IWversUy f Oregon
WEATHER Max. yesterday, 73. m. today 39. FORECAST Tonlg.it mul tomonw, Fair
Forty-seventh Tear.
DallyTwelfth Year.
MEDFORD OREGON7, TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1917
NO. 28
MEDFOKD
GAN
ill 1 lofl
ill
RESISTANCE
OEGEHNS
INCREASING
British Gain Ground on Wide Front
In South Reach St. Qucntin Canal
Further North Capture Villages
of Beaucamu and Villers-Plouich
Bitterest Fighting of Present
Advance in Progress Resistance
Increases.
LONDON, April 24 The British
gained ground on a wide front last
night south of tiie linpnume-C'ambrni
road. They readied the St. Quoiitin
canal at one point. Further north
the villages of Beaiieamp and Villers
Plouich were captured. The positions
gained on the French front yester
day, says the official statement to
day were maintained and furtjier
progress was made east of iUonehy
and near Houcx. Jlorc than lotlO
prisoners were taken in yesterday's
operations and many more are com
ing in.
Bitterest Fighting.
What is apparently the bitterest
fighting of the present Anglo-French
offensive is raging today along the
Wotun line, the hastily organized po
sition east of Arras to which the
Germans retired when the norlheni
end of the llindcnhurg line was
turned by General Ilaig. The Ger
mans are putting fori li a supreme
ffort to hold this vital portion of
their defenses, the crumbling of
which would expose Pouni and Cani-
brai and bring into prospect another
great retreat.
The British have driven two
wedges into the German positions,
forming sharp salicals in the region
of the Scare river and north of Iln-pttumc-Canibrni
road. The head of
the first salient has been thrust
within four miles of Vilrv, the most
important point on (In; Wolan line,
but the tenacity and power with
which the Germans are 1'ihtitm
leaves the issue for a time in doubt.
Resistance Increases.
BRITISH HEAlKjrAUTF.HS IX
FRANCE, April 124. The resistance
of the German armies appears to in
crease in accordance with tile near
ness of the British approach to the
Hindenburg positions. This is par
ticularly true along the present front,
where the threat is against the llro-court-Queent
switch lino which is
depended upon by the Germans as
the connecting link between their
lines north of St. l(iientin and south
of Lille. This is the switch toward
, which the Germans arc tailing back
slowly, but surely as a result of the
turning of the top of the oriuinal
Hindenburg line, running from just
southeast of Arras toward Qucunt.
Desperate Fighting.
The fighting which began at dawn
.yesterday beyond Arras increased in
intensity in the afternoon ami last
night. The ground gained by the
British was won in tV.c face of some
'of the most desperate fighting on
the part of the Germans since the
war began. Trench warfare for the
time being was forgotten. The Ger
mans, away from their deep ducoiiN
(Continued on Pago Four)
l)N'I)OX.ApriI 21.-C .1. T.;
the King's Own Scottish lionl
second son of Andrew I'.miar
chancellor of the exchequer,
ported to have been wound
Palestine and to be missing.
CIS.
a vv,
ro.
Chancellor Bonnr I.nw has four
sons and two dauirlitcrs. His cble-t
son. Captain .1. K. Law of the KomiI
Flying Corps was wounded in
Franco lust year.
GERMAN. HUNS
LEAVE DESERT
Destruction of Evacuated Portion of
France Most Complete Sad-Eyed
Women Wander Among Ruins
Churches and Graves Defiled
Wanton Acts of Vandalism.
PARIS, France, April 24. (Start
Special). Why do the French und
British call the Germans "Huns" and
"Vandals?"
Ono trip through the French terri
tory just recovered from the invad
ers' grip, and you will no longer ask
that question!
You never hear of "Germans''
among the British or Canadian
troops. Us "Huns" and "Bodies."
The, wrecked towns, the ruined
houses, tho defiled churches, the de
vastated gardens, and above all the
kidnaped girls and the dishonored
women of liapaume and tho country
thereabouts, answers tho question,
Why?
Destruction has 'been excused by
many neutrals as "military necessi
ty." Instances of Vandalism.
But It is a strange sort of military
necessity that leaves high hilltop
walls and tall towers intact, while
smashing mirrors with pistol shots,
putting tho ax to pianos, and dese
crating graves.
In Bapaume, for instance, the tow
er of the "hotel tie ville" (city hall)
still stands despite the terririe 'bom
bardments. From this vantage point
much of the surrounding territory can
be viewed. ,
The old town wall also remains
intnet, even where it runs over a fair
sized hill. From the wall, too, the
country can be surveyed. The tower
and the wall are the highest struc
tures in Bapaume.
But in tho church, paintings have
been slashed with knives from their
frames, and in the homos, furniture
has been chopped up, cisterns filled
with debris and offal, draperies cut
mil mutilated, and silver and hooks
carried away.
Graveyards have been crisscrossed
with shallow trenches, graves opened,
leaden covers stripped from coffins,
and tombs broken open.
Desecrating Graves.
Filth has been spread over unopen
ed graves and in opened vaults. Filth
has been placed in living rooms of
houses; filth has been placed on
priestly vestments torn from church
es and thrown into the streets and
to all apeparanees, deliberately plac
ed.
Houses have been made uninhabita
ble by filth smeared about the walls.
And among the ruins of these once
prosperous French towns and vil
lages ream sad, furtive eyed women,
cringing at every sudden1, noise,
screaming maledictions at German
prisoners brought through to the al
lied rear, and mourning for dead chit
dren and lost daughters carried Into
exile by the German retreat.
They will not talk easily of the
things they have seen, tho sufferings
they have passed through.
"Sufferings? The moral suffer
ing was the worst of all!" one woman
tolda party of newspaper correspond
cuts making a tour of the reconquer
ed waste.
I'lllM llcvalile llui'burltleS.
Another told of being fined SO
francs because, penniless, Bhe visit
ed her father and mother without ob-
(Continued on Page Five.)
I.mXIKiX, April Tim German
I t'-or-i-jn uftice bus notified the Amcr
I icau ciiiTespnndcnts who have re
J iii.iim d in Berlin that their presenci
in Gcimuiiw is no longer desirable
j j;i-n,i'iii!-.' to the KxchatiL'c Telegraph
i corre-p"iidcnl at The Hague. Th
American new spiiienncn, it is added,
I have therefore decided to leave for
Switzerland or Scandinavia.
Or DESOLATION WARSHIPS ESCORT
. rnrMPU MiooinM
French Commission Arrives
to Discuss War
rnmon miooiuu
I
American Warships Break Out in
French Colors .and American
Bands Play French Anthem as
Joffre and Viviani Enter Harbor
No Untoward Incidents on Trip.
WASHINGTON, April 24. "The
department of state Is advised of the
safe arrival of the French commis
sion," it was officialy announced early
today.
Later the state department Issued
this farther statement:
'The department of state is ad
vised that the French mission will
reach Washington tomorrow morn
ing. The precise time and place of
arrival will he announced later."
The commission, which Includes
Marshal Joffre, and Former Pre
mier Viviani,, arrived early this morn
ing on board a speedy steamship of
the French line, which was convoyed
across the Atlantic.
'Welcomed to America.
Tho vessels were mot off the coast
by American torpedo boat destroyers
and escorted to a port.
Tho naval and military attaches of
the French embassy nt Washington
and American naval and military of
ficers, together with a representa
tive of the state department Imme
diately boarded the French vessel
and extended a welcome to American
shores.
Tho Associated Press correspond
ent who accompanied the party from
Franco sends the following dispatch
from the port of arrival:
"As tho ship bearing the French
commission came into port today
American warships broke out French
colors from their mastheads and Am
erican bands played the French na
tional anthem. American and French
sailors lined the rails of their re
spective ships. No salutes were fir
ed.
Slips Out in Morning.
"The special train bearing the com
mission slipped out of Paris early In
the morning observed only by a few
secret service agents and railway
men. Tn trnnster rrom train to
ship was without event, as was the
voyage across tho Atlantic.
"Warships passed out ahead of the
French steamer Into the danger zone,
which In this case Is ono of tho
haunting places of German subma
rines. "The first night out the ship and
convoy made eighteen knots an hour
before tb wind, lilt rulltltllE without
.. . ... . .. .
iikiiih. niiKi llliee it-'iua vtii biji.h.u -
the celebrated liner which boro the
party Is a mixture of former elegance
(Continued or Page Five.)
STREET SCENE IN WHAT WAS A PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY VILLAGE OF FRANCE BEFORE GER
MAN OCCUPATION.
Homos of tho poor are wrecked nml burned by tho 'ionium troops relrenflnK from norllicrii Franco.
Hero Is a unmple of (bin work n street in the village of X 'Worn ( aibonnH. fioiinan explanations of thU
ilcst notion have laid it to military tii-co-liy, but It Is not. -it that plain homes of working ixviplc like these
often aro wantonly rtivagetl whilo Mono towet and lifuli wuIIm tluit might form olworvat Ion postn are ullow
ed to stand.
lv , -X
l6em xJofTFliE' t ARTHUR 7. BALFOUR.-
Adm.D.R.5 DECHAir
Muster minds of war eoiifeiviice.
French Field .Marshall, - the hero of
Balfour, secretary of loreigii attaint fm. (;reat Britain; iAiwer, Bene Viv
ijllli, former premier and minister of justice In Franco: Admiral Do
Uliair, commander of British ship
of admiralty.
TOTAL LOSS IN
$15,000,000
JUNKAtF, Alnskn, Ar9 24.
Above lb',1 flooded Trmidwell mines
cracks in the enrth expend from 700
feet up the hill to the 1)1.1 Glory hole
and down to the mes.s house end on
the bnscbnll grounds. All persons
living in houses on the hill moved out
when the erneks begun to nppeur.
Hunk house No. -I is out of plumb by
six feet, ready to slide into the abyss.
The club house is equally out of
plumb.
A thousand miners were thrown
out of work, ult hough scores of these
are being used on the surface, pro
tecting mills and shops.
Five million tons of ore had been
blocked out for mining iu the lower
levels of the flooded mines. Most of
this work had been done within the
'past two year
at an expenditure of
millions of dollurs, all of which will
I be a dead loss, unless tiie mines are
reopened. The total loss, including
jthis ore, is estimated at .fl.l.OOO.OOO.
o
- -
Problems
Rene Viviani ?.
i.f(, (,, liigin, upper, General .loffre
(Ho battlo of the Mai ne; Arthur .1.
Crescent, rofnier secretary to first lord
30 MILLION EGGS
TO RAISE
E
CHICAGO, April '21. According
to Herbert A. Knierson, who has been
to the I'ncil'ie const invest iga tin);
food conditions for John Dillon, com
missioner of the stale of New York,
there are between thirly million and
thirty-six million eggs on the tracks
in Chicago, held by speculators to
keep up high prices.
Mr. Knierson said that Ihe Pacific
const stales this year, instead of
impeding cms as they have done
generally, will have a surplus of 7",
0110 to 1 (10,0(1(1 rases to sell.
Mr. Knierson said he had no evi
dence? of an "egg trust but said he
is sure there is a "mighty close un
derstanding" between the big dealers
and was confident an investigation
would cause a break iu prices, '''file
butter situation is a parallel," he
said. "The I'acifie coast this' year
will be able to ship east a surplus of
lot) ears of butter, 'J 1,011(1 pounds to
Ihe car. Four years ago the coast
imported 200 cars."
t r
Vt 11
bi i $i
STANDARD OIL
TO BLAME FOR
GASOLINE GRAFT
Federal Trade Commission Reports
to Senate the High Prices of Gaso
line Durinn Past Two Years Due
Principally to Trust Price Arbi
trarily Raised and Output Cut.
WASHINGTON', April 21. Domi
nation of tho gasollno Industry by tho
Standard Oil Interests, tho federal
trade commission reported to tho sen
ate today, lias been largely responsi
ble for high gasoline prices of the
last two yenrs.
The report written after an ox
haustlvo investigation into tho entire
petroleum Industry declares Inter
locking stock ownorshlp prevents any
real competition among tho various
Standard Oil companies and tho com
mission recommends legislation to
permit tho reopening of tho oil trust
caso to obtain modifications of the
supremo court's dissolution decroe.
No conclusive cvldcnco was found
it Is stated, that collusion exists
among the Standard companies In vio
lation of the decree, hut the commis
sion's finding have been transmitted
to the attorney general.
i'rlces Aribtral ily Kled.
Prices aro declared to have been
arbltrurily raised, although natural
causes contributed. Pronounced price
1 Inequalities wererfound In different
i parts of tho country.
Tho principal findings of tho com
mission are:
That In most marketing torrllorles
the Standard companies are domi
nant. That the Standard companies have
maintained a distribution of terri
tory in marketing gasoline and that
no substantial competition in the
hief petroleum products exists among
tho Standard companies.
That the absence of competition Is
duo to a community of stock own
ership. That tho facts disclose in prices of
gasoline and differences In prices,
corresponding to Standard marketing
territories which could not bo ex
plained except under tho conditions
charged.
Perpetuities Monopoly.
That tho combination of pipe lines
with other branches of tho Industry
has tended to establish and perpet
uato monoply.
That there Is no conclusive evl
donco of collusion among tho Stan
dard compnnics In violation of the
dissolution decree '
Tho commission recommended
these measures as necessary to rem
edy conditions:
A law providing for tho reopening
of anti-trust cases on tho application
of tho attorney general by a bill of
review for tho purpose of obtaining
much modification of decrees us are
required by new conditions.
Legislation to abolish In certain
cases common stock ownership In cor
porations formerly members of com
binations dissolved under the Sher
man law.
Kffective limitation of common
ownership of stock In potentially
competitive corporations by with
drawing tho power of voting and
control.
I, imitation of Ownership.
Legislation, which, wiillo roeoguiz
alng common ownership would fix up-
( Continued on Pago Four.)
DENY CAPTURE OF
GERMAN U-BOAT
WAKIIi'.VCTO.V, April 2 1. Denial
of reports that a (icriaun submarine
has been captured by an American
warship alter being caught In tt net
near Newport News, Va.( and was be
ing taken to New York was made to
day by Secretary Daniels.
"The statement Is entirely with
out any basis of truth,, the secretary
said. "It has been current here for
peroral days and has been denied of
ficially by the iinval commander of
tho Norfolk district."
ENGLAND SOLID
FOR UNIVERSAL
MILITARY DUTY
Member of British Commission
States That British Democracy
Almost Fanatical for Conscrip
tionVolunteer System Crippled
Army ami Nation Proved Failure.
WASHINGTON, April 24. Lieu
tenant General Dildgos, a member of
tho Uritlsli commission, declared to
day In talk with nowspaper corres
pondents thnt tho Uritlsli democracy
had beconio "almost fanatical" over
universal military service. The vol
unteer system under which tho em
pire entered the war, General Bridges
said, cost tho lives of the most val
uablo citizens and crippled Industrial
mobilization.
"War," said General Bridges, "now
has beconio an Immensely demo
cratic business and needs the full ef
fort of every member of the commu
nity. Men, women and children are
equally drawn Into its vortex, the.
women and children being forced In
to industry and fed on half rations
to supply tho men at the front."
Goneral Bridges talked of the dif
ficulties which had beset England at
the beginning of the war.
itritish Mistakes.
"The source of our greatest diffi
culty," ho declared, "was the sending
to Kuropo'of practically our whole
trained army a,:' an expeditionary
force. This robbed us of all trained
officors and It was only through re
Lirned wounded officers and the with
drawal of others that we wore able
to build tho skeleton for our new
forces. At the same tlmo wa allowed
most of our better class youths, uni
versity men In many cases, to enter
the ranks which withdrew 'them from
the officors clnss and placed that re
sponsibility on far loss well equip
ped persons. Tho wastage of the best
blood of tho nation wns enormous.
"It Is my opinion if It had not
been for Kitchener's Immense person
ality wo should have had conscription
within a few months. If Lord Rob
erts' proposal for universal Borvlce
had been enforced, wo should have
savod enormously, not only In men
but In Industrial efficiency."
General Bridges estimated eight
mouths ns the nocessary time to train
a division. Individual recruits, how
ever, may bo made fit to go to the
front in a short space of eleven weeks
provided they aro distributed In pro
portions of fifty amongst two hun
dred trained men.
Artillery .Needed
"Artillery must bo In great pre
ponderance," General Bridges said,
"before an ntack can be Initiated.
Tho bayonet, however, is still essen
tial. 1 should estimate that the pros
out successes on tho western front
aro duo to a British preponderance
over tho Germnn artillery of at least
three or four to one. There Is abso
lutely no doubt ns to the outcome of
tho war; tho only question is as to
Its length."
General Bridges commented brief
ly on the difficulties of mulling good
fighters In a democratic nation full
of personal freedom and Inching mili
tary experience The French bour
geois In the general's opinion, makes
the Ideal soldier because war bus
been almost an Instinct in his blood
since tiie days of Napoleui. General
H.'ldges praised the French army In
Hie highest terms and sr. Id that there
bad grow! up between Fiance and
r,.igbind, former ciemics a feeling
that mora '.nil fi lin 1Mi and
that almost a love ctch
WASHINGTON", April 24. Elihu
Hoot will head the American coinniis.
.-Ion to Kussiu if he will consent to
undertake the duly. It became known
today that the president has com
pleted the selection oC Ihe principal
nicnibciN of Ihe in i-.-iolt.