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>^" i>* , . . ' . . \ . . v ' ,jv. / ' ' : Abbeville Established 1844. $2.00 the Year. Tri-Weekly. Abbeville, S. C., Friday, April 22, 1921 Single Copies, Five Cents. 77th Year. ? ? ~ -?1 THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES NOT TO MEDITATE.? * MAY TAKE SOME PART IN " NEGOTIATIONS.? SECRETARY OF STATE HUGHES MAKES A *-" cTiTrurwT V n a 44ITIM41 Washington, April 21?The Amer ican government refused today an urgent request of the German gov ernment that President Harding mediate the question of reparations between Germany and the allies and iix the sum Germany is to pay. The United States agreed, however that if the German government would formulate promptly such pro. posals regarding reparations "as would present a proper basis for discussion" it would "consider bring ing the matter to the attention of the allied governments in a manner acceptable to them in order that negotiations may speedily be re sumed." Germany's appeal signed by Chan cellor Fehrenbach and Foreign Min ister Simons, was directed to Pres Hardino* and was transmitted through American Commissioner Pressel at Berlin. It was answered by Secretary Hughes afte: a con ference late today with the president at 'the White Houso. 1 he text of v both the appeal ani the reply were made public conight by the state de - partmcnt. The communicator from , Berlin said the German govern ment was "ready and willing" io agree "without qualification or re servation" to pay such sum as the president, after examination and in vestigation might 'Mind just and , right" and to fulfil in > letter and Spirit all the provisions of any award h? niuU hv In reply Secretary Hughes said: "This government could'not agree to mediate the question of repara tions with a view to acting as um pire in its settlement. Impressed however, with the seriousness of the * ? , , issues involved as they affect the whole world, the government of the United States, feels itself to be deep ly concerned with the question of ob taining an early and just solution. This government strongly desires that there should be an immediate resumpton of negotiations and re iterates its earnest hope, that the German government will promptly formulate such proposals as would present a proper basis for discussion. Should the German government take this course, this government will con . aider bringing the matter to the at tention of the allied governments in a manner acceptable to them in or der that negotiations may speedily Germany's appeal was regarded in official and diplomatic Washington as a remarkable one. It was pointed oat that it was directed to the head of a nation with which Germany still is technically at war and which has troops on its soil. Reference to the state of war was made in the German communication the chancellor and foreign minister declaring that not withstanding this they petitioned the president "in the name of the German government and the German people" ) with "the confldent hope" that the - appeal would be granted. - This was the second communica tion dealing with reparations address ed to the United Spates by the Ger man government and apparently it was not unexpected by administra tion officials as the reply went for ward a few hours after its receipt at the state department. The German memorandum was handed to Commis sion Dressel yesterday and reached Washington today. Secretary Hughes if 1 ofo in rlatr WUOiUCiCU *w anvi i?w *u bi?v umj vwii ferred with the president at the White House. His visit was brief and soon after his return to the depart ment word came that the texts of both the German note and the Ameri can reply would be made public with in a few hours. Germany has until May 1 to meet CAN'T DEPORT ANY ' MORE RUSSIANS IF SOVIET OPPOSES U. S. Mast Submit List For Approv / J of Moscow?Are Giving j Tronble. Riga, Letvia, April 21.?The Uni Statea no longer will be able to de port its undesirable^ or send its will ing Russian residents to Soviet Rus sia, without previous negotiations and the consent of the Soviet govern inent in each individual case, under the provisions of a Soviet decision Uiade public today through a note to the Letvian government. The note says that effective today, i the Soviet authorities will not honor * u ?? l.J v.. * any transit vises graurcu uy ??mau representatives abroad for emigrant or deportees bound for Russia un less they also have Russian vises. The Letvian government has noti fied its consul in New York to abide by this ruling and similar instruc tions have been sent to England. For a long time past Russia has admitted without Soviet vises, deportees and other from the United States after questioning them at neutral ports of debarkation. The effect of the new ruling, so far as the United States is concerned, will be the prevention of further deportations from that! country to Soviet Russia unless a list of those deported has been sub mitted officially .to the Soviet govern ment and the latter's permission for the entry of such deportees into Rus sia gained. During the last few months Amer icanized Russians among the emi grants and deportees entering Rus sia have caused much difficulty there and in many instances are said to foreign leading factors, in revolts. In addition, many of them have been anarchists whom the Soviet authorities also are unwilling to ac} mit. -the demands of the allies that the first installment in cash on the repar ations bill be paid. Premiers Lloyd George and Briand of France are to meet Sunday in England to discuss measures to be taken if Germany fails to meet the allied demands. It has been reported that France would in sist on the occupation of additional German territories and other penal ties in the event of failure to comply. What steps Germany has taken to meet the allied demand or,to what extent new proposals regarding rep arations have been prepared are not known here. From the urgent nature of the German appeal, it was the be lief of some officials and diplomats that the Berlin government found itself in an extreme position. The German appeal received today and Mr. Hughes' reply were made public by the state department with out comment and high administration officers declined to discuss either of them. . ' CORP., DIGSY BROUGHT HOME f ' Mann nf tlta vnnnff mpn wlio lost. theiT lives in France are being brought home for final burial. Ab beville people are interested in the return of the body of Corporal Er nest Digby to his home in NewbeTry. Corporal jDigby was one of the young men who guarded the shops at Abbeville and the trestle at Watts a^ the beginning of the war and he is well remembered by many of our people. The young man joined the 118th Infantry and was killed in the fight ing on October 20 1918. The body of Corporal Digby was brought to Newberry and buried with military honors Sunday after noon, a large concourse of people attesting their admiration for his bravery and their sympathy for his people. EDITOR "THE ORION" Miss Gwen Bristow has been honored by the srtudents and facul ty of Anderson College by being elected editor-in-chief of the college magazine, "The Orion" for the next session. This is quite a distinction to Miss Bristow who is now a first-year student, the position always hereto fore having been given to a senior. I 26,000 PERSONS ARE FACING STARVATION NEAR BIRMINGHAM Strike in Coal Felds Is Having Dis astrous Effect?Appeal for w Aid Made to Government Birmingham, Ala., April 21.? Twenty-six thousand persons are at the point of starvation in the coal fields of Northern Alabama, Govern or Thomas E. Kilby was told today in an appeal by the Salvation Army, southeastern division, with head quarters here. The organization stated to the governor that it was helping to the limit of its resources but that addi tional aid must come from other sources. Clubs and civic bodies of Birming ham made appeals for help on behalf "fTin mitioru fViAii* ffflmilioat V* VtIV UMilMW WUU WUV4* A tUillww many of whom are described as hungry and almost naked. A Birmingham newspaper also ap pealed for funds "to aid the thou sands of men, women and children who are in want." rAppeal to Governor Pratt City, local United Mine Workers of America, made formal demand upon Governor Kilby either for re-emplOyment in the mines or for financial relief.- The statement of the governor says that "3^400 souls of our local alone, are in dire circumstances," and adds, "we have applied for re-employment and have heen flatly turned down." Continuing, the Pratt City local says, "we make this appeal to you because the settlement of the strike was placed in your hands." The local union at Marvel also ap pealed to the governor for help for 634 destitute men, women and chil dren." This local says in a statement to *?. Governor Kilby that "our local has received circular letters from the op erators that they will not re-employ any member of the ^mon." iiii / , THE CHURCH AT McCORMICK / Rev. M. R. Plaxco spent Wednes day in McCormick. He went down to see the new Seceder church in that town. Mr. Plaxco is on the building committee and he is pleased with the handsome structure erected in Mc Cormick. The church is brick of rough finish, grey in color and will seat about three hundred people. It is modern in its appointments, has basement of individual Sabbath school rooms and Rev. R. F. Bradley has organized the congregation of their ten ^charter members. Rev. L. T. Pressly is the pastor and is filling the needs of his people. A SUMTER VISITOR. Miss Esther Clarke of Sumter is in the city dnd will spend a day or two with her relative, Mrs. W. H. White. Miss Clarke has been in At lanta and is on her way home. She is receiving a warm welcome from those who have met here on her other vists to Abbeville. ' , HOSPITAL NEWS Ruth Mundy, the 1 nine-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Mun - dy, was operated on for appendicitis at the County Hospital Thursday. Gilbert Nabers, seeking to con form to society's latest fashion, was operated on at the County Hospital Thursday for tonsilitis. HOME AGAIN Mr. M. T. Coleman is at home for the first time in several weeks and is opening np his house,? preparatory to the return of his daughter, Mrs. D. T. Smith and the children. While in Columbia, Hemphill, the Smith baby, has been quite sick and it is hoped the change home will be of benefit to him. IN TROY Mrs. Robert H. Coleman and her children are in Troy and wfill remain until the close of the school session in Charleston. They are the guests i of Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Kennedy. i WEEKS ANNOUNCES ORGANIZATION OF FIELD WAR STAFF Will Be Headed by Geti. Pershing.? Will Be Separate from Regu lar Chief Stuff. Washington, Apr 21?Organization of a war staff headed by General Pershing to take charge of field oper ations of the atmies of the United * States in time of war was announced today by Secretary Weeks. "Instant preparation y in time ot P'u'uce lur avuve military uperauuiiB w as given by the secretary as the rea son for the new organization. The organization, headed by Gen eral Pershing, will be entirely separ ate from thij officers of the chief oi staff, Mr. Weeks said, which will con tinue to direct the administration oi the military establishment in time oi peace. General Pershing will have a skeletonized; staff, which will corre spond to that at Chaumont during the World War, and which will concern itself entirely with problems of strate gy, tactics and war organization. "We are going to have skeleton ized general headquaijters established in the war department," said Secre tary Weeks. "Its purpose will be tc k?e;p us instantly prepared for active military operations. The details wil be given out later, but General Per shing will be at the head of the ac< tivity. "Details of the plan are difficult tc arrange, owing to the working of the laws, but the chief of staff will con tinue to direct the administration ol the army in time of peace." Before the world war, Secretary Weeks e:cplained, Marshal Joffre had been mmilarly selected to com mand the armies of France, if wai came, and organized a skeleton stafl which was instantly available. , Secretary Weeks would not confirm oi' -deny rumors that Major General James G. Harboard, who was for a time General Pershing's chief of staff in France and later head of the ser vice of supply, had been selected to relieve Major General Payton March as chief of staff of the army. It wafe thought probable by some of ficers that General Harboard might become General Pershing's chief aide on the war staff. NO SITE SELECTED As yet no site has been selected for the new High School building. The Board met yesterday and con sidered the bi<fs whicfy were before it. The lot on Chestnut street, the old Gary lot and the Fair Ground lot, were each offered the Board of Trustees at prices which were not given out, and unless other lots are offered one of these will likely be selected. The petition for an election on issuing bonds has been prepared and in the next few days it will be pre sented to the free-holders and elec tors residing in the school district. W'ien enough names have been sign ed, an election will be ordered. CAPT. SHAW HERE. Capt. W. C. Shaw, of Lowndes ville, was in' the city today. He called on the force at the<fress and Ban ner office, but .the editor was out and miissed seeing him. The Captain was or. crutches this trip. Though he fought through thtt war, 'and is now past seventy, he still knows how to plow, but these new-fangled plows get away, with him sometimes. That is what put him on crutches. The captain is still in distress about what is to-become of the peo ple of the country unless times soon stow some improvement. LiiKe a gooa soldier, though, he is fighting and hoping for a turn in the tide of busi ness. MR. HENRY IMPROVES News from Atlanta is that the con- j dition of Albert Henry continues to arrow better. A letter from there to day brings the good news that his condition is greatly improved. CONSOLIDATION OF [ I SOLDIER AGENCIES IS ORDERED TODAY Public Health Service \Uader War Insurance Department For For mer Soldiers. i i Washington, April 21.?Transfers i from the public health service and ,(the consolidation with the bureau of 1 war risk insurance of all work, offices I and personnel of the public health service connected with the medical > treatment of disabled war veterans 1 was ordered today by Secretary Mel inn An Avrptitinn is htvwAver. in the operation of hospitals and dis . pensaries which,will remain under . the public health service. v : The consolidation ordered was rec . ommended by the president's special : committee, of which Chas. G: Dawes ! of Chicago, was chairman and. Mr. t Melton said it was a step toward the consolidation of the government > agencies which deal with former ser i vice men and women. The treasury secretary announced that all field offices of the public . health service over the country en 1 gaged in examining and finding suit . able beds for the service men would ? be taken over by, the war risk bu > reau, as would all contracts withxpri I vate institutions for the treatment of . such men. 1 r r "The bureau," he said, "will es tablish an adequate force of medical ? inspectors to insure proper ana ei ! fective treatment of patients in what ever institutions they may be placed. ! "The fourteen district supervisors, who have heretofore been a part of , the public health service are in; con , ference at the bureau of war risk in surance with the directors and other i officers so that the reorganization may > be put into active effect throughout the country without delay or com plication. TO SPEAK AT BAPTIST CHURCH ?: Hon. Sam Small, the famous ora tor and evangelist of Georgia, will be the speaker at the patriotic rally in the Baptist church, Monday evening, April 25th at 8:00 o'clock. The subject of Dr. Small's ad dress will be "The Salvation of Uncle Sam" and a very timely and interesting discussion is anticipated. For nearly three decades Dr. Small has been one of the prominent figures on the American platform. With Sam Jones, Dr. Small held evangelistic meetings in every sec tion of the country, and the two "Sams" were heard by thousands. His quaint and peculiar way of ex 4-Vimimlifa fnnnlorl with pressing mo muuguv^ .. the oratory which makes the speak ers of the South attractive, .has* placed Dr. Small as a favorite before the public. He is a man of exception al attainments and his practical ex perience as an attorney, journalist, author, soldier minister, evangelist and lecturer, has given him a wealth of material upon which to draw. 1 Dr. Small is an Emory and Henry College man, and is considered as one of the most noted living gradu ates of that old Virginia school, i Taylor Unversity conferred the < Ph. D. upon him and the Ohio Nor thern University the D. D. He wears the button of a Confederate soldier i and the pin of a Spanish war veter an and his three sons were active in ; service during the great war. But it < is his remarkable vitality and his < versatile manner both of thinking and of speaking, that draws large audiences wherever he speaks. 1 The meetine under the direction 1 of the local ministers and auspices Js of the National Reform Association, the oldest reform organization in the United States, which is sending Dr. Small on a touy of the principal cities of the South In a campaign in behalf of the application '"of Chris tian principles to the unsettled problems of the present day. UNION SERVICE Ttio nrtinti ccrv?f?o <vf tVio will be held in the A. R. P. church - Sabbath evening, at eight o'clock. FARMERS DISCUSS SEVERAL SUBJECTS v - V g TARIFF, TAXATION AND AMER IC AN I AT ION TAKEN UP? ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION PLEDGING MORAL SUPPORT* FOR POULTRY MEN BRINGS COMPROMISE Washington, April 21.?Tariff, taxation and Americanization were v discussed at today's session of the National Farmers' anion, which is meeting here to frame! a program of national legislation affecting agri cultural interests. A committee rec ommendation for duties on poultry products precipitated a.lively tariff debate ' between free traders from the South and protectionists from the Northwest, during which the s ' , Virignia delgation divided. A com promise was effected by the adop tion of a resolution pledging the moral support of the organisation for the poultry men. (Former Representative Pollard, Nebraska^ while declaring his adhe- ' sion to the principle of protection opposed indorsing any specific du ties of 1 protection, but favored, a' tariff which would represent the dif-; ference in the cost of production at home and abroad. He said the farm ers should be careful in their de- ' mands for duty on farm products, as the Republican party, of which he is a member, had U9ed this as a .? "sop" to the farmers in the past in 1 order to impose high duties on manufactured products. A report from the committee named to report an estimate of loss es sustained recently by farmers was recommitted' because of opposition 1 to part of finding which some dele gates construed to be , an indorse ment of the Plumb Plan League plan for operation of the railroads. The report was read by S. >W. Brooksliart of Iowa. v . The committee reported the farm ers had sustained a loss of $7,000, 000,000 as a result of the "unneces sary profiteering of middle men, ar bitrary restriction of credit by fed eral reserve baftks and unreasonable - 1 J rise in' railroad rates all of which have been created by autocratic eco- > , nomic power exercised under unjust laws." It also suggested taxation of "war , ,v millionaires." \ yl The> convention indorsed the Am- ' ericanization bills introduced in con gress by Representative Upshaw, Democrat Georgia, which would re quire publication in parallel ' ?; columns of an English translation of all newspaper articles and publi cations printed in a foreign language and forbid "hyphenated" names by making it unlawful to use, the name of any other nation before that of America in combination of words. i Another resolution "deplored the ' attitude" of the federal farm loan board towards the National Union of Farm Loan Associations and re quested them to "desist in their op position." The farmers held a round table discussion with members of congress tonight at which they discussed the proposed grain and cotton ex changes. The convention plans to end its sessfon tomorrow. Washington, April 21.?Delegates to the National Farmers union con tion here were received on the south lawn at the White House to iay by President Harding who promised to give "serious considera ;ion" to their suggestion that a con ference of representatives of labor, :apital, the basic industries and the ailway executives be called to con iider means for ' reducing freight ates. The president said the sugges ion was Reserving of sincere bought. The delegates were accompanied o the White House by several sena ors and representatives and Sena (Continued on Page Four)