1
VOL. XXVI,
BIG STONE GAP. WISE COUNTY, VA.. WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 20 1918;
No. 4.7
Demobilization
of Troops in Camp to Begin j
Immediately.
Washington, Nov. 10.?Move?
ment of American troops across
the Atlantic; has stopped entire?
ly and demobilization of troops
in cantonments and camps tit
home is under way.
General March, chief-of-staiT,
made this announcement today,
outlining the War Department's
plans in answer to the questions
the country has been asking
since the day the armistice whs
signed and it became apparent
thai the war was over, lie said
orders already issued would send
200,000 men hack to civil life
within two weeks, and that
when tin; plan was in full swing
about 80,000 would quit the
army daily.
Fighting divisions of Goucral
fersluiig's army in France will
he demobilized as fust as possi?
ble in their home communities.
The chief of stuff would make
no prediction as to when the
first divisions would start home.
It appears probable, however,
that the How of returning troops
oaii he. in full tide before Febru?
ary.
.Some ollicers regard it us pos?
sible that certain divisions may
be recalled in advanec of the
general return movement. Gen
oral March indicated that the
Forty-second) Uainbow) division,
because it is composed id' men
from 'Jit states and in recongni
tion of (he lighting record it has
made in France, would be mark?
ed for special treatment. The
Twenty-sixth (New Flightnd Na?
tional Guard) and the Forty
first (Sunset) divisions are in
the same class, so it would not
cause surprise, therefore, if
these three organizations should
be designated by General I'ursh
ing us the first to return. With
six weeks of 1018 left it is pos?
sible they may be homo before
New Year's day.
Supplementing the statement
of General March, .Secretary
Hukersaid it would not be neces?
sary to'maintain all the existing
cantonments for demobilization
purposes and that a study was
now being made id' those desira?
ble for that purpose. The oth?
ers,with all the divisional camps,
lie indicated, will be abandoned
as soon as the men now occupy?
ing them have been mustered
out.
The demobilization will be
curried out in the following or?
der :
First, development battalions,
71 in number and comprising
08,190 men.
Second, conscientious object?
ors hot under arrest.
Third, spruce production di?
vision.
Fourth, central training
schools for ollicers with some
modifications.
Fifth, United Stales guards,
now numbering 185,000 men.
Sixth, railway units.
Seventh, depot brigades.
Eighth, replacement units.
Ninth, combat divisions.
?'We have in the United
States now something like 1 ,
700,000 men and to muster out
a force of that kind, of course,
will take some time," said Geh
eral March. "Each man has to
he examined physically, his fi?
nal accounts made so that the
men may get compensation they
are entitled to.
'?The orders that have already
been issued all'ect some 200,000
men. 1 expect to muster them
out in two weeks. When the
machine is in full operation we
expect to release 80,000 men a
day.
"In handling this problem of
demobilization one of the fea?
tures which had to lie consider?
ed was the subsequent retaining
of men for tiie regular army, or
what will he the regular urmy,
when Congress passes laws re?
organizing that army. When
the war broke out (here were
only a limited number of such
men in the service und the great
number of men who filled out
these units were men who vol?
untarily enlisted for the period
of the war. So we have ottered
these men who came in for the
period of tho war the option of
ro-culisting if they care to.
"We have oll'ered an imme?
diate honorable discharge with
a furlough of one month upon
rc-eulistmcni and we propose to
ask Congress to give every single
man who has been honorably
discharged one month's pay,
whatever his grade is, us a bonus.
"As men are discharged, we
take up the question of ollicers.
Ollicers who want to apply for
commissions in the regular army
will he considered ; ollicers w ho
want lo put themselves in a
class where they can be used for
future military operations will
be oll'ered commissions in the
reserve corps. The rest id' them
will lie discharged.
"I have cabled General 1'er
shing lo return to the United
Stateson troop transports all the
men who are casuals or convales?
cents, sick and wounded, who
are able to be moved.
"We propose when the divis?
ions come hack from Franco to
have them mustered out in the
vicinity of their homes.
"With reference to casualties
in the American expeditionary
forces I cabled General IVrslung
to report in plain English and
not in code, so as to save time,
the name of every mail killed,
wounded und missing up to the
time of the armistice hot hither?
to reported."
GASOLINE CAUGHT FIRE
What came near being a dis?
astrous ii re and explosion oc?
curred on last Friday afternoon
in front of .1. A. Morris' auto,
mobile supply station on Wood
Avenue, when gasoline was be?
ing empted from the suppl\
wagon into a large tank hurried
in tile ground at the sidewalk.
While the gasoline was being
empted into the tank a pusBor
by uccidently threw a lighted
match to tho curb and it struck
tho funnel through which the
gasoline was flowing and in?
stantly ignited it, causing an
angry looking lire for a few
minutes. The flames leaped ful
ly twenty feet in the air, but by
the use of tire extinguishers in
[Mr. Morris' store and some
brought by Messes. 1. C. and
.1. R. 'fay lor from the Amuzu
Theatre the lire was soon ex?
tinguished before it done much
damage, A number of people
thought the gasoline tank would
explode und left tho scene in a
hurry hut those with the fire
extinguishers rushed to the lire
und by putting it out and saved
tlietown,doubtless,from a disas?
trous explosion and tiro, for
which they aro commended by
every one for their presence
mind and bravery.
The upholster on .Mr. Morris'
automobile, which was stund
ing near was scorched ami the
? ires dtimaged some.
Hold Your Liberty Bonds.
Don't stirrondcr your Liberty
Bond, conditioually or nucou
ditioually.
Financial Plan
New Liberty Loans Will
Total Nine Billions.
Washington, Nov. 13.?A H
nanoial plan to meet the transi?
tion period from war to peace
in the business world already is
assumiug tentative form.
Features of the plan at pres?
ent under consideration by
VV. G. MoAdoo, secretary of the
treasury, a ti d congressional
leaders are:
A heavy reduction in the tax
bill to give a spur to business,
with, however, a retention of
the profits.
The excess prolits tax is like?
ly to be eliminated.
At leant two more large bond
istuieH to bring in a minimum
of $'.',000,000,000 and provide
for a continuance of cr>'dit to
the allies until peace is pro?
claimed.
A resort to short-term certifi?
cates of indebtedness, running
from one to three years, for any '
further financing necessary in j
carrying over the readjustment!
period, these notes to ho amor-1
tized by a surplus of taxation
that will result as the expenses
and current demands on the
treasury gradually decrease.
A continuance of credits to
the allies will he necessary, it is
pointed out, if America is to
market her peace products
abroad.
The allied countries will re?
quire rjrent quantities of food,
which can be paid for only by
exchange of products or by fi?
nancial credits, h will he at
least a year before these coun?
tries can exchange commodi?
ties in any ^reat volume.
The allies will be asked to
convert their present credits,
amounting to f8,000,000,000, in?
to long-term obligations, with
maturity dates equivalent to
those for the Liberty Loans.
A movement, said to he grow?
ing in certain quarters, to can?
cel these loans, or n part of
them, as an expression of this
nation's gratitude, tinds no fa?
vor with the administration,
j nor is it sought by the allies.
Order Men Out
Of Draft
But Classification of Youths
Will Be Continued by
Local Boards.
Washington, Nov. 14. ? Men
between Ilil and 15 years of age
who have received hut not fill
od out questionnaires were ask?
ed today by Provost .Marshal
General Orbwder to return
them in blank form to local
boards. The boards are in?
structed to cancel all entries re
lating to men of these classes,
and they will be considered as
no longer bound by the select?
ive service law.
Classification of youths of 18,
which will bo continued, is re?
garded by the general stall" of
the army as most valuable for
statistical purposes, and its
bearing upon possible future
militury problems.
Draft boards also havo been
notified of the possibility that
they may bo needed as the act?
ive local agents in government?
al demobilizations plans.
BOSCHEE'S SYRUP
will quiet yuur cough, s.iotbo the Inflam?
mation ot a lore throat ami lungs, stop ir?
ritation In the bronchial tubes, insuring n
good blight's rest, free from coughing and
with easy expectoration in the morning,
! Made and sold in America for hTty-lwo
I years. A wonderful prescription, assist
I iug nature in building up your general
j health and throwing oil the discuso Es?
pecially useful in lung trouble, asthma,
croup, bronchitis, etc. For sale by Kelly
Drug Company.
Committees
To Aid In
Industrial Plan!
Will Play Important Part in
Industrial Conversion Af-.
tcr the War.
Washington, Nov. It.?Tho
war time service committees
named for more than 300 groups
of interests to cooperate with
government agencies in putting
tho country's industry and
trade on a war basis are looked
to now, officials said today,
to assist in the great task
of industrial conversion to peace
conditions. These committees
now phut a federation into a
few large industrial ami com?
mercial groups, which in turn
will be federated into one unit.
This will represent a larger
portion of business interests of
all kinds than any organization
now in existence.
The federation will he effect?
ed, according to (.resent plans,
at it conference of the war ser?
vice committees at Atlantic
City December :t, i, ? ami 0 ar?
ranged under the direction of
the ('handier of Commerce of
the United (States. This con?
ference will discuss, many re?
construction questions, such as
methods of cancelling contracts,
continuation o f government
control, further stabilization of
prices, means of better working
out better relations with labor,
continuation of the conserva?
tion of materials and labor,
needs for government financial
assistance during the conver?
sion period and absorption into
business of returning soldiers.
At this conference also infor?
mation will be gathered system
atieally on estimated needs lor
materials, labor and credit in
the next year, stocks of ma?
terials on hand, outstanding fi?
nancial obligations to the gov?
ernment and similar subjects.
The County
Election Next
The l0l8 election is over and
tho result is very gratifying to
the Republicans all over the
country. Tho 1010 election at
which time all county ollicers
will be elected in this stale is
the next of importance to the
people in this section. Soon af
tor the lirst. of the year cundi
dates will begin to make their
announcement for the various
county offices, There seems to
be a strong sentiment in favor
of nominating und electing the
present officeholders who are as
follows: 11. W. Holly, Treasur?
er, C. It. McCorkle, Common?
wealth's Attorney, W. B. Ad
dingtou, Sheriff, with the ex?
ception of VY. It. Hamilton,
clerk who has declined to be a
candidate any more. Mr. Ham?
ilton, hits served fourteen years
in the clerk's office, six years
us deputy and eight years as
clerk, but says ihut ho will be
forced lo getont of the oflioo on
account Of his health. All the
above ollicers have made good
and the voters of the county
wouhl make no mistake in
electing them for another term.
The following gentlemen have
been mentioned a h probable
candidates for clerk. A. W.
Comptoo, of Bondtown, C. <i.
Duffy, of Stonega, W. 8. Kose,
of Big Stone Gap, either of
which would make an efficient
clerk.
The commissioners of revenue
will be elected one from each
magisterial district. At pren
eut there are only two, W. C.
Stewart for the western district
and C. K. Bevins for the eas?
tern district. We do not know
that either of these gentlemen
are candidates for reelection.
They have both made good. It
is understood that tho conven?
tion for nominating the Repub?
lican candidates will be held
sometime about March, 191'J.?
Appalachia Progressive. .
FLEW ON THE WINGS
OF DEATH TO THE HILLS
State Board of Health Re-j
ceivcs Heart-Rending Re?
ports of Grippe's Rav?
ages in Southwest
Virginia.
Richmond, Va., Nov. i t.?It
ii hardly likely that the general
public will over realize the ox
tent of tlio Buffering und thu
anguish caused by the Spanish
influenza in some of thu more
remote mountain communities
of Virginia where the frightful
malady raged with a degree of
severity which is difficult to
explain.
Particularly did the mining
and lumber sections of the
southwestern counties suffer,
though the Stair Health Hoard
acted with amazing celerity in
establishing emergency bos
pitals where the need of outside
help seemed most pressing. De?
spite the lino organization of
these institutions and the zeal
with which their attaches la?
bored day and night, scores of
sufferers in mountain cabins
and shacks far distant from
railroads, could not he reached
at all. and in some instances it
was heard oven to lind persons
to bury the dead. In several
neighborhoods t h e supply of
collins utterly ran out while al?
most everywhere there was a
shortage of doctors and nurses.
Worse still, the well people of
some communities became bo
terrified when they noted the
ravages of the disease, that
they wore either afiiid or un?
willing to help the sick, and
consequently a few dauntless
spirits were left to perform
dtilies which taxed their endur?
ance to the staggering point.
in Dickenspu county, which
has truly ono railroad, the "tin"
literally run riot, and it is little
to bo wondered ut that man)
persons became panic stricken,
for In some sections they saw
death ami suffering on every
side. Worse still, the disease
did us deadly work with horri?
fying rapidity and no man, sick
or well, could lell when his
hour might come. In the
I'lint wood neighborhood alone
there were probably 1,000 cases
of "!lu" while ;i?)0 out of ftOO
persons in Krcmout and its en?
virons became ill. To add to
the terrors of the situation, pit?
iless rains drenched the moun?
tains and made ordinary travel
almost impossible. In o u o
household four out of ten people
succomed to the malady. And
is it any wonder that 'heir
neighbors became demoralized
when they saw a quartette of
coin us standing in front of this
stricken home? The sight that
met their gaze was a hideous
allegory of menace ami tragody.
Report also has it that in one
lonely cabin both the father
and mother died without help,
or at least with no help save
that which came to them from
a liny child. And had passers
by not heard thu wail of dis?
tress which came from this lit?
tle ono, ahn too would have per?
ished in that desolate abode.
In many instances whole
families?sometimes three gen?
erations were ill at the same
time in the same house and
starvation almost stared them
in the face. The State Hoard
of Health knows of at least one
case in which an entire family
lived for several days on can?
ned tomatoes alono. No one
in the habitation had strength
enough to go for food or assis?
tance.
So far as Dickenson county is
concerned, it may at first ap?
pear strange that so iaolated a
[section should have- been so
I sorely afflicted when tho health
! authorities everywhere pro?
claim that Spanish influenza
is "a crowd disease." Well,
everybody would have to admit
that Dickonsou's heart rending
story presents a sort of scientif?
ic mystery, were it not for tho
fact that her people had their
county fair just a few days he
fore the scythe of death hegou
to reap its human harvest.
That fair probably did the work
which ban left desolation in its
woke.
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
For Soldiers in Europe?- Ex?
tension of Time.
The limitation to Nov. 20th
has neon changed. Boxes may
he sent any time up to Nov. 30tll.
Apply for information to
St?nega- Superintendent's of
lice.
Roda?Mrsi II. S. Estill.
< Isaka?Mrs. E F. Tote.
Appalachia? Mr.-. Ii. W.I lolly.
Ionian?Mrs. O. V. Brown.
Imbddeh?Mrs. H. A. Alex?
ander.
Exeter?Mrs. Crocker.
Keokee?Mrs. King.
East Stono flap?Miss Chris?
tie Jotios.
And at Red Cross Home Ser?
vice Section, bftlcd on second
lloo'r, Post Ofllco Building, Big
Stone Cap.
Sec This
Labels will he supplied on ap?
plication to the above to those
who should have received them,
hut have not. Also to any one
wishing to send to some soldier
not otherwise provided for. It
is desired that all of them should
have one box, but none of them
two
Radford Nor?
mal Notes
The second annual fair of tho
Household Ans and School
Calden Departments was held
on Friday, in the Normal
School Auditorium. The stage
was attractively decorated in
Hags and posters. These form?
ed the background lor the ex?
hibit of food winch has been
preserved for winter use by the
Senior Household Arts stu?
dents. Tili? collection includes
canned beans, corn, tomatoes,
rhubarb, pickles of all kinds,
jellies and substitute preserves,
dried tipples and corn. The
bine ribbons were won by MisB
Mary Lucy Bowman, of Ten?
nessee, ami Miss Margaret
Harvey, of Radford. Tho
academic students tomatoes
and jelly, and the blue ribbons
were won by Misses Jessie
Money, Elizabeth Potter and
Lottie Daniel, The class in
School Hardening had a splen?
did exhibit of garden truck,
corn and fruit.
At the chapel period tho
Senior Household Al ls students,
dressed in Hoover dresses,gave
a food conservation program
which was very interesting und
well given. It included short
talks on ?' Food Administ ration"
by Miss Emily Topper, "Tho
Sugar Situation" by Miss Mar?
garet Harvey. Special music
was given by Misses Byer,
Ward ami Oruiksftnnk, assisted
by the Household Arts students
in their cookery costumes.
A most helpful partof the ex?
hibits was one on "The Food
We Wasted yesterday." This
was a collection of scraps from
tho girls' phites on Thursday.
Miss Bowman, using this as a
basis, showed the girls how
much they would waste in tho
nine months. Miss Schuffer
[followed by showing how the
wasted fobd, if saved, would
assist in feeding tho French
and other Allies. Poetry and
humor on Food Conservation
was presented by Miss) Ward.
The fair was under the direc?
tion of Misses Mofl'ett und Bur
nott and Prof. Hardin.
Carl Wygal, who is in tho
naval service, spent Friday in
town visiting Judge and Mrs.
ill. A. W. Skeens, erirouto to
his home at Drydon, where ho
will visit his parents.