Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 15, Number 91, Decatur, Adams County, 17 April 1917 — Page 1

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Volume XV. Number 91.

U-BOAT FIRES FIRST SHOT OF THE WAR TOAPEOO DIRECTED AT DESTROYER SMITH OFF NEW YORK HARBOR MISSES ITS MARK-DESTROYER I CHASES OFF THE INTRUDER.

(United PreMs S.-i\ Washington. I). ( .. Apr. 17— (Special to Daih Democrat)— Germany fired the first shot of the war against \merica todav —and it missed. The United Slates destroyer Smith was fired upon In a tierman submarine at .>:.’!(l o'clock, a. m., the navy department announced. The torpedo missed its mark by thirty yards. The Smith gkve chase, the enemy submerged, and escaped. News of the first engagement was conveyed in a wireless from the Eire Island lightship to the* Charleston navy yards. The submarine’s attempt to sink the destroyer was the first definite evidence of the repeated rumor that German U-boats stood off the American coast. The fact that the l ire Island lightship conveyed the original information led to the belief (that the submarine was not far distant from New York City, inasmuch as the lightship is only thirty-five miles beyond Sandy Rook, the outer portal of New York harbor. Reports to the navy department indicated that the submarine was hovering ofT the Jersey coast midway between Atlantic City ano Asbury Park, New Jersey, and only a short distance below New York City itself. The submarine may have journeyed across the Atlantic, intending to make a quick stroke and retire, or it has been lying off the American coast for some time, getting its supplies from a hidden base on the Mexican coast or elsewhere along the Atlantic seaboard. One of the numerous reports of sumbarines off the American coast has been that a group of them were harbored in Mexican waters ready to make a spectacular raid on one of tl*c big American ports. The immediate effect of the Smith affair, as the navy sees it. will be to stir up the country to a realization that war is at our shores and to stimulate recruiting. New York. April 17. (Special to Daily Democratl-•N< w York, the

WON’T YOU ENLIST? The egg crop is twenty-five per cent short right now. It can’t improve before next February because the hens have been sold oft . There is only one way to head off an famine that will make prices prohibitory next winter and th” is to raise a big supply of chickens. \ou can help U ' °TIw a potato ’crop is so exhausted that there is even a shortage of seed potatoes and it is important that everyone who can do so in any way should put out a crop of this dependable food SUPPL'. - nnrt The high prices of every article used on your table and the scarcity of the article, coupled with the demand, caused L a wnrld wide war in which many million men are enb - L ?h .s taktag them out of the producing class, is the rmse’ The remedv is that we each and all plant such proa lU u e nntitoes onions, cabbage, tomatoes, corn and such Jther articles as will produce a crop that can be stored for ° iJinter’s use In this county we are organizing now. next , lha( vou all help in this work if we would ’* 18 suffering next winter. This is no idle talk. KTe booX"™ . trivial matter. II is a work that * being urged by your president, your governor, your mayor. and vour leaders in every walk of li.e. The results depend so much on what we do during the next three weeks —the time for planting—that we are urgFng every one who can to get at it right now. Don t put it ° ff ‘ Potatoes — eggs — hogs — foodstuffs — that’s what is fail Plan to fill vour larder for next w intei. ?H?S oSi OF"HuCING FOOD FOR OUR PEOPLE AND THE WORLD. WON’T YOU HELP?

DECATUR DAI I. Y DEMOCRA T ’

greatest city in the world, is in the - war zone this afternoon. The great- - est secrecy is being maintained as *o I steps that are being taken to pv' vt i the port, from the German U-boats, reported by the navy immediately off T the coast, the city was admitted';.- ' menaced. ’ At Governor’s Island, headquarters of the Army of the East, then 1 was ' gretest activity. It is there that aeroplanes are held ready for duty. W : et the report of submarines off Ixmg ls- ’ land Sound were circulated recently. , army aviators took to the air and aid-j b ed in the search for them. Stretching from New York to At’.an-| , tic City are scores of towns whir 1 are; entirely unprotected and might be! bombarded by a hostile submarine. ; The hotels at Atlantic City, fringing the famous board walk, offer a ten.pt ing trgt. They are entirely exposI ed to any fire that might be directed against them from the open set London. Apr. 17—(Special to Daily j I Democrat) —The greatest offensive of | | the greatest war was on today. Over' a front of nearly 170 miles Franco I British forces were driving with all; the strength of energy carefully cop-1 served through months of winter | preparations. Forecast through four days of tremendous artillery concentration. the French movement began with a brilliant victory, despite the most desperate resistance from the German defenders. Laon. one of the most important of; the center supply stations on the Ger-1 man line, is now' added to the list of ■ German key points directly menaced • by the Franco-British attack. It was apparently the direct objective of the first smass with which Nivelle threw his massed forces against the enemy. That tremendous blow swept the Germans off their feet, forced them ; back to third line trenches, inflicted ’ devastating losses on the defending Teutons and so firmly established the j French attack forces that hurriedly summoned German counter-attacks could not dislodge them from the ground they gained. London was thrilled today with the j actual start of the greatest of offen-1 ’ sives—the forward thrust for which' every man. woman and child in the; British empire has been working and , sacrificing for the past six months. (Continued on Haga 2:

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday Evening, Apri

MAN FROM HOME I Hijfh School Juniors Will I Give s Comic Opera, “The Man from Home” I TUESDAY, MAY FIRST [ At Opera House—DistinctI ly a Hoosier Product— I Ticket Campaign. The Junior class in the high school will present the comic drama, “The i Man From Home'' by H. L. Wilson and ; Booth Tarkington in the Bosse opera house. Tuesday evening. May 1, at I eight o’clock. The play is distinctly an Indiana , production, dealing with Indiana characters, by Hoosier authors and pi-"- | sented by Decatur talent. The Juniors are to he highly congratulated on their selection of a play and the people will do well to show their a,iprecation by their loyal suitport. “The Man From Home” is laid in Sorrento, Italy. To portray this scene Glen Sowle, a member of the class is painting new scenery to be used. Stage I equipment will include an elaborate | parlor scene, a street scene with i I real automobile in it. Wonder whe-e j they will get the auto! The characters will be dressed in elaborate < o tumes. In order to present this quality of play in Decatur, the class of ’IS have paid a royalty of $25 00 which ought to speak highly for the character of j the production. With other added expenses the class will possibly be com- : pelted to charge a higher admission fee than usual, but no definite price has yet been announced. The juniors are putting forth every | effort possible to make this the best |of its kind. They ask the loyal support of every one in the city. Th ;y will soon approach-you to buy tickets! so be readv with the required amount! I Owing to the royalty cost with ad»l-| ed expense for new scenery, the! charge for admission will have to be' increased this year. The prices will i be 25, 35 and 50c. TOBEIONFIRMED Class of Over Hundred Will be Confirmed Sunday at St. Mary’s Church at HIGH MASS SERVICES Rt. Rev. Bishop H. J. Alerding Will be Here—Class of Boys and Girls. Sunday, April 22nd will be confirmation Sunday at the St. Mary’s Catholic church in this city. A class composed of sixty-five boys and forty- ' seven girls and u number of converts will be confirmed by (he Rt. Rev I Bishop Herman .1. Alerding. of Fort I Wayne. The confirmation services will be held during the high iu>s« sei- ! vices, beginning at nine-thirty o’clock j Benediction services will inn. ediately ‘ follow. The class of boys and girls a:< as follows: Helen Haefling, Ruth Johnstone. Mar- j garet Niblick, Naomi Holthouse. Jean-! I nette Clark, Pearl Martin, Helen Thomas, Mary Losche, Henrietta Cot- ! fee, Helen Bremerkamp. Stefea Yourkovik, Anna Murtaugh. Frances I Meyer. Mary Gertrude Schmitt, Anna Nesswald, Marcella Keller, Margaret I Meyer, Geraldine Smith. Bernardino Christen. Helen Holthouse, Ida Baker,' Alice Clark, Mary Colchln,, Frances ■ Hermann, Anna Colchln, Frances Omlor, Margaret Malley, Dorothy Miller. iTjfSula, Zesvr, I Gladys Adelaide Becker. Margaret | Bremerkamp, Catherine Eiting, Florence Lengerich, Rose Marie Smith, Mary Harris, Laurine Teeple, Bertha Lengerich, Emma Yourkovich, Anna Yourkovich, Isabelle Neptune, Elizai beth Brunnegraff, Marie Zeser, Esther ! Meyer, Margaret Miller, Louise ■Thomas, Amelia Ulman, Herman Ulman, Roy Martin, Frederick Koenig, ! Robert Gase, Elmo Kintz, Elmo Miller. Gerald Smith. Harold Nowieke HerI man Losche, Peter Koenig, Joseph Kitson, Paul Meyer, Harold Tester, * 1

• Richard Mommy, Frederick Connell 'Raymond Miller, Lawrence Gase,l ! I-s-on Kohne, Junies Haefling, Jerome ! Mylott, Richard Miller. . imngerich, Leo Spangler, Lawrence! U Wolpert, Arthur Voglewede, Eugene! ! Durkin. Clarence Heimann, Joseph j Murtaugh, Arthur Wemhoff, Leo i Teeple, Charles Gass, Theodore I Knapke, Bernard Lengerich, Richaid Bogner, Raymond Wertzberger, Fran- ! cis Corbett, Thomas Dowling. Joseph I Kitson, William Holthouse, George latng, Edward Gase, Cedric Joseph ’ Voglewede, Bernard Meyer, Bernard J Staub, Danielßraun, Bednard Eiting. John Dowling. Frederick Foos. Je-

rome Keller, Herman Miller. Florence Leonard, Cyril Heimann, Earl Christen, Robert Voglewede, Feeder--1 ick Schulte, Walter Brunnegraff. Hugh Holthouse. George Laurent. Charles : Wertzberger. Frank Heimann, Leonard Meyer, Herbert Omlor, Imo Geels, Clement Gase, Theodore Spuller. IT irNTiNSULT To be Called a “Pig” These Days—Prices Soaring so That THE LOWLY ANIMAL Is Lifted Above Its Ordinary Bearings — Ham Fifty Cents Per. Just as one may echo Abe Martin i.t the words to the effect that it is a compliment to be called even “little potatoes” these days; so it need be no insult to be called a "pig": that is if' money value alone is considered. For pork is soaring so high that it cannot now be allied with the lowly creatures of the earth in any respects. The stories of platters of good “old ham and eggs ’ will soon be like fable.l myths to the children of the younger j generation, for ham is the aristocracy ) lof meats, at present, not except ing nightingales’ tongues, and the like. Ordinary sliced smoked ham is forty cents a pound; boiled ham, fifty! cents; while whole hams, in bulk, sell for twenty-eight; smoked shouldersj tor twenty-three. Even that much despised part of the pork, the liver, is becoming a luxury at ten cents; while beef liver has soared to a shilling and! veal liver, a decided delicacy at twen-l ty 'cents. Pork chops are thirty cents per, ,h ■! ordinary untrimmed chops, selling for twenty-five. Round beef steak is twenty-five; beef ribs, fifteen; ami beaf brisket, thirteen; ready made | hamburger, twenty; sausage twenty-) two; veal from twenty-five to thirty and so on. This proves the point that it is no in suit to be called a pig, or in fact, a '-alt or any other . tractioOrews Little Change in Interurban Crews Necessary Because of Change OF THE SCHEDULE ■ — Old Employes Given Priority of Choice —No Change on the First Run. With the adoption of the new hour I and a half schedule which went into effect on the Decatur-Fort Wayne i traction line todgy, there is a change in the crews, in some respects. The old employees were given prior-l ■ ity of choice, and D. H. Hunsicker, , conductor, and C. L. Meibers, motorman, have remained with their old - hours, leaving here at 5:30 in the . morning and going off duty at 2:15 p. t m. This is the first run. i! On the second run. which leaves - here at 7:00 a. m., Joe McConnell, coni' ductor and August Greisinger, motor--8 man, are in charge; while the third I- run, leaving here at 2:30 p. m., is in ;, charge of C. S. McClure, conductor, ■, and J. C. Archbold, motorman. The freight crew comprises Owen ti Davis, conductor, and Ed Lewton, ', motorman.

17, 1917.

ONE HONORED TEN Adjt. Gen. Smith Will Accept Decatur Company of Volunteers as Unit WHEN ENLISTMENT Reaches One Hundred Ten Mark—Will Then be Mustered in.

i Word was received from ("la-les R. Dunn last evening to the effect thi.t Adjt. General Smith, of India'tn]olis, would accept the Decatur Company of infantry volunteers as a ur.it as soon' 'as the enlistments reached the one hundred and ten mark. The Company will then be mustered in. The enlistments now total between eighty-! five and ninety. Mr. Dunn and Robert Peterson have, been making the effort t<> organize) the company of voluntee-s and as ! can be seen have been meeting w.tnl success. If you want to join the Decatur Company see one of 'he ahov ■ mentioned men at once. Mr. Dunn has returned from Indi- ! anapolis. where he was in conference I with Adjutant General Smith, and has the following to say to the young ! monos Adams county: For two weeks I and others have labored diligently in this community to recruit a company of volunteers to enter the national guard service of the state of Indiana. We must have at least 110 men. it would redound U> our everlasting credit to muster 150 men. We now have 91 signers. . 1 have just returned from Indianapolis, where I had an interview with Adjutant General Smith of the Indiana national guard. He congratulated me and these 91 signers enthusiastically. and encouraged us to proceed with all haste to recruit twenty-five lor thirty more, promising us that as soon as that number is secured he, will immediately send to Decatur a mustering officer and medical examining officer and our company will at 1 once enter into service. He impress-)' (Continued on Fags 2.) TO ISSUE BONDS: — Decatur-Ft. Wayne Traction < Line Files Petition With the Commission 1 J OF PUBLIC SERVICE $ 1 Money for Improving Road < is Asked —The Sum of ‘ SIOO,OOO Wanted. t — An Indianapolis dispatch says: 1 The Fort Wayne and Decatur Tr ie-! I I tion company in a petition filed Mon- i day afternoon with the public service i commission, asks authority to isue!' and sell first mortgage bonds to the' amount of SIOO,OOO. The money will he used, according to the petition if authority for the issue of the bonds is ! : obtained, in meeting existing liabili- i ties and extensions oncl betterments to the company’s system. Commenting on this, the Ft. Wayne) Journal Gazette says: Samuel W. Greenland, manager of ! the Fort Wayne and Northern Indiana ! i Traction company, when atjked about! I the matter last night said the money was wanted to pay for improvements,! including two power sub-stations, one just outside the city and the other ten ’I .... I miles out, transmission lines, new cars, ballasting the track, purchasing > ' a site lor a new terminal at Decatur ( nnd to erect a building on it. abTUsurprise. '• I !! Tonight, at Central school building. s )at 7:45. the officers and executive B ! committee of the Central Parent- ’■ Teachers’ club will spring a big surprise upon the patrons of the Central S . building. They desire very much to , have every member of the Central ' Parent-Teacher club attend the mectJ ing. The officers have a big problem II on hand and hope to receive satis- '• factory suggestions and advice on the matter. You cannot afford to ( it miss it. Please be present. i, OFFICERS, ! Central Parent-Teacher Club. |

COMMITTEE FORMED FORPREPAREDNESS BUSINESS MEN OF THE CITY FORM COMMITTEE OF TWELVE TO TAKE ALL PREPAREDNESS MEASURES -- FORM KEO CROSS ORGANIZATION.

ACTIVE STEPS WERE TAKEN For Organization of Red Cross Auxiliary at Mass Meeting. ' * COMMITTEES NAMED Soliciting Committee Prepares for House to House Canvass. Decisive steps towards t't • organizing of a Red Cross auxiliary for Decatur and Adams county, whit h may later become a Red Cross chapter in itself, were taken at a mass meeting at the court nouse last exiting, when Dr. W. E. Smith, chairm-n, named the following committees: On election: Dr. S D. Beavers, chairman: Dr. S. I’. Hoffut.'i 1. I' cm I; Quinn. Mrs. C. V. Connell. Mrs. Fred Linn On soliciting for funds and members—Mrs. John Niblick chairman; Miss Bessie Boyers. Mrs. < v. Connell, Mrs. John Heller. Mrs J. S Peterson, Mrs. S. D. Beavers, Mrs. W E. Smith. Mrs. Fred Heuer. Mrs. Horace ('.allow, Mrs. Arthur Fo'd. Miss Frances Deininger. Miss Ti'lie Mi lkers I On publicity—Mrs. Joint Heller, chairman: Misses Jest i Magley and Agnes Gillig. Sixty names had air. ady been secured for membership before t''c meeting was called las' evct.ir". Immediately at the clo< ' of the sessio.i, the soliciting committee got busy at.d many more members were secured last evening. The lists are rapidly growing. A plan for the eni'Mment i f every man, woman and cliiu.'s help in the cause has been decided upon. Tne city will be divided into a number oi communities, each with a < hairman and a house to house canvass for members will be made in a f w days It should be definitely understood that every person can become a mein her of the organization. They need not obligate themselves tn leave the city or to engage actively- in the fo.k. The payment of the dot ti • a year membership fee will gren'./ rid in the work, even if the membet cannot devote much time personally to the work. In this house to hotts * canvass, every person will be given an opporI tunity to help in a patriotic cause, ■even though he cannot go to the front |in battle. A notable thing is that many clubs ■ and organizations are joining alm >Jt entirely in. a body. Tne Tri Kappa i and Delta Theta Tau so:' char- ! ity workers, were presen' in bodies and offered themselves tn.’ nn inberi ship, and in many cases signifu i th-’ir | intention of becoming nurses and go--1 ing to the front, if needed. This oh- ■ ligation is not made by Members tin- ! less they so desire. Teachers Enter Classes Misses Helen Niblick and Marie iGonnell left this morning for >'<•" I Wayne where they entered a .class at jnine o’clock for the firsi of fit | teen lessons, instructing them in the ( work, in which they will prep .'" to re ( i turn here to take classes. They exI pect to complete the instruction ■<> a week. Work l« Outlined The meeting was called last ntght by the Red Cross committee appointed by the Physician’s National Dei tense League of Adams county, recent(Continued on Page 2.)

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Price, Two CenU

START ACTIVE I WORK AT ONCE I Committeemen Named to Handle Different Phases of Local Work. ) PLAN TO PLANT And Committee Will See That You Have Seeds and Land Available. Mayor Charles N. Christen is gen- . oral chairman. French Quinn is se-- ' rotary and Ed. X. Ehinger is treasu>-. 1 or of Decatur’s General Preparedness ’) Committee, formed last night, wh-n , twentyTive of the city's biggest bu-i---ness men gathered at the city hall to t plan for Adams county’s part in aid- ( ing the nation to conduct the war. [, The general committee is composed |Of twelve men, with Mayor Christen . and County Agricultural Agent M. 11. Overton assisting, and they will have . general charge of preparedness matters. The committee as appointed is: Mayor Chas. N. Christen, Chairman; Frank Schirmeyer, French Quinn, Charles Voglewede. Ed. X. Ehinger, C. I A. Dugan. John Moyers, Harry Mottz, Herman Yager. Chalnter Schafer, John Heller, John W. Bosse and Henry Thomas. Postmaster John W. Bosse volunteered Io conduct, the committee's financial affairs and Henry Thomas came quickly with an offer to assist him. They will see that finances are provided with which to carry on the work of the committee. ! Realizing that the important wo:k will be in seeing that the majority of the people grow enough food to suitport thpm during the next winter the general committee appointed chair man to cover the various branches of ' the work Mr. Bosse will attend to the finances, with Henry Thomas as. ■ sisting: Messrs Schirmeyer and Quinn will secure the necessary permits to i use the land; M. H. Overton will ;■>.> ' that seed is provided to plant; H. J. • Yager will find the people who will do r the planting while John T. Meyers B will see that the ground is got* m “ ready for the planting. Harry Moltz p will find the storage roam to store the winter supply and John H. Heller will ado the advertising necessary. Chas. '■ Voglewede has his job cut out for him ’■ in the county organization committers ' work in getting the farmers interested in growing every available foot of s ground in useful crops. N Kirsch, SeHerneyer and Sons offer:i ed the use of a team several days for plowing and the Decatur Produce Co.. alias a team for sfniiliar work if a driver can be found. rl That the situation is growing tense at this time is evident in the fact that - the country is facing a forty per cent, food shortage at this moment; with chances of facing still closer limits. Adams county, itself, bulwark of agricultural strength is only sixty-six per cent' efficient. This means that this winter prices will be much high-r than they are now unless every citizen exerts every effort to raise every j vegetable that he can. The committee desires that vegetables be raised that can be stored for winter consumption, ias that is the time the famine will be j most severe. ' The general committee, divided into • chairmen, will select today addition- - al helpers from the progressive citi- - zens of the city, and report at a meeti ' (Continued on Page 3.)