Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1917 — Happenings of the World Tersely Told [ARTICLE]

Happenings of the World Tersely Told

U.S— Teutonic War News The first legislative step toward a formal recognition of the existence of a state of war between the United States and Germany was taken at 11:10 o’clock Wednesday night, when the senate, by a vote of 82 to <l, passed the resolution declaring that the acts of Germany have brought about a state of war. Senators Gronna. La Follette and Morris, Republicans, and Lane, Stone and Vardanian, Democrats, voted against the resolution. Reuter's Amsterdam correspondent says President Wilson's address to congress has been answered in the German press by a storm of abuse. He quotes she Rhenische Zeitung as .saying: “Beyond striving for gold, the Americans have no ideal. They think everything can be achieved by gold. Their megalomania makes a grotesque impression on us Germans." • ,♦ • A three-hour speech by Senator La Follette of Wisconsin and a reply by Senator Williams of Mississippi in which he said Senator La Follette’s address would “better have become Herr von Bethmann-llollweg than an American senator,” featured a bitter debate in the senate at Washington on the resolution declaring'a state of war with Germany. • * * Detailed plans of the war depart* ment. ar Washington for raising an ,army, numbering millions if that is necessary “to bring the government of the German empire to terms," were placed in President Wilson's hands in the form of a bill prepared by the general staff and reviewed and revised in part by Secretary Baker and the general officers who are his military advisers. • '• • • • The crowded senate chamber at Washington was an inspiring sight as the all-day debate on the war resolution lasted into the. night, The gay gowns of hundreds of women in the jammed galleries, the solemn but at times vigorously emphatic senators on the floor, and the throng of members of the house who crowded the rear of the chamber made up a history-mak-ing assemblage, * * •

New York bankers have notified United States senators at Washington that they are prepared to advance without commission $1,000,0(10.000, and even $2,000, the United States to meet expenses or to be transferred to the allies. • • » The trnvy department sit Washington has now ordered more than 200 submarine chasers and is negotiating for the construction of more, it was officially announced. The first contracts fbr the chaser boats were awarded only two weeks ago. , r * » • 1 The White Star line steamship Cedric, which sailed from New York with several thousand tons of cargo, has arrived safely at a British port, officials of the line announced. ♦ ♦ ♦ General Pershing authorized the announcement at San Antonio. Tex., that orders will be issued directing National •Guard troops called out in the southern department to proceed to the mobilization camps immediately. * * ♦ -- ■■ _ r It became definitely known at Washington that President Wilson referred to specific cases that have occurred in the state. War ami navy department building when in his address he referred to knowledge of spy work by German agents “indeed before the war.” . ' * * * The press report of President Wilson's “state of war" message has reached Berlin. It' 4s declared that j there would be no change, in the Ger-1 man attitude, even if congress adopted ■ President Wilson’s views. Germany! will not declare war nor take any step to wage war against the United States. The submarine war will he continued as it has been conducted since February!. War department plans for the 'mobilization of a war-time artiiy have been completed at Washington for some days, and are ready for Submission to the military committees of the house and somite. • • • Domestic The Republican state ticket of Michigan was elected in its entirety by an apparent majority of more than 100,000, according to figures available; » « » - Michael Borzakovsky, conp mercial attache of the Russian government, whq arrived from Petrograd eight days ago, was shot while in the Country club at Baltimore, Md. One of his physicians said that shooting was not an accident. The Russian embassy at Washington was notified. * • Dr. Arthur Warren Waite, New York dentist, who poisoned his father-in-law, John E. Peck, wealthy Grand Rapids business man, must die in the electric chair, the Court of appeals at Albany, Ji. Y, decided. •__

Two attempts to blow up the Texas & Pacific railway bridge aKAbilene, Tex., Were made under cover of darkness early in the morning. Guards fired on three men, who escaped. No trace of the men has been found. Four men were killed at Hanford, Cal., in a shooting affray started by L. 11. Denny, a wealthy farmer, and ending in his death. The dead are; George L. Meadows, justice of the peace; E. T. Gosper, an attorney; M. W. Wiley, manager of a traction engine business; L. H. Denny, farmer. After, the greatest patriotic demonstration Baltimore; Md., has seen since the Spanish-American war, a crowd of 4,000 persons stormed the Acadamy of Music, swept a cordon of police aside and smashed a big pacifist meeting to bits, stopping a speech by Dr. David Starr Jordan. “We will hang Dave Jordan on a sour apple tree.” Thus sang the mob as it stormed the academy. ' In the first election held at Grand Rapids, Mich., under the new commis-sion-general form of municipal government, Philo C. Fuller, banker, overwhelmingly defeated former Mayor George E. Ellis for commissioner at large. *• • • Fire gutted seven blocks of business houses at Wichita Falls, Tex. Estimated loss $300,000 to $300,000. European War News French patrols have reached the Southwestern outskirts of St. Quentin, the Pans war office announced. • » • Gerinan troops have forced a crossing of the Stokhod river, in Volhynia after pressing back the Russians, the Petrograd war office announces. The Russians suffered heavy losses, • • • 41 The Mexican government at Mexico City. Mex.. sent an announcement to Ecuador and Colombia that it accepted the proposal of Ecuador for a meeting in Montevideo of American nations to decide on a common policy of bringing the European war to an end. One hundred and sixty-seven lives were lost when a Red Cross hospital ship was torpedoed in the English Channel, according to passengers arriving at New York on the Cunar?! liner Carpathia. • • The British offensive against the Ttirks in Mesopotamia has been resumed. The capture of three towns was announced by the London war office. The towns captured are Shabroban el Tawa, Sindyah and Fallujah. * • » A great outburst of cheering greeted the announcement in the house of commons at London by Chancellor of she Exchequer JSonar Law that the British ambassador in W:i>liinsti>ii has reported his belief congress “would comply With President Wilson’s recommendations.”

•♦ ♦ ■ Washington The espionage bill which passed the senate at Washington last session but failed in the house was reintroduced by Chairman Culberson of the judiciary eominit tee. • * • National Guardsmen with dependent families will'be mustered out of the federal service, it was announced at the war department at Washington. * ♦ » Senator Lodge and Alexander Bannwart. a pacifist, engaged in a fist fight in the Kipitol at Washington and Senator Lodge knocked his opponent down. • 4 « Miss Jeanette Rankin, the first woman ever elected to the national congress at Washington, entered upon the floor of the house just five minutes before it canto to order. She was escorted in by Representative Evans.', , ♦ ♦ ♦ Champ Clark of Missouri was elected speaker iff the hbuse pf representatives at Washihgtnii; The speaker defeated James R., Manti of Illinois. The ■vote resulted: Speaker Clark, 217; Representative Mann., 205 ; Representative Lenrodt. 2; Representative Gillette. 2. Two members were recorded present but not voting.

The Danish West Indies, re-chris-tened Virgin islands, were formally turned over by Denmark to the United States government, Danish Minister Brun received from S-eia t.-iry of State Lansing at Waslungtbh a draft for .$25,(JOO.OOO. the purchase price of the islands. . ">" ~ . * » ♦ Co-operation between the American navy and those of the allied powers will be effected immediately upon the investment in the president of necessary aiithority by congress. An official announcenumt at the navy department at Washington said steps had been taken to effect a* working agreement and would be put into execution as soon as possible. » » » ’ Alexander W. Bannwart, the pacifist delegate who had a fist fight with Senator Lodge in the capital at Washington, repented when he vsyas arraigned in police court and told the judge President Wilson’s address to congress had convinced him the pacifists were wrong. Foreign « The Russian provisional government at Petrograd repealed all laws actually in forte limiting the rights of Russian citizens regarding creeds.