. The Foreign Of
flee has expressed regret for the at
tack on the American gunboat Mono
cacy in the Tangtse Kiang River last
week. In- which one sailor was killed
and two others were wounded. The
Foreign Office has promised to make
an investigation and to give re para
tlon.
A patrol of the river by foreign war
ships is likely to result from recom
mendations made by the diplomatic
body.
Great German Attacks
.Seem Impending.
PEACE STRATEGY POSSIBILITY
British Critic Makes Attack on
Lloyd George.
ARMY POLICY QUESTIONED
Colonel Replngton Points Out Heavy
Reinforcements of Teuton Line
and Says American Troops
Not Arriving Rapidly.
GERMAN FLOODS DO DAMAGE
Sudden Rise of River Nahe Causes
Collapse of Town.
AMSTERDAM, Jan. 24. Telegrams
from Frankfort to Dutch newspapers
report that the recent sudden rise of
the River Nave, a tributary of the
Rhine, caused damage of several mil
lion marks to German property.
The town of Sobemhelm, on the Nahe,
with a population of about 3000, Is re
ported to have collapsed like a pack of
cards.
Floods are also causing considerable
damage In various parts of Holland.
(Concluded on Page 2, Column 1.)
THE NATION DEMANDS THE TRUTH.
(Continued oa Face 9, Column 1)
RED CITIZENSJIUST SERVE
Warm Springs Indians' Plea for
Exemption Denied.
OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash
ington. Jan. 24. Warm Springs In
dlans called in the draft will have to
discharge their duty to their Govern
ment. notwithstanding protests made
by thera In a recent petition. The
Provost Marshal General. In acknowl
edging tho petition filed recently by
Senator McNary, says:
"Only non-citizen Indians are entl
tied to exemption. The administrative
authority cannot vary this prescrip
tion. We can do nothing more than
file the petition."
VANCOUVER ELECTS WOMAN
Mrs. Ralph Smith to Succeed Late
Husband in Provincial Legislature.
VANCOUVER. B. C. Jan. 24. Early
returns Indicated the election here to
day of Mrs. Ralph 8mlth to the seat
left vacant In the provincial legislature
by her husband, the late Hon. Ralph
Smith. '
Mrs. Smith was leading In every
ward of the city. Her majority may
reach 1500.
NEWPORT ORDERS DRASTIC
Sentries to Shoot Prowlers First and
Inquire Afterward.
NEWPORT. R. I.. Jan. 24. Unusual
precautions to guard the water supply
of this city and naval and military es
tablishments were taken today.
All the sentries had orders to shoot
prowlers first and ask questions alter- ,
wards.
ONE-CENT PAPERS NO MORE
New York Dailies to Advance Prices
to Two Cents.
NEW TORK, Jan. 24. The one-cent
daily papers of Greater New York,
both morning and afternoon, will ad
vance their price to two cents begin
ning Saturday morning next.
The Evening Post, now a three-cent
paper, announced that beginning next
Monday it would lower its price to
two cents.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 82
degrees; minimum. -47 degrees.
TODAY'S Probably rain; moderate north
westerly winds.
War.
Victims of U-boat tell of how Owaaco sank.
Fags 7.
Franca anxiously awaits coming of American
assistance on battle front. Page 1.
General Bliss reaches Paris to represent
United States at supreme war council.
Page 1.
British war critic says grave crlsla has de
veloped on western front. Page 1.
Germany serves ultimatum on Russians
which may mean renewal of war. Page 2.
Foreign.
Count Czemin agrees with' Wilson on some
points in peace talk. Page 2.
Japan pledges responsibility for policing of
Orient. Pago d.
National.
jChamberlaln makes smashing attack in Sen-
Shipping Board lid of Naval Architect Fer
ris. Page 1.
Paul C. Hen nig on trial for treason. Page 4.
Baker sends report on Army changes to
military committee, but has no reply to
Chamberlain. Pago 9.
Domestic.
Packers accused In Federal report on fa Ida
market, rage 4.
C. M. Schwab says working classes will con
trol destinies of the world. Page 1.
Roosevelt replies to Senator Stone's recent
attack. Page 5.
Ships sail from New York with ammunition
for Oermans despite war. Page 1.
Coal movement in Eastern states is improv
ing. Page 4.
Sports.
Jefferson Hfvh quintet beats James John.
9 to 7. Page 14.
Pitcher Alexander wants part of purchase
price paid for him by Philadelphia,
page. 14.
Mike Gibbons thrives on U. 6. grub at Camp
Dodge. . Page 14.
Paddy Slglln, Portland manager, may be
called into service soon. Pago 14.
Commercial and Marine.
Barley sells at record price In local grain
market. Page la.
Export purchases advance oats at Chicago.
Page la.
Stocks close firm after dull, irregular ses
sion. Page 19.
Work on Plttsburg-street terminal to be
pushed. Page 16.
Supple A Ballin steamers building are
named. Page 18.
Portland and Vicinity.
Captain William S. Powell, pioneer, dies.
Page 3.
Co-operative, milk distributing plant pro
posed. Page IS.
City ' preparing measure providing for bond
ing Issue. Page 15.
City Sealer of Weights and Measures makes
report. Page 6.
Workers in lumber mills protest against ar
bitrary eight-hour day. -Page. 15.
Woman's Research Club holds rousing con
ference and luncheon. Page 12.
Roadmaster Yeon is grilled In Interview by
LONDON, Jan. 24. The situation on
the western front Is critical, in the
opinion of Colonel C. A. Replngton, one
of the foremost English military critics,
who recently resigned from the Times
and became military correspondent of
the Morning Post.
In his first contribution to the Post,
in today's Issue, he criticises Premier
Lloyd George and the War Cabinet se
verely because, he asserts, they have
failed to maintain the strength of the
British armies in the west, thereby
creating the present conditions.
Germane Oatnnmber Allies.
The Germans, Colonel Replngton says,
now have 165 divisions on the western
front, or more than all the allies com
bined, excluding the Italian theater.
The number of German troops Is being
Increased, he adds, at the rate of seven
to 15 divisions monthly, and may be
expected to reach more than 200 divi
sions as soon as it Is possible to con
centrate them.
The arrival of some Austrian forces
also Is to be expected, and news already
has come of the appearance of Austrian
troops in Belgium.
Great Attacks Impending;.
Remarking that the accumulation of
this Immense force may be either to
support negotiations or for a grand
attack, the writer says all the evidence
points to the Impending delivery of a
series of great attacks.
Reviewing the strength of Great
Britain's allies. Colonel Replngton
writes
, "The American troops are not coming
in as fast as some sanguine estimates
foretold, but I feel sure that General
Bridges, who accompanied Mr. Balfour
to the United States, must have given
the War Cabinet a pretty accurate fore
cast. The American Army can be only
a contingent during the next few
months. This Is all the more reason
why. we this year should place every
available man in the field."
Navy in Good Shape.
The Colonel said the navy was In bad
shape the first six months of the war
and would have met disaster if there
had been a test with the enemy, but
that It was "fine" now.
He approved the war council and mu
nitions director-general.
I want to tell the people of Ens-
land, particularly those ministerial pol
troons who bleat about our losses, that
ofir total casualties in killed, wounded
and missing since the war began are
but a little higher than the number of
French dead. The only suitable recog
nition we can make of French heroism
s to help them now in their hour of
need."
Political Strategy Blamed.
Declaring that the British armies In
France have not been maintained ade
quately since the death of Lord Kitch
ener. Colonel Replngton says that "po
litical strategy is first among the
causes which have brought about the
present critical situation on the west
ern front."
He reiterates his previous criticism
respecting the distribution of British
forces in distant theaters of war, and
warmly condemns "the failure of our
war Cabinets, particularly the present
Cabinet," to prolong the Kitchener pol
icy of continually reinforcing our ar
mies In the field with fresh divisions.
British Said to Be Outnumbered.
"Field Marshal Haig's recent state
ments that his drafts did not reach him
in time to be properly trained and that
he had to fight 131 German divisions
with half that number," he added, "Is
tho most damning Indictment of the .
war cabinet that could have been
made."
When Mr. Lloyd George became Pre
mier, Colonel Repington goes on, he
rejoiced because ho thought It meant
more vigorous prosecution of the war,
and particularly the utilization of mil
lions of civilians, but he found that it
meant nothing of the sort.
Pursuing his criticism of the Lloyd
George cabinet, he declares that "by
Imposing upon Haig a certain course of
action contrary to that agreed upon at
the allied conference of November, 1916,
the cabinet incurred grave responsi
bility." He says further that each man at the
front has had to do the work of two,
"because the Premier has lacked the
courage to tell tho country the truth
and to pass on to the public the advice '
be must have received from any gen
eral staff conscious of Its duty.
(By the Associated Press.)
ITALIAN HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTHERN ITALY, Jan. 23. The en
emy has evacuated territory on the
northern mountain front behind Monte
County Commissioner Holman. Page 13. 1 -.mri. .wendina- from the Piave River
Jltn' Hs., tt!0. Hm.&naea b maa-i westward. Its defense lines have now
Weather report, data, and forecast. Page 13. (.Concluded oa Page 3, Column 2.)