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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (June 15, 1917)
THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. BROKE n LINE details of Important Allied Vic tory Before Ypres. OLD SCORE IS WIPED OUT .Capture of Messlnes Ridges Peculiarly ' Gratifying, as It Was the Scene of Former British Defeat Defenses Shattered. With tho British Armies In France, June 7. In one of tho most oltfborntcly planned nnd daringly executed ma neuvers of tho wnr Sir Douglas Ilalg's forces have dcult n mighty blow against the German line In Belgium, nnd been rewarded with notable gains in terrain nnd the capture of more than 5,000 prisoners and numerous guns of vnrlous caliber. In addition they Inflicted heavy casualties on tlie Gormnns. Tho Germans, though apparently nwnre thnt the blow was coming and seemingly prepared to meet It, were driven from their nearly three years' hold on Messlnes ridge, opposlto "poor old" Ypres. Ypres In a sense was avenged today, for Messlnes ridge has been the vantnge point from which the Germans have poured torrents of shells Into the stricken city. The British also wiped off nn old score ngalnst the Gor mnns, for they held tho ridge In Octo ber, 1914, nnd with very thin, forces, nnd virtually no artillery, fought blood lly but vnlnly to hold It when tho Prus sian troops massed their modern and overpowering weapons of war against it. Prisoners taken declared that the bombardment of VImy ridge was child's play compared with the gunfire turned upon Messlnes ridge. Triumph for Artillery. This fire reached Its climax Just as dawn was graying the eastern skies nnd while the full moon was still sus pended high In the heavens. The nttack was accompanied by nil ihc arts and deviltries of latter-day Avar. Tho enemy guns nnd gun crews lind been bathed for days In gas shells sent over by the long-rnnge British guns. Tho night was filled with red In cendiary flames. Shells that spurted lead In streams crashed In appalling numbers about tho heads of the de fending soldiers. High-explosive nnd shrapnel fire was carried out with such rapidity that the earth writhed under tho force of tho attack. Mines thnt had taken two -years to dig and fill with an overwhelming ex plosive broke Into an avalanche of flaming destruction In the hnlf light of lawn. This was Indeed an Ypres day of retaliation and victory, for the virions Kiifferlnirs of two venrs nnd eight months. Gunners Strip to Waist. It was a day of Intense heat, nnd tho gunners worked stripped to the waist. The nttack went forward with clock like regularity. The British casualties were . slight, Three out of four of the casualties were reported to be walking cases, who would return to duty In a few dnys. The attack began nt dawn, nnd the setting was as picturesque as can well be Imaginable. The day before had been hot and sultry. Toward evening there was a series of thunder storms which extended well Into the night, tho lightning mingling with tho flashes of the guns, but the thunder being virtu ally unnoticed amid the din of the can non. A full moon struggled contlnu ously td break through the heavy clouds which scudded across the vel vety night sky. Sing on Way to Fight. On the way to the front were all the familiar pictures of the war endless trains of motor trucks; nil varieties of horse transport, the "British sol diers mnrchlng to battle light of heart nnu singing songs tnmuiar m every American community. In the shadow of an old windmill which has withstood the storms of a century and been undaunted by nearly three yenrs. of wnr, tho correspondent witnessed the Inst phases of tho seven day preliminary bombardment nnd the final outburst of the guns which cent tho British Infantry confidently on their way to new successes In fighting the grentest military nntlon tho world hns ever known. From the German line tho snme lazy, looping rocket signals were as ccndlng tp Illuminate the treacherous bit of ground between the trenches known ns No Mnn's Land. This night ly "straffing" had been going on so long that the enemy considered It en tlrely normal and took no nlarm. Oc casionally blue and yellow rockets would be flung Into tho air by Germans holding the front line. One by one' the guns boenmo silent There was tho old "grandmother" howitzer of enormous caliber, which kept breaking tho pence nt flve-mln ute Intervals, tho shock of each suc ceeding explosion nnd the shriek of the heavy shells being cmplmslzcd by the silence which Iny over all tho sur rounding country. Like Volcanoes In Eruption. Day was scarcely breaking when from the dimly visible ridge n score of fiery volcanoes seemed suddenly to spring from the earth. Tho night had been filled with strange noises nnd still stranger sights, but those mnsses of flame, leaping from tho ground, hnd a meaning nil their own. They were the snectnculnr outward and visible evl donees of more than n million pounds of high explosives which had been burled deep In mines below Uio ene iny's positions for months. All the world appeared lurid and horrlblo under the sinister glow. Tho earth shook as If torn by a great seis mic disturbance. It wns not a single shock. Tho force 6f tho explosion actually set the earth rocking to nnd fro, nnd under tho Influence of tho giant guns, which Immediately began to roar from fnr nnd near, tho trem bling continued Indefinitely. It was 3:10 o'clock when this flnnl terrific bombnrdmcnt bognn. It has seemed thnt tho bnttle of tho Sommo nttnlned the ultlmntc In tho close assembly of wnr weapons, but this sudden outpouring on Mes rldgo wns bcy.ond nil cnlculntlon. ' lighter field guns fnr forward sot up u perfect curtain fire, under which tho nssnultlng troops trudged confidently to their nllottcd goals. Farther back the deep-throated heavies began to pour out torrents of high explosive shells on tho German trenches nnd communications, while still other guns mough to win nny ordlnnry battle confined themselves solely to tho task of deluging Gorman guns nnd gunners. In bnths of gns fired In shells of ev ery concelvnble caliber. Tho effect of this counter battery work wns not appreciated until Inter In tho day, when the Infantry sent bnck word that their progress had not been hnmpercd 'by tho enemy nr tlllery and that their "casualties amounted 4o virtually nothing. Enemy Signals for Help. Great black observation balloons had stolen skyward during the din of the newly begun battle. In the wood back ot tho windmill spring birds, nwnkened by the deafening clamor, had begun to sing Joyously. Like so many children who have come Into tho consciousness of being In tho midst of the war,- these birds regarded tho np- pnlllng noise of the battle as a normal condition of life. The smoke of tho giant mines ex ploded nlong the battle front mean time rose In great, curling plumes to ward the sky nnd was punctuated by red signals for help from tho stricken Germnns in the front and support lines. Never was tho air filled with more frantic notices of danger. Tho entire horizon glowed with red bnlls of fire sent up by the nervous Ger mans. Moro nnd moro British airplanes bo gnn to make their appearance. One flew over the lines, the flashes of the guns being reflected brilliantly on Its highly glnzed wings. Under this nppnlllng fire trudged for ward on the ten-mile front General Plumer's army. At many places the men found Gorman troops utterly dazed by tho mine explosion and tho ordeal of the nrtlllcry fire. First Taste of New Warfare. Many of those troops had but recent ly come from Russia, where they had spent IS months and know nothing of what actual warfare "was like on the western front. They hnd bolted' at the first mine explosion nnd had only boon gathered together In groups by their noncommissioned officers- when tho British nppenred out of the smoke and shells and made them prisoner. They said they had been given to understand by their olllcers that the British always killed their prisoners, It wns really pitiful In some Instances to see tho manner in which these pris oners cringed to their captors. As a matter of fact, the British sol dier, when the fighting Is done, is in clined almost too strongly to treat tho German prisoners as pals. Some of the prisoners taken todny had only gone Into tho Gorman lines Inst night and hnd made their way forward un der n galling fire and hnd lost heavily, But the troops already In the line were calling for relief in such n manner that their appeals could not be dented. Failed to Time Attack. In view of the fact that the attack had been expected the Germnn com manders wero endeavoring to get their best units actually Into tho fighting front, but hnd underestimated when tho British would strike. Tho troops In a strange line wero utterly bewll dcred when the attack began nnd .fell easy prey to tho advancing British. Tho Irish, New Zenlandcrs and Aus tralians, who had been rehearsed In every detail of "the show," know Just what to do from the moment the word to advance was given. Tho battle wns far more visible dur ing tho first uncertain moments than Inter when the sun gradually burned Its way through the eastern bnnks of clouds. By thnt tlmo the smoko of ex ploding shells and the vnpors from the blinding barrage, which had been part of tho artillery duty, obscured tho more distant lnndscnpo to such nn extent that the roaring guns could not bo seen at all, although the firing was almost nt ono's feet. The brilliantly leaping shrapnel shells, brenklng fnr nbovo ground, appeared through a thick mist only as brief and brilliant electric sparks. British Planes Rule Air. For u month past, but especially since June 1, tho airplanes on this front hnve been Indcfntlgnbly at work during every possible flying hour. They had brought down nearly 00 ma chines In sir days as a means of blind ing the enemy. Lately tho Germans have endeavored valiantly to obtain airplane observations for their nrtll lery, but their observing- mnchtnes havo seldom been nblo to direct moro than one or two shots before the Brit ish fighting scouts had pounced upon them and either sent them crashing to tho earth or had driven them to cover at breakneck speed. Todny tho British planes flew fnr nnd long over tho enemy's retreating lines nnd wero only challenged by some very bnd-shootlng nntl-ulrcrnft batteries. All through tho day British planes ruled the air. They co-operated actively with the British artillery and Infantry In maintaining the success of this brilliant eplsodo in modern war fare. 1 Scene in tho great Russian fortress of Kronstndt, whoso gnrrlsdn revolted government. 2 Eleanor Parker of Barnard college nnd diaries r . runups unu uwen untteu or uoiumom university, who were arrested in Now York for conspiring against tho draft; Phillips pleaded guilty and asked permission to register. 3 Brig. Gen. It. E. L. Michle, aid to General Scott In tho Root mission now In Russia ; tho low-collared uni form he hns on Is now disapproved by the war department. 4 -Ono of the battering rams used by tho Germans to destroy without explosives tho cottuges NEV REVIEW OF 6? ofiT uirrir Wl VILLI! More Than Ten Million Young Americans Register for National Army. PERSHING REACHES ENGLAND British Start Tremendous Offensive In Belgium, First Blowing Up Messlnes Ridge Japan Warns Russia Against Withdrawing From the War Food Scarcity Wor ries Germany. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. More than 10,000,000 men between the nges -ot twenty-ono and thirty yenrs responded to the cnll of tho na tion on Tuesdny, Juno C, registration day for the national army. Thus tho first step In tho execution of the se lective service law was completed with gratrfylng success and the predictions of the Germnns nnd of the traitors in America who side with them that the registration would bo a fulluro wero proved false. That there would be opposition to the registration wns n foregone con clusion, but It was sporadic and on the whole wns of no Importance. Such hostile demonstrations ns there were generally took place In strongholds of tho I. W. W. and tho Socialists and were promptly Bquelched. Returns from some stntes were be low the estimates of tho census bu reau, but in other states those esti mates were exceeded. A largo pro portion of those registering claimed exemption, usunlly because of depend ent relatives, and the war department officials, as a result, Intimated that the rules governing exemption would bo tightened. The considerable number of claims for exemption really does not moan thnt so many young Americans desire to nvold service. Such a conclusion would be most unjust, for everywhere there were evidences of unbounded pa triotism and loynlty, and the Indica tions of exemption claims arose mainly from the necessary answers to ques tions thnt were .merely stntlstlcnl. As soon ns tho machinery of regis tration is readjusted, 1,000,000 names will be drafted, the exemption boards will do their work and 025,000 men will bo cnlled for Immediate service. Pershing Arrives In England. The safe arrival of General Per shing nnd his staff at an English port waR announced on Friday. The nnvnl collier Jupiter, laden with grain and other supplies for the Per shing army and escorted by American warships, nrrlved at a French port; n squadron of our wnrshlps arrived nt Rio do Janeiro, Brazil, presumably to relieve the British navy of the pa trol of the South Atlantic; nnd moro hospital units landed In Englnnd and proceeded to France. So much the government allowed to bo known of tho movements of our nrmed forces, Military expediency demanded tho sup pression of much more Interesting news. Preparations havo boon made for tho reception of American troops In France. A number of bases hnvo been organized, camps for Infantry and ar tillery have been laid out, and nvlntlon parks established. From France camo tho news of tho exploit of tho American steamship Sllvershell which encountered an ene my submnrine In tho Mediterranean. Tho two vessels fought for nn hour and n half, exchanging many shots, nnd then ono shell fired by the naval gunners on tho Sllvershell found Its mnrk nnd tho U-boat was sent to tho bottom. British Offensive In Flanders. After n smashing bomhnrdment Inst Ing three days, tho British began their expected offensive In Glanders early Thursday morning with nn explosion that was heard by Premier Lloyd Georgo nt Walton Ileath, 140 miles away. Nino miles of Germnn positions ' alone tho Yprcs-Armentleres front TiJ ML In tho French territory from which they were blown Into tho nlr by 20 charges of high explosives, totaling n million pounds. Instantly the Englishmen, Irishmen, Australians and Now Zen landers that make up tho British army In Belgium sprang forward In succes sive waves, and ono of tho fiercest imttlcs of tho wnr was on. Tho nttack wns directed at tho Mes slnes ridge, between Messlnes and Wytschnete, where over since October of 1014 tho Germnns bad mnlntnlned themselves In n sharp salient thnt al ways threatened xpres, only tnreo miles to the north. Tho morning rush resulted In the enpture of Messlnes and Wytschaeto and tho enemy's dc- fenso systems on the nlne-mllo front, nnd later In the day another forwnrd movement took the British Into and through tho village of Oosttaverne. The entlro salient wns straightened out and nil tho counter-nttneks wero re pulsed. Any considerable further ad vance in this sector will threaten tho Germnn hold on Lille, which Is nhout five miles from tho nearest British po sition. Lnrgo numbers of prisoners already havo been taken. The Germans must havo known that the attnek of Messlnes rldgo wns In tended, for tho preparatory bombard ment wns terrific, nnd yot reports from prisoners Indicated that thoy actually wero taken by surprise. 'In preparation for tho operations In Flnnders tho British fleet co-opernted with tho land forces, subjecting Os- tend to severo bomhnrdment. Tho British air forces nlso wero In action, repeatedly raiding tho German bases at Zeebrugge, Ostend nnd Bruges. In retaliation n squadron of German nlr- plancs ntlackcd the British naval base In tho Medway, close to London, on Tuesday, but was driven off with tho loss of eight machines. Several times during tho week the Germans made vicious attacks. In tho Alsno nnd Chnmpagno sectors and oven gained possession of some French positions; but the gallant pollus al most Immediately recovered tho lost ground, Inflicting severe losses on tho enemy. The Austrlnns claimed to hnvo ef fectually checked tho Italian ndvanco toward Trieste, nnd nnnounced thnt the Itndan losses In the offensive were 180.000 men. On Tuesday the Italians were forced bnck south of Jamlnno. Dispatches from Romo revealed the fact that Italy had proclaimed tho In dependence of Albania. Once moro tho British admiralty is sued a very satisfactory report on tho work of tho submarines, showing but 23 British vessels sunk In tho week, five of which were fishing ves sels. Tho American destroyers com plctcd their first month In tho wnr and have proved themselves most vnlu able aids to the British nnvnl forces. Russia Is Warned. Conditions In Russlu remain chaotic, though they may bo straightened out somowhnt by the work of tho Root commission and the American rallwny engineers. Tho revolt of 'the garrison of Kronstndt," which declared tho Is land fortress Independent of tho gov eminent, caused considerable concern In Pctrogrnd, but as tho action of tho garrison wns denounced by tho Petro grad council of workmen's nnd sol diers' dclegntcs it collapsed, and tho garrison bowed to tho nuthorlty of tho provisional government. Following President Wilson's exam ple, Franco replied to Russia's state ment of her peuce plan by setting forth In a general way the demands of the French. These, embodied In t voto of the chamber of deputies, In cludo the liberation of tho territories invaded by Germany, the return. to Franco of Alsace-Lorraine nnd Just repnratlon for damage, Japan also took official cognizance last week of tho Russian crisis, In forming the government nt Potrograd that If Russia withdraws from tho wnr Japan, In consultation with England nnd tho United States, will consider what measures to adopt. The pro visional government was warned that if Russia accepts a separate peace It will become another Austria under tho domination of Germany, will loso Po land, Llthunnln nnd Finland nnd will be stripped of many of her outlying possessions, Furthermore, Japan In formed Great Britain that while, in case of Russia's withdrawal from the entente, Jnpnu would prefer to send her troops to Franco rather than to undertake military chastisement of but later yielded to tho provisional are being driven by tho allies. Russia, If tho now situation seemed to threaten Japan tho latter would tnko measures for sclf-protectlon. This means she would dcclnro war on Rus sia nnd take away Manchurjn nnd pos sibly, outer Mongolia. The best Informed opinion Is thnt tho entente allies havo little to hope from Russia Jn tho way of furthur ac tive participation In tho war. If sho can bo persuaded to reject a scptirnto peaco and to hold tho Germans back from further Invasion, that is about the limit of reasonable expectation. The provisional government seems ut terly lacking In cohesion uud Its power la' negligible. The strike of munition workers In Potrograd was averted on Wednesday, but only by granting tho demands of tho men. Including tho six-hour dny. General Brusslloff was made com mander In chief of tho Russian nrmles, and General Gurko again resigned na commnnder on tho western front. Two Things Worry Germany? Two things urc causing especial anxiety in Germnny. Ono is tho per sistent demand of tho masses In Austria-Hungary for a peace on tho Schcldcmnnn plnn of no annexations nnd no Indemnities n separate peaco If Germany remains obdurate. Tho Germuu Socialists arc aroused to au ger by"" tho prospect of this breaking up of tho alllonce of tho central pow ers, nnd lay all tho blame on tho pnn- Gennnns. . Tho other cnusc for Germnn worry Is the scurclty of food, which admit tedly Is Increasing throughout tho cm plro. Food Controller von BatoCkl told tho rclchstncr that tho potato crop Is smaller than was expected, and 'that tho crops In tho occupied territories 1 .11 I I ....... . .... eteeA nra n crcat uisuimmjiui.uii.-ui. uo oc will hardly germinate In ruined soil In Turkey, Bulgaria and Austria, ho udmitted, tho food situation was des perate. Tho cities nnd towns over there nro suffering far moro than tho country districts, for tho peasants re tain much of the meats and other food stuffs they produce, despite tho of- forts of the offlclnjs to forco them to disgorge. In somo parts of Germany tho townspeople have been conducting regular expeditious Into the country to seize food, by nrmed forco If neces sary. Tho wnr and the question of Chlnu's Dartlclnatlon therein nro causing lot of trouble for tho rulers of thnt so-' called republic. Tho situation Is con fusing to occidentals, but tho concreto results havo Included the revolt of 11 provinces, which formed n provisional government, and tho resignation of tho vico president. . Germany undertook to appease Spnln by upologlzlng for tho sinking of n Spanish vessel and offering to pny damages, but tho Spaniards are still angry and tho food situation there la bad. " King Alfonso last weok made a demand on the central powers that tho abuse of Jews In Pnlestinb bo stopped, and In th(s was backed up by tho Ar gentina republic. Northcllffe Comes to America. An Interesting development of tho week wns tho ucccptunco by Lord Northcllffe of tho position of bend of tho British war commission In tho United Stntes In succession to Arthur J. Bnlfour. Tho great editor nnd pub lisher Is. next to Lloyd-George,- tho most Influential man in Great Britain and it is predicted that his work In America will bo momontous. A neat example uf Gorman methods of oppression is supplied by tho treat ment of Mons, Thnt Belgian town was fined $100,000 last week becauso a Belgian puper, printed In Holland announced thnt Crown Prlnco Ru prccht of Buvarla was In Mons when that city wns bombnrded by nllled nlr- men nlso, probably, becauso the Ger mans needed tho money. Tho flnnnco committee of tho sennto put In another strenuous week rovumn Ing tho wnr revenue bill, and flnnlly got It In shopo for consideration by tho senate. The campaign for tho snlo of Lib erty bonds Is still being carried on with vigor und tho greatest success throughout tho country.1 Why It should bo necessary to urgo people to put their money Into these absolutely safo arid very deslrablo securities Is not easily understandable, but slnco It Is, tho men who hnvo tho work In chnrgo nro to bo highly commended for tho skill, persistency and Ingenuity with which they aro pushing the campaign- JUST A. LITTLE VERY OLD-FASHIONED. "I'll go to this musical comedy with you If you nro sure the chorus will bo properly clad," said the. model young man. "Have no fenrs ns to thnt. I enn nssuro you thnt this show was pro duced by n man who has boiuo regard for tho proprieties." "Good 1" "Yes. Ho won't stnnd for bnro legs. If n chorus girl won't wear tights she can't work for him." A Crack Shot "It Is my aim," said tho nngulnr fe male, who took In boarders becauso she needed the money, "to give my guests only thu most substantial food." "And every tlmo you aim you man age to hit the bullsoyo," rejoined tho pale young man. "Your beefsteak Is undeniably the most substantial tlilug wns ever Introduced to outside a leather dispensary." Turning of the Worm. Mrs. Enpeck I found ono of your old lovo letters while cleaning houso today. Enpeck Did It contain nnythlng of a startling nature? Mrs. Enpeck Well, you stnted In It. that you would jnther dwell In endless' torment with mo than to live in bliss alone 1 Enpeck Huh 1 My fool "dream cer tainly camo out, nil right, didn't It? ECONOMICAL. Tho Reformer Aro you In fnvor of women voting? Tho Politician Sure. You could buy. all the votes you wanted for $1.08. Defective Vision. Two sides thoro are to everything That's said or thought or done. And yet, two-thirds of us, by Jlng, Can only look at one. Not Much Progress. "At nn curly ngo ho was thrown on his own resources." "And now he's a millionaire. Think of thnt t" "Oh, ho doesn't deserve much credit nis resources nt the tlmo wero soveral millions." A Fellow Feeling. "So politics bores you?" "Yes," replied the unpatriotic citi zen. , "Well, you nro not tho only person who feels thnt wny, As u matter of fact, politics bores a great many states men who regret the necessity of hav ing to get out at periodic lntorvuls and' hustlo for re-election." Anxious to Save Him. "What nre you doing thoro?" "Figuring on the upkeep of an auto mobile." "You can't afford to buy an automo bile." "I know It. I'm Just getting up somo data with whlqh. to convlnco n friend of mlno thnt ho can't afford to buy ono either." No Place for Idlers. "Going to tnko any summer board ers this yeur?" "No," replied Farmer Corntossel. "Don't expect to have much food to wnsto on folks that spend their time swlngln' In hammocks or slttln' on tho porch tcllln' riddles." Fortunato Man. Hobo Say, mister, would youso mlnd stnkin' u poro man wot nln't got no homo, tor n fow pennies? Enpeck Whntl You ain't got no homo? Say, old chap, you nro playing In gront luck. Why, you can stny out all night every night If you wunt to and nover got a call down. Friendly Interest "nero's a lotter from Dubwnlto. His chlrogrnphy Ih Improving," "Thut's good. What'a ho taking for, it?" "