The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, June 12, 1918, Image 6
MUHCH OF DEFENSE.
PEOPLE Ml ST REALIZE ACUTE
SITUATION.
ftmuctl of Defense to Regln l?ubllc
Heulth Ounpalgsi as War Kiucr
Columbia, Jon* 7.?An enthusiastic
meeting of the State Council of De?
fense was held In Columbia yesterday
find an enlarged program of activity
to put the State on an effective war
basis mapped out.
The biggest project to engage the
attention of the body the coming
months will be a State-wide public
health campaign to help the State
and the public health service to elim?
inate the social evil, and to stimulate
activity which will asnlst In the ex?
termination of contagious and Infec?
tious disuses. As much as $5.000
will be expended In this work', If such
amount be necessary, and a commit?
tee waa appointed to hold Conference?
with representatives of public health
agencies and workers and to formu?
late plans of procedure. The council
will be careful not to verUip or dupli?
cate the work the federal and State
health representatives are prosecut?
ing, but will become a vital factor in
the extension of this work. D. P.
Coker. State chairman, was instruct?
ed to direct a letter to all mayors and
Inteodants of cities and towns of the
ptate, to solicit their coperatlon In
ridding the State of social evil resorts.
Seven*! instructive talks were made at
the meeting, emphasising the great
inroads made on the fighting forces
of the country by deaths from pre?
ventable diseases.
Governor Manning returned from
Washington st midday and came to
the meeting directly from the train.
He did not wish to unduly alarm the
members of the council, but felt im?
pelled to bring to them the apprehen?
sion that exists In Washington, rela?
tive to the situation abroad. The
members of the body should take
back to the people the facts as nearly
aa could be given, and to encourage
and urge that the people realize the
utmost necessity of getting upon an
effective war basis without delay.
He ceuld not speak officially, but
from Information he hnd gained, the
opinion of military experts was that
the struggle on the western front
would result In a stalemate and that
the German lines were Inn pregnable.
"Germany must be struck from anoth?
er direction," he emphasised, and he
would not he surprised to see Ameri?
ca strike at Germany through Rus?
sia. It was also In the realm of pos?
sibility for Germany to tand troops
In Mexico and strike at America
through that country. The raid by
German submarines along the Atlan?
tic seaboard, he believed, was only a
prelude as to what might be expected.
The draft Is to be swift and heavy.
Oovernor Manning pointed out and
the men are to be mobilized In great
numbers Just as fast as tiey can be
equipped, which would necessitate the
waiving of agricultural exemption.
Sacrifices would be Increasingly nec?
essary. In Germany, he said, the peo?
ple are only allowed to buy two suits
of clothing a year, and the people of
America would be caMed on to make
?Imllar sacrifices.
Governor Manning said impressions
n Washington were that all war ac?
tivities are making excellent progress
He was pleased with the work the
? :ouncll of Defense has been accom?
plishing and told the members Its ef?
forts were highly commended in the
national capital.
The Council of Defense passed a
i ?solution. heartily Indorsing the war
itavlnga movement, and placed tho
organisation at the diaposltlon of the
war savings directors in tho approach?
ing campaign. Joe Sparks, State or?
ganiser, of war savings, made an
earnest appeal to the council. The
Ktat* will be called on to subscribe
$31,000.000 by the end of the year,
which Is more than the two Libeity
ItM ggmpalgns combined Th? cam?
paign is to begin June 14, and Pres?
ident Wilson in counting on too..
purchasers of war savings stamps. Mi
Sparks said.
The council went on r< cord as re?
garding as unpatriotic unwan anted
advances In house rents, which his
become such a problem In rub It ?i h
army camps and other war activity
centers
E. R. Buckingham of Alken was
appointed a committee of one from
the council to work with the national
organisation in the deviopment ot
n.o'or transportation.
The council also instructed the ap?
propriation of 1 i month for each of
the county organisations of women
for stamps and stationery. This la to
t?e used largely from a previous ap?
propriation for the women's work.
Several ??f the gMMtofl brought
very complimentary reports of tie
cooperation extended by the ncgrocx
in the various sections of the State
hn I of their zeal to purchase Liberty
bo-ids and war savings stumps and to
? uberrlbe lo the lied Gross and oth?
er aar purposes.
NEW REVENUE MEASURE.
SECRETARY M'AIMH) SUGGESTS
J1IGII WAH PROFITS TAX.
Letter to (' Im i in in n Kltcliln Given
Outline of Treasury Department's
Idea of Taxation to Mtri Nation's
Hugo War Expenditures In Future.
Washington. June 6.?Secretary Mc
Adoo today recommended In a letter
to Chairman Kitchin of the house
ways and means committee, that the
new revenue bill be drawn to raise
$8,000.000,000 by taxation, one-third
of the estimated $24,000,000,000 ex?
penditures in the lineal year 1919.
tie also recommended that a war
profit tax be established at a high
rate to bo superimposed upon existing
excess profits taxes; that the normal
Income tax on unearned incomes be
raised; and that heavy taxation be
imposed on luxuries.
The suggestions were given in re?
sponse to a letter from Mr. Kitchin,
and constituted an outline of the
treasury's ideas not only of taxation
to meet the nation's huge war ex?
penditures in the future but of pre?
paring the way for floating of addi?
tional billions of Liberty bonds. In?
crease of tax on incomes from which
Liberty bonds are exempt, said the
secretary, will tend to make these
bonds better investments.
Mr. McAdoo made no attempt to
specifly the means of carrying out his
suggestions in revenue legislation and
did not intimate what articles might
be classed as "luxuries" for heavier
taxation. He stated, however, that in
many cases the present excess profits
taxes do not reach real war profits,
for Instance, where a corporation with
big earnings made directly out of the
war has also a big over capitalization
and therefore, an apparently low rate
of profit.
After explaining that his estimate
of $24,000,000,000 expedltures In ttie
fiscal year starting next July 1 is
based on expenses in the past, and a
calculation of the rate of increase Mr.
McAdoo said It would constitute un?
sound financial policy to raise $20,
000,000,000 of that sum by floating
of Liberty loans, to make up the de?
ficit that would follow If there was no
Increase In the $4,000,000,000 revenue
obtainable under existing law.
About one-third of $12,600,000,000
or $13.000,000,000 expenditures this
fiscal year will come from taxation.
"If I may. without impropriety, of?
fer a suggestion as to the proposed
revenue measure" wrote the secretary,
"I should recommend:
"A?(1). That one-third of the
cash expenditures to be made during
the fiscal year ending June 30. 1919.
be provided by taxation. According
to my estimate this would involve
raising $8,000,000,000 through taxa?
tion.
"2?That a real war profits tax at
a high rate be levied upon all war
profits. This tax should be superim?
posed upon the existing excess profits
tax In such a way that the tax payer
should be required to pav whichever
tax is the greater. The existing ex?
cess profits tax should be amended in
certain Important particulars so as to
remove inequalities.
"3?That there should be a sub?
stantial increase In the amount of
normal Income tax upon so-called un?
earned Incomes. Under existing law
earned incomes above certain exemp?
tions are taxed 4 per cent, as an in?
come tax and 8 per cent, as an ex?
cess profits tax, making a total of 12
per cent., while unearned incomes,
derived from securities, etc., are tax?
ed only 4 per cent.
"The 8 per cent, tax should be rec?
ognized as an Income tax and the rate
of 12 per cent. (4 per cent, normal
ami 8 per cent, excess profits) should
be retained in respect to earned in?
come, while a higher rate than 12 per
cent, should be Imposed cn unearned
incomes.
"4?That heavy taxation be impos?
ed upon all luxuries."
Explaining his ideas for a new tax
to reach actual profits made out of
the war, Mr. McAdoo wrote:
"The existing excess profits tax does
not always reach war profits. The
rates of excess profits taxation are
graduated and the maximum is 60 per
cent. In Great Britain there is a flat
On nil war profits. The gov?
ernment departments can not In the
n itare of things fix their prices nor
guard their contracts in such a way
as to avoid the possibility of profiteer?
ing. The only sure way Is to tax away
Ins excessive prollts when they have
Sees realized.
I ?t course no one objects to rea?
sonable profits, on the contrary every
MS Hhould want and, I am sure, does
want business enterprises to be re?
warded with reasonable, or even liber?
al proflts."
The way in which a higher normal
i lti on income would promoto the
K iie of Liberty loan bonds, pnrtloulnrly
to persons of big means, was explain?
ed as follows:
' I hope that it will not be neres
sarv further to Increase the Interest
rnte on government bonds. The niitn
GERMAN SUBMARINE CLAIMS
ONE MORE VICTIM.
Slnrpathtuii Sent to Bottom One Hun?
dred Ml It's Off Virginia Capes Burly
Wednesday Morning. Entire Crew
Rescued by Another Ship.
Washington, June 6.?Sinking of
the British steamship Harpathlan by
a German submarine 100 miles' oil
the Virginian capes at 9 o'clock yes?
terday morning was announced to?
night by the navy department. The
entire crew was rescued by the steam?
er Palmer, which arrived late today in
Chesapeake Bay.
The submarine used a torpedo. One
member of the British cvew was in?
jured. The JIarpa.thian was a
fieighter of 2,800 net tons.
NAVAL STORES INDUSTRY.
Operators- Asked to Meet and Discuss
Supervision of Naval Stores Indus?
try During War.
New Orleans, June 7.?Naval stores
operators from Georgia, Florida, Ala?
bama, Mississippi and Louisiana have
been asked to meet with Cliff Wil?
liams, district United States labor
commissioner, at New Orleans, June
10th, to discuss the proposed virtual
suspension of naval stores industry
lor the period of the war.
HOSPITAL SHIP SUNK.
British Vessel Strikes Mine Off Eng>
The Hague, June 6.?The hospital
ship Koningin Regentes having on
board the English delegates to the
Anglo-German war prisoners confer?
ence at the Hague struck a mine off
the gSiglish coast. Four firemen per?
ished, but all others aboard were
saved by the hospital ship Sindero.
The delegates aboard the ship were
the home secretary, Sir George Cave,
Baron Newton, >under-secretary of
the foreign office, who attended the
previous conferences. Lieut. Sir
Herbert Blefleld, director of prison?
ers of war since 1914 and Mrs. Dar
ley Linvlngstone, the wife of an Eng?
lish colonel. Mrs. Livingstone, who
Is an American, is secretary of the
government committee on prisoners of
war.
American Casualty List.
Washington, June 8.?The casual?
ty list contains one hundred and eight
names. Killed in action, 30; died of
wounds, 10; died in airplane accident,
four; died of accident from other
causes, 6; died of disease, 6; wounded
severely, 35; wounded in a degree un?
determined, 17. Corporal Thomas
Huggins of Elloree. S. C, died of dis?
ease and Corporal Hubert H. Ham
mack of Docrun, Ga., wounded se?
verely.
ber of subscribers to the three Liberty
loans aggregated 30,000,000. The
people who subscribed are ^mpatient
of those who have not. Various plans
have been urged upon me for forcing
the people to buy Liberty bonds.
There Is a popular demand also for
high taxes on war prolits. There also
is a popular demand that all the peo?
ple should contribute to tlaancing the
war.
"There should, therefore, be a sub?
stantial increase in the normal in?
come tax rate and a higher tax should
be levied upon so-called unearned
than on earned income. Income de?
rived from Liberty bonds would be
exempt from this taxation and the re?
lation between income from Liberty
bonds and income from ether securi?
ties would be readjusted without in?
creasing the rate of interest on Lib?
erty bonds. It would not tax the pa?
triotic purchasers of Liberty bonds on
their holdings but It would weigh
heavily upon the shirkers who have
not bought them. It would make the
return from Liberty bonds compare
favorably with the return from other
securities.
"There is another feature deserving
consideration. There is a natural
feeling among the masses of the peo
I pie that taxation upon Incomes and
1 upon war prolits should be high
enough to bring the retuin from gov?
ernment bonds; that the government
should not be forced to compete for
credit with war industries which are
profiting abnormally and which un?
less restrained by the exercise of
sound and just taxation, will con?
stantly add to the difficulties of the
people of the United States in their
? Hort to supply the government at
reasonable interest rates with the
Oredit it needs to light suecesfully
this war for liberty.
"Not to in ireaee the sum to be
raised by taXSS next year and conse?
quently tO raise 110,000,000,000 from
government bonds would be a surren?
der to the policy Of high Interest
rates and Inflation with all the evil
coneequenees which would Mow inevi?
tably therefrom and which would, 1
thinly believe, bring Ultimate db/jis
ler to the country."
llsh Coast.
OPEN FIGHTING EXPECTED.
AMERICANS LEARN LESS OF
TRENCH.
New Orders Issued?Long Man-lies
and Target Practice Without End
Being HeLd in Camps.
Washington, June 6.?American
troops in training at home are being
especially schooled now in prepara?
tion for the forward movement of the
allied armies expected to follow the
ultimate crushing of Germany's of?
fensive power. It was learned today
that orders have been isbued to di?
vision commanders to lay greater
stress upon training for open warfare,
and reduce the time devoted to teach?
ing trench specialties.
The men are being hardened to long
marches, given target practice with?
out end and thoroughly trained to
take care of themselves in open com?
bat, i
Military obeservers say this change
in the midst of the greatest effort of
the German general staff of the en?
tire war Speaks significantly of the
spirit of confidence that pervades the I
councils and armies of America and'
the allies. When many of the men
now in training here reach Franco,
long marches and swift maeuverlng
against a retreating foe may well be
the order of the day.
Influential officers returning from
the front have been insisting recently
upon greater attention to general
element of warfare and less to the
fine details of position fighting in fix?
ed trench lines. These officers say the
American soldiers take raturally to
training of this sort and that he
should be developed as highly as pos?
sible in all around soldiering, leaving
the details of trench warfare educa?
tion to be added by a brief post grad?
uate course when he reaches France.
This view found ready sympathy here
for it is believed the old stalemate of
the trench lines has been brcken nev?
er to be restored.
Today's news from the front added
to the growing conviction here that
General Foch has outgcneralled the
Germans on the Aisne front in having
brought them to a halt without weak?
ening the defenses of the channel
ports. Territory has been yielded but
no point of strategic value, and the
Germans must try again to draw
away the supporting lines in Picardy
and Flanders, or face the necessity
of hurling their army into the wall
of man power, French, British and
American, that now blocks the road
to the channel ports.
Officers who have come from the
front say that the American units
pouring into France in a steady and
growing stream despite German
u-boats at both ends of the 3,000
milt water haul, are arriving well ad?
vanced In training for the business
ahead of them.
Commenting upon the high tributes
paid by French and British officers
to the American, it was remarked to?
day that while the engagements in
which the Americans have been given
a chance as yet have been minor af?
fairs proportionately, always the dash
has been there. One officer recently
back from the front, pointed out that
V'hile French and British veterans are
brave beyond words they are cooled
by long years of fighting. The Ameri?
cans are craving a chance to fight,
for it Is all new to them.
AMERICANS TAKE PRISONERS.
German Dead Piled Three Peep?Our
Lines urc Greatly Extended.
With the American Army in Pi?
cardy, June 7.? (By the Associated
Press): As the result of the two at?
tacks by the Americans against the
enemy in the second battle northwest
of Chauteau-Thierry, 300 prisoners
were captured and the Americans ex?
tended their line over a front of about
six miles to a depth of nearly two and
a half miles.
While the losses of the Americans
necessarily have been heavy owing to
the nature of the fighting, the Ger?
man dead is piled three deep in
places.
A number of machine guns were
added to the American booty.
London. June 7.?For the first time
In Anglo-American history, the king
of England will participate In an
American Fourth of July celebration
this year. He will attend the base,
ball game at Chelsea between teams
of the American army and navy.
Washington, June 8.?The presence
of Ambassador Francis in Petrograd
was reported to the State depart?
ment today. He went to the former
capital June ith for a brief stay.
San Juan. Porto Kieo. June 7.?Uni?
forms for 11,000 recruits, a full sup?
ply of ordnance stores, all the tent
age that will be reeded at Camp
Caaaa and the oomplets equipment for
the motor truck company Including
:ti> motor trucks and ur> motorcycles
are here and stored awaiting the call?
ing of Porto Rico's draft troops
COMBATING SUBMARINES.
REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT
BOUNDS PRAISE.
Massachusetts and Illinois Senators.
However, Not Agreed as to Inspir?
ation of Raid.
Washington. June 6.?Completej
confidence in the measures taken by
the navy to deal with submarine raid?
ers was expressed in the senate today
by spokesmen on both sides of tlfe
chamber. Senator Lewis, of Illinois,
Democratic whip, and Senator Lodge
of Massachusetts, Republican, joined
in declaring that the navy was alert
and ready for the enemy.
These expressions came in the
midst of a sharp debate precipitated
by the reading by Senator Brandegee
of Connecticut of a newspaper edi?
torial criticising the navy depart?
ment for not warning shipping of the
presence of the submarines. Senators
Lewis and Lodge agreed there was
no complaint against the navy,
though they had very different the?
ories as to what possibly drew the
submarines to American shores. Sen?
ator Lewis said the attack was invited
by false statements in congress and
elsewhere regarding the nation's un
preparedness; while the Massachu?
setts senator suggested that "loose
brags and boasts" about the number
of American troops transported over?
seas had contributed to the appear?
ance of the raiders.
In connection with the warning of
shipping, acting Secretary Roosevelt
disclosed late today that t- radio mes?
sage was sent broadcast by the navy
more than a week ago informing all
shipping and shore stations that ene?
my submarines might appear at any
point along the Atlantic coast. At
that time the news that the enemy
had attacked schooners off the Vir?
ginia capes had not reached the de?
partment.
Steamers and all craft In port re?
ceived the message. Slow moving
sailing vessels, without wireless,
however, had to take theii chances in
i ignorance.
FORCE FOOD PRICES DOWN.
Nation-wide Move Among Consumers
Ordered by Hoover.
Washington, June 7.?A country?
wide move to reduce the cost of food
to the consumer and standardize
methods of compelling the observance
by dealers of "fair price lists" was
ordered today by Food Administrator
Hoover.
Prices will be published in every
country, town and city, and consum?
ers will be asked to cooperate with
officials in forcing merchants to bring
their prices to a uniform level.
If this can be accomplished, a
statement issued by the food admin?
istration says, the average buyers
will not only be protected, but the pa?
triotic merchant who has followed the
food administration's suggestions re?
garding prices will be protecled
against the unscrupulous dealer who
has attempted to take advantage of
the situation."
In carrying out the new standard?
ization plan the administration will
establish price-interpreting commit?
tees composed of representatives of
wholesalers and retailers and con?
sumers. The board will determine
fair retail prices on the basis of the
commodities which comprise a large
part of the nation's diet. The publish?
ed list will give the range of maxi?
mum selling prices, showing a reason?
able price which will reflect the prices
which should obtain in "cash and car?
ry" stores and a higher price repre?
senting a fair price for the "credit
and delivery" stores.
The local administrator for each lo?
cality will act as chairman of the
price board.
Newspapers will be asked to co?
operate by setting aside a particular
position weekly for publication of the
lists, with foot notes on the food prob?
lem.
A close check will be kept on ob?
servance of the lists. Consumers will
be expected to report to the local food
administrator any store charging more
than the established prioe for any
commodity. These reports' will be in?
vestigated, and will form the basis
for action in making a distinction be?
tween the patriotic dealets and the
profiteers.
One form of indirect control over
the retail stores may be exercised by
cutting off their supplies at the
source insti in ting licensed dealers
not to do business with offending rc
ta ilers.
FLOUR SHIP ESCAPED.
Chased Back into Port by i -Boat
Lying off Virginia Ca pea,
Atlantic Port, June 8.?An Ameri?
can steamship loaded with flour was
chased back from the Virginia capes
this morning by submarines, it is re?
ported, one of the ship's officers is
said to have come ashore to make of?
ficial request for guns that the ship
may continue jts ti ip.
HBHT WITH DASH.
MARINES ATTACK GERMANS
WITH GOOD RESULTS.
Another Move launched In Late Af?
ternoon and Was In IVogress at Last
Accounts.
With the American Army in Pi
cardy, June 6 (By the Associated
Press).?American marines attacked
the Germans at dawn this mo/ning
and gained three and one half kilo?
metres over a four kilometre front,
snd captured 100 prisoners in the
Chateau-Thierry sector. The French
attacking at the same time on the left
took 160 prisoners.
The Americans now hold all the im?
portant high ground northwest of
Chateau-Thierry.
The marines again attacked at 6
o'clock this afternoon and the battle
is still raging.
The fight started at 3.45 o'clock this
morning and the Americans had at?
tained all their objectives by 7.45
o'clock.
The Americans have been pressing
the Germans so hard that the enemy
has been forced to throw new divis?
ions of his best troops in the line dur?
ing the last three days.
The Americans are like tigers.
Their commanders have all they can
do to hold them back. Even the
wounded are enthusiastic and eager
to fight. They are proud of their
wounds. A general who visited a field
dressing station said he was elated
by the sight.
The Americans sang and whistled
"Yankee Doodle" and cheered as they
went over the top. They made their
way swiftly through the German dead
that lay strewn in No Man's Land.
In addition to prisoners the Amer?
icans captured ten machine guns,
c.erman prisoners said they had not
been fed for four days owing to the
deadly fire from the French and
American guns which prevented the
bringing up of supplies. These Ger?
mans were without helmets. They
were tired of the war. They had
been told that the British opposed
them as their commanders were
afraid to let them know that it was
the Americans. The Germans were
cleared out of Veuilly wood by the
Americans, whose guns were thunder?
ing against the enemy this afternoon.
The fiercest lighting was in progress
ac last reports near Torcy.
The French attack this morning
was to straighten out the American
line and it was a brilliant perform?
ance. In this they were assisted by
the American forces. American in?
fantry cleared out one group of 35
mounted Uhlans.
"Don't let one escape," shouted a
big American. All but one was killed
^nd he was captured.
The Americans advance in a solid
I hlanx. their strong dete-mined faces
and great physiques an inspiration to
their gallant French comrades, who
now regard them with brotherly affec?
tion.
On Tuesday the Americans faced a
Saxon division; on Wednesday a
Guard division; today a crack Prussian
division and also a battalion of fa
moub Jaeger sharp shooters. The
Americans caught one shooting party
of eight sharp shoters and killed them
rIL
TODAY'S CASUALTY LIST.
j Seventy-four Names Reported?
Thirteen Were Killed.
Washington, June 10.?Today's cas?
ualty list contains seventy-four names.
Killed in action, 13; died of wounds,
?; died of airplane accident, 1; diel
of disease, I; died of accident other
causes, 1; wounded severely, 46;
wounded degree undetermined, 7,
Southerners included Sergent Jabez P.
Kelly, Smithville, Ga.; A. A. Herrick,
of St. Petersburg, Fla., was among
the wounded in today's casualty list.
Washington, June 8.?Local rains,
with seasonal temperature are fore?
cast for the Southeastern States for
the first part of the coming week. Af?
ter then the weather will be fair un?
til Friday when more rain is indicat?
ed.
The Hague, June 8.?American na?
val olficer Ensign Eaton, of Connecti?
cut, has been interned He was
among other officers who descended
in Dutch territorial waters during a
recent seaplane flight off Terschelllng.
He was unhurt but his machine was
damaged.
Washington. June 8 ?Hope for
complete victory over Germany was
expresed in a communication received
today by President Wilson from the
Russian-American Chamber of Com?
merce at Moscow.
Like Charles. I^a.. June 7.?Licu.s
John L, Hagarty. of New Jersey an i
Travels l^e Ilalton. of Texas, were
killed near tlernener Field t^day wh-w
their airplanes collided while at i?t
tie practice.