The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, April 17, 1917, Page 1

' ¥ “The Weather RAIN OR SNOW THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR, NO. 90 U-BOAT FIRES. —0— BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, TU TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1917. THE BiSMAm® TRIBUNE HomeEdition- GERMANY SUFF 100,000 LOST AND WOUNDED - IN OFFENSIVE All France Hails Victory as Bril- liant Demonstration of General’s Skill. GREATER VICTORY EVEN THAN SOMME BATTLE Western Battle Now Under Way ove Front of-One Hun- dred and Fifty Miles. Paris, April 16, (Delayed) April 17. —Germany suffered another, crushing blow. upon) the ‘western: front. when 40 miles of the strongest part of the lines were wrested from her with an estimated loss of nearly 100,000 kill ed, wounded and prisoners. All France nailed the yictory- as a bril- liant demonstration of the skill ot her generals and the courage of the troops. Greater Than Somme Measured by the amount of ter- vitory freed, the victory does: not compare with the Somme offensive which opened a month ago, but view- ed from. amount of destruction: done to the enemy’s armed forces and the damage to his military prestige a far greater success. Here © there can be no question either of a prev- iously planned retreat or a surprise. The enemy expected an attack and made every preparation to deféat is. Under Cross Fire From Soissons to Craonne the Gor- man line runs along a series of hills of an aggregate height of 500: feat, with, deep valleys between. The at- tackers advanced up the valley under a cross fire from each flank, but the artillery curtain on a new: plan ‘in- vented by the British general was so effective that the operation was car- ried out at less cost that might be expected, On Line of 150 Miles The weak point of the German tine is from Craonne to Rheims, where the ground is more level. Here the attack made more progress and te danger of the rupture of the line be- came so imminent that the Gecmans threw in all available reserves. reserves were smashed by the French artillery, which kept close on the heels of the waves of infantry. Tne the great western battle is now und- er way along a front of. close 150} miles more than .-3 of the mighty line from Switzerland to the sea. DAVE. RET. ON REEF AD “SHEL HER New York, April 17—Yhe British steamship, Karmala, an 8,983 ton pas- senger vessel, owned by the ‘Peninsu- la & Oriental Steam Navigation Co., was driven on a reef and sunk on March 17, near Spezia, Italy, after be- ing shelled and torpedoed by a Ger- man_ submarine, according to two Americans who were among the Kar- mala’s 190 passengers, and who ar- rived here today from Europe. All on board the Karmala were saved. ALLIED AIRPLANES RAID COLLEGE AT FRIEBURG ‘Berlin, April 17—The war office announces that 11 persons have been killed, 29 injured, and considerable damage done to the university build- ings by an aeroplane attack on Frie- burg.. “To this nefarious attack several people unfortunately fell vicitims. Seven women, three men, and one soldier, were killed, and 17 women, eight men and two ‘children injured,” says the statement, “The leader of.the attack, an Eng- lish lieutenant colonel, fell into our hands. According to his statement, and the contents of 9 fly sheet which was thrown down, the attack was in reprisal for the torpedoing of the Gloucester Castle, British hospital ship, recently sunk by a German sub- marine. In justification, our govern- ment gave England to understand in time enough that it could not longer tolerate the passage of so-called hos- pital ships in the precisely defined zone.” SEES BROTHER OFF. W. W. Forsythe of Plaza was down Saturday to say_goodbye to his broth- er, H. J. Forsythe, who left Saturday evening om No. 2 for the. east, where ie ging he gaan gc | it isy The | ed that the Ball home was dvnamited i ;Mrs. Ball, wife of the murdered man, result of today’s operations is that | and who was to have been the state's [Take Partin Big War Councill Great Britain and France are send- ing famous men for a council of war at Washington. Among the council- ors are, left to right, Gen. Foch, for- mer commander of the ‘French north- ern armies; Arthur Balfour, minister of foreign affairs of England; Rene Viviani, former premier of France; | Rear Admiral D, R. S. De Chair of ‘England. Below, left to right, Field Marshal Joffre, former chief of the allied armies in France, and Octave ‘Homberg of the French foreign of- fice. SMITH FREED BY JURY LATE LAST EVENING Verdict Returned at 11:30 After Members Had Deliberated 7 Hrs. and ‘ 25 Min. (Special to Tribune.) Mandan, \N. D., April 7.—After. ce liberating since 4:15 o'clock yt day afternoon until 11:30 o’elock lait night—7 hours and 25° minutes—-tne jury in the-case of the State .a sf ieorge Smith of Geach, charged :vith the murder of Horace Ball, Beach homesteader, in July of last summer. returned.a verdict of not guilty ast night. The case was brought here from Golden Valley district court on a change of venue and was tried be fore Judge Hanley. The state alleg- and that the explosion killed Sat: ‘chief witness, left the state shortly after the preliminary examination of the defendant, and was unable to ve located, Several other of the state's important witnesses were lacking when the trial was called, a week ago yesterday. The case was sensational in the history of the criminal cases tried ‘n the Morton county district court, in the fact that the state sought to Prove an intimacy between the de- fendant and the murdered man’s wife. Evidence was largely circum: stantial. The state’s evidence was riddled under the fire of the cross: examination of the defense during the last few days of the trial. The verdict was unanimous. Wheat Prices Show Decline Chicago, April 17—Removal of the duty on Canadian wheat and meas- ures proposed at Washington for the control of foodstuffs resulted today in a sharp break in wheat prices, at the opening of the Board of Trade. May wheat, which closed yesterday at $2.30 1-2, sold down to $2.30 at the opening. July dropped an extreme 7 1-4¢ to $1.92 and September, which Ate yesterday at $1.75, declined to 1.67. RECOMMENDS OPENING OF ROSSER HIGHWAY Cémmissioner Best last night rec- ommended that Rosser street be opened up to and across the Northern Pacific right of way from the east and that the street be extended and opened west the Northern Pacific right of way. The application for the opening of the street was made to the city: commission a week ago and the matter was referred to the com- missioner on streets. FORD WAIVES PATENT KIGHTS. IN TRACTORS Deroit, April- 17.—Henry Ford has waived all patent rights on his farm tractors and tas cabled the specifi- cations to England so Great Britain can manufacture tractors. It also was announced today that Mr. Ford hopes to have thousands of tractors ready for use in the United CITY SIMPLY ASKS STATE TO PLANK ITS LINE Status of Street Railway Proposi- tion Rests with Governor and Board of Control. The status of the street rail railway controversy betweén the City of Bismarck and the, State of North Dakota.ip eonnection with paving be- tween the tracks today rests on the action which “the state board of con- trol and ‘the gqverppr will take on the resolution amanimously odopted by the city commission ast nignt and which will be ¢émmunicated to the board today. That the city is reluctant to order the board to tear up its line on Main street and on }ourth street between Main and Thayer—a distance of three blocks—is shown in the proposition ,| submitted to the goveror and «the board today which modifies to an ap- preciable degree the resolution a opted a week ‘ago which was drast in its demand for the removal of the car line because tne state did not have funds to pay for its share of paving. The City’s Ultimatum The city’s ultimatum reads that “i tie state will put in new ties’in tie first district placing them in,conjunc- tion with the contractor and the state furnish the labor, the city will pay for the laying of the paving cover- ing the space outside of the rails, the state to plank the space between the rails, these ties to be obtaine] ready for placing within 30 days.” The same proposition as mentioned ap- plies to the territory also covered by district No. 2 except that tae state will have unti] August 1 to get © the ties on the ground. This proposition was submitted and was made 0 nthe basis and under- standing that the governor and the board of control agree to recommend to the next legislature an approptia- tion to reemburse the city for the sum amounting to at least one-half of the actual cost of the paving. The Other Alternative The second proposition presented in formal language to the board and the governor today relates that “if proposition No. 1 does not meet with your approval, the city conmission asks whether you are willing to re- build said car line with new ties within the length of time set by yeu (six months.) If not, and our first proposition does not meet with your favorable consideration, the zity c¢m= mission asks that the state remove the rails and ties from Main. street and on Fourth street from Main to Thayer and ask your prompt action in order that the paving may not be delayed.” The ultimatum added, “we would appreciate a prompt decision.” Issue of the Metting The street car line proposition was the issue before the commission meeting last night. wita but $2,500 provided by the state for the main- tenance of its street car line for a period of two years, the city faces a peculiar. situation. To pave the street at tie cost of the city and the property owners whose property abutts the paving would be~ taxing the property owners heavily in view of the fact that the street is 40 feet wide compared With a width of 26 feet on the other streets. Then, too, the rails on the car line are not of the standard size and the state lacks the funds to: put in standard rails which would be a heavy burden because of the price fo steel. Plank- 4 . §. DESTROYER $ CRUSHING BLOW ALLIES CLAIM DVANTACE IN GREAT BATTLE} Titanic swagete fe for Mastery of |Greatest Battle in All History First Shot Fired i in Recognition by Cen- Western Front Sées the Ger- mans Falling Back. ST, QUENTIN-CAMBRAI MAIN LINE THREATENED French Now Have for Immediate Objective Isolation of Im- portant Railroads. MEETING WITH SUCCESS. London, ‘April 17.—Andrew Bo- nar Law, member of the British war council, moving in the house of commons this afternoon, the second reading of. the bill to ex. tend the life of parliament until the end of \November, said the British troops were engaged in the greatest operations since the beginning of the war, and were meeting with success which ex- ceeded his expectations, At a meeting of the Irish Na. tionalist party today, it was de- cided to oppose the bill for the extension of the life of parlia- ment. Along a 150-mile ‘battle line, the French and British are pushing back the German army in a titanic strug- gle for the mastery of the western front. Stepping into the fray, after the British had been hammering the line in the Arras region into bits for a week, the French piruck along a Y5-mile front, along thé Aisne, car- vied the German positions to an aver- age depth of from 2 to 2 1-2 miles, capturing more than 10,000 prisone: and maintaining all the ground won. ast night after the great success ot their initial rush, General Nivelle’s forces occupied themselves with con- solidating their new positions, and resisting German counter attacks. All these assaults were repulsed, and in the Ailles region, west of Craonne, the Germans suffered heavy losses. Their total casualties in the first 24 hours’ fighting are estimated at 100,- 000 men. Both the British and French re- Ports today indicate that the continu- ation of the operations is being ham- pered by bad weather. Nevertheless, the British pushed forward between St. Quentin and Cambrai, advancing east of Epehy to Le Tomboois farm, within 2 1-2 miles of ‘Le Catelet, where they threatened to cut the St. Quentin-Cambrai main line of com- munication. | The strategy of the Anglo-French } attack as been worked out in com-| plete harmony by the staff of the twa armies. The dispatches indicate en- tire co-ordination for placing and tim- ing the blows delivered so as to in- sure their greatest possible effective- ness. In a broad way, it may’ be judged the French now have for their imm diate objective the isolation of the im- Portant railroad center of Laon, to turn the southern end of the Hinden- burg line. The British already have pierced this line at the northern end. The joint operation apparently is aimed at the rolling up of the pres- ent German front, in an effort to com- pel a retirement on a greater scale than ever yet witnessed on the west- ern front since the battle of the ‘Marne, Operations in other sectors of this front and in the other war areas are at present of secondary importance, although the French activities furth- er west in the Champagne, and in the AlsacedLorraine district apparently will bear close watching for possible important developments. In Mesopotamia the British have advanced further up the Tigris, to within a little more than 10 miles of Samara, 70 miles northwest of :/Bag- dad, where another battle apparently is impending. Little resistance has been offered by the Turks in their re- treat. CHILDREN OF STATE 10 HELP PUT IN CROPS St. Paul, Minn., April 17.—Ten- year-old boys and girls are working 16 hours a day, assisting their par- ents to plow and seed tracts in the ‘Northwest because of the acute labor shortage, according to J. H. Ander- DEATH CRAPPLE (TEUTON WAR CRAFT IN F ARMIES ON | AMERICAN WATERS NEAR RIVER AISNE Being Fought on the West Front. MAY BE DECISIVE ONE OF WAR 0 OF NATIONS Berlin Claims That French Have: Failed to Break Through Lines of Defense. Berlin, April 17.—‘One of the greatest battles of the mighty war, and therefore, also in the world’s h tory,” says the official statement is- sued today by the German army head- quarters staff, “is in progress on the river Aisne.” “In the Champagne, this morning,” the German statement adds, “fighting between Prunay and Auberive devel- oped, the battle line thereby extend- ing from the river Oise into the Champagne. “Our troops anticipate with entire confidence the coming heavy fight- ing.” Attempt Failed. “A great French attempt to break through yesterday, the ‘object of which was far-reaching, failed,” ac- cording to the Germam’ ‘announce- ment. “The losses of the enemy were very heavy. More than 2,100! prison- ers remain in our hands, where the enemy at a few places penetrated in- to our lines, fighting still continued and fresh enemy attacks are expect- ed.” A day of apprehension in Berlin ended. tonight. with: alarming events. The threatened strike because of a reduction in the weekly bread rations materialized in only a portion of the larger factories and did not affect transportation or public utilities. The strike leaders had planned an elaborate system of street demonstra- tions, which were to Unit in’ an out- door assembly, but inclement: weather kept down enthusiasm, Some of the factories affected an- nounced tonight that workmen would resttme work tomorrow. In ‘others, meetings will be neld in the morning to decide further course of the strik- ers. Strike Limited The strike is limited to factories manned by the Liebnieck-Eldebeor branch of the Social Democracy. The Vorwaerts, the organ of the Scheide- mann Socialist, printed a warning against striking, for fear that the latter would interfere with efforts to obtain a seperate peace with Russia. Peace at Any Price, Their Plea Austrian-Hungarian People War- Weary and Praying for End of Conflict. Berne, Switzerland, April 17.— Peace and spring weather are what the Austrian and Hungarian peopie most desire. Vienna, when the Associated Press correspondent has just come, there was every, indication that the govern- ment and people were willing to ac- cept any peace proposal, leaving Austro-Hungarian territory intact and making no place for war indem- nities. By the same token there ap- pears to be no doubt but that the de- mocracy will continue fighting unless the minimum conditions are met. The demands made on Austro- Hungarian economic resources by the war are beginning to reach the limit of bearableness and the severe winter, whose after effect are still felt, tended to increase the great burden borne iby the population. The seeding of crops is about three weeks late. PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN FOR LAND BANK St. Paul, April 17.—A conference was' held today between Thomas H. Cooper, director of the extension di- vision of the North Dakota Agricul- tural college, and the board of direct- ors of the Federal Land bank, with the view of effecting co-operation be- tween the bank and the county rep- resentative of the extensive division in spreading information of the fed- eral loan act among the farmers of North Dakota. The -action is thought timely, com- ing at a time when the government is working for maximum — pro- duction, The bank wishes to let the ing the inside of the rails seemed] son, president of the Hquity Co-op-| farmers know the -purposes and ad- LY only course for the commission | erative exchange, following . his re-j vantages of the farm loan act, that oe [Coaliaaed oo Page Three) [Dekota and pursne until the state is in 2 p0S-/ turn today from a trip through North|they may fully employ the resources During a long stay in| HARBOR OF NEW YORK tral Powers that State of War Exists With United States—Torpedo Goes Wide of Its Mark— Believed Blockade of Our Ports Has Been Started. Washington, April 17.—A German submarine today fired on the destroyer Sinith about 100 miles south of New York. The presence of enemy submersib] les in American waters indicates that. the threatened German submarine blockade of American Atlantic ports has begun, This announcement was m nade from the navy department: “Reported from Fire Island lightship to the naval stations at Boston and New York at 3:30 a. m., on the 17th an enemy submarine was sighted by the U, S. S. Smith running appar- Submarine sed her by ently submerged Smith, which m submarine was plainly seen erossing the bow. appeared.”* FIX ALL FOOD PRICES BY LAW ASK PACKERS iDelegation Headed by J. Ogden Armour Pledges Assistance | to U. 8. Government. PROMISE TO SELL MEAT | AT MINIMUM PROFIT Washington, AL pri tion’ to empower the Council of tional Defense to superv! tion of food and, if nec maximum and minimum prices being framed today as one of the re- sults of a conference between the great Chicago meat packers and the secretary of agriculture. Headed by J. Ogden Armour, a de)- egation of the foremost packers, as- sured Secretary Houston of their ut- most co-operation and volutary pro- posed that the government take steps to fix prices through the Council of National Defense. The licensing of | food distributing agencies so that the | government may trace any movement | of middlemen or otners, to monopol- ize supplies or force raises in price is one of the features of the plan the .packers propose. Minimum Profit As their own “bit” in defending the nation, the packers offered a plan to distribute their products at a min- imum of profit to themselves and one of them estimated the saving to the public would approximate at least $100,000,000 a year. Secretary Houston favors the plan and will have a part in drafting leg- islation to put it into effect. INFLICT HEAVY LOSES Paris, April—German counter at- tacks in force in the region of Aille and Courcy were repulsed last night py the French, according to an official atement ved by the French war} ce. Hea were inflictted on the Germans: a THROWN mt WAGON FARHER INSTANTLY KILLED! Jamestown, N. D., April 17.—Jule Wilmart, 46, pioneer farmer of Mont- pelier, was instantly killed yesterday, when the farm team he was driving became unmanageable. He was thrown under the wheels of the heavy wagon, The rear wheels passed over the upper portion of his body, breaking this neck. Wilmart is survived by a widow and five children, three brothers and two sisters. ‘His brother, Victor Wilmart, pro- prietor of a restaurant in this city, left today for Montpelier. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday. FURTHER ADVANCE London, April 17—The. British made a further advance in the neigh- borhood of Epehy last night, accord- ing to an official statement issued by the war office. Rain storms are hampering operations. The British gain was made east of the Peronne-vambrai railroad, at @ point half way between St: Quentin and Cambrai. Xlhieves this statement, fired a torpedo at the U. S. S. thirty yards. The wake of the Submarine dis- First Information. Virst information of the encounter came to the navy department in a roundabout way from the ‘Boston na- vy yard, which picked up the Smith’s report, saying she had been fired up- on by a German U-boat. The navy department, after com- municating with Fire Island, Boston, New York, and some other points op the Atlantic coast, announced the re- port of the Smith's encounter had been substantiated by ofilcia) javesti- gation, Whether the presence of the German submarine merely follows a sporadic raid such as the U-53 con- ducted off the New England ccast, or whether it is the signal for the beginning of a -genéral submarine. blockade of the Atlantic coast, ts not known. ero First (Recognition. The attack is Germany's first. rec- ognition of the state of war declared by the United States. It ws stated in Germany soon aiter the action of congress that no aggressive steps would be taken against the United States. Steps Taken. any American official be- however, and steps to meet aggressive submarine attacks on unprotected seaboard cit- ies and towns, raids on shippiaz with- in sight of American shores, and a submarine blockade of the principal Atlantic ports to terroriz: shipping and people were expected, Declare Zone. Last week, word came to ‘Vashing- ton in a roundabout way that Ger- many was about to declare a prohib- itive submarine zone about the har- bors at Boston, New York, the’ Dela- ware Capes, Chesapeake Bay, Charl- eston and Savannah. Thia woulé have included all the importagt ports on the Atlantic seaboard. It was said then that an official warning to neutrals of the prohibitive! zone would be issued from Berlin. Officials were disinclined to credit the reports, but the Entente diplo- matic corps here believes in it and predicted that Germany would soon carry the submarine campaign tothis side of the Atlantic, principally for the purpose of steering neutral ship ping away from American harbors, and to raid the great squadron of merchant ships which are giving food and supplies to America’s’ allies on the European battlefronts, Crippled Condition. Some officials are inclined to be- lieve that the lack of a declaration of a prohibitive zone in ‘American waters may be due to the crippled conditions of communication with Germany, since the United States en- tered the war. Without such a dec- laration, they point out, Germany will incur great claims of damages tq neutrals and will carry on a new campaign without the color of legal authority, which she contends the declaration of a barred zone lends to it. Hardly GOVERNOR HAS YET THREE COMMISSIONS TO BE ANNOUNCED There's still chance for at least nine good patriots to land a public office. Governor Frazier has three commissions yet to name—the etste. board of electrical examiners, the state board of architects and 9 state commission to investigate food. .re- sources. These commissions, the chief announced this morning, wil} de. appointed in a few days. WILTON WORKMAN TO BE patie aN! LOCAL LODGE Twenty-five members and didates of the Wilton asa Onder of United Workmen will come to the Capital City this evening and be im itiated by the local order. The ital City Workmen are planni time for the visitors and wi a smoker after the work. “Male _ luncheon will also be a featt cal members-are tel “give -the® a