. - ■ ' 1 1
German Plans tw Eastern Empfrs < ShM?*red With British Victory at Bagdad
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HARRISBURG ifSjilll TELEGRAPH
(The Star- flnfccprnbent
LXXXV1 — No. 61 16 PAGES
PLAN MOBILIZATION
OF NAVY FORCES
TO FULL
Immediate Graduation of the First Class at Annapolis In
cluded in Scheme to Provide Sufficient Number of
Officers For American Sea Fighting Machine
i
i
WOULD ASSEMBLE ALL RESERVES
AS WELL AS MILITIA FOR SERVICE
President Is Urged to Authorize an Active Recruiting Cam
paign to Bring the Ranks of Enlisted Men Up to the
Requirements War Would Make Necessary.
Fy Associated Press
Washington, March 12.—Mobilization of the complete fighting!
strength of the navy has been recommended by naval officials. The '
approval of President Wilson is required before orders can be sent
calling out the reserves, assembling the naval militia and releasing all
active officers now on shore duty for sea service.
Immediate graduation of the first-class at Annapolis would be
included in the plan in order to make up, as far as possible, the ;
threatened shortage of officers.
In addition to mobilization of forces already enrolled in the
militia or reserve, an active recruiting campaign would be neces
sary to supply all ships of military value with full complements.:
Officials believe they would have little difficulty in obtaining the j
men if mobilization were ordered.
NOTIFY FOREIGN
EMBASSIES U. S.
SHIPS ARE ARMED
Administration Measure For
mally Given Representatives
of All Governments
By Associated Press
Washington, March 12.—Formal
notice that American ships traversing
the German submarine zone are to
carry "armed guards for the protec
tion of the vessel and the lives of
persons on board" was sent by the
State Department to-day to embassies
and legations of all foregn govern
ments in Washington.
Following is the text of the com
munication, as made public by the
State Department:
"In view of the announcement of
the Imeprial German government on
January 31. 1917, that all ships, those
of neutrals included, met within cer
tain zones of the high seas, would be
sunk without precaution being taken
for the safety of the persons on board
and without the exercise of visit and
search, the government of the United
States has determined to place upon
all American merchant vessels sail
ing through the barred areas an arm
ed guard for the protection of the
vessels and the lives of the persons
on board."
Notice to Germany
The notification, it is expected, will
be sent to Germany by the Swiss lega
tion here. No obstacle will be placed
in the way of such action. Whether
other neutral governments will admit
American armed ships to their ports
is a question for them to decide but
it is not expected here that objections
will be made. Holland is the only
neutral known to have barred armed
merchantmen from her harbors.
State Department officials did not
wish to make it clear whether it was
mandatory- for all American vessels
to have arms or whether they might
sail without them if they so desire.
The Navy Department's position is
that it will equip with, arms all ships
whose owners apply to it.
THE WEATHER
For llarrinburK and vlelnltyi
Cloudy Anil eol!er to-nluht and
Tueailnyi •■alder to-nlicht nllh
liinral temperature ulioiit freez
ing
For llaaiern l'enn*>ltnnlui (loudy
iiml • older to-nl|flit| Tueaduy
rloui 4 .) | moderate nortkneiit
wlnda.
K! vcr
Aa n reault of hitch temperature
and llfcut rain* durlnic the luMt
fort > -el it h t houra nil river ata
tlono In the Kuaijnehaiinit haaln
except Itenovo lirul Hnrrlahurit
■ how rlaea runKinic from 0.11 to
7.1* feet alnee Saturday morning,
the moat decided plua i-hantcea oc
curring at Corninir and Wllkca-
Harte. \\ llkea-llurre reporta
beuvy floating lee. Frec<ln|{
tempernturea to-night oter the
Kreater pnrt of the wateraheil
will tend to cheek aomewhat the
run off from melting anow and
the Juniata, Chemung, I'pper
Weat Hraneh and prohahly the
he:idwatera of the North llram-li
will heKln to fall. The lower
North briimrhea and the main
river will rlae. At llarrlaburg the
lee la waatlnK and what remain*
will pnohably move oat In the
next twenty-four houra, A atngo
of about ten feet la Indicated for
llarriaburg Tuexdny morning.
Temperaturei H a. in., -I*l degreea
above aero.
Hum Hlaea, tli2A a. m.
Moon I Itiaea, 10|2-1 p. m.
River Htagei 7.5 feet above low-,
water mark,
Yesterday's Weathea
lllgheat temperature, IM,
l.oweat temperature, 3<l,
Menu temperature, 45,
Normal temperature, 3",
16 DIRIGIBLES
PURCHASED FOR
COAST PATROL
Navy Plans Airships For Use.
in Protecting Harbors in
Good Weather
. Bv Associated Press
Washington, March 12. Purchase
lof sixteen non-rigid dirigible airships
I for coast and harbor patrol work at
the total cost of $649,250 was an
nounced to-day by the Navy Depart
ment.
The Curtis Aeroplane Company, of
Buffalo, was awarded three for $122,-
250; the Connecticut Aircraft Com
pany, New Haven, two for $84,000; the
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company,
Akron, Ohio, nine for $360,000 and the
B. F. Goodrich Company, of Akron,
two for $83,000. Deliveries must be
gin within 120 days.
The airships are the first of such
type to be bought by the navy under
the recent $5,000,000 appropriation for
aeronautics. They will be 160 feet in
length, feet in diameter or fifty
feet high over all, will be equipped
with radio communication and 100
horsepower motors capable of makirg
a continuous flight of 16 hours at 35
miles each and a maximum speed of
45 miles an hour for ten hours.
Under the designs drafted by naval'
constructors the dirigible will "be able
to operate from shore bases and light
on water surface in good weather.
Black Maria Will Soon
Haul Her Last Criminal
Harrisburgs police patrol and am
bulance, nicknamed "Black Maria,"
soon will make the last haul to police
headquarters with some wayward
drunk ,or dangerous criminal.
Sealed bids will be received until
noon March 26, for a new patrol to
cost not more than $2,500, of part
steel construction, with foredoors and
steps which close automatically with
the rear door.
It has not been decided just what
will be done with the old patrol j
wagon, now in bad condition and al- '
most beyond repair. Each year ex
tensive overhauling made it too ex
pensive to maintain the heavy ma
chine, and provision was made in the
annual appropriation budget for a
new one. This will be used only as a
I patrol as a contract has been made
with the Harrlsburg hospital-to fur
! nlsh ambulance service.
Commissioner Handed Down
Ultimatum on Collections
Edward P, Bailey, of the American
I Surety Company, bonding the Penn
; sylvanla Reduction Company, will be
| In the city again to-morrow to check
[ up on the ash and garbage collections.
After conferences on Saturday Com
missioner E, Z, Gross declared that
unless more men and wagons were
put on by the company and a cleanup
pushed through this week, the city
will take over the work, Four gangs
started in the Hill section this morn
ing and will probably reach the cen
tral district late to-morrow,
COUNCIL. TO GET CONTRACTS
Contracts to moteriae ail remaining
apparatus in the Harrlsburg Fire De
partment will be presented to Coun
cil to-morrow by City Commissioner
E. 7.. Gross, for final approval, Action
will probably be taken on the work
men's compersatlon insurance con
tract,
f.ASIJ CAB LEAVES CITY
The par of the International
Exhibitian Company, which has been
in this city for several days promot
ing Oklahoma Indian lands, left this
mowing ;U pplocl* fa? Lancaster,
HARRISBURG, PA., MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 12, 1917.
BACKYARD GARDENING
TO BE GREA TEST
IN CITY THIS COMING SUMMER
-- ?_ g]TIUIE
gffl STREET
.t,- v gH * -- CAR tracks INSTANCE.
"-—-J ' J?Q I ~( AS
1 i Ps/1 ■ " F °oßroi TOOUPI
j£sJ | ' " POTATOES ARE
' CERTAINLY 'STUCK UP 1
sVHEN IT S POTATO PLANTING TIME IN HARRISBURG.
DIG IN RUINS OF
STORM-WRECKED
HOMES FOR DEAD
Victims Number 30 With a
Score PersoßS Missißg aßtl
Hundreds Hurt
THOUSANDS HOMELESS
High Wind Plays Peculiar
Pranks While Dealing Death
and Destruction
Thirty are known to be dead and
i several hundred injured, with thou
' i sands homeless as the result of the
' I tornado that yesterday swept through
: I sections of Indiana and Ohio.
[ | The greatest loss of life and prop
-11 erty occurred in New Castle, Ind.,
! where 23 are dead and several hun
• | dred in the hospitals, and where the
damage to property is estimated to be
[Continued on I'agc 11]
Former Slave, Long Resident
of City Dies at Age of 92
I James Smith, colored, aged 92 years,
died yesterday morning at his home,
334 .Cherry street. He was born
Knoxville, Md., and was freed as a
slave at the age of 26 years. He has
been a resident of this city for nearly |
fifty years. Funeral will be held
from his late residence at 2 p. m.
Wednesday, with burial In the Lincoln
' Cemtery. The Rev. Ray D. D. Will,
of the Wesley Union Church will offl
jciate.
Gerard's Ambassadorial
Party Reaches Havana
i Havana, March 12.—James W. Ger-
I ard, former American Ambassador to
Germany nnd his party arrived at
> Havana yesterday from Corunna. Spain,
.! on board the Spanish steamship In
fanta Isabel. Mr. Gerard will leave
here Monday morning at 10 o'clock for
Key West, Fla., on board the steam
i ship Governor Cobb.
1 IVY L. LEE COMING
The next luncheon, of the Harrts
. burg Chan ber of Commerce will be
i, hold next Friday afternoon In the Har
■ j rlsburg Club. The speaker will be Ivy
; | L, Lee, personal assistant to John D.
: ; Rockerfeller and great publicity e*-
1 i ponent,
WILSON IIAS RECOVERED
I By Associated Press
■ I Washington, March 12. —President
■ ! Wilson had completely recovered to
day from the cold which kept him In
bed most of last week and this morn
ing held two conferences, the first
; with Senator Martin, the new Demo
• cratic leader of the Senate, and the
• second with Secretary Lansing,
i ICE MELTING AWAY
It is reported that channels are open
' In the river from Harrisburg to Port
Deposit, Md., and ice is flowing over
the McCalPs Ferry dam. Owing to
the warm weather during the past
I week the ice hag been softened ma
i terially and residents in the lower
• reaches of the Susquehanna do not
i anticipate any danger when the Ice
. goes out,
Army of 12 000 With Hoe and Spade Will Make an On
slaught on Vacant Lots As Soon As Weather Opens
Up, in an Effort to Reduce High Cost of Living; Pos
sible to Raise 68,800 Bushels of Potatoes in City.
With the approach of spring, the
"man with the hoe" is the man of the
hour. Wars and rumors of war there
be, bloody conflict continuing as the
great outdoor sport of kings, but here
within the peaceful precincts of the
city of Harrisburg the coming hero is
he who will excel in the greatest of
ail outdoor sports, backyard garden
ing.
And the rumors have it that Harris
burg promises to produce an army of
BROTHERHOODS
AND P. R. R. CO. TO
ARGUEFULLCREW
Legislative Boards Deny Law
Was Responsible For
Wreck at Bristol
The Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany and the Legislative Boards of
the Railroad Brotherhoods are out to
day with statements relating to the
wreck at Bristol February 25, when
four men were killed. The railroad
company asserts that the accident fur
nishes a "practical demonstration of
the truth of the contention that the
•full crew' laws not only fail to in
crease safety but actually encourage
indifference to duty." The Brother
[Continucd on Page 13]
Six Members State
Police Ordered Here
to "Guard Capitol"
Six members of the State Police
tfoop at Pottsville were to-day detail
ed to come to aHrrisburg to be on
duty about the State Capitol. The re
quest for the policemen was given by
the Board of Public Grounds and
Buildings of which the Governor is
chairman.' and it is understood that
the men have been detailed to prevent
any harm being done to a public build
ing during the present international
conditions.
Members of the Legislature were
surprised to-day at the order for the
policemen to come here as almost
every department has a watchman and
In addition there is a sergeant and
twenty Capitol policemen and five
night watchmen and also a watchman
for the storeroom of the department.
The six men will be brought here
under command of corporal Davles of
Pottsville,
Plan More Indictments
in Federal Food Probe
fly Associated Press
Washington, IJ, C., March 12, ■ — More
criminal Indictments similar to those
recently returned in New York against
approximately 200 corporations and in
dividuals, are expected soon in the
Government's natlon-wtdo investiga
tion of dealers In Coal and foodstuffs.
The new indictments probably will lie
returned by the official grund juries
sitting in the Middle West, Investi
gations are being made by grand Juries
at Detroit. Cleveland and Chicago and
the Government's plans call for further
grand jury investigations at Cincin
nati and probably uoine other points.
not less than 12,000 —all heads of fam
ilies—who, armed with hoe and spade,
will make concerted onslaught and
play havoc with high prices.
At the first sign of the dawn of the
morning of spring preparations will
begin. The garden tools will be taken
from the hooks in the shed, last year's
mud cleaned off and—and then it will
be a matter of "watchful waiting" tor
[Continued on Pago 13]
SUSPECT GERMAN
PLOT TO DAMAGE
U. S. NAVY YARDS
Government Agents Probe 1 ,
Smuggling Scheme Unearth- ; j
ed in Philadelphia
By Associated Press
Philadelphia, Pa., March 12. —Gov-
ernment agents to-day continued their
investigation into the activities of per
sons under arrest charged with
smuggling ships' chronometers from
the German auxiliary cruisers interned
at the Philadelphia navy yard and of
persons suspected of having had a
hand in the alleged violation of the
customs laws. There are reports that
the Fedaral authorities have discover
[Continued on Page 13]
Invalid Has Narrow
Escape When Fire Burns
Four Matamoras Buildings
Halifax, March 12.—Robert Whittak
er, age 45, an invalid, had a narrow
escape from being burned to death to
day In a tire that threatened to sweep
Matamoras; three mtlea south of this
place.
The fire started tn the Whlttaker
home from an overheated stove. The
invalid crawled to a window and was
about to drop to the ground when a
brother. Harry Whlttaker, pulled him
from the burning building.
The fire started about 11.30. Mata
moras has no Are protection and a
call was sent to Halifax. No 1 Com
pany responded. In trie meantime citi
zens formed a bucket brigade and,
kept the flames from spreading until
the Halifax firemen arrived.
Two of the buildings and the store
were owned by Frank Meredith. The
Whittakers occupied one house, and
Meredith the other. The home of Hen
ry Keiter was also destroyed. The
loss is estimated at $20,000 and Is par
tially covered by insurance.
The Whlttaker brothers are sons of
the Kev. H. Whlttaker, pastor of the
Llnglestown Church of God and a for
mer resident at Steelton.
GET CANADIAN GOLD
New York, March 12. Gold to
the amount of $8,500,000 from Can
ada was deposited at the Assay oillce
hero, to-day to the account of J. P.
Morgan and Company. Gold Imports
from all sources since January now
total $213,500,000. I
FALL OF BAGDAD
SHATTERS GERMAN
DREAM IN ORIENT
V
London Press Sees Teutons'
Proud Vision of Eastern Em
pire Dissipated
BALANCE IS RESTORED
Blow at Enemy's Aims and
Aids British Prestige in
the East
TEXXYSOVS VISION OF BAGDAD
Adown the Tigris I was borne
By Bagdad's shrines of fretted gold,
High-wailed gardens green and old;
i By garden porches on the brim.
The costly doors. Hung open wide.
Gold glittering through the lamplight
dim.
And broider'd sofas on each side.
Th sloping of the moonlit sward
i " -is damask work, and deep inlay
|Of braided blooms nnmown. which
crept
i Adown to where the water slept.
I A sudden splendor from behind
I VI ish'd all the leaves with rich :rold
green,
| And. flwoing rapidly between
Their intersoi-ces. counter-charged
i The level lake with diamond plot.
1 With dazed vision, unawares
; From the long alley's latticed shade
Kmerged, I came upon the great
: Pavilion of the Caliphate:
J The fourscore windows all alight,
A million tapers flaring blight
j From twisted silvers look'd to shame
The hollow-vaulted, dark and streamed
! Fpon the mooned domes aloof
In inmost Bagdad, till there seemed
j Hundreds of crescents on the roof
Of night new-risen, that marvellous
time
j To celebrate the golden prime
j Of good Haroun A 1 Raschid.
By Associated Press
London, March 12.—The fall of
Bagdad, in the opinion of the London
| press, is of even greater significance
I for the effect it Is expected to have
! on German aims than for its value
•
in restoring British prestige in the
eyes of the Mohammedan world and
the east generally. While it is recog
nized that the British misfortunes in
Mesopotamia have had a serious in
fluence in the prestige of the ruling
[Continued on Page 16]
j GUARD McCALLS FERRY
;! Lancaster, March 12. Extra watchmen have been
i | placed on guard at the plant of the Pennsylvania Water and
j|* Power t Company at McCall's Ferry, one of the three largest
lj hydro-electric power plants in the United States. Thit>
i! action is takern on account of the German crisis. The
;! nationality of the employed of the power company ,is also
j| closely questioned by the officials,
j JOHNSON RESIGNS AS GOVERNOR
;[ Sacramento, Cal., March 12.—Governor Johnson, sena
jj tor-elect, announced his resignation from the governorship ]
lj here to-day, effective March 16.
i JULIUS ALLEN A SUICIDE
' j Mechanicsburg, Pa., March 12. Julius Allen, aged ]
j! 65 years, a rural mail carrier from the Mechanicsburg post- |
'•j( office, hanged himself some tune yesterday in the upper j
11 part of a stbl'e in the rear of his home at 205 E. Simpson ]
lj street. Mr Allen's nephew, Mervin Guswiler, who has j
|| been looking after him for several years, went to the home j
j! some time yesterday, but could not find him
i > 1
ij ICE MOVES AT COLUMBIA
1; 12.-—lce moved out ot the Susqus
|! ha here to day. In moving it tore loose the ferry
jj beat operated between this place and Wrightesvillc was j
ij torn loose and carried to mid-stream,
ij SIX CAUGHT IN KAID HELD
• Harrisburg. Minnie Davis, Annie Johnson, Helen
11 Grier, James Thompson, Rosie Coleman and Helen Fair
i| banks, all of 508 and 510 Strawberry Street, tint afternoon
1 [ were fined from $5 to S2O each and sentenced from 10 to JO
!j days for upmg drugs illegally. Annie Johnson said that
j! she obtained prescriptions from Dr. C. M. Swing, 1500 N
| j Sixth Street. When asked if he had given the girl prescfip*
[ tions, Dr. Ewing said he did not have such a name on his
|l books, although he admitted he had given a prescription
lj six months ago to Helen Gnei.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Clarence Syhfhtrr Toyrr and Annie Elltabelh Murphy, Harrlnlmrc.
I > Jerry Longenberfcer Morrlx, Suuhiiry, and l.eone Martha Barbon,
II Bloomaliurc.
1
Single Copy, 2 Cents HOME EDITION
FIENDS STEAL
TO GET MONEY
FOR "JOY DUST"
Detectives Find Confirmed
Users Adopt Any Measures
to Get Dope
21 GIVEN HEARINGS
Majority of Prisoners Caught
in Raid Held For Fed
eral Court
Information this afternoon made
public by police officials traced the
dope lips first received by them, that
resulted in the arrest of the twenty
four alleged dope fiends heard this
afternoon at police court before Al
derman James B. DeShong, back to
| their source. Some of those arrested
were held as witnesses, while others
were allowed bail for their appearance
at court.
The llrst link in the chain of evi
[Continued on I'ago 16]
These War Eggs Blow Up
Like Bombs When Boiled
By Associated Press
London, March 12.—According to a
I new classification of eggs Just adopt
ed by the wholesale trade here eggs
I will henceforth be sold with directions
"These eggs not to be boiled" or
"These eggs guaranteed to boil."
The unusual label is due to the im
portation of eggs from distant parts,
some of the importations being dip
ped in a chemical solution to preserve
them, which makes them airtight and
causes them to explode if put into hot
water.
I'SES CONFKDISHATK MOXKV
By Associated Press
Stockholm. March 12.—The police
are looking for a man, believed to b<
a Swedish-American, who bought a bo:>
| of cigars in a Stockholm shop with
SSO bill, and was kind enough to ac
cept even a lower rate of exchange
for it than the regular market quota
tion. The reason for his
to make this sacrifice became appat
ent when the tobacconist discover"
that the bill had been issued by tl.
"Confederate States of America."