Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, September 12, 1918, Image 1

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    'The Stars and Stripes
Forever"
SPORT LOVERS READ THE BEE BECAUSE OF .THE CRISP, UP-TO-DATE SPORTING NEW
n
Omaha
Da
Bee
VOL. 48 NO. 74. MTS MST IK OMAHA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER . 12, 1918.
By Mill (I w. Ditlv. I4.U: SMdty, UM;
Dally Sum., Ml altld Ntb. wUh utri.
TWO CENTS
THE WEATHER-
Fair, not much
temperature.
IVrmonietsr RmdlncM
change n
a. m.
ft . m,
T a. m.
I a. m.
a. m.
10 a. m.
11 a. m.
Mm. ..
.39
. ,M
..ft?
..61
, .00
, M
..
..11
I P.
P.
8 p.
4 P.
5 p.
A p.
1 P.
8 p.
m.
m.
m.
m.
m,
in.
m.
m.
...V....
.13
,.T
,.7
,.75
,.7S
,.T1
: -r : -
PETROGRAD BURNS
as iimTnmmiinF.fi
SLAY AND PILLAGE
Reign of Terror in Russian Capital Culminates in Indis
criminate Slaughter of Citizens; Vologda Burned
, by Red Army Before Evacuation of City
as White Guard Approached.
"Registrars are at Their Posts Awaiting
You", General Crowder's Last Word in Call
For Muster of Nation's Manhood For War
Washington, Sept. 11. Word reached Washington today
from a European source that Petrograd was reported to be in
flames in many places and that indiscriminate slaughter of citi
zens, pillaging and riots were taking place in all parts of the
city. .
- According to these reports, there is no semblance of law
or-police or military'regulations.
Stockholm, Sept. S.. Vologda is re-y
ported in dispatches trom Moscow 10 ,
have been captured by Russian white
guards. Before leaving Vologda the
Russian red army is said to have
burned the town.
, Months of Horror.
July and August were months of
horror which never will be forgotten
by persons who watched Russia s two
great cities Petrograd and Moscow
--pass' through the mad attempt of
the bolshevik' to shoot or imprison
all persons who disagreed with their
wild efforts to control crumbling
European Russia. September prob
ably will be worse, for the opposi
tion parties are gaining strength
through desperation. .....
' The lives of the non-bolsheviki are
unsafe and everywhere in Russia self
defense is forcing unwilling belliger
ents to .take up arms . against the
ruthless persecution of the sa-called
commissions for the suppression of a
counter-revolution which shoot down
the bourgeoisie by tin; hundreds.
' " Give No Quarter.
Leon Trotzky, the bolsheviki min
ister 'of war, evidently is determined
that his dictatorship of the prole
tariat will -not repeat the history of
the former provisional government
and fail through being too merciful
Ex-Premier Kerensky refused to
impose the death penalty and his
government fell almost without the
loss of a life, but observers of the
Russian political Situation say that
no. such bloodless end can come to
the soviet republic. It has'given no
quarter and it will receive none.
Premier Lenine, War Minister
Trotzky, Sverdloff, president of the
central executive committee, and
other bolshevHc leaders' realize this
and they, doubtless will fight as. long
as a single soldier' remains loyal to
them.
Trotzky has said in his speeches
that Moscow will be reduced to ashes
before it 1's -surrendered. Yaroslav,
a town'on the Volga, 160 miles north
east of Moscow, was burned for re
sisting bolshevik domination find
Vologda, 110 miles north of Yaroslav.
is reported to have suffered the same
fate.
Night Hideous With Executions.
Night has been hideous in Moscow
for months because of the volleys
from execution squads in the mili
tary enclosures wnere prisoners arc
kept- Foreigners and Russians alike
were searched without warrants and
the Red Guards marched crowds of
men and women prisoners through
the streets with such regularity that
pedestrians hardly noticed them.
Marie Spiridonova, a social revolu
tionary leader, charged in her mem
orable speech made before the all
Russian soviet congress at Moscow
on Jury 4 that bolshevik rule was more
tyrannical than that of the late em
peror, and the reign of terror had
scarcely begun at that time.
Dr. Karl Helfferich, the German
ambassador at Moscow, rushed back
to Berlin and reported to his govern
ment that Moscow was in stich a
state of anarchy that the embassy
could not stay there, and he is al
leged to have advised a discontinu
(Contlnued on Pate Two, Colomn Four)
Senator Hardwick,
Whom Wilson Opposed,
Is Beaten in Primary
Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 11. William J.
Harris, former chairman of the Fed
eral Trade commission, whose candi
dacy was endorsed by President Wil
son, apparently swept the state today
in the senatorial democratic primary.
On unofficial returns he had carried
100 of the 152 counties, while Senator
Thomas W. Hardwick, wjio was sec
ond in the five-cornered race, had a
plurality in only 16.
- Unusual interest centered in the
senatorial contest because of a letter
President Wilson wrote to Clark
Howell, democratic national commit
teeman, in which he said he opposed
the renomination of Senator Hard
wick. whom he characterized as "a
constant and active opponent of my
administsation."
MORE AMERICAN
TROOPS LANDED
AT ARCHANGEL
Campaign Planned to Keep
Open Railroad and to Pro
tect Government of
North Russia.
.Washington,.' Sept 11. American
assist the other allied forces there in
their campaign for the re-establish-merit
of order in northern Russia. This
announcement was authorized tonight
by General March, chief of staff.
For military reasons the .number
of soldiers landing was not revealed,
nor was it made clear from whence
they had embarked. It was assumed,
however, that the soldiers had been
sent from English camps, where
Americans are training.
The purpose of the allied campaign
in northern Russia is to keep open
the railroad from Archangel to
Vologda, and to protect the govern
ment of the north which has been
( itn at Arrhatitrel anil thrniiffh
which it is hoped to re-establish order
in Russia and overcome German in
fluence. Germany, recognizing the success
thus far attending this campaign, has
been nressing Finns into its army
in Finland i-' 'ie hope f - thering
together a sufficient force to attack
the allies from across the Murmansk
peninsula.'
Bolsheviki Scattered in Siberia.
VlaHivnstoW. Sent. 11. The Siber
ian front has disappeared overnight.
In the wnrrls of n American author
ity, it has "moved 4,000 miles to the
westward.
Communication has been complete-
fly established between Vladivostok
and Irkutsk.
" Czecho-Slovak forces have broken
through from Lake Baikal in the di
rfph'nn of Tchitn . under Caotain
Gaida, while General Semenoff's Cos
sacks, supported by Czecho-slovaks,
have approached the Trans-Baikalian
capital from the Onon river.
The bolshevik forces, seemingly
over-awed by the presence of entente
allied troops, have scattered.
Agree on Conservation.
Washington. Seot. 11. CSoeclal
Telegram.) Charles H. Pickens of
Omaha, one of the six representatives
of a committee from the National
Wholesale Grocers' association which
has been in session in this city since
Monday, said today on leaving for
New York, en route to his home,
that the committee had agreed fully
to co-operate with the food adminis
tration in the movement to conserve
tin, steel and paper by changing the
mpthnd rf nacWintr foodstuffs. Elim
ination of odd and small sizes also
was suggested.
Provost Marshal of Nation
Gives Utterance to Appeal
to Those Next in Line
For Duty.
Washington, Sept. 11. On the eve
of the great muster of the nation's
manhood for the war, Provost Mar
shal General Crowder summed up the
situation in a brief sentence ad
dressed to the 13,000,000 men between
18 and 45 years who will register to
morrow. "The registrars are at their posts
awaiting you."
' General Crowder has asked that the
event be observed as a holiday with
flags flying and bands playing in trib
ute to the men who will enroll. His
last word to prospective registrants
was: I
Census of Man Power.
"Upon every man between the ages
of 18 to 45 years, both inclusive, not
heretofore registered or not already
in active military and naval service,
rests the obligation to register Thurs
day. "Through this registration, it is
proposed to enroll the names of ap
proximately 13,000,000 men not sub
ject heretofore to the draft.
"This task completed, America will
have taken a census of its available
man power. . With this enrollment
and the registrations of June 5, 1917,
June 5, 1918 and August 24, 1918, we
shall have placed in this reservoir the
names of approximately 23,400,000
men. From those we select, choos
ing for the afmjr ihosctesV' suited
physifcalty and fcy- circumstance for
the; field of battle and classifying
those remaining in accordance with
the extent to which their energies are
needed for the support of the nation
at home and the .maintenance of the
military establishment It is thus that
we must proceed if we are most ef
fectively to distribute the energies of
our people for the supreme task of
winning the war.
Slackers Must, Come.
"The obligation resting upon the
individual this day is clear cut and
not to be mistaken. The patridtism
and the honor of our manhood furnish
the main reliance of the nation at this
hour. Patriots will not- fail to re
spond. . Slackers must respond. For
those who would evade their obliga
tion the law provides punishment
swift and certain. A year's imprison
ment faces the man-who evades. And
no man can buy his escape from this
penalty through payment of a fine.
"The registrars are at their posts
awaiting you."
Questionairies Next.
While the lottery drawing that de
termines in some measure the order
of entering service will not come for
at least three weeks, boards have
been ordered to start at once number
ing serially all the cards, that will be
filled out before the registrars tomor
row, and to send out questionnaires
to all. whose ages are above 19 and
below 3Z. years on September 12.
From their classification, to be start
ed at once, will be filled the October
draft call3.
mew ivnu ui nujcuuie
Being Used by Germans
With the British Armies in France,
Sept. 11. Just before the British
launched their attack this morning on
the enemy trenches northwest of
Peizeire, below Gouzeaucourt, the
Germans for the first-time employed a
new kind of projectile in an effort
to drive the New Zealand troops from
nearby positions. '
The projectiles, which were about
the size of oranges, were fired . at
short range in salvos of from 200 to
300 each, and were sprinkled over an
area of two t three acres. These
projectiles burst into flame as they
hit the ground and gave off gas.
"We Are In aEad Position"
Hun Officer Writes Home
By Associated Press.
With the British Army in France,
Sept. 11. Some idea of what the
average intelligent German thinks of
the war now may be gleaned from a
letter written on August 20 by a non
commissioned officer to his brother
in the ranks:
"I had to do retreat through Ga-licia-
in 1916," says the writer, "I
know well enough what it means. It
is perfectly" obvious that you have had
heavy casualties from a retirement of
the kind you have been making but it
cannot be helped. You must be glad
to be resting now, but you won't be
allowed that satisfaction long, for a
lot of men and material are needed
now and there isn't much of either.
"I am-only interested in whether
we are going toJiold out longer than
this winter. In my opinion the En
glish will bring up such crowds of.
Americans and others next spring that
we will be unable to withstand the
heavy pressure. Also, our enemies
will have such a number of aircraft
available that we shall not know
where tofind cover from this horror.
"Taking it all round, we are in a
bad position. Not only here at the
front, but at home, too, things are in
a very bad way.. And the eastern
problem crops up again and4 shall be
interested to see whether the English
will succeed in starting a mess there
again. As far as I can hear we are
again moving a great many troops to
the east"
PROVISIONS MADE IN OMAHA TO TAKE
NAMES OF ALL MEN WITHIN NEW LIMITS
All men who have passed their
18th birthday and have not yet passed
their 46th birthday, except those who
have already registered, must register
today between the hours of 7 a. m.
and 9 p. m. for the draft under the
selective service law. Registration
must be within the exemption board
district in which the . person lives,
and may be in any precinct in the
district, though it is the desire of
the registrars that so far as possible
every man shall register in his own
voting precinct.
The process of registration is a
simple one, only a few questions with
which everyone should be familiar,
being asked. It is important, however,
that it shall not be neglected, as the
government has provided a heavy
penalty for those who fail to reg
ister. The registrars whq will have charge
of the work on this day are largely
volunteers who are giving their ser
vices. The task of classifying the
cards and getting ready the reports
which must be sent Friday to the
pr6vost marshal will probably take a
considerable part of Thursday night
and Friday morning.
In this work the registrars will have
the assistance of the teachecs of Oma
ha, who have volunteered, through the
superintendent, to lend their aid. The
teachers will distribute themselves
through the city at the different pre
cinct headquarters and will help in
any way that they can.
The registrars are urged to be in
their places promptly at 7 o'clock.
This is essential to the securing of a
complete registration.
J. J. Breen, chairman of the board
in the Second district, South Side, has
sent out an urgent pfra to his reg
istrars to be prompt. The telephone
number of the board is South 44r9
and Mr. Breen wishes to keep in
touch with all the registrars.
The exemption boards wish to call
attntion to the fact that every man
who has today passed his 18th birth
day musf register, and that all who
have not today passed their 46th
birthday must register. Eighteen to
45 in this case is inclusive.
HINDENBURG LINE
TO BE DEFENDED
BY FRESH TROOPS
Organizations Which Have Not Appeared in Fighting
So Far Already Placed to Meet Shock of Attack;
British and French in Hard Race For . c.
Prize of St Quentin.
With the British Army in France, Sept. It. There are
indications that when the retiring Germans reach the Hinden
burg line they will pass through fresh enemy corps and divi
sions to whom the defenses have been .entrusted. In such tac
tics is found one of the reasons why the German commanders
have been putting formations back into active fighting after
they had been withdrawn because exhausted. There is evi
dence that the Hindenburg line is already manned by troops
who hav4 not appeared in the fighting sd far. !
Prisoners from fch Reeonit c-itaxd
division were distinctly war weary,
JEWS PLEDGE SOM
OF $40,000 WAR
RLIEFQUICKLY
Portion of Hundred Thousand
Dollar Fund Assigned to
Omaha Raised in Fif
teen Minutes.
In less than 15 minutes last night
Omaha Jews pledged more than $40,
000 for war relief work. This amount
is a part of the $100,000 fund that has
been assigned to Omaha by the American-Jewish
relief committee. Two
thirds of the money - raised in the
United States $15,000,000 will be
used for war relief work among suf
ferers in war-stricken nations of the
entente. The other third is for the
benefit of American soldiers and sail
ors abroad and at home.
The 'meeting of this committee was
held in the City Hall. Mayor E. P.
Smith addressed the gatherine and
pledged the hearty and undivided
support of Omaha. Rabbi Cohn made
a patriotic talk and exhorted all Jews
present not only to "give until it hurts,
but give until it makes you feel good."
At the conclusion of his talk Mayor
Smith repeated the following classic:
"I do not understand it, any more
than you do, but there is something
about this thing of giving that blesses
us. No man has ever impoverished
himself by giving. It cannot be done.
Those who give most, have most left.
No man ever died poor because of
that which he gave away. No one
has ever gone hungry after giving
away his bread; someway, some
where, somehow, bread has been pro
vided for him."
M. Goldenberg. South Side mer
chant, pledged 10 per cent of all sub
scriptions collected south of Vinton
street.
The officers of the committee are:
Harry Zimman, chairman; Henry
Monsky, secretary; Morris Levy,
treasurer.
About 75 persons were present. ,
Body Formed to Assist
Law-Abiding Enemy Aliens
Washington, Sept. 11. Organiza
tion of a national commission cdm
posed of American citizens to co-operate
with the legations of Sweden
and Switzerland in relieving distress of
law-abiding German or Austrian sub
jects in this country and to supervise
aid given the families of interned en
emies, was announced today by Sec
retary Lansing. Dr. Norman Bridge
of Washington was named chairman.
Spanish' Influenza
Appears at Seaports
On Atlantic Coast
Washington, Sept 11. Spanish
influenza, which recently ravaged
the German army and later spread
into France and England with such
discomfiting effects on the civil
population, has been brought to
some of the American Atlantic
coast cities, officials here fear, but
they are awaiting further investiga-
tion and developments before form
ing definite opinions.
In the opinion of officials, the
strange infection has been brought
over by persons on returning
American ' transports.
Spanish influenza, although short
lived and of practically no perma
nent serious results, is a most dis
tressing ailment, which prostrates
one for a few days, during which he
suffers the acme of discomfort.
Former Czarina and
Her Four Daughters
Killed by Bolsheviki
London, Sept. 11. The Daily Ex-
ress claims to have unquestionable
nformation that the former em
press of Russia and her four daugh
ters have been murdered, by the bol
sheviki '
CHICAGO MAYOR
BEATEN IN RACE
FOR U SENATE
McCormick Wins Nomination
in Illinois Though Thomp
son Carries Chicago by
About 20,000.
Chicago, Sept 11. In the face of
early returns from today's statewide
primary, Medill McCormick has de
feated Mayor William Hale Thomp
son for th-republican nomination for
United States senator.
At 10:30 o'clock tonight returns
from 2,260 precincts out of 5,454 in
Illinois gave McCormick 70,656, and
Thompson 60.741 in the statewide
primary for the republican nomination
for United States senator.
If the present ratio of voting con
tinues it was estimated that Thomp
son will carry Chicago by approxi
mately 20.000. while McCormick will
come to the Cook county line with
a plurality of approximately 71,000.
Congressman George E. Foss was
running third. The democratic nomi
nation has been won by Senator
James Hamilton Lewis.
The principal issue between Mc
Cormick and Thompson was, one of
loyalty, McCormick and his support
ers charged the mayor with nu
merous anti-war activities. It was
declared that he had opposed the
country's entrance into the war. that
he criticised the passage of the se
lective draft and that he opposed the
sending of American troops to
France.
Prince of Hesse Would
Accept Crown of Fiinland
London, Sept. 11. Prince Frederick
Charles1 of Hesse, has declared his
willingness to receive the crown of
Finland.
HUNS PREPARE
TO RAZE TOWNS
AS THEY FLEE
I II .mi i
Prisoners Describe System of
Mines Being Laid to De
, stroy , Buildings , and
: r Entrap Allies
. With the French Army In France,
Sept 11. Prisoners recently captured
by the French have thrown light upon
the work of destruction undertaken
by the retreating Germans with the
aid of extremely slow fuses that pro
duce an explosion of mines days and
even weeks after the Teutons have
evacuated a locality. The same sys
tem that destroyed Chateau. Bethan-
court to the west of Guiscard Sep
tember 6th and the cathedral at Nesle
shortly afterward,' was used freely at
Ham and Noyon and is being utilized
by the Germans in preparation for the
destruction of villages north and
northeast of Rheims.
Prisoners who worked with a de
tachment of pioneers placing mines
under church pillars in that region
say the Germans are making ready
to raze all the towns.
Traps are being laid by use "of the
same system on the forest of St Go
bain and in the region of Laon, while
all the crossroads in those regions
according to the captives, are being
heavily mined. Some of these prep
arations for wholesale destruction
are behind the Hindenburg line.
Americans to
On Spot Anyone Urging
Surrender in Battle
With the American Army in France,
Tuesday, September 10. American
troops in all units have been instruct
ed to kill on fne spot anyone who in
time of battle urges surrender or at
tempts to persuade the'm, that fur
ther resistance is useless.
These instructions which originated
wjth a certain division, and have now
been universally adopted because they
proved so popular, were made neces
sary because' someone in American
uniform during a German attack on
Fismette August 27 ran among the
troops calling upon them to cease
resistance and declaring that the of
ficers advised surrender.
The instructions point out that
these statements were absolutely
false.
Charles Gyger, While in Berne
Finds Memento of His Mother
The fortunes .of war took Charles
L. Gyger of this city to Berne, Swit
zerland, where he located the hou.se
where his mother was born 92 years
ago.
Mr. Gyger's home is at 1125 South
Thirty-second street, where his wife
and children reside. Miss Martha
Gyger, daughter, is stenographer with
Mrs. C M. Wilhelm dt the home service-
department of the Red Cross
civilian relief.
This Omaha man worked in ' the
United States quartermaster's depart
ment here for 20 years, at one time
serving under Colonel McCarthy dur
ing the latter's service as quarter
master in Omaha. When , General
Pershing went to France he took Col
onel McCarthy with him as quarter
mat;r and' the colonel wired to Mr.
Gyger to go as chief clerk. While in
France Mr. Gyger was assigned to
the important work of buying certain
supplies in neutral countries. He went
to Berne where he arranged for the
purchase of 1,250.000 wrist watches.
In Berne he found the birth records
of his mother and .located the house
where she was born. His mother died
in Omaha a few years ago.
Mr. Gyger was at a French port
when the first ships brought Amer
ican soldiers to the aid of the allies.
There were three boats which still
bore their old German 'names, having
been vessels which were interned in
this country. He stated that the emo
tions of the French people as they
viewed the American soldiers leaving
the ships were beyond his powers to
describe. .
Some prisoners have not onlv" ex
hibited the greatest pleasure at being
capture,- but actually urged the Brit
ish to go on attacking and take as
many Uermans as possible so as to
end the war quickly. Then as each
tresh batch of . prisoners arrived at -
the cages, the Germans previously
captured cheered the British success.
By Associated Press. ' v
Eight weeks to ' the day.' and tot
the first time the great allied offer),
slve of Marshal 'Foch is at a virtual : '
pause. - . " '
True, both the BritisrT anJ French
on,is6lated sectors advanced, but n J
such progress has been, made a tysc
past days before the torrential rains -turned
the lowlands into' ImpalsaMa . ,
marshes and the Badly worsted ene- "
my rushed large reinforcements ' for-
ward to stop the gaps. -
Large Area Liberated t ,
During the eight weeks .the allies
have almost cleared the enemy-held -territory
from the Marne to the Aisne v
in the great triangle which bad Cha .
teau Thierry as its apex and Soissona
and Rheims as anchor points; from
Soissons to Arras the old bulge west
ward to Montdidier ar toward tjie
doorstep of Amierns Is all but been
obliterated and the allies now are
standing across a large portion of the
old Hindenburg line. In Flanders
the salients which threatened the
channel ports have been bent east-
ward and the enemy is expelled from
the vantage points ' from ' which he
had expected to make. the. drive to -gain
the seaboard and cause a diver
sion of the transport. service, . "
Until the rains began falling there
had been no letup, notwithstanding
the fact that the Germans had stif
fened, discarding iif fantry unit as
such and training them into machine
gun companies. When tne skies nave
cleared General Foch may take tip his ..
tasW for the two months of good. .
fighting weather remaining.,..- ,
Race for St Quentin. t '
The British and French apparently , '
are in a hard race for the prize of St
Quentin, forces of both armies now
being at equidistant points fro.m the
city ehe British in " the vicinity of
Vermand and the French at Etrillera
and Coupy. To the north the British
in local operations have made further,
progress north of Epehy in the opera.
tion which has for its purpose the. "
driving of a wedge midway, between!.
Cambrai and St Uuentin and a.'so
have successfully sustained neavy
counter, attacks by the Germans' near .
Gouzeaucourt, where the Germans are
trying hard to hold back the British. .
push toward Cambrai.
German counter-attacks around Laf
faux were repulsed, by the French.
North of the St. Gobairfthe French
have made additional slight advances,
notwithstanding the condition of the
terrain and the strong force of the
enemy aligned against them in an
effort to prevent the turning of this
important position from the west.
Heavy artillery activity is in progress
all along this front and likewise on
the sectors northeast of Soissons and
between the Aisne and Vesle rivers,
the operations which have a bearing .
on those north of the St Gobain
forest
In Tlanders the Germans have been . v
successful in local encounters near
Armentieres and in the region of La
Bassee canal. . '
Heney Named for Governor
By California Democrats
San Francisco. Sept. 11. Francis
J. Heney was selected as thevdemo
cratic candidate for governor at the
geneial election in November by the:
democratic state central committee,
which late today instructed its chair
man and secretary to certify. Heney's
name to the secretary of state; -"
Heney ran second to Mayor James
Rolph at the primary election. Rolph's
supporters have asserted that they v
will oppose any attempt of the demo-,
crats to place Heney's name on the,
ballot as the party's- gubernatorial
candidate. , . : ,