Cordova Daily Times
Member of Associated Press — Day and Night Telegraphic Service * ^ •
C0RD0VA7 ALASKA, SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1918 ~ ” _ — price TEN CENT8
LAST GREAT GERMAN DRIVE CHECKMATED BY ALLIES
AND STILL MORE FORMIDABLE ATTACK IS LOOKED FOR
BURNING CANNERY VESSEL
ENDANGERS LIVES OF MANY
3 ft ' : 1 ,l,v '• _
! A PACIFIC ‘PORT, June 15.—The Pacific Steamship
Company’s steamship Ravalli caught fire in the lower inlet of
Greenville channel yesterday,'while hound for Alaska. The
boat was beached and later burned to the water’s edge.
Forty-nine passengers pnd forty members of the crew
escaped safely, and part of the cargo and all the baggage was
saved. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Was Carrying Cannery Employes
A CANADIAN PORT, June 15.—The steamship Venture
has arrived here with the passengers and crew of the steam
r ship Ravalli. The latter is reported to be a total loss.
When the fire was discovered the boat was rushed toward
a wharf and the passengers and crew were landed. Soon after,
while being beached, the forward hatch was blown off and the
vessel became enveloped in flames and later went down in ten
fathoms of water.
Captain Thomas Nystrom was almost suffocated while
fighting the flames.
Wireless calls for assistance received no answer, probably
on account of the height of the surrounding mountains.
The vessel was carrying Asiatics and whites to northern
canneries. Among the passengers wore twenty-five Y. M. C.
A. boys, en route from Seattle to Port Althorp.
; MARRIAGE WILL NOT BE
CAUSE FOR EXEMPT"
l i - x. - • » it *. * ">■■■ -
' WASHINGTON, “June 15.—Provost Marshal G
Crowder- has ruled that marriage since the enactment of the
draft laAv Avill no longer be accepted as a cause for exemption*
except in the cases of men Avho have attained their majority
• since June 5 last year, who may be exempted if married before
January 15 last.
A drastic amendment to the regulations is announced by
General CroAvder, in which local exemption boards are required
to reclassify all cases involving such marriages.
AGAIN ACTIVE
- AN ATLANTIC PORT, July 15
Ships which were ready to sail Thurs
day night and Friday were held in
port on the receipt of reports that a
German submarine was operating
eighteen miles off the Virginia capes.
British Vessel Attacked
A British steamship which arrived
here yesterday reported that she had
received a wireless message from the
British steamship Keeniun Thursday
night stating that she was sinking fol
lowing a submarine attack.
The Keemun was off the Virginia
capes when last reported, en route
for Manila.
Later.—The British steamship Kee
mun, attacked Thursday night off the
Virginia coast by a submarine, passed
safely through the Virginia capes yes
terday, apparently undamaged.
Camouflaged as Freighter
At least one German submarine off
the American coast is camouflaged to
appear at a distance as an ordinary
freighter, according to Captain Brat
land, master of the Norwegian steam
ship Vinland, one of the raider’s vie
tims.
All-Day Fight with Raider
Captain George Aitkin of the British
steamship Author brings a story oi
an all-day fight with a German sub
marine off the Virginia coast. Ht
said the raider gave up the chast
seventy miles from the Virginia capes
apparently fearing the coast patrol
Neutral Steamship Sunk
LONDON, June 15—The Swedisl
steamship Dora has been sunk with
out warping, presumably by a sub
I
| marine. Nine of her crew were
j killed.
Sailors Missing
LONDON, June 15.—A British ves
sel was sunk by a submarine on June
5 and seven of her orew .are missing,
says an official report*
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NEW YORK, June 15—The com
mander of the U-151, one of the Ger
man submarines operating off the
coast of the United States, has been
identified as C. Neustid, who served
five years as a gunner’s mate in the
United States navy, according to af
fidavits of survivors of American
ships who were held prisoner aboard
the submarine for eight days.
PBEDICTSlT
[
THREE YEARS
4
ROCK ISLAND, 111., June 15.—In a|
speech delivered here yesterday, for
mer President Taft predicted that the
war would be won and’ over by the
time the United States had been in it
three years.
Mr. Taft said it would possibly take
the United States two or thre years
to get started right, and then probably
another year to win f»nd end it, pro
■ tiding no other country hinders.
-- - - - — _
Today’s Associated Press summary of the conditions on
the battle front* says that the strategy and tenacity of the allies
have checkmated the Germans, who have abandoned the Aisne
drive without having seriously affected the general situation.
The Germans are expected to stlike their next heaviest blow
in Picardy, in an effort to reach-the channel. The Germans
ha ye gained, one hundred and eighty square miles of territory
since the Aisne drive commenced, which is the poorest show
ing; of any of the recent drives.
The summary Of the war situation on the western front,
issued'yesterday by the Association Press, says:
“The attempted drive by-the German crown prince toward
Paris seems to have been definitely checked, with thousands of
Germans fed to the guns in the mad rush to pierce the allied
lines and thus gain the way to the French capital.
“The maneuvers of the German commanders appear to
have brought nothing more than the obliteration of the Noyon
salient and the capture of a fewr unimportant positions south
west of Soissons.
“Less than three days were required by the allies to bring
the enemy to a virtual halt south of the Aisne, but the feeling
still prevails in French military circles that the main effort of
the Germans is yef to be launched. Much speculation is in
dulged in as to where the new attack will come and what the
objective will be—whether Paris or the channel ports. It is
known that the enemy has large effective reserves available
behind his lines, including thousands of men brought from
the Russian front.
“Seemingly it is not improbable that General Haig’s men
will again be asked to measure their strength against the Ger
mans, and the territory near Arras may be chosen as the the
ater of the attack. On this front the German guns are working
with the violence which usually presages attack.”
4
Allies Turn Vigorously Upon Foe
Thursday night’s summary was as follows:
T^luy offensive mnvem,*»%*>!>•#“,e Itb'nmsRs between Mont?
oidior and Noyon, from south of the Oise river to the eastern
fringe of V illers-Cotterets forest, apparently are warning. The
fierce resistance of the French and allied forces have checked
the enemy at all points, while in the Somme sectors the allies
even turned vigorously upon the foe and forced him to cede
ground he had gained. Likewise south of the* Aisne the in
vaders are meeting with unexpected opposition, notwithstand
ing the large numbers of men they have thrown into the battle.
No Fighting Yesterday
PARIS, June 15.—The official statement says there was no
fighting on Friday between infantry on any of the sectors, but
there was considerable artillery’ activity.
An official statement issued Thursday said that concen
trated fire from the French guns caught the powerful’German
forces attempting counter-attacks between Coureelles and Mery
and not only drove them back but inflicted heavy losses. The
Germans gained a footing in the village of Laversine, but other
;v tempts in this region failed.
An official statement issued yesterday announced that
fighting on the front of the German attack had died down. Be
tween Villers Cotterets forest and Chateau Thiery, which in
cludes the American sector, there was considerable artillery ac
tivity Thursday night. A German attack near Antheuil was
repulsed. * '
British Repulse Attack in Flanders
LONDON, June 14.—A strong German party attacked one
of the posts which the British recently established southwest
of Mbrris, on the Flanders front. The attack was repulsed.
An official statement says that in the sector north of Bail
lean a French patrol brought in a few prisoners, but nothing
else of importance occurred.
American Positions Remain Intact
WASHINGTON, June 15.—A communique from General
Pershing, dated Thursday, reports the complete repulse of
heavy enemy attacks northwest of Chateau Thierry by the
Americans. The latter’s lines, which were advanved Wednes
day by the taking of the last German positions in Belleau wood,
remained intact.
American aviators successfully bombed the railroad sta
tions at Dommary and Berancourt.
German Official Reports
BERLIN, June 14.—Heavy attacks by the French against
t lie Germans soutlnvest of Ypres have been sanguinarily re
pulsed* says an official statement.
An official statement issued yesterday says that strong
French counter attacks between Rove and Estrees St. Denis
"'ere repulsed, and a number of prisoners were taken by the
Germans.
The number-of prisoners taken by the Germans amount to
more than fifteen thousand, and guns captured total 250. It
is admitted that, some German guns have fallen into tin* hands
of the French.
EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND
AMERICAN TROOPS ABROAD
WASHINGTON, June 16.—Chief of the General Staff
March announced today that more than eight hundred thou
sand American troops have been sent to France. Pie said that
the number of troops transported is limited now only by the
capacity of the ships. He said men will continue to be shipped
along this line. «
General March said that the Germans’ obvious objectives
are Paris, which is of strategic and sentimental importance, and
the channel ports, which, should they fall, would compel Great
Britain, in shipping troops, to go further up the channel, mak
ing transportation more dangerous.
General March said he expected that a million Americans
would be in France by July 1. The situation of the allies was
now more favorable than for many months.
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\\ ASIIINGTON, June 15.—"With seven hundred thousand
men in France giving added significance to the SJtgrs and
Stripes, Flag day was observed yesterday throughout the na
tion with a greater display of patriotism than ever before.
In o speech delivered in this city, General C. G. Williams.,
acting chief of the ordnance bureau of the war department,
termed the ordnance plant workers “the soldiers’ resource and
reliance/*^
“WORK OR FIGHT” STATUTES
ARE URGED BY PRESIDENT
WASHINGTON, June 15—President Wilson has approved
the nation-wide ’compulsory work movement, supplementing
Provost Marshal General Crowder’s “work or fight” regula
tions.
In a letter to Governor Harrington of Maryland the Presi
dent indorsed the effort to secure the adoption by other states
of Maryland’s compulsory work law, under which the “work
or fight” principle is made applicable to all men between the
ages of 18 and 50.
WASHINGTON, June 15.—President
Wilson, replying yesterday to the
message of President Poincare of
France, on the anhiversary of the
landing of the first American troops
on French soil, said America’s pur
pose is to send men and materials to
France until any temporary inequality
of force is entirely overcome.
President Poincare. Premier Clem- I
enceau and Generals Foch and Petain
sent General Pershing messages of j
congratulation upon the anniversary)
of the arrival of United States troops;
in France.
HERY FORD TO ACCEPT
NO! FOB SENATOR
WASHINGTON, June 15.—Henry
Ford, the noted industrial captain, has
decided to accept the Democratic
nomination for senator from Michi
gan, alter having been urged to do so
by President Wilson.
-•
Thos. Davis and wife came over
from Port Wells in a launch to spend
a couple of days with Cordova friends.
WITH THE AMERICAN FORCES
IN FRANCE, June 15.—Three Ameri
can fighting planes on Thursday last
pounced on twelve German Albatross
machines which had surrounded and
attacked two photographing airplanes
over Norrey, on the Toul front. One
German machine was downed, and it
is believed another was disabled.
One American machine is missing,
and it is believed the pilot landed
safely but was captured by the C.er
man. The battle took place at an
altitude of 5,000 meters.
Americans in Air Raids
WASHINGTON, June 15.—General
Pershing’s communique yesterday re
ported that American aircraft had en
gaged in a bombing expedition over
the enemy lines. Five American
planes dropped eighty bombs and re
turned safely, after fighting off three
German pursuit machines.
A second excursion of American
bombing machines took place in the
afternoon behind the German liir
All returned in safety, Qotwithstand
ing anti-aircraft fire, and after i puls
ing two German airplanes.
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IV. iilythe came down tfiom Chit
i .a on yesterday's train to spend "1
Day here.