The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, May 07, 1918, Image 2

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    THE 8BM1.WBEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH yUTTI, NEBRASKA.
NEWS BRIEFLY TOLD
INTELLIGENCE GATHERED HERB
COVERf) WIDE AREA.
TERRIBLE LOSSES SHATTER THE
NERVE OF ENTIRE NATION.
GERMANY MB
GREATER OR LESSER IMPORT
Inolude What It doing On at Wash.
Inflton and In Other Sections
at the Country,
Tho commander In chief of the land
nnd sea forcei in Holland has provi
sionally stopped all leaves of absence.
Tho British-French raid on tho U
bout baso of Zccbruggo was u com
plete success, It has boon learned
from high naval sources at London.
'
Nebruskn's quota for tho second
national Bed Cross drlvo for war
funds, which starts May 20 and and?
May 27, Is $1,300,000.
The use of any language other than
English for elementary instruction In
public or private schools In Connecti
cut will bo barred after July 3.
American aviators In Franco had
downed 830 enemy plnnes from tho
time tho United States entered tho
war up to March 8, uccordlng to re
ports from Franco.
Income und excess profits taxes,
flue Juno IS, will produce about $3,
000,000,000, 'or 5CO0.0OO.OOO more than
hod been estimated, Secretary Mc
Adoo has announced,
Analysis of Uio German long-runge
pin bombnrdmont of, Paris Bhows that
botweon March 23 und April 23 over
120 persons wore killed und moro
than 230 Injured.
Citizens of Ludlngton, Mich,, arc
circulating a petition ns a protest
against VV. J. Bryan appearing as n
epeakor at the Epworth Assembly in
that city la August
Following Holland's action to bring
Into forco certain military measures
Gorman papers warned tho little na
tion against becoming n second Bel
glum, "a place from which England
may attack Germany."
Word has reached tho Navy dei
partment that tho American steam
hip Florence H. was blown up in a
French port by an Internal explosion
and that but thirty-four out of tho
crew of scvcnty-llvo woro rescued.
Nebraska has bought ono-tcnth of
all the war savings and thrift stamps
sold slnco tho campaign opened ncurly
five months ago, according to a report
Issued by tho national war savings
committee at Washington.
The American line steamship St
Taul, famous passenger liner, over
turnod and sank nt her pier at on
Atlantic port, while being warped
Into a plor preparatory to loading for
a trip to Europe. The causa of ilia
accident Is unknown,
Washington officials nro perturbed
a-ver tho Dutch embargo on exporta
tion from tho Dutch East Indies of
tin, tin ore, chlnchona lmrk, quinine,
quinine salts and kapok, all of which
aro needed by tho United States for
war supplies.
T)to German losses thus far In tho
wnr have-been 2,000.000 men, accord
ing to n statement credited by the
Frankfurter Zcitung as having been
BJado by General Schulze before tho
main commission of tho German
relchstag.
After ono of tho bloodiest but lies
In history Kcmmel hill, a height
which has been looked npon as tho
key to tho Yprcs salient nnfl one of
the most important strategic positions
of the northern battle front in Frnnce,
was taken by tho Germans Friday af
ter suffering enormous losses.
America navul offlccrs characterize
the British-French raids on Zcebrugge
and Ostoid as the most daring oper
ation attempted by allied sea forces
during the war. It is believed that a
vigorous naval offensive against tho
U-boat has begun, which Is expected
to greatly curtail Its rightfulness.
Itam Chandra, Hindu publicist nnd
revolutionist, was shot dead In tho
United States district court nt Sail
Francisco, by a former Hindu em
ploye. UIs assailant was shot nnd
killed by a federal ofllcer. Both Hin
dus were defendants in tho trial of
82 persons, charged with conspiring
to foment rovolution against British
rule la India,
Sir Brie Gcddes, first lord of tho
British admiralty, declared In the
House of Commons that the British
French raid on Germany's U-boat
tmses at Zebrugge and Ostcnd, was
aost successful. Two blockading
hips were sunk at the entrance to
tae Bruges canal, whlck wns declared
to have been effectually blocked and
ether damage Inflicted. Ono British
torpodo beat destroyer and four
waller craft were lost. British css
Mdtlea were quite fceavy.
Champ Clark, speaker of tho housel
of representatives declined to accepti
tho Missouri sonntorshlp to succeed
tho luto Senator William J. Stone.
Tbo British government announced
that shipping losses will ho mndo pub
lic monthly hereafter Instead of each
week.
Establishment of a model town for
Bhlpworkerp near Camden, N. J has
been started by tho emergency fleel
corporation.
Vico Admiral Schroodor, tho com
mander nt Zcebrugge, according to re
ports will be deprived of his command
for being taken by surprise by the
British.
Mayor Davltf, of Cleveland, and
Muyor I. S. Myers, of Akron, Ohio,
hnve Issued orders barring aliens from
obtaining licenses enabling Ilium to
do buslnoss In tho two cUIes.
Seven persons wore killed nnd ilvo
Injured In u wreck on the Burlington
near Bayard, Neb., when a fast
freight train rammed Into a work
train during a blinding snow storm.
Indictments "were returned at Ed
wardsville, 111., against sixteen per
sons by tho grand Jury which Investi
gated tho lynching on April fi, of Rob
ort Paul Prager at Colllnsvllio.
Mrs. Rose' Pastor Stokes, lecturer
and wife of the wealthy socialist, J.
G. Phelps Stokes of Now York, will
be tried nt Kansas City May 20 on a
chnrgo of violating tho csplonugo act.
,Sbarp curtailment In the plensuro
unto production Is looked forward to
shortly, as tho result of n conference
botweon lending auto manufacturers
of the country and the war industries
board at Washington.
.
The Grent Western Sugnr company
has subscribed for $2,000,000 of Lib
erty bonds, apportioned on n basis of
the sugar boot acreage In Colorado,
Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming and So.
Dakota.
A rush of German women to tho
New York port enemy alien bureau
seeking permission to return to Ger
many has followed the publication of
tho regulation requiring enemy alien
women to register.
Unless convinced that the brewers
who manufacture tho beverage aro
loyal American citizens he will vrtto
to deny licenses to nil saloons which
sell Milwaukce-mndo beer, John It.
Ilnnsou, police commissioner of Kan
sas City announced.
Concentration of Mexican troops on
tho American border opposlto tho Big
Bend district of Texas was hold by
government ofllclnls to be duo to tho
work of German propagandists. Noith-,
cr state nor war, department oulclals
regard the situation ns n menace.
Tho number of American casual
ties in tho Germnn attack of April
20, near Solchcprey was about 35.
Slnco it has been admitted that Amer
ican losses wero 200, these figures
support tho German claim that 183
wero captured,
John M, Blrkncr, formerly major of
tho United States army, hold by fed
eral authorities on n disloyal charge,
was released from' tho state pentten
tlory at Sunta Fe, N. M., on $5,000
hall, furnished by friends In Lincoln,
Neb.
Tho totnl losses of tho brigade of
marines with tho American expedi
tionary forco in Franco so fur re
ported, Is 278, ns follows: Killed In
action, 22; died from wounds, 10;
died from accidents, 2; wounded in
action, 2-14.
Both houses of congress have
adopted the bill for the registration
for mllWnry sorvlco of young men who
hnvo reached the ngo of 21 years
Slnco Jurie 5, laRt. It Is estimated
that between 500,000 nnd 700,00 addi
tional men will ho nvallnblo for mili
tary service under tho law.
Rationing of confectioners and man
ufacturers using sugar, will follow
sugar cards for housewives to provldo
sugar for the canning season, tho food
administration announced. The sugar
card pledges householders buying su
gnr on tho card to use It only for
canning nnd preserving. Surplus su
gar must be snved.
Germany has demanded of Holland
the right of transit not only for civil
ian supplies and of sand and gravel
through Holland, hut also for war ma
terials, and, according to reports groat
anxiety prevails throughout the littlo
country. The yielding of Holland
would be equivalent to the abandon
ment of Dutch neutrality nnd would
ultimately result, it Is believed. In
another enemy for tho kaiser.
President Wilson is opposed to tho
Chamberlain bill, which would try
violations of the sedition laws by
court-innrtlnl, nnd In' a letter to Sen
ator Overman of North Carolina, de
clared his belief that the measuro Is
unconstitutional.
Food shipments from tho United
States to tho allied countries hnvo
been suspended for ton days to move
8,000,000 bushels of grain to the Bel
gians, who aro declared to bo In des
Derar straits.
1 French skirmish pnrty In the open, somewhere In the Mouse sector. 2 The lock gates of the Bruges cnnnl
nt Zoebrtlgge which were reported destroyed In the allied naval raid on the German U-bont bases. 3 Stephen
Ponareloff, Bulgarian minister to the United States, who many Americans think should bo sent homo by a declar
ation of war against his country.
NEWS REVIEW OF
THE PAST WEEK
Naval Forces of Allies Make
Dashing Raid to Bottle Up
Hun U-Boat Bases.
GREAT BATTLE IS RENEWED
Germane Take Important Mount Kern
mel Holland Being ' Pushed to
War1 Brink John D. Ryan
Made Director of Aircraft
Production.
By EDWARD W. PICKARD.
Last week brought forth one of tho
most spectacular and dashing opera
tions of tho war tho raid of British
and French naval forces on tho Ger
man U-boat bases at Zeebruggo nnd
Ostend. Five obsolete cruisers and
,two old submarines wero sacrificed.
Tho former, laden with concrete, were
to be sunk In the chnnnel mouths, nnd
tho latter full of explosives, wero driv
en against the moles. These vessels,
escorted by destroyers nnd nil making
a dense smoke screen, approached' tho'
Belgian const In the night but were
discovered nnd deluged with shells
from the shore batteries and from Ger
man destroyers. Tho chief fight took
place at Zeehrugge. Thcro tho cruiser
Vindictive ran Inside tho harbor under
henvy fire, and landed her crew on tho
mole after a grent gap had been blown
In It by n submarine. The men cleared
tho mole, destroyed all Its guns and
snnk a destroyer and were able to get
nwny again, though their Hisses were
severe. Meanwhile three of . the block
ships were sunk at the entrance of the
cnnnl or In the harbor, and one of the
old submarines was believed to have
destroyed the lock gntes, letting tho
'water run out of the Bruges cnnnl.
At Ostend tho operation wns simpler
and at least ono of tho block ships has
been observed from airplanes block
ing tho greater pnrt of tho channel.
At this time it is not known Just
how successful tho operation wns In
bottling up the U-hoat bases, hut probr
ably It was no moro so thnn wns Hob
son's attempt to bottlo up the Spanish
fleet In Santiago harbor, nowever, It
was n gallant enterprise, fenrlessly
carried out, and American navy men
hope It will be followed up by addi
tional nnval exploits.
-
Thcro was comparative quiet along
thobattlo front In Franco and Flanders
during tho first half of tho week, und
both tho allies and tho Germans took
ndvnutngo of the opportunity to
strengthen their positions. In tho
minor operations tho former had rather
the best of It usually and tho Huns
wero pushed hack In various sectors
by both tho British mid tho French.
Meanwhile the Germans wero bringing
tip their henvlcr artillery, q difficult
thing hecnuse of the nature of tho ter
rain and wero evidently making prep
arations for a resumption of the attack.
This canio on Wednesday, when,
after nn intense bombardment, tho en
emy nttacked with very considerable
forces tho allied positions south of tho
Sommc, nnd along tho Avrc, In tho
regions of Hangnrd, Hallles and Scne
cat wood. For tho Unto being these
assaults wero successfully repulsed ex
cept at Hangnrd, which vlllngo again
fell Into the bauds of the Gcrmnns.
Tho reports from Paris snld that
American troops wero lighting with
tho French on this lino and that their
reslstcnco to tho attacks of the Huus
wns desperate About eleven miles
directly east of Amiens, tho German
objective In this region, the British
withdrew from tho vlllngo of Vlllers
Bretonueux, but elsewhere they stood
firm.
At the same time tho Huns launched
attacks against the British In Flanders
nnd there was flerco lighting on the
line between Balllcul and Mervlllo and
.near Bethune.
Next day by a stnnshlng counterat
tack the British retook Vlllers, tuklng
'some 700 German prisoners and find
ing the enemy dead heaped up about
tho village.
On Thursday the Germans lit grent
forco attacked tho positions held by
tho French on Mount Kcmmel, nnd af
ter n desperate battle the defenders
were forced to retire to the north and
west. Tho Huns continued their ad
vance for a mile and a half and also
took the town of Dranoutrc. Berlin
claimed tho capture of St. Elol, only
three miles from Ypres, nnd Unit city
was admittedly In grave danger. The
taking of Kemmel mountain permitted
the Gcrmnns to dominate the railway
from Ypres to Calais. On Friday the
allies began counter-nttacks for the
purpose of regaining this height and
by Saturday they had made consider
able progress.
pa
Tho terrific slaughter of Germans
slnco their offensive opened, duo to
their custom of advancing In mass
formation across open ground, hns
been more than they could stand, nnd
Ludcndorff . has put' a stop to that
method of attack. The Huns now dash
forward In smaller and separate par
ties nnd take shelter when the chance
offers.
In the assault on Vlllers-Bretonnenur
the Germnn tanks mnde their flrst ap
pearance, lending tho infantry, nnd
a spectacular battle with British tanks
ensued. Several of the heavy Huu ma
chines engaged two light BrlUsh tanks
und disabled ono of them. A big Brit
ish tank rolled up to tho rescue and
after a sharp fight put one of tho Ger
man monsters out of action and drpve
tho others from tho field.
General Doyen's fine br.lgado of
American marines, It nppears, has been
in tho thick of tho batUc In France
nnd tho cnsualty list sent over proves
the "soldiers of tho sea" have main
tained their best traditions, for the list
shows 34 killed, 244 wounded and not
one tnken prisoner. The heaviest loss
sustained by the marines wns in tho
forest of Apremont, in Lorraine, where
two hot attacks by the Germans were
repulsed by tho Americans.
The Americans In the Toul sector
have not been seriously nttacked since
the battle of Selchcprey. Belated do
tnlls of that conflict tell of the heroic
conduct of our boys while they wer
being driven back from that village
and were retnking It nnd ro-estnbllsh-lng
tho lines. Though their casualties
were about 200, General Pershing re
ported they killed nt least 300 Ger
mans. Ofllcers and men alike distin
guished themselves by their bravery,
Individual deeds of heroism In tho
face of great odds being numerous.
Ni
There was great activity among the
air fighters on the west front last
week, and the outstanding event wns
the killing of Baron von lllchthofen,
one of the foremost German aviators
und leader of the famous "circus." Ho
was engaged In a fight with two Brit
ish planes nnd flew low over tho Brit
ish lines, where a bullet pierced his
heart. With characteristic chivalry
tho English gnvo him a fine funeral
paying tribute to tho memory of-u gal
lant nnd brave foe,
Several American airmen reached
the coveted distinction of being num
bered nmong the "aces" those who
have downed at least five enemy flyers.
And some of our aviators also met
death.
lea
Little news canto out' of Russia, but
It Is evident the Germans arc still
pursuing their plans of nnnexntinn.
Indeed, the kaiser Is being openly urg
ed to assume the kingship of Livonia
and Esthonla, and It Is announced that
n valuable part of Poland will bo add
ed to Prussia. German forces hnvo
renchod Simferopol In tho Crimen, cut
ting the railroad connection of tho fort
ress of Sebnstopol with the mainland.
Tho governments of the Crimen, Minsk
and Hontel hnvo uskod to be incor
porated In tlte Ukraine. All attempts
to open pence negotiations between Uk
raine and Russia hnvo failed. In Fin
land the German forces co-opernting
with tho White guards have mndo fur
ther progress and the Finnish bolshe
vikl government has uvueuated Vlborg.
m
There was considerable severe fight
ing on tho Italian front last week, but
without deflnlto result, und In Mace
donia tho allies mudo considerable ad
vances, captqrlng several towns.
IH
Poor littlo Holland scents on the
point of being dragged Into the gmit
conflict, despite her earnest efforts to
maintain her neutrality. Berlin Is re
ported to hnvo made demands which
may well result in adding the Dutch
to the list of Germany's nctlve enemies
nnd that probably would mqon Hol
land would become another Belgium,
overrun and ravaged, for the allies
s:ould not well help her except from the
sea. Tho German demands have to
do with the treaty permitting the
transportation of sand and gravel
through Holland for tho repnlr of
Belgian roads. Tho Netherlands gov
ernment refuses to permit Germany to
take these materials through Dutch
territory for military works.
P3l
Tito Guatemalan nntlonnl assembly
has declared that Guatemala occupies
the same position toward tho European
belligerents ns docs the United States,
which In diplomatic circles Is consid
ered n declaration of wnr on Germany
and her allies.
I
The rapidity with which American
troops nro being sent across the Atlnn
tic Is heartening the allies nnd dem
onstrating tho Intention of our govern
ment to put in tho field the greatest
possible force In the shortest possible
time. Many of the men nro going by
wny of England, and tho fact that they
aro being transported across the Eng
lish chnnnel in safety hns aroused the
Germans to such nn extent thnt their
naval authorities have had to apolo
gize for tho Inaction of their fleet.
It is not permitted to tell how many
men the administration proposes to
send to Franco beforo tho end of the
year, but It Is so grent that when Di
rector General Schwnb nnd the ship
ping board wero told by General Goe
thals the amount of shipping he would
require they were staggered. Mr.
Schwab, however, believed the esti
mate could be fulfilled If certain steps
could be taken to hasten the deliveries
of ships, these steps Including the re
duction of somo of the requirements
of the nnvy so that tho steel can be
diverted to the uses of the transport
fleet.
In Washington it Is understood thnt
as rapidly as ships can be provided tlte
soldiers will be sent across, whether
they are fully trained or not. It Is re
ported the draft will be accelerated by
calling 400,000 men to training next
month, a number far In excess of previ
ous estimates.
1
In line with tho present policy of
speeding .up and making efficient all
war preparations Is tho appointment
of Joint D. Ryan, the copper magnate,
as director of aircraft production for
the army nnd tho re-organization of
tho aviation section of tho slgnnl corps.
General Squler hereafter will devote
his attention to the administration of
slgnnls, and Brig. Gen. Wllllnm I. Ken
ly Is made director of a new division
of military ncronautlcs. Howard Cof
fin retires from chairmanship of the
aircraft board but remains a member
of the ndvlsory commission of tho
council of national defense.
The reports on the nlrplane situa
tion made to tho president by the
Marshall committee and by assistant
secretaries of war were not mudo pub
lic, but it Is admitted that thiy sub
stantiated tho report of the senate
committee that the program had col
Iapse,d. )WS
Both houses of congress have pnsscd
the Joint resolution to register for mil
itary service all males becoming twenty-one
years old slnco Juno 5, 1017.
Tho lower house adopted an amend
ment putting the newly registered men
nt the foot of their respective classes
and sustained the military committee
In refusing to exempt those who hnvo
entered, medlcnl or divinity schools
slnco Juno 5.
PBI
Tho Chumherlaln bill, to turn sedt
tlonlsts over to military tribunals for
trial by court martial met Its fate
when President Wilson declared his
firm opposition to It and other au
thorities said It was unconstitutional.
It wns, of course, Introduced because
of charges thnt the department of Jus
tlco has been lax In combating enemy
propaganda, but these charges are re
futed by the department, which re
ports It has secured at least 3,000 con
victions In the last year, despite the
Inadequacy of federal laws against
sabotage and disloyal utterances. Tho
number of acquittals bus been relative
ly small.
ARMIES IN WEST DEADLOCKED
Populace Told- Allies Much Stronger
Than Was Assumed. Holland
Yields to Demands.
London, April 30. According . to a.
telegram from Router's correspondent
nt Amsterdam, extraordinary nervous
ness and depression pervall in Ger
many owing to tho lossos In tho west
ern offensive. This, tho correspondent
says, was revealed with remnrkablo
frankness In nn urtlcle by Captain von
Salzman In tho Vosslche Zeltttng, la
which he endeavors to restore their
lost confidence to the Gcrmnns by em
phasizing the Importance of tho char
acter of Kemmel hill.
"Captain von Salzmnn enumeratcs
n few of the scries of rumors current
In Germany. All thoso stories nro
prefaced by tho remark in the relch
stag, It Is said, nnd go on to say:
" 'Our losses have been enormous.
Tho offensive In tho west hns arrived'
at deadlock. The eneitiy Is much
stronger than the supreme commnnd
nssumed. Wo nro unnblc to continue
tho offensive owing to lack of horses.
Tho region before Ypres Is a great
lake, and therefore, Impnssable. Tho
whole country between our Amiens
front nnd Paris Is mined nnd will bo
blown up.'
"Tho people, continues Salzman,
have begun to lose their nerve. Re
plying In the, relchstag, the minister
of wnr said something like this:
"It goes without saying thnt there
nro big losses In such a struggle. Our
losses In ono part of the front hnvo
been very henvy. Two-thirds ot tho
compnny leaders In many regiments
hnvo fallen."
"It is snld that a certain deputy
thereupon told his electors In another
German town:
"'Tho minister of wnr has openly
declared our losses to be so heavy
that tho offensive must bo abandon
ed.' "
Holland Yields to Kaiser.
London, April 30. Hollnnd hns
yielded to Germany's demands con
cerning transport and tho supply of
sand and gravel, although It Is under
stood that tho amount of snnd and
gravel will be limited instead of un
limited, according to n dispatch from
Tho Hague.
It Is added thnt a general under
standing will bo required from Ger
many that the sand and gravel will
not bo used for military purposes.
Rumors nro current la the Dutch
cnpltal, the dispatch adds, that Dr.
John Loudon, minister of foreign nf
fairs, will resign. These, It is said,
nro "based on tho supposition that he
could not retain offlco now thnt his
undertaking respecting tho gravel
must bo revoked. In summarizing the
sltuntlon, the dispatch continues, It is
felt that the crisis with Germany hns
passed, nlthough the solution Is in ne
wise nn ideal ono for Hollnnd.
New Rubs Regime Hostile to Germany.
Stockholm, April 30. Correspond
ents of Swedish newspnpers In Fin
land announce that there are rumors
In circulation there of Important haj
penlngs In Russln.
The most deflnlto rumor dcclnres
,that former Grand Duke Alexis, son
of the former emperor, hns been de
clared emperor und the Grand Duko
-Michael Alexandrovltch ns regent and
that the new government would refuse
to recognize the bolshevik peace
treaty with Germany.
The rumors would be disregarded
hero were it not for tho fnct that a
report from Vasa, Finland, declared
that tho transportation of Russian ci
vilian prisoners has had to "bo sus
pended "because of current disorders
In Russia."
Two-Thlrds Million Missing.
Amsterdam, April 30. Speaking be
fore tho main committee of the Gor
man relchstag on Friday, according to
Vorwnerts, General von Rlsberg
stated that on March 31, Inst, the
number of Germans missing had
reached a total of 00-1,104. Of this
number, he said. 230,070 woro pris
oners In France; 310.000 In England.
157,000 In Russia and Rumania and
the remainder could bo regarded as
dead.
Tornado Kills Two.
Pittsburgh. Kits., April 30. Two
persons aro reported killed, sovernl
families homeless and several thou
sand dollars dnmago dono by n tor
nado that swept u cross Crawford
county, Kansas. .
30,000 Cars Ordered.
Washington. April 20. Orders for
30.000 box and coal cars to cosl in
tho aggregate between ?SO,000,000 and
$00,000,000 wore placed by Dlroclor
General McAdoo with tho American
Car and Foundry company.
Steelier Fails to Throw Lewis.
New York, April 20. Tito wrestling
match between Ed "Strangler" LcwM
and Joo HtcchiM, held at Madison
Square Garden, wns decinred a draw
after two hours.