" I .
- i . 7 r . - ' : '
-- -I,. -"' - - : " "
:
J
.- .'"I
t
VOL. LVII NO. 17,575.
PORTLAND, OREGON. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1917.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
WILSON TO URGE
ARBITRATION LAW
GERMANS GETTING
GALE-DRIVEN SNOW
HITS GRAYS HARBOR
FIELD
IS
POLICE AND NEGRO
EX GZAR MAY QUIT
BATTLE; 3 KILLED
FOE OUT IN OPEN
BEGUN
FRANCE
HIS NATIVE LAND
PRESIDENT SEES WAT CLEAR TS
SEVEN INCHES FALLS IN DAT IN
HXJMPTULIPS DISTRICT.
VANCOUVER CHIEF FALLS IN
SUPREME COURT DECISION.
ATTACK ON HOUSE.
WIL1I PUSHltlG
DEFENSE PLANS
FIGHTING
A
v-. 1
... t
r : I
-1 - j
' i
v.- -
- v
I - ?
V.t
'.1
, - :
."V ; -
i
. i-
t
1
Congress Session May Be
Advanced to April 2.
OCEAN PATROL ORGANIZED
Navy
to Sink Submarines on
' Sight, but Will Not Risk
. Big Battleships.
PRESIDENT'S POWER GREAT
Important Announcement on
Situation Now Expected
Within 48 Hours.
BT JOHN C ALLAN O'LATTGHLIN.
' "WASHINGTON, March 20. (Spe
cial.) Preparedness, preparedness
and, again, preparedness.
This is the policy of the Adminis
tration as determined at the meeting
of the Cabinet today.
According to a statement made by
the President, following the meeting,
every aspect of the situation arising
out of the unwarned destruction of
American merchantment by German
submarines was discussed.
Important Announcement Coming.
It is said tonight that the President
will make an important announcement
within 48 hours dealing with the de
velopments in our relations with Ger-
' many. The character of that an
nouncement is not known. It may
take the form of a decision to advance
the date of the assembling of Con
gress, so that that body will be ready
to transact business on April 2 In
stead of April 16.
The President, it is asserted, has
not definitely made up his mind as to
what to do in this matter. With one
exception all . his Cabinet advisers
urged him today to get the two
Houses in session as speedily as pos
sible, so that a state of war might be
declared to exist.
Why President Hesitates.
The one argument which is causing
the President to hesitate against an
earlier sitting of Congress than that
arranged is that even though Ameri
can ships have been sunk without
warning, the situation has not changed
beyond the point for which he made
provision by authorizing the arming
of merchantmen, and that it is de
sirable to wait to see how the armed
vessels fare in dealing with German
submarines.
If the armed vessels should escape,
then, it is argued, there would be no
reason for going beyond the state of
armed neutrality. Moreover, if an
armed ship should sink a submarine,
the German government might take
upon itself the onus of declaring war
and this would be valuable for the ef
feet it would have upon sentiment in
various communities now classed as
pro-German.
Leaving the White House, Secretary
Daniels attended a meeting of the
General Board of the Navy. That
board is charged with the formulation
of strategic plans in connection with
the distribution and use of the Ameri
can fleet.
Submarine Patrol Organized.
At the request of the Navy Depart
ment, The Oregonian refrains, except
In a general way, from revealing what
the Navy will do to meet the subma
rine menace. There is no intention, of
course, to hazard the dreadnoughts
and cruisers, which are essential for
the defense of the Nation. All the
American vessels available will be or
ganized into a submarine patrol. They
will operate on the western side of
the Atlantic, prepared to sink any
(German submarine they may sight.
In other words, every effort will be
made to prevent merchantmen from
being torpedoed immediately after
their departure from American ports
a not impossible contingency in view
of the operations of the U-63 off New
port last Fall. The allied submarine
destroyers must provide for the pro
tection of the merchantmen once they
reach the other side of the water.
Scope of Insurance Extended.
To encourage the departure of mer
chantmen, Secretary of the Treasury
McAdoo, following a conference with
the director of war-risk insurance, an-
nounced that the scope of insurance
iCooclud.d on X'aga S, Column 1.)
Compulsory Adjustment of labor Dis
putes to Be Pressed With
Increasing Vigor.
OREGONIAN NEWS BTJREATJ. "Washing-ton.
March 20. President Wilson, It
is learned on good authority today,
will strongly urge upon Congress, in
special session, the enactment of a com
pulsory arbitration act, basing his de
mand on the decision of the Supreme
Court in the Adamson case, which fore
tells that such a law will be held con
stitutional. The President, according to those
who have seen him since the decision,
will be more vigorous in his demand
than in the past two sessions, and will
use the full power of the Administra
tion in favor of a law similar to that
of Canada. One feature will be an
arbitration board. Another .feature
which the President probably will In
sist upon will make it unlawful for
employes of Interstate railroads to
strike pending the arbitration of dif
ferences. It is also learned from authentic
sources that the leaders of the Ameri
can Federation of Labor are deeply
alarmed over the ruling of the Supreme
Court as to compulsory arbltratVon. end
fear that if this principle Is rigidly
applied by Congress labor unlots will
be deprived of an important and hith
erto effective weapon.
NEW PEACE MOVE HINTED
German Emissaries In Switzerland
and Holland Sou nd Sentiment.
LONDON, March 21, 5:15 A. M. A
dispatch to the limes from The Hague
asserts that a new German peace move
ment is on foot. The dispatch says
that prominent Germans have recently
visited Holland and Switzerland under
instructions to try to ascertain what
the present attitude of Great Britain
is toward a possible cessation of hos
tilities.
The emissary to Holland, disclaiming
authority to speak for the German gov
ernment. Is quoted as saying that the
Russian revolution has entirely changed
the situation, since Germany could no
longer claim that she wished to free
the Russian Baltic provinces and could
also consider handing back Poland to
Russia under some form of autonomy.
He is represented as adding that the
revolution In Russia made it possible
for Germany to discuss terms more
favorable to the entente.
SHIP MARKINGS OPPOSED
Norwegians Say Unidentified Vessels
Are Safer.
CHRISTIAN! A. via London, March 20.
It is probable that the neutrality
markings on Norwegian vessels soon
will be removed.
Agitation for their removal is being
conducted by the ship owners' and sea
men's organizations, as, it is pointed
out, these markings not only do not
any longer protect neutral ships, but
make them an easy prey for subma
rlnes, which now boldly attack neutral
vessels but are more careful to keep
at a safe distance from unmarked ships.
HAY SELLS AT $65 A TON
Livestock Losses Not as Serious In
Montana as First Reported.
HELENA, Mont., March 20. While
livestock losses in Montana have been
above the averare this Winter, they
have not been as . severe as reported,
according to information received by
the State Livestock Board. However,
thj supply of feed is running low, and
unless Winter breaks up inside of the
next two weeks there will be addi
tional losses.
Inspectors also fear there will not
be enough feed on hand to carry the
herds until green grass comes. . One
inspector reported sheepmen paying
$65 a ton for hay.
FOUR DIE J-ROM GREENS
Claude Richards Succumbs and Rls
Father Is Low, but May Recover.
BOISE, Idaho, March 20. Claude
Richards, aged 22, member of the Rich
ards family, of Carey, poisoned last
week by eating canned greens, died
this morning. He is the fourth victim
to succumb, his mother and two sisters
having died Sunday and Monday.
The father, Samuel P. Richards. Is
very low, but his physician now enter
tains some hope for his recovery.
D. F. Presnell, a hired man, who also
ate some of the poisoned herbs, is con
slderably improved and will recover.
BITTERS PUT UNDER BAN
Druggists Warned Not to Sell Alco
nolle Stomach Medicines.
Stomach bitters containing a high
percent of alcohol have been ruled
against by District Attorney Evans,
who warned druggists yesterday that
further sales would be made at the!
peril. Well-known brands of bitters
contain as high as 25 per cent alcohol,
and about 35 recent cases of drunken
ness have been reported by the police
to have been "bitters Jags."
One man arrested admitted that h
drank one bottle of bitters a day, not
for stomach trouble but for the "kick
Gunboat Is Destroyed.
LONDON, March 20. A German gun
boat in the harbor of Tslng Tau. China,
has been blown up and sunk, says
Reuter dispatch from Hongkong.
Berlin Forecasts New
Form of Warfare. .
ENTENTE VICTORY IS DENIED
revious Strategic Retreats of
Hindenburg Pointed Out.
NEW POSITIONS STRONG
Giving Up of Portion of Front De
clared to Pnt End to All of
Allies' Finely Laid Plans
for Spring Offensive.
BERLIN. March 20. (By wireless to
the Associated Press from a staff cor
respondent, via Tuckerton, N. J.) The
German evacuation of Bapaume, Roye,
Noyon and Peronne Is but part of a
great strateglo undertaking which
promises to revolutionize warfare on
the entire western front and constitute
one of the most decisive moves in the
war.
Just as a month ago the Germans
evacuated an Important sector on the
Ancre, but kept the fact secret for
week while the British bombarded the
mpty trenches, so today's report shows
the most important development of 1917
on any front.
Destruction la Complete.
The sector Including the evacuated
cities virtually covers the great Somme
battle fronts Reports from this section
of the front tell of effective work of
destruction carried out before the occu
pied land was given back to the French
and the British, so that it will avail
them nothing. as captured soil, accord
lng to views expressed here. '
"With the fronts as long as they are
in this war, and with the enormous
amount of territory held by our troops,'
said a high German military authority
today, "there is no particular military
significance attached to any special
section of the enemy's territory. There
fore we can give up a portion of the
western front, secure our troops that
freedom of movement needed and end
trench warfare. That Is -rrhat this real
ly amounts to. We are now getting the
enemy out of their trenches.
Plans for Offensive Balked.
"The giving up of this portion of our
front puts an end to all their finely
laid Spring offensive plans. Ever since
November hundreds of thousands of
men have been at work building
trenches, munitions depots, railroads
and cable lines to prepare for the big
gest Spring offensive of the war. Now
at one blow all that is gone for noth
ing. In the face of our withdrawal all
this is useless. Four months work of
millions upon millions of dollars In
value have been rendered valueless.
Concluded on Paso 2, Column 2.)
Summer Resorts on Beach Covered
by Four Inches and Rain Is
Reported Elsewhere.
HOQUIAM. Wash., March 20. (Spe
cial.) The Grays Harbor district was
hit hard today by the equinoctial
storm, which brought with it one of
the latest snowstorms on record in this
section, and tonight a southwest gale
was raging over the Harbor, accom
panied by heavy rain gusts.
Snow began falling in the Grays
Harbor district early this morning and
continued steadily until after noon.
Late reports say, about seven Inches of
snow fell In the Humptulips district,
and about four tncnes at summer re
sorts along the beach.
From the East end of the county
and the higher districts In the north.
reports were that the fall of snow was
quite heavy. On the Harbor, while the
snow was heavy. It melted as fast as
it fell. Thus far no damage was re
ported.
Southwest storm warnings displayed
at Grays Harbor and the mouth of the
Columbia River at noon yesterday, were
extended to all Washington ports at 3
o'clock In the afternoon, and to Coos
Bay at 6:10 o'clock last night. A
marked disturbance had reached the
Strait of Juan de Fuca at that hour.
The North Pacific forecast for today
is rain with moderate to strong south
westerly gales. The maximum wind
velocity recorded yesterday- was 26
miles an hour at Seattle, and 60 miles
at North Head, all being from the
south.
At 8 o'clock In the morning. North
Head reported the wind making 34
miles an hour from the south, the sea
off the entrance to the Columbia being
smooth. At noon the velocity had in
creased to 48 miles an hour with the
sea choppy, and at 5 o'clock in the aft
ernoon it was 48 miles and a moderate
sea running.
COAST GUNNERS READY
Forty-Eight Companies, 13 In Ore
gon, Prepared for Service.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 20. Forty
eight companies of Coast Artillerymen
of California. Oregon and Washington,
comprising . organizations of the Na
tional Guard, are ready for immediate
service, according to an announcement
made today by officers of the Western
Department of the Army. . California
has 24 companies tad "Washington and
Oregon 12 companies each.
The war strength of the organized!
National. Guard In California, Idaho,
Montana, Oregon, Washington and Utah
Is 25,814, comprising infantry, cavalry.
field artillery, signal corps, field hos
pital corps, ambulance companies and
engineer corps, according to Army
officers.
CUBAN REBELS DEFEATED
Force of 150 0 Flee, Leaving
Dead at Arroyo Rondo.
27
HAVANA. March 20. Victory in
40-minute battle with a concentrated
rebel force of 1500 under Angel Castillo
is reported from Arroyo Hondo by
Colonel PuJoL
The rebels fled, leaving 27 dead.
THE DEGENERATE TYPE OF PACIFIST.
British ' Cavalry Sur
prises Germans. .
SOME VILLAGES ARE SAYED
Programme of Thorough De
struction Is Interrupted.
WELLS ARE CONTAMINATED
Prisoners Are) Bewildered by Ex
tent of Retirement, and Report
Depression When Strong1 Po
sitions Were Abandoned.
(Frem a Staff Correspondent ef the Asso
ciated Press.)
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN
FRANCE, via London. March 20. The
pursuit of the Germans by the British
troops continued and at places sharp
fighting ensued today.
This was particularly true near
Crolsilles (northeast of St. Leger),
which is still strongly held by machine
gun companies. The armies have been
In such close touch at other places
that field fighting tactics have been
employed, the men firing from skir
mish lines.
Cavalry Drive Is Surprise.
Wherever the British troops pene
trate territory formerly held by the
Germans they encounter the same con
ditions of destruction and devastation
as in Bapaume and Peronne. Only
few villages have escaped, the Germans
in these Instances having been com
pelled to leave before their plans to lay
waste could be carried out.
The drive of cavalry by the British
and French seems , to have taken the
Germans by surprise, upsetting some
of their calculations. In one village
supplies were abandoned, together with
much ammunition, and in other places
newly opened boxes of high explosives
were found, with which the Germans
had planned to destroy the villages be
fore leavinar.
German Thoroughness Shown.
That the wholesale destruction was
characteristic of German thoroughness
was shown by captured orders on the
subject. These directed the blowing up
of all houses, wells and cellars except
those occupied by rearguard outposts,
the rearguard being held responsible
for making their shelters uninhabitable
before falling back. All farming im
plements were burned or destroyed.
Wherever a building was spared it was
first rendered filthy. The orders also
directed the assembling of filth at all
wells to contaminate the water.
The destruction of fruit trees now
apparently covers the entire belt of
evacuated territory, even those clinging
to the walls having been stripped off.
In one abandoned position a large black
(Concluded on Page 2. Column 6.)
Two Others Are Wounded in Effort
to Capture Man, Whose First
Victim Is Boy, Aged 9.
VANCOUVER, B. C March 20. Mal
colm B. Maclennan, Chief of Police:
George Rolph, a 9-year-old boy. and
Robert Tait, a negro, are dead and two
police officers are wounded, as a re
sult of an attempt tonight by the po
lice to capture Tait.
The Chief and the boy were both
killed in the first rush on the negro's
house early in the evening. The police
effected an entrance at 11:10 P. M.,
four hours late, only to find the negro
dead.
The call for Talt's arrest came from
his landlord, who declared that the ne
gro, who was said to be a drug hab
Hue, and well known to the police, had
assaulted him. As the Chief and his
squad came in sight of the house at the
corner of Jackson avenue and Harris
street, the negro opened fire, his first
shot striking the Rolph boy, who died
half an hour later.
When the police, led by the Chief, at
tempted to rush the house, the negro
continued firing and the Chief fell
wounded Inside the doorway, while two
of the others. Detective Cameron and
Constable Johnson. were wounded
about the head. They withdrew, re
maining in ignorance whether the
Chief was alive or dead. He was found
on the second assault on the house
with his head half shot off.
The dead negro was found armed
with a shotgun and an automatic pis
tol. It is uncertain whether he com
mitted suicide or was killed by shots
of the attackers.
Frankle Russell, a negro woman who
is said to have lived with Tait as his
wife for the past four years, was found
in the house uninjured and was lm
mediately taken into custody. She is
held on a charge of murder. Both she
and Tait are said by the police to
have been crazed by drugs at the time
of the shooting.
GERMAN RIOTING REPORTED
Echo of Russian Revolution Said to
""Reverberate in Several Towns.
LONDON, March 211 Some of the
morning newspapers give prominence
today to wireless reports received from
Switzerland saying that the news of the
Russian revolution has started serious
agitation in some of the German indus
trial towns. ..
Among these towns are Leipzig, Dres
den and Munich, where strikes and
other disturbances are said to be tak
ing place.
INDEX -OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature,
degrees; minimum. 3S degrees.
TODAY'S Rain; southwesterly winds.
Submarines.
Details of sinking; of American steamer Vlg-
ilancia confirmed. Page 2.
Wilson pushing plans for defense. Page
Copper producers cut price In halt in interest
of patriotism, rage s.
President's advisers urge calling of Congress
at once. Page s.
German paper maintains expose of plot Is
hostile act. Page a.
America to insure practlcallT alt contra.
band but arms and ammunition. Page 5.
War.
Ex-Czar expected to leave Russia. Page
Hr. Asqulth warm in defense of lata Lord
Kitchener. Page 2.
Retreat is strategical move, says German
official. Page 1.
British engage In field fighting in France.
Page 1.
Safe conduct fails to protect relief ships In
"safety zone. ' Page 2.
Foreign.
Early recognition of new Russia by America
la probable. Page 3.
Russia probably will be republic Fags
' It-itlonaL
Wilson to nrga compulsory arbitration law.
Page 1.
Senator Lane sends out letter denying he
filibustered. Page 3.
Domestic.
Great prosperity shown la steel Industry,
Page 3.
Nation warned it Is unprepared. Page 8.
Alabama murderer breaks Jail and la killed
by poaae. with companion. Page 4.
Guggenheim unable to buy Hill liner.
Page 10.
Vancouver. B. C. police and negro fight
eu-eei cattle; mreo aiiiea. 1 age l.
Sports.
Beavers return and McCredle releases Brandt
and Plnelll. Page i.
Many baseball magnates think war would
Just about Kill game. Page 14.
Eligibility of Wlndnagle and Richards que.
tloned by eastern coueges. Page 14.
Seattle hockey team defeats Canadiens,
to 1. Page 15.
Freddie Welsh may box Frankle Callahan
for title. Page J. -Pacific
Korthwest.
Gale-driven snow visits Grays Harbor.
Page 1
Governor Lister vetoes item to pay for check
on all state departments. Page 6.
State ready to make loans under rural
credits act. Page 6. .
L w. "W. riots previous to that of November
5 cited In Everett trial, page a.
GUI trial to be hurried through by night
sessiona Page u.
Commercial and Marine.
Potato acreage In United States may be
decreased. Page 19.
Sales for profits carry Chicago wheat prices
lower. Page 1.
Columbia River lumbermen to light Govern
ment favoritism of Puget Sound. Page 18.
Somedono Maru to get -4.500,000foot cargo
of lumber loaded In week. Page 19.
Portland and Vicinity.
Portland Welfare Bureau appeals for, fl
nanclal aid to help city's poor. Page 11.
Forest rangers are asked to become health
patrols over watersheds. Page 7.
Merchant's Exchange urges W. T. Wheel
wright's appointment as Japanese Ambas-
aador. Page 0.
Work on viaducts Is to begin today. Page 13.
Firemen propose voluntary prevention work
under two-platoon system, page 13.
Playmates part father and son. Pag 9.
Saucy letter of Bureau Chief Pratt to Port
land Chamber of Commerce made public
Page 15.
Navv retting recrulta. Page 8.
A. Musgrove Robarts benefit concert success.
Page 7.
Mr. Plagemann entertained at surprise party
by friends. page i.
Weather report, data and forecast Page 1.
French or Swiss Resi
dence Likely.
MOTHER GOING TO DENMARK
Members of Imperial Suite
Favor New Government.
REFORMS COME RAPIDLY
Soldiers to Address Superiors as
"Mister" Instead of "Excel
lency" and Ban Against Smok
ing in Streets Is Off.
PETROGRAD. via London. March 20.
The former Dowager Empress Marie
Feodorovna, who was at Kiev, went to
meet her son, former Emperor Nicholas,
as he was returning after his abdica
tion. She had long resented the Influ
ence over Nicholas wielded by the Em
press Alexandra, Gregory Rasputin, the
mystic monk, and Mademoiselle Gru
bava, lady-in-waltlng to the Empress
and Alexandra's best friend, who had
Introduced Rasputin to the Empress.
Marie Feodorovna saw Alexandra
only when court functions required.
Since early in January she had been at
Kiev and had refused to come to the
capital. Her meeting with Nicholas
was said to have been affecting.
Nicholas May Leave Russia.
The object of her visit to him was
to advise with him as to her future
residence. It Is reported that she in-
tends to go to Denmark, her native
country.
It Is expected that Nicholas Romanoff.
as the former Emperor is now known,
will eventually go to Switzerland or
France, his stay In the Crimea being
temporary. Most of the members of his
suite have acknowledged the new gov
ernment.
Most of the Grand Dukes In the mili
tary service will retain their posts at
least temporarily.'
Promises Made Worklng;men.
The new minister of trade and In
dustry is in communication with the
workingmen and promises to develop
plans for worklngmen's unions,' which
were formerly prohibited, abolish crim
inal penalties for strikes, regulate
hours and conditions, work and pro
mote worklngmen's insurance.
Among the reforms in the army
which have been indicated by Minister
of War Guchkoff in a formal order to
the troops are . that soldiers shall be
addressed as "you" instead of th
familiar "thou," that soldiers shall ad
dress their superiors as "mister" in-.
stead of "excellency," and that the ban
on soldiers' smoking In the streets,
entering public places and streetcars,
and participating in political organiza
tions shall be abolished.
Last Hours Dramatic.
The draraatlo story of Nicholas
last hours as ruler of Russia Is told
by a correspondent of the Outro
Rossll, of Moscow. It says that son
of the telegrams about the revolution
sent by President Rodzianko, of the
Duma, had reached the Emperor. Every
effort was made to keep him In Igno
rance of these affairs. General Zabel -protested,
declaring that if the others
refused to inform the IZmperor he ,
would do so. Nicholas was awakened
at 2 o'clock in the morning. He went '
to the dining car and demanded that
Admiral Ntloff tell him what had hap
pened In Petrograd. He was told that
crowd of students, hoodlums and
young soldiers had terrorized the
Duma, but that a few detachments of
troops would be able to put them down.
Just then Commander Voyekoff, of
the Imperial train entered with a tele
gram saying that 700 of the St George
Cavalry were on the way to Tsarkoe
Selo to present a cross to the Em
peror and had arrived at the near
by station of Dno, headed by General
Ivanoff.
Csar Told He la Deceived.
"Your Majesty," said Voyekoff. "it
is enough that you appear at the
Tsarskoe-Selo in the tmidst of these
heroes and with the Tsarskoe-Selo gar
rison go to the Duma. All the troops
will remember their oath. It will be
easy to overcome these young soldiers.
"It is a lie, your majesty." shouted .
General Zabel. "You are deceived. Read
these telegrams. Here is the 'order:
To the imperial train at Vishera: Do
not send the train to Tsarskoe-Selo, but
to Petrograd.' "
The Emperor arose and exclaimed:
"What does this mean? Is It revolu
tion? Is Grekoff (who signed the order
to divert the train) commander in
Petrograd?" Then General Zabel spoke
out, saying, "There are 60,000 troops,
with officers, backing the temporary
government. Your majesty has been de
clared dethroned. It is impossible to
go further."
Nicholas, completely nonplussed, ex
claimed: "Why was I not told before? Why .
tell me now when all Is finished?"
Nicholas Is Fond of Flowers.
After a moment he added with a ges
ture of helplessness: "Let it be so.
Thank God. I will abdicate If that is
what the people want. I will ijo to
Llvadia (the estate of the Russian im
perial family on the south coast of the
Crimea), to my gardens. I am so fond
of flowers."
The train moved toward Bologole.
At Dno a telegram was received stat
.tCoacluded on Page 2, Column 4.X -
T
(
i
E -.
(. . .
':
J