Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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IHK roifTKR WATCHMAN, Eetabi Ood soli da ted Au*. 2,1 rHKNdl IIOI.I) (ilt(HM) RACT4 Ol SOISS? i\s. AIII?*m Realst Enemy's M?nks stub? bornly. Glxliig Ground Only When tbinxmon-J und AIwuvh Maintain in* Solid Front?l'irh Bringing Re? serve Fiarces Into Action. By Tb? Associated Press. Rlowly. but surely, the plunge of! the German Crown I'rlnce's armies isj being halted by the Freneh and IJrlt ish armies While the momentum of the Oer man misses has not as yet spent Itself, there has bOOSJ .1 notable slackening in its advance during the poet day. The chief efforts of the Germans now seem to be devoted to the widening of the ga.> they have torn In the positions of the allies be? tween Plnon and Brimont Tills work seems to be progressing slowly againm the desperate resistance of the allied forces. The Freneh having fallen back from the limits of the city of Sols ?00? have Stood their ground against the attacks of the enemy and *ho Oer msn official statement fails to show mstsrtsl advances there during the Osy's fighting. On the Kastejfe end of the fighting line some of the forts before Rheims sre told to have fallen, which was to he expected from the fact that they have been outflanked by the tide of Invasion that has swept far to the south of the city. The fighting has taken on the as? pect of the first Invasion of France In 1914. the advance of von Mackensen along the Dunujec and the fighting in Ptcerdy In March. After creating the French and British defensive posi? tions, but not breaking the nil ed line, the Germans are again movibg their forces out In fan-shaped tigur?, fight? ing b?rdest on the flanks of the ex? treme front of their ad\ .nee The situation while apparently ex? tremely serious has not rssur. led the critical sspeet of the righ;.ng ate in March The allies are resist ng the enemy's attacks stubbornly, giving siorrod es?n ov??rpower?ri, and al? ways maintaining a solid front. The wave of the advance H now approaching the valley of the Marne, the nearest approach to taut avenue toward Paris being at the village of Vetllly which lies at the extreme apex of the German wedge and It about seven miles from the river. In 1914 1 the Germans advanced over a front extending from Uraine. .lust off Sois son to Vau<|uols, a little west of Ver? dun. After having reached the Marne, the Teutons turne,1 the force ftf theo advance towards the west a id they may be expected to repeat th or tuo tlce of four years ago. The reserve forces of the com? mand of General Foch are now com? ing Into action on ground chesen for tbe combat by that muster ntategist and It Is possible that a bolw of tre? mendous proportions muy be struck somewhere 'along the front of the German wave, or on Its western side, which seems to be open to an attack which might crumple up the Ger? man armies to the east of Holt sons. The Americans who captured Can Hfjgg h ive beaten off attack a Her at? tack by th# Germans. Large German forces are said to have gathered to retake ibe village. and they have launched savage assaults at the Americans, but the latter, with rille and machine gunfire have mowed down the advancing Tenons. Along the American held positions in the Tool and I.une\|||e sector ther- have been several spirited engagements, tut nowhere have the Germans suc? ceeded In penetrating the Aeinrlcan Ilms The allied position In the Plagdoei sector have been suhle? te.I to bom gardment but the mil) Infant?) fight? ing there has been initiated >v the n< h near Ulekebusch Lake, soutn who ImprWVOd their po? sitions ns the result of an attack on the Germans. (he lighting <>n the It ill.|g frOI h.lS 14 bee n of an unusual chaia?tn HWF. %Mrltl< A'.s SYMPATHY. 4 \?plr*tioiiH ,,r subject Knees of Ml* trla Favored b> I lilted States. Washington M 1 ', 'Ilm I n.ted Htstea government views with "earn eat sympathy'' the nationalistic as? pirations of the <'/.echo Slovaks and Jugo slavs. Seciel.u\ l.insing *uld to? day. Msrv Plekford has invested |t1l ose in Uheet) Bonds M try must have e^egtstd several da\-> ior th?? t'n l./ubu Ruts. ?feed April, 18*0, ?hfMH 881. SITUATION IN HAND. GFN. MX'II SMI) TO HF. AHLE TO CHECK GERMANS. I Vouch Troops Beginning to Gala oil! Advaj icing Gorma ii.h?I 'orty-right Hour*. Will See Knd of < .cumin' Drive. Paris, Muy 29.?(Jen. Foeh now bus the situation well in hand. French troops are beginning to j gain on the German advanced forces; in the contest of speed. No important line of communica? tion is yet threatened. Those on the scene declare V. is not too much to say that another forty-eight hours will see the Oer man drive definitely stopped. HiKh praise is given the French re? serves. FIGHTING NEAR ALREF T. German Artillery Actively Increased on Old 4tattle (?round. London. May 29.?The German ar? tillery is active north of Albert and in the Flanders salient, east of Ro bee?i. it is officially announced. Th? enemy tire is also Increased lo? cally east of Arras and south of Lens. AM Fit It ANS HOLD GROUND. German Counter Attack Repulsed With Heavy Lohn. London, May 29.?Tho Germans. I who counter attacked last night against the Americans who captured Castlngy, west of Montidier, were re? pulsed with heavy losses, it is report? ed by Reuter's correspondent at Urlt isb headtiuaters today. / GOOD REPORTS COMING. SucccMMrtil Operations by American Troops In Frame. Washington. May 29.? Reports of successful operations by American troops a e coming to the war depart? ment. Secretary Haker said today. FRENCH LOSE SOISSONS. Withdrew to Eastern Outskirts of CRy While Hut Me Continue*. Pans. May 29.?The French have fallen back to the eastern outskirts of Solsscna. where the battle con? tinues with intense bitterness, the war olllce announced this afternoon. French and British trops. the state? ment adds, have fallen back to the heights south and southeast of St. Pierry, where they are holding po-' sitions between the Vesle river and I Alsne canal. The Americans west of Montdidier have repulsed two Herman counter attacks against the village of Cas tlgny. In the center fighting is going on with varying success on the heights on the southern bank of the Vesle. LITTLE PROGRESS TODAY. ??? French Retire at Few Points Only. With French Army. Tuesday, May, .28.?The German offensiv?? made only slight progress today. Seeing heavy masses opposed to them, the Allies gave way in the center and in some places the enemy crossed both the Aisne and Wesle rivers. Paris Fndcr Fire. Paris, May 29.?The long range bombardment of Paris began again this morning. TEUTON PRISONERS OF WAR. I ng la ml Has U.youo Engaged In Proii tablc Work. London. May ||, There nie !!>.? Ifg Qorutai prisoners of war in Ore it Britain, it was announced in the hOUne of comuior s today by .fumes Mao t'heiHon, parliamentary secretary to the wur olllce. Of these, ha said. 42. aag wort employed la farming and at her Work Of national importance. while in.mm more had neon dealgnat- i ?d for similar employment. -, The members of the old Rumtet I.ii lit Int uiti v who served on Hum Moaieaa border and for the paal sei aral in on t as have been in training at Camg Sevier are now in France Main bora >f their families today re ceived cards tolling <?f the safe ar rival "over asaa" of I number oi < tins.- young men. RumtOI has had a i company In every war in which tin count rj has been engaged and our ho\s have always given ? good ac? count of themaelvee, and in ihls I great eat ol all wars they will n<?t fall to Hvs no to tin- record of the old | company. ' ; Ml Fear not?De* all the ende Thon Ali "??MTER, 8. 0., SAT? HUNS ADVANCE EIGHT MILES. ALMES GIVE GROUND IX SOVTII HIT LINK HOLD! AND UK gtBRVEfl ARB COMING. Germans claim Qaptnre of Many Towns and 13,000 Prisoners, Hut Later Heports Ca vor the Allies? Americans Take Cantlgoy In Bril? liant Assault?Italians Make Gains. By Associated Press. The great German military ma? chine is in full motion along the twenty mile front in the Alsne river sector between Vailly and Berry-au Bac, and greatly outnumbered, the British and French are giving ground. According to the German official communication numerous towns and villages in the lighting zone have been taken by the enemy and 15,000 Al? lied troops already have been made prisoner. At the last accounts the Germans were endeavoring to press back the defenders upon the Vesle river, which runs parallel with the Aisne and at several points had reached po? sitions dominating the Vesle valley. The offensive is being carried out with the greatest rapidity, for the German high command evidently Is well aware of the fact that Gen. Foch's reserves have been reported to be coming up rapidly to reinforce the hard press? ed British and French, who are light? ing valiantly against the terrible odds, and making wave upon wave of the enemy pay dearly In casualties for every foot of ground thv?y obtain. Notwithstanding the rapidity of the drive and the large number of the enemy pressing It?some unofficial re? ports place the number of shock troops alone at twenty-live divisions, or about 300,000 picked men?tho Al? lied front nowhere has been pierced, but under the onslaught it has fallen back in perfect liason and all the time giving battle. With such precision has the retire? ment been conducted that both the British and French troops have been uble to carry back with them all of j their supplies and guns Or destroy those they were unable to handle. At present it is impossible geo? graphically to depict the extent of the German gain, but it would seem evident that the deepest salient they have driven is in the region due east of Vailly?about eight miles. Although the Germans for the mo? ment at least, seemingly are having their own way on the southern par! of the line in France, on the sectors around .Montdidier and southwest of Ypres they are being sorely harassed by the Americans British and French. Tuesday's lighting in the vicinity ol Montdidier will mark an epoch In the war, so far as the American troops are concerned. Here in an attack they captured their first village?Cantigny, which lies a short distance northwest of Montdidier. They also took several other objectives and held all of them in the face of counter-attacks. The Germans suffered severe losses in men killed or wounded and in addition left behind them 200 men made prisoner, among them two officers. The Ameri? can casualties were relatively small. The German official report announces the taking of American prisoners. The report from American headquarters, shows only two Americans missing. Likewise south of Ypres the enemy received hard usage at the hands of the British and French, east of Dicke busch lake, where Monday the Ger? mans in an attack had taken ground. Starting immediately after the gain was made the British and French be? gan counter-attacks in an endeavor to wipe out the captured salient and Tuesday succeeded in completely nul? lifying the enemy's manoeuver. GeH Malg's Report. I^OIldOB, May 2K. ? Field Marshal Half's report from France tonight: "Counter-attacks this morning by French and British troops reestab? lished oor line eaat of Dlekebuaeh "Isike, Several prisoners were cap? tured In the enemy's attacks yesterday in this sector and to the south as far ;is Lucre four German divisions are Known In have been engaged. "In the course of the fighting heavy losses were Intlicted on these divis? ions The Allied line has been main? tained at all points. "? >n the remainder of the British front there is nothing to report be rond artillery activity on both sides in the different sectors." fblffraffC and other women's or BjanlsatlonS In America are at work on plans for an Appropriate observ iime next year Of the centennial an ntversary of the birth of Julia Ward Howe. net M be thy Country's, Uly God's I RDAY, JUNE I, 1918. GERMANS CLAIM VICTORY. BERLIN REPORTS BATTLE GO? ING IN PAVOR OF HUNS. OffiriHl Report States Germans Have Already Taken Fifteen Thousand Prisoners. Berlin, via London, May 28.?The official report from headquarters says that up to the present 15,000 prisoners have been taken. "We are now fighting- for the Vesle sector between Soissons and west of Rheims, and have captured the south? ern bank on both sides of Fismes," says the official report from head? quarters tonight. "Our attack across the Aisne is be? ing continued and yesterday's suc? cesses have been further extended." "The attack of the German Crown Prince south of I^aon," says the offi? cial report issued earlier in the day, "completely defeated the French and English divisions stationed there. i"Early this morning PInon, Chavlg non, Fort Malmaison, Courtecon, Cerny, Winterberg, Craonne, Viller berg and fortified works near Berry au-Bac were taken by storm. ?In the afternon Vailly was taken. Between Vailly and Beauriux we reached the heights due north of the Vesle. "The enemy was thrown out of strong positions between Sapigneul and Brimont and back across the Aisne-Marne canal. Cormicy, Cauroy and Loivre were taken by storm." The full text of the official com? munication from general headquar? ters today follows: "On the Kemmel and Lys battle? field* and on both sides of the Somme and the Avre the artillery duels in? creased in intensity yesterday morn? ing. Between Voormezelle and Locre we penetrated the French lines and brought back more than 300 prison? ers. "The work of the German Crown Prince to the south of Laon led to complete success. We completely de? feated the French and English divi? sions stationed there. "The army of Gen. von Boehm took the Chemln-Dea-Dames by storm. The long ridge against which the great attempt of the French to break through collapsed in the spring of 1917 and which was evacuated in the autumn of last year for strate? gic purposes, is again in our hands. "After tremendous artillery prep? aration our infantry at daybreak found their way across the Ailette river between Vauxaillon and Craon? ne and penetrated the English lines further east between Corbeny and the Aisne. Completely taken by sur? prise the occupants of the first enemy lines generally offered only slight re? sistance. "In the early hours oi' the morn? ing Plnon, Chavignon, Fort Malmai? son, Courlecon, Cormicy, the Wlnter berg and Craonne, the Villerberge and fortified works near and to the north of Berry-au-Bac were taken by storm. "Towards afternoon we reached the Aisne between Vailly and Berry-au Bac. Vailly was taken. The crater field of last year's spring and autumn fighting was thus completed In unin? terrupted attacking pressure. "In the afternoon the attack con? tinued. Between Vauxaillon and Vailly we are in the heights near Neuville. "Between Berry-au-Bac and Bri? mont we crossed the Aisne and car? ried the battle Into an area which had remained untouched by the war since 1914. "The enemy was again driven from the fortified wooded heights on the southern bank of the river. Between Vailly and Benuriex we reached the heights due north of Vesle river. "The army of Gen. von Below threw the enemy out of strong po? sitions between Sapigneul and Bri? mont book across the Aisne-Marne canal, and the western bank of the canal, and took by storm Cormicy. Cauroy and Loivre. "Fp to the present 15,000 prison? ers are reported. "Between the Meuse and the Mo seile on the Lorraine front the tight ing activity revived. Advances Into the enemy lines resulted In the bringing in of more than 160 prisoners be? longing to French and American reg? iments." Ill NS TRY TO CROSS VESLE. Reserves Hcgintilng to Arrive and ( heck Germans. Fails. May 18.?-The Germans are trying to force a passage of the Vesle It Fismes, which is the center of most important communlations, ac Cording to the Ubette correspondent kB* Trat*'?.? THE TRUE HOW OUR BOYS FIGHT. AMERICANS IN PICAHf>Y MAKE NOTABLE GAINS. Attack II 1U18 on Front of Mile and Quarter, Capturing Cantigny Vil Inge and Taking Two Hundred Pris? oners?Did the Work in Three Quarters of an Hour. Washington, May 28.?American troops in Picardy attacked this morn? ing on a front of one ar.d a quarter miles, captured the village of Can tigny, took 200 prisoners and inflict? ed severe losses in killed and wound? ed on the enemy, says Gen. Persh ing's communique made public to? night at the war department. The American casualties were relatively small. The statement follows: "This morning in Picardy our troops attacked on a front, of one and j one-fourth miles advanced our lines and captured the village of Cantigny. We took two hundred prisoners and inflicted on the enemy several losses in killed and wounded. Our casualties were relatively small. "Hostile counter-attae.ks broke down under our fire. "In Lorraine and in the Woevre ar? tillery on both sides continued active. Early in the day our aviators shot down a hostile machine." Brilliant Success. With the British Army in France. May 28.? (By the Associated Press) ?The American troops on the French front near Montdidler delivered an attack against the German positions, fought their way through all objec? tives, including the village of Can? tigny, and captured 140 prisoners. The American attack was along a two-kilometre front, and It seems to have taken the hard hitting Ameri? cans just about three-quarters of an hour to complete their conquest, which included that amount of terri? tory as well as the village of Cantigny ?an exceptionally short time for such an operaion. This remarkably fine showing ! comes as a Utting com pinion piece to the brilliant work done by the United States soldiers in repulsing an enemy assault made against them in the same region yesterday morning. FOOD HOARDER ARRESTED. Medical Director of Navy Indicted by Food Administration. Washington, May 29.?Francis N. I Nash, medical director in the navy, j and his wife were indicted today on j the charge of hoarding foodstuffs I Food investigators found amsng the hoarded foodstuffs more than a ton and a-half of sugar stored in the 1 Nash home. i _ ___ '?' ? WOMAN WARRIOR ARRIVES. - I i Commander of Battalion of Death in Washington. Washington, May 29.?Madame , i I Marie Botchkarova, the former com? mander of the Russian regiment of1 women, known as the "Battalion of j Death," arrived here today. She j j would not disclose the object of her ' j visit. During the day she called on I j Secretaries Lansing and Baker. ____________ SOUTHERN SHIP LA INCHING. ! Jacksonville Yard Will Complete First Ship Tomorrow. Jacksonville, May 29.?The Red Cloud, constructed here by Merrill Stevens Co., for the Emergency Fleet Corporation, will be the first com? posite ship to be completed in the South. It will be launched tomor? row. Each thirty days thereafter an? other ship of the same class will be launched, it Is stated. The carrying capacity of the ship Is thirty-five hun? dred tons and Its speed ten knots. AMERICAN CASUALTY LIST. Only Ree Rilled !? Action?Lieut. Hunter of York Taken I*rlsoner. Washington. May 29 - The casual? ty list today contains thirty names Killed In action, r?; died of wounds 5; died of accident, 1; died of dis saae, t<>; wounded severely, 7; misu? sing In action, 2. Lieut. Phillip A. Hunter, of York. B. Cm previously reported missing;, i? a prisoner. Bd Jackson. of Green? wood, S. C.i died of disease. at the front, who adds: "The battle Is being fiercely con? tested with alternating fortunes. Our reserve's are commencing to arrive south of the Vesle and their effect is already felt at Fismes." ! SOUTHRON. ?WMMWi tau, IM?. Vol. XLVI. No. 31. fire i] mm. SIXTEEN PATIENTS BURNED TO DEATH IN COLUMBIA. M - Ward Devoted to Idiots Destroyed Early Today?Fifteen Rushed Beck Into Flames After Beins; Rescued and Perished. Columbia, May 29.?There are six? teen known dead and four seriously Injured, as the result of a fire earjy today which destroyed a ward at the State Hospital for Insane. All the dead are patients. The ward was de? voted to idiots and mental defects Of the dead fifteen were rescued but returned to the building and met death there. Forty-five patients were in the ward at the time. The origin of the Are is unknown. The one story building in which the patients were housed was very old and easy prey to the flames. The authorities stated that every patient was removed but most of them ran back into the burning building de? spite all efforts to restrain them. DOGS FOR THE BLIND. Being Trained Under Dir action of Freuch Military Authorities to I .eat I Blind Soldiers. Plessls-Trevise, France, May 16.-? Correspondence of The Associated Press)?Training of dogs to lead the blind has become an important institution here where thousands of animals will eventually be prepared to leal sightless soldiers. The work is being done under the direction of the military authorities by ama? teurs who owned kennels of police and hunting dogs before the war. Several hundred poodles are con? tinually trotting about the neighbor? hood and through the village, some of them "graduates" of the big train? ing school, leading "poilus" who left their sight in the trenches or in the battlefield. This real experience puts the finishing touch to the dog's ed u cation. The training is divided into two pe rlods. during the first of which the dog learns what is called "carriage," or road behavior, abstenance from quarrels and resistance to tempta? tions to playing with other dogs, neg? lect of garbage boxes and butcher shops. Next he is taught to avoid ob , stacles and how to pick his way across the street with regard for ve? hicles. Then he is turned over to a sight? less hero of the war and kept under observation for a few days to make sure that his training is complete. The blind man, too requires a lit? tle training with the dog, for he rinds it an entirely different matter to for I low the string after having been lea I?) the arm. Guided by a person, he abandons himself to his conductor and loses all notion of self reliance, feeling that he is dominated by an? other will than his own. Consequent ly he insufficiently develops his re? maining senses to make up for the one that is lacking. Led by a dog which must be ordered, no matter how efficient his training, he develop the sense of touch and hearing wltk remarkable rapidity through the ne? cessity of remaining constantly at? tentive. AMERICAN DOCTORS CAPTURED. Report 1 Vom Berlin Brings Bod News for Americans. Amsterdam, May 29.?A Wolff Bu? reau telegram filed In Berlin Tues? day, giving an accourt of the fighting on the Chemin-des-Dames front briefly mentions that among the pris? oners taken from the British were a number of American doctors. WAR TAX LEGISLATION. Ways and Means Committee Will Be? gins Hearing Next Week. Washington. May 29.? The house ways and means committee has agreed to begin public hearings on (he proposed new war tax legislation a week from tomorrow. Valuable Walking Sticks. West Chester. Pa.. May 28.?Canes of Walnut from a tree which stood in front of the Birmingham Meeting House befote the battle of Brandy wine have been made by a local con iern. They will be sold at B b.utaar SSI the benefit of war hospitals. Other ranee will be sent to French war officials as mementoes of Gen. 141 fay et to, who was wounded almost within the shadow of the tree. One cane made of a selected piece >f the tree has been sent to M. Jus erand, the French Ambassador at II ashington.