The Omaha Daily Bee
Want-ad
Night Service
to 10 p. m.
Tyler 1000
THE WEATHER
Cloudy
VOL. XL VI. NO. 274.
OMAHA, FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 4. i 917. TWELVE PAGES.
SS.I'S'.idi''fc. JINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
BELGIAN DEATH RATE TRIPLED;
CROSS HINDENBURG LINE TWICE
PEOPLE STARVE
BECAUSE GRAIN
SHIPS ARE SUNK
Enormous Increase in Mortal
ity Follows Cutting Off
Fart of Food Supply
by U-Boats.
HOOVER REACHES GOTHAM
Goes to Washington to Take
Charge of U. S. Food Con
trol Program.
CHILDREN ARE FED FIRST
BULLETIN.
London, May 3. The British
transport Arcadian was sunk by a
submarine April 15. It is believed
279 men were drowned.
"The Arcadian was torpedoed
In the eastern Mediterranian. It
went down five minutes after
ward," said the admiralty report.
"Nineteen officers, ten men
with naval ratings, thirty-four
members of the crew and two
civilians are among the missing,
whom it is presumed were
drowned."
The Arcadian, 8,939 tons gross,
was owned by the Royal Mail
Steam Backet company of Liver- -pool.
It was 500 feet long, was
built at Barrow in 1899, was
withdrawn from the passenger
service early in the war and taken
' over by the admirality.
New York, May 3. The German
U-boat menace, lias madethe food
situation in Belgium and northern
France one of extreme gravity.
The mortality among adults in the
industrial districts has been multiplied
by three during March and April, ac
cording to Herbert C. Hoover, who
arrived here t6day from Europe on
' Mr.- Hoover said he would go im
mediately to Washington to take
charge of the government's food con
trol program. '
Comes to Do His Bit.
"Like every good American I have
come over to do my share," Mr.
Hoover said. "My new duty is too
big a proposition to discuss at this
time."
"The food situation in Belgium and
northern France requires every effort
we can mike," said Mr. Hoover, who
does not intend to relinquish his po
' sition as head of the Belgian com
mission. "At present it is one of extreme
gravity on account of the U-boat
menace, which has increased alarm
ingly during the last eight weeks.
Wheat and corn are needed badly and
also pork and beef.
f Five Loaded Boats Sunk.
' "The commission by March 1 had
struggled to its feet again after re
ceiving the knockout blow of the sub
marine decree of February 1. Since
March 1 we have lost five loaded
boats, but in March and April 60,000
tons of food stuffs were landed. But
thjs 60,000 was 220,000 tons less than
we actually required.
"Because of the shorta- the mor
tality in industrial districts multiplied
by three. The children, however, did
not suffer. They are always looked
after first. ,
"At this time we have only thirty
boats. Wc- need seventy." ,
America to End It.
Paris, May 3. Jules Cambon, gen
eral secretary to the minister of for
eign affairs, in the course of a talk,
said there is no occasion to be pessi
mistic over the submarine menace
(Confirmed on Pn$t Two, Column One.)
Tfie Weather
For Nebraska Partly cloudy west, rain
east portion.
Hour. Defr
5 a, m 41
fi 1
m .
7 a. m. .
ft a. in.,
9 a. in.
10 it, m.
II i
m 4. .
12 noon
1 p. m. 3 fi
2 i. m 34
3 . m 35
4 p. m 35
5 p. m 36
6 p. m 3fi
1 p. m 3S
8 p. m 35
Comparative Loral Record,
1917. 1916. 1915. 1911.
Ugliest yesterday.... 43 6.' 7 71
'-.owerU yeutnnlay 34 4ft 45 58
Vtean temperature... 38 u2 56 k
Precipitation 78 .00 .00 .00
Tenippraiure and precipitation departures
from the normal :
Normal ' temperature fi8
IWlciency for the day 20
Total deficiency since March 1 47
Normal precipitation 12 inch
. Exneiw for vhe day t6 Inch
Total rainfall since. March 1 6.22 Inches
ExresB since March 1 1.46 Inches
Deficiency for por. period in 1916.2.70 Inches
Deficiency for cor. period In 1916.2.09 Inches
Be ports from Stations at 1 P. M.
Station and State Temp. Hlirh- Rain
of Weather. 7 p. m. est. fall.
Cheyenne, clear. 44 46 .08
Davenport. coudy.,,,.,.60 54 .00
Ornver, clear 52 64 .02
Des Moines, rain., 34
Dodge City, clear 64
Lander, clear ,...52
North Platte, cloudy. ...43
Omaha, cloudy 38
Pueblo, clear 68
Rapid City, clear 4fi
Halt Lake City, clear. .
Santa Fe, part cloudy.
Sheridan, part cloudy.
Sioux City, Know
..34
alonune, cloudy
.36
h. A. WELSH, Motcorologlst.
RAILROADS COME
TO AID
PLAN TO CURTAIL
TRAIN SERVICE TO
ACTUAL NEEDS
Duplicate Passenger Trains to
Be Taken Off and Locomo
tives Used to Move
Freight.
NEW OUTPUT TO ALLIES
Scheme Includes Sending Roll
ing Stock and Bails to the
Allied Nations.
COAL GIVEN PREFERENCE
Washington, May 3. Curtailment
of passenger train service and ship
ment of the country's entire output of
rolling stock and rails to the allies
were forecast today by Daniel Wil
lard in a speech before the national
defense conference of governors and
representatives of state defense coun
cils.
Mr. Willard said the federal coun
cil's general railroad board is working
on a plan tor readjusting schedules.
Other nations at war, he said, have
discontinued passenger schedules en-
irely, but the American government
hopes to bring the railroads to their
highest point of efficiency by eliminat
ing duplication and reducing the num
ber of passenger trains as far as pos
sible without inconveniencing the pub-
Of the 14.000 passenger train loco
motives in the United States the rail
road board hopes to release 4,000 for
freight trains. 1
Send Engines to Eowpe."""
"It is vilat that France and Rus
sia have locomotives and cars," said
Mr. Willard. "We -Will have to' fur
nish them. How can we do it? We
can do it by getting along with wljat
equipment we have and by putting
into force measures of greater rail
way economy.
1 lie general railroad board of the
defense council, comprised of five'
railway presidents, who are operating
the country s lines as one continental
system, is working on these measures
now. By reducing the time allowed
shippers to load and unload cars we
will save 245,000 freight cars for one
trip a year.
(jermany lias reduced the loadinu
and unloading time limit to six hours.
We can reduce our present time
limit from forty-eight to twenty-four
hours and. although it will cause some
inconvenience, it is m the interest
of all the people.
Coal Now Preferred Freight.
"There will be more war-time rail
business than (lie lines can handle.
The country's systems are hauling
more freight than ever before, but
they cannot carry all that is in sight,
End it will be necessary for the ren-
eral railroad board to decide what
classes of freight shall have prefer
ence. "Already the board has said coal
must go first, and we are filling the
country's ccal yards for next winter.
What is the next most 'important com
modity remains to be decided. The
Agricultural department asks that
seed and agricultural implements' be
moved, and they, too, are being given
preference."
Men in Reserve Officers'
Corps Get $100 a Month
Washington, May 3. Conferees on
the army bill Jbday agreed on a pro
vision to pay $100 a month to men
in training camps seeking to Qualify
as members of vthe officers' reserve
corps. . '
Regular army recruiting again
showed good results yesterday, with
a total of 2,665 men accepted, making
45,540 brought into the service .since
April 1.
The War partment bulletin to
day gives Pennsylvania leading place
for yesterday, with 6 men, against
30S for Illinois.
Cardinal J. M. Farley's
Condition is Excellent
New York, May 3. Cardinal John
M. Farley, who underwent an opera
tion at his home here yesterday, was
said this Morning to have passed a
comfortable night. "His eminence is
very well," Monsignor M. J. Lavelle,
vicar general of the diocese, an
nounced. "He rested well and is in
excellent condition."
Weather Man Hands Out Words ,
Ot Cheer; Brighter Days Ahead
Don't grumble about thia weather, for it points to bounteous crops.
This is the word that Colonel Welsh of the United States weather bureau
gives out.
"Our records show," he said? "that in years when we have unusually
wet weather in April and May we never have hot winds in the summer.
And when we don't have hot winds we have good crops. We can stand
even a good deal of drouth later in the summer if we just don't have hot
winds."
So cheer up. Things are growing brighter.
The weather outlook for today is "rain and continued cold," but
it is likely that clearing skies will come by Saturday. - "
T
OF ALLIES
SAVING METHOD
RELEASES MUCH
MOTIVE POWER
Hundreds-of Locomotives Re
leased for Use Elsewhere by
Plan Proposed by Bail
road Board.
ALL SCHEDULES AFFECTED
Reduction Will Affect Both
Passengers and Freights
Out of Omaha.
WON'T IMPAIR EFFICIENCY
Omaha railroads will curtail their
passenger service in the near future.
A curtailment of the freight service is
expected later on. This action" is in
line with the plans being worked out
by Daniel Willard and other members
of the federal council's general rail
road board. It is in the interest of
econonty and to release men and
equipment that they may go into
other service.
The curtailment, of the service on
the roads operating in and out of
Omaha-will release hundreds of loco
motives, but whether. or iot they will
be sent to Europe, isnot known by
Omaha railroad men.
Omaha railroad officials, on account
of a number of their chiefs being
members of the American Railway as
sociation and National Council of De
fense, do not feel at liberty to discuss
the plans for curtailing the railroad
service of the country, but they all
.admit-that it-can be-and will be-doae
without seriously lmpairing-its etnci-
ency.
To curtail the service, say HfFDmai
In railroad officials,- and meet the
ideas of the federal council's railroad
board, means that the number of pas
senger trains operated in and out of
this city will be reduced at least one-
hall, i ,
Release Army of Men.
In reducing the freight service, the
plans contemplated will cut out more
than half of the freight trains, thus re
leasing hundreds of locomotives tn
Omaha territory and at the same time
permit an army of men to engage in
agricultural or other pursuits by which
they may add to the supply of food
stuffs of the country.
To curtail the passenger service it
is asserted that the first tiling that will
be done will he eliminating a number
of trains operating between Omaha
and Chicago.
At this time there are in the Omaha
Chicago passenger traffic twenty-five
trains daily each way between the two
cities.
Each day. between 5 and 6:15 in the
evening, there are six passenger
trains leaving Omaha for Chicago.
Railroad officials say that two could
handle all the passeugers carried by
the six.
These six trains are followed by
two more leaving between 7:30 and
8:30 o'clock, when, as a matter of fact,
one could handle the business.
Two more trains leave for Chicago
between 8:35 and 1040 o'clock, and
(Continued on Page Two, Column Two.)
Viviani Kisses the Hand
Of Miss Jeanette Rankin
Washington, May 3. The French
mission was received on the floor of
the house today with oars of cheers
and cries of "Vive la France" from
the floor and galleries.
Rene Viviani, head of he .mission,
delivered a stirring speech in. French
ar.d Marshal Toffre, ;n response to a
great demonstration, said thank
you." and then, waging his hanc
'above him, shouted: "Vive la Amer
ique!" The Frenchmen shook hands with
the member:;, and as Representative
Tcanette Rankin passed down the line
M.' Viviani, bending low, kissed her
hand. Several little girls, some of
them daughters of members, were
kissed upon the cheeeks by Marshal.
Joffre.
Cotton Sells Off $2.50
" A Bale at New York
New Yoik, May 3. Increased ner
vousness over the submarine situation
and continued favorable weather for
the new crop caused a break of ap
proximately $2.50 a bale in the cotton
market's early session today.
"Lord How Long?"
LIBERTY LOAN
BONDS SNAPPED
UP BY INVESTORS
Subscriptions Are Pouring Into
Treasury Department at
" Rate of Million Dol
lars an Hour..
ALL U. S. BANKS ARE BUSY
Indications that First Install
ment Will Be Far Over
subscribed. FIRST CASH IS PAID ITALY
Washington, May 3. Subscriptions
to the first $2,000,000,000 offering of
bonds of the Liberty loan of 1917
poured into the treasury "today at a
rate of more than a million dollars
an hour.
Approximately 3,000 banks in every
section of the country simultaneously
were taking subscriptions over their
counters. There, was every indica
tion that the huge issue would be far
oversubscribed.
Secretary McAdoo today delivered
to the Italian ambassador $100,000,
000 which the government decided to
advance Italy to meet its pressing de
mands. The $100,800,000 for France proba
bly will be similarly delivered shortly,
bringing the total advanced the allies
thus far up to 4400,000,000.
Not Yet Taken Here.
Omaha banks are not yet taking
subscriptions over the counter to buy
Omaha's share of the $2,000,000,000
government bonds which are to yield
the liberty loan for the federal gov
ernment.
"The banks in Omaha sent in $1,-
000,000 some days ago," said Presi
dent Joseph Millard of the Omaha
National bank, and they expect -to
take more after a while."
George E. Haverstick. vice presi
dent of the Vniled States National
bank, said: "We will be glad to take
people s subscriptions through this
bank if they care to make any."
According 'o the Washington dis
patches popular subscriptions for the
bonds arc being received by the banks
over the counter in varous parts of
the country. The Omaha banks have.1
"as yet received no instructions to re
ceive such subscriptions. m
Federal Instructions.
Cashier T. L. Davis of the First
National hank, however, received a
telegram from the firm of Crane-Par-ris
& Co., financial agents in Wash
ington, D. C, stating that the federal
reserve banks will instruct the banks
and trust companies all over the coun
try to receive subscriptions and io
form local committees at once. This
instruction from the federal reserve
bank of this district has not yet been
received here. -
The money paid for these bonds
now, according to the telegram, will
bear interest at the rate of i'i per
cent, payable January and July 1.
These bonds are convertible into new
bonds at a higher rate of interest if
such are issued, the telegram says.
OFFERS BILL TO
MAKE PRESIDENT
FOOD DICTATOR
House Measure jQiyes Execu
tive Full Power to Regulate
Distribution and Prices
of All Necessities.
PROVISIONS ARE SWEEPING
Head of Government Author
ized to Take Such Action
at Discretion.
PRESENTED BY' REP. LEVER
Washington, May 3. Absolute au
thority to regulate in its discretion
the distribution and prices of food
and otlyr necessities during the war
was asked of congress today by the
administration.
In a sweping bill, introduced with
administration approval by Chair
man Lever of the house agriculture
committee, it is proposed to em
power the president, tinder the war
clause of the constitution, to take
these measures whenever in his opin
ion the national emergency shall re
quire:
to fix maximum and minimum
prices for food, clothing, fuel and
other necessaries and the articles re
quired"for their production.
To Regulate Exchanges.
To prescribe regulations to govern
the production of these commodities
t necessary to requisition the pro
ducing factories, mines or other cs'
sentials.
To compel holders of necessaries
to release them in amounts insuring
equitabel distribution.
lo regulate exchanges in such a
way as to eliminate market manipu
lations.
To compel railroads to give, prefer.
ence to the movement of necessaries.
lo levy such importation duties as
he findsoiecessary to prevent exces
sive "dumping" of foreign products,
and,
To impose limitations or prohibi
tions upon the use of grain in the
manufacture of liquor.
Additional Powers of Secretary,
In addition the secretary of agri
culture will be empowered to estab
lish standard food grades, to license
and control the manufacture, stbragc,
and distribution of foods; to pre
scribe the percentage -of flour to be
milled from wheat and to regulate
the mixing of wheat flour with other
flour in the making of bread and, other
food. .
Rockefeller Fund Gives
Near Half Million for War
New York,xMay 3. The Rocke
feller foundation announced tonight
that it had appropriated $475,000 to
be spent in the United States for med
ical research and humanitariai. aid as
the beginning of its work in the war
with Germany.
An additional $400,000 will go to
continue relief activities abroad. To
aid the work of the Yoqng Men's
Christian associations in training
army and navy training camps $200,-
000 has been appropriated
BRITISH BREAK .THROUGH GERMAN
FRONT IN TWO PLACES 1 2 MILES
APART IN BIG NEW ARRAS DRIVE
.
i
English Troops Capture Bullecourt After Passing Great
Prussian Fortified Trench System Toward
v Reincourt, Says Reuter's Correspondent
At General Haig's Headquarters.
FRESNOY TAKEN IN ATTACK BY THE CANADIANS.
Fighting Furious Over Whole Battle Region as , King
George's Men Strike for Fourth Time Against 1
Teuton Line, Guarding Goal of Allies.
FRENCH ALSO PROGRESS
London, May 3. The British troops have reached Cherisey, crossed the
Hindenburg line toward Reincourt, and are reported to have taken Bulle
court, says Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters,
Indian troops captured Fresnoy.
The taking of Fresnoy and the reported capture ofBellecourt indicates
that the British troops have smashed their way through the Hindenburg line
at two points, twelve miles apart on the Arras battle front.
The new British attack takes in virtually the entire front on which the
battle of Arras was begun on Easter Monday and evidently is a major oper
ation. It is the fourth great attack which the British made along
this line. '
RUSSIA ASSURES
ALLIES IT WILL
STAND BY THEM
Pr.av.isjpnal .. Government In
forms Other Entent Na
tiens There Will Be No
Slackening A Effort.
IS CONFIDENT OF VICTORY
Revolution Affords No Pretext
for Any Letup in Fight'
- Against Teutons.
WILSON SENDING EXPERTS
Petrograd (Via London), May 3.-r
The Russian provisional government
has sent to Russian representatives in
the entente allied countries a note as
suring the allies that the change in
government in Russia cannot afford
a pretext tor any slackening on the
part of Russia in the common struggle
of all the entente allies.
' Milukoff's Statement.
The notr. which is dated May 1, and
signed by Foreign Secretary Milukoff,
says in part:
firmly convinced of the victorious
issue of the present war and in per
fect agreement with our allies, the pro
visional government is confident that
the problems which were created by
this war will be solved by the creation
on a firm basis of a lasting peace, and
that, inspired by identical sentiments,
the allied democracies will find means
of establishing the guarantees and
penalties necessary to prevent any re
course to sanguinary war in the fa
turc.
Will Send Engineers.
Washington. May 3. In addition to
the political and economic commission
which President Wilson wilt send to
Russia, a commission of eminent rail
road' engineers will be sent immedi
ately to help reconstruct that nation's
transportation System. They will be
John F. .Stephens, one of the princi
pal engineers employed on the Pana
ma canal; John C. Grciner, railroad
consulting engineer, and Henry Mil
ler, former president of the Wabash.
Shakespeare Day Observed
- In All Omaha Schools
London, May 3. -Shakespeare day
was observed today throughout F.ug-
laud am! I' ranee. All the schools m
Great Britain held special exercises
l lie principal celebration took place
King's college. London, in the
presence ot representatives ot the
United Slates, Great Britain I and
France. Ambassador I'aee made an
address on behalf of the United
States.
The observance of the day ill the
schools partook of the character of
a celebration of the new alliance with'
the United States.
Emphasis was laid on the fact that
all countries speaking the language
of SI akespeare were now united for
the first time in a war on the behalf
of the principles of democracy.
Will Build Road From
Kansas City to Beatrice
Topeka, Kan., May 3. Organiza
tion of a new Kansas railroad com
pany was announced here today when
the state charter board approved the
charter of the Kansas City-Northwestern
Railroad company, to build a
line from Kansas City, Mo., to Bea
trice, Neb-
IN CHAMPAGNE REGION
Q Battle Begun Before Dawn.
In their new attack of today the
British made progress In the direction
of Frcsnov and Cliarisy and also to
ward Bullecourt, Reuter's correspond
ent at the British headquarter! re
ports. The British attacked in the darkest
hour, preceding dawn this morning,
striking at the German positions east
of Arras. Tltt infantry assault was-de'7
1 lajedhaJf,attl(Mrftcr the faalfjhoon , .
ihu gone uown,. 'inc nigni was clear"
and starlit ili the almost ceaseless
flashing of guns gave definite shape
to the shadowy outlines' of the sali- .
ent "points.
The correspondent says the attack
was directed to the taking of certain
points of considerable importance and
to improving the British line. The,'
British desired to gain complete mas
tery of positions whence their artil
lery would be able more effectively
to devastate the resh troops which,
the Germans continue to throw in.
Cains in Several Directions.
' As to the results obtained, the cor
respondent adds, reports thus far are
vague; but the British made progress '
in several directions, toward Fresnoy
and Cherisy and also toward Bulle
court, which is a point on the Hin-
denburg line. .
The ' Germans counter attacked '
heavily near Gavrclle and Loos. These
onslaughts were dealt with satisfac
torily by the British gunners.
. French Advance in Champagne.
Paris, May 3. The French made an
important gain on the . Champagne
front last night, reducing the posi
tion which was still being held by
the Germans in the new lines east of
Mont Haul, and capturing the German
garrison of more than 200 men, the
war office announced.
British Launch Attack. . V
British Headnuarlers in France.
May 3. (Via London.) Another of
the continuing' British attacks was
aunched against tha tiermans early
this morning.
Hard fighting is in progress under
a warm spring sun. There, has been
no rain for more than ten days now
and the battlefields at times are en
veloped in dust. British reinforce
ments, moving alon.i the roads to
ward thex front, look like millers un
der heavy layers of chalk-white pow
der. , 1
R ports from the battle front are
as yet meager, but it appears that
satisfactory progress !c being made.
The attack was on a wide front. At
Bullecourt the British took another
bite into the Hindeubuig line.
Embargo Section of Sfjy -Bill
Amended by Senate
Washingion. May 3. The fosd sit
uation was foremost again today in
the senate during debate on the es
pionage bill's provision to authorize
the preside).! to embargo exports, f
Immediate nccessityot an embargo
on tin pla o'for cans needed in pre
serving food products wa: urged.
The embargo clause was opposed
by some senators as unconstitutional
and because they contended 'congress
alone has the responsibility of order
ing embargoes. ,
Senator Shields said he had opposed
embargoing food products, but now
believed it recessaty because "of pres
ent outrageous prices and the great
distress in the country."
Upon suggestion of Senator Lodge
the bill was amended limiting its
scope. As amended it would author
ize the president to embargo exports
onlv when required by 'public safety,"
and not as riginally provided when
required also by pub'ic welfare.
The latter provision. Senator Lodce
objected, would give the president
power to deal (iih purely domestic
industries, without relation to the
war's' prosecution. Another amend
ment eliminated authority to discrimi
nate between ports in We ordering j
embargoes
