Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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<JFA I AW FflP CIIDC WILL PUNISH COMMANDER BRITISH AIRMEN DKOP HIK AT Al ARMISTS Out Util run OlDu IF SUB SANK SUSSEX!' BOMBS ON HERMAN SHED ^ ‘“ /Ui\llllll»W AMERICAN LIVES LOST WHEN SHIP OOES DOWN U* S> TO DEFINE RULES FOR USE Germany Will Dtaavow tile Act, Ol- Three Seeplnnee OF SUBS IN WARS > TO SETTLE QIJESTIONP •weeping Pronouncement to be Sent to All Nations—Armed Ship Issue to be Met—Policy to Guide This Country and Govern Her Itela- ttona. fer Reparation, Punish Officer,' and Satisfy ih It was stated authoritativesly at Washington Monday that should it be shown that a German submarine attacked the Sussex, Germany would disavow the act, offer re paration, punish the submarine commander and satisfy the United States that the act was in violation of instructions. -1 . ; Lt was also stated authoritatively that the German* ambassador. Count von Bernstorff, was mainly responsi ble for the recent retirement of Lost — German Trawlers Sunk—British Ships in Collision. A British air raid on Schleswig- Holstein and a resultant battle of warships and German armed trawl ers in which three seaplanes were brought down, two German armed trawlers were sunk and a British boat probably was lost in a collision, gives diversity to tbs latest war operations. London reports: "An attack by British seaplanes was delivered yes terday morping upon German air ship sheds in Schleswig-Holstein, MUCH MISLEADING NEWS Grand Admiral von Tirpitz, who is understood to have been eliminated because of his views on submarine { warfare, after Count, von Bernstorff had made certain recommendations to the Imperial chancellor, von Beth- mann-Hollweg. I The United States soon will make for the information of the world a complete statement of its position in regard to the conduct of submarine • warfare and the arming of merchant ships for de fensive purposes, ft lias not been definitely determined just what form the announcement will take hut it is considered not unlikely that a circular memorandum may be addressed to the powers. Whatever the form of the declara tion, prepared after careful consld- •ration of all the claims made by both sets of European belligerents, it will serve to guide the course of this government In future negotia tions. The United States will stand unalterably upon the principles al-i ready laid down. Coming from the most powerful of the neutral nations, at a time when all the other great world powers are at war, the pronouncement may fur nish the groundwork for a new in ternational law, to be developed after the war, which will provide fo{ the nse of submarines in naval warfare. The law pow do$s not take into con- Dead and Dying Hornea Found Along sideratlon the activities of sub- Chalrman Stone, of the foreign re lations committee, said after seeing President Wilson that all facts would be awaited before action was taken and that in their absence he refused to express an opinion. While President Wilson and officials do not underestimate the possibilities of the new situation, they realize that breaking off of diplomatic relations with Germany almost certainly would mean war and for that reason each step will be carefully considered. FLYING CAVALRY CHASING VILLA TO MOUNTAIN LAIR piarinss or tba possibilities of their $M. Secretary Lansing has returned to Washington after spending a fort night at Plnehurat, N. C. During his absence from the capital he baa had under consideration a great volume of data regarding submarines and armed ships. He gave eareful study to the Intricate problems involved, and nearly all hie working houra are understood to have been devoted to the sub)ect. In an effort to reach con- ei'is.ons lust and fair to all concern ed. which no nation euccesalully eould challenge. It was determined before the eeo- retarv left Washington Hist the Unit ed States should take tome positive stand on the submarine-armed shin question, but that no action should be taken until all the facta were at bend and bad been carefully studied Only e few minor potato. It Is onderatood. now remain to be deter mined upon, and a decision in regard to these probably will be reached In the near future The conclusions reached by the secretary will be carefully discussed by him with President Wilson before they ere put Into the form in which they will ranch foreign governments. It la considered Improbable In of- artel and diplomatic circles that the announcement will be made before the political eltuatton la Germany resulting from the retirement of Ad miral von Tlrpltt has been elarlfled It Is not Iselleved that the admlnle- tratton would be willing to Isaua a statement defining Its position at a time when such an action might''be esed In n political way by factions In e nation with which It Is negotiating. That a ile41nltl«n of defensive armament will occupy a prominent position In the declaration, what ever Its form. Is virtually certain, limitations of defensive armament may ho made, and these will gov ern merchant ships which enter the territorial waters of the Unit ed 8 tales. Trail Convinces Troops of Hie Desperate Plight. Flying columns of American cavalry Monday were seeking to entrap Francisco \ Ula and his band by sealing up all Uie trails and passes In the mountainous dis trict south of El M alle. With the outlets barred, squad rons of cavalry and detachments of infantry, operating from the base near Casas Graadrs, will comb the country to drive the ban dit into the open. eastward of the island, of Sylt.' : The seaplanes were convoyed to their ren dezvous close to the German coast by an escorting force of light cruis-1 ers and destroyers under'Commodore Tyrwhitt. * "v "Three of the* seaplanes which took part ih the attack are missing. The destroyed Medusa was in colli sion with the destroyer Laverock and it is feared that in the storm weath er which prevailed last night the Medusa may have been lost. But no misgivings are felt as to the safety of the crew. Two German armed patrol vessels were sunk by our de stroyers.” Berlin reports: "From two ships, which were accompanied by a cruiser 'squadron and a flotilla of destroyers, five English hydroaeroplanes started yesterdib' morning for attack against the German aeronautic establishment in northern Schleswig. "Not less than three of them, among which was a fighting aero plane, were forced down by the de fensive service on etfd about the Island of Sylt. The inmates of the machines, who were made prisoners, are four English officers and one non-commissioned officer. "Bombs were only thrown In the district of Hoyer water* gate. No damage was done." WILSON DENOUNCES EFFORTS Officials Await Information m to TO FORCE INTERVENTION British Boat Sussex—Looks Like Torpedo Hit It. Official Information upon Which President Wilson will decide whether the sinking of the steamship Engllsh- I man and the damaging by an explo sion of the channel steamer Sussex were the result of accidents in viola tion of International law la being gathered from every available source by consular representatives of the I United States In England and France. Tangible evidence of some kind was momentarily expected Sunday night by the state department. Dispatches already received Indi cate that several Americans were In jured or killed in the Sussex disas ter. Only one dispatch of impor tance concerning the explosion which President Says Then® Who Own Property Appear to be Trying to f '* Cause Serious Trouble—Calls on News Agencies to be Careful in the Articles They Disseminate. Solemn naming to the people ot the United States against the alarm ist reports concerning the Mexican situation, which were lieing spread hy "sinister and unscrupulousOi,ter- damacmr Hte’sussex was received by the state department. This contain Pursuit of Franrlaro Villa has de veloped in a race between cnvalry* VILLA ESCAPES Bandit ftllpe Through Mevlrmn and American Troopa Around Him. Francisco Villa's forces have es caped from the Mexican troope that had checked him near Namlqulpa, and three column* of American rnv- alry. Already they ere nlmost two hundred and fifty mllea south of the men of the United States and that border and unless the eluefve bandit tiering bandits mo u a led on Mexican, la brought to another stand this dle- ponles. tance will be greatly laereaaed by the According to dispatches from the close of tne week, froat. Villa baa broken through the villa*• success In extricating him *• «••“»« •®««M self from the dangerous position Into American troops | w hirh he bad been driven by the American punitive force was related with him before be reach*, the for- , n a r%90rX of o#n Pershing bidding mountain wastes la the Guer rero district The one bop* of a speedy termina tion to the chase Is that the flight of the bandlta will be checked by starva tion and the exhaustion of their ponies. It le known that Villa la al most destitute of both supplies and to Gen. Funston Gen Funetou for warded the report to Washington without making public any but the essential features Col. Dodd is commanding the ad vance columns that are tiding hard after Villa and hie men. and Gen ammunition and tb* dead and dying | P-whfk kai divided kla f reea W as horses found along his trail gtv# evl- *” ““““ denes of his deeperata baat* and need. . S4l HEADING FOR MOUNTAINS There have been various-Indies tlons In official quartera that the United States may decide to reduce k the present limit, -cwhlch provide* that merchant ships may carry guns r at the stern of not more than six Inches In calibre and still be defen-1 h* 8 aively armed. There has been no moves Villa's victory Over I'arrant* Troops Makes Capture Difficult. Reports last week from Mexican sources Indicated that Villa had been severely defeated by the loyal force* and a few reports stated that Ameri can troopa had participated in the action. It now appears that no Amer ican troops were actually engaged and the fact that Villa made his way thyough what was deacrlbcd as an encircling line of Mexican troopa was taken to Indicate that ue was the now appears to be heading for^tbe mountains of the Guerrero distrlbf. Once there, it is conceded, e will be difficult. If Villa o to provide supporting columns along the thinly stretched Itnes of com munlcattons from his most advanced base at El Valle. From El Valle an other line Is being maintained back to Caeas Grandee from where com munication with the border la main tained. Gen.. Pershing himself Is some where south of Casas Grande* direct ing the**ork of holding together hla forces and directing so far as possible the operations of Col. Dodd. Cavalry Is being used along the lines of com munication with El Valle where a de tachment of Infantry Is stalionad. . eats,’’ whs the feature of a formal statement issued Saturday night by President Wilson over his own signa ture. He charged bluntly that a “trajfflc in falsehood" along the border was being carried on with the object of forcing intervention by the United States ‘Tn, the interest of certain American dwners of Mexican proper ties, ’ and he urged the people not to put any credencdln these stories. This statement appeared only a few hours after a conference of Re publican senators over the Mexican situation. The speeches and temper of this gathering suggested the strong possibility of a political strug- fcle In the Senate next week, with the administration's Mexican pdllcy as the storm centre. The president's statement was a direct outgrowth of the Indignation over the character of the stories com ing from points on the Mexican bor der. The Indignation was directed mainly to report* evidently believed hy the president and his advisers t> have Iteen circulated by persons hav ing interests In northern Mexico which would be Increased in value if Uiat part of Mexico was annexed by the United States. TTx- president and his advisers have received many official reports from the United States and Mexico, ln< luding Uoasular dispatclies, say ing that alarmist stories of (he ln- •eemioas of the \\ aslUngton govern ment were having a had effect upoa the Mexican people and Americans reside at in the Mouth er n republic. The manifest fear among offi cials la that what is regarded as aa organised propaganda to force this government to Intervene la Mexico may obtain such headway that the Mexican government and peo ple will come to believe that the tailed hla lea Intends to rowqwer Mexico aad will take tliat will bring about 10,000 HOMELESS AS FIRE DESTROYS PARIS, IN TEXAS Wlad Blowlaf Away Frogs City aad Wa Short. cd an affidavit made In London at the American embassy hy two Amer ican survivors, Edward S. Huxley and Francis Drake of New York. Both swore that the explosion occurred “without the a'ightest warning,” and they credited the commander of tho Sussex as saying that he saw the wake of a torpedo before it struck his vessel. Another statement In the affidavit officials seemed to consider signifi cant had to do with a strange sailing vessel which hovered near the Sussex after Jthe explosion and which. In re sponse to algnals for assistance from the channel steamer sailed away and disappeared. Press dispatch** quot ing a Belgian army officer as saying that the submarine probably had -hidden behind the strange vessel, whlclj apparently disregarded all the tradition* and laws of the aea In fall ing to succor a vessel la distress were read with Intereat. The Dr* which iwept through Paria, Texas, for six hour* Wednes day morning, deatroyed approximate ly thirty blockc. The property Iom was estimated from two to fire mil lion dollars. There was no knovgn loss of life. The fire started about, in a atorag* warehouse. The wind was blowing a gale at the time and the flameo soon were beyond controL The Paria water supply is drawn from a storage lake six miles west of town. The electric power plant hav ing been consumed early in the even ing, and all telephone wires put out of commission, there was no means of notifying the engineer at the stor age lake to start the emergency pumps when the electric pumps were dectroyed. The central fire station also had been burned together with most of the city’s fire hose. The last of he neighboring fl-e apparatus to rouch the city was a clffemicrl engine and twelve firemen from Dallas, with nine hundred feet of hoot,. A special train carrying this apparatus made the nln.ty-mlle run In about two hours after mid night. Approximately ten thousand per sons are homeless. The ;ropcrty loss. It Is estimated, will reach thirty-five hundred thousand dollars. Thou sands ef homeless men, women and children were being cared for in pri vate residences, railway statlom. and the few remaining public buildings. , The wind sh'fted at daylight and the fire waa alowly traveling In a southerly direction, spreading tha flames throughout the southern resi dence district, bvt in a freakish man ner. Jumping wholt blocks in Us pro gress. - MAY ATTACK SAL0NIK1 REPORTS OLD SEA FIGHT Ijondon Tells of Defeat of Gorman Sea Raider In North Hew. suggestion that the Uptted Statea will south, mil decide thajt all armament Is offen-j problems live armament. Instructions given to the com- tnanders of armed merchantmen ai*) probably will be considered in the pronouncement. The secretary has given careful study of the appendices to the German memorandum regard ing armed ships, which contain an alleged copy of the instructions given by the British government to the commanders of defensively-arm ed merchantshlps. The British ver sion of these Instructions, It Is un derstood, also have been considered. The safety of passengers and crews of steamships stopped by sub marines will be touched upon. The United States will Insist upon proper precautionary measures being taken and may define what these measures should be. The question of prize crews placed aboard vessels is one which long has been considered by various officials. The British government confbficls that submarines have no right under the law to sink a merchant ship be cause enough men to form a prize] crew cannot be spared from the ‘Crews of the war vessels dr because porta are not available. Great Britain contends that all ships captured should be taken into prize Courts. On the other hand, Ger Ijondon reports Saturday: “An en gagement occurred February 29 In ♦ hi.the North Sea between the armed r»ta. r o,.n, di. K ui»a«.. men realize that the capturing him will be come many tDne more complex. More troops will be .necessary and their transportation by way of country roads will become^practlcally an 1m possibility ' THREE SHIPSiilNK The president** stetemeot follow*: “Aa has already been announced, the expedition Into Mexico waa order ed under na agreement with the d* facto government of Mexico for tb* single purpose of taking tba bandit. Villa, whose force* bad actually In vaded the territory of tb* United States, end la in no ecnae intended as an invasion of *bat republic or an In fringement of i.a sovereignty. **l have, therefore, aakrd the sev eral aewe services to be good enough to aaaUt the admlniatratloa la keep ing IhU view of the expedition con stantly before the d 1st reused and sen sitive people of Mexico, who are very ■uaceptlhle. indeed, to impressions re ceived from the American press not PARACHUTE USED IN WAR Frontier Artions Assume Character of General Attack Upo* Attlee. Athens reporta via Paris Monday Dispatches from Salonlkl aay that the frontier actions which had hitherto been conatdered merely as trying out operations on the part of Bulgarian* and Germans, are now assuming the character of a general attack against the advanced line of the Allies. Considerable vigor la being dis played and heavy artillery te being employed on both sides It le said that In both military and diplomatic circle* of the Teutonic allien there le a belief that the long prophesied ef fort to drive the Allies Into the aaa has begun, but It le pointed oat that tbeee circles In Athena, nt least, nr* not In n position to b* accurately in formed In Entente circles while the Importance of the Increasing activity of the Bulgarians and Germane Is not minimized, there le n general convic tion that they do not seriously In tend to attempt to capture Salonlkl. Frewcfj Observer Escapee From Bal loon Drifting Into Enemy NOT A VACATION AFFAIR Gew. Pershing Mays Villa War Will I wet for Months. A speedy termination of th# Amer ican expedition Into Mexico la not looked for by Gen. Pershing, com mander of the forces In the field. It was asserted that after n staff con ference. Gen. Pershing announced that the people of the United State* should not place too much confidence . . . .„.h. k. ii... In report* that Francisco Villa has been bottled up either by American forces or by Mexican troopa British Steamers Go to Victims of Subs. as Three more British steamers hkye been sunk, .presumably by Germat submarines. They are the Minneap- N oils, one plying between American ports and London: the St. Cecilia, on a voyage from Portland, Me., for London, and the Fenny Bridge, bound from Philadelphia for Hull. The crews of the St. Cecilia and the Fenny Bridge were rescued. The fate of the Minneapolis has not been lenmed: probably will have to do with the raising of national* flags by sub marines which approach vessels. The United States probably will Insist that su’bmai-lnes'conform in this re spect to the practices of cruiser war fare. . The subject of contraband and Norwegian merchant vessel, and the British armed merchant cruiser Al cantara. Capt. T. E. Wardle. It re sulted In the loss of both vessels, the German raider being sunk by gun fire and the Alcantara apparently by a torpedo. "Five German officers and one hundred and fifteen men were picked up and taken prisoners out of the total complement believed to have been over three hundred. The Brit ish losses amounted to five officers and sixty-nine men. "It should be noted that during the whole engagement the enemy red over the Norwegian colors paint ed on the side of the ship. 'his news Is now published as It is mkde clear by the recelnt of a Ger man 1 vHreless message that the enemy has learped that the Greif. a siater a M^t ^object is accomplished. ship to thi^Moewe, had been destroy ed before sjit succeeded in passing our line of patrols." ALLIED LEADERS CONFER Big Conference in Paris to Consider General Situatiox . .. . . . . . . . . non-contraband cargo, both in peu- “ a - n7 -,-P. h . 0 - d l.! l k r t tral and In beUTgerent ships,' also may be discussed, along with vari she pleases with enemy merchant ships and have the cases entered be- that those Impressions proceed from the views snd objects of our govern ment itself. Such conclusions. It must be said, are not tinnxtura!, be cause the main, if not the only, source of information for the people on both sides of the border Is th* public press of the United Staten. "In order to avoid the creation of erroneous and dangerous impressions In this way, f have called upon the several news agencies to use the ut most care not to give news stories regarding this apprehension tho color of war, to withhold stories of troop movements and military preparations .which might be given that interpre tation, and to refrain from publish ing unverified rumors of interest In Mexico. "I feel that It is most desirable to Impress upon both our own people and the people of Mexico, the fact that the expedition Is simply a neces sary punitive measure, aimed solely at the elimination of the maraaders who raided Columbus, and who in fest an unprotected district near the border which they use as a base in making attacks upon the lives and property of our citizens within our own territory. It Is the purpose of our commanders to co-operate in every possible way with the forces of Gen. Carranza In removing this cause of irritation to both governments and to retire from Mexican property soon While it was understood that Gen. Parshing does not attempt to predict how long American troops may be In Mexico, It was intimated that the period may extend into monthe. Th* parachute with which nil ob servers In French captive balloons now have been provided was given n genulns teat recently near Clermont, in th* Argonn* region. German shells bad cut tbs ropes holding on# of tbs largest of these ballots or “eaueages'' as they are called by th# soldiers on account of Its shape. It rose to n height of eleven thouaaad feet and drifted towards the German lines. Tb* watchers below saw th* observer get ont of th* basket and launch himself into apace After a sharp drop, tho pnrnchntn opened and the observer reached th* ground In perfect safety aboat three hundred yards within thn French line. The first sharp drop tf shout one hundred and fifty feet, he later explained, was distinctly dlaagraa sbls. hat after th# parachute spread th* descent was so pleasant and wan eo gentle that daring th* twmty minutes which It lasted, he had leae- are to tahe observations of tho mov*> menu la progress beyond the Gor lin**. HOES BACK TO REPUBLIC i PLANS NAVAL BATTLE “Obviojisly it Is to create intoler- Denraark Paper Predicta Big Fight in Middle of Hummer. • The Politlken of Copenhagen prints sn interview obtained by Its Chris tiana correspondent with a high Ger man naval officer. This officer said that Germany Is preparing for a great naval attack on England this summer. A large number oj new battleships and cruisers hav^^been built and heavily armed at the new naval har bor of Pilau, near Koenlgshurg. New dockyards have also been constructed at Guyhaven. ALLIED WAR COUNCIL Six Nations Represented in Colifer. ence at French Capital. The greatest council or war held since the conflict In Europe began' will take place in Paris this week. Six of the allied nations—England, Given ap Empire la Determined Rrvolatioa. A Chinee* state department date Issued nt Peking Wednesday night announces th* abandonment of the monarchy and resumption of the republic. Th* mandate says thn revolntloa •how* that thn demand for s mon archist form of government Is not unanimous aad that, thnrofor*. Tuan Shi Kai rejects the emperorship aad reaumea the presidency. Th* Imperial documents, th* man* date adds, will be returned by Tuan Shi Kai to the state council, which will reconvene at the Senate, pre paratory to the resumption of tho re public. Hsu Shlh Chang, who left th* cabi net becauce of the monarehlal mova- ment, signed the mandate aa secre tary of state, has re-entared th* cabi net. ALLIES DELAY ANSWER able friction between the government 1 Russia, France, Belgium, Italy and of the United States and the de facto ( Serbia—will be represented government of Mexico, for the pur pose of bringing about Intervention In the interest of certain American Plans of supreme Importance, on which the Allies hope to <L Mver a smashing stroke which will bring the owners of Mexican properties. This end of the war in sight, will be ccn- fore the prize courts later. The right of a morchant^hhip to fire at a sub marine which ^watns, It. will In ome form occupy another section. The United States has contended that a chant' shlp has a right to defend or flight starts the vessel loses all that Immunity from attack to which she was entltjed. Consideration of these points caused the central powers to dcr'in tbetr intention to. treat a* auxiliary trainer* ar—ed merchantmen of the Entente Allies A portion of tho doenment also A conference orihe Entente Allies of far reaching Importance will be gin at Paris Monday. The premiers, various other high g vernment offt- cinls, Including the British foreign secretary and secretary for war. and th«-_ c...: :'.. , ::~i«ltng generals of France. Great Britain and Ma'y. will take part in this conference, which will cive the closest 'consideration to the r-t>n«tit ; ons brought about hy 1 military and political situation submarine warfare tVetPie new''lecTflffnCflTm^FEp laratlon of position *rni he issued. ous other details. • The United States has'lnterest In these matters because the rights and property of American citizens are Involved. U-is with the view of clearly sea ting forth such rights, under the object cannot be attairted so long as sane and honorable men are in con trol of this govertiment, but very serious' conditions between the two republics may be very much enibar- lasted. “The people, of the United States should know the sinister and un scrupulous influences that are afoot, and should be on their guard against crediting any story coming from the sidered. VERDUN ON FIRE German Report Says Artillery Has Started Blaze In Town. Tendon: The Germans a sca lar fret the war Sinking of several additional Tea sels. presumably by submarines. Is reported Monday—th# crafts sunk in clude the British steamer Cerne and the French steamer Hebe. A British report they receive’from that quarter.) cording to German reports-Haturdpr^ Ush carrier, the Khartoum, also wan trenwtb-wr-pnt umnattatiuw w Aiui it u fnxxed sewnl Jir enty-flve mile seml-cirrlular front b«- border: and those who disseminate I fore Verdun are pouring a fierce ar- tho news should make it a matter of tlllery fire Into the French defenses oatrlotlam and of conscience to te*t Incendiary sheila from the big gun* the source and authenticMy of every have set the city of. Verdun afire ac- t "Vn It TurkDI Bombardment Continues. The violent bomhvrdment north west of Verdun, continue* whit* to are maklr the north of the fortress and tVoevre ▼ ***** -n region Intermitt- nt cannonading is I eke Van progress lines still liu—ians Make I’ro—ress. of the Russo- e rrn I »*■ on teres* arsine* the Amcrlran* Ih»M on Ship*. * -t'lnrton be* Seen advised In 1*r the Doszteton cfi'ftffM*? Pn*1*9Hia*fi *miti lii ‘li * w i iii tuiMMhfi * h T matte br th* Fn rar office. roe a t -ett orwar< v- Capture* Turkish Poat. IsMwh-a resorts , 'f>nrt force# on e right hank of the Tigris •e!>*4 • inH hy % ywetsg a'tzck «a the night ef March -1G Our carnaltM* were fear “ London and Paris Differ Over Thote Reply to America. The reply to the American note In respect to restrictions on maritime trade Imposed by Great Britain,, which some time ago was understood to be ready, has been delayed in Paris, where It is awaiting approval of the French government. The flrtfr draft of the note was returned by thn French government with suggestions for several modifications designed to make it more ih harmony with the French precedents. This resulted in considerable delay as the British gov ernment was not prepared for thn malerial changes suggested. The present delay Is so unexpected that it is thought not Improbable Washington may make formal in quiries as to when the reply, which has been expected for the last fnv weeks,* may be looked for. MORE SHIPS SUNK Several Additional Victims of Sop* posed Subs Reported Monday. crew were drowned. Attack* in Man Ea On the Russian froat thn O* a ,f cmcted an o'feasGvt In the of t* cbetadt hat were wb 1« thn K see tans caotared • trench in thn reglaa of