Fort Mill times. (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, April 18, 1918, Image 1
i Established in 1891. :
URGES CAMPAIGN
FOR STATE FUND
?*
OR. HA8TINGS HART WOULD CONFINE
STATE d IN8ANE SOLDIERS
WITHIN BORDER8.
T_V, ,
DISPATCHES FROM COLUMBIA
Doings and Happening* That Mark
the Progress of 8outh Carolina People.
Gathered Around ths State
Capital.
Columbia.
How South Carolina may make the
work of Its social agencies more efficent
in rniintinr war limp nrnlilema
and in preparing for conditions after
the war is the striking note in a report
on "The war program of the State of
South Carolina." which has just been
made public. The report was prepared
at the invitation of Governor Manning,
the State Council of Defense, and the
State board of charities and corrections.
by Dr. HasVngs H. liart. director
of the departmeut of child helping.
Russell Sage foundation. New York.
Dr. Hart is one of the leading social
experts of America and is well known
In South Carolina.
Dr. Hart's report is based upon his
study of the work of the civic preparedness
commission, the State Council
of Defense, the women's council of defense,
the State board of charities and
corrections, the State department rf
education and personal visits to 30
public and private penal, correctional
and charitable institutions throughout
the State.
He says the work of the State council
Justifies "fully" the statement of
tne National council thai "no Southern
State gives greater encouragement
than South Carolina In the management
of Its Council of Defense." Urging
that future plans be based upon
^ "a possible continuance oft he war for
~ three years longer." he stresses the
State's obligation toward the soldier
and the sailor In the training camps,
on foreign service, and after hiB return;
toward the so'dler's family and
the soldier's children; toward the
needs for men and women in all
branches of war service, and for furnishing
Its share jf money, cotton
and foodstufTs for the successful prosecution
of the war.
The report Indorses a number of the
recommendations of the State board
of charities and corrections, including
the abolition of the county chain-gang
system, establishment of "district hospital
homes" instead of the prosent
county poor houses, and a closer coordination
of the State instkutions
along the lines of manufacturing, agriculture
and purchasing. "Nearly everyohe
of the recommendations listed
has a direct hearing upon South Carolina's
share In the great war." says
Dr. Hart.
Dr. Hart proposes a colony plan for
the care of Insane soldiers from South
Carolina, and describes as "Interesting"
the proposition made by the State
board of health to the federal government
for the care of tubercular sol.
diers from this State.
Meet In Columbia May 28.
A movement to provide for an enthusiastic
and patriotic demonstration
by South Carolina Pythlans was set in
motion when grand lodge officials and
several members of the grand body
met at the Jefferson Hotel. Columbia,
to pass oh the auestlon of annulline
the 1918 convention.
Members of the order had suggested
that the annual meeting of the grand
lodge be called off and the grand lodge
officers took the matter under advisement.
After the matter had been discussed
the officials decided that the
times afforded a great opportunity for
the Pythlans to arouse themselves and
show to the world that the order
tenches patriotism and sacrifice. The
unaremous opinion of all present we.s
that the convention should be held as
n nof elnHo /lulv on/1 nlauo oeo oleaodo
o uoii iwiiv "Ui; ?ir nnr<ni?
under way to make the 1918 convention
the biggest and boat In the history
of the order.
Kill the Crows.
A piece of dead horse or cow treated
with strychnine, and tied or wired in
a tree where crows can find it. means
great relief from crows. Crows destroy
more small frame, birds and
birds' eggs than any other creature
that lives. A young crow in the neat
will cansume daily two and three
times !t? own we'.Rhf of food. When
young. the rrow is fed chiefly on ari?
* en! food, mainly the jroung and eggs
\. cf other birds?younR rnhb'ts and
N-si r?vth'nR else of this kind the parent
Aird* can Rather.
New Enterprises Authorized.
The Springfield Ginning Company
of Springfield. Orangeburg county,
was commissioned by W. Hanks Dove,
secretary of state, with a proposed
capital stock of $12,000. In addition
to a general ginning business, the
company proposes to handle cotton
seed and cottonseed products. Petitioners
are Mike Qleaton, John W
Tyler and E. J. Boland.
The Victoria Cotton Company of
>: Rock Hill made application for an inv
crease in the capital stock from $26. 00
to $100,000. v
IKJBHIBHh'' ? jBBB-reS _ ggd y
*
Ttn?
I H r j
Cotton Farmer* Called to Meet.
Cotton farmer* hare been Invited
by W. Q. Smith, State warehouse com|
misslooer, to a meeting in Columbia
May 14. The following Is ;be call as
issued by Mr. Smith:
To the Cot??n Farmers of South Carolina:
I hereby invite to a conference to be
held in Columbia on Tuesday, M*y
I it. asib. at 3 O'clock p. m.. all the cot|
ton producers of South Carolina and
I all others interested in the ginning
I and the warehousing, in the financing
! and the distribution, in the transportation
and the marketing of cotton.
These are some of the purposes of the
proposed conference:
(1) To formulate workable plans
for the Statewide organization of the
cotton farmers of South Carolina, for
their own protection and benefit.
(2) To provide for the formation of
community marketing clubs in each
county of the State?these community
clubs to effect a county association,
and then all the county associationa ;
i to combine in the formation of the
j South Carolina Marketing Organlza- ,
1 tion.
(3) To establish in the office of
| State warehouse commissioner a buI
reau of information on cotton?this
i State bureau to be in constant touch
j with a similar bureau at the county
j seat of each county and each county
: bureau in daily communication with ,
the several community centers of the
county. A complete chain of information
is to be formed so that every
farmer will be kept fully advised what
is being proposed and done by the
farmers in all the counties of South
Carolina.
(4) To arrange for the grading and
the stapling of all cotton on storage
by government experts connected with
the office of State warehouse commissioner?and
without cost to the
owners and holders of the cotton. This
will enable farmers to sell their cotton
on certified grades and direct to
consuming plants, and always at highest
market prices.
! (5) To promote the development by
I the fnrmers themselves of the South
; Onrol'na svstem of cotton marketing.
This will not be a meeting for
speech making, but a business confer
| ence of farmers, for farmers, and by
I farmers, and of all others who are
Interes'ed in the 1918 cotton crop,
i Let every one who can attend, notify
j me at once. W. O. SMITH,
State Warehouse Commissioner.
| New Coal Ruling.
B. B Oossett. State fuel admlnisj
trafor. issued the following Important
order establishing retail gross
margins on coal and coke for the State
of South Carolina, going into effect
April 10:
l "Pursuant to authority invested In
1 me by the United States fuel adminI
istration. the following maximum retail
gross margins, per ton of 2.000 j
! pounds, are heerbv established for j
I coke and coal sold to consumers in j
! the State of South Carolina. These
gross margins inohide the expense of
j.delivery in purchaser's bin or cellar: '
Anthracite. $2 25; bituminous (prepared
sizes>. $2; bituminous (run of
mine, slack and screenings). $1.50; ;
coke, $2.50.
"An extra delivery charge of 25 j
cents may be added on coal sold in
less than ton lots, but not less than
j quarter ton lots. For example, sun- |
I pose that a retail dealer is lawfully |
charging $8 per ton for his coal, the
price to be charged by this dealer on
coal sold and delivered in lots less
than one ton. would be arrived at as
follows: Sale of one-half ton of coal j
at $8. $4; extra-delivery charge per- (
mltted. 25 cents; price in one-half
ton lots. $4.25: sale ot one-quarter ton
of coal at $8. $2; extra delivery charge
'permitted. 25 cents., price in one-:
| quarter ton lota. $2 25.
"The local fuel committee shall fix
I the retail gross margin on all coal
; delivered in lots of less than 500
ponnds.
"A reasonable allowance for drayage
shall be made on all coal sold
> ? V. -..4 - TU. 4
i. w. u. n ynnin. inn finr.Mmi j
I of this allowanre will he determine^ j
by each local fuel committee, nid |
shall be snhteot to reviaion hv 'he
, State fuel administrator if hv him
deemed nd"lssble
"Tbe maximum mnre'u allowed lr j
each lostnnee Is ba??d nnm ard Is to '
i be added to the rnvo'-nmeot nriop f o
! b ears on the ra'lroad tracV et de<<
! tlnaMon. Th? dealer mm* unload ,
j reel and robe from tbe railroad oars
] n! his own exnense
"Pen'ers have 'he rli^ht to exne^t '
fhe'r customer* to nav nromntlv i
n'l ooal pnd ooVe nurohased fh?
dealers need 'b? monev to huv mor,?
coal, because thev a'** on a c?sh basis
Two th'rds of o?r eu'tr?? enasor's
s"*>n'v should he In 'be S'afe hv S?nt
tember 1.
' "The margins here.nv established :
p-e believed to be reasonable and fair
t> consumers and ooal rteaiu.-? a! ke
T ealers may rhareo toss, but ran not
j nlleot more, than tbe maximum xrnsa
j t.*arylns allowed.
The Bell Bar<a!n Houro of Clinton
i was granted pernvssioi* to change Its
| name to the Hell Workman Ooonipuny
and to increase Us capital stock front
j 17.500 to 120.000
| The F. C. Thomas Company of
nioomville has boon granted a charter
! by the secretary of state with a cao' at
stock of $24,000. The officers are;
President F. C. Thomas; Tlce presii
dent. J C. Phlllins; secretary and
treasurer. Joe S. Thomas.
The Pell Workman Bank of Clinton
has been commissioned with a propos
ed cao'.tal stoek'nf $1 ? 000
B?k. Mi ; &; i.
I 9*
FOR'
FORT II
LADY FURNESS
Lady Furnesa, on* of tho notod
women of tho BHtloh peerage, la eervng
as a nurse In the Red Cross behind
the lines In France. Many, like
isr, have given up personal comforts
ind the joys of social life, to enlist
their efforts In their country's cause.
Many are serving In the hospitals
tloee to the firing line In France.
BATTLE ON 30-MILE FRONT
MINOENBURG USING HI8 HEAVIEST
LEGIONS AND MIGHTIEST
GUNS.
Americans Fighting on Toul Sector,
But None Reported on The
British Front.
Swinging his heaviest legions and
u11kuumi guua L?ti iu iuo uunu ui iuo
Pleardy battlefield, Field Marshal von
Hlndenburg now is driving attack
atter attack agalnat the British Unas
between Arras and Ypres. Charging
across the level country behind a tempest
of high explosive and gas shells,
the Oermans have succeeded by terrific
fighting in penetrating the British
defenses at points over a front of
nearly 30 miles to a depth of almost
six miles Just t^the south of Ypres.
The loss of Armentleres is admitted
by the British, but this was expected
from the trend of events in that sector
during the last few days. The
enemy had driven In on both sides of
the town and holding out longer by
the British would have Imperilled the
whole line. So far as known, the
withdrawal of the British forces from
Armentleres was orderly and was only
for the purpose of straightening out
the line in the region where the Oerman
pressure is the heaviest.
The British have stood firm at vital
points along the line. Wystchaete Is
still held by Field Marshal Haig'n men
who also maintain their grip on Messines
ridge, Lestrenl, Ploegsteert, and
Ploegsteert wood and Hollebeke,
against which furious assaults hare
been launched only to break down or
oe nullified by British counter-attacks.
\ terrific attack made against Hollebeke
and Wystchaete was completely
repulsed with great loss to the Germans.
This particular part of the battle
line In the west has been the scene
of terrible fighting for nearly four
years. Armentieres marked the farth9st
retirement in this region of the
French, British and Belgians In August
and September, 1914. Just to the
north, near Ypres, the Oermans on
April 3. 1916. first loosed their poisonous
gas, and here on December 19, the
same year, they drore hard at the
thin line of Canadians In a desperate
effort to reach Calais. On both occasions
the Canadians beat back the
snemy and held their lines Intact.
UNUSUAL WEATHER PROM
HATTERA8 TO CAPE COD
Washington. ? Southern New England
and the middle Atlantic Coast
districts are experiencing extraordlanrv
April weather, sleet, snow and
driving . rain accompanying a high
northeast wind blowing along much
of the coast from Cape llatteras to
Cape Cod.
Temperatures were from 20 to 30
degrees below the seasonsal average,
but nowhere had they reached the
freezing point, though they were only
n few degrees above it.
The cyclonic depression off the Carolina
coast, instead of passing to sea
ps the weather forecaster had predicted.
Increased in intensity and began
moving slowly northeastward.
High northeast winds blew over the
Virginia and North Carolina coasts
and have reached as far as Nantucket i
where the wind attained a velocity of
42 miles an hour. At Cape Henry the
wind blew 52 miles an hour, but mod i
crated In a short while.
CLYDE LINE SHIPS
ARE COMMANDEERED{
Washington.?Leading Atlantic and
gulf steamship lines will be unified
under control of the railroad administration.
President Wilson, by proclamation,
commandeered the Clyde.
Mallory, Merchants' A Miners' and
Southern Steamship lines and assigned
them to the supervision of Director
General McAdoo, who already has control
of railway-owned lines, the Ocean,
Old Dominion, Southern Pacific, and
Baltimore Steam Packet.
r Mi
(ILL, S. 0., THURSDAY, API
AMERICAN TROOPS
IN HARD FIGHTING
GERMANS FAIL IN REPEATED EFFORTS
TO REACH AMERI
CAN THIRD LINE.
LOSE HUNDREDS OF MEN
Manay Deeds of Individual Bravery
and Heroism Have Developed
Among the Americans.
Preceded by an intense bombardment
of high explosives and pilson
gas shells picked troops from four
German companies hurled themselves
against the American positions on the
right bank of the Meuso north of St.
Mihiel. but were completely repulsed
after terrific hand to hand fighting.
The Americans captured some prisoners.
The German losses already
counted are 34 dead and 10 wounded,
who were in the American trenches,
and 30 dead in No Man's Land. Several
of the wounded enemy were taken
back by their comrades to the German
positions.
After another night of terrific artillery
fire and a bombardment with
shell*, the Gef-mans continued their
efforts to drive through to the third
line of the American positions near
Apremont forest northwest of Toul.
They made two attacks, both of which
failed. The enemy's casualties In the
four dAys' fighting areestlmated at between
500 and 400. Of this number
more than 100 were killed.
Although the enemy wasted fully
a half of his specially trained shock
troop battalion of 800 men. he was
unable to penetrate the American
lines, which remained unchanged. Of
the 36 prisoners taken by American
troops In the fighting northwest of
Toul. during which two German attacks
in force were Repulsed with
heavy casualties to the enemy. 12
have since died of their wounds. Tho
American troops also captured two
German machine guns besides a quantity
of small arms, grenades and other
war material.
The prisoners taken belonged to
the twenty-fifth and sixty-fifth Landwehr
units, the sixteenth pioneers and
the Uhlans. The prisoners said they
had had no food for two days, as the
American artillery had prevented
their rations from being brought up
to their position. The captive Germans
quickly devoured the food given
them by our men.
SENATOR WM J. STONE
OF MISSOURI .PASSES
Was Chairman of Senate Foreign
Relations Committee.
Washington.?Senator William J.
Stone, of Missouri, chairman of the
senate foreign relations committee,
and for many years ropminent among
Democratic leaders, died here after a
stroke of paralysis.
Senator Stone suffered the stroke
while on a street car on his way to
the senate office building. A slight
cerebral hemorrhage affected hla left
aide, rendering him helpless, but he
did not lose consciousness and a few
hours later rallied and began to talk
about getting up. His family and
friends were hopeful until there was
a decided turn for the worse.
There was a second cerebral hemorrhage
and the senator fell into a state
of coma. Death came at 4:30 o'clock
but the physlciau made no announcement
until an hour later because twice
the patient's pulse had become so
weak that the family thought the end
had come.
At the bedside were Mrs. Stone and
their children, Federal Ju<Jge Kirabrough
Stone, of Kansas City; Mrs.
John W. Parkinson, of St. Joseph, Mo.,
and Miss .Mabel Stone, and niece
Miss Margaret Winston, of St. Louis.
All the members of the Missouri delegation
in congress were at the home
during the day and there were scores
of callers among officials and members
of Congress.
YET ANOTHE# DRAFT
CALL IS ISSUED
Washington.?Another draft call,
for 40.843 registrants, has been sent
to governors of states by General
Crowder. Mobilixutlon of the men
la ordered for May 1 and 10. the war
donnrtment announced.
This call increases to more than
300.000 the number of select men
ordered to camp since late in March
This is far in excess of the monthly
thnt wamM Koa?? aKHI
el under the original plan
ENTIRE BRITISH LINE
IS HOLDING FIRM
The entire allied line In Belgium
and France is holding firm.
Nowhere have the Germans been
able, notwithstanding the great numbers
of men hurled against It. especially
that portion in Flanders where
the British are holding forth, to gain
an inch of ground. Field Marshal
Haig's order that ao more ground be
ceded is rigidly helng complied with,
as is attested by the thousands of Ger |
man dead.
LL T
:
UL 18, 1918
MARS^^^V^F^CH
- i&gmj/
a . v^lft ft
ft ^K '?,%.-^J? m
gHw^nMHB^Hn
L"H8^HHBSftS5BBmp3BSpft.
^pa^j^.V|W>>A.^-;iM>il*t 4i t?vi:;:a/
Field Marshal von Woyrach, who, it
la authoritatively stated, will lead the
much-ad vertleed spring drive of the
Germans on the West front. He commanded
the Teutonic armies in the Invasion
of Poland In IGt9w
SENATE PASSES SEDTION BILL
PROVIDES 20 YEARS* IMPRISONMENT
AND S10.U00 FINE r
DISLOYAL UTTERANwfcfc.
Prohibits Language or Acts of Disloyalty;
Obstruction of Draft
and Liberty Loan.
Washington.?The sedition bill, prohibiting
under penalties of 20 years'
imprisonment nda $10,000 flue, language
or acts of disloyalty or obstruction
of the army draft and Liberty
loans, was passed today by the Benate
without a record vote, ending protracted
debate. It now goes to conference
between the house aud senate and
final enactment is expected soon.
Though modified to meet the objections
of senators who claimed the
original draft would curb legitimate
freedom of speech, the bill retains the
broad inhibition of w-ordH or acts
which "support or favor the cause of
the German empire or its allies?or
oppose the cuase of the United
States." It also WOlllH niinlnh urlllfnt
and "disloyal, profuse, scurrilous, contemptuous
or abusive" language about
the American form of government,
"constitution, military or naval forces,
flag or uniform," und willful utterances
designed to curtail production
f essential war materials.
The senate adopted an amendment
by Senator Jones, of New Mexico, providing
for dismissal of federal executive
employes making disloyal statements.
This was a substitute for one
introduced by Senator Penrose, of
Pennsylvania, several days ago after
attacks had been made upon George
Creel, chairman of the committee on
public information, and other officials
on account of their writing in the
past.
Senator Lodge, after he and other
senators had denounced alleged disloyal
publications in the GermanAmerican
press, withdrew his amendment
nrnhlhltln^ flarmm la << uno
publications unless paralleled by English
translations. Senator Borah, of
Idaho, did not press an amendment
he had offered to reperl the postmaster
general's press censorship authority
conferred in the original espionage
act.
AMERICAN TROOPS GREETED
WITH INTENSE ENTHUSIASM
With the Brittsh Army in France.?
The first of the American flighting
troops have arrived on the British
front and have been greeted with Intense
enthusiasm. The overseers pioneers
were a battalion of Infantry,
which came swinging along the road
into a certain sector after an all-night
march that began on the anniversary
of America's declaration of war. The
dusty uniforms and unshaven faces of
the Americans showed that they had
been long on the road.
GERMAN ALLIANCE QUITS;
GIVES RED CROSS MONEY
Philadelphia ? The German-American
alliance, which has been the
storm renter of congressional investigation
for some time past, will disband
and Rive the JW.OOO now in the
treasury to the Red Cross. This announcement
was semi ofTically made
during a recess following au all-day
secret session. It was said the dlsso
lution of the ulllance will become effective
at once
TO STAMP OUT MOSQUITO
PESTS AROUND CAMPS
Washington.?Immediate measures
to stamp out mosquito pest in regions
surrounding southern army camps will
he taken by the ramy medical corps.
The war department approved a suggestion
that army funds be made
available for the purpose, setting aside
the legal difficulty of using these funds
for sanitary work outside of army
posts. First efforts of the medical
corn will be centered about the
southern rtmna
IMES
ISSUES ORDER TOl
HOLD THEIR GROUND
FIGHTING WITH BACKS TO WALL '
HAIG 8AYS THERE MU8T BE
NO FALLING BACK.
READY TO STRICK BACK?
"The Safety of Ouh Home* and the
Freedom of Mankind" Now at |
Stake Says Field Marshal.
Great Britain's armies stand at bay |
in France and Flanders. After three
weeks o fa combat which has eclipsed (
anything that has raged during the <
entire four years of warfare. Field ]
Marshal Halg has issued a command ,
to his men to hold their ground at
whatever cost, and tight with the ]
knowledge that their blows ure struck t
"for the safety of their homes and i
the freedom of mankind." i
The end of the first phase of this I
giant struggle now may be considered '
as passed. "8here must be no retirement,"
is Halg's admonitoln which
adds that the British now are "fight- <
ing with their backs to the wall." The 1
withdrawal in Picardy was officially
reported to have been a part of the al- '
lied strategy, but the period for such
tactics seemingly has gone into history.
The order issued by the field mar- 1
shal contains another sentence which I
may be pregnant wltli significance. 1
"The French army is moving rapidly
and in great force to our support."
uv UU4U, uIiu iiiio ia me in oi uiucr&I intimatlon
that the allies are ready to
strike back at the German Invaders.
This blow may not necessarily fall in
Flanders, nor yet in Picardy, but may
be aimed at some part of the line
whare Generalissimo Foch may be- 1
lleve he ran cut through the German
front and compel the Teutons to re- 1
lax their pressure against the British.
"EVERY POSITION MU8T BE
HELD TO THE LAST MAN"
London.?Field Marshal Sir Douglas
Haig. in a special order of the day
address to "All ranks of the British !
army in France and Flanders." says: I
"Every position must be held to
the last man. There must be no re- :
tirement. With our backs to the wall
and believing in the justice of our
cause, each one of us might fight on
to the end.
"The safety of our homes and the
freedom of mankind depend alike up
on trie conduct or each one of us at
this critical moment."
Field Marshal Haig announced that
the French army "Is moving rapidly
and in great force" to the support of
the British.
The special order says:
"Three weeks ago today, the enemy
began his terrific attacks against us
on a 50-mile front. Ills objects are
to separate us from theFrench, to take
the channel ports and to destroy ths
British army.
"In spite of throwing, already, one (
hundred and six divisions into the bat- ;
tie and enduring the most reckless
sacrifice of human life, he has yet
made little progress toward his goals.
"We owe this to the determined
fighting and self-sacrifice of our
troops. Wo/ds fall me to express tre
admiration which I feel for the splendid
resistance offered by all ranks of
our army under the most trying circumstances.
"Many amongst us now are tired.
To those, I would say that victory will
belong to the side which holds out the
lAniTAaf Tho Pronoh armu <
rapidly and In great force to our sup '
port. There is no other course open
to us to fight It out.
'Every position must be held to
the last man There must be no retirement.
With our backs to the wall
and believing in the justice of our
cause, each one of us must fight to
the end. The safety of our homes
and the freedom of mankind depend |
alike upon the conduct of each one of
us at Miis oritl-jl m >ment "
SOUTHERN YARDS ARE
ASKED TO SET THE PACE
Washington. ? Southern shipyards
were called on to set the pare in 1
building ships in an address made by
Chairman Hurley, of the shipping
board, before the shipping committee
of the Southern Commercial Congress.
Mr. Hurley pointed out the south's advantages
in coast line and climatic
conditions and said there was no reason
why it should be second to any
other section in producing ocean tun
nage.
WILL BASE QUOTAS ON
NUMBER IN CLASS ONE
Washington?The war department's
plan Tor basing draft quotas on the j
number of registrants in (Mass 1 instead
of upon population was sustained
in the house after an all-day fight
over a resolution passed by the senthe,
authorizing the phange. Opponents
of the plan championed an
amendment by Representative Schallonberger
of Nebraska to base the quotas
on total registration and liability
to service, which was defeated.
I
%
SL25 Per Year.
COUNT CZERNIK
HAS RESIGNED
AUSTRIAN PREMIER GIVES UP
HIS OFFICE AT REQUEST
OF GERMANY.
THOUGHT POSITION BETTER
However, He Had Involved Emperor
Charlea in Moat Unpleaaant Poaltion?Czechs
In Revolt.
Coincident with the report of the
acceptance of the resignation of
Count Czernin. the Auatro-Hungarian
premier, comes a report of a serious
outbreak of the Czechs at Prague,
which for many months has been reported
to be seething with anti-pan- ?
Germanism. Bohemians, or at least
the Czechs minority in that country,
object to the creation of a German
government there, but the incident
may be more significant than has so
far appeared. The Slavic races of
Bohemia have long been standing out
against the Germanization 6f their
country and the outbreak at Prague
may be only another indication of the
deep-seated opposition to the war aspirations
of the central powers.
Washington.?News of the resigna- .
tion of Count Czernin as Auatro-Hungarian
foreign minister lead to much
speculation among officials and diplomats
here as to the causes which
brought about the rather dramatic
exit of the Austrian official at a moment
when, through his decided
chang of attitude toward war issues,
involving his complete acceptance of
the extreme German views, it had
supposed mat ne hail greatly
strengthened his position.
This change was manifested soon
after the Rrest-Litovsk peace conferences.
where Czernln had become
convinced that his moderate views regarding
the basis of peace were unacceptable
to the dominant annexation
and forced Indemnity party.
Therefore officials here are Inclined
to believe that it was not because the
count was obnoxious to Austria's great
ally that he was forced out of office,
hut rather that the explanation was
to he found In Internal Austro-Hungarian
issues.
It is recognized that Czernln involved
Emperor Charles in a most
unpleasant position by his speech trying
to fasten upon France the responsibility
for Initiating peace proposals
last year, thereby enabling the
French government to deliver a master
stroke in diplomacy by producing
the famous letter of Charles to
Prince Slxtus. Rut quite aside from
the Sixtus letter, recent events in
Austria-Hungnry have indicated that
Count Czernin's tenure might he
short. In thi? flmt ~ ? '
? ......-J mcio wan mo
frightful suffering of the population
and especially in Bohemia, from the
state of semi-starvation for which they
held the government responsible because
it would not make peace at
once. Then there was the bitter dissatisfaction
of the Poles and Czechs
over the relinquishment of the rich
country of Cholni to the Ukraine as
one of the conditions of the BrestLltovsk
peace. Finally there was the
concentrated hatred of the foreign
minister by the anti-German elements
of the Austrian confederation because
of his relapse into extreme conservatism
and his adoption of the panGerman
program in its entirety, with
all of its reactionary policy.
It Is understood Emperor Charles
himself still has liberal leanings and
la disposed to moderation so far as
war is concerned, it is conceived that
he might easily be Inclined to rid
himself of an official so unpopular
with a large part of the Austro-Hungarian
population.
It has been known, too, for a long
time that the count has been a sick
man and that he has often shown
signs of distraction and has many
times been near the point of absolute
physical collapse as the result nt ?.?
strenuous efforts to. maintain control
of *he widely discordant hat
meke up the dual empire.
AUSTRIAN RULER HURRIE8
DENIAL TO THE KAISER
Pasel. Switzerland. April 15.?Kmprn
or Charles of Austria hns sent the
following telegram to Emperor William
of Germany, according to advices
from Vienna:
"Clemenceau's accusations against
me are so low that I have no Intention
longer to discuss this affair with
F-ance My cannon in the west is our
last replv.
"In faithful friend?hin.
(Signed) "CHARLES."
S^OIJR THE SFAR TO
FIND MISSING VESSEL
Washington. ? Unremitting search
of trade routes will he carried on by
American and Trench naval and merchant
vessels until every possible
hope of finding some trace of the
missing Cyclops has been exhausted.
Although time passes without a report
strengthening In the slightest degree
the hope still felt by Mr. Daniels
and several of his chief assistants,
these officials refused to believe that
.he ahlp Is lost