The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, June 21, 1918, Page 1

1 ty) rie HE WEATHER | GENERALLY FAIR THE BISMARC |, THIRTY-EIGHTH YEAR. No. 158. BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1918. PRICE FIVE CENTS. MILLS INSISTS THATRARNERS FIGHT CITIES Socialist Lecturer Endeavors to Fan Into Fresh Flame the Fires of Class Hatred WOULD KILL MILLIONAIRES Urges Hearer to Buy Bonds and Give Sons and Bury the'Rich Face Down with Kaiser Walter Thomas Mills, a grotesque Uttle figure of a man, in an uncouth “some parlor socialist’s idea of how ) the down-trodden farmer should look, addressed an audience of 200 men, women and children at the Grand las Veevning. Perhaps 75 of Mills’ hearers: 4 farmers; probably 50 were Mills has a rather novel form of de- very, and he furnished fair enter- inment, but we have seen better vaudeville atthe Grand. If we were ‘booking this act we would scale about $950 off of Mills’ reputed $1,000 per » week and consider him well paid. ‘There was nothing new in Mills’ sub- ject matter, barring a few points which the war enabled him to in- fect. Aside from the war phases, we could take a report which was made of a Gene Debs meeting in a southern ‘Illinois railroad town fifteen years “ago and substitute Mills’ name for 'Debs’, and no one who heard Mills last night would know the difference. How Mills Voted. There was one interesting bit of information in Mills’ long,. rambling discourse last night. He stated that he attended the infamous St. Louis convention of the socialist party last summer, when President Wilson’s mo- tives in declaring war were impugned, and socialists were called upon to practice sabotage and terrorism and as a means of assisting the kaiser in deteating democracy. But, said Mr. Mills, he voted against every one of these resolutions, in whose drafting there had a prominent part one of his best known pupila, Kate Richards O’Hare, sentenced in. this very city last December to five years in federal prison for calling the mothers of our soldier boys brood sows and stating that the boys who fell~over’ theer-iu France were fit only for ‘fertilizer. Mills did not state that he had follow- ed the lead of a few great socialists who placed loyalty to country. firat and who withdrew from the. socialist organization after the St. Louis con- vention. After Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber of Commerce ‘of the United States of America is trying to kill the kaiser in Europe to.set him up again in New York,” said. Mr. Mills. In various forms he repeated this statement time and again. He also inferred that the Chamber of Commerce of the United States ot America, through its 500,000 mem- bers, is seeking to seize control of the government in this country, Already, said Mr. Mills, he was informed that communicationes from the chan:her on, any subject addressed to federal de- partments received the immediate at- tention of the head of that’ depart- ment. Then Mr. Mills emphasized the tact that the commercial clubs of Devils Lake and Lisbon and Bismarck were members of this national cham! ber, and that the merchants of these towns were members of their local commercial clubs, and that <-eretore \they must be enemies of the farmer. Mr. Mills said he was not against war. He did oppose universal mili- tary training, because he believed this war should be fought through to a point where future wars would he made as impossible as armament and military training had made this war inevitable. He urged his hearers to buy Liberty bonds without stint and to freely give their sons to the colors in order that they might kill the kaiser. Then, he said, they should come back home and Kill off all our millionaires and “bury them face down with the kaiser in order that they might get to hell quicker.” “For every thousand new-made graves over there, we have a new- made millionaire over here,” said Mr. Mills. He declared the government had detected the meat trust in the act of selling a million pounds of rotten beef for the army. “Poison gas on one side—rotten beef on the other— the meat trust is the most damnable and most treacherous ally the kaiser has today.” \ Our Landless Serfs. Mr. Mills condoled with the land- less serfs in his audience, none of whom probably owned more than 4,000 acres of good North Dakota soil in his own right, and some not more than 640 acres, over the fact that “we have been buying the world over and over again for 3,000 or 4,000 generations, and still we haven’t a strip of land of our own big enough to put our two feet. on.” He defended Townley’s bankruptcy on the ground that the Northern Pa- cific railway also had been through bankruptcy. He declared the league the only loyal political. organization, because Townley had not accused Bill Lemke of disloyalty, and Bill Lemke never had accused Art Townley of disloyalty. He mentioned LaFollette’s speech at the pro and con convention in St. Paul, and placed the blame on the shoulders of the old gang. The league, he said, was the only political party which had stood behind Wilson. He also stated that Townley had not yet sold out. “The Chamber of Com- merce of the United States would give Townley a million in a minute if he would sell out the league, and on mature deliberation it_would_make it (Continued on Page’ Seven. Traveling Salesmen Classed as to resist the draft’ to the last ditch’ Enraged Bull Moose | Attacks Automobile; Broken Neck Result Duluth, Minn., June 21—While bur- rying home from Pike lake late last night, and within — mile’ of the city, Dr: E. D_ Bettinghauser and party were. attacked in their speeding auto- mobile by an enraged bull moose. The moose struck the right forward fend- er, its head and neck crashing through the windshield. The force of the im- pact threw the machine out of its course. The animal's neck was brok- en and Dy. Lettinghauser shot it to death. A game warden got thte ani- mal’s body today. BUY W.'S. 6. SPORTS NOT USEFUL RULES GEN. CROWDER Engaged in Productive Em- ployment by Government WAITERS NOT NECESSARY Washington, June 21.—Provost Marshal General Crowder today called for 8,976 draft registrants qualified for general military service, tot be sent on July 15 to various schools for special training. The call is to be held open for volunteers until July 1. ‘New regulations issued to draft boards today by Provost Marshal Gen- eral Crowder to govern application of the work or fight order, do not rule specifically upon the status of pro- fessional baseball players or other classes which may be affected, but emphasize the section of the order placing games and sports among the occupations c assed as non-useful. In an oral statement announcing the regulations, officials ‘of General Crowder's office said: “At present” the | occupation of a baseball player is re- garded as non-productive but that un- til a case had been appealed from a local board there would be no ruling on the subject. “4 “Local boards will consider cases‘of withdrawal of deferred classifications with commpn sense,” General Crowd-, er’s instructions. say, and they. name illness, vacations, the impossidility of securing productive émployment with- out a change of residence as reason: able grounds for waiving the general order. Traveling salesmen will be considered as engaged in productive employment but automobile salesmen in ‘cities will not, it was explained. | Local boards are asked to assist registrants to obtain new employment through the federal employment. ser- vice and are given power to postpone action while effort is being made to place mén in occupations held pro- ductiv “When it has been determined that a person in deferred classifications is an idler or is engaged in non-produc- tive employment,” the instructions say, ‘the classification and order num- ber of such person will be withdrawn and he will immediately be inducted into the military service.” Hits Waiters. The regulations provide that per- sons engaged in the service of food and drink, or either. in public places. ‘including hotels and sécial clubs, are engaged in non-productive employ- ment. This, however, does not in- clude managers, clerks, cooks or oth- er employes, unless they. are en gaged in the actual serving of food and drink. “That passenger’ elevator operators and attendants in clubs, hotels, stores, apartment houses, office buildings and bath houses, are engaged in non-pro- ductive employments. The words ‘other attendants’ include’ bellboys and also include porters unless such porters are engaged in heavy work. “That persons including ushers and other attendantd, engaged and occu- pied in and in connection with games, sports and amusements, exceping act- ual performers in legitimate concerts, operas, or theatrical performances, are engaged in non-productive occupa- tions or employments. {his includes, in additio 40 ushers and other attend- ants, all persons engaged and occu- pied in games, sports and amuse- ments, except -actual performers in legitimate co>certs, operas or theatric- al performances. “That a person engaged in domestic service is engaged in a non-produc- tive employment or occupation but this does not include public or pri- vate chauffeurs, unlegs they should also be engaged in some other occu- pation or employment. defined as non- productive. Clerks Non-Productive. “That sales clerks and other clarks employed in stores and other mercan- tile establishments are engaged in non-productive, employments, but this does no include store executives, managers. superintendents nor the \hetads of such departments as ac- counting. financial, advertising, credit, piurchasing, delivery, receiving, ship- ping and other departments; noes not include registered pharmacists em- ployed in wholesale and retail drug es- tablishments; and does not include traveling salesrzea, buyers, delivery drivers, electricians, engineers, carpet layers, upaolsterers nor any employes doing ehavy work outside the usual duties of clerks. However. ‘sales clerks and other clerks’ include the clerical force ih the office and in all departments of stores and mercantile establishments. The words “stores and other mercantile establishments’ include both wholesale and retail stores and mercantile establishments engaged in selling goods and wares.” Boards are instructed to give the agents of the United States employ- ment service lists of the names, of registrants who have been summoned for examination under the order. MT.LONGARA fa “FAY s SIAGO Ld s WHERE GREAT BATTLE IS MT FION MIMALETTO : on OS.NAZARI.,,.. ____ The arrows indicate where three great Austrian armies were hurled at the Italians in a drive upon the Venetian plains. The Italians have held their lines with great tenacity and in some places driven the Austrians back in fierce counter-attacks. TWO YEARS IN ARMY BEATS 28 IN ZEELAND N.D. General Fraser Writes Scathing Retort to German's Plea for Discharge MAKE HIM. AN AMERICAN “This -man should be-held in the service until he is made into a decent American citizen. He was born in ‘North Dakota 28 years ago and has not yet learned to speak English. A year or two in the army will accomplish more toward making an American out of him that 28 years in Zeeland, N. D., has done.” - This is the:notation which Adjutant General Fraser made in returning to the commanding general of the 88th di- vision at Camp Dodge the papers of a North Dakota registrant who sought discharge from the national army on the ground that, although born in North Dakota and 23 years old, -he could not read: or speak English, and for this reason did not understand the registration regulations, This particular registrant is mar- ried.and hag a child four years old and a baby four months old..He purchased | a farm of 160 acres from his father four years ago for: $2,800 and has paid $000\on, it. He failed to return his questionaire to his local board, was ar- rested as a deserter and inducted into the. service without: privilege of claim- ing exemption.” Explaining his reason for not returning his questionaire:,this registrant says in his-application, ‘for discharge: - Payeay The be “Although I was bern.in North Da- kota, I do not read English nor speak it well, speaking only German. | 1:did not understand the draft: notices for, the questionaire’ which was sent to me to be filled out. ‘My father and sever- |: al friends said it was not necessary to fill this out, and I did not do it. On this account I was placed in Class 1 and taken into custody by the sheriff and sent to Camp Dodge.” “If I have anything to do with it, he will remain at Camp Dodge until we have made-‘an. American out of him,” said General Fraser. “A man of this type is not fit for overseas ser- vice, but we can use him here at home, and he shoujd be retained in the army until he is made a decent Amer- ican citizen. This office concurs with Col, Price, 2nd Ind. that this man should be held in the service until he ig made into a decent American citi zen. The local board has carefully considered this case, and in the best interests of the selective service sys- tem, this man should not be granted a discharge.” BUY W. S, S——— Wheat Supply Of European | Russia Cut Off Moscow, Friday, June 14.—Czecho- Slovaks control of sections of the trans-Siberian railroad has completely cut off all rail and wire communica- tions between Siberia and Russia and has resulted in depriving European Russia of the Siberian grain supply. The Czecho-Slovaks now control the southern section of the trans-Si- berian railway main line on the east to Novo Nikolgyevsk, and northern branch from Tchelyabinsk to Vekater- inburg. The conflict between the Czecho- Slovak forces and the Soviet govern- ment began May 26 when the Soviets attempted to enforce the-order of Leon Trotzky, minister of war, to dis- ar mall*the Czecho-Slovak forces on their way to Vladivostok for trans- portation. overseas. Clashes occurred at Penza, Samara, Sighlane, Tchely- abinsk, Novo Nikolayevsk, Omsk and several other points. A The Czecho-Slovak organizations or- iginally numbered about 40,000 men. Of these nearly 20,000 reached Viad- ivostok. The remainder involved in and effort to resist disarmament, are chiefly centered about Tchelyabinsk. War minister Tortzky has ordered the mobilization in the Volga region of all men of the last five military classes to move against the Czecho- Slovak forces. ——— BUY W. 3. STRIKE CALLED OFF. Buffalo, N. Y., June 21.—The strike of machinists and tool makers at the Curtiss Aeroplane’ Works was called off today and the men were ordered back to work by Andrew T. McNa- mara, representing the International machinists’ union. Archer A. London, chief of produc- tion of the aircraft board told the union leaders he would adjust the dif- ficulties between the workmen and the corporation. Asked for New... : Fast Single Seated Type of Airplane Washington, June 21.—American airplane factories soon Will be called upon to produce a fast single seated fighting plane in addition to the bomb- ing planes now being constructed, preparations fo rthe production of the smaller and lighter plane it ts stated authoritatively, are under way, al- though details as’to construction and tests of the machine have not been made public. ee. BUY W. $8 §.——— TEUT CHURCH ASSATLSWAR- TIME. BIGAMY Morals in War Time Come in for Special Condemnation in Quarterly Review Amsterdam, June 21.—The German quarterly church review, the first sec- tion of which is. published by the Protestant Kruez Zeitung of Berlin seems likely to make unpleasant-read- ing for Emperor William, ‘inview, of his frequent utterances: in :qtrafse. of the “piety and high morality of the German .people. The review declares that ‘the task of the church has be- come immeasurably harder “because of the-utter lack of discipline and re- ligious feeling among the people. Our youth, with their easily gotten money in their pockets, swollen with sinful pride,” it continues, “are entirely. con- temptous of restrain and continence. Confusion reigns in numberless of the administrative government ments as.to what is right and wrong: ‘The highest law seems to be profiteer- ing and amusement.” Lamenting the laxity of present day German morals, the review gravely condemns the proposal. emanating from Cologne to legalize bigamy which proposition the document takes quite seriously. This attitude is interesting because it is recalled that the pro- posals at the time it was made was represented by eminent Germans as a mere freak unworthy of serious notice. The review which throughout is couched in the most pessimistic tone, expresses the fear of irreparable dam- age to the existing evangelistic state church unless it succeeds in overcom- ing the indifference of the people to religion. Londan, June 21.—Vienna news- Papers are quoting a socialist party monifesto which declares that workers and small office holders in Austria are at their wits end to maintain an existance because of the fod situation in the monarchy, says a central news dispatch from Amsterdam today. In many Austrian towns, the mani- festo declares, these classes are threatened with absolute famine sim- ilar conditions prevail in Prague, the Bohemian ‘capitol, and towns in Ga- licia, The situation is declared to be terrible at these points, where the population has nae seen bread or po- tatoes for. weeks. Amsterdam, June 21.—Austrian ex- change which has been declining fractionally daily on the Amsterdam bourse dropped another full point Thursday. All Austrian bonds are lower. It is pointed out here that the re- ports last week of difficulties between Austria and Germany are now con- firmed despite the denial made by. Austrian consuls on June 17. “Blackhawk” Division to Be Flower of Army Rockford, Isl, June 21.—When the 86th division is ready for the battle line. it Was announced at Camp Grant today, it will be the finest body of picked specialiss and expert fighting men that has ever represented the United. States on a battlefield. Sweep- ing physical and efficiency examina- tions are under way to weed out all physical and mental misfits from com- bat units and experts say the “Black- hawk” division will be the super-sol- diers of the overseas forces. It is said that the seasoned coldiers of Illinois and Wisconsin who make up the nucleus. of regiments and separate organizations now are above thte us- ual army standard after nearly a year of training in camp. Those who fail to measure up to the high stand- ard fived for the, “Blackhawk” divis- ion will be trarisferred to. some branch of -the service where their services will be most valuable. departs |- RAGING MONTEBELLUNA SECOND PHASE OF AUSTRIAN -DRIVESTARTS American Aviators Flying Over Italian Front Do Excel- lent Service SITUATION: STILL SERIOUS BY ASSOCIATED PRESS Italian. Army eHadquarters Thurs- day, June 20.—The first American av- fators to fly on the Italian front went today on a bombing expedition and succeeded : — blowing two holes in a new Austrian bridge across the Piave river. The commander of the Italian avia- tion camp ‘expressed satisfaction with the work of the Americans. The 'avia- tion forces on this front are display: ing the most intense activity. Second Phase Offensive. The. second phase of the Austrian offensive featured by attacks to the right, and left of. Valstagna, along the ‘Brenta river and;in the mountains, should logicafly...begin' son, now. that the effort onthe Playe has failed. It Lia felt that if the Austrians do not-re- new. their efforts to. penetrate to the plains through the Brenta region and taking Monte Grapha it'.would be an acknowledgment of defeat. 2 Situation Serious. «jo7 The situation, however, is’ still. re- garded as very serious and all prep- arations have been made to meet:any new offensive. o Along the Piave the Italian positions are virtually’ unehanged. . The: Aus- trians are: fighting well, according to the Italians bat the latter are out- classing them. It is believed that the Italians would have driven the Aus- trians back across the river before this bu tfor the nature of the open. ghting which American on this front said reminded him of the Indian combats in the old days. Night fight- ing and bushwhacking methods are ne- cessary although they are not favored by the military authorities because of the confusion and danger of firing up- on their own men, especially where large bodies of troops are engaged. Another difficulty has been the simil- arity in color between the Italian and Austrian uniforms. P Losses Heavy. The Austrian losses have been ex- tremely heavy. Although there is much, sharp fighting, there are many lulls during which the’only distraction o fthe armies is watching the bomb- ing operations of ‘rival aviators. The fighting on the Montello plateau con- tinues to be severe since it is felt by the Italians that the loss of this post- tion would be more important than the withdrawal from a few kilometers of ground along the Piave. The condi- tions there aré also bad, owing to the wooded hills which are crossed by seventy-two ravines, each of which construes a separate line of defense. Many of them ‘are still strewn with dead, and indication of the intensity of the Austrian resistance as the en- emy was slowly pressed back from points he had won on the first rush. The Austrians early in the offensive had almost half the plateau but now they have only about one third, in- cluding many of their best positions, such as the town of Nervesa, which has been set on fire by the Italian ar- tillery. No fear is felt in Venice that the Austrians will get there. The corres- pondent on visiting the city, found an absence of excitement and there was no intention to leave on the part of the inhabitants. Large stocks of bandages which the American Red Cross has had on hand in Venice for the last few months have proved most useful to the Italian wounded. A| number of cases have been turned over t othe Eritish Red Cross at the request of Lord Monson, British Red Cross commissioner. ———sur w.s At Work Upon s———— New Steel Prices 2 Washington, June 21.—New steel prices for the period beginning July 1, were to be determined at a meet- ing today of the war industries board with the steel committee of the Amer- ican Iron and Steel Institution. An in- crease in the freight rates and recent| *: advances made in wages to steel em- ployes ‘together with the general la- bor situation, have caused the steel industry to seek an increase in prices. ‘No intimation was to be had as to ALLIES IMPROVE POSITIONS ITALIAN RESISTANCE CHECKS AUSTRIAN DRIVE ON KEY TO for a new effort. road mentioned is not shown on ently insignificant. front: It was announced early west of Soissons. BURNQUIST'T0 VISIT MANDAN NEXT MONDAY « !Victorious Governor of Minne- sota Will Address Big Picnic Across the River SCHMAHL HERE SUNDAY Governor J. A. Burnquist of Minn- esota will come through on No. 3 next Monday for a Monday afternoon meeting at Mandan, where a big pic- nic is planned. He will leave Man- dan on No. 8 Monday afternoon for Steele, whence he will speak ten min- utes from a platform erected especial- ly for his convenience. Monday even- ing he will speak at Valley City, Tues- day morning at Fargo, Tuesday after- noon at Hillsboro, and Tuesday even- ing, at Grand Forks, where he will close the campaign for the Indepen- dent Voters’ association The coming of Burnquist, fresh from his Minnesota conquest, is expected to have an important bearing on the result in this state, where he will Oppose the Nonpartisan league pro- gram which he successfully contested in the Minnesota primary campaign. The biggest meeting of the cam- paign in Bismarck will be held bere at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon, when Secretary of State Julius Schmahl will be principal speaker. If the good weather continues, this meeting will he held out-of-doors on the Auditor- ium commons. Otherwise the Audi- torium will be used. ——auy W. 5, FOREST FIRES IN MONTANA Washington, June 21.—Fires in na- tional forests located in western Mon- tana and northern Idaho are assuming a most dangerous aspect, according to reports today to chief forester Graves. Forest officials have suggest- ed asking the war department for men from army camps nearby to as- sist during the emergency. Seven fires in the Blackfoot, two in the Couer d’Alene and others out of control in the Pend Oreille and Kan- iksu national forests were reported. Fire fighting patrols have been joubled over the danger areas but fn unusually dry season has made the guard ineffectual. i BUY We 8, Se o—— | Today’s Weather | > North Dakota: Fair tonight and Saturday, warmer in west portion to- night. South Dakota: Fair tonight and probably Saturday’ ‘cooler in south- the extent of the prospective increase. east portion tonight. DEFENSES OF PIAVE RIVER Internal Conditions in Austria Continue to Men- ace Military Operations—Food Riots Are Com- mon and Martial Law May Follow ———_»-___- (By ASSOCIATED PRESS) GRAVE EVENTS IMPENDING Paris, June 21.Grave events are impending on the British front, according to military experts, who see in the intensity of the German cannonade at various points the preliminary steps of a new German attack. poirited out that the fourth army group under Crown Prince Rupprecht, of Bavaria has had leisure for reor- ganization since it was engaged in battle and now is ready It is STRAIGHTEN OUT LINE With the American Army in France, June 21—The American forces northwest of Chateau Thierry this morning further straight- ened their. line by a series of small but brilliantly executed at- tacks on the‘side of Belleau wood. Stout Italian resistance has again stopped the Austrians in their efforts to extend their front on the Montello plateau, the keystone of the Italian defense on the Piave river. Official announcement is made at Rome that the Austrians were defeated in a drive yesterday. on the northeastern. section of the plateau and that only o nthe south were they able to make any progress whatever. The enemy was abl to cross the Monte- belluna-Susegana railway at several points near Nervesa station, but even at this point was promptly stopped. AUSTRIANS CHECKED Nervesa is a village on the west bank of the Piave on the extreme southeastern point of the Montello plateau. 2 The rail- military maps and probably has been built quite recently. On the north and west the plateau slopes up steeply to wooded heights, while on the south are lowlands sim- ilar to those further down, where the Austrians have been checked by the Italian defense. As the Austrians have for some days held postions near Nervesa the net result of their last attack is appar- American aviators are now actively engaged on the Piave in the week that they were ‘on their way to the battle area, and it is reported that they have fea- tured their arrivel by participating in a bombing. expedition against the bridges the Austrians have flung across the river. They were successful.in damaging a bridge and their work satisfied the com- mander of the Italian aerial forces under whom they are fighting. _ Raiding operations are reportéd’on the British front; while A French have improved their positions on the front to the south- Harrassed in Vienna Austria's offensive against.Italy ap- parently has resolved itself into'a de- fensive movement both in the moun- tains and along the Piave. While facing allied counter attacks on the fighting front the Austrian govert- ment is being harrassed in Vienna and elsewhere by popular outbreaks caus: ed by food conditions. Spurred on by their successful re- sistance, Italian troops are making re- peated attacks against the enemy po- sitions west of the Fiave and have gained some ground. In the moun- tains around « Asiago, Franco-Itallan troops have reoccupied: important po- sitions. Wednesday the bag of Aus- trian prisoners aggregated nearly 2,- uv, bringing the total captures to 11,000. On Defensive. Vienna, in its official statement, ad- mits that its troops are on the defens- ive and is content to report that all Italian attacks, especially along the Piave, have been repulsed. The fight- ing is now in its’s seventh day and the Austrians west of the Piave prob- ably are in a more precarious position than at any time since last Saturday. Around Montello, , on the northern end of the Piave line, the Austrians have been driven back slightly. Their efforts to advance near Zenson, near the center of the line, have been checked with severe losses. At San Dona di Plave and on the Fossetta canal the Italians have driven the en- emy from ground gained earlier in the week. Heavy Rains ‘Reported. Heavy rains are’ reported in the mountains and these may add to the torrent in the Piave which already has washed away many bridges. With the flooded river behind the enemy thé Italian counter attacks are gaining in strength in an effort to wipe out or capture the troops which have crossed the Piave and have been unable to ad- vance into the Venetian plain. Riots in Vienna. : Riots are reported in suburbs of Vienna and 100,000 workmen in im- portant war manufacturies there are on strike. The situation apparently is growing beyond control of the civil authorities and martial law in the Aus- trian capital is not unlikely. The workmen continue to demand more bread and the agitation is spreading. Advices received in neutral countries are to the effect that the present trouble is the most serious the Aus- - trian government has faced and ‘is causing grave apprehension through- out the country. Germany appears unable to help because it is faced with a serious food situation itself. Americans Busy. Sub-normal fighting activity contin- ues generally n the front in France and Belgium. The American troops appear to be the only ones who aré busy and the actions which have oc- cupied them have not been extensive. West of Montdidier American troops in a short and desperate en- gagement have cleaned out German trenches and machine gun. nests at Cantigny. Most of the Germans who remained to fight the Americans were killed while a number were made p! oners. Reports are False. Berlin officially claims that Ger- man troops have penetrated the — (Continued on Page Five.)