Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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i - J . . > v' Hts iin 'lit*#-,.- W: AiMimsmnoN turns at- TENTION TV BLOCKAK WILL TAKE MATTER IIP Goverameat Views Conremlons Sep to American People Blockade Is niegal end Not Enforced—Pro. test is Going to be Sent at Early Date. For the first time in almost six months the Washington administra tion Is looking toward Berlin with more friendly eyes than toward Lon don. Hie German situation is ended, In the opinion of well Informed offi dais, and President Wilson will now torn his attention toward London, in an attempt to compel the British navy to return to the practices sane- tioned by International law. The final touches have been put upon the note containing the ad ministration’s demands that Great Britain change its methods of de stroying America’s commerce with Germany. Just as soon as the state department receives positives assur ances from Berlin that the German \ government* is sincere in its purpose of changing its submarine warfare system, the document will be put on the cable for London. President Wilson and Secretary of State lAnsing appear to be satisfied that Germany is sincere in her an nouncement that she intends to pot an end to the killing of neutrals on the high seas and to make amends, as far as it is possible, for the deaths which have resulted already from Submarine attacks upon undefended merchantmen. Little attempt is made in adminis tration circles to conceal the feeling that exlsta In quarters close to the White House that President Wilson has won a great victory as a result of the culmination of the German situation. Officials insist that the president has outplayed the German foreign office on the diplomatic chess board and that the soreness now ex isting between the two countries will past off as rapidly aa the German people realise the error of their sub marine system. The* so-called concessions which were announced by the British am bassador, when it became known that American purchases contracted for In Germany before March 10 might come out of the country Irrespective of whether they had been paid for. did not Interest the state department greatly, Officials were inclined to minimise the Importance of the British gov _ meet's action. Some of them called , attention to the fact that the ah nouncement carried out a promise which was mads several months ago and promptly broken by the British govsrnment. Ranking officials of the state de partment stated that the British an nouncement has no bearing whatever upon the major questions at issue between the two governments. They called ^tention to the fact that the, negotiations which led to the ‘‘con cessions’' were between the British authorities and Individual Ameri cans, and that this government was not a party to them. There appeared to he a general Impression among well informed diplomats that the “British roaeee- slona" were offered at this partirnlar Ume as a “sop" to public opinion in the l'sited States, in the hope that the public might be misguided into the belief that the offer represented a matter of grrat moment to this government. As a matter of fact, officials point ed out, the amount of products affect ed by the British action are of almost infiniteessimal importance compared to the bulk of American trade that has been held up by British cruisers, and American commerce that has been destroyed as a result of the en forcement of the Orders in Council. The American note, which will be sent to London, will be based upon two major contentions: 1. That Great Britain is not main taining a bona fide blockade of Ger many and that no such blockade can exist until the ports facing the Baltic Sea are blockaded. This, it is said in official circles, is physically impossi ble until the British navy carries out Winston Churchill’s boast to “dig the German fleet out like rats" and de stroy it. 2. That Great Britain lias no right to interfere with America's commerce with neutral ports—which she is now blockading—unless she lias evidence to establish the fact that cargoes destined for these ports are actually to be transshipped to Germany and that the American shippers are party to such agreement. The mere fact that American pro ducts, shipped to a neutral country fa good faith, are later purchased mui shipped across the border into Rsgnlar SokUers, Texas Rangers, and Several Hundred Citizens In Fnrsnlt. r Search tor' the band of Mexican marauders who Thursday killed two Americans and lost one of their num her in a fight with United States sol diers was pressed with vigor Friday, aapprdlng to a report from Browne- ville, Texas, Three of the Mexican bandits op erating just north of Brownsville were killed Thursday night by coun ty officers at Los Cuatros, fourteen miles north of Brownsville, accord ing to information received Friday. In addition to the Mexican killed Thursday night, it is said a Mexican woman, deserted by her husband, when the outlawsn&ppeared at their home was accidentally killed by Unit ed States soldiers when she approach ed them in the darkness in search of protection Spread out in a close cordon, which left no foot of the international boundary unpatrolled, the border guards were ready to shoot on sight id if thd fifteen remaining members of the band made any effort to ford the swollen Rio Grande to Mexico and safety. In addition to the soldiers there were hundreds of citizens headed by Texas Rangers, who pursued the trail of the Mexicans to avenge the thefts of cattleT burned barns, terrified wo men and the* deaths of a half dq^pp United States citizens. « The tactics of the Mexicans Thurs day led army officers to believe that this band has been responsible for much of the outlawry of the past sev eral weeks in border counties. First burning a railroad trestle, the bandits Thursday proceeded to make away with a number of ranch- bra’’ horses, burned an irrigation pumping station and an automobile twelve miles north of Brownsville and capped the day with the kidnap ing of three Americans. Earl Donaldson, a farmer of Fay ette, Mo., and J. H. Smith, an engine tender, were killed and their bodies thrown into a dried lake. Stanley Dodds, a contractor, was unharmed by the Mexicans, presumably because one of the number thought he was a German. Dodds escaped from the band when attacked by the American soldiers. Ancieto Pisano, who is said to have been engaged in other outlawry on the lower border ahd In an effort In Mexico to incite a revolution against the United States, was declared by officers to have been the leader of the bandits. GERMANIC POWERS READY TO DISCISS TERMS OF PEACE? I'wited State* Will Take no Initia tive I's Belligerent* PREPiUnij WILSON CALLS CONFtltENCE OF DEMOCRATIC LEAMRS AT GAME TILLMAN FAVORS SUBS Interviewed in New Senior Germany,, will not suffice to satisfy this government that Great Britain has a right to hold them op on the high seas upon the assumption that they may enter Into such commerce. Jute Bagging Under Ban. A dispatch from Calcutta, India, saya exportation of Heesiancloth and bags, except to Great Britain, will be prohibited henceforth except under licenses. These, licenses will be Is sued to jute dealers for ordinary commercial purposes after the gov ernment had been fully supplied. The prohibition does not apply to sacking and sacking goods, British Shipping Losses. A Berlin dispatch says: 'The Co- Favor It. The United States will make no further efforts to bring about peace In Europe until It has received Infor mation that Its good offices wtU be welcomed by both sides of the con flict. This was said authoritatively in Washington Friday in official dis cussion of the message from Pope Benedict, delivered to President Wil son by Cardinal Gibbons. From the fact that the Vatican it in (flose touch with Austria, the con struction placed by officials on the Pope’s message Is that the Germanic powers would be willing to discuss peace at this time. It was stated by those in closest touch with the administration that similar word will have to be received from Great Britain and her allies be fore the president will make any fur T ther move. President Wilson has made it clear several times that his original offer of services to brihg about peace still stands and that he will do everything possible to further the movement The United States, however, will do nothng likely to endanger its posi tion as a friend to all belligerents, it as said authoritatively. The pope’s message will not b? made public by this government. Enough of^the contests of the mes sage is known, however, to give bn- ■sis for indication that Austria, Ger many and Turkey are not advern to discussing peace. CANAL’S CAPACITY AMPLE American Battleship Fleet Could be • Transferred in a Day. 9: w\tm " Ml Till Proof that the entire present main American battle fleet, made up of four divisions of five ships each and a flagship, a total of twenty-one, could be passed through the Panama canal in one day has been afforded by the handling of the naval academy practice squadron in the canal locks on its way to and from the Panama- Pacific exposition. The squadron composed of the bat tleships Missouri, Ohio and WIscon 1 sin, the largest warships which have so far used the canal, were put through the locks at Pedro Miguel and Miraflores, the Missouri and the Ohio simultaneously in parallel, with the Wisconsin directly in the rear. The towing locomotives had such per fect control of the ships that it was perceived that four vessels of even larger size could be handled in the locks at the same time, twoi in each of the duplicate* chambers. ■ • ■ ■ ♦ ♦ Looses Industrial Prlveleges. Trademark, patent, and other in dustrial privileges have been taken from Germans in Japan for the dura tion of the war by the Japanese gov ernment. Boot Overturns; Four I>rown. IjNur men were drowned in Grand |Rapid*. Mich., when a fast motorboat i * Tueeday , Three of the I *«re on the editorial staff of the Graad R.pids Prnee * York, Senator Speaks for Battle Cruisers and Submarines—Goes Down In Two 'Underwater Boats at Brook lyn Navy Yard. This week the reports of Secretary Garrison and Secretary Daniels will be submitted to the president on the state of the army and naVy, with their recommendations for provisions for the national’ defense. The president intends to go into the question of national defense thoroughly and he will confer with Senators Chamberlain and Tillman of the Senate Committees on Military and Naval Affairs and with Repre sentatives Hay and Padgett of the Corresponding Committees in the House. , _ It is his purpose to get the Demo cratic leaders in congress to agree upon some definite plan by which they can legislate to improve the na tional defenses without an extraordl- nay increase in the appropriatfbns. ** That therd will be a lively contest in both the Senate and House over proposed national defehse legislation is indicated -in recent interviews with Chairman Hay of the House Commit tee on Military Affairs and Repre sentative Claude Kltchin, who has been selected by the Democrats for majority leader of the House to suc ceed Oscar W. Underwood, who goes to the Senate. Mr. Kitchiiu said he would not stand for a large increase in the regular army or big appropriations for dreadnoughts. .‘He thinks the submarine has won a prominent place in natioual defense and Is will ing to provide liberally to increase the number in the navy. It looks now as if the big issue before con gress next winter will be the nation al defense policy. United State* Senator Tillman, chairman of the senate committee on naval affair*, spent a day at the Brooklyn navy yard. Most of the senator's attention Monday was le veled to •ubmarlnas He visited the U-2, which will qse the new Edlaon batteries' and then inspected the new devices on the K-6. ’Both boats were submerged with Senator Tillman, on board. United State* Senator Beniamin R. Tillman, who is i»-New York, ■aid to World correspondent that he had been Invited to attend a confer enc* next Wednesday in the White House. To this conference, he added, have been summoned Secretary of War Garrison and Secretary of the Navy Daniels. Senator Tillman. Senator Chamberlkln of Oregon, head of the Committee of Military Affairs, and Senator Blair Lee of the Committee on Coast Defenses, and Representa live James Hay of Virginia and Lem uel K. Padgeon. head of the Array and Navy Committees of the House respectively. Other men of national prominence have also been asked to attend "The purpose of the conference,' said Senator Tillman, “is the begin ning of the formulation of definite measures and plans to be placed be fore congress at its coming session in obedience to public opinion aroused In favor of preparedness for war predict without hesitation that every man at the conference will * back President Wilson in any measure he may advocate for increasing our na tional defenses. “As to former President Roose velt's actions at this time, they are only indicative of the manner in which he has acted all his life. In great contrast to his behavior to ward the president is that of former President Taft, and it is all to the credit of Mr. Taft.” “The present war,” Senator Till man continued, “has taught us the need of being prepared. We want to be prepared not so much for war as against war. At the conference Clatas for Cumprauntlons lm Lnsi- Uuria and Arabic Caws to be Fixed by Arbitration. Germany, according to Count von Bernstorff’a instructions, offers to submit the claims for compensation arising out of the Lusitania and Ara bic cases to The Hague for adjudica tion. It was understood thkt proposals von Bernstorff is authorized to make will strike At the heart of the prob lem as affecting the United States. They provide for immunity from at tack without warning for passenger steamers, which are to be destroyed only after being baited and full op portunity has been given to the pas sengers and crews to embark In the boats under conditions of safety. Submarine commanders will be advised of the expected arrival of liners on regular schedules. How far beyond this provision for the safety of the larger ships, Count von Bern- storff’s instructions go, can not be learned. Newspaper reports are to'the ef^ feet that the solution of the subma rine problem is coupled with a set tlement of the negotiations with Great Britain, are declared )n Initiat ed circles to be incorrect. It is trite that Count von Bernstorff has been instructed to say that th'e settlement of the old blockade problem would enable Germany to drop the whole submarine warfare against commerce but this suggestion is quite apart from the proposals indicated above which are independent and uncondi tional. One high government official, com mentlng on the situation, dilated on the danger for the United States it self in pressing its demands too far He said: “There is no telling when the Unit ed States itself may want to use its submarines in a life and death strug gle! It may perhaps be sorry if it has bound its hands too tightly.” The German press continues to dts play restraint, so as to avoid embar rassing the government in the deil cate negotiations. ffiRMANY COUNTS ON ACTION ASAINST 6 HEAT BRITAIN’S NEW NAVAL BLOCKADE Teutons Agree to American Demands ^ Unrestrictedly and to Tobo—Hope Pledge of Administration to Take up “Freedom of Seas" Will be Up held as Notes Indicated. FOREIGN EXCHANGE DROP ENDANGERS EXPORT TRADE BriUsli I’ound Contlnu I n precedented to Fall la I shall advocate strongly a larger navy. We need many more submarines of the type wfyich have proved most sue cessful in the European conflict. “I he|ieve this government should Also have many more cruisers of the fastest type possible to be hollt. Bnt mainly the submarine has become the great factor in naval warfare, and we should be alive to its possibilities. "The storage battery invented by Thomas A. Edison, I am told by naval experts, will be a great asset to our submarines, making them more efficient and less dangerous to their crews, in that the battery does not generate chlorine gas. ’ “Then, too, we must provide for the purchase, manning and care of a fleet of aeroplanes. “Secretary Daniels is to be com plimented on his idea of organizing a naval board of inventors. It has been a very wise move on his part. We will have the best talent and genius in the United States at our service on that board, and what is more, political complexion will be entirely removed, in that , the mem bers will be selected sdlely because of their acientiflc qualifications and achievements. "Each wlll be an expert In a par ticular line. I am certain that every American of snch attainments will patriotic enough when called up on 'tensive the best of which he is capableSvnbe interest of the conn try. “I do hot favdr^a Urge standing arnTy, but I am stronyty^tn training many more a: than we do, and 1 favor also mili tary training for boys ad >out! •< in schools and oollegm.” - Senator Tlllmna had Inst from a l*a-week trig throngh to tlM tna I favor of officers Will Trade I'onttoue? The tremendous export trade of the United States. In which the country leads the world for the first time, was imperilled Tueeday by an alarming drop in foreign exchange rates. At the close of business the Eng lish pound fetched only tl.SSK In American money. This is a drop from its normal value of S1N4 cents and from Its quotation of cents. twenty-four-boifr break without precedent. It marked the lowest value yet recorded,ln an excited mar ket. where every day recently has set s new record of depreciation, and U indicated that sterling was heed downward with a momentum and ve locity that promised to take it to un- thougbt-of levels.. In the fnce of this rapid deprecia tion. bankers wers wondering how much longer Greet Britain would pay the premium and bay goods In this market which she can get elsewhere, where the value of her money I* greater. They were of the opinion that American factories and producers would feel the pinch it rates went much lower, that cancellation of war orders for everything except what Great Britain can not afford to do without—powder, shots and shrap nel, aeroplanes and automobiles— would follow, and that there would be few new orders placed by London In America, except for positive neces sities. GERMAN DRIVE CONTINUES; FRENCH CAVALRY ACTIVE Kiga Is Almost Isolated—Enormous Bombardment of French Has Ominous Sign. London, Wednesday: Germany’s plan for driving three wedges into the Russian defensive lines is being carried forward but not with the same speed as marked the sweep over Poland. Riga is almost isolated and unless the Russians soon throw heavy forces against von Hlndenburg’s exposed flank this port must fall into the hands of the invaders. Although this northerly attack seems to have been checked for the moment, the Rus sians have been unable to develop a counter offensive In that region com parable with their activitie^Jn l§ast Galicia, where on the River" Stripa they have not only turned at bay,” but have inflicted-large losses on their opponents. For a period of five or six days on the western front a rain of shells from French guns has been poured on the German trenches. The object of this unsuual artillery attack has not been disclosed, but it is not be lieved that so much precious ammu nition would be used merely to dam age the German works, without some sort of concerted effort to occupy t^e shattered trenches. Foreign Exchange Climbing. Foreign exchange values at New York soared Friday in an upset mar ket. Opening quotations on sterling recorded overnight gains ranging 7 H to 13 ft cents First figures on ster ling varied between $4.70 and $4.75. Similar rtoag were reported la Lon- hi. by kis Germany has been informed by the United States that this government prefers that the Arabic case be set tled before the other questions re garding submarine warfare are taken up for adjustment. To this request Germany has assented, and has indi cated that she will be ready to make a settlement of the additional mat ters In controversy as soon as the Arabic case is out of the way. The German admiralty Tuesday suggested that the submarine which may have torpedoed the Arabic pos sibly had foundered or,had been sunk by the British. A high admiralty of ficial, again declaring that no news on the sinking of the Arabic was available, said: “Would it not be lamentable if the submarine should have been lost and we should never learn what happen ed, Soon after the Arabic sank I said we should In all probability, have the details by the end of August or early in September at the latest. Most of our^boats which were on the west coast of England at the time have returned, but not one so far knows anything about the Arabic. “it probably will be possible with in a very short time—I can not say precisely how many days—to tell whether our apprehensions regarding the submarine are correct.^ The official would not say whether one or more of the submarines In question still were out, nor how long any one vessel had been away from its base, but said suggestively: “They seldom remain out longer than three weeks and we usually get a report on sny torpedoing operations In from eight to fourteen days, rarely latqr than a fortnight after the occur rences.•’ A clearer idea has here obtained of the German plan for reHinrtag rauae* of friction with the t ailed State* over the anbmartae warfare. This plan Is comprehensive, /or it contemplates not merely au adjust ment of pending issues, but Inferen- tially suggests an arrangement that will modify both the German snbma- rine activity and the British rastrlc- tiona on shipments of foodstuffs to German ports for the use of the civ ilian population of the country. It was learned by an authoritative quarter that in presenting the plan of aettlemsnt the German govern ment was not attaching a string to Its offer to modify its ordsrs to sub marine commanders, but would put the modifications in effect without the stipulation that their permanency mast depend on the success of ef forts by this government to arrange with Great Britain for a lessening of the restriction* oa neu.rsl commerce. That the modifying changes In the orders to submarine commanders'will be made permanent only If Great Britain mitigate* the severity of her orders la council Is to be Inferred from instead of stated in the German proposal. The (iermaa proposal may be stat ed in the following form: First. Germany will offer to ad just the Lusitania case through reparation and through other mean* in a way that she hopes will be satisfactory to the United States. Second. Germany will continue the order* to subm-rlne command ers not to attack passenger ves sels without warning, and may agree to observe the rule of visit and search with respect to mer chant craft generally. Third. Germany will express gratification over the statement in the American note of July 21 that the United States is contending for the freedom of the seas, and will lOok to this government to make good its offer to see that the freedom of the seas is made prac ticable between the belligerents themselves and to act as the com mon friend who may be privileged to suggest a way. The third division of the German proiMtsal Is the most important, ac cording to opinion in well-informed circles at Washington. It means that the German government expects the United States to take up with Great Britain the question of obtaining modifications of the orders in council with {heir restrictions on American trade with neutral European 'coun tries and Germany. These modifications could be put into effect, if the American negotia tions wer»; successful, through a mo dus vlvendi to which both Germany and Great Britain would be parties, the German government for its part to make material changes in its sub marine warfare against merchant shipping. To state it more clearly the Germaii government apparently calls on the United States to fulfill what Germany regards as a pledge of this government to tesfst that Britfsh restrictions on trade shall be soften ed. \ The United State* will not be told that Germany make* continuance of suspeasida of orders to subma rine commanders to attack passenger vessel* without warning contingent what this government does wnfi respect to carrying oat the offer to contend for the freedom of the sens. The United States, it Is mads, plain. Is left free to take Ita own course, bat tha Inference la obvlova that If this government does not begin •*- with Great Britain to obtain of the British ordegs to will (Ml that ______ to two . note of the United 1 — —. to the German government, n«ni response to Germany s reply to second communication of the Uii States with respect to the sinking; the Lusitania. That note was sent to Berlin uni date of July 21, and was Robert Lansing, as 8ecr ® u . r y ?. f ■ U t £: In submitting the proposal which the German government Is about to ac cept, Mr. Lansing said: , ThSvgovernment of the United States and the imperial govern ment ato bobtending for the same great object,, have long stood to- gether in urging the very princlr pies upon which the government of the United States now so solemnly Insists. They are both contending for the freedom of the seas. The government of the United States will continue to contend for that freedom, from whatever quarter violated, without Compromise and at Any cost. It Invites the practical co-operation_ of the Imperial Ger man government at this time, when co-operation may accomplish most and this great common object be most strikingly and effectively achieved. The imperial German govern ment expresses the hope that this object may be in some measure accomplished even before the pres ent toar ends. It can be. The gov ernment of the United States not only feels obliged to insist upon it, by whomsoever violated or ignored, in the protection of its own citi zens, but is “also deeply interested in seeing it made practicable be tween the belligerentA themselves, and hold itself ready at any time to act as the common friend who may be privileged to suggest a way. Whether the United States rega; this offer as a pledge that it is to fulfill will be left to the det^rn nation of the Washington adminis tration. . It is understood that Ger- ' many will not press for assurances that the offer must be carried out. The expectation is that the position of the United States -rill be outlined to some extent In th«. answer to the recent British respo.’te to the Amer ican protest against the orders tn council and their restrictive applica bility to American trade. It has been an open secret that the reply to Great Britain's representa tions. embraced in two notes, had been delayed by this government on account of the seriousness of the con troversy with Germany over the slak ing of the Lusitania. The present German position shows that the Ber lin government appreciates this sad will endeavor to remove the danger of trouble between Germany and the United States, so that this govsrn ment will feel free to take up with Great Britain the complete queetioa* in dispute between them. It is now known that informal ex changes have been*In progress be tween the American and German gov ernments. mainly throughmedi um of the German ambassador and the secretary of state, and that thay havs resulted in bringing about an understanding that is con IdemIslly expected to produce an amicable set tlement of the Lusitania case. Without open acknowledgment of the fact, both governments have de cided that the day of exchanging views in the form of diplomatic notes has passed. The belief prevails that Germany’s epistolary attitude toward the American representations on the Lusitania case and the German sub marine warfare has been Influenced largely by the desire to impress the German people with the stiffness of the German government tn dealing T with the United States, while die- - patches from Berlin have inclined belief there that the several Ameri can notes to Germany were also in tended for American home coniump- tjon. SHIPS UNDER U. S. FLAM MORE THAN EVER BEFOI 3 American Shipping Show* Triple In crease Over Any Pre vious Year. The American flag now floats over more ships in the foreign trade than at any time since 1863. Figures made public by the department of commerce show arecord increase in American shipping for the year end ed June 30. On that date there were registered‘in the foreign trade 2,768. ships totalling 1,813,775 gross tons, an increase of 363 ships and 727,623 tons for the year. Practically all the increases are due to the new American registry law. Assistant Secretary Sweet of the department of commerce said in a statement: „ “This is about triple the increase in registered tonnage for any pre vious year in American history. Our registered* tonnage is now “ much greater than at any time since 1863, when we had 2,026,114 gross tons in foreign trade. It is many times mores efficient, however, as the steam ton nage now amounts to 1,273,067 gross tons, while In 18«3 it amolinted to only!33,215 tons. “The increase from the ship regis try act of August 18, 1914, to-June 13, 1915, was so rapid that tonnage under the American flag now employ ed in foreign trade is nearly equal to such tonnage under the French or Norwegian flags. British tonnage, of course, is more than tenfold-greater.” B American Cruiser at Haiti. I The cruiser Tennessee, arriving Haiti from Philadelphia, debarked* one hundred artillerymen with ma chine guns Friday. Gen. Cacoa, the revolutionary leader, and his follow er*. declined to lav down their arms retired In the d Iren ion of Htnche They left behind them. >pe which took up past- •vs ff as?, -