The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, April 27, 1918, Image 1
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.