The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, April 06, 1918, Image 1
THE SUMTKK WATCHMAN, Estate
Consolidated Aur. 2,1
ARMY OFFICERS PUZZLED.
F AILFUF OF ALLIES TOSTIUKK
BACK AT GERMANS UN?
EXPLAINED.
Washington Army Officials Do Not
Und? stand situation In France and
Art) AjtsJoausy Awaiting Develop
mem of Gen. Foch's Plan of Cam
HlJR
Washington, April 3.?With the
battle of Picardy brought to a stand -
arttll for the time being, at least, and
the Initial momentum of the German
drive overcome, military observers
hers were plainly puxxled tonight by
the fact that a great counterassauU
had not developed. The psychological
moment of the counterstroke un?
der rules of strategy, they think, Is
passing, if it has not already passed,
without a recorded movement of the
allies' forces towards throwing back
ths exhausted foe before he haa had
Urns to dig himself In.
Officers here admit frankly, how?
ever, that they do not know what the
situation at the front is. If any re?
port haa come from General Bliss
or General Pershlng that would serve
to explain the defsnsive tactics of the
allies. It le a carefully guarded se?
cret.
It le possible, it is suggested, that
the plan of campaign mapped out by
General Foch is of a far greater scope
than would be Involved in an effort
to hurl the enemy back to his old
lines. The German defenses there,
which successfully stemmed the Brit?
ish assault In 1916 are still intact and
even If the allies were successful in
pushing the German lines back over
the SO or 30 mile sone he has wrest
ad from thsm. he would face those
defenses when their own organisation
waa badly demoralised by their ad?
vance.
For this reason, some officers were
Inclined to loo'x elsewhere for ths
aggressive campaign.
It was suggested that thn new pur?
pose et employing American troope
to fill out allied lighting divisions
might have some bearing upon the sit
uattejn. If Oeneral Foch Is laying
' Utk fVt?rfef^ofl fhr* ??tWntfmS^*OTPMfc^
tloM af an aggressive character ho
would heed to be certain of reserves
and the detailed plans for employ?
ment of American troops would have
to bs worked out.
Speeding up of American troop
movements to France Is engrossing at?
tention here now.
One Immediate step to that end is
known to be In contemplation. It has
to do with the ctlling to the colors of
the 100,000 men which It already has
been announced will be mobilised
through the selective service machin?
ery during the y?ar. Assurances have
been given that no great withdraw
of men from agricultural and Indus?
trial life would be made at one time,
but the Indications are that a state?
ment now betni prepared regarding
the number of men to be called out
flret under that plan will show that a
larger force will be mobilized this
month than hud been Intended before
the German dr ve al'.ered conditions
abroad.
The means of housing and training
the men are rapidly becoming avail?
able and the movements to France
have already be sn greatly accelerated.
It woe learned authoritatively that
with additional British troop ships
available the war department now hae
In sight transportation and supplies
for all the men It plans to send under
Its constantly quickening program.
From now on, the proportion of
fighting troops in General Pershlng'*
army will Increase rapidly.
Figures reaching here as to allied
losses In the bitter day i Just closed in
Picardy Indicate that British and
French casualties have been unex?
pectedly light In view of the scope of
the sctlon. One estimate, although
Its accurocv is open to doubt, fixes the
total, Including prisoners at between
126.000 and 130.000 for the 12 days of
ceaseless battle along a 50 mile front
This Is to be compared, If correct with
French estimates of360,000to4?60,00f
Germans killed, wounded or captured
during the same period.
WAR CROSS TO ( Mtor im \v
1/leut. O. ft. Holme* Devmrated for
C aptlirlng German.
With ths American Army it 1
France. April ? ( Hy the Associate.
Press.) ? Lieut 0. It Holmes. o'
H.>u?h Carolina, and Hergt. .fame* a
Murphy, have been swirded th?
French war cross. Lieut Holmes i*
ths maa who recently captured a Ger
msn asntry from his post. Hergt Mur
phv killed a German while he wan
trying to ahoot uo offiosr.
*ked April, tMO.
?????Mt
,881.
week's mm mm.
GERMAN PIRATES GET ONLY
SIX BIG SHIPS LAST WEEK.
The Week's Toll Was Less Than Half
of the Previous Week, Indicating
That Hun's Submarine Fleet is Not
Adequate for Continuous Service.
I
London, April 3.?There was a sud?
den and marked decrease in the loss?
es to British shipping through mine
or submarine In the past week. The
admiralty reports that only six Brit?
ish merchantmen of 1,600 tons or
over and seven under that tonnage
were sunk in the week ending Maren
30. Five fishing vessels also were
sent to the bottom.
The admiralty statement says:
"Fifteen British merchant vessels
wero unsuccessfully attacked by sub?
marines.
"The large vessels reported sunk In?
cludes one sunk during the week
ending March 16 and the smaller ves?
sels reported sunk Includes one dur?
ing the week ending March 23.
"The arrivals during the week end?
ing March 30 were 2,416 and the sail?
ings, 2.379."
The losses to British merchantmen
through submarines and mines in the
past week are less than one-half the
losses in the previous week when 2&
merchantmen were sunk, 16 of the
vessels over 1,600 tons.
The admiralty report for the pre?
ceding week showed the loss of 1?
vessels, while for several weeks prior
to that the weekly loss was 18.
Losses for Italians.
Rome, April 3.?In the week end?
ing March 30, Teutonic submarines
sank three Italian steamahlps of more
than 1,500 tons and destroyed one
sailing vessel of more than 100 tons
and nine sailing vessels of a tonnage
under that figure.
LULL AT ARRAS.
Night Was Comparatlveiy Qniet Ex?
cept for Oernsan Artillery Fire.
Z*muWn, 'AtJrTi
activity In the
night, with - the exception of hostile
artillery fire at various points, the
war office announces. A few prison?
ers were taken by British1 raiding
parties. ,
HEAVY ARTILLERY FIGHTING.
Germans Appear to Have Brought up
Big Gnns to New Front.
Paris. April 4.?Heavy artillery
fighting occurred last night on the
front north of Montdldler, the war of?
fice announces.
In raids in the Champagne section
and on the Verdun front the French
took prisoners and two machine guns
INVASION OF FINLAND.
Germany Sends Large Force to Con?
quer Country.
Petrograd. Wednesday, April 3.?
Thirty German transports with
troops have arrived at Hangow, on the
southern coast of Finland, southeast
of Hehringsfors, It Is reported.
LAW AGAINST ENEMIES.
House and Senate Agree on BUI Fixing
Penalties for Destruction of War
Material.
Washington, April 4.?The con?
ferees of the senate and house today
agreed on a bill providing more severe
penalties for the destruction of war
materials and for sabotage. Penalties
of thirty years Imprisonment and ten
thousand dollars fine are provided for
acts which actually, or are Intended to
injure or deutroy war materials or
utilities.
SENATORS DENOUNCE SPIES.
Dilatory Statesmen Work Themselves
Into a Frenzy at the Eleventh Hour.
Washington, Aril 4.?German spieK
and propagandists and all other per?
sons making dlsloynl utterances were
denounced in the senate today when
the effort was made to rush through
the house bill providing penalties of
twenty years imprisonment and ten
thousand dollars flue for Interference
with government bond sales, acts in
tending to interfere with army draft,
and disloyal statements.
I^enrnot's Plurality Grows.
Milwaukee. April 4 --The latest
though IneompletS returns fron'
Tuesday's senatorial election glv*
ben root u plurality of more than
?leres thousand Ave hundred over
Davis, the l>emo( ratio candidate.
battle at Arras last
nd ftmr om?Dm mV He coda Iko> At
SUMTER, S. 0., 8ATTJ1
ARMY FOR RUSSIA.
RED GUARDS WILL ORGANIZE
FORCE OF MILLION AND
A-HALF.
Secretory of War Announces Plan to
Creole Army Not Inferior to That
of Germany or Japan?-Whole No?
tion to Be Armed.
Moscow. Tuesday, April 3.?Russia
will form an army of a million and a
half men, not Inferior in power and
equipment to that of the Germans and
Japanese, Assistant Secretary of War
Podvoisky declared today at a con?
ference here of the various military
department heads. This will be the
first step toward arming the whole
I Russian nation. He reported progress
I in enlistments for the Red Army.
FOUR KEEKS' CAMPAIGN.
DRIVE FOR THIRD LIBERTY
LOAN SUBSCRIPTIONS EX?
TENDED.
Treasury Department Announces Con?
ditions on Which Subscriptions Arc
to Be Received and Dates on Which
.Installments Are to Be Paid.
Washington, April 4.?The third j
Liberty loan campaign will last four ^
weeks, beginning next Saturday. The
banks will be given five days after
the close to tabulate and report sub?
scriptions, the treasury department
announced today.
Instead of requiring two per cent,
cash payment with the subscription
as in the second loan, five per cent will
be asked for on the third loan sub?
scriptions, 20 per cent will then b?
due May 28th, 35 per cent July 18th
and 40 per cent. August 15th. The*
Installment payment dates are ( ar
ranged so that none will fall in June
when the drain on the country's finan?
cial resources will be great.on account
of Income and excess profits tax being
due on June 15th.
The third issue of Ueierty boo*
oankis erITI molare sffthj^i^
tember loth, 1928, the treasury -^de*
partment announced. They will hear*]
interest from May 9th next, payable,
semi-annually, on September 16th and
March 16th.
RUSSIAN SHIPS COMMANDEERED.
United States Has Seized Ships Here?
tofore Carrying War Supplies to
Russia.
New York. April 4.?The United
States has requisitioned for use in
the entente service a number of Rus?
sian steamships formerly engaged In
transporting supplies between Ameri?
ca and Russia, according to authoriz?
ed information received in shipping
circles here today.
gkn. pershing decorated.
Awarded Grund Cross of The Belgian
Order.
Washington, April 4.?Gen. Per
ahtng boa been awarded the Belgian
Order or the Grand Cross of the Or?
der Leopold, it is reported here.
TO USE JAPANESE TONNAGE.
United States Negotiates for 450,000
Tons Shipping.
Tokio, Thursday, March 28.?(By
the Associated Press).?It is learned
from an authoritative source that an
agreement has been concluded under
which Japan will turn over to the
United States 4 50,000 tons of ship?
ping.
Of this total 150.000 tons will be
supplied immediately in return for
consideration except the chartering
rates of the Allies. The Japanese
government will make up the defi?
ciency between this payment and the
far Eastern rate, Involving expendi?
ture of 18,000.000 yen.
Another 100.000 tons of new ships
will be delivered between May and
December in exchange for an equal
tonnage of steel. The remaining 200.
000 tons will be turned over as con?
structed later upon terms which are
mutually regarded as very satisfac?
tory',
The plan was arranged by the
American Ambassador Roland S. Mor?
ris, with the fullest cooperation on th?
part of the government and shir
builders.
The amount of tonnage to be mad?
available by Japaneee is eonsiderably
in excess of previous estimates. A
dispatch received yesterday from To
klo said the amount was given by th<
Japaneee newspapers as 250,000.
a* be thy Country's, JOty God's ?
llyAT, APRIL 6, 1918.
A oUSPIGlOUS M?RDEfl.
NflGHT WATCHMJIN OP OFFICE
W PUBLIC INFORMATION,
WASHINGTON, KILLED.
I He Wee Found Dead This Morning
fWlth Bullet Through His Head
JBoIlee Arrest Negro on Suspicion.
Washington, April 4.?James King,
night watchman In the offices of the
committee of public information was
found dead this morning with a bul?
let hole through his head. Examina?
tion of King's pistol indicated that he
had tried to fire, but the cartridges
failed to explode. Nothing was found
to show that the offices had been
ransacked.
JThe police later arrested a negro
employed at the office, saying that
King and the negro had quarreled.
MIME SHIPS QUICKLY.
[NESS PROBLEM WILL BE
JDIED FROM ALL ANGLES
UNITED STATES CHAM?
BER OF COMMERCE,
log Next Week is Sixth Annual?
?leston Speakers Expected.
Washington, April 3.?Edward N
ley, chairman of the United State*
>ping Board, and Charles Piez, vice
tdent and general manager of the
urgency Fleet Corporation, will
Icipate in shipping conferences
will form an Important part of
[sixth annual meeting of the Unit
ites Chamber of Commerce at
next week,
business men from every State
iting every important industry
is country, will gather there and
out what business can do to
up the production of ships. Mr.
jy will speak Wednesday, April
Thursday Mr. Pies will address
?Conference on "How Cap We Get
Ships in the Next Six Months.'
who are expected to lead the
ions are:
rles A. Eaton, head national ser
ping Board; B. F. McLeod and Phil H.
Gadsden, of Charlestoni S. C; Meyer
Bloomfleld, head Industrial service de?
partment, United States Shipping
Board; former Premier Crawford
Vaughn, of South Australia; Thomns
L. Cradbourne, representative of the
State Department and war trade
board; J. R. Flannery, general service
mariager United States Shipping
Board; Ever it Macy, chairman adjust?
ment board, Department of Labor; J.
B. Weaver, manager Harlem Plant
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation:
Holden A. Evans, president Balttmore
Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company.
SHOOT SPIES, SAYS TAFT.
Would Execute All Who Express
Treasonable Sentiments.
Muskogee, ok la., April 3.?"Spies
should be court-martialed, lined up
and their citizenship ended by bul?
lets; those who express treasonable
sentiments should be tried and pun?
ished, but in all cases law should be
obeyed and mob violence, such as
practiced in certain parts of the
United States should be everywhere
condemned that the United States
may not sink to the lawless savagery
of the Germans," William H. Taft,
former president of the United States
declared in an address here today.
TOBACCO FOR SOLDIERS.
Government Tukes Over Output of
Rull Durham.
New York, April 3.?The govern?
ment has taken over the entire output
of the 'Bull Durham" cigarette to?
bacco, manufactured by the Ameri?
can Tobacco Company, at the com?
pany's factories at Durham, N. C, ami
will devot- it to the needs of American
troops abroad, it was announced here
today. It was stated that the govern?
ment will pay the same price for the
goods ,?s domestic jobbers have been
paying.
U. S. AIRMEN PRAISED.
High Compliment Paid by British War
Office.
London, April 3.?The British war
office pays a high compliment to
American airmen in the official state?
ment issued tonight on aerial opera?
tions.
"During the last fortnight of intense
fighting In the air," says the state
ment. "the assistance rendered by the
personnel of thS American air serv?
ice attached to the royal air servlct
has been Invaluable,"
mm Irittr?"
f!BS TR?1
SPEED ?P HAFT. *'
- s
MEN WILL BE CALLED KAI*? ,Y
TO FILL ARMY.
Change in Programme is to Meet The
Emergency in France?Eight Hun?
dred Thousand Will be Called This
Year.
Washington, April 3.?Measures to
speed up the draft program are in
contemplation, and official announce?
ment is expected soon. The intention
is to meet the emergency in France.
For that reason the eight hundred
thousand to be called this year will be
called more rapidly than previously
planned. Arrangements to this end
are in progress, but no suggestion
that eight hundred thousand figures
will be exceeded during the year has
been put forward.
GAINING AT ARRAS.
British Repulse Attacks and Regain
Ground In Important Sector.
London, April 3.?British troops
after sharp fighting last night repulsed
the Germans In the neighborhood of
Fompoux, the war office announced
this morning.
The town of Ayette, eight miles
southwest Of Arras, is again In Brit?
ish posession. Over one hundred pris?
oners and three machine guns were
captured.
VICTORY IN THE AIR,
British Airmen Fought Actively on
Monday.
London, Tuesday, April 2.?Britisn
aviators were very active Monday on
the battle front In France, dropping
seventeen tons of bombs, bringing
down sixteen enemy airplanes and two
balloons, according to the official
statement tonight
FRENCH HOLD MOREUIL.
German Night Attack Successfully Re?
pulsed.
Paris, April 3.?A German attack
south of Moreutl last night was ro
were unabte to gain a foot In any
part of the French positions except
it one point, the war office announced
GERMAN POSITION STORMED.
British Strengthen Their Position
Near Arras.
With British Army in.France, April
3.?That the British last night storm?
ed and captured a strong German
point Bouth of Habuterne, which men?
aced the defending positions of th?
recaptured village of Ayette is the
most important news from the north?
ern battle front so far today.
Paris Again Under Fire.
Paris, April 3.?The Germans again
began to bombard Paris at 9.60 this
morning.
OPERATIONS IN PALESTINE.
British Take 700 Prisoners and Several
Guam.
London, April 2.?An official state?
ment, issued today at the war office
regarding British operations In Pales
tine, says:
"Seven hundred prisoners, four
guns, several machine guns and I
number of motor lorries were captur?
ed east of the river Jordan between
March 25 and April 1.
"On March 30, raiding operation?
against the Hadjaz railway having
heeen successfully accomplished, our
troops commenced a retirement to?
ward Es-Sal."
CASUAI/TY LIST SUSPENDED.
Gen. March Awaiting Interpretation oi
New Order of Secretory Baker.
Washington, April '6.?Major Gen?
eral March today directed that the is?
sue of the daily casualty list here
should be suspended, pending a defi?
nite interpretation from Secretary Ba?
ker as to whether it is forbidden by i
his new order providing that Gen i
Pershing's headquarters shall issue al
news relating to troops in France. i
WILL FEED SWITZERLAND.
United States Will Go Far to Protect
Neutral Notions.
Washington, April 3.?4n endeavor?
ing to protect neutral Rttsejpean coun?
tries from the consequence* of Ger?
man ruthless submarine warfare the
Cnitde Mated Is preparing to go even
further than its original promises to
keep Switzerland supplied wdh food
and, if necessary, will allow tha
country to take train through France.
?O' ?? JOH, mm tu* 11 Jana, um
/ol XLVI. No. 167
PEACE PUN MISCARRIED.
AUSTRIA WAS RECENTLY ALMOST
AT POINT OF BEGINNING NE?
GOTIATIONS.
Foreign Minister Cxernin Tells Vienna
Council That Failure of Plan Was
Due to Entente Powers Who Ex*
pee ted Austria to Collapse.
London. April 3.?Austria-Hungary
was recently "almost on the point" of
beginning peace negotiations with the
entente. Count Cserain, foreign min?
ister. de< a red yesterday In an ad?
dress In t.he Vienna council. 'The
wind suddenly veered," he added, "the
entente having decided to await de?
velopment in his country, wiich
caused it to hope that the dual mon?
archy wo Id soon be defenseless."
CZERNII'S STATEMENT FAKTES.
Washing >n Officials Say it Is Begin?
ning of Another German Peace Of?
fensive.
Washirgton, April 3.?Austrian
Foreign Minister Czernln's statement
that France suggested peace dlfoua
sions is characterized by officials here
as the beginning of a new German
peace off-^sive with Czernin acting at
German} behest. The Austrian's
statement that he was almost or the
point of beginning negotiations with
the enterte is branded as false.
HUN SPIES AND GAS MASKS.
Senator homas Says Thousands of
Masks Defective.
Washi ngton, April 2.?-Charges that
German pies are Interfering with the
manufacture of gas masks intended
for use in France were made in the
senate today by Senator Thomas, of
Colorado, who declared that in one
factory .900 out of 5,000 masks were
found defective. Even after the de?
fective nes had been discarded . a
number later were found packed with
those th; t had passed inspection. I
Senates Thomas declared the masks
had bee:: damaged by small perfora?
tions an asserted the work was done
by person in the factory. Ho said this
isomiii/i nimsj I? %m 9# 11 iigssy
being dene by German agents
country.
VDIANA GOES DRY.
Prohibition Law Becomes Effective
at Midnight.
Indianapolis. April 2.?The State?
wide prohibition law so written that
Intoxicat ing liquor may not be man?
ufacture 1, sold, given away or ship?
ped into the State except for medicinal
and sacramental purposes took effect
at midnight tonight. Members esti?
mated that 3,400 saloons in the State
closed their doors and that 30 brew?
eries in '.he State were affected. The
amount of money .the league members
say, thai has been spent annually for
intoxica ing liquor in the State is $25,
000,000.
The closing of all places where
liquor n ight be purchased followed
strenuous efforts of the "wets" to have
the law declared unconstitutional.
The Indiana supreme court heard oral
arguments In two cases involving the
law todi y.
TCRNADO IN MISSOURI.
Six Perrons Killed and Many Injured
Tuesday Night.
St Louis, April 3.?Six persons
were k; led, scores injured and heavy
property damage done by tornadoes
last night in Missouri, according to re?
ports received early today. The storms
swept t'irough Stoddard and Mont?
gomery counties in the Southeaster!
part of the State.
V AR WORKERS IDLE.
Mysterf >us Epidemic at The Ford
Plant.
Detro t. Mtch., April 2.?-Officials of
the Fo; i Motor Company this after?
noon confirmed a report that more
than 20 ) men have been affected dally
by a mysterious epidemic resembling
grippe which has been prevalent in
the pls-.it. It was estimated that
about 2,000 employees have been ill
thus far.
ACCIDENT AT AUGUSTA.
Three Men Killed and Four Injured
by F plosion at Camp Hancock.
Augusta, April 3.?Three of the
seven men who were Injured last
night by an explosion in one tent of
Company F, Hundred Third Engi?
neers, a'. Camp Hancock are dead and
?nother is seriously injured. All are
from Pennsylvania,