Newspapers / The Wilmington Dispatch (Wilmington, … / Feb. 20, 1918, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The Wilmington Dispatch (Wilmington, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
-1", s A. WEATHER. .Hi .Ml North and South Car elina: Cloudy tonight Thursday, probably in on the coast; cold with moderate cold u co o a nnn y-tt liM TODAY'S HB'S TODAY FUUL LEASED WIRE SERVICE Vol. XXIV. No. 43 NOW READY FOE BATTLE Preoarations Made for k All - X Long Expected Offensive on Western Front SECRETARY BAKER'S WEEKLY WAR: REVIEW Germans Are Expected to Make a Gigantic Effort to Break Through Opera tions of the Past Week Washington, Feb. 20. After exten sive preparations, silently and sys temtieally carried on It is apparent that both the eGrmans and the Allies are rrady for the long expected off ensive in the West, says Secretary Baker today in his review of military operations for the week ending Feb ruary 16. , "While there havcDeen outwardly jo nev developments in the military situation in the West during the per iod under review," says the Secre tary's communique, "yet i tis apparent hhat both the nemy ana the Allies, iter the extensive preparations which have been going on for some ' time, are ready for battle. "The Germans have recently with drawn a number of their veteran West front units from the first line trenches and are busily trailing them in mobile warfare. "According to advices received, the German general staff hopes that by massing a large number of picked Ehock battalions which have been in tensively trained, they may deliver a crushing blow. "The bulk of the German forces ,are now assembled in the West. But 'a large number of these units are wholly untrained in the method of Western front warfare,, which differs radically from that conducted along other fronts. Furthermore' the Ger- icaii higher command reaUzes " failyt that their forces will meet with far more difficult tactical obstacles than any hitherto encountered by an attack ing army. A break through was pos fible in Russia only after the morale of the Russians was undermined; the same was true in Italy and we witnes sed how speedily the Italian line was mended. ' " "During the week there has been mnch activity of a minor character along the entire Western front. "As has already Deen announced, in Lorraine a segment of the line is en tirely under the control of our forces along our front, .patrol en counters -were numerous. The Ger mans undertook a raid against cur positions and succeeded in inflicting few casualties A small American patrol, while scenting in No Man's Land was ambushed by the enemy. Ihe weather was verv rainv during the first part of the week and our troops were busy manning the pumps in an effort to .eep their trenches dry. wer, clear weather prevailed and jostile aricraft made frequent flights to reconnoiter our positions . A mark ed improvement in our anti-aircraft barrage is reported. Artillery duels took place and the Germans showered nr lines with gas shels which how- r, caused no casualties, owing to ' cient gas fask protection. hi Champagne, units of American r ry participated in an engage 'indertaken by French forces. Operation was th mnat imnnrt- ; w tne week in the west. After . careful artillery preparation, J , f. wmcn our batteries co-operated sevully, French infantry, advanced to l"6 assault on,,u j. - it . ii i. uuiwesi or me iauite jju -uii, along a front of about 1,400 "wus. Thp fti 5 the eGan positions, broke tlii.j T cuuu, auu reacnea me itta an line- During this brisk .LCK, the Frenr.h rJpstTYiveri rrinnv Bnelters. infiiptort a ba K-Apositions- besides bringing t8t r ou,-e5siui raias were unaer- L. Dv French Hptartimanta in fho C , f the Chemin Des Dames, iuJ Rb-eims, in Upper Alsace and for:!6- nI aU. the French drove 1- very fortunate rpnonnais part8 jnJertakings along different jGisrinaii units were aso active lines lwmP8 to reach the French tip leaPorarily successful in i imp ti-T. or isezonvaux and in Uari . r' seven German raid; ... -uo i)ninro hmb-, a tt a- siRa?U k,ept tbe enemy constantly . uiuttc uuwu. r I cixuii k - - uS a WKieiy scattered cenpe.British froht was also the uuraerous minor engage No mportant actions took and thp mm. t H di"7, witJl the grouping of unit3 trivei ?S g fresh forces recently front lin m other theatres in the 1oiter W Undertook only such recon en&agements as to familia- Heterw, ew units with the nature of "In thaplnT ln ont of them ? ue Italian area the enemy has SIDES CONTINUE TO ADVANCE. Berlin, Feb. 20 (via London). German forces on the Russian front yesterday advanced to the northeast and east of Dvinsk, the German war office announced to day. ALL SHIPPING HAS PASSED LOWEST NOT s Stated That Amount of Ship ping Available Will Now Increase Washington, Feb. 20. The low point of available Allied shipping has been passed two or three weeks ear lier than officials expected and confi dence was expressed today that the amount of shipping available for the future would increase steadily. Several factors were said to iave contributed to advancing the amount of available tonnage. Included among them were the increased efficiency of the offensive against the submarines and the beginning of deliveries from American shipyards. The transfer of neutral shipping to trade outside of the war zone, thereby releasing al lied tonnage .for trans-Atlantic ser vice, also contributed to the increase of available bottoms. Improvement in harbor defenses and facilities in France, so as to facilitate the unload ing of transports, likewise tended to speed up the release of ships which are enabled to make trips more fre quently than usual. If production continues unhamper ed by labor troubles and if anti-sub- ja&ap&ewt& to ve the?" results expected, the amount of tonnage is expected to show steady gains as the yeaor progresses. In estimating shipping resources the low point of the curve based on production and destruction was put in the latter part of this month. Un expect edly the low point was reached about February 1, the tonnage having shown a steady increase since that time, with little expectation by offi cials that it will show anything else but an increase from now? on. The labor factor is said to be the principal item in maintaining produc tion at home. If the ship workers oontinue to do their part, officials do not doubt that the ships that will bring victory will be turned out in time. BASEBALL CATCHER , KILLED BY MATE Memphis. Tenn., Feb. 20. Edward L. Hurlburt, former catcher for the Southern Baseball Association teams. was shot and instantly killed here early today by Charles Shields, at one time his battery mate. Shields claimed the shooting was accidental. The killing occurred in the clothes cleaning establishment of which Hurlburt was the proprietor. At the time Hurlburt was shot, it is claimed, he was asleep in a chair, and Shields says the pistol was discharged when he accidentally touched it. Shields recently has been employed as a dep uty sheriff and Hurlburt was a con stable. Twenty Years for Evading Draft. Camp Funston, Kas., Feb. 20.- YPdPftr nf Trov. Kas.. con victed here recently by courtmartial on charges of evading the draft, to day was sentenced to 20 years in the toqt-qi nonitentiarv at Leavensworth. Yeager, who is 23 years old, refused to serve, denounced the government and boasted that be was a member of the I. W. W. . . MMnaru Ratifies Amendment. Helena, Mont., Feb. 20 The Mon tana Legislature yesteraay rauueu the Federal: prom Diuon ameuuiucui. 1 rrfTTQcivO nttitlldO . aBSUUlBU CLM 66' ' "The concentration of an important body of eGrman ' cavalry in the vici r tPiraia noted and ft is believed that the Germans may find . expedient to advance on reirograu. i- cult to determine the exact status of affairs in Southwestern ttussia. xu.e s a pvar.natincr .K.USSia,Il t;ujj.i.iiJ-"-o - : the Armenian centers south of the Black Sea which are Deing rB-uuyicu m -i,jv. jatoniTTipnt. Trebizond Oy lUl&iau will probably son fall into Turkish hands. record that larg9 contingents of Arabs are joining the forces of the Sheik of Mecca who is co-operating with tne unusn. "The Arabs have defeated the Turks in two encounters, occupied EI Maz reh southeast .of the Dead Sea, and are advancing along the Hedjaz rail- way towit-os Jvaaan. WILMINGTON, NORTH FIRST PHOTOGRAPH OF THE INT islLIED First photograph showing the Interallied Naval Council members before a session in London. Front row, left to right, Admiral Sims, U. S. N., Admiral de Bon; France; Sir Eric Geddes, ' Great Britain's First Lord of the Admiralty; Admiral de Revel, Italy; Rear Admiral Funakoshi, Japan. Back row, left to right; Admiral Freemamtle, Great Britain; Capt. Twining, U. S. N.; Rear Admiral de Lost ende France; , Capt, Grease, Great Britain; and Admiral Wemyss, Great Britain's First Sea Lord Copyright, Underwood & Underwood. LLOYD-GEORGE'S GOVERNMENT HAS PASSED THE CRISIS Turmoil Following General . Robertson's Retirement Has Been Smoothed THE PREMIER MAKES A FULL EXPLANATION i ens nouse or commons tne Events Leading Up to Ac tion by Council and the Results London Feb. 19. Premier Lloyd- George and his government have sur mounted another "crisis" and the parr liamentary waters appear to run smoothly again jviW'sJ moti - stirred Trt- lrr-tlwrrelfiiirTa General Robertson, chief ' fo the im perial staff. In the House of Commons today tne Premier explained and defended the recent reorganization ot the Versail les council and his dealings with the famous chief of staff. "There was no proposal for a vote of want of confi dence, but H. H. Asquith, the former Premier, expressed regret that the explanations had not been given a week ago," when the Premier declared he could not go into the subject with out giving information to the enemy. The Premier's speech was a de tailed but guarded recital of 'the pro posals by which the four powers at Versailles had arrived at the princi ples of their latest form of co-operation. The plan finally agreed upon by the council, he said, was due largely to the strong logical representations which the American delegates had submitted and the Premier several times reverted to the. influence which Amrican policy had exercised upon the results of the conference. He paid warm tribute to General Robert son and expressed the regret of the government that it had been unable to induce him to take a position in rwhich his abilities will be most use ful. Mr. Asquith asserted the country regarded with deep concern the re cent enforced retirement of the gov ernment's chief naval and military ad visers, Admiral Jellico and General Robertson. The public and their own profes sions had the utmost confidence in these men. Mr. Asquith added that the country had noted that both re tirements were preceded by a hos tile press campaign. The public ques tioned whether these losses were compensated by the retention of the Early of Derby in the war ministry and the appointment as director- of foreign press propaganda referring to Viscount Northcliffe, although he did not "mention his name whose news paper had conducted the press Cam paign. There was a little-altercation be tween the two Premiers over the question of General Robertsqn's fail ure to approve the Versailles plan. Finally Mr. Asquith said, he -did not quarrel in the least - with' th'e deci sion of the Versailles council in re spect to its functions. .He took the view that the military ' representative (Continued on Page Eight.) AMERICAN PLANE LOST. Washington, Feb. 20. Vice Ad miral Simms advised the Navy Department today that the Ameri can seaplane in which Ensign Al bert Dal ton Sturtevant, .U. . S. N.. R. . F., was lost, is claimed by Ger mans to have been shot down in flames. Ensign Sturtevant Was second pilot in the machine. "Apparently this . . machine was attacked by 10 enemy planes," the dispatch states. CAROLINA . vDNESDAY, foik Cs vnwl IHiif 11 vicv i DATE FDR SECOND DRAFT FOR ARMY Reports of .When Draft is to Begin Guesswork, Says Baker LAST OF THE FIRST DRAFT NOW MOVING Movement Started This Week Completes First Call Sec ond Will Move in Lots of 1 00,000 a Month Washington; Feb. 20. Secretary Baker authorized the , statement today that no date iad been selected for the begmnlng of the second draft. Vari between -aMrcli 1 and June 1. These are declared to be entirely guesses. The government's disposition not to tne labor situation, particular- ly on farms at the planting season is one of the factors being considered. The provost marshal general's of fice, it is understood, is disinclined to go ahead with the second draft until Congress has perfected the law by pending amendments to chage the basis of apportionment, and to author ize the president to call into the military service men skilled ln indus try and agrculture regardless of pre vious classification. The remaining increments of the first draft will begin to move forward to the camps beginning this week. It is probable that next month local boards may be asked to forward small increments Jnecessary to replace men going overseas, but the expected sum mons of half a million will be later, Plans for the second draft a now under consideration include calling 100,000 a month until the second quota is complete. In that way officials ex pect to avoid much of the confusion which accompanied the first call. The men will report in a steady stream and be assimulated into the military machine before the next lot is re ceived. It has been definitely setled that the first contingents will be used to fill vacancies in National Guard divi sions caused by the withdrawal of men for the organization of special and technical units. Similar vacan cies in the National Army divisions will have been filled by that time from the final - increemnt of the first draft. ASKS SHIP WORKERS TO JOIN RESER VES Washington, Feb. 20. Food Admin istrator Hoover, in a statement today called on all patriotic ship workers to enroll in the public service ' re serve. No amount of increased food production, decreased food use, or food substitution and saving will help unless ships for sending food across the Atlantic are available,' he said. - "My anxieties about ships are no less numerous and various than those about food itself," said Mr. Hoover. ' "Hence it is with the ut most ..earnestness that I endorse the idea overeating a voluntary reserve of -men . from which ' the man power necessary to solve the great problem of shipping can be recruited as rap idly as it can be used. For every army of fighters . there is necessary a much larger army of loyal, eager men - devoted to the maintenance of the fighting unit. One is as essential and truly patriotic a service as the other." Movement of Last Quota. Jackson, Miss., Feb. 20. The movement of Mississippi's . last quota of .the first selective draft was start ed today for Camp Pike, and will be finished before the end of the week. The last quota consists of 6,000 white men and 3,689 negroes. NOT DETERMINED s-va . . v . : , - . 7T FEBRUARY 20 1918 NAVAL COUNCIL TO FORT CASWELL Road to Be Extended From Southport to the Fort in 90 Days TO FULLY INVESTIGATE PORT OF WILMINGTON Chairman Hurley Assures Wil mington Delegation That He Will Look Into the City's Proposition- (By George H. Manning.) Washington, ,D. C., Feb. 20. The delegation of Wilmington business juiwu nas met. witn material encour- the government adopt a plan of build ing ships at Wilmington and under take other developments in Eastern North Carolina. Yesterday Congressman Godwin, accompanied by H. C. McQueen, M W. Divine and M. J. Corbett, called on General Littell, in charge of can tonment and camp instruction for the War Department, ana urged the ex tension of the Wilmington, Brunswick and Southport Railway from South port to Fort Caswell. They explained to General Littell the great advantages the government could obtain through the develop ment of Fort Caswell as an army camp, and port of embarkation for the soldiers to France if the Fort is connected with the outside world through the construction of the 15 miles of raiiroad necessary between Southport and the Fort. Upon their tui3J to 4H ihe party said that General Littell had agreed to un dertake the plan and stated to them that the railroad will be completed in 90 days. The party explained to General Littell that at Fort Caswell the gov ernment owns 2,760 acres of land ad jacent to deep water for ships, rresh water for drinking purposes and en joying excellent climate, where a big cantonment could be built to concen trate soldiers preparatory to shipping them to France. Fort Caswell is out of the way, they told General Lit tell, and troop movements could be carried on there with the utmost se crecy. Yesterday afternoon the whole dele gation from Wilmington, accompan ied by Senators Simmons and Over man, and Congressman Godwin, held a conference with Chairman Hurley, of the Shipping Board, arid urged him to establish a shipbuilding plant at Wilmington. Mr. Hurley said he would not be adverse to assisting in the establish ment of a ship yard there if he could be properly assured by the Wilming ton business men that the necessary skilled laborers could be obtained about Wilmington in abundance, he said,"" but expressed doubt that it would be possible to assemble there the skilled shipbuilders necessary. Upon assurance being given him that the skilled laborers would be as sembled there, AT'-. Hurley said he would go further into the proposi tion with the Wilmington ' business men. CHINESE EARTHQUAKES Jho GRLAT DAMAGE Aii China', Feb. 20. Reports reVli; here today from the districts 4 oy ear hquakes last Wednes- .ow so e loss or me ana neavy le r ulting. The hundred '". wot- . Tonnrtod frnm Swdtrnw. umb( of persons injured have 'bulated. One-fifth of the i I . was said, were destroyed, ;,mainder damageL Great . reported from Ching ' i-fu and Delta towns, exact-4e- . s; which were lacking, , b aj' di- Cf Ha. T GOVERNMENT TO BUILD RAILROAD AMIES CONTINUING NT0 HURRYING PEACE TREATY. Petrograd, Feb. 20. General Hoffman, the German military rep resentative at the Brest-Litovsk conference, has telegraphed to the Bolsheviki government for a writ ten authentication of the Russian wireless peace messa sent yes terday to Derling. General Hoff man, according to a ' Russian of ficial statement giv- out today, says tha tthe authentication must be sent to the German command at Dvinsk. The Russian official statement says that a message from Petrograd is being sent hy Dvinsk today with the original peace message which was signed by Premier Lenine and Foreign Minister Trotzky. mexico buys wheat Allied Governments Likely to Interfere With the Argen tine Purchases El Paso, Texas, Feb. 20. Between 30,000 and 40,000 tons of wheat and flour have been purchased in Chile and Argentine for distribution in Mexi co according to El Universal, a semi official newspaper published in Mexico City, a February 11 copy of which was received iere today. The wheat and flour purchased by agents, of the Mexican government, already ate be ing loaded at. South American ports and are exnected to reach eMxicd City by March iS, the newspapers said1, "e3r " -?T Washington, Feb. 20. Any attempt by Argentina to dispose of any considerable- quantity of wheat other than to allied countries probably will meet with opposition by the United States and her co-belligerents. Th3 reports that Mexican agents h?d made contracts for wheat in Argentina were supplemented by information at the State Department today which in dicated that the agents were members of the party that accompanied Luis Cabrera to South America Contracts already have been made by the French and British for the greater part of the surplus Argentine wheat and officials of the American government assume that the Argen tine government will see there is no violation , of those agreements. In the event aneffort is made to move grain to Mexico in large quantities difficul ties probably will be placed in the way of providing bunker coal for any ships that might be intended for that pur pose. SELF STYLED MARQUIS PLEADS NOT GUILTY New York, Feb. 20 Pleas of not guilty to three indictments were en tered by Edmond Rousselor, self styled "Marquis Dl Castillo," who posed as a French diplomat and con fident of King Alfonso, of Spain, when arraigned in the Federal Court here today. In default of bail, the bogus nobleman was remanded to the Tombs. In addition to charges of obtaining money under false pretenses, he is accused of violating the espionage act. BANKS TO REPORT ALIEN PROPERTY Washington, Feb. 20. A. Mitchell Palmer, alien property custodian, to- ,day urged all banks, trust companies, surrogates, United States attorneys and internal revenue collectors to re port at once any enemy-owned prop erty known to them. Mr. Palmer says many persons, in cluding banks and trust companies, have failed to report enemy property and he has ordered an investigation. FARM LOAN BANKS LOANED $11,787,000 Washington, Feb. 2. Farm land banks loaned in January $11,787,000. The bank in Columbia, S. C, made $298,000 in loans. New Orleans $778, 000 and Houston $1,006,000. ! DAILY COST OF WAR 6,384,000 POUNDS London, Feb. 20. Andrew Bonar Law, chancellor of the exchequer, speaking in the House of Commons today, said the average daily expen diture duing the four weeks ending February '16 -was ' 6,384,000 pounds sterling.' IN SOUTH AM ERICA PRICE FIVE CENT? RUSSMI Despite Report That Russi( Has Accepted Peace, In?. vasion 1 x vWV'Vto TEUTON PEOPLES ARE OPPOSED TO THE WA? Renewal of Hostilities Agains Russia Provokes StormAa1 Home Activity on Westi ern Front Notwithstanding the Bolshevikj: have announced their willingness t . ... 1 I conclude an immediate peace on win; lit j Central Powers' terms, the Germai, armies are continuing to advance in Great Russia. The German headquac ters statement today reports a-turf ther forward move of the GennMi forces which recently crossed . in i Dvina on the Northern front and ot cupied Dvinsk. They pushed on.eas and northeast of that city yesterday i it is announced. ; Germany undertook this eampafgi; to safeguard ' neace and order - lit-tWjHI II ij rwcimied reeions on her Eastern froriili tier. Dr. von Keuhlmann. the Gennai foreign minister, told the' Reichstaj i main committee yesterday. She hai lost faith in the pacifist intentions"?! Russia, he- declared. 5 MAVArthPiess. Dr. von Keuhlmantl? announced, Germany even now wsl ready to make' peace with the Rusj S sians on a basis which would protee the Bolshevik protest and offer of sut mission was received in Berlin.. but the continued advance of the Germaiij j armies repori-eu Luutty uias-cB near that the German military authqtt itles. at least, are in haste to checif 1 the , .forward, ..mqyeiQent -The" Bolshevik -government, r.in- thit connection, reports mat iienerai nvu man, German military representative at the Brest-Litovsk peace conference has asked that written confirmation of the Russian wireless peace . pffe be sent to Dvinsk. The Russians have forwarded such confirmation, '.it Dvinsk by messenger, they announeefi Every effort is being made by thi Austrian authorities to convince theL people that the peace made with tfc Ukraine was not only one of grea material advantage to the Central Powers but that the injustice tha might have done to Poland by sub tracting from her the province o Cholm and giving it to the Ukrain will be remedied. Great dissatisfac tion has been created among th' Liberals in the dual monarchy by: t territorial feature of the peace se tlement. Premier von Seydler now announce a sepa-rate agreemeui ueiwoeu aub tria-Hungary and the Ukraine undei which a mixed commission will -be named to decide the dispostion i Cholm on race principles. At the same time the Premier points- to th6 material gains which come from tho peace. The Austro-Hungarian pies' for food will be met from the Ukraj ine's stores he intimates, declaring that the Ukrainian surplus which hat been placed at the disposition of the Central Powers wiM be more than thti latter can possibly carry away by th.6 means of transportation available. News agency advices report indica tions of continued industrial unrest in many manifested by the dete'rmln'j ation of the German Independent Soj ciallsts to arrange for a demontrativaj strike in the German munition; fao4 tories beginning on March 1. Activity on the British and French! fronts has been continued almost! wholly to artillery bombardmentsj particularly on the Arras-Syquentinl sector in Champagne and Northeastj of Verdun. On the American sector a German patrol has been dispersed with casualties and the American w tillery operations are becoming mora active on the Italian front. Marked aerial activity continues oft the Western front and Entente avian tors have accounted for 39 more GeTH man machines. British aviators la three days have brought down or dw abled 57 German airplanes. Britislif and French airmen have not let uw in their bombarding attacks on ImH portant points in German LorraineJ both night and day raids being car- ried out. Airdromes, docks and other targets in Belgium are bIng bombed by British airmen. Berlin reports the destruction of seven Allied airplanes. Attacks on the Lloyd-George gov ernment in England have been quiel ed again by the Premier in a person-; al appeal to the House of Commons either to accept the policy agreed oa at Versailles, or put in another gov ernment. A proposal for a vote for a want of confidence was not made,' the opposition apparenUy . not wish- ing to carry the matter that far. Th supreme council, the Premier said, had accepted with slight modifications the plan proposed by the American delegates, who were praised warmly" rt-rr T.lwn.flAAre'A ' in Vi 8 i HI I r Hi 1 'titf. ii'l i : if, 'LI v, ir iv: 11! Mi I V r
The Wilmington Dispatch (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 20, 1918, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75