WAR APPEARS IMMINENT
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS ARE SEVERED
SWISS SEEKING
U-BOMJMMUNITY
FOR FOOD CARRYING VK88KL8
Government Negotiating With Teu
tons to Refrain From Attacking
Ships Carrying Food Supplies and
Carrying Swiss Flag.
k GENEVA. Feb. 3.—The Neu Zu
* 1 icher Zeitung, which is supported by
several other leading Swiss newspa
pers .demands that the government
open negotiations with Germany in
crder to obtain a guarantee that Ger
man submarines will not attack ves
sels under the Swiss flag, Switzerland
at the same time to give a guarantee
’hat the vessels shall carry only such j
foodstuffs as are to be used in Switz
erland.
This step is desired, the newspapers |
Kay, because the problem of feeding j
r.ot only the Swiss people but a large j
r.umber of interned prisoners and ref
ugees from all nations daily is bee lin
ing more acute.
1 • * I
KM El. SECURES FISHERMEN
FOR THE COMING SEASON i
v John Emel. who returned this
j) morning from Ellamar, states that he
/ will go ahead with his cannery plans;
and will leave on one of the next
boats for the States to bring north
the necessary machinery and get it
installed on the City Dock in time to
open by the beginning of the season.
During his visit to Ellamar ho secur
ed the services of thirty native fisher
men who will fish exclusively for the
cannery during the summer, and this
crew will be further added to either
irom this vicinitly or from the States.
Mr. Emel says the cannery is a sure
ihing and that he expects to put up a
jood pack this summer.
___ I
BONE DRY BILL
GOES PRESIDENT
»S PASSED BY BOTH HOUSES
Senate Bill Substituted for Wicker
sham inhibition Measure for
Alaska, and la Minus Provisions of
Section 85 of Thai Bill.
WASHJNQTON, D. C.. Feb. 3.—
L^st eyening the House passed the
Alaska Prohibition bill, which be
comes effective January 1, 1918, mak
ing the territory "Bone Dry.” The
amendment to the bill providing for
a referendum vote of the people of
the Territory on the measure was re
jected, and it now goes to the Presi
dent for signature.
According to advices received this
morning by M^Jor Davison of the
Alaska Road Commission, from Col
onel Richardson, who is now in Wash
ington. the prohibition bill above re
ferred to is not the Wickersham bill
recently passed by the House, but is
a similar measure originating
Senate and passed hy tfmt body. While
similar in many respects to the Wick
ersbam bill, in respect to the manu
facture and sale of intpxicating li
Muors, it does not carry the joker in
serted in Section 35 of the Wicker
sham bill, providing for the payment
of all license taxes to the territory in
stead of to the Alaska fund, thereby
depriving the Road Commission of
some thousands of dollars each year.
Prospector ads bring results.
LADIES' AID SOCIETY
ELECTS NEW OFFICERS
The annual election of officers for
the Ladies' Aid Society of the Con
gregational church was held Thurs
day afternoon in the lecture TOdiii of
the church, and as usual proved to be
one of the most enjoyable sessions of
the society. Mrs. H. R. Miller is the
new president, Mrs. McGilvray. retir
ing president automatically bi.omes
first vice-president; Mrs. Hall was se
lected for treasurer, Miss Susie Spence
retains the office of secretary; and
Mrs. Charles Crawford was uuani
mously elected historian. Miss and
Mrs. Spence served light refreshments
before the business meeting. A pre
liminary announcement was made of
a Ladies' Aid Carnival and Pure Food
Sale to be given ip the near future,
and active committees are now at
work with the arrangements for what
will be, it is hoped, one of the best
entertainments provided by the ladies
of Valdez.
SWEDISH SHIPS
BEEHRECALIED
OTHER SAILINGS FORBIDDEN
Government Recalls All Ships Now at
Sea and Forbids All Departures—
Naval Officer Says Germany Has
Three Hundred Submarines.
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 3.—As a result
of the German note regarding her
submarine campaign against the Al
lies, the government has issued or
ders recalling all Swedish ships now
at sea, and forbidding all sailings
from Swedish ports for the pr ;sent.
A Swedish naval officer, who recently
returned from Germany, states that
the Germans have no less than three
hundred submarines with which io
carry out their projected blockade.
TEN JAP OFFICERS
GO TO BATTLEFIELDS
TOKIO, Feb. 3.—Ten Japanese of
ficers have left for the various battle
fields of Europe. Flight-Lieutenants
Nagoa of the aviation squadron will
join the French aviation corps and
participate in the activities a .alnst
the Germans and Austrians. Many
Japanese officers are now in the front
with the French and Russian arniie3
and several naval officers are with
the British fleets.
SPECIAL SATURDAY SHOW
AT THE EMPRESS
The Empress will give a special Sat
urday evening show in Eagle Hall to
night. starting at & p. in. sharp, and
copclnding in time for the darte.
This show is given for the benefit of
the residents of the Post who may de
sire to attend a show and a dance the
same evening. An excellent bli' v/ill
be presented, including CharRs Van
Loan’s famous story. "Buckshot
John,” with an all start cast. Also
the comedy, “Tinkering with Trou
ble.”
Sunday night “Old Heidelberg” a
Triangle production, will be shown.
CORTELLA SENTENCED
FOI* THREE MONTHS
Joe C08tella, a resident of Cordo
va, was arrested there recently on the
charge of petit larceny, and on trial
before Commissioner Medley was
found guilty and sentenced to 'mpris
onment for three months in th« fed
eral jail.
Loan for School
RIO JANERIA, Feb. 3.—The Mu
nicipal Council has authorized the
negotiation of an internal or foreign
loan of $1,500,000. The money will
be used for the construction of
schools.
DENMARK STOPS
ALL SAILINGS
(await ACTION I'NITKI) STATUS
Following Receipt of tlie German Note
of Warning Danish Foreign Affairs
Committee Suspend* All Steamer
Sailings.
COPENHAGEN, Feb. 3.—Follow
ing the receipt of the German note
of warning of her intent to institute
an unrestricted submarine campaig .
against all vessels entering or leaving
the proscribed zones about Great Bri
tain, France and the Mediterranean,
all Dtfnish steamers carrying mail and
foodstuffs to England were discontin
ued. On receipt of the German note
the Foreign Affairs Committee held
a session lasting an hour and a half
at which it was decided to suspend
all sailings to England. Spain, Hol
land and the Scandinavian countries
for the present, and await the action
taken by the Jnited States before
taking any further steps.
PACIFIC (’OAST CO. KESIMES
DIVIDENDS ON COMMON STOi K
I
NEW YORK. Feb. 3.—The Pa •' c |
Coast company has resumed dividends
on its common stock with a declare-,;
tion of 1 per cent along with the reg- j
ular quarterly dividends of one sndj
one-fourth per cent on the second ;
preferred. The company has paid no I
dividends on the common stock since j
the first quarter of 1915.
COLDEST WEATHER ON
THIS END Ol’ ROAI»!
The cold weather has been steadily!
moving this way from the interior, j
and this morning's report shows T'-n-l
sina holding the day’s record with 00 j
below zero. On the Interior end!
Fairbanks reports 42 below, but Sal
cha, Richardson and McCarty report
only 24, 20 and 28 below respective
ly. From Donnelly, where the ther
mometer this morning registered 4 2
below every station reports 40 belcw
or colder. Even Beaver Dam, whirrh
has usually reported higher tempe/a
tures than the surrounding countiy,
this morning reports 50 below. W'ort
man reports 30 below, the coldest
weather of the winter, and the tem
perature last night in Valdez reached
2 4 below, also the coldest wea*her of
the winter, and was 22 below at 7
o’clock thiB morning.
FOUR CHILDREN KILLED
THEN BODIES BURNED
SEATTLE, Feb. 3.—Their skulls
fractured by blows from a blunt in
strument, the bodies of the four
children of Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Hewitt,
were taken from the burqing home
at Auburn Sunday. The children were
Stewart Ephram, agen ten, Arthur,
aged seven, Myrtle six and Clarence
five.
Their lives were insured, the poli
cies having been written in April.
The mother left home Monday and
took the youngest child, aged three.
Hewitt ha$ been arrested. He has
been employed as a brakeman on the
Northern Pacific. Feeling is running
high in Atfburn on account of the
developments.
_
“SHOW "—SO SAY
LL THE REST OF US
CHICAGO, Feb. 3.—Judge K. M.
Landis of $29,000,000 Standard Oil
fine fame, wants to be shown.
When lawyers complained today
that a certain movie “Eugenic” film
should not be shown in any theatre
because it depicts young girls in the
nude, the judge demanded: "Where
is this picture? Let me see it. Bring
in into court tomorrow.
FOUR SHIPPING BOARD
APPOINTEES CONFIRMED
WASHINGTON. D. C., Feb. 2.—
The nomination of William Denman
of San Francisco; Bernard N. Baker,
of Baltimore; James B. White, of
Kansas City, and Theodore Brent,
of New Orleans, as members of the
federal shipping board were con
firmed tonight by the senate.
Opposition by Progressive Republi
cans to John A. Donald, of New
York, the fifth member of the board,
held up his confirmation.
Senator Phelan spoke against con
firmation of Donald and there are in
dications several other Democrats
will join In the opposition. It was
said, however, Mr. Donald would be
confirmed without long delay.
Opposition to him is based largely
on the fact that he owned and oper
ated steamshiDS under the British
flag and that he employed Chinese
coolies as sailors.
NORWAY SUSPENDS
MARINE SERVICE
ALL STKAMERM ARK TIKI) IT*
Government Forbids Vessels to Leave
Port for the Present Pending Ac
tion by the Other Nentral Nations
I
Shipping At a Standstill.
LONDON, Feb. 3.—Advices receiv- j
ed here state that the Norwegian gov
ernment has suspended all sailings of
vessels from Norwegian ports to all j
ports in England, France and to Med-1
iterranean sea ports within the block
aded zones set forth in the German
note. The government is anxiously
awaiting the action of the United
States and the other neutral nations ]
with regard to the German note. j
FELLOW OPERATOR
SUSTAINS BECKER
DENIES THE CONNOLLY MESSAGE
John Hummed, Operator In Office of
Hutton & Co., Says Such an Im
l>ortant Message Could Not Have
Been Forgotten.
NEW' YORK, Feb. 3.—John Hum
med, a telegraph operator In the of
fice of Hutton & Co., testified before
the leak investigating committee yes
terday afternoon and confirmed the
statement of Operator Becker, who
testified that no such message as ad
mitted by Connolly & Co. had been
sent to the Hutton concern, had been
received in the office. He stated pos
itively that he could not be mistaken
as even in the greatest rush a mes
sage of such moment could not have
been received without attracting at
tention and could not have been for
gotten. The leak hearing adjourned
last evening to Washington.
Admiral Evans Arrives.
The steamer Admiral Evans arriv
ed in port shortly after 1 o'clock this
afternoon bringing a considerable
cargo of freight for this place and a
number of passengers. The Evans is
several days behind her schedule ow
ing to having had a large amount of
business which delayed her at sev
eral points belpw Juneau from 24 tc
48 hours. North of Juneau she bas
made excellent time.
Subscribe for the Prefect*r.
VON BERNSTORFF GIVES
EXPRESSION TO REGRETS
WASHINGTON, D. C., Keb. 3.—
Diplomatic relations between tiie Uni
ted Staten and Germany were officially
broken this morning when Connt von
Bernstorff, tiie German Ambassador,
wan formally handed his passport, and
a message was sent to United States
Ambassador Gerard at Berlin recall
ing him to the United States.
President Wilson will address u
Joint session of the House and Senate
at 2 o'clock tills afternoon on the
submarine question.
Officials of the State Department,
when interviewed this morning re
garding the break with Germany, re
fused to make any comment what
ever. It is said that the President's
note to Germany on the submarine
policy to that nation w-as fully com
pleted early tills morning, but prob
ably will not be sent until after the
President lias addressed Congress. It
is not known at tills time whether a
similar break with Austria is contem
plated or not.
Moving Toward Action.
WASHINGTON, D. G\, Feb.
Atfairs in connection with the coun
try’s foreign relations are rapidly
sweeping toward action, and it is ex
pected the President will announce
today what course he will pursue rel
ative to the German declaration of
unrestricted submarine warfare. Last
evening the President conferred with
the members of the cabinet for two
hours, following which he went tu
the capitol and held a long confer
ence with Senator William J. Stone
of Missouri, chairman of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations,
whom he promised before leaving,
that he would see before he tool', ary
steps toward a severance of diplomat
ic relations with Germany. He then
went to the President’s room on the
Senate side, and scurrying pages sum
moned every available senator for a
momentous conference, but what ac
tion was decided upon is unknown,
every senator and every member of
the cabinet having agreed upon the
strictest secrecy until such time as
the Administration has mapped out a
course of action and is prepared to
give it to tbe public
Something Barlows Brewing'
WASHINGTON, B C.. Feb. 8.—
in official circle# it to generally agreed
tgat tpe united states cannot toler
ate any *nc|» interference with Ite
rignt# #e that gropoaed hy the Ger
man submarine campaign- One mem
ber of the Senate declared this morn
ing that the very near future would
develop something serious, probably
of greater moment to the country
then the mere severance of diplomatic
relations.
Considers Sailing Inadvisable.
WASHINGTON. D. C„ Feb. 3.—
Secretary of State Lansing last night
advised the officials of the Interna
tional Merchant Marine Co. (Ameri
can Line) that the projected sailing
of the steamer St. Louis today would
be Inadvisable until a settlement of
the present difficulty. The Treasury
Department has advised customs col
lectors throughout the country, and in
Hawaii and Porto Rico to exercise the
utmost vigilance to prevent any in
fractions of the maritime laws, or
any action that would involve the
neutrality of the United States.
Von Bernstorff Unmoved.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. i.—
In the midst of the turmoil and ex
citement occasioned by the German
note, the German embassy stands
forth as an oasis of calm serenity.
Count von Bernstorff, the German
Ambassador, appears absolutely un
ruffled by the excitement about him
and expresses the utmost confidence
that Germany's action will prove the
winning factor in the war. He assers
that the United States should not ob
ject to the stopping of commerce with
Germany ever since the outbreak of
the war. He says less than a month
of the German blockade will starve
England to terms and the war will ho
ended, and the cutting off of commu
nication with the Eentente Nations
for so short a period is a small price
for the neutral powers to pay for per
manent peace in Europe.
Preparing for Break.
WASHINGTON. D t’.. Feb. 3.
Indications here are that preparations
are being rushed in all departments to
sustain a diplomatic break with Ger
many and probably the nations allied
with her. Count von Tarnowski, the
new Austrian ambassador to the Uni
ted States broke all precedents yes
terday, when he called upon Count
von Bernstorff, and held a long con
ference before going to the State De
partment and presenting his creden
tials. In an interview later he denied
the rumor that he was preparing to
leave the country.
Sinister Preparations.
WASHINGTON, D. C.. Feb. 3
Unwonted activity prevails in both the
War and Navy Departments, and
preparations are under way apparent
ly to meet any possible contingency
which may arise out of the present
situation. The troops guarding the
I anama canal locks have been mate
rially increased and the number of
men in the canal fortification.-; aug
mented.
Vote to Support President.
WASHINGTON. D. 0.. Feb. 2 —
The National Chamber of Commerce
in session in this city, unanimously
voted last evening to support th"
President in whatever action he may
take in the present crisis.
Sweeping Instructions.
WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 3.—
The instructions cabled the United
States Ambassador Gerard are of the
most sweeping character. He has
been ordered to elpae the United
States embassy in Berlin and to recall
ell consuls and united States diplo
matic representative* in the country,
and are very unusual If war does
not follow it will he the first time in
history that an armed clash has not
followed the severance of diplomatic
relations.
White House Silent.
WASHINGTON, D. «!.. Feb 3 —
Nothing of an official character re
garding the plana of the administra
tion haa issued from the White House
and the entire aapital is anxiously
awaiting the President’s speech be
fore the joint session of Congress this,
afternoon.
Pernstorff Horry .
WASHINGTON, O. C., Feb.
When handed hi* passports Count
von BernstorS, the German ambassa
dor, expressed sorrow that the diplo
matic relations between the United
States and Germany believed herself
in the right and was prepared to
stand by the consequences of her ac
tion. All work has ceased at the
German Ambassy add the Amba-sa
dor says be expects a declaration of
war will follow the death of the first
American who may fall a victim to
the submarine warfare. The AmbAa
sador also expressed wonder as to
how he would get home, all avenues
apparently being closed. Vive Presi
dent Marshall favored telling Von
Bernstorff to pack his duds and go
home to the barbarians, as he was
certain the United States would b**
aide to take care of itself.