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uiEiT mm. * HAU SUCCESS FU L AT OH CHAMPAGNE FRONT. Attack on Verdun Front Re Capture Positions on Rouman Itelten Attacks RepuLs Nee? York. March French at aimed to reduce a German sail Malsona-De-Champagne. ere f a Oerman attack last Fsb have been eucceaaful. Parts that the French captured poeltlene on a front of more hundred yards and about hundred yards deep. taye the French attack Hill No. 100 on the Verdun was repulsed. headquarters also announc? es UM capture of ?00 prisoners and Msgnen positions In assaults between the Trotue and Usul valleys, on the front. -one airplanes have been lost ay the entente powere aa against twenty-four Oerman, Berlin assert*. Kalian attacks on Austrian po rtitonle have been repulsed. CONSPIRATOR ARREST ED. Naval Omcer Taken Into Custody at Doe Angeles. Lee Angeles, March * .?<Capt. Al? fred JTritaen. eald to be a German ne mt sJBeer. wat arrested near here last geght hp department of justice agents. hold on suspicion of a felony to have been committed in with the plot to blow up the Wellend canal. Cant. Frltsen's arrest was made on eeere from Washington. The pris oner declined to discuss the charger against him but eald he had been In tttt United States three years and had recently made a trip to Cuba. He re ?earned to Los Angeles yesterday. No Incriminating papers were found In Ion. CONSPIRATORS ON TRIAL Who Plotted to Poison Pre Lloyd-George Testify at Old London. March 9.?Mrs. Alle? Wheel don, who. with her two daugh i and son-in-law, Alfred Mason, on trial .n Old Bailey, charge 1 conspiring to murder Premier Lseyd-Oeorge and Arthur Henderson the labor member of the war council admitted en the stand that she had often expressed the hope that the pre guer and Henderson would soon he dead. When asked If the poison ehe previously testified had been obtain? ed to kill dogs would not have been available to get rid of the premier and Henderson, she testified, "I did no' derer* that It be carried out, I never ursth+d to take anybody's life." EXTRA SESSION SOON. Clerk Hecks Information et White House. Washington, March Speaker | oalled at the White use to and asked for Information as to probable date of the extra session. He ems told that he would be notified as promptly as posstbls. Fortified with the opinions of Attorney General Gregory end Secretary Lansing that he has authority to arm merchant men without the action of congress. It Is understood the president is con? sidering steps to take action imme? diately. It Is expected that the <* te Of the extra session, which seems cer? tain, will be set soon. AUGUSTA PRESENTS CLAIMS. Unser, Lane sad Honston Hear Argii of Tourist City. Augusta, March S.?Secretary Bak? er. Secretary Lane and Secretniy Houston, the Interdepartmental board Who are to recommend to the preni de it the location of nitrate plant, at the city council chamber tonight heard presented the claims of the up PC.- Savannah river at the site of or.e Of the plants. The oral argument wns by Former Congressman W. M. How? ard. The preentatlon from the engineering standpoint was by W. H. Burr, dean of the engineering de? partment of Columbia university. The nitrate board reached A i?usla at 7:IS tonight from Columbia, where a hearing was had during the day. They traveled to Augusta on a special trala. Arriving here, they were the guests at dinner at the Country club, 71 guests being present. The board will go to Atlanta tonight, a hearing having been arranged there today. Norfolk. March ?.?It is learned that when United 8tnten Marshal Snundsrs seised the prixe ship Appnm In the name of the United States, af? ter the break with Germany. he for nd aboard en elaborate secret wireless epparatus by means of which all mess gee sent from thl eettleo could be received AMERICAN ENVOY DEAD. GUTHRIE* AMBASSADOR TO JA JAN, PASSES AT TOKYO. Pot* Wheeler, First Secretary, Left In Charge of Affairs or Embassy. Washington, March 8.?George W. Guthrie, American ambassador to Japan aince 1913, died auddenly of apoplexy today at Tokyo. Only a brief cablegram announcing hit death, giving no details, had reached the atate department tonight. The affairs of the embassy have boen taken over by Poat Wheeler, the first secretary, who will act aa charge until a new ambassador la named. Mr. Guthrie, a Pittsburgh lawyer, was prominent In national Demo? cratic politics for many years and was among the first diplomatic rep? resentatives appointed by President Wilson. He sailed for Japan In July, 1913, and has been at his post con? stantly since that time except for a short visit to the United States in 1915. He has acted for his govern? ment In several important diplomatic 1 exchanges with Japan. Including the California anti-alien controversy. News of the ambasador's death caused a shock at the state depart? ment, aa there had been no reports indicating; failure of his robust health. He was 68 years old. The state department cabled a mes? sage of condolence to Mrs. Guthrie, who Is understood to have been with her husband at the time of his death. Provision Is made In the department regulations for bringing home the bodies of diplomatic officers who die at their posts and this power will be exercised In the case of the late ambassador unless Mrs. Guthrie ar? ranges otherwise or decides to ac? cept the expected tender of a Japan? ese warship. Mr. Wheeler, now in charge of the embassy, has had a wide diplomatic experience and the department feels that he Is fully capable of conducting ita business pending appointment ol a new ambassador. Because of the Importance of relations with Japan just now, it is expected that Presi? dent Wilson will exercise great de? liberation in Ailing the vacancy. The department's dispatch an nounclng the ambasador's death was signed by Mr. Wheeler. It said: "It is my painful duty to inform you that the ambassador died sud? denly tonight at 8 o'clock of apo? plexy." YARROWDALE PRISONERS RE? LEASED. Americans Held in German Prison Camp Sent to Switzerland. London, March 9.?A Berlin dis? patch, via Amsterdam, says the Americans and other neutrals taken to Germany aboard the prize ship Yarrowdale left Germany Wednesday The American. Spanish and Brazilian prisoners were sent from the prison? ers' camp at Brandenburg to Switzer? land. The prisoners were released at the expiration of the quarantine im? posed because of spotted fever. PREMIER OF CHINA RETURN'S. Tuan Chi Ju? Back In Peking, Confers With Cabinet and 'President. Peking. March 8.?Tuan Chi Jui, who resigned as premier several days ago and proceded to Tien Tain, re? turned to Peking today and conferred with the cabinet and the president. A compromise has been reached so that parliament may decide whether China shall sever relations with Germany and Join the entente. The foreign minister is approaching all entente ministers and asking the conditions under which the entente will jointly accept China as an ally Japan has suggested that China allow cotton, wool and Iron to be exported to Japan In consideration for permis? sion to Increase other maritime cus? toms from K to 7 1-2 per cent. It is expected that there will he a aeverance of relations between China and Germany this week. CHANGE INAUGURATION DAY. Congress Will Be Asked to Pass Con? stitutional Amendment. Washington, March 9.?Congress at the next session will be asked to pass a consitutlonal amendment changing Inaugural day from Mar ^ 4th to the last Tuesday In April This announcement was made after a meeting in Washington of members of the national committee In chai fC of inauguration day. FURTHER RETIREMENT EXPECT? ED. London, March 8, Delayed.-?-<*.< n. Maurice, the chief director of military operation, has predicted a further re? tirement of the Oerman linos on the Somme front and the arrival of the Hrltsh army before Bagdad. Washington, March 9.?Presld"*t Wilson Is still confined to his bed wl*h a sovere cold. The Friday cabinet meeting has been cancelled. HAS POWER TO ARM SHIPS. LANSING AND GREGORY ULI E PRESIDENT CAN TAKE STEP VOk% DEFENSE. Guns anil Qtmn May be Placed on Merchant Sliip? to Safeguard Them From Attacks of Submarine?Extra Session is Expected, However. Washington, llaroh 8.?Secretary Lansing and Attorney General Greg? ory have advised President Wils that he had full authority to arm American merchant ships against il- J legal attacks by German submarines. | It was these two officers?tho gov? ernment's authorities respectively on international questions and law?that the president referred the contention raised in the senate that old statutes enacted to authorize merchantmen to resist pirates raised an insuperable bar to the step he desired to take to met the submarine menace. They have reported that the statutes have no application to the present situa? tion. Whether the president will act im? mediately in accordance with this opinion or will wait to call a special session of congress to pass a resolu? tion similar to that killed by a fili? buster during the last session was not revealed tonight. In view of the action of the senate today in revising its rules to prevent another such filibuster, it was thought In some administration quarters that the president will immediately call an extra session. Weight was given to this idea by the president's statement last Sunday in which he held blame for the failure of the armed neutrali? ty resolution on a "little group of wil? ful men" and appealed to the senate to amend its rules and "Bave thf country from disaster." However, it was recalled that in the same statement the president express? ed the opinion that old statutes might raise "insuperable practicable obstruc? tions." 8ince then he has received the opinions of the attorney general and the secretary of State. One problem involved in consider? ing the subject Is the probable dif? ficulty over the organization of the next house because of the almo.st evenly distributed balance of power between the Democrats and lepnMl cans. A long drawn out fight such as has marked the organization of more than one house probably would delay ac? tion on the armed neutrality Ques? tion?a contingency which the presi? dent in determined to avoid. It is taken for granted in all quar? ters that before July 1 the president will summon an extra session of con? gress. The only question open to? night was whether It will be called immediately. Many members of the old house have left for their homes, and some of the new members are not here. Therefore at least a week's notice is considered Imperative, and some members want three weeks be? cause of their expectation that once congress convenes again it will re? main in session a long time. The president himself remained 1n bed all day with a cold, and saw no callers. Because of his cold, and be? cause three members of the cabinet are absent from the city it appeared probable that the usual Friday cabi? net meeting would be canceled. On every hand, however, the pre? diction was made that the decision of the president either to call an cxtri session Immediately or to arm Amer? ican merchantmen on his own author? ity is expected before the end of the present wek, possibly tomorrow. GRAIN SHOWS DECREASE. Shortage of Supply Emphasized by Figure?. Washington, A arch 8.?Corn on farms March 1 was about 789,416, 000 bushels, compared with 1,110, 559,000 bushels last year, the de? partment of agriculture today an? nounced in its March crop report. Wheat held on farms March 1 was about 101,365,000 bushels. Last year 244,448,000 bushels remained on fnrms March 1. Oats on farms was about 393,985, 000 bushels, compared with 598,148, 000 bushels last year. Barley on farms was about 32,821, 000 bushels, compared with 59,301, 000 bushels last year. A supplementary statement said wheat in country mills and elevators on March 1 Is estimated to be 89,011. 000 bushels lb (14 per cent, of 1916 crop), compared with 155,027,000 bushels a year ago. LEVER FAVORS DI AL SYSTEM. Indorses Hi-Partisan Oranglzation of House. Washington, March 8.? Represen? tative Lever of South Carolina, who has been chairman of the house agri? cultural committee since the Rixly third congross, announced today be was strongly in favor of a bi-partlsan organization of the house In the com? ing congress. He \u the first promi? nent Democrat to openly commend such organization. QSWEGO AND B?KER SCHOOLS VISITS MADE YESTERDAY AND MEETINGS REGARDED AS HIGHLY SATISFAC; TORY. Miss Parott, Head of Home Demon? stration Work in State, Makes In structive Talk at Both Places?She and Secretory Reardon Discuss County Health Survey. A vory satisfactory and pleasant community welfare meeting was held at Oswego and Baker school houses1 yesterday, which were well attended by the pupils and patrons of the schools. Miss Edith Parrott, of Winthrop College, head of the Home Demon? stration and Domestic Science work of South Carolina delivered an elo? quent and instructive address at each school, touching upon the import? ance of proper sanitation in the homes, and told of the connection be t^een domestic science and sanitary science. She stressed the value of the pro? posed county sanitary survey, and stated that results which wouid Do obtained would be supplementary to the domestic science and home dem? onstration work being conducted in this county. Miss Parrott, who travels the entire State year after year, told of the great benefits of the Greenville coun? ty health survey as seen by her dur? ing and since the sanitary survey in Greenville county.. Miss ^arott point? ed out in strong term the advantages of educating the people, children par? ticularly during the formative per? iods of their lives, in the best meth? ods of preserving their health, and the home is the best place in whici"?. to begin this physical preservation work ,and the school the next most important place. One of the main objects of the domestic science work is to teach cleanliness and sanitation, as well as economy in the home, and she thought teaching people about the preservation of health, which means elimination of unnecessary and avoid? able diseases and premature deaths the best and most sensible scheme of econmy in the presrvation of physical strength, and maintenance of earn? ing power, and industrial efficiency. The strictly sanitary survey teaches many things which sandwich in well with domestic science, but which can and should be taught only by pro? fessional and trained sanitarians, versed in bacteriology and other branches of sanitary science. She hoped that Sumter county would grasp the opportunity of a lifetime offered in the proposed county health sur? vey. Secretary E. I. Reardon of the Sumter Chamber of Commerce fol? lowed Miss Parrott in an enthusiastic endorsement of the proposed county health survey from an econmic as well as humane point of view. He explained the objects of a county health survey, and pointed out where? in lives will be saved and much un? necessary sickness prevented if the people are educated how to protect individual and public health. And said that every boy and girl has a God given right to an education and the education which teaches them the principles of self preservation, tho first law of nature. He denied that any considerable number of intelligent white men and women of the rural districts arc op? posed to a county health survey, and claimed that the statement broadly circulated by a minority opposed to this health survey that "the people of the rural districts are overwhelm? ingly against a health survey" while perhaps unintentionally so, is none the less an unjust and unwarranted misrepresentation of a majority of Sumter county's rural white popula? tion, and is a reflection on the intel? ligence, culture, and social environ? ment of the white men and women of the rural districts to create the im? pression that they are so unprogrrs slve and prejudiced against clean? liness and Improved hygienic condi? tions that they oppose the efforts of the government to improve sanitary conditions in their sections. The speaker affirmed that no man claiming that any considerable num? ber of white men and women are against progressive measures for im? provement of social, or sanitary con ditons in the ratal districts, has t:?k cn the time or trouble to And nut what percentage of the masses of the people are opposed to a county health survey, and that none of the very small minority, composed of, so fat as he knows of not exceeding a doz? en men in the county, has offered any evidence to show that "an over? whelming majority of tho people of tho rural districts are against a coun? ty health survey." Or that any con? siderable number of people thought that tho life of any child or other cit? izen Is of less value than the two thou? sand dollars the county is asked to appropriate for a county health sur? vey. When the meeting was over a num FOOD SITUATION CRITICAL EXTREME DISTRESS REPORTED AMONG GERMAN PEOPLE. Evidence, According to Prussian con? troller, That Supplies Will Soon tee Exhausted. London, aMrch 8.?The Prusre.un food controller, Dr. George Michaelis, made in the Prussian diet yesterday what the Koelinsche Zeitung calls a serious speech on the food situation, says a Reuter dispatch from Amster? dam. Dr. Michaelis declared that the distress was such that a more severe state of things, especially in the large industrial centres, could hardly he imagined. He indicated the possibil | ity that all surplus stock3 of grain would be exhausted and said that' very radical measures were needed to enable the people to hold out un? til next year. "We have in the third year of the war," the food controller is quoted as saying, "discovered that among all sections of the people the general feeling evinced Is not one of that en? durance for which we had hoped. This is human nature hut it is highly deplorable and may have most serious results. "We have not perceived in the towns that stern supervision which is absolutely necessary in the distribu? tion of food stuffs. Bread tickets have been illegally used on such ? shocking scale that our entire re? serves were exhausted. So when potatoes failed and bread was order? ed as substitute there was none avail? able. Flour has been similarly re j duccd owing to similar irregularities in the mills." Dr. Michaelis concluded by urging the utmost severity to meet the short? comings where there is yet time. The speech created a sensation. A Socialist member, Herr Hufer, de elared that the "junkers" are to j blame, though an attempt was being made to shift the blame on England. "The selfishness of the agrarians," he said, "is the cause of the high prices." The minister of agriculture then sroke and vigorously defended him? self against attacks. He alluded to the critical situation created by the partial success of the entente's plan o? starvation and added: "For the small bread ration one can only make the Almighty re? sponsible, who has not given us the harvest wo expected." CUBAN REVOLT FAILS. Recognized Government Has Regain? ed Possession of Santiago, The Reb? el Stronghold. Wahington, March 9.?Official ad? vices to the navy department estab? lished the fact that the Cuban gov? ernment forces have regained contro! of Santiago, the stronghold of the rebel uprising. President Menocal has notified the United States that Gov. Munoz is in command thera, representing the recognized govern? ment. The repossession of Santiago and the capture of the rebel leader Gomez and his staff are regarded here as marking the collapse of the revolu? tion. Recent dispatches said the reb bels still held Santiago. NEW BANK EXAMINER. Columbia, March 9.?O. K. La Roque, formerly secretary to Gov. Manning, will assume his new duties as State bank examiner today. His headquarters will be in the ofhee of the judiciary committee room of the house of representatives in the State captitol. Mr. LaRoque has had con? siderable banking experience and will succeed Ivy M. Mauldin of Piekens, whose term expired yesterday. ber of progressive and intelligent farmers and country merchants of Oswego section informed Mr. Rear don that they did not oppose but fa? vored the appropriation of two thou? sand dollars and advocated the health servey. Some of them even promis? ed to use their influence towards get? ting the necessary appropriation. Miss Mary Lemmon, Mr. J. Frank Williams, of the home and farm dem? onstration departments respectively, and Dr. J. H. Haynsworth, county su? perintendent of education also spoke at Oswego and Raker schools where tho patrons of these schools in good? ly numbers, considering the rainy weather, had gathered. i'oth the Ta? ker and Oswego school meetings were successful and pleasant in every way. Mr. Williams and Miss Lemmon ad? dressed tho girls* canning and to? mato and the boys' pig and corn club members at both schools and secured recruits in both Instances. The county health survey, like Banquo's ghost, will not down, and the more the rural districts are giv? en absolutely unprejudiced and. in? telligent information about this sur? vey the greater becomes the interest and the addition to the ranks of those who dispute that Sumter county is too prejudiced and lgno^n* to appreciate the advantages of sanitary science. CENSORSHIP ON SHIP MOVES. DANIELS CALLS FOR AMERICAN PRESS TO MAINTAIN SE? CRECY. Move Would be Voluntary, as Censor? ship Could not Ik? Enforced Legal? ly, but Secretary of Navy Believes Americans Will Aid Administra? tion to This Extent. Washington, March 9.?Lacking legal authority to establish general censorship, the administration to? night appealed to the patriotism of of the country's newspapers and cable companies to suppress publication about movements of American mer? chant craft, now to be armed against German submarines. "The best news that readers can have" Secretary Daniels said, "isthat the government will protect the rights of Americans to the freedom of the seas. "The publication of details can serve no good purpose and might jeopardize human life." Mr. Daniels has determined not tq reveal any of the department's plans for carrying out the policy ordered by President Wilson. He previously has stated that the navy is prepared to carry out the instructions. Navy yard commandants will su? perintend the actual installation of guns on merchant craft. The rifles range from heavy 6 inch rifles to 3 inch weapons and smaller guns. The number of guns to go on each ship, the personnel selected to handle the guns, the time of sailing or the names of ships that have been arm? ed will not be disclosed. Secretary Daniels in a statement to the newspaper men said: "You have read the statement is? sued from the White House and now you know that the president has the power to arm American merchant ships making trips on the seas on lawful errands and is free to exercise it at once. I do not think you ought to ask with what guns they will be armed or how they will be manned or exactly when the power will be exercised. The government should be trusted fully to carry out the policy announced in the best way. I do not think you ought to ask when the ships will be armed or print when they will sail. Today I request? ed every cable company in America not to send out any news about ships sailing to or from Europe. The wireless stations are under the di? rection of the navy department and no news of sailings will go out by radio. "I am going to request you and every newspaper, every news agency in the United States not to print any news about the arrival of the ships or when any of them will sail for Euro? pean ports. There is no power of censorship in our country and tho president does not have any authority over the press. In this time of na? tional emergency I feel sure that every newspaper will accede to the request not even to give a hint or speculation of tho sailing of Ameri? can ships. Such publication might re? sult in the loss of life. As the rea? sons are so obvious for making this request there is confidence in admin? istration circles that this request will be complied with by every newspaper in the country. "All patriotic A a erica ns are ready to make sacrifice., for their country in times of emergency. The press can render tho highest patriotic service by refraining from printing at this j time what ordinarily they would free? ly print. 1 "Inasmuch as it will be impossible to reach every paper and news agency directly I will ask all papers to carry this request, which is made as an ap? peal to patriotism to all journalists disseminators of news." With the departure of the first arm? ed American ship it will be necessary for the navy department is issue in? structions to gun crews as to the man? ner in which the weapons are to be employed. In that will bo involved a declaration of policy as to whether the appearance of a submarine in the neighborhood of a ship is sufficient warrant for opening tire. Officials would not discuss this aspect of the situation. When the application of a ship owner for arms has been approved the commandant of the nearest navy yard will bo instructed to place the guns aboard. In some cases struc? tural change ships docks may bo necessary to . ry tho gun weight. In any event, however, it will take no more than a few days to outfit any ship. Contracts for additional guns of suitable size are be ng speeded up. It is expected that they can be complet? ed so that weapons will be Ottickty available for converting merchant craft into naval auxiliaries if war comes. Washington, March 10?The comptroller of tho currency has Is? sued a call for tho condition reports of national banks at the close of busi? ness llarch 5th.