iaumal
Sbe Hail
FULL LEASED
WIRE DISPATCHES
CIRCULATION IS
OVER 4000 DAILY
FORTIETH YEAR NO. V
SALEM, OREGON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1917
PRICE TWO CENTS Jjggg
GERARD WL FIRM
REFUSING To SIGN
TREATY IN BERLIN
German Government Attemoted to Coerce American Am
bassador Into Making Certain Concessions In Event of
War Threats Were Directed Against Americans In
Order to Influence Action-Many Are Still Being Held
Virtually As Hostages in Berlin German Officials Now
Make Near-Apologies For Treatment of Embassv
By Carl W. Ackerjnan,
(With Ambassador Gerard's Party at Berne)
Berne, via Paris, Feb. 12. The German government
intends to delay departure of Americans now in Berlin
in order to have such citizens in hand for retaliatory
measures in case America declares war and interns Ger
man citizens in the United States.
Permission for Americans eventually to depart was
only obtained by the strong stand of Ambassador Gerard.
From neutral soil today it is possible to reveal the pres
sure with the German government brought powerfully to
bear on the American ambassador to force from him sign
ing of a treaty which would practically guarantee the
safety of German ships in American waters. Gerard
persistently refused. He declined even to communicate
such proposals to Washington unless he was granted
freedom of confidential communication.
When the American correspondents in Berne went to
Gerard in a body and told him of what they had heard,
Gerard replied:
"I told Count Montgelas, Gerard said today, describing
his interview with the German foreign office attache who
put up to him the practical "ultimatum" as to his signing
of the treaty, "that I'd sit there until kingdom come and
not leave until all Americans were permitted free exit."
After this the Berlin officials granted passports to
those dsiring to leave with Gerard.
A large number of Americans atill
remain in Berlin and are anxious to
leave, but the indications when the Ge
rald party left were that they would
lie delayed days and even weeks. The
Berlin government, fearing that Anieri
en may declare war, apparently desires
to have a few American citizens within
Germany on which retalitory measures
might he exacted in case Germans in
America are interned.
Meanwhile the foreign orriee is atriv-
.... 1 . , ...
the military party long ago prepared toi
American hostilities and is only lake-1
warm in its support of the statesmen
on i he Wilhelnistrasse.
The general feeling of Americans I
left in Berlin was expressed by thoj
young son of Davis Jlstldy:
"If 1 ever get my feet on American j
soil again, I'll never take them off."
Gecard appeared worn out today, not I
only from the journey from Berlin but
from the strain of the past events. He
was warmly received by representatives
of the Swiss government and the allies.
i. .'. . i fui tha ' i ir ti Pnri, I
from there going to Spain for the voy
age to America. In the meantime he is
communicating all details of the past
week to Washington by Bode dispatches.
Judging from the foregoing dispatch
-n,i w Ad- I
and otlicr messages
,, , ,, JIJMIl.lt CBtUI I. HL-1HI 111. HI! I .1 I in-' t
ornian, received dniiiiir the last tewi t . A - , .
, '. ,., , t, strictest silence on his departure, retus
days, it seems like v that the action ofi. . . ' ,.
iU . ' .ii- -i ing anv comment whatever. Other dis
the (ierman government in delaying toe 9 , - . , , . , ' .,
B . patches received here, however, detail-
sk if ;!;
ABE MARTIN
. Soe fellers spend half
tryiu' t' hide a bald spot,
o' difference between lh'
an t.h' rater wagoi
departure of Americans from its terri
tory was based on inaccurate and sen
sationally distorted reports reaching
Berlin of anti-German demonstrations
in this country.
foreign Secretary Zimmerman was
quoted in wireless dispatches received
last night as stating that falsity of
these reports had been established and
it is felt in Washington that when the
previous erroneous ideas are completely
dispelled in Berlin the situation will
iciuicklv ad list itself
I 1
Gerard Has No Plans
London, Feb. 12. His sailing plans
not even tentatively made at Madrid,
but safely out of Germany, Ambassa
dor Gerard was supposed to be in Berne
Switzerland, today, finishing the first
stage of his journey homeward.
The ambassador and nearly two hun
dred other Americans, including his
embassy staff, American consular offi
cials and other American citizens, ar
rived at Zurich last night. They had
intended remaining over in that citv.
but on learning that the American min
ister to Switzerland, Pleasant A. Sto
vall, had reserved accommodations at
Berne, he left the special train furnish
ed by the German government and took
an ordinary train for Berne. The Swiss
government accorded all possible hon-
ors 'he recalled envoy, sending a
led something of the pressure to which
the
American amoassador was subject
ed while awaiting his passports from
the Imperial (ierman government.
What Germany Wanted
Germany was exceedingly anxious to
obtain reaffirmation of the treatv of
1 79H, as amended in 1828, which grants
citizens of America and Germany per
mission to remain nine months in those
countries, following a declaration of
war. Gerard resisted all efforts to have
him affirm such a provision, holding
that he no longer had authority from
his government. It developed that what
the German government really desired
was a protocol, not only reiterating the
old treaty provisions, but going further,
in that it would sl'ccifv citizens in both
i countries should be permitted to cpn-
I tinue their businesses indefinitely, be
protected from seizure and that parent?
should not be forfeited. One provision
aimed direct to protect German ships
in AniCTiean harbors, exenipted ship
ping from seizure and another was de
signed to guard against internment of
citizens by either nation.
I Copenhagen dispatches today insist
led that when Gerard firmly refused to
jsign sneh a protocol, German officials
j retaliated with a barely concealed hint
that certain Americans min In be held
I in Berlin, presumably as hostages. At
I the same time Gerard was prevented
' t her lives from communicating with Washington
Ther'a lotslby his code, plain messages only being
baud wagon j permitted to pass.
(Continued on page fivo.)
PROMINENT
WANTS
THE
R.OADS TO
ii i -in, nm m
... IPrMPM
mm
VH.TjUrVrOrM
m UT Tttt
9y ' TR.ADC "AND (S
VAOrXKINO AT IT iM
oh rue
mcrWAYS
TH6 keCiiSKATUK.t
COMMANDER Of
I IS DEFIANT
Warned Tug and Firemen
Away While Vessel Was
Burning at Dock
Honolulu, Feb. (. (By mail) When
the crew of the interned Gorman cruis
er Geier set fire to their vessel here
Sunday in an attempt to destroy her,
George Kodiek, the German consul in
Honolulu stood on her deck and warn
ed the commander of a naval tug com
ing lo the rescue that if he or any of
his men came aboard it wauld be "a
hostile act.' 1
This warning was sufficient to keep
the tug away. Although the flies were
discovered by the public and govern
ment authorities at 8 o'clock in the
morning, Rodick and Captain Grassot'f,
commanding the cruiser, did not sur
render the Geier until 1:30 in the af
ternoon. Engines of the city fire depart
ment stood idle on pier 7 until just be
fore the captain surrendered his ship.
At that time the flames were spread
ing so rapidly that the crew were forc
ed to leave tiie vessel. The firemen did
not succeed in subduiug the blaze un
til 5 o'clock, after it had been burning
nearly ten hours.
Investigation by United States offi
cials of the disabling of eight German
merchantmen interned here indicates
that the damage to the ships will total
$500,000. Preparations were under way
to sink the Pommern, largest of the
(Continued on page three.)
E
AI SATURDAY SESSION
Many Measures Are Passed
Upon During Sessions of
Saturday
The. senate having disposed of the
'Rogue river fishing bills, Xos. 24M and
1 208; the former making the use of
I seines unlawful and the latter increas
ing the length of the season for eom
Imereia fishing on the river near Grants
j Pass, concluded it had fight enough
for one day, and settled down to the
I work of clearing its calendar, which it
i did by passing 12 senate and 13 house
I bills and killing none. With the seven
bills passed in the morning the record
, for the day was a total of 32 bills
! passed. Several of these were of a local
character and none of them of great im
I portance, not enough at least to cause
tne senators to raiK aooui mem. ine'prPflg i ,.prtainlv wi
! bills were read, explained briefly by the j Ma for j)u, eollntrv.
chairman ot the committee reporting! ..Wo haV(1 a piUfllllv SBmn nun,.r
them or the author of the bill, if origin-; of lrijitary and licensed civilian pilots
ating in the senate, and after that the!to mcet ail enwrgenCy but that need
.oil w. nun .rue HO itl i.m iK iUIj1
monotonous remark "the clerk will read
the next bill."
Many Bills Passed.
The following are the bills passed:
S. B. No 299, by horticulture commit
tee. Relative to appointment of eounry
fruit inspection.
S. B. No. 280, by Huston. Providing
for the safety and life Of property in
the construction and use of steam boil-
ers Bln8le Kn-
S. B No. 175, bv i.einenweber. Tol "Every step in the European war's
confer jurisdiction on justices of the development of air craft has proved
! peace i that it is the light, quick machine that
1 8- B. No. 267, by Hurlev. Amending fn Sft UI 8,1(1 lolvn aud around rail
I law relating to petitions to county I "Ny, that is the most effective. They
board of equalization for reduction of ', ea-tl iumP in and do their damage and
i assessments. j get away while heavier planes are get-
H. B. No. 205, by Hmith of Josephine.! ting started.
To proteet miner's in regard to wages. i "You can't combine weight and ef
8. B. No. 151, by Shanks. To prevent! ficiency in aircraft. The heavily arm
' and heir wbb feloniously eauses death or ored plane has been a failure and I
'disability of another from taking anvl think we will eventually come back to
beneficiary proceeds under policy of in -
surance. i
8. B. No. 180, by Orton- To provide!
; i
(Continued on page two.) '
ACTORS IN THE LEGISTATIVE DRAMA
7 a r m
r i vn !
BRYAN'S ACTIVITIES
F
1
OR PEACE ATTRAC
NOTICE OF OFFICIALS
" i Bodies of Several Victims Be
Pronoganda Is Thoroughly Sieved To Be Buried In
Organized and Maintains
Expensive Headquarters
Washington. Feb. 12. Peace propa
ganda largely fostered by former Sec
retary of State Bryan and his fi ends
had grown to an extent that attracted
the attention of government heads to
day. As one feature of a concerted drive to
enlarge the peace spirit, two hundred
women representing tho. "emeregency
peace federation,'' booked to
Meantime two big peace offices here
with heaw corns oi stenographers were
shooting out peace letters, while peace
propaganda telegrams poured into the
White House anil state department.
The whole situation distrissed admin- j
istration officials. They felt it maau- !
factured more peace spirit already
large anil helped tie the government's
hands it case it regarded was against
Germany as necessary for preservation
of American rights, honor and dignity.
Officials laid the German feeler of
Saturday suggestion of a United
States-Germany conference to avoid war
directly to peace propaganda, while
some authorities suggested that the
hand of former Secretary of State Bry
an was in the deal. Much as the govern-
(Continucd on page eight.)
ORVILLE WRIGHT WILL "
FIGHT FOR COUNTRY
j Inventor of the Aeroplane
Will Organize Aerial Army
for United States
New York, Feb. 12. Orville Wright,
inventor of the aeroplane, announced
today that in case of war with (lei
many he would abandon his private
affairs and offer his services to the
government to help organize an aerial
army.
"While I could not duplicate Henry
I'ord's offer to manufacture war ma -
chines because 1 have disposed of my
interests in the manufacturing end of
tfc
Business, Wright told the Fluted
do everything
ot trounle UB tt Kroat (leal jf wt ,,,,,(
the situation promptly.
'"It does not take but about two
j weeks to develop and train a good niili
' tarv aerial observer. It takes two
weeks more to make him a competent
fighting man.
As for the type of aerial defense,
I would favor the small high climbing
!"-. S' "" uuaimeu excepi Tor a
! the smaller one. 1 know I am not al-
wavs agreed with in this, but it is true,
nevertheless.
(Continued on page rare.)
StNATOR-
AWORTON
A. rtAR
W0R.KfV.
Coot-
LIVES LOST
Ice-Coated Debris
Minneapolis, Minn-, Feb. .12--Thirteen
lives arc belicvod to have been lost in
a midnight fire which destroyed the
' Kenwood hotel here.
Bodies of 12 of the victims are believ
ed to be buried in tile ice-encased debris
of the hostelry. The body of the other
i victim, a woman who died from injur
ies suffered when she jumped to the
! street from a third floor window, is at
the morgue.
The blaze, which originated on the
I lower floor of the old stone structure,
! discovered about 11:40 last night
! I'ivC9 ,f f'8 P"?ns living in the build
mg were imperiled by the flames, wtneti
caused a loss estimated at about 35,
000. The known dead:
Mrs. Lucille Squire, jumped
third floor, head crushed, died at
pital.
Missing and believed dead:
Mrs. Van.
Gladys Thurst.
Dun Boone.
Margaret Bheppard.
William Button
Mrs. Blanche Benson.
Bluer Johnson.
C. l.uce.
Unidentified man, Detroit, Mich.
Agnes , char woman.
rem
hos-
mm
(Continued on page eight.) 1 (Continued on Page 8.)
GERMAN GOVERNMENT IS NOW
WILLING TO NEGOTIATE ISSUE
By Robert J. Bender
Washington, Ftfe. 12 Presii
at Wil
ermany ;int can
i sun today formally notil i
d
j that the I'nited States gover
j enter into no negotiations tending to
avert an armed clash between the two
illations until the new I'-bout decree is
i withdrawn.
i (flic president's coinmunicat ion, sent
oinmiiiucation, sent
through SwisfV Minister Hitter, renre-
Mnting the (ierman government in the
United States, was made public at tho
state denartiucnt after it had been ad-
inittcd overtures hp-, been received
1'"1111 'he German government.
This government declared it would
Uadty discuss anything with Germany;
-but only in event Germany withdraws
her U-boat decree of January iil
and
renews her pledges or May 4 last
the Sussex case.
The Swiss Statement
Washington, Feb. 12. The state
,i(-
that
partment this afternoon admitted
the (ierman government "is willing to
negotiate with the United States, pro
vided that the commercial blockade
of Kngland would not be interferred
with."
In reply, this government said "it
would gladly discuss with the (ierman
government any question it might pro
Kse for discussion, ' ' if it withdraws
its U-boat decree.
In admitting that it had received a
suggestion from the German govern
ment via the Swiss minister, the de
partment gave out the following state
ment: "In view of the anoearHiice in the
newspajiers of February 11, of a report
that (icmiany was initiating negotia
tions with the United States in regard
to the submarine warfare, the depart-
; ment of state makes the following
: statement:
I "A suggestion was made orally to
the deiiartment of state late Saturday
afternoon bv the minister of Swit.er -
land that the German government is
: willing to negotiate with tin- fiiitid
States provided that the commercial
PLAN 10 ARM
MERCHANT SHIPS
IS UNDER WAY
Reserve Guns of Navy WiH
Be Available Soon for
This Purpose
MORE AMERICAN SHIPS
IDLE AT NEW YORK DOCKS
More Toll of Allied Shipping
Is Taken by German
Submarine
By Carl D. Groat
(United Press staff correspondent)
Washington, Feb. 12. Reserve guns
of the United States navy designed
for use on merchant auxiliaries and
submarine chasers will probably be
available soon to American shipowners
who brave the German danger zones.
The navy department has a number
of these guns, which, it is said today,
could be condemned or even loaned li
rectly, if necessary. They are just the
type for merchant ships.
Officials admitted today that Amer
ican merchant ships will have to de
pend upon the navy for any armament
desired. President Franklin of the Am
erican line has notified the department
,iiiuviit.
he has been unable to get guns from " "' ' ' - "., ,o ,c mil pro-
any other source with which to arm his T"' """"vi b," X
"J; is cepted from the dog license. The house
Officials suggested that condemna-j "'"t. in,0,.al ''ommittee of the whole,
tion of the guns would make them avail! a.,"! lately representatives of va
able for ship lines without putting an lous ''ounties in the valley wished to
Official seal on the transfer. lmvc ,,he,r eounttej exempted until the
While the state department has held Pom became so general there was
the direct transfer could be made, there! drger or leaving the bill apply to Ma
were signs today that ttie government I rl" ''"""ty only.
Hesired to avoid iiialiins such armine seyour Jones objected to the valley
appear to be mi official move.
More Liners Arc Idle
New York, Feb. 12. Two more Am
crican liners will be at their piers to
day to lay idle until conditions in Bet
many s unresti'icrou sunmanne wanum
arc better.
The New York was due to dock dur-
ing the day. The Kroonland arrived yes-
terdav. Both came from Liverpool
While officials of the American line
are holdine back the action which will
send their ships unprotected Into the
danger Mine, another American freight-1 heavily timbered and should be except
er, the Owcgo, has gone out to bravo ed.
the terrors of the submarine zone. Representative I.afferty favored the
The Owcgo, a 2,210 ton ship is on her j hill and Representative CartraiU urged
way to Genoa. She carries a general that the measure be not trentd tightly,
cargo of 2,"00 tons, sent out by the He declared the people want a stringent
Federal line, aer owners, i apuuo ami
field, her master, anil iwo uurus oi "'"(
blockade
lgainst En
d would not be
request of tho I
suggestion was
eaented lo him
interferrcd with. At
secretary of state t
made in writing am
I pi
by the Swiss ininist
The communication i
' ' ' Memorandum -'
ment has been reqn
er Sunday night. j
as follows:
flic Swiss govern
(sted by the Ger-J
n . ' ,
""' government lo say mil me lancr
in government to say that the latter
is, now as before, willing to negotiate,
formally or informally, with the Unit-
. ... - . , , '.,
Ma,eS' Ilro""" " u,c ""'"
blockade agaiiist-hnglnnd will not
"v "lom-ii nvj. (
(Signed " 'I'. Kilter .
"This memorandum was ftVan i4
i mediate consideration ami tne tonow-
ing reply was itispatciien yesterday:
'"My dear Mr. Minister: I am re
! quested by the president to say to you
in acknowledging the memorandum
which you were kind enough to send
me on the eleventh inst., that the gov
ernment of the ( nited Mtates woum
gladly discuss with the Oerman gov
crilllli'l l ailV Iiiu-Jiiiuii H iiiut 'iTiim.T.
for discussion, .e it to withdraw it.
proclamation of the 31st of January,
in which, suddenly and without previ
ous intimation of any kind, it cancelled
the assurance which it had given this
government on the fourth of May last,
but that it does not feel that it can
enter into any discussion with the Ger
man government concerning the poli
cy of submarine warfare agaiust neu -
trais wnirn it is now pursuing
and until the German government re
news its - assurances of the fourth of
j May, and acts
upon the assurance. I
am, my dear minister, etc.
"To his excellency, Dr. Paul Ritter,
minister of Switzerland.'
"No other exchanges on this sub
ject has taken place between this gov
ernment and any other government or
persons.
1
But so long as there is no break in
I diplomatic relations ith gentle spring,
we should worry a whole lot lew.
FIGHT FBR DOGS
ENLIVENED HOUSE
THIS MORNING
Representative Ai
Bill .to license
Causes It
REPRESENTATIVE LEWIS
HAS MEASURE KILLED
Parole Officer Bill Is Recalled
by Senate This Morning
After Fight
A lively dog fight, or preferably, a
fight on dogs, enlivened the session of
the house of representatives this morn
ing during its hour and a half period of
work. Four bills were passed, two kill
ed on final vote, and one strangled by
indofluite postponement.
The dogfight resulted when Al Jones"
bill to license dogs in the counties wen
of the Cascade mountains and creating
a fund for stock killed by them. As the
coast counties wished to lie exempt
from this provision on account of being
a timbered country nod dogs were need
ed, Representative Jones moved that the
house go into a committco of the wholo
i ,.,,.: i i . . .,,
counties being exempted and be was
backed up by Speaker Stanfild, Repre
sentatives Griggs, Clark and Bean. Rep
resentative Bean stated that this kind
of legislation had been before the leg
islature for several sessions and that
tiuunt,- ucn. in i.unu
county, he said the sheep raising iedus-
try had been practically ruined by docs
ami ut nerds have practically vanish-
ed. The farmers demanded nrotectinn
for their herds from the dogs. The bill
urns to restrain the curs who have no
i home or owners. The coast counties are
i nog law, hnstern Oregon was exempted
because dogs there are needed
in caring
ror tne siieep.
Before the committee of the whole
rose to report, the counties of Polk,
Washington and Clackamas, which ask
ed exemption, were included in the bill,
which on final vote passed.
Lewis' Bill Killed.
The "electric juggernaut" flatl ended
out Itepieseutative Lewis this morning
when his bill to prevent the payment
of more than twice the assessed valua
tion in purchase of property for public,
purposes was killed. The members de
clared it was a foolish and vicious meas
ure and cast serious reflection on the
honesty of public officials. XI r. Lewis
declared that he knew men who had sold
property to the public and had enough
money to buy a four-story building.
House bill No. 104, by Martin, limit
ing the salaries of the president and
professors of the O. A. C. to $5,000 a
year, was also flattened by the elcctrie
Juggernaut. The bill was declared fool
ish in that it tied the hands of tho
rcucum oi me insulation in secmuring
Jconipoti
Jcomiictent. heads of institutions. Aa
there was a long calendar, Corbett
moved the previous question and shut
off debate. The bill failed to nass.
The first bill up this morning was
houae bill No- 120, by Childs, adjusting
tne salary ot the state printer and pro-
vidiug for the appointment of tho state
printing board. With a fey explanation
the author, it im
id.
House bill No. 12(i, by Tichenor, fix
ing bonndaiies of all counties border
ing on the Pacific ocean, passed.
House bill No. 327, by Porter, ( pro
I vidiug sanitary containers for milk and
ice cream, passed.
A resolution was introduced and
' adopted prohibiting people without au-
. , ., w - , .
fiSEJE'flM" '' 'Vh''T
I during the session. The resolution direct
ed thai, the sergeant-at-arms under tho
(Continned on page three.')
!
THE WEATHER ;
f
Oregon : To
night and Tues
day fair; colder
tonlgat; winds
mostly northerly.