The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1917-01-06

mediate release of the prisoners ana
! ordered the militia rushed to the bOr-
! der. The Iris )ners were deliFered ut
Ell Paso three days after the president s
! demand. Early in September an Amer
| ican-AIeXican joint commission met to
confer upon the matters in dispute be-
tween the government of the United
States and Mexico. This joint COM
mission signed a protocol Nov. "a.
Meanwhile, one day before the protocol
was signed, Villistas attacked Chihua-
hua City and were defeated by Car
ranzistas. Two days later they again
attacked and occupied part of the city,
but were expelled on Dec. by Carran-
"a forces.
Election and Politics.
Following his nOmina ton for the
presidency by the Republican conyen
| ton in June, Justice Charles E. Hughes
resigned from the supreme court bench
and Immediately entered the canvass
against President Woodrow Wilson,
who was renominated by the Demo
cratic convention. Theodore Roosevelt
declined the Progressive nomination
and supported Hughes. The campaign
was noted for exceptional vigor, and the
outcome was uncertain even for some
days after the election. Victory for
Wilson was not conceded until the
count in California gave him a safe
ma jority in the electoral college.
Second only in interest to the presi-
Dental canvass were the participation
Of women in campaign work and the
result of the anti-saloon voting. With
gains made, it is estimated that nearly
Seven-eighths of the territory is now
under mo license rules.
Among the political events Of the year
was the passage of the Adamson eight
hour law for railroad employees, to
take effect Jan. 1, 1917 The act was
passed when the nation confronted a
general strike Of railroad men which
would have paralyZed traffic. A COM
mission was appointed to investigate
the working of the law.
In July rural credits act was pass
ed to facilitate loans for the especial
beEsfit Of farmers.
Neutral Rights.
The president at the end of February
asked congress to take action on the
question of the arming OF merchant
men traversing the war zone and other
points at issue regarding submarine
warfare. Germany had recognized re-
sponsibility" for the loss of neutral
lives on the Lusitania in February, but
the general aspect of the submarine is
sue was one to cause uncertainty as
to safety of neutral lives on the high
seas. Both houses acted upon separate
resolutions. practically leaving the mat
ter in the hands of the executive. Ser
ate vote was 6S to IA; house. 276 ~
142.
Merchant Submarines.
A new phase of the submarine ques-
uon involving the United States came
up when the German merchant sub
marine Deutschland arrived at BaIti-
more with a cargo Of German goods.
Although the Deutschland was not
armed, the entente powers asked the
United States to treat her class as war
ships, which the state department de
clined to 90. The vessel sailed for
Germany in August and arrived at
New London on a return trip Nov. l.
Meanwhile on Oct. the armed Ger
man submarine U-53 entered Newport
harbOr, coming direct from Wilhelms-
haven. She received the usual privi-
leges of a warship in a neutral port.
Next day, off Nantucket shoals. Unit
ed States coast, she torRedoed and
sank three British and two neutral