Bad Weather Continues to Hold Up Entente Attack on German Lines in Ffan !eh HARRISBURG llfSpffll TELEGRAPH Jok flty Star-Jn&cpcn&ent * J LXXXVI— No. 183 16 PAGES BATTLING FIERCELY TO HOLD LINES Germans Fight With Desperation Unparalleled to Main tain Trenches in Flanders; Allies Forge Ahead De spite Atrocious Weather BRITISH NEGATIVE COUNTERTHRUSTS BY RE-ESTABLISHING THEIR LINE North End of Roalers-Ypres Railway Back in Friendly Hands After Night Attack; Northern Russian Front Waking Up Germany is battling with a desperation probably unparalleled m the war to hold her lines in Flanders against the combined Anglo-French attack. Notwithstanding the heavy handicap which the atrocious weather has imposed on them, however, the entente forces have made good their most important gains and apparently are only awaiting clearing conditions to blast their way further into the Teutonic front. The boasts of successful resistance to the entente thrust that have come from the Berlin war office were based as usual on the unwarranted assumption that an attempt had been made to break through and upon the fact that at one or two points the Gern.an reaction resulted in some of the far advanced forces of the allies bejjig pushed back. • To-day. however, comes the an nouncement from London that de spite the hampering rainfall the Brit ish have negatived the results of one of the German counter thrusts, com pletely re-establishing their line in the north end of the Roulers-Ypres railway as the outcome of a night attack. Where there may be some in- I clination on the part of lay critics to regard with some misgivings stress laid upon the bad weather by the official reports that indicate a holdup of the allied advance, military ob servers at the front apparently are in entire agreement with the serious ness of this handicap. The Allies had established ajr su periority and the storm has pre vented observation altogether, entail ing inactivity upon the big guns that are relied upon to blast a path for the advancing infantry. To the low visibility, also, has been attributed such success as the Germans were able to gain in their counter attacks, the poor sighting conditions prevent ing the entente gunners from mass ing their rtro effectively to break up the enemy concentrations. Make Ruthless Attacks Despite the hard fighting in Flan ders the Germans are continuing their pronounced activities on the French front. Paris reports two at tacks on the French lines east and southeast of Rheims and assaults in the Avocourt wood sector in the Ver dun region and in the Apremont for est southeast of St. Mihiel. All these were fruitless for the Germans. Some important movement appar ently is under way on the Russian northern front which has been hold ing entirely firm, while the southern end of the line was falling back. Now, however, the Russians are re ported to have evacuated the Uskull bridgehead, fifteen miles southeast of Riga, the Germans marching into the evacuated positions. The exact significance of this development is 3 - et to be revealed. Germans Forced to Use Broken-Spirited Youths to Hold Line Trenches British Front in France and Bel glum. Aug. 1. (by the Associated Press). —"The situation Is virtually unchanged." This sums up the day's news from the wide zone aiong which the British and French yesterday hurled Prince Rupprecht's forces [ConUnued on Page 14] THE WEATHER For llarrl*burg and vicinity: Fnlr and tlghtly cooler to-night nni Krll ny. For Uaatern I'enn*} lvanln t Gen erally fair and not quite no warm to-night and Friday) gentle west wlndx. „ Hlver The fu*qiiehnnnu river and all It* Itrnnrlie* will fall, except the lower part of thr main river, which will rlHe nllghtly to-night and begin to fall Friday. A ■ tage or about 4.4 feet Is lndl rated for Hnrrlnburg Friday morning. General Condition* Light, local Mhowern have occur red In the laat twenty-four hour* In New Englnnd, New i ork, Kantern Penn*ylvania, >uthwrtrrn Virginia, Weal * Irglnla and Alabama. Temperaturei 8 a. m., 8a degree.. Sun: IUNCM, -ISSH N . M . Moon: Fall moon to-night. Hlver Stage: 4.7 feet. Ye*terday' Weather HlgheMt temperature, US. Icut temperature, 7(1. >leuii temperature. K4. " ,r ial temperature, 74. PERSHING TO MOVEQUARTERS NEARER FRONT American Commander Gives Training Camp Minute Inspection By Associated Press American Training Camp in France. Wednesday, Aug. I.—Gen eral Pershing gave the American ex peditionary force an example of the strenuous li's hv sweeping through nearly a dozen villages where United States soldiers are living in France, visiting nearly all training centers which have been established from America's first great contribution for the war for democracy. It was not a cursory inspection. He went into minute details all along the line, questioned private soldiers, company cooks and various other I Continued on Page 11] Senate to Consider War Conduct Committee Plan By Associated Press Washington. D. C\. Aug. 2.—The Senate rules committee to-day took up for consideration Senator Weeks* resolution providing? for a congres sional committee on the conduct of the war. A similar provision in the rood control bill caused the dead f i i o ' conferees on the measure whi % h was broken only after thev JY,Y? agreed to eliminate it. President \\ ilson had opposed the provision. _ 11 considered doubtful whether the Weeks resolution can pass both House and Senate. U-Boats Twice Attack Steamer in Atlantic By Associated Press An Atlantic Port. Aug:. 2 A French freight steamship arrived here to-dav and her officers reported that their vessel had been subjected to two torpelo attacks from German submarines during the voyage. On both occasions several shots were fired by the gunners on board the freighter in the direction from which L, e torpPdoes fame, but it was blinalj shooting and no results were observed. GERMANY SAID GCII/TY By Associated Press London, Aug 2.— The Times, re ferring to the official statement by the German government denying a report that a conference was held in the presence of the emperor at Pots dam, July 5, 1914, a t which a plan was proposed to let loose the war, says the authority whereon its state ment was made prevents it from at taching the slightest importance to the < erman denial and declares that the assertion that Germany abstained lrom intervention in the drafting of the Austrian ultimatum is notorlouslv false. FRENCH LOSE TWO SHIPS By Associated Press Paris, Aug. 2.—Two French Bhips of more than 1,600 tons and one vessel of under 1,600 tons were sunk by mine or submarine last week, according to the weekly shipping summary given out by the French admiralty laet night. Three ships A-ere unsuccessfully attacked TRYING TO p *'* i <>s E^JhBEB I TMT rBMB reMHg ■' y .At* jg 9m BPIBMk'WM I v Fiff JBf JmP THIS SCENE IS TYPICAL IN BACKYARDS OF THE CITY DURING THE EXTREME HEAT OF rHE AFTERNOON. WATER FLIES IN ALL DIRECTIONS BUT WHO CARES FOR THAT? GOVERNOR TOOK EXPERTS ADVICE ONCAMPCURTIN Let Matter of Statues For the Future; Made Sure First of Land and Parking of It Governor Brumbaugh, in a letter to the editor of the HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH, explains at length why he approved only that portion of the Camp Curtin Memorial appropriation providing' for the purchase of the ground. The Governor says that no body, at the time he messaged the Legislature in favor of the memorial, had any thought other than the im mediate acquirement of the land. The Governor, however, went farther than this and provided for the parking of the site. The Governor took up the matter of a monument with Landscape Architect Brunner and the City Planning Com mission and they advised him to first make sure of the land and let the matter of a statue be a matter for careful study at the hands of a com mission. This the Governor has done. The letter in full is as follows: You were good enough to take me to task in your paper for disallowing certain items in the Camp Curtin appropriation. X approved all I or any one asked for when in January 1 messaged the Legislature. 1 even went farther and approved ample funds not only to buy but to improve the site. I did not approve the item for a statue of a design and price set forth in the act. The fact is, no one in Harrisburg has seriously thought of the charac ter of memorial that this historic spot should bear, and no one will until the ground is secured and in good condition. Your Mr. Brunner and your City Planning Commission and the State officials concerned all alik<} should have a chance to think before they or a commission are directed to act. What I want is the ground made into a park—forever the possession of the Commonwealth. This has been done. To do more now would be to do what we might regret hereafter. Don't you think in the inner tem ples of your consciousness you ought to be glad, not sad? M. G. BRUMBAUGH. Corporal Warner Rescues Former Guardsman Who Is Stricken by Cramps Prompt rescue work by Corporal Lee Warner this morning prevented the drowning of W. W. Dofeilvey n.t the Island Camp. DeSilvey was swimming at some distance from shore when seized with cramps. He cried for help and sank. Warner jumped into the water and swam to hi 3 aid. A canoe manned by mem bers of the Headquarters Company assisted in getting the two men to shore. The other men belong to Company I. DeSilvey was formerly a member oC the regiment but was excused be cause of dependents. He served at the border. Unable to stay aw,iy from his former comrades he has been going to the Island whenever possible. This morning he ventured a little farther out than any of trie men who were trying to light the beat along the river shore. He was near the middle of the river when the cramps seized him. Although the water where he was swimming was not deep, between him and the shore there is a wide M retch of deep water. At the first cry for help Warner leaped into the water and swam the distance, grab uing him as he was about to disap pear beneath the surface. He was slowly struggling with him when the rescuing canoe came up and lifted DeSilvey into the canoe. A little first aid work and DeSilvey was in good condition although a trifle weak from his experience. A few days ago four other guards men had a narrow escape from irowning. TO FORM CABINET By Associated Press Amsterdam, Aug. I.—According to the Vienna Allgemeine Zeitung, Dr. von Seydfer, the Austrian premier has informed the leaders in parlia ment that he will be intrusted with the formation of a permanent cabinet. HARRISBURG, PA., THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 2, 1917. FAREWELL FOR POWDER TRAIN ORDERED AWAY Citizens of City Will Turn Out to Cheer Company on Its Way Truck Company No. 6 has been ordered to Mount Gretna. It will leave to-morrow morning on the 7.30 train. The farewell demonstration will be held a3 planned. Arrange ments have been completed and aids announced. It is expected this sec ond farewell will be more enthusi astic than former ones, if such a thing is possible. It is hoped to have all persons and organizations in terested parade to-morrow morning. The parade will form at the Chest nut Street Auditorium, the right resting on Second. From Second street they will proreed to Walnut, to Third, to Market, and then to the [Continued on Page 14] Case of Smallpox Here Is Traced to Liverpool Epidemic Development of a case of smallpox in this city may have resulted from an epidemic of the disease at Liver pool, Dr. J. M. J. Raunick, city health officer, said to-day. Dr. A. R. John son, Perry county, medical inspector, was ordered by the State Department of Health to make an Investigation at once. The local case was reported by city health authorities to-day when it was found that Mrs. P. K.' Murray. 2312 Jefferson street, was a victim of the disease. Quarantine measures were enforced at once, and a number of neighbors, storekeepers and other possible contacts were vaccinated. As soon as it was learned that the wom an had just returned from a visit to Liverpool State officials were notified and the Perry county investigation was started. City health officials say they are positive the contagion orig inated at Liverpool. Made Dizzy by Heat Painter Falls to Ground; Condition Is Serious Frank Weston, Cumberland and Monroe streets, employed as a painter by Hunnan Company, while working at the Wlllard sciioolbuildtng. State and Myrtle streets, fell to the ground this afternoon and suffered a fracture of the skull. He was overcome by the heat. He was taken to the Har risburg Hospital. His condition is serious. Want U. S. Regulars to Parade in London By Associated Press London, Aug. 2.—The Dally Mail makes a plea that American troops be given an opportunity to be seen in London before going to France. The paper says Londoners ought to have the chance of showing the Americans the feeling of enthusiasm their arrival exerts. It says London needs a heartening spectacle as well as an opportunity to express its en thusiasm. It declares that a column of American regulars passing through the streets of the metropolis would have a rousing reception. AMERICAN SHIP SINK St. John. N. 8.. Aug. 2.—The torpe doing on July 27 of the American schooner John Twohy was reported here to-day. The John Twohy, 109 tons gross, owned in Philadelphia, was last re ported on May 4. She carried a crew of nine men. AMERICANS IX RATTI.E fly Associated Press British Front in France and Bel gium, Aug. 2. —Americans played a small hut important part in the bat tle of Flanders. A number of Amer ican "surgical teams" who were brought to the front from the base hospital by the director general of the medical service, worked side by side with their British allies in car ing for the wounded. RESPITE FROM INTENSE HEAT IS PROMISED But it Will Only Be For a Few Days, According to Washington Cooler weather is forerast for Har risburg and vicinity beginning this evening and continuing a short time. Then back to the higher levels again. The temperature will drop from six to eight degrees while the humidity may decline twenty degrees. In ad dition to the natural decrease in the temperature, due to west winds, there is a possibility of local thun der showers which will aid in bring ing down the mercury. The river was again the big at traction for hundreds of people this afternoon. The number of bathers was increased by many employes of city stores and business houses, who were enjoying the weekly halt-holi day. Heat Hastens Death Heat prostrations yesterdav and to-day were few, as the wind fur nished relief. Samuel Gearhart, aged 67, of Oberlin, was a victim of the heat wave. After an illness of two years he died at his home yester day. 9 4 Dpgrces At 1 o'clock to-day the official temperature was 94 degrees, which was an increase of eleven over that of yesterday at the same time. The I low temperature yesterday morning was due to an awning of clouds which shut off the rays of the sun until after noon when the mercury began to rise until it reached its high point of the day, 92. The Washington weather bureau's heat bulletin to-day says the heat spell still persists in th East, but temperature has fallen somewhat in the lake region and the Ohio Valley. Respite Brief "Scattered showers and thunder storms have occurred in various parts of the country but there has been no widespread region of rain fall. "The temperature in eastern dis tricts will fall slightly within the next thirty-six hours, but the fall will be temporary and a return to higher temperatures within the next few days is probable Generally fair weather is indicated." The ripening of many perishable fruits and vegetables has been so hastened by the extreme heat that the Department of Agriculture to day sounded a call for prompt action to prevent greater waste in the con tinued hot wave expected during the next few days. Appeal was made to women to sacrifice their comfort and continue their canning and preserv ing and prevent perishable fruits and vegetables, ripening rapidly by the intense heat, from spoiling. The hot wave has had one hopeful feature. It has been decidedly fa vorable to the great bulk of crops, particularly to corn and tobacco. The backward season because of al most continual unseasonable low temperatures has been brought for ward with a bound. TWELVE MORE DEATHS By Associated Press Philadelphia, Aug. 2.—Twelve ad ditional deaths, making 87 in the last three days, attributed to the heat, were reported to-day with scores of prostrations. A high percentage of humidity added to the discomfort to day. At 1 p. m. the government thermometer registered 95 degrees with prospects of going higher. AMERICAN SCHOONER SUNK By Associated Press London, Aus. 2.—The American schooner John Hays Hammond has been sunk by the gunfire of a Ger man submarine. All the members of the schooner's crew were saved. The John Hays Hammond was a schooner of 132 tons gross and was built at Essex, Mass., in 1907. WHITE ORDFRFI) ABROAD By Associated Press Emporia, Kan., Aug. 2.—William Allen White, editor and author, has been ordered abroad as a member of the Red Cross war council Investi gation committee. He will leave here Friday. CHINESE PRESIDENT IN PEKING By Associated Press Peking, Aug. 2.—Feng Kuo Chang I president of China, has arrived here. I WILL NOT CALL MEN TILL DRAFT ! QUOTA IS GIVEN County Boards Prepared to Send Notices but Have Not Issued Lists NO WORD OF INCREASE 1 State Waiting Official Order of Ten Per Cent. Increase on First Call Until the official quotas for each district in Dauphin county arc re- ' ceived from Colonel Frank G. Swee- ' ney of the state board, members of the division boards will not send notices to any men to appear forj examinations. This was the state-, ment made to-day by officials of *he boards. "While we have prepared notices for about 400 men to appear for ex aminations the list has not been is sued, and the notices will not be sent until we receive the proper orders giving the number of men in ; our quota," C. C. Cumbter, chairman ! of the ttrst county division board \ said. "We hope to receive the allot- ; ment some time to-morrow or Satur- ! day, but until that time we will take no action, and will not issue a list of numbers of those who are to be call ed for examinations." Members of the other exemption boards made simitar statements in announcing that they were ready to proceed when the quotas are issued to them. No Hurry Colonel Sweeney, of the state board, in speaking of the work of some of the district boards in the state, in starting examinations, said I there was no need to hurry the work j and that probably the best thing for | any of the officials to do is to wait until they are notified of the num-i ber of men the district must fur nish. "We have received no orders to rush the work through," Colonel j Sweeney said, "otherwise it would be advisable to hurry. But to avoid any errors and trouble the boards should wait until given the exact number | of men to call. Notices may be pre pared for approximately the num ber required but it is not necessary! to go ahead with examinations when , the district quotas are being delayed | because of the verifying of National | Guard enlistment credits." No Official Word The state registration headquar ters has not heard officially of any j change in the draft quotas for Penn sylvania, although it has been re | ported that there will be a ten per cent, increase. The board is to-dav sending out instructions to all dis i trict boards requiring them to fill in | their lists of additional physicians I as rapidly as possible. According to instructions received from 'Washington regarding subjects of Germany and others exempt by ; provisions of the draft act, district, boards, when there is reasonable ground for believing that an appli cant is entitled to exemption of these grounds, may postpone physical ex amination until the claim for ex emption shall have been heard. The same applies to persons necessarily absent or sick and unable to file application elsewhere for examina tion, as provided by the draft law. City Will Not lie Hit Even with a call for ten per cent, more than the fir;t al!<ment, Har risburg may have enough credits re maining it was intimated, which would exclude the city from furnish ing men on the first call. Until the revised quotas are announced how ever, a definite statement can not be made. Colonel Sweeney said. According to the rfiport from ! Washington, Brigadier General Crow der estimates that ten per cent, more men will be required because of in , dustrial exemptions. Harrisburg boards are going over 1 the master lists of numbers furnish : ed by Washington to arrange for any emergency which may develop, mem | hers said to-day. However, until i something more definite is known I about the additional call no further ! action will be considered, the boards j reported. U. S. Plans to Reconstruct Soldiers Who May Be Hurt in Battles Against Kaiser By Associated Press Washington, Aug. 2. Adequate I provision for reconstruction hospi i tals wher% crippled soldiers may be | fitted with artificial limbs and be re-educated In new trades, is includ ed in the army medical department's hospital program, as outlined in a statement to-day. This will not he undertaken, however, until after completion of the thirty-two hos pitals at National Army and Na tional Guard camps, enlargement of more than thirty hospitals at officers training camps, establishment of at least two general hospitals at porta, and of a number of special treatment institutions. "The aim of the medical depart ment," says the statement, "is to have hospital provision for five per cent, of the enlisted force by fall, and then to proceed to extend that to ten per cent. Abroad facilities for 20 per tent, of the American ex peditionary forces will be provided. "At cantonments hospital provi sions will be made for three per cent, of the troops at each camp. A complete modern hospital will be constructed at each, containing at least a thousand beds. With the space reserved for extension, each hospital and its auxiliary buildings will require sixty acres. The thirty two hospitals will cost about J14,- 500,000. MINERS RETURN TO WORK By Associated Press Leadvllle, Col., Aug. 2.—The strike of metal miners in the Leadvllle dis trict, which began ten days ago, was called off early to-day at a mass meeting of the striking miners, both union and nonunion. The men voted to accept the offer of the operators of a wage Increase of approximately t>o cents a day. Single Copy, 2 Cents FATE OF 'DRY' 1 AMENDMENT IS UP TO THE HOUSE I . - I j Nation-wide Prohibition Said to Have Sufficient Sup port to Pass | THE STATES MUST RATIFY Senate Approves Proposed Constitutional Amendment ! bv a Vote of 65 to 20 ' H, Text of Resolution to Make Country Dry The proposed Constitutional ' amendment adopted by the Senate 1 follows: "The manufacture, sale or trans- j portation of intoxicating: liquors i within, the importation thereof in- 1 tp. or the exportation thereof from, the I'nlted States, and all territory subject to the Jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited. "This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitu tion by the Legislatures of the sev eral States, as provided in the Con | stitution, within six years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress. "The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropri | ate legislation." By Associated Press Washington, Aug. 2.—The fate the Senate resolution providing for a na tion-wide prohibition amendment to j the constitution to-day rests with | the House. If the House approves oy I a two-thirds vote, the new amend j ment will then go to the states for I ratification. The resolution passed the Senate late yesterday by a vote of 65 to 20, eight more than the necessary two ! thirds, and to-day House dry leaders (Continued on Page tt) 1 AMERICAN OFFICERS AT FRONT . Paris,' Aug X——A large group of American staff offi i :- i \ to-i1 •• ■ ■■■■ ; ■ } n<!ers front, v' for r -.. • arnV ;cci ■ - been w atclui ta' ■tin cic!l ' S •"' i; -u :y to i\t 1 . )• ■; . ivr T - - nun fro;;. ; nt<* b ■! v, ; a tion > 1 ' •• if partmonts f'hoy \ ■ • r•" ■ tril ■ 'he front <. •• - . \ ■ . , ■ pi - :,ing ' lisp • ... - w. , - : n:-; the advance artillery firing the infantry atta< king and , ex.':.- . : n > f pri;- (hers afte, i. : " nit.. KAISER SUMMONS COU ;CTL O: WA Atr.s -fli'v, A-.t-. 2. Hirip- r • Willi rn '.••• .''id , a v iiK il of high mi - nd - n ' Germany to meet at Brussels. Belgium- to-day Field Marshall Von Hindenburg, chief of the imperial general E staff ; General Von Ludendorff, the quartermaster general, K th < ■ • Crow -1 . nee, t ■ : • . i • forces in the Champagne; Crown Prince Rupprecht, of I . B.■ . thf Kr!: r.t v.!! .>r ■ e • Al'- t>i A'. ■ be- ■. irul \ ,i. , M: - ;a- i 'ri, .na • . ; ■ ■ • 24 AMI KICANS LOSE LIVKS London, Aug. 2.—lt was reported at the American' • ■; . . crc >/ JU Kti m: Molani . V'l , uis sunk tjcm.,l!'. . m. iriiie , 1c THUNDER STOi M S I :IKES C: the ;t:-i-ts of peopk an iri:> talll .: luavy •. thin 1 . term c> tended on the > f ;rn tiv vest late t this afternoon. It drove the thermometer down v.vttal degrees in a Few minutes. Only one tent was blown E do ' u<- -t-.Und <-ucampment B 1 ..ii t isburg - Fred Moore, an employe of Holtzman's * I Podil drowned jn the Susquehanna opposite I Fei: : -u hou:.e, '.ate this after.; * .... H.. v. mg B enrf.h g.ve way. 1t..: a:'.-t;ed I B ca.- to save h*; • '.though a ; ,nort ,hs- I tar; iy The V-a'.y has not be-- •. recovered. I I MARRIAGE nor, nnd Hon V. Wnwnfr, KHOIHI Frank A. Brown and Sarah F. $ Stewart, Mfflfoni Harry I>. Hufftnicton nnd K| H |<> l. strntrr. Har- A rlaburKl C loyd M. Glhhle and Mervnl H. Curran, l.aneanteri Huich T. f Srott, Harrlabnrn, and Kllaabrth M. Uarman, l.urknom t'hurleM J. ?t Simpson, Philadelphia, and Bculnh F. Hrlnkley, l.rmoyne. ¥ HOME EDITION WIVES SUPPLIED TO SLACKERS BY MATCHMAKERS Marriage Brokers Said to Fur nish Women For Men Who Wish to Avoid Draft STRANGE 'SWEETHEARTS Department of Justice Agents Find Cowards Are Wed ding Anybody to Escape New York, Aug. 2.—Agents of th Department of Justice, it was stated to-day, were conducting an investi gation here to learn if marriage ! brokers have been supplying women [ as wives tor men seeking to avoid | being drafted into tho national army. The investigation Is said to be the result of two days' work by members ol the department after they discov ered that many of the men applying for marriage licenses knew little or nothing about the women they were seeking to marry beyond the neces sary facts to obtain a license. As a result of the action taken by the federal authorities there was ex | pected to be a further falling off to ! <l a > f ill the number of applicants for ■ licenses. United States Marshal i McCarthy sail ail applicants who j could not show registration cards ) would be turned away. Only 145 i were issued yesterday, which was j about normal. Germany Recognizes Its Diplomacy Has Been Bad Zurich, Aug. 2. The military critic of the Munchener Nueste Nach richten regrets that British diplom acy has been more clever and suc cessful than the German. He says it has been constantly making new alies until now there are 1,350.000,000 foes against Germany's 150.000,000, and de clares that Great Britain's greatest j gain in this respect is America, j Nothing is more foolish than ar i rogantly to underestimate America's ! entry into the war, he says. "Eco* j nomieally, politically and financially an Anglo-Saxon circle has now been formed and threatens to rule the I world uless we oppose a Central Eu- I ropean and Asiatic combination I against it. The military importanca of America is equally great. She re -1 quires only time to be effective."
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers