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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 24, 1918)
6 THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY. , OCTOBER 24, 1918. BIG WEDGE DRIVEN THROUGH FOE LINE Thousands of Prisoners and Many Towns Are Taken. GERMAN LINE IS MENACED Enemy In Valenciennes Sector Is Swept Back More Than 3 MHc IVhcn -iritis hi LanncU Attack. f outlnaH From Flnrt Tg. 1s being moved to Germany aa fast as possible, as evidence Is accumulating that the defense of th Germans, even if they stand on their various) succes sive lines, is designed only to b -tern porary. The Garmans attain ara destroying material by fire. They even have ap Dlled the torch to rollins stock on tha rniinTx. which they apparently be lieved they were unable to get out. British Alnaea Buy- British airmen In today"a operation took a heavy toll from tha personne of tha German transport with bombs and machine-nan fire. LONDON". Oct. H- Over the entire front held by the British further gains have been mada by Field aiarsnai ij ).'. mn from the rerion south, of La Cateaa to the Scheldt River, ac tha British official com munlcatioa Issued tonight. At soma places enemy positions to a depth of mora than three milea were penetrated, numerous villages were takra and several thousand prisoners and many suns were captured. Ty-.mrvv Ort. S3. Tha British iu..ciif a new attack today on the front south of Valenciennes, and at aa rlv hour had driven the Germana i, . ..Lr -, mm to two miles along twwxn nf tmta five to six miles. The advaneo was accomplished in the face of determined resistance. The mga ground overlooking the Harpies Valley was gained. Some guns were iucu. SefceMf River Reat-heeV North of Valenciennes the British have captured about two-thirds at the Itnismes forest- Farther north they h.v. rot well rait of St. Amand and reached the Scheldt north, of the Bel .-inn frontier. Two thousand prisoners were takes by the British in today a attack. BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE AND BELGIO. Oct. IX (Reuter s.) We are steadily linking up bridgeheads and footholds estaoiisnea nlonif the west bank of the Scheldt. Thi. morning's fluhtlng considerably .it.nrf.il our front on this waterway which Is mainlv interesting; because it had been suggested as a possible line of a German retreat. Many Fights Take Place. TniliT'i brittle was difficult to follow for. bertnnins alonjr a connected line. it disintegrated into a aeries of local strurgles. Much of the ground Is inter sected by a perfect network of little waterway, rendering It marshy and difficult for the troops to advance against a deliberate defense; while be tween Le Cateau and Soleimes we ara npproaching a thick forest. Obviously, -under such conditions, news from the 3-uiile front must be fragmentary and disconnected. We are drawing Into long-range ar tillery reach of both Mons and iliu heuice, vital points of the German com munications, and It seems not unduly optimistic to predict that the British troops will soon be beyond any line of French soil they have yet trodden dur ing the present war. Tanks Dtirirult le fee. At present the action is almost wholly confined to a struggle of the Infantry against machine-gun resistance. The nature of the country is unfavorable to the employment of tanks and even the bringing up of guna often entails con siderable difficulty. Moreover, the ten dency is to keep the British columns as mobile as practicable. The sappers and engineers are doing great work, hut It is the infantry that Is carrying out the victory. The Americans are rapidly adding war wisdom to indomitable gallantry and are contributing; laurels to the his terv of the Fourth Army. The srtillerymen. airmen and. In a fire from the east bank of the Scheldt Canal, which flows through the city. North of Valenciennes the British have forced their way almost through tne itaisnes lorest. Along the entire iront between Valenciennes and Tour nal recent rains have made the ground difficult and progress has been slow. The Germans on this front in the last few days have been following the tac tics of retreating during the nieht. The British have not been able to establish contact with the. enemy rear guards until noon of the next day. The rear guards endeavor to hold the British in check until nightfall, when they again -retreat. Masses of British cannon, moved nn during the comparative lull of the past few days, early today loosed tons of steei at the enemy, sprinkling front and rear areaa freely. Later all the guna concentrated in a "crash barrage" behind which the infantry advanced in an early morning fog. storming the hurriedly constructed enemy defenses. The Germans resisted strongly, es pecially the machine gunners. The enemy artillery fire . was generally weak. Indicating that his guns had been moved some miles east to the line known as the Hermann Standing place. This "shows that the German command evidently did not have faith that the exhausted infantry would be able to bold the positions attacked today. The town of Komeries was taken early In the attack, marking an advance of nearly two miles northeast of Solesmes. North of Valenciennes the Germans are resisting the allied advance with heavy long-range artillery fire all the way to Tourou North of Tourna British patross have crossed the Scheldt at several places, especially Pecq. and Nivelles. Prisoners are being taken al along the line. The situation In Belgium Is virtually unchanged and the enemy resistance there has stiffened, the German artil lery and machine gunners being most active. There appear to be good Indications that the line on which the Germans now are resting temporarily in this re gion will not be defended for any great length of time. Cemntry la Devastated. The entire countrv between Valen ciennea and Tournai Is as barren as i desert as far aa the personal property of the French inhabitants le concerned. Liberated civiltans aay that the retreat ing Germans carry so much loot that they stagger under the loads. Appar ently the alleged instructions given the German troops to take the most strict care as regards the property of civilians are not observed at the front. The defenses south of Valenciennes apparently constitute only one of sev eral intermediate lines of resistance which the Germans have constructed. but they probably will attempt to hold on there. During the last three days British troops In approaching towns have been careful not to shell them when there was the slightest chance that civilians were in the town. The Germans, once driven from the towns, promptly turned their guns on them, killing and wound ing civilians in several cases. In the town of Hasnon a German shell crushed dwelling house and IS women and children hiding In tha cellar were killed or wounded. ' STATE POLICE WORK LAUDED BY GOVERNO Executive Replies to Charges of Senator Moser.' ALL OREGON fS PATROLLED Political Prejudice and lawless Ele ment Blamed for Much of Iteccnt Criticism. LONDON, Oct. 23. The official com munication of Field Marshal Hals; to night follows: The attack this morning was de livered by Anglo-Scottish troops of the third and fourth armies between the Sambre Canal and the river Scheldt, soma or aienciennes. Difficult Country Creased. An advance waa made over countrv hat was difficult over many streams nd through villages and woods which were defended with much resolution. in the period of assembly and the early stages of the battle the hostile rtiuery displayed great activity with ign explosives ana eat shells. We have fought our way forward 1 spite of obstinate resistance, especially uy loo KDimr s artillery ana machine uns. Advancing with great steadiness some hours before dawn our infantry enetrated the enemy's defense alone he whole of the front and a" an early our nan capturea tne important vil lage of Pomr.iereuil forest and Rome ieo. un me extreme ngnt mere was trong resistance at the fortified farm r Gimbremont and the railway nearhv but at both places the enemy's defense as quicKty overcome. ielt of the center the vlllaea of Heauraln, which was held by the enemv with great tenacity, was stormed bv he English, with the assistance of tanks. "On the left other English troons rossed the Harpincs River at an early tage of the advance and captured ertraln. Dee Advance la Made. "During the morning we pressed on over the whole of the front, carrying tne enemy a position to a depth or over three miles, driving him from many strongly defended villages, farms, woods and other localities organized for resistance. "The English 25th division had hard limited measure, the cavalry, arc doing i fighting In the Bols Leveque. but pro- their part nobly, but primarily these are Infantry battles, and what Napoleon said of marching men remains true In open warfare today. By midday we had penetrated to a depth of nearly three miles on a front of about II miles and had advanced to the east of Raismes forest. WITH THE ALLIED ARMIES TN FRANCE AND BELGIUM. Oct. 2J. (By the Associated Press.) The attack of the British third and fourth armies on a wide front south of Valenciennes to day Is of vital atraterlc Importance. The allied salient here menacea the Ger man lines all the way to Holland and if it is widened It will have a tremendous effect on the enemy front to the sout!i. BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE. Oct. it. The British troops in their new attack today north of Le t'ateau are reported to have captured the town of Romeries. one and one half milea northeast of Solesmes. good many prisoners, mainly In -mall groups, are being brought in, Tl.e Germans are fighting doggedly. Hard Flahttav Xemuury. Tn the lr attack Tuesday southwest of Ctnent tne rrencn capturea aioiennoen and gained the west bank of the Lys from Machelen to Dalesch. They had to fight hard for all their gains. In response to the British prctitn! nary barrage on the La Cateau-Soles- mes front this morning. German artil lery began' to shell British positions heavily with high explosives and gas projectiles. In spite of this artillery fire, the Third Army took up the at tack cn the left and another stage of the battle began at 2:41) o'clock. German airplanes flew low over the battle front and unloaded many bombs, hut in the haze they probably did as much harm to the German soldiera as to the British. ew Attack General One. The new attack today was a gen eral one and was delivered by strong forces of the British Third and Fourth armies. Th British forged ahead to ward the Scheldt Canal and the trib utary lines along which the enemy Is endeavoring to protect the flank of his grand retirement. The British First Army has crossed the Scarpa Canal east of Nivelles, north of the Raismes forest, and continues to fight its way steadily forward. The Fifth and Second armies, on the line further north, also report today, but they are meeting with Increased resis tance. The Belgian troops are having a similar experience. WITH THE ALLIED ARMIES IN FRANCE AND BELGIUM. Oct. 2J. (By the Associated Press.) British troops were fighting their way into the center of Valenciennes early today. They were facing a strong enemy machine sun gressed through the wood. East Coun ty troops, advancing to a depth of three and a "half miles, capturea Bou stes. "The Anclo-Scottlsh troops secured crossings of the Harpines at the Ven dgles Wood and captured, Vendegies village. English and New 'Zeaianders operating on their left reached the out skirts of Neuville and established themselves on the high ground north west of the village. "Farther north the village of Escar maln was captured. "In these hisrhly successful opera tions several thousand prisoners and many guns were captured by our troops, whose advance Is continuing on the whole of the front." House War Revenue Bill Revised. WASHINGTON. Oct. 23. Provision for tax allowances in the case of cor poration property whose actual value Is more than the par value of stock shares waa made today by the Senate finance committee in revision of the House war revenue Mil. SALEM, Or., Oct 23. (Special.) A resume or some of the important work or the Military Police and a sugges tlon as to the necessities brought to the Oregon Agricultural College by the exigencies of war are incorporated in a statement Issued by Governor Withy combe today in response to charges of Senator Gua C. Moser in this morning' uregonian. The Governor's statement today is the first public showing yet made as to too accomplishments of the Military Police, officers of that organization having hitherto preferred to be shielded from publicity, believing that the or ganization, from its peculiar nature, could operate better if the details of its achievements were more or less guarded. In his statement the Governor says Charges Are field Unfair. In Senator Moser's interview published in The Oreaonian this morning there are some misleading statements. In the first place, 1 hold no brief for the Agricultural College or the Oresnn Military Police, but I like to sea these organisations (airly and correctly treated. I stand (or economy as much as any man in the state of Oregon. The request of the college at this time should not be considered 011 an economical basis. ' but absolutely on a patriotic basis. Inusmucii as the Government has practically linpnst-d upon the college a sudden increase of i-oo men to take technical ana military work. It Is unreasonable to presume that the college would be equipped to take care of' these men properly, hence the de ricltncy appropriation has been asKea. Tne college in all or Its history has never before asked for a deficiency. o these in. slnuations by the Senator are unfair and uncalled for. Whole State Is Patroled. The Military Police was created at the suggestion of the State Council of De fense and with the sanction of the entire State Board of Control and the leading officers of both branches of the State Legis lature. However, I am frank to admit that was strongly In favor of the plan and have no apology for my support, as I know that the Military Police have ren dered exceedingly valuable service to the state. While Washington ' may not havs has fires, eta, as ware anticipated In this state, ret we recall that a reign of terror pre vailed in Washington for some months, when practically all their Industries were tied up and millions of dollars lost to the Industries of Washington. This has not occurred In Oregon. An incipient reign of terror started. however, at Klamatn Fills, Astoria anq Oregon City. These were all checked In their ioclplency. and I think that the money Invested for military protection nae oetn wisely Invested In Oregon. In view of the Important results which have been achieved by Major Deich with the State Police dur'ng the few months this organisation has been In existence crit icism and false reports are to be expected. Political Prejudice Blamed. Much of this criticism emanates from political prejudice ana from the disgruntled lawless element which has been rudely dis turbed by the State Police. This applies particularly to bootleggers, many of whom have been arrested and convicted through the work of the Military Police. For months details of the State Police have been guarding shipyards, elevators, warehouses and docks along the Portland waterfront, and they have al.so been guard ing industrial establishment, warehouses and canning establishments in various parts of the state, as well as the grain fields and food depots of Kastern Orison. Details were stationed: auring tne narvest season at Condon. Heppner, lone, Moro, MauplTTT Madras, Helix, La Grande; Dufur, Voiin. Krhn. Pilot liock. Athena and Shan- iko. from which points -the men. mounted usually on horses, patrolled the surround ing country, visiting farms. ranches and harvesting crews. Investigating everything that might be detrimental to the best in i.mis of the state, and being especially on the lookout for tho I. W. W. element and for the setting of fires in the wljeat "elds. . . . Bootleggers Are Arrested. A number of I. W. W. were Investigated with good results and several defendants were arrested and held to the Federal grand Jury for violating the espionage law. Numerous requests for police assistance hmv hen made to the commanding officer by district attorneys, sheriffs and mayors n various pans OI me siaie wii'i leners written to Major Helrh by these officials prove that this police work has been satis factory. Two of the state rouce oergeams. assisten by Federal and city authorities, made 28 arrests for violation or tne proniomon law Klsmalh Kails insiae or iu aays last July and convictions resulted in all of these cases except those which were held to the Federal grand Jury. Loral Authorities Assisted. Aa the direct result of this work a large number of arrests and convictions have been secured, some of the violators being promi nent in their home communities, and heavy fines have been assessed. Among the many arrested and prosecuted to conviction were a deputy sheriff of Lake county, a deputy sheriff of Harney County and a druggist at Summit, who persisted In selling bitters, bay rum, lemon extract, Jamaica ginger and similar bottled goods to the men working in the logging and lumber camps of that dis trict. In various districts, members of the State Police have a force to assist the local au thorities when outside hnlp Is needed to en force the law and to look after problems of more than local significance which are now being handled by the Oregon Military Police. Islands last March, has been released from Imprisonment in Germany and arrived in Copenhagen last night. ELECTRIC CURRENT CUT OFF Residences and Trolley Lines Feel Effects of Mishap. Many homes and .streetcar lines fur nished with, electricity by the Mount Tabor substation of the Portland Railway, Light & Power Company were temporarily embarrassed last night at S o'clock when a transformer in the high-tension circuit at the substation burned out and shut off the current. A large number of residences be tween Division street and the Rose City district were left in darkness for Bome time. Cars on the outer ends of the Mount Tabor, Montavilla. Sunny siae ana iiose city lines were held up for a few minutes. The company sue ceeded in making an emergency con nection, which repaired the trouble temporarily. The transformer will be replaced today. J. B. McCarthy, an electrician In Portland Railway, Light & Power Com pany substation at Vancouver avenue and Columbia boulevard. - was burned badly about the hands and face by the burning out of a transformer there. Police say the accident in the Vancouver-avenue station waa caused by the burning out of the transformer at Mt. Tabor. Mr. McCarthy is 21 years old. He was taken to the Good Samaritan Hospital. HRUTO PASS ON ATROCITIES ALBERS ORDERS CANCELED Five Wholesale Itonses of Eugene Take Drastic Action'. EUGENE, Or., Oct. 23. (Special.) Eugene wholesale houses dealing in grains and grain products today can celed all orders placed with, the Albers Brothers Milling Company of Portland for undelivered quantities of cereals and other products, as a result of the arrest of Henry Albers, who resigned today as president of the milling com pany, on espionage charges. The can celation of the orders was admitted by he managers of the local firms to- nlpht. One of the managers stated that if the charges against Mr. Albers were substantiated hi fortune should be confiscated and he should be immedi ately deported or interned. The five firms which are known to have cancelled their orders are: Lang Company, Mason, Ehrman Company, Allen A Lewis, Ideal Feed Company nd the Grangers' warehouse Com pany. SOLDIERS TO BE TRAINED Vfter-War Preparations Discussed ati Kansas Convention. Training of returned soldiers for ag ricultural life trill be undertaken by the various states, with co-operation of the Government.- if recommendations made at the recent session of the In- ernational Dry Farming Congress at Kansas City are adopted. Oregon was represented at this congress only by proxy, but W, H. Crawford, of the Ore gon Lnd Development Commission, has received reports of the session. In approving the suggestions Frank lin K. Lane has already presented to resident Wilson for providing useful mnloyment and homes for returning soldiers the conjrress recommended that the states provide facilities for the ag- icultural training of soldiers lacking experience or knowledge of local con ditions," - City Employes May Get Lift. CENTRALIA, Wash., Oet. 23. (Spe cial.) An ordinance granting a 10 per cent increase In salaries to all city em ployes was passed first reading by the City Commission at its weekly meet ing yesteraay. ins increase wouia ffect October salaries. One of Slayers of Edith Cavell Will Serve in Belgium. HIDEOUS CRIME RECALLED Governor-General von Falkenhansen Said to Have Pardoned Many Imprisoned by Germans. LONDON, via Montreal, Oct 23. The Daily News says that the commis sion of neutral residents of Brussels which is to investigate charges of unnecessary devastation and destruc tion during the German retreat in Belgium will be under the direction of Baron von der Lancken, civil governor of Brussels. The selection of Von der Lancken Is extraordinary," says the News, "when it is recalled that he played a leading role In the murder of Edith Cavell. It was Von der Lancken who Ignored the representations of the American Minister, Brand Whitlock, and refused to allow Miss Cavell to receive a visit from a Belgian lawyer." -, AMSTERDAM, Oct. 23. The commis. sion which is investigating charges of devastation and destruction during the German retreat in Belgium under the direction of Baron der Lancken is composed as follows: Marquis of Villalobar, the Spanish Minister to Belgium; M. van Vollen hoven the Dutch Minister; M. Langen berg, Dutch representative on the Bel- gian relief commssion; M. van Bree, a Belgian, and Senor Saura, a Spaniard, AMSTERDAM, Oct. 23. Baron von Falkenhausen, the Governor-General of Belgium, according to an official telegram from Brussels, has pardoned all Belgians and neutral residents con demned by military tribunals -or mili tary commanders under his jurisdiction except those convicted of common crime. The Governor-General also has ordered the release of all Belgians and neutral citizens interned in Belgium or Germany. A limited number of persons whose freedom would be undesirable, while fighting continues, will be re leased after the evacuation of Belgium. WASHINGTON, Oct. 23. Efforts of German statesmen to create the im pression In neutral countries that Bel gium will revert to its former status as a "neutralized" nation after the war drew from the Belgian official in formation service here today the state ment that Belgium will not consider a return to hat state of guaranteed neutrality which, violated by Germany, brought England, and, indirectly, the United States, into the war and will be satsfied only with its complete independence. SIBERIA GIFTS UNLIMITED Special Regulations Issued by War Department for Parcels. Special regulations have been issued by the War Department covering the shipment of parcels to members of the American expeditionary force in Si beria. Contrary to the rulings regarding forces in France, there is no limit to iray s Ladies M oats for Suits. and D resses Because you get the best in value, the prac tical in style and quality that gives service. We save you half the profit you will need pay if you buy elsewhere. Three Prices for Ladies' Suits, Coats and Dresses Compare Gray's $40 garments with those sold by other stores for $50 to $60. Compare Gray's $60 garments with those sold by other stores for $75 to $85. Compare Gray's $85 Suits and Coats with those sold by other stores for $100 to $125. Gray's Values Will Tell . M. GRAY 366 Washington at WTest Park the number of parcels that may be sent to fighters In Siberia. Each parcel should be marked "Christmas parcel," and no parcel should weigh over seven pounds. Domestic rates of postage ap ply, the announcement reads, and this probably refers to the postage to. the port of shipment. - , The parcels should be addressed to the recipient, with the name of his or ganization or unit. No parcels will be received by postmasters after closing time tomorrow. Siberian parcels do not . require the Christmas label, and should not be handled through the American Rel Cross. Germans Release American. COPENHAGEN, Oct. 23. Major Henry Crosby Emery. Russian rep resentative of the Guaranty Trust Com pany, of New York, who was made a prisoner by the Germans In Aland RHEUMATISM-THE INVADER S.S.S. ITS CONQUEROR Meet Rkenmarle Attack With Famous Remedy. Be assured your Rheumatism will master you unless you conquer it. This disease, beginning Its attack slowly and with little notice from Its victim, gradually increases In violence until the whole system Is Involved. The patient often becomes a wreck or a cripple. It attacks in various forms Articular. Muscular and Inflammatory. No part of the system is immune to its Influence. The pains attack every por tion of the body, and when the disease gets a firm hold upon the system the patient becomes helpless. But the origin of this most painful of all diseases is in the blood, and no amount of external treatment can over come the trouble. Rubbing with lini ments and ointments may suffice tem porarily in allaying the pains, but the trouble is deep In the muscles, joints and ligaments and can be .driven from the system only through the use of a medicine that will attack the disease in all parts of the body, and that is what S. S. 8. does. S. S. S.. being purely vegetable and containing not one particle of mineral, la most welcome to the stomach of tne Rheumtlc sufferer who has long been dosed with Ineffectual remedies and who as a consequence has become greatly weakened. S. S. S. retains its medicinal effect throughout the entire course of the blood system, and will drive from the. system every particle , of those poisonous acids and waste i materials which have caused the dis ease and produced Its dangerous symp toms. Hundreds of people have written ' us of their experience with bad cases i of Rheumatism and how they have ' found relief from the use of S. S. S. For I fifty years this remedy has been on the i market, and today It is bringing relief ' to thousands of Rheumatic sufferers. Why should you continue to suffer) from this disease when the remedy is available? Do not delay purifying your' blood and getting rid of your pains. Go I to your nearest drugstore, get a bottle of S. S. S. Start a course of treatment i that will bring real relief, and begin ! your counter-attack NOW against in sidious and pain-dealing Rheumatism. For a free booklet 3n Rheumatism and its treatment, write our Medical Department, explaining fully about your own case and our own Chief Med ical Adviser will give you absolutely free many helpful suggestions as to diet and proper treatment. - Address Medical Director. 413 Swift Laboratory. Atlanta Ga. Adv. . .misiiiiiimuiuioiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiimiiiiiifiiiuiiiiiiiiiiimiouiuimimiioiiiiiiiriiiniiiuiiiiiiiiiii nimiiwuiiunuiiiiHiwiuiiiiumiwuiuwu s i K Please do not telephone day or night- I unless it is absolutely necessary. The present epidemic of influenza has greatly reduced j our operating forces and at the same time has caused a tremendous 'increase in the vol- ume of local telephone calls. j Vitally important calls for physicians, hospi- I tals, the Government and war industries cannot be properly handled during the present crisis unless the public co-operateS by reducing 'the number of telephone calls. Please advise all members of your family and your friends of the critical situation now , facing the company and the public and urge them to reduce their use of the telephone. nmwiuiinnitiimirntiiiHUHiinimtiitumh. The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company