VOLUME 37.
*
THE SMITHFIELD HERALD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1918.
Number 88.
AUSTRIANS MEETING
DISASTROUS DEFEAT
Entente Allies Take 33,000 Prisoners
On Italian Front—Intensity of Op
erations Deceased on French Front
American Troops Fighting in Italy,
According to Associated Press Sum
mary for Wednesday.
Over a front of some 60 miles, from
the Brenta river in Northern Italy, to
the vicinity of the Adriatic sea, the
Austro-Hungarians are being violent
ly attacked vy Italian, British, French
and American troops.
In the mountain region the enemy
is resisting desperately and holding
his ground fairly well. But east of the
Piave river he is in flight across the
plains of Tveiso, shaping his course
over the same territory through which
he drove the Italians a year ago and
reached the eastern edge of the Vene
tian plains.
Already numerous towns have been
liberated, 33,000 prisoners have been
taken and large numbers of guns and
machine guns and huge quantities of
stores have fallen into the hands of
the allied troops. Far behind the lines
allied aviators are heavily bombing
enemy columns in dense masses which
are in retreat over the badly congest
ed roads leading eastward toward the
Austrian frontier.
Judging the situation from the rap
id advance the allies are making, it
would appear that the entire enemy
front has been broken east of the
Piave and that with the cavalry op
erating far in advance of the foot
troops the enemy forces will be un
able to reform their battle line until
the Austrian border is reached. It. is
not unlikely that many of the Austro
Hungarians are doomed to capture or
extermination by the allies.
On the western front in France and
Belgium there has been a marked dim
inution in the intensity of the in
fantry activity. Along the British line
there have been only patrol encounters
and reciprocal bombardments. The
French, however, are engaged in an
other attack on a front of about seven
and a half miles between St. Quentin
Le Petit and Herpy, in the general di
rection of the enemy’s communication
lines running eastward from the old
St. Quentin and Laon sectors and also
with the purpose of driving a wedge
into this part of the southern battle
line and thereby compel the enemy to
readjust his front through Champagne
to the Muse.
Around Grand Pre, north of the
Argonne forest, the Americans have
materially bettered their positions in
attacks against the Germans. The
Bellejoyeuse farm, which for several
days has been no man’s land, now is
virtually all held by the Americans.
East of the Meuse there also has been
considerable fighting, but it has re
sulted in no great change in positions.
The big American guns are contin
uing to heavily shell German positions
far behind the lines and bombing
planes are also intensively active
against froop consecration points. In
air fighting, the Americans Wednes
day sent 21 German aviators crashing
to the ground. Two American fliers
are missing.
In both Serbia and Mesopotamia
the allied troops are still harrassing
the enemy. Serbian cavalry has ar
rived at the Danube a short distance
southeast of Belgrade. In Mesopo
tamia the British advance has pro
ceeded 150 miles up the Tigris river
from Bagdad.
It is reported that Turkey has in
vited the allies to send their fleets into
the Dardanelles and also to land a
small detachment of troops to supe^
vise the demobilization of the Turk
ish army.
URGE COTTON GROWERS
NOT TO SELL AT PRESENT.
This is Advice of Marketing Board to
Commisisoners and Farmers’
Union.
Washington, Oct. 30.—Cotton grow
ers were urged not to sell their pro
duct at the present prices in telegrams
sent out today by the Cotton Stat?s
Official Advisory Marketing Board, to
commisisoners and presidents of
Farmers’ Unions throughout the
South.
“The insidious work of the price fix
ing propagandists,” said the tele
grams, “which was started more than
a year ago and which was vigorously
renewed when the War Industries
Board announced that it was about to
assume control of the cotton situation
is having its effect. They have tried
to have the price fixed at twenty cents
and failing this, they are now trying
to break the market to about that
level. It is now a question whether
the cotton farmers or the insidious In
terests fighting cotton will win. The
farmers can-win by refusing to sell at
these prices.”
ONLY 43 PER 1.000
BOTH ILL AND WOUNDED
Major General Ireland reports on Con
ditions Among Americans in
France.
An Atlantic Port, Oct. 28.—Major
General Merritt W. Ireland, head of
the medical department of the Amer
ican expeditionary forces in France,
who recently was relieved in order to
succeed Major General C. Gorgas as
surgeon general of the United States
army, arrived here today on a British
ship. He was accompanied by Brig.
I General J. R. Kean, his deputy. Both
wall proceed to Washington. Major
General Ireland, who accompanied
General Pershing to France, declared
that the standard of the medical care
given the American soldiers was the
highest in the world. Including the
wounded, he said, only 43 men in 1,000
are ill, and of these, only two per cent
suffer from disease. He stated influ
enza and pneumonia has been present
among the troops but it was found
that the men in the trenches suffered
little from these diseases because of
their open air life.
THE NEWS FROM PRINCETON.
Many New Cases of Influenza in Boon
Hill—Man Loses Second Wife
Within Three Months.
Princeton, Oct. 30.—Mr. and Mrs.
A. K. Eason and children from Dur
ham are spending a few days with
their parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. T.
Whitley, near town.
Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Herndon and
Miss Leona, have moved to Durham
and will make this their home in the
future.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Amerson and chil
dren from Wilson were visitors in
town Sunday and Monday.
Mr. W. C. Huddleston from Atlanta,
Ga., is visiting his daughter, Mrs.
Charles W. Hall. Mr. Hudddleston
moved to Atlaata thirty years ago
from his old home at Goldsboro, N. C.
Mr. W. L. Brown is confined at his
home with “flu”
Mr. Henry Pearce is very sick at his
home with flu.
A great many new cases or nu
around town for the last week. Mr.
Alex McDuffie died Monday, after
having the flu. He lived four miles
from town. From the number of new
cases in the township it is evident
that the disease is on the increase for
the past week.
Mrs. John R. Staliags died Sunday
in a Goldsboro hospital to which place
she was carried a few days previous,
from this towaship. This is the sec
ond death for the week in the town
ship of flu. She was a young lady
from Kinston before her marriage
about three weeks ago, and she wa3
the second wife of John R. Stallings.
His first wife was Mrs. Julia F.
Pearce, who died about two months
ago. '
Mr. Oscar Snipes had the misfor
tune to lose a fine young mule a few
days ago through a little carelessness.
He carried the mule in the field and
tied him with a rope fastened around
the neck. When he went after the
mule a short time later he had tan
gled up in the rope and choked him
self to death.
Frank Pearce, young son of Mr.
.Tesse Pearce, died Monday and was
buried Tuesday near town. This is the
second son within two weeks. His
first son was grought home from the
camp. Each died from the “flu.”
Mr. Eddie Oliver’s wife is very sick
with “flu.”
Mr. Bama Lane and his entire fam
ily are down with the “flu.”
Mr. W. L. Brown’s wife and three
children are very sick at their home
in town with “flu.”
A little child of Mr. John B. Creech
died this morning with the “flu.” Mr.
Creech lives on' Route three from
Princeton and about four miles from
town.
Miss Thelma Pittman from Golds
boro is visiting Miss Mildred Massey
this week.
For the week ending at 12 o’clock
today there are more than 35 new
cases of influenza in the town and
township, and there has been four
deaths in the township none in town.
Five new cases of influenza at Mr
Stephen Peedin’s, his entire family re
ported after 12 o’clock today.
About nine o’clock last Sunday night
an automobile containing apparently
four person passed through town and
when in front of the drug store a pis
tol was fired from the car at some
boys who were on the sidewalk. An
hour or two later an automobile con
taining several young men or boys
came in towm and went around
several streets yelling and shooting a
pistol. These parties were evidently
half drunk, and this car left town over
the road toward Kealy. It is not
known whether these were two differ
ent cars or if it was the same car each
time. Such reckless, uncalled for ac
tion cannot be tolerated.
HEAVY RAIN FALL
IN THE MOUNTAINS
Toxaway Division of the Southern
Forced to Suspend Operations—
Heavy Rains in Western Fart ot
State Doing Much Damage—Rivers
Are High.
Asheville, Oct. 29.—The continued
heavy rain in “the beautiful Sapphire
region” of Transylvania county have
caused considerable danger to the Tox
away division of the Southern Rail
way, enforcing a complete suspension
ot traffic on this line, as well as on
the lumber roads of the Gloucester
Lumber Company, at Rosman, and the
Cary Lumber road, which runs from
Pisgah Forest station to the “pink
beds” at the foot of Mount Pisgah.
Both t'ne^e roads lost heavily through
the destruction of trestles, washouts
and slides.
The floods of last week swept away
three trestles on the Toxaway division,
tying up traffic between Rosman and
Lake Toxaway, and the increased
heavy rains of last night and this
morning swept away three other tres
tles between Brevard and Henderson
ville, this completely stopping all traf
fic of this line. It is expected that
three or four days will be requirt^l to
complete temporary repairs which will
make it possible to resume operations.
While the present high water covers
many of the river bottoms of the
upper French Broad valley, so far it
is by no means as great as the flood
of 1916, and with the exception of the
damage to the railroad, little other
damage is reported.
A number of slides on the Murphy
division of the railroad, west of Bry
son City, and the afternoon trains,
west bound, were annulled at Bryson
City.
So far no trouble is reported from
the Balsam Mountains section. The
streams all along this line are report
ed rising and much damage is feared.
The French Broad river at Asheville
at a late hour this evening was re
ported as six feet above normal and
still rising. No serious damage is Jfi
ticipated at this point although weath
er officials predict that they wil rise to
nine feet.
The high water mark of the 1916
flood was 23 feet at this point.
Manufacturing plants along the
river are taking precautions to pre
vent damage in the event a serious
flood does come. It is still raining
hard in all sections of the mountains.
—Charlotte Observer.
The Fall of Aleppo.
The fall of Aleppo to the British is
the crowning event of the victorious
campaign of General Allenby, in
which he captured Jerusalem and Da
mascus on his way northward through
Palestine and Syria. Aleppo is 185
miles north of Damascus and 70 miles
east of the Mediteranean Sea.
At Aleppo the railway line from
Constantinople branches, one line go
ing south to Palestine and the oth
er east and south to Bagdad. With
Aleppo in the hands of the British
the Turkish forces facing the British
army in Mesopotamia are in a more
or less precarious position. The rail
road fiom Aleppo has been their main
source of supply and the cutting of
the line at Aleppo renders it useless
to the Turks.
An advance northward from Aleppo
would cut off the Turkish forces in
Armenia and northern Mesopotamia
and would open a road over which to
send for help to the Czecho-Slovak
and other anti-Bolshevik forces m
Russia.
Aleppo has a population of about
125,000.—Philadelphia Record.
200,000 IN NOVEMBER CALL.
Men of New Draft Ape Will Be Mob
ilized Early This Month.
Washinpton, Oct. 30.—Men of the
new draft apes will be mobilized in
large numbers early in November un
der a draft call now in preparation at
Provost Marshal General Crowder’s
office. It calls for the entrainment of
more than 200,000 men qualified for
peneral military service. They will b6
furnished in proportionate numbers
by every Stjite in the Union.
Draft calls suspended during Octo
ber because of the influenza epidemic
have been renewed in sections where
the epidemic has moderated, and en
trainment of all men under the Octo
ber calls probably will be completed
before the November quota is started
to the cantonments.
Perfectly Safe to Vote
Raleigh, Oct. 29.—Secretary W. S.
Rankin, of the State Board of Health,
has issu&l a statement to the voters
of North Carolina declaring it perfect
ly safe for them to go to the polls next
Week and participate, in the elections.
CHARLES ABERNETHY
GETS OUT OF RACE
Will Not Run for Congress in Third
District—Agrees to Support
Brinson.
The news sent from Washington
Tuesday that Charles L. Abernethy
will not run for Congress is full of
interest at this time. H. E. C. Bryant
writing to the Charlotte Observer
gives the following story of Aber
nethy’s withdrawal:
Charles L. Abernethy today with
drew from the race for Congress in
the Third Congressional District of
North Carolina and thereby insured
the election of S.M. Brinson, the Dem
ocratic nominee.
Mr. Abernethy’s action was taken
after conference with members of the
Democratic National Committee in
Washington today. It was very grati
fying to the administration.
At the earnest solicitation of the
National Democratic Executive Com
mittee. and at the request of the Pres
ident that there should be no question
about a Democratic Congress,” said
Mr. Abernethy in a statement tonight#
“Uiave decided to withdraw from the
race for Congress, notwithstanding
the fact that I believe I was nomina
ted in the primary. But at this partic
ular crisis of our nation, I feel that I
owe a duty to my country in making
this sacrifice and I earnestly request
mv friends in the district to support
Hon. S. M. Brinson for Congress.”
Mr. Abernethy’s decision to with
draw in favor of Mr. Brinson was
highly pleasing to North Carolinians
in Washington who desire to see
President Wilson accorded whole
hearted support.
"I have just been advised that Hon.
Charles L. Abernethy, at the earnest
solicitation of the National Democrat
ic Executive Committee in the interest
of the Democratic party in the Third
District and the election of a Con
gressman in sympathy with the pres
ent administration,” said Senator
Simmons, “has decided to yield to the
request of the President for a Demo
cratic Congress and-has withdrawn
from the race for Congress in this
district. Personally I am thoroughly
gratified at the action of Mr. Aber
nathy. In pursuance of this course he
has given the best assurances of his
fidelity to the principles and policies
of the Democratic party.”
WAR SAVINGS PLEDGES DUE.
People Reminded That Pledge Cards
Are Solemn Obligations to the Gov
ernment—Pledges Are Now Due.
Winston-Salem, Oct. 31.—“Don’t
get angry when you receive three lit
tle post cards, each of which is to re
mind you of your War Savings
pledge,” says today’s bulletin from
State War Savings Headquarters.
“These cards are not sent as ‘open
duns,’ but to inform the person to
whom addressed, first, that his pledge
card is an outstanding obligation to
the government until it is redeemed,
and* second, how he may regain his
card after .having purchased his
stamps.
“Read all three of the cards care
fully,” advises the bulletin, “and you
will know exactly what to do. If you
have bought the number of stamps
for which you subscribed, take them
to the agency or postoffice designated
on the card sent you by your county
chairman, and there get your pledge
cards marked or stamped ‘Redeemed
in Full.’ Remember that your pledge
card is an outstanding obligation to
the government until redeemed by
you.
“The sending of three cards to each
individual has been found necessary,
first to get the pledges redeemed; sec
ond, to keep the records straight, and
third because people expect and wait
to be reminded of the pledges they
have made. Again the importance of
the work demanded that more than
usual efforts be made that more than
usual .results be obtained.”
Mrs. Hoover in Red Cross Work.
Mrs. Herbert C. Hoover, wife of the
National Food Administrator, has
been appointed assitsant director of
the Bureau of Canteen Service of the
American Red Cross. She will have
charge of organizing and developing
the Red Cross canteen service in con
nection with hospital trains. Mrs.
Hoover has volunteered for the pe
riod of the war.
A minimum of prices for hogs for
November has been fixed at $17.50 as
the daily average for packer’s droves.
A minimum of $16.50 has been fixed
for throw-outs. As packing house
products have been selling on a basis
of $16.50 for hogs the announcement
of the new basis for November result
ed in a big jump of prices for pork,
lard and ribs.
THIRD OF POPULATION
OF LEBANON HAS STARVED
Red Cross Relief Work in Holy Land
on Far Greater Scale Immediately
Necessary.
Washington, Oct. 29.—Relief work
on a far greater scale than now is be
ing administered by the American Red
Cross among the civilian populations
of the Holy Land is immediately nec
essary, if thousands men, women and
children are to be saved, said a ca
blegram receive 1 at Red Cross head
quarters today from Dr. John H.
Finley, Red Crass commissioner for
Palestine.
One-third of the population of Leb
anon has died of starvation and dis
ease due to lack of nourishment, many
villages are depopulated and in ruins,
and thousands of persons are in direst
need as the* result of epidemics, pro
hibitive prices of food and inability to
get work, Doctor Finley said.
Conditions in many of the hospitals
are deplorable because of the short
age of pysicians. More than 10,900
sick civilians have been cared for by
the Red Cross in a single month. There
are 10 000 Armenian refugees in and
about Damascus, and .1.000 more in
the Hauran district, the cablegram
stated.
THE NEWS IN ( LAYTON.
Clayton, N. C., Oct. 30.— Mr. and
Mrs. Elmo Gattis, of Newport News,
Va., were here several days this week
visiting Mrs M. E. Gattis.
Mr. Ralph Hilliard, of the U. S.
Navy, whose home is at Wendell, was
here for a few hours Monday speak
ing to friends.
Mrs. W. P. Creech spent Tuesday
morning in Raleigh shopping.
Mr. J. D. Barbour spent Monday in
Fayetteville on business.
During the absence of Misses Rosa
Hinton and Ethel Talton, who are out
with the “flu,” Miss Barbara Gulley is
supplying at J. G. Barbour and Son's.
Mr. Carl Smith will leave tomorrow
(Thursday) morning for his new post
of duty in the merchant marine after
spending twenty days here with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. G. Smith.
Mrs. Julia Starling, of Goldsboro,
was here the first, of the week visit
ing her mother, Mrs. M. O’Neil.
Mr. J. F. Hall spent Tuesday morn
ing in Raleigh on business.
Miss Ruth Penny, of near Archer
Lodge, was in town Tuesday of this
week.
Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Edgerton spent
last Sunday with Mr. Edgerton’s par
ents near Kenly.
Mrs. Paul Yelverton, after spending
a week with her parents near here,
returned to her home at Fremont Sun
day.
Mr. and Mrs. E. O’Neil spent last
Sunday in Fayetteville.
Messrs. J. A. Vinson and J. R. Wil
liams spent Tuesday in Smithfield on
business.
Mr. Will Thurston, of Burlington,
was here one day this week on busi
ness.
Wednesday of this week the one
year-old child of Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Price died at his home here. The
child, a boy, had been real sick for
quite a while .and teething caused his
death. All was done that eould be
done, but the Heavenly Father had a
greater mission for him and he is free
from suffering and is at rest.
Dr. and Mrs. J. H. Austin, of Fpur
Oaks, spent last Sunday here.
The influenza situation has im
proved some here and we hope it will
continue to do so. No new cases for
the past few days.
In an Automobile Wreck.
Friday morning Fitz Dickerson,
Fitz Smith, and Edmond McCary had
a very narow escape from being seri
ously or fatally hurt when the car
which they were driving was turned
over between Greensboro and High
Point.
The car, a Lexington six, was badly
damaged, two wheels and the fenders
being torn from it. The boys were
unhurt except a few scratches and
bruises. *
Smith was driving the car at the
time of the accident, and coming on
the hill unexecptedly, it is thought he
was too quick with his brakes. It was
during the rains of the day and the
road being slippery caused the car
to turn around in the road, hit the em
bankment and turn over. The car was
taken to High Point later in the day
fox. repairs.—Greensboro Daily News.
The dry forces in Minnesota expect
to win on November 5, when at the
general election a constitutional
amendment making the State dry in
1921 is to be voted on. They not only
believe that the amendment will be
passed, but that a legislature will be
elected which will ratify the national
prohibition amendment when it is sub
mitted in January.
AUSTRIA TO ASK
ITALY FOR PEACE
Count Andrassy Will Initiate Direct
Peace Negotiations—Czech State on
Firm Ground-—Imperial Symbols
Removed from Prague and All Au
thority is Handed Over to Slovaks.
London, Oct. 110.—Count Andrassy,
the Austro-Hungarian foreign minis
ter, has resolved to initiate direct
peace negotiations with Italy, “Aus
tria’s sole anagonict,” according to a
Vienna telegram received in Copenha
gen and transmitted by the Central
News Agency.
Czechs Control Prague.
Copenhagen, Oct. 30.—The Czech
National Committee took over the
functions of the local government in
Prague, the Bohemian capital, on
Monday, marking the find step in its
successful revolution there, according
to a telegram from Berlin to the Na
tional Tidende.
The Austrian Imperial symbols were
removed from various buildings and
imperial proclamations torn down.
The city officials have taken an oath of
fidelity to the Czech state.
During Monday night the general
comamnding the Prague garrison and
his staff placed their entire armed
forces in the city at the disposal of the
Czech national committee.
Army Goes Over to Czechs.
Basel, Switzerland, Oct. 30.—^The
authority of the Austrian Monarchy
now is only a name in Prague. Buda
pest newspapers report that Field
Marshal Paul Kestranek, commander
in- chief in the Prague district and
Field Marshal Eduard Zanatoni hand
ed over all the military authority to
the Cezch committee on Monday.
Count Andrassy, the Austro-Hunga
rian Foreign Minister, has entered
into diplomatic relations with mem
bers of the Czecho-Slovak government
according to the Hungarian newspa
per Norody Listy.
Basel, Switzerland. Oct. 30.—Count
Hadik, former Hungarian P’ood Min
ister, has been charged with the form
ation of a Hungarian cabinet, accord
ing to a dispatch from Budapest.
Count Karolyn,, president of the Hun
garian Independent party, will not en
ter the new ministry, it is said, but
will support it in the National Assem
bly.
Pressburg Capital of Slovakia.
Paris, Oct. 30—The Czecho-Slovak
Council of State has decided to make
Pressburg the capital of Slovakia, ac
cording to the newspapers here.
UNITED WAR WORK CAMPAIGN.
Now Getting Ready for Action in
Johnston—Central Committee
The United War Work Campaign
that is to raise money for the welfare
of our brothers, fathers, sisters, un
cles* aunts, sons and so on, “over
there,” during the week of November
11 to 18, is now getting ready for ac
tion. The central committee has been
appointed for Johnston county. W. W.
Cole is Chairman of the men’s part of
the work; Mrs. L. T. Royall, chairman
of the'women’s part; E. H. Moser,
chairman of the colored workers; L. T.
Royall in charge of the Boys’ and
Girls’ workers in the campaign; C. K.
Proctor is in charge of the public
speakers for the campaign and A. M.
Johnson is the publicity man for the
campaign. This central committee has
appointed township workers with
which a general meeting will be held
soon. Literature is being sent out
now.
The whole United States is asked
to raise $175,000,000. Johnston coun
ty’s quota of this is $15,128. That is
less than fifty cents a person. The
township chairmen will be published
soon; they will want your money and
your co-operation.
GOLDSBORO CONFERENCE
POSTPONED TO DEC. 11.
Bishop Darlington Authorizes Change
of Date in Annual Metho
dist Meeting.
A mess ige to the News and Ob
server last night from Rev. H. M.
North, of Durham, stated that Bishop
Darlington has authorized the post
ponement of the Methodist Confarer- e
foi the Eastern District of Nc-th. C. r
oli :a, which will be held at Gol'hte; o,
until December 11th.
The change is made because of the
epidemic of influenza which has not
yet subsided, the authorities feel, to
permit public meetings. The Confer
ence was scheduled for December 4,
and is moved up one week—News and
Observer.
The United States Govenment needs
1,000,000 pounds of nut shells and
fruit stones daily for the manufacture
of gas mask charcoal, but at present
is unable to purchase one-third of that
amount.