The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-01-05
BY DONALD F. BlGGS.
new Ilnes which lad boon pre.

The relations between Germany and
the United States were further strain
ed March Is by the receipt Of reports
of the sinking of three American
steamers, the City Of Memphis, llli-
nois and Nigilancia, fifteen of the lat
ter's crew being lost
On March u, President Wilson Is
sued proclamation calling congress
IN special session on April ,.
The American steamer lIealdton
was torpedoed without warning, March
-, u men including seven Amerl-
cans, being lost.
United States Declares War.
On April >, President Wilson ap-
peared before joint session of con-
gress ana called for Il declaration of a
state Of war with Germany. On April
l. the senate passed a resolution de-
claring the existence of state Of war.
The resolution was adopted by the
house of representatives April 6 and
was signed by the president the same
day. At the same time 81 German
owned vessels in American ports were
seized by the government Cuba de-
clared war on Germany on April 7.
The following day, AuStria-IIungary
severed diplomatic relations with the
United States.
The British forces on the west front
began the first great offensive Of 1917
on April 9, penetrating the enemy po-
sitionS north and south of Arras to a
depth of from two 10 three miles.
The French forces launched an Of
fcnsive against the enemy on a 25-mlc
front between scissors and Rcms,
April 1G and after three days fighting
reported the capture of more than IT,
coo prisoners.
O The first American casualties in the
war were reported April 2S when the
armed American tank steamer Vacuum
was sunk by a submarine and several
American gunncrs were lost.
American Fleet in Action.
1t was learned on May l6, that
squadron of American dcstroycrs I'M
der Rear Admiral Simms had safely
crossed the Atlantic and had been pa
trolling the seas in war service since
May 4.
The United States army draft bin
became law May Is when President
Wilson affixed his signature to the
measure and issued a proclamation fix
ing June ; as registration day.
During the early part Of June grow
ing unrest in Russia began to attract
the attention Of the allies. On June |,
Workmcn and soldiers seized Kron-
stadt the Russian fortress defending
Potrograd, and repudated the provis-
ional government On June 3, the
American commission 10 Russia head
cd by Elhu Root, and the American
railroad commission headed by John
f. Stevens, arrived safely at Russian
ports. On June T. the Russians in
possession of Kronstadt yielded to
negotiations and recognized the pro-
visional government.
In the meantime the American prep
arations for the war were proceeding
rapidly. On June 3, nearly l000o,00O
men of military age registered for milf
tary service under the sccctivc draft
law. On June s. Major General John
j. Pcrshing, who had been selected TO
head the American cxpeditionary
forces In France, arrived with his staff
in London. On the same day Wash
ington reported the safe arrival in
France of 100 American ayiators, the
first American fighting forces to reach
that country.
King Constantine Dethroned.
A solution of the Greek situation,
which hal endangered the operations
of the allies in the Balkans, was reach
ed June II when on the demand of
France, Great Britain and Russia, King
Constantine ahdicated in favor of his
second son, Prince Alexander. who was
known to be fayorably inclined toward
the allies. London reported another
| big raid hy Zeppelins on June Is, in
which 15T persons were killed and
many injured.
The subscriptions to the first Ameri-
/ can Liberty loan closed June 10, the
loan being ovcrsubscrbed by $750,-
100000.
On June 26, it was announced that
the first contingent of American troops,
under command of Major General ST.
bert, had arrived safely in FRANCE.
The new Greek cabinet, headed by
Eleutherios Venizelos, went into Office
on June y and two days later the new
government severed diplomatic rela-
tons with Germany, Austria-Hungary,
Bulgaria and Turkey.
On the first of July, the Russian
forces, under the personal leadership
of War Minister Kerensky, electrified
the allies by launching a powerful Of
fensive on an 1S-mile front in Galicia,
capturing many strongly fortified
towns and taking thousands of pris-
onerS. For two weeks The Russians
continued to advance along Il front
that widened to 100 miles, but on July
10 the Russian offensive collapsed and
turned into rout, when many Rus
sian regiments mutined and fed.
Kerensky succeeded Prince Lvoff as
premier of Russia on July 20.
The first political crisis in the Ger
man cabinet during the war resulted
on July If in thc resignation Of Chan
Small maps or Logan county rol