Newspaper Page Text
Atlanta jhmi'Wtddjj sauriial
VOLUME XX.
FIVE BILLION LOIN
is .oversubscribed
M 'IODO ANNOUNCES
Almost Impossible to Make
Estimate Under Avalanche
of Last-Minute Subscriptions
Pouring in to Swell Fund
Loan Great Success
McAdoo Announces
WASHINGTON. D. C. Oct. 28. —
Secretary JicAdoo’s statement on the
success of the second Liberty loan:
"It is a great honor to be able
to announce to the American people
tnat the second Liberty loan is an
overwhelming success.
“It has been greatly over-sub
scribed. The extent of the splendid
over-subscription of the three-bil
licn-doilar issue cannot be definitely
stated now because full reporta have
not yet been received and banks all
over the country are holding open
into the night to accommodate sub
scribers
•'lt will be several days before
final figures can be given.
•The patriotic people of America,
men and women alike, have respond
ed generously and nobly to the call
of their government to support and
sustain the gallant soldiers and
sailors of the republic.
•The challenge of the German
kaiser has been answered by the
free people of America in unmistak
able term* ”
WASHINGTON. Oct. 29—Returns
from the second Liberty Loan cam
i>atpn reachins the treasury department
early today rave no definite indication '
as to the total amount The '
full measure of the nation’s response
will not be known definitely before the
first of November.
Further figures showing Liberty Loan
subscriptions totals, the treasury de
partment announced, will not be made
public here until Thursday. This de
cision was reached when it became ap
parent that the federal reserve banks (
would be unable to make more than .
approximate returns before -that time.
There was nothing today at the treas- ,
iiry upon which to base an estimate of
the grand total of subscriptions. It was
assumed. In the lack of reports, that the
banks were busy tabulating the totals
which rolled In by the millions Satur
day. Officials reasserted their belief that
the loan had passed 16.000.000.000.
Next Thursday is the last day upon
which banks may make returns. All ,
■subscription agencies. Including the
28.000 banks in the country, are required ■
bv the treasury to have their subscrip
tion lists and the 2 per cent of subscrip
tions required with bond applications In
the hands of the reserve banks not later
than that date.
Treasury officials, on the basis of re
turns at 'hand, were unable to sax
whether subscriptions had passed the
$5,000.000.000 mark, although they were
agreed that chances are the figures ap
proximate this amount.
Reports to the department today said
that reserve bank officials and local
loan committees, after yesterday’s
treathlng spell, were hard at work in an
effort to complete their tabulations of
returns. They have until Thursday to
make final reports.
Subscriptions to the loan by employes:
of the Panama canal and Panama rail-:
road totalled $549,850. It was also an-.
roun<-ed. Approximately 82 per cent of
the men on the “gold roll’ of the canal
commission, or 3.423 employes, sub
scribed for bonds.
New York’s Estimate
Is Now $1,750.000.000
NEW YORK. Oct. 29. —Banks in the
New York federal reserve district
oxer whelmed with the flood of last-J
minute subscriptions to the second
Liberty loan, will be unable to tabu- |
late complete returns until the middle
. ,>f the week, it was stated today, but 1
members of the loan committee re- •'
iterated their l«elief that the district’s
quota of a biliion and a half dollars
has been far exceeded. Estimates of
the subscriptions range from >1.700.- j
■>nont>«« to The official
count of the federal reserve bank last
night was $1,335,705,800.
At 10 a. m. today this had increased:
t« 51.289,757.200.
Government Investigates
Alleged Rioting Plots
Involving Chickamauga
•CHATTANOOGA. Tenn., Oct. 29. 1
Federal and city investigations were
inder wav here today into an alleged ‘
conspiracy Involving Chickamauga
'amp soldiers to stage a general labor
riot here last night, and into charges I
that city detectives had “tipped off” the
conspirators that the plan was known
thus frustrating last night’s attempt
ed raids
loe Ivans, city detective who last
night shot and killed J. W. Flannlgan.
private of the Eleventh infantry, was
being held in connection with the in
vestigation. •
King Constantine Urged
Keiser to Attack Allies
ATHENS. Get 29.—Among the mes
sages exchanged between the royal pal
aces at Athens and Berlin and which
have fallen into the hands of the Greek
government was one in which King Con
stantine urged Emperor William to at-:
tack the al tes on the Balkan front,
promising that Greek forces would at
tack Genera’. Sarrail’s army in the rear.
In another message Queen Sophie al
luded to the all’es as “Infamous pigs."
Tobacco Habit Banished
In 48 I" 72 bo«ir». N«> craving for tobacco
:n any form «ft*r completing treatment, ton
tain* n« habit-fbrmlng dr iga. Satisfactory re
■uMs guaranteed in every eaae. Write Newell
Fbarmaral Ce. D*pt. 5. St. Louis. Mo., for
FREE Booklet. "TOBACCO REPEEMER” and
poaitlve proof.—<Advt.|
Full Associated Press Service
PACIFIST im BEATEN .
UNMERCIFULLT Bl MOB
Cincinnati Preacher Kidnaped
as He Was Entering Hall
to Make Address
i
CINCINNATI. Oct. 28.—Stripped of
his clothing and beaten unmercifully.
Herbert S. Bigelow, pacifist leader and
pastor of the People's church here, was
found at Florence. Ky.. today. He had
been kidnaped by a band of men in twen
ty-one automobiles, who turned him
loose after dipping his head in crude
petroleum.
All evidence indicates he was the vlc
time of an oath-bound organization,
sworn to wreak vengeance on pacifists
and ethers i.ot in accord with the
government’s war policies.
A black snake whip had been used on
Bigelow, whose condition is serious.
Bigelow was president of the recenl
Ohio constitutional convention.
He was kidnaped at 8 p. m. Sunday as
he was about to epter a hall to address
a meeting of Socialists.
With him were Prof. Edward J. Can
trell. of Minneapolis, and Vernon Rose,
of Kansas City. Two men approached
Bigelow, seized him. handcuffed him, and
thrust him into a waiting automobile.
Those with Bigelow supposed he had
been taken by federal officers.
The kidnapers were traced to Latonia,
where they had a rendezvous with other
posses
Farmers saw a strange procession of
automobiles winding through the Ken
tucky hills and counted twenty-one
machines.
The vendetta returned from the scene
of the whitecapping singly. Automo
bile parties of searchers were urtfcble to
apprehend them. \
Bigelow has received vague threats
recently, but refused to heed them. There
were rumors that a secret organization
had been formed In Kentucky to “teach
a lesson to pacifists?’ Sunday Bigelow's
automobile was followed about Cincin
nati by another machine.
Bigelow was able to tell of his ex
perience. He had entered a
office in Florence at 1:30 a. m. and re
mained there till morning
His back and legs were lacerated and
a portion of his hair had been cut off.
After he had been stripped his hands
were tied around a tree. Then the lead
er of the vigilantes said: “In the name
of the women and children of Belgium
and France, strike!” Then the first blow
fell. Seven more lashes fell across his
back. Then there was a pause, said
Bigelow.
"Apparently the man with the whip
‘was waiting for orders,” he said. “Then
the whip came down on my back again.
I believe there were ten or a dozen
lashes.
“The men were masked and wore white
aprons. They reminded me of the Ku-
Klux figures I saw in ‘The Birth of a
Nation.’
“After I had been seized and hand
cuffed I was taken out into the country.
A sack was thrown over my head. My
feet were tied. I had no notion of either
time or distance. I could tell only that
we were going over smooth roads.”
”At last we came to a stop. I was
lifted out of the automobile and the
sack was taken off my head.
‘They led me up a hill to a school
house and took me to a tree to which
they tied me.
“ ‘Off with his clothes!’ somebody ex
claimed.
“My clothes were taken off my back.”
Then follews Bigelow's description of
the lashing.
“They cut off some of my hair,” said
Bigelow, “and then poured something
out of a bottle over my head. I judged
|it was crude oil. The men then left
me, except two, who remained to guard
me. One had a revolver.
“When the others were gone a con
siderable time, my guards also left me
after telling me not to go away for ten
, minutes.
Thej- instructed me to go to a certain
house where I would get directions,
“It occurred to me that the oil had
been poured on my head so that I might
be identified at the house to which I
• had been directed.
“I feared something more was in
st<#he for me there, so I walked away
in the opposite direction, and finally
reached Florence.”
I Bigelow said in parting, his kidnapers
told him he must leave Cincinnati with
in thirty-six hours and stay away from
Cincinnati during the rest of the war.
He said today he would stay in Cin-
I cinnati if given proper protection by
, federal authorities.
Recently federal authorities conduct
ed a raid on Bigelow’s office in Cln
, cinnati, where documents concerning
the activities of the local people’s coun
cil were seized. Sunday afternoon, at
People’s church services. Bigelow pray
ed for “the repose of the souls of Em
, peror William and the proud men sur
| rounding him.”
Mr. Bigelow was Democratic candi
date for secretary of state of Ohio In
'1912 and was a delegate from Hamilton
county to the constitutional convention
i 1902 and was a delegate from Hamilton
I vention as its president. For the las 1 :
! several years, however, he has been ac
tively associated with the Socialist
< party.
Bernstorf! Is Made
Something by Kaiser
AMSTERDAM Oct. 29.—Count von
Rernstorff. the former ambassador to
the United States, has been made a
"Wirklicher Gehelmrat” by the German
emperor with the title of excellency. The
count is now ambassador at Constanti
nople.
Second Liberty Bonds
Sell Above Par in N. Y.
NEW YOK. Oct. 29.—The bonds of the
I second Liberty loans were listed today
:on the stock exchange here. The first
1 transaction. $1,500 worth, took place
I with the price at par. The second lot,
i amounting to SB,OOO. sold at 100.02.
‘Women Open Food Campaign
NEW YORK. Oct. 29.—An army of
16.000 women today started a campaign
to enlist 1.200.000 New York C*ity resi
dents In the food conservation campaign
of the national food administration,
j The women will canvass every house
in the greater city. They will carry
pledge cards with them to be signed
and will leave in every home litera
ture bearingi upon the sbuject of the
necessity of saving food The drive
will continue a week.
THE GREAT AMERICAN HOME
just wait Til I (
MM 808 6ETS
/ OVER- THERE. !.'r
/ z \
? WHill
HEBTLING IS OFFERED
CHANCELLDfISHIP, REPOUT
I
Resignation of Michaelis Is
Said to Have Been
Accepted
AMSTERDAM, Oct. 29—The Zeitung
Am Mittag of Berlin says the German
chancellorship has been offered to the
Bavarian premier, Count von Hertllng.
who has asked for time to consider the
matter.
Resignation Is Reported
To Have Been Accepted
ZURICH. Oct. 29.—The Suttgart news
paper Neuste Tageblat declared today
that Chancellor Michaelis’ resignation
had been accepted by the kaiser.
Belgians Reject Kaiser’s
Separate Peace Offer
LONDON, Oct. 29.—La Metropole, a
Belgian newspaper published here, says
a German attempt to separate the allies
has been defeated by Baron de Broque
ville, Belgian foreign minister.
According to this newspaper, Germany
recently made a peace offer to Belgium.
La Metropole says the bearer of
the peace proposal was a Belgian in
dustrial and financial magnate who
knew Foreign Minister de Broqueville
personally. He went to Paris through
Switzerland and asked for a meeting
with the minister who met him in a
l aris hotel. The emissary there said
I he was commissioned by Baron von der
Lane ken, legal adviser of the German
government in Belgium, to propose that
semi-official Belgian and French dele
gates should meet German delegates in
Berne to lay down a basis for a last
ing peace.
The following preliminary conditions
were presented. Recognition of Belgian
independence, indemnity for war ex
penses, reparation for war destruction
according to the Belgian gommon law,
and convocation of a peace conference
at Brussels under the presidency of
King Albert.
Baron de Broqueville, the newspaper
saya, defeated this attempt to separate
the allies.
'Austria’s Hope of Peace
Raised, Official Says
ZURICH, Oct. 29.—Austrian hopes of
a "speedy and honorable peace" have
been raised by the Austro-German suc
cesses on the Italian front, the president
of the relchsrat said in an address to
the deputies, as quoted in Vienna dis
patches. He admitted there had been
great anxiety in regard to Trieste which
had now been removed.
The report of the proceedings in par-
I .iament adds that the German and Polish
I deputies arose and cheered the emperor
, and the army, implying that the Czechs
; did not join in the demonstration
Thirteen Million Men
Crossed Sea Safely
—,
LONDON, Oct. 29.—Thirteen million
men have crossed and recrossed the
seas during the three vears of the war
| —and only 3,500 of these nave been lost,
I Premier Lloyd George to’.d the house of
: commons this afternoon in lauding the
work of the navy.
“The navy has also safeguarded the
transportation of 25,000,000 tons of ex
plosives and 51.bd0.000 tons of coal,” th?
I premier continued.
“The navy is the anchor of the allied
causes. If It loses its grip, the hopes
of the alliance are shattered.”
Lloyd George moved the thanks of
parliament to the fighting forces.
A great crowd assembled in the galler
j ies and there was a big attendance on
, the floor for the prime minister s
I speech.
Lloyd George warmly lauded Field
I Marshal Haig and General Maude. Brit
' Ish commander in chief of the Meso
| potainian forces, for their work and
i paid enthusiastic praise to the dominion
forces of the empire.
ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1917.
ALLIES ARE SURELY
FORCING GERMANS
BACK TO FRONTIER
Secretary Baker’s Weekly Re
view of War Explains Mili
tary Movements of French
and Britisjj on Western Line
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29.—While pre
dicting another strategic retreat by the
Germans on the west front. Secretary
of War Baker’s weeklv war review to
day admits that “Italy ’■ passing
through a difficult moment.”
No Indication is given as to what the
allied war chiefs may do to relieve the
gigantic pressure of Hun hordes sweep
ing over the plans erf Italy in an obvious
effort to register a great military' coup.
Baker’s report apparently was prepared
before the Austro-German thrust as
sumed its present critical proportions.
It outlines as the foremost develoments
of the week the British and French ad
vances on the west front,
holdings now.
The secretary’s review follows:
"Renewed activity prevails in all
theaters of war.
“Important developments would
appear to be impending.
“Along the western, eastern and
Italian fronts, in Macedonia, Ru
mania, Mesopotamia and even in
East Africa, significant operations
are in progress.
"The two outstanding features of
the situation of the week are the
relentless British offensive in the
Ypres salient, resulting in substan
tial sains of terrain of important
strategic value, and the sudden
well-aimed and sustained thrust of
the French north of the Aisne.
"It is evident that the allied drives
along the western front are broad
ening in scope and intensity. The
whole front, from the Houttiolst
wood, through the Passchendaele
ridge, southward to Lens, and on
the Aisne, is becoming the scene of
Increasingly heavy allied pressure,
which the enemy is withstanding
with difficulty.
“Side by side the French and
British are pushing on through the
Flemish lowlands towards Roulers.
“The enemy, believing he might
find a rift in the otherwise impreg
nable allied line at the point of
junction between the Franco-British
forces, directed repeated heavy
counter attacks tn this segment.
These were repulsed.
"While the British attacks dur
ing the past week have been car
ried out with imposing effectives,
it is apparent that the British com
mand is maneuvering in order to
gain important tactical advantages
at a minimum cost.
“The casualties to the enemy are
rising steadily.
"Slowly the allies are enlarging
their .gains in Flanders, driving Into
the heart of German resistance In
the west.
"The German armies fight on
stubbornly. If any further evidence
of allied superiority be needed, it
seems to be supplied by the decisive
successes won by the French during
the past week.
“This offensive was launched on
a six-mlle front near the west end
of the Chemin des Dames at dawn
on October 23.
“General Petain so well masked
i his preparedness that the enemy
was taken by surprise as to the
exact terrain chosen for the attack,
and was overwhelmed before being
able to organize a concentrated re
sistance.
“The German lines were pene
trated to a depth of well over two
miles at one point.
“This first attack was immedi
ately followed by a second assault in
this same sector, crowned with full
success.
"In three days fighting, the Frennfc
have taken 12.000 prisoners, 120
guns of large caliber and a great
quantity of other booty not yet enu
merated.
"The possession of the captured
fort of Malmaison, the key to the
entile ridge, and the villages be
yond, now makes it possible for the
French to enfilade the German po-
sitions along the Chemin des Dames,
as well as to fire directly through
the valley toward the fortress of
Laon.
"General Petain showed himself
a past master of strategy in being
able to attain so decisive a victory
in so brief a period.
"The time has apparently come
for another ‘strategic retreat’ of
the enemy. It means that the Ger
mans must again retire to a new en
trenched and carefully prepared line
if they intend to resist further in
the west.
"It must be admitted that the
German ‘retreat’ executed as a re
sult of the battles of the Somme
last year was carried th rough with
consummate skill. The enemj' re
tired, destroying all cover and tak
ing up positions in marked tactical
and strategic strength.
"But the battle of the Somme had
but one wedge. Todaj- we have the
wedge of Flanders, and that of the
Aisne is being outlined.
“The tad weather continues to be
the enemy’s best protection. He is
relying upon this factor to impede
the allied advance, and by shrouding
the battle area in slush, rain and fog,
give him a respite until he can pre
pare hitnwelf to meet a fresh on
slaught.
"News from the Italian front
proves that the Austrians were able
to bring sufficient pressure to beat
in Berlin in order to secure German
assistance.
“As the result of conceit U-ation
of an imposing array of artillery and
massed battalions, the Austro-Ger
man forces have succeeded in pene
trating the recently won Italian po
sitions in the Tolmino sector.
“The broken, steep, mountainous
character of the terrain makes it dif
flcult to hold entrenchments when
once certain strategic objectives
have been attained. These the Aus
trians have apparently captured in
this sector, which may result in the
abandonment by the Italians of the
Balnslzza plateau, which they won
after so valiant a struggle only a
few weeks ago.
"Italy is passing through a dif
ficult moment.
“We must remember, however,
that in Ma*. 1916. the Austrians at
tempted a similar onslaught. Then
they had fine weather, a well chosen
terrain, and above all the far su
perior fighting vigor of their armies
to rely upon. At that time the Aus
tralns won decided successes during
the initial days of the fighting and
pressed on the edge of the Italian
plain, only to be stopped and driven
back.
"In the east, German naval opera
tions in the vicinity of the islands
at the mouth of the Finnish gulf
were not carried through, with seri
ous losses both in men and material.
“The Russian resistance apparent
ly is consolidating.
“The Germans, using the islands
as a base, have now gained a foot
hold on the adjacent mainland.
“The first landing on the Werder
peninsula at the northern end of the
Gulf of Riga was successfully car
ried out. A further attempt at an
other point failed.
"It is not probable that the Ger
mans will undertake, for the time
being, more than a strengthening
of the positions now held in the Riga
sector.
“The retirement of the advanced
enemy lines to a depth of fifteen
miles in the region of the Dwina is
reported.
"Engagements of some magnitude
are noted along the Rumanian and
Macedonian fronts, where artillery
duels and raids are increasing in
frequency. These, however, are not
of more than local importance.
"In Mesopotamia, the British are
continuing ai*fl consolidating their
advance, driving enemy detachments
out of important tactical points on
the flanks, thus strengthening their
whole line of defense.
"Rumors of an important move by
the Turks, reinforced by certain
picked German and Austrian units
under the command of General Falk
enhayn. which have repeatedly been
reported through the near east, have
as yet failed to materialize.
GRAND JURY BEGINS
PROBE OF MEANS,CASE
Mysterious Death of Mrs. King,
Millionaire Chicago Widow,
Charged to Her Secretary
CONCORD. N. C., Oct. 29 —Solicitor
Hayden Clean ent came here today with
the convening of Cabarrus county su
prior court to present to the grand
jury a Mil of indictment charging Gas
ton B. Means, of Concord, with the
murder of Mrs. Claude A. King, widow
of J. A. King, a millionaire resident of
CSticago. Assistant District Attorney
John T. Dooling, of New York; Dr. Otto
Schultze, a pathologist, attached to
District Attorney Swann's office in New
York; Dr. William H. Burmeister, coro
ner's physician of Cooke county. 111.,
who examined the woman’s body after
it was shipped to Chicago for burial;
William T, Jones, of New York, a pis
tol expert, and a number of local wit
nesses were ready to appear before the
grand jury.
A new grand jury was sworn in. at
the opening of court at 10 o’clock, O.
S. Farrar, Concord, being named fore
man. Judge E. B. Cline presided,
charging the jury to do its duty “re
gardless of fear or favor.”
A delegation of legal and criminolo
gist experts with ten bankers arrived
from Chicago. This included Coroner's
Physician Charles Munneister, Detec
tive Schrivener, W. D. Rockefeller, who
will fill out- Buremeister’s testimony,
regarding the Chicago autoposy on the
dead woman’s body; John L. Ennis,
handwriting expert; E. F. Mack, vice
president of the Central Trust company,
and John Cooker, cashier of the Illinois
Trust company. .
Hints were that these planned civil
action against Means in connection
with his alleged manipulatio nos the
King estate.
Mrs. King was afoot and killed near
here August 25, last. While on a target
shooting trip with Means, his brother,
Afton Means and Captain W. S. -Bing
ham. A ' local coroner's jury decided
she killed herself accidentally. Afton
Means and Captain Bingham were not
1 present when she was killed, they testi
fied. Mrs. King at the time with her
sister, Mrs. Mary C. Melvin, was vis
iting relatives of Gaston Means, who
was her business agent, and with hds
wife had made his home in the
New York apartment as Mrs. King and
Mrs. Melvin. The body was taken to
Chicago for burial. An examination
by Dr. Burmeister caused the investi
gation to be reopened, resulting In a
preliminary hearing in Concord and
I Means was bound over to the grand
I jury without bail on September 25.
The second step toward the death
chair or freedom for Gaston Bullock
Means began here today. The Cabarrus
county grand jury will decide —probably
before night—whether a formar trial
“should” be ordered on evidence tending
to show he murdered rich Mrs. Maude
King, his benefactress, here August 29.
It was-six days to a day after the
globe-trotting C'hicago woman’s mysterl-
I out death, that her protege and con
fidant, Means, faced indictment on the
: deed. Fourteen of the eighteen jurors
affirmed the indictment. In that event,
a date will at once be set for formal
trial in the superior court here. Judge
Cline presiding.
Demand by the state for either a
change of venue to an adjoining county
of the district, or for a venire of jury
men from an adjacent county, was con
sidered probable in event of an indict
ment. Local sentiment here where the
Means family has resided for many
' years. It is felt, cannot altogether be re
lied upon.
It was not considered unlikely, either,
that the defense will seek a postpone
ment until the next, or January, session
of the superior court should Means be
held. This would throw the case un
der the jurisdiction of Judge James L,.
Webb, who will "ride” the circuit at the
beginning of the year.
Besides witnesses appearing at the
prelimlnarv hearing here September 24
and 25. Mrs. Mary C. Melvin, sister of
Mrs. King, will be summoned to the
stand by the state.
It was thought doubtful as court open
ed this morning that a panel can be ob
tained from Cabarrus county folks. Most
everybody has decided opinions one way
or another, the case having been the
sweetmeat of village discussion for
weeks. Summoning of from 75 to 100
veniremen from Iredell or Rowan coun
ties was therefore believed likely. „
With a mere plea of “not guilty ' in,
Means’ defense was the big query. Since
the first hearing his lawyers have work
ed ceaselessly, both here and in New
York, building up, point by point, a case
which they believe will show Gaston
Means had no motive in killing and could
not have killed, Mrs. King. Embellish
ing it all. they are believed to have
woven such a tangle of technicalities as
to retard or utterly invalidate the
charge. Thev are expected to dig deep
into Means’ earlier life, particularly dur
ing the period of his Intimacy with Mrs.
King, in an effort to forestall and crip
ple similar “disclosures” by the state,
prepared, it is believed, with much care.
United States Lends
$25,000,000 to Britain;
Total $1,400,000,000
WASHINGON. Oct. 29. —Another ad
vance of $25,000,000 was made today by
the government to Great Britain, bring
ing the total loaned that country thus
far up to $1,400,000,000 and the total to
all the allies $2,851,400,000.
Advances to the other allies total as
| follows:
France, $810,000,000; Italy, $350,000.-
,000; Russia. $325,000,000; Belgium, $58,-
I 400,000; Serbia, $3,000,000.
German Birth Rate Is
Falling Below Normal
LONDON, Oct. 9. —(By Mail.)—An
i alarming slump in the birth rate in Ger
many is checking the population by
more than 700,000 souls a year.
Figures published by a German week
ly show that the births in the empire
fell from 1.800.000 in 1916, a decrease
of more than 40 per cent.
This decrease added to the huge
mortality of the war will probably put
the actual decrease above 1,500,000 in
the last year.
NUMBER 10.
GREAT TEUTON DRIVE
CHECKED BY ITALY;
BITTLESTIII RAGE!
Landing oil Esthoriian Coast
Which Was Considered {
Threat Against Russian Na
val Base of Reval, Abandonee
NEW YORK. Oct. 29—(By cable
from foreign capitals.)—The powerfu
Austro-German advance which has bee
pressing through the foothills of th
Julian Alps on to the plains of norther
Italy is being kept in check by th
Italian forces which are faithfully ful
filling their duty, it is officially an
nounced by the war office in Rome to
day.
London advices say the Italians wli
be given all posible aid and that step
already have been taken to this en(
Presumably Italy’s own reserves of me
and guns have by this time been draw
up in notable volume and supplies hur
ried northward to reinforce the Itallai
armies In the great battle raging o
the Friuli plain.
Sweeping down from the mountain
into the plains of Friuli the invader
have captured Ctvidale and Gorizia
100.000 prisoners and 700 guns.
The fall of Gorizia is a serious men
ace to the Italian troops holding th
Carso line southward to the head of th
Adriatic, but General Cadorna stil
would be able to offer stout resistanc
on a line running through Tolmezza
Gemona, Udine, Buttrlo and Gradlsca
The capture of Gradlsca by the Teutons
however, would make a retreat from thi
Carso inevitable, and also somewhat o
a difficulty. The line of the ’Taglla
mento river. It appears, would give th
Italians the better natural position
from which to hold the Germans fron
the Venetian plains and the over-run
ning of northern Italy.
While the whole Isonzo line is li
grave danger there is also a seriou
threat In the Teuton drive to the Ital
ian line in the Camic Alps, and evei
in the Dolomites, north of Belluno
Apparently Field Marshal von Macken
sen is endeavoring to drive a wedg
between the armies on the Carso fron
and those in the mountains northwee
of Udine. Some of the advanced Ital
tan positions in the Camic Alps prob
ably have been abandoned already. I
this should prove true the Tagllamentt
river seems to offer General Cadorni
his first defensive line, unless his ar
nrfes stiffen greatly and hold the In
vaders within a few miles of the!
present positions.
Operations carried out by the Bel«
glans and French looking toward th
elimination of Houtholst forest, nortl
of Ypres, are progressing favorably
The entire Merckem peninsula, south o
Dlxmude, has been captured by allie<
troops, who have also taken Mencken
and several other villages west of thi
forest. The British hold the southeri
side of the forest and a oontlnuatloi
of the Belgb-French advance woul<
make the German position untenable.
A German retirement between Warrie
ton and Dlxmude to straighten out th<
line and eliminate the Ypres salient ii
not unlooked for in German milltarj
circles. One leading German critic
Major Moraht, says the front is unten
able; and that the Germans will hav,
ito retire to a new line. Such a lint
probably would run through Menln tc
Roulers to Thourout and thence to th«
sea.
On the northern Russian front th<
Germans have extended their with
drawal movement to include the forcz
that recently was landed on the Werder
peninsula, after the capture of Oesel,
and Moon Islands at the entrance t«
the Gulfo of Riga. This landing was
viewed at the time as a threat against
Reval, the Russian naval base on tha
Gulf of Finland, and as a possible
prelude to even more extensive lam
operations by the Germans in the di
rection of Petrograd. .
The withdrawal leaves the Germani
withouta foothold on the Esthonian
coast, attempts by them to follow up
the original landing by putting troops
ashort at points both north and south
of the peninsula having failed, acord
ing to the Russian reports. There has
been prevalent the assumption that
there never was any Intention by tha
| Germans to push their Riga operation
I much beyond the naval stage this fall.
I the view being that the threat against
the Gulf of Finland may well havo
been a diversion for political effect in
Russia or to distract attention from
operations in preparation elsewhere. *
The artillery battle is bejng
1 ued In Flanders and in sections of th«
Aisne front and the Verdun region. In
the last named the Germans attacked
spiritedly last night in the Chaum»
wood and Bezonvaux east of tb®
Meuse, and won something more than
I 500 yards of advanced trenches. Th®
French In an immediate counter at
tack recaptured the major portion of
I lost ground.
Italians Will Evacuate Big
Strip Along Gulf of Trieste
WASHINGTON. Oct. 29. —General Ca
i dorna’s Italian army will make its first
' determined stand against the Austro-
I German Invasion on Italy on the Taglia-
I mento river, official Italian cables indi-
I cated today.
Cadorna is now making a tremendous
effort to save the third Italian army
stationed at the Gulf of Trieste’s end of
the Italian lines, the cables added.
Cadorna’s decision to fall back approx
! imately sixty miles to the Tagliamento
river means he has found it necessary to
I sacrifice a strip of territory—sixty miles
| wide at its widest point—stretching
forty-five miles along the Gulf of Triest
and extending northward more than 129
miles. Among the larger cities
in the territory which will ’be given
up are Udine, Tarcento and particularly
C’vidale. where all Italian stores and
' munitions have been held In reserve.
Much of this material already has been
destroyed.
There is no fear among Italian officials
here that the Tagliamento line will not
hold. Grave doubts are voiced, however,
ias to the morale of the people back of
, the lines.
“Italy is not defeated.” said one high
Italian official.- “She will carry on her
part of the war. if the civilian popula-,
tion can be sufficiently quieted by ra
tions that must come from America In
American ships.”
Whether the famous Italian general,,
outnumbered nearly four to one,
check the spectacular onrush of von.
Mackensen and the Teuton hordes, de
pends. military authorities here
I
(Continued on Page 3, Column 3J
