The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, October 05, 1918, Image 6
MURDER OF* AMERICAN SOL
DIERS BY HUNS WILL BE
MET WITH REPRISAL. 5
The Use of Shot Guns is Not Con
trary to Laws of War and Protest
' Coining from People Who Have
Conducted a War of Atrocity is
. Unworthy of Consideration.
Washington, Sept. 30.?The Amer
ican government in reply to Ger
siany's threat to execute America
prisoners* of war found in possessioi
*f shotguns, today gave notice that il
Gernaany carries out any such threa
. auitable reprisals will be taken.
; Secretary Lansing's reply made
public today declared that the us<
of shotgtths is sanctioned by Th<
ff:'iHague conventions, and that in com'
* parieon with- other weapons now use<
' m' hioderh warfare the shotguns use<
by Amereian troops can not be th<
subject of legitimate or reasonabl?
protest
"Iff the German government shouh
?""carry out its threat in a single in
stance," says Secretary Lansing's re
ply, "it will be the right and duty o
'the United States to make such re
' prisaLs as will best protect the Amer
jP^ '^h" forces, and notice is hereby giv
?n of the intention of the govemmen
ot the United States to make such re
prisals."
"After acknowledging receipt of th<
i morandum submitted through th<
- Swiss legation, communicating th<
Qerinian protest, Secretary Lansim
"In reply to the GermaJt protest
the government of the United State;
has to say that the Provisions of Th<
' ^Bstgue convention cited in the pro
tpsf, does hot in its opinion 'forbid th(
use of thia kind of weapon. More
oyer, in view of the history of th<
ihptgun as a weapon of warfare, anc
iU\v$ew of the well known effects o
-its present use, in the light of a com
-p^ritjbn ?f it with other weapons ap
proved by "warfare, the shotgun nov
in use by the American army, car
n^t ^ be the subject of legitimate 01
reasonable protest.
;"v;?j?he government of the Unites
States notes the threat,.of the Ger
l?fOp government to execute everj
prisoner of war found to have in h?
- possession shotguns or shotgun am
' munition. Notwithstanding this threai
? inasmuch as the weapon is lawful anc
'2ifc|y be rightfully used, its use wiii
nfy'be abandoned by the Americar
arntjr. Moreover, if the German gov
ernment should carry out its threats
;Inr a single instance it will be the
right and duty of the government ol
-the-United' States to make such re
. prisals as will' best protect the Amer
icdn, forces, -ahd notice is hereby griv
en ?of the intention of the govern
ment-;of: the United States to mak?
sgc& ;renr1saTs.**
? ? The protest of the German govern
ment; submitted through the Swiss
ad interim is * as follows:
fe German government protest*
the use of shotguns by the
^American army and - calls attention to
the law ol
every prisoner
found to have in his possession such
ijunsr or ammunition belonging there
to forfeits his life. This protest is
based upon article 23* (E) of The
Hague convention respecting laws and
eustoms of war on land. Reply by
cable is requested before October 1,
2918;"
^ The article of the Hague conven
tion oh which Germany based its pro
test was that forbidding the employ
ment of "arms, projectiles or mater
^culated to carse "unnecessary
suffering
: OffleiaJs^ftttL^he prohibition is- di
rected not againl^?^ency in killing
wounding or injuring;tiiShgruelty and
terrorism. Within such jrohihite^
category, they said, falls \i.cblorj^
gas, ??flammenwerfers" or saw<t||?th
bayonets used by the Germans.
?The shotgun, it was contended, is
exactly analogous to sharpnel shells
discharging a multitude of small bul
lets or a machine gun discharging a
spray of pointed bullets.
Officials said that nine bullets are
used in each cartridge in the shotgun
and that the only instances where a
shotgun projectile causes .more in jury
to any one enemy soldier than- would
* a nit by ? riflle bullet- are instances
where the enemy soldier had, ap
preached so ?l?se to the shooter that
he is struck by' more than one bullet.
This, like the effect of the dispersing
of'bullets from "a shrapnel shell, it is
argued, is permissible either in behalf
; of the greater effectiveness or as an
"unavoidable incident of the use of
? small scattering projectiles for the
necessary purpose of increasing the
likelihood of killing a number of
enemies.
So far as is known here, shotguns
have been employed by American
^troops In France only in police work
and in repelling trench raids.
Officers say they have been very
effective in meeting enemy attacks
because they furnish a scattering fire
at point blank range and the roar of
them alone is very hard on the mor
als' of the troops against whom they
are used. "
There is a possibility, it was said,
that shotguns have been used in mop
ping up captured trenches, but they
hare not been extensively distributed
to the troops abroad nor do they sup
plant any other weapon. They are
viewed by some officers as an answer
to the German gas grenades and
name throwers, use of which is
specifically forbidden by the general
ly recognized rules of warfare.
_ |bs- tact that according to
Wj?t (Kreigsrecht') ever
BIG FORCE SURRENDERS:
Ten Thousand Turks Quit Fighting.
London, Sept. 30.?A Turkish force
of 10,000 men has surrendered to the
British In Palestine, according to an
official announcement made this even
ing.
DRAFT DRAWING COMPLETED.
Order Numbers of Thirteen Million
Registrants Assigned.
'Washington, Oct 1.?The drawing]
Of the order numbers for thirteen
million draft registrants was com
pleted, at S "o'clock this morning,
hours ahead of schedule. . The last
number was 12734. 1
H?H ALLIANCE BUSTED.
SURRENDER ' OF BULGARIA
CHANGES ASPECT OF WAR.
Way Opened for Attack on Austria?
Turkey is Isolated and Will Soon
? be Crushed Unless Example of Bul
> garia is Followed?Rescue of Rou
? mania From Huns One Possibility.
Bulgaria is definitely out of the war
? and Turkey virtually cut off from
? communication with her allies and
1 her armies in Palestine almost an
1 nihilated, likely soon will be forced
f to sue for a cessation of hostilities
fc against her.
Meanwhile the entente allied forces
? from Belgium to Verdun on six bat
2 tie fronts are registering victory after
3 victory over the Teutonic arms and
- the enemy front almost everywhere is
? crumbling, notwithstanding the des
1 perate resistance that is being offer
s ed on various sectors.
? Seeing eventual defeat staring her
in the face through the swift prog
? resses of the Serbian, Italian, Brit
" tsh, Greek and French troops in the
" reclaiming of Serbia and the invasion
f of Bulgarian territory, the Bulgars
' begged for an armistice, reserving to
" themselves no conditions. All the ter
? ritory now held by King Ferdinand's
1 men is to be evacuated; the Bul
? garian army is to be immediately de
mobilized and all means of transport
2 inside the kingdom, even along the
5 Danube, is to be given over into allied
5 hands.
?] Thus in addition to the isolation of
Turkey the back door to a direct in
? vasion of Austria-Hungary is flung
5 wide open to the allies and doubtless
- the time is not far distant when an
" advantage of the full will be taken
5 to the new avenue through which the
- enemy can be reached. With the de
2 bade of Servia and Bulgaria complete
? the Austro-Hungarlans in Albania
f soon will be put to the test and when
" their evacuation to their own borders
\ is accomplished the allies will have
7 welded an iron semi-circle about the
1 central powers from the Black Sea to
? the North Sea.
Viewing the situation in all its as
1 pects the success of the great offen
? sive in Belgium and France; the blot
1 ting out of the war zone in the Bal
3 kans; the cutting off the Turks from
? intercourse with Germany, and Aus
t tria-Hungary, except by the long route
1 through the Caucasus and Southern
1 Russia and the steady gains that are
1 being made by the allies in making
? Russia once more a factor in the
J struggle?the darkest days of the war
J seemingly are faced by the Austro
\ Hungarians.
Although it had been officially an
? nounced that hostilities against the
? Bulgarians ceased at noon Monday,
? the French official communication of
? Monday night said French cavalry had
entered Uskub', one of the most im
? portant communication centers in Ser
" bia. It is not improbable, therefore,
that the French are nill hard after
i the Germans who are known to have
! been fighting with the Bulgarians in
i this region acting as rear guards.
On all the sectors under attack
from Belgian Flanders to the region
of Verdun the German front is grad
ually bending back under the violence
of the attacks of'the British, Amer
ican, French and Belgians. In Bel
gium the advance of the troops of
King Albert and of Field Marshal
Haig have proceeded so deeply east
ward that. Germany's submarines on
the North Sea are in jeopardy
through the'impending cutting of the
lines of communication behind them.
The famous Messines-Wytschaete
ridge has been captured and the al
lied guns dominate the plains beyond.
Both Menin and Roulers, import
ani^fallr?ad junction points for the
J*Aply of the German armies north
i fnd south, are virtually in the hands
of the British and Belgians, and seem
ingly soon 'must fall.
From Cambrai to St. (^uentin fh"&
British and Americans again have de
livered sttjccessful hard smashes
against the . German strong points all
along the front, including the remain
ing portions of the old Hindenburg
line. The Germans here are offering
most strenuous resistance and xa
counterattacks are compelling the
British on one or two sectors to with
draw for slight distances. The Brit
ish are ip the process of cleaning up:
the town of Cambrai, having pene
trated its suburbs from the northeast
and southwest. '
In the region of St. Quentin, where i
the Americans arc fighting with the
British, the old Hindenburg line has
been cut and penetr .ted to a depth of
three miles over a front of eight miles.
In conjunction with the operations
of the French northeast of Soissons,
the Germans have begun the evacua
tion of the Chemin-des-Dames, the
French now hold half of this famous
defensive position. Likewise, there is
an indication that the enemy intends
to give up the remaining positions
held by him along the Vesle to
Rheims.
In ?Champagne the French troops
west of the Argonne forest every
where are pressing forward and
likewise to the east of this position
the Americans are moving northward
in unison. Already the big forest is
virtually outflanked and apparently
soon will .be made a part of the
Franco-American line. From the St.
*Mihiel sector the Americans are
heavily bombarding enemy troop
trains which are being hurried to
the front.
Reports from Amsterdam are to the
effect that Emperor William has ac
cepted the resignations of Count von
Hertling and Admiral von Hintze, re
spectively imperial German chancel
lor and foreign minister.
FERDINAND WAS TERRIFIED.
Fear of Revolution and Lack of Sup
port from Germany Caused Sur
render of Bulgaria,
Paris. Oct. 1.?It was the fear of
revolution at home and the failure of
Germany and Austria to send him
the military force he required that in
duced King Ferdinand, of Bulgaria,
to turn to the entente for help, ac
cording to the American consul gen
eral at Sofia (Dominick Murphy), as
quoted in a dispatch to the Matin from |
Saloniki.
MBU1 DM?.
ALLIED ARMIES SWEEPING THE
TURKS NORTHWARD OUT OF |
PALESTINE.
Capture of Damascus, Which Seems
Certain, Will Break Turkish Power
in That Region.
Paris, Oct. 1,?General Allenby's
troops are now only two and a half
miles from Etmascus and the French
cavalry is alvancjng beyond Bey
fout, according to a report received
by the Echo De Paris.
VICTORY IN AIR.
French Aviators Destroyed Twenty
Five Hun Flyers Monday..
Paris, Monday, Sept. 30?Twenty
five German airplanes were destroyed
by French aviators today, the war. of
fice reported tonight. Bombing
squadrons dropped twenty-six tons of
bombe on convoys and concentration
points behind the enemy front.
ARMY CUT IN TWO.
Serbians Win Great Victory Over Bul
gare Sunday.
London, Oct. 1.?In the region east
of Veles the Serbians on "Sunday se
verely defeated the Bulgarians near
Charevo, six miles from the Bulgar
ian border. The Serbian official state
ment of Mondaj reports that the Bul
garian forces were cut into two parts.
?skub was occupied by the French
cavalry on Sunday.
TERMS GRANTED BULGARIA.
Every Allied Demand Met in Armis
tice Granted?Armies Quit Fight
and Store AU Guns.
London, Sept. 30.?The armistice
concluded with Bulgaria by the en
tente allies is a purely military con
vention and contains no provisions of
a political character.
Bulgaria agrees to evacuate all the
territory she now occupies in Greece
and Serbia, to demobilize her army
immediately, and surrender all means
of transportation to the alhas.
Bulgaria also"~will surrender her
boats and control of navigation of the
Danube and conceds to the allies free
passage through Bulgaria for th>.
development of military operations.
All Bulgarian arms and ammuni
tion are to be stored under the con
trol of the allies, to whom is con
ceded the right to occupy all im
portant strategic points.
The Assocated Press learns thai
the military occupation of Bulgarin
will be entrusted to British, French
and Italian forces and the evacuated
portions of Greece and Serbian re
spectively to Greek and Serbiar
troops.
The armistice means a complete
military surrender and Bulgaria
ceases to be a belligerent. All ques
tSohs of territorial rearrangements ir
the Balkans was purposely omittec
from the convention.
The.allies made no stipulation con
cerning King Ferdinand, his positior
being considered an internal matter
one for the Bulgarians themselves to
deal .with.
The armistice will remain in opera
tion until a final general peace i.<
concluded.
FRENCH MENACE HUN 2ND LINE
Gourand's Advance in Champagne
Nearing Vital Point. :
With the French Armies in Cham
pagne, Sept. 30?(By Associated
Press.)?(2 P. M.)?Gen Mangin'i
troops continued their advances thb
morning on the Chemin des Dames
while on the right Gen. Berthelot at
tacked, crossing the Vesle river at
Goulet farm. He took the village of
Legrand Hameau and advanced near
ly two miies north of Les Venteaux
and reached the southern edge of the
village of Mohtigny. Berthelot's at
tack appeared likely to derange the
German plans and hasten the retire
ment.
South of St. Quentin the enemy
delivered fierce counter attacks in a
vain effort to recapture Hill 88. The
reaction on the front of Gen. Gour
aud's army was also very violent in
the neighborhood of Saint Mariea
Py.
The diminished resistance'in front
of Gen. Magin's troops confirms the
fact that the enemjr is making a
systematic retirement. This retreat
to which the Germans are endeav
oring to give essential elasticity by
vigorous inermittent defenses here
and there, seems likely to extend. The
rapid succession of heavy blows the
Allies have dealt from the sea to the
Meuse have not only greatly shaken
the Hjndenburg line, but have brought
j the fighting at some points close
enough to the secondary line of de
fense to make that also look precar
ious.
Threatened at Cambrai and Le
Cat el et this line may furnish a tem
porary solid support from the region
of Soissons to the valley of the Aire.
but north of the Argonne, where it
joins the Hindenburg line the ad
vance of Gen. Gouraud's men in liai
son with the Americans has given the
Germans such worry that they are
hurryi tg up reserves and counter at
tacks '\ the greatest energy.
It is . . re that they may be ex
pected to make their most desperate
stand, to protect the eventual retire
ment of the forces to the west and
defend the. Briey basin and the Stenay
Cap, which is a vital route of com
munication for them if they are un
able to hold the line of the Meuse
from their present position in the
north.
VICTORY STIRS NATION.
Success in France Inspires People to
Buy Liberty Bonds.
Washington, Oct. 1.?Tho successes
of the American and Allied forces in
France is being reflected in the Liber
ty loan campaign. This opinion wasi
expressed by treasury officials today!
as newspaper reports were receive
showing that many communities iuf
the country last night at the closeJhf
the third day of the drive had jpftjb
scribed greater sums than thaJfrtqtaY
pledges for the third loan, f *
/
LUMBER
Building
Materials
lime,
lath,
brick,
cement,
siding,
ceiling, .
plaster,
shingles,
flooring,
mouldings,
fire clay,
fire 8rick,
rough lumber,
roofing paper
hay, Feed
corn, a
oats, StuftS
hulls,
tankage,
middlings,
rice flour,
wheat bran,
sugar feed,
meat scrap,
chicken feed,
oyster shell,
seed oats and rye,
cotton seed meal
BOOTH & McLEOD, inc.
Phones: Office 10; Yard 631. Sumter, S. C.
Swat the Kaiser. Buy War Savings Stamps and Liberty Bonds,
KAISER MAKES APPEAL
BEGS GERMANS TO GIVE BLOOD
AND WEALTH TO LAST
BREATH.
His Plea is For German Nation to
Save Him and His House from Pun
ishment for Their Crimes Against
Humanity.
London, Oct. 1.?Emperor Wil
liam, in a message to the Fatherland
party, is quoted in an.Amsterdam dis
patch to the Exchange Telegraph as
saying, "I have the confident hope
that the whole German people in these
most serious times will resolutely
gather around me and give their
blood and wealth until the last breath
for the defense of the Fatherland
against-; shameful enemy plans. Suchj
a unanimous resolve to exist will i
and must, with God's help succeed in j
breaking the enemy's-will to war and j
secure for the Fatherland the peace i
it is worthy of among the peoples of;
the world."
CHARITIES BOARD SECRETARY, j
-
The Rev. G. Croft Williams of Char,
leston Succeeds Albeit S. John
stone.
Charleston, Sept. 30.?The Rev. G.
Croft Williams, ->ector of St. John's j
Episcopal chapel nere, and promi-j
nent in welfare work, announced to
day that he had accepted the posi
tion of secretary to .the State board
of charities and corrections, to suc
ceed Albert S. Johnstone, resigned,
and would take up his duties on No
vember 1. Mr. Williams is known
I over South Carolina for his activities
along the very lines he w.ill follow as
secretary of the board and will make
an excellent man for the board. He
has been rector of St. John's chapel
for a number of years. He is chair
man of the civilian relief committee
of the Charleston Red Cross and also
chairman of the home service sec
tion. His departure from Charleston
will be a source of regret, but it is
felt that he can serve his State best
in his new position.
AS TO COTTON PRICES.
Senator Smith Comments on Page
Brand Statement.
Washington, Sept. 30.?Comment
ing on the published statement of
Thomas Walker Page and Charles J.
Brand, representatives of the yuvern
ment who will have charge oi the
distribution of raw cotton, who de
clare that it is not the purpose to
fix prices, Senator E. D. Smith, of
South Carolina, who has consistently
opposed price fixing and never was
convinced that it would he attempted,
makes the following observations:
"The statement issued by Messrs.
Page and Brand expresses the con
clusion of all the numerous confer
ences and interviews by those inter
ested.
"The representatives of the farm
ers from every cotton growing State
held numerous meetings in my office
during the past week and with a
wonderful conservation and grasp of
the subject formulated their ideas
and then laid them before the ad
ministration, with the result as an
nounced today by Messrs. Page and
Brand.
"I, as chairman of the Senate com
' mittee. conferred with them, the
President, and the board- appointed
by the President, and from first to
last emphasized the disastrous result
that would follow arbitrary price fix
ing, especially with regard to the
present crop.
"After weeks of nerve racking,
strenuous work the cotton situation
seems to be satisfactorily adjusted.
ASST. ADJUTANT GENERAL.
Isadorc Ussury. of Elko, Succeed.*
Major Frost.
Columbia, Sept. 30.?Governor
Manning this afternoon appointed
Isadore Ussery, of Elko. Barnwell
County, as assistant to the adjutant
general to succeed Major .lohn D
Frost, who hns :i commission in the
United States army.
The appointment made on the rec- j
ommondation of W. W. Moore, the
adjutant general, carries the title ol
-m-ijor and inspector general of the
State Militia. Major Ussury is :i
graduate of the Citidel. class of 1914
and was a cadet lieutenant in his
senior year. He has applied for ad
mission into the. United States army
several times, hut was refused be
caus of physicuT disqualifications.
ITS IN BERLIN.
PEACE DEMONSTRATION HELD
ON SUNDAY FOLLOWED
BY CONFLICT.
Mob Assembled in Front of Bulgarian
Legation and Cheered for Peace?
Police Failed to Control Crowd.
London, Oct. 1.?A peace demon
stration took place in Berlin Satur
day, according to the news received
today. Cheering crowds assembled
in front of the Bulgarian legation,
necessitating police intervention. The
lioters, according to information, got1
the upper hand of the authorities and
committed excesses. A number of
statues in Berlin squares were de- <
stroyed.
WANTED TO GET A HUN.
A Wounded Boy Soldier Who \Vanted
to Cct Back to the Front.
Paris. Sept. 15 (By Mail)?"I don't
want any rest; I want to get a shot at
the fellow that killed our trumpeter.
Can't you fix me up right away and
mark me for duty? I want to get me
a Hun."
The youthful American soldier
from a New England factory town
gazed appealingly up into the face of
the doctor, while a Y. M. C. A. man
lighted a cigarette and handed it to
htm.
The doctor shook his head after he
had examined two gaping wounds on
the lad's back where pieces of shran
ncl had torn their way into the
flesh.
'?You must, get a nice long rest
first," he said, "You are lucky for
you will be sent to a base hospital
and given everything you want."
A big shell broke overhead and the
dim candle flickered and almost went
out. As it brightened again the lad's
disappointment was painly notice
able.
"Where did you get it?" asked the
doctor.
"Down in the wheatfield," replied
the boy. "I fell flat on my face when
I heard the shell coming and it's
lucky that I did, for the trumpeter,
wasn't quick enough and it tore him j
all to pieces. Damn them, he was the
best kid in the company/'
The Hun generals, who boast of
their "shock" troops well might learn
a lesson from this American boy,
says E. A. Batchelor, well known
magazine writer, who tells this story.
Mr. Batchelor is in Paris after a trip
to the front.
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIA
TION.*
It Has Done Effective Work for The
Army at Home and Overseas.
Ask the average citizen about the
American Library Association and he
is more than liable to look at you
with inquiry written all over his face.
But-nevertheless his lack of knowl
edge of this organization does not al
ter the fact that it is doing and has
been doing sonic of the most effective
work in maintaining the morale of
the fighting men in France and pro
viding means of wholesome mental
recreation for the boys who are jad
ed and worn after long periods in
the trenches.
The province of the American Lib
rary Association is extensive to the
utmost degree. It covers all fields
of military activity with its opera
tions and extends its iniluence to all
battle fronts.
It places libraries on warships,
transports and cargo vessels in the
service of the government. It main
tains library service for military hos
pitals.
The Library War Service seeks to
place in the hands of every member
of our fighting forces the book he
needs when he wants it. whether he
wishes to read for recreation or to tit
himself to be a better fighter, a bet-'
ter American, or to help him win suc
cess after the war.
The American Library Association
has built, equipped and now operates
forty-three libraries of 30.000 vol
umes at large camps. 300 at smaller
?amps or posts. 14-8 at naval and ma
rine stations and has 3f>0 libraries
and branches at sea.
It supplies books and magazines
for the Rod Cross, Y. M. C. A.,
Knight sol" Columbus. Y. W. C. A..
Jewish Welfare Board, War Camp
Community Service and the Salvation
Army. More than 1,500 branch li
bararies have been established in
huts, canteens, club roms and hos
Less houses.
CENTER OF INTEREST.
VITAL MOVES BEING MADE OX
WESTERN FRONT.
Even Collapse of Bulgaria Does Not
Distract Attention of Official Wash
ington From iWar Maps Showing
Splendid Progress of Americans
and Allies in France.
Washington, Sept. 30.~The un
qualified capitulation of Bulgaria
great as the effect is certain to be on
the wh?le course of the war, did not
! serve today to distract the attention
I of army officials for a moment from
the vital moves being made in the
great game on the Western front.
The outstanding event of the day
there was the swift forward rush of
the Belgian and British forces In
Flanders. Observers here again saw
more than a hint of weakening morale
in the German ranks due probably to
the fact that poorer troops had been
1 assigned to this sector of the front
which long had been quiet. There
was plain evidence also that the ene?
my was taken completely by surprise.
To support the wavering line,, dis
patches indicate, that only tired out
divisions from father south were
available. The result was shown inj
the astonishing progress made by
both the Belgians and General Plum
ers Second British army. .
Even the penetration of Cambrai
and the certainty of its complete oc-'
cupation by the British at any mo
ment was overshadowed to * officers
here by-the development of the north
ern flank of the Lille-Roubaix-Ter
coing triangle by General-Blum eris^
troops. A strategic coup appears to
have been achieved in this zone of the
great battle which almost beyond
question will drop the triangle of
towns into the laps of the Allied
j armies without the necessity of costly
frontal attack. Roulers was reached
in the hands of the Belgians and Men
in about to fall to the British. The
advanced lines are therefore already
east of the triangle to the north and
have severed the German commu
nication system on that side and
brought the remaining lines under,
gunfire.
This Lille sector is the most con
gested region of the whole battle
line. Situated in the famous coal re- -
gion, the three towns almost merge
into each other while before them
Armentieres stands as an outwork
protected from the south particularly
by roads, railways and numerous ca
nals and water lines which make the
advance of troops against a stubborn
foe extremely difficult.
The maneuver executed by Marshal
Foch appears to follow closely the
one he has tried successfully on
other fronts. Instead of hitting at
the weak point the Belgian thrust
masked by an attack over the whole
line to the North Sea and aided by
the British fleet suddenly concentrat
ed on perhaps the strongest natural
harrier north of Ypres-Houthulst for
est.
The wood was cleared in fierce
fighting the Belgian line moved for
ward quickly and the British to the
south began an oblique drive along
the old Hindenburg line defense which
has taken them past the Lille tri
angle with a rush leaving that north
ern pivot of the whole German de
fense system in a rapidly deepening
pocket.
Probably this explains the fact
that the British' lines from southwest
of Douai to the juncture with the
second army somewhere west of Ar
mentieres has been quiescent through
out the bitter fighting on both sides.
Incidentally the Cambrai drive is
carrying forward the southern jaw of
a pincer movement that probably will
squeeze the enemy out of Lille in
time even if the Belgian-British ef
fort in the north does not do it un
aided.
HUN TROOPS REACH SOFIA.
Bremen Paper Says Bulgars Greeted
Them Enthusiastically.
Amsterdam, Sept. 30.?German
troops arrived at Sofia Friday night,
according to a Berlin telegram to the
Weser Zeitung, of Bremen, which
says: "They were received with
great enthusiasm by the population."
Vienna newspapers received here
announced the arrival of Austria
Hungarian troops at Sofia.
Want Fountain Pens.
Two thousand fountain pens are be
ing shipped from the United States
in answer to an imperative call from -
the Y. M. C. A. headquarters in
Prance.