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ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1917.
VOL. 2. NO. 102.
PRICE TEN CENTS.
CUNARD LIMEB SUNK WITHOUT WARMIM6
' President Waits for Congressional Action on His Request
GERMANS PLANNING FOR OPEN
FIELD BATTLE WITH ALLIES ON
WEST FRONT, IS THE BELIEF
GENEVA, Switzerland, Feb. 28.—Although the withdraw
al of the German forces in the Ancre region in the west front
may signify merely an abandonment of a tactically unfavorable
projection of the German line at this point, another explanation
is suggested by Americans who have come to Switzerland, after
long stays in Berlin. This explanation is that the German re
tirement may perhaps be the beginning of the regrouping of
the German forces on the west front, with the intention of
^ -bringing on a decisive open field engagement to settle the fate
■pf the war. The Americans, who have been more or less in
touch with the military situation, while residing in Berlin, de
clare that the Germans are getting tired of the long-drawn-out
trench fighting and wish for some decisive action, one way or
the other. In an open field battle between the German and al
lid forces, the Germans believe they could win a most decisive
victory and bring the war to an abrupt ending.
CHANCELLOR INTIMATES WILSON
POLICY IS NOT CONSISTENT
BERLIN, Feb. 28.—Chancellor von Bethmann-IIollweg, of
the German empire, in a speech in the reichstag yesterday aft
^ ernoon, asserted that the action of the United States in break
ing off diplomatic relations with Germany and the attempted
. mobilization^ neutiad-jmCGu' against Germany do not sc*rva.
for the protection of the freedom of the seas, proclaimed by
President Wilson. -
CHANCELLOR’S SPEECH CARRIES THREAT.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28—The speech of Chancellor von
Bethmann-Hollweg is interpreted in official circles in Washing
ton as carrying an ill-concealed threat against the United
States and the excuse given for the failure to release the Amer
4 ican sailors taken to Germany on the Yarrowdale is character
ized as more of an insult than if they had simply been detained.
PREPARING FOR THE BREAK IN
RELATIONS WITH AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
VIENNA, Feb. 28.—As a preliminary step toward the j
breaking off of diplomatic relations with Austria-Hungary, the i
- American state department has directed Ambassador Pen field
to make all arrangements for the immediate withdrawal of all
American diplomatic and consular agents from the dual mon
archy. While the break has not been officially announced, there
is no longer any doubt that it will come in a few days.
* BRITISH ENTER GERMAN POSITIONS,
# BUT ARE FORCED TO GIVE THEM UP
BERLIN, Feb. 28.—(By wireless to Sayville)—Time after
time yesterday the British troops made vicious attempts to
pierce the German positions on the west front between Somme
and the Ypres river, says an official German report today, but
only at one point was the enemy able to enter the German lines
—just east of Arras river. After the enemy entered our lines,
» says the German report, we engaged in fierce counter attacks
^ which forecd the enemy to retire from the gained positions.
Heavy losses were sustained on both
' BONE DRY AMENDMENT CUT OUT
OF P. 0. APPROPRIATION BILL
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—The bone dry prohibition
amendment that was tacked to the postoffice appropriation bill
had to be abandoned, because of a deadlock when the measure
went to a conference between the committees of the senate and
house. In order to get the postoffice bill through, advocates of
the amendment had to eliminate it,, otherwise the appropria
tion would have been held up. It will now be necessary for
> the senate and house to vote again on the bone dry provisions,
separate and apart from the postoffice bill.
P AMERICAN CONSULS HELD IN GERMANY.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—Four American consuls are be
ing detained in Germany while the Berlin government awaits
official advices that all German consuls in the United States,
who have been ordered to go to Central and South America,
* have been permitted to proceed.
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IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS OF THE
DAY IN THE CRISIS BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES AND TEUTON POWER
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—Today’s important de
velopments in the German-American situation, and
which tend to widen the breach between the two coun
tries, is the official consular report that the Cunard
liner Laconia was sunk by a German submarine without
warning; the continued holding of American sailors in
Germany and the insulting reason assigned for the tie
lay in releasing them, and the German chancellor’s ill
concealed threat against the United States, in a speech
in the reiehstag. It is now regarded as certain in offi
cial circles in Washington that 1’resident Wilson will
declare war against Germany and her allies within the
next few davs.
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AMERICAN SAILORS PRISONERS
IN GERMANY, DESPITE REPEATED
DEMANDS FOR THEIR RELEASE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—The American sailors taken to
Germany on the British prize steamship Yarrowdale are still
interned, despite repeated demands of the American govern
ment for their immediate release. Germany’s procrastination
TrT complying with the demands of the state department is
bringing the controversy to a state of extreme gravity.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE AMONG SAILORS.
BERLIN, Feb. 28.—The release of the American sailors
brought to Germany on the steamer Yarrowdale cannot be car
ried out for the moment as an infectious disease has broken out
among them. This is Germany's reason for not complying with
America’s demand for the release of the interned men.
LINER LACONIA SUNK WITHOUT
WARNING, CABLED U. S. CONSUL
LONDON, Feb. 28.—American Consul Frost, stationed at
(Queenstown, Ireland, today cabled the American state depart
ment that the Cunard liner Laconia was torpedoed and sunk
without warning. The consul has affidavits to this effect from
nearly all of the survivors of the destroyed vessel.
INTERVIEW WITH COMMISSIONER
MEARS ABOUT WASHINGTON TRIP
Responding to a request for an in
terview in The Times, Commissioner
Mears, who has just returned from a
trip to Washington, where he went in
connection with railway matters, gave
out the following authorized state
ment :
“During December and January, fre
quent conferences were had with Sec
retary Lane regarding the Alaska
railroad project.
"The secretary’s time and attention
had been very much taken up all sum
mer with his duties as chairman of
the Mexican peace commission, but
these conferences came to an end
shortly after my arrival in Washing
ton, and fortunately, the secretary
was able to give a good deal of his
time to the affairs of the Alaska rail
road work.
“Frequent meetings were had with
Secretary Lane, at all of which he
evinced much interest in our affairs.
“Plans for the future work, in
cluding the development of the Mata
nuska coal fields, were discussed at
some length. The public is familiar
with the action of the department in
granting the lease of Unit 7, Eska
creek, to Mr. Wm. Martin.
“The applications for the other units
were carefully gone over, and it was
my understanding, when I left Wash
ington, that definite action in these
cases would be taken in the near fu
ture.
“Unit 12, in the Matanuska coal
fields, was set aside for the Alaskan
Engineering Commission, pending the
development of other leased units.
“The Alaskan Engineering Com
misSM® was given a hearing before
th#'house ' appropriation committee,
during; the latter part of January.
Progress maps were prepared for the
use of the committee, showing the
work accomplished to date. Detailed
figures giving/noney expenditures and
unit costs were also submitted for the
information of the committee.
“Chairman Fitzgerald expressed a
desire to visit the Alaska railroad
work next summer, and it is quite
probable a number of the members of
the house appropriations committee
will accompany him on this tour of in
spection.
“The amount and details of the ap
propriation for the fiscal year July
1, 1917, have been published in the
press. It is proposed to make $3,000,
000 of the entire amount immediately
available on March 4th. The allot
ments to the several construction dis
tricts have not been detetrmined.
Regarding Shipping Facilities at
Anchorage.
“The Commission has retained Mr.
Wm. Gerig as consulting engineer, to
make studies and investigations of the
present harbor at Anchorage and of
the proposed harbor improvements.
No work on harbor improvements will
be undertaken by the Commission un
til Mr. Gerig’s final report and recom
mendation are received.
“I was much gratified with the pro
gress made on construction during the
winter, and am pleased to learn that
the weather has been very favorable
to this work. I will take the oppor
tunity to submit to the Washington
authorities, a special report showing
the work accomplished during this last
winter, as it is not generally realized
that we can work here during the win
ter season to so much advantage.”
PRESIDENT TO WAIT UNTIL CONGRESS
ACTS ON HIS REQUEST BEFORE TAKING
UP THE SINKING OF LINER LACONIA
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—-Though official dispatches re
ceived by the state department seem to establish the fact that
tile sinking of the Cunard liner Laconia by a German subma
rine is in the nature of an overt act, President Wilson and Sec
retary of State Lansing take the position that no further steps
will be initiated by them with respect to war until the congress
has acted on the president’s request for authority to handle
the American-German situation as he deems advisable. In
the Laconia case, it has not been established beyond a doubt as
to whether or not the vessel was warned before being sunk.
British reports are to the effect that no warning was given the
liner. Similar reports emanating from British sources have
come about nearly all other vessels that have been sunk in the
barred zones, when further investigation has revealed fliat
warnings were given. So that the administration is careful to
make its own investigations.
- Senator Stone, of the senate committee on foreign rela
tions and Congressman Flood of the house committee on for
eign relations are working in harmony on a joint resolution
that will give the president the power he requests and the con
sideration of which will, by vote of the congress, put that body
fairly and squarely behind the president in any action he may
take.
BEGINS TO LOOK AS IF AN EXTRA
SESSION OF CONGRESS NECESSARY
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.—President Wilson makes no se
cret of the fact that he is opposed to calling an etxra session
of the congress, but the slow progress now being made by the
colons on administration measures, and especially those con
cerning appropriations, indicates that an extra session will be
absolutely necessary. The republican filibuster on the demo
cratic revenue bill has delayed things, several days having
been lost in useless talk on this measure, in an effort to de
feat it. While the revenue bill, which has already been passed
by the house, can be pushed through and will be pushed
through hv the democrats, even if they have to invoke cloture,
other measures will be delayed to such an extent that they can
not be reached this session. Railway strike legislation is
among the important bills held up. The president had planned
to call an extra session of the senate, to consider presidential
appointments, but it now appears that he will be forced to
call an extra session of both houses to act on legislation.
PACIFIST BLOCKS CONSIDERATION
OF PRESIDENT WILSON’S REQUEST
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28.-r-United States Senator LaFol
lette, of Wisconsin, leader of the pacifist element in the senate,
has blocked, for today at least, consideration of President Wil
son’s request for plenary power to handle the German-Ameri
can war situation. p,aFollette heads a small group in the sen
ate that is in favor of an extra session of the congress, and
his objection to unanimous consent to consider the joint reso
lution giving the president increased power, was merely a fili
buster to waste time.
POLICE BOAT AND WHISKEY BOAT
BATTLE ON RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER
RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 28.—The state police boat Commo
dore Maury and the schooner Elizabeth Clark, of Baltimore,
engaged in a brief battle on the Rappahannock river late last
night, resulted in the capture of the schooner. The vessel has
been employed in running the whiskey blockade. In the fight.
Captain Bozeman and the first mate of the schooner were
wounded. The captain and crew were placed in irons, follow
ing the capture, and brought to Richmond, where they were
lodged in jail, pending a trial. A search of the schooner re
vealed the presence of 20 cases of whiskey, which were seized.
Two hundred cases had been sold at landings along the river,
according to a member of the crew.
BERNSTORFF PARTY SAILS.
HALIFAX, Feb. 28.—The Scandinavian liner Frederick
Eighth, having on board the Bernstorff party, sailed last night,
en route to Europe.