Today -100: February 13, 1917: Of sailors, u-boats, embargoes, and spies

Germany orders American relief workers working under Herbert Hoover out of occupied Belgium and northern France.

Germany says it will hold 72 American sailors (or 64 according to tomorrow’s paper or 59 next month) who were taken off the British freighter Yarrowdale in December ago as hostage until the US promises not to hold German crews stuck in US harbors (Germany was getting false reports about the treatment of its sailors, which the US thought had been debunked but evidently not to Germany’s satisfaction).

The US rejects Germany’s offer to negotiate modifications to Germany’s submarine warfare, saying it must rescind the January 31st proclamation resuming unrestricted warfare and there will be no discussion on the subject.

Mexico’s Carranza proposes that all neutral countries stop exporting munitions and food products to belligerent nations. If you’re wondering what commerce Mexico would have to give up, it does supply oil to British ships.

Wilson gives Panama Canal Zone governor Chester Harding authority to deport anyone he wants without appeal, suspected spies presumably.

Speaking of suspected spies, Margaretha MacLeod (stage name = Mata Hari) is arrested in Paris.

There’s been some sort of baseball strike.

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