BRITISH HALT ENEMY
Field Marshal Haig's Report Is
the Encouraging News In
This Morning's Dailies.
FRENCH PUSH THEM BACK.
]
Furious Fighting All Along the i
Rattle Line With Suc
cess in SiBht.
' i
GERMANS AWFUL LOSSES
General March Says Allies Will
Win the Fight.
(News and Observer.)
London, March 28.-~-After an all day
battle north and south of the Scarpe,
with Arras as the chief centre, the
British forces have beaten off the Ger
mans, with heavy losses to the enemy,
according to the report from Field
Marshal Haig tonight.
The text of the statement says:
"Heavy fighting occurred during the
day- along the whole British line from
southeast of the Somme to northeast
of Arras, a battle front of some 55
miles.
"This morning after an intense ene
my bombardment and covered by a
cloud of smoke, the enemy opened a
fresh attack in great strength on a
wide front south and north of the
Scarpe. At the same time a series of
partial attacks was delivered by him
along our line southward to the
Somme.
In tho new sector of battle, east of
Arras, the enemy succeeded in forcing
his way through our outpost line, and
hard fighting as been proceeding all
day in our battle positions. Here all
the enemy's assaults have been repul
sed with heavy loss to him.
Fierce fighting is still taking place
south of the Scarpe.
"At Boyelles, Moyenneville, Ablain
ville, Bucquoy and Puisieus, our troops
also have been repeatedly attacked and
have beaten ofF a number of determin
ed assaults. At Dernancourt the ene
my succeeded in forcing his way for
the second time into the village, but
was driven out more by our counter
attacks, with the loss of many killed
or taken prisoner.
"South of the Somme our troops
have been efircely engaged all day in
the neighborhood of Arvillers, Vrely
and Hamel. Different localities have
changed hands frequently in bitter
fighting but our positions have been
maintained. Heavy fighting continued
in this sector also.
Out of the confusion of the battle
and the contrary claims of the contest
ing armies, two new features stand
out. The first is that the French, over
a front of six miles, have driven into
the German lines along the southern
side of the salient established by the
Teutonic drive. The other is that the
Germans have begun a new operation
to the east of Arras, which may be the
inception of a widening of the area of
battle to the northward.
At the present moment the allied
world is looking anxiously for news
of the success of the French thrust
into the flank of the German forces.
The fact that the drive progressed
rapidly and cut a deep notch into the
German-held ground in the region of
Noyon may indicate that this move
ment is the center offensive which has
been expected for the last thrre days.
Paris, March 28 ? One the front
from Lassigny to Noyon our troops
have advanced over a line about ten
kilometres long to a depth of two
kilometres, says the war office state
ment issued tonight. The repulse of
the Germans in villages farther west
also is announced.
Washington, March 28. ? In a state
ment tonight Major General March,
acting chief of staff, assured the
American people that there is no
cause for alarm in the advances made
hy the Germans in the great battle
now raging in Picardy, and expressed
complete confidence in triumph of the
allied arms.
General March" said: "Whatever may
be the present ground held by the
Germans; whatever sacrifice of men
the situation must entail, the allies
will see it through and will win."
READY FOR THE BIG DRIVE.
Ht-ulah Township I'nder the Leader
ship of Rev. J. G. Johnson and
Prof. M. B. Andrews Will Make a
Fine Show For War Savings Next
Week.
/
Rev. J. G. Johnson, who was ap
pointed at th? meeting of War Sav
ings committees held here Monday, in
zo-operation with Prof. M. B. An
drews, to have charge of the big drive
in Beulah township, visited Kcnly
Wednesday. He and Prof. Andrews
held a conference with a number of
the business men of the town together
with some citizens from the country
and talked over the plans of the work
which is to be carried on in Beulah
for War Savings next week. The con
ference was an enthusiastic one and
much interest in the work and the
plans was manifested. The plan of
campaign outlined in a general way
is for a bigyrally in one end of the
township on Wednesday night, anoth
er in the other end on Thursday night,
with a generally rally at Kenly on
Friday night. Outside speakers are
expected to be present at these ral
lies.
Committees lor tne rural districts
are being arranged for the work and
no doubt great success will result
from such well laid plans. Mr. John
son and Prof. Andrews have gone
about this work in earnest. They are
getting to hearty co-oiVration of
getting the eharty co-operation of
some of the best farmers and this is
going to add much strength to the
campaign they are planning to wage
next week.
BROGDEN SCHOOL NEWS.
Mr. and Mrs .L. B. Hartley and sons
Delton and Edwin, spent last Saturday
night with relatives near Princeton.
Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Rose and chil
dren, Roger and Person Lee, accom
panied by Misses Sadie Peedin and
Viola Hartley, spent last Sunday with
relatives and friends near Kcnly.
Miss Alice McGee spent the week
end at her home in Mount Olive.
Mr. Marvin Sanders and Miss
Blanche Moore, of New Hope, spent
Sunday in our community.
Mrs. Fred Sasser, of Rocky Mount,
spent a few days here the guest of
Mrs. Jo Creech.
Friday night, March 22, Mr. Mer
ritt, our moving picture man was with
us and gave us a most enjoyable time.
Some of the best pictures to be had,
not only good pictures but the very
best machine we ever had the pleas
ure of seeing. The community and ad
joining schools came in full. Just be
fore, the picture began Little Rachel
Creech sang "Star Spangled Banner."
The teachers and girls served ice
cream just before and after the pic
ture show. The receipts were $21.00
which will go on their new piano.
Saturday, March 23rd Brogden
girls and boys accompanied by Misses
Culbreth and Perry took a flying trip
in Mr. Roger Smith's truck to New
Hope to play ball. The line up was as
follows: Brogden Boys: right forward,
John Creech, left forward, Graham
Green, center, Thomas Pittman, right
guard, Herman Capps, left guard,
Rexford Garner, sub. Milton Pilking
ton.
New Hope Boys ? right forward,
Warren Massengill, left forward, Na
than Massengill, center, Henry Lee,
right guard, Roland Hayes, left
guard, Andrew Johnston.
Brogden Girls ? Right forward, Cleo
Howell, left forward, Elsie Mae Gard
ner, center, Sallie Faircloth, right
guard, Ethel Faircloth, left guard,
Rosa Howell.
New Hope Girls ? Right gorward,
Nellie Lee, left forward, Pr*.uline San
ders, center, Lula Hayes, right guard,
Rena Lee, left guard, Lena Massengill.
The score was 18-11 in favor of New
Hope boys. 8-4 in favor of Brogden
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Gardner have re
truned from Hopewell, Va., where
they visited their son, Mr. Carl Gard
ner.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Rufus Creech spent
Tuesday afternoon in Smithfield.
Broaden School has purchased
$2<>8.10. in War Saving Stamps.
We are looking forward to our next
moving picture show on Friday night,
April 5th. Everybody come out and en
joy the cvering. TEACHERS.
Years ago a man introduced to the
world a thin copper strip for pro
tecting shoe tips and received $4,000,
000 in royalties.
MR. BRYAN IS COMING I
America's Most Famous Orator
Will Speak in Smithfield
Thursday, April 25th.
?
Will Speak Under Auspices of
Turlington CJraded School.
Through the efforts of Supt. H. B.
Marrow, of Turlington Graded School,
Hon. William Jennings Bryan, Amer
ica's most famous orator and citizen
of the world, will speak in Smithfield
on some topic connected with the
World, War, in Smithfield, April 25th.
It is useless to comment on who
Mr. Bryan is. Since 189G, when he
first ran for the presidency he has
been prominently before the public.
He is regarded as a man of the high
est principles and is honored through
out the world.
Smithfield and Johnston County
are to be congratulated that Mr. Bry
an is to speak here. The hour will
probably be at 2:30 o'clock in the af
ternoon of Thursday, April 25th. The
place the Center Brick Warehouse.
It is expected that thero will be a
great throng of people to hear Amer
ica's foremost orator. The proceeds
will go for the benefit of Turlington
Graded School.
ITEMS FROM FOUR OAKS.
Death of Mr. Ransom Wallace. Sever
al Boys Home for a Visit to Rela
tives and Friends.
Four Oaks, March 27. ? Mr. Lenzy
Cole, one of Uncle Sam's sailor boys,
spent last week here with relatives
and friends.
Hunter Strickland, who is in school
at Oak Ridge, spent Vhe week-end
here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
E. F. Strickland.
Mr. W. E. Barbour made a business
trip to Raleigh Friday.
Mr. Robbie Massengill, who is in
the Navy at Norfolk, spent last week
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. A.
Massengill.
Lieut. J. W. Stanley, of Camp Se
vier, is here for a five days furlough
to see his wife who is very sick.
Attorney James A. Wellons and
Sheriff Grimes, of Smithfield, were
in town Tuesday. ?
The many friends of Lena Barbour
will be glad to learn that she is get
ting along nicely after an operation
at a Raleigh hospital for appendicitis.
Lieut. H. B. Adams, of Camp Gor
don, spent Saturday and Sunday here
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. B.
Adams.
Mr. Paul Davis left Wednesday for
Boston, Mass., to enter the Aviation
Corps.
Mr. Ransom Wallace, one of Four
Oaks, oldest citizens, died at his home
here Friday evening and was buried
Saturday at the family burial ground.
Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Adams are visit
ing their daughter, Mrs. Ben F. Roy
all at Morehead City.
Attorney J. D. Parker, of Smith
field, will address the Junior Order
of Four Oaks Council 337, Sunday af
ternoon, April 7, at 3 o'clock, at the
school building. Everybody invited to
attend.
Mr. Carol Barbour, of Camp Jack
son, is at horn? for a fdw days shak
ing hands with his friends.
Messrs. Dalton Lee, Tom Canadav,
Shade and Jeff Lassiter and Rev. W.
R. Coats, have returned from Toledo,
Ohio, and Detriot, Mich.
Mrs. Metrice Barbour spent Sunday
in Smithfield with her sister, Mrs. O.
E. Matthews. *
BOMBARDMENT OF PARIS
SURPRISE TO GERMANY
People There Knew Nothing Ahout
Monster Cannon ? Newspapers
Unable to Give Information.
London, March 26. ? A dispatch to
the Exchange Telegraph from Copen
hagen says:
"The bombardment of Paris by a
long-range gun was as great a sur
prise to Germany as to other parts of
the world. The Berlin Vorwaerts says
that had the statement not been of
ficially confirmed it would have been
considered an unusually heavy war lie
The Berlin Lokal Ajizeiger, which
like the other German newspapers, is
unable to give any information about
the construction of the gun, says the
cannon must be provided with very
long bore as the shells travel 1 1-2
kilometres per second."
BIG W. S. S. DRIVE ON 1
Great Effort to Be Made Next
Week for Sale of War Sav
ings Stamps
Committees and Teams to Make
Canvass of Townships. 1
The several teams "and committees
appointed hero last Monday are get
ting down to work in earnest to make
the big drive all over Johnston Coun
ty for War Savings Stamps next week.
It is the intention of the County Cen
tral Committee to try to get half of
Johnston's quota sold and pledged
next week.
Every team is expected to make a
report of the progress made to Chair
man Ragsdale tomorrow. Another,
and final report is to be made next
Saturday, April 6th.
The amount of money which is ex
pected to be raised for the Govern
ment this year through the War Sav
ings plan is as follows:
United States $2,000,000,000
North Carolina ...48,538.314
Johnston County 910.822
Banner Township 64,966
Bcntonsville Township 30,296
Beulah Township 78,474
Boon Hill Township 75,966
Clayton Township 100,364
Cleveland Township 30,008
Elevation Township 51,062
Ingrams Township 62,964
Meadow Township 39,710
Oneals Township 69,080
Pine Level Township 25,564
Pleasant Grove Township 34,234
Selma Township 74,690
Smithfielu Township 103,576
Wilders Township 44,902
Wilson's Mills Township 25,936
Clayton (town included in
township 31,700
Selma (town included in
township) 29,282
Smithfield (town included in
township) 29,634
Micro Township was created after
the 1910 Census. Its part may be as
certained by multiplying its present
population by $20. The apportion
ment to the townships out of which
Micro was made must, of course, be
diminished accordingly.
DEATH OF BENSON CITIZEN.
I)r. F .T. Moore, Prominent Physi
cian and Public Spirited Man Died
Last Week.
Benson, March 23. ? Dr. F. T.
Moore died at his home here Thurs
day afternoon and was buried at Dunn
Friday afternoon at three o'clock. The
funeral services were conducted by his
pastor, Rev. A T. Lassiter, in the
Presbyterian church here. The pri
mary cause of his death was heart
failure, of which he had been suffering
for years, accelerated by an attack of
several drys.
Dr. Moore was 62 years of age and
is survived by his wife, Mrs. Addie
Moore, who was Miss Addie Adams
before her marriage 32 years agj to
Dr. Moore. One child died at the age
of eighteen months 27 years ago.
Dr. Moore had lived here eighteen
years, having moved here from Dunn.
LaGrippe from which he suffered f-)r
doctors and citizens in Johnston coun
ty and was well and favorably known
throughout this entire section. He was
a member of the Presbyterian church
here, being teacher of the Bible class
of the Sunday school of that church
He was also a member of the board cf
trustees of the graded school here and
was serving his second term. He was
at one time a member of the town
board of aldermen and helped to steer
the affairs of the town at a time when
a great battle was on between lawless
ness and right.
The entire town feels the great loss
i 'aused by the passing of one of its
i 'eloved sons. All business houses were
I 'losed from one o'clock until two
; hirty while the funeral services were
? :n progress.
His great heart, broad vision, kind
ly disposition and the fortitude v/ith
which ho bore his affliction and the
readiness with which he served hu
manity, both rich and poor, endear
, him for all time in the hearts of every
ionc.
Tho number of Filipinos emif?rntint?
'o Hawaii since 1909, when the move
. .nent started, has reached a total of
1 23,025. ' ^
EVENTS OF THE WEEK IN SELMA
\ew Paper to lie Called "The John
stonian" Which will Appear About
May Int. Personal Items of Inter
est.
Selma, March 27. ? Messrs. C. A.
Wilson and R. M. Oncal returned Tues
day from Coatsville, Pa., where they
have been employed.
Messrs. F. B. Whitley and S. B.
Creech spent Tuesday in Raleigh on
business.
Miss Alice Kirby returned Tuesday
to her school in Oxford, after spend
ing a few days with her parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Chas. F. Kirby.
Mr. R. H. Biggs, of Wendell, was
a business visitor here for a few hours
Monday.
Messrs. J. I. Barnes and J. B. Bar
bour, of Clayton, were here Tuesday
for a few hours on business.
Mr. Rogor II. Burriss, of Raleigh,
who will be editor of Selma's new pap
er, The Johnstonian, is in Selma this
week. He will move his family here
in the near future.
Mr. and Mrs. W. II. Pool, Jr., spent
Sunday in Wilders township with rel
atives and friends.
Mrs. L. D. Debnam spent Tuesday
in Raleigh shopping.
Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Morgan return
ed Sunday from Wilson where they
had been visiting their daughter, Mrs.
C. D. Wood.
Attorney E. J. Wellons, of Smith
field, was here Monday for a few hours
on business.
Mr. Joe Pearce was among the
young men sent to Camp Jackson
last Saturday by Local Board No. 2.
Mr. Pearce has three brothers al
ready in the scrvice, two in the army
and one in the navy.
Local Board No. 2 will send their
first consignment of negroes to Cnmp
Grant, 111., next Saturday, March 30th
The original date of entrainmcnt
was March 31st, but a recent order
of the' War Department changed this
date to Saturday, March 30th.
Messrs. N. E. Edgerton and L. D.
Debnam spent Wednesday morning in
Benson and Dunn on business.
The City Fathers are to be com
mended for having the watering
trough at the First National Bank
connected with the city water supply,
and providing means for the farmers
and others to water their stock when
in town. The trough is conveniently
located, and will be appreciated by
those who drive here from the country.
Judge Gilbert T. Stephenson, of
Winston-Salem, spoke here Monday
night on the War Savings Campaign
to a packed audience in the City Hall.
The speech was enjoyed by the fiu
dience and around $10,000 was sub
scribed for War Savings Stamps.
The Oxford Orphanage Singing
Class will appear at the City Hall,
Friday night, March 29th. The enter
tainment promises to be patriotic r.nd
entertaining, and doubtless a good at
tendance will hear them. The enter
tainment begins promptly at 8:30
o'clock and admission will be 15, 25
and 35 cents.
A meeting of the stockholders of
Selma's newspaper was held in the
Merchants Association office Tuesday
night with a good percentage of the
stockholders present. Various com
mittees were appointed to secure the
character, collect the money from the
stockholders, etc. The corporation will
be namod The Johnstonian Publishing
Company, and the name of the paper
will be The Johnstonian. The equip
ment for the plant will be bought
promptly, and it is hoped to be ready
to issue the paper by May 1st. Anoth
er meeting of the stockholders will be
called in few days for urpose of elect
ing the officers.
Death Near Moore's School House.
On March 20 our community was
made sad by the almost sudden and
unexpected death of Mr. Hubert Nar
ron. He was a son of Mr. Wiley Nar
ron and brother to Messrs. Jarvis,
Newsom and Langley Narron, all
well known merchants of Johnston
County, and was brother to Davis and
Boon Narron and Mrs. Charley Bailey.
He was a young man only about twen
ty eight years of ape, well known in
this section of the County and very
much admired by his many young
friends. His funeral was preached
Thursday, March 21, to a large con
gregation of people at Mizpah Pres
byterian church by Rev. C. E. Clark,
and he was buried in Mizpah church
cemetery. X.
HEAVY GERMAN LOSSES
lighting; Continues Sanguinary
But the British and French
Lines Still Hold.
rOWN OF ALBERT IS LOST
jlermans Make Other Gains But
Suffer Various Repulses at
Hands of British
ENEMY LOSSES ENORMOUS
Killed, Wounded and Captured
Placed at More than 400,000
Tho news of Wednesday's war
event* is thus summarized for Thurs
Jay's dailies by the Associated Press:
The strength of the German offen
sive in France apparently is fast di
minishing'. On the seventh day of
the titanic battle there were strong
indications that the enemy was feel
ing materially thu strain he had under
gone and that his power had been
greatly impaired through hard usage.
While the town of Albert has been
captured from the British and west
of Roye the French have been com
pelled to give ground in the face of
greatly superior numbers, the British
have repulsed heavy attacks, both
north and south of the Somme, and
also driven back across the Ancre
river the Germans who forded the
stream Wednesday.
Fighting Still Sanguinary.
The fighting still continues of a
sanguinary character on all these sec
tors but everywhere the British and
French are holding the enemy. Es
pecially severe has been the fighting
west of Albert, where the Germans
in an endeavor to debouch westward,
were repulsed by Field Marshal Haig's
men with the heaviest casualties.
Two Towns Recaptured.
The British gains between the
Somme and Ancre regions are repre
sented by the recapture of the town
of Marlancourt and Chipilly. South
of the Somme they have advanced to
Proyart, which lies to the south of
Bray.
Country Re-devastated.
All along- the 50-mile front from
the region of Arras to the south of
the Oise near Noyon the effects of
what wa 3to have been the final stroke
to end the war in a victory for the
Teutons are only too plainly evident
in the re-devastation of the country
side and the wreck and ruin of the
towns, villages and hamlets through
which the armies have passed.
Westward from where the old battle
line reared itself the Germans every
were have pushed forward for mate
rial gains, bui- with foes before them
who fought with the greatest bravery
and stubbornness and ceded no ground
unless recompensed at usurious rates
in men killed, wounded or made pris
oner. It is estimated that in the
great attacks delivered in mass for
mation more than 400,000 of the nearly
a million men the Germans threw into
the fray are dead, wounded or in the
hands of their foes.
Enemy Flanks Dangerously Open
About 25 miles represents the great
est point of concentration ma e at any
place by th-* enemy in his advance, and
on the nortern and southern ends of
the big salient he has left his flanks
dangerously open to counterattacks
which, if successful, possibly might re
sult in a retreat greater than the 1916
retrograde movement of Von Hinden
burg and nullify in its entirety the
drive thr.t has been accomplished. It
is not improbable that British r.nd
French reserves and possibly Amer
ican troops, known to be behind the
battle front, soon will be thrown
against the weakened enemy.
Notwithstanding the strength of
the Germar. drive nowhere has the
British or French front, along the lat
ter of which American troops have
given a good account of their ability
as fighters boen dented. Ground has
been given, it is true, but so skilfully
and with such precision of move
ment that from north to south a sur
veyor scarcely could havo worked out
a more even line. Still intnet in the
hands of the allied forces are portions
of the old line from which Hir den
burg fell back in his "strategic" re
tirement in 101?>.
The five days' Red Cross drive in
the Philippine Islands enrolled more
fian 7,000 new members.