Congress Faces Gigantic Task in Las HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH LXXXVI— No. 43 STEADILY PREPARING FOR EVENTUALITIES Government Adheres to Its Plans in Taking Action to Pro tect American Rights When the Moment Arrives; Submarine Situation at Standstill SLACKENING OF RUTHLESS CAMPAIGN IS REGARDED AS REDUCING CHANCES OF OVERT ACT Washington Hears Yarrowdale Prisoners Will Be"Released Shortlylmmediate Freeing of Sailors Insisted on by Officials Washington, D. C., Fob. 19.—The submarine situation seemed at a standstill to-day with the government i apparently closely watching develop- [ ments, steadily preparing itself for < eventualities and adhering to its plans in taking action to protect American | rights when the moment arrives. The slackening of the ruthless cam paign in the last three or four days 1 is regarded as reducing the chance of an attack on an American ship or loss of American lives but with the coming of warmer weather it is expected to | increase in intensity. There was no further indication to- 1 day of the President's plans for go- j ing before Congress to ask for addi- | tional authority. Through the Spanish embassy the State Department has been informed that the American sailors taken as prisoners to Germany on the prize steamer Yarrowdale "would be re leased shortly." The State Department through the Swiss minister forwarded to Berlin Saturday a request for their immediate release. A previous mes sage inquired as to the reason for keeping the men prisoners and insist ing upon their release. Oflieials Impatient Because of the slow and uncertain communication between Washington and Berlin, State Department officials were unable to decide whether to-day's dispatch was in answer to its last re quest or the previous one. State Department officials are watching the situation with some im patience. Austria's real attitude perplexes of ficials here and there is hope that Ambassador Penfield will find *ome way to influence the Vienna govern ment not to formally sanction the ex treme position taken by Germany. Xo answer has been received to a direct inquiry as to whether Austria intend ed to follow Germany. It was authoritatively said at the State Department to-day that so far nothing has been heard from the cen tral powers as to what course they would take in the event that the United States authorized the arming of American merchant ships. Tension Lessens It was stated definitely that Presi dent Wilson has made no plans so far for going before Congress, although ;t was not denied that he still is con sidering the advisability of such a step. In some quarters it was be lieved possible that he might conclude not to go to Congress at present. Officials generally said, however, that some means must be found for getting American and other vessels to resume sailings. While consideration has been given to various suggestions for arming and convoying merchant men, it was considered possible that before long the vessels may sail of their own accord. Although officials maintain re ticence there has been an unmistak able lessening in the tension within the last two or three days. \ Sells House Through Telegraph For Sale Ad J. F. Hohrer A Son announce the Male of the Mr*. Mary 11. Walloper property, 34M Chestnut atreet, la*t week, to Harry C. Ibach. Kohrer A Son give credit to the Harrlftburic Teleicraph'n ela**lfled column* for thl Male, the piirrhaner bavin* been located through thin little ad which appeared exclusive ly In thla newapaprrs CHESTNUT ST., 304—10 rooms, hath, steam heat, almost new, good condition. bargain to quick buyer. ROHRER & SON. BERGNER BLDG. Telegraph Claanified Advertise ments will locate a buyer for that property you Lave for *ale. Try them. THE WEATHER] For Harrlahurg and vicinity! I'n aetled, probably rain or IIOIT and Mmrnhat warmer to-nlcbt, with Inneat temperature about freerlng; clearing Tueaday. " I'mujltanlai Prob ably rain or Hon and warmer to night. followed by clearing Tuea aart freah to atrong eaat wlnda ahlftlng to weat by Taeaday. River The Suaqaehanna rlrer and prob ably all Ita tributaries will re main nearly atatlonary without •■y material change* in general lee condltlona. General Condltlona Preaaure la low over the central part of the country and weat of the Hoeky Monntalna with one renter of dlaturbanco off the North Pacific eoaat and another o( moderate energy over Hlaaourl. Light to moderate ralaa have faU. lea generally aouth aad eaat ,1 the Ohio rlrer. Tempera tare i * a, a„ St degreaa above aero, Huai Klaea, tiil] a, at, Mooai New moon, February SI, lilt a. m. Hlver Ktagei 6.3 feet above low water mnrlt, Yeaterday'a Weather High eat temperature, CI, Loweat temperature. M. (lea. temperature, 44, lltraul temperature, M 16 PAGES ; Vienna Officials Cling to Hope Break With U. S. Will Be Averted J Vienna, Feb. 1", via Feb. : 19.—Despite the fact that some of the newspapers are taking a gloomy vit:w of Austro-American relations and the situation brought about by the sever ing of relations between the United i States and Germany, official circles :u [Vienna are Inclined to believe the out look is not entirely hopeless. This also is the view of Frederic C. Penfield, the American Ambassador, who is doing everything possible to assist in reaching a friendly solution of the situation. At this moment there are two in dications, though possibly they are of little weight, which permit of the conclusion that Washington is not con templating an immediate break with Austria-Hungary. One is the trans fer to the embassy here of Joseph C. Grew, former secretary of the em bassy in Berlin, who arrived here to night from Switzerland to assume the duties of counselor of the embassy. This post is vacant at present owing to the illness of Ulysses Grant Smith, who now is in the United States. Tho second indication arises from the fact that Secretary of State ten sing yesterday wired here on behalf of various Hebrew charity organiza tions the sum of $2K0,000, the amount having been donated by American He brew societies. At the embassy here the opinion was expressed that the United States Government might not have transferred this sum had a oreak between Washington and Vienna been even tentatively decided on. Accuses Gerard of Giving Entente War Information Through U. S. ! Amsterdam. Feb. 19, via London.— 1 Count Von Reventlow devotes the leading editorial in the Berlin Tages Zeitung to-day to an attack on James W. Gerard, former American ambas sador, whom he accuses of having : used his official position deliberately ito transmit important war informa tion to the entente byway of America. I "Man indications," he writes, "have continually pointed to the theory that the uncontrolled cable service and let ter service to the United States per mitted to the American embassy had also been an uncontrolled method of communication with London and Paris. This was best illustrated In the ; events which le<! to the capture and execution of Sir Roger Casement. Thus London learned in good time of the enterprise which led Casement to the Irish coast and his capture fol lowed. American Ambassador Gerard 1 and his personnel were the ones who delivered the honorable Irishman to I the hangman." An attack on American newspaper service from Berlin is appended and the article closes with an expression of hearty thankfulness that Mr. Ger : ard has left Berlin. 122 Ships Sunk Since Start of Ruthless War 122 Ships; 244,089 Tons Sunk Since February 1 SUXK TO-DAY Tonnage 1010 3,903 SUXK YESTERDAY | Worcestershire 7,175 Valdes (British) 2,285 Romsdalen (British) 2,548 Total 12.008 Previously reported ....232,031 Total since February 1 . .247,922 London, Feb. 19. —Germany's sub marine warfare against Great Britain resulted disastrously for four English ships yesterday and to-day, one of them the Worcestershire, of 7,175 tons gross. A dispatch from Germany gives the first information of the loss of the Italian steamship Bisagno, of 2,252 tons, which was sent down in the At lantic ocean on January 12, This, however, was almost three weeks be fore the Teutons opened their ruthless sea conflict. The British ■teamer 1010, of S.9OS tons gross, has been sunk, Lloyd's Shipping Agency announced to-day. Eleven men of the crew of the Brit ish steamer Romsdalen, reported sunk yesterday are missing, Lloyd's Ship ping Agency announced to-day, Distribution of Polish Relief Is Continuing New York. Feb. 19.— The Pro -1 visional Zionist Committee announced here to-day that the diplomatic situa tion between the United States and Germany had not Interfered with its distribution of relief funds in Pale stine, Poland and Lithuania. HARRISBURG. PA., MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 19, 1917. i SULLIVAN'S OWN SURVEY tOF THE TROLLEY SITUATION ] V / ftiWwTsol MAN *UST TAtf FimSft 1 TAP TOGfT r- 1 wiffTFM • SCHEDULE IS UNCERTAIN V_ W / WOFT "| . SOHETAHE? , * MO CHANCES EVfNINfa CRUSH ON STEP THIS Wff! WTCH THE OEffTH-DEFYINI? THE RESERVOIR IW*K LINE. DAI?EDEViIS LOOP THE LOOP— IT COS?? r' ~ ANICKLE-ahalfawje^ MAYOR MEALS IS DANGEROUSLY ILL AT HIS HOME Organic Heart Disease and General Breakdown Make His Condition Serious Mayor E. S. Meals, who has been 111 for several weeks, yesterday took a turn for the worse when his condition became serious. Mayor Meals to-day was said by physicians in attendance to be suffer ing from organic heart disease. In ad dition to this it was said at the home, Second and North streets, that the Mayor was suffering from a general phpsical breakdown. The Mayor spent a restless night. Dr. George B. Kunkel and Dr. Park A. Deckard were in attendance. Oxygen was administered as an aid to the heart. At noon to-day it was said that Dr. Meals was resting somewhat easier and that his condition was a little better. Mayor Meals has been confined to his home for month than a month. ; He has been unable to attend a session of Council for the past five weeks, al though he has been able to discuss business with other City Commisioners at his home most of the time. Patrolman Saves Woman From Death in Djtch Mrs. Joseph Thompson, of Paxtang, last evening was saved from drown ing in a ditch near her home in Pax tang by Patrolman George Fetrow who was motoring home from a trip through the country with his family. Mrs. Thompson was seized with a stroke of vertigo and tumbled head long int othe ditch. Fetrow saw the accident from a distance and by speed ing up his machine was able to pull the woman to safety although her head had been submerged for a little time. Fetrow placed the woman in his ma -1 chine and took her home. Jitney Hearings to Be on February 28 The Public Service Commission will ; probably fix February 28 as the date for the hearing of the Harrisburg Jit ney complaints. The matter will be determined to-day. All of the men mentioned In the complaints have filed their answers with the commission, making general ; denials and asking for proof' of var ious statements made by the Harris burg railways. The commission will settle the Wllkes-Barre eases which are pend ] ing, very rapidly, as a number of mat ters held in abeyance have been de i termined by the Supreme Court. WANT MILLION XEW M KMIIEItS Washington, Feb. 19.—A million new members to aid It In the nation's pres ent crisis are sought by the American i Red Cross In an appeal to the House to-day. SAVES BABY BOY FROM DEATH FIGHTING FIRE '"Bobby" Fisher, B-year-old son of Mp, and Mrs. Calvin Fisher, 1409 H North Second street, had a thrilling escape to-day from being burned to death and Nicholas Tack, paperhang er, 12X6 North Third street, proved himself a hero. The boy was playing In the front room of the third floor at the Fisher home. He found matches and started a blaze that threatened his life and destruction of the home. "Nick" Tack, as he is known, was working at the home of Mrs. Margaret C. Stewart on the opposite side of the street. Ho noticed flames shooting dhc Star- 3Wepmbent STRIKING PLAYERS REJOIN CENTRAL BASKETBALL FIVE Hilton, Frank and Martz Hold Secret Session and Decide to Call It "Quits" Eddie Hilton. Xoble Frank and Har old Martz, the three Central high school basketball players, who with drew from the team on Friday even ing in a scheduled game with the Har risburg Academy, because Gregory and Fields, two other members of the team were declared ineligible by the factulty, have decided to rejoin the team and finish the season. This announcement is welcome news to the students at the school as the loss of these players along with Gre gory and Fields, the two ineligibles, would have imperiled Central's chances of winning the Central Penn sylvania Scholastic League Basketball race. At the present time Central is leading the league by a good mar gin and with the return of Hilton. Frank and Martz it is hoped that the team can finish in first place. Gregory and Fields will not be eli gible to play for at least one month or until they make up their back studies. Confer With Dibble The basketball squad was in confer ence this morning for over an hour with Prof. Howard G. Dibble, princi pal of the school; Prof. Bertram W. Saul, faculty athletic director. and Prof. Frank G. Roth, of the advisory committee on athletics. The matter was discussed thoroughly and Prof. Dibble made it plain to Hilton, Frank and Martz, that they had violated no rules of the school and that their places on the team were open to them if they desired to finish the season. Later the three players held a session and at the conclusion stated to Prof. Dibble that they would finish the sea son. Waterloo of Evildoers to Be Made Into Firewood The old dock, a landmark familiar to evildoers at the police station for many years, has been relegated to the cellar for firewood. The dock was erected eight years ago when the police head quarters were moved from the Calder building to the present location on Mar ket and River streets. During Its stay In the station the dock has confined thousands of anx ious wretches each wondering whether It would be $lO or thirty days. Back of its Bturdy oak rails have been con fined the worst of the city's criminals. The old dockroom has been made into a reception room. The prisoners In the future will be taken directly from the cells to the magistrate's desk, In the basement. I THREE FIREMEN KILLED Quebec Feb. 19.. —Falling walls of buildings wrecked by flames crushed three firemen to death and badly In jured five others to-day. The fire was Quebec's seventh serious one within a month and a searching inquiry is under way. Six business houses were destroyed. up to the ceiling at the Fisher resl dence, and rushed across the street and up to the scene of the fire, The little fellow was sitting on the floor with flames all around him. not one bit frightened. Picking up the child Mr. Tack took him to his mother and then went back to fight the s..mes. He threw a r>urning chair, blankets and bedspreads out of the window. In the meantime someone had call ed the Hope Fire Company by tele phone. The service* of the firemen wcrt not needed. The 3-year-old was none the worse after the excitement was over. BOYCOTT TO BRING DOWN PRICES URGED Civic Club President Declares Something Must Be Done to Reduce Living Prices so high that thj average workingman's family cannot purchase the plainest of food staples in sufficient quantities to keep body and soul to gether to-day resulted in the begin ning of a boycott movement in Har risburg that may spread through all classes in the city in an efTort to knock foodstuffs down to reasonable levels. The good points of a boycott on po tatoes were discussed at length this afternoon at a meeting of the Civic Club. The discussion was brought up by Mrs. William Henderson, 25 North Front street, president of the organi ' zation, who has been probing into con ditions here for some time. The Civic Club recently started the movement to have housewives purchase bread by weight as a check on bakers who were thinking of raising the price. Converts Dealers Boycotts on potatoes in other cities | where the prices suddenly Jumped up to $3.60 a bushel—the present high water mark in this city—resulted in a sudden conversion of dealers, it was said. The dealers, it was pointed out saw their way clear in face of the drastic action taken by the women to knock a dollar off the price per bushel. "With prices for foodstuffs at pres | ent standards it is simply impossible I for hundreds of families to make ends meet," said Mrs. Henderson to-day. "That Is the situation even at a time when work is as plentiful as it now is." . . Why the Children Shiver "Only several days ago 1 found chil dren in one of the city schools who , were shivering in the cold. They were | without underclothing. On investiga ! tion I found that the parents are com pelled to spend every cent for food ! and that it was impossible to provide | elpthing for members of the family. | ' "In many of these families the posi | tion seems to be that the children will suffer less by going without clothing than by going without food. "With potatoes at present prices and even onions at 6 cents a piece," con j tinued Mrs. Henderson, "It is impos- I sible for many families to keep the necessities of life on the table. My Investigation showed that many of ! these children had what they called col Tee soup—a mixture of poor cofteo poured over stale bread—for break* I fast. For dinner they had bread ami I molasses and not much more than nt: I coffee soup for supper." t Staples Beyond Roach , Mrs. Henderson in presenting thY; I matter before club members to-day said that if something was not done the city would possibly soon be faciAg the necessity of establishing soup kitchens to take care of families virtu ally starving. Prices for foodß that ordinarily form the basis of menu for the average family have approached famine stand ards, investigations to-day showed. Potatoes, cabbage, onions and beans, the great stables for workers, are al most unattainable at the present price lists. Potatoes at 45 cents a half peek make them a luxury for the workman. Onions that last year sold for B,' 4 and 6 cents a box now are priced at from 15 to 20 cents, Boupbeans are Increased about 300 per cent, over former prices, while baked beans that formerly sold at 5 cents a can canbe purchased at 18 cents for a can but little larger. Ten and 12 cents, .a, pound is the rate demanded for cab- i bajre. CABBAGE AT 125 PER TON By Associated Press San Benito, Tex., Feb. 19.—Cabbage sold here to-day at $125 a ton. This ' is said to he a record price for that | vegetable in the lower Rio Grande 1 valley, i Single Copy, 2 Cents STREET CAR SURVEY FAVORED BY MUSSER AND C. Of C HEAD Police Chief, Too, Believes Study of Traffic Problems Would Result in Much Good to Public; Wetzel Prom ises Assistance of His Department HARRISBURC RAILWAYS WILL CONSIDER Chamber of Commerce Will Back Move Declares President Tracy; Company Executive Says Many Cars Are De layed on Purpose by Teamster The Telegraph's suggestion that a survey, similar to those of the police department and the school district un der the direction of the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce, be made of the street car situation in this city, has met with general approval. Officials of the Harrisburg Railways Company this morning announced that they are about to give the situation serious consideration at the next meet ing of the board of directors. It was said that individually several of the directors and officers are greatly in favor of such a move. The company takes the position, it was said, that it is extremely anxious to give the city the best possible serv ice, and is working toward this end. MiiKxrr Fnvor* Survey Frank B. Musser, president of the company, to-day said lie had taken up the question of a survey with several of the directors and that he personally rather favored the proposition. No de cision has been reached on the ques tion, he added. Support for the proposed survey was vouchsafed by David K. Tracy, presi dent of the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce, and by J. Edward Wetzel, ' -J | WILL GRANT ALL LICENSES AGAINST j | WHICH NO REMONSTRANCES ARE FILED j !| Hat isburg. Judge George Kunkel ann I j! afternoon that he would grant all licenses for saloons ij j! ag< remonstrances have been filed. j! rer jj I! ton, Feb. 19. Preparedness apt ] j> in . reported to the House to- || j! da yprovide $6,25.7,400 { r arm ries and arsenals; $5,756,086 . j it foi fenses; $4,710,500 for Panama Canal fortifica- j! jj tions and 1,077.000 for infantry barracks in Hawaii. The j | bill carries $138,242,000 which is $43,000,000 less than asked j | ;[ by executive department heads, but $7,000,000 more than ! j appropriated last year. I j ij HELD ON PUNCH BOARD CHARGE jj j; Thomas Oough and William Dorman, of Baltimore, j j! arrested ■ t conducting punch boards at 416 and 411 * ; j! ]; Market street, 423% Strawberry street, 302 Verbeke street, F jj and 1109 North Third street, were "held by Alderman I)c j| ]! Shong tl i-. afternoon. j| | MANY CUBAN REBELS CAPTURED ij j; Havana, Feb. 19. The town of Jatibonico, in Cama- [ ij guey province was occupied yesterday by government : J i forces. The number of prisoners captured Saturday at j ! ! j Sancti Spiritus was 400. Some fifty political prisoners have ! | j i been transferred to Cabanas, and about fifty were set free | I! yesterday. The government is considering a proclamation j | j | of amnesty to apply to certain restricted classes, ij WESTHAVEN TO GET CLARK'S PLACE j 11 Washington, Feb. 19. —D. C. Westhaven, Cleveland, j! ! j Ohio, was nominated by President Wilson as United States |, |! judge for the northern district of Ohio to succeed J. H. |[ j Clark, recently made a justice of the United States Su- j < ' (I !j preme Court- Ij j | TRANSFER SHELL CONTRATS TO U. S. FIRMS j j j Washington, Feb. 19. Contracts for navy projectiles j [ |! which • idfbeen let to Hadfields, Limited, an English con- I j j cem, were to-day given to the Midvale Steel Company, the j J| i j j; Washington Steel and Ordnance Company and the 1 j I j Crucible Steel Company. j i MARRIAGE LICENSES llomrr Clay Kemble, l.ykena, and Kloreniio lrrni> MrXrnl, Wlronlnrt. I" rank Junrpb Srhutrnl>a<-h and llarbara ElUabeth KaulTniun. liar- |i | rUburii. u ( C h rl* Harn Oatay, Harrlnburs, and Ambler Skinner, Washington, ] ! < mllo (-opprllt and Klldla Ilrnuclii, Orrr— tomiahlp. HOME EDITION chief of police. Mr. Tracy gave, his support as head of the organization of business men. while Chief Wetzel said his department was willing to co operate In any way possible in work ing out traffic conditions along any lines needed to help out the situation. "I believe such a survey would be a [Continued on Page 1-1] Two Sure Signs of Spring; Robins Here; Circus Is Coming Two infallible signs of spring made their appearance to-day. Several Cumberland county subur banites brought to Harrisburg thif morning reports that fat, saucy robin' had been seen In 'cross river districts- I yesterday. And the advance man for the firs I circus of the season arrived In tow I about the same time. Ho representc Barnum and Bailey. Assistant Cl' I Clerk Ross Seaman issued a licens. to him for an exhibition hero May 21
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers