On this page we will look back at life in the city during the war years. Here we will provide the visitor with the stories making the news, what was happening in sports and entertainment, city politics, the social scene and the prominent people at the time. So, check back often for new editions. To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com
TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1917
There will be fair skies over the city today with cool temperatures. There may even be some frost in outlying areas and suburbs. Today’s high will be about 62° with the overnight low near 43°. This has been the coldest September on record thus far and last night some areas of the suburbs measured a low of 40°. The Board of Education has decided to continue to provide salaries to all teachers who have joined or are drafted into the armed forces. The plan is to pay teachers the difference between their salary and the pay they receive while serving to ensure they suffer no loss of income.
The Jewish Publication Society of America which is headquartered in this city plans to distribute 60,000 prayer books to Jewish soldiers and sailors. The book will be arranged so that both Orthodox and Reform Jews can use it. Additionally in news for Jewish members of the services, furloughs have been granted to them to observe the Jewish New Year from noon September 16 till September 19 and from noon September 25 till September 27 to observe the Day of Atonement.
Federal agents here raided the offices of the Philadelphia Tageblatt newspaper, 107 North 6th Street, and arrested officials of the paper this morning. The newspaper is a German language socialist publication. Those arrested are Louis Werner, chief editor, Waldemar Alfredo, editorial writer, Herman Lemke, business manager and Dr. Martin Darkow, managing editor. Two other writers are being sought.
The publication and its editors and writers are being charged with faking and distorting news dispatches and publishing stories hostile to the interests to the United States. Twenty-five other employees and writers of the newspaper are being questioned by government agents. A truckload of files and documents were seized by the government for examination. This action was taken under the Espionage Act. Herman Lemke stated that he is not a disloyal American and has been in this country over 30 years. He claimed it is absurd to charge they have published fake news.
Herman Lemke
WAR NEWS
There is chaos in Russia. Civil war may be breaking out. Troops under General Korniloff are marching upon Petrograd in open revolt. Presently they are 85 miles from the city. Forces loyal to Premier Kerensky are preparing to meet them in battle. Kerensky has been given virtual dictatorial power by the Russian Cabinet which, after doing so, resigned en masse. It is still unclear as to whether Korniloff intends to restore the monarchy or assume total power himself.
GET YOUR COPY OF PHILADELPHIA: THE WORLD WAR I YEARS BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW