Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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LEfilSLAT?RE'S LAST DAY. HOl SF AM? SENATE SPEND WEARY HOl'HS TKVIXi TO AGREE. Coanetl of Defense Iteeelvca Appro pr'atkm of tin,.?state Tax Com mlvdon Saved by Senate. Columbia. Feb. 12.?By the free conference report of the State Coun? cil of Defense bill, accepted yesterday afternoon, an appropriation of $25,000 is made for the maintenance of the council. Should this amount prove inadequate, the governor In empower? ed to borrow $15.000 more, thua pro? viding $40.000 to put the State of South Carolina on an efficient war ba ala for the next 12 montha. Eight members of the general assembly vot? ed against the report: J. J. Eaddy, Florence; A. Hall, Jr., Anderson; Jaa. H. Hammond. Rlchland; John Mel* Hemphlll. Cheater; W. L. Ptckens, Plckena; J. C. Rivers. Chesterfield; W. W. Scott, Anderson, and H. C. Sum mere Jr., Anderson. In effecting the compromise, the senate yielded from Its position as to the personnel of the council and tlx house members agreed to the adih tlonal $15,000, should that amount he necessary. Under the law the council will be comprised of 62 members. Those at present constituting the council will be retained and 28 new members will be added, one from each county with? out repreeentatlon. Only 17 counties now hold repreeentatlon. The new members are to be appointed hy the governor on the recommendation of the various county delegations. The senats plan waa to have the county chairmen of the various countl 's with? out representation act In the dual ca? pacity of county chairmen and also members of the State council. It wan also modified In the free conference that in addition to the two represen? tatives of organised labor already ap pelnted as part of the membership, there shall be appointed by the gover? nor upon the recommendation of the executive council of the South (aro llna State federation of labor, three mem be re of tradea unions affiliated with the American federation of la? bor, so two of whom shall be select? ed from the same trades union. the afternoon session the house the Laney measure to create a State board of agriculture, commerce asd Industries, to be composed of sev? en farmers, one from each congres slonal district. Members of the board wars to be chosen by the various county delegations of the reripective congressional districts and were to be elected every two years. These in turn were to elect the commissioner of agriculture, commerce and indus? tries. It was emphasized by some of ths proponents of the measure that It waa an effort to take the office out of politics The Rtdgell bill to create a bureau for the registration and employment of teachers in the State department of education waa passed to third read? ing. This bill would place at the dis? posal of all teachers and trustees of the State the services which are cus? tomarily rendered by the various teachers' agencies. Teachers would he required to pay a registration fee at ? 1. Ths houae accepted the si t at amendments to the Australian ballot system, chief of which was that tin plan would be rggfcfflsjttd H cities gad Incorporated towns, end not apply to the rural dlatrlcta Senate Sato* Tux Commission At the afternoon session of the sen? ate Senator Chrlstensen reported 'hit the free conference committee had agreed to everything in the appropria? tion bill except the Item for the sup port of the State tax commission. The house members of the co nmlttOO, he said, had stated that Sjg BjSgea thai $12.600 would be allowed. Tie- sen? ate members contended for $1'. ? ' The commission aaked for $!?,###, be. reuse thla la the year for the reassess? ment of all real estate. Senator Bps* of Sumter moved that the senate OOSV cede to the position of the house mem? bers. The motion was carried by | Vote of 14 to 7. The senate begun a new and Its last legislative day of the session thb morning at 12 05 o'clock Ths report of the free SOU ft r. committee on the gpptaptlatlom waa received by the senate at II o'clock. Action was postponed aatl the eseeton this morning t a. m o'clock The senate early |gda> ratified tin trjuctlon bill as applied to bouse* Ol ill fame After receiving the free SOufsronot report on the appropriation bill, tin senate adjourned at I II o'clock un? til 10 o'clock thla morning. Two executive sessions were b?M by the senate during the night. Point of no quorum was i a is. I ii the executive session of the senate thin morning at 12 b> o'clOOg when tb* question of the SSSdlnaattoa ,f vYiob Hampton Olbhes as chief game war? den came up. The senate did not vote on the qgestlon The point ol order PROPHET OF EVIL HOCNAUST FORESF.ES DEFEAT I?IS.\STEH AND Hl'lN FOR AMERICA. ? luiiioH Inward I tu mm II Relieves Tlmt With Oollu|>sc <>r Russia l*n*t Hop** of Allies for Victory Vanished. Knoxville, Feb. 11.?Charles Ed? ward Russell, member of the Hoot nils* ion to Russia, speaking at the Kas' Tennessee War Conference here today, said America is now facing the darkest hour in all her history, and that each of the 110,000,000 of her population must have a unity of pur? pose "if we arc to endure as a na? tion." It the reports of a separate peace by Kussia are true and Russia had declared the war to be at an end, so far as Russia is concerned," he said, "there has been no crisis or calamity in all American history as that which now faces us. There are l,r>00,000 Oerman prisoners in Kussia, together with a large number of Austrian* who are in good tlghting condition These, together with 147 divisions ol German lighters, fully equipped and which Kussia is even now holding on her lines will be released and they fgjU he thrown against the allies on the Western front. This will give Germany an army of more than i> 000,000 men ready to sweep down like an avalanche and destroy the defense and lines of our soldiers and those of our allies. "They will outnumber any possible force of soldiers that the allies can put on the front. Germany will sub? jugate Italy and then sweep over southern France, which has no Ver duns and drive the remaining por? tions of the allies' armies into a small northwestern corner of France and there defeat them by detachments. 'In such an event we can only do wh.it the Russians did in the war with Japan, s^nd our troops abroad lonly in sufficient number to have them defeated at the point of disembarka? tion. Thus can America be defeated without even a shot being bred upon American soil. If this report of sep? arat?- peace is true the only thing wc can do now is to throw ourselves and every ounce of effort into the causo that it may not be too late." SOITHERN COMMERCIAL CON? GRESS. Tenth Annual Session Wtli Re Held In Baltimore. Annapolis, Feb. 12.?Gov. Harring? ton of Muryland today issued a for m, 1 proclamation announcing that tlm tenth annual convention of the Southern Commercial congress will I be held In Baltimore Dec. 8th to 12th next. BAKER BL'FPIJES INFORMATION. Highly Confidential Statistics Turned Over to tlie Senat \ Washington, Feb. 12.?Secretary Bl Uer today transmitted to the ttnati military committee the ship? ping statistics upon which he based his estimates of transporting a million American soldiers to Europe this year. The information was labelled ' highly confidential." It will be con? sidered in executive session by the oommlttiM was l iter withdrawn, as it would have forced another legislative day. Opin lOfl of members of the senate was di? vided as to the status of the appoint? ment. Some Riem b#fl were of the opinion that a r00081 appointment would have to he made. The quesiion of providing a flexible tax levy in the county supply bill BjSjsjM up in the senate shortly alter 11 o'clock. Tin question was gen? erally dlOOQOOOd. The opinion was e\ proceed by BeiUltOf Hughes that it the las commission did its duty that land values would be considerably increas? ed. ThO M nate received a message from OOV, Manning at 11,01 o'clock It was suggested that an executive session might be necessary for consid? eration Of the measure. TIM request fOff advice from the ? te on tbc question of ? flexible tax levy came from Senator Kotohln, More than Iii bills were ratified by tlM senate last night. Roth houses of the general assem? bly rooeded from business between 1 iml j o'clock this morning until 1<> o'clock, When the work Of the session Will bt terminated. Two legislative 'lavs wort evolved out of yesterday .tn.i tins moi ning s sessions. Near mid? night both houses adjourned for the day to meet at lf.fl a. in., alter which bout several measures which received second reading yesterday vv? i poSSOd< Oaf Of these was to cro t. i registration bureau for teachers with the state Mipoiintoadeni of td? 'M itioii. An appropriation of 11,000 was carried ami a fee of $1 will be charged sacs, toaeher. Another Ricas? ere to get two readings ami bo psss ?d SlnOS assembling vesteiday morn? ing was to exempt soldiers and others in the w if a a vice from road taxes. GOOD ROADS CAMPAIGN. | - state AUTOMOBILE associa? tion UNDKRTAKEfi to or? GANISE SOUTH caro una. The PUjrpOSC Of the Organization is lo titve South Carolina a First C lass Highway System with Permanent Jtoads lu Every County. Following the methods which have proven so successful in other States in securing permanent road construction on a large scale, the South Carolina State Automobile Association has been chartered under the laws of South Carolina and is now engaged in the work of organizing tho State. The officers of State Association who will serve until the State is organized and the first meeting held next August, are A. B. Carter, Greenville, presi? dent; John A. Law, Spartanburg, and James D. Hammett, Anderson, vico president; O. P. Mills, Greenville, treasurer; C. W. Cofleld, Greenville, secretar yand general manager. All these men are well known throughout the State and stand out as high types of constructive business men. Mr. Cofleld spent last year In helping or? ganize the State of Georgia and he comes to his work in South Carolina with a large experience. It is tho prime object of the State Association to help organize good roads and automobile owners' asso? ciations in every city, town and school district in the State. The State as? sociation will be then simply the federated head of all the local asso? ciations. For ^organization purposes the State has been divided into ten districts and each district has been put in charge of an experienced or? ganizer and good roads worker. The work in the Sumtcr district, comprising Sumter, I^ee, Clarendon, Darlington and Chesterfield counties, is in charge of Mr. C. T. Wootten of Charlotte, N. C, who came to Sumter today to begin work. With him came Mr. \V. K. Sligh of Jacksonville, Fla., who has had much experience in good roads matters. Mr. Sligh is in charge of the Columbia district but will be in Sumter for some days. Mr. Wootten in speaking of his work, said that he had come to this district to do all in his power to get good roads and bridges for it, that the first necessary step was the right kind of organization, that the main neu cleus of such an organization were the automobile owners, hence, the lo? cal associations would be called Au? tomobile and Good Roads Associa? tions, each member of which would also be a member of the South Caro? lina State Automobile Association, the American Automobile Association and the National Automobile Association. He said that it would be his duty and pleasure to tell the people of the im? mediate benefits to be had through membership in these large bodies. He emphasized that he had chosen the Sumter district as his held be? cause he believed it to be the best district in the State and that he ful? ly expected to have the banner asso? ciations of the State in this district. Mr. Sligh characterized this move? ment in South Carolina as possibly the first great systematic and serious ef? fort in the State to get permanent roads on a large scale. He said South Carolina could as easily have such roads as Florida or Cahloi nia, or Michigan or Maryland or any othei State, if her people will but catch the vision and determine to realise it. He said tho gas engine was doing more for road construction than any one Other thing; that the automobile own isrs and those who would own them I if we had propsr roads wa re numerous snough to solve the road problem. That the one thing lacking was sys? tematic, intelligent organization which would lead to cooperation over wide areaa lie said we were passing through a transition period more rap? idly than some people think and that we must prepare to meet the chang? ing conditions and the problems pressing for solution. That many of these problems waited on the road problem Solve the road problem and you have in a large measure Solved the rural school and Church problems, tho "back to the farm" problem, the food production problem, the crowded tenement and slum problem( etc. Twe nty years ago this would not have been true. The horse even on good roads was 100 slow ami too light. Today, give the gas engine a firm safe road 886 days In the year and many of our perplex? ing problems will begin to dlsa'p pea r. AIRPLANE MAIL SERVICE. Postoflioe Department Plans Route Dei ween W ashing! on and New York. Washington, Feb. 12 Tim Estab? lishment of an airplane mail service between Washington, Philadelphia1 and New York, during Die coming summer was indicated today when the postotflce department asked for bids on live airplanes for that service. ?SB >l ON VERGE OF BATTLE. | GERMANS AM) ALLIES MAKING READY ON WESTERN FRONT. Coming of spring Ushers In The Greatest Battle the World Has Ever Known. With the British Army In France,| Feh. 11.?(By the Associated Press.) ?Tho tension along the British-Ger? man front is tightened. As the extra? ordinarily bright, mild weather has continued to dry out the sodden fields, the two great armies have become more alert. The inertia of the days when the western theater was held in the grip of snow and impassable mud has disappeared, and the contending forces are poised, watching for the first move which will mean that the most sanguinary period of the war has begun. Something seems bound to happen before another month has passed, if tho present weather holds. Indeed 'even now the ground In some sections: is quite tit for fighting. The enemy continues to make in? tense preparations for what has been advertised as the "great offensive." German troops and guns keep pouring into the western front, and there are indications that a few Austrian units are in Flanders. Certain areas back of the German front have been cleated for action, and daily bodies of troops have been practicing attacks under the tutelage of experts. Prisoners say that leave for soldiers was stopped January 20. So far as actual fighting is con? cerned, it is still confined to identifi? cation raids, air activity and occasion? al bursts of artillery. Along many miles of the front which the corre? spondent visited in the last two dayi there is an ominous quiet. One may sit for hours on a vantage point so close to the German lines that the enemy can be seen working about; yet there are few sounds of strife. The enemy is playing possum or ignoring the military movements be? hind the British lines, and the Brit? ish themselves are siting tight, saying little. The silence is uncanny and ll portcntiouri. "Naturally, the entente allied preparations can not be dis? cussed hut it may be said that every? where there is the spirit of optimism. Every soldier in the line knows what la coming and smiles with assurance, for he knows what his supports are. The allies still have a preponderance of men and guns along this front and they have an inclination to use this advantage. The Germans /will find that their opponents have not wasted the winter months. FUEL FAMINE BROKEN. Normal Conditions Expected Within Two Weeks. Philadelphia, Feb. 12.?The coal famine may end within two weeks the Pennsyvania fuel administrator? say. P.eports from coal sections say that railroad movements of anthracite and bituminous are nearly noimal, and are expected to steadily increase. DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT. ! Military Affairs Sidetracked to Consid? er Home Government. London, Feb. 13.?The house of commons resumed debate today on the address in reply to the speech from the throne. The discussion of foreign and military affairs was drop? ped temporarily for the consideration of the administration of government at home. Later the decision at Vcr ? ailles, which now occupies the minds of the people of England, Will be tak? en up again. AUSTRIAN'S ATTACK ITALIANS. Berlin Announces Successful Raid With Capture of Prisoners. Berlin, Fob. 12.?After lively artil? lery tire on the Settl Communl plat? eau on the Italian front, the Austrians attacked souh of Basso Rosso, captur? ing about one hundred and eighty prisoners, army headquarters an? nounces TUSCAN IA DEATH LIST. Unaccounted for Idst Reduced by Fifteen. Washington. Feb. 12. The list o'" ruscania passengers unaccounted for was reduced tod iv by cheeking up the 'lumber of men who are sick or injur? ed in hospitals in Ireland. Fifteen were removed from the unaccount? ed for list, reducing it to three hun? dred and t went \ -five. GERMAN PRISONERS TAKEN. British Report Successful Bald Near llarglcourt. London, Feb. 13. -"We carled out i successful rani last night upon Ger? man trenches southeust of llargl? court, capturing eleven prisoners, in? cluding officers,1 says today's official statement, Cairo! encounters, In which casualties were Inflicted on the enemy, occurred last night southeasl of Lens 1 statement confirms with-] drawal prom war. Bolsbcvtkj Not Satisfied With German Demands I Jut Can't right Brother Workmen. London, Feb. 12.?Confirmation of the German report that Russia has withdrawn from the war is contained in an official Russian statement re? ceived here today. The statement says Russia declares the war with Germany, Austria-IIur - gary, Turkey and Bulgaria to have ended, Russian troops simultaneously receiving an order for complete de? mobilization on all fronts. For the de? fense of the frontier some detachment! of younger soldiers will be left. The peace organisations with the central powers have been ended, the statement says. The Russian dele? gation refused to sign a treaty provid? ing for annexation by Germany. Nev? ertheless, Russia will not continue the war with the Germans and Austrians, "workmen and peasants, like our? selves." The text of the statement says: "The peace negotiations are at an end. The German capitalists, bankers and landlords, supported by the silent cooperation of the English and French I bourgeoise, submitted to our com rades members of the peace delega.es \ at Brest-Li tovsk, conditions such as could not be subscribed to by the Rus? sian revolution. "The governments of Germany and Austria possess countries and peo? ples vanquished by force of arms. To this authority the Russian people workmen and peasants, could not give its acquiescence. We could not sign 1 that which would bring with it sad? ness, oppression and differing to 1 millions of workmen and peasants-. 1 "But we also can not, will not, and must not continue a war begun by czars and capitalists in alliance with ' czars and capitalists. We will not and we must not continue to be at war with the Germans and Austrians? ' workmen and peasants like cur I selves. "We are not signing a peace oi* landlords and capitalists. Let the German and Austrian soldiers know who are placing them in the field of battle and let them know for what they are struggling. Let them know also that we refuse to light against ' them. Our delegation fully conscious of its responsibilty before the Rus i sian people and the oppressed work? ers and peasants of other countries declared on February 10, jn the name of the council of the peoples commis? saries of the government of the fed? eral Russian republic to the govern? ments of the peoples involved in the i war with us and of the neutral coun? tries, that it refused to sign an an nexationist treaty. Russia for Its i part, declares the present war with > Germany and Austria-Hungary. Tur? key and Bulgaria at an end. "Simultaneously, the Russian troops > .received an order for complete de? mobilization on all fronts." The signatures of Leon Trotzky and other members of the delegation are appended. In connection with this statement an order also has been issued that necessary steps be taken immediately for declaring to the troops that the war with Germany, Austria, Turkey and Bulgaria is regarded from the present moment as being at an end. This order bears no signature but saya: "No military operations must again take place. The beginning of a gen? eral demobilisation on all fronts Is decreed. I order the issue of instruc? tion on the front for the withdn wal Of the troops from the first line and for their concentration in the rear and further for their despatch to the interior of Russia. In accordance with the general plan for demobilisation. For the defense of the frontier some detachments of young soldiers must be left . . . "Remember that only systematic demobilisation can be carried out In the shortest time and that systematic demobilisation alone can prevent in? terference With the sending Of food supplies to those detachments which remain for a certain period on the front." Scottish Port, Tuesday, Feb. 12 ? Fp to tonight one hundred and seventy one victims of the Tuscanls have been buiied at different points on Scottish const, divided ns follows: American soldiers, one hundred and thirty-one identified; thirty-three unidentified, crew tour, identified: three, unidentl fled. The last seventeen of these, all Americans, were buried this after noon. ITALIANS CHEER AMERICANS. Lome. Tuesday. Feb. it.?Enthus? iastic applause and cheers for Amer? ica met the declaration of Premier Orlando at the opening of parliament today that the war situation is grow? ing better, due to the help of the United states in replacing Russia, DISSATISFACTION AND gUrfPEH siox AROISED IM HER? LIN. Ncwspa|M*i's Say Trotsky Ras Received Ol I HIM ami is No! Making Good His I*ronii8c to Demobilize Russian Army. Amsterdam, Feb. 14.--Judging from latest indications aw reflected by the German press much dissatisfaction and suspicion have been aroused by the latest move of Foreign Minister Trotsky. Important military and political leaders are said to be con? ferring busily to find best solution of the puzzle. The recall of tae economic commis? sion from Petrograd if under consid? eration. The Zeitung Am Mb tag says that there is proof that Trcazky's promise of Russian demobilization is a sham maneuver, and it is reported that the Bolshevtkl are ??nerger cally forming a large Rod Guard army. MEETING OF MOMEN. Discussion of Housekeeping Problems Drought About by V ar Conditions to be Discussed. Following the meeting held by wo? men last week to cons der the food program recently put forth by tho administration, a larger meeting of women of the city and county has been called for next "uesday. Tho announced plan is for the women to attend the meeting to be held that morning by the men, and then for the women to meet in the afternoon when they will take up for discussion the housekeeping problems that tho new regulations have ?rought about. The letter of the comndttee of ladies appointed at the former meeting fol? lows: To the Women of Sunrer County and Suniter City: A meeting was held recently under the auspices of the Fo< d Administra? tion and was attended by representa? tives from most of the womens' or? ganizations in Sumte*. After die* cussing the new food program and the best methods to promote observance and cooperation it wras lecided to call M general meeting of ^,'omen to fur ; ther discuss this matter. At the coming meet ng it is plan? ned to have practical housekeepers who know what they are talking about discuss this matter in a plain, prac? tical way. There will be held n the auditor*-^ ium of the Girls' High School build? ing, Tuesday, February 19th at elevenl in the morning a meeting called by the State Food Administration work? ing with other departments. It is promised that this meeting will be of greater interest. In \ ew of this wo have decided to ask a'l the ladies to attend the morning meeting to hear what will be said, which is sure to be instructive. At three-t -?irty in the af? ternoon at the same place the ladies will hold their niceth g to consider food matters. The food question is a weighty sub? ject. Tn Europe near! ' every nation has adopted the plan o food cards by which a purchaser can buy only what the government allows. This will never come to pass in this country if the people will copera <? loyally. We ask all our ladies to assist us In spreading the news of this meeting, to urge others to attend, and to come themselves. We ask all ministers in this coun? ty to make an announcement of this meeting and to explain to the ladies of their congregation the necessity of cooperation in this wor We hope that there < ill be such an attendanee at this meet ng that it will set an example to all < thers and will show how loyal women really can co? operate in a public CSABSO. Very truly y >urs, Mrs. E. H. Moses. Mrs. H. \f. Stuckey. Miss Sal ic Hembert, Committee. Washington, Feb. 13.?Secretary Baker told members of the North) Carolina congressional delegation to? day that he would personally inspect Camp Greene, at Charlotte, later in the week, when he plans, also, to visit Camp Wheeler at Ma >n. The war department has determined not to make use of Camp cireons after the regular army troops. ROW there, have bean sent forward for ?mbarkation. London. Feb. 14.?An important pea, ,- debate is schedub d to begin in the Reichstag Februar? Jlot, accord? ing to a wireless dispatch from Am iterdam. Chancellor on Bertling ?rill reply to Prestdenl Wilson and Premiers Lloyd George and Orlando. Savannah. Feb. 11ngineer J i> Hogers, of Savannah, *SS k?1(,a ^ legro fireman missing und fourteen suwengers were Injured when a goo >Oard passenger train from Washtng on to Jacksonville, cobbled frith a r*4gh< train at Rieche o last night