German Submarine Sinks Armed U. S. Ship
EXTRA
TWO CENTS
VOL. XLVI NO 247.
President Asks
Wants Power
Message His
Mr. Wilson Addresses ' Joint
Session of Congress on
the Crisis Existing in
Affairs With Ger-
many.'
SAYS STATE OF WAS EXISTS
Congress Asked to Declare to
World That Overt Act
Has Actually Been
Committed.
I MESSAGE DRAWS THRONG
V ::
Great Crowd in Attendance to
Hear -President Present His .
Recommendations.
RESOLUTION IS PROMPT
Washington, April 2. Tonight
President Wilson asked congress to
, declare a' state of " war existing be-
jwhi the 'United States and Get-
many.
While the news of the submarining
tit the steamer Aztec the first Amer
ican armed ship to sail into the war
zone was being told from mouth to
mouth in the capitol, the president,
appearing before house and senate in
joint session, asked congress to rec
ognize and deal with Germany's war
fare on America.
The president said war with Ger
many would involve practical co-operation
witrTThe governments now at
war with Germany, including liberal
financial credits. He urged the rais
ing of 500,000 men and universal mili
tary service. The president made it
clear that no action was being taken
against the Austrian government and
the other nations allied with Ger
many. . , On Way to Capitol.
The president left the White House
for the capital at 8:11 p. m. He had
been preceded by a troop o( cavalry,
which cleared the capitol plaza of a
great crowd assembled there.
Because of delay in completing the
organization of the house, the ap
pearance of the president before the
joint session was postponed from 8
to 8:30 p. m.
It was arranged late today to have
two troops of - the Second cavalry,
stationed at Fort Myer, escort the
president tonight, when he goes to
the capitol to deliver his war address.
The senate, when it reorganized, re
cessed again till 5 p. m., and then re
cessed tjll 7:45 p. m.
The President's Address.
President Wilson spoke as follows:
"I have called the congress into ex
traordinary session because there are
The Weather
For Nebraska Fair; cooler axtremo west
portion.
Temper-sit are at Omaha yeiterdar
Hour. 1 Deer,
fi a. m.
8 a. m.
36
.. 3
1 a. m.
S a. m..., 58
a. m 41
10 a. m 47
11 a. tn so
12 m 63
1 p. m C4
t p. m 66
S p. m 66
4 p. m 66
5 p. m... 66
S p. m 66
7 p. m 64
8 p. m -62
Comparatlra Local Beeord.
.1917. 11. 111(1114.
'.tltrlieiit yeetordejr .', 66 46 46 51
I.owBt yesterday ..64 34 31 as
Mean t-lmperaturo ... 46 40 40 6
'.'locipltatfon T .00 .00 .03
Temperature and precipitation departure!
from the normal: ,
Vf.-rtnal temperature 46
Hflparture for lh day 0
Tota exreea alnce Maren 1 82
Normal precipitation .07 inch
Oefelenry for the day .07 inch
Total rainfall alnce March 1 1.36 inchca
iH-ficlenry alnce Maroh 1 17 Inch
Deficiency for cor. period. ItlS. .1.17 Incliee
Uxutae for cor. period. lSlt....... ,161ncb
Kepacta rmm Stallone at 1 P. M.
Station and State Temp. High- Rain-
IP
or Weather. Ian, eat fall.
"Cheyenne, cloudy...... 86 S3 .00
davenport, clear...,.. 46 60 .01
Denver, cloudy 40 43 .00
Den Holnca, cloudy.... 60 63 T
Dodge City, parte loudy 63 60 .00
North Platte, cloudy.. 63 69 .00
Omaha, 'cloudy.. 64 ,6 T
i Pueplo, cloudy.......;. 64 - 60 .00
1 Rapid City, part cloudy 44 44 .00
Salt take City, anow, tt 83 .12
Santa Fe. oloudy...... 44 ' 46 ..00
Sheridan, anow. ....... 88 44 . T
Sioux City, cloudy..,.. 60 6ft .00
Valentine, coludy...... 60 60 . 00
Indicate trace of precipitation.
1 A. WJLSH, ateteoroloslil
The
Congress to Say War Exists;
to Raise Army of 500,000;
Answer to German Challenge
Eventful Day In Halls of Congress;
l When President Asks Declaration of War
President Wilson has asked congress to declare that a
state of war exists between the United States and Germany.
He ""urges the United States actively to co-operate with the
allied powers and end the war by the defeat of Germany.
Raising an army of 500,000 men by a form of universal
service is also recommended by the president.
The American steamer Aztec, first armed American
ship to leave a United States port, has been sunk by a torpedo
with a loss of several American lives.
Champ Clark was re-elected speaker of the house as
congress convened in special session.
Senator Lodge knocked down a pacifist as the climax
of a pacifist demonstration at capitol.
Army and navy chiefs say preparations complete for
national defense.
, More guardsmen are called into the federal service,
making total of 60,000 men. All guardsmen who are in gov
ernment employ ordered mustered out.
Recruiting ordered halted temporarily. v
very serious choices of policy to be
made, and made immediately, which
it wa neither right nor constitutional
ly permissible that I should assume
the responsibility ol making. . - -"On
the 3d of February last I offi
ciallv laid before vou the extraordi
nary announcement of the imperial
German government that on and after
the first day of February it .was its
purpose to put aside all restraints of
law or of humanity and use its sub
marines to sink every vessel that
sought to approach either the ports of
ureal Britain ana jrciauu ur wc
western coasts of Europe or any of
the ports controlled by the enemies of
Germany within tile Mediterranean.
Their Earlier Object.
"It has seemed to be the object of
that German submarine warfare
earlier in the war, but since April of
last year tlie imperial government had
somewhat restrained the commanders
of its undersea craft in- conformity
with its promises then given to us
that passenger boats should not be
sunk, and that due warning would be
given to all' other vessels which its
submarines might seen to destroy
when no resistance was offered or es
cape attempted, and care taken that
their crews were given at least a tair
chance to save their lives In their
open boats. The precautions taken
were meager and haphazard enough,
as was proved in distressing instance
after instance in the progress of the
cruel and unmanly business, but a cer
tain degree of restraint was observed.
New Policy Absolutely Ruthless.
"The new policy has swept every
restriction aside. Vessels of every
kind, whatever their flag, their char
acter, their cargo, their destination,
their errand, have been ruthlessly
sent to the bottom without warning
and without thought of help or mercy
for those on board, the vessels of
friendly neutrals along with those of
belligerents.
"Even hospital ships and ships
carrying relief to the sorely bereaved
and stricken people of Belgium,
though the latter wefe provided with
safe conduct through the prescribed
areas by the German government
itself and were distinguished by un
mistakable marks of identity, have
been sunk with the same reckless lack
of compassion or principle.
Origin of Law.
"I was for a little while unable to
believe that such things would in fact
be done by any government that had
hitHerto subscribed tb the -humane
practices of civilized nations. Inter
national law had its origin in the at
tempt to set up some law which
would be respected and nbserved up
on the seas, where no nation had
right of dominion and where lay the
free highways of the world. By
painful stage after stage has that law
been built up with meager enough
results, indeed, aflcr all was accomp
lished that could be accomplished,
but always with a clear view, at least,
of what the heart and conscience of
mankind demanded,
'."This minimum, of right the Ger
man government has - swept aside
under the plea of retaliation and nec
essity and because it had no weapons
which it could use at sea except these,
which it is impossible to employ as
it is employing them without throw
ing to the winds all scruples of hu
manity or of respect for the under
standings that were supposed to
underlie the intercourse of the world
War Against AH Nations.
"I am not now thinking of the loss
of property involved, immense and
serious as that is, but only of the
Omaha Daily
OMAHA, TUESDAY
wanton and wholesale destruction of
the ,-Iives of : noncombatants, men,
women and children, engaged in pur
suits which have always, even in the
darkest periods of modern history,
been deemed innocent and legitimate.
Property can be paid for; the lives of
peaceful and innocent people cannot
be.
"The present German submarine
warfare against commerce is a war
fare against mankind. It is a war
against all nations. '
American Ships Sunk.
"American ships have been sunk,
American, lives taken, in ways which
it has stirred us very deeply to learn
of, but the ships and people of other
neutral and friendly nations have been
sunk and overwhelmed in the waters
in the same way. There has been no
discrimination. The challenge is to
all mankind. Each nation must decide
for itself how it will meet it. The
choice we make for ourselves must
be made with a moderation of counsel
and a temoerateness of judgment be
fitting our character and our motives
as a nation, we must put exenea ieei
inir awav. Our motive will not be re
venge or the victorious assertion of
the physical might of the nation, but
only the vindication of right, of
human- right,. of which we are only a
single champion.
Armed Neutrality Won't Serve.
"When I addressed the congress on
the 26th of February last, I thought
that it would suffice to assert our neu
tral rights with arms, our right to use
the seas against unlawful interference,
our right to keep our people safe
against unlawful violence.' But armed
neutrality, it now appears, is imprac
ticable. "Because submarines are in effect
outlaws when used as the German
submarines have been used against
merchant shipping, it is impossible to
defend ships against their attacks,
as the law of nations has assumed
that merchantmen would defend
themselves against privateers or
cruisers, visible craft giving chase
upon the open sea. , It is common
prudence in such circumstances, grim
necessity, indeed, to endeavor to de
stroy them before they have shown
their own intentions. They must be
dealt with upon sight, if dealt with
at all.
Right Denied by Germans.
"The German government denies
the right of neutrals to use arms at
all within the areas of the sea which
it has proscribed, even in the defense
of rights which no modern publicist
nas ever oetore questioned tneir rignt
to defend. The intimation is conveyed!
that the armed guards which we have
placed on our merchant ships will be
treated as beyond the pale ot law and
subject to be dealt with as pirates
would be. Armed neutrality is ineffec
tual, at best, in such circumstances
and in the face of such pretensions
it is worse than menectual; it is
likely at once to produce what it
was meant to prevent: it is practically
certain to draw us into the war with
out either the rights or the effective
ness of belligerents.
Won't Choose Submission."
"There is one choice we cannot
make, we are incapable of making:
We wjll not choose the path of sub
mission and suffer the most sacred
rights of our nation and our people to
be ignored or violated. The wronzs
against which we now array ourselves
are not common wrongs; they cut to
the very roots of human life.
With a profound sense of the sol
emn1 and even tragical character of
(.Continues an 1'eaa Mine, Catanui Two.)
MORNING, APRIL 3, 1917.
Text of the War Resolution
Washington, April 2. Immediately after the president left the cap
itol thehouse and senate reconvened and an Identical joint resolution was
introduced in both houses, declaring the existence of ststo of war and
directing the president to employ all the resources of the country to carry
on war against the imperial German government and bring the conflict to
a successful conclusion.
Because of the opposition to the measure by Senator Stone, chair
man of the foreign relations committee, the resolution was introduced
in the senate by Senator Martin of Virginia, the democratic floor leader.
Representative Flood, chairman of the foreign affairs committee, intro
duced it in the house.
The resolution follows:
"Joint resolution declaring that a state of war exists between the
imperial German government and the government and the people of the
United States snd making provision to prosecute the same;
"Whereas, the recent acts of the Imperial German government are
acts of war against the government and people of the United States.
"Resolved by the seruite snd house of represenatlves of the United
States of America in congress assembled that a ststa of war between
America and the imperial German government, which has thus been thrust
upon the United States, is hereby formally declared: s
"And that the president be and is hereby authorised and directed to
take immediate stcpr not only to put the country on i thorough state of
defense, but also to exert all of its power and employ all of its resources
to carry on war against the imperial German government and to bring
the conflict to a successful termination."
. The resolution was referred to the foreign affairs committees by both
houses and adjournment until tomorrow followed soon afterward, Both
committees meet tomorrow morning.
REVOLT IN SPAIN
.REPORTED CHECKED
Undated Dispatch from Madrid
Says Government Has Situ- ,
ation Well in Hand.
STRIKE CAUSED BY ' WAR
Madrid (Undated, by Way of the
Spanish Frontier, Via Paris, April 2.)
Strong measures adopted by the
Spanish government have checked a
widespread agitation which assumed
a distinct revolutionary aspect, al
though Premier Romanones, in a
formal statement declares the govern
ment refuses to treat the movement
as revolutionary. .
The troubles of the last weeks were
based on a manifesto signed by twenty-six
heads of labor organizations in
all parts of the country, reciting the
grievances of the workmen, attack
ing the present form of government
and announcing that a general strike
would be inaugurated.
Sixteen of the leaders who signed
the manifesto were arrested charged
with seditious utterances, the labor
exchanges in Madrid and the prov
inces were closed arrd a royal decree
was issued placing the country vir
tually under martial law. A rigid
censorship was also begun.
Troops have been moved to Barce
lona, where a large labor element
exists, but the only serious disorder
reported was at Valadolid, where a
clash between workmen and gend
armes led to the injury .of three of
the guardsmen.
The capital remained calm, but ex
pectant, apparently believing that the
events in Russia might lead to some
thing similar here. It is also as
serted that German influence figured
in stirring up discord, so as to keep
Spain fully occupied with home af
fairs. '
The manifesto which precipitated
the trouble was the outgrowth of the
high prices and scarcity of food and
coal, the suspension of exports of
wine and olive oil because of the
blockade and the general derange
ment of labor and industry as the re
sult of the war.'
Wilson Writes Own Message and
Then Reads Proof From Printer
Washington, April 2, -Reluctant
up to the lasf moment to take the
final step in the long controversy
with Germany, President Wilson
showed as soon as he got up early
this morning that he was ready for
the inevitable task.
Before breakfast his address,
written bv himself on his tvoewriter.
was sent to the public printer in a
sealed envelope. Secretary Tumulty
was called to the White House an
hour earlier than usual, and the pres
ident gave word that' he was ready
to appear before coiiKross lust as
soon as the house .organized.
Kealizing that it would be hours be
fore he could speak' the president
freshened up on the golf links until
noon, tie received frequent bulletins
on the progress of the organization
of the house and expressed pleasure
when told that Speaker Clark had
been re-elected.
Although i was the president's
TWELVE PAGES.
GERMAN FACTION
. IN MEXICO ACTIVE
. V-
Military Party Trying to Force
Carranza to Align Governs
ment, With Kaiser.
KLAUS RECRUITS BRIGADE
Laredo, ' Tex., April 2. Internal
politics, used as a lever in an effort to
regulate Mexico's course in interna
tional affairs, have brought about a
situation of the utmost gravity in that
republic according to travelers just
arrived from the Mexican capital.
These travelers say the constitu
tionalist party, now holding the reins
of government, is divided into a so
called "civil" group and a military
party embracing many of the chiefs
of the army. Tremendous pressure
is being brought to bear on General
Carranza by each party, but the president-elect
so far has not definitely
aligned himself , with the policy of
either, although '.t is known he de
sires tn curb the undue activities of
the military, according to the recent
arrivals.
Military Party Pro-German.
The civil party, these men say, was
strongly opposed to any alliance with
Germany against the United States
and is standing firm for a policy of
neutrality in the event of the entry
ot tne united Mates into the Euro
pean conflict. The military party.
according to these stories, is strongly
pro-German and advocates the entry
of Mexico into hostilities against its
nortnern neighbor, with all that such
entry implies.
The reports brought from Mexico
Uty assert that German influence and
money have been active amgng cer
tain of the military party and that
certain members have in contempla
tion and preparation plans for an
extra active invasion of the border
states after United States has been
goaded into making the first active
hostile. move. It is also asserted that
these plans contemo ate the foment.
ing of a revolutionary movement in
Guautemala and the burninc of the
on wens in me lampico district trom
wnicn tne large part ot the British
naval fuel supply is drawn.
idea at first to wait until 3 o'clock on
the house and to postpone his address
until tomorrow if preparations were
not completed by that time, he
changed his mind as the day wore on
and determined to go to the capitol
whenever the house was ready. Late
in the afternoon Democratic Leader
Kitchin conferred with the White
House by telephone and fixed the
hour at 8 o'clock.
The contents of the message were
more closely guarded than ever be
fore. Not even members of the cab
inet were' shown the text, although
they knew in a general way what the
president planned to say. Mr. Wilson
read the proof on the address himself.
Throughout the day members of
the senate went to the White House
for information, but were given no
details. The president saw no callers,
but during the afternoon he went to
the State, War and Navy building to
see Secretary Daniels and Secretary
Lansing.
Bee
O Trtlee, at Httttt.
Niwi SHeai, III., ee,
Aztec, American Armed Ship bunk;
First Into War Zone With Guns;
Was Torpedoed at Night Off Brest
LODGE KNOCKS DOWN
MAN WHO HIT HIM
Bay State Senator Makes Hot
Betort ' to Pacifist . Who
Calls Him a Coward.
ATTACKED IN THE CAPITOL
Washington, April personal
encounter between Senator Lodge of
Massachusettts and Alexander Bann
wart of Dorchester, Mass?., in which
the senator knocked his opponent
down, occurred today in the corridor
of the capitol.
Bannwart, .with Rev. Paul Harris
Drake of Christ church. Dorchester,
and several otheY men, and women of
pacifist delegations, called Senator
Lodge to the door of his committee
room and asked him to vote against
a declaration of war with Germany.
Senator Lodge replied that if Presi
dent Wilson asked for such a -declaration
he certainly would support it
fhat : cowardice, retorted .one
of the crouo. ; '- -,'..
'"National degeneracy is worse than
cowardice, replied the ia,ssaenuetts
senstor. , ,- p r -
' . "Yotr sxe a coward," '.laid; Bshh
wart . i i
"You are- a liar," retorted Senator
Lodge. t
Bannwart advanced and struck the
senator, who then, despite his sixty'
odd vears. launched a blow that sent
Bannwart sprawling on the hard tiles
of tai corridor.
Bannwart and several of his friends
were taken in charge by the capitol
police. ' -
Spectator Pummels Bannwart
Bannwart told the capitol police
he was not-the aggressor and con
tended that Senator Lodge struck the
first blow. In other respects his
story did not differ greatly from that
told by employes in the senator's
otlice.
After Senator Lodge finished with
the pacifist, David B. Herman of this
city stepped in . and, according to
spectators, pummeled. Bannwart, cut
ting aeverai gashes in his forehead
and spreading blood over his face.
Bannwart was taken to a police sta'
tion, with directions that a charge
of assault on senator Lodge be pre
ferred against him. The others in the
group with him were allowed to go.
Senator Lodge appeared on the
floor when the senate met and ap
parently was no worse for his en
counter. Scores of senators went
over to the Massachusetts senator s
desk and shook his hand.
Senator Lodge declared that the
statement of the attack upon him by
pacinsis issued oy ine pacinsis was an
"absolute falsehood."
Senator Weeks issued a statement
testiying that Senator Lodge was not
the aggressor, but was attacked by
Bannwart and the pacifists party.
Senator Weeks said:
"The unprovoked and disgraceful
assault has a far wider significance
than simply an assault upon an in
dividual. It is well for the country to
take notice that those who claim to
be trying to keep the country out of
war are among the most intolerant
of our citizens and do not hesitate
to attack those who hold different
opinions. Such people should be
watched. I doubt the good faith and
loyalty of men and women who are
so tar lost to the proprieties as these
who committed this offense."
Pacifist headquartetra gave out a
statement about the affair, which in
part was as follows: i
"A group of Massachusetts dcle-
(tonttnued n fare Mine, Calamn Sevan.)
Emperor of Austria,
With Empress, Will
Visit the Kaiser
Amsterdam (Via London), April 2.
A telegram from Vienna says that
Empress Zita of Austria-Hungary,
having expressed the wish to make
the acquaintance as soon as possible
of Empress Augusts Victoria of Ger
many, Emperor Charles and his con
sort will depart tonight for German
headquarters for a short visit to the
German emperor and empress. Inas
much ss the visit will give opporunity
for the German and Austrian rulers
to discuss political matters, Emperor
Charles will be accompanied by his
foreiener minister. Count Czerain.
The German Chancellor Dr. von Beth-
mann-Hollweg is at German hcarl-
nitartrra. .
Early Mail
Edition
SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS.
Steamer Aztec, Owned by the
Oriental Navigation Com
pany, Sent to Bottom by
German Submarine.
NUMBER REPORTED LOST
First U. S. Craft Carrying Gnns
Torpedoed at Night Near
Island Off Brest.
BORE FOODSTUFFS 1 CARGO
New York, April 2. The American
steamer Aztec, owned by the Oriental
Navigation company, the first armed
ship to sail from an American port,
was sunk yesterday by a German sub
marine, according to advices received
here tonight by the company from th
i.nica aiaies consul ac oresi, rrancc.
. The cable message gave no infor
mation as to the fate of the crew.
There were thirty-nine men aboard
the vessel, sixteen of them Americans.
The Aztec sailed from New York
March 18,-for Havre. It was com-:
manded by Captain Walter O'Brien...
Sixteen members of ths crew were
native born Americans. r
The Oriental Navigation company,
owner of the Aztec, also owns the
Orleans, one . of the first American
vessels to run successfully Germany's
submarine blockade. The Aztec car
ried a full cargo of food stuffs snd
general supplies valued at more than
$500,000. , v ... .
Some Art Lost' .
Paris, April , 2. The American
steamer Aztec has been sunk by a
submarine near an island off Brest.
Some of the crew were rescued and
are being brought into Brest. A num
ber of the men are missing and little
hope is held that they can be saved,
as the steamer was torpedoed at
night while a heavy sea was running.
William Graves Sharp, the Amer
ican ambassador, was informed this
afternoon by the French government
of the torpedoing of the Aztec and
immediately cabled the state depart
ment. Representatives of the Amer
ican government will proceed to
Brest to take the depositions of sur
vivors of the disaster. . . ; ,
Patriotism Runs High in
Broken Bow, Soldier Says'
Broken Bow is probably the most
patriotic town in the United States
in the matter of armv recruits in pro
portion to the population, says Cap
tain James F. McKintey, in charge of
army recruiting in this district
He asserts that he knows of no
other place that has furnished so
many new soldiers from such a small
population. With less than 2.000 pop.
ulation Broken Bow has produced
eight army recruits since February
1, three joining in March and five in
February. . :
Army recruits in this district in .
March exceeded all previous records
for a single month. A. total of 291
were enlisted through the Omaha sta
tion and its branches. Saturday night
the total was thought to be about
285, but when it was checked up six
more "rookies" Were -counted up, to
the surprise of recruiters.
By establishing this big new rec
ord the Omaha station has won pro
motions and increased pay for fifteen
of its privates and several corporals
whose names will sooft be announced
The Bee Leads
First in Gains
First in Total
Sunday Advertising
(Warrield Agency Measurement)
APRIL 1, 1917 IN INCHES
Local Display 1767 ft
Foreign Display...-. 629
Automobile 638
Classified 89754
Total..
.8822
SAME SUNDAY LAST YEAR
Local Dlsnlay 1449
Foreign Display 16S '
Automobile 403
Classified 9645s
Legal 4
Total........... ;...2986tt
; GAIN, 836 V4 INCHES
Keep Your Eye on Th Be
V.... s ' i
