Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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*118 FIT. : ALLIES MOVS AT DAWN INSIDE ENEMY LINES. Prussians and Bavarians Flee Before Advancing British and Frencti, Leaving Many Guns Behind Them ?Tanks Again Cover Themselves With Glory?Attack Proves Sur prise. . Win British Army in France, Aug. 8 (By Associated Press)?4.30 p. m.? .. .Fighting their way through the Ger ; mans at dawn on a front of over 15 .. miles astride the River Somme, Brit ish and French troops this evening had reached points from five to six miles inside lines which this morning r belonged to. the enemy. The Prussians and Bavarians fled before the advancing infantry and f tanks leaving many of their guns be hind them. . . Large numbers of prisoners have been taken both by the British and French and heavy casualties undoubt edly have been inflicted on the enemy. Thus far everything has been ac complished with excessively small . losses to the Allies. Of one entire British corps, for in stance, two hours after the attack be gan, only two officers and 15 men ot : the ranks were reported as casualties. ? The artillery has followed up the storm troops closely and now is hurl ing shells down upon the enemy, which taken by surprise and fiercely .- attacked, must be in a more or less ' crippled condition. It is, believed re .inforcements are on the way to help them. ? :What tomorrow holds for the enemy -.can not be forecast, but the outlook it* not a promising one ubder presenl j condition. Moreuil and the front adjoining Vil lers-Aux-Erables have been taken by the French, while the British have captured the Dodo and Samel woods and Marcel cave after hard fighting and pushed a, considerable distance .beyond. Especially hard fighting was expe rienced, and still is in progress on the left nank of the fighting front neai Morlancourt. The weather helped ir the advance. : North of the atacked zone the bar rage began at 4 o'clock this morning and lasted 40 minutes, tanks ther * rolled forward and with them the in fantry swarmed towards the enemy lines. These lines were reached and passed as a mist started to roll in. All along the line, except possibly northward on the left flank, very lit tle enemy shelling was experienced after the attack got well under way Nearly all the country alrtadj fought over and that in front of the Allied forces is low and rolling, and especially adapted to open warfare. ? One new division which had jus1 arrived in the line before the attach was launched, was told to expect local attacks. Prisoners taken from this division said they had heard nothing of a general attack being contem plated. WTiere the tanks and the armored car-batteries^jwessed^forward- tfcei* was much agitation among the ene my.- A report came back that a Brit ish tank, probably one of the fas1 little Whippets, had been seen chas ing'a frightened German general up the road. But the enemy general was not alone in the. direction in which he .was going. ..Observers reported con siderable columns of the enemy transport going eastward in a hurry , dunng the middle of the day. ? Farther south the tanks likewise did excellent work. They also have been taken across the river Luce under the cover of night and they did valuable work in assisting at the cap ture of Dodo wood and Kamel wood and the nearby high ground. Slightly north of here the British batteries moved so rapidly that the} were up and firing in their new po sitions 30 minutes after midnight. At 6 o'clock the weather was sc thick that objects two yards away hardly were visible, and the British were not slow to take the opportunity to plunge .through under its protec tion. About 6.45 the :lrst prisoners began coming back. They were un wonnded and looked clean, as if they had just come off parade, showing how complete had been the surprise. The British pounced on them before they had the slightest chance to give battle. The prisoners that arrived later were not so clean and they came rear ward carrying wounded on stretchers The British army, whidh had start ed off with a thunderous roar, by 1 o'clock had quieted down to a virtual silence. This was because the artil lery bad ceased firing while it was be ing advanced to keep up with the in fantry and the tanks. It was the tanks which by 7 o'clock had rolled into Cerisy, driving out the enemy, and a few hours later ,in a difficult maneuver, took the woods opposite. The tanks crossed the Avre and did excellent work here, too, with the infantry. On the peninsula between the Ancre and the Somme, the British captured many guns. Reports from the south say that things are going in splendid fashion there and that the French have been as successful as the British. Hastily organized counteratacks have devel oped here and there along the line especially north of the Somme, but so far all are reported to have broken down under the fire of the Allies. It may be' taken for granted that further enemy counter attacks will develop, either organized from the forces now in front of the Allied troops or from fresh forces which Crown Prince Rupprecht undoubted ly will try to hurry up from other sectors. Additional reports of heavy fighting, may, therefore, be expected. Red Cross Notesr-Standing of Aux , ilarics. According to the number of gar ments returned during July, the aux iliaries stand in the following order: Datzell and Rembert (tie); Mayes ville, Privateer, Hagood and Colored 'tie); Black River, Concord. Wedge field and Stateburg (tie); Brogdon. Beth es da. The work of these aux iliaries is fine, and is a great help, naturally, to the local chapter. ALLIES BOING STRONG. HAVE ADVANCED ELEVEN MILES ON SOMME FRONT. Battle Was Resumed Early This Morn- j ing and Attack is Developing Vic tory on Great Scale ? Fourteen, Thousand Prisoners Captured and; Guns Too Numerous to Count. London, Aug. 9.?From the Battle Front?The Franco-British advance on the front south of the Somme has reached a maximum depth of eleven j miles, according to news received! shortly after noon today. Tanks, ar- j mored cars and cavalry have gone| ahead of the line running from j Framerville to Lihons. The total I number of prisoners reported is ten | thousand. From Lihons the line runs south ward to Meharicourt and southeatscto ward to Meharicourt and southeast to Rosieres. This represents a total maximum advance of eleven miles. It is believed to be impossible for the Germans to holds their Montdidier positions. Also that the advance on the Picardy front makes Amiens se cure against enemy attack and has re moved the threat against Paris. British have captured Morlancourt, on the northern end of the battle front. The line now runs from that point southward to a point southeast of Moreuil. Along the whole front the average advance of the infantry has been five to six miles. SEVENTEEN THOUSAND PRISON ERS. Up to Noon Today Allies Had Taken Great Booty. London, Aug. 9.?More than sev teen thousand prisoners, two hundred guns have been captured by the Allies in the Somme drive up to noon tod~y, according to advices received this afternoon. TANKS CHASE HUNS. Mobile Forces Pursue Enemy Relent lessly. Paris, Aug. 9.?From the Battle Front?The battle south of the Somme was resumed early this morning and the Allies made favorable progress from the start, reaching the selected objectives. Powerful cavalry forces are in action. Reports received up to 11.30 a. m. show that the attack is developing a victory on a great scale. AIRMEN IN FIGHT.v Blow up Bridges Over Somme and Cnt Off Fleeing Germans. With the British Army in France, Aug. 9.?Allied airmen have blown up many bridges over the S?mme and the enemy's retreat has been sriously em barrassed. Immense quantities of stores and ammunition have been abandoned by the Germans in their hasty retreat. CANADIANS IN BATTLE. Troopers Cut Off Retreating Germans. London, Via Montreal, Aug. 9.? Canadian troopers, cooperating with the French cavalry cut off a large force of the enemy in today's oper ations. GERMANS : DESTROY AMMUNI TION. Renters Correspondent at Hie Front Says Huns are Preparing to Re treat. With British Army in France, Aug. 9.?Reuter's1 correspondent states that the Germans are blowing up: their am munition dumps in the battle area. This is considered an indication that they are preparing to retreat. AMERICAN CASUALTY LIST. Ninety Killed in Action and Three Hundred Missing. Washington, Aug. 9.?Army casual ties were issued in 5 lists today, to taling 468. Killed in action, 90; died of wounds, 9; died of accident, 1; wounded severely, 20; wounded slight ly, 2; wounded, degre undetermined, 41; missing in action 303. Killed in action Privates Caradine E. Brasswell of Loyd, Fla., Joseph C. Pinckney, Yemassee, S. C, Peter Washington, Charleston, S. C. Died of woundds, Marshal King,' Iva, S. C. Wounded se verely, Private John O. Delaney, Mi ami, Fla., wounded, degree undeter mined, Private Edgar T. Myers, Del ray, Fla. Mising in action, Sergeant James Rogers, Greenville, S. C. Marine Casualties Heavy. Washington, Aug. 9.?Marine cas ualties 52. Killed in action, 4; died of wounds, 5; wounded severely, 13; wounded, degree undetermined, 30. BIG CROPS PREDICTED. Department of Agriculture Makes Forecast. Washington, Aug. 8?Bumper crops of almost every foodstuff grown on the farm were indicated again today in the department of agriculture's monthly crop report despite a falling off in the prespective production in practically all crops during July dne to conditions, principally hot and dry weather. In round figures the loss to farmers of this prospective production is roughly estimated at almost three quarters of a billion dollars?more than $450,000,000 in principal grain land food crops and $250,000,000 In cotton. QIET AT MARION. Small Audience Hears Candidates for Governor. Marion, Aug. 9.?The State cam paign meeting held in the court house grove here today was featureless and listless. The audience, one of the! smallest of the itinerary, was undem onstrative and the speeches of the of fice seekers did not depart materially from their set form. The crowd num- j bered between 150 and 200 voters. BETBEAT IM FLANDERS. GERMANS EVACUATING POSI TIONS ON LYS RIVER. Drive on Somme Having Effect in Another Sector?Allied Victory Dis locates Plans of German High Com mand. London, Aug. 9.?The Germans are! evacuating their positions in the Lysj valley, on the Flanders front. On the; Lys front the British now hold Locon,' Lecornet, Malo, Quentin, Le Petit,; Pacaut and Lesart. 1 The Germans put up a vigorous re-; sistarice north of the Somme, the j i statement shows. There was heavy j j fighting between Chippilly and-Mor-. I lancourt. lenine declares avar. Bolshevik! Leader Says He is at War With Entente Powers. Washington, Aug. 9.?American Consul Poole at Moscow has reported that Bolsheviki premier Lenine re cently declared before a gathering of Soviets in Moscow that a state of; war existed between the Russian govern ment and the entente Allies. Florence man killed. Coroner's Jury Adjourns Hearing in Case of L. J. Watford, Awaiting More Evidence. Florence, Aug. 8.? L. J. Watford a white farmer, 24 years old and mar ried, was found dead beside the .At lantic Coast Line Railroad tracks south of Florence at a late hour last night, his skull having been crushed in and his arm broken, it is supposed by a passing train. At the inquest to day the coroner's jury was not .satis fied with the evidence and postponed rendering a verdict until Monday, when additional evidence will be pre sented. The only train which could have killed the man, was said at the inquest to have been the fast north bound passenger train No. 80, but Engineer Jaeger declared positively that he saw no one either on or. be side the track at the point where the dead body was found. The testimony together with the strange actions of Watford as reported by other wit nesses who saw him in Florence an hour before the accident, gave rise to doubt in the jury's mind as to the cause of death. Watford had sold $70 worth of tobacco but only a small amount was fotuid on his person with no trace of the rest of the money. -:- V wait for legislation. No Volunteers Accepted for Army and Navy. Washington, Aug. 8.?Voluntary en listment, in the army and navy were completely suspended today to pre vent disruption of industry pending disposition of the bill proposing tjex tend draft ages to include ati me^ibe-: tween 18 and 45 years. ?rdersyyiere issued by Secretaries Daniels and .?& ker\ directing that no voluntary en listments be accepted after today un til further orders. The orders also exclude civilians from appointment to officers' training camps until further notice. The orders were issued after a con ference between Secretary Baker and Secretary Daniels and were made pub lic after President Wilson had visited the offices of both secretaries late in the day. It is not known whether his visit had to do with the enlistment situation, but just before he conferred with the cabinet officers there was no ! indication that a step of such drastic ! nature was anticipated. CONGRESSMEN SUBJECT TO DRAFT. Only Two of South Carolina Delega tion Out of the New Age Limit. In Washington much interest is taken in the question of the liability of members of congress to the mili tary draft in. event, which now seems certain, of the passage of the propos ed act making the ages of service 18 to 45. According to the New Yor* World thirteen senators and 110 rep resentatives would be liable to draft, or about twenty per cent of the entire membership. The question is raised whether congress is to be considered an "essential industry," employment on which would give ground for I exemption, that is to say deferred classification. A leading constitu tional lawyer in the senate is quoted as holding that congressmen are not exempt from the draft. Those mem bers who fall within the age of 'ser vice must, in any event, register and fill out questionnaires, and, it is point ed out, to get the benefit of exemption or deferred classification it is neces sary i.o make claim for it, as there is no such thing as automatic exemp tion. The congresmen who vote for the measure and are liable to the draft, therefore, will be confronted with the issue of claiming exemption under a law of compulsory service j which they have helped to enact, .anil it is said many of them are rather puzzled as to what they should do in the circumstances. An extraordinarily large proportion of the South Carolina delegation in! congress will be liable to draft, only! two of the nine being beyond the age j of forty-five, the maximum year of I service in the proposed bill. Senator 1 Smith and Representative Stevenson j are the only South Carolina members) out of the age. Those falling within! the <lr:ift and who must either "work! or fight." unless they claim exemption! by reason of their essential service in ! the halls of legislation, are Senator; Henet and Representatives WhaleV, Ragsdaie, Byrnes, Nlcholls, Dominiekj and Lever. SPAIN WRITES NOTE. Last Big Neutral in Europe Growing) Weary of Hun Outrages. Madrid. Thursday. Aug. 8.?Spain has addressed a note to Germany concerning the torpedoing of Spanish ships. Foreign Minister Dato announc ed today after the cabinet held an ex traordinary session. 1 uilding Material LIME, LATH, BRICK, CEMENT, SIDING, CEILING. PLASTER, SHINGLES, FLOORING, MOULDINGS, FIRE CLAY, FIRE BRICK, ROUGH LUMBER ROOFING PAPER, Booth & McLeod, 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 [LAURENS GREETS DIAL. RECEIVES WARM WELCOME TS HOME COUNTY. Benet and Pollock Make Good Ad dresses for Senate Seat?Rice Run ning as '?Bobtail.' Laurens, Aug. 7.?The senatorial campaign meeting here today was tame in comparison with that held in Newberry yesterday. The meeting here was attended by betwen 600 and '700 voters, who seemed to be unani mous in their support of the pro-ad ministration candidates. No semblance of Bleaseism was evident, if the ex | governor had any followers in the (audience they remained quiet and in different Laurens is the home of N. B. Dial and the voters gave him a hearty wel come. He utilized only about 10 min utes of his apportioned time. The people were urged to register that they might be prepared for any event uality. Blease and the Charleston American were contending that Blease was the natural successor of the late Senator Tillman. During the cam paign prior to his death, Mr. Tillman each day had sent a letter to the county chairman in which he said it would be a disgrace to send such a man as Blease to the United States ( senate after the Pomaria and Filbert I speeches. Mark Twain had remarked when he first saw the ocean, "Well, it's a suc cess." Mr. Dial was pleased to report that his campaign -was a success wherever he had been and he greatly appreciated the commendable letters the people of Laurens county had been sending throughout the State in behalf of his candidacy. Whether elected or not, he would always be grateful for this. James Francis Rice contended that the fact that he was a bachelor should not debar him from the Unitr ed States senate. He promised, though, if elected, to get married. "I will cross the Rubicon and take unto myself a bride," he said. Some of the boys in Anderson had regarded his candidacy as a joke, but he was as "sure to win as Bobtail," the race horse, the worthy example of which he says he's emu lating. "In this race I am Bobtail," Mr. Rice concludes his speech each day. Senator Benet made another good address today and was generously ap plauded by his audience. Tom Peep!es had jumped out of the governor's race into the short term race and had stayed just 30 minutes after "Poi lock and I put him on the rack." Senator Benet said. Peeples was like the man who had climbed up into a tree and caught a coon and was now shouting "for God's sake come here and help me to turn it loose." Mr. Benet explained in detail the govern ment cotton holding corporation to lix a price below which cotton shall not be allowed to drop and also to pur chase all distress cotton that will have to be sold. He was not wedded to this. It was the best plan so far sug gested. If a better suggestion could I be offered, he was prepared to sup port that. Mr. Benet told the voters that the ! Charleston American could not be i trusted. Each member of its editorial j staff had been involved one way or .another with questions of disloyalty or issues pertaining to the fealty of the party, he said. Blease had made his ''own medi cine." which was now so nauseating to him. The use of the word Amer Cia in connection with the Charleston j American was a disgrace and was be ing used as mere camoullage. W. P. Pollock also had many friend-; in Laurens. Mr. Benet, he said, had practiced law in a skyscraper and had neve; walked down a cotton row. The Cheraw candidate was a plain, practi cal farmer and he thought in fixing| the minimum price for cotton this should be reckoned on "cost plus rea sonable profit" basis. To be sending abroad the message thai an over crop of cotton would be produced this j year would be playing into the game of the bears in depressing the mar ket. The eyes of South Carolina were on! Laurens county today just as the i eyes of the nation were on South Car-; olina and the eyes of the world on the) United States. Laurens had two cit-j izens aspiring to the highest oifice^ in the gift of the people. Both Dial and Cooper had been received with enthusiasm throughout the Sate and the people knew if the two were elected, the State would bo well rep resented. Further disc ussing the cot ton question. Mr. Pollock said he went to Washington four years ago on a' RUNS UNDER FIRE. VANQUISHES BLEASE AT CON WAY MEETING. State Senator Buck Has Tilt With Former Governor, Using Word "Coward." - Conway, Aug 8.?Cole L. Biease, candidate for the United States senate, was completely vanquished and lower ed his colors here today before H. L. ! Buck, State senator from Horry Coun [ ty. El ease's Sedan was at the con | elusion of a private meeting held in I the court house this afternoon when j the senatorial candidate had finished I his discourse. ! Senator Buck announced to the au [ dience that he had a few words in I reply to Biease, who immediately j started pushing his way through tlu j audience out of the building. "Don't ! go, governor, take a seat," requested ' Senator Buck. ! "I haven't the time," replied Biease. "Oh don't be afraid; this is not a ;? Pollock and Jennings," retorted the Horry senator. "I'll attend to you, sir, on August J 27," replied Biease as he neared the ' door, followed by John G. Richards, I "reform" candidate for governor, i "Of course, you will run, for you are a coward." shot back Senator Buck, who had mounted the table. The ex-goverrtor and his escort passed out of the building, followed by many of their supporters. I Senator Buck, amid cheers, charged Biease with being disloyal, "a traitor and a coward." "He talks about leading a regiment against the Ger mans," said the speaker. "He could j not lead anything but a retreat." "What kind of a soldier would he j be when he lets a small man like me ! run him? He's featherlegged." Sena j tor Buck took up Blease's Poniaria j speech and scored the utterances j quoted therin. He challenged Biease j to make the same speech now when the espionage act is in force. He said ! that when Biease made his disloyal speeches he knew, being a lawyer, i that he could start treason. He car ! ed only for the law and not his coun , try, said the speaker. ! Senator Buck's utterances were i greeted by ringing cheers from his ! several hundred auditors. I The crowd which heard Biease j numbered about 400 persons and was j about equally divided in political sen timent. The ex-governor made a calm speech discussing what he termed the issues of the campaign. He j told of his various purchases of Lib j erty bonds, war savings stamps and I the giving of a plot of land and a j house at Camp Jackson to prove his I loyalty. ALL TAXES INCREASED. Committee Plans to "Catch Every body." Washington, Aug. S.?Tajces of 10 per cent, on amounts paid for leased j telephone and .telegraph lines, includ j ing press associations and brokerage circuits, a horse power tax on auto mobile owners and a doubling of the tobacco taxes of the present law. in stead of a higher range rate previous ! Iy agreed upon, were written into the j $8,000.000,000 revenue bill today by j the house ways and means commit tee. Chairman Kit chin in a state j ment tonight replied to the telegram I of Secrtary McAdoo favoring reten tion of the present excess profits law. . and a flat 30 per cent, war profits tax as an alternative, according to the igreater revenue likely to be raised inj each corporation's case. JA P COMMANDER NAMED. Gen. Kiku/o Otnni Will Command in I Siberia. Washington. Aug. f?.?General Ki kii7.o Otani. one of Japan's most dis tinguished soldiers h is been chosen toj command the Japanese section and' will be the ranking o?icer of the! American and Allied expedition to Si-1 beria. Every intelligent and loyal farmer; in Sumter county should attend the: mass meeting to be held in this city on Tuesday. August 20th for the pur pose of disenssing the cotton acreage in 101!? and to agree on a plan toj br>ng about a greater increase in the production of food crops in the South. An increase in food crop acreage, a decrease in cotton acreage and a stable J price for cotton are the objects sought.! similar plan, but did not make much; headway. Rut he was four years ahead ol* Air. Bellet. j I MiSiS SIiH GROUND. I ONE HUNDRED PRISONERS MADE IN MOVE. i Three Vicious But Ineffectual Thrusts j Made by Germans on Vesle Front. With the American Army on the j Vosle, Aug 9 (By the Associated Press) ?Three vicious but ineffectual thrusts were made last night and today by the Germans against the line west of Rheims. The net result was a smart repulse by the French against whom J the most determined attack was made,/ and the inclusion of the northern sub urb of Fismes ih the American line, in addition to about 100 prisoners. Throughout the night and day th? operations in the Soissons-Rheims sector were characterized by artillery : fire in which they shifted their long range guns from time to time to reach villages and roads which they them selves traversed a week ago. Cloudiness continued tq interfere with aerial operations although both ? sides were busier than during the past few days. Two German planes were brought down by the Americans. The occupation of the north suburb, separated from Fismes by the Vesle, took place after a terrific artillery bombardment, which was begun yes terday. The village Was virtually re duced when the order to advance was given today. It was there _the_:'JJ)0__ prisoners were taken. The Americans rushed over the river, leaping, running and crawling across on the debris of a heavy bridge : which was blown up by the Germans, I its piers and other timbers so falling j however, as to make the ruins avail I able.. In the village a rather weak resist-. ; ance was encountered. The German j forces which had been left there had j been unable to retreat to their own j lines because of the heavy artillery fire I and when brought into the American lines the majority were wounded. A great many of the defending force were killed. Another incident showing how the I 'German soldiers were sacrificed oc ? curred on the American front where a German lieutenant led a party of less than 30 men in a thrust against what probably appeared to be a weak I point of the line. A machine gun sec ! tion caught the party under its fire and annihilated it. f ! The only general action today was when the French and Americans laid J down a box barrage and carried out a reconnaissance on a certain section of ^ the front. There was some belief ' that the Germans had withdrawn from j a large part of this position and it was - j desired to learn if the enemy was still I there. He was. FIRST NEW COTTON. Thirty-one Cents Paid for Bale Raised by J. A. Porter and Sent to Char leston. Barnwell, Aug. 9.?South Carolina's first bale of new cotton crop, 1918, was sold on the local market today by H. W. Sanders to J. A. Porter for 31 cents per pound. This bale was ship j ped by express to E. F. A. Wieters of j Charleston. It was the second earliest bale produced in Barnwell county. ! Cotton on light lands in this county i is opening prematurely on account of j heavy rains, rust and shedding. ?? j ENROLLMENT ABOUT 148,000. I All Reports Save Rural Boxes In Hampton. Columbia. Aug. 9.?With only the rural boxes in Hampton county to hear from Secretary Ashley Tobias, Jr.. of the State Democratic Com mittee reports a total enrollment in the State of 147,456. The belated reports from Hampton county will not increase the figures over iSOO. if that much. In the second primary in l'.M? Hampton county cast 1,580 votes. The enrollment of the incorporated towns in Hampton coun ty in which the Australian ballot law applies is reported at l,10r>, so that the unreported rolls will not add more than 500 at the outside. Secretary Tobias has been most en ergetic in attempting to have the county chairmen send in the enroll ments promptly so that the proper number of tickets may be sent for each box. There is nor so much difficulty with the tickets which go to the boxes at which the Australian ballot law does r.ot apply, but more care is required at tin boxes at which the law do~s apply since each ticket must be num bered.