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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 7, 1917)
--.... -. - i VOL. LVII NO. 17,5G3. PORTLAND, OREGON, WEDNESDAY. MARCH 7, 1917. PRICE FIVE CENTS. . 1 1 EXTRA SESSION BY JUNE IS FORECAST SPY IN NATIONAL GUARDSENTENCEO GERARD TALKED OF AS WAR SECRETARY TRANSPORT DIXyFOR MANILA, IN DANGER DISTRESS CALL 35 0 MILES OFF CAPE FLATTERY REPORTED. PETITIONS EX-MILLIONAIRE IS P00RH0USE INMATE TO SEN. LANE SEE ALL PROJECTS MILITARY IN FOKJLTIO SENT TO GERMANY INTERCEPTED. JAMES TV. PAIGE, INVENTOR OF TYPESETTER, IS PAUPER. DEMAND HIGHWAY BOARD RESIGN ' 1 i - V - .1 '"I r 4 V Much Work Left for ' Congress to Do. ARMED SHIP ISSUE IS FIRST Adverse Impression Remains to Be Wiped Out. ARMY IN NEED OF FUNDS Progress Made hf Senate Toward Revising Rules Strengthens Prob ability of Call West Point , Slay Bo Closed. WASHINGTON; March. 6. An extra session of Congress not later than June now Is generally conceded among officials here to be assured. Although President Wilson has not plven any definite indication that he has finally abandoned his hope that an extra session might be avoided, there is an almost unanimous senti ment among Senators, Representatives and officials of the executive depart ments that one must be called. They declare that even if the international situation does not demand it Congress must come back to complete its legis lation programme and fill up gaps in the Government's financial scheme caused by failure of some of the more Important appropriation measures. Members Speculate on Date. So certain are many members of Congress on this point that they are (-peculating- only on the probable date of the session. The general expecta tion among them, said to be based on vrord passed out by officials close to the President, Is that the end of May or some time in June will be selected lor convening the new Congress. Progress made by Senators today toward carrying- out the President's recommendation for a rule limiting Senate debate generally was regarded as strengthening- the likelihood of a special session within a few weeks. It Is pointed out that in his statement Sunday night the President conveyed the impression by implication that such a revision of Senate rules would be a 6tep preliminary to bringing- Congress back to finish its programme. Armed Ship Issue Uppermost. After enumerating the important measures which had failed, the state ment continued that "it would not cure the difficulty to call the 65th Congress in extraordinary session" unless the parliamentary barrier to action in the b'enate were removed. Should the Senate limit debate, and the President's legal advisers decide he has no authority to arm ships without Congressional authorization, the armed neutrality bill undoubtedly would take first place among the measures to be pressed by the Administration at an extra session. It might be urged, even if it were held unnecessary for a. legal point, in order to line up Congress behind the President and wipe out the adverse impression which Mr. "Wilson believes has resulted in some quarters Irom the Senate's failure to act in the eession Just Closed. Legislative Programme Pressing. But, aside from the international crisis, the breaking- down of the Ad ministration's legislative programme is regarded by many officials as an im perative reason for an extra session. There will be many flaws in the Gov ernment's financial and defense schemes unless some emergency action is taken, because of failure of the big supply measures, particularly the Army and eeneral deficiency bills. How the War Department can con tinje at all with its preparedness plans is, in fact, a problem for which offi cials generally believe an extra ses sion offers the orfly practicable solu tion. There have been rumors in Con gress that some special arrangement might be made by Treasury officials to avoid calling Congress together by an emergency allotment of funds to the Army establishment under execu tive authority, but o far as officials are concerned, nothing of the sort has taken definite form. Many Departments Suffer. For lack of the 163,000,000 to have been provided in the general deficiency bill departments and bureaus all along tne line will suffer. Here, too, how ever, the War Department will be hardest hit, for it had counted on J38,- 000,000 from the measure, a large part of it to have gone to pay debts in curred in purchasing equipment for the National Guard while it was on border dJty. The Navy's share of the bill was more than $70,000,000, asked for to meet miscellaneous items of expense not covered in the regular naval bilL Another measure that lost out in the race against time at the end of the session was the $1,348,000 Military Academy bill, carrying the regular al lotment for maintaining- the West Point establishment during the com ing fiscal year. Chairman Dent, of the House military committee, declared tonight that unless Congress is called back the Academy will have to close its doors on July 1. Although the War Department will bear the brunt of the financial em barrassment resulting from the failure of the general deficiency bill, nearly every other department will suffer to a lesser extent. The Postoffice Department will have .(Concluded oa Pag 2. Column 3.). Member of Minnesota. Infantry Is Con victed by Court-Martial and f Gets 5-Year Term. MINNEAPOLIS, March 6. Officers of the First Minnesota Infantry returning to Fort Snelllng today from the Mex ican border announced that Paul L. Scharfenberg-. of St. Paul, a private in Company L, First Minnesota Infantry, was sentenced to five years' Imprison ment at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.. Feb ruary 5, by a court-martial of regular Army officers sitting at San Antonio, for furnishing military information to Germany. A letter addressed to relatives In Germany asserting that 10,000.000 Ger mans in this country were ready to rise up against the Government in the event of war with Germany was inter cepted by British authorities and turned over to Washington officials, according to statements by the of ficers. Scharfenberg is a native of Ger many. Colonel Erie D. Luce, commanding the regiment, and Captain P. L. McClay, regimental adjutant. In confirming the story of Scharfenberg's activities, de clared, that he had predicted in his let ter that President Wilson "soon would be put out of the way" and had stated that "the 100,000 troops on the border would not stand up if put against an efficient force." ANNA GOULD'S SON CITED Young do Castellano Courageous Under Tire in France. PARIS, March 6. Georges de Castel lane. the second son of Count Bonl de Castellane, has been cited in army or ders. His mother was formerly Anna Gould," of New York, now Duchess of Talleyrand and of Sagan. The citation follows: "Georges de Castellane, of the French Dragoons, has given entire satisfaction in his mission as chief of dispatch bearers in a district often bombarded. He has given proof of courage and coolness and went voluntarily to the aid of the wounded under a violent bombardment." BILLION IN CASH IS READY America Financially Prepared in Event of War. SAN FRANCISCO, March 6. Herbert Fleishhacker, president of the Anglo London & Paris National Bank, who returned here today after attending a meeting of the advisory council of the Federal Reserve Board in Wash ington, D. C, said the banks of the United States could take up a 11,000, 000,000 Government bond issue with Just a few days' notice in the event of war. He said the country was well pre pared from a financial standpoint. MOVIE INSPIRES HOLDUP Jobless Man and Wife See Film Rob bery and Do Likewise. KANSAS CITT, March . When Clarence Curtis lost his "job" a few months ago, he and Mrs. Curtis went to a movinf picture show, where they saw a film depicting a holdup. The result, police say, Mrs. Curtis confessed here today, was that she and her husband engaged In a three weeks' career of similar robberies. She and her husband are under arrest on a charge of having held up a taxicab driver last night. 2377 DIE OF PNEUMONIA New York Swept for Nine Weeks by Epidemic in Virulent Form. NEW YORK. March 6. What Is de scribed by the Department of Health a'B a peculiarly virulent form of pneu monia, has caused 2377 deaths in this city in the last nine weeks, or 534 more than during the corresponding period a year ago, it was announced tonight. The department says there is little indication that the infection is abating and repeats its warning against alcohol as one of the most powerful allies of the pneumonia germ. VETERANS TO BACK WILSON First Regiment ex-Members Will Take Action Tonight. .General Charles F. Beebe, president. last night called a special meeting of the First Regiment, Infantry, Oregon National Guard Veterans' Association, for tonight at 8 o'clock in the Board of Officers' room at the Armory. The association proposes to take ac tion indorsing President Wilson and condemning the proceedings In the Senate whereby his support by Con gress was prevented. General Beebe has asked for a full attendance tonight. BIDS FOR AIRSHIPS OPENED Prices for Harbor Patrol Craft Vary From $71,500 to $47,000. WASHINGTON, March 6. Bids for eight or more non-rigid dirigible air ships for coast and harbor patrol work, opened today by the Navy, disclosed of fers from five companies with prices for one airship ranging from 71.500 to (47,000, and deliveries in 120 days. Five million dollars has been ap propriated and the number. of airships .will be determined, later, Friends Think Baker May Resign. MOVE IS APPROVED IN PARIS Americans Abroad Strong in Support of Ambassador. SHIP CHANGES ITS COURSE Infanta Isabel Warned by Schoon er of Peril From Commerce Raider Captain Acts" but Minimizes Danger. BT CARL ACKERMAN. fStaff correspondent of the New Tork Tribune. Copyright. 1017. by the Tribune Association. Published by arrangement.) ABOARD STEAMSHIP INFANTA ISABEL, March 4, via Cape Race, N. F.. March 6. (Special.) In the event of war between the United States and Germany, ex-Ambassador James W. Ger ard's friends are prepared to work for his appointment as Secretary of War in President Wilson's Cabinet. They believe that Secretary Baker will keep his promise and resign if war comes and they consider Mr. Gerard well equipped as an adviser to the President in Baker's post. Project Broached In Paris. At the time of the ex-Ambassador's stay In Paris, it was suggested by many American fesidents there that he suc ceed Secretary Baker in the event of war. While Mr. Gerard declines to dis cuss these plans further than to say he depends on his conference with President Wilson to determine his fu ture status as a public official, it is known that he would accept the post of Secretary of War should the incum bent resign and the President offer him the appointment. When the possibility of Mr. Gerard's appointment was discussed in limited American circles in Paris, aa well as among the French people and officials. it met with, instant approval. There are several reasons for the former Am bassador's popularity in France. In the first place, his Independence in dealing with the German authorities has aroused intense admiration, and In the second place his championship of ener getic measures by the American Gov ernment to prepare for war against Germany has won him a lasting place in the hearts of American residents in Europe. Emphasis Pot on Facts. It Is pointed out by his friends that ever since the break in diplomatic re lations between the United States and Germany all of Mr. Gerard's dispatches to Washington have emphasized the following facts: That Germany expects war with the United States and is ready for it. That the United States must prepare Immediately with all "her energy to (Concluded on Pago 3, Column T.) I terested. ha1 been freed. (Concluded on Page 4. Column 8.) - : j Coast Guard Cutter Snohomish Is on Way to Rescue After Steer ing Gear Is Damaged. TACOMA, Wash., March 6. Telephone advices to the Ledger from Port An geles report the United States transport Dix, which left Seattle Saturday for Manila, in distress, 350 miles southwest of Cape Flattery, and in need of assist ance. The United Stat Coast Guard cutter Snohomish was made ready with all possible speed and left Port Angeles at 10:40 tonight to go to the assistance of the Dlx. The message from the Dlx contained no details as to the nature of the mishap. The Dlx sailed from Seattle Saturday afternoon with 600 horses and & cargo of supplies for the United States Quar termaster's department in the Hawaiian and Philippine Islands. SEATTLE, Wash.. March 6. Al though the United States Quartermas ter's Department here Is not permitted to give out any Information regarding Government vessels, it is understood that the United States transport Dix, which left Seattle Saturday for Manila, experienced an accident to her steering gear and that she is returning under her own steam to Seattle. She is ex pected to arrive here tomorrow night or Thursday morning. The cargo of the Dix consists of forage and 600 head, of horses. She carries a crew of 150. WIVES CAPTURE LUNCHEON Women Invade La Grande Confer ence, Singing Popular Melodies. LA GRANDE. Or..' March 6. (Spe cial.) Seventy-five women, wives of leading business and professional men, who every Tuesday dine in some local grill or hotel to discuss matters of current interest, swarmed in upon the dining-room of the Foley Hotel today noon and took charge of most of the programme. Catchy songs and parodies were sung by the women when the dumfounded men marched into the hotel, and har poons and good-natured jibes were flung mercilessly at the men. The coup had been carefully planned and was faultlessly executed. STORM SWEEPS NEBRASKA Snow Reaches Depth of Three Feet and Trains 'Are Abandoned. OMAHA, March 6. A blizzard Is pre vailing tonight over Northwestern. Western and Central Nebraska, accord ing to reports received here. Snow has reached a depth of three feet on the Alliance division of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. West of Halgler, Neb., to Akron. Colo., a blinding storm has caused abandon ment of train service. It is reported. The storm began Tuesday morning and is traveling south and east. Belgian Woman Set Free. MADRID, via Paris, March 6. The newspapers here announce that King Alfonso has received a dispatch from Emperor William saying that Mile. Douterl!nt, a Belgian woman, who had been condemned to death and in whose case King Alfonso was partipularly in terested, hal been freed. Residents Rush to Get Their Names Down. NEWSPAPERS ASKED TO ASSIST Recall Not Applicable, so. Plan of Redemption Proposed. MOVEMENT IS STATEWIDE Local German Paper Lauds Filibus tering .12 as "True-Blue Ameri cans Against One-Man Power." Unpatriotic Move Indorsed. FRIENDS OP" SENATOR C11I M1S ASK FOR. EXPLA NATION. The following message was tel egraphed last night to Senator Albert B. Cummins, of Iowa, one of the. 12 filibustering Senators who defeated the armed neutral- 4 ity bill, by George C. Howard, a J lonner ju wan, wno was manager of Senator Cummins' campaign here last May, when he was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States: "Your many friends In Oregon have been awaiting some state ment of your position which will relieve them from their distress and embarrassment. In attempt ing to explain it we are presum ing that you consider that the best Interests of the country de mand a special session of Con gress. There must be some good explanation. May we not hope soon to have it? (Signed) "GEORGE C. HOWARD." Other members of the Commlns campaign committee with whom ' Mr. Howard discussed the tele gram Indorsed it heartily. In deed, the only objection made against It was that it was not strong enough. ' If Senator H' rry Lane does not re sign, it will not ie for want of prompt ing. Because of the doubtful legality of such action It seems unlikely that an effort will bo made to recall him. The Federal Constitution prescribes the length of the terms of the United States Senators, and it is the general opinion of lawyers that the state recall laws therefore do not apply. But Senator Lane is being plenti fully reminded that he can meet the situation to the satisfaction of his con stituents in Oregon oy resigning. Many Der-ice of Illinois Indigent Classed In Encyclopedia as "Most Be . markable Mechanism." CHICAGO, March 6 James W. Paige. Inventor of "one of the most remark able pieces of mechanism ever put to gether." Is in the poorhouse at Oak Forest. 111. Twenty-five years ago he was owner of the Paige compositor plant here. for. the making of typeset ting machines Upward of $2,000,000 was Invested In the plant. Paige was reputed to be worth $1,500,000 at the time. Mark Twain was one of the in vestors. In the panic of 1893 Mr. Paige lost his money. His great invention, al though a mechanical marvel, proved Impractical in the state to which it had been brought, and needed further development, which never came. Mark Twain, who lost a large sum by the smash, went on a lecture tour around the world to pay his debts. Mr. Paige "disappeared." Paige's name was written Into the Encyclopedia Britannica. and of his work It said: "One of the most remarkable pieces of mechanism ever put together." PARDON IS SLAVERS' HOPE Rehearing of Diggs-Camlnettl Case Denied by Supreme Court. WASHINGTON, March 6. The Su preme Court today refused to reopen or reconsider its recent decision in the Diggs-Caminetti white slave cases and denied the application of F. Drew Cam inetti, of Sacramento, for rehearing of Its decree affirming his conviction. SAN FRANCISCO, March 6. Prest dent Wilson will be asked to pardon F. Drew Caminettl. son of Anthony CamlnettI, Commissioner-General of Im migration, and Maury L Dlggs. whose appeals for a rehearing were denied to day by the United States ' Supreme Court. Commissions Await Many. DOUGLAS, Ariz., March 6. A War Department telegram addressed to reg ular Army officers stationed in this district, received today, directed every regiment to designate at once at least 60 enlisted men for commissions In a temporary military force o be organ ized. INDEX "OF TODAY'S NEWS The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature. 49 degrees; minimum, 3tt degrees. TODAY'S Probably occasional rain; south easterly winds. Submarines. . Fifty-three neutral vessels held back since German threat. Page 4. General warning to neutrals Is sufficient, says Austria. Page 6. President still looking Into law on arming oi snips. rage . Break with Austria deferred. Page 6. Foreign. Japan would aid in developing China. Page 15. XatlonaL Extra session by June forecast. Page 1. Gerard talked of for Secretary of War. Page 1. Rule to prevent Senate filibusters prepared by bi-party committee. Page 2. Speeding up Navy is difficult task. Page 2. Hi-partisan organization of House possible. Page 2. President "mad" over attitude of holdout bona tors. Page 3. Southern Pacific can retain Its Panama Canal steamship lines. Page 3. Senate would not be bound by vote recalling Lane. Page 4. Domestic Ex-millionaire inventor la In poorhouse. Page 1. Spy in National Guard sentenced to five years in prison. Page 1. Price of canned fruits soars when public quits costly vegetables. Page 8. Sport. Irve Higgtnbothaxn writes to McCredle for Job. Page 14. Northwest amateur Ice hockey tournament to start tonight. Page 14. Caropl-Johnson bout is draw. Page 14. Pacific Northwest. Highway Board to view all proposed im provement projects. Page 1. Transport Dix. n route to Manila, is In dis tress. Page 1. Selection of Jury for Gill trial almost com pleted. Page 3. The Dalles Council and Chamber of Com merce condemn Senator Lane. Page 4. House at Olympla cuts down fund for school a Page 7. Commercial and Marine. Grain trade proposes change In grading of smutty wheat. Page 19. Chicago wheat higher on large export ship ments. Page 11. Marine stocks strong feature of 'Wall street market. Page liK Andersen & Co. charters steamer at 45 shillings. Page Id. Portland and. Vicinity. E. A. Clark declares Portland must make more active bid for trade. Page IX. Oregon Guard gets ready for call to arms. Page 20. Interstate bridge finished with (30.000 sur plus. Page 11 Motorcycle, instead of speeding rider. Jailed. Page 9. Rotary Club denounces Senator Lane. Page 9. Good roads essay contest arouses Interest. Page 13. Jay Stevens to take Fire Marahalohtp of state temporarily. Page 13. Citizens of Oregon call on Lane to re sign. Page 1. Farmers heartily support plan for state markets. Page 15. Girls of Honor Guard learn lessons In mo toring. Page 7. Assailants of insurance code are converted. Pate 8. Judge Gatens sees trust operation In ad mitted agreement by potato Jobbers. . Page 7. Society marvels at wonderful $12,000 robe worn by Tamakl Mltura at opera. Page 6. Phil Gevurts held on own testimony for in vestigation oi alleged fraud. Page 6. Japanese diva is fascinating as "Iris. Page 5. Crusade on unlicensed dogs begins. Page 8. O. Laurgaard candidate for City Commis sioners nip. page 10. Better living committee offers menu for day. Page 12. Oregon Equal Suffrage Alliance pledges loyalty to rresiaent. Page 13. Torpedo-boat Goldsborough hits steamer Un dine in aocKir.g. Page l5. Weather report, data and forecast Page 19, State Partitioned for Commissioners. ALL PLEAS TO BE CONSIDERED Greatest Good for Greatest Number to Govern. E. J. CANTINE IS DROPPED No Haste to Be Made In Appointment of Engineer, as Highest Qualifi cations Will Be Required. Good Feeling: Desired. SALEM, Or., March 6. (Special.) The policy of the new State Highway Commission will be to set close to the hearts of the people. This was definitely decided upon at a meeting of the Commission today, when all three members S. Benson, Portland; W. L. Thomason, Pendleton, and E. J. Adams, Eugene met official ly for the first time, named Mr. Ben son chairman, and in a session of sev eral hours went over the situation gen erally. The policy of .he Commission toward the public as adopted by an action today was probably the most important move of the meeting. Personal Inspection Proposed. "The closer we can get to the people, the happier and better satlsf! d they will be," asserted Commissioner Adams, in outlining a programme for dealing with the public He suggested that whenever any section of the state de sires help on highway work, or an al lotment of highway funds, the Com mission itself should visit the section, examine the project, hold a hearing, and go Into the proposals at length with those interested. He suggested that the Commission ers should meet then and pass upon the proposals as to their relative im portance, and outline a definite plan of work, based upon the amount of money available for expenditure and upon the amount of work to be done, as well as upon the relative importance of such work. Modified Plan Adopted. After much discussion, in which it was asserted that it would be prac tically a physical impossibility for all members -of the commission to visit all sections where allotments of the highway fund were requested, a sec ond plan was hit upon by Commis sioner Thompson, and was adopted. The plan as adopted is to divide the state into districts, each commissioner being delegated to the work of a dis trict. Petitions for allotments of funds, or for assistance on road work, will be sent lntothe highway depart ment offices at Salem and the secre tary of the. board is to notify each Commissioner as to the requests from his particular section. The Commis sioner will arrange for a meeting with the people of the district affected, examine the project, hold a hearing and otherwise secure all the informa tion and data available. Baals of Preference- Outlined. The board as a whole will then ex amine the respective merits of the proj ects, classify them as to their Im portance, their relation to market town possibilities, population and other es sential features and the work will ba given preference upon such a basis. It was tentatively decided that no individual allotments would be made until all of the applications had been passed upon. This will assure an equitable division of the highway fund, distributed in as many sections of the state as it is possible for it to reach, upon a basis of serving the greatest number of people possible and upon a basis of doing the greatest amount of good with all the money that Is avail able for road work. Good to Greatest Number Aim. AH Commissioners agreed that the nearer to the public the Commission may get the more satisfactory will be the work, the better the results, and the less friction and disturbance rel ative to the distribution of the funds available. "It Is essential that In reaching out to the people we come to an under standing that it will -be the hope of the Commission to give the greatest service along the lines of the greater population," declared Chairman Ben son. "I am satisfied that If we may meet with the people In the manner proposed and take them into our con fidence as to Just what we can do, what obstacles we have to surmount. and show them that in some Instances patience is the greatest requisite in procuring state assistance in road con struction, we will be able to accomplish excellent results in a satisfactory man ner." Engineer Not Chosen. The Commission today reached no decision as to the selection of a high way engineer. It was pointed, out by the Commissioners that there have been a great many applications, both from within and without the state, and no hasty, action will be taken. Five of the present employes were dispensed with, including E. J. Cantine, formerly State Highway Engineer. Decision was reached to hold all reg ular monthly meetings at Salem on the iCuucluded oa iuge , Column r. 1 t