Medford mail tribune., May 21, 1917, Page 1, Image 1

llPfe . Medford Mail T
Forty-seventh Tear.
DallyTwelfth Ynr.
FOR ALLIED
Harg and Petain Renew Drive in
Northern France British Capture
Trenches Behind Hindenburg Line,
Forcing Germans Back Inch by
Inch French Resume Advance in
. the Champagne, Capturing Several
Trenches Italians Take Hill.
LONDON1, May 21. Dritlsh troops
during last evening captured a sup
port trench 'behind the Hindenburg
line trench taken during the morn
ing, the war office announced today.
Generals Haig and Petain are again
pushing ahead with their offensive in
northern France and today both re
port new gains. '
After driving Into the Hindenburg
line along a. mile front yesterday
morning In the sector northwest of
Bullecourt the British resumed their
attack last evening and captured a
support trench beltiud the position
just taken.
Itrlttsh Hold l inn.
Tlii' firmness of the British hold on
this section of the Hindenburg line
seriously threatening tho Quenat
Drocourt switch protecting Doual, Is
attested by the failuro of the German
reactions. General Haig is well main
taining his initiative and bit by bit
forcing tho Germans to give ground,
Not only did tho British prove
themselves able to hold their gains
from morning against heavy counter
attacks but to rcsunio their offensive
the same day and push farther ahead,
maintaining, their second advance
against renewed counter attacks.
French Itcsiuiio Drive.
The French for their part in the
great battle have Tosumcd their ad
vance in the Champagne. Having
foiled the crown prince's desperate
and costly effort to regain control
of tho Chemin-Des-Dames plateau on
tho Alsno front, General Petain
turned to tho Champagne sector and
struck northward on tho Moronvil
lieres heights.
Several lines of German trenches
were captured in tlieso operations
and"-iome S00 prisoners taken. All
the important observation posts in
this section of the front are now in
French hands, facilitating their fur
ther advance in the drive calculated
to flank the Germans out of the sali
ent to tho northwest projecting to
wards Rhelms.
On I to I Inn Front,
RO.MH, May 21. Italian troops
yesterday took a lilil between Palll
ova and Briovo In their offensive on
the Julian front and also extended
their positions on tho Vodlce, says
the official statement issued today
by the Italian war department.
Itcrlin Official Itcport.
BERLIN, ,via London, May 21.
The Germans on tho Arras front yes
terday maintained their positions ex
cept in ono demolished trench which
""wns evacuated, according t o plan,
during the British ntnek Sunday on
an eiht nnd one-half mllo front,
says the official German statement
by the army staff.
The statement says that tho French
(Continued on pugo six.)
SOCIALIST SOLON
CHAVX TfF. FOWPS, Switzerland,
Miiy 21. Paul tir.ibe, n socialist na
tional councillor, was freed from jail
yesterday by n moh of sympathizers
nfler he had been sentenced to eight
days imprisonment liy n court mar
tini. Oruhe was comiclcd of libel in
connection with tin article which ni-
pen red in his newspaper, I.a Senti
nclle. At Ihe rennet ,,f (he council of
Hie canton of Neiiehatel, the general
commanding the district has mcu
pied Chnux Ie Fond with n recipient
of infantry ami n Mpindmn of rnv.
airy. There was much rioting duiir.g
the day.
P
11 AMERICAN RAILROADS HELD WILSON DEDICATES RED CROSS HOME PREMIER CALLS ATLANTA AFIRE;
NORSES KILLED RESPONSIBLE FOR - , :i : IRISH TOGETHER FLAMES FANNED
ON WAYJU WAR COAL SHORTAGE ryf FOR HOME RULE BY BRISK WIND
In an Accident During Practice Fir
ing at Sea, Two Red Cross Nurses
Killed and Third Wounded When
Fragment From Exploded Shell
Flies Back and Strikes Women.
NEW YOliK, May 21. In nn acci
dent during practice firing at sea
yesterday of iv gun aboard an Amer
ican nicrclmntmnn hound for Europe,
two American Hed Cross nurses were
killed and a third wounded, marking
virtually the first American casual
ties of tho war.
The two killed were:
Miss Edith Ayrcs nnd Miss Helen
Burnett Wood, both of Chicago.
The wounded is said to be Miss
Emma Mutzen of Chicago tmember of
base hospital Xo. 1, bound for duty
in France.
Ship llctlirns to Port.
The ship which sailed returned to
day, her flag tit half mast, with the
two bodies and the wounded nurse,
who was taken in n tug to the New
York navy yard hospital.
Official announcement of the cause
of the accident has been withheld by
both army and navy authorities here.
One version obtained when the steam
ship reached quarantine was that the
shell from the gun had exploded
about 17.) feet distant just as it was
striking the water, nnd that pieces of
t ho shell flew buck nnd struck the
nurses. Another was that it was
caused by n breech explosion of n
defective shell as the gun was fired.
Information as to the seriousness
of Miss Mutzen's injuries was refus
ed at the navy yard hospital, al
though it was understood that she
was expected to recover.
Hospital Unit Alwnrd.
There were nbout 2(i0 members of
the Xo. 1 base hospital on board the
ship, of whom sixty were women
nurses.
Miss Emma Mat7.cn, the American
nurse enrouto for the Europe war
zone, who was injured by a shell dur
ing target practice on the ship, is a
daughter of T. J. Mutzen of Colum
bus, Nebraska. She is 35 years of
age and graduated four years ago
from the Illinois School for N'urses
at Chicago. Since that time she has
been practicing her profession in that
city.
AYutchcd Practico Shots.
Major Frederick l'esley, professor
of surgery of Northwestern univer
sity, .who was director in charge of
the division, said lie and all the
nurses were watching the practice
shots.
"1 was standing between Mrs.
Ayrcs and Miss Wood and Miss Mat
zen was to the loft of Mrs. Ayrcs,"
he said. ''Simultaneously with the
discharge of the gun thcMhree nurses
fell. No ono else in the vicinity was
touched. There is no accurate evi
dence as to the exact cause of the ac
cident." Major Fcslcy said the gun was not
damaged and the members of the
crew did not know of the tragedy
until told.
XEW YOltK, May 21. The Italian
commission to tho lulled Slates head
ed by I'rinco I'dine and including Wil
liam Marconi and several other dis
tinguished Italians, has safely cross
ed tho Atlantic and soon will bo In
Washington to begin conferences with
American officials and tho Italian
ambassador. Taller announcements
will bo mado Inter.
W. SI I1N( ITf N', May 21 . Provis
ions of Missouri statutes of ltlOO rro
hiliiting railroads from fixing higher
freight rales for n short than n long
haul, whether such rati, discrimina
tion is reasonable or unjust, were tn.
day sii-tuincd as constitutional by the
biiprenie court.
WEATHER Maximum yesterday, G6;
MEDFOTIT)
Federal Trades Commission Hold
That Producers, by Taking Ad
vantage of Lack of Cars, Are to
Blame for Prevailing High Prices
Stocks Exhausted.
WASHINGTON, May 21 The bi
tuminous coal shortage is blamed on
the railroads, in a report today by the
federal trade commission. Produc
ers, by taking advantage of the lack
of cars, 'are charged with responsi
bility, however, for the prevailing
high prices.
"There is no scarcity of eonl in the
ground," the report says. "There is
sufficient coal in the bituminous coal
mines now beinr; operated, not only
to supply the present' demand, but
also to supply u greatly increased de
mand." "Tho unprecedented demand for
this fuel In the past six months, to
gether with the difficulties of rail
and water transportation, not only
have absorbed the coal as fast as it
could bo shipped from, the mines but
have led to almost complete exhaus
tion of the coa lstored at tide-water
point and at the docks on the Great
Lakes.
Serious State of Affairs.
"The country faces a serious state
of affairs In obtaining a commodity
which is basic to practically every
form of its military and industrial
tcttvlty."
"Under wartime conditions," says
the report, "It may become the duty
of the government to take steps sim
ilar to those found necessary by bel
ligerent European countries and not
only to regulate the distribution of
coal from the mouth of the mini tj
the ultimate consumer by allotting
the quantity of the product which the
different classes of consumers shall
be allowed to purchase, but also to
establish the prices to be paid by dif
ferent classes of consumers. At a
time like the present excessive profits
should not be permitted to be extort
ed from the public by producors and
distributors of any prime necessity of
life."
Of prices now charged for coal the
report says:
Excess Prices Charged.
"Figures submitted to the commis
sion show that most of tho present
prices now charged are far in excess
of the cost as shown by the opera
tors' books. Many of the operators
frankly take the position that they
are trying to get for their coal the
highest price possible under the pres
ent demand and are refraining, even
at prices greatly increased over last
year, from contracting their output
to tho extent of their usual custom.
They defend this action by claiming
that under the operations of the law
of supply and demand' they have for
many years past been getting llttlo
more for their coal than tho bare cost
of production; that the mining of
bituminous coal during that porlod
has been a most unprofitable indus
try and that now is their chance to re
coup themselves for the losses of sev
eral years. Accordingly, they are de
manding prices at tho mlno today
which run from liO per cent to several
hundred per cent over tho coHt of
their output.
"As a result of this policy much of
tho bituminous coal output has been
auctioned off to tho highest bidder.
This has resulted In great profits to
certain operators and special .hard
ship to municipal public utilities, hos
pitals and other public and private
charitable Institutions and to dontcs
to consumers especially In the west
and south where relatively llttlo an
thracite is used."
WASHINGTON, May 21. Tho In
tcr5tate commerra commission, the
supreme court decided today, Jiaa
power to compel railroads to furnish
"a reasonably adequato" supply of
coal cars to handlo "normal and sea
sonal" demands for Interstate com
meree originating at mines along
their line and to award reparation to
shippers for failure to supply auch
cars.
minimum today, 46. Forecast: Tonight and tomorrow, partly cloudy.
OREGON, MONDAY, MAY
President Wilson is hero shown speaking tit (ho dedication exercises
ami iMiKomit of (lie new $HOO,OMO ltctl Cross building in Washington.
IL
WASHINGTON, May 21. Warn
ing !,"niiist lit tempts in any stato to
orguni.o new units of the national
guard which do not accord with the
organization plan for the guard ap
proved by President Wilson, was
given toihiy by (lie war department.
As it stands, tho guard is deficient
in artillery, signal, engineer and other
special Norvico troops in proportion
to the number of infantry regiments.
Specific, instructions have been given
to the udjiitunts-gciiertil n.s to Ihe
units of each arm of the service for
which ouch state will be held respon
sible nnd in this connection the de
partment's statement says:
"Notwithstanding such netion,
some states have undertaken the or
ganization of units which cannot be
utilized in the formation of complete
higher tactical units. While it is
much to be desired to take full ad
vantage of the patriotic interest stir
ring the country, such advantage can
only come through a eo-ordiiuition
and regulation in keeping with the
general nnd basic plan.
The department requests that per
sons interested in raising new na
tional guard units confer with the
itiljulnnt general of their slate in or
der to determine what branch of the
service should be augmented.
DALLAS, Tex., May 21. The Pros
bytorian general assembly in the Uni
ted States in session here today voted
unanimously In favor of reunion of
tho two brunches of tho church the
north nnd the south. A copy of the
resolution was ordered sent to tho
southern assembly now in session at
Birmingham.
Tho assembly also adopted a reso
lution favoring national prohibition
of the liquor traffic.and forwarded a
copy of it to President Wilson, Vice
President .Mnrshall and Speaker Clark
of to house of representatives.
TWO-CENT FARE LAW
WASHINGTON. Mey 21. Federal
decrees holding the Arkansas maxi
mum freight and two-cent passenger
rates confiscatory as applied to tho
St. Louis and San Francisco railroad
were sustained by the supreme court
today.
Tho court also sustained the decis
ion of tho lower court which declared
valid the formula, adopted by western
and southwestern railroads as a basts
for determining whether rates are
confiscatory, after the auprpmo court
had upheld the rates In 1913.
RIBUN
21. 1917.
E
BILL DISCUSSED
WASHINGTON, May 21 llopu of
passing ,tlio war revenue bill within
tho next two days was not strong
among house leaders today, particu
larly because the ways and means
committee was still toiling over ' the
question of higher second-class mail
rates proposed by the bill. Kven af
ter agreeing on these rates, the com
mittee must puss on thu provisions
for taxing advertising-, automobiles
and musical instruments before the
house itself can make much progress
Another meeting of the ways and
means eommitlee today resulted in no
definite decision on second-class mail
rates or the advertising tax. lloth
will be considered again tomorrow. A
new graduated second-class mail
zone rate proposal, ranging from a
cent and a Iinlf a pound in the first
zone to 5 cents in the eighth, received
much consideration today in com
mittee. t will bu perfected nnd dis
cussed again tomorrow.
An nmendment to tax raw cotton
t'i.oO n bale, proposed by Represen
tative Moore of Pennsylvania, was
ruled out on a point of order in Ihe
house nfler prolonged nnd hcuicd de
bale. A proposal ,y Representative Kelly
of Michigan to strike out the 5 per
cent tax on automobiles at the fac
tory was rejected by a vote of H'i to
-IH. llchnta then begun on the I)ore
mus amendment to levy the tax only
on manufactnrcrs earning more than
8 per cent on Iheir capital stock.
'file Doreintis amendment was
adopted !lti to !!'.!.
SHOT -WIFE RELEASED
SAX FIIANCISCO, May tM.- Mr,
fleruldiiio Marhoff, n rrstil fin the
(hnrjre of assault with a deadly wea
pon, miis ili-niiM'd in 11 f Milir-c i otirt
lien rim; lion; today. An offieial na
vnl statement win presented in eourt
saying tlnit her huslmnd, Lieutenant
William ('. Marlioff, 1'niled Ktntes
naval reserves had been shot neei
dentnlly in Hie loot, and would In
able to resume his duties.
The Mnrholf.-s came from Willam
ette, On.
RAISED 10 40 YEARS
Ni:V Y(I;K, May Jl. -The age
limits of applicants for enlistment in
the regular army has been raised
from 17 to .l.'i years lo IS to 111 vears,
according lo an tinier made public nl
the office of Major John II. Hughes,
in chargo of ncruilui' olficcs here.
, -i
Lloyd George States That Govern
ment Proposes to Summon Imme
diately a Convention of Represen
tative Irishmen In Ireland to Sub
mit Constitution to Parliament.
I.6XDON, May 21. It was an
nounced by Premier Lloyd (leorge to
day in tho commons that the govern
inent proposed to summon Immediate'
ly a convention of representative
Irishmen in Ireland to submit to tho
British parliament a constitution for
the future government of Ireland.
Punulor Lloyd Goorgo stated today
that tho chairman of the proposed
Irish convention will be nominated
by the crown.
"If a substantial agreement is
reached regarding tho character and
scope, of tho constitution framed by
the convention," said tho premier,
"tho government will tako the neces
sary stops to enable the linporial par
liament to give legislative effect
therein. Tho convention will bo held
within closed doors."
Tho convention, .said tho premier.
would bo representative of tho local
governing bodies, tho churches, the
trade unions and commercial and edu
cational Interests and would Include
Sinn Foinors. The delegates would be
chosen by tho respective bodies. John
Redmond, tho nationalist ' leader,
speaking nftcr tho premier had made
his announcement, said that for tho
first time in her history Ireland has
been asked virtually to settlo a prob
lem for herBolf. .
"I take It for granted," ho added,
"that all soctlons of Irishmen feel It
their duty to come in."
Sir Edward Carson, lender of the
Irish unionists said ho did not hesi
tate to assert he found no reason to
modify tho opinion ho had always
hold that the bost solution of the
Irish problem, lay In maintenance of
the union. Ho did not know whother
the Ulster unionists would accopt tho
government's invitation, but lie did
know that no threats would have tho
slightest effect.
"WAS1 I INGTOX, May 21. Con
tracts for tho building in Portland,
Oro., of fourteen wooden ships were
awarded today by tho Emergency
Fleet Corporation in tho shipping
hoard's shipbuilding program. The
G. M. Standlfcr Construction corpora
tion is to build ten of these ships and
tho Peninsular Shipbuilding company
four.
Contracts for .18 vessels, 26 wooden
and twelve steel, have been lot.
Twelve of the wooden ships nnd four
of tho steel vchbcIb will ho built by
tlio Morrill-Stevens company at .Inclt
sonvlllo. Announcement was made
last week that the Los Angeles Ship
building and Drydoek company would
build eight Kyeel snrgo ships. These
u ro included In tho total.
PL01TERS SENTENCED
TO YEAR IN JAIL
NKW YOlfK, May HI.- One ear in
jail Mils the sentence imposed today
upon Captain Franz I'intelen of the
Germany navy, David Lamar and II.
It. Martin, eonvieted yesterday in the
federal court of ennpiracy to in
terfere with shipment of munitions to
the entente allien in 1!H
FEDERAL PROBE OF
DALLAS, Tex., May 21.- The
I'niled Slate grand jury was order
ed today I" invrstignle the alleged
conspiracy to make armed resist. 'i nee
to conscription which agents of Ihe
department of justice claim (o have
uucoven d in northwest Tix.m.
University tf OiCflon
Library
NO. 51
Fire Starts in Warehouse Section and
Negro District, Sweeps North Over
White Resilience Section Forty
Blocks Destroyed and Soldiers Or
dered to Fight Flames.
ATLANTA, On., May 21. Severn!
squaro miles of residential section in
northeastern Atlanta wero swept by
fire Into this uflernoon. Many fine
residences were destroyed, the
flames going beyond tho control of
tho fire department nnd raging over
a great section without hindrance. By.
4 o'clock nbout forty blocks had been
burned nnd the fire was still pro
gressing unchecked before a high
wind.
The firemen, aided by 1000 1 men
from the officers' training camp lit
Fort MePherson, lnutlo a stand on
Boulovnrd place, two blocks from ex
clusive l'once De Leon nvenue, and
shortly nftcr 4 o'clock begnn dynn
miting, hoping to clear a spaco wido
enough to check the flames.
Aid was nsked from Mheon, Chat
tanooga, Augustn, Newman nnd
Griffin.
ATLANTA, On.,- May 21. At 4
o'clock about forty blocks had been
swept, extending from about Decatur
street northward to Merritts nvenne,
taking n toll of many fine residences.
At that time tho blaze bud not reach
ed l'once do Leon nvchue, but tbcro
appeared to be nothing to stop its
progress northward.
Starts In 'Warehouse.
ATLANTA, flu., May 21. Firo
(darling in u wurchouso section and
negro district hero Into today Bwopfc
north over the city, whipped by a
brisk wind. More than sixty houses
and several warehouses covering nn.
area of a dozen blocks, were destroy
ed at 4 p. in.
Tn a short timo the firo got beyond
control and went rapidly into the
while residence section. Reports said
it had covered n distance of ten or
twelve blocks and was gaining.
One thoiisuutl men from tho offi
cers' training camp nt Fort Mcl'hcr
soti were ordered into Atlanta to help
the fire department, which acknowl
edged ils inability to cope with the
flames. The Southeastern Under
writers' association nsked Mnyor
Candler lo call for aid from outside
cilies. Aid also lias been nsked from
stniill nearby cotmiiiin''ii'S.
Spreads to lEesldcnco Portion.
The fire, which started two blocks
cast of I'.dgcwood avenue at Fort
street, hail completely swept lit leust
a dozen blocks by 't ::t) p. in. and nil
area of more than ti score of blocks
appetired doomed. As the flames wero
swept forward by a high wind Ihey
ale northeastward, soon getting us
far north ns Auburn avenue. They
had crossed Forest avenue nt 3:111)
o'clock and were going toward l'onco
dc' Leon tivenuc, one of tho best resi
dence sections of the city.
I'rivati! automobile' trucks by tho
score were commandeered to gntbep
every fool, of hose in the city, llloek
nfler block was burning without any
thing whatever being dono to cheek
the flumes.
CLASH BETWEEN
TORPEDO FLOTILLAS
HKItl.IX, May 21. An engagement
between (ieininii and French torpedo
boats off the coast of Flanders la ro
ported In an official announcement
from tho admiralty. Tho announce
ment says:
"In the morning of the 20th, oft
tho coast of Flanders, a short outpost
engagement took place between Gor
man and French torpedoboats. Tho
onetiiy boats were repentedly hit by
our artillery and our vessels returned,
without losses or dnmago."
Tho French official statement Is
sued yesterday reported that a flo
tilla of German destroyora had boon
driven back to its hnso by a patrol at
four French torpedoboats. The
statement said one of the French vea
otlit bad fullered ome damage.