Pnimra XIV. VALDEZ, ALASKA, FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1817 Nl'MBKK W*
SURE
MS ARE PREPARING FOR
NATION-WIDE PROHIBITION
WASHINGTON, D. <\, April 13.—The l)rys are be
coming exceedingly active and are perfecting plans to
bring about National Prohibition. The leaders of the
movement are planning their linal drive to bring about the
enactment of legislation prohibiting the manufacture and
sale of all intoxicating liquors, at least during the period
of the war, and are using every argument to show Presi
dent Wilson that national prohibition will save the coun
try sixty million bushels of wheat annually, which now goes
into the manufacture of spirits.
A strong lobby is being maintained for the purpose of
inffuuencing the members of congress to vote in favor of
nation wide prohibition, and the leaders of the measure are
predicting that a bill providing for national prohibition
will be introduced and passed within a short time.
<RAISE ON GOVERNMENT ROAD
SEATTLE, April 13—The office of the Alaska Hnpi
ueering Commission in this city Inis announced a general
increase of 10 per cent in wages affecting all lines of labor
‘»ii the government railroad in Alaska. This increase was
made to cover the higher cost of living now prevailing, and
will increase the monthly payroll of the Commission by
about a quarter of a million dollars. The Commission lias
also increased the price of board in the camps operated by
^'j'u along the railroad to $1.25 per day.
MORE GUARDS ARE CALLED OUT
WASHINGTON, A|>i il i:i.-Swictarv of War Baker
today issrtfcd orders for the calling out of ten thousand ad
ditional men of the National Guard, principally from the
Eastern States, for guard duty at the various munitions
plants, railroads and navy yards.
The destruction of the munitions plant of the Baldwin
locomotive works and the burning of the grain elevators
at St. Paul, undoubtedly by German plotters or sympa
thizers with Germany, has demonstrated that the greatest,
caution must be observed to prevent a repetition of this
work. The big manufacturing companies and mills throu
• mt the country have also retained large1 numbers of pri -
vate watchmen to protect their plants from detsruction.
» -
FLEET MAY BE EMPLOYED SOON
WASHINGTON, April 13.—While all news regard
ing the naval plans is strictly censored, and no official news
may be obtained regarding the movement of ships, the ac
tivity displayed throughout the* country in recruiting men
for the navy, and the speed with which work of preparing
the warships for duty at various navy yards is progressing
Toads to the inference that the United States navy will soon
take a prominent part in the war. It is believed that a
number of the vessels, particularly of the destroyer class,
will be employed in convoying merchant ships through the
war zone, and thus facilitate the shipment of food supplies
and munitions to the Allies.
APPROVES OF TEDDY'S PLANS
. WASHINGTON, April 13.—The plan of Col. Roose
velt to raise ail army of at least 100,(XX) men for service in
France, and of which he desires the command, is finding
favor in several quarters of official Washington.
President Wilson and Secretary of War Baker, how
ever, refuse to discuss the matter, and it is known that
President Wilson does not favor the project, particularly
the giving of the command to Roosevelt, and many promi
nent army officers express disbelief in the Colonel’s ability
*to handle a large body of troops in actual warfare.
A number of the Republican members of the House
and Senate approve the plan and it is predicted that the
project has an excellent chance of success in case enough
Democratic members of the House and Senate vote with
the Preisdent.
PROMISES TO GUARD OILFIELDS
WASHINGTON, 1). C., April 13.—President Carran
>f Mexico has given assurances to the United States and
M>ther foreign ambassadors that the fuel supply for British
"lid French warships from the Tampico oil fields will be
maintained. Carranze promises to maintain a strong
guard about the oil fields to prevent them from being tam
pered with in any wav by the Germans or their sympathiz
ers.
FOREIGN ADMIRALS TO CONFER
WASHINGTON, April 13.—Admiral. Browning, of
the British navy, Admiral Begasse of the French navy,
and Secretary of the Navy Daniels and Admiral Benson,
chief of naval operations in the United States navy, an* in
conference today for the purpose of arranging plans for
the co-operation of the French, British and United States
navies in the war against Germany. The British and
French admirals arrived yesterday on their respective flag
ships.
JUNEAU MURDERER
MMESHfiESCIPE
HAWS WAV OUT OK UK. TANK
Was Sentenced to lie Hanged May
j I I for Murder of Many People—
j Fifteen Posses Are In Pursuit liut
No Trace Fan Be Found.
JUNEAU. April 1— Eclvv. Krause,
sentenced to lie hanged here on May
1 1 for tlie murder of James Plunkett,
escaped jail last night, and is now
! at liberty. Eleven launches and fif
teen posse are searching for the fu
gitive.
Investigation reveals that Krause
had gained possession of some saws,
presumably from friends on tlie* out
side and sawed his way from the main
Itank into a small corridor adoining.
where he secreted himself. While the
jailers were locking up last night
about 9 o’clock, he escaped into the;
jailer’s office, opened the door lead-j
jing to the outside, which had been;
accidentally left unlocked, and disap-!
peared into the darkness. An alarm !
was immediately given and the chase j
started. A number of launches were |
. I
pressed into service to guard against
ibis leaving by water, and a number |
I of men sworn in to search for ilu j
I fugitive, but as yet no trace of the
'missing man has been found. No death
! watch had been appointed to guard
| Krause in the jail and he was al- i
I lowed the same freedom as the othei
j prisoners.
--
STILL i
SR FORWARD
* I
SEVERAL MORE TOWN’S TAKEN
East of Arras, Along a Wide Front,
the British Are Pushing Relentless
ly Forward—Germans Making a
I
l>es|ierate Resistance.
LONDON, April 13.— Pressing for-1
ward along a wide front east of Arras
the British forces have captured ad
ditional ground, including several for
tified villages and German points of
support and several strips of wood - j
land occupied by the Germans. The
Sart farm, Gauche, Gougeucourt
woods and villages have been taken
and the German lines have been pene
trated in the vicinity of Metz and
Couterre. Heavy fighting is In pro
gress north of Hargicourt, and the j
Germans are making a desperate re-:
distance along the nine-mile front be
tween Metz and Hargicourt, but
neither the German artillery nor the
j unfavorable elements can stop the
j relentless drive of the British.
[GERMANS DISCOVERED
PLOTTING IN SOUTH
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 13.—A
wild and unconfirmed rumor has been
started here that German agents are
scattered thru the South inciting the
negroes to rebel against the whites.
Band Meeting Tonight
The Moose band will meet tonight
in Moose hall. All members are ex
pected to be present.
ATLANTIC COAST
ASKK.MHIjK hag plkkt chaskks
Conference of Foreign and Amor Iran
Naval Ottlcen* Give* Impetus to Co
operative Art ion—Sub Clinsers He
Mobilized Immediately.
WASHINGTON. I). April 13.
A decided impetus was given today
to the co-operation of the British,
French and American fleets, through
the conterence between Secretary oi
tile Navy Daniels and the British and
French admirals this morning. One ot'
the subjects discussed by the con
ferees was the possible blockade of
the Atlantic coast ports by German
submarines and the assembling of a
big fleet of motor driven submarine
chasers.
BONDING BILL
BEFORE BOUSE
Itll.l. HKING WAHMI.V HKB.ATKI)
Most Gigantic .Measure In the His
tory of the Country—May He l-’orc- j
e<l to Passage Tills .Afternoon—|
|
Kquals Total Dchl of Nation.
I
WASHINGTON, I). (’., April 13.—
The bonding bill is up before the
House and the debate is warm and
unlimited as to time. It is believed •
the measure will be forced to passage
this afternoon. This is the most gi
gantic financial legislation in the his
tory of the country, the bond issue
proposed more than equalling the en
tire debt of the nation.
GOMMIHEE HUS
, ___ BILL
THK KKPCBMC.AN'N Wll.l. AM KM*
Object of l*rovislons of Hill Giving j
Arbitrary Powers to tlie President j
and Secretary of the Treasury— 1
Amendments May Re Adopted.
WASHINGTON. D. C.. April 13.—
The Senate finance committee has al
ready approved the Revenue bill, and
the measure is meeting bnt little op
position, principally from the Repub
licans, who are planning amendments
mainly in opposition to the granting
to the President and Secretary of the
Treasury the arbitrary powers con
ferred in the original bill. It is be
lieved that some of these amendments
may be adopted.
C. C. Rudolph is painting the old
Fairbanks building, now occupied by
S. Blum & Co.’s grocery department.
Mr. Rudolph is the first harbinger of
spring.
HEARING BE CLOSED ON
CONSCRIPTION MEASURE
WASHINGTON, I). C., April Id.—The House Mili
tary Committee this morning agreed to close* the hearings
on tlic Army Bill tomorrow, when the opponents of con
scription will be given three hours in which to express their
views. Chairman Dent of tin* Committee stated this morn
ing that he would willingly sacrifice his personal views for
the sake of unity. It is confidently expected bv the House
leaders that the bill will pass without material opposition.
Representative Kahn, the ranking republican mem
ber of the Military Committee, comes out strongly in favor
of conscription, stating that otherwise there will be many
thousand slackers.
It is expected a vote will be taken on the measure Sat
urday afternoon or Monday.
DENIES OFFER SEPARATE PEACE
WASHINGTON. I). ('., April 1:!.—Scru tiny nf State
Lansing this morning announced that whatever truth
1 here may be in the report from ('opeuhugcn that < iermam
had or would submit proposals to the Cnited States for
separate peace, no such proposal had been received by fin*
State Department.
While tin* Secretary made no statement as to the re
ception such a proposal would receive if submitted by (Ici
many, the tenor of his remarks leads to the belief that the
Secretary would oppose the making of a separate peace
with (Jermany.
CABINET NOT TO BE BI-PARTISAN
WASHINGTON. I). A|«ril 1:1.—'The efforts of tli«
Republican members of (’ongress to prevail upon Presi
dent Wilson to appoint a bi-partisan cabinet is meeting
with little support from the Democratic members, and is
strongly opposed by President Wilson. While the latter
has made no definite announcement on 1 lie subject, those
close to the chief executive have no hesitancy in stating that
there will be few if any changes in the present cabinet and
vliat such appointments as may be made will consist solely
of I )emocrats.
AGRICULTURAL DEPT. IS BUSY
WASHINGTON, April Id.— No less active than the
War and Navy Departments is the Departments of Agri
culture. Plans for increasing the crops of the country have
been prepared and literature bearing on the intensive cul
tivation of the soil is being widely circulated throughout
the country together with a plea to the agriculturist to
adopt every possible means to increase the production of
the soil. Plans are also being prepared for the mobiliza
tion of large bodies of farm laborers and their transporta
tion from place to place as they may be needed, both in
planting and harvesting the crops.
SENATE TO PASS REVENUE BILL
WASHINGTON, April 111.—Thr Senate adjourned
last night until Monday morning, when it is the hope of the
Senate leaders to rush through the revenue1 hill providing
for the raising of seven billion dollars. The measure pro
vides for the levying of sur-taxes on large incomes and in
heritances, as well as increasing the taxes on smaller in
comes. It is also proposed to levy a tax on proprietary ar
ticles, amusements of all kinds, automobiles, etc.
Some opposition has deevloped to the measure, but it
is confidently expected that the measure will be passed
early in tin* week without any material amendment.
COSTA RICA OPENS PORTS TO U. S.
WASHINGTON, April 13.—The government has ;id
vised the State Department that in the event of hostilities
between the United States and Germany the ports of that
country will be open at all times to vessels of the United
States navy.
WILL RECRUIT A HALF MILLION
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 13.—Secretary of War
Daker is preparing instructions to recruiting officers and
urging the widest activity in gaining recruits. The instruc
tions virtually authorize the recruiting officers to enlist a
half million men to fill the gaps in the ranks of the National
Guard. During the past ten days four thousand recruits
have been adopted for service.