Anr Harare ilatltf ©tmas
___• AND COOK INLET PIONEER
VOL. l\ NO. 119. ANC HORAGE, ALASKA, WEDNESDAV, MARCH li], 1017. PRICE TEN CENTS.
WAR NOW CERTAIN
Formal Declaration to Be Made With Consent of Congress
•PRESIDENT CALLS EXTRAORDINARY
SESSION OF CONGRESS TO CONSIDER
QUESTIONS OF NATIONAL POLICY
WASHINGTON, March 21.—President Wilson, realizing
that Germany is practically making war on the United States
on the high seas, today called the national congress to convent
in extraordinary session April 2, to deal with the situation. The
purpose of the session, as announced in the president’s procla
mation calling the congress to assemble in extraordinary ses
sion, is. to receive a communication from the chief executive
on “grave questions of national policy.”
The president, in his address to the congress upon the con
Gening of that body, will tell in detail how Germany has been
making war on the United States by the ruthless destruction of
American lives and ships on the high seas, in contravention to
all laws of nations and humanity, and will declare that a state
of war has existed between the United States and Germany tor
some time.
9 _
perfect's Forking agreement.
WASHINGTON, March 21.—The United States govern
ment has perfected a working agreement with the entente allies
with respect to the important matter of policing the high seas,
as a protection to commerce, belligerent as well as neutral. A
perfect understanding has been reached, through diplomatic
channels.
IMPORTANT CABINET MEETING.
WASHINGTON, March 21.—The cabinet was in session
the greater part of yesterday afternoon, but none of the mem
bers of the president’s official family would discuss the object
of the session. It was the general impression in the national
capital last night, due to the silence maintaining, that some
thing big was brewing, and it was even predicted that an ex
traordinary session of the congress would be called, for the
purpose of declaring war on Germany. Today’s announce
ment, while naturally the subject of conversation on all sides
in Washington today, came as no surprise.
TO BROADEN SCOPE OF BUREAU.
WASHINGTON, March 21.- -The government war risk in
surance bureau which has hitherto insured only non-contraband
cargoes, announced today that it would “broaden the scope ol
its operations” and hereafter insure practically all forms of
contraband for European countries, except anus and ammuni
tion.
HUGHES EXPRESSES OPINION.
NEW YORK, March 21.—Charles Evans Hughes, republi
can candidate for president at the recent election, in a speech
here last night, declared that Germany’s method of attack on
1he United States “is an onslaught on liberty and civilization
itself.” > .1 a XK:
WANT U. S. INTERVENTfON.
SANTIAGO, Cuba, March 21.—Liberals, formerly high in
the councils of tli egovernment, have begun an insistent prop
aganda looking toward intervention on the part of the Fnited
States. _
.NAVY RTMENT IN WASHINGTON
P m SCENE OF GREAT ACTIVITY
WASHINGTON, March 21.—Secretary of the Navy Dan
iels today directed all naval commandants on shore stations
and all recruiting stations to be prepared to enlist more men
for naval service, in ease of an emergency. Tin* new men are
required to man the new warships and submarine chasers that
are in course of construction. ’Die navy department presents
an. active scene. Throughout the night, lights may be seen in
all the offices, and the big office force is going day and night.
* FREIGHT TRAIN HELD UP.
BUFFALO, March 21.—A freight train on the New York
Central railway system was held up and looted by masked ban
dits near Athol springs late last night. I
DETAILED REPORT OF DECISION
OF JUDGE JENNINGS IN SULZER
WICKERSHAM ELECTION CONTEST
• II X KA I . Miireli “1. .Judge liobert W. Jennings, of the
district court, handed down his decision in tin- Sul/.er-Wicker
sham delegate election contest yesterday. Tin* decision grant'
the writ of mandamus, compelling the canvassing board to X
'lie a certificate of election to < liarles A. Sul/.er, the democratic
candidate, as against Itch-gate Wiekersham, on the ground'
that the election returns from (’lioggiiing, Heeling, Xushagnk,
I tica. Monnaliehl and Vault precincts are illegal. These pre
cinets gave Wiekersham (it) votes and Sul/.er Id votes, giving
the election t<» Sul/.er by ;i plurality of lit. 'The Xi/.iua precinct,
also contested,is ordered to lie counted by the canvassing hoard.
The decision of the court upholds the brief filed by Attornev
(Jcneral (Jrigsby with the canvassing board upon everv point
involved in the contest. Most of the attorneys in Juneau ip
pear to think that the decision is final. 'They say that Judge
Jennings gave a strong, well worked out annalysis of the Ala.'
ka election law. The chief points discussed by the court in
its decision were: Was mandamus the proper remedy.' I> tin
Alaska election law mandatory? What constitutes a proper
return ?
With respect to the first question, the court says that mail
damns is the proper remedy, and although there is some ques
ti; n as to the governor, as the chief executive of the territory,
coming under it. the mandamus writ would operate against
the two other members of the canvassing board, who constitute
a majority. < )n the second question, the judge considered the
luotives of the territorial legislature, in deciding whether the
Australian ballot law of Alaska is mandatory or directory.
“There was a crying need that the whole rotten system of open
voting should be abolished.” said the court. “'There was but
one way to conquer the evil, and that was to tear up the nox
ions weed, root and branch, and tix it so that the voter would
vote in secret, not with some one standing over him; that le
should not have some ready made ballot, with the name of only
one candidate, trust into his hands.” 'The court said that an
official ballot is as necessary as voting in secret is necessary,
to correct evils in the old system. W ith respect to the third
question, the court declares that the canvassing board cannot
go behind the returns. “'That." said the court, “is for the
republican house of representatives to do (hinting at an appeal
to the national congress).” 'The court said that no question
of disfranchisement of the voter enters into the controversy,
for the official ballot is the only way the voter has of speaking.
In conclusion, the court said, “under the law. the canvassing
hoard is directed to issue a certificate of election of <’liarles A.
Subset-.”
ALASKA LE SLATIVE ASSEMBLY, IN
RESOLUT N, ENDORSES GOVERNOR AND
URGES REAPPOINTMENT TO OFFICE
j
JIJNKAl,, Murcli 21.—A resolution; introduced in the,
house by Representative Snow, of Ruby, endorsing Governor!
J. F. A. Strong for reappointment because of his fair and im-i
partial administration, passed the house without opposition1
yesterday afternoon. Soon after, the senate approved, by a
unanimous vote, the house resolution.
The senate passed a memorial addressed to Secretary ot
Commerce Redfield asking for the establishment of a govern
ment pulp factory and paper mill at some point in Alaska, to
demonstrate the paper-making' quality of the woods available
in Alaska.
Senate bills numbers four and seven were reported back
out of the respective committees and will be taken up by the
senate, in committee of the whole, today. Hill No. 4 provides
for a personal school tax and bill No. 7 relates to the granting
of franchises by municipalities.
Senator Aldrich introduced a bill providing for the collec
tion and disbursement of the employes’ sick aftd disability fund.
Three bills were introduced in the house yesterday. One
by Casey makes it a misdemeanor to resist a peace officer; an
other by*McCormick provides for a five dollar bounty on hair
seal, and another by McCormick contemplates a change in the
territorial banking law.
REPUBLICANS MAY CONTROL THROUGH DEATH.
WASHINGTON, March 21.—Representative Lee, of the
seventh Georgia congressional district, is dangerously ill in
Washington. His death will give the republicans control, by
two votes, in the lower house, a democratic member from New
York having died since congress adjourned.
OFFICIAL WASHINGTON DOES NOT
BELIEVE GERMAN RETREAT ON WEST
FRONT IS VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT
\\ ASI 11 X( i l’< *X. Maivli I. oflicial < >) > i 11 i u 11 in-Washing
ton with respect to the German retreat on the western
non) is imanimmis in the belief that the retirement is not \ <»l
nntary. as claimed by reports coming from Germany, but that
the retreat is forced by the overpowering assaults of the com
bined I- reiicli and Ib itish armies operating in the Am-re and
Somme sectors. The pursuit of the retreating Teuton forces
by the allied forces has called into service a branch of the al
bod army hitherto little used the cavalrv branch. The whole
sale retirement of the Germans is regarded here as little less
than a complete rout for them. They have been ejected from
strongly fortified positions which they have held for two years.
It the ret i reuient emit in lies for a few days more, the enemy shall,
have been practically driven from French territory, save in the
extreme northern part. Xo stock is placed here in the report
that, the German retirement is for the purpose of leading the al
lied armies into a trap, for the reason that the allied forces
are so m>werfnI now. that in an open battle between them and
the German troops, there could be but one result—a sweeping
victory for the allies.
THINK GERMANS HAVE OTHER PLANS.
l.OXDOX, March 'J1. That the great tieruntu retreat be
tween Arras and the AFne river and German attacks attacks
on the \ erdiin front are intended as a mask to conceal plans for
some Teuton enterprise in some other portion of the western
front. is the belief expressed by military experts today.
MIGHTY STROKE AGAINST RUSSIANS.
PAIRS. March Jl. War experts in Paris interpret tin*
German retreat ordered b\ General von 11 indenhurg as for the
purpose of taking advantage of the situation created on the
eastern front h\ the revolution in Russia and is moving all the
available troops eastward from the French theatre of war for
the purpose of making a mighty stroke against the Russians.
CAVALRY NEARS ST. QUENTIN.
PA li’IS. March 21. Advices from the front today say that
French cavalry have advanced within four miles of the import
ant town of St. Quentin, occupied by German troops, and that
the infantn are close in the real. It is expected that the en
emy will evacuate the town he fort* the arrival of French troops.
WRECKED RESIDENCES THAT ESCAPED FIRE.
PEROXXK, March 21. The liner residences that escaped
the great lire that was started by the Germans, upon the ap
proaeli of the allied troops, were dynamited by the Teutons
before their departure. 'I’liis city is little less titan a stack of
charred ruins.
BRITISH STEAMER SUNK.
NT. .)< >11X, X. ft., March 21.—The sinking of the British
steamer Brayhead by a German submarine is announced in a
cablegram received here today from Belfast. Captain Hoy and
17 members of (tie crew are missing and believed lost.
DIVER SINKS FRENCH WARSHIP.
BKRL1X, March 21., ,,\„Freneh battleship was sunk by a
German submarine in the Mediterranean sea Monday, accord
ing to it report given out by the admiralty today.
CZAR AND CZARINA TO BE HELD
CAPTIVE BY NEW GOVERNMENT
PHTRt MiRAD, March 21. 'Pile government Inis ordained
that the deposed Czar Nicholas and his consort shall be re
gnrded its having been deprived of their liberty and that they
shall be taken to tin* royal palace at Tsnrkoc Selo and kept
confined under a heavy guard.
An attempt was made last night to assassinate A. F. Ixer
enzki, the new minister of justice in the Russian ministry. The
attempt was frustrated and the would be assassin committed
suicide.
RECOGNIZES NEW GOVERNMENT.
LONDON, March 20.—Premier Llovd-George today an
uouneed that Thursday, in the house of commons, he would pre
sent a motion of congratulations to the Russian Duma, now
in control of governmental matters in Russia.