i-
Forty-seventh Ynur.
Pally Twelfth Yfiir.
Doubtful if Germans Can Hold New
4 Line French Bring Guns to Front
and Bombard La Fere Desperate
Efforts to Stem Drive Germans
Open Canals Allies Making Sub
stantial Progress on Center and
Extreme Right.
PARIS, March 24 The French
continued to push forward last nijjr'it
in the region south of St. Qucntiii in
which heavy fighting has been in pro
gress for several days. They rem lied
the west bank of the disc north of 1
Fere and gained additional ground
cast of the Aillette river.
The allies continue to forge ahead
on the 'center and extreme right and
made substantial progress yesterday
in the direction of St. Quentiu and
La Fere in the teeth of German de
termined resistance. Notwithstand
ing efforts of the Germans to destroy
rouds as they retired tho allies have
managed to bring up a good force ol'
all but their heaviest artillery and
the guns are again busy after a long
rest.
Germans Open (finals.
The pressure of the French from
it. Quentin to the Aisne is so power
ful that it begins to seem doubtful,
in the opinion of the French mili
tary critics, ns to whether the Ger
mans will bo able to hold on to the
so-called Ilindenburg line. The in
vader have opened the sluices at Ln
- .r'crevapHprfmtly,-J,eebnr"t-tmit - their
chances of holding the town are not
good now that the French have got
a footing on the high ground in the
Jussy region, northeast of Tergnior.
If General Neville is able to establish
himself in this position his guns will
command Le Fere.
Further south the French are mak
ing solid progress against the five
mile snlient covering St. Gobian and
formed by tho lowej Coey forest. The
columns here are working hand- in
hand with columns operating north
east of Soissons, in the direction of
Al i IES FDRGF AIVIERICA BUT REPUBLIC FOR 7i
S OF RELIEF WORK RUSSIA FAVORED tijB
uf IS AIDING BELGIUM BY DEMOCRATS W
wco rnum
Laon. The latter made oonlinuoii:
i) progress today and their advance ex
poses the left extremity of the (Icr
man line nt St. Gobian to the risk of
being outflanked and driven back t
Luon. It is evident that the German
staff is alive to the growing danger
and that they arc making desperate
efforts to cheek the French advance.
German Official Hoport.
BERLIN', March 2-1. British and
French advancing forces and Ger
man rear guards arc battling daily
on both sides of the rivers Soninie
and Oisc, in northern France, says
the official statement issued today.
In these engagements the announce
ment adds, the entente forces have
suffered heavy losses. French "-
tacks ngninst the German outposts
west of La Kere and along the Ail
lette lowlands ns well as near Neit
ville and Margival, it is officially
announced, were repulsed yesterday.
German forces, under command of
Archduke Joseph yesterday stormed
the Russian positions on the liuman
piim frontier ridge between the Solum
tar and Czohnnos valleys, according
to today's official statement anil
captured 500 Russians.
LONDON!, March 2 4. The Ger
man emperor and Chancellor von
libllweg'were denounced in the relch-
stag by the socialist deputy, Kunert
as the origlrators of the war, ac
cording to a Berlin dispatch to Rent,
er's by way of Amsterdam. Tho in
cldont occured Thursday during a de
bate on the public health cummin
sion.
- Vice Chancellor llclfferich, refer
ring to Ilerr Kunert's remark, de
clared that a Gorman who spoke in
the same breath of Russian and Ger
man conditions insulted his father
land. The forlallst deputy retorted
amid socialist applause:
"I should be proud if such prog
resa were made in our country as loo
been made In the Russian empire."
IN THE REICHSTAG
"WEATHER Maxiunnn
:edford
Formal Withdrawal of Relief Workers
and of American Minister Whit-
lock as Supervisor Announced
Replaced as Far as Possible by
Joint Neutral Commission.
WASHINGTON. March 24. Amer
ican relief workers in Belgium and
American Minister Brand Whitlock
have been formally withdrawn from
Belgium. Official announcement to
this effect was made at the state de
pnrtniont this morning.
Tho American relief commissioners
will be repined as far as possible
by members of a joint neutral com
mission largely under the supervision
of Dutch military officials. Brand
Whitlock will go to Havre. France,
resuming his duties as minister at thi
temporary Belgian capital.
Holland Offer Accepted.
Secretary Lansing, at the direction
of President Wilson, sent a note to
The Netherlands accepting its offer
to take over the work of tho com
mission.
The action of the president In or
dering the Americans out was based
on the belief that nothing was to
be gained by keeping Americans lon
ger in territory occupied by German
troops in Belgium and northern
France. It is desired for humanitar
ian reasons that the work of the com
mission be continued and the govern
ment of The Netherlands has been
asked to communicate with the com
mission's Rotterdam office to take
over the woik and determine how
many Dutch citizens will be needed
for it.
Arrangements for the return to
tho United States of many Americans
are now being made by the state de
partment. Although removed from
tho active field Americans in Rotter
dam headed by Herbert C. Hoover,
will continue to direct the work.
Only Financial Aid.
The United States will henceforth
be able to continue participation in
tho work only by financial contribu
tions. Chairman Herbert C. Hoover
on leaving New Vork for Kurcpj re
cently said that America's work of
supplying the means of relief had
only just begun.
The withdrawal has been Inevita
ble since the severance of diplomatic
relations with Germany. Soon af
ter that the German military author
ities ordered all Americans to with
draw, with tin exception of Brand
Whitlock and three others who were
restricted to Brussels. The commis
sion realized Immediately that the
British would not allow supplies to
pass the blockade into Belgium with
out adequate guarantees and they
felt that the Germans were simply
mnklng an effort. to throw tho on' s
of discontinuing tho work upon the
British.
II
WASHINGTON, March 24 Con
tracts for twenty-four new .'lo-knot
do.-tro.vers were nwarded today by
the navy department. All will be
built on the basis of cost plus ten
per cent profit. The order was di
vided ns follows:
Union Iron Works, San Francisco,
ten; William ('rump and Sons, Philn
dclpbia, six; Fore River Shipbuilding
to., yuincy, Mass., eight.
The department established a pre
cedent hy uwordiuir contracts on the
same day that bills wore opened. The
boats will require the complete en
pacity of the companies to which
they were awarded. F.vcry offer t
the department was accepted nnd
builders who did not submit figures
today have been culled upon for esti
mates ns to how ninny additional de
-trovers each can take.
NOIi'l-OI.K, Neb., March 21. At
nine o'clock this morning some re.
lief in the worst flood of Norfolk'!
hi-tory was noticed in the gradual
fall of the flood waters which had
Minmcrgcd much of the iudu. trial.
business and residential portion of
the citv. Kailroad communication is
badly delayed. No estimate ot ihc
llui'd damage is yet possible.
yester'daj', 55; minimum today, 40; precipitation, .03. FORECAST Tonight and tomorro w, occasional rains.
MEDFORD
Constitutional Democratic Party
Votes for Republic Russia to Re
main Faithful to Past Alliances
War to Be Vigorously Prosecuted
Friendship of Sweden Is Won.
LONDON, March 2-1 The central
committee and the parliamentary rep
resentatives of the constitutional
democratic parly ut Petrogrnd voted
today in favor of a republican form
of government for Russia, according
to a l'etrograd dispatch. I'rofessor
l'nul N. MilukolT, the foreign minis
ter in the new government, is leader
of this party.
Foreign Minister Milukoff has out
lined the attitude of the new Rus
sian government in foreign affairs to
a number of l'etrograd and Moscow
journalists. A Renter dispatch from
l'etrograd quotes the foreign minis
ter ns saying:
Sweden Is Won.
"We shall remain faithful to nil
past alliances similar to that with
our allies, which will bo still further
strengthened nnd become still more
cordiul and sincere. The change in
regime wilt disperse the distrust our
allies had n right to feel toward the
late government. It is Russia's duty
to continue the struggle brilliantly
both for her own liberty nnd thnt of
all Europe.
"Hy the change in regime we defi
nitely won the sympathy of neutral
especially Sweden, while Finland,
thanks to the restoration of her con
stitution has become our sincere
friend. Our allies came into touch
vith the now regime without an in
tant's delay, understanding that the
old regime wns a serious hindernnee
to that organization of the Russian
people which is necessary for a final
triumph.
A Production Forco
"Today Russia is no longer a dead
weight in the coalition of allies. She
is a productive force. Henceforth
all rumors of a separate pence must
vanish once for all. It would be
auti-nutiunul for freed Russia to
come to an understanding with re
actionary Germany."
Warm appreciation of the cordial
feeling shown by the people nnd gov
ernment of the United States toward
the new regime in Russia was ex
pressed today by foreign hocrelury
Milukoff in n statement to the As
sociated Press.
"The old regime wns a heavy drag
not only on Russia's relations with
her allies, but on all foreign rela
tions," he suid.
"Thousands of telegrams of con
gratulations nnd good wishes ure
coming from the United States, not
lo speak of the formal recognition ol
the provisional government by the
Washington government. this nns
served to show that it is only the old
regime which has been standing for
a long time in the way of entire solid
arity between the United States nnd
Uussia."
Pleased by America.
I'rofessor Milukoff emphasized
particularly his satisfaction at the
(Continued on Page Four.)
IE
LONDON, March 2 4. A Berlin tel
egram transmitted by Renter's Am
sterdam correspondent, maintains
that the Dutch government was gull
ty of an unneutral act in permitting
the armed British steamer Princess
Mcllta to lcavo Dutch waters after
her recent visit. Tho dispatch do-
dares the steamer ough to have been
interned. Referring to the Dutch
action the dispatch continues:
"This Is tho more galling lo Ger
many because about the same time
the Dutch gave a nnrrow Interprets
tlon of neutrality In the case of two
German submarines. Holland's dif
ficult position la appreciated In Ger
many and Germany must demand
that In a matter so Important In nav
al warfare as the utilization of Dutch
waters by warships, e shall not be
placed at a disadvantage in a com
pletely unjustifiable way."
Mail Tribune
OREGON, SATURDAY,
YOUR FLAG AND MY FLAG
Bv WILBUR
Your fltig and my flap;,
; And how it, flies today
In your land and my land
And half it world away!
Rose-red and blood-red
The stripes forever gleam;
Snow-white and goal-white
The good forefathers' dream;
Sky-blue and true blue, with stare to gleam aright
The gloried guidon of the day; a shelter through
the night.
Your flag and my flag!
To every star and stripe
The drums beat as hearts beat
And fifers shrilly pipe!
Your flag and my flag
A blessing in the sky;
Your hope and my hope
, It, never hid a lie!
Home land and far land and half the world around,
Old Glory hears our glad salute and ripples to the
sound !
Your flag and my flag!
And, oh, how much it holds
Your land and my land
if Secure 'within its folds! ,
Your heart and my heart
Beat quicker at tho sight;
Sun-kissed and wind-tossed
Red and blue and white.
The one flag the great flag the flag for me and
you
Glorified all else beside the red and white and blue!
UNITED STATES
WASHINGTON', March 2 4. The
United States has formally refused
Germany's request to modernize and
extend the old Prussian-American
treaties of 17!I9 and 1828. The state
department has replied through Dr.
Paul Hitter, Swiss minister hero In
charge of Gorman Interests, refus
ing to accept the protocol sent thru
him to this government on Kebruary
10.
The reply states that the United
States, considering the treaties in
force In their original form, is en
tirely unwilling to accept Germany's
interpretation of them as provided In
the protocol which expanded the ex
emption from seizure of "merchants
and their effects," in case of war be
tween the two countries into general
exemption including enemy ships 111
port at the outbreak of war, which
must either ho left free or given safe
conduct for their home ports, even
thru a hostile blockade.
Moreover all enemy nationals
would be free from Internment and
able to go about their business, with
out the slightest hindrance, during
the whole course of the war nnd not
In the restricted way mentioned In
the original treaties.
The question left unanswered by
the negotiations is the status of the
million and a quarter German cit
izens In this country.
The government will undoubtedly
In case of war cause Germans to reg
ister and possibly restrict their
travel, without special permit to cer
tain limits. General internment Is
not being considered as yet.
NKW YOJ1K, March 24. Tho fed
eral jury trying line Tanzer, accused
of H'rjiirv in her breach of promise
suit against former Assistant Dis
trict Attorney James W. O-horno,
wns unable to reach a verdict after
deliberating (17 hours and wus today
discharged.
MARCH 24, 1917.
D. NKSBIT.
PKTHOGHAD, March 24 The fol
lowing- proclamation to the pcoplo of
Potrogrud has been issued by A
(Jiifhknff, minister of war:
"The enemy is menacing the enpi
lal from two directions. First, he is
eoncentrat ing continually on our
northern front great quantities of
munitions, supplies and men. Sec
nnd, be is concentrating bis spies in
Pctrogrnd. Steps against the Intli
are an immediate necessity.
"It is always a difficult task t
unmask these traitors who hide every
where, seeking lo cover their crimi
mil activities under the cloak of all
social conditions, nil trades, wearing
all uniforms, mixing themselves willi
the crowd in which they kow discord
and spread distrust among tho timid
nnd weak. To the enemy s spy sys
tern wo must oppose that of our gen
era! staff. Citizens and soldiers
should be watchful and wise for tin
dnngcr is great.
"Do not confound our nuli-spy
agents with the secret police of the
old regime, who have (one forever
and are useless to the new regime,
which governs in accord with the will
of the people. The new regime will
not permit any revival of the old dark
forces.
"Citizens, be prudent. Do not re
veal secrets of national defense.
vigilant nnd attentive, lie on giinrd
ONE OUT OF THIRTEEN
SURVIVES HEALDTON BOAT
LONDON, March 24. There was
only one survivor out of thirteen me
in one of the American steamer
llealdton's boats which was picked
up by tho trawler Ocean, according
to nn Amsterdam dispatch to Hon
tcr's quoting the IlnndcUhhid. The
survivor was n Norwegian, who
clung to the boat alter it had heeii
upset und his comrades drowned.
31 KILLED BY
INDIANA STORM KAISER LIKELY I
100AREURED M)p
Tornado Wrecks 300 Buildings at
New Albany and Causes Property
Loss ol Over a Million Dollars
Many Bodies Supposed to Be in
Debris Troops Patrol Scene.
NEW ALBANY, Ind., March 24.
Rovlsed official lists of the victims of
tho storm which swept Now Albany
lute yestorday place tho number of
dead at 31 and tho injured at approx
imately 100. Of the Injured ten or
more are oxpeetod to die, while it Is
thought that a number of bodies still
lie buried under the debris of wreck
ed buildings.
Tho search ot the ruined struc
tures In the devastated sections of
the city is going forward under mil
itary supervision. Early this morn
tug a cordon of state troops was
thrown about the storm swept parts
ol the city.
liOO Illlildillgs KllilUMl.
Approximately auO residencos. In
dustrial plants line! other buildings
were badly damaged or destroyed. In
some instunccs houses had been so
torn to pleccB and the wreckage in
termingled with that from other
structures that those who hud lived
In them were unable definitely to
locate the sites upon which they had
stood.
Housos had been picked up bodily
apparently anil then thrown to the
earth with terrific forco, smashing
them into kindling wood. Other
houses appeared to have been flat
tened out as If some tremendous
weight had boon laid upon them.
Small outbuildings and sections of
roofs were carried for blocks and
trees were torn bodily from tho
earth.
Militia. 1'iit.iiils.
Every precaution bus been tnken to
prevent looting and Mayor Robert
W. Morris, in commnnd ' of state
troops from Indianapolis, has ordor-
ed that vandals be shot on slgh.t.
The Injured soon overflowed tha
ono public hospital In tho city and
others were takon to tho Young Men's
Christian association and to private
homes. Every available physician in
New Albany was called into service
together with others from Louisville
and .leffersonvillo.
No accurate estimate of tho prop
erty damage In and about tho Im-
mcdlato vicinity of New Albany has
been possihla but It Is suld tho loss
will bo upwnrd of a million dollars
WASHINGTON, March 24. The
United States government Is prepar
ing measures of far reaching and ag
gressive character for war with Ger
many. It will not lie satisfied with
more attempts to protect American
merchant vessels. Its preparations
will bo designed to meet any eventu
ullty a long war, If necessary.
This program was agreed upon at
u long cabinet meeting yesterday and
it guided the council of national do
fenso when It, met today with its ad
vl.Hory committee.
Tho program decided upon In
eludes military, naval, industrial and
financial measures.
Tho question of sending an army
abroad will be left for future consld
oration.
Whether political alliances with
tho entente nllles will bo formed la
not known, although military bb well
us naval co-operation Is possiblo and
tho government will furnish both
money and supplies to the allies with
out stint.
Suggestions before President Wil
son today Included the possibility of
floating a loan of flvo billion dollars
for the entento.
When President Wilson goes beforo
congress soon after It meets In extra
seslon on April 2 ho is expected to
make It clear thnt the government
nnd peoplo of the United Slates will
not bo prompted by hostility toward
the German people but only hy acts
of the German government,
Wvfrsitf f Orcfloitl y
Library w
NO. 2
Former German Magistrate, Who
Wrote Celebrated Book "J 'Accuse,"
in Interview Reviews Troubles of
Emperor, Who Feared Enemies at
Home, Who Forced His Hand.
PARIS, March 24 The nbdication
of the German emperor is forecast by
tho former German magistrate who
wrote tho celebrated book "J'Aceusc,"
in an interview published in Oeuvre.
He says: !
"The kaiser is obsessed by the
thought that ho is responsible for tho
war, a thought which poisons his
whole existence. lie feels thnt he U
menaced by three enemies at home,
without counting those abroad. First
is the crown prince, tho real autljor
of the war; second isjhe junker pon
Germanist you cannot imagine the
smouldering hatred of the emperor
for those whom he believes to bo the
maniacs who are driving him into an
abyss; third arc the people, not the
socialist party, hut the peoplo who
are starving nnd who he feels are
growing in number nnd resent those
who do organized war.
Kaiser is Worsted.
"The other day nt the meeting of
the parliamentary presidents and the
ministers of tho federal sovereigns at
which tho submarine war was de
cided upon, the struggle between the
kaisers party nnd that Af Von Tirp
itz was most bitter. The majority
ngninst the emperor was so groat,
however, that he was obliged to sub
mit and pretend ho was convinced.
In particular ho was personally op
posed lo a break with President WU
son, hut ho was forced to consent.
Documents will bo published one day
which will prove that secretly he did
everything not to bring America down
upon him and that he considers that
the rupture was an irreparable mis
take. The failure of the submarine
war will soon show that ho wus right,
but it will be too late.
The people he fears most are tho
anli-inililiirists, nnti-Prussion, lib
eral republicans who wont tho reich
slag to be based on universal suf
frage. 1 hut is why Wilhclm is so
anxious to convince the nation that
he did not want war. All his protes
tations arc made to appenso tho lib
erals and his famished and ruined
uhjeels whoso niiirmuring.s are
rowing stronger, lie wants to con
tinue popular at any price and that
is why he spoke the first word of :
peace. The peoplo were grateful for
it, but the submarine war came nnd
spoiled everything.
Opposed U-ltont War.
"It is hard to realize how this
omporur who enjoyed n popularity
unexampled m our epoch fails in his
pride, lie is the only ono person
who knows Hie whole truth sinco he
has in his possession the elements
for forming a .judgment on the situ
ation ns a whole. How can ho resist
morally and physically under such a
strain? Certainly ho hopes some-,
times, but less and less, for the suc
cess of the unrestricted Rubmarina
warfare which ho has opposed, lie
sees the isolation of Gennany become
more and more complete.
"Once be tried to initiate pence ne
gotiations and failed. To try again
would be to admit und proclaim to
the whole world, hut above all to the
German people, which he fours most,
Germany's real situation. If tho al-
(Continued on Page Four)
Dt FRONT
LONDON', March 24. Semi-official
dispatches from Serbian head
quarters in the last few days have re
ported serious trouble among tho Bul
garian troops around Monnstir. Sev
eral regiments nre reported to have
descried in a body ns the result of
friction over supplies nnd their ri,i
lions wilh Teutonic allies. Accord
ing to these reports it has been neces
sary to re-nrrnngo several large
units of the Bulgarian army, dis
tributing troops of suspected loyalty
lo places where (hey could do the
least harm.
jABDICATlON OF 1