Morning Oregonian., March 17, 1917, Image 1

3 :
VOL, LVII 0. 17,572.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1917.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
GUHFERENGE SITS
Oil STRIKE ISSUE
Hew York Session Lasts
Until Early Hour,
CABINET MEMBERS ATTEND
Meetings Are to Be Resumed
Today Between Mediators,
Men and Managers.
RESULTS NOT ANNOUNCED
President Makes Effort i to
Avert Trouble and Asks
for Reconsideration.
TEXT OP PRESIDENT. WIL
SON'S APPEAL TO AVERT
STRIKE.
WASHINGTON. March" 16.
President Wilson today -sent the
following: appeal to the railroad
managers and officers of the
brotherhoods:
- "I deem It m- duty and right to
appeal to you In this time of Na
tional peril to open again ' the
questions at Issue between the
railroads and their operatives
with a view to accommodation or
settlement.
"With my approval, a commit
tee of the Council of National De
fense is about to seek a confer
ence with you with that end in
view..
"A general interruption of the
railway traffic of the country at
this: time would entail a danger
to the Nation against w: icb. I
have the right to enter my most
solemn and earnest protest.
"It is now the,duty -of every
patriotic man to bring matters
of this sort to immediate accom
modation. - The safety of the
country ' against manifest perils
affecting Its own peace and the
peace of the whole world makes a
convention absolutely Imperative
and seems to me to render any
other' choice or action Inconceiv
able." STEW YORK. March 17. The confer
ence . broke up at. 3:34 and the con
ferees dispersed for 'the night. Eltsha
Lee, chairman of the committee of rail-
roaa managers, aeeiinea to make any
statement, and none of the railroad
men or the mediators would say wheth
er any progress bad been made toward
a settlement.
Secretary Wilson announced that con
ferences with the . brotherhood repre
sentatives would be resumed at 0:30 A.
SI. and with the railroad managers at
11 o'clock.
NEW YORK, March 16-Three of
the four members of the. National
Council of Defense, appointed with
the sanction of President Wilson to
act as mediators in the hope of avert
ing the . ' Nation-wide . "progressive"
......... w 1 11 CLl M
o'clock tomorrow night, went into con
ference at 10:30 o'clock tonight with
the chiefs of the four railroad broth
erhoods.
Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the
Interior, arrived in the city, at "9:30
o'clock, and Secretary of Labor Wil
son nearly an hour later. Daniel
Williard, president of the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad, had preceded them
No one knew at what hour Samuel
' Gompers, president . of the American
Federation of Labor, the fourth medi
ator, would arrive.
It was the purpose of the Defense
Council's committee to carry their dis
cussion with the representatives of
the men as far as possible and then
call in the members of the National
conference committee of railroad
managers.
NEW YORK, March 17, Secretary
Lane sent word from the conference
room at 2:20 o'clock that the brother
hood men had left," but that the
mediators were still in conference
with the managers. v
He said no further statement would
be made tonight. .:
The' brotherhood chiefs left the ho
tel at which the conference was held
through a rear exit a half hour be
fore Mr. Lane made his announce
ment. . It was said, however,, at the
hotel which they have made their
headquarters that they had not ar
rived there at 2:30 o'clock.
WASHINGTON, March 16. Presi
dent Wilson today called on the rail
road managers and chiefs of the em-
Concluded ea Page 4. Column 3.)
PORTLANDERS AT
FRONT IN WAR
GEORGE KYLE AX'D JOHN FI.ATT
WITH AMBCTiAJfCE IX FRAN CE.
Youths Are Members of Party of
Students of - Iceland Stanford
'.University In California.
PARIS. Marcti IS. Section XIV of
the American Field Ambulance, com
posed of students of Leland Stanford
University, left today for ' the French
fighting front. The section- is In com
mand of A. R. Muhr, of Philadelphia.
Others of the section include George M.
Kyle and John C. Piatt, both of Port
land, Or.
George Marion Kyle Is a son of Mr.
and Mrs. George A. Kyle, 543 East Thir
ty-seventh street. He Is .a .Junior at
Leland Stanford University.
John C Piatt Is a son of Mrs. Charles
B. Harris, 485 Ainsworth avenue, and
a freshman at Stanford. He is a for
mer student' of Jefferson High School
and of the T. M. C A. school here. -
The two boys Joined the American
Ambulance Corps last" November and
left for France from New York Feb
ruary 2, of this year. '
STREET NAMES TO CHANGE
Yamhill Will Be Market and Market
Auditorium Under Plan.
The City Council -yesterday tenta
tively agreed to change the name of
Yamhill street to- Market street and
the name of Market street to Audito
rium avenue. City Attorney LaRoche
was asked to prepare the necessary
ordinances. The change as proposed
would affect only the West Side
streets.
The changes were urged by a num
ber of property owners " on Yamhill
street, , who contended that Yamhill
street should be called Market street
because of the Public Market, and
Market , street should be changed to
Auditorium avenue because of the au
ditorium. The market now ia on Yam
hill street and the Auditorium on Mar
ket street.
FINNISH LINES BLOWN UP
Troops Refuse to Obey Orders to
- Proceed to Petrograd.
LONDON, March 16. An Exchange
Telegraph dispatch from Stockholm
quotes the Aftenbladet as saying that
the Finnish ..railway- lines have been
blown' up at several points and that
train service -between Haparanda,
Sweden, 'and Tornea, on the Finnish
side of the border, has been suspended
for mors than a fortnight. Huge quan
tities of goods are stored at the for
mer place.
Finnish troops refused to obey orders
from the late government to proceed
to Petrograd, and a large number ofl
them are supporting the new govern'
ment.
RELIEF SHIPS REASSURED
Germans Say Northern Route "Will
Positively Be Safe.
i . .
' NEW YORK, March 16. Tho Commis
sion for Relief in Belgium is in receipt
of cables saying :ie German authorities
are now able to communicate with all
submarine commanders and that as from
the 15th Inst, the Commission's ship
ping wll be positively safeguarded if
following the northern route.
Six of the Commission's ' steamers.
which have been held .at Rotterdam
pending completion of the necessary
preliminaries, sailed for the United
-.ates at midnight with German safe
conduct passes contemning absolute
guarantees against subnarine attacks.
AIRMEN ATTACK ENGLAND
Raid Under Way at Midnight In
Southeastern Counties.
LONDON, March 17. An air raid on
the southeastern counties of England
took place last night and still was In
progress early this morning, according
to an official communication issued
12:30 o'clock. Bombs were dropped in
Kent. "
The War Office announces that at
5:30 yesterday a hostile airplane
dropped bombs on West Gate. There
were no casualties and the material
damage was reported as slight. West
Gate is' about 80 miles from London.
CABINET TO BE -REBUILT
Combined: French Departments to Be
Restored to Former . Status.
PARIS. March 16. The French" Cab
Inet will be . reconstructed. Premier
Briand, it is understood, in addition
to replacing General Lyautey, the ex
Minister of War. will have the depart
ments which had been combined under
one minister restored to their former
status.
It ls expected that the Premier will
be able to submit the names of the
new ministers to President Poincare
tomorrow. .
SPY PAYS EXECUTIONERS
Villa Follower Faces Firing Squad
After Distributing His Money.
DOUGLAS. Ariz., March 16. Felipe
Gomez, aged 20, was executed by a fir
ing squad in.Agua Prieta . Wednesday
following conviction, as a Villa spy,
according to word received here today.
Gomez refused to allow his eyes to
be bandaged. He distributed all his
money among the firing squad, then
gave the-algnal for the. fatal volley.
HANDWRITING IS
SEEN 111 GERMANY
Chancellor's Speech
Believed Inspired. '
RUSSIAN PARALLEL IS NOTED
Democratization Said to Be
Demanded by People.
REVOLUTION IS DISCLOSED
Dr. von Bethmann-HolTweg Said to
1 Save Known of Events ln Pe
trograd "at Time He Ad
dressed Prussian Diet. '
9
LONDON, March . 16. Router's Am
sterdam correspondent telegraphs that
an article in the Frankfurter Zeltung
appears to confirm to some degree the
impression that the sudden appearance
of Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg
in the Prussian Diet on Wednesday
and his speech . advocating the de
mocratization of. Germany were caused
by Ms knowledge of events in Petro
grad. The Zeltung draws a parallel be
tween the Chancellor's acts and the
revolution in Petrograd, pointing out
that at the same time the executive
committee of the Duma seized the reins
of power DrJ von Bethmann-Hollweg
delivered the speech, which it says, also
disclosed a revolution, though of quite
different kind and employing different
means. .
Democratic Empire Predicted.
The newspaper asserts a democratic
German empire comes because it must
not because the Chancellor avows him
self in its favor, but because his words
express the will of an overwhelming
majority of the people.
AMSTERDAM, via London. March 16.
The. Rheinische Westfalische Zeltung
publishes the following -excerpt from
the speech of Deputy Hoffmann, in the
Prussian Diet, which brought about his
expulsion frpm. the chamber:
"We shall refuse to vote for the
budget. Chancellor von Bethmann-Holl
weg is merely, the fig leaf of abso
lutism. . Militarism bears the responsi
bility for the bloodshed in Europe and
only when militarism and despotism
are removed . will the people breathe
freely.
WiniiiK to Ruler Is Gives.
The revolution in Russia should be
a warning to our rulers. The German
submarine warfare is opposed to the
laws, of, humanity and international
law."
This assertion provoked commotion
in the Diet and when the House voted
not to hear him the Socialist Deputy
left the tribune shouting excitedly.
The German submarine campaign and
(Concluded on Page 2. Column 2.)
........... ...... ...... ............. ... ....................................... .
CZARINA IS BLAMED
FOR LONG CRISIS
FREXCH EDITOR SAYS THRONE
WAS LOST BY WOMAN'.
Nicholas' Reign Would Have Been
Excellent but for Dominating
... Influence of Wife.
PARIS,. March 16. Unanimity char
acterises . the . Russian revolution, de
clares the Temps in an editorial, which
says: .
"The long crisis waa due principally
to the characters of the imperial cou
ple. It is well known, that Emperor
Nicholas would have been an.. excellent
one but that he was unfortunately
under different Influences, of which
the strongest was that of the Empress.
He voluntarily deprived himself of the
aid of the most eminent men. '
"He did not wish to be dominated.
but he was dominated by the Empress,
who had preferences ' and 'antipathies
that can be explained only by her bad
state of health. Nicholas, habitnalty
acceded to her inspirations. It is not
strange that he has just acceded a last
time, preferring to abdicate rather than
to renounce autocracy as he under'
stood it." "
GERMAN TO OFFER ALIBI
Alfred Fritzen Remanded to Tombs
After Plea of Not Guilty.
NEW YORK, . March 16. An alibi
will be the defense of Alfred A. Frit
zen, an ex-German navy captain, he
said when arraigned in Federal Court
here today to answer to the' indictment
charging him with engaging; in a con
spiracy with Captain Fritz von Papen,
ex-German military attache at . Wash
lngton. and others, to destroy the Wei
land Canal.
. Fritzen pleaded . not guilty, and in
default of $10,000 bail was remanded
to the Tombs. He said he was not in
Niagara Falls on the day he is alleged
by the Government agents to have been
there with dynamite in his charge.
MAIL SERVICE . IS UPSET
Council Bluffs Protests "Reorgani
zation" by Burleson.
COUNCIL BLUFFS. la.. March 16.
Protest against "demoralization of the
railway mail service caused by the
Postmaster - General's reorganization
scheme" has, been telegraphed to Presl
dent Wilson, the Postmaster-General.
Senators and Representatives by the
Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce.
It is said that the trains no longer
carry a sufficient number of clerk to
handle the mail and frequently it is
returned to the Btarting point.
HOTELS READY FOR SIEGE
Preparations Made to Maintain Good
Supply In Sew York.
NEW TORK, March 16. Hotel pro
prietors in this city began maklnz prep
arations today to keep their commis
saries supplied in case of a general
railroad strike.
The tentative plans outlined Included
the. establishment of a motor transport
system to co-operate with interurban
electric lines and railroads that main
tain a limited movement of food trains.
PERILOUS TIMES ON LAND AND
RUSSIAN CABINET
PROMISES LIBERTY
General Amnesties to
Be. Put First. v
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE GIVEN
Social, Religious and National
Bars Taken Down.
PRESS GETS ITS FREEDOM
Restrictions on Speech Removed
and Sweeping Reforms In Police
Administration Pledged by
Provisional Committee.
LONXK5N, March 16. The provisional
government in Russia has lsaue'd the
following appeal to the people, accord'
Ing.to Reuter's Petrograd. correspond
ent:
"Citizens: The executive committee
of the Duma, with the aid and support
of the garrison of the capital and its
Inhabitants, has succeeded in triumph
ing over the obnoxious forces of the
old regime in such a manner that we
are able to proceed to a more stable
organization of the executive power,
with men whose past political activity
assures them the country's confidence.
Cabinet' Policy Oat lined.
. "The new Cabinet will base its policy
on the following principles.
"First, an immediate general am
nesty for all political and religious of
fenses. Including terrorist acts and
military and agrarian offenses.
"Second, liberty of speech and Of the
press; freedom for alliances, unions and
strikes, with the extension of these lib'
ertles to military officials within the
limits admitted by military require
ments. .
"Third, abolition of all social, reli
gious and National restrictions, t
"Fourth, to proceed forthwith to- the
preparation and convocation of a con
stitutlonal assembly, based on unlver
sal suffrage, which will establish a
governmental regime. ' . -.-
"Fifth, the substitution of the police
by a National militia, with chiefs to be
elected and responsible to the govern
ment. '
"Sixth, communal elections to be
based on universal suffrage. .
"Seventh, the troops which' partlci
pated in the revolutionary movement
will not be disarmed, but will remain
in Petrograd. .
Soldiers' Rights Extended.
- "Eighth, while maintaining strict
military discipline for troops on active
service, it Is desirable to abrogate for
soldiers all restrictions in the enjoy
ment of social rights accorded other
citizens.
"The provisional government desires
to add that it has no Intention to profit
by tne circumstances of the war to de
lay the realization of the measures
above mentioned.
SEA.
CHOIR LEADERS TO
GO TO EAST SIDE
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN
GETS PROMINENT SINGERS.
Members Will Bo Sirs. Jane Burns AI
- bert, Mrs. Lulu Dahl Miller, Jo
seph Mulder, Dora J. Zan.
- 1 .
By negotiations Just completed sev
eral of. Portland's most prominent choir
leaders, who have been' identified with
West Side churches . will, beginning
September 1, constitute the new choir
for' the .Westminster Presbyterian
Church, East Seventeenth street North
and Schuyler street, of which Dr. E. II.
Pence is the new pastor.
The ' membership of the choir will
be Mrs. Jane Burns Albert, soprano;
Mrs. ' Lulu Dahl Miller, contralto;
Joseph P. Mulder, tenor, and Dom J.
Zan, baritone, with J. R. Hutchison
music director and organist.
Mrs. Albtrt. Mrs. Miller, Mr. Mulder
and Mr, Zan all sang together for
years as the quartet of the First Pres
byterian Church, and their delightful
encemble work was highly lauded, be
Ing, compared by Eastern visitors as
being equal to the best quartet work
of more highly paid church quartets
In New York City.
The present quartet of Westminster
Church who have resigned their posi
tions, effective September 1, Is com
posed ot Mrs. Pauline Miller Chap
man, soprano; Miss Beatrice f aimer.
contralto; W. J. Gill, tenor, and Ira
Q. King, bass-baritone.
At present Mrs. Albert and Mr.
Mulder are members of the choir of
the First Congregational Church, and
Mrs. Miller is contralto in the quartet
of .the First Presbyterian Church.
Vacancies in these choirs have not yet
been filled.
STORM TIES UP TRAINS
Travel Out of St. Paul Almost at
Standstill, Because of Snow.
ST. PAUL. March 16. All westbound
trains out of this point tonight were
Dracticallv annulled and only a few
eastbound trains left the Union Sta
tion as . the result of a snowstorm
which swept Minnesota today. Drifts
were said to.be of such depth that it
will require at least a day . to make
the tracks passable.
From points west reports indicate
that the storm was more severe than
here and several days will be required
before, traffic on branch lines can be
resumed. .
CZAR PITIED IN BRITAIN
Lack of Intellectual and Moral
Strength Worst Charge Made.
LONDON, March 16. The Russian
revolution Is commented on editorially
here with enthusiasm, mainly aa a
great triumph for the entente and a
great disaster for the central powers.
The press describes , it as the death of
German hopes.
Pity and sympathy are expressed for
the Emperor, of whom the worst said
is that he lacks intellectual and moral
strength. Tributes are paid to hjs gen
erous disposition and his ardent desire
to serve his people.
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
Tb Weather.
TSSTERDAT'S Maximum temperature, 5T
decrees ; minimum. 82 desreea.
TODAY'S Fair. Ilcht frost in early morning,
westerly winds.
Bosslan Crisis.
Demand for democratization of Germany be
lieved inspired by events in Petrorrmd.
Pace 1.
Sweeping reforms foreseen by provisional
committee. Pace 1.
Romanoff dynasty comes to end: committee
ot 12 rules in Russia. Page 3L
Strike.
President Calvin, of 'Union Pacific, says
strike play into hands of Nation's ene
mies. Pas 4.
Northwest railroads make plans to meet
strike situation. Page .
Foreign.
China unlikely to take active part In war.
Page 6.
Mexico.
General Obregon said to plan revolt against
Cinun. Page 3.
National.
National Guard officers told what to do In
event of call. Page 8.
President seeking to avert strike. Pass L.
Special Senate session enda Page 8.'
Sport.
Boosters to meet today at Multnomah Hotel.
Page IS.
Honek or Brenton will twirl opening game.
Page IS.
Beavers leave for California. Page 13.
Pacific Northwest. t
Steps are taken to Impeach Bllllngsley tes-
tlmny. Page 7. ,
Vandell found guilty of murder. Page s.
Pension bill for teachers signed by Uster.
Page T.
Extortion charges fall at Eugene.' Page 8.
Marshfleld Joins battle for road bonds.
Pace 8.
Day brothers are Involved In ft, 000.000 suit
charging fraud. Page 1.
... Commercial and Marine. - -
All' wheat blde-hlgber In response to Eastern
advance. Page 19.
Chicago wheat rallies on belief strike will
be averted. Page IV.
Wall street not disturbed by strike situation
. or Russian developments. Page 19.
Portland and Vicinity.
Mrs., Alexander Is voted, out of Job. Page S.
J. L. Stannard chosen to check on Daly
ligbt plant plana Page 9.
Harry Tost dies In fire at Portland Stove
Works, page 11.
Mr. Ftrahom to start work at Klamath
-Falls soon. Page 16.
Portland lumbermen have grievance against
Federal board. Page 10.
F. v. Jobelman Is . convcted. Page 12.
Weather report, data and forecast. Page 19.
Prominent choir leaders go to Westminster
Presbyterian Church. Page 1.
Concrete pipe manufacturers organize Coast
association, page 1.
State headquarters for road bond campaign
proposed. fage It.
Irish will celebrate today. Page S.
Chsmber Indorses Mr. Wheelwright for post
or AmoBiBHaor 10 japan. fage 1-4.
I Rose Festival fund ' started with 11800.
page -i.
President Foster, of Reed College, scores war
spirit. rage - k
CZAREVITCH ID
Kill 01)1, 100
Romanoff Dynasty in Rus
sia Gomes to Close.
COMMITTEE . OF 12 RULES.
Ministry Assumes Posts, Busi
ness Houses and Factories
Again Open Doors. .
SOLDIERS GUARD STREETS
Determination Shown to Ef
fect Quick Reorganization
for Waging War.
ROXANOFFS AS MUCH GER
MAN AS THEIR K1HTSMAX.
THE KAISER.
. The house of Romanoff is de
scended from -Andrei Romanoff,
who is said to . have go.ie to
Moscow from Prussia in the 14th
century. Mikhail Feodorovitch
Romanoff was the first of the
family to ascend the throne
This was in 1613, when he was
17 years old.
The direct male line of the
Romanoffs terminated in 1730
and the female linj in 1762, -when
the Holsteln-Gottorp branch cite
Into power and has since ruled.
The members of the family in
the past two centuries have mar
ried so .generally into the Ger
man royal houses that the Ro
manoffs are' often said to be as
much German, by blood, as their
kinsman, th Germau Emperor.
PETROGRAD, Msrck 18, 7 P. M via
Lesdos, March 17. 8 A.. M, It was ru
mored here tonight that the Grand
Duke Alexia, the little son of, the Em
peror, waa dead. .
LONDOX, Mare -. 17. A Renter
Petrogrrad dispatch says that prior to
hla abdication, the . Raaaiaa Emperor
transferred the supreme command of
the Raaaiaa amlea to the Grand Duke
Nicholas.
. PETROGRAD, via Lesion. March 17.
I'nlesa improbable events occur,
Rnssla has today become a republic.
The outcome depends on, how tho
manifesto of the new soverament fa
received by the , 000,000 soldiers at the
front.
PETROGRAD, March 16, via Lon
don, March 17. Emperor Nicholas
abdicated at midnight last night on
behalf of himself and the heir appar
rent, Grand Duke Alexis, in favor of
Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch.
At 2:30 o'clock this afternoon Grand
Duke Michael himself abdicated, thus
bringing the Romanoff dynasty to an
end.
Manifesto Sent to Army.
The government, pending a meeting
of the constitutional Assembly, is
vested in the executive committee of
the Duma and the newly chosen Coun
cil of Ministers. A manifesto to this
effect was issued by the Duma com
mittee today and it will be tele
graphed to general army headquarters
tonight.
PETROGRAD, via London, March
16. Russia appeared today to be in
a fair way toward solving the great
est problem with which, perhaps, any
nation was ever confronted.
Order is growing with incredible
rapidity out of the chaos of the last
week and the new government, gath
ering up . the broken threads of na
tional and municipal life, is striving
to set the organization of the country
in motion, so that the conduct of the
war will suffer as little as possible
from the revolution. x
Business Generally Resumed.
The members of the new ministry
already have assumed their posts and
the government buildings, empty and
deserted for four days, are again open"
for official business. The banks, all
the commercial and financial houses,
and some of the factories already have
responded to the new government's
appeal, opened their doors and ex
pressed willingness to do everything
in their power to effect as quick a
recovery as possible from the par
alysis of the last week.
Hundreds of messages have been
received from all over the country de
claring the allegiance of important
cities and fortresses to the new re
gime. Moscow, Kharkov, Tsaritiyn
(Concluded on Page 2, Column 3.
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