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TICK 8UMTER WATCHMAN, E*tab<4 CoDSOlidated Aur. 2, ll GERMANS CONTINUE DRIVE. HEN FORCE* AGAIN HAMM ER DM AT FRONT DOOR OF AMI FAS. 11nIk's Men Withdraw From Villau? t>f VUlcrs-llrctonneu* on Northern End of l*tcttt Fighting: Front?So Ear a* Known Allies Hold Firm In Oilier Place*. After three weeks of preparation In the Bomme. during which time they launched an offensive In Flanders, the Gern* ans have resumed their ham? mering at the front door of Amiens. I ,, I , . s ' h- i h.ts been hcavv artil? lery firing along the northern sectors of the Sonune salient and Anally the German Infantry began their at? tempts to advance on the line pass? ing Vlllers-NPretonneux, have caused a British withdrawal from this vil? lage, according to a report from Field Marshal Halg. This marks a Oer man gain of about a mile. Vlllers-Bretonneux Is about II miles directly cast of Amiens and Is on the northern end of the latest fighting front. It is situated between the Bomme and Luce Rivers, and. v htle It la flanked on the south by low lying ground. It is by rolling hills to the west and northwest. The fighting on the rest of the lront whero the Germans have resum? ed their drive toward the allied base of supplies In Northern France has not, so far as known resulted in any\| notable retirements on the part of the allies. The German official re? port Issued on Wednesday was sUent as to events In this sector of the front. An attack on this particular part of the line in the Homme region had been expected and it is probable that preparations to meet it had been made. The British lines held firm in this region .during the last days of the Initial drive while the Germans were able to forge ahead farther south un? til they reached the village of Castel, about three miles from the railroad running to Paris from Amiens. This new drive has beon made at the san?e Urns that another blow ha? j been struck at the British and French lines northwest of Ypres. Savage fighting is reported at various points along the line from Rallleul to Mer? rill* and Berlin claims that heights to the northeast of Rallleul have been stormed. Coincident with these attacks, here have been assaults on the British forces near Bethune, along the I^iwe River, but these have been repulsed. Borne of the uncertainty as to the success of the British exploit in at? tempting to seal up the harbors cf Seebruggs and Ostend has been clear? ed up by observations carried out b> aviators. Grave d.image was done to the mole at Zeehrugge and the chan? nel hading out to sea from the port of Ostend It said to have been part? ly gggejl ? >n the fi out In France, with the exception of the Komme salient, there has been little lighting of an unusual nature. The situation between Germany and Holland is still obseure. It has been reported that a virtual ulttio.it urn was delivered to the Netherlands government gg Berlin but this Is not ar yet known to be a fact. Dispatches from The Hague insist that Holland Will not dep.irt from her attitude of neutrality. An unotfhlal report says that the DgJteli minister has left for The Hague | nd tint the German mln later has started for Berlin. YIIJ.F.Rs-RRl.TONNEl X IN Till! II Whs OF GERMANS. Huns Attack Whole British Front ?south of Somntc and French on IMght?Score Partial Sucre*** After ? nls Repulse. l*?iidon. ApHl 21. ? Field Marshal Halg reports that the Germans hnve taken Vlllers-Bretonneux. The text of' the statement reads: \i.out l.tl this mnrnliu'. after a vloletit bombardment the enemy at gSggfgd Ml ' hole front south of Ho? ne isjg the French on her rlghl and van repulsed fviter In the morn? ing an ettMll on our positions in this ?eetoi was renewed in strength and. although repulsed with loss on the southern and northern positions of the front, made progress at Vil lers-Bretonneux. where the lightinr. hau been s#vere through the dav. "By evening the enemy had gain rd pfissesMion of the Milage, ;tnd tin fighting wa? eontlnning "??ther attaefcl l>\ the eoemv the* rinrnlng on the north bank of th< ?omme and north of Alheit greet rS pulsed: we segajeed R feg setsoner* "By a sueeessful |gg 11 operation . iriod our fit* morning northwest of t&tod April, 1850. "Be foot m ?81. Festubert a post, captured by the enemy In this locality on the 22nd, was regained. The hostile garrison offered strong resistance and lost heavily. Wo captured a few pris? oners and four machine guns. "Early In the morning the enemy delivered a strong local attack, with? out success against our new positions east of Kohecq. Our line was main taind Intact and 84 prisoners were' left in out hands. Additional prison? ers were secured in successful mi? nor enterprises in the forest of Niep pc and In the neighborhood of Me? tern." With the British Army in Franco, April 24 By the Associated Press.? Hard llghJng developed this morning on the southern battle front, the ene? my attacking south of the Somme along the line of Villers-Bretonneux, llangard-en Santerere, Hailles and t'astol. Early developments indicat? ed that tho Germans were trying only j for limited objectives. . On the British sector Villers Pre- j tonneux, which nestles on a ridge overlooking the long stretch of the Sommo valley, was the storm center, and here the enemy for the first time since the war began had tanks in ac? tion. Three of these engines of war accompanied the storming infantry, which at latest reports had battled forward into the eastern outskirts of the town. From the French sector came word that the Germans had made very slight progress. The assault was preceded by a heavy bombardment about Villers Bretonneux. At the conclusion of this preparation the Germans surged forward along the whole British front south of the Somme. The first attack was thrown back but the ene? my immediately came forward again, and this time met with more success. In the face of heavy machine gun and rifle fire the Germans pushed on towards the town, their three tanks leading. The British gave way slightly and the enemy got a footing in the east? ern fringe of the town. Farther north, a little above the .Albort rej?on 4he British infantry put up an S. O. S. for artillery protec? tion about 4 o'clock this morning and what appeared to promise a serious attuck began to show. It turned out to be nothing more pretentious than an attempted raid, however. Between Ilobecq and Glvenchy-le Labassee there was also considerable enemy shelling this morning and the Germans made a small attack in an attempt to take a position near Gl venchy. But this movement was uuickly stopped by the British. ALL DAY BATTLE STILL GOING ON. Defenders Continue to Strive Dse> |N'ratrl> to Prevent Advance of In? vading Forces. Paris. April 24/?The battle on the whole front south of the Somme and on the Avre lasted all day and still continues, according to the war ofhee announeetner t tonight. The <Jet-mans gained a footing In the woods to the northward of Hangard ? n-Senterre rod also in the eastern outskirts of the village, which the i- reneh are desperately defending. Several enemy assaults were shat? tered near Hailles and attacks at Sen ec it wood and Hill 82 also failed. The statement says: "An intense bombardment of the Franco-American positions south of the Somme and on the Avre was fol? lowed by a German attack carried out all along this front by considerable forces at ;*> o'clock in the morning The efforts of the enemy were direct? ed against Hangard-en-Senterre. the region of Hailles and Senecat wood. "South of the A vre the battle which lasted all day. continued at the present hour. It was particularly stubborn In the region of Hangard. After .i series of furious assaults the enemy succeeded in gaining a foot* Ing In the wood north of Hangard as well as in the eastern outskirts of the village, which our troops are desper ately defending. "The fighting was less violent In the neighborhood of Halllea several enemy asaanlts directed against the ridge east of the village were broken down by our fire and our counterat? tacks ' Farther to the south the Germans were similarly cheeked in their at tempts agalnal Uenecaf wood ami Hill IS, which remained entirely In our possession. < oi tin right i> ini< of the Mouse the nrllllerj was quite active" The i efoi sn< e In the official state men! Issued i?\ the French war office definitely locates the Anterli in Ml Fear not?Dot all toe en da Thou AM 3UMTER, S. 0., SAT ?B GERMANS MAKE BAINS. NEW DRIVE FOR AMIENS RE ' SI LTS IN SOME HEADWAY. French Forced Out of Hangard and British Dine Near Baillcul Dented, Rut British Recapture Villlers-Bre tonncux?Battle Continue* With Unabated Fury. Paris, April 25.?The Germans have captured the village of Han-, gard, on the front southeast of Amiens, the war office announce*. The battle continued throughout the night in this sector. The French lost Hangard, recaptured it and finally were again forced out of the town, but are holding the ground around it. FIGHT A1/L NIGHT. Infantry Attacks lYoceded by In? tense Artillery Bombardment. London, April 25.?Three attacks by the Germans on the British po? sitions east of Amiens have been re? pulsed, it was announced officially this morning. After the Germans were repulsed by the French northeast of Baillcul late yesterday the enemy renewed their attacks this morning after an intense bombardment of these posi? tions and the British positions furth? er east. The British regained ground around Villiers-Bretonneux by coun? ter attacks, and took prisoners. Severe fighting was in progress nM last night, and still continues in that sector, and on the Bailleul sector the battle is continuing over a wide front. SHOOTING PARIS AGAIN. Rig Gun Resumed Bombardment Tills Morning. Paris, April 25.?The long range bombardment of Paris was resumed again this morning. LOSE THOUSAND GENS. _ British Have Suffered Great Loss in Repeat Battles, . , ^ London, April 25.-The PrltisVf have lost nearly a thousand guns, between four and five thousand ma? chine guns and great quantities of ammunition since the present battle in France began, Winston Spencer Churchill told the House of Com? mons today. , THE ZEEBRUGGE RAID. Naval Attack on German Bases Arouses England. Ottawa, April 25.?The naval raid at Zeebrugge continues to be the all engrossing x topic in England, says Renter*! dispatch from London. Spe? cial leave has been granted to the men who participated. There are columns of interviews in the daily press. Reflecting the spirit of Che survivors, one said he would go again tomorrow on a similar errand even though he knew he wouldn't return. AMERICAN LOSS AT SEICHE PREY. Few Killed and Not Many Aoundel. Washington, April 25.?The num? ber of Americans killed in the Ger irian attack at Seicheprey April 20th was less than a dozen and the wound? ed aboui twenty. These figures, made known today, appeared to give sup? port to the German claim that a hundred and eighty-three Americans were captured, since it had been previously admitted that the Amer? ican casualties were around two hun? dred. Union, April 24.?Milus Smith, a negro living In Pea Ridge, about eight miles from Cnion, was shot by Sheriff Pant while resisting arrest and died shortly afterwards. The negro fired at the sheriiT seven times without any result. He had said he would kill any man who tried to arrest him and a few days ago had refused to be taken i?y oflloers. troOQI which were moved from the ?OUthem sectors of the battle line to puts of the French front which wore hard pressed during the great Ger? man drive through Picnrdy. I mi April io dispatches from both the French and British headquarters in France reported the arrival ol American troops This was prior to the time when the French extended Iheli hues fur to the north of Mont dldler The French official state* menl muj Indicate that A.net'.ans did nol move to the north when tha British forces were replaced by the French, bul held the positions to which Ihej won originally assigned. 1 tffcy Country's, Iky ?O*Te M ;PBIL 27, 1918. PBOVE POSITION. tt> GERMANS BOTH ^JUTKS IN BATTLE. Continues Without the Sector East of Amiens Appear to Have Been Lot Tbat Point. ? April 25.?Heavy fighting the sector east of t Reuter's correspondent iquarters reports that appear to have gained of Villlers-Brettoneux itish counter attacked nem back to the fringe of I l,.e,t all places. The British ground and the general) has improved considerably. and German tanks j the fighting at ViUers The correspondent says iah tanks got among a irmans and did great exe-j ICHEHS' SALARIES. State Council of Defense Increased, Pay to Main il Efficiency. April *4\~Davtd ' R. tan of the South Caro ! of Defense, has issued the of democracy and the safety of this nation world depends upon an and patriotic oitlsenshtp. citizenship cannot be had ined without a public im of high efficiency, ilency of the school eye* mrily depends upon the .?eucationand eajperlenee ' rteWhers r/Of;'|k^h Car patd frejp W to in < men,and. wo ions in com* idVfori gl Bo per month. "Many hanks and. mercantile con? cerns are looking for efficient women at good salaries to replace men who have been called into service. "Many of the most efficient school teachers in the State intend to seek commercial employment at the end of.the present school year. "If the authorities controlling the schools of South Carolina do not im? mediately recognize the danger and apply the necessary remedy, our sehool system will be badly cripplec. at a time when efficiency is more vi? tal than ever before. "There is but one remedy?adequate salary. We cannot expect expert, oonsecrated service for the wage of an average day laborer. "Our' teachers do and should oc? cupy positions of iniluence and lead ? ership in their respective communi? ties, and it is unfair to keep them in their present humiliating financial . condition. "I personally know efficient teach ers of high patriotism who are re-1 ceiving salaries barely able to meet their absolutely necessary expenses; and who deeply feel their inability to respond to requests for contribu? tions to worthy patriotic causes. "If adequate funds are not avail? able from taxation, school trustees should raise by private subscription from the school patrons sufficient ad? ditional funds to pay an adequate sal? ary to secure and keep the services of competent and experienced teach? ers. "The structure of our government depends more largely upon our edu? cational system than upon any other one agency. Let us keep this fact clearly before us and do our full duty to our schools no matter how urgent are other calls for patriotic service. (Signed) "D. R. Coker, 'Chairman S. C. Council of Defense." Washington, April 25.?The casu? alty list today contains 49 names.! Killed in action, two; died of wounds.! six; died of accident, four; died of | disease, seven; other causes one; se? verely wounded, live; slightly wound- i eld, twenty-four. Lieu! Lawrence Ayer was Included In those killed in action. Lieut. James C. Marquardt died of accident. Washington, April 2 ?">. Scores of cities passed their Liberty loan quo? BgS todaj as shown In reports to tin national headqunrters, Total sub? scriptions reported are one billion Saght hundred thirty-seven million, sight hundred sixty eight thousand, three hundred and lilts' dollars Governor Gardiner Tenders Appoint? ment as Successor to Late Senator Stone. Jefferson City, Mo., April 24.?Gov-| ernor Gardiner tonight tendered to' Champ Clark, speaker of the house; of representatives, the appointment | as senator to succeed the late William J. Stone. The governor announced! he had sent the following telegram to Mr. Clark: "I have the honor of tendering to you appointment as senator to Ml I'1 vacancy caused by death of Senator Stone. I hope to have early advice of your acceptance." Makes no Comment. I Washington, April 24.?Speaker Clerk tonight received the telegram from Governor Gardiner offering him the appointment as senator to sue-' ceed the late Senator Stone, but de? clined to discuss it The tendering of j the office to the speaker has been ex? pected by many members of the house of repreaenttalves, but they do not be? lieve Mr. Clark will surrender the speak er ship to accept it. DUTCH-GERMAN CRISIS. Holland and Germany Said to Be Far | Apart?Rumors of Action. Amsterdam, April 24.?The Hetvolk announces that the German minister to The Netherlands has left The Hague for Berlin and that the Dutch minister to Germany is on his way from Berlin to The Hague. Washington, April 24.?Washington eras without any official information tonight to throw light on the situa? tion between Germany and Holland i and officials and diplomats could only speculate on reports that Germany1 had1 delivered an ultimatum to The Netherlands government demanding the movement of war supplies through Dutch -territory. If the Amsterdam report that, the hatch minister baa departed for !*a> ie step snoi relations has been taken. And a rup? ture of relations is the step short of war. It is possible that the ministers might have been recalled by their gov? ernment for conferences, though such a step hardly would be probable since it would be open to misinterpretation. CHAVTAUQUA WAR TAX. / Dnportaiit Information for Purchasers of Season Tickets. Special war tax revenue stamps for use on season tickets to the com? ing Redpath Chuutauqua have just been received, and these stamps will be affixed to tickets upon presenta? tion at the Y. M. C. A. and payment of the 10 per cent, of the purchase price of the ticket, as required by the government. When the ticket sale was launched in Sumter, the government stamps had not been printed. A special ruling by the Internal revenue de? partment was required, due to the fact that the season tickets are re? tained by the owner for use at the ensuing entertainments, and it would be impracticable to Collect the tax at each entertainment. The government revenue tax amounts to 25 cents on all adult season tickets sold during the ad? vance sale at $2.50; the tax on chil- J dren's tickets is 13 cents. When the j advance sale closes, the price of tick-j ets will be advanced to $3.00 for1 adults and $1.50 for children, with aj consequent increase in the govern-| ment tax. Tickets may be stamped at the gate on the opening day of the chau-' tauqua. May 1. No season tick* t Will be honored for admission un-i less it bears the government stamp. Those who wish may wait and have their tickets stamped at the grounds on the opening day, but because of the large crowd that will be present il is suggested that all who can do so will call at the Y. M. C. A. in ad? vance and pay the government tax This will obviate delay and confusion, and will enable the holders of stamp? ed tickets to go right to their scats ftl the tug tent. The Redpath Chautauqua organ ization is serving the govern Blent in collecting this revenue entirely with out compensation, and it is believe l thai Sumter people will cooperate with the government and the Red path organisation in the same loyal mannet as was displayed m the re cent Libert) Loan campaign. 1 mm Vol. XLVI. mm ] mm ma JOHN D. RYAN WH* DTOBCT? ENTIRE QUESTION OF AIR CK/ FT PRODUCTION. Successful Inancter to HaM Poftttftna C*>rrc?pc> ding to Thmt KeVl by Schwab ; i Ship Making?Fair POW er Grant d to Act in Executive Ca? pacity. , Washington, April 24.?Direction of the army's great aircraft production I problem htui been placed in the hands Iof a civilia. , John D. Ryan, cepper magnate, r 11 road man and financier. Secretary Baker announced the at->p tonight, dit closing at the same time a Ireorganizat on of the signal corps un? der which 1 he aviation section virtual* ly is divorced from the corps proper, heretofore supreme on all questions. With aotua production turned over to a civilian d viaiim needed by Mr. Ryan Brig. Oen. William E. Kenly is made ftshief of a new division of mimary aeronautic*, to control training of aviators and military uses of ahV craft. Major G officer, win signal bra j man of Ok whose dire has develop tires from the cbairn aircraft be gross, will Thro ugh ou lays and r production critios hav lay'in the control. t hie .board corps and has been that the months be meral Squler, chief signal confine his activities to the ch. Howard Coffin; chair aircraft beard And under tlori the bulldin# program ed to IU\ present stage, re he boerd end relinquishes inship to 'Jfr. Ry*n. 'Tfr* ird itself, created by coa>. continue as advisory body, all the agitation over de*^ intakes in. getting quantity' , of aircraft un4er ^rpy* ajl agreed t^at the* great ek^tt absence of concentrated so power of Mr. Ceflk* and vas subject to the sftpaal this divided re^nonsttJlKIt tamed largely fox i. e fact ?rograrp ie *bout thOftf/ Hp*. "The appointment of a single indi? vidual witt definite and adequate pow? er to deal with all aspects of army aircraft production is a logical and necessary Ftep. "It is necessary to get away from any question of a division of respon | rfibility, eitner in fact or in the public 1 mind. The aircraft board remains, as i since its creation in October, an ad? visory body; but under this new ar? rangement the chairman of the board becomes aiso the supreme executive agency. For proper results both the power of e<ecution and the responsi? bility mus-t be concentrated in the same hand ;. The method of Mr. Ry? an's appointment would seem to ac? complish t: is result." This reorganization forecast at the war department since before the sen? ate military committee made its re? ports referring to the aviation pro? gram as a "humiliating failure," fol? lows a preliminary report from a spe | cial comm ttee of investigators ap? pointed by President Wilson and headed by H. Snowden Marshall of New York. The report never has been made public Assistan* Secretaries Crowell and Stettinius and Major General March, acting chic f of staff, are understood to have worked out the new plan of organization.1 The authority given Mr. Ryan corresponds to that given Chas. M. Schwab as director general of th-3 Emergency Fleet Coi poration. He has the task of speeding up production in all of the many plants working on aircraft for the army and is given full power in that respect. Mr. Ryan's war work up to this time has been coniined to an active part in the work of the Red Cross war council. 1'resident Wilson is said to have had a hand personally in th?> selection. Porn in Michigan 54 years ago, Mr. Ryan has had a busy life as an industrial leader. He is president of the Anaconda Copper Company, of the Unite*. Metals Selling Company and of the Montana Power Company. One of the big things in which he has played a part was the electrifica? tion of the mountain division of the C. M. St. probably the greatest undertaklm of the kind ever at tempted. Brigadiei Qeaeral Kenly, chief of the new military aeronautics division, recent l\ returne?! from Franca whero he has had charge of aviation under lYeneral Pershtng. Soon after the first expeditionary tones vent over lie was sent to Prance ami uiven the rank of brigadier general in the Nat? ional Ai in.