VOLUME 36 SMITHFIELD, N. C., FRIDAY, I)E( EMliER 7, 1917. Number 79 MESSAGE GREAT STATE PAPER. Comments of North Carolina Dele gation on the President's Message. Mr. Pou Calls it "The Most Wonder ful Speech I Ever Heard. "..Mr. Kitchin Calls It "Best Effort of the President." Washington, Deo. 4. ? Both Senators Simmons and Overman, Majority Leader Claude Kitchin, and all the rest of the State deligation in Con gress praised President Wilson's mes sage to Congress today as one of the ablest papers ever presented to that body. But for that matter every one else who was fortunate enough to hear the President's address, with the pos sible exception of Senator Roberi M. LaFollqtte, of Wisconsin, thinks the same way . "By far the ablest message and more nearly interpcts the thoughts of the people," said Majority Leader Kitchin, "than any other other docu ment since the war begun. I consider it one of the best efforts of the Presi dent." Senator Simmons: "It was a very clear-cut, forceful explanation of the war situation. It was fully equal to any state paper and in many respects superior to any. I think it will re ceive marked attention both here and abroad. Will have a salutary cffect in both hemispheres. His recommen dation that America declare war on Austria will certainly meet with popu lar approval." Senator Overman: "It was the great est message I ever heard. It should be read by every woman and child in the United States. It went to the very root of why we are fighting Germany and will go a long ways to bring the pacifists to their senses." Representative Pou: "The most won derful speech I ever heard. It will be read for centuries to com? and its ef fect will be most wonderful. It will go down in history ts the greatest* of all state papers." Representative Webb: "A splendid and most forceful paper. It will be read with interest by the entire world. It showed conclusively why we are fighting and when we will stop." Representatives E\oughton, Godwin, Hood and Robinson declared ths mes sage a most wenderful document and they thoroughly agreed wfth the Presi dent's views. ? Parker A. Anderson in Greensboro News. AT THE CAPITAL OF BANNER. Benson, Dec. 6. ? Mr. Alton Hall re turned the first of the week to Wake Forest College to resume his work after spending several days here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Hall. Miss Mildred Parrish has returned to Winston-Salem after spending some time here with her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Parrish. Mrs. M. C. Benson and Mr. and Mrs. Simon Honeycytt returned Monday from Falcon after spending Sunday with relatives there. Messrs. R. L. Flowers and N. A. Watson returned this morfting from New Bern where they have been for several days as witnesses in atten dance upon the Federal Court which is in session there. Misses Cora Maie Green and Erma Green returned to their homes near Lillington the first of the week after spending some time here with Miss Ethel Hall. ? Mr. Preston Woodall returned Mon day from Richmond where he spent Sunday with his son, Isham Woodall, who has been in Grace Hospital for the past two weeks under-going treat ment. Mr. R. U. Barbour returned this morning from Johnston City, Tenn., where he has been for the past week buying mules and horses. He has five car-loads on the road. They will reach here Friday or Saturday. Mr. J. C. Jones, of Angier, has bought the Sheriff Grimes place on the Highway near here and will in the near future move his family here to live. Chief Henry and Deputy Marshal George Moore returned last night from Atlanta, Ga., where they went to convey prisoners from Federal Court to the Atlanta Pen. Among the John ston County prisoners were Cap Hodges, Seth McLamb, and Bob Ryals, all of whom were sentenced last week by Judge Connor for making whiskey. Messrs. O. C. Hill and E. R. Cana day went to Sanford Tuesday return ing Wednesday. "* Messrs M. T. Britt, J. F. Woodall, L. Gilbert, J. L. Hall, W. D. Boop', and Rev. G. W. Rollins are all in Dur ham this wdek attending the State Baptist Convention which is meeting there. Mr. and Mrs. Willie Dixon returned the first of the week from Norfolk, Va., where they visited their son, H. O. Dixon, who is in the Navy there. Mrs. J. L. Hall returned last week from Buies Creek where she has been for several days. Mrs. W. C. Loyd has been visiting her daughter, Mrs. Jas. Raynor, for several days. She returned to her ' home at Chapel Hill this week. Mrs. Bernard Massey, of Florence, S. C., and her two children are here for a visit to Mrs. J. T. Stanford. Mr. and Mrs. Ira Blackman, of Petersburg, Va., are here this week visiting relatives. Mr. Blackman was married there last week and they are spending their honeymoon here with relatives. Miss Ollie Bryant, of Stantonburg, N. C., is here for a few days' visit to her sister, Miss Daisy Bryant. Mr. D. M. Hill, of Clayton, was here yesterday spending the day with rela tives on his way home from Fayette ville. Misses Annie Wicker and Myrtle ? Ashecraft^ returned this week from Raleigh where they have been visit ing several days. Rev. A. L. Goodrich, of Point Cash well, X. C., is here for a short visit to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Goodrich. Mr. George Thomas, of Oxford, was here for a short visit to friends this week. Mrs. J. H. Rose and children re turned yesterady from Raleigh whero they have been visiting for several days. Mr. James Pink Benson, of Raleigh, was here Tuesday on business matters for a short while. Mr. Clarence Britt has accepted a positron with the Citizens Bank & Tru^t Company of this city. Mr. Britt recently returned from Rich mond where he was taking a special course in bookkeeping. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Sanders, of Four Oaks, spent Sunday here at the homo fo Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Moore. Mrs. J. R. McLamb and Miss Pansie McLamb returned recently from a few days visit tor elatives in Sampson county. Mr. A. W. Hodges spent Wednesday in Fayetteville on business matters re turning home this morning. Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Creech and chil dren, of Four Oaks, were visitois to our city Tuesday, spending the day with relatives. Mrs. Nathan McLamb was taken to Highsmith hospital yesterday for treatment. An operation will be ne cessary for her recovery. Rev. J. T. Stanford left Monday for Greenville where he is attending the Methodist Conference this week. Tho mqibership of the church hero which he has served for the past two years, together with his many friends, ear nestly hope that ho will be returned to his chargc for the coming year. Mr. J. W. Whittenton, Benson's Jeweler, was relieved of a nice watch last week by a young man who came in to buy it. The young man had his fingers tied up and asked Mr. Whit tenton to write the check and sign his name to it as his finger was sore and he could not write, which Mr. Whit tenton did, as the man had given his name and told who his parents were near Four Oaks. It turned up later that the man had not given his correct name and the check was no good. The man who obtained the watch will like ly be arrested shortly as his identity has been established. The pupils of Miss Florence John son's music class will give a recital Thursday evening, Dec. 13th, at 7:30 o'clock at the Methodist church. The public is invited to be present. Death of an Aged Woman. Miss Polly Barbour, who made her home with her niece, Mrs. Riley Strickland, near Four Oaks, died last Sunday morning. She was about eighty years old and was a sister of Messfr,. Ashley and Green Barbour. She was buried at Barbour's Chapel, her funeral being conducted by Elders G. W. Shepherd, of Wilmington, and W. Y. Moore, of Benson. She was a good woman and now goes to receive the reward of the faithful. She was a member of Barbour's Chapel Advent church. The Red Cross Christmas seals are now on sale at the following places: Hood's Drug Store, Creech's Druf iW. L. Woodall & Sons' Store and Spiors' Stow. WEDNESDAY IN THE BIG WAR. Indications l'oint to Early Re-Opening Operations by the Teutons in France. Allies Prepared for It. Both the British and Italians Are Awaiting With Complacency the Enemy's Attacks. .While for the moment there are no infantry operations of magnitude in progress on any of the numerous bat tle fronts, indications are not wanting that shortly the Cambrai sector in France and the northern line in the Italian theatre will again witness titanic struggles with the Germans and the Germans and Austro-Hun garians the aggressors. Already the Germans in the Cam brai region have brought up reinforce ments with the object of blotting out the salient driven in their line by General Byng's dash, a small portion of which they have reconquered, but at a fearful price. In Italy, along the ^ette Comuni and the Asiago plateu, enemy guns of all calibres have opened fire on the Italian positions and several hill positions have been captured lti small attacks. Both before Cambrai and in the Italian region the allied armies are awaiting with complacency the enemy's assaults. While near Cambrai it is conceded that the British will be* forced by reason of the dangerous salient held by the enemy in their line to some what straighten out their front, op timism is expressed that on the whole General Byng's forces will be able to give a good accounting for any attacks the enemy m^y launch. Likewise the menace of a dash by the Austro-Germans down through the hills and out upon the plains of Vene tia have been provided for, so far as the reinforcement of the Italians by the British and French troops and the bringing up of fresh guns is concern ed. If Field Marshal von Hoetzen dorf, commander of the enemy troops, should be able to breach the line and gain his objective, it will be only after one of the most sanguinary encounters of the war. Submarines or mipes were respon sible for the sinking last -week of 16 British merchantmen of more than 1,(500 tons as compared with 14 the previous week. Only one vessel under 1,600 tons was sent to the bottom, however, as compared with seven the preceding week. ? Asociated Press War Summary. ROYALL SCHOOL NOTES. The patrons of the school met Mon day night at the school house, and de cided to get a piano for the school. Miss Strickland will have .charge of the Music Department. At the meeting Monday night an organization was formed to secure a library for the school. This is called the Royall Library Association. The officers elected were: Miss Ruth Gil christ, president; J. S. Johnson, secre tary, and Victor Johnson, librarian. The library is secured through the state library committee. We are making plans for further organizations in the school, as Liter ary Societies, etc. We ar? also getting in some basket ball practice, and hope to soon have the teams in good shape. The following visited the school Tuesday morning: Mr. J. S. Johnson, and Miss Cecil Moore. Misses Ruth Gilchrist and Cora Johnson spent the Thanksgiving holi days in Charlotte, and attended the Teachers Assembly. Miss Ina Strickland spent Thanks giving with her parents in Falcon. Miss Claudia Johnson has been visiting relatives near Smithfield. Miss Lily Ruth Johnson, of Smith field, spent the week-end with relatives in the community. We are sorry to note the illness of Mrs. D. M. Johnson;- and Mrs. T. V. Allen. Mr. and Mrs Moses Creech, of near Kenly, spent the week-end with Mr. and Mrs. J. A. TyVer. Master William Olive, of Pisgah, has been a visitor at the home of Mr. J. A. Tyner.? X. Y. Z. Elevation Township. In p. speech before the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in con vention at Washington this week, Wil liam Jennings Bryan predicted the ratification by the States of a prohibi tion amendment to the Federal consti tution within two years. He declared that the action of the President in ordering a reduction in the alcoholic content r.( beer was a great step for ward for prohibition. CHRISTMAS AND THE SOLDIER. Some Suggestions as to What Those Itack Home .Might Send Him. A Fountain Pen Would Be Much Ap preciated. In less than three weeks "the people back home" wilj be enjoying another "Merry Christmas." The boys and girls will have returned from their respective schools to enjoy the Christ mas turkey with father and mother and brother and sister. They will all sit by the fire-side and enjoy the companionship of loved ones and Oie association of friends. Santa Claus will bring each a Christmas present and in a nice, comfortable home, moth er, father, sister, brother, friend, will enjoy the Christmas season. Hut there are hundreds of thousands of boys who will not have such a Christmas. Yes, millions will not spend the holiday season with mother. Some will not even have a holiday. To some, Christmas will be only De cember twenty-fifth. In some dreary little hut, or out* on some cold out post of guard duty, or even in the trenches, somebody's son, somebody's brother, somebody's friend, will have to spend Christmas. It may be yotir son; it may be your brother. Will this young man in khaki (for it is the soldier boys that I am thinking of) think of home on December twenty fifth? Scarcely will he think of any thing else, and he would give a thous and worlds, had he them to give, if only he could help eat the turkey at home, j'.nd just for one hour with some friend he left behind. The folks back home are going to think of the boys, too. They are going to send Christ I mas to the boys at the front. Now just a suggestion. The soldier spends much of his leisure time in writing to the folks back home. He gets all the paper he wants from the "Y". He gets all the pens and ink he ! wants from the "Y". But a pen that has been used by two or more persons does not write very smoothly. You could not give that soldier son, brother, or friend a more useful and appreci ated gift than a good fountain pen. A soldier can take paper from the "Y" with him to the field. He can fill his fountain pen before he leaves the "Y", and out there on the firing line he can write back home. Think of the soldier boys while enjoying your Christmas. A "Y" SECRETARY. Columbia, S. C. AT Tllfe CAPITAL OF BOON HILL. Princeton, Dec. 5. ? Misses Bessie and Zilla Wood?rd are spending a few days with their sister, Mrs. W. L. Brown. Miss Hester Gurley and Miss Penina Deans, from Siulston, spent the week end with Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Gurley. Miss Hester is teaching school at Saulston. Miss Grace Warrick from Goldsboro is visiting Misses Bessie and Jessie Massey. Miss Alliene Pettway, of Goldsboro, has been spending a few days with Miss Alma Holt this week. Mr. and Mrs. John C. Hood, of Kins ton, visited Mr. and Mrs. Ed. A. Holt Sunday. Miss Eunice Pool and Misses FWssie and Malissie Wellons have been spend ing a few days with Miss Mildred Massey. Miss Jenneth Woodard is visiting Miss Sallie Wrigth this week. Miss Lola Lynch and Miss Zola Woodr.rd are visiting Mrs. George II. Perry. , Mr. W. L- Hastings, from the Battle ship Maine, is at home on a week's fourlough, visiting his parents. Logan is a member of the band on this vessel. The friends and relatives of Miss Lena Woodard will be glad to learn that she is improving, slowly, but is yet very sick at her home. The little child of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Pelt is seriously ill wiih symptoms of pneumonia. Miss Ethel Baker is at home, spend ing a few days. She is attending Rock Ridge High School in Wilson County. Mrs. Frank Wells continues seri ously ill at her home, wijh symptoms of improvement today. Mrs A. C. Faircloth and bab^ have been visiting her sister, Mrs. Murchi son, in Smithfield for a few days. The box party given at the school house Thursday night was a success. The object was to raise mopey to pur chase a piano for the school. The re ceipts amounted to more than f