davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24
Military Comment
BY William L. Mcpherson
CopyriS'" 1913. by The Tribunc Association


The New York Tribune,
INDENBURG is no longer in
his grave or in sanatorium.
He has returned to German
Grand Headquarters and is relieving
his mind in way which must be
highly disturbing to those who dis
placed him and to theiY mouthpieces
among the German military critics.
Absence has absolved him from re-
sponsibility for what has happened
since July Is last. So he told the
Third Regiment of Prussian Guards
at review the other day: "Our po-
sltlon is favorable, although, and we
may frankly admit it, we lately have
happened to have been set back"
This is an admission which doesn't
square with the German General
Stairs elaborate explanation that
Ludendorff has been retiring simply
in order to preserve or regain a
strategical freedom of movement.
I'VE must look to the future, how
ever,' says the blunt German replica
of the ancient Scandinavian and Teu-
tonic war gods. Looking to the fut-
ure is all right. But in the fix into
which Ludendorff has got himself on
the Western front he hasn't any time
to look to the future. The present
gives him more than he can COM
fortably attend to. Ludendorff is
rusty on the defensive. His conduct
OF the retreats out Of the Marine sa-
llent and out Of the Montdidier sail
ent shows that If he had been
looking clearly into the future his
hrst concern would have been to
make economical withdrawals in both
instances. He would have tried to
accumulate as large strategic re-
serve as possible for defence on some
really defensible line or for the re-
newal of his offensive when the
Allies stopped for breathing space
and recuperatior. Instead of that
he has lavished his reserves trying
to hold untenable midway positions,
in the hope of covering over the ex-
tent Of his defeat to the German
public
Foch will not let him think of any
thing now but Of extricating him
self from the consequences of his
vaclllation and dilatoriness. The
whole German line from Arras to
Rheims is under a painful and dan
gerous pressure. 1t is unstable and
wavering, and nothing keeps it from
breaking but the useless sacrifice of
German divisions and guns in an ef-
fort to close up the breaches which
the Allied armies are continually
making
Every day brings new Allied
thrust at some point of contact and
a German retirement. costly in ma
terial and prisoners. The British
made two such thrusts yesterday.
/ Both were successful, though on q
front on which the Germans have
been expecting to be attacked and
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24
GERMAN

BERLIN tNIGHD. Attacks bv the
English have been renewed north.
west OF bapnume. Near Albert and
tho Somme our counter attacks are
IN progress.
Ihe artillery engagement between
the Ailette and the Aisne has been
liVoly
BERLIN DAY.-Partial enemy
attacks northwest of Bailleul and on
both sidos of the Lys were repulsed
we captured prisoners in a counter
attack.
Yesterday the British continued in
full force the attack commenced on
Wednesday north of The Ancre, and
by crossing the Ancre extended their
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24

had invoked a benedction on "the En-
perors work. the Vatican organ,
osservatore Romano says:
"Inls statement is untrue. The
Pope thanked the Emperor for his
greetings and for the benedction
which the Emperor himself had in
voked 'on tho charitable work of His
Holiness.'"
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24

which they have been holding IN
ceptional strength. Both tbrn.s. ~
aimed at enveloping Bapaume 1s's ~
anchor point of the German LIN, sas
tween Arras and the Soa. ~
And both brilliantly supplements :
Wednesdays and Thursdays dirss. .s.
thrust at Bapaume, which CO.. 0'
the British to Achiet-le-GrsnrsI NJ
about three miles west-northwes. =.
their present objective. u
The first of yesterdays at,.,,-
was made from positions lust hs'a A'
Arras. The British advanced 's ss'.
and southeast about two m;los AS.
brought up some distance wss. N.
the line of the little Sensee p;.
from Ervillers northeast tbroa',
st. Leger to Croisilles. Erville,s o. ~
on the Arras- -Bapaume high,saS
about three and one-half mls,
northwest of Bapaume. Gomieconr.
also taken, is between Ervillers 49,,
Achiet-le-Grand. From Acb;st !.
Grand the British also drove d;r.,s
ly east to Bihucourt, about w.
miles north-northwest of Bapaum,
This city is now threatened from
the north and west. The Cerms,.
are fighting desperately to hold Il
But it evidently will soon be in W.
same straits as Chaulnes. Rove owl
Noyon.
The second drive was made h.
tween the Ancre and the Souu.
The British also advanced her.
couple of miles, pushing toward n.
Albert rt-Bapaume high-road. The.
are aiming at Courcelette, on tba
high-road, half way up from Alh.,.
Courcelette is about six miles south
west of Bapaume. The British aa
vance further up reached the r;dc.
west of Irles, which is about tuo
and one-half miles south-soutbwest
of Bapaume. An development Of tha
latter from the southwest is TINS
also making rapid headway.
The German lines above thu
Somme showed signs of weakeninc
yesterday. Many thousands of pris.
oners were taken. and counter at.
tacks were not in evidence, as thev
were on Wednesday and THURSDAY
Above Bapaume the distance from
the present German line to the old
Hindenburg line is now only four O,
+ five miles.
The French crossed the Djvetts
River at Evrincourt and worked in
closer to Noyon, both on the west
and on the east. The salient tow.
ard Coucy-le- Chateau and Anizy.le
Chateau, in the region of the Ailetts
River and north of Scissors. wa,
slightly widened to the east. Here
too, the old Hindenburg line is al
most in sight.
Foch's plan is to give the Ger.
mans no rest. They are everywhere
nervous and apprehensive. To re.
treat under such unrelenting press
ure as he is exerting is a ghasty
prospect. Yet it is impossible for
them to stay where they are. It's
this choice Of evils which gives Lu.
dendorff no chance "to look to the
future"
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24
FRENCH

PARIS (NIGHD. Between the
Matz and the Disc there have been
violent artillery actions.
We have crossed the Divette River
in the region Of Evricourt. Between
thc Ailette and the Aisne we have
made progress to the east Of Bagneux
and west of Crecy y-au Mont.
PARIS OAY.- During the night
there was violent bombardment be-
tween the region of Beuvraignes
(south of Royce and the Disc, notably
at Plemont, Passel and Chiry- Ours
camp.
We hold the southern banks of the
Disc and the Ailette from SempiRny
to the railroad at Coucy-le- Chateau.
East OF Selens French troops cur
rled their lines as far as. the out
skirts of Guny and Pont-St Mard
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24
Repulsed on the Vesle,
Germans Claim Victory

BERLIN, Aug. 23. The German Off
cial statement to-day says:
I'm local attacks we pressed back an
American line Of posts between Be
zoches and Fismes and repulsed enemy
cumnt4r atta1.kau"
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24
Foe s Reserue
Force Quickly
.'- Cut to Pieces
Continued from page I

small piece Of ground over which the
battle had swept
With all this fierce fighting and not
withstanding the fact that the British
at many places have fought over open
ground against an enemy protected in
"pot holes" and strong points of other
kinds, the British losses everywhere
seem to have been extraordinarily
light. This probably is due to the con-
fusion the Germans find reigning be-
hind their lines, as they are fighting
a losing battle, which for them hourly
grows more disastrous.
The enemy to-day had strengthened
his line at many places. but this, in
stead of stopping the British, simply
meant that the Germans suffered big
ger losses.
Line Appreciably Widened
During the night and this morning
the front upon which the battle was
being fought yesterday was widened
apprecahy both to the north and the
south, while the ground in the middle,
between Albert and Beaucourt-sur-
Ancre, which heretofore had been fair
ly quiet, suddenly was drawn into the
whirl.
From north to south the situation al
last reports seemed to be as follows:
New attacks from the River Cojeul and
south carried the British across the
Albcrt-Arras railroad embankmcnt.
The British apparently hold Boiry-
Becoucrelle aud Boyeles and have
passed beyond the Arras- Bapaumo
Road.
The troops just to the south, who for
two days had been fighting forward
and backward from the embankment.
stormed onward and reached Hamel-
lncourt, and ara pushing on toward
Ervllcrs, st. Leger and Croisilles.
Airplanes reported that British tanks
had crossed the road between Ervillers
and st. Legcr, while some infantry was
reported to be less than a thousand
yards west of Ervilers some hours
ago.
Germans Quit Sector
A. about that time an airplane re
ported thn. the Germans had disap-
pcared from their positions northwest
Of st. Logcr and between that town and
Hamelincourt, and that the fighting
British found time in the midst Of their
task to cheer heartily.
Apparently the hard pressed Germans,
rather thar suffer moro here, where
they have met with some of their heav-
lest losses, decided to get out. This
locality was one Of the places where
the Germans had doubled their
strength.
The fighting to the south Of this re-
glon begnn in the night, when strong
British forces assailed Gomiccourt lust
n few minutes before the Germans had
anticipated launching an attack at the
same place Gomiccourt was British
at daylight. AS it happened, the Brit
lsh upset nll the enemy plans. and
after killing many Germans and emit
uring 800 in the town of Gomiecourt
alone Field Marshal Haigs men con-
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24
Big Bertha s Echo May
Have Yankee Accent

PARIS, Aug. 23.-1n special type
"LHeure" prints prominently this
enigmatic note:
"WiU the echo to the great Be,'-
tho soon be heard? Will that echo
haze a Yankee accent9"
More powerful guns than any
Germany has so far produced were
being built near Philadelphia and
would be ready for shipment to
France in May, Samuel Vauclain,
vice president of the Baldwin
Locomotive Works, declared in
Philadelphia April a last. The
American gun would have great
er range and be more destructive
than the guns used in shelling
Paris, he said.
August 18 and 20 resulted in the capt
ure Of more than 10000 prisoners, and
on the I'd he forced the enemy be
yond the Ailette. The army Of Gen
cral Won Eben is in such prcdica-
ment, it is believed, that he is bound
to make a formidable counter attack
TO halt General Mangin or be obliged
to withdraw from the Aisne and Nesle
to the Chemin des DANES. If the
enemy does not counter attack along
the Ailette it probably will mean that
General Won Eben is in a sadder plight
than is thought here.
In the north the British Third Army
has pushed the Germans so dangerous
ly near Bapaume that the German
command has found it necessary to
counter attack in force The loss of
Rapaume, in the present circum-
stances, would amount to disaster,
according to opinion here.
The front from Lassigny TO the
Somme remains stationary. The eX-
pected fall of Roye has not yet oc-
but there is no hurry about
that, as Roye has lost its Importance
now that all the roads leading 10 it
are under the fire Of the French ar.
tillery and useless to the enemy.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24
Papal Benediction on
Kaiser S Work Denied

ROME, Aug. 23.-Referring to state
ments appearing in newspapers to the
effect that the Pope, answering tele
gram from the German Emperor, who
sent him greetings on his name dav.
New-York tribune., 1918-08-24
France Asks for
$2.5oo,ooo,0O0 Credit

PARIS, Aug. 2S. Louis N.Y.. S.
Minister of Finance. proposed ~.
tary credit of $500, 100000 at ess
net meeting to-day. This IS 10 ns,. ME-.
expenditures of the fourth quar-"
Of 1918.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20

Rapid strides are being made
toward solving the problem Of pro-
viding funds for the urgent needs
Of the public utilities. Indeed, the
situation, which was causing bankers
most worry, apparently has been
met in a manner which, while not
as satisfactory as might have been
hoped for, at least gives assurance
that there will be no dcfault---a con-
tingency that seemed possible only
a few days since. Holders Of the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit per cent
notes are to receive 80 per cent Of
their holdings in cash and Z per
cent three-year notes for the bal
ance, with the privilege Of extending
the full amount if they SO elect. 1t
is probable that most of them will
be satisfied with this plan, especially
as there seems to be no alternative.
Certainly the interest rate on the
new obligations is fair enough.
Meanwhile, bankers are working to
perfect arrangements under which
it will be possible to provide for all
maturities. the definite suggestion
that a 100000 corporation be
formed to handle such financing be-
ing under serious consideration. No
doubt decision will be reached on
this or some similar plan within a
few days, and the danger of whole
sale bankruptcy in the public utility
/ field will have passed. But in any
event the solution will not be com
plete Fundamentally the troubles
of public utility corporations are, in
most cases, the result Of inadequate
remuneration for the services ren-
dered by them. Municipalities and
regulatory authorities have too fre-
ouently been niggardly in the mat
ter of rate advances, even though 1t
is universally conceded that these
corporations are staggering under
heavy burdens resulting from in
creased costs of labor and materials.
Until rates are advanced sufficiently
to Offset the larger operating ex-
penses the public utility pro blem
viii not have been fully solved.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20
Managers Must Register
Exchange Takes Action to
Provide Revenues

The New York Stock Exchange gov
erning committee announced yesterday
that beginning with September next
managers of all branch Offices main
tanned by exchange firms must be
registered and must pay a fee of 500
annually. This step. it is understood,
was taken to provide additional rev.
enues for the exchange. The income
Of the exchange, it was pointed out
yesterday, has been considerably re-
duced by the decrease in new listings
of securities as o result of the war.
When there is an active market for
new security issues the Stock Exchange
receives substantial amount of money
annually from the listing charge, which
amounts to $50 per 81 100000 par value
Of new securities admitted to trading
on the board.
A number Of Stock Exchange houses
which maintain many branch Offices all
over the country will be called upon to
make liberal contribution to the
Stock Exchange treasury as a result Of
the new registration fee for managers.
One firm has seventy-four branches,
which means the payment of total
registration fees Of $7,400 year.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20

Relevant Comment
Searching Out Slackers

Stacker committees made up Of
anthracite miners bent on singing out
their fellows who take daily vacations
without legitimate excuse are at work
fer the Lehigh Valley Coal Company.
They were organized as She result of a
patriotic appeal officials have made to
employees to eliminate unnecessary ab-
sence from work during the present
grave labor shortage in the anthracite
fields. "The results are already better
than we had Dreamed said +. Z.
Loomis, president of the company.
Following the four minute man idea
We are having good speakers talk to
our men, pointing out exiEting condi-
tions and appealing to them from patri-
otc motive5 to cooperate with US TO
the fullest extent that maximum
coal output may be attained
"At every colliery we have erected
giant therm ometers which show the
tonnage produced by that colliery each
day as compared with its best record,
and alongside are the names of ab-
sentees, with an estimate Of what the
tonnage would have been if all had
been on the job. The effect has been
electrical. Practically every man has
been put on his mettle and there is a
general demand by the men to be put
on these 3slacker' committees"
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20
u. S. Can Finance
Is Years of War.
Statistician Saws
Credit Men Ask for Fullest
Possible Protection for
Nations Commerce
Especial Dtspotch to The Tribune

Especial Dispatch to The Tribune)
CHICAGO, June 19.--The National
Association of Credit Men to-day
adopted resolution in behalf of it's
$4,000 members, addressed to President
Wilson, In which unqualified support of
the government in the prosecution Of
the war was pledged, and in which it
was stated "the association would re-
spectfully urge upon the government
that the end of victory can be more
speedily accomplished If the fullest
possible protection is afforded to the
industries and commerce of the country
compatible with the governments ne
cessities"
Or. fdward James Cattell, city stat
istician Of Philadelphia, aroused great
enthusiasm in patriotic address in
which he declared that he could see
the victorious end of the war and that
America would take world leadership
at the enc of the war. He declared
that the United States could fight for
twenty-five years without impairing it's
credit, and in fact with greater re
sources at the end Of the period, due
to increase the production, than at the
beginning
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20
Bankers to Urge
Simpler Tax Law
Local Committee Wilt Appear
Before Congress Next
Week

Representatives of local trust com.
panies and banks will 60 to Washing
ton next week to appear before the
Ways and Means Committee of the
House of Representatives to urge upon
the national legislators the need of
simplifying the new revenue bill
through the elimination in the draft
ing of the many complexities that have
made the present law such puzzle.
AT meeting of the Association of
Trust Company Counsel yesterday a
petition was drawn up which will be
presented to the House committee sug-
sesting ways in which the new tax bill
can be slmFlitied and made easy of in
terpretaton The committee which
will 90 to Washington will consist Of
Norris F. Frey, of the Guaranty Trust
Company; W. S. Orr, of the First Ma
tional Bank, and Thomas Garrett, jr
The tax bill now on the statute is
SAID by tax experts to be one of the
most complicated pieces of revenue pro-
ducing legislation ever enacted. 1t so
puzzled the experts that numerous in
terpretation5 of various debated points
were necessary. The committee that is
to visit Washington next week is in
hopes OF impressing the authorities
there with the need of greater clarity
in the new bill now under discussion.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20
May Imports Mark
New High Record
Exports Also Show Large Gain
Over the April
Figures

WASHINGTON, June 10 Imports
in May were the largest in the ma
tion's history and the total foreign
commerce for the month, amounting
to s875,o0O,OOo, was second only to
June, 1917, when the total was $780,
100000.
Imports in May amounted to $685.
100000, an increase of $4,000 900 over
April, according to figures issued to-
day by the Bureau Of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce. Exports we're
valued at s552,0oo,ooo, which was s52,-
100000 more than April.
For the first eleven months of the
fiscal year the value of exports was
s5,445, 900, a decrease of s272 2,OoO,-
600 from the corresponding period
last year. Imports were s2,6Ss ,O00,-
600, an increase of $S33,00O,O 900.
Imports of gold for eleven months
have amounted to S93,00O,0OO and en-
ports $188,000,00O Silver shipments
continue to grow in volume, imports
amounting to s65 100000 in eleven
months and exports $131 100000.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20
Wallace in Washington
Will Confer With Reserve Of
ficials Oh Utility Financing

Following a meeting yesterday morn
ing Of the committee of bankers ap-
pointed by W. P. G. Harding, manag-
ing director Of the War Finance Cor
poration, to formulate plan for finane-
ing the needs OF public utility COM
panies, James N. Wallace, chairman OF
the committee, left for Washington.
He is expected while there to confer
with Mr.. Harding on the suggestion
that a $100,000,000 corporation be or
ganized to act as the medium through
which advances may be made.
1t developed yesterday that there is
some difference Of opinion among New
York bankers over whether the pro-
posed credit instrumentality should
take the form of a chartered company
or pool along the lines of the cot
ton pool which was formed two years
ago to finance the needs Of Southern
cotton interests. There is a senti-
ment fayoring the latter arrangement
by which individual banking instiu.
tions would pledge themselves as be-
ing responsible up to given amount
to be used in making advances to
public utility enterprises in immedi-
ate need of funds.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20
Farm Loans Lower

WASHINGTON, June 10. Govern
ment farm loans decreased in May,
amounting to s9,59o,O00 to 4,3oo farm
ers, as compared with past monthly
averages Of about s12,oo0,o00, a re-
port by the Federal Farm Loan Beard
shows. The Spokane Land Bank made
the highest record with S1,511 900 loans
closed. Other banks loans follow: st.
Louis, $1,2o9,650; Houston, s1,lSs.716;
Omaha. s1.o2o,soo; Columbia, sal6,-
9o5; New Orleans, $753,500; Wichita,
$500 100; Louisville, s560o0O; Balti-
more, s50S,600; Springfield, Mass,
s465, $50; Berkeley, s436,6Oo, and st.
Paul, s5697O0.
Business in May brought the total
loans placed under the Federal system
in the last thirteen months to S1O1 .37e,.
600, covering 4,765 separate loans. A
total of 1859 applications for s313,-
9470O0 loans has been made by
farmers.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20
Regular Declarations

Bankers Trust Company.-Quarterly divi-
dend Of 5 per cent. payable July ! to stock
holders Of record June 25.
Brunswick Bake -Collender-Quarterlyd divi-
payable July ! to stockholders of record
June 20.
Central Union Trust Company.-Dividend
of " per cent. payable June 80.
Commonwealth Edison Company.-.Quarter.
ly dividend Of 2 per cent, payable August l
to stockholders of record July 10.
Detroit Edison Conp.ny.77-ouarte.iy diyi-
dend of per cent payable July 10 to stock
holders of record July I.
Empire Trust Company.-ouarterly divi-
dend of 8 per cent. payable June 20 to stock
holders of record June %.
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.-Semi-an-
nual dividend of 31s per cent on common
stock. payable July 10 to stockholders of rec
ord June %.
dend of per cent. payable June % to stock
holders of record June q.
Minehill q SchuylkiE Railroad.-Semi-an- an
nual dividend of per cent, payable July Is
to stockholders of record June 81.
Securities Company.-Semi-annua dividend
of ga per cent, payable July Is to stock.
holders OF record June 90.
Metropolitan Trust Company.-Quarte rterly
dividend of per cent. payable June 80 tc
stockholders of record June 81.
The Welsbach Company. Sesni-ann ral
dividend of 3ia per cent on preferred and
the usual annual dividend Of per cent or
the common, both payable June 80 to stock.
holders of record juno %.
RsadinE Company.-Quarteriy dividend Of
: per cent on the common stock PAYABLE
August to stockholders of record July IS
also the regular quarterly dividend of / pc,
cent on the first preferred. payable Septem
ber IL TO stockholders OF record August 81.
Simpson Creek Coal Conpsny.---Quarterly
dividend OF IA per cent on preferred stock
20. ~''
Ns~ York Trust Quarterly divi
dsna OF per cent. payable June 29 to stock
holders OF record June %.
Cities Service Company.--Monthiy casl
dividends of of / per cent on the pre-
1erred stock and y of per cent in cash ane
stock.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-20
Shipping Concerns Position

George A. Castor, president of Gas
ton. Williams G. Wigmore, Inc, stated
at the annual meeting of stockholders
Yesterday that Notwithstanding that
during the last three or four months
government restrictions. en1bargoes
and the restricted amount of shipping
space have greatly curtaileG the COM
pany's business, the earnings for May,
just compiled. are in excess of dividend
requirements Mr.. CASTOR emphasized,
however, that because of these limita-
tons the company is now able to accept
only a port.on of the business being
offered The shares of the company
displayed pronounced weakness on the
Stock Exchange during the day, declin-
ing to 26A at one time. Subsequently
there was a recovery at the close to
%. where the stock showed net loss
of point. The present price compares
with hign of 80, made in February
this year. Last year CASTOR, Williams
e. Wigmore stock sold up to 41h.