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> \ . -A * Abbeville Press and Banner! ? . . Established 1844. $1.50 the Year. Abbeville, S. C? Friday, October 25, 1918 Single Copies, Five Cents. 75th Year. IN THE MIDST OF ' STIFFEST FIGHTING' Americans Engaged in Hardest Test of Pres- i; ent Offensive. s a GRAND-PRE REGION jc SCENE OF CONFLICT ~ t Huns Resisting for Their Lives With| Their Backs to the Great Series ! of Woods Behind Them, Which ? Are Bristling With Machine Guns. 6 With the American Army North- ' west of Verdun, Oct. 23, 5 P. M.? j? The stiffest fighting of the American; . offensive west of the Meuse was un-j^ der way today. The line is swaying back and forth. i v In the region of Grand-Pre, on the western end of the front, the ^ Americans threw back repeated vio- j. lent German counter-attacks. * \ g On the northern edge of the Gran-' Pre the Americans captured 52 pris- ^ -.ers, including three officers. They a also took eight enemy machine guns, p W lin tneir u&CKS to a great series ^ of woods, the Bois de Bas. and the r Bois de Bourgogne included, the j. Germans are fighting for their lives. r Prisoners assert that the woods are literally full of machine guns and ; guns of heavier calibre, and these s prisoners have expressed the opinion ^ that the Americans can never cap- c ture Bourgogne and the woods to the northwest. ! p The American troops fought all f Wednesday in the face of machine n gun fire from Talma farm to Hill 0 220 northwest of Grand-Pre. Upon v the slopes to the north of Grand- J <] Pre the German machine gun nests extended from Hill 204 to Belle-|c jouse farm. j a North of Campiegneulle several j v light attacks by the Germans were i p repulsed. In one instance some, Germans were wounded and two a were captured. These men came c forward calling "kamerad." Then ;; opened fire with rifles which had e been strapped on their backs. Light j forces of infantry attacked immedi-j fc ately afterwards, when the Ameri- j c cans refused to rush forward in re-! v sponse to the "kamerad" trick. U Along the same part of the frontj f the Germans are using light rolling o machine guns, moving from place't to place, particularly at night, with' n the object of concealing the posi- c tions of their heavier guns. The r<?_i.:n o ! vrcjLuiau ncavy aiuueiy diieueu OUHJ-IC merance and other towns in that 11 region and as far as the Meuse; n drenched the woods within the Am-1 ii erican lines with gas at intervals. J a An early morning mist and smoke | s screen assisted the Americans, who j s advanced for a distance of about; f two-thirds of a mile at certain points: and gained positions of advantage a including ridges on either side of a Grand-Pre. During the day the Am- v ericans took 200 prisoners, and oth-jt ers are now coming in. t The Germans are using for the n most part machine guns and light artillery with plenty of gas. The; enemy machine gun nests were ponded all day by the American ar- j( tillery and by bombing machines, !* but the Geimans apparently had dug P in against shells. ; e SERVICE FLAGS. C The Abbeville Chapter U. D. C. c has ordered two service flags to r hang in the Court House, in honor ' of the brave soldiers of Abbeville P county, and Mrs. P. A. Cheatham, President of the Chapter, asks that ]' each one who wishes a star put on a the flag for some loved soldier, will c - ?nd his name and 5 cents to Mr. s T. S. Cochran, or to her. It is asked ii that this be done as soon as possible, v as the chapter is desirous of un- e furling these flags, one for the b white soldiers, and one for the color! ed, as soon as possible. j ? * <?}J. _ Luxemburg May Join Allies After War URNISHES IRON FOR MUNITIONS, WILL CUT LOOSE FROM GERMAN DOMINATION. Washington, Oct. 23.?Luxemurg, from which Germany is drawng iron for munitions, will cut itelf free from German domination nd join the allies after the war, acording to diplomats here today. Alied military succosies may maVe his possible earlier^ Information leading to this conlusion has been received in official quarters here. it. is stated. After the war Luxemburg will be ither: 1. An independent state under iro^ection of the league of nations, T' :J 2. A province of Belgium adoining Belgian Luxemburg. Nominally an independent grand luchy, Luxemburg has been held assal by Germany for years because if her extensive iron mines which lave fed the Krupp munition ftc ories and made possible Germany's uper-preparedness irogram. Misled by a pro-German court, he people of Luxemburg have no\\ ippealed to President Wilson foi irotection and have demanded thai he German armies evacuate her teritory which was overrun at the outbreak of the war in violation of s (eutrality treaty. Popular resentment was long hel<J n check by the grand duchess, whc anctioned the marriage of her sis er to Prince Rupprecht, Bavariar rown prince. Hut dispatches here indicate the larliament is striving to cut loo3 rom Germany and join the allies, They have demanded an explanation if the marriage allying their court irith that of the kaiser. Popular inlignaticn is high, reports indicate. Luxemburg contains a percentage >f French and Belgian population tnd French is spoken among tl\? edicated classes and dominates the >easant dialests, experts say. Germany signed treaties in 1867 ind in 1902 guaranteeing neutrality ?f Luxemburg and promising not to ise her railroads for troop movenents. But without a seaport, Luxemturg was forced into the German ustoms union and German tariffs yere exacted on all goods coming . i__ t_ j m. _ nto ner Doraers. one was tnus orced into economic dependence n Germany, having few manufacurers and being forced to take Gerlan goods in exchange for iron, oal and farm produce. Allied military successes have enouraged parliamentary leaders in Luxemburg to protest against Gerlan usurpation. The tiny country s without a large military force nd will be helpless to defend herelf against Germany until allied uccesses push the kaiser's hordes rom her border. Her vast mineral resources and gricultural products will be of great id to allied peoples nearby and she rould in turn have better access to he sea by obtaining free passage hrough Belgium and France, diplo nats point out. QUARANTINE CONTINUED. Sheriff Burts has received the folowing telegram, which means that he quarantine will not be lifted for ome days still: "A careful analysis of the influnza situation throughout South Carolina indicates the necessity of ontinuing the present quarantine egulfitions in force at least ten days ongcr. Under authority of para;raph 1G14, South Carolina code of n.ws, you are directed to maintain iresent quarantine status in the roa under your control as regards losure of schools, churches, picture hows and all places of public meetiiff until November 3, unless otherrise instructed by this office. No xception modifying this order will e made. (Signed) "James A. Hayne, "State Health Officer." OVER TWO MILLION : GO FROM THE U.S. j Correspondence Discloses Number of Soldiers Embarked. HAVE ONE COURSE" SAYS PRESIDENT German Request For Armistice Sent to Allies. WILSON SOUNDS NOTE OF WARNING Declares That if Autocracy is to Be Dealt With Now or Later Only Surrender Will Be Effective and Cessation of Fighting Must Be Safeguarded. __ j President Wilson has answered j Germany's latest note regarding j peace. In brief, he informs Germany j that the only armistice he would l feel justified in submitting for conj sideration to the allied governments i would be one which would put the 11 United States and the allied powers ! in position to enforce any arrangelj ments that may be entered into and | to make a renewal of hostilities on ' the part of Germany impossible. r . To this end the president has .1 transmitted his correspondence with J the present German authorities t% j the allied powers. I "Not peace negotiations, but sur; render," will be the dema^d^if the United States has to deal with the 'military masters and the monarchij cal authorities of Germany. ^1 The allied armies in France and Belgium are still driving the Ger, mans toward their border but the k process is now comparatively slow. | On the sectors that are requisite I to the stability of the entire German line?where a crash through probI ably would mean the immediate ?olj lapse of the whole of the defensive ,1 system?the most stubborn ' resisti ance is being offered by the enemy J and what gains are being made by I fhp nllipQ nrp virfnnllv font. hv frtrvJ j in the face of the hornets of the r| battle line?the machine guns. r Americans Face Picked Men. , Particularly vicious fighting is in progress west of the Meuse River, where the Americans in their en,|deavor to overcome the natural obl! stacles barring the way northward ! to Sedan, are faced by picked troops . I with orders to hold them back at all J costs; in the region from Le Cateau . I to the north of Valenciennes where .ithe British and some Americans I , I gradually are tearing their way J through the enemy front between I Tournai and Audenarde, where the . I British also are hard after the enei my. Notwithstanding the frantic en deavors of the enemy to maintain , their positions on all three of these . sectors, material progress has been i made. Likewise, northeast of Laon i the French on an eight mile front j have delivered a thrust that carrier! i them forward from two to three miles. Into the hands of the BritJish have fallen 2,000 more Germans i j while the Americans west of the i'Meuse also have gathered in num,i bers of the enemy and a consider able quantity of his guns. | Nests of machine guns are being | encountered by the Americans as 1 they attempt to press forward along the front from the Meuse to the , town of Grand-Pre situated north of | Grand Pre situated north of the Argonne forest, but in spite of these obsticables they have taken further ground and at last accounts were , steadily keeping up their pressure against the enemy. Extremely heavy counter-attacks have been successfully sustained north of Grand Pro nnrl nil this: KPP^nr nnrtiflllflV trong consentrations of enemy artillery fire have gone almost for nought. On the western hank of the Meuse the town of Breuilles has been taken, the enemy having burned and evacutated it and retreated in the general direction of Dun. e. i i i Mr. Frank W. Wilson of Watts, |\vas here Wednesday on business. LETTERS EXCHANGED BETWEEN WILSON AND BAKERI Secretary Feels Proud and Thankful of the Results Obtained. Losses Exceedingly Small Considering Size of the Force Transported. I; Wahington, Oct. 23.?Embarka-; ,'tion of 2,008,931 American soldiers > i I r ] to participate. in the war overseas, jj was disclosed by correspondence be-( | tween Secretary Baker and President , | Wilson given out at the White House ,1 tonight at the same time that the .' President's reply to the German note i was made public by the state depart-1 I rncnt. ,1 "I am sure that this will be a mat! ter of deep gratification and assur-; j ance to the country", said the Presi-^ ! dent replying to a letter from Secre-' | i # J ! tary Baker reporting on the number, ; of men who have sailed from American ports to October 21. I The correspondence follows: I "War Department, Washington, 'j October 22, 1918. f TIT Art* 1VT ?? it a v j-/cat iTj.1. i icsiucub. i ! t "More than 2,000,000 American, j soldiers have sailed from the ports j in this country to participate in the 'j war overseas. In reporting-this fact ! to you I feel sure that you will be ' i interested in the following data j j showing the progress of our military' j; effort: j "In my letter of July 1, 1918, I in-, 'i formed you that between May 8,| '(1917, and June 30, 1918, over a mil-j I lion men had either been landed in, i France or were en route thereto, j 'l Since July 1, 1918, embarkations by, '] months have been as follows: i "July 306,185; August 290,818; j September 261,415; October, 1 to 21, li 131,398. Total 989,816. >i T?l,r 1 1Q1Q 1 mo J | JLJiuuaii\cu tu u uiy x, 1115. Grand Total 2,008,931. '! "In our overseas oprations I feel j that we have good reasons to be ] proud and thankful of the results ob-. tained. Our losses have been ex-j 1 ceedingly small considering the size' of the forces transported, and this is j due to the efficient protection given j American convoys by the naval forc-i 1 es. We also have been greatly as-! 1 sisted in the despatch of troops a-| : broad by the allocation of certain! i vessels from our allies principally, i those of Great Britian. "Cordially yours, "Newton D. Baker "Secretary of War." 'i TVifl rvresi dent's renlv follows: ST JT i "The White House, Washington, October 22, 1918. > i "My Dear Mr. Secretary: 'I am very glad to have your let';ter of this morning reporting that j more than 2,000,000 American sol! diers have sailed from the ports of , I i this country to participate in the i war overseas. I am sure that this will be a matter of deep gratification and reassurance to the country ; and that every one will join me in congratulating the war and navy de. nartment upon the steady accomplishment in this all important application of force to the liberation of the world. "Prtt /li'ollr orirJ e in^ovolv T'AllVC "Woodrow Wilson." "Hon. N. D. Baker, "Secretary of War." RAILROAD MEN GIVEN MORE POLITICAL LEEWAY Washington, Oct. 2-1.?Employes of the national railways today were fjiven more leeway to engage in poli tics. 'Modification of the anti-politics order of the railroad adminis' tration bearing the approval of President Wilson was announced by Dij rector General McAdoo. Winter Campaign Planned By Allies ONLY TWO PLACES ON WEST FRONT WOULD MAKE FIGHTING IMPOSSIBLE. With the American Forces Northwest of Verdun, Oct. 23.?Unless they are saved by their plea for peace, the Germans will be subjected to steady hammering along the great er part of the western front throughout the winter. Indications are that it is not intended to give them a breathing spell, notwithstanding weather conditions. It is pointed out that decreased activity would enable the Germans to recuperate to such a degree as to make certain" a prolongation of the struggle. During previous winters the enemy has been able to rest up his forces and replenish his supplies, especially ammunition, and there is no reason to believe he would not avail himself of the same opportunity now and to a much erreater ad vantage. There are two places on the front where it is conceded that military operations during the winter will be virtually impossible, but American officers insist that 75 per cent of ?he front offers no real obstacle to a continuance of the fight. It is not questioned that operations will be slowed down, but, even so, the advantage will be with the attacking side, especially since it is known that German material is growing scarcer. Last winter was much more severe than is ordinarily the case and those responsible for plans of campaign calculate that, by the laws of averages, the coming winter will be milder. It is indicated that the Americans are settled indefinitely into their present positions and their part in the general program is well defined. It is to be expected that they will continue to deliver short smashing jolts against the pivotal center of the long sweeping line. The big gains made between the American front and the sea are conceded to have been due in large measure to the menacing demonstration by the Americans and by the enforced employment by the Germans of thirty divisions here. The enemy will be compelled to continue to mass forces of men and materials in front of General Pershing's troops at the expense of other places, because to fail to hold the line between the Meuse and Grand Pre would endanger an enormous area. The spirit of the Amercians is unbroken by the determined opposition of the Germans and both officers and men speak confidently of the day when they will break through to tj?e vital connecting road extending westwardly through Stenay. Daily counter attacks by the Germans reflect the desperate character nf their defense. Rugged, wooded hills which serve as natural aids are supplenmented by the most elaborately prepared series of defenses on the western front. Around the Viirr ovn fVin Unno n-f vfleiefon/^o nr\v?_ verge as they approach Verdun. In front of the Americans they are almost within rifle shot of each other. HAPPY SEAL SHOT. Lewis Seal, the young son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam C. Seal, was painfully injured by a gunshot wound on Wednesday afternoon. He and Hal Mfore, son of J. Howard Moore, went out in the Long Cane section hunting, and in some way the shot gun which Lewis carried w-.s aceidently discharged, the load passing across the right breast and making an ugly wound near the right arm pit. The physicians were unable to vpnnli nn an/nirnfrn pnnnlncirm oc the extent of the wound further than to satisfy themselves that none of the bones were injured. They feared however that some of the M.-cles might have been torn, and Lewis was taken to Chester for a further examination. ALLIES PREPARING 1 MOVE OF MOMENT ! i Indications of Major Attack to Come Soon. ! ... :.<m FRENCH ARE HITTING HARD BLOWS EVERYWHERE " Hammering at Flank of Position Before Which American Army | Now Stands?American Thrust to Follow Release of First Army. Washington, Oct. 23.?Further indications of an impending major atI tack by the America armies on the | m - ij; Verdun front came today in reports of fierce fighting around Vouziers, where the French are hammering at the flank of the forest position which ; appears to have been holding up the . general American mnvfvm pnt.. Offi cial German reports show the intensity of the fighting and admit advances. There is little doubt that "i l' I1 the enemy views the action as of great importance. The line here forms almost a right . I angle with the French forces which. have crossed the Aisne heading east- ^ ward through the hilly and wooded region north of Grand-Pre. The Americans stand along the base of the I angle heading northward into the same difficult territory and the fighting today indicated a pincer movement to force the enemy out of the completely into the open ground be; yond. If this is accomplished, the left & flank of General Liggett's American * First army will be released and ob- . j ? servers here feel confident that an ' * American thrust possibly covering - -r' ' the whole American front on both " rfl ' sides of the Meuse will shortly follow. The objective of such thrust . -jm I would be primarily, it is said, the smashing of the German left flank between Metz and Sedan. ' v| I WHAT STYLE WILL DO. i , ' 4 i In giving the subscriptions to the Fourth Liberty Loan, the New York Times gives the Butterick Publishing i Co., as subscribing for three hun- r J i dred thousand dollars worth of bonds; The Pictorial Review two hundred and fifty thousand; the | Home Pattern Co., forty f.heusand; * ' and McCall's, forty thousand dollars. . SURE BUT WILLING. I *3 i Len White, five years old, lives across the street from Son Bill. : Since the flu got Bill his only view of the outside has been through the front window. He watched young ' $ Len rolling up a pile of leaves "bigger than hisself" Wednesday afternoon, and when we got home from a hard day's work down town, he \ told us that Len was "a sure but willing worker." i HELPING OUT. ? ! Several of the farmers of Abbe -3 ville County came to the assistance of the canvassers for the Fourth 'J Liberty Loan and by good subscriptions helped to put us across. Among the most liberal of these subscribers # were: Mr. James A. Gilliam with $7,000, Mr. C. D. Thomas with S3,000, Mr. Joe Hill with $3,000, ' Mr. Henry Hill with $2,000, Mr. L. j A. Jackson with $2,000, and Mr. I. A. Kellar who took $1,500. CHARLEY ARMOUR WOUNDED Mr. .1. R. Glenn has received a postal from "Chas. E. Armour, dated .Scntenrlier 00th. saying that he is wounded and is in a Base Hospital, hut that he is doing '.veil. Mr. Armour is well remembered in Abbeville as one of Glenn's popular salesmen. I'e went over with tha Thirtieth Division and has been in l!u' thick of the fight until he waa . wounded. * ' r. I ^dcnlflM