Keowee courier. (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, January 30, 1918, Image 1
IE
^^fpSP? ...
IjStSgf^. ?isi^vik J^?SR ? ; ...-?<* *
"TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE, ' AND IT MUST FOLLOW A8 THE NIGHT THE HAY: THOU CANST NOT THEN BE FALSE TO ANY MAN."
* WALHALLA, SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY.?0, HHS.
Cotton S?
We have lOO
Seed Meal %o
warehouse is o^
cial price in ton
you money.
C. W. & J. E.
WALHA!
IT PAYS TO B
TWO MILLION FOB PRANCE.
Those Already There And In Train
ing*-Millions to Follow.
Washington, Jen. 28.-Five hun
dred thousand American troops' in
France early thia year-and a mil
lion and a half more ready to go
fully equipped and with the artillery
to support them. This wae the an
swer Secretary Baker to-day gave the
Senate, .military committee to the
charge of inefficiency and break
down in the military establishment.
As the climax of a day's explana
tion of all that the military estab
lishment had done, freely confessing
faults and Imperfections in so vaat
an undertaking that out ot each de
ficiency the remedy has been found,
th? Secretary of War disclosed What
hitherto has been guarded as a mili
tary secret, a'nd .what -the Oer man
people little suspect.
Secretary Baker told the Senators
the United States would have a half
million fighting men on French soil
early |thls year, and that one and one
half million American troops in all
would be available for foreign duty,.
Composition of Fighting Force..
This great fighting .force, probably
little expected by the /German g?ne
rai staff itself, will be composed of
the men now with Gen. Pershing, the"
32 'divisions of troops now in canton
ments and camps ' in the United
States, and ready to move, Secretary
Baiker said, and by the next incre
ments to be dralwn and trained this
spring under the ?elective service
law.
Klement al equipment of the men
from the United States is assured
and the artillery necessary to their
support will come from the British
and French governments, which
have such an excess of ordnance that
they have on their own initiative of
fered to supply the guns and eave
ships which would be used for their
transport.
The Secretary of War even laid
bare facts regarding preparations for
the American army in France, which
?have hitherto been held as close mll
/tiary secrets or whispered among a
few who have enjoyed the confidence
of government officials.
Many of the facts have been known
to newspaper correspondents here in
the capital, -but co-operating with the
government under the voluntary cen
sorship they have not until this time
been 'given to the public by the news
papers.
.Mr. Baker described to the com
mittee how the American army hhs
built great lines of railroads, ono of
them 600 miles long, up to its head
quarters in France; how ports and
terminals have been constructed to
handle the great quantities of sup
plies and equipment which the army
Will need in fighting line. All this
has been done by 'Americans, and
since Gen. Pershing's troops landed
InBt June.
Pinn for tho War.
Loaning forward and addressing
the Senators earnestly, the Secretary
of ;War told a story tho German gen
eral staff probably would have give?
much to know long before. He ap
proached tho subject by departing
from tho answer to criticism and re
ferring to it as "the plan for the
war.".
"I .think I understood Senator
Chamberlain felt there wasn't any
plan for the war," said Secretary
Baker. "1 don't kndw ,how the com
mittee and the country feel about it
bot I Want to say there is a plan. It's
tho only possible plan under circum
stances. ;
"It must be remembered," he pro
eeedod, "thnt this war broke oiit in
August, t914, and we went into it
in April, 1917, so that for two and a
half years it had been going on. It
was 'itot as if .an immediate plan
could be made for the war's proBocu
? "lint wo wore coming into this wa
X,
jed Meal
tons of Cotton
move, as our
?rerloaded, Spe- j
lots. Can save j
BAUKNIGHT,
LTuA, 3. C?
UY FOR CA8H.
which had <been going on over two
and a half years, in which all the
military capacity, the inventive ge
nius and the Industrial resources of
these other greatest of countries had
been engaged on the proiblem of what
the war was to be.
"It was not for us to decide the
theater of war. Thjat theater was in
France. It was not for us to decide
the line of communication. It was
3,000 miles away, with one end in
fested with submarines. It was not
for us to decide whether raanoeuvers
in the open ehould he attempted.
Men already were in the trenches in
.a death grapple. -
"Our '.problem was and ls to get
over and get at the enemy. It twas
not for ue to lay ouvt, at the wfer
college, an Ideal pian of campaign, a
theoretical plan. Our problem was
to set into co-operation with Oreat
Britain and <France and our other
friends in the nvost imlmediate and
efficient way.
"That problem couldn't 'be decided
here. It can't be described in words.
It is so extraordinary and so vast
that it must be 6een and studied on
the ground before it can be compre
hended at all."
Mr. Baker told of the coming .of
the British and French missions With
Balfour and Uoff re. These men 'were
seen in the halls of Congress, hut
few people saw bhe staffs of trained
experts they brought with them and
who distributed themselves through
the War-Department.
"They were the most brilliant men
In their armies," ho said. "Every
country haB sent us that sort of ex
perts."
Story Old as They Talked.
Even as .these experta talked, Sec
retary Baker said, the story they told
grew old. Weapons they had helped
to develop had become obsolete be
fore they could be gotten to the
iront.
"This ls a moving picture," he
said. "It was necessary that we have
eyes there to see and report, and we
sent den. Pershing and the major
part of the trained personnel of the
army-that pitiful handful of train
ed men."
000,000 Men Soon in France.
"We will have 500,00.0 men in
France early in 1918," he added,
"and we will ;iyive a million and <a
half ready to ship to France during
1918."
Chairman Chamberlain asked tho
Seeretai'y why he could not take the
public Into his confidence in the mat
ter. N -
Secretary Baker replied th<at he
hesit/ated to do that. '.He referred to
a statement by Gen. von Hindenburg
to the effect feWat America iwas ad
vertising her intentions.
"But isn't rt a fact that (Germany
has known all about this?" persisted
Senator Chamberlain.
"No," replied Secretary Baker.
"The German (government is still
mystified regarding the number of
men noW in France. They know
what is doing flt the front, but Ger
many is still mystified regarding the
number of men now In France."
His statement, Mr. Baker added,
was made on the basis of the moBt
reliable confidentiel reports received
by the War Department.
Secretary .Baker went on do ex
plain that such things all warring
countries trfy to keep entirely con
fidential.
"Why, I do not believe 1 could
even get the number of men Great
Britain ihn H in France or at home
now or could even get that informa
tion from tFrance," said he. "That
m-ay be unnecessary, but it is a ?pre
caution followed ^by all military
men."
If the whole regular American
a'rtny had been sent into battle at
oneo, Secretary Baker said, like Eng
land's it would hove been destroyed.
In ?loquent words Secretary Baker
described how France welcomed 'the
first'American soldiers, peasants kiss
ing, he sa'id, the hems of their coats.
"Of course, they welcomed the
British, hut then their need was not
so great, iuor were the ties to Eng
land so close," said he. "So an in
stant response came from France,
and our soldiers have continued to
go over in an' unbroken stream.
f "At this hour we havo a fighting
army in France, seasoned and train*'
ed t? tho warfare. Joffre said lt
might take some time .for us to get a
trained army over, but that we were
a great Industrial country aud could
send artisans inVmedlately.
"Although not contemplated at the
outset, we .hlxve organized regiment?
of railroad men who aro rebuilding
railroads behind the British' and
French lines ns they advance. Of
such quality wiere these men that .at
.Cambrai, when iGen. Byng wa? en
dangered, our men throw down their
.picks and shovels, grasped rifles and
distinguished themselves.
. "Very early in the war Balfour
and Joffre said 'Send us nurses and
doctors!' 'A-limost before we were In
the war Red Cross nurses and doc
tore and ambulance drivers tn groat
numbers were sent over. Our early
losses were of these.
"But that was not enough, rt was
suggested further Mi at mechanics
wero needed. Special studies iwere
.made. iWe found that railroads and
other facilities of France had been
kept in excellent condition, far bet
ter than we had thought possible."
But' despite the condition of
?French railroads, he said, ft was
found necessary to provide transpor
tation facilities for the (American
army in France because of the great
denn and s upon those .already there.
"In other words," he ?aid,
.France was a wfoite ?beet of paper.
(As far as we were concerned we not
I only had to write an army on that
shieet, but wo also bad to provide
maintenance. We have been build
ing .facilities and agencies in -France,
.just as much as in this ?country, of
i the same character. We have built
docks, terminals, sent ?over dock mar
chlnery, cranes, even piles, ware
houses at ports of disembarkation for
the storage of vast supplies tnieedad
before distribution. We are taking
over and are In process of rebuild
ing a railroad 600 milles long fnom
OUT ports of embarkation to our base
of operations."
Problems to Ile M et.
; - Not only were the transportation
I and erection of vast quantities of ma
terials a problem, Secretary Baker
said, but also nd emphasized that
they had to be manufactured In. this
country.
"We had to build barracks for the
soldiers over there, billeting thom
until this could ,be done. But. build
ing barracks over there! ls entirely
different if rom building them in this
country."
American troops, he said, even had
to go back to ithe planting of corn
and to the foresits of France, as well
ns build .hospitals.
The war, Secretory -Baker contin
ued, had been of more or less of a
"set character" until tlhe Russian
situation developed. The Italian de
feat caused a further change in
plans. As a result what may have
been perfect plans ,had to be changed
accordingly.
"This ls a faint picture of what
hae been going on over there, gentle
men," said the Secretary. "On this
side all that had to -be done, and
many other 'Oh In ge besides, but In
addition we had to build up an
army.
"Now, let us be frank ?with each
other. Has any army in history
?ince the beginning of time been so
(raised and cared fo as this army
has been?"
When the selective.draft was pro
posed, Senators told him, he said,
that an army by that means could
'not be raised.
"And yet," he asked, "has any
great enterprise been carried on with
more unfailing justice and patriot
ism oji the part of the American peo
ple, or has a greater change in our
mode and practice been accepted by
the .public than under the selective
servioo system?"
Secretary Baker went into tho ef
fort? to surround the army with
.moral and physical safeguards, A
condition had been produced, he
said, where tho soldiers wore wel
comed into the homes of communi
ties in wfoich they wore quartered.
"No ouch relation," ho said, "has
ever existed between an army and
tho civilian population. I'vo gono
'Prom camp to camp. I have asked
each commander: What about your
disciplinary proble/m? iMen old in
tho army all say thoy have never
?eon anything Uko this; that the dis
ciplinary problem ls negligible."
In the Wac to Hit If ard.
"When Mic story has all been
told," he eaid, "it will foe a story
which I am sure your committee will
foe glad to report to th? Senate as a
tremen do un response to a tremen
dous responsibility. We are In the
?war to hit and to hit hard. Our
problem Is not ono of star playing,
but of team work."
Oconeo Crop 81 Bales Short.
Seneca, Jan. 26.-Special: There
were 17,180 bales of cotton ginned
in O.conee county from the crop of
1917 prior to January 16, 1918, as
compared with 17,201 bales to cor
responding date. 1917.
M. S. Stripling, Special Agent.
Filil? DESTKOYS TH li EXCHANGE
Onico of Tho Oconee Telephone Co.
on Main street, in Walhalla.
Tvast Friday night about 10.30 !
o'clock the -alarm of fire was givon j
by Night Watchman Sullivan, who
lind discovered smoko and a blaze
issuing from I he bull ?lt ag In which
the local exchange of the Oconee Tel
ephone "Company was located. Mr.
Sullivan states that he had pafaed
the building only -a few mlnu'tes be
fore he noticed the tire, and nt that
time he saw .nothing unusual about
the premises. iHe was on his rounds,
and had gone to tho corner of the
next block, turning across the street,
and was on his way up-town, on tho
opposite aide of tho street, when he
noticed the fire. He at once gave
the alarm, and a crowd gnthored
quickly, ibut there was no chance to
save anything from the building.
The night operator of the exchango
was awakened and igot out of the
building, 'but. there waa .no time for
salvage. That pffrt df the house not
used ns a telephone exchange was
vacant, the family that had occupied
the rooms having moved about the
first of the year. It ls stated, how
ever, that for some little time past
a number of boys and young men
had frequented the unoccupied por
tion of the building, and that more
or lesB carousing has taken place
there. It is supposed that some one
of those who have beon .frequenting
the place may have thrown a lighted
cigarette or cigar stump In the pass
ageway, and that this started the
Aro on the stairway. The fire could
have easily reached the roof in this
part of the house 'before being de
tected by any one about the prem
ises, and .Night Watchman Sullivan
states that the 'blaze was issuing
from the roof when it attracted his
at tout ion.
Tlie Telephone Company's losses
are estimated at about $4,000, this
amount covering the building and
contents. There was no insurance,
Major Strlbling stating that the in
surance rate was so >hlgh in that sec
tion for a telephone exchange that he
did not feel justified in paying it.
For the present tho company's ex
change will bb located in the town,
building across the street from the
o?d exchange, and as soon as possible
the service Will be resumed. The
whole exchange outfit will, however,
have to be installed new, and this
will of necessity cause a considera
ble break in the service given. The
exchange will be placed in operating
order just, as quickly as possible. A
new building will be erected for the
exchange, it. ls understood. If erect
ed on the tdd site the bulldlrfg will
have to be bri K or stone, as the elte
ls within tho lire limits.
Fortunately, at the time of the
Are, there was only a slight breeze
blowing, and this from the wost. Had
the wind been from the enst lt Is
doubtful If any of the three houses
to the west of tho burned "building
could have been saved. The old
Flschesser building was kept from
catching fire by means of a "bucket
brigade," who worked faithfully un
til the danger was past. This is an
old frame building, about 25 feet
front on Main street, 'and running
back probably a hundred feet-a se
ries of small buildings attached to
each other. This property now be
longs to Otto .Kaufmann, and we
understand will be torn down after
he erects a *brick building east of it.
He hopes to begin this work in the
early s'pr'ing.
For Starving Armenians.
Editor Keowee Courier: Wo have
no Sunday school at our church
('Rock Springs), and I am not able to
go when we have preaching. Still I
want to give something to the col
lection that's to be taken up Sunday
for the poor war-cursed people, and
enclose a check for $2-one dollar
for myself and one for my son Ed
gar. Yours truly;
Julia- D. Slianklln.
Richland, Jan. 25, 1918.
Con iii butions to JfaunA.
Mrs. Julio, Shahklin .$1.00
Edgar Shanklln .. 1.00
R, L. Bogg?, New Hope. 1.00
Calilnc Bartlet S. ?S. (colored)
Walhalla. 1.55
\
Total.$1.55
The Courier has had no report
from any source other than the above
contributors. The Galileo colored
Sunday school contribution was
handed in by |Rev. J. S. Steward.^
KEEP FRIDAY, FEB. 8, IN MIND.
There will bo a very interesting
meotiug at the Walhalla High School
building Friday night of next week,
beginning at 7.30< o'clock. Wo aro
not In position now to give out the
general nature of the meeting, or to
announce the program, but thore
will be something to appeal to the
patriotism of old and young, and lt
is eincoreiy hoped that every grown
up and chiid of school age will be
present. In these days there is
"work (for all," and ftt tale meeting
something can be learned that will
help our government. and at the
same time niaferlally help all those
who entor into /tlie work proposed,
Keep In mind Friday night of next
week, February 8th, and make a
point oif being at the High School
building promptly at 7.30 o'clock.
GEN. LEONARD WOOD WOUNDED
Injury slight-Two OjLlwt Oflleers
Hurt-Elvo Kreuth Dead.
Washington, Jan. 27.-'Major Gen.
Leonard Wood, in Franco on an ob
servation tour, waa slightly wound
ed to-day 1jy an accidental explosion
which (killed five French sold lora and
hurt two other Amorlcan officers.
Secretary Bakor announced the ac
cident in this statement:
. "A cable dispatch from the head
quarters of Gen. Pershing states that
an accidental explosion occurring to
day killed live French soldiers nud
slightly injured Major Gen. Leonard
Wood in the arm, Lieut. Gol. Chas.
E. Kilbourne In tho oyo and Major
Kenyon A. Joyce In the arm."
It ls understood the message was
brief amd gave no further detallB.
Gen. Wood's tour would carry him
both to the front and to the Ameri
can training camps behind tho Unes,
but there le t?o Indication as to where
the accident occurred.
All of the divisional Commanders
have been or will be sent o ?Europe
for brief periods. Gen. Wood, com
manding Gamp Funstan, Kan., went
over several tweoks ago.
Five Wounded tn Action.
Washington, Jan. 27.-Gen. Per
shing to-day reported the wounding
in action of five infantrymen of the
expeditionary forces. .No details of
the fight *wero given.
Private Dergard Gorski, Chicago,
was severly wounded; First Sergt.
Lee Hacker, Manchester, Ky., mod- .
eratoly wounded, end tho following
slightly wounded: Corp. Willie Car
penter, 'Mangu?n, Okla.; and Pri
vates Earl Ballard, Kannapolis, N.
C.; Casper A. Schwab, Harlan, Ia.
Carpenter was wounded January 22;
the others January 21.
?Six deaths fro'ni natural Causes
were reported; none Southern men.
CALL FOU RESERVE ENLISTMENT
Government Needs Workmen of All
Kinds-Cham o to Enroll.
Editor Keowee Courier: Tho South j
Carolina Council of Defense has been 1
called on by the labor department
and the Council of National Defense j
to do an important piece of work in
South Carolina. This is the enrolling
of workmen in the United States Pub- i
lie Service 'Reserve, particularly for ,
the .purpose of re-en forcing the ship
building trade. The importance of 1
the emergency is shown In the follow- ?
lng telegram, which the State Coun- ?
ell received last Wednesday from
headquarters:
"War operations now held up by
Inadequate shipping. Rate of pro
duction of steel ships must be greatly
increased immediately. Only limited
number of men can be given direct
employment now, but yard and nous
lng facilities being increased rapidly.
Enrollment ot 250,000 workmen In a
reserve necessary, so men can be se
cured promptly when needed for any
reason, with least possible disturb
ance to industries. Upon careful re
vision your quota appears to be 4,
000. List of desired trades follows
by lottor. Supplementary training
will be provided at yards. In enroll
ing men, engage to accept employ
ment in ship yards on reasonable no
tice anywhere In the United States at
wage prevailing in yards. Adequate
housing provided. Enrollment itself
does not exempt from draft, but men
in ship yards now in deferred classi
fication. Enrollment begins January
28th and continuing until necessary
workmen enrolled."
Actual enrollment began this week,
January 28th, and will be'largely In
the hands of the County Chairman of
the State Council. Further particu
lars will be given.
All classes are joining the reserve;
professional men, engineers, artisans,
laborers of all kinds. Only men who
aro roally ready and able to respond
when an opportunity for service
comes should enroll. The "reserves"
must not be swamped with records of
men who are merely expressing patri
otism, but who, when it comes down
to business, are not going to bo abie
to work whore they may be needed.
No obligation exists to respond to a
call when it comes; the "reserve"
morely presents tho opportunity,
trusting to tho judgment and patri
otism of its members to load them to
accept, if they should nccopt, In view
of all the circumstances and of their
country's need..
The following list shows the kind
of trades most needed in ship-build
ing:
Acetylohe and electrical welders.
Asbestos workers.
Blacksmith-Anglesmlths, drop
forgo men, flange turners, furnace
men.
Boiler Makors-'Riveters, reamers.
Carpenters-Ship carpenters, dock
builders.
Chippers and calkers.
Electrical Workers-Electricians,
wiremen, crane operators. Y^
Foundry workers.
Laborers-'All kinds..
Loftsmen-Template makers.
?Machinists and 'Machine llaunds
(All sorts helpers.)
Painters.
Plumbers and plpe-flttors.
Sheet-metal workers and copper
smiths.
Ship flttors.
Structural Iron Workers-'Rivet
ers, erectors, bolters-up.
Other Trades-Cementers, crane
men.
Until further notice 1 am acting
Q, F. M KAUFS KD, KFD HY THAIN.
Was Ono of OCOUOO'H Hrs? and Most
Substantial Farmer Citizens,
Tho nowa of tho sudden and un
timely death of George F. Moar?s
roached Walhalla last Friday night
Mr. Meares was struck by Sou thor?
Railway train No. 80 a short dist
ance from tho Westminster depot,
death resulting Instantly from the in
juries received.
Tho facts of tho unfortunate acci
dent, ns wo have been able to got
them aro us follows: Mr. Meares and
a friend were standing on the edge
of tho raliway track opposite to tho
Hack on which a freight train was
standing. In this freight train thero
was a car of horses, and Mr. Mearos
and his friend wero looking over tho
stock. The engine to which thia
train of cars was attached was blow
ing out a constant stream of steam
and the horses were restless lu tho
cai*, making a great deal of noise, the
escaping steam screening the fast
passenger train, from view and tho
noise maxi o by the horse?, and escap
ing steam preventing the noise of the
passenger train hoing heard until it
wns too late for Mr. ?Meares to save
himself. His friend noticed tho on
rushing train just in time to
navo himself, but 'Mr. Meares WSB
too late. The engine struck him a
sidling blow, with the result that his
neck and ono arm were broken and
his body bruised in several places,
neath was Instantaneous, life toeing
extinct when the body was picked up.
Tho body was taken to an under
taking establishment in Westmin
ster, whore lt was prepared for bur
ial and moyod to his home In the
country.
George F. Meares *?i
was one of the most progressive and
prosperous farmers in Oconeo coun
ty, mid had been signally successful
in all hts undertakings. He came to
Oconee from Greenville county
a' out-20 years ago, and for a timo re
sided in the Fairview community.
Later, howevoi, he purchased a farm:
in the Oak wa / community, on which
ho resided with his family at the
timo of his death. He was over pro
gressive and energetic, devoting his
time continuously to his farm opera
tions, and- from his Industry had
gotten together an accumulation that,
rated him .certainly one of tho
most, well-to-do farmers of Oconeo.
Honest and honorable, wide-awake
and progressive, his name was al
ways linked with every movement
for the betterment of his homo com
munity. Ho would haye beon 53
years of age had he lived till March,
and was a son of tho late T. A.
Moar?s. In carly lifo ho married
Miss Addie Lowe, o'f Greenville
county, who, with eleven children,
survives him. The children are as
follows: Edgar Moar?s, of Salisbury,
N. C.; Walter, a second lieutenant In
the United States Army, now in
Franco; Arthur, Frank, Clyde, John,
Welborn, and Misses Leona, Gladys
and Corrie, at home. Three sistors
and two brothers also survive him
Mrs. F. W. Harbort, of Walhalla;
Mrs. W. M. Strickland, of Pelzer;
Mrs. J. D. Huff, of Greenville county;
T. C. and C. W. Meares, of Green
ville county. 'Mrs. Harbort and T. C.
Meares were among 'those able to at
tend the funeral services, all of tho
children being present except Lieut?
Meares, of France. y
The funeral services and interment,
took place at the Rock Springs Meth
odist church and cemotery, the ser
vices being conducted by Rev. O. A.
Jeffcoat, pastor of the Rock Springs
church, of which Mr. Meares was a
member. The services were con
ducted -Sunday afternoon at 1 o'clock,
and the pastor was assisted by tlev.
Mr. Lewis, of Westminster,
Probably no announcement of a
death in Oconee has brought moro
universal sorrow to Oconeeans than
that of (Mr, Meares. He was widely
known over tho county, and he was
respected and held in high esteem
wherever ho was known, his uniform
ly gracious manner and his real
worth as a citizen hoing recognized
by his every acquaintance.
To the bereaved ones The Courier
Joins In extending sympathy In their
deep sorrow. Ills passing has re
moved from our county one who will
be sorely missed on every hand.
Negro's flody in Cotton Bale.
(Atlanta Georgian, 25th.)
The body of a negro mao^was dis
covered in tho middle of a bale of
cotton, while the bale was hoing
compressed Thursday afternoon at
the Atlantic Compress Company's
plant. Tho negro apparently had
been dead several weeks.
The foale containing the body was
received in a shipment from the Un
ion Seed and Fertilizer Company, in
the outskirts of Atlanta. The body
was clad in old blue overalls and
"Jumper" and seemed to be that ot
a mill laborer.
Shocked by the discovery, the star
tled employees of the company tele
phoned to the police, and detectives
were sent out. An lnvstlgation was
Immediately started, beginning with
an effort to trace* that particular bale
back to the gin, where it originated.
as enrollment agent for this service.
Communicate with me at once.
\ J*. T. Jaynes, County Chairman.
Walhalla, Jan. 26, ID 18.
if