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VOLUME Xl\
RUSSIAN CONGRESS VOTES SOLIDLY FOR WAR
PROTECTION IN FOOD
IND FDEL BOTH SORE
SAYS SENATOR SMITH
Declares “the People Can Rest
Assured Congress Will Put
an Absolute End to Specula
tion and Manipulation"
—————
The people can accept !t as abso
lutely certain, declared Senator Hoke
Smith In an Interview with a represen
tative of The Journal in Atlanta Thurs
day. that congress will give them legis
lation that will absolutely put an end
to speculation in and manipulation of
the prices of food and fuel.
Senator Smith is here on a flying trip
following his address to the graduating
class of the -University of Georgia in
Athens Wednesday. He will be in At
lanta until Friday afternoon, and then
return to- Washington.
Senator Smith, in his interview, made
it plain that he is not opposed to legis
lation to protect the people from spec
ulation and manipulation, but is opposed
only to' certain features of th# food con
trol bill as submitted to congress.
His view is that protection of the con
sumer of food should be accomplished
withodt laying a hardship on the pro
ducer of food, and he has opposed only
those features of the food control bill
which might have the last named* effect
and which also might have the effect of'
injuring southern farmers by fixing a
maximum price on cotton.
In the course of his interview. Sena
tor Smith paid a very high compliment
to ’Herbert Hoover, whom the president
has selected for food director, and ex
pressed the hope that Mr. Hoover will
not resign because of the delay in per
fecting the food control bill.
THE INTERVIEW.
"One of the features to which I most
objected in the original food control
bill.” said Senator Smith, "was a pro
vision authorizing the fixing of maxi
mum prices on ail agricultural products.
“I was fully convinced that it was a
part of tha program to fix a maximum
price on cotton, and as we had been
unable to secure any help towards fixing
a minimum price on cottun in 1914. when
we needed it. I was opposed to fixing a
maximum price at this time.
"That deiin.ie section has been strick
en from the bill, but there are several I
provisions left which are very extreme. ■
One is a provision by which the food
director might claim the authority to
fix maximum prices on agricultural prod
ucts. I am sure this can l>e eliminated'
by an amendment.
"I do not believe the bill as now writ -
ten ought to pass, but I believe congress
should study the subject very tarefully.
and pass a bill giving all necessary pow
er to the food director to meet the re
sponsibilities of the situation.
"I am opposed to any effort to filibus
ter against the bill. X strongly favor a
fair discussion and improvement of the
bill, and then action.
"It can bo accepted as absolately cer
tain that wo will havo legislation that'
will absolutely put an end to specula
tion in and manipulation of the prices of
food and fuel.
"While the producer of foodstuffs
ought to be encouraged to laree produc
tion and insured fair compensation, we
must see that the consumer ceases to
be robbed.
PRAISES MR. HOOVER.
“Mr. Hoover, whom President Wilson
has selected as food director, was before
the food committee of the senate for two
days. X was there all the time, and X re
gard him as one of the ablest and most
patriotic men I have ever known. He is
filled with the purpose of service and in
endowed with the executive ability to
perform the responsible tasks which the
president has placed upon him
"X hope he will not be discouraged by
the neceeeary delay required to perfect
reasonable and wise legislation. X woull
be willing and glad to pass a joint reac
tion expressing confidence in him and
urgng him to stay on the job.
"The public must understand that the
vast amount of bills called administra
tion measures which come before con
gress have not been prepared or even
read by the president. Assistants in va
rious departments get up the oills.
Having had a subject of legislation laid
before them, they try to cover every
possible power connected with ft.
"Both the house and the senate owe
the president and the public the absolute
duty to make these measures workable
before they are passed.
"The work of congress during this
extra session has been most remarkable.
It would take a long list to show every
thing that hag been done.
"One appropriation act for the army
and navy carried the stupendous sum of
$3. •00.006,000 and In its details provided
for the expenditure of this money.
"One act authorized the Issuance of
$7,000,000,000 of bonds and provided for
their use.
"One act provided for Increasing the
army to 1,500.000 men and provided for
their organisation.
URGES PATIENCE
"The public will do themselves and
the country and the president a great
Injury if by their Impatience they induce
a haste in congress that brings about
the passage of immature legislation.
"I am not surprised at the patriotism
and readiness for self-denial which I
And Indicated by all Georgians.
"I never doubted that this be
their attitude.”
Senator Smith has been working ex
tremely hard In the discharge of the du
ties devolving upon him during the ardu
ous extra session, which already has
written some of the most important
chapters in American history, and the
strain has told on his strength.
But his general health is good and
he is taking scrupulous care of himself,
meanwhile looking forward to the time
when he can avail himself of a vacation
and a complete rest.
House Finally Settles
Down to Business
WASHINGTON. June XI —Opposition
to the food control bill in congress Is
giving way. The "folks back home” are
making their pressure felt.
After a ehlf hour of legislative jockey-
Full Associated Press Service
TEUTON SUBMARINE
RAMMED AND SUNK
BY U. S. DESTROYER
German-Born American Blue
jacket Is First to Sight Ene
my Craft and Give Warning
of- Its Presence
BASE OF THE AMERICAN NAVY
FLOTILLA IN ENGLAND. June XI.—A
German submarine was rammed • and
sunk by an American destroyer, after a
German-born American bluejacket had
spied out the under-water craft, accord
ing to belief expressed by the crew of a
certain American sea-watchdog which
returned to port today.
This is the first German submarine
the word of whose sinking has been re
ported by crews of the American patrol
flotilla.
The destroyer in question was cruising
through a calm sea. Directly ahead the
forward lookout sighted a periscope.
The submarine to which It was attached
almost immediately submerged. By that
time the destroyer was so close to the
spot where the periscope had showed
that its guns could not be depressed
sufficiently to fire. Every member of the
destroyer's crew crowded the rails,
eagerly scanning the water for the sub
surface shadow which would reveal the
enemy craft.
In the midst of this eager watch, a
German-born sailor In the crow's nest
of the destroyer shouted, "There she Is!”
pointing directly alongside the destroy
er. The American commander Instantly
swung his ship and those on board de
clared they felt the impace of a collision.
But even If the submarine was not
rammed, those who told the story said
today it was likely "another anti-sub
marine device,” which was immediately
brought into play by the American de
stroyer. finished the job.
Folks "back home” in the United
States can be sure that the American
flotilla here is tn the thick of things.
Yesterday a German U-boat torpedoed a
British ship at the very gates of the
port where the American destroyers
make their base —and at a time when
two American vessels of the fleet were
convoying It.
The American destroyers were swing
ing in a circle about their charge when
the submarine suddenly popped a tor
pedo and immediately disappeared be
neath the surface. One of the crew of
the vessel was killed by the explosion.
One of the American ships landed the
remainder. Among the survivors was
William McDonald, of. Buffalo, N. Y.
ing today the house agreed to end gen
eral debate at 2:30. Chairman Lever,
of the agricultural committee failed to
get unanimous consent to end debate
at once. Representative Cannon said
the bill should be discussed thoroughly
—and tacitly threatened trouble when
he said a quorum—an unusual thing
In the house—r-should be present at all
times.
Republicans will caucus tonight to
decide a policy toward the bill and will
<|-cuss possible amendments. They
are generally in favor of the bill as a
principle.
Working to the end of reaching some
compromise agreement. Senator Cham
berlain, in charge of the bill, conferred
with representatives of the agriculture
and attorney general's department to
day relative to leaving out certain fea
tures Hoover has said he does not need
and on which the heaviest opposition
has centered.
These embrace the requisition of
mines, factories and other plants In
whlhc necessaries are prepared or pro
duced.
At the same time conferences were
held by those favoring the bill to de
termine what can be given up In the
' measure and those opposing it confer
red to determine how much they would
concede.
Prediction was made that "within ten
days we will be able absolutely t<>
agree and pass food control measure.”
Authorizing creation of a food control
department with power to enter into a
common buying agreement with the al
lies, an appropriation to administer the
control work, antl-hoardlng and specula
tion legislation, a licensing section, pos
sibly minimum price-fixing authority,
and measures to get at the retailer. •
The bill will be striped of most of its
phases which would permit other than
volunteer agreements attained by the
proposed control department.
"We can Iron out the measure all
right." Senator Vadamar., one of the
strongest said today.
"There are some splendid features In
it. I am heartily in accord with the
principles of it. We will adopt some
thing to accomplish the end desired by
all of this In this situation.”
Senator Gore, one of the leaders of
the fight against the bill, was of the
same opinion, and declared Senator Reed,
bitterest antl-control member, felt like
wise.
"We are going to get together on
something soon, I think,” Gore said.
"The airing given the bill yesterday
showed we're not so far apart on It after
all—those for It and those who have op
posed it. There is no question that
something must and will be done, and it
will embody all that Is necessary. The
only thing to do Is to keep the bill with
in the limitations of the constitution.”
So good did those in charge of the
bill feel about the change in atmosphere
that they predicted its passage in some
form wtthin two weeks.
Herbert Hoover, returning from New
York, where he has been investigating
the export situation and neutral grain
purchasing, will confer again with sen
ators tomorrow morning, and Is expected
to lay some additional facts before them
on the need for quick action on the con
trol bill.
William J. Bryan passing through the
capital today added his endorsement to
the administration food bill In this state
ment:
•'A government that can commandeer
the lives of its young men and call for
the money of Its older men should have
power to protect the whole people from
the greed of unpatriotic few. I am
not afraid to trust the president with
the •powers which the food adminis
tration bill proposes to confer. He acts
In daylight and without a selfish in
terest No president would abuse such
a power."
ATLANTA, GA., FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 1917.
WOMAN LEADS MDB
IN ATTACK ON SUFF
PICKER AT CAPITOL
Screaming ‘Traitors’ Mrs. Dee
Richardson Heads Assailants
on Suffrage Guards at Two
White House Gates
WASHINGTON, June 21.—Screaming
"traitors," an angry mob led by Mrs.
Dee Richardson attacked the suffrage
pickets at both the west and east gates
of the White House this afternoon, rip
ping down their yellow banners and
trampling them In the street.
Police reserves were called out to
quell the'rioting. In which several thou
sand men" and a large number of wom
en took part. Nearly 10,000 persons
witnessed the rout of the suffrage
pickets.
Mrs. Richardson, leader of the mob,
was taken to headquarters by Police
woman Farllng. She was taken away
amid the applause and jeers of hundreds.
No charge was placed against her.
Miss Hazel Hunkins, one of the
pickets, climbed upon the palings of the
White House fence, holding her flag
aloft in a vain endeavor to save It. Mrs.
Richardson climbed up after her,
scratching and clawing, and, after a bit
ter struggle, wrenched the banner away
and tossed It to the howling crowd.
These banners were the old ones, ask
ing the president what he intended to
do for suffrage, which have been dis
played at the White House gates for
months.
Immediately after these flags were
ripped to bits a duplicate of the denun
ciatory banner addressed to the Russian
commission was put up at the west gate.
The crowd made a rush forward and
the sign went down instantly amid the
snapping of its wooden framework and
the wild cheering of the mob which
could be heard for blocks.
A big crowd had assembled shortly
after noon along the entire front of the
White House to witness the erection of
the third banner addressed to the Rus
sian commission. It failed to appear at
the scheduled time. While the throng
was waiting, Mrs. Richardson suddenly
ran up to the yellow pennant held by
Miss Hunkins and spit on it.
"You are a dirty yellow traitor,” she
shrieked.
Then she suddenly grasped the cloth,
ripped It from the flagstaff, after a
fight, and threw it to the crowd, which
trampled it.
Another banner held by Mrs. R. D.
Heacox was similarly treated. Both
pickets were roughly handled by Mrs.
Richardson, and both began to cry.
MRS. RICHARDSON ACTIVE.
Mrs. Richardson did virtually all the
work of tearing down four banners.
While several movie operators com
mandeered a negro's passing hack to
screen the waving of banner fragments
by the crowd, four suffrage recruits
marched from their headquarters with
four new yellow banners.
These recruits were extremely belli
gerent. The leader, a small woman,
saw several men with their backs, to
ward her, in her path. She deliberately
marched into one knocking him over.
Police Captain Hartley refused to let
the man take revenge on the woman’s
banner. Another man demanded to know
if the women had a permit to parade.
"I’ll show you,” retorted Hartley, and
'he hustled the man to the street.
Just before the second attack of the
day on the banners. Senator J. Hamil
ton Lewis stopped to tell Miss Hunkins
he. was "strong for woman suffrage,”
but that he doesn’t believe the women
should go at it just that way. Lewis
wore a noisy red, white and blue polka
dot shirt, white silk gloves and white
Palm Beath suit.
POLICE FACETIOUS.
Police inspectors wandering pleasant
ly through the growing crowd saying,
"please, gentlemen, move on. You’ll find
a recruiting station just a block away.
After all, any one can pull down a
banner, but It takes a man to shoulder
a musket.”
They were the essence of politeness
and good nature to the crowd, which
paid little attention to them, and they
were always "looking out the window”
when the banner ripping started.
Mrs. Richardson is a medium large
woman with fiery red hair. Her son
accompanied her. She said she was
"bom In Missouri and they’ll have to
show me that those women are real
patriots.”
President Wilson was In his study
when the riot started, and during the
excitement went • from his study to
luncheon. The noise from the mob
outside was distinctly audible In the
white house.
Russian Commission
is Working on Problems
WASHINGTON, June 21.—Russia’s
diplomatic mission today prepared to
begin active work on the problems to
be worked out in conference with
American officials. Among them are
those of organization, munitions, sup
plies and railroad materials, Russia’s
chief needs at this time.
Atlanta Spot Cotton
Up 15 Points Thursday
On account of the steadier future
markets at New York and New Or
leans, Atlanta spot cotton was up 15
points over Wednesday, selling at 25.30.
New York spots, however, were 10
points off at 25.70 and New Orleans
spots were off S 3 points at 24.58.
Cudahy Shows Patriotism
CHICAGO, June 21.—Patrick Cudahy,
the packer,- who recently announced
his retirement from business in favor
of his sons, le back In harness again.
It was learned today, to release his
sons for service in the army.
KEEP FLYING!
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GRIFFIN MM IS INDICTED
FOB FIDLUBE TB BEDISTEB
M, F, Smith, Prominent Mer
chant, Accused Under Se
lective Service Act
M. F. Smith, manager and secretary
and treasurer of the Griffin Mercantile
company, of Griffin, Ga., and one of the
most prominent young men of that sec
tion of the state, was Thursday morn
ing indicted by the federal grand jury
for violation of the registration laws.
Smith having failed to register.
According to the belief of federal of
ficials Mr. Smith will plead guilty of the
charge.
Mr. Smith, It is understood, will reach
his thirty-first birthday Friday.
Colonel T. E. Patterson. In speaking
for Mr. Smith, declared that Mr. Smith
had Intended to register, but failed to
do so, but the reason he didn’t do so was
pure and simple neglect.
Mr. Smith was located by The Journal
but refused to make a statement.
Men Who Misunderstood
May Register Even Now
Governor Harris Thursday morning
received a wire from Provost Marshal
General Crowder explaining that all men
of military age who had failed to regis
ter through misunderstanding would be
allowed to do so at once without preju
dice.
The telegram from General Crowder
was for the purpose of clearing up mis
understanding on the part of local
boards of registration who were in doubt
as to what procedure should be followed
when a delinquent presented himself for
registration.
The telegram stated further thaj only
in cases where* men had wilfully dis
obeyed the law should they be bound
over for trial by the- federal court.
All men who failed to register because
of lack of Information have been urged
to present themselves to the registrars
of their precincts.
White Citizen Begins
Stockade Sentence of
Negro Through Mistake
A negro named Will Stephens, alias
Will Ray, was arrested on a charge of
violating the prohibition law. When
his case was called for trial last Mon
day afternoon, June 18, the clerk of the
recorder’s court confused his papers
with those of E. H. Lemasters. Ste
phens was sentenced to serve thirty
days in the stockade and also was
bound over under a bond of S2OO.
When the station house officers went
to get the negro out of the cell on
Tuesday mornihg, June 19, and take
him to the stockade to serve his sen
tence, they got E. H. Lemasters by
mistake, because the negro’s papers
had been made out in Lemasters’ name.
Lemasters is a white man for Kagan,
Ga_, is 20 years old, and was arrested
on a charge of disorderly conduct. He
protested to the station sergeant that
he had not been tried, and that an in
vestigation should be made before send
ing him to the stockade. The station ser
geant could do nothing at the time but
send him on, because the papers were
in his name.
But on investigating the case ths
station sergeant discovered the error
had been made, and the next day sent
to the stockade and brought Lemasters
back to police station, where he will be
tried on the charge of disorderly con
duct. Lemasters Is very Indignant.
Although he had been tried the negro
was left at ths police station.
RIGID RULES TO GOVERN
SELECTIONS FUR ■
Baseball Players, Actors, Au
thors and Artists Are
Not Exempted
WASHINGTON, June 21—Baseball
■ Players, artists, actors and authors
; must take their chances with the other
9,500,000 men In the great selective
| service lottery. There are no provisions
i for their exemption from, military serv
ice In the exemption regulations. It
i became definitely known today.
| Unless they are "Indispensable” and
| serve to "contribute to the mainten
ance of the military organization or
| the national Interest in the emergen
i cy,” such men will be subject to call.
That Is the answer Inquirers are
getting to questions about men In these
i classes.
Several managers of baseball league
I teams have asked the war department
I whether their players will be subject
i to conscription.
j An inquiry from an artists’ colony
| In Greenwich Village, In New York, was
I answered by pointing out that prac
tically all of France’s famous artists
are in the trenches.
1 Big, hard callouses on the hands will
Ibe one of the contributing causes for
I exemption from military' service for
fanners.
Among other things, the appellate
exemption boards will take into consid
eration the length of time certain
"farmers” have been tilling the soil
and the circumstances of their choice
of that vocation. And calloused hands
constitute part of the evidence.
Would-be "slackers” by hundreds are
fleeing big cities to work on farms,
hoping thereby to be classed as farmers
and escape military service.
Reports to this effect to the war de
partment. in some cases giving names,
were turned over to the department of
justice. Some of the "shirkers” offered
te work during the summer for prac
tically nothing but board and room.
This aroused the suspicion of the farm
ers who reported the unusual situation
to 'the war department.
But the subterfuges of these self
made farmers will be of little avail
The appellate boards of exemption
will scrutinize closely every claim for
exemption for occupational reasons and
take Into consideration the length of
time the claimants have pursued their
trade. Employers may be called upon
to testify to the circumstances.
Most of the tips so far on would-be
elackers have come from New York,
Chicago, Pittsburg and Detroit.
Murders His Wife and
Two Children, Kills Self,
In Quarrel Over Money
| NEW YOl«i<, June 21.—Following a
' family quarrel over lack of household
■ money, Richard Barrett, 41, murdered
his wife, his son Kilton, four, his baby
' son Donald, eighteen months, attempted
i to murder his son and daughter, aged
nine and thirteen, respectively, and com-
; mitted suicide early today.
Helen, the thlrteen-year-old daugh
| ter, heard the ehots, called her mother
I and, when she did not answer, ran into
; the kitchen, there her father, his throat
■ slashed with a razor, sat bleeding to
death on a chair.
i "If you don’t quit, papa,” said the llt-
I tie girl, "I’ll call the neighbors."
“No, you won’t,” said Barrett, and he
I reached for the revolver near him and
! started after the child. While she and
■ her brother ran out of the house, Bar-
I rett placed another cartridge in the
; weapon and shot himself through the
head.
GDCCHI, WANTED FDR RUTH
CfiUGERMURDER,ARHESTED
Italian Is Taken Into Custody
at Bologna at Page’s
Request
ROME, June 21.—Alfredo Cocchl,
wanted by the New York authorities
for trial on the charge of murdering
Ruth Cruger, seventeen-year-old school
girl, was arrested at Bologna by Italian
authorities this afternoon. Cocchl has
been under observation for several
weeks.
The Italian authorities moved prompt
ly on receipt of advices through Ameri
can Ambassador Page requesting that
he be detained.
New York’s Moral Lapse
Freighted With Horror
NEW YORK, June 21.—The work of
digging up the cellar of every building
occupied by Alfredo Cocchi, in whose
shop the body of Ruth Cruger was found
buried last Saturday, to learn if more*
girls met a similar fate, was begun to
day. In addition detectives working un
der direction of Inspector Joseph H.
Faurot were assigned to investigate ev
ery phase of Cocchi’s life in this city.
Inspector Faurot has been relieved of all
other police duty and ordered to make
a most sweeping investigation of the po
lice department since its organization.
Policemen and detectives of the fourth
branch detective bureau who had any
thing to do with the Cruger case were
called before Inspector Faurot last night.
Early today at the conclusion of their
visit the Inspector said they had been
working on the theory that Miss Cruger
was missing and not that she was dead.
They should have found the body, he
said.
Search of the Cocchl shop having fail
ed to reveal any weapon with which Miss
Cruger was murdered, an order was is
sued today forbidding the auction sale
tomorrow of the contents by the new
owners.
In an open letter to Mayor Mitchel
made public today Henry D. Cruger,
father of the murdered girl, asks for the
removal of Commissioner Woods and the
reorganization of the police department
under a new head.
No word of the arrest in Italy of Coa
ch 1 has been received by the police and It
is feared that he has fled from Bologna
where news was last received from him.
Both Commissioner Woods and District
Attorney Swan are working on the
theory that Cocchl Is the key to the
white slave traffic in this city as revealed
by Mrs. Grace Humlston, attorney for the
Cruger family. Eight detectives were
assigned todaj- to the bureau of missing
persons. Records of the bureau show
that since January 1, between 700 and
800 girls and young women have been
reported as missing.
Loses Five Fords, But
Is Still an Optimist
Dr. J. E. Corry, 1605 Candler building,
Wednesday had the fifth Ford stolen
from him In the past six months. Dr.
Corry stated that he had recovered four
the purloined cars and was confi
dent that he would recover the fifth,
which was stolen from Houston street,
near the undertaking parlors of Green
berg & Bond.
Prince Udine Leaves
to Join His Mission
WASHINGTON, June 21.—The Prince
of Udine, head of the Italian mission,
left today for Ney York, where he
will join the mission for a public wel
come. The prince has fully recovered
from his recent Illness which prevented
him from joining the mission in Its
tour of the country.
NUMBER 7s.
DELEGATES AT GREAT
CONFERENCE DEMAND
IMMEDJH ASSAULT
Unanimous Vote of Congress
of Workmen and Soldiers In
dicates Petrograd Council
Now Favors Resuming War
PETROGRAD, June 21—The AH-Ruz
sia congress of workmen and soldiers to
day unanimously resolved upon an Im
mediate Russian offensive.
The unanimous vote indicates that
even the Petrograd council of workmen’s
and soldiers' delegates, which has here
fore been strongly In favor of peace, has
been won over to the war side in view
of the overwhelming sentiment to that
end developed by the All-Russla con
ference.
The Petrograd local council has here
tofore assumed a place of national ira
portanqe, but with the assembling of
delegates from all over the nation Is
now completely overshadowed.
Another evidence of crystallization of
sentiment that Russia should fight anfl
fight at once was given today In a mani
festo by the Military Union of Women
Volunteers.
"The workers are appealing for an un
relenting struggle against an enemy who
Is moved solely by Imperialistic and
slaving tendencies.
"We ask our allies to charitably cojv
sider Russia’s difficulties and excuse oUT
overabsorption in the task of consolidat
ing our newly-won liberties.”
New Russian Commander
Pledges Aid of Armies
LONDON, June 21.—A delayed Rus
sian official statement, —the first in •
three days—gave weight today to Gen
eral BrusilUffs pledge that Russia will i
fight, as expressed In a message to
General Sir William Robertson, chief
of the British imperial staff. The
Petrograd war office reported “fu
sillades and aerial activities on all
fronts.”
General Bruslloff's message was In
reply to one from General Robertson
congratulating him on his appointment
as commander-in-chlef of Russia's ay.
Brusiloff declared: . -
"In honor bound, free Russia’s
armies will not fall to do tljelr duty."
Dispatches from Petrograd to the Ex
change Telegraph company says that the
congress of soldiers and workmen’s dele
gates from the whole of Russia yester
day voted confidence In the provisional
government and unanimously adopted a
resolution demanding an immediate re
sumption of the offensive and the reor
ganization of the army. A war cabinet
was formed Including the leaders of the
Russian army and navy and technical
representatives.
Italy Issues Report on
Shipping Losses for Week
ROME, June 21. —Two Italian steam
ers and five sailing ships were torpe
doed by submarines during the last
week, according to the official weekly
announcement made public today. Two
other steamers were attacked, but es
caped.
During the same period 606 ships
with a total gross tonnage of 443,170
entered Italian ports and 531 ships
with a tonnage of 481,755 sailed.
French Recapture Part
Os Ground Germans Took
PARIS, June 21. —The French this
morning recaptured part of the posi
tions gained by the Germans In yester
day’s attack on the Alsne front east of
Vauvalllon, the war office announces.
The statement says the battle ♦as
waged with extreme violence, the Ger
mans employing fresh troops from the
Russian front. Heavy losses were Buf
fered by the Germans.
In the Champagne last night the
French gained ground northeast of Mont
Camillet.
The statement follows:
"The attack made by the Germans on
the positions east of Vauxaiilon was
extremely violent. It was preceded by
heavy bombardment and conducted by
.special assaulting troops belonging to
a fresh division which has Just come
from the Russian front. The Germans
made every effort to procure some ad
vantages, but they encountered desper
ate resistance on the part of our troops.
Some slight gains which they obtained
at first were finally overcome under our
Are and the German counter attacks
succeeded only In penetrating our first
line trench In two places south of Mont
Des Singes on a front of about 400
meters and north of Moisy farm on
about 200 meters of ground.
"Our troops undertook an energetic
counter offensive which permitted tbem
this morning to retake part of the oc
cupied ground south of Mont Des i
Singes, where we found numerous
bodies, indicating the heavy losses sus
tained by the enemy. We captured fifty
prisoners.
“In the Champagne during a detail
operation spiritedly conducted by us we
made some progress northeast of Mont
Camillet. Here we took some prison
ers and captured five aviation machine •
guns. Fourteen airplanes and a Ger
man captive balloon were destroyed on
our front in the period from June 8
to 20. Eleven of these machines were
brought down by our pilots during
aerial combats and three of them by
the fire of our machines or anti-aircraft
guns. In addition, seven enemy ma
chines seriously damaged fell in our
lines.
"In the same period our squadrons
effected numerous sorties. They bom
barded notably the railway station at
Bensdorf, factories of Hayatge-Josuf
at Hoyeuvre, blast furnaces at Burbach
and in the Saar valley, railroad sta
tions at Betheniville, Chatelet-Sur-Re
tourne. Rethel, Mezieres, Charlevllle and
Molsheim, the bivouacks in Sulppe val
ley, munitions depots in the region of
Laon, etc. • Thirteen thousand kilo
grams of projectiles were dropped dur
ing the expeditions which caused seri
ous damage to enemy establishments.”