U
ha Daily ' Bee
The
THE WEATHER
v i
rair
OMAHA, TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL SO, 1918 12 PAGES
0
V$SX SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS. ;
VOL. XLVII NO. 271.
Mtwt
ini
IV
Qua
a EM
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ALLIES TO CONIEST
WITH ENEMY EVERY
INCH BEHIND YPRES
Entire Salient Now" in Thick of Fight Without Strategic
Value to Enemy, Army Officials Declare; Baker's
New War Program May Call for Million
More Men for Army.
- (By Associated Press.)
' W.h;nrtnn. Anril 29. The battle for possession of the
ruins of Ypres is regarded by officials here conversant with re
ports from American observer in France as only an incident of :
the uerman drive. a
. They do not foresee, it was learned tonight, any extensive
retirement of the British lines in this region, even if the enemy
gains this shattered village standing at the apex of the salient
in the allied lines in Flanders. ......
Ypres is important because of the high ground about it.
But if it is lost, it is believed here, every inch of ground behind
it will be as bitterly contested by the British and French troops
s has each enemy step forward for the last 10 days.
WITHOUT STRATEGIC VALUE.
Even the whole Ypres salient, offi
cers here think, has no strategic value
which justifies the assumption that its
loss might force a general retreat over
a wide front.
Should the rate rate of advance
they have made for the last two weeks
be maintained by the Germans, it is
estimated that it would take weeks
for them to reach positions which
would seriously threaten the allied
iiold on the channel ports. Meanwhile
the strain of continuous offensive
operations will increase steadily upon
:he German forces, while it decreases
correspondingly on the allies with
shortened communication lines to
maintain.
OFFENSIVE MAY LAST WEEKS.
For this reason many observers
here believe the present situation, with
the Germans steadily pounding and
the allies striking back wherever op
portunity offers, may continue for
some time.
-Official reports from France have
ndicated three weeks as the time that
.night elapse before the allies could
regain the initiative. ,
v nffirial announcement that Ameri-
' tan troops are in the trenches itt.the
- Amiens region was welcomed by offi
cials here. It has been known that
1 considerable force had been assem-
' bled in that vicinity,Jut the fact that
the Americans were actually in line
facmj the German army, where the
final battle is being staged, had not
been contemplated.
- Americans Relieve French.
The. only statement as to the
ground occupied by the American
forces is that it is east of Amiens.
Since unofficial dispatches describe
" the sector as not directly involved in
the present fightng at Hangard and
Villers-Bretonneux, however, it is as
sumed that the newcomers have been
' placed somewhere along the line to
the southeast of Hangard, toward
Noyon. If so, officers here believe
that these American units may share
in the ultimate triumph of the allied
" armies directly, as it is from this
- flank of the Picardy battlefield that it
hat always been anticipated any great
counter movement would be launched.
The number of American troops in
that part of the line and their or
ganization has not been revealed,
though the presence of American
; artillery indicates tactical units of
considerable size. The force serves
to relieve veteran French units for
employment by General Foch as a
mobile reserve.
Million More Men in Plan.
The increased army program, neces
sitated by the German drive, it is
learned, probably will be laid before
congress by Secretary Baker within
the next few days. The whole ques
tion of available equipment, quarters
and transport tonnage has been re
viewed recently in preparation for
submitting these figures.
There are some indications that
effort will be made to add a million
men to the army at the earliest pos
sible time, supplementing the million
and a halt already with the colors.
If a large increase in the number of
divisions now organized or in process
of organization is planned, it will be
necessary to secure an amendment to
4he selective service act removing the
present restriction of the draft to two
nnits of 500,000 men each. While the
tct place no limit upon the raising
of replacement troops as may be
necessary, officials hold that no legal
right exists for the organization of
tdditional line units.
The Weather
For Nebraska Fair and cooler
Tuesday and Wednesday.
Temperature in omaba lesterdaj,
Hoar.
Dtf.
...44
...40
...41
...42
...43
...45
...47
...61
a. m.
( a. m.
T a.
I a. to.
$ a. m.
10 a. m.
11 a. m.
li m..
1 p. m 61
1 p. m S2
t p. nr. SI
4 p. m... IS
t p. m .i.,.ES
I p. m 14
T p. m M
I p. m SI
'- ComnaratWe local Record.
- 1918. 1917. 1919. 1515.
rttKhest yesterday 65 5 58 71
Lowest yesterday ... 49' J 4 45 41
.lean temperature .. 4 4,0 53 0
'rerlpltatlon 01
- - Temperatura and precipitation departure
rrom tbe normal:
Normal temperature 55
Deficiency for tbe day
Total excesa since March 1. .......-.... .262
Normal precipitation . 13 Inch
rciency for the day 12 inch
- U A. WELSH, Meteorolofift.
u
CHINESE TROOPS
SAIL FOR FRANCE
TO FIGHT KAISER
Army of 40,000 Trained Orien
tal Fighters to Be Placed
With Allied Forces by
Early Summer.
An Atlantic Port, April 29. Capt.
Tiner Chia Chin, military counsellor
to the president of China and also
to the Chinese minister of war, ar
rived here today on a French steam
ship. He said that China now is
sending troops to France to fight for
the allies.
Captain Ting, who is a graduate of
the United States military academy
at West Pt nt. for : some- time Jias
been in Europe as a military ob
server in the war theater for his gov
ernment. "China is preparing to do her pari
in making the world safe for democ
racy," he said. "It is true that China
has troops now on the way to the bat
tle front, and it is the calculation of
the Peking government to have no
fewer than 40,000 fighting men with
the French by early summer. I have
just left France and there remained
behind 10 other Chinese officers
whose duty it will be to select train
ing camps in France for Chinese
troops."
The captain added that there is a
spirit among the Chinese people that
Prussianism must be suppressed for
the good of mankind and the advance
of civilization.
Nine Held for Sedition
In Raid on Bible Office
Los Angeles, April 29. Two per
sons were arrested here today by the
police and held for federal action
under the espionage act in a raid on
the local office of the International
Bible Students' association. The au
thorities said the arrests were the be
ginning of a campaign that might
comprise 2,100 or more arrests.
All books and records in the asso
ciation's office were seized.
The arrests were made in connec
tion with the distribution throughout
the city yesterday of a large sheet
called "Kingdom News," which pub
lished a defense of the association's
activities and a blank petition to Pres
ident Wilson to remove restrictions
on the circulation of "The Finished
Mystery," alleged by federal author
ities to contain seditious matter.
Germany Is Permitted to
Aid Subjects in America
Washington, April 29. With the
approval and co-operation of the
American government the legations of
Switzerland and Sweden, represent
ing, respectively, German and Austro
Hungarian interests, have undertaken
to direct relief work among indigent
aliens throughout the United States.
Relief will be extended to needy fam
ilies of interned aliens direct from the
legation funds, while to aid law-abiding
enemy aliens who have suffered
on account of their status, a national
committee of Americans is to be or
ganized to co-operate with the lega
tions and their consular officers.
Two-Thirds of Three Billion
Liberty Loan Now Subscribed
Washington, April 29. Seventy-six
per cent of the $3,000,000,000 Liberty
loan minimum has been subscribed,
according to treasury tabulations to
night covering business up to the
opening of banks today. For the five
days remaining canvassing commit
tees have instructions to devote their
energies to soliciting personally the
thousands of individuals and business
interests who have delayed subscrib
ing. Daily subscriptions of $119,449,000
are necessary during the remainder of
the week to make $3,000,000,000 and
the treasury is hooinar for a heavy
oversubscription, ; j '
"Transports Are Waiting
To Take British Army
Home" German Canard
London, April 29. A Reuter dis
patch from Stockholm says that the
Aftonbladet publishes, and one or
two other papers repeat, a telegram
from Zurich, by way of Berlin, to
the effect that "an entire fleet of
British tranrports is waiting in the
channel to take British prmy home
in case of need."
On inquiry of the admiralty, Reu
ter's agency was informed that the
statement contained in the afore
mentioned telegram "is absolutely
devoid of any foundation whatever."
BIG STEAMSHIP
SUNK; AMERICANS
ON BOARD SAVED
57 "Y" Workers Arrive Safely
in London After Thrilling
Rescue From Torpedoed
Vessel.
London, April 29. A party, of 57
American army Young Men's Chris
tian association workers under Arthur
E. Hungerford arrived in London last
night The ship on which they sailed
was torpedoed yesterday morning and
sank in 12 minutes. AH the passen
gers and all but three of the crew
were saved.
The passengers were picked up in
lifeboats and landed at a British
port The Americans are all safe and
well. On their arrival in London
they were taken in charge by the
American Young Men's Christian as
sociation and Red Cross.
Praise American's Conduct
The number of persons on board
the vessel was about 250. One of the
ship's officers told the Associated
Press that the Americans had con
ducted themselves in an admirable
manner. They had passed most of
their time aboard the ship in military
drills and daily and nightly lifeboats
drills and every man knew his sta
tion and duties as though by instinct.
Destroyers immediately were sent
to the rescue and all the lifeboats
were picked up within half an hour.
The vessel was struck (.midship
while in a large eonvoy rodcf-thc
protection of destroyers. It was pro
ceeding at about 10 knots in bright
moonlight when struck. There was
an immediate heavy list and three
minutes later the boilers blew up, ex
tinguishing the lights all over the
ship.
"The Americans behaved like veter
ans and were of the greatest assist
ance in launching the lifeboats and
handling them," said one of the offi
cers of the ship.
TEUTONS CAPTURE
7,100 PRISONERS IS
CLAIM AT BERLIN
Berlin (Via London), April 29.
The announcement from general head
quarters today says:
"On the Flanders battle front from
midday the artillery fire revived. The
booty taken since the storming of
Mont Kemmel has increased to more
than 7,100 prisoners, including 181
officers, 53 guns and 233 machine guns.
"Between La Bassee canal and the
Scarpe, as well as north of the
Somme, there has been lively recon
noitering activity on the part of the
English. Strong partial attacks made
by the French aainst Hangard wood
and the village were sanguinarily re
pulsed. Forefield engagements oc
curred at many points on the re
mainder of the front.
On the eastern bank of the Meuxe,
a thrust in the French trenches
brought in some prisoners."
Bismarck Banished From
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago, Aprir 29. Bismarck, ths
iron chancellor of Germany, was ban
ished from Chicago public schools to
day by the Board of Education. The
action came in an order for the re
moval of all ttatues, pictures or rep
resentation of any man responsible
for the present military system in
Germany.
Cleveland Police Put Ban
Upon Socialists' Parade
Cleveland, O., April 29. Cleveland
socialists will not be permitted to hold
their annual parade May 1, according
to instructions to the police depart
ment today by Safety Director
Sprosty, who fears the formation at
this time might incite a riot. '
"We have attained 104 per cent and
are going forward to 150 per cent if
possible," said a telegram from the
Kansas City district, the third to
achieve its quota.
Subscriptions by states in the Kan
sas City district are: Missouri, $24,
173,450; Colorado, $17,605,050; Kansas,
$31,876,250; Nebraska, $31,312,000;
Oklahoma, $24,756,050; Wyoming, $4,
408,650; New Mexico, $1,199,000.
Dispatches today said that at a
meeting in Baltimore, addressed by
Secretary Baker, $19,600,000 was sub
scribed. This is believed the largest
amount subscribed at any one meeting
during the campaign. -
AMERICAN
BOYS FACE
GRIM FIRE
U. S. Machine Gun Battalion
Moves Fearlessly Into Thick
of War's Deadliest
Battle Scene.
By WILBUR FORREST.
(Special Cable to The Omaha Dally Bee
and the Kcw Tork Tribune, copyright
1918.)
With an American Machine Gun
Battalion in the Field, April 29.
Under a rain of metal American
troops today are more than holding
their own in a sector in northern
France.
The way they marched into posi
tion, obvious of the hellish fire, in
darkness that was as pitch except
for the sinister red stabs of bursting
shells here and there is the best aug
ury of Americas' future in this war.
The sectors which have been pre
viously held by these same Americans
on the French front during the pres
ent war were quiet in comparison
with this.
The machine gun battalion left the
small town, in which the American
headquarters are located, at dusk. Be
hind them came two small auto trucks
containing thousands of rbunds of am
munition for our machine guns, which
were placed under cover of the heavy
atmosphere during the early .after
noon. Fog Prevents Observation.
The weather prevented the enemy's
observation from airplanes and sau
sage balloons.
Traversing the next village, it was
necessary to proceed at a snail's pace,
continuously passing the silent snake
like khaki stream 'whose feet were
beating a rythmic tramp, tramp,
tramp, occasionally audible above the
din of the guns ahead and the grum
ble of our heavies in the rear.
Darkness was awaited to cross the
treeless fields between the rear and!
the firing line.
Ihe enemy, who works with flaw
less maps, knows every road and
every crossroad, and his artillery fire
it Ceaseless.
Passing the marching column and
approaching the next village, the
squeal of the enemy s shells and their
sharp explosions made conversation
impossible.
Our automobile proceeded cautious
ly and suddenly careened into shell
holes where the enemy had sought
out the crossroads and pounded them
with tons of steel and high explosives.
He was how Doundiiisr the vulaee.
and through this village lay the route
of our marching column behind.
It was here at the shattered cross
roads that one of the little automo
bile trucks decided to balk in the
shell craters and neither entrine nor
muscular brawn could budce it and
its load of heavy machine-gun ammu
nition. It was a case of unload the
ammunition and lift the car out bod
ily, which kept us at the crossroads
for 15 minutes.
Desolate Ruins Ahead.
A month ago this village was one
of the many peaceful agricultural
communities of the department. As
we passed through the streets, occa
sionally throwing ourselves flat on the
ground in order to escape fragments
of bursting shells, we were able to
see the desolate ruins, silhouetted
against the feeble light that occa
sionally loomed out of the noisy
darkness from the shell bursts and
activity on the front line, several
hundred yards beyond.
The ancient church and the local
chateau were nothing but gaunt skele
tons. The buildings around them
were mostly reduced to common deb
ris. Stately trees once lined the vil
lage square, but these are now only
jagged wrecks.
Flat on Their Stomachs.
Flat on our stomachs we saw a
German freight train tear up the vil
lage square and heard its fragments
tear the air and cut into the buildings
on all four sides.
It was through such fire as this
that our young veterans marched
erect and silent, through the village
and on into the village beyond. They
marched into the war without a whim
per and without a waver in the ranks.
SAMUEL G0MPERS
TAKEN ILL WHILE
MAKINGADDRESS
Montreal. April 29. Samuel Gom
pers, president of the American Fed
eration of Labor, was taken suddenly
ill while addressing a mass meeting
of labor representatives here.
Mr. Gompers was immediately con
veyed to his hotel, where it was an
nounced that his indisposition was be
lieved to have been the result of re
action from the many speeches he has
made during his Canadian tour.
Mr. Gompers had said he yielded
to no one in good will to the German
people and when democracy was en
throned, no one would outdistance
him and his associates in the labor
movement extending the -hand of fel
lowship and good will to the working
people of that country,
people of that country. "But until
then .there can be no peace between
freedom and kaiserism," he added.
It was here that Mr. Gompers was
taken suddenly ill, and walked off
the platform.
Flying Air Line From
New York to Frisco Is
Given $500,000 Boost
San Francisco, April 29. Direct
ors of the Panama-Pacific interna
tional exposition have turned over
to the Pacific Aero club part of the
exposition land known as the Ma
rina, valued at $500,000, to be used
as a landing place for airplanes.
Plans have been completed for
the "Woodrow Wilson" air line
from New York to San Francisco,
over which the Aero Club of Amer
ica hopes tJ demonstrate the feasi
bility of trans-continental transpor
tation by airplane.
GRANT OF EXTRA
POWER TO WILSON
VOTED BY SENATE
Many Senators Who Opposed
Administration in Fight Join
Majority When Test Comes
on Final Passage.
Washington, April 29. Rejecting
all amendments designed to limit the
president's authority, the senate late
today passed the Overman bill with
its general grant of power for the ex
ecutive to co-ordinate and reorganize
government departments and other
agencies during the war.
The vote on the measure, which
now goes to the house, was 63 to 13,
many senators who opposed the ad
ministration in the long fight over
proposed amendments joining the ma
jority when the test came on final pas
sage. Only one democrat, Senator Reed
of Missouri, voted against the bilL
Republicans who voted against it were
Brandegee, Cummins, Dillingham,
France, GaUinger Harding, Johnson
of California, Knox, Poindexter,
Sherman, Sterling and Sutherland.
Constitutionality Attacked.
Senators who continued their oppo
sition to the finish have based their
attitude on the argument that the bill
confers unnecessary autocratic pow
ers upon the president and is uncon
stitutional.
The only amendments added in the
senate were accepted oy-'.senator
Overman. One by Senator Wads
worth of New York, republican
would authorize the president to cen
tralize authority over the aviation
program in one executive officer, and
another, by Senator Jones, republican
of Washington, limits the effect of re
organizations made under the bill to
six months instead of one year after
the war.
As passed by the senate the meas
ure authorizes the president to
"make such redistribution of functions
among executive agencies as he may
deem necessary," and to "utilize, co
ordinate and consolidate any execu
tive or administrative commissions,
bureaus, agencies, offices or officers
now existing by law; to transfer any
duties or powers from one existing
department or to transfer the person
nel thereof." These powers, how
ever, "shall be exercised only in mat
ters relating to the conduct of the
present war."
GRAVES DECLINES
SEAT IN SENATE;
WILFLEYACCEPTS
St. Louis, April 29. Xenophon P.
Wilfley, member of the St. Louis
Board of Election Commissioners and
prominent democrat of Missouri, to
night was tendered by Governor
Gardner the seat in the United States
senate vaca.ed recently by the death
of Senator W. J. Stone. Wilfley an
nounced he would accept the appoint
ment and lift foi Jefferson City to
confer with the governor.
Jefferson, City, Mo., April 29. -Judge
W. W. Graves today declined the
appointment of United States sena
tor tendered him last Friday by Gov
ernor Gardner. ,
Here's the Circulation
of the
Omaha Papers
On 10th St., 3000 Block
State of Nebraska 1
.County of Douglas J8
F. S. Dilley, being duly sworn, says that on April
6th he took a newspaper census of South 10th street,
Thirty-hundred block, Omaha, and that there are six
houses:
5 houses take THE BEE.
2 houses take the World-Herald.
) 3 houses take the News.
(Signed) F. S. DILLEY.
Subscribed in my presence and sworn to before
me this 8th day of April.
(Seal) HILMA DAHLQUIST,
Notary Public.
Another Block Tomorrow
Keep Your Eye On The Bee
IMPROVING EVERY DAV - -
GERMANS SUFFER '
ENORMOUS LOSSES
IN FUTILE ATTACK
Powerful Blows on Ypres Front Parried and Line Hold
Intact at Close of Day of Terrific Fighting; Enemy - '
Driven Out After Gaining Foothold in
French Positions. f
(By Associated Press.)
Germany's armies are hurling themselves against a gran
ite wall on three sides of the ruined city of Ypres. After fight
ing of the most terrific nature, the British and French lines are
till intact and the enemy has lost terribly in his repeated as
raults against the lines where the allies stand at hay.
The objective of the fighting that now is going on is the
capture of Ypres, where, since 1914 the British have held their
positions. Two years ago the allied lines were carried forward
and the salient in front of the city was wiped out, but from these
positions the British retired a week ago to the trenches where
they stood during the terrific fighting in the spring of 1915,
when they stopped the first German drive for the channel ports.
BROADWAY RUNS
RIOT WHEN WAR
HEROES PASS BY
New York Ablaze With Patriot
ism as American and French
' Soldiers From Battlefield
' March to City Hall.
New York. April 29. One hundred
and five heroes of the trench army,
members of ihe famous Chasseurs Al
pine corps, nicknamed "Blue Devils,"
who arrived today, and the 50 vet
erans of General Pershing's army who
came yesterday from overseas, gave
New Yorker a series of thrills today.
Patriotic fervor reached a high
pitch when General Pershing's sol
diers, 'many of them wearing the
Freach war cross awarded for
bravery, marched up Broadway from
the Battery to the city hall, where
they were formally received by Mayor
Hylan. After the ceremony they
scattered throughout the city to aid
in the Libeny bond campaign. The
arrival of the Frenchmen was entirely
unexpected. They also came to help
the Liberty loan campaign.
Women Kiss Heroes.
Spectators went wild with enthusi
asm as the men filed by. -Dignified
business men and financiers threw
their hats high into the air and danced
in boyish glee, while several women
broke through the police cordon to
kiss the marchers.
The cheering all along the route
was deafeniug and the flag and hand
kerchief waving lent a kaleidoscopic
effect to th scene.
At the city hall. Mayor Hylan ad
dressed the soldiers from the balcony,
saying:
Mayor Hylan's Welcome, '
"I welcome yon men in the name of
your proud countrymen. I welcome
you in the tame of the men, women
and children of this city, and I wish
to say to yju that we are proud of
you and of he manner in which you
have conducted yourselves white on
foreign soil."
The city was just recovering from
this outburst of enthusiasm when the
visiting Frenchmen heroes all and
named "Blue Devils" by the Germans
because of the color of their uniforms
and their fighting qualities, arrived.
They appeared at Liberty loan com
mittee headquarters on lower Broad
way after having traveled through
Fifth avenue and several downtown
streets on auto buses from the steam
ship pier. Their reception was only
exceeded by that accorded Pershing's
veterans.
O BELGIAN FRONT FIRM.
The present battle opened with a
bombardment of the British ' and
French lines from Meteren to Voor-
mexeele, a distance of 12 miles. Then
came reports of a spread of the fight
ing around the curve in the Una in
froitt of Ypres until the Belgian
armies, north of the city, were in
volved. Field Marshal Haig's official
report, anxiously awaited, brought the
news that the utmost efforts of the ,
Germans had been fruitless all alorir
the line. The field marshal's state
ment said that the Teutons had paid
a great price and had gained virtually
nothing. , . i - -. ,
The battle still continues along the
front, but there is little indication that
an immediate withdrawal from Ypres
is contemplated by the allies, at least
not until they have exacted from the
enemy a great sacrifice of human
lives. r - ' . . '
Invaded Posftions Recaptured.
The only point at which" the Ger
mans made any gains were in the hilly
section back of Kemmel hill, where
the French are standing. At soma ,
points the enemy was able to occupy
portions of the line, but from the
greater part of those they wer
driven out by the French, who r
established their defenses. ,
frontal attacks on ypres wc
seem to indicate that there is
confidence in the German general
that the Ypres positions can be
flanked from the south. The lin
they stand today are very stronc
withstood the onset. of the U
in 1914, when the Teuton aitnjj
much different machine than il
day. The bloody repulse of (M
mans in their (treat plunge for
will mean much in further operatic!
in that sector of the battle line.
Deluged with Shells. ,
When the struggle was goingt o
before Ypres, the British positions
from La Basse to Houtholst wood
and from Lens to Vimy were deluged
with shells, but- so far there has been
no infantry fighting reported from
that part of the front. Ail attack on
this salient in the German lines is
expected soon, however, for it standi
as a constant menace to a further ad
vance by the enemy.
Along the front in the Somme sec- ;
tor, part of which is being held by
Americans, there has been little fight
ing of note. Further south there hats
been only patrol encounters. ; .
BRITONS WRANGLE
OVER AIR STAFF
CHANGES1N ARMY
London, April 29. There was in
terest in today s debate in the House
of Commons over the recent resigna
tions from leading positions in the air
forces, during which Lord Hugh Cecil
and others urged that Major General
Trenchard. former chief of the air.
staff, be reinstated in that office.
Replying to the criticisms, Premier
Lloyd George complained of .and re
pudiated as offensive the suggestions
that amateur strategists in the cabi
net had been'trying to advise General
Trenchard. The premier announced
that Lieutt'.ant General Smuts, a
member of the privy council, has been
appointed to investigate the dispute
between General irenchard and
Baron Kothcrmere, brother of Lord ,
Northcliffe, ho resigned as air min
ister last Thursday, and that General
Smuts had arrived at the conclusion
that General Trenchard's qualities
were better uited to'leadership than
to staff duty.
It was hoped, added the premier,
that ' Genen.1 Trenchard's services
would be retained in a position -of
considerable power in the air force.
Uruguay Again Requests ;
Explanation From Germany
Montevideo, April 9.-The Uru
guayan government has again re
quested a definite reply to the query,
previously forwarded, as to whether
Germany considers a state of war ex
isting between the two countries. v-"
Germany's answer to Uruguay's
first reguest evades this point, but jn
the meantime the Uruguayan foreign
minister declines to discus's the matv
ter. A
" SHELLPROOF MACK'S"
Gripping Story of Trench Fighting'
is continued on Page Twelve of The
Bee Today. , ' . V .
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