Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, April 17, 1917, DAILY EDITION, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    1
DAILY EDITION
v No Other Town in the World the Size of Grants Pass Has a Newspaper With Full Leased Wire Telegraph Service
1.
s. "
VttlV. Vll No. lift.
Gill SUIIMIM IFF
DOME GUARD TO BIG GIGE SOUGHT Tnnprnn nprn RV HP
BE ORGANIZED m DIVER I UKrtUU HKtU Dl UlVtli
this inins2-- WIISSES U. S. DESTROYER
BRANCH OK THE I'ATIUOTir HMt
! VICE LKAUl K WILL AJJM BE
FORMED
AT
0
Of
TaUitMlo Mmi of the Cntiiiminlty Are
Invited (o AM In Work for
Nation
Ths boys have ibwn marching oS
to the front; the girls have organised
the Honor Guard, r It liens generally,
quite a number of whom are women,
are organising the Red Cio. and
tonight mere'men will have their In
ning. A routing meeting will be
hald at the Chamber of Commerce
rooms, at 7: SO thla evening. It la
for men. The purpose are two.
Pint, the organisation of a Grant
Pass traoh of the Oregon Patriotic
Service League, and second, the or
ganisation of a company of Home
Guards. .'".' ;..' '
' "The tlrlotlc Service teamvs one
of the most Important organization!
In putting the people of Oregon be-
Qlnd the government In thla emer
gency. It I recognised by the gov
ernor and big business enterprleea of
the Mate generally as the medium for
getting to the people Information and
I nut met Ion a to how bent to make
their patriotic effort count atid ai
a meant for them to keep In touch
with the other communltlea of the
atate. Practically every section of
the atate hat organised local
branches. Grants Pasa will form her'a
tonight.
Some of the men who will not come
under the limitations for the first line
enlistments,' propose to do their bit
In actual service whether or no, and
will organise a company of Home
Guard to do such service as guard
local strategic points such as rail
roads, bridges, tunnels, water supply
resorvolrs and th like. Men are
0'
rged to come out 'nnlght.
Arrangements for perfecting the
organisation of a local chspter of the
Girls' Honor Ounrd are progressing
rapidly. State headquarters were
unable to forward tho blank pledges,
but will send them within the week.
At a meeting of the organisation
committee held last evening, a gen
eral call was Issued to the girls and
, young married women of the city be
tween the agea of, 14 and SO tor a
mass meeting Wednesday evening, ai
7:30, lit the Chamber of Commerce
w-ooms. At this meeting the perma
nent organisation will be made and
plant for the active work of the
.Ouard presented and discussed. All
those eligible to membership are re
quested to 1)e present. '
The work of the Guard It divided
Into three general classifications:
"First aid to the wounded," Including
courses In emergency treatments,
bandage making and applying,' diet
booking, use of tornlquet, hypoder
mic etc; "first aid th. families." In-
poinding courses In car of children,
cooking, tewing, social service, etc.;
7 and "first all) 111 general utility." In
cluding courses In tuoh subjects s
. svuto driving and care, shorthand,
telegraphy, wireless, farming, etc,
O
;'ew York, April 17. W";.f tbst
Oermsny may have obtained Informa
tion of tlio departure of British For
eign Minister Balfour, General Jof
fre, French Minister of Justice VI
vlanl and other member of the al
lied commission en route here, was
expressed here this afternoon as ex
plaining the .sudden appearance of a
I'-lbost off the American coaat.
It was recalled that Germany learn
ed In some way of the departure of
lird Kitchener when he waa en route
to an Allied conference and tank the
vessel on which hs was a passenger.
The report or the engagement with
ttfe submarine with the destroyer
Smith served to emphasise the dan
gers faced by the'allled commission
ers In their journey to this country.
GERMANY TO STATE
HER TERi.lS OF PEACE
Christiana, April 1 7. Uermsny
shortly J .tt-UajitUototjtX nttfon
a statement of the term on which
she considers peace negotiable, ac
cording to rumors In dlwiowstlc cir
cles .today.
The reports came from sources
known to be closely Identified with
the German officials' plan.
Those closest In touch with (he
Herman movement here had dot
heard any detail of what Germs ny
proposes to offer. They did not be
lieve, however, there would be many
concessions, and some believed Ger
many's proffer will adhere strictly to
the one tentatively put forward ' In
December. '
Scandinavia Is the center of Ger
many' peace effort, aimed, at Rut
ala. That the Teutonic officials are
'bending every effor to realisation of
their hope of separate peace with the
new provincial government at Pet
rograd, Is apparent In every quarter
here.
American diplomatic officials have
been formally advised that the Ger
man government Is behind the vseu-
do-soclalltt movement for peace.. It
was the German government that ap
parently started the socialist prop'
ganda work and It waa the German
government that pushed It by active
support. ' ,
Count von Hermtorff, prime apostle
of peace propaganda work, hat been
seleoted at German ambassador td
Sweden, purely In line with tblt Rut
tlan effort.
Meanwhile German prapagandlsts
of lesser calmer spread reports of
Germany' desire for peace care
fully avoiding, however, any state
ment of terms.'
LOSE IN KRESS
Washington., April IT Politic
may bloat the conscription army plan
,( Growing fear on the part of many
congressmen that, they could no
longer face their constituents with
an "I kept you out of war" plea-
should, they v6te for conscription
mude It appear Inevitable today that
the vdlunteef plan will be given a
trial first. :
The comprqmlsshli'h seems like
ly to go through will be sutjiprlu
(Inn for the president to call for
500,000 loT.MWMJD volunteer In
HANTS PASS. JOSKP0INB COUNTY,
BePigerest Visitor Scberges
03 Warship at Early Hear His Rlsrtrg, a Few '
Rliles Oaf East Ccast; acd Apparently Scapes
Washington, April 17.
of the war of America against Germany today and it
missed. The information reached the navy jdepartraent
shortly after noon that the United States destroyer Smith
was fired upon bv a German
torpedo launched by the U
Jatter gave chase to the submarine, but the enemy U boat
submerged and escaped.
Announcing the first engagement of the war, the navy
department this afternoon issued the following bulletin:
Pnrtikrifa ft"sn leittA Talari? li MKldri!t st novtr aM nisWt
at Boston and at New York
17th, an enemy submarine
Smith, running apparently submerged. The submarine
fired a torpedo at the Smith, which missed her by thirty
yards. V ake of torpedo plainly seen crossing the bows.
Submarine disappeared."
The navy department had not heard about the clash
until uress reports brought
TnTnnndflteIknaft iraW
navy yard on the telephone and asked details. New York,
too, was ignorant,, but at once .communicated with Fire
Island lightship, from where
pharlcstowu had been made. A few minutes later Sandy
Hook flashed back the story to New York, which at once
notified Belknap.
The submarine's efforts to sink the destroyer were
the first definite evidence of the oft-repeated rumors that
German U boats lurked off our coasts.
The fact that the Fire
original information, led to
was not far distant from New l oik City, inasmuch as the
lightship is only 25 miles beyond Sandy Hook, the outer
portal of New York's harbor.
While, for military reasons, the navy department does
not say what is being done about hunting the submarine,
it is assumed that a redoubled watch is being put into
effect.
One of the numerous reports of submarines off our
shores has been that a group
Mexican waters, ready to make a spectacular raid on one
of the big American ports.
Smith affair as the navy sees it, will be to stir up the
country to a realization that
stimulate recruiting both for
The destroyer smith is of the "M class, built in
1909, with a length of 288 feet and a displacement of 700
tons. Her speed is 29V2 knots an hour, and she is armed
with five 14-pounder guns and
She carrier 87 men.
The scout cruiser Chester, m charge of the patrol in
the, New England district, displaces 3,750 tons, has a speed
of 26 knots and is lightly armored. She carries two 5-inch,
six 3-inch" and two 3-pouhders, with two torpedo tubes.
4icr complement includes .m men. She was built in
1906.i v. .:. .., - -
When the U-53 arrived at Newport, Captain Rose es
pecially called attention to the fact that he had not put in
for fuel nor did, he takd aliV aboard.
The actual appearance of a fighting submarine on this
side has naturally aroused, the greatest speculation as to
the possibility of a secret base having been, established at
some point within comparatively easv reach from home
watera. No information is
whether tho navy department believes this may be the
case.
mediately, to be raised within ninety
days. ' '., .".
At1 the aame time, the1 machinery
for conscription will be authorised
and put into motion so that It the
volunteer system does not work with
in ninety days, conscription could be
put Into effect Immediately thereaf
ter. ' ' '
Thla Is th situation In the house.
OREGON, TUESDAY, APRIL IT,
After Ucssccesstil Attack
German v fired the lirst shot
submarine at 3:30 a, m. I he
boat missed the Smith. The
. ,
that at about 3:30 a. m., the
was sighted by the U. S. S
word of it. Immediately
tctistrTA got the Aew York
the original v. report to
Island lichtshio cdnveved the
the belief that the German
of them Were harbored in
The immediate effect of the
war is at our shores, and to
the navy and the army.
three 18-inch torpedo tubes.
,v
available, however, as to
; The seriate, on ithe other hand, ap
pearl mors favorably inclined to the
conscription plant Senator Cham-
certain oeneves there Is only one
vole on the senate military commit-
lee whloh favort compromise. Cham
berlain feelt there It sufficient vol
unteer provision In the bill as It
(Continued on Page 4)
1MT
H IRK on
Step Are Takes for Protection of
Eastern Coast Now Menaced by
Sobraarlnes
New Tork. April 17. The great-
eat city In the world is In the war
tone thla afternoon. The greatest
secrecy la being maintained u to
steps that are being taken to pro
tect the port, tot with a German TJ
boat reported by the navy depart
ment Immediately off the coast, the
city was admittedly menaced.
Late reports from . the Boston
naval station Indicated the belief that
the submarine which attacked the U.
S. destroyer Smith might be off the
Jersey coast.
Fire Island,' from which original
reports of the hostile ship's pres
ence came, Is only 15 miles from
Sandy Hook, the entrance to New
Tork bay. If successful In eluding
the American patrol ships, the sub
marine might slip Into Long Island
sound and 'bomfbard outlying sections
of the town
New Tork .harbor is guarded by
submarine nets, it is known,
but
whatever defense there are la kept
secret by the navy department. The
navy yard In Brooklyn was closed to
every one this afternoon. Inquiries
by telephone brsngh only the curt
response that there was no Informa
tion -to give-oat. At Geasverenrt
Island, headquarters ot the army of
the east, there was the greatest ac
tivity. Army aviators took to the
air on various missions.
There are scores of towns along the
New Jersey coast that are unpro
tected and might easily be bombarded
by enemy submarines. Germany has
bombarded many togrns on the Brit-
lsh coast.
The ihotels at Atlantlo City, f ring-
lng the famous Iboard walk, offer
tempting target. They are entirely
exposed to any fir that might be
directed against them from the open
tea. Undoubtedly they will be guard
ed by patrol ships.
With the pretence ot a hosUle sub
marine now officially reported, aa or
der from the navy department order
ing all coast lights out at eight, la
believed to be a foregone conclusion.
Coney Island, ablate with light at
It it now at the height of Ita tea-
son, will be a perfect guide for a hos
tile ship approaching New Tork.
All resorts alone the Jersey coast
have, been brilliantly lighted at night
during the summer months In the
past. Continuance ot tuch Illumina
tion would outline the coast for
scores of miles.
ALLIED OFFENSIVE
GREATEST OF W
London, April 17. Ths grettesl
offensive of the greatest of wars, waa
on today.
Over a front of nearly 170 mile
Franco-British forces -were , driving
with all ths strength of energy care
fully conserved through months of
winter preparation. Forecast thrbugh
four days of trenmendoua artillery
concentration, the French movement
began With 4 brilliant victory, des
pite the more and more desperate
resistance by th Uerniana.
' Laon, one of the most Important
of the center supply stations on the
Germans' line, Is now added to the
list of German key points directly
menaced by the' Franco-British at
tack. It iwaa apparently the direct
object of the first tmssh with which
General Nlevelle threw his massed
forces against the enemy. That tre
mendous blow swept the Germans off
their feet, forced them back ot the
(Continued on Pag I)
NOW III WAR ZONE
WHOLE NUMBER
CAST
Firais
III HltlBW
like ram
THE ALLIED ARMIES ARB MAK-
nra pbogress all along
' THE WESTERS FRONT
ST. QUEITIS IS SOM TO FJl
Leas sad La Fee Are Aim Closely
Pressed and Mast
Capttolaie
London, April 17. Five . kef
points to the much-vaunted Hinden
burg line were struck at so savagely
by the great Franco-BriUsh drive to
day that tnelr eontinaatlon in the
enemy'a hands much longer seems
Impossible. .v
Ot the five, Lens, LaFer and St.
Quentin may fall to the allied on-
slaught at almost any hour. Ca moral
'and Laon are lees closely enveloped.
hut the menace of the drive wa? none
the less potest .
. General Half's report today told
of another successful thnisj to th
couth of Oainbrat. around Epefcy,
aimed at L Catelet, eleven mils
south at Ceunbrwl. - i
The Paris official atatemeu'. Mors
than confirmed the most sanguine
f-opes of success In the Joint offen
sive entertained here.
General Nlevelle reported a des
perate German attempt at Allies to
stem the French tide at Laon. Ail;
lee lies seven miles to the south ot
Laon. The attack wat repulsed by
the French.
Again Nlevelle's forces withstood
another powerful German connter-at-
tack at Courcy, four miles north ot
Kheims. . It is In these two sec
tions, apparently that the French
wedge hat been thrust farthest
against ths German lines.
Unofficial battle front dispatches
received hers today declared the Ger
man losses were tremendous In op
posing the French offensive.
The Sotseons-to-Rheims battle front
selected by the French staff as ths
spot In which to strike It ideal for
offensive fighting. It Is slightly roll- '
lng country, permitting the operation
of vast forces and sufficiently clesr
to enable the best mantuverinc
Moreover, aside front the favorable
nature ot ths country Itself, th spot
It strategically well situated, sine
every blow there Is a Jar to ths Ger
man line northwest to the channel.
The German line makes aa vast
blunt angle around La Fare, heading
on almost straight line around to
Verdun. , The base ot this angle-
on the new , Hindenburg line to
Laon. The. French blow Is directly
against tMs point.
CONVICTED R06BIHTM3 ) .
BANKER PARDOXTO
Washington, April 17. President
Wilson has pardoned Thomas R.
Sheridan, president of th First Ntt
tlonal bank of Roseburg, Ore., who
was sentenced to live years In th
penitentiary for withdrawing funds ot
depositors, according to Senator Phe
lan, California, today.
Sheridan contended he had written
consent ot certain depositor! to with
draw their funds. Hit case waa re
cently brought before the federal an
preme court.
Tl'RKKY AND BULGARIA " .
: BREAK WITH UNITED STATES
, Zurich, 'April 17. -A report ,ts
oelved here today declared that Turn
key and Bulgaria hive formally bro
ken off relations with the , United
States. v