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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 1916)
Medford Mail Tribune SECOND EDITION WEATHER I'n'r Tonight and Saturday, Mavlmuin 2, minimum M. K'Tfv fif(h Tear , t)nlli T. nth Var BEDFORD OKKUOy. FRIDAY. KUUtrAKV is, UUt; NO. 2H'2 UNITED STATES AN A 0 NEUTRALRGHTS Administration Holds Merchant Ships Have Right to Carry Arms for Defense Lodge Declares to Accept German View Would Be Unneutral and Step Towards War. WASHINGTON", Fob. IS. All American diplomatic nnd consular officers abroad have boon notified In a circular com munication from tho stnto do partment that the position of the Cnlled States Is that mor cluint ships liavo a right to carry dcfonslve armament. This move, which becamo known to dnv, Is the fit Ht formal an nouncement that tlio I'M I ted Stutos dons not nccopt as loRnl thu announced Intention of (iermnny nnd Austria lo sink armed merchant ships without waruIiiK after February 2!i. as cnmluK within International law. WASHINGTON, Fob. lS.Sonnlor Lodge, ranking minority member ol the foreign relations committee, made a speech in I lie ennte today, declar ing tliat nlmndonment liv the United States nt this time of the prineipU' that its ports were open to iiml-iU citizens flee to travel upon merchant men of belligerent tuitions tinned solely for defensive purposes woulil be mi unneutral net nnd n htep to wn ul war. lie (Mrtd'it would make the I mted States the ally of the bellig. ei cut whose mercliHiit murine hod been swept from tho sons. An late as the nmridont's note ot May Y.. 191.'), signed by Mr. Hryan, Senator Lodge aaid, this government recognised thnt "American oitizpin u-re within their Undisputed right h in taking their idiips nnd in traveling wherever their legitimate busines culls them ipvou thu high w"," I'ntihiuil llirtlif. "Sueh" he milled, "hni4 been the practice of all nutioim in regard to the armed merchantman. It seems utterly incredible thnt tin jioitition should bo in any wny altered now of that our government should be ready tn surrender the unquestioned right of Americana to trnvol or ship gum on a helltiteivnt Merchantmen Mihjcet to all thu rule which have been e. Inblishcil by tho courU niul by all international authorities for nt least two centuries. The abandonment nj those rights by any neutral govern inetit on thu ground that the invest lion of submarines with the neeessnr.t limitations upon thu power of cup. lure Hhesicil by those hoot if in conceivable. Such abandonment could rest oh the mound that the lights of neutral-, the rule which fit cent uric lmvo been agreed upon bt all nations for the protection of inno cent lives upon vessels captured in war, must ha thrown aside and du c.irded u order thnt a new instrument of tun nl one destruction must not bfl implied in its work of death and murder. Sueh a doctrine is revolting to every instinct of kuinauitv. to ev civ pnneiple of law and justice. "There , however, another side to this matter which is of oven graver importance. There can be no ques tion thut any net by h neutral which nlteis conditions created by the war is an unueutrnl net and places the i. cntral upon the bide of onu belliger ent or the other. An Unneutral Act. ''This if, eminently true of anv form of embuivo, aud there is no need that I -hould repeat the unaqswer- (Continued on page five.) TEN BILLION DOLLARS LONDON, Feb 1 -Nt-w votes of redlt amounting 10 approximately 4oo.ooo.oou pounds steeling will bo akO. by Premier Asquitb of the liou-c of coiriiioiii 'lit l -Vk vot will 1 1 1 rK 'M' the UPON THE SCAFFOLD aHtrweisssm linns Schmidt and Anna Aumuiier, whom he rmrdcrul, cuttlnp up body nnd tl rJWiUt' tor. o in nvcr FINAL PENALTY FOR HIS CRIME OSSININO, X. Y. Keb. IS Hans Schmidt was electrocuted nt Sine Sins; urlson this morning for tho mur der of Anna Aiunullor, Septombor 2, tins. Schmidt wont nulotly to tho death chamber, accompanied by tho princi pal kucpor and tho Hev. Father Cashln, the prison chaplain. Leav ing tho death houso he said xoodbyo to thoso who romalned. "When he entered the ehambor tho guards attempted to direct him to ward tho chair but Schmidt gently shook them off and Inelstod upon ad dressing tbo seventeen wltnoseoe. Tho guards desisted from their ef forts nnd with Father Cashln stand ing at ono side and the keopor on the other Selunldt said: "Gentlemen, I ask forgiveness of all thoso I have Injured or scandal lied. I forgive all who have injured mo. My last wish is to say goodbye to m) dear old mother. " Schmidt then seated himself in tho electric chair and tho curront was applied three times. Within a inln uto he was dead. He had spent the night up to midnight in prer and talking with Father Cashln ijnd slept from midnight to five o'clock when ho was awakened for breakfast. He would take onl.v a i up of coffee. t ' CADVA, via Pari. Feb. 18. A con eeutnttion camp has been prewired Tor tho German who oeonped into Spain, and tbo fintt imporUnt con tingent is expeetod soon. February M an official -ejort is--in d nt Htmd lated thnt the total i. umber of flerman soldiers interned in Suniish Guinea was 2600; that there hud alko been interned H member of families of the German -oUIuts und that all would bo tsfttw ferrcl to Spnui. A reviou state ment bad announced that aluttfr with the Gernii!'QoldN-!N, 14.IHHI flennan riiliii.il trp h.ul iiiH.ittd friii K II I I III I'l " "li.ll -i I I I 111 .1 t . . 4 I Vi" f (y . 1 i ti . SCHMIDT PAY B AYONETS TOOK i m NG Turkish Fortress Yielded to Bayonet Attack After 36 Hours' Bombard mentThermometer 30 Degrees Below Zero When Capture Made Turk Defenders In Retreat. I'KTHOISHAI), Fob. IS. Tbo fall of Krzeruni, tho most Important Turkish stronghold In Asia Minor, nnd for a long tlmo considered im pregnable, offers tho unprecedented spectacle of n flrat-clam fortresii built on n Hteep mountain ridge near ly n mile above sea level yleldlnii to baonot attack after only thirty six hours' bombardment. In SeveiirM Wcatlu'r. Tho operations were conducted under the moat sovoro weather con ditions, the snow being deep and tho thermometer registering nt times more than thirty degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Tbo Turkish army de fending Krzerum, taken by Burprlso under the methods adopted by the Husslans, Is now said to bn In dis orderly flight on tho roads landing to Slvns. As tho garrlfon apparently scat tered In all directions, it Is assumed hero that large numbers of men were taken prisoners although official fig ures nro still lacking. After tho taking of Nlksala, It ap peared that the Itusslan attack would bo directed upon tho. Turkish right flank and by rapidly transfer ring troops the Turks madnnll plana lo resist the main assault from thts quarter. Apparently they had lit tle fear-of the success of this attack becnuso of tho strong character of tho fortification)) in thnt direction and ovon loss apprehension of dan ger from a. fioutnl attack. T Alien by Storm, Nevertheless nftor tbo Ituians took by storm tho first line forts on February 2 thore began a porslstent iombardmont of the Turkish center, followed by n bayonet charge, the Impetuosity of which swept tho de fenders off their feet. Tho highest tribute Is paid to tho bravery of tho Caucasian troops, whoso charge is considered likely to go down in his tory ns ono of tho most brilliant fonts of tho war. It Is recognized here that tho suc cess of tho assault was due almost entirely to the bayonet work of theso troops, si n co the artillery prepara tion was Insufficient In Intensity, ac cording to military experts, to re duce oven a strong field position. Tbo wiping out of this Turkish baso tends to disrupt tho whole Cau casus campaign of tho Turks, as It not only bcrvod as a baso of the operations In tho Caucasus, but also of thoso In Mesopotamia. Ojwn Wny to the Porte. Its fall leaves no strongly forti fied point between Krzerum and SI van, about 2:(0 miles to tho wodt, and brings more to tho front consid eration of an eventual attack upon Constantinople from tho oust. An attempt to re-take Krzerum Is anticipated, but thore nre enormous difficulties attending the bringing up of Turkish reinforcements as It Is assumed that Turkish forces In MesoptamlA cannot be spared. Tho alternative for the Turks seims to bo to draw up on thoso at Constantinople trotn which all possible routes to b'grerum aro long and arduous. Tho most practicable Is by railway to t'rfa, whence it would bo necossary to march overland more than 300 miles. Tho Illuek Sea routo to Treblzond has become impracticable because of the Itusslan domination of the Dlack Sea littoral. Slvas Is regarded as the next prob. able objective of the Russian armies. KAISER A FAKE niMlLIV, Feb is - it Is stated officially that the correspondent of the Itndon Dail) Mall who wrote de scriptions of the meeting at Nlsh of Kmperor William and King Ferdi nand of HuIk.iim new r existed,'' ai H t flvf r i i- Nr ws riir ai.d flat '. w olf rvort naj a tuJU NT VW m Git ffillM ID V0UTH .jijw ?vai iiBkAt oBnaai. Miss .Ma H.i n fjnmhei' t and Win. II. Orpct. Finding of tho girl's body, In a wood near Luke Forest, 111., was fol lowed by the airest of Orpct, a Junior nt Wisconsin University, said to hnvo confessed Intimacy with tho girl and to have asset ted alio took poison after they quarreled In tho woods. Orpet Intended to marry another, he had told tho girl, according to tho police. SAY HARVESTER TRUST FINANCED I WASHINGTON, Feb. Is Charges thut tho International Harvester company had furnished money for anna and ammunition for tho Ortez Arglmedo revolution ugalnu the Car rauza government in Yucatan, Mex ico, were niado toda by Levy Maer, of Chicago, In the sqnnte agricul tural commltteo's Investigation Into an alleged monopolj for control of the nlsal market. Walter L. Fisher, formor secre tary of the Interior, counsel for the harvester company, displayed to the committee a bundle of bills, part of 3,500,000 pesos Issued by tho Yuca tan commission, formed for control ling the sisal crop. Ho was under taking to explain that tho bills had roino Into tho possession of tho har vester company from a draft of 1 180, 000 gold Issued to Angolino Monies, u sisal purohaser, who the Yucatan planters assert letirexmted solely tho harvester company whon he was In terrupted by Major, who deularod they gave tho draft to rnlso money for stirring up a revolution. "That's Just tjlk." rotorted Mr. Fisher. , "Wo will be nblo to show and In troduce Into the record tho Invoices und bills showing that at least part of the money went to an arms pur chasing company of New York to buy rifles and ammunition," replied Muvor, Mr. Fisher asserted that tho monov from tho draft was given tho Yuca tan government In exchange for the commission's monev in-order to have currency to pay the sisal pUnters. WASHINGTON, Feb IS. -The Im pression grew In official circles to day that Secretary Houston would ho transferred to the war department to succeed former Secretary Garri son. On the way to the cabinet meeting today M. Houston smilingly refused to answer questions on the subject, but volunteered the Information that ho had completed presenting the needs of his department to the house agricultural committee. The 1m-pre-Mon was glwu ilut he Inn) the drj ,in pnt afi.ur- in hiu h uti.Ii ' tc u lint br '01' J o.age tuf i.un.i ' YUC S ARRESTED III 8& NATION FACING ! GRAVEST CRISIS STATES STERLING WSHINGTON, Feb IS ena. tor Sterling of .South Dakota spoke In the senate todav on his resolu tion to declare the senate's concern nt the recent German nnval order to sink all armed allies merchantmen. He said the issue brought tlio United States to Its "gravest International crisis." "Instead of yielding to the claims of the Gorman odmlialty," ho sold "their very mention should moot with vigorous protest. Instead of denying this old right of the seas wo should now, of alt times, vlo with this or any other nation In seeking to uphold It. It Is possible Nome danger will be Inmrrod, but I do not in uilt fear tlnngors will he In creased beyond what tint)- are at present, but I do know that, let hor ror occur In which Amorloan lives are lost and this administration and the world will know that there Is a real America not supine, apathetic and hesitating, but strong, militant, If need he, and ready to lospond to those noble Impulses of liberty and humanity which have been our heri tage from the noglnnlug. "For peace commissioners, for international Jurists, there will bo a new problom, and that will be to limit the destructive operations of the submatlne to war craft, and to prohibit for ever the destruction of commcrrc and passenger carrying vessels b means and at links that shock liumnnilv und Minnie our civi lization ' E XATl-HIX Mis-, Feb. IS. Tbiee gjiv eminent steatuets m lived ol t' Jewfllton to take nwav u many n thev could curry of the "J.XlO person, mostly ucgroes, marooned there IS hours or more by flood. Many ref ugee), were brought bore. Food was provided for many who hud eaten nothing for two days. The steam ers found huiuirfdtf of negroes hud dled a long tho levees for twenty miles. Ilcudwutci's of the Hood frotli fiuck Hiil-r plantiiluin emlv toiluv nciucd III" tlU'M- III W.lt. llliili .Dill K Mi ll ' ..liP I. nl .. il .. (tic ! nidus STEAMERS RESC REFUGEES SENATOR AIRS ARMY SCANDAL mm corps Defective Equipment, Favoritism and General Inefficiency Alleged hy Rohlnson of Arkansas Photo fjraplied Copies of Letters Prove Officers Recognize Poor Service. WASHINGTON, Feb. I8. Charges of u scniidnl In the army nvintion service, involving defective equip ment, favoritism to eeituin officers nnd genenii ineffleienev ol the nero corps were laid before the stnte mili tary committee today by Senator Hobiiisiin of ArluniHiis in uiport of l.ih losolution for u eongreHmunnl in vestigation. With photographic copies of letters which he.Niiid had ptiHScil between Colonel Snmuel Keber, hand of the corps, und Cnptuin Aithur S. Cownn tu ohm-go of the Snn Diego nvintion station, Senator ItoliiiiNou told the committee in executive session that the documentary evidence proved that the officers recognized the ineffic ient condition of the nero service thnt Iteher had instructed Cowan to keep it hccrel. Good Ice Couit Mm Hal. I.ieutennnt Colonel I,. Ii. Goodier, judge nihncate general of the west ern division of the nrmy, wnw recent ly tried by court iniirtinl charged with having altered or iidiled lo chnrgcx preferred by oilier ol'lieerH ngainst Cnptuiu Cownn. The cluugen uKiiiiiKt t'yvvnn were that for two yearn h6 ilrew the Ilfi per cent wln jiuy of nn nvintion officer when lie won unl ml uvialor. The ease is now vvniting I'lesidenl Wilson's action. The court iniii-tinl at Snn Francisco at tracted wide attention and threatened mi investigation of the aviation ser vice. One letter trom Cownn rend: "I wish you would have your en gineering department get me out some drawings for the sixc of sheets to be placed under the seats of aviator for alleged minor protection. I will have several of these pliilcs mnile so we can say we have armored aero planes, not that I think it vitally cm seiilinl, but in order that we cnu meet any change that oar inuchine arc not nrnioil'd." Hit Tight Hnivv Fay. Cuplnia Cowan in n letter lo Colo nel Weber declined if the "service ever came under Invest ignliou by any one from outside our own corw, it would be imiMissilile to explain the rotten way in which the woik has been handled. Colonel Ilcber wrote duly 21, Hill, to Captuiu Cownn, Senator Itobiiisou said, as follews: "We have until the 18th of Sep tembcr to qualify these men and get them in without having them detailed as students. All 'u have to do is to sit tight ami draw your pay. " 'It woulil he understood thnt you will nut he requited lo fly in time of Maee, although nothing need he said about this in the official communien lion.' tlii'miiiy LNt I'rcpiuvd. "As cam-lush evidence that Col onel Iteber prompted Caiitain Cowan to make fa 1st- reorU concerning the line condition of the service, I quote fiom his letter of February 'Jo, lDl.l, as follews: "'He (the chief general striven) will probuhlv ask .vrni for the person nel of the first nero squadron, nnd I suggest that you have pi epo red a Is -t showing the officers who, shall I -uy theoretically, belong to the saute. If vou liml it ncccssury to fill up by putting in the names of '-me of the ii..atinn student- put I'leui in and give him the Is t ' " TO MEET EMERGENCY WASHINGTON, Feh In War plans for the uavv In meet any oiuergenrv are kept well up to date at all times. Captain McKeau of the bureau of operations today told tbo house naval committee. His state ment was affirmed by a letter from 4mirul Hewcy to ( lialriiuiii I'aduett. i'.i,itani M Kran iaw no benefit r"m cr iiiM ot a k n rA -.i iff NV LANS TEMPEST BOILS INLITHIATEAPOT AT SPRINGS CITY Mar.aflcr Dtiryca of Publicity Depart ment Resigns Commissioner Stev enson of Springs Commission Re signs In Protest Over Acceptance of Project From Contractors. ASHLAND, Feb. 18. Tho tempest in the lithin teot has broken out, though not tmoH'otcd,, nh the. dis till bunco bun been browing for weeks. Uneasiness wiih manifest.' ;ime tituo ng6. In the intercut olVjceonomy, now thnt the funds nrd njtnost gone, the discharge of the sten'ngrapher in Manager UurycnV publiultv ilcuit( menl wrh ordered, this; work to bo taken over by an employo of tho springa eommlsMion nnd the contract ing firm. Duryen entered n demurrer, fpibnilc the hitiins, and thero him there hns been no InmliRtrinp; out to welcome what tho mn linger terms nn intruder. At the time the resijmniion of Duryen wna looked for nbout Ap ril 1. Jt seems ho linn anticipated this action fully n month nnd form nlly hist Tuemlny asked that bin con nection with the bureau ahould conso March 1, a request to which tho com mission nceeeded nt once. Among expenses of hia department Daryea personally got $200 per month; stenographer, .fi0; office rent, $10, and heal, .(5. This wna nominally paid by the springs coin mission, but in the finnl annlyKis tho dear people settle the bill. The cause of his- resignation Duryen will not discus until' he con sen lo be con nected with the work in hand. SteveiiMin ltesluiis. Tuesday evening another Hpoolnc ulnr rpignation wuk pulled otC nl tlio city council meeting. Chester Stev enson arrived nt the parting- of the ways with his fellow nmmboris of tho spring coininiswiou. Tho council nr. ccptcd his icNiguntiou on the spot, tho mayor applying the cloture as to rights of discussion over tho matter. The underlying tmiihlo in Steven son's contention that tho Smith-Rut-cry $100,(100 conlraot should not bo accepted until nfter u iiiuoty-duy try out, a period which ho Inter reduced to thirty days. The eommwsiou voted lo accept on a ten days trial, hence tho disagreement and .resigna tion. There have also been other dis turbing factors which thu eommlohiun lias Ignored. Stovonsou was appointed over n year ago to succeed If, A. Minkkir, resigned. At that time he was a spe cial protege of Ilert Greer, ohnimiun of tho board, and the Tidings of that period in full of teuas of cndoomiont ami affection as expressed by Pyth ias for Damon. The aalary in cash is nil, but there is a heap of pains taking work counecled with grief on the job. Stevenson's IteasoiLs, The method of awarding thu con tract to Smith, Umory Si Co. last spring without a oomfHttitiro bid u roused considerable opposition nt the I hue, and the method of settle ment has brought forth protest from many of those who, in the inteioat of community harmony, had kept quiet on the contract awafd. Mr. Klcvenson, of the eommuuiou, on l-Vbruarv 7 filed tint following pmtest with the other niombors of the spungs commissien: "it upja-nrs that Uib wutk of Smith, F.iuury & Co. in gojineotion with our springs development U linietically completed and that pro posals for turning tho plant over to the cit are to bo eoiuddurud nt thin time. "I have given thin mutter most careful coiuidemtion nnd lnjvo como ti the conclusion that wo should dc- (Concluded on page tlvo) FIRST TRMJTaiii FLOOD FOR SAN DIEGO I.OH WCfcXb'a, Feh. IS Tho first iniln for Sau Ulego since Jan usi) 17 left here early todaj. Ilrldgod and loug stretohea or roadbed woro washed out by the heavy rains dur lua January. Freight to all poluta between here and San Plogo was armpit d lod.a liv tbo Ateblsoa, To i'f-Ku and 3.i nt a Fa railroad, W 1 1