The Alaska citizen., 1917-03-26
UNITED STATES
 IS PREPARING
 TO ENTER WAR
Associated Press)

l WASHINGTON. D. C. Mar. l9- l Officials connected intimately with
 the administration state that it is President Wilson's belief that a state of war already exists between the l United States and Germany. It is also stated that the President will issue statement to this effect within the next forty-eight hours While there has been nothing defi- nitely decided or announced as to whether the President intends to call g special session before April Is or not. the general opinion is that he will do so within the next few days. Both Democratic and Republican lead CTS are known to favor this, and, in fact, some of them have publicly stat ed that an extra session should be called at once.
 PREPARING FOR WAR. WASHINGTON, D. C., Mar 19- Under the direction of President Will son. the various departments are speeding up preparations for war. This comes as a direct result of the sinking of three American-owned mer- chant vessels that were sunk either by torpedoes or submarine shell fire on Sunday It is authoritatiyely Gt to tod thot E1 begun against the German submarine menace within a short time.
 The President held several confer. ences during the day with the heads of the navy and war department, and was Closeted with Secretary of State Lansing for nearly an hour. It is known that his plan of action is determined upon. and it may be necessary to call congress immedi- ately in session to secure it's consent to the action proposed. Both Demo- cratic and Republican leaders eX- press themselves as willing to give the President any authority that he may desire, and many of the con gressmen are of the opinion that war should be declared without any further preliminaries.
 GETTING READY.
 WASHINGTON, D. C., Mar 19.- President Wilson today authorized the expenditure of $115, 100000, which is the additional allowance made by the last session of the sixty-fourth congress for naval purposes. It will be used exclusively for the construc- ton of special additional war craft and hastening the construction of vessels already partially built.
 Several days ago representatives of every shipbuilding concern in the United States who have contracts from the government for naval work called on Secretary Daniels and vol untarily agreed to push government contracts to the exclusion of all else should it become necessary. At this time representatives of the labor unions employed by the shipbuilders also made arrangements with Secre- tary Daniels to stretch their hours of labor, regardless of schedules or wage contracts that are in force with their employers. Today the sec retary notified these concerns that an emergency existed and that they could proceed with the construction along the lines agreed upon at the former conference.
 WARCRAFT ORDERED.
 WASHINGTON, D. C., Mar. 19.- The navy department today issued instructions to the New York navy yard to commence work at once on the construction of sixty submarine chasers. The boats are to be no feet long and will be equipped with power to make them the fastest boats afloat They will be equipped with rapid fire guns, and will be capable of a long cruising radius.
 The navy yard OluClalS leCeNeu the instructions this morning, and it is announced that work has already been started. The entire lot will be ready for service within from sixty to eighty days. At all other government navy yards all the ener- gies will be concentrated on the speedy construction of submarine chasers and vessels to defend the coast. Warship building will also be speeded up.
 GETTING OFFICERS.
 WASHINGTON, D. C., Mar l9.- Secretary Daniels this afternoon or dered the graduation of both the