by Richard van Pelt, WWI Correspondent

Today’s headlines from the Capital Journal:

EXPERTS ARE POOR PROPHETS
Predicted Victory for the Allies by Monday, But It Is Still Far Off
FIGHTING DESPERATE AS EVER IS REPORT
Berlin and Paris Each Claim Important Gains and Both Are Incorrect

PNEUMONIC PLAGUE “THE BLACK DEATH” FEARED BY DOCTORS
Physicians Say Tremendous Epidemic of Plague Is Liable to Break Out

ALLIES STEADILY CLIMBING LADDER AND INTO BELGIUM
Each Has Made Gains at Some Point and Also Losses But Allies Gain Most
MAY DECIDE FATE OF CAMPAIGN AT ARRAS
This is Sixty Miles Nearer Belgium Than Were the Battle Was Begun

THE LINES OF ALLIES EXTENDED
Powerfully Reinforced Allies Continue Effort to Surround Right Wing
RESISTANCE STUBBORN BUT GERMANS RETIRE
Germans Drain Other Points to Concentrate Troops at This One

In 1914, babies were exhibited at the state fair and judged, just as were chickens, hogs, sheep, and cattle:

JACK GRANT, DALLAS, IS CHAMPION BABY
Dorris Lee Gordon of Portland Prize Girl Baby, Contest Is Very Close

Jack Grant, son of Mr. and Mrs. D.J. Grant of Dallas, was Saturday awarded the grand championship of the state and a gold medal for being the finest baby entered in the eugenics contest at the state fair.

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Dr. Mary Madigan, superintendent of the eugenics department, said Saturday night that she was greatly pleased with the success of the show. She declared that interest had been aroused to such an extent that there would be no necessity of offering large prizes.

The lead editorial in the Capital Journal warns Britain to be careful:

GREAT BRITAIN SHOULD BE CAREFUL

Queen Wilhelmina and Holland generally is in sympathy with England in the present war, but this sympathy is rapidly being killed by the British actions in interfering with her shipping. One case is especially galling, that of the ship Noordam, which was stopped by a British cruiser and taken to Queenstown for investigation, and the Dutch captain was ordered from the bridge of his ship by the bull-headed English captain. The British admiralty admits his was in violation of ethics as well as right, and a woeful lack of tact. It is also claimed by Holland that officers of British ships stopping neutral vessels do not hesitate to interfere with international mails.

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The United States will do everything possible to maintain strict neutrality, but will not stand for England or any other nation rifling her mails on neutral ships and helping herself to what she likes best.

England has made several breaks apparently to feel the American pulse and see how far she can go. It is an experiment that had better be left untried unless she feels that Germany is not making it lively enough for her. The first American ship searched as the Holland ships have been, she will get in trouble sure. She should remember a little event of this kind happening some 102 years ago, and profit by it. It is proverbial that it takes an Englishman a long while to get a joke through his hair, and he should commence trying to decipher this one at once.