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FIERCEST OF WAR. MOHTINO ON AMERICAN SECTOR WAS BDOODY WAR. Buttle Hagcd Around Cliatcau Thier? ry Yesterday?Americans In Thick of fight. On the French Front, In France. July 15 (Hy the Associated Press).? Some of the severest fighting; of the war Is taking place today on the front between Chateau Thierry and Main de Massiges along a front of about 60 miles. The most violent engagements art occurring in the neighborhood of Dormans on the Marne where the Oermans are attempting to cross the river. The latest Information shows the enemy demonstration on the eastern limits of the Champagne Is being held by the French army under the com? mand of one of the most brilliant of France's soldier* who mado his rep? utation in the colonies and the Dar? danelles On the north side of the River Marne In the woods and ravines the Oermans bad been enabled to concen? trate numbers of pontoons and lattice work bridges for a passage of the stream. When they approached, how? ever, they found that their temporary crossing places were being InAladed and their efforts "in." dave cost them the heaviest losses. How many German divisions wert thrown into the battle is not known yet, but It Is evident that their re? serves which had been training far be? hind tbs lines were brought forward In large bodies. The indications for the present are that the principal enemy effort la be? ing mads toward Chateau Thierry, but the development of the operation will, as usual, depend on the measure of suooess at any section of the line. The Oermans southwest of Jaul g?nne this morning crosaed the river with a rush and promptly started to flght their way to the south, having as their objective a point about nine miles distant. The Americans and French heM up this advance to such an extent that two hours after the time eet by the enemy for reaching his objective he was still far away from it While fighting In the open contin? ued heroically the American counter? attack was organised. Light artillery hurried Into position. It concentrated a heavy fire at short range when thin this fire had ceased the American in? fantry dashed from cover and met the oncoming Boches. Machine guns moved forward and lying on the ground poured a stream of bullets into the enemy. The fierce? ness of the (Ire brought the Oermans up short. They would not face the steel and hesitating at first, finally broke and fell bock. Within three hours the Americans had driven them two and a half miles to the Marne. The allied staffs are absolutely con? fident of their ability to bold their line, and. although tho Oermans may advance at somo points their prog? ress, it is declared, will be stayed Just as soon us their Intentions become clear. The Oerman footmen seemed shy about attacking In the vicinity of Khelms. They were strongly held hy the French troops along the Cham? pagne sone. perhaps because thej were merely making a big demonstra tlon Towards Chateuu-Thlcrry, betwoen that place and Dornums where a htrg? valley divides tho countryside, they made an Immense effort to croa? th? Marne In order to break through |lM allied defenses. Five Germun altpluaes. modelled after the machines the American avi? ators are using and carrying Ameri? can Insignia on the wings attacked ons of the American sausnge? south of Chateau-Thierry this evening and mnnsged to get mo close under th? disguise that they were ablo to fire Incendiary bullets into the balloon abtrh hurst into flamen. The occu? pants of the sausage, however, made their escape by means of parachute* Seventeen Arn? rlcm pu/sult planes Immediately left the ground and Sffeog last seen all wer. righting well In? side the enemy lines. Along the front as far as the eye can see the big gum were HI ill flashing and rOOHOi to r.iKh? and th?- battle gave no m<n of diminishing. American Otofi OfflusiJ nevertheless. Qgpsot that the OC LUon will he even more Improved bg morning. A corporal who participated In the fighting on the point when* the Her? mans crossed the Marne s.iid the en? emy established a box Imrrage at m d? night and kept it up until 7 o'cloi k In the morning. Tho Americans S/Sfft half a mil* from Mo- Marne and tin Hermans were on a hill on the other side. When the Hermann attempted to crosa the Marne th?. American* went through the barage shouting with enthusiasm and worked thotl way to the river front, where at loot reports the fiercest of fighting was CHECKED WITH LOSS. SECOND BATTLE OF MAHNE DIS ASTKOUS TO HUNS. Attacked With Of?I Force But Weir Met With Bloody Resistance?Drive Continued Today But m> Gains Made London, July 16.?American troops report that Fossoy and Crezancy, towns on the south bank of thei Marne were taken yesterday by the Germans when they crossed the riv I er. Tho Hermans attacked in consid? erable strength at these two places by way of the Marno railway and south of Dormans. In this neighbor? hood tt ey succeeded in throwing six bridges across the Marne between Reullly and Domans, but at no point on this twenty mile front has the ene? my penetrated more than four miles into th.j French positions. The ene? my continued the attack today but has made no gains at any point. Nearly everywhere the Germans have been held up with heavy losses. HOLDING AT RHEIMS. American Machine Guns Mowed Huns Down as They Advanced. With the American army on the Marne. Jub* 16.?Information this morning from east of Rheims shows that the allied defense is not only still holding but it appears that it has broken down the enemy attack. An American couner attack at one point east of Rheims drove the Germans out of a strong salient after hot fight? ing. The Americans allowed the Germans to come through their first position and as they came up a slight hill the machine gunners from excel? lent positions mowed down the ad? vancing ranks of Germans who broke and retreated at many places. ALLIES COUNTER-ATTACK. Second Phase of Battle of Marne Be? gan Today. Paris, July 16.?The battle con? tinues violently, especially south ol the Marno and near Chantillon. Ex? cept for one sector south of the Marne there is no change in the sit? uation. The Americans and French are counter attacking magnificently, it is officially announced. The French have taken a thousand prisoners in one section. With the American Force on th< Maro-, July 10 --Reports from one end of the battle line to the other say that except for a few minor local suc? cesses the great German offensive has been a complete failure so far. Additional Gorman prisoners taken to? day say \hirt. they are convinced that their commander is dead. AMERICAN GENERAL DECORAT? ED. (.ens Pcrshlng and Bliss Awarded Distinguished British Orders. London, July 17.?General Pcrsh? lng haa been awarded tho great order of the Bath, and General Bliss the grand order of St. Michael and St. George. progressing, but the Germans were slowly being driven back. For a time a small American unit was coinepletely cut off from the American artillery and apparently was surrounded by the Germans, but it continued fighting and blazed Its way out leaving many German dead or wounded on the field. The Germans apparently deliber? ately attempted to shell several o; the Aim man hospitals near the Marne front today. A number o.' shells fell intermittently a short dis? tances from them. They did no dam? age, beyond disturbing the patients, Along one extended sector of the Marne front the Americans were in the open ground, making use as bevt they might of whatever shelter offer? ed; the Germans were on hills on the opposite side of the river, showoring high explosives and gas shells upon thorn. Hut the boys from tho United States went forward nevertheless with gas masks adjusted and crawl? ing at times for considerable dis? tances on all fours. In this way they advanced bit by bit. and when they came close enough to come to grips with the Germans, they drove tho enemy back in quick order. In a measure they repeated today the heron (hails of those who de? ft nded the road to Paris in the SOC? Ond buttle of the Marne. The i or respondent talked with some American soldiers now In hos Pttal, who were in the thick of th ? lighting this morning. They were In complete agreement that the German .infantry was no match for the Amer leono, This Is evidenced bj the reports f'twn all the American hospitals, there being only a few . uses of I wounds hom rlfls ami machine gun! fire, while most or the men are suffer? ing from shrapnel wounds .r IhOOl cases arc SSHOtta, MEETING AT MANNING. MUST SPEECH OF ITINERARY MADE BY BLEASE. Claims to Be Loyal but Eleventh Hour Professions Do Not Meet With Approval of Dial and Rice, How? ever. Manning, July 15.?The senator!^ campaign partook of a more lively hue here today with Cole L. Bleasv catching step and marching in triph formation with the other two candi? dates. Anticipating any possible comment from his opponents as to his dilatory tactics in not entering the campaign until the 15th meeting and as if to neutralize any possible inference that he had not been driven to the ranks hy the Democratic executive commit? tee's threat to read him out of the party, Mr. Blease took occasion to em? phasize that tho primary rules did not compel the attendance of any candi? date upon the campaign meetings. The party only arranged the itin? erary and provided that candidates should "be invited" to address the voters, but had no authority as to compulsion to attend. Mr. Blease was the first speaker and dwelt lengthily on his attitude toward the war. The Question of loy? alty or disloyalty, ho said, should be determined by a man's attitude after the war and not that which obtained before war had been declared. Ac? cepting this as a challenge, both Mr. Dial and Mr. Rice pointed out to the audience that Mr. Blease had made his speeches which had brought him into ill repute four months or more after the United States had entered the struggle, which had a satisfying effect on the audience and was potem in silencing some noisy clamor in Mr Blease's favor. The ex-governor said when he Is elected senator he will go to President Wilson and say, "Here is an American senator and whatever is necessary t( win this war I am with you to th finish." He was also willing now to raise regiment of soldiers and lead them to France, provided they be allowed to select their own officers. Referring to the McLaurin expos relative to the alleged attempt to oei: out to the Republican party two year ago, Mr. Blease says he will withdraw from the senatorial race at once if one clean man can be produced who will make th?' Charge. The day of vindi? cation and abuse on campaigns is passed, he said, and he will not deal in personalities unless forced to do so. The voters were urged to watch the counting of the ballots this year as his opponents would steal the sen atorship "as they stole tho governor? ship two years ago." The conversion of Blease had come too late, Mr. Dial said, following the good doctrine of Methodist brethren. Mr. Blease must be kept on the anx? ious bench a little longer, reserved for another campaign. He might be more than 100 per cent American now and loving Woodrow Wilson above 10\ hut the times were too serious for a division in congress. Only a little band of wilful senators had voted against the declaration of war and It was necessary now while tho war was being prosecuted to maintain a solid front In Washington. Of course tho United States did not have to enter tho war, the Lauren.s county candidate pointed out, a man does not have to tight when anothct man spits in his face, slaps his wlfO and kicks his baby, hut "You are a yellow dog if you don't." Mr. Dial fed the ex-governor with his own words for a considerable pe? riod and at times to an intensely in? terested audience. Nobody blamed Mr. Bloaoe for what he said before the war, but the speeches in which he spoke of the president charged that the blood of every American boy would be on the president's hands ami said every congressman who voted for the war would go down in history as a ooward and should be defeated ware' made four months after the war had been deolarod. Further, only a few weeks ago 111 York, Blease had challenged the gov? ernment to "take the bridle off" for a full and free discussion of America's justification In entering the war. What would the boys in France think of South Carolina's loyalty, debating the righteousness of tho war. with them on the battlefronts and German guns trained on them? If Mr. Blease were such a great friend and admirer of Mr. Wilson, why had he in one of his after the war speeches emphasized that he was not afraid of Wilson, an? those who did not like it could lump; u? j I Bvery (rue American, after April 0,1 1!H7, the day America had entered the I war, had kept his mouth shut. Noth? ing would be more pleasing to tIn? derm:! n kaiser and his people than to hear that Iber?' was dissension in South Carolina or the United States on the war issue, and that a political lender s/a? attempting to array the people Bglnsl each other as to r SICK Of WAR. AUSTRIAN'S SAY IT IS SENSELESS AND PURPOSELESS BLOOD? SHED. People Who Attacked Serbia With Do liberate and Malicious Intent tv Murder a Small and Weak Nat lor Do Not Like Results When Brought Home to Them. Amsterdam, July 17.?The Austro Hungarian government now regard: the war as "senseless and purposeleei doodshed" and believes that it migh ?Od any moment if the allies agaii. manifest feelings of humanity, Aus ro-IIungarian Foreign Minister Bur >an declared in concluding his addros: to the Austrian and Hungarian pre enters, according to Vienna dispatch es. COTTON SEED PRICES. Food Administration Issues Ordci That Price Agroementi Raro Ex? pired. Columbia, July 10.?The cotton seed section of the food administra? tion has directed William Elliott, food adminisrator for South Carolina, to announce that all price agreements or other matters alTccting the price of the 1917-1918 crop will expire with the disposition of that crop or such part as an individual may still have in his possession, and that no agree? ment of this kind will extend to the next crop. New rules and re&ulations will he announced later to .apply to the 1918-1919 crop. All differentials and margins o? profit, zones and rules which have been established will remain in effect until they have been replaced by oth? er similar rulings. Dr. George H. Denny of the cotton seed section of the Cnited States food administration at Washington, will hold a meeting at the court house III Columbia, at noon, Tuesday, July 23 for the purpose of conferring with all persons interested in cotton seed mat? ters. Farmers as well as cotton sec: men and cotton seed oil men are in vited to attend this meeting. HUNS LOSE 100,000. Casualties To Date in Big Drire Es? timated to Be Great. London, July 17.?The casualties ol the Germans up to the present tinu In the offensive is estimated at om hundred thousand, according to new. I from the battle front. ? leged partiality in the draft lawf and the unrighteousness of the war. Mr. Rice challenged Blease to point OUt one line in history to ptove that Robert E. Lee and Wade Hampton 01 Fetigru or Stephens or others tc whom Blease referred as being op? posed to the War Between the State* had uttered one word .-..gainst the wai after war had been declared. Eacli ha done his duty as a patriot then and had not gone around on the stumr villifying the president, calling for a debate of the question 16 months af ter the heroes in gray were on the battle lines. Blease had cited all these as being opposed to t he War Between the St;.tos, but failed to make the dis? tinction dwelt upon at length by both of the opposing candidates. Mr, Blease read the following as his position on the war: "Whatever I may have aaid, or whatever I may have done, the people of South Carolina know that I have never made them a promise that I have not fulfilled. I have never said that I would do a thing that I did not do it. I have never said that I would not do a thing and then go and do it. That everybody knows. "And I want to say this: That when I am elected to the United States sen? ate I am going to President Wilson and tell him that here is an American senator, and whatever is necessary to win this war, I am with him to the finish. If it be necessary in order to win this war to break the precedent set by President Washington in refer? ence to a third term, I shall tell Pres? ident Wilson that I will support him for a third term and make speeches for him in any part of the American coidincut to which he may wish rne to go. "I go still further and will say to him, that if he deems it necessary, I Will raise a regiment of as true South Carolinians as ever went on a Held of battle and resign my seat in the senate and lead that regiment for the fight of the American people." About 400 rotors attended the n?e< t? ing today. Sentiment in Clarendon county is pretty evenly divide.1, ? sentiment at today's meeting is to be Accepted as a political chart in th present campaign. The county was carried by please by narrow margin of in? votes two years ago and i'V only 85 votes four years ago. Politi? cal observers say there has been < on Rlderable change of sentiment, but irhether enough to put the county In the anti-Weave column is a debatable luestlon, IKICHAR I>S UNDER 1?l i ESSL RE NAMES JUS OWNER. .iethca Corners Blouse Candidate and Asks If Libert}' Hill Man's Indorse* Favorite's War Utterances. Walhalla, July 1G.?John G. Rich irds of Liberty Hill, candidate foi governor, before an Oconee Count} lUdience of about 700 people here to lay In the auditorium of the Walhall;? graded school declared his preference for Cole L, Blease for the United States senate and stated that h< would vote for the former governor r. the August primary. The declaration of Mr. Richard* was the result of an exchange be tweeh him and Lieut. Gov. Andrew J. Bethea. another candidate for govern? or, who was attempting to get his op? ponents either to indorse or to repudi late the reputed utterances of BMMUM it Pomaria on July 27, 1917, In which, he former governor is quoted as say? ing that the blood of the American soldiers slain in France will be on' the head of President Wilson and the members of congress who voted foi the war, as an unwarranted sacrifice At the commencement of his speed the lieutenant governor requested Mr Richards to remain on the stand as In had some questions to ask him. Fol? lowing a few preliminary remarks hi read the excerpt in question and asx ed: "I ask Major Richards if he In? dorsee the sentiments of and tin words expressed by Cole L. Blease in his speech at Pomaria on July 2 7. 1917." The question of Mr. Bethea was pre faced on the assertion of Mr. Richard? Lhat the war is not an issue. Mr. Be thea said that he had not made th< Issue, but it had been raised by Cole 1 L. Blease and by him alone and it wa* ' an issue. 1 "Do you mean to charge either di ? rectly or inferentially," asked Rich I ards, "that I am disloyal to my coun ? try?" Mr. Bethea said that he mere ? ly asked the question to bring out th? ? Liberty Hill man's attitude on thf published utterances of Blease and certainly did not charge nor suggest anything against his loyalty. "I believe every man in South Car ? olina," said Richards, "is loyal to hi* country and J believe if necessary r every ono of them, including Mr ? Please, will hare his breast to the en ! smy. I do not believe there Is i ; traitor in South Carolina. If you want to bring up this kind of ques tion you should go to the right forum ?' the race for the United States senate I defy you to do it and you know yoi: - won't." With these words Richard* t took his seat. Repeating his former query, Be ? thea said that Richards had not an ? swered his question. Richards ther !- jumped to his feet pointed his finge? at the lieutenant governor and said 1 "I want to tell the lieutenant governor 1 that I have one son and three neph > ews in the service who have offere< their lives to their country. The lieu tenant governor is in the military age ' and I want to ask him why he has not donned the khaki." Stating that he would not stand f9> the insults and insolent questions o* tho lieutenant governor any longer Richards left tho stand and advanced down the side aisle. As the lieuten? ant governor turned again to th. audience and stated that Mr. Rich ards had not answered his question yet, IX. T. Jaynes, a Walhalla lawyei asked Mr. Bethea if any of the candi? dates for governor espoused the caus< of Cole L. Blease. The lieutenant governor said that he did not know, but read an account published in the Charleston American of last Saturday telling of the Blease meeting at Wag? oner last Friday in which Mr. Blea.se was quoted as \ indorsing the candi? dacy of Mr. Richards and which said there was tumultuous applause when Maj. Richards stated that the former governor would be elected to the United States senate. Mr. Bethea. stating that he took that as an indorse? ment of the candidacy of Cole L Blease by Major Richards, said, "How ever, there is Major Richards; let him answer your question." "What is want? ed of me now?" asked Richards as he came back on the stand. "Mr. Jaynes wants to know if you intend to vote for Cole L Blease for the United Slates senate/' replied the lieuten? ant governor. "i don't propose to let such a person as the lieutenant governor or any other man force mo to declare my? self, hut if the audience wants to know I shall toll them," said Rich? ards. There was several calls from the audience thai they wanted <o know how Major Richards stood When Chairman J, K. Hopkins pu the question s number of the audience Mtood and Major Richards told them he would declare himself. He pre? faced his statement by saying that Bethea was a defeated candidate for governor and he wanted to injure Richards and holster himself with SUCh tactics. Me slated that he had joined the ranks of the Reformers in ONE COMPLETE BRIO ADE STAU CAPTURED. BMoctftO Work of United States Sol? diers on Mame Upsets German Plans. With the American Army on the Marne, July 15.?The German prison? ers captured in the counterattack by the Americans at the bend of tho Marne number between 1,000 and 1, 'S00. They include a complete brigade staff. The fighting continues with fierce Intensity in this district while the bat? tle rages with equal ferocity on th< . ight, where the French are reporteo '.o have delivered a smashing blow I igainst the enemy. From this section if the battle front it appears that the j ierman offensive at least, for the time I being, has been badly shattered. The Americans now command the I river front at the bend. At the left I if the bend, the famous German I Tenth Division has made repeated at I tempt! all day to cross, but all as I aults have been smashed by splen I lidly directed fire of the American J runners and not a single German had I succeeded in getting over at this I joint up to 0 O'clock tonight. I A strong American counterattack I ?outh of the bend of the River Marne I ompletely upset the Germans who j broke in retreat. The American troops I trove the enemy hack all the way to I'he railway skirting the Marne in tho 1 ; egion southwest of Jaulgonne. This I position now is being held, j The French general commanding I the group of armies on this sector sent 1 % congratulatory message this after I noon to the American general com I manding the forces which beat back I the enemy. I The Vaux district is comparatively I calm now. On the American right J heavy fighting is In progress. Ameri I sau machine gunners along the river j assisted materially in breaking up the I early Boche plans, for they stuck to I their posts and poured deadly streams j of bullets into the enemy and only withdrew when their guns were so j hot they could not be fired. One I iroup of machine gunners happened j to he in a place where the Germans I were anxious to erect a bridge, but .heir efforts were futile. The Ameri I *an bullets piled up the German dead J on the opposite side of the river ev M*y time the enemy started to cross. South of Jaulgonne the enemy j ^rossed the Marne this morning on six j oontoon hridges hurriedly thrown j over the stream and masses of infan? try swarmed forward. The artillery I constantly had the bridges under the j heaviest fire and at least two direct hits were made, two of the bridges ^eing blown up. After sharp artillery I work German troops advanced be I hind the smoke of their artillery which I completely obscured them for a time J from view. The low visibility also tided the enemy in his operations. GERMAN AIRDROME BURNED. Revolutionaries at Work In Army. London, July 17.?The destruci'on ?y Mrs of the new German airdrome, .vith twenty-two airplanes near Br?s? sel Is. is attributed to revolutionists in the (ierman army, says an Ex ihange Telegraph Amsterdam dis? patch. Ten Belgian and two Ger? man non-commissioned officers have been arrested. FRENCH TRAITOR EXECUTED. German Tool in Paris Pays Penalty. Paris, July 17.?M. Duval, the di? rector of the (ierman hostile newspa? per, Bonnet Rouge, was executed to lay for treasonable actions. 1890 and had stood unswervingly by those principles ever since. He believ? ed that the government is drifting from the masses of the people where :t belongs and is becoming dominated by the classes. ' I believe Cole L. Blease is the friend and the hope of the poor man. of which 1 myself am one," he continued, "and between Mr. Blease. Mr. Dial and Mr. Rice in the race for the United States senate, if 3Od spares my life I intend to cast my ballot for Cole D. Blease on August 21." As he turned to leave the star . Mr. Bethes reminded Major Richards that his original quest,on had not been answered. "] don't propose to answer the insolent questions put by any such thing as vou, sir." thunder? ed Richards, as he shook his fist at Mr. Bethen, who tlushed up at the re? tort. Richards then left the stage. "1 don't blame Major Richards for not answering my question," Mr. BethOO told the audience as his oppo? nent left the building. A large majority of the audience did not appear to approve of the in? dorsement of Cole I,. Blease by Major Richards, and Mr. ltethea got a good deal of applause. The other candi? dates departed little from their sot speeches.