Government Tackles Problem of Ships Tied Up in U, S. Ports by U-Boct F : "jcr HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH LXXXVI— No. 42 20 PAGES TACKLE SHIP PROBLEM CREATED BY U-BOAT WAR RUTHLESS WAR CAUSES VIRTUAL BLOCKADE OF ALL ATLANTIC PORTS Question Regarded by Offi cials as Overshadowing Collateral Issues of Situa tion; Conditions Becoming Intolerable NEW MINED AREA IN NORTH SEA ANNOUNCED Will Enable Liners to Take Northern Route and Avoid Danger Zone; Decrease in Daily Tonnage Sunk by Teutons Noted With Won der Washington, Feb. 17. What has virtually become a blockade of Amer ican Atlantic ports by Germany's ruth less submarine campaign was regarded by officials to-day as overshadowing the collateral issues of the situation. That President Wiison soon will go before Congress to announce steps to relieve the situation was the generally accepted view but no time has been set lor his action and there was no indi cation of how soon it will be taken. The effect on the country of the shipping sitution was reflected in the receipt of hundreds of telegrams by government officials to-day urging that something be done to relieve the congestion. Becoming Intolerable Officials recognize that the holding of the majority of American and other ships in port fast is becoming intoler able. Piling up of freight on rail roads, while believed to be largely due to weather and other conditions, is nevertheless looked upon as in part the result of the inability of exporters to clear American ports of freight. Means of protecting American ships against the submarine danger still are under consideration. Many officials believe the President has the power to direct the Navy Department to fur nish these vessels with guns and gun crews. Nevertheless the possibility that a clash with Germany might result is expected to cause the President to go before Congress before taking such a step. While the President and the Navy Department pondered the arming of merchantmen. Secretary McAdoo was preparing a list of vessels held in port, and Secretary Redlleld was at work on a comprehensive analysis of the damage submarines are causing to shipping generally. Proclaim New Mined Area Great Britain's proclamation of a new mined area in the NCrth Sea to restrict the movement of German sub marine to and from home ports, and the plans to make Halifax instead of Kirkwall a port of search for trans- Atlantic shipping between the United States and Northern European neu trals were expected to provide some relief from the gerieral shipping con gestion. By the latter plan vessels might avoid the war zone. Officials also noted with considerable wonder that the aggregate tonnage of submarine victims recently has been only a few thousand tons daily. The idleness of American ships was dis cussed at yesterday's cabinet meeting and officials emphasized that the main problem in the German-American re lations now is the submarine campaign and its effect on American commerce. Inquiries concerning the unofficial reports that the Yarrowdale prisoners have been released by the German government and in regard to a train load of American consuls and other nationals long overdue from Munich have been addressed to the Spanish ambassador in Berlin. I THE WEATHER Fop HnrrinhurK and vlclnltyi Prob ably ll K ht ruin to-nlKht, tiirniiiK to IlKht noiv Sunrpcnbent. GERMAN EMBASSY GAVE ORDERS TO DISABLE STEAMER Captain of Kronprinzessen Cecelic Testifies Command Came From Official KEEPS NAME A SECRET Work Was Done to Prevent Vessel's Use in Event of Hostilities Boston, Feb. 17., — Captain Charles A. Polack, of the North German Lloyd steamship Kronprinzessen Cecelie, testified to-day at a federal court hear ing on a petition for the sale of the vessel that he had been ordered by a man connected in an official capacity with the Germany embassy, to disable its machinery. This was done, he said, to prevent the ship's use by this government in the event of hostilities with Germany, lie refused to divulge the name of the man giving the order. Captain Polack said he was in Ho boken, N. J., when he received the or der and that he telegraphed his chief engineer here to disable the engines. The work of destruction was done on January 31 and February 1, he said. When asked by counsel for the peti-J tioners to give the name of the per-" son from whom thq order was receiv ed, Captain Polack said: "Your Honor, I am an officer of the German navy and if I should have to disclose the name of this gentleman in this hearing, I might be tried for treason when I went home to Ger many. 1 wish you would not oblige me to answer that question." Keeps Name Secret The question was not pressed and Judge Morton decided that it would not be necessary for the captain to answer it at this time. Captain Polack said he met the em bassy official in January at the North German Lloyd offices in Hoboken. The orders to disable the ship were given at that time in the presence of Captain Moller, superintendent of the com pany's lines in this country, he testi fied. Captain Polack was preparing to visit Hot Springs, Va., at the tiipe but changed his plans and returned to this city. Continuing his testimony, the cap tain declared the embassy officials said to him: "The relations between the two countries are being severed and the condition is very serious." The witness testified that he inquir ed whether the machinery • was to be disabled immediately and that he re ceived an affirmative answer. Captain Moller, he said, did not participate in j this part of the conversation. SETS BAIL MY ÜBS TOLD Judge LmtdlN Milken Another Record In Hencli MnthrrantlcN Chicago, 111., Feb. 17. Levy Zlm eroff, dealer in women's cloaks, suits corsets, waists, hosiery, etc., is not only a good talker, a businessman you un derstand, but he is also a fast talker. Federal Judge L.andls will never forget it. lie had the judge gasping for air yesterday morning when he finished testifying In an invountarly bankruptcy proceeding his creditors brought against him. As ZlmerofT concluded the Judge re moved Ills glasses, polished theia and replaced them on his nose. He looked at the man, then he waved his hnger menadngly. "You're bound over to the grand Jury In 5.000 bonds for perjury, $25 for each lie you told here, this morning," B aid Judge Landls. At $25 each ZimerofT told 200 lies, according to Judge Lan dls, and goodness knows he wasn't on the stand such a long time at that. The judge tried to learn what be came of Zimeroft's assets, but failed. MAKES DAYLIGHT SAVING PERMANENT Paris, '.Feb. 17, The Chamber of Deputies adopted a bill permanently advancing the legal time one hour dur ing the summer, The setting forward of the clocks is to begin the first Sun day In April, and this tinia will be in force until the lirßt Sunday in October, EARL WHITE, NEW POLICE OFFICIAL, TAKES HOLD TODAY \ *- J ||| sdW v ,. py % ■■ EARL M. WHITE E. M. White, 2205 North Fifth street, j this morning' assumed his duties as j complaint clerk at police headquarters. | The appointment was confirmed vester- | day after Council had abolished the of- ; flee of Superintendent of Detectives and j placed the plain clothes men under j Police Chief J. Edward Wetzel. White will have charge of the sys- | tem that will be installed at police I headquarters to keep a record of all complaints made. He will have charge j of the assignments to each case and j handle the report that each officer j makes. He will relieve the Chief of j much of the detail work of the de- j partment. Years of police court reporting have | kept Mr. White in close personal touoh i with every officer on the force and i given him countless friendships j throughout the city. Buller and Bent to Protect Fish From Steel Co. Drainage The State Department of Fisheries! has called upon th.e Bethlehem Steel Company to change Its method of i drainage wastes Into the Susquehanna I river at Steelton. An Inspection of I conditions along the river shore has | been made by fish wardens arid the ; reports will be taken up at once, j Arrangements were made last night j for a conference between General | Manager Quincy Bent and Commis sioner of Fisheries Buller and Deputy j Attorney General Davis at the Capitol • on Tuesday, when a definite policy will be adopted, it being recognized that the steel works is a big proposition and the changes will require some time. Up to Trolley Co. to Make Next Move in Jitney Protests The Public Service Commission yes terday and to-day received answers I from all of the jitneymen complained of by the Harrlsburg Railways Com ] pany and the company will now have to make the next move. It is likely that the company will press for hearings and that a date will be fixed within the next few weeks for presentation of cases. Since the decision of the Supreme Court in the Wilkes-Barre jitney cases [the cases pending which are governed I by that test will be rapidly disposed j of. There are not many of them. Potatoes Sell at $3.60; Highest in City's History Take them or leave 'em at $3.60 a bushel. This was about all the consolation Harrisburyers got to-day when they viewed the potato market and its soar ing prices. Grocers throughout the city who charged these prices declared that many reasons were back of the latest increase in the cost of the tubers. Good grades of white potatoes, how ever, arc being sold in the wholesale markets in Philadelphia at $2.75. The price is said to be the highest ever demanded for potatoes in the history of the city. Housewives say it is virtually a dollur more than the highest price demanded in recent years. Early in the fall of 1915 pota toes sold in the local markets at 50 cents a bushel. Harrisburg Rotarians to Attend Reading Conference Harrisburg Hotarians will take a prominent part in the proceedings of the district conference of the Kotary t Club, which will be held in Reading on March 27. Arrangements for unend ing the conference will be made by the local club at a meeting to be called for the purpose early next month. A large delegation will go from this city. Among prominent men who will ad dress tile sessions .are: George W. Har ris, of Washington, D. C.. an ex-distrlet governor; Glen C. Mead, Philadelphia, past International president; F. W. Gal braith. Cincinnati, International first vice-president, and Guy Gundaker, in ternational second vice-president. The district comprises the States of Pennsylvania, New Jersey. Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia and Includes twenty-four clubs. The conference w'U closo with a big banquet in the evening. BILIi FOR STANDARD I>OAF The bill to establish a State stan dard for a loaf of bread Is being pre pared and will be presented in the Legislature next week. Chief James Sweeney, of the bureau of standards, has repeatedly urged such a standard. F. AND M. KI.KC T Seven directors are scheduled to be elected at the annual meeting of the tosckholders of the Harrisburg (foun dry and Machine Works to be held' in the general offices of the corporation next Thursday morning, I Single Copy, 2 Cents HOME EDITION STAMM GETS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR W. B. ITTNER Telegrams and Letters Boosting St. Louis Expert in School Construction Received by School Board President vim FIVE MEN STILL LINE UP AGAINST SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Greenfield, Ohio, Philanthropist Who Spent $250,000 of His Own Money For School Tells of Expert's Ability While the selection of an architect for the big building program planned by the Harrisburg School lioard un der the terms of the $1,250,000 loan passed by the voters in November is still open, directors this morning said they expected something of a deadlock before the selection finally is made. Telegrams and letters lrom various points in the country to the advisory committee which recommended Wil liam B. lttner, widely-knoxvn architect and school designer of St. Louis, have doubly impressed members of the com mittee and the directors who sup ported the St. Louis man, with Mr. Ittner's ability. Members of this advisory committee —to which the Ittner recommendation was referred back by the Hoard after it was defeated five to four—this morning said they were unable to say when the matter would again be placed before the Hoard. It was strongly hinted, however, that the next report would be even more strongly in favor of Ittner's selection. President Stamm is in receipt of two telegrams and a letter from per sons who strongly urge the selection of Mr. Ittner. Mr. Stamm said he was particularly impressed by the communications from E. Li. MeClain, of Greenfield, Ohio. Mr. MeClain recently took into his own hands the high school needs 0 % t | ENTENTE TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC |[ !! BERLIN. FEB. 15. BY WIRELESS TO SAY VILLI:. 17. / JG TO AN AN ji NO I; CEMENT IN ' j! TH: NTE jj NA i " AN TO : . >(."!■: !! FROM, JTO APRIL 20 IN ROME. ALL THE j ! ENTENTE COUNTRIES WILL BE REPRESENTED, .] | IT IS SAID. IN ORDER TO DISCUSS "MEASURES j ! OF ECONOMIC WARFARE" AFTER THE CON- || | CLUSION OF PEACE j ! BOMB AIRPLANE STATIONS jj ; Berlin, Thursday, Feb. IS. —By Wireless to Sayville, ] ! Feb. 17. —lt is officially stated, says an Overseas News | f | Agency announcement to-day, "that German naval air- ! [ ! plaes on-February M copiously bombarded airplane stations ][. I in the vicinity of Dunkirk and Coxyde. Good hits were j! | obtained. A hydroairplane successfully .bombed trading jfe.' ship.; j:ichi i" 1 in th D ' |' n TWO U-BOATS SUNK 85,000 TONS jj Berlin. Friday, Feb. 16. —By Wireless to the Asso j; ciated Press, via Tuckerton, Feb. 17. One German sub- P marine returning to home base reports that during a period '[ of 24 hours she sank merchant ships aggregating 50,000 < \ tons. Another German U-boat has a record of sinking !( total tonnage of 35,000 in five days. SALAZAR THREATENED AMERICANS El Paso, Tex., Feb. 17. While at Sabinal, 98 miles south of Juarez February 8, Jose Ynez Salazar made a jU threat to attack Juarez and kill all of the Americans at j j tending the Juarez races, according to a Mexican who ct. ]| caped from Salazar's command at Sabinal and is here today. || GREW GOES TO AUSTRIA Pans, Feb. 17. Joseph C. Grew, formerly secretary I' of the American embassy at Berlin, wh<> i | counsellor of the American embassy there. j! ' i | MARRIAGE jj Frank ( Inyton llcrry nnd Anna Catherine Hippie, Ilarrlnburi. . ..................................... ' of his home city, contributed $250,000 for the building and equipment of a building and engaged Mr. Ittner to draw the plans for the work. "It certainly is reasonable to pre sume that where a man spends that much of his own money that he is in' terested in getting the best," said Mr Stamm. Mr. McClain's telegram to President Stamm follows: "1 understand that you are con sidering employing a capable schoolbuilding architect, which prompts me to recommend for your favorable consideration Mr. William U. Ittner, of St. .Louis, who was employed by me after making a most thorough investi gation in connection with a high school building and equipment which I desired to donate to this community. I have found Mr. Ittner most thoroughly capable, painstaking, courteous and perse vering at all times. My interest is [Continued on Page 17] WHKKfj TOKN FROM TRUCK In attempting to make the turn at the eastern entrance to the South Sec ond street subway last night, the front right wheel was torn from an automobile delivery truck belonging to Atland's French Cleaning and Dye ing works.