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mmm-m* ? THE S?inKU WATCHMAN, Estate Consolidated Au*, a, 1 METHODISTS IN SESSION. OPENING OF UBIIimATi CONFER? ENCE MARKED BY PATRIOT? IC DEMONSTRATION. The Bishop's Address Was Bead by Bishop Collins Benny ami Was dieted Willi Enthusiastic Ap? plause. Atlanta. May 2.?Patriotism mark? ed the opening session of the general! conference of the Southern Methodist Church her? today when the bishop's address, declaring. "We should be less than patriotic and courageous Americans if we failed to give him (President Wilson) cordial support In every way" was greeted by en? thusiastic applause. Another demon? stration fallowed the declaration protesting ngainst the utterance of say word which might weaken the president's hands or encounge and comfort the enemy. The episcopal address to the eight? eenth general conference of the Methodist Spla<opal Church. South, was read by Bishop Collins Denny, of Richmond, Vs., at the opening ses? sion of the conference here today. The address, which was written by Bishop E. K. Boss, and confirmed by all the bishops, was one of tho lengthiest ever delivered to the gen? eral conference, reviewing the work of th? rhu a h during the past four years and making recommendations for the future. Commendation of the action of President Wilson before and after the declaration of war against Germany was expressed by the bishops, who declared "We should be less than pa? triotic and courageous Americans If ws railed to give him our cordial sup? port In every way." "It Is scarcely necessary for us to say that the world Is now Involved In the most colossal war in human his? tory," said the address. "The destruc? tion of property and the loss of life have already been appalling and there Is no prospect, so far as we can see, for an early peace. But we foel en? tirely Justified In saying that our own oeuntry. though it has been drawn Irtte active participation in the con? flict. Is In nowise responsible for originating it. Neither our rulers nor our people wanted It. As a nation we were more than content to live at peace with all men. By no act of ours had we Incurred the just hostility of the belligerent powers. It gives us the greatest satisfaction to affirm that our president went to the utmost possible limit to keep us out of the fray. If he Is censurable for anything ?and we do not think he Is?it is for having been too forbearing. Not until It became entirely necessary for us to flght or else submit to the most vio? lent and brutal outrages at the hand?* of the German kaiser und those who are banded together with him for the tyrannical domination of the world, did Mr Wilson at last advise the con? gress to draw the sword. In our Judgment he was fully warranted in taking this extreme step, and we should be lean than patriotic and courageous Americans If we failed to give him our OOrtoJ support In every way. "The Impartial verdict of history, which In the long run I? always right, csn hardly fall to approve the course which he has pursm "At this particular Juncture, when so much depends on the harmonious and united action of all American cltl sens. we protest against t!ie utter? ance of anv word that would either weaken his hands or give the slight est encouragement or comfort to our fictional enemies. "While w ?. or course, kksf and prav for peace, yet we trust when it comes It will be a peace full of Justice an I righteousness. It will be better to flght on und suffer on than to capitu? late to a despotism whose methods recall the worst chapters of heathen barbarity." The bishops strongly oppose the movement to restrict the ureas of the bishops, no that while they are un? limited as to the presidency of an? nual conferences throughout the who], connection they must reside in 901 tain districts for a limited time and be responsible for the development of I burrh work In that district and re P"i t 'luadrennlally to the general con? ference. The address says in this com nection that "any scheme for limiting their held or iurlsdletion would be sure to diminish the esteem in wln< h they are held by the general public and by the church " The address touched on a very live question when it scored the board ot missions for beginning to recast the boundaries of the work In Mexico be? fore the meeting Of the general con? ference Tb?- address doelsred "The Lked April, 1450. "Be fast m 881. AMERIGAMS STOP ATTACK. GERMANS REPULSED IN HEAVY ASSAULT. Infantry Effort Made After Intense Bombardment? First Participation Here. With the French Army in France, May 1 (By the Associated Press).? A heavy German attack launched yes? terday agnins: the Americans in the vicinity of Villers-Bretonneux was re pulsed with heavy losses for the ene my. The German preliminary bom? bardment lasted two hours and then tho Infantry rushed forward, only to be driven back, leaving large numbers of dead on tha ground in front of the American lines. The German bombardment opened at 5 o'clock in the afternoon and was directed especially against the Amer? icans who were supported on the north and south by the French. Tho fire was intense and at the end of two hours the German commander sent forward three battalions of In? fantry. There was hand to hand fighting, all along the line, as a re? sult of which the enemy was thrust back. The struggle which lasted a consid? erable time, was extremely violent and the Americans displayed marked bravery throughout. It was the first occasion in which the Americans were engaged in the Wg battle which has been raging since March 21 and their French com? rades are full of praise for the man? ner in which they conducted them? selves under trying circumstances. The American losees were rather severe. College of Bishops, who had not been consulted in any initial stage of the proceedings, law at the first glance that the plan proposed involved the complete dismemberment of our work in Mexico and on that ground, as well us for other reasons, entered an earn? est protest against it." For this, it was said, the bishops have been charged with "autocratic assumption of an authorttr w*rtch we did not pos? sess, but the fact is we only insisted on obedience to the scion of the gen? eral conference." The election of five bishops was rec? ommended in the address. Concerning the question of unifi? cation of American Methodism the bishops' address declared a report would be presented by the commis? sion appointed at the last general con? ference to confer with a like commis? sion from the Methodist Episcopal church. "The general conference at Oklahoma City endorsed the tentative plan adopted at Chattanooga in May, 1911. by the Joint commission on fed? eration," said the address. It was in addition suggested that the negro membership of the various Methodist bodies be formed into an independent organization and united church. It is1 already known throughout Un? church thai the commission has had! not lese than four sittings. We aro unofficially informed however, that, the commission was not able to reach an agreement. The commissioners representing our own church went as far as they were authorized to go. However, our brethren of the Meth? odist Episcopal Church did not see their way clear to agree tb the plan proposed. ? ? ? It is still our earnest hope that a way may be found for some plan of cooperation among the Methodists of America which shall as far as possible, eliminate wastage of man and money in the territory in which both churches have establish? ed themselves." The bishops reported the member i ship of the church to be: Traveling preaebers, including superannuates T.H'jT; local preachers, 5,159; lay mem? bers, 2.164.515; an increaso of more than 170,000 members since the last general conference. The address pointed out that there had been some arrest during the past year i>> the growth of the Sunday schools, but the report of the quad* rennium showed remarkable progress. The record gi.en. 151,702 officers and teachers, a gain of 19,8 20 and 1, 745.745 scholars, a gain of 248,027. Concerning missions the bishops said "The am >unt contributed by our church for missions during the past quadrennium is far in advance of any like period in the past, totalling $5, "T' .'m, i ;, gain over the previous four roar period of |10O,999. This, of course, includes what has been raised for woman's work." The work o the Rpworth League, the educational hoard, the fund for superannuates the completion of the fund for 'i representative church to !??? . sted ;'t Washington and the work mi tin1 cen tannery oomntlaslonj ?d Fear not?Det all the ende TAboa AH SUMTER, 8. C, SATU WIR SITUATION REVIEWED. FRENCH DRIVE GERMANS OUT OF LrOCRE. Much of the Snap of the German At? tacking Forces Absent from Latest Manocuvcra In Flanders?British Also Advance Lines?Serbians on Offensive?LookUig to Gen. Foch to Order Offensive. Again there has come a paus? in the battle of Flanders, where the ground everywhere is covered with the gray-clad bodies of German dead, and the British and French are hold? ing securely to all their positions. From Saturday until well into Mon? day night Gen. von Arnim's forces continued their efforts to break the British lines on the Ypres salient and to press back the British and French to the southwest, but everywhere their efforts were fruitless. True they gained their objective and again cap? tured Locre, but a counter-thrunt forced them out again. In the hilly region just to the north of Locre the British also push? ed back the enemy at several points, notably between Kemmel an*! La Clytte. Much of the snap of the German at? tacking forces has been absent from the manoeuvers they have been carrying out in Flanders under the stiffened line of the Entente troops. To the south near Amiens and to the east around Noyon the enemy likewise has failed in all his attempts to push farther forward. The British east of Vlllers-Bretonneux, which lies directly cast of Amiens, have advanc? ed their front, and In the Noyon sec? tor the French have reestablished their lines, which the Germans pre? viously had captured from them. The Germans on various sectors of the line are still hurling tons of steel ugainst the British and French posi? tions, but the Allied guns are every? where answering them. While the present halt in the battle possibly may Indicate the near ap? proach of the throwing into the fray of the great reserve army which Gen. Foch has gathered, that such is Ch? intention of the supreme commander of the Allied forces has not become apparent. It is not improbable, how? ever, that a meeting of the interallied war council in Paris Wednesday measures having In view the turning of the tide of the battle will be up? permost in the discussions. In all the various war theaters ex? cept the western the situation remains relatively calm so far as fighting is concerned. All along the front in Italy reciprocal bombardments continue. In Macedonia the Serbians in the region of Monastir again have entered an enemy position and annihilated the garrison. They also have been suc? cessful in repulsing an attack by Bul? garians which had as Its object the recapture of positions near Vetretsk. I M'LACRIN FOR GOVERNOR. Former senator to Enter Race This Year. Penncttsvillo, May 1.?Former I'nited States Senator John L. M Uviirin returned to his home in Ben nettsville this afternoon from Cheste - ttfld County, whore he made a Liber? ty loan speech today, and shortly af? ter arriving in the city announced that he would enter the August pri? mary this year for the Democratic nomination for governor. When asked by The State's corre? spondent if it were true that he had decided to make the race for governor and if he had any announcement he wished to make. Senator McLaurin ?Old: "Yes. I have been strongly urged by petition, letter and otherwise to be? come a candidate for governor or the Cnited States' senate this year. These ; re troublous times, and while I am not anxious to hold oflice a consider? able number of my fellow eittseris think they need my services and I w;!lj give them the opportunity to vote for] me for governor this year." ?? EMPERORS TO CONFER. Charles of Austria Hastening to Ger? man Headquarters. London, May 1.?Emperor Charles and Foreign Minister Burlan, accord? ing to nOWl received from Zurich, will proceed almost immediately to German headquarters to confer with tin- German emperor. Ukrainian and Falkau affairs, it la added, will be dis? cussed. which proposes to raise $SS,0#0,000 duiing the next five years, also were reviewed in the address. nt't at be thy Country's, Thy God's I EDAY, MAY 4, 1918. ICH GREATER ARMY. NEW ARMY ESTIMATE BASED ON DETERMINATION TO WIN WAR. Secretary Baker Goes to Congress To? day?Expected to Explain That De? partment Believes it Can Handle Double Number Now Under Arms. Washington? May l.?-Secretary Ba-1 ker will carry to congress tomorrow the army increase program mapped out by President Wilson and his ad? visers based on the determination to win the war if it takes the whole manpower of the nation to do it. There are indications that he will ask that all restrictions on the number of troops to be raised be removed and the government authorized to mobi? lize as many men as it can equip, train and send to the battle front in France. When the war secretary appears before the house military committee with supplemental estimates for the army, he is expected to disclose that the department has reason to believe it can handle during the present year at least double the existing force un? der arms of approximately 1,600,000 men. That would mean a total of 3, 000,000 soldiers for whom clothing, equipment and transportation now are in sight. Should additional fa? cilities become available, however, it is indicated that President Wilson wishes to be table to call out more men without delaying to seek | authority. Evidences came today in various ways of the effort that already Is be? ing made to send American armies into the fight in such numbers and in such time as to make victory certain. In the morning heads of the shipping board and the war industries board met with the war council, composed of army officials. Details of addi? tional ships and supplies were gone into, it is understood. Later the president's war cabinet met with him at the White House j and went over the ground thorough [ly. I In the house, Chairman Dent of the ! military committee introduced a bill that would authorize the mobilization and organization of 4,000,000 selective service men, instead of the 1,000,000 to which the government is limit? ed by the existing act. Mr. Dent said the measure was his own and he had ' not consulted the war department ion it. Under the new classification scheme there are understood to be 1, 800,000 men immediately available for active service in Class 1. That es? timate is based on the returns of nu? merous States and the law of aver? ages. It excludes all men rated as fit only for limited special service, all de? linquents slated for immediate induc? tion into Class 1 when apprehended, and all of the so-called remedial eases, the men who will be fit for ac? tive service after operations or med? ical treatment to correct minor phy? sical defects. Behind that, also, stand the men who have reached 21 years since the draft act was passed and who will be brought in under pend? ing amendments. Probably the total of effectives in Class 1 wifl prove to be 2,500,000 men when the definite figures are available. This is the first reservoir from which men will be drawn to fill up the new armiea. It is conceivable that Class 1 will be exhausted in time, but not before it had furnished all the men who can be shipped to France before congress meets again. For this reason it is regarded as prob ? able that the question of increasing age limits of the draft act or of draw? ing upon Class 2 can be deferred un? til congress again convenes. Secretary Baker appeared today be? fore the conference of shipping board officials with ship owners and sea? men's unions to urge prompt manning ol new ships. He told the conference that the movement of troops was go? ing smoothly. The record of achievement during the last few weeks is pointed to with pride by war department officials. Military precautions forbid disclosure of the rate at which the army is be? ing sent to the front, but Mr. Baker will be able to give the house com-1 mittee tomorrow some interesting figures in this regard. In pressing forward the troops, the war department, it is learned, has abandoned its previous policy of completing organization of a unit be? fore it goes over. Under the new plan regiments or larger units go forward on schedule even if they are short a considerable part of their full enlist? ed strength at the time. They will he Idled upon the other side by drafts m? Tfittfc'i." TUB TBU1 IfHHiWHL SEVENTH DISTRICT CONGRESS MAN ANNOUNCES. Stroiu/ tor Wilson?Thinks People Should Hear From Stump Admin? istration View of War Situation. Columbia, May 2.?Asbury Francis Lever congressman from the Seventh Congressional District, yesterday an I nounced his candidacy for the United i _ ; States senate. Mr. Lever came to Co? lumbia early yesterday morning and spent 'the day in conference with many friends from all sections of the State. Mr. Lever last night authorized the following statement: "I am a candidate for the United States senate for the term beginning March 4, 1919. "In my opinion, the people of the State are entitled to have the posi? tion of the national administration touching the world situation present? ed from every stump in the State and in terms which no man can misunder? stand. "The wisdom of this country's en? trance into the war at the moment it did and the righteousness of the cause for which she fights are each day becoming more and more ap? parent, and the people of the State will continue to demand as their rep? resentative in the senate a man who has never doubted or questioned either. He must be a man who measures up to the true test of un? doubted patriotism and Americanism. He must believe so strongly in the cause for which we light as to go to the very limit for the achievement it complete victory over Prussian au tocracy which threatens the destruc? tion of the civilization of the world. He must not only believe in these things, but he must be able to make his belief count by voice as well as vote. "The next six years will be the mos1 vital to the future of this country ol any six years in its history'- The problems of peace will put to the tesi the real strength of representative government. The next senate by th< very force of circumstances will be? come the most important legislativ* body in the world. It will be caller upon to ratify the peace treaties, am whether peace shall be permanent oi only temporary will depend upon the wisdom of these treaties. When peace has come, the entire world will b? forced to readjust itself to the chang? ed conditions. The most far reaching problems of an economic and socio character must necessarily arise dur? ing this period of readjustment, the chief of which will be to hold the nation solidly for representative gov? ernment as opposed to a governmenl built upon the theory of socialism. In the solution of these problems South Carolina must continue to have in th<: senate one whose Americanism and loyalty to the principles of Democracy, as exemplified in the teachings of Wood row Wilson, have been tested and proved to be 100 per cent, pure, because of all the States In the Union South Carolina is most typically American. "Every man, woman and child in the State is familiar with my attitude toward the war, my loyalty to the Democratic administration and my unswerving zeal for President Wilson and the policies he represents. His confidence in me is well known, as has been shown in the fact of his hav I ing repeatedly entrusted to me the 1 management of some of his most dif? ficult legislative proposals thought by him necessary in the successful pros? ecution of the war, and It is not too much to say that it is generally rec? ognized that I have handled thciie with entire satisfaction to my Demo? cratic associates, as well as to the ad ? ministration itself. "If the people of the State shall honor me with their confidence, I as? sure them that I shall give in return I the benefit of my 16 years' experience in national legislation and my un ; divided energies, physical and men ! tal, to the discharge of my duties." _ Having done their bit in relieving j the egg famine the hens will now be I permitted to give their lives for their country.?Chattanooga News. from replacement camps in this coun? try. 1 The number of men scheduled to be called to the colors thia month un? der the selective service act has been raised to 2f>0.000. Last month 150. 000 were mobilized. At this rate half of the $00,000 which the department, before the German drivo was launch? ed, had planned to call during the present year will have been called out In two months 'time. D SO?THBON, ?|MMMmj Iras, Ma* Vol.XLVI. No. 23. TROTZKY CALLS TO Im. WANTS WIDE COMPULSORY MEL* ITAKY SERVICE. Measure Includes Workmen, Peasants and Unemployed Prom 18 to 40 Years of Age. Moscow, April 23?Tuesday?(By the Associated Press).?Leon Trotsky, the Bolshevik minister of war and marine, speaking at a meeting of the central executives last night, urged the issuance of a decree for compul? sory military service. 'Fearing destruction, Russia must have an army," he said, "we do not know the hour when we will be openly challenged by the imperialistic enemy threatening us in the east" The central executive adopted a resolution to this effect. The measure provides for the training of workmen, peasants and unemployed from 18 to 40 years of age for eight consecutive weeks. School boys from 16 to 18 will be trained in similar manner. Women may volunteer. The enlistment will bo for a minimum of six months. Germany has protested to the Bol? shevik foreign minister, M. Tchitcher in, against the landing of 6,000 allied troops at Murmansk, declaring that permission for euch landing was a violation of the Brest-Litovek treaty, which stipulated peace with Finland and non-interference in its internal life. It was denied in the protest that Germans had participated in the raid of the Finnish White Guards upon Kern. Gen. Count von Mirbach, the Ger? man ambassador to Russia, arrived today with a staff of more than 70 persons, including various commies ions and also a Turkish commission. In connection with this arrival a prominent Bolshevik leader expressed surprise to the correspondent regard? ing th e attitude of the allies towards a- a the present Russian government, par? ticularly the Americans, who are the most sympathetic and the most trust? ed, saying that Germany will control Russia economically, if permitted un ! disputed sway. He insisted on the ' necessity of American cooperation. There has been a report here that ' the entire Black Sea fleet has been 1 captured by the Germans. [ A fierce battle between the Finnish White Guards supported by Germans ' and much artillery and Red Guards 1 near Terioki, Finland, is reported. 1 Train loads of wounded are arriving at Petrograd. The Finnish Bolshevik government 1 has protested to American Ambassa? dor Francis and the allied represen? tatives against the German support of the White Guards, declaring that Finnish laborites will continue to fight for the cause of freedom. The German advance in Russia con > tinues uninterru ptedly. The German ! forces have captured several cities and j are nearing Kurt k, capital of the goV j ernment of the same name. General Dutoff, the rebel Cossack I chief, has been captured by soviet forces. Word has been received here of the arrival at Berlin of Adolph Joffe, the Russian ambassador to Germany. DISASTROUS HUN DEFEAT. ? ??. Attempt to Protect Keimnel Position Colossal Failure. j London, April 30, via Ottawa.?The 1 corresponde.its with the British armv I agree that the enemy yesterday suf? fered nothing less than a disastrous 1 defeat. It was tho first phase of tho ! battle in his desperate attempt to I capture the line of hills held by the Allies, which endanger his possessio 1 of Mont Kemmel. The Germans hava probably used thirteen divisions from the east of Ypres southward on the j line of batlle, with two more north? ward and the violence of the gun Are I was never greater or more unceasing at any period of the war. The successful allied defenses made the day the bloodiest yet experienced ? by the enemy, as attack after attack was smashed by artillery and infantry 'fiie. Tb? Germans had already suf ' fered heavily on Sunday, when their concentrations of troops were caught and shattered and French center 1 neither bent nor broke. MINNESOTA GUARD DISBANDED. - Government Will Not Accept Addi? tional Units. Washington. May 1.?Indications that the war department has decided not to accept any additional National j Guard units m the forces to be sent abroad were seen today in an order telegraphed to the governor of Min? nesota Instructng him to disband the second Minnesota artillery.