French War Commission Gets Warm Greeting in the Cradle of American liberty HARRISBURG trfSpli TELEGRAPH J .XX XVI— No. 11l 16 PAGES ALLIES HOLD LINES UNDER GALLING FIRE Tremendous Drive Made by Von Hindenburg in Effort to Stem Tide of British Victory Wasted With Great Loss of Men and Material; Germans Cling to One Point won in Vicinty of Fresnoy Where Their Hold Is Very Slight FRENCH REFUSE TO BUDGE AN INCH FROM GROUND WON IN GREAT OFFENSIVE MOVE Massed Formations and Every Available Gun Brought In to Play by Crown Prince of Bavaria in Last Desper ate Play to Save the Great Coal Fields of Northern France By Associated Press Field Marshal Von Hindenburg's tremendous drive oi yester day in an effort to stem the tide of British victory on the Arras battlefield speedily spent its force and all his lavish expenditure of men and material bids fair to be wasted. Already the British have reacted so strongly that most of the ground lost in the vicinity of Fresnoy has been regained. The Germans still are clinging to the village itself but their hold upon it is so insecure 1 that its recapture and the entire restoration of the British position appears imminent. It is a vital necessity for the Germans to hold fast here, if they are not speedily to lose Lens and its valuable coalfields and find their whole line in the northern sector of the Franco-Belgian front imperilled. Even more urgently necessary is it for them to hold the French around the great bend in the northeast of Soissons where the German stronghold of Laon, considered by some mili tary critics the key to the entire German position in Northern France is the French objective. Issue !!nnu f'lrc T Everything indicates that the pres- i ent struggle on the British front is regarded by both sides as one of the most important actions of the war. but it may bo many days before any decision is reached. The determina- . tion with which the Germans are lighting and tlietr strenuous efforts at the concentration of guns and re- i serves shows that the Drocourt- j yueant line is regarded by them as i of vital importance and will only be • surrendered in the last extremity. From two other war theaters news comes tl.at opens lip many possibili ties. The lighting on the Macedonian front, constantly developing in sever ity and extent, gives renewed color ! to tne belief that General Sarrail is initiating operations of major impor tance and possibly offensive. The I developments on this front appear to have given fresh impetus to the revo lutionary movements in Greece, rein forced by news that Venizelist troops , are on the firing line and have been ' \ ictors In the first clash with their, hereditary foes, the Bulgars. King Constantino has been declared depos- J ed at u great mass meeting in Salo niki and an Athens dispatch says that the king's followers are deserting to the provisional government in in creasing numbers. lius*lnn Troop* Move Mesopotamia offers the second point of interest with announcement from Petrograd that Russian troops are again on the move on the Persian border. The unexplained inaction of these forces was believed in some quarters to have been responsible for the sudden halt in the victorious ad vance of the British army from Bag dad. General Maude's successes had resulted in the practical surround- • ing ot the Turkish army in Mesopo tamia when tho Russian withdrawal from Mush and the halting of a Rus sian drive from Persia changed the situation. The condition of affairs in i this remote region is still, however, obscure and presents possibilities rather than probabilities. The persistence and violence of the J German counterattacks along the Chemin-des-Dames plateau, the com- j manding r'dge won by the French in last week's (treat drive, indicate the j importance the German high com mand attaches to the lost ground. General Nivelle's troops are yielding! no inch of it, however, and gradu ally are forging ahead in important ' sectors. night an attack by the French ! gave them a line of trenches three- ' THEWEATHE¥ ■ For Ilarrlshiirg nnil vicinity: Pur- Iv cloudy to-night nnd Ihurn ■lny: light frost to-night it weather clears. For Kastern Pennsylvnnln: l'arl ly cloudy to-night and Thursday: lro*t to-night If weather clears: gentle to moderate northwest to north winds. River The upper portion of the main river will fall to-night and the lower portion Thursday. All tributaries will fall or remain nearly stationary. A stage of about fl.ft feet la Indicated for llurrlshurg Thursday morning. General Conditions The storm that was central off the Worth Carolina coast, Tuemlny morning, has moved northeast ward and Ik now central some distance off the New Knglanil const. It caused light rains in the last twenty-four hours In the \tlantlc Male* from Georgia to Massachusetts. Temperature 8 a. m.. 48 degrees. Sum Rises. 4:48 a. m. Vlnoni Rises, 10:38 p. nj. River Stage: 5.8 feet. Vesterday'a Weather Highest temperature, .VI. l owest temperature, 41. Mrnn temperature, 47. -Normal temperature, 30. • quarters of a mile long on the im- I portant high ground above Caronne, ; northeast of Chevreux, where they are opening up the back road to Laon. The Germans have been claiming the retention of Chevreux but the Faris j report to-day indicates that if the I French are not actually in possession j of it they at least have well hemmed ■ | it in. German counterattacks last night j were particularly heavy and costly, and at no point were they success- I fut, Paris announced. IMe >lasMeil Troop** With massed reserves and every available gun at liis command Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria is striv ing to halt the ceaseless British as i saults on the Brocourt-Queant line. | tlie last bulwark protecting the rich est prize of the Germans In Northern France—the coal field of Lens. The reckless expenditure of human life by the German commander has had at least a temporary reward in the re capture of Fresnoy, at the northern 1 end of the lines. This little village ' and the wood which surrounds it! J tormed a sharp salient driven by the j Canadians to within two miles of J Drocourt. Its capture marks the first time in the present offensive that a German counterattack has succeeded ! i in wresting an Important position , from the British. Curiously enough the same official statement from Ber lin which announces the capture of Kresnoy indicates that the British are much closer to the southern end of the Droeourt-Queant line than has been claimed by London. The Ger man war office tells of heavy fighting betwten Relncourt and Fontaine, the former village being a bare mile and a half from Queant and less than that distance from Cagnicourt, the next ' German stronghold north of yueant. \ New War Tax Bill Imposes Greatest Duties American People Have Ever Faced By .Associated Press Washington. May 9. The new war tax bill was ready for Congress j to-day proposing probably the most j extensive and greatest line of taxa- I lion ever faced by the American , ; people. Doubling of normal income tax I rates, with reduction of exemptions and increases of surtaxes on great ' incomes; absolute elimination of all articles on the tariff free list with ; the imposition of a minimum duty 1 of ten per cent, and a horizontal in crease of ten per cent, on all new iaxable articles together with in- j creases of taxes on internal revenue and new taxes which reach to thj remote departments of business and household life are proposed to make ' t up a yearly income of $1,800,000,000. I Increases on postage rates include newspapers which it is proposed to i charge on the parcel t'°st zone sys tem. The new taxes include levies on life and fire insurance, on house hold, electric light bills, telephone i bills, railroad tickets, admissions to amusements, club dues, automobiles. 1 | pleasure boats, jewelry and practi- ; | t ally everything that enters into the ! life of a family. Wheat Soars to New High Record Prices By Associated rress Chicago, May 9.—Kxcited advances in wheat at tlie opening to-day re flected the bullish government crop 1 report which was issued just after the close yesterday. May sold from 53.07 j to $3.11, which was from ten to four teen cents higher than yesterday's ; close. The market advanced sharply yes terday in anticipation of the crop re port, May ascending 17 cents, and for the first time In the history of -the board selling at $3.00. The acreage abandoned, however, proved greater than expected and the additional ad vance reflected it this morning. HARRISBURG. PA., WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 9. 1917. PARK PLANS TO \ BE CONSIDERED I IN CAR SURVEY Experts Get Proposed Pro gram of Capitol Extension Treatment From Manning ST. WIDENING Need of Legislation to Further Development Is Pointed Out Warren 11. Manning, consulting) landscape designer and park expert. ; who with city and State officials, is planning the treatment of the Capi- j tol Park Extension, proposed widen | ing of city streets, erection of a'■ I bridge at State street and other im- j portant development plans, has sent I j complee data to J. K. Bibbin under I whose supervision the survey of j Harrlsburg street car service has. been made. The entire park program, together! with possible city extensions and de-1 velopments have been sent to Mr. | Ribbin lor careful consideration in j making the report on the survey, so | that all proposals for changes in svs- | terns can be considered with a view j | to co-operation in the general plans. j Trolley Survey Completed ! The survey of the Harrlsburg Kail- \ ways lines has just been completed , by experts sent here by Bion J. Arn old and in charge of Mr. Bibbin. The j survev was suggested bv the HAR RISBt'IUJ TELEGRAPH, railways officials at once deciding to have ex- I pert advice to solve the many prob- j lems which have developed in re ; cent years. A report of the survey is expected j within the next few weeks after all , data gathered here has been gone! over, together with the park de velopment and street widening pro grams submitted by Mr. Manning. Plan Rerouting of Lines Plans for rerouting city transit, 1 lines to meet with the program for j the park development will be made I by Mr. Arnold and Mr. Bibbin with i the assistance of Air. Manning. In his letter to Mr. Bibbin, Mr. Manning calls attention to the pro- j posed tunnel under the Capitol ter- i race as a passible alternative to sur- j face cars in Aberdeen street. Speak, ing of this phase of the program, he; says: "This is not part of our plan as it was rejected when proposed on account of the importance of utl ! lizing the space under this terrace j i for storage rooms and tor offices. j should like your views on this, how ever. Of course It is possible to carry the tunnel on a still lower level j by passing under North street on j whleli the main city water supply pipe Is. If it were lower, the open ing would be at some point beyond North in Sixth, which as you know, is a continuation of Fourth." Mr. Manning continued that he in-i tends to bring this plan up again for consideration because of objec-; tions which have been raised to sur- j face cars in Aberdeen street, and; also because the COST of broadening Aberdeen street from the railroad station to the Capitol grounds and then on to Sixth street would be so expensive that the city might not be ready to consider it. Need of legislation that would provide for the co-operation of State and city in carrying out plans for, i the State street viaduct, exchange of ! 1 property, routing of street oars, i broadening the railroad right-of-way! and arranging to take care of cars | going out Cowden street, is pointed I out by Mr. Manning. Need Legislation Speaking of the State street via- ] duct plans, he says: "My first thought with reference 1 to this viaduct was that there might be ramps down the side of the via duct for cars passing each way in Cameron street, as well as cars pass i ing over the viaduct to Royal Tcr -1 race as referred to for the State \ street cars. "I speak of cars passing both ways j on Cameron street because there will I be considerable extension of the city 1 on the tine upland property that lies I of Wildwood park, as other scc lions within the same radius are he- 1 ing pretty rapidly filled up. In this connection 1 would call your atten tion to the overhead bridge or via -1 j duct that is proposed by the City: I Plan for Division street, where there i is now a footbridge." Mr. Manning also refers to the proposed plan to cross from Front i street over the dam to the large lake at Wildwood; provision which has been made in the existing park system for an electric line, and the bridge over the Susquehanna river that would be a continuation of State street, which would provide , a natural amphitheater and make a I better thoroughfare than is provided at the end of the Market street bridge. As soon as the survey report of the trolley situation is submitted rail ways company officials will act, Pres- i ident B. Musser said to-day. Congress Split on T. R.'s Plan to Send Recruits to French Battlefront flv Associated Press Washington, May 9. Conferees ! of the House and Senate on the war! ariny bill to-day sought to compro mise their differences over the ques-j tion of whether Colonel Roosevelt , shall be permitted, as provided by. a ' Senate amendment, to raise a volun j teer force for service in France. I Prospects of an agreement, however. on this, the main issue, seemed I slight. 1 Thet only hope held out for a cora- I promise was said to be based on the j chance that the Senate might recede | from its position on the question. In I that case it was said the House con ferees might accept the Senate amendment fixing the age limit of those subject to selective draft at ' from 21 to 27 in lieu of the Mouse ■ provision fixing It at from 21 to 40. Failure to reach an agreement prob • | ably will necessitate the sending or . the bill back to the two houses for 1 further instructions. (The 3lnr- Unfieprn&rnl \f > BOY SCOVTS ARE GIVEN ETENSIVE INSTRUCTIONS L j A complete knowledge of first aid work is necessary before a lad can qualify as a Boy Scout. The photo shows two bovs carrying a wounded comrade. SCOUT CAMPAIGN WA RML Y ENDORSED BY THE GOVERNOR The campaign to raise. $12,000' with which to finance the Boy Scout movement in llarrisburg for the next three years got under way with i a big swing to-day at a noon lunch eon held by the campaign committee in the old Board ol' Trade building. Governor Brumbaugh, the prin cipal speaker, heartily endorsed the movement and said he would feel hurt if the committee did not call upon him l'or a contribution. The Governor was a member of j the Boy Scout council when it was j lirst organized in Philadelphia and he said he had nothing but admira tion for the movement. "It has been my general observa tion," he said, "that the Scout move ment lias done more than anything else in modern lite to bring out manly qualities in boys. It teaches boys to develop clean minds and : clean bodies." The Governor received an ova i RUSS MAY MAKE - PEACE IF U. S. REFUSES HELP I President Wilson Told Situa tion in Great Empire Is Serious Washington, May 9. Unless the l.'niteci States acts immediately In aiu of Hussia's munition plants and Rus i sia's wide llung armies, a separate 1 peace will be concluded between Russia and Germany. This is the substance of a remark able letter that has been received by | President Wilson from Michael M. Podolsky, a member of the Russian Munitions Committee, who is in' Philadelphia. The letter epitomizes the llussian situation both indus trially and in its military aspects, it j : is based not only upon Mr. Podol-: [Continued on Page 13] Hindenburg Is Again Predicting a Victory Amsterdam, May 9. Field Marsha- l 'Von Hindenburg is again predicting, | victory, according to the Berlin Tage -1 blatt. The paper quotes the lleld i marshal as saying, in reply to an ' ! address from the Naxon second cliam- j > ! ber: I v "The soldier spirit, which is al ways cujtivated by the All-highest j war lord, has , again proved its 'j strength. If the home army also hold '| on then we are certain of victory." j AKHKST DOI'K IJISTItIIIITOK James Houser, who has admitted, ; according to the police, that re is j | a commission ag?nt for Tony Penn, ! j was arrested this morning at J6 Cow j den street, by Patrolman J. H. Hi- i ; neer. When arrested he had thirty-, i two packages of dope in his posses , j sion and said he was selling them at; I j fifty cents per package. He is white, and about twenty-four years old. lie i ' j was turned over to the United , j States authorities. no (.ami: today i! Hain and cold weuther prevented the opening at Island Park to-day. The program announced will be car- : I ried out to-morrow, the local weath- j • er forecaster Indicating lair and l warn!lnml limp. Dunvuniiuii, J I ' • hurlr* >llll rllliltlIUli nnd Hnr.rl Weaver, Hnrrlahurg. f fii Yl< ~ ~>]