Disk HOME EDITION VOL. XXIV, NO. 141. WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA." THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 30, 1918. FIVE CENTS FOCH SENDS RESERVE. HIM! HE'S HELPING YOU! f Copyright: 191S: Srftamjr.XflOatcittra. no INTO LINE OF ALLIED WANBiFIRM maxwell Slated to pucceea' Him on Commission ,' . ' ' T : . i S " " ' ' ' - - - . . " i ' - - . iir i nrr ti f UHAIK1VIAN IKAVtS M ABOU z fii ii if ii m ii ii an i v 1 if Xriimo) IS ABSENT TOO MUCH Travis Spending Too Much While Soissons Is Lost Rheims Still Holds Out FRENCH HALT ADVANCE Attempt After Attempt to De bouch From Soissons by Huns Fail AMERICANS HOLDING Three Efforts Made Against Pershing's Men, But Are Thrown Back With Losses at Cantigny General Foch's reserves have begun to come into action in the fight against the powerful German thrust southward from the Aisne and the enemy is find ing his progress increasingly difficult in consequence. Again the allied flanks are standing firm and while Soissons has been lost on. the west, Rheims is still holding out on the easterly edge of the battle front. - The chief progress of the Germans revealed in today's official reports was in the center of their advance, where some three miles additional have been covered from Loupeigne, 12 miles north of the Marne, to Fere-En-Tar-denois. The bkint edge of the German wedge is shown to run here from Fere-En-ardenois about 10 1-2 miles directly east to Vezilly, 15 1-2 miles southwest of Rheims. Along this line the Germans are about 18 miles south of the Chemin des Dames, giving them a penetration of approximately that distance at the beginning of the fifth day of their of fensive. The steadiness of the allied flanks under the heavy German pressure is one of the outstanding indicatiqns-te-the Paris official report. The Germans for instance, made attempt, after at tempt to debouch from Soissons after gaining that, town, but the determined French in the outskirts prevented the enemy from achieving this object. To the southeast, the French re serves are coming into play and here the allies are resisting the enemy in engagements of extreme violence along the road from Soissons to Har-tennes-Et-Taux, 7 1-2 mile3 southeast jof Soissons. Fere-En-Tardenois, 8 1-2 miles southwest of Hartennes-Et-Taux, apparently marks the limit of the Ger man advance toward" the southwest, with Vezilly 10 1-2 miles eastward, representing the extreme southeasterly progress of the enemy. From Vez.illy, the front trends north eastward. Brouillet is the next point mentioned in the official communique, and it lies 3 1-2 miles north of Veziily and only slightly to the east of a north-and-south line running through the lat ter town. Brouillet is 13 miles southeast of Rheims and along the 10 mile line from that point to Thillois, three miles east of Rheims, and thence trending northeastward above the cathedral city, the Franco-British defensive line is reported to have broken all the Ger man assaults and to have maintained the front intact. On the Flanders front the Germans made a local attack on a British posi tion northwest of Festubert in the Givenchy sector, which met with a complete repulse. The British im proved their line by an advance of some 200 yards in the Merris sector to the northwest. Still further attacks have been made against the Americans established in the village of Cantigny, west of Mont didier, which they recently captured. The assaults have ben almost continu ous, news dispatches report, but each has been broken up by the American stone wall resistance. Three counter attacks were made by the Germans against the American po sitions at Cantigny. General Persh ing's men, however, maintained their line unbroken and threw back the ene my with strong artillery and infantry fire, inflicting severe casualties on the attackers. Berlin, which delights in officially announcing the capture of American prisoners, does not give the Americans credit for the success at Cantigny, but says "the enemy" carried out a local advance. Hospitals far behind the American sector in Picardy have been bombed hy German airmen. Scores of Ameri cans were in danger -but only a few ere injured by flying glass. Several civilians and a French - nurse were Wiled. Fighting in gas masks the American troops east of Lunevtile have checked a German attack under cover of gas 'aves. The Germans retreated under a heavy fire from American machine guns, suffering severely. At one point 14 Germans penetrated the American trenches. Nine-were killed, one died of wounds and four are prisoners. The Germans apparently are pre paring for another attack against the American sector northwest of Toul. he enemy artillery fire has increased considerably and German airmen are vy active. NATION BbttS ITS HEAD IN PRAYER Thought Centers Largely For Day on Battlefields CHURCH SERVICES HELD Wilson Will Attend Annual Ceremony at Arlington Later Today BUSINESS IS SUSPENDED Both Houses of Congress Have Adjourned to Permit Mem bers to Observe Day and Attend Services Washington, May 30: Memorial day this year, carrying a deeper mean ing because of the fuller participation of the United States in the war, and more significant because of the new American graves in France, was ob served today by the American people as "a day of public humiliation, prayer and fasting," in accordance with the proclamation of President Wilson, issued in response to a resolution of congress. While in no manner was the honor annually shown to the veterans of past wars lessened, yet the thought of the nation largely was centered on the battlefields of France, where the German military machine is engaged to anol&erf drive; against-, the forces of -democracy. That Amrican troops are aiding in the effort to stem the German tide was a source of satisfaction as well as "the recent news that the Americans had carried out successfully their first offensive action. Further news of the German offensive was awaited with a feeling among high officials here that the onrush of the kaiser's armies soon would be stopped. In Washington the spirit of the president's proclamation was general ly carried out. The president planned to attend church services this mornr ing and this afternoon it was expect ed, he will be present at the annual services at Arlington national ceme tery. Both houses of congress stood ad journed to permit members to ob serve the day. Practically, all of the government departments and bureaus were closed. Columbia Observes Columbia, S. C, May 30. Business was generally suspended in Columbia and throughout South Carolina from 11 to 2 o'clock today in response to the proclamations by President Wil son, Governor Manning and the may ors of various cities and towns of the state setting aside today as a day of prayer. All courts throughout the state suspended sittings for the day. Services were held in churches throughout the state and" prayers of fered for victory for American arms in the war. TOUL BECOMES ACTIVE Hundreds ,of Shells Thrown aid Harrassing Fire Kept Up by Huns With the American Army in France, Wednesday, May 29. After a period of almost unprecedented American sector northwest of Toul " I suddenly has become very active. XJCmo b 1 1 (buu wuuj a i umi j threw over one hundred shells of all ar.on kAnt un a destructive and hnrrassiTur fife The American euna have been just as ousy ana are giv ing the enemy . more than he sends The artillerv duel continues strong fnnicyVi T ia not imnrnhahlo that tliA Germans have some plans in which tney may employ meir mianiry. German airplanes also were very active today, but as a strong wind wan Klrwinsr from Germanv and I American aviators were constantly on tne alert, lew eremy machines vea- tured across the lines. Those that did were promptly driven back by the American fliers. There were several aerial battles, out so iar mere nave Deen no reports of enemy machines having been' AMERICAN SECTOR NEAR WILL RAISE FLAG AT CONCRETE YARD Address Will Be Delivered by Mayor Moore PLANS YET INCOMPLETE First Keel Will Be Laid Early in July Launching in September CONCERNING THE FAITH Concrete Steamer Makes Four Knots in Eighty-Mile Gale Behaved in An Ad mirable Manner Plans are being formulated for ex ercises to be held at the yards of the Liberty Shipbuilding company, where concrete tankers are to be built, with in the next few days and will include the raising of a flag and an address by the mayor. Definite announcement cannot be made concerning this matter at the present as the plans have not been developed to that extent as yet but will be given the public sufficiently early to enable all to be present. . The keel for the first ship will be laid early in July, it was announced from the offices of the company today, if plans do not miscarry and the initial launching will take place during Sep temper. Work is being hurried at the plant and it is necessary for one to visit the yards in-order to get an idea, QtJtha afflteshai are, in pro gress. - '. , - , .v-:; . . That the success of the concrete ship is established was borne out by a tel egram received this morning' by. Gen eral Manager R. L. Ferguson from the Portland Cement - company, and con cerns the Faith, the first concrete ves sel of note to be built It follows: "Concrete steamer Faith, six days out of San Francisco, with full cargo of salt, reached Seattle yesterday af ternoon, on her way to Vancouve, after one of roughest coast voyages recorded. Encountered eighty-mile gale with waves 25 feet high. Every thing in perfect condition. Captain and government officials aboard ex pressed themselves as follows: 'Faith acted as any other good ship of wood or steel and with absolutely no vibra tion.'" It was stated that the Faith made four knots an hour in the gale and that not a drop of water reached her cargo, despite the mountainous propor tion of the waves encountered. WAR EXPENSES BILLION MORE THANJST YEAR The Monthly, Revenue Since America Entered War Shown in Table Washington, May 30. War expenses for the present month will total ap proximately one billion dollars more than the expenses for carrying on the war during May, 1917, according to estimates of the treasury depart ment made public today. While loans to the allies for this month total prac tically the same as the lofcis of a year ago, the other expenses show a large increase. Revenues have more than kept pace proportionately with ex penses, however, according to figures which do not include receipts from lib eral loans, war savings and like sources. In May, 1917, the regular tav An ues of the government amount- ed to $197,632,000, while the estimat- ed revenues for the month ending to- Tilaced at $680,000,000 - . . , , . The following taDie issuea Dy me treasurv today shows the .monthly X D Y CUUv mvv w tered the war, not Including receipts fmm Uhp.rtv loans, certificates of in- HphtAdness. war savings and similar d the total of monthly ex- Tumdltiirea. includine $5,406,320,000 in loans to the allies: Mnnth Revenue iiiXpenaitures. April, 1917.$ 93,157,000 281,599.000 May June July 197,632,000 521,602,000 411,804,000 660,799,000 755,438.000 745,013,000 942,745,000 982,883,000 1,103.927,000 1,085,502,000 990.400,000 1,137,626.000 1,198,256.000. 1,517,578,000 289,433,000 v83,75$,000 73,912,000 75,460,000 90,181,000 139,368,000 104,432,000 Ane-iist September uctoDer . November December Jan., 191! February Jan., 1918.. 103,053,000 98,513,000 155.701,000 aaarcn April 208,683,000 May 650,000,000 FIGHTING MARKED BY MORE VIOLENCE Soissons Has Gone; British ALLIES ARE CONFIDENT Unity of Command Puts En tente in Better Position Than in March TIDE SOON BE STEMMED Reserves Massing at Certain Points and Can Be Moved From Somme to Rheims In 48 Hours Paris, May 30. Increasing violence marks the progress of the fighting south of the Aisne. The Germana are every ounce of weight of man power ever yonnce of weight of man power into the struggle. On the center the enemy has again pushed forward, but his efforts to broaden his advancing front have met with less success. The allied wings have been obliged to give some ground. This action was carried out slowly and the full price was exacted from the enemy. Soissons . has gone and the British have fallen back toward Rheims, but in either case the enemy has only won a couple of miles of territory. In competent circles there is quiet confidence in the outcome and signs are not lacking, that the. advancing waves shortly will be stemmed. Unity of command puts the allies in a better position than they were in the March offensive. On that occasion French reinforcements came into action on the third day and on the eighth the Ger mans were stopped definitely. Today things should go more quickly. The GermanB have been oblige? to leave their guns on the northern side of the oroglnal line which can be crossed only at a certain number of points which are highly vulnerable to allied airplanes. The enemy is thus prevented from reaping the full benefits of his rapid advance. Meanwhile, the j allied re serves are massing at certain points without any of the con'usion chat at tended the similar movement in March. So well perfected are the arrange ments that an entire division can be iioved by motor truck from the Somme to Rheims and arrive wiinout a Dutton missing. Sergeant Simms Drowned. Savannah, Ga., May 30. Sergeant George Simms, in quartermaster's de partment at Fort Screven, was drown ed last night while seining near the fort. The body was recovered this morning. Simms was from Arkan sas, v Teams Battle to Tie. Newport News. Va., May 30 A fea ture of the' memorial day celebration in this city today was the opening of the Virginia league season here this morning, when Newport News and Norfolk battled 10 innings, the final score being 4 to 4. ONE MILLION AMERICAN SOLDIERS ACROSS SEAS Jim Ham Lewis Says by De cember I Will Be Same - As England Chicago, May 3&. Senator Jamea Hamilton Lewis said in a speech here today that the United States now has one million soldiers in foreign lands and that by December 1 it will be numerically equal to that of England. He said that 700,000,000 pounds of explosives are in process of manu facture. The ordnance department has spent, he said, $776,000,000 for projectiles, and 75,000,000 projectiles are on their way to General Pershing. One thousand rifles are being manu factured daily and 3,500.000 rounds of small arm ammunition has been . con tracted for. Last month, he said, we produced 275,000,000 rounds. He placed the machine guns contracted for at 350,000 and added that 100,000 have been delivered. By July 1, he added, we shall be producing 18,000 a month. The American navy, the speaker said, has climbed from fourth to sec ond position among the world's fleets. We have 150 warships in European waters and 5-0 others of a war charac ter. There are 400,000 men In the navy ' and by-October 1 there will b half a million, he added.. TEN DRAFT EVADERS ENTRENCHED IN CAVES Are Being Fed by Residents Are Followers of T. E. Watson Montgomery, Ala., May 30. Officers here decided today to try further per suasive measures before attempting -to capture 10 draft evaders who have entrenched themselves in a series of caves in Coosa county. The men are heavily armed aad have defied arrest. They are being fed, it is said, by nearby residents, who, it J s said, are afraid to" refuse them food. Nine of the men went to the caves when they were called in -the draft. The tenth is a deserter from Camp Gordon, Atlanta. Officers believe all of the men will give themselves up and are oath to try to capture them before giving" them every opportunity to surrender. The men are. avowed followers of Thomas E. Watson, of Thomson, Ga. COMPROMISE BEEN REACHED IN REFORM Copenhagen, Wednesday, May 29. The Berlin Tagelische Rundschau says it learns from a reliable source that a compromise has been reached on the Prussian franchise reform measure, after a conference between the con servatives, free conservatives and na tional liberals. v F Flags Flying at Half -Mast and - Flowers on Every Grave SERVICES BEFORE DAY British and French Flags and Blood-Red Poppies Are Placed at Luneville CEREMONY AT HOSPITAL Resting Places of Women Who Died As Nurses Are Hon ored With Those of the Soldiers With the American Army in France, May 30. From Flanders to Switzer land and from the battle line to the sea, the American expeditionary forces are paying homage to their dead. Wherever American flags are flying they are it half staff and be fore the day is over the Star-Spangled Banner and flowers will be placed pn virtually every American grave. At one place in the vicinity of Luneville, the graves had been deco rated in the morning darkness when the enemy could not. see eHifty, for the soldiers performing this duty might have drawn the German lire, as did the burial party. Here, both the British and French flags were placed on the mounds with bunches of wild flowers great blood-red poppies and yellow and white daisies. Another early ceremony took' place at one of the largest of the base hospitals, where the nurses and some of the less seriously wounded men covered every mound with a flag and crowned each with wreaths. The last resting places of American women who have died in the service of their country as nurses were honored equally with those of the soldiers. Up close to the American lines, northwest of Toul. khaki-clad troop ers, with the dirt of the tranches still clinging to them, participated In serv ice in honor of the dead. On the hillsides between Nancy and Luneville, where the first Americans killed in the war are buried, In a little enclosed plot in the Franco American cemetery, the ceremony was also held at an early hour. Here the graves were literally smothered un der the heaps of flowers and wreaths brought by the French population. ,' From the air men of the American flying forces .swooped down and scat tered, flowers over the spot where Ma jor Lufbery and other American he' roes of the air lie buried. American Dootore Prisoners. Amsterdam. May 29. A Wolff bu reau telegram filed in Berlin on Tues day, in giving as account of the fight ing along the Chemin-des-Dames, briefly mentions that, among the pris oners taken from the British were a number 'of Amerioan doctors. m an ORCES HONOR 1HBR DEAD Time in Washington, Say His Critics THE GOVERNOR TO ACT Washington Learns That Bick ett Will Ask Chairman of Corporation Commis sion to Resign By FRANK P. MORSE. Washington, D. C, May 30. The Dispatch learns from what it considers a reliable source that E. L. Travis, chairman of the state corporation com mission at Raleigh, will within a very short time, tender his resignation as a member of the commission, and A. J. Maxwell, now the chief clerk to the commission, will be appointed in his place to fill the "unexpired term. It appears that Mr. Travis' absence from Raleigh during the past, 12 months is becoming more and more embarrassing to Governor Bickett arid other prominent members of the dem ocratic party, and to make a blunt statement of the whole matter Gov ernor Bickett, -it is believed, will write Mr. Travis within a very few days asking that he tender his resig nation. Dame rumor has it that Mr. Travis has been here in Washington as the attorney for a number of corporations during the past year or so, and in this way he has been forced to ab sent himself from Raleigh, and at the same time more or less neglect his work as -head of the corporation commission. Just what services or connections Mr. Travis has or has had with corporations The Dispatch is not prepared to say, but it is true that he has been here a great deal of his time for the past 12 months or more. These rumors bring to mind the great. jihlj.poliUcal .oqjt- 'hi be received -when - President Wilson refused ""to name the Raleigh man a member of the Interstate commerce commission. Up .to the last minute Senators Simmons and Overman had been led to believe that Travis would be named. Both protested vigorous ly to the president and some of the cabinet members assured the senators that Mr. Travis would be offered an other position equally as dignified as the Interstate commerce place, and perhaps carrying a large compensa tion for the service. But later on when senators approached the presi dent regarding Mr. Travis' appoint ment to the federal trade commission, where it was believed a vacancy would soon occur, they were soon made to realize that the president did not Intend that Travis, should have any federal position under his admin istration. In fact, it is said the presi dent very politely showed his visitors that he did not care to discuss the matter of appointing Travis to a fed eral job. At the time when the president filled all the vacancies on 'the com mission without naming Travis, it was rumored around Washington that some one close to the president had been fortunate enough to gain ad audience with ' Mr. Wilson and had impressed him or rather prejudiced the president against Travis. It will be recalled, too, that the rumors cir culated at that time intimated that Mr. Travis' connections with several corporations as an attorney for them at Washington had much to do with, the president's refusal to name the Raleigh man. All of these things, it is said, have impressed Governor Bickett. He has been told the time has come for him, to act and that he should ask Mr. Travis to resign as long as ne Is not staying in Raleigh in accordance with the law which creates his position. The law, I am told,, stipulates that the corporation commissioner must re main in Raleigh a certain number of days each month. As stated above, the governor is more than likely to ask Travis to resign for the reason mentioned. ,- , K --."V FOR "FRENCH TIGERS - i. . v. 1 Paris, May 30. Premier Cleineac eau had the narrowest possible escape v from falling into German hands : yes- -: n r ' :. terday, according to the Petit JonrnAL ' i He left a certain point only tfeV-V'--' .' d' jy; minutes before the arrival of a " trol of 40 Uhlans When the Germans entered the lit tle town the premier had just Quit, they cornered a few of the French who had remained, Including a gen- eral who was examining positions with a field glass, the newspaper adds. The general was killed in the encounter. Only Slight Progress. With the French Army in France, , Tuesday, May 28. The German offen sive made only slight progress todays ,J Seeing the heavy masses opposed -.to 1 them, the allies gave way m and in some places the enemy crossed' both the Aisne and the Vesle. s-fr mm 1S1 ? n -' 3 if!.. W ji! M ;i mm mm mv. V v.. ; m: mm mm i i 1 1 t i --i t'! if ' "V i'. t r: mm ? i I ism - W ; , f- it- pi: Si P5 ft s. j".-: j Ml'i -1- f i"! mm

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