|
AMERICANS BEAT
- SUPERIOR FORCE
Capture of Cantigny Grows in
Importance With Detailed
Account.
FOUGHT HAND TO HAND.
Our Troops Routed Enemy From Cel-
lars With Grenades—All Gains Are
Held—Toll of Prisoners ls
Increased to 242.
With the American Army in France.
—From the prisoners taken in the
American capture of Cantigny it has
been established that our advance was
opposed by two German regiments,
which puts the superiority in numbers
on the side of the troops under cover.
The enemy was amazed at the sight
of tanks operating in conjunction with
the American troops.
The capture of the town and 242
German prisoners was about as dash-
ing and complete a coup de main as
the war has seen. It was an all Amer-
Ican affair, too, but under the watch-
ful eye of the French high command.
Cantigny lies upon the lower slope of
the plateau northwest of Montdidier.
It all began at 4:45 o'clock in the
morning with a terrific neutralization
fire along the American front upon the
hostile artillery. The roar of our can-
non was heard for miles behind the
lines and lasted one hour.
The first phase of the attack ended
after one additional hour of artillery
preparation, diversion and destructive
fire had knocked the German positions
into a shambles. The artillery fire
passed inte a rolling barrage. Then
came the second phase. Promptly at
6:45 o'clock the American infantry
went to it. Its advance was preceded
by 12 tanks acting as pacemakers. The
ground was very level, with a slope
eastward. A thrilling spectacle was
the advancing American forces on a
width of two ana one-balf*kilometers
and over a green plateau wet with dew.
Fought With Grenades.
On the extreme right a unit of in-
fantry attacked simultaneously from
Bois Cantigny, popping suddenly out
of the woods and advancing to the
north. Summed up, it took exactly 40
minutes for our troops to reach their
objective, the distance covered being
about one and one-half kilometers.
Within the town of Cantigny occurred
fierce grenade fights and many acts of
valor. :
The Germans had honeycombed the
village with tunnels, and into these re-
treats and also into old wine cellars
rushed our men. Here took place the
third phase of the fight and the cap-
ture of a majority of the prisoners.
The infantry on the left had been de-
tailed to “mop up the town.” It went
through on the run, driving the Ger-
mans out of their holes and from be-
hind buildings and charred tree trunks.
Protected From Flank Attacks.
The Americans went beyond the for-
mer German first lines to a depth of
one kilometer and immediately dug in,
being protected by their splendid ar-
tillery barrage. The ravines upon the
right and left of the troops making
the charge have prevented flank at-
tacks so far. No German reaction yet
has developed. Our new lines now are
well beyond Cantigny, running through
Bois Framicourt, from which woods
extend for some distance beyond, there
being no other village ahead of our
present lines for seven kilometers.
The whole operation was conducted
from a headquarters located in a sec-
ond cellar, itself directly under the
fire of German artillery. Here our
generals of artillery and infantry staff
officers and French liaison officers rub-
bed elbows with telephone operators.
{n the intelligence section 2a major
gave the news of thelr progress to
newspaper correspondents.
PNP NI NINS NI NII SPNS NI NI I S NS NSPS PPPS
PITH OF THE
WAR NEWS
{n the center of the salient the enemy
plunged ten miles southward and
reached the Marne river along a
front of about ten miles south of
Fere-en-Tardenois.
American troops repulsed four German
counter attacks at Cantigny in a day.
The enemy bombarded the American
positions heavily, and enemy avia-
tors dropped bombs on many hos-
pitals and villages in the rear. Amer-
ican soldiers conducted a successful
raid on a 600 yard front near Toul.
Foch has not yet engaged the main
bulk of his reserves, which are said
to number “millions.”
The Germans are pushing forward to-
ward the Marne on the south and
widening their drive on the west be-
yond Soissons and Rheims.
The Germans say they have captured
85,000 prisoners and an immense
quantity of munitions thus far in
the drive. French reports declare
that fresh reserves are being con-
stantly thrown into the allied lines
and it is expected the German tide
will soon be dammed.
The forts on the northwestern front
of Rheims have fallen. The north-
ern parts of La Neuviliette and of
Betheny have been captured.
SIR WILLIAM M. HUGHES |
Australia’s Premier Says Civili-
zation’s Fate Hangs by a Hair.
&
ww
The premier of Australia, the Right
Hon. William Morris Hughes, address-
ing the members of the Pilgrim Socie-
ty at a dinner in the Union League
Club, New York, made known the pur-
pose of his visit to America and re-
vealed to a further extent the German
plan of world conquest. He said that
the crisis of the war has now come
and that sacrifice must be made freely
else the Teuton will sweep all before
him. “The fate of civilization hangs
by a hair,” he said.
HUNS WIDEN WEDGE
Tremendous Booty, Many Guns
Taken as Foe Gains Five Miles.
French and British, Though Beaten
Back Near Rheims, Still Protect
the City—Reserves Arrive.
London.—The Germans continued to
hurl their masses toward Paris, reach-
ing the banks of the Marne on a ten
mile front, according to the British
general staff, as well as the Berlin
war office, The British official state-
ment added that the situation was ex-
tremely anxious, but it was believed
that a change was at hand in the bat-
tle, the allies being far from a rout
and showing indications of a counter
blow. The German statement said the
captives amounted to 45,000 men and
more than 400 guns had been taken.
The French, having fallen back from
the limits of the city of Soissons, have
stood their ground against the attacks
of the enemy, and the German official
statement fails to show material ad-
vances there during the day’s fighting.
On the eastern end of the fighting
line some of the forts before IRheims
are said to have fallen, which was to
be expected from the fact that they
have been outflanked by the tide of in-
vasion that has swept far to the south
of the city.
The situation, while apparently ex-
tremely serious, has not assumed the
critical aspect of the fighting late in
March. The allies are resisting the
enemy's attacks stubbornly, giving
ground when overpowered and always
maintaining a solid front.
The wave of the advance is now ap-
proaching the valley of the Marne, the
nearest approach to that avenue to-
ward Paris being at the village of
Vezilly, which lies at the extreme apex
of the German wedge and is about
seven miles from the river. In 1914
the Germans advanced over a front ex-
tending from Braisne, just east of
Soissons, to Vauquois, a little west
of Verdun. After having reached the
Marne the Huns turned the force of
their advance toward the west, and
they may be expected to repeat their
tactics of four years ago.
The reserve forces at the command
of Generalissimo Foch are now com-
ing into action on ground chosen for
the combat by that master strategist,
and it is possible that a blow of tre-
mendous proportions may be struck
somewhere along the front of the Ger-
man wave or on [ts western side.
which seems to be open to an attack
which might crumple up the German
armies to the east of Soissons.
ANNE MORGAN'S TOWN LOST.
Berlancourt, in Aisne Country,
built by Her.
Washington.—In the capture of Ber-
lancourt, northwest of Soissons, there
falls into German hands some of the
finest reconstruction work among the
French villages done by Miss Anne
Morzan of New York and her aséoci-
ates.
Berlancourt had been rehabilitated
by Miss Morgan, who spent much time
there. It is assumed that the village
will be destroyed.
BIGGER GUNS SHELL PARIS.
Germans Fail to Increase Damage, but
Make More Noise.
Paris.—The long range bombard-
ment of Paris began again. Examina-
tion of the shells discharged by the
Germans indicates that new guns are
being used. Larger shells are being
employed than formerly, the calibre
of the guns being 24 centimeter (914
inches) instead of 21. The powder
charge is greater and the detonation
louder, but the force of the explosion
does not seem to have increased.
I TI e
THE MEYERSDALE COMMERCIAL
NO LIMIT ARMY
BILL IS PASSED
House Unanimous for Greatest
Military Budget in U. S.
History.
CARRIES $12,000,000,000 FUND
Carries Appropriations 50 Per Cent.
Greater Than Total Cost of Civil
War—Amendment Prohibits
Cost-Plus Contracts.
Washington.—Without a dissenting
‘| vote the house passed the $12,042,682,-
000 army appropriation bill, the largest
sum ever voted for the military estab-
lishment. The bill now goes to the
senate. The measure went through on
a rising vote, and when Speaker Clark
called for the noes he looked all over
the chamber and announced amid
loud applause :
“Not.a sou! has arisen in the nega-
tive.’ :
Just before passage of the nation’s
greatest army budget Representative
.| Garrett of Texas, Democrat, a mem-
ber of the Military Affairs Committee,
F aised the nonpartisan spirit shown
in committee and in the house during
consideration of the bill and added:
“By taking this action we serve no-
tice on the Kaiser that this country is
united to a man and that we're going
to get his scalp.”
Aside from its vast appropriations,
the outstanding feature of the army
bill is the grant of unlimited power to
the President to call out the man pow-
er of the nation within the limitations
of the selective draft act as rapidly as
men can be trained and shipped to
France.
Under the authority the President
may raise an army of any size, and
the strength of the army is limited
only by training and transportation
facilities. Secretary Baker urged this
legislation, saying it would have a
better psychological effect than even
an authorization for an army of 5,000,-
000 men, which was suggested as a
substitute plan. :
The house adopted an amendment
to the army bill which forbids the use
of stap watch systems on government
work paid for from the army budget.
Similar ‘legislation has been written
into army and navy bills for the last
four years.
In adopting another amendment to
the bill the house dealt what is be-
lieved to be a death blow to the cost-
plus form of army contract. The
amendment, if enacted, means that all
future army contracts shall be for a
definite sum.
The army bill carries $9,583,000,000
in round figures and additional au-
thorizations for the expenditure of $2,-
458,000,000.
Representative Longworth told the
house Just before the bill passed that
it carrled appropriations 50 per cent.
greater than the total cost of the Civil
War to both sides.
The measure passed after three
days’ debate, all limited to five minute
speeches. When it was certain no vote
had been cast against the great meas-
ure—by far the hugest appropriation
in the history of the world—the house
rose and applauded.
The Senate Military Affairs Commit
tee is understood to be ready to begin
work at once on the bill. Notice has
been given that there will be senate
opposition to the section which gives
President Wilson power to raise as
large an army as can be equipped and
shipped to Europe,
GRACE LUSK IS GUILTY.
Wisconsin Teacher Attacks Prosecutor
After Conviction.
Waukesha, Wis.—Facing a sentence
of from 14 to 25 years in the peniten-
tiary for second degree murder, Miss
Grace Lusk, former school teacher,
convicted of the murder of Mrs. Mary
Roberts, is under the care of a physi-
cian. Since her hysterical outburst
and attempt to choke the distvict at-
torney after the jury had returned iis
verdict Miss Lusk has been sulienly
silent and is constantly watched by a
woman attendant.
A A A A NINN NNSA
WORLD’S NEWS IN
CONDENSED FORM
PARIS. — German airmen bombed
Canadian hospital and killed American
medical officer, with scores of patients.
Many trapped in demolished
burned to death,
NEW YORK. — Belated gifts are
pouring into the Red Cross by hun-
freds of thousands of dollars. It is
‘estimated the overflow will g0 over a
million dollars.
ROME.—Slav uprisings throughout
Bohemia have resulted in the destruc-
wing
tion of many public buildings and are |
said to be rapidly precipitating a crisis !
| may be called.
in Austrian affairs.
AN ATLANTIC PORT.—U boats are
operating in the Gulf stream, said pas-
sengers who arrived from Brazil.
Among those who spoke of the U boat
activities was Sir Leslie Drobym, for-
mer governor of Barbados.
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The President
drove a rivet in the keel of the first
ships to be built in the new yards.
WASHINGTON. — Mothers, wives
{ effice
and sisters of men in the service are |
the only ones allowed by the govern-
ment to make gas masks for the army. |
The working place where these care- |
fully selected women are sent is kept
~ senret
HERBERT H. ASQUITH |
The Former British Premier Is
Named in Teuton “Vice Book.”
& 5S
London. — Noel
member of parliament for last Hert-
shire and publisher of the newspaper
Vigilente, opening Lis defense in his
trial in the Bow street police court on
Pemberton-Billing,
the charge of libeling Maud Allen,
dancer, called Mrs. Villiers Stewart
to prove the existence of a book, which
had been prepared by German secret
agents, containing the names of 47,000
British persons said to be addicted to
vice and held in bondage to Germany
through fear of exposure.
Mrs. Stewart said the book, which
she had seen, but which was not pro-
duced, contained the names of ex-Pre-
mier Asquith and Mrs. Asquith, Vie-
count Haldane, former secretary for
war, and Justice Darling, who is trying
the case against the member of parlia-
ment.
PRES, LINCOLN SUNK
Torpedoed U. S. Transport Re-
mained Afloat One Hour.
She Was One of the Great Hamburg-
American Liners Seized by the
United States.
“Washington. — The United States
transport President Lincoln, formerly
the Hamburg-American liner, of 18,500
tons displacement, has been sunk by a
German U boat while on her way back
to this country after landing troops.
Word of her sinking was flashed to
the navy department by Vice Admiral
Sims, but no details were given be-
yond the fact that she remained afloat
an hour.
The President Lincoln was 600 miles
from the French coast when sunk.
The announcement «of her sinking,
made by the navy department, said:
The navy department has received
a dispatch from Vice Admiral Sims
stating that the United States steam-
ship President Lincoln was torpedoed
at 10:40 o'clock this morning and sank
an hour later. The vessel was return-
ing from Europe. No further particu-
lars have been received.
Reports of other sinkings by U boats
received unofficially here indicate that
the U boats may have opened a des-
perate drive along the line frequently
predicted of late. The Germans have
said they would center attention on
American transports and cut off com-
munication between the United States
and Europe. The attack on the Presi-
dent Lincoln may be the first blow
struck in a carefully planned cam-
paign. Opinion in naval circles is
unanimous, that the German efforts
will be thwarted.
That she was attacked so far from
the French coast makes it appear pos-
sible in the opinion of naval officers
that she ran across one of the larger
German submarines, possibly one of
the latest cruiser type, which carry
five inch guns. Vice Admiral Sims’
brief dispatch makes it certain, how-
ever, that she was sunk by a torpedo
and not by gunfire.
280,000 IN JUNE DRAFT.
New Quota May Be Increased If Camp
Space Permits.
Washington.—Official announcement
was made here that 280,000 men will
be called to the colors during June.
They will be ordered to report om
June 24.
The quota is based on estimates of
the space available for the men in
camps and cantonments, If the rate
of shipment of troops across the At-
lantic again is raised still more men
FIRST FABRICATED SHIP.
Agawam, 7,500 Tons, New Departure
in Building.
Port Newark, N. J.—The first stand-
ardized cargo vessel to be constructed
of structural steel plates and shapes
heretofore®used only in the erection of
buildings and bridges was
launched at the yard of the Submarine
Boat Corporation for the Emergency
Fleet Corporation.
The vessel was named Agawam, and
she represents a new departure in ship-
building,
Yn
AMERICAN SHIPS
SUNK BY U-BOATS
{German Submarines Raid At-
| lantic Coast and Destroy
12 American Vessels
WARSHIPS SCOUR THE SEAS
| Tm
| Desperation of Kaiser's Situation
Shown by Suicidal Effort of Under-
sea Craft to Interfere With Trans-
portation of Soldiers to France.
Washington, D. C.—Germany at last
has brought her submarine warfare to
! the shores of the United States, ap-
| parently in a forlorn hope of striking
telling blows on this side of the At-
lantic, and of drawing home some of
the American naval forces from the
war zones, where the U-boat menace
is being slowly but surely strangled
to death.
In the attacks upon coasting vessels
almost in sight of the New Jersey
shore, navy officials see a frantic ad-
mission from Berlin that the subma-
rine has failed. American armed
power is rolling over-seas in ever-in-
creasing force, despite the utmost
exertions of the under-sea pirates off
the coasts of Europe.
New York.—Twelve American ves-
sels were known to have been sunk
by German submarines off the North
Atlantic coast since May 25.
The largest to fall prey to the raid-
ers, which are seeking to prevent the
sailing of transports with troops for
the battlefields of France, was the
New York and Porto Rico liner Caro-
lina of 8,000 tons, which was attacked
Sunday night about 125 miles south-
east of Sandy Hook. The fate of her
220 passengers and crew of 130, who
took to the boats when shells began
i to fall about the vessel, was unknown.
| Norfolk, Va.— Naval officers here
said their reports indicated five Ger-
man submarines had been operating
| along the Atlantic coast, and that two
had been sighted off the Virginia
Capes.
New York. — Forty-eight survivors
| of vessels sunk by German U-boats,
| brought to port by a coastwise steam-
| er, were landed. About half of them
| had been prisoners for several days
; aboard the submarines.
| Atlantic City, N. J.— The steamer
Texel was sunk by a German subma-
rine Sunday afternoon 60 miles off the
coast. The crew of 36 men landed
here. :
An Atlantic Port.— Hovering for two
days over the sea where the American
tanker William Rockefeller had been
sunk by a German submarine, a flo-
tilla of destroyers and two seaplanes
i finally succeeded in capturing the U-
boat, according to naval officers, sur-
vivors of the disaster, who landed
here. %
May Arm Railroads’ Ships.
Washington.—Director General Mec-
Adoo has ordered a full report on the
advisability of arming the 111 vessels
owned and operated by the railroad
administration in Atlantic and Gulf
coastwise trade to protect them
against submarine attacks. The rail-
road administration authorized the
statement that “all necessary meas-
ures will be taken to guard the rail-
road-owned ships.”
U-Boats Boost Insurance.
New York.—War risk rates took an
abrupt jump upon receipt of the news
of submarine warfare on this side of
the Atlantic. Marine underwriters
advanced insurance from 1 to 2 per
cent to all ports coastwise, as well as
trans-Atlantic, and it was stated the
quotations might go even higher if
the U-boat menace was not elimin-
ated.
German Advance Stopped.
Paris. — “The Germans have been
checked west of Soissons. We recap-
tured Favorelles. In the region south
of Ville-En-Tardenoi the Franco-Brit-
ish troops maintained all their gains
north of Champlat.” The French held
the Germans everywhere. The enemy
losses were heavy. The French took
prisoners, the war office announces in
its report.
McKeesport Factory Burned.
Pittsburgh, Pa.—A terrific explosion
followed by flames destroyed the Fer-
guson Underwear Company's factory
at Ninth avenue and Market street,
McKeesport. Thousands of garments
for the United States government
have been made in the factory in the
last six months and the work in pro-
gress there was under government
contracts.
Bullet Misses Editor.
Elkins, W. Va.—An evident attempt
to take the life of Leslie Harding, ed
itor of the Randolph Review, a week
ly paper, was made when a shot was
fired at him in his residence from an
alley in the rear. The bullet missed
him,
$
Farmerets in West Virginia.
Charleston, W. Va.— A colony of
farmerets has been established in a
camp on a farm near Nere. The girls
live in a summer house built for or-
chard workers and board themselves.
The unit was organized here by Miss
Esther Forbes of Massachusetts. The
other members are the Misses Char-
lotta Taber and Cornelia Forbes of
Worcester, Mass.; Edith Henderson of
New York, Winifred and Dorothy Boc-
{ worth of Elgin, Ill, and Gladys Hodg- |
| son of Chicago.
|
_
PRESIDENT ASKS
PEOPLE TO SAVE
Requested to Buy Only Things
Necessary to Health
and Efficiency.
THRIFT PLEDGE ALSO ASKED
All Citizens Must Be Economically
Adjusted to War Conditions If
Nation Is to Play Its
Part in Conflict.
Washington. D. C.- To save mate-
rials and labor for necessary war pur-
poses, President Wilson appealed to
Americans “to buy only those things
which are essential to the individual
health and efficiency,” and to volun-
teer on or before June 28, National
Thrift day, to invest systematically in
War Savings and Thrift Stamps, or
other government securities.
“This war is one of nations—not of
armies,” said the president, “and all
of our 100,000.000 people must be
economically and industrially adjusted
to war conditions if this nation is to
play its full part in the conflict.
Pledge Is Sought.
“The problem before us is not pri-
taarily a financiai problem, but rather
a problem of increased production of
war essentials and the saving of the
materials and the labor necessary for
the support and equipment of our
army and navy. Thoughtless expendi-
ture «- money for nonessentials uses
up tue labor of men, the products of
the farm, mines, and factories, and
overburdens transportation, all .eof
which must be used to the utmost and
at their best for war purposes.
“The great results which we seek
can be obtained only by the participa-
tion of young and old in a national
thrift movement. 1 therefore urge
that our people everywhere pledge
themselves, as suggested by the secre-
tary of the treasury, to the practice of
thrift; to serve the government to
their utmost in increasing production
in all fields necessary to the winning
of the war; to conserve food and fuel
and useful materials of every kind; to
devote their labor only to the most
necessary tasks, and to buy only those
things which are essential to individ-
ual health and efficiency.
“Buy More U. S. Securities.”
“The securities issued by the treas-
ury department are, so many of them,
within the reach of every one that the
door of opportunity in this matter is
wide open to all of us.
“I appeal to all who now own either
Liberty bonds or War Savings stamps
to continue to practice economy and
thrift and to appeal to all who do not
own government securities to do like-
wise and purchase them to the extent
of their means. The man who buys
government securities transfers the
purchasing power of nis money to the
United States government until after
this war, and to that same degree does
not buy in competition with the gov-
ernment.
“1 earnestly appeal to every man,
woman and child ro pledge themselves
on or before June 28 to save constant
ly and to buy as rezularly as possible
the securities of the government.
“The 28th of June ends this special
period of enlistment in the great vol-
unteer army of production and saving
here at home. May there be none un-
enlisted on that day.”
FIND POTASH IN CCLORARO
Richest Vein Ever Discovered in
United States Uncovered by
a Trapper.
Longmont, Colo.—What geologists
say is the richest vein of potash ever
uncovered in the United States has
Just been found in the foothills a few
miles from this city. The strata was
discovered by a trupper. It crops out
of a rocky fault in the hills, is four
feet thick at the surface and can be
traced for almost half a mile. The
depth of the vein has not ben deter-
mined. An assay shows the substance
to run 95-100 of one per cent potash.
IS LATEST FAD WITH GIRLS
Sweetheart Monument at Camp Dev.
ens Is Rising by Leaps and
Bounds.
Camp Devens, Mass.—The “sweoet-
heart monument” at this cantonment
is rising by leaps and bounds. Every
girl who has a sweetheart among the
troops here is supposed to add a “Rock
of Love” to the monument. As the
girls pass the cantonment they select
a good-sized stone and carry it to the
menument site, where they heave it
onto the pile. It is expected that he
fore the war ends a tremendous monu-
ment of “Love” will be raised here.
His Habit.
“That barber is a surly old fellow.
Often he won't speak to me when 1}
meet him on the street.”
“That's only the force of habit.
He's so used to cutting old acquaint-
ances.”
The Universal Excuse.
“How did you come to put anything
80 compromising as that down in black
and white?”
“I didn't. My mother-in-law wrote
i1t in my letter when I wasn’t look
' ing.
ai ole dg
Tom
PT