VOLUME 36 SMITHFIELD, N. C., FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1917. Number 33
ADVANCE GUARD IN FRANCE.
American Forces Landed In Safety
on Foreign Soil. Trained Fighters,
Defying U- Boats, Sent Over Seas.
'Hiousands of Seasoned Regulars
and Marines Dispatched to Aid of
Entente. News of Arrival Thrills
Washington.
Washington, June 27. ? The advance
guard of the mighty army the United
States is preparing to send against
Germany is on French soil tonight.
In defiance of the German subma
rines, thousands of seasoned regulars
and marines, trained fighting men
with the tan of long service on the
Mexican border or in Haiti or Santo
Domingo still on their faces, have
been hastened over seas to fight be
side the French, the British, the Bel
gian, the Russian, the Portugese and
the Italian troops on the Western
front.
News of the safe arrival of the
troops sent a new thrill through
Washingten. No formal announce
ment came from the War Depart
ment. None will come, probably, un
til Maj. General Pershing's pfficial
report has been received. Then there
may be a statement as to the number
and composition of the advance guard.
General Sibert Commanding.
Press dispatches from France, pre
sumably sent forward with the ap
proval of General Pershing's staff,
show that Major General Sibert, one
of the new major "jsvicrals of the ar
my, has been given command of the
first force sent abroad, under Gener
al Pershing as commander-in-chief
of the expedition.
One thing stands out sharply, de
spite the fact that the size of the
task that has been accomplished is
not fully revealed as yet. This is, that
American enterprise has set a new re
cord for the transportation of troops.
Considering the distance to be cov
ered, and the fact that all prepara
tions had to be made after the order
came from the White House the
night of May 18, it is practically cer
tain that never before has a military
expedition of this size been assem
bled, conveyed and landed without
mishap in so short a time by any na
tion. The only rival in magnitude is
the movement of British troops to
South Africa in the Boer War, and
that was made over seas that were
unhampered by submarines, mines,
or other obstacles.
The American forces will be fed,
clothed, armed and equipped by the
United States. Around them at the
camp on French soil tonight are be
ing stored supplies that will keep
them going for months, and more
will follow.
Preparing for Arrival.
General Pershing and his staff have
been busy for days preparing for the
arrival of the men. Despite the enor
mous difficulties of unprcparedness
and submarine dangers that faced
them, the plans of the army general
staff have gone through with clock
like precision.
When the order came to prepare
immediately an expenditionary force
to go to France, virtually all of the
men now across the seas were on the
Mexican border. General Pershing
himself was at his headquarters in
San Antonio. There were no army
transports available in the Atlantic.
The vessels that carried the troops
were scatered on their usual routes.
Army reserves were still depleted
from the border mobilization. Regi
ments were below war strength.
That was the condition when Presi
dent Wilson decided that the plea of
the French High Commissioner
should be answered and a force of
regulars sent at once to France. At
his word the War Department began
to move. General Pershing was sum
moned quietly to Washington.
There were a thousand activities
afoot in the department at the time.
All the business of preparing for the
registration of ten million men, of
providing quarters and instructors
for nearly fifty thousand prospective
officers, for finding arms and equip
ment for millions of troops yet to be
organized, of expandin gthe regular
army to full war strength, of prepar
ing and recruiting the National Guard
for war, was at hand.
Plans Silently Carried Out.
Gen. Pershing dropped quietly into
the department, and set up the first
headquarters of the American expe
ditionary forces in a little office, hard
ly large enough to hold himself and
his personal staff. There, with the
aid of the general staff, of Secreta
ry Baker and of the chiefs of the War
Department bureaus, the plans were
worked out.
Announcement of the sending of
the forces under Gen. Pershing was
made May 18. There came a day
when Gen. Pershing was no longer
in the department. Officers ^ of the
general staff suddenly were missing
from their desks. No word of this
was reported by the press. Then came
word from England that Pershing
and his officers were there.
Other matters relating to the ex
pedition were carried out without a
word of publicity. The regiments that
were to go with General Pershing
were all selected before he left and
moving toward the seacoast from the
border. Other regiments also were
moving north, east and west to be ex
panded, and the movements of the
troops who were to be first in France
were obscured in all this hurrying of
troop trains over the land.
Great shipments of war supplies be
gan to assemble at the embarkation
ports. Liners suddenly were taken off
their regular runs with no announce
ment. A great armada was made
ready, supplied, equipped as trans
ports, loaded with men and guns and
sent to sea, and all with virtually no
mention from the press.
Navy Does Its Part.
The navy bears its full share in
the achievement.
From the time the troops ships
left their docks, responsibility for
lives of their thousands of men rested
upon the officers and crews of the
fighting ships that moved beside them
or swept free the sea lanes before
them. As they pushed on toward the
danger zone, where German subma
rines lay in wait, every precaution
that trained minds of the navy could
devise was taken.
While his troops were embarking
or steaming toward their destination,
Gen. Pershing and his staff have been
busy in France preparing the way
for the new army. The camp sites
have been selected, the details of the
final training before the move to the
front have been worked out and the
questions of supply and transporta
tion lines studied. Regiments of the
national rrmy, composed of railway
workers and engineers, will aid in that
work. They too have been created in
a few weeks time.
The War Department has no an
nouncement to make as to General
Pershing's disposition of liis forces.
Presumably that has been left to him
to decide in conference with the
French General Staff and the British
army. The American troops will be an
independent force, co-operating with
the allies. It has been suggested that
the Americans might be placed be
tween the French and British forces
as a connecting link.
PREVENT THE REI) SPIDER.
Destroy Poke- Weeds As a Preventive
of Cotton Red Spider.
Raleigh, N. C., June 25. ? Near the
last of June, especially if the weath
er by dry, cotton in the central and
eastern portions of North Carolina
is likely to be attacked by the Red
Spider, or Rust Mite. The creature
itself is barely visible to the naked
eye, but in some years it does great
damage, and this was especially true
of the years 1911, 1912, 1914, 1915.
Earlier in the season it lives on a
variety of other plants, such as violet,
pansy, beans, clover, morning-glory,
and poke-weed.
One method of preventing injury
to cotton is to promptly destroy such
wild weeds as the insect lives upon
and which are close to the cotton. This
effort may well be centered on the
poke-weed, which is the chicf offender,
says Mr. Franklin Sherman, Ento
mologist. Numerous cases of damage
by Red Spider to cotton have been
due to their getting started on poke
weed in spring and migrating to the
cotton in June and July.
Should we have much wet weather
in late June and July, the Red Spi
der is not likely to do serious harm
to the cotton, but growers are ad
vised to get rid of the poke-weeds
?s a precaution.
An Usual.
"If you go first, dear, you'll wait
for me on the other shore, won't
you?" questioned the fond wife.
"I suppose so," returned her hus
band; with a sigh. "I never went
anywhere yet without having to wait
for you." ? Puck.
THE NEWS IN CLAYTON.
Two Itoys (Jo To Home's Pond to
Bathe and One is Drowned. Much
Interest in Red Cross Work. Miss
Melba McCullers Entertains. Other
Items of Interest.
Clayton, June 27. ? Miss Aldine
Oneil is spending a few days this
week with relatives at Winston-Sa
lem.
Misses LaRue Williams and Duba
Ellis left Tuesday morning for Apex
to attend the Crowder-Lowry mar
riage there on Wednesday.
Messrs. John G. Edwards :.nd Joe
Whitaker, of Franklinton, were in
town for a few hours Sunday after
noon.
Messrs Elwood Kelly, Dcvare Bar
bour and Ruy Gulley spent Tuesday
morning in Raleigh. Mr. Kelly joined
the Navy.
Mr. Wade Brown, of Selma, was in
town Tuesday on business.
Mrs. E. R. Gulley returned home
Saturday from a few weeks' visit to
relatives and friends at Lillington
and Fuquay.
On last Sunday afternoon at
Home's Pond a few miles from town,
the young son Paul, of Mr. and Mrs.
Wesley Boone, was drowned. The
boy could not swim and while in
bathing got in too deep water and
could not get out. He was buried in
the cemetery here Monday afternoon
at four o'clock.
Messrs. J. H. Atkinson, J. L. Ellis
and A. V. Gulley spent Monday in
Lillington on business.
The Red Cross organization here is
doing splendid work. A large portion
of the people have already joined and
others are joining daily. We hope the
interest may be kept up and great
work will be done to protect and help
care for our soldiers as they go to
the front.
Mrs. T. Miller White gave a sew
ing party at her home here on Tues
day morning of this week in honor of j
her guest, Mrs. Warren, of Golds
boro.
Misse3 Annie May Prapst and
Grace Price and Mr. Charlie Godwin,
all of Lexington, spent Monday nijrht
here, returning Tuesday morning, ac
companied by Mrs. Godwin who has
been here for a couple of weeks vis
iting Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Barnes.
On Tuesday night from eight-thirty
to eleven-thirty Miss Melba McCul
lers in her charming manner enter
tained a few of the young people of
the town. Pleasant conversations were
enjoyed by those present on the spa
cious lawn, in the parlor, on the porch,
and every nook and corner. Punch
was served by Miss Douschka
Barnes on the side porch. Later
cream and cake was served. Those
present were Misses Lelia Duncan,
Hettie Wilder, Douschka Barnes, Mo
zelle Williams, Zenobia Bagwell, Ro
salie Pope, Genie Thomas, Clee Ellis,
Elsie Poole, Sulon McCullers, Telza
Barnes, Thelma Barbour and Jessie
Gulley; Dr. and Mrs. Chas. Bass,
Messrs. Aubrey Gattis, Ashley Horne,
Otho Gulley, Devan Barbour, War
ren McCullers, Millard McCullers,
Rudolph Barnes, Max Barbour, Ben
nett Poole, Council Poole, Joseph Tur
ley, Dr. Barnes, Herman Duncan and
a few others. Each and everyone
had a delightful time.
I). H. GRAVES, COTTON BRO
KER, DIES AT GOLDSBORO.
Goldsboro, June 26. ? D. H. Graves,
a prominent broker and cotton buyer
of Goldsboro, died at his home here
today suddenly of heart failure. For
many years he had resided in Smith
field, Fayetteville and Selma.
Mr. Graves was twice married, his
first wife being the mother of his five
surviving children, four sons and one
daughter, who are resident, one in
New York, one in Florida, one in
Wake Forest, Rev. D. C. Graves, pas
tor of the Baptist church in that
town, one in Charlotte, and one his
daughter, Mrs. Vann, in Winston, N.
C. None of his children were with
him when the end came, as he was
not thought to be fatally ill. During
his first marriage and during the
rearing of his children Mr. Graves
made Selma his home. It is there that
his first wife is buried and there in
terment will be made.
Porto Rico shipped over $3,000,000
worth of fruit to the United States in
1915. Fresh pineapples shipped to
the mainland that year were valued
at $1,723,694.
AT THE CAPITAL OF BANNER.
Fourth of July to Be Characterized
By Big Celebration, Speaking, Pre
sentation of Prizes, Free Lemonade,
and Great Coming Together of the
People. John Chas. McNeill Book
Club Meet*. Death of Mrs. Millage
Durham. Other Items of Interest.
Benson, June 28. ? Mr. Jesse Par
ker left Tuesday for Wilmington
where ho will be for a few days.
Rev. Arthur Goodrich left the first
of the week, after spending a few
days hero with his father, Capt. J. W.
Goodrich.
Mr. R. G. Grady, of Wilmington,
was here the first of the week on bus
iness matters.
Miss Mary Cook, of Aulander, ar
rived this afternoon and will visit here
for a few days.
Mr. Julius Hodges, of Loris, S. C.,
is here on business and visiting his
father this week.
Mr. r.nd Mrs. S. E. Williams went
up to Durham Saturday and Sunday
on a visit to relatives.
Mr. Jesse Turlington, who is in the
army at Goldsboro, spent a few days
here this week with relatives.
Mr. Richard Jtrnigan, of Elkhart,
Ind., spent the week near here with
his brother, Capt. C. C. Jernigan.
Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Langdon, of
Coats, were visitors here Sunday at
the home of their son, Mr. Dallas
Langdon.
Mr. rnd Mrs. N. L. Perkin3, of
Smithfield, are spending the week
here with the family of Mr. J. H.
Rose.
Mrs. J. G. Cagle and little children,
of Latta, S. C., are visiting in and
around Benson for a few days.
Rev. R. M. Von Miller, of Four
Oaks, spent Sunday here at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. M. T. Britt.
Mr. and Mrs. John Yelvington, of
Cleveland township, are here this
week on a visit to their daughter,
Mrs. A. T. Lassiter.
Messrs. J. Will Moore, Alonzo Par
rish and other Benconians were in
Lillington Wednesday on business
matters.
Mr. Eugene Canaday went up to
Smithfield Tuesday on business mat
ters.
Mr. J. R. Baggett, of Lillington,
was a visitor to our city Monday and
Tuesday.
Messrs. N. T. Ryals, P. B. Johnson
and Jas. P. Lee were in Smithfield
Tuesday on business.
Mrs. Royal Hudson and children, of
Lower Johnston, were here the first
of the week visiting relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Boon and chil
dren and Misses Alta and Vada Boon
went up to Raleigh to-day on a short
visit.
Dr. W. T. Martin is in Durham this
week attending the State Dental So
ciety Association. Dr. Martin is Vice
President of the Association.
Messrs. J. A. Wellons and sons
William Wellons and J. A. Wellons,
Jr., and little Misses Mary Elizabeth,
Annie Wellons and Mattie Lassiter, of
Smithficld, were in our city for a
short while yesterday.
Mr. A. L. Woodlief, who has held
a position with the Farmers Commer
cial Bank here for some time, left
last week to accept a position with
one of the National Banks of Rocky
Mount, N. C.
Mr. John Hall was a visitor to Ken
ly and Smithfield Tuesday and Wed
nesday.
Mrs. J. W. Whittenton and children
returned today from a few days visit
to relatives in Raeford.
Mr. P. B. Johnson took his son,
June Johnson, to the Wilson Sana
torium yesterday where a slight op
eration was performed on the boy for
Adenoids to be removed.
Messrs. J. H. Boon, W. D. Boon
and W. H. Holmes went up to Smith
field Tuesday for a short while on
business.
The lumber plant belonging to Mr.
Preston Woodall in South Benson,
caught fire the first of the week and
but for the timely arrival of the Ben
son Fire Department would have been
totally destroyed. However, the dam
age was slight, amounting to only
about $500.
Miss Myrtle Whittention, of Har
nett County, was here for a few days
recently at the home of her grand
mother with Mr. J-. W. Whittenton.
Miss Addie Ennis, of Buie's Creek,
recently spent a few days here at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Wil
liams.
Mr. John Huff, of East Bend, N. C.,
was here for a while on business this
week.
Rev. G. W. Rollins went to Red
Springs the first of the week where he
is conducting a revival meeting for
ten days.
Some unknown party threw a large
piece of iron through a plate glass
window in the front of the Parrish
Godwin Store here Tuesday night.
Although no papers have been served,
it is understood that the name of the
offender is known, and that he had
imbibed too freely of beer and liquor
that night.
Notwithstanding the fact that
there arc wars and rumors of wars,
the coursc of true love in Benson con
tinues to run, and judging from the
rumors the wedding bells will soon
begin ringing in our city again.
Mrs. Millage Durham, who had
been living here for the past few
years, died at her home last Thurs
day and was buried Friday near Four
Oaks. She was sick for a short time
only, being taken in the morning and
dying in the same day. She was a
daughter of Mr. Millard Massengill,
of our town, and left surviving her,
besides her husband, nine children.
She was not a member of any church,
but was a good woman and will be
missed not only by her family but by
many friends besides.
The 4th of July is approaching and
Renson is going to Celebrate the 4th
again thia year. More than a hundred
prizes are offered for the best exhibit
of horses, mules, oxen, flowers, etc.
Free lemonade will be given to all who
attend the celebration. The address of
welcome will be delivered by Mayor
Ezra Parker and the prizes will be
awarded by Rev. J. T. Stanford, the
address to be at 10 A. M. and the
delivery of prizes at 4 P. M. More
than ten thousand people were here
on the 4th last year, and a crowd
equally as large is expected this year.
The John Charles McNeill Book
Club met this afternoon at the home
of Mrs. W. II. Royal, on West Main
street. After a business session the
time was given to the discussion of
timely topics, more time being given
to the present Food Conditions and
the work of our Red Cross. At the
close of these lively round table
talks the hostess served simple but
delightful refreshments. The club has
never permitted its members to serve
elaborately and insists that refresh
ments be even more simple now. At
this meeting Mrs. J. R. Harbour, who
has been the Club's President since
its organization four years ago, ten
dered her resignation.
Mr. Guy Lee and two sisters, Misses
Lucile and Virginia, spent Sunday
near Angier with relatives.
SAINUfcKS IHArBL.
A picnic at the church and basket
ball and entertainment at Pomona
school house last Saturday was all
that the promoters anticipated. All
was of the finest brand. 300 people im
ported and exported the choicest vi
ands, which was likened to the para
ble of the Loaves and Fishes. The so
cial features were the best of all. A
little oratory, and declamations, and
allegories by Messrs. Percy Barnes,
Leon and James Hill, Misses Cornelia
Powell, Jessie Smith, and Estelle and
Lela Talton, sanwiched as they were
by soft, sweet music by our own
string and home band. Judge Brooks
cheered Sanders Chapel by his time
ly and appropriate praise for this
community gathering and spirit of
unanimity and unselfishness. Every
one ate, drank and made merry and
not a discordant note, and not a com
plaint from any one that amidships
were not property ballasted. This old
skate was set back on a chair, a
fiddle box across his shafts and a
dish of fried trout, bread, coffee,
pickles supplied him by the
ladies, back set by Mr. Z. L. Talton,
who understands the weak regions of
certain individuals. The ball game
was like all others, fine, and they had
a hot time. I den't know who won, or
what it takes to win. The night en
tertainment was well delivered and
received with music and applause.
About $19.00 was realized, which
goes for church purposes.
I forgot to mention Prince Albert
Holland, who was Master of Cere
monies in all the departments and
gencralisamo for everybody. If you
can't have a good time when he is
around you may know there is a
"hair in the greens."
X. X. X.
Stevenson's "Virginibus Puerisque"
was finished before he was thirty-one.
LOOKING TO AMERICAN FARMS.
Britain Says Man Who Drives the
PlouKh Is Helping Just As the One
Who Shoulders the Kifle. England
Doggedly Struggling To Increase
Grain Production.
London, June 26. ? "Discontent of
the stomach is more to be feared than
discontent of the brain ? that is why
we value the co-operation of Ameri
can farmers," said R. E. Prothero,
Minister of Agriculture, to the Asso
ciated Press today. "The outcome of
the war," he continued, "may ulti
mately hang on the question of food
supplies, and the American farmer is
allotted the essential part of play in
the great struggle for freedom.
"To vindicate the cause of human
ity and national liberty the great de
mocracy of the Western world, true to
its traditions, has taken its stand on
the side of the allied peoples.
"President Wilson in his address
April 15 puts to the forefront an ap
peal to the farmers. He bids them to
carry on to their plough lands the
same spirit that animates their broth
er allies in the trenches, on the sea
and in munitions factories. The farm
ers' task is to make hills, plains and
valley stand so thick with corn that
they shall sing. Yet the man who
drives s. plough is helping as is the
man who shoulders a rifle.
"The need of food for man and
beast is great whether peace is won
or war prolonged."
Replying to a question as to what
the United Kingdom is doing in the
way of food production, Mr. Prcthero
said that fully one-third of labor us
ually employed on land has been tak
en for war work. "Shorthanded, har
assed by a hundred new difficulties,
the farmers are doggedly struggling
in increase grain production by
half," continued the minister. "Up
wards of 120,000 women in England
and Walt s are toiling on land, hard
and continuously. Wo have quadru
pled our garden plots. After a hard
day's work, men return to their
homes to labor with their wives.
"Everywhere there is determina
tion to eat within tether, however it
may be. Brewing has been reduced to
a minimum. This is a serious depriva
tion to men working at furnaces, in
foundries and harvest fields.
"We arc further contemplating a
drastic reduction of our live-stock,
so more grain may be available for
human food.
"There is risk that the shortage of
food may strain endurance to the
breaking point. There is yet no indi
cation that we even have distantly
approached that point, but endurance
might snap if, for instance, the milk
supply failed, because then lives of
little children would be threatened.
Thus there is a greater question in
volved in food supply than the loss of
ordinary comfort of life or even re
duction in its accustomed necessities.
For this reason it is a welcome re
lief to us to know that the farmers
of the United States are co-opcrat
ing with the allies; that they fully
realize the essential part they play
in this struggle for freedom; that
they are bringing into their work the
spirit of self-sacrifice and endurance,
and that they are determined to put
out the last ounce of their strength
to win the war on the plough lands
of the United States. Here and there,
Godspeed the plough!"
YOUTH DROWNED IN A
POND NEAR CLAYTON
Clayton, June 25. ? Paul Boone, the
sixteen-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs.
Wesley Boone, of this place, was
drowned in Home's pond about two
miles east of here yesterday after
noon about 4 o'clock. He, in company
with an older brother, went out to the
pond to take a bath. Neither of them
could swim. Paul got in first and, not
being familiar with the channel,
which is very deep, waded out too
far, and when he stepped into the
deep water he went down and could
not get back. The other boy not be
ing able to swim was helpless and im
mediately ran to the nearest house,
which was nearly half a mile away,
for help. When they returned the
young fellow had sunk to rise no
more. It only took a few minutes to
get the body out.
The remains were taken to the
home and prepared for burial. The fu
neral and interment were this after
noon at Amelia church, near here.