4
VOL. 2. NO.
Aitriyaragtf Baflij
.AND COOK INLEjjT PIONEER*
85. ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1917. PRICE TEN CENTS
GERMAN BREACH HOURLY GROWS WIDER
. TEUTONS HASTILY FORTIFTWG THE MITCH ntOKTIER
OFFICIALLY STATED THAT THERE WILL BE
NO TROUBLE BETWEEN JAPAN AND U. S.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—It is authoritatively stated that
there is a perfect understanding between the United States and
Japan in the matter of a new immigration law and that, on
neither side, is there any apprehension, friction or difficulty.
This official statement was made to quell the fears growing out
of a speech in the senate by Senator Miles Poindexter, of Wash
ington, who expressed the belief that there was more to be
feared from Japan than from Germany.
The administration deplores the “Jingo” talk with respect
to Japan or any other nation. The public press is informed that
f the only serious trouble that confronts the nation at this time
is the breaking off of diplomatic relations with Germany and the
0eventualities that may arise as a result. The administration
will keep the public informed with regard to the foreign situa
tion. *sa
WITHOUT DEBATE, THE SENATE APPROVES
BREAKING OF RELATIONS WITH GERMANY
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—Without debate, the senate yes
terday afternoon formally approved the breaking off of diplo
matic relations with Germany by President Wilson. The mat
ter came up in the form of a resolution offered by United States
Senator Stone of Missouri, chairman of the senate committee
A on foreign relations, who moved its adoption. The passage of
this resolution without debate is encouraging in showing that
no polities ate to be injected into the situation that now eon <
fronts the natidi'i. The congress may be relied upon to back
the president and share the great responsibilities devolving up
on him in this critical hour.
STATE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES IT WILL
NOT CONVOY AMERICAN PASSENGER SHIPS
* -
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—The American liner St. Louis
will not be given convoy by an American warship if she decides
to sail from England, through the German submarine zone, to
New York, itr was announced today by the state department.
While the state department holds that the vessel has an inalien
able right to sail, it does not assume authority for the loss of
life that may result, should the vessel be attacked by a German
submarine. The government’s responsibility will begin when
the vessel is sunk. It cannot anticipate attacks.
C DISCONTINUE PASSENGER BOOKINGS.
SEATTLE, Feb. 8.—Transatlantic lines have wired Seattle
agents to discontinue passenger bookings for Europe. Freight
cargoes will be received. The cancellation of passenger book
ings is a precautionary measure.
ALL VISITORS ARE BARRED FROM ENTERING
LIGHTHOUSES, PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—As an extra precaution, an offi
cial order was flashed out from Washington today, and direct
ed to all the lighthouse keepers throughout the United States
and its outlying possessions positively forbidding all visitors
from entering any lighthouse. None but lighthouse employees
may enter at will. The order is issued in conformity with the
general plan of preparedness. It is pointed out that if a light
house were destroyed or even put out of commission temporar
ily, grave danger to shipping, and especially to the activities
of the Amrican fleet, might ensue. It is to forestall any such
possibility that the order issued.
60-MILUON-DOLLAR APPROPRIATION BILL
FOR BUILDING FORTIFICATIONS PASSES
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—The house yesterday afternoon
adopted the conference report on the sixty-milliou-dollar ap
propriation bill to provide funds for the construction of forti
fications. This is the first of the three great preparedness meas
ures that will be passed by the congress immediately, so as to
provide funds for the protection of the nation. The house and
t the senate are working in complete harmony in the matter of
©appropriations and no unnecessary delay is caused by extended
debates on the items in the bill. All members of the congress
are showing a fine spirit of patriotism and politics, for the
time being, have been entirely eliminated.
BREACH WITH GERMANY HOURLY WIDENS
AND HOPE FOR PEACE ABOUT ABANDONED
WASHINGTON, Feb. S.—The breach with Germany hourly
becomes wider and hope that hostilities can be avoided lias been
almost swept away by the ruthlessness of the German subma
rine campaign, which is developing with increasing fury. How
ever, on the basis of reports received on the destruction of the
steamer California and other vessels so far, it is stated authori
tatively that none of these cases constitute an overt act on the
part of Germans, which will lead to war. More details that are
anxiously awaited with respect to the destruction of the Cali
fornia, and which are expected befo the day is done, will de
termine whether this case will con titute the first overt act,
such as to move the president and ,the congress to declare war
on Germany.
GERMAN SUBMARINE SINKS BRITISH
STEAMER WITH AMERICANS ABOARD
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—American Consul Frost ofj
Queenstown, England, cables the state department today that j
the British passenger steamer California was torpedoed, with
out warning, by a German submarine, off the Irish coast late
yesterday afternoon. One American, John A. Lee, of Montgom
ery, Alabama, was rescued. Some of the passengers and crew
are still missing, among the passengers being two women and
several children.
AMERICANS HELD HOSTAGE IN GERMANY
PENDING SAFE CONDUCT OF GERMANS
LONDON, Fe. 8.—The German government will require
guarantees that Ambassador BernstortT, bis attaches and consu
lar agents, on board German ships in American ports shall be.
permitted to leave the United States before allowing Ambassa
dor Gerard and other Americans to leave Germany, according
to the Copenhagen Politiken. This information, says the Poli
tiken, is contained in a telegram sent by Gerard to the American
legation at Copenhagen. All Amcrica'ns in Germany, including
those captured by the German raiders in South Atlantic waters
and taken to Germany on the British steamer Yarrowdale, are
detained as hostages. The Copenhagen paper says thata Ger
ard is not allowed to send messages in code.
BERLIN REPORTS CONFIRM IT.
BERLIN, Fe. 8.—The German government will not permit
Ambassador Gerard and oflieials of the American embassy or
any other Americans to leave Germany until it receives informa-1
tion that safe conduct has been granted Bernstorff and his staff.
Gerard announced today that he would not leave unless Ameri
can correspondents and other American citizens were also per
mitted to leave.
WILL SOON BE PERMITTED TO LEAVE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—The state department says that
Ambassador Gerard will soon be permitted to leave Germany.
NOTED GERMAN STATESMAN DEFENDS
SUBMARINE POLICY AS WAR MEASURE
BERLIN, Feb. 8.—Dr. Karl Hellferich, minister of the in
terior in the German cabinet and regarded as one of the fore
most statesmen of the Prussian empire, in ah interview in the
Tageblatt, the government newspaper organ, today said, in
part: “We consider our submarine warfare*to be a legitimate
and an effective means of shortening the war and breaking once
and for all British tyranny on the high seas. We are well with
in our rights in promulgating this policy. Our enemy is seek
ing to starve us out, employing every means at their disposal
to accomplish this inhuman end. We do not propose to sit
supinely by and permit it, without retaliation. We have no |
grievance with the American government. All that country |
has to do to avoid trouble with us is to keep their vessels out j
of our restricted zones. We are not inviting trouble with Amer- j
iea, rather, we sh^ll seek to avoid it, but we can neither modify j
nor qualify our announced determination to forever rid the,
high seas of British domination. In this, we are really serving;
the cause of humanity, as well as vastly aiding our own cause.” j
MUST NOT SEND OUT WIRELESS REPORTS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.;—Secretary of the Navy Daniels
has directed that no more wireless reports concerning the where
abouts of American merchantmen on the high seas be sent out.
GERMANS BUILDING FORTIFICATIONS ON THE
DUTCH FRONT; INHABITANTS FRIGHTENED
AMSTERDAM, Feb. 8.—On the Duteh frontier, German*
are employed in vast numbers in building fortifications. The
border towns are filled with German troops. Great uneasimss
is manifest among the Dutch inhabitants along the Dutch-Ger
man border, due to the activities of the Germans. Many inhab
itants of frontier villages and towns have packed their most
valuable possessions and are prepared to flee at a moment’s no
tice. The Dutch government has given no indication as to the
attitude it will take with respect to the German submarine cam
paign. It is believed that the German activity on the frontier
is due to the assumption that Holland will join the allied pow
ers, thus permitting entry into Germany through Dutch terri
tory. To guard against such a contingency the fortifications
are being built.
MUNITIONS PLANT IN GERMANY DESTROYED
BY EXPLOSION; 200 EMPLOYES ARE KILLED
AMSTERDAM, Feb. 8.—Two hundred persons, mostly
women,-were killed in a terrific explosion that occurred yester
day in the great Nobel munitions plant at Schlesbuseh, near the
city of Cologne, in Germany, according to newspaper advices
received in Amsterdam today. The massive plant, probably
the most important outside of the great Krupp works in Ger
many. was practically put out of commission by the explosion.
Hundreds of tons of munitions were destroyed. Several thou
sand persons, mostly women, were employed in the plant, and
aside from those killed outright, hundreds were badly injured,
some of whom cannot survive. The cause of the explosion was
not revealed in the newspaper accounts, but it is assumed that
it was from a local cause, rather than a visitation of enemy
aeroplanes.
PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA FAVORS A PROTEST
AGAINST THE GERMAN SUBMARINE WAR
LAPAZ, Bolivia, Feb. 8.—President EUliario, of Bolivia
denounces the attitude of the German government with respect
to the indiscriminate submarine campaign and urges the Latin
American nations to unite in making an energetic protest
against this action, which lie declares is against the usages of
international law and against the rights of humanity. He fav
or- united action on the part of South American nations in the
breaking of diplomatic relations with Germany.
CHILE REMAINS UNDECIDED.
SANTIAGO, Chile, Feb. 8.—The Chilean government, as
yet, has taken no definite action with respect to the German sub
marine campaign. The matter is under consideration.
ARMY TRANSPORT DIX OF SEATTLE WILL
SPEED TO PHILIPPINES WITH SUPPLIES
SEATTLE, Feb. 8.—The army transport Dix, which has
been laid up at Bremerton for months past, has been ordered
to sail for the Philippine islands at the earliest possible moment,
to transport a cargo of military supplies and equipment. The
order has no particular significance, other than the desire to be
prepared, in the event of hostilities. Should war with Germany
begin, it is said here that the government transport Crook, now
in the service of the Alaskan Engineering Commission, will be
returned to the naval authorities for use as a transport. The
Crook is now undergoing extensive repairs at a local shipbuild
ing yard.
7 VESSELS SUNK YESTERDAY IN BARRED
ZONE AROUND ENGLAND BY GERMANS
LONDON, Feb. 8.—Seven vessels were sunk in the German
restricted zone around England by German submarines yester
day. Very few lives were lost. The destroyed vessels were the
Peruvian bark Lorton; the Italian steamship Ferruccio; the
British steamship Wartenfiels and four British fishing boats.
The American ambassador has been officially notified that the
sole survivor of the Bejgian relief steamship Lars Krust, sunk
near the Belgian coast Monday by a German submarine, has
been landed at a French port. His name is not revealed.