The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, February 27, 1917, Page 1

The Weather Warmer tonight. THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR, NO. TWIN j BEFORE SEMTE Through an Unconscious Error House Bill No. 298 Was Laid on Table SENATORS AGREE TO ITS RECONSIDERATION Distance Tariff Law Will Be Re- ferended by Cities and Indus- tries Discriminated Against After the minority on house bill 298, establishing new class and com- modity rates, had been adopted 27 to 20 in the senate this afternoon, Sena- tor Levang, who voted with the ma- jority for the adoption of the: report that the bill do pass, moved that the vote by which the report was adopt- ed be reconsidered and that the mo- tion to reconsider be laid on the table. Levang’s motion carried unanimous- ly and it was fully 15 minutes -before the majority in favor of the passage of the bill discovered that they had a joke on themselves and by the adop- tion of Levang’s motion had tabled the bill and prevented further action on the same except that two-thirds of the senate agree to a reconsidera- tion, Senator Welford called attention to the unconscious error of his collegue Levang and prayed the courtesy of the senate in reconsidering the mo- tion by which the bill was tabled. Af- ter Jacobson had advised’ the major- ity that they were entitled in this mat- ter to the same considerations which they had shown the minority with re- gard to lignite coal rates, the motion ' to reconsider Levang’s motion: to. re~ consider carried without any opposi- tion. Twin Brother of 77. senate bill 77 which was signed by the governor this! wabining. It over- throws or permits the railway com- mission to overthr93 Overy establish- ed class and commodity, ‘tate in’ the state. Those voting for the hill were Benson, Cahill, Car iy, Drown,. Elling- son, Ettestad, Gronvold, “Hamerley, Hemmingsen, Hunt, King, Lindstrom, Levang, Parkins, Morkrid, Mortenson- Mostad, McCarten, Nelson of Rich- land, Pendray,, Sandstrom, Sikes, Thorson, Welford, Wendstrom, Zie- man, Against the bill were Allen, Deck, Englund, Haggart, Heckle, Hy- land} Jacobson, Kirkeide, Murphy, McBride, McGray, McLean, Nelson of Grand Forks, Paulson, Ployhar, Por- ter, Putnam, Rowe, Stenmo and Young. Kretschmar and . Gibbens ~ (Continued on Page Uight.) SUNDAY BALL MADE. REGULAR “PNK” AFFAIR Senate bill 167, known as the Sun- day baseball measure, was passed by the committee of the whole in the house this afternoon after it had been amended to read that no charge shall ‘be made and that no game be played within 500 yards of any church edifice. The majority by which the measure carried in the committee assures its passage when it comes up for final reading. Early this afternoon the committee of the whole of the house voted down senate bill 141, legalizing hunting on Sunday. 228 WOUNDED SOLDIERS CAUGHT IN RAIL WRECK (Associated Press.) London, Feb. 27—A train carrying 228 invalided Russian soldiers. who were on the way home from Germany through Sweden, went off the track House bill. 298 is a twin brother of; A THE BIS 49 UNITED PRESS BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, TUESDAY, FEB. 27, 1917. Two American Women Killed by German Submarine Act BROTHER LACONIA TORPEDOED TWICE IPEN BATTLE. [PRES | SEMATE BILL 77. | WITHOUT WARNING: TWELVE OIE | MAY OBCUR ON FROM EXPOSURE IN OPEN SEA) WEST FRONT SUBMARINE FIRES SECOND TORPEDO AS LIFE BOATS LOWER Dr. Hawks «of San Francisco Playing Bridge with Ship Surg- eon When Crash Comes SEVERAL IN OPEN SEA WHEN SECOND SHOT CAME Passengers Had Been Well Drill. ed and No Panic Follows Submersible Attack (Associated Press) Queenstown, Feb. 27.—Correct re- turns on those missing from the sunk- en Cunard liner Laconia are not yet obtainable, although the Cunard staff is working on the list of crew and passengers. Four passengers are among those sent to hospitals. Their injuries are slight. Among the four is Dr. Hawks, a resident of San Fran- cisco, who said he was. playing a game of bridge in the ship’s surgeon room, when he heard a crash, and guessed that the ship had been sat- tacked by a submarine. ‘Hé:sa} the first torpedo strack the ser: on the starboard side, and ‘everyone made for the life preservers. The passengers previously: J beén in- structed in both’ drillg= got into the‘ boats without panic; +. Fire Second Time. “The submarine returned, after we had been in the ‘boats, and fired an- other torpedo which put out the lights and followed by a terrific explosion,” Dr, Hawks said. “The ship must have been’ sunk soon after, The second tor- pedo, mind -you, was fired although the lifeboats were close to the vessel and the crew of the submarine could not have failed to see us, as it was moonlight. It was about 9:30 p. m,, on Sunday, when we took to the boats, {and about 3 o’clock on the following morning when we were picked up.” Buried at Sea. Dr. Hawks gave the highest praise to the behavior of the women and the children, and said that the captain and crew were marvelous. ¥ appears that two boats reached Bantry with 22 people, eight of the occupants having| died from the expos- ure.. Among .those saved was the singer, Miss Mitsie Siklosi, of Paris. The bodies of the eight persons who died were confined to the deep. Among the Laconia’s firemen were sixteen American negroes. TWO MORE SPECIAL FOOD TRAINS RUSHED Minneapolis, Feb. 27.—Two more special trains of flour and one of feed for livestock were rushed through to the east today. All of the shipments are consigned to New England points. A call issued here for livestock feed indicated that stock in the east is threatened with starvation as well as humans. MINNESOTA HOUSE APPROPRIATES HALF BILLION FOR GUARD (Associated Press) St. Paul, Feb. 27.—With the eyes of the nation turned toward Washington for the next step in the international situation, the Minnesota house of re- presentatives fired by patriotism, to- © late last night between Jeffle and f Soderhamn, says an Exchange Tele- graph dispatch from Stockholm. The first car, carrying 23 insane Russian . soldiers, was demolished, and all its j passengers were killed. About 25 persons in other cars, were killed. The work of rescue was made diui- cult ty the conditons of the pasen- gers. most of whom were blind, had lost arms or legs, or were otherwise denered incapable of helping them- selves. Their hardships were in- creased by the fact that the wreck oc- red in’ darkness at a distance from cul any important town. day passed the Steen-Moeller bill, ap- propriating $500,000 for relief of na- tional guardsmen returned from the Mexican border, : There were but eight dissenting votes. Under the terms of the bill, Minne- sota guardsmen would receive fifty cents a day from the state for each day they spent in the federal service. This sum, proponents of the bill de- TO EASTERN POINTS OPERATORS. HEROE Hold Posts Sending 8. 0. 8. Calls Until Ship Starts Its-Final Plunge VESSEL ATTACKED 7 P. M. SUNDAY ON CALM OCEAN Big Cunarder Lists Rapidly as First Shot Takes Vital Effect —Crew Very Efficient (United Press.) London, Feb. 27.—Two American women were among the 12 killed on the submarined Cunard liner, Laconia. They were, Mrs. Mary Hoy and her daughter, Elizabeth Hoy. They per- ished in an open lifeboat, death being due. to exposure. Both were buried inthe open sea. Consul Frost at Queenstown made this report to the American embassy hero, adding that there were four other Americans aboard. They were: F. iL. Gibbons, Mrs. F. E. Harris, Arthur T. Kirby and Rey, Father Waering. Official figures of the Laconia dis- aster show: Total number of passengers and crew, 293. Survivors landed at Queenstown, 267. Survivors landed at Bantry, 14. Drowned, 5. . Djed. of exposure and buried at sea, 8. in hognitals, 6. . ‘hese. figures were furnished by the ‘Amérjcan consul at Queenstown and sent to American Ambassador Page here today. <1Six Of:the 20 Americans in the crew of the Laconia lost their lives, accord- Ing to the best figures available to- day.’ The Cunard liner left the names of°20 American seamen, which were signed when the ship left this port, and the company said one or two othi- ers may have signed. American Con- sul Frost at Queenstown listed 15 Am- ericans of the crew saved. Hig list calls for. 14 of those in the Canard list. Offer No Resistance. After the Laconia had been subma- rined and the survivors had taken to lifeboats, the submarine which sunk the vessel approached one of the life- boats and inquired of the captain, and asked for the nature of the cargo. He received answers from the second officer and the German officer said a British admiralty boat would reach. the survivors shortly and then depart- ed without offering any assistance. American Consul Frost at Queenstown reported these incidents to Ambassa- dor Page today. Fifteen American negroes were among the Laconia’s crew, according to Cunard ‘Line officials today. Without Warning. © ‘American Consul Frost at Queens- town officially reported to the Amert- can embassy today that the Laconia was sunk without warning and by explosions of two torpedoes. The sec- ond torpedo -was fired 20 minutes ter the first had struck. In this in- terval of 20 minutes, the first of 15 ‘boats were launched from the Laco- nia. The weather was cloudy and there was a heavy swell on the ocean. a To Avenge Death. Austin Hoy, left motherless by the death of Mrs. Mary Hoy and liza- beth Hoy in the Laconia tragedy, ‘to- day cabled his employers at the Sulli- van ‘Machinery company of Chicago, that he has taken an indefinite leave of absence. It is said the leave was taken in order to carry out plans to help avenge the death of his mother and _ sister. The Cunard: company this after- noon issued the following bulletin: “Laconia passengers dead, 3; miss- ing, 3; .crew missing, 6; crew in hos- pitals, 6.” To Avenge Death. A quiet-voiced, determined-manner- ed, successful American business man, Austin Hoy, 36, today urged his rights upon President Wilson to avenge the killing of his mother and sister. There was no suggestion of mock heroics in his manner. He was deadly calm in.dealing against those he charged with their death, He ask- ‘ed the president that the deaths of Mrs. Mary Hoy and Miss Elizabeth Hoy be avenged and requested the privilege of being the first volunteer if a citizen’s army is raised in Ameri- ca. Otherwise, he said he would en- list in.the British army. His mes- sage to the president followed a con- stiltation with American Ambassador Walter Hines Page and Consul-Gener- al Skinner today, following which he said he thought he had a right to act. “I am an American business man,” he explained: “I have been in London in business four years, representing clared, would permit the men to live properly until they had obtained new positions. . i It was predicted that the measure would pass the senate. ; the Sullivan Machinery Co., of Chica- go. Father is too old and it is the duty forme as the active mebmer ‘a Von Hindenberg Know to Favor War of Motion to End Pres. ent Struggle TRENCH ABANDONMENT MAY FORECAST STEP Germans Evidently Pr*paring for a Supreme Strategizal En- gagement on West Front (Associated Press) Geneva, Feb. 27.—Althoug! withdrawal of German for the Ancre region may ‘signify merely the abandonment of a tacticady unfavor- able projection of the line at this point, another explanation is suggest- ed by Americans who have come to Switzerland recently, after long stays in Berlin. : It is that the German re- tirement may perhaps ,be the begin- ning of a regrouping of the Teutonic forces on the west, with the intention of bringing on a decisive open field engagement, to settle the fate of the war, the Warfare of Motion, At the time of Field Marshal von Hindenberg’s appointment to chief command last year, when the corres- pondent was in Berlin, there was much duscussion of a question, the answer to which may be given by the developments of the next few days, This question concerns the field marshal’s plans for concluding the war, and particularly the possibility of some daring strategy to bring the opposing armies out of the trenches and substitute for trench wvrfare the “warfare: of motion” whici’Von Hin- denberg favors. 7D KILLED WHEN FRFICHT. TRAIN HTS PASSENGER Plows Through Three Sleeping Cars, Causing Them to Teles- cope Each Other CHESTER MINDS AND FAMILY AMONG DEAD (Associated Press) Altoona, Pa., Feb. 27.—At least 20 persons were killed and several oth- ers were injured in the collision of a of} Paris. Seven hundred fast freight train and the Mercantile Express on the Pennsylvania railroad at Mt. Union, 43 miles east of Altoona, early today. The seriously hurt were taken to Huntingdon. The express train had stopped and its air brakes were being tested, when in the midst of a dense fog, the heavy freight train struck, Three Sleeping Cars. There were three sleeping cars at- tached to the cxpress, all of steel con- struction. The freight engine plowed into the passenger train, causing the rear coach to be split asunder, It was slow work reaching the dead and injured, because the three sleep- ing cars were almost inextricably massed together. The rear car split apart, and the car ahead was forced clear through it, while the third c=r from the rear had plowed into the sec- ond car. Entire Family Killed, The dead included: r Chester A. Minds, the former Uni- versity of Pennsylvania football star; his wife, their two-weeks-old son; IMiss Maud Minds, sister of Mrs. Minds; -M..A. Caslisch, Conifer, New York; his brother-in-law; Mrs, ‘A. Se- gur Delling, sister of Mrs. Minds; a nephew and two nieces of Mr. Minds. EYPLOSION KILLS. O00 IN FRENCH POWDER PLANT (Associated Press.) Berlin, Feb. .27.—On. February. 2, terrible explosion took place. in. .the large munitions depot at Paris, Tuined more than 80,000 tons of amy 1 which | stage of water was very low, K TRIBUNE [am ASSOCIATED PRESS IDENT WILSON NOT TO TAKE ACTION UNTIL CONGRESS ACTS UPON HIS MESSACE: FILLIBUSTER MAY FORCE EXTRA SESSION GLEAR GUT CASE President Wilson Said Nation Would Recognize as Overt NO DECLARATION OF WAR IS NECESSARY Administration Only Desires Mon- ey and Authority to Protect American Lives TO CURB ACTION. Washington, Feb. 27.—The house foreign affairs committee late tonight plans to report out Flood resolutions, eliminating “other instrumentalities,” aside from guns, men and money, with which Wilson seeks to handle the international situation. The administration’s great $500,000,000 naval bill, the larg- est single national defense meas- ure ever framed, was threatened with delay and possible defeat, through Senator LaFollette’s fili- buster, (United Press) Washington, Feb. 27.—Many offi- cials here believe that Germany has committed the overt act against the United States. With the ‘receipt of confirmation of the sinking of the Cunard liner Laconia by; a German submarine without warning, and ‘that two American women lost their lives, President Wilson is brought face to face with the most critical situation since the sinking of the Lusitania, is the belief. Called Overt. That the overt act, which the pres- ident said “I will recognize and so will the country recognize when it comes,” has occurred, is the opinion expressed in many quarters here to- day. That will not call for a declara- tion of war, it is believed. The pres- ident wants only money and explicit authority to protect American lives on the high seas, Some call the sink- ing of the Laconia more ruthless and lawless than the sinking of the Lusi- tania, after which Germany promised not to sink an unarmed vessel with American passengers aboard. The sinking of the Laconia, according to several of the highest officials in offi- cialdom, is a clear cut case, No in- vestigation is necessary, This be- came known following a conference between President Wilson and Secre- tary Lansing today, Members Balk. Minority members of the house for- eign affairs committee balked today in two points on! the question of grant- ing the president the authority he asked for yesterday. First, on the matter of arming munition ships, and, second, on authorizing him to use in- strumentalities other than guns, gun-| ners, and money. Food ships, they say, could be armed. Some members objected that America’s stand against the German submarine campaign is ‘bound to react in the future and will render useless a valuable weapon for the United States some time. Closing Days. As congress met today for what is torical closing 5! it was believed certain that the legis- lative branch would ultimately uphold President Wilson's hand in a modified form. There are only five more days remaining for the present congress’ to | give the president the powers ve ask- ed for yesterday. Many legislative heads, including those who do not agree altogether in his course, pointed to the fact that he has had opposi- tion before and always got what he wanted. . This plainly shows that con- gress does not like President Wil- son’s request for other “instrumental-| ities” other than American guns, gun- | KAISER ALWAYS HAS HIS CIGARET Pictures of Kaiser Wilhelm ar- riving in this country show he continually smokes cigarets, \ On horseback or on foot, on the battlefield or at home, he may be “Seen smoking his cigaret, Miner Killed in Premature’ Blast in Mine (Special to The Tribune.) Medora, N. D., Feb. 27.—A miner whose name cannot be learned was killed early today by a premature ex- plosion at the Brody mine at Little Missouri. TRADING STAMP BILL, House Bill 427, Representative Cole’s measure prohibiting the use of trading stamps, premiums and simi- lar schemes in merchandising, was jerked from the senate calendar yes- terday afternoon and rereferred to the committee on judiciary. ners, and money for insurance. Crossing of Missouri Dangerous; River Rises . Two Feet in 48 Hours ‘Warnings were issued by the weath- er. bureau yesterday to taxl drivers and others that the crossing of the Missouri river over the ice was dan- aj gerous. ‘When the river closed last fall the from. one to two feet munition and killed 200 persons, de.jsandbars. When the ice became 34 clared’ an official press bureau quotipg | inches thic! Zeitung report, via| bars froze in| winds in the upper a Frankfarter Switzerland, from priyate sources were wounded, it 4s said... valley are melting the snows region and a8 a result the river has risen two feet in the past few days. This raised the ice, except over the sandbars, causing the ice to break be- low the bridge and allowing the water to run over the ice on the sandbars. Sunday night two inches of ice being; formed ayer these openings and three deep over the | inches of snow fell, so that it was im- possible for one not posted to know xk the ice over the sand-|the river was not safe to cross. Un- to the sandbars. Chinook | tii this ice becomes sufficiently thick Missouri river | to allow heavy cars to cross it will be in that| wise for autoists and others to keep off the the river. MAY HASTEN ACTION First Step Will Be to Equip Merchantmen With Defensive Armament INCIDENT SAME IN KIND AS LUSITANIA AFFAIR President Hopeful That Extra- ordinary Meeting of Congress Will Be Unnecessary BRYAN OPPOSED. Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 27—W. J. Bryan, in a statement issued here today, announced he was op- posed to granting powers to the president such as Mr. Wilson re quested of congress yesterday. He announced he would go imme- diately to Washington and use his influence to have the request de. clined, (Associated Press) Washington, Feb. 27,—OfMicial dis- patches today confirming reports of the death of Americdns’ on the La- conia, torpedoed: without : warning, ‘es- tablished the case as the “overt”. act. While details of the deaths of ten Americans in the unwarned destruc- tion of the Laconia began coming in today, the opposition in congress to giving President (Wilson the broad au- thority to deal with the submarine menace began taking definite; form and showed considerable’ strength. Congress Aroused. At the White House it was made known authoritatively that the de struction of the Laconia was a clear cut and ruthless violation of Ameri- can rights and life, a demonstration of what might be expected in the fu- ture, of sufficient force to hurry con- gress into clothing the president with full authority to meet the peril. \Nevertheless, the house foreign af- fairs commitee, after debating the Flood bill, which has the backing of the president, decided that the broad powers ‘to be conferred by the use of the phrase, “other instrumentalities,” should ‘be modified and that the presi- dent should be limited to using the “naval forces of tH® United States, including the naval militia.” No Blanket Authority. In the senate foreign relations com- mittee ‘Republicans voted solidly against giving the president blanket authority and it was reported they drew support from three Democrats, Senators Stone, Hitchcock and O’Gor- man. The senate committee decided to redraft the whole bill to make it more explicit. The rights to arm ships, it was said, would take the form of authorizing owners of all American ships to arm and defend them and authorizing the government to supply guns and gun- ners for this purpose. Chairman Flood took to the White ‘House, proposed amendments includ- ing one to prohibit arming of ships carrying munitions or contraband, and one to limit the president’s au- thority. ‘Administration officials considered the attitude of congress in the face of the Laconia case of sufficient import- ance to discuss sending an offictal re- port on the killing of the Americans to congress The situation, however, was un- changed from where the president left it yesterday, when he asked congress for authority to deal with the submar- ine peril. President Wilson and state depart- ment officials toox the position that no further step would be taken until congress has had an opportunity to act on the president’s request. The view prevailed that the sinking of the Laconia should hasten action by congress. Furnish Guns, 4 The first step of the government,:it was indicated, will be to furnish Am- erican ships with guns and gunners for defensive purposes, and insure them in the government war risk u- Teau. : On the basis of the official report, the sinking of the Laconia is regard- ed as another Lusitania case in prin- ciple, even though fewer lives were lost. President Wilson, it was said todéy, is opposed to calling an extra session of congress, unless it is absolutely necesary. Word has been co! to him that the Republicans may buster in an effort to force an extta session, but he is hopeful that this fa- tention will not be carried out. Clear Cut Violation. The sinking of the Laconia. the loss of American lives. ia a upon by the American government as a clear cut violation of Ame rights, according to an Lutborttgties expression of opinion obtained af a conference. between President