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