Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1917)
' ! WEATIIET? ilaximum yesterday, 53; minimum today, 3 3; precipitation, .06. FORECAST Tonight and tomorrow, partly cloudy, light frost. EDFOR Forty-sixth Tear. Dally Eleventh Tear. MEDFORD. OREO OX, AVE DXESDAY, MATiCII 21, 1917. NO. 308 D If D CONGRESS CA It lit i TU DECLARE MOBILIZING r STATEOFWAR RESOURCES .NOW EXISTS OF COUNTRY President Recognizes That Germany Is Making War Upon the United States Calls Congress to As semble In Extra Session April 2, to Deal With Situation and to Authorize Further Steps for the Protection of American Interests. WASHINGTON, March 21. Pres ident Wilson, recognizing that Ger many practically is making war on tiie United Stales on the sens, today called congress to assemble in extra ordinary session on April 2 to deal with the situation. The purposcof tho session, now called two weeks earlier than the date first set, as announced in the president's procalamation is to re ceive a communication from the chief executive on "grave questions of na tional policy." Tho president in his address to e4)gress will detail how Germany practically has been making war on the United States by (he ruthless de struction of American lives and ships . on the high seas in contravention of all the laws of notions and humanity. SUito of War Exists. S Congress then is expected to pnss a, resolution declaring that a state, of war has existed between the Unit ed States and Germany for some time. Such a resolution in itself will not be a declaration of war in a tech nical sense, although practically it will amount to the same thing. As a consequence the United States will take further steps to protect its interests on the high seas and else where against the warlike acts of Germany nnd whether an actual state of war will come to exist in its full sense will depend on the future acts &f the imperial German government. Since last Sundav when three Am erican vessels were sunk off the British Isles in quick succession, with loss of American lives bringing the totul number of Americans lost through German submarine 'opera tions to more than 200 the pres ident nnd ull his advisors have recog nized that a state of war exists. From all parts of tho country have come calls for the immediate sum moning of congress in extra session. (Continued on Page Eight.) T NEW YORK, March 21. Almost $.100,000 was spent by the railroads in newspaper advertising in the re cifit eight-hour controversy with their men, but not tho $3,000,000 thnt brotherhood lenders charged be fore congress was so employed, it was announced here today by Frank II. Fnyant, who is in charge of pub licity for tho nntionnl conference committee "of the railroads. Com plete accounts just made up, lie said, showed that $205,000 was used for advertising "or a little more than $1 for every mile of road in tho coun try." "We did not use newspnper adver tising until the hrotlieihoods: an nounced thoy would refuse arbitra tion nnd would resort to n nation wide strike." Mr. Faynnt said. "Wc ' placed two advertisements in every country weekly newspaper in the United States, a total of l.'l.Rfi'j pub lications nnd three advertisements in every daily newspaper of 2,170 publications, a total of 10,033 news papers. Some nse was also made of mmrnzines." The purpose, he said, "was to place Fquurcly before the country the issue involved." Industrial and Military Reserves Being Brought to State of Readi nessArmy of 509,000 as Nuc leus for Army of Three Million Ford and Schwab's Offers Ac ceptedSteel Trust Plants Also Copper Interests Offer Metal. WASHINGTON, March 21. All the resources of t'tie United States industrial as well as military are be ing speedily mobilized to place the nation in the fullest slate of readi ness for any eventuality. For the present the responsibility rests with the navy which is arming American merchant ships, and plac ing rush orders for submarine chas ers. Special orders have been issued advancing the graduating time of the classes at. Annapolis. Plans for the army arc not so fully matured. It is believed, however, that President Wilson will recognize tho possiblity of the army's partici pation in the wur when he addresses congress by discussing the need of universal training. In a tentative way pluns for marshalling the full strength of the regular army, the Na tional Guard and the training of a volunteer army of f00,000 men hnve been worked out in the nnny wnr col log. Army or 500,000. The volunteer nrn:y of 500,000 is planned as n nucleus of what even tually would he nn army of 3,000,000 and would be assembled in training camps. The mobilization of industrial re sources has gone much further. Hun dreds of great corporations, through the efforts of the council of national defense, have prepared themselves to utilize their full efficiency in the de fense of the nation. Henry Ford, the Detroit automo bile manufacturer, has offered, nnd the government has accepted, his great plant to be operated without profit in the event of wnr. Charles M. Schwab has announced thnt his Hetlilchem plant, now. greater than Krupps, will be used entirely for the government. The United States Steel corporation and a hundred other great industrial organizations have been making plans for their partici pation. Yesterday the great copper interests notified the government that they would supply the nnny and navy with their vital supplies of cop per at about half the market price. Half Ililllon CilsIi. When tiie president addresses con gress he is expected to go into the details of the situation very fully, particularly as to how it affects the future of tho United Stales. While it is not known how much money President Wilson may suggest to congress as necessary to meet the (Continued on Page Eight.) L LONDON. March 21. Joseph Wcsterberg, American consul at Mat moo, Sweden, who recently was ad judged liable for penalty for 119,000 crowns in a civil action, Is reported in a Malmoe dispatch to the Politiken of Copenhagen, as quoted In an Ex change Telegraph dispatch, to huvo been dismissed. Mr. Wcsterberg, the American con sular agent at Malmoe. lost I suit brought by a Copenhagen concern to recover damage under a contract. It was alleged that In breach of nn agreement ho re-exported a quantity of American pork wnlch he Import ed to Sweden through the company which brought the siit. FORMER EMPEROR r W K vtewfl hi-- v - GERMANY MAY f llgfifg FORMER CZAR STRIKEWITHOUT LLfflffii IMPRISONED AT Mlnlllnl MflTIP f !'!'' shows tho ciiir, cziirliut nnd fliHr five children: Left to right: TQAQQItfil- d-lfl I UlllllflL I 1U I lUL J"uul ,),,,',,K riiV O'Julim Alexandria, Grand liuclims Tntinnii, (imnd I I lHllI llll H"! ll I I I Duchess Oikga, tlici czar, Cirand Duchoss Amiatuaia, uml below, (imnd Duko I VI IIIUIIUU vLLU ' Alexis, now cxar of Itussin. i , Hague Provisions Expected to Be ig nored by Germany and Warlike Operations Likely to Be Begun at Once Congress to Speedily De clare That State of War Exists. WASHINGTON, March 21. With the knowledge that the Uniled tSatcs is practically certain to declare a statu of war existing, many officials believe thnt Germany may begin war like operations against tho United States in a fuller sense. Although Tho Hague conventions of 1007 to which both the United States and Germany were signator ies, declare that hostilities shall not begin without formal notice to bel ligerents ns well ns to neutrals, it is recognized that The Hague treaties have been so openly disregarded dur ing the wnr in Kuropc that no com pliance with them may be expected with any confidence. Hcfore The Hague conventions there was ample precedent for beginning of hostiii ties without formal wnr declarations. Precedents of History. The precedents of history show thnt the great majority of the world's conflicts have been begun before for mal declaration of war was made. According to authorities on inlor national luw a condition of war arises in three ways: . 1. A declaration of wnr. 2. A proclamation or manifesto declaring that n state of war exists. 3. Through the commission of hostile nets of force. Ouc authority on interntional luw describing ways in which hostilities may begin without formal declara tion, says, acts of force by way of reprisals or during a pacific block ado or during nn intervention might be forcibly resisted hostilities breaking out in this way. President Wilson's ncfion today wns quickly followed by predictions lit the capitol that congress speedily would declare a fctuto of war exist ing. Chairman Flood of the house for- (Continued on Page Eight.) L1TTLK UOriC, Ark., March 21. Five persons were killed ni'd four others seriously injured in tho tor nado which swept a small section nenr Dclurk. Ark., early today, ac cording to reports received here. AND DEP0S ED ROYAL FAMILY HAWAII DELUGED ' BULBARS KILL 60 BY CLOUDBURST: ONE LIFE LOST HONOLULU, T. II., March 21 The heaviest rains in years here dur ing tho lust 48 bom's undermined foundations of buildings and did other damage. Streets in tho lower levels were running rivers, lime legged Kanaka boys caught fish in the main street of Wnikiki. Keports of roods and bridges wnshed out nnd property damaged generally were received from other islands. A cloudburst on the Island of Hawaii washed bodies out of their graves in n Japanese cemetery and t'lung them over ciine fields. Weather bureau records for 21 hours ending near midnight last night showed a precipitation of 13.31 inches of water. Loss of life, 'so far reported, wns confined to the death of one Japan ese woman in the cloudburst on Ha waii. During the downpour the inter island i-teainer Mauri went on the rocks of Muknlawaeiiu island and is a total loss with 10,3(10 bags of sugar aboard. There is a hole in her bot tom nnd she was pounding hard on her benm ends. (MUccr:, and abandoned her. c"ew President's Proclamation "WIIKK'KAS, public interests iT(itirc that tlx; congress of the United States should be couwiii'd in extra .session at; 12 o'clock noon on the second day of April, 1917, to receive a coinniuiiicat ion conceniiiitf grave, matters of national policy which should bo immediately taken under consideration, "XOW, Therefore, I, W'nodrow Wilson, president of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim nnd declare that, an extraordinary occasion reiiiires the congress of the United States to convene in ext ra session on the second day of April, 1017, at. twelve o'clock noon, of which all persons who shall at that ti mo be entitled to act as members thereof are here by required to take notice. '(liven under my hand nnd the seal of the United States of America, the 21st. day of .March, in (he year of Our Lord, one thousand, nine hundred and seven teen nnd of the independence of the United States the UUV OF RUSSIA ORDERED IMPRISONED CIVILIANS.MONASTIR CORFU, Oroco, March 21. As phyxiating gaa bombs thrown into the open city of Monastlr by tho Bul garians in thoir bombardment on March 17 killed more than sixty civil ians, including 25 women and 31 chil dren, according to the Sorbian preaii bureau. Nearly twenty others, most ly women and children, wcro killed by sholl fire. Tho burenu has re ceived tho following from Salonlki: "According to supplementary re ports the exact number of tho victims of the terrible bombardment of the open town of Monastlr by tho Unitar ians on March 17 was: Killed, five old men, nine women, five children; wounded, two old men, two women. Killed by asphyxiating gas, six old men, 25 women, 31 children. Suffer ing from effects of gas Blxty-one, who aro not expected to recover." Roosevelt Given Medal. NEW VOKK, Mar. 20. The David Livlngstono centenary medal was presented to Theodore Kooanvolt to night at tho American (Icogrnphic society in honor of service to the ,:'enoe of geography on his trip down 1 1 no 1(1 vol' of lioiibt. AT TS ARSK0E-SEL0 New Regime Orders Deposed Em peror and Consort Along With Other Reactionaries Locked Up- General Political Amnesty Ordered by Provisional Government. HCTHOGUAD, March 21 General political amnesty has been ordered by the provisional government. The order is embodied ill tho following ukase: "Yielding to tho demands of tho nuli. mill cnscicncc in the naiiiu of historic juslico nnd commemoration ot tba delnulo triumph of the new regime founded upon right and liberty we order general political amnesty." The provisional government nlso bus published a manifesto fully con finning tho constitution of Finland and ordering its application in full form. The manifesto grunts comprehen sive amnesty to nil political pris oners. H nlso provides for the early convocation of the Finnish diet. LONDOX, March 21. The ortho dox clergy at Kiev, Itui'siu, has recog nized the new government, Renter's I'ctrogrnd correspondent reports. Itoyalty Imprisoned. LONDON', March 21 The Hussion government has ordered that the de posed emperor and his .consort shall be regarded lis having been deprived of their liberty and Unit they shall be brought to T.-urskoe-Selo, Iieiiters' (Continued on Pago Two.) A LONDON'. March 21.-Hon- tor's Amsterdam correspondent reports Unit il is rumored Hint serious riols have broken out in I u il in in connection with tho scarcity of food. A dispatch from Oldeiiziuil, " Holland, suys itersistont rumors lire i in rent of great rioting in Itcrlin. The dispatch adds: i "Frontier regiment are report- cd to have left for Ilcilin to Imiiiif nin order." TEUTONS TO WITHDRAW If BELGIUM Indications of Retreat by Germans From Line North of Arras Rapid Progress Being Made In Pursuit of Fleeing Teutons Important Gains Made Germans Leave Inhabitants Destitute French Regain Ten Villages Russians in Mesopotamia PETJIOGRAD, March 21. Russian troop driving southwestward from Sakklz, Persia, have crossed the Mo 8opotamIan frontier into Turkish ter ritory, the war office announced to day, v , I.O'.VDON March 21. The . pos sibility o fa German withdrawal In the region north of Arras, extending into Belgian territory, Is forecast in a Central News dispatch from Am sterdam. The dispatch quotes a correspond- ' ent in northern France 'as reporting hat tho Germans are developing great activity from a point north of La Basse canal to a point past the Franco-Belgian frontier which, he says, seems to indicate a withdrawal ot sallont lines. In the direction of Lens and Dounl heavy explosions are continual! y,.linard..- Tho same patrol activity which pre coded the retreat on the southern front, he adds, Is now observed north of Arras. i Ten Villages Taken. PARIS, March 21. Rapid progress is being made by the French In pur suit of the retreating Germans, tna., war office announces. 1 Important gains were made on both sides of the I.aon road, ten villages being cap tured. After a sevore fight In which heavy losses wqro sustained, the French' carried Savrionols castle and the vil lage of J ussy, about nino miles south of St. Quontln. Skirmishes between French cavulry and German detach ments occurred on the Ham-St. Quen tln road. South of Chauny the French aro occupying the Alllotte line and consolidating their new positions. A German surprise attack in the Cham pagne was repulsed. Oernuins liel renting. LONDON, March 21. The stormy weather, with severaly cold winds nnd frequent snow squalls, continued during tho night in the region over which tho British armies In France are following tho retreating Ger mans. Although these conditions added to tho discomfort of field cam. palgning, Router's representatives at the British hendquartora telegraphs, they havo had no bad effect on the surface of the ground, which In the nowly occupied territory remains qulto practicable for movements of (Continued on Page Two.) E NEW YORK, March 21. During Germany's first month ot submarine blockade immnd England nnd Scot land and Ireland, America'? trade through New York dropped 139,000, 000 ns compared with that In Feb ruary of 1911!, according to figures niado public here todny by tho collect or of customs. Last month the total was $r2.0ri7,000. Tho comparative figures of exports to all ot Europe shows an Increase ot about 11,070, 000. Exports through New York to all fnielgn countries last month totalled 1222,352,000, un Increase of nearly $8, 094, 000 as compared with the pre vious February. Trade with Russia Increased about 250 per cent.