Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, July 30, 1917, Image 1

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    Omaha ' D.
THE WEATHER
Fair
VOL. XL VII. NO. 36.
OMAHA, MONDAY MORNING, JULY 30, 1917. TEN PAGES.
Ii mini, it Hrttlt
Newt SUndfc Ets lo
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
MBRA SM W MWBMEWST1 TEG MEB
. : ; : :
COMPANIES
TO REPLACE
MEN AT FRONT
Adjutant General Steele
Begin Work of Forming Ne
braska Military Organi-
. zation
(From a Staff Correspondent)
Lincoln, Neb., July 29.-(Special.')ii
With the selection of Major Walter
Steele as adjutant general will prob
ably be begun very soon the organ
ization of a new National Guard. Al
ready meetings are being called for
the purpose of forming companies of
home guards and tonight Adjutant
General Steele, General Harries and
one or two others held a meeting in
Seward, where it was reported that
300 men were ready to form an or
ganization of that kind.
It was the reorganization of the
National Guard in this state that kept
Major Steele from going into active
service as lieutenant colonel of' the
Sixth regiment. Governor Neville de
sired to appoint him, so it is said, but
believing that there was need of an
experienced man at the head of the
guard to carry on the reorganization,
he finally prevailed upon Steele to
sacrifice his ambitions for active serv
ice and stay at home and look after a
work which the governor believes is
t 's important as going to the front.
With the guard in active service
out of the state and perhaps out of
the country, it will be necessary to
have some; sort of a military organ
ization at home and from now on
the work of building up the home
guards into an effective military or
ganization will be pushed.
Russ National
Congress Postponed;
Frontiers Closed
(By Aiiocta ted Press.)
The defection of large bodies of
Russian troops in Galicia appears, to
have had its effect iiv Petrograd. Feel
ing the need of a stronger and more
representative government the po
litical leaders have postponed the
Russian National Congress, while the
cabinet is rebuilt with stronger men.
The provisional government has
promulgated a decree guaranteeing
complete liberty of conscience to, all
Russian citizens '
A decision to close the frontiers is
due to a desire to shut out suspects
and undesirables, who are flocking
into Russia, and to prevent the de
parture of many spies and criminals
now at large whom the government
desires to arrest.
Highwaymen Make Small
Hauls at Pistol Points
Two holdups were reported to the
police Saturday night. While return
ing to . their home at 3025 Burdette
street abbut 10 o'clock, Mr. and Mrs.
Edward Strumfa were held up by two
negroes at Thirtieth and Erskine
street, and $10.25 taken from Mr.
Strumfa. Both robbers carried re
volvers. Edward Solig, 716 North, Twenty
third street, was held up by an armed
white man about 9:30 at Twenty-third
and Chicago streets and $7.50 in
money taken.
Prussian Minister of
Agriculture Quits Office
Copenhagen, July 29. The news of
the retirement of Dr. von Schorlemer,
Prussian minister of agriculture, is
confirmed by his personal organ, the
Deutsches Tages Zeitung, It appears
he is retiring rather than accept a
program of franchise reform.
Japanese Destroyer Smashes
Periscope of Undersea Boat
' London, July 28. A Japanese tor
pedo boat destroyer smashed the peri
scope of a hostile submarine in the
Mediterranean and undoubtedly de
stroyed the undersea boat, according
to dispacchc. received toay.
The Weather '
Tor Nebraska Monday generally fair;
cooler In west and central portions.
Temprstiiri at Omaha Yesterday.
Hour. . Deg.
6 a. m S3
6 a. m 12
7 a. m S3
8 a. m S4
a. m ST
10 a. m 8)
11 a. m 2
12 noon..........
1 p. m...., tt
3 p. m. ...... ..101
1 p. m. ...... ...102
4 p. m... 104
5 p. n 101
P. m 102
1 p. m i
WMW
Comparative Local Becord.
1917. 191$. 1916. 1914.
Highest yesterday.... 104 95 85 90
Lowest yesterday..... 82 77 85 73
Mean temperature.... 93 - 8 75 81
Precipitation ........ .00 .00 .00 T.
Temperature and precipitation departures
from the normal:
Normal temperature.. 77
Excess for the day : IS
Total deficiency since March 1.... 161
Normal precipitation , .1 2 Inch -
Deficiency for the day.... 12 Inch
Total rainfall since March 1 15.79 Inches
Deficiency since March 1 2.24 Inches
Deficiency for cor. period, 1916.. 8.28 Inches
Deficiency for cor. period, 191S.. 1.04 Inches
T." Indicates trace of precipitation,
, ' L.A. WELSH, Meteorologist -
'-...
Americans in France
To Be Known as "Amexes"
Paris, July 28. The American
troops in Franc: have chosen, their
own soubriquet, according to the
Matin today, adopting the name
"Amexes." This was formed by
piecing together the first two letters
of the words, "American expedi
tion," in a manner similar to that
adopted in forming the word "An
zac, by which the Australian and
New Zealand troops in the British
BATTLE ROAR IN
FRANCE RISES TO
INTENSIVE PITCH
Renewed Activity of Airmen
and Artillery From River Lys
to Belgian Coast Por
tends Big Events.
BULLETIN.
Berlin, July 29 Via London Rus
sian troops retreating on the eastern
Galician front have retired behind the
Russian border at Husiatyn, the Ger
man general staff , announced offic
ially today. Husiatyn is seventy miles
due east of Halicz
Further south the Russians made
a stand between the Dniester and
Pruth rivers, but a powerful German
attack broke their resistance and the
Russians now are being pursued along
both banks of the Dniester,
Kuty, in the Carpathians, has been
captured by the Teutons.
In Roumania the Germans com
pleted the retrograde movement
which they began Friday on the up
per Putna river.
(By sfteciated Press.)
With aerial and artillery activity on
the British front in France increasing
daily in volume there are indications
of renewed fighting activity there,
especially in Flanders. B6th London
and Berlin comment upon the inten
sive work of the big guns from the
River. Lys to the Belgian" coast.
British aviators again have been
most active and in addition to their
.pUier wrki have accounted for thirty
one German airplanes, fifteen of which
crashed ' to the ground. The aerial
fighting is described by London . as
havirie been intense, but a markedly
successful one for the British, whoy
aided the artillery, took a great num
ber of photographs and carried out
bombing taids. '
Little Change in Galicia.
Still the center of military interest,
the Russian front from Volhynia
southward to the bend in the line near
Fokshani in Roumania presents the
curious spectacle of the Russians still
in retreat on a wide front in eastern
Galicia and of' Russian and Rouman
ian forces victoriously advancing in
an important sector along the wes
tern Moldavain frontier.
Petrograd has little to say of the
situation in eastern Galicia, but indi
cates a considerable resistance by
the Russian forces in the Carpathians,
notwithstanding which a Russian re
tirement was forced under a Teuton
ic attack. '
" Berlin Announces Gains.
Berlin announces troops nearing
the Pruth plateau below Kolomea, on
the foad tot Czernowitz and further
gains effected both north aiTa" south
of the Dniester.
On the Moldavian front the Rus
sians and Roumanians are carrying
out an effective operation which has
bent back the defensive line opposite
Kezdi-Vasarhely. Transylvania, and
further north.
Important heights have been oc
cupied by the Roumanians near Bere
scizi, while in the vicinity of Kalakul
mountain, the Russians are pushing
toward the Putna river and have oc
cupied Boduple, on the left bank of
the Putna.
Generals Are Summoned
r Possible indications of further re
organization of the Russian military
machine are seen in the summoning
of two famous generals of the old
regime to Petrograd. The men sum
moned are General Ruzsky, formerly
commander-in-chief of the northern
armies and General Gurko formerly
commander of the southwestern
front. ' , " . .
Air Raid on Paris.
After an interval of more than a
year and a half the Germans have
made an air raid on Paris. Accounts
from the French capital do not indi
cate the raid, which was carried out
Friday night, was one in force or that
it had serious results. .
Drive From Galicia Swift
Berlin (Via London), July 29. last
of Buczacz the Russians are rapidly
being driven out of Galicia and the
supplementary official statement from
the war office says that German
troops are approaching Zbrya on the
Russo-Galicia front, about ten miles
south of Husiatyn.
T
History Repeats When Belgian
Cavalry Troop Captures U-Boat
(By Associated Pre.)
Paris, July 29. The German sub
marine that ran ashore on the French
coast west of Calais on Thursday,
was not destroyed when its crew set
fire to the gasoline tank, but was cap
tured by a troop of Belgian cavalry,
recalling the exploit of the French
hussars, who in J 794 captured an ice
bound Dutch fleet, according to a dis
patch from Calais today, -
SUFFRAGETTES PICKETING WHITE HOUSE Doris Steven of Omaha (with banner)
and her suffragette co-workers picketing the White House. The pickets arrested were
"S but
-A
THE-. VHITB
MERCURY SOARS
T01041ARKIN
OMAHASUNDAY
Beaver City. Reports 113 De
' grees and Says the' Corn
But Slightly Damaged ;
r-;;'"-' as- 'Yet.---.' :
Omaha sweltered' yesterday when-
the mercury in the official ther
mometer soared to104 degrees at 4
o'clock. Heat recorders on the
streets went higher.
And Omaha was not the hottest
place in the state at that. At Fre
mont 108 degrees" was reported.
Beaver City in Furnas reported a
temperature of 113 and said the corn
was but slightly damaged. ,
Omaha's record of 104 was the
highest in four years. On August 8,
1913, the high mark was 105 and on
July 5, 1911, the thermometer on top
of 'the federal building showed 107. ,
The heat began to be apparent
early, for at 5 a. m. it was 83, where
as on Saturday at the same hour it
was but 81. At noon it was 96, one
degree cooler than Saturday at' the
same hour, and at 4 o'clock 104 was
registered,, three degrees hotter than
Saturday. The normal temperature
for the day was .77. ,
Hot Breeze Fans Omaha. -
A strong breeze from the south
fanned Omaha, but it was as a hot
blast from a furnace.'. At that, this
same breeze, hot as it. was, saved
many prostrations, as it seemed to
make the extreme heat more bear
able. Crowds sought relief in all the pub
lic parks and the swimming pools
were all taxed to their capacities. s
George Godfrey, , 78 years old, a
retired business man ' living at the
Castle hotel,1 was overcome by the
excessive heat , Sunday, morning in
Sach's cigar store at Fourteenth and
Farnam streets. -t ' . '
Godfrey was given first aid by Po
lice Surgeon Callahan, who had him
removed to St. Joseph's hospital; He
will probably recover. i
Heat Record of Decade.
Fremont, July 29.- (Special , Tele
gram.) All heat records for ten
years were broken today when the
government thermometer registered
108 at S p. m. A temperature of 107
was recorded at 4 p. m., and the mer
cury still climbed.' A Scorching "south
wind blewc all , day-arid caused con
siderable damage to cprn. Many Fre
monters were driven to their base
ments in an effort tto find relief.
Corn Damaged in Kansas.
Smith Center, Kan., July 29. (Spe
cial Telegram.) Hot winds over
northern Kansas for the last three
days has sent hopes of a corn crop
glimmering. .
Today the mercury reached 109 and
hot winds- scorched all Vegetation. No
indications of rain.
-The stranded submarine was first
sighted by a customs officer. He
called upon some Belgian horsemen
who were exercising nearby to come
to his help. They rode down the
beach, ' the message reports, sur
rounded tlie U-boat and made prison
ers of the crew while the astonished
country side watched the accom
plishment of the teat,
. .Milium: Jffifl lMlr MS.
1 If 1 M&v$f I ij 1 p Cwfc w k8 liio yrt 8
1 i J 1 w f f iWs m irrtiF? it v 4U I
l hi i I IWlihi 6
. . . .
were pardoned by the president.
: : ' ' '
HOUSR
Italians Hear American
Airmen Will Help Them
Rome, July 29. Both the civilians
and the army are enthused over a
report' that the United States gov.
crnment proposes to send aviators
to the Italian front
BOARD OF SEVEN
TO TAKE CHARGE
OPWAR ORDERS
New Commission to Be Con
necting Link Between Gov
ernment and Industry to
Pass on Prices.
(Hy Associated Press.)
Washington, July 29. Reorgani
zation of the government's war pur
chasing system through creation of a
war industries board to supervise buy
ing and to decide priority of manu
facture and shipment, was announced
last night by the Council of National
Defense.
The new board will be the connect
ing link between the government and
industry. 'It will be charged with the
great responsibility for quantity pro
duction, will determine the question
of creating or extending industries
demanded by the war and will pass
on prices to be paid by the govern
ment. Its membership is as follows: Frank
Scott of Cleveland, O.,. chairman;
Bernard M. Baruch of New York, the
council's advisory commissioner;
Hugh Frayne of New York, repre
senting labor; Robert S. Brookings, a
St. Louis merchant; Robert S. Lovett,
of the Union Pacific system; Lieu
tenant Colonel Palmer E. Pierce, rep
resenting the army, and Rear Admiral
Frank F. Fletcher, representing the
navy, ,
Three members of the board and
Herbert Hoover , are designated to
constitute a government purchasing
commission serving under the board's
direction.
' The work of the commissioners will
be divided as follows:
Mr.' Baruch, jn charge' of raw ma
terial purchases; Mr. Brookings, fin
ished products; Mr. Lovett to decide
priority, and Mr. Hooverfood buyer.
Boards Are Merged.
The general munitions board, of
which , Mr.. Scott has been chairman,
is merged with the war board and
all the duties of the munitions board
will be taken over by the new body,
i There will be no reduction in the
number of existing committees of rep
resentatives of the various industries,
but. they no longer will arrange pur
chases and will serve solely as ad
visory bodies and through the board
will answer direct to the council in
stead of to the members of the coun
cil's advisory commission.
There will be no change in the or
ganization of the council itself, whose
membership is drawn from the cabinet,
nor in the organization of its advisory
committee, made up of industrial and
scientific representatives.
The change in the organization is
expected to' still criticism of the old
purchasing, system on the grounds
that manufacturers and producers as
members of the . committees have
passed on purchases from their own
plants. .Under the new plan the war
industries board and its purchasing
commission will ipprove or disap
prove of forms of contracts.
Shortage of Coal Cuts
Down Swiss Rail Traffic
Berne, Switzerland, July 29. Incon
sequence of the increasing coal short
age the Swiss government has de
cided upon a considerable restrict of
railroad and steamer traffic of all
kinds, . 1
i
FOOD CONFEREES
YET AT DEADLOCK
ON CENTRALPLAN
Unable to Reach Decision
Whether One Man or Board
i J- of Three Shall Exercise
Power.1
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, July 29. Conferees on
the administration food control bill
failed Saturday night to reach a final
agreement on the measure and ad
journed to meet again today.
They smoothed out their differences
on a prohibition provision, agreed to
the section fixing a $i minimum per
bushel for wheat and met again late
tonight to consider the two big points
left in dispute, the question whether
food control shall be exercised by one
man or a board of three and the sen
ate section creating a joint con
gressional committee on the conduct
of the war.
No Spirits as Beverage.
The prohibition provision approved
provides that thirty days after the
bill becomes law, no person shall use
any foods, fruits, food materials or
feeds in the production of any distilled
spirits for beverage purposes, with a
separate stipulation that the prohi
bition shall not apply to the forti
fication of sweet wines. Importation
of distilled spirits is prohibited in a
new section.
The house conferees receded on
their opposition to the liquor com
mandeering amendment,, which was
adopted substantially as written by
the senate except to include whisky
irt stock as well as in bond. This au
thorizes and directs the president to
commandeer any or all such distilled
spirits for redistillation, where it may
be necessary for munitions and other
military or hospital supplies. The
spirits commandeered would be paid
for by the government. It was under
stood at the capitol that the president
has no present purpose of resorting
to the commandeering authority. The
president is given discretion to stop
either the manufacture or importation
of beer and wines.
Affects Next Year's Wheat Crop.
There was little opposition to the
senate's $2 wheat guaranty amend
ment, but 'it was changed so as to
make it apply to next year's crop in
stead of this year's. The section au
thorizes the president when he Snds
that an emergency exists requiring
stimulation of wheat production and
that it is essential for wheat producers
to have the benefits of a guaranty to
require the food administration to de
termine and fix a reasonable guar
anteed price to assure the producers a
reasonable profit, not less than $2
per bushel at the principal interior
primary markets. It also provides for
additional customs duties on wheat,
when necessary to bring the price of
the imported article up to the guar
anty. '
The $10,000,000 appropriation for
nitrate stocks in a senate amendment
as agreed to authorizes the president
to procure necessary stocks of nitrate
of soda for increasing agricultural
production during 1918 and to dispose
of them at cost.
The conference also had agreed to
senate amendments to stop govern
mertt advisory agents from reaping
any personal interest in war con
tracts and to authorize the president
if it should become necessary for the
national defense to fix coal and coke
prices. '
Belgian Refugees Coming
To Oregon From War Land
Salem, Ore., July 28 Several thous
and refugee Belgian families will be
brought to Oregon from Holland
soon for colonization purposes.
l
RELEASE OF ONE MAY MEAN
ANOTHER GOES TO HIS DEATH,
DECLARES PROVOST MARSHAL
General Crowder Says Nation Needs Men Quickly and
Boards Will Receive Little Praise and Much Blame;
Reward Comes in Consciousness of Giving
Country Indispensable "Service.
(Ity Associated Press.)
Washington, July 29. The gravity of the task which faces
members of local draft exemption boards, is called to their at
tention in solemn language in a communication sent broadcast
by the War department and made public last night by Provost
Marshal General Crowder.
"The selected man offers his life," says General Crowder.
"It will strengthen yeu toemember that for every exemption
or discharge that is made for individual convenience, or to es
cape personal loss of money or property, or for favor or affec
tion, some other, man whose time would not otherwise have'
come must incur the risk of losing his life."
BRUNT OF BOOST
IN WAR COST BILL
FROM INCOME LEVY
Senate to Provide Nearly Two
Billions by Measure, House
Seven More n Other
Way. ,
( By Associated Frcsi.)
' Washington, July 29,The senate
finance committee reached a tentative
agreement late Saturday to revise the
present $1,670,000,000; war tax bill to
raise at least $1,943,000,000, the larger
part of the increase ' t, come from
higher income taxes. ' '
Members of the committee said to
night it ts possible tie total of the bill
before it gets to the senate will b
$2,000,000,000."
According to the present plan about
$2.30.000,000 of the increase will be ob
taincd through higher income tax
rates $70,000,000 for the individuals
and the rest from corporations. The
committee figured on an increase in
the normal rate on individuals from
2 to 5 per cent and on corporations to
6 per cent. (The rest o the increase
may be obtained by increasing the ex
cess profits tax and by consumption
taxes on sugar, tea, coffee and cocoa.
Over Billion Mark.
Under the program, $1,062,700,000
would be the total levy this year upon
incomes. The present law yields
$300,000,000, the pending bill original
ly was designed to increase this by
$532,700,000 and the $230,000,000 addi
tional it is now proposed to levy
would raise it over the billion mark.
The senate committee will confine
its work for the present to the present
war tax bill and will leave to the
house the task of raising the rest of
the $7,000,0001000 the administration
believes it must have to prosecute the
war this year.
Majority Leader Kitchin of the
house was in conference with the sen
ate committee today and this decision
was reached as a result of his conten
tion that the house might resent any
senatorial infringement on its consti
tutional prerogative of instituting rev
enue legislation,
Question of Prerogative.
Whether the house will prefer to
authorize $5,000,000,000 in bonds or
treasury certificates to supplement
the $2,000,000,000 the senate is provid
ing, will not be determined until next
week.
The decision today to leave the
house the task of providing $5,000,
000,000 additional, promised greatly to
expedite senate action on the pending
revenue bill. Senator Simmons said
the committee plans to complete, its
revision Tuesday and report the bill
to the senate for beginning of debate
the latter part of next week.
Pershing Will Visit
Training Camp This Week
Paris, July 29. Major General
Pershing, commander of the American
forces in France, will leave Paris by
automobile early this week for his
first visit to the permanent American
training camp since the troops arrived
in France. He will spend two days at
the camp. The first day he will visit
Major General Sibert's quarters and
on the second day will make a detailed
inspection of the various units. .Gen
eral Pershing previously has visited
the French and British fronts.
Germany Will Pay for
Argentine Vessels Sunk
Buenos Aires, July 28 The Ger
man reply to the Argentine note on
the question of torpedoing Argentine
ships, which has just been received
was taken in, under advisement today
by the Council of ministers. It is
understood that Germany has granted
indemnity in the case of those al
ready sunk, and promises to respect
all Argentine vessels which do .not
carry contraband of war.
i ACT FOR NATION ONLY
The boards are told that they are
not courts to adjust differences be
tween two' persons in controversy.
"You, acting for the government,"
says the' communication, "are to in
vestigate each case in the interest of ,
the nation and never the individual." ,
General Crowder closes with the
declaration that the nation needs men
quickly and the boards will receive
little praise and some blame.
"Your only reward," be said, "must
be the knowledge that at great per
sonal sacrifice you are rendering your
country an indispensable service in a
matter of the utmost moment" '
Officials Must Use Care.
President Wilson tonight issued an
executive order directing government
officials to exercise "the greatest care"
in issuing exemption affidavits to em
ployes in the civil executive depart
ments, emphasizing the high national
importance of tarrying out "the spirit
of the selective service act and of se
curing xt fullest effectiveness by
holding to military service all drafted
men who are not absolutely indispens
able" to department' work.' He says
discharges should be reduced to the
"minimum number consistent with the
maintenance of vital national inter
ests during the emergency of war. V
Be Chary of Requests.
"It is earnestly hoped, moreover,"
the order concludes, "that, acting in (
the spirit as the federal departmental
officials, all citizens who may be called
upon, as employers, under section 44
of the regulations, to make affidavits
for securing the discharge of persons
deemed to be indispensable to nation-
al industrial interests, during the :
emergency, will exercise the same con
scientious and scrupulous caution, to .
the end that there will appear to be '
no favored or exempted class among
the citizens called by law to the na
tional defense," ' '
No Question of Steel or
Wood Before Board Now
Washington, July 29. Determina-
tion of a ship building policy will be .
left by the reorganized snipping board
largely to Rear Admiral Capps, who '
ashas succeeded Major General Goe-.
thals, as general manager of the
emergency fleet corporation. The
board, it was learned tonight, will'
specialize on operation of 6hips, the
direction of traffic and questions Of
rates.
. Admiral Capps, is understood to be
of the opinion that all the ships that
possibly can be built, should be con- ,
structed. There will be no question,
of steel or wooden ships, but all yards
will work to their utmost capacity. '
Mrs. Septima Collis Dies; !
Widely Known Member D. A. H,
New York,- July 29. News of the
death at Aix-Les-Bains, France, of
Mrs. Septima M. Collis, widow of the ;
late Major General C. H. T, Collis,
was received here yesterday.
Mrs. Collis was widely known as a
member of the Daughters of the.
American Revolution and other worn
mens organizations. She ' was the
author of several books, among them
"A Woman's War Record," in which '
she described her experience at the
front during the Civil war. She was '
a friend of President Lincoln and
Generals Grant, Sherman and Sher
idan. t
American Soldfers in France
To Get Plenty Reading Matter;
New York, July 29. American sol
diers in France are assured of a steady'
supply of good reading material con-'
sisting of current books and mag
azines, through the efforts of the
Publishers camp library committee,'
was announced here, tonight. Contri-
bution this far have been made by 42
publishers and a large number of ;
individuals. Some publishers have ' -monthly
consignments, while ! un
agreed, it was stated to provide
dreds of volumes have been contrib
uted by others. ' '
Service on West Front :
Shatters Duke's Nerves'
Amsterdam, July 29. The Duke of
Brunswick, son-in-law of the German
emperor, has arrived at , Gmunden,
upper Austria, to undergo treatment'
for a nervous breakdown,. The duke
has held a command on the western,
front.
r
4