AND COOK INLET PIONEER
m
OL. 2. NO. 81.
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3,1917.
PRICE TEN CENTS
WAR IS INEVITABLE
Wilson Breaks Diplomatic Relations With German Empire
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GERMAN Am GIVEN HIS
PASSPORTS; U. S. AMBASSADOR AND
AMES RECALLED FROM BERLIN
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—Diplomatic relations be
tween the United States and Germany were officially sev
ered at 9 o’clock this forenoon, upon the initiation of the
United States. Count von Bemstorff, German ambassador
to the United States, was handed his passports this morn
ing. United States Ambassador Gerard has been ordered
\ home from Germany. President Wilson will address a
joint session of the senate and house at 2 o’clock this after
noon, in which he will outline the government’s policy and
deal with the German indiscriminate submarine campaign.
SEVERANCE IS COMPLETE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—Gerard, American ambassador
to Germany, has received official instructions to close the Amer
ican embassy at Berlin, as well as all consulates in the German
empire. All embassy attaches, consuls and consular agents,
and their staffs, are ! > oe brought out of Germany. This makes
the severance of dii.ov;)+:> nations more complete than U
usual in such c* „- , X Mm
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BREAK WITH AUSTRIA WILL FOLLOW.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—Inasmuch as Austria-Hungary
is understood to have endorsed the indiscriminate submarine
policy of Germany, it is expected that a break in diplomatic
relations with that country will take place before the day ends.
At the time this message was sent—9 o’clock a. m.—it was not
known definitely as to the break with the German ally.
GERMANS EXPECTED IT.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—Germany and all her officials
have openly said that they had counted the cost of the indis
criminate submarine campaign; they realized that a break with
the United States would occur and were prepared to pay for it,
in the hope of shortening the world war.
FUNDS FOR WAR PURPOSES.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—Senator Thomas today intro
duced an amendment to the house bill proposing three hundred
^million dollars in non-interest treasury notes to put the nation
in a state of naval and military preparedness.
CONFIDENT NATION BACKS HIM.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—Confident that the sentiment of
Ae entire country is behind him, and assured of the united sup
port of the congress, President Wilson came to the conclusion
that there was only one course for the United States to pursue
and that course was pursued. The breaking off of diplomatic
relations brings the United States on the verge of war with Ger
many and her allies. Never in the history of the world have two
first-class powers severed their diplomatic relations without
hostilities following. The president, in taking this momentous
step, has counted the consequences carefully, as have all his ad
visors. -v
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O
DRAMATIC NIGHT MEETING.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—A dramatic scene was enacted at
the white house last night, when PresiM|| Wilson called many
senators into conference, to discuss the German submarine cam
paign. As senators passed in and out, those seated in the hall
way caught glimpses of the impressive scene. The president
was seated and doing most of the talking. Senators stood
about, a solemn group, with arms folded and heads bowed. The
conference developed a unanimity of opinion that the challenge
of the German government to the honor of the United States
should be met. The means of doing so, was the chief point of
discussion. Three propositons to this end were argued pro and
con. They were: Break off diplomatic relations immediately
and hand the German ambassador his passports today; wait un
til some overt act had been committed against the rights of
the United States by Germany before taking any action; and
to re-define this government’s position in the light of Germa
ny’s ruthless submarine campaign.
When Senator Myers, of Montana left the conference about
11 o’clock last night, he told the newspaper men assembled in
the hallway that the preponderance of sentiment among the
senators who talked with the president was that the United
r
States should break off diplomatic relations with Germany at
once.
Without disclosing what decision, if any, he had reached,
the president left the capitol at midnight, with the suggestion
to the senators that there should be a night’s reflection and
some action, by word or deed, before Monday.
PREPARING FOR THE WORST.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—There is great activity about the
navy and war departments these days, growing out of the pos
sibilities that may arise which will force the United States to
enter the world war on the side of the allied powers. Especial
ly is activity noted about the navy department, which would be
in the limelight because of the use of the entire naval fleet, in
the event the worst happens, as now fully expected. It is gen
rally accepted that if Uncle Sam joins the allied powers, liis
part in the warfare would be to sup] ly them with munitions
of war and give them badly-needed financial aid. The U. S.
fleet would be employed in protecting allied and neutral com
merce. It is not thought probable that American troops would
be sent to the war zones.
TAFT BACKS THE PRESIDENT.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—In an address here last night,
former President Taft declared that, tie' American people would
back the president and congress, and added, “May God give
them good deliverance.’’
BRYAN OPPOSED TO JOINING ALLIES.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—In an interview in a Washington
newspaper last night, William Jennings Bryan said that .what
ever her course, the United States should not be led to join
hands with the allied powers.
DEUTSCHLAND CARGO DESTROYED.
'*• NEW LONDON, Feb. 3.—A cargo for the German subma
rine freighter Deutschland, which is expected to arrive here at
any time, was in flames at 11 o’clock this morning, two hours
after word was received that diplomatic relations had been sev
ered between the United States and Germany. The cargo was
stored 200 feet from where the German steamship Willehad is
moored.
PUBLIC IS BARRED.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—The navy department issued or
ders this morning to all naval stations and naval yards, bar
ling all from entering such premises, save official employes.
TORPEDO BOATS JOIN SUPERDREADNAUGHT.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—Two torpedo boat destroyers
have joined the super-dreadnaught Arkansas, plying off the
Virginia capes, on emergency duty.
MAY TAKE OFF GERMAN PRIZE CREW.
NEWPORT, NEWS, Feb. 3.—The coast guard cutter
Yomocraw lias gone alongside of the German prize ship Appam
and it is thought that the German prize crew will be taken off
immediately.
BERNSTORFF PRIVATE CITIZEN NOW.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—Count von Bemstorff, German
ambassador to the United States, turned the German embassy
over to the Swiss embassy, this forenoon. To questions put to
him by newspaper men, Bemstorff said: “I am only a private
citizen now. I have no right to talk for my government now as
a private citizen. I have never desired to talk. ’ ’
DEMANDS RELEASE OF AMERICANS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—The Unted States has formally
demanded that Germany immediately release all Americans
who were taken prisoners on prize ships by German sea raiders
in south Atlantic waters.
OTHER NEUTRALS WILL ALSO ENTER.
LONDON, Feb. 3.—If the United States enters the world
war on the side of the allies, Denmark, Sweden and Norway will
follow suit, according to the belief expressed in high official
circles in London.
THREE NORWEGIAN SHIPS LOST.
LONDON, Feb. 3.—Three Norwegian steamships were
sunk in the barred zones created by the Germans yesterday. All
were sunk by German submarines. Several lives were lost.
GERMANY FORCING US TO WAR.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—There is a strong suspicion that
Germany and her allies are forcing the United States to enter
the world war on the side of the allies. Those who hold this
view point out that the Teutonic allies are in much worse shape
financially and otherwise, than th&y care to admit; that the
entry of the United States .would be an excuse for an early end
ing of the war, and that, in this event, the United States would
W ASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—The Alaska bone dry prohibition
bill is up to President Wilson for signature, after which it will
be a law of the land, to become effective on the first day of next
January. The bill passed the house by a decisive majority late
yesterday afternoon. It had formerly passed the senate. The
provisions are drastic, amendments making it much more ef
fective in the control of the liquor traffic in the northern terri
tory. The measure as passed prohibits the sale, manufacture or
importation of alcoholic beverages into Alaska, save for medi
cinal purposes. An amendment was introduced in the house,
which provided for a submission of the prohibition bill to the
electorate of Alaska, but the amendment was defeated.
GIVES CREDIT TO MRS. HATCHER.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—To Mrs. Robert Lee Hatcher, of
Knik, Alaska, goes the credit of being the most successful pro
moter of legislation who has come to the capitol in years. The
passage by the house, without the formality of a roll call, of the
bone dry prohibition law for Alaska, is a testimony to this fact.
Mrs. Hatcher, representing the Woman’s Christian Temperance
Union of Alaska, worked unceasingly in favor'bf the bill.
RUSSIANS TAKE 1,000 TEUTONS
CAPTIVE ON THE ROUMANIAN FRONT
PETROGRAD, Feb. 3.—The Russian troops advancing
near Katnzem, on the northern end of the Russian front in Rou
mania, routed the opposing Teutonic forces and took captive 1,
000 prisoners of war, besides guns and munitions. The Rus
sian advance continues against the Teutonic forces in the re
gion of Jakobeny. The Slavs, aided by the Roumanian forces,
will make a big effort to regain control of Roumania. For this
purpose, large numbers of reinforcements have arrived to aug
ment the Russian troops.
be a party, as well as a dominating factor in the matter of
peace terms. In short, it is believed that with the United
States involved, the peace terms forced on the Teutonic powers
would be less severe than those that would be imposed under
present conditions.
HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
BERLIN, Feb. 3.—Under the new submarine policy, the
German government expects to sink a million tons a month in
allied and neutral shipping.
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RELIEF SHIP DESTROYED.
LONDON, Feb. 3.—The Euphrates, a Belgian relief shin,
was torpedoed and sent to the bottom yesterday by a German
submarine. _
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 3.—The
bone dry prohibition bill, passed by,
the state legislature, was signed by
the governor today. The law will be
come effective the first day of next
January.
SALT LAKE, Utah, Feb. 3.—The
bone dry prohibition bill passed the
senate unanimously yesterday. The
bill goes to the house for concurrence
in amendments adopted in the senate.
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 3.—The sen
ate yesterday passed a state-wide pro
hibition bill. The measure goes to the
house on amendments adopted by the
upper house.
SALEM, Ore., Feb. 3.—The bone
dry prohibition bill for Oregon passed
the senate day before yesterday, pass
ed the house yesterday, and was sign
ed by the governor late last night. The
measure is a drastic attempt to sup
press the liquor traffic in this state.