Germany J4srs Japan and Mexico to Attack United States If It Enters the War HARRISBURG WMSM TELEGRAPH LXXXVI— No. 52 18 PAGES GERMAN PLOT TO INVADE U. S. WITH JAPAN AND MEXICO AS ALLIES STIRS NATION; WAR MEASURES HASTENED PLANNED DRIVE ALONG LENGTH OF MISSISSIPPI By Associated Press Washington, March 1. Revelation of how Germany, ex pecting war with the United States as the result of her submarine campaign of ruthlessness, plotted to unite Mexico and Japan with her for an attack on the United States, has stirred the capital to its depths. Members of Congress, many of whom have been hesitating be fore' President Wilson's request for full authority to deal with Ger many in the present situation, went to the Capital to-day reading documentary evidence of the intrigue which proposed to separate Japan from he? allies and add the United States to the list of nations which Germany hopes to see conquered in her dream of world domination. How Germany, confident that unrestricted submarine warfare is the instrument by which she will bring England to her knees, pro posed a triple blow, is revealed in a set of instructions from German Foreign Minister Zimmermann to German Minister Von Eckhardt in Mexico City, which was transmitted through Count \ on Bern storff, late German ambasador here. At one sweep Germany proposed to weaken the entente alliance by the defection of Japan; strike a crushing blow at England's naval power by cutting off the vital supply of Mexican fuel oil; and thoroughly engage the attention of the United States by an invasion, in which Japan was to be invited to join and for which Mexico should be rewarded by reconquering her "lost provinces"—Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. A copy of Zimmermann's instructions to von Eckhardt, sent through von Bernstorff, is in possession of the United States govern ment. It is as follows: Berlin, January 19, 1917. "On February 1 we intend to begin submarine war fare unrestricted: In spite of this it is our intention to en deavor to keep neutral the United States of America. "If this attempt is not successful, we propose an alliance on the following basis with Mexico: That we shall make war together and together make peace. We shall give general financial support and it is understood that Mexi co is to reconquer the lost territory in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. The details are left to you for settlement. "You are instructed to inform the president of Mexico of the above in the greatest confidence as soon as it is certain that there will be an outbreak of war with the United States, and suggest that the president of Mexico, on his own initiative, should communicate with Japan sug gesting adherence at once to this plan; at the same time, offer to mediate between Germany and Japan. "Please call to the attention of the president of Mexico that the employment of ruthless submarine warfare now promises to compel England to make peace in a few months. "(Signed) Zimmermann." Wilson Has Had Document This document has been in the hands of the government since President Wilson broke off diplomatic relations with Germany. It has been kept secret, while the president has been asking Congress for full authority to deal with Germany and while Congress has been hesitating. It was in the President's hands while Chancellor von Bcthmann-Holhveg was declaring that the United States had placed an interpretation on the submarine declaration "never intended by Germany" and that Germany had promoted and honored friendly relations with the United States "as an heirloom from Frederick the Great." Of itself, if there were no other, it is considered a sufficient answer to the German chancellor's plaint that the United States "brusquely" broke off relations without giving "authentic" reasons for its action. The document' supplies the missing link to many separate chains of circumstances, which, until now, have seemed to lead to 110 definite point. It sheds new light upon the frequently reported but indefinable movements of the Mexican government to couple its situation with the friction between the United States and Japan. It adds another chapter to *he celebwited report of Jules Camdon, French ambassador in Berlin before the war of Germany's world wide plans for stirring strife on every continent where they might aid her in the struggle for world domination which she dreamed was close at hand. Intrigue Never Published It adds a climax to the operations of Count von Bernstorff and the German embassy in this country, which have been colored with passport frauds, charges of dynamite plots and intrigue, the full ex tent of which never has been published. It gives new credence to persistent reports of submarine bases on Mexican territory in the Gulf of Mexico: it takes cognizance of a fact long recognized by American army chiefs, that if Japan ever undertook to invade the United States it probably would be through. Mexico, over the border and into the Mississippi valley to split the country in two. It recalls that Count von Bernstorff, when handed his pass ports, was very reluctant to return to Germany, but expressed a preference for asylum in Cuba. It gives a new explanation to the repeated arrests on the border of men charged by American mili tary authorities with being German intelligence agents. Last of all, it seems to show a connection with General Car ranza's recent proposals to neutrals that exports of food and muni tions to the Entente allies be cut off and an intimation that he might stop the supply of oil, so vital to the British navy which is exported irom the Tampico fields. Borders on Act of War _Such a proposal as Germany instructed her minister to make to Mexico borders on an act of war, if actually it is not one. No doubt exists here now that the persistent Reports during the last two years of the operations of German agents not alone in Mexlcd, but all through Central America and the West Indies, are based tin fact, There is now no doubt whatever that the proposed yvith Mexico was known to high Mexican officials who are idistingvished for their anti-Amerlcanlsm, Among them are Rafael [Continued on I'age 10J HARRISBURG, PA., THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 1, 1917 | DOUBLE-CROSSED S.l V 1 3. yt.rvo'j'C Former German ambassador now on way home under a safe conduct ob tained from his enemies by the coun try against which he was plotting war. WILSONSTANDS BEHIND SENATE ARMED SHIP BILL House Measure Not Altogether Satisfactory; Vote This Evening \ This Is Very Serious Situation—Baker fiv Associated Press Washington, Mart-li I.—Secre tary I taker conferred with Presi dent WiLson to-day and afterward volunteered the comment that "this is a very serious situation." He would not reveal the subject they discussed. v * By Associated Press Washington, D. C„ 'March 1. Spurred by the developments of the international situation the House to day took up the bill to clothe the President with authority to deal with the German submarine menace under an agreement to vote after three | hours' debate. The statement was made officially that the White House stands behind the bill as drawn in the Senate "first, last and all the time" and does not ap prove the House bill in its entirety be cause it does not provide the "other instrumentalities," which the Presi dent desires and proposes to refuse [Continued on Page to] Three Actresses and Man Drown in Taxi Accident By Associated Press Baltimore, March 1. Four per sons were drowned, three of them ac tresses, when a taxicab ocntaining a party of seven plunged into the har bor from a Light street wharf early to-day. The dead: Miss Edna King, of New York, member of the Pat White Gaity Girls | Company. Miss Anna McKay Itogers, of the same company. Miss Mary Woods, Brunswick, N. J. E. L. Gordon, Pittsburgh, Pa. One of the survivors is William Grimes, of Pittsburgh, Pa. The Pat White Company played here last Thrusday. Name of National Hotel Was Improperly Used In court proceedings yesterday the j National Hotel, at State and Fourth streets, of which Fretf W. Ebel is pro prietor. was confused with that of the Frey Hotel, one of the resorts in the ' Eighth Ward that has caused the po j lice iriuch trouble in the past. in fairness to Mr. Ebel it must be said that the National Hotel has never caused the police any difficulty and that Mr. Ebel is one of the oldest and most respected of the hotel men of the city. The National Hotel will be blotted out by the encroachment of the Capitol Park Extension, in the zone of which it stands. / ■— Imagine This Is How Story of the Intrigue Broke? By Associated Press •Juarez, Mpx., March I.—The German consulate here was rob bed late last night tuid n number of lni|iortaiit official papers were reported to have been taken from the Mies of Consul Max Weber, who was hi eliargc or consular and diplomatic affairs for the Ger man government In Northern Mexico. A typewriter and other office supplies were also taken. The ofllee of the American Smelt ing and Kenning Company, across the hall from the German con sulate, was entered and two boxes opened but nothing taken. Con sul Weber Is 111 at his home. QThc Star- MJcpntbcnt CONGRESS SWINGS BEHIND WILSON IN PRESENT CRISIS By Associated Press Washington, March I.—Shocked and amazed by the revelation of Germany's attempt to invite Japan and Mexico to war upon the , I nited States, Congress to-day forgot its differences of opinion and began swinging into line behind the President. Senate Republicans abandoned their general filibuster and gave Democratic leaders assurances of their support to the President in a national emergency. In the House, without a roll call, and under special provision for its immediate consideration, Representative Flood's bill to clothe the President with authority to deal with the German submarine menace by arming ships, was taken up under an agreement for a vote after three hours of debate. \ Will Insist on Other Instrumentality President Wilson, however, will insist being empowered to use other instrumentalities" as proposed in the bill pending in the Senate. l ull official confirmation of Germany's move as revealed bv the Associated Press was given at the White House, State epartment, and on the floor of the Senate. Secrcetary Lansing, in an official statement, made clear that the L nited States did not believe Japan had knowledge of the scheme or wouldl take part in it. lie also expressed the confidence of the government that Mexico would take no part. 1 he Japanese embassy in an official comment declared that un c!er no circumstances would Germany's proposal be considered by the Tokio government: reiterated the allegiance of Tapan to the en tente alliance and reaffirmed her friendship for the United States. •Uifc JUifrttUUl uU c„aud jistyuuding character of Germany's pro posal completely overshadowed all other considerations in the gov ernment to-day [Continued oil Page 10] LANSING EXONERATES JAPAN AND MEXICO By Associated Press | Washington, March 1. Secretary i Lansing authorized this statement: "We do not believe that Japan has had any knowledge of this or that she would consider any proposition made by an enemy." As to Mexico, the Secretary said: "We have confidence that Mexico ; would not be a party of such agreement in view of the friendlyYela tions existing between this govern ment and the de facto government oC Mexico." 4 Secretary I.an.sing took great care, ' it will be noted, to exonerate both Ja- j pan and Mexico and said this govern- | ment had no knowledge that the pro posal had been conveyed through Mex- j ico to Japan. In view of the fact that the plan was not to be presented until "it is certain that there will be an outbreak 1 of war with the United States." it was not certain. Secretary Lansing said, that the matter had oeen officially pre sented to General Carranza at all. Would Danger Lives It is known definitely, officials said, GERMAN SHIP AND WIRELESS STATION ON MEXICAN COAST By Associated Press . San Diego, Cal., March I.—Fresh reports that a German steamer has I plied along the west coast of Mexico j and Central America for the possible ! purposes of collecting fuel and stores j for German submn.lnes and a German • raider were received here yesterday | by Federal authorities. The author!- j ties also learned that a powerful wire- j less station, the operators of which I transmit messages in the slow, meth-1 odical manner typical of the German i radio service, has been in service at! a point several miles south of Turtle bay, Lower California. The mysterious German steamer | first was reported by Enrique Flores, I Jefe Politico of Magdalena bay. This steamer, tlylng the flag of the Imperial Herman navy, entered Magdalena bay December 1 last, again on February 5 and on February 24 was reported to I have coaled and provisioned In the harbor of Acapulco.- At Aeapulco, however, the vessel was flying the Honduran ensign. The United States patrol fleet re cently has been increased. Three tor HKVEM'E lIILI, THROUGH I Washington, March 1. —Only Presl ! dent Wilson's api |al was necessary , to-day to make the emergency revenue j 1)111 a law. The measure passed the Senate lust night by a strict party vote. AH finally approved by the Sen ate the bill was unchanged from the way It came from the House. It Is In tended to raise $350,000,000 of reve nue, chiefly by taxes on excess profits and Inheritances, and by a bond is sue. (that Zimmermann's instructions had reached Count Von Bernstorff here in Washingt< n, that he forwarded them to Mexico City and that they reached the German minister there. At this poirit the trail of official cer -1 tainty is lost to view. Secretary Lansing Hatly refused to give any indication of how the in : formation came into possession of the | United States government on the ground that it would endanger the ■j lives of those concerned. For obvious reasons, which he could not amplify, | he refused to discuss the course in any | way. Ambassador Sato, of Japan, was in formed of the possession of the text of Germany's proposal by this gov ernment yesterday afternoon when he called at the State Department to see 1 Counsellor Polk. Officials here ex pect Japan will welcome the oppor tunity to register her allegiance to the entente alliance and that the occa sion will be taken as a means of ce menting relations between the United States and Japan. ipedo boat destroyers left here a week ago, under sealed orders, at night. It became known for the first time ■ to-day that German agents, alleged.to I have been at one time In the pay of I Franz Bopp, convicted German consul lat San Francisco, have been actively [engaged at Mazatlan, Manzanlllo, and .even San Diego, in attempting to se cure coal for steaming purposes. It Is I also reported that a large quantity I of crude oil has been shipped to a cer ! tain German firm at Mazatlan from j San Pedro, Cal. The presence of the | radio station near Turtle bay has been 1 known to the local port officials for | some time. Steps have been taken by the Lcwcr California authorities, it I is said, to seize and confiscate the radio | plant. That a German raider would have little trouble picking up a crew and obtaining stores and fuel along the lower coo.sl ir admitted by Federal au thorities here. At Santa Itosaliu alone there arc eleven German vessels man ned by more than 125 officers and seamen. Between Santa Rosalia and Punta Arenas there are seven large freighter's of the German rpercantile marine. DISAPPROVK RATE RAISE I By Associated Press | Washington, March I.—Proposed : general Increases in freight rates from Scranton, Willlamsport and other I points in Pennsylvania to Chicago, Du luth, St. Paul and Lake Michigan and Lake Superior ports -vere disapproved to-day by the Interstate Commerce Commission. The proposed Increases ranged from one and one-half to six cents per 100 pounds, and were to apply to all classes of freight. Single Copy, 2 Cents HOME EDITION BRUMBAUGH MAY START FOOD PROBE OF HIS OWN SOON Would Have Signed Glass Resolution if It Had Come to Him HAS BIG MEN IN MIND Would Place Investigation of Prices in Hands Well Qualified to Act Governor Brumbaugh is understood to be seriously considering the naming of a commission to make an investiga tion into causes of the high cost of liv ing on his own initiative as he did when he named a commission last fall to inquire into the conditions attend ing the rise in the price of milk and when he asked Governors of States bor dering on the Philadelphia district to do tiie same. This commission was named as a matter of public policy and served without any appropriation. The Governor is understood to have discussed the matter with the Attorney General, but not to have decided what he will do' in the acute situation now prevailing. The Glass resolution for a commis sion to be named by the Governor, passed the House and was held [Continued on Page 10] ! i : STRIKE FOOD PROBE APPROPRIATION OUT Washington, March I.—Provision for $400,000 for the ® Federal Trade Commission investigation of the food crisis ' was Striken from the sundry civil bill by the Senate Appro- I priutions Committee to-day. As ordered reported, the bill ; carries $139,028,513. STOCKS YIELD New York, March I.—Stocks were moderately but \ steadily liquidated to-day, apprehension created by latest j developments in the German-American situation causing a renewal of last month's selling move Speculative issues . yielded two to three points under persistent pressure. NEW CAR WORKS HEAD r. J- N. Hansen, Pittsburgh, was elected president of ; the Middletown Car Works, at a meeting of the Board of I Directors. He succeeds the !nte Arthur King. Mr. Hansen | has already taken up his duties and will have his head j quarters in Pittsburgh. I 1 BAKERS ENTER PROTEST liarrisburg. Philadelphia bakers protested here thb • afternoon against fixing 16 ounces as th~ standard for loaves of bread on the ground that it would mean the I end of the five-cent loaf. James Sweeney, State Chief vt Standards, supported the measure as being more fait to ti". consumer. ICE MOVES ON SUSQUEHANNA At 3.15 this afternoon the ice on the Susquehanna rivet I opposite Harrisburg, began v to move out. Huge cakr knocked the props from the old bathhouse on Independence 1 I Island and it is being swept away. Small gorges can be sevw ui viuious places from the river bank. I ,* ,^'i 1 i • I I . . MARRIAiit LICENSES < V Walter Meeklry, KlUabethlonn, nnd Juarphlne Saul Graber, Middletown. 1 Jacob Bordner I.andla and Jennie Violet Aunßat. South Hanover townnhlp. Alarle Herbert Wolfe and Hdythe Mae Booth, Harrlaburar. I Henry Jabor IflarrtM nnd Minnie Eva Mndaey, Harrlaburit. Harry I). Myera and Emma Muorr, Harrfaburc. MOTHER TRAINING WORK WILL START IN CITY SHORTLY l)r. Ruunick Selecting Visiting Nurse to Instruct Ignornnt Poor INFANT DEATHS HIGH Health Bureau Aims to Stop "Needless Child Sacrifice" in This City A scheme whereby expectant moth ers of Harrisburg's poor families will be educated in the care and treatment of their infants and in how to properly look after their offspring during both health an.d sickness is being worketj out by the city health bureau. Dr. J. M. J. Ratinick, city health of ficer, to-day said that he is consider ing the applications of several regis tered nurses and that one will be en gaged within the near future to visit the homes of the poor where con tagious disease has developed and where infants are suffering because of ignorance on the part of their par ents. Council recently granted the health bureau an appropriation ol S9OO for a visiting nurse. Infunt Mortality High Dr. Raunlck recently figured o>. [Continued on Page 6J
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers