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er a Quarter Million Pounds of Tobacco was Sold on the Manning Market uesday and Wednesday, Netting Over $100,000. Manning Leads the State L. XXXVIII MANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 CROSWELL DAV FROM France, June 15, 1918. Smile, folks, smile. Nix (n the sob stuff. Life in France is not a day-in and-cey-out proposiito'i of living knee-deep in blood and mire of the trenches. Neither is it a life of dodg ing shells every few moments. And this is not a letter abodt war or fiyi g machines. It deals with civic attrac - ons. Nev that summer is here and the days are long, much can be accom plished. The huts that in winter looked cerd and dreary nae .een surround.d with green grass and flowers of every nd.'l. The walks are lined with clean waite 1ock. EvePir.g is in a clean Leaut iu1, orderly itanner. Fields that were 'once shell-torn now hold camps that have been trans formed into plats of beauty. It is not that ugly clung-together-over-night camp of yesterday. It is a home-a home that carries with it the pride and satisfaction of the home-makers, who happened to be, in this case, sol diers of the A. 'E. F. A look into these huts reveals further home-making. They in spare time have built trinkets, lockers and othousands of other things to recall home life and loved ones. The athletic fields are very popu lar now. Volley ball, baseball, and every other kind of amuscment exist until night, when you will find all of them have enjoyed themselves to the fullest extent. The Red Cross and Y. M. C. A. huts are popular resorts to the men who wish to while away the time writ ing home or "chewing the rag," as it were, and a smoke with other pals. Aside from the sentimental part of it France is not a bad place. It is a great experience for the average young man-an education within it self. It is making a bigger man of your boy, giving him an opportunity to bring those traits to light that are bound to break through the surface when the test of manhood comes. The assertion that the army is bound to break or make a man is er roneous. If it isn't in a man, it cannot break him. But if the good is in him it is bound to come our. He will come back to 'you a better man, mentally, OffICERS HOLD UP RAINCOAT ORD[RS Action Follows Arrests in Alleged Graft in Contracts MANY DEFECTIVE COATS Not Known Whether Order Means Cancellation of Contracts or Seizure of Plants New York, July 23.-Officers of the army quartermaster's department to night notified concerns named by the Department of Justice in its expose of an lleged' nation-wide conspiracy of bribery and graft in the manufacture of soldiers' raincoats ,that no more deliveries would be accepted until fur ther notice, and that payment would be suspended on large quantities of goods already delivered. This action was taken by Captin F. C.- Weightman, U. S. R., in charge of raincoat inspection, and Major Thomas McGrath, in charge of the in spection of al ]war materials in this district. It followed the arerst yeste'r lay of seventeen raincoat men and the discovery of thousands of defec tive raincoats, ready for shipment to Fiance, at the quartermaster's depft her e. Many Defective Coats .According to the investigators wvorking under Assistant Attorney coats include many bearing rejection marks and others which had not even' been inspected. These dlefective coats it nas .'oid, ait the reecuest of th3 )DW it was ,(d, were' n *:Cd with 'e~ther coats, in l undles 'o-, edI by the manu iacturers. Investigators intimatedl that more rejected or uninspected coats had been slipped through since the place of in spection was shifted a few months ago from the quartermaster's dlepot to the featories. This change had been made, it was saidl, at the request of the manufacturers, who -claimed that prompt performance of their contracts required earlier payment than could be had if inispection was not iiadle until final delivery. Meaning of Order Federal officials would not state whether suspension of deliveries and payments mean that contracts will be cancelled or whether they would rec plants by the government. 1HUNS CONTINUE RETREAT With the American Army on *he Aisne-Marne Front, July 23.--Infor mation reaching the intelligence de partment of the American army to night Indicated thart the Germans were still continuing their retreat. Far behind their lines they are be ing subjected to a heavy fire by both French,. and A mericarn guns, which doubtless is hampering the movement of their enormous supplie.. IS WRITES SUNNY FRANCE because of his wider education of the world; better physically, for the "roughing it" he must endure; and, perhaps, better morally, for to the average man, the army experience gives him a wider conception of right and wrong, of the big and little of life, and the wide variation, of thoughts between sordid, depressing thoughts, and the clean, wholesome thoughts of manhood. Of course, we are not all coming back, for each of us are offering our lives to make the world safe to live in, and some of them are going to be chosen. It is but natural that we should mourn our loved ones who have died, and those who are to die on freedom's battle-field. B'ut thou sands of mothers and fathers are blessing the day that gave them a son, that he may offer his life, for so worthy a cause. If your son's life is I chosen it is a sacrifice worthy of any man and soldier. . That boy of yours is a valuable, cog in a big piece of machinery, and he is proud of it, through and through. He is happy, and is a big man in a big business. And so it is up to you. to keep the machine going "over there" while we give the Hun all he can attend to "over here." This is the end of the story. Just these few lines thrown together to sho'.v a little sunlight in with the murky Hunism, and to let you know it isn't time to hang crepe. To some, war means trenches; to others it. means big guns; to still others it means combats in the air. But to the most of us war is business-strictly business. I have been working on the front since Jan. 1J, with the exception of ten days when we were moving from one front to another. Ard, holiove me, the First Division surely has made I the. Huns open their eyes. I do not believe they are regarding the" Americans so lightly now. So cheer up. We're happy and working like the devil, so that we can get this little unpleasant job over with, and go back. So smile, and nix on the sob stuff. Yours sincerely, CROSWELL L. DAVIS. ('L.HiAUING NORTHERN BANK G:' man Position at"Uulchy le than'su Ls c oming Untenable Paris. .'iy 23.--Frencr progress in the region of Culchy-le-ChateP. , says tie LEcho deg P:,ris, will soon rendIer 'he German positicns in that sector unte, abl'. New f, ices of Gen. de Mitry s arm- have cro'sed the Marn'.: between P4sy and lo'nrans, says the l'ct't Journal, which concludes that the Northern bank of the Marne in this region will soon be cleared of the em emy. -W-S--S 37 HUN PLANES DESTROYED Shot Down by British and French Airmen Paris, July 23.--Thirty-seven Ger man airplanes were brought down or put out of action by French and Brit ish airmen yesterday. Four captive ba'lloons were burned and many tons of bombs were dropped on German concentration points. This announce ment is made in the official communi cation issued by the war office to -W--S-_ GRANTING OF DIVORCES . IS LEGALIZED IN CUBA llavana, July 22.Granting of di vorces in Cuba is no-. legalized by a bill passed by the senate. Under it neither party to a divorce may marry! a third party until a full year has elapsed from the time the decree is granited. The dlivorcedl pair, however, may again become husband and wife through remarriage at any time. The principal grounds on which a (divorce may be applied for by the in nocent party are infidelity, habitual drunkenness, failure to provide and failure to return within two years after judicial declaration of absence from home. -W--S CYCLONE LIFTS WATERS OF LAKE UP TO CLOUDS Fondl-du-Lac,, July 22.--During a slight rainstorm recently a cyclone formed over Lake Winnebago and the funnel-shaped cloud, dlipping cdown to the surface of the lal~e, dIrew up im menise volumes of water which were' later discharged from the cloud in such quantities as to resemble a cloud burst. The Times lost one subscriber this week, but he has been replaced by thirty-one, new ones. He stopped our {aper, claiming it was a Blease paper. zvidently he got his news rpixed. At' least it Ianka.sn to us ALLI[S STILL GAINING GROUND SLOWLY ON GERMAN HORDES Number of Towns of Strategic Im portance Taken by French and American 'Troops HUN RETREAT CONTINUES Midway Between Soissons and Amiens French Strike Blow by Way of Di version With Splendid Results. Huns Fear Heavy British At tack East of Amiens. In Al bania French and Italian Troops Continue to Make Progress The Entente Allied troops on the Soissons-Rheims salient continue to gain ground, both on the western side of the battle front and on the south along the Marne and toward Rheims, notwithstanding the increasing resist ance of the Germans and the bad weather that is prevailing on the southern part of the line. Whie the latest gains recorded are not as irreat, on the whole, as those of prev ions days, they nevertheless have adden positions of strategic value to the Allied line for the further prosecu tion of the efforts to clear the terri tory of the enemy. In the fighting ! more prisoners, guns' and war stores have fallen into the har.-is of the American, French and British troops. As a diversion the French to the northwest, midway between Soissons and Amiens have delivered a blow against the German line, which has been productive of excellent results. Striking on a front of about four miles Gen. Foch's troops penetrated the enemy lines for a distance of about two miles and gained the heights dominating the valley of the Avre river and the plains beyond. Fif teen hundred Germans were captured by the French. The official commun ication issued by the French war of fice refers to this fighting as a local operation. Huns Pushed Back South of Soissons the drive of the Franco-American forces toward Fere En-Tardenois has pushed further ba k the Germans on both sides of the I Ourcq river. South of the river, not withstanding fierce resistance, the Al lied forces reached the railroad line between Armentiers and Coincy, run ning southward to Chateau-Thierry, and pressed on beyond it. This ad vance brings the French and Ameri can troops relatively to within seven miles of Fere-En-Tardenois, and also gives them a dominating position for. big gun play over the eastern section of the railway line running from Ar mentieres to Fere-En-Tarlenois. Americans Take Town On the northern, bank of the Marne to the east of Chateau-Thierry the town of Jaulgonne, from which the Americans retreated (luring the Ger man offensive, has been recaptured and left in the rear by the advancing troops. East of Jaulgonne the French likewise have advanced' their line on! the north bank of the Marne and clung to their newly won positions, not withstanding the violence of the Ger man counter moves and the statement of the German War Office that they were driven out. British Gain Likewise south of Rheims where the British are fighting with the French strong enemy positions have been captured and the Allied line ad vanced nearly a mile. The reinforced German front here stubbornly con tested the advance but the British and French gained the advantage and in addition to inflictiing heavy casual ties took prisoners and five guns. The British alone captured .300 Germans. The counter-attacks of the Germans continue with great violence, wvith heavy gun and machine gun fire be. hind thenm. Where they are forced to give ground the Germans are leaving numerous machine gun nesta; in the open to harass their enemies andl aid in making secure the retirements. Rain of Gas Shells The Germans aparently are fearful that the constant nibbling at their lines east of Amiens by the British foreshadow an early attack, and they. are sendling a rain of gas shells over1 the Vilelrs-Bretonneuix sector as a p'recaution. The British on various sec tors of the front in France and Flan, dlers continue daily to make slight gains against the enemy and take prisoners andl machine gunis. In Albania both the Frenich and Italian troops are keeping up their pressure against the Austrians. In the latest, reports from Rome andl Paris cohsidlerable gains are creditedl to the Alliedl troop sand also the cap ture of important positions andl pris oners and guns. .German Account Berlin, via London, July 23.-The hleadqiuarters report thIs evening says: "There have been local engagements on the western bank of the Avrne. Between Soissons a ndl Rheims the Crown Prine's army frustrated a strong attack by joint eeyfre. The text readls: eeyfre. "At many points on the front Brit ish detachme, nts advanced against our lies. They were repulsed. Artillery activity revived in the evening. "There was quiet on the battl ro it times. South of the Aisne, the en 'my, as a result of his heavy losses, lid not review his attacks yesterday. l'he artillery duels also decreased in niolence. "On both sides of the Ourcq and be ween the Ourcq and the Marne the enemy launched violent partial at acks on nearly all sectors; they were repulsed. South of the Ourcq they were frustrated by our counter-at :acks. "Enemy detachments which pene rated our advanced positions on the Marne on both sides of Jaulgonne were thrown back to the river by :ounter-attacks. There have been lo al battles southwest. and east of Rheims. "Fifty-two enemy airplanes and four captive balloons were brought :lown yesterday." Iuns Counter With Vigor With the American Army on the Aisne-Marne Front, July 23- The righting continued throughout tonight north and northeast of Chateau-Thier ry. The Germans by no means were slack in accepting the Allied challenge and struck back with great vigor. The fighting immediately north of Chateau-Thierry was so fierce as al most to rob it of the suggestion that it was a rear guard action. With a minimum artileiry fire by both sides the Americans advanced their skirmish line over yellow wheat. fields, dotted with poppies, 'and through ellmp1s of woods. It was In ii;an fighting modernized by machine e:un work. The Germans left on the field a great number of machine gunners in nests. Many of these guns were cap tured. and the entire personnel of a machine gun company tonight is swelling the already big list of prison.. r: taken. Had Weather Sets In With the'American Army on the Aisne-Marne Front. July 23.-The weather along the battle front this morning was inclement, rain and mist prevailing. German reinforcements were re ported today in the district to the cast of Soissons at the tip of the Ger man right flank on the Aisne-Marne line. While fires were reported in the rlistrict to the north of the Marne last night there were no reports of similar conflagrations along the line south from Soissons or that running south west of Rheims. The indications thus were that the Germans have determined not to give up additional territory along these flanks of their positions unless they are compelled to do so. Very Heavy Fighting London , July 23rd-Immediately south of the river Ourecq on the Aisne. Marne battle front, the advancing French forces are reported to have had very heavy fighting today. Nev ertheless, they have succeedd in raching several placts on the rail road between Armentiers and Coincy. This part of the railroad is more than six miles to the east of Neuilly St. Front. The situation along the river Marne was unchanged today except that the Germans apparently overwhelmed some of the French troops across the river south of Vincelles and north of Dormans. -W-S TO STOP LEAKAGE OF INFORMATION TO ENEMY Washington, July 22-The emergen cy corporation is making new ef forts to cut off all possible leakage of information to the enemy through neutral countries. There is no matter of graver inter est or concern to the central powers than the progress of the shipbuilding program of the United States, it is as serted. Today a general order was put into (effect at all United States ports hy the issuance of positive instruc-tions to collectors of customs to refuse per mits for taking photographs andl spec ifications of' American 'vessels andl shipbuilding plants out or the United States. Large quantities of marine dlocu ments considleredl as jeopatrdizing the miltary interests of the government are said to have been seizedC~ at the port of New York. Among the papers were dletaliledl drawings of American steamships, sailing vessels and mine xweepers and detailedl specifications f merchant vessels and ships being [milt in this country forn the French riavy. VON HJIND)ENBUJRG AGAIN Mft Reported D~ead; Now Reported Seriously Ill London, .July 23.--Field Marshal ron, Hindenburng, chief of the German general staff is seriously ill aind has aken no part in military operations of he .present year, accordling to infor nation from Berlin, says a Central fJews dispaitch from Berne today. At great personal effort, the incs age adds, the field mhrshal was pres mnt at a few of the receptions, but vent throu gh the functions without ipeaking. lHe is quite incapable of, vriting. the advices declare, HARRY LEVISON THE LIFE Tours, France, 6-20-18. I1 Your letter dated May 20th received y a few days ago. It was, beyond a S doubt, read with more interest than o any yet received. t Well, Ben, as this is June 20th, you are no doubt now in camp, and going through the first maneuvers of a re- c1 cruit. Boy, my sympathy is sure with you, for I know how I felt the first few weeks in camp. But don't worry, you will gradually become accustom ed to camp life, and as the days go by, you will like it better and better. (Continuous laughter.) She seems a little hard at times, but with all the hardships there is lots of pleasure in termingled. Sister .Jennie hd already written me concerning Harry Riff going to camp. How does he like the change from a "Style-Plus" to an "Uncle Sam ?" I know the old scout took it pretty hard to begin with. Bet he is enjoying it now, though. Yes, Ben, it is best that you did not claim exempt ion. If you had, after the war, the civilan population, and even the soldiers returning from I France, would have branded you as a 1 coward and a slacker. There would be < no peace for you anywhere. Fingers of I scorn would be ever pointed in your direction; and the people would ask: 1 "Who are you, that you failed to do < your bit?" 'Tis better to suffer the hardships and langers of a thousand hells than I to be looked upon, and really be, an outcast from decent society. Although the soldier's life in France is not a bed of roses, I would not trade places with l any boy in America today who is safe from all dangers, but looked upon as a slacker. When this war is over and peace reigns once more, who will bh "The man of the hour?" Certainly not the man who stands behind an:l shirks; h'ip dluty to his country and to himsecl but the man who sees his duty before him, and performs it faithfully r garlless of all dangers that might lie in the path ahead. I glory in your "spunk", and con gratuh.te you on your decision. May there be many more to see and appre ciate it as you do. Many a man has yet to be sent over before that monster of all nations, Germany, can be whipped. If you could see the havoc wrought by this barbarous nation; see the thojusandts of children made orphans, al for the . sake of the ambition and greed of one man, there would be no hesitancy or, the part of any red-blooded Americans to step forward and say: "1 am ready and willing to make the supreme sac rifice, so that this nation (Germany) cannot again rise and cause untol(: auony and suffering to fall upon peace-,lovmg and more humane na tions." Many thanks lien for wanting to send me a War KaVings Stamp as ar souvenr. Sorry you fo got it. Brinm it along with you when you come over. Will appreciate it just as much then FOOD CRISIS IS OER STATES MR. IOOVER American Food Administrator Makes Address in London lRO' O' $8 BALE R EORInD All Anxiety as to the Great Essentials oif Food Past, lHe Sa~ys London, .July 23.-Speaking at ai lunicheon give*n in his honor by the' lord mayor at the Mansion House to day, Herbert C. H oover, the Amiericani foodI adinnistrator, gave a most reas-v suring review of the food situation. We can say emphatically that allp anxiety as to the great essentials of v food is nmow passed." Mr-. Ho over (Ie- I elared. In a st atement toiday on food prob-a lems, Mr.. IHoover sp)oi. (1: the g:.ea: a problemi of agriculturii.! subistit ution,p which, he said, was dominated by twvo critical and i reated fauctors, the first (if which was tiime, and the second ex. peud it ure in fod der anad landl prod ue-( t ivity. "'.oincrease (mru beef produOct ion,'" conitmued Mr i. Hoover, "would~ re. : tromi three to five years. On the o'ther " hand, we coulId, bring about an enor mous0 mecrr use im our m-eat andl fat Ih Production through swine wit hin nine I to twvelve months.",u .Mr. hover saidl the A nierican agri cultural .population had been urged along this line and had bieeni given as surances which had ledl to a woner-~ ful imerease in swvine production.e "I' have in my possession the needs of the European Allies for meat," the food administrator wvent on. "We can I1 furnish this whole volume in pork alone. We can summarize our pres ent position by stating that within the next twelve months we can, with less -o pressure of saving upon our people, 0 export 18,000,000 tons if necessary, u and to this Canada will add 3,000,000 cl tons." I LIKES OF A SOLDIER ott wil ]no doubt be disappointed then you try to send me the things o1 speak of in your letter, as Unek am has decreed that no more parcels r packages of any kind can be sent a the "Sanmmies" in France. In or er to get anything from the States, would have to nake a specific re u'st for articles wanted and have it nidorsed by my company command r. I've decided not to do that, so you ec, my receiving anything from the tates is a bygone dream. It certainly is a source of grat ifica ion to me to know that the folks back ome are so solidly behind the boys ver here. Without their help we could o nothing. In order to win this war ach and every one must do his share. 'hat "Work or Fight" law is a good me, and will no doubt force some of he heretofore idlers and loafers to ind a useful occupation. It will go )retty hard with the poor fellows, von'I it? Too bad they won't be al owed to "Bum'" around while others vork. They sure have my sympathy, is well as contempt. You can .Just "can" that hero stuff \t present I am only a clerk, so don't lave much chance to perform any he. oic deeds. Will wait until you come wv'r, then we will show "Fritzie" a hing or two together. "I know you and Harry pulled a )ig one while in New York. Wish I .ould have been along. Wait until T 'each the old Metropolis again; Broad. vay won't be wide enough or me to ass through. I note what you say withf reerence o your Liberty Bonds. That's fine! reep it up. At the rate you are going. I: P. Morgan will soon look like a )iker. Ben, one hundred dollars in France oday doesn't make a man as rich as 7ou think it does. You must remember hat these are war times, especiallly n France. and that 'v.eytlhio,'g is ex renely higch. Say anything to the 'retcn l:e;:lI about the high price of 1 os, and they will say "C'est La notrre," which in the language of ot's people means: "It is the war." Boy, this is a great country. You 'anl havet a good time or a had time, ust as you make it. When you land, lon't squander your money on any Ind everythmng you see. You will no loubt he over here quite a while, so go asy. I made the mistake of being too 'ree in the beginning, and now regret t. Exprience is a good teacher. I am earning fast. Glad you were so successful in your anvas for the Red Cross. That's a vunderful or'ganization over here. lit for that, many a poor soldier boy vould suffer for lack - attention. Well. so long, old scout. Give my re tards to all my friends. Hope to see 'out over here before many days. It vill hardly be my privilege to meet it the train, but nevertheless you will e welcomed. I am, Your friend, tlarry Levinson. 'vt. larry Levinson, No. 2.312,.';. Co. 1). Hdqrs. Hn., A. P. 0., 717, American E. P., France. - S. Answer real soon. A fter announcing that all anxiety ad passed Mr. hoover continued: "We are building ships as a part o our submjarine defense. We have ow built up our food reserves in the earest market as a further defense. 'he call for ships for food next year 'i!l be less than last and consequent y we will have more ships for Ameri an soldiers." D)AMAG;EI) STEAMiIEl IN Tow)X kelieve'td to 1ke Ship Daimage'd in Ex ptlosion A n A tlantic P'ort, .Luly 2:1. --A large~t our imastedl Belgian re'lief steamer i(sed1 here'( soult h boun ro it t ow of the .re'eking tug Resolute todayi. Hler amne coulld noit be diistinguishedl, hut am ited in large letters on her side, ecre the wordls "Belgian Rtelief Ship.'" t was thought she was the steamer 'ic th was damat~ged in an ('xllosion at North A tlant it' port several months go and .was beinjg towved to ainot her oil to finish repairs. 'arolina and Northwesterin Railway is Metrge'd Kn Pile enn., .July 23- 'lThe Car. lin and Northwestern Railway, 135 fu's long~ and va lued at $2,700,000, a5 been absorbedt by the Sotuthe(rn a lway and the manag~ement of it I Ima intaim its corporate identity , have 'other short lies mer'tged wild le Southe'rn. Tfhe l'n(' ex\t('nds from Il ickory to 'tester', S. C., to Len,,r, N. C., andi Fsses thrtouigh sonic Very tic)) 'oun. 'y. RISTO~L P'LANES NOT OF MIITARY VALU1E 'Washington, July 23.-PIrodluction the United States of Bristol type Sfighting planes has been discontin-. ed after tests showing that the ma iine is not of military value, the lar Department tnght ,.nou...d