Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 15, Number 290, Decatur, Adams County, 7 December 1917 — Page 1

Volume XV. Number 290.

HAMMER THE ALLIED USE — i Germans Hurl Twenty-five' Divisions Against British in Vain Attempt TO BREAK THROUGH Two Thousand Germans Killed—Two American Airmen Wounded.

(United Press Service) (By William Philipp Simms, United Press Staff Correspondent) With the British Armies in France, Dec. 7—(Special to Daily Democrat) At least two thousand Germans perished in two violent attempts to break the British lines about Vial Wood today. Twenty-five separate German divisions have been identi-* tied as composing the enemy often-1 sive forces in this sector, indicating the Germans have at least 375.00,1' men massed there. It was the British who were entrenched on the Hindenburg lines today. They defended the lines against several powerful attempts to retake it. Washington. D. C, Dec. "—(Special to Daily Democrat) —Two American airmen were wounded Wednesday in France, the war department announced today. Democrat) — Roumanian generals have agreed to an at mist ice on the Russian front, but not to a separate peace, according to the vice president of the Roumanian chamber of depu-■ ties here this afternoon. lie said the ! premier had informed the allies that their situation was desperate. (By William Philip Simms. United Press Staff Correspondent)

With the British Armies in the Field. Dee. 7 —(Special to the Daily Democrat) —The English army ex pcets Germany’s biggest—and perhaps its final —offensive efforts of the war shortly. General Byng's retirement from Bourlon was regarded today as the first prime precautionary measure for the British to withstand such a shock As the British see it. Germany is now at the zenith of her military power. With Russia out of the wai | Germany is enabled to draw on increased man-power, heretofore held along the Russian lines. She is apparently preparing to throw every ounce of her energy into a supreme attempt at military victory before arrival of American troops on the fighting line. Ou the Bourlon sector there were only two alternatives open to General Byng. One was to push ahead and the other was to step backward to a more secure footing. With the Russian situation permitting the enemj to mass great forces on the Cambrai line, the backward step seemed the only thing to do. The withdrawal puts the British

A CHRISTMAS JOB FOR THE RED (RO. . From December 7 to aside for a o»<i»"-w’ d » 'XfX mmhers. ship of the Red Cross to fifteen n number is J Adams county’s a ’ ,, ’“ r, ‘^ n € made . however, to Ad- : forty-seven hundied- Al nt mem bership. which is j ams county to dedmt i P tbe secU red of 3,3.j0. 1313. leaving a purposes and activities in j Adams count' for . h district extending east 1 now divided into four d,s \ Bows; Decatur, the north t and west across the county. «■ Berne, the next six ? ten miles: Monroe, the £r miles. At the pres- | miles. and Geneva. has 677 members; Monroe. 336; ♦ ent time Decatui chap apportionment, there- . Berne, 156, and Geneva, t? secure 1S ' fore, of new membe . Berne Branch, 750; Geneva 2,000; Monroe Branch. 250, iwrr Branch, 350. officials selected are as fol- • The campaign d,re Sj j n charge. Mrs. John Niblick. J lows: Executive comn r g . p Beavers> with their j Mrs. Emma L. Dan, L|i ows *- Mrs. Niblick, the city ot i»e- i territory divided as to Beavers< Decatur territory catur and Monroe terr <« r -' ’‘ ’ jel Berne and Geneva ern- . outside of Decatur; Mis Ikm e . The publicity ♦nrv the chairman of earn cnay j o hn B Heller, committee has been Ml f. d p I X>n. Decatur; John ''»>"■ Wife i» ,o be ! • ter. . . j.-jch stupendous propositions. , The war is assum, !?^. II( . h huge numbers of American ■ i the requirement nou ,° T . makes it supremely necessary j soldkrlin France and Ka >^£ g y that will enhst every that the Red pu so " man, woman and child .

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

I' .1 much better posture to receive I 1 -iH'ii'd attacus n. WU!j ca rr j ei | put perfectly perfectly that the Derntnns looked foolish in their aton unoccupied land. I The boehes shelled tre uninhnbl-l u o’ land an d thereabouts for hours » hurricane hairage. Then they n t icked the dense masses. Their Motming waves found the forest of llourlon garrisoned only with the' dead. I’atrols from the enemy lines later cautiously wormed their way to the' inins nearby like wise mice approai hing a suspicious bit of cheese One dash of British shrapnel sent them scurrying back. Then came thick waves of more Gorman “shock troops" charging over the crest and upon both sides of Bourlon. They 'barging positions occupied at that moment only by ground rats.!

A him the British bodies got here and were trying to puzzle out the withdi'awal. British guu|s pelted their closely packed masses with shells. 1 lie British did not leave a single piece of material in the eveauated section. Even telephone wires were neatly rolled up and taken away. Every dug-out was destroyed. , Today the German airmen were I trying in flocks and with all their ! i might to find out what was occur-i | ring behind General Byng's lines ofj I retirement. Paris, Dec. 7--(Special to Daily Democrat)- Repulse of two German attacking waves which followed al violent bombardment around Bezonvaux and Beaumant. i n the right bank of the Meuse announced in today's official statement The attacks were I thrown back in French defensive tire. I Active artillerying was reported along the Rhine canal region. Petrograd, Deq. 7 —(Special to Daily Democrat)—Germany is appar- , ently to be permitted under the Rus- ; sian-German armistice i lan. to trans- ; fer all the troops she desires from the | 1 Russian fronts for use against the •lilies. Full text of the armistice agreement signed by the (17th Russian and the 31st German infantry divisions, as published here today in the newspaper Pravda shows no stipulation that

German troops must not be used against tho allies on other fronts. Such a stipulation was specifically pledged by Foreign Minister Trotsky in a recent speech. The Soviest buliej tin today published another version of the rumored American military .t---i tache's protest to bolsheviki military headquarters against a separate peace ■ which Trotsky denounced as unwar i ranted Interference and which John- ' son of the American embassy informal ! ly notified Trtoskv “misunderstood.” SENATE PASSES WAR BILL. (United l r—s ServicM Washington. D. C., Dec. < — (Special to Daily Democrat)— The senate this afternoon unanimously passed the resolution declaring' a state ol war against Austria-Hungary. It was certain the house would take the same action. Senator Lal’oL iette, who took his seat during the dehate, absented himself when the roll call began. Ihe vote followed storring speeches and Lodge. .—

Decatur, Indiana, Friday Evening, December 7, 1917

■VISITED SHELBY H. M. Romberg of This City Says Boys in Camp There Are Well Cared for. J HAS TWO SONS IN Says They Are Well Cared for, Have Good Water and Are Treated Fine. “There is no truth in those reports that the boys are faring badly at 'Camp Shelby." said Attorney 11. ,'l.i Romberg, of the law firm of Romberg & Hoffman, last night. Mr. Romberg I has just returned from Hattiesburg, where he has two soldier sons in the ! service of the United States, and he made the trip expressly to satisfy him-1 self as to the actual conditions obtaining at the great training camp which is twelve miles square and contains I thousands of troops. "The talk that our soldiers are not! j being taken care of is a falsehood,” lie said last night. “They are surrounded by the best sanitary methods it is pos-1 sible to establish in a military camp, their health is conserved in every way

possible, the water is good, and the lood is all that any inc could expect. The spreading of these rumors that frighten people back home merits punishment, for they are not only fake but malicious in character. I have been there to see for myself and can assure the parents of the Fort Wayne boys that there is no foundation for their fears. The boys are all right.” Attorney Romberg is also the spe-; cial agent of the Bell Telephone com-j rtny. He took a deep interest in thej signal corps’ activities at the vtstl camp where Indiana soldiers are being trained in the art of war. Both bis I sons. Herman M.. and Athelston Rom-t Iterg, are members of Co. (’. 113th Battalion, of the signal corps. Ft. Wayne , Journal-Gazette.

EYE IS OH THEM State Food Administrator Asks for Reports From THE EATING HOUSES

On the Observance of Meatless and Wheatless Days. State Food Administrator H. E. Barnard has hent a request to marshals and other officials for information as to the manner in which eating house; in this community are taking up tlie government's food conservation work. Mr. Barnard asks for quite a detailed report and officials will deliver a r - port blank to each of the hotels and restaurants with a request for the desired information. Mr. Barnard's letter is, in part as follows: Bakers will be licensed after December 15. Whether or not the public eating houses will be licensed d ■ pends entirely upon their co-operation in the following plan, namely: 1. To serve no beef, pork or mutton on Tuesdays and Fridays. 2. To serve no wheat products on Wednesdays and no wheat products al: one meal a day on the other days of the week. 3. To use no animal fats in cooking and less butter on the table. 4. To use much less sugar in cooking and on the table. The food situation is far more seri-

ous than is generally supposed. Our ability to help our allies depends more on the food we send them than on mon and munitions. These are no idle words. They arc facts, cold, provable facts, and unless our people understand them, we shall shortly he eating under orders as they are doing in other countries." Without doubt the greater number of the Decatur eating houses are observing the special days provided. Chicken, fish, an dothor meat substitutes are provided for meatless days; while rye, graham and corn bread are welcomed by the public on wheatless days.

ON A SERIOUS CHARGE Dr. Elizabeth Hurns of this city, wits arrested this afternoon on a charge <■!' having committed a criminal operation upon Naomi Cramer of this city. The arrest is the result of an indictment returned by tho grand jury, one of those entered yesterday in blank upon the docket. Dr. Burns lias retained C. L. Walters to represent her and was arranging at two o'clock to furnish bond in the sum of $2,000 for her appearance at the next term of court. me indictment is in two counts, the first alleging the use < f an instrument and the second a powerful drug and fixes the date prior to November 12tti, 1917. HALIFAX IS A ~ I FUNERAL PYRE . Death List Estimated as Low as 1,500 and as High as Five Thousand. SNOW FORMS MANTLE Covering Horrors of Stricken District While the Rescuers Work.

(United Pirss Service) Halifax, N. S., Dec.—(Special to Daily Democrat) —North Halifax is a vast funeral pyre today. Many bodies are incinerated in the burning ruins of this city of desolation and woe. The snow is mantling with a cloak of white the great area where the flames have swept, hiding unknown horrors underneath. HospKals are crowded with moaning wounded. The dead lie in ghastly ranks. A bit- j ter wind is sweeping through the windows of ruined houses. The i police estimate of 2.000 dead is' the latest statement of death toll. An equal number are seriously injured and being cared I for amidst scares that beggar description. Thirty-five bodies | have been found in one section j of a ruined hospital. Dart- j mouth's death list is believed to be between eighty and a hundred. Boys of the citizens' committee declare the total of all dead may be reduced to 1.500.

Halifax. Dec. 7 (Special to Dailv Democrat) Esitmajes of the number of dead and injured as a result of the terrific explosion that followed the collision between the munition ship Mont Blanc and the steamer Imo continu'd to grow' today. Thousands are homeless and schools churches and theatres are being use 1 as temporary hospitals and morgues. Seme progress is being made in relief work but estimates of the dead are as yet based solely upon fragmentary reports. In Richmond, a suburb across the narrow arm of water that is the H tlifax harbor, tlie loss of life was heaviest. Frame and business luiildings collapsed like paper houses when the force of the explosion struck them. On one ship in the bay 40 men we-o killed. Twenty-five wagons loaded with dead have arrived at one of the improvised morgues. Business is absolutely suspended. Armed sailors and soldiers are patrol ling the city. Not a street car is moving and parts of the city were i:t darkness all night. Among other buildings levelled by the buast the railway station, the Arena rink, military gymnasium, a sugar refinery and a large elevator are blackened ruins today. Scores of persons were in these buildings. Many were injured and some killed. Women and children weeping crowd buildings. Their homes are ruins. A part of the town of Dartmouth, :i suburb of Halifax, also caught the force of the explosion and is in ruins Schools and other available build ings in the Way burn section of the (Continued on Page Four)

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ORDERED SOLD —— Commissioners Order Five Macadam Roads Sold on January Eighth. VIEWERS ON TWO Roads in Five Townships —Board Adjourned Last Evening. The board of county commissioners adjourned last evening after a four days' busy session, during which mm ii business was transacted by them. Orval Harruff was appointed superintendent of construction and C. C. Neuenschwander and Jacob J. Lieclvy viewers in tho matter of the Wm. Far low macadam road improvement. They were ordered to meet at Berne on Wednesday. Dec. 12th and file their report on or before January 9th. 191 s. The viewers reports in the matter of ’he Kukelhahn road in Root township, the Fred Thieme road in Union township, the Roop-Wagoner road in Blue Creek township, the Ehlerding road in Preble township and the Sheler road in Washington township were apt roved and the roads ordered sold on January Sth. Specifications were also ordered >n the improvements. Orvall Harruff. the superintendent of construction, and Peter Moser and Oscar Elirman, the viewers, in the W. J. Goldner macadam roail improvement were instructed to meet at the auditor's office on December 12th and to file their report not later than December 27th. The board will hold a special session on December 2Sth at which time bills will be allowed and the record for the year completed. THE LEGAL BOARP Named to Assist Young Men Make Out Questionaire Appoints Assistants. SERVE WITHOUT PAY Work Will Begin Soon and Any of Those Named Will Gladly Assist You. There have been provided on the various counties, cities and other localities throughout the United States legal advisory boards composed of distinguished lawyers and others, with associate members, for the purpose of advising registrants of the true meaning and intent of the selective service law and of assisting registrants to make full and truthful answers to the Questionaire required , by'the government. David E. Smith, John C. Moran i and Dore B. Erwin have been an- , pointed as such advisory board in and J for Adams county, and the board has named the following to assist in the work required to be done. Any of the parties named will assist the registrants in making out and in answering the Questionaire tree of ■ charge. Registrants may call a 1 the office or place of business of any of those herein named, and we would suggest that registrants make out the Questionaire as soon as received by them. DAVID E. SMITH. JOHN -C. MORAN. DORE B. ERWIN, Members of Board. Names of Assistant and Associate Members. Clark J. Lutz, James T. Merryman, Shafer Peterson. Jesse Sutton. Henry B. Heller, Daniel N. Erwin. John F. Snow. R. C. Parrish, Fred Fruchte, Paul G. Hooper, E. Burt Lenhart. John H. Heller. Judson T\ ■ Teeple. L. ('. DeVoss. H. M. DeVoss. John Nelson. Monroe; Menno Liechty, Monroe; Marion Oliver. Monroe: Amost Hirschy, Berne; Andrew Gottschalk, Berne: Philip Schug. Berne; Frank Foreman. Berne; Frank Armantrout. Geneva; John Miller. Geneva; Everett U Arnold. Geneva. |

DENTISTS ARE APPOINTED Dr. Joheyh Rilu- Eastman medical aid to Governor James P. Goodrich It conscription affairs, lias recommended and sent the names of Dr Roy Arch ! bold and Dr. Fred Patterson of this ' city to Provost Marshal Crowder for official appointment ns the dentists ;<i aid the medical advisory board of Adams county in the examining of the registrants subject to call The war department has tilled that the board of examiners shall also have two d"i lists on each examining board. Dr. Archbold and Dr. Patterson will u ceive notice of their appointments shortly.

COLOEN WEOB!NC Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wertzherger Married Fifty Years. CELEBRATION TODAY Also the Twentieth Anniversary of Daughter’s Wedding. • Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wertzherger. highly esteemed residents of this city are celebrating their fiftieth, or gold»i wedding today at their home on South Third street. While the observance is quiet and simple, owing '<> the ill health of Mrs. Wertzherger. the day was a most enjoyable one. all of their children being at home. The day was also the twentieth wedding anniv..:-; sarv of their daughter. Delia Waite’s.: wife of H. S. Walters, of Gas City, and 1 the two events were celebrated in one. A fine dinner was spread at the noon hour and the home filled oth r wise witli quiet social enjoyments i f the home, taking them all back :n memory to the days before distance had severed the family. Present were Clarence G. Wei'z berger. Sapulpa. Oklahoma; Dallas and Dennis Wertzherger. Tulsa, Oklahoma; Will Wertzherger. Benton Har I bor. Mich; Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Walters. I and children, of Gas City: Miss H >r riet Wertzherger. The wedding of Mr. ami Mrs. Wertz-1 berger took place in this city and they! have resided here during their married life. Their many friends w’lll unite in wishing them innumerably, more happy years together STRIKES HEAD ON PIANO Ralph Odell Has Gash Cut Above EyeRalph, aged four, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. II Odell, is recovering ft mi a wound, received Monday when he fell while c.n a visit at Lima, ().. striking his head on the corner of a piano, j A wound above one eye was inflicted. I in which it was necessary to t. se three stitches. . NO FLOUR L. E. Osmer. United States food ad I ministrator, representing the milling division No. 3. Toledo, of which this county is a portion, was here today ■ calling on the millers. He said that ■no order had been issued regulating the amount of flour that can be sold Ito any one person and advised tho ! mills to sell in any’ quanity they can. I This is contrary to the reports that a limit had been placed on flour. CARD OF THANKS I sincerely offer my thanks to my friends and neighbors who so fail tv ■ fully assisted me during the sickness ■ and death of my wife. ' OSCAR LANKENAI . I j* NOTICE TO PUBLIC. * * + ! 4- To Our Patrons: — ,4> We are giving telephone serv- 4>4- ice under great difficulty, due to 4the fact that thirteen of our flf- 4> e ! 4> teen operators are off duty on 4- + account of illness because of 4•f. vaccination. Several of our for- + 4. mer employes have kindly come 4- .;. to our assistance in the emer- + 1 4‘ gency and are helping us out, 4t ■4- but we are still short of help. 4* 4- We trust, therefore, that our pa- 4" ,! + trons will appreciate the situa- 4> tion and be patient if their calls ♦ J 4> are not answered with the usual 4" 4- promptness, and that they will + i 4> realize that we are doing the + .j. best we can under the circum- + 4- stances. 4> I CITIZENS’ TELEPHONE CO. 4-4-4*4-4-4-4’4’4*4'4’4’4’4’4 >

Price, Two CenU

ADVISED THE LOCAL GROCERS A. Bogue Brought Straight from Shoulder Message from Dr. Barnard. AND MR HOOVER Limited Amount of Good*

to Each Family—Must Sell on Basis of Cost. The grocers of Decatur were told , last night just what they could do, under the rules already fixed by the federal food commission and wnat. they might expect in the very near I future and they were urged to organize at once in such manner that the ■ state food director could speedily reach them. They were also told what will be expected and sei tired by the government in the way of cooperation from tlie wholesale houses and , the consumer. Mr. A Bogue, or Rushville, Indiatm, a representative of the Indiana Retailers Association brought them th<> message and in doing so told the local grocers that his association had been asked to bring the facts here and elsewhere over the state, after a conference between the association officers and Dr. Barnard, state food director, the meeting called by the latter at the request of Mr Hoover, tlie nationlai food director. These men urge the organization of the local grocers in i such manner that they may co-operate with them. The wholesale grocers of the state have also been asked to assist in organizing the grocers. Now rulings come each day, so fast that it is most difficult to keep up with them and Mr. Bogue urged the import; nee that every grocer comply with the requests before they become commands, rigidly enforced Ho said that Mr. Hoover has made many requests, the ■ most important of which are: I That the grocers discontinue solicit- ! ing orders during the war. this not so ! far rigidly enforced. That delivery of groceries be limiticd to one a day to any family or on 1 any route, the only deviation being when party to whom delivery is made, I pays cost thereof. Grocers must establish cash price and a credit price, making an allowance for the man who pays cash. Central delivery system is recommended. Sell substitutes for flour and meat, for food, cooperate with the food ad- ! ministration in their efforts to feed all the people in the best manner possible Sell by weights and measure or ’ actual count. The margin of profit must not exceed that of normal times. Speculation in food stuffs is past. Those stores doing SIOO,OOO business I.er vetir must have a license. Grocers must figure their retail prices on COST PRICE and NOT ON MARKET PRICE AT TIME OF SALE, i for. instance if an article costs SI.OO per dozen but has advanced to $1.50 market price, the cost must be figured I from the cost. SI.OO. This rule is enforced and those who it will i find they cannot buy goods from their jobber. Several merchants in Indiana have already been forced out. said Mr. Bogue. But if you obey the order you will be protected. Neither can the farmer have in his possession more than enough meat than he needs. At Russiaville recents ly a farmer remarked that he would not farm his land nor rent it for less than forty dollars an acre. He was notified yesterday that unless he does farm or rent his lam! the government will take charge.of it. ' The grocer must not sell more THAN TWO POI NDS OF SUGAR tn '(any person until present crisis is over. | This probably will not last long but. | every one should realize that they must get along the coming year with half the sugar formerly used. I Combination of sugar with other I merchandise is prohibited except with ' corn meal and then it must not I n made mandatory that the corn meal be purchased to get tho sugar. Sixty-three articles of food are on the license list, including various kinds of flour, hominy, rice, dried goods, lard and butter and substitutes, milk. perk. eggs. fish, canned goods, syrups, molasses, etc. Grocers should figure their price.i j just as they did before the war. Tlifl j (Continued cu Pago Four)