VOL. LVIII "0. 18,011.
PORTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 1918.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
PLANES NOSE-DIVE,
COLLIDE; 3 DEAD
BRITISH ROYAL FLYING CORPS
CAPTAIN IX DAY'S TOLL.
SPRUCE MEN TO BE
FIGHTERS DEC. 1
VANGUARD OF G. A. R.
REACHES PORTLAND
16 BOYS DISREGARD
ORDERS; WIN FAME
UNIFORMS TRADED WITH AUS
TRALIANS TO GO OVER TOP.
DATE SET FOR FORMATION OF
TJMT FOR OVERSEAS.
AMAZING HISTORY
MADE AT in
RIBECOURT TAKEE1;
IVOII IMPERILED
$500,000 HULL AT
RAINIER IS BURNED
French Win Important Key
to Strategic Gity.
ROUTE IS OPENED UP OISE
Capture Said to Mark Epoch
in Latest Offensive; Huns
tk Resist Violently.
USSIGNY REPORTED TAKEN
Further Encroachment Made
on Thiescourt Plateau and
Neighboring Heights.
(By tk iiMcliM rrm.)
The capture of Ribecourt by the
French marks an important epoch in
the offensive which has for its imme
diate purpose the freeing of the re
gion between the Somme and the
Oise. As a sain from the strategic
standpoint it ranks with the taking
by the French of the forest and hill
positions between the Matz and the
Oise, which has brought the French
almost to the gates of Lassigny,
Through Kibecourt lies an open route
np the Oise Valley to Noyon a route
by rail and the big national thorough
fare, not to mention the canal which
parallels the roadways for the greater
part of the way. Noyon is only a little
more than six miles northeast of
Kibecourt.
German front-line trenches at Beau
mont Hamel, Serre, Puisieux Au Mont
and Bucquoy hare been found unten
able by the enemy in the face of the
recent activity by the British all
along the line from Albert to Arras,
while the French have persevered" in
their violent attacks against the
Germans on the sector which domi
nates the lower portion of the Picardy
plain and the Oise Valley and have
encroached further upon the Lassigny
massif and the Thiescourt plateau
and farther south have captured the
important town of Ribecourt.
Lassigny Reported Captured.
Unofficial reports have announced
the capture of Lassigny by the French
and of all the German positions be
tween the western outskirts of Bray-
Sur-Somme and Etinehem by the Aus
tralians.
From the Somme to the Aisne, ex
cept in the latter region, where the
French have made further gains, the
Germans seemingly have had further
success in holding back the allied
troops and still are in possession of
Chaulnes and Roye, upon the capture
of which the efforts of the British and
French have been centered. In the
central part of the battle front the
enemy continues to deliver violent
counter attacks and also has further
reinforced his line with men and guns
and is using them without stint to re
tain his position, realizing that their
capture would spell disaster. ,
Ten-Mile Salient Doomed. -
The giving np of front-line trenches
north of Albert may mean the Ger
mans foresee the ultimate success of
the American and British operations
along the Somme. In any event the
retrograde movement seemingly indi
cates that the ten-mile salient between
Beaumont Hamel and Bray on the
Somme, with Albert its apex, now
must give way in order that the Ger
man front here may come into align
ment with that in the south across
the Somme. Probably the Germans
purpose to readjust their front from
the Somme to Arras.
' French Progress Continues.
Although they are still encountering
violent resistance, the French are con
tinuing to make progress through the
wooded and hilly country between the
Mats and the Oise, where the Germans
from recesses in the forests, on spurs
and in the canyons are using machine
guns innumerable. Gas also is being
loosed in great quantities by the ene
my. Almost entire control of the
Thiescourt plateau and the other high
ground on this sector is now in the
hands of the French.
FARIS, Aug.. 14. The town . of
Ribecourt, on the road leading to
Noyon and six and one-fourth miles
southwest of that town, has been cap
tured by the French, according to the
official statement issued tonight.
General Humbert's army, operating
American Lientenant and Cadet
Perish In Falls of 1000 Feet and
Several Thousand Feet.
CINCINNATI. O.. Aug. 14. Captain
James Fits Morris, of the British Royal
Flying Corps, was killed Just west of
this city today, when his engine died
Just as he rose from the grounds of the
Western Hills Country Club to com
plete the last lap of a Journey from
Indianapolis to Cincinnati. Captain Fits
Morris wae instantly killed, when his
plane crashed to earth in a nose dive.
Brigadier-General Lee announced
that Captain Fits Morris had a total of
19 German airplanes to his credit. Dur
ing the three years of service on the
front Captain Fit Morris was decor
ated with the cross of the Belgian Le
glon of Honor and the military cross
with one bar added in honor of addi
tional heroic services performed after
receiving the cross.
American and British aviators
planned a gala day. A number of
Americans from the Dayton field, led by
Major Claud K. Rhinehardt. who had
flown from Mlneola, were to meet the
British flyers here who were coming
from Indianapolis under the leadership
of Brigadier-General Charles F. Lee.
Two of the American machines were
force I to land near Mlddletown earlier
In the day. Both turned over and Lieu
tenant Karl Carrol was slightly Injured.
He continued to 'Cincinnati in another
machine.
RANTOUU III, Aug. 14. Lieutenant
J. M. Johnson, a cadet at the Chanute
aviation field, was killed this morning
when his plane fell at Gifford. six
miles east of here. Another aviator in
the plane was only slightly hurt. The
men fell about 1000 feet.
FORT WORTH. Tex.. Aug. 14. Cadet
William R. Turnstall. son of John R.
Turnstall, of Brookfleld, Mass.. was
killed today when his alrpla.ie collided
with, another machine several t'-.ousand
feet in ' the air. The second machine
landed aafely and the cadet occupant
escaped nninjured.
PENS ECOLA, Fla.. Aug. 14. Joseph
Fenton, of Bellows Falls, Vt, a stu
dent aviator at the Pensacola station,
was killed late Tuesday night when his
seaplane fell into Pensacola Bay, It was
announced today. Fenton held the rank
of chief quartermaster.
Plant Engaged on Big
War Orders.
INCENDIARY WORK SUSPECTED
ERS1STENCE IS REWARDED
Lebanon Youth Admitted to TJ. S.
Service After tilne Attempts.
ALB ANT. Or, Aug. 14. (Special.)
After making nine unsuccessful at
tempts to enlist Hillis Archibald South
ard, of Lebanon, has succeeded at last
In getting Into the service and will
leave here tomorrow with a contingent
of six Linn County boys, who will go
to Portland to become members of the
Benson Polytechnic School training detachment.
These attempts were made before
Southard was 21 years of age. Having
become 21 In the past year he regis
tered last June under the selective
draft and this fact led to his entry into
the service tomorrow. Recently the lo
cal exemption board received a call for
men to train as mechanics and on this
call draft registrants were permitted
to volunteer out of their turn.
Three Residences of Company
Officials Destroyed.
FIRE STARTS TO WINDWARD
Factory Covering Four Acres Soon
Licked Up; Two Horses Lose
Lives; Railroad Track Is
Warped by the Flames.
(Coacludsd an Pace 2. Column 3.)
STORM BUFFETS WARSHIP
Tugs Come to Relief of Fighting
Craft In w York arbor.
NEW TORK, Aug. 14. Serious dam
age was caused late today by a freak
windstorm which swept a section of
the Hudson River around One Hundred
Twenty-fifth street and a part of the
upper west side.
A foreign warship anchored In the
Hudson dragged her anchor in the gale
and was swept helplessly toward the
rocks. Six tugs threw lines to the
helpless ship when she was in shallow
water only a few feet from the bank
and dragged her out Into the river.
PRISONERS JAKEN IN RAID
General Pershing Reports TJ. S. Suc
cess in Lorraine.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14. "In Lor
raine one of our patrols made a suc
cessful raid on the enemy's lines and
brought back prisoners," General Persh
ing's night communique said.
"In the Vosges a hostile raiding party
was repulsed. With the exception of
considerable artillery activity along the
Vesle there Is nothing further to report."
LIGHTNING FATAL TO SIX
Score of Perrons Injured In Klcclrl
cal Storm in Ka stern Pennsylvania.
PHILADELPHIA. Pa., Aug. 14. Six
persons were killed and a score injured
by lightning bolts during a severe elec
trical storm which swept Eastern Penn
sylvania today. Heavy property dam
age was reported.
One man was killed and several in
jured by lightning in Delaware.
RAINIER, Or., Aug. 14. (Special.)
Fire of supposed Incendiary origin de
stroyed the entire plant of the Colum
bia River Door Company here late to
night with a loss of approximately
$500,000.
The flames spread rapidly to adjoin
ing: residences, wining out three of
them, with almost their entire con
tents. For a time the entire mill dis
trict, half a mile away from the town
proper, appeared to be threatened, but
the blaze by midnight had practically
burned itself out. The loss on the
plant is 90 per cent covered by in
surance.
The factory, consisting of a sawmill
and a sash and door factory, with two
large dry kilns and a warehouse, cov
ered nearly four acres. Lately It had
been engaged largely in war work.
turning out spruce and ship timbers f ir
the Government. More than 200 men
have been employed at the plant. The
loss is made up of $375,000 on plant and
$126,000 stock. Two hundred men were
employed in the factory, which was
shut down for- the night at the time of
the fire.
Flames Spread Fast.
Watchman Shepherd had visited the
downstream end of the mill only 10
minutes before the fire started. The
blaze broke out In a dry shed, 100 feet
from any fire. This, together with the
fact that the plant was busy . on war
work, leads to suspicion among the fire
men and residents who saw the fire
that pro-Hun work is responsible.
When discovered the flames had
swallowed almost the whole of the dry
shed In which it originated. Their
spread to the other buildings was rapid
and a sprinkler system in the sawmill
proper failed to save it, so hot was the
blaze on reaching that part of the
plant.
When the volunteer fire department
arrived it was evident that there was
no chance to save the plant, and ef
forts were chiefly directed to protect
ing buildings nearby.
S12,00O Loaa on Residences.
The houses destroyed adjoining the
plant are those of W. D. Plue, president
and manager of the company; T. E.
Other Regiments to Be Formed Later
tor Service at Front, Says
Colonel Disque.
ABERDEEN, Wash, Aug. 15. (Spe
cial) December 1 is set as a definite
date for the formation of a regiment
of spruce production soldiers for over
seas service, in an order received this
morning at local headquarters, spruce
production bureau. The date of depart
ure of soldiers assigned to the new
regiment for Vancouver for overseas
training will depend upon the rapidity
with which the selective service de
partment supplies limited service men
to take the places of the general service
men in the woods.
Colonel Brice P. Disque. in command
of the spruce production division, said
last night that he has issued in a gen
eral order the tentative plan of form
ing the first regiment of his men to be
sent for overseas duty. This proced'
ure was authorized by decision of Sec
retary of War Baker and was pub.
licly announced by John D. Ryan, chair
man of the Board of Aircraft Produc
tion, on the occasion of his recent visit
in Portland. It was acclaimed with
joyful enthusiasm by the men.
An Important intimation of Colonel
Dlsque's comment was to the effect
that other regiments may be formed
and sent to the front.
"We hope before a great while," said
Colonel Disque, . "to reach the point
where we can withdraw other men and
send more regiments abroad. I con
sider the step now contemplated as but
the first in the process."
It was explained by Colonel Disque
that expected release of larg num
bers of men from railroad construction
work about December 1 Is chiefly re
sponsible for the order just issued and
for the opportunity to release spruce
workers from activities here for serv
ice as fighters abroad.
YOUNG PULITZER TO SERVE
St. Louis Editor Enrolls in Nava
Aviation Corps.
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 14. According to a
dispatch from Washington, Joseph
Pulitzer, Jr., of St. Louis, editor of the
St Louis Post-Dispatch, has enrolled
there in the naval aviation corps
ground service, after being rejected in
the flying service on account of poor
vision.
He will report to the Great Lakes
training station near Chicago about
September 1. He is 33 years old and
has a wife and two children.
First of 15,000 Guests
Now in City.
OFFICERS IN HEADQUARTERS
FERRY-BOAT BARS CLOSED
AH. Southern Pacific Steamers
San Francisco Bay "Dry."
in
tConcluded on Page 4, Column 2.)
SAN FRANCISCO. Aug. 14. Ferry
boats and river steamers of the South
ern Pacific Company are not "trains or
train depots," but their bars were
closed today as the result of the order
making trains and depots dry.
Northwestern Pacific Railroad Com
pany ferryboats continued their bars.
The dry condition prevailed on all
Southern Pacific ferryboat3 crossing
the bay and on river steamers touching
at Vallejo and other points
Veterans Arrive as Soldiers
Start for War.
MANY MORE DUE TODAY
Federal Officials of Affiliated Worn
en's Organization Here for Con
vention; Mrs. Knauff Out
lines, Aims.
Hundreds of whooping lads in olive
drab, off for a new war, were making
Union Station ring with their tumult
last night when the official party of
the Grand Army of the Republic alight
ed from an Eastern train as the van
guard of the 52d annual encampment
of the veterans of the Civil War.
There was the long troop train, its
windows jammed with husky young
America. Swinging up the platform
came a party of recruits for the Ma
rines. To right and left were groups
of officers chatting with friends. And
down through the center walked a lit
tie party of erect, gray-haired men.
"This is to be a war encampment,
said Commander-in-Chief Orlando
Somers, after the party were in thei
hotel. "We are solidly behind the Gov
ernment In the prosecution of the war.
When Prussianism is crushed and our
flag comes back untarnished from over
seas, then, and then only, will we talk
of peace."
Commander-in-Chief Arrives.
Members of the official Grand Army
party which reached the city last night
are Commander-in-Chief Somers; Judge
Robert W. McBride, Adjutant-General
Colonel Stowitz, Quartermaster-Gen
eral; Miss Katherine R. A. Flood, secre
tary to Commander Somers, and Ell
Torrance,, of Minneapolis, past com
mander. . 1
National officials of the several worn
en's auxiliaries accompanied the party;
which is as yet incomplete. The re
mainder of the officials are expected
to arrive today and tomorrow.
The officers were met at the station
and escorted to their hotels by members
of the executive committee in local
charge of arrangements: General
Charles F. Beebe. Judge C. G. Burton,
Frank McCrillis, W. J. Hofmann,
Charles J. Schnabel, Fred A. Stadter,
J. B. Ettlnger, O. W. Mellke and A. J.
Stewart.
At headquarters in the Multnomah
Hotel Commander Somers and his staff
entered at once into prelimfnary dis
cussion of plans with members of the
local committee. This morning they
will inspect the line of march for the
(Concluded on Page 12, Column 1.)
ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE SQUIRREL'S EXAMPLE?
ITALIANS OUST AUSTRIANS
Strategic Points Taken, With Pris
oners, North of the Adamello.
ROME. Aug. 14. Italian forces have
occupied Monte Mantelio, Punta di
Matteo and the spur southeast of Cima
ZIgolon, north of the Adamello region.
according to an official statement Is
sued by the War Office.
They have taken 100 prisoners.
Command Sending Them to Rear
Obeyed Only Until Way Is Found
to Get Back to Hot Battle.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14. The 16 Chi
cago boys recently decorated by King
George for valor probably were en
gaged in the Fourth of July fight at
Hamel and won their laurels because
they were not to be denied their share
of the fighting.
It Is now known that Just before
the zero hour the British commander
felt that some of the American troops
had not been long enough in training
to go over the top and ordered them
out of the line. With much protesting
of regrets the American soldiers retired
and their Australian comrades, with
other Americans, went over and helped
take the town.
When the casualties were counted,
American soldiers were found in the
dressing stations dressed in Australian
uniforms.
It developed that the Americans, after
retiring to the rear, had found Aus
tralian comrades not in the fighting,
traded uniforms with them and then
worked their way back to the Austra
lian units and went over the top with
them.
The troops which performed the he
roic feat have not finally been identi
fied, but It Is known that Illinois troops
were in the fighting on that day before
Hamel, and it is believed that the 16
Chicago youths decorated by the Kin
probably were among the daredevil he
roes who were not to be kept out of
their chance.
Bolstieviki Violate British,
French Consulates.
OFFICIALS TAKEN PRISONERS
Allied Residents Held Hostages
Following Developments
at Archangel.
SOVIET MAY HAVE FALLEN
American Consul --General
Poole Reports on Extra
ordinary Situation.
LOYALTY IS QUESTIONED
French Senator Humbert May Be In
volved in Enemy Transactions.
PARIS. Aug. 14. (Havas Agency.)
A government commission has sent to
the military governor of Paris a re
port tending to charge Charles Hum
bert, a Senator and former owner of
the Paris Journal, with communication
with the enemy. A bill will be Intro
duced at the opening of the Senate o
Soptember 17, providing for the sus
penson of parliamentary immunity.
When the case of Bola Pasha was be
fore the French courts it was shown
that there had been some relations be
tween him and Charles Humbert
Among them was the purchase of an in
terest in the Paris Journal by the Le
vantine financier. M. Humbert waa
later accused of commerce with th
enemy and It was alleged that he had
received German money from America.
BIG Y. M. C. A. FUND PLAN
Mrs. H. P. Davison Appointed Head
of Campaign Committee. ,
PORTLAND, Me., Aug. 14. Mrs.
Henry P. Davison, of New York, treas
urer of the National Woman's Wa
Work Council, was appointed chairman
of the campaign committee to raise a
$15,000,000 war fund for the T. M. C. A.
by the National Council today.
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson was made hon
orary chairman of the war work coun
cil, and a committee consisting of Mrs.
William Adams Brown, Mrs. John D.
Rockefeller, Jr., and Mrs. Henry P.
Davison, all of New York, was appoint
ed to urge acceptance.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 67
degrees; minimum, s degrees.
TODAY'S Showers and thunder storms
moderate westerly winds.
War.
French hurl Huns out of Ribeeourt. Page 1
Germans lose ground on both sides of Albert.
Page 4.
New allied drive Is expected soon. Page "
Official casualty list. Page 6.
Mystery develops in "gas attack" on Amerl
can shore. Page 3.
American boys sent to rear at Hamel don
Australian - uniforms to enter battle.
Page 1.
8. and British air forces raid foe. Page 5.
Foretg:n.
Germany orders Finns to fight allies.
Page 4.
Mexico resents British at protest. Page 5.
Defeat in France scares Germans at home.
Page 2.
Amazing political upheaval In progress in
Moscow. Page 1.
Maxillmlan Harden tool of Kaiser, says
Dentist uavls. Page 4.
National.
McAdoo and Kitchln near agreement en ex
cess profits tax. page 0.
Youths to register August 24. Page 7.
Social Democrats on guard against pacifists.
rage e.
r Domestic.
Airplanes nosedive and collide; three avia
tors dead. - Page 1.'
Means to counteract Bnlshevikism considered
at conference. Page 8.
Hports.
Bob McAllister named Instructor In boxing
for spruce men at v ancouver. Page 13.
Prospects for West Point-Annapolis foot
ball game are gloomy. Page 13.
New organization to handle racing in Pa
cific Northwest. Page 1.1.
City playground boys soon to meet on track.
Page 12.
Pacific Northwest.
Spruce workers to join fighting unit Septem
ber. Page J.
Rainier mill destroyed, loss half million.
Page 1.
Commercial and Marine.
Beginning of Oregon oats harvest Indicates
light crop. Page li.
One-fourth of wool stored at Portland has
bean valued. Page 17.
Wall-street stocks react and market closes
heavy. Page 17.
Steel and wood-ship construction may pass
under single supervision. Page 12.
Portland and Vicinity.
an guard of G. A. R. already here. Page 1.
Suit for accounting of money spent on Vista
House charges iraua. page 10.
Denton- G. Burdock candidate for Speaker
ship ol House. Page is.
Extension of Y. M. C. A. work to all spruce
camps neic urgently important, page 10.
Government aid to be sought In housing
workmen. Page 11.
Examiners for training camps continue tour.
Page II.
Salaries of assistants In Portland libraries
are raised. Page 12.
Weather report, data and forecast. Pace 13.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14. Offi
cial dispatches today from American
Consul-General Poole in Moscow lift
ed the curtain for a moment and re
vealed an amazing train of events
in that city.-
Consul-General Poole, after witness
ing the violation of the French and
British consulates and the arrests of
the Consuls-General and their staffs,
destroyed his code book and papers
and turned the affairs of the Ameri
can Consulate over to the Swedish
Consul, at the same time demanding
safe conduct from the country for
himself and his associates.
French and British Arrested.
French and British citizens have
been arrested and the Bolsheviki have
announced they would hold them as
hostages because of the attack on
the Soviet government by British and
French troops at Archangel.
Members of the French and British
military missions stationed in Moscow
were refused permission to leave the
country, in spite of a previous prom
ise of safe conduct.
It is possible that since the send
ing of Consul-General Poole's tele
gram, which began on July 29 and
continued until August 6, the situa
tion may have changed, because it is
reported that Lenine and Trotzky,
the Bolsheviki leaders, have fled and
the Soviet government in Moscow
may have been overthrown.
U. S. Consul May Stay.
Should the situation be unchanged,
the American Consul-General's action
of turning his office over to Sweden
will not affect the status of other
American Consuls in Russia, as they
have been working with the local gov
ernments throughout Russia, where
pro-ally feeling is strong.
The story is told in sequence in the
State Department's official announce
ment of its advices from Mr. Poole.
It follows:
The Department of State has now
received several telegrams from Consul-General
Poole at Moscow con
cerning recent events in that city.
Following is a summary of them:
State of Defense Alleged.
"One of the telegrams, similar in
character to a previous message re
ceived through other channels, states
that on July 29 Lenine declared re
peatedly before an official gathering
of the Soviets that a state of war
existed between the Russian republic
and the allied powers.
Because of this the diplomatic
representative in Moscow of Great
Britain and the Consular representa
tives of France, Italy and the United
States visited M. Tchitcherin, the
commissariat for foreign affairs, and
inquired if Lenine's declaration should
not be considered a declaration of
war, involving the rupture of de facto
relations and the departure of the
Consuls.
"Tchitcherin said that it need not
be so understood; that it was a state,
of defense rather than a state of war,
and that the government desired to
continue its relations with the entente
as it did with Germany under analo
gous circumstances.
Early Reply Promised.
"The Consuls demanded that to be
acceptable any explanation must be
publicly by the head of the govern
ment himself. They also pointed out
that the question was inseparable
from that of the departure of the
members of the former military mis
sion. Alter r.aving agreed to facili
tate the departure of these persons in
accordance with international law.
the government, they said, had raised
absolutely inadmissible objections.
The foreign representatives also
(Concluded on Page 2, Column 1.)