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THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS VOL. 46—NO. 47 DEMOBILIZATION STARTS AT ONCE 200,G00 Troops Will Be Mustered Out Soon 30,000 DAY AFTER THAT FIRST TROOPS WILL BE DISMIS SED WITHIN NEXT TWO WEEKS—WOUNDED FIRST TO BE MUSTERED OUT Washington, Nov. 16.—Demobiliza tion orders already issued, will care for the discharge of 200,000 men within the next two weeks in this country. As the machinery develops the army can discharge 30,000 men a day. No more trdops will be sent overseas. Demobilization orders already out, contemplate demobilizing troops in this country in this order: First, development battalions, 71 in number, containing 98,199 men; second, conscientious objectors not under sentence; third, spruce produc ers; fourth, central training schools for officers; fifth, United States guards, 135,000 on paper; sixth, rail road troops; seventh, depot brigades; eighth, men in replacement camps; and ninth, men in combat divisions. General Mach said there are 1,- 700,000 men in the United States camps and that it will take some time to muster them Out, as physical ex aminations must be made and records sent to the war risk and other bureaus SENATE ORDERS TAX BILL REVISED DOWNWARD Washington, Nov. 16.—Secretary McAdoo's recommendation for down ward revision of the revenue bill to about $6,000,000,000 was formally adopted today by the senate finance committee. Only tw> or three mem bers, Chairman Simmons stated, fav ored a higher tax levy. INFLUENZA MORE FATAL THAN THE GREAT WAR FORTY-SIX CITIES REPORTED DEATHS NUMBERING 78,000 —DISEASE HAS TAKEN HEAVY TOLL ALL OVER COUNTRY Washington, Nov. 17.—The recent epidemic of influenza in the United States caused more deaths than occur red among the American expedition ary forces from the time the first unit landed in France until hostilities ceased. This announcement today by the census bureau was based on unoffic ial statements of the total casualties among the overseas forces and reports fro mforty-six cities having a combin ed population of 23,000,000, which showed 82,306 deaths from influenza and pneumonia from September 9 to November 9. Normally these cities would have had four thousand deaths from these causes during this period, it was said, leaving approximately 78,000 as the number properly chargeable to the epidemic. “The total casualties in the Ameri can Expeditionary forces,” said the announcement, “have recently been unofficially estimated at 100,000. On the basis of the number thus far re ported, it may be assumed that the deaths from all causes including dis ease and accidents, are probably less than 45 per cent and may not be more than 40 per cent of the total casualties. On this assumption the loss of life in the American Expedi tionary forces to date are about 40,000 or 45,000.” The total of deaths due to the in fluenza epidemic in this country is not known, the announcement said, as only the forty-six cities for which figures were given, report vital sta tistics to the census bureau. The great mortality due to the epidemic, in proportion to population was 7.4 per thousand in Philadelphia, and the iItJU gxcatest, C. 7 per thousand was reported from Baltimore. UNION THANKSOIY'NG SERVICE AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH A service including the churches of Jackson to which the people of the community are cordially invited will be held at the First Baptist church on Thanksgiving at 11 a. m. Rev. M. McN. 'McKay, pastor of the Presbyterian church, will preach the sermon. The music will be fur nished by the churches of the city. An offering of Thanksgiving will be taken for the local Red Cross work. The people of our city and county are invited to attend this service and to offer our praise to Our Lord who has given peace to the world. “WORK OR FIGHT” ORDER AUTOMATICALLY SUSPENDED Washington, Nov. 14.—The “work or fight” orde rhas been automatically suspended, it was pointed out at the provost marshal general’s office today as long as draft calls are held up. Should calling of draftees be un expecttedly resumed, it was explain ed, the “work or fight” ruling would again automatically become operative INDUSTRIES GOING ON PEACE BASIS Ban Partially Lifted oh Passenger Cars OTHER LINES AFFECTED BUSINESS BANS BEING LIFTED • BY WAR INDUSTRIES BOARD— AUTOMOBILE BUSINESS TO BE 75 PER CENT NORMAL As the first step in national indus trial readjustment from a war to a peace basis, the war industries board has announced modifications in re strictions against non-war construc tion and manufacturing. All industries whose peace time output has been curtailed in the in terest of the nation’s war program may now increase their output 50 per cent of the amoutn of restriction im pose by the board. Forty-two specific industries, chief among them the passenger automobile industry, are affected by the modifica tion of curtailments imposed on man ufacturers and farm operating eqrip ment, including trastors. Under the new ruling passenger autoombiles may henceforth beman ! ufacturd to the extent of 75 per cent of the normal output. Last August the automobile industry was required to manufacture cars on a basis of 50 per cent of their annual output and were warned to get on a 100 per cent war basis by January 1, 1919. This would have meant devoting their entire plants to war essentiol work. The priorities division of the war industries board, it was announced, will assist as far as possible industries in procuring labor, transportation, fuel and materials to eneable them to get on a normal basis as rapidly as conditions warrant. Precedence will also be given food and coal production, that of oil, nat ural gas, textiles and clothing and minerals. CITY REGISTRATION BOOKS OPEN FOR ANNUAL ELECTION Town Politic* Will Probably Soon Warm Up The city registration books are now open, having opened up Thursday, the 21, and will remain open up to 4 o’clock on December 12. All vuho de sire to participate in the primary, which the executive committee will probably order for some time around the holidays, must register. So far there has been no talk of town politics and it may be that on account of the war atnd other things that there will not be the usual SC?am hie. However, there’s no telling about politics. JACKSON, GEORGIA, NOVEMBER, 22, 1918 PRESIDENT NAMES THANKSGIVING DAY Thursday, November 28, Is The Date BE MEMORABLE OCCASION ♦ DAWN OF NEW DAY PRESIDENT WILSON SAYS IN ISSUING PRO CLAMATION MUCH FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL Washington, Nov. 17.—President wilson in a proclamation today desig nated Thursday, November 28, as Thanksgiving day and said this year the American people have special and moving cause to be grateful and re joice. Complete victory, he said, has brought not only peace but the confi dent promise of anew day as well, in which “justice shall replace force and jealous intrigue among the na tions.” The proclamation follows: It has long been our custom to turn in the autumn of the year in praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God for His many blessings and mercies to us as a nation. This year we have spe cial and moving cause to be grateful and to rejoice. God has in His good pleasure given us peace. It has not come as a mere cessation of arms, a mere re lief fromridie strain and tragedy of war. It has come as a great triumph of right. Complete vic tory has brought us, not peace alone, but the confident promise of anew day as well, in which justice shall replace force and jealous intrigue among the na tions. Our gallant armies have participated in a triumph which is not marred or stained by any purpose of selfish aggression. In a righteous cause they have won immortal glory and have nobly served their nation in ser ving mankind. God has indeed been gracious. We have cause for such rejoicing as revives and strengthens in us all the best traditions of our national his tory. Anew day shines about us, in which ou rhearts take new courage and look forward with new hope to new and greater duties. f While we render thanks for these things let us not forget to seek the divine guidance in the performance of those duties, and divine mercy and forgiveness for all errors of act or purpose, and pray that in all that we do we shall strengthen the ties of friendship and mutual respect upon which we must assist to build the new structure of peace and good-will among the nations. Therefore, I, Woodrow Wil son, president of the United States of America, do hereby de signate Thursday, the twenty eighth day of November, next, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer, and invite the people throughout the land to cease upon that day from their ordi nary occupations and in their several homes and places of wor ship to render thanks to God, the Ruler of nations. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caus ed the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done in the District of Co lumbia, this sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen, and of the inde pendence of the United States of America the one hundred and forty-third. WOODROW WILSON. By the President: ROBERT LANSING, Secretary of State. Friends of Mr. R. Troup Smith, of Flovil’n, will be interested to know that he has landed safely overseas. RAINBOW DIVISION TO BE PAID SPECIAL ATTENTION In view <rf the fact that Butts coun ty has a number of men in the Rain bow Division, which encountered some of the fiercest fighting on the western front, and has come to be recognized as one of the crack organizations in the whole army, there is special inter est in the announcement that the Rainbow Division, upon its return from France, will make a tour of the entire country. Practically every state in the union has men in this division, and Chief of Staff General March stated Saturday that arrangements are being made to give the Rainbow Division a special reception. When the Rainbow Division vault overseas four Butts county boys, Joe Watkins, Kirk Biles, Paul Byars and Joe Norris, were members of a Macon machine gun battalion. So far as known Watkins was the only man wounded, notice of which was given several weeks ago. SHORT SELLING COTTON BANNED Distributing Board Took Action Last Week WORLD NEEDS STAPLE NEW YORK AND NEW ORLEANS COTTON EXCHANGES WARNED AGAINST SHORT SELLING— CHM. BRAND’S STATEMENT Washington, Nov. 14.—Announce ment that all short selling of cotton on the Neva York and New Orleans cotton exchanges has been ordered discontinued was made Wednesday night by Charles J. Brand, chairman of the cotton distribution committee of the war industries board. Excessive speculation following the advent of peace and an era of recon struction is given as the reason for the radical step. Chairman Brand’s statement ex planatory of the drastic action reads: “The signing of the armistice brings us suddenly to the threshold of the reconstruction era. Pending develop ments fere of the utmost importance to the entire cotton world. “The consequences of unfounded rumors that tend to promote vicious speculative activity and cause unjust ified demoralization must be avoided as far as possible. In order that harm ful violent price fluctuations may be checked the committee on cotton dis tribution has ordered all speculative short selling of the New York and New Orleans cotton exchanges stop ped and to make this order thorough ly effective, has required that no sell ing orders except in liquidation of long contracts be executed from any foreign country. “The stoppage of sinkings by Ü boats, the monthly increase in new ship tonnage and the releasing of ships now engaged in supplying the fleets of the allies, together with the freeing of space previously used in sending munitions to Europe, will mean a large increase in available tonnoge for cotton exports. “The world’s requirements of cot ton to meet its increasing demands for clothing will henceforth be on a continuously ascending scale. Based on reports to this committee from the various foreign countries, vue esti mate their requirements and probable imports of cotton under present con ditions to be over two million bales in excess of last season’s takings. “Europe is almost denuded of cot ton and cotton goods. The potential buying power of the world which will be aided and hastened by the estab lishment of the rjpeessarv credits will quickly assert itself.” $1.50 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE JESSE CASTON MAKES SACRIFICE Gas And Pneumonia The Cause ol Death WENT TO FRANCE JUNE PARENTS OF, YOUNG SOLDIER ADVISED SATURDAY THAT DEATH OCCURRED OCT. 22 WAS WELL KNOWN HERE Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Caston received a notice from the War Department at Washington Saturday, Nov. 16, announcing the death of their son, Jesse L. Caston, w 10 was a private in Cos. G, 148th Infantry, American Ex peditionary Forces in France. Young Mr. Caston left his home in Jackson on April 2 for training at Camp Gor don, from which place he left early in June and sailed for overseas June 10. The Washington dispatch said Mr. Caston died on October 22 from gas and broncho-pneumotnia. Jesse L. Caston w'as 25 years old and an excellent young man, w'ell beloved by all who knew him and had numbers of friends as well as relatives in Jack son and Butts county, who mourn his passing. While but meager details were con tained in the official notice of death sent Mr. and Mrs. Gaston, it seems evident that young Caston had been in active service on the front, the dis patch mentioning both gas and pneu monia as the cause of death. It is probable that fuller details of the young soldier’s death will be received within a few days. Mr. Caston was a native of this county and was quite V 4311 known to most of the people of the community. He has given his all on the field of battle and his name will be cherished as one who fell in a glorious and righteous cause. Among the surviving relatives are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Cas ton; five sisters, Mrs. Lucile Scarboro, Mrs. Lois Wise, Mrs. Sallie Mae Wise, Misses Clyde and Emma CasUm; two brothers, J. B. and Wilsan Caston, all of Jackson, who have the sympathy of their hosts of friends and patri otic citizens throughout the county. HURLEY PREPARING FOR ARMY’S RETURN GOES TO EUROPE TO ARRANGE FOR BRINGIN GARMY HOME— CAN HANDLE 300,000 PER MONTH FOR PRESENT New York, Nov. 15.—Edward N. Hurley, chairman of the United States shipping board, announced here tonight on the eve of his depart ure for Europe that the gvernment in tends to return to this country speed ily a larre part of the American expe ditionary forces. The purpose of Mr. Hurley’s visit to Europe is to arrange the details of their transportation. Mr. Hurley said the shipping board would be able to bring troops back at the rate of 300,000 a month, “if the war department wants them returned as fast as that.” He would meet Gen. Pershing at American field headquar ters, he added, to discuss the details of their home-coming. Convalescent wounded, including many who would have returned to the battle front had th war continued, would be the first brought out of France, he said. They would be fol lowed by units of various branches of the service, following plans already partly worked out by Secretary Baker and the general staff. There are 67 transports flying the American flag, Mr. Hurley said, and it is hoped that these, with German and Austrian liners which he antici pates using temporarily, will suffice to brine American soldiers home as rapidly as the authorities desire.