VOL. -. NO. 159. ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, MONDAY, MAY 7, 1917. PRICE TEN CENTS.
Russian Situation Assuming Much More Encouraging Aspect
NAVAL CONSULTING BOARD SUBMITS
PLANS FOR COMBA ING DIVERS WHICH
IS BELIEVED W L PROVE SUCCESSFUL
NEW YORK, May 7.—W. L. Saunders, chairman of the na
val consulting board, announced here today that the board had
submitted to the Washington authorities plans for dealing with
•the submarines, which it is believed by the board had solved the
submarine problem successfully. For obvious reasons, Saun
ders declined to say anything with respect to the nature of the
invention which had been created by master minds of the na
tion to combat the submarine menace. Composing the board
are such noted inventors as Edison, Maxim, Wright, Graham
Bell and others and much confidence may be reposed in any in
vention that is the fruit of their endeavors, or that is accepted
by them as available for the purpose. It is known that the board
lias been concentrating its energies on an invention to combat
the submarines, as being the chief menace to this nation.
Mr. Saunders did say, however, that the advisory naval
board had submitted a concrete plan to the navy department
that is designed to handle the enemy submarine craft. “It is
not a theoretic plan, but is one which is based upon actual ex
periments. More than this, I cannot say at this time. ’ ’ Edison,
who is the president of the board, it is understood, deserves the
chief credit for the invention, which it is claimed, will not only
remove the submarines, but will wipe out forts and other de
fensive works.
DEFINI PEAC PROPOSAL COMING
FROM GERMANY WITHIN A FORTNIGHT
COPENHAGEN, May 7.—A more explicit and plainer dec
laration of Germany’s peace conditions will be made by Chan
cellor von Methmann-Ilollweg, of the German empire, within
a fortnight, declared Vice-Chancellor Ilelferich today, in an
official announcement.
COUNCIL OF WORKERS AND SOLDIERS
ACCEPT EXPLANATION OF GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS AND ORDER AGAIN RESTORED
PKTHOdKAD. M ay 7. The council of workmen and sol
diers. through a committee delegated to interview the provi
sional government officials with respect to the May day note,
which hade fair to cause an overthrow of the government, to
day announced that the explanation of the government officials
was satisfactory and that the matter was a closed incident.
Everything is now progressing in an orderly manner. Satui
day, the situation was not encouraging. Prince Lvol'f, the pre
mier, declared that tin* provisional government would resign,
rather than recede from its May Day note declaration, winch
was, in effect, that under no circumstances would Russia accept
separate peace terms with (iermany.
WAR DEPARTMENT APPEALS TO STATE
OFFICIALS TO SPEED UP CONSCRIPTION
WASHINGTON, May 7.—The war department today is
sued an appeal for volunteer services on the part of state offi
cials. charged with the duty of gathering recruits under the
selective conscription bill, in order to speed up the work of con
scription. It is the desire of the war department to have the
first army raised before this week ends.
DESPITE STUBBORN GERMAN FIGHTING
BRITISH FORCES MAKE FURTHER GAINS
LONDON, May 7.—The British war office today an
nounced that the German forces hurled themselves against the
British lines east of Arras throughout last night, in an en
deavor to recapture lost positions, but were repulsed with hea
vy losses. General Haig today reports that the British troops
have made further advances on this front, despite stubborn
German resistance.
DANGER THAT
■
WASHINGTON, April 10.—Warn
ing to the nation against a real dan
ger in hysterical and ill-advised econ
omy and interference with normal pur
suits of the people is given by Howard
E. Coffin, of the advisory committee of
the council of national defense, in a
statement made public tonight as the
first enterprise of the government’s
new committee on public information.
Mr. Coffin just returned from a trip
through several Middle Western states
and deplores the fact tliaat conditions
of unemployment and closed factories
should arise as a result of indiscrimin
ate efforts, public and private, toward
war-time economies.
No Time for Hysteria.
‘‘After nearly three years of refusal
to take the European war and its les
ion seriously,” Mr. Coffin says, “we
suddenly launch forth in a most fever- j
ish activity to save the country over
night. Patriotic organizations almost
without number are milling around
noisily and while intentions are good
the results are often far from prac
tical.
“Because of an impending and pos
sible shortaage of foodstuffs we have
hysterical demands for economy in
every line of human endeavor. Waste
is bad but an undiscriminating econ
I'HE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS
■---1
—Donahay in Clavaland Plain Daalar.
omy is worse.
Open Business Throttle.
“Some states and municipalities are
stopping road building and other pub
lic work. General business is being
slowed down because of the emotional
response of the trading public to these
misguided campaigns for economy;
savings are being withdrawn from the
banks; reports show' that some people
have begun to hoard food supplies, and
thousands of workers are being thrown
needlessly out of employment. All this
is wrong.
“We need prosperity in war time,
even more than when we are at peace.
: Business depressions are always bad,
j but doubly so when we have a fight1
| on our hands. The declaration of war1
j can have no real evil effect on busi
1 ness, not less. There is real danger in
i hysteria. Indiscriminate economy will
be ruinous. Now is the time to open
the throttle.”
WILDEST PATRIOTIC DEMONSTRATION
IN HISTORY OF NATION, WHEN BALFOUR
ADDRESSES TWO HOUSES OF CONGRESS
W ASJ11NG I < )X*, May i. flic most spectacular ami wild
est patriotic demonstration in tlm history of tin* nation occur
red at a joint session ot the two houses of the congress Satur
day afternoon, called lor the purpose of greeting the British
and I-reach high commissioners. Arthur Balfour, chairman of
the British commission, was the principal speaker. President
and Mrs. \\ ilson occupied seat- in the gallery. As the demon
stratum progressed, the president left his seat in the gallery
to go to tin* floor ot the house, when* he shook hands with the
British foreign minister. I’his caused renewed cheering. Tears
streamed down the commissioner's face, lie was overcome at
the magnificent reception tendered his associate's and himself.
Balfour’s speech was a masterful effort, lie bitterly de
nounced the Prussian autocracy, and paid a glowing tribute to
America’s entrance into the war, which, he declared, must be
completed successfully by the allies and America, if democracy
is to survive. As Balfour savagely attacked Germany, the
house cheered and the president applauded vigorously. “Ger
many, ’ declared Balfour, “is remorselessly and unscrupulous
ly carrying out its appalling object to dominate civilization
and mankind.” lie confidently predicted that the free people
in the world will surely conquer.
THE FLAG THAT HAS NEVER KNOWN DEFEAT.
CHICAGO, May 7.—M. Rene Viviani and General Jotfre,
of the French high commission, were guests of honor at a mon
ster gathering here Saturday night. The ceremonies were im
I promptu, a feature being the grouping of the flags of the allied
nations with the Stars and Stripes. In placing the French flag
in the group. General doffre said that lie was proud to place
the French flag alongside of the American flag, that had never
known defeat.
TRACY, INDUSTRIAL WORKER, FREED
OF MURDER CHARGE BY TRIAL JURY
SFATTBF. May 7. Thomas II. Tracy, a member of the
Industrial Workers of the World, who has been on trial in
Seattle for the past six weeks, on the charge of first degree mur
der growing out of the Fverett riots, was declared not guilty by
the trial jury, which reached a verdict Saturday night. There
are some 7*1 defendants in the 1. W . W. riot cases, and each
| demands a separate trial. As the Tracy case was about the
strongest, it is not believed that the remaining cases will be
tried. The evidence adduced at the Tracy trial indicated that
both the Industrial Worker- and the citizens’ committee of
Fverett wen* to blame for the riots and resultant killings.
CHAIRMAN EDES, OF ENGINEERING
COMMISSION, ON WAY TO ANCHORAGE
SKATTKK. May 7. Chairman Kdes, of the Alaskan en
gineering commission, and Mrs. Kdes have arrived from Wash
ington. on route to Anchorage, which will hereafter be the head
quarters of the chairman. The chairman and Mrs. Kdes will
remain in Seattle until Friday, when they will take their de
parture for Anchorage. The chairman says that despite the
war, the work on the Alaska railway project will proceed un
hampered. He says the war lias caused slight delays in the
getting of material, but on the whole, the work is moving along
in tine shape.
IRISH-AMERICAN MEETING INNEW
YORK ENDS IN GENERAL ROUGH HOUSE
XKW SOUK, May 7. A small riot occurred in Xew York
city Saturday night, when Chairman William McAdoo, presid
ing at a meeting of Irish Americans, declined to permit the
reading of a resolution requesting the president and congress
to intercede in behalf of Irish independence. There were mi
merous objections to the reading of the resolution, some of the
speakers declaring that the meeting was organized by (Herman
Americans. Several fist fights took place on the floor and the
meeting broke up in a row.
FRENCH TAKE A THOUSAND.
PARIS, May 7.—The French forces took a thousand (Her
man prisoners in the Champagne sector in yesterday’s fighting,
says an official French report today.