THE WORLD WAR
BEHINDJE FRONT
Germany is Waging Deadly, Secret
Campaign on Non-Combatants
and Neutral Nations
Germany continues to carry on the
war, not because she believes she can
obtain a military decision at the front,
but because she hops to win a victory
against the morale of the civil popu
lation behind the front. Her chance
of a military decision slipped out of
her hands long ago. In 1914 when
she set a rear guard of Reservists at
her back door on the Russian front,
and hurled the flower of her army
against France, Germany believed she
had a firm grip upon that world vic
tory which was to be the fruition of
40 years of preparation; but Jolfre
pried the Prussia^ fingers loose at
the Marne, and at. Verdun and the
Somme the French and British tore
the coveted victory entirely from her
grasp. From those days to these the
German General Staff have known
that their dream of a military victory
has passed into the realm of things
that might have been.
The impossibility of a German vic
tory—German threats of a great
spring offensive notwithstanding—
becomes clear if we look at a few
simple facts. Thus, when the Allies
hurled the German army back at the
Marne, France had 1,500,000 men in
the fighting line and England a scant
100,000. Such forces as they had
were outnumbered in the ratio of five
to three; and they were outranged in
artillery and outnumbered and out
watched in all the things that go to
make up military equipment.
Since the Marne, the French army
at the front has grown from 1.500,
000 to 3,000,000 and the British army
from 100,000 to 2,500,000. In 1914,
the United States was a spectator of
the conflict; but by . the time the
great German offensive (should it ev
er come off), is in full swing we shall
have several hundred thousand men
at the front. In 1914, Germany had
a potential army of 9,500,000 men—
today, one-half of that number has
been killed, captured permanently
crippled or died from natural causes,
with the result that, on the western
front, the numerical superiority has
passed from Germany to the Allies,
who can oppose ov‘er 6,000,000 men
to a maximum of 4,500,000 German
troops..In the mutter of artillery there
is an equal preponderance on the Al
lied side. Last, and .by no means least
important is the facjt that what is left
of the German army contains a far
larger proportion than the Allied ar
mies ot men who, by reason of age
and immature youth, are ill suited to
stand the terrific strain of modern
warfare. Nor should we in this com
parison forget that while in the Ger
man army there has been a notice
able decline in morale, due to the
pinch of want and the sickness of
heart which comes from endless prom
ises that are unfilled, the morale of
the Allied armies, who are well fed,
steadily increasing in strength, and
cheered by some eighteen months of
all but unbroken victories from the
Swiss border to the north sea, is uni
formly good.
But if Germany despairs of a great
military decision in the field, why
does she continue to fight? She must
be well aware that the prolongation
of the brutal war which she is waging
deepens the resentment against her,
and will make more hard the terms
to which she must subscribe whdi she
is forced to admit that she has lost
the war
The answer to this question is to
be found in the notable sucesses which
Germany has won in that field of con
flict back of the front where she is
a far more skilled antagonist than
she has ever been in the sphere of
military operations. We refer, of
course, to that world-wide war—sec
ret, subtle, deadly and enormously
effective, which she is ceaslessly wag
ing among the civilian population
back of the military fighting lines of
the Allies. Here she has won victories
more complete, of greater significance,
and with infinitely more disastrous
consequence to her enemies than any
which she has won in the field. Wit
nes the complete collapse of Russia
and the partial collapse, in the fall
of last year, of the hitherto indomit
able Italian armies.
(Continued on Pace Three)
ROCK ISLAND SALOONS
ARE FORCED TO CLOSE
ROCK ISLAND,-111.:Fifty-three sa
loons and 27 wholesale liquor houses
closed their doors today in obedience
to a federal order prohibiting the sale
of liquor within half & mile of the
Rock Island arsenal. Officials an
nounced that all disorderly houses,
within five miles of the arsenal, will
be suppressed.
HEAVY ARTILLERY DUELS
PARIS, March 20.—Heavy artil
lery fighting has been going on all day
in the region of Verdun.
GERMANY 1ULD
STAGE COMBAT
Invites Correspondents of Papers of
Neutral Countries to Witness Big
Assault on Allies •
LONDON, March 20.—the heads of
the German army have invited a num
ber of neutral correspondents to be
present at the huge German offensive
on the western front, a correspondent
at Copenhagen reports. A number of
correspondents will leave for the
front today.
The idea of making a spectacular
exhibition out of the big assault ex
pected to be delivered along the west
ern front soon, is not understood by
military experts of the allied powers,
but it is confidently stated that any
assault made on the allied forces will
be met and checked by the combined
troops of Belgium, France, England
and the United States.
Preparations have been perfected
to meet any assault delivered and it
is believed that th^flower of the Ger
man army is due for a rude awaken
ing when the offensive is started.
.NEW ATTR ACTIONS COMING
TO THE EMPRESS
Manager Oweu Meals announces
two new attractions coming to the
Empress that are sure to please his
patrons. One is George M. Cohan, the
famous American comedian in
“Broadway Jones," and the other is
Fatty Arbuckle in “The Butcher
Boy.” These special features will be
run next week. Tomorrow night “The
Immigrant” will be shown, with a
good travelogue picture.
George Keinke is manipulating the
ivories at the Empres theatre.
MING NEAR
LAKE BAIKAL
I
Bolsheviki Forces Putting up Desper
ate Battle for Control of Trans
Siberian Railway
COPENHAGEN, March 20.—Fight
ing for control of the trans-Siberian
railway at a point where it skirts the
southern shore of Lake Baikal in mid
Siberia is progressing. According to
information received here the anti
Bolshevikl forces are badly outnum
bered. It is estimated that there are
150,000 German and Austrian prison
ers of war to the east and west of the
lake.
ADMIRAL WATSON IN PORT
The steamship Admiral Watson ar
rived in port from the south about
1:30, with Capt. Jensen, the well
known mariner in command.
She brought a large quantity of
freight and the following passengers:
Mrs. Paul Beran, Supt. John Emel,
Michael Dee, R. P. Seator, Donald
McLean, E. Palsos, George Cortez, D.
A. McLean, Wm. McCoy, Geo. Mon
trose, L. Baglivan, Nick Kustchler,
Angelos Navos. Lieutenant Jesse R.
Long and twenty soldiers sailed west
for Seward. '
— , — . —.. i —
Captain Jensen, former master of
the Admiral Watson and the Admiral
Farragut, and known to every man,
woman, native and dog In the terri
tory Is In command of the Admiral
Watson again.
Occupation of Russian Capital Is On
ly Matter of a Few Hours Now
—Defense Collapses
LONDON, March 20.—The occupa
tion of Petrograd by German forces
is only amatter of a few hours now,
according to dispatches received from
Petrograd by several newspapers. The
forces In the Russian .clpital have
collapsed, not the slightest sign of re
sistance being made to the advanc
ing hordes. The Germans are taking
large quantities of supplies at every
town, and the Bolsheviki are retiring
without making any effort to keep
these supplies from the enemy’s
hands.
It is now believed by many offic
ials that Premier Lenine is working
to betray the Russian nation into Ger
many’s hands, as he recently advo
cated signing the peace pact, and has
split with Minister of the Interior
Trotzky, who resigned.
ALL CLOCKS BE
SETHMARD
President Wilson Signs Daylight Dill
Passed by Congress Yesterday
— Turned Dark in October
WASHINGTON, D. C„ Mar. 20.—
President Wilson this afternoon sign
ed the daylight saving bill, all clocks
In the country being set forward an
hour, at two o’clock in the morning.
March 31. At the end of October they
will be turned back to the present
standard of time.
SEATTLE Dl'ILT VESSEL
SI NK BY SIBMAKINI.
SEATTLE, March 20.—The stee
freighter Statt Nielson was torpedoed
in the war stone according to a tele
gram received by her Norwegian own
ers today. She was launched in May \
and was the lirst .Seattle built vessel J
to be sunk.
gi:u.ma.\s hag ti^is ships
HIKING PAST YKAIi
LONDON. March 20.—The Daily
Mail today publishes a Paris dispatch
which says the Germans sunk 292S
ships last year with their submarines.
Officers on the steamship Admiral
Watson report a heavy gale blowing
outside the Narrows.
SWEDEN ASKED
TOJOINjnNS
Official Dispatch Charges Germany
with having Attempted to Force
Hweden Into Conference
WASHINGTON, D. C., Mar. 20.—
Germany is charged in an official dis
patch reaching here today with hav
ing attempted to force Sweden to be
come a participant in the Brest-Lito
vsk conferences for a settlement of
the questions affecting the Baltic.
German Shell Bursts Within Forty
Yawls of Necreary's Automobile
But No One Injured
AMERICAN ARMY, March 20.
Secretary Baker was in the front line
trenches under shell fire early today
scanning No Man's land from a listen
ing post. "Now I am at the frontier
of freedom." he exclaimed when go
ing into the trenches. _
While returning from the trenches
a 105 calibre German shell burst with
in 40 yards of the secretary’s auto
mobile, but no one was injured.
MUSTARD GAS USED
OK U. S. TROOPS
/ _
i
American Troops Infuriated al wltat
They Term Dirty Tactics of
Enemy Warfare
—
AMERICAN ARMY, March 20.
German airplanes Monday night and
Tuesday flew over the American sec
tor northwest of Toul and dropped
rubber balls IS inches in diumete;
filled with liquid mustard gas. This
is the first time planes have been thus
employed, and while the effects of the
gases are not serious, the American 1
troops are infuriated over what they
term dirty warfare.
He that wasteth today will he hun
gry tomorrow.
!
I
Don’t waste soap which is made!
of fats. |
AERIAL BATTLE IN PR06RESS
t'noiogntpna ui toe actuui uiaueuvunug ot ton uatuepiauea tu tn« realms
•bore bare been extremely few and have not shown in any sense the graphic
tenseness of an actual air fight that Is shown In this photograph. The nmch
plane at the top la maneuvering for position preparatory to swooping down
on Its German adversary. After a short bat thrilling machlne-gan duel the
Frenchman succeeded In downing the Teuton. The photograph was Bade
by aa observer In another french battleplane. _
HOLLAND MAKES CERTAIN
RESERVATIONS IN SHIPPING
THE HAGUE, March 20.—Holland
has accepted the allied demands re
garding the seizure of Dutch vessels
with certain reservations. The United
States and England had threatened
to seize the ships unless they were
turned over to the allies.
ALASKANS BUY GASOLINE
SEATTLE, March 20.—W. T. Hale
and P. C. McDavell purchased 74
tons of gasoline here today to be used
in the gasboat Dart, operating mall
and passengers from Wrangell points
to the west coast of Prince of Wales
Island.
GERMANY MASSES
URGE FORCE
j Dispatch States that Troops are Mass
j ed from Nortli Sea to Frontier
of Switzerland
WASHINGTON. D. C„ Mar. 20.—
A dispatch from the British general
staff states that German troops are
so massed on the battle front from
the North Sea to the Swiss frontier
that additional units cannot he util
ized. New organization from the east
front are held in reserve behind the
front and at railway junctions.
The entire front line trenches are
hold by picked troops.
TO IMPEACH 4.1'DCiK
HELENA, Mont.: The Montana
house unanimously adopted a resolu
tion today providing for impeachment
proceedings against Judge Charles L.
Crum of Forsyth for his alleged pro
Germanism. The Crum matter was
brought before the house by Repres
entative Carroll of Yellowstone, who
moved that taking of further testi
mony be suspended and that a vote
on impeachment be taken. The mo
tion was adopted by a unanimous roll
call vote.
VOLUNTEERS GET
BIGSEND-OFF
Sivi.v-one Volunteers leave Anchoragei
Today for States—City (Jives
Big Demonstration
__ {
(Special to the Prospector)
ANCHORAGE. March 20.—Sixty
one volunteers, who enlisted with the
exemption board here left this morn
ing for Fort McDowell, California.
These recruits will bring Anchorage’s
quota in military service up to one
hundred and three.
A mammoth parade with over two
thousand persons in line, consisting
of regular soldiers stationed here,
home guards, Alaska Pioneers, mem
bers of fraternal organizations and
school children escorted the volun
teers from the office of the exempt
tion board to the railway station,
where the recruits entrained for Sew
ard.
No business houses in Anchorage
were opened until after the departure
of the train bearing the volunteers.
It was one of the most inspiring
parades ever held in the city, and the
recruits were continuously cheered
from the time the parade started un
til the train left the station.
POTATOES MAY BE
USED AS SUBSTITUTE
“Potatoes as such until further no
tice may be sold as wheat flour sub
stitute, providing they constitute one
half of the amount of required sub
stitutes, and.at the ratio of four
pounds of potatoes to one pound of
substitutes.
“GUNNISON.”
RUSSIANS BELIEVE U. S.
WILL OPPOSE JAPAN
PETROGRAD, March 20.—Foreign
Minister Tchicherln declared today
that the Soviet commlssarie hare con
sidered it a probability that the Uni
ted States will oppose the occupation
of Siberia-by Japan.
1
—
Allies Send Two Hundred and Fifty
Planes Into German Territory
With laws of Ten
LONDON, March 20.—British air
planes dropped ten tons of bombs oa
the city of Mannheim, Monday, doing
great damage to munition works and
railways. A large number of conflag
rations followed the explosion of the
bombs, and aviators report that sev
eral important buildings were in
flames when they left the city
It was officially announced today
that the allies had made 245 flights
into Germany lately and that only
ten machines had been lost. The par
liamentary secretary announces that
all flights have been eminently suc
cessful. doing great damage to the
enemy works.
An increasing number of planes is
! being added to the allied armies and
the enemy is constantly harassed at
all points by the allied fliers.
Mannheim is a large trading city
in Baden, South Germany. Its indus
trial establishments include iron
foundaries, machine shops, sawmills,
| woollen and glass works. A large pal
ace, built in 1720, formerly the resi
dence of the Elector Palatine, face*
the Rhine river to the southwest of
the town.
—
Strafing the Airmen
PARIS. March 20. The aerial war
fare on the western front has been
record breaking the past month. 167
dliemy ariplanes having been downed
so far, in daylight flying, including
22 on St. Patrick’s day.
FABIAN MILLER WILL
JOIN COLONEL MKARS
Telegraphic advices received from
Fahian Miller, by his brother John
Miller, states that he and sixty oth
ers have received notice that they
have been accepted in the company
of engineers being raised by Colonel
Mears, and that they will be induct
ed into the service at Seward. They
will leave Seward on the Admiral
Watson for the east, where they will
go into training before proceeding to
France.
POSTAL EMMS
GETINCREASE
Senate Committee Keconimends Fif.
teen Per Cent in all liranclies of
the Postal Department
WASHINGTON, D. C„ March 20.—
The senate postiffice committee re
commended a fifteen per cent Increase
in pay to all employes of the postal
service today. While the price of ne
cessities has advanced over 80 per
cent within the past four years postal
employes have been drawing the
same scale of wages as adopted ten
years ago, and It has been hard for
them to live upon the salaries paid.
It is believed the recommendation
will be unanimously carried In both,
houses.
ALLIED LOSSES
BUT 8PER CENT
Prom Beginning of War Until Decern
ber 31 But Small Proportion
of 3,000,000 Tons
LONDON, March 20.—The total
allied and neutral shipping losses
from the beginning of the war up tq
December thirty-first were but eight
per cent of the total tonnage which
was thirty-three millions, first lord
of the admiralty Geddes stated today
In the Houee of Commons.
•