5 y .
- 9
$1jOO a Year, la Advance.
'FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
Single Copy, f
VOL. XXV.
PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1914.
NO. 23.
GERMANS BATTLE
DESPITE LOSSES
Teutonic Forces Are Battling To Escape
Russian Death 'Trap Set For
Them
KAISER GOES TO POLAND
Comparative Quiet On Western Fron
tier Sir John French Says The
, Germans Show Weakening
Germany is fighting hard, despite
heavy losses sustained on the Russian
frontier, where, according to Petro
grad advices, they walked right into a
death trap laid for them by the czar's
i
forces.
The situation has been considered
so grave by the Berlin war office that
the kaiser himself has hastened to
join his troops on the Polish bor
der.
On the western front there has
been comparative quiet for several
days, though in a letter from Sir John
French, the English field marshal in
charge of the British forces on the
continent, the Teutons are beginning
to weaken. Another German attack
on the allied lines in an effort to
push through to the seacoast, has
been repulsed. President Poincare has
joined the French forces at Verdun,
Turkish troops are persistent in
their attacks on the Suez canal, though
their forces in Caucasus are . said to
have been decisively defeated by the
Russians. The Sultan has issued a
general call to arms throughout the
entire Ottoman empire proclaiming
the crisis a holy war.
The Russians are claiming many
victories over both the Germans and
Austrians and declare that when the
veil is lifted from the scene , of the
present campaign, the world will hear
the details of the most telling blow to
Oermany'B finest troops that has been
Inflicted since Napoleon's . day.
Austrian officials in Vienna admit
that the Slavfatroops now occupy Czer-
nowitz, capital of the province of Buk
owina. A big naval battle is now go
1ng on in the Baltic between the Teu
tonic and Slav cruisers, the details of
which are promised later.
Severe fighting is reported going on
In northwestern Servia and the Mon
tenegrins are claiming decisive victo
Ties over the Austrians.
The Roumanian parliament has con-
vened at Bucharest and will possibly
make some territorial concessions to
Bulgaria regarding the boundary dis
pute which arose after the second Bai
kan war last year.
Such action, it is believed by the
allies, will bring Bulgaria into line
.against the Austro-German entente,
and provide a relief to the Servians
and a further annoyance to Turkey,
The United States government has
taken under consideration the appeal
of the South American republics to ex
elude battleships of the warring na
tlons from Pan-American waters. Sec
retary of State ' Bryan; has told the
Latin American diplomats that he will
take up the matter with President
Wilson.
The president called an important
conference of ambassadors of the bel
ligerent European nations at the white
house where he addressed them ex
pressing his strong disapproval of the
methods of aerial bomb throwing on
unfortified cities in which might be
living residents of neutral countries.
The campaign on 'the Franco-Belgian
frontier, commonly regarded as the
main battlefield of the war, has as
sumed a new phase. Everything is
quiet and only the slightest skirmish
es are being reported. Germany has
seemingly relinquished the offensive.
The kaiser has made a flying trip to
Kiel.
Decisive victories for the Russian
army over the German forces in the
latter's attacks on the Polish bor
der and attempts to reach Warsaw,
together with the explosion of the
British warship, Bulwark, off the Eng
lish coast, mark the leading de
velopments of the week in the Euro
pean war.
Repulsed at every turn, the Ger
mans were forced to abandon their
project to capture the Polish capital,
and in turn were compelled to hastily
retreat in order to guard the roads to
Danzig and Berlin, which are again
Imperiled.
Germans Weakening Says French
London. Summing up the situation,
Field Marshal Sir John French says:
4'As I close this dispatch, signs are
in evidence that we are possibly in
the last stages of the battle from
Ypres to Armentieres. For several
days the artillery fire of the enemy
has slackened and his infantry at
tacks practically have ceased. In re
marking upon the general military sit
uation of the allies it does not seem
to be clearly understood that the 'op
erations in which we have been en
gaged, embrace all central Europe."
THE CUSTODIAN
llliPl ff Uro
London. Latest official Russian an,
nouncements" still claim advantage in
the fighting in northern Poland, but
'deprecate exaggerated reports. of their
successes.
Germany declares officially that the
Russian attacks have been repulsed
and that German counter-attacks have
been successful.
The German emperor has joined
Field Marshal Von Hindenburg in the
east to offer his advice and to encour
age his troops.
Enormous losses have been inflicted
on the Germans, according to the Rus
sian statement, but no mention is
made of the capture of German divis
ions, so freely claimed by the Petro-
grad correspondent of London and
Paris newspapers.
Some days must elapse before this
battle, which promises to prove the
most decisive of the war, is concluded.
So far, all that is definitely known is
that the German advance has been
stopped. Some of tne German troops
have been partly or wholly surround
ed, but they still are fighting stub
bornly to break their way through the
Russian lines, apparently to the north
ward, where they hope to join rein
forcements from Thorn.
In the battle before Cracow the Rus.
sians claim decisive success. During
the last week they took 30,000 prison
ers in that region, which is taken in
Petrograd to mean that Cracow will
not bar the Russian advance in Silesia
from the south, but that with the Aus
trian army beaten, it will mask the
fortress.
Quiet On West Front
In the west, the Germans, although
making an occasional infantry attack,
seem content at present to bombard
the allied positions with somewhat
lighter guns than they have been us
ing. This may mean either that they
are sending troops and artillery to the
east or that they are preparing a new
attack against the allies.
That' the enterprise that failed in
Flanders will' not be repeated for the
present seems probable, as the allies
have been allowed to capture some
points of vantage around Ypres, pre
viously considered necessary to the
German plans. There has been a mi
nor and insignificant attack near Ar
ras. Submarines Moored At Kiel
Kiel, Germany. A pair of gray sub
marines lie at the dock where the
American Sonderklasse yachts were
moored during their last visit to Kiel.
Warships anchored in the Fjord wear
war paint and have their torpedo nets
rigged. A Red Cross flag flies from
the Imperial Yacht club.
Kaiser To Russian Front
Berlin. It has been announced at
military headquarters that Emperor
William has gone to the eastern front.
Roumanian Parliament Meets
Bucharest. The Roumanian parlia
ment has convened and the future
course of action of this kingdom prob
ably will be decided. It is said Rou
mania is prepared to cede to Bulgaria
some of the territory which she ob
tained after the second Balkan war
at the expense of her neighbor. This
may mean that Bulgaria is about to
take her stand with the allies and in
return be permitted to straighten out
her boundaries and take more of the
country now inhabited by her nationals.
Poincare Reviews Troops
Verdun. President Poincare, Pre
mier Viviani and. the speakers of the
senate and chamber of deputies visit
ed the troops along the firing line in
the Argonne. Later they visited the
military works near Verdun and the
ruins of Clermont, where only the hos
pital of Aine Marie remains standing.
Among the seriously wounded patients
in this hospital is Deputy Andre Mafi-
not.
Austrians Admit Resistance
Vienna. An official announcement
issued here says: On the southern
front the enemy is offering stubborn
resistance and is endeavoring to delay
the advance by bayonet counter-attacks.
On the eastern bank of the
Kolubra our troops again have gained.
Our troops, advancing beyond Valje
vo and to the south, have reached the
heights east of the Ljik river and the
line from Suvotor to Uzice.
Holland Refuses Aid
The Hague. The Dutch government
has declined all American offers of
financial aid for Belgion refugees in
Holland. The government says it feels
it will be incompatible with the coun
try's honor to allow charitable organ
izations of another nation to assist in
this mercy work. Of the million Bel
gians refugees who fled into Holland
at the beginning of the war, 300,000
penniless ones remain. They are now
being gathered together in specially
constructed camps. For this purpose a
budget of $1,500,000 has been passed.
Russians Claim Victory
London. Unofficial reports repeat
previous claims of a great Russian
victory. Petrograd has not officially
stamped them true. Berlin, in Its lat
est, report, simply says fighting in Po
land has assumed the proportions of
a continuous battle. It gives no geo
graphical position of this fighting and
may refer to the operations westward
from Warsaw or to those in the vi
cinity of Czenstochowa and still far
ther south along the Galician frontier.
In this latter district and in Galicia,
according to latest reports of the Rus
sian commander-in-chief, the Musco
vite forces have had numerous suc
cesses. Captures of men and muni
tions are recorded on the Czensto-chowa-Cracow
line, along the Szrenl
awa river in Poland; in Galicia on the
Raba and Vistula rivers and before the
town of Bochnia, which was stormed.
Berlin's latest official report an
nounced victories in western Galicia
and progress in the Carpathians for
the Teuton allies.
A period of inactivity obtains along
the entrenched lines in Belgium and
France. Only here and there has
there been fighting and this merely
was cannonades and a few light in
fantry combats.
British Steamer Sunk .
Havre. The British steamer Mela-
chite has been sunk by a German sub
marine near Cape La Heve, which
is about three miles from Havre. The
Melachite, a steamer of about two
thousand tons, belonging to the Cu
nard company, wa3 bound from Liver
pool to Hawe. She was stopped
by the submarine and the crew was
given ten minutes to get into the
beats. After this was done the sub
marine sank the Melachite and then I
closed her own hatches and dove
down beneath the sea.
RUSSIANS SPLIT
THE GERMAN ARMY
GENERAL VON HINDENBURG'S
FORCES ARE ENGAGED IN
THREE DISTINCT BATTLES.
REPDRT NOTHING DECISIVE
Great Numbers of the Germans Are
Rushed to Poland. Tuetons Un
derestimated Sire of Enemy.
London. Another week of battle
between Russians and the GeTman
Allies in Poland has passed without
news of a decisive result. The British
official statement says there is noth
ing of importance to report from Po
land, while the Russian Government
rests on it warning against over
optimism. The facts as gleaned from corre
spondents' dispatches, appear to be
that the semi-independent engage
ments are progressing between Thorn
on the north and Cracow on the south
in which both combatants have
achieved local successes, without a
distinct victory for either.
Some British military experts be
lieve Field Marshal von Hlndenburg's
forces have been split Into three
units, one of which is almost envel
oped, while the Russians have driven
a wedge between the German army
and its Austrian ally in the region of
Cracow. They declare the Germans
have consistently underestimated the
qualities of their Muscovite opponents
and have opposed them with a body
composed almost wholly of second
line troops, but now are rushing heavy
reinforcements from the western line,
to avert a Foolish Sedan. They ex
press the opinion that the issue de
pends on whether these arrive in
time.
Berlin reports the failure of the
Russian attack on the fortifications
east of Darkehmen, in East Prussia
with heavy losses, while unofficial
messages from Petrograd describe
an important Russian gain and the
capture of 10 miles of trenches north
east of Lodz.
Advices from Holland report that
railway traffic, newspapers and posts
dn the Brussels region are entirely
suspended it is presumed for the pur
pose of suppressing news of a move
ment of German troops to the east
ward. The only development of the day in
the western theater was the renewal
of the British bombardment of the
German base at Zeebrugge.
England was surprised at the an
nouncement that King George had
left on a visit to the British head
quarters in France, where he is cer
tain of an enthusiastic reception from
the soldiers.
This was the fortieth birthday an
niversary of Winston Spencer Church
ill, First Lord of the Admiralty, and
the papers, except a few antagonistic
to him, pay a tribute to his remark
able career. The seventieth birthday
anniversary of Queen Mother Alex
andra would be celebrated soon.
Dutch papers say the Germans have
imposed an indemnity of $7,000,000
monthly on Belgium for the duration
of the war for the maintanence of
the troops, and, in addition, $75,000.
000 as a war levy for neutrality viola
tions.
French Repulse Enemy's Attacks.
Paris. The following official state
ment was issued by the French:
"A few details about what has oc
curred on the front from November
21 to November 27 inclusive:
The general situation ha3 not ma
terially changed. The enemy has
worn himself out in partial attacks
without result. Our counter-attacks
have inflicted on him heavy losses and
ave brought us some gains.
"From the sea to the Lys the ene
my's attacks have been intermittent
On the twenty-third, twenty-fourth
and the twenty-fifth the German ar
tillery in general has remained silent.
On the twenty-fourth and twenty-
fifth we gained a foothold on the left
bank of the Yser, south of-Dixmude.
In SDite of the enemy's fire, our troops
held the ground without difficulty.
Further to the south a French
army corps advanced 200 meters all
along in front and has held its ground.
The German shells sometimes do not
burst properly. Our Infantry, in com
parison with the infantry of the ene
my, are spirited. They captured on
the twenty-fifth before Festobert,
three machine guns, a light Howitzer,
160 men and three officers.
"On the twenty-second our heavy
guns near Lebassee silenced the fire
from" the German batteries. On the
twenty-fourth in the same region the
result was the same. Oa the ijth
we destroyed two machine guns.
STUDY OF WORLD
DEMAND OF COTTO
SECRETARY McADOO INSTITUTES
MEASURES TO LEARN THE
ACTUAL NEEDS.
U. S. CONSULS ARE TO SERVE
American Representatives In All
Parts of the World to Aid In Mak
ing the Estimate.
Washington. The world's need for
cotton at the present time and the es
timated demand for next year is to be
the subject of an investigation by
state department officials. The treas
ury department announced that Secre
tary McAdoo had requested Secretary
Bryan to secure all possible informa
tion on this subject.
United States consuls have been
instructed to make careful investiga
tion. The reports from the consuls will
be compiled here each month and
probably will be made public for the
use of cotton producers. The treas
ury statement says:
"Secretary McAdoo has requested
Secretary Bryan to make an inquiry,
through American consuls in all
parts of the world regarding the
actual demand for cotton at this time
and the calculated demand for 1915.
"Accurate information regarding
cotton consumption will be valuable
as it will give an intelligent idea as
to the demand and will permit the
formation of correct judgment as to
the economic value of cotton. The
secretary of state and the secretary
of commerce are co-operating with
the secretary of the treasury to get
reliable information of this character
and the figures when received will
be published. Reports by the con
suls will be made beginning the first
of December and on the first of each
month following:
"In prosecuting this inquiry. Sec
retary Bryan has instructed all con
suls by cable to make a careful in
vestigation and report, beginning the
first of December, and monthly there
after, of statistics relating to the
stocks of raw cotton and cotton
goods in mills and warehouses com
pared with the same period last year;
the present rate of cotton manu
facture a month, together with the
number of spindles engaged and the
number of persons employed; and in
formation showing the comparative
stocks of cotton good3 nad compara
tive estimate of the purchases of cot
ton goods for delivery during 1915.
The consuls in Egypt, India, China
and Russia have been instructed to
report the most reliable estimates of
the cotton yield for 1914."
UNCLE SAM NEEDS MORE MEN.
Navy Requires 240 Officers and 4,600
Men.
Washington. The need of 240 addi
tional officers and about 4,600 men to
equip American warships was explain
ed to the house naval affairs commit
tee by Rear Admiral Blue, chief of
the navigation bureau of the navy de
partment. Referring to the fact that the navy
department was still purchasing
hydrographic charts from the British
government, the admiral said the
United States was issuing more and
more charts each year, and that ulti
mately charting by the United States
would be as complete as that of any
other nation.
Rear Admiral Stanford, chief of the
bureau of yards and docks, recom
mended a $3,000,000 estimate for a
new drydock at Norfolk, Va. He also
urged the necessity of appropriations
for additional fuel oil storage tanks
at Norfolk and other stations. All
ships of the navy under construction
will use fuel oil and it i estimated
that this year 30,000,000 gallons will
be U3ed.
Bought Two Papers.
Boston. Charles Cumner Bird ot
Walpolo, Progressive candidate ftr
governor in 1912 and 1913, announced
he had purchased The Boston Daily
Advertiser and the Boston Evening
Record. Hi3 son, Francis W. Bird, of
New York, will be publisher.
Warned Against Going to Vera Cruz.
Washington -Sir Cecil Spring-Rice,
the British ambassador, informed the
state department of the receipt of a
report from Charge Mohler of the
British embassy in Mexico City, say
ing that good order prevailed there.
Charge Mohler said General Zapata
was ret in the city, but fas repre
sented by one of his officers. He re
ported that there had been no execu
tions. Conaul Canada asked the state
department to warn Americans and
other foreigners against going to Vera
Cruz at this time.
GREENSSOFtO GETS
EXT CONFERENCE
METHODIST PROTESTANT ASSIGN
PASTORS AND ADJOURN AN
NUAL MEETING.
FOR BEST SUNDAY SCHOOL
Rev. J. A. Burgess Selected to Preach
Ordination Sermon Next Year and
Rev. H. F. Powell Conference.
Asheville. Greensboro wasselected
as the place of holding tie next meet
ing by the members of the North Car
olina Methodist Protestant Conference
at their final session and pastors were
assigned to their charges for the com
ing year, the reports of the station
ing committee being adopted on the
Conference floor a sfollows:
Alamance, J. A. Ledbetter; Ander
son, W. A. Lamar, supply; Asheboro.
C. L. Whitaker; Asheville, Cuthbert
W. Bates; Buncombe, T. E. Martin,
supply; Burlington, George L. Curry;
Cleveland, W. C. Lassiter; Charlotte.
D. A. Braswell; Cres we'll, J. H. Aber
nathy, supply; Concord, J. R. Hutton;
Davidson, J. W. Hullin, supply; Den
ton, G. L. Reynolds; Falston, J. H.
Moton; Fairview, J. W. Self; Flat
Rock, W.' F. Kennett; Forsyth, A. O.
Lindley; Gaston, W. H. Meese; Green
ville, D. T. Surrett; Granville. N. G.
Bethea; Graham and Haw River, O.
B. Williams; Greensboro, R. M. An
drews; Guilford, S. N. Needham; Hall-fax,-
R. A. Swaringer; Haw River, W.
T. Ashburn; Henderson, J. D. Wil
liams; High Point, A. G. Dixon; La
Grange, J. W. Allred, supply; Leban
on, R. C. Stubbins; Lincoln, B. M.
Loy; Littleton, C. J. Edwards; Lenoir,
H. D. Garmon, supply; Mcbane, W. E.
Swain; Mecklenburg, H. B. Waldrop;
Mocks ville, T. A. Williams; Sfrount
Hernion, C. H. Whitaker; Mount
Pleasant, Robert Troxler; Oak Ridge,
L. W. Gerringer; Orange, J. A. Bur
gess; Pageland, J. W. Quick, supply;
PensacoJa, W. D. Surrett; Piedmont,
A. D. Singleton; Pinnacle and Mount
Zion, Ed Suits; Randleman, J. B.
O'Brient; Randolph, W. M. Pike;
Reids ville, E. G. Lowdermilk; Rich
land, D. A. Highfill; Roanoke, T. E.
Davis; Rockingham, J. F. Allred, sup
ply; Saxapahaw, George W. Holmes;
Shelby, J. D. Morris; Society, J. H.
Bowman; Stanley, W. D. Reed; St.
Paul, G. F. Millaway; Spring Church,
T. F. McCullough; Tabernacle, T. M.
Johnson; Thomasville, J. E. Pritchard;
Uwharrie, J. B. Cogdon; Vance, A.
L. Hunter; West Forsyth, C. H. Aus
tin; Waynot, J. R. Stowe; Winston,
S. W. Taylor; Welch Memorial, High
Point D. R Williams; Yadkin Col
lege, H. L. Powell; 'rarboro, W. A. La
mar, supply.
The handsome banner which I
awarded to the Sunday school having
the best attendance record at each,
annual Conference, was presented to
the Clerk's Chapel Sunday school of
Buncombe County.
Statesville Wants Town Nurse.
Statesville. -The Civic League of
Statesville has launched a movement
for a visiting nurse for the town, a
trained nurse who shall give her time
to, visiting among the unfortunate
families of the town, giving advice
as to sanitation and the care of the
sick and nursing such patients as ab
solutely require a skilled nurse. Mrs.
Charles Anderson, who presented the
matter to the league, has made ex
tensive investigations during the past
few months and finds that the towns
now employing nurses consider them
indispensable.
Mrs. R. S. McElwee told the league
of the excellent results secured
through the efforts of the nurse em
ployed In her former home town,
Goldsboro.
Kinston Sells 14,319,000 Lbs. Tobacco.
Kinston. The planters of this sec
tion of North Carolina had a great
deal to be thankful for, despite the
unfortunate cotton situation. Many
of them have shared in the blessin;
of a remarkable crop of tobacco, of
which 14,319,0000 pounds had been
sold here. Traveling men say that it
collections were as good In towns as
in the rural parts ot the bright leaf
belt, there would be no sign of de
pression here.
North Carolina Sends Check, $1,500.
New York. August Belmont, treas
urer of the National Committee o
Mercy, received a check for $1,500
from J. M. Rankin, treasurer of the
North Carolina Committee of Mercy.
This money was raised by a committee
appointed by Governor Craig to help
feed starving women and children
made destitute by the war in Europe.
The National committee is sending
this week, $20,000 worth of foodstuffs
to Belgium, $1,500 to suffering Bel
gians in London, and $1,000 to buy
shoes for children in France.