Medford mail tribune., March 19, 1917, Page 1, Image 1

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WEATHER Maximum yesterday, 53; minimum today, 28. FORECAST Tonight and tomorrow, partly cloudy.
ffiUN
4
Forty-sixth Year.
Dally Eleventh Year.
MEDFORD. OREGON, - MONDAY, MATCOU 19, 1917.
NO. 306
'Mail Tr
NO WARNING
GIVEN SHIPS
TORPEDOED
Elyhty-Five Americans, Comprising
a Large Majority of the Crews
Aboard the Three American
Steamers, Vigiiancia, City of
Memphis and Illinois Sunk by Ger
man Submarines in Blockade Zone
Twenty-Three Missing.
NEW YORK, March 19. Kiglity
five Americans, comprising a large
majority e tlie crews, were abbnrd
the three American steamers Vigi
lancia, City of Memphis' and Illinois
sunk hy German submarines on Sat
urday and Sunday m the blockade
zone. The latest information here
is that fourteen men are missing
from the Vigiiancia and nine from
the City of Memphis. Tlio crew of
the Illinois landed safely.
The City of Memphis left Cardiff,
"Vales, Friday, m ballast for New-
York. She encountered the subma
rine Saturday evening and the crew
was given fifteen minutes to take to
the boats. The vessel was owned hy
the Ocean Steamship company and
valued at $(100,000. She left New
York January 23 with a cargo of cot
ton, which -was delivered at Havre,
France. There were 57 men in her
crew.
Without Warning.
The Vigiiancia wns torpedoed
without warning, according to the
survivors' story and the submarine
did not appear. She carried a crew
of 45 men, 21 of whom were Ameri
cans. Thirty-one of these have been
landed at the Scilly islands. The
Vigiiancia sailed from New York
February 28 with a cargo consisting
in part of provisions and valued at
j nearly .$7(10,000. The ship herself
was said to he worth one million dol
lars.
Beyond Uie j'act that the crew-
was saved no details had been re
ceived here enrly today regarding the
destruction of the Illinois. Sho was
reported merely as having been
"sunk." The Illinois was a tank ship
owned hy the Texas Oil company
She left Port Arthur, Texns, on Feb
ruary 17 for London with a full car
go. There were 16 Americans on
board, including all the officers and
eight members of the crew, licr en
tire crew consisted of 35 men. Her
homo port was New York.
Captiiln Missing.
WASHINGTON, March 19 The
following dispatch undated from
Consul Frost at Queenstown, reached
the stnte department very late last
night nnd was given out today:
"Thirty-three survivors City of
Memphis do not include Captain I
."!-. riorum and four other Americans
and four non-Americans, hut indioa
tious are that they are safe on board
some merchant or admiralty vessel
which has no wireless. Captain's
bont did not separate from others
till 1 a. m. today and was picked u
empty at 10 a. m., weather mean
while remaining moderate.
"Vessel cleared Cardiff 10th in
ballast with fifty-eight persons in
eluding twentv-nine Americans. At
3:55 p. m. 17th submarine fired
. -warning shot from three miles on
starboard quarter, vessel was stoj)
(Continued on Pago Six.)
30 MILLIONS A DA'
LONDON", March 19. Replying to
a question In the house of commons
today, Andrew Bonsr Law, chancellor
of the exchequer, said the dally aver
ago expenditure of the British gov
ernment from April 1, 1916 to March
31. 1917 would work out at $30,000-000.
OVERT ACTS
PRECIPITATE
W STATE
New and Aggressive Action to Pro
tect American Shipping Presi
dent Authorizes Issue of $115,
000,003 Emergency Bonds .to
Enable Speeding Up of Naval Pro
nram Steps Taken to Have Navy
Protect Merchantmen.
WASHINGTON, March 19. The
United States today faced the press
ing question of war with Germany
over the immediate fssue of the ruth
less destruction of three unarmed
merican men-hunt ships. Techni
cally, an armed neutrality still ex
isted hut unofficially it was admitted
Germany has committed the "overt
act," which precipitates a virtual
state of war.
New and aggressive action to pro
tect American shipping against Ger
man submarines appears certain as a
result of yesterday's sinking of three
unarmed American merchantmen
with possible loss of American lives.
Ikmd Issue Authorized.
President Wilson lalo today au
thorized the navy department to
pond $115,000,000 to speed up ii
naval construction and to buy smiil
auxiliary craft.
Congress at its last session an
thorh'.ed the president to sanction the
expenditure and authorized an issue
of bonds to raise the money. The
president s decision is one of the
steps considered to meet the subma
Kino menace.
The president's act was the first
official recognition of n "national
emergency." He also will authorize
the suspension of eight-hour laws on
naval construction and authorize
payment f lime and a half for over
time as provided by net of congress.
White house officials when nsked
declared they had no knowledge of
what the president's decision -would
be.
Navy lleudy to Act.
Asked what, if any further steps
the navy had in contemplation for
the protection of American life nnd
hips on the high seas, Secretary
jDnniels said:
" liatever the navy can. do, it will
More than that I would not like to
say at this time."
With American ships already being
irmed, the most probable step would
be nn active campaign to clear sub
marines out of the shipping lanes.
There appeared to be no plan to have
the United States enter the war
the sense that t)ie European nations
have entered it. '
The fact that some Americnn ships
are on the other side of the ocean
unarmed is a factor ill the situation
(Continued on Page Three.)
FACTORY IRK IN
LONDON', March 19. The council
of worklngmens' delegates in Petro-
grad has prescribed the Immediate
resumption of work in all factories,
according to a dispatch to Reuter'i
from the Russian capital.
Factories will pay full wages for
the dayr. In which work was prevent
ed hy the revolution.
The detectives and police services
are being re-orgenized, the former
members being sent to the front. The
metropolitans of Petrograd and Mos
cow, Pitrin and Makary have been
sent into compisory retirement.
The provisional governors are be
Ing replaced by presidents of zem
stvos or mayorB in the managemen
of food supplies. The public funeral
for all vktlms of the revolution will
be held in Petrograd.
1
ABANDONING
Kaiser's Army in Full Retreat to "the
Aisne River French Recover Two
Entire Departments, Those of the
Oisne and Aisne, Regaining 620
Square Miles of Territory Unre
lenting PiTStiit Forcing Retreating
Teutons Back Without Rest.
PARIS, March 19. The French
closely following the retiring Ger
mans rc-occupied Ouiseard last night
and at several points reached the
railroad from Ham' to N'esle, the war
office announces. Troops were push
ed along the national road to St.
Qiientln.
In Full Ketrcat.
The German line at last accounts
was in full retreat over a section
which represents almost one-fifth of
the vast front from Switzerland to
the sea, closely pressed by the
French and British. French troop3
advancing with the precision of a
machine along a forty-mile front,
have recaptured Important towns and
many square miles of territory, ac
complishing that with small cost to
themselves, so carefully has every do
tall of advance been thought out.
In the Lasslngny region west of
Roy the Germans appear to have
made only a weak defense since the
French were able to push forward
thirteen miles at one bound. Gener
al N'lvelle, the French commander,
who is credited with possessing al
most uncanny ability to gauge the
powers of his opponents, is follow-
ng up the retreating Germans with
great rapidity. It is regarded here
as doubtful whether the Germans
will find it feasible to offer serious
resistance before reaching the basic
line of defense between Llllio and
Soissons, two days' march from
where they how are.
Two Departments Freed.
Tomorrow, or tho day after, two
entire French departments, those of
the Olse and Alnse, will be liberated
from the German Invader, according
to reports from tho fighting front
The total territory now regained Is
roughly calculated at 020 square
miles.
i lie nature or the ground over
which the Germans retreated was al
most all against them and they were
harried by cavalry, which is now be
ing used in force for tho first time
since the battle of the Marne.
At a few points where nature of
fered an opportunity for resistance,
the Germans tried to make a stand
and fell back only after considerable
fighting.
The newspapers are overjoyed at
the liberation
territory.
of such an extent of
B12RMX, Marcn 33. Evacuation
of territory over a wide sector of the
CHIEF THE RAILROAD BROTHERHOODS WHOSE THREAT OF A GENERAL STRIKE CAUSED
THE RAILROAD MANAGERS TO YIELD TO DEMANDS FOR ESTABLISHING THE 8-H0UM-DAY
A p, (WnnpTf.AN
Ix is pivsl'b-nt of tho IkrotlicrliiKKl of Jtnilway Trnintnen; fJarretnon, prpsblnnt of the Order of Hallway Conductors; dar ing Illness of (inrrot
son. I,. K. Kliepixird acts s president. Htonc Is grand thief engineer of tho IlrollicrliomI of locomotive Kngliicorx; Oirtir, preHhlvnt of the 111 other
hood of Locomotive Firemen and Englncmcn.
THREATENE
LANE PROVES A MOST 4
SUCCESSFUL MEDIATOR
Franklin K, l.nno, SeiTetjuy of (ho
Interior, who n ranged the strike set
tlement as mediator for the lx)artl of
national defence.
E
F
L
BY
LOM)0T, March !fl. Ilome rule
for Finland is the policy of the new
Mussina government, according: to n
Keuter correspondent, who says that
the Finnish diet will he convened
shortly and asked to establish a f?nv
ernnient possessing the full confi
dence of the people.
General Zein, governor of Finland,
under the old regime, has been sent
to Pctrogrnd as a prisoner.
Negotiations are proceeding with
Huron liosen, former ambassador to
Washington, with a view to his ap
pointment as governor general of
Finland.
Minister of Justice Karnesky has
ordered the district court at Tobolsk.
Siheriu, to release immediately M.
Ovinhiiyer, former president of the
Finnish diet, and arranged for his
journey to Petrograd.
French front extending from Arrqa
jto tho Aisne river is announced by
.tho German war office.
Several lines of French trenches
over an extent of 500 meters In one
section and 800 meters in another on
the Verdun front were stormed yes-
terday by the Germans. Nearly 500
French prisoners were taken.
Stone
. A
RAILROAD STRIK
MANAGERS YIELD
COMPLETELY 10
On Account of Critical Conditions
Existing Railroad Companies Show
Patriotism By Conceding 8-Hour-Day
Concession Made Saturday
Night States Secretary Lane.
'NEW. YORK, March 19. The
railroad strike has boon averted.
Yielding to the appeals of Presi
dent YVil.-on nnd faring the proba
bility oV I his country's ent ranee into
the war, the railroads early today
granted the demands of the four em
ployes' brotherhoods for a basic eight
hour day. The telegraph wires this
moraine; are carrying throughout the
United Stales messages from the
brotherhood chiefs rescinding the or
ders for the inauguration of the great
progressive strike at 7 o'clock to
night. The decision is regarded is
a complete surrender to the broth
erhoods, brought about, however, af
ter the patriotism of the railroad
managers had been put to the test,
'lhe president's mediators, "pl'iying
what they considered their last trump
card were not successful in their mis
sion until nfter more than fifty hours
of anxious conferences.
Secretary of the Interior Lane and
the other mediators were visibly af
fected w-hen told of the notion of the
railroad managers. Mr. Lane seal
immediately for the committee of the
railroads, nnd turning to Elishn Lee,
their spokesman, said:
Successful Outcome
"This is a magnificent thing that
you have done for your country. It
will go down in history as one of the
grealest things you over did."
The brotherhood chiefs, who al
ready had left the hotel where the
conferences were being bold aad hail
retired for the night, apparently con
vinced that a settlement of the dif
ferences could not bo reached, were
summoned next. W. G. Lee, head of
the trainmen, announced for them
that orders would go forward at once
informing all district chairmen of the
brotherhoods of the successful out
come of the conferences.
llv the terms of the settlement tho
combined salary list of the railroads
will be increased approximately $(i(l,
0110,00(1 n year, according to conser
vative e.-timalcs. The number of
workmen profiling by this inoreaie
will be more than ilim.OOO.
That tho crisis resulting from the
sinking of three American ships by
flormnn submarines was tho prime
factor in clearing the situation aad
restoring tin! country to normal con
ditions so far as its transportation
(Continued on Page Six.)
W.t?. Carte, r.
MEN S DEMANDS
'i 3sw- - - p''" 7m
ADAMSON LAW UPHELD AS
IIUTIONAL AND
BY FEDERAL
Decision Makes 8-Hotir-Day Standard of Days' Work dhd Pay fcr
Trainmen Decision Is Five to Four, Justices Day; Pitney, Vande
vanted and McRcynolds Dissenting Judge Hoaks Ruling In Test
Case Reversed Opinion Is Read by Chief Justice White, Who In .
Aiinouncinn Decision Reviews P resident's Efforts to Avert Strike.
WASHINGTON, March 19. Tho
Ailamson eight hoar railroad law
was held constitutional and valid In
all respects today by tho supremo
court.
Tho decision makes eight hours tho
standard of it day's work and wages ;
for men In operation of trains and
legalizes the wage Increases which
went Into tentative effect on Its pas-
sago.
The Immediate temporary wngo In
creases won by the railroad employes
nffect 400,000 trainmen as of January
1 and are estimated to total botwoen
$40,000,000 and $no, 000,000.
' The decision wns five to four. Jus
tices Day, Pitney and Vandevantor
anonunced their dissent from the
bench and later Justice MeUoynolds
announced his.
Hook Is Reversed.
1'edoral Judge Hook s ruling In tho
Missouri, Oklahoma & Gulf railroad
test enso, onjolnlng enforcement of
tho Adamson act and holding it "un
constitutional, null and void," was re
versed. JuBtlce MeKonnn concurred In the
majority opinion, but on slightly dif
ferent grounds. Justice Day read his
own dissenting opinion and Justice
Pitney dellverod tho othor dissenting
opinion in which Juslico Vandovant
cr joined.
Justices Pitney and Vandevantor
in their Joint dissenting opinion held
that tho law should be held unconsti
tutional and void "because congress,
although confessedly not in posses
sion of Information necessary for In
telligent and Just treatment of tho
controversy, arbitrarily Imposod up
on the railroads the entire and onor
mous cost of an experimental In
crease in wages."
Day Dissents.
Justlco Day In his dissenting opin
ion said the legislation amounted to
"deprivation of tho railroads' prop
erty without duo process of law."
In concurring in the majority .opin
ion, Justice McKcnna differed in that
ho believed tho law "an hour's of
Bervlco" statute and only secondarily
a wago fixing law and thus within
tho power of congress.
Justice McKeynolds delivered a
separate opinion, saying that congress
did not hnvo power to pass the law
but that ho now bows to the major
ity's ruling.
,In anonunclng tho opinion Chief
W, G. LEE . !
E CALLED OFF
VALID
SUPREME COURT
Justice White, roviowod the negotia
tions leading to enactment of the
law. Ho did not lead from a pre
pared opinion, giving it apparently
from memory, lie told of tho presi
dent's efforts to avert the strike last
September
Reviews History of Case.
"Ho suggested arbitration. .The
employers accepted and the employes
refused," said the chief Justice. "He
then suggested .1 basic eight hour
day standard. Tho employers reject
ed that and tho employes accepted."
How the president went to con--
gross was then recited.
"Congress passed the law, that Is
before us, and tho carriers refused to
rrcognize it," ho recited. . He sajt
tho agreement to expedite the! case,
wns "very laudable."
In tho early course of the opinion
the chief justice said that law was
both an hour day net and also a wage
fixing statute. Ho said it "strips the
parties of power contract." as to
wages. Ho said the eight hour pro
vision was the paramount feature.
Regarding whether the low Is an
hours of labor or wage fixing law,
tho chief justice said It was both. He
said tho question of fixing hours of
labor by congress was out of the case
as unquestioned.
Dividing l,ino Miu-keri.
The chief Justlco cited the "hours of
service act" as an instance of "hours
of labor" legislation' by congress and
said transportation was of both pri
vate and public interest.
"The dividing line Is so marked .
that government will not destroy the
private right," said the chief Justice.
"Tho power to regulate rests upon
both the private and public Interests
Involved."
illo then said the right of private
parties to fix private wages was an
inhoritent right and to take It away
would be unconstitutional, but added
that considering what congress In
tended to do and the failure of the
railroads and employes to reach an
agreement to say that the govern
ment authority, did not have tha pow
er "to fill tho void would be to de
claro that the private right had des
troyed the public right."
Not Kniergonoy lWer
Ho said power of congress was not
an "emergency power" and recited
tho congressional power to fix rates,
prohibiting rebates and a "myriad ot
regulations to protect the public In
terest." Ho said that power had
been extended to oniployes citing the
(Continued on Page six.)
AMSTi:i!DAM, Starch 10. Tho
Merlin VorwnerU, comparing the
situation in Russia with that in Ger
many asks "shall the world Buy that
all tho nations on earth are free ex
cept Oeniiiin.vT"
The newspaper compared the de
claration of tho Hussiun provisional
government with the declaration of
( liancellor Von Hcthmnnn-IIollwei?
in the Prussian diet to the discredit
ol the latter. It comments:
"How much h-ngcrt The Itine
should straightway give back to the
ln.ssmn people their franchise,
which was taken away in 1849,",
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