Rebec Mrs Georce lD-:8-U
K ItT
M A IT . TPTOToVTI? f
FORECAST
Kni n or Snow Tomorrow;
Warmer Tonight.
WEATHER
Mav. Yi-u-riliiy ItT: Mln.
Tuilny I'ici'lii.
Lfy&J? JLVJSL
Fortv-ilJtth Yuar.
MKDFORl). OI.'KdOX. MONDAY. "l-'Kl'.l.'l'AI.'V '(. 1917.
NO. L'SS
BIG CUNARDER LACONIA SUNK OFF BRITISH COAST
n
J -A U m M n B m, m m B ES I I vi Pi A
t
WILSON ASKS AUTHORITY
TO USE AW AND NAVY
FOB ARMED NEUTRALITY
Congress Hears Appeal by President J
for Authority to Place United
States in Position to Resist Subma
rine Menace Continued Invasion
of. Neutral Rights and Intolerable
Blockade of American Commerce
Have Taken Place of Oust Act.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2i. 'Presi
dent Wilson appeared before congrev
nt I o'clock this afternoon and asked:
for authority to place the Tinted;
Slates in a state of "armed neutral-!
it ""' to resist the German submarine j
menace. i
Continued invasion of the. plain;
rights of neutrals on the high seas,;
fiit'ther sacrifices of American lives j
and ships, the intolerable blockade of j
American commerce almost as el-i
feetual as it' the country were at warf
have taken the place of a dreaded j
"overt act" which was expected toj
shock the world and have forced the j
i.riwidiu.l inl.. Axr. iw.-.-t ...1 I
war.
Arming of Ships,
President Wilson in asking lo lie
empowered to take such steps as un
necessary, which includes the arming
of ships, the convoying of merchant
men fly Mill f.sscis, 11111411' piillll agaill j
that he wanted cnce, but not at the
price of American lives and rights, nr
by driving the American flap1 from Ihe
seas.
News of the .sinking of the Cunnrd
liner Laconia with Americans aboard
was reeeived here as the president
was on his way to address congress.
Although without details, its grave
possibilities added emphasis to the
jA'sitlent's words.
With a full realization of the sol
emnity of the occasion, the president,
took his action todny with the calm
confidence that congress and the
country will stand behind him.
The grim-faced body of senators
and representatives heard in tense sil
cnee and grave attention the words
which carry the American republic a
step further in its stand against ruth
less sacrifice of neutral rights and
lives and a step nearer war, if it must
be.
Still Hopes for Peace.
Devoutly expressing Hie hope (hat
it would not become necessary to "put
armed force into action," the presi
dent specifically asked for authority
lo supply American merchant .ships
with defensive anus "with the means
of using them' and to "employ any
other instrumentalities'' as well as a
"sufficient credit' to enable him tit
provide "adequate means of protec
tion." Xftis, without being specific in
terms, was n request for tiie use of
the army and navy and the necessary
money to make them effective.
Jlcliind the rights of Americans, the
president declared, he was thinking of
the rights ff humanity, but through it
all, he proclaimed to the world a pol
icy of peace, if peace be possible. He
disclaimed thinking of war or steps
that might lead to it, and declared
that the American people wanted to
exercise none but the rights of peace.
Resolution Introduced.
"No course of mv choosing, or of
( Continued on Pagi Six.)
f
NRV YOliK, Feb. 2i. If Pn-si-dent
WiUnn is nuthorized bv eoncre-s
to ann ships to protd t American
nicrchnntmen on the hiuh sea, lb
American line steamship tied up here
will resume sailing an soon as jrun-
can be provided, it was stated by the
line's officials Jjere today.
President in Speech Hopes That It
Will Not Be Necessary lo Put
Armed Force Into Action Presi
dent Asks Authority fcr Arming
American Shijs and Employing Any
Other Instrumentalities t3 Enable
Him to Provide Protection.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Pre ;i-
dent Wilson arrived at the capltol
ju:-t hcfo:t one o'cioi-it. lie spoke as
follows:
'Gentlemen oT the ci ngross:
"I have again, asked the privilege
of addressing you because we are
moving through critical times during
which It seems to me to lie- my duty
to keep in clone touch with the house1
of congress so that neither counsel,
nor action shall run at cross pur
poses between us.
"On the third of February. I offi
cially informed you of the midden and
unexpected action o the imperial
German government In dec-hiring its
intention to disregard the promises
it had made to this government in
April last and undertake Immediately
the submarine operations against all
commerce whether of belligerents or
of neutrals, that should peek to ap
proach Great Britain and Ireland, the
.Atlantic coasts of Kit rope or the har
bors of the Eastern Mediterranean
and to conduct those operations with
out regard lo the established restric
tions of international practice, with
out regard to any considerations of
humanity which might Interfere with
their object. That policy was forth
with put into practice. It has now
been in active execution for nearly
four weeks.
liesjilts in Doubt.
"Its practical results are not fully
disclosed. The commerce of other
neutral nations Is suffering severely
but not, perhaps, very much more se
verely than'il was already sectoring
before the first of February vhen the
new policy of the Imperial govern
ment was put into operation. We
have asked the co-operation of the
other neutral governments to prevent
these depredations, but I fear none of
them thought it wise to join us in
any common course of action. Our
own commerce has suffered, Is suf
fering, rather In apprehension than
in fact, rather because so many of
our ships are timidly keeping to their
home ports than because American
ships have h en sunk.
"Two American vessels have been
sunk, the llousatonic, and the Lyman
M. Law. The case of the liotisatonic.
which was carrying foodstuffs con
signed to London, was essentially
like the case of the Frye In which,
it will be recalled, the German gov
ernment admitted its liability for
damages and the lives of the crew,
an In the case of the Frye, were safe
guarded with reasonable care.
lEuthlfssncs of .Method.
"The case of the Law, which was
i
i
(Continued on Tage Six.)
UCKNOS Alii KS. Arueutinc llepub- ;
lie. I"cb. ''(!.- According Lu Na-.
cion, the Argentine irovcrnment is en-j
de.-n orir.L' to brini: almtil joint action
by lilt- La l in-American republics ui
u !'c: in-i mediation for ending the
war. 1 iic tmtcd States will not he
u-ked to take part becau-c oi its rup
tare with (term any. Neotmt nn
with the diplon.atie repri-'entative-heve
of the other I.Jtt iii-Amci'i' aii re-piildie-
will be initi.tted by Argentine,
the new .-paper ay.
SENATE DRAFT OF
WHAT HE DESIRES
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2d.-When
tin president was at the cupilol it was
i learned lute today, he ;jjivc Chairman
t Flood of the lio'iM- foreign a f fairs
j committee a draft id' lit- idea of what
the resolution lo be adopted by con
gress should be. The resolution was
broad and embodied exactly what the
president proposed to congress.
A copy of the draft also was given
to Senator Oliver. It would ;tuthor
izc the president lo supply and man
guns for merchant ships, give general
authority to "employ any other in
strumentality that may be necessary"
and provide for a special bond issue
of $1(10,1)0(1,0(10.
Sentiment generally in the lion c
seems to be that if the legislation
proposed limits the president to arm
ing ships or supplying convoys, it will
carry. Republicans pai l i'-nhn lv,
however, oppose an attempt that
might be made to give the proident
1 blanket authority whieh would involve
the country in war. Chairman Hood
said that his bill would meet this ob
jection. The president, he believes,
has no desire to be entrusted with
power tti make war.
FIVE BILLIONS FOR
LONDON, Kelt, lid. n the hone
of commons today, Andrew llonar
Law , chancellor of the exchequer, mi
U'Hinecd that the total uY applieatioii
for the war loan, treasniy bills and
w ar savings eertif ieates tluririir the
period of the war loans applie.itioiH
wa LoO(i,:tlJ,!i-"i( poiuuls new
money.
ILLION I
I'.KI.'LIN, l'i b. Jii. Men hant
j pin
up-
Ul'j'irj
to entente and neutral na
tion-. U;t. been df-!P'ed or con
demned as prize- by the central pow
ers -nice the beinnin:: of Ihe war, it
was officially announced today.
TO ARMS!
BOMBARDIHH CUT-a-AMARA
WATERING PLACES!
LONDON. l-eb. (Icrman de
stroyers homln'i-th d itroadstalrs and
.Margate early this morning. One
woman and one child were Killed and
two persons were injured. Two hous
es wore dnmanetl. This announce
mtnt was made In the house of com
mons today I iy Sir Kdward Carson,
first lord of the admiralty.
Margate is one of the most popu
lar watering places of Holland. It
Is situated on the Isle of Thanet, i:
the North Fea, a few miles from the
North Foreland and eighty mile
southeast of London. It has a popu
lation of ahoal twenty four thous
and. Itroadslairs is also an Knullsli wat
ering place on the east coast of the
Isle of Thanet. It is two miles north
east oT Wamstfuio and has a popula
tion of ahoni n;un.
Sir Kdward ('arson said that one
of four British torpedo boat destroy
ers on patrol duty In the KniUish
channel last night encountered sev
eral German deM rovers and a short
cnnaKcmeut ensued. The British de
stroyer was not damaged though she
was under heavy gun and torpedo
fire.
The German vcnels were tost sight
of, the first lord said, hut in the
darkness another toree of German (le
st ro t'VA homhaniMl the undefended
ports of Broadstaiis ami Margate.
British light foiees In the vicinity
closed in on the German warships,
wiih h only reinaiiieil a short time, ho
added, and were gone heforc the ap
proach of the British vessels.
The follow iic "l t ieial ac(-oiint of
the raid wa- i--it(d by Field Mar-hal
i-eount I'reneh. i ii'iiniander in chiel'
f the li'iine t"ie( -;
"Some enemy toipedo boat de-troy-
ei npproaehed tie- Kenti-h coa-t at
I 1 1 :l."i o'doeli a-t nihl and lire,) a
number of shell- af the unfortified
towns of Lroad-tair.-. and Mary ale.
The fire wa- e"ii!inucd fur about two
tiiinule-. The material damage caus
ed w a -Vliuht. Oae tM-eiipied and one
ulioeeupied hou-e were wrecked and
about ten hou-e- were djiinayed. It
i- regretted. h-tweM r, that one woman
and one child were l.ilh d and I wo oth-er-
-erion-ily in ja red.
Bepres' -ntalive Ben Sheldon has
returned from Salem and Portland.
FROM THE TURKS
i
LONDON, F.-b. 'Jti. lut-el-.nuira
has been captured from the Turks by
the Uriti.-h forces, nccordini; iit ji
statement made in the hoiie of im.ih
moiis today by Andrew Bonar Law,
member ol" t he British war council.
The Turks are in retreat toward Bag
hailah. J I mile-, to the west of Kul-el-Amara,
pursued bv British cav
alry. Kut -el-Amu ra, a trateyic military
position on the Tigris liver leading to
j Bagdad, was surrendered I o 1 he
j Turks April 2S. l!H(i. iiflei- (Jeneral
'Towusliend with a Briti-h I'oice of
I some 1MMMI troops had with-lood a
siege since the previous December
Mr. Bonar Law announeed that as
a result ol' tin operations on the Tig
( lis river front all of the Turkish posi
jtions from Sanuai.Mit to Kiit-el-Am-Jara
have been sei'iired and that Ihe
jtowu of Kul-el-Amara automatically
I pa--ed into the hand- of the British.
! BFBLIN. Feb. Jii. -Aeeordiug lo
; the official new s aycii'-v at Con-tan-;
linoplc, the lo. es o' the Briti-h in the
I recent f ighting along the Tigris c.-
eeed .'Ht.OI'O men. Secral sleaniships
crowded with wounded Brit i-li sol
diers have been -ent away, (lie news
agency sav-.
CONSTANT INOPLi;, l-Vh. 20- The
Jwar office today announced with
drawal of the forees at Kut-cl-Amara.
j The nnoiincement follows:
; "According to a pre-arranged plan
'and in order to effert a junction with
I reinforcements which ha ve arrived,
jour troops whieh have held for a
; year advanced positions at Kut-et-lAmara,
as well as positions ro the
(asl and west of the 'own, have heen
withdrawn to the rear In an iisterl
direetion. The movement was en
tirely unnoticed hy the enemy."
f GlHCAfiO. Feb. JO. -Members of
Ihe "Sukol Ciiion of America," n to
I heuiiau organization nl' gymnast-,
I PJ.OIU) in number, many o whom hae
I had nhv-ieal Irainiiig-. lodav were
j called (li to icpoi't to their di-tne( of-
tieels uiMl ll view o turmuig- a So;o
legiiui to he ready for service should
President Wdson call lor volunteer-,
: m in g!u in
LINER WHEN TORPEDOED;
! 26 AIRICAIIS ABOARD
, Laconia, I8,0.D Tolls, Cue of Largest Vessels of Cunnrd Fleet, Sunk at
Sea Si:n.iay Night Sailed From Hew York February 18 for Liverpool
' 28 Survivors Lam'cil Details Lacking One Known Dead anJ
I Some Missing Carried War Supplies, But No Explosives Six Amcri-
car. Passengers and Twenty Americans in Crew 5000 Sacks of Mail,
Containing Many Valuables, Aboard 75 Passengers and 216 In Crew
None in Stcoraije Is Larcjesl Verse! Sunk Since Warfare Begun.
XV.W Villi K. I'VI,. Twi-iily
Ami'i-it-:)!!, u4l halivi' limn, wi-iv ,
mi'iulu'is til' tin- rivvv nl l!n' l.arnitia. '
I.ONlXlX, Fcl,. -Jii. - h i:
' dl liriiilly Ihnl the l.:wunii
! ll'lilt'tl illhiul n rnitiu.
Mali'il
- Inr-
QIT.KXSTOWX, I'Vli. li(. - Tli
Cnnaril lint' Mcmnhip l.ni'tniia, nl'i
IH.IIHD Inns vi", wliii'll Inini
j Ni'W Vnrk. I'YImiiii'v IS, I'm- Liver
j MMil, lijis liivn sunk.
I
I.HXIiUX, .',.,. -Jii. - UYslry I'n.sl,
' Aincrirjin I'lmsiil nl (Jni'i'iistuwn, trl
' :,i'uniilir lln1 Anicrii'jin I'lnhn.sy ln.ft.
Imlny:
"('unnr.li'i' I i- ii'ln-cl ll:.'ill
' Snmliiv hiulil. Two liniMlrcl mill
sc,.iv-i'ii;lii siirvivm-s IuihIimI. In
; Inils l;i'"!.in, lint knnu'ii "siiino niiss
; iiiir. niir ili'inl."
; Sinking- ( 'oiitirnicd.
j NKV VOBK. Mi. 'Jii. The Cun
nrd line announced at ::hi p. n:. that
I they had received con I i rmal inn IVoni
I I lie Biiti-ti admiralty ol' the dc-truc-jliou
of the Laconia, and that (heir ad
: vices stated there was only one cnsii
I ally thus ('nr known. She was tor
i pedoed last ni-hl, the line announced.
ni:v V(h;k. ivb. oi;.-Five tiiou-
and sacks of I'nited Stales mail
were earricd by the l.aeoiiia, of whieh
BUHl were t ratisl'ei red from the Amer
ican liner St. Louis when it was de
cided lo h"!d the Intler essel in port.
Many valuable securities and dorii
nienls -cut by Amerieari bi:-iiii'-s
lirnw were -uppo-ed to be in the St.
Louis mail bags.
The Laeonia wa-- one of the large-l
es-els of the Cunaid Meet and the
large-l thus far sunk since the new
German submarine warfare was com
menced. She i-ei-j.-d-red M.tl!l!l tons,
NFAV YOliK. Feb. Food riol -
ing broke out again here (odav on Ihe
Fa-t Side, police re-er e- w ere ca IL
ed out lo ili-pi'i-i seveial huml red
woju,..; v.'h. attacked u v.-gctable w:ig.
on and .started lo dump barrel- uf pit- :
tallies and union- into the -treel. The
wuhien were rc-i-led b the owner,!
who drew a revolver and threatened
lo -hoot, lie was arre-led and wns
followed to the police station by a
nieiiaeing crowd "f women. '.
OAKLAND WHITE SLAVE
CASE IS DISMISSED
OAKLAND, ( al., Feb. "JO. Mad
ame Pauline Poiii-h, alias peail San
born, foi mcrly of I lehna. .Mmit..
ehaige.l wiih alleged ullentpl ft. in
duce Mrs. Pearl It'aillon enter San
Francisco night life, wa- di-mi--ed
today lor htek iA' c iib nec
FOURTEEN KILLED WHEN
FRENCH AIRSHIP IS STRUCK
IlKI.'I.IN', VVIi. TmimIi i-ii j
V.I-IV In- III,. il,..lli-lin ... i
l-'nmli mi -hii ii'n,i inl in f.i'iil:i y'- ;
illllriill titlttlMllliii'.'llH'll III IlitVf llt't'll '
1 1 r ii t iIiiwm liv liif (Ii'iiniiit ili'h'ii-i
-if I in-.
was tiiip iVel long, 71 feet beam and
HI feet depth. She wa.s built in ltU 1
at New Castle ami was commanded
by Captain . D. r inc.
I'asscngcrs A hoard.
FirM enhin nisscuers aboard Mm
Lneoiiin totalletl thirty-three and .sec
ond cabin forty-two. The crew num
bered UHi. There were mi steerage
passenger,-. . The Ainericajis aboard
were:
Arthur T. Kithy, Biiinbridgc, N. ,L;
Mr-. F. K. Harris, New York; F. 1
Gibbous of the Chicago Tribune; Mrs.
Mary F. Hoy and Mis Kli.abelh Hoy
; of Chicago and liev. dames Wareing
i of New York.
! The war supplies in the Laconia's
j cargo included :!000 tons ,,f shell
ease-, but llieic weic tin explosives on
ibonrd. it wa- learned. Other items
were (O.dOO bushel- of wheat, L'H-BI
! bales of eollon,' !I(H ions of provis
ions. 1 Jos boxes ol' fruit, jnn steel
! plnles and casing-, T)0 tons of sun
: dries ami limn hats of silver.
A list of I wen I y Anieneiins in the
crew of the Laconia on file in the of
fice of I lie Briiish shipping commis
sioner here, contains the following
mimes ;
V. Wrote.'. Ball imorc; 1 1. Smith,
! I i-ville. Ky.; M. Shimled. J. T. "-
liam-, B. licdiie, B. CIcvidand, F.
j Smith, .1. I'uinpines, ,, ), Bmll, ,1.
ll.ewar, .1. I'.owniaii, D. Adamson, !1.
Shepherd, .1. .bduison, II. Young, L.
j Dnanell, It. Carter, T. Coffey, A.
Dwyer and C. Me
York Citv.
.burg, ail of Xc
Among I be nas-euger- (Mi ihe La
ni.i were Mr. and Mis. G. Boston
of LiM i j I. Mr-. V.ostnn is a fds-
j ler of Mr-, Corning Kenlcy of MVd
I ford. They were oil their return
I home from n business and social visit
! in the I nited Slate-,.
i WASHINGTON. Feb. -Jii.- Newspa-
i per pabli-liei's from tlinuighoiil, the
i Cnitcd Slate-, nn'etiu- here today
u it h (he lederal trade conunissiuu.
voti d unaa inioii-ly to co-operate with
I he ''omiui--ion il it decides to ac
cept the propo-al bv la ws pi'iut iiiim-ulact;irei-
liiat the eoimni ion fix a
price for their product-. The pub
lishers agreed to reduce (heir re
((uiremcnl - if necessary to make ihe,
plan successful.
PASSES WAR ZONE
I'AKIS, l'cti. mi. ... Tim AincTH'Ull
rn-ii;lii"r Orlcar.s hiis rnUjreil tlin
iiiiiiiih of Hip (ilromic, .iim oiiIIiik to a
l.oi ill :iu k 1iMinlrh In lln? O ;i v n.s om'ii-
Thf Oili'tnis anil lln' fri'ljihlm- Ho
(liislfr Kfiu tliu fii-nt AtniMiraii vm
wis to liai thu t'liliMil Slali'H for
r:urnic nl'H'i' illploiiuuir rulutlnus
with (aTiiiany wne .scvui'imI.