The Omaha THE WEATHER Showers ' 'J A VOL. XLVIII.-NO. 5. OMAHA, MONDAY MORNING, JUNE 24, 1918. On Train.. .1 Hotl. Nm SUsdfc Eta. So. TWO CENTS cm 9 uv w u Daily Bee u I i. AUSTRIAN MINISTRY TO RETIRE Cabinet Decides on Collective Resignation After Premier's Return From Visit tov Emperor Charles. By Associated Press. Amsterdam, June 23. The Austrian cabinet met today and decided on a collective resignation, according to ad vices received here from Vienna. Paris, June 23. Havas Agency After a meeting with Emperor Charles of Austria Hungary on Friday, says a dis patch from Zurich, Premier Von Seydler presented the res ignation of the entire Austrian cabinet. The emperor, said he would decide Sunday whether to ac cept them. Grave Danger Foreseen. . ' Paris, June 23. The municipal council of Vienna has drawn up reso lutions calling the attention of the government to the grave danger in curred and the threatening of public tranquility by the bread reduction and other food difficulties, according to a dispatch to the Havas agency from Basel, Switzerland. The Vienna newspapers print stories of street disorders which in elude the derailment of trams and at tacks on stores and cafes. Bakers' wagons also have been pillaged. Ludendorff Refuses Help. A dispatch from Basel to the Havas agency says that General Ludendorff's reply to an appeal from the mayor of Vienna in the food" crisis, said: "My best thanks for the expression of your faithful sentiments. I would, from my heart, help the population of Vienna in its serious difficulties, but it is, unfortunately, impossible from German sources more than ever bc , fore. All the importations of cereals from Ukraine, Roumania and Bes sarabia -ha ve. been; Allotted,, without . exception, to Austria. """" ; 'Nothwithstanding the difficulties " of our own food situation, I placed in April, May and June shipments des tined for the west front at the dispo sition of Austria. But now there are -) more reserves 01 mis son ami i am not in a position to furnish aid." i In a similar vein, the mayor ot ! Budapest, after expressing his sym pathy for Vienna s situation, de- 1 :lared it is impossible for him to laid. r Germany Sends Grain Supply. ' Copenhagen, June 23. A Vienna ! dispatch reports that Germany has - fdecided to send 5,000 tons of grain 'from her military stocks to Austria. . Germany demands, however, that a similar amount of grain must be re turned before July 16. ' ' Strikes Called Off. Amsterdam, June 23. The Arbciter Zeitung of Vienna says that the la bor council which submitted detailed demands to tne government ana ex - pressed the hope that the partial ' strike in the, industrial world would be sufficient to show the govern- ment that wages and food conditions urgently needed reform, has decided ; that an extension of the strike is in . advisable, pending negotiations. Two-Thirds of German . Submarines Sunk, Says r French Naval Official U Fans. June jj.-i wo-tmras oi me o& m . t t . F 1 - German submarine Jaunchcd are al I ready at the bottom of the sea, ac- 'l cording to a statement made to the deputies by the under secretary ot the navy. ' "And," continued the under secre tary, "we are destroying them twice as fast as thev are building them." , : . ; The Weather For Nebraska-'-Unsettled Monday and Tuesday, probably local showers; cooler north and central portions Monday. Temperatures at Omaha yesterday. Hour. Deg. k .6 n. m 68 1 6 a. m.. 6S 7 a. m 68 s .. M CI PkAAAf a a. m 74 10 a. m. 72 , U l!m 78 1 p. m 81 JS 5 p. m 84 lit 3 p. m 86 lll . 4 p. m 85 o p. m o j 6 p. m 86 7 p. m 82 Comparative LocM Record. 1318. 1917. 1916. 1815. Hfh6t yesterday . .rrrS 82 81 79 Lowest yesterday . ....68 ' 67 61 72 llean temperature ....77 74 71 72 JPieclpltatlon ..: T. .01 .10 T. Temperature and precipitation departures from the normal at Omaba since March 1: Kormal temperature 74 Excess for the day 3 Total excess since March 1. 1918 65 . Normal precipitation 17 inch Deficiency for the day 17 inch Total rainfall since March 1....7.19 Inches Deficiency since March 1.... 6. 51 Inches Excess; for cor. period. 1917 81 inch iteXicloucy tot cor. period, 1916.. 4.6S inches IV l 1 fit Scene of UVO-. Naur.- Italian forces are engaging the at tacking Austrians successfully in the line of Ciano, the Montello crest and St. Andrea (1), in the upper Piave GERMANY WAR WORN, SULLEN ANDJUNGRY Grand Rapids Woman and Mil waukee Voyagers Report Troops Mutinous and Pop ulation Concerned Only in Food. An Atlantic Port, June 23. Ger many, war weary and ill fed, is in a state of unrest so acute that talk of revolt is common among both the military and civil population, accord ing to Americans who arrived here tonight on a Norwegian liner from Germany or adjacent neutral coun tries. Officers and men, the voyagers said, had told, them of a sullenness which is widespread in the German army, predicting -that it would reach the point where ihei troops would refuse td'lfig1itf'wro0''lecthat I wear the coat of the kaiser. I only wish that you could know the feeling that lies beneath, because we are not going to stand it forever," a German major told Miss Olga Wursberg of Grand Rap ids, according to her story on com ing ashore. . The conversation, she , said, took place in a hospital at Godesberg. Ger many. The officer talked freely, not suspecting that she was an American. She quoted a private soldier as saying to her:. ? "Some day we are all going to put down our arms. Why should we fight? Our officers now, instead of leading us, go behind us with their guns at our backs." Soldiers Convalesce Slowly. Miss Wurzbcrg is the daughter of Frederick Wurzberg, a naturalized American. She has lived six years in Germany with her family. She said soldiers in the hospitals convalesce slowly because of the poor food they receive. Carl E. Olivarius, a Milwaukee law yer, who returned from a trip through Norway, Sweden and Den mark, said food is so scarce in those countries that little can be spared Germany. Reporting conversations with travelers from the Teuton em pire, he said: "No one in Germany speaks of vic tory. They always talk of food. The war. in the minds of the civilian popu lation, has become secondary to ef-1 forts to get enough to eat." j Leo Rains of Milwaukee, who lias resided the last five years in Dresden, declared that Saxony is ill supplied with food, but conditions in Berlin and other large cities are "terrible." Dealers Forbidden to Add To Price of Coal on Hand Washington, June 23. Dealers and distributors are prohibited in a fuel administration order today from add ing to the price of coal they now have on hand the freight rate in creases on this commodity which be come effective next Tuesday. The advanced freight tariffs may be in cluded in the price only when deal ers actually have paid them or be come obligated to pay. What is True Americanism? What does it mean to you to be an American? For the best answers The Bee is offering 12 prizes.. For Jhe best answer the prize will be $5, and for the next 11 best, each e good book. Observe these rules: 1. Subject, "True Americanism and What It Means to Be an American." 2. Limit answers to 300 words or less. 3. Contest open to all, but ages of competitors will be taken into consideration, so state your age if you are r under 21. 4. Every answer must be signed with full name and address. 5. Address, Americanism Contest, The Omaha Bee. so as to reach this office on or before June 30. The judges will be announced later. Fighting on Italian Front region. According to the latest Italian report the invaders are re crossing the river in disorderly re treat. In the northwest sectors Asiago and Monte Grappa the Aus BODIES OF 62 RECOVERED IN CIRCUS WRECK Hagenback - Wallace Manager Expects Death Toll to Reach 85; Engineer and Fire man Arrested. Gary, Ind., June 23. Sixty-two bodies of Hagenback-Wallace circus employes who perished in the wreck six miles west of here early yester day were in temporary morgues here and at Hammond tonight. Circus officers made frantic efforts to get a list of the victims. Only 24 of the bodies have been identified. Most of the other corpses are charred and mangled beyond recognition. Edward H. Ballard, general mau ager of. the circus, tonight issued a statement, .saying figures 'I indicated that the death list would total 85. He said that a hastily check-up of the scattered employes showed a list of 60 missing, in addition to the 24 iden tified dead. It is said most of the missing are "razor backs," a number of whom are negroes. F. S. Whipple,, trainmaster, also has been given up as dead.' Some Bodies Cremated. Parts of two bodies, cremated in the furnace of tangled steel and tim bers that , resulted when a Michigan Central equipment traiii crumbled the flimsy circus coaches, were dug out tonight. Reduced to Ashes. Authorities said that if the death list is as great as estimated by cir cus men, additional bodies probably were reduced to ashes. An inquest will be held in Hammond in the morning. Gustave Klauss, fireman of the troop train of empty Pullmans that demolished the circus coaches, was ordered brought to Hammond. "We will have the engineer, Alonzo Sargent, present when we are ready for him," was all Deputy Coroner (Continued on Fage Two, Column Three) Allies Increase Their Entrenchments Where Hun Push Is Expected Taris', June 23. The Matin's corre spondent at the front, after referring in his dispatch today to the renewal of the enemy aerial activity since the cessation of operations between Sois sons and Rheims, says: "It is certainly against this point that the German push will be direct ed. All precautions have been taken to counter the German plans. Noth ing is more reassuring than the meas ures of defense which have been car ried out on the front, as well as behind the lines. "The Belgians, Portuguese and British, with the assistance here and there of American engineers, have increased their cnfrenchmnts three or four times over and have trans formed each sector into an uninter rupted line of citadels." trians, because of their losses at the opening of the drive, were unable to continue and were busy reorganizing their shattered forces. QUICK REPULSE FOR FOE ATTACK NEAR STRAZEELE Germans Surge Toward British Positions in Early Morning, But Retreat Under With ering Fire. With tie British Army in France, June 23.-f-An attempt to capture some British positions on the high ground east of Strazeele this morning met with a complete reverse for the ene my. The attack was a local one and was preceded by a heavy bombard ment that began about 6 o'clock and was maintained with great intensity for a considerable time. At the conclusion of the artillery preparation the German infantry along a narrow sector suged forward for the assault, but as they pushed up the incline which led from their own trenches to the more elevated 6vi.tish4cleacthpy.f0ttWlKtri. svfch ' a tornado of 'machine gun rio rifle fire that, after struggling ahead a little, they were forced to retire. During the night the British con ducted a raid near Bucquoy with tanks, which never before had been used for raiding. The big engines went over the top shortly before mid. night, followed by infantry. Held Up by Machine Guns. The rifle men met with strong op position and were held up by a heavy machine gun fire, but the tanks pro ceeded on their business and for two hours trundled about the enemy ter ritory, leaving the mark of their guns wherever they went. The tanks did good execution and prisoners were brought back. Two successful raids also were made into German positions near Morlancourt, during the night. On the Belgian front, King Albert's troops carried out a raid northwest of St. Julian that resulted in a hot fight at a strong concrete blockhouse. The Belgians stormed this position and cleared it out, capturing eight Germans who appeared to be all the men loft alive in the fort. Night Attack Near Rheims. Tan's, June 23. German forces last night attacked the entente allied po sitions at Bligny, about eight miles southwest of Rheims, and succeeded temporarily in gaining a foothold, the war office announced today. A vig orous counter attack, instituted by Italian troops, quickly ejected the enemy and reestablished the line in its entirety. Gassed and Wounded Men Arrive Home From France Baltimore, June 23. The first de tachment of General Pershing's gassed and wounded men arrived at Fort McHcnry hospital today. Among the patients is an infantryman who is suf fering from mustard gas . poisoning, lie has not yet regained the full power of his speech and can talk only in whispers. He is Sergt. Hubert Hll, from Lufkin, Tex. Trivatc Charles G. Hopkins of Mad ison, Tex., wounded last November at Toul, claims to be the firsfl'Amerj can wounded in action. Hopkins is an infantryman. Wilson Approves Scale Fixed for Iron and Steel Washington, June 23. Approval was given by President Wilson today to steel and iron prices agreed upon yesterday by the war trade board and the American Iron and Steel In stitute. Base prices of Lake Superior ore are increased 45 cents per ton, the price on steel bars, shapes and plates is made f. o. b. Pittsburgh, and all other maximum prices now prevailing are continued in effect from July 1 to September 30. Senate Committee Votes Against Wine Prohibition Washington, June 23. A tentative vote in the senate agricultural com mittee has' shown a small majority in favor of eliminating wine from any prohibition legislation which may be determined upon in connection with the emergency agricultural appropria tion bill. ITALIAN GUNS HARASS FOE IN RETREAT Austrians Unlikely to Escape Without Large Addition to Casualties of 180,000 Sustained to Date. (By Associated Pnm.) The first phase of the Austrian of fensive has ended in failure and de feat. The culmination of what was in tended to be the crushing of Italy between the jaws of the Austrian pincers is the rout of the invaders. With their backs to , the swollen Piave the Austrians for several days had been trying to ward off the vi cious counter attacks of the Italians and save the situation. Now they are endeavoring, and still under great pressure to ford the stream and reach the safety of tHe eastern bank. From the Montello plateau to the Adriatic sea the enemy is in re treat. Already his losses are esti mated at 180,000 men and the chances of his escape without additional heavy casualties and men made .prisoner seem remote. Under Heavy Fir. Large numbers of pontoon bridges that the Austrians threw across the Piave have been swept away by th now torrential stream, and on all the sectors of the 33-mile front where they gained edges of the Venetian plain they are being sorely harassed by the fire of the Italian guns and rifles and by the machine gun fire and bombs of the allied aviators who have done such notable execution since the attempted drive was started. Jbxtensive preparations had been made by the Austrians for what was to be the death blow to King Victor Emmanuel's men. Thousands upon thousands of men, many of them brought from the Russian and Rou manian fronts, and guns and stores in tremendous quantities had been par celed among the various commanders for the drive over the battle arc of virtually 100 miles, running from the Asiago plateau to the Piave and then to the sea. Undoubtedly the Austrian high command had built largely for suc cess on the belief that the Italian morale had been shattered. The first onslaught met a rejuvenated army which fought gallantly, never ceding an inch unless it -was dearly paid for. Aiding? the Italians in the. mountains' were British and French armies. 'Ter. ritory taken in the mountains, vas al most as quickly regained and, the en emy held in check. , , . Fall Back Under Pressure Along the Tiave, especially on the Montello plateau, the gateway to. the Venetian plains from the northeast, and at. several points farther south, where the Austrians succeeded , in crossing the river, the Italians every where imposed such strength against the enemy that he was unable to en large his gains and then with re doubled efforts forced him to com mence a retrograde movement which has developed into disordered flight. Large numbers of the enemy have, been1 reported recently as coming up behind the northern line in the moun tain region, and it is not improbable that shortly the second phase of the battle will begin. Complete confidence is felt in the Italian and other allied commands, however, that the enemy will meet foemen of superior quality and that his efforts will go for naught. On the battle front in France and Flanders tile Germans are holding their men to the trenches, except for small attacks here and there. There is no indication that for the present it is their intenetion to launch an other big offensive. Both the British and French 'have carried out suc cessfully several minor operations and repulsed all the enemy's maneuvers. Near Bligny in the Marne region the Germans succeeded in gaining. footing in a trench, but the Italian contingent immediately ejected them. Crippled War Lecturer Arrested as Imposter Portland, Ore., June 23. Thomas W. Blake, who recently arrived here from San Francisco and who claimed to be a captain, late of the British army, was arrested today at the re quest of government agents. It is charged that he is an imposter. Blake has been giving lectures on the war, ostensibly for the benefit of the Red Cross, it is alleged. He has suffered the loss of one eye and one arm and claimed to have been wound ed 47 times and to have escaped from a German prison camp, the authori ties stated. Russians Appeal to Wilson - For Intervention in Russia London, June 23. An earnest plea for intervention in Russia, either economic or armed, has been sent to President Wilson by a-large group of Russians here. The plea is set forth in a long cablegram delivered to the American embassy for trans mission to Washington. It is signed by approximately 100 persons, some prominent in the Kerensky govern ment. It is understood that a simi lar appeal will be made by the Rus sian ambassador at Washington. The appeal says that with the natural wealth of Russia iri its hands, Germany can wage war for a long period despite the blockade, and it is added that to set up. a serious barri cade to further penetrations by the Important Conference Held at Headquarters Of General Pershing Paris, June 23. Premier Clemen ceau passed the day at American headquarters. He was accompanied by Capt. Andre Tardieu, the French high commissioner to the United States and recently appointed head of the new department for Franco American co-operation in the war. They took luncheon with General Pershing and afterwards inspected the American troops. An important military conference was held during the afternoon. Among those present were M. Cle menceau. General Pershing, General Foch, who came especially for the occasion; Captain Tardieu, Major General McAndrew and Generals Mordacq and Weggand. Questions concerning Franco American co-operation were dis cussed and the measures to be taken within the next few months in con cert were talked over. Complete agreement was reached on all pointi. - The troops quartered where the inspection was held belong to a di vision which landed less than a week ago, They were presented to M. Clemenceau by General Pershing and Major General McAndrew. The magnificent bearing of the men and their perfect training strongly im pressed the premier, who chatted with them and realired for himself their desire to get into the line as early as possible and their determi nation to win. The premier spoke a few words to the officers, expressive of the great confidence of France in the men from overseas and of thanks for the aid ahe was receiving from America at the decisive hour of the struggle for the liberty of the world. AUTHORITY IS GIVEN TO BOOST PRICE0F WHEAT Increased Freight Rates and Deadlock Over Fixing $2.50 Minimum in Congress Re garded as Reasons. Washington, June 23.-Blanket authority to ' increase the price of wheat at primary ;ani ethef markets with the approval of'.''Foe)d.AdminU 'ttratof Hoovtr above ft e" $220-Ti bushel minimum price guaranteed by presidential proclamation last Febru ary, is given the food administration grain corporation in New York by an executive order of the president The order, issued under the authority of the food control law, was made public-today by Mr. Hoover. The corporation is authorized to in crease its capital stock from $50,000 000 to $150,000,000 in shares of par value of $100 each. All . the stock will be owned by the government and will be purchased , by the food ad ministration as the necessity arises to maintain the present $2.20 price, and any increases authorized. While no explanation of the order was given either at the 'food admini stration or the white house, two con siderations were believed to have in fluenced the president's decision to permit the grain corporation to pay higher prices for wheat. The first was the increased freight rates which will become effective Tuesday. Growers must bear this increase and without an advance in the price of wheat their profits would be mate rially reduced. The second was believed to be the situation resulting from the deadlock in congress over the senate's amend ment to the annual agricultural ap propriation bill increaing the mini mum guaranteed price for wheat to $2.50 a bushel. U-Boat Attacks Stimulate Recruiting; 450,000 in Navy Washington, June 23. The appear ance of German submarines off the Atlantic coast and the exploits of the marines in France have so stimulated recruiting that the enlisted personnel of the navy now totals 450,00026,285 officers and 423,808. men. Secretary Daniels announced to night that enlistments in the naval re serve the first week of this month, when it became known that the sea wolves were preying on shipping off the American coast, totaled 14,406, a record for this branch of the service, while in the following week 12,308 men were added. Germans is possible only by force of arms. An alternative to an armed inter vention is recognized, however, in an economic campaign. To prevent Russia from falling, into the hands of the Germans, whether willingly or unwillingly, prompt action 'by the allies looking toward rehabilitation is necessary, it is urged. . "If . neither , military nor ecnomic aid is given, Russia may be drawn be fore long into the sphere of German influence," the plea ; declares. "De lay is dangerous. The allies must find in themselves sufficient political fore sight and energy to give effect to those remrakable words of 'yours: 'We intend to stand by Russia as we stood by France.' " INVADERS RETIRE IN DISORDER Emperor Charles' Defeated Troops Recrossing Piave River; Italians Closely Pursuing Enemy. (By Associated Press.) Rome, Jane 23. -On, the. Piave river front from the Montello to the. Adriatic the defeated Austro-Hungarians are recrossingr the river in dis order, says the official Italian statement issued today. ? The enemy is being closely pursued by the Italian troops. An earlier statement said: . "Along the whole front of the bat tie our artillery continues to-, bom bard the enemy intensely. On Mon tello and along the Piave our ; in fantry is everywbere maintaining pow erful pressure on the enemy. Yester-' day we carried out successful, small raids and patrol actions. Counteroffensives Crushed. "To the west of Gagare the enemy attempted some counteroffensivel which were immediately crushed. "A British party in an energetio surprise action broke into the ad versary's lines to the south of Asi ajo and, after a lively struggle, killed 100 of the enemy and brought back 31 prisoners and one machine gun. "Our own and the allied airmen have continued the strffggle with un diminished daring. They also carried ou yesterday heavy and effective bombardments on the enemy's imt mediate lines of communication. , "Ten enemy machines were brought down. The enemy's aerial losses sine June IS amount to 95 airplanes and six captive balloons." Foresee Another Blow. "The Austrian offensive .was more than a failure, it was a defeat for th enemy, who at several points was foui times stronger :tban tne Italians." This announcement was madVilj Premier Orlando In- the Senate, Sat. urday amid enthusiastic cheering. Ht .jj.ji auucu . . ;.,. , "After the present vitcorious resis tance, another battle may burst out sooner or later. In fact, reliable re ports which have been received say that the Austrians are concentrating lirge forces in the Tyrol and Trent tino for another attack." American Aviator Captured. . , ' Italian Army Headquarters r in Northern Italy, June 23. Clarence Young of the American aviation forces, while making a flight was com pelled to descend within the Austrian lines. . His comrades have assured headquarters he was not injured, r The official communication pub lished by the Stefani Bureau recog nizes the first phase'of the battle, as definitely ended, with the enemy at a positive disadvantage. The communication sets, forth again the objectives which the Aus trians had "fixed for their advance and points out that the idea that these ob jectives could be won was due to the strange conviction of the command-, ing generals that the Italians would not fight. Fifteen Divisions Disrupted. "The only result . obtained," con tinues the statement, "was the disrup tion of IS of their divisions, in ex change for the advance on the Italian lines at Cima Di Rosso, whereas an other 30 divisions barely gained two and a half miles upon Montello and (Continued on Pass Two, Column Two) Americans Break Up v Hun Flame Throwing Attempt With Gas With the American Army in France, June 23. Inactivity continues in the Woevre and io Lorraine with the exception of a rather heavy shell ing. Indications are that the inter mittent fire of the German batteries in the last few days was intended to mask troop movements.- A new Ger man division has been identified on the front northwest of TouL- v The American gas attack and ar tillery action Thursday broke up a German attempt to attack with flame throwers, one of which was captured. A considerable number of others were destroyed, the met. in charge of tlese being caught between the rifle and machine gun fire. V , Washington, June 23. There was virtually no activity yesterday at the points held by the American troops, General Pershing reported in a com munique made public tonight at the . War department. . - . Prof. Henry C. Emery . Held Prisoner by Huns Washington, June - 23. Names 'of seven Americans in German, prison camps- reported io the War depart ment today by the German war- min istry through the Spanish embassy at Berlin include that of Prof. Henry C. Emery, the economist and 1 former chairman of the United States tariff commission, who was captured when the Germans occupied tlie Aland Island ;i . ; J,