French Armyiakr~ T '-NvMb.erof German Grer ■■' ' , \ HARRISBURG ifSsfii TELEGRAPH (£ht Star- ftnficpntbmt I.XX XVI — No. 109 14 PAGES FRENCH GUNS BATTER DOWN GERMAN LINE Nivelle's Army Within Six Miles of Great Stronghold at Laon After Fighting Way Through Desperate Teuton Resistance; Heavy Price Must Be Paid For Capture of Important Center, But Recent Victories Bring City Within Grasp of the Poi'uis BRITISH PIERCE HEART OF HINDENBURG LINE IN HARD HAND-TO-HAND BATTLING Berlin Throws Fresh Troops Into Fray in Vain Attempt to Stem Advancing Tide; Mass Attacks Prove Futile; Everywhere the French Hold Fast to Brilliantly Won Points, Mowing Down Kaiser's Hosts With Their Fire French guns have battered down the back door to Laon and the Poilus of General Niville are now only six miles from the Ger man stronghold. One tormidable barrier lies between them andi their goal—the Ailette river—but from the captured heights I along the Chemin des Dames (the road of the ladies) the French guns overl o ok the stream. Like the Chemin des Dames, the Ailette runs east and west, | paralleling the French lines. It is hardly worthy of the name of, river, but its bed is in a deep gorge which makes it a grave ob stacle. Laon will not be captured except at heavy price, but the French victories of the last week have brought its capture ap guns overlook the stream. Ilritlsh Pierce l.lnr Bullecourt, directly on the Hinden burg line, has been entered by Brit ish troops, who this morning: were fighting the Germans within the town for its possession. Giving the Germans no time to bring lip reserves from the hard pressed Aisne front, where the French driving through the Siegfried line Laon by the back way to that stronghold, General Haig's troops be gan to-day to widen the breach they have made in the Hindenburg line in the Bullecourt region. Counter-attacks of extreme vio lence rapidly repeated had failed to shake the British grip on the line here and have not prevented them from striking again when they were ready. Bullecourt had been hemmed in on all sides except on the north, the British having worked well to the east of the village. Driving back to ward it they have fought their way into tile place, pressing back desper ately-resisting Germans. French Take Prisoner* On the French front northeast of Soissons and along the Chemin-des- Datnes the Germans have been forced to employ fresh troops in an effort to stem the French advance. Last night they drove masses of men against the lines all alohg this front but were unable to shake General Nivelle's hold upon the valuable and hard-won ground on the plateau overlooking the Ailette river, the out lying defense of Laon. Kverywhere the French held fast, mowing down the Germans with their fire. In the new battles which develop ed late last week the French have taken more than 6,200 prisoners, bringing their total since April IS up to approximately 29.000. Talk of Reform The developments on the battle field are chiefly important for the possibilities they open up and tlie same may be said to be true of events behind the tiring lines. In Germany there is much talk of poli tical reform and several proposals have been put forward in the Reich stag to curtail the power of the Em peror and make the ministry re sponsible to parliament. Apparently the putting forward cf the mooted reforms has served to check the rising tide of popular dis content but the extraordinary meas ures adopted by the government to prevent the outside world learning the true situation make adequate judgment impossible. Startling reports come from Aus tria in regard to conditions in the THE WEATHER For llorrlsbur* nnl vicinity! Fnlr to-night nml Tuni>l contin ued cool. For Dnxtcrn Pennsylvania: Partly cloudy to-night and Tuesday, continued cool. IJfntk to mod erate shifting winds. River The mnln river nnd Its principal trihiitnrlrs will rise except the .lunlßta and upper West Branch which will fall to-night and Tuesday. A stage of altout 5.0 fret Is indicated for Ifnrrls harg Tuesday morning. General Conditions A disturbance now central over the eastern part of the (>ulf of Mexico, has caused light to moderate rains In the Gulf States, Oklahoma, 'New Mexico and extreme Southern Florida, In the last twenty-four hours, and light rain was falling In thr upper Ohio and over most of the Susquehanna Valley at H a, in. to-day. I.lght to moder ate rains have fallen nlso In the North Pacific States and In Idaho and Nevada. Temperature) 8 a. m., 46 degrees. Sum Itlsrs 4.51 a. m. Moon i Klses 8.40 p. in. Itlver Stage: 4.5 feet. Yesterday's Weather lllahot temperature, 'O. I.onest temperature, 40. Mean temperature, 45. •Normal temperature, 50. I dual monarchy and apparently Count ! Tisza and his fellow reactionaries I have the upper hana and are de j termlned to crush the party of ! Democracy and ruthlessness. Rumor Martial ldw There are rumors or martial law •in Hungary and Bohemia and the suppression of newspapers but for a [ month or mor i no reliable news has I reached the outer world as to condi j tions in the Austrian empire. The Russian riddle remains un solved, but for the time being at I least the provisional authorities seem |to be safe. Reports of demoraliza tion in the Russian army receive tin j comfortable confirmation by a pro (tarnation of General Guerko, com ! mander on the eastern front, order | ing the soldiers to stop fraternizing | with the German troops. General { Guerko declares that such fraterniz ing has become a common practice ; and that the lull on the Russian i front has permitted the Germans to j concentrate troops against the Eng ! lisli and French. Sweden Has Trouble In spite of the peaceable ending to j the May Day demonstration in j Sweden the internal troubles in that j country seem to be rising rather than | ebbing. Riots and food demonstra tions are reported from various points and, from such partial reports j as are received the uutliorities are | confronting an ugly situation. Twelve Samples of Ice Cream Contain Disease Germs City Tests Show Twelve of the twenty-three sam | l>les of ice cream tested by city I health department chemists during I the last month showed the presence | of eolon bacili, commonly known as ] disease germs, indicating a contami j nation of at least some of the city's supply. The amounts ranged from I 200 to 20,000 per cubic centimeter. I Last summer the typhoid fever epi ■ demic was traced to infected ice | cream and it is probable city health officials win take steps at once to prevent the spread of any contagious disease through contaminated ice j cream. Only four of the milk sam ! pies showed the presence of colon i bacili, while five were below the re \ quired grade for butter fat per- I centage. St. Louis Gives Marshal Joffre a Warm Welcome By Associated Press St. Louis, Mo.. May 7. —The wel come accorded former Premier Vi viani. Marshal Joffre and other members o fthe French war mission at the Coliseum last night was out ; done to-day when the distinguished visitors took part in a parade that I aroused the city. : During the breakfast, gold medals of honor were presented to former I Premier Viviani and Marshal Joffre | on behalf of the French Society of | St. l,ouis. At the conclusion of the parade, the French mission were driven to their special train, which left for Springfield, 111., where Mar : slial Joffre will place a palm leaf on : the tomb of Lincoln. Two U. S. Aviators Fall to Death From Airplane By Associated Press Hempstead, X. Y., May 7.—Peter j Merritt, of Roosevelt, N. Y„ and ! John Stendorf, of Tonawanda, N. Y both privates in the recently-organ ized aviation training corps, at l Ilempstead Plains, were killed to- 1 day when their machine fell from a height of over 2,000 feet. The accident was witnessed bv many persons on the aviation Held i who were observing the flight of the two student aeronauts. Some eve witnesses asserted that gasoline tank of the airplane exploded while oth ers attributed the mishap to jam ming of the steering gear. HARRISBURG, PA., MONDAY EVENING, MAY 7, 19-17. Shall it b<2 srown for THIS ! —Science Service. TWO ALLIED WAR COMMISSIONS TO GUIDE AMERICA Bodies to Sit Continuously in Washington and London During War By Associated Tress Washington, May 7.—Two allied war commissions sitting' continuous ly, one in London anil the other liere, appeared to-day as one of the first actual steps to co-ordinate the pow erful resources the United States brings into the war with those of the allies across the sea. . The commission in London with' ro-"!esentativcs of all the allied na tions, including t lie United States, would receive and decide upon the apportionment of sea-borne traffic. The commission liere would then charge itself with getting such sup plies to the seaboard either by di rect purchase of through presertt agencies. To Avoid WiiHtr While the inroads of the subma rine menace continue it is absolutely esesntial to conserve every ship for the most-needed freight and the only way that this can be done is to have tile allies submit their needs to a central body in Ixmdon, which shall have power to give priority' to the most pressing. At the same time the commission in this country, knowing exactly how much was wanted, would buy it ju diciously and keep the lines open to the seaboard. So far the allies have confused their own situations to a certain extent in this country both by competitive buying and by con gesting the railroads and terminals with supplies for which there was absolutely no tonnage available. Work In Outlined The plan now being worked out sprang from the general meeting on trade uuestions at Secretary lon ging's office last week. It has not' been decided upon as yet and may receive modification. With the great bulk of the detail ed work now distributed among vari ous subcommittees Hiitish Foreign Minister Ualfour is awaiting reports. To-day he was officially received at the Supreme Court. I'KX.N-HAItIMS IIOTKI. I.BASES Leases arc now being made by the United Hotels Company, which will manage the Penn-Harris Itotel, for the store rooms on Third street and other concessions. Harry's cigar store closed to-day an arrangement for the cigar and newsstand privi lege In the big hotel, and (ieorge A. Gorgas, the druggist, will occupy the room at the corner of Third and Wal nut ntreetiy>Blds for the construction of the hotel will be in hand May 11. LLOYD DECLARES AFFIDAVIT IS NOT A MISSTATEMENT Stainm Reiterates Denials at Meeting; Dr. Keene lie serves Decision Maintaining their stand in connec | tion with the school architect ques- I tion, C. Howard Lloyd and A. Carson Stamui, president of the board, at their meeting this morning wth Dr. C. E. L. Keen, declared they could not change ther opinion of the affi davit made by Mr. Lloyd. Mr. Stamm declared two parts of the aflidavit by Mr. Lloyd were un true because of the inference made. These parts follow: "That I early tried to enlist the interest of Mr. Stamm, then a new member of the board, but 1 soon found his interest in Ittner extended to his entertaining him, along with certain members of the school board, at his home," and "1 persisted in my endeavors to in terest Mr. Stamm, in spite of the ru mors 1 had heard from time to time to the effect that he favored Mr. Itt ner." Lloyd Declares It True Mr. Lloyd, just as the meeting closed shortly before 2 o'clock this afternoon, declared: "Every word of that affidavit is true as 1 saw i t,and true as I see it to-day." Dr. Keen, at whose request the two men met to take up these parts of Mr. Lloyd's affidavit, said he would reserve his decision for the special meeting of the board to-morrow af ternoon, as he did not think it fair to give an opinion to-day. In addition to Mr. Stamm, Dr. Keen and Mr. Lloyd, representatives of the press. Charles \v. Burtnett. vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and a member of the board of directors, PJ. W. Jackson, an attorney .and John A. Affleck, presi dent of the Harrisburg Shoe Manu facturing Company were present. Mr. Stamm spoke first after Dr. Keen explained the situation to those present. He questioned Mr. Lloyd about the meetings which the two had had and made the denial to the statements of the affidavit. Then for almost two hours events of the last year were recounted by Mr. Stamm and Mr. Lloyd, including [Continued on I'agc ll] CHICAGO NEWS TO BK TWO CKNTS Chicago, lli., May 7. Carriers of the Chicago Daily News were notified that beginning Monday, May 14, the i price ot the newspaper would be two I cents instead of ore on account of the high and increasing cost of newsprint paper and of ail materials entering 'into the cost of producing a news paper. The other Chicago newspapers are considering the advisability of in creasing their prices, hut have not ar- I rived at any decision. BOY SCOUT TEAMS ORGANIZING FOR START OF DRIVE Captains Who Arc Planning to Raise $12,000 Marshal ing Their Forces Captains of the teams who are go ing to raise the $12,000 for the Boy Scout campaign have turned in the names of the members who will compose their teams. Headed by 'their captains the twenty-one teams will cover every part of the city to solicit the funds that will put the Boy Scouts on a permanent basis for three years. The real work of the teams will begin Wednesday morning and from that time until Saturday evening every member will carry on a relent less hammering campaign until the entire amount is raised. A. E. Buchanan is commander of Division A and Flavol I. Wright is commander of Division B. The teams and their captains are as fol lows: •No. 4—William Bennett, captain: [Continued on I'age I) Blue Label League Meets; Delegates Are Arriving For Labor Convention Members of forty locals of the Blue Label League met this morning in the rooms of the State Federation of Labor in the Commonwealth Building. They represent the manu facturers who employ only union labor and whose boxes carry the blue label significant of union labor and union working conditions. Members of the locals of the State Federation of Labor will begin their convention to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock in the Board of Trade Hall The deelgates are arriving in town and everything points to an unusualy successful convention. CANNOT SKIZi; SHIPS By Associated Press Washington, D. C„ May 7.—lf was revealed In the House to-day that an unpublished provison in flic agree ment with Den.mark by which the Danish West hides were acquired bv the United States was that German or other war-hound ships In the island would pot be seized or con fiscated. GERMANS SUFFER TERRIBLE LOSSES | , ON FRENCH FRONT French Withstand Fierce At tack and Then Drive Forward R GAIN NEW ~ POSITIONS Teuton Battalion Is Anni hilated Under Machine Fire By Associated t'res Paris, May 7.—The Germans con centrated their efforts yesterday morning in attacks on the west of the French front in the region of Laffauxand in the afternoon on the eastern section from Braye to Cra onne. But the French held the whip hand and beat off wave upon wave of the enemy's dwindling re serve with terrible losses. More than that, the Frenchmen, after hours of stiff lighting, still had the energy to dash forward and gained fresh posi tions in the regions naturally forti fled. The desperate resistance of the Germans and the frequent counter attacks in force are comprehensible When it is realized that if the French capture Allemant and Plnon, they I will outflank the whole line running north to St. Quentin. General Ni ville, however, has no sinecure cs he; is confronted by the famous Sieg- ' fried line, a system of fortitications. on which the Germans have lavished j weeks of work and which is of the most formidable type. On the right wing German bat talion streamed out of Filain wood to attack Froidmont farm which stands midway between Chevregny and hill 185. They were practically I annihilated. It would seem difficultj for the Germans to prevent the French from reaching the Olse canal and the Ailette river on this i part of the front. The famous Che- I ir.in-des-Dames, the key of the whole i ♦section, in now in great part in poe- ' session of the French and in several! places they have gone far beyond it. It was the possession of this road which enabled the Germans to hold up the French advance for so long. Its capture alone shows the Import ance of the success gained by Gen eral Nivelle in the battles of Satur day and Sunday. Impress Teachers With Urgency of Co-operation in Food Gardening Detters have been sent out to-day to each teacher in. the city grade schools calling to their attention the urgency of co-operation of schools to increase the food supply. Teach ers are requested to gather data, answer questions submitted in the letters, and to send letters to the homes of all children above the sec ond grade. As soon as all the information is gathered, supervisors will be em ployed at once by the school district, <o take charge of the gardening work. [ aDta to be gathered from each in- I dividual will include a list of those already working in gardens, those who are willing to do garden work, those with yards suitable for garden ing, and whether supervision is de sired during the season. This is the first step in carrying out the school program mapped out by the School Board In co-operation with the county commitee of public safety. Kaiser Hopes For Victory in Congratulating Son By Associated Press Amsterdam, May 7—via London. —The German emperor has sent the following telegram to the crown prince: "Your birthday falls this year in a serious and decisive time. In grateful and full confidence the fatherland and I look upon your and the other battlefronts, which im perturbably resist all attacks and which will stand invincible in the new battles. God grant the father land, in your new year of life a full victory and a peace filled with blens ings." The crown prince of Ger many was born on May 0, 18 82 and iis therefore 35 years old. .He Is at present in command of the German armies facing the French offensive. German Airplane Drops Bombs on London Suburb Bv Associated rress London, May 7.—A hostile air plane dropped four bombs northeast of London this morning it is offi cially announced. The statement an nouncing the airplane raid reads: "In the early hours this morning a hostile airplane appeared over the outskirts of northeast London ana dropped four bombs. One man was killed and a man and a womon in jured. Slight damage was done to buildings." I'KOBB MUNITIONS BLAST by Associated Press Kingsport, Tenn., May 7.—An ex plosion early to-day at the Federal Dyestuff and .Chemical Company's plant, which makes munitions, wrecked a portion of the buildings, killed one man fatally burned some others and left one missing. An in vestigation is being made. Single Copy, 2 Cents T. R. HAS GREAT HOST OF MEN FOR U.S. SERVICE 180,000 Men Ready to Go to France Within Six Weeks DOESN'T WANT COMMAND Trained Regular Army Offi cers Would Lead Flag Into Battle Roosevelt's Division First in Recruiting Colonel Roosevelt's organiza lion, according to its own figures has beaten the total recruiting efforts of the trained army, navy marine and National Guard re cruiting officers. Since war was declared with Germany the government forces combined and the Colonel have recruited as follows: Government The Colonel Army .. 48,32fi no i Navy .. 30.500 Inf 1y " 92 re R ts - Marines 7,250 Cavalry, 6 rests. National Artillery and machine gun mated) 21,000 companies. | Total 107.07H Total IsO.OOO * New York, May 7.—The first authoritative statement of what Colonel Roosevelt and his aids have done toward the immediate sending of an army into France under Amer ican colors was made available to day for the first time. To date. Col. Roosevelt has en rolled 180,000 men, exclusive of offi cers, all of them exempt from con scription; he is prepared to send the [Continued on Page 9} .~ | l i; I; : 1 ~ '! Y i •. I. ■ • i ' ! , < i * 'V , • * t< J ' !. k I ' l 'lf* j ; v ' r ® ► I < ; f i ' ! ' | ! f 1 s ■nan ', II I $ , L ' CI, ; : r N "' i| ' > : i'. (if -j ' ■ : 1 * 1 1 i • ■ .. i■ •. , i ;, * ( * < S ' > MARRIAGE LICENSES James Francis McGovern, Steelton, and Catherine Theresa Crovr-1 I , 'ley, Steelton. I , vlll " u l" r, > WllnlnitMi Del., nnd l.eah Jane Rltter, T.oys- Charles l.ruorl Soulllnrd. Steelton, nnd Dora Elisabeth Murnhr Steelton. " Frank Sheaffrr (ia)lor, llarrlsburß, and Maude Ktronser. HarrU-i I < J burn. * ■ , I ' .Fume* M. Itrdmnn. Ilnrrlnhurif. nnd Susnn K. Rurbnrt. t'nntn Hill lieroj Hrulinker. Knnln, nnd Vlrirll C. Klchrlhcrarr. South Knola. Wllllnm Unit llotvrrx, llnrrlnliiiru, nnd Klsle Mar Drnmv, Hnr i rlsliurK. ' < rlnbiVrV Tl,umnn Tjsan, Philadelphia, and Kva Ruth K renter, Har-I 1 3j urbarn B. Klaell, Steelton, arbnrn n. Klselle. Steel ten. H VI"" W'-H Vl"' - L Vtrr N F > HOME EDITION CITY PLANNING GREAT OVATION FOR WAR PARTY Marshal Joffrc and Members of Mission Will Be Given Splendid Greeting RA PI D - FIRE RECEPTION Frenchmen to Be Taken Over Downtown Streets; Every one Can See Them From triumphant visits in Western cities, where they have been accord ed ovations, record-setting in en thusiasm, Marshal JofCre, former Premier Vlvlani and other members of the French war mission will ar rive in this city to-morrow after noon at 1 o'clock, for a brief stay. While here they will pay a visit to the State Capitol and will march over a short parade route, in order that every citizen in Harrisburg may have the privilege to see the party. The special committee appointed by the Chamber of Commerce an nounced this morning that two bands have been secured to serenade the distinguished French party. The Commonwealth band will be station ed at the Pennsylvania station and on the arrival of the Frenchmen will play patriotic hymns. The Munici pal band will l>e stationed on the State street plaza of the Capitol grounds, at the Hartranft statue. They will play one stanza of the "Marsellaise" and "The Star Span gled Banner," while the "Hero of the Marne" and his party will stand at attention on the Capitol steps. The committee requests the public to co-operate with them and the po lice in keeping the route of parade clear, so that the French party can make fast time. The committe fur ther announced that the best place to [Continued on Page 4] TWO SHIPS SUNK Uy Associated Press London, May 7.—According to a Central News dispatch from Copen hagen, the Norwegian foreign of fice has announced the sinking by German submarines of the steam ships Capto and Natuna. The crews were rscued.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers