Medford mail tribune., April 07, 1917, Page 1, Image 1

WEATHER Maximum yesterday, G7; minimum today, 48. FORECAST Tonight and tomorrow, showers and cooler.
l Tribune
y Forty-seventh Yonr.
'S Dally Twelfth Year,
MEDFOTJD OREO OX. SATURDAY, APRIL 7. 1917.
NO. 34
Mm
CERA
TW0RA1DERS n k
QIPUTFn flCC CHEERNEWSOF
HE m i l
LH0I UUHOi
Navy Department Advised That Ger
man Raiders Have Appeared off
Nantucket Shoals and Off Vir
ginia Capes All Shipping Held In
Port While Destroyers Seek Ves
selNaval Patrol Alert to Ex
amine All Strange Ships.
NEWPORT, I?. I., April 7. A (Io
nian sen raider was officially re
ported off Kunlucket ft 7:10 o'eloek
this morning. The deputy collector of
customs warned all shipping not to
leave port until further notice.
BOSTOX, April 7. The follow
ing message was received today at
the Boston navy yard from the Nan
tucket lightship:
"Commerce raider passed Nan
tucket shoals lightship hound west,
at 7:20."
Naval officials here reported that
tlic raider had two masts, a large
stack and was painted a shite color.
Her size was reported as about 10,
000 tons.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va., April 7
The presence of a German raider off
the Virginia Capes wns officially re
ported here today. A sea-going tug
has been dispatched to sea to warn
nil outgoing (and incoming vessels
and to order all outgoing vessels to
turn back. The tug is equipped with
wireless and is expected to reach all
ships in the danger zone.
Unknown Ship Seen.
WASHINGTON, April 7 The navy
department wns advised early today
by the Nantucket shoals lightship by
radio that an unknown ship had
passed near that vessel. No infor
mation ns to the character of the
"tliip was given.
A radio message said that a "sus
picious looking" vessel hail passed
the lightship headed west ward. The
navy department expects the com
mandant of the Newport naval dis
trict to take whatever steps he may
deem necessary without orders in the
department.
RoMrls of ficrman commerce
raiders off Atlantic ports were flash
ed along the seaboard today and all
shipping practically was tied up while
navy patrols went out to establish
the identity of mysterious ships re
ported near the Innes.
It was the first breath of wnr at
the doors of America and it sent a
thrill through the country.
(Continued on page three)
JALENTED ARTIST
IS FOUND DEAD
SAX MATEO, Col.. April 7.-Mi
jinrlund Robinson, a 'J.'t-ycur-ohl nrt-
i.-t, who exhibited paintings at the
l'nnamn Pacific international exposi
tion, wns found dead in her room
here today with a bullet through her
heart and a revolver beside her. The
girl's mother, Mrs. J. V. Robinson,
found the body. She said her daugh
ter had overworked at her art.
Miss Robinson, the daughter of Dr.
J. W. Robinson of Jacksonville, was
one of the mist talented artists of
the coast. Several exhibits of he
work have been held in Mcdford nn.l
another exhibit was planned for the
near future bj the Greater Mcdford
club.
Mis Robinson ha' been sufferiinr
from ill health fur some time pa-t,
having recent ly recovered from ner -utisi
prostration.
Report of Senate Vote Reaches
Trenches and Is Told to Germans
Speculation as to Form of Co
operation Hope for Division of
Troops Gives Cheer to Allies.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN"
FRANCE, Aphil 7. The news of the
action of the United States senate in
voting for war with Germany reach
ed the far flung western battle line
today and was hailed with cheers.
Nowhere was the gratification greater
than along the section of the front
held by ehtCnaiadn.wiwhsmathoxx
held by the Canalians, with whom
many thousand Americans are serv
ing. Many Canadians and British
companies were busy today prepar
ing signs to hold up over the trench
es, telling the Germans the tidings
from Washington. This is the favor
ite plan of the Tommies to convey all
sorts of bad news to their enemies
across "no man's land."
News to Germans
German prisoners taken today had
not heard of President Wilson's ad
dross and knew only In a cague way
of the breaking of diplomatic rela
tions in February. Some of the
trench signs which were prepared
included a brief translation into Ger
man of the president's statement that
America was ontering the list against
the German government and not
against the Gorman people. Others
included the latest slogan: "No peace
with the Ilohcnzollerns," while still
others read: "Get rid of your kaiser."
Tho British army as a whole has
regarded America as practically in the
war ever since the severance of rela
tions, the news of which was greeted
as best news which had reached the
trenches for many months. It as
said then that active participation
was only a matter of time.
(rent Kxeilement.
The president's address was just
reaching the front trenches today in
its entirety. The gist of the speech
had been sent out by wireless and
also by telegraph and telephone hut
the soldiers generally preferred to
wait for congressional action before
spreading tho news to "Fritz."
On their way back from tho front
trenches today the troops who had
been relieved eagerly bought two days
old Ixndnn papers from the French
newsboys, in order to read the Amer
ican hews and the text of the presi
dent's speech. In the littlo French
estnmlnatos, enfes and villages be
hind the lines there wns great excite
ment among tho old civilians and the
poilus on leave.
With the weight of America thrown
In the scales just at this Juncture, in
what Is regarded as tho critical vear
of the struggle renewed thrill of con
fidence has been sent all along the
front. Ono could sense It every
where today. Visiting Canadian
headquarters and tho Canadian
trenches the correspondent was greet
ed everywhere without outbursts of
congratulations.
W ant Torre nt J'ront.
There was much speculation along
tho front as to the manner of Amcrl
can participation and an almost unl-
(Continued on Page Two.)
NORTHWEST WHEAT
PORTLAND. Ore.. Anrll 7. Pacif
Ic northwest wheat prices reached the
highest mark ever made here today
when all grades advanced from three
to five cents per bushel, as a result
of the government's forecast of i
short crop.
liluestem sold nt 11.86 a bushel
Yesterday It was 11.81.
Hour prices also toppled all old
records when tile price leaped forty
cents to 19.40 a barrel, wholesale
for patents flour. The retail pric
went to ll'i.so.
WALL STREET WORKERS TRAIN FOR SERVICE ON
! -----onuWo
onuKIAht m
111 1 1( fllLHI
Prospective Slump of More Than
Fifty Million Bushels Due to Win
ter Killing Shown by Department
Estimates Vitally Affects Food
Problem and War Situation.
WASHINGTON, April 7. A pros
pective slump of more than 50,000,
000 bushels in the winter crop of
wheat, as compared, witli last year's
crop, is the first war feeding prob
lem to confront the country. Offic
ial estimates of the department of
agriculture today the first for the
1917 hnrvest, forecast that much of
a decrease, although the acreage is
much greater.
Notwithstanding the heavy de
crease in the prospective, winter wheat
crop, the production of rye is fore
cast by the department of agricul
ture at (id, 000,000 bushels, the larg
est output of that crop ever record
ed in the United States. Last year
(he production of rye wns 47,38.1,000
bushels, in 1015 it was 54,050,000
bushels and the average of the pre
vious five years was 37,5(iS,000
bushels.
Crop .:l(),()im,()(l() Bushels.
The wilder wheat Crop will be
about 4:10,000,000 bushels, the de
partment announced in its first esti
mate of tho crop, which was sown
last autumn on one of the largest
acreages ever planted, but which had
adverse conditions through the win
ter. Last year 181,71 1,000 bushels were
harvested und (i7.'t,!t 17,000 bushels
were produced in 1!l.". Conditions
on April 1 was till. 4 per cent of a
normal compared with 78. ii last year;
88.8 in 1015 and 8(1.2 the ten-year
average. The condition decreased
-2.3 points from llcccmbor 1 to April
I compared with an average decline
of four points in llie lust len years
between those dates.
Conditioh of rye on April 1 wns
86.0 per cent of a normal compared
with 87.8 last year; 80.5 in 1015 and
8!Ui the ten-year average.
Condition of winter wheat in the
Important growing states on April 1
Was: Ohio, 8(1; Indiana, 05; Illi
nois, 00; Missouri, 02; Nebraska
35; Kansas, 45; Oklahoma, 74.
The food problem of the coming
(Continued on Page Two.)
BRAZIL TO DECLARE
ON MONDAY NEXT
LONDON', April ".-The Cen-
tral News says it is semi-offi-
cinlly informed Unit a declare-
lion of war bv Itrnzil against
(ii nuany may be exKctcd by
Miinduv,
Wall street will have Its own regiments at tho front If tho Vnltod
Slates goes to war. Workers In tluit famous New York street luivo Ik-cii
urged by their banker and broker employes to train for the service. Somo
of tho volunteers aro hero shown drilling on tho rof of a. Wall street sky.
scmia'r, overlooking the Hast river nntl llrooklyn.
NEW YORK, April 7. A cable
gram received here today by the Bel
gian relief commission today stated,
that ,the commission's steamship,
Anna Fostenes, which left New York
March 3, via Halifax with n $350,
000 cargo of foodstuffs for Rotter
dam, had been sunk.
The message read :
"Trevicr nnd Anna Fostenes sunk
off Holland."
Tho loss of the Trevicr, n Bel
gian relief ship, torpedoed without
warning nnd of tcb Fcistein, also .a
relief ship, presumably by a mine,
was announced several days ago. In
view of the coupling of the names of
(lie Trevicr and the Anna Fostenes
in the latest message tho commission
has cabled London for further infor
mation. The possibility was suggest
ed by the commission that the mes
sage alluded to the Fcistein, owing to
the similarity of names.
The Anna Foslencs was without
wireless equipment and her crew,
numbering fifty men, included 110
Americans.
The vessel, formerly the steam-
shii) llecmskerck, is registered as of
2577 Ions gross. She was built in
1002 in Holland and flew the Nor
wegian flag. "
WASHINGTON, April 7. Secre
tary linker told the bouse military
coiniulttco In confidence today tho
plans of tho department for train
ing a million men during tho next
year. Ho urged Immediate cnact
mctn ofiho general staff bill, Includ
ing the selective conscription provis
ions, recommending just one change
In tho bill aa made public yesterday.
That whs to provide (or tho organi
zation of technical men, Including ail
tomobllo and aeroplano engineers,
etc.
This section of the bill reads:
"The president 1b authorized to
raise and maintain by voluntary en
listment or draft, as herein provid
ed, special and tei hnieal troops as he
may deem necessary and embody
them Into organization and offer
them as provided by section eight of
this art."
I'nder the present law the ages for
eligibility are from 18 to in the
regular army and IS to 4." In the Na
tlonal Guard and the new bill changes
(his to make it IS to 0 In both cases.
SKYSCRAPER ROOF!
IMiTIiOOHAI), April 7. Minislor
of Justice Kerensky said in an inter
view todny that if the (Ionium pen)
would follow tho Russian example
and dethrone their emperor, "we of
fer llie possihilily of preliminary no
goliations," This slalcment was embodied in an
announcement by the official news
agency, which reads:
"On Thursday, according to news
from Copenhagen, Dr. F.duiird David
speaking on behalf of the majority
party of the social democrats in the
German reichsing, declared that For
eign Minister Jlilukoff nnd his sup
porters were (Icrmnnnpliobcs and
eonseipicntly tho social democrat
based their hopes on M'. Kerensky
(Russian minister of justice) nnd M
Tchcidso (a socialist leader ill the
diima). On (his subject St. Keren
sky made the following declaration
to a parly of journalists:
"'From Hie incomplclc informulion
supplied by llie press it is difficult to
form 11 sound opinion. It all depend
on knowing what, are Hie hopes that
Deputy David places 111 me und M
Ichcidse.
"'If he supposes we arc going to
assist in making 11 separate jieaee he
will be ruddy disappointed. If, on
the other band, lie hopes I lie (Icrmau
people are about to follow our ex
ample and dethrone Ihcir emperor
wc enn do no oilier (linn warmly up
pluud, fur thai would greatly free our
hands and offer the possibility o
entering in preliminary ncirotinlinns
"'I am convinced that the peoples
who are engaged in Ibis iiiicxnniplcii
war will more cii'-ilv come lo 1111
understanding and more ipiickly ob
tain sat isfnetory results than the
monnrchs who are primarily responst
ble for llieis cruel eani'ige.
CUTS PRICETOU.S.
NKW YORK, April 7.-Tho prices
nt whirl, tho steel comiuiiik'H have
atcmed to mill Bteol lo thn nnvy do
partmont wero announced today. Thy
aro 2. DO conta a pound for plates nnd
2.50 coutK for burn nnd kIiujh'B. TIiIh
In a conceftHion of $"i0 a ton from the
prices nicontly nirrnit or a saving of
$18,000,000 to $:MI,')00,000 to the
Kovornment on th purchase of 300,
000 tons rff Klcol which the navy do
partmont hn thua fur rontra tod for
It Is exported In stfnd cfrrlos that
fully 1,000,000 tons of stool will he
upwdlly contracted for hy tho gov
ernmcnt lo moet war necessities.
STATIONS
SEIZED
CLOSED
B VER1ENT
Second Day of War With Germany
Finds Program for Conflict Golna
Forward Like Clock Work Sixty
Aliens Arrested Enormous rjuan
tities of Supplies Ordered.
WASHINGTON, April 7. Tho soc-
ond day ot the war with Germany
found overy government agency in
action along predetermined lines,
with congressional committees nt
work on tho now army bill and It
nance measures.
The navy and Its new organized
powerboat patrol Bquadrou was be
ing mobolized; naval militia nnd nav.
al rosorves wcro complying with or
ders to Join the colors.
From many cltios tamo word that
United States marshal; had carried
out orders ot the department of Just
ice for arrest of sixty Germans whom
(ho government believes it dangerous
to allow at large.
AlTOsUng Aliens.
Officials are about determined to
use the Gorman merchant ships, near
ly 100 ot which have bcon seized for
government service, though no an
nouncement was made whother they
would be confiscated or paid for at
the close ot the war.
Government seizure of all raldo
stations and the closing of nil except
those needed for naval communica
tion was authorized by President Wil
son.
Doth tho war and navy depart
incut were arranging with contractors
to furnish enormous quantities of
supplies, steel manufacturers agreed
to furnish tho navy their products nt
last year's prices, affecting an $18,-
000. 000 saving in tho navy's 1917
steel bill; the treasury dopartmont dp-
vised means of raising funds, subject
to congressional authorization, and
tho department of agriculture set
forth on a movement to Increase and
conserve tho nation's supply of food
stuffs and to simplify distribution
Many other similar activities wore
started after tho cabinet's council of
war last night.
On Military Bill
Tho house military committee met
today to hoar Secretary Halter's ex
plnnatlon ot the army general staff
bill to draft and train one million
young men within a year anil the ac
companying threo billion dollar hud
got, all ot which had President Wil
son's announced approval. The sen
ale military committee also had the
army bill under consideration today
Without congressional action, the
only thing tho war department can
do to Increase tho nation's authorized
armed forces Is to order the regular
army expanded to full war strength
11 seems likely todny that a large
part T)f the war's rosl which for tho
first year iitono may run far ahove
tho $11, HOO, 000, 000 already aslted of
congress, even to J."., 000, 000, 0110 will
ho ralseil hy higher taxes on Incomes,
Inheritances and excess profits. An
announcement from Roc. McArtoo
on tho delalla of tho I" 1,000.000
bond Issue already auOiorlzeil lut not
IhsiiciI, was expected at any time.
Conferences on financial problems
were begun to day between Secretary
McAdoo and members of tho senate
finance committee and the house
ways nnd means committee.
Announcement will ho nindo soon
that free admission to American hnr
bors has been granted vessels of the
allies.
FREQUENT RAINS
WASHINGTON', April 7 - WVnther
prediction fur the week lii'n'inninj;
Sunday, April 8, issued hy the weath
er lnimiiL toiiity, lire :
l'iii'ilK state-: Freipient mint in
Wa-.li in trt n inn! On-ifon nml pen
je rally fair in ('iilifnrnia. Tempera
tures nbove seasonal aera'e
INTERNED
WARSHIP
BlOl-UP
German Gunboat Cormoran Destroy
ed at Guam by German Officers
Who Refused to Surrender to Am
erican Forces Which Went to Take
Possession Two Warrant Officers
and Five Enlisted Men Slain.
WASHINGTON', April 7. The In-
(crnod German gunboat, Cormoran at
Guam has been blown up.
Tho Cormoran refused to seurrend-
or to the Amorlcan forcos which went
to take possession of hor and was de-
troyod by her crew. Two German
warrant officors and five enlisted men
woro killod by tho explosion.
The navy department Issued this
statement:
Navy Statement,
Tho German auxiliary cruUer Cor
moran was blown up in tho harbor
of Apra, Island of Guam, today by
hor crow, sinking immediately. One
warrant officer nnd one enlisted man '
aro dead, ono warrant officer and
four enlisted men nre missing, twen
ty officers, twelve warrant officers
and 321 enlisted men have been made
tirisoncrs.
"On October 2S, 1914, tho thirty- .
five foot cutler called the 'Ocean
Comber,' entered the harbor ot Apra,
Island of Guam, !u chnrgo of Lieu
tenant Von I-;i)ons of tho Imperial
Gorman navy. The boat and party ot
threo officers and four natives ot
New Guinea had been at sea for a
long time, having left S. M. S. 'Cor
moran' for tho purpose of sending a
cnhlo to San Krnuclsco for supplies.
The dnto of tho cipher was October 1
and t ho location of the Cormoran
was not disclosed, ircrmlsslon was
not granted to send the cablegram
and tho officers were Interned.
Sought Coal and Supplies.
"On Docombor 14, 1914, the Gor
man auxiliary cruiser Cormoran ap
peared off tho harbor of Apra and
sent a radio asking permission to en
tor for coal and provisions. She was
allowed to enter and tho commanding
offlcor to visit tho governor.
"Commanding Officer Jacksch
W'enlt stntcd that he had Just come
from tho south seas nnd was short
of coal, had only about fifty tons on
board and requested 1,500 tons of
coal and provisions to reach his near
est homo port In German Kast Afri
ca. Tho governor replied that ho
could furnish only 200 tons of coal
anl thirty days provisions only could
bo spared; tho commanding officer
ns given the alternative of departing
within twenty-four hours or being
interned.
"On December lii, 1914, at 10 a.
in. tho c tiniiiillng officer decided to
remain in port nnd the ship and Its
personnel wero interned.
The following were on board:
Twenly-oiie officers, ono midshipman,
eleven deck officors, 307 potty offi
cers mid men, four Chinese- and twon-ty-nlne
south sea natives.
"The Connor. -in was formerly a
steamer In tho ltussinn fleet and wan
captured early in tho morning of
August :i hy S. M. S. lOnulcn and was
formally put 111 servieo as a German
auxiliary cruiser. Her nnmo before
capdiro wns (ho 'Ujeasan.' During
(Cuutlmiod on pane three)
E
NCW YOltlC. April 7. The Cuban
congrors (onlght Is oxpecled to de
clare (hat a statu of war exists be
tween Cuba nnd the linporlal German
government, according to a cable
iiiosngo from K. S. Azplazu, private
secretary to President Menocal, to
tho republic of Cuba news bureau
hero,