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FORTY-FIRST YEAR NO. 85
SALEM, OREGON, THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1918
PRICE TWO CENTS
ON TRAINS AND ITSWl
STANDS PTV1 OR NTS
on fl Off? -if
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tfUUUl A U 1 1 . UUU .IL
i
-DHVEWARD COAST
Hindenburg's Forces Have Crossed Lys River and Penetrates
to Edge of Estaires Are Now Battling In Outskirts oi
Messines and Wytschaete Li Some Places Heavy British
Counter Attacks Have Succeeded Sn Regaining Ground
Issue Still at Stake at Many Contested Points
By William Philip Simms,
(United Press Staff Correspondent)
' With the British Armies In France, April 11. The
Germans have reached the neighborhood of Steenwerck
(f our and a half miles west of Armentieres and two miles
north of the Lys river), it is reported, as this is cabled.
The enemy also is reported to have reached the edge
of Estaires (four miles and a half south and west of
Steenwerck) and to be in the eastern half of Ploegsteert
wood, just outside the ruins of the villages of Messines
and Wytschaete.
Wednesday's fighting continued throughout the night
in the new salient north of the St. Muir bridgehead.
General Von Quast enlarged his gains.
Around Messines and Wytschaete the hghting yester
day was particularly heavy. These places were taken
and retaken several times in hand to hand struggles.
Steenwerck and La Creche were the scenes of similar
fighting.
On the southern part of the battle front the fighting
was desultory. ..
At four o'clock this morning German, artillery began
shelling Martinsan and Englebelmer.
Wednesday's fighting continued throughout the night.
A new salient from north of the St. Maur bridgehead to
Van Quast enlarged the enemy's gains. Once they oc
cupied La Creche, Nieppe, Ploegsteert, Messines and
Wytschaete, but the British counter attacked heavily,
driving them out of La Creche, Nieppe, Messines, Wyt
schaete and retaking the west half cf Ploegsteert.
Simms' dispatch shows that
ing Armentieres officially
. i j. j m j
ai leasi lOUr Iliues aim a Iiail JlliruiweSLWaru. XllVll
counter attack threw the Germans back a portion of this
A
CllStanCe. -'
La Creche is four miles and
tieres on the Bailleul-Armentieres highway. Steenwerck
is the same distance from Armentieres and a mile and a
half south of La Creche. Nieppe is mid-way between Lai teSW?
urecne ana Armentieres on me uaiiieuwirmenueres
highway. Messines is four miles due north of Armen-
tieres and Wytschaete is two miles north of Messines.
Ploegsteert is mid-way between Messines and Armen-
tiereS.
London, April 11. Field Marshal
Haig today announced the withdrawal
hdrawal i
of the British forces from Armentieres.
"We have withdrawn from Armen
tieres, which is full of gas," said Haig.
'The battle is continuing on the
whole front from the La Basse canal
tn the Ynres-Comines canal. There is
severe fighting in the neighborhood of
the Lys and Lawe rivers, from about
Lestrem to Armentieres,
"North of Armentieres there is lit-1
tie change. In the
yioegsteert, Messines
neighborhood of
and Wytschaete
there was heavv fighting until a
hour last night."
AMERICA MUST ACT.
By William Philip Simms
(United Press Staff Correspondent)
With the British Armies in France,
April 10. Whatever cards America has
up her sleeve she must be prepared to
show down within a few months.
Hindenburg undoubtedly intends to
play fast and furious to end the war
as soon as possible. Avowedly he is
aiming for annihilation of both the
British and French. He is prepared to
concentrate against cither, shifting his
drive first against one then the other,
according to conditions.
Present indications point toward con
centration against the British. Checked '
from Arras southward, the German?
took advantage of their exceptional
transportation and quickly sent up di
visions between Armentieres and La
F.asse, striking the Portuguese and
British. They were stopped by the stif-
fest hand to hand fighting, notably by
the Fifty Fifth division holding Gi-
venehyhill, which commands the line
as far as Armentieres.
Slipping to one side, the enemy struck
'Continued on page three)
the British, after evacuat-
announced by Haig retired
tii? : ir. . j. j mL.'
a halt northwest of Armen-
I -
P,. PvJn.a lrivac
VA v if si m. i i&kw sa i f v-
On Twentv Mile Fro!?t
Crown Prince Bupprecht was cont
ning his northern offensive today on the J"1- bondi, accorc
on! twontv miU frnn frnm th. Tlmltte03 rcPort toay
3a3se canal to the yprcs.Comines can-
In making this announcement, Field j
Marshal Haig reported there was par-
ticularly severe fighting along the Lawe
mentieres. Lestrem is on tne Lawe about
a miie south of its confluence with the
Lys and is nine miles southwest of Ar
mentieres. Armentieres, which is only a pile of
stone and brick and of no strategic con
sequence has been abandoned before its
position at the apex of a dangerous sa
lient. Haig said the city was gas filled
when the British withdrew.
North of Armentieres heavy fighting
continued until a late hour last night,
Haig said, in the neighborhood of Ploeg
steert, Messines) and Wytschaete.
These three towns constitute a five
milo-front, midway between Armentieres
and Ypres.
The drive on this front has become
within the last two days equal in im
portance to the original offensive far-
thcr to the south, which began on the
fifty mile front from Arras to LaFere
The particular objective of this new
offensive is now believed to be the
splitting of the British line along the
Lys river, with the rolling back of the
northern portion of Haig's forces on the
North sea and the capture of the chan-
nel ports. The main objective division
of the allied forces coincides with that
of the southern, but the latter had for
its additional aim the taking of
(Continued on mga three'
LIBERTY LOAN IS
CROWNING FAST AS
REPORTS ARE FILED
Oregon Has Alrealy Over
Subscribed Quota, Gainmg
First Honors
Washington. April 11. Liberty loan
subscriptions have already reached the
$400,000,000 mark, according to con-
7lfZZn VoT PX ''treT
fury department figure,.
I Eight of the 12 federal reserve dia-
tricts had reported subscriptions of
'212 ?-05'250-, up c1oso ? bina
'Tuesday. The Dallas, Minneapolis,
'Richmond and Philadelphia districts
m,iB n rePort
Oregon on Honor Eoll
Portland. Or., April 11. Oregon
uuo m the uierty Joan dnve.
owriJtSoTormaiiJnS
j basis.
lbutedTotn" t&Kim.
cient organization. Portland also pass-
j'ea us quoia.
Where Bonds are Popular
Santa Eosa, Cal., April 11. Two
third.s of the rural districts of Sonoma
lcunty has been covered by liberty
bond salesmen without a single refusal
according to the com-
J Tit"! 5 " S
;S sold in the city. The artillerying ii
rapidly developing jnto drum fire.
TELLS OF LYNCHING
OF GERMAN AGENT
Witness Says Prasggr Only
Cried Wben Forcrd to Kiss
American FFag
Collinsville, 111., pril 11. Joseph Rie
gel, discharged soldier, was asked today
.by the coroner's jury investigating' the
hanging of Robert Praeger here for
the names of ring leaders In last Fri
day's lynching. Riegel informally ad
mitted his part in the violence and was
said to have given the same testimony
in the jury's secret hearing.
"The" bravest guy I ever saw," said
Riegel. "Prager didn't shed a tear ex
cept when he kissed the flag, and he
didn't beg for mercy."
"It might have been me," replied
Riegel to a query as to who attended
to some details of the lynching. "I had
a lot of liquor in me, and being a sol
dier, they kind of looked up to me and
I was sort of swelled up." j
(Continned on ptge thr
Nil hftn
KAISER - ACi VGT PIKERS .
AMERICANS HOW
IN ALLIED FRONT
0PP0SIKE1MNS
Entire Reserve of Pershing's
Army In France Absorbed r
In Front Lme
By Carl D. Groat
(United Press staff correspondent)
Washington, April 11. Shifting of
tha main American reserve into the
west front battle is albout complete.
News that a small portion of this
army of ' freedom has been dissolved
in tho brave and hard pressed British
battalions was followed by informa
tion that others will soon be doing
their part in withstanding the boche.
Tho men already fed into the British
front aro well seasoned and have been
tested by the Teuton fire. Their rec
ord has been splendid. The othors com
ing in are of the same type the kind
America can count on for valiant ser
vice. Before long, the men who have not
had tho samo test of battle will be go
ing in, too, brigaded with the veteran
Britishers. Whether tho first contin
gent was placed on the ' now battte
tront or in tho Pieandy salient is not
revealed here, but it is assumed that
if the battlo develops on the present
lines, Americans will quickly be plung
ed into the northern sector.
Tho western battlo had a new, di-
(Continued on page three)
Abe Martin
Change out of a dollar is hardly
worth wailin' fer any more. Who re
members th' ole- time street fakir that
used t' eat his soap jest t' show that
i would not injure th' most delicato
calpf
Bp
MILITARY CRITIC
TtliNKS liiilllBUG
PLAN TOO COSTLY
Believes German Commander
" Will Be Unable to Break
, Allied Lines
By J. W. T. Mason
(Written for the United Press)'
New York, April 11. To permit Hin
denburg to wear out Germany 'g man
power in persistent offensives along
the west front is more and more being
demonstrated as tho best strategy the
allies can adopt while waiting for Am
erica's full battle strength to arrive in
France.
Every major attack such as the ore
Hindenburg is now developing in tho
Armentieres sector is playing Amerir .'s
game better than anything else tho Ger
mans could do. As long as the allied line
is not broken in the west, Hindenburg 's
slaughter of his men will make Ameri
ca s task tho less difficult when at
last General Pershing is fully prepared
to strike.
So long as the German peoplo do not
openly revolt against Hindenburg 's
man-killing policy, just o long is the
cause of the allies being served. It is
becoming increasingly apparent Hin
denburg and the Hohcnzollcrns will not
top of their own accord, for to do so
would admit defeat. Two to three
months more of the present self-slaying
of Germans may be necessary before the
futility of the task becomes fully im
pressed upon the German people.
During this period preceding the dis
illusionment any temptation whereby
Hindenburg is persuaded to continue his
assaults such as the evacuation of Ar
mentieres, may be a matter of military
strategy favoring the arMcs.
The participation of American troops
in the fighting along the British front
will probably be on a defensive scale,
for thi reason. It is not to be expected
that the arrival of the Americans in
the battlo line will mean the quick as
sumption of a major offensive by the
allies. The chief military value to the
Americans of their new activity will
be the post graduate training, partic
ularly, for the higher officers, in con
ditions of intense warfare. The Amer
ican officers now beginning to fight
offensively against the Germans are
picking up tho tricks of Hindenburg 'i
trade for use against the kaiser when
America 's own offensive begins.
Socialist Candidate
Gd!ty cf Disloyalty
Minneapolis, Minn., April 11. So
cialist gubernatorial candidate, J. O.
IJentail wiu found guilty by a federal
jury hero today on. a charge of disloy
ty. A second count charging obstruc
tion of recruiting was not upheld.
Judge Morris will pass sentence la
ter. The chargo npon which a conviction
was obtained carries with it from one
to twenty yean imprisonment or $10,
000 fine, or both.
QiGLAUD MAKES
GREAT PROGRESS
HI WAGING WAR
1
German Efficiency Has Been
Backed Off Boards,
Reports Indicate
mm TAKE PLACES
OF SOLDIERS AT HOME
Food and Factory Production
Siows Wonderful Increase
Daring War
New York, April 11. British effi
ciency little advertised is backing
the Gorman brand off the boards ac
cording to official statistics received
here today.
With the war well into its fourth
year, Britishers are preparing to out
stick tho Hun. In food production,
Great Britain last year increased co
reals iby 850,000 tons anil potato pro
duction five million tons. The culti
vated area was increased one million
acroa. iVo estimates have been mado
for tho coming year.
wnuo s;iu,(Ha men were taken from
the industrial organizations and plac
ed in the army in 1917, the war office
replaced thorn with 804,000 women
and increased production of aircraft
250 per cent; guns, 30 per cent and
rbuilt 1,16,000 tons shipping.
btamlanlization is tho keynote. Ar
rangements are being made for sup
plying standardized civilian clothing
fat standardised prices. Already pro
visions have been made for the manu
facture of 2,000,000 men's suits, 500,-
fOOO men's overcoats and 230,000 boyi
"suits. Thlis far, no attempt has been
rmade to tnfln out standardized wo
men's wearing apparel.
Activity In Italy.
Rome, April 11. Artillery fighting
along the whole Italian front was re
ported by the war office today.
AMERICAN HOMES MAY GET
BAD NEWS FROM WAR FRONT
Heavy Casualty Lists May Be
Expected Now Eoys Are
In Fight
Washington, April 11. -- American
homes must prepare for tho shock which
will follow large scalo participation of
General Pershing's forces in the heavy
west front fighting.
War department officials warned to
day that henceforth the casualty lists
will swell commonsurately with the ex
tent of America's participation. The
big lists probably will not begin com
ing in, it is believed, for some days.
Today 'another casualty list was to
bo given out and owing to tho heavy
fire some of the American forces have
been sustaining on portions of the front
during recent days, it may be somewhat
larger than usual.
Germans Driven Off.
With the American Army in France,
GOVERNMENT
NEW SYSTEM
Places Industries In Their
d?r of Relative Import
b the War
ance
Washington, April 10. The govern
ment's policy toward the nation's In
dustrie was established today . with
tho completion of a new priorties or
der by the war industries board.
The purpose of tho order which pro
vides for conservation of fuel end raw
materials by placing industries in their
order of relative importance is aimed
to prevent conflict of interests among
the various departments in the war
government and speed up production
and transportation.
Automobile and candy manufactur
ers are hit by the new ruling, no pro
vision being mado in the priorities list
for either industry to receive fuel and
transportation facilities until vital
needs have been supplied.
This ruling does not apply, however,
to those portions of the plant engaged
on special work ior which fuel provis
ions are made.
APPEAL FOR MEN
HAY CAUSE PLAN
TO BE -CHANGED'.
Many Amendments to Present
Law Sagested to Meet
Emergency
DRAFT AGE LIMIT
PROPOSED AT 40 YEARS
Three Million Active Men la
France Needed Declares
Representative
Washington, April 11. With the al
lies appealing for more men, the house
today plunged into ono of the greatest
legislative battles of the session to re
move the last obstacle to tho second
draft plans. ,
The storm center was the draft quo
ta bill, basing tho allotments of men
the various districts must send on tho
number of men in class one, instead of
the population as was done in the first
draft. Other amendments to give the
president power to call skilled work
ers from any class and to disregard vol
unteer enlistments in fixing quiet quo
tas for tho present, brought sharp
skirmishes.
Representative Julius Kalin, ranking
republican on tho military eommitWa
who will load tho fight for the amend
ments, is ready to mako the issue an
indorsement of the operation of tho
draft thus far. Opponents of the plan
have been working for weeks lining
up information to show injustice they
claim the now plans will bring and al
so members, particularly from th
south.
Representative Shallenberger of Ne
braska, one of the most vigorous oppo
nents cf the draft originally, will nrg
that the draft age be- raised to 40
"We must have 3,000,000 men in
France, and to do that we must have
10,000,000 under arms," he said. .
Shallonberger's amendment to give
credit for volgutecr enlistments prob
ably will prevail, as President Wilson,
is understood to favor it. ,
April, 10. A fully prepared German
attack in tho sector northwest of Toul
was crushed by tho prompt and effect
ive fire of American Batteries.
Two Germans taken prisoner declared
the attack was rehearsed by a force
of 800, but that they were stunned by
tl.n American fire.
The attack was precocded by a tre
mendous German barrage, the American
guns replying immediately,
Thore were no American casualties.
French Ecport Ropulse.
Taris, April 11. German attacks
against Franco-American sectors in the
Champagne and Lorraine were repulsed
the French war offico announced today.
"East of Soufin (near Tahure, where
American artillery is stationed), after a
lively combat, a German attack wan
repuised," tho communique said. "A
German attack failed in the Apremont
foreBt (four miles cast of St. Mihiel, in
(Continued on page twe)
ESTABLISHES
OF PRIORITIES
The government's action practically
places tho country's business under
federal control.
Recently muical instrument manu
facturers agreed to a reduction of 30
per cent in the production of such in
struments Conferences botweon the
war industries board and other manu-'
facturers have been going on for some
timo to bring about a general reduc
tion in all output in order to give war
work tho right of way.
No distinction is made, it was offi
cially stated today, between, any ot
Vi niilnairip. nn,1 tilnnts which are in
cluded in the list and no significance
is to ne attacnwi to uio orner in wmm
tho industries appear on the list.
Tho list .follows:
Aircraft plants engaged exclusive
ly in manufacturing aircraft or sup
plies and equipment therefor.
Ammunition plants engaged n the
manufacture of ammunition for t
United Htates government and the al
lies. .
Army and navy cantonments aaa
camps.
(Continued on page two)