Omaha
Daily.
1 lit!
THE WEATHER
Fair; Cooler
TOL XLVII. NO. 57.
OMAHA. THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 23, 1917 TEN PAGES.
On Trilni. t HoW.
Ntwi Slindi, Etc., 5c.
SINGLE COPY TWO -CENTS.
BRITIS
AT WEAKENING
USSIANS
ES FRONT
NOTHER CRUSHING
BLOW
LINE ON YPR
PUBLIC WILL NOT
BENEFIT BY CUT
IN COAL PRICES
Victor White Says Omaha Coal
VIen Have Filled Their Bins
at the Former High
Prices.
BULLETIN.
Chicago, Aug. 22. The Consum
ers' company, Chicago, said to be
the largest retail coal dealers in the
world, today announced a slash of
from $1 to $1 80 on soft coal, ef
fective immediately. This is in line
with the price fixed with President
Wilson. Other dealers 'will make
similar cuts at once, it was said. It
was estimated the reductions will
cut Chicago's coal bill by $30,000,009.
Unless the government puts a
crimp in the plans of the wholesalers
and retailers of coal indications are
that the consumer is Hot going to de
rive any immediate benefit from the
cut of $1 to2 per ton that President
Wilson has ordered in the selling
pricej at the mines. This is the opin
ion of Omaha coal dealers.
The reason why coal is going to be
sold to the consumers at the present
prices, notwithstanding the reduction
ordered in mine prices, is due to the
fact that jobbers and retailers are
stocked to capacity with the high
priced coal, bought during the sum
jner. While local dealers are short or.
their supplies of hard coal, tliejr have
the normal- quantity of the bitumi
nous and semi-anthracite grades on
hand and it is asserted that if there
is no more coal shipped into Omaha
there is enough in stock to last up to
pretty close to the first of next year.
Victor White, who has been in the
coal business for years and is con
nected with the C. N. Dietz com
pany, ::ays:
Would Mean Bankruptcy.
"To make the dealers comply with
the conditions of the president's
price-fixing plan would be to work a
great hardship upon the coal dealers
of the country. It would force them
to lose enormous sums and perhaps
many of them would be brought face
te fac .wfth.-bankrjupfcy., , ... ,i; t.
'"'"'"btrring the eartyisamm
pating a car shortage and inability to
get coal later in the season, the job
bers bought large stocks, and in turn
sold to the retailers. As a result,
the bins of both wholesalers and job
bers are filled. The coal was bought
at the high prices that maintained at
the time, and most of it still remains
in tne possession of these same pur
chasers. "Some time ago consumers con
ceived the idea that there would be
va cut in soft coal prices and very few
of them bought the winter supply.
The fact is that there is hardly a
family in Omaha that has laid in the
wnfer stock of soft coal.
Dealers See No Way Out.
, "Tii the event the government
? should force the dealers to sell the
coal now on hand and absorb the loss,
it would mean ruination to many. The
loss would be from $1 to ?i and in
some instances $3 a ton.
'1 don't sec how this loss is going
to be taken care of. Perhaps the gov
ernment will work out some plan
in the, difference in price to the job
bers and retailers. Only time will tell
what is to be done and what can be
done.- ,
"Of course, coal bought from nowj
on," will take the reduced prices, but
1 don't believe dealers will make;
many purchases until the stocks now
on hand are disposed of."
Randall K. Brown, head of the
Coal Hill Coal company: "Unless
the government should issue an or
der compelling the dealers to unload
their present stocks of coal and take
the loss, I don't see how the fixing
of the price at the mines can affect
( Continued on Ttif Two, Column Three.)
The Weather
I'or Nebraska Fair, cooler.
Temperatures at Omaha Yesterday.
Hour. Temp.
5 a. m 64
6 a. in 65
7 a. m 66
8 p. m 69
9 a. m 72
10 a. m. . . ., 76
11 a. m 7S
12 noon fO
1 p. m Si
2 p. m S3
" p. m M
4 p. m 83
p. m ffi
6 p. m 8 5
7 p. m 82
8 p. m 79
Comparative Local Record.
1917. 1916. 1615. 1914.
Hifheeb yesterday..,.,. 86 75 81 1.00
Lowest yesterday. 64 09 6 J .73
Mean temperature . 75 67 72 .86
Precipitation .00 .00 .45 .00
Temperature and precipitation departures
from the normal:
Normal temperature,..., 73
Kxcoss for tne day 2
Total deficiency siuce .March 1 182
Normal precipitation 13 Inch
Deficiency for the day .13 inch
Total rainfall since March 1. .. .19.54 inches
I'flciency since March 1 1.34 Inches
Deficiency for cor. period. 1916.. 9.53 inches
Excess for cor. period, 1915.... .83 inch
Report From Stations at 7 P. M.
Station and State Temp. High- Raln-
of Weather. 1 p. m. est.
Cheyenne, clear 6 70
Davenport, clear 80 84
Denver, cloudy 76 84
Des Moines, part cloudy 82 14
Dodge City, part cloudy 86 ' 94
'ander, clear .73 Is
fall.
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.oo
.. .00
.02
.01
.00
North Platte, clear..... 7 8
!
?
'i4
6
St
74
,'lmaha, cloudy 82
?ueb!o. rloudy 82
Raptd City, clear 74
.Salt Lake City, clear... 86
.Santa Ke, clear 80
Sheridan, clear.. ... 72
Sioux City, cloudy...... 80
Valentine, clear... 76
L.-A, "WELSH. Meteorologist.
Tobacco Low; tier many
Stops Street Smoking
Amsterdam, Aug. 22. According
to Die Morgen Post of Berlin, the
police in Germany intend to pro
hibit smoking in the streets in view
of the decline of tobacco stocks.
The prohibition will be extended to
the whole of Germany.
CALVIN TELLS OF
TASK TAKEN OVER
BY JUDGE LOVETT
President of Union Pacific Says
that President Wilson Has
Given Him Most Im
portant Work.
President Calvin of the Union Pa
cific is back from two weeks in the
east, most of the time being spent in
New York and Washington. He is
enthusiastic over what is being accom
plished by the railroads' war board.
"The appointment of Robert S.
Lovett, chairman of the board of di
rectors of the Union Pacific" system,
iir charge of priority of shipments
completes the last step," said Mr.
Calvin, "in the. plans necessary to en
able the railroads to accomplish the
work the government has asked of
them. Mr. Lovett will give orders
for such priority of shipment to the
railroad war board and it in turn will
issue orders to the various railroads.
Has Important Task.
""Mr. Lovett is also in charge of
priority of manufacturing and with
these two important duties in his
hands lias charge of probably the
most necessary work in connection
with the big job of winning the war.
"For instance, during my . call upon
him at his office in New York an of
ficer in charge of the work of fleet
construction called upon him for or
ders giving priority to the manufac
ture of certain things needed by the
shipping corporation. This work re
quires a complete understanding of all
the needs of the government at this
time, the needs of the army, the navy
and the shipping corporation, together
with all the needs of the allies and the
neutral countries, as well as the com
mercial needs of our own country.
The papers have already reported the
fact that Mr. Lovett has issued or
ders" wanting priority of shipment to
coal for certain sections of the coun
try. ;
Surrounded by Experts.
"Mr. Lovett has gathered around
him an organization of the most high
ly trained experts in the country.
One "of the men upon whom he will
lean is I.' O. Rhoades, general pur
chasing agent of the Southern Pa
cific, who is well known in Omaha,
where he started his career as a rail
road man as ,an office boy in the
storekeeper's office many years ago.
He is a brother of William E.
Rhoades, vice'president of the United
States National bank of Omaha. His
duty will be to investigate the claims
for both priority of manufacturing
and priority of shipment.
General Aleslure, who lor years
was quartermaster general 01 tne
army and retired some time ago, has
been brought into Mr. Lovett s or
ganization to advise upon the ques
tion ot priority ot the needs ot the
army; ana Kear Admiral Mason, aiso
retired, is on Jlr. Lotelts statt in
connection with the needs of the.
navy.
Serve Without Pay. j
"Mr. Lovett and all of his assist
ants are not only serving without
compensation, but are also paying
their own expenses, as is the case
with all of the big business men who
are in charge of the various war bu
reaus and war commissions in Wash
ington today.
"The work of the railroads' war
board, which is now strengthened by
Mr. Lovett's appointment and the
powers granted him, is giving an ex
ample of the efficiency which is pos
sible with the elimination sof many
of the restrictive laws that have here
tofore interfered with the best oper
ations of the railroads.
"The entire 260,000 miles of line in
this country is now being operated as
one railroad from the central head
quarters in Washington. The equip
ment and resources of the railroads
are being pooled in such a way 'and
the entire work is being handled in
such a manner, as to prove the con
tention made, for years by railroad ex
ecutives that the railroads operating
(Continued on Pae Two, Column One.)
Death and Destruction Again In
Wake of Air Attacks On England
- , :
London, Aug. 22. Ten German airplanes approached the English
coast on the county of Kent today, the British war office announces. Two
of the raiding machines were brought down.
The communication issued by, Lord French, commander-in-chief of
the home forces, says:
"Ten enemy airplanes approached over the Kentish coast near Rams
gate, about 10:15 a. m. Being met and heavily engaged by machines of
the royal flying corps and royal naval air service and also by gun fire
from anti-aircraft guns, the raiders were unable to penetrate inland.
"A small party traveled west to Margate, but then turned homeward.
The remainder skirted the coast to the south as far as Dover.
"Bombs were dropped at Dover and at Margate. Casualties reported
up to the present were three persons killed and two injured. The ma
terial damage was slight. Two enemy machines wer brought down by
anti-aircraft gun fire and by our own airplanes."
German airships made a raid off the Yorkshire coast last night, it is
announced officially. So far as has been ascertained the damage inflicted
was small.
The announcement follows: J
"Enemy airships, in numbers not definitely ascertained, appeared off
the Yorkshire coast (in northern England on the North sea), last night.
One of the raiders attacked the mouth of the Humber and was fired on
by anti-aircraft guns. It dropped some bombs, then made off to sea.
"The damage so far reported is slight, One man injured." ,
Haw 'Campania Was Captured and Sunk
By SubpAs After Last Shell Was
FirecU Remaining Survivors
His Place
COURT-MARTIAL
FOR ALL WHO ARE ;
EVADING DRAFT
Military Authorities to Deal
With Slackers Who Fail to
Stand Up When Names
Are Called. .
Drafted men who fail to appear for,
their physical examination after re
ceiving notice to do so are choosing
a thorny path to travel that may end
at the firing squad. 1
Assistant United States Attorney
Saxton has received from the provost
marshal general full instructions as to
how. such men are to be treated.
Upon failure to appear for physical
examination, the men lose their right
to physical examination and are ac
cepted by the exemption board with
out examination, being thereupon cer
tified to the district boards for the
national army.
if the men still fail to appear to
claim exemption they thereby waive
the right to exemption and they will
be certified to the adjutant general
as accepted.
The adjutant general will then mail
them notices to appear for duty at a
specified time and place.
Under Military Rule.
At this point they become subject
to the-onilitary authorities. Should
they fail to comply with these notices
they are classed as deserters from the
army and will be treated as such.
Where persons are known to be re-
(Continned on Pe Two, Column Two.)
Austrians Claim Capture of
Three Thousand Prisoners
Vienna, Aug. 22. The repulse of
heavy Italian attacks on the Isonzo
front is reported by the war office.
Several civilians were killed in a naval
attack on Triest. On August 19 the
Austrians captured 3,000 prisoners.
"9
in the Sun
RECRUITS FOR BIG
ARFilYCAfflPS BEING
RUSHED FROM HERE
Omaha Supplies Average of
Fifty Men Daily to Concen
tration Points; Battalion
Drills for 'Dandy Sixth.'
While the federalized Nebraska
Guards are being sent to the camps,
many more men are being moved
every day by tn"c army recruiting sta
tions with little confusion and without
the public's knowledge, as a rule.
Fifty men were Tuesday taken in
by the army recruiting station in the
Army building. This sounds' like a
large order, but it is the usual thing
at this station.
Sergeant Hansen meets a hundred
or more every day and from thirty to
fifty are sent from Omaha to different
camps daily. Most of them go to
Fort Logan, Colorado, 'if they are
approved there they enlist and are
sent to other camps over the country.
"We are sending many to Fort
Riley, Kan." said Sergeant Hansen.
"The school for bakery and cooks
there is proving very popular."
Start Battalion Drills.
. Wiith the arrival of Mayor II. L.
Harries of the Sixth Nebraska has
come a big change to the Omaha bat
talion. Before this the companies worked
out their own plans each captain was
a law to himself. There was un
bounded enthusiasm and unlimited
willingness to work in the battalion.
But with no head the different units
were working rather blindly.
Now there is order and system,
there is military precision and a cen
tral head from which all battalion
commands come. The captains breath
ed sighs of relief when the young ma
jor took charge and the whole battal
ion has started to work with new
vigor.
"The whole plan of .Major Harries
is summed ui in one word "work "
(And again work, and once more, work.
. Jt he has allowed himself sleeping
hours, tlfe men of the battalion do
not know it. He was on the job when
they went to sleep last night and this
morning they found him there.
The first thing Major Harries did
was to make out a battalion program.
Henceforward all the companies will
work in unison. They will rise to
gether, have mess at the same time,
drill together and do everything else
at the same time.
Camps Under Guard.
Iu a general way the companies
have been doing this, but not so ex
actly as Major Harries deems neces
sary. A number of changes in the
program have been made. In the
morning the first drill will be physical
setting-up, and the noncommissioned
officers will hold their school in the
morning instead of in the afternoon
as formerly. The company drills have
been changed from morning to after
noon. The Auditorium looks like a real
war camp now. There are guards and
officers of the day, and if is planned
to have mounted guards around the
buildinjfc
' ' '
i
Bluejackets on Boaru Seize
Revolvers When Ammunition
Is Exhausted; Crew at
Mercy of German Com
mander. ( iy AtutoHatrd Pre.!;. 1
An Atlantic Port, Aug. 22. The
Standard Oil tank steamer Campana,
whose captain and five of its navy
gunners were taken prisoners by a
German submarine on August 6, sur
rendered to the U-boat, but only be
cause it had not another shot to fire.
The Campana's ammunition, after fir
ing 180 shots, became exhausted.
This was the story told by J. H.
Bruce, third mate of the Campana,
who, with forty other members of
the Campana's crew and eight gun
ners, arrived today on a French bat
tleship. The battle, began at 5 a. m.
and was waged for four hours at a
range of between 7,300 and 7,500
yard's.
IGNORES WHITE FLAG.
The U-boat fired 400 shots, only
two of which hit the mark. The
t'ampana, nevertheless, was out
ranged by the two guns, one four
inch, the other two-inch, with which
the submarine was armed. The U
boat also was fully as speedy as the
American vessel.
After the CainpajM hoisted the in
ternational signal of surrender, its
last shell pone, the submarine never
theless continued to fire, Bruce said,
and all hands took to the boats.
The U-boat commander first ap
proached the boat commanded by
liruce, which had aboard the Cam
pana's thirteen naval gunners, and or
dered it alongside. He then went to
the lifeboat occupied by Captain Al
bert Oliver of the Campana and took
him prisoner.
Having room enough only for six.
additional men aboard his craft, the
German skipper made only five of
the gunners prisoners, Bruce said.
These included the chief gunner and
.two petty ofheers. One of the gun
ners, whose name was Miller, was in
cluded because he could speak Gcr-
J he ifl)iuarine w the U-2, "Bruce
did not leafti the- cominander'a name.
The German told him, he said, that he
had first ficcd a torpedo at the Cam
pana, but had missed, the projectile
apparently passing under the steam
ship. Threatens to Sink French Vessels.
The Campana was sent to the bot
tom Ivy bombs after its crew had
been allowed to return and get their
personal effects. Directions were
given to Bruce by the submarine
commander how to reach the nearest
port. He told him at the same time
that he had heard wireless messages
exchanged by two French war ves
sels in the vicinity and warned him
not to allow himself to be" picked up
by them.
"I am going to sink them," he said.
Bruce and his men, nevertheless,
took the chance, encountering a
French warship after floating about
in small boats until 6 o'clock that
night. The warship took , them
aboard and landed them in France.
Bruce said he was told by an officer
of the war vessel that he had heard
a wireless message from another
French cruiser, saying that it had
sunk a German submarine in the
vicinity of the place where the Cam
pana had been sunk. Bruce said it
was only a matter of conjecture as to
whether this was the submarine that
attacked his vessel, but, if true, he
feared it meant that Captain Oliver
and his(gunners had perished.
Message From Oliver. .
"When Captain Oliver and the
other prisoners went below on the
submarine," said Bruce, "they bid us
good-bye and the U-boat captain as
sured me they would be treated as
prisoncrsof war and landed in a few
days at a German base, where, the
captain said, they would be given
every opportunity to send word home
to their families. I was allowed to
take a personal message from Cap
tain Oliver to be delivered to his
wife.
"The bluejackets with us were a
game lot. When the last shell had
gone they would have tackled the
Germans with their revolvers had the
word been passed to them. It ..would
have been a useless sacrifice of life,
however, as the Germans had us at
their mercy.
Captain Favored Americans.
"The captain said, his instructions
were to take all Americans gunners
and captains of armed ships prison
ers. He said, however, he was sorry
the United States was in the war, be
cause he hated to fight Americans, as
he had always found them friendly
and good sports. Americans, he said
will always fight to a finish. He had
no use for the French or the Eng
lish, though, especially the English."
Russia Said to Be Facing
Crisis of Political Nature
Washington, Aug. 22. Official dispatches have been received from
Russia within the last twenty-four hours of such a character as to cause
some concern over the situation they picture.
They will not be made public, much less be discussed at this time
by American officials, who regard them as indicating a condition with
which the provisional government had to deal.
It is known that the dispatches refer to no physical events such as
would be suppressed by the censorship at Petrograd, but rather are an,
estimate of political conditions. N
The extent of German intrigue in Russia is well known and the sub
ject matter of the dispatches probably is connected with that.
ENGLISH CHARGE
TEUTON TROOPS IN
NEW ENGAGEMENT
Haig'$ Troops Advance Against Germans Near Ypres,
Plowing Their Way Through Many Strongly Or
ganized Positions; Further Progress
in Drive on Lens.
BULLETIN.
London, Aug. 22. The British troops attacking fiercely
again today have captured important strategic positions for a
mile along Ypros-Menin road, to a depth of nearly a third of a
mile, and further to the north carried forward their front about
a half mile over an extent of two and a half miles.
(By Associated Press.)
Another of the rapid succession of blows which the British
and French are striking at various points along the Franco
Belgian front fell this morning on the Germans in the region of
Ypres, where the British were held up last week in their drive
in conjunction with the French forces to the north.
At dawn the British advanced over the fiercely contested
ueia Deiween Langemarck and
CENTRAL POWERS
WELCOME POPE'S
PEACEfROPOSAL
All Parties of Reichstag Appar
ently Favor Pope's Plan,
While Austria Also Falls
Into Line.
Copenhagen, Aug? 22. After Chan
cellor Michaclis had, informed the
main committee of the Reichstag
Tuesday that Germany would not re
ply to the papal peace note until it
had consulted its allies, socialist
speakers who followed him said they
welcomed the pope's, action as they
would welcome any step capable of
bringing peace, and all the more be
cause it was expected to bear results.
The liberals declared themselves
in agreement with the chancellor's
sympathetic interpretation of the
pope's acfon,
The centrists associated themselves
with the chancellor's remarks and
said the pope's proposal marked ex
traordinary valuable pfbgress toward
peace, which was so ardently desired
by alt nations. They hoped the act
of his holiness would meet with full
success.
Austria in Harmony,
The Vienna Reichspost says it has
reliable information that tlie pope's
peace note is in absolute harmony
with the aims of the monarchy.
Austria-Hungary, according to the
paper, is willing to evacuate terri
tories and renounce claim to indem
nities once the pope's ideas of dis
armament, international arbitration
and freedom of the seas are guar
anteed and world peace is carried out,
but all the consequences dcducible
from the pope's proposals must be
understood to be included .therein;
namely, the disappearance of the
British naval bases at Gibraltar, Malta
and the Suez canal, and also the
Italian abandonment of Varona.
Note Not Inspired.
Copenhagen, Aug. 22. Dr. Michael
is, the imperial German chancellor,
at the convening of the Reichstag
main committee yesterday in Berlin
said that the recent peace proposal
of Pope Ilenedict had been issued
spontaneously and not at the wish
of the central powers.
The committee was informed by
the chancellor that the pope's note
would be answered only after the
closest consideration with the Reich
stag. Germany Must Consult Allies.
Chancellor Michaclis informed the
main committee of the Reichstag
that Germany would not reply
to the papal peace note until it
had consulted its allies. Dr. Michaelis
added that in view of the fact that
Germany had previously repeatedly
and positively indicated its readiness
to enter peace negotiations, the Vati
can's appeal, of course, is looked on
with sympathetic approval. Germany,
however, could not again offer peace
in face of the summary rejection of
previous proposals and continued
declarations by the entente that no
; peace is possible until the central
i powers are defeated and crushed.
rrezenburg. '
Q lTTirv rkl t true
No details have been received thus
far of the new battle, which is being
fought over a section strongly organ
ized by the Germans with concrete
redoubts and machine tm nests in
shell holes.
Sharp fighting .continues around
the coal - Jning center of I v. , ;
skirts of which the British are
making progress in spite of the de
termined resistance of the Germr.ns.
The Germans last -right -Ci:.jed
their efforts to recapture ground
gained in the new French offer.sive
on the Verdun front.
Heavy Counter Attfcks,
Heavy counter-attacks were made
on both sides of the Meuse and al
though the Germans were able to gain
a footing temporarily in the new
French positions at points, they were
soon driven out. The number of pris
oners taken by the French had reach
ed 6,116.
Several strong attacks by the Ger
mans on the Aisne front during the
night were repulsed.
Vienua concedes, that- fhtfrtalians
have forced back the Ajstrians at
some points in the new battle of the
Isoii2o. The Austrian war 'office re
ports the loss of the village of Selo,
on the Carso front, and of territory
below Auzi-a, on the Isonzo south of
Tolmind. It is said more than 5,600
Italians have been captured.
Offensive in East.
-The Germans have opened an of
fensive on the extreme northern end
of the Russian front. They struck be
tween the Aa river and the Tirul
marshes, a belt of low larfds between
the Aa and the Dvina. Petrograd re
ports initial success of the Germans,
who compelled thei Russians to with
draw as much as two miles at some
points.
If the fighting now under way de
velops into a sustained attack the
first objective of the Germans un
doubtedly will be the important Rus
sian port of Riga. Possession of this
city would be of immense advantage
to the Germans in land or sea opera
tions against the Russian northern
flank.
Senate Adopts New
War Tax Measure on
Income Surtaxes
Washington, Aug. 22. After" pro
tracted debate in which many sena
tors urged heavier levies on incomes
and war profits in the war tax bill, the
senate today tentatively adopted Sen
ator Gerry's amendment, which would
add $40,375,000 by increasing surtaxes
on incomes exceeding $500,000.
Gen. Pershing Witnesses
Battle on Verdun Front
Paris, Aug. 22. Major General
Pershing, commander of the Ameri
can expedition in France, returned to
his Paris headquarters today after
witnessing the French offensive on
the Verdun front with General Petain,
the commander-in-chief of the French
armies.
General Pershing, who saw much of
the Verdun battle, was greatly im
pressed with the spirit and vigor of
the French troops.
New Russian Commander
To Succeed Klembovsky
Petrograd, Aug. 22. General Letch
itzky has been appointed commander
on the northern front, succeeding
General Klembovsky.
General Letchitzky was the right
hand man of General Brussiloff in
the successful drive of the early sum
mer of Jast year. He captured many
thousands of Austrian troops and oc
cupied all of Bukowina. Last March
he was appointed commander on the
central front.
Forest Fires Rage in Montana;
Fighting Force Redoubled
Butte, Mont., Aug. 22. With for.
est fires spreading over three dis
tricts in western Montana and great
quantities of valuable standing tim
ber threatened,, the local forestry o
ficials redoubled their efforts today
to secure a sufficient number of men
to aid in fighting the flames.
Nearly 4,500 men are now engaged
in an effort to check the fires,.
