Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 15, Number 252, Decatur, Adams County, 1 November 1917 — Page 1

Volume XV. Number 252.

GERMANS MAKE ANOTHER GAIN Storm East Bank of Tagliamento River—6o,ooo Italians Taken is Rumor. GERMAN AIR RAID Again Sends Londoners Fleeing to Cellar—Little Damage Done.

(Unltea Press Service) London, Nov. I—(Special to Daily! Democrat) — Austro-German forces have practically reached Gen. Cadc.r' na’s Tagllamento river defenses and) have been cheeked there in their forward advance according to the interpretation here this afternoon on Berlin’s official statement. Berlin claimed to have stormed the east bank defenses of the river. GenCadorna has succeeded in establishing himself on the western bank of that defensive waterway. The greatest apover Berlin's claim of the capture of 60,000 in the section where it was known Gen. Cadorna’s third army was seeking to escape from the vise like grip of the German Von Mackense ts army between Udine and the coast. One of the official statements seem-! ed to indicate that Italian forces were successfully covering the retreat of this army but if the German announ''e ment of the 60,000 Italian soldiers surrendering is confirmed it would seem to indicate a crushing blow was dealt the Italians.

London. Nov. I—(Special to Dailv Democrat)—The most violent aerial battle London has yet seen marked the raid of German aircraft over the British capital last night. "Throe hostile aircraft penetrated to the heart of London” Lloyd French announced today. Bombs were dropped southeast and ,(southwest. About thirty machines engaged the invaders. The commander in chief of home defense forces reported. thaif six groups of air raiders had been sighted over the Thames estuary and along the Kent and Essex coasts. Clomfs prevented decisive engagements with British aircraft. "Our '■asualties were comparatively light, considering the number of machines of the attack,” Lord French asserted) All seven groups of the German machines followed a systematic course up the Thames, apparently all aiming to reach London, by sighting their way on the banks of the river.

British anti-aircraft guns and the British aircraft harrassed the eGrman visitors all along their route of flying. The roar of shells was continuous and earsplitting.

. London official statements do not give the number of German machines in each group. On other occasions, however, the Germans have been accustomed to fly in groups of from five to ten machines. This would mean that the total of the air armada which Germany sent out on her latest baby-killing expedition might run anywhere from thirty-five to seventy planes. London. Nov. I—(Special to Daily Democrat) —England was again under fire from German aircraft last night All information available today was that the German flyers, working in relays, had crossed southeast counties flnum ♦nwnrrl The purr of the German aircraft engines was plainly audible in London. Warnings sent the city’s populace scurrying to underground refuges while the whole sky was lighted with searchlights, flares, bursting shells and rockets. Thousands of shells, were fired in the continuous fusillade with which British anti-aircraft guns punctured the sky. London, Nov. I—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Lines for the all decisive battle of the Italian plains were being drawn rapidly today. General Cador-| na has skillfully conducted his retreat; his forces are being massed along the flooded banks of the Tagliamento river; the Austro-German advance has already slowed up appreciably and the situation for Italy appeared slightly better. The greatest menace to Italian safety indicated in dispatches today was the flanking move well underway near

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

j the Carnie Alps, directed by an Aus- ■ trlan army under General von KrnI batin. This force is making a deeperLate thrust to turn the Italian positions I. on the upper course of the Taglitj tnento. Success of such an operation | would threaten the whole Tagliamen- . to line and force a further Italian re- , tirement possibly to the line of the I’iave river. According to the Berlin version, the invading forces have already captured 120,000 Italians imd 1,000 guns. Today is the ninth day of the drive. In the first four days the captures amounted to 100,000 prisoners and 700 guns. The five succeeding days brought only twenty thousand men ami 300 guns—indicating a decided slowing up in the offensive power < f the enemy.

In nine days the German-Austrian invasion has seized more than 1,200 . square miles of Austrian and Italian i territory formerly held by the Italians ’ and penetrated at some places as far las 40 miles from the old positions. I, Rome dispatches today told of a marked relaxation of the German pres sure on the center of Cadorna’s line, due undoubtedly to lack of railways. (United Press Service) (By John 11. Heariey. United Press Staff Correspondent) Rome. Nov. I—(Special to Daily Democrat)—“The army is determined to resist and conquer—to avenge (he cry of every pain issuing from 1 the country's sacred soil,” General 1 Cadorna. Italian generalissimo, declared today in a telegram to Pre- 1 mior Orlando. His message was > i evoked by the new premier’s tele- ; gram apprising Cadorna of a union < of all political elements and Rome’s > unfaltering support and confidence. ’ “Let the country have confidence,” 1 General Cadorna concluded. t Italian newspapers all over the ;

I country today commented on the naI tion’s extraordinary calm under the | threat of the Germanic invasion. The evacuation of the new battle lines has been carried out without serious losses. Every report from the front emphasized that the army was , still of fighting efficiency. (By William Philip Simms, United Press Staff Correspondent) ,With the British Armies in Flanders, Nov. I—(Special to the Daily , Democrat) —A draib landscape; yel-lowish-gray mud indulating oozy ridges; slimy greenish-reddish water pools; spattered muck on naked twisted trees and under brush—that is Flanders today around Paddlebeek bog. Imagine this setting and then stick into the picture bedaubed figures plastered with the same all-prevailing muddy drab of the ground. They I look like animated statues of clay. They are British Tommies. They might just as well be Germans, as far as any recognition from outward appearances went —except the difference in shrapnel helmets.

| United Press readers can visualize ■ the sort of fighting the British drive in Flanders today if they can imag- ’ ine just the sort of a general scheme of mire and bog thus indicated. I In yesterday’s fighting, for instance.

British troops crossed the slimy, slippery, bottomless pit which is Paddlebeek bog under the fire of the Bavarians —and got what they set out to get. The barrage fire squirted a veritable wall of mud up ahead of these troops as it struck the quavering 1 swamp. Behind it the Tommies ; holding their guns aloft, half swam I through the same viscid mess. They I twisted and fell as they leaped from hummock to hummock. Many men ; lost their footing, plunging face downward in the muck. Some were so inextricably mired that their comrades had to yank them out. Gunbarrels were choked with mud; cari tridges gummed with it. Through it _ll wont on, nhilnanph-1 ically but swearingly cleaning smear-ed-up guns and fighting tooth and nail when they came to clinches with the enemy. The British held all

their gains today despite Bavarian counter-attacks where the fighting at times was of the biterest character. London, Nov. I—(Special to Daily ; J I Democrat)—British artillery blasted ’ ( j away an enemy concentration around ( Passchendaele apparently being pre- . pared for an attack, Field Marshal ] Haig reported today. I, Fast and west of Ypres the British ( commander in chief said heavy ar-., 1 tillery was active. j j ■ Washington. D. C„ Nov. I—(Spe- I ■ cial to Daily Democrat) —First Lieu- 1 ■ tenant Devore H. Harden, of signal 1 • officers’ reserve corps of the Ameri- i ! can expeditionary forces, suffered • moderate shrapnel wound in the left > leg on October 28, General Pershing ■ cabled the. war department today.

Decatur, Indiana,Thursday Evening, November 1, 1917.

HONOR STODENTS J1 A < Indiana University to Erect Bronze Tablets to Soldiers. TO CONTAIN HISTORY Os Standing and Achievement in War—Adams County Boys.

Decatur and Adams county boys will be well represented in the list of names on the great • bronze tablet which Indiana university is to erect on Foundation day containing names of its students and graduates who are in war. The tablet will contain, the name, the rank and achievements In, war ,a space being left to record further data that may come after the erection of the tablet, so that each name will be followed by a little history of its war record. The tablet will be an immense one, and will contain names not only of students who left there at this time to enter war. but also names of its graduates who have entered military service. Lieutenant Robert Peterson, of this city, who would have been in the senior year this year; Lieutenant Clem Steigmeyer, a graduate; Harvey Everett, who would have been a sophomore this year; Harold Wegmiller, who is now in the hospital corps in France; and many others whose names cannot be recalled at this time, are among the number. The sorority girls and others of the university are arranging also to send a box of “Christmas cheer” to each student or graduate now in war. The box will contain .homemade candies and some “token” for each one. MILK PBICES~UP Advanced to Ten Cents a Quart and May Go to Twelve by the Tenth. FARMERS ASK RAISE Because of Increased Cost of Feed —Dealers Hope Secure Compromise.

The retail price of milk was advanced today to ten cents and if the increase of fifty per cent now being asked by the farmers is insisted upon, a further increase to twelve cents, will be necessary by the tenth of the month. The price of milk in Fort Wayne, already much higher than here, was again increased today to meet the demand of the farmers who seem to have organized for the purpose of securing a fifty per cent increase in the price of milk. This they claim is made necessary by the increase in the price of dairy feed of from $20.00 to $50.00 per ton. The creamery and the milk dealers in this city are hoping however, that they will be able to adjust the prices so that the ten cent price can be retained. W. A. Klepper of the MartinKlepper Creamery company received a telephone message from Ft. Wayne this morning that the dealers had agreed to the advance price demanded by the farmers. The advance in ■ • • -« „.:ii. mcf nf linttlog me price ui uiiin, •**< etc., the general increase of overhead has compelled several milk dealers, we are informed to quit business.

GUESTS OF MR. KLEPPER Member sos the Decatur Rotary club were the Hallawe’en guests of W.' A. Klepper at the Martin-Klepper office last evening and each man present took it upon himself to guard the “burglar proof" safe from another raid Business was transacted by the club and papers by George Krick, Harry Fritzinger and Hugh Hite were read and greatly appreciated. About two. hundred magazines were turned over to Oscar Lankenau, who will crate them and send them to Adams county soldier boys, distributing them' among the boys in camp at Hattiesburg and Camp Taylor. A bunch will be sent to Battery A. After the business session a fish and wiener feast [was enjoyed. t

NEWSPAPERS STOLEN. Bonfire Made of Papers by Local Hallowe'eners. Some local carrier of the Fort Wayne News was short fifty papers lust evening, undoubtedly the result of a Hallowe'en "prank,” if such can bo called a prank. The family of Minnie Holthouse, of Madison street, while sitting in the house about six o'clock last night, looked out the side window and saw flames blazing up very briskly, near the house. They investigated and found the bundle of fifty papers of the Fort Wayne News bruiting away, but no boys near to tell who had done the deed. They put out the fire before any damage had boon done to the house. While the papers are badly charred in places, the carrier may be able to clip the “redeeming” date from them and return them to headquarters. He may get them by calling at the Holthouse home.

“BILL BOOZE” OUT (United Press Service) Washington, Nov. I—(Special to Daily Democrat)—"Old Hill Booze” went splashing out of Washington two hours ahead of his 12:01 a. m. schedule today, in a disgracefully quiet and ordinary manner. The nation's capital is dry for the first time in history. The dry boys today are very happy. They say that while the saloon business departed during the night, taking with it $500,000 a year in taxes, $15,000,000 in cash receipts, 2,000 white collar jobs and 900 saloon porterships, it’s all right and everything will be lovely. FINLAND TORPEDOED. (United Press Service) Washington, D. C., Nov. I—(Speciall—(Special to Daily Democrat)—The American transport Finland was torpedoed in foreign waters homeward bound, Secretary of the Navy Daniels announced today. There was no loss of life and the transport returned to a foreign port under its own steam. The damage to the ship was slight. The dispatches to the navy department regarding the attack on the Finland said that no submarine was sighted, as was the case in the attack on the Antilles.

o— HUNT IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN Dr. J. Q. Neptune, the dentist, will leave here next Wednesday for Northern Michigan, where he will enjoy a three weeks hunting outing, returning about December Ist. J. M. Frisinger and George Nettle will also be in the party, together with five men from Paulding, Ohio. The men expect a delightful trip and we’ll bet they have it. STAMPS GO UP TOMORROW Beginning tomorrow, Friday morning, it will cost you three cents 'o mail a letter and two cents to send a postal card. Put a two cent and a one cent stamp on your letter and a twm cent stamp on your postal until the new stamps and cards are out. And ■emember it begins tomorrow. o 26,000 RESPOND TO ROLL CALL ntnlted Hreh« Service) Camp Taylor, Ky. t Nov. I—(Speciall—(Special to Daily Democrat)—Twenty-six thousand men responded to the first formal muster and roll call at Camp Taylor. The muster will be a daily ceremony in the future. Rabbit was on the menus of several companies today. The boys killed them in an orchard near the camp. They didn’t shoot a gun but knocked the rabbitts down with clubs.

PATIENT RETURNS HOME Mrs. Jacob Barkley who has been a patient at the Decatur hospital since an operation for appendicitis a sho-t time ago, was taken to her home in Union township today. The patient was transferred very nicely in the Gay, Zwiek & Myers ambuiance. BELdEVED SAFE ~Tn~ FRANCE. Relatives of one of the boys of! the Rainbow Division, from Rochester, Ind., has received a message that the boys of the 150th or Rainbow Division have arrived safely in France. There is no official word given out, however. SLIPS ON PAVEMENT. One of the horses belonging to the Merchants’ Delivery company slipped and fell to the pavement this morning on Second street. The animal was unable to get up for some time. No damage was done to either horse or wagon. | o KILLED IN EXHIBITION (United Frees Service) Tokio, Nov. I—(Special to Dally Democrat)— Frank Champion,, an American aviator, was killed in an exhibition flight at Kochi Shikoko today.

IQ MAKE FIGHT ■ ■ 114 To Retain Control of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphanage AT KNIGHTSTOWN, IND. Resolution Was Passed at the Recent District Convention. At the recent eighth district meet-, ing of the W. R. (’. in Fort Wayne, thelocal order, with the others of the dis-! trict, passed a resolution in which they pledged themselves to do what ' they could to have the control of the sailors’ and soldiers’ orphans’ home I at Knightstown, retained by the G. A. R. trustees instead of having the control pass to the state board of chir ities. The orphanage is for orphan children of civil and Spanish-American was veterans, and they are supported in the home there until they become able to go out to support themselves. In orphanages under the control )f the state, the children are supported at the home until they find private homes in which to place them. This difference is the cause of the’ opposition to the control passing from Lie G. A. R. trustees. As the present war will increase the number of war orphans, the matter is considered the more important.

BOX SOCIAL Merle Poling, instructor at the Cottonwood school house in French township 2 miles west of the Winchester church and 4 miles west of Monroe, announces that there will be a box social at the school Friday evening, November 2. NOT INCLUDED The Housewife Who Has Stored or Canned Perishables Not a Hoarder. PENALTY FOR THOSE Who Unlawfully Hoard Foodstuffs—Dr Barnard Should be Informed.

Indianapolis, Nov. I—Speciall—Special pains have been taken by Dr. Harry E. Barnard, Indiana food administrator, and by the Indiana State Council of Defense, to make it clear that the feder- j al food administration specifically excludes from the list of food hoarders I who may be made to feel the penalty j of the law’ which becomes effective today, the housewife who has preserved | perishables from her own garden ,:r orchard, or which she has purchased and expects to use in substitution for staples, during the approaching winter. Dr. Barnard’s warning against the hoarding of staples is further emphasized, however in his statement exempting the patriotic housewife from the provisions of the bill. This statement serves to answer many questions that have come to the State Council of Defense, and should serve as a guide to hundreds of Indiana housewives who have been curious and fearing imposition by unauthorized individuals and statements.

’’The government encourages and never criticizes the housewife who has conserved her own supply of perishables. The rule against hoarding applies peculiarly to such staples as sugar and flour. “If the housewife has been accustomed to purchasing sugar in five pound lots and buys by the 100 weight or if she has been accustomed to buying flour by the 24% pound sack and takes to buying by the barrel, then certainly she may be justly charged with hoarding ,but not otherwise.” Directing attention to the penal clause of the new bill prohibiting hoarding, Dr. Barnard says: “This law does not apply only to dealers in food stuffs. It sa.vs any person and it is just as much a violation of the law for a housewife to buy more sugar than she needs as it is for a wholesaler to buy canned goods ->r 1 sugar for the purpose of holding them for higher prices. “Any information as to the practice

of hoarding on the part of individuals or dealers should be reported to mo .it once. An investigation will be stalled promptly by the department of justice or on information supplied by individuals against individuals ,r dealers." The section fixing the penally for violation of the hoarding provision of the food control bill, follows: "That any person who wilfully hoards any necessaries shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not exceeding $5,000 or be imprisoned for. not more than ten years or both. Necessaries shall he deemed to be hoarded within the meaning of this -v-t when either held, contracted for or arranged for by any person in a quant y in excess of his reasonable requirements for use or consumption by himself or his dependents for a reasonable time.”

GLEN DOING FINE Wants Some Sheep Skin Moccasins for Boots— Weather is Bad. PAL IS WELL AGAIN After Severe Operation— Dr. Neptune Hears from Son, M ho is in France. Dr. J. Q. Neptune has received the following letter from his son, Glen, who is with the Pershing forces “Some where in France,” a portion being stricken out by the censor: Somewhere in France, Oct. 12 Dear Dad: — Your letter of the 15th of September, received, and was sure glad Io hear that you and the rest of the family are all well. Say dad, those pictures are sure swell and the kids look so sweet, God bless them; kiss them all for me and tell them that brother thinks of them often. I also got your letters you wrote *o Capt. Radcliff and to the adjutant general; also the arch supporters but I not the registered letter but still have hopes. I got the first letter from Gregg along with yours and was surprised to hear that he was in Canada.l I will write him at once. Well dad, we are sure having bad; weather for it has rained continually for three days and I expect to get a I pair of rubber boots, so I wish you would please send me a pair of those sheep skin moccasins for they sure would be swell to wear on the inside I

of my boots. My pal. Joffre. just came out of the hospital where he was operated on and had a slit in his stomach about 6 or 7 inches long, but he is feeling fine now. I suppose the pictures were taken out to the farm for they look kind >f familiar. When you write me again tell rie ■ all about the farm for you know I am interested in it and would like to know about the stock. Well dad, I must close, so with love to all and be sure and write. I remain as ever, Your son, GLEN. James G. Neptune. Q. M. C. with 1 t Division. A. E. F.. France, U. S. P. (). No. 703. WILL GET COAL— Mayor C. N. Christen and Superintendent of Lights and Water M. J. Mylott have returned from Indianapapolis, where they personally saw State Fuel Director Evans Woollen, explained to him the seriousness of the coal situation in this city and of the possibility or having to shut down the municipal plant if coal was not shipped here at once. Director, Woollen ordered a supply of coal sent here sufficient to run the plant i nt least until the first of the year. Within the last month the city had to borrow coal in order to keep the plant running and furnish the people with electricity and water. FRYS HAVE BABE.

A baby boy, Homer, jr.. was horn Wednesday evening at 8:27 o’clock to Mr. and Mrs. Homer Fry. Mr. Fry built, Third street, this city, last summer and the family has only recently removed to 2721 Broadway, Fort. Wayne. Dr. Hoffman, the attending physician reports mother and babe doing fine. Miss Wehrly is the trained nurse attending This is the Frys’ first babe.

Price, Two Cent!

SMOKER WAS BIG SUCCESS Crowd Large and Speeches Were Interesting—Judge Smith in the Chair. MADE A GOOD TALK Told Those Present Why They Should Vote Democratic Ticket. The democrats of Decatur last evening held one of their successful sniok ers at headquarters above this office. A good crowd assembled in the rooms and after enjoying a smoke the crowd sat down to listen to the speakers of the evening. , Chairman of the evening, Judge Smith, made the first address. In part he said: "It has been rumored in our city that our Gum Shoe friends have been visiting the sewing circles and telling those of the fairer sex, 'what bad men the democrats are.' Now I want to show you how far from true their insinuations are. Especially at this time when the national crisis has assumed such a lowering aspect we need the best men obtainable for our administration. We need men we know we can depend upon, not men of whose platform we know nothing. The democrats in the last 12 years have demonstrated that they are fully able to carry on the municipal affairs of Decatur while the opposition has demonstrated equally as convincingly that they can hope for nothing but failure. Still we hear some people who are still going to vote the republican ticket. "Twelve years ago when the democrats came into power in Decatur, they were handicapped by a debt of $129,000. which was growing larger each year in alarming strides. The

' city had no credit. It was not even able to purchase a ton or even a dray load of coal. To furnish enough to operate the water works and the light , plant the democrat administration j went into its own pockets to buy the j necessary coal. In twelve years this ' debt has been cut to about $22,000 and j with it has come a number of improvements, in all about $75,000 worth cf improvements about the city. We now have a city hall where the council can meet, a place that is at least not a disgrace to the city, a fire department and $5,000 fire fighting apparatus as compared to the old lockup in the alley, the little rented council room and the volunteer fire department. "We are progressing, not going in the opposite direction as before. Under the democratic administration j there has been laid eight miles of pavled streets, twenty miles of cement | sidewalks and at least three miles of .sewers. With all these improvements ' | and paying off of the city debt the tax ■ rate is only $1.67 on the hundred. You , will hear some remark that this is I I higher than when the republicans were in power. Then the rate was $1.35 but instead of running the ci'y on this they were putting it in debt 1 l and making ho improvements. Which ' j would you prefer, to pay $1.67 and have the city operated in a satisfactory manner or $1.35 and see the ci y going in debt at the rate of about '’l SIO,OOO each year? ■i "When you vote the democrat tick''let you know what you are getting. 'I both in the men elected and in the : platform they stand for. rhe demo--1 crat platform has been published and 1 the candidates have one and all sign- ' ed it. With the character you know ! I these men to have you yourself kno w | that they will keep their pledges. On ; the other hand we do not even know jthe platform of the opposition, we In not even know if the candidates cf that party know themselves whit they stand for. “We are asking for the best men. When you go to the polls next Tuesday I feel sure that you will cast your vote for men you know are to be trusted to a party that has demonstrated their business ability." Judge Smith called upon a few’ of the men present to make a few marks. Dave Coffee. Ike Chronister. Dr. Miller, Charles Helm and Fred Linn responded with short talks co, oberating Judge Smith’s statements. John Wolford brought the meeting to Four)