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m COUNCIL PLANS. at'PREM K MILITARY BODY OF AL? LIES HOLDS KtTY TO WEST? ERN ntONT SITVATION. OfJicera Believe New Weapon Will Make* KffeeUve ins of Grand ?Hrategy. Washington, March 19.?The key to the lfll riddle of the western battle front la in the hands of the Supreme War Council at Versailles. Decision as to the time and place Of msjor offensiven by the Allies rests with that body. It directly controls also, officers here believe, a new wea? pon forged during the winter with which to mske effective its plans of It sod strategy. The weapon Is be? lieved to lie In a pooling of the army reserves of all the Allied armies, per? mitting overwhelming concentration st selected points of attack. American observers are convince I t.hat the Oerman high command plans a defensive campaign and that the M ng talked of drive on Psrls or th" channel ports has been abandoned. Too Initiative, according to this view, rests with the Allied and American forces. The Supreme Council was create I tinder the urgent insistence of Presi? dent Wilson for aggressive action this year, based on coorldnated plans and ? nder the direction of a single agency. The exact scope of the council's au? thority has never been disclosed. It was said by Premier Lloyd Ueorge sad ?y Lord Courson, however. In ?splalning the status of the Uritlsb t tape rial general staff, and the com tuender In the Aeld. Sir Douglas Haig. that csrtsln British forces had been .?signed to the council's control. Decision by the council, officers here bellevs, as to the field where these and similar forces from other armies ars to be concentrated will show where Allied blows at the German defenses are designed to fall. If there is to be no German drive, as the war department predicted yesterday in its weekly war review, the council will not be forced to hold its reserves for defensive purposes, and can devote tbls new sgency to attempts to smash weak points In the German lines. Opinion as to the sectors offering the best opportunity for AUTed as? saults varies widely here. There is substantial agreement, however, thai he Italian front may. In fact, be? come the main theater of war this year. In any event, even though the su? preme council might have decided to make the effort to break through in ' tsly. It Is believed the first moves n the game would be played In France and Flanders. The pooled Allied reserves under the command of the supreme courted would mske possible a campaign of ?an h nature, designed to keep the Oerman command perplexed as to ??hat assault wcubl be driven home. In that position adequate German forcee of selected troops would neces? sarily be held resdy Jo support eith? er line, and they must he held some? where in Germany, with ready trans? portation available in either direction. The theory of pooled general re? serves Under emmand of the suprenm eouncll has alreudy appeared In the Bltlsb press to some extent as the ex Olsnatlon of what has been said In osrliamont The political question of how such a grand reserve m.iv be handled ap> '.teals to srmy officers as the most In? teresting question of the day. Mobil sat Ion of u new interallied army of attack does not seem feasible, it is >sld. It Is pointed out, however, thut the report of Sir Douglas Haig on op? erations In 1917 shows that the ??eherne of operations were upset to some extent when he was compelled to take over nn additional section of the French front, freeing a largf French army for participation in the French offensives of that yea;. This suggests that i similar prac? tice might be adopted for Obtaining sn army attack on any front. If tl ? assault were to be made in Fl..n ba ? the French reserves could take over trenches now held by the Hrltish, OS rept on the sector of oneratiena ?rlt? tsh troops thus released w m'.d be available for purposes of atta. k \\i?h their comrades In that sei tor. If p |. dltlonal reserves were ihm es ,<\ i;,.,, Pershlng might extend bis ti ?nt on the right dank, where be n now gradually taking over the American sector to support Italy in her tlnu of peril were Include 1 In Ihe fm . now under direct control of the Su preme War Council. Cmtulnlv. ;t i pointed out. they are now In a | OSttlOti to bs supervised by (lens. Haig and Pstain. Washington, March JO.? The Hus? sion wsr ships at Odessa sooapod to Hehsatopol when QeesannS tOOM OdOS> se? according to a dispatch from American Consul Hummers at SfOJP ?ow. Itecent press dispatches quoted flerlln authorities as declaring thit they took fifteen ships when Ihe) o< cupied the ? 1811 COTTON CHOP. KNSl s BUREAU ANNOUNCES FINAL TOTALS FROM LAST <? INN ICRS' REIM)RT. Tlie Total Crop Exclusive of Linters Totaled 11,285,999 Bales?South Carolina Produced 1,2:15,000. Washington, March 20.?Cotton pro? duced from last season's crop amount? ed to 11,285,999 bales exclusive of Unters, the census bureau reports to? day in the final ginning report of the season. Linters to March 1st amount? ed to 129.019 bales. Ginnings by States: Georgia 1,831.000, Florida 37,800, South Carolina 1,235,000. COMMUNITY COUNCILS EN DORS ED. President W ilson Says It is Making an Advance of Vital Significance. The following letter from President Wilson to Mr. D. R. Coker, and Mr. I Coker's reply thereto will be read with Interest by our patriotic citizens: The White House, Washington, March 13, 1918. Dear Mr. Chairman: Your State, in extending its nat? ional defense organization by the cre? ation of community councils, is in my opinion making an advance of vital significance. It will, I believe, result when thoroughly carried out In weld? ing the nation together as ho nation of great size has ever been welded be Tore. It will build up from the bot? tom an understanding and sympathy and unity of purpose and effort which will no doubt have an immediate and decisive effect upon our great under? taking. You will find it, I think, not so much a new task as a unification of existing efforts, a fusion of energies now too much scattered and at times somewhat confused Into one harmo? nious and effective power. It is only by extending your organ? ization to small communities that ev? ery citiaen of the State can be reached and touched with the inspiration of the conr.mon cause. The school house has been suggested as an apt though not essential center for your local council. It symbolizes one of the first fruits of such an organization, namely, the spreading of the realiza? tion of the great truth that It Is each one of us us an individual citizen upon whom rests the ultimate responsibil? ity. Through this Kreut new organ? ization we wtll express with added em? phasis our will to win and our con? fidence in the utter righteousness of our put pose. Sincerely yours, Woodrow Wilson. Mr. Oavid R. Coker, Chairman, Stute Council of Defense, Hartsville, S. C. Hartsvllle. S. C, March, 15, 1918. To the honorable The President of the United States. Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Wilson: I am Just In re? ceipt cf yours of March 13th, und thank you for your comment on the organization of our Council of De? fense, und for your further helpful sugestic ns. The Council of Defense is now en? gaged l.i a vigorous reorganization all over th ? State. We have recently had conferencs with most of our county chairmen, ami they are now actively engaged in extending and unifying their county organizations so as to se cure contact with every citizen. We have adopted the school district as a urdt in most counties, and we agree with you that the school house is usu? ally the most convenient center for lo? cal me 'tings. We l ave recently chosen as field secretary Rev. H. R. Murchlson, and his work is ulready bearing fruit in greater enthusiasm and better or? ganization. our Council is now in the midst of an intensive campaign for greater production and more perfect conser? vation of foodstuffs, and is prepar? ing for the third Liberty loan drive. The measure of success which we have had in our work in South Caro? lina has been largely due to the com? plete co-ordination of our efforts with those of all other organizations engaged in propaganda for the win? ning of the war, and also to the en? listment In our Council of very many of the most patriotic men and women of South Carohna. Tin* Council will always value your digestions toward making our or? ganization of greater service in the winning of the war. Yours very truly, (ttgtted) D. R. Coker, Chairman, s. c. conned of Defense The clocks nill all be pushed for? ward one hOUf on Iho last Sunday in March and on the next day BVOryhod) will begin saving daylight. The day s work will be over lUst an hOUl earlier In the afternoon an,| there will 00 that much more tinm for odd Jobs around the hoiM gardening, etc and for re. r Mtion. There should b.n SOrlOi action and an understanding that the new daylight saving law will ohseived. ? BORDERING ON TREASON. AVARICIOUS WORKMEN BLOCK SHIPBUILDING PLANS. Six Hundred Men Tie up Work at Baltimore Until Demands for Ex? orbitant Wages is Granted. Washington, March 19.?A serious local interruption in the shipbuild? ing program, due to demands for in? creased wages, by workers, who R n onth ago were given substantial ad? vances In pay, was reported to the shipping board today from Baltimore, where 600 riverters, chippers, caulk? ers, reamers and drillers left the hulls on which they were working in the yards of the Baltimore Dry Dock & Ship Building Company. Mine sweepers under construction for the navy were left unfinished by the strikers as well as the merchant ships building in an effort to offset the losses from submarines. The company officials reported that the walkout took place without any explanation but that they understood the men refused to work until a decision was render el on their demands for $10.56 a day for chippers and caulkers, and $24 a day for riveting gangs of two men and boy. all of whom are employed on what is known as allowance work on intricate parts of the ships' hulls. Officials of the shipping board think the strike is an effort to force a day wage scale on the basis of pay for spe? cial work. The present day scale for chippers and caulkers is $5.60 for eight hours, with many men making greater sums in getting time and a half for over time and double time for holidays and Sundays. Kievters made even more working on piece rates. J. A. Franklin, president of the Boilermakers' Union, to which most of the strikers belong, was notified of the trouble and conference was ex? pected by officials that the national of? ficers of the union would settle the difficulty. All of the metal trades union have promised complete coperation in the shipbuilding program and have re? fused to hinder production by special demands such as were made recently by the carpenters. The Baltimore trouble is believed here to be entirely local. The Baltimore company suggested to the board today that shipyard strikers he prohibited from working on government contracts in other yards for a period of from 30 to 60 days. "The government expects us to build ships," the company declared, "some drastic action must be taken to prevent occurrences of this kind." Will Return to Work. Baltimore, March 19.?The 600 ship workers who laid down their tools at the Baltimore Dry Docks plant here on Monday will return to work tomorrow morning, it was announced tonight by local No. 35, Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders and Helpers which include the strikers. The statement said the lay off was due to misun? derstanding of the wage adjustment board scale, but that it had been properly explained at a meeting to? night and the men had voted unani I mously to return to work. I ntci tniniuent at Horatio. Mr. C. J. Jackson, in behalf of the patrons, teachers and pupils of State burg Graded school, near Horatio, District No. 10, extends through the Chamber of Commerce, a cordial in? vitation to Sumter people to attend the patriotic rally and entertainment at that school at 8 o'clock tomorrow night, March 21st. Refreshments served and the pro? ceeds will go to the school improve? ment and Red Cross funds. Rev. C. M. Boyd and Mr. D. D. Moise will be the speakers of the evening. There will be a musical program also. This will be one of a series of pa? triotic meetings and entertainments held under the auspices of the Sumtei County Council of Defense to organize every townships and school district for war activities. The public is invited. It is hoped that a goodly number of the people ol this city will accept the cordial invi? tation of our rural friends and help them to make their entertainment the success it deserves to be. The St. Mlhicl Salient. i Accenting the German assertion, our troops are holding some portion ol the south side of the St. Mihiel salient between the Meute and the Moiolle and facing great German fortress of Metz, twenty-odd miles away aero the famous battlefields of 1870. Then is no reason to expect any offensive of them in any present time, but it is at least likely that their first consider? able effort may be to break in the SI Mlhlel aallent, which has for so long Interfered with French communlca tlom and threatened the safety of French defense on the old eastern frontier.?Prom "America In Lor? raine??Ruestfl Surrenders." by Frank H, Btmondfli in the Amerlcon Review of Reviews for March, 1918. NEXT LIBERTY LOAN. OVER POUR BILLIONS WILL PROBABLY HL ISSUED. Expert! Estimate That April Drive Will Not Call for More Than Five. Washington, March 19.?Imminence of .Secretary McAdoo's announcement of the silt and interest rate of the third Liberty loan, to open April 6, gave special importance today to u treasury announcement of government receipts and expenditures from which might be calculated with fair accu? racy the sum the government would need before the end of the fiscal year June 30. Outstanding features of these figures, as unofficially analyzed, were that cor,ts are n^t Increasing from month to month as had been ex? pected and that ordinary expenses |and loans to the allies in the next three and one-third months probably will not be much over $4,000,000,000. To this must be added the necessary outlay of $3,550,000,000 to redeem certificates of indebt dness now out? standing and maturing before June 30; $500,000,000 for the government's capital in the war finance corporation, whose creation is expected soon; and $500,000,000 to provide a current working balance at the end of th'? year. These would make a total ol $8,?155,000,000 needed between now and June 30. On the other side of the bookt might be placed the $853,000,0*') working balance on hand today; $2. 810,000,000 estimated receipts from income and excess profits taxes and other internal revenue sources, $7 5, 000,000 estimated miscellaneous re? ceipts; $4 3,000,000 estimated customs receipts; approximately $200,000,000 revenue expected from sale of wai saving and thrift stamps and $500, 000,00 to be received in the next three days from a current issue ol certificates. These would make a to? tal of nearly $4,500,000,000, which might be expected to flow into the treasury between now and June 3< from other sources than the Liberty loan. On this basis of calculation, the difference to be provided for would be between $4,000,000,000 and $5, 000,000,000. These figures do not necessarily disclose the size of the third Liberty loan for other elements of financial machinery, judgment of the money market and appraisal ol popular feeling enter into the actual determination. The figures are es? sentially the same, however, as thos-. which Secretary McAdoo and his ad? visers have before them in deciding how many billions are to be raised in the big campaign. It is believed the amount alreadv has been detei mined by the secretur> and that as soon as he decided wheth? er the interest shall be 4 per cent, as on the second loan, or higher, to ac? cord with the upward tendency of in? terest rates in the bust few months he will make known his recommenda tions. These will go to congress prob? ably late this week or early next In the form of a request for authorization to iloat more bonds than the $3,666,000, 000 remainder authorized last Sep? tember but unused. More than $1,000,000,000 in certifi? cates of indebtedness remain to be is? sued In the next few weeks before th? end of the Liberty loan campaign and will be redeemed from proceeds of the loan. These certificates yet t.o be Issued probably will not be redeemed until after June 30 or in the next fiscal year. An uncertain element in calculat? ing future financial arrangements o? the government is the problem of revenue receipts. Many treasury offi? cials believe receipts from excess pro? fits and income taxes will yet be much more than the $3,400,000,000 es? timated from internal revenue, but Secretary McAdoo can not count 0)1 more than the estimate in figuring the size of the third loan. The treasury announced tonight that government departments ex? penses moat of which represent war i'ills and loans to the allies in the 8 2-3 months of the current fiscal year, have been 17,034,000,000. Recently these expenditures have been run? ning at the rate of about $1,000,000, 000 a month. Other figures made public by the treasury show that In the seven months to February i. the treasury had spent for the military establish ment $2,218,000,000 although esti? mates for the 12 months of the fiscal year were $8,790,000,000. For the naval establishment, the outlay had been $686,000,000 as compared with estimates for the year of $966,000,000. OVERMAN BILIJ REPORTED. Washington, March 20.?The Over man bin, retaining practically tin legislation asked by the president t? reorganise the departments am agencies for prosecuting the war, \va. ordered favorably reported by the sen note Judicien committee today. GERMAN CHANCELLOR SPEAKS OF PEACE TREATY TO REICHSTAG. Terms Imposed on Conquered Country Contain no Disgraceful Conditions if Provinces Breaking Away From old Government Find Them Accept - able. Copenhagen, March 18.?-Chancellor von Bertling, on the first loading In the relcmrtag of the peace ireaty with Russia today, declared that re did not wish to discuss the opinions of Ger? many's enemies regarding the treaty. "Hypocrisy," the chancellor added, "has become second nature to the en? emy whose untruthfulness is made worse by its brutality. Every attempt at calm explanation and every real de? liberation must fail when the enemy, at the very moment they arc laying a heayy hand on a neutral country, dare to speak of a policy guided by com? plete unselfishness. "The treaty with Russia contains no conditions disgraceful to Russia, if the province* breaking away from Russia say it is in accordance with their own wish and the wish is ac? cepted by Russia." The Imperial chancellor declarer lhat Courland and Lithuania were united to Germany politically and eco? nomically and militarily, and added: "Livonia and Hsthonia are the east? ern frontier fixed by the treaty, but we hope that they also will have close and friendly relations with Germany, not, however, to the exclusion of their friendly relations with Russia. F'oland is not mentioned in the treaty and we shall endeavor to see if it Is possible to live in stable and good neighborly relations with ihe new state. "I;' the reichstag adopts the peace, treaty peace on the whole Eastern front will be restored as I announced February 24, but among the entente powers there is not the least inclina? tion to finish this terrible war. The responsibility for bloodshed will be upon the heads of those who wish continuation of the bloodshed." The chancellor referred to Russia's i proposal that all the belligerents en? ter into the peace negotiations and added: "We and our allies lccepted the proposals and sent delegates to Hrest-Litovsk. The powers until then . allied with Russia remained aloof. "The course of the negotiations is known to you. You remember the i endless speeches which were intended, not so much for the delegates there assembled as for the public at large, and which caused the desirec goal of ; an understanding to recede into the distance. You remember the repeated interruptions, the rupture and the re? sumption of the negotiations. The point had been reached win re 'Yes' or 'No' had to be said, and on March ;{ peace WRS concluded at Brest Litovsk. On March 15 it was ratified by a competent assembly at Xoscow." "If in the telegram from Washing ton It was thought lit to express to the congress assembled at Moscow the sympathy of the United States at a moment when,( as it says, the oirma power obtruded Itself, in order to bring succes to the battle for free? dom, then I put that calmly aside with the rest. (In his message to the all Runetan soviet congress President Wilson expressed the sympathy of the United States for the Russian "at this moment when the German power has been thrust in to interrupt and turn back the whole struggle for freedom and substitute the wishes of Germany for the purpose of the people of Rus? sia.") "We have not for a moment con? templated and do not contemplate op? posing the justified wishes and en? deavor of Russia to be liberated. As I laid on November 29, we desire for that sorely tried land a speedy return to a peaceful and orderly state of af? fairs and we deeply deplore the ter? rible condition! which have mad" their appearance in many places. "Among the entente," the chancellor continued, "there is not the slightest intention to abandon the War but rather the intention is manifested to continue this terrible combat till we are destroyed. We shall not lore cour? age on that account for we are pre? pared for everything. We a e pre? pared to make further sacrifices ami stand firm as a rock in our coi ftdence in our splendid army leaders^ Ip and our heroic soldiers." Discussing the Russian treaty, Ihe chancellor said: "it contains no conditions whatever which dishonor Russia, no mention of oppressive war indemnities, no forcible appropriations of Russia territory. A number of the border states have Severed their connection with the Rus? sian state in accordance with their own will which was recognised by Russia. In regard to these states v.e adopted the standpoint formerly ex prSQSd by me, that under the nighty protection of the German Empire they ean give themselves political form cor? responding with their situation and ihe tendency of their cotnlnual kuitur THE IEW FREEDOM. IIOISTON TEMA OF NATION'S MISSION. Secretary of Agriculture Outlines Causes for Which America Make* War tu l i lish. Atlanta, March 19.?Declaring thai he would ?'. ather set? the nation fail and lade from the pages of history lighting for world freedom by the sid<3 of c.reat Britain, France and Ita'y than see her survive, enjoying the greatest of luxury, but in submission, to Germany ' David F. Houston, sec? retary of agriculture, in an address to? day outlined the causes for which America is making war. Mr. Houston spoke at a meeting; of the State Coun? cil of Defense at which virtually evety county unit n Georgia was represent? ed. "We have now got to declare," he said, "and 1 lake good, a new Fourth of July for the whole world." After referring to agricultural con? ditions briefly, which, he said, had been change 1 as a result of the war. Secretary Houston made an appeal for unity in th nation and urged that "every man woman and child forget every other interest eave that of win? ning the war, A nation's strength, he asserted, is measured in battle by the hold that the car se for which it fights has upon the minds and hearts of the entiie people. "Germany has issued a series of stupid challenges to the world," he said, "of which the challenge to the United Stab s was the last of the series. The quickest and cheapest way to nice: that challenge Is for us to put every ounce of our intelligence, will power and resources against it at the earl ^t possible moment." The defei e council's two day meet? ing opened his morning when a tele? gram of greetings was read from President Wilson. Dr. J. A. B. Shearer, field repre? sentative of the Council of National Defense, addressed the meeting at the afternoon seeton and outlined a pro? gram of "war work" for the State council to consider during the confer? ence. In his address Dr. Shearer scored the obstructionists and indus? trial profiteers. SPIES lO BE DEPORTED. Men and WoentMl Arrested in New York Classed as.I'lidesirahle ?'?ti?* Washington. March 20.?Investiga? tion has convinced the department ot justice that the two women and two men claiming French citizenship re? cently arrested in New York on sus? picion of connection with the German spy ring can only be classed as unde? sirable citizens, rather than spies. On this conclusion they will be deported. The Daylight Saving Uw will force some late s'eepers to get up and do about in the forenoon of the day. It i3 a g*ood thing and everybody should fall in line. Dr. H. L. Snyder, president of Wof ford College, will deliver an address in Trinity Church Sunday night at a meeting to be held in the interest of th3 Tuberculosis Camp. The people of Sumter City and county are invited to attend. while at the same time of course we are safeguarding our own interests." The chanellor said a deputation from the (V ;i rland legislature, which the German government recognized as a competent body came and announced severance of existing political con? nections and expressed the desire 'or economic military and political con? nection with Germany. In recogniz? ing the independence of Courland the chancellor de-dared he thankfully and joyfully had taken cognizance of Courland's "desire to lean on the Ger? man Empire. which indeed corre? sponds to the old cultural relations." In Livonia and Fsthonig, continued the chancellor, things were different. Fnder the peace treaty these coun? tries would b?. policed by Germany 00 their own ivitation until security was guaranteed and order restored. "The mono at for a new political organisation Will then have come for these countries," the chancellor woat on. "We hope and desire that they too will place themselves in close a? d friendly relationship to the German empire but In such ? way that th s does not SXClude peaceable, economi? cal relations with ttussia." The chancellor then said, "a few words about Poland which, it is tru ?" he remarked "is not expressly m mi tiOned in the | SSOS treaty. As is well known" he continued, "it was the proclamation of the two ?mperors on November I, lilf* which proclaimed to all the world the coun? try's independence, n follows, there? fore that the Author shaping '>( the new state can only take place on the standpoint of negotiations 1 e ween German V and Austi ia-Hungarv nn the one hi nd and Poland on the Lit her." sens.