Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, October 28, 1918, Image 1

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    BRIEF
RIGHT
REEZY
BITS OF NEWS
PEOPLE WHO WANT A READABLE AND DEPENDABLE NEWSPAPER LOOK TO THE BEE
Revolution Spreads
Throughout Croatia
London, Oct 27 A dispatch to the
Exchange Telegraph company from
Zurich, Switzerland, says the revo
lutionary movement is spreading
throughout Croatia. The dispatch
adds that more than 400 persons
have been killed at Fiume and 300
at Zagabria.
All But Four of Lucia
Crew Have Been Saved
Washington, Oct. 27. All except
four of the crew of the American
steamer Lucia, torpedoed and sunk
1,200 miles from the American
roast October 19, are reported to
have been rescued, the Navy de
partment announced tonight. Four
men were killed by the explosion
)1 the torpedo.
To Standardize Rates
In West by Zone System
Washington, Oct. The rail
road administration 'announced it
lad taken steps to standardize
;lass rates in the west and south
through proposals to the Interstate
Commerce commission of a zoning
system. This would tend to wipe
Dut many regional differences in
;lass rates dictated by state com
missions and much discussion be
iore the Interstate Commerce com
mission is expected before the stan--jardized
system finally is adopted.
GEiiSiT
APPROACHED BY
ALLIEHRMIES
With Crash in Army Personnel
Teuton Lines Crumble Along
All Fronts and Allies
Advance.
By Associated Press.
A crash has come in the personnel
if the German high command. Gen
eral Ludendorff, reputed to be the
brains of the German army the man
who promised the Germans he
.would crush Great Britain and
France before the United States
could get under way in a military
sense has resigned his position as
first quartermaster general, and Em
peror William has accepted his res
ignation.1 '
Simultaneously, while the German
line continues to crumble under, the
- allied attacks, and the German bor
der is slowly but gradually being
approached by Germany's foes,
comes a report that the reichstag by
a large majority has passed a bill
placing the military command under
the control of the civil government.
Gain on AH Fronts.
On the western battlefront, the
British, French and Americans have
continued to make further slight
gains against the Germans; in the
Italian theater both the British "and
Italians have scored successes,
while in Asiatic Turkey, the British
have captured Aleppo in Syria and
are driving ahead on both flanks of
f the Tigris in Mesopotamia, with the
Turks unable to check them. The
fall of Aleppo and the continued ad
vance up the Tigris are moves of
such rtrategic value that it is not
unlikely Turkish opposition shortly
will be entirely overcome, both in
tho Holy Land and Mesopotamia.
The French armies fighting on the
' 40-mile front between the Oise and
Aisne rivers, are keeping up their
offensive against the Germans -nd
have made additional gains taking
i several villages and compelling the
enemy to fall back at various points.
German Counter Fails.
In the region southeast of Valen
ciennes around Le Quesnoy the Ger
mans have delivered violent counter
attacks against the British. Their
efforts to throw back Field Marshal
Haig's men from the positions they
hold were unsuccessful, and heavy
casualties were inflicted on the en
emy by machine gun and rifle fire.
The Americans have begun the
second month of their operations in
the region of Verdun by keeping op
their attacks against the Germans
from the Meuse to the wooded coun
try north of Grand Pre.
Yanks Advance.
Some further progress has been
made notwithstanding continued
strong resistance from German ma
chine gunners from behind the nat
ural fortifications which abound
throughout this district.
American airmen also are con
tinuing their bombing operatons be
hind the German lines, their latest
effort in this respect having been
made against the territory around
Briquenay, north of Grand Pre, in
which 140 airplanes took part, 60 of
them being bombing machines.
Since the Americans began Hheir
operations northwest of Verdun,
nibre than 45 villages have been lib
crated, an advance to an average
, depth of 10 miles has been made and
more than 20,000 Germans have been
Steam Shovel Used to Dig '
Graves for "Flu" Victims
r New Vojk, Oct. 27. A steam
shovel was used in one of New
York's cemeteries today to dig a
trench in which to inter temporarily
the bodies of victims of Spanish in
fluenza. This extraordinary pro-
ceedure was made necessary by a
- shortage of grave diggers, coupled
with the large number of deaths.
At another cemetery there were
'400 unburied bodies and city labor
' crs have been drafted to prepare
: graves. An increase in the number
of new cases was reported while
tMi fasts of pneumonia decreased.
TTTT
ii
e Omaha Daily
Bee
VOL. 48 NO. 113.
Entertd iecon-clM nattw May 21, 1909 it
Dmiha P. 0. under tot of March 3, 1879
OMAHA, MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1918.
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S0LF DECLARES
, HUNS ARE READY
FOR JUST PEACE
Germany Declares Its New Government is Awaiting
Proposals Which Will be First Step Looking to the
End of the War; Note Says Military Powers
Subject to People's Government.
BULLETIN.
By the American Press.
Copenhagen, Oct. 27. Germany's answer to Pres
ident Wilson's latest communication; says:
"The German government has taken cognizance of
the answer of the president of the United States.
The President is aware of the far-reaching
changes which have been carried out and are being
carried out in the German constitutional structure, and
that peace negotiations are being conducted by a peo
ple's government in whose hands rests, both actually
and constitutionally, the power to make the deciding
conclusions.
"The military powers are also subject to it.
"The German government now awaits proposals
for an armistice, which shall be the first step toward a
just peace, as the president has described it in his proc
lamation (Signed.) "SOLF"
WANT AN ARMISTICE.
London, Oct. 27. Germany's answer to President
Wilson's latest communication declares that Germany
is now awaiting proposals for an armistice.
LLOYD GEORGE IN FRANCE.
London, Oct. 27. It is understood in authoritative
quarters that the allied governments will not reveal
their armistice terms until Germany has replied to Pres
ident Wilson's note.
Premier Lloyd George and Foreign Secretary Bal
four, accompanied by naval and military officers, have
gone to France.
t CAUSES SENSATION.
Berne, Oct. 27. The resignation of General von
Ludendorff has caused a sensation throughout Switzer
land and the central empires and is commented on as a
sign that German militarism is really abdicating. Among
the German and Austrian peoples anger and indignation
is increasing over the fact that the military situation has
been so long concealed or wrongly presented.
ASSUMES WAR CONTROL.
, London, Oct. 27. The German reichstag, by a
great majority, has adopted a bill placing the military
command under control of the; civil government, accord
ing to an Exchange Telegraph Co. dispatch from
Copenhagen. i ' '
AUSTRIA'S NEW NOTE.
Basel, Oct. 27. Austria's rejoinder to Pres
ident Wilson's note is ready, according to Vienna pa
pers. It was submitted to authorized quarters today
and will be sent this evening or tomorrow to Washing
ton. It is couched in the most conciliatory terms.
ALLIES TALK ARMISTICE.
Washington, Oct 27. The unofficial test of Ger
many's reply to President Wilson was received tonight
too late to be seen by President Wilson and other offi
cials. v. '
The question of an armistice and peace is already
being considered by the allied governments. Col. E.
M. House and Admiral E. S. Benson, ranking officer of
the United States navy, recently arrived in France, the
former to represent the president in discussions. Ad
miral Benson will represent the navy in matters relat
ing to an armistice insofar as American naval forces,
' (Continued on Pace Two, Column Seven.)
Chancellor is Responsible
for Actions of the Kaiser
Amsterdam, Oct. 27. The Socialist Voerwaerts, (Ber
lin) prints the proposed text of the reform bill, which in
cludes the following provisions :
"First: War can only be declared with the sanction of
the reichstag and bundesrath;
"Second: The chancellor can only remain in power
while he possesses the confidence of the reichstag;
Third : The chancellor will be responsible for the poli
tical action of the kaiser and the chancellor and ministry
will be responsible for their tenure of office to the reichstag
and bundesrath.
Fourth: The appointment, and dismissal of officers of
the army and navy can only be effective by the signature
of the chancellor. The ministers of war "Will be held respon
sible for the same by the reichstag
Wilson's Appeal ror Votes-Insult to Every
Loyal Republican Says Chairman Hays
Head of National Committee,
In Vigorous Rejoinder, Calls
On Voters to Meet Chal
lenge Squarely.
New York, Oct. 27 Will H. Hays,
chairman of the republican national
committee, in a statement tonight
replied in behalf of his party to
President Wilson's appeal to t!.e
nation to return a democratic con
gress. In his statement Mr. Hays
said:
"President Wilson has questioned
the motives and fidelity of your rep
resentatives in congress. He has
thereby impugned their loyalty and
denied their patriotism. His chal
lenge is to you who elected these
representatives. You owe it to them,
to the honor of your great party
and to your own self-respect to
meet that challenge squarely, not
only as. republicans, but as Ameri
cans. I, as your chairman, call upon
you to do it.
Gives No Credit.
"Mr. Wilson accords the republi
cans no credit whatever for having
supported 'The war measures' pro
posed by his administration, al
though they have done so with
greater unanimity than the members
of his own party. Despite that fact,
he accuses them of having tried to
usurp his proper functions.
"That charge, as Mr. Taft declares
in carefully measured words, is not
true. ,,.
"At no time and in no way have
they tried to take control of the
war out of his hands. The president
knows that. The country knows it.
You know it. A more ungracious,
more unjust, more wanton, more
mendacious accusation was never
made by the most reckless stump
orator, much less by a president of
the United States, for partisan pur
poses. It is an insult, not only to
every loyal republican in congress,
but to every republican in the land.
It fully merits the resentment which
rightfully and surely will find ex
pression at the polls.
Issue Is Clear.
"Mr. Wilson grudgingly admits
the republicans have been 'pro-war.'
Then why does he demand their de-
feat? Because they are still pro
war? Hardly that. No. It is be
cause they are for peace through,
not without, victory; because they
do not believe lasting peace can be
obtained through negotiation;' be
cause they consider that 'U. S.
stands 1 fo , unconditional surrender
as well as for the United States and
Uncle Sarr.' The democratic con
gress does not. Mr. Wilson does
not. There is the issue clear as the
noon day sun. The country, will
decide. (
Wants "Rubber Stamps."
"Mr. Wilson wants only ' rubber
stamps, his rubber stamps, in con
gress. He says so. No one knows
it better than democratic congress
men. He calls for the defeat of
pro-war republicans and the election
of anti-war democrats. He, as the
executive, is no longer satisfied to
be one branch of the government
as provided by the constiution. Re.
publican congressmen must be de
feated and democratic congressmen
must be elected, as they would yield,
in everything. That is evidently
his idea the idea of an autocrat
calling himself the servant, but bid
ding for the mastery of this great
free people.
"Republicans in congress have
seemed to him good enough when
they assented, as they did assent
with highest patriotism and some
times against their best judgment, to
his proposals. Republicans at home
have seemed to him good enough to
send fully a million of their sons
(Continued on Page Two, Column Four.)
SITUATION IN
GERMANY DAILY
GROWING WORSE
"Baneful Influence7 of Kaiser
Must Be Removed," Says
Socialist George Lebour
In Speech.
London, Oct. 27. The resigna
tion of General Ludendorff is pop
ularly interpreted here as heralding
Germany's acceptance of the allies'
armistice terms. Whether this in
terpretation is correct, the resig
nation of the first quartermaster
general cannot fail to seriously
feet the morale of the German
army.
Unofficial advices report the
situation in Germany is daily growA
ing worse. There are persistent'ru
mors of riots in various parts of
the country, conflicts with the po
lice and loss of life and that lack
of raw materials is seriously inter
fering with the production of muni
tions. ,The socialist, George Lebour, is
quoted by the Cologne Volks Zei
tung as saying in the reichstag:
"The baneful influence of the kai
ser must be removed,' and advocat
ing the abolition of the monarchal
system. '
His speech was greyed by the
socialists with crief of "Abdicate."
Paris, via Montreal, Oct 27. The
Echo De Paris says General Luden
dorff resigned because of the im
possibility of continuing the war.
The Matin says:
""Germany will present the retire
ment of Ludendorff as a new proof
of the subordination of the military
to the civil power, but this will de
ceive , no one. Ludendorff, who
made the people believe that the
fall of Paris and the surrender of
France was imminent, now disap
pears because he is beaten and des
perate Germany is faced with capit
ulation.
Military Brain.
Copenhagen, Oct. 27. General
Ludendorff, first quartermaster gen
eral of the German army, has re
signed, says a telegram from Ber
lin. In accepting his resignation
the emperor has decreed that the
lower Reinish infantry ' regiment,
No. 39, of which General Luden
dorff long has , been commander,
shall bear his name.
Riots Common Every
Day Now in Germany
London, Oct., 27. (via Mon
treal.) It is persistently reported
that riots of daily occurrence in
various parts f of Germany, re
sulting in conflicts with the police
and loss of life. The lack of raw
material, especially for explosives,''
is seriously hampering munition
works. Krupps, it is said, have
been compelled to dismiss many
worker;.
II. S. PARTISAN
GOVERNMENT
ONLY ONE IN WAR
Cabinets of Other Allies All
Include Members of All
Parties Without Discrimination.
In the resignation of General Lu
dendorff Germany loses what often
has been described as her "military
brain."
Unknown before the war. General
Ludendorff sprang into prominence
in the fall of 1914 as chief of staff,
to Field Marshal von Hi lenburg,
then a general in the operations
against the Russians. When von
Hindenburg was given the chief
command in 1916, Ludendorff was
appointed iirst quartermaster gen
eral, but Jiis position in reality has
been chief of staff and collaborator
with von Hindenburg.
Soon after his appointment as
first quartermaster general, Luden
dorff, began to be looked upon as
the real "boss" of Germany and was
recognized as the representative of
the pan-Germans at great headquarters,'
Washington, D. Cy Cjct. 27.
"America would be indignant if the
German government told us we
were the only nation at war with a
partisan government, replying to
our charges that their government
is autocratic," declared Representa
tive Luther W. Mott, of New York,
in a statement today.
"But Germany would be right.
We have a partisan government.
Our cabinet is the only one-of the
allied cabinets which does not rep
resent all parties. The other coun
tries had partisan cabinets at the be
ginning of the war but rapidly saw
the advantage of having the opposi
tion representated since they were
asking and receiving its support,
and coalition cabinets were formed.
G. O. P. Last Resort. ,
"Republicans have been called to
places of responsibility, it is true,
but they are not close to the presi
dent, and the republican leaders in
congress are only consulted when
their votes are needed on war meas
ures where the president's own par
ty isivided on the question of sup
porting the administration.
"Thus Congressman Kahn was
called on to lead the fight for the
administration's selective draft bill,
after it was found that the ranking
democrats on the military affairs
committee were opposed to it.
"Republicans are given dollar-a-year
jobs where there is ' lots of
work and no pay, but where the big
salaries go, as on the numerous
commissions where the republicans
do not get even fair minority rep
resentation, you will find the demo
crats signing the pay rolls unan
imously. Chance in November.
"Secretary McAdoo calls Mr.
Vanderlip to help organize the won
derful system of selling War Sav
ings stamps, and Mr. Vanderlip did
it at a great sacrifice, but coming
down to the little jobs so numerous
in the internal revenue office there
are none but democrats on guard.
"The people in Npvember can
help correct the mistake of the
president in giving republicans no
share in the government.
"A republican house and a repub
lican senate could see that we did
not have entirely a partisan govern
ment, even if we did have a partisan
cabinet.;
"Then the other nations would
believe that we had a real demo
cratic government in the United
States, and not one with a big D."
FRENCH FORGES
GAIN ON FRONT
OF FORTY MILES
Maintain Pressure on Foe
From Oise to Serre, Taking
Four Village's and Cap
turing Prisoners.
BULLETIN.
Paris, Oct. 27. A marked ad
vance by the French troops in the
sector between the Oise and Serre
rivers is recorded in the official
communication issued by the war of
fice tonight. Numerous villages
have been captured and at certain
points the advance amounted to
about five miles.
Paris, Oct. 27. On the 40-mile
front between the Oise and the
Aisne the French maintain their
pressure and on the left have made
war office. They have captured
important gains, according to the
official statement today from the
four villages between the Oise and
the Serre and along the Serre have
penetrated the enemy positions.
Between Sissone and Chateau
Porlen on October 25 and 26 the
French took more than 2,430 pris
oners. The statement reads:
"During the night the first army
redoubled their efforts along the en
tire front between the Oise and the
Serre. The Germans, disorganized
in the fighting yesterday, were com
pelled to fall back along the entire
line toward the north. They aban
doned the positions which they had
occupied. The French conquered
Mont d'Origny, Origny-Ste, Benoite,
Courjumelles and Crevresis-Mon-ceau
and also a number of fortified
points between these villages. On
the right French units crossed the
Peron river and progressed toward
the northeast, capturing hill 117 and
Sucrerie, 1,500 meters east of Riche
court. A number of prisoners has
been taken in this action.
Penetrate Trenches.
"On the front of the Serre, the
second army, supporting the move
ment of the first army, also made
gains. We crossed the Serre east
of Assiz-Sur-Serre and penetrated
the German trenches. East of Sis
sone violent German counter-attacks
in the region of the Maoquig
ny farm were broken up by our fire.
Artillery fighting continued very
lively on the front between Banogne
and Nanteuil-"Sur-Aisne.
"The number of prisoners taken
during the fighting of October 25
and 26 between Sissone and Cha
teau Porcien is more than 2,450, in
cluding 51 officers."
British Repel Attack.
Londpn, Oct. 27. The British last
night repulsed a determined German
counter-attack against positions on
the railway immediately northwest
of Le Quesnoy, southeast of Valen
ciennes, says today's official war of
fice statement. The attack, pre
ceded by a heavy bombardment, was
checked by British rifle and machine
gun fire.
The statement reads:
"After a heavy bombardment yes
terday evening, the enemy delivered
a determined counter-attack in
strength against our positions on the
railway immediately northwest of
Le Quesnoy. The attack was com
pletely repulsed with great loss by
cur rifle and machine gua fir?." .
FOUR ORGANIZED
TRENCH SYSTEMS
FORCED BY YANKS
In First Major Offensive of War Americans, in the Face
of Almost Insurmountable Difficulties, Free 165
Miles of Territory and Liberate 45 Villages.
BULLETIN.
, ' Rome, Oct. 27. Heavy fighting took place Satur
day in the Monte Grappa area, the Italians repulsing
Austrian attacks, the war office reports today. The
Italians captured 514 prisoners in this region.
-
CONGRESS WILL
POSTPONETILL
AFTER ELECTION
Hot Session Is Expected in
Congress Monday Over
President's Appeal for
Democratic Congress.
Washington, Oct. 27. Congress
is expected tomorrow to postpone
all work until after the November
elections. With many senators and
representatives already absent in
final congressional campaigns, lead
ers hope to put through a .resolu
tion ordering a fortnight's recess
from Tuesday until November 12.
The program involves postpone
ment of action on thewar revenue
bitl(the nation-wide wartime pro
hibition legislation and the investi
gation of brewers' activities.
A turbulent session is expected in
the senate tomorrow by discussion
of President Wilson's appeal to his
fellow countrymen for election of a
democratic congress. A sharp clash
between republican ahd democratic
senators is threatened.
The only formal business left be
fore congress, however, is ratifica
tion by the senate of the conference
agreement on the $6,000,000,000 mili
tary deficiency bill and formal an
nouncement of postponement of the
revenue, prohibition and other legislation.
Roosevelt to Answer
Wilson's Appeal Today
Oyster Bay, N. Y., Oct. 27. Col
onel Theodore Roosevelt celebrated
his 60th birthday quietly today at
his home on Sagamore Hill, spend
ing most of the time playing with his
grandchildren and opening congrat
ulatory telegrams and cables that
poured in from all parts of the
world.
Only members of the family at
tended the birthday dinner.
Colonel Roosevelt will open his
61st year tomorrow with a speech
in New York before the republican
club, in which he is expected to at
tack President Wilson's appeal for
the election of a democratic con
gress as a vote of confidence in the
chief executive.
Five Dollars
For Ten Words!
You can have it as well as
the next one by writing
The Best Slogan.
To call attention of our
out-of-town readers to
Omaha's su p e r i o r at
tractions as a city.
To Ten Next Best
Each a Good. Book.
The winning answer will bo
used as the banner line just
above the heading of The Bee
on this first page. It must
contain not less than ten words '
and not less than 54 nor more
than 60 letters.
COMPETITION FREE TO ALL
SUBMIT AS MANY ANSWERS AS
YOU LIKE.
Responses must be in by
Oct. 30, and winners will
be announced in The Sun
day Bee of Nov. 3. Address:
Slogan Contest
Jhe fimaha Bee.
By Associated Press.
With the American Army North
west of Verdun, Oct 27. In it
first major operation against th
Germans, considering the clearing
out of the St. Mihiel salient as a
local affair, the American army in
less than a month has liberated
more than 45 villages and advanced
to an average depth of 10 miles,
freeing 165 square miles of territory.
In the offensive the Americans have
captured more than 20,000 prison
ers. The Americans attacked on i
front of 20 miles from the Argontie
to the Meuse and the advance has
been made in the face of almost in
surmountable difficulties, due par
ticularly to the nature of the ground
which is covered with hills, deep
ravines and woods. In addition the
Americans had fronting them four
organised systems of trenches the
Hindenburg line, the Hagen posi
tion, the Volker position and the
Krimhilde position. ' They have
forced their way through all these
lines. Ahead of them lies the Freya,
position, which has been reached at
one point in the region of the
Bantheville.
Advance Difficult.
The advance has been particularly
difficult because the Germans have
stubbornly resisted every foot of
the way and have used more than
33 divisions on the 20-mile front.
The enemy continues to make a for
midable effort to hold this front in
order to protect his great lateral
line of communication running
through Hirson, Mezieres, Sedan, v
Montmedy and Longuyon. This
line already is threatened and
should the Germans lose it, they
will lose their main line of com
munication from Germany into oc
cupied Francel
In addition to the prisoners, Gen
eral Pershing's men have taken more
than 137 guns of large caliber, nu
merous machine guns and anti-tank
guns, a great store of ammunition
and much war material, including lo
comotives and railway cars.
Since September 26 the Americans
have fired more than 2,500,000 she'ls,
the number at times reaching as high
as 150,000 daily. The guns used in
cluded a great number of heavy ones,
and .also some captured from the
enemy.
Aviators Keep Busy.
American aviators and anti-aircraft
guns in the period since Sep
tember 27 have brought down 230
enemy machines and '23 enemy bal
loons, despite the adverse flying con
ditions and bad weather at times.
Bombing airplanes dropped more
than 40,000 kilograms of explosives
on railroad centers, troop concentra
tions and other points behind the
enemy lines.
One of the most difficult tasks has
been the repairing of roads.and the
movement of supplies, men, ammu
nition and food to the front. More
than 40,000 engineer troops are em
ployed day and night in rebuilding
sheli shattered roads.
In the Argonne hundreds of yards
(Continued on Pat Two. Oblntnn Two.)
Manning Reports Flu
Cases Diminishing and
City Winning Fighi
Health Commissioner Manning if
authority for the statement that
General Flu is about ready to agree -to
, an unconditional surrender.
There is to be no armistice. He is
going to give up the fight, having
decided that Omaha is too strongly
entrenched and fortified to hope
for a capitulation of the city.
The health commissioner an
nounces that there are few new
cases of flu developing and that a -
.MAjumy vi me people , wno are
down with the disease are rapidty
convalescing. .The hospitals are
rapidly turning out flu case's that
have been in these institutions and
tne number of deaths is showing a
considerable falling off. However,
with the improved health conditions!
he is unable to say when the quari
antine will be raised. The time will '
depend to a considerable extent s
the developments within the MR '
two gr. three days,