VOL. LVIII. XO. .17,974. ' PORTLAND, OKEUON, WEDNESDAY; JULY 3, 1918. PK1UE FIVE CENTS. IRON CROSSES FAD OF YANKEE TROOPS E U. S. AIR SQUADRON BATTLES WITH FOE IE SHIPYARDS TAKE UP CHALLENGE OF FOE MAD, StMSlGHIH DRIVE ROUTS HONS i LL ON AD MOB 1XICAI DlTOPiS 200 HURT REACH PORTLAND Mill. BOYS FROM WEST COLLECT KAI HALF-HOUR FIGHT SERVES TO DESTROY 3 BOCHE PLANES. HUNDRED LAOCHIXGS JULY 4 3IESSAGE OF DEFIANCE. SER'S WAR MEDALS. U.S. MEN OVER SEAS Troops Moved Abroad in Swelling Stream. DISASTER Boche Regiment Viped Out and 500 Captured. KUCH BOOTY IS SEIZEO Vaux Village, Two Woods, Hill and Large Slice of Paris l Highway Brilliantly Won. . COUNTER BLOW REPULSED Americans Gain All Objectives and Dig In Far Beyond Old German Trench Line. PARIS, July 2. German counter attacks west of Chateau Thierry against the positions captured by the American troops have completely failed, according to the War Office announcement tonight. The village of St. Pierre Aigle is again in French hands. (By the Associated Press.) WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY OX THE MARNE FRONT, July 2. American troops, which advanced and hurled back the Germans on a front of two miles west "of Chateau Thierry in a battle which began last night at 6 o'clock, continued their pressure on the enemy throughout today, and re pulsed a counter attack against their new positions: Fighting Yet Continues. The vijlage of Vaux, the height to the west of the village, two patches -. of- wooded land, a large slice of the Paris highway west of Chateau Thierry and other ground gained by the victorious Americans has been re tained. sThe battle continues. The total number of prisoners cap tured by the Americans is now esti mated to be about 500, of whom seven are officers. Many groups of pris oners already have been sent to the rear and others have been located in hospitals where they were removed after being wounded. The Ameri cans have captured many machine guns and other equipment. Hill 204 Is Shelled. There was hot fighting today in front of Hill 204, which is in the hands of the Germans. At 5 o'clock this evening, the American artillery was engaged in heavily shelling the position. An entire German regiment has been virtually annihilated in the fighting west of Hill 204, according to official information. Reports from the advanced front brought back through a heavy enemy barrage confirmed the earlier state ments that the Americans have reached their every objective and are holding every point. Foe Attackers Annihilated. The German counter attack which was fiercely conducted ' was launched against the American positions at 3 o'clock this morning. It resulted in the Americans further increasing their number of prisoners. Virtually the remainder of the enemy-attacking force was annihilated. In the Vaux region the Americans took the Germans completely by sur prise. Most of the prisoners were taken out of cellars and dugouts. U. S. Planes Are Active. While the artillery preparation was going on many American airplanes flew high overhead. Some were pro tecting the observation balloons, while others were combing the skies to keep off enemy machines. Early this morning, the American pilots againappeared for similar duty and soon were found contesting with the enemy for supremacy in the air. A number of the aerial battles were observed, but reports on the results are not yet available. It was exactly 6 o'clock last eve ning when the Americans went over the top under the protection cf a hail of machine gun bullets from our ma chine gun barrages. The infantry action was preceded by a short but terrific artillery preparation. When the . Germans saw that n formidable tt Js was developing, many of those in outposts yelled and ran toward the rear to nests from which a hot fire began pouring. . . The Americans paused for a mo iCoaciudcd oa fas i. Coiuma -. Americans Strip German Prisoners of Souvenirs to Send to Girls Back Home. WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE. July 2. (By the Associated Press.) The German Emperor has dis tributed iron crosses gralora among; the American foVces holding; lines west of hill 204. . The distribution was not di rect, but via the chests of soldiers Ger many considers her best. Having; an iron cross is a fad among; the Ameri cans. Nearly every prisoner taken has one, and few retain them. These are probably overlooked during; the excite ment of battle and the hurry to gret the prisoners -to the rear. A few Americans seen today had the enemy medal pinned in the center of their shirts not on the left side while others pulled their trophies from their pockets, explaining; that they considered them the best souvenirs be cause they are easily mailed home, while machine guns, rifles and trench mortars are likely to become elephants on one's hands. The men said some of the crosses had been given voluntarily by the Ger mans when they were asked for them, but others were cut off prisoner's shirts. One small dougrhboy. who looked less than 20. stepped up. to- a German officer taken prisoner and drew his bayonet to cut off the cross. The officer thought the American in tended to kill him. and fled. The American chased him with the bare bayonet in his hand. The prisoner finally was headed off by other Amer icans. The small soldier patted the German on the shoulder with one hand and removed the desired trophy with the other, much to the astonishment of the officer. The American gave the German a cigarette and a match and the bargain was closed. NEW BARRAGE GUN WONDER Factory Tnrns Out Howitzers .at Rate of Ten Each Day. "WASHINGTON, July 2. American built 155 millimeter howitzers are mov ing to France, supplementing the equipment of General Pershing's troops heretofore obtained from French ord nance factories. One American firm that never ouched ordnance work prior to Amer ica's entering the war is turning out these guns at a rate of ten a day from a factory, the site of which was a flour ishing cornfield last August. These facts were disclosed today to newspaper correspondents from Washj ington, who visited the new Army proving ground at Aberdeen, Md. The. howitzers, which are of French design, are of approximately six-Inch bore, and are the heavy barrage guns which support an infantry advance against an entrenched position. The United States soon will be independent of its co-belligerents for guns of this type. ' ' 7 CLATSOP MEN REJECTED Man Who Fails to Sign Question naire Sent to Fort McDowell. ASTORIA. Or.. July 2. (Special.) The local board has received word that seven of the contingent of 94 men sent recently from here to Camp Lewis, have been rejected with several men yet to be reported upon. These men were rejected for slight physical de fects, such as imperfect teeth. Joseph I. Waring, who was arrested a few days ago for failure to sign and return his questionnaire, has been in ducted into the military service and was sent today to Fort McDowell. ARMY TITLE IS SPURNED Preston Gibson Enlists as Private in ' U. S. Marine Corps. NEW TORK, July 2. Preston Gibson nephew of Chief Justice White, an au thor and playwright, has refused an Army commission to enlist as a private In the Marine Corps. He has notified ; Colonel E. Lester Jones, at headquar- tcrs of the Signal Corps in Washington. i Mr. Gibson joined the French army as ; a volunteer last August and was twice ; cited for bravery. He returned to the I United States and spoke for the last lib erty loan. AMERICANS MAKE 2 RAIDS I In Daylight Operation Xear Mont- didicr One German Is Captured. WITH THE AMERICAN ARMT IN FRANCE. July 2. (By the Associated I Press.) Two successful raids, one ' of ! them In broad daylight, have been carried out by the American forces in the Montdidier region. In the daylight raid a Corporal and three men entered an enemy post lo eaten in a wheat ' field and took one prisoner and a machine gun. "SPANISH GRIP" FEARED Steamer Thoroughly Fumigated and Passengers Fndergo Examination. AN ATLANTIC PORT. July 2. As a precaution against the introduction into this country of the "Spanish influ enza" recently Reported as prevalent in Spain, a - Spanish passenger liner which arrived here today was thor oughly fumigated and those on board subjected to thorough examination by Fedcrtl and. state health, officers, ' 30 DIVISIONS NOW IN FRANCE America's Forces Ready to - Help Resist German Smash. EQUIPMENT KEEPS PACE President Makes Public His Cor respondence With Secretary Ba ker Relative to Dispatch of Soldiers Abroad. WASHINGTON, July 2. American troops sent overseas numbered 1,019. 156 oar July I. This was made known tonight by President Wilson, who gave to the public a letter from Secretary Baker disclosing a record of achievement which the President said "must cause universal satisfaction," and which "will give additional zest to our National celebration of the Fourth of July." The four units non-combatant left American shores on May 8. 1917. Gen eral Pershing followed 12 days later, and at the end of the month 1718 men had started for the battlefields of France. Steady Stream Started. June saw this number Increase by 12,261. and thereafter khaki-clad "cru saders" from the Western Republic flowed overseas in a steady stream un til upwards of 800,000 had departed, when the great German thrust began last March. President Wilson's, determination tp meet Germany's supreme effort with the utmost of America's available manpower to assist the desperately re sisting French and British armies is sharply reflected in the movement of troops during the last three months. The March sailings of 83,811 were in creased- In April to 117.212. May saw another 244,245 men embark, and last month 276,372 were sent away, making a total for the three months of 637,929. This. Secretary Baker said later, put the troop movement six months ahead of the original programme. , Flnt Field Army Formed. ( Substantially 30 divisions are now in France ready to meet whatever move the German staff has in preparation. Some of these divisions already have been formed into the first field army under Major-General Liggett, others are holding trench sectors at important points along the battle line, and still others have been broken up and brigaded with the French and British troops. And so. when the German tjiruat comes, the Americans will be called upon to play no small part in meet ing it. Secretary Baker wrote the President that the supplies and equipment In France for the million men who have (Concluded on Page o. Column 1.) JUST THE I n I Two American Machines Fail to Re turn; British . Destroy 12. Ene my Airplanes In One Day. WITH THE AMERICAN ARMT IN FRANCE, July 2. IBy the Associated Press.) An American air squadron composed of nine machines had a thrill ing half-hour fight this morning north of Chateau Thierry with a German flight squadron of the same number. At least three of the German planes were -driven down, plunging to the earth, and up to 6 o'clock tonight two of the Americana had not returned. The American airmen, acting as a patrolling party came upon the enemy shortly after 7 o'clock in the morning and immediately attacked. With the advantage of the offensive, the Ameri cans succeeded in getting above their adversaries, and after furious ex changes at an altitude of more than two miles drove the Germans down a mile. Two of the American aviators saw one of the Nieuports, driven by an American pilot, go into a dive and dis appear, but three American pilots have reported that they observed tracers go through the fuselage of three enemy machines within a few mlnnea of each other, the planes crashing earthward. The fighting was fast and all kinds of maneuvers were brought into play. Finally the Germans made off hur riedly. When the Americans returned to their field they found two of the patrol missing, and they have not been heard from so far. One machine had been struck 13 times. One bullet grazed the gas tank, another cut a strut, while the fuselage was like a sieve. LONDON, July 2-. British airmen yesterday disposed of 42 German air planes and three balloons, according to the official report on aerial operations Issued tonight. Of the airplanes, 25 were destroyed, 15 were driven down out of control and two landed behind the British lines, where their occupants were captured. SACK OF FLOUR SELLS HIGH Mystic Shrlners of Oklahoma Break Record With $86,675. SAN FRANCISCO. July 2. For one sack of flour 186,675. That is the price paid by the Mystic Shrlners of Oklahoma for the "Shrlners" Red Cross sac4c of flour, acording to Potentate John D. McGllvray, of Islam Temple. San Francisco, who has just returned here. The sack has been sold 21 times and the total sales to date are 8137.500, which has been turned over to the Red Cross. DELAYS TO BE ELIMINATED Monthly Checks for Allotments and Allowances to Come Promptly. WASHINGTON, July 2. Misunder standing the war risk Insurance act, either on the part of the enlisted man or by his dependents, has causea much of the delay in the mailing of monthly checks for allotments and allowances, according to the findings of a special committee of inquiry appointed by Sec retaries Baker and McAdoo. Steps are being taken, the committee reported, to eliminate all causes for de lay. THINGS FOR A NEW KIND OF A Better Understanding Object of Trip. RECEPTION DELIGHTS VISITORS War Preparations of United States Astonish. WEST CALLED WONDERFUL Political Relations of Two Americas Certain to Improve 'When Truth About This Country Is Told, Say Writers From South. On the last leg of a 40-day journey that has taken them through the princi pal cities and Industrial centers of the United States. 20 Mexican newspaper men arrived in Portland at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon for a two-day Btay. The party Is In charge of Lieutenant P. S. O'Reilly, U. S. N. R. F., who Is representing the Government In Its ef forts to show the editors what this country Is accomplishing In Its war preparations. ' Tired and dusty after their trip across the mountains, broken only by Mon day's visit In Seattle, the visitors were given last night to rest up for the strenuous two-day programme arranged by the Portland Chamber of Commerce. Highway Trip Plaaaed. A ride around the city, with stops at several points of Interest, will be the first event today. ' Following the ride the Mexican visitors will be guests of honor at a luncheon at the cham ber. A trip up the Columbia Highway In the afternoon will be followed by a dinner at the Crown Point Chalet. Surprise at the manifold war activi ties of the United States mingled with delight at the reception accorded them was expressed In the visitors' conver sation. Only four of the party speak English fluently, though practically every one of them understand it and can manage a few words of appreci ation. Kdttore Have Mark to Tell. "We didn't believe it- possible," said Manual Carpio. editor of La Vox de la Revoluclon, of Yucatan, and El Trl umfo, of Havana, in speaking of the country's war preparations. "We shall have much to tell the people of Mexico when we get back, and we already have been telling them much by cor respondence as we travel along. "The West is wonderful. Here they give us time to think, and we Latins are not a bustling people. In the East we were pushed along from place to place with scarcely time to appreci ate anything. Of course we know they are busy, but they should be more pleasant about it and they would en joy everything more. It is beautiful out here the air, the country and the people." Better L'aderetaadlag Prime Object. Better understanding between Mexico and the United States the prime ob- (Concluded on Page ft. Column 3.) FOURTH, Pershing, Addressing Chairman Hurley, Acknowledges Receipt of Inspiring News. WASHINGTON, July 2. "No more defiant answer could be given to the enemy's challenge." This was the message received from General Pershing in reply to Chair man Hurley, of the Shioplng Board, informing the American fighting men in France that the shipbuilders at home would launch 100 merchant ships July 4. "The launching of 100 ships on the Fourth of July Is the moat inspiring news there has come to us." General Pershing eald. "All ranks of the Army in France send their congratu lations and heartfelt thanks to their patriotic brothers in the shipyards at home. No more defiant answer could be given to the enemy's challenge. With such backing we cannot fail to win. All hail, American shipbuilders." Chairman Hurley's message to the Army said: "Not by delaying a single ship, but by speeding to the utmost, the Ameri can shipyards will launch nearly 100 ships on July 4. On that one day, cele brating the Nation's Independence and backing up boys in the trenches, the men in the shipyards will launch 4 50.- 000 deadweight tons, as much as was launched in six months last year. "Tour Inspiring leadership of the American Army In France has thrilled the shipyard workers and if the time comes when you need even the ship yard men over there, they will go, to the last man. "We want you and the boys In the trenches to know that men In the yards are going the limit to provide in record-breaking time the ships that will carry more men, food and muni tions to the intrepid American expedi tionary forces." SOFA FERRY'S FLOUR BIN Seattle Attorney Arrested on Charge of Hoarding Food. SEATTLE. Wash.. July 2. Pierre P. Ferry, pioneer Seattle attorney and son of Ellsha P. Ferry, first Governor of Washington, was arrested here to day and charged with hoarding food In violation of Federal laws. Officers said they found almost 600 pounds of flour behind a aofa in the Ferry home. Ferry, according to the officers, said the flour was purchased before the food laws became effective and asserted he did not know he was violating the statutes by keeping it. SUFFRAGE MOTION FAILS Senator Fall, of New Mexico, Ruled Out of Order. WASHINGTON. July 2. An" effort by Senator Fall, of New Mexico, to bring up the woman suffrage resolution failed in the Senate today, the Vice President ruling the Senator out of order. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS The Wratbrr. TESTERDAfS Maximum temperature. 76 decrees; minimum, 54 degrees. TODAY'S Fair; gentle westerly winds. Uar. United States air squadron has thrilling fight. Page 1. Yankee soldiers collect Iron crosses. Para 1 Hundred launchlngs July 4 defiant answer -to challenge of Germany. Page 1. Italians capture more Austrian. Page 2. Americans smash Huns. Page 1. Hope abandoned for Llandovery miss in a Page 2, Official casualty list. Page 2. United States Medical Corps proves heroism In trench fever test. Page a. Foreign. British and French will Join Americans abroad in July 4 celebration. Page 2. Germ an -Finnish forces mobilise around Vlborg. Page 5. President Doney. of Willamette University describes thrilling scenes in Pari a. Page 3. National. Wilson announces over 1,000,000 American troops overseas. Page 1. United States breaks record for output of ocean-going tonnage. Page 7. Cabinet officers advocate Federal control of telegraph and telephone lines.. Page 4. Domestic. Two hundred killed or Injured in muni tions plant explosion near Syracuse. N. T Pn 1. Rev. Dr. Washington Gladden dies. Page 4. Sports. Abe Gordon turned down by Navy. Page 14. Bucks cost McCredte $150 dally. Page 14. Vancouver arranges bout for Fourth, Page 14. Shipyard teams play four games tomorrow Page 14. Pacific Northwest. Soldier on furlough kills wife and himself at Toledo. Or. Page 6. Sanity of boy slayer questioned. Pace 5. Logged -off lands swept by flames. Page 7. Commercial and Marine. Valuing of new clip wool will begirt-In Port land next week. Page Id. Corn higher at Chlcae-o on prospect of large purchased by Canada. Page 19. Sharp advances In stock market partly can celed. Page It. Shlpworkers who are steady and proficient not to be drafted. Page IS. Northwest shipyards ; set new record. Page 15. Portland and Vicinity. Edward Frank Allen addresses Ro tartans. Page 13. Oregon again stands in front rank of Kaiser haters. Page 12. Paling will case take new ancle. Page 20. Fish urged as meat substitute. Page 9. Hun greed blamed for world war. Page 7. Prune growers to fix prices. Page 11. West not fighting mid, declares Dr. Will iam B. Otis, of New York. Page 12.- Celebration of July Fourth to be most memorable In civlo history. Page 13. Russell ite taken on Federal charge. Pag 13. Automobile owners lack In patriotic duty. Pace 4. Mexican editors are In Portland. Page 1. City men urged to enlist for farm work. Page 12- Dr. E. A. Sommer called to Camp Lew la Page 12. JVcatbcr report U; && ferccaaU f 12 Explosives Plant at Split Rock, N. Y., Blows Up. CITY OF SYRACUSE ROCKED Terrific Blasts Set Off When the Flames Reach Vats of Chemicals. FIRE FIGHTERS HELPLESS Lack of Apparatus Makes Struggle Against Confla gration Futile. SYRACUSE, N. Y., July 2. At least sixteen persons were killed and two hundred injured and the huge plant of the Semet-Solvay Company, at Split Rock, near here, wan virtu ally wrecked by two explosions of trinitrotuluol at 9:30 o'clock tonight. t Terrific concussions from the ex plosions of the war powder rocked large business buildings in the cen ter of this city, smashing plate glass windows and causing a panic in the residential district. T. N. T. Vats Reached by Flames. The explosions followed a fire that had got beyond control and spread to the T. N. T. vats. Two let go, burying workers under an avalanche of debris and scattered the flames to adjoining buildings. At a late hour tonight the flames were burning fiercely and there was constant danger of more explosions. Volunteer firemen were powerless. Aid was sent from Syracuse, but at midnight the water system broke down. Five hundred workers were in the plant when the fire broke out. Its origin has not been ascertained. The workers fought the flames and when they ran to safety were caught in the first explosion. Men were hurled in all directions. Two, caught between burning build ings, were blown through a wall. They, were still alive when picked up, but there was not a shred of clothing on their bodies. . The second explosion occurred 15 minutes after the first. Buildings in the vicinity were crumpled. Homes of working men across the road from the plant collapsed. Burning timbers were blown to the roofs of buildings across the railroad tracks which divide the plant. Families fled across the fields in confusion. James Russo and Arthur C. Good fellow were analyzing samples in the plant when the cry of "fire" called them to building No. 1. Water Found Lacking. Goodfellow tells this story: "Russo grabbed a hose and I tried to help. Smoke was thick, we could not see. Little explosions kept letting go inside the building. There wasn't enough water to be of any use. "We knew that a big explosion was coming and we ran. Just as we reached the foot of a hill the blast let go. It knocked us both flat on our faces." A" telephone message from Split Rock brought the first word of the accident to the city. It reached po lice headquarters in the form of a request for all the ambulances. The shock of -the explosion, a few minutes earlier, had tied up all the telephone lines, causing a delay before the am bulances were on the way. Many Buildings Bum. Both fire and explosions, according to workmen who escaped, were con fined to the east side of the plant which is made up of about 15 build ings, including the offices and labora tories. There are three of the T. N. T. plants, in the first of which the flames originated. Next to them are six plants in which nitric acid' is handled. Beyond them only a hun dred yards away are four plants in which picric acid is handled. All of these clustered together on the south side of the railroad tracks. At midnight the flames had eaten' into the picric acid plants and were making slow headway toward the giant tanks of oleum. Most of the small explosions were due, according to workmen, to the contact of flames with email "nitre fiers," or "pulverizers,'" . V io3.