WORLD'S DOINGS OF CURRENT WEEK Brief Resume of General News from All Around the Earth. UNIVERSAL HAPPENINGS IN A NUTSHELL Live News Items of All Nations and Pacific Northwest Condensed for Our Busy Readers. Italy closes navigation of the Adri atic sea unless ships are under convoy. Austrians submarine and sink an Italian warship. Most of the crew was saved. The steamship Minnehaha, loaded with 15,000 tons of war munitions, is afire in midocean. Reports of food shortage and suffer ing continue to reach the State depart ment from Mexico. Germans complain that the French mistreat prisoners, and reprisals are said to have begun. American consuls point to the seri ous situation in Mexico and urge Bpeedy action by this government. Naval officers have taken charge of the German wireless plant at Sayville, N. Y., believing neutrality was being violated. Canada has increased her war strength to 150,000 men, which, will be drawn on by England as the require ments arise. Cincinnati is visited by the most se vere storm in its history. Many lives are lost and a million dollars' damage is done to property. Iowa has unearthed a mysterious murder committed, it is said, in 1868, and as a consequence a man aged 70 is in jail accused of the crime. President Wilson refuses to consider or comment on tentative note from Germany. Until the full text is re ceived no action will be taken. Interest in the field maneuvers of the Orgon militia has been greatly increased by the indications that the United States regulars may soon be sent to Mexico. The French senate appropriates $600,000 to be UBed by the minister of marine in payment for cargoes of neu tral vessels that have been seized, and especially of that of the American steamer Dacia. Belgians have suddenly adopted the practice of wearing sprays of ivy as an expression of loyalty to Belgium and the allies, as a result of General von Biasing's order prohibiting the display of Belgian colors. Steel mills in the Pittsburg district have received within the past few days orders for projectile steel which aggre gate 75,000 tons. Early in the year teel of this grade was offered at $31 a ton, but latest sales are Baid to have been made at $38. This material is to be sent abroad. A decree has beed published in Paris prohibiting the export of gold except by the Bank of France. This is a pre cautionary measure taken at the sug gestion of Minister of Finance Ribot. It has been found that exported gold has not been destined always for a neutral country in settlement of ac counts. A free outflow might result In dangerous traflic, according to the minister. Turkey sinks French transport in the Dardanelles. Twin deer have been born at the Washington Park, at Portland. The Liberty Bell is making its first trip across the continent to San Fran CISCO. British report capture of German tranches on the extreme left line near Ypres. Indications point strongly to inter vention in Mexico by the United Mates. San Francisco reports the safest Fourth of July in its history. No one was injured. J. P. Morgan, who was shot by a de mented would-be assassin, is reported out of danger. England has taken over the control of the sale of liquors in many districts where war material is being handled, The American consular agent Bt Swinenmunde, Prussia, reports that the American steamship Platuria, from New York with a cargo of petroleum consigned to a Swedish port, has been held up by a German warship and brought into bwinenmunde. Italy is reported successful in her warfare against forces in the Corsa re gion, having materially advanced and captured 900. Frank Holt, who exploded a bomb in the national rapitol and shot J. P, Morgan In his home, succeeded in com mitting suicide in the jail in Mineola, N. Y. Sueley Hall, of Medford, Or., drove a six-passenger car to the summit of the Crater Lake rim. This is the ear liest date an automobile has ever reached the lodge. The snow has mulled 12 days earlier than ever before. SUBMARINE FORCES AMERICAN SHIP TO ACT AS SCREEN FROM VICTIM Liverpool How an American ship is alleged to have been used as a shield by a German submarine for the sink ing of another vessel is the story re lated by members of the crew of the American bark Normandy, which has arrived here from Gulf port, Miss. The story is that the Normandy was itopped by a German submarine 60 miles southwest of Tuskar Rock, off the southeast coast of Ireland, Friday night. The captain was called aboard the submarine, where his papers were examined and found to show that the hip was chartered by an American firm January 5. The captain of the bark, it was as serted, was allowed to return to the Normandy,, but under the threat that his ship would be destroyed unless he stood by and obeyed orders. These orders, it was said, were that he was to act as a shield for the submarine, which lay at the side of the bark, hid ing itself from an approaching vessel. This vessel proved to be the Russian steamer Leo. Presently the submarine submerged and proceeded around the bow of the Normandy, so the story went, and 10 minutes later the crew of the Normandy saw the Leo blown up. Twenty-five persons were on board, of whom 11 were drowned, including three stewardesses. Thse saved included three Americans Walter Emery, of North Carolina; Harry Clark, of Sierra, and Harry Whitney, of Camden, N. J. All these three men, when inter viewed, corroborated the foregoing Btory. They declared that no oppor- tunity was given those on board the Leo for Baving life. The Leo was bound from Philadel phia to Manchester with a general car go. Edison Will Head American Board of Invention for Army and Navy West Orange, N. J. Thomas A. Edison has accepted an invitation from Secretary Daniels to head an ad visory board of civilian inventors for a bureau of invention and development to be created in the navy department, His acceptance will go forward at once to Washington, where the new plans await word from the man who can turn dreams into realities. Mr. Daniels' idea of utilizing the inventive genius of Americans in and out of the military and naval service to meet conditions of warfare shown in the conflict on land and sea in Europe is outlined in a letter written last Wednesday asking Mr. Edison wheth er, as a patriotic service to his coun try, he would undertake the task of advising the proposed bureau. The plan is to have several men prominent in special lines of inventive research associated in the work. Among the great problems to be laid before the investigators the secretary mentioned submarine warfare, adding that he felt sure that with Mr. Edi son's wonderful brain to help them the officers of the navy would be able "to meet this new danger with new devices that will assure peace to our country by their effectiveness. New York City Grows. New York Father Knickerbocker's population has increased almost half a million in the last five years. To be exact, the normal growth of the great er city from the day the national cen sus takers finished their work in 1910 until June 13 last, when the state enumerators started in, was 478,929, an increase of more than 10 per cent. According to census supervisors of Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx and Richmond, New York had a population of 5,245,812 on June 13, as compared with 4,766,883 in 1910. French Contribute Gold. Paris The flow of gold from the private stocks of the public into the Bank of France continues. More than 10,000 persons deposited gold at the bank during Friday and Saturday. Re cently the Bank of France extended an invitation to the public to turn in its private hoards of gold to strengthen the national reserve. The response was such that the bank had to desig nate a half dozen receiving tellers to take the coin offered. Trade Balance Continues. Washington, D. C. A favorable trade balance of $20,545,773 was shown by the weekly statement of im ports and exports at the 13 principal ports of the United States, issued by the department of Commerce. The statement shows $29,896,465 for im ports and $50,442,243 for exports. The balance is an increase of more than $3,000,000 over the first week of last month and $11,000,000 over last week, French Outbuy Bond Issue. Paris The minister of finance, M Ribot, introduced in the chamber of deputies a bill raising the limit of the issue of national defense bonds from $1,200,000,000, as fixed in the law of May 18, to $1,400,000,000. Subscrip tions already have exceeded the prev ious limit by $30,000,000. The French public in 11 months has taken $1,680, 000,000 of national bonds. War Gets 200,000 Horses. Hinton, W. Va. Fifty men were added to the force required to handle the war horses fed and watetfal here on their way from the West to the At lantic seaboard. Fully 200,000 horses have been handled since the European war began, according to the officers in charge. FRENCH SUCCESSFUL T Commanding Points Over Plain of Flanders Heights Won. BOTH SIDES USING HEAVY ARTILLERY Night Attacks Spectacular Reports Say Teutons Lose 120,00 Men During 120 Days Battle. Paris After battling 120 days for the hilly country between Bethune and Arras, the French forces are in posses sion of all the eminences looking out upon the plain of Flanders. Lille, Douai and Cabrai all are visible from here. Every position along the broad na tional road between Arras and Bethune has been won except Souchez, and last night another quarter-mile of trenches in the Souchez web was torn away, The attack was made under parachute rocket lights, the French burning bluish white and the Germans greenish white, covering the scene of the des perate conflict with a ghastly glow. The most desperate fighting has been along the short 10-mile front from Arras to Aix Noulette, which began March 9 with the taking of a few hun dred yards of trenches on the water shed of Notre Dame de Lorette, where there are the ruins of an old Merovin gian military road. Every day since then some section of the German trenches have been taken, lost or re taken. Each side has been employing for midable artillery, both of small and heavy caliber, the French guns being somewhat the more numerous and served with unlimited quantities of high-explosive Bhels. A correspondent of the Associated Press went through five or six miles of the trenches formerly held by the Ger mans and reconstructed by the French Upward of 100,000 Germans have fallen or been captured in these trenches, according to the French offi cial count, since the second week of March. The French losses, the cor respondent was confidentially informed, while serious, have been much smaller than those of the Germans. There are thickets of little crosses made of twigs tied together marking graves between the trenches. Some of these graves have been torn up by the shell fire. Two-cent Rate Causes Railroads to Withdraw Many Public Privileges Chicago W. J. Cannon, assistant general passenger agent of the Chi cago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad, continuing his testimony in the west ern passenger rate hearing here, said the two-cent fare laws had wiped out the practice of granting special rates to fairs, conventions and resorts where the hauls are short ones. "Experience," he said "has proved that the institution of reductions like tourists fares has generally stimulated travel and as a large percentage is carried on regular trains the railroads can afford to make Buch reductions. Tourist fares of all characters are open to the public and necessarily reduced the average rate per mile. Homeseek ers' fares, which apply to round-trip tickets, have been made for many years to the West, Southwest and Northwest, and the demand continues. "The carriers are vitally interested in inducing settlers to take up or pur chase land. Experience shows that the bargain rate principle of granting such con cessions on certain days is a factor of consequence in accomplishing the de sired result." Pacific Trade Growing. San Francisco Big increases in im ports and exports through the San Francisco customs office for the year ended June 30 are shown by the annual report of the collector. During the last six months the increase in exports over the same period last year is about two thirds. Exports for the last six months were $39,573,826; same period in 1914 $24,326,152. Other figures for the year ended June 30, 1915, are: Ex ports 1915, $79,731,766; exports 1914, $62,535,648; imports 1915, $76,068, 028; Imports 1914, $66,394,389. Vatican's Lights Dimmed. Rome, via Paris. German Zeppe lins, according to reports received in Rome, have been transported to the coast of the Austrian Adriatic sea. Their object, it is said, is to reach Rome. The Italian government has notified the Vatican and the Pope has ordered that the lights of the apostolic palace be dimmed or extinguished at an early hour. The Pope also gave in structions for the removal of art treas ures from places exposed to damage. 60 Passengers Held Up. Los Angeles Fifty passengers on a westbound Pacific electric interurban car were held up and robbed late Sun day night by two masked men about a mite west of Pomona. The robbers poked their guns under the nose of the conductor when he was throwing the switch. The robbers then went through the car and took money and jewelry amounting to about $200 and scaped. NORTHWEST MARKET REPORTS; GENERAL CROP CONDITIONS j Wheat Bluestem, $1.08; fortyfold, $1.04; club, $1.03; red Fife, 93c; red Russian, 95c. Oats No. 1 white feed, $25.50 ton. Barley No. 1 feed, $22.50 ton. Bran $24 ton; shorts, $24. Millfeed Spot prices: Bran, $27 27.50 ton; shorts, $28 28.50; rolled barley, $25.5026.50. Corn Whole, $36 ton; cracked, $37. Hay Eastern Oregon timothy, $16 17 ton; alfalfa, $12.5013.50. Vegetables Cucumbers, Oregon, 4075c dozen; artichokes, 75c; toma toes, $1.50 per box; cabbage, lllc pound; head lettuce, $1 crate; spinach, 5c pound; rhubarb, 23c; peas, 24c; beans, 2J3c; green corn, 4075c dozen. Green Fruits Cherries, 4 10c pound; cantaloupes, $2 2.75 crate; loganberries, 75c; raspberries, $1 1.10; currants, 75c$l ; apricots, $1 1.35 box; peaches, 75c$l; watermel ons, l21c pound; plums, $1.25 box; new apples, $1.752.50. Potatoes New, lljc pound. Onions Yellow, $1 1.50; red, $1.75 sack. Eggs Oregon ranch, buying prices; No. 1, 24c dozen; No. 2, 20c; No. 3, 15c. Jobbing prices : No. 1, 26c. Poultry Hens, 10c pound; broilers, 1820c; turkeys, nominal; ducks, old, 10c; young 1520c; geese nominal. Butter Creamery prints, plain wrappers, 29c pound; cartons, 30c; cukes, ordinary, 23 24c; fancy, 25 25Jc. Veal Fancy, 10Jllc pound, Pork Block, 10c pound. Hops 1915 contracts, nominal; 1914 crop, 1212Jc pound. Hides Salted hides, 14Jc pound; salted kip, 15c; salted calf 18c; green hides 13c; green kip, 15c; green calf, ic; ary niaeB, Z4c; ary cair, ZBc. Wool Eastern Oregon, medium, 25 28c pound; Eastern Oregon, fine, 18 21ic; valley, 26 30c; mohair, new clip, 3031c pound. Cascara bark Old and new, 44Jc, Pelts Dry long-wooled pelts, 15ic; dry, short-wooled pelts, lljc; dry shearlings, each, 1015c; salted shear- lings, each, 1525c; dry goat, long hair, each, 13c; dry goat, Bhearlings, each, 1020c; salted long-wool pelts, May, $12 each. Grain Bags In car lots, 8i8jc; in less than car lots, about c more. Cattle Best steers, $77.25; good, $6.757; medium, $6.506.75; choice cows, $66.25; good, $5.756; heif ers, $4.756.75; bulls, $3.505; stags, $56.50. Hogs Light, $7.507.60; heavy, $6.757. Sheep Wethers, $5 5.50; ewes, $34.60; lambs, $5.606.80. Australia Demands More Butter, The strong California export demand for butter is keeping the Portland mar ket very firm and a higher range of prices for cubes in the near future is probable. The belief prevails in the trade that the 1,500,000 pounds of but ter already shipped from San Francisco to Australia will find its way later to England. It is the understanding here that Australia butter shippers con tracted to supply the British govern ment with a large quantity of butter to make up for the deficiency in Dan ish shipments, and, being unable to complete the contract because of the Australian drouth, they have turned to the Pacific Coast for a supply. What puzzles the trade is why the American butter, if intended for England, is not sent direct to London instead of by way of Sydney. Egg buying prices were unchanged with the opening of the week. The poultry and dressed meat markets were quiet and unchanged. Demand for Fruit Is Renewed. That retailers of Portland sold up closely on the holiday rush was indi cated by the good demand for fruit and vegetables on Front street this week. Watermelons were quoted lower at IS to 2 cents loose and 21 cents crated. Cantaloupes were firm at last week's prices. Oregon peaches were steady at 75 cents to $1 and California peaches at 90 cents to $1. Among the receipts was a mixed car of California apples, peaches and plums. There was a good-sized shipment of strawberries from Eastern Washington points, but there was not much demand for them. Raspberries sold readily at $1 to $1.10. Loganberries were quiet at 75 cents. A lot of fancy green corn arrived from the Imperial Valley and was put on sale at 75 cents a dozen. ' WaterJFamlne Is Feared. Ellensburg Charles E. Hewitt.Jof North Yakima, water commissioner of Kittitas and Yakima counties, after going over water conditions in the val leys, sounds a general warning for all ranchers to be economical in their use of water. "The reclamation is releas ing 2,000 acre feet of water every day in an effort to keep the ditches sup plied," said Mr. Hewitt. "This is cut ting into the storage at a fast rate and unless there is co-operation among the ranchers there is danger of a critical condition in late summer." (Wheat Not Badly Hurt. Eltopia, Wash. The damage Satur day night from a wind of hurricane proportions did not shatter the stand ing wheat as much as was feared. The early grain probably will be damaged from three to five bushels an acre. Turkey red and bluestem and the late sown Fife were not hurt materially. The wind blew down several windmill towers throughout the district, and but for prompt action a large grain ware house her would have been leveled. BERLIN NOTE MAKES PROMISE OF SAFETY American Passenger Ships May Sail Freely in War Zone. OFFICIAL GUARANTEES ASKED OF U. S. German Reply Makes Conditions for Travel Under Own Flag or On Neutral Passenger Ships. Berlin, via London Germany's offer, embodied in the reply to the United States note regarding the sink ing of the Lusitania and submarine warfare, was delivered to James W. Gerard, the American ambassador, Saturday night. Its essential features are: First, reiterated assurances that American ships engaged in legitimate trade will not be interfered with nor the lives of Americans upon neutral ships be endangered. Second, that German submarines will be instructed to allow American passenger ships to pass freely and safely, Germany entertaining in re turn confident hope that the American government will see that these ships do not carry contraband; such ships to be provided with distinguishing marks and their arrival announced a reason able time in advance. The same privilege is extended to a reasonable number of neutral passen ger ships under the American flag and should the number of ships thus avail able for passenger service prove inade quate Germany is willing to permit America to place four hostile passen ger steamers under the American flag to ply between North America and Europe under the same conditions. German Reply Viewed Here As Quite Likely to Bring Crisis Washington, D. C. Arrival of the press translation of the German note confirmed impressions which have been current in official quarters for several days that Germany would refuse to give the assurances asked for by the United States that the lives of Ameri cans traveling the high seas on un armed ships of any nationality be not endangered. The press copy arrived too late to be read by many officials, and those who saw it Baid they could not comment until the official text from Ambassa dor Gerard had arrived. Assumption of liability for the loss of Americans in the Lusitania tragedy was considered to have been wholly evaded by Germany, and the chief principle for which the United States announced that it would omit "no word or act" to see observed was viewed as having been passed over lightly. The general feeling that the note would be unsatisfactory and bring to a crisis the friendly relations that have existed between the United States and Germany developed more strongly in official quarters. Steamer Minnehaha Arrives in Port After Terrific Explosion and Fire Halifax, N. S. A bomb placed aboard the Atlantic transport liner Minnehaha, probably while she lay at her pier in New York, caused the ex plosion and fire at sea, in the opinion of the officers of the steamer, which put in here for examination Saturday with the fire still unextinguished. The explosion occurred in No. 3 hold, and was of terrific force, shaking the vessel from stem to stern. Those of the crew who were forward at the time were stunned by the shock and two sailors were hurled into the air, Flames followed, and for two days and nightB the crew battled to save the ship. There is no doubt in the minds of the officers that Erich Muenter, alias Frank Holt, or confederates, were re sponsible for the explosion, which oc curred at 4:15 o'clock on the afternoon of July 7, the date on which Muenter predicted that some vessel, as to the name of which he appeared uncertain, would be destroyed. London's Assent Lacking. Washington, D. C Germany's pro posals of last February for the reopen ing of her cable communications with the United States failed because they were conditioned on the consent of Great Britain and the London foreign office, which never replied to the ne gotiations communicated by the United states. State department official made this explanation in the light of a published assertion by Herr von Jagow, who laid stress on the lack of cable communication as a means of an ex change of views on submarine warfare. Liner's Sinking Forecast. Washington, D. C Sir Cecil Spring Rice, the British ambassador, formally called the attention of the State de partment to the Fatherland, a German paper published in New York, pointing out that it forecast the sinking of the Lusitania and predicted internal ex plosions on ships sailing from the United States for the allied nations. Without making any request, the am bassador declared it indicated "guilty foreknowledge of crime." BIG STORMS VISIT 4 CENTRAL STATES Homes and Churches in Many Towns Are Demolished. RE THAN 30 FATALITIES REPORTED Wind and Heavy Rains Sweep Over Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio Two Boats Sink. Chicago Heavy property damage and loss of life is the toll thus far ex acted by tornadoes and cloud bursts sweeping eastward Thursday from the Missouri river valley through Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Late reports from St. Louis say seven persons are believed to have been killed during the storm at St. Charles, Mo., and that a woman and child who entered a church just before it was demolished had not been ac counted for at midnight. Mrs. Thomas Slattery and her two children were killed when their home at Dardenne was wrecked, according to reports from there. Wentzville and Gilmore each reported one man killed. Tornadoes swept districts northwest of St. Louis, blowing part of a Wa bash train from the track and partly wrecking several hundred residences at St. Charles. First reports from Lawrenceville, 111., said two persons were killed there. Exceptionally l heavy rains were re ported from all sections of the affected territory. Nine Are Reported Dead. St. Louis A tornado and cloudburst which swept St. Louis and St. Charles counties late Thursday caused damar which may aggregate half a million dollars, isolated several small towns and deluged parts of this terriotry with four inches of rain in half an hour. St. Charles suffered most from the tornado, an area of more than 100 square blockB being damaged. . St. Charles Borromeo's Catholic Church was wrecked, the storm tear ing down the east and west walls and cracking the south wall so that it crurnbled to the ground. A wall and part of the roof of the roof of St. Joseph's Hospital were torn away. The patients, though panic-stricken, were removed to safety. Seven persons are known to have been killed during the storm. Twenty in Ohio Valley Killed. Cincinnati A score of persons are believed to have lost their lives and many more are known to have been in jured, some seriously, as a result of one of the most severe wind and rain storms ever experienced in this sec tion of the Ohio valley. Two Ohio River towboats were sunk, more than 25 houses were completely wrecked, steeples of churches were lifted from their fastenings, and many other houses were damaged by the high winds. Plate glass windows all over the city were broken, while tele graph and telephone communication of the city was completely paralyzed for several hours after the storm. Berlin Denies Censorship. Berlin, by wireless to Sayville, N. Y. The report that the German au thorities had opened and censored mail on the Swedish steamships Bjoern and Torsten was denied officially by the German government Thursday. The entire mail on the Torsten, offi cials declare, was mailed to the Swed ish authorities untouched. Some sus pected mail bags on the Bjoern were investigated and found to contain scis sors for cutting barbed wire. These packages, addressed to the British government, were confiscated. Two Dead at Lawrenceville. Terre Haute, Indiana Lawrence ville, 111., 50 miles south of here, was visited by a heavy wind storm late Thursday. Two persons were reported to have been killed and more than 60 houses destroyed. It was estimated the dam age would exceed half a million dol lars. Clara Riley, 17 years old, was killed, and her father, William Riley, was in jured fatally when their brick resi dence collapsed after being struck by lightning. Emden To Be Refloated. Sydne, N. S. W. The department of defense has awarded a contract for the salving of the German cruiser Emden, which ws sunk off Cocos island in the Indian Ocean by the Australian cruiser Sydney. The contractors said the raider could be floated easily and would be here by Christmas. The Emden will be exhibited. Recruiting in Victoria has been highly successful and New South Wales is about to be gin a new campaign for men. Jpn and Russia Allied. Honlolulu, T. H. A new alliance between Japan and Russia is reported by Tokio dispatches to Japanese pa pers here to be Imminent Advices received here say that the elder states men are completing details of the re ported alliance and that It is in nearly final fom.