The German Advance on Front Faltering Before the Brilliant Defense of Field Marshal Haig HARRISBURG ifllllti TELEGRAPH M ' ©K Star-Independent , 1 N ff? LXXXVII— No. 87 22 PAGES ..BRITISH HOLD UP CONTINUED GER GERMANS SEEK TO WEAR DOWN MANPOWER OF BRITISH ARMY Battle Plan Proceeds on the Theory That Continuous Fighting Will Annihilate Anglo-Saxon Army DETERMINED ENEMY ATTACKS CONTINUE War Settles Down to Grim Fact to See Which Side Can Kill Most Men Im possible to Replace With the British Army in France, Thursday, April 11.— Determined enemy attacks con tinued to-day against points of strategical value along the new baitle front north and south of Armentieres, from which the British have withdrawn, the Germans having placed it in a pocket hv driving a wedge on cither side of it. On the extreme right the tier mans to-day were pounding away against the British de fense at Givenchy which has changed hands numerous times since the initial enemy onslaught Tuesday. North of Armentieres the Germans were showing an equal desire to possess Messinfcs ridge and Wytschate which are dominating positions and which .changed hands several times ■yesterday and last night. The Germans got a footing in Mes sines village and they were still there this morning, but the British were clinging to the west ridge and were keeping the enemy from Wytschaete. Again Surge Forward In the neighborhood of Ploegstert the enemy again surged forward and hard lighting was proceeding in this section late to-day. South of Ar mentieres the enemy also delivered violent assaults. The British this morning made a successful counterattack and forced the enemy from Paradls, southwest of Lest rem. J"liis is on the front between Kstaires and Givenchy. Armentiere- was evacuated yes terday afternoon hut was still reek ins to-day with clouds of poisonous gas am? was a most inhospitable! place for the enemy. The British withdrawal beer, me necessary when ♦he Germany on the north drove forward to the vicinity of Stcen werck, bottling up the city. By their operations the Germans had gradually thrust forward lines on cither side of the city toward the west until at neon yesterday Ar mentieres lay at the bottom of a' sack-shaped salient whose sides were 12,000 yards long and whose mouth near Steenwerek was only J, 000 yards across. Wan or Battle Tlie withdrawal does not mean as much from a military standpoint as mlglit appear from a first glance, but tile Germans undoubtedly will make much of the capture for tlie [Continued oil I'age 18.] One of our busiest business men buys A THRIFT STAMP j every time lie gets a check. H3PWIIY DON'T YOU 5 ' i I THE WEATHER | For Horrlnbiirß and vicinity: |T n - I Mettled, probnbly nnotv or rnln this afternoon, (o-nltcht and d Sntlirililyj not much eh tinge In i W temperature, lowent to-nlirht about freezing. For Eastern I'ennsy Ivnnln: In. I settleil to-night and Saturday probably snow or rnln; not niueli chunKe In temperature) . moderate north to northtveat winds. Temperature! 8 a. m., 32. Sum Hlsch, tltlSt) a. m.| sets. 7ißl p. m. Mooni First quarter, April J7 t I t tO7 p. m. River Stuiiei 0.8 feet above low water murk. Vesterdny's Weather Highest temperature, S4. I.oitest temperature, .'lO. Moan tempernture. , - t- 1 formal temperature, 40. ANOTHER GERMAN ~~~ \/ / / '• R THE.V SEEM TO ' I I BRITISH ARE PUSHED BACK IN NEW FIGHT Heavy Battling Continues, With English Regaining Some Ground by Counterattacks; Enemy Makes Progress By Associated Press . London, April ].—Attacking yes-] terduy in the neighborhood of i'loeg- Btert, the German* pre—id back tiie British to the vicinity of Neuve lOglise, it is announced officially. Last night the Germans captured Merville. Heavy lighting is contin uing in the neighborhood of Mer ville and Neuf Berquein. On the remainder of the northern battlefront there is little change. North of I-'estubert the British re gained ground by a counterattack. On the front between Loisne and the Lawe river German attacks were repulsed. lOnemy Presses Hard The announcement follows: "Severe and continued lighting took place last night in the neigh borhood of Merville and Neuf Ber quin, in both of which localities the GROUND STREWN WITH CORPSES OF HUNS WHO DIE IN VAIN Great Wanes of Hoc he Infan try Go Down Before British Guns; Further Attacks Are Expected By Associated Press iiOiulon, April 12.—German troops made a determined attack along the Messines ridge and succeeded in gaining some ground, says a Renter dispatch from British army head quarters in France and Belgium, but the British once again drove them out by a counterattack early this morning. The Germans are developing great artillery activity in the southern ;irea the dispatch says. The Bray-Corbie road is being liercely shelled, her alding, it is believed, further infantry attack. *■ Three attacks which the enemy launched yesterday in great waves near Villa Chapelle were repulsed with immense losses to the Germun®. The ground wry* strewn with iheir corpses. FOCH PRONOUNCED "KOSCH" Wnnhlntclon, April 12.—Since the appointment of General Foch as the Allies' generalissimo, the question of the pronunciation of his name lias been raised times innumerable. The. correct answer is this: The "o" Is long, ns In "roll," and the "c" Is soft, as though It were "Foech.' SINUI.K COPY, ■J CUNTS I enemy is continuing his pressure and has made progress. Merville was captured by the enemy during the night. ! "Attacks made by the enemy yes -1 terday in the neighborhood of Ploegstert succeeded after heavy i lighting, in pressing our troops back to the neighborhood of Neuve i Kglise, to new positions. Attacks llcpulscd ' | "On the remainder of the north-' j ern battlefront the situation is sub ; stantially unchanged. A part of our i positions into which the enemy j forced his way north of Festubert ! was regained by a counterattack. On I the front between Loisne and the i Lawe river and to the north hostile I attacks have been repulsed, fighting jis continuing, on the whole front north of La Bassee canal as far as llollcbeke." Machine Guns Reap a Terrible Harvest lout? Are you thinking' of how you can spend your wages or salary next Saturday? About the new suit, dress, hat or silk shirt which you wish to acquire.' About the Rood time you expect to have over the weekend, even if it*! does entail railroad fare and other expenses? Or, on the other hand, j are you giving though to the present! conditions prevailing in your Coun try. and how much your future de pends on what you are willing to do for your government now when il needs your help? Are you thinking of that brothel, cousin or friend who is offering his ; life in order that he and you may live happily as you have been doing? I Do you think he does not .count on ] your backing? Are you going to fool him? You arc not. You arc I going to cut out some, if not all, ex travagant and useless waste of the money you work for and when you tliink about it, it is surprising how much you spend for useless, extra vagant things you don't need and can just as well do without. When you think of it, you are go ing to invest your money in the only safe tiling in the world to-day, I .liberty Bonds. And some day you are going to get it back, and tliink, what a satisfaction it will be to feel and know that you have done vour duty, and with that cqnsciousnnss look squarely and bravely in the eyes of all the men and women you meet. If you are still thinking, just tliink how it will bo if you don't get a bond or two, as many as you can. Will you be using the side streets and avoiding your friends and business acquaintances? Will you be think ing of some excuse to offer when you must know there is no excuse? The Third Liberty Loan provides you with an opportunity you can't afford to miss, and th* President of these United States and all the peo ple of Harrisburg expect you to do your part. Wake up and get into the game, and do it now. Doutrich's One Hundred Per Cent, in Bond Sales Doutrich's registered to-day as a "100 per cent." store on Liberty Bond sales. THe store itself has in vested heavily in Liberty Uonds and, from general manager to messenger boy everybody in the big clothing es tablishment is an owner of bonds. n HAICS DEFENSE SLOWING DOWN HUN ATTACKS ON LONG FRONT Battle Rages With Contin ued Intensity Although German Progress Is No tably Less in North LINE STRENGTHENED BY A SHORT WITHDRAWAL British Pushed Back Two Miles on 25-Mile Front Where Assaults Are Most Desperate By Associated Press With the British hanging grimly on to the great bulk of Messines ridge, their bulwark in Flanders, the Germans to the south are pushing their wedge deeper into the British lines northeast and north of Bethune, one of the British advance bases. The point of this wedge was driven last night, further along the Lys canal to Melville, two miles west ofLestrem, which the British held up to yesterday. The ;A'icnt was extended also slightly to the north near its tip to the vicinity of Neuf Berquin, two miles northwest of Es taires, another point where the Brtt ish had been making a stand. Continue Heavy Pressure The Germans to-day were con tinuing what appeared to be their heaviest pressure in this region and had made some progress when the noon official report was issued jn London. The southerly side of the salient, as it runs southeast toward Givenchy is being strongly held by the Brit ish. They were standing firm to-day at Loisne, three miles northeast of Bethune, and along the line north west to the Mervillc region. Further southeast, they repelled a German attempt to advance northwest of Givenchy, on the high ground about which protects the British right flank before Bethune. Line Is Strengthened | The British task here patently is |to prevent the sides of this salient I from being materialy widened as the | tip cannot be pushed in much j further Without grave danger to the j attacking forces from flank attack I unless they succeed in broadening j'their advancd front, j Northwest of Armeutieres, aban- J doned yesterday by the British, the i line was straightened out by their | withdrawal from Pioegsteert, whence .they fell" back, fighting to the vicin j ity of Neuve Eglise, close to the southerly end of Messines ridge, ! which protects their new positions. Hold Messines ICidgc ! Tho British lines apparently are being firmly maintained along tho Givenchy the high ground in 'he Messines and Wytschaete regions and to the north toward Ypres. No material change in the situation is [Continued on Page 10.] COMMISSIONERS MAY DECIDE TO BUILD HOSPITAL County Officials Considering Plans For Contagious Dis ease Institution • Because of the Conditions reported at the Municipal Hospital, where smallpox patients are isolated, and the statements by city healtlt au thorities that the building is inade quate for such a purpose, the county commissioners to-day discussed the advisability of erecting a county con tagious-disease hospital. It is likely that a number of sites will be in spected during the next few weeks and more definite action taken on the plan. By authority given in an Act of Legislature passed in 1917, the com missioners in any county are direct ed to secure a site and erect a suit able contagious-disease hospital. Shortly after the passage of this act City Health Officer J. M. J. Raunlck, with other health officials of the county and some of the boroughs, conforred with the county commis sioners. No further action was taken at the time. AVhile the suggestion was only dis cussed, It is likely if carried out that more than one building will be erected, so that children can be iso lated when taken there for treat ment. At present there is no insti tution in the city or county which Can be used for any communicable disease except smallpox cases. It is likely a new hospital would be built near the city, probably on the site of the present frame struc ture. as it is situated more than one hundred feet from the roadway and hundreds of yards from any other building. The hospital would be under the supervision of the di rectors or the poor, according' to the irovislons ot the Act of 1917, ALDERMEN COST TAXPAYERS MUCH USELESS EXPENSE Fees Mount High When They Sit in Chair Mayor Should Occupy MAGISTRATE TOO COSTLY j Budget Is Mounting Steadily i Without Added Expense to the City With police court hearings con ducted by aldermen called to the of fice by Mayor Daniel L. both the city and county lose fees totalling hundreds of dollars which would revert to the treasuries in; case the mayor presided himself, city and county officials said to-day. Investigation of figures in the an nual report of the city treasurer and county controller reveal in part how much was paid out to aldermen sitting as committing magistrates at police court hearings during 1917. While these figures do not show the present expense as totals have not been made they furnish an approxi mate estimate of what the total for 1918 will be if Mayor Keister con tinues his present office system and I retains a ward alderman to conduct police court in the face of the criti cism that has been leveled at him. Fees Arc Heavy Pecs paid by the county to the aldermen who served as police court magistrates last year follow: John | B. Nicholas, $59.20 court cases; $51.95 discharged cases; A. M. Lan dis, $153.60 court casetj; $131.15. discharged cases; James B. De- Shong, $1332.20, court'_ cases; $223.55 discharged cases. City and county officials state that while some of these fees would have been paid to the aldermen for cases heard in their respective offices, a large part \ of them would have remained in j the treasuries if the old system of [Continued on Page I".] Faces Courtmartial For ' j Shipping Wrong Body Lexington, Ky„ April 12.—Because he was negligent in giving instruc tions regarding the nending of a Pennsylvania soldier's body home from Camp Taylor, Ky., Cap tain C.sment Frey, of the quarter master's department at the Ken tucky cantonment, is facing a general court martial. Private Ferdinand Alvey, of Har risburg, Pa., member of the 333 d Infantry, died at Camp Taylor and the body was ordered sent home. A sergeant appealed to Capt. Fry for instructions, and through error the body of a negro was sent, it is al leged, to Ilarrisburg in place of Al vey's, as it was said to have been the only body in the morgue at the time and no name was given. Frey, who pleaded not guiltx, Is charged with negligence and violat ing the ninety-sixth article of war. The city directory does not give the name of Ferdinand Alvey nor does any of the rosters of soldiers who have left the city give any in formation concerning him. | TEN PKR CENT. BO\l s GRANTED AT SILK MIUj Officials of the Ilarrisburg Silk Mill Company, Second and Nor'h streets, announced late this after noon that a bonus of ten per rent, had been granted employes. The in crease will become effective at once. More than 300 employes, the larger number of which are females, are benefited by the increase. [SNOW AND RAIN TO CONTINUE FOR 24 HOURS MORE j'Farni Experts Hopeful That Little Damage Will He suit to Crops Old Jupiter Pluvius grinned at the | weather predictions yesterday which | promised fair weather, and sent a I few more bucketsful on the city last night and to-day. The storm of rain, snow and sleet which began I early Monday morning has contlnu | ed almost six days, and this morn ! ing the weatherman forecasts that | the snow, rain and sleet will con i tinuo twenty-four hours longer. In spite of the sleet and snow, 11. G. Niesley, county farm agent, came forward this morning with an encouraging report on the chances of i the crops being able to survive the I rigors of he cold spell. With the | exception of early garden plants j which cannot survive, the farfn agent f Con tinned on Page B.] Senator Sprout's County Put Up "Dry" Candidates The Chester Times, Senator W C Sproul's paper, says mnv Republi cans favoring the prohibition amend ment attended the 'meeting of the Republican Campaign Committee of the Delaware County Ratification Committee. Harmony prevailed, and there was much enthusiasm. Charles F. Kggleston, the chairman of the general committee, eulogized Senator Sproul's stand on the national prohi bition amendment, and said that Sena tor Sproul favored a dry delegation to go from Delaware county to the Legislature with him as the next Gov ernor, ONLY K VIS NINO ASSO;i A t'liU I'llli.as NEWSI'A I'KII I N II All IIISII ■ I IIIJ ALL BANKS JOIN TO MAKE IT EASY TO BUY BONDS Weekly Payment Plan Ac cepted to Aid Men Who AVant to Save LAST EXCUSE IS REMOVED Biberty Bonn headquarters an- | nounced this morning that every bank in Harrisburg has agreed to take care of possible Biberty Bond purchasers so that they may buy bonds on terms which will enable them to • carry the obligation with the least possible effort. The last excuse has thus been removed—the last obstacle is out • of the way—and the 35,000 wage earners of Harrisburg are at lib erty to buy Biberty Bonds. It was announced this morning at Biberty Boan headquarters that the following have been added to Ihe list of "Hundred Percenters" —those institutions every member of which is a Biberty Bond owner: Commonwealth Trust Company, [Continued on Page 15.] Don't Eat Too Much at Picnics, Warns Heinz If there is anything that Howard lleinz. state food administrator, over looks it has not yet been discovered. Picnic waste is his latest warning He believes in taking Time by the forelock, and the result is that when picnic parties penetrate Reservoir Park or any of the other wildwood retreats they will lind plenty of re minders in the shape of signs, that no one is to waste one scrap of sandwich, bread, butter, sugar el even lemonade. Nothing for the birdies, as in the days of yore. Heinz says this is a serious matter and it is a fact that after picnics at Reservoir Park last summer many baskets full of provender were gath ered up by the park employes. The county is to bo thoroughly posted with these signs. T ? 2 UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR ARRESTED 4 4* Chicago—Agents ({ the department of justice Jast T ® night took into custody Dr. William.lsaac Thomas of the jf T Pity of U c University of Chicago anu a woman, said fa 4* § ■ lO' De the wife ot a Ti . ance with Gen- X cra ' 1 ershing. They had registered at a hotel nr. Wus- If ' tia A band and wife from Gary, Ind- X AUTOMOBILE BANDIT KILLED *F n the battlcfrc.; Wed- m: Hesday the official statement on aerial operations says 4* 1 ♦ eight enemy airplanes were accounted for and that seven f X British machines are missing. f TRANSPORT NOT IN DANGER ? 4* 4* X An Atlantic Port—The transport Meade, which broke X away ftom a tug yesterday while being towed here for T j use-as a training hip. remained at anchor oft 'the New , I T England coast to-day. No attempt will be made to bring J her in unt'l- the weather moderates. Reports indicate 4* 4 the ve:; : -cl it: in no danger. 'X T EDWARD J. WILKS DIES J 4 ci:l i■ ic, Pa.—Edward J. Wilks, for many yea , super* * Ml intendent for the Carlisle Shoe Company, died to-day, X |j of pneuinoni" l . He was fifty-five years oldi *f* ? I * i $ t MAKKIAUt LICENSES J Willlnm It. I.lll* nuil Mary C. Shnuli. Iliic-rlaburgi Cnptnln Ed- J, muml IV. Mrl.nrrrn, ('limp l.rr, IIIKI l.roln D. Hullrr. >\ imblnutoii i J J™ Hoy \V. Mycm nml liiilillr It. Juinlaon, Went In livinv i Jmum W, "i* Miwuthiiii nnd Catherine 11. I.raliy, llarrlaburid John K. Brian and • *_ Florence M. OberbolLer. Mlddlelown. ' X HOME EDITION O'NEIL PLATFORM IS OUTLINED AT OPENING RALLY Governor and Pinchot En dorse State Highway Com missioner For Governor STANDS FOR PROHIBITION Would Have State-wide Anti- Liquor Law Also as War Measure , •Meliccsport, Pa., April 12. J. Denny O'Ne'il, State Highway Com missioner opened his campaign for the Republican nomination for Gov ernor here last night. The meeting was in the form of a reception and short speeches were made by Gov ernor Brumbaugh and Gifford Pin chot. m * Governor Brumbaugh attacked Senator Sproul and made an appeal lor national loyalty in this war and in the war afterward, when the whole economic and social proced ure of America will require reorgan ization. He said that in that day so cial justice and not selfish greed must reign, and' that O'Neil is the man to whom the people may con fidently turn to serve them wisely, ribly and impartially. On the platform with the Govern or were Attorney T. C. Jones, form er ,ludge of Allegheny county, who presided, and many of the prominent men of the county. O'NeH's Platform Mr. O'Neil's speech will be his [Continued on Page. 11.] Deserters Are Returned to Camp in Handcuffs Jesse C. and Karl I!. Stevens, Com pany M, 30th Infantry, were taken to their station, Camp Merritt, in handcuffs to-day. The men escaped from the camp two weeks ago. after they had stolen civilian clothes. They were arrested by railroad po lice near the city, and turned over to the local recruiting officers. While in the Dauphin county jail they tried i to escape by climbing over the wails.