fi ~ Tl GOLD, coal
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' OF THE LAST 1 AND FISH
FRONTIER
* .. . -
and Alaska Everting jRost _
Volume 11. Number <;7 SEWARD, ALASKA, SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 1917._ Ten Cents the Copy
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G MANY'S SUB POLICY
caus ;s u. s. to giv :
BERNSTORFF PASSPORT
Washington, Saturday, Feb. 3.~Dip
lomatic relations with Germany were
broken off today by order of President
Wilson, following a long night confer
ence with cabinet members and mem
bers of the senate.
Ambassador Bernstorff for Germany
has been handed his passports.
Ambassador Gerard has been or
dered home from Germany.
President Wilson addressed a
joint session of Congress at 2 o'clock!
this afternoon on the question of “un
restricted submarine warfare.'
Whether the break with Germany will be accompanied
by a similar action in regard to Austria could not be
% ^
learned definitely.
Inasmuch as Austria is understood to have endorsed!
the action of Germany, a break with the Austro-Hungar
ian empire is also expected to follow if it has not already
occurred.
Ambassador Gerard’s instructions are to close his
embassy as well as all consulates in Germany.
All embassy officials, attj.ches, consuls and consular
agents are to be brought 01A of Germany at once, lnisj
makes the severenee of relations more complete than isj
usual.
Confident that the sentiment of the entire country is
behind him: and assured of the united support of congress,
President Wilson came to the conclusion that there was
only one course for the United States to pursue.
Breaking ojf of diplomatic relations brings the
American people to the verge of war.
Never in the history of the world have two first class
powers severed their diplomatic relations without hostili-;
ties following.
President Wilson in taking this momentuous step has!
counted the consequences carefully as have all his ad-;
visors. . . ■
Germany and all of her officials have openly said that
they hail counted the cost of a break with the United
States and was prepared to pay for it in hope of shorten
ing the war.
CALL FOR $300,000,000 IN NOTES
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 3.—Senator Thomas
introduced an amendment today to the house bill on ap
propriations, proposing a $300,000,000 non interest bear
ing treasury note issue to put the nation in a state of nav
al and military preparedness.
DEMAND RELEASE OF AMERICANS I
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 3.—The United
States formally demanded the immediate release of
Americans who were taken prisoners on prize ships in
the south Atlantic today.
TAKE CHARGE OF PRIZE SHIP
NEW PORT NEWS, Saturday, Feb. 3. — The coast
guard cutter Yamacraw has gone alongside the German
prize ship Appam and it is believed that the German crew
will be taken off immediately.
Two torpedo boat destroyers have joined the super
dreadnaughts, Arkansas of the Virginia capes in emer
gency duty.
NAVY YARDS CLOSED
WASHINGTON, Saturday. Fob. 3. — All naval sta
tions and yards have been barred except to officials and
members of the army and navy.
MAY CONVOY MERCHANTMEN
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 3.—Plans are being
considered bv the government for the convoying of
American merchant ships through European waters with
warships.
DEUTSCHLAND CARGO AFIRE
NEW LONDON, Con., Saturday, Feb. 3. — Cargo
gathered here which was to have been loaded aboard the
(Continued on page 4)
LONDON, Saturday, Feb. 3.—The American
steamer Sousalonic has been sunk by a German
submarine. No details have been received.
CLAIM U.S. HAS
250,000 MEN IN
EUROPEAN WAR
Shell - Seasoned Veterans
Would Respond to
( all From Home
PARIS.—(Special)—“An American
army ol‘ 250,000 men, trained on the
mttlefields of Kurope in the world's
greatest war, would respond to the
ca‘1 of the Stars and Stripes if they |
we re needed,” was the remark of a ■
Biitish officer here today. He declar- \
ed it to be a positive fact that there
are now that many Americans
serving with the allied armies.
•’ 1 host* men are trained soldiers,
every one of them. They have tasted
battle, have smelled gunpowder, been
under bursting shells and have fought
hand to hand in the trenches. They
speak of preparedness in America,
but here is where America is being
prepared.”
The officer, who is noted for his
conservatism, declared that he has
talked with Americans from every
State in the Union, except Florida.
He declared that the men serving
with the Entente armies either are
adventurers, serving for the love or
a light, or thinkers, who believed
that everything that stood for Ameri
canism was being threatened in the
world war.
Half the nurses in the Canadian
army are American trained, he de
clared, while American nurses are
very numerous at the allied fronts.
He declared that in one platoon of 55
men, 50 of them were Americans.
They are scattered in every army
from France to Egypt.
■
THE WEATHER
Yesterday.
Maximum .14
Minimum .*8
Current .14
Weather .Clear
Wind .North
WEATHER TOMORROW
I Cloudy and warmer.
j- 7.--J
SWISS IN CHARGE OF
GERMAN AFFAIRS NOW
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 3.—After receiving
his passports Bernstorff turned over the German embas
sy to the care of the Swiss ambassador today. To ques
tions asked by American press representatives he said:
“I am only a private citizen today. I have no right to
talk for my government now and as a private citizen I
have never desired to talk.”
Later Bernstorff said that he did not know whether
he would leave the United States or what steps would
have to be taken.
It is thought by some that the Entente Allies may re
i fuse to grant him safe conduct as was granted to the
Austrian ambassador.
In that event he might choose to go to South America
—
SPAIN REPRESENTS U. S. AT BERLIN
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 3. — Announcement
was made this afternoon that Spain, the last nation with
whom the United States has been at war, will represent
this country from now on at Berlin.
M
GIVE ALASKA
WOMAN CREDIT
A$_LOBBYI$T
News From Four States In
dicate This Is Dry
Weaher
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 3.
—To Mrs. Robert Lee Hatcher of
knik, Alaska, goes the credit of be
ing the most successful promoter of
legislation, who has come to the capi
tal in years. She claimed to have
brought about the passage of the
“bone dry” law for Alaska by the
house, without the formality of a roll
call.
Mrs. Hatcher represented the
Women’s Christian Temperance
Union of Alaska, and has been the
busiest person iu and about the halls
of congress since the prohibition bill
was taken up in committee.
OREGON “BONE DRY”
SALEM, Saturday, Feb. 3. — The
governor signed the Oregon “bone
dry" bill today.
TENNESSEE DROUTH
NASHVILLE, Saturday, Feb. 3
The governor of Tennessee signed the
“bone dry” bill recently passed by the
legislature, today.
INDIANA ON THE WAY
INDIANAPOLIS, Saturday, Feb. 3.'
—The state senate today passed
state wide prohibition bill which goes
to the house for the purpose of secur
ing concurrence in amendments.
UTAH PRETTY DUSTY
SALT LAKE, Saturday, Feb. 3.—
A “bone dry” bill was passed by the
Utah state senate today unanimously :
and goes to the house for considera
tion for minor amendments.
BOATS AND TRAINS j
The Alaska is due at 2 o’clock to*
morrow morning.
'l he Admiral Evans left Cordova at
1:30 this morning.
The Northwestern is due in Juneau i
| tomorrow. _|
WILSON TO ACT ONLY
IF U. S. SHIPS SUNK
OR Lit iS SACRIFIC
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 3. —President Wil
son appeared before congress this afternoon and an
nounced the* action that had been taken to break with Ger
many because of her “unrestricted suit warfare,” and
looking toward the fture said in part:
“If American ships and American lives should in
fact be sacrificed in needless contravention of a just and
reasonable understanding of international law, and the
obvious dictates of humanity, 1 shall take the liberty of
coming here again before congress to ask that authority
be given me to use any means that may be necessary for
protection of our people in the prosecution of their peace
ful and legitimate errands on the high seas.
“1 can do nothing less. I take it for granted that all
neutral governments will take the same course.”
The president further said:
“We do not desire any hostile conflict with the Imper
ial German government. We are sincere friends of the
German people and earnestly desire to remain at peace
with the government which speaks for them.
"We shall not believe that they are hostile to us unless
and until, we are obliged to believe it. And we propose
nothing more than reasonable defense of the undoubted
rights of our people.
“We wish to serve no selfish ends.”
The president reviewed at great 'ength the conditions
leading up to this break and laid all correspondence Ir*
f veen the two countries relative to ‘submarine warfare’
before congress. He said:
Germany’s deliberate withdrawal from her solemn
assurance given on May 16th, 1916, leaves this govern
ment no alternative consistent with dignity or honor to
the United States, but that which it announced it would
d.», in its note of April 18th, if the German government
did not abandon its methods of ‘submarine warefare.’
“Notwithstanding this unexpected action of the Ger
man government,” he continued," this sudden deploreu re
nunciation of its assurances given this government at
one of the most critical moments of tension in the rela
tions of the governments, I refuse to believe that it is the
intention of the German authorities to do in fact, what
they have notified the United Suites that they feel at lib
erty to do.
• _ — • • « • • « « •
“1 cannot bring nivselt to beneve tnat tney win, in
deed, pay no regard to ancient friendship between their
oeople and our own or the solemn obligations which have
been exchanged between them and the United States, and
destroy* American ships and take the lives of American
citizens in wilful prosecution of the ruthless naval pro
gram, which they announced as their intended policy.
“Only overt acts on their part can make me believe it
even now.”
NIGHT CONFERENCE DRAMATIC
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. 3.—Final discussion
of the stand which the United States must take in regard
to Germany’s threat of “unrestricted submarine war
fare.” came at a dramatic meeting between the president
and members of the senate at the capitol last night.
This conference developed that there was a unanimity
of opinion that the challenge to the honor of the United
States must be met. The means of doing so appeared to
be the only question to be determined.
Three propositions were discussed;
First: To break off diplomatic relations with Ger
many and give Ambassador Bernstorff his passports.
Second: To wait until some overt act had been com
mitted against the rights of the United States by Ger
manv before taking any action.
third: To redefine this government’s position in the
light of Germany’s ruthless submarine campaign.
As the senators passed in and out of the conference
room, those in the halls caught glimpses of an impressive
! scene. The president was seated and was doing most of
the talking. About him stood a solemn group of men with
folded arms and bowed heads listening to his statements.
When Senator Myers left the conference he said
that the preponderance of sentiment among the senators
who talked with the president was that the United States
j should break off diplomatic relations with Germany at
i qhCC.
Without disclosing what decision he had reached, the
i president, later stating his position and listening to the
advice of the senators present, left the capitol with the
! suggestion to the senators that:
1 “There should be a night’s reflection and some action
| by word or deed before Monday.” . _