Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, September 21, 1917, Image 1

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

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1917)

Page of 6 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (2.5 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Page of 6 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextUnl-ersltv of Ortflon Library WEATHER Maximum yesterday, 89; minimum today, 41. FORECAST Tonight find tomorrow: Fair EDFORD Forty-seventh Tear. Dally Twelfth Tear. . MEDFORD. OREGOX, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1917 NO. 156 CPRM AN 11 PLI0ITY1 yjfj ismm u u u H mm u tsm maw m vmm m m m m m M Mail Tribune mm N 'AMERICA EXPOSED BERNSTORFF II $50,000 F0RINTRI6UE Astounding Addition to Disclosures of German Intrigues Made by State Department Ambassador Asked for $50,000 to Influence Congress Thru Unnamed Organization Be fore Break With America Advis ed Declaration for Ireland. WASHINGTON, Sept. 21. Sucre tary Lansing today mndo public as an astounding addition to tho series of diselosiircs of German intrigues in Amcriou and lsewliero a message sent by Count Von Bernstorff ill Jan uary of (his year to the Hell in for eign office requesting authority to pay out $00, 000 to influenee congress thru an unnamed organization, ap parently kuo"wn to the Berlin author ities. Count Von Bernstorff indicated in his messago that money had been paid this organization on former oe-j casions to perioral the same work. ilernslaorfPs Message. The text of the message, made public without comment, follows : "I request authority to pay up to $50,000 (fifty thousand dollars) in order, as on former occasions, to in fluence congress thru the organiza tion you know of, which can perhaps prevent war. "I am beginning in the meantime to act accordingly. "In the. above circumstances a pub lic official German declaration in favor of Ireland is highly desirable, in order to gain the support of Irish influence here." Whether the state department is in possession of other evidence indicat ing the ambassador's activities has not been revealed, but the extraordi nary disclosures already made have fixed tho belief that agents of tin? United States government have col lected and compiled the entire story of German duplicity and intrigue and that additional chapters will be added. IIimI Prior Knowledge. The reference to avoiding war is taken lis an indication that. Ambus Bador Von Bernstorff had prior knowledge of his government s in tention to proclaim a merciless wide spread submarine warfare and that he was equally confident that the United States government could not be easily pleased by mere promises. The German announcement of its in tention to expand its submarine ac tivities was not public until Janu ary 31, when the world was startled not only by the determination to re move all restrictions, but by the statement that it would become ef fective on the following day. Three days later the United States govern ment had expressed its disapproval by severing relations with Germany. 8mall Sum ltepiotod. That the German ambassador knew of his government's intention was assumed by some officials, allho at the asme time he denied prior knowl edge ami those in eloso touch with the embassy were given to under stand that he did not approve the (Continued on page six. ) JURY UNABLE 10 AGREE, SEDITION CASE SKATTUE, Sept. 21. After delib erating for more than seventeen hours, the jury in the seditions eon- Maracy ease in the federal court re jKirted to Judge Jeremiah Nelcrcr this morning that it was unable to agree upon a verdict as to Unlet XT. Wells, former president" of the Seattle cen tral labor council, and Sam Sadelr. Aaron FUlcrmnn, the third defend ant, was found not guilty. DISCLOSURES OF BERNSTORFF IRES Investigation Demanded to Clear Good Names Some Members Un der Suspicion of Receiving German Money Whole Affair Likely to Be Unravelled. WASHINGTON, Sept. 21. lloprc- scntativc Ileflin of Alabama snuf on the floor of the house today that if permitted he could name thirt'ei: or fourteen members in the two branches of congress who had "acted suspic iously" and ought, to be investigated as u result of the disclosure of Count Bornstorft's .letter to Berlin asking for money to influence congress. An official investigation by con gress was suggested by Senator Ov erman of South Carolina, chairman of the senate rules and lobby investi gating committee. The latter is still in existence and the senator said, is in a position to act. Want TIioi-o l'rolic. "The whole affair ought to be nn ravelled to the end," he declared. "It is amazing and shows the despicable ends Germany had gone to." "That is an insult to this govern ment," Senator Stone, chairman of the senate foreign relations commit tee, nngrily declared when he read the Bernstorff messnge. "It is abso lutely intolerable," ho sujd. - " Senntor Stone said he had no knowledge of any attempt to influ ence congress as indicated by the German message, but that he, like many other congressmen, had receiv ed stacks of propaganda telegrams. Vieo President Talks. In voicing thd general resentment in congress over disclosures of Count Von Bernstorff's messnge, Vice-President Marshall today gave out a statement declaring the dis closure was proof of the German government's effort to divide Amer ica into factions by corrupt means, if necessary. "This ought to end forever any doubt in the mind of any Americans as to the justice and necessity for this war. It proves that the German government was seeking all along to split us into factions by corrupt means if necessary, and possibly hoping in time to win the war in Eu rope and then to humiliate and sub jugate us. He who is now not whole heartedly for the war runs n grave risk of being suspected of getting part of the German money.'' WASHINGTON, Sept. 21. Twenty leading flag makers 111 different parts of t lie country were formally charged by tho federal trade commission to day with making exorbitant profits out of American patriotism by con ccrted illegal action to raise flag prices. The complaint was tho result of tho commission's recent Investigation Into the sudden rise In flag prices after the declaration of war, made at the request of tho senate. The Inves tigation showed that in some eases 300 percent profit was made. Hear ing on the charges will be held No vember 5. PUT OUT OF BUSINESS I'KTKlKiliAD. Sept. 21. With a view to promotitng temperance wr mnmnily the provisional government has ordered that nil supplies ,,f al cohol at di-tillcris and on licenced pri'ini-es shall be used for the manu facture of vinegar and mineral wut- er-1. Thee products, it j scciticd. shall not contain more than 1 per cent nh-olml, MEDIATORS OFF? 10 END STRIKES PACIFIC COAST Special Commission Appointed by President Coming to Settle Ship yard Strikes and Probe Conditions Gavin McNab to Represent Ship Board in Ironworkers' Strike. WASHINGTON, Sept. 21. Mem bers of tho special commission ap pointed by tho president, of which Secretary Wilson Is the head, to In vestigate labor troubles 111 tho west, today were preparing to leave for tho Pacific coast. In addition to the ship yard strikes, the commission will In clude in its inquiry recent deporta tions of workers and charges of tho American Federation of Labor that Arizona employers subsidized I. W. W. activities In order to discredit the labor moveaieat. In announcing tho appointment of the commissioners, President Wilson declared he was anxious to eliminate labor disputes which are hindering-industry during the war. McXnb Representative. . Gavin McNab. San Francisco law yer, today waa appointed special rep resentative of the federal shipping board in negotiations looking to set tlemcn of the strike of iron workers In San Francisco shipyards. Chairman Hurley of tlieT board con ferred, today-wlth Seattle shipbuild ers and representatives of striking workmen there, but It Is understood the discussion did not produce any basis for negotiations. The men, it was said, laslst on a- fifty percent wage Increase and most of the build ers protested that to pay such a rato would eventually prevent the Pacific coast from participating in tho gov ernment shipping program under competition of eastern yards. Negotiations Fall. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21. Ne gotiations looking toward settlement of a strike of 25,000 members of un ions affiliated with the Iron Trades council, who walked out a week ago for higher wages, wore deadlocked early today, after an all night con ference between representatives of the men, their employers and federal mediators.. FRENCH DEPUTY PARIS, Sept. 21. The report of the apodal committee approving the apeal for the authorization of legal prooeerlingB against Deputy LouIh Tunnel was adopted by the chamber of deputies last night by a raising of hands, without discussion and In tho deepest silence. The resolution authorizing the suspension of purlin' mcntary Immunity was read by the president of tho chamber, Paul Den chanol. Deputy Turmel met with the spe cial committee during the afternoon nnd offered his explanations concern Ing the finding of the Swiss lunik noten In hltt locker room. Ile-couclud ed by associating himself with the demand for tho authorization of legal proceedings. MALI GOT FUNDS SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 21. Ad mission that he bad received Hums of money at various times from "a de fense league'' was mode by I'. K. Kigali during his cross. examination today in the trial of Frank C. Ox iiiiiu, cliurjicd with having fought to induce Kigali by bribery to testify falsely nuuiust Thomas .1. Mooncy, under sentence of death for one of the liMiab murders here in lhly, 1010. EX-AMBASSADOR INVOLV I A I Courtt J. H. voh Bernstorff , While America nnd Germany were still maintaining friendly relations, Ambassador Bernstorff nsked bis government for $,(I,(I(I0 to be spent ill influencing congress for peace1. TROOPS ATTACK THEIR ORGANIZER PETftOGRAD, Sept. 21. -A small riot occurred today in the ranks of the women's batalllon drilling at Moscow, and it resulted in an attack by the girls upon-Vera liutclikareff, the twice wounded girl officer who initiated the woman suffrage soldlnr organizations. According to the Bourse Gazette, an Infantryman ros- cuod Comandcr Butchkarcff after some rough handling from the infurt ated girls who resented some acts of their leader not clearly defined. As a result of the affair many of the girls will be sent homo and only 250 will bo permitted to go to the front. A second riot of more serious con sequences is reported to have fol lowed an attempt by a crowd of wo men to take away from one woman a small quantity of cloth which sho had purchased at tho market place. Militiamen tried to defend the wo man and they in turn wero assailed Mounted militia and Cossacks dis persed the rioters but not until they had wrecked tho mllltla headquar ters and had beaten to death a gov ernment agent who had shot Into the crowd. CANADIAN IIKAIICJIIAIITKHS IK FltANCE, Sept. 21. A captured let ter, written by one Gorman soldier to another, gives somn Indication of what is happening In tho occupied tor rltory. lie says: "I am attached to the rcquisil ton ing service in Fouolles district. We take from the French population all their lead, tin, copper, cork, oil, can dlestirks, pots, and anything at all like that goes off to Germany. It Is not very nice often to havo to take their wedding presents, but tho no cessttles of war forces us to It. I had a good haul tho other day with one of my comrades. In a walled up room we found 15 Instruments In copper. These alone weighed 2," kilos. And thero was a whole lot of stuff bosldes You can Imagine what kind of a nolso the old hag who owned them made I Just laughed. Hhn deserved all sho got. There was ten thousand marks worth of stuff there, for I did not count a lot of hales of pure wool and lots of other things. The command ant was very pleased, and we ought to receive a reward." ED IN NEW DISCLOSURES I BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCIS, Sept. 21 (by the Associ ated Press). The scene of the pres ent British offensive includes ono of the most imimrtunt nnd strongest parts of the German line in this sec tion nnd lias been mnrked by some of the most hitler fighting of the war since the nllies weeks ago be gan their drivo which lias become known ns the battle oT Flanders. Tho wooded elevations enst and southeast of Yprcs, among which arc such dom inating positions as Glcneorso wood nnd Invernea Copse, were the vital ooiuls, ami the Germans had made Iheir defense hero as nearly impreg nable us they were able, being deler mined lo retain them without, rgard to the cost. The battles of tho past, few weeks bear wilncsH to the strength of Ilia defenses lit these points. The crucial sector may be said lo begin with Hie ridgo known ns Anzne, which lies about n mile southwest of Sonnobeke. Southwest of Anzne is Nun's wood, nnd ,iust cast of this is the famous forest known ns Polygon wood. When the British ill August fought their way forward to the Polygon wood they found Nun's wood so flooded that thev were forced lo go around it, nnd the ground here still presents great difficulties lo the movement of troops because of ils swampy condition. Nun's wood merges into Glencorsr wood on the south and n little further down and astride the Ypres-Menin highwav is Inverness. Here the Ger mans had built, great steel and con crete redoubts whose machine guns dominated the southern part of Glen corse wooil and the northern scclioi of Inverness. HURLED TO DEATH HKATTl.E. Sept. 21. I.ouls Mc Carrell, a barber, aged 2, was killed about dnyllglil this morning when he foil or was thrown from a second story window of a hotel on Wostlakc avenue to thn sidewalk below. Mrs. Clnudln lloyd, aged 2.1; Mrs. Teddy Martin, ased 27, and W. E. Welhorn, an electrician, aged 22, havo been arrested 111 connection with the case. Passers who saw McCnrrell fall said they thought a bundle of clothes was dropping. Tho prisoners said that they had returned from a dance. FROM OPEN WINDOW m MMmT BRITISH SEIZE VITAL POSITIONS 1 1A Rapid Program Made in Great Of fensive on the Ypres Salient Strongholds Captured and Heavy Fighting Continues Airship Su periority Gives British Advantage BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE, Sept. 20. (Dolnyed.).- By tho Associated Press. The Brit ish offensive which bogan t dawn ovor a wide front east of tho Ypres sallont, found the attacking forces Into today holding many positions of vital Importance and continuing tho fight In German torrltory tlong a lino which In many places repre sented an average gain of a uillo In depth. Such strongholds as Nun's wood, Gloncourso wood, Invornes copse and Shrewsbury forest .which have with stood numorous force assaults ro cently, wero entirely overrun by tho British who reached points wot be yond thorn. Heavy fighting is con tinuing at close range at various points and the Germans wore mass ing troops with the evident Intention of delivering a counter-attack. Kay of (ircnt Success. It has beon a day of great success for the British arms, for tho possess ion of wooded heights which they captured cast of Ypres unquestion ably Is of crucial Importance since thoso dominating positions form tho keystone of tho Gorman structure of defonso In tills sector. The greatest gains havo been mado between St. .Itilln and Hollenbeko, which was as had been planned, for within thlH stretch of country Ho tho important defensos Just mentioned. Tho troops that went out to the at tack represented some of tho finest men In the llrltlsh army. They en tered the conflict In high spirits and oagor for tho fray. Their advance was preceded by ono of tho most per foct and heaviest barrage fires yol attomptod. Tho men went ovor tho top stripped light nnd as a result of this, coupled with tho artillery sup port, they wero enabled to negotiate tho first stages of tho difficult ground rapidly. They had swept thru Glon sourso wood, Invornes copso nnd tho enstorn part of Shrewsbury forest by 8 o'clock, two hours and twonty min utes nftnr tho nltack began, nnd other advanced positlonswcro reached with equal rapidity, which is a remarkable achievement In view of the marshy nature of tho ground duo to heavy rains. Fortified Farms Attacked. On tho left of tho lino attacked heavy fighting developed on tho high ground on cither sldo of tho Sonnn- bnkc I.nugcmarck rond. A number of strongly fortified farms woro en countered in this region nnd bombed Into sbiimlsslon. Among these was Schuyler farm, a short distance southeast of St. .Inllen. Schuylor farm held out long against tho attacks and continued to play on tho British with mnchlno guns until it wns taken. Strong reststanfo was encountered on a redoubt on tho Yprcs-ltoulcrs railway weHt of Honnebeko. This re doubt Is a nuisftivo concrelo steel structure nnd withstood all of tho shell flro poured against It. The Itiltlah advanced on two sides and (Continued on Page Bli.) STOCKHOLM Sept. 21.- Ills patches from Berlin say that the newspaper Germanla has been sup pressed by tho German authorities until further notice. Gernuiuln wns thn leading organ of tho Catholic center and flood midway between the nnexatloiilst wing represented by the Cologne Volkct Zcltiing and the Erzberger school. It represented such a powerful Influence that the fiermnn censor decided to snpress It Kinr-n m nnnr nr r a ( Continued on i.aae six.) i in 1 1 ii ii n i 1 1 1 ii in 1 1 I VMIIIWklW WIIUI III BRITISH HOLD fillS WE IN BIG DRIVE Valuable Ground Won Consolidated Mile Advance on Eight-Mile Front Counter-Attacks Repulsed With Heavy Loss Towns of Vold hoek, Zevenkote and Numerous Important Strategic and Fortified Farms and Tracts Captured. By Associated Press, Sept. 21. Today found the British in Flanders holding all the vnltinble ground they gained in their nttack of yesterday, when they surged forward on an eight-mile front on both sides of the. Yprcs-.Menin rond, penetrating the German lines more than a mile in places mid enpluring prisoners in ex cess of 2000. All the reports emphnsize the com pleteness of tho success the British troops achieved. They hold Veld hock, Zovcnkoto nnd numerous strat egically important furins und wooded tracts which hud been heavily forti fied by tho Germans, but which wero captured in tho resistless British sweep. ' Counter Attacks Full. Tho Germans attempted to conn; tor-utlaok Into yesterday, but every thrust wns effectively dealt with by the British guns, which wiped out the ndvnncing lines of German infantry. Tho heavy disunities HUstnined in Iheso fruitless nltncks, evidently im pelled the German command to order their cessation, for I hero wero no rcpclilions of them during tho night nnd the llrilish were nblo to consol idate (heir new won ground without disturbnnec. LONDON, Sept. 21. Field Marshal Halg In later reports regarding the British offensive on the Belgian front to the east of Yprcs yesterday when the British troops pushod thru the German lines for a distance of more than a mllo, says that tho complete ness of tho British success is con firmed by detniled accounts of the battlo. Tho British war office aftor tho receipt of Field Marshal Haig'g report today Issued thlB bulletin: Success Complete. "Moro detailed accounts of yes terday's battlo confirm thn complete ness of our success. During the ovnnlng local attacks delivered by us In tho neighborhood of Tower ham lets and northeast of I.nncmarck cleared up a number of strong points and completed thn capture of our ob now established that In tho many counter-attacks delivered by consid erable, forces of tho enemy during tho afternoon and evening his casualties "Tho clear light of tho lattor part of the day enabled our troops to ob tain warning of tho Impending at tacks and In every case tho advanc ing Hues of Gorman Infantry wore destroyed by the eoncontrntod fire from our rifles, machine guns and artillery. "Tho obstinacy with which tho enemy constantly repeated his attacks only added to his losses without re covering for hhn nny of tho valuablo ground which we had won. "Exhausted by his previous efforts the enemy made no counter-attacks CALLED TO FRANCE WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 1. Tho American Red Cross announced today that Dr. Charles L. Mooro of Port land. Ore., with sixteen specially trained nurses had been sent to Franco to reinforce, tho Infant wel fare unit now working there In Bn effort to reduce tho high death rata among children under two years of age.