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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (April 7, 1917)
Americans at War With Kaiser's Empire All German Ships Held in American Waters Seized by United States Bee NEWS SECTION PART ONE Paget 1 to 10 THE WEATHER Unsettled VOL. XLVI. NO. 251. OMAHA SA MORNING, APRIL 7, 1917 TWENTY PAGES. On TrilM, It Mot1t. Niwt 6U.t, It., to. SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS. 0mK?a THE Daily ALL ENLISTMENTS EXPIRE AT END OF WAR WITH KAISER Wilson Says Hope of World Is When European Struggle Over That the Nations May Disarm. PLAN FOR THE PRESENT President Approves Principle Embodied in General Staff Proposal. THREE ARMY ELEMENTS .Vashingtoti, April 6. In a ?ratc fhent approving the army plan pre sents, to congress by the V de partment. President Wilson today said that "the hope if the world is that when the European war is over, arrangements will havi been made composing many of the questions which have hitherto seemed to re quire the arming of the nations." The president's statement follows: "The principle embodied in the leg islation pressed by the War depart ment to the military committees of the senate and house have my enl). ; approval, and its specific recommen dations embody the best judgment of the officers of the War department. "It proposes to raise the forces nec essary to meet the present emergency hy bringing the regular army and te National Guard to war strength and by adding the additional forces which will now be needed, so that the na tional army will comprise three ele ments, the regular army, the Natioi.ul Guard, and the so-called additional forces, of which at first 500,000 are to be authorized immediately, and later increments of the same size as they may be needed. Enlistments Will Be Uniform. ''In order that all these forces may comprise igle army, the term of enlistment in the! three is equalized and will be for the period of the emergency. "The necessary men will be secured for the regular army and the National Guard by volunteering, as at present, until in the judgment of the president, a resort to a selective draft is desir able. The additional forces, however, are to be raised by selective draft from men ranging in age from 19 to 25 years. The quotas of the several states in all of these fi -:s will be in propor tion to their population. "This legislation makes no attempt to solve the question of a permanent military policy for the country, chiefly for the reason that in these anxious and disordered times a clear view cannot be had either of our permanent military necessities or of the best mode of organizing a proper military establishment. Plan for This War Only. "The hope of the world is that when the European war is over, ar rangements will have been made com posing many of the questions which have hitherto seemed to require the arming of the nations, ifnd that in some ordered and just way the peace of the world may be maintained by such co-operation of force among the great nations as may be necessary to maintain peace and freedom through out the world. "When these arrangements for a permanent peace are made, we can de termine'our military needs and adapt our course of military preparedness to the genius of a world organized for justice and democracy. "The present bill, therefore, is adapted to the present situation, but it is drawn upon such lines as will enable us to continue its policy, or so much of it as may be determined to be wise, when the present crisis has oassed." The Weather For Nebraska Unnettled; probably rain. Temperatum at t)mahi. Yesterday. Hour. Dpr. ryv U B a. m H -) 8 a. ni 46 wm E a tMhih : z ::::: : : : B kiX r 3p.m 69 B m 60 6 D. in 68 6 p. m 66 7 p. m 65 8 p. m 63 Comparative Local Records. 1917. 1916. 11G. 1114. Highest yesterday.... 60 40 67 63 Lowest yesterday 41 24 42 38 Mean temperature. 1 . 60 32 50 41 Precipitation 00 .00 T .07 Temperature and precipitation departures from tf normal ftt Omaha since Mnrch 1, and compared with the last two years: Normal temperature 46 Excess for the day 4 Total o::cess since March 1 79 S'ormal precipitation 08 Inch Deficiency for the day 08 Inch Total rainfall since March 1.... 1.68 Inches Deficiency since March 1 27 Inch Deficiency for cor. period 1916. 1.44 Inches Deficiency for cor. period, 1916. .16 inches Reports From Stations at 1 P. H. Station and S'jtte Temp. High- JUln of Weather. 7 p.m. est. all. Cheyenne, clear 26 40 .01 Bavemports. cloudy 6ft 64 .00 Denver, clear 42 60 T Des Moines, cloudy 60 62 .00 Dodg City, cloudy..'... 66 74 .00 Lander, snow 34 44 .02 North Platte, pt. cloudy. 60 .00 Omaha, cloudy 65 60 ,00 Pueblo, cloudy 44 62 T Rapid City, cloudy.... 38 60 .14 Salt Lake, part cloudy. 46 48 .00 Valentine, part cloudy. 42 60 ,00 "T" Indicates trace of precipitation. U A, WELSH, Meteorologist. 7M PATRIOTIC MASS MEETINGSATURDAK H. L. Stimson and Frederic Coudert to Speak at the Auditorium. WAVE OP PATRIOTISM HERE All Omaha Invited to Patriotic Meeting - Public mass meeting, at Audi torium. Band concert starts, 7:15. Speaker: : H. L. Stimson, Fred eric R. Coudert and R. L. Metcalfe. All seats are free. Coudert will explain why Ger many's acts constitute act of war against the United States. Some of the enthusiasm that marks the patriotic assemblages in New York and along the eastern coast promises to be manifested in Omaha when the big patriotic or Stimson meeting is held at the Auditorium Saturday night. Henry L. Stimson, secretary of war under President Taft, and Frederic R. Coudert of New York, one of the leading authorities on international law, are to be the principal speakers. Local speakers will be V. D. Mc Hugh, chairman of the national pa triotism committee of the Commer cial club, who will preside at the meet ing, and Richard L Metcalfe. Stimson ani Coudert are makingiaj tour "of tTi e? " count?? "'Wll VWmg""$iT triotic addresses under the auspices of the National Security league of New York. Their speeches in Omaha Saturday night will wind up one of the busiest weeks of speaking they have had. Mr. Stimson is to speak at the Com mercial club at noon on Saturday at a public affairs luncheon. : Wilson's Address Is Carefully Edited By German Censor Copenhagen (Via London), April 6. The German public to the present time has had no opportunity tb hear the full story of the reasons leading up to the entry of the United States into the war as only condensed and expurgated versions of President Wil son's message appeared in German newspapers yesterday under headings indicating that this was virtually the complete text. A comparison of this tabloid ver sion as received in Denmark with that published in Berlin shows that the German censor's pencil had bec:i vigorously employed to strike out references to the conduct of German agents which constitutes one of the main items of President Wilson's in dictment of the autocratic German government. President Wilson's reference to the attempt to embroil Mexico against the United States is deemed improper reading for Germans. The reference to dynastic wars, is twisted into a shape that has aroused indignant comment from every German news paper. The fuli text of the message was received in Copenhagen only to day and reads almost like another document. There is no reference made to the proposed financing of the allies and very littV: referring to Russia. Officers of A. 0. U. W. Grand Lodge Meet in Grand Island Grand Island, Neb., April 6. (Spe cial Telegram.) A special meeting of the officers of the grand lodge, A. O. U. W., was held today at headquar ters in this city, all of the members of the finance committee being pres ent. The object of the meeting was to pass upon petitions filed asking for a submission to a referendum of the members of the lodge throughout the state of the rast adopted by the last grand lodge held in Omaha in Jan uary. The grand lodge officers after mak ing deductions for names of persons who are not members, it was found that the required 10 per cent of the total membership of the order had not signed the petitions. In view of this it was decided that no referen dum will be submitted. Elmer Wiggins Dies In East From Operation Elmer Wiggins of Gothenburg, Neb., son of C. F. Wiggins of that place, a widely known stock shipper, died in Boston yesterday, where he underwent an operation for tumor at the base of the brain. Senator Warren Will Retire at End of Term Washington, April 6! Senator War ren of YVyoming announced today tl. t he will retire from the senate at the expiration of his present term, SEIZED GERMAN SHIPS PROPERTY OF THEJUL S. NOW Interned Teuton Craft Will Be Regarded as Owned by This Government and Paid for After War. Iff NOT FINALLY DECIDED Port Officials Take Possession of Hundred Vessels Aggre gating 600,000 Tons. CREWS ARE INTERNED Bulletin. Washington, April 6. While a final decision has not been reached, indi cations after today's cabinet meeting were that nearly a hundred German merchant vessels taken over in dif ferent ports today, will be regarded as the property of the American gov ernment and paid for after the war. New York, . April .6. The seizure of German merchant vessels that took refuge in Atlantic ports at the beginning of the war began this morning almost immediately alter congress passed the resolution de claring a state of war between the United States and Germany. The collector of the port at Boston was the first to act. The federal officials at New London, Conn., Bal timore and New Yorkiquickly fol lowed. Before dayljpht United States deputy marshals were :n charge of German vessels at these points, ranging in ize from the Ma jestic Vaterland, of 54,282 gross tons, to small sailing vessels. The port officials acted on orders issued by the secretary of the treas ury. It is understood that this move does not involve confiscation and that the vessels are held for the pres ent as a measure of satety. lhere 1iu ei I'll nu announcement as vj announcement as to whether the government shall take over the ships for its use and pay for them after the war. German vessels now in American ports number ninety-one, with a gross tonnage of about 600,000. This in cludes twenty-three ships in refuge at ! the Philippine islands, eleven at Hon olulu and one at Pagopago, a port ot the Pacific islands. There are twenty seven German ships at New York an chored on both sides of the Hudson river and off Staten island, five at Boston, three at Baltimore, two at Philadelphia, three at San Francisco, two at New Orleans, two at South Port, N. C; two at Astoria, Ore.; one each at Portland, Ore.; Winslow, Wash.; Seattle, Wash.; Norfolk, Va.; Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville, Fla., and Sn Juan, Porto Rico. Largest Ships in World. The total also includes two Ger man vessels which have been interned. The ships lying at their slips at the Hamburg-American and North Ger man Lloyd docks at New York and Hoboken include some of the flower of the German merchant marine. The Vaterland, one of the largest vessels in the world, is by far the most valu able. Next in size is the George Wash ington, 25,570 tons. Others of more than 15,000 tons are the President Grant, President Lincoln and Kaiser Wilhelm II. Four Austrian steam ships also are tied up here. The first vessels taken over were the Hamburg, Koenig, Wilhelm II, Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Prinz Joachim and Allemannia, in the Hudson river at the foot of 135th street. These ships total 38,128 tons, and there are forty-one officers and 173 men in the crews. Crews Are Reservists. Washington, April 6. Seizures of German merchant ships in American ports, according to official statement today, are measures of safety for the ships themselves and adjoining property. The crews aboard are re garded as German reservists. The further question of what is to be done with the fleet now comes up for consideration. Two courses, it was said, are open to the govern ment. The ships may be impressed into service and paid for at the close of the war or they may be confiscated altogether without violating Hie terms of the Prussian-American treaty of 1828. Many officials oppose the latter course unless it should be decided to take it upon the principle of taking a ship for every American ship destroyed illegally by a sub marine. The first step now, at any rate, probably will be to repair the damage done toxthe machinery of the ships by their crews on orders of the Ger man government when diplomatic re lations were severed. "Down With England at Any Price " Says Haeckel London, April 6. Telegraphing frnm the Hague, the Exchange Tele graph's correspondent says the Ger man ministry of finance publishes the following letter, written by Prof. Ernst Heinrich Haeckel, professor of zoology in the University of Jena, as propaganda for the sixth German war loan. "You have asked my opinioi. of this cruel world war. My answer, founded on the words of our three greatest heroes, Von Hindenburg, Ludendorf and Von Tirpitz, is 'down with Eng land at any price.' " BRAZIL PROBABLY WILL DECLARE WAR ' ' . - Sinking of Steamer Parana Off Coast of France Causes In- tense Indignation. THREE OF CREW MISSING Cherbourg, April 6. The Brazilian steamer Parana was sunk during the night. Three members of the crew are missing. The Parana was a vessel of 4,461 tons. It was built in 1893 and was owned in Rio Janeiro. London, April 6. Anti-German excitement in Rio Janeiro is intense as the result of the sinking of the Brazilian steamer Parana, according to a telegram from the Brazilian capital, transmitted by the Exchange Telegraph correspondent at Buenos Aires. The Brazilian foreign minister is quoted as declaring the situation as grave and that perhags a declaration of war against Germany would be necessary. Attacked Without Warning. Washington, April 6. Details of the sinking of the British steamer Cannizaro without warning, with an American in the crew, reported yes terday from London, reached the State department today. Consul Hathaway at Hull, England, sent the following dispatch: . "British steamer Cannizaro, to Hull, general cargo, torpedoed with out warning March 28, 150 miles southwest Scilly Isles, lattitude 49 north, longitude 10 west. All res cued uninjured. American fireman, William Samuel Jones, San Francisco, in crew. No passengers. Wake of torpedo seen after explosion. Sub marine appeared twenty minutes later and presumably German from build. No vessels in sight until II vington Court 5 p. m., rescued crew, 7 p. irt., and landed Falmouth next day. No measures for safety of crew. Vessel carried one gun, but no chance to resist or escape. Weather hazy Moderate wind; choppy sea all day. Ship sunk by gunfire after crew left." Duluth Rabbi Lectures Here for Next Two Days Rabbi A. L. Levine of Duluth, rep resenting the Mizrachi and Zionist movements, will lecture at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol synagogue, at Nineteenth and Burt, on Saturday and Sunday at 4 o'clock. His subject will be "The Land of Israel, for the Peo ple of Israel, Guided by the Law of Israel" Saturday. That the Mizrachi and Zionist movements should be united as one will the text of Sun day's lecture. , Still Big Demand for The Bee Window Flags Miss Maud Hugl-.s, teacher of Firat A and First B classes at Beals school, bought sixty Bee flag, which will be placed in windows of the school in tl.ne for the reopci:ing next Monday, These flags are in evidence all over the city, in homes and ofT.ces, public buildings and on many automobiles. Therj has been no diminution in the demand. The Real Divine Right Bryan Offers His Services As Private Tallahassee, Fla., April 6. For mer Secretary Bryan today sent this message to President Wilson: . '"Believing it to be the duty of each citizen to bear his part of the burden of war and his shars of its perils, I hereby tender my services to the government. Please enroll me as a private whenever I am needed. Assign me to any work that I can do until called to the colors. I shall, through the Red Cross, contribute to the comfort of soldiers in the hospital and through the Young Men's Chris tian association aid in guarding the morals of the men in camp." Mr. Bryan, with the rank of colonel, commanded a regiment of Nebraska volunteers during the Spanish-American war. TARNOWSKI WILL . ASKPASSPORTS Such Is London Report, But Washington Embassy De- , nies This. HAS NO INSTRUCTIONS YET London, April 6. Vienna newspa pers say that Count Tarnowski, who recently was sent to the United States as Austro-Hungarian ambassador, has been instructed, in the event of ratifi cation by congress of President Wil son's recommendation for war with Germany, to break diplomatic rela tions with the United States and de mand passports for himself and his suite. Washington, April 6. The Austro Hungarian embassy here denied to day that any instructions to break re lations with the United States and demand passports for Count Tar nowski and suite had been received from Vienna. Germany May Force Austria And Turk to Break With U. S. Copenhagen, April 6. (Via Lon don.) The expectation ''that Austria Hungary and Turkey will remain neu tral for the present at least in the conflict of Germany with the United States prevails in diplomatic circles here. . The Associated Press is in formed from unquestioned sources that that is the intention and desire of the two governments, if left to themselves, but that Germany will seek to prevent this. Washington, April 6. The United States will not sever relations or de clare war with Austria, Bulgaria or Turkey so long as those countries do not force such a step, it was learned authoritatively yesterday. Four Blocks Destroyed By Fire at Asbury Park Asbury Park, N. J., April 6. Four city blocks in the heart of the hotel district fronting on the beach were swept by fire early today with the loss of about $800,000. More than a score of hotels and boarding houses were leveled. It was attributed to defective electric wiring. Most of the hotels were closed and no loss of life has been reported. GERMAN U-BOATS IN GULF OF MEXICO t Government Has Information Several Are Ready to Attack United States Commerce. NEWS COMES FROM EUROPE Washington, April 6. Persistent but hitherto unconfirmed reports of German submarines waiting in the Gulf of Mexico for the opening of hostilities with the United States were further supported today by advices to the government from Europe. The full nature of the government's information is not disclosed, but it was received from one of the neutrals contiguous to Germany, which has served as a clearing house for Ger- man information since the severance of diplomatic relations. It was reported at the source of origin ot the government s intorma' tion that more than a score of Ger man submarines were already in Mex ican waters. Persons here who have been giving attention to the subject think the estimate of numbers is high, but feel no doubt that German submersible! are somewhere on this side of the Atlantic, most probably in Mexican waters, and that some of them have been there Since early in February. There is no doubt here that if the U boats are in the gulf they are being supplied from Mexican shore bases. Those who hold these views are convinced that something closely approaching the arrangements pro prosed by Foreign Minister Zimmer tnann in his celebrated communication intended for General Carranza, have been achieved, and that the whole matter, including the supplying of submarines from Mexican shores, was arranged by Mexican' Minister Zu- uaran in Berlin. Airplane Bombards Towns Along the Coast of Kent London, April 6. Towns on the coast of Kent were bombarded again last night by a German airplane. There were no casualties, it was an nounced officially The statement follows: "A hostile airplane passed over cer tain Kentish coast .towns last night. Eigh bombs- were dropped, most of which fell in the open. There were no casualties and no damage was done beyond the breaking of some glass." Congressman Fined for Spending Too Much Cash Pittsburgh, April 6. O. D. Bleak tey, republican congressman-elect from the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania district, was sentenced in th United States district court here today to pay a fine of $800 and costs for vio lating the corrupt practices act by spending more than $5,000 in his elec tion. He was ii. dieted by a federal grand jury in Erie last week. Con gressman Bleakle) announced today that he had resigned his seat. PRESIOENT SIGNS WAR RESOLUTION AT 1:MCL0CK Executive Also Affixes Signa ture to Proclamation De claring State of War Ex ists With Germany. NAVAL MILITIA CALLED OUT All American Citizens Asked to Give Support to All Govern ment Measures. SHARP NOTICE TO ALIENS Washington, April 6. President Wilson signed the resolution of con gress declaring a state of war between the United States and Germany at the White House at 1:11 o'clock. There was no formal ceremony. By the signing of the resolution the war which Germany actually has been making on the United States for many months is recognized in official form and .he United States thus announces to the world its determination to take up what President Wilson character- , ized in his address to congress as Germany's challenge to all the world, its war against humanity. Speaker Clark had signed the reso lution soon after it passed the house in the early hours of this morning and Vice President Marshall had signed it soon after the senate convened at noon. The engrossed copy was sent at once to the White House. It was waiting for the president when he re turned from a short walk with Mrs, Wilson. i Naval Militia Called Out. All the naval militia and naval re serves were called to the colors with the president's signing of the war res olution. - ' The Navy department immediately wirelessed or telegraphed all its sta tions, navy , jaidsancV .ship a, . fol lows: ' ",. ' ' "The president has signed an act of congress which declares that a state of war exists between the United States and Germany." ' Vice President Signs Resolution. The war resolution-was signed at 12:14 o'clock by Vice President Mar shall. There was no ceremony in the senate attending the vice president's signature. The pen he used was pre served. . The resolution, signed early this morning by Speaker Clark after its passage by the house, was returned to the senate soon after it convened. The vice president affixed his sig nature, "Thomas R. Marshall," be neath that of Champ Clark and the resolution was ready to go to the White House. Text of Proclamation. The War proclamation follows: "Whereas, The congress of the United States in the exercise of the constitutional authority vested in them have resolved by joint resolu tion of the senate and house of rep resentatives bearing date this day that a state of war between the United States and the imperial Ger man government which lias been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; "Whereas, It is provided by sectiun 4,067 of the revised statutes, as fol lows: "Whenever there is declared a war between the United States and any foreign government, or any invasion or predatory incursion is perpetrated, attempted or threatened against the territory of the United States by any foreign nation or government, and the president makes public proclamation of the event, all natives, citizens, deni zens or subjects of a hostile nation or government, being male .f the age of 14 years and upwards, who shall be within the United States and not actually naturalized, shall be liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured and removed as alien enemies. Sharp Notice to Aliens. "The president is authorized in any such event by his proclamation there of or other public acts, to direct the conduct to be observed on the part of the ' United States toward aliens who become so liable; the manner and degree of the restraint to which they shall be- subject, and in what cases' and upon what security their resi dence shall be permitted, and to pro vide for the removal of those who, not being permitted to reside within the Un:ted States, refuse or neglect to depart therefrom; and to establish any such regulations which are found ' (Continued on Pbr Two, Colnma One.) Phone Tyler 1000 before 9 o'clock to night . to have your Want-Ad in the Big Sunday Section. Experienced Wan t A d takers will help you write your ad if you wish. You are as close to The Bee Want-Ad Dept. as your phone is to you. -