Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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i dead Mora. It karalms all that Uma. For a mo* fraat «• tboigbt th« Oontaaa Might Mill bo llrlac thora. and it vaa not Daily Chronicle Pnbiiahea latoroot Story From tbo Fraat—Soldier* Walk Leimraly Amid Shell Fil e Onrgeoa Riaka life (or Foe*. (*y Phillip Olbba.) Aa the hours pass tho British are gaining ground, extending their line slowly but seedily to strength en It out between the German strongholds which hare beon captur ed after heavy fighting. Today when I went into the of these battlefields now hands and around where the British madd their most suc cessful adttffice, I could see the pro- geedt 'made since the first day’s at tacks by . tfte elevation of the shell fire, which Craced 'htrt the fitonnaii and British lines. To right of us was Mamets, held by the British troops, and the en circling loop no longer dipped so steeply southward os before, but curved gradually westward below the Bols de Mamets until it reach ed Fricourt Itself. Here the British are not only in possession of the village, but also have the wood on the high ground beyond the crucifix trench on the edge to the left and the Lotenge wood, still further ti the left. The British line then runs to La Bolsselle, most of which was in Brit ish hands early this morning, after a fierce bombardment, followed by the Infantry advance. It seemed to me from my obser vation that the German gnus are retiring further back to escape cap ture or direct hits, for many of their shrapnel shells appeared by the high angle of fire to come from an ex- trease range. All this shows that that British are pressing the Ger mans hard, and that thus far they have been unablo to bring up sup ports to secure their defense The scene was wonderful., and fix* of dreppli T iumi fg jtim irf 1 - ish fields since this war began, I have watched before such a complete and cloee picture of war In Ita infer nal . grandeur. The wood of La Botafisll* was to my left on rising slopes np which wound a white road to that ragged fringe of broken tree-trunks, standing Ilka gallows trees against tha skyline. Imme diately facing me was Lotenge wood and the Crucifix trench with two separate trees, known as Tbs Poodles, and just across way to my right la the hollow that dlpe below the vood was Frtcout. which the took by dar'e fighting, crasi of the lying la a cap Use rwge. A great bombardment was raging from bote sides. Tbs Germans were teetTfng th* places the British had from them, and the Brltiah guns wersTfiftffif't heavy hsrsege on these positions. La Bolsselle was be lag shelled by shrtpnsl with great severity, and there was one spot at tha northern end of the threa stumps, where th* British and Ger man shells seemed to meet and mingle their explosions in what was ones a village There were dome steads of smoks, which rose in col umns and then spread out Into thick palls. Tbs British batteries were firing ■ingle rounds and salvoes in the di rection of Contalxaaison from maay places behind the lines, so that f was in the centre of a circle of guns all concentrating upon tht German lines behind Frlcourt and Mamets Wood and La Bolsselle. The shells from the British heav ies came screaming overhead with a high rising note, which ends with sudden roar as a missle bursts and the field batteries were firing rap idly and continuously so that the sharp cracey of each shot seemed to rip the air as if it were made of calico. The Germans were replying chief ly on the ground about La Bolsselle so that I hater to think of the Brit- ishersupthere for though it was noth- it was heavy enosgh to increast the ing like the British bombardment, it waa heavy enoegh to increase the cost they had to pay for progress. I could see nothing of the men in that smoke and flames, but I could see men going np toward it is a qdiet, leislrly way as If strolling on a Summer morning in peaceful fields. It was curious to watch the Brit ish soldiers walking about this hair tlefleld. They seemed yery aimless In their little groups, wandering about as if picking wild floweus. Shells were whining and rending the air above their heads, but they did not glance upward or forward to where the shells burst and vomi ted black smoke They seemed as careless of war as holiday makers on Hampstead Heath. Yet when I went along them I found that each man had his special mission and was part of a general purpose, guided by higher powers. Some of them were laying new wires for new telephones over the ground Just captured. Others were runners, coming down with messages through the barrage. Higher up artillerymen and engi neers were getting on with their Job quietly and without fuss. Prom over the ridge where the Crlcldx-trench rrns I cor Id see their flret above trenches. Thus before. But In an likelihood it had been lighted by an English soldier who had spent the night here after the capture, of the place. The dugput was littered with Ger man hooks and papers. I picked op one of them and saw It was "Advice On Sport." Thera was a tragic air In that little room and we vent out quickly. K'sz'S the German grnnnersT Why vere slope? Borne shrapnel steads earns whits and early above tbo skyline, others nutted tower and nearer to the men. They vere In such a hunch one AltelLwmld de great dam- thera. They scattered a little, and I saw their figures taking cover in the hummocky ridges. It was only later that I heard that these men had been fighting heavily down near the two trees known as the Poodles and that they bad cap tured a number of German prison ers who cams toward them with up lifted hands. The prloners were be ing brought down In small bunchsa. Up at La Bolsselle the shelling was still intense, but th* British troops already surrounded part of the positions, and after a concentra tion of the gups advanced and cap tured it. A number of Germane vere there In their dngonts, the remnants of a battalion which had suffered frightful things under the British gunfire. Some of the officers from what thejulsoafri Told me, went awjj^ttrTjontalmalsan, saying going to bring op reserves, but they did not come back. —y The other men, about 250 of them were staying in the dugouts without food and water while the British shells made fury above them and ugJke,gromd- They had I frlghtfuT.Tulns with the remains of a doctoftfiere, a glaM ftf i fflifTWlrtr houseB'~vi a great heart, who had put his first dressing station in the second line trench and attended the wounds of the men until the bombardment in tensifled so that no man could live there. He took the wounded down to the dugout—those who had not been carried back—and stayed there, expecting death. But at about if o’clock this morn ing the shells ceased to scream and roar above ground. And after the silence they heard the noise of Brit ish troops. He went up to the en trance of his dugout and said to some English soldiers who came up with fixed bayonets: "My friends, I surrender," Afterward he helped to tend the British wounded end did good work under the lire of the Ger man guns, which were now turn ed upon this position. There was another German at La Bolsselle, but his work, though grave, was not that of helping the wounded men. It was one of those machine gunners who kept up the Wultels upuu Brit ult upon this position, and h* waa there still in bis emplacement, doing very deadly work, and though h* was wounded In nln* places when th* British found him, he was work ing his terrible little gun. Tbs Brit ish took him prisoner and in th* English way hors no grudg* against him but sang his praises Many other machine guns ware captured, and ronnd on* of them all the team were laid out dead by one of th* British shells. At about 11:10 in th* morning I walked down into Frlcourt, which waa captured Sunday afternoon. It was a Strangs walk, not pleasant, but full of terrible lat Fighting still going on on th* high ground abov*. a few hnndrad yards away, and whll* I had lag th* ■csnsgC.wss I Win a field nearby^h—ftran heavy ■hells, car ve point nlnas, falling near he villa** and raising clouds of black and grssnlsh smoks. And they were falling into Mametx, some distance to the right. Frlcourt was aot aa Inviting place, but other man bad been there at the worst time. We walked across No Man's Land TFeTsirTunTIgM 61 Ifill JBIT and though shells were rushing over head those from the British batteries seemed low enough to cut off the heads of tbs flowers and mine. Slightly wounded men, first hit up there beyond the wood, walked along unaided or helped by a comrade. One of them, a boy of 18 or so, with bin* eyes under his steel helmet, stopped me end showed me a bloody bandage round his hand, and said, with an excited laugh: “Thay got me ail right. I was serving my Lewis when a bullet caught me, smack! Now, I'm off an I’ve had eighteen months of it.’’ He went away grinning at his luck, because the bullet might have chosen another place. Some Ger man prisoners followed him, two of them carrying a stretcher on which an English soldier lay with eyes shut. A wounded German behind turned and smiled at me—a strong, mean ing smile.He was glad to be wound ed and out of it. * Other Germans came down under guard of little groups of English soldiers and Red Cross men. I struck across the field again to the old German lines of trench es and saw the full and frightful horror of war. The German trench es were smashed at some places ‘ by the British artillery fire Into shapelessness. Green sandbags were flung about and the timber from the trench sides had been broken and tossed about like matchsticks. I stumbled from one shelj crater to another over bits of Indescrib able things and a litter of men's tuuics and pouches and haversacks and dugouts. Rifles lay about and the ground was strewn with hand- grenades. Here and there was a great unexploded shell, which had nosed into the soil. There were many German and British dead laying there in Frlcourt. The Germans were thick in one part of the trendies. They had been tall, fine men in their life. One of them lying with many wounds waa quite a giant. Another lay on his back with his face turned up to the blue sky and his hands raised up above his body as if in prayer. But I turned my head away from these sights, as most people hide these things from their Imagination, too cowardly to face the reality of war. I followed an officer down into iDprob-buTiu tweof telbMQ WILSON TO W BttGCT NEOO' l**.. !<m»d u rrtaml. m'lT 1 tn koqr, m1n0N Vff, NEX]C0 - . I paseed into other Gemaaa dug- outs and saw how ^lendldly built they were, so deep and so strong ly timbered that not even the heavy British bombardment utter ly destroyed Everywhere there lay about great numbers of 'steel helmets, some of them with visors and well doWir*td the nape ie neck and protect alKof the head. Some of the British soldiers were bringing them back a ssouve- nirs. One had ten dangling about him like pots on a traveling tinker In the wood beyond the crucifix the British machine guns were firing fiercely and the noise was like that of a great flame beyond the village Frlcourt itself is just a heap of The de facto government of co was informally nqtj&gaMrtftn-sday night ^po« J i»iMi»a»irYrMwi»f.iift am or designate, that the United States welcomed Gen, Carranxa’s proposal to adjust all pending differ ences between the two ^governments by direct diplomats negotiations. it was evident stvjtMjstatb de partment that offlcialsDelieve an opportunity now has been presented out of which may come a means of giving the de facto government ma terial aid in restoring order thrdngh- out Mexico. hou^ > '~wTi1c'h''th i ^tTe'FT(SiW^TWerr machine gun emplacements. Every yard of it was littered with the debris of the war’s aftermath. Before the final British attack Sunday many of the German troops faltered out in retreat, leaving some of their wounded .behind, and one puppy—a fox terrier—which is now a trophy of one of the British battal ions. But a number of men, about 150, I should say, could not get away owing to the intensity of the first bombardment, and when the British stormed the place they came up out of their dugouts with their hands up for mercy. 1 saw them all and spoke with some of them. Thfiy^helonged to the 109th, 110th and llllth Regi ments of the Fourteenth Reserve Corps and mostly from/Baden. They were tell, strong, stoat men In the prime of life. Only a few were wounded and lay about in a dazed way. Others answered cheerfully and expressed Joy at having escaped from the British gunfire, which they described aa “schrecklich’’' (terrible. X They had had no food gj drink until their Kurttlb ffuariflff eye ILfift f**™ group of officers. They wer* young men of the aristocratic type. They spoke very frankly, and acknowledged the new power of the British artillery and the ooorage of the British sol di era, which waa not new to It was hers that I had a talk with a German medical officer whom I had seen walking down between two guards close to Frlcourt. After de scribing his own experience during the bombardment thin morning he laughed In a sad way. ‘This war,” he said. "We go on killing each other to no purpoee. Europe is being bled to death, and will be Impoverished for long years. It Is a war against religion and against dvllUatlon, and I see no and to it Oai and Francs is strong. It la impossible for one side to crush the other, so when is the end to come?" Because of his services to the Brit ish soldiers he bad received special privilege. A little apart from all his fellow-officers stood a German Lieu tenant Colonel who was charged with having killed two British officers by bombing them after his surrender. A an inquiry, and I could not hope that be was not guilty of such a crime. From personal observation I knew nothing of what happened elsewhere in the line, but I hare heard the story of the attack on the Gomme- court salient, wkieh shows that this action was one of the most heroic things In British history. Hie Ger mans had concentrated a great mass of guns here in the belief that the main attack was to extend from Lille to Koye. The existence ot this belief Itaa teen proved by German orders which have come into oar hands. As soon as the British left their trenches after the bombardment the enemy barraged the British front and support trenches with an Infernal fire. The British advanced through this barrage as If on parade, and in tplte of the heavy losses made their way over 500 yards of no man’s land to the Germans’ frent line. The German soldiers also behaved with great courage. They carried their machine guns nigh the British barrage until they faced the Britiih In the open and swept them with fire so that large numbers fell. The attack did not su’iicd in thfs part of thejine, but it drrw the Gor man reserves, and great honor U-dua to the-valor of those ■who fought as heroes. It is a story that must be told as one of the most glorious acts of self-sacrifice ever made by British troops. IUNND BY KMCUTS Inheritance Taxes Are mmrnxka REGION OF THE SOMME TO GIVE FINANCIAL AID ’• Pinch Threatens Collapse of Coastttattonal&M Government General Carranza Taras to Was ington to Settle Difficulties To It is known that the pacific nature oTm^Wetftanr-note-whlciiJirought the crisis between the governme to an end is construed as indicating that Gen. Carranza, besides being Impressed by American military preparations has been deeply Influ enced by friends in the United States, by European diplomats in Mexico City, and particularly by rep? resentatives of many of the Latin- American powers. While the Immediate purpose of the negotiations in which Secretary Lansing’s note is to be the first step will be the evolution of some plan for tranqullizing the border regions, the discussions may take on a wider scope. There is little doubt that Mr. Arredondo received the impression from Secretary Lansing that if ade quate guarantees as to the security of American and other foreign In terests in Mexico could be seenred, the Washington government believes It possible that the financial aid so greatly needed by the de facto au thorities could be found. Some time ago, it is understood, a suggestion that the Washington -government woi ~~ gb To~fhe rescue of the de facto government was made through indirect channels. At that time Gen. Carranza had not felt the pinch of poverty which now threat ens his government with collapse He rejected the suggestion, as he believed he could restore financial stability without foreign aid and was understood to have been actuated by a desire to leave himself free of any obligation in this regard. Events clearly have proved the failure of the first chief’s hope to reestablish orderly government un aided. officials here believe, and •ry other source of assistance, he Is thought now to be ready proper guarantees, to- sernre A marl- It is believed that the question of constructive measures to stabilise the Mexican government will come np before the conversations have pro gressed very far. The Wastdagtoa administration is understood to b* as firmly convinced as ever that the only proper and efficient care for the dlstremlng coodltioa of Us soath- ern neighbor mast be found within that country, n< >t through Intorrco tton. ' At the same time a cure for conditions in the border halfway down R> steep steps and spoke in surprise: “There is n candle still burning. It guv* on an uncanny feeling to EXPECTED ALLIED DRIVE German Order .Captured By British Discloses Anticipation. Reuter’s correspondent on the bat tle front it France points out that not merely twenty-five miles of the main operations, but the entire ninety miles of the British front are bearing their share of the fighting. An order, Issued to the German troops and found by British soldiers, the correspondent says, proves that it was known that the British intend ed to deliver their attack on July 1, hut It was thought that the attack would be directed between Roye and Lille. The editor of the New York World figures it will take th* Allies four years to drive the Germans ont of France at the rate made before a German dugout until he haUedL^«ronne during the past week. Sim ilarly, it will take the Germans n hundred years to chptura the rest ef Franc* measured by th* rate of they to reM gwhil* .after. ** helsra TVnMs States rauMt be found before Lai- < ted States can feel Justified In abat ing in any degree its preparations to protect its frontier by force of There is no question that the Mex ican government will contend force fully for the withdrawal of American troops from Mexico. Since the pur pose to compel their withdrawal has been abandoned, however, officials do not look for another deadlock on that Issue. president Wilsn is said to be ready to order the troops out promptly when he. has any assurance that it will not mean merely a renewal of the conditions that caused them to be sent in. But no plan of action now agreed upon can be based upon an agreement to withdraw them. Croatlon of non-par'.isan tariff commission of six mombers with broad inquisitorial powers is propos ed in the general revenue bill intro duced by Democratic Loader Kltchln of the house. The bill, tho fruit of many confer- encee of Democratic members of the ways and means committee and dis cussion with admlnin contemplates jsJWagHWtWeen $210,- ,000 .addi- fe by reclassification of on Incomes, a tax on es- tes and on war munitions plants. The bill will be rushed through the house under s special nils for a vote Saturday night The proposed tariff commission would be empowered to investigate operation of the' customs laws, In cluding their relation to the federal revenue, and to put its information at the disposal of the president and congressional committees. Tariff re lations with foreign countries and matters affecting competition also would be subjects of inquiry. Ample powers to enforce its sub poenas and orders are provided '' of the courts The income ta’x^s^’tefTWYUM BtW increases the normal tax on every individual and corporation to 2 per cent Instead of the present 1; does not lower the |3,000-14,000 mini mum exemptloit limit but reclassifies and gradually Increases the surtax from 1 per cent on incomes of $20, 000-$40,000 to 10 per cent on all above $500,000. The administrative provisions follow generally those of existing law. The new rates are ap plicable to the present year. The new munitions tax imposes this schedule of percei.tagcs of the gross annual receipts of manufac turers: Every person manufacturing gun powder and^o'.her explosives, 5 per cent on receipts under $1,000,000 and 8 per cent on all above that amount: manufacturers of cartridges projectiles, firearms or their parts, 2 per cant on gross receipts up to $250, 000, 3 per cent on receipts up to )250,000-$500,000; 4 per cent, $500,000-$!,000,000; exceeding $1, 000,000, 5 jtgi^finl: rnnire arosHtoe ng or alloying, on gross re ceipts, 1 per cent between $250,000- $1,000,000; $1,000,000-110.000,000. 2 per cent; exceeding $10,000,000, S per cent. The Inheritance tax would be 1. 2, 3, 4 and 5 per cent, respec tively, on estates worth $50,000 to $100,000; $100,000 to 1200,000; $200,000 to $300,000; $300,000 to $500,000 md over $500,000 ■ 4 GINS ACTIVE IN WEST Lowdom Bays Beeoed second phase of the great Sattl* on the western front has be gun. The artillery has been brought up to new positions and is batter ing th* German defenses. The bom bardment extends as far northward as La Basse* and Annentlerea and according to the latest unofficial ad vices, is particularly Intense. British long range guns are shell Ing the German positions and tha roads in their rear and until the infantry again leaves the trenches it will be uncertain where the next at tacks are to be launched. In addition to inflicting losses on the German* in men, guns and terri lo-French offensive is .Lggi-.th? Angio- reportea tonafb repo withdraw some of their forces from the Verdun front. Consequently it is expected in London that the army which for nearly five months has withstood the German attacks in tip region will have some relief from continual fighting. ACTIVE IN BLACK SEA LOAN TO CHINESE American Capital to Develop Huge Canal Improvements, ~ rne International Investment Cor poration, an America!), institution, has concluded an agreelBcnt with the Ghineee Government-to lend China $6,000,000 for the improvement ot the Grand Canal and funds for .the reconstruction’of short railways in various parts of China aggregating 1,500 miles. Both works are to be constructed by American contractors. American financiers also are nego tiating with China for a reorganiza tion loan ot $20,000,000, China to have the right if necessary to obtain an additional $30,000,000. Former German Cruiser Attacks Rus sian Port. Dispatches from Sotchy, a Russian port on the Black Sea, forwarded from Petrograd by Reuter, says that the former German cruiser Breslau now named the Midullu in the Turk ish naval service, approached Sotchy several evenings ago flying the Rus sian flag. Subsequently she hoisted the Turk ish flag, torpedoed a transport load ed with supplies and sank a sailing vessel. .. Off Vardar she completed the destruction of a transport which had been torpedoed on the previous day by a Turkish submarine. FRENCH WAIT ON Alilf Stubborn TeatOk Rmtctence British Ad Advance of Left Wing—HoL- / land Says Teutons Ara to Attack Between Belgium and Arr*f. . Violent counterattacks by the Germane on almost the entire line of the French advance in the Somme region show a change in the situa tion from the earlier days of the Anglo-French offensive. In the beginning the Germans con centrated their forces against the British, apparently considering the operations of the French to the south as of small significance. But the rapid movement of the French troops, together with tho Importance of the objective for which, they are aiming, has changed the Germaif view and caused the Gorman com manders to strengthen their defens- wwmmmmm aUmg'-thar-ttns-fiuara*- Ing.. Peronne and other Important strategic points Both ends of the French line have been under heavy attacks, but the French, accordin^to the official ac counts, have been able to put them down, without the Germans making any gains whatever. Meanwhile both French and British are consolidat ing thoir positions and aro undoubt edly making preparations for a repe tition of the great bombardment which preceded the first impetuous rush. Meantime the French move ment* north of the Somme are necessarily retarded in order the French left wing may act sim-' altaneously with the British right wing. The British have been feeing an extremely heavy resistance, and large German reinforcements have been Jiucrled forward by the-Col- ngn«-f!*mhrri whlsh'VW LOST HALF MILLION MEN QUIT V0LHYNIA SALIENT Berlin Admits .Evacuation ofr Line Under Pressure. A salient of the German line in Volhynia projecting towards Czar- torysk has been Abandoned under pressure by Russians and a new line of defense selected, it was announc ed Friday by the German war office. The result of heavy engagements that were in progress all Thursday night both north and south of the river Somme was not unfavorable to the Germans, the war office an nounced. Dependent Men Released. All army departmental command ers have been authorized by Secre tary Baker to discharge enlisted men •f the National Guard In the federal r I Mrviee whir haxn_nn^^*^^Mnra^tei • feUUUlit rmmrm. - u Z Petrograd Says .Austrian Defeat Cost Many lives. The Immensity ot the Russian drive against the Austrians and Ger mans during the last month is indi cated by unofficial reports from Pet rograd, which say that the Austro- German losses in the endeavor to stay the advance of Gen. Brussiloff’s armies total nearly 600,000 men, only half of whom are prisoners. Not less than 250 guns of various sizes and more than 700 naachine guns and an immense quality of other booty have been taken. GUARDS WELL CARED FOR War Department Says Transporta tion Facilities Are Best Ever. • % Complaints that Inadequate trans portation facilities are being provid ed, for National Guardsmen sent to the border have drawn a reply from the War Department. The Depart ment’s Press Bureau Included this statement tn its bulletin: "Accommodations furnished troop* In this mohilixatioe is far In a similar dfeusostaae*.’ To TEe very centre of the German front attacked by the British. The stubborn resistance all along this front has prevented the Brltiah from keeplag pace with the French ad vance to the south. The tenacity with which the Ger mans are holding to their positions In the face of the British attack, particularly around La Bolsselle. while tbs French menace of Peronne is comparatively neglected. Iasi a -to the belief nl the iIIHHsm ■uiliull « Germans ar* chiefly concerned In breaking the British offensive even at the sacrifice of some ground to the south. The French have now. in some places, pushed through the third and last line before the attack began. The Germans are hastily construct ing a new line, but are manifestly unable to make It as strong as th* three lines perfected after twenty months’ labor. If a break can be made la the German lines soath of the Homme it wonid be extremal; serloas tor the Germans, who ara donhtlsss harrying np reinforcement* to make secure the threatened point. The Germans are sending reinforcements to the battlefield from ns far ns Ver dun and Lens and It is thought that the continued heavy German attacks on the Meuse may be intended to cSn?Mn-THrpgmHt twrirgri-grtroops behind the German lines.. A report from Holland Indicate* that the Germans hare prepared a conn ter-offensive between the Bel gian frontier and Arraa, where it is rumored a formidable concen tration of artillery is being made. The French have made more pro gress than the British, owing partly to the more difficult ground facing the British and also to the fact that stronger forces are opposing them because of the belief among the Ger mans that the main attack in the present operations will be on tho British fyont But, despite their slower progress, the British are successfully beating back heavy German counterattacks which havg been delivered both day and night in the regions of La Bolsselle and Thiepval, and, gener ally, between the Ancre and the Somme, where they, are making steady progress. It is estimated that the German losses in the battle of the Sommo thus (ar are approximately 60^000. The Belgians, holding a line In their own territory, have joined in the attempt to break down the Ger man defenses and a violent struggle is developing. I AMERICAN MAIL SEIZED British Take 369 Sacks from Steamer * . - Nieuw Amsterdam. The Holland-American line steam er Nieuw Amsterdam with 534 pas sengers, reached New York Thursday from Roterdam, Kirkwall and Fal mouth. At Kirkwall tho captain said the British authorities seized 369 saks of mall leaving on the vessel only one sack for the Dutch embassy at Washington, one for Montreal and, a package of parcel post for an ex press company in New York city. The first militia to cross the bor der will be portions of the Massa- shusetts and New Mexican National Guard organizations. These units will strengthen the guard along the line-of Gen. Pershlng’b communica tions. * When it comes to a question of war la younger hands.