ESTABLISHED 1 896.
MARION. , N. C, THURSDAY, OCT, 24, 1918
iyOL: XXIII NO. 9
ft:
SUCCESS ON ALL FRONTS
Northern Belgium' Being Cleared
. ; of Germans 15,000 Intern-?
r ed in Holland. ; -tT ?
1 - . , .-",,'
The allies are driving the enemy
back on vital sections, the Ameri
can and British tanks playing an
important part.
Acco rd ing to ; Associated Press
summary victory - croons allied
arms on every battlefront. " North
ern Belgium is being rapidly clear
ed of the enemy by British forces.
Belgians have occupied Zeebrngge
and Heys;; and ' have, crossed the
Ghent-Bruges canal and on their
left have reached the Dutch fron
tier, where "15,000 Germans, cut
off from their retreat by the ad
vance northward from Eecloo, are
reported to have withdrawn into
Holland, where they were interned,
-v Ghent, it is predicted from Brit
ish headquarters, -will falL at an
early date and- the French by : a
swift stroke along an extended line
: have put their forces -within two
miles of Touynia. Thielt is in the
hands of the French, despite stub
born enemy resistance, as - well as
thef high ground round about. :
British troops have, crossed the
' Selle river, have reconquered Sol
esfes and have had hard fighting
not only in the section around that
town but at t. Python to the east.
Here the . British have captured
Since the beginning of the oper
ations in Flanders the allies have
made an advance of more than SO
miles over a 50-mile front, clearing
: all of western Flanders, as well as
the coast of the enemy.
v Mr. Weaver Declines -Mr; Britt's
Challenge for Political Debates.
- Asbeville, Oct. 16.1 Replying to
James J. Britt's challenge to a
joint debate Representative Zebu-.
Ion Weaver tonight declined to be-,
come a 'party to any : agreement
by which the people of this district
may be distracted from the task of
'winning the war,' by a bitter par
tisan contest. n: Mr. Weaver says
, in his letter that he is surprised
that Mr. Brit t waited to make this
.pVoposal till this late day when a
serious epidemic is raging through
out the lOth'district and the health
department is prohibiting all public
meetings. Of the two issues pro
posed by hi3 opponent ; for debate
are the war matters and the dis
puted congressional electron of
1916. ";x -.v;:-:i-'
Mr. Weaver says his war record
- speaks for itself and that the issues
of the last congressional election
in the ;10th ,inave beenr decided
. againsVMr. J5ritt in the courts.
Mr. Weaverstates that he would
take much -pleasure in meeting his
adversary on the stump if he did
not believe it his duty to devote
his energies to patriotic causes.
War Hits Germany Hard. : -
Three million Germans have died
in the warzdne. "Sickness and Sis
e33 due to hardships and food
troubles have run the deaths among
tho civilian population to a million
beyond tha pre-war average, and
lowered the births by three and a
thiril million a" year. In. tho ordi
nary conrs3 of events, Germany's
poDulation in 1919 would b3 seven-ty-trro
million souls; under war
ccnditicnrit will b? a full seven
million hzz than thatCure. ;
United War Work Campaign 7
Active steps will be taken at
once jn completing ; the organiza
tion for the First : United War
Work Campaign, set for, the week
of November 11-1$. . This is the
greatest drive for funds eyer asked
any people in, the history of .the
world and the same 'patriotic and
self-denial spirit that has put over
meiop, every war measure inusier the jcondiUons which the central
far is going to put across this tre
mendous drive. r r
I President : Wilson's . f arsighteid
ness in combining the welfare or
ganizations for one united drive is
pow being . recognized more and
more. It is for the boys in khaki
and the boys in the navy blue, ir
respective of beliefs, creeds; it is
for them only that the Y. M. C.
A., Y. W; C. A., Knights of Co
lumbus, Jewish Velfare Board,
War Camo Community Service,
American Library Association and
the Salvation Army are working.
They are all, in helping the boys,
making, it easier and quicker for
them to win this war.
There has never in the t history
of the world, been an army like the
American army , of toctajf. With
out undue' boasting it is the clean
est, morally and 'physically,- army
of them all and the best equipped
and to top all its morale, or esprit
d'eorps, is not surpassed. The
work of the welfare organizations
is directly responsible f or.nnich, of
this splendid showing. In the
camps a man's a man tor a' mat"
and he is welcome in any welfare
building irrespective of his belief..
The men have taken long strides
ahead of the folks back home 'in
this respect..' In "Y" buildings at
one camp on Sunday there would
be first early Mass, then an Episco
pal communion service, and then
the regimental service by the chap
lain. All these in the morning.
In the afternoon a bible class by
the Y" man and, a room where
members of the Hebrew faith gath-
cred for-worship. In the evening
a Y. M. C. A. service. All under
one roof, on the same day, and all
worshiping God. " -
. And so just as the boys in the
camps have broadened, this bring
ing together for one purpose that
of receiving funds to make it easier
for. the boys, cannot but help bring
the American people into a closer
s p i r i 1 6 f broth er hood , o f less o f th e
self and more of the brother man,
less of the world and more of a !
Christain. '
Baptist Drive ' Starts When Quar
antine is Lifted.
Ealeigh, Oct. .20. The : headr
quarters of the million dollar cam
paign for the Baptist schools in
the state has been the scene of
much activity daring the past week.
.The managers of the ; movement
have been taking advantage of the
loll in activities on the Outside oc
casioned by the influenza epidemic,
to' prepare posters, forms, - and
other needed campaign material.
. It is expected that on the second
Sunday after quarantine is -lifted
from' the churches in the various
sections the intensive drive will be
put on, and put across in the short
est time possible. ..' . ' .' ;
' CJongressional leaders , have a-
greed to, adjourn Congress the 29th 1
until Nojernber 12, after the elec:
tions.' - ' ' ,' : , :
NO PEACE WITR AUSTRIA
President Wilson Rejects Offer for
f Armistice, jThere" H avj ng Been
. a Change i ri Condition s, -a
w aamnExon.- vn? me erw, .appar
ently, of the coming of the peace note
from Germany; President" IVllsoi has
rejected the plea, of Austria-Hungary
for. an: armistice and -. peace ; negotia-
tiOM'And ill tistlmr so Vi a a -m o r? a o1oi.
powers must' meet to end the -war.
InTa note made public soon after? it
was' well on the way to Vienna the
.President In effect says tnere can be
no talk of peace with the Austro-Hun
garlan government : except: upon the
basis of complete liberty for Czecho
Sloyaks and other subject national!
ties as free members of the family of
nations. ' He refuses to entertain the
Austro-Hu&garain suggestion for this
reason without discussing the" military
questions dealt With In the" reply to
Germany. - - :!
The Vienna" goyemment' asked for
3 ecotlations on the basis ot the presl
dent's announced program of peace,
mentioning the speech of January 8,
last, in which the President said the
peoples of Austria-Hungary should be
accorded the freest opportunity for
autonomous development., The reply
says this Is impossible ; that the
Czecho-Slovak national council has
been recognized, as a de facto bellig
erent government, the Justice of the
nationalistic aspirations of the Jugo
slavs has been recognized and mere
autonomy no longer can be accepted.
This declaration which may. be far
reaching in its effect upon Austria-
Hungary, where . long enslaved peoples
apparently are nearly . ready to sweep
away the hated dual monarchy ana
the HapsbuTg dynasty clears up what
some critics, of the. President's policy
xave pointed to as a - source of end
less controversy in - his " program of
peace. It comes one day after the
proclamation of vEmperor Karl federal
izing the Austrian . states In a desper
ate effort to save his government at
borne and at the same time prepare
th way for peace. "
REPORTS ARE CURRENT THAT
GERMANY HAS ALSO REPLIED
London. According to unofficial re
ports, reaching Amsterdam, the Ger
man reply to President Wilson has
treen delivered to the Swiss minister
tn Berlin, says an Exchange Telegraph
"Vpatch from. Amsterdam.
In the note Germany consents to
the evacuation of Belgium.
. Germany protests against th-e
charges of cruelty in the President's
note and savs she was forced .-intc
submarine warfare by the allied
blockade.' T
. The German government, it adds,
dnies responsibility f or: the loss of
TomeQ and "children on torpedoed
Passenger ships, but to advance peace
Germany Is prepared provisionally to
stop unrestricted submarine warfare.
Finally, the note disputes; the right
of . foreign powers ;, fo meddle with
German . internal affairs and declares
Germany should enjoy ' the' same right
of self-determination as other , nations.
FIFTEEN THOUSAND GERMANS v""
ARE INTERNED IN HOLLAND
Belgian forces have reached the
Dutch frontier,' wher 15,000 Germans
cut off from their- retreat byc- the ad
vance northward from Eecloo, are re-
ported to have" withdrawn' Into Hoi:,
land, where they were . Interned. .
The .American fdrces" operating- In
oonjunctlomi t wttn; ; the; British - north
of "Wassigny . have r advanced ; vo the
Sambre-Oise canal - -They ; occupied
Reject, eastot 'St. Souplet, : at the
point of the bayonet.
TWENTY-FIVE MILLION PEOPLE
PURCHASED J UBERTY4 BONDS
- ;Washmgfon.Probably25,0 oi
more individuals bought bonds of the
fourth triberty loan according ' to: un
official imports reaching . Washington,
howed ,a : large propotion filed their
,suJ)scriptiaC3 -during the V last;; ferw
! days' of the campaisa;- vConwiueslly
it will be "a table of 'maaji days 'to' ac
tually count tho' number of pledges and
to ccmpOe reports from the ;;.eatlre
.country. : - , . ; ..:.,: -f
Letter, from. Clinton Undis.
f The following letterdated October 3,
was received during the week byMrsv
J?. E: Landis from her son, Clinton
Landis, who is somewhere in France: ; '
"Dear Mamma: j ;
- ;'It giyes me pleasure to write you a
letter tonight and to tejl you that I am
feeling fine . I am a contented soldier
(if there is one) and like niy Vork very
.weil ; Everything that I do seems sat
isfactory. It is indeed a pleasure to be
able to carry out my work properly and
fill in the small cog in this great " ma
chinery of modern warfare. Physically
I am in better condition than ever be
fore. yWe - are getting plenty , to eat;
bave a good place to sleeps andlos of
excitement. I have ha& a few days of
tfencaWatf are and like it alright. --'Yesterday
we had an entertainment
given by three Americans (two gentle
men and one lady) from Newl York.
They told us of the fourth -'liberty Loan
and how you (the American ; people)
are backing the soldiers in the trenches.
3fV"e soldiers feel like doing our utmost
when we know the ones we are fighting
for are interested inNus and show it by
their good deeds. The war seems to be
going our way on all fronts. ,i
. 'Tell dear old dad. I love" him and
would like to have him over here to
help me fight the Germans!' " Won't we
all have a happy time when ; I return
home. Then I will tell you of my ei-
penences? and rwonderfui adventures
oyer here. Give ' myT regards to 'Mr.
Story and tell him to pray for aliof the
soldiers fighting oyer here The men
over here are much better morally than
reported. We all have our pocket ; tes
tament and read from it eyery day.
The men in this army Are real men,not
rough-necksY liara and einnerij, as re
ported. r :.:- , "
"Write me as often as you can.
.'v - "Your devoted son, -'
-'Clinton B. Landis.'V
q The above Iwtter was censored - ov
Iiient. Winfield K. Keeter, ' who adds
the following postscript; ' "I was as
signed to the company in which CUinton
is in yesterday. He is under my l com
mand and I am glad; to have him: I
will do all possible for him as I feel
sure he is going to do the same for me.-
How Draft Men Will Be Called.
Draft calls fop men- who have
passed their thirty-seventh birth-
day, are expected to begin about
March 1. Plans for bringing the
older class of new registrants into
camp have not been completed, bnt
the approximate date4 of the first
call was disclosed by publication
of testimony by Provost Marshal
General Orowder before the House
military- committee. J t ,
In all.' General Cro wder told th e
committee 239,000 newly regis
tered men between 18 and 45 will j
be called before July ! and of that
numbermore than 2;000i 000 will
be physically fit fighting men. The
calls for general service will be
divided as'follows: s ,
October345,000; November 204,-
00Q; X)ecemberl97,000; r January,
147,500; Februaryr244000; March
Aprii; May and June, 344,000 each
month. . These men will supply
both the army and navy and Ma-
nne corpsr ' k; : ; ;
In addition 20,000 men for limit
ed service will be.called each month.
General Crbwder said the work
of classifying new registrants
should be completed by January 1.
Questionaires for men of theV 37
t.n 4fi. and 18 vear ad:e Classes un
der the. d raft are ordered released
by Proyost Marshal General Urpw-
dervin all -local, board districts
where the classification of the other
groups have been completed. This
roil I pffpet more than' half of all the
territory in the United States, pror
crress having been more rapid than
was expectea m ciassmcauou wurii.
Tocal boards sendins' out ques
tionaires must release 10 per cent
a day. - -
STATE NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Items .Concerhing Events' of . I
terest and Importance Through-
V -out the State. :
r..War Savings Stamps sales in thai
State; for September ' amounted. to
$2,519,414, the total sales up to
October; being' $17,021,401, or ' a
per; capita; sale of. $7.08. Total
amount of salesand pledges is $36,- v
998,232, three-fourths o the State'a
quota. . , ,v v; y ,
; An emergency hospital was open
ed in the high school ' building' in.'. .
Asheville last Saturday.; The hos- '
pital is'equipped with 50 beds and.
has room for 25 or 50 morel Them
are separate: : wards for influenza
and.prieumonia cases, and those link able
to pay for ' treatment will ba
cared for," free. v V
; Reports to State chairman ; Jo -
seph G. Brown indicate that North '
Carolina has exceeded its allotment ;
of the Fourth Liberty loan by more 4
than' a'million dollars. North Caro
liua's allotment was ' $39,900,000 i
and reports are that the state' haa
subscribed $41000,000; with indU
cations that it may be greatly in- ;
creased iyith later reports y , . ,
D. R Nolnnd, ;of Waynesville,'
and E. J .Howell of Jackson ebun-
ty, .won splendid prizes at the
Southeastern fair in Atlanta.' la'
the country .exhibitsV' MrV ' Noland -;won
,the jsecoud;prxize.of $400 with, .
his "Laud of the Sky ?r, exhibition.
The fourth prize of $200 1 went ; to
Mr. Howeil. In - the individual "
farm exhibits, Mr. Noland v took '
first prize of $300 and Mr.v Howelt
was the' winner of the second prize
of $200. . ; , ; .
What will probaoly,be the lar-.
gesf and most imDortant radio sta
tion in the world is td be establish- 1
ed in Union County" by 'the Navy
Department. v It will cover 640 .
acres of land situated:; four mile3 '
from M on roe and. will o.nm m n ni -
cate with Europe and South Ameri- '.
ca. ' . Secretary Daniels has affixed
his signature to the necessary pa- '
pars for the establisement of tho
station, and construction , yonly
awaits tjie appropriation by Con -.
gress of the funds - t 1 . ' .
Misprououriced Words. . '
Editor Marion Progress: J
. Please call attention to the fact v
that in speaking of J the people of ' -
Belgium. we should say "Belgians"
rrnot, 'BeIgiums", as it was ' evea "
printed in big letters over our lo
cal Bed Cross room recently; An
other , word that ( is . mis spoken is
"preventative", for "preventivo'V
There ; is . no such' word in tho -English'
language as "preventa
tiye". tfust lots of "well inform
ed" people mispronounce thcca -words,
and at this time they might
be made wise.'? r ; . : Citizen. .
Nutshells for Our Boys InFrance .
The ,The7 Maripn Red Croca
chapter is - urgently ' requested ; by
the government to ask 4the ; people
to save all platinum, nutshells and
pits forgas masks to save the Uvea
of our boys in France., This id
asking mighty little and I. know '
that everybody will take pleacaro
in"doing! thisj bit of service. ', Ad
soon; as a collection 'Irnzio notify
me and I will see that they; era
collected and put in tho proper
hands.: t , ; " v
J. Q.. Gilket, Chrm,