GERMANS BOMBARD
THE LENS SECTOR
Nothing of Special Importance
Done In Monday's Fight ing
on the Western Front.
GAS SHELLS ARE AGAIN
I'SEl) BY GERMAN FORCE
Surprise Attack on Americans
? Is Stopped on Sector North
west of Toul. Artillery
Duel Kept up for
Hours.
(News and Observer.)
Berlin, via London, Apr. 8. ? The
powerful German pressure along the
Oise is forcing .the French back r.t the
lower outskirts of Coucy Wood, ac
cording to the official report from
general headquarters this evening.
London, Apr. 8. ? "Except for hos
tile artillery activity on different
parts of the battle front, and especial
ly in the neighborhood of Bocquoy,"
says Field Marshal Haig's statement
from France tonight, "there is noth
ing of special interest to report."
With the British Army in Fi-ance,
April 8. ? (By the Associated Press.)
? From 8 o'clock last night until mid
night the enemy heavily bombarded
with gas shells the area between Cite
St. Emilie and La Bassee canal, in the
Lens sector. The Gel-mans also threw
large quantities of gas east of Ar
mentieres. The hostile artillery fire
was above normal along the whole
stretch of battle front north of the
Scarpe.
Late last night the Germans guns
also were very active in the area
south of Villers-Bretonneux, below
the Somme. Again this morning at
4:50 o'clock the German gunners op
ened a terrific fire southwest of Han
gard wood. About an hour later the
hostile artillery broke out against
the French front just south of the
British.
Throughout Sunday the German
cannonade was unusually heavy in the
region of Arras.
With the American Army in France
Apr. 8. ? A large German patrol at
tempted a surprise attack on the
American outposts in the sector north
west of Toul early this morning but
was dispersed without being able to
reach any of the American positions.
A corporal is a listening post saw
the Germans approaching. He waited
until they were within a few yards of
them and then challenged. The enemy
answered with rifle fire; hereupon
t.he American outposts open with
heavy machine gun and automomatic
fire, scattering the Germans and driv
ing them back to their own lines.
A violent artillery duel went on
all through the night along the whole
length of the American front. The
Germans threw more shells into the
American positions than in any sim
ilar period for the past few months,
The American batteries replied vig
orously.
Creech in Censor Service.
S. R. Winters, writing from Wash
ington to the News and Observer
says:
F. Hunter Creech, formerly of
Smithfield, N. C., and one of the clev
erest Tar Heels in Washington, has
been called into active service as
chief Yocman of the United States
naval reserves forces. He was assign
ed to duty today with the cable cen
sor.
Mr. Creech was formerly clerk to
the house committee on claims and
later because identified with the
federal trade commission. Recently,
Mr. Creech has been practicing law
in Washington, having prominent
connections in departmental practice.
He has been very proficient in this
work.| He urotmed from Smithfield
in September, 1917, and was engaged
in this business until he enlisted in
the service in March of this year.
He has a multitude of friends in John
ston County and elsewhere in North
Carolina.
Only a slacker could stand idly \m
the sidewalk and criticise as the
army of workers marches by.
COUNTY -WIDE TAX ELECTION.
Ordered for Special County Tax to
Supplement the County Fund. In
Order to Raise Teachers' Salaries.
(By L. T. Royall.)
I believe that the fairness and the
fundamental justice of the proposed
plan of a county-wide tax will appeal
to the intelligence and the sense of
justice of the people of Johnston
County.
Everyone knows our teachers are
poorly paid, more so than any other
class, when you take into considera
tion the preparation and the expense
before one even starts to teach, then
the expense of living. The high price
of board and everything else has ad
vanced in proportion sotnat our teach
ers in all parts of the county are say
ing they are not going to teach an
other year unless better salaries are
paid. Many are preparing to take
government positions and other work
where they will have a position the
year round and a better salary.
There are those who are very en
thusiastic for the tax and see the ne
cessity of raising more money, rather
than close some of our schools at
this critical time, which if done many
boys and girls will not have any op
portunity of a school and thus weaken
their community. There are others
who want schools, yet s:'y in view
of the war that it will not be wise for
us to have taxes added at this time.
These have forgotten that there is
more money in the country than ever
before, and that where the teachers
had to pay heretofore six to ten
dollars per month for board they are
averaging sixteen to twenty per
month. France, in the face of the
war, has doubled its school taxes.
This does not mean for our schools
to be lengthened but better salaries
paid the teachers. We have one school
where the principal was paid $40 per
month and assistant $30. I do not see
how the school can pay its teachers
unless more funds are raised in some
way. We have a one-teacher school
in the county, where the teacher was
paid $35 per month. We have schools
like this all over the county, and in
dications are that unless something is
done these schools will have to close
or be supplied with inferior teachers,
and you know this is not economy.
Which is the better thing to do, to
close our schools and let our chil
dren grow up in ignorance or make
this little sacrifice and keep our
schools going!
Every Special Tax district can low
er its tax levy to the mount of the
county tax simply by a majority of
the committee asking this of the com
missioners, or County Superintendent
who will ask for you.
When there is a county-wide tax the
rural districts will get a large amount
of funds from the railroads and in
corporations than they would from
a local tax. These funds wil be dis
tributed the same as the general
county fund.
It is true that we have already tax
es for many things, but above all our
school tax is spent in such a way that
every community in the county re
ceives a larger proportion from ev
ery dollar than that of any tax paid.
Often we pay for bridges that we
never cross, but the school fund
comes to every man's home. Let us
think of all these things and cast
our vote in the right direction.
Piney Grove School.
The Piney Grove School Commence
ment will begin Sunday, April the
fourteenth with the commencement
sermon by Rev. R. A. McLeod, of
Fayetteville. The school exercises
will be the following Wednesday and
Wednesday night:
The morning hours will be taken
up by the Junior Order of Smithfield
in the presentation of a Bible and
Flag to the school.
In the afternoon Prof. M. B. An
drews, of Kenly, will deliver the
commencement address. This will
be followed by the Primary exercises.
The Declamation and Recitation
contest and exercises by the older
pupils will be Wednesday night.
The public is cordially invited.
FAYETTEVILLE RAISES
$250,000 7IRST DAY.
Fayetteville, April 6. ? Fayette
ville's first day's subscription to the
third Liberty loan approximrted
$250,000, chairman H. L. Cooke of the
local committee announced tonight.
AFTER THREE DAYS
FIGHTING SLOWS UP
Attention of Germans for Pres
ent is Mainly Directed to
End of Battle Zone.
FOCH NOT TO HE DRAWN
INTO ANY FALSE MOVE.
Great General Is Sure of His
Ground and Will Strike
When He i* Ready.
The second phase of the great bat
tle along the Sorame, which the Ger
mans began on Thursday last, has
died down. It lasted less than three
days, and the fighting has resolved
itself into more or less isolated en
gagements in which the French and
British allies have more than held
their own.
The attention of the Germans for the
present is mainly directed tt the low
er end of the battle zone, which ap
parently they are attempting to en
large for the purpose of geting elbow
room in which to move their vast
masses of troops.
Meanwhile, Genei-al Foch, the com
mander-inchief of the allies, is biding
his time, meeting the German assaults
with powerful resistance, and here
and there conforming his lines to the
necessities of the battle. It is confi
dently stated at Paris that Fcch will
not be drawn into any false move ?
where each move is of such vital im
ports' no^ ? but will strike with his re
serves at the moment choscn by h;m.
Kaiser to Rumania!
There may be some significance in
the report that the German emperor
after a conference on the we3i.ern
front on Saturday with his chiefs,
von Hundenburg and Ludendorflf, in
tends to proc<"ed to Rumania. At the
outset of the great German offensive,
when it was sweeping the allied
forces before it, notwithstanding their
tenacious resistance. Emperor Wil
liam, it was announced officially from
Berlin was in supreme command.
That announcement was regarded at
the time as evidence that the emper
or expected a complete and decisive
victory. Since then, however, British
and French and American reinforce
ments have come up.
The British on Sunday engaged in
sharp fighting at various points and
repulsed German counter attacks.
They also drove off by artillery fire
two German attacks launched in tlfe
neighborhood of Buequoy.
French Withdraw.
West of Noyon a German detach
ment which had gained a football in
the French lines, was forced out by a
counter attack. Another attack at
Grivesnes was repulsed, but the Ger
man efforts along the Oise to enlarge
their previous gains were continued
in the sector between Chauny and Bar
isis. Here the French commander
deemed it advisable to withdraw to
positions previously prepared, and
these are Ibeing held strongly.
The official communication from
German headquarters deals with the
events of Saturday, when strong
British infantry forces stormed the
German positions around Beaumont
Hamel and Albert, and French divis
ions "brought up from other fronts,"
attacked the Germans on the west
ern bank of the Avre. These engage
ments, according to the Germr.n re
port, resulted in failure for the allies.
On the other hand, Field Marshal
Haig's report says that a German
attack on the British lines opposite
Albert Saturday was repulsed and
that British counter attacks in Aveluy
wood placed the British in position
formerly held by them.
German Troops Pour Into Finland.
German troops still are being
poured into Finland, and although the
Russian authorities have made no
formal protest, they have notified the
German government that exception
is taken to the violation by Germany
of provisions of the Brent-Litovsk
treaty in guaranteeing the security
of the Russian fleet and naval stores
in Finnish waters.
Polish soldiers have been interned
in Hungary, their legions having been
dissolved by the Teutonic military
authorities because of "wholesale
treason in the ranks." ? Associated
Pre?s Summary.
We must meet sacrifice r.t the front
with sacrifice at hom*.
I 4
ACHIEVEMENTS OF
FIRST YEAR OF WAR
Increase of Army From 200,
000 to Million and Half and
Ten Million Registered.
EXPANSION OF NAVY HAS
WON MERITED PRAISE
Survey of What Has Been Done
Since Declaration of War
Just One Year Ago.
Washington, April (5 ? The first an
niversary of the entrance of the Unit
ed States into the war finds the great
resources of the country just coming
into the struggle but rapidly being
prepared.
The ;.ehievements of the first year
are chiefly divided between the Army,
which has been supplying and train
ing forces; the Navy which has been
hunting the submarine and conveying
troops and supplies to Europe, the
Shipping Board which has been build
ing a merchant marine, and the Treas
ury which has been advancing credits
to the Allies.
In all ether deartment of the gov
ernment there has been a tremendous
effort to bring all the force of the
country's resources and power to the
aid of the actual fighting machine.
For military reasons it is not per
missible to state the exact number
of American troops in France with
General Pershing's expedition, but
Secretary Baker, in recent testimony
before the Senate Military Committee
predicted half a million men would be
there early this year and that another
million would be ready to go during
the year.
American troops have taken up sev
eral positions on the fighting line in
France, have occupied a sector of their
own northwest of Toul, and have had
numerous encounters with the Ger
mans. Official statements from Brit
ish and German army headquarters
have shown that certain American
fighting forces were thrown into the
battle brought on by the great Ger
man offensive this spring, the British
war office firsl; reportingfthem as fight
ing shoulder to shoulder with the
British and French troops in the vi
cinity of Roye.
By referring to the combined forces
of the regular army and national
guard a year ago, and comparing the
strength of the regular army now,
the national guard mustered ir>fo Fed
eral service, and the men of the first
draft in cantonments, it is apparent
that the total number of ready fight
ing men has been increased from a
meager two hundred thousand to
something like a million and a half,
with about ten million men register
ed under the draft still available for
calls to the colors.
Military experts have estimated
that should tho war be prolonp;ed
and it become necessary for the Unit
ed States to assume the burden of
carrying on the conflict an army of
five million men would not be improb
able. The immense and sudden expan
sion of the army has not been without
criticism but, it is declared this was
expected in ilieconsersion into .i fight
ing force of a nation traditionally
welded to the pursuits of peace.
The expansion of the naval force
has been characterized in Congress
by many as praiseworthy. The exact
details, here too, are shrouded in se
crecy as a military measure, but it is
well known that an emergency war
building program has bc?n pushed
with such rapidity that the United
States is well on the way to a place
second only to Great Britain as a nav
al force, and that in destroyers alone
? most proved and deadly weapon of
the submarine, ? and the navy by next
year will have the greatest fleet on
the seven seas . Since the United States
went to war, the navy has placed
contracts for practically a thousand
vessels, and besides that took charge
of repairing the seized German and
Austrian ships damaged by their
crrws at the orders of the Gorman
government.
The case of the great liner Vatcr
land, now the United States ship Le
viathan, is a fair example of the ef
ficiency and speed with which the
naval engineers conducted that work.
When the Germans finished their
work cf destruction the Vnterland's
conmmander remarked he would take
his hat off to the Americans who
could put the ship in shape in time to
be of any service.
Within six months from the time
his words were spoken the Vaterland
was in running order and since, the
navy has announced, has carried num
beis of American troops and great
quantities of supplies to the fighting
lines in France.
By taking the ships and men of the
coast guard into its fleets, by merging
of navel volunteers and naval militia,
and with the growth of the marine
corps, the navy has expended its for
ces practically five times since the
country went to war.
In its immense task of conveying
troops there have been some losses,
notably the Tuscania and the Antil
les, but the losses of life have been
fortunately small in comparison with
the numbers of troops transported.
At the same time the American de
stroyers, working with the British in
the submarine zone, have made them
selves a terror to the undersea boats.
How many of these craft they have
accounted for remain a military sec
ret.
The Treasury, concerned with fin
ancing the war, has raised from Lib
erty Bonds and War Savings Stamps
sales more than $8,000,000,000, and
on this, the first anniversary of the
declaration of war on Germany, is
launching the third Liberty Loan.
Treasury estimates put the expense
of the first year of the war at about
$12,000,000,000,000 exclusive of the
advance to the allies.
These advances to all the allies
have totalled, up to the close of March
$4,y<;0,()00,000. The United States has
been secured with the bonds or obli
gations of the countries to which the
money was advanced. More than
$125,000,000 of the sum went to Rus
sia before the debacle put the coun
try out of the war. What return the
United States will get, if any, is con
sidered doubtful.
Chairman Hurley of the Shipping
Board, in a recent speech in New
York, at which he outlined the ship
building program fully for the first
time, declared the groat building pro
gram which is to make the bridge of
ships to France, is 28 per cent toward
completion. He pointed out the mag
nitude of the task by recalling that
the Shipping Board is building in a
year, a greater organization than the
Steel Corporation has been able to
build up in more than twenty years.
The recent disclosure by the British
Admiralty that German submarines
actually are destroying the world's
shipping twice as fast as it is being
built is the spur which is expected
to put the full force of the country
at this vital task.
Beside the work of the executive
department of the government, the
year has seen tremendous strides in
the mobilization of labor, industry,
science and invention with the sole
aim of winning the war. Hundred.! of
business and professional men have
given up private interests to serve the
government at nominal pay. Business
and manufacture has given the best
of its secrets. Whatever criticism has
been made of the lack of co-ordina
tion of all these tremendous resources
and power, none ever has charged
that private interest has withheld
them.
What is expected to be one of the
mightiest weapons toward winning
the war is the War Trade Board,
created for the purpose of cutting off
supplies to Germany through the ad
jacent neutrals. As the war goes on
officials say, the work of this organi
zation cannot be overestimated.
A year, of war, all officials concede,
finds shortcomings and defects, but it
ip contend-xl no more than might have
been expcctcd from ap peaceful na
tion suddenly reorganized to a war
basis.
Presidf-nt Wilson in a recent dec
laration pronounced the present year
the vital one in the winning of the
war. As the resources of America
are now being gathered, to get to the
battle fronts with a mighty rush,
they are fully expected to carry the
Allies through to victory.
To Sprak at Rock Hill School.
We are glad to announce thit Mr.
S. A. Cotton, of Smithfield, will speak
at Rock Hill school house on Friday
night. April 15, at eight o'cl ick, on
the War. Everybody is invited. Free
to all. Mr. Cotton is a good speaker
and no one should miss hearing him.
Conservation, Concentration, and
consecration ? for the sake of those at
the front.
150,000 WILL BE
CALLED IN APRIL
_ _
j This Number of Selectmen to be
Mobilized During Five Days
Beginning April 26.
5,051 FROM THIS STATE.
The Call is Three Times as
Large as Originally Planned
Owing to the Urgent
Need of the Allies
for More Men.
Approximately 150,000 men will be
sent to training camps during the
five days period beginning April 26
under orders sent out Saturday
by Provost Marshal General Crow
der for mobilization of the April
call of the second draft. This is three
times the number it was originally
planned to call and is nearly twice
the monthly quota as baked on the
calling of 800,000 men over a pre
vious call of nine months.
Calling out of the increased num
ber was made necessary by the de
cision of President Wilson to respond
without delay to the need of France
and Gri>at Britain for reinforcements
in the great battle in Picardy. Vacan
cies in National Army divisions re
sulting from the withdrawal of men
to complete National Guard and regu
lar army units and for the formation
of special technical units asked by
General Perishing will be made good
by the April draft. Those divisions
farthest advanced in training are to
receive first attention in order that
the maximum number of complete un
its may be sent abroad soon.
Failure of Congress to pnss the
amendment to the selective service act,
which would permit the fixation of
state quotas on the number of men in
class one, necessiated temporary ad
herence to the old system. Local
boards have been officially addressed
however, that they are* to ignore
"quotas" for the time being and to
simply continue calling up men un
til they have obtained the number
they have been instructed to forward.
When a basis for establishing credit
against future increments will be giv
en for those already called.
Among the men to be called will be
approximately 116,700 whites and 33,
700 negroes. Pennsylvania leads with
10,965; Ohio is second with 10,302
and New York third with 10,171.
North Carolina is asked for 5,054;
South Carolina 1,869. ? Washing
ton Dispatch.
THE NEWS IN KENLY.
Kenly, April 5. ? The last literary
society program of the present school
year was rendered Friday afternoon.
The question for debate in the Rol
lins Society was: "Resolved, That
Sugar should be allowed to come into
the United States without the pay
ment of tariff duty." The judges de
cided two to one in favor of the af
firmative. The members of this so
ciety voted unanimously to entertain
the members of the Thalian Society
next Friday night in the reception
hall of the school Dormitory. Every
student of the high school ? whether
in school now or not ? will be invited
to be present.
Miss Etta Godwin, of the tenth
grade, has been elected secretary of
her class to succeed Joe Broadwell,
who left school several days ago. Mr.
Broadwell has not been definitely
heard from since he left; a verbal re
port, however, states that- he was
recently seen by a citizen of Kenly at
Camp Jackson, but he was not in
service.
Friday afternoon the Lucama bas
ketball team played our team on the
Kenly court. The score was 16 to 5
in favor of Kenly.
Wednesday night, Prof. M. B. An
drews made a patriotic talk to the
people in the community around the
Hickory Cross schoolhouse. Much in
terest and enthusiasm were manifest
ed.
Mr. and Mrs. M. B. Andrews, with
their little son, Melvin Bushell, are
spending the week-end in Goldsboro,
visiting Lieutenant Thomas B. Dan
iels, brother to Mrs. Andrews, who is
home on a short vacation before sail
ing for France.
"The Allies are all in the same
boat, a long way from shore and on
limited rations" ? and Uncle Sum is
running the relief ship.