North Carolina Newspapers

Buy Liberty Bonds—“A Bond in Every Home” VOLUME 37. THE SMITHFIELD HERALD, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1918. Number 83. PRESIDENT WILSON SAYS THAT PEACE OF THE WORLD MUST BE MADE SECURE HIS ANSWER TO GERMANY MEANS THAT THE AUTO CRATIC WILLIAM MUST GET DOWN AND OUT. Before Any Armistice Can Be Entered Into Germany Must Stop Her Illegal and Inhuman Practices—Germany and Her Allies Must Know With Whom They Are Dealing. (From the Raleigh News and Observer of October 15th.) Text of President Wilson’s Official Reply to Germany. Washington, Oct. 14. . “Sir: “In reply to the communication of the German government dated the 12th instant, which you handed me today, I have the honor to request you to transmit the following answer: “The unqualified acceptance by the present German government and by a large majority of the Reichstag of the terms laid down by the President of the United States of America in his address to the Congress of the United States on the 8th of January, 1918, and in his subsequent addresses justifies the President in making a frank and direct statement of his decision with regard to the com munications of the German government of the 8th and 12th of October, 1918. AUTOCRACY MUST GO. “It must be clearly understood that the process of evacuation and the conditions of an armistice are matters which must be left to the judgment and advice of the military advisers of the govern ment of the United States and the Allied governments, and the President feels it his duty to say that no arrangement can be accepted by the government of the United States which does not provide absolutely satisfactory safeguards and guarantees of the maintenance of the present supremacy of the armies of the United States and of the Allies in the field. He feels confident that he can safely assume that this will also be the judgment and decision of the Allied governments. MUST FIRST STOP INHUMAN PRACTICES. “The President feels that it is also his duty to add that neither the government of the United States nor, he is quite sure, the governments with which the government of the United States is associatd as a belligerent, will consent to consider an armistice so long as the armed forces of Germany continue the illegal and in human practices which they still persist in. JUSTLY REGARDED WITH HORROR AND BURNING HEARTS. “At the very time that the German government approached the government of the United States with proposals of peace its submarines are engaged in sinking passenger ships at sea, and not the ships alone, but the very boats in which their passengers and crews seek to make their way to safety, and in their present en forced withdrawal from Flanders and France the German armies are pursuing a course of wanton destruction which has always been regarded as in direct violation of the rules and practices of civilized warfare. Cities and villages, if not destroyed, are being stripped of all they contain—not only that, but often of their very inhabi tants. The nation associated against Germany cannot be expected to agree to a cessation of arms while acts of inhumanity, spoliation and desolation are being continued which they justly look upon with horror and with burning hearts. MUST BE DESTROYED OR MADE IMPOTENT. “It is necessary, also, in order that there may be no possibility of misunderstanding that the President should very solemnely call the attention of the government of Germany to the language and plain intent of one of the terms of peace which the German gov ernment has now accepted. It is contained in the address of the President delivered at Mount Vernon on the Fourth of July last. “It is as follows: ‘The destruction of every arbitrary power anywhere that can separately, secretly and of its single choice dis turb the peace of the world; or, if it cannot be presently destroyed, at least its reduction to virtual impotency.’ “The power which has hitherto controlled the German nation is of the sort here described. It is within the choice of the German nation to alter it. The President’s words just quoted naturally constitute a condition precedent to peace, if peace is to come by the action of the German people themselves. The President feels bound to say that the whole process of peace will, in his judgment, depend upon the definiteness and the satisfactory character of the j guarantees which can be given in this fundamental matter. MUST KNOW WITH WHOM WE ARE DEALING. “It is indispensible that the governments associated with Ger-j many should know beyond a peradventure with whom they are j u. !in re “The President will make a separate reply to the royal and im perial government of Austro-Hungary.” *ow that our great President has given to heartless iermany his answer, let every true American citizen /ho can buy Bonds—buy more Bonds—keep buying >onds—buy until it pinches—then buy more Bonds. ANSWER WITH J|ORE BONDS. Can We Make Peace With Such Peo ple Without Surrender and Atone ment?—Men Brutally Torn from Homes and Forced to Labor for Germans. Havre, Oct. 8.—The Belgian govern ment has issued a statement that from the coast to beyond the city of Bruges the population between the ages of 15 and 45 have been brutally torn from their homes and forced to labor on German military work. The text of the statement reads: “The Belgian government has been conferring for several weeks past with the allied governments on the subject of measures which are neces sitated by methoiis of systematic de struction and pillage which the ene my is occupying in territory he is obliged to evacuate. “Belgium has been from the begin ning of the w.ir exposed to the out rages of the German armies. At the very moment the new imperial chan cellor is proclaiming his anxiety for the happiness of peoples and his will to work for the deliverance of hu manity, the Belgian government re ceives news of fresh excesses on the part of the Gemarn armies in occupied Belgium. “From the coast to beyond Bruges the male population from 15 to 45 years is being torn from their homes and subjected to most brutal treat ment. These men are compelled to work at forced labor for the military needs of the enemy. “A vengeful clamor would arise from the whole world if at the moment of leaving Belgian soil the German armies renewed with redoubled cruel ty the excesses which marked the in vasion of Belgium, and if they un dertook to consummate the ruin of the country by pillage, arson and the wholesale destruction of the people." —Associated Press. GERMAN ANSWER EQUIVALENT TO SURRENDER SAYS BICKETT. Interpreting Germany’s reply to the President’s query as an unconditional surrender and a humiliating confes sion that militarism is a “gigantic and bloody failure,” Governor Bickett last night expressed complete faith that President Wilson will deal with the is sues involved in a way “that will sat isfy the conscience and gladden the heart of the world.” The Governor’s statement follows: “I interpret Germany’s reply as an unconditoinal surrender to the terms of peace repeatedly and consistently pre scribed by President Wilson and re peatedly and emphatically endorsed by our Allies. The reply is a humiliating confession on the part of Germany that militarism is a gigantic and bloody failure and has been beaten to the dust. This unconditional surren der to our terms of peace secures to the world all that the Allies are fight ing for and is the glorious fruitage of of the blood of our slain. The Presi dent of the United States has a truer insight into and a more comprehensive grasp of the real situation than any living man, and I have the faith of Abraham that he will deal with the vast and vital issues involved in a way that will satisfy the conscience and gladden the heart of the world.”— News and Observer. _ INFLUENZA BUSY IN SELMA. The Town Authorities Taking Drastic Slops to Stop Its Inroads. Mayor J. P. Temple and Mr. John H. Parker, of Selma, were in town yesterday afternoon. Mayor Temple told us that Selma has a number of j cases of influenza and that the town authorities had taken hold of the sit-1 uation with a firm grip. They have | ordered that soda fountains serve no drinks except in sanitary cups and j bottles, and that no drinks be served j on Saturdays either way. They have j also requested that all visiting, except on business, be stopped, and that those sick with influenza be kept in their) homes six days after the fever has left i , t nty Boa:’d of He* A 1 ,. \ •; ,,t. him at Selma nd all helo he 2nt situ t very ossiDiy can uon. VIEWS OF ADMINISTRATION RAPIDLY CRYSTALLIZING. Belief That President Has Created a Situation Where He Can Deliver a Stroke W'hich Will Bring About Un conditional Surrender or Throw Ger man kaiser and His Imperialists Out of Power. Washington, Oct. 13.—The Govern ment asks the American people to withhold their judgment on Germany’s note until President Wilson has re ceived the official communication, and has had opportunity to consider it. The official document had not been received in Washington tonight when the President returned from New York. It probably will be here tomor row when the President confers with his advisers, among them Secretary Baker, who returned today from the western battle front, undoubtedly pre pared to give him some inside inform ation on the broken condition of the German military power of which the world necessarily does not know at this time. Tonight ,as last night, no official of the government felt justified in speak ing to guide public opinion in the di rection of the views which are being formed Views Rapidly Crystallizing. President Wilson is expected to first decide if Foreign Secretary Solf’s re ply to the inquiries addressed to Chan cellor Maximilian warrants him in presenting Germany’s original pro posal to the Entente Allies. It should be borne in mind that the President’s inquiry merely was a move ad interim, in which he proposed nothing, bound himself to nothing and merely asked some questions which he declared re quired an answer, before he could go further. Allies Expected to Quickly Reply If he puts the proposition before the Entente it undoubtedly will draw a quick reply. Dispatches last night from London quoting the London Ex press as announcing that the British, French and Italian governments had reached a unanimous decision for a JlHPfe of common action, were regarded as being deeply significant. No Armistice in Sight at Washington. Lacking official guidance on which to base a prediction observers are forced to record indications. The in dications are that there will be no armistice, and that if the Entente Al lies were disposed to agree to one they probably would demand as guar antees of good faith that such places, as Metz, Strasburg, Trieste and pos sibly Essen be placed in the hands of the Entente forces to guarantee ful fillment of Germany’s words. No Evacuation of German Territory. If Germany expects that by agree ing to the evacuation of occupied ter ritories she will exact the evacuation of German colonies occupied by En tente forces, German statesmen have made another mistake. A reference to President Wilson’s inquiry shows that he spoke distinctly in reference to in vaded territory occupied by troops of the Central Powers. When the American capital recover ed its balance after the surprise of Foreign Secretary Solf’s note it found its unofficial opinion divided into two distinct lines. One view shared largely by the Re publicans in Congress is inclined to the view that Senator Lodge's pre diction of a situation which may threaten the substitution of the delib erations of diplomacy for victories at arms, has been fulfilled. Wilson Evidently Knows What to Do. The other, confident in the success of President Wilson’s diplomacy and probably forming its conclusions from close knowledge of what the gov ernment is planning, is very certain that the President has created a situa tion where he can deliver a stroke which will bring about an uncondition-1 al surrender or overthrow the Kaiser j and the German militarists complete- | ly out of any power they may retain. There is a general feeling that the j next move will confront the military | party with the choice of such an un- ! ic m ie II s of influ ?re are a Is of Smitl.fi r sv case GRAPHIC STORY OF THE LOSS OF THE OTRANTO T. L. Campbell, With Nerves Shaken, Recounts the Horror at. Sea and Loss of Life—He Goes on to France (Copyright, 1918, by Public ledger Company.) London, Oct. 12.—The following is the story of T. L. Campbell, an Amer ican Y. M. C. A. secretary, who was coming over for service in France, on the transport Otranto. This was his lirst trip. He is a native of Memphis, Tenn., a lawyer 45 years old. lie has a wife and one child. There was an other Y. M. C. A. secretary on board, C. A. Carpenter, of Waukesha, Wis., also married, the father of two chil dren. So far as is known he was not saved. Campbell arrived in London early Wednesday from Ireland. He is nerve-shaken as a result of his teriible experience, but speaks gamely of going to France to do his bit. He told a graphic story of the collision. He said. “October 5 the storm increased very much in violence and it was still worse on the morning of the tith. As a result another transport, the Kash mir, got out of control owing to the disorganization of her steering gear. She beat in on the port side of the Otranta and hit the vessel amidships, tearing a big hole in the side. This occurred Sunday morning. At that time we were eight miles from the Irish coast. The Otranto continued to team slowly along for another hour. By this time so much water poured into the vessel that the en gines stopped. The vessel drifted closer inshore, but unfortunately at that part of the Irish coast there are sheer rock cliffs and as a consequence it was not possible to beach her. The Otronto was anchored more or less. , “At 10 a. m. the British destroyer Mouncey came up in response to the S. O. S. signals. She circled around the stern of the Otranto and came on the starboard side of the vessel, thus affording it some protection from the hight seas running. The waves in deed were so high that Capain Da vidson, of the Otranto, advised Lieu tenant Commander Craven, of the Mbuneey, not to attempt to come alongside. Commander Mouncey re plied that he was determined to give all the support he could, as it looked like the only chance they had. Owing to the weather it was impossible for the destroyer to approach to Otranto straight forward or backward, hut she maneuvered into a position and drifted that way to the Otranto. Meanwhile Lieuteant Commander Simmons, of the Otranto, advised the men on the decks to remove all their heavy clothes and other impediments and prepare to jump. These orders were given twice. When the collision occurred the men had proceeded im mediately to their assigned stations. There was absolutely no panic or ex citement aboard. The men removed their boots, leg eins and overcoats and put on life belts again. I kept on my yarn socks and to this I attribute the fact that I was saved. “Maneuvering in the manner indi cated, the destroyer made altogether four trips to the Otranto, coming up alongside, she went off with the heavy seas again. Each time a certain pro portion of the men jumped. Previ ously two life boats had been launch ed, not indeed to carry men—that un fortunately was out of the question in view of the weather—but to act as fenders between the destroyer and the Otranto. Each time as the destroyer came near the Otranto, Engineer Of ficer Cook of the destroyer, called ever to the men to cheer them up, tehng them to keep a stiff upper lip, confidently assuring them they would be taken off. Unfortunately many of those who did jump missed the de stroyer and fell between the vessels and were drowned, a good many of them being on their third trip. I jumped a distance I estimate at 16 feet. I landed all right on my feet, barely on the edge of the destroyer, and hut for the fact that I was wear ing my socks I should assuredly slipped back into the water. Thus I was able to get my arm around the wire cable which serves as a railing on the destroyer. All this time the ind last trip of th some 18 or 20 mei of the to bj ave: 12 or L ?m bac ito the 'he destroyer then backed away had h saved w< it below. Campbell sneaks in the highest :*rms of the heroism displayed by the : Ulcers and crew of the British de-1 ?,trover. He said: “Words fail me in describing their behaviour adequately. It was beyond ill praise. They took chances of al most certain death and at the great est peril to themselves. They saved BIG OVATION TO PRESIDENT Wilson Cheered as He Marches iit New York Parade—Fighting Men Are in Line—President Heads Pa rade of 25,000 Soldiers and Sailors in Liberty Day Parade. New York, Oct. 12.—President Wil son, commander in chief .of the Amer ican army and navy, marched today at the head of the American forces in the Columbus-Liberty Day parade, one of the most impressive and inspiring spectacles New York has ever seen. Under a canopy formed by the flags of the 22 nations arrayed against au tocracy and with squadrons of Ameri can airplanes hovering overhead, the President strode with 25,000 fighting men from five continents and islands in every sea over the entire three-mile line of march along the “Avenue of the Allies.” Then, at the foot of I' ifth Avenue, beside the Washington arch, he took his place in an automo bile and reviewed the long column. The spectators, whose number the police estimated at more than a mil lion, never ceased cheering from the moment they caught sight of the shin ing silk hat which proclaimed the ap proach of the nation’s? chief executive until they lost sight of it in the dis tance. In according Mr. Wilson what prob ably was the greatest ovation a Presi dent of the United States has ever re ceived, men threw their hats into the air and yelled themselves hoarse. Ba bies were hoisted on their father’s shoulders, women clapped their hands frantically and embraced strange men in an exuberance of joy, while smalt boys broke through the police lines to get a better view of the nation’s leader. A Stern Procession. It was the second time the President had marched in a parade down Fifth avenue, but when he opened the last Red Cross campaign he headed a great army of mercy, while today he led a grim legion of fighting men, and be hind them, dragged by motor trucks and tracts, great guns wrested from the Germans. It was a stern proces sion, typifying “force to the utmost” that New York staged on Columbus day on behalf of the nation's fourth and “fighting” loan. At the head of the line were sol diers of 22 nationalities. They came from countries fighting to retain their freedom and from races fighting to be free. KNIGHT QUITS WAKE SCHOOLS. He- Accepts Place of Assistant Educa tional Director of the Fourth Di vision—Prof. Lockhart Succeeds Him. Following announcement that the student army training corps for the Southeastern States may be moved from Chapel Hill to Raleigh comes the appointment of Dr. Edward W. Knight, superintendent of Wake county schools, who Friday resigned his position to accept the place of as sistant educational director of the fourth division. The duties of Dr. Knight will be the inspection of colleges and institu tions now under government direction insofar as military training goes. His division embraces Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida. Dr. Edward K. Graham, of the University, is director of this division and Dr. Knight will be his North Carolina as sistant. Immediately upon giving definite answer publicly Dr. Knight tendered his resignation of the schools, and Prof. John C. Lockhart, principal of Wakelon school, was elected superin tendent. Dr. Knight might have re tained the superintendency, but he elected to divorce himself from all outside duties. Before retiring he handed to his successor the superintendency which has been divested of all financial ob ligations. The county was backing $a0,000 in overdrafts. The young su perintendent ordered all of them paid, the beneficiaries of these overdrafts paid up and the schools are free of debt. The new work lays upon the assist ant director inspection of all institu tions having military training and tne work will begin November 1, when the county line-up changes. Mr. Lockhart will lie «« it is improbable that any survived. I was considerably shaken by the ex perience but shall be all right in a day or two when I hope to go to France."—Greensboro News. ided as principal tlev, member of •—Raleigh Dis 01 °"r men who would other nvc drowned. I should like to e officers of the Otranto also --J-* „ . i , olute devotion to duty. t.me was there confusion or ex nt. 1 am sorry to say that of se who remained on their ship.