Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, July 2, 1916, Page 1

- Part One NEWS SECTION PAGES 1 TO 12. DRIVE SMASHES GERMAN LINES Huge Wedge Penetrates Teuton Army Nearly Five Miles as Result of Grand Offen- sive Under Way. BOTH SIDES OF SOMME At 8ix O'clock the British Push Past Village of Albert Short Distance. FRENCH TAKE THIAUMONT Paris, July 1.—The French have re- taken the Thiaumont work, according to the official statement issued by the war office tonight. London, July 1.—The grand offen- sive on the western front begun by the British and French on both sides of the Riyer Somme, sixty miles north of Paris, early this morning, has al- ready resulted in a great wedge being driven into the German lines along a sixteen-mile front with its sharp point penetrating nearly five miles. At 6 o'clock tonight the British had rushed from a short distance east of Albert as far as Montauban, more than vfie miles away, and had re- pulsed a German counter attack on that village. Number of Villages Taken. Both to the north and the south a number of other villages, including Hebusterne, Serre La Boishelle and Mametz, had been swept out of Ger- man hands, some them only after de- termined resistance on the part of the three defenders. Fricourt, three miles east of Albert, was still in German possesion in the early evening, but with the capture of Montauban and Mametz to the east and southeast of it, and La Boishelle to the northeast, the place was nearly surrounded and its speedy surrender seemed inevitable. Farther south the French are co- operating with the British and have taken the village of Curlu and scored other notable advances. Million Shots Daily. The entente allied drive was begun against German trenches leveled after a seven-day bombardment in which more than 1,000,000 shots daily had been fired. -;u«---«j’(yssian troops_continue to drive bac i the Austro-Hungarian army in the region south of the Dneister river, in Galicia, says the Russian official statement. Many places south of Kolomea have been occupied by the forces of Em- peror Nicholas. It is announced that on June 28 and 29 General Letchitzky took prisoner 305 officers and 14,574 men, making a total of 317,000 Austro- Hungarians captured since June 4. Take Mametz, British Headquarters in . France, July 1.—(Via London.)—In pushing their offensive against the Germans, the British have taken the village of Mametz. Friecourt, which has been held tenaciously by the Germans, has been nearly surounded. Under a pall of smoke, with the un- broken roar of artillery, the struggle over the longest line of any offensive yet undertaken on the western front, which began at 7:30 o'clock this morning, is continuing at this hour. From a hill the Associated Press correspondent watched the beginning of the battle. Notwithstanding the fact that troops have been moved to the front in immense: numbers for the attack, there are still remaining billets in the rear which are apparently unneces-| sary in working out the present plans. | Whole Line Shelled. With deliberate and methodical precision, the gathering of human and mechanical material proceeded. The whole line was included in the preliminary bombardment for the purpose of deceiving the Germans as to the point of attack. Overwhelming as was the power of the guns, the significant spectacle was detachments of infantry, in field fighting equipment, moving forward until finally the dugouts were hives of khaki about to swarm forth to bat- tle. Each of the officers had maps ahd directions in detail of the part his unit was to play in the complicated scheme of attack. The men had sewn in their uni- forms insignia to designate the dif- ferent units amid the dust and smoke | of action. As the battalions marched they sang the tunes they used to sing on the drill grounds at home. There were quiet and undemonstra- tive English. There were brawny (Continued on Page 2, Column 1.) For Nebraska—Fair and continued warm. Temperatures at Omaha Yesterday. Hour. EEEEEE LT EEEE Y T Comparative Local Record. . 1916, 1914, 1913, 7 Highest yesterday 82 83 20 Lowest yesterda. 59 60 68 Mean temperature TOIRTIN 1 Precipitation .00 .08 00 o Temperature and precipitation departures from the normal: Total excess since Normal prectpitation .16 Inch Defleiency for the day. .16 inch Total rainfall since March 1.... 9.22 Inches Detlelency since March 1, 1916.. 4.88 Inches Deflatency for cor, period, 1916.. 2.74 inches Deficlency for cor. period, 1914.. .38 inch THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE MIGHTY ALLIED - BRITONS TAKE 20 'pgUigLac 35y MILES OF TRENCHES General Offensive is Launched Against German Line North of River Somme. PENETRATE FIVE MILES British Headquarters in France, July 1.—Reports received ftrom the front up to 12:30, seven hours after the combined French and British of- fensive was launched, showed that the allies had captured the towns of La Boiselle, Serre Montauban, Curlu and Faviere Woods. The main first line trenches over the entire front un- der attack are reported to have been stormed, and at various points the fighting has reached the main second line. These reports show that the French and British at the points of their furthest advances have broken through a distance oi more than five miles beyond the first German trenches. Montauban is five and a half miles east of the old British front and Curlu Wood is six miles east-southeast of Albert, The British are endeavoring to sur- round Thiepval, and at-other points an intense struggle is under way for towns and villages. Reports from the front indicate that the important German position at Fricourt may be cut off, General Attack Launched. After weeks of intense bombard- ment with guns of every caliber, fir- ing a million shells daily, the British, early today, launched a general offen- sive against the German line along a front of twenty miles, north of the river Somme. They succeeded in taking the German tront line trenches and capturing many men. The Frencii, on the British right, co-operated in the attack. When the last despatch, thus far received, left British headquarters, the fighting was still progressing, and further suc- cesses, it was said, were being re- corded. The front selected for the British offensive was decided upon many weeks ago and the bombardment of the rest of the line as well as the fre- quent raids which procured for Brit- ish headquarters important informa- |\tion as to the disposition of the Ger- mans, was designed to keep the Ger- man generals uncertain as to the point at which they would be called upon to meet the brunt of the attack. Bombardment Is Intense. This is the first time since the out- breakof the war that the intention of an army to undertake an offensive has been so well advertised. A week ago, when the German attacks against Verdun began to make further head- way and it was feared the army of the crown prince was. getting within a distance of Verdun which was dan- gerous for the allies, the British guns began to speak. Since then, except for the hours when British infantry- men were raiding German trenches, a continual bombardment has been maintained. Batteries which now are innumer- able, took turns at smashing the Ger- man defenses, destroying communica- tlon_t;enches and blowing up am- munition depots. New trench mortars, particularly destructive, tore away wire entangelements, broke down parapets and generally opened the way for men with rifles and bayonets. Big guns of fifteen inches and other large calibers prevented the Germans from bringing up supports, wrecking everything within range. Two Towns Destroyed. _ The artillery fire was particularly intense on a stretch of the front north of the Somme and earlier dis- patches told of the destruction of the towns of Thiepval and Beaycourt, where the Germans had concentrated ammunition. Early this morning more guns were brought into action on this twenty-mile sector and for an hour and a half the Germans were subjected to a bomhardment which is described as the fiercest experienced in this war of heavy artillery, Million Shells Fired Daily. The tremendous offensive which has been launched by the British army on the German front is the cul- | mination of u five days’ bombardment | which, in the amount of ammunition !expended and in the territory involv- | ed, ccceeds anything of the kind that Ihas been previously known in the | world war, For some weeks reports have been current in England and France that ithe “big push” of the British was about to commence. It was stated that England had 2,000,000 men, fully equipped and trained, in preparation for the supreme effort to break the | German lines. More than 1,000,000 shell: are declared to have been fired daily in the preliminary bombardment which extended over a front ninety miles in length. . Offensive in All Fields. The allies are now on the offensive in practically every field of the war, The British assault comes on the heels of the great successes won by the Russians in Galicia and Buko- .| wina, which have resulted in com- pletely driving the Austrians from Bukowina, and are still continuing. On the Italian front the central pow- ers have also met with severe re- verses and for several days the Ital- ians have been dteadily driving the Austrians from position after position m the Trentino. The defense also of erdun the Erench .ppears to have stiffenéd, and “the balance of battle in that bitterly contested sector ap- pears recently to have swayed in fa- vor of the defenders. Cotton Market Breaks Two Dollars a Bale New York, July L—A break of fully $2 a bale followed the publica- tion of the government's crop report in the cotton market here today. Re- cent private reports had indicated a crop condition of about 79.6 per cent on the average, but the government report made it 81.1, oo REP. *oANS IN SCRAPPY CONFAB Committee Finally Named to Recommend New Oentral Committee and Con- vention Delegates. ‘BOB’ SMITH MAKES THREAT Tells Committee if Right Men Not Chosen Candidates Will Not Contribute. PRECEDENT IS FOLLOWED By order registered in a “scrappy” meeting of the county committee the Douglas county republican convention is called for Saturday, July 22. The committec met in court room | No. 1 of the county court house and the convention is to be held in the same place. Following precedent, cach county central committeeman is to certify two republicans from his precinct as delegates. By resolution a subcommittee of seven was named to recommend the eligible republicans for service on a new central committee and for dele- gates to the state convention, subject to the county convention. This committee consists of Harry Byrne, James E. Hammond, J. M. Calabria, Myron L. Learned, M. ]. Greevy, George H. Brewer and T. I. Mahammit. Wanted Thomas to Choose. The fight of the afternoon came up over the resolution creating this com- mittee and empowering it to recom- mend the names of the new central committee. The opposition wanted to let Chairman Amos Thomas control the selection or give it over to the candidates on the ticket. Though not a member of the committee, “Bob” Smith charged that it was an effort of the ofd committee to perpetuate it- self, and declared he and_his fellow candidates ought to determine who the new committee should be. The resolution was introduced by T. J. McGuire, regular member of the committee, and “Bob” Smith, attend- ing only as a candidate, immediately began a vigorous talk against it, being recognized just as though he had a right on the floor. Candidate “Bob’s” Threat, Judge A. L. Sutton, likewise attend- ing as candidate for governor, also argued against the resolution, and Smith threatened, in effect, to with- hold contributions if the personnel of the new campaign committee was not to his liking. “The choice of the officers, at least, of this new committee,” said Smith, “should be left to the candidates. You'll want campaign contributions and you'll come to the candidates for them. Certainly the candidates who give these contributions should have something to say as to the men to handle these campaign funds. Colonel C. L. Mather, after a con- ference with “Bob,” introduced a sub- stitute resolution ignoring the matter of selecting the new committee and providing for a committee of five to be appointed by Chairman Amos Thomas, with himself as chairman of the subcommittee, to report to the county convention the names of the state convention delegates. Would Consult Candidates. Both Byrne and Hammond got to their feet and declared that as their names were proposed on the subcom- mittee they desired to announce pub- licly that they had no thought of act- ing without consulting with the candi- dates. But even this open prumisrl did not satisfy “Bob.” “If you don't| trust us, you cannot expect us to trust | you,” he retorted. At this point Fred Hoye moved to | table both resolutions and start all over, which motion was voted down; but after a little parliamentary squab- ble, like a flash, the motion to table came up again and this time Chairman Thomas ruled the resolutions tabled | on a viva voca vote. McGuire appealed from his decision and succeeded in getting a vote over- whelmingly overruling the chair, and when the count was taken it was found that the resolutions were by no means tabled. The Mather resolution was then voted down, and the McGuire resolu- tion carried, 21 to 10. Treasury Figures | On Bond Issue to | Meet Mex. Expenses Washington, July 1.—Treasury of- ficials were today figuring the treas- ury's net balance for the fiscal year, | which ended last midnight, to de- termine whether a bond issue will be | necessary to care for expenses caused by the Mexican crisis. There is an agreement among the administration leaders to ask congress to authorize such an isssue if ordinary | resources of the treasury ard the ad- ditional $210,000,000 cxpected from the administration revenue bill are not sufficient. The expenses incident to the Mexi- can emergency already provided for or estimated approximate $125,000,- | 000. This, as wcrl as any further ex- pense, would be covered in the pro- posed bond issue. 'El Paso Saloons Reo_pgg Until Six El Paso, Tex., July 1.—The saloons of El Paso, ordered closed by Mayor Lea Thursday night when there were strong disturbances growing out of the carmen’s strike, were allowed to| reopen today. They must close at 6] p. m., however, | Representatives of the carmen and | the car company arranged a confer- | ence today. NG, JULY |and dairy 2 < UNCLE SAM’S “BELGIAN RATTLESNAKE”—Great interest attached to the tests of the Lewis machine gun at Plattsburg camp. ported, have just been purchased for the United States army. 1916—SEVEN SECTIONS—FORTY PAGES. Two hundred and fifty of these guns, it is re- These guns, together with 6,000,000 cartridges, were manufactured for the British government and according to Brit- ish specifications. VISITORS' DAY AT CAMP NOREHEAD Only Celebration of Fourth Will Be Open House for Friends of the Soldiers. FIFTH IS NEARLY READY Lincoln, Neb., July 1.—There will be no Fourth of July celebration at Camp Morehead, Nebraska's mobiliza- tion camp, according to he decision of a*conference between. . Gowernor Morehead and the National Guard of- ficers this morning. The day will be, however, designated as visitors' day and special arrangements will be made to welcome all who may come. With the exception of full equip- ment, the Fourth regiment is ready to entrain for the border, upon call. The Fifth regiment will be fully mustered {and examined by tomorrrow night, it was said. A strict eensorship has been established in accordance with orders from Secretary of War Baker. First Troops at El Paso. El Paso, July 1.—Two batteries of the Fifth artillery, B and C, arrived here today from Fort Sill, Okl. One detrained down town and the other at Fort Bliss. Other troop trains bearing Na- tional Guardsmen are uncaring El Paso, being due to arrive some time today. Illinois Boys Sleep in Street. Springfield, 11, July 1.—After sleeping blanketless all night in the streets, the First cavalry, Illinois Na- tioal Guard, entrained for the bor- der early today after a delay of fif- teen hours, caused by the railroads, failure to furnish equipment. Camp Douglas, Wis., July 1.—Two batteries of artillery, Wisconsin Na- tional Guard, entrained for the bor- der today. [nformation regarding their destination was withheld. Kansas and Missouri Entrain. Fort Riley, Kan,, July 1.—The first section of the Second infantry, Kan- sas National Guard, left here this morning for the south. Nevada, Mo., July 1.—The artillery battalion and signal corps unit of the Missouri National Guard entrained to- day. Argentina Denies Sale 0f Guns to Carranza Buenos Ayres, July 1.—Official de- nial was given today to the report that the Argentine government had sold armament to General Carranza. A dispatch from i1 Paso June 28 said agents there of a Mexico City bank had received reports that Ar- gentina had sold the Carranza gov- ernment 180 machine guns. The Bee's Fund for Free Milk and Ice Here’s $2.50 for The Bee milk and ice fund,” said C. F. Bossie, city milk inspector, this after he read the morning Bee with the announcement of the fund. “I believe,” he continued, “this is 1| splendid idea. I know a lot of good was accomplished last year. I hope everybody will help. It is one of the best ways to help the little ones this summer. Push it along.” Every cent you give to this fund helps the helpless children of the wor- thy poor. The money is cxpended through agencies already established, | so that none is wasted in paying sal- aries, etc. Send yours in now. Here are the subscribers to the fund already: The ites . 5.00 Jonathan Ediards ... 5.00 C. F. Bossle, . 250 Dahlman Demoorac, 5.00 Dan_ B. Butler. . 5.00 M. Withnell 500 i 1.00 « 5.00 100 834,001 morning, | 'RUSSIAN FORCES CAPTURE KOLOMEA Czar's Men Occupy Most Im- portant Railway Center in Bukowina Region. MESSAGE TELLS THE STORY | London, July 1.—The announce- ment that the Russians had captured | Kolomea, Galicia, reached here early "today in a laconic special communi- | cation from Petrograd. This com- munication merely said: “We have taken Kolomea, the most important railway center in the Bukowina region.” Six Athletic Club | Directors in Race ' For New Members One of the sporting events in Oma- ha this week will be the race of six of Omaha's big business men to get fifty members each for the Athletic club of Omaha, These men, A. W. Jefferis, F. W. Judson, George Brandeis, W. A. Fra- ser, Nels B. Updike and George E. Haverstick, all directors of the club, Friday afternoon pledged themselves to do this work, The betting odds are on Nels Up- dike as the man who will get his fifty members first. Thus far Mr, Updike is leading by several lengths the other directors in the member- ship campaign. “We agreed to work half a day each | week,” President Fraser of the club | said Friday after the meeting. “I can | get fifty easily. “We want to get this membership work closed up and start on the new building. Some of the dircctors want to start the building before we get the membership campaign closed. We've got to get started pretty soon 50 we can have the club house com- pleted before winter sets in.” Cotton Production And Area Planted Show an Increase Washington, July 1.—Present condi- | tions_indicate a cotton crop of 14,- 266,000 equivalent 500-pound bales this year. The Department of Agriculture | forecasts this total production today in connection with its report announc- |ing the condition of the crop én June 25 and the preliminary estimate of this year's acreage. Last year's crop, the smallest since 1909, was 11,191,- 820 bales, while two years ago it was 16,134,930 bales, the biggest crop ever grown. In 1913 it was 14,156,486 bales land in 1912 the production was 13,- | 1703421 Dales. In its preliminary estimate of the | arca of cotton in cultivation this year | the department places the figure at 33,994,000 acres. That compares with 132,107,000 acres, the revised estimate of acreage in cultivation a year ago, and with 36,832,000 acres harvested | in 1914, | | The condition of the growing crop | on June 25 was 811 per cent of a !normal, as \*omyarvd with 77.5 per | cent on May 25 this year, 80.2 per cent on June 25 last year and 80.2 per cent, the average condition for the | last ten years on June 25. |Bill for Relief of Guard's Families | Passes the House| Washington, July 1.—The Hay bill, appropriating $2,000,000 for dependent families of National Guardsmen, called or drafted in the present emergency, was passed by the house today. The | bill, which now goes to the senate, allows not exceeding $50 a month to the dependent families in the discre- | tion u} the sccretary of war, TRENCHES CHANGE HANDS TWICE IN DAY Battles for Possession of Posi- tions in Verdun Arena Oon- tinue With Much Fury. FIGHTING LAST ALL NIGHT Paris, July 1.—After four violent at- tacks with liquid fire the Germans succeeded in capturing the pogition east of Hill No. 304, which was taken by the French yesterday. The French made a counter attack and recaptured the position, according to an official statement issued by the war office today. After several furious assaults the Germans succeeded in penetrating the works around Thiaumont, which were captured by the French yesterday, ac- cording to the officiai statement. The approaches to Thiaumont are still in the hands of the French. On the west of the Meuse fighting of great violence lasted throughout the night in the neighborhood of the Esnes-Avocourt road. The Germans attacked heavily both east and west of Hill No. 304, but most of their at- tacks were repuised. Nancy was bom- barded by German long range guns. Option on Ralston Expires With No Trace of Schaeffer Option secured by S. E. Schaeffer, promoter of the so-called Rialto com- panies, upon the Ralston townsite, ex- pired at midnight Th-irsday without being exercised, and title to the prop- erty reverts unclouded to the Ral- ston Townsite company. Failure of Schaefier to exercise the option marks the end of his promo- tion project to found a movie city at Ralston, it is believed. No investors placed their money in Schaeffer's scheme and the only losers are those who extended credit to Schaeffer. The whereabouts of the promoter is unknown here. Henry Pollock, a cousin, has returned to Omaha after visiting Milwaukee in search of Schaeffer, and says no trace of him can be found there. His wife and children are awaiting his return to Milwaukee. Rogers Departs And Court House Breathes Easier Everything is quiet at the county hospital. Fred Rogers, deposed superintendent, has quietly folded his tent and taken his departure, and Superintendent Woods, appointed last Monday, has already taken charge. The bombshell which Rogcrsl threatened to burst in the county commission, which he intimated had something to do with the purchase of supplies, has failed to materialize. Breathing in the court house again audible. is Fanning to Put the Postoffice on a High Plane, Says Mayor marked Mayor Dahlman when he learned of the appointment of Charles | E. Fanning as postmaster. “There s a man of great executive ability. He will put the office on a high plane. The rank and file of lo- cal democrats will be pleased,” con- tinued the mayor, still talking about Fanning. The mayor regards Colonel Fan- ning as a_ simon-pure representative of the “plain people.” THE WEATHER FAIR SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS. DE FACTO CHIEF DOES NOT REPLY T0 LANSING NOTE Defiant Statement to Mexican People is Not Followed by Answer to the United States. SITUATION MARKING TIME Little Probability of Definite Action Until Congress Re- convenes Wednesday. FUNSTON KEEPS QUIET Washington, July 1.—Unless Gen- eral Carranza's reply to . the last American note arrives today and is as defiant as private advices from Mex- ico City have indicated, it is consid- ered probable President Wilson will have to wait at least until next Wednesday before placing the Mex- ican situation before congress, as the house planned to adjourn today over the Fourth, It was plain that administration officials were impatient at the failure to receive any word of when the Mex- ican note might be expected, since the demand for a prompt reply went to Mexico City last Sunday. Strong assurances may be given in the Mexican reply, it is believed by officials here, of the de facto govern- ment's ability to protect the border against further raids. The Mexican embassy stated fifty troops would be available for this service if the Amer- ican force is withdrawh. Developments at a Standstill. Developments in the Mexican crisis were at a standstill, while the United States government awaited impatient- ly Carranza's reply. Messages received at the State dee partment from Special Agent Rodg- ers at Mexico City made no mention of the Mexicdn answer, Mr. Rodg- ers so far has been unable to forecast the action of General Carranza and the only intimations reaching here haye been through diplomatic and private dispatches, These have in« dicated that the de facto government was preparing to stand by its attitude of hostility toward nited States troops across *the border. Upon his return ‘from New York President Wilson went over all the advices at hand, but learned virtuall nothing he did not know when he left Carlin Tells of Finding Bottle Dropped by Orpet Watkegan, Ill, July 4\—-Harry k Carlin} who one week after the death of Mation Lambert found the bottle of molasses and water which Will H, Orpet said he threw away when he fled from Marion's body, took the stand today in the trial of Orpet, charged with the murder of Miss Lambert. Attorney David Joslyn of the prosecution doubled and twisted, seeking to betray the witness into a damaging admission, + Carlin usually replied with a grin. “When you came upon the bottle did it look the same to you as when first you saw it?” asked Joslyn, “I never saw it before in my life,” The witness said he called other persons who were with him on the search and drew their attention to the bottle. Joslyn asked why. “Because I knew the bottle would figure in the case and that they would be called as witnesses.” In response to another query as to the reasom for his actions, Carlin replied: “I was working for the defense to clear this boy—to establish his ifinoe cence.” & Ida Grove Farmer | Commits Suicide Ida Grove, la., July 1.—(Special Telegram.)+J. C. Phares, aged about « 40, a prominent farmer living several miles southwest of Ida Grove, come mitted suicide last evening, using a revolver and shooting himself through the head. He had gone out- doors apparently to take a nap in the hammock, and in a few minutes his wife was startled by the sound of the report. Phares had been sufferin from cancer in his neck for sevdra months and probably had only a few more weeks to live. He had gone about his farm work getting his crops out and putting everything in readi- ness the last few days. He has been suffering terrible agonies and, reals izing that death was inevitable, he de- cided to put himself out of pain, ale though he gave no intimation of his plans to his family. PHENOMENAL SUCCESS For the 18th con- secutive week Bee Want-Ads have made a gain of over 1,000 PAID ads over same period of 1915, 1316 MORE PAID Want-Ads for the Week just - ended 7-1, than same week one year ago.