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GENERAL NEWS NOTES OF THE DAY Secretary Baker will .ipiiear In* fore the House military committee today to present the administration program for increasing the army to meet the German drive. The exact form of his recommendation is not known, but there are indications that lie will not confine himself to siieeific figures, asking for blanket authority to raise all the troops it is found isissible to clothe. e |uip and ship to France. It is known that the War De|iartment officials have been convinced that it will In- possible to handle at least 3.HHI.«MW men this year. Hundreds of people fought to get into the La Salle Theater at noon yesterday to listen to the story of eight soldiers who have returned from General Pershings army in France. So great was the demand to hear these American heroes, who are here in the interest of tit.- third Lilierty L»an. that it was found necessary to hold continuous meetings until the crowds all had lieeu satisfied. A dispatch from British headquarters in France says the Franco British batteries are constantly shelling Mont Kemm.i. Inless the enemv can push on lieyond this isolated stronghold the hill top may liecome virtually a death trap. The advantage of Kemmel to the enemy is a tactical one. He is now committed to an attempt to push on and capture the whole chain of hills. The value of alien property taken over by the government has reached a total of 80. MtO.0OO. That represents only a part of what officials expect Hie government finally to hold. The French submarine Prairial has lieeu sunk as Hie result of a collision with a merchant ship. Part of the crew of the submarine were saved. a
