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About Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1917)
' fry- 'Vv ' DAILY EDITION VOI VII., No. IIS. AN AMERICAN SUP IS SUNI The Hoasatonic, With Crew of 15 Aceriwsi Aboard, Is Yiclia of Germany's New Warfare. Bcbg Tor pedoed 05 tie Sdily kbds London. Feb. 3. It was officially announced that the American ship Housatenic was submarined off the Scilly islands. A British yacht rescued the captain and four mates from the crew of 15, all Americans, who were aboard. The ship carried wheat. ; i; The Housatonic was a steel screw steamer of 3,143 tons, formerly named the Georgia and the Pickhuben. She was the property of the Housatonic Steamship company, New York. The vessel was 329 feet in length and was reg stered at the port of New York, She was built in 1891. WAR SECRETARY' AND PRESIDENT CONFER Washington, Feb. 3. Secretary of. War Baker went to the White House at 10:20 o'clock to confer with the president concerning the torpedoing of the Housatonic. MOBILIZE AVIATION TORCES ' - V . New York, Feb. 3. It was authoritatively learned to ' night that the United States aviation forces would be mo bilised Tuesday. MONROE'S BATTERIES MANNED Norfolk, Feb. 3. The commander of Fortress Monroe ordered all batteries manned tonight. NEW YORK NAVAL RESERVE TO MOBILIZE New York, Feb. 3. The New York naval reserves have been ordered mobilized and the militia instructed to be prepared for duty. is Kilt Norfolk, Vn., Feb. 3, I'nlted Htatea officials today boarded the In terned ahlp Appam, brought Into port by a German prise crew, and form ally took possession. During the proceedings the United St a I mi revenue cutter Yamaoraw mov d up Into position and trained hnr bow mini on tho 'Appam. The Ger man crew aboard la expected to foe landed thi afternoon. IIAKUIt AM) DAOTICIA 1 OONFKn WITH I'HKHIDKXT Washington, Feb.'S. Immediately upon returning to the White Homo from the .capital,, President Wllaon railed Secretary of War Baker and Hwiretary of the Navy Dunlola Into hla office tot a conference neyond stating Hint every precau tionary measure would be' taken to protect all naval work and other properties dlreotly affected In the I on ho situation, against possible 'ac tivities of crank, neither Dunlola nor tinker would aay anything after their conference with the president. INTKUNF.I) AIHTH1AN SHIP PUT OITT OP OOMMIMHION . Now York, Feb. 8. The Austrian freighter Himalaya, Interned In Newark hay, has had her cylinder needs removed and her engines smashed by crowbars, according to reports of neutrality agents this after noon, Collector, Malon refused to discuss tha case. QUANTS No Other Town in the OF RAIDER IS REPORTED Buenos Aires, Feb. 3. A. Pernam buco dlapatch today quote a Belgian consular clerk as declaring that the British orulsera Glasgow, Amethyst and Kent sunk the German raider la a 40-mlnute naval engagement. The story Is unconfirmed from any other source. . According to the Pernanibuco re. port the three British cruiser laid a trap for the raider. Her where abouti being rumored Id a certain In. eallty off the British coast, the Brit- lah freight shin was used aa a halt to draw the sea rover on. The War ahlpa kept just out of alaht of the bait, which steamed slowly Into the locality where the raider waa sup posed to be. The raider sighted the freighter, ordered her to' atop and formally took possessionBut by this time the freighter had wirelessed a code message and In a short time the three cruisers were within range of the captor. . Aooordlng to the Belgian clerk the cruiser Amethyat waa badly damaged In the fight, (but the raider waa sunk with her entire orew. WIIITK RTAII UNKIt . SAIIA WMt lilVKIUtMH. New York, Feb. 8. The White Star llnor Adriatic, largest British ship now In trans-Atlantic servloe, sailed or Liverpool' this" afternoon. Her 4 passengers gave three cheers for" the United 8tates as she pulled nway from her pier. - . , PASS, JOREPHIKK COUNTY. OREGON, World the Size of Grants Pass lias a Paper With Full Leased Wire Telegraph Serrice. HI Ml TIUI1C Uo Jo TO MJt U. S. INTERESTS IN GERMANY IN MS CASE " it:. Washington, Feb. I, Spain will car for American Interest In Ger many, now ithat diplomatic: relations are severed.' : : ' ' Washington, Feb. S. Swltierland baa taken over Germany's interests in the United States, Ambassador von Bernstorff said today. Bernstorff got Into touch with Dr. Hitter, 8wlaa minister, as soon as he received the news of the break through the press. At that time he had not yet been officially notified. Ha made permanent arrangements to cover all Immediate details with Bit ter. Tbe latter will call on Secretary lAnalng as soon as notification of Bernatorff't recall has been given the German envoy, to discuss with Lan sing the details of his new Interests. To all questions this morning Bern storff replied: "Please ask the 8 wis minister. I am only a private citizen. I have no right to talk for my government now. As a private cltlien I have never de sired to talk." When asked respecting the details of nJ coining Journey, and of. the transfer of Germany's Interests to Swllserland's minister, Bernstorff said: "I don't know. This is tbe first experience of this kind In my life and the method of procedure Is therefore new to me." He Jocularly suggested "that per haps with so many ships "kept ta American ports" he would be sure to have some boat to take him home. As soon as Rltter learned that Bernstorff had been Inquired for him at the 8wlaa legation, he Imme diately railed at the German em bassy and the two diplomats talked over the question of transference. Whether 8wltserland will take over German Interests In England and Russia, now represented by the United 8tates, Bernstorff was not pre pared to say. "Good morning boys," was the smiling greeting von Bernstorff gave the score of newspapermen who called at the embassy after the news of the breuk became known. Bernstorff, always suave, always polite and apparently never worried, at first frisked himself In and but of sight before any questions and there were hundreds ready could be asked. He sent word he would "see you boys later." When he returned, he made the Swiss announcement. . Bernstorff was the only calm man at the German embassy.- Every other man made no effort to conceal his emotion. V I Bernstorff was asked what would ' happen if President Wilson, as re ported, was given power by con-J tress to take necessary steps to pro-, teot American lire and property at sea. He expressively shrugged his shoulders and aald: . "If American warships are going to convoy Americans to Europe well I can't say what will happen." UKRAIll) TOLD TO GKT AMERICANS OUT OF GMtMANT Washington, Feb. 8. Cabled In structions hav been sent to Ambassa dor Gerard at Berlin to get all Am ericans who wish to leave out of Germany. '. SAXON MOTOR CAR ItiANT 18 nVRNTCl) TO GROUND Detroit, Feb. 3. The plant of the Saxon 'Motor Car company burned to the ground early this morning, The Mast threw 1,000 men out of work and caused a loss of $200,000, SUNDAY, FKIJKUARY 4. 101 T GERARD IS RECAUED FROM BERLIN ' AND BERNSTORFF GIVEN PASSPORTS SEZEPPEUII ' RAIDS THREATENED Copenhagen, Feb. 3. Dispatches from (Berlin this afternoon declared there was tbe greatest excitement throughout Germany because or the Intensity of tbe German-American situation. It waa said that Germans agree tne "worn of the war nas ar rived; that Zeppelin raids are the next in order." The above dispatch; was, of course, filed before the news of the diplo matic break bad ' become 1 known abroad. XKITRAL XATIOX8 HRAR OF WILSON'S RKQl'KST Washington, Feb. . .All neutral natlona were formally notified today Uiroagb their representatives here of the; president's request for parallel action, on their part .... : .... BRITISH INTEREST ' CENTERS IN THE II. S. London, Feb. 8. England's Inter- eat in "What America la going to do about it" waa manifest today in the foreign office action in keeping constantly In touch with American Ambassador Page. . No leas waa it apparent In British newspapers' ac tion In subordinating even the news of the situation with which Eniland is confronted in the new blockade to copious cabled dispatches from Am erica. Germany's announcement of un bridled submarine warfare has failed to frighten the average Britisher. Just such a step had 'been expected lor months. It had been prepared tor by the government. IVrllat measures to combat It have long (been In preparation. Aside from the German-American situation, Interest here today cent ered In three developments. First, was the suspension or traf fic from Scandinavia. In view of tills, an appeal from Lord Davenport for economy In food and conservation of . present supplies, assumed a new Importance. . Lastly the whole empire waa keyed to attention to hear .what Premier Lloyd-George would aay this afternoon In a speech he was sched uled to make at Carnaravon, on hla first visit to'his home town since he became prime minister. Lord Davenport's appeal as food dictator, waa followed by the frank teller that If England waa not suc cessful In establishing better condi tions at sea. conservation of food was Imperative. People must eat less, he said, and he suggested a limit ot four pounds of bread, 1H pounds of meat and three-quarters of a pound 6f sug ar weekly lor each Individual. ' I'llOTEST TO HOIiDING AMERICANS HY OK11.MAXY Washington, . Fdb. 3 Having learned positively that Americans were among the passengers taken In recent German raiding operations, the state department made a protest against tneir detention several days ago, It vas offlolally announced to any. '.. f V ' ' The Hat showed 4 prisoner. 1111 Wffi IMVBMSMnsMHMSt Acted Warfare May N:t FeSsw Mzz ftj kisr's 7ir- &?s $4 Acerida Yesds cr Dc&cy tb lira cf Azcricsa G&zs, ta FcSisbj (hi lb" - Washington. Feb. 3. the United States and Germany are severed. German A 1 1 TTfc . M . . - . Amoassaaor von tie nis torn was Handed his passports at 1:57 this afternoon. - A few moments later President Wilson ami(!irH lu. fore a joint session of the congress oi ine aetion mat nad been taken, and looking toward the future, said: . "If American ships and American lives should in fact be sacrificed j in heedless contravention of the just and reasonable understanding of international law and the obvious dictates of hmhanity, I shall take the liberty of coming again before congress to ask that au thority be given me to use any means that w$ be neces sary for the protection of our seamen. and people, in the prosecution of their peaceful and legitimate interests on the high seas. I can do nothing;'else -J take it forrant ed that all neutral government Will take ;' the - same course." ;. .... ...... v-,; This statement of the president left no doubt in any' one's mind who heard him that he meant that he would ask for sanction on a declaration of war, 4f he js. com pelled to again. visit the capitol on the subject. -'When the president closed he was met with a. great outbreak of cheerinsr and annlausp from hnth chamber and from the galleries republicans and dem ocrats auKe. . ..;;.,(..;,,. The president's action in calling upon neutrals to take similar action was ohnr&o r.erizwl hv tacular effort to bring the people of the neutral world to kniiM aTLiMwiMwi 4. K . l 1.1 j. .1. . 1 a -s ucai uu ucimauj ui iue uupe mat, sne may aner unlim ited submarine threats. , By others it was regarded as a tremendous move to bring about peace. ; , .... Chairman Stone and members of the foreign relations committee were given places in the front row. Every face" showed deepest anxiety. There was none ot the customary greetings and handshakings. Every senator and every representative sat tense and expectant, many with heads towed. When the president waa announced there was an outburst of applause from the democratic side and the gal leries. As the president entered, all mem bers of his cabinet also, tiled in and took seats adjoining those occupied by members of the supreme court. The president greeted Speaker Clark and Vlce-Prealdent Marshall with drawn face and turned to the ihouse. There was Just a trace of a smile as he acknowledged the welcome of con gress when Speaker Clark announced: "Gentlemen ot the sixty-fourth con gress, I present the president or the United States." But It was only a tlaeh and as he began reading, hla race aet again In the tirave Hues that had marked M as he entered the chamber. As the president read, there waa scarcely a sound from any part ot the great au ditorium, until after reading how Germany had withdrawn all former pledges and given notice of unre stricted au-bmartne Warfare, .he de clared that he had already severed diplomatic relations with the German empire. Cheers and handclapplng even a Chatauqua salute of handker chiefs from the galleries followed. He was Interrupted Ironi tbe big gest demonstration when fee said slowly- and solemnly: "I shall take the liberty ot coming again before oongreea to ask thai authority be given ma In case It may be necessary tor th protection of our aeamen and WHOLE HX'MBEB IMA. DinlnmAtif at Ana hotwfukn house and senate, informed our people in the prosecution ot their peaceful and legitimate errands on the high seas." He paused a moment to let that sink in. There was a moment or si lence. Then from all sides of the house there 'broke a storm ot cheers. It Waa the nlggest moment of tha day. .... . ; . . .... As the president finished tbe cheer--Ing was renewed. . The bouse, sen ate and galleries arose, standing r- iently. with bowed heads, as be passed Hum iub vuBinmer 10 me speaker a room and the Whlta House.'' .' Then tb,e bouse, aa if nothing had happened, re-met, resolved itself In to a committee of the whole on the state of the union and resumed de bate on the navy bill with the usual smattering of member on the floor. SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE TO Washington, Fob. . The presi dent's speech 'follows: "Gentlemen of the con Kress: The Inrperial German government on the thirty-first ot January announced to thla government and to tha govern ments of the other neutral natlona that on and after tha first day ot Feb ruary, the present month, It would adopt a policy with regard to th use of submarines against all shlDDiiwt seeking to paea through certain desig nated areaa ot th high seas to which it is clearly my duty to call your at tention. ' " "Jjet me remind the congress that on the eighteenth ot April last. -In rlew of th sinking on th twenty fourth of March ot the cross-channel (Continued on Pag Six.)