Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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8VMTLIH WATCHMAN, Established April, 1830. "Be Jun and Fear uot?JLiot all ehe ends Tboa Aiins't *t be thy Country's, Thy God's asm Trat?'?." Consolidated Aur. 2,1881. 8UMTER, S. C. SATURDAY. APRIL 14 1917. TUB Tit LB. hOCTUKON, EMmbUntneA 1ms, > MC VoLXLIV. No. 17. Questions of Policy in War to Be Discussed at Gathering in Washington. British Commission Headed by Bjlfour and French by Viviaui to Plan With American Statesman Concerted Action Against Teutons and Their Ailiet?Large Number of Hatters in Present Difficult Situation to Be Dec ided on for Future Policy. Washington. April 11.?Assembly in Washington within a few weeks of a great international war council was foreshadowed by an announcement ftotn the State department today tbat a British commission headed by Arthur J. Halfour. minister of foreign affairs, is expected to arrive within ten days to discuss with tho govern? ment here questions connected with the conduct of tho war. In addition to the foreign minister, the Commis? sion will Include Admiral de Chair of the British navy. Qen. Bridges of the army, and the governor of the Bank of Sing land, attended by a number-! one staff. This was as far as the announce? ment made by the state department goes, hut it was learned authoritatively that a French commission composed of officials and officers as distinguish? ed as the British representatives also will be hi Washington about, the same time. This commission will be headed toy M. Vlvlani. at present minister ?f justice in the French cabinet and formerly premier. It is not known definitely whether any other of the allied powers will send commissioners to Washington but It is assumed that owing to the d I met) It lea in passage and the prob? able delay, the interests of these gov OgMgAenta will be confided to their gfggggnt ambassadors. Beyond the statement that the ob .Joes of the commission is to discuss generally questions of policy eon nectod with the war no information was given at the state department. It i was made clear, however, that In no j way will the United States govern? ment depart from the traditional pol? icy of avoiding anything In the nature of political alliances. While It is by no means certain that there will be a joint meeting of the I visiting commissions, if the state de? partment should desire to avoid the appearance of an alliance, there is certain to be concert of action in some way. The conference Is said to have been sought by the allied leaders them? selves to discuss overy phase of the war. No attempt w ill be made to go Into details or technical considera? tions, as the general policies Involved are too stupendous to permit of It. The calibre of the men ?ent is very gratifying to officials. One of the first questions to be taken up will be the distribution of th?> $8,000,000,000 loan to the allies. Oreax Britain has been rendering f nanclal aid of the most extensive scale to several of her allies and pos? sibly when relieved of the necessity for continuing such allowances she may be able to get along with much lose assistance from America than she would otherwise require. On the other hand, the countries whoso ex? change has suffered so heavily, such as Russia and Italy, might f nd wel? come relief from the financial strain by an allotment of American fund* which would have a reassuring effect upon the standing of these countries In the world's markets. The greatest problems before the conference Is stated to be the main? tenance of the Mow of American mu? nitions and food supplies to Europe. This will be sought by naval coopera? tion to fight the Oerman submarines; second, by construction of a huge fleet of wooden merchantmen to nega? tive Its destructiveness, and third, b> all ways and means to Increaae many fat tu re and the allies' ability to pay for the products. Naval cooperation is understood to contemplate the policing of all North and South American waters by the American navy and the safeguarding by American ships of at least par* of the sea lane to Europe. Whether the latter will neressitat? the actual sending of American war craft to the other side has not beei announced, but If It does, at rang mente have been made to offar the port of Brent In France as ai American naval base. The military partlcpution of th* United States also probably will b ?^tarcus^ed In broad terms, though It V ' - * FARMERS AWAKE TO DANGER. GREAT INTEREST BEING SHOWN IN FOOD SITUATION BY WHITE AND BLACK. Grca' In rt\i c In .Food Production in County Will be Result of Campaign ?City Folks Also Active. Local Farm Demonstrator Wil? liams reports to tho Sumter Chamber of Commerce that interest among the people of Sumter county, white and colored. In the campaign for increas? ing the grain, truck, and livestock products is the greatest he has ever heard of, and that the people are thoroughly awake in this county and in Sumter city, to the danger of hun? ger confronting thorn,'if they do not plant plenty of food crops. The colored people are as much interested as the whites. Organiza? tion of townships and communities by the township committees Is going ahead rapidly every day. The Sumter Chamber of Commerce Is kept busy each day answering hun? dreds of inquiries and mailing out thousands of circulars and letters of Information, and otherwise acting as the central bureau of publicity and organization for white and colored forces. It is very gratifying indeed to see the practically unanimous and intel? ligent cooperative action all over Sum? ter county between white and colored people In this, the most important movement ever undertaken in this city and county, because this Is a life sustaining effort. Sumter city Is moving In great strides also and the city people are planting or preparing hundreds of vegetable gardens and formerly unused lots In grain and po? tatoes. GERMANY FAMINE STRICKEN. London, April 12.?The food situa? tion Is dominating all other consider? ations in Germany, according to the Berlin Vorwaerts, quoted in an Am? sterdam dispatch. Some weeks ago German newspapers announced that "bread ration would be reduced to one-fourth on April 15th, on account of the scarcity of wheat. Is realized on all sides that this coun? try will not attempt to send an army to Europe for tho present. There Is, however, an Intense desire on the I part of the general public in the I entente countries to see a small di? vision of American troops at the I front. The complete reversal of American relations to the entente powers wli necessitate an entire readjustment of the countries' diplomatic situation. Tho allies' policies of blockade, malls, censorship, blacklist and rationing of Holland and Scandinavia originally necessitated by the exigencies of war and bitterly protested throughout by this country as a neutral, must now be considered by the United States from an entirely new angle. While it is obvious that none of the restric? tions built up by the allies will be abandoned, it in very doubtful as to how far this country will go in actual? ly cooperating with them. The United States is said therefore to tlnd itself In a dilemma between the policies ol its allies and the exigencies of the war and Its own views of International law. The al? lied governments are understood to appreciate this situation and to be anxious not to make it more difficult As a result it Is probable that the in? ter-departmental board of the depart? ments of State, treasury and Justice will recommend to congress laws which will restate American po'icy without crippling the huge machinery already set up by the allies for bring? ing Germany to terms. The situation of the few remalniir neutrals is expected also to call for the deepest consideration at the con? ferences and It is the hope here that leyerfjl other nations frill definitely ran^'H themselves with the allies. WAR DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE CALL FOR MEN. Will Tost Volunteer System by Giving Men Clianco to Enlist In National Guard and Army?May Retire ?t Close of Wnr. Washington, April 12.?The war department prepared today to issue instructions to recruiting officers which in effect call for half a million volunteers to fill up the regular army and Guardsmen units: Recruits who have enlisted since the declaration of war and those hereafter enlisted will be notified of discharge at the end of the war, putting them on the war vol? unteer basis. This will demonstrate whether the volunteer system Is feas? ible. V Washington, April 10.?Lieut. Col. Fred P. Reynolds, medical corps of the army, has been ordered to report as soon as possible to headquarters at Charleston. Maj. Jacob C. Johnson, inspector general, has also been or? dered to Charleston. TO HAVE Wjjjjjj CAKf. WILL BE ESTABLISHED SO AS TO SUPPLY OFFICERS FOR FORCES. Well Equipped Men to Command Troops Is First Aim of Administra? tion?Authorized Strength of Reg? ular Army Will Soon bo Obtained. Washington, April 11.?Army build? ing plaii3 of the administration, are to be supplemented at once by ' the establishment at many points through? out the country of civilian training camps for officers. The groat need of the war army to be raised will be properly equip? ped officers and to aid in meeting the demand the war department has de? cided to adopt the Plattsburg idea on a nation-wide fvalc. Arrangements for the camps are already being made and civilians de sirlous of fitting themselves for com? missions in the officers' reserve corps may apply now to departmental com? manders for assignment to them. The number of camps to be set up will depend on the number of ap? plicants received. A course of three months' vigorous training will be given the prospective officers. The qualities displayed by men un? dergoing this training will determine wheiher they are suited to army life and also the rank in the reserve corps which they are qualified to hold. Commissions will be issued at the conclusions of the training period to those accepted, who will be assigned to units of the regular army, Na? tional Guard or the first contingent of troops to be raised under the draft plan. The scheme is designed particular | ly to meet the situation of civilians who have had no military experience and who are too old to enter the sec end lieutenant grade of the reserve corps but are otherwise qualified by education and capacity to become of? ficers. The department, It was announced today, had suspended the regulation limiting new enll&Vment in the reg? ular army to men not more than 35 I years of age. This was made possi? ble by the declaration of war against Germany. Under existing law msn 1 not more than 35 years of age could ^ be accepted but to conform to the administration's army bill the max i im urn age now has been set at 40 years. The present authorized strength of the regulars soon will be reached a? the present rate of enlistment. In? cluding all combatant and non-com? batant troops and unassigned recruits this would mean a total of 138,O^o enlisted men. Until the president .so directs, the regiment! can not he [brought up to war strength or addi? tional regiments be orgaAlled. it Is apparent that the administration is not inclined to take this step until congress has acted on the new am ly bill. An exeeption will be made In tl 16 case of regiments of negro troops, however, some of which already a re over the authorized peace strengt h. They will be filled from waiting lislts to full war time strength. Recruit? ing for other regiments also will Ifce prosecuted vigorously, it Is Indicatell, as the process of assembling .equip? ping and assigning recruits takes SOwL time, and it is expected congress wmll huve acted before any considerable BULGARIA SEEKS PEACE. MINISTER AT RERNE HAS MADE OVERTURES FOR SEPARATE ACTION. ScmJ-OnViai Relegation from Ruluarla in Switzerland Dispatches Say. London, April 12.?Press dispatch cs here from Rome say that the Bul? garian minister at Berne has made overtures to the entente ministers for a separate peace. Dispatches from Lausanne say that the Lausanne Gazette slates that a semi-official Bulgarian delegation is in Switzerland seeking a separate peace. BULGARIA WANTS PEACE. Reported that Proposals for Separate Peace Have Been Made. London, April 12.?Reports from a Swiss source, received in Rome, are to the effect that the Bulgarian min? ister at Berne has made overtures to the entente ministers for a separate peace, according to today's Rome dis? patches. BOARD TO HANDLE LINES. SPECIAL BODY TO DIRECT RAIL? ROADS IN WAR. Cbiect is to Insure Best Possible Transportation Facilities Through? out the Struggle. Washington, April 11.?Heads of the principal railroads in the United States meeting here today at the call of the council of national defense ap? pointed a hoard of live men to direct the operation of American railways throughout the war. It was announced that the purpose of tho board will be to give the gov? ernment the best possible service not only in transporting troops and mili? tary supplies but in handling every necessary commodity. The following railway executives were chosen as members of the board: Fairfax Harrison of the Southern railway, chairman; Howard Elliott of the New Haven, Samuel Rea of the Pennsylvania; Hale Holden of the Burlington and Julius Krutt i schintt of the Southern Pacific. Under this committee will operate a special committee on national de? fense. It, with the board, will com? prise 28 members The present na? tional defense committee of the American Railway association will be used as a basis for forming this com? mittee. Daniel Wlllard, president of the Baltimore & Ohio, and chairman of the defense council's advisory com? mission, will be an ex-oflicio member of the board, and the interstate com? merce commission will be asked to name another. The board, or central executive committee, as it is called, will oper? ate through a special committe on national defense named some time ago by the American Railway asso? ciation. Mr. Harrison, chairman, also of this committee, announced today its membership would be increased to 28, divided into six subcommittees, one each in the six military departments of the country. These subcommittees will deal directly with department commanders and with the quarter? master department. The railway as? sociation's car service committee will serve as a general subcommittee. The railroad board will decide all matters of general railroad policy, but all systems will operate in cooperation with the government instead of under its direction. STOPS FOOD SPECULATION. Chicago Butter and Egg Board Abol? ishes Future Trading for War Time. Chicago, April 11.?Speculation In butter and osgs through the Chicago butter and egg board was abolished "as a. patriotic duty" by unanimous vote* of the directors today. This was accomplished by abolishing all rules covering deals in these products for future delivery. Dealers desiring to assure stocks for future delivery may deal directly with shippers as individ? uals, but the action of the board, !t is said, practically eliminates spccula i tlon. Wheat Reaches New Record. Chicago, April 12.? May wheat reached a new record today, $2.io>. number in excess of authorize", strength may be ready to join their regiments. SEVEN BILLION FOR WAR. WAR FINANCE RILL REPORTER | BY HOUSE COMMITTEE. It Provide* lor Bond Issue of Five Billion in Treasury- Certificate?? Three Billion to Be Loaned Allies. Washington, April 11.?The war dancing bill, providing for five billion in bonds und two billion in treasury certificates was unanimously reported ; today for passage by the ways and I means committee. Three billion from the proceeds of the bonds will be loan- j ed the entente allies. WILL NOT ENTER WAR. Bra/il Will Proably Not Declare War Against Germany at Present. j Rio Janeiro, April 12.?It is believ i ed here that government will confine ! itself for the presnt to the severance of relations with Germany, and will not make a declaration of war, at least not in the immediate future. - HAVE NOT SEIZED SHU'S. Brazil Postpones Action on Gcrniau Ships. Rio Janeiro, April 12.?Decision as to seizing German ships in Brazilian ports has been postponed. The Ger? man minister received his passports , last night. GERMANS WERE SURPRISED. POWER AND SPEED OF BRITISH ATTACK THOROUGHLY DE? MORALIZED THEM. British DrBc at Antes Continues and More Villages und Fortified Pos? itions Captured?French Push Fighting Between oommc and Oise. Now York, April 11.?The British announce that they captured the vil? lage and heights of Monchy-le-Preux nnd the village of La-IJergere. They report satisfactory progress in othor sections. The Associated Presa correspondent says the speed and power of the Brit? ish drive in the I attic of Arras seem? ed to have thoroughly surprised the Germans. The usual German retalia? tory artillery fire was absolutely neg lifible lor two days. The French announce active artil j Icr: fighting between the So name and I Oise rivers. BATTLE IN MEXICO. Refugees Say Carranza Lost 1,500 in Battle With Villa. Laredo, April 12.?Passengers reaching the border say that Car ranza forces lost fifteen hundred In dead and wounded in a recent battle with Villa troops. They said that re? ports of Villa troops being routed near Chihuahua City were myths. RECRUITS WANTED NOW National Guard Ordered to Recruit to Maximum Peace Strength At Once. Columbia, April 12.?One thousand men are needed at once to bring the National Guard of South Carolina up to peace strength. That this quoto be raised immediately was authorized today by the department of the East. W. W. Moore, the adjutant general, today received the follow? ing telegram from the Department of the East: "War department authorizes recruitment of National Guard organizations to maximum peace strength of regular army. We have informed commanding officers of those in federal service.* Immediately following the receipt of the message the adjutant general notified company commanders throughout the State to be? gin a campaign for recruiting. There/ are now about 2,100 officers and men enlioted in the Nat? ional Guard of South Carolin-,. The placing of the Guard on a peace strength basis would require 3,510 officers and men. GALL FOR GANAL BUILDER. GOETHALS ASKED D? PRESI DENT TO BUILD SHIPS. Many Wooden Vessels to Be Con? structed ?t Once to Carry on Traf? fic Despite Sob ma rific Warfare? Will Replace Tonnage Destroyed. Washington, April 11.?Maj. Gen. George Goethals, builder of the Pan? ama canal, was formally requested by President Wilson today to take charge of the budding of 1,000 wooden ships for foreign commerce. Increase of ocean tonnage is regarded as an im? perative need to defeat the German submarine campaign and keep up the Bow of supplies to the entente allies and consequently the greatest impor? tance Is attached to the plans of the ?hipping board for building wooden I ships, which have been approved by ' the'president and the council of na? tional defnse. The entire resources of available ship building yards are to be used for the purpose. The president hopes that G?n. Goe? thals will undertake the work and If , he does so he will be placed In gen? eral charge with unlimited authority. In 1916 the United States had 500, 000 tons of shipping in the trans Atlantic trade. During a meeting- of . railroad executives here today the ! question was taken up of making ar? rangements so that ships now on the Great lakes and In the coastwise trade can be utilized for ocean going commerce. Under such a plan it is estimated that the present trans Atlantic tonnage can be doubled and possibly trebled. Use of German merchant ships now in American harbors will add approx? imately 600,000 tons. ?KAISER WAS RIGHT.'* Lloyd George Says PtVJSSta Will he Democracy After War. London. April 12.?In addressing the American luncheon club on the entry of tho United States into the war, Premier Lloyd George said: "I think the Kaiser w;is right" when he declared that Prussia will be a democ i racy after the war. BRITISH DRIVE CONTINUES. BATTLE OF AREAS HAS NOT BEEN FOUGHT TO A FINISH. British Maintain Strong Pressure on German Line? mid Make Additional Gains at Important Points?French Also Active in Champagne Region. New York, April 12?The British offensive continues vigorously around Vimy Ridge, according to the official announcement, which says the British have captured two more important positions north of Vimy Ridge despite stormy weather. Two German coun? ter attacks were repulsed. The French last night below St Quentin drove the Germans back to the southwestern edge of upper Coucy forest. The French also ejected the Germans from trenches east of Sapignuel in the Champagne region. German newspapers received at Copenhagen term the battle of Arras only of local importance, and say that the British drive has already been brought to a standstill. Much importance is attached to the resumption of general attack by the French. Seemingly they are prevent? ing reinforcements being sent to the lines menaced by the British. There would be little surprise if the French attack in the uper Courcy for? est developed into a continuous of? fensive. The British made still more gains today, according to Reuter's corre? spondent, who reports about one thou? sand yards of trenches captured southeast of Vimy. Germany announces that British cavalry and armored car attacks yes terday north of Monchy failed with heavy losses. The Britsh were also repulsed en the northern bank of the river Scarpe. Washington, April 11.?The govern? ment's armor plate and projectile fac? tories, for which congress appropriat? ed $12,700,000. will be built at Char? leston. W. Va., a location recom? mended by a special navy board as offering an ideal combination of mili? tary safety and easy access to manu? facturing materials.