Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

mm outhron. ?CUTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. "Be torn and Fear not?M an the codi Thon Alnu't at be thj Country'!, Thy God't aad Ttuh-a." THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Efbltohed Jans, 1M Oootolidated Auk. 2,1881. 8UMTER. 8. C. WEDjnESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12. 1917. VoLXLV. NO. 8. AMERICA AMAZES LONDON. NWKDlHll DIPLOMATIC REVKLA TIONS CACHE HEN NATION. Work of Intermediary Accredited to Argentina aUpoeod by Mo to Do" pert meat. London, 8opt. I.?The state depart? ment's revelations of a Swedish diplo? mat la Argentina acting as an Inter snerfiary for transferring German mes sagss to Berlin has created one of the grsaloat International sensations of the war. The development itself Is not, howfver. a great surprise, the chief surprise being that the officials were able to discover the messages as they did the Zimmermann note laat winter of the overtures to tho Mexican government. The Swedish government, with the mcnarchy, arlatocracy und the army officers, has been strongly pro-Gar- j man In tho present war and Queen j Victoria In aeveral utterances has proclaimed her German sentiment aa ?tn>ng!y aa any countiy could. The 8w id.sh people, on the other hand, are reported as leaning strongly agnlntt Germany In tho more recent stages of the war. Sweden's lsaning toward Germany wti regarded as a natural com ple? asant to her old fear of the Rusatan autocracy. The im preset on has been Current In Kngland throughout the war that Germany was obtaining moon Information of military move? ments. w|ch could not b? secured through ordinary spies. > , The belief that Lord Kitcheners death wh?n the Hampshire went down was the result of Information transmitted to Germany of his depar? ture has twen persistent for many days and It Is a known fact that at least his plans were known and dls euosod at i Inner tablea in high society before he started. Compline enta to American diplo gsaery for the skill displayed In obtain, tng the nvMesge are a 'part of all the comment on the affair. Incidentally there la much discussion as to wheth? er In view of the British and Argen? Unf anporlences with Sweden th? right of sending code messages shoul I be given to neutral diplomats dur lag the war. ?The discovery and tecipherlng or the presset series of telegrams Is due to the wstchfulness and skill of the American Intelligence service." says The Sunday Observer. Tho Observe states that It received this Informa? tion from "trustworthy eourccs." Th0 newspaper continues: "It must cause some ground for N flection to the Germun government that one of the first acts of the new enemy, whose activities and value In the prosecution of tho war they have affected to despise, has been to expo<c> a procedure which affords damaging evidence to themse'ves and against the neutral government which It Is char? itable to regard as their dupe. "The contents of the published tele? grams can not but show neutral gov? ernments the amount of faith they put In German promises and Genna 1 coneesslona The accredited repre? sentative of the German empire Bj1 Buenos Ayres while actually enjoy? ing the hoepltallty of the Argentine Republic Is aeon advocating the de? liberate murder of Argentine subject* on the high seas In order thut tho sinking of Argentine ships by Germun ?u>>marinea should leave no trace which would make their crime know 1 In Argentina und to muke an enem ? of that country. ?Thla la no alngle Instance. 'Spur loa versenkt.' Is a conalatont policy which la deliberately carried Into ef feet In an attempt to hide from nou tral countries the resulta of unrestrict? ed submarin* warfare and other na? tions thsn Argentina, auch na Norw iv In particular know It Is to their cost. "A further point of interest is the assurance apparently >?lvon by the Ar? gentine government that Argentine ships will In future ? nly clear as far as L** Palmas. In other words, the pretended I nmunltv for Argentln l ships, accorded with a show of mag . nanlmlty by the German government Is a pure farcO.' ' it will be Interesting to bear wha* Argent*ne public opinion will gay when It now learns the real na? ture of the 'diplomatic victory* which the Argentine government claims t I have gained." Reports from the battle front sho \ little activity. The Germans no-nit the British have forced them bach near llariclcourt In llelglum Mid 'ba? the F>en? h made I h??m retire In Macedonia. Tbov ? l.iim tT1 if Ihoy I I ter retook llnr^iconrl position. Th t* >i?tn? and eVeWtrtans are stUI fighting flerceh. but no decision has |>?>en reached at Monte San Qggftgtw ONLY MINOR BATTLES. GERMAN IIHIVE IN RUSSIA AP? PARENTLY HALTED. Will Not Risk General Invusion of Russia ?t Till? Season?(icrmun At? tacks Repulsed on Alsiio?Austrittns Recover Ground. Despite the retreat of the Russians on the Riga front there are indica? tions that tho German drive , in this section has nearly reached the limit. German military writers say the Ger? mans will hardly risk advancing fur? ther because of tho lateness of the season. It Is intimated they will be sat is (led with safeguarding what they have won. Unofficial dispatches say the Russians defending the Dvinsk line are showing better fighting spiri than those on any other front. The absence of important cooperation by the German navy and army lends col or to the report that the German ad vance is about to halt. Petrograd reports that German craft have again been seen in the Gulf of Rlsa, but apparently are on! trawlers accompanying the subma? rines. They were driven otf by (fee coast artillery. There have been only local infantr. operations on the Franco-Belglat front. i Paris reports that the Germans mado unsuccessful attacks on th< Lorraine, east Rheims and Aism front. ? i Vienna says the Austrlans regain? ed all ground lost In the Hermad ? section and took six thousand prison ers. Berlin reports that the French re? sumed the offensive in the Verdun section on a front of twenty miles, bu were repulsed. It also states that Russians are entrenching at Riga from West Venden. BOMB MAKING PLANT POUND. High Explosives are Found In Hot*ik? on House After Bomb Blows OfT Roof?Police Capture Man In Flight From Scene Who Admits That He is or German Birth. ? Hoboken, ft J., Sept. 8 ?What ap peared to be a fully equipped bom making plant was disclosed to the po lice tonight when an explosion bleu off the roof of u small building o. Third street as two detectives wer? passing. A man who lied from th structure was seised by one of th officers. He gave the name of Rober Lichcnfeldt and his age as 53 years He admitted he is of German birth. The tire which followed the explo? sion was quickly extinguished withou additional damage from the danger ous contents of the structuro, whic.' Is situated in a thickly populated sec tion. Police reserves removed the bomb making ingredients, which include, bottles of sulphuric acid, muriati acid, sulphate of iron, nitroglycerin and several pans of white powder. The plrnt was elaborately equipped On a work bench were nevcral chem? ists' scales, mortars for fixing pur poses, a bellows and fivo jjas jets. The supply of explosives was said by th police ,to be fully as complete as tha' found in a Riser Street hotel in Feb ruary when Hans Schwartz and Frit' Kolb were arrested. Llchenfeldt was held under tb technical charge of being a disorder ly person. When lichcnfeldt was qucstlond by Chief of Police Hayes he profehseT Ignorance of tho bombs and explo slves. He explained that ab< 10 1 years ago he was engaged in the bus i ineas of melting old gold and silvei J but rotlred some time ago. Recontl> however. he declared bis wife goi tired of hiving him around the house doing nothing and he decided to go Into business again. Llchenfeldt assorted that all the supplies seized by the police were purchased for a legitimate purpose. I He said he was melting some gold in a crucible at a temperature of 100 d( gres Fahrenheit* and that when h< dropped another piece of gold intb the crucible there was an explosion This w;?s a common occurrence, lp protested. The man was paroled until Mondav morning when he will be araiem d. Ir. the meantime the police Inquiry will be continued. Voting Toda> on Woman Suffiag \ Portland. Sept. 10.?Mnino |? voting today on the eonstituti ua< amendment granting woman suffiage. A light vote is expected. Then, again, yon might say tint a street car motor ma n is in service at tin- front. -Greenwood Index, MAIM RESIGNS JOB. QUITS COLLECTORSHIP BECAUSE MILITANTS WERK JAILED. Says Wunu'ii Rcelcctcd President Af? ter lie Had Promised to Use His In? fluence for Suffrage. Washington, Sept. 7.?Dudley Fieid Malone, customs collector at New York, tendered his resignation to President Wilson today in protes'. against the failure of the president to udvocate passage of the federal sur? frage amendment and because he per? mitted tho imprisonment of women who have been picketing the White House. Mr. Malone, who as counsel de? fended the first of tho militants ar raigned in police court here, told the president in his letter of resignation that in as much as he had promised the women of the suffrage States that he would exert all his energy to have the national democratic administra tlon indorse suffrage by constitution? al amendment, he felt obliged to re? sign and devote himself to redeemiiv; that promise. In quitting the office of collector of the port of New York Mr. Malone leaves one of the best paid positions in the government service. He is : son-in-law of Former Senator O'Cior man. His letter of resignation, after reviewing his campaign in the su frage States last fall, naid: "And if the women of the Wfesi voted to reelect you I promised them I would spend all my energy, at any sacrifice to myself, to get the present democratic administration to pass the j federal suffrage amendment. But th j proeent policy of tho administration in permitting splendid American wo I men to be sent to jail in Washington I not for carrying offensive banners n<<' for picketing, but on the technica' charge of obstructing tratilc. is a d > nial even of their constitutional right to petition and demand the passag of the federal suffrage amendment. 1 therefore becomes my profound obb gution actively to keep my promise to the women of the West. "Hi more than 2Q States it is a prac? tical impossibility to amend the StJte constitutions, so the women of those States can only be enfranchised by the passato of the f?deral suffrage I amendment. Sinee England and Uns sia In the midst of the great war have assured the national enfranchisement of their women, should we not be jealous to maintain our democratic leadership in the world by the speedy national enfranchisement of Amerl cn women? To me. Mr. President, as I urged upon you in Washington two months ago, this la not only a measure of jdstice and democracy, it is also an urgent war measure The women of 'he nation are/and always will be loy al to the country and the passage of the suffrage amendment is only th" f'rst step towards the"V national eman? cipation. "But u nlrss the government taken at least this1 first step towards *heir enfranchisement, how can the 'o. eminent ask millions of American wo? men educated in our schools ?and col ;o^e3 and millions of American wo? men in our homes or toiling for the economic Independence in every lin > of industry, to give up by conscrip? tion their men and happiness to a war for democracy in Europe, while thes ? women citizens are denied the right to ?'ote on the principles which demand Of them such sacrifices? "For this rear/in many of your most ardent friends and supporters feel I that the passage of the federal suf? frage amendment is a war measure which could appropriately be urged by you at this session of congress. It will hearten the mothers of the na? tion, eliminate a just grievance and ' turn the devoted energies of brilliant 1 women to a more hearty support of the government In this crisis." i Turning to his work as collector of the port. Mr. Malone continued: "Hut now I wish to leave these I finished tasks to reurn to my prot'es ?Ion of the law and to give all my leisure time to fight as hard for Un? political freedom of women as I have always fought for your liberal leader Ship. "it seems a long seven years, Mr President, siace I first ca mpaigno 1 with you when you were running for governor of New Jcracy, in every circumstance throughout those years i have served you with the most re ppectful affection .and unshadowed de? votion, it is no small sacrifice now for me. as a member of your adminis? tration, to sever our political relation? ship inn i think i; \n hl,*rh time thai no n in this generation at some cost ?.i themselves >ti up in battle for the national enfranchisement of American women. So in order to ef? fectively keep my promises mado in BIGjfiAITOB HUNT. MANY INDICTMENTS OF PROPA? GANDISTS EXPECTED AS NEXT DEVELOP? MENT. Aritl-Draft Demonstrations, More La? bor Disturbances to Cripple War In? dustries, Continued Preachment of Anti-Ally Sentiment ami Other Ac? tivities Planned. Wshingte'n, Sept. 7.?Numerous in? dictments for conspiracy to thwart ! the government's war plans and tie j its hands In many ways appear to bp in prospect as a result of Wednes? day's nationwide raids of lndustria' I Workers of the World'a oltlces ,by de? partment of justice agents. Evidence is fast accumulating to support the belief that a gigantic con? spiracy has existed for some time] past to cripple the government in car-1 rying on the war, that its ramifica? tions have extended into virtually! every State and that numerous anti? war activities which appeared to ! emanate frcm many sources in real* ], Ity had their fountain head in a single (group of concpirators. Anti-draft demonstrations, crippling I of war industries by socalled labor I disturbances and by violence, bur n I ing of crops and continuous preach , ment of anti-ally sentiment with oth , er activities tended to embarrass th' I government and retard the exercise o" its full strength in prosecuting the war, appear from recent disclosures to ; have been included within the scope j of the alleged conspiracy. Into the formation and the work? ings of this alleged conspiracy the dc .partmcnt of justice has begun an in .quiry more comprehensive, it is said, than any launched since the country's entry into the war. How closely the anti-war activities and propaganda have been int?r-rc!at ' ed is to be determined largely by the i federal grand jury at Chicago which Is investigating documents seized by government agents in their raids i Wednesday of I. W. W. and Socialist I offices of that c ity and throughout th j country. Indications are that the al? leged conspiracy originated in Chicago j and for some time was actively di? rected from that city. There also arc I indications that Gorman money fin? anced, in part, this propaganda, that j German funds were spent freely in many ways to further the ends of the conspirators and of the many persons , believed to be actively Identified in carrying on the work, few knew thr source of financial support. The grand jury inquiry will not be confined, from present indications, t , Chicago. Cnited States- attorneys who have not accumulated documen ? tary evidence which apparently sup ! ports the theory of a great conspir? acy arc said to be few in number. I is probable that much of this evi? dence will be presented later to grand ' juries. So vast is the accumulation of seiz ! ed papers, checks and literature of all i kinds, that the bulk still lies unsifted j and th" ?ist and significance of their j eontraota probal ly will not be reachcel , for several elava. William C. Pitta, the assistant at i torney general, who conceived the l Idea of an inouiry and a nation wide j seizure of I. W. W. pacers at a pr? I arranged hour, devoted virtually his i entire time today to consideration o? I reports from all sections of the coun i try. "The resu'ts are very satisfying." I was all that Mr. Pitts would say. : "Th" government's hands have been greatlv strengthened by the seizure of papers in eonteniplated proceedings I .-'gainst persons identified with the T. i W. \V. and others whose activities have been for somo time under sur velllanco. Many of these documents are raid to relate to labor disturbances in the West and Pacific Northwest. _______ COTTON GINN El IS* REPORT. Ginniiigs to September 1st Loss Than Last Year. Washington. Sept. 8.?The cotton ginned prior to Sept. 1st amounted to 905,000 bales, counting round as half bales, the census bureau announced today. Last yaftr to the same time 850,000 bales were ginned. South Carolina has ginned IT.SOa bales of this year's crop. Rome, Sept. 8.?Only three Italian ships wore sunk during the week end? ing Sept. 2, it is officially announced. West and more freely to go into this Inrger field of democratic effort, l hereby resign my office as collector of <!).? porl of New York, to take effeel at once or at your earliest conven? ience." MEETING AT BETHEL. FIRST OF TOWNSHIP MEETINGS IN COUNTY CAMPAIGN. People Show Interest in Plan to In crease \\ heat and Oat Acreage? Good Roads Also Topic of Interest. The first of the series of township meetings in this county under the auspices of the Sumter County Coun- j eil of Defense and the Sumter Cham* i ber of Commerce, in the whirlwind campaign to induce increased acreage of wh^at, oats, fall gardens and win? ter cover crops was held at Bethe! school house last night. A gratifying feature of the meeting was the num? ber of ladies and young women and young men who were present. Mr. J. M. Kolb, ot the Privateer township committee of the County Council presided. Chairman A. C. Phelps of the Sum? ter County Council of Defense opened the program with a very interesting and instructive discourse touching up on the great world-wide war and the ' reasons why the United States had to enter the conflict. He eloquently i sounded the notes of warning a handed down by President Woodrov. Wilson and the National State Coun? cils of Defense. Farm Demonstrator J. Frank Wil? liams followed Chairman Phelps in a practical and interesting discussion re 1 garding farm organization for the next twelve months, and pointed out the importance of winter cover crops. ? winter gardens, special soil prepara? tion, systematic marketing of cotton and other instructive points- about ag? ricultural pursuits. He stressed val? ue of better public highways and co? operative activities to secure same. Mr. H. D. Tindal, of Tindal, Priva j teer township, First Vice President of the Sumter County Council of Defense interestingly discussed the Sumter County highway situation. Mr. Tin ! dal in speaking of the poor roads of some sections of the county, Priva ! teer township particularly, though' 1 that the only way this township will ' ever have the super\isor to build j good roads therein is to elect a super j visor from Privateer township gn i that he could follow the custom of other supervisors and county commis i sinners in building good roads in their : own townships and near their own homes- or other property interests. H*? thought that if Privateer could se 1 cure a supervisor for one term o" four years that township would be pretty well provided for in better highways. ', S. D. Cain very forcibly pointed out the necessity of additional inter? est in the formation of farm loan asso ciations in order to secure cheaper money on longer terms from the Farm Loan banks to enable to ten? ants to purchase their own homes, i and to enable owners of farms to lm I prove same by fencing for livestock pasturage, dairy cattle, and otherwise ! improving their farms to get ready fo , the cotton boll weevil and for perma? nent diversification and "live at home" j methods. Mr. B. i. Rsardon, Secretary or the ! Sumter County Council of Defense spoke of the meeting in Sumter nex' Monday to organize a cooperative marketing association to systematical ' ly market grain and perishable pro ' dbce in order to secure legitimate pro iits nnd to induce thousands of dol i ! lars to live at home, board at home and work at the same place. He re ! ferred to the importance of safe? guarding the public health in the ru ral districts*. He said every dollars worth of pro duce sold at home from the farms means a dollar kept in Sumter coun? ty for redistribution among home peo? ple. He gave facts regarding the very probable high prices for tobacco din? ing the next two or three years, and urged not only farm owners to plant limited acreages of tobacco, but to ln Blst upon and assist their tenants and share croppers to plant tobacco SO that the farmers- might be able to be? gin depositing money, or purchasing Liberty Bonds to meet the shock inci? dental to the reaction following the war. Mr. J. M. Kolb closed the meeting with a very urgent appeal for cooper? ation between the farmers and the Other business men. He urged every farmer to join the Tri-County Farmer , Cotton Marketing Association, and to attend the meeting next Monday to form the cooperative produce mar? keting association. Mr. Kolb stressed the Importance of every farmer helping his tenants and share croppers to produce sad (dent food nnd feed stuffs, and re? ferred to the groat results accomplish? ed i>v I he township cooperative a tlvltles brought about by the Sumter County Council i?f Defense and the POSTMASTER AM) POLICEMAS HELD OX LYNCHING CHARGE. Meek McGlll ami Ca ion LeUlmoiv Ar IfMDj for Complicity In Negro Preacher's Dcuth. York, Sept. 7 - -Meek McGill, aged 35, postmaster or Hickory Grove, who is also a weil Known merchant of that place, and Carson Lattimore, aged l'4? policeman of Hickory Grove, weie lodged in the York County jail this afternoon, charged with com? plicity in the lynching of the negro preacher, W. T. Sims, who was put to death near here on August 2 4. The arrest of these well known citizens of western York created a sensation. Dick Norman, who was arrested some days ago on the same charge but who was subsequently released on $1,000 bond, Is reported to have told all the details of the lynching, though no confirmation of the report can bo secured from officers here. Several other arrests are expected before the grand jury meets next Mon? day. \V. T. Sims was a negro preacher J about 59 years of age who had charge of a church near Sharon, York Coun? ty. He was- put to death by a mob on the night of August 23, five miles west of York, where he was spending the night at the home of Bob Burris. Several shots were fired into his body and he was brutally beaten, from which he died five hours later. Since then a number of white men and ne? groes have been arrested and placed in the York jail charged with taking ; part in the crime. The coroner's jury which investigated Sims' death returned a verdict that he came to his death at the hands of parties un ? known to the jury. STORM IN CARIBBEAN SEA. Cautionary Notice Issued to Vessels for Those Waters. Washington, Sept. 7.?Cautionary notices to vessels sailing in the east? ern Caribbean sea were iss-ued tonight by the weather bureau, which an? nounced that there were Indications of a disturbance, in those waters. The disturbance has not been definitely lo? cated. BIG SHIP TORPEDOED. Submarines Get White Star Liner. Atlantic Port. Sept. 8.?The British steamship Dclphio, eighty-two hun? dred tons, of the White Star line, was sunk by a submarine while under an armed convoy, according to ad? vices in shipping circles. The crew is reported saved. Chamber of Commerce because the farmers, bankers, merchants, and pro? fessional men are working together in Sumter County. During the course of his remarks Mr. J. Frank Williams pointed out wherein the farmers of this- county lose many thousands of dolla-s be? cause of increased and unnecessary cost of vehicle transportation of their products to town and limiting tonnage of supplies hauled from town to the farms because of irregularity of good roads. He felt that good roads, the very best obtainable are as neees s-ary a part of successful agricultural pursuits as the actual production of farm products, because good road* facilitate rapid and economical mar? keting of products and hauling of fertilizers and other supplies to the farms. Chairman Phelps referred to the necefsity for organization among the women of the rural districts and cities and towns to eliminate unneces? sary waste of foods, and the import? ant part the women, boys and girls are taking and could continue to take in helping to supply the foods and other necessities for the men who are fghting our battles for fredom. civili? sation, and world-wide democracy HOW threatened with annihilation by the world conquest aspirations of the most cruel and doniineerlng of all governments, the imperial government of Germany. He said that if we wish to be free hereafter ami to protect the honor of our women, we must win the war, and if the war is not won in Europe it must be and will have to he fought out to a finish, one way or another in these Cnited Stutes of America. The next meeting will be at Wedge fiehl school house the evening of Rent em her 1 Hb. Other speakers wilt discuss national and local issues dur? ing the nineteen other community meetings to be held in the next three weeks in every township of Sumter Cou,lty- . . . .-JAl*.