Mhfc (Mi)He (Mm MitJtifimrM ll :,v V : AVK-VMl Kit Bain; moderate-. southwesterly winds. Fltty iin,t'v'r" vi'i vii - - " r J V HAS KEY TO 1918 RIDDLE Versailles Body to Determine Time and Place of Major Offensives to Be Conducted by Allied Armies MUCH-MOOTED GERMAN DRIVE BELIEVED OFF Silent Arrangements Com pleted to Pool Efforts ; This Year WASHINGTON , Ma rch 1 9. The kcjr to the 1918 riddle of the west ern battle front Is In the hand of tle lupreroe war council at Ver aailles. Decision en to the time and place of major offensives by the allies rests with that body. It directly controls, officials here believe, a new weapon forged during the winter with which to make effective its plans of grand strategy.' That weap on Is believed to lie in a pooling of the, army reserves of all the allies' armies, permitting overwhelming concentrations at selected points of attack.--., - Initiative Rests With Allies. American observers now are con vinced that the German high com mand plans a defensive campaign and that the long talked of drive on Paris or the channel ports has been abandoned. The initiative, accord ing io this view, rests with the al lied and American forces. Com muniques are being closely scanned for tire first indication of any offen sive operations mapped out at Ver sailles, The supreme council was created nnder the urgent Insistence of Pres ident Wilson for aggressive action this year, based on co-ordinated plans and under the direction of sin gle agency. The exact scope of the (Continued on Page 3.) Many Merchants Seem to Think That Misrepresen tation of Valuer in Adver- tism g is and will be excused by the buying public because it has become such a common practice that nobody believes the exaggerated statements anyway. ! WE BELIEVE THAT THE PtJBLIO IS INTELLIGENT ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE STANDARD OF HONESTY and that a merchant who will try to deceive in his advertising will try to deceive in his store. - FICTITIOUS VALUES and IMAGINARY REDUC TIONS fill the advertising columns nowadays. During our entire business career, we have depended upon QUALITY OF MERCHANDISE and prices made possible by our spot cash plan of business to attract trade. CAREFUL BUYING, ECONOMICAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT and an earnest desire to sell on the closest possible margin of profit, ex plains why we undersell other stores. We never buy an ar ticle until we are convinced that it will prove satisfactory to the wearer. v.':.- You will find a wonderful range of styles and qualities to select from In every department. Clothing, Shoes, Hats, Shirts, Hosiery, Underwear, Dress : Goods, Silks, Corsets AND NOTIONS OF EVERY KIND Large shipments of Spring Merchandise arriving daily. EXPERIENCED SALESMAN WANTED MAN WHO UNDERSTANDS BOTH DRYGOpDS AND MEN'S FURNISHINGS PREFERRED HOLLAND GIVEN ONE DAY LONGER TO MAKE REPLY Unequivocal Acceptance of Original Agreement De manded by! U. S. CABLE TROUBLE FEARED Firm Stand Is Taken to Re fuse Conditions Wanted by Germany WASHINGTON. March 19.- rians for taking over Dutch shipping in American waters at noon today were changed at the last moment. In the absence of a reply from Holland to the. British-American demand for transfer of the ships, according to the-agreement which Germany block ed, it vas decided to wait at least another day to avoid seeming dis courtesy to the little kingdom which has had one of the most difficult roles among the neutrals in, the world war. Tonight the United States still awaited final word from London where negotiations were conducted. An urgent message was sent to Lon don late in the day asking for a re port". It is believed that some trouble with incoming cables is responsible for the delay in transmitting the Dutch reply. Unequivocal acceptance of the original agreement for the transfer of ship is wanted by the. United States, which will accept no less and is prepared to go ahead with the requisitioning of the tonnage unless a favoiable reply is received. Press dispatches Indicating that Holland had asked that the ships be prohibit ed from carrying troops or munitions were taken to indicate that she was making a last effort to placate Ger many, in the face of submarine threats and economic pressure. Such conditions are regarded as being not those of Holland but of Germany and accordingly will be refused. It was said on high authority there was no possibility of the United States and Continued on Page 3.) Permissible RUSS POLICY DENOUNCED BY SOCIALIST Confidence in German Meth ods Shaken by Peace Forc ed Upon Nation; Dr. David Heard in Reichstag SMOLDERING FURNACE IN EAST IS FfeARED Main Object Broken Is Con tention; Hertling Shifts Blame to Allies COPENHAGEN. March 18. Chan cellor vtn Hertling, on the itrst read ing in the reichHtag of th peace treaty with Russia today, declared that be did not wish to discuss the. opinions of Germany's enemies re garding the treaty. "Hypocrisy," the chancellor added, "has become second natui-c to the enemy whose untruthfulness is made worse by its brutality. Every fat tempt at calm explanation and every real deliberation must fail when th? enemy, at the very moment iliey are laying a heavy hand on a neutral country, dare to speak of a policy guided by complete unselfishness. "The treaty with Russia contains no conditions disgraceful to Russia, if the provinces breaking away from Russia say it is in accordance with their own wish and the wish Is ac cepted by Russia. Blame Shifted To Allies. "If the teicbstag adopts the peace treaty, peace on the whole eastern front will be restored, as I an nounced February 24, but among the entente powers there is not the least inclination to finish this terrible war. The responsibility for bloodshed will be upon the heads of those who wish continuation of the bloodshed." r Deputy Fehrenbacb, of the Centrict party, expressed regret that help bad not been given Finland by Sweden, as German action apparent ly failed to meet with complete ap proval In Sweden. Germany, he said, only alms at clearing Finland of Bolshevik bands and when tbis is accomplished the German forces undoubtedly will be withdrawn from Finland. Deputy Fehrenbach argued that the Poles should unequivocally rev oganlze the integrity of the German empire while the Germans for their part would renounce all plans of an nexation. He added: "We regard " the right of peoples to self-determination as a point of honor and as a criterion for the honest policy of Germany before the world." Peace Forced, Kays Socialist. Dr. Edourd-David. majority Soc alist, denounced the Urest-Lfctovsk peace as not a peace by understand ing, but an unvarnished peace by force, adding; . " "Not only did the Dolshevlki capi late, but one diplomatist captulated to the militarist ideas of might. General Hoffmann cast the victor's sword into the scale. "This peace has evoked dissatis faction among the widest circles In the German nation and has shaken the confidence in the honesty of the German policy. Reference to Drest Litovsk represses all peace feeling in Fiance and Great Britain. The entente already is at work again welding together the broken ring, in the east. i . "Our main object internal dis solution of the enemy coalition has not been attained, but has been made rupre difficult." Government's Word Doubted Referring to the 1 chancellor's re peated declarations in favor of seif determlnation. Dr. David said. j"Wo must have guarantees that the gov ernment's acts correspond with its words. The military party wanks to bottle up Hie Poles in the east and to carry! out big annexations in the west under the watchword of mili tary security." After criticising In detal all the arrangements with the border prov inces. Dr. David declared: "We risk getting into the sharpest antagonism with public feeling all along the line. The entire eastern region will then be converted Into one smouldering furnace. These eastern border rer iohs can only be won by a peace of conciliation." The reichstag then adjourned until Tuesday. i Spanish Cabinet Has Resigned Is Report LONDON', March 19. The Span ish cabinet has resigned, according to a Reuter's Limited dispatch from Bilbao. The Spanish premier, Marquis de Alhucemas. presented the resigna tion of his cabinet March 9, but the following day yielded to the request of King Alfsonso and agreed to con tinue in office. It was announced at that time that no changes would be made in the cabinet. STEPS TO SAVE FLOUR PLANNED BY FOOD RULERS Division of Supplies Between Baking Shops to Be Put : Into Effect EXPORTS FALLING DOWN Program Provides Schedule to Feed Allies and Country Until Harvest WASHINGTON. March 19. The food administration tonight an rounced the first of a series of step. planned to stretch flour supplies suf ficiently to feed ' the rountry an 1 maintain shipments to the allies un til next harvest. Beginning with the baking trade, which uses 4 0 per cent of the wheat flour consumed in this country, th administration has approved jflans for a division of flour supplies b- m mites ana for a nauon-wuie edu cational campaign to eliminate waste which will be worked out at'a meet ing in Chicago next Friday. Further restrictions on the con sumption of . wheat which were an nounced last week as under consid eration, will be put Into effect next. Aside from the shortage of wheat in the United States, another serious problem is confronted by the food administration in making good Jt promises to the allies. Not a single week's- shipment of grain and cer eals abroad has equalled the an nounced" program since January 1. so that there remains a deficit of si 2,000 tons to be made up in addi tion to the regular supplies. Shipments reached a low point in the week of February 1 to -7 as th3 culmination of weeks of bad weath er which demoralized both railroad and overseas transportation. Only 84.658 tons went abroad in that week. Improvement has been shown rinre, but even with clearing weatb er7 it has been Impossible to trans part the 270,000; tons promised every seven days. In the week from Mirch I to 8. the shipments were 2125,1 AT tons but dropped in the sec ond week to 201,938 tons and tho expected surplus over requirements has not eone forward. Since Jan uary 1 shipments have totalled 1, 416,917 tons, i Oakland Woman Acquitted of Charge of Murdering VISALIA. Cal., March 19. Mrs. Orlean Howe of Oakland ajs acquit ted by a jury tonight of the murder of Will H. Hrooks, an orange grow er, whom she shot and killed In a Porterville hotel November 19. Mrs. Howe immediately addressed the Jury, the foreman of which was W. J. O. Lambert, saying: "I want to thank you In the name of a woman who was fighting for her honor, not for her life." Deadly Spinning Dice Claims Two Victims FORT WOKTII. Texas. March 19. The deadly spinning nose dive claimed two more victims near Fort Worth this afternoon. Lieutenant R. J. Hurley. H7 Cyden street, Toronto. Ont., and W. Miles, mechanic, Un don. England, were killed when the plane piloted by the lieutenant was thrown 3nto the spinning nose dive 300 feet up. Anthem for Third Liberty Loan Announced NEW YORK, March 19. The "'liberty loan anthem" ded icated to the success of the third appeal to the nation for funds to carry on the war, was formally approved today by the loan committee of the New York federal reserve district. It Is designed for use through out the country. The music was written by Mrs. George Barton French. The words by Charles W. Gordon.' follow: "Heaven sent liberty, our na tion's pride. "Our fathers fought for thee, fought, bled and died. "Then was our flag unfurled, emblem sublime. "A light unto the world through endless time. "Our watchword still shall be. In God We Trust.: "Striving that all may see our cause is just. "We fight for liberty and shall not cease. "Till freedom's victory brings lasting peace. "Now in our allies land, breasting war's tide "Our sons march hand in hand, God is their guide. "Once more we hear the call 'keep the world free.' "Rise! Rise! and give your all. ior liberty."' WAR CHEST IS UP FOR DISCUSSION More Equitable Method , of Contributing to Red Cross and Other War Causes Urged by Petition COMMERCIAL CLUB TO HEAR ARGUMENT Advocates Believe Interest Can Be Maintained to Greater Degree To provide for all fntnre contri butions to Red fro. Army Y. M. C. A. and all similar war work through a community war chest, maintained by regular and equitable contribu tions by all. Is the purpose of a signed proposal that will be given public consideration tonight at the Salem Commercial club. The regular membership meeting of the club takes place tonieht and to this meeting the public is invited for consideration of the proposal which reads as follows: "Ve. the undersigned, respectful ly represent that the time Is at hand when we, the people, should awaken to the responsibilites created by our nation's peril. "Foremost among these responsi bilities is the raising of funds with which to respond to the several ap peals as they shall come to us from time to time. "Past experience has demonstrat ed the inadequacy of the methods so far employed although the same have ben comparatively successful. Some have given willingly and more than they should by any fair com parison. It is a fine spirit that causes them to do so, but a decent sense of fairness should not permit it. Others have not done their part, and while their example is some times a proper cause for censure, it is often based on the foreknowl edge that Justice is not being done and may, therefore, be taken as a demand for a more equitable method. "Now, therefore. In order that our energies may be turned to other problems that will certainly arise, we propose, as a final solution of this one, a method tentatively as follows: "1. A common fund for war con tributions, said fund to be created by regular monthly installment pay ments. Any remainder in the fund when the need is past to be pro rated back to the contributors. "2. Contributions to the fund to be hased on equitable participation by all. If any rail, let the deficiency so caused be the basis of appeal for more effective action. "3. Representative committee to fix percentile of contribution on basis of resources less necessary ex penses. . ' "4. Contributions to be listed in public book or card system setting out amount of Individual install ments, with, record of payments and other necessary detail. In? rase of apparent inequity of apportionment, the committee shall disclose facts and figures upon which same Is based and shall use its best endeav ors to see that Justice is done. "5. Contributor tohave privilege of designating the various activities to which his or her contribution shall be applied. ' j "ft. Committee to pass on merits of each and every appeal for funds and fix the amount to be appropriat ed In response thereto. "7. This system to apply only to funds used for contribution and not for Investment purposes, but Invest ments in liberty bonds, thrift stamps, etc., may be taken Into consideration by the committee in fixing appor tionments." The 'signer? are: W. H. Morse. Robert S. Gill. John W. Tbdd. V R. A. Harris. C. M. Roberts. K. N. Gillingham, John H. McNary. W. H. Hvrd. Mrs. F. A. Elliott, J. E, Allison. W. P. Ellis. Wifford J. Allen, Chester A. Moores, 15. W. Macy, Hoy F. Shields. Alice S. Fisher, Paul V. Johnson, Frank J. Miller. E. M. Burke, -William McGilchrlst, Jr. Arthur S. Benson. Arthur W. Iawrence, F. W. Steusloff. t Mrs. H. O. Schucking, ' 'Blanch E. Howard, Fred G. Ruchtel. William Esch. Ed. Wrifht. -t-Harvey Heck with. Charles V. Galloway, , C. D. Butler, F. A. Elliott. Rollin K. Pase. LkjuIs Laohmund. (Continued on Page 3.) U.S. GERMANS DENY CHARGES OF DISLOYALTY Alliance Claims Patriotism But Once Justified Bel gian Invasion MEMBERS ARE GRILLED "We're Pure American." AI- i though Propaganda Before War Not Denied WASHINGTON. March 19..' A general defense of the patriotic character of the National German American Alliance against charges of disloyalty was made today before a senate judiciary sub-eonimitte' by the Rev. C G. Yon Boss or Wil mington. Del., president, who assert ed .the alliance has no connection with the German government .nor the German people and that Its in fluence has always been directed to ward keeping alive German ideals and to fostering loyalty to this country. . : The committee has under consid eration a bill by Senator King of Utah, which would revoke the fed eral charter of the organization be cause of Its alleged disloyal utter ances and activities. Disloyalty Is Denial. "The alliance has never entertain ed even the remotest official con nection with the German government or the German people," Mr. Von Hosse said.. "It is a simon-pure American organization, existing only for those living in this country, hav ing American patriotism. American loyalty and American love for liberty written upon its banners." He was Interrupted several times by . committee members for cross examination. "What have yon said In condemn ation of the sinking of the Lusi tanla?' Senator King asked. "The Lusitania was sunk before the United States went. to war with Germany," the witness replied. "Didn't you Justify It?" "I Justified certain legal phases of it." he replied. "I took the view before the United States went to war that Americans should not go on belligerent vessels carrying munitions." -1 Itelslan Invasion Justified. . Letters written by Mr. Von Bosse to a Wilmington, newspaper after the European vrar broke out. Justify ing Germany's invasion of Belgium, were read. The witness admitted having written the letters, saying he did not believe at that time that lJel giuni was neutral. Senator Wolcott ,-of Delaware wanted to know about some articles Mr. Von Hosse wrote, referring to the work of "these grand, busy old Uerthas" in Germany," "Those grand busy old Rerthas which dropped bombs on hospitals and cathedrals and defenseless-communities." suggested Senator King. Mr. Von Hosse defended his arti cles, saying they were written be fore the United States entered the war. He did not Jiesitate In admit ting that before the United States went tq war he carried on propa ganda work and that the alliance and himself personally opposed the United States becoming a bellig erent. ' "Our efforts to keep the United States out of the war." he said, "was a call of the blood, because we be lieved Germany to be waging a war of defense. Mr. Von Hosse- defended the ac tions of C. J. Hexamer of Philadel phia, the first president of the alli ance. . : , "His father served gallantly In our Civil war," he said, "and the son. born in America, Is a truer and bet ter American than thousands whose lip patriotism noisily jars the clouds." ' The witness declared the alliance has incurred the hatred of anti-saloon league officials because of its stand against prohibition, ar.i he at tributed some of the charges against it to that source.. BANK ROBBED BY MASKED BANDITS -f . Twenty Employes Locked up in Office and $5000 Is StolenAway SAN FRANCISCO. March 19. Three bandits, masked and armed, held up the Yokohama Specie bank, limited, here late today and escaped with approximately ZO0(i atter lock ing up more than twenty of the bank's employes Ij an office room The men drove to a side entrance of the bank in an automobile. Tbey adjusted their masks'as they entered the building, forcing the employes, both men and women, to enter the office room at the points of pistols. After securing approximately $5000 in coin and currency the men fled, leaving their automobile behind them. I GERMAN LIKE PENETRATED BY FRENCH Trench Works Destroyed and 160 Prisoners Captured in Raids in Verdun and Chep py Wood Regions NERVOUSNESS SH0WH BY GALLWITZ' ARMY Large Reserves Hurried Up Too Late to Check Sue- , cessful Advance ON THE FRENCH FRONT IN FRANCE, March Tlie center of military interest during the last tew dsys has passed from the Cham pagne to the vicinity of Verdun, where both the French and the Ger mans have broken into marked ac tivity. : In the Verdun region the corres ptndent watched the execution 4f Xwo trench raids on a large scatfj carried, out by. the French on Sat urday evening and at dawn on Sun day, the results of which exceeded ajl expectations. Within twelve hours tbe'French had penetrated the remarkably strong systems of Ger man trenches in both Cheppy -wood and Malanconrt wood to a depth at some points of more than a quarter of a mile. They destroyed all the enemy works, his blockhouses and shelters, which had taken the Ger mans three years to construct, and brought back two groups of prison ers, each comprising eighty men. while the French themselves suf fered only the slightest losses. Germans Khow Nervousness. General von Gallwltz's army, act ing under the direct orders of the German crown prince, displayed evi dent nervousness under this pres sure, as was shown by the hurried arrival of large-reserves In motor lorries. They were too late, how ever) to hinder the French. The ground was very unfavorable to the French attack owing to the clay soil, in which Immense shell boles from former battles had be come filled with water to a depth of some six feet. Among these the raiders were forced to pick their way under, the constant: peril of slipping In and drowning. The artillery pre paration, - however, was so over whelming that the! French met with only slight opposition to their; prog ress. French Infantry Penetrates. The Cheppy wood operation wai the easier of the two, owing to the fact that it was daylight within fivo minutes atter the assault groups had left the parapets, groups of prison ers could be seen running toward the French lines. Everything was carried out on a time schedule, and when the French returned to their own lines,, they had secured about ftO prisoners. The second raid, that pflpon Malancourt wood, was wonder fully impressive spectacle, la the darkness Just before dawn. The correspondent passed the night on a knoll opposite the objective, from which nothing but the occasional rattle of a machine gun could be heard and only a flash of light seen cow and then until a half hour be fore the Hme It had been'arranged for the attack to begin. Then, tb9 German gunners, evidently suspect ing that something was up, lt fly salvos all along the line, after which quiet reigned again until, with a thunderous crash, all the French bat teries opend fire; simultaneously, tho signals flashed and the infantry went over. ' F.i Klity Irionem Drought Back Colored lights showed that the troops reached 'their objectives at various times, previously arranged. Then groups of prisoners began com ing back and eventually the French men, after completing their work of destruction, returned to their own lines, bringing squads of captlve3, the total reaching eighty. Meanwhile the German artillery, which la very strong here, had open ed up a heavy barrage and counter battery fire, but without effect. Soon after daylight the front was again calm. On the other side of the Meuse the Germans took the initiative In the course of the day Sunday at Sam ogneux, Hezonvaux and Cauriere? wood, executing raids which cost them-dearly In casualties and achiev ed only small results. A number of American. Infantry officers, attached for Instruction to to French nnits, were In the raids ttpon Cheppv and Malancourt wood, f Bv The Associated Pre) ICotwithstanding-the fact that th Germans for some time past have ad vertised largely their intention to be r.In a general offensive on the allied fronts at no distant date, nothing beyond Intensified : bombardment and here and there infantry attacks on various sectors have been forth coming. The Teutons, probably realizing that their efforts to hearten the peo ple at home are beginning to require (Continued on Page 3.)