Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-04-27

IuCllOu Ol l,OOO WOOuGn SlAlpos
yet" but the officers of the American
destroyer Smith aver that a torpedo
was fired at their vessel early Tues
day morning 100 miles south of New
York. They are sure the missile came
from a submarine, because they saw
the periscope.
Having been advised by British and
French naval men that the well-armed
merchant vessel is the best weapon
for use against the submarine, the
American government is pushing with
redoubled vigor its plans for the
building of big fleets of wooden ships.
1t is even considering delaying the
construction of five battleships for
this purpose.
In the United States union labor in
general is heartily supporting the gov
ernment in its war measures. The ex-
ceptions are certain scattered groups
of manifestly Germanic tendencies.
The members of these, as well as GER
tain other Americans with perverted
ideas of their duly to mankind, may
protitably study President Wilson's
proclamation, issued Monday, warning
against the commission of reasonable
acts. Giving aid and comfort to the
enemy is treason and the punishment
for treason may be death. 1t is a pity
that such a proclamation should be
necessary.
Recruiting Is Better.
Recruiting for the regular army and
navy during the past week was much
more satisfactory than heretofore.
From the navy training schools thou
sands of young men, made fit by In
tensive training, were sent to the At
lantic and Pacific seabOards to man
the vessels of the fleets.
The University of Illinois plan for
the enlisting of great army of agri-
cultural laborers, men and boys out
side the years of military service or
otherwise exempt, having been recon-
mended by the council of national de-
fense and approved by the administra-
ton, seems likely to solve the problem
of farm labor. This, and the concert
ed movement to urge the growing of
limit crops have aroused the farmers
and gardeners so that the dangers OF
a food shortage are decreasing. Ev'
cry help possible is promised the agri
culturists In the way of obtaining seed
and labor.
Prices of foodstuffs still are abnor
mally high, and there are more thar
hints that the government will curt
the avarice of the spectators. Cana
dian wheat was put on the free list
Monday, and the depressing effect OIL
the price of May wheat was immedi
ate but not lasting. The grain specu
lators are being investigated by the
federal authorities.
Great Victory for the French.
The greatest battle of the war t.
date, and consequently the greatest il
all history, is that being fought ii
northern France. While the British
were making their tremendous thrus
toward Lens and st. Quentin, tn,
French were concentrating their artil
lery fire on the German lines in tn
Reims-SOissons sector. When storm
and German re-enforcements tempo
rarily checked the rush of Haig's mer
Nivelle's troops took their turn. o.
Monday they smashed against the Teu
tonic front, crushing the enemy dc
fenses for 25 miles, capturing the sec
: ond and even the third line in place!
Such was the impetus of the attac
that in one instance, at Brimont, the
broke clear through. This is the SCI
tor where the crown prince commands
and he hurriedly brought up brigad
after brigade of reserves which mad
desperate attempts to win back til
lost. ground. But the wonderfl
French field artillery had followe
close behind the infantry and checke
the German counter-attacks with ay
full loss of life. On Tuesday IL
French resumed their drive and pushe
l the Germans still farther back on Il
: line from Reims to the ChampagI
front. All Tuesday night the fghtir
was fierce, but the French held the
) gains. In those two days $4,000 Ge
: mans were taken captive and abo
8 10000 others were killed or wounde
y The prisoners were in a state of C
I lapse from hunger and the effects
4 the gun-fire.
u Meanwhile the British pushed the
c way farther to the north of st. Que
l. tin and consolidated the positions tn
IS had won.
e What Berlin Says of 1t.
German official reports on {
French offensive are naive. They 0
n init the success of the attack, but
II sert tho nhinnt of tho GnrnnnnS w,