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Member of Associated Press—Daf and Night Telegraphic Service
VOLUMeTiI, NUMBEB~213 CORDOVA, ALASKA. SATURDAY, MARCH 2:;. 1918._PRICK TKX CKNTS
FIERCE ONSLAUG « HORD
BREAKS THROUGH BRITIS LINE OF DEFENSE
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LONDON, March 23.—Powerful enemy attacks, delivered
with great weight of infantry and artillery, have broken
;hrough the British defensive system west of St. Quentin, says
an official British bulletin. The British in the northern part
af the battle line are holding thei: positions. The British west
af St. Quentin are falling back in good order to prepared posi
tions. Further east there is veiy heavy fighting, with fresh
enemy forces engaged.
Reuter’s says that fifty German divisions are engaged and j
twenty-five more divisions are in reserve.
Under a tremendous onslaught the British are retiring
slowly and in excellent order.
The Daily Mail says that sii hundred thousand Germans
re participating in the one sector, with a gun for every fifteen
yards.
The Germans drenched the British batteries with gas, and
British artillerymen worked with gas masks for the first time.
The Germans entered Morey, but the British drove them
3Ut. .
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This is the first time the defensive systems have been
broken through since the trenches were established. Other at
tacks prior to this have bent the lipes back, but the enemy has
been unable to break through the defense zone.
Many critics thought the defense system impregnable. The
statement that the British are retiring to prepared positions in
dicates that the Germans have not pierced the entire zone. The
allusion to the defensive system may be only the main battle
front, behind which other lines lave been prepared.
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REPORTED RANGE 6f GERMAN GUNS INCREDIBLE
PARIS, March 23.—The Germans are bombarding Paris.
Shells of 240 millimeters are falfiflgiin the suburbs of the capital
every fifteen minutes. Ten perils have be ^killed and fifteen
wounded. Sixty-two miles Is tWhortest aRtance from Paris
■o the front f
A few enemy airplanes, flying iigh, attacked the city, but
the French drove them off.
The battle front was extended southward throughout the
night, and it is reported that the Frei.ch forces are now engaged
KAISER STAKES ALL ON DRIVE
LONDON, March 23.—Kaiser Wilhelm is in command on
the western front, and it is believed he has stakes all on the pres
ent offensive. German newspapers assert that this will be the
last battle before pea^t,
THE GERMAN REPORT
BERLIN, March 23.—Between Fontaine, Les Croiselles
and Moeuvres the German forces have penetrated the second
enemy position and captured the villages of Vaulx, Vraucourt
and Morchies, says the official statement. I'wenty-five thou
sand prisoners, four hundred guns and three hundred machine
guns have been taken so far.
Morchies is about two and a half miles behind the former
British front. Vaulx and Vraucourt are about three and one
half miles distant from the former lines.
SECOND BRITISH LINE BROKEN THROUGH
BERLIN, March 23 (later).—The Jaeger battalions have
forced the crossing of the Oise west of La Fere, twelve miles
south of St. Quentin, says an official statement. South of the
Somme the Germans broke the hostile lines and, uninterrupted
in their forward movement, drove the enemy over the Croseat
canal westward. The Germans are now before the third enemy
position.
YESTERDAY’S LATE NEWS
Confidence Maintained in Washington
WASHINGTON, March 22,—American observers still are
unconvinced of the purpose of the German offensive. General
Pershing is expected soon to make a formal report.
The observers are well satisfied with the display of resist
ng power by the British, and feel confident that the British
ventually will check the onslaught and hurl it back when its
initial force has been expended.
Official German Statement
LONDON, March 22.—A German official statement says
hat the Germans have captured sixteen thousand prisoners
nd two hundred guns.
Greatest Artillery Concentration of War
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE, March 22—
The Germans continue their assault in the Camb>ai sector,
b orty divisions have been identified. The artillery concentra
ion is the greatest of-the war.
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SACRAMENTO, March 23.—Provost
Marshal General Crowder has asked
Governor Stephens to report the num
ber of draft registrants in Class 1
who are engaged in the fishing indus
try. because the national food adminis
tration fears that a serious reduction
in the output of the Alaska fishing in
dustries because, of local boards re
fusing to allow fishermen in Class 1
to leave for the fishing banks.
ARBEST ENEMYALIENS
FOR TRAITROUS ACTIONS
PHILADELPHIA, March 23.—Two
enemy aliens and one naturalized Ger
man were arrested here yesterday and
are being held under heavy bail for
conspiracy to defraud tne government
by furnishing defective gauges for
American troops.
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HESJENA, Mont., March 23.—The
state senate yesterday found Judge
Charles L. Crum of Forsyth guilty un
der the impeachment charges. Under
the laws of Montana 'he is forever
barred from holding an office or honv-r
or trust in the state
judge Crum was charged with dit
loyally
sEcmiSisus
BEEIH’S HERO-KINS
LONl/ON, March 23.— Secretary of
War Baker yesterday paid a visit to
King Albert of Belgium at the front.
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MOSCOW, March 23.—The Germans
have re-established through railway
connections between the occupied dis
tricts and Berlin, and are flooding the
occupied cities with German goods,
principally clothing and hosiery, at
high prices. j '
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FISH MARKET
KETCHIKAN, March 22.—The price |
of fish here yesterday was as follows:
Halibut, firsts, 13 l-4c; seconds, Sc;
sable, 4c; red rock, 2c.
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The Good Friday of Passion Week
will mean more to you, if you hear
the sermon on “The Seven Last
Words,” at Eagle hall Sunday evening,
at 7; 30 p. m. 1
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PFACF TREATY 1
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MOSCOW, March 23.—Regardless
of the signing of the peace treaty, thS
German advance into Russia contin
ues. The evacuation of Petrograd has
served only to change the German ob
jective to Moscow, and the hostile j
forces are moving on that city rroni
three directions.
[ISTEllssiS POPE
IS MET PEEK FOR PUCE
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ROME, March 23.—Pope Benedict’s!
Easter message to the people of the
United States, just issued, makes a
plea for lasting peace, biased on a
foundation of justice, fear of God and j
love of humanity.
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LED Bf GERMAN
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SAN JUAN WSL SUR. Nicaragua,
Marc'h 23.--Fighting between the gov
ernment troops amd revolutionists is in
progress near the Panama frontier.
Rogelio Gernandez Guell, leader of
the revolutionists, and four of his as
sociates have been killed. Guell was,
fhe editor of pro-German newspapers
Which had been suppressed by the
government. He made an unsuccess
ful attempt to start an uprising last
month.
GUPLETE MORTUARY EIST
GF HALIFAX DISASTER
HALIFAX, N. S., March 23.—The
number of persons who lost their lives
in fhe great explosion of last Decem
ber has been officially placed at 1,800.
The mortuary list contains the names
of l,of>0 persons, and the number of
missing brings the total to 1,800.
GREAT NEED OF WOBKERS
FOP LOCAL RED CROSS
Yesterday afternoon at Red Cross
headquarters, six women under the
direction of Mrs. Chas. Sheffler, turned
out 280 surgical dressings.
Three thousand yards of gauze was I
received on the last boat and every
effort will be made to turn this out
within a month.
The local Red Cross chapter desires
to emphasize the Imperative need of
more workers. The work of making
surgical dressings is described as in
teresting, instructive and not fatiguing
In urging the Cordova ladies to join
forces with them in this work one of
the local workers puts it as a matter
of patriotic effort, thus:
“Do your bit. Win the gratitude or!
the boys ‘over there,’ who are lighting
your fight—our fight—Uncle Sam’3
fight—the civilized world’s fight.” ;<
IS SIGNED BT
WASHINGTON, March 2?.—Presi
dent Wilson yesterday signed the bill
bringing the railroads under govern
ment control until twenty-one month*
after the end of the war. President
Wilson’s signature to the bill com
pletes the plan for the greatest under
taking in government control of priv
otely*'Wned public utilities the wai
has brought to America.
Early in August, 1916, the war clou*
was growing ominous, so an act wai
passed empowering the President
through the secretary of war, to taki
control of and utilize all systems o
transportation in a national emei
gency. President Wilson employe'
this authority on December 28, 1911
taking possession of the lines and at
pointing Secretary of the Treasur
McAdoo director general of railroad*
Engaged in a war requiring ever
bit of national effort to insure sut
, cess, the President believed it wa
imperative that the government direc
all operations so that adequate mCftll
might he had to expedite troop mov
i meats, move war supplies, and, r-«<
' for the generally abnormal strain <
i the transportation System.
The flow of khaid-Olad men had
proceed to the ports of embarkatu
without interruption; shells, cu'
ridges and rifles "had to be mov
from munitions centers; foodstut
nan 10 ue uajisierreu rrom tne gra
aries ol' the West, and ample provisic
had to be made for the output of t!
mines. In addition to military need
the country had experienced durii
l he winter of 1917 the greatest brea
down and congestion of the transpo
tation system ever known.
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At a stroke of the President's pe
the roads came under federal admi
istration. Property rights were n<
purchased—the government merely e
ercised its authority to operate tl
lines and provision was made for saf
guarding the proprietary interests <
investors.
At the request of the Presidei
congress then set about to enact
law to carry on the step taken as a
emergency measure under the law c
1916.
In substantial accord with Presnien
Wilson's recommendation, the law prc
vided that the compensation, est
mated at $945,000,000 annually, >ha
be predicated on the average net ?an
ings for the three-year period endin
June 30, 1917. The amounts will i>
ascertained by the interstate com
morce commission and certified to -th
President, who will negotiate with th
reads for their acceptance. Ordinar:
taxes, such as national or state, shal
be paid out of operating revenues, bu
war taxes must be paid by the com
panies out of their own funds o
charged against the standard return
In that way the roads will bear theii
proportional share of the war burden
So that the properties may be returnee
to their owners in as good conditior
as when taken over, provision was
made for their maintenance and fot
protection against unusual deteriora
tion.
In the absence of a complete federal
valuation of railroads, the exact rale
of return to be made by the govern
ment cannot he stated accurately, but
it is estimated that the companies will
obtain an amount representing nearly
5 1-3 per cent.
In the event that the President finds
NIPPED IN DUD
A PACIFIC PORT, March 23.—The
auxiliary cruiser Alexander Agassiz,
fitted as a German raider, flying the
German flag, and carrying rifles and
pistols, was seized by an American
gunboat off Mazatlan Tuesday, and
will arrive here within* two days.
Ofifcials say the Agassiz is too small
to be used as a raider, and say the
crew hoped to capture a Pacific Mail
boat running to Panama, outfit her
, with cached heavy guns and then work
havoc with shipping on the Pacific.
' REICHSTAG VOTES CREDIT
! FOR FIFTEEN BILLIONS
r k
J AMSTERDAM, Mar ^ a
. •'** 1 he Ger
. ,nan reichstag adopted thtf im.
3 credft ()f fifteen billions of
t - ,y
♦ AimmLmmmmmu-LJLLui- . - - ■ - .
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an equitable return cannot be
' computed for some roads on the three
- ’ year pre-war basis, because of abnor
n $
' lual operating conditions during that
period, be is authorized to fix such
compensation as he shall believe rea
1111 sonable.
j In case a road refuses to accept the*
amount of compensation as estimated
is ,
t/j uu: nuriMau; cuuunerce cominis
slbili W board of referees shall be an
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pointed to ascertain a fair return and
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if this method fail the roads have re
coin se to the federal court of claims
These provisions of the act safeguard
the constitutional rights of investors
to have their compensation deter
mined by due process of law.
11 One section of the act provides
I that the President may advance the
II rate of earnings for any road increas
c' ing its resources in order to better
e handle the war-time volume of traf
fic.
1 The companies are authorized to
continue the regular payment of divi
1 dends, but extra dividends shall not
;1 be voted without the approval o.' the
[1 government.
A revolving fund of $500,000,000
was provided. The President may
' order roads to extend their lines, erect
or expand terminals and make such
other improvements as wartime condi
‘ tions make imperative. If necessary,
money from the emergency fund may
; be appropriated to meet these ex
penses, with provision that the gov
ernment shall be reimbursed. The
President is authorized also to pur
chase for the government, at prices
not exceeding par, all maturing se
* curities which were issued by the
roads.
Estimates of maturities for 191S are
$182,606,528; 1919, $188,215,052; 1920.
$186,526,253; 1921, $440,905,528.
It is specifically stipulated in (he
law that the carriers shall remain, as
in their former status, subject to all
laws and liabilities arising under stat
utes or the common law.
Mow long to retain government con
trol after the war, and whether to vest
rate fixing powers in the President ru
in the Interstate commerce commis
sion were questions that tor a time
caused disagreements between the
house and senate. The proposal to
- establish indefinite government con
trol of the national railroad system
was voted down in both houses of
congress.