The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, June 16, 1917, Image 1
f l)e t?ot civilian mh Southron.
THE 8UMTEII WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. "Be Jo* and Fear not?-Doc all the <>nflu Thon Alma't at be thy Country'*. Thy God'i and Trat*'?." XRUE SOUTHRON, FjlilllNini HWj l#M^
Consolidated Aug. 2,1881, / _ 8UMTER, S. C, SATURDAY, JUNE 16. 1917. ~ Vol. XLIV. No. 35.
MINES BHD LONDON.
MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN
&LAUGHTE1IED BY AIR PI?
RATES.
Squadron of German \ in dunes Drop
Shower of Bombs on Congested Dis?
trict?(Hundred Killed and Five
Hundred Wounded.
London, June 13.?In a swift and
deadly raid on the city of London to?
day German airplanes took a heavy
toll In killed and wounded. Other
places were attacked, but so far as is
known at present by far the heaviest
losses occurred in London town it
a?lf.
At a late hour tonight the casual?
ties as officially announced number?
ed 634, including 97 killed and 437
wounded. Fifty-five men met death
said 223 men were wounded. Sixteen
women and 26 children were,killed
end 122 women and 94 children were
wounded.
The German squadron consisted of
about 16 machines and the down town
section of London was their chief ob?
jective. Many bombs fell in the East
End where buildings were destroyed
and others badly damaged and scores
of persons fell victims to the ex?
plosions. In one Instance alone ten
children were killed In a school and
60 were Injured.
British airplanes ascended imme?
diately the signal was given that hos?
tile machines were coining but the
Germans remained at great height
flew swiftly and evidently the British
fighters had difficulty in the pursuit,
for the loss of only one German ma?
chine has been recorded.
Three hostile airplanes appeared
over the busiest part of the down town
section of London at 11:30 this morn?
ing. From the roof of the Associated
Press office the airplanes could be
distinctly seen at height of at least
two miles in the triangular formation
which is a familiar sight to any one
who has visited the Western front
The trio were so high that they ap?
peared like three shiny flakes of snow
against the bright sky. The anti-air?
craft gunners were doing fairly credi
table work in this their first battk
practice in many months. The raiders
apparently were a little too high fo
the guns.
It is stated that the air raiders di?
charged aerial torpedoes as well as
bombs. The destruction of industrial
buildings where several persons were
killed is ascribed to the torpedoes.
Many People Killed or Injured by
Bombs Dropped by German Craft.
London, June 13.?The Associated
Press correspondent, who visited one
of the areas bombarded by the Ger
man aeroplanes, found that the dam?
age was comparatively slight nd that
a majority of the casualties occurred
among a group gathering for the noon?
day meal. The bomb fell upon the
roof of the eating house, shattering
it and causing the wreckage to tal;?
fire.
The legs of one man were shattered
below the knees, another's arm wat?
blown off as he was raising a cup o
coffee to his lips, while a third wa:
uerlously wounded in the chest. Th<
clothing of some of the wounded wa s
torn in shreds and the faces of nearl
all were purple from the effects o
the explosives.
For nearly an hour the ambulance;
were busy carrying away the woundo
from this place, while great crowds
gathered.
One bomb which failed to explode
dropped in a church yard and another
dropped in a banking house. Four
clerks in the Imnks were injured. As
soon as the raiders appeared, coming
from the southeast coast, warning wa?
given the schools, with *he result th.it
in many of the suburbs the* children
were dismissed in time to reach their)
homes before the raiders wero near ,1
London.
There were many evidences of the
coolness with which tho people greet'
ed the appearance of the raiders. Foi
Instance, dosplte the reports that it
raid was in progress, King George pro?
ceeded with an investiture In Buck
ingham palace, the recipients of hon- <
ors walking in and out of the palacof
grounds without a trace of nervova
ness.
For an hour after the raid tho tel
phone system of London was swam] o '
with calls from business men who
were anxious to learn the fate of their
families In the suburbs. Despite th<
loud reports of the explosives tho tele
phone girls stuck to their posts.
A case was being heard In a court
when explosions were Aeaid.
"I understand thcre^ 1* an air raid
j?oin* on and that bflMnb* are bring j
dropped," said the JttjUlcc {'residing,'
GERMAN LINE CRUMBLIN9.
BRITISH OFFENSIVE TOO STRONG
TO ?E WITHHELD.
Capture Mosslncs Ridge Forced Re?
treat on Wido IVont ami The Brit?
ish arc Pursuing Germans Closely.
That the German line in Belgium is
crumbling under the British offensive
is evident. This appears in the British
announcement of the German retreat
I
on a front of approximately two
miles southwest of Warneton.
The British pressure is directly in
front and in the section where the
Germans recently lost commanding ar?
tillery and observation positions.
Whtfl the British took Messines ridge
they caused the German retreat. The
British followed closely and gained
ground east of Plo??gstreertwood and
near Gasspard.
The French front is comparatively
quiet. Several small German attacks,
preceded by violent bombardnent,
were repulsed.
^ THE LIBERTY LOAN.
Subscriptions Reported at 1 P.
j ? M. Looked Hundred ami Fifty
! Seven Million of Total E?:
d I pooled.
(By Associated Press,)
? Washington, June 14.?The
11 subscriptions to the- Liberty
? Loan reported to the treasury
o at 1 P. M. totaled one billion.
eight hundred and forty-three
millions.
iA44^a??a??????????#a<
BERLIN LAUDS CONSTA NTINB.
Germany Hears News of Abdication ul
Pro-German King.
Berlin, June 14.?The absence of
adequate telegraphic connection with
Greece left Berlin without authentic
information regarding events in .hat
country. The Prince received brief
news of the abdication of Constantlne.
The newspapers print copious com?
ments lauding Constcntine saying that
he gave up his throne because he
was unwilling to deliver his people to
starvation at the command of Eng?
land and France. They say the abdi?
cation will have no effect upon the
military situation.
LANDING IN GREECE.
Entente Troop* arc Occupying Strate?
gic Positions Near Athens.
Athens, June 14.?Entente forces
: re landing at Piraeus and Castella.
Some of the troops occupying the
heights near Phalerum Bay, while
others arc marching to Athens.
FIRE IX BROOKLYN.
Sugar Refining Plant Destroyed?Mil?
lion Loss?Ten Persons Killed.
Now York, June 14.?After a search
of the ruins was begun at the Ameri?
can Sugar Refining Company plant
In Brooklyn, where an explosion and
fire caused an estimated loss of a
j million dollars late last night, th?
authorities expressed the opinion
that the loss of life does not exceed
ten.
JAPANESE MISSION COMING.
It Will Have Broad Diplomatic Pow
ers.
Washington. June 14.?Japan will
send a mission to the United Kt;it<s
It will have broad powers, especially
in diplomatic consultation. It is ex?
pected to leave Japan the first part i>r
July.
"but I think we are safer here than
anywhere else."
After a few moments the Judge m
nounoed, "1 understand the raid hi h
come as far as this i>ut now has gon<
away, so ire will proceed with ti ?
rase unless it returns."
The Baal End stood the strain weli
and thoc was no panic. Business w;?s
it a standstill in many W CtlOM for i
few minutes.
Throughout the bombed area there
was ,i steady movemenl <?r ambulances
collecting the injured and rushin:,'
them tc the hospital. One hospital
which is partly supported by donations
from New fork and has been used
largely for wounded soldiers, probably
Kot more patients Mran any other in
this section. These soldiers did yeo?
man work as the injured arrived, not
in earing for those hurt, but in giving
comfort to relatives who gathered
ahout the building to learn the fnl
of those being carried within.
SLAVERY FOR BELGIANS.
VON HISSING'S ANNEXATION
MEMORANDUM HAS BEEN
PUBLISHED.
Wonted a Greater War After This
One?Belgium Was to Be Used as
Lever Against England and France.
Copenhagen, (viu London)?May 23
(Correspondence of the Associated
Press) A memorandum of the late
Governor General Bissing, of Belgium,
in which he advocated the annexation
of the little kingdom as the sole pol?
icy for Germany, is published in full
in Greater Germany, a review issued
by Deputy Bacmelster, of the Prussian
Diet, a national liberal and annexa
tionist. The unashamed nakedness
with which the memorandum calls for
the dethronement of the Belgian roy?
al house, the exploitation of Belgian
resources and preparation for a new
war to follow the present struggle
shows that the document was never
intended for public view.
Von Bissing recognizes that Ger?
many can have little hope of making
j friends of Belgians after this war,
warns against "illusions of possible
reconciliation" and calmly counts up
the value of booty from Belgium and
the advantages of pocketing the coun?
try from a military, naval and eco
ncmic standpoint. He points out that
the offensive prosecution of the pres?
ent war was possible* only through
the invasion of Belgium.
The memorandum says that the
strategic aim of the present war in
to gain room for the concentration
and advance of German armies In t
new war against England and France
and that without the possession of
Belgium it is doubtful if the new war
could be prosecuted on an offensive
basis.
According to von Bissing the ab?
sorption of Belgium must not be dis?
closed at any peace conference. "Let
only the right of conquest speak," are
his words. In the Bissing Belgium
'there would be no room for King Al?
bert and his dynasty, and the mem?
orandum quoted approvingly the ad?
vice of. Machiavclll that, under such
circumstances a kirlg or regent should
b'j put out of the way, if necessary, by
death. Under the von Bissing scheme
Belgiifn industry is not to be killed en?
tirely, but is to be subjected to such
conditions as will permit Germany to
use it as a lever for fixing prices on
world market in German interests. In
the same way, Belgium'! coal supply
is to give Germany .an economic mom
oply on the continent.
Von Bissing foresees the necessity
for a continuance of his style of dic?
tatorship for many years, and says
that "reforms introduced must be
based on military might."
AIRPLANES RAID LONDON.
Fifteen German Air Craft Drop Bomb*
on City?Great Battle in Air.
London, June 13.?Fifteen hostile
airmen bombarded the east end of
London today. A large number of
British airplanes pursued the Ger?
mans, who flew over Essex to London.
A great battle occurred in the air.
One German airplane is reported to
have been brought down. A bomb
struck a school, killing ten and in?
juring fifty, according to the official
statement which said one prisoner
was killed and one hundred and
twenty-one injured in the city of
Iyondon alone. The casual list of the
Whole metropolitan area is yet un?
known. The congested sections of
the east end, where the poor reside
suffered heavily.
NAVAL OFFICER SUICIDES.
Lieut. Ruymond V. Harmon Found
Dead Near New York.
New York, June 1 I.?The body of
the man found shot yesterday on the
?st.ito of George W. Perkins, at Itiver
dale. New York, was Identified today
as thai of Lieut. Raymond Vincent
Ilannon, of the United states navy, it
Is believed he committed suicide/Han
nori was assigned to the destroyer
squadron which left here about May
1st for British waters. His where?
abouts since then has been unknown
to the navy.
COTTON CONSUMPTION REPORT.
< cn-us Bureau Announces Amount
Used by Mills During May.
Washington. June 14. -The census
bureau announced thai the cotton
consumed in May amounted, in round
numbers to 116,000 running bales
and for the ten months ending Mav
31st S.184.000, Cotton on hand May
.". 1st at consuming establishments, 1.
&99,00fl bales, and in public storage
warehouses and compresses, 1,0(1,000.
MORE REGULARS WANTED.
GOVERNMENT APPEALS FOR 70,
000 RECRUITS.
Many Needed for Infantry and Field
Artillery. War Department An?
nouncement Says.
Washington. June 12?The war de?
portment today called for 70,000 ad?
ditional recruits in order to till the
regular army to war strength before
Jim? 30.
"The cavalry, engineers, coast ar
tSltry. signal corps and quartermas?
ter corps of the regular army have
already been brought to war
strength," says an official statement.
"Forty-five thousand recruits are
needed at once to complete the new
regiments of infantry and field artil?
lery. Twenty-five thousand addi?
tional recruits are desired at the
earliest practicable date to fill vacan?
cies in order that the war strength
of 300,000 men may be obtained.
, "Facilities are in readiness for
placing these 70,000 men under
proper training. Any delay In ob?
taining this number will necessarily
ceuse the loss of invaluable time.
"It is the earnest desire of the war
department that 70,000 single men
between the ages of 18 and 4 0 who
h.' ve no dependents and who are not
engaged in professions, business or
trades vitally neces ary to the pros?
ecution of the war be enlisted in the
regular army before Ihe 30th of
June. 1917.
CHINA'S ADVISORS DISAGREE.
RriiMi and Japanese Counsellors of
President LI Yuan Hung Take Op?
posite Views.
Peking, June 11.?Dr. George Mor
>rison, who is a British subject, general
advisor to President Li Yuan Hung,
advised him in the strongest possible
manner not to dissolve the parlia?
ment, as Gen. Chang Hsun demanded.
Prof. Nagao Arga, the Japanese ad
! visor, said the dissolution would be
I legal.
ESPIONAGE HILL FINISHED.
Scute Sends Administration Rill to
White House After Amending it Bo
yond Recognition.
Washington, June 12.?After elim?
ination of the newspaper censorship
provision and making mVterial modi?
fications In other respects the senate
finally approved the administration
espionage bill and sent it to the White
House. There was no roll call.
DEFENSE COUNCIL AT WORK.
Coker ( alls Chairmen for Conference.
Columbia, June IS.?Headquarters
for the StMc council of defense have
been opened in Columbia and plans
arc bein,; outlined for the important
work which lies before the body.
David it. Coker of Hartsville, chair?
man of the council, who was in Co?
lumbia yesterday, issued a call for a
meeting of the executive committee
and the chairmen of other committees
to be held at the Jefferson hotel Fri?
day afternoon at 1.30 o'clock. .
The chairmen will at the meeting
Friday consider the various problem'
brought about by the war and before
many days all uni'.-. of the council will
begin work in earnest.
RUSSIAN MISSION ARRIVES.
New Ambassador and Tarty Land at
Pacific Port.
Washington, .lune 13.?The Russian
mission to the United States, headed
by Boris A. Bakhmetleff, as special
ambassador, has landed at a Pacific
port. The party consisting of about
forty members, will stop first at Beat?
I tic and proceed Immediately to Wash
i ington.
FRANCE'S WAR 'DEBT.
Chamber <>> Deputies Has Already
Voted <>nc Hundred Billion Francs.
Paris. June 12.?The reporter for
the budget committee of the chamber
Ol deputies today announced that the
chamber has already voted one hu:i
<lt?'<l billion francs in the war credit.
Tiiis Includes credits for the third
quarter of 1317 and seven billion
francs advanced ti France's allies
ATLANTIC LINER SUBMARINED.
(?< minus Sink Ship from Boston for
Liverpool.
Huston. June It, A German sub?
marine sank the Ley land liner Anglian
which left here May 80th for Liver
pool, according In a rnhlcgrnm to tb
Boston agents.
GREEK KING ABDICATES.
COIfSTANTINE i\\ys THE PEN?
ALTY FOR PRO-GERMAN
VIEWS.
Brothcr-in-Law of Kaiser Wilhelm
Forced by Entente Towers to Sur?
render Throne of Greece and Leave
Country?Step Taken Necessary to
the Safety of Allied Forces in Mac?
edonia.
Athens. June 12 (via Paris).?The
fall of Constantine I, king of the Hel
lenese has come. In response to the
demand of the protecting powers,
France, Great Britain and Russia, he
abdicated today in favor of his second
son, Prince Alexander.
This climax in the affairs of Greece
was brought about through the
agency of the French senator, M. Jon
nart, who has held posts in several
French cabinets and who arrived at
Athens only a day or two ago on a
special mission as the representative
of France, Great Britain and Russia.
M. Jonnart had previously visited Sa?
loniki and other points, and he lost
no time in getting into conference
with, the Greek premier. Alexander
Zaimis. The demands of the powers
respecting the abdication of King
Constantine also specifically eliminat?
ed Crown Prince George as his suc?
cessor, the crown prince being includ?
ed among those Greeks in official life
who were considered strongly pro
German.
Both the former king and Prince
George, it was announced today by
Premier Zaimis, intended) to leave the
country immediately. It is reported
that they will embark on a British
I warship and proceed to Switzerland
I by way of Italy. It is presumed
I Prince Alexander will take up hits
kingly duties with full acceptation of
the ideas which the protecting powers
j desire to be nut into effect in the gov?
ernment of Greece during the pres?
ent war. He is 24 years of age and
I has been freo from anti-entente pro
j clivitics.
Affairs in Greece, which several
'times since the outbreak of the war
j had seemed on the verge of a settle?
ment, recently have taken on such
an aspect of uncertainty that it be
Icame necessary for the powers to act
with decision. M. Jonnart was se?
lected to proceed to Athens for the
! purpose of laying before the premier
I the aims which France, Great Britain
and Russia had with respect to es?
tablishing unity of feeling among the
Greeks and greater security for the
DI tente forces engaged in operations
J in the East. While he informed the
premier that troops had been placed
at his disposal, he appealed to that
official to use his influence toward a
peaceful settlement. The troops, ac?
cording to M. Jonnart's instructions,
were not to land until the king h;id
given his answer.
M. Jonnart called upon Premier
Zaimis Monday morning and demand
ed in the name of the protecting pow?
ers the abdication of King Constantine
and the nomination of his successor
to the exclusion of the diadoque
(crown prince).
M. Zaimis recognized the disinter?
estedness of the powers, whose sole
object was to reconstitute the unity
of Greece under the constitution, but
he pointed out to M. Jonnart that a
decision could not be taken by the
king until after a meeting of the
crown council, composed of former
premiers.
It was not until 9.30 o'clock this
morning that the premier communi?
cated to the commissioner of the al?
lied powers the king's answer in the
following letter:
'The minister and high commission?
er of France. Great Britain and Rus?
sia: Having demanded by your note
of yesterday the abdication of his maj?
esty. King Constantine, ar th nomi?
nation of his successor, tne under?
signed, premier and foreign minister,
has the honor to inform your excel?
lency that his majesty, the king, ever
solicit ious for the interests of Greece,
has decided to leave the country With
the prince royal, and nominated
Prince Alexander as his successor.
(Signed) "Zaimis."
Prior to the announcement of the
king's decision many Greeks loyal to
tile crown gathered for the protection
of the sovereign. On Monday night
1,000 reservists formed a cordon
around the palace In his defense if
that should be necessary, a delegation
headed by Naval Commander Mav
romichaells was received by Constan?
tine and pledged the devotion of the
army and the people to his cause. The
king's only reply was an appeal that
they should remain calm.
All ?'Horts of agitators to start
manifestation failed, and the army ?f
licers announced their Intention t<?
WANT MANY MEN.
NEED 1,000 RECRUITS FOR 8EC?
OXD REGIMENT.
Tour Officers to Make Tour of State
in Machine Gun Trucks?Appeal to
Columbians.
Columbia, June y3.??trenuous ef?
fort to place the Second regiment on
war footing will be made during the
next several weeks. Plans for the
State-wide recruiting campaign were
considered last night at a conference
in the Governor's Guard armory of
officers of the regiment and Maj. John.
D. Frost, the assistant adjutant gen?
eral. There are now 54 officers and
1,047 men in the Second regiment.
Nearly 1.000 men are needed by the
regiment.
A mass meeting of all men of Co?
lumbia of military age will be held in
the Columbia theatre Friday night at
8.30 o'clock when the cause of re?
cruiting will be supported by several
well known speakers. Monday night
a mass meeting will be held at Olym?
pia and a meeting is to be held early
next, week in Brookland.
The officers will appoint a commit?
tee of four to make a trip through?
out the State in the machine trucks
to secure recruits. Many cities and
towns in the State will be visited and
mass meetings held. The itinerary
will be announced later.
"We are anxious .o fill up the regi?
ment," said an officer, "before the
draft law goes into effect. It is ex?
pected that the draft act will become
effective about July 25. We want
every male citizen of Columbia of
military age to attend the mass meet?
ing at the Columbia theatre Friday
night at 8.30 o'clock. An examining
surgeon will accompany the recruit?
ing party over the State. We hope
to have the regiment on war footing
before July 25."
The First and Second regiments
need about 1,500 men. The coast
artillery untis have been recruited
above war strength. The engineers
are at war strength.
On May 17 there were 31 officers
and 1,742 enlisted men not in the
federal sendee. On June 10 there
were 78 officers and 1,924 enlisted
men
There are now 54 officers and
1,573 enlisted men in the First regi?
ment. There arc 54 officers and 1,047
men in the Second regiment.
FREIGHT RATE INCREASE.
Intcr-Statc Commerce Commission
Working Hani to Complete Hear?
ing.
Washington, June 12.?The Inter- ?
State Commerce Commission is work?
ing hard to complete the hearing on
the fifteen per cent, freight rate In?
crease asked by the railroads. With
less than three weeks to make a de?
cision the committee has a great
mass of documents to review.
DAMAGE BY ARMY WORM.
Pest Invades Abbeville and Anderson
Counties.
Anderson, June 12.?S. M. Byars,
county demonstration agent, reports a
tremendous invasion of army worms
on all growing crops in the southern
part of Anderson county next to the
Abbeville line. The worms are doing
very destructive work and farmers
are organizing to combat them, work?
ing under the direction of Mr. Byars.
In Abbeville county, where the In?
vasion is greatest, many farmers ran
plows all through Sunday to put in
ditches around infected fields. Mr.
Byars says moths laid their eggs early
this spring on alfalfa and vetch, the
first growing crops, and the attacks
on these fields are more severe than
on other crops at this tine. The pests
are beginning to work on cotton and
corn.
BUD GETS PETROMTE. t
Armed American Steamer Sunk by
German U-boat. . ?
Washington, June 12.?A German
submarine succeeded in sinking thfl
American armed steamer Pet rollte.
Consular reports, which did not give
the location of the sinking, said a
boat with twenty men had landed
and two boats are missing. The
Petrollte carried ? rrew of thlrty
elght when she left New York for
Italy on April ,10th.
obej the order <?f the government to
|akc no part In any demonstrations
an l to maintain peace.
Agitators were *till attempting to
operate In the streets of Athens to*
night hut there were no disorders and
everythlnq lends to the belief that
th> re will i'c none.