7 Tew
THE WEATHER '
Fair
The Omahanday Bee
PART ONE.
NEWS SECTION
PAGES ONE TO FOURTEEN
VOL. XLVI NO. 48.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING,' MAY 13, 1917 FOUR SECTI ONS FORTY-SIX PAGES.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
RITISH TROOPS TAKE BULLECOURT;
CHICAGO GRAIN WILD. SPITE OF BAN
MAY WHEAT PRICE
PUT AT $3.1 S BY
CHICAGO BOARD
Action Partly Protects Shorts
Who Oversold Stock
Sight by Many Mil
lion Bushels.
in
BULLETIN.
Chicago, May 12. The most
sensational advance in the history
of the present crop, if not in
history, marked the trade' in
wheat today when net gains rang
ing from 27 to 32 cents were
scored in the July and September
options.
July wheat closed yesterday at
$2.46; today it closed at $2.73 to
$2.75. September which closed
the previous session at $2.14,
closed with bids ranging from
$2.44 to $2.46.
Chicago, Hay 12. The decision of
the Board of Trade of Chicago to
terminate trading in May wheat and
the fixing of the prices of that option
at $3.18 by a committee which met
this morning had practically no ef
fect on speculation.
For weeks new business in May
wheat had been comparatively slight
and what there was simply accrued to
the more distant futures, when trad
ing was resumed today and after hesi
tating at the opening with prices
lightly tinder yesterday's close, July
wheat shot up 15 cents and Septem
ber H'j cents from the early bottom.
Partly Saves Shorts.
The action of the board in no way
applied to these options and trading
in them was active and feverish. July
sold to $2.61 and September to $2.28!4.
In effect the fixing of the May price
was to save shorts from further losses
and to prevent the longs, among them
representatives of the allied govern
ments, from obtaining further profits.
The settlement price, however, per
mits of handsome gains on wheat
bought even two weeks ago.
The resjlutions of the board refers
to the actim of the directors as a
"patriotic duty" and remarks that
further trading in May wheat might
"unduly stimulate prices."' There was
no promise in the resolutions that the
situation would not be repeated in
July, or even September. 1
Text of Resolutions,
The resolutions adopted by the
board read.
"There is comparatively little wheat
in Chicago or territory contributary
thereto and available for delivery on
May contracts."
This statement was said to have
stimulated home buying. The opera
tions of agents for the allies was not
referred to as "speculation," as they
are known to have been buying fu
tures, with the idea of taking the
actual grain when delivery day ar
rived, but the subject is mentioned
in the preamble in the following
words:
"Represertatives of foreign gov
ernments, millers and others are
now trading upon the exchange in
wheat for May delivery."
Those with My contracts are no
tified to close them by May 16. If
not closed '.he board wil' assume that
the actua! wheat is ready for deliv
ery. Failure in such cases, to deliver,
will constitute a grave offense against
the board nd will be penalized as
such, according to the resolutions.
There are in Chicago public eleva
tors 219,000 bushels of wheat of the
grade required for delivery on con
tracts, A rough estimate places the
amount contracted for at perhaps a
hundred times that quantity. Thus,
had not the board intervened, prob
ably 99 per cent of the contracts
would had to have been settled at any
price, even $10 a bushel demanded by
the holders of the contracts, in trade
parlance k.iown as "longs." They
held the .sellers, or "shorts," abso
lutely at their mercy.
The situation differed from a cor
ner in that the holders were scattered,
whereas iii a manipulated corner, the
supply is congested in the hands of
an individual, or a "group of specu
lators acting as one man.
J Allies Make Profits.
As a mat'.er of fact.JJie allied gov
ernments, through their food com
missioners, held a natural corner. At
one time tney were "loiig" 29,000.000
bushels of wheat in the Chicago mar
ket. Much was closed out some time
(t'ontlnurit on Fait Two, Cnltimn Two.)
The Weather
TVmprn lures at Omaha Yriterday.
i i our. jjf
5 a. m
6 a. m
1 a. m
8 a. m
9 a. m
bz
10 a. m E6
11 a. m 60
13 m.. 64
1 P. m , fi6
Z v- m 7
3 p. m 69
4 p. m 68
6 p, m. 68
t p. m 67
7 p. m 66
Comparative Loral Record.
1917. 1916. 191G7 191 4.
Hlprhtst yesterday... fi 66 90 lb
Lowest yesterday. . , , 45 48 61 39
Mean temperature. ... 57 V 62 76 44
Precipitation OD ,18 .00 .00
Temperatures ami precipitation departure
from the normal at Omaha yesterday;
Normal temperature . (1
Deficiency for the day - 4
Total deficiency Flnce March 1 Ill
Normal precipitation 4 .13 inch
Deficiency for the day 16 inch
Total rainfall chite March -6.33 inches
Kxcm lnve Mnrvh 1 33 Inch
Deficiency fr cor. period. 11. 3.63 inchs
Deficiency for cor. period, 1915. 3.11 Inches
vl . 1
Axtell Farmer Sells
$90,000 Worth of Wheat
And Then Loses $6fl00
Hastings, Neb, May 12. (Spe
- cial Telegram.) A record for a
single farm was made yesterday
when Nels Merrin.an living near
Axtell sold his accumulated wheat
crop of three years, 30,000 bnshels,
(or $90,000.
It was thj product of approxi
mately a section of land. Had
Merriman waited until today he
would have received $6,000 more,
the price having advanced from $3
to $3.20.
OMAHA RED CROSS
MAKES DRIVE FOR
20,000 MEMBERS
Committees Representing All
Classes of People Appointed
to Lead in Whirlwind
Campaign.
Omaha is mobilized for the whirl
wind Red Cross drive for 20,000 mem
bers. The work begins Monday morning
at 10:30 with the blowing of whistles
and raising of the Red Cross flag
at the courthouse. e
Appointment of committees repre
senting all classes of people in all sec
tions of the city have been made and
no effort has been spared to make
the newly founded chapter do its
share in the movement.
Hearts Are in War.
Washington, May 12. President
Wilson, speaking today at the dedi
cation of a Red Cross memorial build
ing to the, women of the civil war,
declared America united had gone into
the present war solely because it be
lieves in the principles upon which the
American government was founded.
"The hearts of the people of this
country are in this war, he said.
"They think that -here is an oppor
tunity to express the character of the
United States. We have no grievances
of our own. We went into this war
because we are the servants of man
kind. We will not accept any ad
vantages out of this war. We go into
it because we believe in the principles
upon which the American government
was founded."
The building was dedicated both to
the women of the north, and the
south, a fact on which the president
dwelt in emphasizing that the coun
try is united in the present war.
"I pray God," he said, "that the out
come of this truggle may be that every
element of difference in this nation
may be eliminated and that it will
make a single people out of those who
call themselves Americans. 1 believe
that this is already beginning to hap
pen and that the spirit of this peo
ple is already united. I hope that this
will be the beginning of a process
which soon will require the erection
of another beautiful memorial to a
united America."
Illinois Defense Council
" Advocates Food Control
Chicago, May 12. The State Coun
cil of Defense, composed of sixteen
of the most prominent business and
professional men of Illinois, today
adopted resolutions urging congress
to enact at once, as a measure of the
utmost necessity, a law creating a
commission for the absolute control
of food stuffs, fuel and other basic
commodities.
Theresolutions declared that "it is
vitally necessary to our country and
people that there be immediate con
servation by the United States of
foodstuffs, grain, fuel and other basic
commodities, and that upon prompt
enactment of proper legislation of
this kind will depend the safety and
preservation of our nation and our
success in the war." -i
J. Ogden Armour was among the
members of the committee who
signed the resolutions.
Balfour and Party Guests
At Luniheon in New York
New York. May 12. America's
most distinguished leaders of indus
try, commerce and finance today paid
high honor to' Arthur J. Balfour, Brit
ish secretary of state for foreign af
fairs, and members of the war mis
sion visting this city at a reception
and luncheon at the .Chamber of
Commerce.
Among the 900 persons present
were J. P. Morgan, Jacob H. Schiff,
Otto Kahn, John Claflin, Willard
Straight, James' A. Farrell, A. Barton
Hepbarn, George B. Courtelyou, Au
gust Belmont, William Guggenheim,
Cornelius Vanderbilt. F. W. Wool
worth, Frederick D. Underwood,
Henry Morganthau, Henry Clues and
Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler.
Schlusselburg Revolt
Story Is Contradicted
Pctrograd, Friday, May 11. (Via
London, May 12.) The report that
Schlusselburg, twenty-one miles east
of Petrograd, had broken away from
the temporary government and de
clared an autonomous community, is
denied by the chairman of the execu
tive committee of the district com
mittee. M. Tcheidse, president of the coun
cil of workmen's and soldiers' dele
gates, and other deputies who have
made an invstigation in the Schlussel
burg district report: "There is tin
Schlusselburg republic. Schlusselburg
is untied with Petrograd."
President Wilson Calls Omaha's Determination
of New Members in Red Cross Splendid
President Wilson praises Omaha Red Cross work
ers highly in a telegram sent from the White House
yesterday. The president's message follows:
"The White ftouse, Washington, May 10, 1917
Gould Dietz,' American Red Cross, Omaha: Omaha's
proposal to enroll 20,000 members in the American
Red Cross is a splendid evidence of patriotism in the
misfortune of war. The men who are willing to give
their lives for the defense of their country deserve to
find the people- they protect prepared to care for the
300 STOCK YARDS
MEN RELEASED TO -"WORKON
FARMS
Live Stock Exchange and Com
mission Houses Agree to
Pay Difference in Wages
to Meet Food Demand.
Three hundred employes of the
Union Stock yards and the live stock
commission companies will be re
leased May 15 to take job9 on farms to
aid in the production of foods for
the war emergency.
This was decided upon this morn
ing at a meeting of the Live Stock
exchange.
The yard company and the com
mission men will get along with less
help between May 15 and September
1, the time' for which these men are
released. The South Side employers
will hold their jobs open for them till
they return.
To Pay Difference.
At the same time they have offered
to pay the difference between the
wages the men will receive on the
farms and what they are paid when
working in the yards.
The shipping out of the men will
begin at once, through the Stock
Yards labor bureau.
The work of the labor bureau, es
tablished at the exchange three weeks
ago, is progressing satisfactorily. Sec
retacy Stryker, who has charge, is de
voting practically all of his time to
this work.
Mr. Stryker said he is having diffi
culty in finding single men who are
experienced in farm work. A num
ber of married men have applied for
farm jobs.
Many Boys Volunteer.
"When farmers and stoekmcn apply
for help they should state whether
they can use married couples," he
said. "The question of finding good
places for school boys is one that is
demanding attention.
"We need more places for boys.
They responded nobly when we issued
the ball for farm volunteers. In fact,
so many expressed a willingness to go
that we are having difficulty in find
ing places for them. If the farmers
realize that these boys are all husky
youngsters, willing to work, the ques
tion of supplying them with labor will
be easily settled.
Fire Causes Big Loss in
Canadian Munitions Plant
Toronto, May 12. Fire in the Guff
Ammunition works here tonight ex
ploded 39,000 five-ponnd shells and
caused damage to the plant estimated
at $.150,000. Spontaneous combustion
is believed to have caused the lire.
Your Bit Will Help Her Bit
ONE DEAD. ONE
FATALLY HURT IN
KEROSENE BLAST
Seven-Year-Old Rosie Orlando
.Starts Fire With Coal Oil;
Sister May Die and
Parents Burned.
Rosie Orlajido, aged 7 years, was
burned to death yesterday anu ner
sister, Anna, aged 5 years, was prob
ably fatally burned while they were
trying to light the fire with kerosene
in their cottage home at 2225 Pacific
street.
Mrs. Carmelia Orlando, their
mother, sufferec. severe burns about
the hands, breast and shoulders in
a heroic effort to save the lives of her
babies.
The father, Joseph, who was con
fined to his bed as the result of a
runaway accident two weeks ago, was
burned about the hands while quench
ing the flames which theatened the
life of Mrs. Orlando.
Rosie lifted a gallon can of kero
sene over some glowing coals in the
stove. An explosion followed. She
and her younger sister were blown
half-way" across the kitchen, the
plastered ceilings and walls were
wrecked and the can which held the
kerocene was reduced to a shapeless
mass.
Dies at Hospital.
Rosie, Anna and . Mrs. Orlando
were rushed to St. Joseph hospital,
where Rosie died a few hours later.
Anna is not expected to. live.
Mrs. Orlando will be crippled for
life, physicians say. The flesh was
burned from her fingers and
bones exposed.
Tony Orlando, aged 9 years,
police the story of the fatality.
"Rosie said she was cold
the
totd
and
started to light the fire." he said. It
burned slowlv and I saw her cct the
can of kerosenes I walked out to the
yard and the next thing 1 heard was
an explosion and mamma's screams.
I saw lots of fire in the house and I
told' Mrs. Johnson about it. She
catted the fire department."
Tony is one of. four children of
the Orlando family who were not
in the house when the accident hap
pened. Rosie and Anna were the youngest
of the children.
Flour Prices Continue
Their Upward Course
Minneapolis, May 12. Flour prices
continued their upward trend today
and fancy patents touched the new
high point of $17.10 a barrel, 40 cents
above yesterday's top figures. First
clears advanced 50 cents, being quoted
at 514.90.
to Enroll Host
Evidence of Patriotism
sick and wounded. A large well organized and efficient
Red Cross is essential for such a result, therefore it is
both patriotic and humane service that ia rendered by
every citizen of this country who becomes a member
of the American Red Cross. I am deeply gratified by
the recognition this fact is receiving everywhere
and wish you and your associates every success In
mobilizing Omaha's patriotic impulses for a loyal and
effective service to the nation.
"WOODROW WILSON."
HOUSE VOTES TO
LET ROOSEVELT
RAISE AN ARMY
Lower Chamber Instructs Con
ferees to Restore Senate
Volunteer Amendment to
Military Measure.
Washington, May 12. By a vote of
215 to 178, the house today, after a
stormy debate, voted to instruct its
conferees on the army bill to restore
the senate amendment to permit Col
onel Roosevelt to lead a division to
France.
When the house action on the
Roosevelt amendment was reported
officially tJ the senate Chairman
Chamberlain without debate secured
permission to withdraw the report
from the senate and resume confer
ences on the bill.
T. R. Is Delighted.
Oyster liay, N Y., May 12. Colo
nel Theodore Roosevelt made no
secret tonight of his delight over the
action of I lie house, but he refused
to discuss his plans for putting a mili
tary force in the field until his au
thorization to do so becomes official.
"i am deculy grateful at what the
house has done." Colonel Roosevelt
said. "I feel ihey have taken a step
which is eminently wise and patriotic
toward enabiii g us to utilize an ele
ment in the country we would other
wise not utilize at all.
"This will enable a mixed force of
regulars and volunteers to he put at
the front (hiring-' the time necessary
for training the great army raised un
der the selective draft."
Utah Is' Third State to"
Fill Regular Army Quota
Washington, May 12. Utah filled
its regular armv quota yesterday and
became the third sate to do so. With
746 men to supply, Utah has furnished
751 men since April 1. The other two
states are Nevada and Oregon.
Recruiting fell off considerably yes
terday, the total for the day being
1,405, or more than 2,100 below the
daiy average of the last week.
Anthracite Shipments
Up One Million Tons
Philadelphia, May 12. Shipments
of anthracite coal in April exceeded
those of the same month last year by
more than 1,000,000 tons, according to
statistics made public today. Total
shipments for the month were 5,892,
299 tons, as against 4,528,784 tons in
April, 1916.
ALLIES ASTRIDE ARRAS-CAMBRAI
ROAD; RECAPTURE DISPUTED TOWN;
HEAVY FIGHTING RAGES UNABATED
English Carry Important Trench in Hindenburg
Line by Storm and Other German Position
Over Battle Front of One Mile and a Half.
Near Roeux, General Haig's Report Says.
POWERFUL ATTACKS MADE ON TEUTON LINES
French Are Keeping Up Destructive Artillery Fire on
Aisne and Champagne Fronts, Harrying Prut
sian Foe by Outpost Attacks. .
BATTLE BEING WAGED
London, May 12. The British troops have established themselves In
Bullecourt, the scene of terriffic fighting during the last few days, according
to the official report from British headquarters in France tonight,
Fighting still continues.
The British also have captured in Important German trench of about
two-thirds of i mile astride the Arras-Cambral road, as well as German po
sitions over a front of one and a half miles near Roeux.
Heavy pressure la being exerted by the British armies along I fifteen
mile front between Asheville and Queant. According to the German war
office dense masses of British troops were employed in a series of attacks
along the roads leading from Arras to Lena, Douai and Cambrai.
Hundreda of prisoners were taken.
U. S. TIGHTENING
NET ADOUT THE
KAISER'S LAND
America Influences Neutral
Nations in Shutting Off All
Supplies to Germany and
All Its Allies. -
Milan, May 12. (Via Paris.) The
Swiss gove.nmcnt has informed Ber
lin, according to the Corriere Delia
Sera, that the recent commercial
agreement between Switzerland and
Germany cannot be carried out be
cause of the rescinding of transpor
tation contracts by all American
steamship companies with Switzer
land, Holland and the Scandinavian
states.
The pap'r sees in this news the
putting into effect of a complete
economic olockade of Germany, and
also states that the American gov
ernment proposed to neutral countries
that their ruppties would be assured
if they agreed to suspend absolutely
all exports to Germany, even as com
pensation for exchange.
Suit Against Rock Island
Road Won by State Officers
(Prom a Staff Correapondant.)
Lincoln, May 12. (Special.) At
torney General Willis E. Reed and
Secretary of State Pool won a suit
brought by the latter on advice of
the former to compel the Rock Island
railroad to pay an occupation tax in
this state based on the total valua
tion, of its entire property.
The suit was started in district
court, but taken to federal court, and
Judge Munger of that court has held
that the road is liable) for a tax based
on the entire valuation of its prop
erty, which is shown to be $72,000,
000. The road has contended that the
tax should be based only on the value
of its property in this state, which
was placed at $12,000,000.
The amount in controversy for the
year 1916 amounted to $1,950 over
and above the amount admitted by
the company, and with the balance
due to July of this year will make
more than $2,500 due. Mr. Pool says
the decision means a saving to the
state of about $10,000.
Dodge County Attorney
Pushes Case Against Hotel
Fremont, Neb., May 12. (Special
Telegram.) A temporarys injunction
restraining Mr. and Mrs. V. H. Fitz
simmons from continuing to operate
the St. Regis hotel in Fremont was
granted in district court by Judge F.
W. Mutton. County Attorney J. C.
Cook filed a 'Complaint under the Al
bert law. Affidavits from men who
had visited the place and had been
guilty of disorderly conduct were se
cured. Fitzsimmons came to Fremont
two weeks ago from Spalding and has
siifce been in charge of the hotel.
Ten Million Men Are
Subject to Conscription
Washington, May 12. Ten million
men in the United States will be sub
ject to the selective conscription on
July 1, within the ages agreed upon
in the conference report tn the war
army bill,1 Director Rogers of the cen
sus bureau announced today. This
number of men between the ages of
21 and 30, inclusive, represents very
nearly 10 per cent of the total esti
mated population of between 103,000,
000 and 104,000,000 on July 1, 1917.
IN VERDUN REGION
1 On the Aisne and Champagne
fronts the French are keeping up, a
destructive artillery fire and harrying
the Germans by outpost attacks. Less
energy is being displayed by the Ger
man artillery along the line heldjjv
the French, the only exception being
the Verdun region.
British Official Report.
The British statement reads:
"Succesful attacks were delivered
on the Hindenburg line near Bulle
court; alto astride the Arras-Cam- '
brai road and north of the Scarpe
last night and early this morning.
"We gained our objectives at all
points and have taken some hundreds
of prisoners.
"Local fighting resulting In our
favor also took place during the
night east of Lempire.
"Successful raids in which we cap
tured several prisoners were made
east of Ypres."
Berlin Says Attacks Fail
Berlin (Via London), May 12.
British attacks today on the Arras
front failed with heavy losses, ac
cording to the supplementary official
statement issued by the war office
this evening. The statement reads:
"The British attacks reported in
this morning's communication were
delivered between Gaverelle and the
Scarpe, on both sides of the Arras
Cambrai road, and at Bullecourt
They failed with heavy losses to the
enemy. At Roeux. the fighting still
continues.
"On the Aisne and in the Cham-
U. S. Army Aviator Breaks
All Altitude Records
San Diego, Cal., May 12. All '
American aviation altitude records
were broken Friday by. Captain W. A.
P.jbertson, jr., junior military aviator
at the North Island training school,
who reached a heicht of about 16,400
feet. The American record had been
held by Victor C -Istronf, who was
killed at Newport News, Va., on
Wednesday. It was 16,335 feet.
Captain Robertson came into the
public eye through a flight which he
made last January with Lieutenant .
Colonel Harry G. Bishop. The two
started from NJrth Island to Calexi
co, in Imperial Valley, but were car
ried far from their course and were
lost for nine days in the desert of
Sonora, Mexico.
Secretary McAdoo Will
Try to Attend Omaba Meet
(From a Staff Correspondent)
Lincoln, May 12. (Special.) Sec
retary McAdoo, as well as Assistant
Secretary Vrooman of the president's
cabinet, is expected to be in Omaha
on May 22 to attend the session of
the conservation and Council of De
fense meeting.
Governor Nevilc sent the two invi
tations to be present and this morn
ing received replies fron. both. Mr.
McAdoo said he would try to. arrange
matters to be there and would inform
the governor later as to his plans. Mr.
Vrooman expects to. be this part
of the west about that time and will
so arrange his affairs as to take in
the Omaha' meeting. ;
Phillips Found Guilty
. Of ShooiiTig Mrs. Davies
Aurora, Neb., May 12. (Special
Telegram.) Late last night the jury
in the criminal case of Leo Phillips
brought in a veri'.ct of guilty and he
will be sentenced to the penitentiary
by Judge Good. He was charged with
shooting Mrs. J. F. Davies with intent
to do her great bodily harm. The
trial lasted four days, and was hotly
contested. Mrs. Davies declared on
the witness stand that Phillips intend
ed to murder her. Many experts
testified at the trial nd alt of them
declared that the actions of Phillips
showed a defective mind, u
t
4