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VOL. LVII. XQ. 17,541. PORTLAND, ' OREUOX, FRIDAY FEBRUARY 1 9, 1917- PRICE FIVE ,. CENTS. '
I k ' -
WASHINGTON WAITS
FOR CAUSE OF WAR
No Action to Be Taken
' -
on Technicality.
GERMAN DEFIANCE IS CLEAR
Killing of . American Negro Not
Reported Officially.
WILSON VISITS ADVISERS
Gerard's Detention Causes Some
Uneasiness . Berlin Notified
Bernstorff Will Have Safe Con
duct Xa Snips Seized.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 8. The Amer
ican Government still is without the
official evidence of an overt act by
Germany considered necessary to jus
tify President Wilson in going before
Congress for authority to use neces
sary means to protect American sea
men and people.
There no longer Is any doubt that the
rutniess submarine campaign is in full
swing, in defiance of the warning of
the United States. Everywhere it Is
believed that if no American ship has
been destroyed it is because American
ships are lying: idle in their hurhnn
Instead of prying their usual trade; if
no American life has been lost, it is
due entirely to chance.
California Cum Clear Cat.
It is also generally, conceded that on
the-, basis of preliminary reports, the
torpedoing without warning fit the pas
senger liner California with an Amer
ican on board makes a clear-cut case
f technical violation of the rights of
the United States.
President Wilson, however. Is rep
resented as determined not to plunge
the country into war on a technicality.
When he moves it will be on complete
evidence of an outrage about which
there can be no question. -Then he ex
pects to have the American people and
Congress behind him.
" Unofficial dispatches today told of
tha killing of an Americannegra sailor
named George Washington in the sink
ing of the British steamer Turlno.
.Few details were given and the State
Department tonight had heard nothing
officially. The incident will be con
sidered as soon as reports are received.
President Visits Departments. -
To get in personal touch with all
steps taken to prepare the country for
whatever may come the President left
the White House this afternoon and
made another quick round of the State.
War and Navy Departments, visiting
Secretaries Lansing. Baker and Dan
iels. It was stated that he will con
tinue this practice almost every day to
save time.
When he returned to the White
House It was said officially that in
formation on all the torpedoed vessels
Involving Americans was being gath
ered as rapidly as possible, but that
up to that time there had been no
change in the situation. The President
himself said his visits were not due
to any new development of importance.
Gerard's Situation Causes Uneasiness.
Additional cause for uneasiness was
given the Government in the receipt
of information regarded as confirming
reports that Ambassador Gerard and
American consuls In Germany virtually
are being detained in Germany because
of uncertainty in Berlin over the plans
for' Ambassador von Bernstorff. and as
a. result of reports that German ships
in American harbors had been seized.
It is not understood that there has
been any formal action in this con
nection, the German government mere
by delaying arrangements for the de
parture of Americans.'
Word was received from Great Brit
ain and France, in the course of the
day that safe conduct for German dip
lomats in this country would be ar
ranged. This, as well as the fact that
German ships here have not been
seized,' was communicated to the Ber
lin government and no further diffi
culty is expected.
Mrutral Combination Suggested.
From several neutral nations came
information .that while they would' not
break diplomatic relations with Ger
many they had or would send protests
which would align them against the
new campaign of ruthlessness. Again
there were, some suggestions of a com
bination of neutral nations, either to
prevent trouble between the United
States and Germany or to make clear
neutral rights, but no definite plans
were made public.
In line with his general policy in the
crisis, the President authorized the
statement that, even in case of war,
bank deposits . and other property of
foreigners in the United States would
be. safeguarded and not seized. '
In taking stock of a whole new world
situation precipitated by the . German
pronouncement of February I, official
Washington looks upon the German
action as having forced the severance
of relations and brought this country
to the verge of war. as having left
1.000,000 prisoners for whom this coun
try was caring "in a serious situation,
and as having brought down on Ger
many, the moral indignation of practi
cally all the rest of the world.
Some officials also think that the
last three days have shown the possi
bility that the German threat to Isolate
England may be made good. With
21,000 tons today and 6,600 tons the
(.Concluded on Pftft 4. Column -
OREGON BOYS MAY
START HOME TODAY
TEOOPS.READT ONCE XVHKJf OR'
- DERED TO UNPACK- -
Second Command Then Comes to Pre
pare to Leave as Soon as Trans
portation Is Ayailablo.
CALEXICO, CaL. Feb. 8. (Special.)
After a day of uncertainty and mis
giyings following an order, to unpack
Just as they were preparing to entrain
this morning, the Oregon troops at
camp John H, Beacom are happy again
tonight." ' - - - -
Orders . received late today put them
In motion once more and they , are
scheduled to entrain . "as soon as
transportation' Is'' available," which
probably means In -the morning, as
part of the cars are now here and the
remainder were expected tonight.
When two troops of General Per
shing's cavalry arrived here this morn
ing all was in readlnass for the Oregon
men to leave. - Even. the shoes had been
pulled' from' the hbrises; ' Trains' "were
divided, beds rolled, rifles and, pistols
cased and farewells said. Then a mad
dashing about' of orderlies, a buzz of
staff officers hurrying to and fro and
lastly a scurrying of commanders to
headquarters, whence they . had - been
summoned for" consultation. They
emerged trying .to look unconcerned
and gave the order to unpack.
Captain White, spent the afternoon
studying .the new. books of tactics
which arrived on this morning's mall.
Drill was to be resumed in the morn
ing. Then came a final order from
General Funs ton ordering-the men. to
leave.
Major W. W. Wilson. Actlnsr Adlu-
tant-General , of . the Oregon. National
Guard, received a telegram from, the
Western Department last night saying
that Troop A -and Battery A of the
Oregon National:: Guard . would leave
Calexlco probably Saturday, Febru
ary 10.
CONVICTS TO VOLUNTEER
New York Penal Institutions Will
Offer Regiment.
NEW TORK, Feb. 8. A regiment of
convicts recruited from the 6000 in
mates of this clty'B penal Institutions
will be offered to the Government
should the President issue a call for
a volunteer army.
This plan was announced here ' to
day by Burdette G. Lewis. Commis
sioner or correction.
TEN SHIPS SUNK,
KILLED
AMERICAN
BOMB ROCKS HALL
OF NON-UNION MEN
Negro Fireman Is Vic
tim of Submarine.
ONE SURVIVOR IS UTAH MAN
Great Britain Loses Six More
Merchant Vessels.
2 UNDER NEUTRAL FLAGS
1 SURVIVES RELIEF SHIP
Engineer Confirms Story. All His
Comrades Were Lost.
LONDON. Feb. 8. The chief .ne-lne.r
and sole survivor on the Belgian re
lief steamer Lars Kruse has arrived at
Copenhagen, according to a . Reuter
dispatch from that city.
The dispatch says that the engineer
confirmed the report that the steamer
was sunk without warninir and thai
all hfs comrades perished.
French and Russia lose One Each.
Captain of Steamer Dauntless Is
Seriously Injured and Two
Members of Crew Killed.
LONDON. . Feb. 8. Ten merchant
vessels were listed today by Lloyd's
" navlng been sunk by German suh-
marlnes. One American life was lost.
blx of the deatrovori . .
. - . u . i a w eig
British, and one each nrn.T. tj,,i.
and Swedish. -
The new submarine victims follow:
British Turlno. steamer. 7n to..
three of crew (ana a i i
killed: Holllnslde. steamer. 2682 tons;
BoynecaStle. 245 tons; Saxonlan. tank
steamer: Vedamore. 4122 tons; Daunt
less, two killed, captain wounded.
r rencn Yvonne, trawler.
Russian Bongpuhl, schooner.
Swedish Varing, steamer, 2296 tons.
Norwegian Songelo. sailer. 2063 tons.
American Negro Killed.
An American negro fireman nn
Turlno. George Washington. WAR v m H
according to a report received today
Dy me American Embassy from Queens-town.
One of the survivors Is Cuivtn r
an American citizen of . Fillmore,
Utah.
Washington was one of thro. -,ir-
men who were killed. Acmrrtino- in
the information received "by the Em
bassy, his wife is now in Llvernonl
An effort Is being made by the Em
bassy to find her...
Six Men Picked Up.
Six men 'or'the crew of the British
vessel Dauntless were picked yp after
she. was torpedoed by a German sub
marine, the Havas . Agency announced
at Paris today. Two members of the
crew -were- killed and the captain se
riously wounded.
The crew, of the Holllnslde left the
vessel In boats. The captain has been
landed.- .'.'
EXPLOSIVE TItROAT2f OX ROOF
OF SEATTLE HEADQUARTERS
1
Submarine Reward Fund Started.
PARIS. Feb.- 8 The French Navy
(Concluded on Pass 4. Column 2.
Fifty Longsboremen Are Routed by
; Detonation None . Is - Hurt.
Police Suspect I. W. W.
SEATTLE. Wash., Feb. 8. (Special.)
A bomb, thrown on the roof of the
Waterfront Employers - Association
building. Western avenue and Marlon
street, headquarters for non-union
men, exploded and 'shook the water
front in that vicinity tonight at 7;30
o'clock. It caused a panlo among . 60
longshoremen In" the . building. The
men hurried into -the street in the be
lief that the structure was about to
crumble.
The building was slightly - damaged.
A window In . the rear of the' L. Gloss
tailor shop, 919 Post ttreet. was shat
tered. No one was' injured. " .
Ah examination by Police Sergeant
Gus Hasselblad. who, was standing a
few blocks away, showed - that some
persons, believed by the, police to be
members of the L W. W had thrown
the bomb on top of the building, from
an alleyway.
Sergeant Hasselblad found the - re
mains of the bomb on top of the build
ing. The pieces consisted of cylindrical
objects about 24: inches in diameter.
and at the police station the material
clinging, to the remnants of the bomb
was announced to indicate the explo
sive consisted of. guncotton. The of
ficer saiA that so many people were
hurrying from the vicinity of the ex
plosion that It was impossible to dis
cern who might have thrown the bomb.
BANKS TO BE PROTECTED
Funds . to Be Loaned in Event of
Rush by Allen Depositors.
WASHINGTON. February 8. The
Federal Reserve Board has taken steps
to safeguard any member bank threat
ened by a run by foreign-born de
positors, and will aid any bank in the
country .whose stability is thus threat
ened. . . ".
In the case of member banks, it is
said the board is prepared to discount
virtually the bank's entire holdings of
paper intp currency. ' ' ,
Non-member banks needing aid to
meet such a run, it is understood, may
receive it indirectly through member
banks.
BRITISH AWAITING CONVOY
More Than Score of Steamers Out
side Virginia Capes.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va.. Feb. 8. Brit
ish .steamers carrying munitions of
war are assembling off the Virginia
capes and will be convoyed to England
by a British warship. Sources that gen
erally are reliable said more than a
score of vessels had gathered at the
rendezvous.
British Vice-Consul Kenworthy de
clined either to deny or affirm the report.
E OF GERARD'S
LEAVING NOT FIXED
Berlin Says No Con
cern Is Felt
BLAME FOR "LEAK"
IS PUT ON CHILD
WOMAN SATS SHE LISTENED TO
WORDS OF LITTLE GIRL.
MANY ASKING FOR PASSPORTS
German . Government Has No
Word From Bernstorff. .
ALL COMMUNICATION CUT
Several Americans, Anions Them
' Newspaper Correspondents, Will
Remain for Present Break
Is. Said to Be Regretted.
BERLIN. Feb. 7 (By wireless to
Sayvllle. N. Y.. Feb. 8.) The date cf
the departure of -Ambassador Gerard
has not yet been fixed.
The German authorities are maklnsr
every .endeavor to assure him nd
members of the American Embassy of
au possible facilities ror forwarding
private telegrams. No rir.n
cern Is felt here as in th r.
tur8 or German officials In the United
estates.
Passports Require Time.
This information is contained in
announcement made public today by
iue uverseaa sen A tre-nnv hii. ..
lows:
"The data of th no- -
American Ambassador has not vet h..
fixed. The number of persons for whom
passports must be secured will be
rather large and therefor this n.b
will require some time. Every endeavor
is oeintr made to mnurn th. a ,k- j
and the personnel of the Embassy all
possioia xacnities for private tele
grams.
"While the American nMait
cept. loyally the decision of their Gov
ernment, many of . them regret th
Dreaxmg off of relations with .r
many without provocation. A number
of Americans, among whom are sev
eral newspaper correspondents, have
aeciaed to stay In Germany unttr
further developments.
Berlin Cat Off From Beraiiarf f '
"Concefrnlna: Count vnn RFn...ff.
uojjH.ri.uro irom me united states, up
to the present no official communica
tion has been received for - several
days. All connection wth Am
bassador- is completely severed and
reliance nas to De placed on all sorts
of news comlnsr from the enemv. whtcVi
cannot be examined into as to its
reliability.
"Nevertheless, no serious concern is
'Concluded on Page 2, Column 2.)
FIRST PHOTOGRAPH OF EPOCHAL EVENT IN CONGRESS WHEN PRESIDENT WILSON NOTIFIED THAT BODY OF SEVERANCE OF RELA-
- . v TIONS WITH GERMANY. , .
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PHOTOGRAPH TAKES FEBRIAHV S OK PRESIDENT WILSON ANXOt'NCINO TO 'A' JOINT SKSSION OP CONCRm THAT HE HAD COMPLETELY
. BROKKJV I OrK RELATIONS WITH UKIIM A., V. -. ' . . .
Promised - Sensation Flattens Oat
When Sirs. Viscontt Takes Stand.
Committee Grows Weary. t
WASHINGTON. Feb." S. Another
promised sensation in the "leak" in
quiry flattened out today with the
long-awaited testimony of Mrs. Ruth
Thomason Viscontl. the mysterious In
formant on whose statements Thomas
w. Lawson based some of his most
dramatic charges.
Declining- to say . publicly who told
her that Secretary Tumulty and W. W.
Price, a White House correspondent.
profited by advance Information on the
peace note. Mrs. .Viscontl revealed to
the investigating committee in confl.
dene - that all her Information came
from remarks of Frlce's young: daugh
ter.
Immediately afterward Price took the
stand, reiterated his denial of profiting
by information obtained In confidence
and said he had reason to believe the
rumors' repeated by Mrs. Viscontl start
ed from chance observations by mem
bers of his family that he could have so
profited.
Congressional Interest In the inquiry
had lapsed 'tonight almost to the point
of apathy, and. there - was a definite
feeling in the committee that another
week probably would see its conclusion.
CHINESE KILLED 111
TONG WAR OVER S3
Battle Rages Fiercely
in Streets.
BIG GUNS SENT NEW YORK
All Available Siege Pieces at West
Point to Be Csed at Forts.
WEST POINT. N. T.. Feb. 8. All the
available slx-lncb siege guns at West
Point were shipped to New York today
for use at the forts protecting the city.
NEW TORK. Feb. 8. Rock which
will be used for the foundation of
Government fort at Rockaway Point,
was carted to the site today.
The fort will have a frontage of 6000
feet against the Atlantic Ocean and will
extend back 2000 feet to Jamaica Bay.
GERMAN RADIO IS FOUND
Wireless Plant Discovered Near Rio
Janeiro.
RIO JANEIRO. Feb. 8. At the eubur
ban town of NIctheroy. on the bay, five
mites east oi mo Janeiro, there was
discovered, today a wireless telegraph
station, which was established to com.
munlcate with German ahips which are
being detained in the harbor.
German-Americans Ask Referendum
HONOLULU. T. H.. Feb. 8. Resolu
tions urging that Congress resort to
a National referendum before making
declaration of war against any na.
tion were adopted here last night at a
meeting of the German-American Al
liance.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
54
New Tork
today.
for "leak"
on
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature.
degrees; minimum. 39 deg-reea.
lUUAl't rartly cloudy and occasionally
vuic.icumg i winas mostly soutuerly.
(submarines.
American Government still waltlnc for un-
quesuonaoiy overt act. Pan 1.
Time of Gerard's deoartur from Germany
n v. i. 1 1 nu. x Age I
Ten more vessels sunk: American lcin.
German-American Alliance pledges members
to tig-nt lor united btates. Page 3.
Sweden and Holland decline to break with
Work on United States war craft rushed at
top Bpeeo, .rage j.
Liner Ryndam turned ' back to
by U-boat. Page 4.
Spain declines to break with Germany, but
protests. rage is.
Germany wants to reaffirm treaty regard
ing ngnta oi residents in event of war
Page 4.
irerman editor enarges detention of n -
mans In United States violates treaty of
rorty-one Uvea lost on liner California
Brazil threatens "measures of nntinrtinn1
in note to Germany. Page 2.
Legislature.
House votes to amend workmen's eomnan
satlon act. Page 0.
Ixwer House passes both bills im -
cigarette, x'age e.
Olympla military bill up to vote. Page 7.
Senate passes State Land Board's rural
credit bill. Page T.
Mexico.
Oregon troope may start for - home
Page 1.
National.
Mrs. Viscontl puts blame
little girl. Page X.
Coast business steady: outloek -Drrnntminw
says Federal Reserve Board. Page Is.
Domestic.
Los Angeles rises
Page 2.
Hon. Prank Myers builds solltlcal bnrM
at Washington. Page 5. ,
Sports.
Uncle Sams and Seattle Mete to play la ice
rjn toniguu rage il.
Dennis Wllle arrives ready for Honolulu
trip. Page 14.
Baseball players at liberty to enlist in
event of war. Page 14.
Bronson and Wyard to box Tuesday night.
x-ago in.
Pacific Northwest.
University submits figures to show loss of
income - wniie enrollment increase!
rK a.
Bomb rocks non-union men'
at Seattle. Page 1.
Commercial and Marine.
Wheat trade In Pacific Northwest
standstill. Page 10.
Stoppage of exports of irrain feared by Chi
cago traaer. rage 1.
Port may open west channel at Swan Island.
rase 19.
- Portland and Vicinity.
Navy wants 22.000 men. Page 8.
Progressive Business Men Indorse President
Wilson s move. rage o.
Autotst who ran away and left Morris Per-
kel Injured, is sought. Page 18.
HcCall's divorced wife says husband's mind
was unntngeu by grief. Page .
Dr. Hi n noil accepts call to Kast Side Baptist
t-uurcu. .rage i.
N. K. A. to bring 23,000 visitors. Page 12.
Committee organized' to aid Guardsmen In
quest for Jobs. spage 5.
One Chinese killed in tong war ever a.
Page 1.
Weather report, data and forecast. Page 18.
against Senator Works.
1
headquarters
la at
THREE TONGS ARE INVOLVED
Twenty-Five Shots Exchanged
at Close Range.
HOUSES YIELD WEAPONS
M. Leu, Suey Sing, Slain After
Struggle Witu Allied Forces of.
Hip Sings and Bow Leongs
and Japanese Is Wounded
Sr. Len, a Suey Sing tonguian, was
killed; T. Hokira. 263i Everett street,
a Japanese, was wounded, and an uni
dentified Chinaman is believed to hava
been wounded, in a battle between al
lied Hip Sing and Bow Leong tongmea
on the one hand, and Suey Sing gun.
men on the other, at Fourth and Kv.
erett streets at 10:20 o'colck last night
The trouble Is said to have started
over a debt of $3 which one tong man
owed a member of another tong la
Seattle. Meetings between tong repre
sentatives in all the Coast cities have
tried unsuccessfully to adjust the mat
ter, local Chinese say.
Early this morning G. Lee. of As
toria, was found by the police at 84
Second street with a bullet wound In
his foot. He says that he is not
member of any of the tongs involved
In the battle.
SO Shots Are Exchanged.
Five or six gunmen are said to have
participated, in the battle last night.
and 20 or 23 shots were fired in rapid
succession. The gunmen of the allied
tongs are said to have followed Len
until they caught him on a corner
where no white witnesses were closa
enough to interfere or to bear witness
against the duelists.
Len was shot through the heart ax
the first volley, but he fled towards tho
store of Kwong Yuen Lung Company.
at 89 North Fourth street, half a block:
distant from the scene of the shootings
He fell dead as he reached the door
way.
Close-Range Battle Rages.
Suey Sing tongmen at police head
quarters last night maintained that
none of their clique had returned the
fire, but white men who were at
tracted by the shots say that the rival
tongs fought a veritable battle at al
most point-blank range, across Everett
street.
The latter contention is supported
by the fact that a United States mat
box behind the allied gunmen waa
struck twice. Len was running north,
away from the box and post, and the
shots must have come from the other;
direction.
Japanese Hit by Stray Shot.
Hokira, a Japanese, who arrived In
the city only a few days ago, waa
struck acidentally by a riocheted bul
let from the pavement. The shot hit
his collar-bone, and inflicted but a
slight flesh wound, which was at
tended in the Emergency Hospital.
The other wounded man was traced
by a trail of blood to 63 North Fourth,
street, but was not found by the police.
Chinese say he was shot in the leg.
The police say that others may have
been hurt In the affray, but no reports
of other casualties had been received at
an early hour today.
Police Search Houses.
A squad of police under command of
Detectives Goltz. Koyle. Howell.
Vaughn. Cahlll and Hammersley rushed
to the scene and searched adjacent
tong-houses for weapons. Five pistols
and revolvers were unearthed at S9
Ooncluded on Page
Column 4.)
Yesterday in the Legislature.
THE House sessions today were made
notable by the passage of two anti
cigarette bills, one prohibiting
their sale to youths under 21 years of
age and providing heavy penalties, and '
the other prohibiting their sale and usa
entirely. The former bill was Intend
ed to head off the other, but the plan
failed.
The first consolidation bill went
through the House today it abolishes
one tax commissioner and makes the
Governor. Secretary of State, Treas
urer and one tax expert the Tax Com
missioners.
A series of more-or-less important
amendments to the workmen's com
pensation act are Incorporated in a bill
passed by the House. The amendments
were proposed by the commission itself.
Appropriations aggregating J284,-
831.57 were carried in three ways and
means bills, passed by the House.
The House passed the bill Increasing
the palary of Multnomah County Com
missioners from 11800 a year to $3000.
Altogether the House passed 31 bills,
indefinitely postponed four and killed
one.
The House committee on revision of
laws wrestled with the Kubli anti-picket
bill and probably will report out a
substitute measure tomorrow morning.
It is apparent that the teeth will ba
drawn from the Kubli bill and the
emergency clause removed, but it is
doubtful nqw whether any anti-picket
legislation can be enacted. -
A big delegation of Portland school
teachers appeared before the House ed
ucation committee tonight on the ten-ure-of-offica
bills.
I