Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1917)
TODAY'S WEATO 4,400 SUBSCRIBERS (22,000 READERS) DAILY Only Circulatioa In talem Guar anteed by the. Audit Euieaa of Circulations. FULL LEASED WIRE DISPATCHES SPECIAL WILLAMETTE VAL LEY NEWS EEBVICE Oregon: Tonight and Friday rain; fresh southerly winds. ' iu..:. - -. SALEM, OREGON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1917 PRICE TWO CENTS XAvc FORTIETH YEAR NO. 296 T hope Janta UftlN" ME A ut ' CROIli GRILLED BY COMMUTE ON THE STAND TODAY Chief of Ordinance Not Al lowed to Withhold Facts From Inqusitors CHAIRMAN CHAMBERLAIN PRESSES INVESTIGATION Crozier Finally Blames Sec retary of War For Delay In Munitions Supply .. INTO SECRET DETAILS Washington, Dee. 13. Aftor grilling Crozier three houra in open session, the committee this afternoon went into a meet ing with him behind barred doors. They will demand to be shown nil secret facts and fig ures on the rifle, machine gun and artillery situation as it affects the American army. " Washington, Dec. 13. Eight months after the -United States entered the war, rifle factories in this country are only making half as many rifles daily as they were making far the allies be ' fore we got into the war. The machine gun officially adopted for the American army has never been piven a test under actual war condi tions. These disclosures were made today to the senate military affairs commit tee during a grilling cross examination of Major General William Crozier, chief of ordnance. . President Wilson, however, showed his faith iu Crozier by reappointing him today. Disputes Over Gun Jypca Crozier reluctantly told, under cross examination, how disputes over tho types of machine gun had prevented manufacture of any for the American forces for a year before wo got into the war, in s4to of tho fact that a large appropriation had been mado for these weapons. "Who is responsible for this situa tion t" demanded Senator Chamber lain. "The secretary of war," replied Crozier, almost in a whisper. ' Crozier said that although the -Brown (Continued on page two) "HOW WILL WAR END?" SHOULD BE THE ONLY QUESTION Note William G. Shepherd, stafi correspondent of the United Press, who, since 1914, has visited all the bel ligerent nations and ihas served on mqje war fronts ,than any other Amer ican correspondent, returned from Rus sia on leave a month ago. Since tliat time he has been traveling and lectur ing in the middle west. T'je following article Is from a trained observer -who has been stirred by a serious condition ?ud a danger not generally sensed. (The editor.) By William G. Shepherd (United Press staff correspondent) Chicago, Dee. 13 Bolshevikism is trying to poison and weaken the mili tary strength of the United States, just as it did Russia. To an Americau conversant with the situation in Rus sia and familiar with the methods and tactics of the Bolsheviki and other German conspirators, tho situation de veloping in the middle west, under the very noses of the most patriotic ele ments among our citizenry, is an ap palling one. As a nation we are as much a factor in the war as any one of the allies which already paid their heavy toll in dead. As a people Americans at home have not gtitten the war spirit. The issues are little discussed and less un derstood. The situation is ideal for the spread of Bolsheviki propaganda. Everywhere the question of the hour is "when will the war end!" Seldom is it "How will the war end?" For months the stock question of the Ger man propagandist in Russia has been "When will the war end?"' It is the question, constant reiteration of which finally undermined the Russian morale and brought about the collapse. - America is n.'t angry. Germany knoivs this, counts on it. It is her frame to avoid arousing tins nation, liern s.'orff played it well- The propagandists li" !tft b'liird are playing it well. " Germany well Kr.ows that to sin'if an American transport would fill tlie 0 T V. 4 V- f v l 4-. r J '. V " ism: Gen. William Crozier. SOAP BOX ORATOR URGES CANADIANS TO VOTE FOR DRAFT Sentiment of Canadian Sol diers Strongly Favors Conscription By J. W. Pegler (United Press Staff Correspondent) American Field Headquarters, France, Pee. 13. Conscription in Canada will win in u walk if the sentiment of Can adians among the American militia now 'over here" can be regarded as a bar ometer. The "Simon pure" Americans in tho expeditionary forces routed out all their Canadian pals today and cheered them as they entered polling booths to vote on the question Out m trout of one polling place a led heand New Yorker, formerly n Tammany Hall soap box orator, pulled an impromptu electioneering speech f . nin tho tailboard of a supply wagon. "What will happen if conscription ioses in Canadaf" ho demanded. "Why, the Canadian corps will melt from the line like September snow under an In dian summer sun. Am I right?' "Of course you're right," came an answering yell from his audience. 'You're" dog-gone right I'm right," tlo oraror resumeu. "And what '11 the kaiser say if con scription loses?" "Well, he'll slap Hindenburg on the shoulder Fnd say, 'Hindy, old boy, we ;ve licked -Canada.' Ain I right!" The chorus came instantly and thun derously. "Of course you're right." 'You're dog-gone right I'm right," (Continued on pag two) ASKED NOW front pages of American newspapers and carry sorrow and anger to every corner of the United States. The Am erican navy's brilliant convoy system is not to go under estimated but the fact remains that no transport filled with troops has been sunk. The fact has the same lulling effect that Ger- j man inaction had on the Russians. German propaganda cannot be preached to an angry American public. The German game is to keep the Am erican people tranquil while the poison of German propaganda is poured into them by the Germans in the United States. This was the German maneuver in Russia. It is to German advantage not to provide heavy casualty lists, just as long as German peace propa ganda can be carried on in American cities. When the propaganda campaign fails. America will .learn the meaning of " f rightfulness." To ciie who has been in Europe in war time, who has seen the life and death struggle there and the despera tion of the citizens in their willing ness to sacrifice everything to stamp out Germany's military menace, the apathy and the unthinking selfishness of unaroused, unangered Americans is something of a shock, in That it can 'mean nothing other than an indefinite ) dragging out of the conflict. American action spurred by anger ana amrm, can alone bring a satisfactory answer to the qnestirn "When and how will the war end?" MUNICIPAL FISH BOAT Portland. Or., Dec. 13. A municipal fish boat is to be Portland's latest pub lic utility. The council today authoriz ed nf 9 vessel to nnornte in the -fish banks off the Oregon coast and ! supply the municipally owned and op ' crated fish, market. The council also (plans extensive educational and adver tising campaigns to increase fish consumption. KERR NOT OFFERED JOB B Y THE KANSAS COLLEGE, (Kansas City Star Nov, 26, 1917) Tapeka, Nov. 26. Dr. W. J. Kerr, president - of tho Oregon Agricultural college, has not been offered tho pres idency of tho Kansas Agricultural col lege. This was the statement of the board of administration today. The rotemibcrs of the board returned from Washington, where they have been in conference with agricultural college men from all parts of tho country. "This board has mado no offer to Dr. Kerr," said E. W. Hoch, chairman of the board. "We have never discuss ed tho presidency of the Kansas school with him. We met him as wo met many GENERAL STRIKE ON BUT ENDS QUICKLY PRESIDENT ACTS s Federal Arbitration Beard Is Ordered to Proceed to Twin Cities at Once St. Paul, Minn., Dec. 13. The general strike of all union labor affecting every industry in the Twin Cities was called off at 1 p. m. Every striking employe was ordered to return to work. Iu several instances men who had been out only a few hours were refused their jobs when they returned, ' Strike Was General St. Paul, Minn., Dec. 13. Labor lead ers at 12:30 o'clock this afternoon said the general strike which had been in ef fect for two and a half hours, in sym pathy with locked out union street car men, may be called off at any moment. Secretary , Lawsou of the Minnesota Labor Federation at Washington is re ported to have telegraphed Twin City labor leaders to call off the strike and order the men back to work, following (Continued on page eight) Kerr Decides to Stay For Raise of Salary Oregon Agricultural College, Cor vallis, Dec. 13. After carefully weigh ing all features entering into the of fer from the Kansas ' Agricultural col lege and his present position as head of the Oregon institution, Dr. W. J. Kerr has announced that he will re main here and. devote his undivided attention to a continuation of the de velopment of this state. Dr. Kerr's salary has been advanced from 7000 to $8400 a year. Dr. Kerr mado known his decision yesterday morning at a special confer ence with J. K. Weatherford, president of the board of regents. His strong faith in the future of the state and the affection of himself and family for the people of Oregon, combined with the wish to push forward tha many features inaugurated under his administration, led him to tho decision he said. Dr. Kerr was offered $9000 a year to accept the presidency of the Kansas college, but he will remain here on a salary of $8400. He is assured of the fullest support of the regents and will have an otficiab residence on the cam pus, it has been announced. "I am glad Dr. Kerr has agreed to stay," said Mr. Weatherford. "I be lieve we have one of the greatest col lege presidonts in the United States. and know that it would have been a costly thing to lot him go. The state would not have been satisfied with a lesser man in his place, and in tho at tempt to procure his equal wo should have been in competition with more populous and wealthy states in tho east. It is exceedingly doubtful wheth er we could- have found an easterner acceptable for this western position at any prh'e-" ' Field Marshal Haig Pays Glowing Tribute to American Engineers By J. W. Pegler (United Press staff correspond ent) American Field Headquar- ters, France, Dec. 13. Field Marshal Haig paid eloquent and grateful tribute to the Am erican army engineers today. He wrote General Pershing thanking him and Pershing's engineers for "prompt and val uable assistance near Gouzea court," in tho rectnt German assault there. "I trust you will convey to these gallant men," Haig wrote "how much I appreciate their prompt and soldierly readiness to assist in what was for a time a difficult situation- I much regret the losses they suf fered. ' ' BOARD SA YS other agricultural college men at Wash ington, but the matter of the presi dency of our school was nc-t discussed in more than a casual manner. We never even asked him if he would like l to have us consider him as a possiblo president." - The other members of the board sub stantiated the statement of Governor Hoch. "I cannot understand how on earth the report ever get out," said Dr. Wilbur Masou. The report that Doctor Kerr had been asked to accept the presidency of tho Kansas state agricultural col lego was sent out from Portland, Ore. SECRETARY H'ADOO AND CONGRESS MAY HAVE FINISH FIGHT Clash Will Come Over Raising Revenues by Taxes Or Bond Issues Washington, Dec. 13. A clash be tween congress and Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo ou the issue of war taxes xorsus bonds sems inevitable. A determined movement is under way in congress today to fix a definite and stable war financial policy. Statesmen on capitol hill have, since the outbreak of the war, chafed under the administration's course, which, they claim, has relegated congress to the background. It is freely predicted that a flareup may be precipitated by action on war finances. It Is possible to state on the highest authority that McAdaa has not himself determined upon the, proportion of bonds and taxes. He does not want to forced to a decision at this time. He does not want any new tax .legislation at this session and hopes to avoid amendment of the war revenue bill pass ed at the last Bession. It is estimated that $10,000,000,000 in . bonds will be needed to provide revenue for this year over and above the sum raised through existing items and $7,000,000,000 addi tional in 1919. With the $12,000,000,000 worth of bonds authorized at the last session, the grand total in bonds as against the $5,000,000,000 taxes the rev enue law will raise in tie two years may lead to disaster, according to high taxationists. WOULD INCREASE LICENSE. Portland, Or., Dec. 13. Street car ofTvprtininir Tina not suffered bv war times, according to Commissioner Kel- laher. Today he will introduc.o an ordin ance boosting the local street car ad vertising concession's license from $250 to $1000 on the ground that the firm is making too much money. Auto Bandits Held Up Cashier and Take Funds Chicago, Dec. 13- Four bandits held up tho cashier of the State Bank of LaGrange, 30 miles west of here short ly before nor,n today and escaped in an automobile with between $15,000 and $25,000. At least $15,000 in gold was taken. The bandits, all cf whom were un masked headed for .Chicago, closely pursued by LaGrange policemen in two automobiles. Chicago detectives, in an other automobile, drove west to meet them. A battle is expected. Abe Martin : V "TV worst thing about short skirts an' pink hose," said Rev. Wiley Tan ger, t'day, "is th' tendency among our young men t' marry in ha9te." Ail some folks seem t' eaf about the' war is that they don't have t' go. VISIT TO TREEI1ES OF FIRST SAMS 0 GAVE UP LIVES Correspondent of Use United . Press Also Visits Utile Graveyard By W. S. Forrest (United rPess Staff Correspondent) With the French Armies in The Field, Dee. 13. I have walked over hallowed soil today over the ground dyed by the blood of the first Americans of the army to die in action fighting the fight of right against might. Through courtesy of the French army headquarters the United Press corres pondent was permitted to spend a day and a night in the very trenches where Privates Gresham, Hay and Kiiriirht per ished in the Gorman raid November 2. The night, was spent in a dugout a few feet distant frrom the spot where the first American was taken prisoner by the Germans. Before dawn the Unit ed Press correspondent accompanied a French patrol party out over the exact spot on No Man's Land where the Am ericans made their first reconnaissance, Later our party talked to a French sur geon who prized as his most precious possession a piece of the historic Ger man sholl which wounded the first Am erican. Then, later, with an American col league, Paul Scott Mowrer of Chicago we were guided by a French chaplain to a tiny village two miles to the rear of the fighting hues. We found tho town simply a hamlet typical of this part of Franco. We were guided to a ten-acre field surrounded by a high stone wall. The field's suoping surface was marred by rusted wire entanglements. . At the very bottom angle of the wall, eleven fresh sod-topped mounds mark ed the resting places of American dead. Wilted flowers covered them. At tho head of each was a five foot roughly hewn wooden cross. Of the eleven mounds, the first three at ouo end were enclosed in tiny, un- painted pine fences. Farthest away the cresses' told-us-thre lay Die t ody of Private Thomas Euright. Next was the grave of Private Merle D. Hay and nearest of the three was tno mounu covering the resting place of Private James B. Gresham. Tho markers for these three heroic Americans were octagonal wooden nameplates. Their full names, with the regimental numbers of each man and the date of their death, was inseriDca on each gnd an intpr-twined background of thcrStars and Stripes and the French tri-color made them stand out promin ently, On the fenco inclosing these graves of the first three Americans to fall is a wooden sign with Black painted on o white back ground. The inscription, translated, is: "Hero lie the first soldiers of the noble republic of the United States to fall on French soil for justico and liber ty." We paused at the graves of this heroic trio and then passed to the other eight graves not so well garnished with flowers. The first three in this group wero the graves of Abraham Meadows, Stanley Janovicy and Harry Meyers according to the roughly printed name boards. Here, while the scream of shells came unceasingly through tho air, with occas ional explosions vibrating the very earth in which these Americans rest, our chaplain said a brief prayer. My colleague and myself placed sprigs of evergreen foliago on each grave and then went back under drenchink skies toward the trenches WANT3 TO ENLIST Oakland, Cal., Dec. 13. "I'm tired of knitting. Please let me enlist.'' That was the plea of Miss Lillian Luttrell, pretty Oakland girl, to tho navy recruiting office here today but she is ba'k at her knitting again. There Amhular.ee Section of Americans Bound For Italian Fighting lines " By John H. Hearley (United Press sdnff correspond- 'ent) Rone, Dec. 13. The first American nmb ilance section to enter active service on the Ital- ian front departed from Milan today. There were three units, comprising 65 ambulances and 110 American university stu- dents in the detachment- The Americans were given a great sendoff by citizens of Milan. They passed in review before high officials there ltt a grteat parade and then were bade farewell as they entrained The American Red Cross, it was stated, expects to have at least 2O0 of its cars in the field on the Italian front by January 1. ' The units today are Ameri- ca's first official participation in the war on the Italian front- FAIL TO BREAK THE BRITISH LINE IN lASSEDAnACKS Long Prepard Attacks Gain Only Slight Hold In First Line Trenches FIGHTING IS NOT OVER BUT GREAT FORCE SPENT Artillery Is Reported Very Active All Along French Positions Today By William Philip Simms (United Press Staff Correspondent) With the British Armies iu the Field, Dec. 1J. British forces early today had apparently stopped Crowii Prince Kuiip- 1-0.,l,t'a 1 T..,n7wl ,A A- 1 v tne jjriusn nom around Jiullecourt." Fighting was still continuing fierce ly, but as this is cabled it appears that the Germans only succeeded iu advanc ing a few yards. The attack was per- naps me most lornuaable the British have yet had to sustain in this sec tion. . It was made with tho greatest con centration of men and guus the Ger mans have tried on this sector. The attack was patently designed by Crown Prince Rupprecht to break Byng's lines. The Uerman objectives were far beyond tho first British po sitions. Bavarian shock troops attack ed early Wednesday morning in dense masses to tho accompaniment of an in tensified artillery fire, which showed a tremendous concentration of guns. The German drive seems arrested ear ly today with the enemy holding a short section of advanced British positions. Simms dispatches yesterday hinted 4t an impending battle in the Cambrai sector; indication of - which wero fur nished in oxtremely heavy concentrated German aerial forces to keep British aviators from spying over the German lines. Ho also mentioned an increase in artillcrying which is usually regarded as preparatory to an attack, British Lines Hold. London, Dec. 13. British Hues out of Cambrai hold firm today despite a tremendous blow struck in almost con tinuous fighting yesterday bv Crown Prince Rupprecht 's reinforced army, Field Marshal llaig reported today. Tne German drive, he said, carried some of the enemy through the British line to obliterated British trenches, but the (Continued on page two) Mr. Plummcr Explains Why He Wants An Agricultural Agent For Marion County By O. M. Plutnmer (Special Representative of U. S. De partment ot Agriculture; Just a word in explanation of my prcsonce in Marion county at the pres ent time. When tho Marion County bud get for 1918 was published for the first time tho U. H. Dep't of Agriculture rep repsentatives in Oregon were much con cerned when they discovered that the amount of $1700 for County Agricultural Agent work did not appear iu the pub lished budget, notwithstanding the fact that the County Court had signed an understanding with the U. S. Dep't. of Agriculture, under date of Sept. 6, agreeing to put the amount of $1700 in the budgot in lieu of which tho U.-S. Dep't. of Agriculture immediately ap pointed nn agent for this couuty and ap propriated $1200 to take care of his sal ary and upkeep for the balance of 1917. This agent in the person of Air. F. R. Brown has been working in this couu ty for about three months. The highest federal authorities from President Wilson and Food Administra tor Hoover on down have stated that every eounty in tho United States should have an agent not later than February 1, 1918 and have appealed to the county officials of the United States for unanimous action saying that increased production is of first im portance and that the County Agent is a first line defense man. People representing perhaps less than five per eeut of the tax paying strength of Marion County filed a remonstrance with the court, and for this reason your county officials left the $1700 out of the tentative budget which will come up for final amendment and adoption at 10 a. m. Saturday, December 29. At the time this remonstrance was filed tho signers did not know that the United States government requested this appropriation as a matter of para mount importance calling upon the citi zens of Marion county to respond as a measure of patriotism of equal impor KOIilllLOFf WAS DEFEATED SAY THERIVALLEADERS Leader cf Anti-Bolsheviki Forces Said to Have Beea Wounded FIGHTING IS REPORTED AT DIFFERENT POMS, Constituliocal Democrat Party Declared Rebels by Lsnine Faction London, Dec. 13. General Korniloff was defeated and himsolf wounded in the fighting with Bolsheviki forces be tween Bielgorod and Sumy, according to Bolsheviki claims received here to day. . : The dispatches insisted flint r.tra of Korniloff and his entire force of Cossacks was imminent. The Maximalist commander claimed to have th r,..l completely surrounded. Othor Petroirrad diRnntnlien ronnrtnit that tho railway union had refused to transport Kaledines' reinforcement in his rebel colleague, Korniloff. ixiromisrs ana membors of tho cadet (constitutional democratic) party wero reported today to the righting for pos session of Rostoff. According to tha viewpoint of Russia observers hero, there is little ground to believe that tho Cossack Uprising will succeed. The bol sheviki. it was said, will nrobablv ha ablo to suppress it. JNot more than fifty delegates to tho constituent assembly arrived at Potro grad and attended tho first meeting of that body, according to- advices from ine Jtussinn capital today. More than a thousand delegates were supposed to be in attendance. Cadet Party "Bebels." Petrograd, Dec. 13. The Bolsheviki government today proclaimed all mem bers of the cadet (constitutional demo crat) party "enomios of the people". asserting they were aiding tha Cossacks in the counter revolution. Scores of prominent cadet loaders) were arrested, including Habokoff, Via aver, Kutlcr, Doditcheff and Countess Pan in. Fleet Takes Part. Petrograd, Dec. 13. The Black sea battle fleet is co-operating with tho Bolsheviki forces in the fighting at Ro- stoff, according to dispatches received (Continued on page two) tance with Liberty Bonds, Red Cross, and Y. M. C. A. funds to which causes your Marion county peoplo responded bo nobly. Without question had these re monstrants known the true situation these petitions never would have been filed, and each individual who did sign tho remonstrance will reccivo a person al letter from a representative of the United States Department of Agricul ture requesting him, on tho score of patriotism, to write tho eounty court re questing that his nnme be taken from the remonstrance, and it is safe to pre sume that this will be done almost to a man. For many years tfio writer has been assisting in promoting in every way pos sible, the agricultural resources, of not only Oregon but the entire northwest, and was one of the first to realize tho importance of County Agent's work, having assisted very materially in the past three years in their establishment in various counties of Oregon. Knowing this fact well, the United States Department of Agriculture ap pointed the writer a special representa tive to come to Marion county, eonfer with Judge Bushey and his colleagnea, and come to some mutual understanding as to the proper cause to pursue to bring about the results so necessary to a successful termination of the war increased production. After several con ferences with Judge Bushey here in Sa lem, the Federal Food Asministrator of Oregon requested Judge Bushey to coma to Portland for a conference there. This meeting was held Wednesday at 3 p. m. Mr. W. B. Aver, federal food adminis trator, Judge" Bushey, Director of Ex tension O. I). Center and the writer be ing present. Mr. Aver told Judge Bushey of tho urgent need of nn agent in Mar ion county appealed to the people of Marion county for co-operation as a war measure. Judge Bushey immediately eon ceded that as a war 'measure this mat ter appealed to him in an entirely dif- (Continueil on page two)