. GOVERNOR BICKETT WILL SPEAK IN SMITHFIELD ON SATURDAY. MARCH 16TH
VOLUME 37.
SMITHFIELD, N. C., FRIDAY' MARCH 8, 1918.
Number 20.
HEAR GOVERNOR BICKETT
North Carolina's Eloquent
Chief Executive to Speak at a
Grand Rally for the War Sav
ings Campaign to be Held ii;
Smithfield on Saturday,
March 16. The People of the
County Are Expected to At
tend in Full Force. Teachers
and School Committeemen
Are Invited to Attend
The people of Johnston Coun
ty have a treat in store on Sat- j
urday, March 16th, when North
Carolina's eloquent Governor,
Thomas W. Bickett, will speak
in Smithfield on War and Patrio
tism. There is no more eloquent
man in North Carolina than our
popular Governor. He has made
many speeches in various sec
tions of the State and never
fails to arouse enthusiasm.
He is coming to Smithfield at
the invitation of the War Sav
ings Campaign Committee. At
the same time he is coming as
the guest of the entire people of
the County. He is coming to tell
us of the great crisis we are fac
ing and to arouse us to a fuller
realization of our duty. The
State War Savings Committee
has been asked to send a speak
er who will tell about the plan
of raising the forty eight mil
lion dollars the Government is
expecting North Carolina to
raise through the War Savings
Stamps.
The people of Johnston are
expectad to be here in full force.
From every township a large
delegation is expected. The
speaking will be held in the Cen
ter Brick Warehouse where
there will be plenty of room for
everybody to get in and hear
our Governor.
Every school teacher is given
a special invitation to be here.
Thev are the folks who must
make the War Savings come
across.
Every school committeemen
in the county is invited to come,
showing that they are standing
with their teachers in thei" ef
forts to make a success of the
War Savings.
Every farmer in Johnston
county is expected to attend. The
the first to buy one thousand
vitation. They have the money
to greatly aid the government
at this time by buying a large
number of War Savings Stamps.
Let them remember that it was
one of their number who was
the first to buy one thousand
dollars of War Savings in this
county.
Every merchant and business
man, every lawyer and doctor,
and every preacher and Sunday
school superintendent, are ex
pected to be here.
The ladies are especially in
vited to come. Let the Red
? Cross and Woman's Club lead
ers be here in full force. It is the
plan of the Committee to make
this one of the greatest patrio
tic occasions ever held in Smith
field.
A great world crisis is on and
every man, woman and child may
have a part in standing by our
President and Governor in their
efforts to bring victory to our
soldier boys. The presence of a
great throng of people here Sat
urday of next week will do much
toward arousing our people to a
sense of their duty. Our people
never fail when they under
stand. But if they fail to take
advantage of every opportunity
to inform themselves on the
great problems of the hour great
is their responsibility and fear
f
I M l yl . ?
. < _ j
ful will be the consequences if
they fail.
Again, let us urge the people
of the county to come here Sat
urday, March 16th, and show
that they are in dead earnest
about this great campaign now
being waged.
The First Hat tie and German
Frightf ulfiess.
(Charlotte Observer.)
The first battle, as battles are
known under modern conditions
^of war, has been fought be
tween the Germans and the
Americans, and the perform
ance on the part of the United
States troops was just the sort
this country had expected. They
were subjected to the utmost test
the devilish ingenuity of the
Hun could devise for them, and
while many good American lives
were sacrificed, the enemy was
driven back, leaving a field
strewn with his dead. For weeks
the Germans had been in prepa
ration for the attack on the
Americans intrenched on the
western line, and as a final move
sent a shower of poison gas
bombs into the trenches occu
pied by our troops. The ex
pectation was that the Ameri
cans would be demoralized
through .their experience with
the deadly gas and would be in
poor condition to resist the on
rush when it should be under
taken. Having paved the way
with their gas bombs, the Ger
man Army, composed of speci
ally trained "trench raiders,"
made a confident dash across
"No Man's Land" for the posi
tion occupied by Pershing's men.
They rushed forth under cover
of the most deadly hail of gas
\bombs, shrapnel and shell fire
that the resources of the Ger
man Army could make possible.
Their assembled armament of
great guns sent a perfect whirl
wind of deadly messengers
against the trenched Americans.
Then, the Huns, themselves, fol
lowed with eager expectancy
only to find th&. Americans ris
ing up in thick masses in their
front and ready for business
with rifle, machine gun, bayonet
and pistol. The encounter was
brief. The Germans lost no time
in falling back and one retreat
ing body found itself flanked by
an American company which
had gone out of the trenches
and by a detour had come into
position to cut them off. This
party was commanded by a
West Pointer and accomplished
its purpose, though the captain
sacrificed his life to the execu
tion of the brilliant feat. It was
possibly around the spot where
he fell that the ground was most
thickly "strewn with German
dead." Not at Verdun, nor 011
the Somme, nor at any other
battle point since the war began,
have troops been subjected to a
greater terror of gas and shot
and shell. American expecta
tion that the Germans would un
dertake to wreak special venge
ance upon the United States sol
diers, has been fully confirmed
in the accounts of this first raid
undertaken against an Ameri
can position. The trenches they
had occupied were obliterated in
some places, dugouts were
wrecked by bombs, the trees
back of the lines were shot to
shreds and the very air was
made deadly with the fumes of
the poisoned gas, while many of
the missing are accounted for as
having been buried under the
tearing up of the earth by the
German shells. And yet, on the
American side there was no
panic. Pershing's men "display
ed the greatest personal cour
age, bravery and energy short
range encounters with grenades
and bombs quarters those with
out bayonet or other weapon ex
cept bare hands, flew at the Ger
man throat. The story which
The Observer gives today of the
fighting is the story of the
Americans' first experience un
der German fire. Engagements
heretofore have been confined to
duels with artillery and a few
shortrange encounters with gre
nades and bombs. It was the
first face-to-face encounter with
MR. BEVERIlKiE SPEAKS HERE.
Canadian Soldier Tells a Great
Smithtieid Audience of Some of His
Experiences in the Fighting Lines
and in the Trenches on the West
ern Front. Makes Strong Appeal
to People to Buy War Stamps and
Support the Red Cross.
A large assemblage of Smithfield
people and people from the sur
rounding community heard Sergeant
John P. Beveridge, a Canadian sol
dier, tell some of his experiences in
the terrible war across the sea at the
court house here Tuesday night. With
out any ? striving after oratorical ef
fect, Mr. Beveridge told the plain j
simple story of life in the trenches
and in the fighting lines on the West
ern front bringing to his auditors a
vivid picture of the horribleness of.
war. It made one shudder to hear hir.i J
tell of the hand to hand fighting with
the Huns when it Mas death to onr
or the other. That Mr. Beveridge
is alive today to tell the story of what
he went through on the Western
front, in the battles of Ypres, Armen
tieres, Brae and the Somme, and
many other bloody fights, seems lit
tle short of the miraculous.
The meeting was held in the court
house. Every available place was oc
cupied and a large number of peo
ple who wanted to hear the story <>f
a participant in the horrors of the
war "over there" had to turn away
becausc there was no more room.
For two hours Mr. Beveridge hell
the interest of the great throng. He
told of the many fights he was en
gaged in from the great battle of the
Marne until the battle of the Somme
when he received a desperate wound
and was gased, barely escaping wilh
his life. His recital of German
frightfulness ? of the maim^ig of lit
tle children bu cutting off their hands
the awful treatment of women and
old men, and the terrible treatment
of soldiers who were made their
prisoners? stirred the blood of thosa
who heard him and made them more
determined than ever before to stt;nd
by the boys who have gone over to
avenge the terrible atrocities perpe
trated by the Kaiser's Huns. Mr.
Beveridge bears in his body evidences
of his bravery, counting nine wounds
in all received while in the thickest
of the fighting. There were times
when the speaker was greeted with
great applause; at other times the
tenseness pictured on the faces ?f
those who sat and gazed into the
speaker's face as he gave his recital
of the frightfulness of it all, showed
that their feelings were too deep for
appause. They saw the scenes liv
ing before them. They heard the cry
of those who have gone over for the
people back at home to stand by them
while they fought for civilization and
humanity.
Mr. Beveridge madv a strong plea
to the people to stand by the Govern
ment by buying Liberty Bonds and
War Savings Stamps, and to help
the Red Cross which is serving as an
Angel of Mercy on the bloody battle
fields and in the Base hospitals. He
paid a glowing tribute to the Amer
icans and said that they would be able
to give a good account of themselves
when the crucial moment arrives.
At the close of the address, Mr.
Ragsdale, Chairmajp of the War Sav
ings Committee, made a statement
asking for a ^collection for the Red
Cross to pay the expenses of Mr.
Beveridge who came from the West
ern part of the State to speak here.
A collection amounting to $58.00 was
taken and the ladies of the Red Cross
generously contributed fifty dollars
to Mr. Beveridge for his expenses and
services in the great work he is do
ing in trying to arouse the people to
a sense of their duty in this great
crisis.
Mr. Beveridge who is totally inca
pacitated for any further military
service has decided to make his home
in Western North Carolina, and still
fight on for the cause of liberty with
his voice and pen.
the enemy, and while the coun
try is called to mourn the loss
of a number of gallant lives,
there was much in the perform
ances and accomplishments of
its soldiers that is to be held in
prideful admiration. Germany
has at last had opportunity to
test the mettle of the American
soldier ? and the disappointment
is not ours.'
Mr. Shade Wooten, of Camp Sev
ier, Greenville, spent Sunday in the
city with friends.
WEDNESDAY'S WAR SUMMARY.
Apparently Germans Have Not Ceas
ed Operations in Russia. Rumania
About to Make Peace With the
Teutons. Action to be Taken by
Japan in Siberia Undecided. Amer
ican Troops Have Taken Up Still
Another Position on the Front in
France.
Late reports from Russia indicate
that the Belsheviki government prob
ably will not keep its engagement
with the Germans to ratify next Tues
day the peace compact agreed upon
at Brest- Litovsk. The evacuation of
Petrograd by the bolsheviki govern
ment and the populace already has
been begun and Trotzky, the foreign
minister, has announced that the
leaders of the revolution are prepared
to fall back even to the Ural moun
tains, which separate Great Russia
from Siberia, and proclaim a holy wai
in order to circumvent the plans of
the Germans to make the revolution
unsuccessful.
It seems evident that the Germans
have not yet ceased their operations
agains? the Russians, for Krylcnko,
the bolshevik commander-in-chief,
has sent a protest to the German com
mander asking whether all steps had
been taken by him for a cessation of
hostilities. A like message was dis
patched to the Austro-Hungarian
commander. The reason for the lat
ter communication, however, is not
apparent, for the forces of the dual
monarchy are known to be bent on
clearing Little Russia of bolsheviki in
order to carry out the compact to aid
the Ukrainians in establishing and ad
ministering their newly formed re
public. ?
Siberian Question.
Whether Japanese troops are to in
vade Siberia and put down the disorder
there and also make secure the great
stores of all kinds that are in the har
bor of Vladivostok apparently has not
yet been determined. In Japan the
political parties are not unanimously
in favor of Japanese intervention, the
leader of the majority party in the
diet, for instance, having declared that
he and his followers are opposed to
the use of Japanese troops in the
eastern part of the Russian empire
unless conditions there grow worse
and prove a menace to the status of
the far east.
Rumania evidently is on the point
of effecting a separate peace with the
Teutonic allies by meeting the hard
demands which are to be exacted in
return for cessation of the inroads
into the little kingdom which now is
absolutely isolated from its allies.
The preliminary peace treaty has
been signed and the armistice extend
ed so that discussion of a formal
treaty may begin immediately. Among
the chief demands of the enemy is the
cession of the Dobrudja, rectification
of the Hungarian-Rumanian border,
economic advantages for the central
powers and aid in the transport of
troops of the quadruple alliance
through Moldavia and Bessara via to
Odessa.
American troops now have taken up
another position on the front in
France and with their usual business
like methods already have frustrated
an attempt by the Germans to raid
their trenches. The new position is
somewhere in Lorraine. Altogether
more than eight miles of trenches are
now being held by Americans on the
western front.
From Flanders to the Swiss border
artillery duels of more or less vio
lence are taking place on various sec
tors and here and there raiding par
ties of both side s are frequently in
operation. The British have , carried
out succesful forays against the Ger
mans east of Bullecourt and near
Lens, in which latter sector the Ger
mans for the past few days have been
heavily shelling them.
Although the snow has ceased there
has been but little activity on tha
chief American sector northwest of
Toul. The men of both sides have
kept to their trenches and there have
been only spasmodic exchanges of
shells.
German reinforcements continue
to be sent up behind the lines in Bel
gium and France, acording to Gen
eral Maurice, director of military op
erations at the British war office. At
present, he says, although the enemy
has 16 more divisions than the allies
along the front, the allied troops are
numerally stronger and also hold
the uper hand in rifles, guns and
aircraft, but that this superiority is
diminishing. The major preparatfors
of the enemy for a big offensive are
now more or less complete und the
allies must watch for the local prep
arations which signalize the approach
of an attack, General Maurice said.
German submarines or mines were
responsible last week for the sinking
of 18 British merchantmen, 12 of
which were vessels of 1,6000 tons or
over. The previous week 14 large
and four small merchantmen were de
itroyd. ?
Tin: WEEK'S NEWS IN CLAYTON 1
Clayton, N. C., March 6. ? Mrs. L.
F. Austin spent Sunday in Raleigh
with relatives.
Mr. David Johnson, of Camp Jack
son, is here on an eight day pass.
Mrs. J. 1). Smith, Mrs. G. A. Smith
and Miss Mamie Jones spent Monday
in Raleigh.
Mrs. H. P. Hoyle left Monday for
Raleigh where she will take a course
in stenography at King's Business
College.
Mr. Edgar Lynch, of University
Station, was here Sunday with his
sister, Mrs. A. C. Hamby.
Mrs. W. M. Priddy and little son, I
Walter Home, of Wichita Falls,
Texas, are here on a visit to Mrs.
Ashley Horne.
Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Ellis and little
daughter, Kathryn, spent Sunday in
Greensboro with Mrs. Ellis' sister,
Miss Carrie Austin, who is in school
at G. C. W.
Little Mary Ida now graces the
home of Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Edgerton.
She arrived March 2nd.
Mr. and Mrs. C. V. Williams and
family and Mrs. William Turley
spent Sunday in Smithfield with
friends.
The expression class of Miss Ida
Wootten will give their recital at
Benson on Friday night of this week.
The recital was well attended here a
few weeks ago and the proceeds were
for the Red Cross.
The friends of Miss Helen Rogers
welcome her return here. She will be
with Barnes-Duncan Co., this season.
Mr. Paul Wallace left Sunday night
for northern markets to buy goods
for the firm of A. Horne and Son.
Mrs. Wallace and Martha Gladys are
with relatives at Selma.
Miss Theo. Wooten, of Peace Insti
tute, Raleigh, was here for the past
week-end with her sister, Mrs. C. G.
Gulley.
Misses Barbara and Jessie Gulley
spent last week-end at Wildwood
farm.
INCOME TAX MAN COMING.
Will Be in SmithtLeld Again on March
18 and 19. (Jet Ready to Meet
Him and Fill Out Your
Blanks.
The Commissioner of Internal Rev
enue has extended the time for filing
of all income tax returns in his of
fice from March 1, 1918, to April 1,
1918. This blanket extension has
been granted in view of the fact that
there has occurred a greater delay in
the printing of income tax and other
forms.
Mr.T.D.Meares,Jr. will be in Smith
field Monday ond Tuesday, March 18
and 19. Selma, Welnesday, March 20,
and at Clayton, Thursday, March 21.
He is making this round to give
especial attention to i^artnership,
corporations and individual excess
profits taxes.
SANDERS CHAPEL NOTES.
The farmers are very busy now
turning the soil for another crop.
Captain L. Midyett, of Oriental, is
visiting Sheriff Powell this week.
We are glad to note that Mr. A. G.
Powell's little girl, wfio has been sick
for the past three weeks, is improv
ing rapidly.
We regret to note that Miss Thelma
Godwin is in the Sanatorium at Golds
boro for treatment.
Mr. W. A. Smith came very near
getting killed Tuesday by having a
horse to run away with him.
Mr. Stevens, who lives on the land
of Mr. B. Hill, left Sunday night. We
know not the cause. He left his wife
and four children.
We regret to note that Mr. C. S.
Powell is on the sick list this week.
Sanders Chapel Methodist church
is delighted to have a new piano to
use in the church services. B.
An interesting program has been
prepared for a union meeting to be
held at Four Oaks Baptist church on
Saturday and Sunday March 30th
and 31st.
AT THE CAPITAL OF BOON HILL.
Judge Brooks Made Good Talk on
War Situation. Bee Line South
Highway Completed. Three Pros
perous Negro Farmers. Boys Buy
ing War Saving Stamps.
Princeton, N. C., . March 6.? Miss
Lora Mason, of Goldsboro, is visiting
Miss Temple Hinton this week.
Mr. L. O. Bartlett, from Greene
County, a young man expecting to en
ter the army soon, is visiting his sis
ter, Mrs. Pelt, this week.
Mrs. Ed. A. Holt and little daugh
ter are spending the week with Mr.
und Mrs. A. M. Sanders, Smithfield.
Miss Ethel Baker was at home
from Rock Kidge school a few days
this week.
Moulton Massey was at home from
Camp Lee, Petersburg, Va., a few
hours Sunday.
Logan Hastings, of the Navy, and
on the U. S. S. Maine, is at home on
an eight day leave of absence.
We regret to note that Mr. Lama
Woodard and daughter, Miss Bertha,
have moved to Sehna.
Shade Wooten, from Camp Sevier,
is at home on a short leave of absence
visiting his mother. ?
Richard I). Oliver, Miss Clara I.
Oliver, and Harvey Oliver have in
vested twenty-five dollars each in
War Savings Stamps. I hese are chil
dren of our esteemed farmer friend,
Mr. W. Howard Oliver, who owns the
nicest home and farm on the Central
Highway between Smithfield and
Princeton.
Judge Brooks came down a few
days ago and gave us a very interest
ing talk on the war situation, and the
necessity of each and every person do
ing his bit in helping to win the war.
These patriotic speeches aTe bearing
fruit, as much more interest is being
manifested. We hope to have Judge
Brooks come down again some time
soon. Saturday evening would be
better when there are a few hundred
farmers in town.
The Princeton basketball girls and
boys played Line Level Friday even
ing. The score was 17 to '? Boys 7
to 3 each in favor of Princeton. Three
cheers for the Princeton girls and
boys.
The five mile stretch of road from
town to Mr. G. P. Massey's has been
completed, and is now in fine shape,
something like the road from Selma
to Smithfield. All these fartners
have automobiles, and they say when
you drive your Henry Ford out to go
to town, it is a serious proposition to
keep them from exceeding the speed
limit. This road is a bee line South
with the exception of three rainbow
curves, and these are graded like a
circus ring so tljat you don't have to
slow down. Nothing to do but blow
your horn Henry and "let 'er go."
Some of our most prosperous farmers
live on this road. Among them are.
A. F. Holt, F. P. Summerlin, Adam K.
and Silas Worley, A. J. Massey, C. S.
Peele, Milton Massey, A. L. Massey
and G. P. Massey.
The Central Highway between
Princeton and the Wayne County line
via the old Cross Roads church, has
been completed. Now we are inform
ed that the section from town to the
Smithfield township line will soon get
attention.
We have in Koon Hill township
three negroes whom we thnik deserve
special mention, and much credit for
their thrift and desire to work and be
honest citizens. These are John and
Joe Everett and Felix Fowler. They
own nearly two hundred acres of land
each, many good mules, some fine
buggy horses and each one owns an
automobile. Felix owns a cotton gin.
There are few, if any farmers in the
county who own as many head of
cattle. Each one has a large family
of children. They live near long
swamp and near the Bee Line South
Highway.
John Hobbs, a worthless negro,
fired two shots at Guilford Cogdell
h^re yesterday morning. They quar
reled over changing some money. Un
fortunately Hobbs was a poor shot
and did not hit the other negro.
Hobbs joined the bird gang immedi
ately and "has'nt lit yet."
Death of Thomas Joyner.
Mr. Thomas Joyner, 3on of Mr. W.
B. Joyner, of Bentonsville township,
died Saturday night in the State Hos
pital. He was buried Tuesday after
noon at Pauline chycb, the funeral
service being conducted by Rev. J. E.
Dupree. Mr. Joyner had been an in
mate of the State Sospital, Epileptic
Colony, for the past eight years.