Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, September 21, 1918, Image 1

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

    l U 1
u i ;
uu
c - 7
JV
17
ODDS AND ENDS
OF DAY'S DOINGS
"Specs" Simplified.
New York, Sept. 20. Announce
ment that opticians throughout the
country will eliminate thousands of
styles in spectacle and eye glass
frames as a measure to conserve
gold, was made today by the war
service committee of the optical in
dustry. It was stated several mil
lion dollars worth of gold annually
now goes into optical products.
Prelate Near Death.
St. Paul, Sept. 20. Archbishop
John Ireland of St. Paul diocese of
the Roman Catholic church, still
is in a grave condition tonight, his
physicians announce. The Rev.
Thomas Welch, secretary to the
archbishop, said it was doubted if
the prelate would live 48 hours.
, Food Scarce in Germany.
, Paris, Sept. 20. (Havas.) Chan
cellor von Hertling, replying to
complaints made by German syndic
cates and the socialist party, said
the scarcity of food in Germany is
not so much due to defects in or
ganization, as the petitioners as
serted, as, to the lack of labor for
agriculture.
Warning Against "Isms." ,
Washington, Sept. 20. A warning
against bolshevism at home was
voiced in the house today by Repre
sentative Johnson of Washington,
republican, in his last speech before
entering the army as a captain in
the chemical warfare section. He
declared that the government was
using ''out and out agitators" as
labor conciliators. An important
plank of the republican platform
after the war, Mr. Johnson predict
ed, "will declare against the various
'isms' which have cme forward
lately, either under war necessity
or under skillful fostering by pro
moters and propagandists."
Defames U. S. Nurses.
Trenton, N. J., Sept. 20. Otto
Reichelt, a Newark patent attorney,
and Dr. Frederick Bishoff of Irving
ton were convicted in the federal
court here today of conspiring to
defame soldiers and Red Cross
nurses by circulation of stories in
150 cities.
" Pershing Praises British.
" London, Sept. 20. Field Marshal
Haig issued today an order of the
day in which he reported an ap
preciation from General Pershing of
the British army's congratulations
over the recent American victory.
The order says General Pershing's
message expresses appreciation for
the sentiments of "the veteran
British army, whose heroic conduct
is an inspiration to all" and that
General Pershing "extends to that
splendid army the affection and re
gard of the young American army
and assures us it will battle side by
tide with us until a permanent peace
Is secured."
GRIPPE SPREADS
FROM ATLANTIC
TO WEST COAST
Spanish Influenza Appears in
: Nine Army Camps; Total
' Number of Cases Re
ported 9,313.
Washington,' (Sept 20. Outbreak
bf Spanish influenza at five addition
al army, training camps were an
nounced tonigltt by Surgeon General
Gorgas, making a total of nine
camps in which the disease has been
' discovered.
The total number of cases report
ed from all camps up to noon to
day was 9,313, with 11 deaths. The
greatest number of cases, 6,583, was
reported from Camp Devens, Mass.,
while Camp Lee, Va., had 1,211, and
Camp Upton, N. Y., 602. Camp De
vens also reported 43 new cases of
pneumonia, which medical officers
believe resulted from the influenza
epidemic.
, The-camps included in tonight's
announcement with the number of
cases at each were: Camj Gordon,
Ga., 138; Camp Syracuse, N. 64;
Camp Humphreys, Va., 56; Camp
Merritt, N. J., 182; Camp Lewis,
Wash., 11.
In response to a request from Sur
geon General Blue of the public
health service, health authorities in
many states sent word today as to
the development and spread of the
epidemic. Two vessels with influen
za aboard were quarantined at New
port News, and in all parts of the
country steps were taken by health
officers to check the spread of the
disease.
New Germ Discovered.
New York, Sept. 20. Examination
of Spanish influenza germs by bac
teriologists of the Department of
Health has resulted in the discovery
of a new organism, Health Commis
sioner Copeland' announced today.
Further tests will be made to es
tablish the identity of the organism,
which, it is hoped, will enable phy
sicians to deal with it more effec
tively. ; ,
120 Die In Day.
5 Boston, Sept. 20. More than 120
deaths from influenza and pneu
monia, 55 of them in this city, were
reported in New England during the
24 hours ending at 10 o'clock to-
night Although the mortality was
the greatest in several days, the
health authorities said they were
s confident that the worst was passed.
There were 15 deaths today at
Camp Devens, 16 among the sailors,
in the first naval d'strict and three
ia the secoad district.
GET YOUR WANT-ADS IN FOR THE BIG SUNDAY BEE BEFORE 9 O'CLOCK TONIGHT
The Omaha Daily
Bee
VOL. 48 NO. 81.
EMtratf u mmi4-Iiw Mil M. IMS
I O-aakt P. 0. act Mink S. I7I
OMAHA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1918.
By Mall (I ytr). Dally. S4.M: . 12. M:
Oally Sot., II; uUU Ntk. pttf trt.
TWO CENTS.
THE WEATHER:
Fair and warmer Saturday
and Sunday.
Hourly Temperature.
Hoar.
5 a. m.
6 a. m.
1 a. m.
S a. m.
8 a. m.
10 a. m.
11 a.
Dec.
,...
...s
...SB
...6
...S9
...4
. .4.1
IS m 48
Hoar.
1 p. m.
S p. aa.
I P. .
4 p. a.
5 p. m.
p. m.
t p. m.
S p. m.
Dec.
...St
...St
...SI
...SS
...SI
...01
...SS
GERMANY ANNOUNCES
READINESS TO ENTER
CONFERENCE ON PEACE
American Reply Rejecting Austro-Hungarian Proposal
Reaches Vienna; Plan Rejected by All Entente
Powers; Huns Take Measures for "Pitiless ,
Repression" of Anticipated Revolt .
Amsterdam, Sept. 20. An official statement issued in
Berlin says the German ambassador in Vienna today pre
sented Germany's reply to the recent Austro-Hungarian
peace note. The German note announces the readiness of
Germany to participate in the proposed exchange of ideas.
The text of the German reoW
follows:
"The undersigned imperial am
bassador has the honor to make
the following reply to the highly
esteemed note of the royal and im
perial foreign minister:
Expresses Desire for Peace.
"The summons of the Austro-
Hungarian government to all belli
gerent states to enter into confi
dential unbinding discussion in a
neutral country of the fundamental
principles for the conclusion of
peace corresponds to the spirit of
peace readiness and conciliatoriness
which the responsible statesmen of
the quadruple alliance and author
ized representatives of the allied
(Teutonic) peoples have again and
again announced. ine reception
which previous similar steps met
with from our enemies was not encouraging.
Ihe imperial government, how
ever, tollows the new attempt to
bring the world nearer to the just
and lasting peace, which it desires
with the sincere and earnest wish
that the statement of the Austro
Hungarian government inspired by
profound conciliatory feeling and
noble humanity, will this time
avoke the desired echo.
"In the name of the imperial gov
ernment the undersigned has the
honor to declare that Germany is
ready to participate in the proposed
exchange of ideas."
The American reply to the Austro-Hungarian
proposal for a non
binding and secret conference of
the belligerents was communicated
to the Austro-Hungarian foreign of
fice yesterday by the Swedish min
ister, according to a telegram re
ceived here today from Vienna.
No Joint Reply Necessary.
London, Sept. 20. The Austrian
note inviting the belligerents to a
conference not being a collective
one, it is regarded as unlikely that
any joint reply on the part of the
allies will be forthcoming. More
over, it is pointed out, the attitude of
the various entente powers has been
made sufficiently clear by respon
sible ministers for the European
countries as has that of the United
States by President Wilson.
Pitiless Repression Planned.
Paris, Sept. 20. (Havas.) Be
cause of the aggravation of the in
ternal situation in Germany, which
continues to grow, the German gov
ernment has taken measures to as
sure "rapid. and pitiless repression"
in case of a revolt, a Zurich dispatch
reports today.
Take Troops From Poland.
Washington, Sept. 20. Apparent
ly in desperate need of man power
as a result of the military events on
the western front, Germany is cut
ting down the garrisons maintained
heretofore in Poland and sending
the troops to the front. A dispatch
from Cracow, sent through a neutral
country and received here today, said
the reduction in the forces of occu
pation of Poland affects ' even the
smallest garrisons. In some places
the ordinary detchments of 20 men
have been reduced to two or three.
Von Hertling Worn Out.
Washington, Sept. 20. Count von
Hertling, according to an article in
the Boersen Zeitung, a synopsis of
which was received here in an offi
cial dispatch from France today,
gives the impression of an exhaust
ed man, tired of power and worn
out by events. The paper says there
are so few men in the empire cap
able of acting as political leaders
that it is necessary to make use to
the utmost limit of the strength and
capabilities of an old man who,
after all, has rendered eminent serv
ices. The different parties in the
Reichstag are preparing for a con
tinuation of the discussions in the
principal committees of the Reich
stag which will meet on September
24.
Canadian Town Burned.
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Sept.
20. The business district of Mawer,
Saskatchewan, was wiped out by
Rre early today. Loss was estimat
ed at $90,000.
CZECH TROOPS
IN ADVANCE TO
AID OF ALLIES
Relief Force Will Move From
Irkutsk to European Russia;
Battle Front Rapidly
Being Lengthened.
Tokio, "Wednesday, Sept. 11.
Szecho-Slovak forces from the west
and those from Vladivostok, after
having affected a junction at Tchita,
are concentrating at Irkutsk in
preparation for an advance to the
relief of the Czecho-Slovaks in
European Russia, says a war office
announcement today.
The relief force will be com
manded by General Gaida, the
Czecho-Slovak leader.
Olovannaya, Trans-Baikalia, Sept.
20. (By Associated Press.) Allied
officers were received here today by
General Gaida, the commander of
the Czecho-Slovak forces fighting
on the Volga, who arrived from the
west last week. In. company with
General Dieterichs, the anti-bolshevik
leader .in eastern Siberia,
General Gaida gave the allies a cor
dial greeting. ,
Battlefront Extensive.
Vladivostok, Wednesday, Sept- II.
The Czecho-Slovak's battle frbnt
in European Russia, according to
of chief-of-staff of General Gaida,
commander-in-chief of the Czecho
slovak forces in Siberia, extend
from Yekaterinburg, on the Asiatic
side of the Ural mbuntains, to
Krasno-Ufimsk, 100 miles west of
Yekaterinburg, to Kazan. 430 miles
(Continued on Pe Two, Column Six.)
House Unanimously
Passes Bill to Raise
Eight Billion Taxes
Washington, Sept. 20. The house
late today passed the war revenue
bill, designed to raise by taxation
approximately $8,182,000,000 1 of the
$24,000,000,000 or more needed by
the nation for the current year. The
huge measure the largest of its
kind in the history of any nation
now goes to the senate.
Passage of the bill was unani
mous. A formal roll call, demanded
by Majority Leader Kitchin, re
corded 3S0 yeas and no nays, which,
announced by Speaker Clark, was
greeted by a roar of cheers and ap
plause. All possible speed in the bill's
course through the senate is as
sured, according to leaders.
Harry Brandes, Brother of
Omaha Citizen, Is Dead
Harry Brandes of Denver, bro
ther of Walter Brandes of this city,
and who came to Omaha to attend
the funeral of Mrs. Walter Brandes,
which was held Thursday morning,
dropped dead on a street car at
Thirteenth and Farnam streets at
12:30 noon Friday. C. A. Nickerson,
conductor of the car, said Brandes
collapsed suddenly and was dead
1 J i-r
wnen picxea up. ine cause
ascribed to heart disease.
is
NEW BLOWS
SOON TO FALL
UPON HUNS
Large Operations Will Follow
Capture of St. Quentin and .
Gotbain Forest, Now
Impending.
By Associated Press.
Washington, Sept. 20.
Changes in the battle situa
tion in France are fore
shadowed by the impending
capture of St. Quentin and
the clearing of St. Gobain for
est indicated by the unfalter
ing progress of the British
and French armies to be only
a matter of a few days. Both
allied and American military
officials here are confident
that new blows will fall im
mediately upon the Germans
denying them any rest or
chance to reorganize their
battered units, but the actual
plans of Marshal Foch, su
preme commander, are as
much a mystery here as they
are in Berlin.
It now appears certain that Gen
eral Pershing's first army has for
the moment completed its alloted
task, having blotted out the St.
Mihiel salient and restored to allied
use railways of vital importance in
future operations. It was pointed
out today the Americans have estab
lished positions in the vicinity of
Metz which constitute a direct threat
at that fortress, which the enemy
cannot ignore. As yet there is noth
ing to indicate the American com
mander has embarked on an attempt
to capture this stronghold.
Huns Preparing New Line.
For the moment, the allied of
fensive effort is concentrated on the
St. Quentin-La-Fere-Loan front.
There is a strong feeling here that
larger operations which the supreme
commander may contemplate in the
immediate ruture Hinge on breaking
the enemy's resistance in this region
and forcing him to a new retire
ment. The Germans are known to be
feverishly active in the preparation
of a new line of defense along a
wide front roughly paralleling the
Hindenburg line and some eight or
ten miles farther to the east. Again
behind that front, according to in
fomation here, they are at work on
two other defense positions. The
extent of these strong lines is not
so fully known. It is quite evident,
however, that the enemy is pre
pared to fall back by stages, fighting
as-he goes, if he is unable, as is now
indicated, to hold his present front.
The capture of St. Quentin and
clearing of St. Gobain forest, it is
felt here, will almost certainly send
the enemy main forces back to the
first of his new defensive positions.
May Flank German Front.
Since Marshal Foch struck his
first counter blow last July, the
Rheims-Verdun front has remained
quiet. To the eastward Pershing
has cleared up the St. Mihiel salient
that impeded French operations in
this vicinity and many officers feel
that a thrust between the two
French fortresses of Rheims and
Verdun which have stood firmlv
against the enemy is now to be ex
pected with the purpose of flanking
the whole German front to the north
and at the same time pave the way
for a campaign against the great
Metz-Thionville stronghold.
New Troops Oppose Yanks.
With the American Army in Al
sace, Sept. 20. There are indica
tions that the enemy has placed new
troops in the line in Alsace oppo
site the Americans. Some portions
of the front, however, apparently are
not held by these new men. An
American patrol penetrated the ene
my wire Thursday and walked
through the town of Ammerzweiller,
which was found to be deserted.
German Troops Ordered
To Destroy French Towns
Gen. Pershing Cables
Thanks for Greetings
From Nebraska Folk the rear guards, dated September 3.
By Associated Press.
Wi.h the American Army in Lor
raine, Sept. 20. German troops re
cently were ordered to be more
methodical in the destruction of
property in the regions evacuated by
them. An order from the command
er of the 198th infantry brigade to
From a Staff Correspondent
Lincoln, Neb., Sept 20. Gen
eral Pershing has sent the follow
ing cablegram to Governor Ne
ville in reply to the birth
day greetings which were cabled
to the commander of the Ameri
can expeditionary force in France:
. "Deeply appreciate con
gratulations from the peo
ple of the state of Nebras
ka. We are proud to repre
sent our country in the
world struggle for ' liberty.
; says
A recent army order demands
that we proceed in the future with
imore method and less haste in the
destruction ot indicated property.
The divisions already have been no
tified that they will be held re
sponsible for buildings not destroyed
in their areas. In consequence all
preparation should be made for fir
ing (straw collected, etc.) .
"Lieutenant Krause with his pla
toon already has received special or
ders regarding the destruction ' of
certain localities. He is to destroy
the northern section of Commen
chon, Ugny-Le-Gay, Villequier-Au-mont,
Le Gaisnel, Faillouel, Frieres
Faillouel and the roads joining them
with Mennessis as well as the
bridges on the roads west.
"All soldiers are bound to assist
to the best of their ability in the exe
cution of this mission. . The rear
guard battallions will select groups
to complete the work of destruc
tion. These detachments will not
set fire to things until the right mo
ment. It will be remembered that
there are means to defile all well.
Mines must not be exploded too
soon."
The villages mentioned in the
foregoing order are west of La Fere
and now are held by the French.
They were given up by the Germans
in their retirement from Ham early
in September.
auinbts troops smash
OTTOMAN PALESTINE
FROM
SERBS PURSUE
ENEMY ACROSS
THE CERNA RIVER
Several Villages and 5,000
Prisoners Taken; Allies At
tack on Both Sides of
Lake Doiran.
Paris, Sept. 20. (Havas) Cap
ture of several villages, 5,000 prison
ers and 10 heavy guns is recorded
in the Serbian official statement,
made public today.
"Continuing our advance," the
statement says, "we crossed the left
bank of the Cerna river. The ene
my burned his depots and camps."
Ten thousand Bulgarian prison
ers were taken September 18 alone,
says Marcel Hutin in the Echo De
Paris. .
Attack on Doiran Front
Salonika, Sept. 19. The British
and Greeks in their attack against
the Bulgarians on both sides of Lake
Doiran are meeting with stiff op
position, but have carried the ene
my's outpost lines. South of Doi
ran a gain of 2,000 yards has been
made. More than 700 prisoners have
been captured, says the British offi
cial statement, issued today.
Serbians Extend Front.
London, Sept. 20. In Macedonia
the Serbians have extended their
front westward to the Cerna river
and it is now 25 miles wide. The
total depth of the advance is 15 to
17 miles.
Five thousand prisoners and 80
guns have been captured.
All the Bulgarian trench systems
on the Serbian front have been pene
trated. Allied cavalry has taken up
the pursuit and one cavalry unit has
crossed the Cerna 20 miles north of
the Sokol position. Another force
of horsemen has moveed the same
distance northeast.
British and Greek troops in an
attack on a 10-mile front south of
Lake Doiran have made some prog
ress. No details yet have been re
ceived. Retirement Admitted.
London, Sept. 20. The following
official statement concerning the
fighting on September 16 has been
issued by the Bulgarian war office:
"East of the Czerna we were un
disturbed by the enemy. We occu
pied new positions, previously as
signed, which we are new concoli
dating. "On both sides of Lake Doiran
heavy fighting developed. South and
west of Doiran, after an excessively
heavy bombardment, in which the
enemy fired 250,000 shells, a force
of three British and two Greek di
visions attacked in close masses and
succeeded in penetrating our ad
vanced positions at several places,
but we immediately counter at
tacked and drove them opt at
ill points, leaving a large num
Ser of killed and wounded on
he field. More than 500 un
wounded British and Greek prison
ers, as well as much booty, were
left in our hands."
Indiscriminate Transfer
Of Enlisted Men Stopped
Washington, Sept., 20. To stop
indiscriminate transfer of enlisted
men from one duty to another the
War department today ordered that
enlisted men may no longer apply
for transfer and that officers shall
not request by name the transfer of
enlisted men except for potent rea
sons. Transfers will-be made in the fu
ture, the department ordered, after
requisitions calling for men of cer
tain qualifications have been made.
The men will be selected by the per
sonnel adjutant, who will be able,
from the qualification records kept
of each soldier, to select the men
best adapted for the work.
Yank Troops Aid Victims
Of Wreck on French Road
Paris, Sept. 20. (Hava-J.) Thir
ty persons were killed and more
than a score injured in a train col
lision between Dijon and Baroche
yesterday. Three cars, filled with
passengers, who were mostly chil
dren returning from their vacations,
were telescoped. American soldiers
lent vigorous assistance in taking
out the bodies and transporting the
injured in ambulances to a canton
ment near the scene of the accident
James Mann, Jr., Kills Pet
Dog and Takes Own Life
Chicago, Sept. 20. After shooting
ana killing his pet dog. James R.
Mann, jr., son of the Illinois con
gressman and republican leader in
the house, shot himself to death here
today. In a note addressed to his
mother, who is in Washington, the
young man said he did not expect
to live much longer and "and that I
might as well end it now." He was
suffering from tuberculosis. He was
28 years old.
p
Nipper Preparing to Pinch
Quentin Out , of Battle Line
By Associated Press.
Although there has been somewhat of a letup in
the intensity of the fighting, both the British and French
armies have been able materially to better their posi
tions in front of both Cambrai and St. Quentin.
Moeuvres, lying to the west of Cambrai, over which
there has been such intensive fighting for more than a
week, in which the town several times changed hands,
now is definitely British.
To the south on both sides of St. Quentin the British
and French have moved in more closely the jaws of the
nipper which is being poised ultimately to pinch St.
Quentin out of the battle line.
Apparently it is only a matter of time when Gen
eral Foch will give the order for the pressure of the pin
cers and the capture of St. Quentin.
In the region northeast of Soissons the Germans still
are using machine guns in large numbers to hold back
the French from further encroachments, on the Chemin
Des Dames positions. Notwithstanding these strenuous
efforts, however, the French have gained further ground
northeast of Vailley.
Little further fighting has developed on the front
held by the Americans north of St. Mihiel, but American
long range guns are heavily shelling the big German
fortress of Metz.
FORTS ATlMETZ VAST SYSTEM
OF DEFENSE A THUNGATEWA Y
Comprise Thirty Miles of In
terlocking Fortified Zones
Where Every Slope of
Ground Is Utilized.
Washington, Sept 20. There are
enormous difficulties to be faced in
the breaking of the German grip
on Lorraine by the reduction of
Metz, it has been pointed out by
army officials here.
When the Germans insisted upon
including Metz in their booty after
the Franco-Prussian war, they had
a definite conception of its value.
A whole block of country, some
30 square miles, surrounding Metz
and Thionville, has been turned into
a vast fortress. By including Thion
ville in this contiuous defense sys
tem, the possible isolation of Metz
by flank attack was prevented. The
two cities are connected by roads
and railways in the river valley,
sheltered under the hills on both
sides which are crowned with mod
ern fortifications.
Metz Stronger Than Verdun.
These are called forts, but in fact
they are interlocking fortified zones
around the entire great position
where every twist and turn of the
hills has been used to full advantage
in preparing hidden defense works.
Every approach from the low lands
is commanded by double and trip'e
gun lines. Beyond doubt it is said
the positiqn is stronger than Ver
dun against which the German army,
at the top of its power, proved un
availing. Metz was created by the Germans
as an offensive po&t It was the
door to France up to the moment
that the violation of Belgian neu
trality was decided upon. Behind
that bulwark of forts it was planned
to mass a great army when the time
came and hurl it forth between
Metz and Thionville to overrun
France. German maneuvers always
took on that character, and Verdun
and Nancy were girded with steel
as the French answer to that threat.
Officials here feel that the Amer
ican people should fully realize the
great strength of this position and
not pin their hopes to any swift cam
paign by Pershing's men for its
capeure.
ALLIED LINE IS
CLOSING IN ON
ST.JJENTIN
Ground Gained by Steady
Thrusts in MoveWnt That
Threatens Downfall
of City.
With the British Forces in France,
Sept. 20. (By Associated Press.)
Australian troops today continued
their penetration of the Hindenburg
system and now are two-thirds of a
mile from Bellinglise, four miles
northwest of St. Quentin. Steady
thrusts made by the victorious divi
sions on the battle front northwest
of St. Quentin gave them additional
ground during the night. No heavy
attacks were made, but the obstinate
German machine gunners yielded a
number of prisoners, ' and the ex
hausted enemy forces sheltered in
the Hindenburg main defenses were
given no rest.
Clear Holnon Village.
On the right near the junction of
the allied armies, English and Scot
tish troops completed the clearance
of Holnon village and the nest and
redoubts adjoining, which had given
considerable trouble to the French.
The British troops swept the
cemetery at Frcsnoy free of ma
chine guns. Gricourt, a village one
mile east of Fresnoy, which had
been strongly defended by reason
of the network of old British
trenches, was kept under a destruc
tive fire during the night.
The Australians lying north of
Fresnoy continue their exploration
of the Hindenburg outpost system
which they had stormed along the
front of their First and Fourth di
visions. Line Restored.
The recapture f Moeuvres last
night completely restores the Brit
ish line in that section of the Canal
Du Nord. The Germans fought
very hard for the village. Moeuv
res is a solid mass of trenches and
dugouts covering a square mile of
ground. It .is the junction of the
(Continued on Pe Two, Column Fonr)
"War Mothers of America"
Name of New Organization
Evansville, Ind., Sept. 20. "War
Mothers of America" is the name
officially chosen by the first national
convention of the organization here
today after a spirited contest. Sug
gested names of the organization
which were rejected included "Mo
thers of World Liberty," presented
by the Mississippi delegation; "Mo
thers of Democracy," by Pennsyl
vania delegation; "Next of Kin," by
the Nebraska delegates; "Daughters
of the Nation," by Boston, and "Mo
thers' Home Guard," by Montana.
The constitution also provides
that Evansville shall be the national
headquarters of the organization,
and that the national secretary shall
be a resident of this city. Officers
are to be elected for a term of one
year and shall consist of a presi
dent, vice president, treasurer,-historian
and secretary.
Only the mother and wife of a
soldier or sailor "Who has been or
is in active military service of tlje
United States of America in the
prosecution of the great war" are
entitled to membership under the
present qualifications. An effort
was made to include sisters and
daughters of men in service, but
this was voted down.
Mrs. Robert Carlton Morris of
Toledo, Ohio, was elected president
of the War Mothers of America and
Mrs. Sheldon Clawson of Salt Lake
City, treasurer. Among the vice
presidents is Mrs. Mary L. Sutton,
Nebraska.
Mrs. Alice Gresham Dodd, of
Evansville, mother of James B.
Gresham, first American soldier to
die in action in France, was made
honorary national president,
DRIVE BACK
FOE TO DEPTH
OF 19 MILES
Enemy's Peril Increased by
Operation of Tribesmen -East
of Jordan; Ships '
Give Aid on Coast .f .,
- - : v
By Associated Press,
Holy Land is aflame undsf
the impetus of a mighty
stroke by the British, French
and friendly Arab forces, and
the Turks from the Jordan
river westward to the'Medx
terranean seemingly a"re in
rout. --yll , -
Added to their already ' heavy'
losses in ground, men killed, wound-, ,
ed or made prisoners and store
captured in Belgium, France, Italy ,
and the Balkans, the Teutonic allies..
judging from .first reports of the"
hostilities begun against the Otto
man in Palestine, are in for further
extremely hard usage. , '
Strike On Sixteen-Mile Front .
In less than a day General Allen--by's
British forces aided by French
troops and natives under the flag of
the king of the Hedjas, struck the
Turkish line over a front of 16
miles and penetrated it to a depth
of 19 miles, taking more than 3,000.
Turks prisoner and overruning ine .
entire hostile defensive system. '
Railway and highway junction
points were captured and strong-,
forces of cavalry at,J.stuuffujs -wercwfell
in advanee-ar L.l- r5d"
ing troops, threatening to carry out
a turning movement against the flea,
ing Turks which might prove dis
astrous to them. Meanwhile along
the shores of the Mediterranean
naval units were clearing the coastal.
roads of the enemy by their gun t
fire.
In Bad Predicaments
In addition to the large number,
of prisoners taken great quantities
of war materials had fallen into the
hands of the allied troops, and the -pressure
against the enemy was go
ing on unabated. "
The predicament of the Turks is .
heightened by the operations of the.
Hedjas tribesmen on the east side
of the Jordan which will prevent
them from taking refuge across the
stream in the Jordan valley and
compel them to fight their way out ...
of their trouble west of the river
as best they may. . . . .
El Mugeir, west or the Jordan,
has been captured by the British. It
is the junction of several roads and
its capture will prevent the Turks
from escaping eastward. There are'
18,000 Turks on the west and 6,000
on the east. General Allenby now is
behind the main Turkish force west
of the Jordan, which will have diffi
culty in extricating itself, especially'
as the Arabs have cut the Hedjas
railway east of Lake Tiberius, t
War Workers to MarchV
As an Escort to Body s
Of Dead Omaha Sailor .
An escort of honor from the lo
cal navy recruiting station will par
ticipate in the funeral of Bryant W.
D. Sackett, Omaha boy, who died
of pneumonia at th Great Lakes
Naval Training station pn WedneS-?
day of this wefk. ; . ; . ,
At 10:30 this morning Jhc proces-'
sional will march from the home
Of the parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Henry A. Sackett, 263 Popple-,
ton avenue, to the Grace Lu-'.
theran church, where the services
will be in charge of Rev. C N. Swi
hart, pastor. He will be assisted
by Rev. R. L. Wheeler, of the South
Side. -
Services at the church will take
place at 11 o'clock, and at 12 o'clock
the honorary escort will move to
the Webster street station, front
whence the body will be sent to-
Craig, Neb., where final burial will
take place in the family lot.
Arrangements have been made for
proper military rites to be held at
the grave. - . ' ,
Active pallbearers will be chosen
from among the young men mem
bers of Grace ' Lutheran church,
where young Sackett was mem
ber. He was 22 years of age. .
Oil Supply Short. "
Washington, Sept. 20. Serious
shortage in the supply of crude oil '
is noted in a report by the bureau -of
mines, compiled in response to a 1
senate resolution and made public
tonight. Insufficient crude oil '
supply refineries is being produced, "
icy-j'i biiuw. wnue ffasol n
the
stocks have been reduced to a two
or three weeks' suooiv. .-.:.
1 w vvbaaitara
ing continued conserrttion W