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