PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1918.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
VOL. LVIIL 3fO. 18,010.
FOCI'S STRATEGY
SPOimjUH PLAH
Fob's Work of FourMonths
Undone in Three Weeks.
FIRST U. S. FIELD
ARMY IS CREATED
OT
ASKED
AMERICAN TROOPS KOW HOLD
DEFTXITE PART OF FROXT.
EXPLAIN
TO
WAR TALK
Five Full Corps, Comprising Approx
imately 1,250,000, Under Com
mand of Pershing.
Entente Envoys Said to
Have Served Notice.
WASHINGTON', Aug. 13. Secretary
Baker was formally advised today by
General Pershing that the first Ameri
can field army had been created. Gen
eral Pershing retains command of the
Army, as well as of ,the entire Amen
can expeditionary force for the present.
The dispatch added nothing to de
tails of the Army organization already
made known from Paris, however, Mr.
Baker said.
Formation of the army is taken here
to mean that the Americanization of a
definite portion of the front has been
completed. The only statement of the
location of this American front given
is that it is "south of the Marne.
The extent of that front has not
been disclosed, nor has the definite
strength of the Army been given. The
advices indicate that It comprises.
however, five full corps, which means
approximately 1,250.000 men
The effect of the taking over of the
line is to make a definite beginning
at apportioning the long front. The
British hold the left flank, aided by
the Belgians, from the North Sea to
the juncture of the British fourth
army and the French first army in
Picardy, where an offensive is being
conducted at present.
In that position the British stand
between tha enemv anH tha channel
VITM THE FRENCH ARMY IN ports, which would be his only road to
FRANCE, Aug. 13. (By the Asso- England while the British fleet exists.
(dated Press. 1 The situation since Tne French armies presumably are
the battle of the Arre shows a change, bhe,n entrated wholly between
, ... I the Picardy juncture with the British
wmcn ior rapituty ana extent, nas mnd the American left beyond Verdun.
rarely been approached in military They block the roads to Paria
tustory. Marshal Foch s Strategy and To the Americans will fall the re
masterly tactics have in three weeks malnder of the front to the SwIsa bor
wrested from the Germans what re-
3 DAYS ALLOWED FOR REPLY
GERMAN LOSS 700,000 MEN
Enormous Cost of Offensives
of 1918 Goes for Naught;
Enemy in Peril.
flETIREMENT MADE HARDER
Russian Situation Daily More
Serious for Germany.
PETR0GRAD TO BE ENTERED
Kaiser Sending Forward Forces to
Seize Former Capital Ukraine
Bitterness Toward Invader
Is- Increasing.
prompt Escape of Von Hutier's
Troops Believed to Be
( Impossible.
quired four months for them to ob
tain at a cost variously estimated at
from 700,000 to 1,000,000 men.
Big Results From Battle.
The immediate results of the coun
ter offensives which will have the
greatest bearing on subsequent opera
tions are the clearing of the Chateau-
Thierry pocket, ending the menace to
der, when the other American armies
shall have been formed.
FRESNO HAS $500,000 FIRE
Flames Start in Three Sections of I
City Almost Simultaneously.
FRESNO, CaL, Aug. 13. Three fires
starting simultaneously and believed to
have been set by incendiaries caused
a loss of J500.000 here tonight, de-
Fpernay and Paris; the liberation of stroyed two big planing mills, leaped
Montdidier, ending the menace to I
across the street to the Zellerbach
Amiens; the freeing of the important Box company. 4nd threatened the en
eastern railroad line from Paris to I tire half block -across the alley from
Chalons and the equally important the mills.
northern line from Paris to Amiens, Tne three flr" were etrtd at once
. . . ... , I one in the pile of refuse, one In the
restoring to the allies means of com-L. h.hIrw, th. ,,,. ,,
munication which give them enor- third In the rear of a rooming-house.
rnously greater ease in future move-1 across the street, south of the mills.
inents of troops. I Tne r,re companies had Just arrived at
These successes render impossible , Z I n IOU" nl lr
. A XL 1- i ill"' - 4 tv ta j
uny rupture 01 wie line wmcn wouia abandoned branch of the T. W. C. A.
separate the French armies of the
a -a A t- " A Al . I
irzTjzzrzz holy land
French and British.
German Plan Wrecked.
LONDON, Aug. 13. Action suggestive
cf an ultimatum to the Bolshevik gov
ernment is reported to have been taken
by the allied powers. This move, which
Is referred to In Moscow advices by
way of Berlin, has taken the form of a
demand for an explanation of the war
talk recently attributed to Premier Le-nlne.
The diplomatic representatives of the
allies are said to have handed a col
lective note to War Minister Trotzky
demanding within three days an ex
planation of Premier Lentne's threat
that Russia would declare war "against
Anglo-French Imperialism."
It was reported on Monday that Pre
mier Lenlne and War Minister Trotzky
had fled from Moscow to the naval
stronghold of Kronstadt. and that the
Bolsehvik government would follow
them there.
Dispatch Delayed la Transit.
Owing to the difficulties of commu
nication with Russia, it seems probable
that the above dispatch has been de
layed In transit and refers to an event
of several days ago.
Lenlae's declaration was made prior
to August 9 , when American Consul
Poole at Moscow informed the State
Department at Washington that Lenlne
had told a gathering of Soviets that a
state of war existed between the Rus
sian government and the entente.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 13. Reports
through Berlin that allied diplomats
have demanded an explanation of a
threat by Lenlne, the Bolshevikl Pre
mier, of a declaration of war against
the allies, are assumed here to refer
to the action of American and allied
Consuls in calling In a body August 1
Complete Outfits Sent to Jewish Ie- oa Tchitcherln, the foreign commis
sioner at .Moscow.
CRYPTIC "C" AUTHOR
YET UNDISCOVERED
JTO PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION
OF HOUSE MARKINGS FOUND.
Casual Canvass of Residences In
Sell wood . District Show Nearly
All Bear Mystic Message.
The meaning of the mystic symbol Is
mysterious and puzzling as ever. Who
has been, marking houses In Portland
and other cities In Oregon with a cryp
tic "C" Is still unknown to the police
and. what is more, no plausible ex
planation has been set forth.
More markings were reported to the
police yesterday. A woman living In
the Sellwood district . said that after
casual ' canvass' of - her neighbors'
houses had been made, nearly all bore
markings of . the . capital .."C,". some . of
them with a heavy line drawn 'across
them. Similar markings on -houses In
the Irvington - district-also were re.
ported. ... .
The suggestion that the markings are
the work 'of enemy agents preparing
to carry on -some form of propaganda
is scouted by the police. They point out
that the activities of the Secret Service
and the bureau of investigation of the
Department of Justice are so broad and
thorough that any attempt on the part
of enemy emissaries ti carry out - a
programme: of such a nature would
have been thwarted before this time.
It is known that some of the markings
were made several weeks ago, although
most of the mystic symbols only recent
ly have been discovered by residents.
TROOPS, STRIKERS CLASH
Shots Exchanged in Plaza Indepen-
dencia at Montevideo.
MONTEVIDEO. Aug. 13. Strikers,
estimated to number 15,000, assembled
in the Plaza Independencia late this
afternoon and delivered fiery' speeches
in which the president of the republic
was frequently mentioned.
Cavalry attempted to disperse the
fathering and was fired on by the
strikers. The cavalrymen returned the
fire. No reports as to the number of
casualties have been received.
The general strike which has been
in progress here for several days Is
paralyzing commerce, especially trade
by sea. - Today the port workers and
packing house employes joined the
strikers, resulting In the stoppage cf
meat shipments to allied nations.
Numerous business houses have
closed. The scarcity of food supplies
in the city Is becoming serious.
KNITTING MAY NOT STOP
Red Cross Expects Only Reduced
Supply of Tarn.
FRENCH
TRANSPORT
SUNK: 442 MISSING
Djemnah Torpedoed In
Mediterranean.
glon In Palestine.
ine most oisasirous consequence to WASHlngTon. Aug. is.-Americans
xne uermans, asiae irom tne Heavy serving with the British army in Pal
losses they sustained in men and ma- estine are to introduce baseball In that
terial, is the collapse of their plan to cuntry. nd present plans call for a
drive wedges into the allied lines and n,um1ber ,of ame8 ,n Jerualem eta
... , . , . , . . . rival nines among units of these
uio suu&equeni, widening ana joining I troops.
Which would nave threatened general Complete outfits for four teams were
dislocation.
Marshal Foch's strategy in reducing
the salient wedges wrested the initia
tive in operations from the Germans,
at once obliging them either to order I Jewish Legion for Service In Palestine,
a general retreat to a stronsr line snch composed of Jews from this country
... v c . serving with the army who are below
as the Somme or to engage reserves. or .bove the draft w or are phyBlcal.
The enemy adopted the second alter- iy disqualified for service with the
tiative which, having failed, makes I American forces.
eventual retirement immensely more
Word From Poole Lacking.
The Consuls, after being told by Le
nlne that a state of war existed be
tween Russia and the allies, demanded
an explanation from Tchitcherln.
They were told that the statement
was not necessarily to be Interpreted
as a war declaration; mat it ratner
was a declaration of a state of defense
shipped from Washington today by the
Clark Griffith ball and bat fund at
the request of the Zionist organization
of America.
The outfits will be delivered' to the
(Concluded on Page 3, Column 4.)
NEW YORK, Aug. IS. The action of
the War Industries Board yesterday In
halting the production of yarn for
knitting In order to conserve wool for
Army uniforms "may result In the Red
Cross getting less wool than it needs,
but does not mean a complete stoppage
of knitting in American Red Cross
work rooms," according to an an
nouncement tonight by officials of the
Atlantic division. '
They interpreted the board's order to
mean that, after an inventory of the
country's wool supply had been made
production would be resumed and the
Red Cross would receive its allotment
after the needs of the Army and Navy
had been supplied.
THREE IN CONVOY ATTACKED
VOLUNTEER GATES
TO ARMY CLOSED
GRANTING OF COMMISSIONS TO
CIVILIANS DISCONTINUED.
Secretary Baker Announces Action
to Check Enlistments Pending
New Draft Legislation.
F
RENCH
DRIVING
IN OISE OFFENSIVE
Two KeystoThiescourt
Plateau Taken.
LASSIGNY MASSIF CAPTURED
Australian Sent Down and 17
Sailors Killed.
THIRD SHIP STAYS AFL0A
U-Boats Continue Active Off North
Atlantic Coast; Two More Ves
sels Sent Down; - Raider
Reported Destroyed.
PARIS, Aug. 13. Four hundred and
forty-two men are missing as a result
of the torpedoing of the French steam
er Djemnah in the Mediterranean tb
night of July 14-15 while bound from
Blzerta to Alexandria with troops on
board, according to an official an
nouncement tonight.
Four days later the French steame
Australian also was torpedoed in the
Mediterranean.
Still another steamer was torpedoed,
but remained afloat.
Official Report Issued.
The text of the communication fol
lows: t
'The steamer Djemnah, belonging to
the Messagerles Marltimes, proceeding
from Blzerta to Alexandria with mill
tary passengers, was torpedoed and
sunk the night of July 14-15. Four
hundred and 'forty-two men are miss
ing.
'On July 19 the Mediterranean
steamer Australian, belonging to the
same company, was torpedoed and
sunk. Seventeen sailors were killed.
Passengers to the number of 948 were
saved. Three are missing.
"In the same convoy another steamer
which was torpedoed was kept afloat.
"Numerous bombs 'were thrown at
the submerged submarine."
WASHINGTON, Aug. IS. The eteam
er Henry S. Kellogg has been torpedoed
by a German submarine off the New
Jersey Coast, according to a report re
ceived late tonight by the Navy De
partment. No details were available,
but it was presumed the steamer still
was afloat.
NEW YORK. Aug. 13. Available
shipping records do not contain the
name of the Henry S. Kellogg, bu
there is listed a new American tanker,
the Frederick R. Kellogg, 4450 tons,
owned by the Pan-American Petroleum
and Transport Company of Los An
geles and commanded by Captain
White. She is 425 feet long with
beam of 57 feet and was built at Oak
land. Cal.. In 1917 by the Moore and
Scott Iron Works.
NEW YORK, Aug. 13. The reported
Inking of an enemy submarine off the
North Atlantic coast and the addition
(Concluded on Pago 4, Column 1.)
ONLY REFUGE NOW.
THOMPSON WILL SAW WOOD
Recaptured Convict Given Ample I
Opportunity for Kxerclse.
difficult.
i Noyon'a Fall Probable.
The first phase of the battle of the
Avre finds the French with a footing
rr" ' " ' " r SALEM.. Or.. Aug. 13-(Speclal.)
"UJU1 vw imporeuice in Bennett Thompson, who was returned
future operations. The Germans must I to the State Penitentiary yesterday,
ither capture this at high C06t, if they wa Riven a bath, shave and new suit
ran. or ahanrlnn Nnrnn. whirh of clothes today and a short Interim
i .n - T- J t : v for rst-
w'c H" Tomorrow he will be handed a buck-
aireaay are unaer imminent menace 01 saw and started sawing wood. Warden
capture.. Murphy said today. This is in line
The disaster which menaced General wlth the new regulation which win
von Hutier's army has been averted appI' to 411 8CPe prisoners. Thomp-
m i. i irn OD 18 serving a. life term. Whether
,or me ine lew narrow pas- lhI, punilhment wU1 ,ppiy for tha re.
sages mcn now are open ior tne mainder of the sentence the warden
withdrawal of his stores are so bar- did not say.
rassed by the bombs of aviators and
the fire of heavy artillery that prompt HOLES TO BE CONSERVED
escape is unpossiDie, rendering prob-l
able a desperate effort by the Ger
mans to clinz to their 1914 lines.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMT IN
FRANCE. Aug. 13. (By the Associated
Press.) Ground gained by the allied
armies in the second battle of the
Eomme is held by them everywhere
today, although they have been pausing
for more than 24 hours. The harassed
and disorganized forces of the enemy
have launched several counter attacks.
It is true, but none of them have car
ried the Germans anywhere.
War Slmplict j Marks New Direc
tory of Phone Company.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 13. The cur
rent issue of the telephone directory
appeared here today without the usual
string band for attaching it to hooks
or the string perforations.
"We are 'Hooverizing on both holes
and string and the public can now con
serve the hooks," officials of the com
pany announced.
Two directories are published each
year instead of three as formerly. The
At a matter of fact, the small but I company is considering the issuaifce of I
nevertheless important local gains made I but one directory a year.
ty the allies just north of the Somme
JliTer. to aay nothing of other success- eni n I CDC M AV fCT lrtTC
ful minor operation, for Improving OWl-u I tno 1.IM I wnj I (UIL
positions, more than trebly outweigh Ruling Made by Minnesota State
in V Bitxwuimj viignt (imi mu uy i
th Germans at a heavy cost at two anoiic oaeity noara.
Eolnts In the line.
feT. PAUL, Aug. II. Minnesota men
in military service. Including those in
Strong enemy concentrations have France, 'will have an opportunity to
been reported between Koye and vote at the election in November, if
Foquescourt. but so far they have done way to register their ballots can be
nothing. If really they are there for an I found, the State Public Safety Commis-
(.Coacludod. a fas . columa i.) ' sion decided today.
Defraatve Barbed Wire Foaad.
t HER
Within Day or Two.
FOE REINFORCING OLD LINE
OREGONTAN NEWS BUREAU. Wash
ington, Aug. 13. An-order prohibiting
the granting of commissions in the
Army to men in civilian life between
the proposed draft ages of IS to 45
was Issued by Secretary of War Baker
today. .
This completely closes the door to
civilians seeking to enter the millta.ry fvacuatjon Qf RQy Expected
J . o.
been previously issued suspending all
voluntary enlistments in the Army and
Navy.
The only exception made Is in the
case of students In officers' training
camps. They will be permitted to com
plete their courses and qualify for com
missions.
Civilians not In training camps
whose applications were approved be
fore the order was issued will be given
commissions, but action on all other
application for commisisons will be
suspended while the orden is In force.
It is planned to continue the order
In force until the passage of the man
power bill now pending In Congress,
which increases draft ages to IS and
45 years.
Secretary Baker explained that "his
reason for suspending Army enlistment
was to check the Indiscriminate enlist
ment of men of the new draft ages
before the law Is passed.
OPERATION WINS IN ARMY
Dr. G. E. Riggs, of Albany, Commis
sioned First Lieutenant.
ALBANY. Or Aug. 14. (Special)
After undergoing an operation to fit
him for the service. Dr. G. E. Riggs,
City Health Officer of Albany, has
been commissioned a First Lieutenant
in the Medical Corps of the Army, and
Positions Held From 1914 to 1917
to Require Heavier Armament
to Break; Planes Are I'scd
to Bomb Infantry.
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN
FRANCE. Aug. 13. (By the Associated
Press.) The French continued their
vigorous assaults on the Thiescourt
Plateau, taking two more important
positions which are keys to the pla
teau the Ecuvlllon and St. Claude
farms. The Germans are filling the
numerous ravines and woods with
mustard gas and keeping up a heavy
machine-gun fire In trying to cling to
the parts of the heights they still hold.
FRENCH HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE, Aug. 13. (Reuter.) In the
French sector the dominant factor is
the desperate energy with which the
enemy is clinging to the western and
southern edges of Thiescourt and the
hills filling the space between Las-
received orders today to report at Fort 8l(fny and th0 ol8(Si whlch con8titut.
Riley, Kan., September 1
Dr. Riggs applied for Army service
last September, was rejected and ad
vised that nothing but an operation
would fit him for service. He accord
ingly planned for this and was operated
on in Portland in May.
MANY TO TAKE TRAINING
Applications for Next Officers'
, Camp Coming in Ten a Day.
EUGENE, Or., Aug. 13. (Special.)
October 5 will see the opening of the thereby Increasing the menace to the
the pillar of General von Hutiers
right wing.
Voo In 1014 Trraches.
On these edges the French hold Gury,
Mareu'l, La Motte and Canny-Sur-Matz.
A short distance north of Canny is
tha Bois Des Loses. Along this line
the enemy has established himself in
his 1914 trenches and is fighting his
hardest.
PARIS, Aug. 13. The French ' re
sumed the offensive today between the .
Mats and the Olse rivers, making prog
ress to the north and east of Gury and
hird officers' training camp at the
University of Oregon. Applications are
being made at the rate of ten a day.
Men are attending the present camp
from Colorado, California, Utah, Idaho,
Montana and Washington.
R. M. Winger, professor in mathe
matics, has been at the Presidio making
study of artillery mathematics, and will
be one of the instructors in the next
camp.
Germans at Lasslgny, according to the
Wai Office statement tonight. Strong
enemy resistance was unavailable to '
itop ihe attackers.
The text of the statement reads:
"During the day our troops resumed
their attacks in the wooded region be
tween the Matz and the Oise. In
spite of strong enemy resistance, we
succeeded in making progress to the
north and east of Gury. We have
gained a footing in the park of Pleas-
sler de Roye and reached Beivai.
Further east we have advanced our
line about two kilometers to the north
Several Killed in Frankfort Durinalof the village of Cambronne."
Raid by Fliers Monday. "Aviatlon-On the night of August
l.-ld OUT UUHIUIH6 & 1 1 I".".- .
ta tons of bombs on stations and enemy
AMSTERDAM. Aug. 13. A dispatch Lstablishments at Ham, Nesles. St.
received from Frankfort says that, de- Quentin. Tergnier and Noyon. Fires
spite the timely alarm given, several raDorted to have been seen at sev-
persons were killed and material dam- pri nlllMa.
BRITISH AIR BOMBS FATAL
age was done, especially in the streets
of Frankfort, during the British raid
of Monday,
NDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 93
aegrees; minimum, os degrees.
TODAY'S Showers and cooler; moderate
southwest winds.
War.
Foch's strategy offsets Hun's 1918 campaign.
Page 1.
French driving on in Oise offensive. Page 1.
Allies' prisoners reach 70,000. Page 2,
Americans and Huns In artillery exchange
on Vesle front. Page
Austrian offensive on Italian front expected.
Page 2.
Official casualty list. Page 3.
Ludendorff urges Germans to conserve man
power. Page 8.
First American field Army created. Page 1.
French troop ship sunk. 442 men missing.
Page 1.
Foreign.
War corrupts Berlin police, says Kaiser's
dentist. Page 0.
Trotzky called on to explain Lenlne's war
talk. Page 1.
National.
Northwest complains against Increased ex
press, freight rates. Page 12.
Man-power bill ready for report to Senate.
Page 4.
Occupational taxes to be levied. Page 30.
Granting of Army commissions to civilians
discontinued. Page 1.
American trade vital post-war topic. Page S.
Domestic
Philadelphia street railway wage case set
tled. Page S.
Haywood defends sabotage. Page 4.
Federal inquiry into cotton prices begins.
Page 3.
Sports.
Fielder Jones, of St. Louis Americans, to
train Portland shipyard nine. Page 0.
Hunters to leave for Coast timber. Page 6.
Pacifte Northwest.
Consolidations to net state $836,500 in two
years. Page 7.
Commercial and Marine.
Two plans for selling wheat offered to
Nortwestern farmers. Page 15.
Potato crop of Northwest 25 per cent less
than last year. Page 15.
Railway stocks sell at highest prices of year
in Wall street. Page 15.
Calala enters on career as shipping-board
carrier. Page 11.
Portland and Vicinity.
Cryptic markings on houses still unex
plained, fage l.
Phone merger awaits Burleson's approval.
Page 9.
Realty Board members plan auto tour to
Seattle convention. Page 7.
A. R. officers to arrive today. Page 16.
"On the 12th 11 German airplanes
were brought down or put out of ac
tion. Four captive balloons were de
stroyed."
LONDON, Aug. 13. After stubborn
fighting the French have repulsed a
heavy German counter-attack on Las
slgny massif, on the southern end of
the Picardy front, according to the
latest news received from the front
today. The French gained control of
the entine massif (slope) earlier in the
day.
Command of DlMtrict Given.
This gives command of the town of
Lassigny and the valley of the Dlvette,
as well as the entire district to the
north.
The capture of the massif by the
French must Inevitably have the most
serious effect on the German positions j
over a wide area and this effect should
begin to show within 48 hours. The ,
massif was the hinge of the old Ger
man positions in the whole angle In
the Noyon region, and now that this
hinge has burst the entire angle must
yield to the relentless allied pressure.
Roye Vnder Croasflre.
In the opinion of experts here, the
evacuation of Roye may be expected
within a day or two, for the town is
now under a crossfire. The abandon
ment of Roye by the Germans would
also make Chaulnes difficult to hold.
Thus recent history on the Marne Is
counted upon to repeat Itself on th
new front.
In the regionjof Des Loges, south of
Roye, the French this afternoon are
consolidating their line. They hold the
town, but have not regained the woods
beyond. It appears that the woods
must yield, however, for the French
hold all the high ground here over
looking the Germans In Roye from the
south and commanding the great criss
cross of roads leading out of thri town.
Line Difficult to Hold.
If the German line does not fall back
after the manner it did on the Marne,
with the expected fall of Roye and
Chaulnes, it could hold out only under
conditions of the greatest difficulty
and at tremendous cost.
The French gains on the Lasslgny
massif alreadf have forced the Ger
mans to evacuate a long line of
trenches in the valley of the Oise and
udge Carey to head Portland Industrial 1 are calculated to force further evacu-
war mm. .rage . .tinns almost Immediately. Noyon will
Secretary Olcott s tenure of office quea-1 . , x-rnfc
tloned. Pago 10. 1 conm ;y
.Weather report, data and forcast. Face 4.' (Concluded on Fag 2, Column U