The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-21


 gagged the attention of the President and his cabinet yesterday afternoon Their deliberations continued more than two hours.
 Public interest in the deliberations was divided between the report that 1t had been decided to make public the names of the men who are to serve on the commission to be despatched to Russia to aid in the permanent or ganization of the new democratic gov ernment of that country and the an- nouncement obtained from an unoffi- cial source that the President will not urge Congress to enact legislation prohibiting the sale or manufacture of liquor during the war with Ger many.
 May Select Root.
 The presence of former Senator Elihu Root and Oscar Straus was naturally connected with the cabinet discussion of the Russian problem Neither would reply to questions re- garding the probability of their se- lection as members of the commission
 The impression obtains, however. that the Presient will shortly empha- size his determination to ignore par tisan consideration in all dealings with foreign governments by honor ing MT. Root with a, place of interna- tional importance during the next few days.
 That the Russian situation is caus- ing good deal of concern in official and diplomatic circles is frankly con- ceded While no importance is at- tached to the .cabled report that Ger many and Russia are paving the way for negotiating an armistice prelim- mary to the consideration of peace terms, there is known to exist great uneasiness as to the solidarity of the new Russian democratic enter prise.
 Ambassador Francis has not re- ported any developments in the situa- tion at Petrograd that justify cre- dence of the report that the tempo rary government is breaking down. It Is admitted that the. most inpor- ,tant consideration confronting the United States and her European al- lies is to defeat German intrigue for a 1et-down in military opera tions.
 Consequently, there is a conviction that the first relief of financial char acter to be extended to any of the European nations will go to Russia. Great Britain and France are under stood already to have agreed on this point.
 The despatch of the American com mission to Russia will probably be eoincident with the provision of a loan of from $500. 100000 to s1,5o0,- 100000 By anticipating the assur- ed success of the bond isue which Congress has practically authorized, the government will soon have avail able the sum of money finally agreed upon.
 One of the immediate needs of the Russian government next to finances is for American engineers and tech nical men to assist the Russian gov ernment in bringing order out of the transportation or economic chaos re- sulting from the recent revolution or accentuated by it.
 '. Cabinet discussion of the Nation wide rohibition project was inspired by the recommendations of the medi- cal branch of the National Council of Defense that the use of liquor be prohibited as a military expedient. The action of the Democratic caucus of the House of Representatives in attempting to project the issue into the war program also tended to pro- yoke discussion in the Executive Council.
 Prohibition Unlikely Now.
 It is understood the President and his advisers decided that present con ditions do not warrant the placing of the country on a dry basis. Precau- tions have already been taken to pro- hibit the sale and use of intoxicants in military and naval districts. Later on, 1t was said by a member of the Cabinet, it. may be necessary for the government to request legislation to prohibit the sale of liquor at all times throughout the country. At the pres ent time, however, the President and his advisers are not convinced that there is any reason for doing so now.
 The advisability of cutting off ex- ports to Norway and Sweden was also the subject of discussion in executive circles. Information that they have been supplying quantities of food stuffs and other supplies to Germany has reached Washington through British and other sources. |
 Before the entrance of the United States. into the war this country had successfully aided the efforts of Great Britain to prevent American exports reaching Norway and Sweden The changed conditions, however, present the matter in another form. It is believed that as a justifable war measure 1t may be necessary to pro- hibit the future exporting of Ameri- can products to the two Scandinavian countries.
 Council of Navies Satisfactory.
 Concerning the report made by Secretary Daniels regarding the de- of the naval council par ticipated in by the United z States, Great Britain and France, no infor- nation was given out. It is under- stood, however, that these reports were of the most satisfactory char acten''
 While the cabinet did not discuss the request of former President that he be permitted to or ganize an army division to be recruit l sd by the volunteer system, the matter has actively engaged the attention of the President and Secretary of War for several days, Col Roosevelt's plan appears to have a great many SUD- oorters throughout the country. It | has few, if any, in the regular mili- tary establishment The argument 1 ,sed hv the advocates of the CoJoneps |