Washington Observers Are Well Pleased With Allied - V • jlfc HARRISBURG sgf§l|ffe TELEGRAPH M LXXXVII- No. 74 20 PAGES BRITISH TAKE GUNS AND MEN IN COUNTER MOVE GERMAN AD VANCE IS HAL TED FRENCH FALL BACK TO THE HEIGHTS NEAR MONTDIDIER Blocked on Fronts of Las signy and Noyon on Left Bank of Oise, Seek New Outlet FRENCH IN HAND TO-HAND FIGHTING Unheard-of Ferocity Marks Conflict; Enemy Losses Heavy, Says Official Com munication Paris, March 28.—Blocked on the Lassigny and Novon fronts and on the left bank of the Oise, the Germans last night threw forward important forces in the region 'of Montdidier, the war office announced to-day. Here the fighting rapidly took on ex traordinary ferocity. French regiments fought hand-to-hand with the enemy and inflicted heavy losses. Retreat to Hdg/ts Finally the French fell back to the heights immediately to the west of Montdidier. Fighting was continued with vio lence yesterday evening and last night on the battle front, the war office announced to-day. Enemy Losses Heavy The text reads: "The battle was fought with sus tained violence yesterday evening and last night. The Germans, blocked by the valiant French troops and cruelly punished before the Las signy and Noyon fronts and the left bank of the river Oise, concentrated all their efforts on the French left and threw forward important forces in the region of Montdidier. "At this point the engagements soon developed an unheard-of fer ocity. French regiments, fighting liand-to-hand inflicted heavy losses upon their asailants and did not falter. Finally they withdrew mi order to the heights immedia* ily to the west of Montdidier. "There lias been intermittent can nonading on the remainder of the front." German Sword Will Win Peace, Says Emperor; God Given Part Credit By Associated Press Amsterdam, March 27, Wednes day.—"The deeds performed by the army in the last few days pre worthy to rank with the most bril liant feats of the war," says a mes sage sent by Emperor William to the vice-president of the Reichstag. "We have grievously shaken Eng land's army by God's help. 'We are advancing daily, notwithstanding tenacious resistance. The number of prisoners is great, the booty in war materials immeasurable. "May the German people, and especially their chosen representa tives, derive confidence anew from the greatness of these achievements, •hat the German sword will win us peace." THE BOY SCOUTS are coming to QUIZZ YOU about War Savings AST What are you going to tell them? THE WEATHER Kor Hnrrinhiirg and vtrinity! fair to-night and Friday; not much • linage In temperature, lunmt to-night iiliout freezing. tienernl <ondltlon It Im RllKhtly colder In tlie \nrlh we.Hterii State*, ptrrpt Oregon) iilho In Kiiglnnd, Kiinterii >ev York nnil a few other lo culltlcs of limited nren. Temperature: N n. in., 32. Sum lllnch, mil) n. m.; net*, nil p. m. Moon i lllarn, 7:31 p. m. niver stage: feel nhote lon titer mark. YrMrrdny'a Weather lllsheat temperature, IS. I.oneat tempera lure. 28. ■Mean temperature. 3D. Normal temperature, la. SINULiS Q|PY. 8 CENTS The Price COAL ENOUGH TO HIGH BIDS FOR GOAROUNDNOW ROTARY CLUB'S PROMISED CITY MINSTREL SHOW Flat Rate to Be Fixed to Con sumers by County Fuel Administration Jlarrisburg will receive as much coal as last year, with enough added to take care of the increase in pop ulation occasioned by the presence here of new industries and building activities inaugurated during the present year. This assurance has been given the Dauphin County Fuel Commission by the federal authori ties, according to announcement of the local fuel commission this morn ing. Unless unforeseen causes, such as [Continued on Page 4.] WOOD STILL Waiting Washington, March 28. Major General Leonard AVood still is hero waiting for the physicial examinati in at the hands of an army board, which will determine whether he shall re turn to France in command of fight ing troops or remain in the United States on inactive duty. Some of the general's friends have been apprehen sive that he would not be returned to active duty. GOVERNOR ENDORSE CLUB'S WAR GOVERNOR BRUMBAUGH, in the following letter to captain George F. I-.unib, president of the llarrlsblirg Rotary Club, heartily endorses the Rotary Club's War Stamp minstrel show: "I have read with very great interest the plan of the Harris burp: Rotary Club to Rive an entertainment in the Orphcuni Theater on April 13, 1918, the entire proceeds of which are to be devoted to War Savings Stamps. In other words, the club wives the entertainment free and those who have the pleasure and enjoyment of its entertainment will have the stamps for their own use and aid the promotion and successful outcome of tho war. . • "1 can conceive of i)o more patriotic and unsellish service than this and I commend ine plan to all people, and trust that the meeting may be a pronounced success and produce a larsc return to the Government. , Very truly yours. M. O. HrtUMHAUGH. Boxes May Bring as High as Each; Governor En dorses the Movement Governor Brumbaugh, who with his party will occupy a box at the Orpheum Theater, when the ltotary Club gives its big War Stamp Jlin strel Show, on the evening of April 23, to-day sent to Captain George F. Lumb, president of the club, liisj hearty endorsement of the entertain ment. Every penny realized from the sale of tickets will go for the purchase of Thrift Stamps. The club and in dividual members will underwrite the expense and Wilmer and Vincent, through Manager Floyd Hopkins, will donate the use of the theater. [Continued oil Page 3.] INTERNATIONAL DISBANDS NcW York, March 28. —The Inter national Baseball League Club owners meeting here to?day, voted to disband. HARRISBURG, FA., THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 28, 1918. AMERICANS MAY BE USED IN BIG ALLY OFFENSIVE Great Counter Drive Against Huns Expected Momen tarily at Washington By Associated Press Washington, Murcli 28. American stall' officers studying closely the war maps and latest dispatches from the hattlcfront aif of the opinion that develop ments of moment in the allied counter attack will begin to show themselves on the hattlclicld to day or to-morrow Washington, March 28. —Late re ports that Anglp French defense is stiffening before the German as sault on the western front led Amer ican military observers to believe to-day that an allied counter stroke might get under way at any mo ment. All depends, officers said, on the forces the allies have been able to muster in reserve. There is every in dication that both the British and French have been using reinforce ments sparingly in their efforts to stem the German advance, mean while co!v*erving their manpower to the day just ahead. " Although no official report has reached the War Department of the participation of American troops oth er than engineer units, the view here is that Americans ma"y take part in the attempt to hurl the Germans back. CONSUMPTION OF NEWS I'luvr K.Yt KKUK I'KOIII'CTION \\ nnliinHloii, March 128. Consump tion of news print paper is exceeding production and mill stocks gradual ly am fulling off. Federal Trade Com mission figures made public to-day shipments of G2,6H:1 tons for the first two waeks in March while only uO.yis tons were produced. Mill stocks. Match 17. amounted to 28,327 tons of which 22,293 were standard news. Ijoss of production is ascribed to strikes on thp Pacific coat lack \of fuH and closihg down of mills lit Niagara F..11a by government order. TITANIC STRUGGLE NOW ENTERS THE SECOND WEEK Beginning of Second Week of World's Most Colossal Attack Finds British and French Holding Tenaciously to Western Edge of Old Somme Battlefield; British Counterattacks in Region of Albert Prevent Advance ' By Associated Press LONDON, March 28.—French troops this morning counterattacked with great dash and • drove back the enemy on a front of 10 kilometers to a depth of three kilometers south of Noyon. London, March 28.—1n the last twenty-four hours the Ger-i mans have made but one comparatively trifling gain as the result of numerous massed attacks along the whole front, says Reuter's correspondent at British headquarters. For the British there may! be claimed several distinct local successes, either in completely; repelling enemy blows or in wresting back ground won by counter j attacks. Although the Germans, continue to use their infantry with ruthless prodigality, the general pressure along the front is for the moment less determined. This may be attributed in part to the enerr.y waiting to bring up heavy artillery preparatory to another great effort, and in part of exhaustion. Nothing can be learned of the appearance of enemy tanks on the British front, while those left by the retreating British were systematically destroyed, the correspondent reports. The enemy continued to bring troops from far and near to replenish his reserves and along wide stretches the German front is held by a mere screen of troops. Striking with almost unexampled fury against the allied front near the point where the French and British lines connect, the' Germans yesterday and last night drove in a deep wedge to the west and forced the French out of Montdidier. This town, which lies nineteen miles southeast of Alliens, one of the German objectives, is ten miles west of Roye, which the Germans took on Tuesday. British Lines Firmly Held The threat against Amiens in the north seems to be well held by the British along their front north of the Somme where they have maintained their line firmly at all points and even, as indi cated by to-day's official report havfe advanced it in places- In the Novon and Lassigny regions and along the Oise to the east, the French are likewise preventing the Germans from get ting an opening. The force of their drive thus was diverted to the west of the Roye region and the forward push there developed probably the fiercest fighting of the present battle- . Engagements of "Unheard of Ferocity" Paris characterizes the engagements as of "unheard of ferocity." The French regiments however, fought with their ac customed bravery and made the Germans pay dearly for every bit of ground they covered in their desperate push for an outlet, the French finally retiring in good Order to the heights to the west of Montdidier. News dispatches from the front this morning re ported the line in this sector to be holding well. While this effort to drive in between the British and French armies was being carried out in the south the "Germans apparently worried by the salient they were creating ajid wishing to protect their right wing from a flanking attack, have developed a threat on the extreme north of the present front in the region east of Arras. London reports the beginning- this morning of a heavy bombardment of the British lines in this Sector, followed by the development of an attack. The possibility is not lost sight of that this attack so far north on the front may herald the extension of the active fighting front along the lines to the north in the development of a German push for the channel ports. Seemingly, however, the enemy has all lie can take care of in the way of opposition in the present field of the offensive and the probability points to the Arras threat proving a protective rather than a new offensive measure. German Line Extended Meanwhile the German line is being extended to an apparently dangerous extent on the southern front where a flanking operation has been pointed to as most likely to prove effective. Checked all along the front of more than fifty miles except at two points the German drive is fast slowing up. The beginning of the second week of the great battle which opened with prob ably the most colossal attack in history and continues with the most intense fighting, finds the British and French holding I tenaciously to the western edge of the old Somme battlefield, while inflicting further losses upon the enemy. British counterattacks have begun in the region of Albert which the Germans hold, but from which they have been unable to advance because of the resistance ot the British who doggedly repulsed enemy attacks aril day Wednesday. South of Albert Field Marshal Haig has carried out several counterattacks and has advanced his line eastward between the Somme and Ancrel {.Continued on l'ngc 15.] ' J ON1. HVItAIMi AMUUlbli CIIMS IM KWSI' I'KII IN II *lt IIIMII! IKS CONDITIONS AT CITY HOSPITAL TO BE PROBED Health Officer Admits "Pest House" Is Not Proper Place For Patients CHARGES ILL TREATMENT Woman Declares Conditions Almost Unbearable Are Due to Neglect Commissioner I-lassler, who has supervision over the city health de partment, stated he will begin an in vestigation at once of the conditions reported at the hospital main tained for smallpox victims in a building south o,f the county alms house. Dr. A. Z. Ritzman, acting city health officer in the absence of Dr. J. M. J. Haunick, who is recovering from a long illness, said he will act with Dr. Ilassler and members of the health bureau. Mrs. Edna Lynch, of North Front street, Steelton, a patient at the hos pital. who was discharged early in March, made the statements ciiarg- [Continued on Page •!.] Untried Americans Worked Like Veterans in' Battle of Somme Hy \4ssocialed Press I'ari.s. March 28. —"Kntirely new in this warfare, the Americans work ed like the best veterans in the bat tle of the Somme," declared a wounded French captain who has been brought back from the front, according to La Liberie. Two of the Americans, officers, who were wounded were brought back with the French captain, a member of the dragoons. Ka.ch American wore a French war cross conferred on the Imttlelield. The French captain refused to re ceive attention until the Americans alongside him had tirst been nursed. "They are the ones who should be congratulated," he said, calling upon the women of the Red Cross to look after the Americans. irtririciriril '? ' $ X e * *§ 1 • i T* £. As V . * e£ !! ' ♦ ' *sr* * • i ' * *f ,/ ,v 1 INOS • |£ J J HARRY WOUTZ, WERE SCORCHED BUI NOT J RY 3ADLY DAMAGED. , '£ ' * • "I* e * § • " Fort Worth. Tex.-—A cadet of the Royal Plying Ct>rps J ( | was killed at noon to-day at Benbrook, a British aviation Tr f* * *£* W :c fields were opened here in October. T 7* m 4* 4 # # 4* yto thv cc Kt.uMou-i d : sense in'tal this -if'.em nto in- J ♦ t tJ \ t 2 of •£* -3 •r £■ ana 'housing conditions are pet what; the z. 5 "t* 4 v X thcr ..-cii treated >v. . *j * good, wholesome food- Bath equipment is to be : ,L 4* ■ *f £ HUNS t)ON ENGLISH UNIFORMS '$ T Paris—A number of German soldiers who had put on !j? 4 British uniforms in order to create confusion in the battle 4 w~ Somme * ront were taken prisoner and executed, X ■y* aa--.ru;..; ro the _ *f | SPIES DELAY AIRPLANE PRODUCTION ? T Washington—Charges that German spies were rcspon- A' *| siblcfor this country's failure to maintain it', airplane •*§*' X program, were made in the Senate to'-day by Senator T -Overman, Democrat, of North Carolina. He als6 clf&rgtd 5* A that there were spies in the Cuijtiss'plant. *f MARRIAGE LICENSES ? ?* llnrvry K. Weldlr, l.tindUvlllr. u n d Hnrn K. Miller, Mitnhrlm; T rhHrlex OHVICH nml Amilo K. Hon num. lliirrlxlMlru; I 'riink \. Man <A, ley mill Vloln Hcdniun. lliirrUliurKi llounld JohiiNtou and Nellie f Stipe. MlddlrioHiit r,lffrd V. I.etvU mid Ada I. A damn, Ulliulm< "r <}• ton, IJel.i Wlll In in Haeker, Halifax, and Mary M. Snyder. Harris- (L> 4* h * r * 4- HOME EDITION BETHLEHEM STEEL ADVANCES WAGES FIFTEEN PER CENT. All Labor at Steelton, Beth lehem, Lebanon and Spar rows Point Benefited lIE AI) J V STMENTS COM IN G Increases Indicated For "Gen eral Labor as Well as All Other Positions'" President E. G. Grace, of the Bethlehem Steel Company, to day made the following an nouncement from Bethlehem: "Effective April 16, 1918, an I increase of approximately fif- I teen per cent, will be made in I the genera llabor rate. Adjust ' ments will also he made in the I rates directly affected by the in crease in the general labor rates as well as other positions." The increase will affect all the plants of the company at Beth lehem, Steelton, Lebanon and Sparrows Point. Other Advances j General Manager Robbins of Hie | Steelton plants, said this afternoon | tliat this is the fourth advance in I wages at that place in little more | than a year. The first came in Feb | ruary, 1917, the second in May, 1917, and the third about October 1, of Utt ! year. Just what each man will ie ceive as a result of the increases an nounced to-day will not l>e known until the schedules of pay have been revised to meet the changes, which will be as soon as the accounting forwe can do the wprk. Entire Turkish Force Captured by British liiinilon. March 28—The entire Turkish force in the Hit arou, in Mesopotamia has been captured or destroyed by the British, the war office announces. Three thousand prisoners were taken.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers