Section One
Pages 1 to 18
68 Pages
Six Sections
-My
VOL. XXXVII NO. 31.
PORTLAND, ' OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST - 4, 1918.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
' .V I If. I I 1 1 I tl Ik 1 I L
f
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T
ALLIES PRESS FOE
OVER VESLE RIVER
Fismes' Suburbs- Taken
By Yankee Troops,
GREAT SALIENT ELIMINATED
Line Now Runs Virtually Di
ced Along Railway From
Soissons to Rheims.
BOCHE RETREAT CONTINUES
Gains of Six Miles Made in
Day's Fighting; Entente
. Forces Rush Up Guns.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
ON THE AISNE-MARNE FRONT,
Aug. 3. (By the Associated Press.)
(10 P. M.) American troops en
tered the southern part of Fismes to
day, while other forces of the allies
hold the southern banks of the Aisne
and Vesle rivers from Soissons to
Fismes.
Eastward it is almost a straight
line through CourviUe, Branscourt,
Courcelles and Champigny.
The advance of the whole army was
along a front of almost 45 miles.
Many Villages Recaptured.
To the east of Soissons the ex
tension of the line northward along
the Aisne, as well as the extension of
the general line, makes it probable, in
the opinion of military experts, that
- the Germans will hesitate before con
centrating - themselves for a stand
along the plateau to the east between
the Aisne and the Vesle, as the branch
railroad from Sermoise to the north is
now dominated by the allied guns.
The broad field covered by the ad
vance today included at least 50 small
towns and villages.
PARIS, Aug. 3. American troops
hold the outskirts of Fismes, the great
German base in the center of Aisne
Marne salient, according to the War
Office announcement tonight.
The allies continued their success
ful advance today along a front of
ibout 30 miles, toward the Vesle River.
They have reached the southern banks
of the Aisne and the Vesle, the line
extending from Soissons to Fismes.
French Cavalry Operates.
French cavalry patrols now are op
erating along the railroad between
Soissons and Rheims.
The text of the statement reads:
"During the course of the day our
troops, driving back the enemy rear
guards, continued their victorious
- march on a front of about 50 kilo
meters in the direction of the Vesle
River.
"On our left our line extends along
the southern banks of the Aisne and
the Vesle. from Soissons as far as
Fismes, the outskirts of which the
Americans hold.
"East of Fismes we have reached a
(Concluded on Pace 2. Column J.)
CHICAGO SEEMS TO
SUSPECT THOMPSON
MAYOR SEEKING TO 'BE SENA
TOR PUBLICLY ACCUSED.
Signs In Street Parade Rerer to Illi
nois City's Executive as Kai
ser's Dachshund. '
PEORIA. III., Aug. 3. A demonstra
tion again' Mayor William Hale
Thompson, of Chicago, Senatorial can
didate, was staged this evening previ
ous to a Thompson meeting escneouieu
at a local theater. Men and boys par
aded the streets with signs bearln
such, legends as the following:
"When Thompson speaks the Kalse
smiles."
"Pro-Germans, come hear your leader
at the Majestic tonight."
"Thompson Is every color except red,
white and blue."
"Thompson, the Kaiser's dachshund.
Boys carrying the signs followed th
band provided by the Thompson orgaui
xation.
WAR CHIEFS ADMIT FIASCO
Hindcnburg and Lndcndorff Try to
Belittle Strategic Failure.
COPENHAGEN'. Aug. J. Field Mar
shal von Hlndenburg and General Lu
dendorff received the German corre
spondents, according to advices reach
ing here, and openly admitted that the
' strategic plans had failed.
They asserted, however, that the
Germans were still masters of the situ
ation and that the territories given to
the enemy were disposed of according
to plans. If the battles were on Ger
man territory, they explained. It would
be painful to give up villages, but the
progress of the enemy, they declared,
was without Importance and would not
affect the result of the world war."
FLOUR ORDERED SOLD
Willful Hoarding of 600 Pounds fcy
German Pastor Siot Proven.
SPOKANE, Wash.Aug. 3. Rev. Lud-
wlg Gaiser, district superintendent of
the German Methodist Episcopal
Church; was discharged by a United
States Commissioner here today when
he was arraigned on a charge of hav
ing hoarded an excess supply of flour.
The commissioner held that evidence
that the flour had been willfully hoard
ed was insufficient. Six hundred
pounds of flour seised by Federal
agents In -Mr.- Galser's -residence lms
been ordered sold by the United States
District Court.
HUNS TAKEN BY SURPRISE
German General and Officers Arc
Dressed in Pink Pajamas.
LONDON, Aug. 3. In a recent Italian
advance in Albania, according to re
ports received here, a German General
and several other German officers were
made" prisoner.
They were dressed in pink pajamas,
so completely Were they surprised.
DANISH SHIPS ARE LEASED
Five Big Steamers to Carry Sugar
From Hawaiian Islands.
A PACIFIC PORT. Aug. 3. Five big
Danish steamers which have been lying
in the harbor here for several months
were chartered by the Government to
day to bring a shipment of sugar from
the Hawaiian Islands, It was announced
here.
FAIR WEATHER, PROMISED
Weather Bureau Expects Normal
Temperatures on Pacific Coast.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3. Weather
predictions for the week beginning
Monday. Issued by the weather bureau
today are:
Pacific States Fair weather with
normal temperatures.
WARTIME TOPICS IN THE PAST WEEK'S NEWS GET THE ATTENTION OF CARTOONIST
- 1 . f -
18 TO 45 PROPOSED
DRAFT AGE LIMITS
Increase of Man Power
of U. S. Planned. '
LEGISLATION TO BE HASTENED
Bill Will Be Introduced in Both
Houses Tomorrow. -
BAKER FAVORS NEW MOVE
Opposition That Has Existed Here
tofore to Lowering of Minimum
for Conscripted Men Is Not
Likely to Cause Delay.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3. Draft ages
of from 18 to 45 years will be recom
mended to Congress In the bill em
ooaying tne war Department's new
manpower programme, which will be
Introduced in both houses of Congress
Monday and expedited by committees
with a view to prompt consideration
when regular sessions of the Senate
and House are resumed late this
month. -
Secretary Baker said all the possible
combinations of age limits were care
fully studied and it was found that in
order to get the men Into class 1 for the
programme proposed 18 to 45 was
necessary.
Aire to Have Preference.
He said the bill, as recommended to
Congress, will contain a provision au
thorising the President to call men out
of class 1 by classes according to ages,
so that if it is found possible the men
between 18 and 19 will be called out
later than the older men who are found
eligible to class 1.
The War Department programme, the
War Secretary said, is purely a mili
tary one and cannot be called a con
scription of labor, although it will have
the effect of putting at useful labor
or In the Array all able-bodied men
within the age limits.
j-- . .--Jfo JSnmber-Aa-reed Oir ": " "
In recommending this extension of
the age limits, Mr. Baker said, the de
partment had It In mind simply to get
for the Army the number of men which
it believed necessary lo defeat Germany.
The Secretary was not prepared to
say how many that would be, nor to
give any estimate as to the proportion
of males between the ages of 18 to
45, inclusive, which would be found
eligible.
In making up the list and classes.
the same rules would be followed that
had governed in the first draft, with
the same exceptions from the first call
of married men with dependents ana
those engaged in essential industries.
He said so far about 1,600,000 had been
taken from class 1.
Lower Minimum Opposed.
There has been considerable oppoei-
ion in Congress to lowering the mini
mum age, r.-.any members being re
luctant to draft youths before they at
tain their majority and come into full
citizenship.
Senator Chamberlairt, chairman of
the Senate military committee, said
that he expected opposition on that
score, but expressed the- opinion that
there would not be unusual delay in
passing the bill.
Senator Chamberlain explained that
under the provisions of the bill men
between 18 and 21 years of age would
be divided Into three classes, subject
to call in such sequence of years as
prescribed. The Senator added that the
calling of men between the ages of 31
and 45 would be made by a similar
plan.
Youths May Be Called First.
He expressed the "opinion, however,
that the younger men those between
18 and 21 years would be called first
(Concluded on Page 6. Column 1.)
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature, 79
degrees; minimum, 65 degrees.
TODAY'S Fair; gentle northwesterly winds.
War.
Allies hurl Huns beyond 'Aisne-Vesle
Section. 1, page 1.
line.
U-boat operates off Canada,
page 16
Britain's war efforts gigantic
Section 1,
Section 1,
page s. '
Official casualty list. Section 1, page B.
England smiles in face of hardships. Sec
tion 1. page 15.
Allies surge across Alene-Vesle ' line. Sec-
- tion 1, page 2.
R,oute of enemy retreat is .waste. . Section 1.
. pase 18. . . , . '
Hun line snaps suddenly.' , Section 1, page 3.
, . 7 Foreign. '.
U. S. and Japan to act In Siberia. , Section
1, page 1, v
Asquith says United States will decide war
In allies' favor. Section 1. page 2.
Revolution wrests Archangel from Bolshe-
. vlki. Section 1,' page fi. - .
Empress is power in royal circles. Section
1. Page
- Rational.
False casualty statement corrected. Section
1. page 6.
Draft-age limits may become 18 to . 45.
Section 1, page 1.
U. S. shipbuilding makes big progress. Sec
tion X, page 3.
Domestic.
Running fight follows holdup at Cleveland.
Section 1. page 16.
Graft In ship contracts charged. Section 1,
. page 4.
Coast shipyards lead again. Section 1.
page 1.
Chicago's Mayor accused of being pro-Hun.
bectlon 1, page 1.
Sports.
Prospects for good teams at Oregon and
Agricultural College are bright. Section
2, page 1.
Marty Farrell and Mickey King to stage 10
round go. Section 2, page 2.
Annual athletic rlub swim to lure former
winners. Section 2. page 2.
Leaders and tailenders in builders' baseball
league meet today. Section 2, page 2.
Fuaet Sound sailors invite meet here. Sec
tion 2, page 3.
Drake fund donors to have protection. Sec
tion 2, page 3.
Throwing hand grenade is new event in
field meets. Section 2, page .
Major league games to - end September 2.
.Section 2, page 2.
Tennis titles pass, at Tacoma tournament.
Section 2, page 3.
Pacific Northwest.
Two hundred and fifty civilians report at
Eugene for military training. Sec. 1,
Pago 7.
New Salem bridge of great comfort. Page 10.
Non-Partisans seek control in Idaho. Sec.
1. Page 7.
Prlneville realizes dream after many years.
Sec. 1, Page 14.
Changes urged at state penitentiary. Sec.
1. Page 8. . -
Portland and Vicinity.
Republicans name executive heads. Section
1. page v.
Need 8000 more rooms for G. A. R.. encamp
ment.- Section 1. page M.
Max Houser acquires control of Portland
Flouring Mills. Section 1, page 1.
Auditorium costs city $61.62 first year. Sec
tion 1. page 9. '
Rabbi Wise works in shipyards. Section 1,
page s. - ..:...
New dumiwHW, Section 1, page 12.
Labor conference called. Section lr page 35.
All Portland to attend Red Cross outing.
Section 1, page 32.
Louis Simpson , to address visiting Elks.
Section 3, page 31.
Oregon first over in war savings campaign.
Section 3, page 14. -
Pacific Coal Company to rush work on coal
bunkers. Section 2, page 14.
First steel plate laid at Standlfer yards.
Section 2, page 14.-
Y. M. C. A. plays important part In war
work. Section 1, page 16.
Weather report, data and forecast. ' Sec
tion 1, page 17.
MAN POWER TO BE STUDIED
Shipping Board Announces Appoint
ment of Special Committee.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 2. Appoint
ment of a special committee to make a
study of man-power for the merchant
marine and future trade requirements
was "announced today by the Shipping
Board.
In includes George Nichols, a cotton
goods manufacturer ' of Boston and
New York; A. S. Hebble, of New York,
who is connected with the Southern
Pacific ' shipping service, and Dr. . E.
M. Hopkins, president of Dartmouth
College. . Headquarters of the commit
tee will be in New York. - :
Big Building Is Burned.
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 3. Fire de
stroyed the' four-story building occu
pied by the Mutual China Company, in
the wholesale district of Indianapolis
this afternoon, causing a loss estima
ted at 8250,000. Dense smoke for sev
eral hours previously impeded traffic
in the greater part of the down town
section of the city.
U: S., JAPAN TO TAKE
UP SIBERIAN TASK
Other Allied Nations
In Accord.
CZECHOSLOVAKS TO BE AIDED
"Few Thousand Men" Wiir Be
Sent to Vladivostok.
COMMISSION TO GO LATER
Mepresentallves of American Red
Cross Y. M. C. A., Merchants
and Farm Experts Will
Be Dispatched.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 3. Official
statements by the American and Japan
ese governments, made public here to
night, announce that the plans for ex
tending military aid to Russia in Si
berla will be undertaken by the United
states and Japan alone, with the other
allied co-belligerents assenting in prin
ciple.
i ne united States and Japan will
t-aun sena "a few thousand men" to
Vladivostok to act as a common force
in occupying and safeguarding the city
ana protecting the rear of the west
ward moving Czecho-Slovak army.
The numbers of the American troons.
from where they will go and when may
not re discussed.
United . States to Co-operate.
While the United States and Japan
are extending aid to the Czeeho-Slovak
army in Siberia, the United States will
continue to co-operate with the allies
operating from Murmansk and Archan
gel. To what extent and in what nature
is not announced. ' .
.The only present objects of the Japanese-American
forces will be to give
such, aid and protection as is possible
to the Czecho-SIoi-ak forces against
the armed body of German and Aus
trian prisoners of war and to steady
any efforts at self-government, and
self-defense "in which 1Ke,"vKussians
themselves may be willing to accept
assistance.
' Commission to Be Sent.
Later the United States, will send a
commission of merchants, agricultural
experts, labor advisers. Red Cross rep
resentatives and agents of the T. M.
C. A.
Both the United States and Japan
in the official announcements make
the most specific pledges of the action
agreed upon being wholly without
thought of interference with the sov
ereignty of Russia or any interference
whatever in her Internal affairs.
The Japanese government at the
same time pledges itself that when the
objects of the mission are accomplished
it will withdraw every Japanese sol
dier and leave the sovereignty of Rus
sia unimpaired in all its phases.
Plan Devised by Wilson.
The agreement, to which all the
allies assent, is largely the result of
the personal efforts of President Wil
son, who has been at work almost un
ceasingly for weeks to bring tho na
tions together in the most effective
plan which at the same time will con
vince the Russian people that the aim
was purely to help them preserve and
develop their new-found democracy.
The statement by the Government as
to its purposes and aims in extending
military and economic aid to Russia,
issued in the form of a "statement to
the press on the American-Japanese ac
tion in Siberia,'" from the acting" Sec
retary of State follows:
"In the judgment of the Government
of the United States a Judgment ar
rived at after repeated and searching
considerations of the whole situation
military intervention in Russia would
(Concluded on Page 2. Column 1.)
COAST SHIPYARDS
LEAD IN OUTPUT
ANOTHER RECORD MADE FOR
. STEEL AND WOOD SHIPS.
Grant Smith-Porter and Supplc-Bal-lin
Companies Among Those
That Win Pennants.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 3. Pacific Coast
shipyards in June again led the country
in production of both steel and woodei;
vessels for that month, the Shipping
Board 1 announced tonight. Pennants
signifying the leadership were. awarded
today as follows: .
Steel yards First, to the Skinner &
Eddy Shipbuilding Corporation, Seattle;
second,'. Bethlehem Shipbuilding Cor
poration, Alameda, Cal.; third, Colum
bia River Shipbuilding Company, Port
land. Wooden yards First. Grant Smith
Porter Ship Company, St. Johns, Or.;
second. Grant Smith-Porter Ship Com
pany, Aberdeen, Wash.; third, Supple
Ballin Shipbuilding Corporation, Port
land. Among the Eastern yards, the New
port News Shipbuilding & Drydock
Company's Virginia plant had the best
record in steel construction.
ESCAPED CONVICT CAUGHT
A. S. Thurber Is Apprehended hile
Walking on Powell Road.
GRESHAM, Or., Aug. 3. (Special.)
A. S. Thurber, who escaped from the
Oregon penitentiary last Monday, was
captured tonight on the Powell Valley
road. The capture was effected by
Constable Squire and Deputy Sheriff
Cogswell, shortly before 9 P. M. The
prisoner was removed to the Multno
mah County jail.
Thurber escaped with Bennett
Thompson, murderer and life termer,
by sawing the bars which block exit
from the prison yard where the waters
of a creek flow beneath the walls.
Constable Squire said that- Thompson
was believed to be near wnere nis
companion, Thurber, was caught and
search was under way.
FRAUD IS AGAIN CHARGED
Government Seeks Reversal of De
crees Favoring Southern Pacific.
WASHINGTON,- Aug. 3. Reversal of
Federal Court decrees dismissing pro
ceedings brought by the Government
against the Southern Pacific Company
to have canceled patents to 6109acres
of oil land alleged to have been ob
tained through fraud in the Elk Hill
regions' In California was asked in an
appeal filed In the Supreme Court to
day by the Department of Justice.
The Government charges that the
comDany represented tne iana to pe
non-mineral.
TRAVELING IS DISCOURAGED
Passports Are Refused Prospective
Brides by U. S. Government.
CHICAGO, Aug. 3. Nearly a score ot
prospective brides have been refused
passports to visit the Philippines, Ha
waii, Panama and South America, it
was announced today. Their applica
tions expressing their wish to join their
prospective husbands have been re
turned in each case marked "Reason
inadequate."
It was intimated that the Govern
ment is seeking to discourage traveling
during the war.
1000 NURSES ARE SOUGHT
Urgent Call Sent Out for 3Iercy
Workers in Overseas Service.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3. An urgent
call to the American Red Cross to en
roll 1000 nurses a week for the next
two' months for immediate duty with
the Army Nurse Corps was issued to
day by Surgeon-General Gorgas.
With the American Armies overseas
entering more and more into the fight
ing, the Surgeon-General said, the need
for additional nurses becomes impera
tive. REYNOLDS.
HOUSER
ACQUIHES
PORTLAND ILLS
Grain Corporation Of
ficial in 10 Million Deal.
WILCOX INTERESTS BOUGHT
Action Taken Only to Head Off
Outside Control.
PROPERTY TO BE IN TRUST
Purclmscr Aot to Take Hold Until
After War Trade Expansion
Sought Excess Fronts to
Go to Charity.
Financial control of the Portland
Flouring Mills Company, one of the
largest and oldest milling companies
on the Coast, has passed from the Wil
cox estate to Max H. Houser, vice
president of the Grain Corporation, and
several associates. It was announced
yesterday by Mr. Houser. While the
consideration was not announced, it is
believed to have been close to $10,000,-
000.
The deal involves complete control
of the Portland Flouring Mills Com
pany, Puget Sound Flouring Mills Com
pany, Fuget Sound Warehouse Com
pany, Pacific Coast Elevator Company
and subsidiary corporations. The com
pany owns and operates 11 mills in the
Northwest having an aggregate ca
pacity of more than 11.000 barrels of
flour daily. The principal mill is In
Portland, having a capacity of 4000
barrels.
The deal, it is understood, has been
pending for some time. Soon after the
death last March of Theodore B. Wil
cox, who was sole owner. It became
generally known that the company was
to be sold. Dutch interests were said
to have been angling for the properties
but, with the reorganization of the
company, with R. B. Wilcox at the
head, outside interests hud little
chance to obtain control.
Slow to Step In.
Mr. Houser, who In the last ten yean
has built up the largest grain export
business in Portland, became interested
in the property, but because of his
position with the grain division of the
United States Food Administration,
hesitated to acquire large private in
terests. His decision came only after
it had been represented to him that the
property probably would be controlled
outside the Northwest if lie did not
step in.
Reorganization plans are held up
pending Mr. Houser's arrangements for
placing the property in trust for the
period of the war. His connection with
the grain corporation will make this
step imperative. Raymond B. Wilcox,
president of the company. Is co-operating
with Mr. Houser in the transaction,
but will sever connection when reor
ganization plans are complete, he said
last night. It was stated that the
Wilcox estate has disposed of its entire-
Interest in the company.
Canons to Remain.
No changes are contemplated in the
staff and management. J. W. Ganong,
vice-president and general' manager,
will be retained in that capacity with
his entire office and wales force.
Other changes probably will await Mr.
Houser's assumption of active control.
Active trade expansion at the close
of the war is being planned by Mr.
Houser. It is expected that opportuni
ties not possible before will be opened
by the joint interests.
Organized in 1S84 by the late Theo
dore Wilcox and W. S. Ladd, the Port
land Flouring Mills have grown to a
position of pre-eminence among North
west grain dealers. With the European
(Concluded on Page 16. Column 2.)
A