V
fTTTT -IT
aily Bee
THE WEATHER
Fair
0MA1
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A
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VOL. XLVII NO. 274.
I. 5. PREPARING
TO THROW EVERY
RESOURCE MOW AR
Congress Asked By War Department to Give President
Blanket Authority to Raise All Troops Necessary "
to Win Victory; Lull Continues Along
Battle Lines in Europe
( Bf Associated Press. )
America is stripping for the decisive battle in Europe. In
an executive session of the military committee of the lower
house of congress Secretary of War Baker, Major General
March, chief of staff, and Provost Marshal General Crowder
have asked congress to give the president blanket authority to
increase the United States army to whatever size may be neces
lary to win the war.
This country now has nearly 2,000,000 men under arms
tnd the army appropriation
for an increase of this number
T.TTT.T. AT BATTLE LINES.
While America's plans for throwing
it everv resource into the battle
, against Prussianism are maturing, the
lull which has brooaea over tne west
. m battle lines continues. Ine ex-
nected German attacks on the Ypres
and Amiens fronts have not been
launched. i"Te and there the oppos
ing artilleries have broken forth into
wild bombardments such as usually
, re ntvlndes to massed attacks on tne
. allied lines, but they have died out
after a few hours. Here and there
locaf operations have been carried
-out for the-purpose of straightening
lines and raiding the 'enemy's posi
tions, but they have not developed
into anything unusual.
The Germans must attack soon or
. acknowledge their defeat in their ara
. bitions J utterly :Jaicrush the allied
armies.
Kaiser Has Reserves.
,The present phase of the battle is
' not unlike that before Verdun, two
years ago, after the first German rush
had been stopped and even attempts
to carry local objectives had met with
defeat.
Germany has lost heavily, but the
emperor still has reserves to throw
. into the fight. The defeat Monday on
the Meteren-Voormezeete line south
west of Ypres has taught the Ger
mans that the allies are prepared to
stand their ground and there seems
little inclination at the present mo-
ment to renew a conflict which threat
ens to be disastrous.
Roumanians Offer Services.
The report that Czech soldiers de
serting from the Austrian army now
"-o -- --- - .
fVJtt
followed by a dispatch saying that
Roumanians who had been captured
by the Italians have asked permission
to fight against the Austrians and that
they are now on the firing line.
The British forces in Palestine have
recaptured Es-Salt, - a village from
i which thy retired three weeks ago
under pressure from a superior force
of Turks and Germans.
Germans Occupy SebastopoL
A Berlin dispatch says , that the
fortress of Sebastopol has been oc
cupied by the Germans. This was
expected after the capture of Sim
feropol last week.
- .Ukrainian peasant deputies are re
ported to have overthrown the gov
ernment of that republic. This report
"follows closely a dispatch saying that
many Ukrainian officials had been im
prisoned Dy the Germans for con
spiring against the military authorities
of the central powers. The new regime
has announced that it will carry out
the provisions of the BrestLitovsk
treaty.
The Weather
Nebraska: Fair Friday and Satur
day, with continued mild temperature.
- Temperature at Omaha Yesterday.
Hour. Vtg.
i a. m.
a. m.
7 a. m.
I a. m.
1 a. m.
10 a. m.
11 a. m.
18 m 71
1 p. m 75
3 p. m 78
3 p. m .I0
4 P. m 82
5 P. rr 83
I P. m 84
7 p. m 83
8 p. m 7
Comparatlre Local Record.
3918. 1917. 1916. 1915.
Highest yesterday ....84 49 61 78
Lowest yesterday ......58 41 44 66
Mean temperature 70 45 53 64
Precipitation 00 .10 .00 .02
. Temperature and precipitation departures
Trora the normal: v
Normal temperature 58
i Excess for the day . 12
total excess since March 1, 1917 '..264
Normal precipitation 12 Inch
Deficiency for the day 12 Inch
Total rainfall since March 1....1.68 Inches
Deficiency since March 1 3.97 Inches
Excess for cor. period. 1917 79 Inch
'Deficiency tor cor. period, 1918.. 2.58 Inches
Reports From Stations at 17,11,
Station. State of Temp. High- Rain
weather. 7 p. m. est. fail.
Cheyenne, clear ...... ...62 (4 .00
Davenport, clear 71 89 .00
-Denver, cloudy 64 (8 .00
. Des Moines, clear... 82 82 .00
Chicago, clear 72 74 .00
Lander, part eloudy 70 74 - .00
Omaha, clear .......... ..3 84 .00
. A. WELSH, Meteorologist ,
bill for this year would provide
to 3,000,000.
0
BAKER DEMANDS
UNLIMITED ARMY
TO GO OVERSEAS
Big Appropriation Bill Equips
3,000,000 Men; New Dent
. Bill Makes Ultimate Max
imum 5,000,000.
(By Associated Pien.)
Washington, May 2. Secretary
Baker, at a hearing today before the
house military affairs committee, in
confidential session, asked that con
gress grant unlimited power for the
creation of an army of whatever size
necessary for the prosecution of the
war. .
He told the committee that it would
be ill-advised to restrict the number
of men to be utilized and that the size
of the army, should be increased in
the discretion of the government, as
transportation and equipment facili
ties warrant
He indicated he would submit a
proposed measure, probably as an
amendment to the draft law, to grant
the unlimited authority asked.
ONE MILLION AUTHORIZED.
unaer tne existing arair law, as
construed by Chairman Dent of the
Under the existing draft law, as
military committee and others, there
is authority for use of only 1,000,000
men under draft. Mr. Dent yesterday
introduced a bill to authorize a draft
total of 4,000,000 men, which with
volunteers already in the service,
would make an ultimate maximum
strength of 5,000,000 men.
Secretary Baker was questioned re
garding his views to increasing the
draft age. He said he had made no
decision.
The committee immediately will re
sume consideration of the annual
army appropriation bill and Secretary
Baker's idea is that it shall provide
only for the number immediately fore
men. To Equip 3,000,000.
'Indications are that it will carry
provision for equipment, transporta
tion, pay and other expenses of ap
proximately 3,000,000 men.'-as part
not of a specific program, but as a
furtherance of a blanket authority
plan involving use of all or part of
the funds appropriated and supple
mental appropriations later on as
their need may become apparent.
Mr. Dent announced in view of the
War department's attitude that he
was ready to ask the house to kill its
volunteer credits amendment to the
draft quota resolution. The senate
refused to agree to the provision,.
Buy Another Bond" Movement
Multiplies
(By Awociated Press.)
Washington. Mav 2 Onlv $240.
000,000 remains to be subscribed to
the third Liberty loan to, reach' the
three billion minimum goal and a
headquarters statement tonight said
"the prospects for an oversubscrip
tion are considered hopeful." The
total reported tonight was $2,751,360,
700, which did not include subscrip
tions obtained today. It was an addi
tion of $172,000,000. in the lasr 24
hours.
The multitude of small subscriptions
pouring into local headotiariers tn
day, stimulated by the appeals to
"buy another bond" and "match the
president, created genuine enthusi
asm among treasury officials, who
consider the moral effect of a big
ouuawiyuon rou quite as mucn as aJ
,.u6s yuui oi national creait. ine
movement to Pet individuals tn hnv
$50 bonds to keep pace with President
wiison, wno subscribed for a "hahv
bond" after already having bought!
OMAHA,
- 0 i r ,
ftlldolHU VUiilAN
BURIED UNDER
BASEMENT FLOOR
Body of One of Three Reputed
Wives of Detroit Suicide Dis
covered; Had Been Stran
gled to Death.
(By Associated Fres.)
Detroit, May 2. Wrapped in, can
vas, the body of Irma Pallatinus was
found today under the cement floor
in the basement of the home here for
merly occupied by Helmuth Schmidt,
whose suicide in the Highland Park
jail ten days ago has resulted in an
investigation to determine the facts
of at least three women who lived
with Schmidt as his wife.
Mrs. Edward Rederer, a sister of
Irma Pallatinus, identified a strand
of hair as her sister's and examina
tion revealed that the woman had
been strangled to death with a clothes
line.
Disappeared Two Years Ago.
Miss Pallatinus accompanied
Schmidt here from Lakewood, N. J.,
and relatives state that the couple
were married in New York. This is
disputed, however, by Schmidt's
daughter and widow, Mrs. Tietz
Schmidt. The woman disappeared
suddenly two years ago.
The discovery was made after the
officials had given up excavation work.
A workman throwing up a last shovel
ful of earth, uncovered the canvas.
The body had been placed beneath
the cement floor, which had then
been carefully recovered.
Mrs. Schmidt, who was brought be
fore Prosecutor Gillespie late today
for further questioning in connection
with the death of Augusta Steinbach,
who, according to Schmidt, killed her
self when he would not marry her,
fainted, when told of the finding of!
the body. ' t
COUNCIL REACHES ;
FULL AGREEMENT
ON WAR MATTERS
Paris, May 2. The supreme inter
allied war council met today at Abbe
ville with Premier Clemenceau. pre
siding. Those present included Pre
mier David Lloyd George of Eng
land, Premier i Victoria Orlando of
Italy. Viscount Milner. British secre
tary of state for war: General Foch,
commander in chief of the allied
armies m trance; General backville
West, General Tasker H. Bliss,
American representative at the coun
cil; General Belin, of the Versailles
committee: Major General Henry H.
Wilson, British chief of staff; Field
Marshal Haig, General Pershing, Gen
ral Petain, Vice Admiral Wemyss,
British hrst sea lord, and vice Ad
miral De Bon, chief of the French
naval staff.
During the two days in which the
conference has been in session all
military questions of moment were
examined and settled in full agree
ment, ice results obtained are
unanimously regarded as most satis
factory.
Proposes Punishment of
Profiteering Contractors
Washington, May 2. Profiteering
contractors who detraud the govern
ment in production of war material
would be severely dealt with under
a bill ordered favorably reported to
day by the house judiciary commit
tee, a nne ot qiu,uuo or imprison
ment for ten years is provided.
American Sent to Prison
For Drilling Men Near Dublin
Dublin, May 2. William Pedler. an
American citizen was sentenced by a
magistrate today to tour months im
prisonment for drilling men at night
near Dublin. At the reauest of the
military authorities the magistrate or
dered dealer deported , after he had
served his sentenc.
Loan Subscriptions
all he felt able to pay for, grew be
yond bounds planned by originators
of the feature and telegrams received
today characterized it as the "distinct
ive campaign feature of the third
loan." ' .
St. Louis is the first city of more
than 500,000 population by the 1910
census to subscribe its full quota. De
troit, which now has more than that
population, went across the top some
time ago, but it is placed in a dif
ferent class because its population in
1910 was slightly under 500,000.
One of the most encouraging fea
tures of today's reports was New
York's increase of approximately $90,
000,000, of which only about $25,000,
000 was in large subscriptions.
Subscriptions in the Kansas City
district are: Missouri, $25,509,150;
Colorado, $19,968,400; Kansas, $35.
894,850; Oklahoma, $26,899,600; Ne
braska.. $36,910,050; Wyoming $4.-
924,600; New Mexico, $r,396,200
FRIDAY MORNING, MAY S,
GIANT "SAUSAGE" BURSTS IN HANGAR; :
SOLDIERS' BODIES, HORRIBLY BURNED
OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF .
DISASTER BY COL. HERSEY
- CoL H. B. Hersey, commanding officer at Fort Omaha, last night
gave out this official statement concerning the balloon disaster at the x
Florence field:
"This is the first fatal accident that we have had since the balloon '
school opened.
"A serious explosion occurred at Florence field when one of the
observation balloons was being stored for the night. It probably was
caused by static electricity produced by the fabric rubbing together.
"Eighteen men were more or less injured and some quite seriously,
but not fatally. These men were, burned and received immediate at
tention of a large corps of surgeons at the Fort hospital.
"Two men were killed, burned to such an extent that they cannot
be recognized and a roll call will be necessary in the morning to estab
lish with certainty their identity.
"Every possible attention is being given to the injured men, and
we have an ample staff of surgeons, nurses and facilities to care for
them."
SEBASTOPOL OCCUPIED
B GERMAN FORCES
.
Military Rule Established in Kiev, Capital of Ukraine, By
Invaders, and Peasantry Ordered to Surrender
Estates to Former Owners and Return to
Work on Land.
(By Associated Pren.)
Berlin (Via London) , May 2. German forces have occu
pied Sebastopol, the great Russian fortress in the Crimea. Ac
cording to official communication from headquarters, the town
was taken without fighting.
London, May 2. The Germans have established military
rule in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, and have arrested a num
ber of the members of the government oft the ground that the
government had proved too weak to maintain law and order,"
according to a Berlin official statement.
i LANDLORDISM RESTORED.
Among the government officials arrested was the minister
of war, the statement said.
Zurich, May 2. General von Eich-O-
horn, commander of the German
forces in the Ukraine, according to
a telegram from Kiev, has ordered
the peasantry to return all property
and effects taken from the land hold
ers and to begin as quickly as possi
ble the cultivation of the great estates.
The order which protects the in
terests of the land holders, who are
mostly Poles and Russians, is op
posed vigorously by the Ukrainian
fada, which has adopted a resolution
declaring that it will not permit inter
ference by German, Austrian or Hun
garian commanders in the political,
social, or economic life of Ukraine
and that Von Eichhorn's inter
vention will result only in disorgan
ization, rendering impossible the con
summation of the terms of the eco
nomic treaty between the Ukraine
and the central powers.
The rada has instructed the min
ister of agriculture to direct the
peasants to disregard the order.
Rada Overthrown.
Amsterdam, May 2. The old
Ukraine government and rada, oc-
cording to advices from Berlin, have
been overthrown by peasant deputies,
, J . Tr. .1- TTI !
wno arnvea at rviev, ine uKraiman
capital. The new government im
mediately declared that it adhered to
the Brest-Litovsk peace treaty.
The German government, according
to a dispatch from Berlin, says it is
unable to demand the removal of the
red flag from the Russian embassy at
Berlin as it has been recognized as
the color of the Russian republic. The
government made this announcement
in reply to protests ot conservative
members of the reichstag who consid
ered the flying of a red flag in Ger-
many provocative.
Torpedoing of American
Hospital Ships Foreseen
London, May 2. The German wire
less, which a few days ago sent out a
dispatch alleging that American avi
ators were crossing to Europe' on
hospital ships, reiterates these charges
in a longer dispatch today, the rea
son for the emphasis placed on the
false charge by the Germans, it is
pointed out here, probably is that they
are laying the foundation for justifica
tion at a later date of the torpedoing
of the American hospital ships in
case any such ships are put in the
trans-AHantic service to carry home
invalided soldiers. It may be reealled
that similar charges were spread
broadcast about British hospital ships
as a prelude to torpedoing them.
Pope Appoints Bishop
For American Army
Rome, May 2. The pope has nom
inated the. Right Rev. Patrick Hayes,
auxiliary bishop of New York, as
bishop of the American army at the
front. '
"SHELLPROOF MACK'S"'
Gripping Story of Trench Fighting
is continued on Page Seven of The
Bee Today.
191816 PAGES.
WAR DECLARATION
AGAINST TURKEY IS
HELD UNNECESSARY
Washington, May 2. Reasons why
the State department does not con
sider war declarations against -Turkey
and Bulgaria necessary at this time
were given the senate foreign rela
tions committee in executive session
today by Secretary Lansing. He is
understood to have stated that the
soldiers of neither of these allies of
Germany have come into action
against Americans and that American
life i9 being protected in both coun
tries. Without making any recommenda
tion for or against action, the secre
tary is said to have contented him
self with a statement of the depart
ment's attitude and of the confidential
information in its files.
Some members of the committee
took issue with Mr. Lansing, but after
the hearing Senator Hitchcock of
Nebraska, acting chairman, said he
saw no occasion for immediate action
by congress.
. The secretary was invited to appear
by the committee as a result of agita
tion at the capitol in favor of formally
recognizing all of Germany's allies
j enemies. 1
Here's the
of
Omaha Papers
Of Worthington Place, From 8th to 10th
State of Nebraska 1
County of Douglas J ss
F. S. Di'lley, being duly sworn, says that on April
6th he took a newspaper census of Worthington
Place between Eighth and Tenth streets, Omaha,
and that there are 11 houses:
8 houses take THE BEE.
6 houses take the World-Herald.
6 houses take the News. '
'(Signed) ' F. S. DILLEY.
Subscribed in my presence and sworn before me
this 8th day of April.
(Seal) HILMA D AHLQUIST,
Notary Public.
Another Block, Tomorrow
Keep Your Eye On The Bee
IMPROVING EVERY DAY
Or Trl. at Hotalt
Ntw Standi, Etc, (a.
j Electric Spark Ignites Hydrogen Gas in Giant Bag as It
i is Deflated on Horencfe Field; Men of Fourteenth
x Balloon Company Laid Low By
Burst of Flame. fe
Two enlisted men of the Fourteenth balloon company sta
tioned at Fort Omaha were burned to death at 8:30 o'clock
last night when a "sausage" balloon exploded in its hangar on
the Florence field, one mile north of the fort
Six men from the company
as Fred Beal, 19 years old, and
clared they had been recently transferred to Fort Omaha from
one of the northern army camps. Beal's home is said to be at
Minneapolis. 1
HUN ALBATROSS
SC0UTSM7N
BY AN AMERICAN
Lieutenant Meisner Victorious
in Thrilling Aerial Battle;
Lieut. Col. R. H. Griffiths
Killed by Shell Fire.
(By Asraclstcd Ptcm.)
With the American Army in France,
May 2.-Colonel Richard H. Griffiths,
commanding a battalion of infantry,
has been killed by sheU lire in Fio
ardy. He emerged from a dugout just
as a German shell arrived and ex
ploded directly in front of him. '
Lieutenant Colonel Griffiths was
with the Fourth Tennessee volunteers.
He served also as major in the Philip
pines constabulary. He was appointed
a major in the national army atter
resigning from the British army. His
widow is a Red Cross nurse.
Thrilling Battle in Air.
An American aviator has brought
down the fourth German airplane
along the American front northwest
of Tool. Lieutenant James A. Meis
ner, whose home is Brooklyn, after
a thrilling aerial battle at about 15,000
feet, shot down an Albatross scout,
which fell id flames.
Lieutenant Meisner is 21 years old
and a graduate of Cornell. He came
to France a few months ago and qual
ified as a pilot here.
While he was protecting a photo
graphing plane, a German machine
came in view. The day was brilliant
with sunshine. A French plane started
for the German, but Meisner, who
was flying high near by in a speedy
Nieuport chaser, made a dive for the
German's tail. When within range
he opened fire with his machine gun,
and the German started a spiral nose
dive, but after few seconds straight
ened out and started back toward Ger
many. ' '
Crashes to Earth in Flames.
Meisner followed so closely when
the German straightened out that the
latter's wing tore both of the under
wings of Meisner's machine, but at
the same time the young American
poured a deadly stream of bullets into
theenemy plane, which started smok
ing. Meisner kept up the fire until
the German machine burst into flames
and crashed to earth.
The American pilot landed safely
on his-own side of the lines, but the
German fell about a mile inside the
German lines to the south of Thiau
court. Circulation
the
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
unofficially identified the dead
- Davis, are 22. and du
O EIGHTEEN MEN TNTTlPPn
Two other soldiers were seriously
burned and are not expected to r.
cover, according to announcement of
army surgeons.
Sixteen others sustained burns, but
the extent of their injuries could not
be determined last night. At mid
night one of the surgeons passed
through the hospital ward and later
announced that all of the injured were
sleeping soundly.
The dead men were burned beyond
recognition and their identity prob
ably will not be known positively un
til a roll call Is had thU morning.
Their bodies were brought to Omaha
in an army ambulance and cared for '
at H. K. Burket & Sons undertaking
establishment, 29th and Leavenworth
streets. .
BALLOON SHED BURNS.
Fire immediately followed the ex
plosion and the . great balloon shed
soon was enveloped in flames. It was
burned to the ground. The loss it
estimated at $50,000. No insurance -was
carried by the governmentjQn. lluL,
balloon or building. , '
The loss is divided as follows: On
the balloon, $32,000; on the building,
$13,000.; AH of the equipment Con
tained in the hangar was destroyed.
It. will require an inventory before
the value of this equipment can be '
ascertained. The Florence field fire
apparatus was unable to cope with
the flames and the Omaha depart
ment was called. . . , k
The injured men were rushed t
the post hospital where they wen
given treatment. . There are enough
doctors stationed at the fort to care
tor all the injured.
Place Heavily Guarded.
The bodies Of the men killed wert ,
burned beyond recognition. Military
police stationed in the down town
districts were immediately ' ordered
to return all members of the com
pany who were out on leave in order J
to complete the check on the dead
and injured. ;
The guard around Fort Omaha and
Florence Field was strengthened im
mediately following the accident and
no civilians were allowed entrance to
the scene of the accident. "
An ambulance containing wiurer
men speeding to the hospital from
the flying field collided with an im
mobile near Thirtieth and Joyce
streets. .One man was iniured.
Immediately following th Hiaaater'"
Col. H. B. Hersey, commanding offi- "
cer at Fort Omaha, gave out an offi
cial statement in 'which he declared
tUat it would be impossible to fur
nish a list of the dead and injured
before morning.
Matic Electricity Cause.
The balloon was a French type ob
servation bag commonly known as
a "sausage." It had just been brought
down and placed in the haasrar ore.
paratory to deflation when the explo- "
sion nappenea. . ,
It contained 35.000 cubic feet
hydrogen, the explosive force of
which is about double that of ordinary
gas. the shock was felt by persons
several hundred yards distant . from
the scene. - ; ' '
Officers at Fort Omaha attribute
the explosion to static 'electricitv
generated by trie silken lolds of the
big bag rubbing together. . They de
clared tnat the moment the balloon
touched the ground there was a dis
charge and the spark fired the gas.
Experts last night stated that at
mospheric conditions were especially
favorable yesterday to the creation of
static electricity on account of the
high barometer which had been hov
ering over Omaha all day. The acci
(Continued on Pare Two," Column Two.)
GERMANS OBDEB
GREEN BOYS INTO .
WESTEBN LINES
British Headquarters in.. France, r.
May 2. (Via Ottawa.) The German
field depots are being heavily drawn . "
upon to replace recent casualties.
The Thirteenth German reserve di
vision has just received a companv of
250 boys of the 1919-20 class, who "had
only ejght weeks' training and were
not to be put into the fighting unless
absolutely necessary. But tne ,. fact
that they are now in the division nt
tti liaHlA 1tn Gii(Trcf-a tfi sntiVinb.
jtion that they may have to be
