V
Dmaha - Badly Bee
THE WEATHER
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VOL. XLVII NO. 285.
OMAHA, THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 16, 191814 ?AGES.
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HUGHES TO ACT
WITH GREGORY IN
AIRCRAFT INQUIRY
Former Justice Accepts Task Assigned Him by President,
Whose Vigorous Protest Against Investigation Into
Conduct of War Brings About Modification
of Senate Resolution..
(By Associated Press.)
Washington, May 15. President Wilson has summoned
Charles E. Hughes to act with Attorney General Gregory in the
investigation of criminal charges made in connection with air
craft production. Mr. Hughes' acceptance of the task was an
uounced today at the White House and he will come to Wash
ington in a few days to go over the plans with the attorney gen
eral. ,
This announcement overshadowed in interest another
development which created a great stir at the capitol. In a let
ter to Senator Martin, the' democratic leader, the president
earlier in the day, had emphatically reiterated his opposition to
the phrasing of a pending resolution authorizing further in-,
quiry by the state military committee into aviation and other
yhases of war preparations.
He declared he would regard the
passage of such a resolution as a vote
of want .of confidence in the adminis
tration and virtually as an attempt to
' take over the conduct of the war.
In designating former Justice
Hughes, whose record in New York
insurance investigation is well re
membered, the president said he felt
the Department of Justice's investiga
tion was of the very greatest im
portance, that if any person were
found to be guilty they might be
prosecuted vigorously and promptly
and that the reputations of those
attacked might be protected if the
charges were found to be ground
less. Stirs Heated Discussion.
,Thfe letter to Senator Martin was
the subject of heated discussion.
Senator Chamberlain of , Oregon,
who introduced the resolution of
inquiry, called before the senate ex
penditures committee considering it,
. declared there was no intention of
investigating "the conduct of the
war" and that the resolution was
worded as it was only to give the
' military committee, of which he is
chairman, authority to resume its
previous investigations. The senator
also issued statement in which he
' explained that no charges had been
made against Major General Squier
or Rear Admiral Taylor, the army
and navy members of the aircraft
board.
" The expenditures committee, by a
vote of 3 to 2, amended the resolu
tion by striking out reference to the
conduct of the war and adding a pro
viso specifically limiting the sco'pe of
the committee's activities. If the sen
ate refuses to adopt the resolution as
amended, Senator Chamberlain indi
cated he would ( drop the investiga
tion planned.
Administration leaders were of the
opinion tonight however, that the
amendment would be acceptable at
the White House and that the resolu-,
tion would be passed. If so, the
military committees will proceed in
dependently of the Department of
Justice's inquiry.
Preparations for the departments
investigation ordered recently by the
president as a result of sensational
charges based largely upon state
ments by Gutzon Borglum, the sculp
tor, already are proceeding. under the
direction of Assistant Attorney Gen
eral William L. Frierson.
Frierson now is examining docu
ments furnished by .the War depart
ment showing how contracts for air
planes, engines and parts were let,
and giving other information on the
airplane manufacturing program. He
also has the report to the president
of the investigating committee headed
by H. Snowden Marshall and that of
Mr. Borglum.
As modified, the Chamberlan reso
lution will be reported tomorrow. A
vote may be deferred until Saturday
or early next week.
At a conference of democratic sen
ators during the day it wis agreed
that .the administration forces would
oppose adoption of a resolution in a
form which might be considered to
authorize an inquiry into general
conduct of the war and also to op
pose authorization of experts and as
iistants for the committee.
The choice of Mr. Hughes to act
with the attorney general was met
with expressions of satisfaction on
all sides at the capitol. Some re
publican senators voiced surprise, but
there was not a suggestion of dis-
approval. .
Civil War Veteran, Brother
Of Omahan, Dies in Buffalo
Buffalo, N. Y.. May 15. (Special
Telegram.) Ira Barnes, 75 years old,
civil war veteran and brother of James
T. Barnes of Omaha, died last night
; in the Canandaigua hospital.
FRENCH AGAIN
OUST GERMANS
FROjNIILL 44
Enemy Keeping Infantry to
Trenches in Main While Ar
tillery Hammers Allies'
Salient Positions.
(By Associated Press.)
Still another day has passed with
out the Germans renewing their of
fensive in Flanderi of Picardy. No
where have the infantry operations
by etiher side risen in importance
above patrol engagements.
North of Kemmel, where the Ger
mans on Tuesday gained a footing
on Hill 44, the lost vantage points
have been retrieved through persistent
counter attacks of the French. Not
alone were the Germans forced to
recede, but the French advanced their
line and also took prisoners.
Bite Into German Line.
Likewise south of Hailles in the
Amiens region, the French have taken
another bite into the German line and
successfully warded off a German
counter attack. The Germans suf
fered heavy casualties. Throughout
Wednesday the British were left
alone by the German infantry.
Although the enemy is keeping his
infantry to their trenches, he contines
to use his artillery vigorously against
salient positions held by the 'British
and French all along the front, es
pecially against Field Marshal Haig's
forces south of Albert and against the
French north of Kemmel. The French
north of Montdidier and between
Montdidier and Noyon also have been
under intensive fire.
American Aviators Honored.
American aviators in the Toul sec
tor are continuing to perform notable
deeds of bravery in the air against
the enemy fliers.- Wednesday three
additional planes were shot down in
this region by Americans. The
French, in recognition of the bravery
of, the Americans, decorated five of
them with the French war cross.
AERIAL MAIL SERVICE STARTED
Mail From New York Delivered In
Washington In About Four Hours. ,
PLANES TO MAKE DAILY TRIPS
Washington, May 15. Aerial mail
service in the United States today be
came an accomplished fact. ,
Piloted by army aviators, airplanes
carried consignments of mail from
New York and Philadelphia to Wash
ington and from Philadelphia to New
York. A plane which started from
the national capital for Philadelphia
in the presence .of President Wilson
and other high government officials,
was forced to land at Waldorf, Md.,
30 miles away, because of a broken
propeller.
With the exception of Sunday, daily
trips from each end of the New York
Washington mail route are planned
by the Postoffice department.
Each machine will fly only half the
lap of the journey, the mail being
transferred to different planes at Phil
adelphia. The mail on the machine
MITTELEUROPA
SCHEME BOOSTED
'BY NEW TREATY
Twenty-Five Years Fixed as
Period for Duration of New
Alliance Between Ger
many and Austria.
(By Associated Tress.)
Washington, May 15. According
to a dispatch from Switzerland, the
Berlin newspapers indicate the basis
of a new treaty of alliance agreed
upon at the recent conference between
the German and Austrian emperors,
contemplates fixing 25 years as the
period for the duration of the alli
ance, the imposition of stricter mili
tary obligations upon each nation and
the regulation of economic relations
so as to realize the Mitteleuropa plan.
The same message says advices
from Vienna are to the effect that
no formal agreement was signed be
cause the moment did not seem op
portune but that nevertheless the di
rection and basis of the new treaty
were definitely fixed and that it Only
remains to frame the different clauses.
Poland to be Absorbed.
Amsterdam, May 15. An official
dispatch from Berlin today says that
now the main lines for the cementing
of the alliance between Germany and
Austria have been fixed and the po
litical, military and economic nego
tiations will doubtless begin shortly.
Germany, during the conference of
the two emperors, agreed to the solu
tion of the- Polish .question desired
by Austria on condition that Austria
Hungary conclude a 25-years' con
vention with Germany, according to
a Vienna dispatch to the Berlin Lokal
Anzeieer,
Complete union between Austria-
Hungary and Poland may shortly be
expected, the message adds.
Emperor3Villiam sent this message
to Emperor Charles:
"Many thanks 'for your friendly
telegram.; I am exceedingly glad that
you are so satisfied with your visit
here. It is a great joy to me also to
(Continued on Put Two, Column On.)
, One.) j
WW
SENATE
INCREASEIAY IN
POSTAL' SERVICE
Washington,' May 15: An ' amend
ment to the postoffice appropriation
bill providing for .an increase of $200
a year in the salaries of clerks, letter
carriers and certain other postal em
ployes, and increases. of 20 per cent
for rural, mail carriers . and-, for em
ployes receiving less - than $800 a
year was adopted today; by the sen
ate. " . , ;. .
Employes receiving between $800
and $1,500 annually would be given
increases of 15 per cent and the pay
of substitute clerks and carriers
would be fixed at 40 cents an hour.
The amendment provides that fourth
class postmasters shall receive 100
per cent of stamp cancellations on
the first $100 or less, or in the event
cancellations do not exceed $50 a 20
per cent salary increase.
Practically the entire day was de
voted by the senate to debate on
the amendment. Most of those who
spoke said salary increases were
necessary to meet the increased cost
of living.
Baptists Grant to Women
Equal Suffrage in Church
Hot Springs. Ark., May 15. A res
olution providing equal suffrage for
women in the church organizations
was adopted ovarwhelmingly today
by the 63d session of the Southern
Baptist convention. The vote fol
lowed a sharp debate.
which was forced down today will
be sent out from Washington on the
plane making tomorrow's regular trip.
Ihree hours and twenty minutes
rafter a machine piloted by Lieutenant
Torey H. Webb left the Belmont fly
ing field near New York today, the
mail it carried was landed in Wash
ington and within 33 minutes boy
scouts had completed delivery of the
735 parcels consigued to Washington,
including 19 pieces for the White
House, one for Vice President Mar
shall and a number for Postmaster
General Burleson. v
One of the letters was from Gov
ernor Whitman of New- York, ad
dressed to President Wilson and
pledging New York to do its part in
the American Red Cross drive for a
$100,000,000 war. fund which' begins
next Monday.
T
BLAZE IN H. GROSS LUMBER YARD SPREADS;
DESTROYS 17 HOUSES NEAR 2IST AND PAUL
EXTENT OF LOSS IN BIG FIRE;
LIST OF INJURED AND LOSERS
Area covered. Five residence blocks, near Twenty-first and Paul
Estimated total loss $150,000
Estimated total insurance 15,000
THE INJURED.
Assistant Fire Chief Dineen, nail in foot, and slight burns.
Frank O'Connor, fireman, burned about face and hands.
John Hayduk, fireman of truck company No. 4, burned about face
and eyes injured.
Henry Goph, fireman station No. 6, wrist sprained.
, Dennis O'Connor, fireman, truck No. 1, burned about face.
Sam Taylor, driver of truck No. 1, back sprained.
Arthur Winninghoff, fireman truck No. 1, injured by falling timber.
Captain C. Dunlap, chemical No. 7, slight burns about face and hands.
C. F. Bell, chemical No. 7, burned about face and hands. ;
Tom Shandy, chemical No. 7, bruised by falling timber and slight
burns.
Fred Billings, chemical No. 7, burned about face and hands.
Charles R. Howley, chemical No. 7, struck by falling timber and
burned.
OWNERS WHO SUFFERED LOSS.
H. Gross Lumber & Wrecking Co., 2101 Paul street, total loss.
Mrs. Minnie Metcalf, colored, 2108 Paul street, totally destroyed.
Mrs. Hazel Coleman, colored, 2109 Paul street, totally destroyed.
Mrs. Myrtle Ray, colored, 2106 Paul street, totally destroyed.
Mrs. Elsie Brown, colored, 2107 Paul street, totally destroyed.
William Jenkins, colored, 2104 Paul street, partially destroyed.
1419 North Twenty-second street, vacant, partially destroyed.
C. A. Johnson, 1417 North Twenty-second street, small loss.
Mrs. Sarah Phoenix, colored, 1415
loss
Mrs. M. J. Kane, 2020 North Twentieth street, roof burned.
J. W, Steinberg, 1615 N,orth Twenty-second street, small loss.
H. Guss, 1621 North Twenty-second street, small loss.
B. Hubberman, 1623 North Twenty-second street, small loss.
Mrs. Mary Austin, colored, 1629
loss.
Samuel Rasnick, 1613 North Twenty-second street, total loss.
Harry Druck, 1613 North Twenty-second street, roomer, total loss
of valuables.
Joseph Wolf, two houses, 2324 and 2326 South Twelfth street, loss
$5,000.
OMAHA MADE ONE
OF 13 POSTS TO
General Gdethals Gives Order
Decentralizing Methods of
Distribution; .Divide Busi
ness Among Cities.
(By Afioclsted Presi.) , '
Washington, May 15. Decentrali
zation of army supply purchasing and
distribution' through 'the establish
ment of 13 zones with depots In each
was announced today by Acting
Quartermaster General Goethals.
Each of the 13 general supply posts
will be charged with the duty of keep
ing in touch with the manufacturing
facilities of its zone, and so far as
possible all food, clothing and equip
ment for the training camps will be
bought within the zone in which a
camp is located.
The headquarters of western zones
and the territory assigned to them
follows:
Chicago-Indiana (north of Indian
apolis), Michigan, Wisconsin, Minne
sota, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Illinois (except territory south of
Jacksonville, Springfield and Deca
tur) and Iowa (east of Des Moines
and Fort Dodge).
Fort Sam Houston Texas.
Omaha Iowa (Des Moines, Fort
Dodge and west), Nebraska, Colo
rado, Utah and Wyoming.
El Paso New Mexico and Arizo
na. San Francisco California, Oregon,
Washington, Idaho and Montana.
PERSHING WILL
COMMAND TROOPS
OF THREENATI0NS
Washington, May IS. General
Pershing soon will be commanding
French and British troops, as the
process of brigading American units
with their allies on the western
front goes forward. It became known
here today that whenever American
troops predominate in the brigaded
divisions these divisions will be turned
over to General Tershing's com
mand. As illustrative'of the unity of conv
mand under which Generalissimo
Foch directs all the allied aYnvies, it
was stated officially here today that
Foch commands the Italian troops
in Italy as fully as lie does the Amer
ican, British and French troops in
France and Belgium.
It was stated also that Italy, be
sides now sending troops to France
in numbers equal to those being sent
from the Upited States, has on its
fighting line a larger army, more per
fectly equipped than it had before the
great Austrian drive.
SUPPLY THE All MY
North Twenty-second street, small
North Twenty-second street, small
BONNET ROUGE
DIRECTOR GIVEN
DEATHJENALTY
Six Other Defendants in Paris
Treason Trial Sentenced to
Prison for1 Two to
Ten Years.
Paris, May IS. M. Duval, who was
director of the suppressed German
ophile newspaper. Bonnet Rouge, was
condemned to death today by court
martial for treason.
M. Duval with great fortitude heard
Colonel Voyer read the death sen
tence. He then said:
"The judgment of man, often is er
roneous. Posterity will judge whether
I am guilty of treason."
Before the verdict was reached M.
Duval in an impassioned speech had
declared that none of the accused was
in any way an accomplice of his. He
declared he was ready to face any
veredict serenely.
Jean Leymarie, former director of
the ministry of interior, was given
two years in prison and fined 1,000
francs. His condemnation roused
greater public interest and discussion
than did the death sentence of Duval
as public- minds naturallyconnected
his sentence with the forthcoming
trial of Louis Malvy, ex-minister of
the interior, who was formerly Ley
marie'a chief.
"Father of Populism," Former
Nebraskan, Dies m Nevada
Trenton, Nev., May .15. John H.
Powers, known as the "father of
populism" in Nebraska, died here to
day at the age of 86. He ran for
governor of Nebraska on the popu
list ticket in 1897. .
Borglum Meets Difficulties
In Getting Proofs in His Case
Washington, May IS. Gutzon Bor
glum sent to Senator Brandegee of
Connecticut tonight a part of the evi
dence he desires placed in the senate
record in answer to the charge that
he sought to form a private airplane
corporatipn to take government con
tracts while he was Investigating air
craft production at the- invitation of
President Wilson. It was in the form
of a long letter, reiterating and am
plifying his denial of the charge, ac
companied by affidavits from Hugo
C. Gibson, an employe of the British
war mission at New York, and Ben
jamin Harris.
Gibson, named as associated witn
the sculptor in the proposed corpora
tion, swore in his affidavit, that in De
Far-Leaping Flames and Brands Endanger Homes Long
Distance Away; Cause Believed Sparks From Near
by1 Foundry Cupola; Two Homes in South
Side Burned at Same Time. 1
Assistant Fire Chief Dineen and 11 firemen were in
jured, and several more were overcome by smoke in a raging
fire, which spread through the Gross Lumber and Wrecking
yards at Twenty-second and Paul streets late Wednesday aft
ernoon, burning over four adjoining residence blocks.
More than a score of houses were totally and partially de
stroyed. The loss if estimated at $150,000. !
The direct cause of the fire has1 not been learned. It tsl
believed it started from sparks emerging from a cupola of the
Nebraska Foundry and Manufacturing company, 1125 -North
Twenty-second street, which settled in heaps of refuse in the ,
rear of the wrecking yard. I -
r . r
RICKENBACHER
AND HALL WIN
FRENCH CROSS
Nebraska and Iowa Aviators
Decorated; Major Paddock of
Lincoln Recommended for
Similar Honor.
With the American Army in
France, May IS. A heavy barrage
was laid down by the Germans on
American positions northwest of Toul
this morning; but no infantry sttack
developed. The Americans in the' line
at all times during the firing were
ready for the enmy.
American aviators today shot down
three German planes in the Toul sec
tor. The indications today pointed to
the possibility that the American bi
plane which suddenly dropped out of
the clouds yesterday, killing the two
men in it was shot down by an enemy
machine, for it was established that
the engine of the biplane was running
at full speed when it hit the ground.
Five American aviators were deco
rated today , with the French war
cross. They were: Captain David
Peter,son, of Honesdale, Pa.j Captain
Norman Hall, of Iowa; Lieutenant
Charles Chapman, who is missing;
Lieutenant Edward V. Rickenbacher,
the former automobile racer of Oma
ha, and Lieutenant James Meissner.
Major R. B. Paddock Honored.
Major Richard Bolles Paddock of
the signal corps has been recom
mended for the war cross. Recently
under terrific fire he made an inspec
tion of the wire communications
which was not expected of him be
cause of his rank. He discovered the
wire cut by the enemy and repaired
it, being wounded in the leg while
doing so. ,
Major Paddock is a nephew of Gen
eral John J. Pershing, commander of
the American expeditionary forces in
France, and has been in charge of
the advanced telephone communica
tions, He was born in Lincoln, Neb.,
the son of General Paddock, who was
killed in the Boxer uprising.
German Aircraft Drop
Bombs in Paris Suburbs
Paris, May 16. Enemy aircraft
dropped bombs on the outlying sub
urbs of Paris late last night. None of
the enemy was able to penetrate the
defenses of the city proper.
cember Borglum had intended to en
gage with him in a commercial en
terprise, but that after receiving au
thority from the president to make
an investigation Borglum withdrew
and they had no further negotiations.
Harris, said to have been selected to
represent Borglum in the proposed
corporation, denied that Borglum ever
had asked him to become interested
in an aeronautic company either on
his own behalf or as a representative.
In his letter the sculptor declared
every effort was being made to pre
vent him from getting affidavits; that
several of his witnesses had been,
"summarily shipped away from Wash
ington" and that others were pleading
with him not to involve them for
business reasons. .
use all fire apparatus.
Every piece of fire apparatus in ths
city was at the scene. A brisk south
wind only aggravated the leaping
flames and they spread quickly to
thickly congested houses in adjoining
blocks. Within one hour the lumber
and wrecking yards were totally dev.
astated. Six small residences on
the north side of Paul street, between
Twenty-second and Twenty-third,
were in the direct path of escaping .
flames and met destruction by fire
within a short time. Several people, .
living in the immediate neighbor.
hood, became panic-stricken. ' Several
bouses near Twenty-third arid Charles
streets, three blocks away, caught fire
from burning fagots from the wreck
ing. company. Telephone and elec-.
trie light wires within a radius of four
blocks were down, f
BRANDS BLOWN FAR.
The home of Mrs. M. J. Kane, 2020
North' Twentieth street, t six -blocks
north of the. wrecking, cornpany,'"
; caught fire by f timing brand which
had been carried by the strong wind.
Twol firemen, whd were overcome -by
smoke, were taken into thi home
of Mrs. George Giskey, 1405 North
Twenty-first street and given medi-.
cal attention by police surgeons. '
Fireman Falls Off Ladder. - ' . ' .
Samuel Taylor, fireman, believed to.
be the most seriously injured,. was the " f
victim of a fall from a lofty perch on .
a ladder. His back was sprained and
he received other serious ! injuries.
He wai carrying a hose to a, second
story window of a burning house and
slipped from the top of the ladder. He
was taken to' the police station in the ,
patrol and given medical attention by
Police Surgeon Nigro.
ArthurV Winninghoff, fireman, was
injured by falling timber from a resi
dence on North Twenty-second
street. The extent of his injuries was
not learned. ... , ' ' ' .
Wage Fierce Fight. '
Dennis O'Connor, John Hayduk and .
Frank O'Connor, firemen, were burned -severely
about the face and hands
while fighting flames in the middle
section of the wrecking lumber yards.
AH were compelled to abandon their
stand to escape the enveloping, sheets
of fire. v .. , '., ; -
The ,. neighborhood was a forlorn
place after the flames had been .
quenched; with the many lots of fur
niture' and . household furnishings,
which were saved by the owners, scat
tered here and there in front of par- ;
tially burned' houses. -
Thirty Streams of Water. ',
While fire engines pounded furious
ly to increase water pressure, more
than 30 streams of water were poured
on houses newly afire. So high was ;
the gale that for a time it was feared
the firemen could not gain control.
Thousands of people on their way
home from work were attracted to the
scene by the dense smoke covering
almost thrwhole of North Omaha. A -special
detail of policemen kept back
the crowds. . . s
Salter Directs Work. ' , .
The Gross Wrecking and' Lumber
company yards were packed with cop-
per, lumber and remains of wrecked "
buildings, which were " totally de
stroyed. ,' , ' '
Chief Salter was on the scene im
mediately following the first- fire -alarm,
which was sent in from Eigh
teenth and Nicholas streets, at 4:19 -o'clock,
and directed the work of the
firemen. The' . second : alarm was
turned in 20 minutes later. , A third
alarm was sent in from Twenty s"
fourth and Seward streets. , ' '
Firemen from Benson and SoulA
Omaha were detailed to fire barns is ;
the loop in order to be in readiness : ;
for emergency, work. , ; . v4
.'Gross and Clerk' at Yards. ,
H. Gross and an office clerk, besides,
several workers in the lumber yards,
were the only' persons about the -place
when the fjje broke out. ,Thi office,' ,
which is situated in the northeast ,
corner of the block, was, totally de
stroyed before the records and books "
(Continued en Fac Two, Colama Two.)
f