The Cordova Daily Times
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VOLUME TWO. NUMBER 973. CORDOVA, ALASKA, SATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 1916. PRICE TEN CENTS.
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PRESIDENT INSISTS NATIONAL HONOR CANNOT BE JEOPARDIZED
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25. — A letter
was made public today, written by
President Wilson to Senator Stone, of
' .Missouri, and dealing with the critical
S i-tate of this country’s foreign rela
tions with certain of the European
belligerents. In the letter Wilson un
equivocally declares that he never
would consent to the least abridge
ments of any of the inherent rights
of American citizens. He declared
his intention to pursue this course
while he was at the head of the na
tion, without swerving one degree
from the straight line he had laid
out for himself. Referring to certain
phases of our complaints against the
European belligerents, he said that the
honor and self respect of the nation
were involved, and must be main
tained at all costs. He said: "We
covet peace, and shall preserve it no
matter what the cost, provided we are
not called upon to sacrifice our honor.
Such u price as that will never be
I paid bv American citizens for peace,
no matter how dearly they prize the
purchase.” The President said that
tie had done all in his power to keep
the country at peace with the whole
world, and that so far he had suc
ceeded, and that he believed that he
would be able to continue to avert the
clash of arms.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25. — Presi
dent Wilson held a long conference to
day with Speaker Champ Clark, who
is also majority leader of the House,
and Chairman Flood, of the foreign
affairs committee, in which he reit
erated his unaltered opposition to any
■action by Congress warning Ameri
| cans off of armed merchant ships.
I After the conference Speaker Clark j
jtold the newspaper men that it was J
j rumored Germany would postpone be- \
I ginning her new submarine campaign j
until the middle of March or first ol
April.
Congressman Mann called on tht
President and told him that if the re
solution ho was fighting was brougbl
to a vote the majority for it would bf
two to one. He also told Wilson thai
nothing would be done by Congress
today, but ventured no predictions foi
the future.
Senator Hodge, Republican membei
of the foreign relations committee, de
clares that he is in full accord witl
the President's v*e7/B on the submar
ine issue, and will stand by him in Ui
fight.
William Jennings Bryan has butter
into the controversy, as many con
gre8smen received telegrams froir
him, indicating that Bryan is support
ing the movement for warning Ameri
cans off of armed ships, and soliciting
their co-operation.
Senator Jones, of Washington state
introduced a resolution expressing the
sentiment of the Senate that any issue
affecting national honor should be re
ferred to Congress before any decis
ion is made, and no ultimatum sent to
foreign powers for severance of dip
lomatic relations be permitted with
out it has first been referred to Con
■ gress.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 25. — So far
no reply has been received by the
state department from Germany in
answer to this country’s request that
previous assurances for the safety of
unresisting merchantmen be made ap
plicable as well to the announced new
policy of the submarines, which is to
attack armed merchantment without
warning. In Germany it is fully rea
lized that the consequences of the de
struction of more American lives are'
liable to be serious, and that Ainerl-j
can public opinion will not stand for
any more slaughter on ships of this
I f
haracter. The civilian element at thelv
ierman court has always striven to| (
preserve friendly relations with the (
United States, hut this contingent./
leaded by Chancellor Bethmann-lioll j ‘
weg, has recently ben overshadowed!
n influence by a newly risen political
'orce headed by General Von Falken- f
tiayn. Fulkenhayn, who is chief of (
staff of the artny, is in the fullest t
ponfidence of the emperor, and ap- s
pears to have more to do with in- i
Huencing the policy of the Cierman (
government than any other man at 1
this time. The personal influence of I
the emperor is tremendous, and the/
ract that Falkenhayn is known to hold ! I
the opinion that he does not consider!'
i break with America would seriously j (
iffect (lermany’s chances for success 11
In the war, leads the knowing ones to ! i
suspect that this break is rapidly np- j <
preaching, and that it will occur after/
March 1, when Cierman submarines/
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ill sink more merchant vessels with
ut warning. These views of Falken
ayn have been conveyed to tile Presi
ent, who is thoroughly familiar with
tie seriousness of the situation.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 25. — The
irst attempt to have the government
ive official warning to American
itizens not to travel on the merchant
tiips of a belligerent, was made today
n Congress, when Seator Thomas P.
lore, the blind statesman from Okla
oma. introduced such a resolve in the
Tpper House. Senator Gore is a
lemocrat, but it is not believed that
is resolution had the sanction of the
Vilson administration. The summary
onsideration of the resolve was
docked by Senator Frank B. Ifrande
ee. Republican, of Connecticut, who
bjected under the rules, which means
hat the matter cannot be resumed
util tomorrow.
KAISER DIRECTS
ATTACK ON THE
)
PARIS, Peb. 25. — The severe fight
ing which has been going on north
of Verdun is practically diminishing
in violence. Last night the Germans
made no attack on the French lines,
although these night attacks have oc
curred regularly for the past three
days. The French have been forced !
to fall back to the rear of Beaumont,
losing considerable ground. The Ger-j
mans were directed in their attack by \
the emperor, who was close to the fir- |
ing line at all times, personally en
couraging his soldiers, and the Ger
mans showed reckless courage in their!
charges across open ground in the
JL face of a murderous fire from hun
dreds of French machine guns. The
losses suffered by the French troops;
are declared to be insignificant, while
the Teuton casualties must have run
into the tens of thousands. The Ger
mans rolled forward in a great wave, t
great gaps being torn in their lines
by the French fire, but the reserves
filled up the open spaces in the line
and completed the charge.
ALLIED FORCES
DRIVEN RACE j
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CONSTANTINOPLE, Feb. 25.—The
Turkish war office announced errt'icial
ly today that the British and French ;
troops in Mesopotamia, inarching to
the relief of General Townsend at
Kut-el-Amara, had made a strong at
tack againHt the Turkish positions at
Felahie, a short distance below the
Kut. The allied forces were driven
back by heavy Turkish machine gun
fire, their efforts ending in failure,
and heavy losses being inflicted.
Miss Elizabeth Churchill was an ar
rival from the States on tho North
western. and has accepted a position
jit Mrs. Wells’ boarding house.
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The steamer Admiral Evans is due
here early this afternoon.
NOME RACE POSTPONEO
ACCOUNT OF STORM
NOME, Feb. 25. — The Moose bur
den handicap dog team race to Solo
mon has been postponed because of a
blizzard which is raging, making the
trail almost impassable. The event
will be pulled off next Monday, if the
weather moderates.
SAYS BRANDEIS
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25. — Mark
Sullivan, one of file editors or Col
lier’s Weekly, who writes the articles
for that paper dealing with the doings
of Congress, appeared before the sub
committee of the Senate judiciary
committee today and testified con
cerning certain charges which have
been made against Brandeis in con
nection with the Ballinger-Pinchot in
vestigation. He told the senators that
Brandeis had been employed by Col
liers' during the investigation to pro
tect the interests of the magazine, and?
of the public generally, as the maga
zine, being partly responsible for the
investigation of the then secretary of
the interior, felt that the people of
the country should have some one to
see that the evidence against Ballin
ger was fully brought out. Sullivan
asserted that there never had been
any attempt made to conceal the fact
that Brandeis was in the employ of his
paper at that time.
Dutch Blanchfield returned on the
Northwestern and brought fourteen
head of horses with him for freighting
purposes on the Chitina-Fairbanks
trail.
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Dr. C. L. Hale, who spent the past
si.: weeks in Seattle, returned home
on the steamer Northwestern last
e”ening.
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The steamer Northwestern will not
leave for the westward until noon to
day.
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Mrs. G. A. Stratman came down
from McCarthy on yesterday’s train.
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Dan Ross returned from the outside (
and will leave on today’s train for
Valdez creek.
TURKISH TROOPS
PETROGRAD, Feb. 25. — The war
office issued an official bulletin de
tailing particulars of the Russian pur
suit of the Turks from Erzerum to
day. The Turks have now been forced
back over forty miles from the city in
a westerly direction. The retreating
Turks have received re enforcements,
large numbers of additional regiments
having reached the front in Caucasia,
who are said to have been detached
from the Gallipoli w-ar zone. Their
defence has suffered considerably, and
having reached a-position which can
be defended by french fighting, they
are at present making a stubborn
stand. Serious lighting has already
taken place, much different front the
desultory rear guard actions which
have characterized the short battles
when the Turks were retreating. Front
scattered bits of information drifting
In front Russian headquarters it is
thought that another big battle may
be in the process of development.
General Von Der Goltz is in charge of
the Turkish forces, and many German
officers are leading Turkish regi
ments.
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VILLA BOBS UP
I
EL PASO, Feb. 25. — General Villa
and bis band of outlaws are on the
rampage again, disproving the recent
statements issued from Carranza
headquarters in Juarez, that the rebel
Mexican leader had been surrounded,
without possibility of escape. Yester
day Villa appeared In San Buena and
Ventura, burning several houses, and
plundering the shops, taking with him
what supplies he could carry. Later
his force was reported as occupying
the town of Elvallo.
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Mrs. C. C. Hull, of Chitlna, returned
last night from a visit to the States,
and will leave for her home on to
day's train.
FRENCH AIRCRAFT1
(TUCKS CITY
OF METZ '■
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PARIS, Feb. 25. — The first bulle
in issued by the war office today
dated that the fighting north of Ver
lun was being continued undiminished i
n intensity. The war office ac
tnowledged that the French village
if Brabant had been captured by the
Fentons, who swept over the French
ranches in a tremendous wave. The
ifficials assert that ttie French line
s not broken at any point, such re
irements as have been made, not en
langering the main position, and the
roops still fighting as a homogeneous
nachine. Yesterday a squadron of
French aeroplanes from Verdun flew ^
iver the German lines and attacked
he German city of Metz, one of the .
;reat Germany fortifications. Many
liombs were dropped in the neighbor
tl
lood of the railroad station, on the ^
lutskirts of Metz, and it is believed (
hat a gas tank was set on fire, as
he airmen could see that an immense
conflagration had been started.
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Misses Marjorie Bailey and Pearl j,
Ciates, of Seattle, were arrivals on last I c
night's steamer. j,
FLETCHER GETS:
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 25. — The
Senate today confirmed the Presi
dent's nomination of Henry Prather t
Fletcher to the post of ambassador to t
Mexico. There was considerable op- v
position to the nomination, the foreign r
relations committee having returned
a divided report on the appointment.
The final vote in the Senate on Flet- t
cher was -tit to 16. The new ambus- (
sador at present holds the post of am )
bassador to Chile. The salary in the
legation in Mexico is the same as at
Chile, namely $17,500. n
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G. H. Thomas and wife, of Juneau, j
were arrivals In Cordova on yester
day's train.
USER STATIONED ALONG
HE LINE
BERLIN. Feb. 25. It is officially
dmitted that the Kaiser has estab
«hed his headquarters in the fSer
um positions facing Verdun.
rUUKS FLEEING
PETROGRAl). Feb. 25. — The war
ffiee officially announced this after
oon that considerable fighting was
olng on in Persia between the Rus
ian forces and large bodies of the
ueiny, composed of Turks and Arab
•regulars. The fighting line has been
radually veering towards the import
nt city of Kermanshah. the Turks
efending the passes which lead to
le town, being greatly assisted by the
tpography of the country. The army
f the ( i:ar yesterday forced the pas
age of the enemy from the Bidesurka
nd Sakahe passes, and the Turks are
ow in full retreat toward Kerman
hah The Russians captured large
unnttUes of guns and supplies, be
ides taking considerable prisoners,
'he pursuit of the fleeing Turks is
eing prosecuted with all possible dili
enn-\ and it is felt that Kermanshah
•jl! soon he in the hands of the Rus
lans. ns the Turks will be unable to
lake a strong stand at that place.
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E. C. Heacock. J. Paulson. Mrs. Fred
,ewis and Miss Edith Waite formed a
arty of Falrbanksans who arrived
ere last night from the States, and
ill leave for their home on this
iorning'8 train.
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S. N. Laurie has returned from a
rip to the States, and will leave on
his morning's train for McCarthy,
'hero he and his brother conduct a
lothing store.
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N. Haw’kinson. superintendent of
he new cannery the Carlisle Packing
Company is erecting here, arrived
tst night with a crew of men.
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M. V. Lattin. of McCarthy, was
mong the returning passengers on
he steamer Northwestern last oven
ig.
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Everybody has the Empress habit.
NOME KILLED
I
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NOME, Eeb. 25. — A shocking tra
gedy occurred yesterday in Reed's
machine shop in this city, resulting in
the death of I.eo Watkin, a machinist.
The dead man was engaged in tapping
a hole in a lank which had formerly
been used for the storage of acety
lene gas. After he had finished boring
the hole he struck a match, better to
see the result of his work, and caused
an explosion. Watkin was instantly
kiled. An examination subsequently
disclosed that the whole bottom of the'
tank had been blown out. The tank
was practically blown through the
roof, wrecking the building. Watkin
was also hurled upwards against the
ceiling, smashing his head into pulp,
and scattering brains and blood all
over the place, from the floor to the
ceiling.
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I
BERLIN. Feb. 25. — The war office
issued an official bulletin today, stat
ing that the Teutons had achieved
great successes in the attacks of the
past few days on the French positions
north of Verdun. The announcements
claim the capture of all the French
positions and trenches in the region
north of the city as far south as the
ridge of Loudemont, which is situated
just south of Beaumont. Over ten
thousand French troops were taken
prisoner. Among the positions cap
tured were the fortified villages and
farms of Champs Neuville, Cotellate,
Marmont, Beaumont, Chambremes
and Ornes.
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Mrs. J. \V. Forrester returned last
evening from a visit to Portland, and
her husband came to Cordova yester
day from Chitina to meet her.
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Wanted — Position by woman com
petent to do work of any kind. Apply
Times office.
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