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TMM NHI WATClUtAV, bttU Consolidated Aug. 2,1 TWO BIG DRIVES. . < ITCXft BATTETi AT FREEDOMS IIA MI* \ IM's IN FRANCE, ITALY AND FLAN? DERS. Lone Ex pec led offensive Against Italy Hm Begun nnd German* Are on i>e of Drive In France. Washington, May 4.?Vienna dis? patches today indicate that the pre? dicted Teutonic offensive against Italy may be about to begin. Simul? taneously there are indications that the Germane are on the eve of a re? newal of major attacks or. the Fran? co-Belgian lines. London announces the beginning thle morning of an in? tense bombardment on the Flanders front, south and southwest of Ypres and to the south on the Somme front. Artillery atcivlty continues, but there have been no infantry movements by the Germans. London, May 4.?An Intense bom? bardment was opened by the Germans early this morning on the Flanders front from Locre to South Yprea. There la great activity also on the sec? tor between the forest of Nieppe and Meteren. the war office announces. The British slightly Improved their position In a minor operation near Hinges, on the southerly side of the Lya salient, while 00 the northern front the French carried out a local attack in which prisoners 0)0?? taken In the Locre sector. ? . ONE BIO GYN DISABLED. French ArtliorM >l kee Direct Hit and Puts Murder Gun Out of Ac? tion. Paris, May 4.?News has Just been received from the front that a French gun made a direct hit on one of the German long range cannon and put K out of action. DRIVE ON ITALY. Vienna Reports Heavy Fighting ow Whole Italian Front. Vienna. Friday. May 8.?Heavy fighting along the whole Italian front between the Adriatic and the Oiudlca ra valley In the north Is reported In today's official statement. TRAINS OF WOCNDED HVNS. Many Thousand Germans Pa*-> Through Nam or. Amsterdam. May 4.?Two hundred eixty-flve trains loaded with wounded Germans returning from the battle fronts in Picardy and Flanders wer^ eounted In the day time between April ? and 12 on the Namur-Liego railway, says Les Neuvilles, of Hague. Fighting on A vre R ver. Parle. May 4.?Spirited artillery fighting along the Avre river, south? east of Amiens, Is reported In today'* official statement BERLIN CLAIMS PRISONERS. Anglo-French Attack In Plunder* Be putsrd and Three Hundred Prison? ers Token. Berlin. Sunday May 6.?The re? pulse of an Anglo-French attack on the Flanders battle front Is reported In the officlul announcements today. More than three hundred prisoners are reported to have been captured. In? creased artillery activities south of the Somme are announced in the statement. LICK AGAINST GERMANS. - Allle* Advnixs? Their Positions on the .Northern Front?Many German Prisoners Taken With the British Army In France. S'lnday. May 5.?Luck seems to bt l-oirig ageing! the Germans on the ciuclsl northern battle front. Yes It rday the allies occupied a larg? number of iiupoif m: posts at various point* along th?' front 4.000 yard* West of Kemmel. The British also made an advance of 5,noo yards nwest of Locon. gaining a num? ber of position*, which have been contested for manv days. Thl* morn? ing the Germans tried to regain some of these position*, but were repulsed. The German prisoners taken In th?Ige local engagements made a considers ! bis total. <.F.RM\> ATTACK REPI LSED Parle. May s? After an Intense lombnrdn-Mt th?> <>rmiin* hist nlsrht attempted a loo 1 attack near Anchln fsrni. sotnl'-iHt oi Muten* An OflL HM stati-nM'nt mmyn the onagaj MM I nlllMi-d eo.npleteh | feed April, ISM. "B?i IM ? 881. DRIVE AGAINST ITALY. Al'STRIANS ASSEMBLE IMMENSE ARMY ITIOM OTHER FRONTS FOR OFFENSIVE. Blow Forced by Economic Conditions Throughout Ihuil .Monarchy? \'uticon Announces That Pope Will Make no Peace Move Now. Over the battle linos along th<; Plave river and in the mountainous region in northern Italy, where the al? lied forces have been holding their I positions since last November, after i the great Italian retreat from the l8onzo, there Is Increased tension and the threatened blow at this front may bo launched by the Teutonic allies within a few days. For many weeks the Italian war office has been aware that the Austrlans have been assem bllng the legions withdrawn from the Russian and Roumanian fronts for a drive at the Italian armies and it is believed that it will not be long before the central powers ^111 make another attempt to reach the plains of Vene tia. break through the allies' line and seek a decisive combat in that the? ater. Emperor Karl of Austria, accom? panied by his chief of staff and high German and army officers, is reported on his way to the Italian front and the great movement of troops in Tyrol and Trentlno would seem to Indicate that vast bodies of men are being taken from other fronts to be hurled at the Italian positions. The blow, it is generally believed, will fall somewhere In the moun? tainous section of the front, prob? ably in the Lagarina and Astlco val? leys. These sectors face the north and. if broken, would permit the foe to penetrate into the lower foothills of the mountains, or even reach the plains. If this should occur the armies along the Plave River would be compelled to fall back, probably as far as the Adige River. This would entail the loss of Venice and a vast expanse of country to the enemy. Tim decision to launch an offensive of grand proportions In Italy was doubtless forced by political and economic conditions prevailing in Austria. An offensive campaign that yields of ground might serve to still the elements which are seething throughout the dual empire and would postpone the day of reckoning that seems In store far. +he rulers of Aus? tria. (lerman domination of Austria ii becoming more complete as time goes on. Tyrol and Bohemia have been annexed, for food administration put poses, to Germany, but this move in the great game of statecraft has serv? ed only to deepen the chasm betweer the racial factions of Austria. Bo? hemian troops have deserted from tht Austrian armies and have Joined the Italians, and, if an offensive is not launched, demoralization of the Aus? trian forces may come sooner than 1 the outside world expects. In the meantime, the situation or the front In France and Flanders ha: remained fairly quiet. Nothing ap? proaching a general battle has been reported. The allies are improving their lines and awaiting for the Ger? mans to make the next move. Pope Benedict has served notice on the world that the Vatican will not I be a party to any "peace offensive" I at the present time. It is believed that Berlin will seek to bring about a "German peace" and if its advances 'are repu'sed, to nerve the German peoplt t. a new "bath of blood" by pointing out that the entente allies desire to cru-di Germany. Pope Bene? dict has let it be known that he is dseiroys Of taking any step which may i tend to shorten tho war. but he does not See at the present any reason to believe that an appeal would bring about desired results. The situation in I'kraine and the ruthless methods being followed by the Germans in completing the sub? jugation of t ie people have been re? flected In an nddre-s by Vice Chan? cellor von Payer beforo the main committee of the German reu-hstag After detailing the measures adopted /<?r Kettp Mipplien of grain from Ikralne and the dlsco'ntent and unrest imong the people there the vic?? ? hanoellor. in referring to leaders of tlM rkrainiars. made the significant statement that the Germans "took steps to render them harmless." MOMS AIRC RAFT MONEY. CSsagroaS Asked for a hiliiou More Washington. May ?.?A billion dol Inrs spproprl: tlon for aircraft pro? duction was RBked of congress todav i ?in w,,; department Tins frooid ad i to ?ix hundred and forty millions elrendj appropriate^ expended. od Fear not?Dec all the ende Thon AI SUMTER, S. 0., WEDN CLOSE AUSTRIAN PARLIAMENT EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA TELLS VON SEYDLER TO SEE THAT IT DOESN'T RESUME ACTIVITIES. Dual Monarchy In Grip of Hunger? Government Embarrassed by Divis? ion. Amsterdam, May 4.?Emperor Charles of Austria has empowered the Austrian premier to adjourn par? liament and forthwith inaugurate measures to render impossible re? sumption of its activities, a Vknna dispatch says. A statement published in Vienna indicates that the closure of parlia? ment is due to the seriousness of the lood situation. The statement saya: "The government will devote its en? tire strength to the economic prob? lem and will try to create conditions required to enable the population to hold out." A Vienna dispatch says that the Austrian premier, Dr. von Seydler. .-peaking at a conference of party leaders declared that the serious ?sco nomic and food conditions made it imperative (for the recent government to be spared parliamentary criticism. He, therefore, demanded that the present sittings of parliament be postponed, adding that unless the party leaders took this step that the government would prevent the ses? sions forcibly. (Apparently the con? ference, the date of which was not given was held by the emperor act? ed). The president of the lower house of parliament said in reply to the premier that the conditions prevailing in the country and the demand from the larger political parties for re? sumption of the sittings of parlia? ment made a further postponement Impossible. The leaders of the Ger? man party favored postponement, bu1 Dr. Victor Adler, the socialist leaier, and other party representatives in? cluding the Polish group, were op? posed. Notwithstanding their pro? tests, the postponement was agreed upon. Premier von Seydler admitted the existance of many problems which must receive consideration, especially the agitation for the Kre? ation of a southern Slav state. "If such a state were created." h? said, "it could be only under the scep? ter of his Majesty, as a componenl part of the monarchy. It could not Include those parts of Austrian ter I ritory which borders on the Adriatic and are closely cohnected with dis? tricts where the German language h spoken. Premier von Seydler sounded c warning against Inciting nationalities against each other. He then said: "Our entire military and politica situation has reached a climax. The next few months will bring decision I am firmly convinced the decisior on the battle field will be in favor ol II Austria and her Allies. "Our economic, especially our food conditions are very serious, but the> are not at all desperate. To hold or now to a final, happy decision is the vital question for the State. If there? fore is necessary that unhampered bj parliamentary confusion the govern? ment be left in a position to devote all its strength to these tasks." The premier then recommended the postponement of parliament. The Weiner Zeitung publishes the following statement of reasons for the adjournment of parliament. 'We are in the last decisive phase of the war. No enemy any longer threatens in the cast, but in firm un? ion with Germany and our other Al? lies we must force our other op? ponents also to renounce their hostile intentions. Despite one or two prom? ising tendencies, parliament .has been unable to find a stable policy. As things are, the resumption of the sit? tings of parliament would not facili? tate the position, but would only sharpen political antagonism. "Pntu the reaaaemblance of parlia? ment, which will take place at the ? soonest possible moment, the govern? ment will devote its entire strength to the economic problems of the diy, especially to the task of arranging "or the nation*! food supply. Austria had been deep in difficulties, both political and economic, for more than a year, and it has been an open secret that Bmperor Charles was de? sirous in bringing about peace his efforts |n this direction having oc? casionally aroused criticism in Rerlln. In the laal few months there have been insistent reports that the food situation in AuatrlS was growing des? perate. . t J art ml be thy Country??, Thy God'l I ESDAY, MAY 8, 1918. BRITISH LOSSES 250,000. ESTIMATE GIVEN OUT BY THE BRITISH MILITARY MISSION IN WASHINGTON. Situation Serious if British Have to Bear Brunt of the Next Blow. Washington, May 4.?British losses in men killed, wounded, captured and missing on the western f~ont since the German offensive began March 21, are estimated by the British military mission here at nearly 250,000. This estimate would appear to be in remarkable contrast to the enormous German losses in the drive. The Ger? man war office, of course, has not db closer1 what its losses in the great battle have been, but the estimates of Allied observers have placed them at a staggering figure. From the very nature of the fighting, military experts have pointed out, the losses, of the attackers were bound to bo heavier than those of the defenders, ^ut in addition to that, the method of German attack, advancing troops in waves faster than machine guns could mow them down, must, military ex? perts say, have entailed enormous "An inkling of how serious the German losse were came sometime ago when it was reported that the Ger? man military chiefs dared not disclose their extent to the German people, and therefore, were sending the wounded to Belgium. Other reports have told of railway gateways being choked with trains of wounded, while the dispatches of correspondents at the front have told how the battle fields were carpeted with grey-clad bodies. The situation is summed up in this manner: "The casualties in the British arms are emphasized by the German wire? less. * * * * Although figures from German sources would be undoubted? ly much exaggerated, yet it is certair from the severity of the fighting anc from the fact that the entire combat ant forces of the British army hav< been almost continuously engagec that the British losses in proportioi to reinforcements immediately avail able must be very heavy. It is prob able that one would be approximate ly accurate in quoting these as clos< on a quarter of a million. "Everything points to the Germai ^offensive being continued almost im mediately and should the brunt o the attack again have to be borne bj the British the situation would be un doubtedly serious, unless sufflcien troops are available close at hand ir reserve to strengthen the line as re quired. ? ? ? ? Should the Germans determine again to attack in Flan ders It is certain that any advance li s j the direction of the channel ports wll I be made at great cost to themselves 11 and over the bodies of the Britist army." As examples of what the Brltisi have gone through, two divisions I! which lost a largo percentage of theli effectives were cited. The Twenty fifth, a new division, in the fighting f j put In the fighting between March x\22 and March 26 lost 4,000 men , lost 5,000 more. Despite the losses \\ was brigaded with the French for s counter-attack and still later it beal off four heavy German attacks. The Tweny First division foughl continuously from March 21 to Marc?: 28 and lost four thousand Infantry? men, of a total strength of 9,000. La? ter it drove back a German attack ir . I which five German divisions were en? gaged and increased Its losses to 0,000. "Statistics such as these," it was j declared, "bring home to the militarv ; mind the terrible ordeal through ; which the British army is now pass ling. History coolly reviewing facte l will record what is perhaps often no w 1 lost sight of in the crowded interests* j of every day life and obscured by (hearsay and extravagant writings. 1 Britain at this very moment is make ? lng the supreme sacrifice of endur? ance for right against might and now strengthened by the shoulder to Shoulder with the famous French ! fighting divisions is prepared to hold the Gorman masses in check until the ri^ht moment arrives for the great 1 revenge." 1 AIRCRAFT GRAFT INVESTIGA? TION. , Washington. May 6.?A deport? ment of Justice Investigation of the , charges of graft in the aircraft pro Iduction made by Gutzon Borgium, the j sculptor, was ordered today by Pres ' blent Wilson. Borglum's charges of jipro-Gennan Influences will also be In 1 vestigated. tau! TliWft" THE TRUE THE PEOPLE'S LOAN. OFFICIALS JUBILANT OVER LOAN SUCCESS. Vast Amount Oversubscribed for Third Liberty Issue Expected to Run Total to Four Billions-?Im? mense Army of Buyers Shown by Reports Rcaeldng Treasury De? partment. Washington, May 5.?Analysis of the Liberty loan reports today show? ed that probably 17,000,000 person* bought bonds in the campaign which closed last night?7,000,000 more than in the second loan and 12,000,000 I more than in the first. Latest tabulations showed $3,316, 628,250 reported subscriptions, but the treasury now believes the actual total, which may run to $4,000,000, 000, will not be definitely known un? til May 12, four days after individual banks are required to report to fed? eral reserve banks. "Whatever the money total," said a treasury statement tonight, "the loan just closed probably is the most successful ever floated by any nation." Bank resources, it was pointed out, have been drawn on comparatively lit ! tic- to make the loan a success and the prospects for future loans are brighter as a consequence. An added reason for jubilation among treasury officials is the indication that the gov? ernment bond buying habit is becom? ing stronger among people of small means. Secretary McAdoo, in a statement thanking the hation lor its support of the loan, said the widespread distri? bution of bonds "is particularly grat 1 ifying," and added: "This is tho soundest form of national war fin? ance?the distribution of the loa.i among the people themselves "Unless there is a pressing necey sity for selling them, he urged sub? scribers to retain their bond*, both [ to help maintain the credit of the gov? ernment and as a stimulant to those \ economies and savings which release I materials and labor necessary to the 1 support, If not to the very life, of our ? army and navy. The total of $3.316.628,250 report " ed by the treasury tonight included ' subscriptions tabulated by the Boston and Philadelphia federal reserve dis 1 trict up to 11 o'clock Saturday morn ' ing, New York up to 4 o'clock Satur ' day afternon and others to 3 o'clock ' Sunday afternoon. The table of sub ? scrlbers including fairly accurate re ' turns for the Atlanta, Minneapolis, I Cleveland, San Francisco, St. Louis. ' Chicago and New York districts, and 1 estimates from the Dallas, Kansas ' City, Richmond, Philadelphia and 1 Boston districts, is as follows: 1 New York 4,000,000 Chicago 2. 1 4118,000, Cleveland 1,561,970, Philadel 1 phia 4,20.0,000, Boston 1,200,000, San Francisco 1,000,000, Atlanta 1,000, i 000, Minneapolis 1,000,000 Kansas J City 900,000, Richmond 900,000 St. ' Louis 866,342, Dallas 850,000. ? I Upon hearing reports on the num (I ber of subscribers and the money to i tal of the loan, Secretary McAdoo , gave out this statement: "The people of the United States may well felicitate themselves upon the triumphant success of the third Liberty loan. It is a most heartening manifestation of their patriotism and of their inflexible determination to support our gallant army and navy until a victorious decision for Ameri? ca is achieved. "I should like to thank the thou I sands of men and women throughout (the country, the Liberty loan commit? tees, bankers and business men, pa? triotic organizations, press association newspapers and magazines?in fact every class of our citizenship, white and colored alike?for their effective I assistance and cooperation in this \ great victory behind the lines, without i which a victory on the front can not be achieved. The enormous number I of individual subscribers, indicating a widespread distribution of the loan among the people, is particularly gratifying. This is the soundest form of national war finance?the distribu? tion of the loan among the people i themselves. "I earnestly hope that every one . who has bought Liberty bonds will itry to keep them for the period of I the war at least. The slogan now. ishould be 'Keep your Liberty bond.' No one does his share fully if he merely buys a bond and then sells it Immediately below the market price. Of course, if Imperative necessity compels the sale of Liberty bonds no j just complaint can be made; If each and every purchaser keeps his Lib? erty bonds he helps to protect the credit of the government by main? taining the market for the bonds at SOUTHRON, ntffciwm 9mm\ IM Vol.XLVI. NO. 24. SEDITION MEASURE ADOPTED. OPPONENTS OF BILL IN THE SEN? ATE DEFEATED AFTER PROTRACTED CONTRO? VERSY. ' Approval of Conference Agreement Next Week Will Send BUI to Pres? ident. Washington, May 5.?Protracted controversy in the senate over the sedition bill providing severe penal? ties for disloyal acts and utterances and those interfering with liberty loans and the army draft ended late today in the adption of the confer? ence report on the measure by a vote of 47 to 27. Approval of the con? ferees' agreement by the house next week will send the bill to President Wilson. Opponents of the measure, who have contended that freedom of speech and the press would be cur? tailed, lost their fight to strike out a clause giving the Postmaster Gener? al authority to withhold mail believed to violate the espionage laws and to restore the France amendment. The bill was initiated a year ago and provided maximum penalties of twenty years' imprisonment and a $10,000 fine, or both, for a wide va? riety of disloyal acts. It amends the espionage act and with the "woman spy" bill recently passed, completes the cycle of legislation urged by the department of justice as necessary to clothe the government with power to deal with sedition and disloyalty and prevent mob violence. That the legislation is unnecessary, unconstitutional, too drastic and con? fers too wide discretion upon adminis? trative officials have been the princi? pal arguments of those opposing it. Men have to go on the stage to get a chance as monologists. "but it is different with women.?Memphis Commercial Appeal. - -j-mum par, which is a very helpful thing in war times. "Every subscriber who keeps his Liberty bond is rendering a double service to his country during the period of the war. The purchase of a government bond to save the life of the nation and the liberties of the world is not a commercial transac? tion. The patriotism of the American people is not detemined by the rate of interest on a government bond or by its quota valued upon any stock exchange. In lending money to the government the chief consideration should always be a determination to save the life of the nation and the liberties of the world." A treasury analysis of the loan de? clared results were particularly re? markable considering that business interests are to be called on to pay billions of dollars in taxes next month. "The results of the third loan," said the statement, "indicates mag? nificent participation by farmers in the fourth loan if it should come dur? ing the harvest season." One reason why the money total probably did not reach the $4,616,000, 000 of the second loan, the treasury said, is that it was understood in the second campaign that only one-half the oversubscriptions were to be ac? cepted and consequently big interests in many cases turned in double the subscriptions they actually desired. Partial returns today showed that New York will lead all States in number of individual subscribers with 4.000,000 and the State also leads in actual money totals. Managers of the campaign in the San Francisco district wired that subscriptions there would exceed $250.000.000. In the Cleveland district ur.oiT.cial figures compiled at 7.30 Saturday night total $377,338,650. The St. Louis district reported that all 30 2 counties in the district exceed? ed their quotas. Minneapolis estimated the district would show a 20 per cent, distribu? tion. From Kansas City came the report that the district showed an official to? tal of subscriptions on Saturday af? ternoon of $170,221,250 which amounted to 131 per cent, of the district's quota. The following table shows a partial list of the cities that have oversub? scribed their quotas with their per? centage standings including only a portion of Saturday's returns: Topeka, Knn. 191; Hartford, Conn.. 189; Cincinnati. 171; Youngstown. Ohio. 167; St. Louis. Mo.. 161; Wash? ington. D. C. 160; Toledo. 157: Day? ton, 15 4; Sioux City, 150; Milwaukee, 150; Detroit. 148: Nashville, 135; Taxing-ton. Ky.. 131; Atlanta. 125; Chattanooga, 126.