Newspaper Page Text
The Atlanta Semi-Weekly Journal
VOLUME XIV
JUDGE SPEER RULES
AGAINST WATSON ON
SECOMASS RATE
He Denies Injunction Sought
by Publisher in Effort to
Force Thomson Postmaster
to Accept Jeffersonian
SAVANNAH. Ga.. Sept. I.—Copies of
the opinion of Judge Errory Speer, of
the United States court of the southern
district of Georgia, in tne effort of the
Jeffersonian Publishing company of
Thomson, Ga.. have been received in
Savannah. The decision, which was ren
dered at Lake Fairfield. N. C-. denies
the injunction sought by the Jeffer
sonian Publishing company to compel
the postmaster at Thomson to accept
the Jeffersonian under the second-class
mailing privileges. Judge Speer’s de
cision. which is about 1.500 words in
length, quotes frequently from the col
umns of the Jeffersonian to show its
purpose is to obstruct the recruiting
or enlistment of men in the service of
the United States. The decision In full
follows:
FULL DECISION
The bill before vhe court was
brought originally to enjoin the
postmaster at Thomson. Ga.. from
withdrawing the second-class mail
ing privileges of •’The Jeffersonian."
Thb action complained of had been
taken by the postmaster in obedi
ence to an order of the Honorable
A. B Burleson, as postmaster gener
al.
Appreciating the weighty effect of
determination by the postmaster
general of any material and relevant
questions of fact arising in the ad
ministration of the statutes of con
gress relating to his department, a
preliminary Injunction was with
held. A rule was, however, granted,
calling upon the respondent to show
cause why the injunction sought
should not be granted. At the hear
ing. it became apparent that the
postmaster general nad forbidden
"The Jeffersonian” of the 16th Inst,
all admittance to the malla This,
upon the ground that it was dis
tinctly unmallable. By suitable
amendment, the legality of this con*
elusion was challeged. The court
being of opinion that the plaintiff
was entitled to specific information
not only of those features of "The
Jeffersonia" Issued on the 16th Inst..
* held unmal’able, but also those in
past issues deemed so unmailable
as to Induce the conclusion by the
attorney general that the publica
tion was not a newspaper tn the
meaning of the law conferring the
second-class privilege, directed that
the respondent should 'file specifica
tions of all such matter. This has
been accordingly done, and thus the
question Is presented, do the facte
and the determination of the post
master general demand or justify a
court of the United States in the
Interference here sought, with an
administrative branch of govern
ment?
In the affidavit of the postmaster
general, after the specification re- •
quired by the court of the passages
da "The * Jeffersonian" held by him
to be unmallable. there appears the
following statement:
"Deponent further says that in
■JHs judgment, tn their entirely, the
issues (of The Jeffersonian’) evince
a, purpose and Intent on the part of
the publisher to willfully make or
•oenvey false reports or false state
ments with Intent to interfere with
tbe operation and success of the
military or naval forces of the
United States, to willfully obstruct
the recruiting or enlistment serv
ice of the United. States to the in
jury of the service. • • • and
ihat the circulation of such matter
Is causing antagonism and resist
ance among the people to the con
duct ot the war with respect to en
listments. execution of the draft
and the sale of bonds to raise reve
nue to carry on the war."
The postmaster general further
states under the sanction of his
oath that he is advised and believes
that there is an organised propa
ganda which has Inflamed a large
body of people to such aS extent
that it constitutes In effect the ad
vocacy of treason, insurrection and
forcible resistance to the laws of
the’ United States. Upon such In
formation, he states that this has
been actually threatened, and that
prominent' among the publications
thus engaged Is the Jeffersonian;
that the matter it produces to this
end in contemplation of the espion
age act, is non-mailable. After due
and thorough consideration, depo
nent so decided, but prior to his
ruling that the issue of June 28.
1817. was non-mailable, the paper
was submitted to the attorney gen
eral of the United States, and de
ponent was advised by the attorney
general that the paper waa in vio
lation of section 3 of title 1 of the
espionage act.
For the same reason and because
It contained matter of the same
non-mailable description, the post
master general, after examination,
caused the postmaster at Thomson
to be advised that the issue of Au
gust 16 was also unmallable. Thus
It will be seen that the cotfrt is ad
vised of the concurretn opinion of
two members of the cabinet, the
chief of the postoffice department
and the chief of the law depart
ment of the government, in justifi
cation of the action of which plain
tiff complains.
The supreme measure of legisla
tion enacted by congress for the
successful prosecution of the great
•■ar In which the country is en
gaged. termed the espionage act in
title 1. section 5. declares that
“Whoever, when the United States
is at war. shall willfully make or
convey false reports or false
statements with intent to Interfere
with the operation or success of the
military or naval forces of the
United States, or to promote the sub
cess of its enemies; and whqpver.
when the United States is at war.
shall willfully cause or attempt to
cause insubordination, disloyalty,
mutiny or refusal of duty In the
(Continued on Page 3, Column 4.J
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tains no habit forming drugs, satisfactory re
suits guaranteed in every case. Write Newell
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FREE Booklet. ’ TOBACCO REDEEMER’’ and
positive proof.—(Advt.>
Full Associated Press Service
DISLOYALTY IN AMERICA
DENOUNCED BY WILSON
IN SCATHING LANGUAGE
In Message to Samuel Gom
persi Wilson Gives Hearty
Approval to Alliance for
Labor and Democracy
WASHINGTON’, Sept. 3.—Hearty ap
proval of the conference of the Ameri
can Alliance for Labor and Democracy
to be held at Minneapolis next Tuesday
and the task It will undertake of sup
pressing disloyalty has been given by
President Wilson In a letter to Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor and chairman eff
the alliance.
The letter, made public here, denounces
those who seek to ignore America's
grievance against Germany and Insist
“that a nation whose citizens have been
fouly murdered under their own flag,
whose neighbors have been Invited to
join in making conquest of its territory
and whose patience In pressing the
claims of justice and humanity has
been met with the most shameful pol
icy of truculertce and treachery, does
not know its own mind and has no come
preheusible reason for defending It
self.”
"While our soldiers and sailors are
doing their manful work to hold back
reaction in its most brutal and aggres
sive form.” the president wrote, "we
must oppose at home the organized and
Individual efforts of those dangerous
elements who hide disloyalty behind a
screen of specious and evasive phrases.”
The letter follows;
"My Dear Mr. Gompers:
“I am sure that you understand that
my inability to accept the Invitation to
address the Minneapolis conference of
the American Alliance for Labor and
Democracy is due only to official neces
sity, and not in any degree to lack of
appreciation ak the importance of the
occasion. The cause you and your fel
low patriots uphold is one with the
cause we are defending with arms.
CONFERENCE PRAISED.
"While our soldiers and sailors are
doing their manful work to hold back
reaction in its most brutal and aggres
sive form, we must oppose at home tbs
organized and Individual efforts of those
dangerous elements who hide dlsloyalty
behlnd a screen of specious and evasive
phrases. •
“I have read with real pride the
natfies of the men and women who are
to tak*e part In the Minneapolis confer
ence. Not one but has a record of de
voted service to fundamental democ
racy; not one but has fought the long,
hard fight for equal Justice, braving ev
ery bitterness that the humblest life
might know a larger measure of hap
piness.
"With all my heart I want them to
feel that their devotion to country is
in no wise a betrayal of principle, and
that In serving America today they are
serving their cause no less faithfully
than In. the past. I. myself.- have had
sympathy with the fears of the workers
of the United States; for the tendency
of war is toward reaction, and too of
ten military necessities have been made
an excuse for the destruction of labor
iously erected industrial and social
standards.
"These fears, happily, have proved
to be baseless. With quickened sym
pathies snd appreciation, with a new
sense of the Invasive and insidious dan
gers of oppression, our people hsve not
only held every inch of ground that
has been won by years of struggle, but
have added to the gain of the tewentieth
century along every line of human bet
terment Questions of wages and hours
of labor and industrial readjustments
have found a solution which gives to
the toilers a new dignity and a new
sense of social and economic security.
I beg you to feel that my support has
not been lacking and that the govern
ment has not failed at any point in
granting every just request advanced
by you and your associates in the name
of the American worker.
AMERICAN BATTLE LINE.
“No one wno is not blind can fall to
see that the battle line of democracy
for America stretches today from the
fields of Flanders to every house and
workshop where tolling, upward-striv
ing men and women are counting the
treasures of right and justice and lib
erty which are being threatened by our
present enemies.
“It has not been a matter of sur
prise to me that the leaders in certain
groups have sought to ignore our griev
ances against the men who have equal
ly misled the German people. Their in
sistence that a nation whose rights have
been grossly violated, whose citizens
have been foully murdered under their
own flag, whose neighbors have been
invited to join In making conquest of
its territory, whose patience In press
ing the claims of justice and humanity
has been met with the most shameful
policy of truculence and treachery,
their insistence that a nation so outrag
ed does not know its own mind, that it
has not comprehensible reason for de
fending itself, or for joining with all
Its might in maintaining a free future
for itself and its ideals. Is of a peace
with their deafness to the oft-repeated
statement of our national purposes.
“Is U, perhaps, that these forces of
antagonism have not yet learned to
know the voice of that America we love
and serve? It may well be that those
among ns who stand ready to forward
the plans of aggression bred in secret
do not understand the language of de
mocracy when It proclaims the purposes
of war in terms of a peace for the peo
ples that shall be untroubled by those
to whom men are but the pawns In their
struggle for power and gain.
END OF BLOOD AND IRON.
"But true Americans, those who toil
here for home and «he hope of better
things, whose lifted eyes have caught
the vision of a liberated world, have
said that of the policy of blood, and
Iron there shall be an end and that
equal justice which is the heart of de
mocracy shall rule in its stead.
"May not those who toil and those
who have made common cause of the
larger hope for the masses of mankind
take renewed heart as they think of
these days when America has taken its
stand for the rights of humanity and
the fellowship of social and internation
al justice?
'Sincerely yours,
"WOODROW WILSON.”
Among the speakers at the conference
will be Samuel Gompers, John Hall,
president of the Minnesota Stat 6 Fed
eration of Labor; Charles Edward Rus
sell, John H. Walker, president Illinois
State Federation of Labor; Frank P.
RULERS OF GEBNIW
BACKED By PEOPLE,
TEUTONPAPERS SM
Press of Berlin and Vienna
Censure Wilson’s Reply to
Pope, Asserting He Does Not
Know German. People
AMSTERDAM. Sept. 3.—The Vienna
Nleue Frei Presse, commenting on
President Wilson’s note, says:
"Even an unprejudiced perusal must
lead to the conclusion that President
Wilson’s reply is the most partisan
presentation imaginable, that lacks all
justice; is filled with malignity and
prejudice aganst Germany and shows
that Presdent Wilson has no inkling
of Germany’s political institutions or
the character of the German people.
"President Wllaon appears to know
nothing either of the isolation policy
or that France is at least as militarist
as Germany. He has not read that in
the Soukhomlinoff trial the clearest
proof that has been given that the war
was unchained by the military caste
of Russia, even against the czar’s will.
He does not know and does not want
to know that by disregard of the Lon
don and Paris declarations. Great Bri
tain is responsible for the entire mis
fortune at sea.”
The paper further terms the note
"nonsensical,” adding: "For even if it
were assumed that Germany had striv
en after world domination, no one will
understand why the slaughter must
continue, despite the frustration of the
alleged plan of domination.”
It sees in -the concluding words of
the note the only ray of hope and de
clares:
“Even the American people could not
offer a better guarantee of treaties
than the agreement between the Ger
man parliament and government exhib
ited by the reichstag resolution and the
chancellor’s acceptance thereof.”
The Vienna Fremdenblat declares:
’The contents of Wilson’3
reply are as unparalleled as the tone
of the note. In a most humiliating
and offensive manner terms are dictat
ed to the German people, the fulfill
ment of which would constitute the
most humiliating intervention in the
most primitive rights of the German na
tion. If Germany lay prostrate, her
army destroyed and fleet hors de com
bat, no more .degrading terms could
be proposed by the president of the
United States.
‘The fact has been made clear that
by rights of self-destruction the en
tente understanding nothing but their
own determination of the fate of hos
tile peoples, President Wilson simply
declares the resolve to force his will
on the German people. He sets up an
European Monroe doctrine and claims
for himself the right to remodel state
forms ton our continent, according to
his pleasure. Europe shall become a
dependency of America.
"It having been made clear that the
resistance of the central powers can
no more be broken by the force of arms
than by a starvation war, the attempt
is made by enemies to Implant the
metastasis germ in the peoples of the
centra] powers. The reichstag peace
resolution does not satisfy Mr. Wil
son. He requires a peace resolution:
he would like to transform Germany
Into the condition in which Russia now
it. thanks to its joining the western
powers.
"The German people, however, will
give a fitting answer to this unsought
benefactor, and every one who has re
tained clear judgment will recognize
that the freedom Mr. Wilson preaches
is nothing but subjection to Ameri
ca’s dictation.”
H5WI,!!lTPIII[l
TO 11. 5. IN INCOME TMES
Georgia Pays $1,218,831 in
Corporation Tax and $611,-
777 in Individual Tax
WASHINGTON, Sept. B.—lndividuals
and corporations paid the government
3369,681,228 in income taxes during the
past fiscal year, the preliminary report
of Commissioner of Internal Revenue
Osborne shows, the. sum being almost
equally divided between corporations
and individuals. The exact returns
show corporations 3179,572,888; individ
uals. 3180,108,340.
New York, as expected, remained far
in the lead of all other states with pay
ment of 346,566,952 in corporation
taxes, and 381,495,783 in individual in
comes. Southern states made returns
as follows:
State Corporation Individual
Income Tax Incomf Tax
Alabama., ..3 887.906.92 3 200,385.29
Arkansas.. .. 306,310.84 179,413.47
Florida .. .. 327.655.04 305,879.91
Georgia .. 1.218,381.39 611,777.89
Kentucky .. . 1,252,485.55 393.271.63
Louisiana .. 1,269,121.11 813,542.12
Maryland. .. 1,401,954.27 1,947,336.47
Mississippi . . 246.829.3 S 197,456.70
N. Carolina . 1,213,609.13 551.189.51
S. Carolina .. 498,116.17 81,874.28
Tennessee .. 942,090.87 438,684.27
Texas .. .. 2.611,153.93 2,781,779.69
Virginia .. . 1,837,125.64 621,507.06
Walsh, Governor Burnquist, of Minne
sota; John Spargo, John Lind. Rose
Pastor Stokes, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise,
William English Walling, Hugh Frayne,
New York, eastern representative of the
American Federation of Labor; Frank
E. Wolfe. W. J. Ghent, Prof. Max Fred
erick Meyer, professor of psychology at
the University of Missouri; A. M. Si
mons, editor of a Socialist weekly, who
has resigned from the Socialist party,
Winfield R. Gaylord, first socialist state
senator elected in Wisconsin who has
resigned from the party.
ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1917.
OUR BOYHOOD AMBITION —BY WEBSTER
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(Copyright. 1917. by H. T. Webster.)
SUITE SUCCEEDS ARNOW
IS GAME COMMISSIONER
Governor Names Muscogee
Man to Succeed Present In
cumbent, Effective Oct, 1
Governor Dorsey Monday announced
the appointment of Sam J. Slate, of Mus
cogee county, as state game and fish
commissioner to succeed Charles S. Ar
now, an appointee of Governor Harris,
whose term of office expired September 1,
after a service of two years.
Mr. Slate will enter upon his new du
ties October 1, Mr. Arnow having been
given until that date to get his office in
shape to be turned over to his succes
sor.
The new commissioner has been a resi
dent of Georgia for twenty years, having
come here from his native state, Virgin
ia, where he first was interested in the
game and fish industry.
He is one of the managers of the Cor
bitt Motor company, and is a prominent
traveling man, being chairman of the
good roads and public Utilities commtitee
of the Georgia T. P. A. For many years
he has lived in Muscogee county, near
Columbus.
Mr. Slate was very active in the cam
paign of Mr. Dorsey for governor.
Slate Well Qualified
For' His New Position
(Special Dispatch to The Journal.)
COLUMBUS, Ga., Sept. 3. —Sam J.
Slate, aged 44 years, has represented the
Corbitt Motor Truck company, of Hen
derson, N. C., In Georgia, Alabama and
Florida for the past seven years. He
has been a resident of Muscogee county
for the past twelve years, and married a
Columbus girl, Miss Wattle Yonge, and
has three children.
Mr. Slate is a prominent member of
Post C, T. P- A., and state chairman of
the good roads committee of the Geor
gia division. He is a Virginian by birth,
and is quite familiar with affairs of the
office, by reason of his long residence in
the tidewater section.
Mr. Slate was in charge of organiza
tion of the Dorsey campaign, and has
been active in politics for a number of
years, although he has never held pub
lic office before, and has never been an
applicant for office.
Anti-Conscription Riot
Is Quelled by Montreal
Police With Revolvers
MONTREAL, Sept. 3.—Two more ar
rests had been made today as a result
of antl-conscriptlonists attempting to
force their way into a pawn shop to
secure guns displayed in the windows.
The antis smashed the plate glasses
with their guns, but the police were
quickly on the scene and managed to
get most of the weapons back. The
crowd was in an ugly mood and threat
ened to shoot the officers, who were
forced to draw their revolvers to hold
their two prisoners. Reinforcements
from the nearby police stations soon
scattered the erod’d.
Important revelations are expected
from a thrilling fight in the vicinity of
Lachute, a small place about 30 miles
from Montreal, in which a young des
perado was wounded by the <>olice in
a running gun fight and ended his life
by blowing out his brains.
Three companions of the dead man
are hiding in the bush, and the police
expect to round them up quickly. It is
thought they may be connected with
the Montreal outbreaks.
Anti-conscription banners are barred
from the labor parade here today.
S XILIED WHEN GEORGIA
TRAIN CRASHES INTO ONTO
Car and Victims Carried Near
ly 300 Yards on Pilot
of Engine
(Special Dispatch to The Journal.)
GREENSBORO, Ga., Sept. 3.—Three
persons were instantly killed Sunday
afternoon, when -passenger train No. 5 on
Georgia road hit a Ford car at Swords,
twelve miles west of Greensboro. Two
other occupants of the car died here Sun
day night. The dead:
WILLIAM STRICKLAND.
EDWARD STRICKLAND, ten years
old.
CLIFFORD MOORE.
CARL STRICKLAND.
HOMER MAULDIN.
William. Strickland and his son, Ed
ward, and Clifford Moore were killed
outright.
Carl Strickland and Homer Mauldin
passed away Sunday night.
Engineer Joe Hogan was at the throt
tle of the Georgia train. The automo
bile was hit about fifty yards west of
the Swords depot. The latter obstruct
ed theh driver’s view. The engine hit
the auto broadside. Mauldin was driv
ing the car when the accident occured.
Spectators of the terible accident say
that Engineer Hogan blew his w r histle
for the crossing. The bodies of the
dead and injured were carried to Madi
son on the train which hit the auto. The
top of Moore’s head wis knocked off.
The little city of Swords and the en
tire community are cast in gloom over
the terrible tragedy.
William Strickland and his two sons
were buried in Greensboro cemetery
this morning. Clifford Moore was buY
ied at Swords. He was about seventeen
years of age, and moved to Greene coun
ty several years ago with his father, R.
S. Moore, and brother, W’llliam Moore,
coming from Walton county.
Homer Mauldin leaves a wife and two
small children. His funeral occurred at
Woodville.
The auto and victims of the accident
were carried nearly 300 yards on the
pilot of the engine. The engine pilot and
auto were demolished.
Th’ose killed outright, as well as the'
two injured, were carried to Madison by '
the death train.
Two Limited Trains
Held Up by Derailment
Two limited trains between New York
and New Orleans were delayed several
hours Sunday about 60 miles south of
Atlanta on the West Point route by the .
derailment of a box car on a freight
train. The two limited trains passed i
the wreck Anally by going into a siding
after a wrecking crew had done its
work.
Aroused Brother From
Sleep to Kill Him, Is
Story of Pike Tragedy
( Special Dispatch to The Journal.)
WILLIAMSON, Sept. 3.—T. Q. Irvin,,
of near Hollonville, Pike county, shot|
and killed his brother, Clarence, at an |
early hour this morning.
He is said to have gone to his home
and called him from bed.
Bad feeling is alleged to have existed I
between the brothers since the death of
their father last fall, the winding up
the estate being responsible.
GOV. LOWDEN OH JOB
AHO PACIFISTS ARE OUIET
No Further Efforts to Meet
Expected but Delegates
Are Still Present
CHICAGO. Sept. 3.—Governor Low
den arrived here today to take personal
charge of the situation arising out of
the conflict of authority between him
self and Mayor Thompson, with whose
aid the People’s Council of America for
Democracy and Terms of Peace was able
to hold a meeting here yesterday after
i: had been interdicted by the governor.
Mayor Thompson was believed to be
at Lake Geneva, Wis.
“So far as I can learn there is no pros
pect of another meeting of the pacifists,”
said Chief Shuettler. "Apparently they
concluded their work yesterday."
The Seventh Illnois infantry, which
was called out last night by General
Carter, commanding the central depart
ment, United States army, was back on
routine duty today. General Carter per
mitted them to return to their homes
late last night.
A body calling itself "the American
Liberty league,” said to be composed of
women and affiliated with the so-called
people’s council, met at a hotel this
afternoon, under the leadership of Mis*
Crystal Eastman and resolved to go to
Washington to "picket” the celebration
of conscription day there September 4.
The picketing, it was said, would con
sist in the display of banners.
The conference was made possible
through orders of Mayor Thompson, is
sued in defiance of Governor Lowden.
The governor had interrupted Satur
day’s preliminary meeting by ordering
the Chicago police to disperse the pa
cifists. Thompson was at his Lake
Forest home at the time. He was pain
ed with what he regarded as unwar
ranted assumption of his own rights.
He not only countermanded Lowden’s
orders of yesterday, but directed Po
lice Chief Schuettler to afford the con
ference every protection.
ARRIVED TOO LATE.
With the mayor and police on their
side, the pacifists began their confer
ence. which had been barred from Min- '
nesota, North Dakota. Wisconsin, Utah
an<Mllinois, at 2:30. The governor was
apprised of this. There were no state
troops in Chicago, and at 3 o’clock he
ordered four companies of the Ninth i
Illinois infantry, stationed in Spring
field, to this city. They arrived at
9:20, but the meeting had adjourned a.t
6:50.
Several of the pacifists "checked out” j
at the Fort Dearborn hotel when they :
learned of the troops’ arrival. It waS
said they had left the city. A majo*ity
of the delegates, however, were still <
here, and it was believed an attempt
would be made to hold another public I
meeting. Such a meeting couM only i
be called by the council's executive
committee. It was announced that this
call “may never be issued.” Author-;
ities took the attitude that this an
nouncement was “for public consump
tion,” however, anti were on the alert
for any trouble that may develop.
Mayor Thompson faces trouble from
several directions. The state council of
defense believes he is guilty of crim
inal negligence in overridng Lowden’s
orders and intends to call a special
meeting at which charges will be for
mally preferred.
State’s Attorney Hoyne says if such
charges are made he will prosecute
them vigorously.
The governor and Attorney General
Brundage are known to have discussed
Thompson’s act, though neither would
make a statement.
NUMBER 96.
TAKING OF RIGA MAY
FORCE IBKFEB OF
CIPITILTOMOSCOW
German Occupation of Petro
grad Probable, but May Be
Blessing in Disguise for the
Russian People
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3.—Abandon
ment of Riga in the face of the new
German drive into Russia, and even the
evacuation of Petrograd itself, have been
forecast as possibilities in confidential
advices to the American government dur-
the last two weeks. Such a develop
ment is not regarded with so much alarm
as might be supposed.
With Riga abandoned, and German oc
cupation of Petrograd in prospect, the
seat of the Russian govern
ment undoubtedly will be mo red to Mos
cow. Much as they may regret seeing
th® Russian capital occupied by a Ger
man army, forceful, thinking men of
Russia, working to set up a government,
may regard it as a blessing in disguise.
There are many advantages In moving
the Russian capital to Moscow. It is
the center of the conservative group, and
commands the sentimental—almost a
religious—regard of the Russian popu
lace as the ancient capital of the old em
pire, surrounded with traditions of Rus
sia’s greatness, the triumphs of Alexan
der, Catherine and Peter the Great.
Furthermore, some Russians of the
new government are said to think that a
German occupation of Riga, and even Pe
trograd, might be a wholesome object
lesson for the radical element, which has
been hampering the new government,
and that an experience under the mili
tary heel of Germany might convince
them of the need of supporting the gov
ernment as now constituted to their
fatherland for the Russians.
As a military achievement, capture of
Riga and Petrograd amounts to almost
nothing. With support of the German
fleet in the Baltic, a German army can
take Riga almost without an effort. Be
tween Riga and Petrograd are many
miles of swamp wastes, but admittedly
, the German army could traverse them,
although not easily.
Von Hindenburg has been credited
with having declared he could take Pe
trograd any time he decided to do so,
and having added that there was little
military advantage to be gained other
than taking possession of the ammunl-'
tlon factories.
At any rate, a German army placed
in Riga and Petrograd now will soon
have its rear cut off by Ice, for all water
communications will cut off. Thosq
who are not disposed to regard the ex
tension of the German lines further into
Russia as being of a military gain to
Germany, recalling the old adage that
King Winter was too muth for Napo
leon, point out that Germany only takes
on her already burdened establishment
the task of caring for an army frozen in
far from base.
The chief object would seem to be the
effect on the political situation in Rus
sia
Russians Abandon Riga
Before German Advance
PETROGRAD, Sept. 3.—The Russians
have abandoned Riga, the war office an
nounces.
Rigd is approximately 350 miles dis
tant from Petrograd on the Baltic sea.
For the past three weeas there have
been indications of a powerful German
drive centering here—at tne point near
est to Petrograd of the fighting fronts.
A week ago German destroyers, mine
sweepers and other naval vessels with
hydroplanes, entered the Gulf of Riga,
while the German artillery fire on land
increased to a considerable volume. The
enemy troops struck across the Dvina
river southeast of Riga, moving for
ward on approximately a twenty mils
front.
Strong resistance was offered this ad
vance, but the enemy pressure was too
strong.
Some Russian detachments voluntar
ily left their positions, the war office
reports, and are retiring towards the
I north. v
The threatening situation. The state
ment says:
"On the left bank of the river Dvina,
to the west of Riga our troops toward '
the morning of Sunday retired to the
I line of Bilderlingshof, Medem and Dah
lef?.
“In the direction of Uxkull, on
the north bank of the Dvina, in the
course of Saturday aZd Sunday, the
Germans conducted stubborn attacks,
chiefly on the front in Shtal-Melmuger-
Skrihto-Lausin and the confluence ot
I the river Oger. Toward Sunday even
i ing they succeeded in penetrating our
positions on the river Jaegel, in the re
gion of Melmuger and Skrihto.
"Some of the detachments voluntarily
left their positions and are retiring to
the north. Efforts to restore the posi
tion by counter attacks gave no defi
nite result. In view of the threaten
ing situation created in the Riga region
the order has been given for the
abandonment of this region.”
The present German offensive is the
fourth against Riga. In 1915 General
Hindenburg was held in check for
months by General Ruszky, despite a
tremendously powerful drive. Two
previous attempts, both spasmodic, but
nevertheless attempted by strong
forces, were repelled.
Abandonment of Riga has been fore
cast for the past month. It was along
this front, according to reports, that the
most complete demoralization of Russian
troops was discovered. Pejrograd official
reports of even the past week mentioned
the desertion from the fighting front of 4
whole units of Russian troops.
Keernsky centered his efforts two
back to restore fighting
this particular part of the line.
Norway Urged to Seize
Private Stocks of Food
COPENHAGEN, Sept. 2.—The Chris
tiana Social Democraten asserts that
Norway has provisions, for only one
month and that the import prospects are
very gloomy. The paper demands that
the government seize all private stocks
and take over the control of imports
and food distribution.
