The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-03-23

the country and all the national re-
sources are to be put in 4 s.ate Of
readiness.
4 Defensive War.
In every sense. war, :; it actually
comes, will be defensive, free from
ambitions of spoils or territory III
which the United States. the presl-
dent has publicly declared, shall want
nothing for itself and shall seek only
to preserve the rights Of civilization
and humanity.
In such an occasion the united
States might even demand actual par
ticipation in the hostilities on the
European continent without becoming
a political ally of any of the entente
powers, simply casting its weight OF
men. money and moral influence into
the battle against a common enemy.
Ports of the United States probably
would be opened to warships of the
entente navies; credits and the vast
stocks of gold, food, munitions and
other materials might be extended to
all the entente powers. The american
navy probably would cooperate with
the British and French navies In
clearing submarines from the seas. In
laying the whole situation before
congress the president is expected to
detail fully the warlike acts Of Ger
many against the United States and
to pay particular attention to the
r,,t,, IS
the great conflict draws to close.
1t is not improbable that he will
ask congress to declare a state Of war
existing, although there is some indi-
cation that he may only outline the
situation fully and leave to congress
the action which is accepted as un-
avoidable.
Meanwhile. every preparation for
putting the nations defenses in con-
dition to meet state Of war is going
forward The principal activities GEN.
tre in the navy.
Army Must Wait.
The army plans are in less def1n-
ite state because Of the uncertainty as
to what part it will be called on to
nlay. Tonight Secretary Baker con-
ferred with the president but the de-
tails they discussed were not reveal
ed.
The possibility of Germany extend
ing submarine operations to the At
lantic seaboard has not been under
estimated but it is recognized that
when she extends her warfare from
the barred zone to the 5000 miles of
broad Atlantic she so effectively
weaken her starvation blockade OF
England that the announced object Of
the campaign of ruthlessness will Of
necessity be abandoned. At the same
time the submarine menace to ship
ping will comparatively decrease.
Next to war. the attention of the
American government is on one other
object-the internal situation in Ger
many.
With a military censorship screen
ing the history making events tran
spring within the German empire
and equally screening from the Ger
man people the full meaning OF
events in the world outside, the real
condition of affairs in that country
guardedly reflected in dispatches from
abroad commands close attention.
Murmurings of revolt against au-
tocracy, emboldened by the revolu-
tion in Russia; reports of food riots
in Berlin. which are said to have
necessitated the withdrawal of troops
from the fighting lines; military sue
cesses by the entente on the Western
front and in Asia Minor; the sub
marine campaign operating far be-
low the efficiency predicted for it, all
lead to the belief among officials here
that possibly before congress can as
semble to meet the situation, the
world may be confronted with an en-
tirely different set of conditions.
While it has been assumed by many
that any aggressive action by the
United States against Germany and
in cooperation with the entente allies
would be purely of naval character.
designed 70 aid in the determination
CT submarines and raiders preyins
uron commerce, state department Of
fcials declared tod/E that this coun-
try might take any and all military
measures deemed to make effective
its protest against Germany without
actually entering into formal politi-
cal alliance. Even the sending of all
expeditionary force to Europe. it IS
held, would not obligate this country
to all the details CT the allied pro-
gramme.
Officials say that An army could
properly be sent to Belgium to help
in the restoration Of that territory
and to throw Americas influence on
the side of international law and
order