University of South Carolina Libraries
I*ubUsbed Wednesday and Saturday ?BY? OOTJKKN PUBLISHING COMPANY SUMTER, S. C. Terms: $1.50 per annum?4n advance. Advertisements. One Square flrat insertion .. ..$1.00 livery subsequent Insertion.&u Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications which sub? serve private interests will be charged for as advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charted for. The Burner Watchman was found ed In I860 iind the True Southron in The Watchman and Southror now has the combined circulation and Influence of both ol the old papers, and is manifestly tho best advertising medium in Sumter._ "GROW FOOD OR GO HUNGRY." The situation that confronts Sum? ter county and all of the Southern States is epitomised in the above statement. This statement is not an Idle assertion inspired by the excite ment of the declaration of war on Germany and the fear of unknown eventualltiee that may arise. Out the sober, deliberate and matured opin? ion of the officials of tho United State? department of agriculture af? ter a careful canvass of every aspect of the food situation in the United States and the conditions that must result from a state of war. It was to meet this situation and to take measures to save the people of Sumter county from the greatly to be dreaded alternative of going hungry that the Committee of Public Safety was organised at a meeting held on Tuesday under the call of the Cham? ber of Commerce Saturday, results now well under way and at the meet? ing of the committee of fifty, compos? ed of representatives of every town? ship In the courty, held in the Cham? ber of Commero* this morning, results began to be apparent. Every town? ship had several representatives In the meeting; in fact, save for the ah sen ? of thr~e or four members, who were prevented from attending b> circumstances beyond their control, the full committee was present and the deliberations of the body were mark ed by an earnest and a realising sense of tho gravity of the situation tha fac?e the South. Mr. A. C. Phelps and Mr. E. W Debbe, who attended the meeting in Atlanta on Thursday, briefly reviewer. ' the proceed lies of that meeting and! outlined the action taken and the plana recommended. The Atlant meeting as a matter of fact adoptc and endorsed the plan formulated at the Sumter meeting of the 3rd instant and this plan was ordered telegraphed to every county In the Southern States with the recommendation that count} organlsatlona be formed as quickly fti possible to put into effect the cam? paign for sufficient home grown food to feed all the people and all the live stock in the South, without having to call upon the West for provisions for man or beast next year. EFFORTS IN FARMERS' CAUSE. > Smith Working on Scheme to Secure Importation of Fertiliser Mat- rial. Washington, April ?.?Senntor E. D. Smith, following up his work with the shipping board relntlvo to the op? eration of ships to bring in drieJ blood and tankage from South Amer? ican ports to be used in the makim. of fertilisers, has taken the matte up to Secretary McAdoo and tomor? row will hold an Important consulta? tion with him regarding the sttuutif n. "As Mr. McAdoo was recently iri 8outh America and knovs the value of operating ships so that the peo? ple of that country may get what wo have here and we can get what wo most urgently need at this time, fertiliser material," said Senator Smith, "I feel that perhaps better tban any ono else he will be able to ?gnjot nie in putting this important matter through. It does not pa run ships empty and as soon as 07fl cm solve this question of londb | them both ways, to send out what w ? produce and bring back what ?ve need, we will have taken a long step along economical lines." LAW AGAINST CONSPIRATORS. Heavy Penalty Imposed for Destroy? ing War Material. Washington. April 9.?A bill imp" Ing thirty years imprisonment on the person who destroys any war nun? isl in the United States durlnu 07) was passed toduy by the senate with? out debate. ENTENTE AIRPLANES LOST. Berlin, April 7.?It is officially an? nounced that the entento lost forty four airplanes on tho French front yesterday. Five German airplanes failed to return. New York, April 7 ? The Belgian relief t.earner Anna Fostencs w .s sunk by a submarine. No \merican. were on board. GERMAN PLOTTERS ARRESTED. SIXTY OF ALLEGED LEADERS IN DISTTDBANCES HELD BY GOVERNMENT. Othore Who are Suspected of Beins Concerned in Conspiracies are Me? ine; Closely Watched?Evidence ge curetl by Federal Agents Agains Many. Washington, April 6.?The arre I of 60 alleged ringleaders of German plots, conspiracies and machination: in the United States was ordered to da> by Attorney General Gregory im? mediately after President Wilson had signed the war resolution. Every man whose arrest was or? dered is a Geiman citizen, is known by the department of justice, it was authorltively stated, to have partic? ipated actively in German intriguer, in this country and is regarded as a dangerous person to be at large. Ball will be refused in each eaax it was said, and the entire group will be locked up unless there Is a change In present laws, for the dura? tion of the war. Indications are that a number Of other arrests will be ordered within the next few days. The men are placed in three groups Those who have been convicted of violation of American neutrality in furthering German plots of varioie sorts and are at liberty under bou I awaiting the action of higher court those who have ben indicted by fed? eral grand juries for similar offenses and are at liberty under bond waiti trial, and persons neither Indicted nor convicted, but whose activities have been under long surveillance by the secret service or the department's bureau of investigation. URGES MEN TO JOIN NAVY. dodge T. K. Richardson Points Out I Whs* Sumter County Has Done in War and May Do Again?Resolu? tion Indorsed by Dick Anderson Camp U. C. V. To the Able-bodied Young Men ot Sumter County: My Friends: Tlv* president of the United States and the governor of this Sttae are both calling for volunteers to man tho United States navy, and to help fight the ogttles of our coun? try in a holy war, not against the, German people, but against tho ty? rants and assassins of the sea. wh<> undertake to control the ocean, a great public highway, and to destroy our people and our commerce at ess . | even Red Cross and relief ships Car rylng food and clothing to the poor suffering Belgians and hospital ships caring for the sick and wounded are ruthlessly destroyed. We are citizens of the Game Cock County, the home of Thomas Sumte and of John Mayrant, of "Fighting Dick Anderson" and a host of oth> i - who hesitated not to respond to their country's call and by their merits distinguished themselves and reflect? ed glory upon her ,ond it is now up to you to respond to our country s call and to distinguish yourselves by patriotic performances of public du? ties. Your people would all be prond to see every one of you taking advan? tage of the opportunities now knock? ing at your doors; and to ertcoura < you In this respect, I would call at? tention to the fact that by volunt'.e - ing In the United States nav.\ > will In all probability, not only h. e a chance to see something of i'l. world, but opportunities also for die tinguishing yourselves, in vaiiou: ways, by developing faculties you know not of, HOW dormant in you. The most striking picture I havt lately seen is to be tound in "Part 5*' of last Sundays issue of The NI ?' York Times (April 1st, 1317.) 11 i ? one of tho graduating class of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md.. on March Ittfc, 1917. The class appeal's to be composed of about one hundre I I and fifty, or more handsome young ! men, but the Interesting feature o It Is, that the president of the Claas i < Indicated by an arrow head pointing him out, and tho information at the bottom of the picture Is that. "Cl I ence Ward, of Nebraska, president of the class, was an enlisted man before he was admitted to the Academy. Which proves that enlisted men h - ? opportunities to rise to whatever ; ' sitlons they may be qualified to till. "May n't Carolina boast as great As any other sin?er State? And Where's the hoy. go far or n That has not got a rival here?" Why cannot every one of you en list in the United State* navy and d< as well as Clarence Ward has done. >. better. You will never do so unlc.i you try. "Fighting Dick Anderson'* was born at Stateburg, und General Giant, in his "Personal Reminiscences," gl ei him credit for stopping the whole Union army in its "On to Richmond March" at Spottsylvania C. H., on May Mb. Ilif, where it had to I ' and tight for .bout ten days. That SEES m FOR REFORMS. ENTRANCE OF UNITED STATES INTO WAR DISCOURAGING TO GERMANY. Now Hopes to Maintain Its Territory Intact, Instead] of Kciug Assiucc, That it Will Dictate Terms or Peace ?Prohn hie That More Democrat v Form of Government \\ ill be Adopt? ed in Near Future. Copenhagen, April 6.?America'. entiy into the war evidently has had at) immediate and strong effect on t!u reform movement in Germany. The conviction that the instant modernization of the Prussian consti? tution and the proclamation of a more democratic basis of government and diplomacy in the empire waiting for tho end of the war is necessary as a military and political measure t? counteract the "t?mpest of the world's public opinion," as Vorwaerts puts it, is evidently gain; g ground in all t\ cept reactionary circles. The demand that Germany follow the example of Austria-Hungary and declare itself in favor of n^aco with? out annexation is heard from mod - erate Liberal as well as from Socialist quarters. This demand now repre? sents not alone tho belief of many thinking persons that annexation ex? cept for slight frontier alteration-, would bo against the real interests of Germany but also the realization tlv.t after the United States joined tb ranks of the enemy the time had passed when Gbrmany could hope t. dictate terms of peace or even nod crate terms. The Associated Press correspond^ m heard this view in even gloomi a terms from various sides in Germany at the time of the rupture of rela? tions between the United States and Germany* namely that if the Upited States decided to take an active part in the war, Germany would no lonr hope to gain a victory but after hold? ing out for a year and a half or twe. years, must inevitably submit to the economic pressure of the blockade.. Vorwaerts speaks of the great strength of America as a peace mak? ing power and points out that with? out its cooperation at the peace con ? ference it, would be impossible to se? cure the possibilities for economic .de? velopment which Germany will so sorely need after the war. It con ? j eludes by raying that the most ur? gent need of the hour is the organiza? tion of the national defense under t> ? auspices of sweeping reforms and the clearest and most, definite announce j ment of the nation's intention to cor duct the war no> for conquest but on' to foil the hostile designs of annexa? tion and to end it immediately the enemy renounces such des'gns. NOT A COTTON ROLL WEEVIL. Insect Sent to Town Last Weck Wu i Not One of Dreaded Pests. _ I Lr.st week considerable excitenv and some consternation was creat i I on the streets, When Mr. C. W. .Jo., bro?ght into tow n in a tightly closed bottle a member of the weevil tamii. which came from Mr. B. H. Col dough's place near Woodrow, and which Mr. Colclough and Other thought was a cotton boll weevil. Thv Insect was taken In charge by Beere* tary Roardon of the Buinter Chambei Of Commerce, and at once sent on to Clemson College to Prof. Conradi. > I tomologlst, for inspection to deter : n:?. e its antecedents and famil1 | Standing in bUgolOgy. Saturday Bee letary Reardon heard from Prof. Cl radl and through the Item is glad t? ; inform eltlseni of Buinter that th weevil was not a boll w eevil, but only j a pachyloplufl piacidovorous, whici no doubt Will lUUCh relieve the mind' of many of the excited and fearfid ones. According to the Interpretation! of this nomenclature, as given by entomologist, the Insect was a pln? weevil. SHOWERS BEGIN WEEK. j Middle ol Weck Will be Fair, with Showers Coming Again Near Clos: For Bouth Atlantic and ECast G BtStea; Local showers and thundei storms beginning of week followed : . generally fair weather until aboui ; Friday when showers are again prob nble. Temperature will bo near i - i mal. i eras the performance of a Sue ' county hoy. Bo w hy can't some of > ; simply try your heads, hearts an<" , hands, and see what you can >a>. for one, will be proud to see you try and t am satisfied you will never ro i;ret it. Sincerely your friend, Thomas K. Richardson. At a meeting Of Camp Dick And' son, U. C. V., this day held, the ab( was unanimously adopted as the n< tlment of the camp. ! 'I B. Scot! Carson. Adjutant. ? jt. j. McLaurln, Commander Sumter, S. C, April 7, 1917. GOVERNMENT TAKES STEPS T< ASSURE SUFFICIENT FOOD SUPPLY. Secretary Houston to Hold Confer? ences In West nntl East on Food Sit? uation?DIocojiBOd at Cabinet Meet? ing. Washington, April fi.?Food produc? tion and distribution for tho v i period were discussed at today's cab net meeting and afterwards Secretar: Houston announced that he woul ! leave Immediately for St. Louis to con fer with agricultural experts from th< great cereal growing States of tlv Middle West on the problem. As BOOH as possible lie will hold a similar co; ference in the East. The administration, through the de? partment or agriculture and the com: cil of national defense, has made preparations of a nationwide Char ter for increasing and conserving the food supply of the country to me ' the war time demands and the neces? sity of forwarding larger amounts to the entente ajlliee. Pefore Secretary Houston's plan became known the senate on motion of Senator Reed adopted a resolution requesting the department of agricul? ture to prepare comprehensive4 recom? mendations for tho conservation o< the food supply of the nation. Lat ?* today the following statement was sued at the department of agriculture relative to Secretary Houston's trip , "On Monday at 10 o'clock the sc rttary will hold a conference In Btt Louis With the State commissionei of agriculture nnd the repr?sentativ of land grant co1 leges to discusso a ricultural problems in 17 of the greal cereal growing States from Ohio t Montana and from "Wisconsin to T< as. Among the problems to be con sidercd will be those ol' Incroaa'n" the efficiency of production, of wa ' 6t improving distribution general!} and in urban communities and of th< :reatlon of the requisite machinery. The secretary contemplates holdll g it an early date another conferei in the East. The department recent? ly has assisted at a conference in New England and one at Atlanta for the :3outh. URGES PASTORS TO AID. Chamber of Commerce Requests r.i tors to Urge Members of Their; Congregations to Grow Foodstuffs. The following loiter has been if out to all of the pastors * Sumter I county by President A. C. Phell president of the Chamber of Con .nerce: Reverend Sir: The United States is lit war. One of the gravest crises in he history of our nation confronts us today. Owing to the demands of th? warr?ng nations and the failure of t e rood crops in this country and throughout the world, the dema- d for food ioi' man and bcaet is greatoi than the supply. The consequence s prices have advanced enor-o thus entailing great suflfering on I majority of cur people, The national department of agri culture, tho state departments of agri? culture throughout the county, ri ognising t,|is foct are making whii wind earcpaigi s, endeavoring to Bh tho people the situation and to u them to Increase ibe- planting of kinds o<" food crops for man to > ?? j boast. Commercial bodies, bank< manufacturers, farmers and ! Ill thinkers are joining ir this BUpn effort. The Chamber of Commerce is i dressing you this letter in a spirit patriotism, calling these matters your attention and begging you to ? nisi in this great work. We would, th i re fore, rcspe< Ifi suggest that from your pulpit m Sunday you give warning of the < i i ditlons confronting tho nation, a; thai you urge your people to plan plant, plant every foot of ground th can In life-sustaining foods. No one knows what the future ho! for our country We have been \ised i>y representatives of the ernment that the surplus food cr< of the greal west and middle west v ' be taken for the use of the armies the Held, therefore, we who are n : .df-sustainlng can not hope to ?" any of tiii^- surplus In competltb with the gov? rnment, This appeal we feel sure will made strong and effe live if you >. 1 co-opeurtc along the above lines. Reap< ctfully youi s. Thv Sumter Chamber of Commerc< By A. C. Pholps, Presidt nt E. I. Reardon, Managing Sec. I Geo. H. Hurst, Undertaker nd Enbalaer, Frompt Attertir>!i to Oay and NsjM Calls. At 0. J. CRAll O d stand. N Y.en. PVirtnAfl* ?nvr.i9 l nones. N,9i,t i0i WHEAT CROP SHORT. GOVERNMENT CROP REPORT IN? DICATES YIELD or FIFTY MILLION BUSHELS LESS THAN LAST YEAR. Prospective Shortage of Wheat Crop Following short Crop of l!)l(> Will Bring the World to the Vcrgi of Famine?Flour V. HI be Soarecr and Higher Than Evt r. Washington, April 7.?The prros poctive slump of more than fifty mil? lion bushels In th< whit ? \\' ?.it crop compared to the short crop of las' year, is the fhst war feeding problem to confront the country. The govern? ment estimates the winter wheat crop to ' e a; out four hundred and thirty million bushels. The acreage is |i cr, hut conditions :ve adverse. The production ??f rye is estimated at sixty million bushels, the largest crop of this grain recorded. WHEAT PRICKS SOAR. May Wheat Sold In Chicago Today at $2.1 I Per Bushel. Chicago, April 7.?May wheat rose to $'J.14 per bushel today. GERMANS BLEW UP VESSEL. Destroy Ship Rather Than Surrender if to United States Officers. Washington, April 7.?Rather than surrend' r the vessel to American forces which .vent to take possession the crew of the interned German gunboat Cormorant at ?.aam blew up the vessel. The explosion killed two Germans. Wi rrants Lave been isr sued for the officers, and five of the crew. All remainder taken prisoners. I Evgi ythlnj in the Building Line I Ail KMs of Feed BOOTH & McLEOD, Inc. EVERYTHING AT ONE PLACE Phonos 10 - 631 ~;;:x::r.:;:nn^:::::::::u:::::^ +**r<*+*++4 + + b kt- 9* * t *> j 4444 44444444*44 HIIMMUMI BANKS ARE NECESSARY to a business community, but depositors and friends are more necessary to a bank. We need you and you need us. Let us work to? gether. Commercial accounts solicited. We pay four per cent on savings deposits. i THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK The Oldest Banking Institution in the County k4>4*^"4*4)4 4*4'4 4 4?4^4l?^,fr4^4*4'^^^4*+4'^4,4*^'4"4 ??4W^4V^4^^4** ? ? ? Absolute SAFETY!. UNEXCELLED FACILITIES] BMfliYM COURTESY and at the ?< rvice of the smallest depositor. Iiis HaliQfu? Bank Of St&Hi Carolina C. 0. ROWLAND. "rrS. H. L. KcCGY. AosL Csthicr. F. ... HIMXA.1T, Cash er. EARlt ROWLAND. A$?t Cish'r A* ts March 27, 19:7 1,241,060.97. Loyal ty "With ui:ii;c^ toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the ri^ht, as Co d ijives us to see the rightM ?Lincoln. A State ?l Wat has been thrust up? on us. A united Nation i:i this sol? emn hour calmly faces the future with that confidence born of com? plete faiLh in Americ in Ideals. The National Bank of Sumter stands united with every member of this community and County to cooperate in every wjy possible in resisting any attempt to abrogate American Freedom, Justice and Honor. The National Bank of Sumter.