The Butte daily post. [volume], April 07, 1917, Image 1

About The Butte daily post. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1913-1961

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
WEATHER FORECAST
MONTANA—Partly cloudy east, prob
ably rain weet portion tonight and Kun
tlay. wanner east tonight; pooler west
I fil Tti* Jlijf jnËàflrtï'tt
WEATHER FORECAST
ViUlE jBVLllt *9aUP »DSU
BUTTE —Tonight: Cloudy: warmer,
probably rain. Tomorrow: Partly cloudy
and cooler.
VOL. 5. NO. 84.
BUTTE MONTANA. SATURDAY. APRIL 7. 1917
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
GERMAN CRUISER BLOWN UP IN AMERICAN HARBOR
Seven of Cormoran's Crew Killed When They Destroy Their Interned
Ship in Apia Harbor Rather Than jfurrender Her to U. S. Authorities
32 OFFICERS AND 321 MEN
ARE MADE PRISONERS WHEN
SHIP GOESTOTHEBOTTOM
Auxiliary Cormoran Had Been Interned at
Guam Island Since Earliest Days of War.
Ship, One of the Fastest in the Pacific, Formerly
Belonged to the Russian Merchant Fleet and
Was One of the First Prizes Taken by the
Famed Emden of the German Navy—Interned !
at Apia When She Couldn't Get Supplies to
Carry Her to Home Port.
Washington, April 7.—The interned German auxiliary
cruiser Cormoran at Guam has been blown up. The Cor
moran refused to surrender to the American forces which
went to take possession of her and was destroyed by her
nnmr TW. Hornian warranf nffippra nnH ft VP pnlistpd
crew. Two German warrant officers and five enlisted
men were killed by the explosion. The destruction of the
Cormoran took place at 8 o'clock last night, Washington
time. Twenty officers, 12 warrant officers and 321 en
listed men were taken prison ers. _
Tb«
navy department'» announce
Tb«
navy department'» announce
ment »Aid:
"The interned German cruiser Cor
tsorauat Guam refused to adfffemtef;
bled herself up, killing two warrant
officers and five enlisted men. Twenty
officers, 12 warrant officers and 321
enlisted men were taken prisoners."
The message was received at the
navy department at 9 a. m. today from
Capt. Roy Smith, governor of Guam
and commandant of the naval station
there.
How She Was Interned.
The navy department issued this
statement:
"The German cruiser Cormoran was
blow up in the harbor of Apia, Island
of Guam, today by her crew, sinking
Immediately. One warrant officer and
one enlisted man are dead, one war
rant officer and four enlisted men are
missing, 20 officers, 12 warrant officers
and 321 enlisted men have been made
prisoners.
"On Oct. 23, 1914, the 35-foot cutter
called the 'Ocean Comber* entered the
harbor of Apia, Island of Guam,
charge of Lieutenant von Elpona of
the Imperial German navy. The boat
and party of three officers and four
tlves of New Guinea had been at sea
for a long time, having left S. M.
8 'Cormoran* for the purpose of send
ing a cable to San Francisco for sup
plies. The date of the cipher was Oct.
1 and the location of the Cormoran was
not disclosed Permission was not
granted to send the cablegram and the
officers and men were interned.
In Heed of Supplies.
"On Dec. 14, 1914, the German auxil
iary cruiser Cormoran appeared off the
(Continued on Par • Two.)
BAKER URGES CONGRESSMEN
TO ACCEPT DRAFT PROPOSAL
Secretary of War Unfolds the
Army Scheme for Recruit
ing Gigantic Force Called for
in the Army Bill.
Washington, April 7. — Secretary
Baker told the house military com
mittee In confidence today the plans
of his department for training a mil
lion men during the next year. He
urged Immediate enactment of the
general staff bill, including the selec
tive conscription provisions, recom
mending Just one change In the bill as
made public FYiday. That was to pro
vide for the organization of technical
units. Including automobile and serial
WILD REPORTS OF
;erhn raiders
OFF EAST COAST
Enemy Vessels Believed Seen
Off Nantucket and the
Virginia Capes.
MERCHANT SHIPS WARNED
TO REMAIN IN THEIR PORTS
Naval Flotillas Are at Sea and
Are Investigating the
Strange Ships.
Washington, April 7.—Reports
German commerce raiders off At
lantic ports were flashed along the sea
today and all shipping practically was
tied up while navy patrols went out
to establish the identity of mysterious
ships reported near the lanes. It was
the first breath of war at the doors
of America and it sent a thrill through
the country.
The first report came from Nan
tucket lightship, which saw' a strange
ship passing weBt at 7:20 o'clock this
morning and promptly reported it to
the Boston navy yards and the
( Continued on Pa. i Two.)
engineers, signal men, etc. This sug
gested addition to the bill reads:
"The president is authorized to raise
and maintain, by volunteer enlistment
or draft, as herein provided, special
and technical troops as he may deem
necessary and embody them Into or
ganization and to offer them as pro
vided in the third paragraph of sec
tion one and section eight of this act.'*
As to Conscription.
Chairman Dent of the committee,
with Representative Kahn of Cali
fornia, republican member of the com
mittee, present, made this statement:
"I cannot say yet what the attitude
of the committee would be regarding
the question of selective conscription.
(Continued on Page Two.)
Government Report on Condition of Winter
WkeatCrop Regarded as N ews of Calamity
Two Ready to Declare
War on Germany While
Russia Otters Her Peace
(BULLETINS.)
Petrograd, April 7 (via London).—Minister of Justice
Kerensky said in an interview today that if the German
people would follow the Russian example and dethrone
their emperor "we offer the possibility of preliminary
negotiations."
London, April 7.—The Central News says it is semi-of
ficially informed that a declaration of war by Brazil
against Germany may be expected by Monday.
VT v , . .. _ r , f • . , •
P eclea tp detiare 11181 a Stale OJ war CX1SIS Between V UIM
and the imperial German government, according to a cable
message from E. S. Azpiazu, private secretary to Presi
dent Menocal, to the republic if Cuba news bureau here.
Washington, April 7.—President Wilson today received
cablegrams from King George of England and Victor
Emmanuel of Italy congratulating the people and govern
ment of the United States on their entrance into the war
against Germany. _
ALL BUTTE WILL PLEDGE
FEALTY TO OLD GLORY AT
DEMON STRATION TONIGHT
Parade in Which Every Citizen Has Been Asked to Participate
Will Precede Patriotic Meetings at City Auditorium. Stars
and Stripes Will Be Only Emblem Flung to. Breeze. G. A. R
and Spanish War Veterans Are the Only Organizations As
signed to Places in the Parade.
TONIGHTS PROGRAM.
Parade starts at 7 o'clock from Wyoming and Broadway.
Line of march—South on Wyoming to Park; west on Park to
Montana; north on Montana to Granite; east on Granite to Main;
south on Main to Broadway; west on Broadway to the City Audi
torium.
Parade formation—Platoon of police; Uncle Sam and his at
tendants; A. C. M. band; Grand Army of the Republic; Spanish
American war veterans; Montana state band; citizens on foot; mem
bers of women's patriotic societies in autos.
Auditorium and overflow meetings start immediately after the
parade.
Speakers—Federal Judge George M. Bourquin, Hon. E. C. Day
of Helena, W. J. McCormick of Missoula, J. Bruce Kremer, D. J.
Charles, General Charles S. Warren, the Rev. George D. Wolfe,
Thomas Long, William Cutts, Captain L. P. Saunders, Joe Mudro
and possibly Governor Stewart.
Butte will pledge its fealty to the
Butte will pledge its fealty to the
Stars and Stripes tonight with the
greatest patriotic demonstration ever
planned in the Montana metropolis. Old
Glory will reign supreme, for it will be
the only emblem carried In the monster
parade, which will precede a meeting
to be held at the City Auditorium, and
It alone will constitute street and Au
ditorium decorations for the evening.
Every citizen In Butte is Invited to
participate in tonight's celebration, to
march in the parade and attend the
Auditorium meeting, but save for
members of the G. A. R. and United
Spanish War Veterans they will partic
ipate individually, since places In the
parade have been assigned to only
these two organizations.
Announcement was made today that
owing to the confusion incident to
participation of automobiles In a pro
cession In which thousands of men will
march, members of the various wom
en's patriotic societies, the D. A. R..
(Continued on Page Two.)
C0NERE5SMIN EVINS
OFFERS TO 60 TO Will
The Post s Washington Bureau.
Washington, April 7.—Congressman
Evans today sent the following letter
to President Wilson:
"Being one of those members of the
house of representatives who voted to
declare war against the enemies of our
country, and feeling that I should not
vote to ask some other man to do that
which I myself would not do, I hereby
tender to you and the government my
services tn any branch of the military
establishment, pledging to you faithful
service to the extent of my ability In
any position, high or low, to which
you may assign me.
"I hold myself subject to your call.
"Very respectfully,
"JOHN M. EVANS."
ESTIMATE SHOW CROP
50,000,000 BUSHES
LESS THAN YEAR AGO
Greatest Acreage Ever Planted in Winter
Wheat Will Give Poorest Returns in
Country's History.
In Nebraska Alone Decline in Crop Condition Is
More than Fifty Per cent Since Dec. 1—Agri
cultural Department Will Advise Many Farm
ers to Replant in Spring Wheat—Prices in the
Grain Pits Go Skyrocketing on "Calamity
Report."
Washington, April 7__A prospective slump of more
than 50,000,000 bushels in the winter crop of wheat, as
compared with last year's crop, is the first war-feeding
problem to confront the country. Official estimates of
the department of agriculture today—the first for the
1917 harvest, forecast that much of a decrease, although
the acreage is much greater. The food problem of the
coming year being one of the paramount questions affect
ing the United States in the war, extraordinary interest
centered in the government's report today showing the
condition and production forecast of the winter wheat
crop planted last autumn.
of the winter w heat crop, I
The extent of the winter w heat crop, I
usually about two-third« of the entire
production of wheat In this country, ;
1» a vital question Inasmuch a» the
allies will depend to a large degree j
upon American supplies and Argentina
has placed an embargo on wheat and i
flour exports. ,
A Large Acreage.
The winter wheat area last autumn
was 40,090,000 acres, one of the largest
acreages ever planted. Now much of
this acreage will have to be abandoned
because of conditions which prevailed
during the winter had been cause of
much speculation. Reports from dif
ferent sources reaching the depart
ment of agriculture have indicated that
there was some killing of winter wheat
in many sections of Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Mis
souri, Oklahoma. Kansas and Texas,
and of hard red winter wheat in the
western and southwestern plains, par
ticularly in Kansas and Oklahoma.
Bad Winter Conditions.
Whether the extent of the damage is
more than the average was uncertain.
(Continued on Page Two.)
RECRUITING FOR GUARD
IS HALTED TEMPORARILY
Army Without Funds to Con
tinue Mobilization of Militia
Until Congress Passes Ap
propriation Bill. Mustering
in at Helena.
Recruiting for the Montana national
guard, which la now being mustered
into government service, was suspend
ed temporarily yesterday before the
regiment had been placed on a war
footing by reason of discovery by the
war department that sufficient funds
are not available to continue placing
!
!
j
I
I
HUGE ADVANCES IN
PRICES OF WHEAT
AND FLOUR FOLLOW
THE U. S. REPORT
Chicago. April 7. — Accepting
wheat crop conditions shown by the
government report as a calamity,
the wheat market advanced sensa
tionally from 8 5 8o a bushel for
May options to 13 3-4c for Septem
ber. July advanced 12 3-4. May
corn sold up 5 3-4 and May oats
1 3-8c. It was only this week
that May wheat, responding to
private estimates of crop damage,
marked an epoch in prices by sell
ing at $2. On the government re
port today the market made an al
most perpendicular jump to new
records. May sold to $2.14 and fluct
uated wildly a half and a full cent
at ä time around that level. Flour
pricos advanced fifty cents a barrel.
Special brands of hard spring pat
ents will be quoted at $11.20 a
barrel in wood next Monday.
the national guard of the nation on a
war footing and will not l*e until en
actment of the army appropriation bill
novt before congress. The order w hich
waa received at Helena yesterday from
western headquarters of the army Is
In line with the policy that Is being
pursued throughout the nation pend
Ing provision of funds for the army
by congress.
Recruiting w'as stopped temporarily
several days ago in eastern states be
cause of Inability to furnish equip
ment at once and the fact that a
deficit exists In the army fund«.
Adjutant General Oreenan of the
(Continued on Page ^Sro.)