PRESIDENT REQUESTS INCREASED POWER
Some Hope Now That Actual Hostilities May Be Averted
ADMINISTRATION URGES CONGRESS
TO PASS BILL GIVING PRESIDENT
POWER TO HANDLE WAR SITUATION
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2^.—Secretary of State Lansing and
Attorne]-General Gregory appeared before the judiciary com
mittee of the senate yesterday afternoon and urged the passage
of a bill that would give the president power to handle the in
ternational situations without recourse to war. The bill that
is urged by the cabinet officials, who spoke in behalf of the
administration, would empower the president to employ the
land and naval forces of the nation to enforce a compliance
■ with, and to prevent a violation of the obligations due to the
^United States, under the law of nations. As this is an admin
istration measure, there is every likelihood that it will pass the
congress, although there ai’e signs of some opposition, coming
from republican quarters. .. Those who are inclined to object
declare that the president already has adequate power to pro
tect the rights of the nation; that he should employ the power
he already has, m lieu of asking for increased powers.
ESPIONAGE BILL PASSES SENATE
AND CERTAIN TO PASS THE HOUSE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—The administration’s espion
age bill, providing for severe penalties for spying on national
defenses, etc., or for conspiring to violate the neutrality of the
nation, was passed by the senate yesterday afternoon, without
opposition. It will tye ousted through the house, and the emer
gency clause attached to it, will make it effective after the
president signs it.
SENATE COMMITTEE VOTES TO RAISE
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BY HOUSE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—The senate committee has vot
ed to raise the naval appropriation bill to a half a billion dol
lars, increasing the amount passed by the house by a hundred
and fifty million dollars. The senate committee has adopted
Senator Poindexter’s amendment, calling for the immediate
construction of 50 submarines, half of which are to be built
on the Pacific coast.
r UNITED STATES MAKES DEMAND
ON AUSTRIA, IN DIVER WARFARE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—The United States has made a
demand on Austria as to whether that nation proposes to abide
by the assurances given this government, after the sinking of
‘•Hie steamships Anconia and Persia. If'the reply to the demand
is not satisfactory, the Austrian ambassador will be handed
bis passports.
SUBMARINE U-53 IS DIVER
THAT SANK IKE HOUSATONIC
NEW YORK, Feb. 21.—It is now known that it was the
submarine U-53, that visited New York harbor last fall and
1 sank several ships off Nantucket, that destroyed the steamship
Housatonic.
AUSTRIANS EMPLOY SNOW TUNNELS
TO REACH THE ITALIAN TRENCHES
ROME, Feb. 21.—“Last night,” says the Italian report,
“the enemy entered our trenches by digging tunnels in the snow
in the Casere Debio Pastoriele sector.' After heavy hand-to
hand fighting, the enemy was repulsed by our foi’ces, leaving
many dead and many prisoners in our hands. ’ ’
ALL LEATHER SEIZED.
LONDON, Feb. 21.—All leather goods in Great Britain
have been seized by order of the war department, for use in
war activities.
TONNAGE SUNK WEDNESDAY.
LONDON, Feb. 21.—The tonnage sunk Wednesday, in the
barred zone by German submarines, aggregated 2,500 tons
gross.
WILSON HAS SERIOUS DOUBTS ABOUT
HOSTILE INTENTIONS OF GERMANS
WITH RESPECT TO NEUTRAL NATIONS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—Because of a serious doubt in
the mind of the president regarding the real intentions of the
officials at the head of the German submarine activities, no
action lias as yet been taken to relieve the ship blockade of
American ports, which lias resulted from the inauguration of
the diver warfare. The president believes that within the next
few days it can be ascertained just bow far Germany intends
to press its hostile measures against neutral nations. It is
pointed out that since the indiscriminate submarine warfare
was inaugurated—February 1—no overt act lias been commit
ted, despite the announced intentions of the German authori
ties. In brief, the president thinks the Germans are making a
big bluff, and have no intentions of inviting war with the Unit
ed States. While the chief executive cannot become convinced
that the Germans really intend to destroy American life and
property, as implied in its warning to keep out of the barred
zones, he is making every precaution to prepare for the worst
and will not hesitate to declare war, if he deems it necessary.
GENERAL FUNSTON’S BODY PLACED
IN ALAMO, HISTORICAL PLACE
SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 21.—The funeral of Major-General
Frederick K. Funston took place today, under the auspices of
the military authorities. Regulars, guardsmen and civilians
in groat numbers attended the last sad rites and. escorted the
remains to the Alamo, a mission made famous as a fort in the
war for the independence of Texas. This is the first time that
this historical place lias been used for such a purpose.
FUNSTON’S MOTHER ILL.
EMPORIA, Kan., Feb. 21.—Mrs. Funston, the aged mother
of General Funston, was prostrated when she was informed of
the sudden death of her son and her condition is such today
that her life is despaired of, due to her advanced age.
GENERAL PERSiflNGSUCCEEDS FUNSTON
IN COMMAND OF TROOPS ON BORDER
EL PASO, Feb. 21.—Major-General Pershing, who lias
been in command of the punitive expedition in Mexico, today
assumed charge of the U. S. troops on the border, succeeding
Brigadier-General Funston, deceased. The appointment of
Pershing is a temporary one, but may lie made permanent.
CROWDED ITAUAN TRANSPORT SUNK
IN MEDITERRANEAN BY SUBMARINE
BERLIN, Feb. 21.—A crowded Italian transport was sunk
by a submarine in the barred zone around Italy yesterday. Al
so two armed steamships, with cargoes for Salonika.
POOR WOMEN
ENTER PROTEST
NEW YORK, Feb. 21.—The poor
tenement women of New York City
are making daily demonstrations
against the authorities, due to the
high cost of living. Their leaders say
the demonstrations will continue un
til Mayor Mitchel brings about a re
duction in the necessities of life.
OLYMPIA, Feb. 21.—A referen
dum on the bone dry prohibition law,
passed by the state legislature and
signed by the governor, was filed to
day, asking that the law be voted on
by the people of the state.
*
SEATTLE, Feb. 21.—Thomas Quirk
plead guilty to the charge of man
slaughter for killing James O’Brien, a j
longshoreman, for making improper
proposals to his wife, and was sen
tenced to serve six months in the
county jail.
RETIRED LIST
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—Briga
dier-General E. E. Garlington, inspec
tor-general of the United States army,
has been transferred to the retired
list, having reached the age limit. He
is succeeded by Col. John L. Cham
berlain.
GERMAN NEWSPAPERS SAY WHOEVER
DARES TO PENETRATE THE GERMAN
BARRED ZONES, PERISHES THEREIN
BFKLIN, Feb. 21.—(by wireless to Sayville)—German
newspapers point out, says the Overseas News agency, that for
several days the British have kept secret the amount of losses
of entente merchant ships, in order to make the British people
think that there is no more danger from German submarine ac
tivities, but the British public will soon he undeceived. It
must he repeated, again and again, say the German newspa
pers, that whoever dares to penetrate the barred zones per
ishes in it. While the German newspapers are quoted as say
ing that it would he regrettable if the United States declares
war against the Fatherland, yet even this is better than a
relinquishment of the successful submarine campaign that is
now being waged against the allied powers.
ADEQUATE DEFENSE OF PANAMA
CANAL URGED BY ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—The administration is urging
upon the congress the importance of adequate appropriations,
to become available immediately, for the proper fortification.
of the entrances to the Panama canal, as well as the islands in
the vicinity of these entrances. In the eyes of the administra
tion officials, the speedy fortification of the canal is among the
most important defensive projects and it is the desire of the
coast defense board to undertake and rush this work to com
pletion its soon as possible.
Another matter that the administration is calling the at
tention of congress to, is the need of a law for the naturaliza
tion of Porto Iticans.
JANUARY WAS RECORD MONTH IN
THE MAHER OF FOREIGN EXPORTS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.—The department of commerce,
in a report issued today, announces that the exports for .Janu
ary exceeded any previous month by a hundred million dollars.
The exports were chiefly composed of munitions of war and
foodstuffs for the allied powers. The department anticipates
that the exports for the year 1917 will greatly exceed the ex
ports of 101(5, large as they were.
NORWEGIAN COLLIER DESTROYED
WHILE EN ROUTE TO GIBRALTAR
LONDON, Feb. 21.—The Norwegian collier Dal Beattie,
en route from Glasgow to Gibraltar, was sunk yesterday by a
German submarine. Two Americans aboard the collier escaped
in the life boats. They are John Guerre, of Los Angeles, and
Frank Weed Keene, of New Hampshire. Survivors report that
the collier was shelled and sunk while the crew was taking to
the life boats.
1,500 KILLED, 3,000 WOUNDED, IN
EXPLOSION IN MUNITION PLANT
BERLIN, Feb. 21.—(By wireless to Sayville)—It is report
ed from Copenhagen that 1,500 were killed and 3.000 injured
in an explosion of a big munitions plant at Archangel, Russia,
recently. The loss is estimated at 500,000 rubles.
REVOLT IN CUBA ON THE WANE
AND LEADERS ARE LOSING HEART
HAVANA, Feb. 21.—The revolt in Cuba is on the wane.
The revolutionists are disheartened at the lack of support given
their cause, which was dealt its death blow by the announce
ment that the United States would decline to recognize a gov
ernment established through a revolution. There have been
several skirmishes between revolutionists and government
troops, in which the government troops have come out victor
ious. It is expected by the government authorities that within
the next week or two the signs of the revolt shall have passed.
There is talk of dealing summarily with the revolt leaders.