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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 26, 1917)
WEATIIEI? Maximum yesterday, 32; minimum today, 3 8; precipitation, .1. FORECAST Tonight and tomorrow, rain, edford Mail Tribune Forty-Boventh Year, Dal I y Twplfth Y'r. MEDFORD OREGON", MONDAY, MARCH 2(i, 1917. NO. 3 AND NAVY PREPARING FOR WAR SSUE CALL L 3 Navy to Be Brought to Full Author ized Strength of 87,000 Men in Shortest Possible Time Un:ler Orders From President Minimum of 20,000 Men to Be Enrolled Two. New Military Departments Created on Atlantic Coast. WASHINGTON. T). C March ........ signed an executive order di- reeling thill Hie authorized en- listed strength of the navy lie "increased to 87,0(10. lie was authorized by congress, in ease " of emergency, to direct such in- increase in enlistment. New ships and ships in reserve are being fully commissioned as rapidly ns possible and the need is imperative for a larger en- listinent to man them. There " has been n net increase of over 0500 in enlistment since con- trress recently authorized an in- " crease, but many more are needed and needed now. The navy offers exceptional advantages to voung men of stuff and nmhilion to serve in the first line for national de- fense. In this emergency you" have the opportunity and the privilege of pcrfonning this pub- lie service, and I am confiden- tially appealing to you for your cordial and helpful co-opera- " tion. JOSKI'IR'S DANIK1.S WASHINGTON, March 2(1. Naval recruiting officers throughout the country under orders from President Wilson tonav redoubled their efforts to bring the navy up to its full au thorized strength of 87,0(10 enlisted men. Meantime about twelve regiments of National Guard troops in various states were reassembling today to act ns national police in important dis tricts. O'ejito New Departments. Arrangements also were being made to create on May 1 two new military departments on the Atlantic! coast. All three step were in nocT'lam-e with orders issued yesterday by Ihe president to put the nation on a war footing. About 20,000 men will have lo he enrolled at once in order to brim: the navy up to the required strength. The men will be used to man the re serve ships. The creation of the two new mili tary departments was ordered as a means of dividing the immense ro ,sinsibility now dpvnlvintr upon, the (Continued on Page Two.) SEATTLE POLICE SEATTLE, Wash., March 2(1. A carload of bottled goods manufactur ed in St. Paul and described by the manufacturers as "n malt and Imp tonic," wns seized at a railroad ter " initial today by Sergeant Victor Put nam of the police dry squad. The shipment wns consigned to n v.lndc sale drug finn here and consisted of l;t0 barrels, each containing 0(l 12 ounee bottles of the "tonic." Putnam says the stuff contains ten per c, ul of alcohol; that this is the third car load of the "tonic" that has nrrive.-l in Seattle during the present month nnd that he has n list of twelve drug stores that are selling it without a prescription. The harels were con veyed to tho poliec fetation. OR IV RECRUIT VON HfNDENBURG JOYFUL SPIRIT E News Evokes Spirit of Confidence in Petrcgrad Due Largely to Lifting Censorship From Russian Press Delegation States That Army May he Depended on to Last Man. l'KTlitlGlfAD, March 2f. via Lon don, March 20. The news that Field .Marshall von llindeaherg was plan ing :i campaign against Fetrogrnd was received at the capital with little consternation, evoking rather a spir it of confidence in the loynlity of the troops and their ability to protect the city. Telegrams have been received from every portion of llio front affirming that (he army can be relied upon to do its utmost to defend the country. M. Kod.ianko, president of the du ma, received a delegation from the at my which declared: Soldiers All Loyal. "All officers and soldiers will de fend the duma to the lust drop of their blood. They will faithfully obey the provisional government and will strike the Germans to the last man." Freedom from the censorship al ready has had a sulutory effect in permitting the truth lo be published about the new danger from a German attack without the usual accompnni ment of extravagant rumo!,, which in the past made news more 'alarming than the truth itself. The result is that without minimizing the danger to the country, the press has accept ed the declaration of the minister of war ipiietly and without alarm. The h'ech says editorially: I'eoplo Fighting Kncmy. "It is the people who are fighting the enemy and not the government therefore, hiding nothing from our readers we say definitely and clearly that danger is threatening our north ern front. The enemy is preparing to crush our valiant army which for two years lias defended the roads to Pctrograd. The liussian soldier un derstands belter than ever before the importance of resisting.'' The ltusska Volia says: "liussia is on trial. Von Ilinden- hurg will try to realize his old dream of a move on I'etrograd. The army and people are facing a test which will become historical. Results can only come from an honest desire in the hearts of the Russian people for victory.'' DESERT OIL CASES WASHINGTON', March 20. Cali fornia decrees permitting condemna tion by tho Desert Water, Oil and Ir rlgation company of 640 acres of land within the .Mono national forest re serve, California, were today reversed and annulled by the supreme court Their affirmance It was said would have disturbed titles to 800,- 00(1 acres of former state school lands and overruled the Interior depart ment's practice regarding their ad ministration. IGHT FEDERAL OATH LAW WASHINGTON", March 26. Liti gation o dterniine whether state militiamen nnttstcd under the old Kick law may he compelled umler call of the president, to Rive federal pervire under the new mllltla law to day was ordered expedited hy the su preme court at the war department' request. The test cases are habeas rorpiis proceedings of Alexander M. Kiumcrson and Alfred P. Lowell, cav alrymen, who declined to take the new federal oath and the supreme court's decision will affect the sUH. of many thousand guardsmen. PLANS ADVANC O R FREEDPEASANTS DISPLAYED BY Inhabitants of Area Occupied by Ger mans in Holiday Spirit at Delivery Natives Recite Story of Experiences-to Soldiers Who Freed Them Villages Completely Destroyed. BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IX FRANCE, March 25, via London, March 26. (Prom a staff corres pondent of The Associated Press) Tho shattered French towns evacuat ed by the Germans celebrated today their first Sunday of liberty in two and a half years. CountleBS French flags fluttered in the sunshine from both ruined and half ruined homes and tho women, old men and children who had passed through such a long ordeal of captivity strolled through the uptorn streets dressed in the best clothes they could muster. The un conquerable French genius for dress revealed Itself even In such pathetic bits of finery as the women could find. Tell Horror Stry. Here and there groups of the Pollus gathered to listen to the graphic stor ies of the natives concerning their ex periences under German rule. The villagers dwelt particularly on the time of terror which immediately pre ceded the departure of their enemies. All civilians were herded in -certain buildings from which they heard ex plosions and saw the fires which tes tified that their little homes were be ing destroyed. The towns where the inhabitants of the region were con centrated by the Germans were only half razed while the outlying villages were completely burned down. In this way about half of a town was spared to about ten villages complete ly destroyed. Many Kcturn to Homes. Despite the devastation and ruin many French peasants returned today to the sites of their former homes. seeking temporary shelters and bring ing hits of furniture with which to begin life anew. They were not down cast but cheerful and almost gay in the enjoyment of their new liberty. in Roye a triumphal arch was con structed as a welcome to the home- comers. In the distance could be heard the reverberating echoes of the big guns but the ceaseless booming was Ignored by the people. E STEEL FOR GOV'T WASHINGTON, March 20. An ng.cement with American manufac turers by which all structural steel needed for the navy's building pro gram could be obtained at a fair price is being sought by Hcrnnrd Ha ruch of the National Defense council. Ifr. Haruch recently secured an agree ment with copper producers by which the government will receive millions of pounds of cocr at a fixed price, bused on t lie nverage quotation for the last ten years. He will see rep resentalives of the steel makers Wed nesdny. Secretary Daniels tomorrow will consult steel companies and other contractors for material in destroyer construction. With orders out for 2-1 boats nnd more contracts to fol low immediately the work must be distributed among material con tractors under n plan making for speedy delivery and use of all nn tional resources. FIRE CAUSES $100,000 LOSS WYOMING TOWN HOCK SPRINGS, Wyn., March 20 A loss estimated nt $100 000 wn caused by the fire which swept the main business block of Green lliver. fifteen miles west of here Inst night according to estimates uiudc today. ARMY AND NAVY SENDS MEN ON RECRUITING EXPEDITION IN FARM DISTRICTS Recruit iiift for tho United States army and navy in Im-Iiir jhlsIhmI to the limit, men tieliiK sent all over the country to nut her in new sohllei-H ami sailors. Hero is an urmy officer soliciting recruits in a farm district, workers gathered from the fields to FREE SPEECHERS SEATTLE, Wash., March 26 In tho trial today of Tsnnias H. Tracy, charged with murder of Deputy Sher iff Jefferson Uoard at Everett, Wash. November 5. last, the state called Captain K. L. Forbes of the tugboat Edison, which was tied up at the Everett city dock during the battle between the sheriff's posse and f'C-e speech expedition on the steamer Ve- ronia at the other slue of the dock. Tracy was a member of the expedi tion, which was sent from Industrial Workers of the World headquarters in Seattle to hold street meetings In Everett on corners where meeting were forbidden by city ordinance. Captain Forbes said ho was standing on the upper deck of tho tug, nbout one foot higher than the floor of tho dock and could distinctly see tho Ve ronal passengers crowded forward. He testified that ho saw a man, whom he cannot now Identify, take deliberate aim and fire three shots into the deputies on the dock. The witness saw Heard foil. Forbes, who had testified at the coroner's inquest that Sheriff McRae fired the first of the return Bhots from the dork said ho still thought so. SHIPS ARE MADE NKW Villi IC, March 20. Testi mony indicating that bombs used lo destroy or damage entente munitions carrying ships atssea were made on one of the German merchant liners tied up at Ilohokcn was introduced by the government today at the I rial of Charles Von Kleist and five other Germans. Federal counsel read n statement declared to have been made by I'.rnst lSeckcr, one of the six on trial, who was a deck electrician nn the German merchantman Fricdrieh Iter Grosse and who is alleucd to have identified a bomb found on n munition ship, as one lie made in his work room on the German liner. Heekcr is alleged to have impli cated several of Ihe other defendants as bis associates in bomb making. TRIAL. BOMB MURDERERS POSTPONED TO APRIL 23 SAN FUANTISf'O, March 20. Trial of Isrcal Weinberg for bomb murders set for lodav in the super ior court here was continued by Judge Frank II. Dunne until April 23 at the reipicst of the defense. Thomas O'Connor and Kdwin Mo- Kenzie of San Francisco told she couvt no had been retained Iwo days ngo to defcud Weinberg. listen to him. STATES AMERICA LONDON, March 20. The possi bility of American participation in the rnr on the side of the allies was dis missed as a minor matter by Gen eral Von Stein;. Prussian minister of war, in nn interview with tho Berlin correspondent of llio Budapest new'H paper A JCesf, according to a Berlin dispatch to licutcr's by way of Amsterdam. General Von Stein said be did not know whether the American fleet would support, the British fleet, hut that there could be no question of an American continental nrmy in Hie near future, lie added: "Our mili tary situation on all fronts is good and justifies our best hopes. It ap pears that the enemy is preparing an offensive, but w-e shall resist even a stronger attack, not only nt Ihe front but nlso at home. What may hap pen then we do not know, hut come what may we shall confront every thing impertnrably. Our sufferings are great and our sacrifices gigantic, but it is just in these things that the greatness of u nation finds its ex pression." ' III discussing the but He of the Somme the minister said that the Germans bad no lack of supplies, hut Hint their guns, ns compared with those id' the enemy wen; insufficient. El L E T WASHINGTON' March 20. The American liner St. Louis, first armed American ship lo cross the Atlantic, has arrived safely at her destination, Secretary Daniels announced today. Information as to the arrival of the steamer came lo Ihe nnvy depart ment from the offices of the Ameri can line in New York. The company wi-hed lo make known the fact to relieve Ihe anxiety of those having relatives or friends on vessels. NKW YORK, March 20.-The SI Louis, owned by the American life, left au American port on March 17, with .'II passengers of whom 11 were American citizens. Among her crew of ;HI4 M-rsotis were I'll Americans, GIRL STENOGRAPHER KILLED IN FRONT OF HOME CHICAGO, March 20. Miss Kalh- ryn Koller, a 2.-ycar-old stenog rapher, who was mysteriously shot in front of her home last night, died today without having regained con sciousness. The murder is supposed to have re soiled either from nn attempt at rob- bcry or from au attempt to mistreat licr. FRENCH DRIVE IT Patrols Reach Vicinity of Coucy Forest Germans Make Heavy Sacrifices in Attempt to Regain Lost Ground Russian Successes Continue in Turkey. PARIS, March 211. Nol withstand- iug the had weather and ihe difficult state of .the ground, the French con tinned last night to advance soulh of the Disc. The war office announces that French patrols reached Folcm- brny, south of the forest of Coucy. The Germans made heavy and use less sacrifices, the statement says, in several attacks yesterday on nosi lions captured by the French between the Somme anil the Oiso. Wherever they approached a French position they were thrown back by counter attacks. The statement follows: "Between tho Sommo nnd the Oise the Germans made repeated attacks during the night on the front be tween Kssigny nnd Benny. All these attempts were repulsed and serious loses inflicted on the enemy. Wi maintained tho positions captured yesterday. Atlvunc Hollth of Coucy. "South of tho Oiso our advance wus continued notwithstanding the state of the ground nnd tho bad wealher. We pushed forward our pa trols beyond 1' olembray, south of the. lower forest of Coney. "North of lilicims our batteries caused the explosion of a munitions depot east of Du Godat farm. "Five German airplanes were brought down yesterday. One of our aerial squadrons last night dropped 100(1 kilograms of projectiles on lac lories nl Thinnvillc and in tho basin of the Bricy and also on the railroad stations ul coul'lnus and montmedy.'' PKTHO(IRAI), Mare), 20. After Ihe discharge of four gas waves the Germans yesterday attempted to make an advance near I'ostavy, on the northern part of the liussian front below Dvinsk. The war office an ounces that the Germans wero re pelled. Itiissliin Advance In Turkey. LONDON, March 20. Russian de Inelnnenls in Persia, pursuing the Turks, have crossed the border into the Turkish vilayet of Mosul, accord ing lo an official annoiiucemcnl as forwarded in a Renter dispatch from Pctrograd. The Turkish vilayet of Mosul has an urea of about X),0tl0 square mile and a population estimated at lloO, (Continued on Pago Two.) U. OF W. STUDENTS SKATTI.K, Wash., March 2(5. Joint committee of faculty and stu dents of tho University of Washing ton Is making a survey of the student body and campus facilities to deter mine their efficiency for war. Presi dent Buzzallo says: "Kvery effort Is being used to find out what wo have ami to train the units for the highest uso to which they can he put. "All attention Is now given to spe cialized service, rather than to gen eral training. For Instance, those who are best fitted will rccolvo In nt nation looking toward regular commissions, and others, such as tho engineering students, for field con ntructlon work." Questionarlcs will he sent out this week designed to find out lor what especial service each student has ap tltudn and for that brunch he would offer his crvlces In case of necessity. Women's classes In It d Cross havo hnd a largo attendance since their or ganization several weeks ago. CONTINUES IN BAD WEATHER FEDERALIZE 20 MILITIA REGIMENTS National Guard Units of Western States Called Into Federal Ser vice to Guard Against Internal Dis ordersWill Police Against Inter-, ference With Postal, Commercial and Military Equipment Third Oregon Regiment Called. j WASHINGTON, March 26. Twen ty additional complete Infantry regi ments nnd five additional seperate batallions of National Guard troops have been ordered into the federal service for the protection of property in tho event of possible Internal dis order. The troops have been called out In eighteen western and middle western states not Including the list of similar orders made public yester day. The war department's statement follows: 'Following additional National Guard organizations have been called Into . the federal service for general purpose of police protection against possible Interference with the postal commercial and military channels and Instrumentalities. " ' Itegimciits Called 'Illinois, first, fifth and sixth reg iments infantry; Indiana second regi ment Infantry; Iowa, first regiment Infantry; Missouri first and third regiments infantry; Nebraska, fourth regiment Infantry; Minnesota, first regiment infantry; Michigan, twen ty-third regiment Infantry; Wiscon sin, third regiment Infantry; South Dakota, third battalion of fourth reg iment Infantry; North Dakota, second battalion first regiment Infantry; Colorado, first and second seperate l.ntlnIU..- Inf......... l uuiutiiuiin iiutuiiij-, uiiuufi, sucuuit seperate battalion Infantry; Ohio, third and sixth regiments Infantry; Washington, socond regiment Infant ry; Oregon third regiment Infantry;. California, second fifth and seventh regiments infantry; Montana, second reglmont Infantry. Mexican Veterans Itcmnln 'Of theso organizations, the follow- aro already In the federal service and in consequence will not be mustered our ns originally planned: v 'Michigan, thirty-third Infantry; Colorado, first nnd second seperate batallions; Ohio, third and sixth reg iments. "It Is requested that no details of locality bo carried In the press with regard to further distribution of these troops unless given out by the war dopnrtnient. Tolnl Thirty-two Itcgimonts. "The now order makes a otnl of thirty-two National Guard Infantry regiments called Into the federal serv ice for police purposes, supplemented by six separate battalions and several detached companies. They will be as signed to posts In connoctlon with their polico work by the commanders of the military departments acting under instructions from the war de partment." WASHINGTON", March 26. An in quiry to learn whether any American are among the 5D3 prisoners taken to Germany by the raider Moewe has been sent by tho United Statoa through the Spanish ambassador at Merlin it, wns announced today. It Is considered practically certain here that there are a large number of Americana among them and In such caso this government la expected to follow the precedent set In the Yar rowdulo case and demand their Imme diate release. Doubt Is felt that Ger- l many will comply.