Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, May 02, 1918, Image 1

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    The Omaha Daily Bee
THE WEATHER
Fair; Warmer
VOL. XLVII NO. 273.-
r. "9
GERMAN RESERVES
HURRIED TO FROKT
TO RENEW ATTACK
Another Furious Drive at Ypres Foreshadowed by Terrific
Bombardment; Allied Line .Stable and in No Im
mediate Danger, Says French Premier
After Visit to Army.
(By Associated Press.)
Having been defeated with enormous looses in every phase
of the fighting around Ypres, the Germans have attempted
no further onslaughts. Inaction prevailed Wednesday before
the positions held by the British and French troops, especially
, those in the hands of the British, which it had been the ambi
tion of the Germans to capture.
v Since Monday what activity there has beeh in this region
was carried out by the British and French, both of whom have
materially bettered their positions the French near Locre and
the British at Meteren. On both sectors ground was captured
; and prisoners taken.
BIG GUNS ROARING.
The pause in the offensive, how
ever, apparently is not to be taken as
meaning the end of the German at
' tempts to crack the allied line. All
along the front the big guns are roar
ing and shells of all calibers are
plowing the terrain and areas far
behind them, and fresh German re
serves, to take the places of the thou
sands of men killed, wounded or made
prisoner, are being hurried to the
front.
Indeed, advices from the British
front in Flanders are that another fu
rious drive by Von Arnim is in
immediate prospect. Emperor William
" has been at the front delivering flam-
boyani5peecliSL.to the troops in in
endeavor to spur them on to victory.
5 Shell Mont KemmeL
Meanwhile British and French artil
lerists arc sending a veritable rain of
shells on Mont Kemmel, the chief
point of vantage gained by the Ger
mans in the Ypres sector. Thus far
the allied guns have held back all at
tempts by the enemy to reinforce his
men on the hill and if the good work
is kept up the hilltop is likely soon to
prove to be a death trap for its cap
tors. Nothing as yet has been vouchsafed
regarding the inter-allied war council
' which is holding sessions at Versailles,
"which are expected to bring forth de
r Visions of great moment. Representa
tives of all the allies are in attend
ance, j
Great faith in the ability of General
Foch and the allied commanders on
the western front has been expressed
tby M. Clemenceau, the French pre
mier. Returning from a visit to the
front the premier said he con
sidered the line stable, and that as a i
result of the steps taken by the vari- j
ous commanders, it was outside the
realm of immediate danger.
British Defeat Turks.
The fighting on all the other fronts,
except in Palestine and Mesopotamia,
continues of a minor character. In
both tin latter theaters, however, the
British have returned to the attack and
gained important successes over the
Turks. Progress has been made north
of Bagdad along the Tigris river and
in Palestine several positions have
been captured and prisoners taken.
German newspapers have taken an
other tangent in their talk of peace.
It is asserted by a Cologne journal
that Pope Benedict on Whitsunday,
May 19, will put forward concrete ef
forts to mediate between the warring
factions.
The Weather
Nebraska Generally fair Thurs
day and Friday; cooler in north
portion Thmsday.
Temperatures at Omaha Yesterday.
Hours. Dec.
5 a. m
C a. m . . . .
7 a. m. . . .
8 a. m. ...
a. m. . . .
10 a. m....
11 a. m....
45 !
..44
. 44
.. 4s
.. 51
.. 55
.. 69
12 m 64
1 p. m
2 p. m
65
68
3 p. m. ......... 69
4 p. m 71
5 p. m 72
6 p. m 71
7 p. m 71
8 p. m 70
Comparative Local Record.
1918 1917 1916 1915
Highest yesterday.... 72 45 60 70
Loweat yesterday.... 43 ti 36 62
Mean temperature.... 68 , 44 48 61
Precipitation 00 .10 .00 .13
Temperature and precipitation departures
from the normal:
Normal temperature 57
, Excess tor the day 1
Total excess since March 1, 1917 252
Normal precipitation 13 Inch
Deficiency for the day , .13 inch
Total preclp. since Mar. 1, 1918.. 1.68 Inches
deficiency sine Mar. 1, 1918.... 2.l Inches
Excess for cor. period in HIT... .78 Inch
Deficiency for cor. period la 1911. 1.46 Inches
Reports From tSations it 7 F. 1L
Station and State Temp. High- Baln
of Weather. 7 p. in. est. fall.
Cheyenne, part cloudy.. 64 66 .00
Davenport, clear J 64 .00
.Jtenver, part cloudy.... 68 70 .00
Des Moines, clear 66 68 .00
. Dodge City, clear 70 74 .00
Lander, cloudy 66 70 .91
North Platte, pt clourfy 76 80 .00
Omaha, clea- . .- 71 72 00
. - L. A. WELSH, Meteorologist.
V Indicates tract of precipitation.
INTERNED ENEMY
ALIEN ACCUSED OF
KILLING MRS. KING
Otto Schumann Charged With
Murder of Wealthy Chicago
Widow Under State
Warrant.
Concord, N. C, May 1. Otto Schu
mann, an interned enemy alien, is
charged in a warrant issued here to
day with the murder of Mrs. Maud A.
King, a wealthy Chicago widow, for
whose killing at Blackwelder Spring,
near here last August, Gavon B.
Means was tried by a jury and acquit
ted. The warrant was issued o nan affi
davit by M. N. Caldwell, city prose
cuting attorney, who alleges that
Schumann shot the woman while try
ing to kill Means to prevent him from
furnishing the American government
information as to the methods Ger
many had employed to get copper and
rubber from the United States before
this country entered the -war.
Means had been an agent for the
German government in such transac
tions and when he severed his con
nections with Germany he told its
agents that he proposed to lay what
information
he had before his own
government.
GREAT STREAM
OF TJ, S. FORCES
TO OTHER SIDE
Washington, May 1. "American
military forces in Europe constantly
are on the increase," Secretary Baker
today told a conference of ship wn
crs and leaders of seamen's unions.
"The increase in cargo and troop
ships enables us to augment our forces
abroad steadily," he said.
Mr. Baker said a vital necessity of
continuing the American military ef
fort lay in the provision of adequate
cargo.
"MATCH PRESIDENT" CONTEST
Wilson Takes Another $50 Bond;
Wants Million to Follow Suit.
LAUNCHED TO BOOST LOAN
(By Associated Press.)
Washington. May 1. The "buy an-i
other bond" movement developed by
Liberty loan headquarters as a boom
feature of the final days of the cam
paign grew today into a national
"match the president" contest. Pres
ident Wilson agreed to take another
$50 bond on the installment plan, and
appealed for 1,000,000 others to do
likewise.
Tonight when the president went to
a theater and formally offered his
"buy another" subscription to a four
minute speaker, nearly eyery theater
in the land was the scene of a "match
the president" celebration, with four
minute men seeking to harvest a mul
titude of new pledges of resubscrip
tions for $50 or any multiple of that
sum. In 20,000 meeting places during
the remainder of the week "buy an
other bond." will be a campaign cry
to drive the third loan toward the goal
of 20,000,000 subscriptions and a big
over-subscription of the $3,000,000,000
minimum.
Indications tonight were that every
pledge would be needed to send the
loan to $4,000,000,000 or $5,000,000,000,
for today's reports showed an.addi-
OMAHA, THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 2,
AUSTRIAN FIGHTERS IN
LINE UP
Emperor and empress er austria
Emperor Charles and Empress
Zita, of Austria-Hungary, whose
sympathy for the house of Bourbon
has raised a protest in court circles
in Vienna. Empress Zita is a sister
of Prince Sixtus of Bourbon, to whom
the emperor's. famous peace letter was
addressed. The arehdokesof the
house of Hamburg harrlield t loTl
ference, at which it was resolved to
call on the emperor to end his friend
ly relations with the Bourbons as a
pledge of loyalty to the' Teutonic
cause.
Winter Wheat Conditions
Favorable in Nebraska
Washington, May 1. Winter wheat
made good progress in growth during
the last week in all parts of the coun
try, although the crop was heading
short in parts of California and rain
was needed in Washington and Ore
gon, the national weather and crop
bulletin today announced. Conditions
continued favorable in Nebraska,
Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and the
Ohio valley.
Under the good conditions that have
prevailed the Department of Agricul
ture's production forecast, to be is
sued May 8 and based on conditions
existing today, it is expected to show
a larger quantity than 560,000,000
bushels, forecast from April 1 condi
tion. Iron Workers' Wages Raised
Under Bi-Monthly Settlement
Youngstown, O., May 1. Thirty
thousand iron workers of the United
States will receive increases in wages,
effective today, as the result of the bi
monthly wage settlement here today
between representatives of the West
ern Bar Iron association and the
Amalgamated Association of Iron,
Steel and Tin Workers. Puddlers will
receive an increase of $1 per ton and
bar iron finishers' wages will be
raised 10 per cent. Puddlers, under the
new scale, will receive $16.50 a ton.
tion of
only $122,000,000. barelv
enough as a daily rate to put the loan
across the $3,000,000,000 line. The
total reported was $2,579,079,400.
Four minute men and other Liberty
loan speakers were notified of the
exact situation regarding the third
loan and were told that an avalanche
of dollars was absolutely necessary
in the next few days.
Telegams pouring into headquarters
tonight told of immediate response to
the "buy another" call. In a Phila
delphia restaurant 71 diners matched
the president. In the Boston district
the executive committee set the ex
ample, when each member ordered an
other $50 bond.
The entire state of New Jersey was
reported unofficially to be over the top
tonight. New York state now has sub
scribed 68 per cent of its quota and
New York City 64.
Reports of subscriptions by other
units show:
Kansas City District Missouri,
$25,196,800; Colorado, $19,443,450;
Kansas, W5.198.100; Nebraska. $35.
665.450; Ol.-lalioma. $2C,632.0O0: Wy
oming. 47d- Vkw Mexico $1,-395,200.
i
I)
((m rinnnn rono
WITH THE ROMAN ARMY
Several Detachments of Emperor Charles' Forces Now on
Italian Fighting Line Wearing Italian Uniforms;
Defection Explains Delay in Launching
Long-Heralded Offensive.
By Associated Press.
London, May 2. The Daily Mail's correspondent at Ital
ian headquarters says that Bohemian troops are joining the
Italian troops against Austria and that several detachments are
already on the Italian fighting line wearing Italian uniforms.
This information has passed through the hands of both
Italian and British censors and would therefore appear to be
authentic.
The defection of the Bohemians would in a measure ex
plain the delay in the proposed great offensive, long heralded,
of the Austrians against the Italians.
PREMIER OF HUN
SPIES CAUGHT IN
FEDERAL TOILS
"Lieutenant Commander X"
Captured in New York After
Arrest of Alleged As
sistant. (Hy .Woelated Tre.)
New York May 1. Carl Rodiger,
known also as Karl Schroeder, said
to be a lieutenant commander , in , the
German navy and believed by agents
of the department f justice to be
paymaster of German agent? in this
country, central and South America
was arrested here today and held in
$1:5,000 bail. One of his chief pur
poses is believed to have been to in
duce Irishmen to enlist in the Brit
ish navy in the hope that they would
plant bombs on war ships. Rodiger
denied that Jie was a German. His
examination was set for May 8.
Hold Woman Assistant.
The arrest of the German naval
officer, who has thus far figured in the
records of the federal authorities as
"Lieutenant Commander X," follows
on the heels of the apprehension Sat
urday of Marie D'Victorica, alleged
to have-been one of his most valuable
lieutenants.
The woman, who is detained at
Bellevue hospital, where she was
taken after her arrest suffering from
the effects of a narcotic, confessed
that she had received about $40,000
from the German naval officer since
her arrival here in January, 1917.
She denied the charge that she used
the money tr furthering the dissemi
nation of Sinn Fein and pro-German
propaganda here, but said she spent
the money tor living expenses at ho
tels. She claimed she owns a large:
estate in Chile, and that the money
she received represented interest on
her properties.
Foreign Born Officers to
Man New Merchant Fleet
Washington, May 1. The shipping
board plans to employ foreign-born
ship officers, if necessary, to man
the new merchant fleet now building.
Henry Howard, head of the board's
recruiting service, today told a con
ference of ship owners and leaders of
seamen's unions that it might be
necessary to take foreign officers, be
cause many licensed American of
ficers have left the sea and will not
return.
The shipping board s training
schools have enrolled 762 men study-
ing to be officers. Not less than 4,000
additional sailors will be needed each
month to operate the new merchant
fleet.
Approximately 7,000 recruiting of
ficers soon will begin the enrollment
of young Americans who desire to
go to sea.
Governor Catts Ifalts
Federal Labor Agents
Recruiting in Florida
Tallahasse, Fla., May 1. Gov
ernor Catts has called a halt on
the operations of federal labor re
cruiting agents in Florida by
ordering sheriffs to arrest them if
they have nc state licenses. License
fees are practically prohibitive
Governor Catts declared he does
not wish to hamper the govern
ment's laboi program but must
protect the essential industries of
the state Some federal agents
arrested have been released by
district attorneys but the governor
has ordered their re-arrest.
"SHELLPROOF MACK'S"
Gripping Story of Trench Fighting
is continued on Page Five of The
Bee Today.
191814 PAGES.
REVOLT;
0 SLAV REVOLT FORESEEN.
The deserting detachments belonged
' i i c l i i i
to a Czech-blovak army, which is
being formed in many centers from
former subjects of Emperor Charles.
They already occupy positions at va
rious points.
It is known, adds the correspondent
of the Daily Mail, that their arrival
already has caused perturbation
among the Austro-Huhgarian com
manders, who fear the effect on their
Slav troops. Now that the enemy
Slav troops know their fellow Slavs
are fighting under the Italian banner
in complete accord with the Italians
and with a definite program of win
ning absolute independence for their
common country, their whole attitude
toward the war, he adds, may undergo
an important change.
The new position of affairs is being
explained adequately to them by air
plane propaganda and committees of
their own race are accredited to and
co-operating with the Italian com
mand. :
RIOTING AT PRAGUE.; v
Prague, capital of the crownland of
Bohemia, recently has been the center
of riotous demonstrations against
Germany and the Germans. The Aus-tro-Hungarian
foreign minister, Count
Czernin, has been strongly denounced,
and President Wilson and the entente
allies have been cheered. The Czech
members of Parliament, together with
the Slovene .and Serbo-Croat dele
gates, have been leaders in the opposi
tion to German rule.
DYNASTY MENACED.
London. May 1. Prince Sixtus of
Bourbon-Parma, to whom the famous
letter written by Emperor Charles of
fering peace to France was addressed,
the Times says, visited King Alfonso
of Spain Monday, according to the
Madrid Sol. The Spanish newspaper
understands that he gave to King
Alfonso explanations concerning his
correspondence with his Hapsburg
relatives. (His sister Zita is empress
of Austria Hungary).
Simultaneously a report reached
Stockholm that Emperor Charles was
traking a . fresh peace attempt . and
that he was appealing to Italy to con
sider it in her own interests. All that
c?n be said about these rumors, the
Times adds, is that they are not in
herently incredible.
The dual monarchy and its ruler
are unquestionably in a highly crit
ical position, the newspaper continues
and it may well be that the youthful
emperor is trying to tempt Italy, pos
sibly also Belgium, as he tried to
tempt France.
The result of such efforts would of
course, it is added, be the same. They
would interest the allies only as fresh
indications that the emperor is con
scious of dangers which menace him,
and is seeking for a way of escape.
French Celebrities Will
Honor American Labor
Paris, May 1. Premier Clemenceau,
Marshal Joffre and others of France's
notable men will take part in the re-
ceptions to the American labor dele
gation about to arrive in Paris from
England. Numerous organized bodies
of workers will also participate in the
functions.
German Musical Steins Will
Be In Liberty Bombardment
Did you ever see a musical stein?
No? Well, you've lost your chance,
for the only ones in captivity were
salvaged by the Red Cross, and no
more will they eek out the unearthly
grim tale of German rhythm, "Die
Wacht Am Rhein," while thirsty in
dividuals imbibe of lager 'from their
stony depths.
! The steins, by means of a small
mechanism attached to the bottom,
'played dreamy, German tune while
I the imbiber of the contents drank
! freely. Red Cross workers expect a
! high bid will be made at the Red
! Cross auction sale by some intensely
'anti-German persons who wants to
break the souvenirs.
I Several salvage workers brought in
ia collection of vari-colored steins
which were immediately placed in the
salvage department show vindow. A
la.'ge number of the steins will be
O TnlM, it HotHi
Hn Stead El.. M.
YANKEES REPULSE
URRIFIC ASSAULT.
WITH HEAVY LOSS
j Three Battalions of Infantry
Following Intense Bombardment; Yankees Thrust
Back Enemy After Hand-to-Hand Fighting
and Win Frenchmen's Praise.
By Associated Press.
With the French Army in France, May l.v A heavy Ger
man attack launched yesterday against the Americans in th
vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux was repulsed with heavy losses
for the enemy.
The German preliminary bombardment lasted two hours
and then the infantry rushed forward only to be driven backs
leaving large numbers of dead on the ground in front of the
American lines. , u
The German bombardment opened at 5 o'clock in the aft
ernoon and was directed especially against the Americans who
were supported on the north and south by the French. : :-
66 DROWNED;
BOAT SINKS
AFTER CRASH
City ot Athens Rammed by
French Cruiser Off Delaware
Coast; Passengers Are
Trapped in Berths.
(By Amoclated Frem.)
An Atlantic Port, May 1. Sixty
six persons lost their lives when the
steamship City of Athens bound from
New York for Savannah, was rammed
and sunk by a French cruisei off the
Delaware coast at 1 o'clock this
morning. The missing include 10
men and ttn women who were pas
sengers, seven out of 24 U, S marines
who were on board,- 14 out of 20
French sailors and 33 members oi
the crew.
All the pamengers and many of the
crew were in their berths when the
bow of the warship plunged into the
side of the 300 ton coastwise vessel.
Fire broke out almost immediately
afterwards iu hold No. 1, but it had
no bearing on the fate of the ship for
the flames were quickly quenched by
the rush of water which poured in.
TRAPPED IN BERTHS.
Captain J. Forward, one of the vet
eran commarders in the service of
the Ocean. Steamship company,
owner of th vessel, did hi best to
avert a panit ad man the lifeboats.
So quickly did the fdoomed vessel
sink, however, that there was no
time to get the boats away and many
of those who perished were trapped
in their berths.
Those of the passengers and crew
who were able to teach the dock, all
of them thinly clad and many without
life preserver!, plunged into the sea.
The cruiser launched lifeboats im
mediately aher the crash ano turned
(Continued on Tags Two, Column Three.)
Senate Passes Housing Bill
Appropriating $60,000,000
Washington, May 1. The housing
bill, aprpopriating $60,000,000 for the
lease, construction or requisition of
quarters for war workers, was passed
late toda'y by the senate with many
modifications in the form as
passed by the house. It now goes to
conference.
displayed in the windows of the
Thomas Kilpatrick store. '
Mrs. Hattie Cox, who donated the
musical steins, said: "I am giving
these to help destroy anything that
is German. I can conceive no music
in anything that is German." Six
steins were donated by Mrs. Stafford,
3611 Lincoln boulevard. "I am going
to bid a high sum to break those
mugs, myself, as I never want to
see them again," she said.
Mrs. H. J. Mockler, 2307 South
Thirty-third street, gave four ves
sels to the salvage department
Wednesday.
Many people have already made
bids to throw the first rock at the
stein collection, and no small rocks
are going to be used. The Red Cross
salvage department expects to reap
a big sum of money from the "stein
fest." to be held soon in the Auditorium
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
Thrown Against U. S. Line,
Q ENEMY THRUST BACK. "
The fire was intense, and at the end
of two hours the German commander
sent forward three battalions of in
fantry. There was hand to hand fight,
ing all along the line, as a result
which the enemy was thrust back, his
dead and wounded lying on the i
ground in all directions. Five pris
oner remained in American hands.
The struggle, which lasted a . coin'-'
siderable time, was extremely violent
and the Americans displayed marked
bravery throughout v"'
It was the first occasion In which
the Americans were engAgejL in .the
battle, which has been raging snce
March 21, and their French comrades
are full praise for the manner in
winch they conducted themselves
under trying circumtsances, espeqially
in view of the fact that they are fight
ing at one of the most' difficult points
on the battle front.
The American losses were rather
severe. V .
Souvenirs Dangerous.
With the American Army in France,
May 1. Knowing that the Americans
are persistent souvenir hunters, the
Germans in the Toul sectors have
been strewing No Man's land with all
sorts of infernal devices. These con
sist of electric wires attached to bells,
helmet, rifles and other paraphernalia
connecting with concealed bombs. In .
a number of instances American sol;
diers have tripped over these and !
escaped. , V
Dinner Given Polish !
Volunteers Soon to Leave
A dinner was given in honor
Polith volunteers to the Po'.isn
French army at Polar ki's hall, Thirty,
third and L street, Wednesday noou.
The iollowing womei were in charge:
Mrs. Mary Demiski, Mrs. Katie Nab
ohski.and Mrs. Katie Beister.
The recruits left Omaha at 6 p. m.
for Chicago from where they wit! be
ert to a concentration camp in Cn-'
ada. After a few months' training
they will go overseas.1' w
The following committee- escorted ,
the men to the station; Father
Michael Gluba, Father Grzesikcwski,
Felix Saniuk, Frank. I. Madura, Henry
Onii. Toe Naboliski. Pete Woznialc.'
Thomas KozioL t?"
Prussian Franchise Reform .
Measure Denounced as Sham
Stockholm, May 1. The Prussian
franchise reform measure conceals a
cunningly devised provision, which
will render the whole reform illu- .
sory, even if it should be adopted,
according to Heinrich Stroebel, a so-'
cialist member of the Prussian diet.
In an article in the Independent
Socialist organ, the Leipsig Volk Zei-'
tung, Herr Stroebel says the bill is
an attempt "to smuggle the plural
franchise in through the reader and
thus render the 'equal' franchise ut
terly worthless."
Kaiser Bill Full of Brag
On Trip to Flanders Front
With the British Army in Flanders
May 1. Emperor William appears to
have been an interested and active vis
itor in the Flanders region yesterday.
According to prisoners, he has been
making his usual flamboyant speeches
to troops, and he stated the other day .
that the Germans were trying to sep
arate the French and British armies,
adding characteristically that the Ger
mans were going; to "put the British
back on the English channel where,
they belonged." . . .-
Democrats of Wyoming
Declare for Prohibition
Cheyenne, Wyo., May 1. Wyoming,
democrats endorsed state-wide prohi
bition here tonight by resoluticmjt
adopted by the state democratic com-,
mittce in session here. ' ' .
The committee also adopted resofu
Hons indorsing the national admin is-,
tratton's war program. , ' v