VI The Omaha Daily Bee Use the telephone for Easiest Way BEE WANT-ADS Telephone Tyler 1000 THE WEATHER air VOL. XLVI. NO. 277. OMAHA, TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 8, 1917. TWELVE PAGES. V'HXliX SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS. U. S. ENGINEER TROOPS WILL GO TO FRANCE; ALLIED ARMIES THREATEN GERMAN FLANK 9 REGIMENTS OF RAIL MEN FIRST ARMY TO FRONT Expedition of Nearly 12,000 Leaves for European Battle fields at "Earliest Pos sible Moment." NEW FORCE VOLUNTEERS Recruiting Points Will Be New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Boston and Other Cities. WILL BE CORPS OF EXPERTS Washington, May 7. Nine regi ments of army engineers; composed exclusively of highly trained railway men, will be the first American troops sent to France. They will go "at the earliest pos sible moment," the War department announced today, for work on com munication lines. Nothing will be given out as to when and from where they will sail because of submarines. The new forces will be volunteers, raised at the nine great railway cen ters of the country. Each regiment will be commanded by an engineer colonel of the regular army, aided by n adjutant. All other officers will be railway engineers or officials. The expedition will have a total strength of between 11,000 and 12,000 men, each regiment being composed of two battalions of three companies each. Recruiting Points. Every branch of railway workers necessarv to the building or opera tion of lines will be represented and the War department expects a re sponse to the call that will insure a force already trained to the minute, an army of experts in railway opera tion. Recruiting will be directly under the colonel of each regiment. Re cruiting machinery of the regular lervice or the National Guard will be placed at their service and it is hoped that the .enrollment of the trorjpswill take little time. The recruiting points will be New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Atlanta, San Francisco and Philadelphia. : Officials believe the railroad broth erhoods will co-operate in . the re cruiting efforts. The railway com panies already are organized for co operation! under the Council of Na tional Defense. War Department Statement. The department's statement!,, fol lows: '"The War department has sent out orders for the raising as rapidly as possible of nine additional regiments of engineers, which are destined to proceed to France at the earliest pos sible moment for work in lines of communication. It is requested of the press that no speculation or rumors regarding the force be carried other than that given out. All details re garding the force will be given out as fast as compatible with the best public interests." It was explained that these engineer forces were not in any way connected with the army organization planned by the War department and already made known. They represent an ad dition to the total military prepared ness program upon which the country is now engaged. Because of the technical nature of the tasks before them it is regarded as probable that no preliminary mili tary training will be necessary for these troops and that they can be sent forward as rapidly as they can be re cruited, officered and supplied with personal' equipment. The Weather For Nebraska Fair aat; probafely rain Cr mow west portion, Temperature at Omaha Yesterday. Hour, Dep. Comparative Local Record. , 1917. 191B. 1915. 1914. Highest yesterday, . , 62 89 7ft &4 lowest yesterday ... 39 61 39 4:: Mean temperature ..GO 75 E4 4R ?recipltat1on T .11 T T Temperature and precipitation depar tures from the normal at Omaha Bince March X. and compared with the past two fears; Normal temperature ,,,..60 Deficiency (or tho day 10 Total deficiency since March 1 94 formal precipitation n inch Deficiency for the day..... 13 Inch Total rainfall eince March 1....6.32 inches Excess since March 1 1.06 inches Deficiency for cor. period, 1916.3.08 inches Deficiency for cor. period, 1915.2.38 Inches Keportf From Stations at 7 P. M. 3 tat ion and State Temp. High. Rain of Weather. 7 p.m. est. fall. Cheyenne, clear 36 40 .09 Davenport, clear , 58 60 .00 uenver, rain Des Moines, ptly, cldy.. 60 64 .00 Dodge City, clear...... C4 fitt .00 Zander, cloudy 44 4M .01 North Platte, clear.... 5t Omaha, clear 57 Pueblo, ptly. cldy 4ft Kansas City, clear 56 bait ijftKe. cloudy 54 Santa Fe, cloudy 40 sherldan. ptly. cldy.,., 4K Sioux City, clear f 4 Valentine, clear 6 fix "T" Indicates trace of precipitation. L, A. WELSH, Meteorologist, 2 e a. m , 40 A itv F R a. m 39 H k r 7 a, m. ........... 42 I iSx I A 8 a' m 46 JFW A 9 a. m 51 J 10 a- m 63 GubJL ill I 11 a- m M wE&MmSsi " 13 65 ZrW&uW' r 1 p- m ' 67 Br I"! 2 p. m 59 S " ' 3 p. m 60 rtf 4 p. m , 61 w S p. m 62 tidfiS&g 6 p. m.... 60 "r 1 p. m 67 ' J 8 p. m DS GOVERNOR CALLS MEET TO DISCUSS FOOD MUMS Nebraska Executive in Procla mation Asks State Organi zations to Act Speedily That Policy May Be Framed. ALL PERSONS ARE INVITED Live Stock, Grain, Poultry and Home Economics the Chief, Topics. SPEED UP ! PRODUCTION Governor Neville has issued a proc lamation calling upon the various or ganizations of the state to appoint delegates to the conference in Omaha May 22 to 25, on the subject of con servation of Nebraska's food produc ing resources. The proclamation, which is signed by the governor and by Dr. George E. Condra, executive secretary of the Ne braska Conservation and Public Wel fare commission, follows: " Believing that , immediate steps should be taken to conserve Ne braska's food supply and to increase production for national purposes, and in line with the duties of the Conser vation and Public Welfare commis sion, as denned by the statutes of the state, we, the officers of the commis sion, do hereby urge and invite .-the citizens of Nebraska to select from their various organizations, agricul tural, education, social, religious 'and industrial, representative delegatess, to meet in the city of Omaha May 22 to 25, to discuss the conservation and increase of foods, and formulate a practical policy to put into effect throughout the state. We urge the co-operation in this conference of all citizens of the state as individuals or representing some association or organization in the fields of agriculture, labor, commerce, education and social and religious ac tivity. The meeting will be held in the Mu-mcipirt-Awiittjrinrrnlt'frill be' divided into four main classes the conserva tion of live stock resources, the con servation of grain, conservation of poultry and eggs and gardening and household conservation. The home economics department of the University of Nebraska will have many demonstrators here to give ac tive demonstrations daily in the prin ciples of canning, as well as in com bining food and substituting. Launched at Sunday .Meet. This state-wide movement for the conservation and mobilization of Ne braska's resources was launched at a meeting in the Hotel Rome Sunday under the governor's direction. Members of a general committee appointed by the governor at the re quest of The Beeand E. V. Par rish of the Commercial club bureau of publicity, agreed upon a plan that will place, the state upon a war-time footing. The committee is composed of ex perts and heads of Nebraska's most important industrial .commercial and agricultural organizations. An execu tive committee was named to draft detailed plans and push the work in every county in the state. By this action Nebraska takes the lead of all of the state in the Ameri can union in so organizing its forces that it will be in a position, at any mo ment's notice, to respond effectively to any call that may be made upon it by the Council of National Defense. Other states probably will follow the Nebraska plan., On Governor's Committee. Members of the governor's commit tee are: O. G. Smith of Kearney, head of the Farmers' congress; E. R, Danielson, Lincoln, secretary of the Board of Agriculture; Charles R. Graff, Bancroft, president of the Live Stock Breeders' association; R. L. Herron of the "Farmers' Union;" Emerson Purcell, Broken Bow, presi dent of the Nebraska Press associa tion; George E. Condra, Lincoln, of the Soil Survey league; W. W. Burr, Lincoln, head of the state university Department of Agronomy; Miss Alice Loomis, Miss Wilson and Mrs. David son of the state university home economics department; W. F. Baxter, chairman of the Omaha Bureau of Publicity; E. V. Parrish, manager of the Omaha Bureau of PubBtity; Ever ett Buckingham, F. L. Haller, (Continued on Pnge Two, Column One.) Airplanes Drop Four Bombs Near London London, May 7. A hostile airplane dropped four bombs northeast of London this morning, it is officially announced. The statement announcing the air plane raid reads: "In the early hours tiiis morning a hostile airplane appeared over the outskirts of Northeast London and dropped four bombs. One man was killed and a man and a woman in jured. Slight damage was done to buildings. " No one in the area where the Ger man airplane dropped bombs saw anything of the hostile machine. The people were awakened by the explo sions, but by the time they reached the street the machine had disap peared The bomb which caused the casualties fell on the roof of some residential buildings and the other missiles landed in a nearby swamp. PLANNING TO MOBILIZE RESOyRCES OF NEBRASKA Leader in various lines of endeavor hold meetiif '" w"""oe?t UhU W. F. Baxter, Omaha; G. E. Condra, Lincoln! E. Purcell, Broken Bo'JO?iJ,,;,l;,',,',H "" ney. Standing, left to right: W. W. Burr, Lincoln; E. V. Parrish, Omaha jla tlatTTlEJancrof t ; F. G. Odell, Omaha; Roy Gustafson, Omaha. NEDRASKA GIVES FINE WELCOME TO EXPERTSONTRAIN People in Many Cities and Towns Turn Out in Crowds as Preparedness Spe cial Passes. TELL OF NATION'S NEEDS Weather Keeps Some in Fields, ' but' "Hosts "'Bear the" Speakers.. RECRUITING OFFICERS GO Norfolk, Neb., May 7. (Special Telegram. Beginning at Columbus this morning good crowds attended meetings held' by the lecturers and demonstrators on board the "Pre paredness Special." Weather was fine and attendance somewhat lessened by the fact that farmers felt Imperative duty to utilize every minute in fields, but interest in domestic science and gardening work was great and the town meetings were alt large and enthusiastic, especially those for school children. The special made long stops only at Columbus, Humphrey, Madison 'and Norfolk, but lecturers were dropped off at smaller' stations between and at all stations crowds gathered at the depots to welcome the visitors. At Humphrey, where a two-hour stop was made, a band met the spe cial and d long procession escorted lecturers to various meeting places. At Enola, where the train paused iust long enough to let off three speakers, a band was playing and a fine crowd waved flags and cheered. Each speaker made repofts of the numbers addressed and the day meet ings ending at 6 this evening showed upwards of 4,500 in attendance. The special remained at Genoa over night and the three meetings in town were largely attended. An interesting fea ture of the stop in Genoa was a visit to the Genoa Indian institute, where the Hereford herd famous throughout the west was highly complimented by dairy and live stock experts. Recruits Are Signed, Accompanying the special are rep resentatives of the army and flaw and they report recruits in every city visit ed. Lieutenant Governor Howard meets the train at Fullerton tomor row and will remain with it several days. . i Whatever reeling ot antagonism there may be on the part of farmers towards being addressed by "book farmers was soon dissipated, tor the lecturers made no effort to tell farm ers how to farm, but impressed upon them the necessity of doing what thev know how to do just a little bit more efficiently this year than ever before. Professor Franzcn and Miss Loomis of the State College of Agri culture are prime favorites among the tanners and larmers wives in tins section and their meetings were large ly attended. Dean Burnett is expect ed to join the party tomorrow and remain with it the rest of the week. Unusual activity is manifest m the corn propaganda and the corn acre age of this section will be 100 to 150 per cent greater than any time during the last ten years. Oats are showing splendid stand all along the line. Anthrax is Epidemic In Carter County, Okl. Ardmorc, Okl., May 7. Six hundred head of live stock are infected with anthrax in Carter county, Oklahoma, according to Carl Russell, federal farm agent here. Veterinarians under his direction are making a desperate effort to check the spread of the mal ady, he said, and are vaccinating peo ple as well as horses and other animals. U. S. Prepares for Three Years' War Cleveland, May 7. Newton D. Baker, secretary of war, who was here today on personal business, indicated that the War depart ment is making preparations for a three-year war at least and that he has little hope of an early peace. MILITARY NEWS AND FOOD FROM - U.S.REACH FOES Senate Eliminates Embargo Section Clauses Objected to by Wilson After a Secret Debate. PRESIDENT IS CRITICISED Members Say Consideration Is Unnecessary if Taken Into Executive's Confidence. SUPPLIES GO TO TEUTONS Washington, May 7, After five hours debate behind closed doors the senate eliminated modifications in the embargo section of the espionage bill to which President Wilson objected. ' Senators understood the I govern ment has information to show that under present conditions information of military value is getting to the enemy and that the censorship sec tion would stop it. ' Retention of the embargo section was supported by facts showing that despite all precautions supplies are getting into Germany through neutral 'countries. Senator Martin, the democratic leader, told senators President Wilson had called him to the White House and said he would be embarrassed in dealing with the question of supplies getting into Germany if the senate passed the embargo section as amend ed with restrictions last week. Senators Lodge, Fall, Reed, and others declared that the senate would never have been put in the position of having to reconsider its ario" if the president had called in leaders before the bill was sent to the capitol and explained the need for this legis lation. Portugal Rents German Ships to Great Britain (Correspondenca or The Associated Press.) Lisbon, April 20. Sixty of the seventy-six German merchant steamers which were in Portugese ports when Portugal entered the war and which were promptly seized by the govern ment have been turned over to Great Britain on a rental basis. England has rented the ships for $7,000,000 a year, to be paid after the war. The renting of the ships to Eng land has caused a good deal of criti cism, particularly at this time when the lack of merchant ships is sending up the cost of living and disturbing the whole range of Portugal's exports and imports. One of the most serious results from the lack of shipping is the coal famine. Ordinarily coal costs about $6.50 a ton, but the price now is $37 and $40 a ton. Explosion in Munitions Plant Kills One Man Kingsport, Tcnn., May 7. An ex plosion early today at the Federal Dyestuff and Chemical company's plant, whicii makes munitions, wrecked a portion of the buildings, killed one man, fatally burned some others and left one missing. An in vestigation is being made. I I 1.1 V ' , mmm. WOODMEN CIRCLE CLASH ENDS; FEES TO LAWYERS HIGH Supreme Court Approves the Agreement by Which Mrs. Manchester Holds Office for Remainder of Term. $50,000 FEES TO COUNSEL Attorneyr for-Mres' MamshestierH Get $25,000 and for Mrs. La Rocca $14,000. LODGE MUST FOOT THE BILL (From a Staff Correspondent.) Lincoln, May 7. (Special Tele gram.) The battle for control of the Woodmen Circle, auxiliary of the Woodmen of the World, came to an end this afternoon when the Ne braska supreme court approved the agreement made by attorneys repre senting Mrs. Emma B. Manchester, supreme guardian of the circle, and Mrs. La Rocca and the faction that has been trying to oust Mrs. Man chester fro moffice. Will Serve Out Term. Under the agreement Mrs. Man chester is to act as supreme guardian for the remainder of her term, sixty days, and no attempt is to be made to interfere with her discharge of her duties. Mrs. Manchester, however, must dispense with the services of W. H. Hughes of St. Louis; R. L. Forgan of Oklahoma City, John W. Croft of Chicago and Alfred Stover of Pennsyl vania. She cannot employ or discharge as sistants without the sanction of the other two members of the executive committee. Mrs. La Rocca will be permitted to edit the lodge paper, hut must submit her articles to Mrs. Manchester for censorship. Attorneys for Mrs. Manchester are to receive $25,000, while attorneys for Mrs. La Rocca will get $14,000. This shall be paid by the grand lodge as shall $8,000 additional spent for other items connected with the suit. Judge Jesse L. Root, who acted as referee for two weeks, is allowed $300 for his services. Stout, Rose and Wells, John J. Sullivan and Arthur Mullen were at torneys for Mrs. Manchester and F. H. Gaines and Jefferis and Tunison for Mrs. La Rocca, What Decision Means. The dispute grew bitter with the split in the convention at Memphis in April. That convention divided into two factions, one headed by Mrs. Monchester and the other by Mrs. Mary La Rocca. The controversy was referred by the supreme court to Judge Root as referee. His investigations would have included the taking of tsctimony from about seventy-five witnesses, liv ing in twenty states. Just as he was about ready to start on this big task, a true was agreed upon. The truce in effect provides the af fairs of the circle shall remain in statu quo until the meeting of the convention at Atlanta in July. At that time the Supreme Forest will take action. Moose Must Pay $18,000 For Death of D. A. Kenny Washington, May 7. By refusing to review Alabama court proceedings the supreme court put into effect de crees awarding $18,000 damages against the supreme lodge of the Loyal Order of Moose for the death of Donald A. Kenney during initia tion at the Birmingham (Ala.) local lodge. Kenney died after receiving an electric shock from a "brand board." WAR HOARDS SIT IN WASHINGTON AND ATLONDON Joint Commissions Represent ing All Allied Nations Be gin Work of Coordination. TO APPORTION TRAFFIC Supplies Ordered by London Will Be Bought in U. S. and Rushed to Seaboard. WORKING OUT DETAILS Washington, May 7.Two allied war commissions sitting continuously one in London and the other here appeared today as one of the first actual steps to co-ordinate the power ful resources the United States brings into the war with those of the allies across the sea. The commission in London with representatives of all the allied na tions, including the United States, would receive and decide upon the apportionment of sea borne traffic' lite commission here would men charge itself with getting such sup plies to the seaboard, either by direct purchase or tnrougn present agencies. Will Apportion Traffic. While the inroads of the subma rine menace continue it is absolutely essential to conserve every ship for the most needed freight and the only way that this can be done is to have the allies submit their needs to a central body in London, which shall have power to give priority to the most nressintr. At the same time a commission in this country knowing exactly how mucn was wanted woum uuy ir. juui ciauslytand keep the railroad lines open to the seaboard. Balfour Awaits Reports. With the areat bulk of the detailed work now distributed amongst vari ous subcommittees British foreign Minister: Balfour HOW is tvvaltinsf re ports. Today he was officially re ceived at the supreme court. Later the new Belgian minister to the United States paid a visit to Mr. Balfour. Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor, called with the Brtish labor leaders, who have just arrived in this country upon bis invitation. Clause in Danish Treaty Protects Interned Vessels Washington, May .7. It was re vealed in the house today that an un published provision in the agreement with Denmark by which the Danish West indies were acquired by the United States was that German or other warbound ships in th island would not be seized or conhscated. The disclosure was made by Chair man Alexander of the commerce com mittee presenting the administration bill to confer congressional canction upon the president for seizure and op eration ot enemy warbound snips tn American ports. When Republican Leader Mann asked for more intor nation Chairman Webb of the ju diciary committee warned the house that it was not a subject to be dis' cussed publicly. m Mr. Alexander then explained the purposes of the bill which he said was to give the president full power to take title to the ships except in the Virgin Islands and to provide for then operation or lease by the gov. ernmcnt. Says That Brewers Use a' Small Percentage of Grain Washington, May 7. Headed by Gustave Pabst, a delegation represent ing the brewers of the United States, was heard today by the senate agri cultural committee on Senator Gron na's bill to forbid the manufacture of grain into alcoholic liquors during the war. The delegation told the committee that the brewing interests are ready to co-operate with the government in any way and did not ask considera tion from any standpoint other than of fair dealing and public policy. The actual amount of grain used in brewing, principally barley, they told the committee, represents less than three-quarters of 1 per cent of all the grain produced in the United States. Recruiters Avoid Monday Rush by Working Sabbath By examining and enlisting thir ty-eight men Sunday, contrary to their custom, the army recruiters avoided the usual Monday morning rush. Thirty-four more men were en listed and sent to fort Logan train ing station by noon Monday. The navy station also expedited its Monday morning work by examining thirty-seven men Sunday, .twenty three were signed up Monday morn ing. Two recruits were also signed by the .National tjuard. Train Bearing French Party Is Derailed in Indiana Terre Haute, Ind., May 7. The spe cial train bearing the French commis sion was derailed near Areola, 111., early this evening, four or the six coaches left the rails, but did not Up. set. No one was hurt so far as is known. GAULS BEAT BACK WAVE UPON WAVE OF KAISER'S MEN Teutons Making Desperate Ef forts to Prevent Outflank ing of the Braye-Gra-onne Line. FRENCH NEAR OISE CANAL Famous Chemin-des-Dames, Key, to Important Section, is Captured. MANY PRISONERS TAKEN , Paris, May 7. The Germans con centrated their efforts yesterday morning in attackj on the west of the French., front in the region of Laffaux and in the afternoon on the eastern section from Braye to Cra onne. The French held the whip hand and beat off wave upon wave of the enemy's dwindling reserve, with ter rible losses. More than that the Frenchmen, after hours of stiff fighting, still had the energy to dash forward and main tained fresh positions in the regions naturally fortified. German Flank In Danger. The desperate resistance of the Germans and the frequent counter at tacks in force are comprehensible when it is realized that if the French capture Allemant and Pinon they will outflank the whole line running north to St. Quentin. General Nivelle, how ever, has no sinecure, as he is con fronted by the famous Siegfried line, a system of fortifications on which the Germans have lavished weeks of work and which is of the most formid able type. ' ' On the right wing German bat talions streamed out of Filain wood to attack Froidmont farm, which stands midway between Chevregny and Hill 185. They were practically annihilated. .' ..JjepcU Suet. Important.. ' ' ., It would teem difficult ioi the Ger- mans to prevent the French from reaching the Oise canal and the Ail-, ette: river on this Mrt of the front. The famous Chemin-Des-Dames. the key of the whole section, is now in great part in possession of the French; in several places tfley have even gone far beyond it It was the possession of this road which enabled the Germans to hold up the French advance for so long. Its capture alone shows the importance of the success gained by General Nivelle in the bat tles of Saturday and Sunday, Britons in Bullecourt. British Headquarters in France, Mar 7. (Via, Lcndon.) The British have pushed their way well within the town of Bullecourt. Hand to hand fighting has developed there. Renewed fighting broke out about Bullecourt today. The British, who had been holding positions south and east of the village, where thev had been violently attacked during the last four days, moved forward just before dawn in a general attack upon the vil lage itself. " There had been patrol lighting in Bullecourt before this, but todav's at tack was cjf an enveloping nature. It met with stubborn resistance, but steady progress was being made as this dispatch was written, and khaki clad troops have passed well to within the town, which Jies absolutely astride the Hindenburg line, the front trench and two systems of support trenches all being within the village limits. British Official Report. London, May 7. After sharp fight ing the British have pushed forward west of Bullecourt and have taken a number of prisoners, according to an official statement issued by the war office today. Insurance Co. Shortage Nearly Two Millions Pittsburgh; Pa., May 7.-J. Denny O'Neill, insurance commissioner of Pennsylvania, was today appointed re ceiver for the Pittsburgh Life and Trust company, on the petition of Harry Rowans, special counsel named by the Department of Justice to in vestigate the affairs of the corpora tion and criminally prosecute all per sons connected with the alleged mis appropriation of $1,900,000 of the com pany's funds. First Sunday in May ; Advertising in The Bee (Wsrfleld Areney HnsurementS) Gaining Right Along SUNDAY, MAY 6. In Inches Local Display 1077 Foreign Display .......... 343 Automobile 900 Classified 701 Total. , . 3021 SAME SUNDAY LAST YEAR Local Display. 1055 Foreign Display. ., 97 Automobile 764 . Classified ...1000 Total 2916 , GAINS 105 INCffES Keep Your Eye On The Ben