The Washington herald., 1917-02-19
President Prepares to Demand
Great War Budget for
Preparedness.
WILL ADDRESS CONGRESS
Support Of Both Houses Ex-
pected in His Move to Pro-
tect u. S. Interests.
SMALL OPPOSITION TO PLAN
Conference with Administration Lead
ers at Capitol on Details Of Leg
islation Considered Likely.

lsidIOH NOnSlOcTGQ IlkelN.
President Wilson plans to make the
present week the climax of the in
ternational situation which has been
crystallizing since he decreed the
rupture with Germany.
He will go before Congress. pos
sibly today or tomorrow, ask for
authority to set the nations mighty
war-making machinery in motion
for the protection OF American
shipping, and lay plans for a war
budget" which will smash all precc-
dents on this side of the Atlantic.
Congress will respond to his wish.
There will be little opposition TO his
will so far as it concentrates in him
the power, authority, and financial
support of the country for whatever
steps he may deem necessary.
To Confer with Leaders
The President will confer with adrip!s-
tration leaders in Congress as TO the de-
tails Of legislation. Much depends on
The form in which his program is out
lined to the joint session OF the House and
Senate. Considerable debate may follow
" some features OF his program are aues-
liable without infringing upon the main
l icy t.solved.
The President made It clear TO his Con-
.gressionsl advisers that hetdesires greatly
10 avoid an extra session OF Congress.
should vest him with fun and complete
authority To taE- any steps necessary TO
meet any situation that may arise after
March
The reluctance OF Congress 10 PASS
blanket legislation dcleEatirE authority
which IL considers its own 0rcTOEail,s
may cause some opposition 10 this course.
Therefore. administration leaders in Con-
gress believe that with but two weeks Of
the session remaining the President
should get his emergency program before
Congress at once. The President was
Closeted in his study last night hard 2 {
work. No announcement as to what he
was doing was forthcoming. hut il was
undersood that he was working over his
emergency plans preparatory to submit
ting them 10 Congress With the eNCep-
ton OF an hour at church and brief
automobile ride Yesterday afternoon, the
President spent the entire day at work.
No Reports from Europe.
There were no new reports from tho
war zone at the State Department yestcr-
day. and State Department officials noted,
as somewhat significant the general re-
duCtion in the destructiveness OF the Ger
man submarine campaign. They pointed
out that up to date the ruthless warfare
had failed by wide margin 10 destroy
shipping at the rate Of l.oO0CoO tons a
month. fixed by the German admiralty
when the campaign began.
With the American freighters Orleans
end Rochester in the neiEhborhood Of the
war zone last night, however. Washing
ton waited anNiouSly for reports OF ther
progress. 1t was stated that the sinking
OF either one OF these vessels without
warning would make the situation still
more serious.
The Navy Department, Il was learned,
has practically completed detailed ar
ra rancements for arming every American
merchant vessel sailing for the war zone.
orders for new guns suitable for use on
merchant ships have heen ordered rushed
by the armament manufacturers. and
meantime the Navy Department arranged
to use reserve guns. Plans have been
worked out in detail. oven to assigning
particular guns TO individual ships. Il
will only he matter OF a few weeks. A
Navy Department official said last ui=h;.
TO arm every American merChaulnLn
when the President gives the word.
Little Delay for Order.
There were indica ions that the order
to arm American vessels will not long
be delayed. Administration officials were
clearly concerned over the economic re-
suits Of the German submarine csU-
paiCn. II WAS pointed out that the hold
ing ur OF American ships in various ports
by the submarine menace was practically
an acquicsccnce in the German blockade
declaration. The President, Il was un-
derstood, is extremely anxious that Amer
iCan commerce should resume its regu-
tar movement as soon as possible.
The State department was without FUR
ther adviccs from Americans in the Teu-
tonic countries II was stated. however.
Americans in Germany and Austria had
Berlin that the American consular on
Cials. and other American citizens who
had not yet left Germany. would be
given an opportunity to leave. via Switz-
erland. within a week. The assurances
ing the hope that friendly relations be-
tween Turkey and the United States
would continue. were also accepted as
rcassuring although the Turkish mill
taTy authorities have on several occa-
safety given by the foreign Office. The
10 relieve the thousand or more American
refugees now held by the Turkish mill
tary authorities at Beirut.