AND COOK INLET PIONEER
VOL. 2. NO. 84.
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1917.
PRICE TEN CENTS.
SPEEDING UP ON PREPAREDNESS PUNS
TO ORGANIZE BIG INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL FORCES
UNDER STRESS OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY
CONGRESS APPROPRIATES MORE MILLIONS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.—Under the stress of a national
emergency, the house yesterday afternoon almost unanimously
adopted Chairman Padgetts naval committee report, which ap
priates additional millions for naval preparedness. The house
acted in committee of the whole on the state of the Union and
this assures its passage in the house proper. The additional
Appropriation is for machine guns, anti-air craft guns, batter
ies for merchant auxiliaries, etc., and is to augment the regular
Appropriation of $350,000,000 already reported by the naval
committee.
f'
PROSPECTS FOR ANOTHER DAY OF WAITING
v FOR DEVELOPMENTS IN SUBMARINE WAR
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.—The temper of the people is such
that the government only awaits some overt act on the part of
the Germans to make a declaration of war and initiate hostili
ties. #With prospects of another day of waiting for develop
ments in the ruthless submarine campaign that may bring the
nation to war with the Teutonic powers, interest now is cen
tered in the case of the destruction of the British provisional
collier Eavestone, in which two American lives were lost. Ap
parently, oficials are eoutident that this incident will not prove
> to be an overt act that will cause hostilities, but nevertheless
complete details are awaked with grave anxiety.
HOPE OF AVOIDING AN OPEN RUPTURE
BEKLIN, Feb. 7.— (By wireless to Savville)—The social
ist newspaper Vorwaerts, says that after February 1 it saw lit
^ tie hope for a continuance of friendly relations with the United
States; that it views with alarm and apprehension the eventu
alities that lie before tlie breaking off of diplomatic relations
between the United States and Germany. Coming from the
Vorwaerts, the leading exponent of peace in the German em
pire, the situation is not encouraging, to say the least.
REPUBLICAN SENATORS TO BACK BILL
FOR BUILDING OF EIGHTY SUBMARINES
V
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.—Republican senators, in a cau
cus yesterday afternoon, decided to stand back, of Senator
Poindexter’s bill for the immediate construction of 20 fleet
and 80 coast defense submarines, to cost $4,000,000. It is prob
able the bill will pass without opposition, as the democrats for
the most part are in favor of the plan and recognize the need
of the submarines, in the event of war.
MEXICAN PRESIDENT SENDS BEST WISHES
TO KAISER WILHELM, SAYS A REPORT
LONDON, Feb. 7.—Provisional President Carranza has
^ sent his best wishes to Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, according
to a report published in a German newspaper. The information
comes in a Reuter dispatch from Amsterdam, and quotes The
Telegraff, of that city, which reproduces the Carranza note,
dated Queretaro, Mexico, to the German ruler.
GERMANS AND AUSTRIANS ARE BEING
LAID OFF IN BIG PLANTS OF COUNTRY
NEWPORT NEWS, Feb. 7.—All German and Austrian em
ployees, who have not become American citizens through nat
uralization, are being laid oft' in the massive plant of the New
port News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Compaany.
STANDARD OIL CO. GUARDS PLANT.
fc BATON ROUGE, La., Feb. 7.—The Standard Oil company
Oof Louisiana has discharged all German and Austrian em
ployees, who are not naturalized citizens, and have placed
guards around its refineries.
BRITISH MONARCH SAYS GERMAN NAVAL
WAR STEELS ALLIES TO GREATER EFFORTS
LONDON, Feb. 7.—England’s determination to fight on
until victory is gained is now reaffirmed by King George, in
his speech on the opening of the British parliament today. The
king declared that there is no basis for peace at the present
time. “Our enemies recently made certain overtures with a
view to opening peace negotiations,” said the king “but their
| tenor gave no possible basis for peace.”
“In answer to the invitation of the American president
with respect to our attitude,” said th king, “we have outlined
in a general way our war aims. Th.vats of further outrages
against international law and humanity by our enemies will
only steel us in our determination to win. My people and the
peoples of our brave allies are all resolved upon securing repa
ration for the past, restitution for the wrongs inflicted and
guarantees for the security of our future. These we regard as
absolutely essential to the progress of civilization.”
NO EUROPEAN NEUTRAL NATION TO FOLLOW
LEAD UNITED STATES, OFFICIALLY KNOWN
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.—No European neutral nation will
follow the lead of the United States in breaking off di]Jdft.iatic
relations with <’ utonic powers. This was made certain to
day by inform;;' a reaching the state department from its
agents aboard. The Swiss government, it is learned from of
ficial souices, is leasing vessels to neutral nations to transport
food from abroad, despite the German submarine campaign,
ppi;! may become involved in this way.
The Danish government has notified the United States that
it cannot follow the example of the United States in breaking
off diplomatic relations with the Teutonic powers.
AMBASSADOR GERARD HELDHOSTAGE TO
GUARANTEE SAFE CONDUCT OF BERNSTORFF
(’OPENHAGEN, Feb. 7.—The German government is
holding United States Ambassador Girard as hostage, having
officially announced that if will not permit him to leave Berlin
until the government is satisfied that Fount Von Bernstorff,
German ambassador to the United States, has been accorded
proper treatment and safe conduct from that country.
SEATTLE GERMAN CONSUL DEPARTS.
SEATTLE, Feb. 7.—Dr. Emil Ohrt, German consul-gene
ral at Seattle, departed this morning, en route to Berlin. He is
accompanied by his attaches and office force.
THIRTEEN VESSELS ARE DESTROYED IN
ONE DAY BY THE TEUTONIC SUBMARINES
LONDON, Feb. 7.—Thirteen ships of three different na
tions—Russia, Great Britain and Norway—were sunk by Ger
man submarines Tuesday . The combined tonnage of the lost
vessels is approximately 37,734 gross, or as much as the record
for the week previous.
British vessels sunk yesterday were the Saxon, Brito, Azul,
Vestra and Crown Point. Several persons perished.
FIVE SHOTS FIRED AT AMERICAN STEAMER
BY GERMAN SUBMARINE; NONE EFFECTIVE
1 .ONDON, Feb. 7.—Five shots were fired by the German
submarine U-45 at the American ship Oswego on January 31.
None of the shots took effect. The master of the steamer sent
a boat, with his papers, to the submarine, whereupon the sub
marine commander demanded oil from the steamer, his demand
being accompanied by the threat to sink the steamer if it was
refused.
BRITISH TROOPS ON SOMME FRONT MAKE
ADVANCE; MEET WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE
LONDON. Feb. 7.—A report from the British headquar
ters in France today reads as follows: “On the Somme front,
our line advanced during yesterday in the neighborhood of
Grandcourt, where we occupied 1,000 yards of hostile trenches,
without opposition from the enemy.”
FORMULATE PLANS FOR MOBILIZATION OF
BIG INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL FORCES
\Y ASHING TON, Feb. 7.—The war and navy departments
are working in unison in the formulation of pians for the mobi
lization of all industrial and commercial forces in the United
States, as well as military and naval fopes, so that these might
be placed in operation, under the direction of the government,
on short orders. There is great activity about the war and
navy departments, offices being kept open day and night. Sec
retaries Baker of the war department and Daniels of the navy*
department may be found at their desks almost any hour of the
day or night.
POINDEXTER FEARS TROUBLE WITH
JAPAN MORE THAN WITH GERMANY
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.—United States Senator Miles
Poindexter of Washington, in a speech in the senate yesterday
afternoon, expressed the belief that danger of trouble with
Japan puts a more serious crisis before the country than that
growing out of the break with Germany. Poindexter called at
fentionto the tact that three Japanese warships had entered
Puget Sound and that three others were in the vicinity of the
Hawaiian islands. The'Washington senator is leading the fight
for more coast defense vessels, and in the serious situation that
confronts the nation at this time, the congress will not be slow
to act.
WIRE NETS AND CHAINS FOR HARBORAGE
~ ’ PROTECTION TUBE MANUFACTURED '
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.—Secretary of the Navy Daniels
today submitted plans and specifications for wire nets to be
employed tor the protection of harbors from the depredations
of foreign submarines to the steel manufacturers today, re
questing bids for a large quantity of the netting. Contracts for
steel chains for the same purpose have already been let and
the manufacturers are working day and night in turning* them
out.
WAR DEPARTMENT PURCHASING SUPPLIES
TO LIMIT OF APPROPRIATIONS MADE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.—The immediate purchase of
quartermasters’ supplies up to the limit of the appropriations
for the purpose, for the United States army, was ordered today
bv Secretary of War Baker. He has instructed purchasing
agents of the army throughout the country to call for bids
forthwith and place orders within the shortest possible time.
Secretary Baker is adopting even* possible resource to place
the war department on a war footing and has the situation well
in hand.
NEW YORK LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATES A
MILLION TO EQUIP THE STATE FORCES
o-;
ALBANY, N. Y., Feb. 7.—Without opposition, the New
York state legislature yesterday passed a bill appropriating
one million dollars for the national guard, naval militia and
other organizations that may be called into service for the
country, growing out of the conditions arising from the German
submarine campaign. The funds appropriated are for immedi
ate use and are already being employed in part.
JANUARY WAS DISASTROUS MONTH FOR
SHIPPING; 154 VESSELS DESTROYED
NEW YORK, Feb. 7.—The destruction of merchant ton
nage, due to submarines, mines and kindred war causes, was
greater, by far, in January than in any previous month of tlm
world war, according to a compilation made by the New York
Journal of Commerce. One hundred and fifty-four vessels,
involving a tonnage of 336,997, were destroyed in January. Due
to the indiscriminate submarine warfare adopted by the Teu
tonic nations, the Journal of Commerce predicts that losses the
current month will exceed the January losses, appalling as
they were.