The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, August 18, 1917, Page 1

THE BIS THIRTY SEVENTH YEAR, NO. 19 S BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1917. “FAPLOSION IN CANA “PLANT KILLS MANY. RED GROSS IN NEED OF HELP Two or Three Hundred Women Must Volunteer to Aid in Garment Making at Once HERE 18 CHANCE TO HELP PROTECT BOYS IN TRENCHES Hundreds of Socks, Sweaters and Wristlets Needed Before Snows Of Winter Fall FORWARD THEM DIRECT. Washington, D. C., Aug. 18— Secretary ‘Daniels announced to- day that women knitting woolen clothing and making other com- forts for sailors may forward them direct through the bureau of sup- plies of the navy inasmuch as they no longer will be accepted by the navy department, when presented through the agency of the navy league. Mr. Daniels ruled yesterday there could be no recognition of the Navy league whatever, in view of the controversy arising over the league’s charges that he has suppressed reports which should have been made public. Burleigh county's chapter of the Red Cross issues today an urgent call for help. The Tribune knows that the women of the capital city are not slackers. They probably do not know that 200 or 300 workers are wanted at once. Can you knit? Can you sew? If you can, conscript yourself for regular weekly work in the Red Cross. To date 100 women have done all the work, A surgical unit which goes to the front soon under the direction of Dr. Quain has ‘been fitted out and many other articles of clothing have been provided which wounded sol- diers need_at base hospitals,. But only a--sinalt»siart has ‘been made. The call is now for 600 sweaters; 600 muffiers; 600. purrs of socks and 600 pairs of wristlets, Ways and Means. The executive committee yesterday afternoon at a meeting in the Com- mercial club considered ways and means to arouse the women of bis- marck to the need of sewing and knit- ting so that the boys who are to leave for the front soon will be assured of warm clothing when-they face the chilly blasts across “No Man’s Land.” Mrs. Paul Remington, who is in charge of the Red Cross workers, says that three times the workers are needed if Bismarck is to produce the supplies demanded. The — executive committee has made provision for ma- terials to last two or three weeks and the federal court room in the postoflice building has been set aside by Judge Amidon as a workroom. ‘The Red Cross workroom has been in the high school, but-iMrs. Reming- ton must move the headquarters Tues- day to the federal building. Get Busy Now. Every woman who can spare a few hours a week should communicate at once with Mrs. Remington and re- ceive materials and instructions. When down town call at the federal building and place your services at the disposal of the committee. Within a few days the city will be placarded with signs urging women to knit for the boys in the trenches. Movie houses are asked to display slides calling for .workers. Remember the call is not restrict- ed to Bismarck alone. Any woman in Burleigh county can help. She can secure a sample of the yarn and get her own material and work in the home as her routine duties will per- mit. Will teach Knitting. Women who cannot knit will be taught. Mrs. Remington is securing instructors and next week classes will be held at the federal building. It is planned also to have the depart- ment stores detail a clerk who is an expert at knitting to instruct the women who call at the store, where Red Cross materials will be placed on sale. As it is necessary for tie local chap- ter to finance the cost of materials, a detinite monthly pledge will be ask- ed from each home. Mrs. V. J. La Rose, a member of the financial com- mittee, met with the executive com- mittee _ yesterday and submitted a plan which promises to yield the $200 or $300 needed each month for ma- terials. She pro) s to organize tach street under a monitor and make a monthly trip with a Red Cross con- tribution box, asking each household to contribute 25 cents. This will be only $3 a year for Bismarck house- holds. Of course, the minimum is 25 cents, and those who care to give more can do so. This money will go to purchase yarn for knitting socks and other garments to keep the sot diers warm. The greatest need now is for work- ers. On Tuesday afternoon the down- town workroom will be in full swing at the federal building and each day an attendant will be there to receive workers and give instructions. It is proposed ,that every woman in Lis- marck dgvate at leas: one hour a dav to Red “Cfoss sewing, either in her own hothe or at the Red Cross work- room, Kansas Twins Knit r Boys | Mrs. Sarah F. Long (bottom), the West's oldest twin sisters, are knitting for Uncle Sam’s soldiers four hours every day, despite their 97 years. ‘rhey are just beginning a 2,000-mile trip across the country to inspire Ameri- can women to war, work. WILSON MAY COMMANDEER FUEL SUPPLY Holds Conference With Federal Trades Commission and Mr. Hoover Upon Situation COAL CRISIS THOROUGHLY REPRESENTED IN REPORTS Washington, Aug. 18.—President Wilson went to the food administra- tion today for a personal conference with Food Administrator H. C. Hoov- er, and later to the federal trade com- mission. It was believed the presi- dent discussed the coal situation and the extent to which he would assume the power to control distribution vest- ed in him by the food bill. Under the law, the president may fix prices of coal, operate the mines, | _ or commandeer stock and sale to the public. Some decision of which course he will pursue is expected as the re- sult of today’s couferences, which were based.on the federal trade com- mission’s now completed report on the coal situation. At ‘the federal trade commission, the president went over the figures rv‘hered of the cost of producing coal. The trend of the commission's report on the subject was to urge the presi- dent to take over the supply and its | distribution. The president will take some action in the coal situation early next week. He carried back to the white house from the trade commission a mass of statistics on coal productions, costs, and will go over them tomorrow. His decision probably will be announced Monday. The president intends, it was learned, to reduce the present prices, not only at the mines, but of jobbers and re- tailers. The trade commission's re- ports indicate that the operators can sell their products at a fair price far below the minimum price of $3 fixed ata conference between mine offi- cials and the government, and still make a handsome profit. WILSON STUDIES LABOR TROUBLE Washington, DC dent Wilson is making a personal northwest, especially in Oregon, Wash- ington, Montana and Idaho, where 2 general strike of the I. W. W. is threatened next Monday. Officials in close touch with the threatened miners’ strike situation in Alabama were optimistic today that the strike would be averted with de- velopments within the last few hours. Lucy A. Tull (top) and Mrs. e , Aug. 18.—Presi- | study of the labor situation in the’ cat | S, TO SEND SEPARATE REPL TO POPE'S QUERY Cabinet at Recent Mecting Care- fully Avoided Discussion Upon Matters WILSON STATES ANALYSIS WILL BE THOROUGH Members of Entente. Doubtless Will Frame Their Own State- ment to Vatican Washington, Aug. 18.—The reply of the United States to the pope’s peace note will be sent independently and not in connection with any answer of other belligerents. ‘his is the plan at this time, as indicated by Sec- retary Lansing. That the government is determin- ed to give Pope Lenedict's peace pro- posal the most deliberate and pains- taking consideration before making a reply was evidenced again by devel- opments both at the White House and state department. The cabinet, holding its first session since the note arrived, avoided’ any general discussion of the subject be- cause President Wilson is understood to feel that there must be a search- ing analysis of the questions raised before such discussion would be prof- itable. Lansing Studies Proposal. Secretary Lansing and his advisers, on whom most of the responsibility for making this analysis will rest, con- tinued their study of the pontifl’s sug- gestions with every indication that it probably would be several days before any concrete steps could be expect- Meantime, however, the under-cur- rent of official thought manifestly con- tinued toward a conviction that the grand alliance will find some of the proposals in the Vatican note very dif- ficult to accept. ts a Dejicate Question. - Ag.the-declared purpose of the pon- tif’s note was to presént concrete basis for peace negotiations, it is re- garded as highly essential that the exact meaning of every phrase be carefully weighed, keeping in mind that in the event the United States concludes to entertain the propesi it will find itself irrevocably commi ted in the negotiations by the con- structions given at present. On the other hand, should the prest- dent decline to entertain the ne proposals at this stage, that could not be done briefly or curtly. Out of deference, it is believed, the reply to ‘be made, whatever its character, must enter at some length into the several propositions advanced. Haste is Impossible. It was said at the state department that the’ peace proposals were being quietly “digested,” a proc which would not be hurried, and that it was not possible to predict when an an- swer could be returned. Of course, the note is undergoing a precisely similar process of careful analysis in every one of the Entente foreign offices, which accounts for the fact that Sec- retary Lansing had no diplomatic vis- itors today to discuss the subject. Within a few days exchanges may begin between Washington and the Entente capitals and perhaps between Secretary Lansing and the d{plomatic representatives of these powers here. (Conti ed on” page > two.) Powder Plant ‘In Quebec Is Wrecked Details Are. Lacking but Believed Loss of Life Was Heavy FORTY HOUSES IN TOWN COMPLETELY DiusTROYED FEW CASUALTIES, Rigaud, ‘Aug: .14.—The great munitions plant here of Curtis & Harvey, Ltd.,' explosive manu- facturers, was wrecked today by a series of terrific explosions and carried beneath the ruins of a doz- en or so structurés, several dead and wounded. . At/early estimates based on first reports, place the killed at 250, but indications were that there were. comparatively few casualties. Montreal, Aug. 18.—A terrific ex- plosion at the nowaer plant of Curtis % Harvey, Ltd:, at® l, Quebec, today, is believed {0 have caused a heavy loss of life; Vive thousand men and women are: employed at the plant, which covers, a ot tive square niles. ved soon after the explosio: the plant was nearly all’in flame: Trainmen who, got away from the scene of the explosion reported that 40 houses at Dragon; a little village near the powder. plant, occupied by the workmen, were razed by the force of the explosion, From points near Rigaud it was learned that three explosions took place. Tho first, oceurred et 9 o'clock and was heard in Vaudreuil, 20: mil away. It was followed hy two others in quick succession, The plosion cut off communication with . making it difficult, to. o°tain inf tion. Traflie on the Canadian road, Ottawa-Montreal line, which passes close to the plirt, has been suspended. Rigaud is a post viliag>, in Vaud- reuil. county, Quebec, 45 niles. south- west of Montreal. It hed a popula tion prior to the war-of about 1,900. ( Continued on Paso Threed USE LW AS FIRE. FIGHTERS Missoula, Mont., Aug. than 500 striking [ W.-W. jacks who have been sent from } soula to fight fires for the United States forest department, will stick to their jobs, even though the threat: ened general strike of the I. W. W. called next Monday, according to Ar- thur (W. Smith, secretary of the or- ganization, here. Hires near Malcon, Idaho, on the C., (IM. ‘& St. Paul railroad in the Joseph forests are the most serious. ‘They | are threatening the power line, which supplies the electrified gistrict on the Milwaukee and the road has fire fighters in the field. The president is keeping in touch with the situation through Chief Jus- tice Covington, of the supreme ccurt of the District of Columbia, his per- sonal. investigator, now in the, west. Department of Jabor conciliators on the ground reported over nighi that the situation seemed to have ciang- ed slightly for the hetter, although still grave. Offers of mediation Lad been made in some Instances, and probably will be made in others to- ‘Only Federal - Inter CUBA OFFERS TRAINING SITE FOR AMERICANS Sister Republic Will Aid and Co- ‘ Operate in Whr Plans of United States COMPLEMENT OF TROOPS TO BE SENT TO ISLAND State Department Sends Gracious Telegram Thanking President Menocal for Aid Washington, Aug. 18.—Cuba’ to provide a mobilization and training ground for some American forces has been accepted. The number of and the description of the forces to be sent cannot be disclosed now, for mil- itary reasons. The state department said today that American for will proceed to the eastern end of @uba for train- ing at an early date. In a statement cepting the offer, the state depart- ment said: “The action on the part of Presi- dent Menocal in making this friend- ly offer is considered as a further proof of Cuba's desire to give cordial co-operation to the United States of Am 1 and to be of every assist- ance to it in the war which those countries are now waging for the righ f humanity against the German imperial government.” ILLINOIS 10 MAY TAKE OVER MINES Intervention Will Delay State Control of Fuel Supplies Chicago, Aug. 18.—Public hearings on price fixing of coal by Justice Car- ter, director of coal for Illinois, re- cessed today and will not be resumed until next Monday. Justice Carter, ting under instructions from Gover- nor ‘Lowden, has announced he will proceed with the hearing until all sides have been heard, after which he will set a price tor fuel at the mines’ mouth, unless such power has in the meantime bee taken from him through federal action. illinois coal problems present many angles today. The coal operators have repudiated an agreement reached with Governor Lowden last week. Governor Lowden sent a telegram to Francis S. Peabody, chairman of the coal committee ‘of the national council of defense, declaring he might be obliged to take possession of the coal mines in the state in order to enforce the contract he made with the operato! Mr. ‘Peabody, in his reply, pleaded with the governor to delay asserting that federal action would no doubt be forthcoming. The strike of coal miners in -cer- tain Illinois districts is reported to be less threatening, many miners go- any, Yes, Russia Will Fight Says Charles ; Edward Russell In First Article For Tribune on Conditions In That Nation Charles Edward Russell, famous writer for The Tribune, has spent three months in Russia as a mem- ber of the American commission to the new Russian government, which was headed by Elihu Root. His opportunities for observation and investigation of Russian con- ditions were unparalleled, as all the resources of the provisional government were placed at his disposal. The commission has just returned to this country, and Russell, after closing his immedi- ate official business, has started to write the TRUTH ABOUT RUS- SIA. His first article is printed today; watch for others. By CHARLES EDWARD RUSSELL. (Copyright, 1917, by the Newspaper Enterprise Association.) Will Russia fight? Of the thousands of eager que&tions plumped at the Root/commission, of which I was a member, since it came back to ‘American soil, this has out- numbered all the others together. Will Russia fight? Yes! Russia will fight! She will fight with courage, skill, persistence and success. She will put up a strict- ly first class article of fight and she will win with it Provided only that she gets any kind of ‘a fair chance. AND THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMER- ICA WHA LET HER FIGHT. I find that millions of us seem to have this whole Russian business wrong end to. We think, for instance, that if Russia is not now pushing the war vigorously the reason is that the CHARLES EDWARD RUSSELL Russians have a great, broad streak of yellow in them—yellow and not much else. \3 This is the most monstrous fake and lie that was ever believed by one nation of another. It is a slander and a libel and ought to be dropped, buried and forgotten. There are no braver men on the face of this earth than the great ma- jority of the Russian soldiers. Ask | {kinds of difficulties of which you in ack to work. anyone that has seen them in action, ask those that saw the marvelous and almost ible heroism displayed by the Russian army in the famous movements of the summer of 1915. Ask anyone that can tell you of the masses of Russian soldiers that have gone unarmed against the best! j equipped troops in the world and have fought them with bare hands. To hear the uninformed casting re- | flections upon the valor of such men{ or sneering at the Russian nation as “yellow” is a hard strain on patient tolerance. “The real reason for the apparent halt and hesitation on Russia's part since the revolution is something very | different. What it is I hope to be able to make clear in the articles that will follow this, and I think you| will agree before I am through that! harsh criticism of Russia by any | American is rankly unjust and that! what the real situation calls for is the} utmost. sympathy, but not a word of ‘blame. Reset by a thousand difficulties and dangers, problems and_perplexities ch as no nation has ever faced, all this country have never heard nor sus- pected nor dreamed, R on with the most amazing fortitude and resolution, and when you come to | know the whole story you will be filled with wonder that she has done as well as she has. None but a very great people could | have pulled out of that hole. But for today I want to talk about our own countr: (Continued on Page Two) } | $13 “Follow Me’’ Says General BRIGGEN W.A: AMANN_ Brig. Gen. W. A: Mann, chief of the U. S. militia bureau, has just been appointed division com- mander. He will lead the militia division to France. In this pho- tograph he is reading the first orders for the division’s mobiliza- tion. LIGNITE. RATES TO MINNESOTA POINTS NAMED} Northern Pacific Announces Es- tablishment of Schedule Ef- fective September 15 DEMAND ANTICIPATED FOR DAKOTA FUEL A new schedule of interstate rates on lignite coal from North Dakota mining centers, adopted by the North- ern Pacific on ‘Aug. 10, will be placed in effect Sept. 15, the North Dakota railway commission, was advised to- day. All of the points affetced out- side the state are in Minnesota. The twin cities, Duluth and other larger Minnesota points are not included, but tariffs from \Wilton, Bismarck, Blue Grass, Glen Ullen, New Salem, Me- dora, Lehigh, Zenith and Sims, cen- ters of lignite production on the ‘Northern Pacific system in North Da- kota, are named to practically every town which this company serves in the western half of Minnesota. Rates per ton from Bismarck range from $1.95 to Moorhead to $3 to Pem- bina and Morris, Anoka and Carlton, Minn. A_ 2,000-pound ton of lignite may be shipped from Bismarck to Crookston for $2.60; to Fergus Falls for $2.75, to Staples for $2.69, to Brain- erd for $2.75 and to St. Cloud for $2.90. In most instances the rates to these points from \Wilton is five to 10 cents more per ton; the rate from New Salem is about 20 cents more, and from Medora it is 8) cents more per ton. A ton of lignite retailing for $3.25 in Bismarck will sell for $5.20 in Moor head, things else being equal and figuring a freight rate of $1.95. The seme ton of coal if stopped in Fargo, on this side of the river, can be sold for $4.37, the intrastate freight rate from Wilton to Fargo being $1.02. A ton of soft coal can be shipped 230 miles from Superior to Moorhead for while a ton of lignite, traveling s less from Wilton to Moor- head must pay $2.05 freight. The dif- ference is caused by the fact that the Superior to Moorhead rate is entire- jly controlled by the state, is the Wilton-Fargo rate. If Moorhead con- sumes any great amount of North Da- kota lignite, it undoubtedly will be teamed from Fargo, enabling the deal- er to take advantage of North Da- kota’s especially favorable tariffs on this commodity. The fact that the Northern Pacific has for the first time established a tariff schedule affecting Minnesota points is regarded as proof that the company anticipates a reasonable de- mand for the ‘North Dakota fuel in Gopherdom. Rates are based on a 40,000-pound) minimum carload, _pro- viding that cars with over 40,000 pounds capacity may be loaded to 90 per cent of marked capacity, but not more than 00 pounds, and that gondola cars may be used at the car- rier's convenience. 20) mil GERMANS SEEK. TO RECAPTURE LENS. OUTPOSTS Teutons Continue to Hammer British by Heavy Artillery Duel at SEA FIGHT REPORTED ; IN NORTHERN WATERS British Aeroplanes Make Raid on Munition Dumps in West Flanders DEPLORES APATHY. Paris, Aug. 18.—Maior General Pershing American commander, told the Associated Press today that the war can be won only by ‘ hard and forceful blows delivered by well-trained American army working in conjunction with the allied armies, Deploring the lukewarmness of the American people in regard to the war, he said: “Every man, woman and child should support the administration in its determination to arm and equip the American army and keep up its morale and that of the allied armies. This war will not be won by talk or by subs- cribing to the Red Cross, The American people must come to the full realization of what it: means.. It can be won only. by striking hard and forceful blows, not otherwise.” CANADIANS VICTORIOUS. * British Front in France and Belgium, Aug. 18.—German troope delivered another sharp but: fu- tile counter attack against.a sec: tion of the new Canadian pi tion northwest and west of Lens, early-this morning... The -Qer- mans ‘succeeded in~penetrat the. British trenches, but phd driven out by hand to. hand fig! ing, which caused the attackers: a considerable number ‘of dead and a few prisoners. (By Associated Pre: Another effort was made today by the Germans to recapture the ground taken by the British in their success- ful attack in the vicinity of Lens, giv- ing them control of dominating posi- tions. The British war office reports that sharp fighting occurred -north- west of Lens and that once more the attack of the Germans was repulsed completely. Pound British. The Germans continue to pound the British positions Heavily with their artillery. In the vicinity of Ypres, also, the big German guns kept up a lively fire, but now infantry attacks are reported. A naval battle in German waters ‘between British and German light sea forces is reported ‘by the British ad- miralty. While the British were scout- ing in a German bay on Thursday they sighted a German destroyer, which was badly damaged. Two Ger- man mine sweepers also were dam- aged, and two German submarine at- tucks were without results. No British ships were damaged. Bombing Raid. Another bombing raid was carried out Thursday night by British naval aeroplanes at the railroad junction at Thorout in West Flanders, 11 miles from Brugges. Fires were caused, the admiralty announces, and ammu- nition dumps are believed to have been hit. The British aeroplanes dropped many bombs which they be- lieve hit safely. CZAR NICHOLAS ENT 10 SIBERIA Petrograd, Aug. “isi relegrame from Viatkaon, the northern route to Siberi ‘eport the passage of two spe- cial trains with lowered blinds, which no one was allowed to approach. The trains are going eastward, and are assumed to contain the former em- peror, Nicholas, and his family. Use Excess Corn To Build Up Herds Chicago, Aug. 18.—A vast oversup- ply of corn and great undersupply of meat, with no maximum or minimum prices fixed for either, should result in every possible bushel of corn being fed to cattle, hogs, and sheep, in the opinion of E. C. Brown, president of the Chicago Livestock exchange, who is home today, after attending a food conference in Washington. “In the next three months, range stock will begin to come in,” Mr. Brown asserted, “and it behooves every farmer to put his corn into fat- tening stock or raising young stock. Not a young animal should be killed. Livestock must be taised to replén- ish the depleted herds in Europe.”