Nebraska Newspapers

    The Omaha Daily Bee ! -r-
i ,i
VOL. XLVI. NO. 236.
OMAHA, WEDNESDAY MORNING. MARCH 21, 1917 TWELVE PAGES. -
0 Tn(M. at Motth.
Niwt Sludi. ll.. H.
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
NEBRASKA HOUSE
ASKS PRESIDENT
TO PROTECT MAIL
Members Almost Unanimously
Adopt Resolution Requesting
Further Curtailment of
Service Be Stopped.
MUCH LOSS TO PUBLIC
Instances Cited Where Clerks
Are to Be Taken Off
Runs Soon.
INSPIRED BY BEE'S STORY
(From Staff Correspondent.)
Lincoln, Neb., March 20. (Spe
cial.) The house today almost unani
mously adopted a resolution calling
upon President Wilson to use his in
fluence with the postmaster general
to see if something could not be done
to prevent further curtailing of the
mail service of the United States and
especially to prevent demoralizing the
mail service in Nebraska.
The resolution was inspired by an
article appearing in the Sunday edi.
tion of The Bee, in which pictures
were shown giving the condition of
the service at Council Bluffs terminal
and an explanation of the matter by a
mail clerk. This, with the understand
ing that the mail car on the Imperial
line was to be taken off, prompted
Representative HorTmeister of Chase
to have the resolution drawn and in
troduced.
Photo in Bee to Be Sent.
The article with the pictures taken
from The Bee will be attached to the
resolution and sent to Washington by
the chiet clerk.
Following are the resolutions:
"To the President of the United
States:
"Whereas, recent changes in the
railway mail service have discontinued
railway mail clerks upon many im
portant runs in Nebraska, resulting in
great inconvenience to the public in
the transmission of mail, and in the
accumulation of important postal mat
ter upon railway platforms, subject to
injury by frost, rain and snow, and
"Whereas, this loss and incon
venience to the public, bad enough at
any time of the year, is especially vi
cious during the spring season, when
seeds, bulbs and trees are being
transmitted through the mail, and
People Not Consulted.
"Whereas, the people of Nebraska
believe they have the right to as good
a mail service a"s they have enjoyed
hitherto, and that, in the administra
tion of the postal service, which
touches the everyday life of every
citizen, arbitrary action by admin
istrative officials' at- Washington,
without notice, to the public of any
kind, tends to bring the Postal' de
partment, the great arm of the federal
government exemplifying the advan
tage of public ownership in its daily
work, into disrepute, therefore be it
Disapproval Expressed.
"Resolved, That the house of rep
resentatives of Nebraska expresses its
strong disapproval of this arbitrary
treatment of our citizens by the Postal
department and demands that the
railway mail service be restored and
improved from time to time to ac
commodate the continuously growing
needs oi this state, and that the presi
dent of the United States be request
ed to lake such action as will result
in the restoration of the service and
protection of the people's right to
adequate mail facilities.
"Nesolved. That a copy of this
resolution be transmitted by the chief
lerk to President Wilson, and that
the senate of Nebraska be asked to
join in a similar resolution."
Governor Introduces Bill
To Buy Medals for Guards
Lincoln. Neb.. March 20. In a spe
cial message today, Governor Neville
aopealcd to the legislature to pass a
hill providing for a S1.000 appropria
tion witti which to purchase medals
for the Nebraska guardsmen who
Here sent to the border last year. The
bill was forma'lly introduced .and read
the first time. '
The Weather
Comimrathe latent Rpi-ord.
191 t.
IN-rh'-st v.M'nlHy.
l.ow"sl )- I prlny. .
Mean i inperalure.
I'r'M-lpiution
20
.00
.00
.05
Temperature and precipitation doparturM
oiii Hi normal at Omaha since March 3,
ipm! roiiipiirpd wldi the Inat two years;
Normal temp.' nit lire 3R
I'ttfi. ifii-y for Ihe day 7
I'oint d fl'-lency p!rcp March 1.
N'ort'iu! precipitation
IWMeiify for the dy
'I'm ii rainfall ulnoo March 1 . .
Kxcch iru-n Mai;h 1
IK-ffylfiiry for cor. period. IMS.
Kxcvafl f ir cor. periojl, 1915. . .
13
.04 Inch
.04 inch
1.9lrtrha
.61 Inch
.70 inch
.83 Inch
Report From Stations at 1 p. M.
Stalfon and Statu Temp. llrb Ratn
of Weather.
7 p. in. est. fall.
i
Fur .V.brubJ.a Fair; showers southeast j
' Of'U.i.l, . !
Tenijicratiirr at Omaha Yfaterilfiy, !
V Hour. l)eg. '
-2 I ." n. m 3
H A r -7 a. n n 1
4iS B A S a. in.... 39 1
H n-,n 1
A-tSiViify JL 1 P. m 54 '
yfrfy'v Fj 2 p. m o5
11 3 i. m S7 '
5 p. m 6" j
"US&jSfe 1 p. m'. bi
' 8 p. ii. 51
( hfyonni-, clear ,14 40 .00
Davrnpdrt. clt-ar 6" 54 .00
Denver, clear 44 r.4 .00
Ies Molnef. kxi'Jy SO 34 ,nn
Dodge City, part oluotly fin t s ,
Indt-r clear 4" 41 .no
North Platte, pt. riwudy 4fi fit ,'rl)
maha, clear B4 Wl .00
Pueblo, part clou'ly... M .00
Haptil City, part cloudy. 34 . t .00
Salt Lake City, clear.. ii 4i .01
ttanta Fe. clear 4s 12 .00
Hherldiin. ctuody 3 38 .01
.Stoux City, part cloudy SO 5l' .00
"Valentine, clear 42 4 .00
Indicates trace of precipitation.
Li. A. WELSH, Meteorologist.
To the Readers and
Patrons of The Bee
Following out my promise to keep
the public advised of any changes in
The Bee organization of interest out
side the office, I have to announce that
in the position' of Superintendent of
our Mechanical department r. H.
Chase is to be succeeded about April
1 by George V. Chandler, now in
charge of our press room.
During the year and more that Mr.
Chase has been with The Bee he has
put our mechanical work on an effi
ciency basis unmatched anywhere in
the country, making it a model office,
and he leaves wholly of his own voli
tion to take up a similar work in an
other field.
It may be of interest also to state
that in the recent election of officers
for The Bee Publishing Company for
the ensuing year Frank L. Haller, well
known locally as head of the Liniuger
Company and throughout the stale as
member of the University Board of
Regents, was chosen to fill the posi
tion of vice president, the other offi
cers being re-elected, namely myself
as president and N. P. Feil as sec
retary and treasurer,
TO SUPERVISE SALE
OF PRINT PAPER
Board of Five Men Will Have
Charge of Distribution of
Paper to Publishers.
URGE RIGID ECONOMY
Washington, March 20. The Fed
eral Trade commission plans to su
pervise the sale and distribution of
news print paper through a board
which will represent all interests
concerned. 1 "v.
The board, to be named as soon
as a price fixing pool proposed by the
manufacturers finally is arranged, will
comprise fiive members, one each
from the manufacturers, jobbers,
large publishers, small publishers
and the Trade , commission. The
Trade commission representatives
will operate the pool from ofHcies in
New York. Other members of the
board will serve in an advisory. ca
pacity and their powers will be pure
ly ministerial.
Manufacturers who have been ac
cused pf intimidating publishers into
remaining out of the price-fixing
"agreement have, it is understood, as
sured the commission that if there
has. been any intimidation subordi
nates have been responsible and that
officers of the companies themselves
have not countenanced it.
Members of the Trade commission
just back from New York, where they
urged on publishers the necessity for
strict economy in the use of news
print, say the war situation threatens
a new condition in which the news
print demand threatens to outstrip
production. The balance has been ex
tremely close for the last year.
U. S. Insurance Upon
All Contraband But
Guns and Ammunition
Washington. March 20. The gov-
crnment war risk insurance bureau,
which heretofore has insured only
non-contraband, announced today that
tt would broaden the scope of its
operations" and hereafter insure prac
tically all forms of contraband for
European countries except arms and
ammunition.
Under the law. no insurance can
be issued on vessels or cargo of ves
sels other than American. Heretofore
the bureau has declined to issue pol
icies on articles declared contraband
by belligerents, including almost all
American products, with the result
that only a small percentage of the
American transatlantic merchant fleet
was insured by the government.
Pure Food Week Set
Apart by the Governor
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
Lincoln, March 20. (Special.)
The week beginning March 25 will
be pure food week, Governor Neville
having issued his proclamation -to
that effect, in which he says:
"I deem it proper to follow in the
steps of former governors and set
aside a week in which all oganiza
tions of commercial endeavor, all so
cieties of public welfare and business
concerns engaged in selling, distrib
uting or manufacturing goods, and
those engaged in the production of
food, are hereby requested to join in j
the movement and aid in making the
work of those who carry out the will
of the people a success."
Fairbury Recluse Found
Dead in Shack Near Town
Fairbury, Neb., March 20. (Spe
cial Telegram.) eorge W. Smith, a
recluse, living in a shack just east
of the city, was foihid dead in his
bed today by neighbors. His death
attributed to heart disease. He was
60 pears of age and had resided in
and near Fairbury for sixteen years.
He lived in a tent northwest of the
city for several years. Some cur
rency and exchange checks were
found about the premises.
Britain Considers Holding
- Conference on Irish Crisis
London, March 20. Andrew Bonar
Law, chancellor of the exchequer, in
formed the House of Commons today
that the government is considering
the advisability of calling a confer
ence, including representatives of the
dominions, to formulate a settlement
of the Irish situation.
GREAT FRENCH
WARSHIP SUNK
BY SUBMARINE
Battleship of Danton Class
Sent to Bottom by German
U-Boat, According to
Berlin Admiralty.
FIVE CRAFT OF THE TYPE
Of More Than Eighteen Thou
sand Tons and With Com
plement of 681.
GOES DOWN VERY QUICKLY
Berlin. March 20. (Wireless to
Sayville.) A French battleship of
the Danton class was sunk by a Ger
man submarine in the Mediterranean
yesterday, the admiralty announced
today.
The admiralty statement reads:.
"A German submarine, commanded
by Lieutenant-Captain Moraht, on
March 19, in the western Mediter
ranean sank a large French battle
ship of the Danton class, protected
by destroyers.
"The battleship was running a sig
zag course. Immediately after being
hit it listed heavily and capized, forty
five minutes later."
There are five battleships of the
Danton class, in addition to the name
ship, the others being the Mirabeau,
Diderot, Condorcet, Vcrgniaud and
the Voltaire. All except the Vcrg
niaud were completed in 1909. It was
finished in 1910. Ships of the class
have a length of 481 feet, beam
eighty-four feet and draft of 27.5 feet.
Their armament consists of four 12
inch guns, twelve 9.4-inch guns, six
teen 2.9-inch guns, ten three-pounders
and two torpedo tubes submerged.
They average about 19.5 knots in
speed. They displace 18,028 tons. The
complement consists of 68K officers
and men.
Tumulty Declares
History Will Give
President His Due
Newark, X. J., March 20. Secre
tary Tumulty, in an address at a din
ner given in his honor here tonight
spoke of the "infinite patience and
skillwul hands" with which President
Wilson is guiding the destiny of the
nation.
"No man can realize what he has
done and is doing for the United
State of America, for the world, for
civilization and humanity," said Mr.
Tumulty. "Some day a great histor
ian will tell the story of what he
has endured, of the problems he has
met, of the scrupulous care and pa
tience he has taken to preserve the
rights of America and to keep free
and open the processes of liberty.
"Children in the schools and young
' men in the colleges will read in the
text books of the unsurpassing jus
tice of the statesman who was raised
up to direct the destiny of this nation
in its most trying hour. We are too
close to the world events of the last
few years to appreciate them, to es
timate justly the wonderful period in
which we are living.
Officials Begin
Search to Discover
The Origin of Fires
An arson trust in Omaha, whose
members start fire in business build
ings, is the subject of investigation
now by Fire Warden Morris.
"I have nothing for publication just
now," safd the tire warden, "but my
probe promises some real revela
tions." The trail of the fire-hugs, it is un
derstood, leads close to the $800,000
lire which devastated the Berg and
Hartman properties in the Continental
building at the northwest corner of
Fifteenth and Douglas streets a
month ago. The fire warden's sus
picions have been focused on a mov
ing picture theater which has recently
been afire twice. The smell of gaso
line and some empty gasoline con
tainers were found in the theater after
t)ie last fire.
Fire Warden Morris does not at
tempt to impute motives to the mem
bers of the arson gang. He admits
that he does not know as yet whether
revenge or connivance with others
actuated the fire-bugs. But he is busilyi
pushing his prone and n working to
establish the guilt or innocence of
suspected persons.
Young Kuehnle Fined
For Speeding His .Car
Iowa City, la.. March 20. (Special
Telegram.) Carl Frederick Kuehnie
of Denison, son of C. F. Kuehnle,
candidate for the republican nomina
tion for governor at the last primary,
and a etudent in the University of
Iowa, was arrested for speeding this
afternoon. He pleaded guilty and was
fined $5 and costs.
The car which is the property of
Loyal Voss of Denison is the same
one which struck and killed Mrs. E.
B. Wilson two weeks ago, when
Horace Pilcher of Ida Grove was at
the wheel.
Kimball Would Put Suffrage
Up to the Women of Iowa
(From a Sttttf Correapondont.)
Des Moines, la., March 20 (Spe
cial Telegram.) When the woman
suffrage amendment comes up on the
floor of the Senate of the Iowa legis
lature, Senator Kimball will propose
an amendment giving women the
right to vote at the next jgencral elec
tion on whether or not they wish
the franchise.
GERMAN RETREAT
BECOMES
Gale Over Northern
Makes Pursuit of the Teu
tons Difficult
ENTENTE LINE ADVANCED
Bulletin.
Paris, March 20. French cavalry
has advanced to within about four
and 'one-half miles of St. Quentin,
one of the larger towns believed to
be strongly defended by the Germans.
Further progress by the French is re
ported in the official statement to
night, and considerable territory has
been reoccupied between the Somme
and the Aisne.
London, March 20. "Despite the
less favorable weather conditions,"
says the odicial report from British
headquarters in France tonight, "we
made considerable progress again to
day along the greater part of the
front of our advance south of Arras
and a further fourteen villages have
been cleared of the enemy.
"Our troops have now passed the
general line of Canizy, Fstrec-Ku-Chaussee,
Xurlu, Yclu and Si.
Lcger."
London, March 20. Telegraphing
from the British headquarters in
France, Reutfr's corespondent says:
"The pace of the German retreat
seems to have slowed down consider
ably during the last twenty-four
hours, a fact for which the very wild
weather may well be responsible. A
violent gale has been roaring over
northern France and is still very
heavy.
"Many rain squalls have swept over
the battle area, but these have not
sufficed to render the ground bad,
and there is a keen drying edge in
the wind. Notwithstanding the tem
pestuous weather, however, our
troops have made considerable prog
ress. Line Held By Entente.
"Followed roughly from the south
of Arras, our front now runs through
or on the fringe of the following
places :
"Beaurains, Mercatel, Boiry-Bec-querelle,
Boyelles, St. Leger, Vaulx
V'raucourt, Beugny, Haplincourt, Bar
astrc, Bus, Leachtclle, Etricourt,
Moislains, Peronne, Doingt, St.
Christ, Voycnnes and Canizy, to the
neighborhood of Ham, on the cast
ward bend of the Somme.
"Our cavalry and infantry patrols
are everywhere active east of this
line. We hold the line of the Somme
in strength from reronne southward
to Canizy. Our reconnoisance pa
trols are active as far east as Mons-En-Chausee.
In several sectors be
tween Baupaume and Arras our cav
alry maintained their touch with the
enemy all day yesterday. There was
a good deal of skirmishing, but no
heavy fighting."
Advance More Difficult.
Paris, March 20. The war office
announces that the French arc still
maintaining contact with the Germans
along the section of the front over
which the retirement is taking place,
but that the advance has become
more difficult by reason of the de
struction of all means of communi
cation and on account of bad
weather. j
German attacks at Avacourt Wood
and Hill 304, on the Verdun front,
were repulsed. Serious loss was in
flicted on the Germans.
Railroads to Boost
Tourist Rates West,
Says Gerrit Fort
Chicago, March 20. Summer tour
ist rates passenger fares from Chi
cago and all points east to Colorado,
Utah and Yellowstone National park
will be advanced $2.50 by all lines on
each round trip ticket, it was an
nounced today. No action has been
taken on summer tourist fares to
California, according to Gerrit Fort,
passenger traffic manager o the
Union Pacific system in Chicago, but
he said there will probably be an ad
vance from $72.50 to $75. Summer
rates become effective on June 1, and
continue until September 30.
Colonial Chiefs Meet With
Members of British Cabinet
London, March 20. The British
imperial conference was inaugurated
today. For the first time the colonial
statesmen sat with the members of
the British government around a table
in the council room at Premier Lloyd
George's official residence.
The colonial representatives were
Sir Robert L. Borden, the Canadian
premier; William F. Massey. premier
of New Zealand; Sir Robert Morris,
the prime minister of New Found
land; Lieutenant General Smuts, mini
ster of the interior of the Union of
South Africa, and a group of three
epresenling India, namely, J. Austen
Chamberlain, the secretary for India;
the Maharajah of Bikaner and Sir
Satyendra P. Sinha, a member of the
executive council of the Viceroy of
Indian. Australia has not yet been
represented.
Barry Told to Proceed
With the Mustering Out
Chicago, March 20. Major General
Thomas H. Barry, commander of the
Central department "United States
army, received orders from aWshing
ton today to proceed with the muster
ing out of the troops in his depart
ment recently returned from the
Mexican border.
Alleged Forger Brought
Back From. Great Falls
William Conway, who is said to
have passed a trail of worthless
checks across the country, a number
of the victims being Omaha banks
and merchants, was brought back
from Great Falls, Mont., Monday
afternoon by Detective Frank Murphy.
Asah Defends
Part in Dardanelles Blunder
ormer Premier Replies toi
Criticism of Late Minister's
Conduct of the War.
HE DID NOT SHUN ADVICE
London, March 20. An energetic
defense of the late Lord Kitchener
was made in the House of Commons
today by former Premier Asquith,
who replied to the criticisms leveled
at his government in the recently
published report of the Dardanelles
commission.
"Lord Kitchener was a masterful
man, endowed with formidable per
sonality and disposed by nature to
keep his own counsel," said ' Mr.
Asquith. "But it is a mistake to sug
gest that he lived in isolation and did
not consult military opinion as to
the conduct of the war. That is tin
true, but it is true that during the
early months of the war he acted as
his own chief of staff.
"When the war broke out members
of the general staff were sent to the
front. Their places were taken by
officers who had been in retirement.
The best and highest authority at
that tme was Lord Kitchener, himself.
Nothing fills me with greater indigna
tion than the attack made on Lord
INTERNED GERMAN ,
OFFICERS DROWN
Seventeen Men On Cruisers at
Philadelphia Navy Yard
Attempt to Escape.
FIFTEEN ARE RECAPTURED
Washington, March 20. Lieutenant
Corth and Machinist Mate Herrmann
Schroder of the German interned
crews at Philadelphia navy yards are
believed to have been drowned last
night in an attempt to escape.
Eight other men, who escaped at
the same time, have been captured
by companies of marines and the
Philadelphia police. These are in ad
dition to the seven men who were re
ported last night as having failed to
escape.
In the light of the present situa
tion and all circumstances, the pres
ence of a German diplomatic agent
abroad in the country is looked upon
with some concern. The prospect of
German sailors at large also is re
garded with apprehension.
All the men interned at Philadel
phia are to be transferred this week
to Fort Mcpherson and Fort Ogle
thorpe, Georgia, where hey will be
kept in stockades and guarded by
troops of the Seventeenth infantry.
Philadelphia, Pa., March 20. A
dash for liberty by seven members
of the crews of the German auxiliary
cruisers, Kronprinz Wilhelin and
Prinz Eitel Friedrich, interned at the
Philadelphia navy yard, was frus
trated last night by marine! and po
plicemen who were on guard outside
the yard. Four of the Germans were
captured while attempting to swim
the back channel, while the other
three, were caught in the meadows
after swimming the icy waters of the
channel.
Italians Win Air
Battle Above Pola;
Arsenal Bombarded
Rome (Via Paris), March 20.
Reciprocal airplane attacks by Aus
trians and Italians are reported in
an official statement issued by the
war office. The text of the state
ment follows:
"Our sea planet carried out a raid
on Pola and dropped bombs on the
arsenal. Five enemy airplanes, es
corted by destroyers, attacked our
machines, but were driven off by
French airplanes which were sup
porting us,
"On March 19, shortly before
dawn, enemy seaplanes bombarded
Grado and coast territory to the east
occupied by us. There were no vic
tims and the damage done was in
significant. Immediately afterwards
a squadron of our seaplanes bom
barded the Lloyd ship yard at Mug
gia, near Trieste. All of the Italian
and French machines returned
safely."
Veterinarian Held
On Charge of Sale
of "Dope" to Users
Accused of selling "dope' to drug
addicts, A. L. Van Gordon, veterin
ary surgeon, 2013 Cuming street, was
arrested late Monday afternoon.
Federal officers, who caused his
arrest, are said to have sent decoys
into his place with marked money to
purchase "dope." Detectives of cen
tral station, who made the arrest, say
that they found some of the marked
money in possession of the veterin
ary surgeon.
Dr. Van Gordon will be given pre
liminary hearing Wednesday morn
ing before United States Commissin
er McLaughlin. He is now at liberty
under $2,000 bail bond.
Doomed Murderers.
Who Broke Prison
Are Shot to Death
Birmingham, Ala., March 20.
David Overton, convicted murderer of
Judge W. Thomas Lawler of Hunts
ville, and two other convicts, sen
tenced to death for murder, who es
caped from the county jail here this
morning with him, were surrounded
by a sheriff's posse tonight in a Bir
mingham suburb and shot to death.
Kitcheners
Kitchener, whose memory is in no
danger and will live."
Mr. Asquith said the Dardenelles ex
pedition was primarily a naval one,
because Lord Kitchener proved to
the satisfaction of the war council
that the resources to make it a joint
military and naval undertaking were
not available. The war council spent
three weeks in examing the country's
available resources in men and in ob
taining opinions of experts. British
and French naval expert opinion fav
ored the enterprise. The adverse
view of Lord Fisher, then first sea
lord, was not founded on technical
naval objections, but upon his pref
erence for a different objective in a
totally different sphere of operations.
The delay in sendi, troops, Mr.
Asquith continued, was due to the
Russian position, which was then bad
and pressure was brought to bear
by both the British and French com
manders in chiefs to keep their troops
in France.
Mr. Asquith asserted the Darda
nelles operations had saved the sit
uation in the Caucacus, prevented
for months the defection ol Bulgaria
to the central powers, kept 300,000
Turks mobilized, destroyed some of
the finest troops in the Turkis army
and contributed to the favorable re
sults witnessed in Egypt, Mesop
tamia and Persia.
TWO RELIEF SHIPS
SHELLEDBY SDBSEA
Vessels Bearing Safe Conduct
From Oevman Embassy at
The Hague Attacked.
EIGHT MEN ARE KILLED
London, March 20. The London
office of the commission for relief in
Belgium, has given The Associated
Press the following statement regard
ing the shelling of the relief ships
Tunisie and Haclen, with th. killing
of several members of their crews, re
ported in last night's dispatches.
"The Tunisie and the Haelen were
attacked by a submarine without
warning outside the danger zone,
56.15 north latitude, 5.32 east longi
tude (off the southwest coast of Nor
way). The ships were not sunk. The
port bow of the Haelen was smashed
by a shell and seven men were killed.
There is a hole in the Haclen's port
hunker at about the water line. Sun
dry damage was done to decks and
engines.'' The Tunisie is proceeding
on its voyage. The killed include the
first and third officers. . . t
Inspected by German. . ;
"Apparently the Haelen proceeded
under its own steam to Stavanger
(Norway), where temporary repairs
were ordered after which it proceeded
to its American destination.
"The pilot reports that while he
was leaving the ships off the Hook of
Holland, five German seaplanes ap
peared and after circling around and
examining the ships flew northwards.
"The ships sailed from Rotterdam
last Friday and passed the Hook of
Holland for Sandy Hook, all via the
north route, with sailing instructions
to keep out of the danger zone. All
had double sets of lighting equipment
and safety markings consisting of
four each of flags, pennants, side
cloths, deck banners, aignal balls,
lamps and tanks; also safe conducts
issued by the German government,
with photographic reproductions of
the sailing directions and a guarantee
of safety after March 15, sealed and
certified as correct by the German
legation at The Hague attached to the
passes.
Under Relief Charter.
"The shelled ships aailcd in com
pany with three other Belgian ships
under commission charter, all carry
ing similar safety markings and passes
and all sailing in ballast for American
porta to load food supplies for the
people of Belgium and northern
France.
"A protest has been made by the
commission to the German govern
ment through the Dutch, Spanish a;td
German legations at The Hague, the
German authorities in Belgium and
the Spanish ambassador in London
and a report Jias been sent to the
State department in Washington.
The attack on the relief ships was
reported in an Amsterdam dispatch
last night. A Stavanger dispatch re
ported eight men killed on a relief
steamer, the name of which was given
as the Selien, this undoutedly refer
ring to the Haelen. Both the ships
attacked are of Belgian nationality,
the Tunisie registering 2,467 tons and
the Haelen 3,290 tons.
Navy Yards Ordered to
Build U-Boat Chasers
Washington, March 20. The New
Orleans navy yard was today order
ed to build at once four submarine
chasers. The New York yard yester
day was ordered to build aixty.
The department has called upon all
navy yards fitted to undertake small
boat construction to submit esti
mates as to the number of submarine
chasers they can turn out quickly.
Bremerton, Mare Island, Ports
mouth, Boston, Charleston and other
yards, probably will be designated
to begin construction of chasers to
the full extent of the capacity. .
Has His Hand Mangled
When Caught in Elevator
Imprisoned for half an hour in the
bottom of an elevator shaft, John
Newton, an electrician in the employ
of Bert LeBron, narrowly escaped se
rious jinury. His hand was caught
bjtween the elevator cable and the
drum and was badiy mangled before
he was released from his perilous po
sition. Drs. Shook and Duncan at
tended him. He is in Lord Lister
hospital.
PRESIDENT AND
CABINET STUDY
GERMAN CRISIS
Washington Officials Believe
that State of War With
Germany Already
Exists.
MANY PLANS CONSIDERED
U. S. May Co-Operate With En
tente Navies in Clearing At
. lantic Sea Lanes.
CONGRESS MAY BE CALLED
Washington, March 20. When the
cabinet adjourned after a two-hour
meeting none of the members would
make any statement. Secretary Dan
iels would only say there had been
no new orders to the navy. Informally
intimations were given that some an
nouncement from the White House
might be expected -tomorrow.
The impression grew that the pres
ident had determined to hasten the
coming ef congress, already called to
meet in extra session on April 16.
Daniels Hal Conference. ,
As soon as he returned to his of
fice from the cabinet meeting Secre
tary Daniels went into conference
with the. navy general board. It was
not revealed whether the session was
the result of any new decision
reached by the president and his cab
inet. The most general opinion in ad
ministration quarters was that there
was no likelihood of a declaration of
war against Germany, although the
probability appeared to be for a for
mal recognition that a state of war
exists because of Germany't acts
against the United States.
The statement was authorized at
the White House that the president
and the cabinet discussed every phase
of the situation. " ' ,
As has been the case since all offi
cial Washington acknowledged that
a state of war practically exists be
tween the United States and Ger
many, there is a wide range of specu
lation on the precise action President
Wilson contemplates, but there is no
olficiat ground for any forecast.
Calling of congress in extra session
before April 16, the day first choscu
for its assembly, still continues fore
most among the probabilities, but
there are no indications that Mr. Wil
ton had finally decided upon it. On
the other .hand, there were some in
dication that the date of the session
would not be advanced. ' "' '
May Co-operate With Entente.
Preparations for. carrying out the
policy of armed neutrality to its full
est degree are being hurried in the
Navy department. The possibilities
of their execution range even to ac
tive co-operatiou at sea with the
British and French fleets to clean
submarines out of the shipping lanes.
It was learned definitely before the
cabinet meeting that the president,
while considering deliberately all
phases -of the . situation, had not
finally made up his mind on any for
ward step beyond the active prepara
tion of the navy for any eventuality.
President Wilson is taking the po
sition that at all events the nation
must be placed in a better state of
preparedness because he believes that
from a practical standpoint Germany
is making war on this country.
The president ia known to believe
that the objects he has in mind the
establishment of a league to preserve
future peace has been set far for
ward, by the revolution in Russia.
The murmurings against autocracy in
Germany are also being considered.
Attitude of President. -
No doubt remains in the minds of
most officials that unless there is
some unlooked-for change before con
gress meets the president will open
the extra session with an address
making clear the new position into
which he feels the United States has
been forced by Germany's ruthless
disregard of American rights. He
may discuss universal military training-
-
The indications before the cabinet
assembled were that there would be
no change in the situation before to
morrow, although it wVs 'possible that
discussion at the meeting might
lead the president to act at once.
Administration officials believe the
nation is already virtually ina state
of war with Germany and the only
question undecided is whether there
shall be any immediate , announce
ment of that status through a new
call for congress or otherwise.
". ' ', ft' ..... . " "
. '" . .. -W. ' '
The reasons for the in
creasing popularity of Bee
Want Ads are:
Best Results :
and a
Fair. Rate
As long as they can buy
the result p r o d u c i a g ,
power to be had through
Bee Wnt Ada t
1 Cent Per Word ,j
the advertising public will
refuse to pay the price de
manded by other med
iums. ; '
Call Tyler 1000
You are as close to
The T'oe Want Ad Dept.
es your phone is, to you.