The Great Johnston County Fair October 22, 23, 24 and 25th, 1918
A
VOLUME 37.
THE SMITHFIELD HERALD, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1918.
Number 19.
BULGARIA MAKES
ABSOLUTE SURRENDER
Terms of Armistice With Bulgaria
Which Were Concluded Monday.
Bulgaria Agrees to Evacuate Ter
ritory Now Occupied in Greece and
Serbia. Ten Thousand Turks Sur
render.
The Associated Press dispatches in
this morning’s News and Observer
bring news of a very happy nature.
They show how powerful the Allies
are on the battle fronts of Europe.
London, Sept. 30.—The armistice
which has been concluded with Bulga
ria by the entente allies is a purely
military convention and contains no
provisions of a political character.
Bulgaria agrees to evacuate all the
territory she now occupies in Greece
and Serbia, to demobilize her army
immediately and surrender all means
of transport to the allies.
Bulgaria also will surrender her
boats and control of navigation on the
Danube and concede to the allies free
passage through Bulgaria for the de
velopment of military operations.
All Bulgaria arms and ammunition
are to be stored under the control of
the allies, to whom is conceded the
right to occupy all important strategic
points.
The Associated Press learns that the
military occupation of Bulgaria will
be entrusted to British, French and
Italian forces and the evacuated por
tions of Greece and Serbia respect
ively, to Greek and Serbian troops.
The armistice means a complete mil
itary surrender and Bulgaria ceases
to be a belligerent. All questions of
territorial arrangements in the Bal
kans was purposely omitted from the
convention.
The allies made no stipulation con
cerning King Ferdinand, his position
being considered an internal matter,
one for the Bulgarians themselves to
deal with.
A Turkish force of 10,000 men has
surrendered to the British in Palestine
ocording to an official announcement
made this evening. The text of the
statement follows:
“In Palestine during September 29
the northward movement of our cav
alry and armored cars from the Tibe
rias—Deraa area continued.
“A large Turkish force, including
elements composing the Turkish gar
rison on the Hedjas railway between
Amman and Maan, surrendered at
Ziza station.
“This force is said by its command
er to number 10,000 men and to be a
part of the second army corps of the
fourth Turkish army.”
With the American Army North
west of Verdun, Sept. 30.—Fighting
was resumed early this morning by
General Pershing’s troops after a
fairly quiet night. Reports from every
section of the front indicate that the
Germans intend to continue making
a stand along the present line instead
of going back to the Kreimheild line,
although they today are making fe
verish efforts to strengthen that po
sition.
German counter attacks against the
advancing Americans were quite fre
mient late yesterday. Enemy resist
ance was particularly evident in the
vicinity of Exermont and Cierges. <
Just before midnight "it was reported <
that the Germans had shelled the
American field hospital at Nothin
ecurt and had set it on fire.
DRAWING draft in progress.
blindfolded. President Draws First
Capsule Number 322.
Washington, Sept. 30—The drawing
of order numbers for the thirteen mil
lion draft registrants enrolled Sept.
12, was started today by President
Wilson.
Blindfolded, the President groped
into the great glass lottery' bowl
and drew one of the 17,000 capsules.
It contained a slip numbered 322, thus
giving to men holding that serial
number first place in their respective
classes after registrants already
classified under previous registrations.
1 he number was low enough to touch
ihe list of every local draft board in
the country except one or two of the
very smallest.
Vice-President Marshall drew the
second number, and was followed by
sixteen other notables who had been
invited to participate in the formal
ceremony of opening the drawing.
i
KAISER BILL MUST
KEEPHANDS OFF
Germany Shall Have No Hand in Bul
garian Peace; No Interruption
of War.
Washington, Sept. 27.—Bulgaria
suing for peace with her armies beat
en and her border strongholds in the
hands of the allies, will get no peace
in the making of which Germany even
indirectly has a finger, and no peace
leaving in her possession the slightest
portion of the spoils of her inglorious
part in the war as Berlin’s tool.
Nor will there be any interruption
of the victorious march of the allied
forces on the Macedonian front until
the Bulgars are ready to disarm, drive
out their German officers and advisors
and surrender as pledges of good faith
such strategic points as may be desig
nated.
On these points there was no dis
agreement tonight in official and allied
diplomatic quarters when word came
through American official channels
that the Bulgarians had asked for an
armistice to discuss terms of peace. In
fact, the emphasis laid everywhere
upon the conditions which the Bulgars
must meet almost overshadowed the
very real feeling of satisfaction over
this sign that the expected crumbling
of Germany’s lesser allies is at hand.
Collapse of Bulgarian resistance of
course would be of tremendous mili
tary advantage to the Entente and
might quickly effect the attitude of
Turkey. Neutral diplomats in Wash
ington appeared, if possible, even
more impressed at this prospect than
the representatives of the Allies.
They spoke of the Turkish debacle in
Palestine and predicted that overtures
from the Ottoman government might
be expected at any time now. Some
even went so far as to express the
opinion that since Bulgaria has dared
to defy her master, Germany’s more
powerful colleague, Austria may gath
er courage to disregard German pres
sure and come out with an unquali
fied proposal for cessation of hostil
ities.
The United States is not at war
with Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Min
ister still occupies his legation here.
Therefore directly and formally the
American government has nothing to
do with the proposal made to the
French general commanding the Al
lies in Macdonia. Actually, however,
the Bulgarian affair must be consider
ed as an important phase of the world
war situation, so the announcement
from Paris that not only the Entente
governments but the United States
must be consulted before Bulgarian
proposals are considered was not sur
prising.
If the Bulgarians really are ready
to quit the war on the Entente terms
there is'little doubt that her offers
will be entertained. There will be no
“round-table” peace discussions, how
ever, with opportunities for secret
German machinations to confuse the
issue, and bring about such a situation
as it was hoped to crease through the
recent proposal from Austria.
The allies all along have indicated
a determination to deal separately
with each of the countries with which
they are at war when it came to peace
negotiations of sincerity, the time has
come when she may find safety in
dropping out of the alliance with the
Central Powers.
JOHSTON COUNTY BAR
CALLS OFF COURT TERM.
Lawyers Will Give Time to Liberty
Loan Campaign.
In keeping with the proclamation
of the Governor, the Johnston county
bar Saturday met in the clerk’s office
and “called off” the second week of
the Superior Court for trial of civil
cases in the interest of the Fourth
Liberty Bond campaign, and directed
the clerk to write Hon. Charles W.
Home, chairman for Johnston county,
tendering him the services of the en
tire bar during the campaign. Judge
Daniels, who was to hold the court,
was advised by the clerk that his ser
vices could be utilized this week in the
Liberty Bond campaign.
General Pershing reports that the
American aviators have kept com
mand of the air. They have brought
down twelve enemy balloons and more
than 60 planes while they have lost
less than a third of that number.
ALLIES SMASHING
GERMAN DEFENSES
More Than 27,000 Prisoners Taken in
Last Three Days—Belgians Enter
ed Great Offensive Movement Sat
urday. Germans Sorely Pressed.
Allies in Macedonia Pressing De
feated Germans and Bulgarians
Hard Everywhere.
Te Associated Press war summary
for Saturday’s activities follows:
Over a front of more than 250
miles from the North Sea to Verdun,
the allies are smashing into the Ger-,
man defenses on four wide and im-j
portant sectors. The enemy is faced
with the greatest offensive effort since1
the beginning of the war.
On all the sectors the British,
French, American and Belgian troops
are progressing successfully. Serious
inroads are being made into the Ger
man defensive system north of
Ypres, around Cambrai, north of the
Aisne and on the Champag’.e-Verdun
sector. Additional prisoners have been
added to the allied total of 27,000 for
the last three days and several hun
dred more guns of all calibres have
been taken from the enemy.
Vital successes are being gained by
the British in their new drive for
Cambrai. The capture of Cambrai by
the British, would appear to be near.
Fr<)m the west the British are within
one and three-quarter miles of Cam
brai at two points and all natural
obstacles have been overcome. The
same is true on the north, where the
British are pushing forward rapidly.
Southwest of Cambrai Field Marshal
Haig’s men are fighting for the cross
ings of the Scheldt canal.
Douhi, the German base northeast
of Arras and one of the outlying de
fenses of the great fortress of Lille,
also is threatened by the Cambrai
operation. The British have crossed
the high road between Douai and
Cambrai, and the railroad connecting
them is useless to the Germans.
Southwest of Douai, the British are
reported to have taken Arleux.
Belgian troops entered the great
offensive movement Saturday by be
ginning an operation in conjunction
with the British in the Dixmude
Ypres area. The Allies are reported
to have pushed forward rapidly and
were reported fighting their way
through to Houtholst forest, which
has been looked upon as the keystone
of the enemy defensive system be
tween Ypres and the sea.
General Mangin resumed his slow
progress toward the heights of the
Chemin des Dames, the southern de
fense line of the great and important
massif of Laon. .Ground has been
gained south of the high point at Fort
Malmaison, and the bitterly contest
ed villages of Jouy and Aizy have fall
en to the French.
On the western flank of the Cham
pagne-Verdun offensive, the French
are pushing over the heights behind
the Hindenburg line. From the Ar
gonne, east of the Meuse, the Ameri
cans are forcing their way into the
Kreimhild positions. Some ground
has been gained near the Argonnc
forest but the American progress
Saturday apparently was slowed down
some from the first two days.
With a 250 mile line aflame over
almost its entire length, Marshal
Foch has the German command in a
tight place. On each of the four sec
tors the allies threaten important
bases and valuable communication
lines. The German command proba
bly will have trouble in placing its
reserves to the best advantage as the
allies are in a position to strike on
still more sectors if Marshal Foch
thinks necessary.
In Macedonia the allies sye press
ing the defeated Germans and Bul
garians into Bulgaria on the east,
into Albania on the west and toward
Uskub on the north. The Serbians,
who are at the apex of the salient,
are moving toward Uskub, having
taken Vesle and its garrison. They
are also approaching the Bulgarian
border from east of the Vardar. In
the Doiran region the allies are work
ing their way over the mountains to
ward the important line of the
Struma river.
It is reported that the Austrian
forces in Albania are being with
drawn. If true, this is the logical re
sult of the allied drive in Macedonia
as the Austrians would be in a pre
carious position should they attempt
to hold their line in Southern Albania.
GERMAN TROOPS
t SUFFERING DEFEAT
Allies Continue to Make Progress.
Sunday Shows Many Gains on All
Allied Fronts. Belgian Soil Re
stored. Since July 18, Germans Have
Lost 200,000 Taken Prisoner.
In Belgian Flanders and France
material advances were made on all
the fighting fronts Sunday. In Ser
bia the territory of the overrun king
dom is fast being reclaimed, while in
Palestine the Turkish armies under
the attacks of General Allenby and
the tribesmen of the king of the
Hedjas have virtually ceased to ex
ist, as fighting units.
Keeping up relentlessly their violent
attacks from near the sea in Belgium
to the region of Verdun, the Belgian,
British, American and French troops
are fast driving into the enemy line,
forcing him to retreat or defeating
him in sanguinary battles. No rest
is being accorded the Germans and
apparently their front is fast going to
pieces under the impetus of the allied
blows.
In Belgium between Dixmude and
Ypres, King Albert’s men have press
ed back the German front from four
to five miles and taken 6,000 prison
ers.
Giound that the enemy had held
since the invasion of Belgium in 1914
has been restored to Belgian owner
ship through the efforts of the mixed
Belgian and British force, and at last
accounts the allied forces were well
on their way to the important junction
town of Roulers.
To the south from the region of
Arras to St Quentin, the British with
the Americans fighting on their right
everywhere have penetrated the Ger
man defenses over the 35-mile front.
More than 16.000 prisoners have been
taken in this region since Friday.
Under the efforts of the British,
Americans and French, the Germans
have been cleared out of the entire de
partment of the Somme and part of
the Ardenn and now is in French
hands for the first time since 1914.
In Champagne and northwest of
Verdun, the Germans have sensed to
the full the seriousness of the situa
tion facing them—where further ad
vances-by the French and the Ameri
cans of necessity will compel the re
adjustment of the line north to the
Swiss frontier. Large numbers of
reinforcements have been thrown into
the battle in Champagne to halt the
advance of the French toward the im
portant junction town of Vouziers, but
nevertheless General Gouraud’s men
have pressed forward northward from
the region east of Rheims to the
northern fringes of the Argonne for
est, taking many positions of the
highest strategic value.
Meantime the Americans also have
advanced their front, capturing Bri
eullas-Sur-Meuse and Romange and
at last accounts were progressing fa
vorably northward along the Meuse
valley and to the east of the Argonne
forest, the turning of which by the
combined forces of General Gouraud
within a short time.
In Palestine the victory over the
Turks is all but complete. On Satur
day night General Allenby had count
ed 50,000 prisoners and 300 guns.
The losses of the Teutonic allies on
the western front since the allied of
fensive began July 18 have been
200,000 men made prisoners and 3,000
guns, 20,000 machine guns and enor
mous quantities of material captured.
—Associated Press Summary.
Tar Heel Troops in Rattle.
Field Marshal Haig’s report says
that troops from North Carolina, Ten
nessee, New York and South Carolina
attacked the Hindenburg line Sunday
on a front of nearly three miles and
captured Bellecourt and Nauroy.
A Very Big Potato.
Yesterday Mr. Calvin S. Stewart,
who lives on Route No. 1 from Four
Oaks, in Ingrams township, was here
and showed us the biggest potato we
have seen this season. It weighed
8 1-2 pounds and was 12 inches long
and 22 1-2 inches in diameter. It is
of the Porto Rico yam variety. Mr.
Stewart has about half an acre in
these potatoes and says there are
plenty in the patch that will weigh
over five pounds.
NO COTTON PRICE
FIXINGAT PRESENT
Committee Warns Interested Parties
Against Giving Credence to
Reports.
(S. R. Winters in News and
Observer.)
Washington, Sept. 27.—The public
and in particular the cotton interests
are warned against giving credence to
unauthorized reports, rumors and in
formation purporting to come from
the cotton committee or the committee
on cotton distribution. All authentic
information will he published over the
signature of Thomas Walker Page,
chairman of the cotton committee, or
Charles J. Brand, chairman of the
committee on cotton distribution.
The cotton committee makes the
following announcement:
“First. The committee will not re
commend that a price be fixed on raw
cotton at the present time; nor will it
so recommend in any event before suf
ficient time has elapsed to test the ef
fect of a stabilizing influence of the
work assigned to the committee on
cotton distribution unless in the mean
time unexpected changes occur in the
cotton market of such violence as to
threaten the welfare of legitimate in
terests.
“Second. The committee on cotton
distribution has been organized, and
has been directed to effect as quickly
as possible an equitable distribution
of cotton as to quantity and also as to
grade among both domestic and for
eign manufacturers, with a special
view to providing for the proper utili
zation of the surplus of grades below
middling.
“Third. All purchases both for for
eign and for domestic consumption
will continue to be made at market
prices through the marketing and dis
tributing agencies commonly used,
unless and until the cotton committee
shall determine and announce that a
necessity has arisen for making a
change.
“In view of this announcement the
cotton committee hopes that agencies
engaged in the cotton industry will
proceed in the normal transaction of
business without uncertainty or hesi
tation.”
BENTONVILLE TOWNSHIP COM
MUNITY FAIR.
The Bentonville Township Commu
nity Fair Association will hold its
second annual Fair Thursday, Octo
ber 10 1918. The purpose of this fair
is threefold:
First, educational; second, agricul
tural, and third, social.
It is believed that much may be
learned by exhibiting and comparing
farm and household products. During
these war and food producing times
it will be beneficial to the farmers,
farmers’ wives and sons to take part
and make exhibits in your Township
Fair. Never has there been a time in
the history of our county when the
producing and displaying of the farm
products have been so, essential as
now. The location of the Bentonville
Township Community Fair is in one
of the most historical spots of John
ston county, it being on the edge of
the Bentonville battlefield within one
half miles of the Confederate monu
ment erected in honor of those who
gave their lives for their country.
The location is very desirable as we
have high dry land with the best of
water and a good school house, Mill
Creek. The management of the Fair
have given their ideas and time to
make this Fair such as much may be
gained by visiting.
The entrance fees are free and
everybody cordially invited to attend.
The colored farmers are invited to
pass through the hall and inspect D'e
exhibits at twelve o’clock.
Let’s everybody come together on
October 10 and exchange ideas on dif
ferent topics and help one another,
meet your friends and kin, and don’t
forget while you are there to visit the
W. S. S. booth and get a stamp to
take home with you as a souvenir of
the Fair.
The hall will be opened at 10 a. m.
to the public with some good talks
from some of North Carolina’s leaders
in agriculture, horticulture and live
stock. Motion pictures will be shown
at 3 a. m. and 8 at night. A special
war program will be put on.
W. A. POWELL,
Secretary.
JOHNSTONGUARD
HELD TOR MURDER
Latta Finch to Face Trial in Wake
Court for Killing Negro Escaped
Convict, Who Had Been Serving a
Short Term on Johnston Roads for
Carrying Concealed Weapon.
Latta Finch, a Johnston county
convict guard, is being held under
$2,000 bond for trial in Wake Superior
Court for the death of Walter Penny,
an escaped convict, who was shot a«<I
killed by the guard about three weeks
ago at the home of Andrew Tuner
near McCullers. Finch is charged with
murder and his hearing was before
Justice J. E. Owens.
Acording to the evidence submitted
at the hearing by Turner, Finch was
shot through the body by the guard
before the negro had time to raise his
hands at the guard’s request. The
guard appeared at burner’s home and
asked for the negro. Penny appear
ed at the front door and was greeted
by the fire from the guard’s gun. After
being shot, the escaped convict ran
into a room and later was rushed to
St. Agnes hospital in this city, where
he died soon afterwards.
It was brought out during the hear
ing that the slain negro escaped
while serving a short term on the
Johnston county roads for carrying
a concealed weapon. He had served
the original sentence but had to pay
the costs in the case.
During the cross-examination of
Turner, whose daughter married Pen
ny, and who is prosecuting the guard,
counsel for Finch attempted to show
that the negro had a rock in his hand
and that the guard fired in self-de
fense. However, the witness stoutly
denied that Penny had any weapon in
his hand or made any move toward the
guard.
The prosecution is represented by
Charles U. Harris while the defendant
employed W. B. Jones to defend him.
—News and Observer.
JUDGING CONTEST SATURDAY.
Johnston Boys and Girls Learn How
to Judge Live Stock.
Last Saturday afternoon A. M.
Johnson, ur county agent, held a pre
liminary livestock judging contest for
the boys and girls who will enter the
contest at the county fair. Mr. Whar
din from the State College, judged the
poultry; Mr. Schloss, also from the
State College, judged the cattle and
Mr. Johnson the hogs. There were
thirteen present for the pounltry con
test, twenty-two for the hog contest
and seventeen for the cattle contest.
Several men and women were pres
ent and showed much interest in what
was being said about the good and bad
points about the animals. The hogs
and cattle contest was held at Mr. J.
W. Stephenson’s farm and the poultry
contest at Rev. S. A. Cotton’s poul
try yard. Mr. Johnson had captured
a god specimen of family cow at the
camp house and had just commenced
to discuss her good and bad points
when the fire whistle blew; the crowd
left for the fire and the contest ended.
Smithfield Township Democratic
Nominees.
The Smithfield Democratic mass
convention was held in the courthouse
Saturday afternoon at four o’clock,
to nominate township officers and road
commissioners.
The meeting was called to order by
Vice Chairman Mr. W. D. Avera, with
Mr. W. L. Ellis acting secretary.
The following were nominated:
For constable: H. L. Graves, Jr.
For Justices of the Peace: W. D.
Avera, H. I. Ogbura, Z. L. LeMay, C.
T. Hill and E. F. Crump.
For Road Commissioners: J. W.
Stephenson, R. A. Sanders, P. A. Hol
land, W. N. Holt and N. G. Rand.
Safe Arival Overseas.
The many friends of Mr. Marvin
Price, of the Medical Replacement
Unit No. 39, will be glad to learn that
his sister, Miss Carmen, has received
a card announcing his safe arrival
overseas.
Saturday, October 12, has been des
ignated as “Bond Day.” It is the an
niversary of th discovery of America
by Christopher Columbus.