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TTEATITET? Maxlimun ycsTcvclay, 90; minimum f ofay, 52. FORECAST Toniglit and tomorrow, fair.
iMBUNE
tt r
f Forty-aeventh Tear.
Dally Twelfth Yanr.
MEDFORD. OREGON; WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1"), 1917
NO. 124
BRITISH BATTLE FO
H it -H(WSl "TO KT . . . "TT 1ST
i i i ra-irv - m v am ar iwi
E
ATCOALCJTY
f First Line Trenches From Lens to
.
.Loos Captured Hill 70, Com
manding Lens, Taken Satisfac
tory Progress Made at All Points
French Attack Near Coast in Vi
finity of Dixmude and Meet With
Success.
'British front in France
AND 1SELGICM, Aug. 1".. Consid
erable numbers of German prisoners
arc beginning lo arrive in the eol
lectiun depots. The now British
.front bus been established nn .a tri
angular lino like u pair of shears
whose points are to 1 lie torlh and
south of Ix'iis.
This afternoon British and Ger
mans wore in close f;ripei in the wes
tern part of the city of Lens itself,
ilpliivinsr t he brilliant morning ad
vance whereby the Canadians eap
tnred Hill 70 and then swept on
northwest of Lens.
1 The British and French returned
tt the attack in northern France and
Belgium last night and preliminary
.reports indicate that they have won
Fcousldcrable success. The principal
blow was struck by the British on a
front of about 4 000 yards from the
northwestern outskirts of Lous to the
Bofs Hugo n.orthoast of Loos. Gen
eral Huig announces that his troops
carried the German first lines at all
'points and are 'making satisfactory
progress. Hill 70, a German strong
hold, northwest of I.ens, which doini-
nates tho city, has been stormed by
the Canadians.
. Closing in nn Lens.
Since the beginning of the attack
on the Northern cud of tho Frunco-
Uelgiau line the Canadians have been
i,maklng steady progress around I.ens,
driving slowly into "the outskirts of
this important and bitterly disputed
(mining center. The now all ark on
ptVjf front immediately north of I.ens,
evidently is designed to close around
itho city from the north, if success
ful, this operation may compel the
Germans to evacuate the (own wit h
ioiit a direct attack on It, with tho
.heavy sacrifices such a move probably
fwould involve.
fcjf The French attack was made near
Wic coast, In the vicinity of Dixmude.
The official communication from
turis reports good progress west of
(Continued on page- six )
RMY SEEKS 10
PLACE RIGHT MAN
IN RIGHT PLACE
it
I WASHINGTON', An?. .. Army
ticers who will organize the iin-
jonul army divisions face the task
mnking the best possible use of
nt' ii selected for duly by the local
bj'.irds. Anion? litem will be highly
Kuincd individuals, specialists in
Mrticulur lines and efficient me
chanics. It is I lie intention of the
pnir department to net the maximum
advantage for Ihe nation out of each
Uun's sH'cial (nullifications anil his
previous occupation will be carefully
Mnsiilcrcd in nssigning him to duty,
ja During the monlhs of training al
Hue cantonments n process of shift
ing and transfer wit, ensue, (is men
itc sorted out. One man will be ns
iV't'i'd to transport trains because of
Ms special knowledge of horses or
tlilor trucks; another to hospital
Wi-rk because of previous training in
M: 1 1 line of work; another to aviation
tt' iiusp he has worked with gas cu
llies; still another to the artillery
M'tiiisc he shows special ability in
wit live or his "civil occupation has
mcd his sight and haiiiis.
m
SUCCESSFUL
HILL 70
IN
BY CANADIANS
WITH BAYONETS
In Battle of Lens, Which Began at
Daybreak, Canadians Storm Cita
del Commanding Lens Defenses
and Considered ' Impregnable
Last Dominating. Position.
CANADIAN ARMY HUADQCAR
TICK'S IN' FRANCE, Aug. 15. In the
battle of r.ens, which began at day
break this morning, the Canadians
have once more made a splendid and
successful attack upon the Germans
Early reports indicate that tho Ger
mans first and support lines along a
front of 4000 yards, extending front
the environs of I.ens lo the chalk pits
1511(1 yards south of Jlullucli, huvo
been carried by storm. The assault
ing waves included men from, all
parts of Ihe Dominion.
Won by Canadians. .
rSRITISH FRONT IN" FRANCE
AND BELGIUM, Aug. 15. Hill 70,
the famous German stronghold,
northwest of the French mining city
of Lens, which dominates the city
and the Loos salient, was captured
this morning by the Canadian forces.
The British also pushed their lilies
into the northwestern environs of
Lens in a semi-circle around the
eastern side of Hill 70. The British
nl tack was made on a lOOII-yard
front al an extreme depth of 10011
yards. .
Beginning at a point just above
Hugo wood, the new British iiositions
now run southeast and beyond Hill
70 toward Lens. The ' line then
bends southwest and encircles the
suburbs of St. Laurent and St. F.m
ilie. -
Guns Pound for Days.
The liritish guns had been pound
ing for days at Hill 70, which the
Germans considered impregnable.
The infantry attack began n't 4:'J
o'clock Ibis morning. The capture of
Hill 70 ranks in importance with the
biggest military operations of this
year. It was the last dominating
position in this section which re
mained in lite hands of lite Germans,
and from it a wide territory can he
controlled.
Hill 70 is to Lens and Ihe Loos sal
ient what Messines is to Ypres, and
in some ways it is even a more envi
able position than the Messines
.ridge, because even alter the fall of
Messines the Germans slill retained
llilkem ridge, from which they could
sweep the country surrounding
Ypres.
Germans Prepared.
Hill 70 was bombarded with gnus
of all calibers, which worked havoc
among the Gcrinitu defenses on the
rest of Ibis eminence. The Germans
undoubtedly prepared for Ihe allack
ns fully as possible, as there is no
question that they were aware it was
impending.
It was just twenty-five minutes
past 4 o'clock when Ihe British guns
dropped n protecting barrage before
the Canadian trenches and the troops
leaped over the parapet for the
charge. Details of the fighting are
not yet available, but the troops
swept forward with the invincible
precision which bus characterized
the latest work of the great British
fighting machine.
10 IS ARRESTED
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15
William Alexander, who told the po
lice he was ft constructing engineer,
was arrested early today in n hotel
here on a telegraphic warrant from
the sheriff of Sunla Clara county,
charging him with having passed bad
checks in San dose. Ilc,suid he mis
well known in Portland, Or. His
explanation was that lie did not know
his personal account had b'n over
drawn, and that the amount involved
wus less than $JU.
GREAT
What Is Edison
Rumor That Inventor Has Perfected
Method of Solving U-Boat Problem
Westinghouse Plant Is Secretly
Building Contrivance Under Edi
son's Direction.
ORANGE, N. J., Aug. 15. Here Is
the wonderful war mystery!
More thrilling than trench capture!
More important than wheat! More
romantic than air duels! More en
grossing than these and all the rest,
becauso it is still a mystery.
What is tho mysterious secret in
vention Edison, America's wizard,
has perfected to destroy the U-boats.
This Is the big question mark of the
entire world war. "
Here are the facts:
Stimimiry of FnctA.
1. Almost a year ago It was widely
announced that America's electric ge
nius had a marvelous scheme by
which electric rays would set of ex
plosives at great distance.
2. Sovoral months ago a prominent
member of the naval consulting board
of experts announced American in
ventive genius was about to turn
against Germany a mysterious de
structive agent that would rid the
sea of U-boats.
3. July 14 Edison himself, In one
of his rare statements, issued to bis
subordinates, said cryptically: "We
now have all the rebellious elements
under control. Today will be remem
bered as the time when we Temoved
the last jinx from the record."
4. July 20, the navy department
permitted the announcement that a
device to detect; TMioats ten 'utiles1-
away wus nearly perfected.
Government Silent,
5. A high government officer said
only a few days ago that Edison hud
just completed a task that would
make him thoi greatest man lu the
world.
6. Tho Westinghouse company,
leading makers of electric appliances,
is enlisting 1000 men willing to be
absolutely locked in from the outside
world, holding , no communication
with it, for ten months, making "war
munitions."
7. Kdlson, whlto-halred, had been
working for months, 1G, IS, 20 hours
a day, in a veritable frenzied debauch
of sleepless night and days, on the
siibmarlno problem before he made
his electrifying announcement.
8. iNto government official will ay
a word.
INow what is the conclusion?
Conclusion Guessed.
1. Was the announcement of the
new rays of remarkable power some
body's dream?
2. Was the naval consulting board
expert olther a liar or a muniac? Tho
board Is not mndo up of that kind of
men. Furthermore, his statement
was not denied.
3. Did Kdlson boast wildly when
he said ho had solved the lust war
puzzle? Well you can number 100
magical Inventions from Kdlson's
brain. Can you number one boast?
4. Was the navy department talk
ing thru its hat when It said U-boats
were unmasked ten miles away?
5. Is the hlh government official
who said Edison had finished a Job
that would "make him the world's
greatest man" crazy?
6. ' Is the Westinghouse company
turning Itself into a prison because It
believes that will attract lubor la
the"se times of labor shortage?
Wonderful My.lTy.
7. Why doesn't pomo high official
put these speculations to rest by an
official denial of them all?
Isn't It plain thai, Instead of moro
than tho facts being revealed, thoro
exist moro tacts than have even been
hinted at?
Jules Verne predicted the U-boat.
John P. Holland built it.
II. G. Wells In his "War of the
Worlds" told bow the Invading In
habitants of Mars used against the
earth folk a powerful light ray that
burned everything In tho path It
swept.
Is Kdlson, thru a WestlnKhoiiso
made machine, to turn this light ray
on the German sharkB?
The wonderful war mystery Is the
most gripping war thought today.
Iv will be the greatest world news
Item tomorrow.
WAR MYSTERY
Working on Day and Night?
r W W IP 1:3 jtf'A
i nirr-K u l, n m Vkiitv. ff
oiiiir Mm-
I. W. W. ORDERS Wit'
"GENERAL STRIKE
Walk Out August 20 Unless Demands
Are Complied With in Four States
Demand Release of All Class
War Prisoners, Ten-Hour Day in
Harvest Fields and No Interference
SI'OKANIVAiig. 15. Unless five
specific demands arc granled by Au
gust lid, the Industrial Workers of
the World will call a general strike in
Washington, Oregon, Idaho and
Montana, according t,o u statement
today by James Rowan, district sec
retary of the organization.
The cull for a general strike is ad
dressed lo all construction and har
vest workers. Rowan said Ihe gov
ernors of Washington, Idaho, Mon
tana, and Oregon have been notified
of the cull for a strike, unless their
demands arc grunlcd. The demands
are ns follows:
All class war pri.-oncrs must be re
leased. A ten-hour day in the liarvcsl
fields.
Bctler sanitary
conditions'.
N'o discrimination against union
men for being such.
I ii ion halls in u -1 be allowed to
conduct let-itiiaatc business of organ
izing workers without interference
from commercial clubs, "yigilunles
or corporation-controlled public of
ficials." The cull for a -.Iriko recites Unit
for "the last lew weeks n systematic
pcr-ci'iilion has 1 u carried on
agaiusf ourameuibcrs. Hulls have
been closed, tier lueinbers have been
arrested by hundreds and thrown into
jails ami held there without trial and
without any clntrL'i'-i being preferred
ngainsl them. The treatment accord
ed our fellow workers in these places
is nothing short of barbarous,"
The lynching of Frank Lillle, an
I. W. W. lueiilber, in Untie, is cited lis
an example of Ihe "ladies that lire
iidvocaleil against us by Ihe master
class."
l'ARIS, Aug. 15. Six persons
were killed and nine others were
wounded when strikers clashed yes
terday with sol.li-Ts at Barcelona,
according lo a statement issued by
the Spanish cupl-iiti-gcncral nnd
received hem by the l'clit I'arisicii.
Thomas A. Ivdlson at work In Ills
lalxicatoiy at, Orange, X. J. ltelow is
Sccrctavy Daniels of tho l nltcil Slates
navy giving Ivdlson a congratulatory
handshake for what?
LONDON, Aug. IT,. American
troops murched thru London today.
They were reviewed by Ambassador
I'ago and Jatcr by King George at
Buckingham palace. Great crowds lin
ed tho streets, which were decorated
profusely with American and British
flags. Knthusiasm was shown every
where. The Americans were cheered
by civilians, by soldiers on their way
to the front and by wounded men.
A cublnct meeting, In progress
when Hie Americans upproachcr
Whitehall, was adjourned lo permit
the premier mid his colleagues to pay
their coiupllmeiiiH lo Ihu Americans.
The cublnct went In a body lo the war
office.
As the Americans passed tho Horse
Guards purudo lo Whitehall, they
were greeted from the windows of the
war office by Premier Lloyd-George,
Foreign Secretary Balfour, Chancel
lor l.oiinr-I.aw, Wor Secretary Derby,
Winston Spencer Churchill, minister
of munitions, Sir Ocorge N. Barnes,
member of the war council; Admiral
Jclllcoo li ml other high officials, as
well as by French and Belgian offi
cials, The evening newspaper; say that
for a parallel to Ihe scenes witnessed
today In the neighborhood of Trafal
gar S(ii;ire, It proh-ihly would be nec
essary to recall llirtlme of the South
African war mm the return home of
the troops.
FORMER CZAR
AND HI FAMILY
SIBERIAN EXILES
Ex-Emperor Nicholas, Wife and Chil
dren Secretly Removed From Pal
ace at Tsarkoe-Selo and Shipped
for Unknown Destination, Report
ed to Be Tobolsk, Siberia.
I'ETRO(IRAI), Aug. 15. The
semi-official Russian News Agency
announced tonight that Former Em
peror Nicholns nnd his family were
removed today from the palace nt
Tsarkoo-Selo mid that it was report
ed they were being transported to
Tobolsk, Siberia
Tobolsk is an out-of-the-way town
of western Siberia, far from the
railroad and visited only by steniu
ers which ply Ihe Irlysh river. In
former times it was an administrat
ive ccnler for exiles banished to Si
beria by the Russian rulers. It is a
city of something moro than .20,000
inhabitants. Tho climate is extreme
ly severe in wilder.
I'ETROGHAI), Aug. 15. Nicholas
Romanoff, tho deposed Russian em
peror, and the members of his fam
ily wore spirited away under cir
cumstances of extreme mystery early
yeslcrday morning from Tsarkoe
Selo to an unknown dcstiimlion,
which the provisional government
firmly refuses lo reveal.
" None Nmv lciarlure.
No one except Ihe local mililary
and officials specially sent from l'et-
rograd witnessed the departure, and
according lo a slaleiuent miide to the
Associated Press by N. V. Nckru
soff, vice-president of Hie council of
ministers, Iho account published in
too only newspaper Unit reported llic
iiffair was imaginary.
It appears that the plan was to re
move Nicholas before dawn, but the
train arrived lit Tsarkoe-Selo sev
eral hours late. Instead of Iho gorg
eous imperial train in which Nicholas
was taken lo the Tsarkoe-Selo from
Mohilev in Murch, an ordinary train
composed of three sleeping curs, n
liming cur and several third-class
coaches was sent. A second train
was assigned lo lake the baggage and
servants, filly of whom 1 ompuiiied
the ex-einperor anil his fumily into
exile, Nicholus was very depressed
in appearance, but ex-Empress Alex
andra, who was seen wnlking for the
first time in monlhs, seemed lively
and pleased at Ihe prospect of ii
change in surroundings.
I'ETROGHAI), Aug. 15. Former
Emperor NichohtH mid his fumily nro
being transferred lo another point.
They were removed in mi ordinary
Irain iuMcnd of Ihe gorgeous imper
ial train on which Nicholas was
brought lo Ihe pali The former
emperor appeared to bo much de
pressed. Former Empress Alcxiindra
clued to be pleased ut Ihu prospect
of a change. M. Nekrnsoff, vice
premier, said today Hint the removal
of Nicholas .was decided on after n
series of secret ses-ions held by the
council of Ministers on Monday. The
motives of Hie niiiiislcr, he said, arc
political ami military. It was decid
ed to gel Nicholas oul of the wnv be
fore cireiiiusliiiiccs arose making it
dil'lieull. When Ihe . former czar
renehes his dcsliiialion Ihe fuel will
be ahnoiinrcd.
The pro, i -i, aim I government today
formally refused lo reveal the dcs.
tiiiulion of Ihe former imperial fam
ily. WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.--Tearing
of Manners from Ihe nilfrago pick
els of the woman's party al Ihe while
house gales and attacks upon Ihe
parly headiuartcrs at l.a Fayette
park, across the way, cotiliuncd to
day. G I nalnreil, hut dclermincd,
crowds tore down Ihe banners as fast
us lliey appeared.
UNCLE SAM
TO PURCHASE
WIIEATCROP
Hoover Forms Fifty Million Dollar
Corporation to Purchase Enough
of 1917 Wheat Crop to Stabilize
Prices Agencies to Be Opened at
All Principal Wheat Terminals
No Commission to Be Charged Ex
cept to Cover Cost of Operation.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15. Gov-
eminent purchase ot enough of tho
1017 wheat crop to stabilize prices in
Iho United States was forecast in tho
lormalion today or n $50,000,000
corporation by Hie food ndniinislrii
lion. The intention is lo I'.iko over
the entire harvest if necessary to
niahilain fair prices. "The ecrjiir.i
t'on will iniike all allied parchns-s of
wheat and flour and thus will stabil
ize prices to the allies.
The food ndminislralion tvill open
agencies at nil tho principal whent
terminals, currying on Hi trnnsac
lions willi the usual dealers. No
commission chargo will be made x
ccpt to cover eosls of opjrulion. The
price to he paid for wheat will lio1
fixed by u eoinmitiee under the grain
division, headed by President Giu
lield of Williams college. This price
is lo bo muinlaiiicd in private n.i well
us toveriiiucnl Iriiiisuclions,
The corporation will be put under
Ihe gruin division of the food ad
ministration and its executive offi
cers will be the siiinu as Iho officsrs
of this division, whose names wero
announced loday as follows;
Herbert Hoover, chairman; Julius
Uurnes. Duluth. president: Gates W.
McOarruh, New York, treasurer; F.
G. Crowell, Kansas City, vice-president;
Edward Chambers, Chicago,
transportation dlroctor; furtls II.
Llndley, San Francisco, counsel; J.
W. Shortblll, York, Nebraska, secre
tary, i
Prico Fixing Hoard. ' " '
The personnel of the wheat prlee
fixing commission was announced an
follows: t
Honry A. Garfield, president of
Williams college, chairman; Charles
J. Barrett, Union City. Ga.. Drosldent
of tho Farmers' Union; William D.
Doak, Roanoke, Va., vlco-preslent of
tho Brothorhood of Railroad Train
men; Eugene 13. Funk, Bloomlngton,
111., president of the National Corn
association ; Kdaward F. Ladd, Forgo.
N. I)., president of tho North Dakota
Agricultural College; It. Goodwin
Ithott, Charleston, S. C president of
the (Chamber of Commerce of tho Uni
ted Slates; J. W. horlhl, York,
Neb., secretary of the National Coun
cil of Farmers' Co-operutlvo associa
tion: James W. Sullivan. Brooklvn.
N. Y., of tho American Federation of
(Continued on page four.)
E
BERLIN, Aug. 15. Anstro-Clor-nn
forces in the lowlands of tho
Scrclh river, on the Ruinaniiin front,
vcslcrdiiv stormed the briilcebcnd nt.
llalliirclu, on Ihe west bank of the
river, according to Ihe official stnlc
incnt issued todav bv Iho German
general stall'. The Russians and Ru
manians lost on the Scroti) nnd in
t lie moiiulains, the slaleniciit udds,
mote than .'ItlllO prisoners.
Troops under Field Marshal von
Mackcnscn arc pursuing the retreat
ing Riisso-Ruiuaniuu forces in tho
mountain land on both sides of tho
river Piilna. On the fringo in Iho
mountains the Teulons vestordiiv
captured Slraoani, northwest
I'mil.iu.
of