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THK MM WATCHMAN, Katab Consolidated Aujr. II,1 NEW FRONT ATT&CKEO. QBim V9* IUI n> BREAK BRIT MI IINI NOIM1I OF S'IMMI IAI II NT. British Re.-apture CMvtMHkf Ml Take IMaoiien*?-Bombardment SUirtcd Thin Morning from Airiienticros? Infniitry AIno In Action. London. April It,?In I new at t. ? k on the front north of the Somme h ittleheld the Germans \esterdav took Glvenschy, hut the British re I ntUM'd the town, the war office An? nounces, taking seven hundred and fifty prisoners in this area. I'ierce fighting; eontinmd k-st night on the front north of La Basse ea? rn) The Oenaan front of attach is extending todav. i:.uly this morning a Mmbtjl ItIV at began on British po? sitions from the Armentieres region as far north .is the Ypres-Comlnes ,1. Oil the southern part of thia front inrnr.Py fighting Is reported to h.i\? egun. Ill -nim F.B FROM ARRAS. Civilian Population Huvo Abandoned Beleaguered! City. Paris, April 10.?The civilian pop? ulation of the city of Arif.s has been removed. For more than three years the city has held out under almost continuous bombardments by the en? emy's big guns. ON FIRIN'tX LINE. American Troop* Appear on British Battle Front. I^ondon. April 10.?American reln forcements have ap>><\u< d in the Brit? ish battle sone, says a dispatch from headquarters to Beutors Press Asso? ciation. RATTLE n6vKS NORTHWARD. Cerium* I nun? b Drive iw twen Ar mcnt leres and Mcssinc*. With British Army in France. April 10.?The Germans this morning ex? tended the sector of yesterday's at? tack to th.' northward by launching a drtve apralnit the British between Armentieres and Measlnes. BRITISH MEET ATTACK. Germans Tlirmv Infantry in Dense Masses Against Arras Sector. London. April 10?The battle which began yesterday morning is continuing today with unabated vio? lence. The artillery duel extended southward to Arras. The enemy brought Into action a tremendous con? centration of artillery, and infantry Ii d? nae masses xwaa used. They are plainly making efforts to break i irough the British lines, the writer declares. FRENCH COUNTER ATTACK. German Offensive Near Nayon Brok? en Up. Pans. April 10.?The Germans last night delivered a heavy attack on the French lines near Hangard-Enhterre, which was met by a French counter a'.tack, preventing the Germans from g lining any udvantage, the war ofNYe announces West of Castel und w*?sl of N'oyon QerBAaS efforts to adva_me a so failed. ( < bo, u. ?i dt M?*ssinos. London. A pril 1 " < ?n the Mes ? inrs front the enemy attack today was repulsed. The enemy obtained n > footing on high ground anywhere. Major Gen. Maurice announced at the office this afternoon. PI 'N M 1 11 s FOR SABOTAGE. Senate Calls for Conference Repotl on Bill w ishingtf.n. April li.?The senatt today requested a conference leport 0 . the bill providing severe penaltie-t for the destruction or mterferemr with the production of essential wai 1 itertnl and sustaining ? claus< giving WOlKioen the light to stl.kc lot better v\. h .ind working con li t. >n* 1 IBI it n I (i \N si Rs< KIPTloVs I lm< Progri hh Made In First TIihm Days of Cmiipalgii. Washington. April II. Libertv loan subscriptions officially reported from eight Of the twelve Fedt i il Kes? i\ Dl-trlctn for the grst three days of th? campaign amounted to IWeiVS iniihoe. tue hundred Ihousand, twt hundied and fifty doll.us The dta tricts hoi reporting are Minneapolis Ito hmond. Philadelphia and Atlaii t*. ???mI April, 18X0. "tor litt ? 881. BRITISH HARD PRESSED. northern LINK deceives Tin: FVLL for? e <>f GERMAN DRIVE. Americans Now Reinforcing British UM in Northern Franc:'?Great l><>s|m>rntiou Shown By Germans. American troops are now reinfore- j 1 ing the British line In France along the greater portion of which the Germans are keeping up their strong attacks with hordes of men and great T j concentration of artillery in assaults that now apparently have their ob? jective in the pentrating or the battle front In northern France and Bel? gium. It was a happy lot of men that swung into the sector chosen for them. From the south of Yprcs in Bel glum the region of \M Basse, In Fiance the new offensive of the Ger? mans is being caried out with great desperation, with thousands of men under OOVt r of unprecedented bom? bardments of the allied rear lines, endeavoring to pierce the bravely de? fended fronts held by the British and Portuguese?and now also at some unnamed point by Americans. On several sectors of the new 20 mile battle line a few deep salients have been driven by the enemy, but in the process the Germans nowhere have been able to break through, the line merely bending back under tin great pressure. Particularly deep are the wedges northwest ofArmen tleres and northwest of Ra Basse? salients which seem to make certain the evacuation of the British of Ar inentleres. British positions southwest of Ar? mentieres, lying between the River Lys and Doube, north of Armentieres along the five mile front between the Proegsteert Wood and the Wyts chatete-Messines Ridge have been pressed back by the Germans. East of Lai Basse. Givenehy Hill, the key to Bethune, has been tenaciously held by the British and the town of Gi? venehy retaken, while to the north In the region of Ypres the enemy's at? tacks have been dclslvely repulsed. jThe TTriflsh In recapturing Givenehy j made nearly a thousand German pris? oners. The latest German official statement asserts that between Ar mentleres anil Fstarles the Germans have crossed the Lys River and that north of Arme.itieres the British lines on both skies of Waasten-Wateuton have heen penetrated. Six thousand prisoners and 100 guns are claimed to have been taken by the Germans in the fighting between Armentieres and Ra Basso Canal. The famous Vi my Ridge, won r. year ago by the Canadians, is receiv? ing I prodigious visitation of shells fronV German batteries, While the battle in the north has been in progress the fighting south of the Romme, where the British arc aligned against the Germans, has been lather subdued. Not so, however, on the seetors where the French and Ger? mans are disputing the occupancy oi the terrain. Furious assaults and counterassaults have been going on around Hangard-Kn-Santei.e, the vil? lage changing bands many times. At last accounts the French not alone held the Village, but also the nearby cemetery. Bit. POTFAT RESIGNS. Haag <?f Purm a it t'Diversity Becomes Platform Speaker for Laymen's Missionary Movement. G SOI ille. April 10.?Dr. Edwin MeNeal Poteat. fOT II years president of Furman University, has tendered his resignation, to become effective in Jinn-. He will become a platform ?peakor of the Laymen's Missionary Movement which contains some of ilie most eminent men in the country and will lour the United States and [ Canada. Dr, Poteat Will make his home Somewhere near New York. inning his presidency in? has done notable woi i Furman, HOLDING MEMMINI H RIDGE. British Struggle stubbornly to De? tain < mil ma nd ol Flanders Plain With the British Army In France, April II.??Fighting continuing tb morning north or Armentieres with the Britten still holding tin- Messlnes ndge ami Wytsehoeti which oompleto ly changed bands seevral times dur? ing Ihs day. hTe eneni) succeeded is entering positions al Lecreoho, Nippe and Holleheki i*?? t vigorous count? i ul lacks drove them out This morning the Germans are In possession ol nbout half Ihe village ol Ploegsteor , and Plogsteei t Wood. od Fear not?Let an the mill Thou AI SUMTER, S. C, SAT?I GERMANS TAKE ARMENTIEBS. BRITISH driven OUT of impor TANT position on NORTH? ern FRONT. Neu Offensive Has Nut Been Checked and Desperate Fighting Continues Day and Night. London, April 11.?The British have withdrawn from Armentieres on the northern battle front, the war office announced this morning. Violent fighting continues along the front from La Basse to theYpres-Comines canal. North of Armentieres heavy fighting continued late last night. Thine was little change in British po? sitions. Rome, Wednesday, April 10.?One Italian steamer of over 1,500 tons was sunk by an enemy submarine last week. Three small sailing vessels were also sunk. WEEK'S SUBMARINE REPORT. i_ ONLY SIX MERCHANTMEN VIC? TIMS OF C-ROATS. Next to Lowest Ijevcl of Any Seven Bay PSfflod Since the Campaign Began. London, April 10.?The sinking of British merchantmen by mines or submarines last week reached the next lowest level of any week since lermany began her intensive subma? rine campaign early in 1917. Four .essels of more than 1.600 tons, two of less than 1,000 tons and two fish? ing boats were sent to the bottom. The admiralty statement adds: Vessels unsuccessfully attacked It; including two previously. Arrivals, 2,534; sailings, 2,49f>. "Both fishermen reported today were sunk during the wec^v ending March 30. The lowest record for any week since Germany began her Intensive submarine campaign was, in aggre? gate weight of tonnage sunk, the week of November 11 last. Then l only one vessel of over 1,600 tons and five vessels of less than 1,600 top? were destroyed. French lx*?e Two. Paris, April 10.?Only two French merchantmen, both over 1,600 tonn were junk by submarines during the week ending April 6, according to the official announcement tonight. Last week's admiralty statement announced the sinking of six mer? chantmen of more than 1,600 tons and five fishing vessels. The previous week 2S merchantmen were sunk, 16 being of more than 1,600 tons bur? den. WINNING IN PALESTINE. British Troops Continue Advance North of Jerusalem. I London, April 11.?The British troops on April 9th advanced on a 1 line north of Jerusalem to depths of one and a-half miles along a front of live miles, the war office announced today. Notwithstanding stubborn re? sistance by the Turks the British enptured the villages of Rafat and Rlkefer. Fit EN OH HOLD FAST. Infty t Defeat on nuns in Champngw Region. Paris, April 11.?The German at? tack in Champagne last night was broken up by French gun fire. On the principal front there was heavy artillery fighting between Montdidier and Noyon. GERMANS PUSHING ON. Krported Five Miles West or Armen t leres Today. London, April n.?The Germans' pushoi yesterday trom Crlex-Dudac. southwest Of Armentiers, Parties of 11n?'11 hare been reported m the neighborhood (live miles west of Ar montierest, the Iteuter'a correspond enl .ii heud'iuartera reported today. BESSARABIA JOINS Rot MA? XI A. Another Russian Province Breaks Auras From Old Country, Pasel. Switzerland. April 11. - The llessarablan diet, according1 to ? telegram from Bucharest, has decid? ed in favor of the union of Bes? sarabia with Roumanla, which it bor? ders on the east. i' be Utiy Oonntry** Thy God's I 1 APRIL 13, 1918. ||ME ESTIB?SKI. consent or PORTUGAL IRES ARE BEING FOR? TIFIED. Used ns a Base for American larlncs and Air Craft and To Southern Route to Mu ihington, April 11.?For the tlon of the Atlantic trade route Ithern Europe, the United States the consent of Portugal, has es led a naval base in the Azores Guns have been landed and Irtifications of the station have begun. In addition to its use as p> for American submarines, de? ters and other small craft, it will ifcerve as an important homing ?n for American airplanes, a sr of which have been assem MSYjC PRICE-FIXING. CSSITIES MF ST BE HELD WITHIN REACH. Men Gatlier in Confcatjnoo? :tcd to He Followed by Mect of Woolen and Leather Indus hington, April 10!?Stabilizing ;es on domestic necessities in cotton goodn, woolens, man res, clothing, shoes and hats, iscussed today by President n- and his war cabinet. It is stood that the president's coun i K believe that drastic action aye to be taken soon or the av citizen will lind many of the he needs out of his reach, ilo the war cabinet met, the tirB move in what is declared to be jeeping price fixing or stabilizing e being worked out by the war tries board was made at a con ce between more than 50 leading manufacturers of the country > board price fixing committee. . represent only the cot? ton textile industry but meetings with delegations ropresnting the woolen and leather industries are scheduled to follow upon the completion of the present conference. Today's meeting was under the aus? pices of the National Council of American Cotton Manufacturers, who came here to discuss its present and prospective relations with the gov? ernment, in regard to prices and pro? duction. The result of the first session was the appointment of a war production committe headed by Garrish B. MIHI ken of New York to present the coun? cil's view to the price lixing commit? tee. The other members of the com? mittee are: Arthur J. Draper, vice chairman; J. W. Cannon, Julius Cone, D. Y. Coop? er and Stewart W. Cramer, all of North Carolina; W. D. Anderson and A. F. Johnson, Georgia; B. B. Comer and G. H. Lanier, Alabama; J. H. Ledyard, Mississippi; J. D. Hammett, Victor Montgomery and Ellison A. Smyth, South Carolina; H. R. Fitz? gerald, Virginia, and 13 others from Northern States. The council's committee which will hold its first meeting in New York at the conclusion of the con? ference here, will seek to determine upon prices that will be fair to Hie industry and to the government. Heavy demands of the army and navy are using up ?0 per cent, of the output ol the woolen mills and it is said that the war industries board will consider this industry imme? diately after the cotton goods situa? tion is cleared up. CORN CROP SHOWING. Geiininating Well In south says Bul? letin. Washington. April 10.?The weath? er and crop bulletin issued today by the department ol agriculture shows the corn crop In the South is ger? minating well, in the more Southern HtatCS the crop is up to a good stand and In the extreme South is being cultivated. Considerable damage by cut worms is reported in Texas and Louisiana, The bulletin also reports that work in Hu- cotton Heids is progressing sat? isfactorily and planting is going on fully up to the average date. Tin early planted is coining up well and cultivation has begun in Florida Rains during the week, while possl bly delaying wink somewhat furnish eil much need et 1 molsture in Bovera aections. um? Trutfc's." THE ? v RUSSIA THREATENS WAR ? AMERICAN' OFFICIALS REALIZE SITE ATION AT VLADIVOSTOK MCST BE CAREFTLL Y HANDLED. Bolshcvikl Pr?mier is Said to Haw Stated Russia May Oppose Japanese Invasion. _ Washington, April 9.?It is realized here that unless the situation at I Vladivostok is handled with the I greatest tact grave and far-reaching troulTle may he expected. There has been no official report on the state? ment of Lenine, the Bolsheviki pre? mier, that Russia might declare war on Japan because of the landing of Japanese troops at the Siberian port, but the news in press dispatches oc? casioned no surprise, It had been as? sumed that German "influences were working unceasingly to bring about an open rupture between the Bolshe? viki and Russia's late allies. Lenine is believed to be peculiarly susceptible to German influence. Assurances already have been given that the landing of Japanese and Brit? ish forces at Vladivostok was merely for the protection of life and proper? ty. MENSEN EM RIDGE BATTLE. Masses of German Troops Thrown Against Position. With the British Army In France, April 10 (By the Associated Press).?The Messines Ridge and the Ploegsieert Wood, which last June were cleared of Germans by a spec-1 tacular coup, again today were fill? ed with sevirling masses of fiercely battling troops as the result of a new drive launched by the enemy between Armentieres and Messines this morn? ing. For hours th German hordes l have been flinging themselves vicious? ly against the defending lines and by sheer weight of numbers forced their way forward at several points into the British position. Today's pro? gress north of Armentieres was a continuation of the new phase of the great offensive which boiled up yes? terday between Givenchy and Armen I j tieres. If the enemy attack of today should I succeed, Armentieres would lie in a deep sali? nt with the Germans well Jin in either side of it. (?ne of the main features of the ; German plans for the offensive as n whole now becomes obvious. The kaiser is bent on annihilating the British army as far as is possible. After an hour of fighting the ene | my gained possession of the front line east of Fauquisart. North of Laventie the enemy had | succeeded in crossing the Lys in small j numbers. They got a footing in ESstairs, but they were thrown out by a counterattack. During the day a counterattack farther north also pushed the enemy I back approximately to the river. Givenchy wras the pivot of the bat? tle and the most important position along the line, for the high ground here dominates the whole Lys valley. The battle in Givenchy was san? guinary. For hours the contending forces fought at close quarters with I rifles and hand grenades. NEW GERMAN INTRIGUE. 1 Latest Effort to Overshadow Previous Plots. Washington, April 10.?Warning of a new German policy of intrigue, far overshadowing Zimmerman's efforts to embroil Mexico and Japan with ! the United States, and designed to t cause a demoralisation in the allied j countries similar to that in Russia. w:.s given to the national conference ol American lecturers here today by William English Walling of New York. Mr. Walling vigorously attacked the Socialists of the allied nations. He asserted that their purpose is to In ing about a peace of their own dic dictation and that unless their efforts are frustrated "the democratically elected governments of Frame. Eng? land and America might as well ab? dicate." Rl ssiA TAKING INVENTORY. Peace With Genna ay Cost Thirty Per Cent of Population. Petrograd, Wednesday, April 10, Under the terms of the peaes treats the commissioners of commerce an? nounce, Russia lost seven hundred and eighty thousand square kilomet? ers Of territory and fifty-six mil? lion Inhabitants, or thirty-two per cent of the entire population. 40UTKK0N, EatabttaiM? Jan?, > MHt "v?l.XLVI. No. 17. mm TO FRONT. FC rtti er reintorcemexts NOT 1ar BEHIND. Many Troops Moving?Rate1 of De partui-e fop France Three Times That of n Short Time Ago. With the British Armies in France, April 10 (By the Associated Press).- -The first of the American fighting troops have arrived on the British front and have been greeted with intense enthusiasm. The over? seas pioneers were a battalion of in? fantry, which came swinging along the road into a certain sector after an all ti ght march that began on the anniversary of America's declaration of war. The dusty uniforms and un? shaven :aces of the Americans show? ed that they had been long? on the road. Washington, April 10.?With the news that American troops are in the hattle sono, the blunt statement of David idoyd George, the British pre? mier, u parliament as to the situa? tion in i'icardy came home to Amer? icans today with added force. Army officers expressed satisfaction that the reinforcements ordered into the fight by President Wilson had begun to ar? rive for the British had left no room for doubt that the need for them Is urgent. Behind that advance guard, other American forces are moving rapidly to the front. Figures may not be disclosed, but it is known definitely, that the rate of departure of Amer? ican troops for France now is three times that of only a short time ago. The increase of troop movement* makes interest in the submarine sit? uation acute. There were indica? tions two weeks ago that the Ger? mans had coupled with the assault in Picardy an effort to increase their inroads upon allied shipping. While there has been no Informa? tion to indfeate any increased men* ace to the transports the very decid? ed falling off in the sinking of Brit? ish ships last week and the present week waa interpreted in some quar? ters to mean the diverting of-the u* boats to the transport lines. News from the front today was not encouraging. Officials admittedly did not understand the purpose of the Germans in extending the scope of the battle far to the northward-of the great wedge driven into the Brit? ish lines in the attack on Amiens. Tt was pointed out, however, that the struggl ndoubtedly was entering a third phase. On the whole, military opinion based on meagre details shown in to? day's di , atches, inclined to the be? lief that tue Germans had found even the 50-mi-e front of their drive at Amiens too confined and too fraught with danger for their purpose. For this reason it was assumed that the new attack was designed to flatten out the T; ritish lines. AMERICANS BEAT GERMANS. Raid on Positions North of Toul Com } 4etely Repulsed. With American Army in France, Wednesdi ), April 10.?Tie Germans attempted an attack against Ameri? can posit ons northwest of Toul early this morning but were completely re? pulsed. Two German prisoners said ' the eneniK' planned an attack with a force of Ight hundred. but that it was stopj>ed in its full strength by the effect/ e tire of the American ar? tillery. The Americans lost no pris mera. [J. S. SUBMARINES CROSSED OCEAN. In Pane Of Bitter Winter Gales Uttle Craft Reached England Safely. vYashil Eton, April 9.?In the face of bitter v intr\ gales, American sub? marines primarily designed for oper? ations off the home coasts, have cross? ed tlie Atlantic to England In the com? mon tig lit against German C-bo.its. TitC) are aiding Allied naval forces as are American destroyers and American naval airmen, and they have been in the war zone for some montha PERslllNG's CASUALTY LIST. Hundred Twenty-four Names Report? ed Toda>. Washington, April 11.?Today's casualty list gives one hundred and twenty-four names. R shows one (silled in action, two died of wounds, liv? du I of accidents, thirteen died I?!' disease, sixty-nine sc erlv wound id. thirty shghtl.x woumVd. and four reported missing.