Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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matt mid otrthiwii. mm* WATCHMAN, ErtnblUbed April, IBM ?um and IW not?t? an the ends Thon Attnat at Im thy OonaBr't, Tbj God'* u4 Timm." TSE TB ?B SOUTHRON, OoatoUdated Aug. 2,1881. 8UMTER, S. 0., SATURDAY, JULY 14. 1917. Vol.XLIV. No. 43. . II com m FOOD SPECULATORS. ?UCSB BY DEIFYING FOOD CONTROL IJDGIHLATION AIDS GAMBLERS. Fo?4 ilflssliilitrntr Sa>s Robbery of Omm Not be stopped With of Lr*tslatloa?Make* em Conditions to President. Washington. July 10.?A report on tho food situation prepared for Pres Ideal Wilson by Herbert Hoover, hold las; that both the farmer and the con ssunrtnw public are suffering while toed speculators make unearned pro ?ftts from the delsy In ensctment of food control legislation, was given out tonight at the White House. Unles* strong snd efficient government action Is Immediately taken, the food admin? istrator reported, the fa -mere will face a slump In wheat prices and consumer* will bo caught In a situa? tion even more serious than that which already Is resulting In "actual undernourishment" In the great con? suming centres. The speculator, It is Ose la red. is taking a large part of the prices now paid by consumers. "We are practically helpless to safe? guard either the farmer or the con? tainer.'* concludes Mr Hoover, "until the ponding legislation Is passed." Tho report. In the form of a letter to tho president, was Issued through tho public Information committee with the statement that publicity was given It "to order that the country may know how serious and far reaching the consequences may be both to the farmers of the country and to the consumers of the present delays In passing the pending food legislation.' No comment by the president ac eoenpaniod the report. Mr. Hoover's letter follows In port: "Door Mr. President: In response to your request I send you herewith the following notes compiled by myself and say. associates upon the present efjOoatlon with regard to wheat. I'*L The 1117 harvest promises to bushels. The normal international consumption and seed (assuming a carry over volume In 1118 as In 1017). to shout #00.000.000 bush Ola, thus leaving a theoretical export balance of 78.000.000 bushels Th? conservation measures srs already having a marked effect and It is not too much to hope that the national saving msy be 10.000.000 to 100.. 000.0S0 bushels. "I. The experience this year ;n tho rampant speculation. extortionate profits snd the prospect of even nar rower supplies than till harvest and carryover, must cause the deepest anxiety No better proof of the hard? ship worked upon our people during tho past year needs to bo adduced then the recitation of the fact that the producer receetved an average of $1.11 per bushsl for the 1918 wheat harvest; yet wheat has been as high as 18.28 at Chicago and the price of flour has been from tlms to time bas? ed upon this speculative price of wheat. "1. During recent months the al? lied governments havs consolidated thslr buying Into one hand in order that they might rellsvs the burden of speculation from their own con? sumers. ,nd as the restricted exports to neutrals sre but a minor Item, the export price. If not controlled. Is sub? ject to the will of the silled buyer, so that In s great measure the American producer Is left to that buyer's Judg? ment snd Is without voice. M4. With great reduction In the consumption of wheat bread now for? tunately In profress. the employment of our mills must be greatly diminish? ed so l with the reduction of domes? tic flour production our dally feed from wheat residues will be greatly curtailed. Therefore, we must In duos foreign buyers to accept flour Instead of wheat. "8. In order to do Justice to the producsrs who have msde a special effort to incresse production In 1917 it Is aheolutely vltsl that we shall pro? tect the fsrmer from slump in prices this ysar dus to a glut or from tho uncontrolisd decisions of any one buy? er I sm Informed that most of the nllled coun* '-s hsvs flxsd the prle of wheat to the fsrmer et $1.80 per bushel, and many of their producer? believe that as stiles It le our duty t fir muh whest st a price which when delivered to them will not exceed their dorn sot tc price?In other words about $1.80 per bushsl In Chicago. "Neither their responsible officers nor I hold this view, because I con eider that the stimulation to produc? tion If no ether reason Is In the Ion?, run lo tho Interest of the elites. "I. Tho peoprsed food admlnlstrn ' don has confer rid with many hun TRAITORS IN NUASKA. STATE COUNCIL OF DEFENSE NAMES PRO-GERMAN SYMPA? THIZER* Cliarges That Professors In State University and Leaden In Luther? an Church Gave Aid and Comfort to Enemy. Lincoln. Neb., July 11.?The Ne braska council of defense has Issued a sttaement charging; "certain pro? fessors in the University of Ne? braska and the conspicuous represen? tatives of the Lutheran church" in the state with "disloyal activity and pas? sivity that has tended to give aid and comfort to Germany as an enemy." PAPERS ASK GOVERNMENT RE? LIEF. Advocate Taking Over Print Paper Mills by Government to Break up Paper Tru^t. Minneapolis, July 11.?A resolution urging the federal trade commission to take over and operate American news print mills to reduce the prices was adopted by the National Editor? ial Association. REICHSTAG MUST WAIT. Imperial Chancellor Refuses to Give Any Information or to Make Prom? isee. Berlin, July 11.?Chancellor von Dethmann-Hollweg at meeting of the main retchstag committee declined to disclose the result of the meeting of the crown council. He asked the house to continue to have patience. SHOES BOUGHT FOR ARMY. Contract Iiet for 2,175,000 Pairs at $1.73 Pair. Washington. July 10.?Contracts for 2,176,000 pairs of army shoes at an average price of $4.73 a pair have Just been award*. J by the quarter? master's division of the war depart? ment, '/ The awards Include 960 pairs of marching shoes and 1,225,000 pairs of field shoes. Agreements with twenty-nine manufacturers call for the completion of all deliveries before the end of the year. dred patriotic men engaged in pro? duction and distribution and has in? vestigated the condition of the con? sumers in many centres as well. Three facts are plain enough from our investigations. "First, that in this situation the farmer will need protection as to the price of wheat; and, second, that large maaeee of people In the consuming I centres are being actually under? nourished today due to tho exorbitant cost of living; and these conditions, unless some remedy be found, are likely to repeat themselves in even more vicious form at this time next year; third, the speculator, legitimate or vicious, has taken a large part of the money now being paid by the consumer. "7. It seems to be overlooked in some quarters that the marketing of this year's wheat is surrounded with circumstances new to history and that the old distributing safeguards are torn away by isolation . rom the reciprocal markets abroad and the 'extinction of a free export market and free export transportation. "The harvest has begun to move and from those very causes the price of wheat has begun to drop and If the farmer Is to sell his wheat, either 'the speculator must return to the (market to buy and carry on not only the normal flow from the farmer in excess of domestic and foreign re? quirements, but also the glut due to I the restriction upon the outlet to the latter. He must necessarily change his toll to the producer and the con? sumer, and this latter probably upon a more extensive scale than last year, as his risks will be greater. "Practically the export buyer must fix hi* own price for export wheat from the sole outlook of hin own clients and In execution of his duty he will. In all normal circumstances, follow the market down by buying only his time to time requirements. "Or, on the other hand, the govern? ment must buy the surplus wheat at some reasonable minimum price, al? lowing the normal domestic trade of the country to proceed with proper safeguards against speculation. We are practically helpler* to safeguard either the farmer or the consumer un? til the pending legislation is passed. "I remain. "Your obedknt servant. "Herbert Hoover." Wm DEFENSE COUNCIL CLUB LEADERS ENLISTED TO FORM PERMANENT ORGAN IZATION. Meeting to Be Held at Winthrop Col? lege Thunuhv *o Pcrfcet Plan? to Assist Mr. Hoover In Food Conscr vatlon Campaign. Columbia, July 11.?Mrs. Louise Maycs, of Greenville, has been ap? pointed temporary chairman of the South Carolina division of the Wo man's Council of National Defense, land she has called a conference of the leading women of the State to be held next Thursday at Winthrop College. In connection with this un? dertaking, Mrs. Mayes has issued the following statement: "The organisa? tion of the South Carolina division of the Woman's Council of National De? fense will be perfected at . Winthrop College on Thursday, July 12. The presidents of all State-wide women'3 organisations are urged to be pres? ent and co-operate with Mrs. Louise Maycs, temporary State chairman, in effecting a strong and permanent or? ganisation, which will be able to as? sist Mr. Hoover and cany out the pro? gram of food conservation and nat? ional defense as suggested from time to time by our National Council of Defense, composed of the secretaries of war, navy, interior, agriculture, la? bor and commerce. "These State division of the Wo? man's Council of Defense are under the supervision and direction of the national council, and we hope in this way to bring together in friendly and efficient co-operation the D. A. R., U. D. C.. Daughters of 1812, Federation oj Woman's Clubs, W. T. C. U? Order of the Eastern Star, King's Daugh? ters, Pythian Sisters, Red Crons, and any other organization wishing to do patriotic service. The national coun? cil wishes a registration of the wo? men of the country, and it is thought in this co-operative scheme there will be less confusion and needles* over? lapping. "The chief lines of effort which the1 committee will undertake when fully organized are: 1. Registration. 2. Food production and conserva? tion and its temporary storage and distribution. 3. Women in industry, with par? ticular attention to the preservation of the best standards. I 4. Training women for special ser? vice as the needs develop. 6. Preservation of those inner de? fense of our national life, both ma? terial and spiritual, which, if allowed I to weaken, must weaken the entire I national structure. "However, for the present the su? preme effort will be devoted to food production and conservation, j "It is literally true that there will not be enough food in the world to maintain the population if present methods are followed. With these facts in view, we wish to enroll throughout the United States a league of women who will pledge themselves to carry out the wishes of the pres? ident, the national government and the food administration. The State Council of Defense have been asked qby the National Council and Mr. Hoover to print and circulate food pledges. This request will be com? plied with by the South Carolina di? vision In a very few days. "Every possible means of distribut? ing these food pledges will be used. Much publicity, we trust, will be given this mutter by the press of the State, the schools and women's organiza? tions. Since the purchasing, prepara? tion and conservation of food lie In the domain of women almost exclu? sively, It is clear that leadership in this matter must be turned over to them. "After these pledges are signed and sent to Mr. Hoover in Washing? ton there will be returned to each signer a "household tag" to be placed In the window of the house to show that the members of the household have volunteered for service. The food administration will from time to time Issue to the signers of the pledge simple instructions for the preservation of household waste and definite Information as to the particu? lar food most necessary to be con nerved. "It should bo clearly understood that the signing of this food pledge us requested by Mr. Hoover will not in uny way Interfere With the registra? tion of women for war service, which will he also he undertaken by the State division of the women's council nt an early date, "There was never a greater chal? lenge to the womanhood of the coup* KOTE ON FOOD BILL. SENATE FAILS TO MAKE HASTE DESPITE PRESIDENTS PLEA FOR QUICK ACTION. Vote Agreement Secured Only After l>emoerat.s Promised to Drop Dras? tic Features. I Washington. July 10.?A senate j agreement to vote on President Wil? son's food control bill on July 21, five weeks after its submission to congress as an urgent war measure, was fol? lowed today by issuance from the White House a detailed report by Her? bert C. Hoover declaring that both the farmers and the public are threatened with serious losses unless food con? trol authority is given quickly to the federal government. Democratic senators secured the agreement for a vote only after they had consented to strip the bill of some of its more drastic features, including the stringent prohibition provisions and the cotton control plan. So far reaching was the revision demanded, in fact, that all day conferences of the Democratic steering committee and the agricultural committee resulted in presentation of a substitute of the en? tire measure. The provisions of the substitute bill, it is expected, will be agreeable to the president in the main. It follows gen? erally the lines of the administration bill as originally introduced, with power to control other industries be? sides food and fuel eliminated. It would prohibit manufacture of dls i tilled liquors without provision for government purchase of existing stocks, and would place in the presl ! dent's hands the power and responsi? bility to decide whether prohibition shall be extended to beer and wine. There was no comment on Mr. Hoo i ver'B report available at the White House, but the fact of its publication at this time was regarded as another , evidence of President Wilson's disap? pointment over the failure of congress to act. He repeatedly has sought tc Impress upon leaders the importance * of quick enactment of the legislation Any plan which can be acted on quickly, provided it embodies the ele? mentary principles of the administra? tion program, is expected to have White House support. The control bill now has been before the senate more than two weeks and the food survey bill, another administration measure, has been held up in conference since early In June. With the whole legislative plan upset in the senate, the leaders ex? pressed doubt tonight whether action can be taken under any circumstances before Saturday of next week, the date set for the vote. The substitute bill drawn by Chairman Gore of the agri? culture committee was taken up by the committee as soon as it was sub I mitted and some progress made in its J consideration. Senator Chamberlain, who has had charge of the bill, secured the agree? ment for a vote, stubbornly denied heretofore by the opposition, after he had given assurance of radical revis? ion. Later he withdrew the motion filed yesterday proposing to invoke for the first time the Senate cloture rule. The Gore substitute provides that the government control proposed shall be limited to foodstuffs, feed and fuel, the original purposes of the legisla? tion, and not include steel, iron, cot? ton and many other products added during congressional consideration. It would authorize federal requisition? ing and operation of coal mines, limit federal licensing to concerns engaged in handling or producing foodstuffs or fuels, authorize purchase and sale at reasonable prices of foodstuffs and fuels, fix a guaranteed minimum prtc3 of $1.50 per bushel for wheat and cre? ate a salaried board of food adminis? tration, subject to senate confirma > tion. The prohibiton section of the sub? stitute would forbid manufacture, im? portation or exportation of distilled beverages during the war and would authorize the commandeering by the government, "if necessary," to secure try than that made by the president of the 1'nited States for the voluntar> enrollment In this league for food conservation, says Dr. Anna Howard Shaw. Chairman of the Woman's Nat? ional Council. It is the devotion. courage and economy of the women of France today that Is largely help? ing to keep her armlet In the field. We believe American women wir arise to the needs of the hour and stand shoulder to shoulder with th?> women <>f Ihe allied powers in safe? guarding human rights end makinrt the xvmhl a safe place for democ? racy." BRITISH HARD PRESSED. GERMANS LAUNCH DETERMINED OFFENSIVE IN BELGIUM IN DIRECTION OF DUN? KIRK. British Driven Back Six Hundred Yards on Fourteen Hundred Yard Front?Bridges Across Y'ser River Destroyed by Bombardment and British Cannot Bring up Reinfor? cements?Situation Muy lie Serious for Allies on This Section of Front ?Russians Maintain Offensive and Capture of Lemberg May Soon Fol? low Continuation of Drive. Just as the Russians tore a big gap In the Austro-German line in the east, capturing Halles, the Germans started a menacing offensive against the British in Belgium. They drove the British back six hundred yards on a ' fourteen hundred yard front, after levelling their defenses by a twenty four hour bombardment which de? stroyed bridges across the Yser, there? by preventing the British from bring? ing up reinforcements. This may be only a local movement, but it indi? cates possibly a determined offensive to bend the British flank and reach Dunkirk, seventeen miles away. Re? ports indicate that the battle is still in progress. If the Russians maintain the pres? sure that they have sustained for the last ten days the fall of Lemberg may be expected at no distant date. The captur of Halicz is only an incident in the drive, but it opens the way to the capital. I Fifteen Hundred Prisoners Taken. Berlin, July 11.?More than fifteen hundred prisoners have been taken by the German marine corps in the Bel? gian thrust, it is officially announced. AIRMEN BOMBARD FLEET. London, .Tj'y 11.?British airmer attacked enemy lleet off Constantino i pie, dropping bombs on the Turkisl i cruiser which was formerly the Ger? man ship Goeben. Explosions and fires , resulted. ROOT COMING HOM& , Commission Will Not Stop In Japai us Information Is Needed in Wash? ington Concerning Condition in Russia. Washington, July 11.?The Ameri? can mission is coming directly home instead of stopping in Japan as had been suggested. The presence of jElihu Root in Washington is needed to give information gained in Russia. EXPLOSIONS IN CHICAGO. Three Bombs Set Off?One Killed and One Fatally Injured. Chicago, July 11.?Three bomb ex? plosions which occurred today in widely separated places in the Soutli Side resulted in one death, one fatal injury and great damage to scores of buildings. The police charge two to "Blackhand" and the other to labor troubles. industrial alcohol. The president would be authorized to limit or pro? hibit manufacture malt, ferment and vinous beverages. Leaders tonight expressed confi? dence that some such a con.promise provision would be adopted In lieu of the senate prohibition section and the so-called Smoot amendment, which is unsatisfactory to both "wets" and "drys." The agriculture committee tonight tentatively reviewed several sections of the substitute, including the pro? vision to fix a guaranteed minimum price of $1.50 for wheat producers, and will continue work tomorrow. Agreement for a final vote on the leg? islation July L'l came after virtually every senator became convinced that the bill could not be passed without substantial revision. Many amendments were offered be? fore the unanimous consent agree? ment was reached, including one h) Senator Norrie, proposing that the liquor legislation should be perma? nent, instead of operative only during the war. During the debate Herbert C. Hoo? ver was criticised by Senator Reed as "a calamity howeler" In making pub? lic statements regarding the food sit? uation. The substitute bill would make tin secretary of agriculture and two oth ere. appointed by the president, with the senate's approval, members of th^ food board, with power to cooperate sr Ith representatives of governments it war With Germany to buy. sell, ??tore nnd distribute foods, feeds and fuel. TEN THOUSAND PRISONERS. RUSSIANS WINNING ASTONISHING SUCCESS IN GALICIA. They are Driving A ustro-Germans Out of Strong Positions and Have Captured Many Prisoners snd Mili? tary Stores. Petrograd, July 11.?The Russians have reached the Poslecz-Lesiuvka Kosmacz line. . In the fighting betwoen Sunday and Tuesday In the direction i of Delina the Russians took more than ten thousand prisoners snd eighty guns. A MAGAZINE TRUST. | Complaint Mied by Federal Trade j Commission Charging Unfair Bosl ! ncss Methods and Stifling Competi i tion. Washington, July 11.?Formal com? plaint against the Curtis Publishing Company has been issued by the fed? eral trade commission, charging un? fair business practices and stifling competition by refusing to sell their publications to dealers selling com? petitor's publications. RAILROADS MORE PROSPEROUS. Southern Railways Earned Half Mil? lion More hi May Than They Did Last Year. Washington, July 11.?The earnings of southtern railroads increased more than half a million in May, 1917 over the same month last year, according to reports to the Interstate Commerce Commission. SAYS RUSSIA IS ALL RIGHT. Root Mission Completes Surrey of New Democracy. Petrograd, July 10.?The American commission, headed by EHJfcu^Root, has completed a monthygTurvey^^t all phases of the Husi/un situation and is confident Jn^ the/ v??n?f the na? tion will succgdK|iy"emerge from Its civil^in^r?"encies and be able to re* T3frect its forces in the war. The optimistic conclusions are not derived alone from consultations with the governmental heads. The mem? bers of the commission who came in frequent contact with the popular delegates, the peasants delegates or any of the various other elements of the complex proletariat organism have expressed the opinion that beneath the feverish conflicts of words and am? biguity of terms, which are the nat? ural result of the newly acquired right of free speech, there lay a patriotic purpose not essentially different from that of other democracies at war with atocratic ideas. The question of the food supply is in the opinion of the commission the most important problem confronting the country, and unless some means is immeditaely taken to improve the transport, fall and winter will see famine in many places. Mr. Root has made the following statement to the Associated Press: "The mission has accomplished what it came here to do, and wc are great? ly encouraged. We found no organic or incurable malady in the Russian democracy. Democracies are always in trouble, and we have seen days just as dark in the progress of our own. "We must remember that a people in whom all conservative effort has been suppressed so long cannot so soon develop a genius for quick action. The first stake is necessarily one of debate. The solid, admirable traits in the Russian character will pull the nation through the present crisis. Natural love of law and order and ca? pacity for local self-government have been demonstrated every d .y since the revolution. The country's most serious lack is money and adequate transportation. We shall do what we can to help Russia in both." CRISIS IN GERMANY. Crown Council Did Not Succeed in Se ttling Party strife in Reichstag. Copenhagen. July 11.?The after? noon nssrspapers assume that the agreement reported between all par? ties In the reichstag, excepting tho extreme Socialists and Conservatives, is based on a joint declaration of [Mace terms in accordance with the shancellor'a declarations in I9t4 and ntornal reforms. The chancellor ben asid this was not a war of con IttOSt The National I .them Is. how? ever, later repudiated the peace fea ure and the success of the movement teems to be threatened. The cbancel ?r was sharply criticised.