Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / Sept. 11, 1914, edition 1 / Page 3
Part of The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
FIERCEST FIGHT IH ALL HISTORY; ALL AREJEROES How the British Forces Faced Terrific Onslaught. GERMANS LIKE TIDAL WAVE No Fear, No Panic Nor Lack of Dis cipline Shown by British Troops as Mighty Army of. Kaiser Drives Them From Mons, London. A dispatch to the TimeB from Amiens gives a connected ac count of the fighting in northern France. It says: "First, let it be' said that among all the straggling units Been in the flotsam and jetsam of the fiercest flght in his tory, I saw fear in no man's face. It was not an army of hunted men, nor in all the tales of officers, noncommis sioned officers and men, did a single story of the white feather reach me. "No one could answer for every man, but every British regiment and very battery of which any one had any knowledge had done its duty, and neVer has duty been more terrible. Since Monday morning the German advance has been one of almost in credible rapidity. The British force fought a terrible fight, which may be called the action of Mons. Hordes Push Forward. "Smashing its way forward with the force of earthquake or ( tidal wave went that mighty German army. The swiftness with which it moved was in credible In view of the vast number of men in its ranks. Infantry, artil lery and cavalry all pushed forward like a phantom host, so rapidly did it make its way. But it could not be reckoned as a phantom host when it tame to fighting quality. "The crashing charges of its men were deadly. The fire of artillery, ranging from gigantic Krupps down to quick-firers on automobile trucks, was murderous. "Sunday the German attack was withstood to the utmost limit, and a whole division was flung into the fight At the end of a long march It had not even time to dig trenches. The expected French supporters do tr havA been in touch with the British. "Further to the right the French, after days of gallant fighting, broke and Namur fell. General Joffre was forced to order a retreat along the whole line. The Germans, fulfilling one of the best of all precepts in war, never gave the retreating army a mo ment of rest: The pursuit was im mediate and relentless. Harass Retreating Foe. "Aeroplanes, Zeppelins, armored motors and cavalry were loosed like arrows from bows and served at once to harass the . retiring columns and keep the German staff fully informed of the movements of the allied forces. The British force fell back and des perate fighting took place southward continually. "The line of retreat ran through Bavai, between Valenciennes and Maubeuge, then through Lequesney, where desperate fighting took place. South of that line terrible damage was done to the regiments of the al lies. "I asked a British officer about the casualties. He was guarded in speech; but he replied: "'I'm afraid, sir, that our losses have been very heavy.' "This will not apply to any partic ular regiment, but to the entire Brit ish expeditionary force. "Apparently every division that came from England has been, in ac tion. Some lost nearly all their offi cers. The survivors remain cheerful and keep up their spirits with the thought that more re-enforcements are on their way. "The advance of the Germans has been ia close formation, with no re gard for cover. Whether the allies lay behind an open plain or behind a screen of wooded and hilly territory it was all the same to the German offi cers. The order invariably was 'For ward, charge!' British Losses Great. "The British losses are great. I have seen broken bits of many regi ments, but let me repeat that there has been no failure in discipline, no panic, no throwing up of the sponge. Every one's temper is sweet and "ixrves' do not show. "Of the-bravery of the Germans, it la not necessary to speak. They ad- piS vancea, in aeep setuuua du bubuuj t extended as to De aimosi in ciobo ur . ? der, with little regard for cover. Rush 1 ing forward as soon as their own ar tillery has opened fire behind them on our position, our artillery mowed long CZAR OF RUSSIA CAN RAISE 20,003,000 MEN London. A dispatch to the Post iron St. Petersburg comments on the excellence of the Russian army and the inexhaustible supply of men to draw upon. It says further: "Russia will have no difficulty In IndiaR 20,000,000 men to complete the work begun by its trained fighting forces. Moreover, this is the first time i.i the memory of men that the Rus sian army has taken the field with lanes down the centers of sections, so that frequently there was nothing left of them but the outsides. "But no sooner is this dona than more men run up, rushing over heaps of dead, and re-form the sections. Last week so great was their super iority in numbers that they could no more be stopped than the waves of the sea. Their shrapnel is bad though their gunners are excellent at finding the range. Machine. Guns Deadly. "On the other hand their machine guns are of deadly efficacy and very numerous. Their rifle 6hooting is de scribed as not first class, but their numbers are so great that they can bring on infantry till frequently they and allied troops have met ia bayonet tussles. "Their superiority of numbers in men and guns especially machine guns successfully organized system of scouting by aeroplanes and Zep peins, motors carrying machine guns, their cavalry and their extreme mobil ity are the elements in their present success. "To sum up the first great German effort has succeeded and the British expeditionary force has won imperish able glory. "The battle was begun on Saturday. The first German attack was deliv ered with great suddenness and ter rific force. " 'We were in the trenches waiting for them,' one of the soldiers said to me, 'but we didn't expect anything like the smashing blow that began to rain bullets and shells. Fairly Mopped Them Up. " 'At first the shells went very wide, for their fire was bad, but after a long time they got our range. Then they fairly mopped us up. I saw shells bursting to the right and left of me; saw many good comrades go out. ' " 'But we stuck. We were able to stick because their infantry shooting was so poor. It was simply laughable. In fact, they couldn't hit us, though their bullets were singing away over our heads as thick as files " 'Our officers were grand. Every man was proud of them. All the time they kept telling us, "Keep your heads and) shoot straight take care ful aim and watch where you shoot." We did. " 'The Germans came up in thou sands. I saw ranks and ranks of them coming along. We swept away one rank and there was another: we swept that away and a third was wait ing behind it. On they came over the bodies of their friends, solidly, like wooden soldiers and as regular as a clock, but we wore into them with our rifles terribly.' Shells Work Havoc "Another soldier described the ef fect of the German shell fire. " 'There are hundreds of our fel lows,' he said, 'who have nothing but shell wounds terrible gashes some oi them. Their shelling was dreadful once they got our range, though it took them a long time to get it. Their artillery was on a height and had the distinct advantage that it was more powerful than ours. " 'So far as numbers were con cerned, if it had only been a matter of shooting, we should have laughed at them. But we really did catch it We did not seem to be properly pro tected by our own guns, and I think our 'guns were too far back. " 'I saw one great cavalry rush made a rush that brought them right up to our lines. Our front ranks stood up with their bayonets and our back ranks kept firing. " 'We broke them up. Hundreds ol thenTfell out of their saddles and the rest dashed off.' "The mass formation of the kaiser's army appears to have impressed the French and Englishmen very deeply. " 'I never saw anything like it,' one of them told me. 'You know how we take to cover at once well, they didn't Some of the fellows said they saw them lie down, but I can't say I did. They just seemed to roll on and on, but we did hold to our places, and that holding saved us.' Losses Are Enormous. "Our losses were severe. It is idle to blink at the fact. But they were small, comparatively, to the losses of the enemy. Moreover, our wounded are in many cases only slightly in jured. Here, as in Belgium, the Ger man bullets seem to be a less deadly missile than might be expected. It is too sharp. "The battle continued with little in terruption throughout Sunday and Monday. Our men had now fallen back to the positions assigned to them, and the enemy gradually ceased to attack. Apparently they were exhausted. '"There can be no doubt that only In their artillery fire did they really achieve Important success. "Their Infantry work is described as laugable; their cavalry, too, was much inferior to ours. "The full story of the work of the British hussars and lancers has still to be written, but It was glorious. The troopers literally flung themselves on their foes." adequate equipment and a sufficiency of supplies, under officers trained in the hard lesson so thoroughly learned in the Japanese campaign. "The history of that campaign shows what Russian soldiers accomplished ft-hen badly fed and equipped, but un der the conditions of today there is little wonder that the Russian soldier fias proved himself at match for the German." We sometimes sustain a Garden of Eden for the other fellow's chickens. WILSON URGES TAX 100,000,000 EXTRA MESSAGE ADDRESSED TO CON GRESS PERSONALLY BY PRES IDENT WILSON. IT IS BAD BORROWING TIME Play Safe in Event War Continues. Ready For Any Contingency. Keep Treasury Strong. Washington "We 'shall pay tha bill, though we did not deliberately incur it," said President Wilson when presenting before a Joint session of Congress his appeal for an emergency internal revenue measure to raise $100,000,000 the Government's prob able loss in customs receipts because of the European war. Prompt action was necessary, the President said, "to J keep the treasury strong." His only suggestion as to the method for levy ing the tax was that sources be chosen that would "begin to yield at once and yield with a certain and con stant flow." The appeal met with quick action.1 As soon as the President had left the House chamber amidst an out burst of applause, Speaker Clark re ferred the message to the Ways and Means Committee. Democratic mem bers of the committee met at the call of the chairman, Representative Un derwood and began consideration of plans to raise the additional revenue. Various members suggested sources which they believed would be prop erly subjected to additional taxation. On the list suggested were: Tax Gasoline. Gasoline, a tax of one or two cents a gallon; railroad and amusement tickets, a tax of five to ten per cent; beer, an Increase of 50 cents a barrel; domestic wines, whiskey, an increase of 15 cents a gallon; proprietary ar ticles; tobacco and tobacco products; chewing gum; soft drinks; playing cards. The proposal to tax railroad tick ets was not received with enthusiasm by members of the committee, al though it was estimated that a five per cent tax would raise $4,000,000. Chairman Underwood said the articles suggested would be gone over and a list of taxable articles agreed on by elimination. This list would be sub mitted to the Treasury Department probably early next week. When the bill is completed in committee, it probably will be brought into the House under a special rule and hur ried through. President Wilson was given an en thusiastic greeting when he entered the House chamber escorted by Sena tors Kern, Clarke and Gallinger, ana T?pnresentatives Underwood, Fitzger ald and Mann. The President said he had come to discharge a duty he wished he could avoid, but made it Taln that additional revenue was ne cessary and that he performed his duty without hesitation or apoiogy. TTn for seen condition occasioned by the conflict in Europe, he said, had created conditions which unless dealt nth nromDtlv might Involve conse n... of the "most embarrassing UVliVVW v- and deplorable sort." To borrow money, the President urged, wts unwise, bond issue would mnkfi an "untimely and unjustifiable" demand upon money marekts, leav ing taxation as the only nietnoa ien tn raise revenue. In) this situation he appealed "to the profoundly pa triotic people of the country" to take up the burden., Th President said: "I come to you today to discharge a duty which I wish with all my heart I might have been spared, but it is o d,,tv which is very clear, ana uieie fore I perform it without hesitation or apology. I come to asK very em nestly that additional revenue be pro vided for the Government. Huae Falling Off. "During the month of August there was. as compared with the corres month of last year, a falling off of $10,629,538 in the revenues col lected from customs. A conimuauou of this decrease in the same propor tion throughout the current fiscal year would probably mean a loss of of cus toms revenues of from 60 to 100 mil lions. I need not tell you 10 wui this falling off is due. Conditions have arisen which no man foresaw; they affect the whole world of commerce and economic production and they must be faced and dealt with. "It would.be very unwise to post pone dealing with them. "It would be very dangerous in the present circumstance to create a mo ment's doubt as to the strength and sufficiency of the Treasury of the United States, its ability to assist to steady and sustain the financial op erations of the country's business. If the Treasury is known or even thought to be weak, where will be our peace of mind? The whole indus trial activity of the country would be chilled and demoralized. Just now the peculiarly difficult financial prob lems of the moment are being suc cessfully dealt with, with great self possession and good sense and very sound judgment; but Jhey are only in process of being worked out. If the process of solution Is to bo completed, no one must be given reason to doubt the solidity and adequacy of the Treasury of the Government, which stands behind the whole method. A REMARKABLE WAR STORY Frederick Palmer Now Witnessing Fulfillment of Prophecy Described In "The Last Shot." Frederick Palmer, the author of the remarkable story, "The Last Shot," is a typical cosmopolitan. He not only knows war and the men who make war, but he knows the world and has been practically all over It. Mr. Palmer is a native of Pennsyl vania, born at Pleasantville In that state in 1873. He was residing in Eng land at the time the Grecian-Turkish war of 1895 began and went to the front aa a correspondent. At the close of this war he went to the Klondike as a correspondent. He was In the Orient in 1898 when the war between the United States and Spain began, and was with Admiral Dewey at the battle of Manila, reporting it for the London Times and a number of Amer ican newspapers. He remained with the American army in the Philippines throughout the campaign against Aguinaldo. When the international ex pedition for the rescue of the foreign residents in Peking was organized at the time of the Boxer uprising in China he Joined it in the capacity of a correspondent for hla papers. From 1900 to 1903 Mr. Palmer saw service in, the Central and South American and the Macedonian insur rections. With the breaking out of war between Japan and Russia he Joined the first Japanese army in the field as the representative of the Lon don Times and Collier's Weekly, and was almost the only correspondent who saw active service with the Jap anese army. He was in Constanti nople during the Turkish revolution of 1909, and was with the Bulgarian army throughout the Balkan war of 1912-13. In addition to this active career as a war correspondent, Mr. Palmer has circled the globe with Admiral Dewey, and again with the American battle ship fleet in 1907-8. He is familiar with every capital of Europe, and has a personal acquaintance with a very large number of prominent European government officials and military and naval commanders. Mr. Palmer is now at the front re porting the present war for the papers he represents, and is witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecy contained In his notable story, "The Last Shot. We have arranged to print Mr. Pal mer's remarkable story, "The Last Shot," serially in these columns. A REMARKABLE story of war as waged with modern armaments in which aero planes and dirigibles play an important part, A startling prophecy of the conflict in which the powers of Europe are now engaged Written by a war conespondent of international reputation who has witnessed practically all of the conflicts of nations during the past twenty years. Don't Fail to Read It! A story without partisanship but which virtually recounts the terrific struggle now taking place in Europe probably the greatest in the history of the world. Our new serial. Watch for the issue with the first installment V n SYNOPSIS. CHAPTER I At their home on the fron- tier be ween the Browns and C,rays Mar- ta Gal ana ana ner f njoiner enwrwininK Colonel Westerling of the Grays, sf-e Cap- the Brown, injured by a fail In hia aero plane. CHAPTER II Ten years later. Wes terling, nominal vice but real chief of Btaff, reinforces South La Tlr, meditates on war, and speculates on the cornpaia tlvo ages of himself and Marta, who is visiting In the Gray capital. CHAPTER ITI Westerling calls on Marta. She tells him of her teaching children the follies of war and martial Satriotism. begs him to prevent war while e is chief of staff, and predicts that if he makes war against the Browns he will not win. CHAPTER IV On the march with the 53d of the Browns Private Stransky, anar chist, decrius war and played-out patriot ism and is placed under arrest. Colonel Lanstron overhearing, begs him off saying the anarchist will "fight well when en raged and ia "all man." CHAPTER V Lanstron calls on Marta at her home. He talks with Feller, the gardener. Marta tells Lanstrom that she believes Feller to bo a spy. Lanstron confesses it is true. CHAPTER VI Lanstron shows Marta a telephone which Feller has concealed In a secret passage under the toWer for use to benefit the Browns in war emergen cies, pointing out Us value as being in the center of the fighting zone in case of war. Marta consents for it and Feller to remain for the present. Lanstron de clares his love for Marta. CHAPTER VII Westerling and the Gray premier plan to use a trivial Inter national affair to foment warlike patriot ism in army and people and strike before declaring war. Partow, Brown chief of staff, and Lanstron, made vice, discuss the trouble, and the Brown defenses. Par tow reveals his plans to Lanstron. CHAPTER VIII At the frontier the two armies lie crouched for attack and defense. In the town with thet nm-com-batants fleeing from the danger zone, Marta hears her child pupils recite the peace oath. CHAPTER IX The Gray army crosses the border line and attacks. Tha Browns check them. Artillery. Infantry, aero- Dlanes and dirigibles engage. Stransky, rising to make the anarchist speech of his life, draws the Gray artillery tire. Nicked by a shrapnel splinter he goes Berserk and fights "all a man." CHAPTER X Marta hag her first glimpse of war in its modern, cold, scien tific, murderous brutality. She allows the secret telephone to remain. CHAPTER XI The Browns fall back to the Galland house. Stransky forages. Marta sees a night attack. CHAPTER XII The Grays" attack In force. The call of the fight too strong for Feller, he leaves his secret telephone and goes back to hi.j guns. Hand to hand fighting. The Browns fall back again. CHAPTER XIII Marta asks Lanstron over the secret telephone to appeal to Partow to stop the fighting. Vandalism by Gray soldiers In the Galland house which, Marta is notified, will be made Westerling's headquarters. CHAPTER XIV Westerling and his staff occupy the Galland house. At tea with Marta, Westerling begins to woo her; disclosing his selfish ambitions. Marta apparently throws ber fortunes with the Grays and offers to give valua ble information. Bv FREDERICK PALMER l ,9. CHAPTER XV Marta calls up Ln stron on the secret telephone and with 7.1 .YL Westerline. after Questioning her. M , 6i aUack upon what he , . , , CHAPTER XVI The Grays win Bordir. Murta continues her role of spy ami thrnuph her Westerling is led to concen trate the t-ttack on the main line at Enga d'r. A lef.k of information la suspected,, tut the source is undiscovered. Positions are won but the Browns always give way grudgingly, never taken by surprise. CHAPTER XVII Bouchard is relieved as staff intelligence officer, and In going,. Hocuses Marta. Westerling thinks him mad. CHAPTER XVIII The Grays take the apron of F.ngadir in an attack which is watched by Marta and Westerling, who is at first suspicious of her. but reassures himself. Partbw dies suddenly and Lan stron succeeds him. CHAPTER XIX Westerling plans the main attack on Engadir. Marta tele phones the plan to Lanstron. Wester ling watches the fight from the terrace, Marta covertly watching blm. The Grays are routed. CHAPTER XX The isolation and cen sure always the portion of an unsuccess ful general are upon Westerling. In the midst of Jubilation and plans to follow up his victory Lanstron finds the secret telephone wire cut. A subaltern of tha Gravs has discovered the wire, heard Marta's voice and accuses her before Westerling. He escapes from his now un tenable headquarters and Marta is safe. CHAPTER XXI Retreat and pursuit flow around the Galland house. Marta is wounded. Lanstron appears and heads a charge. CHAPTER XXII The Brown Staff con gratulate Marta. Lanstron stops the pur suit and unfolds to the staff the final move in Partow's war plan. Westerling suicides. The Brown ministry receive a note from the staff advising them they will not pursue the Grays into their own country. The ministry is forced to accept the conditions and make peace. Marta wins the peace she worked for and Lan stron wins her. hi. J (Copyright,. 1911, by Charles Scribner's Sons) (J ' TEe Last ( Shot 1 f. FREDERICK PALMER K i i J
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Sept. 11, 1914, edition 1
3
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75