VOLUME XVII. NO. 53. TELEPHONE MAIN 4« NOME, ALASKA TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1917. TELEPHONE MAIN 46 PRIwE 25 CENT*
1 IN
POWER TO ARM SHIPS,
BOND ISSUE AND USE OF
FORCE IS AGREED TO
-
International News Service.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.—At a fur
ther conference late this afternoon
between the senate ond house com
mittees on foreign relations an agree
ment was reached to giant the pow
is sough* ny the president to en
force armed neutrality but with modi
ilcatlons.
The agreement provides the right
to arm all metchant vessels of Am
erican registry fore and aft it author- |
ires the president to furnish the guns
for thi3 purpose, also a bond Issue
of one hundred million dollars, and the
power to use the army or navy only
to re3lst attack.
The White House is understood to
have signified its disapproval of any
agreement short of the full powers
asked and it is not yet known wheth- I
er the provisions agreed on will meet
the president's approval.
The opposition of the early morn
ing conference is understood to have
been overcome by administration
promises.
EAGLE CARD PARTY.
F. O. E. No. 75 will give a card
party to members and lady friends
following the regulra meeting Tues
day night, Febraury 27, at 9 o’clock.
H0LLWE6 IN REICHSTAG
SAYS GERMANY MUST
FIGHT FOR VICTORY
International News Service.
BERLIN, Feb. 27.—Chancellor van
Bethmann-Hollweg made a striking
speech in the reichstag today. He re
viewed the situation at some length
dealing with positions of the forces
of the Teutonic powers on the varl- j
ous fronts and w'ith economic ns- '
pects thorughout the central powers.
In the course of his speech he used |
these words: "The one dominating j
thought in German minds now must
be to fight and gain a complete vie- ,
tory.”
He declared that for months last
summer arid fall it had been Ger
many's aim to obtain peace even at
some sacrifice of national pride and
the fruits of conquest This gener
ous attitude vva3 not reciprocated by
the enemy who declared their inten
tion of continuing the struggle until
Germany was completely broken. No
other course was left but to fight
until the end.
He declared that now victory is the
only outcome anil all else in Germany
must be subjected to this motive.
Visiting Cards at the Nunget Office
TEN AMERICANS LOST
IN LACONIA SINKING—
2 WOMEN, 9 MEN
international News Service.
QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 27.—Ameri
can Consul Frost states that out ot
twenty Americans aboard the Lacon
ia which was sunk day Defore yestter
day off the Irish coast by a subma
rine ten were lost.
Those who perished were Mrs. Mary
Hoey and her thirteen year old daugh
ter Elizabeth of Chicago and eight
American negro sailors The seamen
went down with the ship but Mrs.
Hoey and her daughter died from
exposure They had been taken from
the ship into the open boats clad,
as most of the others were In scant
clothing but the wet and cold were
more tljan they coud stand.
When they died they were buried at
ses as the boat they were in wa3
overcrowded.
The negro sailors along with many
other men were not able to get Into
the ship's boats and were drowned.
Great care was taken to preserve
some small possessions and jewels of
Mrs. Hoey to prove her identity in
case of need.
Visiting Cards at *he Nugget Offioa
HOLLAND TO SEIZE
INTERNED SHIPS TO
INDEMNIFY LOSSES
_ I
International New* Servioe.
AMSTERDAM, Feb. 27.—Alt Hol
land is greatly incensed over the re
cent sinking of seven Dutch vessels
by German submarines and the talk
has been and still is for a severence
of dipolmatic relations if not foe ar
tual war.
The government is urging calmness
and a resort to diplomatic procedure
before other action 13 taken.
Nor is the governmen behind the
popular mind in seeking redress. To
day a note was addressed to Germany
that is little short of an ultimatum.
The note recites the facts surround
ing the destructon of the seven ves
sels flying the Dutch flag and declares
that their sinking was unwarranted
and contrary to an express under*
standing between Holland and Ger
many.
Then the note contains a flat de
mand that Germany indemnify the
owners in full ror the loss of thel>
ships and cargoes and for all other
damages Incident to the destruction of
the vessels.
For German failure to do thi3 at
I
mice Holland declares her Intention of
seizing forty German liners now vol
untarily interned in the Dutch West
Indies. The German ships will be
seized and sold and the owners of the
sunk ships indemnified in full.
The note to Germany is of a strong
nature and fully expresses the feel
ings of the people of Holland. A
diplomatic break is expected to occur
•COD.
NATIONAL REJOICING ALL OVER
BRITISH ISLES BECAUSE OF SOMME
AND MESOPOTAMIA VICTORIES
V.ternational News Service.
LODNON, Feb. 27.—There is na
tional repoiclng becuuse of the great
victories gained by British forces
within two days.
The great news of the British ad
vance along the Ancre on Sunday was
received with gratitude and Jubila
tion and subsequent reports (show
that the British forces are advancing
steadily and rapidly towards Bapauine.
The belief is growing that the long
prepared for spring drive has com
mencid. It is frankly confessed that
such remarkable gains were not ex
pected so soon by the great majority
of Englishmen. There are reasons also
for believing that the enemy was not
ready for the widespread drive and
the following pressure which is rolling
his line back so consistently
Reports indicate that there has been
a comparatively small loss of life to
the British in the great Somme ad
vance. British cannon hurl their mis
siles of death in such unprecedented
quantities that the Germans are ren
dered inert by the time the infantry
charge is made.
Additional good news is continually
coming from Field Marshal Haig's
headquarters, and press reports are
i nthusiastic in their versions of the
fighting.
Reports of the recapture of Kul-el
Amara Mesopotamia by British troops
coming so close after the good news
from the western front has greatly
encouraged the popular nund.
It is stated that this stronghold
was captured by Anglo-Indian troops
under direction of the Indian office.
The victory 13 declared to bo the
more momentous because of the large
increase of Turkish troops there for
the purpose of holding the town. Brit
ish prestige in the east will greatly
enhanced by the vitory.
Further reports indicate that the
Turks ire being driven back and are
allowed no time for recovery
SINKING OF LINER LACONIA
CLEAR VIOLATION OF THE LAW
AND AFFRONT TO ALL NEUTRALS
In c national New* Service.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 27.—Official
reports of the sinking of the Laconia
have been received by the state de
partment. It i3 said thta the big
liner was sunk by a German subma
rine without warning.
Secretary Lansing made a state
ment this morning in connection with
the loss of the Laconia. He said that
the sinking was a clearly in violation
of the provisions of international law.
He declared that the affair did not
lequire any further investigation on
the part of this government because
it was so flagrantly opposed to the
recognized rules of war.
Secretary Lansing made these state
ments after a long conference with
President Wilson this morning. Ap
parently it was agreed at the White
House that such announcement should
he made.
The secretary carefully avoided
speaking of the sinking as an overt
act and declined to further define
what is an overt act that would pre
cipitate war.
Mr. I<anslng did, however, make it
clearly understood that this govern
tm nt looks upon the sinking of the
Laconia as the most s*rious affront ^
yet offered to the United States and
all neutrals who are the eu3odians
of the laws of civilization during war
times.
Although he made this known to
.he fullest extent he did not Indicate
that any decisive move is contemplat
ed hy this government for the present
From a senatorial source it has been
learned that the sinking of the La
conia is even more of an effront than
the Lusitania affair because of the
thorough consideration that has been
given thi3 method of warfare In tho
past year
It Is stated that the administration
will await news from American ves
sels now on the verge of the barred
..ne btfore coming to any decision as
in ihe course to be taken regarding
the Laconia. There seems to be little
doubt in high official circles that the
irend of events will draw this country
into the war sooner or later.
Let the Nugget do your letter wru
ng by sending the Weekly Nugget to
vour friends on the outside—60c mu
COMMITTEES ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
DISAGREE IN LONG CONFERENCE
AROUT POWER TO PRESIDENT
International News Service.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.—This
morning at ten o’clock there was a
Joint meeting of the senate and house
committees on foreign relations to
consider the message from the presi
dent which was conveyed to the mem
bers of both houses yesterday in the
form of an address and which was
immediately circulated in printed form
to the members.
Alost of the democratic members are i
reported to have favored a resolu
tion which would embody the powers !
asked by the president. Nearly ail the
icpublican members and some dem
ocrats were strongly opposed to such
action on the ground that it Is not
necessary. The president, they are
said to have urged, already has all
the ptAver neoded and admitted -.ht
fact in his speech. To grant his
request would mean In effect that
whatever he did would be ratified in
advance. It was further contended
by the opposition that the president
is making the government of the Uni
ted States more and more a one >
dictatorship. His continued usurpation
of the legislative functions of congress
by bending tilt majority to his will
cannot be tolerated longer.
In support of the president's re
quest his advocates urge that the
adoption of such a resolution by con
gress before adjournment would
strengthen the president's position be
fore the world and give notice tu any
possible enemy that the country is |
standing behind the chief executive
in his foreign policy
It was said to have been rejoined i
to this that the president's policy will
be wiser and safer if congress is duly j
consulted and not ignored and further l
more tli.il the whole world knows that
the country will be solidly back of
the presiden- In maintaining Ameri
can rights.
After a heated session of two
hours the two committees adjourned
to meet later for further considera
tion of the matter.
Any bOdy anOying tHe aniMuLs
roxT saT wil b PunNishEd.
Children’s waists and rompers 35c
e ach. Miss Oestrelch has them.
FRENCH PLANT BLOWS UP
DESTROYING LIVES AND
80,000 TONS OF SHELLS
International News Servic®.
BERLIN, Feb. 27.—A semi-official
¥
account has been given out of a ter
rific explosion in an ammunition \
plant near Paris, the details of which
must have been learned through se
c.et government sources.
ft is declared that the French plant
blew up killing over two hundred per
sons and injuring over seven hun
dred others.
The loss to France was not meas
ured by the number of thsoe killed
ano Injured for the most Important
aspect of the explosion is that eighty
thousand tons of ammunition wa3 de
bit oyed.
The (destruction of this immense
accumulation of shells is thought to
1 avc dealt a serious blow to French
plans for an early resumption of ac
tive operations ia which big gun3
vere expected to play an important
part.
News of the tremendous explosion
was suppressed so far as possible in
fiance and the rest of the world.
WELLS AGAINST WELLS
AT BILLIARDS TONIGHT
Last night in the Board of Trade
billard tournament Smith. 275, and
Klesele, 260, played a match In class
A. Smith won in 91 Innings with an
average of 2.98. Klesele scored 147
with an average of 1.61. Smith played
his best game In the tourney so far
making aa high runs 19, 16, 14 and
several 13’s. Klesele could not get
them to rolling but made one run of 13.
Tonight the match between FI. F.
Wells, 300, and Hoy Wells, 200, in
class A is sure to draw a record crowd
as It will be a real contest.
PIONEERS.
Pioneer dance Wednesday, Febru
ary 28. Admission: Gents, $1.00;
ladies free. A good time guaranteed
to all who attend. Dancing at 9-30
sharp. Refreshments served during
the evening.
DREAM THEATER
FEATURE NIGHT
"The Corsair' in four magnificent
acts will be the extravagant offering
tonight. A rare charm pervades the
romance and its stirimg plot. The
principal scenes are enacted on the
China sea and the Malayan peninsula.
Fierce Malay pirates, Moorish chief
tians, and bands of captured slave
girls are brought forward in the big
moments of the picture. Sensational
Oriental dances aro performed by
voluptuous and superbly draped wo
men. The limit of terp3lchorean art
and u positive delight. These dances
are executed with reclkess abandon,
exposing many of the inner secrets of
the harem It is a love tragedy that
pulses with tnan’3 prtmtlive passions
and mad desires, a picture that’s all
feature. Admission 25c. Tomrorow
night, "The Diamond from the Sy.”
SaT. Rain or •hin*, oum uRLy.