VOLUME XXXIII. LAURENS, SOUTH G<OLINA, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 12, 1917. NUMBER 21
WAR AGAINST A
BEEN FOR
President Wilson S I g n
Resointion.
ONLY ONE VOTE
AGAINST ACTION
Only Representative London Cast
Ballot in Negative. Adoption Fol
lows Brief Deiscussion with Practi
cally All Agreed as to Course. De
unent is Brief hut to the Point.
Washington, Dec. 7.-War betwee
the. United States and Austro-H lungar;
was formally declared today. Con
gre0s, with one dissenting vote it
the-house, adopted and President Wil
son approved a resolution declarini
existence of a state of war betweei
the "imperial and royal Austro-Iun
garian government and the govern
ment and people of the United States,
authorizing the president to employ
the nation's armed forces and pledg
ing its resources to victory.
The resolution, the response of con
gross to the president's request in hi:
address Tuesday is similar to tha
passed April 6, declaring war witl
Geriuany, it becomes effective at 5:0
p. in. today, when it was signed b3
the executive without formality. AT
executive proclamation will follow
shortly.
After only: one hour's deliberatior
the resolution was unanimously adopt.
(A by the senate with an af'irmativ
vote of 74. It was approved by th
house 363 to one, Representative Len
don, the iNew York Socialist, casting
the. only dissenting vote. A few min
utos later, Vice President larshall
and Speaker Clark had signed th<
document and sent it to the Whit(
House where the president attache
his signature with Secretary Tumults
and Assistant Secretary Forester at
the only witnesses.
The resolution follows:
"Joint resolution:
"Declaring that a state of war ex
ists between the imperial and royal
Austro-Hungarian government and th(
government and people of the United
States, and making provision to rprose
cute the same.
'!Whereas the imperial and royal
Austro4lungarian government hat
committed repeated acts of war
against the government and the peo
pie of the United States of America;
therefore, be it
"Resolved by the senate and house
of representatives of the United State
of America in congress assembled
That a state of war is hereby declared
to exist between the United Stater
of America and the imperial and royal
Austro-Hungarian government; and
that the- president be, and he is here.
by,. authorized 'and directed to employ
the entire naval and military forcer
of the United States and the resources
of the government to carry on wai
against the imperial and royal Aurs
tro-Huriggrian government; and tc
bring the conflict to a successful ter
mination all the resources of the coun
try are hereby pledged iby the con
gress of the United States.
"Signatures:
"Champ Clark,
"Rpeaker of the House of Reopresenta
tive.
"Thomas -11. Miarshl,
"Vice President of the United Stater
and President of the Senate.
"Approved 7 December, 1917.
"Woodrow Wilson."
In accord with President .Wilson'u
suggestion action in respect to Tur
key and Bulgaria, Germany's other al
lies, was left to the future. Wide
spreadl demand in congress for thout
inclusion in the declaration was.. in
dicated in both sonate and house de
hate, but wvhen the roil calls camt
the president's advice wvas followed ir
a demonstration of American unity ani
harmony. Representative London, whlu
cast the one negative vote, explaines
his opposition by stating that lie wat
pledged to that course by the Social
1st party.
Debate in both houses was runox
pectedily brief, lasting only an houi
in the senraie and only twvo hours ani
40 ml'utes in the house. Also, ir
sharp contrast to the discussion whici
preeed~ the war dleclaration against
Germany last April, it was almost de.
Void of spectacular features.
The senate acted first on the res
olutiott presented by Chairmlati Bton
USTRIA HAS
NALLY DECLARED
the foreign commission. After brief
(Iresses by Senators Stone, Lodge,
Hiitchcock, Owen and Vardaman the
roll call followed. When the docu
ment was transmitted to the house
foreign relations committee after con
ferences with state department oin.
cials.
Senator Stone, who had charge of
the resolution; (ronna, Norris and
Vardaman who voted against the Ger
man declaration ,today joined, the mat
jority. A fifth, Former Senator Lane
of Oregon, has since died.
Senator La Fiollctte, who also op
)1osed war with Germany, was (abseii
when the. roll call was taken and (1hi
not vote.
Necessity for cooperative military
action of the allies was the principaI
reason advnced in debate for immedi
ate passage of the Austrian resolution.
Senator Stone said American troops
might soon face Austrian forces
through extension of the Western
front to Italy by the interallied war
council.
Urging unanimous indorsement of
the resolution and deploring any ac
tion which might embarrass the pres
ident or any effort to amend the res
olution to include Turkey and Bul
garia, Senator Lodge, senior Republi
can member of the foreign relations
committee, gave reasons why, he said,
a majority of the senate favored
formal declarations against Ger
many's other two allies. He indicated
the Turkish government as a "curse"
to modern civilization and expressed
hope for its extinction.
House debate was led by Chairman
Flood of the foreign affairs commit
tee and Acting Republican Leader Gil
lotte, both of whom recited Austria's
aggressions against this government
and'its citizens. Mr. Gillette also de
tailed views held by those .who also
favor war with Turkey and Bulgaria.
Scant interest was manifested by
members in the house discussion.
Explaining her vote for the resolu
tion, Representative Rankin of Mon
tana, who shed tears when voting
against the German declaration, said
she still believed war "stupid and
futile" and would be avoided when the
-ople, incliding women, instead of
the special privileged interests con
trolled the world. She declared she
supported this resolution because it
was merely a technicality in prosecut
ing war already declared.
The house debate was enlivened by
an attack on Representative London
'when he anonunced ho 'would n*at
vote for the resolution.
The members set up a cheer when
Representative Lonroot attacked Lon
don's announement.
"It is strange, indeed," said Lenroot,
"that the only vote against this reso
lution to come from this house will
come from a 2ocialist. If Russia had
not been placed in its present position
by the Socialists this war would 'be
nearing lit close it not already ended."
"I've more respect for and confidence
in any man in the German, Austrian,
Turkish or -Bulgarian army than in a
man who seeks the protection of the
American flag and then declines to up
hold its rights," declared Representa
tive Meeker of Missouri.
ISenator la Follette explained that
his absence at the voting was duo to
the fact that he expected the debate
to continue until late in the day and
that he had gone to his offee to per
fect an amendment when the resolu
tion was passed, ie denied that ho
had any intention of absenting himself
to escape voting.
I'residlent's Daughter in Spartanmburg.
Miss Mlargaret Woodrow (Wilson,
(daughter' of the president, is to give
a concert at Converse College audi
torium, Spartanburg, Mfonday evening,
Diecemiber 17th. It Is understood that
after all expenses have boen met, in
cludling the foe for' Miss Wilson, the
balance will lbe devoted to WVar (lHelief.
* * . .
* . 13 Ne:groes E'xcnted. *
* Trhirteen negroes, members of *
* the 2 ith U. S. infantry, implicat- *
* ed in the 1Houston riots some time *
*ago wvhen a number' of peopleC wero *
* killed, were summarily executed *
*iunder' military law at Fort Sam *
* ilouston, Texas, yesterday.*
* *-e '4 4 . 4 * * e 4 * * 4 * A
SHAtt W[ H[tP GIV[
SOLDI[RS
Greenville Starts Out to R
Sevier Christmas Hap
Greenville t
A big sum is wanted and big contribu
tions will be welcome, though those
who wish to have a part in the giving
may be assured that the smallest
amount will be received and publicly
acknowledged.
A definite plat, of act in has not
beeni (leci(ed t t ll. It appear's that
a colnuliliev of ladies coiilil handle the
funds after they are raised to better
advaninge than anybody else. ''he Ad
vertiser Ilterefore suggests that a few
ladies who will volunteer to act as a
committee meet in tie rooms of the
Chainher of "omm terce Friday morning
at 10:30 o'clock to devise methods of
proceedure. A representative of The
Advertiser will be present to give par
ticulars as to the amount subscribed
up to that time. The rooms will be
found on the second floor of the Lau
rens National Bank building.
Is Laurens, as a city and county,
LOCAL BOARD WILL 1
3,050 @1J[8
Local Exemption Board WI
Saturday and Similiar
Following Days. N
Deferred Cla
'Promptly at one minute past 12
o'clock on December 15, the local ex
emption board will mail its first batch
of questionaires to registrants in Lau
rens County. 166 questionaires will be
mailed on the day that Marshal Pro
vost Crowder has designated as the
date on which the first questions
to determine the regivtrant' draft
status should be sent out, and approx
inately the same number will be mail
ed on each of the suceeding nineteen
days, omitting Sunday and holidays.
This means that approximately
3050 questionaires will be mailed in
this county. All persons who regis
tered under the Selective Draft Act
on June 5 and who have not been ac
cepted for the draft service 'will re
ceive a questionalre. The new ex
emption regulations have annulled all
exemption that have been granted reg
istrants, and the exemption board will
reconsider their cases and, except in
cases of total -disability, no permanent
exemption will be granted. The se
lectment will be placed in one of five
classes to be determined by their vo
cation, claims for dependency, and
physical qualifications as set out by
their answers to the searching in
qu ires of the questionaires.
The registrants will have seven
days in which to mail the question
aires back to the exemption board
The failure of the registrant to re
ceive the questionaires will not be
considered an excuse for his failure
Power-House Motor Hors de Combat.
The motor which runs the big pump
at the power-house "blow out" several
days ago and city official have been
put to a severe test keepinig the stand
pipe full. The steam pump has been
put into commission, but the lack of
coal has made it a diflicult matter to
keel) it running. Trho motor has beeni
sent to Atlanta for repairs anid may
be back soon, howv soon nobody knows.
So, if the water failla to respondo to the
touch of the fingers on tho spigot at
any time during the next fewv days, the
cause may he duo to frozen pipes or
enmpty pip~es, whiehever an exaimina
tion may dIsclose.
At a meeting of Illsing Sun Chapter,
No. 6, Ri. A. M., held last Friday night,
the following olicers were elected for
til~c ensuing year:
*M. 12. Smith, II. 1'.; .1. N. Rliebardson,
K.; Jas. '11. Sullivan, S.: J1. F. Tolbert,
Treas.; II. Terry, Ree.; Prooks Swy
gert, Chaplain ; 'L. C. Iliarksdel. C* . IT.;
F0. 0. Anderson P. 5.; J. S. Mc~ravy,
Ti. A. C.; T,. (. Unir, 3'rd V.:;~ iHoyd1
$oxton. 2nr1 V.; T. D. lawnnyo 1 :
L4UR[NS
A K[RRY M1R8II8S
aise a Large Sum .o Make
p), But Will We Allow
o Do It All?
going to help make her sons in the
camps happy Christmas day? That
question ,was asked yesterday by one
of the business men of the city, who
was ready to give an aili rmative an
swer and back it up with mioiey
Greenville city has started out to mak<
a great Christtms day of it for the
soldiers, hut 1(Greniile will Ib. taxe(
to provide the cheer for a population
of soldiers etLal to her own. Will
batreis, who has sohier's in the samltt
camp1I, help ler? She hasn't askel
help, butt Laurens can give it if she
will and -she will. Fifteen dollars
has al ready been subscribed by three
persons and more Is wanted. The Ad
i vertiser will receive subscriptions by
mall or in person for the rest of this
week and a part of next week, that
Laurens soldiers may not be forgot
ten on that. day. The first three stib
scriptions were for five dollars each
UL FIRST Of
[IONAIR[S ON D[C. 15
11 Mail Initial Batch of 166
Numbers on Nineteen
o Exemptions, Only
ssifications.
to return the questionaire properly
filled out before the expiration of th<
stipulated seven (lays. The list 01
men to whom the questlonaires are
mailed will be posted in the postofilcl
each (lay, and that, within itself, will
be considered sufficient notice to the
registrant that the questionaire has
been mailed to him, and that, in the
event of his failure to receive same,
it is his duty to call at the oflice of
the exemption board and secure his
quest ionaire.
The questionaire contains a long
list of questions relative to the reg
istrant's occupation, physical qualifi
cations ,and claims for dependency. If
the registrant is in doubt as to the
meaning of any of the questions ask
^d on the government blanks, lie will
be expected to seek the aid of some
-ittorney or official in his district in
,learing up the matter and filling out
the blank correctly. The Provost
Marshall General has called upon all
members of the legal profession
throughout the United States to as
sist in the work of getting the 9,000,
000 questionaires that will be malted
out this month, properly filled out, and
any member of the bar- will be glad
to assist in this patriotic work.
The local board is busy pireparing
the questionaires to be mailed out on
the 15th and three following 'weeks,
and the mailing wvill begin promptly
on that date and continue according to
schedule.
Lleut. Smith Promoted.
The WVar D~epartment recently an
nfounced the promotionl of se cond
Lieut. Joe F. Bmith, of Co. D), to the
r-ank of .First Lieuteonant, to remain
with his samte company. About th(
same time announcement was made
of the transfer' of First Lieutentant
Dixon RI. Simpson to the Fott Mill
company of the same regimentt. It is
uinderstood that blent. Simpsont hal
added responsibilities in hits nowv comi
mtand. Seconid leuteniant 11. A. Snulli
van, recently promIoted front First
Sergeant, has been at tached to Co. 1)
All of these are Tautrens boys, whtost
(coiintied aulidvancement is a sou roe 01
pridei to1li thr friends at home.
Sohldier Itiandt ('ondng Itack.
return of thle 7.4th Newv Yor'k ban11(
which made such a flinejmtipressioni in
der' diflicul t ci rcumtsl tnes here a fewt
wveeks ago. UTe band wvill conme tiael4
unidler the aullee4 (if the (Christhm
Endeavorers anid will give a conceri
in thle (oturt hiouse t omorrow evenein i.
at 7:30 o'coi(kh. AdniIssiotn prices oi
25 and 3 entn will be chnar1d
THOUSANDS PERIS
FAX HOLO(
REVERSED CASES TO CAMP.
Local Exemption Board has Sent Oute
Notices to Men Whose Cases were
eItoversed by District Board.
Below is a list of those exempted by
the local exemption -board whose cas
es were reversed by the district board
at Crenwood and who have been or
dered to appear in Laurens Friday to
entrain for ('amp .a'ckson, Columbia.
'T'hese men, it is understood, have yet
:tnother chance to file additional
(laimts for exemptitol (n1 grounds of
(1'ep(endece or occupation, 1Informna
ion on Which is (containe.d in the fol
lowing statement from the oli( of
the local board:
When the district board reverses
the findings of the local board and so
notilles that board, it then becomes
the duty of the local board to list
Ihese reversed cases back to the dis
trict. board. 'The findings of the dis
trict board are treated as though they
were the action of the local board.
When such cases are then listed to
the district board the individual whose
case has been reversed then has the
right to file an appeal on grounds of
dependence, or a claiin on occupation
al grounds, either or both of which
shall be substantiated by additional
atllidavits. The case then remains un
closed or unsettled until the district.
board lists the individual to the local
board and to the adjutant general on
Form 161. In other words the men
are not available for use by the local
board until certified to said local board
on Form 164.
The men ordered to report here Fri
(lay are as follows:
Jess Tellington (col)
John T. Adair
Walter Leo Garner
Mc. Arnold Harris
Willie MeDowell (col)
Lewis G. Bagwell
Evans W. Madden
l enry V. Harland
Jim Russell (col)
Thomas P. Duncan
.Jess Lawson
Kelley Luther Ephely
James F. O'Dell
George Powers (col)
John M. Teague
Luther James Brock
Lewis M. Kennedy
.John Priestly (col)
Samuel Abercrombie (col)
F. H. Boozer
James C. Cannon
Patterson Russel
Carl F. Proffitt
.Lewis Bailey
(Guy It. Shockley
.John W. Malpass
Clarence Owings Chaney
John 0. lellams
George R. Holland
Warren Stevens (col)
Laurens 0. Gwinn
Jhm 11111 (col)
John Leake (col)
Charles Ri. Patterson
Luther E. Blal
Carl C. SmIth
Tom Cooper
WillIam Campbell (col)
Williamn 'H-. A. 'Baldwin
IrvIn 0. H1il1
Homer 0. Hil
Fred A. Fuller
Luther RU. W. Brown
WIlliam E. Adair.
'Now (Chilef at Woodruff.
W. T. Tumblin, who has been a
member of the poli1ce force of Ilaurens
for several years, left last week for
Woodruff where he had been elected
chief of 1police succeedIng Chief John
Kellelt, resigned, Mir. Kellett has not
been in good health rotr some tIme. Mr.
Tmblinu w'ill ino doutt. make a good
ollcer foir thIt Woodruff folks.
* *0 a - * * * e *0*O. e ..
~ JElI'SALE:M IN 1IANI)S OF
I Loud on. D~ee, It.--Anditrew tontar*
l.a w, (chanciiellOr ofi thle ex('henquer1, *
an uured1(''4 it thle liinse of ('om1- *:
* menlis foday t hat Jerusalem, af- *
Str beimsr su rroundled on a'ri sides *~
by BtrItisht t roops, had surrenider.
F rench andu Mohtammiiedanu repre. *i
sentatlves. wtere ont the way to*
* Jeruisalemiu to safegiiard1 the holy *
* places.
*..* *e e** **
H IN HALL
OUST THURSDAY
Disaster Follows Explosion
of Munitions.
SUCCOR HINDERED
BY FIERCE GALE
Wlien Munitions Ship (:ollided with
Passenger Vessel in Jlalifnx Hiar
hor, Great, Explosion FoJllowed
11hieh Illitd i ousands and11 ('aused
.1lillions of Dollars IDnmiage.
Amhelicrsi. N. S.. I~cc. l. nt estimate:
et I-*iii"" l'rsons dieaul iii the 10alifax
.;;e ter i. contain e e in at pri'ate t l"
n' (Trdi trits 11he1 stricken city
rla.V by ;t a n undertaking; firm~ here,(
lIii- li' . Lne iks that 1,00)0 colsliii
hE .s l i IIaIifax aI onOce.
Providens.i 't N. ec .,\; :.pecial
I rain bearing 37 piysiciaiis and ". )
nuirses arai at carload of siurgical sup;
1iies, left here this morning for hlal
lax. 'Th ulit was mado up entirt'
f Voluinteers and Was sent by Provi..
liiec chapiter of t he Aie(rican Rled
Cross.
tIoru Delays 1I4'lIef Trains.
''riro, N. S., i 'ru. 8.--Additional out
ide relief Ior the suffering thousands
ii I lalifax was dependent today upon
lie weather.. The great snowstorm
lominated] the situation.
Almost every hour ln-ought word of
Srelief train stalled by the huge
Irifts piled up by tile gale all along
lie railroad lines between .\loncton.
\'. B., and I alifax. One train, with
toelors and nurses from the United
States oil board was; caught at Men
'amcook Junction :it) miles from the
'ova Scotia border.
Ilalifax. l)ec. ;.-Between 800 and
1,000 persons WereC killed, according to
careful estimates tonight, when the
French munition ship Mont 'Blanc
blew up in Halifax harbor, after a
collision with the Belgian relief steam
ship Ioma at 9 o'clock this morning.
I'housands Were injuired and It is said
many of thet will die.
Virtually all of the north end of the
ity was laid waste, and the property
lanage will- run far into the millions,
p part of the town -of Dartfouth,
ieross the harbor from Halifax, also
was wrecked. Nearly all the buildings
n the clock yard there are in ruins.
The zone of destruction in Halifax
itself extends from the North street
raillway station as far north as Afrie
ille, to Bedford Basin, and covers an
trea of about two s(liare miles in the
section known as illichiond. The
nuildings which were not demolished
y the force of the terrific explosion
were destroyed by the fire which fol
owed.
Scores of persons were injured by
thie collapise of' the railway station.
Arenarink, military gymnasium, sugar
reflnery and elevator. All business
.as been suspended. Armed guards of
soldlers and sailors are patrolling the
'ity. Not a street car Is moving and
,rt or Halifax is In darkness tonight.
All hospitals and many pirivate hOuses
ire filted wvith injured. Temorary
-iospitals and morgues have been op
mned in school houses.
The (damage along the waterfront
~annot yet he estmated. AMany of the
non compjosing the crewvs of the shIps
n the harbor were killed or injured.
2)n one steamner, the 'Pictou, it is re
)orted t hat. thirty-three of the cr'ew of
orty-two were killed. Bodies oif many
eamien have been pieked up in the
'iarbor.
'TihecollIision whiich resutted In pirob
ibly thle worst. disaster In the hilstory
if thle Dominion, occurred near i
IWhlt, In the narrlows leading fromi
IClhe i harboi to ltedIford' 1U[sin.Th
munin ( shlip was bon'iid from New'
'Yorki fori liedford I asini, when ther
inlo0 her.
'Tle Aulont Blane - 't irce on tie
port sthle almo(st Ico lI:'.' room
Theu ot her ipij, whli th -, . I light
ly I i dammed., bacii 'd away n ill tamuui
wva ' ab'andiioned by Iho r v. Thii
(ii IaWn of the Niuiit lilac - 10 or-'
derl his even~ to th ho ~ :s hei
re-aI I' i ana explosion wa li a ibe
'T'he men( reachued short' h -o: e ihi
later whlich' blow their ship to puieces
(Continued on Pag1e Ea[~'t