Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, October 08, 1918, Image 1
Os Mtoiifet Soumiul VOLUME XX. WILSON EXPECTED TO REJECT HUN PEACE FEELER HUNS BURN VILLAGES AS THEY RETIRE PUBLIC GATHERINGS OF ILL KINDS ARE BIHD BY BOARD Street Cars Must Keep Win dows Open as Another Pre caution Against Epidemic of Disease Here All schools. libraries, theaters, mo tion picture shows, dance halls, churches and all other places of public gather ings in Atlanta were closed Monuday by the ctty board of health to guard against the spread of .Spanish influenza. The board met at 3 o’clock Monday afternoon and following an explana tion of the local situation by Dr. J. P. Kennedy, city health officer, adopted the following resolution: -Resolved, by the board of health, that all schools, libraries, theaters, -motion picture shows, dance halls, churches and all places of public amusement where people congregate be ordered closed and that street cars be operated with open windows except In ease of rain.** Immediately following the issuance of the order the Wells theaters in At lanta. the Lyric, Forsyth and the Rial to. closed their doors just before the matinee performances were scheduled to begin. It was expected that other the aters would follow suit. Just how long the closing order will I remain in effect has not yet been stated 1 by the board of healthe. It is presumed i that the ban will be . lifted as soon | as the danger of an epidemic is passed. It was pointed out that no epidemic as yet is raging in Atlanta and the board simply took this step to “lock the stable before the horse was stolen.” “ROOFLKB6 NIGHTS” FOR CAMP GORDON SOLDIERS ATLANTA JOURNAL BUREAU, Camp Gordon. Ga-. Oct. 7. nights, as a precautionary step against the ’spreading Os Spanish influenza at this cantonment, w.U be put Into ef fect here Monday night and until fur ther orders all Soldiers, excepting those tn the hospital, will sleep in the open. , The men will go to bed at taps Mon day night with a star-sown sky tor a ceiling and every man will be securely , wrapped up. The squad rooms in bar r*cxs wilt not be used unLl the epi demic is over. This outdoor sleeping measure was one,of the new steps to combat in fluenza announced Monday by Colonel Frank T. Woodbury, the camp sur geon. Cant Coms to Ctty It was further announced at the camp surgeon’s office Monday that no visitors, . excepting near relatives, will be allowed to come to camp, that no men will be ] allowed to visit the city without spe- , cial passes, and that no meetings will j be held in the Y. M. C. A. buildings, hostess houses and other meeting places. Ail gatherings will take place out of, doors. At 10:30 o’clock Monday morning Colonel Woodbury, who is doing every thing possible to hold the number of cases at this camp to a minimum, spoke to all company commanders in the pa- Fade ground stadium. , The stadium will be used regularly for lectures during the tune epidemic is in force. Meed Gause Maars All men of the camp were wear.ng gauze masks Monday. That is, ail men who could get them. Colonel Wood bury wishes to thank the Red Cross ard other volunteer workers for the masks . Which have been contributed, about 12,- •00 having been received. As many as 5,•00 more are expected during Monday. Eight deaths are reported at the camp Sunday, six of these being attributable to influenza. Because of the epidemic the dedica tion of the colored hostess house, whicn was to be held Tuesday afternoon, has been postponed, accord.ng to the an nouncement of Dr. Samuel Charles Black, chaplam-at-large of the camp. The Liberty theatet will not be in operation here for some time. Fire destroyed the office building of the gas school Sunday and all records in the building were lost. AMUSEMENT HOUSES Di ANNISTON ARE CLOSED ANNISTON. AX, Oct. 7.—Moving pic ture houses and places of amusement were ordered closed here Saturday aft ernoon in an effort to prevent a further spread of Spanish influenza. The order was issued by Dr. A. N. Steele, chairman of the board of medi cal censors. Dr. W M. Stanley, city health officer, and Dr. J. R. Ridlon. chief of the United States public health service. The order provides that the shows and amusement places will be kept closed until the present danger is EXERITSES suspended AT UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA ATHENS. Go.. Oct. 7. —Owing to the presence of influenza at the training camp of the University of Georgia all exercises at the university have been suspended until Thursday morning. While there are quite a number of cases of influenza, the college authorities are of the opinion that the crisis has passed cr.d that exercises may be resumed on the morning of the 10th. French Aviators Do Good Work on Oct. 4 PARIS. Oct. 7.—ln spite of most un favorable weather conditions. French aviators operated "with considerable success on October 4. the French of ficial statement detailing air operations reported today. Several tons of tombs were dropped on objectives behind enemy lines and twenty-one hostile machines were either shot down or forced to land out of con trol. Thirteen and a half tons of bombs wore dropped during the day on con voys. enemy assemblies and batteries, which were forced to cease firing, it was stated. Fires were started in the railway sta tions at Chaelet-sur-Retourne and Neuflize. Don’t Let Max Fool You —Buy Bonds and Soak Him Harder Full Associated Press Service WIR LOIN COUNCIL TO BE HELD; DEBOLTS SO FIBJISIPPOINT One Week Is Gone and Only About $5,000,000 Is Sub scribed —Action to Be Taken Monday Night A council of war on Atlanta's Liberty Loan drive will be held at 8 o’clock Mon day night at the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce at the cal! of Forrest Adair, city chairman. The meeting will be attended by the directors of all banks in Atlanta and by Mr. Adair and the members of his execu tive committee. It is not for the pur pose of raising subscriptions, but to dis cuss the progress of the loan campaign, which Mr. Adair states Is not at all sat isfactory. So far the campaign has resulted in subscriptions of between 85,000,000 and >•,000,000.000, lacking something like 35.M0.000 of Atlanta’s quota. One week of - the drive is over, there are but two more weeks to go and the biggest efforts already have ben made. At the meeting Monday night this situation will be gooe into thoroughly, the exact amount of subscriptions to date will be announced and it 1s ex pected that plans will be made whereby the drive will be pushed to a victorious conclusion. The women of Atlanta were hard at work Monday, with the assistance of a band from Camp Gordon and soldiers ' and an orchestra from Fort McPherson. Mrs. T. T. Stevens, woman chairman, had no additional report to make since she stated Saturday that the women ' so far have raised 8750.000. "We are too busy taking subscrip tions to tabulate them,” she said. "Some splendid reports are coming in. Among the big subscriptions we have secured are more than 130.900, which Mrs. Gus Dodd and her committee of girls raised at Georgia Tech, with the co-operation of Major Hermance .and 1200.000 which the Catholic ladies* auxiliary reported as the result of one day’s sales at the Keely company booth.” The week will be featured by a num ber of events stimulating to the* sale of i bonds. There will be no slackening in • the canvass of workers, both men ana women. Not only will lhey'solicit sub scriptions in new fields, but special committees will go over the old ground in an effort to Increase subscriptions alerady made. Publication of the names of subscribers as an honor roll in the newspapers probably will begin Tues- ' day or Wednesday. These names will also be printed In a booklet at the close of the campaign which will be given free to all subscribers to preserve as an historic souvenir of their part in the war. Mrs. Stevens issued a ringing call Monday for every woman in Atlanta to go to work for the Liberty loan. They will be assisted by soldiers from Fort McPherson who will be active through out the week soliciting bonds. Colonel Bratton, commander at Fort McPher son. has assigned thirty men to this work. A military band from Camp Gordon has also been secured to play at the different women booths located in downtowa Atlanta. Booths are at Keely company, M. Rich & Bros. Co., Chamberlin-Johnson- Du Bose company, J. P. Allen, the Flat iron building, the Peiachtree Arcade, » Franklin & Cox and the Cole Book com pany. The National League for Wom en’s Service is in charge of the Flat iron building booth. The program at this bootn Monday arranged by Mrs. William H. Kiser, chairman for the day, included an address at noon bv Mrs. Alonzo Richardson on "Women and Liberty Bonds.” a band concert and a speech by Colonel Storey at 5 •’clock on "Liberty Bonds and Their Power in the Present Moment.” Mrs. John E Murphy was chairman Monday at the Catholic Ladies' auxiliary booth at Kee ly’s. Mrs. R. M. Striplin is chairman of the booth at Chamberlln-Johnson-Du- Bose company and Mrs. Benjamin Wil daur of the Peachtree Arei.de booth. There were also booths at every bank in the city, with ladies in charge. NATION FACES HEAVY TASK IN LOAN TOTAL WASHINGTON. Oct. 7.—With the opening of the second week of the fourth Liberty Loan campaign the man agers face a most tremendous task. From now until the close of the campaign, | October 19, daily subscriptions must average $416,000,000 if the entire $6,- 000.000,000 is to be disposed of during this period. This statement is based on sales reported by banks and trust com panies. The apparent lagging of the loan is explained by the failure of purchasers to heed the slogan of the drive, "buy more bonds.” Buyers of the third loan, while liberal participants tn the new issue, some of them apparently are for getting that they not only must buy more liberally than during the previous campaign. Only scattered reports reached the treasury department today. Both Cleve- I land and San Francisco districts an- [ nounced that they had passed the SIOO.- 000.000 mark. Where the Spanish influ enza epidemic is interfering with the campaign, a house-to-house canvass is being made and telephones used to arouse interest. Several Big Tobacco Companies Indicted NEW YORK. Oct. 7 —Federal indict ments charging violation of the. Sher man anti-trust and Wilson tariff laws were returned here today against the Sumatra Purchasing corporation, the* Sumatra Tobacco Import corporation, American Cigar company. General Cigar company. Inc.. H. Days & Co.. Inc., and fourteen individual defendants. SENATORS OPPOSE ARMISTICE WITH GERMANY NOW WASHINGTON, Oct 7.—Discussing > Germany’s peace offer in the senate to day, Senator Hitchcock, of Nebraska, chairman of the foreign relations com mittee, declared "absolutely abhorrent” even a thought, of suspension ot hostili ties now and recommended the addition to the priciples previously laid down by the president as a basis for peace, one providing that the allies would deal only with real representatives of the ' German people. Republican Leader Lodge, ranking minority member of the foreign rela tions committee, declared that an ar mistice “would mean the loss of the l war and all we've fought for.” Germa- I ny. he said, now merely proposes a long I debate on the basis of peace. The only future course, Senator ' Lodge emphatically declared, is to se- I cure a complete military victory over Germany and force her to sue tor peace. Senator McCumber. of North Dakota, introduced a resolution which was re ferred to the foreign relations commit tee, providing that before any armis tice Germany mvst disband her army, surrender her navy, arms and muni tions, and agree to pay for damages to cities and counties devastated, restore Alsace-Lorraine to France, together with the penalty exacted from France in 1870. AMERICAN PEOPLE STRONG AGAINST ANY PARLEY WASHINGTON, Oct. 7.—America’s temper towards a made-in-Germany peace was clearly reflected today in thousands of letters and telegrams pour ing into the capitoi, to senators and con gressmen. By actual count less than one-fifth of one per cent of the messages even sug gested serious consideration of the “Austrp-German plea.” The voices of the nation, as heard in congress, is practical ly unaimous against any parley with the foe until he has been smashed into help lessness. The letters and telegrams sim ply confirmed what members of con gress have ben hearing for months from their constituents. Those who have gone home campaigning have been told, they said today, that a political lynching bee is in store for any party that heeds any German peace offer until America and allied troops are within German borders This feeling is stronger in the great middle west than anywhere else, al though every section of the country dis plays it in a marked degree. A close friend of a high government official recently rettlmed frorn'a tobr of middle western spates. To his official friends he reported that the issue in the congressional election this fall is sim ply “which party will treat the Germans roughest.” LAON SET AFIRE; RHEIMS FREED OF GERMAN MENACE PARIS, Oft. 7.—Laon, the strongho’.i I to which the enemy has been clinging* | as the key point of his line on the I southwest, apparently has been set alire by the Germans. The town was reported ablaze yesterday and iires were still turning there today. Rheims has been finally .and definitely cleared from the menace of German cannon. The Germans are in retreat on the Arnes, as well as in the region south of Cambrai. In the first named sector the allies; have reached the Arnes river, on which the enemy hope to make a stand. In the second region, the British fourth army has crushed counter attacks which the enemy delivered in an effort to prevent its progress toward Bohain and cover their retreat to the south. These two movements of retreat from a part of a plan -which was to have brought the German armies to new lines • cf resistance much nearer the frontier, it appears, but the constant, pursuit of the allied troops is making the execu tion of the plan most difficult and haz ardous. The peace proposals of the central powers are in no way interfering with the policy of destruction the German staff seems to have decided upon. Sal laurnines, near Lens, is burning and fires have been seen west and south west of Lille and between Douai and Souain. The troops advancing in the Champagne found Nogent-L’ Atybessee, Beine and all the villages in the valley of the Suippe in flames. Laon has been ablaze since yester day. indicating that the enemy may be about to leave that region as the Che min des Dames, already turned by Man gin on the west, has been turned on the east by the troops who have crossed the Aisne at several points in the vi cinity of Berry-au-Bac. making it ap pear the Laonis area is no longer ten able. “IT’S A CINCH”TO SELL BONDS, SAYS SALESMAN M’ADOO WASHINGTONTbct. 7—Secretary of Treasury McAdoo says “it’s a cinch” to raise money for the Liberty Loan. He knows. for yesterday he can vassed a middle class neighborhood per sonally and he and bis coworkers checkel up close to $2,000,000 after a brief afternoon’s work. McAdoo’s call took him to the homes of rich and poor. From Bernard Baruch, chairman of the war industries board McAdoo got a sl,- 000,000 subscription while there was an other for $20,000 from President Wil son. A negro maid, a foreigner in the gro cery business and others of humble es tate were among those McAdoo saw and everywhere he found that the people i were quite ready to loosen their purse strings. The Liberty Loan committee is re- ' doubling its efforts today in view of the I general world situation. Its members | say that neither German peace prope ganda nor hopeful military tidings | should deter people from subscribing to ■ the limit. Cther loans than this will be I necessary, hence no prospect of peace— ' if one really did exist now—would jus- , tify the nation in quitting its efforts, ■ they point out. Gray Hair Banished Kelnr-Bak positively guaranteed to restore | your gray hair to its original color. Not a dye or ataiti. Cores dandruff in 2 applications, stops falling hair. Harmless, colorless, stain less. Pay nothing If it fails. Write Kolor-Bak Products Co.. 68 West Washington St., Dept. lOfiC. Chicago, for free book and positive proof. (Advt.) ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1918. SOFIA NOTIFIES HUNS TO LEAVE BLiLGARIA WITHIN ONE MONTH i Serbians Drive Austro-Hunga rians Towards Nish After Taking 1,500 Prisoners. Debra Has Been Occupied AMSTERDAM, Oct. 7. —Bulgaria on Saturday notified' the powers with which she had been allied that they must quit Bulgarian territory within a monti, says a Sofia dispatch,'* to the Berlin Tage blatt. Most of the Austrians have left Bul garia, the dispatch adds, and the Ger mans are SERBIANS ARE PURSUING TEUTONS TOWARDS NISH LONDON, Oct. ‘-7.—Serbian troops are energetically pursuing the Austro-Ger mans north of Vranje in the direction of Nish, accordin'* to a Serbian official statement. The Serbians already have taken 1,500 prisoners and twelve guns. TEUTONS RETIRE IN DISORDER IN SERBIA PARIS, Oct. 7.—-Austro-German troops defeated by the French and Serbians in central Serbia are retiring northward in disorder, the French eastern communi que announced today. Capture of the important city of Vranje was conflSned. The allied ad vance in Albania us continuing. . “ I '^‘ e , r J ch and "’egblan troops have cap tured Vranje (fotfijr iniles northeast of Lskub),” the statement said. "They are most energetically pursu ing the Austro-Germans. who are retir ing northward in disorder. Several hun dred prisoners and some guns and ma chine guns were taken. “In Albania, our troops continue to advance. The Serbians have occuplerd Debra, (a Serbian city just v.tbln the Serbo-A|banian frontier, fifty-five milee east and north of Durazzo).” TOWN OF DEBRA IS OCCUPIED BY SERBIANS PARIS, Oct. 6—(Sunday.)—The town of Debra, on the Black Drina river, and forty miles northeast of El Basan, Al bania, has been occupied by Serbian troops, according to a French official statement, issued tonigh t. ALLIES IN SERBIA MAY SOON STRIKE BLOWAT AUSTRIA < BT 3. W. T. MASON NEW YORK, Oct. 7.—Allied opera- 1 tions in Serbia are being resumed against the Austrian and German troops ' who still hold about one-half of Serbian , territory. The abandonment by Austro-Hun- 1 garians of Albania, which borders Ser- 1 bia on the west, has undoubtedly been * undertaken for the purpose of reinforc- 1 ing the Teutonic line in northern Serbia. ’ Dramatic action by the allies is possible ' in this sector which would lead to an I invasion of Hungary. The fact that the ‘ allies have secured full use of Bulgarian | J territory for military purposes, brings i 1 them within thirty-five miles »f Hun- ' ’ garian territory at the northwestern cor- 1 ner of Bulgaria. • 1 Would Free Rumania This intervening area is through Ser- J bian territory, leading to the famous ! iron gate which marks the passageway 1 over the Danube into Hungary. A move ment by the allies through the iron gate ; would compel the Germans and Austro- Hungarians to evacuate Rumania and • concentrate for the defense of the Hun- < garian grain and cattle lands. These are the principal sources of 1 food supplies for the Hapsburg empire < and have also been drawn upon to feed 1 the Germans. A threat, by the allies against eastern J Hungary would result, for this reason. 1 in a situation of the utmost danger to 1 the central powers. Actual starvation i would overtake Austria-Hungary if the < allies could reach the Magyar plains. ’ The unconditional surrender of the 1 Hapsburgs might even be brought about by the development of a serious threat 1 against the wheat lands without the I actual accomplishment of conquest. Serbians at Nish The reported capture of Nish by the Serbians put the allies astride the main railway leading through northern Serbia to Belgrade, the capital. Operations along this railway would have as their objective the rescue of all that remains of Serbia in the enemy’s possession The recapture of Belgrade, which bor ders Hungary, would put the allies t within 200 miles of Budapest. A move ‘ ment toward the Hungarian capital, i however, would not Include In its sweep j the occupation of the Hungarian food . lands. Os the two objectives, the seizure . of Hungary’s granary is more important . than the seizure of the capital. Whole Garrison Is Taken by Americans ; AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE, Sunday, Oct. 6.—(Reuters) — s Americans fighting under the command i of General Gourand are credited with ( an amazing performance in the fight- i ing Friday in the Champagne sector. I A detachment assisted by French vol- I unteers, under an American captain, at- s tacked a very strong machine gun nest i on the slopes of Mont Blanc, which < had long held up the allied advance. ' < With the utmost skill, the nest was < enveloped and captured and the entire | garrison of four officers and 269 men • i were made prisoner. Seventy-five ma- I chine guns, many trench mortars and I several tractors were taken. The Amer- 1 leans did not suffer a single casualty. The enemy Is throwing some of his best t divisions into the line opposite the 1 American front. One of these is made ! up of Badense troops and has been rest- < ing in Alsace for the past month. This ' division is a favorite of the German 1 emperor and attempted to stop the s American advance at Belleau wood in i the July offensive. [ c LONDON PRESS IS SKEPTICAL ABOUT GERMANY’S OFFER LONDON, Oct. 7.—Distrust of Ger many’s intentions and skepticisms as to the result of peace overtures of the cen ; tral powers are reflected in comments : by the newspapers here. Tile Mail will have nothing to do with Germany’s offer, which it says “means j not peace but trickery.” "In Prince Maximilian’s speech,” the newspaper continues, "there is not a word of repentence for crimes Germany his committed. . . . He offers proposals which are less than the con ditions that will be imposed by the al lies as preliminaries to any discussion at all. "We did not allow Bulgaria to tell us what to do. We told her what she had to do. We intend to act precisely in the same way with Germany and Austria. "If the German people wish to know what guarantees President Wilson and the allies require they may be embodied in two words, ‘unconditional surrender.’ Germans must leave territories they have occupied, restore the property they have stolen, pay for all the dam age they have done and surrender for trial by the allies, the great criminals of the war.” The Mail -says there are about 500 of these, beginning with the emperor. It also declares that Germany will not be given back her colonies. *This method of approaching peace is the method of a people trying to strike a bargain, and the peace that is coming is not going to be a bargain peace," says the Telegraph. The newspaper sees a marked change in Germany’s attitude as to certain matters in dispute, but declares the proposals as a whole to be impossible. "Even the most strongly pacifist ele ment in this country has indorsed the demand for the evacuation of France and Belgium,” it says, “as a condition precedent to negotiation, and Prince Maximilian knows that in asking for negotiations and armistice while Ger man armies are in France and Belgium he is asking for an imposibility. 1 “Negotiating under such circum stances would be an admission of Ger many’s superiority and concede the loss of the war by the nations who are aim ing to break German militarism. For this reason we cannot believe the peace offer to be seriously meant.” The newspaper repudiates the idea of trying to reach an understanding as to indemnity for Belgium. It says: "It is a requirement of simple justice that Germany meet the account which will be presented her for the devasta tion and plundering of Belgium. There are no fundamental changes in the Ger man administration. Only a few men have shifted, and the kaiser and those who rule him are still the real rulers of Germany.” Admitting that the latest German peace move is the most important of any thus far made and confident that the allies will give the closest atten tion to it, the Chronicle says they will find it insufficient. “No statesman who believes in the Wilsonian policy' of. trying to end war once and for all can be content with anything less than the final and un equivocal elimination of the Potsdam war makers,” it continues. “There must be restitution, reparation and guaran tees nmd the criminals who launched the war must be so unmistakeably beaten that never afterward doubt may be raised as to who won it and who lost it. The chancellor’s promise that an ef fort will be made to reach an under standing regarding an indemnit”- to Bel gium is not enough for our purpose. It is indispensable that in Belgium’s case no equivocation should remain. Germany must say outright: ‘I did wrong and 1 undertake as far as possible to pay for It.’ Prince Maximilian’s standpoint seems essentially different from what Is vital to us. Germany has (Undergone neither change of outlook nor change of heart, which alone can permit world peace to be permanent. "Perhaps the most welcome feature of Germany’s hastily arranged move is that it can only be a measure of her military necessity,” says the Times. After reviewing the chancellor's speech, the Times declares it to be “ambiguous and disingenuous stuff,” and asks: “Will Germany ever realize there is only one way for her, namely, by deeds and not words? It is far too late to talk of*a basis for peace nego tiations. The determination of the al lied peoples is that the defeat of those who made war shall be complete and absolute. That task they have under taken and it shall be performed to the very end, and there will be no peace until Germany has surrendered without conditions to terms which leave her not merely without a will, but without power to break it.” HUNTFORBODIES OF MEN KILLED IN NEW JERSEY BLAST PERTH AMBOY, N. J., Oct. 7.—While search of the ruins of the piammoth shell loading plant of T. A. Gilles pie & at Morgan, continued today in the hope of finding more of I the bodies of the 94 workmen who are ; believed to have perished in the trin itrotoluol explosions last Friday and Saturday, the work of rebuilding was started. Os the 21 bodies taken from the ruins, only five have been identified. The re vised list of injured, it is said, would number about 150. Government officials, who have been studying the effects of the disaster which caused damage estimated at $25.- 000.000. have adopted measures in the } rebuilding plants to prevent the possi bility of another explosion in one building from spreading such wide de struction. Fires were still smoulder ing today in various parts of the ruins, covering' most of the 3,200-acre site, but ’ officials declared the danger of further I explosions was remote. The urgent need of speeding up the : work of reconstruction was emphasized i by army officers who said that the sup- ; ply of munitions to the allies must go ’ forward without delay. Fugitives from Morgan, South Amboy . and other towns, who fled from their homes in terror during the explosions were permitted to return today. Many of thjem found their houses wrecked. The emergency camps of the Red Cross, Women’s League for National Service and other organizations still provided i meals and sleeping quarters for many I of the refugees today. GENERIL RETREAT FRDMFLANDERSTO RHEIMS EXPECTED Allied Armies Making Own An swer to Max’s Peace Prattle by Attacking Furiously at Every Point on Battle Front LOYDOM, Oct. —Field Marshal van Hindenburg han resigned as chief of the German general staff, after a heated in terview with the emperor in which the field marshal declared that a retreat on a larg seal was impossible to avoid, according to a Central Hews dispatch from Amsterdam today. ST FBKD S. FEKGtrSOJr WITH THE AMERICAN FIRST ARMY, Oct. 7.—(Noon.) —The Americans have made some additional progress in the Aire valley (on the eastern edge of the Argonne front), despite strong resistance. The Germans have brought up strong artillery reinforcements against our left and center. •NEW YORK, Oct. 7.—(Summary of European War Cables.)—The German retirement north of Rheims. which freed that ctty from artillery domiria tion for the first time in four years, is expected to be followed soon by a gen eral retreat along the whole lind from that region northward into Flanders. Unofficial reports state the enemy has set fire to cities and villages be hind their lines throughout this area. Foreign military experts declare this presages such a retrograde movement by the Germans. « The present fighting, which is said to be the heaviest of the war, is re garded as a gigantic rear guard action to protect the retreat to new defense lines which are not yet completed. The allied armies are making their own answer to Germany's peace drive by attacking furiously at every point on the battle front In an effort to throw the Germans into confusion and turn their expected retirement Into a great disaster. • GERMANS BURNING VILLAGER FROM FLANDERS TO RHEIMS PARIS, Oct. 7.-00:31 A. M.)—The Germans are burning villages and towns behind their lines along the whole front from Lille to Rheims. This is believed to presage a retire ment in several sectors. South of Cam bra i, the enemy Is reported already to have fallen back two miles on a seven mlle front. • , • At least a score of places are in flames. Laon, the great communication center and base east of the St. Gobatn massif, was set on fire yesterday. Sal lauminef, east of Lens, and several vil lages southeast and west of Lille, and between Douai and Souain, are burning. The French fqund Nogent-l’Abbassee, Bein and all the villages in the Suippe valley in flames. M. Civirieux, writing In the Matin, says: •‘The fighting centimes and will continue to the end until there Is a gen eral German retreat. This retreat is an nounced by the burning of villages. Great evacuations seem near." BRITISH MAKE NEW GAINS ON LENS FRONT LONDON. Oct 7. —Further progress was made by the British last night on the front between Lens and Cambrat Field Marshal Haig announced today that posts have been established on crossings on the Scheldt canal, north of Aubencheul-au-Bas and east of Oppy. The British also have pushed in slightly further toward Lille on the west and southwest, capturing a Ger man post east of Berclau. and progress ing somewhat north of Wez Macquart. In inc local fighting Sunday around .Aubencheul-aux-Boise the British cap tured 400 prisoners. The official state ment reads: “In local fighting yesterday in the neighborhood of Aubencheul-aux-Boise we captured about 400 .prisoners. “Yesterday afternoon one of our pa trols in the Oppy sector brought in thir ty-four prisoners and four machine guns. During the night we established posts at the canal crossings north of Aubencheul-aux-Bac and also north east and east of Oppy. “A German )>ost east of Berclau was captured by another of our patrols. We made slight progress north of Wez i Macquart.” YANKS MAKE NEW PROGRESS, CAITURING ST. ETIENNE WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN THE CHAMPAGNE, Sunday, Oct. 6, 8 p. M. —(By the Associated Press.) — American troops operating in the Cham pagne with the French again advanced iheir lines today, capturing St. Eti enne. The American progress served also as a leverage on the right of the Cham pagne offensive, resulting in advances •farther west, the result being the with drawal of the German lines along a twenty-five mile stretch. The bulk of the work was done by a division jvhich is among the most fa mous the United States has in France. Railroads Set Back The Clock October 27 WASHINGTON, Oct. 7. —Timepieces are to be turned back one hour at 2 a. m. Sunday, October 27, when the period of daylight saving ends, according to orders issued today by the railroad ad ministration. After the change in time regular trains must be held to conform to their regular schedules. NUMBER 108. HOTE IS DEUVERED I BY SWISS MINISTER TO THEJIESIDENT While Swiss Envoy Is Person ally Delivering German Note to Wilson, Sweden’s Minister Presents Austrian Note WASHINGTON, Oct. 7. —Germany’s peace note was delivered to President Wilson personally today by Frederick Oederlin, an attache of the Swiss lega tion. This gave rise to suggestions that it came from Emperor William himaelf. Minister Ekengren, of Sweden, pre sented the note from Baron Burian. the « Austro-Hungarian* foreign minister, to Secretary Lansing at 10:30 o’clock. He was at the state department only a few minutes. A prompt and decisive reply is Indi cated by developments in Washington early today. President Wilson cancelled his usual morning recreation hour and remained secluded in his study ax work. Prince Maximilian’s note was received during the night at the Swiss legation. Quite irrespective of the nature of the reply, it, seemed to be agreed that the German note called for a prompt re ply. so that American people might not be misled into relaxing their efforts for the fourth Liberty Loan, so that the American troops in the field may know at once the position of their govern ment, and so that an offer of peace may receive such diplomatic attentions as it deserves. Official announcements of the ( attitude of the United States government still ware being withheld, but there was •no abatement of the indication that if Ger many seeks a "negotiation" loading to round table conferences and dlptatpatie quibbling the offer will fall flax. If she actually accepts the principles of peace as repeatedly laid down by President Wilson and accepted by all the co-belligerents, the way is open to peace, with the withdrawal of all Ger man troops from invaded territory as the first requirement. The Austrian offer, wnich is substan tially similar to that of Germany, was delivered to Secretary Lansing this morning. Official Washington regards the lat est peace efforts df the Teuton as at tempts to attain peace by barter—a peace to Germany's advantage before ' American~allied arms visit retribution on the Boche armies. Inasmuch as these offers contain no proposals for withdrawing troops from allied terri tory and do proposals for a general and complete laying down of arms, they are not acceptable, international authori ties declare. They are timed to befog the air at a moment when America is putting forth its maximum effort with its fourth Lib erty Loan, and when American-willed forces are smasning the Boche armies haz-k along the west front. But in so far as America is conceraed, there is a unity of feeling against the proposals. And, both England and France are likeiy now to maKe a state ment of .war aims, attuned to President vt uson’s desires along that line. Freaid«U*B Furpose Prince Max. German chancellor, has asked that President . Wilson communi cate with the allies anent the peace proposals. The president may discuss witn them the subject of a restatement of war aims, making the allied purposes unmistakably clear. In any event, he will let Germany and Austria know tnat America's terms are plain and that no insincere peace offers will swerve this nation from its purposes. Some authorities believed he might tell the Teuton that peace negotiations could be instituted if Germany cleared her armies out of occupied territory absolutely; if she also laid down Mter arms ana gave the United States con trol over them; if, in other words, she made a complete military surrender— not a breathing spell armistice. This would bo comparable to the terms given Bulgaria. Bulgaria sur rendered when she accepted, but there are no signs that Germany is rcaay to accept the peace of the loser. On the contrary, authorities say. she is at tempting to deceive the world by appear ing to have had a change of heart. But, the state 'department has said privately on a number of occasions, ’ac tions speak louder than words,” refer ring to the fact that Germany utters peace pleas while she still .holds a strangle on parts of Russia and Ru mania, and while her armies are still on the soil of France and Belgium. Of ficial Washington can be said to favor military action, without stint, until Ger many is forced to surrender—until she is ready to clear out of these occupied lands, and until there is a real spokes man representative of the German peo ple rather than of the kaiser. Army men point out that Victory is a certainty next year. They say that it would be the greatest tragedy of all time were the allies now to wipe the slate clean after sacrificing hundreds of thousands of lives. Quitting now would leave Germany intact and not contrite. The old militarists’ rule would still be in force; and the world would have no I guarantee that this clique, headed by the Hohenzollerns, would not attempt in the next -generation to inflict its gluttonous desire for world domination upon its neighbors. A continuance of the war into 1919, say thq military men, will effectively crush the military spir it of Germany. She wfH be ready tnen to put things in order in her own bonne and will hearken quite readily to the terms of President Wilson. Incidentally. Prince Max’s speech as received through the committee on puo lic information, shows that he criticized (Continued on Fage 6, Column 6.)