Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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STATE DEFENSE COUNCIL WAR ALLOWANCES TAKE WO MEN OUT OF FIELDS. Council of Defense Memorializes War Department?Recommends Forma tion Cotton Corporation^?Students Should Not Enlist?Sell No Fire works. Columbia, Aug. 2.?The adoption of four important resolution, the trans action of much business and the de livery of two important addresses, supplemented by intelligent comment and a general exchange of ideas, fea tured what is believed to be the most constructive bi-monthly meeting yet held by the State Council of Defense. D. R. Coker, chairman of the State council, presided at the business ses sion of the council, which convened at 10 o'clock in the library of the State House, and at the open meeting of the county chairmen which follow ed at. noon. Two of the resolutions were intro duced by Mr, Coker. The first re quests that competent authorities pre scribe a remedy to prevent the wives and other dependents of drafted men from forsaking regular occupations and subsisting on allowances remitted to them by the war department, there by aggravating the labor problem. Mr. Coker's second resolution directs the attention of the president and con gress to the needs and merits of the cotton situation and proposes the establishment of a government financ ed cotton corporation. The other,two resolutions, both of which were adopted during the second session, were introduced by William Banks, State explosives inspector, the first deprecating the sale and use of fireworks during (the period ' of the war and calling upon municipalities in the State to forbid either; the sec ond urging members of county de fense organizations to be on the alert for slackers, for those who abuse the system of paying allotments and for irregularities deserving of punish ment. Mr. Coker opened the business ses sion with a short and telling presenta tion of the needs of the State il literacy commission. The council, realizing the need of additional funds to organize and initiate the? work, ap propriated $1,000 to be placed at the disposal of the "commission, of which Dr. Patterson Wardlaw is chairman. The executive committee of the council has been enlarged by the ap pointment of three additional mem bers, this increase having been ne cessitated by the increased duties and responsibilities incident to wider ac tivities. Robert McDougal of Colum bia, W. A. Stuckey of Bishopville and Horace Ii. Tilghman are the new members of the committee. ? A decision was made to appoint a committee on reconstruction and read justment after the war. This com mittee, at the conclusion of the war, will occupy itself with problems re garding the financial, business and educational reconstruction. Similar organisations have been formed in other States and other countries and !9f?pHby:- the' 'exehange of ideas and plans between these several agencies it is thought the work will be expedited. . At the request of National Council of Defense officials, a committee will be appointed later whose function will be to cooperate with the existing State committee on vocational train ing. A booklet which fixes the financial obligations and the legal status of draftees, both from the State and na tional viewpoint, 'is being prepared under the direction of State council officials :?nd will son be available for distribution. In order to aid the recently reor ganised woman's division, the council has appropriated $350, which is to be used to secure the services of a wo man field organizer for three months. Mr. Coker's first resolution, which was introduced at this point and which will be sent to Washington, reads as follows: "Whereas the council of defense is informed that the labor shortage in the State is being rendered more acute by the leaving of their accus tomed vocations and the living in idle ness of the wives and other depend ents of drafted men who formerly were engaged in regular vocations but who also are now living upon the pay allowances regularly remitted to them by the war department, and 1 "Whereas, The crops have always been largely hoed and gathered by women and any considerable shrink age in this class of labor added to the already great shortage of labor would make it impossible to gather all the crops on time and in good con dition, and would thus affect the council of defense of South Carolina; that the attention of the governor, .war department and our senators and congressmen is called to this situa tion with the request that an appro priate remedy be applied." Following the adoption of the above declaration, Mr. Coker offered a sec ond resolution which, with the pre amble, reads as follows: "Whereas, The secretary of the treasury has announced that a fourth Liberty loan will be offered this fall, and "Whereas, The success of our mili tary operations depends upon the car rying out of the (financial program of the government, and "Whereas, The ability of the people; to subscribe to Liberty bonds depends; upon their receiving cost of production] plus a profit for their agricultural' products, and "Whereas, Cotton is one of the great money crops of the nation which the world requires, and "Whereas, The price of cotton until recently has averaged so low that the cotton labore- and the cotton planter have generally received such meager returns that the scale of living, the; financial program and the educational development of the .South have been kept below that of other sections of the country, and "Wheras. The 1917 cotton crop has turned out a fair profit which has enabled our people to advance in ev-j ery way and to fairly support the fi nancial program of the government.) and contribute their full proportion to PARIS DRIVE PLANNED. ALLIES FIND QUALITIES OF BRIDGING MATERIAL. Indications in London That Situation in Russia Has Changed in Recent Weeks. London, Aug. 1.?The booty cap tured by the French in following tip the German retreat from the Marne included a large amount of bridging material which the Germans had col lected just north of the Marne. It is pointed out that the intention of the Germans to effect the passage of the river in great strength and drive in the direction of Paris is th us I indicated. ! For the first time since the open j ing of this year's campaign, March j 21, the fresh reserves at the disposal of the allies considerably outnumber the fresh reserves at the disposal of the enemy, notwithstanding the fact that the enemy still holds a substan tial numerical superiority on the whole of the front, according to the view in military circles here. There are indications that the sit uation has changed in the last three weeks in northern Russia and that the Germans shortly will begin an offen sive against the southern end of the Murman Railway. The Finnish popu lation now is intensely hostile to the Germans. There is a great shortage of food and the people are entirely dependent on the entente for susten ance. Both the government and the Army, however, are completely under German control and there is every reason to suppose they will cooper ate with the Germans. The Germans have induced the Bol shevik government to agree to the cession of the whole of the Murman coast to Finland, notwithstanding the desire of the inhabitants to remain Russian. The Finnish army capable of undertaking an offensive probab ly does not exceed 30,000 men. In the Ukrainian the peasant rising has assumed large proportions 2nd apparently seriously menaces the German and Austrian communica tions. The peasants are destroying the railways and have blown up the bridge south of Kiev. The Austrian troops 5n the district have been un able to control them. In the Caucasus there is great fric tion between the Germans and Turks. The Germans are trying to prevent the Turks from occupying Baku, on which a Turkish attack appears to be imminent. Baku is lightly garrison ed by Armenians and Bolsheviki and probably will fall. There is evidence of growing discouragement in Bul garia which is said to be due chiefly to the exploitations of the Bulgarians by the Germans. beneficent war activities, and "Whereas. Owing to unusually fa vorable seasons, the shrinking con sumption due to war conditions and the lack of available ocean tonnage, the 1918 crop may be considerably more than the world consumption, and "Whereas, Should the 1918 crop sell below the cost of prodncfion the cotton States could not subscribe their quotas of the fourth and subse quent Liberty loans and might be forced to market government securi ties already owned and thus idd greatly to the burdens; of other sec tions of the nation and imperil the financial program of the government and the success of the var, an$-. *rWhereas, The control of essential war material by^ the United States government would be a tremendous factor in enforcing just terms of peace, "Therefore. The council of defense of South Carolina considers that the cotton situation presents national phases of probable danger and suffi cient to call for action by the na tional authorities; and, therefore, be it "Resolved, That the attention of the president of the United States an-l the congress be directed to these j phases, and that we direct their at tention especially, "First, to the importanceN of pro viding all the freight rooms, both for domestic and export shipment, which the exigencies of the war will permit to be assigned for the trans portation of cotton. "Second, to the desirability of pro viding ample storage room under government auspices to take care of the probable crop surplus. "Third, to the desirability of en larging the eaC?jties of the federal reserve bank for the handling of cot ton paper. "Further, that we suggest for con sideration the formation of a govern ment financial cotton corporation similar to the grain corporation, j which incorporation shall be instruct ! ed to buy the surplus or probable i carry over from the 1918 crop at a \ price equal to the average cost of production plus a profit sufficient to enable the cotton producting States to discharge their obligations to ward government financing. The op eration of such a plan would necessi tate the regulation of cotton produc tion during the period of the holding of stocks by the cotton corporation. A most; benefifificial collateral result would be a great increase of foods so necessary to the prosecution of the war." Student Enlistments. Dr. W. S. Currell, president of the University of South Carolina and re cently appointed State director for student enlistment in the United States army, explained the movement to the council and requested the co operation of that body. Dr. Currell's exposition of the new plan provoked much comment from the floor, all of which was favorable to the new movement. Young men with college qualifica tions can best serve their country by going to college and taking the train ing that will fit them for officers' po sitions. It was predicted that the war will likely last two years or per-, h?ps longer. It was the concensus of opinion that the plan as explained by I ?r. j Currell was a commendable one. and: a committee consisting of the State j director. President Itiggs of Clemson FORD'S EAGLE MS. REMARKABLE RECORD MADE IN BUILDING SUBMARINE DESTROYERS. Great Plant at Detroit Devoted to! j Turning Out New Type of Ships for j i United States. Detroit, July 31.?With the launch-1 ing of Eagle-I, the first of the fleet! of submarine destroyers being built by Henry Ford for the United States j Navy, detailed information concern I ing the construction, purposes and j j possibilities of this newest naval j j weapon became public for the first I time. The general belief that the boats were little more than exagger ated launches, equipped with light guns, was dispelled when the vessel, 204 feet long, larger than the old type of United States destroyers, was dropped into the waters of River Rouge by a great mechanism operated by hydraulic pressure. Tabulated by dates the story of the Eagle is this: December 22, 1917?Henry Ford offered to build boats for the navy. December 27?Discussed plans with Washington officials. January 15, 1918?Navy depart ment awarded Ford Company con tract for Eagles. January 18?Work .on design of Eagles completed. January 26?First piece for boat was completed. February 7?Keel for first Eagle was laid. February 20?Construction of the shipbuilding plant began. March 1?Hull of *ue first Eagle was completed. May 10?Work on the construc tion of Eagles was begun in ship building plant . June 15?Several boats were assem bled. July 11?First completed boat launched. The Eagles are within thirty feet of approximating the '.length of the standard 3,500 ton wooden shipst be ing built for the Emergency Fleet Corporation. Viewed from above deck, the Eagle is much more like a flounder than a mackerel. Its midship cross-section bears a strong likeness to the lines of a canal barge. Its stern is square and blunt. The remainder of the ship is built generally in straight lines and plane surfaces. The bow, however, tapers to a knife-like edge, seemingly sharp enough and strong enough literally to cut a submarine in two. Except for the high deck house and the bridge a little forward amidships, the deck of the Eagle is unbroken. Utility has been the ruling considera tion, with low cost production second in importance, and with beauty and comfort only incidentals. The Eagles are built to pass easily through the Welland Canal and the boats' draught and beam are also small enough to permit of the boats' passing through the New York State barge canal. The boats will have a draw of eight feet when^fully equip ped and ready for sea.r'^SL steam tur bine, geared to the propeller shaft on which is mounted a'single three blade screw of rather deep pitch, fur nishes the motive powers Crude oil will be used as fuel. The tank capac ity is easily sufficient for a steaming radius equal to the distance across the Atlantic. There is not a forging or rolled beam in the entire ship. Everything: is pressed from sheet metal, cold, by means of automatic machinery that cuts every piece to ah exact pattern, then punches the rivet holes and bends every part to its required shape. After the launching of the first Eagle Mr. Ford said: "I am, of course delighted at this initial suc cess, but I knew it would be all right. When you have a task like this, en 1 trusted to men who know their busi I ness, it can't go wrong. I left them j alone?but watched all of the time. "There's no use making unneces ; sary fuss over a little launching. I We've got a lot more back in the I shops nearly ready to follow Eagle 1." Mr. J. H. Scarborough, of An drews, S. C, spent Friday in town. College and S. H. Edmunds of Sumter was appointed to prepare and pub lish bulletins for general distribution. The disposition of this matter clos ed the business session of the State Council and the body, augmented by i the chairmen of the county Defense ! Councils, began the second session at j noon. i S. H. Edmunds of Sumter, State di I rector of the boys' working reserve, j who had been especially invited to j address the council, spoke of the in- j I terest being taken in the work of the! j reserve in other States and the sup j port which was being accorded the ! movement by various common ; wealths. Forty-two counties in this j State are now organized, the speaker j said. The reserve organiza .1 is ac ? tively at work in 32 counties in the I State. Lexington county with an en J rollment of 300 boys is the banner} j unit of South Carolina. Mr. Ed- j I munds said that there was some ! misapprehension on the part of pa- j re.'ts as to the object of the move ment. He emphasized the fact that! the reserve does not recruit potential! soldiers for the military establish- j ment. Arthur Macmahon. who if repre-J senting the State councils division of the National Council of Defense at the health institute, was next called j upon by Mr. Coker. .Mi*. Macmahon said that his mis-' sion is to obtain certain information and data during the healtn institute, which will, if found meritorious, bej recommended for employment in sim ilar movements in other States. He praised the accomplishments of the! bi-monthly meetings and commended the broad views of the men who di rect the work of the council in this State. The South Carolina council! ranks fifth among all the State coun cils and is a pioneer in many phases j of war activities. urn Building Material LIME, LATH, BRICK, CEMENT, SIDINS, CEILING, PLASTER, SHINGLES, FLOORING, MOULDINGS, FIRE CLAY, FIRE BRICK, ROUGH LUMBER, ROOFING PAPER, Booth 6 McLeoJ, Feed-Stuffs HAY, CORN, OATS, HULLS, TANKAGE, MIDDLINGS, RICE FLOUR, WHEAT BRAN, SUGAR FEED, MEAT SCRAP, CHICKEN FEED, OYSTER SHELL, SEED OATS AND RYE, COTTON SEED MEAL Inc., Sumter, S. C. HUNS CONTINUE RETREAT. BATTLE BECOMES RACE FOR BANKS OF AISNE. Allies Capture German Base at Fismes After Hard Fight?Cross Vesle Riv er and Drive the Enemy North ward. The German retreat continues una bated with the allies everywhere in I hot pursuit. Apparently situation now has re solved itself into a race for the north ern bank of the Aisne River by the German armies which have been evicted from strategic positions along the Vesle River, in the center of the line and directly east of Rheims which seemingly t renders necessary that they put the Aisne between themselves and their pursuers as j quickly as possible in order to escape J further large losses of men made J prisoners. Just how large this bag j of captives is at present can not be I reckoned, but unofficial advices from ! Paris assert that when the figures are made public they will thrill the allied world. General Pershing in his com munication says the Americans -alone have taken 8,400 prisoners and in ad dition 133 guns. After hard fighting the Americans and French have succeeded in taking from the Germans the important town of Fismes, once Germany's great ammunition and supply depot, mid way on the railway between Soissons and Rheims, while to the east at a number of places along the Vesle River, the French have crossed the stream, driving the enemy northward. East of Soissons allied troops have ne j gotiated the passage of the Aisne to j the northern bank of thaf stream j where they are in a position to press j the enemy as he endeavors to straighten out his line in conformity with that running northwestward. So fast has been the retreat of the Germans in the center that already some elements of their forces have succeeded in reaching the northern bank of the Aisne and getting num bers of their big guns across with them. All through the salient towns are still ablaze behind the retreating Germans and even cornfields have j been set afire in order to prevent the j allied troops from garnering the rip ened crop. The fighting along the Vesle River was of a sanguinary character as long as it lasted. With the river at freshet and the German unable to ford it, they stood with their backs to it and gave battle for their lives. A major ity of them were killed and the re mainder were made prisoners. One of the most important maneuvers north of the Vesle was the penetra tion by the French to the village of La Neuville, which releases the Ger man hold on the northern edge of Rheims and seemingly delivers the cathedral city from the German men ace. With the Germans now thoroughly vanquished thus far on the Soissons Rheims salient, eyes now are being turned to the region in the northwest on both sides of Amiens. Here the I French and British are keeping up (their hard pressure against the armies j of Crown Prince Rupprecht of Ba varia and have forced them on two highly important sectors to retreat. Southeast of Amiens on the old Montdidier sector the Germans have fallen back across the Avre River over a wide front, while northeast of Amiens, in the region of Albert, a similar retrograde movement has been made across the Ancre. The German official communication in admitting the withdrawal near Albert declares the maneuver was carried out with out interference by the British. Just what bearing these new offen sives will have on the fighting front to which the Germans ultimately re treat for a stand in the Aisne region can not yet be forecast, but should the allied troops be able to press back the line for any material gains eastward it is not improbable that it would dislocate the entire German! line in the south. I There again has been considerable1 activity on the Italian mountain front' whe-e at several points the Italians have attacked and defeated the Aus-j trians. j First Lady of Land Bids Soldiers1 Adieu. ,: G. Wilbur Taylor of the Y. \f. C. .A Camp Wadsworth introduced Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, wife of the presi dent, to soldiers when a troop traini upon which he was assigned stopped, at a canteen outside of Washington. AID TO RUSSIA. AMERICA AND JAPAN FORMALLY TELL PLANS FOR JOINT ACTION, Common Force Will be Established in Vladivostok to Occupy and Safe guard City and Protect Rear of Czecho-SIovak Army as it Moves Westward. ' Washington, Aug. 3.?The Ameri can and Japanese governments for mally announced here tonight that the plans for extending military aid tc Russia and Siberia would be under taken by the United States and Ja pan alone, with the other allied co belligerents assenting in principle. The United States and Japan will each send a "few thousand men" tc Vladivostok to act as a common force in occupying and safeguarding the city and protecting the rear of the westward moving Czecho-SIovak army. The numbers of the Americar troops, from where they will go anc when, may not be discussed. While the United States and Japan are extending aid to the Czecho-SIo vak army in Siberia the United States will continue to cooperate with i the allies operating from Murmansk and Archangel. To what extent anc in what nature is not announced. The only present objects of the Japanese-American force will be tc !' give such aid and protection as is pos jsible to the Czecho-SIovak forces J against the armed body of German ; j and Austrian prisoners of war and tc j steady any efforts at self government J and self defense in which the Rus j sians themselves may be willing tc I accept assistance. i i Later the United States will send a J commission of merchants, agricultur al experts,- labor advisers, Red Cross representatives and agents of the ! Young Men's Christian Association, j to organize in some way to meet the J economic necessities of the stricken I Russian people. I Both the United States and Japan, i in the official announcements, make ! the most specific pledges of the ac Ition agreed upon being wholly with ! out thought of interference with the i sovereignty of Russia or any inter | ference whatever in her internal af : fairs. ! The Japanese government at the same time pledges itself that When the objects of the mission are accom plished it will withdraw every Japa nese and leave sovereignty of Rus I sia unimpaired in all its phases. ! This agreement, to which all the al i lies as ;ent, is largely the result of tho I personal efforts of President Wilson, j who has been at work almost unceas fingly for weeks to bring the nations J together in the most effective plan i which at the same time will convince ?the Russian people that the aims will ! be purely to help them preserve and develop their new found democracy. ! The text of the Japanese statement ! as given out here corrsponds to the ' decision published in the Official Ga zette ac Tokyo Friday, and cabled to : this country via London. i COTTON CONSUMPTION LESS. ? Secretary Hester Reports Consider j able Decrease in Demands of Mills i of World. i _ t - i j New Orleans, Aug. 2.?Mills of the i world took an unusually small quan ! tity of American cotton during the j year ending with July. H. G. Hester, j secretary of the New Orleans cotton ; exchange, in a statement made today : placed total takings at 11,844,000 bales j against 13.Gl 1,000 during the year be I fore and 14,171,000 two years ago. The I carrying on of the world war was re j sponsible for the shortage. Because of I the small out of sight movement of I the staple, the supply at the end of 1 the season, both visible and invinsible, ? was large. The visible supply was counted at 1.9'J2.009 bales against 1,504,000 a year ago and 2.129,099 two ! years ago. The visible and invisible supply together was placed at 11, 844.00 Obales against 13.611.U00 and 1 4,171,000. DBA FT REGISTRATION SOON. Gen. Crowder Suggests September ."> as Date for Registration Under New Age Limit. Washington. Aug. 5.?(Jen. Crowd er. in a statement submitted to the senate by Senator Chamberlain, sug gests September ."th as the date for national registration with the propos ed new age limits. CANDIDATES IT ?HBgj FIFTEEN HUNDRED PRESENT AT CAMPAIGN MEETING. Candidates Discuss War and Taxation, Bringing Out No New Issues Campaign. . Bishop ville, Aug. 3.?The 31st meet ing of the State campaign, held here today was attended by one of .tjhe largest audiences of the itinerary. There were fully 1,500 Lee County' voters present. They were thought ful and considerate and fairly liberal, with their applause. The campaign seems to be wearing on the candi dates, for few of them showed much spirit in their speeches, which deviat ed little from the ordinary. Robert A. Cooper was the first gubernatorial speaker. He reiterated his assertion that the war will be-^the over-shadowing, overpowering issue until victory is wrested from the I Huns. He denied the implication be J ing circulated that he is in favor of j higher taxes; he advocates the low J est taxes consistent with good and i efficient government. But candor and truth, he stated, compelled him'to say that he did not see how the revenue1 bill was to be decreased for the next few years. He reasserted his advo cacy of a broader educational system and defended his loan plan for State colleges. ; ' a John Madison DesChamps, the seer ond speaker, twitted his opponjents_on. their taxation positions, and promise ed, if elected?which he claimed he would be?to see that the taxes are materially increased. John T. Duncan, who followed/ again lambasted the "system," Cole L. Blease.. Manning, Christie Benet and bis opponents in the governor's race. He stated that there was a great "graft" game being worked at Camp Jacksbn and that millions of dollars can be saved to the govern ment if the people of the State wilt assist him in breaking up the maraud ing there. John G. Richards, the fourth can didate for governor to speak, was indignant that any candidate could, say that the war is an issue when 100 per cent of the people of South Caro-. lfna are loyal. He denied any such assertion. He made his usual re marks on his ability to reduce the taxes, and said that the State Board of Charities and Correction is a use less "fifth wheel of government" and promised to kick out of office the State tax commission, if elected. He thought that the $50.000 law enforce ment fund was a direct slap at the sheriffs and other statutory and con stitutional officers of the State, and should - he be the next govern?k of South Carolina he will veto it hvthe> General Assembly dares to appro priate it. He stated that he was too well known in the State for the peo ple to take notice of dirty insinua tions being made against his loyalty. Lieut. Gov. Andrew J. Bet.hea, the concluding speaker, gave^ a. shbrtjhis tory of his political life and 'stated that he is an absolutely un trammeled and independent candidate for gov ernor. He criticised the Bleam speeches at Pomaria and Filbert a told how he attempted to get Mi Richards to either endorse or repudi ate them at Walhalla and at Green ville. The "reform" candidate for governor, he said, had side-stepped, evaded and had not answered yet. Mr. Bethea considered his question a legi timate one. stating that it was a part of the record and he had nothing personal against Richards. "I have an announcement to make, the speaker concluded. "As I left Dar lington yesterday a gentleman gave me a circular signed by 'The Demo crats of Darlington County 'advertis ing a meeting to be held at Oats, Darlington county, on Tuesday. Aug ust 6, which is to be addressed by Cole L. Blease. This gentleman told me that the other Democrats of Dar lington county are trying to get Bill Pollock to speak at that meeting also. These Democrats invite the loyal and unterritied Democracy of Lee county to attend the Oats meeting and hear Pollock skin Blease." The next meeting of the State party will be held at Sumter, Tuesday, August 6. CHEAP FAIR RATES. Washington. Aug. 3.?The director general of railroads today advised Senator 1). U. Fletcher of Florida that a rate of fare and a half, retura ticket, had been agreed upon for those attending State fairs this fall. This action will doubtless do muclj to speed up plans for the eyants^jt