UD!"erstty f Crrjcn
Liiwary
WEATIIER Maximum yesterday; 63; minimum today, i '4; precipitation, .23. FORECAST Tonight and tomorro w, showers, cooler tonight
sbfoiib Mail Tribun
Forty-seventh Year.
Dally Twelfth Year.
MEDPORD OREGON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1917.
NO. 17.
FLIES.BATTLE
Stars and Stripes Leads Allies New
Offensive At Arras Raised by
Americans With Canadians and
French British Continue Gains
All Along Extended Front Ger
mans In Danger of Being Out
flanked in North.
OTTAWA, Onh, April 11. The
Stars and Stripes went into buttle for
the first time during the world war
in the recent entente storming of
Vimy ridge, in France, according to
an unofficial dispatch received here
today from Canadian headquarters
in Europe.
PARIS, April 11. It was decided
today that the La Fayette flying
squadron composed of Americans,
who have distinguished themselves at
the front, will change from the
French to the American military uni
form and hereafter carry the Ameri
can flag at tho French front.
British Still Advance.
LONDON, April 11. Tho British
have captured the village and heights
of Monehy le Preux eurly this morn
ing, according to the British official
statement. The village of La Ber
gcre was also captured and satisfac
tory progress is reported being made
on other parts of tho battle front.
LONDON, April 11 British troops
yesterday "advanced north of the
village of Louveral, in the direction
of Cnmbrai, to the extent of a quar
ter of a mile along a front of 2000
yards and consolidated this gain
during tho night, telegraphs Renter's
correspondent from the British army
headquarters in France. '
Outflunkiiig Enemy.
"The splendid success of our of
fensive lias created a most interest
ing situation and one which is fraught
with tremendous possibilities. The
enemy lias been forced back upon
the pivot of his previous retreat in
VMY
' a manner which creates a dangerously
sharp salient at this spot.
"Indeed, a glance at the map sug-
gests that thero is a distinct out
flanking of the German northern
pivot as it existed before the present
fighting."
Speed Disconcerting.
- BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE, April 11. The speed and
power of the British assault, in what
will probably be known in history as
the battle of Arras, seem to have
thoroughly surprised the Germans.
So much so in fact that their usual
retaliatory tn-rtlllcrv H'ire has be
absolutely negligible in the last two
days. This is partly due of course
to the number of guns captured, t
which must he added the number
knocked out by the British artillery
before the actual assault began. It
is also due to the fact that the Ger
mans have been too busy trying to
get their remaining guns away from
immediate danger to bother firing
'fi them at the enemy. In n Germnn ar
tillery position east of Arras, known
ns Battery alley, could be seen the
remains of 24 field pieces todny.
Dugouts Mattered Up.
A trip over the newly taken lines
revealed a condition of trenches
closely approximating those recently
evacuated by the Germans m the val
ley of the Somme. Jinny dugouts re
(Continued on page six.)
NASHVILLE, Tomi., April It
Bankers, railroad men, agricultural
experts, editors, manufacturers, edu
cntors and fanners from nil ove
Tennessee contcrrcd here today on
food preparedness. Agricultural an
thoritics declared that less than ran
acre of potatoes to the farm ha
been planted in Tennessee. In th
face of increased demand in pros
Hct the slate has suffered from uu
seasonable weather.
BRAZIL BREAKS
OFF RELATIONS FROM EXPLOSION
WITH GERMANY DUE TO PLOTTERS
Spain Takes Charge of German In
terestsArgentine to Follow Same
Course as Will Chile and Peru
Chili, Mexico and Ecuador to Re
main Neutral.
LONDON, April 11. The Brazil
ian minister to Germany will demand
his passports tomorrow .and leave
Germany by way of Switzerland,
France and Spain, according to a dis
patch from Cologne forwarded by the
Exchange Telegraph correspondent at
Amtserdam.
Argentine Also to Uroaki
RIO JANEIRO, April 11 Pro-
ally demonstrations are growing in
volume throughout the city. The
flags of the entente are visible every
where and tho streets are thronged
with pnraders cheering for France
and England and shouting "down
with Germany." The crowds gather
in front of German establishments
and hoot.
WASHINGTON, April 11. Unof
ficial advices announcing that Brazil
had decided to break off diplomatic
relations with Germany and that Ar
gentine would support . the United
States were received here early to
day. The action of Brazil clears up much
of the doubt here as to the attitude of
Latin-American countries in tho wnr.
Definite advices have been received
that Chile and Mexico and Ecuador
would remain neutral and indications
increased that Guatemala and Peru
would join Cuba and Panama on the
side of Hie United States.
The action of Brazil and Argen
tina is expected to have a tremen
dous influence on other South Amer
ican 'republics.
Oilier Mil I. ins Follow.
RIO JANEIRO, April 11. It is ex
pected in diplomatic circles here that
other South American nations will
soon follow the example of Brazil in
severing relations with Germany. The
"Chilean minister is continuing his con
ferences with Dr. Lanro JIullcr, the
Brazilian foreign minister.
Dr. JIullcr today received Arthur
Peel, the British minister, who sub
sequcntly conferred with President
lirnz.
Spain will take charge of German
interests in Brazil.
MONTEVIDEO, April 11. The
L'rugian government todny issued
a decree of neutrality m the war be
tween the United States and Ger
!E
SOUGH! AT ONCE
WASHINGTON, April 11. Secre
tary Baker, concluding his testimony
before the house military comnilttr.o
today announced that hi had decided
after consultation with army officers
to take Immediate chantage of the
authority to Increase tho regular army
by all the Increments authorized.
Under the present plan the war de
partment will Immediately Increase
the regular army to Its full comple
ment of 287,000 men lnetsad of 203,
000 as was contemplated. This in
crease Is wholly apart from the new
army to be authorized by selective
conscription.
SAFE WRECK STORE
PORTLAND, Ore., April 11
Hurglars used so much nitro-glyccr-
ine here early today in blowing open
a safe in the suburban jewelry slort
of J. WotTe that the store was wreck
ed nnd the safe door blown onto the
car tracks in the street in front,
where it came near wrecking an owl
car whose motonnan did not see it
in the darkness until a few feet
nwav. Wolfe claims the burglars
made away with jewelry valued lit
$2,iili0. Police say they escaped in
an automobile.
DEATH OF 122
Between 125. and 150 Injured, Maj
ority Girls, In Munition Plant
Blow-Up at Chester Officials As
sert Unahle to Account for Explo
sion Except by Incendiarism.
CHESTER, Pa., April 11. That
the explosion at the Eadystone am
munition plant yesterday which cost
11B lives was the result "of a diabo
lical plot conceived in the degenerate
mind of a demon in human guise,"
was the assertion of a high official
of the corporation today.
This official said that investigation
concluded this afternoon had shown
that a bomb manufactured from a
shell in the plant by one of the em
ployes had caused the disaster.
CHESTER, Pa., April 11. With
122 dead and between 125 and 150
injured, the majority girls and young
women, the authorities today turned
their efforts toward placing the
blame for tho explosion yesterday at
the plant of the Eddystone Ammu
nition corporation.
The signed statement of Samuel M.
Vauclain, head of the munition com
pany, says:
'We are unable to account for the
explosion in any other way than ns
the act of some maliciously inclined
person or persons. "
Two Swspocts Arrested.
While the police refused to dis
cuss the case of two suspects arrest
ed hero late last night after an in
vestigation it was intimated that val
liable information was secured from
papers found on one of the prisoners.
The men under arrest, father and
son, tho latter giving a Philadelphia
address, are said to he aliens.
Although police and company of
ficiuls worked through the night at
tempting to establish identity of the
deiid they were hampered by tho con
dition of the bodies. Some of the
victims, company officials believe,
were blown into tho Delaware river,
so that an exact calculation of the
death list may never be possible.
Plottera Caused Disaster.
President Alba B. Johnson, of the
Hii hi win locomotive works, agrees
with Samuel M. Vauclain, president
of the Eddystone ammunition corpor
ation, that plotters, caused tiio ex
plosion. "Although wo have only circum
stantial evidence," Mr. Johnson said
"it looks as if someone touched off
a bomb or a timo clock with an ex
plosive attached. I am convinced.
after a talk with the Eddystone of
ficials that tho icatastropho could
not have occurred through an acci
dent."
The Chester police have released
two suspects, father and son, named
Cohen, arrested last night. Ih
Chester police say that if the explo
sion was tho work ot plotters, who
ever caused it must have died with
the rest.
NEW YORK, April 11. New ratOB
on policies containing war clauses
have been anonunccd thus far by
eleven of the great life Insurances
companies. In most cases military
service within continental United
States entails no extra premiums, r'or
service abroad all payments are sus
pended unless policy holders agree
to pay extra premiums amounting to
an average of ten per cent of the face
value of the policy.
MADISON, Wis., April 11. The
raising of an army by conscription
is not favored by Governor E. L.
Phillip, who last night sent a tele
gram to President Wilson in which
he said that such n plan was unnec
essary nnd unwise nt present. Wis
consin, ho said, could recruit its full
war strength quota of guardsmen
promptly and any additional force
required without a compulsory act.
HOOVER TO HEAD
FOR UNITED STATES
MEtt-BER-T O. HOOVER.
LONDON, April 11. Herbert C.
Hoover, head of the American com
mission for relief in Belgium, after
consultation with his colleagues on
the commission, has accepted the
chairmanship offered him by tho na
tional defense council of the new
food bonrd in the United tSates.
Mr. Hoover expects to leave short
ly for America. Meanwhile he has ini
tialed a wide inquiry in France, Eng
land nnd Italy regarding the existing
food situation. The inquiry includes
examination of the prospects of tho
1017 crops.
L
WASHINGTON, April 11. Sink
ing of the Wilson liner Snlmo, having
aboard one American, who was sav
ed, was reported to tho state depart
ment- today by Consul Frost at
Queenstown. His dispatch follows:
Wilson liner Snlmo, 1095 tons,
Oporto to Liverpool, sunk by explos
ion ndmidships in ten minutes 12:110
m. April 7; 150 miles west Mus
kets.' Norwegian fireman lost; chief
engineer fatally scalded. No sub
marine or torpedo seen. Weather
qually, heavy swells, low lemper-
nture. Captain's boat rescued by
tanker Konakry, Port Arthur to
Queenstown, 5 p. in. the eighth. Af
ter 28 hours in heavy weather land
ed Queenstown. Other boat believe
landed Valentin. Sole American on
bonrd, Michael Piorun, Philadelphia,
fireman, saved, now nt Queenstown.
Have affidavit Piorun, nlso master.
WASHINGTON, April 11 Oscar
1. Crosby of Warren ton, Va., was to
day appointed assistant secretary of
the treasury. .Mr. Crosby recently
was connected with the American
commission for relief of Helgiuin and
in charge of the work in Belgium and
northern France.
W. H. Smith of El Paso, Tex., was
nominated today by the president to
be tinted Stales district judge for
the western district of Texas.
President Wilson today nominated
the following as poslinnstcrs :
Maurice Connelly, Dubuque, Town;
Guy U. Shoemaker, Laramie, Wyom
ing. PAHIS, April 11. "Active nrtil
lery fighting continues between III
Somme and the Disc," says today',
of tifiul comma mention.
"South of the Oise n German at
tack cast of Coney was broken up.
Near Maisons ilc Champagne then1
was severe grenade fighting. In Le
Petre forest Ihc artillery fighting was
rather violent. North of Arrnseourt
our patrols brought back prisoners,
In Ihc region of I'nn-do-Snpt wo in
flicted losses on lite enemy in I
course of an incursion into his lines
north of 1'ontcncllo."
ft?. aTUihiiiMWi""1"1'''
WHU WILL RUN SWINHLiNG PAIR FIVE BILLION
WARFORNATION CAUGHT IN 10 mm qq r
fIS MAIN ISSUE SISKIYOU GRADE
Who Is to Exercise War Making
Power, Determine Questions of
Strategy and Policy? Is It to Be
Congress, the President, a Board
or the Newspapers?
BY OILSON GAKDNER.
WASHINGTON, April 11. Who is
to exercise the wnr-making power?
Who is to detcrmino questions of
strategy and general war policy? Ill
a word, who is to wage the war? Is
it to be congress, the president, a
board or the newspapers?
I'resulenl w ilson is nominnllv eom-mander-in-hief
of the army and navy.
Hut the president is not a military
man, and besides, he has considerable
to do being president.
Hoard of Strategy?
Will there bo a board of strategy?
Will the president and his cabinet
become automatically a board ot
strategy? Will the power be taken
over by tho general staff of the
army? Will tho real responsibility
be divided between Secretary of War
Newton ). linker and Secretary of
the Navy Joscphus Daniels?
Will the office of udjutunt gen
ernl become the center of power and
influence as when Corbin reigned
during the Spanish-American war?
Who will decide such questions us :
Shall a division of the regular
army be sent to France nt once or
shall no soldiers go until a million
men are trained?
Shall the navy act on the defon
sive atone or cooperate with the
British navy?
Foreign Alliances?
Shall the volunteer plan bo tried
betore conscription is enforced?
Shall the United Stales imiko an
alliance with the entente powers and
agree to go through to tho end or
shall wo wage a war on our own?
Shall a minister of munitions be
created or coordinate the munitions
business or shall it be left to the dif
ferent bureaus of the war and navy
departments?
Shall the food situation bo left
to drift or shall the government
grapple with it and handle it as other
warring powers have done?
Shall tho railroads be taken over
by the government or shall they be
permitted to muddle along as at pros
cut?
These are a few of tho problems
which onen at tho beginning of the
war.
WASHINGTON, April 11. The
army appropriation bill carrying
278,000,000 for the existing regular
army was passed today by the sen
ate, amended so that it becomes ilil
mediately uvailable.
The bill has passed the house, but
sight changes made by the senate
make n conference necessary. Ef
forts to attach to its amendments to
increase the. pay of private soldiers;
to direct the president to call for
500,000 volunteers and to abolish
the rank of brigadier general were
eliminated before passage. One
amendment enlarging the general
stuff of the army to nincty-ono was
accepted.
Immediately after its passage the
senate passed without debato the
military academy appropriation bill
carrying about $l,:t00,000.
WASHINGTON, April 1 1. Secre
tary Lansing this afternoon confirmed
a report that Arthur J. Balfour, Brit
ish foreign minister, will arrive In
this country shortly nt tho head of
a commission of British Internation
al experts.
No details of the personnel or date
of departure wero given out.
Young Couple Who Fleeced Mer-
Merchants With Bogus Checks and
Purchased Auto With Same Cur
rency Brought to Prison by Sheriff
Caught in Stolen Auto.
Red-eyed, weary looking nnd mud-
bedraggled, tho young couple known
as Mr. and Mrs. E. Cravendore of
Portland, who passed several worth
less checks on Medford business men
111 tho past few days, and who wore
caught In their stolon nutomobilo by
Sheriff Jennings on the other side ot
the SIsklyous Tuesday night, wore
arraigned before Justice Taylor Wed
nesday. Each waived examination on tho
charge of obtaining money by false
pretenses, and was held to the
grand jury, Cravendore In the sum
of $1000 and the young woman In the
sum of $200. The hitter's name ap
pears In the arrest warrant as Nan
Cravendore. Tho amount ot the pec
ulations of the young couple may foot
up as high as $1000.
Ilius Mcilrord ltelilllves.
The young woman, who has been
weeping most of thetime sinco her
arrest, claims to be related to several
prominent Medford residents, Includ
ing the Talents and Hendricks. She
resided much of the time here with
her grandmother she Bays, and at
tended the Medford public schools.
Three years ago she went to Portland
to live. She says her father Is Chas,
Smith ot Tacoma, and that she has a
slep-inother. Sho and Cravepdoro
look to bo about 2CL years old. They
claim they wero mnrriod in Portland
about four months ago.
They are a rather nice appearing
and acting couple, and this fact to
gether with their seeming simplicity
nnd the girl's pretended friendship
and acquaintance with prominent res
idents of Medford and vicinity, cntiB
od Medford business men to fall easy
proy.
Plot Is Oovolopcd.
The couplo first appeared In tho
city a week ago nnd began laying
plans for a crooked clean-up. They
registered at tho Medford hotel from
Portland and began to give out state
ments around town that they wore
hero to buy a ranch and locate per
manently. doing on the principle that tho big
ger fey are tho easier they fall thoy
looked around for a high spot. Mayor
Gates was selected to begin work on.
They visited the dates salesrooms to
purchase nn automobile, announcing
at tho same time, just as a matter of
course In an off-hand way just
like that that they jvore I'olng to
purchuso a ranch, too..
Hays an Automobile.
Cravendore bought an Oakland au
tomobile, making a down payment of
$500 In the shapo of a personal check
on tho Lumbermen's National Hank
of Portland, nnd signing up a con
tract for tho rest of tho purchase
price.
Then "Pop" dates, who had cash
ed two personal chocks for $12, ad
vlKod tho couplo to deal with Iirown
Continued on Pago Six.)
GKNKVA, April 11. The Journal
do Geneve, commenting on the report
that several of tho South American
republics will follow the loud of the
United States In breaking with Gor
many, says:
"Tho essential factor Is In the pro
gressive expulsion of Germany from
all continents today. Hvcn If tho
llrltlsh fleet did not exist the Ger
man would not have a port of call
outsldo of K-uropo, except. In Slam
l''or nn over-populated and over-pro.
ductlvo country which lives by cxpor-
tatlons and which would die If forced
to fall back on Itself, the loss of
South America, coming after that of
China, Is a genuine catastrophe.
"It hns often been said, 'In war vic
tory alone counts.' but It Is no longer
true. The future counts more, Ger
many Is victorious In Europe but shut
out of tho rest of tho world,"
iriOUIMLOO
Administration War Measure Calling
for Three Billion Loan to Allies
and Two Billion for Army Laid
Before House With Approval of
Ways and Means Committee Will
Be Called Up for Action Friday
and Passage Seems Assured.
WASHINGTON, April 11. The ad
ministration bill authorizing a 15,
000,000,000 bond Issue of which $3,
000,000 will be loaned to the entente
allies, was laid before the house to
day as approved by the ways and
means committee with prospects of
prompt approval by congress.
The bill also contains a provision
giving the secretary of the treasury
power to Issue as neded $2,000,000,
000 in one year treasury notes to an
ticipate the tax receipts which will
result from the war revenue bill.
Tho bond issue bill will be taken
up in the house tomorrow probably
without a rule limiting debate and it
Is expected It will be approved by
Friday night.
Chairman Kitchln Introducing and
reporting the bill to the house an
nounced that It would be called up
Friday for action.
Five llllllon Issue.
The bill authorizes a bond Issue
of $n, 000, 000, 000 provldos that not
to exceed $3,000,000,000 of the pro
ceeds of tho bonds may be authorized -in
extending credits to foreign gov
ernments. The remaining $2, 000,
000,000 Is to be used at home. It also
authorizes an additional tiond Issue
not to exceed $(1.1,0-15,400 to redeem
tho three per cont loan of 1908 ma
turing August 1, 1918. It takes in
provision for othor bonds already
authorized by law and authorizes 12,-
000,000,000 worth of certificates ot
Indebtedness to run one year.
The report on the bill states that
the committee deems It advisable to
authorize the $5,000,000,000 bond
issue at this timo in order to enable
our government to extend liberal
credits and In order to provide Im
mediately ample funds to meet such
expenditures are are authorized for
tho national seclurty and defense..
lntemst Is Tw,
Interest Is not to exceed three and
one half per cont and the bill leaves
tho denominations to the discretion
of the secretary of the treasury. It
at any time prior to December 81,
1918, a subsequent series of bonds
aro Issued at a higher rate of lnter
cts bonds Issued under authority ot
tho act may bo convertible Into bonds
bearing the higher rate.
Representative Kitchln assured
the president tho bond bill would be
passed Friday without difficulty.
The war department's plan for
raising an army by selective conscrip
tion was the principal subject dis
cussed at the conference. Both Mr.
Kitchln and Speaker Clark told the
president of opposition In the house
to conscription but said they did not
know how strong It was.
(Continuod on page six,)
AMSTLUDAM, April 11. The
rupture of diplomatic relations be
tween Austria-Hungary and the Unit
ed States is declared by the Vienna
newspapers to bo a logical conse
quence of the stalo of war botweoo
the United States and Germany.
Austria-Hungary and Germany are as
one in all things, the newspapers in
sist. In general the rupture of friendly
relations which have lasted for more
than a century between Austria-
Hungary and America is regretted by
the press of the Austrian cnpitul,
which incidentally expresses the view
Hint the Austro-llungarian nide me
moire which followed tho American
impiirics regarding Austria's position
on submarine warfare contained
man) hints for tho maintenance of
pouei
AUSTRIA REGRETS
AMERICAN BREAK