Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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ENTIRE BATTALION DESTROYED FRENCH Sl/ACGIITFR ATTACK? ING GERMANS ON OISK. l>ceprr?tc Attempt to Rrcek Through Allied Line? HegnnUvss of Cost? Falle When French Make Final Stand. With the French Army In France, Sunday. March 31 (By the Associated Press).?A daring attempt by the Germans to cross the Disc today and fohn a bridgehead permitting of fu? ll re advances was easily frustrated by the French. One of the famous storm battalions succeeded in getting over near Chauny, but never returned, it was almost entirely annihilated. There remained only about 100 un? grounded men whom the French took prisoner. Nearly all the bridges crossing the Otee have been destroyed and the French hold strong positions on the southern bank while all possible forda are covered by artillery. More to the north, in the region of Moreull, the Germans for the moment si least appear to have renounced theft* general attacks and resorted to local actions. Two of these were ex? tremely violent between Marcelcove and the Somme. They came against the strongest resistance from the French, who repulsed them after very severe fighting. Other attacks took place on the right bank of the Sommc nbout the same period of the day and these also met with failure. Sanguinary engagements in which the combatants again came to close fighting and indivl lual combat took piece about the Laastgna:' sector. Mwi the French field artillery caught the advancing German columns undet a tempest of shells which drove them back, but only after the ground wan streurn with hundreds of bodies. At Plemont two German divisions which had received strict orders tc execute an advance whatever might he the cost and capture a height, found themselves confronted by n French division which woull not give way before the fury of the Germar waves. For a moment the French werf forced back but took breath and came at the enemy again with such a rusli that the Germans were driven from the height, leaving 700 prisoners, in? cluding 10 officers, In the hands of the French. At no period of the war has the fighting been so fierce. The German? Intended at any cost to reach and destroy the railroad communication at Amiens, connecting the north and south. Today, the 11th day of the buttle, they have be fore them a solid wall of allied troops which dally ii becoming firmer, as artillery Is ad? vancing from all directions to supporl the infantry, which has stood the en? tire shock up to the present. A word must be sa'd for the allied aviators, who from the beginning ol the battle have worked incessantly taking the place of cavalry for re? connaissance and often descending tc aft altitude of 100 feet or less to at? tack with machine guns. Their daring seemed to have an almost paralyzing effect on the German foot men. Tt appears that certain of the Ger? riten forces possess many tanks but sc fur they have been utilized very lit? tle. A captured order shows that fiv< of these were placed at the disposition of one. division while prisoners de i?r ? that a large number of tank? have been constructed since last fall These vehicles comprise small tanks ten tons In weight and eight metre.* long, three metres wide and three an?1 a half high, and land cruisers 14 me? tres long, four wide and four hlgr with a speed of from seven to 15 kilo metres. Thee* are armed with cannor end machine guns ae well as fiann projectors. They are provided wicr doors snd apertures which can be her metioally closed so as to allow then t" pass through gas clouds. It Is believed that the Germans In? tend to use these tanks to follow th< first waves of Infantry and deal wltl the resistance on the center. The allies during their retrc it in I \< frequent use of armored motor can flMed with machine guns to hau Ml their pursuers. One of these, whirl: came In close conbu t with Use Mem) throughout a. whole da higlU ditched. Th? occupants left the c it and endeavoied to pull the machine out of the mud under a MVerf nth fire. A machine gun wits lifted out and used against the enemy until it .lammed. Then the gunner tO19304 I rifle and fired while his comrades con? tinued to work until they righted tin ear, which they restarted when th^ (iermuns wero within r.O yards of them. All made their lines. FRENCH PKI.Mll l( Mil I.Lr:i>. Xarrem F*rn|ie IVom Death While \ uiMug MM Front. Paris. April ---Premier Clemen ??hi, while making his daily visit to il ? front yesterdsv ventured so M || the first line that his automobile Nil ?bei led vlgoorusly bv Geiman art 11 - Sfff All the windows were broken. but m Cleesenctae returned unhurt GERMANS HIDE WOUNDED. THY TO CONCEAL TERRIBLE LOSS FROM PEOPLE AT HOME. Victims of Great Drive Sent to Bel? gium Instead of to Hospitals in Germany?French Estimate Loss at 300,04)0. Washington, April 1.?A French of? ficial estimate of the German losses ir the great battle on the Western front puts their total casualties at between 275,000 and 300,000 men. The Germans aro sending most of their wounded to Belgium, it is de? clared, to conceal from the German people their heavy sacrifices. It has been possible to identify, the dispatch says, nearly 100 German di? visions, more than ten of which were twice engaged. Some of the divisions, It is declared, had to be relieved at the end of the first day after losing more than half their men. The dispatch follows: "After an 11 day offensive, during which the Germans have recklessly pushed forward their attacking waves one may gather a fairly accurate esti? mate of their losses. "In the first place it has been pos? sible to Identify nearly 100 of their divisions since the beginning of the offensive, more than 10 of which were twice engaged. Some divisions had to bt relieved at the end of the first day, having lost more than half of their men; such waa the case of the Forty fifth and the Eighty-eighth. The lat? ter has been nearly entirely wiped out. Among those that have suffered the most are the Fiftieth, One Hundred and Twentieth, Twenty-eighth and One Hundred and Seventh divisions, as well as the Second (Prussian Guard), the Sixteenth, the Twenty first and Twenty-sixth divisions of re? serves. "In the second place, an enormous number of corpses were found on the battle ground and the prisoners, on being questioned, acknowledged the heavy losses of their units. "To conce.il from the German peo? ple the heavy sacrifices that their of? fensive methods required, the Ger? mans are sending most of their wounded to Belgium. "It is not. an exaggeration to esti? mate the tctal of their losses at be? tween 275.0C0 and 300,000 men." DRIVE TURKS BACK. Advance of Seventy-three Miles to Point Between Bagdad and Aleppo Announced. London, April t.?British troops i operating on the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia continue their pursuit of the Turkish forces. An official statement isucd today by the war of? fice says the British forces have ad? vanced 73 miles beyond the town of Anah, to a point about midway be? tween Bagdad and Aleppo. The statement reads: i "On the Euphrates our pursuing troops have advanced 73 miles be? yond Anah and have captured a few more Germans and two 10.5 centi? metre guns." PLAN TO REBUILD UON. British Government Authorizes Com? mission to Start Work in Palestine. i Ijondon, March 28 (Correspondence) The British government has authoriz? ed the British Zionist Organization to i appoint a commission to investigate I the present conditions of the Jewish colonies in Palestine. Among its ob i Jects will be the repatriation of the Jewish inhabitants who have been i compelled by the enemy to leave Palestine, the organization of relief I work, the reopening of Jewish insti? tutions in the Holy l-tn.i which have been closed through enemy action, and the restoration of damage which the enemy has inflicted on the Jewish colonies. The commission will be Instructed to investigate the feasibility of the Scheme for founding a Jewish uni > versity In Palest ne and, should mill" , tar\ exigencies permit, to take steps for the initiation of this undertaking. The purchase of the land to be used is the slto for the university was eom pleted a few days ago. The com? mission will leave for Palestine at an irly date. IHt ASTIC PEN'AI/riES PRESCRIB? ED. ( ongivss at l ast Wakes up to Danger of gSSJfQt Enemies. Washlngtoni April |,- In favorably reporting the bill to impose drastic penalties on disloyal seta the senate ludlelary committee adopted an amendment prescribing twenty ysars Imprisonment and ten Ihonsand dol? ra lint foi "whoever shall by word or SOI support or favor the CUUSS ot Ihs German empire or its Alllei In the I.snt w;ir. or oppose the cause of ths Mates therein." it spproved the i penalties for obstructing govern* men! bond Issues recruiting or enlist? ment. AID FUMED AHR LARGE forces of trained men available. Official Announcement Made in Lon? don That British People May Real? ize Singleness of Purpose. London, April 1.?An official an? nouncement issued here tonight says: "As a result of communications which have passed between the prime minis? ter and President Wilson, of delibera? tions between Secretary Baker, who visited London a lew days ago, and the prime minister, Mr. Balfour and Lord Derby, and consultation in France in which General Pershing and General Bliss participated, im? portant decisions have been come to, by which large forces of trained men in the American army can be brought to the assistance of the allies in the I present struggle. "Throughout these discussions Pres? ident Wilson has shown the greatest anxiety to do everything possible to assist tho allies and has left nothing undone which could contribute there? to. "This decision, however, of vital im? portance as it will be to the mainte? nance of the allied strength In the next few months, will in no way di? minish the need for those further measures for raising fresh troops at home, to which reference already has been made. It is announced at once because the prime minister feels that the singleness of purpose with which the United States have made this im? mediate and, Indeed, indispensable contribution towards the triumph ol the allied cause should be clearly rec? ognized by the British people." AVAR ON ILLITERACY. South Carolina Should Make Greater Efforts Now Than Ever Before tc Banish Ignorance. Spartanburg, April 2.?Eight years ago, as you know, Louisiana was the only Btate having a larger percentage of illiterarcy than South Carolina. Lou? isiana has worked hard since then, and when the next census is taken South Carolina is likely to be at the bottom of the list. It is more important than ever foi South Carolina to educate her massei of illiterates. Yet of the more thai fifty thousand white illiterates ir State, only 3,000 were taught to read in last two years, and this year there Is a decided decline in tho night school work. When we he^rj^thal Kentucky taught forty thousand men and women to read and write In twe years we realize how far short w? have fallen. Our illiterate men are being drafted by. the thousands and valuable time is taken from drilling and preparing for a war which is to save civilization and Christianity, to teach these men tc read and write. We were told that food would wir war. The Germans now have Ukrania the richest wheat lands in the world There are no wheat lands for us tc conquer, there is no way for us to add to our food supply except for the farmers to produce more food on the land we own. Because of the high price of cotton, many farmers are not planting enough food to supply their own families. A lack of food will make us lose the war. Germany haf sworn to make America pay the cost of the war. Therefore the farmer must realize that he is not only help? ing the enemy but may lose his entire farm by taxation if the Germans win In rural schools especially, govern? ment bulletins should be used at text books, and tho more educated should have clubs where they meel once a week to discuss topics of the day, In magazines such as the Liter? ary DigeHt or Current History maga? zines. Russia's fall was caused by German propaganda among the ignorant class? es. There is a fertile field for Ger? man propaganda in our State, and as you know it is going on all about us The state appropriated ten thou? sand dollars for night schools this year. If this is not enough, ask your legislature to vote an additional tax, tIiis failing, as a last resort, ask yoiu teachers in the name, of patriotism tc give their time .and strength. A great effort must bo made to mob? ilize our illiterates and near illiterates li to the night schools where they will be taught not only reading and writing but farming Industry and patriotism. Will you do your part so that your county will keep pace with the rest? Yours very truly, R. Julia Seiden. COMBINE EXPRESS COMPANIES. Itailroad Administration < 'onsldcriug Plan for New Corporation, Washington. April 2. The merging or ail tb<> exprees companies under a new corporation to operate them as a unit and to work out a basis for the distribution ol* profits is under consid? eration between the railroad adminis? tration ami representatives of the ex press com pan lea JOIN ALLIES' ARMIES. AMERICAN TROOPS TO BE BRIG AD El) WITH FRENCH AND BRITISH. National Pride to lie Put Aside and Amor lean Man Power to Be Placed at Disposal of Allies?Troops in Training to Be Hushed Across. Washington, April 2.?The an? nouncement from London that Amer? ican army units will be brigaded with the British and French organizations is interpreted by army officers here as indicating that the United States gov? ernment is ready to thrust aside all question of national pride in placing American man power at the imme? diate disposal of the Allies. Details of the methods to be adopted are not available, but presumably will be worked out by Gen. Pershing. There is every indication, however, that troops in training here will be rushed across regardless of their present pro? ficiency. AIRPLANES RAn> PARIS. Hun Air Fighters Make Early Morn? ing Attack. Paris, April 2.?Air raid warnings were sounded a 3.15 this morning, but at 4.25 it was announced that all danger was over. PARIS BOMBARDED TODAY. Germans Started Eighth Long Range Bombardment at 10 o'clock. Paris, April 2.?The eighth long range bombardment of Paris began at 10.10 this morning, when a projectile exploded in the region of the city. ADVANCE NEAR DEMUIN. French and British Take the Initiative Last Night. Paris, April 2.?French and Briti3h troops advanced last night be? tween the Somme and Demunln, It was announced officially today. Over most of the front between the Somme and the Oise rivers the night was rel? atively calm. Heavy artillery fighting 11 occurred at some points. AMERICAN SUPER CANNON. Naval Officials Consider Gun With Range Longer Than Any Known Be? fore. Washington, April 1.?Plans for a super cannon, a great gun of long I range, possibly similar to the one with I which the Germans have been bom I barding Paris, have been submitted to Secretary Daniels by naval ordnance experts after months of experiments. It is understood, however, that the II report includes a statement that the ordnance officers do not believe the military value of such a weapon would 11 compensate for the time and money spent in perfecting and developing it. 11 American ordnance officers have been interested in the possibilities of long range guns for the past ten years. I The belief that the "game was not I worth the candle," as one officer ex? pressed it today, prevented rapid progress, but experiments were not II dropped and since the entrance of the United States into the war, allied in? terest has been evidenced in the navy department. Reports were heard in some quar? ters today that a range of 105 miles was expected of the gun under con? sideration. Secretary Daniels would not discuss the matter In any way but other officials declared that no definite data was at hand on which to 'I make any such estimate. I BATTLE FOR LIFE. Armenians and Georgians Organize Army to Save Themselves' from Tin ks. Petrograd, Monday, April 1.? Fierce fghtlng has broken out in the districts Of Batoum, Kars and Ardaham In thS Caucasus. The Armenians and Geor? gians have formed a large army for the defense of the territory against Turks who have begun military occu? pation of these three districts by vir? tue of Ihe Hrest-Litovsk peace treaty. The Georgians have seized most ol the Russian warships in the hnrhOf of Batoum and taken them out into the Black Pea. PITTSBURGH PLANT WRECKED. Five Men Killed and Fourteen Injured in Explosion. Pittsburgh, April 2.?Five men were killed and fourteen seriously in? jured by an explosion In the plant of the Flannery Bolt Company, at Bridge vi He, near here. The cause of the explosion IH Still undetermined. FIVE BILLION FOR ALLIES. Uncle Sam is I'uting up Liberally for Friends. Washington, April 2,?Credits to the Allies during the list year was raised today to more than five billions by B loan of two hundred million to Croat Britain. LIQUOR ACT CONSTITUTIONAL JUDGE SEASE FILES OPINION IN i QUART A MONTH CASE. Judge of Probate of Sumter Ordered 1 to l.-Mio Permits?Case to lie Ap? pealed. Holding as untenable the conten? tions that the amendment to the "qua.rt-a-month" act, passed at the < last session of the general assembly i tightening up the issuance of permits 1 by the judges of probate of the sev- < eial counties of the State, is unconsti- I tutional, Judge Thomas S. Sease, of Spartanburg, in an order filed yester- I clay directs Thomas E. Richardson, judge of probate for Sumter county, to issue a permit to Singleton Brad? ford, a citizen of Sumter county. The case will be appealed to the State Su? preme Court by Mr. Richardson. March 11 ,of this year, Singleton Bradford presented tho prescription of a reputable physician to Judge of Probate Richardson at the hitter's of? fice in Sumter, requesting the issuance cf a permit for the purchase of a quart of whiskey. Mr. Richardson refused the permit, contending that the amendment to the "quart-a.-month" act is unconstitutional in two particu? lars: First, in that a new crime, that of "misjudgment" jeopardizing the of? fice and liberty of the judge oi probate is created, which crime is not stated in the title to the act, as is manda? tory under the constitution; and, sec? ond, that powers not contemplated in the constitution are developed on the Office of the judge of probate. Mr. "Bradford appeared before Judge Sease, at chambers in Spartanburg on March 23, in mandamus proceedings to compel the issuance of the permit. Ho was representd by Claud N. Sapp, assistant attorney general, and Senator Charlton Durant of Clarendon county, because an act of the legis? lature was contested, and D. S. Hen? derson, Esq., of the Alken bar. ap? peared for Mr. Richardson. The suit was a friendly one to test the con? stitutionality of the law. "This cause," says the opinion of Judge Sease, "came on for a hear? ing before me at chambers on the 23rd day of March, 1918, by way ol an appeal from an order of Thomas E. Richardson, judge of probate for Sumter county, refusing to issue a per? mit to Singleton Bradford, a citizen of Sumter county, to receive alcoholic liquor under the terms of 'an Act to amend Section 10 of the act to regulate the shipment and transportation, car? rying, storing and having in posses? sion of alcoholic liquors and bever? ages and to place penalties for viola? tion thereof, approved February 24, 1917, further regulating the issuance of permits,' approved the 18th day of February, 1918, and further, by way of a petition for mandamus on behalf of Singleton Bradford requiring the judge of probate of Sumter county to issue the permit to transport into South Carolina the alcoholic: liquors specified in the affidavit which was presented to him. "In the order refusing the permit the judge of probate admits the alle? gations contained in the affidavit of the petitioner and admits that all re? quirements of law under the act has been complied with by the petitioner, but refused to issue the permit for the reason that the act in question is unconstitutional; "First. Because the act la in vio? lation of the constitutional provision which requires that every act or reso? lution having the force of law shall relate to but one subject and that shall be expressed in the title, in that the title of the act provides for further regulating the issuance of permits and the body of the act goes further after providing for the issuance of permits and creates a criminal offense against the probate judges who may bo mis? taken in their views as to the truth of affidavits' presented to them; and "Second. That Article V. Section 1!? of the constitution vests in the court of probate jurisdiction 'in all matters testamentary and of admin? istration ,in business appertaining to minors and the allotment of dower, in case of idiocy and lunacy and persons non compos montis' and the legislature has no constitutional au? thority to vest in the court of pro hate and its judges the duty of issuing Liquor permits and passing judicially Upon the truth of the allegations con? tained in the affidavits of applicants. "The court is of the opinion that the title of the act in question is suf? ficient to cover the contents thereof in compliance with the constittuional requirements applicable therto, and that nothing is expressed in the body of the act not germane to the subject BS expressed in the title. "The constitution tixes the jurisdic? tion of the probate court but does not limit the duties that the legislature may impose upon the officer thereof, and the act under attack simply Im? poses a duy upon the officer of the probate court and In no wise extends the jurisdiction of the court. "The contention that a probate judge might be prosecuted or punish? ed for an error of judgment In a ju ITALY EXPECTS ATTACK. VISTRIANS MASSING TROOPS ON BATTLE FRONT. funs arc \ >1I Supplied With Men, (.uns. Munitions and Food, While Italians nee in Dcsi>erate Need of Food and Ammunition. Washington, April 1.?Imminent langer of a t attack by the Austrians n great foi ;e upon the Italian lines vas emphas ized today at the Italian embassy, recently the embassy pub ished a staiement that no less than forty divisions had been gathered by he enemy ilong the battle line and iow information comes that these troops have received the essentials of foods, artiiery and munitions for which they have been wattirfg. Recalling :'<icredullty with which the Italian advance warning of the tremendous onslaught of the combin? ed Austrian and German armies on the Isonzo last year were received by the Allies, the Italian miltiary authori? ties now are said to be earnestly hope? ful that attention will be paid to the danger whit >i again impends. The War department's weekly mili? tary review referred today to the probability that, failing to break through the combined British, French and American forces on the west fiont, the Ge rman general staff will di? rect its efforts at another point and the Italian military men are confident that the Ita ian line in the neighbor? hood of Lake Garda will be the select? ed point. The immediate objective of the Aus? trians is expected to be the city ?of Drescia on the east of the lake and a near attack may be directed on the west with t purpose of breaking into Lombardy. The principal Italian mu? nitions and army supply factories are located In Lombardy and Piedmont. Great quantities of supplies have come to the Austrian army from Rus? sia, according to dispatches to the embassy. On the other hand the Italians are said to be in desperate need of food. It is known that only about one-third of the Italian army of three million men is being maintained on the battle line and the official explanation Is thaft there is no food and not even enough guns and ammunition for the re? mainder. The Britisi and French troops sent to Italy to - heck the Austrc-German advance last: fall are still in Northern Italy and it is said that Instead^of having them withdrawn to meet the pressing need for man power in France, the Italian general staff A%* sires to ser.d Italian troops to join the British, Fren m and Americans in tha& quarter, trusting tot he Allies' superior' commissariat; to feed them. BULGARS NOT IN WEST. - American Consul General at Sofia Sa ? Bulgarian Troops Have Not Been Sent to France. Washington, April 2.?The latest report to thv State department from American Consul General Murphy at Sofia declared that no Bulgarian troops had been moved to the wes? tern front for the big offensive. It has been stated that Bulgarians are fighting in the west alongside the Germans an?i Austrians. TO ELIMINATE COMPETXTION. Ntw Division Created by Wat Indus? tries Board. >? Washington, April 2.?The creation of a requirements division, which will establish priority of deliver}' in raw and manufactured war materials, was announced today by the war industries board. The division will eliminate competition among government de? partments in obtaining supplies. STRIKERS RESUME WORK. Latar Trouble at Norfolk Appears to Be Over. Norfolk, Ap il 3.?The indications today are that the strike of workmen on army and :iavy work here is end? ed, and that work will be resumed tomorrow with a full force on hand. dicial opinion is not applicable to this case for the reason that a probate judge is not bring prosecuted for mal? feasance or mi feasance resulting from an abuse of hts discretion In passing upon the truth of the allegations of an affidavit presented, hence that po? sition can not he successfully main? tained, by hin, ?<i this action. Hav? ing reached 1! *se conclusions. "It is ordei d, directed and de? creed, That the order of the i rotate Judge refusing to iame the permit to petitioner herein be reversed ard that the prayer oi the petitioner herein be granted ami the probate judge is hereby ordered forthwith to issue to the petitioner the permit requested; and 'it is further ordered. That the pe? titioner have judgment against the respondent for the costs and disburse ntenta In this action."