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HUES BESAM BBO?MO. FRENCH CAPTVRK LOCRE VII,. LAGE AMD BRITISH ADVAX i; NEAR AM1FNS. Heoivy Fighting During the Day Re salting Wltli Su<(i?hm r??r Ereneh ?Ad British Followed by a Quiet Night. London, April SO.?The French now hold the entire village of Locrc, wot of Kemmel, it waa ollleially an? nounced thla morning. During the night the British ad? vanced their line east of Viellies-Bre tonneaux. on the front before Amiens. to the vlclnltv of Locrc the French by counterattacks drove the enemy from the remainder of the ground ne hod gained in the morning. Tho Ger? mans having been heavily repulsed all along the northern battle front the night passed comparatively quiet. British Headquarters France, April 30.?The Entente Allied line has been advanced between Luclytte und Kern i tel. The Franco-British forces also trade progress south of that region The artillery was Increasingly busy tbls morning from V'lmy northward. COTTON MARKET EXCITED. l ig Advance on Had Weather Report! and Slump on Rumor from Wash? ington. New York, April 30.?The big ad vance in cotton this morning due t excessive rains in the cotton belt wo* wiped out towards noon by report* from Washington that a movement 1 being agitated to close the cotton ex? change during the war. Talk of (losing Exchange. Washington, April 30.?Represen? tative Lever, chairman of the Com? mittee on Agriculture stated .oday that numerous letters had been re ectved suggesting tho closing of th< cotton and produce exchanges, but sc far as known no action will be taken by the committee. TWO STATES GO DBY. Prohibition Iaws Become Effective in Michigan and New lliuiinahirt at Midnight. Detroit. April 30.?The constitu? tional amendment making Michigan a prohibition State becomes effective at midnight tonight. A capacity busi? ness In retail houses dealing In pack? age goods marked the last day of the 'egal oale of liquor today. Concord, N. H., April 30.?The sal" of liquor In New Hampshire will cease tonight The act of the legislature adopted last year stipulated that all alcoholic beverages must be removed from the saloons by midnight ol April 30th. RI IB. I, A BS AT BBOGDON. Two Men Broke Into Store of W. T. Brogtkm. but Were Filled Full ol Small Sluvt by Wale It man. An unsuccessful attempt to rob th< store of W. T. Rrogdon of Brogdon Station, was mado about 1 o'clock tin morning, the robbers being discover ed in tho store by ? - Kenny, th* night watchni.m w ho OOS 0001 guarding the pn-mines at night aince the recent tire that destroyed a largt lot of cotton belonging to Mr. Brog don. The watchman was on guard at tho cotton shed and h's attention wa. attracted by flashes of light in the store. Approaching the building with great caution he discovered two men engaged in removing shoes from ?h? shelves and placing them in SOOks striking matches to furnish light while they selected the best shoes in stock. Kenny was armed with a shot gun loaded with No. 4 shot, and he let th*?m have one barrel without waiting on ceremony. The robbers dropped the goods they had. made a great out < r\ and tied out of MM SOell door, which they had opened The shot took effect, for the robbers left a trail of blood behind them on the floor of the store and ground outside, but the wounds were not sufficient to disable either of them, and tin . mob their escape Th<? bloodhounds were Orought from Manning early thb morning but could not follow the trail. Every effort is being made to apprehend and arrent the robber* but up to noon b?dav no trace had DOOS found of them. If anyone hears of a man or men with shot wounds in IBS head and SjppjSf part of the bodv the ?herlff or rurul pStiOSISS should b notified at once. With American Army In France. Tuesdav. April li -A German alr plOOS won brought down in enemy ter Itory last night by Captain Norm m Hall. Of Colfax. Iowa, and Lieut, fv! ward V. Rlckenhacher. of Columbus Mhlo. sfter a d n ?I g*0f the Amn%( 111 line near T<ul EXPECT LONG STRUGGLE. 1 r.it1ck relieve IP ypres siioi i d fall general re? treat is not likely. If Huns Take \ih'\ of Salient Ground Behind Will be as Bitterly Contest? ed. * Washington, April 29.?The battle for possession of the ruins of Ypres is regarded by officials here conver? sant with reports front American ob? servers in France as only an incident of the German drivo. They do not foresee, it was learned tonight, gay extensive retirement of the British lines in this region even! if the enemy Kalns this shattered village standing at the apex of the salient in the Al? lied lines in Flanders. Ypres is important because of the high ground about it. But if it is lost, , it la believed here, every inch of ground behind it will be as bitterly contested by tho British and French troops as has each step forward the enemy has made for the last ten days. For even the whole Ypres salient, of? ficers here think, has no strategic value, which justifies the assumption that its loss might force a general retreat over a wide front. Should the rate of advance tbey have made for the last two weeks be maintained by the Germans, it is estimated that it would take weeks for them to reach positions which seriously threatened the Allied hold on the channel ports. Meanwhile the strain of continuous offensive operations will increase steadily upon the German forces while it decreases correspondingly on the Albes with shortetned communication lines to maintain. For this reason many observers here lielieve the present situation with the Germans steadily pounding and the Allies striking back wherever oppor? tunity offers, may continue for some? time. Unofficial reports from France .ndicated three weeks as the time that might elapse before the Allies could regain the Initiative. Official announcement that Ameri? can troops are in the trenches in the Amiens region was welcomed by of tlclals here. Tho only statement as to ground occupied by the American forces is that it is east of Amiens. Since unof? ficial dispatches describe the sector as not directly involved in the pros ent fighting at Hangard and Villlers Bretonneux, however, it is assumed ihat the new corners have been plac? ed somewhere along tho lino to the southeast of Hangard, toward Noyon. (f so, officers believe that the Amer can units may share in the ultimate .riumph of tho Allied armies direct? ly as it Is from this flank of tho Ptcardy battlefield that It has always been anticipated any great counter movement would bo launched. The number of Amerlcah troops in this part of the line and their or ;anlzation nas not been revealed, but ho presence of American artillery in? dicates tacFcal units of considerable ?Iis. The increased army program, neces? sitated by the German drive, it is learned probably will bo laid before Congress by Secretary Baker within the next few days. The whole questioi. of available equipment, Quartan and transport tonnage, has been reviewed - < ? ntly in preparation for submitting these tiguros. There are some indications that ?fforts will be made to add a million men to the army at the earliest pos? sible time, supplementing the million md a-half already with the colors and tho 800.000 previously scheduled to be mobilized tins year. The result would be the necessity of providing now funds for a force of more than 3,000,000. Jf a large Increase in the number of divisions orr.ani/.ed or in process o organization is planned, it will be necessary to secure an amendment t( the selective service act removing th< present restriction of tho draft to two units or 500,000 men ? ach. While th( lOl places no limit upon the raising o. replacement troops as may be neces sary officials hold that no legal right exists for the organization of addi? tional line units. Utorm.F WITH TELEGRAPHERS. War Labor Hoard Asks Companies Not to Bischargc Employes. Waahlngton, May I*?The Western Union and postal Telegraph oompa? nies were asked today by the National Wmw Labor Board aoi to discharge an) of their employes on account at memberahlp in tht Tslegraphera* Un lnn?t. ponding a decision by the board hi tip complaints of employes; LIBERTY LOAN TOTALS. Waahlngton, May I The total sub? scriptions to the Liberty loan report? ed today amounted to two billions iv hundred forty ana millions, six hundred thlrty-one thousand, eight hundred and nfly dollara. POPE PROPOSES PEACE. german newspapers say hb will present urgent proposition. Ho Will Offer to Mediate Between Elm hl in? Nat ion? and Will Probably Have Support of Neutral Sovereigns The Hague, May I,?The Pope in? tends to issue a new peace offer on Whit Sunday, May 19th, the Cologne newspapers announce. The docu? ment is said t? be of a more pressing nature than formerly, will contain con? crete offers of mediation by the Pope, with the possible cooperation of neu? tral sovereigns. Similar information as to the Pope's intention, it is said, has reached Berlin, where it has been received sympathetically. SITVTLE GERMAN PROPAGANDA. Efforts to Arouse 111 Feeling Against Government by Circulating Reports that Interned Germans are Pamper? ed. Columbia, April 29.?Tho treat? ment of interned Germans in the United States is now being used by German propagandists in an effort to create unrest and dissatisfaction among the American people, says a statement issued by the United States Food Administration. Through their i insidious system of "grapevine" pub-1 liclty, they are endeavoring to create the impression that the interned Ger? mans are being fed on the fat of the land?that while the American peo? ple are being asked to save wheat, the German prisoners are being prodi? gally fed on bread, pastries and cakes made entirely of wheat. Their cam? paign has been directed largely to tho rural districts, and in some sections has aroused more or less dissatisfac? tion. Tho Food Administration has ot Uclally denied the truth of such ru? mors. The Germans interned in American detention camps are being well fed, but there is absolutely no ground for a rumor that food is being wasted, or that conservation is not being practiced. All civilian German prisoners are subject to, and are be? ing made to observe, all rules and regulations of tho Food Administra? tion. Their per capita consumption of wheat is held to within one and one-half pounds per week. No com? modity is wasted, although a con? sumption has not been, and will not be reduced to a point that would threaten health ef tho men and the women held at the detention camps. Tho military prisoners?prisoners of war?receive the regular garrison ration of tho United States army. This is according to the Hague convention. The same requirement applies to all other nations. American and Allied prisoners in Germany must receive the garrison ration of tho German army. CONTRACT RAILROAD ENGINES. McAdoo Orden l,02r> liocomotives to OOSt Total of About $?0,000,000. Washington, April SO.?Contracts for 1,018 freight and passenger loco? motives, tho largest single order ever placed in the history of American rail? roads were let today by the Railroad Administration to the American Loco? motive Company and the Baldwin Lo? comotive Works. ? The entire order represents a cost of about $00,000,000 or an average of price of a little less than $00,000 for each locomotive. The probt to'manu? facturers, who will divide the work about equally, will be between five and six per cent, less than half the rote of profit represented in the orig? inal bids. Six newly developed standard types of engines, with heavy and light sizes Of each type, were ordered. Deliver? ies will begin in July. The new engines will bear only the initials "U. S." and Identifying num? bers, and will be virtually the first lot of engines to be owned jointly by all railroads under governmental management. About 200*000 tons of steel will be required. Although the Railroad Administra? tion declined to announce the precise number of snglnes ordered from each j of the companies .it Is understood the j American company will ''uibi f?50 and the I'.a Id win 17"?. The awarding of the contracts his been long delayed because of insist? ence of .lohn Bkolton Williams, direc? tor of purchases for the railroad ad? ministration On lower prices than those originally submitted, which are laid to hove represented profit of ubout fifteen per cent. TWELVE million BUYERS. Third Liberty Loan Is a Popular Is sue. Washington. May 1,?All records were broken when the treasury tabu? lations showed that approximately twelve million persons have bought, bonds of the third Liberty loan. Th ? total was sent above the two and II half billion mark by early reports. a. GEH/FUSS? MEMBER OF GER? MAN colony, ACCUSED or RECEIVING stolen ARMY goods. Senator Tillinun und Representative Nicholls Take a Hand in The Case. Bpartanburg, April 30.?August Geilfuss, a wealthy baker and a member of the local German colony, was given a preliminary hearing be? fore United States Commissioner Robt J, Gantt, here this afternoon and bound over for trial in United States Court of the Western District of South Carolina on the charge of re? ceiving goods stolen from the United States government. The bond was fixed at $2,500, resistant District At? torney Wyche appeared Cor the pros? ecution and former Gov. John Gary Evans anpeared for Mr. Geilfuss. This is the case growing out of the arrest and conviction at Camp Wadsworth several weeks ago of Cook Diminick Riva, and Private John Bower of the 102d Ammunition Train under the 84th article of war, which prohibits soldiers from selling or Disposing of 1 goods issued for use in the military service of the United States. It later involved United States Sen? ator Tillman and Congressman Sam J. Nicholls, through telegrams sent by those gentlemen from Washington to United States Commissioner Gantt and District Attorney ^ Thurmond, direc ing those officials to take no action against Mr. Geilfuss until they were heard from. The two soldiers were convicted end sentenced to four months hard labor. The goods which the soldiers were said to have taken from camp from time to time were alleged specifications to have been "disposed of by giving them to one August Geilfuss a civilian." The property was meat and canned goods valued at $26.00 the case has been handled by the military police who were working tinder instructions to find out who were stealing from the mess shacks of the camp. They ar? rested Biva and Bowers, and seized u bag containing canned goods and meat as it was being taken into the Geilfuss home. Under the federal law the person receiving goods stolen from the gov? ernment is liable for heavy fine and imprisonment, so it was this danger that caused Mr. Geilfuss and two friends, W. M. Floyd, a former post? master of Spartanburgi and s. L. Rig by, to go to Washington for a con? sultation with Congressman Nicholls They also stated their case to Sen? ator Tillman and the results were the following telegrams: "Robert J. Gantt, United States Commissioner, Spartanburg, S. C. "Please do not hand out indictment or have warrant issued for Gus Geil? fuss until hear further from us. (Signed) "B. R Tillman. "Sam J. Nicholls." This is what Senator Tillman wired to Mr. Thurmond: "Hon. J. W. Thurmond, District At? torney, Greenville, S. C. "Nicholls has wired you re Geilfuss matter. Please conform with his re? quest. B. R. Tillman." These telegrams were given out by Senator Tillman in a letter addressed ic J. c. ntts. of Spartanburgi who 1 ad written him for an explanation of bis part ins the Geilfuss case. The senator said in his letter to Otts that "nobody but a d-fool will find fault with me for doing so." Follow Ing publication of the fact that Sena? tor Tillman and Congressman Nich ella had interested themselves in the Geilfuss case to the extent of winning court officials both contributed long statements concerning their part In the matter. In Sparanburg County the affair has created a political scn s ition. At the hearing today facts not here? tofore brought out In the case ap? peared. The first witness to testify at today's beaiing was Corporal J Williamson, of the military police. He told of having been assigned to the task or finding out who was stealing from the mess shacks at Camp Wads worth. Jle said he and Private Thomas followed Mr. Geilfuss' auto l obile from the city to the camp one afternoon, saw tho automobile stop before :> C00k*S shack, saw Cook Bow? ers bring out a sack and place in the auto and then return trip to town was b gun. Followed the auto to the Geil? fuss bakery and then to the Geilfuss home, 12 1 Converse street. When Cook Powers started in the bouse with the goods he was stopped by the military police and sack examined. It was foun 1 to contain three cana o;" evaporated milk, two cans of peaches und two ?ans of pineapples In addi? tion to about twent) four pounds of meal ami bones, said to be ribs, with irood meat on them, according to Cor? poral Williamson. Cross-examined by attorney Wyche, the witness testified thai Mr. OellfUSS first said that h< I.new nothing about'the goods and hen siid that it was nothing but hones or his dogs Cross-cxnmlncd by Mr. IRISH DRAFT POSTPONED. CONSCRIPTION will not BE BN? FORCED until HOME hulk IS GRANTED. Hill Will ?>e l*Tcscntod Next Week in House of Commons?American Sen? timent Against Immediate Draft in Ireland. London, May 1.?An order in coun? cil has been issued further postponing the operation of the national service act or conscription as respects Ire? land, beyond May 1st, to which time it had been postponed previously. The opinion in the lobbies of parliament is that the home rule bill will be pre? sented in the commons next week. home rule first. Washington OllieiaJs Relieved at Postponement of Conscription. Washington, May 1.?Though ful? ly anticipated, the announcement from London of the postponement ol* the application of the conscription act to Ireland was received with great re? lief by officials here. There have been indications that the Washington administration has let Premier Lloyd George know that in its judgment the application td the Irish of conscrip? tion should follow, not precede, the passage of the home rule act. columbia city election. Ma>Or L. A. Grimth Defeated for Re? election in Colombia Primary. Columbia, April 30.?R. J. Bialock, insurance man of this city, was nomi? nated for mayor, and M. M. Bice, M. D.i for commisioner, in tho second municipal primary held here today. Mr.| Bialock almost doubled his op? ponent, Mayor L. A. Griffith and Dr. Rico worsted C. M. Asbill, incumbent, by 181 votes. The following was the vote: For mayor: R. J. Bialock, 1,041; L. A. Griffith, 551. For commissioner: C. M. Asbill, 700; M. M. Rice, 887. The general election which is a mere legal formality will be held next Tuesday Newly elected officials including W, A. Coleman, a business man nominat? ed last Tuesday, will take office short? ly for commissioner in the first pri? mary after the election commission? ers make their return. R. J. Bialock was commissioner during the first four years of the com? mission form of government under which Columbia is operating from 1010 to 1914, the only political office he ever held. Paris, May 2.?A German attack last night on the Thennes sector failed, it is announced officially. The French made raids in Le Monchel and west of Coney Le Chateau. Evan, the witness swore that the meat WOO good meat. Gussie Harnes, a negress, formerly employed by the Geilfuss family as OOOk, was the next witness called. She testified that she knows the two sol? diers implicated, Riva and Bowers, having seen both of them at the Geil? fuss home once or twice each week since February. Has seen both of them bring dog bones, roast beef, steaks, etc.. to Geil fuss home, bring meats to eat every time they came there; she swore that they brought enough meat when they came to the Geilfuss residence to feed six people; the witness testified that she quit the employ of the Geilfuss family when this affair took place; that on the night the soldiers discovered the meat she was brought to the military police headquarters and that later In the night, alter being released by the military police, she went to the Geil? fuss home and swore that Mr. Geil? fuss then told her: "You know noth? ing about anything except the dog hones." The witness swore that she again saw Mr, (lei!fuss on the day be? fore the military trial at Camp Wads worth and that he then gave her one dollar and told her that if She did not want to appear at the trial she had better leave town; that Mr. Geilfuss asked her where her nearest relatives lived and when the replied in Green? ville, he advised tier to go there, say? ing that she could return after the trial was over. Mete witness exhibit? ed a dollar which she claimed Mr. Geilfuss had given her and swore that Mr. Geilfuss said that if one dollar was not Sufficient she could come to his bakery and get more. The wit? ness said that after she did testify at the military court-martial she later met Mr. Geilfuss on the street near Ltgon'l Drug Store and that he asked her to return the dollar to him, but that she did not do so. Follow ng the conclusion of this witness' testimony the government an? nounced that it had completed its ease. Gov. Kvans did not care to make any argument and neither did Issistanl District Attorney Wyche. In ure Cluntl then took the evidence under consideration and announced hat he WOUld hold the defendant fo:' rial. The amount of bond was agreed <? i>v the attorneys concerned. JOURNAL or COMMERCE EST!? MATES YIELD FOR 1918 WILL EXCEED THAT OF 1011. Acreage Increase I I?. C.?vScarcity of Labor I? Anticipated When Cultiva? tion, und Picking Begin. New York, April 30.?A preliminary investigation into the outlook of the cotton crop for the year 1918 indi? cates a larger yield than any year since 1911. The replies of nearly 1, 700 special correspondents of Tho Journal of Commerce and Commercial Rulletin, bearing an average date of April 23, point to an increase in acre? age of 4 per cent over last year. This compares with a decrease of 2.5 per cent. last year at this time. Planting is far from complete in many sections and with favorable weather the final report on acreage, to appear about June 1, will probably show a larger gain. The area under cotton, therefore, as indicated, will be 35,817,000 acres. A liberal use of fer? tilizer is reported, being 5.4 per cent, more than last year, much of it being of high-grade quality. The season started earlier than normal, cold weather, frosts and co? pious rains in many sections delaying work and causing considerable re? planting. The whole belt averages three days late, but with normal cli? matic conditions this can be readily overcome. Preparation of the soil has been almost universally good and seed is plentiful and of good quality. Scarcity of labor is anticipated when cultivation and picking begins, espe? cially in the event o<" a wet season. The war draft is largely responsible for this shortage. Food propaganda in so ne localities has ;nduced farm? ers to plant more foodstuffs, but re? plies do not show any marked ten? dency to comply. Estimates of correspondents by States on acreage, the use of fertiliz? ers end the season follow: Season Acreage days States. 1918 1917 Fer:z. lato N. Carolina . . 100.4 101.0 101.7 t S. Carolina . . 99.1 99.7 104.6 2 Georgia.. . . 100.0 93.9 111.7 *1 Florida. . . . 88.3 97.0 9.2 8 Alabama. .. . 114.7 79.3 116.0 4 Mississippi . . 113.6 84.50 108.0 0 Louisiana. . . 100.9 105.0 106.0 6 Texas .... 102.8 102.0 101.7 6 Arkansas . . . 99.3 104.4 102.4 2 Tennessee. . . 99.0 98.1 96.6 6 Missouri . . . 103.5 117.0 102.0 2 Oi lahoma . . 109.6 108.5 107.0 3 Averages . ..104.0 97.6 105.4 S ?Days early. Journal of Commerce. GERMAX SR IN GEORGIA FORCES. Man Held in Kansas Said to Have Confessed to Joining Regiment to Learn Secrets. Kansas City, April 30.?Fred Rob? ertson, federal district attorney for Kansas, announced tonight that Wil? helm von Linder held in the military prison at Fort Ljavcnworth as a de? serter from the American army, has confessed that while working as a Ger? man spy prior to America's entrance into the war he obtained valuable mil? itary secrets In the vicinity of Nor? folk, Va., where he photographed the naval works and also got information while a member of the First Georgia Infantry. The confession, Mr. Robertson an? nounced, stated that von Linder serv? ed in the German army before coming to the United States, where he met Captain von Ehlshruhue, naval at? tache of the German embassy at Washington, in Philadelphia in 1914. From then until shortly before his ar? rest as a deserter at Laredo, Texas, starch 29, 1917, von Linder worked under von Khlsruhue, spreading prop? aganda in German communities and his activities were reported to the German government through Captain Boy-Ed, according to the alleged con? fession In 1916 von Linder was ar? rested in Norfolk, but released in three months on promise to become an American citizen, and, according to his alleged statement, then was or? dered to Augusta, Ga., to enlist in the American army. As a member of Company B, First Georgia Infantry, von Linder obtained Information for the German embassy at Washington, Mr. Robertson said. After five months lie was ordered to desert a report for duty at Paurez, Mexico, where he was to gather military information, tho confession stated. Von Limler has been ordered in? terned at POrt L>ouglas, Utah. Washington. May 1.?The food ad? ministration announced today that A. P. Treadwell Co., of Atlanta, brokers in cotton seed cake and meal, have been required to suspend operation for the duration of war. The firm is charged With failure to make deliv? ery on a number of cotton seed con? tracts and that it failed to answer lummona for ;< hearing.