Iditarod Pioneer
ONE DOLLAR per month _IDITAROD, ALASKA, SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 3, 1917 _25 cents per copy
GERMANS PLANNED COUP
AGAINST UNITED STATES
WASHINGTON, March 1.—The revelation of a
German plot to unite Mexico and Japan with her foi
an attack on the United States has startled the cap
ital to its depths. Secretary of State Lansing au
thorizes the statement that he does not believe that
Japan had any knowledge of the plot, and that he
felt confident that Mexico would not be a party to
any such agreement.
"So far as the German plot is concerned, we know
that it is in every way true, continued the secre
tary, “but we cannot make public all the details for
fear of endangering the life of our informant.
DETAILS OF THE PLOT
The following instructions were sent by the Ger
man foreign secretary, Zimmerman, to Von Eck
hardt, German ambassador to Mexico, through Von
Bernstorff, then ambassador to Washington:
“Berlin, Jan. 19.—On the first of February
we intend to begin unrestricted submarine war
fare. In spite of this it is our intention to keep
neutral the United States of America. If this
attempt is not successful we propose an alliance
on the following basis with Mexico: That we
shall make war together and together make
peace. We shall give general financial support
and it will be understood that Mexico is to re
conquer her lost territory—New Mexico, Texas
and Arizona. The details are left to you for
settlement. You are instructed to inform the
president of Mexico of the above in the greatest
confidence as soon as it is certain that there will
be an outbreak of war with the United States,
and suggest that the president of Mexico, on his
own initiative, should communicate with Japan,
suggesting adherence at once to this plan, and
at the same time offer mediation between Ger
many and Japan. Please call to the attention
of the president of Mexico that the employment
of ruthless submarine warfare now promises to
compel England to sue for peace within a tew
months.”
NEVER REACHED ITS DESTINATION
The state department intimated today that Zim
merman's letter never reached Carranza, being in
tercepted. It was never passed on to Japan.
That Japan would instantly spurn any proposi
tion looking to a coalition with Germany and Mexico
against the United States was the authoritative state
ment made at the Japanese embassy today.
SENATORS WANT INFORMATION
In the senate today Senator Lodge of Massachu
setts introduced a resolution asking the President to
inform the senate if the note signed ‘Zimmerman"
is authentic. Senator Swanson of Virginia informed
him that Democratic senators had been authorized
by the President to state that the account of the
Zimmerman note was substantially correct. Senator
La Follette said he would not object to the passage
of the Lodge resolution providing it was amended
to ask the President to state when the Zimmerman
note had come into the possession of the United
States government.
---♦—
SINKING OF BIG CUNARD LINE STEAMSHIP
MAY FURNISH CAUSE FOR OPEN HOSTILITIES
QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 27.—The Cunarder La
conia, 18,000 tons, from New York to Liverpool,
has been sunk off the Irish coast. Most of the pas
sengers were rescued. Ten Americans, including
Mrs. Mary Hoy and Miss Elizabeth Hoy of Chicago,
and eight negro seamen, lost their lives as the result
of the sinking of the vessel. American Consul Frost
reports that the Hoys died from exposure in the life
boats and were buried at sea.
Considered an Overt Act
WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.—Many officials are in
clined to the view that Germany committed an overt
act in sinking the Laconia. Secretary Lansing con
ferred with the President this morning.
-«.
FALL OF BAUPAUME IS LOOKED FOR
FOLLOWING GERMANS’ RECENT RETIREMENT
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS IN FRANCE, Feb. 26.
—Under cover of a fog the Germans have carried
out the greatest retirement they have made on the
western front in two years. The British swept into
Jpys serre Miraumont and Petit Miraumont, including
the Butte de Warlencourt, which was filled deep with
the bones of dead of previous battles.
PARIS, March I.—The Germans have fallen back
behind Baupaume, and the fall of that town is immi
nent, according to information from the front.
German Denial Issued
BERLIN, Feb. 27.—British troops many times at
tacked the German positions on the front between
the Ypres river and the Somme, says an official state
ment, but in only one place were they successful.
I CHINA BEING ENCOURAGED
TO JOIN ENTENTE ALLIES
PEKIN, March 2. The French minister
j ami the Belgian charge d’affaires, acting for
| the entente allies, have invited China to
enter into an alliance, offering her remis
sion of the Boxer indemnity and revision
of tariffs as inducements. A cabinet crisis
I is imminent. The vice president and the
I premier are urging China to join.
- - ♦
AN IMPROBABLE STORY
; GALVESTON, Texas Feb. 26. A cable
from Germany lo a point in the West Indies,
which has been under construction for sev
j oral months, is nearing completion, accord
ing to reports current in local shipping
circles.
-4
GERMAN “FRIGHTFULNESS”
TO BE ALLOWED FULL SWAY
COMMENCING MARCH FIRST
BERLIN. March 2. The admiralty mad*
the following announcement today.
“On March 1 expired the final period of
grace allotted to sailing ships in the At
i luntie. From this date no special warning
; will he given any boats by submarines.”
Caught a Tartar
NFW YORK, Feb. 24 The Herald says
j that a German submarine was sunk and
i two merchantmen were destroyed in a battle
| between seven submarines and nine mer
1 chantmen off the Spanish coast. The sub
marines were about to score a victory when
, six British destroyers appeared and caused
I the submarines to submerge.
Work of Underseas Craft
LONDON, Feb. 24. Seven Dutch ships,
with a total of 27,001) tons, were sunk on
Thursday at the western approaches to the
j English channel. The captain and six of
the crew of the British steamship Grenadier
l were killed when that vessel was sunk to
day.
i Friday’s reports disclose that eleven ves
j eels, with a tonnage of 28,000, were sunk,
though four were torpedoed previously but
i were unreported. Included in the list was
the French transport Athos, 12,000 tons,
sunk off Malta on February 17. Among
those lost was an American missionary.
---«
JAPANESE WAR VESSELS
TO COERCE CARRANZA?
SEATTLE, F'eb. 26. Three Japanese
cruisers, which delivered $10,000,000 in gold
I to the Canadian authorities at Esquimalt,
I have passed out to sea, bound for Mexican
j waters. According to report they will de
j mand that Carranza refrain from shutting
off the oil supply from British-owned wells
I which constitutes the main fuel of the eu
j tente fleets.
-«—
BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO
TO HAVE ANOTHER YARD
j WASHINGTON, March 2—The senate
i this afternoon adopted an amendment to
i the naval bill authorizing the establishment
of a second navy yard on San Francisco
1 .
bay, and appropriating Sl.oOO.OOO to pur
| chase a site.
FATAL TRAIN WRECK
I ALTOONA, Pa., Feb. 24. Nineteen oc
| cupants of a sleeping car were killed when
| the Mercantile Express on the Pennsylvania
railroad was wrecked near this city yester
day. y
—♦—
VICTIMS OF TORNADO
ATLANTA, Feb. 24.—Thirteen persons
■ were killed and one hundred injured in a
I tornado which passed through Alabama and
j Mississippi yesterday.
-♦
SENTENCED TO HANG
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 24 —Judge Grif
] fin today denied a new trial to Mooney, con
victed of complicity in the bomb outrage,
and he w-as sentenced to hang May 17.
■---•
MAJOR ALBRECHT NOTIFIED
OF DEATH OF ONLY SON
Rex George Albrecht, 29 years of age,
only son of Major and Mrs. George W. Al
brecht of this city, died at Chicago on
j March 1, and will be buried at Stanton,
Mich., the old home of the Albrechts, where
their first-born child was buried.
The sad intelligence was received by tele
graph yesterday by Major Albrecht from
his wife, who, with her daughter, has been
spending the winter in Kentucky.
The death of young Mr. Albrecht was not
wholly unexpected, as a letter received by
the Major some weeks ago told of his seri
ous illness.
Rex G. Albrecht was a linotype operator
by trade, and had the reputation among his
fellow-craftsmen of being particularly adept
at his calling. He was also a proficient ama
teur athlete, and it is probable that, al
though of splendid physique, he had at
some time impaired his health by over
exertion.
The sincere condolences of the entire com
munity will go out to Major and Mrs. Al
brecht in their great bereavement.
WICK0SHAW
TO BE DElEOtTE
Certificate of Election to Be Issued
Despite Opinion of Attorney
General That Irregularities
Invalidated Returns
_
JUNEAU, March 1. Notwithstanding
j the opinion of Attorney General Grigsby
J that the Australian ballot law is manda
tory, and that the returns from Choggiung
and Nushagulak precincts, in the Third di
I vision; Utica, in the Second division, and
| Bonnifield, in the Fourth division, were
j not legal, the territorial canvassing board
voted today to count all ballots and give
certificates of election to James Wicker
sham for delegate to congress; to Corrigan,
| for representative in the Second division,
! and to Murray for representative in the
I Third.
I Governor Strong and Territorial Secre
tary Davison voted aye and Collector of
Customs Pugh voted no, the latter holding
that the legal opinion of the attorney gen
eral should be accepted.
However, the board voted not to issue
the certificates of election until tomorrow,
and thus permit the initiation of injunction
proceedings.
The official count as announced by the
j board was:
Wickers!)am . C"490
Sulzer . 6,459
Wickersham’s plurality.. 31
Mandamus Proceedings Begun
JUNEAU, March 2.—Judge Jennings
' today issued an alternative writ of
1 mandamus, returnable tomorrow after
noon, directing the canvassing board to
I show cause why they should not issue
: a certificate of election to Sulzer. The
I attack is made on precincts where no
official ballots were used and no certifi
cates of explanation returned. If the
court should uphold Grigsby’s opinion
Sulzer would win by a small plurality.
ELECTION FOR DELEGATE
TO GO TO THE COURTS
A Juneau special to the Fairbanks News
Miner, dated February 1, says:
The territorial canvassing board today
practically asked that protests on ac
count of irregularities in the recent election
be taken into court, and this may result in
two seriously urged protests. Both are
based on the position that where law re
quirements were made to guard against
fraud they must be observed. Therefore
protests were entered against Utica, Deer
ing and Dime, in the Second division; Chog
gtung and Nushagak, in the Third, where
official ballots were not used and where
certficates provided by law setting forth rea
sons for not so doing were not marie.
If these protests are held good, Sulzer
will win. The protest against the whole of
the Second division, where requirements for
registration of voters were disregarded, is
based on the same principle. The protest
ants claim that central points in the election
law are registration and the Australian bal
lot, and if these are not complied with in
accordance with statute there is no need for
the law at all. The Bristol bay precincts
did not use official ballots, and only Naknek,
where Sulzer got nine majority, sent proper
certificate for failure.
The Bristol bay returns show: Chog
giung—Wickersham, 25; Sulzer, 3. Nuhsa
gak—Wickersham, 10; Sulzer, 3. Naknek
—Sulzer, 9; Wickersham, 0.
The ballots at Choggiung were typewrit
ten and had only the name of Wickersham
on them for delegate, and many of them
had no room to write other names.
Counting Bristol bay, the Third division
stands: Sulzer, 1,698; Wickersham, 2,007.
The Fourth division, without Kantishnu,
Discovery, Dikeman and Flat, gives Sulzer
1,595; Wickersham, 1,604.
-♦
“BONE DRY” AMENDMENT
TO POSTAL APPROPRIATIONS
IS SUBJECT OF JOCKEYING
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28. It developed
last night that the postoffice appropriation
bill, including the “bone dry” amendment,
had been abandoned because of a hopeless
deadlock in conference.
A resolution to replace the appropriation
bill by continuing the legislative postal ap
propriations, and embodying also the Reed
amendment, was introduced in the house
by the conferrees, making it necessary for
the “bone dry” provision to run the gaunt
let of another vote in both the senate and
house.
NOTES OF WAR'S PROGRESS
LONDON, Feb. 26—Kut-el-Amara, on
the Tigris, has been recaptured by the Brit
ish, it was announced by the war office to
day.
The army estimate issued'today provides
for 5,000.000 men, exclusive of the Indian
army, and 450,000 for the navy.
TOKIO, Feb. 24—An armed nterchant
man raiding commerce in the Indian ocean
has sunk two British steamships southwest
of Colombo.
BERLIN, Feb. 27.—Eight aeroplanes of
the entente forces were shot down yesterday
on the western front, according to official
announcement today.
HIGH PRICES OF FOODS
CONSIDERED BY OFFICIALS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. -Senutor Borah
today introduced a bill appropriating
j $0,000,000 to be spent under the direction of
the President to relieve the food situation.
! The department of justice intimates that
wholesale indictments of food manipulators
| may be looked for.
VESSELS IN COLLISION
SEATTLE, Feb. 24. The steamship Sen- j
ator, bound for San f rancisco, and the ,
Northland, from San Francisco to Seattle I
to go on the Alaska run, collided in a fog
off the California coast this morning. The i
Northland, badly damaged and leaking, put
j back to port. Both are Pacific Steamship
j Company vessels, and carried no passengers.
—*—
SECRET AGENTS IN ALASKA
TO PROTECT PROPERTIES
IN EVENT OF HOSTILITIES
j SEATTLE, Feb. 27. Government agents '
; and secret service men are quietly moving
into all parts of ,Alaska to keep an eye on
j what is going on, in view of the war situa
j lion. Their real mission is, of course, ,
j known only at Washington.
Meanwhile the Kennecott Corporation is ‘
also known to be taking extraordinary pro
| cautions for the future protection of its
Bonanza copper mine and railroad.
Steel nets are to be thrown across the en- I
| trance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, as a ;
protection against German submarine at- j
tacks on Puget sound.
SEATTLE RESTAURANT MAN
WELL KNOWN TO ALASKANS
SEATTLE, Feb. 2.--Cl8rence Gerald, the
well-known restaurateur, and for years
owner of Gerald’s cafe, died here today from
.he effects of heart failure. Last spring he
was arrested on a charge of selling liquor
illegally, and it was shortly afterward that
he was stricken with the illness to which
he succumbed. j
-* ---
BRYAN LEADS PACIFISTS
IN EFFORT TO AVERT WAR
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.- -Prominent |
pacifists from all over the country are ar
riving here and enrolling under the leader- |
ship of William J. Bryan, in an effort to |
stimulate congress to resist the tendency j
toward war with Germany.
LUMBER FOR RAILROAD
SEATTLE, March 1. The Alaska engi- j
neering commission has called for bids for i
12,000,000 feet of lumber for bridge timbers j
to be used in the construction of the Alaska j
government railroad.
-♦
PRIMA DONNA INJURED
ST. LOUIS, Feh. 24. Mme. Schuman- |
Heink suffered two broken ribs and a j
sprained wrist when a street car struck her !
automobile last night.
-+
TESTIFIES AGAINST HUSBAND
SEATTLE, Feb. 24.—Mrs. Etta McDon- j
aid, testifying against her former husband, j
J. F. Duskey. charged with robbery, swore j
that she made the mask he used.
-«
FIREMAN BURNED TO DEATH
SEATTLE. March 2.—Louis Knuson. fire
man in a wooden gutter manufacturing con
cern, perished in the partial destruction of
the plant by fire this morning.
--♦
PROVIDING AGAINST DROUTH
SEATTLE. Feb. 24.—The steamship
Humboldt, arriving from San Francisco last
night, had 150 tons of liquor for various
Alaska towns.
♦ —
DANIEL FOLEY KILLED
IN TOLOVANA ACCIDENT
A telegram received by The Pioneer last
Wednesday afternoon from Brooks, in the
Tolovana district, signed by M. F. Miller,
stated that Daniel Foley, a former resident
of this camp, had been killed in an accident,
and requested that his brother, William
Foley of Flat, be notified and that he wire
instructions regarding the disposition of the
body.
The message contained no intelligence re
garding the nature of the fata! accident.
William Foley at once got in communica
tion with Brooks, but up to yesterday after
noon had received no reply to his message.
Daniel Foley was a native of Prince Ed
ward Island, Canada, and 34 years of age
at the time of his death. He is survived by
two brothers, William and Michael, and one
sister. William Foley is an old resident of
this camp, now living at Flat. The deceased
was well and favorably known in this vicin
ity, having lived here a number of years be
fore going to the Tolovana diggings. He
lived at Nome before coming to Iditarod.
The burial will take place at Fairbanks.
AUTHORITY TO BE GIVEN
TO HANDLE SITUATION
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.—President Wilson ap
pealed to a joint session of congress today for per
mission to arm American merchantmen, to establish
armed neutrality, and for full immediate assurance
that he may exercise such authority as he deem,
necessary in handling the German-American situa
tion. Declaring that he is a friend of peace, and
means to preserve it for America as long as he is
able, the President emphasized the fact that he
neither asks nor contemplates any step which might
bring war through the action of this country. He
declared that war could only come through the act
of Germany.
“WE MUST DEFEND OUR PEOPLE”
“No course of my choosing will lead to war,” he
said. “War can come only by willful acts of ag
gression by others.” He added in almost the next
sentence that “we must defend our people,’ and
emphasized the fact that while he may now have fuil
power to take what steps are necessary, he desires
congress by its own vote to show that it is behind
him in whatever he may decide to be necessary.
DISCUSSING THE PRESIDENT’S REQUEST
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—Chairman Flood ol
the house foreign affairs committee, immediately
after the conclusion of the President’s address on
Monday last, called the committee together to draf>
the legislation necessary to give the President th'1
power he wants. Today the committee reported,
upholding, the President, but with two important re
strictions. Authorization for the use of other in
strumentalities aside from guns, gunners and money
was stricken from the original Flood bill. The sec
ond restriction was the insertion of a provision
against the use of the war risk bureau to insure ships
carrying njunitions.
WASHINGTON, March 1.—A special rule for the
immediate consideration of the Flood bill, to em
power the President to arm and protect ships “under
United States register,” was favorably reported to
day from the house rules committee, and the house
unanimously adopted the rule. A three hours’ de
bate on the measure was begun immediately.
BLOCKED BY PACIFISTS IN SENATE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—Senator La Follette,
leader of the pacifist element in the senate, which
is demanding an extra session of congress, has
blocked consideration, probably until tomorrow, of
the bill conferring the authority requested by the
President.
Though official dispatches establish the fact that
the Laconia case is in the nature of an overt act, the
President and state department officials take the posi
tion that no further steps will be taken until con
gress has acted upon the President’s request for au
thority. President Wilson is said to be opposed to
calling an extra session of congress.
REQUEST WILL BE GRANTED
WASHINGTON, March 2.—By a vote of 64 to 2
the senate today agreed to proceed with the senate
bill granting the President all the power he has asked
for to deal with the international situation. This
presages a victory for the senate bill, which will be
substituted for the house bill, which granted limited
power.
THE YARROWDALE INCIDENT
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—A speech delivered by
Bethmann-Hollweg, the German chancellor, is inter
preted here as carrying an ill-concealed threat
against the United States. The excuse given for
failure to release the Yarrowdale prisoners is char
acterized in official quarters as even more of an in
sult than had been implied by their simply being de
tained.
Ambassador Willard, at Madrid, has cabled that
the American Yarrowdale prisoners have been re
leased.
WASHINGTON, March 2.—Germany, in a note de
livered to the state department today by the Swiss
minister, promises to release the Yarrowdale prison
ers on March 7.
AMERICAN CONSULS HELD
Four American consuls are being detained by Ger
many while the Berlin government awaits official
advices that all German consuls in this country, or
dered to Central and South America, have been per
mitted to proceed.
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY WILL MAINTAIN RELATIONS
BERNE, Switzerland, March 2.—Recent reports
that the Austro-Hungarian government has deter
mined to make every effort to maintain diplomatic
relations with the United States are corroborated by
information reaching here from Vienna. The im
pression prevails that Austria-Hungary will make
every sacrifice regarded as reasonable to avoid a
rupture, even if such action apparently would mean
flying in the face of Germany.