WORTH WHILE: HARRY LAUDER'S STORY. OF HIS EXPERIENCES ON THE WAR FRONT
The Omaha Daily Bee " :.
VOL. XLVIII. NO. 3.
OMAHA, FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 21, 1918 12 PAGES
sSttafJ? TWO CENTS.
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STRIKERS
RATIONING
BRINGS ON
FOOD RIOTS
Germany and Hungary Agree
to Send Austria Foodstuffs
in-
Effort to Alleviate
Critical Situation.
London, June 20. More
than 100,000 persons have
gone on strike in the Volcan ar
senat and the Warschalowski
airplane works in Vienna, ac
cording to a dispatch from Zu
rich to the Exchange Tele
graph. The dispatch adds that riots
have occurred at Favoriten,
Margerethen, Ottakring and
Brigittenay, suburbs of Vienna.
Mobs broke into a number of baker
ies, stoned the residence of the pre
mier and also one of the wings of the
Hofburg palace, says an Amsterdam
dispatch.
Cavalry is being rushed to the cap
ital to restore order. It is probable, it
is stated that martial law will be pro
claimed. .
The rioting was in protest against
the reduction of the bread ration.
Demand More Food.
The workmen's council of Vienna,
in an all-night session, ending Thurs-
, day morning, adopted a resolution de
manding that the bread ration be
raised nmdiatelyvand that untir.it
1 reached normal size greater quantities
' of other victuals be given the popula
tion, according to reports reaching
Copenhagen and transmitted by the
Exchange Telegraph company.
, The council protested against the
adoption of a policy of not summon
ing parliament and demanded that
wages be raised and night work in the
factories be limited, as the men and
women are unable to do hard work,
owing to the lack of food. Finally, the
" council requested the working people
to prevent riots in the streets.
Germany to Send Supplies.
Amsterdam, June 20. Messages ar
riving here from Germany and Aus
tria make it clear that the latest
troubles in the dual monarchy over
the food situation never have been
equalled since the beginning of the
war.
The Austrian premier, Dr. von
Seydler, in a statement to the press
representatives at Vienna, announces
that as a result of recent negotiations,
the German government declared
itself ready to advance to Austria a
certain quantity of grain, and, he add
ed, hundreds of wagonloans. were al
ready on the way.
Germany had thus again proved its
fraternal attitude in the alliance, he
continued, but the supply in Austria
was still so scanty as to make it im
possible for the present to remove
the restrictions on the bread rations.
The Hungarian government also
had promised to send foodstuffs, es
pecially considerable quantities of new.
potatoes.
"The readiness of Germany and
Hungary to assist," said the premier,
(Contlnned on Page Two, Column Three)
; The Weather
For Nebraska Generally fair Fri
day and Saturday; cooler in east por
. tion Friday.
Temperature at Omaha Terterday.
Hour. Deg.
6 a. m 72
6 a. m 71
7 a. m 4 72
8 a. ra 71
9 a. m 72
10 a. m 74
11 a. m 73
12 m 75
1 p. m 80
2 p. m 81
3 p. m 83
4 p. m 83
5 p. m 84
6 p. m 84
7 p. m 87
8 p. m 87
Comparative Local Record.
- 191S. 191 7. 1916. 1915.
Highest yesterday ....88 82 66 74
Lowest yesterday ......70 65 (7 65
Mean temperature ....79 74 62 64
?r3cipltatlon ..01 .03 .19 .05
Temperature and precipitation departures
'ro:n the normal at Omaha:
s'ormal temperature 78
pIxees for the day 6
Total excess nince March 1, 1918. 672
Normal precipitation .18 Inch
Deficiency for the day 17 inch
Total precipitation since March 1.7.19 Inche3
Oeflcifncy sinch March 1, 1918.. 5.09 inches
Preens for cor. period, 1917 1.29 inches
"deficiency for cor. period, 1916.. 5. 20 Inches
Reports From Station at 7 p. m.
Station and SLate Temp. High- Rain,
of Weather. 7 p. m. est. fall.
?heyenne. raining 60 72 .40
Davenport, clear 70 74 .72
Denver, cloudy.. 74 84 .24
Dodge City, p't cloudy.. 98 102 .00
Des Moines, clear 84 84 .00
Lander, cloudy 78 88 .00
North Platte, raining. ...78 .11
Dinaha, clear 87 88 ,01
Pueblo, cloudy... 88 90 .04
Rapid City, clear 89 88 .no
Salt Lake City, cloudy. .88 90 .00
Santa Fe, raining 74 78 T.
T Indicate trace of precipitation.
' ,,, ..,!,, .WELSH, , jnetereolof lit.
5Ei
SHAKE
STATE PRESS PILOTS HAVE ROUND
OF FUN AT THEIR ANNUAL MEETING
Secretary Lansing's
Sisters Learn War's
Horrors First Hand
With the American Army in
France, June 20. The Misses Emma
and Katherine E. Lansing, sisters
of Secretary of State Lansing1, who
have been members of the Red
Cross in France since last Septem
ber, have had. a thrilling experi
ence and learned the horrors of
modern warfare first hand.
Recently when German airmen
bombed a village near the front,
where the Misses Lansing con
ducted a canteen, they were forced
to live in a champagne cellar until
they could close the canteen and
leave.
Some correspondents were lunch
ing today in a little town in the rear
of the French-British front, when a
chauffeur told them that two
"nurses" had been talking to him
and inquired if the Americans were
coming there. They appeared to be
lonely, said the chauffeur, and de
sired to see some of their country
men. They found the "nurses" were the
Misses Lansing.
CONTINGENT FEE
CONTRACT AGENT
METHODS BARED
How Competition Was Sup
pressed, Bids Manipulated and
-Manufacturers - "Double
Crossed." , Washington, June .20. Methods by
which contingent fee contract agents
in Washington suppressed competi
tion in bidding on government war
orders, inflated prices, manipulated
bids and even "double crossed" their
own clients by representing compet
ing contractors were uncovered to
day by the Department of Justice in
examining correspondence seized in
raids on the contract brokers' offices.
Some manufacturers paid thousands
of dollars for "purely imaginery ser
vices" of the contract agents, who
often turned over confidential infor
mation of bids to other clients or
used them to enter lower bids in
their own names, said a review of the
findings issued by Assistant Attor
ney General Huston Thompson, in
charge of the prosecutions.. By rep
resenting several competitive bidders
at the same time agents sought to
have manufacturers consider the
brokers' offices branches of the man
ufacturers' business, and supply the
agent with letter heads and authority
to represent the contractor direct.
"Some letters to favored clients,"
said the Department of Justice an
nouncement, "contain promises not
to put bids for certain other con
cerns represented by the agents, nor
put them in touch with the business,
if the favored client desired to bid.
"Another favorite scheme was to
get quotations or options from sev
eral manufacturers who were thus
eliminated from direct government
bidding. The agent with the advan
tage of this price knowledge, would
then bid in his own name and, if
awarded the contract, proceeded to
fill it by exercising the option given
by the manufacturer who quoted the
lowest price to him."
"NIGHT LETTER" TELEGRAMS
Five Western Union Train Agents
Arrested For Violating Postal Law.
TRANSMITTED BY COURIERS
(By Associated
Washington, June 20 Transmis
sion of "night letter" telegrams by
train messenger instead of by wire
between eastern cities is a practice of
long standing, it was learned today
after the Fostoffice department had
taken action to stop the traffic by
arresting five train agents of the
Western Union company, who had
brief cases filled with night messages
which they were carrying between
New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Bal
timore and Washington.
The messengers, fqur of whom were
taken at New York and one at
Boston, will be called before a federal
grand jury. Those responsible for it
will be charged with violating the law
giving the government postal system
a monopoly of the transmission of
public communications by train or
other post routes.
- It was intimated today that a few
high officials of the company knew
of the practice. Upon conviction they
would be subject to the penalty of
$500 fine or six months' imprisonment
for each offense.
Postal inspectors who made the
seizures today bad previously gath
SHERMAN WARNS
AGAINST FURTHER
WAITINUOLICY
Illinois Senator Declares for
Intervention in Russia and
Steps to Suppress Ger
man Propaganda.
(By Associated Tree.)
Washington, June 20. Japanese in
tervention in Russia and activity of
German agents in Mexico in trying to
foment disturbances in this country,
so as to retard prosecution of the war
were discussed in the senate today
during a debate precipitated by Sen
ator Sherman of Illinois, republican.
Senator Sherman said Japan is
anxious to enter Siberia because of
the menace that a Germanized Russia
would be to her, and desires American
and allied aid because she cannot un
dertake the expedition alone.
"It is well understood," the senator
declared, "that the United States op
poses action by Japan. Great Britain
and France favor it. We must trust
Japan and ask her to attack the gov
ernment that menaces her by making
a drive through Asia. The 'adminis
tration and the senate must take the
responsibility for further delay."
Hitchcock Explains Japan's Attitude.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska,
chairman of the senate foreign rela
tions committee, in reply, said, "It is a
great mistake to give out the impres
sion that Japan wishes to intervene."
He declared that Japan is no more
anxious to invade Russia than is the
United States or any of the allied gov
ernments, and added that he doubted
that Japan would want to go in even
with American and allied aid. .
Senator King of Utah, democrat,
told the senate that he knew from offi
cial sources that Senator , Hitchcock
was correct and that."four weeks ago
Japan was opposed to sending an ex
pedition unless for her own protection
and that she was not then convinced
that a military expedition would be to
her advantage."
More Watchful Waiting.
Discussing German agents in Mex
ico, Senator Sherman said' vigorous
steps should be taken against disturb
ing elements in this country, who, co
operating with like groups in Mexico,
are planning violence in America at
the instigation of German agents.
German officials and military officers,
he said, enjoy close relations with
Carranza officials.
Warning against what he termed
more "watchful waiting" in Russia
and Mexico, Senator Sherman said he
desired to awaken public opinion to
the necessity of opposing the effort
of the Russian bolshevik government
to assure 'recognition by the United
States. The American government
may be asked within 48 hours to rec
ognize a bolshevik ambassador from
Russia, he said.
Kansas and Oklahoma Hit
By Wave of Intense Heat
Kansas City, Mo., June 20. A heat
wave of great intensity prevails over
most of the southwest and, according
to report reaching here tonight, dam
age already has been caused in the
wheat fields of Kansas and Oklahoma.
In Kansas City the highest June
temperature since the establishment
of the weather bureau, 103, was rec
orded. Oklahoma City reported 104.
Press.)
ered evidence, it is said, that thou
sands of night letter telegrams have
been carried by train between the
eastern cities, and delivered to their
destinations with all the earmarks of
having been sent by wire. Ficti
tious letters and figures ordinarily
indicating the identity of the tele
graph operators at each end of the
wire and the time of receipt were
borne by the messages, which had
been typed in the offices where they
originated.
Reports reaching the Postoffice de
partment today after the seizures
were that the system of sending
quantities of messages by train had
been in effect for many years and
that since it often relieved wir.es al
ready, overburdened and resulted in
delivery as promptly as if they had
actually been telegraphed, the prac
tice was considered justified.
Postal authorities will refer their
evidence to district attorneys in New
York and Boston for prosecution,
which, it is said, will be directed at
the company offices or executives re
sponsible for the system, rather than
at the messengers, who acted only
as employes under instruction
WMA
Editors and Wives Given Day
of Feasting and Entertain
ment in Omaha; Men See
"Rum Bay."
Editors of Nebraska papers with
tljeir wives were in the gayest society
whirl last night. It was the opening
of the social session of the Nebraska
Press association. Ye editors and
their wives were the guests at just six
affairs in their honor in the six hours
intervening between 6 o'clock and
midnipht.
Two of these were for the editors
only, being "pulled off" in the den
of Ak-Sar-Ben, within the mysterious
walls of which the foot of woman
has never trod. Two others were for
the fair members of the party only,
consisting of a theater party at the
Rialto and a little chop suey after
ward at a Chinese cafe. At the other
two social affairs both the men and
their ladies were present.
Hospitable Omaha.
The big night started at 6 o'clock
with a dinner at the Rome hotel, given
in hdnor of the visitors by the print
ers' supply houses of Omaha. J. O.
Goodwin, manager of the Western
Newspaper Union, introduced Fran
cis A. Brogan, who, "in a few well
chosen words," told the editors what
great, good men they are, what a
power for good they are in Nebraska,
and how glad Ombaha is to have
them here.
C. B. Cass of Ravenna, president
of the Nebraska Press association,
responded, declaring that, among all
Omaha's superior virtues, none is
more conspicuous than its hospitality,
especially to editors and their
families.
Wattles to Editors.
Gurdon W. Wattles, federal food
administrator for .Nebraska, spoke on
"The Aims of the Food Administra
tion Its Accomplishments and How
Newspapers Can Best Help."
He complimented the editors and
press of the state in the highest terms.
The great work of the food adminis
tration would have been impossible,
he declared, had it not been for the
whole-hearted co-operation of the
press. He cited the wonderful things
accomplished by the food administra
tion in keeping down the price of
staple foods and conserving supplies
of exportable foods to ship to our
allies.
The big dinner with its big pro
gram was finished on schedule time
so that at 7:45 "Dad" Weaver was
leading the masculine contingent to
cars for transportation to the Ak-Sar-Ben
den, and Miss Doris Goethe was
convoying the women and children
in the direction of the Rialto.
At the den the full working crew
was on deck for the perpetration of
all the horrible horrors upon the edi
tors. "The Camp of Rum Bay," and
"The Burning of Berlin." were pre
sented before the editorial eyes with
great eclator something like that. And
after the big show the editors ate
again in the den sandwich line.
Women See Rialto Show.
By the time all this was over, the
ladies had seen "Believe Me, Xan
tippe" at the Rialto and had partaken
of the Chinese viands at the neigh
boring cafe.
The better halves and the worse
halves of the editorial partnerships
met at the Fontenelle hotel about
11 o'clock,v where the ball room was
in readiness for the sixth social af
fair of the evening, a grand dance.
Today the giddy whirl of pleasure
will be continued. The day begins
with a short business session at the
Hotel Fontenelle at 9 o'clock. Rev.
Titus Lowe will talk of what he saw
in France. Then the women will be
taken to see the Red Cross work
shops. Shortly before noon all will taks
cars for the South Side where, at
Mr. Buckingham's well known stock
yards, they will be entertained at
luncheon by the stock yards com
pany. Bruce McCulloch, editor of
The Journal-Stockman, will preside
and Mayor Smith will make an ad
dress. At 2 o'clock the party will take
automobiles for a tour of the.city, in
cluding the Fort Omaha ballo-n
school.
At 6 o'clock they will b; entertained
at dinner at the Chamber ofCommerce.
C. O. Talmadge. chairman of the
bureau of publicity, will preside and
John W. Gamble, chairman of the ex
ecutive committee, will make the prin
cipal address.
Austrian Prisoners
In. Italian Uniform
Given Short Shrift
., Rome, June 20. Italian military of
ficials learned before' the Austrian of
fensive began, says a semi-official
note issued today, that the Austrians
had dressed Italian-speaking Austrian
soldiers in Italian uniforms in order
to throw them at a suitable moment
into the entente allied lines in order
to provoke panic and disorder.
Captured Austrians so garbed were
executed after a drum head court
martial in accordance with the laws
of war
All Catholic Hospital
Nurses to Be Garbed
In Washable Uniforms
Chicago, June 20. Members of
the Catholic Hospital association,
including 500 mothers general and
mothers superior, representing half
of the hospital capacity of the
United States and Canada, today
voted to adopt a washable uniform
with curtailed veil while attending
the sick (instead of the garments
now worn by sisters. White
washable gowns are now worn in
clinical work, the veils having been
declared undesirable by surgeons.
The change in the nursing gowns
of the sisters will be made subject
to sanction of ecclesiastical authori
ties and the gowns are to be in
keeping with the spirit and tradi
tions of the various orders.
The sisters condemned the cus
tom of splitting fees by surgeons
as "an unethical and nefarious prac
tice," which they pledged them
selves to "keep out or root out of
our hospitals."
Another resolution adopted called
on all members of the association
to become registered nurses and
to establish training schools wher
ever possible. They pledged them
selves to extend the system of case
records, to improve laboratories
and "to bring about as soon as
possible the scientific training of
our sisters as technicians of all
kinds, anesthetists, dieticians, rec
ord keepers and social service ex
perts." LINCOLN STREET
RAILWAY RULING
GIVESHOPE HERE
Corporation Counsel Lambert
Shows Bearing of Decision
Against Raising Rates on
Omaha Application.
The decision of the State Railway
commission in denying the Lincoln
Street Railway company its "applica
tion to increase, the street car rate
from six for a quarter to 5 cents
straight offers a gleam of renewed
hope to Corporation Counsel Lam
bert, who is representing Omaha be
fore the commission in a similar case.
The Omaha & Council Bluffs Street
Railway company has applied for au
thority to increase its rate from 5 to
6 cents and the city is resisting the
application, led by Mayor Smith.
"There are some points of contact
between the Lincoln and Omaha
cases," Mr. Lambert stated. "The Lin
coln and Omaha companies were sim
ilarly formed out of constituent com
panies and-both were capitalized just
as the promoters cared fo capitalize
them, restrained only by economic
limits, rather than by any regulatory
supervision of public officials.
Holding in Lincoln Case.
In the Lincoln case the railway
commission ordered that the company
must account for dividends paid on
excess capitalization. We feel that we
can, relatively speaking, show a
greater percentage of water or excess
capitalization in our case. We are
waiting for the commission to rule on
the jurisdictional feature of the case,
and if the commission elects to as
sume jurisdiction in the Omaha case,
then we will be prepared to 'file a
counter application which it will be
required to consider.
"In this counter application we will
ask that an order be issued denying
dividends on at least common stock
in the future and requiring the com
pany to account for and restore to
the proper fund dividends which have
been paid on both common and pre-
(Contlnaed on Pare Two, Column Three)
Wheaton Eetains Lead.
St . Paul, Minn., June 20. On re
turns from 2,869 precincts out of 3,
119 in the state, Fred E. Wheaton of
Minneapolis is leading Judge W. L.
Comstock of Mankato by 405 votes
in the contest for the democratic
gubernatorial nomination.
J. A. Burnquist is leading C. A.
Lindberg in the republican race by
nearly 50,000 votes.
Mouldy Hams Made Fit to Eat
By " Reprocessing! Says Packer
(By AHSoelated Preae.)
New York, June 20. The special
examiner appointed by the federal
trade commission to sift charges that
Wilson & Co., Chicago packers, sup
plied bad meat to the army and navy,
today adjourned the hearing for a
week or 10 days, after further tes
timony had been taken.
After the adjournment, William T.
Chantland, who is conducting the in
uiry into Wilson & Co.'s activities,
announced that the commission would
next investigate charges that Morris
& Co. sold "old hens" camouflaged as
chickens, to mess officers of the
United States army near San Antonio,
Tex.
William W. Bowers, assistant gen
eral superintendent of plants for Wil
son & Co., was the chief witness at
today's session. He testified that Wil
son & Co. tried to supply better hams
than those specified by the navy; that
he and. Mr. Wilson had eaten hams
AUSTRIAN THRUST
MEETS CHECK FROM
ALPS TO ADRIATIC
Ground Recaptured From Invaders in Hill Region, While
Balance Sways in Defenders' Favor Xlong Piave; "
Enemy's Bridges Washed Away and Large
Number in Danger of Capture.
(By Associated Prew.) : ;
To all outward appearances the Austrian offensive in the
Italian theater thus far has met with failure all along the front
from the Venetian Alps to the Adriatic sea. v s
In the hill region additional ground has been recaptured
from the invaders, while along the Piave river, where intensive
fighting is in progress, at some points with fluctuating results,
the balance seems to sway in favor of the Italians. '
South and east of Asiago the French and ItaliansTiave re
taken Pennar, Bertigo and Cosalunga, past which the Austrians
had hoped to push their front and gain the Astico river valley,
which leads to Vicenza, on the plains below. ' ; ' ,
MACHINE GUN
NESTS STORMED
BY AMERICANS
Positions in Front of Cantigny
Swept Clean of Germans in
Short But Deadly
Battle.
(By Amoclated Freei.)
With the American Army in France,
June 20. At dawn this morning
American troops stormed ; German
trenches and machine Run nests in
front of Cantigny, in the Montdidier
sector. Those of the German garrison
who remained to fight nd carry out
their orders to hold the positions at
any cost were killed by rifle and ma
chine gun fire and bayonet. The Amer
icans also took prisoners.
The American artillery put down a
heavy box barrage on the rear of the
enemy positions. A few minutes later
the infantry swarmed over the top and
rushed the trenches. Some of the Ger
mans tried to escape through the bar
rage crashing to their rear, but few
6f them got through, for numerous
German dead were found later.
Prisoners captured declare that they
had orders to hold on at all costs, and
this was apparent by the desperate
manner in which they fought. The
battle was short, but deadly, for the
enemy, positions were swept clean of
Germans. The official report says that
a great many Germans were killed.
One machine gun nest containing
eight men which had been sprinkling
Cantigny for some days was blown up
by a direct hit from a trench mortar
bomb.
The enemy artillery has been more
active on the Toul sector since the
heavy gassing to which the Americans
subjected them yesterday. The infan
try action has been confined, however,
to an attempted raid, in which only 60
men participated, in spite of the Ger
man official statement, which said that
they had penetrated the American
lines at Sei.chprey.
The Germans have thrown about
6,000 shells along the American front
in the Woevre.
835 German Airplanes
Destroyed Since January 1
London (Via Ottawa), June 20.
Eight hundred and thirty-five German
airplanes have been destroyed since
January 1, according to an official an
nouncement just made, which tends
to prove that the German com
muniques are not reliable when deal
ing with losses of airplanes. The
statement says that on June 2 the
Germans lost 48, while on June 9 and
10 49 of their machines were brought
down.
which had been rejected, and that no
ham had been sent out which he
would have been unwilling to have
his brother, who is in the army, eat.
After quoting the navy inspector at
Chicago as saying that a slight trace
of mould would not affect the quality
of a ham, Mr. Bowers asserted that
the best way to "sweeten" such hams
was to wipe off the mould with dry
salt and a brush and hang them in a
smokehouse without smoke for 12
hours.
He opposed the method, suggested,
he said by the navy inspector, that
the hams be washed in tepid water
and smoked for 36 hours because
"crevices would be opened and the
water, soaking in, would carry the
mould. .
He testified that of 115,117 pounds
which had been "reprocessed" last
winter, only 775 pounds were condemned.
alone were the positions re-
gained, but more than 200 prisoners
fell into the hands of the allied troops.
Quiet in , Mountains.
On their part over the entire moun
tain region, the Austrians have re
mained quiet, except when compelled
to go on the defensive, and then their
efforts to bold back their antagonists (
have lacked the stamina usual in men
whose hearts are in their task. '.This
condition has prevailed since the first
onslaught of the enemy was sum
marily stopped by the fire of the Brit- -ish,
French and Italian forces form'
ing the barrier to the Venetian plains.
More heart is being thrown into the
work by the enemy along the Piave
from the Montello plateau southward
to tne region lying east of Venice,.
Here it still seems, notwithstanding
its heavy losses and numerous re
pulses on various sectors, bent on
throwing its armies across the stream
or pushing farther . westward -with
those forces that already have forded
it. 'Nevertheless, furthest setbacks o
the Austrians have followed those of
past days on the Montello, where the "
Italians are viciously disputing the '
right-of-way to the plains. Like
wise, near the famous Zenson loop,
farther down the stream, the enemy's ,
heavy attacks have been held and
under the impetus of the Italian coun
ter blows, it has fallen back nearer
the river for reinforcements hastily
brought up. - ' ' ,
Bridges Washed Away.
Still farther south between ' Fos-
salta and Sandona Di Piave, the Ital
ians have further pushed back the
invaders and unofficial reports assert
that they have recaptured the village
of Capo Sile, flying on the dge of the
Not
marsh region some ZO miles east of
historic Venice. . I
It is not outside the range of pos
sibility that a large number of the
Austrians are in a fair way to be
aken prisoner by the Italians, for a
large number of the ponton bridges
which they threw across 'the Piave
over the 14 1-2 mile front between the
Conogliano railway bridge and the
Zenson loop have been carried away
on the bosom of the swollen stream.
At any rate the loss of these bridges
will necessarily seriously impede the
reinforcement of the Austrians on the
west batik of the stream and the re
plenishment of their supplies.
Revolt in Vienna. "
Meanwhile the food situation and :
the war-wearjness of the people with
in the dual monarchy again are mak- .
ing trouble for the, authorities. -Troublous
times also seemingly are
in store for the German government
owing to the lack of bread. In Vienna'
mobs are reported to have raided bak(
eries and stoned the residence of the
premier and even to have attacked
one of the wings of the imperial pal- '
ace. Troops had to be called out to
restore order. .,.,.-. -
Little fighting is in progress on the
battlefields in France and Belgium,
though the artillery duels continue
violent on various sectors. The Am
ericans again have forced back the
Germans northwest of Chateau Thier- ,
ry in t!. Marne region, this time with- ,
out the enemy offering resistance.
The Americans heavily shelled a
desired sector of the Belleau wood,
and when they finished this and start
ed forward they found the Germans
had fled, bag and baggage. The Am
ericans advanced their lines more ,
than half a mile.
The German official communication
said the Germans penetrated Ameri-
can positions at Seicheprey, in the
Toul sector east of St. Mihiel, and in
flicted heavy casualties. The Asso
ciated Press correspondent with the
American army in this region says .
the infantry activity has been con
fined to an attempted raid, notwith- t
standing the German claim. j ;
French Plan to Celebrate -Glorious
Fourth American Style . ;
Paris, June 20. If preparations al
ready under way be taken' as " a
criterion, the coming Fourth of July
may be celebrated by the French in v
a manner which is t unprecedented. '
Maurice Damour, a member of the
Chamber of Deputies, has written a '
long article for the Journal, calling v .
upon all Frenchmen to join in the J
celebration. He says the Fourth of ,
July is as much a French holiday as.
American, v It is a world holiday - I
i - '.'..., 1 .
t