The Omaha Daily
Want-ad
Night Service
to 10 p. m.
Tyler 1000.
THE WEATHER
Cloudy; Warmer
VOL. XL VI. NO. 205.
OMAHA, TUESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 13, 1917 TEN PAGES.
On Trilnt. it Httli.
Mtm tXtmit, Era., to.
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
Bee
OMAHA PAYS ITS
TRIBUTE TO THE
NATION'S HEROES
Super Glowing Tributes in
Speeches and Song Placed
at Memory Shrine of Lin
coln and Washington.
VETERANS MARCH IN LINE
Success of Washington Inspires
His Successors, A. W. Jeff
eris Tells Listeners.
LINCOLN TYPICAL AMERICAN
Omaha paid homage to the memor
ies of the nation's martyred emanci
pator and to the father of bis country
at a patriotic mass meeting at the
Auditorium yesterday afternoon
Super-glowing tributes in speeches
and song were placed at the memory
shrine of the two outstanding figures
in American history Lincoln and
.Washington.
Prominent Omahans occupied seats
on the stage at the carrying out of the
Lincoln-Washington program, while
in the Auditorium proper of the huge
building were civil war veterans, hun
dreds of school children, troops of
ooy scouts, members op various
patriotic societies and Omaha citizens
in general. Starting from the court
house at 2 o'clock, the following
organizations marched to the Auditor
ium: Grand Army of the Republic
and Spanish war veterans, high school
cadets and band and Boy Scouts. The
Fifth regiment and the Omaha bat
talion of the National Guard were un
able to march in the parade. The
Women's Relief Corps distributed
flags and flowers to the those in the
thinning ranks of veterans when the
old soldiers assembled in the court
house rotunda.
The Auditorium was specially dec
orated with a profusion of flags and
red, white and blue bunting, and
above the stage was a large framed
picture of Lincoln, with likenesses of
Washington and President Wilson on
cither side. Boy Scouts acted as
ushers. The huge building was a riot
of patriotic cheering and flag waving
when the civil war veterans some of
thrm bent with age and walking with
difficulty, but all doing their best to
maintain a sprightly step marched
down the center aisle and took their
seats in the first six rows reserved for
them.
Sing National Anthem.
When Mayor Dahlman, who pre
sided, stepped to the front of the stage
and announced the first number on the
program the singing of the Star
Spangled Banner by the entire au
dienceevery man, woman and child
rose to their feet and to the accom
paniment of the high school cadet
band sang the anthem.
The mayor made a brief intro
ductory talk, declaring that it was
particularly fitting, in view of the pres
ent crisis, for citizens of Omaha to
gather in patriotic assemblage and
pay tributes to the memories of the
United States' two most illustrious
presidents.
Rev. G. A. Hurlbert delivered the
invocation.
The present hours are momentous
ones for the United States, and
Americans may well look to the life
and deeds of Washington in wonder
ing how to act now, when war clouds
loom up and the United States is fac
ing a crisis, A. W. Jefferis, who made
an address on "Washington," told his
listeners.
Inspiration for Others.
Mr. Jefferis asserted that nations
must either resort to fore: or in
timidation, or on the other hand have
abiding love in its citizenship. Wash
ington, he said, stood for mbre to his
country and to mankind than any
other man in history. Since the father
of his country died, his success is that
whicn has always inspired nis suc
cesors, Mr. Jefferis averred.
Mr. Jefferis expressed a doubt as to
where we would be today, or whether
we would be here at all, if it had not
been for a divine providence, which
he declared watched over Washington
and made possible the United States.
"But while we are praising Wash-
C ttnned on Page Two, Column Four.)
The Weather
For Kebrask Partly Cloudy.
TMnpeiwtorM at Omaha Tetterday.
Hour. Deff.
WARMER
S a. m 13
8 a. m 13
7 a. m
CompmrmtlTe Local Rfcord.
117. 1916. 1915. 1914.
Hlffheat yetfrdajr 33 23
Lowest yesterday .... 10 1
12
Mean temperature.... 22 12 34 8
Precipitation 00 .02 .44 .14
Temperature and precipitation departures
from the normal:
Normal temperature 2S
Deficiency for the day 1
Total excess since March 1 138
Normal precipitation 03 Inch
Deficiency for the day 03 Inch
Total rainfall since March 1 17. 42 inches
Deficiency since March 1 12.90 Inches
Deficiency, cor period. 1916 66 Inch
Deficiency cor. period, 1914.... 1.92 Inches
Re porta from BtaUam at 7 P. M.
Station and State Temp. High
of Weather. 7 p. m. est.
Cheyenne, cloudy 44 &l
Baln
fall. Davenport, cloudy 20
Dearer, clear 46
20
(4
.00
Des Moines, cloudy.
Dodirs City, cloudy .
26
80
Lander, cloudy 3
North Platte, cloudy.... 34
Omaha, cloudy 32
Pueblo, part cloudy 56
Rapid City, cloudy 84
Salt Lake City, cloudy.. 30
flanta Fe, cloudy 44
Bherldan. snowing...... 34
SIOUX City, cloudy 28
Valentine, cloudy 28
33
66
42
52
44
X indicates trace of Dreclnitattnn.
L A. WELSH, MoUorolosUt.
flO a. m 18
B p. m 32
7 p. m Ti
WkaMv 8 p. m 22
Belgians Made to
Wire and Dig
Laborers Said to Be Insuffi
ciently Fed While Work
ing in War Zone.
BOYS OF FIFTEEN TABN
Havre, France, Feb. M. The Bel
gium government says it has learned
that laborers at Bruges are being ar
rested in the streets by Germany and
immediately sent to the German front
along the Yscr, where they arc forced
to do military work such as putting
up barzed wire fences and digging
trenches.
It is asserted that 75 per cent of the
men who were compelled to present
themselves to the military authorities
have been taken for work. These men
are between 15 and 45 years. They
leave their homes Monday and return
Saturday. On their arrival home they
arc declared to be greatly depressed,
because of insufficient nourshtnent
which consists of a quarter of loaf
of war bread in the morning and fruit
soup made of apples and prunes at
noon. This is said to be all the men
receive.
The Belgian government affirs that,
contrary to what rile Germans say the
Germans are sysleinatically taking
LANSING MAKES
APPEAL TO CUBANS
Islanders Are Urged Not to!
Plunge Their Country Into
Another Revolution.
DISORDER OVER ELECTION
Washington, Feb. 12. An appeal to
the Cubans not to plunge their coun
try into another revolution has been
sent to Havana by Secretary Lansing.
Aroused to the realization that the
contested presidential election in
Cuba already had reached the inci
pient stage of rebellion, the State de
partment decided to issue to the peo
ple an urgent injunction to await the
outcome of the voting and to abide
by the decisions of their courts.
The communication was sent to the
American minister with the instruc
tions to have it published throughout
the island.
The Cubans were reminded in the
message that close elections are not
uncommon in all countries and that
in the United States the selection of
the winning candidate often is deter
mined only after a contest, the case
of Tildcn and Hayes being cited as
notable. t
It had been reported, that the Op.
position party has appealed to the
United States to supervise the special
election that has been called for Feb
ruary 14, but at the State depart
ment it was denied that such re
quests had been received. Through
the American minister at Havana, it
was made clear that the American
government would regret any neces
sity for forcible interference again in
Cuban affairs, but- it was intimated
that the United States could not coun
tenance the recurence of civil war.
Opposition Leaders Blamed.
Responsibility for the revolt is
thrown by the Menocal administration
upon political leaders of the opposi
tion, whose candidate for the presi
dency is Dr. Alfredo de Zayas. The
special election in the Santa Clara
province, necessary to determine the
results of the presidential election,
will be held February 14, but certain
men of the De Zayas faction allege
that even if De Zayas is elected, Pres
ident Menocal will oppose his seat
ing. Reports from the minister lead the
State department to believe that the
revolt will not become widespread.
Business interests both!n Cuba and
the United States are concerned, be
cause it is feared that if genera1! re-
vojt is begun, an enormous loss may
be caused by the destruction of the
sugar cane' fields. The cane is now
dry and its burning would be easy.
Villa Troops 26
Miles from Border
Gate at Columbus
Columbus, N. M., Feb. 12. Villa
troops have occupied Twin Windmills,
twenty-six miles south of the border
line gate and an intermediary base on
the communication train to Colonia
Dublan, according to Carranza cus
toms officials here.
A Villa drive toward the border was
reported from Western Chihuahua by
other sources here. All horses, mutes
and other stock were being com
mandeered, the Villa followers giving
receipts for all property taken.
Discusses How to Get Rid
Of inexpert Officials
New York, Feb. 12. How to get
rid of "inexpert elected officials" is
one of the most important tasks con
fronting the Amerncan people, Dr.
Howard Lee Bain, assistant professor
of municipal science and administra
tion at Columbia university, declared
in an address today before members
of the University alumni.
"The staggering margin of the un
achieved in government of cities is
appalling," he said. "It is a problem
of educating public opinion and en
lightening them that they must not
tolerate extravagant government
under the supine leadership of low
minded reformers and demagogues
too long."
Quincy Woman is Legal
Heir to Hermit's Estate
Ouinev. III.. Feb. 12 After fn.
years of litigation, in which many
persons claimed by relationship right
to the $15,000 estate of John Jack
son, a hermit of Santa Anna, Cal.,
Miss Lorene Pryor of Quincy, his
granddaughter, has finally been
awarded the money, it was announced
today.
String Barbed
Trenches at Front
men who arc not idle. At a Urge steel
mill laborers earning from 7 to 8
francs a day have been compelled to
quit their jobs and work for the Ger
mans. The same is declared to buffK
true of horticultural workers. Mff0''sairica Declines to Enter Into
well known horticultural estawr
nicnt known by the name of
eleven workers out ot
I have been taken awav
cutter who paid his e
a dav saw them all 4
him. A foreman whirtTeen work
inff for one man in ItruTcs for twentv
seven years was taken irom nis nome.
together with his two sons, neither of ' Proposal Made to Stat.e De
whom was idle i partmenfc Through Minister
It is stated that no account is taken i r 6
of certificates or affidavits given bv From Switzerland,
employers. When employers made i
nSryu.hor!,ics write" them' that j raE REFUSAL IS ABSOLUTE
they arc disposed to return workers t
on condition that the employers Washington, Feb. 12. The United
designate two unemployed men for j Su( has rf.,irt 10 Germany's pro-
each employed workman liberated.
The situation the Belgian govern
ment says is no better in rural dis
tricts where all th sons of farmers
are taken away in masses every Mon
day morning. Farms of seventy-five
acres remain without hands for cul
tivation and all complaints remain un
heeded. Children of less than 15 years
are alio taken.
MORE STEAMERS
SUNK BY SDBSEAS
Further Destruction Wrought
by U-Boat Raiders on Allied
and Neutral Ships.
GREEK BOAT TORPEDOED
London, Feb. 12. The sinking of
the British steamship Netherlte is re
ported by Lloyds. The Netherlee,
4,227 tons gross, was last reported on
its departure from Philadelphia Jan
uary 21 for Dunkirk, France.
Lloyds shipping agency this after
noon announced that the British
steamships Voltaire of 409 tons gross,
and Olivia of 241 tons gross had been
sunk.
The steamer Lycia has been sunk.
The crew was saved. The British
steamer Lycia was a Cunard line ves
sel of 2,715 tons, built in 1896 at Mid
dlesboro Beechtree Sunk in Seven Minutes.
, Washington, Feb. 12. Sinking of
eight British and neutral vessels, with
aggregate tonnage of 15,760 by Ger
man submarines, was reported 'in a
Lloyds dispatch at the State depart
ment today from Consul General
Skinner at London. All the vessels
previously had been mentioned "in
press dispatches, but additional de
tails on the sinking of some of them
came in the Lloyds report'.
The British steamer Beechtree.
which a press cable said was believed
to have been unk, was torpedoed
and sunk in seven minutes. Its crew
was landed safely.
The Norwegian steamer Solbakken.
carrying a cargo of wheat from
Buenos Aires to Cherborg, was tor
pedoed off Finistere. Two of its crew
died, one from cold, and a boat con
taining the captain and fourteen men
is missing.
The British, steamer Sallagh. about
which there is doubt of identification,
is given as a 325-ton vessel.
London, Feb. 12. Lloyd's an
nounces that the Greek steamer
Aghios Spyridon, 768 tons, has been
sunk by a submarine. Five men have
been landed, but the captain and the
remainder of the crew were drowned.
Fifth Nebraska
Will Be Mustered
Out February 21
The Fifth Nebraska regiment will
ectsl.licli .,, - I L:
n H.w icwiu in ucnig mus
tered out of the federal service. Feb
ruary 21 has been set as the exact date
when the soldiers will be sent to their
homes, just thirteen days from the
time the regiment arrived at Fort
Crook from Llano Grande. Fifteen
days were required before the Fourth
regiment was mustered out of the
service and it was considered then
that a record had been established.
Although the Fifth regiment, in
cluding the signal corps, has more
equipment than the Fourth, officers
account for the early date that the
recently returned regiment will be
mustered out, due to the fact that
a large part of the "paper work" was
started while still on the border.
Lindbergh Asks
Impeachment of
Reserve Board
Washington; Feb. 12. Representa
tive Lindbergh of Minnesota, repub
lican, today read articles of impeach
ment of. all five members of the fed
eral reserve board, whom he charged
with conspiring with financial inter
ests to manipulate credits.
The articles were referred to the
judiciary -committee, as is the cus
tom, without debate.
Subsea Sinks Greek
Ship in Spanish Port
New York, Feb. 12. A German
submarine entered the neutral Span
ish harbor of Las Palmas, Canary
islands, on December 6 and sank the
Greek steamship Spyros, according to
two of the seamen who arrived today
on the steamship Morro Castle. Mari
time records told of the Spvros being
towed to a Spanish port after being
torpedoed.
The sailors arriving here said the
Spyros put into Las Palmas on its
voyage from Buenos Aires, carrying
grain for Hull, England. The U-boat
entered the harbor, they asserted, and
notified the captain to abandon his
ship within forty hours, at the end of
which time it would be destroyed and
the threat was fulfilled.
GERMAN OFFER I
TO NEGOTIATE IS i
REJECTED BY U.S.!
vc.v
'An
iny Parleys While Unre
stricted U-Boat Warfare
Is Carried On.
I.
! MUST RESTORE PLEDGES
posal of a discussion of the suhmartn
situation- by declining to enter into
any negotiations while the proclama
tion of unrestricted warfare remains
in effect and until Germany restores
the pledges given in the .Sussex case.
Gives Out Statement.
The State department today made
public Germany's proposal submitted
in a memorandum by Dr. I'aul Riller,
the Swiss minister, and also the gov
ernment's replv. thereby continuing
I fully the announcenienl made by the
I Associated Press last Saturday.
The State department gave out a
statement as follows:
"In view of the appearance In the
newspapers of February 11 of a re
port that Germany was initiating ne
gotiations with the United States in
regard to submarine warfare, the De
partment of State makes the follow
ing statement:
"A suggestion was made orally to
the Department of State late Satur
day afternoon by the minister of
Switzerland that the German gov
ernment is willing to negotiate with
the United States, provided that the
commercial blockade against Eng
land would not be interfered with.
At the ""request of the secretary of
state this suggestion was made in
writing and presented to him by the
Swiss minister Sunday night.
"The communication Is as follows:
'' 'Memorandum: The Swiss gov
ernment has been requested by the
German government to say that the
latter is now, as before, willing to ne
gotiate, formally or informally with
the United States, provided that the
commercial blockade agatnst Eng
land will not be broken thereby.
(Signed) " 'P. RITTER.'
Answer of United States.
" 'This metrrSrandum was given im
mediate consideration and the follow
ing reply was dispatched today:
"'My Dear Mr. Minister: I am re
quested by the president to say to
you, on acknowledging the memoran
dum which you were kind enough to
send to me on the 11th instant, that
the government of the United States
would gladly discuss with the German
government any questions it might
propose for discussion were it to
withdraw its proclamation of the
31st of January, in which, suddenly
and without prcious intimation of
any kind, it cancelled the assurances
which it had given this government
the 4th of May last; but that it does
not feel that it can enter into any
discussion with the German govern
ment concerning the policy of sub
marine warfare against neutrals
which it is now pursuing unless and
until the German government renews
its assurances of that 4th of May
and acts upon that assurance.'
"No other interchange on this sub
ject has taken place between this
government and any other govern
ment or person."
Bonillas Named
Ambassador for
Mexico to U. S,
Washington, Feb. 12. Ignacio Bo
nillas, one of General Carranza's rep
resentatives on the Mexican-Ameri
can joint commission, has been named
amnassanor irom Mexico to tne
United States.
Ramon Denegri. who has been in
charge of the Mexican embassy since
the departure of F.liseo Arredoudo,
ambassador-designate, was informed
today of Mr. Bonilla's appointment.
Mr. Bonillas is now at Palm Beach,
Fla. It is expected he will come to
Washington this week to present his
credentials, almost at the same time
Henry P. Fletcher, the American
ambassador to Mexico, is received by
the Mexican government.
After the failure of the Mexican
American commission to effect an ad
justment of the questions at issue
between the two governments Mr.
Arredondo was called to Mexico. It
was understood at that time that Mr.
Bonillas would be chosen as his suc
cessor, although Mr. Arrendondo in
sisted that he would rjturn to his
post.
Mr. Bonillas was educated at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technol
ogy and married an American woman.
Orasic Executive Order Is
Intended to Protect Canal
Washington, Feb. 12. An executive
order to exclude spies ami other un
desirable persons from the Panama
canal zone and give the governor vir
tually unlimited authority to regulate
immigration there, has been signed bv
President Wilson.
The text of the document has not
been jnadejiublic, but it is understood
to contain drastic provisions, very
broad in terms, to prevent entry of
persons who "would be a menace to
the general welfare."
The order also contains a compre
hensive provisions for protection of
the waterways. The governor mav
expel any person convicted of a crimi
nal offense or whose presence, in his
judgment, would tend to create pub
lic disorder or in any manner impede
prosecution of work on the canal, its
maintenance, operation, sanitation or
protection.
NEW NAVY GUNS The first anti-aircr.ft gun of the
United States navy ha been placed aboard the U. S. S. Penn
sylvania. Similar guns will be placed on other fighting craft,
and mounted in the various forts.
.aircraft I, '. "
GUJtT ON BOARD $ ' ! V V jf 1 ' f
Sassu"!? .'i.-'.r-, "". --.-, u - "j! vyawwifrl
GERARD AND PARTY
- ARRIVEAT BERNE
President of Switzerland Will
Call On Ambassador Tues
day Afternoon.
MAKING A STOP AT BERNE
Washington, Feb. 12. The Swiss
legation received a dispatch today
from its foreign office- announcing
Mr. Gerard's arrival at Berne.
Official reports on the arrival of
Former Ambassador Gerard and his
suite at Zurich, Switzerland, reached
the State department today from
American minister Stoval at Berne.
They added nothing to the informa
tion already published.
Berne, Feb. II. (Via Paris. Feb
12.) Ambassador Gerard will receive
President Schullcss and llcrr Hoff
man, chief of the Swiss foreign de
partment, toworrow- The two Swiss
officials will call at the home of Pleas
ant A. Stovall, the American min
ister to Switzerland, where Mr. Ger
ard is stopping.
McClure Says End
Of War Depends On
U-Boats and Czar
Cumberland Gap, Tenn., Feb. 1J.
S. S. McClure, New York publisher,
speaking today at the closing of the
Lincoln birthday anniversary celebra
tion at Lincoln Memorial university,
declared that the outcome of the
European war depended on the sue-,
cesi. of Germany's new submarine
campaign anil on the course of Rus
sia. "If the u-boat is a success Ger
many would win the war," he de-1
clared, "but Germany is bediming to!
doubt the practicability of the under-
seacratt. Anotlier possibility is tliat :
Kiisnia will make a separate peace.
In case the U-boat is a failure and
Russia adheres to Hie allies, Germany
is lost."
Mexico Suggests
Embargo On Food
And War Munitions
Washington. Feb. 12. General Car
ranza has sent a note to the United
States, Argentina, Brazil and Chile,
as well as to all other neutral nations,
asking them to join in an agreement
tn nrnhihit th Ynnrt (mm their
iountries to the warring European na
tions ot tooastuiis ana munitions oi
war.
Berlin Paper Says
Was Unfriendly to Germany
Berlin, Feb. 11. (Via London, Feb.
12.) The Berlin press is confining it
self to the most perfunctory refer
ences to the departure of former Am
bassador Gerard and the American
embassy staff. The Lokal Anzeiger,
the only newspaper printing editorial
comment, says:
"It can hardly be said that in the
person of the representative of the
United States who left yesterdav a
popular figure disappears from Ber
lin. The assertion that he was a pro
nounced opponent to Germany is
stretching the case a bit, yet he surely
was no friend of Germany and it
may be calmly set down that the re
lations of the United States and Ger
many would have reached a far less
deplorable stage if the great trans
Atlantic republic had been repre
sented in Berlin in the person of a
AMERICANS QUIT
BELGIUM RELIEF
Commission Notifies Authori
ties United States Citizens
Will Withdraw.
SAME ACTION AS TO FRANCE
London, Feb 12. The American
commission for relief in Belgium has
"officially hbtirTea tlif German authori
ties that the Americans will withdraw
from participation in the relief work
in ISclgiiini and north France v
This step was taken in reply to an
order from the German authorities
that Americans must withdraw from
the provinces of Belgium and north
ern France, leaving only a few of their
representatives, headed by Brand
Whitlock, American minister to Bel
gium, in Brussels. The action of the
commission is explained in the follow
ing statement, which was given to
The Associated Press today by direc
tors of the commission in London:
Couldn't Eeven Have Autos.
"We were advised February 12, by
Director Warraji C. Gregory, from
lirusel, that Baron von Dcr Lanc
ken (civil governor of Brussels) had
notified him that American citizens
could no longer occupy positions in
connection vilh the commission in
the occupied territories of France and
Belgium, but that a few Americans,
among them Brand Whitlock, might
reside in Brussels and exercise general
supervision over the work. Mr. Whit
lock. however, was to have no diplo
matic standing. Further, automobiles
and other means of communication
would be denied Americans.
"Afler earnest consideration with
Ambassador Page, the directors of
the commission in London, acting in
accord with Herbert C. Hoover, chair
man of the commission, instructed
Mr. Gregory to inform the German
authorities that in view of their or
der that the Americans could no
longer exercise their functions in the
occupied territories and that as un
der these conditinos the American
members of the commission could no
longer carry out their responsibilities
and undertakings of other Interested
governments and fulfill their duties
toward the peoples of Belgium and
Northern France, the Americans
would officially withdraw from par
tciipation in the work of relief in the
occupied districts."
Arranges For Going.
Mr. Gregory was advised to arrange
for all his men-to leave Belgium im
mediately, except a few who are to
close the commission's affairs and
take steps to see that there be no
interruption in the service pending the
reorganization of the work.
Gerard
man who possessed a greater appre
ciation of the difficulties and peculiari
ties of our position and who, further,
had been inclined to keep his govern
ment correctly informed with respect
to the campaign of lies and vindica
tions to which we arc daily exposed.
"If, on the whole, Mr. Gerard was
no outspoken friend of Germany, he
was equally disinclined to share the
blind admiration for England and
everything English with which his
countrymen seem obsessed. From
the beginning of the war he expressed
his inability to see how the entente
could ever be victorious over the cen
tral powers, and this opinion he never
surrendered."
The following American corres
pondents have remained in Berlin:
James O'Donnell Bennett, Cyril
Brown, William Bayard Hale, Os
wald F, Schuette and Mr. Andcris.
GERMANY WILL
HOLD AMERICANS
TAKENBY RAIDER
They Will Be Detained Until
Answer is Received to
Question About In
terned Germans.
TWO CLASSES OF MEN HERE
Crews of Warships in TJ. S
Ports Will Be Held Until
End of the War.
OTHERS ARE FREE TO GO
Berlin, Feb. 11. (By Wireless to
ihr Associated Press, Via Sayville,
Feb. 12.) Foreign Secretary Zim
merman today informed the Asso
ciated Press that he had requested
the Swiss government to make in
quiry in Washington regarding the
slatus of the crews of interned Ger
man ships in American ports.
Pending an answer, the seventy
two Americans laki n by the German
raidet and brought in by the Yarrow
dale, whose release had been agreed
to, are being held in Germany, the
foreign secretary slated.
Hears Crews Interned,
"In regard to the Yarrowdulc pris
oners." the foreign secretary said,
"these men had been taken oft armed
merchantmen and their slaMH had
been established. They will be lib
erated just as soon as we learu the
fate of the German crews in American
ports."
During the last week recurring
rumors nave reached Berlin by way
of London, in which it was announced
that the United States government
had sequestered the German ships
and interned their crews. No definite
official denial having been received,
the government was prompted to ask
the government of Switzerland to ob
tain specific information.
The release of the Yarrowdale pris
oners was agreed to with Ambassador
Gerard on the eve of the break in
relation, but the possibility of the Ger
man crews being interned in the
T:i.J c. ..J .1.. n.Hl--l...
UnilCU OiaiCB pruiiqucu inc annul an j
to rescind the orders liberating the
Americana held with the rest of the
Yarrowdale prisoners.
Statin of Men Explained.
Washington, Feb. 12. There are
two classes of German ships . in
American ports. Those interned
are war vessels such as the commerce
raidera Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Krou
prinr Wilhclm, and such naval vessels
as the gunboats Cormorant, at Guam,.,
and Geier, at Honolulu. The crews
of these vessels, as well as the ships,
being part of the German naval
forces which have taken refuge in
neutral harbors, are interned as pris-,
oners for the duration of the war un
der provisions of international law
and The Hague conventions.
The status of the war bound Ger
meu is different and so is the status
of their crews. The merchant ships
are not interned in my sense of the
word but are remaining in harbor
of refuge. They arc free to put to
sea at any time and take their chances
with the enemy warships. Their
crews are in the same status as any
other aliens coming to the United
aiaies. nny one oi mem may oe au
mitted to the country upon fulfilling
the immigration requirements. While
they are in the status of liens they
are for the present confined aboard
their ships by the immigration author
ities in accordance with the steps
taken against the dstructioi. of prop
erty or menace to navigathv in Amer
icanliarbors. It is believed that Germany's in
quiry is to clear up misconceptions
widely circulated there that Germans,
in the Lhiited States have been inf
prisoned and that German property
has been confiscated. President Wil
son has announced that all foreign
rights arc to be respected in every
sense.
Navy Department Hopes
To Save the Milwaukee
F'ureka, Cal., Feb. 12. The Navy
department has not given up hope oi
saving the stranded and sand-filled
cruiser Milwaukee and is willfng, it
was stated here today unofficially, to
spend $75(1,000 if at that cost the
vessel can be made available for ser
vice within six months.
None of the bids either for removal
of the contents of the derelict or for
building a trestle through the surf to
the wreck will be awarded, it was
said, prior to the submission next
Thursday of recommendations bv the
navy constructor, D. C. Nutting, jr..
wno nas mane a complete survey ot
the cruiser. On Thursday, also, bids
will be opened for salvaging the hull.
Some of the contractors are figur
ing on salvaging the Milwaukee bv
dredging a canal from where it lies in
the breakers through the sands of the
Samoa peninsula to Humboldt bay, a
distance of 4.0(H) feet.
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