davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
FROM A CoLoRED SOLDIER.
Son of E. E. Jones, Teacher in Lincoln
Graded School Writes the Follow
ing Letter.
American E. Forces, in France,

OCTOBER ..
My Dear Mother:
I wrote you a few days ago saying
that I had not heard from you for
sometime, but today came your ve1y
interesting and cheering letters Of
August 5th and September 1st. l was
indeed glad to hear from You because
I could not imagine why you had MOI
written me.
I am glad that you received The
little souvenir o. K. because had
begun to get afraid that you all were
not going to get them but Cordelia
wrote that she had received hers and
I received a letter from Rosa, SO
thought that all reached there @. K
I have not received the papers yet
Doubtlss they were thrown aside sc
that letters could get in the mail and
will be sent to me at later date
We are now on the real front where
the belching of the cannon is fierce
Sleep is almost impossible as the
noise is a continued one. AS i am
writing there is battery OF guns
which are near me, that are firing al
rate of about .25 per minute and
every time they, fire they shake the
earth. They are our own guns ano
oa course we endure them O. Z
Many, many aeroplanes are fylns
over u.s.. protecting us so we are O. *
I'VE have run the Germans so far away
that we can't even hear their big
guns shoot today. We sleep on the
ground under our tents which ar
livery small and ] am sitting on boz
WRITING. We are now in territory
which we ran Germans out of in the
last FIVE days and it is some Sighs
The shell holes over it are as thick a:
holes in honeycomb and there are
many interesting things to be seer
| about in the woods. It is wonderful tt
see how the Huns had things fixed up
Everything was fine, just like q city
Ieyen having a. small railroad system
running through here. They had M
idea of ever giving up this territory
but the American big guns and mel
were too much for them. am nov
inside the Hindenburg lines wher'
the Germans thought we would nsv
er get. During our travel lately
! have crossed the Aisne river, seel
where Joan Of Arc was born, AM
/ travelled over road built by Juliu
Caesar as well as saw one of the oil
palaces Of King Louis XVI. Ther'
are certainly some historical place
/ around here and still more to be see1
4 I am told,
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06

Lincoln was no enemy Of worth
while criticism But when a mar
told him something was wrong, n.
wanted that same man to tell him
also how to make it right. He. al
ways objected to criticism that was
merely Objectionable criticism OF
the professional crouch (of which
we have plenty in the present wal
just as he had in the Civil War;; and
here is what he said to such critics:
Gentlemen, suppose all the prop
erty you were worth was in gold, and
you had put it in the hands of Blon-
din, the tight-rope walker, to carry
across the Niagara river on a rope
Would you shake the cable and keep
shouting out to him: 'Blondin, stand
ap little raighter-Blondin, stoop
a little more to the north-lean {
little more to the south p No: !ou
would hold your breath as we'll as
your tongue. and keep your hands OFF
until he was safely over.
ssThe government is carrying an
immense weight in this war. Untold
treasures are in its hands. 1t is do
ing the very best it can. Don't badger
it. Keep silence and We'll get yor
safely across"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
Silent Air Raids.

London, Sept. 80 Correspondence
Of The Associated Press)-Ever since
the big Zeppelin night raid on Lon
don October IT, 1917, the public has
believed that the Zeppelin command
ers stopped their engines and allow
ed the giant craft to drift silently
with the wind across the city which
was unaware Of the enemy's presence
until bombs were actually dropped.
But the facts, now made known,
wer> hat the apparent silence of the
Zeppelin engines was due partly to
abnormal acoustical conditions, part
ly to the great height at which the
airships flew in order to be above
the range of British anti-aircraft
fire, and partly because some of the
engines did stop-although not by any
desire of their engineers. The few
engines that stopped, prisoners have
disclosed, did so because the crews
were too height-sick to operate them.
Experts say that the abnormal
2coustics of that night are not likely
to recur and there probably will be
no return Of the silent Zeppelin
Airplanes, on the other hand, are ca
pable Of making silent descent upon
q. town, as was proved, it IS pointed
out, by the raid of British machines
on Mannheim on the night Of Aug
ust rs: One pilot g]ided down to
200 feet from an altitude Of 5000.
He was enabled to make a direct hit
with every bomb dropped and he
circled around for seven minutes.
sweeping the Eadisch poison gas fac
tory and other works, also search
lights, with machine gun fire and
finally got away scot free.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
Hagood News and Views.

Rembert, Oct. 31.-There is 10
of influenza in our community, par
ticularly among the colored people
John Portee and Willie Aston botf
colored died this week and quite ;
number of others are down with it
Charlie Freeman is up again.
The doctors: are kept going nigh
and day. I think the situation is i'm,
proving.
We had a gracious and mucl
needed rain last night.
There is lots of cotton yet in the
fields. Some folks are nearly through
picking. Most corn is yet unbroker
and there are quantities Of peas un-
picked
The hay crop is bit short but
that gathered is in the finest condi-
ton. "Hagood."
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
TEACHING SOLDIERS TRAaDEs.
Y M. C. A. Organizing to Instruct
Soldiers In Various Branches OF In
duStry. 49,:

London, october 20 Correspond
ence Of The Associated Press) s)----Thou-
sands of American soldiers who have
never had any trade are going fo
have a chance to learn one under the
tutelage of Young Mems Christian
Association instructors before they
return to America. It Is hoped by
this plan that the soldiers, no matter
what their vocation before the war,
will go back home better equipped fors
it or for something better than be-
fore they enlisted. -: -,
Fifty instructors from the United
States already are busy with class
es Of American soldiers in the. United
Kingdom and at least fifty mere are
needed before January 19 IS.5 It's s;isIs
estimated that for each of the one
hundred Y. M. c. A. secretaries eIl-
listed in this work hve volunteer III
structors can be obtained from the
ranks Of the soldiers. This would
give a faculty in the British Isles
of six hundred men capable Of teactt-s
ing 10000 men in actual class Work;
between 10000 and 10000 in CORE
! spondence studies and Of giving lee.
lures every week to from 25, ,60esfo
| $4,000 troops. 4 3
The work in France is much great-
er, of course, and there the Y. M
C. A. is receiving the cooperation Of
the military forces in fitting the
American soldier for useful occu-
patton when he has finished the job
under Generals Foch and Pershing:
This great Y. M. C. A. plan IS bas-
ed upon the work the New Zealand
Y. nj. C. A has done in England
which has challenged American al
miration American workers hays
visited the New Zealand camp for
convalescent troops in the southeast
Of England where the New Zealand
ers are cu1tivating intensive1y as40
acre farm and where the NeW&lea-
land troops are learning to be better
farmers than ever. E
Technical instruction for American
soldiers is to. include the study or
automobile gas engines and aircraft
engines: mathematics, from arithIne-
tic to trigonometry; mechanicaE draw
ing, agricultural drawing and topo-
graphical draughting; plan reading
and estimating;; principles OF me-
chanics; principles of electricity arts
and crafts; general principles OF ag-
/ riculture, which will include model
/ farms and demonstration in truck
| gardening and the raising Of poultry.
hogs, cattle, ETC., with courses ia
dairying and every other branch OF
farm work. & =
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
The Allies Still Hold the Initiative.

Inc OaCCleS OIL Aug uSt dllO oSPtVAfA-
Der are. to be regarded as a struggle
for the retention of the initiative, for
the power to dominate the situation
and direct and compel the develop
ments. We must lay aside all thought
Of geographical objectives if we are
to understand the strategy which
Foch has preached for more than a
quarter of a century and has prac-
tised during more than four years
of this colossal war. We must dismiss
any notion that the controlling pur-
pose of our great commander is to
take territory or places, whether the
iron mines Of Briey or the coal dis
tricts of Lens. We must perceive that
not even the expulsion of the Germans
from France is the underlying objec-
tive Of Foch.
What we seek, what he has sought
ever since he took the offensive, is to
intensity the strain upon the Ger
mans, to increase the number Of local
defeats, to take advantage Of each dis
advantageous position Or mistake in
generalship, to strike and to weaken
enemy is only a preliminary step to
bringing him to battle, to the de-
cisive battle of the war. It is a profit
able thing for Foch to be able to re-
gain areas Of French territory, it is a
useful thing to be able to seize centers
of communication; but these are all
incidents; the main purpose is to
weaken the enemy's military strength
and the resisting power Of his morale.
To do this we can see exactly what
Foch has done in the past four weeks.
He has attacked Ludendorff on the
tanks, in the center. wherever there
has been an opening, and he has TAX
en- more than 100000 prisoners and
perhaps a thousand guns in addition
to the captures, exceeding 1000
which were made in July and the first
days Of August. He is teaching the
German army and the German peo-
ple behind it to expect ultimate defeat
by accustoming them to frequent To-
cal defeats. He is taking a toll OF
guns, material, men, which is an
ever-growing tax upon German re-
sources.
More than this, Foch is Compelling
Ludendorff constantly to meet him at
the point selected Dy foe and Sc
Iected because it is a weak point. II
you think of the German commander
as endeavoring to pull a row-boat to
the shore and being unable to row be-
cause he has to devote all his time to
bailing, and perceive that the task of
bailing grows more difficult all :. the
time because new leaks are constant
ly appearing, you will understand the
general situation of Ludendorff.--
From Forward All Along the Line
by Frank H. Simonds, in the Ameri-
can Review of Reviews for October.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
Letter Received From Corp. a. b.
y Cato.
NY Dear Mamma:

NY Dear Mamma: y. s=..-=3s-1s 80
1 am well as can be; am now iiv-
| ing in a real house. now have a
big fat bed to sleep in and dc not
| have to pay much for it. When go
to bed I sink down until can hardly
get out next morning. s5l.
When Papa puts in his order with
W. H. Grover at Norfolk, he may
mention that see his son often,
| and he is getting on nicely; he IS not
very well, though, at present.
I wish you would go to see Mrs.
Wadford and tell her that Cecil is
with me yet and is just making it
fine. Why I ask you to do this Z
think Cecil is like myself, does not
like to write.
I have had a letter from Carrie,
Matte, also Blanche, Since T have.
been away from the States. Blanch
said in her letter that the baby was
learning to talk. You may tell her
that am learning to talk also.
You tell me about the boys on this
side, but you never give me any ad-
dress. Tom Brown could be right
at me and would never know 1t.
+ heard from Bill Hudson from
Aiken today; he was making pretty
well.
think you can write most any
thing you want to. so all Of you to-
gether can write me lots Of news.
In regard to the weather, why it is
not so bad. It is just about as ex-
pected, judging from what heard
before left When I come home I
can tell you all about it, and don't
guess that will be long.
Of course you know am trying to
do my bit. 1t is not tiresome for me
to pass my time away working on
bicycles, auto trucks, and so on.
received yours and Toms letters F,
few days ago. Haven any more
time at present, so will have to close
my letter. So all Of you write real
soon.
Your devoted son,
Corp. Asquilia Cato.
9Th NJ. T. o. Co. a, A. E. f.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
orphanage Work Day.

Inasmuch as the epidemic Of Span
ish influenza made it impracticable
to observe Orphanage Work Day Oc-
tober 1s, the day set apart for 1t,
wish to suggest that November Ctr
be substituted, and that all churches
and Sunday schools throughout tbs
State, Of all denominations, use the
occasion for a grand rally in the in
terest of their respective orphanages
There has never been a time wher
the needs of the orphanages Were
more urgent, and it is hoped that
there will be unanimous response tc
this call. Speaking for the Method
lists of the two conferences, I feel sure
there will be a cheerful and united
rally on that day in the interest OF
their institution.
II. c. o.Dell,
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
GREAT LIBERTY LOAN.
People Oversubscribe Fourth Loan
More Than $500, ,000,008.

Washington, Nov. 1.-The Fourth
Liberty Loan was oversubscr1beo
more than eight hundred and sixty-siS
million. Fina reports which were an
nounced today showed a total OF s6,-
866, 416, 800.
All districts oversubscribed their
Quotas. The Richmond district went
one hundred and twenty-three per
cent, and was second on the list
Boston was first with one hundred
and twenty-six per cent.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
Herb Gardens in England.

London, Sept. II Correspondence
Herb gardens started during the
early part of the war are now provid-
ing medicinal herbs to chemists in
various parts of the country. Lady
Elphinstone started garden in the
grounds Of Carberry Towers from
which she distributed seeds to cot
tagers in the district, with the result
that these gardens are now produc-
ing herbs in abundance which be-
fore the war were only imported from
Germany and Austria,
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
The Reopening of The City Schools

At a meeting Of the City Board o.
Health, which l in my official capac,
ity was invited TO attend. the mem
bers after having carefully consid-
cred the expressed opinions Of four
teen physicians of the city, decided to
extend the quarantine until the
tenth of November l am authoriz-
ed by the Board Of Health to an
nounce that the schools will reopen
on the eleventh day Of November.
Respectfully submitted
s. II. Edmunds.
Superintendent City Schools.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
Czarina Betrayed Kitchener.
louisville Courier-Journal.> }

louisville Courier-Journal.)
Henry w. Mapp, who was at the
head of the Salvation Army in Rus
sia, says the czarina caused Lord
Kitchener's death by secretly inform
ing Potsdam, and that through the
treachery of the czarina all inforna-
ton conveyed to Russia which would
be valuable to Germany was forward
ed forthwith.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
New Hun Submarines.

Copenhagen, No. 3.-The .Ribe
Stifts Tidende says it learns that Ger
man engineers have constructed sub
marines as iron clad cruisers. They
are $40 feet long and of about 1000
tons. The vessels carry 80 men in
their crew and are armed with Is tor
pedoes. two Is centimetre guns. with
200 shells and two S.8 centimetre
guns.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
PRISONERS CAPTURED BY Az
LIES. 10.
Third Of Million Enemy, Soldiers Cap
tured Since Beginning Of Ohen-
sive in July. - :..s$

Paris, Nov. 3 (Havas).-Since the
great offensive began on the Western
front on July Is last, the allied arm
les have captured 3e2,355 prisoners,
Including 1890 officers asswen ass PIT
cannon, 1882 machine guns and 81
907 mine throwers. -. -
The allies during the month of>ac-
tober captured 10S,34S prisoners, In
cluding 2,472 officers. as well az D.:
064 cannon, 1858 machine guns and
1888 mine throwers. IL
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
Favors to Few or Fairness to Al

Why is it that the Selfish inter
ests" as a whole support the Repdn'
lican party?
1t is because they have been MADE
to realize. that they cannot expec'
either special favors or special priv
ileges from the Democratic party.
Whenever favors and privileges ;;''t
granted to few, it is done at the ~
pense of fairness and business ;o ~:
The record of the Democratic Cd.
ministration so far has established
and will continue to establish, thai
the welfare of a nation. whether "a
peace or at war, must be based upon
the fundamental principle of "speciai
privileges to none
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
GUARANTEE EXTENDED.
Health soffcials Extend Duration Re
Stricfions.

: = 1
Columbia, Nov. Quarantine re-
strictiens. which have been in force
over the entire State since October Z,
win be lifted Sunday except in sew
en- counties. In these seven counties,
the restrictions continue in force, ana
schools, churches, picture shows and
other places of public gathering VIII
remain closed until conditions are
such that the quarantine can be sa1e-
" removed. -
The seven counties over Whlch
the quarantine remains in force are
Marlboro, Darlington, Oranseourg,
Lancaster, HAMPTON, Colieton ana
SDartanburg. All restrictions VIII oe
removed Sunday from the other SO
counties in the State.
According to Dr.. c. AKIN OF the
United States public health service
who has charge of the influenza con-
troll work, the epidemic is on the Wane
sin rs per cent. of the State, and ne Is
Of the opinion that the spread OF the
disease is definitely limited IN an
parts sof the State and thai. no ne"
communities will be. invaded.
Pnblic health officers, who nave
rendered splendid service to the STATE
in this time of emergency, Will con, con
tinne their work at various points,
fha control work being rendered pec-
essary because Of the tendency to-
wards an increase In the NUMBER OF
pneuuonia cases. It is likely tna1
bat few additions to the force OF pup
lie health service physicians Will pe
made, as the remainder OF the cam
padgn against the disease can be un-
dertaken with the force in the tleld al
the present Inne. y.
Reports recei2ed yesterday indicate
that the improvement in conditions
which has been noted on previous
days continues, and that the epidemic
is weakening IN many sections.
A number Of changes were made
Yesterday in the location Of public
health physicians. Acting Surgeon
Brandt was relieved of his work II
Williamsburg County and went tc
Bennettsville for hospital work. Act
ing Assistant Surgeon Walter was re-
heved of his work in Clarendon Coun,
sty. Acting Assistant Surgeon Blakei5
was relieved Of his work at Fort. Nil Nj
and was sent to Paris Island to in
yestigate the influenza epidemic in the
neigh borhood Of the marine barracks
Acting Assistant Surgeon Garrison
was relieved Of his work at Abbev1llt
and will report to the ofice in Co
Iunbia. Acting Assistant Surgeon
BaileY was relieved Of his work a
Pendleton and Newry and was sen
to Lancaster county to complete the
organization for rural relief. Actins
Assistant Surgeon H. M. Smith ha:
been sent to Tmmonsyille. Actine
Assistant Surgeon Hemingway has
been relieved of his work in the Car
ver,s Bay section sof Georgetown
county and goes to the Hewitt neigh
borhood in Florence county.
During the epidemic, some %
nurses and nurses aids have been Sc
cured through the Red Cross and have
beeh placed at the disposal Of :. DR.
Akin, who has sent them to various
communities. Yesterday Miss 4. T.
Painter was sent to Bennettsville;
Miss Barlow to Dillon, Miss Kate v
Greylish to Bishopvi1le, Miss E. g
-Lafeague to Dillon.
Medical supplies were sent yester-
day to Morrisvii1e and Lake City.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06

OF his many II1euuS III OuAAlei Sooii
ty:
At the Front, France, Oct. II.
My L,ear Sheriff and Miss Annie:
Your very nice and enjoyable let
ter sent on September 10th came to
me yesterday.
have written several times to you
all and hope you have received them,
although this mail proposition is very
uncertain. Yet each day we are get
ting mail in a shorter time the
quickest being Is days from New
York over to where we are in these
mountains where the machine gun
barrage and big gun shelling is mu-
sic to our ears.
hope long before now. you, Sher-
if, have fully recovered and are W
and out again.
We are giving them. He'll over here
and they are crying for peace. Every
day or so the Boch aeroplanes come
over and drop peace propositions.
but we only laugh at TIE poor fools
and only remember poor Belgium and
remember the Lusitania. want tc
see every one killed or on his knees
begging for his. life for it will
always be with me, Remember poor
Rob Purdy."
AS you know, there is so little we
can write that it's hard to make UP
a letter. Saw Joe Chandler and
Pokey Hood a day or two ago; every
body we'll and happy and ready to
give them all we got.
Was with Theodore Ravenel for an
hour yesterday; he had some Sumter
Daily Items Of July but they looked
good to US. We read every line, every
advertisement and especially the cards
of candidates for the county Offices
Reports yesterday spoke Of the bril-
liant fighting of the 30th Division
oyer on the Flanders front, so guess
the Gamecock City is well repre-
sented in deeds of valor on that part
Of our front.
It's not long now till we all will be
ready to come back home, for we have
got the difference and the Hun is on
the run, SO I am looking forward t.
cranking up our Fords again very
soon.
I will write from time to time and
hope to hear from you all and that
you all keep we'll and happy till
see you in the spring (maybe).
Remember me to all in that "Best
little town on eart,,."
Very fondly yours,
Jack.
NY address: 3o6 Military Police
Z,
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
Relief Committee Notes.

We request that all bills be sent ir
at once; if not sent in now. we shall
conclude that no claim will be made
We shall appreciate donations OF
funds
We thankk all who have helped us
Civic League Relief Committee.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
Solicitor J. II. Fowlcs.

Gov. Manning has appointed James
Fl. Fowles. ESQ. of Columbia solicitor
of the Fifth Circuit to succeed Wad
Hampton Cobb &Hl1o died last week.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
PrenarabIe.

Small arms practice is, of course
known to soldiers, but they prefer
practice with large arms that have
dimpfes.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06

Ny address: 3o6 Military Police
u. S. A. P. o. 791, American E. F.
France.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
JACK FORBES WRITES.
Interesting Letter From Former
Deputy Sheriff of Sumter County.

The following letter from Lieut..
Jack H. Forbes to Ex-Sheriff Brad
ford will be read with interest by all
of his many friends in Sumter coun-
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06
Lincoln,s Advice to War Critics.

Superintendent Epworth orphanag'
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-11-06

Your devoted son,
Corp. Asquilla Cato.
9Th M. T. O.. Co. A., A. E. f.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-04-10
VI-Why Russia Failed in the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Ressaraha February. 1915.

the Pruth behind Czerno"z on
Russian we were
chief and after days OF thrilling agoao
OF the Russians great M
things which us
uched beside the only machine gun '
distinct
had stood beside seehin and starr oi
and we heard
OH
of
transports they would ma
Bukowna the frst winter VI
wara in n drama Napoleon
Of
ituuanian
or
belief is no
the Buko"lna pecses
that looked like souvenirs oil
|
left baskng for the most
in
would tell that time was with
would melt ana
VINO was
her enemies 1heh
the shattered what a" ~
| Eas