THE MICHIGAN DAILY
WEDNESDAY,
I-
ERDUN BATTLE FIELD
SCENE OF DESOLATION
OWNS RUINED AND DESERTED;
NOT SINGLE INHABITANT
LEFT IN MANY
With the American forces in France,
v. 19.-(Correspondence of the Asso-
ated Press)-The country over which
e Americans fought their way
orthwest from Verduni presents a
cture of ruin, destruction and des-
ation. The villages are uninhabited
id homes seem but sepulchres.
Torn by mines causing huge crat-
s, gashed by bombardments which
ade hundreds of thousands of shell-
oles and strewn with broken or
bandoned guns, wagons, heaps of
Mmunition, helmets and all the oth-
' debris of four years of desperate
ghting, the whole betrays the awful
Tects of war.
Everywhere, in every direction and
otecting each slightest angle and
>ok, across the roads until torn away
r shells or human hands, are count-
is strands of barbed wire, most of
rusted by the rains, crazily topsy-
.rvy on its supporting stakes that
wve fallen to right and left. "If it
kes four years to win the war," said
me casual visitor to the front, "it
Ill take six years to roll up the barb-
I wire that has been used in win-
ng it."
Many Cities Ruined
Take, for instance, the trip from
fined, desolate Avocourt northward
Malancourt and Montfaucon, the
ene of some of the bitterest fighting
the entire war. Avocourt was in
.ins before ever the American offen-
ve started.
For a solid mile northward the
ad winds across foothills that once-
ere covered with green trees but
iw are shorn and bare. Gigantic
ines have turned the road in twain
.d gouged out holes 50 and more
>t deep, a 100 and more feet across,
get around or across which engi-
ers have had to exercise their in-
nuity and the surrounding country,
ripped of its wood, has furnished
e rock. Fortunately there is plenty
that.
Everywhere is the debris of the
ttlefield, guns, helmets, articles of
tthing, piles and heaps of ammuni-
in, broken-down and splintered
igons, caissons and trucka
Buildings Lose Semblance.
The comparison ' between Malan-
urt and Avocourt is striking-be-
use the former has suffered so much
re. Buildings no longer have even
semblance of their former state.
here in Avocourt walls at least still
md here and there, in Malancourt
erything has been razed as though
th dynamite, and the crumbling
minants are seized upon to rebuild
e shattered roads and make them
ssable for the insatiable armies
ead that must have more and ever
>re ammunition, and food and sup-
FORMER LAW COLLEGE MAN
DIES WITH DIVISION IN FRANCE
Private Lucius C. Boltwood, '18L,
of Grand Rapids, who sailed for'
France with the 81st regiment last
July, is reported to have died from;
pneumonia which developed from in-
fluenza. Because of a slight defect of
eyesight, Private Boltwood was re-
jected 11 times when he made appli-
cation to enter the military service.
He tried almost every branch of the
service but was rejected by them all.,
In the draft of last June he was ac-
cepted and sent to Camp Custer,
from whence he sailed with the Wild-
cat division for overseas.
Private Boltwood received the A. B.
degree at Yale and then entered the
law department here. He was one'
of the seven in the University last
year to receive the juris doctor de-
gree.
PRES. C. R. VAN HISE, OF
WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY, DIES
Madison, Wis., Nov. 19.-Dr. Charles
R. Van Hise, president of the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin, died today of com-
plications following a slight opera-
tion upon his nose in a Milwaukee
hospital. He had been president of
the university since 1904.
Dr. Van Hise was granted several
honorary degrees by other universi-
ties. Most of the eminent educator's
work has been in lines of minerology,
geology, and natural history. He was
chairman of the committee appointed
by the National academy of science
sent to Panama to investigate the
slides that occurred there during the
construction work of the canal. He
also served on several state commis-
sions and was a member of many not-
ed American and foreign societies.
Patronize 'our advertisers.-Adv.
FOR LIBERTY
The following casualties are re-
ported today by the commanding gen-
eral of the American Expeditionary
{Forces: Killed in action, 146; died
of wounds, 118; died of disease, 45;
wounded severely, 131; wounded, de-
gree undetermined, 53; wounded
slightly, 223; missing in action, 42;
prisoners, 14. Total, 772.
28 GIRLS MAKE PLACES
IN GLEE CLUB TRYOUTS
Tryouts for the Girls' Glee club have
been completed and the following
women have made places: First so-
pranos: Hilda De Barr, Esther Hol-
lands, Helen Butler, Marjorie West,
Eiledeane Browne, Elizabeth Paine,
Dorothea Bristol, Dora Ostenberg, Ed-
na Apel, Hilda Haggerty, Marjorie
Springer, and Bessie Wells; record
sopranos: Marjorie Van Norman, May
Blakesley, Gladys Vinter, Luidena Wil-
liams, Ella D. Brown, Winona Beck-
ley, Mildred Kirkpatrick, and Flor-
ence Crozier; second altos: Helen
Davis and Roberta Dean; first altos:
Carrie Fairchild, Dorothy Thomas,
Frances Glenn, Mary Lohrstarger, Ora
Von Ewegen, and Alice Blair.
U-NOTICES'
The Masques will hold try-
outs at 4 o'clock this afternoon
in Sarah Caswell Angell hall.
The Comedy club will hold a
meeting at 4:30 o'clock Thurs-
day afternoon in Cercle Franc-
ais rooms.
Open house at the First Bapt-
ist church at 8 o'clock Friday
evening.
College Exchanges
Nebraska is among the universities
having difficulty in raising its United
war work fund quota. On., the first
day of the campaign subscriptions
came in with great rapidity and the
authorities were most optimistic. Aft-
er the first enthusiasm about peace
had died out there was a general
dropping off in the contributions.
Indiana has started a 10 dollar
brigade in connection with its United
War Work campaign. The only qual-
ifications necessary for election to
the society is payment of a 10 dollar
bill or its equivalent to the chairman
of the committee.
Grinnell college oversubscribed its
United War Work drive by $3,718 on
the third day of the drive. The wo-
men pledged nearly half of the
amount. Most of the amount was rais-
ed in an hour.
The University of Kansas is one of
the many schools throughout the
country where the S. A. T. C. is being
reorganized because the academic
work of the men has not been satis-
factory.
Three freshmen ware among the six
new members elected to the Grinnell
college glee club at their final try-
out.
OTHER UNIVERSITIES LAG IN
UNITED WAR WORK CAMPAIGNS
Michigan is not the only university
which lags behind in its United War
Work quota although the amount
pledged here is smaller than in any
other, per capita. The University of
Chicago and the University of Illi-
nois are still far behind, although
most of the smaller colleges in that
state have oversubscribed. The quota
of the University of Chicago is $25,-
000. By last Friday, $14,561.99 had
been pledged. The University of Illi-
nois has pledged $25,000 on its as-
signment of $60,000. The University
of .Wisconsin has passed $30,000 and
the University of Indiana has pledg-
ed $5,700.
Personal Christmas cards-order
them now at Wahr's University Book-
store.-Adv.
RAILROAD THEFTS DECREASE
SINCE GOVERNMENT CONTROL
Detroit. Nov. 19-Since the 7United
States has taken over the control of
the railroads, there has been noted a
great decrease, it is stated by local
authorities, in the rifling of freight
cars in the railroad yards. There di-
ways has existed, it is declared,
a fear among petty criminals of
"bumping up against Uncle Sam," for
they felt that federal officers were
sure to "get them" if they transgress-
ed federal statutes.
With the railroads under federal
control, crimes against the common
carriers will be prosecuted in the
federal courts. Yearly, thefts from
railroads have amounted to approxi-
mately $30,0Q0,000. It is further de-
clared here that the federal author-
Ities are determined to stop the thefts.
Fifteen special district attorneys
for the government have been gath-
ering data for the prosecution of such
cases. One of the special officers has
been working for over a month in De-
troit and when the fall grand jury
convenes, it will take up more cases
of railway thefts than ever before
because of these matters passing out
of the hands of the civil courts. Cas-
es imvolving 53 persons are to be in-
vestigated.
Apprentices Here from Great Lakes
Two hospital apprentices have been
training station to serve under Lieut.
traing station to serve under Lieut.
Allen L. Porter, who is in complete
charge of all the medical and sanitary
work for the naval unit here.
- C
-i
If you want to be sure that you
= are absolutely clean you want
Germicidal Soap
SPleasant to use-no disagreeable
-
-
324 So. State St.
1ow23 So. Uiversity Ave.
7G 11 Packard St.
-i -
Neither Malancourt, nor Montfau-
can, nor any one of a score of towns
within the sector wliere the Ameri-
cans operated has a single living in-
habitant left. In every direction is
a waste of craters and up-torn earth.
It is the quintessence of desolation
and nothingness.
Y. M. C. A. Receives Rugby Footballs
Among the pieces of equipment of
the Y. M C. A. for the use of S. A. T.
C. and naval unit men are six rugby
footballs recently received. These can______
be secured for use at any time by
applying at the desk in Lane hall. The
athletic goods possessed by the "Y"
are in constant demand and every ad-
dition furnishes amusement for many
men during the leisure hours which
they have.
I
THE
FRENCH
ARMY
BAND
GABRIEL PARES, Conductor
61 Veteran "BLUE DEVILS" who have been wounded in the
trenches of France and decorated for Bravery.
ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT FRENCH SOLDIERS
Hill Auditorium-Sat. Nov. 23.,8 P.M.
TICKETS 25-35-o50c AT SCHOOL OF MUSIC