Newspapers / The Wilmington Dispatch (Wilmington, … / March 24, 1918, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The Wilmington Dispatch (Wilmington, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
jTi- f.Ka;ey FULL LEASED WIRE SERVICE , ' 2SeCtl011S VOL- XXIV. No. 74 ' WILMINGTON. NORTH CAROLINA. SUNDAY MORNING, MARCH 24, 1918 T" PRICE FIVE CENI S ! GE1MM CiBIJ AMIES ESTHMEB AT 225 Md flse Western. Front Sftruggle h G Aiding In Intens&M T .... , v . . I ' ; ' r- -, 1 J 1 - 'EATES OF 1 GREATEST MGES s , Gennans Continue to Hurl Fresh Divisions Against Valiant British FIGHTING STEADILY GROWS IN INTENSITY Germans Break Through First Line at One Point, But Are Held at Others Casualty List Enormous. With the British armies in the field, March 23 (NigM). Fighting is steadi ly growing in intensity sthe -world's greatest battle developefl. All night, under the stars and a bril liant moon; all day, nnder the spring like sun Hindenburgs legions hurl ed themselves against the valian Brit ish, whose withdrawal continues in perfect ordef, despite the most frenzi ed efforts to break through the line. German and Bavarian stormtruppen, (ftorm troops) sandwiched between divisions of Prussian guards and gre- adiers, were flung with Hohenzollern fury along roads and across open, sun lit fields, regardless of losses. The slopes of the hills, from Arras to La Perre, are grey with dead. Call after j call WwrfcenT to the-British artillery, to train guns on the Ger man masses moving over the open country. Airplanes, skimming low, machine- zunned huge marching bodies of men, too big to miss. The hardest fighting continues against the British right, though the batUe rages ceoaselessly throughout a fifty-mile line. Hindenburg is straining his utmost to exploit his initial advantage in the new war movement, lashing his guns forward in an effort to sprinkle the British rear. Huge Austrian high velocity guns are constantly attempting a harress- lng fire, far behind the lines. One asks if the old hell hole of the Somme battle field, from which Haig drove Hindenburg's armies and where the Allies nearly achieved a decisive victory in 1916, will be the scene of the new struggle on a never ceasing scale. Today's events indicate that Hint en- turg desires to break one or the other of the British flanks and then to try his favorite turning movement. Tonight the-great Teutonic endeav or continues. There has 'been a great defensive made by the British on both the Northern and Southern ends of their lines. They are resisting every where with the utmost stubbornness. Heroic fighting is in progress along the Polsel-Peronne routes and also on he approaches to Ham and along the " r-o canal from Ham to Ternguier. British line is gradually with is in the most' perfect order, although the Germans are striving desperately to break through. Despite the fact they are outnum bered, and that weather and jfround Jonditlons favor the enemy, the. Brit ish have withstood the shoclc of the I attac splendidly. The withdrawal M!ea cause no panic. The army and commander are confident. All Is forking out smoothly. The ne,w bat- u" BOS it inn 4 a ofTnn r OfunAnHAllCf gating keeps upov the whole new "attle frnnt uriVi f Via haatriaat flo-T-it. !n? continuing opposite' the Southern na of the British forces presumab ly SOlltTl rf ro-rV.r.J twtU.. fyvre. Ofl JJsions (between 240,000 and 430, JJ0: Probably 360,000 men a German wision is estimated at between 8.000 anl 15,000 men e-flnerallv 12M0C) ame on in masses. The British guns OeVer ha A v..ti . x x: . D13nk OVfir nnon effrVito J1 is estimated that between 60 a- " u German divisions (probably l 720,000 and 1,008,000 men) r. "PPosite the battle front. British airmen bombed and irr-.jne-gunned the Germans from low U9jghts throughout the day. during the afternoon the visibility as Perfect, and the big guns mutual- r, ?Ieiled ful1 force' Producing the orI(l's mightiest artillery chorus. Personally, i heard the , French J are in the Champaigne; the Bri? ln drum fire at Vedrun,vand the ini !? drum. fire at Arras, Messines through Flanders. Yet, none has spared with the triple drum -fire MfllE T BERLIN STATEMENT CLAIMS A VICTORY FOR THE GERMANS Declares That Considerable Part of British Armyis Beaten SAYS FIRST STAGE OF BATTLE ENDED Kaiser is Personally Directing a Portion of Attacking Army Two Lines Pen etrated by Germans Berlin, March 23. "A considerable part of the English army is beaten," the latest official statement issued by the War Office declared tonight. "The first stage ofrthe battle on, the West , front lsnded; Hays the state ment.. "We have won engagements near Monchy; Cambrai, St. Quentin, and La Feres. "We are fighting approximately on a line running northeastward through Bapaume, Peronne and Ham. "Under the Kaiser an attacking bat tle against the English front near Arras, Cambria and St. Quentin has been proceedings. Yesterday also good progress was made. "Crown Prince Rupprecht stormed the heights north and . northeast of Croisselles. Between Fontaine Les Croissllles and Moevres he penetrated the second enemy position and cap tured the villages of Vau, Vraucourt and Morchies. , "Strong English counter attacks failed. Between Gonnelou and Omig non stream the first two enemy po sitions were penetrated, the heights west of Cozeaucourt, Heudicourt and Villersfaucon were .captured. In the valley of the Cologne stream, Roisel and Marquaix were stormed.. "Fighting around Epehy heights has been bitter,- these being encircled from the north and south. The enemy was compelled to leave them for us. Between Epehy and Roisel the enemy vainly endeavored by means of a strong counter attack to bring our vic toriously advancing troops to a stand still. He was driven back everywhere with the heaviest losses. The heights north of Vermand were stormed and we stand before the third enemy po sition. "Between Omignon stream and the Somme river the Crown Prince, after capturing the first enemy positions, made his way through Holmon wood, fought across the heights at Savy and Roupy and penetrated the en emy's third position. "Southward from the Somme we broke through the enemy lines and by an uninterrupted forward move ment drove the enemy over the Crozat canal to " the west. Jaeger battalions forced a crossing of the Oise west of La Fere and in company with divi sions followed them, stormed the heights northwest, of the'- town, which were crowned with theV . permanent works of La Fere." just before sundown. It was a con tinuous roar, like wind ' and sea in a storm. There is no doubt that the expected battle ,of Titans is now on. The Germans are attacking in unprece dented masses. The British are key--rfect fighting pitch, i the next 24 hours the battle - will develop considerably. . Xurg is rushing up new divls- ;: raordinary fighting has taken p'ace'in the region of Roisellincourt, where the Germans made a mad effort to break the line. But the . British guns dampened their enthusiasm somewhat and the attempt was aban doned. The' pressure is continuous from the Scarpe to the Oise (60 miles in an air line). Fierce engagements al so are reported around Athies and (Continued on Page Fifteen.) WAR. FURIOUSLY POSSIBLE OBJECTS OF HINDENBURG'S STUPENDOUS DRIVE Simultaneous Attacks Over Widest Front Since Battle of Marne FIGHTING OVER OLD HINDENBURG LINE Germans Regain at FearfuK Cost What They Volun tarily Gave Up Some Time Ago New York, March 23. After forty eight hours of simultaneous attacks against 50 miles of British positions, the Germans have moved back the British front at various points from one to . five miles. ,. - Von Hindenburg's new push has been planned to operate over a long er continuous front than any previous attack in the West since the battle of the Marne. The whole area, how, ever, for a considerable distance west of all the present battle positions was voluntarily abandoned by the Ger mans last March when they retreated to the Hindenburg line. To attempt to win back this territory now at a terrible price in1 casualties, supplies no reason in itself for the present operations. The Germans must have some other purpose in view. The most probable objectives are: First, to compel a retirement of the British line at points where it threatens most seriously the main German defensive positions. Second, to disarrange the British plans for a major offensive this sum mer. Third, to attempt to demolish the British trenches so largely as to force a series of Napoleonic maneuvers battles in the open at which the Germans believe they excel. The last of these three would pro vide the Germans with a true offen sive purpose. The others must be classed as deefnsive measures. The ferocity of the German assaults lias not been equalled since the early bat tles of .the war. The massed attacks, formerly abandoned as too costly in casualties, have now been revived. Even the Verdun offensive two years ago was not as ruthlessly directed as the present movement. These facts indicate that Von Hindenburg has a plan of major importance to accom plish. Reports from Berlin suggest the German people believe thme stupen dous sacrifices now being made are for the purpose of ending the var. It is impossible to see how Von Hin dnburg can have any such conclusion in mind, unless Germany's internal conditions are much more desperatq than is publicly known. If such is the Case, then the Kaiser's militar- ists may have resolved to put every-' thing to the test and to take the con sequences of failure. Under any cir cumstances, the battle has now gone too far for Von Hindenburg to be able to end it at the present juncture with-1 out eventual destruction of his pres tige. Von Hindengurg's two predecessors as chief of staff in the present war lost their reputations through failure of undertakings on scales comparable to the present. Von Moltke was de feated before Paris and Von Falken hayn fell. Von Hindenburg cannot afford to have the outcome of the present op erations likened to these, if he is to retain his prestige among the Ger mans, i The West front has been the grave of German military reputations. Steadfastness by the British at this juncture may well cause Von Hinden burg's fall. A small recovery of ter ritory freely abandoned a year ago will never satisfy the German people for the present casualties. Certainly the Allies now have it in their power to set the Hindenburg idol tottering. WAR'S GREATEST BATTLE. Casualties: 225,000 Germans killed, wounded, cap tured in two days, according to Washington British es timates. British losses 'half those of Germans. Troops engaged: 60 to 90 German divisions opposite the battle front (720,000 to 1 ,080,000 men). No estimate of British . engaged. Width of battle front: 60 miles from the Scarpes to the Oise air line distance) . Developments: German day official announcement claimed 25,000 prisoners, 400 cannon, 300 machine guns. British day official announcement said defensive system penetrated West of Cambrai, British holding northern positions. GERMAN OFFENSVE re TO AROUSE AMERICAN PEOPLE Reports From Western Front Have Not Caused Feeling of Pessimism WAR WORKERS ARE NOT DISHEARTENED Military Men Do Not Con sider That Germany's ' Losses Are Worth Her Gains Washington, March 23. Germany's stroke against the West front drove home today to the American capital a ruiier ana graver reanzauon man ever before that America must in crease the punch in its war work. It served to spur, rather than to dishearten, war workers. The grimness of the West line bat tle only added to the recent determi nation to push the struggle to a con clusion. Officials here believed it will arouse the nation more than aught else has. They have known thatj peace alk was being ditched, now they are convinced that the nation will be more unified, more determined than ever, that the Hun menace slall not hang over the world. Taken all ip all, military men said the battle had not developed to the point where they could make accurate judgments of its results. British re tirement near St. Quentin and the Berlin claim of capture of 25,000 Brit ish by Prince Rupprecht's army were deemed natural consequences 'of the ferocious onslaught by the German hordes. But reports to date were not such as to make the situation appear pessimistic' The number of men massed against the British made the retirement essen tial if the British did not wish to sacrifice too greatly. Moreover, the Germans manifestly are prodigal of life and their losses will be greater than any advantage they gain, it is held. , They have already lost 225,000 In killed, wounded and missing, accord ing to British estimates, whereas the British probably have sacrificed less than half probably 75,000 to 100,000 in killed, wounded and missing. The mass formation attack is bound to cost the Germans enormously. That game will not be worth the candle, in military men's opinion, though they all agreed today it is still too soon to judge accui-ately of what the Ger mans are seeking. There was little doubt that the real offensive is on, but there is a chance that it will slacken and Dreak out again later. The capital was bombarded with a flock of wild rumors during the af ternoon. German inspiration was be hind them' in some cases, it was felt, and the State Department and For eign Embassies . warned that a crop of Teuton propaganda rumors of dis aster was likely to flourish for a time. The War Department was witjicut word from General Pershing regard ing the offensive, but promised that it would let the public know what his news is. He was directed to make immediate report. Congress caught the infection of the general war spirit. In the Senate, several War Depart ment bills were quickly cleared -and preparations made for a stirring speech ' by Senator New, Monday, in favor of his bill for universal military service. Senators who attended the War Council session today were informed that the movement of troops is. being materially speeded. That . American- (Continued on Page Fifteen.) -if NO CONFIRMATION OF THE REPORTED ' PARIS SHELLING Last Night's Cables Carried No News of the Alleged Bombardment WASHINGTON SCOFFS AT THE SUGGESTION Declared That it is Utterly Im possible for Any Gun to Hurl Shells a Distance of 60 Milea ' Washington, March 24. The War Department announced shortly after midnight that Its cables from abroad tonight contained no confirmation of the reported bombardment of Paris. This was the only Information forth coming after cables from France had been carefully scanned. The press story today declaring Paris was bombarded by long range guns brought forth a unanimous cho rus from official sources that this was impossible at this juncture. Authorities agreed that the German line was too far distant from Paris to make ik. possible to shoot 240-mili-meter shells into the city as claimed by the press report. Paris is 60 or more miles away from the German line at the nearest point. War Department officers scoffed at the yarn, and there was a general smile among the informed at this, the wildest of a set of wild stories circu lated during the afternoon. The French embassy authorities said the story revealed an impossibil ity now, and cabled Paris for a state ment. The War Department asked Gen eral Pershing to make a report on the West front offensive to enlighten the department and public more fully on the situation as viewed by expert American eyes. The United Press furnished War Department officers with the first au thentic version of the Paris situation that it had been attacked from the air. Not Considering Intervention. London, March 23. Speaking before- the House of Peers, Primer Terauchi declared that the govern ment is not considering intervention in Siberia, according to Tokio dispat ches received here today. Tarauchi said the enemy war prisoners in Si beria do not constitute a real men ace, i WILMINGTON GETS GOOD REPORT TO SHIPPING BOARD (By George H. Manning.) Washington, D. C, March 23. A re port was made to the United States Shipping Board by Matthew Hale to day that conditions at Wilmington, ;N. C, are . excellent for the- establish ment of a shipyard there to build con crete ships. , Mr. Hale, a shipbuilder of Boston, is building some sample concrete ships at Brunswick, Ga., for the Ship ping Board. If they turn out satis factory when completed the govern ment intends to establish several shipyards to build concrete ships. The advantage of the concrete ship is that it can be built of material which is very plentiful, chiefly sand' and ce AMERICAN AGAIN ASKED W EAT LESS WHEA NAMES OF. ABOUT TWO HUNDRED IN GERMAN PRISONS Bureau of Public Information Announces List of Ameri cans Captured CAROLINIANS AMONG THE NAMES PUBLISHED Included in the List Are Those Taken From Ships, as Well as Those Captured on Cambrai Front Washington, March 23. The Com mittee of Public Information tonight made public the names of about ,200 American soldiers taken prisoners by the Germans ,along with the places where , the men were captured and the camps at which they are now held , The reports showed that exclusive of the. 1,78, Charles Hemphill, -Ameri can, was shot by the Germans while trying to escape from a prison camp on September 19. Another death re ported was Campbell Andrew Court rey, an aviator brigadier, who was brought down on September 30, last, near Pergny, about 12 kilometers south of Laon. , Included in the list are seamen cap tured by German raiders, members of the engineer corps caught in the Cam brai flareback a few months ago, members of the crew of the United States ' destroyer, Jacob Jones, and in--fantrymen captured. The list with emergency addresses: Interned at Camp Dulmen: Charles M. Anderson, Baltimore, Md., Freder ick Road; Thomas W. Hallon, Nor folk, Va., Mauny Place; Charles C. Hodert, Baltimore, Md., 1512 North Sticke street; Eugene Boykin, Ander son S., South Main street; Oscar C. Byrd, Roanoke, Va., ' 322 Twelfth street N. W; John Carr, Dublin, Ire land; Fred W., Carter, Newport News, Va., Stag Hotel; Edward B. Caskey, Jersey City, N. J., 100 Stevens ave nue; John H. Martin', Walton, Fla.; Harry Mason, Baltimore, Md., 815 Bar rey street; Walter Mason, 815 Barrey street, Baltimore, Md.; John Miller, 1626 Thomas street, Baltimore, Md.; J. L. Hitchell, 410 South Chapel street, Baltimore; Thomas Moore, 5 Arlington Place, Norfolk, Va.; Joseph W. Morgan, 233 Randall St., Paw tucket, R. I.; Joseph O'Connor, 2313 LiaFayette St., Baltimore; Patrick O'Connor, 1123 Walnut St., McKees port, Pa.; Lessie Pidgo, 411 Baltimore Ave., Louisville, Ky.; Paul' Phillips, 151 South Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, Cal.; Allen Reynolds, 652 Mariette Ave., Lancawterpa; Bernard Rogers, Ceres, Va.; John Allen, 444 East 20th St., New York City; John Brady Mar ginval, St., East Boston, Mass.; Ed ward J. Brennan, 93 Sixteenth St., Brooklyn, N. Y.; Edward W. Brown, 96 Hudson Ave., Albany, N. Y.; Ed ward Carl, 46 North Portland, Brook- (Continued from Page One ) ment, and with labor not generally employed in building steel and wood en ships. Mr. Hale went from Brunswick to Wilmington and made an inspection at the request of the Shipping Board, and made his repojt today. He con ferred with Senator Simmons this morning and said' he was highly pleased with the general outlook at Wilmington. It was learned at the Shipping Board today that the discussion of plans for building fabricated steel ships at Wilmington are proceeding satisfactorily. -The question of the company which was to -undertake the job having sufficient capital is under stood' to have iow been adjusted. PEOPLE sumption of Wheat Prodr ucts by Half ONE AND ONE-HALF pnirMnc dito dxtdctim Food Administration Issues I .1 Regulations Governing 'thtt?jf Consumption of Wheat a j a Military Measure . in- Washington, March 23. The Amei .fe;f; ican table must respcfid to the world: crisis and again cut its consumption of wheat products Herbert Hoover tonight issued hia expected regulations limiting wheat consumption to one and a half pounds i m . A. " 1 t id ner person per weeK, aDOUt ou peijt t i Cent of normal. As a "military meas ure" this saving amounting to 21S 000,000 bushels per month mugtj, be accomplished until the next harvest. In addition to requests for sharp voluntary conservation steps, baker were ordered to increase wheat flouc.-f s-ifj substitutes to 25 per cent. April Twenty per cent, adulteration is noyJ-lt'ijjj? required. Still greater percentage o !f substitutes may ba required later, "thV- Sj:;, Food Administration warned. , .. : Summarized. Hoover's new demands I til are : . JL. Maximum consumption- of wheat; per week per person. 2. Public eating places and clu to limit each guest to a total of twb ounces per meal of breadstuff s, , ce reals, pastry and other wheat products combined. Customary wheatless Mon days and Wednesdays to be conttni j 3. Retailers to limit flour sales to ! !; ; town customers to one-eighth barrel country customers to one-fourth bar---rel, at any one purchase, and equal, weight of other cereals to apcompany; sale. . 4. Bakers to deliver three-quarters ; of a pound loaf w,here one pound' loaf is being sold. Bakers to restrict: wheat flour purchases to 70 per cent of average monthly purchase. 5. Manufacture of wheat product for non-food purposes to tirely. cease eatl p Voluntary co-operation of the publio is relied on wholly in effecting these regulations. Further restrictions ' on distribution was hinted at by the Food Administra tion, a step necessary, it was held. to make wheat exports demanded byn the Allies. Hope of relaxation in the strict conservation program with, the new harvest was held out. - "Until then we ask for the neces sary patience, sacrifice and co-operi ation of the distributing trades," thai administration stated. . "If we are to furnish the Allied with the necessary proportion 2 wheat to maintain their war bre.J from now until the next harvest, an this is a military necessity, we must! reduce our monthly consumption to 21,000,000 bushels a month as against 1 our normal consumption of about : 42,000,000 bushels, or 50 per cent, oil our normal consumption." i Grain or rye and barley as substi-Ji. tutes has already greatly exhausted the supply of these grains, Food Ad,fi$$i ministration officials say. But a sur-l nine rf nntctinoa ta -nn-ar aratloKla aA : we nave ampie corn ana oats ior nn ,iu .r. jj man consumption. Added to this -Itfjl i'll a surplus of milk usual during spring months. Liberal supplies of these "sub- stitutes, it is believed, will furnish - es-; I ir- $:f sentlal nourishment during the ,peT5d of extremely reduced wheat rations There is no limit upon. the use jt :- 1 1 'M other cereal flours and meals, corn p- ., barley, buckwheat and potato flottrVf lj .Ui v "Many thousand families through $ 'Mh out the land are now usiner no wheat a products whatever except a very small vili ! f amount ior cooxing purposes ana are. ,;ij; f doing so in perfect health and satril f icf affirm " it was rl a rorl "There is no reason why all of thie t ;1 . American DeoDle who are able to coote--' in their own households cannot sub 7 jl-j. (slot Torfertlir well wifh iha naa nt Aem :V"t!';; ' l I wheat products than one and one-half fp 41 pounds a week, and we specially ask' '-'uX' w the well-to-do householders in the?;!' -JrA country to follow this additional pro 3p ? ' gram in order that we may provide ,i$f'if tne necessary marginal supplies tor t; f : 1 ; these parts of the community less able to adapt themselves to so large u a proportion of substitutes. i-5V"v "In order that we shan be able to t (Continued on Page Fifteen.) ' - - ) jM ) wit mm mm pi m n . -m m mi V" i h, i 'I s 'Sit)" 1 - 'fJr V v-1 .m it' ll! jilt ,1 D it . ' ill '1 f -.5 1 1 1 ft v. t - , ,
The Wilmington Dispatch (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 24, 1918, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75