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About The Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 19??-1984 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 1917)
THE WILL NOI DECLARE WAR ON GERMANY Wilson Desires Only Measures to “Protect Americans.” ONLY OVERT ACT IS AWAITED Consider Arming and Convoying Mer chant Vessels—Determination is to Uphold Freedom of Sea. Washington, D. C.—The course to be taken by the United States if Ger many compels the use of force to safe guard American lives and rights has been determined. It was learned au- thoritaitvely after Friday’s cabinet meeting that in the event President Wilson goes before congress again it will not be to ask for a declaration of war, but to follow literally the words of the address in which he announced the break of diplomatic relations and request aúthority to use means deemed necessary to protect American seamen and people. The President, it is said, is as strongly desirous as ever to avoid war with Germany, but also is as deter mined as ever that American citizens and ships shall be free to travel the high seas unmolested. His next step, if taken, will be to enforce that right and even then the issue of war or peace will be with Ger many. Any hostile action will have to come in the form of an interference with an American right. Details of the government’s plans are not discussed. It is known, how ever, that convoying and arming of merchant ships are being considered. No new development came Saturday to indicate that the overt act by Ger many regarded as inevitable was near er at hand. Fewer reports of ships sunk came in and none told officially of the loss of an American life. Light Guns Best to War Against German Submarines New York — Although figures to show the number of submarines de stroyed by the entente allies and the means used in their destruction are un available, owing to the rigid censor ship on war activities, it was learned here Saturday from an authoritative source that direct gunfire from the decks of warships and auxiliary ves sels had been the most effective meth od employed thus far. To combat the submarine menace the British government and her allies have adopted various plans to catch the undersea boats, although some of them have been abandoned as ineffec tive. A marine authority of unquestioned standing, who is close to British ship ping interests, said when asked as to the effectiveness of arming ships: “We have found that light guns, discharging projectiles of four to six pounds, in the hands of trained gun ners, have been by far the most effec tive weapon. 1 know personally that as many as two and three submarines have been bagged in one day in this way.” 13 ARE DEAD IN HOTEL FIRE Minneapolis Wooden Structure Burns With Temperature 10 Below. HERMISTON HERALD, GERMANY SEEKS RECONCILIATION HERMISTON, OREGON. Marine News Big Shipyard Started. Tacoma.—Actual construction on Minneapolis—At least 13 persons what will be Tacoma’s biggest ship are missing and are believed to have building industry began Tuesday, I when about 50 men were put to work lost their lives in the fire which de by the Tacoma Dredging company at stroyed the Kenwood hotel, Twelfth the diking for the proposed 1,600 foot street and Hennepin avenue, shortly fill along the Hylebos creek waterway, after midnight Monday, according to upon which the Todd Shipbuilding police estimates. company will ultimately build the In addition to the known missing, most modern and complete yard in there are 11 others unaccounted for the northwest. A construction office who may be in the ruins, according to has been erected at the site. Many carloads of brush are being E. D. Stalker, proprietor of the hotel. brought to the site of the dike, and One person is known to be dead. Mrs. two great piledrivers are at work plac Lucille Squire suffered a fractured ing the piles which will form the re skull when she leaped from a third- Officials Disinclined to Negotiate While taining walls. Brush and rock will be story window. She died shortly after dumped behind the piling, and behind U-Boats Operate — Believed Ber wards at the city hospital. this foundation the silt from the bot Officials believe that many persons tom of Hylebos creek will be placed lin is Sparring for Time. precipitated into the basement by by a big suction dredge, which will be crumbling floors and were buried in placed at work as soon as sufficient diking has been constructed, probably the debris. Seventy-six persons are thought to Washington, D. C.—Germany has in about 10 days. have been in the hotel when the fire taken steps to open a discussion with broke out. the United States of means of prevent Jap Warships Visit, ing war between them. Tacoma.—Mystery surrounding the In seeking an exchange, of views on Ministers of Germany’s arrival of two Japanese cruis the subject, however, it is not under reported in the Straits of Juan de Fuca Feb Allies May Be Sent Home stood that the Berlin government has ers ruary 5 was cleared up Thursday with proposed any modification of its ruth the arrival in Tacoma of a party of less submarine campaign and officials nine officers of the Japanese cruiser here say they cannot enter upon such Iwate, which, with the cruisers Idzuma discussion while vessels continue to be and Nishin of Admiral Y. Takashita’s destroyed in violation of international squadron are at Esquimalt, and said to be coaling at that port. News of law. the arrival of the members of the im The new move is understood to be perial navy was closely predicated upon a willingness on Ger guarded Japanese by the Canadian censor. many’s part to discuss especally the It is reported that the cruisers safeguarding of American ships and brought $10,000,000 in gold to the Ca American lives on the seas and backed nadian government as a loan, but no by a renewed expression of the desire confirmation of this statement could of the German government to prevent be gotten from the Japanese officers. the diplomatic breach from leading to Shipyard Project Aided. y actual hostilities. Florence, Or.—A special meeting of Just how American interests are to be safe guarded if the German war the chamber of commerce was held I zone proclamation is to stand, how Wednesday night to discuss methods ever, and whether any specific means of co-operating with the Eugene or of preserving peace between the two ganization for securing the proposed nations is included in the communica shipyard. A committee was appointed, tion has not been revealed. consisting of J. W. Bergman, W. H. What may be the ulterior motive O’Kelly, R. T. F. Smith, D. M. Kyle back of the step is a matter of specu and William Brynd, who will confer lation. In some quaiters there is evi with the Eugene committee and take dently a feeling it is merely a play for up the matter of obtaining stock sub time, designed to postpone any further scriptions locally. Those interested are meeting with action by the United States until the starvation blockade against England much encouragement. either has succeeded or failed. Else American Vessel Sunk. where there are suggestions that there Rome.—The American schooner Ly may be behind it a sincere desire to man M. Law was sunk February 12 off make sacrifices to preserve peace be the coast of Sardania by a hostile sub- tween the United States and Germany marine, says a Stefani dispatch from and may come as a response to the ap Cagliari, Sardinia. The vessel was peals understood to have been sent loaded with agricultural machinery, the dispatch adds. The crew of 10, of abroad by pacifists in this country. which eight were Americans, says the message, have been landed at Cagliari. Evolution of Artificial Light From Days of Birch Bark Torch Steps Taken to Open Discussion on Break With U. S. WASHINGTON NOT INTERESTED Ambassador Gerard Arrives in Switzerland on Way Home 7 s Í 5 ; ‘ 4 o " . sr % 1 P Zurich, Switzerland, via Paris—The American ambassador, James W. Ge rard, arrived at the Swiss boundary at Schaffhausen, Sunday afteroonon. He was met by the American minister to Switzerland, Pleasant A. Stovall, and representatives of the Swiss army. Swiss military guard of honor was also in waiting, and a big delegation of citizens greeted the ex-American ambassador. The trip from Berlin was made with out incident, although some curiosity was displayed by those who gathered along the route through Germany. Mr. Gerard disembarked at Zurich with about 120 other Americans, who expected at first to remain there, but when, assured of accommodations at Berne, he left immediately for that city. _____ Motorship Leaves St. Helens. St. Helens, Or.—The motorship S. I. Allard, launched at the St. Helens Shipbuilding company’s yards last month, left Thursday for Astoria, be ing towed by a tug. At Astoria there will be about 10 days’ work before the vessel will be ready to be towed to San Francisco, where engines will be installed. Steamship Goes Aground. Bellingham, Wash.—The steamship Windber of the Pacific American Fish eries, went on Starr Rock here Wed nesday at 11 o’clock, while backing into position at a lumber mill dock. The steamship Norwood and tugs at tempted to pull the vessel off but failed. NORTHWEST MARKET REPORT AS. a. The Smithsonian institution has recently arranged an exhibit showing the evolution of light from the days of the birch-bark torch to the present. Specimens in the collection show many weird forms of lamps and torches in vogue at different periods. The torch at the left of the picture is of birch bark while next to it are a gourd and the skull of an animal. Later stones were fashioned into peculiar shapes to hold grease and oil. Oil was later burned in the vessels and still later came glass receptacles into which wicks were inserted. The latest development is that of the modern incan descent bulb and the modern gas fixture. NEW RADIO STATIONS Uncle Sam Installing Powerful System Throughout Country. Work of Installing New Equipment and Improving the Old Is Being Pushed by Navy Department. Uncle Sam is pushing the work up on a chain of high-power wireless sta tions that are to be established throughout the country by the navy department. Contracts have recently been enter ed Into by the department for the radio equipment at Sun Diego and Pearl Harbor, and for the radio and power equipment at Cavite, and while it is said that the general trade con ditions have caused some delay, it is believed that the San Diego station will be in operation soon and the oth ers will follow. Officers of the bureau say that the equipment of the stations at Boston, the Great Lakes, Charleston, Key West, New Orleans, Guantanamo, San Juan and Cordova, Alaska, has been so improved as to render these sta tions capable of communicating with vessels beyond the range of low-pow ered stations and also to relay mes sages across the continent. It is in tended to similarly equip the station at Mare Island. Distant control of stations, to per mit simultaneous sending and receiv ing of messages, has been established during the past year at Arlington, Mare Island, Boston and Washington, and similar improvement will be made in the near future, the officials say, at Charleston, Key West, Puget Sound and New Orleans. In stations thus equipped for transmitting with a large and small set, with facilities for re ceiving simultaneously the signals coming In from similar sets, the capa city for handling messages is in creased fourfold. Marked improve- ment has recently been made, it Is said, in the transmitting and receiv ing capacity of the more important vessels of the navy. FOREST ROAD FUND ALLOTTED | California Gets Largest Share of Mil. lion Dollars to Be Spent by Uncle Sam in Next Fiscal Year. Secretary of Agriculture Houston has announced the amount allotted to each state from the $1,000,000 to be spent by Unele Sam during the fis cal year 1918 in constructing roads and trails within or partly within the national forests. Tills money is part of the $10,000,000 appropriated by the federal aid road act to assist develop- ment of the national forests, which be- comes available at the rate of a mil lion dollars a year for ten years. The allotments as approved are as follows: Alaska, $46,351; Arizona, $58,- 604; Arkansas, $0,803; California, $140,988; Colorado, $62,575; Idaho, $108,730; Montana, $70,042; Nevada, $19,290; New Mexico, $42,405; Oregon, $128,111; South Dakota, $8,092; Utah, $41,107; Washington, $01,914; Wy oming, $40,684. A total of $9,995 has been allotted to Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Oklahoma. The group of eastern states—Georgia, Maine, New Hamp shire, North and South Carolina, Ten- nessee, Virginia ami West Virginia— in which the government is purchasing lands for national forests, receives $21,120, In making allotments, it is explained, 10 per cent of the amount available for 1918 is withheld as a contingent fund. One-half of the remainder has been appropriated among the states in amounts based on the urea of the na tional forest lands in each state, while the other half has been allotted on a basis of the estimated value of the timber and forage resources which the forests contain. Portland—Wheat—Bluestem, $1.55 per bushel; forty fold, $1.52; club, Noted Bandit Dies. $1.51; red Russian, $1.48. hit Portland—Chris Evans, famed Cali Millfeed—Spot prices: Bran, $26.50 These ministers of Germany’s allies fornia highwayman, died Saturday at per ton; shorts, $30.50; rolled barley, a local hospital, and ending a checker may be given their passports: Count $42043. ed career which carried him from the Tarnowski represents Austria-Hun Hay — Producers’ prices: Timothy, leadership of a bandit gang to the gary, Stephen Panaretoff represents Eastern Oregon, $19@20 per ton; val doors of the county poor farm. He Bulgaria, and Hussein Bey is the ley, $150016; alfalfa, $14016; valley Turkish charge. COTTON CROP IS VALUABLE was 70 years old. grain hay, $12.50@14. Evans began his career as a bandit Butter — Cubes, extras, 37c per Yield for Season of 1915 Was Worth by declaring war against the Southern While several of the injured were pound; prime firsts, 37c; firsts, 36c; More Than Three-Quarters of Pacific railroad when the company no in a serious condition, it was is re dairy, 30c. Jobbing prices: Prints, Billion Dollars to Growers. tified him that his grant of land in the ported at the city hospital that most of extras, 39c; cartons, 1c extra; San Joaquin valley had reverted to the them would recover. One woman who butterfat, No. 1, 43c; No. 2, 41c, Final figures compiled by Uncle corporation. His home was on the became hysterical after being rescued Portland. Sam's census experts for the season place, and he had been raising wheat raced down the street screaming and Eggs — Oregon ranch, current re of 1915 show that the crop of cotton and stock. froze her feet before overtaken. ceipts, 32c per dozen; candled, 33 and cottonseed was worth more than Others, garbed in night attire, suf @32c; selects, 34c. $750,000,000. The production, of 11,- Kaiser Talks on U-Boats. American Vessels Ready. fered terrible exposure in the 10 below Poultry— Hens, heavy, 18@20c per 191,820 bales of cotton was worth $627,- London — An important conference pound; light, 18@20c; springs, 171@ New York—Two freight steamers zero temperature. Pennies Keep Mint Busy. 940,000 to the growers while the 4,- at headquarters has been called by Em- j 19c; turkeys, live, 20@2lc; dressed, flying the American flag were ready According to the report of the direc 992,000 tons of cottonseed produced 25028c; ducks, 20@22c; geese, 12 Thousands Against War. peror William, presumably to discuss Saturday to start for Bordeaux with tors of the mint, there were coined by was worth $167,000,000. Washington, D. C. — Thousands of the submarine question, says the Ex @13c. non-contraband cargoes. They are the the United States during the last Texas alone produced 3,227,480 Veal—Fancy, 142@15c per pound. change Telegraph company ’ s Amster telegrams from different parts of the | Orlean, of the Oriental Navigation year 347,900,469 coins with a total equivalent 500-pound bales, or nearly Pork — Fancy, 15@152c per pound. Co., and the Rochester, of the Kerr country urging steps to maintain peace dam correspondent Monday. 29 per cent of the total American crop Vegetables—Artichokes, $1.0001.20 value of $33,743,376.07. Dr. von Bethmann-Holwegg, the Steamship company. Each vessel reg between the United States and Ger The greatest number of coins mint of 1915; while four states—Alabama, per dozen; tomatoes, $6.00@7.50 per imperial chancellor, and high army isters about 6000 tons and each is man many reached the White House Mon crate; cabbage, $5 per hundred; ed were 1-cent pieces, of which there i Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas, ned exclusively by Americans. Both day. Many of them were in the same and navy officials will attend and it is eggplant, 25c per pound; lettuce, $2.35 were 190,299,677. There were 796,000, each with an output of more than 1,- vessels have the American flag painted language and evidently were the result reported, adds the correspondent, that (3.50 per box; cucumbers, $1.50@ in round numbers, of $20 gold pieces 000,000 bales—together produced near on both sides. Until her purchase re of an organized movement. Repre the possibility of negotiations with 1.75 per dozen; celery, $5.50 per crate; | coined. There were, approximately, ly two-thirds of the crop. cently by the Oriental company, sentatives of the Emergency Peace neutrals for modifying the terms of cauliflower, $2.50@2.60; peppers, 37,000,000 pieees coined for other gov According to the revised estimates of and the Orlean was known as the Federation, recently organized at New the recent German memorandum will 30c per pound; sack vegetables, ernments. the department of agriculture, the acre be discussed. Avellanada. I York, called at the White House in an | $1.25 per sack; sprouts, 123c per age from which the crop of 1915 was | effort to make an engagement to see 1 pound; rhubarb, 10@1lc. National Forests Restricted. harvested amounted to 31,412,000—the Sinking of U-Boats Hinted. Baltic Arrives in Port. President Wilson next week. A mass | Potatoes — Oregon buying prices, | Since the passage In 1912 of the act smallest since 1907. This reduction In London—In a letter read at the war $3.00 per hundred; sweets, $4. New York—The steamship Baltic of meeting will be held here soon. providing funds for land classification, acreage was due to the demoralized the White Star line has arrived safely loan meeting Saturday Vice Admiral Onions—Oregon buying prices, $7.50 and as a direct result of the classifica state of the cotton market following I3OO Acres to Be Opened. at Liverpool, according to a cable mes Sir Reginald Bacon, commander of the per sack, country points. tion work, a total of 13,477,781 acres the outbreak of the European war. The sage received here Saturday by officers Washington, D. C. — Thirteen hun Dover Patrol, is quoted as saying: Green Fruits — Apples, 75c@$2.25 tins been eliminated from the national average production of lint per acre In of the company. The message besides dred acres in the second unit of the per box; pears, $1.75(2.50; cranber forests. This Includes an elimination 1915, as estimated by the department “If you will try as hard to do your ries, $10@11 per barrel. announcing that the Baltic had reached West Umatilla irrigation project will of approximately 5,800,000 acres of I of agriculture, was 170 pounds, as her pier said “all well.” The arrival be opened to homestead entry March 6. duty ashore by raising a loan as we j Hops—1916 crop, 5@9c per pound; | land from the Chugach national forest I against 209 pounds in 1914, 182 pounds are doing at sea by sinking submarines of the Baltic removes from the danger Under regulations promulgated Mon 1917 contracts, 10@11c. In Alaska, which embraced lands of In 1913, 191 pounds In 1912, and 208 zone another British vessel carrying1 day, those desiring to enter should file and frustrating other evil devices you Wool —Eastern Oregon, fine, 28@33c low value for any purpose other than pounds in 1911. United States citizens. The steam- teir applications at The Dalles or La will make the loan such a success that per pound; coarse, 33@36c; valley, 33 mining. ship took to England full cargo of Grande offices between March 1 and 6. it will be a knockout blow to the @41e; mohair, nominal. Japanese Get 12-Hour Day. munitions. The building charge assessed against enemy.” Cattle—Steers, prime, $8.5009.25; Japanese wage-earners have not German Exports to U. 8. Drop. this land is $96 an acre, 5 per cent of 1 fair to good, $7.0008.00; medium, The total value of the exports In heard of the eight-hour day, but they Big Munitions Plaut Burns. Swedish People Approve. which must be deposited before the ap $6.50 @ 6.75; cows, choice, $7.35@ voiced at the American consulates in have won a 12-hour day, according to plication for entry will be received. Stockholm — The Swedish govern- ! Pittsburg, Pa.—The machine shop 7.7 5; medium to good, $6.5007.00; or Germany for the United States during Uncle Sam's commercial representa ment's rejection of President Wilson’s building of the United Switch & Signal dinary to fair, $5.7506.25; heifers, 1916 was $8,349,902, as against $39,- tives In the Orient. In a new factory $3.75 @ 6.00; China Threatens Break. suggestion to make common cause company, the largest plant for the $5.00 ( 8.00; bulls, 967,183 for 1915. Exports to the Phil I law which has gone into effect, 12 with the United States in severing Pekin—The Chinese cabinet has in manufacture of switch signals in the calves, $3.0009.00. ippines were valued at $21,428 against hours a day is fixed as the maximum Hogs — Light and heavy packing, diplomatic relations with Germany has dorsed the American action against United States, and until recently en $140,871. No exports were declared number of working hours for laborers. not been followed by dissent in high Germany on the submarine campaign. gaged in filling munition orders for the $11.500 12.35; rough heavy, $9.85@) during the year for Hawaii or Porto Two million girls employed In Japa political quarters. Even the strongest The cabinet has assured the American European governments, situated at 10.00; pigs and skips, $9.35010.00; | Rico, while in 1915 the shipments nese factories hall the new law as a pro-entente partisans seemed agreed minister, Dr. Paul S. Reinsch, that Swissvale, a suburb, was destroyed by stock hogs, $8.5009.00. Sheep—Yearling wethers, $10.25@ were valued at $89,159 and $16,841, great improvement in working condi the invitation could not possibly have China associates itself firmly with the fire early Saturday night with a loss respectively. tion* 10.76; lambs, $10.00@12.70. been accepted. estimated at $4,000,000. United States. Washington, D. C.—Germany’s de lay in permitting Ambassador Gerard and other American officials to leave the country has aroused deepest re sentment here, especially in view of the steps made to arrange all possible conveniences for the homeward trip of German officials in the United States. It was disclosed at the department that an inquiry regarding the delay had been addressed to Mr. Gerard through the Spanish ambassador at Berlin. Officials have indicated, how ever, that once Mr. Gerard and his party are safely out of Germany, the United States probably will consider the icnident closed.
