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uUirii.'ViViiT-Ui i rue o riicL, milis. jmu ik,E r uwu :x ua .0,11 rr i liiiv i i juu ixjao
vol; XLVIII. NO.
By Mall (I Mr): Dally, t4.M: Simla. (2.M;
Dally and Sua- 18; eutilda Nib, toitam aura.
OMAHA, WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY
tataratf at aaaaid-alaaa aiatlar May it, MMS,
al Oautia p. 0. aaar tat at March s, 1879.
TWO CENTS
rvinn
viU
daj
IV
uu
:1i;; The Omaha Baily Bee
13. vajsyrtt:-rrirasff' umaha, Wednesday morning, july 3, ms.
, ' taWa! """aiallali '
IB KILLED
200 HURT
IN BLAST
M all W I I-..
Syracuse, - n. i. , oiidiveii uy
Two Explosions in War Pow-
; der Plant -Near City;
Flames Out of Control.
By Associated Press.
Syracuse, N. Y., July 2. At
ieast 16 persons were killed
and 200 injured and the huge
plant of the Semet-Solvay com
pany, at Split Rock; near here,
virtually wrecked by two ex
plosions of trinitrotuluol at
9 :30 o'clock tonieht.
Terrific concussions from the
explosions of the war powder
rocked large business buildings
in the center of this city,
smashed the plate glass win
dows and caused a panic in the
residential district.
-The explosion followed a fire that
had raced beyond control and spread
to the 'IT. N; T."- vats.
Two jet go, burying workers under
km iir'ilitif li rf rlphric anrl scattered
the$ames.to adjoining buildings.
Water System Fails,
At a late hour tonight the flames
were burning fiercely and there was
constant danger of more explosions.
Volunteer firemen were powerless.
" Aid was sent from Syracuse, but at
midnight the water system broke
down, -' l
Five hundred workers .were in the
pkut when the fire broice out. Its
origin has not been ascertained. The
workers fought the flames and when
they ran to safety were caught in the
first explosion
Men were hurled in all directions.
Two, caught between burning build-
ingsy were blown through a walL'Still
alive when picked up, there -was not
" a shred of clothing on their bodies.
The second explosion followed IS
minutes after the first. The.two crum
pled buildings in the vicinity. Homes
" of workmen across the road from the
plant collapsed. Burning timbers were
blown to the roofs of buildings across
the railroad tracks" which divide the
plant. (
, Families Flee Across Fields.
The families fled across fields in
confusion. A woman, hysterical, car
ried a tiny kitten clutched to her
breast.
Jame; Russo and Arthur C. Good
fellow were analyzing samples in the
plant when the cry of "fire" called
themto building No. 1. Goodfellow
tells-this story:
"Russo grabbed a hose and I tried
to help. Smoke was thick and we
could not see. Little explosions kept
letting go inside the building. There
wasn't enough water to be of any use.
" We knew that a big explosion was
coming, and we ran. Just as we
reached the foot of the hill the blast
let go. It knocked us both flat on our
faces."- '-,
A telephone message from Split
Rock; brought the first word of the
accidenLto the city. It reached police
headquarters in the form of a request
for all the ambulances. The shock of
the explosion, a few minutes earlier
had tied up all the telephone lines,
causing a delav before the ambu-
.Jances were on the way.
, ' " . Flames Spreading.
Both fire and explosions, accord
ing to workmen who escaped, were
confined to the east side Of theplant,
which is made up of about IS build
ings, including the offices and labor-
- ilories.
- There are three of the "T. JJ. T."
plants, in one of which the flamrs
originated. Next to them are six plants
in which nitric acid is handled. Be-
- rond them only 100 yards, away are
. lour'-' plants in which picric acid is
' landled. All of these clustered to
gether on fhe south side of the rail-
roaa iracKS.
At midnight th flames had eaten
Into the picric acid plants and were
tiaking slow headway toward the
jiant tanks of oleum.
Most of the small explosions were
contact of flames with small nitre-
hers or pulverizers.
Von Below Appointed
Austro-German Chief
On the Italian Front
Zurich, July 2. Gen.. Otto von Be
;ow has been appointed commander
.... in-chief- on the Italian frnnf-. nrVnrrl,
t ng to Munich papers. Another change
reported is, Field Marshal.'Artur Arz
on Straussenburg, f chief of staff, is
replaced oy ueneral Krauss.
General" von Below led the Austrian-German
force in the great of
- Icnsive along the Isonzo. last October
- T t : - ' ' '
Swift & Co.'s Income '
? . Tax for 1917 $8,500,000
Chicago. Tulv 2. Hirv V-prler
"attorney for Swift & Co., said today
nut tne income tax- ot that corpora
viion for 1917 was approximately $8,
TROOP MOVEMENT. SPEEDED. UP;
CONGRESS POSTPONES
0.1 OVERSEA
FORCE JULY 1
IS W155
War Department Six Months
Ahead of Program; Gives
Zest to Fourth, Says
President Wilson.
By Associated Press.
Washington, July 2. American
troops sent overseas numbered 1,
019.1SS on July 1.,
This. was made known tonight by
Fresident Wilson, who gave to the
public a letter from Secretary Baker
disclosing; a record of achievement
which the president said "must cause
universal satisfaction" and which "will
give additional zest to our national
celebration of the Fourth of July,"
The first units noncombatant left
American shores May 8, 1917. . Gen
eral Pershing followed 12 days later
and at the end of the month 1,718 men
had 6tarted for the battle fields of
France June saw this number in
creased by 12,261 and thereafter khaki-clad
"crusaders"' from the western
republic flowed overseas in a steady
stream, until upwards of 300,000 had
departed wTien the great German
thrust began last March.
Movement Accelerated.
President Wilson's determination to
meet Germany's supreme effort with
the utmost of America's available
man power to assist thft desperately
resisting French and British armies
js sharply reflected in the movement,
of troops during the -. last three
months. "The March sailings of 8j,-
811 were increased in April to 117,
212. -May saw another 244,345 men
embark and last month 276,372 were
sent away, making a total for the
three months of 637,929. This, Sec
retary Baker said later, put the troop
movement six jnonths ahead of the
original program.
Substantially 30 divisions are now
in France ready to meet whatever
move the German staff has in prepara
tion. Some of these divisions already
are formed into the first field army
under Major General Liggett, others
ae holding trench sectors at impor
tant points along the battle line and
still others have been broken up and
brigaded with the French and Bri
tish, troops. . And so when the Ger
man thrust comes, the Americans
will be called to play no small part
in meeting it.
Equipment Adequate.
Secretary Baker wrote the presi
dent that the supplies and equipment
in France for the million men who
have gone is shown by latest reports
to be adequate and added that "the
output of our war industries in this
country is showing marked improve
ment in practically all lines of neces
sary equipment and supply."
Senators Put Work Above
Prayer as War Measure
Washington, July 2. Consid- .
eration of a resolution by Senator
Meyers oi Montana requesting
the president to call upon the
nation to pause one minute each
day to pray for the success of thev
war was blocked in the senate to
day by Senator Thomas of Col
orado. ; "Let us pray as we work,
whether. we pray or not," said
the Colorado senator in refusing
unanimous consent to take up the
resolution. Senator McCumber
of North Dakota joined in the op
position to the suggestion. "I
think we ought to get along a
little more rapidly in our war
twork and pray as we go," he said.
MANY AMERICAN SOLDIERS
Kaiser Distributes Iron Crosses Among Yankees
By Having Them Pinned on His Brave Troops.
NOW WEARING HUN MEDALS
By Associated Press.
With the American Army in France,
July 2. The German emperor has
distributed iron crosses galore among
the American forces holding lines
west of Hill 204. The distribution
was not direct but via the chests of
soldiers Germany considers her best.
Having iron crosses is a fad among
the Americans. .Nearly every prison
er taken has, one: and few retain
them. These are probably overlooked
during the excitement , of battle and
the hurry to get ,the prisoners to the
rear. ' ' 1 ; - ; 'v
A few Americans seen today had
the enemy medal pinned in the cen
ter of their shirts--hot on ... the left
side while'others pulled. their tro
phies from their pockets, explaining
that they considered them, the best
souvenirs because they are easily
AMERICAN TROOPS
SOON SUPPLIED WITH
HOMEMADE CANNON
Washington, July 2. American-built 155-millimeter
howitzers are now moving to France, supplementing the
equipment of General Pershing's troops heretofore ob
tained from French ordnance factories. One American
firm which never touched ordnance work prior to Amer
ica's entering the war is turning out these guns at a rate
of 10 a day from a factory the site of which was a flourish
ing cornfield last August.
These facts were disclosed today to newspaper cor
respondents from Washington, who visited the new army
proving ground at Aberdeen, Md. ' ,
The howitzers, which are of French design, are of ap
proximately six-inch bore and are, the heavy barrage guns
which support an infantry advance against an entrenched
position. The United States soon will be independent of its
co-belligerents for guns of this type.
ITALIANS GAIN
POSITIONS IN
GRAPPA LINES
Austrian . Counter Attacks at
Di Val Bella Repulsed and ,
Severe Losses Inflicted
Upon Enemy.
Rome, July 2. Italian forces this
morning launched an attack against
the Austrian positions in the region
of the Grappa mountain front and
C8ptured important positions, : the
war office announces. The Italians
took S69 prisoners, incltding' 19 offi
cers and captured many machine guns.
Washington, July 2. Repulse of
strong Austrian counter attacks yes
terday upon the newly won Italian
positions at Mont Di Val Bella, Col
Del Rosso and Col D'Echele was re
ported today in an official dispatch
from i Rome. In addition to more
than 2,000 prisoners, the message said
51 machine guns, four guns, 15 trench
mortars, several thousand rifles and
much other material were captured
by the Italians in the Asiago opera
tions. . -
In counter attacks to clear advance
points temporarily penetrated, the
Italian troops were completely suc
cessful, capturing 127 prisoners, four
trench cannon and several machine
j?uns.
Incomes and Excess
Profits Taxes for Year
Total $2821 ,340,801
Washington, July 2. Taxes on in
comes and excess profits for the fis
cal year ending last June 30, levied
under the war revenue bill enacted by
congress last year, totaled $2,821,340,
801, the Treasury department an
nounced tonight in making public rev
enue collections by states. Total rev
enue collections from all sources were
$3.671,?18,236.
New York led the states in income
and excess profits taxes with a total
of $689,917,031, while Pennslvania was
second with $496,087,261. Nebraska's
total was $11,335,081; Iowa's $14,634,
525. r
Mrs. Story Pleads Not
Guilty to Fraud Charge
New York, July 2. Mrs. William
Dimming Story, president of the Na
tional Emergency society, pleaded not
guilty today to the four indictments
pending against her charging at
tempted fraud, larceny, petit larceny
and conspiracy in connection with
the collection of war relief funds.
mailed home, while machine guns,
rifles and trench mortars are likely to
become elephants on one's hands.
The men said some of the crosses
had been given voluntarily by the
Germans when they asked for them,
but others were cut off prisoners'
shirts. One small doughboy,; who
looked less than 20 stepped up to a
German officer, taken prisoner, and
drew his bayonet to cut off the cross.
The officer thought the American in
tended to kill1 him and fled. '
; The American chased, him with. the
bare bayonet in his hand. .The small
soldier" patted the' German on the
shoulder with one hand, and removed
the desired trophy with the? other,
much to the astonishment of the of
ficer. The American gave the Ger
man a cigarette and a match and the
bargain was' closed .
"WILD BEAST AT'
LARGER MINISTER
BONARLAW SAYS
"Only Thing to Do Is to Destroy
It," Chancellor Adds in Com
ment on Hospital Ship
Sinking.
By Associated Press. -
London, July 2. A thorough
search of the waters in the vicinity
of the spot where the Canadian hos
pital ship Llandovery Lastle was Sunk
by German submarines has resulted in
no- further survivors beinir? found.
1 An .official statement says it may
be assumed that only 24 out of the
258 persons on board were saved.
Andrew Bonar Law, chancellor of
the exchequer, speaking, in the house
of commons, today said that one
would have thought that nothing new
as regards German brutality could
have happened, but the- sinking of
the Canadian hospital ship Llando
very Castle was ar unspeakable out
rage. Nothing could be gained, he
added, by talking about this last ex
ample of frightfulness. ; ;
; "The ..wild beast is at large," said
Mr. Bonar Law. "There is no use
arguing or reasoning about it. The
only thing to do is to destroy it.
That is the duty, and it is up to all
the allies to set their teeth until that
end is achieved."
Americans Sought.
Maj. T. Lyon of the Canadian med
ical corps, who suffered severe treat
ment when taken from the captain's
boat and dragged aboard the German
submarine, has been brought to this
city. ,
"The Germans," he said, "seemed
obessed with the idea that American
aviators were aboard, and it took us
some time to convince them other
wise. v Almost the first words they
used when approaching our lifeboat
were: 'Where is the flying officer?'
, "This was when the German com
mander ordered us to' come along
side quickly and explained that the
slight delay in the darkness was due
to an endeavor to rescue a man in Jhe
water. Then it was that the German
commander threatened us, again ask
ink :' Where are those Americans?'
and then shot over our heads with
his revolver and made more threats.
"Captain Sylvester, '(master of the
(Continued on Face Two, Column One.)
Charter Commission
Holds First Meeting
Since Committee Acts
Harry A. Foster, member of the city
charter commission, reported at a
meeting of that organization in the
city council chamber, that several
Omahans have asked him whether the
charter makers could include a pro
vision to permit saloons in Omaha.
Member John A. . Rine- explained
tliat nothing may legajly, be included
in the proposed charter which would
contravene any general state law.
The commission held its first gen
eral meeting since a committee of five
has prepared in a tentative manner a
general outline of a charter which will
be submittted to the voters next fall.
This committee eliminated obsolete
matter, such as references to the old
fire and 'police' board and the park
board. , , , .;
it is proposed to submit the essen
tials of the present-charter without
additions, and amendments will be
made from time , to time after the
working basis, has been adopted.
The commission expects to have
its charter ready for the printers
within four weeks.
Threatens. With Empty Gun.
J. C. Simon, 907 North Twenty-first
street, was arrested .Tuesdav nicht
on complaint of his wife, Emma Simon,
wno alleges he attempted to shoot her.
Police say the gun Simon had in his
possession when arrested contained
no cartridges,
RECESS
LEGISLATORS'
HOLID AY PLAN
STRIKES SNAG
Hopes of Closing Down Before
Fourth Abandoned, as Im
portant Measures Press
ing for Consideration.
Washington, July 2. Congress to
day disposed of much important
legislation, but encountered a variety
of obstacles in its program to recess
this week until August 10.. Hopes
to close down tomorrow before the
Fourth of July holiday were aban
doned and while most leaders be
lieved they could recess Friday or
Saturday, others, thought congress
might be held in session indefinitely.
The resolution authorizing the
president to take over the telegraph
and telephone lines, the $12,000,000
000 army appropriation bill, the pro
posal to increase the government
guaranteed price for wheat to $2.50
per bushel and war time prohibition
were among the issues in the complex
legislative situation delaying a recess,
Emergency Resolution Blocked.
Leaders' plans for beginning the
congressional vacation late this week
were based on a program of post
poning decisive action on all but the
army supply measure until congress
returns in August. To this end the
house today passed a blanket resolu
tion continuing as an emergency last
year's appropriations for the army,
agricultural department and other
government agencies whose appro
I cte4(1)Ut the resolution was blocked
priation, bills have not yet been en
in the senate until tomorrow, Techni.
cally, the delay in enacting the emer
gency resolution left the army.; De
partment of Agriculture and a few
other government bureaus without
funds.
Although Speaker Clark tonight
said the recess plans had, "gone glim
mering" other leaders of both senate
and house were not so pessimistic.
Their plans were to have the resolu
tion empowering the president to
take over telegraph and telephone
lines reported to the house and lie
over until August. However, if the
administration insists on passage of
the resolution before the recess is
taken, leaders were doubtful of secur
ing a respite for congress at an early
date.
Army Bill to Be Completed.
Leaders were agreed that the army
appropriation bills should be com
pleted before any recess is taken.
Slow progress on senate legislative
amendments to the bill was made
today by the conferees.
Senate and house conferees held
another futile conference today on
the $2.50 wheat amendment and ad
journed until tomorrow, with house
managers indicating a compromise
may be suggested in view of the
senate's insistence on the price in
crease. Senate debate on war time prohi
bition, set for today, also went over
with many leaders predicting post
ponement of action until after the
recess.
In cleaning up pending appropria
tion bills, the senate, without a roll
call, passed the general deficiency
appropriation bill after eliminating a
provision to add $50,000,000 to the
$60,000,000 already authorized for
housing government workers. The
senate ignored a request for -$100,-
000,000 sent in today by the housing
commission. Failure of the com
mission to use the $60,000,000
authorized several months ago was
the reason given for the senate's
action.
THE BEE LEADS
IN JUNE
In Total Display Advertising
and showed
by far the
Greatest Gain
Here Are The Official Figures In Inches
(Wan-- 'v. Agency Measurements or 1917.)
(Haynes Adv. Company Measurements for 1918.)
'
Bee
1 World-Herald
News .. :26.613.
.(
BEE GAIN .... .
World-Herald Gain
News Gain
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE
Improving Every Da; '
GERMANS SUFFER
HEAVY
FIGHTING AT VAUX
. ' - - i ' '
Important Ground Near Chateau Thierry Won by Ameri-
cans and French and Held Against Violent Coun
ter "Attack; Italians Shift Scene of Offensive
and Push Back Enemy- 1
By Associated Press. v !
Hurling themselves at the tip of the salient driven into the
allied lines by the Germans late in May, the Americans and
French have won, important ground near , Chateau Thierry.
The attack was local in character, but its success may prove
important, in the future operations in that part of the.batth
front nearest Paris. ; ". ' f
The assault was aimed at the hamlet of Vaux,, which is,
situated on the south side of the Chateau Thierry-Paris road
nnn on thA northern alrtnrva nf hill
frnm I hafoon Thwmr Thia
French and Americans, who also' occupied two small patches
of woods in the immediate vicinity. ' V. . ; m
"YANKS" PIERCE
GERMAN LINE IN
TERRIFIC RUSH
Find No More Huns Opposing
Them and Are Held Back
by Officers With Dif-
ficulty..
By Associated Press.
With the American Forces on the
Marne Front, July 2,In the success
ful sttack on the Marne ;ront,the
Americanspaused fbV ''" ;i. moment,
while the automatic rifles and machine
guns with the advancing troops fought
a duel in frbnt of Vaux briefly but
effectively with the enemy . ,
Then the Americans, whose number
was considerable,- went on, most of
them running in their eagerness to
get at close quarters with the Ger
mans, At the same time the Boches
began hurling gas shells to the rear
of the American lines.
Within a brief time the Americans
had wrested from the enemy the Bois
De La Roche and the woods adjoining
it. Then came the word that the
Americans were in Vaux, and finally,
after sharp fighting there in the streets
and houses, they overcame all resist
ance and swept on beyond the village.
Line Straightened.
The Americans reached every one
of their objectives and by this opera
tion they have eliminated a salient
and have straightened out their line.
Over an area of several miles the
Americans now have the enemy under
their guns.
Daylight this morning saw the
Americans digging in almost undis
turbed far beyond the old German
defense line. To the rear batches of
prisoners and piles of material are go
ing. The number of prisoners has
steadily mounted until it has reached
275. The guns and material have not
yet been tabulated."
The fighting . qualities of the
Americans were certified to by virtu
ally all the prisoners taken. They
said the Americans fought like wild
men, sweeping everything before
them as they plunged over the ground.
So fierce was the attack that many
Germans who were in the zone as
saulted made their escape by running
when the fight got too hot -for them
and they saw it was impossible either
to slow dbwn-or halt the American
plunge.
The total number of German cap
tured by the Americans is now es
timated to number about 500, includ
ing seven officers. Many groups of
(Continued on re Two, Colnmn Three.)
! 1917,
1918.
32,705
32,062 -27,834,
. . . . .3,247
.... . 1,358
.1,321
BEE ' '
29,458
.....30,704
LOSSES IN
vfla Vnnv ia nhmit ram' "mi let
woe narrt&ri hv tha imiom nr th
Q . The Germans almost immediately
began counter attacks in an attempt
to regain the lost positions, but theit
efforts failed in every instance. lit '
the initial attack and in their repeat
cu aaaauua agaiuav iuc new lines iiciu
by the allies, the Germans have suf-
...... u. ...... 1..... crui
prisoners having been taken by tht
French and Americans. One entire
German regiment is officially report
ed to have been virtually annihilated
in the battle. ,
Thrilling Air Battle.
A thrilling air battle between nine
American airplanes and an equal
number of German machines is re
ported in the Chateau Thierry sector..
At least three German planes were
destroyed, while two American ma-,
chines have failed to return from the
encounter.' -;. '. VV ":
On June 7, the French reported that
they had captured hill 204, a lif'Rht
dominating the;; City M ChkteaU Thi
erry.1 Ippears, however, that the
Germans have been holding at least
a part of the height, or that they have,
by an attack which has not been re
ported, succeeded in occupying the hill
once more. - Ihe allied attack on the
north side will tend to make the ene
my's position on the hill less secure
and may force the Germans to relo
cate their line from the Marne north
ward to Torcy, where the Americans
have been successful in several fights'
and have won important ground.
Britons Hold Gains. -,
i British forces northwest of Albert r.
have been forced to fight hard to hold,
positions they took from the Ger
mans Sunday night. A determined at
tack by the enemy at that point
threatened to wrest the ' captured .
ground from the British, but heavy
counter attacks flung the foe out of
all but one of the trenches-he had
occupied. r
The French front west of the Oise !
and east of Kheuns had been the
scene of considerable local fighting in
which prisoners were taken by the
allied forces. The French have re
occupied the village of St. Pierre
Aiglc. southwest of Soisson whirh
they lost three weeks ago.
L The German official statement of
operations ajng the front says that
allied attacks at various points were
repulsed. It specifically mentions the
attack west or Chateau Thierry as
being unsuccessful.
Italian A r" t.
"nv.H.t MUkVlflg, '
Italian forces , which have been
gaining important ground on the east
ern side of the Asiago plateau have
suddenly shifted their attack to the
Monte Grappa region , east' of the
Brenta river. Important Austrian-po-s't'ons,
have been carried and nearly
600 prisoners captured by the Ital
ians. Czecho-Slovak troops fighting
under the ; Italian flag, have taken
part in the struggles of the last few
days id the mountains.
There is still no indication that the,
German nf?rteitrA : nk.,.. t.- ...
,0.,v ,a ouuui io uc re
newed in spite, of the fact that it is
almost three weeks snce the fighting
north of Compiegne came to a stop.
, American, British and French
forces which have been landed at
Kola, on the Murmansk coast, to pro
tect vast stores transported there be
fore the collapse of Russia as a fac
tor in the war, probably will be called
upon to face a serious attack soon.
Dispatches, from Christiaia say that
German and Finnish troops are push
ing northward toward the coast. '
Revolt At Municipal ,
Hospital Lands Three
Inmates in City Jail
The- action of' Health Commission-'
er. Manning. .in putting the lid - on
smoking and other regulations which
the patients declare , are too radical
considering their, past mode - of liv
ing, led to an open revolt in the mu
nicipal isolation hospital at Twenty
second streei-and t. Mary's avenue.
Tuesday night. '
'Three women, ' Francis Beck, 818
North Sixteenth street; Billie Bennet,
giving her address as the Dclmar ho
tel, and Mrs. James! Burdish, 818
North Sixteenth street, were removed
from the. home following the revolt
uu .laivcu iu me puuix siaiion. iney
are charged with disorderly conduct