Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

r LEVER ON RURAL 0REDIT5 FABMEKS \\1LL DOIIROW MONEY AT 5 PER CENT. A Xjmbs to Make Permanent Improve* menta May be Obtained for Long . Terms With Small Payments. Stabilizing Farm Credits. Suddenly tho country naa awaken ed to this fact that something extra ordinary baa happened in Congresa, having to do with the much-mooted question of rural crec'lts. ,, The Moss BUI was dissected, crit icised, praised aiid shrugged at with difference. It was generally under stood that this bill, r .gardless of Its points of merit or otherwise, repre sented the Administration’s attempt to put through tho present Congress some sort of legislation In behalf of rural credits. It was known equally well that tho Administration did not Intend to pass any legislation that would carry with It the cllghtest sus picion of direct Government aid—cdll It subsidy^ Ifnfou_llke—to farmers who wished to borrow money for carrying on their business. The Moss Bill, as reported out by the Joint commute, was absolutely unassailable In the above respects. And then before the public realized It two little amendments had been worked into that bill and a now bill, carrying these was Introduced by Reresentative Lover. These amend ments constitute the basis of this In terview with Mr. Lever. I asked him to explain them, hint ing that to all apperances they stood for a decided breakaway from the administration's policy. He had visit ed the president and tho amend ments had been discussed. Would the President support this land legislation’ Mr. Lever shook his head and emphatlrally declined to be quoted. But know this: That when L*ver returned from his conference at the White House he closed up ahop and gave his office force abox party. .You can draw own conclu sions. He explained Ms amendments by explaining In Its entirely the present situation of rural-credits legislation In Congress. “For more than half a century.** aald Mr (.ever, “the Gorer..ment has been encouraging the farmer along Knee of scentlflc farm management. It has given him a nation-wide eye- tem of experiment statlona It haa giv en him the AugrlcuHural Art. by means of which his buslneee Is con nected up with the augrtcultuml col leges end experiment stations. All these agencies endeavor to teach the farmer how to produco the most at least coat. Importsnt work It la and work that must continued to be en couraged and promoted by the Gov ernment.'* Hturivlag Farming aa a Raalneea •This work by the Government Is In no eenee e rnbstdy to the farmer. It Is n matter In which the consum ers of farm products—hanker mer chant. capitalist, miner, factory hand railroad emJPoyee. and all other classes of people--hero as direct In- tereet as the fanner htmaelf. “It la significant, however, and das the efforts to Inaugurate a system of rural credits for the entire country. “It has been argued by opponents of rural-credits legislation that this country Is not ready for such a sys tem. that the habits of thought and customs of living of our people are not adapted to the Inaugratlon of such a system'!” • *—~ ‘ “I think that the argument Is ab surd. I recognize, of course, that any system which may be proposed must tyi of slow development. Just as all rural-credit systms In all countries have been oX.,slow devclopoment. The LnndNrhnftcn of Germany have Just begun to do their most constructive work during the lest q nrter of n cen tury, althoufch thdy have been In ex istence In form or another for ; t least 150 years. “The difficulty of the problem has to do with finding a method of bring ing tho Investor and tho farmer to gether for mutual benefit. The thought of the Joint commute has been to find the machinery by means of which this can be done. .“It was at last agreed that a fed erated system of local cooperative borrowers’ associations linked up with twelve regional land dlscbWt- Ing banks, also federated and als,un der the control of the cooperative borrowers’ associations, and vlth the power to Issue bonds upon, tho fed- eraded assets of the twelve banks and the mortgages discounted, was the machinery desired. “This Is not a new principle. It can bo found !l various stages of de velopment In a number of countries. “The strength of t' • bond Is the touch-stone of ho system. The sys tem will succeed or fall Just In pro portion as tho bond makes a favor able or unfavorable Impression upon the Investing ’ ublle. The bond Is the link that connects the farm bor rower seeking money and the Inves tor with money to Invest. Such s link In such a sys.em must not have any weak points. It must be strong enough to hold. "Tho Moss IHU now before the Banking and Currencv Committee represents the fused Judgment of the Joint committee. To quote tbs Joint comn’I*tee report: “ “Every farm loan bond la secured as fo’lows • *•*!. By the capttsl. reserves, and earnings of the land bank which Issues |t. ** *1. By the capital, reserves, and earning* of th* eleven other land bank*. *• *S. By the eolteetlre security of all the mortgagee In Be division— limited or tin limited —of the land heck, the mortgages pe’ged be'ng eqeal in amount to tho outstanding bonds. ** “Kvery mortgage pledged sa col lateral |s seeured as follows:. “ *1. By the personal undertaking of the borrower. “ ‘J. By the aeenrlty of tho mort gaged land, at least double I* value of the amount of tho loan. ** *3. By the rapltal. reserves, end earnings of tho local aaaoclatloa In dorsing the loan. “ ‘4. By tho tndlvldanl liability of the members of the Indorsing associa tion * "Sueh a bond. If seems, would con stitute a most a*trartlvo Investment,” continued Mr. Lever. “Ordinarily I think It would. It asunt be remem bered. however, that we are embark ing upon an entirely new Idea la this country Wo ere putting out on of the Treasury by { such lantf .bank as directed by the Farm Loan Board.' “The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed, upon the request of the Farm Loan Board, to make advances of such sum or sums, out of any money In the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and at a rate of Interest to,, he paid by the Federal land bank not In excess of the current rate charged for govern ment deposits: “Provided, That the aggregate of all sums so advanred by the Secre tary of the Treasury to Federal land banks shall not exceed In any fiscal year the sum of $6,000,000.” '‘Thrs8ectl6h,’ r Mr.LcverwehTbn. "provides that In the discretion of the Farm Loan Board the Secretary of the Treasury may be called upon, to advance to or deposit With any land bank,, temporarily, sufficient funds with which to meet the pay ment otf any matured bond or tho accrued’lnterest on such bond issued under the provisions of this act.” Double Liability on Treasury. “This advance or deposits shall constitute on behalf of the Secretary of the Treasury a first Hen upon the assets ofethat bank and shall be re paid as directed by the Farm Loan Hoard. ... “In fttlier words, we have, placed upon the Federal- Treasury, which THE WAR LAST 1EK great Injereat to th. .tudent of jall^ thr key to this part of th. war. ir- „ ... the It Is difficult to say. when troops The French line on thp wc.t • ^ ltlon practically without Meuse before the battle began r >“ « ank8 and la » country, of the through the » outher " No f tU character about Verdun, that any Hois de Mnn.fsneon ln hill NoJSL_cnara ^ ^ ^ RUMANIA’S NEW TREATY MAY RANGE HER WITH GERMANY parallel to and about a ^ould stick In the lock and re- m„e north of the p^J^c^Jt-Betldn- keFWOu.a^ ^ ^ or court highway, hr from” artillery fire and the great strength ALLIED DIPLOMATS FAIL «m. sM b. „ i Wll \ £ tlfe German gain ed in passing that some three week. ■ ■' * 1 - Friday night last t ., . ,t a „ 0 German official reports men- on the west hank was In sP> e «^ & having captured this position, tn c ons n !fa and the German military critics, had been captured, * ’ . ( wr iting for the Berlin papers, out- somewhat to the south^ l^iHa, th0 advantage lt would be tQ generalline^Dorth or the Malaocoort-; the Oerm.b. It. th. Ittllowin* stage. Itethincottrt road ! 1 .^ south oMhel German official report, boro not had taken |tp a position .ooth of thoj ^ u "“ admUlffll lhclr former e „ or . WHAT THE RURAL CREDIT BILL PROVIDES Out of about • hundred hill, presented to Pnagrrau at thu Uat •l«n two were rtionrn for .por’al attention by the committee* of the Henato and House of Hrptesmtallvr*. The Senate bill waa la- troriure<l by Senotor lloltia and tho llouau bill by Reprearutatlvu Moa«. Thesu bills wore ronsIdrrM by a Joiat romraltte* and (Hu I«nd Mortgage Bill nas reported favorably January fourth. The plan of the bill In brtrf la aa follow*: - The country Is divided Into twelve districts. In each of which * land bank with A'lKt.OOO capital will be established. These banka will lie supervised by • Federal bjard of five member, appointed by the president. The capital of fhe banks will come from the sate of stock and from bonds based upon farm mortgages held by Uie banka. Irocal loan Association, will be chartered by each land bank and the«e association, will Judge the value of the laud offered for mortgage security. Each borroxver most bny stock in tho local loan association to the amount of at least five per cent, of his loan. Farmers who borrow money from the bank will pav ahont five per cent. Interest and the bonds I*stie<r by the hank will hear four per rent. Interest, tho ono per cent, being used to cover tho cost of operating tho.system. ItOnns to purchase land or make permanent Improvements may be made for long term, with small payments. for the time being at tenet is » stock holder In the land banks to the ex tent of $6,000,000, the same-double liability that 1. required of the farm borrower as a stockholder In the land bank. “I ran easily Imagine that .* new system reaching out Into a new field of Investment through new machin ery under the management of men unaccustomed to that kind of busi ness might by some possibility find it self temporarily in trouble to such an extent a. to be unable even for the shortest time to meet the In terest payment on a bond or to meet the nnyment upon a maturing bond. "The moment auch * contingency should arise and there was no ma chinery bv which to provide aralnat It. the entire system won'd be In danger of a romnlete breakdown, be cause fhe Investor In * bond of any description wants .s.uranee slw*r. that at all times be Is going to get the Interest. "This amendment rueruntee. thin, and that Is *11 It does Id regard to the bond. “In this connection It Is Imnortant to point out that tbs bill provides that the rate of Infesesi to **• eh-orce-1 the borrowing farmer shall he hssed noon the rate of Interest at wh'rh the bond setts: In no rase ta the dif ference to he more than one per rent. In other words. If the hood sella In the market for 1A3—three per cent. Interest—the mortgagee hark of It rautd not. Sinder this ***- tern, carry ■ higher rate than four per rent, to the farm borrower. “All 1 sr. asking Is that the same eensiderat'on he afforded securities base* upon land aa the goreram*at haa from time to time afforded to •eeurttlee baaed ipon commercial paper. ■'My aecond amendment provides only that the trustees of the postal savings of the country may Invent I* farm Ion* bonds aet exceeding slaty per rent, of the postal ravings of tha country. The purpose of thfa amend ment Is first le create a quick market for farm Iona bonds, and aecond to add strength to and crest* confidence la th* bond Itself.” This. then. Is tha status of rural credits legislation In Congreee. The amended bill given every premise of passing before Congresa goes back home for the summer. New York Times Expert Atacbes Im portance to Indication of Balkan Attitude as to Outcome of Struggle —Fighting at Verdun Continues Bloody and Undecided. Before taking up the week’s opera tions in the various war theatres two happsnings are worthy of note. The first Is the announcement from Bich- arest that Rumania hits made a treaty with Gerniany whereby all of Rumania's surplus food products are to be sold to the Teutons. While this is a commercial treaty, it has an Im portant military Influence. Russia has announced from time to time that the status of Rumania Forges broBk. As the left of the line at Malancourt had fallen back the section at Bethlncourt had held fast, so that the line was much bent at this, point. ‘ It d )es not seem that the French nor have they referred as yet to the French continuing to hold it. Thla is due probably to the fact that there is rather a Jumble of email hills in this locality, so that the taking of probably to the loose-jointed meth- nu uncharted sea, ns It were, a brand ods of a young nation, that until very n '’' v tyr 0 °f vessel v.-lfh Inexperienced recently little atteptlon has been paid h-lot, ot fleers and crow, to the other two sides of farming as ”1 think f c vv?-r' is rigged up by a business—tho econimic distribu- Moss Bill w'il weather the storm, tlon of farm products and farm fin- hut we cannot afford to take chances, tnce. I TheTfailure' of the systepi to make “Some four years ago the first of- pr,0 . ( ' 1,TO claims of Its sponsors would fort was begun t'rough the Depart-"fo^POtiQ *he < ? n / rjral credits in ment of Augricslturo to study ccon- J. R coun t r y at least another gencra- omic distribution of farm products.' tl0n - The offiro of Markets is reaching a’ “I fl m not wiring personally to point where the gathered infesrma- embark on this undertaking without tlon on distribution may soon bo provbHng it with a full comnlement made available la practical form, and of Hfc -t’re'=ervcrs and stabilizers. 1 I expect this branch of tho service n, ’ an hy this that I should further to grow rapidly. , . j strengthen the bond which, ns I have ••The next problem fer solution la! **'«' l * l \ fo . Preserver to find some way of financing on rea-i i 0 , 11 , 1 commIttce BOnable terms farm borrowers In this w i to ^iv m-n | 1C V P ' ne ^'x, 0 n0 !i country. Tho average rate of Interest $ th„ i„ b ° y0nd , on farm mortgages Is about eight and QV ctpm And ihnM.^v f uc r t> . FR » of u half ner rent a veer !n snmn sec Ule K*'™- Ar ' ( 1 <l' a t U why I intro- * naif per cent a year in somo sec durPd amendment.” The amendment reads as follows: tlons more, in others Itess. Tb*S\ats applies to farm mortgages tmly with unencumbered real estate aa cecur-' R^rS^y ca^upon ^e'seer^ * v . , . 1 of ,he Treasury to advance, tempos “For short-lime credits. In cer- m-Hy, to any Federal land bank such tain sectlor of the country at least.' tU m or sums as In the opinion of the fonr month -riper on ahort^Umelens said board mar bo necessary to en- —time price* rettus cash prices— able rurh land bank to meet any de- will show an average Interest rate of mend made upon It for the payment •eventy-three per cent » year. Or, to of any matured bond or the accrued quote from an authority: ^f the av-j Interest on a^v bond l«sued by such •rage time-price account runs »■ long 1 bank under the provlaiona of this ea six months’—which I do not be- act. Mere—“the rate would *«U be over, “Each Federal Hmd bank to wWrfi forty-eight per cent* I suck sum or* sums have been ad- “No business o* earth C*a bold op •*'•11 Issue to the Secretary ■der suck a load and f a result Is be-; ®«Jbe Treasury, a certificate of !»- lag show* dally la tho Increase la ueMedaes* to the aznouot of such farm tenaatry This condition tel's —"k ® r »»•* eo edrace-d. *»d S’.ch that someth tag somewhere ta lb*, ^ •V'* ■* •4vvnre4 shall eeu-l Is vroea. - i Mitat* a first lte« u-ou the r* .!**• f t* asoUoraie this eoadfttoa, te •V**? fc J*f* tr9m *3 wmm* fifcasga thi* ifuiem. la (be gufpooa af* **4 I* tba Berrciary t GIVES 128 WAR PATENTS TO DEFEND HIS COUNTRY Joh* Rays Hammond Jr. to fket up Defenses Rendering Our Coast Line Icnpregnable. John Hays Hammond Jr. haa given the rountry an example of The kind , of Amerlcanlsn) which puts service i to his country above personal gain. Be has *< M to the government all of' the patent*—12Ji of them—and the ! exclusive c<>uim» of torpetlqes hy ra dio-dynamic forces, either from the shore or from aeroplanes, which will, Insure their striking th dr marks at a maximum distance of tx\ enty-eight miles. Tho price ho will receive for his Invention, seven hundred and fitly! thousand dollars, was fixed by a i hoard of military and naval experts! without bargaining .on his part, and j it is said on reliable authority to.rep-1 resent very little more than he has actually spent to bring his device to its prosent stale of perfection. In addition to turning his inven tion over exclusively to tho Uniro'.l States, Mr. Jlainmond"agrees to de votes his time without pay to in stalling tho apparatus. John Hays Hammond. Jr. is the twenty-slx-ypar-old Eton of the famous mining engineer of the same name. Naval experts who have tested Ids dc- vire in every way possihl declare it will make the entire roast f lino of tho United States practically invul- nernl le to attack from enemy battle ships. Mr. Hammond was summon ed before a sub-committee of tho House and demonstrated the work ing of his apparatus. BRITISH ADVANCE Capture Fclahlo on Way to Relief of Gen. Townshend, Friable, another town In Mesopo- Jamia, has been captured by the! British, which brings the relieving forces nearer to* Kut-e!-Amara, where Gen. Towi.shend and his com mand have b» n beleaguered for months. The rapture of Felahle was preceded by a puer'csnion of assault* [ on the entrenched position' of tho' Turk* at Dmm-el-Henna, tho Turks being, driven biU Of flflfi line* ■ * treachra. ; * No Wosxl of F*rral Fight. _ , Gen. Fuuvtea Friday reported to !’ a v: defsg1iee»t t*'*! be oeirM •« «6rd fr*r» Ce*. Ferabiaq' *u tin fight Wedneuday at F*"ah, bvt that b* la eaatlaafag u> prsaa* tori laienaatlea. was entlrefy satisfactory to her and to the Allies in general. Ambitious correspondents have stated in dis patches to this country that by May Rumania, would enter the war on the side of the Allies. The diplomats of the allied powers have been waging a war of words In thOkRumanlan cap ital for many months. But the total result seems to be the treaty which was announced to the world in the week past. This la a matter of great signifi cance. It meauM a failure of allied diplomacy. It means that In all probability Rumania will not enter the war at all, and If »lie doe* It will not be for a long time hence. If she does l*ke the step there r*n be little about the side to which she will lean. The Rumanians are Latins, and their national ambition ran be attained only at tha expense of Aus tria. . Only by the acquisition of Buko- wlna and Transylvania can their boundaries assume the form that th* Rumanians desire. This cannot be done by an alllauc* with Ihs Teu tons, as tha Rumanians dcsliy tha crown land of Austria and the great est mineral and oil wealth of tha llapsburg empire. At llte Mime time II mu*t be reul- l/rd that Itumanlw—In fmt, eiay of the other Balkan Maim cannot af ford to go Into Hie war except oa the w tuning side. It la mor* thaa a question of tha realisation of a na tional anbltioa. It la a question of llfq itself and of political Independ- enr* and Integrity. Human.* did not make this treaty without soma lavastlgatloa of the military alt Ha lloa. Just how thorough aa lavea- lljfatioa she waa able to make no on*, of course, kaowa. But she did make aa lavewtlga- Uoa and the result of U was that, la th* optatow of her statmasew. there waa a greater prohabttMy of obtaining coarrwstoaa from Bee- many thaa from the Alllee. This winy reflect a great deal of credit oa the aMllty of Berman pabltrlty agent*, or nw Berman diplomacy, or It may be that tba Indications from a Kantaalaa point of view are that lb* sHuatloa of the AlUr* Is far from being aa satisfactory aa generally appra/u la lixia coun try. For there raa be no other mean ing to this aew rapprochement thaa that, up to a certain point, Bumanla has east her lot with the Teutons. How far the Rumanians will go no one can avy with any degree of cer tainty. It is certain, however, that there la no possibility of Rumania entering the war oq the side of the Allies tor come time to come. Another point that la worth noting Is tho rgxjval of peace rumors and condition.*, due to the recent t>l*eecl)cs of 4lie German chancellor and the ^nglhh prime niinl.stcr. Tho press of ‘this country has, quoting from abroad, tried to reconcile the differences between the terms ac ceptable to Germany and those ac ceptable to tho Allies, and to nhow that the two are uot, after all, so very far apart. There nre certain considerations that it would-f)0 well to bear In mind when weighing the merits of the va rious statements that have been pub lished. England and Germany-have for years seen war coming between them. Every Englishi'nan who thought about It at all, and every German, realized it and spoke of It. It lias been''regarded as inevitable. It can be said now, and it is not conjecture but positive knowledge, that not only Is England not ready to agree to an armistice as a prelude to peace, but that any jieace proposi tion can only he predicated upon the destruction or transfer of the tier- man fleet. T.hey are all tired of war, yes. But when peace is made, it will ba made n a basis - that a re currence of war will be Impossible for a long time to come. England feels, and this statement was made to me hy a prominent Eng lish statesman only a short time ago* that it would be better literally for every Englishman in London to be shot ydown Hi the, street's than that tho war should end without the German fleet going to the bottom. For, it was explained, as long as the German fleet was afloat there would always be the danger, no mat ter what fhight be the outcome of the war, that the future woufiT bring a repetition. • Prophecy Is not the function of the reviewer, who ntfees- sarily deal* only with the past. But talk of peace is premature and raises false hopes in the hearts of all.who look on the passing events In Europe with horror. I gist week’* review ended as the Gerr.mni. haying Uken lljmcourt. were berlnnlng -an attack again* tl-A.aalh-at at pethiaeoort Thla at tar# was launched from the vest aide of th* anrle between Bethia- ronrt and Le Mart -Hooiacav Talons the highway from Betbleeoart and Ci aitai-rocrt Thera are ter* via p .afa fhrrat this ralieat. a* It raivV ei ea Safaidajr last, that fesMes couhl bnve expected to hold fast to' any one of them might readily cause Hie oriirinal line against the attack' such an error. which they knew the German* could To return to the German attack: deliver were they so minded. Like It soon extended eastward to the territory east of the Meuse, the Cumieres and across the river to the terrain is broken by a number of; Douaumont-\aux front. Infantry Irregular heights, intercepted by val- was used on a scale not seen since leys. These heights have been occu pled and held by the French as ad vance/1 posts without a great effort, the first few days of the battle. Never have the French had to face artillery fire In such a volume. The losses on L create a continuous fortified line’. | both sides, must have !**« terrlfl. The continued ridge which, as; The net result was nothing. The stated last week. Is the main French, French lines have not changed posl- Hne of defense, is not found until we | tlon. the Germans have recorded no reach a point some three milew-aouth ' gain. Nothing authentic has reached n* as to the number of German troops of what Is known ss the ridge of Charny. and It runs from the village — — of C’harnv to tie Bols Bourrus. The; engaged in this attack. It has been main Idea of the French in these variously estimated at from 80.000 ndxanrcd points seem* t« be to use to 150,000 men. and this over a them principallv to delay the Gor- front of not mare than six miles, mans and to mike them pay an ex- Th* losses of the Gemmas „ere un- orb tant price In casualties for every usually heavy, the expenditure of advance they make. There d-e* not ammunition enormous. And with It ap|iear to b ea determined effort to all nothing was accomplished, hold. I It wa* the first time that Germany It Js the acme kind of strategy! has attempted a aimultaneous attack tbnf marked tie retreat on the cart 0 ver tha whole front, and, resulting s'de of the river. On the east trie | n (allure ** 11 has. it Is not aurpna- retlrement Was made stubbornly and ing that It has been followed by a s'oxriy until a rertain point waa period of complete InactlvPy. Tho reached—the line of Penper Hill and ttKiiGug mu-t pause in orxlrr to bring Po'taumont and Vaux. One* this line ut , munition and to give tho was reached, however, th* Drench held fust, and the Arrrrst German efforts, barked by the heaviest of artillery flte. have filled to make any Impression. On the west the retire ment has been mad* even mors slowly. Th* general process »eem* to be thla: The points natu tKe French giro way tl heights m”< tht g> \v '<$. he* reman a’tarka at given iHy crests salients In net When the FYraph v sr* able to hold th* longer than the lower Consequently, th* apex of eats ar* usually on high • Util* respite. But It Is not over. It Is baly • breathing spelt, one of several that hats punctuated tha battle. The marvel Is lint tilt* twmians are still eager to continue. It Is almost as If they I ml made up tlrelr minds to risk all on this one throw of tire due. mid that, no matter wliat baptxeus. they are d< irrmioed to ftolit *he wIkiIw uar out to a finish here, sod ar* ts tiling to abide by th* »e»uit of I hi* •gbL Ihs Grrmans In following Tlr# German problem, however, la *|4 to he iwre difficult front now on. Even though the Ereucfc oa th* west hank of lire rlxer Itav* to t yet rrm h«d In tlrrlr rrtitrureul thetr mala defensive position, they I mix* taken a |MM>ltion that la muck BtrrC* easily defended than that held ubea th* battle startrxL Their original lines, lying ta a de pression. (be aarror valley of th* rase*. Instruct th* troop*, who are! Forges brook, were more or Ira* holding tba apra of the salient to dominated by the German artillery, hold o* •• long as posslbl* la order Certainly all advantag* of position that the artillery and machine guns, lay with th# Germana. Now tho may Inflict the maximum puntah-' French hav# abandoned. In * few ment on th* attacking force, and to| cates from cboic*. In most from retire only when It Is apparent that) ne-esalty. all of these low-lying poat- thev ar* ahbut to be overwhelmed. Ilona. Thla point may be excellently They occupy * chain of hill*, not Illustrated In the attack on Bethln-1 continuous, but generally In good tht salient, naturally they dry to do eo hy rrushlsg I* th* aide*, which I means that th* attack haa to be de- I llvered over low ground, subjected to the fire of guns oa commanding positions on all aide* The Frenrh. therefor*. If w* may Judge by appearances In several such court. The town la situated on a bluff. Just on tba north aide of the Forrra brook. On crossing tha brook ! on the east side of the road to Chat- taurourt. the ground brevks away-' from the bfuff. gradually rising In j Irregular fashion to the height of Le Mort Homme. supporting distance of each other. The German attack. Instead of com ing dowa hill, must go up bill. Ther* U little or ao natural cover, no shel ter from tlie destructive effect* of tho su|>ertor light artillery. The Germr.na. aa far aa wt know, still have the heavier guns and to thla extent a superiority. But In Just ea«t of thla height there Is .nct^rcnir a few meter* >®m blgh| thij particular sccil'on'the rang*# ta —hill No ’SS The-r two poriUoos i com’Urtrly control the side of the salient and the approaches thereto from Bethlncourt-south. Th* coun try is open, free 'Irem woods and r without ro\‘er, giving ths French guns a free field of fire. All day Saturday the Germans made concentrated effort against this side ! of tho salient, but wore unable to i better their position to any extent. : On Sunday tho nt'ack was renewed short and heavy guns are not neces sary. In fact, the usefulness ot such guns Is apt to be exaggerated any how. At the beginning of the war tha offense proved to be considerably in advance of ‘the defense. The per manent artificial works of concrete were found to he entirely Ineffective. Works const -acted since the war have been of a different character . i an< l t* 10 havoc created by tho big and continued all dnv. During th* gun , nt Njnuir auJ Llei . e has bccn n'.srht. however, the French evacuit- cr . otiv reduced rd the porlt'on nnVl straightened out j ‘ . The defense has approached more nearly to Jhe offense. In the sub sequent lighting, therefore, the much I their line. It njipears that the troops' l^vbn xx ere bolding the*apex bold out too long, so tbnt before they could make good their retreat they were 1 cut off from the main hotly and cap- i Hired. The French line has not be^en nf- ! footed by the withdrawal. At tlvs i rnrt ; eu 1 nr point. It is true. It brings i the Germans a little nearer the main ! tine, and also somewhat eloser»to Le ! Mjjrt Homme. But the French nre. ! ir Anything, a little better off hy ! having their line straightened out to thie extent. On Monday morning the Oerfnnns tried to follow up thh lighter artillery of the-French, and In t articular the French light bat teries, are apt to prove fully ns ef fective and even more destructive of life than the heavier and more terri fying artillery of tho Germans. Another point in fnvor of the Frbnch guns for a—defense of tho character ihgidentnl to fighting at ermyarativcly close quarters, where t.ho ranges nre 'short, is tho great rapidity of fire. Adapted ns these ^ gurts nre fcfc - fi^ed ammunition, they success with nn attack on Le Mort! f. rc aw , 0 ,0 ovcr an advancing Homme, and -need their infantry n 'p a ' K J 0S t tjio accuracy and freely 5 , but were beaten off. e .crt of a niaClnnejgun. 'It is due Further to the^ west they were *° .* ?. Ifr ’* ' 41 more sueeessful. Just south of Hau- n,, ’' or court there is a comparatively -high isolated snur railed the Hill of Ter- miten. This hill was the Last point in the original,- dcferisiye position about Bethincourt held hy the French, and for a matter of six days had been bitterly contested for. It is of local Importance in that ft con trols hy superior height a .distance pf about one kitometer on practically all sides. Tt also brings the Ger mans up close to the bottom of TTill 304, which is the most important position north of the Fsnes highway. to the light artillery morn than to rm that tho resistance of the French has been so terribly ef fective and has caused such great losses on- the compact bodies of the attacking enemy. BRITISH FI.EDI READY Expect Desperate Endeavor on Part of Teutons and are Prepared. The whereabouts of tho grand home licet of England was definitely r» n . . ; located for the first time when the nr,* J?In i, 1 # 5 QS P‘' r!, , ,e Scandinnvian-Americsw liner Fred- e n t re | ^Ick VIII arrived in New York ®f rmai,s ! Among the pasaengers on ron«?f% Pa i. V daJS i board * r '™ H. C.'.Bvans, of Dea th* battle was reported. It xvas as If Moines low?, who said th-t Fng- Btremraukraserfort bad hran I.Bnch. hand’.-n*^ coT.Slng of ol* III H «•» «' OV1-7 N^ro.nr^T.'JliriT^n. .ha a. £ - V<! cxp**t-B-ranjR a *tl sc* and air I line routh of th* Forget brook'and attack bv G<*rr’a"v {artTH I/* Mori Hdmrc*. The latter r*-, «nV I po* Hon In tho hands of the G*r-! xror'd’s h -to r**«s xrentd P*ep*r M Va-y hi dai rral'y be txl sea which will *ur- COPritri in th# .. <T*a* n.Uish-kro fttl- pzri th* Fr*n*k Hb* oq* |y |ir*rar*d fo fise** |# -- . .. *b# *t TV>«w«w>Mt *wa| Xearfy tlx kindred fcara of maB re. » * v or,*b M *_•«*< w»-» s/f-ed re* i»e rred*rifk YUl kai* ky the Er.t-sh naval aaikantisa.