LAND
OF THE LAST
FRONTIER
IMB, ——H—!■■■—■ —■ ■ ' III '■ ' —
Volume XI. Number 115 SEWARD, ALASKA. TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1917.__Ten Cents the Copy
MESSAGE SAYS STATE
OF WAR IS SOLUTION
OF INTOLERABLE
SITUATION
WASHINGTON. I). (\, Tuesday, April 3.—President
Wilson has asked congress to declare that a state of war
exists with Germany.
%
While the news of the submarining of the steamer
Aztec, the first armed American ship to sail into the war
zone, was being told from mouth to mouth here, the presi
dent was appearing before the joint session. He asked
congress to recognize the seriousness ol Germany s war
fare on America. He said in part:
"With profound sense 1 realize the solemn, even tragi
cal, step 1 am taking and of the grave responsibilities
which are involved, but in unhesitating obedience ot what
1 deem m> constitutional duty 1 advise that congress de
clare the recent course of the imperial German govern
ment to be, in fact, nothing less than war against the
government of the people ot the l nited .states; that con
gress accept the status of belligerency which has been
thrust upon it: that it take immediate steps not only toj
put this country in a more thorough state of defense, hut
also to exert all its power and employ all its resources to
bring the government of the German empire to terms and
end the war."
WOULD INVOLVE CO-OPERATION WITH ALLIES
President Wilson added that war with Germany
would involve practically co-operation with governments
now at war with the Teutons, including liberal financial
credits.
The president urged the organization of an army of
500,000 men, chosen upon the principle of universal
’iabilitv to sendee.
He made it clear that no action was being taken
against the Austrian goven^-nt and the other nations
allied with Germany.
TEDDY PROUD OF WILSON’S ADDRESS
<lt> United Slate* t able)
WASHINGTON. Tuesday, April 3.—Theodore
Roosevelt, just before entering the White House today,'
said:
“The president’s message to congress will rank
among the foremost of state papers of which all Ameri-,
cans are proud.
“The point to l>e emphasized is that we strike as hard,
as soon and as effectively as possible and wage an aggres
sive warfare against the German government. ’
TAFT APPROVES WILSON’S MESSAGE
United States Gable)
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Tuesday, April 3. — Former;
President William H. Taft, in commenting on President
Wilson’s message stated that it is a “great historical
99
paper.
ALAMEDA ARRIVES ^
FROM ANCHORAGE
ON WAY SOUTH
The Alameda arrived last night at
8 o’clock with the following passen
gers from Anchorage: F. J. Totter
and wife. M. B. Leming, F. E. Leslie.
A. J. Carlson, E. Van Gilder.
Outgoing passengers on the Ala
meda for Seattle were: O. W. Hobbs
and wdfc. E. Jensen, Mr. and Mrs. C.
B. Hill, Warren Jenkins, Mrs. C. G. |
Hubbard. Mrs. C. E. Orlander, Mrs.
Harry Ellsworth. For Cordova: J.
McDougal, H. Mayle, Miss Ethel May
Nichols. For Juneau: Mrs. G. Long
ervain and four steerage.
i
COUNCIL HOLDS
SHORT SESSION
A regular meeting of the council
was held last night and as there wore
no communications or new business of
importance to be considered the meet
ing was confined to the formality of|
authorizing the payment of current
bills. The council adjourned until
Wednesday night at* 8 o’clock v h.-n
the business of canvassing the votes
cast in today’s election will be taken
up.
NEW YORK, Tuesday, April 3.—
Captain Charles von Kleist and five
other Germans have been convicted
here of conspiracy to destroy allied
ships by means of incendiary bombs.
MESSAGE SENT TO
GERMANY AND
OTHER NATIONS
(By United State* Cable)
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, April .1.
The president’s address was sent in
full to Germany by the German offi
cial news agency for publication in
that country, and its text was sent to
Kngland. Summaries of the message
were sent around the world to all the
other nations.
ASKS TRAINING
OF 500,000 MEN
IN SENATE BILL
(By United States Cubic)
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, April 3.
—Senator Chamberlain, of Oregon,
today introduced an amended bill,
providing for the training of 500,000 j
men twenty years of age, and also j
any number more up to twenty-three
years of age at the discretion of the I
president. The bill was referred to j
the committee.
BLIND REPRESENTATIVE
MAKES STIRRING APPEAL
TO STAND BY PRESIDENT!
,
(By Cnited StnttM Cable)
WASHINGTON, D. C., Tuesday, April 3.—Thomas;
I). Sehall, the blind representative in congress, said yes-;
terday that, there should be but one party and that party I
called the American party. He said that there was no!
better way of standing by the president in the present;
crisis than by returning his party’s organization of the
house. Later he led the house prayer, and in a speech,
said:
‘1 would l>e of little use on the battlefield with my!
sightless eyes,” but added that he would do his duty in or-j
ganization with the light that God gave him.
In his war speech he said he owed his independent!
vote to Clark for speaker, holding that patriotism de
manded that the president’s organization be retained dur- j
ing this crisis. The result of the voting for the speaker- j
ship was Clark, 217; Mann, 205; Gillett, 2; Lenroot, 2.
—--1
FLOOD RESOLUTION APPROVED OY j
FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE
(U> l nilrd Sintra Cable)
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, April 3.—The foreign re
lations committee of the senate today approved the ad
ministration’s resolution declaring that a state of wan
exists with Germany.
The resolution being considere 1 by the foreign com- !
mittees is the one introduced by Representative Flood
vesterdav, which went immediatc-lv to the committee
rooms, both houses then adjourned until this morning.
The senate committee this afternoon decided on aj
course of action calculated to forestall the little group of,
wilfull men, who wish to block the congressional indorse-1
ment of the resolution, declaring that a state of war exists i
with Germany. It was decided to keep the senate in con-,
tinuous session after it meets tomorrow morning at 10 j
o’clock until it acts on the Flood resolution, indorsing
President Wilson’s course.
A round robin was circulated among the senators this j
afternoon, the signers pledging rhemselves to keep con
gress in continuous session until definite action is taken.
EVANS BRINGS
13 FOR SEWARD:
SAILS WESTWARD
The Admiral Evans arrived last
night from Seattle and way ports with
the following passengers for this
port: R. L. McKeown, Felix Me-;
Keown, and ten third cabin passen
gers. Outgoing pasengers to Anchor
age were: C. N. Martin, C. I. Strath
cona, A. D. Delany, Mrs. Irene Caudle,
Grant Carlson. For Kodiak: Mason
R Lenning Mrs. S. Melvin and two
children and eleven steerage.
HAVE YOU VOTED.
POLLS OPEN TILL 7
Anyone who has not voted as yet
had better do so before seven o’clock,
as the polls will close at that hour.
Considerable interest is being; shown
in the election, which is exemplified'
by the fact that up to 3 o’clock 245 >
votes had been cast. All candidates j
maintain their confidence in the re-(
suits, and if current rumors may be
believed they will all be elected by a
! small marjrin.
LA FOLLETTE ENDEAVORS
TO DELAY ACTION ON
FLOOD RESOLOTION
(Bv Cnitrd State* Cable)
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, Aprii T—Senator HaFol
iette blocked all efforts of the senate to rush considera
tion of the war resolution today.
Hardly had the foreign relations committee reported
out the slightly changed and strengthened resolution, in
full accord w.th thv aiggts:>ous made hy the president
last night, when LaFollette used all his power to put over
for at least one day consideration of it, so the senate ad
journed at 11 o’clock without acting on the administra
tion's state of war resolution.
Democratic Floor Header Martin refused to allow ac
tion on other business until this measure to which I.aFol
lette has objected is passed.
SUBMARINE SINKS FIRST
ARM ) AMERICAN SHIP
(By United States Cable)
NEW YORK, Tuesday, April 3.—The American
steamer Aztec, owned by the Oriental Navigation com
pany, and the first armed ship to sail from an American
port, was sunk without warning yesterday by a Herman
submarine oil the French coast.
28 OF AZTEC CREW REPORTED MISSING
(By United States Fable)
PARIS, Tuesday, April 3.—One of the French patrol
boats picked up nineteen members of the crew of the
Aztec. Twenty-eight men are reported missing.
AMBASSADOR SHARP SAYS MEN MISSING
(By United States (.'able)
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, April 3—According to a
cablegram from Ambassador Sharp to the state depart
ment' today the twenty-eight men reported missing from
the steamshii) Aztec have not been found.
BARGE AND TUG
ARRIVE WITH
R. R. SUPPLIES
The barge Barraeouta in tow of the
tug Kingfisher, arrived from Seattle
yesterday afternoon with a capacity
cargo for the Alaskan engineering
Commission.
Included in the cargo was a ship
ment of over one million leet ol lum
ber, 270 tons of rails, 2,900 angle
irons and 2.400 kegs of black powder.
A I'ord auto consigned to A1 Davis
was also unloaded from the barge.
BIDS ARE CALLED FOR
LIGHTHOUSE SUPPLIES
Sealed proposals have been called
from the lighthouse inspector at
Ketchikan for furnishing lighthouse
supplies for stations at (’ape Hinchin
brook, Cape St. Elias, Cape Sarichef
and Scotch Cape, said proposals to be
opened in Ketchikan on May 1.
Proposals and specifications may
be seen by applying to W. E. Root,
postmaster.
COOK INLET HALL
SEASON OPENS:
4 TEAMS ORGANIZED
ANCHORAGE, Tuesday, April 3
—The basket ball season just ended
has been most successful.
The Cook Inlet baseball league has
been formed, four teams beinfc;organ
ized so far. A jrreat deal of en
thusiasm has been shown in basebaU
and a record season is looked forward
to.
>
ADMIRAL EVANS
SAILS WESTWARD
The Admiral Evans arrived last
night at ten o'clock from the south
and brought two hundred and nine
teen tons of freight for Seward, of
which one hundred and fifty tons were
coal for the Alaskan Engineering
Commission. The Evans left early
this morning for Anchorage and
Kodiak.
BOATS AND TRAINS 1
The Alameda sailed south at 9
o’clock last night.
The Admiral Evans sailed tor An
chorage at 2 o’clock this morning.
The Alaska was due in Juneau yes
terday.
The Admiral Farragut is due in Ju
neau tomorrow.
The train will leave tor Mile 40
Thursday morning at 9 o’clock.
TRAILS
Trails good, with a temperature of
20 at Mile 71 and 2 at Mile 52.
THE WEATHER
Yesterday.
Maximum . 47
Minimum . 25
Current . 37
Weather . Clear
Wind . South
WEATHER TOMORROW
Fair and cooler.