Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 15, Number 175, Decatur, Adams County, 31 July 1917 — Page 1

Volume XV. Number 175.

SECOND CALL IN AUGUST I1 i • ? More Men to be Called Then —Exemption Boards to be More Strict. BIG BATTLE RAGING Allies Assume Offensive in Terrific Engagement in Flanders. (United Prrss Sorvlne) [ Washington, U. July Si—(SpeIcial to Daily Democrat)—The second H class of 775,000 men registered under & the draft will he called up for examBtnation in August. With the examination of the first quota of 1,374,000 progressing rapid- ■ ly, the provost marshal general's offefice today announced that several ■days after the first called are examined the second quota will be posted for examination. Ttie second class Sgwhieh will number 110 per cent of the 087,000 men needed, will be combed for men to replace those exempt e<l in the first group. ■ Today General Crowder moved to Sfestrfct exemption further. I Medical students and men serving in the Red Cross ambulance corps • have no valid excuse for exemption for such reasons he ruled. I Agricultural workers and munition factory hands also will be greatly restricted in exemption claims, it was Intimated. Although these industries are not specifically exempted, appeals are pouring in from districts and big centers for favorable rulffing. : I Exemption boards must consider Claims of farm laborers strictly on , merits. ; ■ General Crowder said after this , date members of local boards must I;consider themselves as drafted for such srevice and cannot resign. BULLETIN. (Ily Ed L. Keen. United Press Staff j Correspondent) I London. July 31—(Special to Daily j l Democrat)—England and Prance signalized the beginning of the fourth ( year of the war today with a joint t offensive on two fronts that swept forward in full success to first objecItives. ] : In Flanders, beyond Messines— ( Wytschaete ridge, the British, assisted by French troops on their left, ' brought to a climax the vast artil- s lery preparation of the past week by t a concerted mass atttack. ] On the Chemin Des Dvmes, Paris re- j ported a sudden offensive in the ( hev- j I regny sector which smashed ahead to German positions on a front of more , ; than a mile. | ] Field Marshal Haig did not men-, ] tion the exact extent of the British- j ( • French offensive front in Belgium, but . gave its lowermost point as “north of the river Lys.” Front dispatches indicated fight-. ing was continuing fiercely today. Washington, D. C., July 31 (Spe- j« cial to Daily Democrat) A two per j 1 cent surtax on corporations, increases j 1 on surtaxes on incomes over $15,000, j an increase of $1 a gallon in taxes on | distilled spirits and an increase of 50 j cents a barrel on beer was agreed to today by the senate finance commit- :

TIPS FOR CONSCRIPTED MEN That the bovs in Adams county may not overlook these important facts in the army rules, we call your atYou must report on the day fixed in notice. Unless you do so. you will he considered a member of the regular army, subject to all laws which govern that departmentu fi]e exemption , remember that the ex- , a i fiipfl within seven dnys from tod<iy. CmPl You will then be allowed ten days in which to produce yOUr Th^ d f a act S that l th r e o notices were posted this morning is notice to you. whether or not you receive a personal no- ,• 1 it vour dutv to watch for instructions. If viu are eexempted for physical disability or for any nthe, cause the board will give you a certificate, showing 0 , “! f„rther duties are. In some cases you may be “ hat ' ; ,I,! ailment and you may be re2S“d" " take treament for same and report later. You cannot appeal direct to the provost marshal or the illont If vou desire to reach a higher branch of the depresident- n >'»« . .. ret r U lar wav, first by appartment you mus board, then appealing to the dispearing national authorities. If you are tiled bv the board votir military service will not besin nntn vou Itaee been railed when the government is ready to receive you. ____

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

lee as an amendment to the revenue bill. Washington, July 31—(Special to Daily Democrat)—The United States Is not obliged to follow France In her ambition to regain Alsace-Ixirralne, it was officially stated today. Nor is the American relations towards the allies Mich that this government necessarily must demand a freedom for certain parts of Austria. Balfour in asserting that England would fight until France regained the territory she held before Bismarck spoke only for England, It was stated. The United States will however, Insist on the restoration of Belgium. London. July 31—(Special to Daily Democrat) —England started a gigantic offensive In Flanders today. Field Marshal Haig struck "over a wide front" north of the river Lys in Belgium. The allies captured their first objectives, the British commander in chief reported. “Satisfactory progress was attained in all positions. "Considerable prisoners have al ready been taken.” Field Marshal Haig’s report asserted the British attack had begun at 3:50 a. m. today. His assault—the second concerted offensive in this Messines ridge sec-tor-followed the greatest artillery duel in the whole war to date. For seven days now British and German guns have been roaring along j all this Gelgian front. The Germans apparently started the concentrated fire, presumably fearing another | stroke in this sector and the British | quickly replied with redoubled activ- J ity.

Mention by the British commander in chief of “the allies' capturing their first objectives would seem to indicate that the British were assisted either by Belgian or French troops. The river Lys flows northward above Armentieres, joining with the Lille-Ypres canal at Gomines. The canal and the river form an obtuse angle in which is included the Mes-sines-Wytchaete ridge, Messines. , Hollebeke and Warneton. It was in this section that Haig struck his big blow a few weeks ago, the Canadians sweeping over and dominating ridge positions. Since that time it has been frequently apparent that the British were preparing to make full use of their height positions by sweeping the Germans back against the converging waterways over the lowlands. London, July 31—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Russia seemed today to be recovering from the virus injected into her armies by the German spy i system. Dispatches showed on some sectors of the great northeastern front Kerensky’s troops had assumed the initiative and were vigorously pressing the battle. In Russia, German Chancellor Michaelis’ statement, designed to alienate | Russia from the allies, apparently did I not create a ripple of interest. Lon--1 don newspapers today emphasized an interview’ which Premier Lloyd George granted on his return from Paris, asI serting; | ‘The Russians are incalculable quantity; they fought when least expected 'and hung back when it seemed they j ought to go on. My latest informaI tion is that Russia will recover and ! become as formidable as ever.” In this same connection editorial ! comment today applauded foreign Min- ' ister Balfour’s statement in the house tContinued on Page Two)

Decatur, Indiana, Tuesday Evening, July 31, 1917.

HERE FOR BURIAL Body of Mrs. Caroline David, Aged Eighty, Will bt* Brought Here i — FROM STURGIS, MICH. | Death Occurred Sunday— Funeral Will be Held Here Wednesday. Mrs. Caroline David, for thirty-five years a resident of Union township and Decatur, died Sunday afternoon | at 3:3(1 o'clock at the home of her! Ison, Bert David, at Sturgis, Mich, j Mrs. David, who was eighty years old j last May 5, had been ill a long time of Infirmities of age, with dropsical and other complications. Mrs. David lived in this city for many years, after coming here from Union township, and two years ago went to Sturgis to live with her sons. She has many friends in this city and community to whom the news of her death will come with sorrow. There are six sons and one daughter. with many grandchildren surviving. Her children include Sol David. Fort Wayne; W. M. David, Biuffton; Frank David. Monroeville; I. J. David, Jackson, Mich.; Zera David and Bert David, Sturgis, Mich.; Mrs. Ida Miller, Detroit. Mich. The body will be brought to this city for burial tomorrow. The funeral party will arrive on the 1:05 train in the afternoon over the G. R. & I. ard the body will be taken at once to the United Brethren church, where the services will be held. Burial will take place at Clark’s Chapel.

TWO ARE KILLED Automobile Accident Near Ossian Yesterday Caused Death of Two Men FROM JACKSON, MICH. A Third Injured—Crashed Into Car of Claude Cheney of Ft. Wayne. Running at a high rate of speed and swerving from side to side in the road an automobile from Jackson, Mich., crashed into the one driven by Claude Cheney, 1638% Wells street, Fort Wayne, about four o’clock yesterday afternoon, two miles south of Ossian. Two of the occupants of the car from Michigan were killed and another was severely injured. Mr. Cheney and his brother O. H. Cheney, who were in the Fort Wayne car escaped injury. The dead are: D. a. Butler. 33, proprietor of dry cleaners establishment in Jackson, who was at the wheel and whose neck was broken causing instant death. Albert Cook, 26, employed at the Overland garage there, died of a fractured skull as he was being i taken to Fort Wayne to the hospital. W. A. Roberts, 32, brakeman on the | Michigan Central, is at the Lutheran | hospital in Fort Wayne suffering from la broken wrist and other injuries. Beer and whiskey were foftnd in the ! wrecked car and it is believed the men | were intoxicated. However, Roberts i denied this, saying that they used this liquor to give people tiiey inquired the I road of. He. also said that at Muncie | the men had only had a glass of beer and a cheese sandwich. Claude Cheney says, that as he and j his brother were driving south on the ! Fort Wayne-Bluffton road, lie saw the I other car coming north. He declares Ihe was traveling at a rate of about twenty or twenty-five miles an holts. I while the other car was going probabj ly forty miles an hour and was swerv- ' ing from side to side in the road. He j steered clear over in the grass to get ■ out of the way but the rear wheels | fenders of the two cars crashed toj gether causing the Michigan machine |to turn turtle and resulting in the death of the two men and injury of the other.

Mr. Cheney hurried to a farm house to secure medical aid while his brother attempted to resusitate the men but without success. One of them was already dead and the other

died on the way to the hospital in the Cheney automobile. Butler leaves a wife and children, but Cook was unmarried. The bodh were taken to Jackson for burial. GOES TO FRANCE Mr. and Mrs. John Rex and family have word from their son, Newton, who has been with the second Ohio regiment, on the Mexican border f r many months, and lately at El Paso, I exas, that he must report,at Aniston, Alabama, by August 1, and will later be sent to France. n PROPRIETORS CENEVA HERALD ARE DRAFTED. By a coincidence, both the proprietors of the Geneva Herald, have answer ed the conscription call and both expect to be among the ranks of the first conscripted army. This necessitates the offering of the |>ai>er by Messrs. Mattax & Conner for sale.

INSTITUTE WEEK Annual County Teachers’ Institute Will be First Week in September. ACCORDING TO PLANS Now Under W ay by County School Superintendent E. S. Christen. The annual Adams county teachers’ institute will be held in this city, the first week in September, according to plans now being made by County School Superintendent E. S. Christen.

who is lining up the instructors and getting jilans otherwise under way. The building where the convention will be held has not yet been decided upon. The institute comes a week later this year than the usual time, but will probably be more convenient to the many teachers who are attending school away. The fact also that the time must be suited to the engagements of the institute instructors must also be considered. At the meeting of the county board of education next Monday the timp of the opening of the county schools will be set. It is understood that the city schools will open the second Monday In September. o NEW FUNERAL CAR Mr. and Mrs. Murray Scherer and Mr. and Mrs. Burt Hunsiclter went to Fort Wayne last evening where Mr. Scherer procurred a new Paige sedan which was driven home. This beautiful car will be used for a pall bearers’ car and in other ways incident to a funeral. This is the second automobile in Scherer & Clark’s funeral equipment, the other being a large auto hearse. • TO A NEW PLAGE

Virginia Cravens, Teacher of English in Decatur High School, Resigns TO GO NEARER HOME Two Positions With Better Salaries Have Been Offered to Her. School officials have received notice of the resignation of Miss Virginia Cravens, who for three years held the position of teacher of English in the Decatur high school. Miss Cravens resigns to accept one of several positions at other places. Among them are two nearer her home town, Hardinsburg, Ir.dia.’.u, which offer a better salary than that in this city, as well as bringing her nearer her home. She is undecided as to which of these two she will accept. Miss Cravens was very well liked here by all the students and was a very efficient teacher, enjoying the respect and esteem of all her students. It is believed the contracts for teachers in the science and commercial departments will be closed in a very few days.

NEW OFFICERS Directors of the Rotary Club Elected Officers Last Evening. .1. O. SELLEMEYER, PRES. W. A. Kiepper Vice President—First Officers Retire August 6th. The five directors of the Decatur Rotary club, William Kremera, W. A. Kiepper, J. O. Sellemeyer, C. C. PumI phrey and Avon Burk, who were elected at the regular meeting of the club Wednesday evening, met last nigiit at the J. T. Merryman law office and elected officers tor the ensuing year. The officers elected were: J. O. Sell- 1 - meyer, president; W. A. Kiepper. vicepresident; Oscar Hoffman, secretary and C. C. Pumphrey, treasurer. These men will take office at the regular meeting on August Bth, succeeding the first set of officers of the Decatur Rotary club. The year just passed, which was the first for the local club, has been a most successful one. The club now has a membership of thirty-two members, they representing an individual line of business in the city. The project that now lies before the club is the building of the sanitary pool at the Waterworks park. With tin} co-operation of the city council and public spirited citizens it is hoped that the pool will be in use by October. ARE IN EARNEST

Sammies in French Training Camp Take the War Very Seriously. A MESSAGE HOME Asks Men to Obey Conscience and Waive All Exemption Claims. ("United Press Service) (By J. W. Pegler, United Press Staff Correspondent) With the American Army in France. July 31—To the Americans back home who today are being called up for the first draft army, Pershing's Sammies in France have this message: “We didn’t hesitate to offer everything we had. We are confident those who stayed at home will obey their consciences and waive all exemption claims unless of the utmost necessity.” The message was the composite view expressed by scores of the American fighters here today. Sammy isn’t an irresponsible individual: he has been doing a lot of thinking. It is noticeable here at the training camp that the general demeanor of America’s fighting forces is seriously earnest. Not that they aren’t cheerful, but they feel responsibility. Nearly all realize their numbers must be swelled to hundreds of thousands; that many will die and many more will be maimed. And then they conclude they would rather be fighting in France right now than fighting a defensive fight in America later. Yesterday the camp was thrilled by its commander in chief's first inspection. The Sammies were not apprised of General Pershing’s visit until the last moment. Monday they turned out far ahead of the usual reville time and worked their hardest putting their picturesque white washed billets in order and in cleaning up the little villages where they are located. The United Press correspondent ‘ journeyed with Pershing’s staff from Paris. As the train paused at one ' station in the camp a company of French was entraining. They spied ! the Sammies and tumultuously cheered. Then they scurried over the run- ' ning board of our train and with ec- ■ static whoops of rejoicing clasped ' hands with their American brothers - in arms. i The most genuine feeling of comradeship and affection had sprung up

| between the poilus and the Sammies. The’French villagers likewise adore the American fighters. The salnta tion. “ ’Alio Sanunee!'” is a familiar one now Every American regiment has had doled out to it a supply of white Hour temporarily to supply its own bread, biscuits or pies. Later an enormous army bakery will be erected to supply all troops. o - COMPANY A DANCE There will he a dance given Thurs I day evening August, 9. at the Masonic j hall for the benefit of C ompany A. This dance will be a farewell dance for the boys and everybody is cordially Invi*ed. If this company is called to mobilize before this date the dance will he given the night before they leave this city. The price of admission will be one dollar a couple. The music will be furnished by True Fristoe, Elmo Smith, Ralph Moser and Albert Sellemeyer. TO DEEPEN RIVER — Movement is on Foot to Deepen, Widen and Straighten St. Mary’s. IN FOUR COUNTIES Judge I). E. Smith Receives Letter from War Department About It. There has been some agitation in Celina and St. Mary’s, Ohio, relative to the deepening of the St. Mary's river to check the loss of crops by the annual spring and summer floods. i The people interested were of the

opinion that a permit had to be obtained from the war department before this work could be commenced, contending that the St. Mary’s was a navigable stream, if such was the case such a permit would be necessary. The following unsolicited letter was received yesterday from the war department by Judge D. E. Smith pursuant to this movement which explains itself: Washington. July 27, 1917. Hon. David Smith, Judge of the Adams Circuit Court, Decatur, Indiana; Sir; — 1. Congressman Welty of Ohio having requested that the war department issue permits to the proper county authorities to deepen, widen, and straighten the St. Mary’s river in Auglaize, Mercer, and Van Wert counties, Ohio, and Adams county, Indiana, I have the honor to inform you that no federal permits are required for such work on this river, because it is not considered a navigable water of the United States. 2. An examination of this stream was made by this (fepartment in 1880, pursuant to a provision in the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880. It appears that the people interested in securing this legislation desired the improvement of the river, not with the view of providing facilities for navigation, but for the purpose of fixing the shore lines forming the boundaries of adjacent farms, and of removing impediments and obstructions to the flow of the stream which, in their opinion, superinduced mias-

matic and other conditions deleterious to the health of communities. 3. The results of the examination are set forth in the annual report of j the chief of engineers for 1881, pages 2343-2347, and the following is ex- i traded therefrom: “The river can in no sense he ; called a navigable stream, as its; depth at the time of the examination j prohibited its descent even in a rowboat, making it necessary to drive along its hanks in a wagon. At the town of St. Mary's it was found to be 55 feet wide and 12 inches deep; about 10 miles below it was 10 feet wide and 3 inches deep; 30 miles he- 1 low it was 00 feet wide and 12 inches t deep; while at its mouth at Fort/ Wayne it was 85 feet wide and 9 f inches deep. The most that is claim- \ ed for it is that, at a remote period j before the introduction of roads and canals, the first settlers used to cot, „ vey thetr products by flat boats, in 0 times of high water, down the river | to a market, selling both flat boats , and produce, and not attempting to bring the boats back. The river then would naturally hold its water long- , er than now, and freshets were prob- f ably less violent and of longer duration. Now the timber has been cut away, the land is under cultivation, (Continued on Page Two)

Price, Two Cents

BATHING POOL FOR DECATUR ! — - < City Council Votes to Build Swimming Pool at Waterworks Park. TO CO-OPERATE WITH Decatur Rotary Club—Will Try to Raise SBOO—A Sanitary Pool. What would you give on a hot day 1 like this to be able to take a good old I fashioned swim in a modern sanitaiy pool filled with fresh and filtered water. This dream will provp a real* j Ity if the plans of the city council I terminate and the members of the Decatur Rotary club are able to raise eight hundred dollars in addition t j the cost to be borne by the city. Last evening at a special meeting of the city council it was unanimously voted upon by the city “dads’’ to build a swimming pool in Waterworks park, according to the plans and specifications submitted by the Rotary club. This is the first step toward the building or financing of the swimming pool. In turn the Decatur Rotary club will try to shoulder the additional cost, estimated at eight hndred dollars, for the building of two bath houses or dressing rooms divided into 25 apartments with shower baths, install a filtering apparatus, and take care as other incidentals that will he necessary to complete and make the pool modern and sanitary in every respect. The plan of the city council and that of the Rotarians is to build a modern concrete swimming pool, west of the waterworks building, facing Fifth

street, to make it eighty-five by one hundred feet in dimension and to have it so constructed that tlie depth of the water will be from one inch to eight feet. At one end or at the soutli of the pool the depth would tie six feet, sloping down about a third of the way until it touched the eight foot grade. At the north a wading pool twentyseven by eighty feet would be constructed for the use of the “kiddies.” The bottom of the basin will be concrete with a layer of six Inches of wash gravel. Diving boards would also be erected at one end. Bath houses one for ladies and girls and one for men and boys would be erected at the south end of the pool. The house for women would be divided into ten apartments with three additional disrobing rooms, showers for hot and cold water and other improvements would he added. The men’s baih house would be the same, except in size, it being made for fifteen different appartments. The bath house will be eighty by ten feet. The Rotarians will hold a meeting Thursday evening for the purpose of selecting teams and making arrangements for the canvass of subscriptions next week. Without the aid of individuals and public spirited men and women the dream of having a switni rning pool for the kids and grown up f will be shattered, it is estimated that the Rotarians share will lie eight him- > dred dollars. If you would like to see ' Decatur have a public swimming pool

give your "hit" to the boys. The city council will do whatever they can to help bring about Hip completion and | have voted to finance the building cf j the basin, exclusive of the additional* j as stated above. The proposed pool will be built in j ,-onnectlon with the city reservoir and I in addition to answering the needs of I the light and water plant, as a place to I filter the water and use it over and lover again in the process of making power it will greatly ad to the capacity of 'he plant. The water in the pool will be absolutely clean and fresh. The temperature will he about blood heat or better. The pool will be drained a|d cleaned from time to time so as to make it very sanitary and delightful to take your bath. Now —can we do without the public swimming pool? No. It takes only a few dollars, so let us build it. Everybody will enjoy the comforts of the place and it will be opened to every citizen in Decatur. If the money can he raised it is thought that the pool can be completed by October. o John Schultz went to Bluffton this morning to spend a few days with friends and relatives.