Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, July 27, 1917, Image 1

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Atlanta semi-weekly journal., July 27, 1917, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextQ£ht Atlanta tni-lUecklj) Shwwil VOLUME XIV LOYAL RUSSIAN TROOPS FIGHTING DESPERATELY * * t*»<i***«***nm«*w»— ll,llllll r *^^^ a ******** AMERICA MUST SAVE ALLIES FROM COLLAPSE RUSSIAN DEFEAT IND U-BOAT LOSSES SPUR OFFICIALS TO ACTION l —_____ Faced With Certainty of Long War, Government Is Rush ing Its Preparations In All Branches WASHINGTON. July 26—America rwhed her war meMurea today to fill the breach in the allied hopes made by Rusia’s coll a pee and the Increased sub marine sinkings. With nearly 600.000 reyulars and mili tiamen mobilized or encamped already, contractors were speeding the canton ments for the new national army of 500.000 In Octooer. Admiral Capps took charge of the emergency fleet construction to over take submarine destruction. The ship ping board was to meet today with Ed ward N. Hurley. Its rew chairman. Brigadier General George O. Bquter eounde-1 the slogan of the 1640.000,000 aviation program by declaring “we will enter Germany by the air route." Awaiting Secretary MoAdoo’s |5,000.- 000.000 war budget, the senate finance committee informally discussed raising 52,000.000,000 of this sum by added taxes. The senate military and foreign rela tions committee were discussing a bill aimed to increase the second draft for the new national army by calling up aliens. While these steps were taken the house and senate conferees met to dis cuss the food control bill whose early adoption is still threatened by persistent petty political wrangling In both branches. Soaring submarine tolls, plus Rus sia's apparent co 1 lapse, makes mors aggressive tactics by British and Amer icans Imperative, navy and army offi cers said today. Great Britain's announcement of a total of 21 major ships sunk the past week gave fresh fuel to the demands among a large portion of both services for more active campaign at the heart of the .U-boat menace—Zeebrugge. and other bases The admiralty statement frankly brought gloom in official quarters Com ing atop of returning army men's views as to the strength of the western front, the U-boat harvest spelled a long war. requiring America's utmost in money, in men" and effort. And. the Russian situation gave such grave discomfort as to make new policies imperative In the view of many here. Tn an offensive such as American military experts picture. airplanes would drop vast quantities of explo •lves on the U-boat bases and land de fenses. while the combined navt *’ would move in—not directly under the big guns—but gradually easing Z m them, and land forces would work to the rear of the bases It would be a big gamble. But. with things shaping as they now are. only a big gamble can be effective, rhe more skeptical say. *<* r *** r War Baker believes the west front can be smashed Men about him do not think It can. except through joint navy and army action, and then by pouring hundreds of thousands of men agalns. the northern end of the west front. Russia is regarded as "out of the run ning." Her recent brilliant offensive Is considered only a “flash In the and now army men think she cannot be counted on for any sustained work for a year or more—ls at all. This means Germany can swing some of her eastern forces Into the western theater, making that line even more un breakable than it already is The situation, dark as it seems to many, however. Is far from irremedi able Hopelessness is not the cry. In stead. there is the bitter realisation that the war will undoubtedly be long, and a determination to Inspire the American people to do their utmost Only by mighty contributions can .the situation be met. all agree Newspaper Man Writes Os Situation in Germany Germany won't be starred next winter. Ger rrsnr ie beginning to believe V boets won t starve England The feeling sgsinst America ■, pot bitter. Th**- are some of the impres sions acquired tn Germany by a dlstlngulstM d -ewspaper man neutral nationality, wbo ’ cabled the following dispatch today: AMSTERDAM. July 25—1 have brought home the conviction that the fourth winter of the war will strike the Germans hard, but that the allies w.i. -.nt starve Germany into a surrender. At the moment the economic situation is not desperate, as the Germans have rais ed tremendous quantities of vegetables, (tartly in consequence of the very hot summer weather This, however, does • prevent many Germans from looking forward with pessimism to the winter. fr.vspects for cereals are rather good, but the fc-'d-r nuestion «eems serious nnd many cattle sill have to be killed s n th' fall for lack of feed. The quea- • t of the fit* supply will thereby be made she more difficult. The potato . rep looks good. Great areas of former «a«te land have been cultivated by con- • ?>r •••ent sold'ers and Russian p*"iS‘>n- Tbe food problem is the subject of continual discussion, with much had feei ng agalns* certain classes alleged to gef mor* than their sliare. The soldiers' rations are still good In diplomatic circles the giving up of Alsace is declared not worth discuss ing. This Is also the popular feeling. • »n the other hand the demands of pan- • Germans for anexations are not support ed by the government or the people. The feeling against America is not hitter. The idea that Austr.a could make a separate peace—which Germans consid er prevalent tn America—is a subject for laughter tn Berlin, and. «hat la more Important, likewise in Vienna. Full Associated Press Service RECISTEBED MEN TO BE TOLD OF TOEIfI STITHS iNew Publication Designed to Aid Them Is Being Prepared WASHINGTON. July 26.—While local selection boards were at work today as sembling men of the selective service forces, officials of the provost marshal general's office began preparing a new publication to furnish registered men with an easy method of keeping track of their status In their districts. The new list will be issued with cross reference by number between the red ink and drawing numbers. It will be possible for those supplied with the lists to Inform any man almost In stantly In what order he was drawn when he furnishes his red Ink number. Presumably these lists will be placed in the selection boards' headquarters *o that registrants may find out quickly where they stand. If the master list is used for this purpose. It might be necessary to read over several thou sand numbers before a registrant could find his own. A careful outline of the process to be followed both by the selection and district boards Is also being prepared for publication. The only thing registrants who ex pect to be called in the first army can do now is to watch the selection board headquarters so as to know Immediately when their names are posted. The date when they are to report for physical ex amination will be shown at the same time. Even the question of dependents will not come up In any way until a re port on the man's physical condition shows him to be suitable for military service. When that has been received, the selection board will be prepared to received affidavits on dependents the prospective soldier has. The form of the affidavits will be shown by the board Similarly, forms for applications for exemptions on industrial grounds or for appeal from ruling of the selective board will not be available until the time for their use comes. Thfc purpose of this plan Is to avoid the piling up of documents and to provide that the boards will have before them at any time, onlv the papers of cases in pro cess of hearing. That Is the only way officials believe. In which rapid ac tion can be assured Washington Man First Called for Examination WASHINGTON. July 26.—America, meet Thomas W. Reese, first of Uncle 'Sam's 10.000.000 registered men to be called up for examination. He’s a happy, smiling, snappy chap. Lives down on N street with his wife and son. George Edward William, aged four months. Thomas was away at his work when the long, official war depart ment envelope—the first of its kind ever mailed —reached the house. Little Mrs. Keese. juht starting down to the hardware store to see about some screens. greeted It. She cried. I bjot very much, though. Tossing It on the table unopened, she went on to see about the screens. There it lay, the black lettering on Its face staring up at the celling of the tiny living room. Keese doesn't earn a lot. He’s an electrotyper. He hasn’t had his wife but about two years and they’ve had a pretty hard struggle to get ahead. But If Uncle Sam needs him. he’ll go. They're agreed on that. Keeee doesn’t mind being No. 1 among the 10.000,000 registered youths lof the nation. i "It was a fair game and I took my chances with the rest of 'em." he said. "All any guy can ask is an even break, and I got that." Reese's notification went out just ahead of others from local board five. District of Columbia, at police station five, the first of the 4.557 local boards in the nation to get organised and working. NftTIONWOiITION TO BE VOTED ON BY SENATE Will Act on Amendment Put ting Issue Up to States for Action WASHINGTON, July 26.—A senate .vote on a national prohibition amend ment will be taken at 4 o’clock next Wednesday, according to a private agreement reached by wet and dry leaders today. Debate on the amendment is to begin Tuesday. A part of the agreement is that the 'amendment must provide that unless ! ratified within six years by the thirty- Isix states required to put it in the con stitution it dies. To be put up to the state legislatures the constitutional amendment requires a I two-thirds majority in house and sen ate. Then three-fourths of the states must vote to put the amendment In the I constitution. There are now twenty-five •"dry" states, according to the senate leaders. To make the amendment a part of the constitution, the drys must gain eleven states within the next six years. If the wets can hold thirteen states—one more than one-fourth—the amendment will be lost. r»«cis!on to vote so soon on the pro hibition amendment is significant in view of an effort to have such a vote release from the food bill the Smoot amendment directing President Wilson to purchase bonded liquors. SUBJECTS OF ALLIES MM BE GULLED 10 0. S. ARMY SERVICE Question of Enlisting Hundreds of Thousands of Foreigners Under American Flag Pre sented to Their Governments WASHINGTON, July 26 The United States today is negotiating with the allies to legalize drafting m»ny hun dreds of thousands of aliens in this country to fight under the American flag. Before the time for the second levy the necessary abrogations of treaties and action by congress will bring aliens under the selective service law. In every section of the nation an out cry against the ’’obvious injustice” of the present law as applied to noh-citi xens is rising. Already It has reached congress and forced action. The McCumber resolution to draft aliens Is today before a subcommittee of the senate foreign relations commit tee. Under this resolution aliens may be drawn Into the army or deported upon refusal to serve. A similar reso lution by Senator Chamberlain is be fore the military committee today. The war department has approved the resolution, but the state department has pointed out diplomatic obstruc tions in specific treaties with a half dozen countries preventing drafting their citizens into the United States mil itay service. At the Italian embassy today It was stated diplomatic negotiations are under way to bring 150,000 Italians of mili tary age In the United States under the provisions of the draft. At present neither the Italian nor American gov ernment can lay hands upon them. Each of the allied countries is ex pected to acquiese in the speedy nulli fication of any old obstructing trea ties and agreements. But whether they do or not, officials here declare that congress may aot —that laws supersede the treaties. Nations at war with Ger many are hardly expected to object to conscription of their subjects here. The mall of the war department is flooded with bitter protests from cit ies with large alien population. They claim that nearly every American will be taken in the first levy from certain districts with heavy alien population. In Chicago one fourth of the entire registration Is exempt as aliens. In one district of 2,923 registration, 2,108 are exempt as aliens leaving only 815 Americans from which to draw 377 soldiers. • Many other northern states have big alien percentages. In Massachusetts, twenty-nine per cent of the entire pop ulation are non-citizens, Illinois has 15 per cent; Michigan 19 per cent; Con necticut!. 37 per cent; California, 24 per cent, and Arizona, 40 per cent. The southern states have the lowest alien percentages. North and South Carolina have only .0003 per cent of non-citizens. In the cities and states with heavy alien population the burden is shifted heavily upon the American citizen, while the foreigners are left to preempt the work of the fighting men. Unless action is taken to remedy this situation, some officials fear that bloody race rioting may result. Investigation has shown that the rioting in the Flat River mining district In Missouri against foreigners grew out of the dis satisfaction of the miners with just this condition. Two German Vessels Sunk and Two Taken Into Port by British AMSTERDAM. July 26.—Two Ger man vessels have been sunk and two German steamers have been taken to England by British destroyers, accord ing to the correspondent at Texel, one of the Frisian Islands, of the Amster dam Telegraaf. A German steamship, which had been torpedoed, the corre spondent adds, has arrived at Den helder. ' Committee on Recreation Discusses Its Plans WASHINGTON, July 26. —The com mittee on training camp activities, ap pointed to safeguard troops against moral hazards and provide wholesome recreations. with Raymond B. Fos dick, of New York, chairman, discussed plans for work today’ at its first meet ing. New members of the committee an nounced included Walter Camp, New Haven; Rarton Myers. Norfolk; John I. Egan. Atlanta; Mrs. Finley J. Shep pard, New York, and Mrs. Daisy Mc- Laurin Stevens. Hattiesburg. Miss. Anarchist Berkman Is Taken to New York Two United States deputy marshals Wednesday left Atlanta with Alexander Berkman, the anarchist, bound for New York, where they will arrive Thursday night. Order for his release was given by Judge Hand, of the southern dis trict of New York, and presented to ■'ne warden. Berkman was sent tr the Atlanta fed eral prison recently for acts hostile to •he select'va service law. On extradi tion proceedings from California he was summoned to New York. ATLANTA, GA., FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1917. ■ SOME “QUICK SERVICE” NEEDED 'T U\\ /A// J \~Z Z . • ■ / I FTi v? HOUSE ADOPTS THE NEILL PRIMAHTBILLII2TO4O Representative Wright, of Floyd, Assaited Measure in Vain—Other Speakers The Neill primary bill, which re quires political parties in Georgia to hold all primaries in accordance with the county unit system, was adopted tn the house Thursday morning by a vote of 112 to 40, after it had been vehe mently attacked by Representative Sea born Wright, of Floyd, for many years a strong supporter of the county unit system. A substitute offered by Representative Joe Hill Hall, of Bibb, was defeated by a vote of 100 to 17. The Neill bill Is by Representative Neill, of Muscogee county. The debate which preceded its passage was opened with the address by Repre sentative Seaborn Wright, in which the bill was sternly arraigned. Mr. Wright said that although he was for a long while a supporter of the coun ty unit system he has now come to the conclusion that it is wrong because it is a political instrument devised for the purpose of punishing the large cit ies and the voters who live therein. He said that times he had been irri tated with Atlanta, Savannah and Au gusta, but that he wasn’t willing to allow his personal disapproval of cer tain practices in vogue in thejse cities to influence him in favor of a bill which in its last analysis is a proposal to dis franchise the white Democrats who are citizens of those towns. Mr. Wright declared that the Neill bill is a larger disfranchisement move ment than was ever directed against the negroes, and that it is aimed at citizens who are not the enemies, but are the friends and the fellow citizens of the people In the small towns and counties of the state. APPLIED TO FULTON. If the county unit plan should be ap plied to the taxes collected in Fulton county, continued Representative Wright, the county could keep at home for the support o fits own schools >269,- •100 a year which It now pours Into the state treasury to be divided among its smaller sisters In the family of Georgia counties. He said that furthermore Fulton county would be able to keep at home to pay the pensions of Its own Confeder ate veterans and their widows, the sum of >164,000 which the county now pours into the state treasury to be divided among the pensions of smaller counties in the state. Mr. Wright declared that no party can live when it deliberately Imposes a wrong on one-class of its voters for the benefit of another class. "You members of the house may think I am changeable,” he exclaimed, "and I am, because when I find a proposition is wrong I am ready to kick out.” Under the county unit system, he said, the vote of every citizen of Floyd county Is worth the vote of four citi zens in Fulton county. The strength of some of the smaller counties is so out of proportion, under this system, he de clared. that to put the county unit sys tem Into effect would be equivalent to disfranchising 3,200 voters tn Fulton. "If T lived in a very small county,” said Mr. Wright, I might vote for this bill. But if I did so I would exercise my power to disfranchise and oppress and take away the rights of my fellow citizens. So help me God I will not do that.” CULPEPPER TALKS. Mr. Floyd was followed by Represent ative Culpepper, of Meriwether. who spoke In support of the Neill bill. Mr. Culpepper said that the bill first of all establishes the county unit system of holding primaries. That secondly it puts an end to convention Juggling "which has become a stench In the nos trils of al! self-respecting citizens,” he declared. By unanimous consent Representative Joe Hill Hall, of Bibb, who spoke at length Wednesday tn opposition to the v \y " WORK ON AMERICA'S NEW SHIPS TO BEGIN SOON Edward N. Hurley, Chairman, Confirmed by Senate—Col by Nomination Held Up WASHINGTON. July 26.—Work on America’s new merchant marine, it was said today, probably soon will begin un der the guidance of Edward N. Hurley, whose appointment as chairman of the shipping board to succeed William Den man has been ratified by the senate. Senate action on the nomination of Bainbridge Colby, of New York, to suc ceed Captain John B. White, was being withheld today pending the result of an Inquiry concerning his political status by Senators "Wadsworth and Calder, of New York. Mr. Colby was closely iden tified with the Progressive party in 1912, but last year spoke in behalf of President Wilson. The resignation of Theodore Brent, vice chairman of the board, still was be fore the president today. Goethals May Be Sent To France As Head of U. S. Army Engineers WASHINGTON. July 26.—The possi bility that Major General Goethals may go to France to head the American army engineers is forecast among the develop ments which have followed President Wilson's reorganization of the shipping board. The general’s wish to take up active service at the front was foremost in his mind when the president called him from the retired list of the army to take up the ship building program. The probability that he would be assigned to service at the front has been recognized ever since ft became apparent that he would leave the fleet corporation, bill, was allowed five minutes to explain hfs substitute bill. Representative Klmsey, of Haber sham, spoke for the bill. Representative Neill, of Muscogee, au thor of the bill, was the concluding speaker. He said that while the county unit system may seem to make possible the election of a candidate who receives a smaller popular vote than his oppo nent that In actual practice over a period of twenty-site years, it was held true invariably that every candidate receiv ing a majority of the county unit votes has rece’ved either a majority or a plu rality of the popular vote. GEN. WOOD AGAINST MOVING OFFICERS’ TRAINING CAMP He Files a Vigorous Protest in Washington—General Mc- Cain Hints at Better Things sot Fort McPherson BY RALPH SMITH. WASHINGTON, D. C„ July 26—Gen eral Leonard Wood, commanding the de partment of the southeast, has filed a strenuous protest against ths abandon ment of Fort McPherson as an officers' training camp, and the matter is now in the hands of General Garlington for a decision as to whether McPherson is to be restored to the list of training camps. General Wood contends that it would be a mistake to abandon McPherson. He insists that .the post is sufficiently large to accommodate the second camp without interference with its other ae, tlvltles. He argues that since the na tional army is to be trained in the south, it Is doubly important that tne men who are to officer the army should be trained, so far as possible, in the south, and thereby become well accli mated. General McCain, the adjutant general of the army, admitted today that there is a possibility that McPherson may be included in the list of camps, but be thinks that Atlanta will be the loser thereby. “I suspect the people of Atlanta will appreciate far more what we have in mind for Fort McPherson than the con tinuance of the post as Officers’ train ing camp,” said General McCain to Rep resentative William Schley Howard, who called at the war department for a further conference about the future of Fort McPherson. Mr. Howard sought enlightenment from General McCain as to this some what cryptic allusion. He was unable to get anything definite, except that the plans contemplate the enlargement of the present temporary emergency build ings. "I believe that the emergency struc tures will be enlarged and converted into a baae hospital.” said Mr. Howard, at tempting to Interpret McCain’s state ment. • “General McCain intimated that Mc- Pherson may be continued as a train ing camp, but he frankly expressed tne opinion thta Atlanta would be the loser in the long run, in a material sense. If the present plans are upset. He point ed out that the second series of train ing camps will end in November, leav ing McPherson more or less abandoned to future army activities, whereas the plans in contemplation are of a greater permanency.” KAISER’S PLAN FOILED BY STUBBORN BATTLE ON RUMANIAN FRONT Flanking Move Is Blocked by Vicious Assaults of Russian Armies North and South of Retreating Troops PETROGRAD. July 26. —The provi sional government today decided to hold a conference shortly at Moscow with representatives of all social organizar tions of the nation “to discuss the coun try’s position, problems and future." The organizations will include the peasants’, soldiers’ and workmen’s and Cossacks’ congresses. Decision to confer on matters of gov- I ernmental administration at Moscow In stead of Petrograd may be significant. At the height of the Petrograd rioting' it was reported the government was considering removal to Moscow. WASHINGTON, July 26.—Russian forces on the Rumanian and Smolgon- Krezo fronts are fighting desperately to relieve the pressure on General Kor nlloff in Galicia, according to cable grams received at the Russian embassy today. General Schtervatchew, In command of the Russian southern army In the Carpathians, has, with assistance of the Rumanians, made a victorious as sault on Teuton positions, capturing several strong hills, 19 machine guns and many prisoners. It was announced today. Siberian regiment along the Smolgon- Krezo front have moved against the Germans violently, capturing fifty machine guns and 2,000 prisoners, cables say. Renewed activity on these fronts has foiled the kaiser's plans to envelop or turn the left flank of General Kor niloff’s army In Galicia, the cables add. Kornlloff is bearing the greatest pres sure of the German advance, but 1» “retreating slowly and in good order, preferring to lose ground rather than' sacrifice his troops uselessly. Near Korniloff, slightly to the north, General Tschermesdinow is also with drawing to maintain an even Russian front. The embassy today denied emphati cally that the Russian war machine has entirely collapsed. "Conditions in Russia are acute but certainly not hopeless," officials said. They promised new developments shortly that will surprise the world. . Russians and Rumanians Capture 2,000 Prisoners PETTROGRAD, July* 26. —Two thou sand Teutonic prisoners have been taken by Rumanian and Russian troopa. In their offensive In the Carpathians and Rumania, today’s official statement asserted. The Rumanians took 1,000 of the en emy, with thirty-three guhs and seven teen machine guns. The Russians cap-M tured the same number of troops and. took twenty-four machine guns. The Carpathian offensive of the Rus so-Rumanian troops has now reached.; such strength that It was hoped hera, the pressure there on the Terutonic linear would force some letup in the drlva against General Korn Hoff's troops in the* Stanlslau-Tarnopol sector. The Rumanian troops in particular have distinguished themselves In th®U fighting, performing prodigies of valor.J Russian troops, thoroughly loyal, hava ably aided in the drive. v Troops Remaining Loyal May Save New Russia: NEW YORK. July 26. —(By Foretgnj Cables From European Capitals.)—Such' details of the Russian retreat in east ern Galicia as are now coming to hand do not tend to minimize the seriousness of the situation. Special dispatches re-1 port that the losses In heavy artillery J will be tremendous and express doubtl as to the ability of the Infantry of thel Russian eighth army to make good Itsl retreat. There Is still an absence of as-’ surances that the Russian commanders of the armies taking part In the back ward movement have succeeded in get ting their refractory troops in hand. In dications are not wanting, however, that the process is well under way. There comes through Petrograd, for Instance, the report that General Komiloff's dras tic measures have included the blowing to pieces of an entire division of trait orous troops of the eleventh army by Its own artillery. What may prove to be a saving fea ture of the situation is the firmness of the Russian armies both to the north and the south of the field of retreat. There has been no suggestion of any yielding tendencies of the Russian forces in Volhynia. just to the north of the affected sector, while to the south the Russian troops are not only stand ing fast so far as they are able, but are co-operating with the Rumanians in a successful offensive movement on the Moldavian frontier. London is sphynx-like today regarding the situation along the Franco-Belgian front. It is declared in the German re ports that one of the most violent ar tillery battles in history has been in progress In Belgium, even last night’s supplementary German statement em phasizing the continuance of this heavy firing. All that the British press bu reau gives out todaj* from that front, however, is the report of a successful I British raid near Armentieres, adding ■ that there was “nothing else of spe- I cial Interest.” ; Although British shipping losses in i creased slightly last week, the French admiralty is able to make the striking announcement that not a single French j vessel fell victim to a submarine during I that period. Six vessels were unsuc- I cessfully attacked. The Italian marine ■ report is also a favorable one. showing i the loss of but two steamers and the I damaging of one small sailing vessel. NO. 85.