Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, February 12, 1917, Page 1

Ships Have Been Held in Port Because of Imability to|#55 . Obtain Weapons for Defense AMERICAN FLEET IDLENESS VIEWED WITH ALARM German Proposal That Means be Discussed of Preventing Break in Relations Has Met With No Responsive Chord in Washington—Only One Vessel Was Destroyed in the War Zone Sunday—President Wilson Has Made No En- gagements for the Coming Week, But i Keeping His Time Free for Work on the Submarine Question and on His Legislative Program Still Pending Before Congress. _ ‘Washington, Feb. 11. — American ship owners who have been holding their vesels in port because of inability to obtain guns for defense agafnst submarines probably will have their difficulty soived in a few days. Strong intimations were given in official quarters tonight that, while the gov- ernnment will not actually arm mer- * chant advise arming, a way ‘weapons at the disposal of owners who desire to prepare for defense against illegal attaclk. Disquiet Over Idieness of Fleet. The enforced idleness of the Ameri- lewed bu ‘the world demands that American ves- sels continue to ply the high seas with- out regard to the German proclama- #ion which the government has re- pudiated with the most severe means in its power short of war. German Proposal Net to Be Considered. _ The German proposal, delivered to the state department yesterday that means be discussed of preventing the break in relations from resulting in ‘war, apparently has struck no despon- sive chord here. No official would in- d‘mt: today whhet.har a reply alreads had been given but there was no. dis-. position to demy that the proposal had been made or that the Americans re- garded it as an effort in part by Ger- many to be forcing the issue. Tt was made clear everywhere in government circles that there was nothing to dis- cuss unless Germany desired to stop abridging American rights and illegally menacing American life. Kaiser Has Calied Conference. In connection with the German sug- gestion, special interest attached to ca- ble despatches announcing that Emper- or William had called a conference, presumably to discuss the submarine campaign and the position of neutrals. It was suggested that out of the con- ference might come something more wmngible than the mere oral sugges- tion that Germany would like to dis- cuss means of preventing the addition of another nation to her long list of eneniles. What has been done so far is con- strued only attempt to place up- on the Uni-d States the appearance of belligeren Delieving the chief er public opinion heer and divide the country, the move is about as unweicome here as if Mr. Gerafd in Berlin had gone behind the German government through the Span- ish ambassador, who represents the United States there, in an appeal to the German people, on a wholly incom- plete issue. Mere Acknowledgment Probable. 'Whether any sort of answer beyond 2 mere acknowledgment to the Swiss minister who presented the suggestion vesterday will be made is uncertain, as that matter rests entirely with Pres. ident Wilson. Opinions differ, some be- Tieving it wiser to ignore the susge: tion entirgly. It is possible that a summary of the present submarine campaign with a list of the singings without warning and the loss of lives may be submitted as further showing why the United States and other neu- trals belleve Germany’s course outside the bounds of law. Destruction of Vessels Growing Smaller The fact that only one vessel was destroyed in the war, zone today and that the number has been growing smaller daily, has mo2:’» the views of those who thought th- new campaign might completely iso! te England. Re- rts from British vces that less s ninety vesscls t of 1,100 going to anr from England a7 been destroy- ed since the c: i tarted, are re- garded as sienifi~nnt to the success of the undersen to date. "It is poi at the heaviest losses were e n the first few days when rma els had had no time to m~k~ cr take precautions. To Take Every Precaution. stood_rot to go offl than it has dy gone in telling ship own- ers thi' the yare justified in arming eif-protectibn they think it ry. A stronf® opposition has oped since the beginning of the -~mament. As much as posble it has ament. As much as posible it has =n_desired not to any - action ~hich might put the United States . the position of precipitating hostili- 2s. Guns For American Liners. Nevertheless, officials belisve that so lonz as the government has repudiated Germany’s war zone officially n¢ American ship owners of their right to arm for self-protection, ~ the = owners should be put in & ition exercise rlthf.mm Sstatement of P. A Bé n the submarine question and on his egislative programme still pending in congress. He may be expected to pay at least one visit to the capitol during the week, and to visit the state, war and navy departments. Several weeks ago the president accepted an invita- tion to speak tomorrow night before a local citizen’s organization and it is thought possible that he might take the occasion to comment on the present situation. Since the break with eGr- many, however, he has cancelled one Speaking engagement and he may de- cide not to keep #his one. RITISH CAPTURE STRONG SYSTEM OF TRENCHES German Submarines Sank Only One Boat Sunday. The British continue their operations against the Germans with Bapaume as their objective. Saturday mnight a strong system of trenches to the north of Beaumont-Hamel, in the Ancre re- gion, extending over a front of more than three-qaurters of a mile, captured and 215 Germans made pris- oner. South of the river, near Pys, other ?e-che: ‘were taken and Ger- man attempts to recapture their lost positions south Sailll-Saillisel were frustrated by British guns. Eilse- where along the i tured the fighting. There has been considerable fighting in the Austro-Italian zonme and in Mes- opotamia _ between the British _and Turks. In the Gorizia sector of the former theatre the Austrians are re- es, inflicte@ heavy casualties on the de- ported to have entered Italian trench- fenders and made 665 men prisoners. In addition machine guns, bomb throw- ers and much war material were taken. Rome admits the occupation of small portions of the Italian front line trenches in this region, but =ays they are being kept under barrage fire by the Ttalians. In Mesopotamia the Brtish in their observations against the Turks have occupied a new front of more than 6,- 000 yards, pushing back the Turks for a depth varying from 800 to 1,000 vyards. In the eastern theatre the German captured Russian trenches near Stan- islay, in Galicia, but later were forced to evacuate themy according to Petro- grad. 2 Sunday’s report of Germany’s un- derwater boat campaign showed only one vessel, the British steamer Sal- aga, 3811 tons, as bhaving been sent to the bottom. ALARMIST DESPATCHES WRRE CIRCULATED IN BERLIN That is Why Ambasador Gerard Was Asked to Sign Protocol. Copenhagen, Feb. 10, 11 p. m., via London, Feb. 11, 4.18 p. m.—The eGr- man government’s attitude in en- deavoring to induct Ambasador Gerard treaties with the United States regarding mutual protection of nation- als in case of hostilities and the hints of possible detention of American ed States regard- ing treatment of German citizens and property there. The Associated Press correspondent who left Berlin Satur- day mofning and now has reached Co- penhagen, -is able to state. As soon as reassuring advices were received from the United States and as soon as the German government saw that the attempt to negotiate a proto- col_reratifying the treaty of 1799 with tions and expansions had failed, it ly receded from its position and nothing further was heard of newspapermen being held as hostas- WRECKAGE WASHED ASHORE ON BRAZILIAN COAST Wireless Apparatus and a Box of Ex- plosives Among the Debris. Pernambuco, Brazil, Feb. 11.—] - ing the past fow a-g'; e NEW HAVEN MAN ON STEAMER JAPANESE PRINCE —_— Which Was Sunk by a German Sub.- marine—Member of Troop A, C. N. G. Duke of Norfolk Dead. Duke of Nor- the Egnlish [ at £300,000 an- GERMANS TO DISCUSS SUBMARINE WARFARE An Important Conference Has Been Called by Emperor William. London, Feb. 11, 427 p. m.—An im- portant conference at headguarters has been called by Emperor William, presumably to discuss the submarine question, says the Exchange Tele. graph company’s Amsterdam corres- pondent. ? Dr. von Bethmann-Hollweg, the im- perial chancellor, and high army and navy officials, will attend and it is reported, adds the correspondent, that the possibility of negotiations with neutrals for modifying the terms of the recent German memorandum will be discussed. i & Colmcfieut in Propom‘on to the City’s Popuiation |Gerard and Staff | Condensed Telograms BY OFFICERS AND PASSENGERS OF STEAMER KROONLAND Those Aboard the Kroonland Witness- ed the Destruction of a Dutch Steamer About Eleven Miles Off the Coast of Ireland. XNew York, Feb. 11.—Two mysteri- ous vessels, one said to have been-a submarine, the other having every ap- pearance of being a German raider or submarine supply ship, were sighted in mid-ocean Mondzy, February 5, officers and passengers of the Ameri- can line steamship Kroonland, which arrived today from Liverpool. ~ @n February 1. one day out from Liver- pool, those on board declared they witnessed the destruction of a Dutch freighter by shellfire from a subma- rine. The Kroonland -was then about 11 miles off the Irish coast and oppo- site Fastnet light. ‘The crew of the ship sunk took refuge in a lifeboat and were towed away by the submers- ible, it was said. Witnessed Sinking of Steamer. The Kroonland was within five miles of the Putch steamer and her in Switzerland| LEAVE TAKING OF AMERICAN AMBASSADOR WAS CORDIAL to Go to Switzerland, to Await Instructions—Fully Two Hundred Americans Remain in Ber- fin. Berlin, Saturday, Feb. 10, $.30 p. m. —(By Wireless to The Associated Press, via Sayville, Feb. 11). James W. Gerard, the American ambassador, and his staff left Berlin at 8.10 o'clock tonight for Switzerland. - Besides the embassy staff 120 other Americans accompanied him. The leave-taking was very cordial, members of the foreign office seeing the ambassador off. Mr. Gerard will await instructions in Berne, before proceeding. 200 Americans Remain in Berlin. The train on which the ambassador left Berlin consisted of ten coaches. Fully two hundred Americans who are remaining in Berlin were on hand to take leave of their countrymen. .“Goodbye, Judge,” some one shout- ed as the train started, and Mr. Ge- rard leaning far out of the window of IMPORTANT BUSINESS BEFORE CONGRESS THIS WEEK Work‘on Preparedness Bills is Stea Progressing. ‘Washington, Feb. 11.—The diplomat ic breach with Germany having been endorsed by the senate by an over- whelming vote last week, congress is devoting itself to overtime considera- tion of important general business, to- gether with emergency measures ne- cessitated by the strained international situation. Leaders of both sides are doing all possibie to suppress talk that might em! the government as well as interfere with business. ‘Work on preparedness bills is_pro- gressing steadily. Tuesday the house will pass the naval appropriation bill, together with amendments urged by Secretary Daniels, providing authority to commandeer shipyards and muni- tions plants, and appropriating $1,000, 000,000 for the purchase of basic pat- ents_of When this is done the army appropriation biil carrying approximately $300,000,000 will be put ugh quickiy. the ehipping laws giving the govern- ment authority to commandeer vessels being built in this country for foreign owners in time of war, or threatened war. Tomorrow the senate expects to pass the Porto Rican citizenship bill. UNION SWITCH AND . SIGNAL PLANT DESTROYED With a Loss of About $4,000,000 at crew and passengers declared they saw the submersible come to the sur- face, approach the freighter, then sink her by three shots from a deck gun. The Dutch ship went down in about five minutes. Captain Barman of the Kroonland said he was getting ready to go to the rescue of tne crew when he saw that the U-boat had in tow the one lifeboat into which the crew had taken refuge. The submarine, ac- cording to Captain Barman, left the scene at a fast speed, “ fast,” he safd, “that the tralling boat was al- most lifted out of the water and the poor wretches were undoubtedly be- ing thoroughly drenched.” Nine Other Ships in Sight. While one Dutch ship was beins destroyed, nine other ships could be seen closer in shore, but no war ves- sel was in sight. A British cruiser, however, had been sighted earlier in the day. It was 7.55 a. m. on February 5 that officers of the Kroenland sighted sev- eral miles off the Kroofiland’s port bow what they declared was a sub- marine. All they could see was the conning tower—looking like the funnel miles, remained in sight for about ff- teen minutes, then Two hours later, the officers added, a one-funnel ship painted black or some dark colors, o given and those set by the were unanswered. mysterious stranger kept a’course parallel to the Kroonland, then veered sharply, swung in a circle away from the American liner and disappeared. Guns May Have been Concealed. The vessel did not answer any de- allied ship approached the the officers declared it a British cruiser. For some time the| his car, replied: “Auf Wiedersehn on | Broadway.” _The former ambassador’s face bore a smile as he waited for the train to depart and he expressed himself op- timistical with regard to further de- velopments in the German-American situation. At the station Count Montgelas, the head of the American section of the foreign office, and Herr von Pritt- witz, personal representative of For- eign Minister Zimmerman, were pres- ent to bid Mr. Gerard farewell. The| diplomatic corps was represented by Pélo y Bernabe, the Spanish ambas- sador, who is to take over the inter- ests of the Upited States; Dr. Theo- foky, the Greek minister; Baron Gev- ers, the German minister and the di- plomats of the South American re- publics. The military authorities and the foreign office assigned special offi- cers td accompany the train to the Swiss frontier. where it is due to ar- rive at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. On the way to the frontier the train will pick up a score or more Ameri- cans attached to consular offices in southern . The disposition of the ambassadorial train after its arrival in Zurich rests with the Swiss government, which is nw:iung in- structions from France. It is consid- ered likely, however, that the Ameri- can party 1 stay in Berne for a few days. Arrival in Switzerland. Zurich, Swi 11, 10.55 p. m. James W. e American met by the Switzerland, Pleasant representatives of th SELF-GUIDING TORPEDO _BASED ON MAGNETIC ONTROL Has Been Invented by Charles J. Field of Williston, N. D. A. Stovall, and Swiss army. nd, via Paris, Feb.|Depa amb: - B>: | A membership in_the Chicago Board of rade was so1d for ¥, o Bt ’ “Seven thousand women shirtwalst ‘makers of- New York went on strike. Dr. William Aabon, superintendent of Manhattan State Hospital, is dead. The. receipts from _customs in the B.D\fi,’; of Nicaragua last vember Railroad earnings of 144 carrier: during the month of December amount- ed to 224,887,626. During the month of, January the Allies lost 56 aeroplanes and three ob- servation balloon: - Exports of copper from Atlantic ports for the week ended February § totaled 7,657 tons. Fire destroyed an entire biock of business houses at Welch, W. Va. at a loss of $250,000. Henry, Eben Burnham, United States senator’ from New Hampshire from 1901 to 1913 is dead. The French Cabinet decided on the reduction in the number of pages of the daily newspapers. All naval m ordnance in Wis- consin is to be shipped immediately to Brooklyn navy vyard. The United States Government plac- ed a $3,000,000 order with the Midvale Steel Co. for 16-inch guns. Gold coin to the amount of $510,000 was withdrawn from the sub-treas. ury for shipment to South America. A heavy guard was placed on the double track railroad bridge across the Mississippl River at Thebes, IIl. The strike of efectrical workers and other trade unions at Washoe smelter of the Anaconda Copper Co. has been settled. About $500,000 will be spent by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail- way Co. for the installation of block signals. The Federal Trade Commission has completed its news print paper in- vestigation and will send its report to Congress today. ve hogs sold for $13 a hundred pounds at the Herr's Island stock yards at Pittsburg, the price being the highest since 1869. Switzerland has taken ovec German interests in Japan, which were cared for by the United States before its breach with German: The Ilinois Public Utilities Com- jesion authorized the Public Service Co. of northern Illinois to issue $5,000,000 debenture bonds. ol m! ‘Frank Crawford, of 5 Pay was instantly killed by s caught in a beit in the Lititz paper mill and carried under heavy rolls. Throughout New York the number of alien residents who declared their intention of becoming citizens of tae United States totaled 1,000. Gov. Walter Edge of New Jersey called at the White House with assur- ances of New Jersey's full support in case of war with Germany. The French Chamber of Deputies passed a bill authoriing the Minister of Financez to lend $100,000,000 to the Allies and friendly nations. “It is a woman’s privilege to’ take money out of her husband's pocket,” Magistrate James J. Conway, of the Jamaica police court, so ruled. The British Government has re- quested the State Department to sus- pend the publication of all ship move- ments of sailing in the newspapers. Alexandre Ribot, minister of fin- once, introduced a bill in the Frnech Chamber of Deputies empowering the government to call up the 1918 class. Walker Percy, general counsel for the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co., accedinetally shot and killed him- self at his home at Birmingham, Ala. Ernest C. Quick, a contractor, of Somerville, J., shot and killed Julius Slater, a polieman, who tried to precent him from committing suicide. Claus Spreckel: president of the Federal Sugar Refining Co., anounced an increase of three cents an hour to 1,000 employes of the refinery at ‘Yonkers. A bill providing for physical and military training in the common and also the high schools of West Virginia was introduced in the Senate by Sen- ator Carter. The nomination of County Judge George R. Salisbury, of Saratoga, to be a Supreme Court Justic for, the Fourth Judicial District, was sent to the New York Senate. The Senate Rules Committee decid- ed to recommend employment of 50 additional policemen to guard the Cap- itol against bomb plots, feared as a re- sult of the German crisis. Bernard Listmann, 76, a violinist, founder of the Boston FPhilharmonic Society in 1879 and once concert ter of the Thomas Orchestra in New York, died in Chicago. ion of Her- 7 destroyed the Munger rtment Store, the Masonic Tem- ple and the Grange Mercantile & change building at a loss of $300,000. The Hotel Lenox, at Exeter and and Boylston street, in the Back Bay district, Boston, was severely dam- aged by fire early Saturday. All of the 250 guests and the employes were able to get out, but several susta: minor injuries. F The Yale “committes of twenty-one” Jearr71 last night and the management and control of the great amphitheatre will be turned over to the University Athletic association. italian Bark Aground. London, Feb, 11, 2 p. m.—Lloyds re- > the Itailan bark § inag, of loss. PRICE TWO CENTS Berlin Regards Warasinevitable LITTLE HOPE OF RECONCILING POLICIES WITH U, 8. OVERT ACT IS EXPECTED g5 e Neutral Are be Warned to Keep Out of War Zore Prescribed by Germany — Enemy Merchantmen to Merchantmen to be Sunk on Sight. London, 5.28 pectation pre- Copenhagen, . m—Little hope ils in Berlin t war with the :d States is avoidable, or that a meodus vivendi reconciling the policies of the two governments can be found To Warn Neutral. Merchantmen. The authorities and most of the peo- ple now desire to avold actual hostl ties in any way consistent with the general lines of the present submarine policy, but only in such. Accordingly instructions were given, so The ciated Press has been reliably in ed,” to submarine commanders before they start on their February mission to take the safe side when neutral vessels, particylarly Americans, in question, whenever possible. merchantmen, when recognized such, were ordered to be sunk at sig but neutral merchantmen were to warned when such action, in judgment, was consistent with the ob- ject of the campaign and the safety of their own ships. Overt Act Sooner or Later. It was realized, however, af prompt and resolute stand taken President Wilson, that these orders could only be palliative and only defer not avoid, an uitimate break, and that if President Wilson stood by his an- noungement, that_the destruction of American lives of ships would be re- garded as an act of hostility, a casus belll muet come sboner or later—prob- ably sooner, on account of the number of Americans on engmy ships, and the discretionary nature of the instruc- tions to_ submarine commanders, who were informed that smhile the above course toward neut was recom- mended and desired, they would not longer be subjected to punishment for departing from their former procedure of warning, if they nd this advis- able. No Modification of Warfare. It is considered that the only possi- bility of the avoidance of hostilities would result from a modification of ita standpoint by ome or the other side, and o far as could be judged from the positive declarations, of Alfred Zim- mermann, the German minister of for- eign affairs, and other officials before The Associated Press correspendent's departure from Berlin, there was no probability that Germany would give way this time or abandon the ruthless campaign now started. German-Amer- ican relations again and again have passed through crises apparently al- most hopeless, but this time the crisis is more difficult than the former ones and even the optimistic can scarcely see any peaceful egress from the im- passe. Development of Present Crisis. From a neutral cable office it fs now possible to tell the story of the de- velopment of the present crisis, on which the most rigid censorship has been applied in Germany. To the observer in Berlin the ap- proach of the crisis had been plainly and definitely evident since the rejec tion of Germany's peace overtures. In- formation as to Germany's definite de- cision to start a sharpened submarine war, and even the form it would take, namely, a blockade of specified regions (though the idea of a “prohibited Zone” was later substituted for that of a “blockade” at the request of the naval authorities, who anticipated pos- sible formal objections under _the blockade regulation) was received by The Associated Press almost on the morrow of Ambassador Gerard's speech on German-American good relations delivered at the banquet of the Ameri- can Assoclation of Commerce and Trade early in January. A week later it was stated that a full decision on the situation had not been reached and that the campaign would not be launched until after further consultations with Germany's allies and the receipt of certain information from Count von Bernstorff and Count Tarnowski von Tarnow, respecti German and Austro-Hungarian am- bassadors to the United States, of their concept of armed merchantmen and their liability to attack as warships. Ruthl, Warfare Decided Upon. ‘The final decision on an out-and-out submarine campaign of a so-called ruthless ‘type was taken at the grand Austro-German conference at German headquarters on the German em- peror’s birthday, though The Assoclat- ed, Press heard the statement that submarines departing several days earlier for stations on the submarine hunting grounds were provided with contingent orders for this eventuality. Close Censorship. The censorship, however, shut down tightly on any definite statements or predictions of the appr ‘hing crisis, The Associated Press being then in- formed from usually reliablesources that it was desired fo ine and technical reasons to have the decision come as a surprise. This intimation was conveyed confidentially to the German newspapers. All' despatches going into the subject in detail, how- ever, were either suppressed entirely or references to coming events cen sored out of and the only source was to use again and again the word “blockade” in discussions of sub- marine possibilities. th by JEWISH WORKMEN ARE / OPPOSED TO WAR Vote Taken at Annual Convention in Session in New oYrk. -, Feb. 11,—Delegats at- convention of the annual i committee on Jewish right. red here today, voted against cii States becoming involved in_the Euiopean war. The , who came here from all parts of the country, clalm to r resent 500,000 Jewish workers. were lost. | in