YOUNG FOLKS LIKEjTHE BEE FOR THE CHILDREN'S STORIES, PICTURES AND PUZZLES
THE WEATHER -
For Nebraska Fair and
warmer; Saturday unsettled.
Thermometer Beading!
Omaha Daily B
S . m 7
. m. t
1 m, m. 7
S a. m. , ...... .ST
a. in 7
1 a. m M
It a. m ;....7
1 m. It
t P. m. ... ...... 74
t b, n. ..........7
S a. m. ..........75
4 p. m. ........ ,,77
5 p. in. ..... ....78
p. at. ......... .7
1 P. at. 75
The Star and Stripes
v Forever.'
VOL. 48. NO. 45. VXTSmmmSA m OMAHA, FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 9, 1918.
Dilly iW In.. M; wM. Ntk. ONtOM wtrc
y Mill (I tm)- Dtll W.JO: Swtfiy. KM;
TWO CENTS.
S p. m. ....... ...is r
n
TAKE
GERMAN
SURPRISE ATTACK
BREAKS FOE LINES
ON SOMME RIVER
Prussians and Bavarians Flee Before Advancing Infantry
and Tanks, Leaving Guns Behind; Heavy Casual
ties Inflicted on Enemy at Slight Cost to the
Franco-British Forces Engaged.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.
With the' British Army in France, Aug. 8. Fighting their
way, through the Germans at dawn on a front of over 15 miles
astride the river Somme, British and French troops this after
noon had reached points from five to six miles inside lines which
this morning belonged to the enemy. -
The Prussians and Bavarians fled before the advancing in
fantry and tanks, leaving many of their guns behind them.
Large numbers of prisoners have been taken both by the
British and French and heavy casualties undoubtedly have been
inflicted on the enemy.
Thus far everything has been accomplished with exces
sively small losses to the allies.
stance, two hours after hc attack be
Vl UI1G ClllllC waist
gan, only two officers alid 15 men of
the ranks were reported as casual
ties. )
Shell Crippled Enemy.
The artillery has followed up the
storm troops closely and ' now is
hurling" shells down upon the enemy
forces, which, taken by surprise and
fiercely attacked, must be in a more.
or less crippled condition. It is be
lieved that reinforcements are on the
way to help them. , :'
What tomorrow holds for -the, en
emy cannot be forecast, but the" out
look is not a promising one under
present conditions.
Moreuil and the country front ad
joining , Villers-Aux-Erables have
been taken by the French while the
British have captured the Dodo and
Hamel woods and Marcel cave after
hard fighting and pushed a consider
. able distance beyond. v
Especially hard fighting was expe
rienced and still is in progress on the
left "flank of the fighting front in the
neighborhood of Morlancourt.
The weather helped in the advance.
, Tanks In Advance.
North of the attacked zone the bar
rage began at 4 o'clock this morning
and lasted four minutes. Tanks then
rolled forward and with them the in
fantry swarmed toward the enemy
lines. These lines were reached and
tossed as a mist started to roll in,
All along the lie, except possibly
rorthward on the left flank, very little
enemy, shelling was experienced after
the attack got well under way.
Nearly all the country already
fought over and that now in front of
the allied forces is low and rolling,
and especially adapted to open war
fare.
One new German division which
had just arrived in the line before the
attack was launched was told to ex
pect local attacks. Prisoners taken
from this division said they heard
nothing of a general attack being
contemplated. ....
Where the tanks and armored car
(Con tinned on Fac Two, Column Four.)
Omaha Soldier Dies
After Fall From Train
En Route to Funston
Fred W. Cady, 31 years old, pri
vate in the 48th company, 164th depot
brigade, Camp' Funston, died in a
hospital at Kansas . City yesterday
from injuries suffered when he fell
from a rapidly moving train.
He is a son of Mrs. H. C. Cady,
who lives with her other son, Charles
H. Cady, at 2512 Sherman avenue.
Mrs. Cady lives at 316 North Fif-
trrnttt strep ..
Cady enlisted about July 1, and
was on his way back to Camp Fun
ston after a short visit with his' wife
and other relatives in Omaha. , He
was born in Omaha.
Jay Laverty Says Wife
Was Jealous; Gets Divorce
Denver, Colo., Aug. 8. (Special
Telegram.) That his wife was even
'ealous of the attentions he paid to
;is own sister, and. often-threatened
to commit suicide was the gist of the
testimony in district court Here today
which won a. divorce for Jay Laverty,
former prominent live' stock commis
sion man of Omaha, now engaged in
the same business in Denver.
Laverty agreed to turn over to his
jwife their home in Omaha, its fur
nishings and pay her $100 monthly
alimony as long as she remains single.
Mrs. Laverty, who still lives in
Omaha, was represented by counsel
(who made no objections to Laverty's
Offer, and the court readily granted
tbft decree, t . , , ,
10,000
FOCH PUNS
TO GIVE NO
REST TO FOE
Fiefd Marshal's Stroke in Pic
ardy on Heels of Marne Vic
tory Delights American
Army Officers.
Washington, Aug. 8. American
army officials greeted with delight to
day news that the Franco-British
forces had launched a smashing blow
at the enemy on a wide front in the
Picafdy theater. The full extent of
the thrust was not discernible in a
military way at a late hour tonight,
but the outstanding fact to observers
here was that Field Marshal Foch
found himself able to strike again on
the heels of the victory at the Marne
which still is being pressed.
The supreme commander has made
it evident that he has the men and
the means to keep up the aggressive
battle for which American officers
have been desirous. The reputation
of the great French strategist is that
he is the advocate of attacking the
enemy without rest.
Steady Pressure Maintained.
Pressure along the Vesle line is
being maintained vigorously and even
while the new drive was getting un
der way on the Albert-Montdidier
line to the north. French, American
and British troops were hammering
away between Soissons and Kheims
in a way that made it virtually certain
that the Aisne-Vesle triangle would
be cleared of the enemy shortly and
the allied line here carried forward
to the Aisne and possibly across it.
The enemy now faces the necessity
of bolstering up his lines along the
bottom of the Picardy salient with-
but delay, or undertaking immediate
ly a great withdrawal there. It he
withdraws troops from the Aisne
Vesle line, it is certain he will be
forced back there, and if he calls in
the reserves from the north, a Brit
ish attack to flatten out thje salient
is almost a certainty.
Secretary Baker said today that the
new program of the War department
of 5,000,000 men by next spring was
recommended by the military 'section
of the supreme war council at Ver
sailles.
Voluntary Enlistment
In U. S, Army and Navy
Completely Suspended
Washington, Aug. 8. Voluntary
enlistment in the army and navy
were suspended completely today to
prevent disruption of industry pend
ing disposition of the bill proposing
to extend draft ages to include all
men between 18 and 45 years.
Orders were issued by Secretary
Baker and Secretary Daniels direct
ing that.no voluntary enlistments
be accepted after today until further
.orders. ;
' It was explained that the view of
the government is that many of the
older men are indispensable in the
present occupations, but the natural
result of the debate on the draft age
question is certain to lead to a rush
to the recruiting offices. It is re
garded as essential that men greatly
needed at home should be prevented
from rushing into the army wider
a mistaken idea that they are certain
to be drafted anyhow and prefer
to join the service voluntarily, .
PRISONERS AND DRIVE
TROOPS
Where Allies Push Ahead
for Distance of Seven Miles
o I to ao 5 o.
British forge through German lines as far as Harbonnieres, which Is
situated six miles east of Villers Bretonneaux. Up to 3 o'clock yesterday
afternoon on a front of 20 kilometers, between Morlancourt and south to
Montdidier, the allies reached their objectives and captured 100 guns and
7,000 prisoners from the Huns. The advance was between four and five miles
ana at one point veven miles.
General Foch's steady advance between Soissons and Rheims forced
Ludendorff to start a strategic withdrawal in Picardy. Northwest of Amiens
(1) the Germans early in the week crossed from the west to the east bank
ot the Ancre river on a six-nule front
cathedral city (2) the enemy fell back to the west bank of the Avre on
10-mile front between Moreuil and Montdidier. American troops are in
line at Cantigny, just northwest of Montdider. Apparently Ludendorff
feared with good cause the development of the allied advance on his flank.
GENERAL HAIG'S REPORT, DESCRIBES
; IN DETAIL GAINS
By Associated Press.
London, Aug. 8. The text of Gen
eral Haig's statement follows:
"The operations commenced this
morning on the Amiens front by the
French First army, under command
of General Debentry, and the British
Fourth army, under Sir Henry Raw-
linson, are proceeding successfully.
The assembly of allied troops was
completed under cover of night, un
noticed by the enemy.
"At the hour of assault, French,
Canadian, Australian and English
guns, assisted by a large number of
British tanks, stormed the Germans
on a front of over 20 miles from the
Avre river at Braches to the neigh
borhood of Morlancourt. The enemy
was taken by surprise and at all
points the allied troops have made
rapid progress.
"At an early hour our first objec
tives had been reached on the whole
front attacked. During the morning
the advance of the allied infantry con
tinued actively, assisted by British
cavalry light tanks and motor machine
gun batteries.
"The resistance of German di
visions in the line was overcome at
certain points after sharp fighting
and many prisoners and a number of
guns were captured by our troops.
"The French troops, attacking with
great gallantry, crossed the Avre
Heresy of Germans
Obstacle to Peace
Now, Says Balfour
London, Aug. 8. On a motion for
adjournment of the House of Com
mons until October 15, William Craw
ford Anderson, labor member who
belongs to the small pacifist group in
the house, tonight again raised the
question of peace. '
Arthur J. Balfour, British foreign
secretary, in replying to Mr. Ander
sen said that all talk about bringing
ideals home to the democracy of Ger
many and obtaining peace by inducing
the German majority socialists to
change their opinions really brushed
aside the true obstacle to legitimate
peace, namely that German militarism
was based upon the ambition of a few
soldiers nor on the strictly military
caste, but on the fact that German
writers, professors, men of theory
and men of action, those engaged in
commerce and in historical soecula-
1 tion, were all united ih theory that the
u-ue poucy at. any. nation that wished
to be great was the policy of universal
domination. .
That gross immoral heresy had
spread its roots right through the
most , educated classes of Germany.
Lucas . Claim Allowed.
Washington, Aug. 8. (Special Tel
egram.) The Bureau of War Risk in
surance has allowed the claim of Ed
ward Lucas at $100 per month. Lucas
while serving as orderly to Lieutenant
James F.Connolly, and while crossing
on the Union Pacific bridge at Oma
ha, stepping from. one. track to an
other, was ran down by a locomotive,
losing both lunbs,
SEVEN MILES IN
centered on Albert. Southeast of the
MADE BY ALLIES
river, and, despite the enemy's oppo
sition, carried hostile defenses,,
"Worth of the Somme, the great
part of our final objectives were
gained before noon, but in the neigh
borhood of Chipilly and south of
Morlancourt parties of the enemy ob
served prolonged resistance.
"In both localities the fighting was
heavy, but ultimately our . troops
broke down the opposition of the
German infantry and gained their oh
jectives.
"South of the Somme the gallantry
ot the allied infantry and the dash and
vigor of their attack had gained dur
ing the afternoon the final objectives
for the day on practically the whole
of the battle front. i
' Assisted by our light tanks and
armored cars, cavalry passed through
the infantry and beyond our objec
tives, riding down the German, trans
ports and limbers in their retreat and
capturing villages and taking many
prisoners.
ihe general line reached by our
troops runs from Plessier-Rosainvil-lers
to Beaucourt, to Caix to Framer
villerto Chipilly and to the west of
Morlancourt.
"No accurateestimate can be given
concerning the number of prisoners
or guns or the amount of material
captured,, but it is known that several
thousand prisoners and many guns
have fallen into our hands."
338 Enemy Airplanes'
Brought Down by French
Aviators During July
Paris, Aug. 8. The war office
statement tonight says:
"During July 184 enemy airplanes
were downed. One hundred and fifty
four enemy airplanes were seen fall
ing out of control inside the enemy
lines, of which number 15 had been
damaged by the fire of our aircraft
guns. Thus 338 enemy machines
were destroyed or badly damaged.
In addition, our airplanes set on fire
49 enemy captive balloons.
"Oh, Money! Money!"
Eleanor rf. Porter's
Latest Novel,;
In which Maggie Duff is a
character, as unique and
interesting as "Pollyanna"
and "Just David." Her
story, as told by Mrs.
Porter in her latest novel,
will appear in . daily in
stallments in
THE BEE
Commencing Next Sunday.
BRITISH AND FRENCH CAPTURE
100 GUNS ALONG 20-MILE LINE
. ; . , . i .
Three Divisions of Crown Prince Rupprecht's Army
Suffer Heavily in Unexpected Attack and Fourth
Badly Cut Up; Four Towns Captured by Allies.
By Associated Press.
Paris, Aug. 9, 4:40 a. m.-The number oFprisoners taken by the French and
British in Picardy now exceeds 10,000, according to the latest news from the
battle front. The allies also have taken an enormous booty in guns and material.
The battle was a British operation under the general command of Field Mar
shal Haig. The French supporting operation was on the right wing.
The French portion of the front was only about three miles when the action
began at dawn, but in view of the rapid progress of the troops, the line soon ex
tended from Hourges to Hargicourt. The French took 400 prisoners in PoriseL
HUNS REEL
WHEN SHARP
BLOW FALLS
Anglo-French Take Aggressive
Between Amiens and Mont
didier and Advance Rap
idly on 20-Mile Front.
By Associated Press.
The historic battle trround between
Amiens and Montdidier again is the
scene of a mighty contest. Tins time
the British and French are the ag
gressors, and under their fierce on
slaughts in the first day's tattle they
have penetrated deeply into the uer
man positions over a front of more
than 20 miles, reaching from the re
gion of Braches to the neighborhood
of Morlancourt.
Following short but intensive ar
tillery preparation and aided by
misty weather, the allied attack took
the Germans completely by surprise
and they fled almost everywhere pell-
mell before the tanks, motor machine
gun batteries, cavalry and infantry
sent against them. AH the objec
tives set for the .Australians, Canadi
ans, Englishmen and Frenchmen were
attained in remarkably quick time,
and at last accounts Thursday night
the allied forces were still making
progress. Wherever the enemy
turned to give battle he was deci
sively defeated.
Big Haul Made.
Thousands of Germans were made
prisoner. Large numbers of guns
were captured, great quantities of
war materials were taken and a score
or more of villages and hamlets were
reoccupied. In addition heavy cas
ualties were inflicted on the enemy.
At its, deepest point the penetra
tion of the German line was about
seven and a half miles, eastward from
Villers-Bretonneux. to tramerville.
wnne trom two to rive miles were
gained all along the front from north.
west of Montdidier to the region
around Monjancourt. The fighting
extended north of Morlancourt to the
Albert sector, but no official details
concerning it have been received.
The 'advance of the. allies in the
(Continued on ( Two. Column Two.)
News Gathering Held
: Indispensable Industry
Washington, Aug. 8. News gather
ing a nindispensable industry. Sec
retary Baker said today in discussing
draft regulations, though a particu
lar man's . relation to that industry,
must depend, Mr. Baker added, upon
the facts in his case and the possi
bility of replacing him.
The war secretary said there were
newspaper men above the new draft
' ! ... .
age iimu proposed to congress wno
probably could replace younger men
in an emergency.
Germans and Austrians
Preparing New Drives
In Italy and Albania
Washington, Aug. 8. Official
dispatches from Home today says
news hat reached there from Switz
erland that Atutro-Qerman rein
forcement are being tent in large
numbers to both the Italian and,
Albanian, fronts, , Another enemy
offensive against Italy is looked
fot at any time.
, LAW MAKES ANNOUNCEMENT.
London, Aug. 8. Seven thousand prisoners and 100 guns
have been captured in the Franco-British offensive, Andrew
Bonar Law, chancellor of the exchequer, announced tonight
in addressing the House of Common's.
"Up to 3 o'clock this afternoon oh a 20-kilometer front
between Morlancurt and Montdidier," the chancellor said, "we
had reached all our objectives and captured 100 guns and 7,000
prisoners. !". ' , ' - u.. . ;,,'
"The advance was between four ond five miles and at one
point seven miles." v ;
PUSHED BACK SEVEN AND ONE-HALF MILES.
Field Marshal Haig's statement concerning the new offen
sive by the British and French troops shows that the enemy
line has been driven in about seven miles and a half in the cen
ter'at Plessier, which lies southeast of Moreuil. It shows that
goodly gains also have been made eastward over the front of -15
miles lying between Plessier and Morlancourt. -' '
The statement says that no estimate can be made concern
ing the prisoners, guns and material captured, but that several ,
thousand prisoners and many guns have been taken. r r -
According to reports received thi afternoon, the allies
have captured the towns of Moreuil, Dkemuin, Ablancourt and
Morlancourt, the heights west of Cerisy and the heights south
of Morlancourt. . ,
Harbonnieres, six miles east of Villers-Brenonneux, has
been reached by the British, according to the Evening News.
THREE DIVISIONS SUFFER HEAVILY.
. British Army Headquarters in France, Aug. 8. (Reuters)
On the horizon enemy motor transports have been visible
scurrying away. . ( "' , .
The 27th, 43d, and 108th divisions of Crown Prince. Rup
precht's army have suffered heavily, while the 117th division,
which only came into the line
The only determined enemy
lancourt, where there was fighting throughout the day. ; The
enemy made several counter attacks, but without recovering
any ground. ' - t
The French forces have also done wonderfully. '
The line between Albert and Montdidier alonir which the
allies attacked this morning is
but the exact limits of the infantry fighting are ; not yet re
The British are advancing
tion of Cerisy-Sailly, on the south bank of the stream and
toward Marcelcave, on the Aintens-Chaulnes railway. The
French are pressing in the direction of Aubercourt and Demuin. 1
further south between Marcelcave and the Amiens-Noyon high
iubu. a iie xixinuig la ittguig in wie uu is juris OI lYionsei ana
Moreuil. All the first line objectives had been reached bv 8
o'clock this morning.
PROGRESS CONTINUES FAVORABLE.
Paris, Aug. 8, 7 p. m. The prosrressbf the Franco-British
offensive continues favorable. In some instances the advance
has reached a depth of more--than six miles. "- , v
London. Aue. 8. News
this afternoon is that 'the Germans are holding the northern
bank o'f the Vesle in considerable strength with a larra num.
ber of guns. They are believed
Dngges over tne Aisne ana to
guns across the river.
SLOPES OF AVRE
With the French Army in
the valley of the Avre have been carried and the allien havp
reached the plateau beyond. They are making further progress
ana overcoming every oostacie along the line everywhere.
An idea of the eround over wViirh tho nftio fa nmooAintr
may be gained by recalling the operations since August 2, east
ward of Grivesnes. St. Aioman and Mesnil Saint Georcea. when
the bridges over the Avre near
aestroyea. un August 4, the left
and fighting proceeded around Hargicourt and Courtemanche.
The same night the' allies reached the whole railroad line and ,;
on August 6 and 7 further progress was made. :
' REVERSE ADMITTED AT BERLIN.
Berlin, via London-, Aug. 8. The English have forced their
Way into German positions between the Ancre and the Avre, ar.
cording to a statement issued this evening by the , German war -office,
- - :
PICARDY
lastnight, was badly cut up.
stand was made around Mor
about 25 miles from end to end.
aloncr the Somme in the direc
'
from the Soissons-Rheims frnnf.
to have destroyed some of the
nave taken some of their heavy
.v. . : . ;
VALLEY CARRIED. ..,
France. Auor. 8. The ulnne nf
Braches and Hargicourt were
bank of the Avre was cleared ,
A.
,