The Montgomery advertiser. [volume], February 04, 1917, Image 1

About The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982

Image provided by: University of Alabama Libraries, Tuscaloosa, AL

                
T*V
Cotton Quotation*
Strict Middling .... 17.69
; Middling..' 17.50
St. Low Middling .. 17.25
Cotton Seed.$60
MONTGOMERY. ALABAMA. SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 4, 1917-THIBTY TWO PAGES
NUMBER 35
Sinks Housatonic,
Vessel Carrying Wheat Cargo Sent to Bottom 'Off
j f:' Sdllg Islands-^Sctisation in Washington When
y.' News Reaches Capital—Fifteen Americans in Crew
i > of Vessel—Government Now Is Considering Con*
■" paging All American Vessels With United States.
1 jWar Vessels—No Orders So Far Issued
' . Associated Press
J . LONDON, Feb. 3.—The American steamer Houstonic wa ssunk
“ near the Seilljjr Islands by a German submarine.
'v / • The rumor is current that the Housatonic was sunk without warn
Ing. ■ ' r- ■ , ; -. '
• The officers and crew of the Housatonic were saved by an armed
British steamer.
» f --
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—News of the sinking of the Housatonic
created a sensation here, but state departement officials pointed out
that it would depend entirely upon the circumstances whether the in
cident would affect the present situation. \
• The ship was carrying contraband, apd if she was destroyed with
proper warning and provision for the safety'of her crew or In an at
tempt^# escape, the United, States merely would have a claim for
damages as in the Frye case.
t ! The first effect of the incident in official quarters was to direct
. attention anew to the president’s declaration in his address to con
gress today that if American ships and lives were sacrificed “in heed
less contravention of the just and reasonable understanding of inter
national law,” he would again go before congress for authority to
“use any. means that may be^ecessary for the protection of our sea
men aqa our people.” % . '
/ WASHINGTON,
esewithout
Mad to politics expressed freely their approval of President
Wilson’s oou$ie and of his address. .
' Vice President Marshall said:
“If the president has to deliver the other address he spoke of
von will find the sentiment of the country has crystallised be
hind him on the address he made today. ”
Senator Stone, chairman of the foreign relations committee:
“X t^k there are two things we should do now as far as it is
possible—keep our heads level and our months dosed.”
, Senator Lodge, ranking republican member of the foreign re
lations committee: ....
“I most thoroughly approve and cordially support the presi
dent. It is the right thing to do and is demanded both by the
honor and the safety of the American people.”
Speaker Olark:
“I do not think there is going to be any war. I do not think
the Germans will blow up any of our ships.”
Bepublican leader Mann:
“I do not see how the president could do any less. I am
very glad he did not do any more.”
Senator Gallinger, Republican leader of the senate:
“Of course, if Germany sinks an American ship or takes ah
life we shall have ti fight But we should view the
situation calmly, dispassionately and hopefully. The presi
dent’s message was admirable.”
' / Ltiltr Kiteke*.
Democratic leader Kitcbtn said: ;
Vl do net’belleve the president could
have said dr done lees and am greatly
gratified he did not. do or eay more.
He has given Germany the last clear
chance to avoid a fconlllct with the
United States."
Senator Cummins, republican:
“I entirely approve of the president’s
course. I do not nee how he could
have done anything elee In view of the
American position. Whether or not
war oomas depends, of course, on
whether Germany carries out her
threat."
Senator Chamberlain, chairman or
senate military committee:
“The president haa done all * that
could be done. Now It is up to Ger
many
Senator Weeks, republican:
“I think It la the beat address the
president ever made. He could not say
more and he could not say leas.”
Representative Flood, chairman of
the house foreign affairs committee:
“The president's course was wise and
I am sure has the approval of the coun
try. The president could , not have
done less and was wise not to do more
at this time."
Jm
v# SHIPS SUNK ,*
MADRID, Feb. 3.—(Via London)—The Spanish steamship
Butron and. the Greek steamship Blekon have been torpedoed and
rank by the German submarine U-67. „
Two Spaniards were drowned in the sinking of thd Butron.
The rest of the crews of both vessels were landed.
NEW YORK, Feb. S.—The Quebqe, a passenger ship which
plied between France and the West Indies, has been sunk after
striking a mine, the French Line, owner of the vessel, announced
here today. The news came in a cablegram from the French Line
offices in France and gave no details.
GUON, SPAIN, Feb. 3.—(Via Paris)—The Greek steamer
Helicot has been torpedoed by a submarine. Life boats contain
ing the crew of the vessel arrived here today. .
REPORTED FRIDAY:
Belgian relief steamer Euphrates; Norwegian steamer Portia,
1127 tons; Steamer Ravenesbourn; Norwegian steamer Hecla, 524
tons; British steamer Rssonite, 689 tons; Spanish steamer Al
gorta, 2116 tons; British trawler Violet; Belgian trawler Mar
er Jerv, 1112 tons.
lORTED THURSDAY:
eve%p, 3081 tons; Canadian steamer Dun
; two trawlers; three smacks.
cells; Norwegian stea
RE
British steamer
dee, 2287 tons; tug X
LONDON, FRIDi Y, Feb. 2.—(Delay.)—Ten members of the
crew of the Norwegia n steamer Heimland I, were lost when the
vessel struck a mine o n January 28, according to an announce
ment by Lloyds. Thi ee members of the crew were saved. The
vessel measured BOB tons gross. Thfe crew of the Dutch steamer
Guam* has been laadid.
r .
n—— --—-—i-*-i-- " . —
. Is For Peace, But Ready For War .
- ---- —-—>■. _i
Bryan Asks
For Protest
Against War
In Statement, Former
Secretary Appeals to Peo
ple to Raise Volte 'in
Mighty Wave
(Associated Press.)
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—William
Jennings Bryan Issued a statement
tonight, addressed to the Ameri
can people, appealing to them to
let the president and congress
"know that the people at .home
protest against entering this war
on either side, with its frightful
expenditure of blood and treasure:
that they\ are not willing to send
American soldiers across ' the At
lantic to march under the banenr
of a European monarch or to die on
European soil in settlemsnt'of Eu
ropean quarrels."
The former secretary of state
said both sets of belligerents be
lieved they were in a death strug
gle and felt justified'in resorting
to acts contrary to international
law as heretofore interpreted. He
said the president had appealed to
the nations at war to forget their
bitterness and come together in an
honorable peace, adding, “are. we
not in duty bound to measure up to
the standard for them.”
Several alternatives were sug
gested by Mr. Bryan, Including
postponing until after the war the
settlement of anv dispute that can
not be adjusted by peaceful.means,
warning Americans off belligerent
ships, refusing clearance to. Ameri
can and other neutral vessels car
rying contraband, keeping Ameri
can vessel out of the danger sone
and the submission of any declara
tion of war to referendum of the
people. „
ROOSEVELT IS READY
TO LEAD DIVISION
(Associated Press)
OYSTER BAY. N. Y.. Feb. 3—Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt today announced
that he was behind President Wilson
In his latest move and that he would
offer his services to his country. Col
onel Roosevelt also said that his four
sons would be willing to fight for the
United States in the event that war
comes.
"Of course I shall in every way sup
port the president in all that he does
to uphold the honor of the United
Staten and to safeguard the lives of
American cltixens,” he said. "Yester
day I wrote to the war department
asking permission to raise a division if
war is declared and there is a call
for volunteers. In such event I and
my four sons will go.*
STAND OF KAISER
DECLARED VOICE OF
GERMAN MILITARISM
Challenge to United States and World Is Cry of the
Prussian Unadorned, Says Lincoln. Colcara, Special
Writer For Philadelphia Ledger—The Theory of
Ffightfulhesis Now Applied to America by Hinden
burg and.Ludendorff
(Special To The Alrertlitr)
PHILADELPHIA. Feb. 3—The Pub
lic Ledger Sunday will print the fol
lowing dispatch from Washington by
Lincoln Colcord:
WASHINGTON Feb. 3—The state
ment that Germany’s recent note was
received by the president with amass
ment expresses the situation but mild
ly. I can say with assurance that no
where In administration circles warn
there the slightest Inkling that such
a complete reversal of Germany's pol
icies was about to transpire.
The stroke fell like a bolt from the
blue sky. At one blow It destroyed
hopes far from visionary, hopes based
upon practical results already 'obtain
ed. It destroyed faith and convictions.
It destroyed the earnest and sincere
work of months and years, not of the
president alone, but of all his advisors.
Great events seemed Imminent, even
this pregnant with good news for the
future of humanity. But now the page
Is closed.
Militarism Speaks
The new tone In German diplomacy
Is plainly the tone of militarism. We
have heard it before,- perhaps, but al
ways tempered by some show of grace,
by some degree of plausibility and
sincerity. Now It Is the voice of the
Prussian unadorned. It means new
hands at the helm, new men In power
men. who were reared in a military
system and who deal only In terms of
force and power: men who are so
far away from the essentials of human
nature that they actually believe that
Englishmen and Frenchmen and Amer
icans can be frightened, and that It
Is posible for Germany to intimidate
the world. It means just that—the
theory of frightfulness applied now to
America. It means Hlndenburg and
Ludendorff instead of Hollweg and
Zimmerman. This latest action of
Germany Is out of nature with all that
has emanated before from the Ber
lin foreign office In the Issue. It can
not be construed as a political or dip
lomatic action at all, but as a purely
military measure. ■
It Is a strategical move cutting
across the fields of diplomacy, obli
terating for the'moment, perhaps for
a long time to come, the larger poli
tical victory that was already In pro
cess or fulfillment and this is not the
first time.
Freedom Of The Seaa!
I have stated In a previous dispatch
that in the fiist year of the war a nevf
definition of the freedoin of the seaa.
which sprang up from an American
source^ was suggested to the foreign
offices at Berlin and London. This de
finition comprehended nothing short
of an international agreement that !
belligerent as well as neutral com
merce should go on uninterrupted dur
ing a time or war, that contraband
should be strictly confined to muni
tions and that in general all opportun
ity of trade disarrangement should be
removed from the category of war
measures.
Idea Favored
The Idea was received in both quar
ters with 'extraordinary favor. Poli
tical vision caught fire at the sugges
tion. Liberal England, as well as lib
eral Germany, recognised that the pro
posal went to the root of the diffi
culty between the two nations and
that it constituted a fairly perman-'
ent basis for the making of a moder
ate peace. In Germany the Idea at
once found popular favor, from the
fact that It would appear superficially
as If Germany had everything to gain
and nothing to loose by such a de
finition of the freedom of the seas. Thi
chancellor Immediately cabled It to
Bernstorff and Deraburg In America,
and soon it became Incorporated into
the general, plan pt German propag
anda.
In England also, the machinery of
publicity had already been set In mo
tion In favor of the new definition of
the freedom of seas. The Liberals, then
In power in Great Nrltaln, saw clearly
beneath the surface pt any superficial
objection that could be raised against
the idea and estimated It at Its true
value. They recognised that in reality
and In the long run it would favor the
nations most dependent upon sea-borne
commerce and most proficient In mar
itime affairs. In short. It would reduce
the question of sea power to an econ
omic basis, the same basis oij which
it rests In time of peace. >,
It will be recalled that Sir Edward
Grey In several important speqchss
made early in the year 1913, touched
upon the problem of the freedom of
seas with a liberality of view which
caused widespread comment. It was
not generally known, however, and has
never since been realised, that there
existed at that time a partial under
standing between Berlin and London,
and that had affairs been allawed to
take their normal political course the
basis for a peace might very soon have
b«*en constructed.
Then The Lusitania!
But what Liberal England might
have salr 'or done, next in futherance
of the lsue will never be known.
((UstlsMt uu Put Thirteen)
President Warns
Kaiser That War
Will Be Declared
Bernstorff Given Passports and All Diplomatic Rela
tions With Germany Are Broken Off—Joint Ses
si6n Is Told That Ruthless Sacrifice 'of American
Lives Will Be Followed by United States" Entry
Into European Struggle—Germany Ordered to Re
lease Sailors Now Held as Prisoners
_ PHILADELPHIA, PA., Peb. 8.—The German auxiliary cruiser
Kron-Prinz Wilhelm and Prinz Eitel Friedrich, interned at the Phil*
adelphia navy yard, were seized by order, of the Navy Department
early tonight and their crews imprisoned in an isolation barracks.
v ®®JfOLDLU, Feb. 3.—The troops at Schofield Barracks have
peen ordered into Honolulu and plans were completed today for them
to camp in the Capitol grounds where it was announced they would
be ready for any emergen6y. The United States Marshal swore in a
large number of deputies today for service as guards. All army and
navy leaves have been cancelled and officers and men recalled to their
posts. The cruiser St. Louis is patrolling the harbor entrance.
NEW YORK, Feb. 3.—The entire national guard of New York
state and the naval militia were ordered out tonight by Governor
Whitman after a conference with Major General John F. O’Ryan.
General O’Ryan was directed to have every arsenal, armory and water
shed adequately guarded by the militiamen and Commodore Forshe,
of the naval militia, was ordered to protect all bridges.
PANAMA, Feb. 3.—Four Hamburg-American Mm ite&mihijF
which have been in Cristobal harbor were seised this afternoon by the
canal zone authorities. Night harbor traffio at Cristobal has been
stopped.
NORFOLK, VA., Feb. 3.—The batteries at Fort Wool, in Hamp
ton Roads, were manned tonight by artillerymen from Fort Monroe.
In time of peace only a few men ere kept on duty at Fort Wool.
Strangers have been barred from, the reservations at Fort Monroe and
guards are maintained at all approaches to the fort ti&d at the bat
teries and government wharves. * V(
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.—president Wilson has broken off diplo
matic relations with Germany'and warned the Kaiser that ruthless
sacrifice of American lives and rights mean war.
Similar action is awaiting for Austria when she notifies this gov
ernment that she joins in the campaign of unrestricted submarine
warfare. *
The president made formal announcement of his action to the
country and to the world today at a joint session of congress.
Bemstorff Given Transport.
Passports have been handed to Count von Bernstorff; Ambassa
dor Gerard with all his staff and all American consuls have been or
dered out of Germany. All Qermau consuls in the United States are
expected to withdraw that the severance of relations may be com
plete. American diplomatic interests in Berlin have been turned
over to Spain; German diplomatic interests in the United States have
been taken over by Switzerland.
Foreign diplomatic interests which the United States had in
charge in Germany have been turned over ttr various neutrals.
More Than 200 Lives Lost. *
Two years of diplomatic negotiations, marked with frequent
crises and attended with the'loss of more than 200 American lives on
the high seas, have culminated with an act .which in all the history of
all the world always has led to war.
Every agency of the American government has been set in motion
to protect the country against acts of German sympathizers.
These moves are of necessity being kept secret.
Demand Release of Prisoners.
With the notice of severance of relations the United States sen^
to Berlin a demand for .the immediate release of 64 Americans taken
from ships captured by German raiders in the South Atlantic.
At the request of the president, congVess immediately hearing his
address, began work on new laws framed by the department of jus
tice to check conspiracies and plots against the United States which
cannot now be reached under existing statutes.
The question of convoying American merchant ships through the
submarine blockade has been taken up and is being considered as#one
of the next moves. -
• News of the torpedoing of the
American steamer Kousatonlc, coming
almost before President Wilson’s words
In congress had died away, created a
tremendous sensation but it does not
necessarily constitute such an invas
ion of American rights as the presi
dent said he would meet by asking
congress for additional authority to act
Pacts,New are Necessary.
Only the establishment of the ex
act facts can determine whether the
sinking of the ship was a new at
tack on American rights or whether
the chse comes within the range of
other American ships carrying con
traband destroyed in accordance with
International law and presenting a case
to be settled under its precepts.
Admittedly, If the Housatonlc was
sunk without warning or with loss of
American life it will amount to little
less than an act of war and be fol
lowed by all the consiiuences which we
president so clearly pointed out in
his address.
Neutrals Asked To Jots.
Neutral governments have been no
tified of the action of the United
States and have openly been Ijevited
to follow Its action If the ' new cam
paign violates their rights.
The breaking off of relations came
With a crash despite the fact that it
had been discounted, and practically
determined upon last night. The presi
dent returning from his night Con
ference with the senators determined
that a break in relations was the only
act •'consistent with the dignity and
the hohor of the United States.”
lie worked most of the night pre
paring his address to congress.
At 10:30 o'clock this morning it le
came known that Ambassador Gerard
had been ordered home and that pass
port has been sent (o fount von Bern
storff. Although there was no official
confirmation of the presideht's decis
ion until he formally announced it
himself to congress the knowledge
spread rapidly.
Pauporti aro Delltcrri.
Count von Bernstorff hoard it un
officially while talking with an As
sociated Press correspondent. 'While
apparently deeply moved, he was not
surprised. His first act was to ask Dr.
Paul Ritter, the Swiss minister, to •
come to the German embassy and pre
pare to take over its affairs. Then he
informed his wife, an American born
woman, of the development and like
wise told the embassy staff. His pass
ports were not actually delivered un
til 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
While the president was addressing
congress, one of Secretary Lansing’s
confidential assistants calied at the em
bassy and distributed the passports
and a note in reply to the German de
claration.
President Wilson kept himself in
seclusion during the morning, except
for a brief conference with Secretary
l.anslng, until he left the White House
for the capitol shortly before two
o'clock.
Notables Hear Address.
In preparation for the history mak
ing event, the senate and house had
assembled in the hall of the latter
body, Justices of the supreme court
had Beats on the floor, the cabinet
sat in a reserved space. Ambassador
Jusserand, of France, occup^d his re
served seat In the diplomatic gallery
which was packed, principally with
neutrals, who fame to hear words of
far reaching Importance affecting their,
own governments.
As usual a committee of congress
men met the president and escorted
him to the speaker's dais. •
The whole body rose and cheered
as the president, acknowledging their
greeting without his usual smiles, bat
grim faced and solemn, took hia place
at the clerk's desk and Began reading
the document which Is 'being heard
around the world.
Not a sound came from the floor Or
tfoatloned oa Pago bis)