davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05
MAN POWER BILL IS
NOT LIKELY To Be
ACTED Upon UNTIL
HOUSE MEETS AUG.19
SENATE COMMITTEE WILL BEGIN
WORK UPON MEASURE AT ONCE.
AND In THE SENATE 1T WILL
PROBABLY BE REPORTED
WITHIN A FEW DAYS. ESTIMATE
OF ENLARGED MAN-POWER
AVAILABLE.

WASHINGTON, D. c., August s.
The new man-power bill, making the
draft ages eighteen to forty-fve, in
stead of twenty-one to thirty-one as
at present, was introduced in both
the house and senate today.
In the house the bill was referred
to the military committee, but it IS
n!ikely that it can get considera-
tion by that body until after the house
re-convenes August 18th, Chairman
Dent said.
IN the senate, Chairman Chamber
lain, of the Military Affairs commit
tee. announced his committee would
begin work on the measure at once,
and hat report thereon might 5e
expected within few days.
Under the enlargement age lis,
Provost Marshal General Crowder
estimaes that two million, three hun
dred and ninety-eight thousand, eight
hundred and fifty-five men will be
made available for fighting service.
The total number of registrants un-
der the new bill, it is estimated, will
be over thirteen million.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05
100000 CASUAL TIES
SUSTAINED IN DRIVE
BY GERMANS; 10000
Of THEM PRISONERS

ALLIES LOSSES CERTAINLY MUCH
LESS THAN THOSE SUSTAINED
BY ENEMY-ALLIES HAVE ES-
TABLISHED TWO STRIN
BRIDGEHEADS ON NORTH BANK
OF VESLE RIVER-MILLIONS OF
SHELLS ABANDONED.
LONDON, August German losses
since July 18th, the date upon which
the crown prince began his last drive
were unoficially estimated today at
from three hundred thousand to three
hundred and fifty thousand, forty
thousand of these being prisoners.
The losses sustained by the Allies
are certainly much less than this
enormous figure.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05
VETERANS MEETING
Will MEET TUESDAY
MORNING AT TEN

The meeting of veterans of Camp
Sumter, No 642, which was announc-
ed in Sundays Times-Recorder for
this morning at ten O'Clock will be
held instead at ten o'clock tomorrow
CTuesday) morning, the usual meet
ing date, at the courthouse. The an
nouncement that the meeting would
be held today was made through a
misunderstanding
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05
j. 5. EMPLOYMENT
OFFICE IS OPENED
IN AMER|CUS FOR
CONTROL Of LABOR
ANDREW McELROY TRAVELLING
EXANiAER FOR FEDERAL STATE
EMPLOYMENT SERVICE HERE
TO SUPERINTEND OPENING-NO
MORE LOAFING FOR ABLE-BOD-
led MEN AND WOMEN WILL BE
PIT INTO "SOFT- PLACES.

f federal employment agency has
heer opened in Americus and will be
maintained here during the period OF
tive war. D. H. Bracket, federal la
boz examiner is in charge of the local
branch, and Miss Evely Grew will act
as service clerk here.
The establishment of this office in
Americus means great deal for th
farmers and other employers of labor
in this section of the state The bu-
reau will hereafter direct the move
ment of ali labor in this county
through the medium of the Americus
branch employment agency.
All farm and skilled labor alike will
move through the Office opened here,
and no person, except those who have
the specific authority of the govern
ment and are soliciting for govern
ment industries, will be allowed to
solicit labor in this county in future
Farmers will thus be protected in
their labor supply which is so ur-
gently needed especially in the har
vest season, and the tempting offers
of high wages held out by contractors
and others will amount to naught, for
no more labor may move from Sumter
county, except through this bureau.
And permission will not be given to
employ negroes or whites here for
work elsewhere in the state, except as
said before upon urgent government
var work.
In cases where the government may
be compelled to recruit labor for war
work, such recruiting will be pro rated
among all parts of the country, and
each county will be required to fur
nish it's proper share and no more,
There is now urgent need for com
mon laborers at the picric acid plant
located at Brunswick, Ga, and a gov
ernment agent will be here next week
to secure Sumter's share of these la
borers. The work there is dangerous
in large measure, but this is not
expected to interfere in the least vi
the recruiting of necessary laborers
as the negroes here have alraad
demonstrated their patriotism and
willingness to do whatever is requir-
ed of them.
Mr.. Bracket, who is director in
charge of the branch Office here stat
ed to a Times-RecordeT representa-
tive toGay that the Farmers of Sum
ter county may rest assured their
supply of labor will not be interfer-
ed with, and that to a very large ex-
tent the labor supply of all the in
dustries located here will also be
! held intact. 1t is the purpose OF
the officials in charge of the depot to
secure the names of all so-called
casual workers" and to provide all
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05
Report of Accident Not Verified.

There was a report genearlly cir
culated in the city today that an Of
ficer or flying cadet has fallen fallen
and been badly hurt at souther Field,
but inquiry at headquarters at $3.50
this afternoon failed to substantiate
the report The officer there inform
ed The Times-RecoTder he had not
information of such an occurrance,
nor could it be confirmed from any
other reliable source
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05
French Meteing Resistance

PARIS, August 5.-French troops
have met German resistance every
where north of the Vesle, the war
Office announced today.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05

Dole region. They march steadily
forward during heavy downpour of
rain and spent practically all of Sat
urday and Sunday feeling out Boche
positions fn an effort to establish
contact with the retreating enemy.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05
GERMAN ARTILLERY
IS sATTlCTING AMER
.ICAN LINES HEAVILY
MAY MAKE STAND

MACHINE GUN ACTIVITY ABOUT
FIEMES, NOW IN HANDS OF THE
AMERICANS MAY INDICATE IN.
TENTION OF ENEMY TO MAKE
TEMPORARY STAND - HEAVY
RAINS DO NOT DETER ADVANCE
OF AMERICANS.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES,
In France, August German art,i-
lery has opened fire upon the Ameri-
can lines and roads more vigorously
than at any time within the past few
days and there is machine gun ac-
t.vity about the region of Fismes,
which is now in the hands of the
Americans. This indicates there is
more than probability of the enemy
putting up a temporary resistance
there.
Americans patrols are now across
the vesle river. After the Americans
took Fosmes, United States troops
moved northward in the Marueil-en-
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05

of these with regular employment,
which they will be required to ac-
cept The pool room loafers will all
b taken into the industrial foal as
a result of the establishment Of the
bureau here, and those ablebodied
men holding positions for which We
men are as well or better suited, will
also be drafted into war service. Ne
gro walters, elevator boys and chaut'
fers viii be drawn into the service
the nation, Mr.. Bracket announces
snd within a very brief time there
will no longer be seen any able
bodied men holding down the social
ID light jobs"
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05

WASHINGTON, D. c., August 8
Casualties from the great Franco
American offensive have begun to
pour into the war department. The
names of four hundred and seven of
these were made public here today.
In addition, two hundred and nine
ty-nine will be ready for announce
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05

NAMES OF FOUR HUNDRED AND
SEVEN MEN KILLED OR MUIR
Ed MADE PUBLIC AT WASHING
TON AND PEOPLE OF NATION
MUST STEEL THEMSELVES TO
RECEIVE LARGER LISTS AT AN
EARLY DATE.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-08-05
FOCH IS FORMING
ANOTHER POCKET
ABOUT ENEMY AND
MAY YET BAG ARMY

BOTH WINGS OF ALLIED ARMIES
BEING PUSHED RAPIDLY FOR
WARD WHILE TEUTONS STRUG-
GLE TO ESCAPE BEING ENCIR-
CLED AND CENTER MOVES
AHEAD LETSURELY AS PART OF
F0CH'S PLAN.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

within limits, Of course. So the de-
velopment Of substitute here is hin.
dered only by the obvious necessity
that it shall be good conductor. This
10 not serious difficulty. Lots of
metals are conductors, and combina-
tions have actually been brought out
which do very nicely here in place of
platinum. Accordingly, the demand for
platinum on the part Of the lamp
makers is diminishing, and may be ex-
pected to diminish indefinitely. This
is we'll, for here, it will be observed,
we have actual consumption. Platinum
that goes into light bulbs is actually
used up, for many users will not both or
to collect and return old lamps for
salvage Of the materials in them.
The electrical conductivity Of plati-
mum makes it possible for this metal
to hold the industrial fort In yet sn-
other place. Electric furnaces are Of
two types. The first creates its in
tense heat by means Of m electric arc,
in which the material to be treated is
placed. In this case We expect the
electrodes to be consumed: we take
them down and replace them bodily to
care for this feature Of the game.
Everybody has seen the man who goes
about the streets each day performing
this Office for the arc lamp on the
corner, and every boy has written on
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

the pavement with his discarded car
bons. The second type of electric fur
mace does not have an arc; it works
just like the incandescent lamp, only
here the object is to develop heat
rather than light by virtue Of the re-
sistance offered to the passags of the
current. Sometimes this resistance is
developed in the very material under
treatment, which then becomes an ac-
tual part Of the circuit; sometimes the
circuit includes special high-res
ance member for the purpose, and the
heat is applied to the charge by juxta-
position, IS in the arc furnace,
But, in either event, we have got to
have the ends Of this resistance ele-
ment in the circuit Joined to the re st
Of the circuit by means of a connec-
tion that will not melt under the heat
to be developed. Unlike the arc fur
mace, the resistance furnace Is flexible;
by appropriate choice Of the resistance
member, we can make It operate at
any temperature we wish. But when
we begin to exceed q thousand degrees,
we begin to get In realm In which
the only satisfactory substance for
connecting the resistance member In
he circuit is platinum. So platinum
for this purpose we must have, under
penalty Of seriously restricting the
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

less, as soon as it Is added, sometimes
In an absurdly slight amount, prestol
the solution straightway froths up,
there is grand commotion, and re-
action involving every molecule in the
solution takes place. What we wanted
to happen does happen. And the little
catalyst may be found in the bottom
Of the beaker, just as it was when
we put 1t in, to all appearances. chemi-
cal and otherwise, unchanged"
In some cases we know that the cats-
lyst acts through an intermediate re-
action. That is to say, we have q com.
pound of elements A and B. and AM
other of elements C and D. We want
to get the A and the C together in a
new compound; but the substances ABB
and CD will not react. We introduce
some of fifth element. E; thls steals
the A from ABB, and then allows the
CD to attack it and hook the A up with
the c, releasing the D. This at once
takes up with the free B, and we have
the new compounds AC, which we
wanted, and BID. which we don't care a
rap about, and finally our catalyst E
Is left over--given back to Us, TO use
over and over again. This last is the
feature common to all catalysis; the
catalyst Is never used up.
Well, platinum is q catalyst. In the
presence OF certain preparation
known as platinum sponge, numerous
reactions will take place which would
not otherwise proceed. In this partic-
ular case there Is no intermediate re-
actlon, but we know none the less how
the thing works. The platinum sponge
mas the property of absorbing an in
credible amount Of any gas. It is
divided into extremely fine particles:
and each particle surrounds itself with
a thin Aim Of the gas in the process
Of absorption. Then, since reaction ia
largely matter Of exposed surface.
the gas, whose surface Is thus made
out OF all proportion to Its volume or
mass, will react with substances to
which it would ordinarily 2ay no At
tention.
Now 1t Just happens that the par
tlcular reactions that are stimulated bv
the catalytic action of platinum are re-
actions without which we cannot pos
slbly get along in peace, and which
become doubly indispensable in war.
In word, they are the reactions lead
ing to the manufacture of sulphuric
and nitric acids.
OF normal years production OF sui
phuric acid In the United States, 51.e per
cent is used as . reagent in the manu-
facture Of fertilizer; III PER cent goes
to the refiners Of petroleum; 1913 per
cent finds application in the manufac-
ture of other acids, including nitric;
81 per cent 10 used in picking iron
and steel; o.2 per cent goes to the
manufacturer Of textiles; the balance,
listed as having found miscellaneous
use, 10 employed, among other things,
in eleetroplating, which makes modern
printing possible, and in copper refln-
ing, which without it could not be con
Quoted on sufficiently large scale to
satisfy the demands of the electrical
engineer. In every case she acid is alb
solutely essential to the continuancs
of the industry in which it is used. So
this acid we'll deserves the name of
universal reagent" which It has re-
ceived; it 10 one OF the strongest and
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

are capable Of taking care of more
than 1000 patients each. There arc
three great embarkation hospitals and
two permanent base hospitals. At the
thirty-two army camps and canton
ments fully equipped hospital is in
operation and at each training camp
there has been a steady diminution
in the rate of sickness and mortality.
Undoubtedly there was a great deal
OF sickness in the training camps soon
after the first draft call last autumn.
The War Department, under the press
ure of demands from abroad, was not
fully prepared for the influx of recruits
at the training camps. The tents and
cantonments were crowded. Measles
came, and following that came pneu-
monia. There was temporary short
age Of nurses. The Quartermaster
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23
Metal Essential in Munitions and Chemistry and Electric
Points for Which There Is Yet No substitute-The
Greatest Pre-War Source Was in Russia

most essential props Of our eiviliza-s
When we go to war we need exnlo-
sives. These are made from nitric ac;a
and certain organic compounds. Again.
we have several ways of making This
acid. One is out of the question in
This country because it calls for more
electrlc power than we can spnre fuel
TO generate, and more than we can de-
velop IN the present state of our water
powers: A second proceeds through
the action OF sulphuric acid on sodium
nitrate. And third calls for the cata-
both the available processes cali for
platinum, directly or indirectly:
The situation would be an incon- :
venient one, even if there were no fac
Tor involved save that Of demand. Un-
fortunately this is not the case; the
question OF supply is by far the more
desperate one. In a normal year the
words output of platinum would be,
q Urine IN excess of q quarter of
miliIon ounces, and of this Russia
would produce we'll over 80 Der cent
Last year Russia succeeded in mininc,
put $4,000 ounces, and it meant little
20 US what quantity she mined, because
it here. es"s
IN default OF the customary supply
from Russia we have had to turn.
since 1915. to the Colombian Republic
the only other producer ON scaIe.
worth mentioning at all. Now, any one
knows that accelerating South Amer
lean business man is q tough PROPOSE
sioh' further, business conditions are
this particular country, and MINING ;s
very crude. Even it it were possibis
lot US to go in and take hold our
selves we could not make production
Jump very high. AS it is, we are to
congratulate ourselves that the Colom-
Dian mines have increased their output
from 1900 ounces in 1916 to 25.0OC
ounces IN 1917. But in a commodity :
where supply has never been more than
wv? jumps ahead OF a hungry demand
IL ls gong to hurt to cut the amount
available for the use of the non-Teu-
tonic world from 100000 ounces q veal
to $4,000 ounces-all in three years
ihat $4,000 ounces is literally all thcrela
is. We. get it all; it can't be refined
IN south America, 80 in spite Of the
fact that they don't love US and that
German agents have tried to intensity
this feeling, the Colombian producers
country to be refined. But 25.o0e
ounces instead Of ten times that
amountl
For two decades or more the price
OF platinum has been fluctuating, with
steady upward trend - more and.
more necessary work has been found
for it to do. When it passed gold inls
value it began to be used for jewelry,s
and there has been steady increase IN
this tendency 40 normal demand ar d.
wartime scarcity have forced the price
skyward, until now we are told that
something like half the nations total
platinum stock stands in the form of
personal adornment Certain manu-
featuring jewellers are trying to make
out = case for the continuation Of this
ratio. mainly by means Of reckless ,
statements that there is plenty Of
platinum or everybody; but those Who
know have awakened to the true nature,
Of this insidious and selfish propaganda
and have taksn steps to eomhas it
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23

utility of the electric furnace
In the aggregate these and simila,
demands for platinum bulk fairly large
Ihey are. howev'~, far outranked by
the needs Of the chemist. who would
De utterly helpless to carry on his work
were he deprived of this metal. His
needs fall into two categories, which
must be discussed separately.
We have seen that platinum /. ma,
susceptible to attack by acids, the m ost
common Of reagents; we have seen
that its melting point is verv hiph .
We have seen that it is not subject to
serious failure at high temperatures
which do not reach the vicinity Of ,ts
melting point, and we have seen that
exposure to the air does not cana. u
TO be covered with a coating Of oxide
NOW, there are plenty of substance
glass, for one-which arc immune In
ordinary acids at ordinary tempera.
lures, but few, II any Of them. stand
up satisfactorily under heat and ex-
posure to the air.
This means that the chemist is going
70 want lot of laboratory utensils ~
! platinum. He isn't even going to con-
nne his demands to crucibles and such
things He has got to have scala nan.
that 90 not change in weight when ex-
posed to the air. Everywhere he turns
IN his work he is going to feel the need
of platinum to work in.
We have not mentioned. os vat u,
specific industry, because it has not
oeen in order for US to do so. W.
are coming to the point, however.
where we must do this. in CONSIDERING
the role Of platinum as a catalvst
Catalysis is the formidable name
gwen to chemical process which is
wei enough understood In its WORK.
ings, but concerning the reasons for
which we are not entirely clear ELL
wood Hendrick has hit the thing of
IN his inimitable style, and we can
DO no better than quote him,
LET US take two bodies that, accord
ing to all the rules and all our reason.
ing, should combine when we bring
them together. They should, but they
do not. OF course. there 10 a reason
for this, but what we are after Is the
reaction. We heat the vessel, and
shake 1t, and nothing happens. Then
we add the catalyst. which ia for
eign body. and to all appearances it
has no relation to what we have or
the combination ws wxnts nsvsrths-
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23
F I T

Grafton and disciplinary measures.
Not the least achievement Of the
surgeon generals establishment has
been the cure of 800 cases Of chronic
alcoholism. This number of weak
willed men have been taught to lead
normal and temperate lives.
In statement by the War Depart
ment on June II announcement was
made that s25,Ooo, 600 is being expended
for new hospital buildings in this
country and much Of the work has
been finished. This activity ranges
from the establishment of q 1,ooo-bed
hospital for the treatment of tuber-
culosis ct Azalea, N. c., and . similar
institution at Denver, to a two-million
| dollar hospital for general army pur-
poses at Fox Hills, N. Y.
Professional Journal
Speaks for Him
A recent editorial in "The Journal
of the Southern Medical Association.
gives the professional vicw of General
. Gorgas. Discussing, with unbe.ief. the
/ suggestion that Gorgas might be re-
tired at sixty-four, this medical pub
iication pays a tribute which may we'll
end this brief summary of the work of
the Gorgas Of to-day. The editorial
says:
President Wilson is somewhat
younger in years than General Gorpas.
and since he has one of the best doctors
IN the country to see him every day,
to keep him we'll, he may be expected
to continue his wonderful degree Of
efficiency for many years. General
Gorgas is his own doctor and he is en-
gagged in the small undertaking OF
keeping a million and a half boys and
young men from catching measles.
pneumonia and some diseases that do
not affect the respiratory organs that
affiict those who have not learned how
to take care of themselves-and he
is doing both jobs better than any man
before him ever dic
"Of course, no one has considered it
possible for General Gorgas to be re-
tired during this war. Millions of
mothers and fathers and other rela-
tives and friends of our soldiers thank
God every day that General Goreas is
directing the army of doctors who are
lighting diseases that are as dangerous
and that are as insidious enemies to
mankind as the Huns. They feel COM
forted every day on realizing that
Gorgas is safeguarding the health and
lives of their boys.
aside from the fact that there is
no one who could so ably take the
place Of General Gorgas as surgeon
general, the United States and the
Mor owe him such dept of gratitude
/ that he could not be retired until his
labors during the present war have
been completed. His conquests over
disease have been more brilliant and
eral who has fought battles against
man. Gorgas has brought health and
happiness to millions, while vars
against man have made countless thou
sands~mourn."
New-York tribune., 1918-06-23
Medical Corps Larger
Than Pre-War Army

This reveals . part of the story of
administrative expansion. Next one
will turn naturally to the field, where
base, general and emergency hospitals
hold the sick and wounded in this
country and abroad, and where army
nurses and physicians, who have given
up the practice of lifetime, have
responded to the call of Gorgas and
undertaken new work of humanity.
Before the war there were approxi-
mately 435 officers Of the Medical Corps
in regular service. The enlisted per-
sonnel was less than 5000. There
were approximately 373 nurses and
$500 physicians on the reserve list.
They were inactive.
In Washington there were four gen-
eral officers in addition to Gorgas. A
little group Of clerks attended to the
routine of administration. The sick
and death rate in the army was low
and the small staff sufficient.
The force Of the Medical Depart
ment to-day is larger than the entire
standing army of the United States
prior to the outbreak Of the war. There
are more than 10000 medical officers
in active service. There are 10000
enlisted men and 10000 nurses. The
corps Of nurses is being gradually in
creased as the training schools turn