Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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mm BUMTKR WATCHMAN, BrtaVi Consolidated Aur. 2.1 SlUlfiHTER OF HEHNS. OROtJND STREUN WITH DKAD NEAR Mill CHAPELLE. British U<'slsiamv Appear* to Be Stiffening and German Advance Hun Been Somewhat Checked? German L\wm Excessive. London, April 12.?The German troope made a determined attack ?Ions the Messtnes Ridge and succeed. *>d in gaining some ground, says a Reuter dispatch from British head quartern, but the Britlah once again drove them out by counter attack early this morning. Three attacks which the enemy launched yesterday in great waves near Vllle Chape He were repulsed with immense loaies to the Germans. The ground was strewn with th -ir dead. The Germans are developing a great artillery activity in the Beuthern area, the dispatch says. FlCARDY BATTLE SLACKENS. GenrtaiM Report on Artillery Duels and Minor Infantry Fighting. Berlin. Thursday. April 11.?In ref? erence to the situation on the Picar dy battle front the official statement nays, "on the battle front on both aids* of the 0omme and on the south? ern bank of the Olse fighting activi? ties are limited to artillery duels and minor Infantry operations." SEVEN TO EIGHT. British Aviator* Had the Edge on Germans. London. Thursday. April 11.?Brit? lah aviators today dropped more than a ton of bombs on the railway station at Luxemburg. In reporting the aviation activities on the battle front Wednesday the official state? ment says that eight enemy airplanes were accounted for and seven British machines are missing. PUSHED HACK. AGAIN. British Lost Ground at Ploegstecrt on ?KU?) 'jQiSsTs^ t er day In the neighborhood of Ploeg steert the Germans presse? back the British to the vicinity of Neuve Egllse. it is announced officially. FRENCH FIGHTING STEADILY. Battle Not Over In The Vicinity of Montdldler. Paria, April It.?Heavy artillery fighting lust night in the vicinity of llsngard en Sanverre and on the front north of Montdldler, the war of 1ce announces. DRIVE Sl> >\VS DOWN. On Northern Front British and Ger? man* Fight \N l h Varying Fortune. London. April 12.?Last night the Germans captured Merville and heavy fighting continued this morning in the neighborhood of Merville and Neuf Berquln. On the remainder of the mrfhern battlefront there was little gtsMBfJl North of Festubert the Brit? ish regained ground by a counter-at? tack Hetween Lolsne and Uwe Riv? er German? attacks were repulsed. tol.ONF.L COMMITS SITCIBE. OH. William II. Simons Dead Iii Hb Tent. t Atlanta. April 13.?A hoard of in? quiry Is Investigating the death ot Col William II. Himona, of the 327tl Infantry, who was found dead In hi quarters Itte yesterday, with a pbdo at his sld v No reason has been on signed for the supposed sjlclde. Col Simons was from ''barb'sbm, s* r LIBERTY l/OAN REPORTS. Federal Ite*erve Ranks Report $:?at>. 12?.too Subscribed. Washington. April 13.?The sub scrlptlons to the third Liberty Ltftl reported to the femr.il reserve Danl today, as the first quarter of tlm drlv passed, totalled five hundred thbf< nine million, four hundred twenty Six thousand and one hundred dollar? slightly more than one-aixth of th minimum nought. SABOT V. I: BILL EM ASCI* LATE] Section* Pcnnlixing Enemy Arm I lim liuitctl. Washington. Apni II Provlator In th?' M.il-ot iK.' I.ill foi penalizing ac' of obMtructlng nrndiMtton of war mr terlaln were eliminated lodny by th senate and hOSjas root. tonte ttnd April, 1M0. ?Bn Int u 88L ff BRITISH AND GERMANS LOCKED IN DEADLY GRIP. No Decision Yet Reached In the Struggle for Victory in the Flanders Sector?Huns Trying to Destroy the British Army. London, April 13.?The Germans made an at'ack last night west of Merville, but were repulsed, the war office announces. The British advan? ced their line slightly in the neigh? borhood of Festubert, and took a few prisoners. There was heavy fighting I last night near Neuve Eglise and Wulverghem, and the battle was still in progress at a late hour last night. BOMBED PARIS AGAIN. Raid Friday Night Did Not Do Much Damage. Paris, April 13.?Most of the bombs dropped in last night's air raid fell short, one shot striking a house. It wis evident the raiders found the work much more difficult under the system of aerial defense, and dropped the bombs hastily. As on previous raids, the ambulances of the Ameri? can Red Cross were first on the scene. AIR RAID ON ENGLAND. Two Hun Machines Penetrated Far Into the Interior. London, April 13.?In last night's air raid on England one German ma? chine reached the midland and anoth? er penetrated almost to the northwest coast, it was announced officially to? day. ALLIES RECAPTURE HANGARD. British and French Working Togeth? er Repulse Enemy. London, April 13.?Strong enemy forces launched an attack early last night east of Locon and entered the British lines at certain points, but were ejected by counter attack. In the sector south of the Somme Brit? ish and French troops drove the Ger? mans from Hangard and the adjoin FRENCH REPULSE ATTACKS. Germans Unable to Break Through Lines of French and Americans. Paris. April 13.?The Germans re newed their attacks on French po? sitions last night in Brulewood and Forest of Appremont. American troops, with the French, fought with vigor and broke up a majority of the enemy attacks, says the official state? ment. At one point where the enemy gained a footing he was thrown out by a counterattack. Hl N DRIVE CHECKED. British Repulse Attacks and Make Successful Counterattack. With British Army in France, April 13.?Further attacks on the British right wing between Givenchy and Kobeco on the Labassee canal, yes? terday wholly failed. Two attempts late in the afternoon to capture Lo? con were repulsed. The British also counterattacked around Givenchy nnd took an important German post. KILLED IN PARIS. Air Raid Last Nfcght Was Quite Fatal. Paris. April 13.?Twenty-four per? sons were killed and sixty-two wound? ed as the result of the German air raid last night, it is officially announc? ed. FIVE KILLED IN ENGLAND. Official Report on German Air Raid. London, April 13.?Five persons irere killed and fifteen were injured in tho German air raid on England last night, it is officially announced. AMERICAN! WIN BATTLE. Gets the Better of Gci-nuuis in An All Day Eight. With American Army in France. April 13.?In an all day battle yes? terday on the sector northwest of Toul, the Americans repulsed two German attacks delivered in force They indicted heavy casualties and took ::?; prisoners. The American casualties were slight and no Anicr nans S/erS captured. TWO SOLDIERS KILLED. ^'atal Motor Truck Accident at spar tnnburg. Rpartanhurg, April 118.?Two sol ilers were killed and hL\ Injured to sy in i motor I ruck accident hers. 1 he in? n wore from Camp Wadsworth id Fear not?Dec eil the ends Tbon AH rjMTER, 8. 0., WEDN1 TURNIH6 POINT BEACHED. WAR DEPARTMENT WEBstWj WAR REVIEW SLIGHTLY OPTIMISTIC. Says Advantages Gained by Germans1 Must Not be Misunderstood, But Nevertheless Tliey Have Failed to Achieve Their Purpose to Annihil? ate British Army. _ Washington, April 15.?The turning point in the great battle on the West* ern front has been reached, says the war department's review of the mili? tary situation for last week, publish? ed today. The Germans have failed In their purpose to achieve a complete vic? tory in this field and will soon be forced to resume the old tactics. The statement says, "We must bear In mind that the enemy is waging a battle of annihilation to achieve a victory, and are fighting with the sole aim of annihilating the British armies, thus the terrain conquered counts for little. It would be unwise to belittle the advantage scored by the Gerr mans, yet they have failed in their great purpose." WAR NEWS SUMMARY. BRITISH LINES HOLDING AGAINST GERMAN PRESSURE. Attacks Being Mude in Mass and Gerv mans Are Paying Terrible Price in Dead ami Wounded for Every Foot (?allied. The entire allied line in Belgium and France is holding firm. Nowhere have the Germans beon able, notwith? standing the great numbers of men hurled against it, especially that pot-j tion in Flanders where the British, are holding forth, to gain an inch of] ground. Field Marshal Halg's order that no more ground be ceded tfU rigidly being complied with, as w attested by the thousands of German^ dead now lying before the British po-.i sltions southwest of Ypres. Northwest of St Mihla! the Amorll eassMseesJs' have nSeaft corn palled . W withstand a series of persistent at-j saults second In Intensity only to those delivered by the Germans against the British In Flanders. And the honors at the end rested with the Americans, who met the foe at every style of fighting he offered and decis? ively defeated him. Along the front held by the French Sunday saw nothing of greater im? portance than reciprocal bombard? ments on various sectors, the troops on both sides remaining In their trenches. Likewise in Italy the big guns were doing most of the work. At Nueve Eglise, northwest of Ar? mentieres, where the Germans arc endeavoring to drive their wedge In | farther in order to outilank Ypres, the heaviest fighting has taken place. Throughout Saturday night and Sun? day battles of a most obstainate char? acter took place. The German? throwing thousands of men into the attack along the eight mile front | where the Germans are trying to drive their wedge between Wulver ghem and Meteren met with anything but success, and the price they have paid for their attempts to break the British line has been enormous. On no sector have they beon able to sur? mount the stone wall of the defense. Documents captured from German prisoners show conclusively that the groat new offensive of the Germans was launched with the intention of separating the British and French armies and the crushing of the Brit? ish. The latest German official com? munication dealing with the situation in the region of St. Mihiel, where the American.s are defending the line, says that the Germans indicted heavy losses on the Americans. In Finland the Germans are con? tinuing to overrun the country and the fall of Helslngfors Ih dally to be ex? pected. UOMMANREH-IN-OlllEF FO( H. British and French Government! Agree to < <>nfcr Title. Paris. April II. An official note is sued tonight says: "The Brlttsh and French govern? ments have agreed to confer the titb pf commander-ln-ehtef of the allied nrmles In Frame on Otn, Foeh." Washington, April lf>.?Special trains carrying fifty million feet of fir timber hove lefl the Pacific coast for Atlantic and Gulf ship yards Sfhere eighteen wooden ships are due to leave the ways before May 1st. at be thy Ooumry'e. Thy God's *j IfDAY, APRIL 17, 1918 -CZERH1H LOSES J(B. Resignation of Austrian for. 1 eign minister accepted j bx emperor charles. Bxposure of Effort to Open Peace Nc I gotiations With France Last Year j Causes Upheaval in Austrian Gov '? ernment Amsterdam, April 15,?Count Cser lun, the Austro-Hungarian foreign 4 inlater, has resigned, according td aj Vienna dispatch. Emperor Charles has accepted his resignation, but' entrusted Csernin with the conduct of foreign affairs until his successor Spall be appointed. H >3 The recent ^ubiicatlon by the French government of the futile * i peace appeal sent out by Emperor1 Charles on March 19th, 1917, and the! efforts to explain this letter to the j satisfaction of Germanjj and the Ger ?8 emperor was probably the most1 tfbtent influence in bringing about the assignation of Count Czernin. CRISIS IN CHEAT BATTLE. ieral maurice sees un* pleasant situation. in* Within Short Distance fat Important Railway Centres?Coun try Not Good for Huns. London, April 12.?A definite crisis again been reached, Maj. Gen. f. Maurice, chief director of military ^rations at the war office, declared lay. "The situation is undoubtedly un ,nt," he added. "The enemy is thin a short distance of Bauilloul, tieri Is ah important railway center feeding our Messines-Wytschaete int. He is also advancing In the ttion of Hasebrouck which is a important railway center." eneral Maurice said that on the (er hand the Germans are advanc a very fiat and intricata.^D^.^1 try and have not yet gained any dom? inating position. Seventeen enemy divisions have been engaged u?? to the present and the enemy has lost very heavily. SMITH ON PRICE OF COTTON. War Board Will Have to Have Au? thority to Fix Price. Washington, April 13.?^Senator Smith (South Carolina) In a statement | today declared that any attempts to fix the price of cotton would meet With strong opposition and that the I price flying committee of the war in? dustries board would have to have authority of congress before it could take such action. The statement was brought forth by an announcement of the National Cotton Manufacturers' Association that it met with price fixing committee this week which did not make clear whether price fixing of cotton for gov? ernment or the public, or both, was discussed. Senator Smith quoted from a letter from Robert S. Brookings, chairman of the committee, which said that nothing was done at the meeting except to agree that a com? mittee of cotton manufacurers woui.i notify the price fixing committee "when they would be ready to discuss any of the problems which involved the industry." The letter also said the board has given most of its attention to fixing , i prices both for the government and the public such as copper, steel, etc. .Senator Smith in his statement, de? clared the government has no more right to fix the price of steel and cop? per for the public that it has to fix the price of raw cotton manufactured goods. "All the right it has to say," said Senator Smith In his statement! "is to. say what the government needs l'o; Ihe government." ' * j ITALY ON MEAT RATION. People Will IVe Allowed Meat Olllrt Three Days a Week. Home, April 16.?A decree will be issued shortly, according to Bpoca, limiting the consumption of meal to liroe day:; a week. LIBERTY LOAN SUBSCRIPTIONS. Total Announced Today Is $?20,0 ?7. :>:>o. Washington, April 15.?Liberty loan subscriptions tabulated today it the treasury totalled $620,947,560, which was $67,000,000 over Saturday. TETJE TRUE STAND AI MESSINES. MUST HOLD GROUND AT ANT COST SAYS GENERAL HAIG. End of First Phase of Great Battle /Passes After Three Weeks of Ter? rific Fighting?That the French are Coining Indicates Move by Allies. Great Britain's army stands at bay] in France and Flanders. After three weeks of a combat which has eclipsed anything that has raged during the entire four years of warfare, Field Marshal Haig has issued a command' to his men to hold their ground aC whatever cost, and fight with the j knowledge that their blows are struck "for the safety of their homes and the freedom of mankind." The end of the first phase of this giant struggle now may be considered as passed. "There must be no re? tirement," is Haig's admonition, which adds that the British now are fighting "with their backs to the walk" The order issued by the field mar? shal contains another sentence which^ may be pregnant with significance. "The French army is moving rapidly and in great force to our support," he said, and this is the first official in? timation that the allies are ready to strike back at the German invaders. The allies stand today on a front whlch\has been dented and battered, but which is very strong throughout Tracing this line from the south it is found to leave the old battle front at Braticort, west of Laon. From this* points it runs to the west, passing south of Coucy-le-Chateau and curves north until it reache sthe Olse River, which it follows until it reaches o point south of Noyon. Here the line runs just north of west to Mesnil. wes' of Montdidier, where it turns to the north. This line is continued so far as Castek, where it turns northeast to Hangard and then by a crooked line through Albert to a point east of Hebuturne. .Here the line runs off to the northeast to Fampoux east of Ar ! ran. ? .. At this point it turns north to be? yond Lens, and then turns sharply to ' ing" tho'VAP^Wlflfc ^V^^j^r^/r^^f^ : continues as. .far. as Merville which marks the farthest advance of the Germans in their present offensive op? erations and then.bends to the north oast to Passchendaele. Here it curves to the northwest of Merckem and thence north over the low lands o; Belgium to Nieuport to the sea. The capture of Merville features the fighting during the last day, but all along the line from just north ot Lens to Hollebeke southeast of Ypres. they have been met by savage re? sistance. The hardest fighting along this front seems to have centered about Messines Ridge. This sector has seen the only in? fantry fighting of the last day but a bombardment of the Bray-Corbier Road south of Albert and north of the Somme may foreshadow another blow there. The Turks and Germans have been attacking the British lines north of Jericho since April 10 and entered British positions both east and west I of the Jordan. FRENCH PUSH FIGHTING. Repulsed Attacks Made on Germans in Montdidier Sector. Paris, April 15.?On the front above Montdidier the French made a successful local attack last night, tak? ing prisoners, it is announced official? ly. In the region of Hangard since April 12, the French have taken 150 prisoners. Between Montdidier and Noyon and in the Champagne region successful raids have been carried out by the French, who brought in a number of prisoners. SEVEN ATTACKS REPULSED. German Drive Not Yet Checked, But British Fight Stubbornly. London. April 15.?Seven attacks by the Germans in the Meriville sec? tor have been repulsed by the British who Inflicted heavy losses on the en? emy. The British have lost posses? sion of Neuve Bglise. Southwest of Batlieul the Germans temporarily penetrated the British positions, but were driven out by a counter attack. Amsterdam. April 15.?A thousand persons gathered in the streets ct Prague, the capital of Bohemia, on Saturday ami denounced the Germans and cheered the entente and Presi? dent Wilson, says a dispatch from that ctly to the Lokal Anseiger of Berlin. I SOUTU* UN VoJ >7I. No. 18. *7 SA LINE HOLDS. <>> _ s^ STANDS FIRM IN BAIE LEUL-MERVILLE SECTOR. Germans Also Find Way to Hase? brouck Blocked?Haig's Men Fight Superior Numbers. With the British Army in France, April 14 By the Associated Press).? This morning found the British hold? ing firmly in the critical Bailleul Mervllle sector after a night of the most intense fighting, during which numerous heavy enemy attacks were repulsed and the invaders were driven from Rc jecq by a counterstroke. The G' rmans today were continuing to drive forward in masses against the defending positions which block their war to Hazebrouck with its rail? road !h es. but at the latest reports the Brit sh lines had not wavered in the face of the terrific onslaughts by superior numbers. While no one could predict the outcome of the fierce bat? tle now raging ,the British position this morning seemed more firm and settled t. .1 an at any period since the Germans began their onslaught west of Armentieres. The enemy attacks in this region have been carried out with steadily increasing forces. Near ihe Ypres Canal the enemy lust night had at least 70 divisions In line with six more divisions held in reserve. There has been no cessation in the desperate work which has been going forward since April 9. All last night the opposing forces struggled at close quarters and when daylight came the German- launched two more tremen? dous dn /es, one south of Bailleul and Meterer and the other against the blood-stained zone about Neuve Egllse. "We are holding," was the cheering import, of. the newa received by the correspondent of the Associated Pres? about noon concerning the sector in? volved. ... Duriri? the day yesterday the enemy launch* | three separate attack* near Ncuve-Egttse and each time was hurl? ed bad without making any gains. Lye Battle Front Sees British Stand .Firm. London, April 14.?After Saturday's heavy lighting, which continued dur? ing the evening, the British lints were reported intact last night along all parts of the Lys /battle front, the war office announced today. Fighting v/as resumed on the north? ern part of the front during the night near Xeuve Eglise, and this morning the engagement in this sector was continued by the launching of new enemy attacks in the neighborhood of Bailleul. SHOULD EAT MOST PLENTIFUL FOOD. Big Surplus of Potatoes Going to Waste Unless They are Consumed. Columbia, April 12.?Thirty roll | lion bushels of potatoes by estimate I of the United States Department of I Agriculture, will be wasted unless the potato (rop now held by farmers is moved mmediately. A waste of any portion of this crop will not only mean a decreased acre? age in the coming season, as pointed out by the Food Administration, but will havs a psycholgical effeot upon the country as a whole. This waste will be> in with the warm weather, when potatoes begin to sprout. Tf tins 30,000,000 bushels of po? tatoes can be consumed before June 1st, it \ ill mean a direct saving of wheat and oiher food saved for export ' to Europe. The eating of potatoes, , because of their food value, and of the ' fact that they are very satisfying to the appetite, makes less likely the eating of as much bread. The direct appeal Is made to tho ! people of South Carolina, by William Elliott, Food Administrator, who has called attention cf the retail grocers to the fact that there are at present 10,000 1 ags of potatoes in the liands of food dealers In this State, and urging the stores to push their sale, that potatoes, the most plentiful and and cheapest food that consumers can I buy at the present time, be generally made a arger part of the dally raeals. and less bread consumed. ?????_ Washington, April IS.?The repeal of the federal charter of the National German-American Alliance wa* ap I proved unanimously today i>y the sen? ate judiciary committee, and th(? bill was ordered favorably reported, de* spits the recent vote of the orgsaSSl Ition to voluntarily dissolve,