Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-25
DETAILS OF STEPS
TO Be URGED NOT
GIVEN TO PUBLIC
Congress Will Be Asked for
Sweeping Authority
by President.
GENERAL MILITARY BUDGET
READY FOR PRESENTATION
Council of National Defense Con-
siders Mobilization of Coun-
try's Economic Resources.
NAVY ORDERS "a DESTRoYERS
Failure OF Appropriation Bill Not AL.
lowed to Handicap Army's
Preparations.
GENERAL MILITARY BUDGET
READY FOR PRESENTATION
NAVY ORDERS "a DEsTRoYERs
Failure OF Appropriation Bill Not Al.
lowed to Handicap Army's
Preparations.
ERy Associated Preasl

By Associated Press
WASHINGTON. March od.-Haviut.
taken virtually every defense neas,rs
possible before tie assembling of Con
Srcss President Wilson and his ad-
visers in the executive branch of tho
government are concentrating their
efforts to prepare for the more sweep
ing steps for which congressional au-
thori,v will be sought
The details uf tho steps 10 be recon.
mcudcd are held in closest condolences
but officials let 1: be known to day that
among the rest a general military bud-
get 90 -ordinatinE many items OF eX-
penSc deemed imperative. Will be laid
before tho House and Senate when the
extra session begins n week from Mon
day.
During the day the Council OF Ma
tional Defense held long conferences
with its advisory committee Of seven
Industrial leaders, who have napped
out mobilization plans for the coun-
try's economic resources; the Navy De-
partmeut awarded contracts for twenty
four dcstroyers and called conferenceG
OF steel and other material companies Z
for next week to consider means or
speeding naval construction: the War
Department announced that failure OF
the army appropriation bill at tho last
session of Congress would not be permit \
ted 10 handicap tho army's prepara-
tons; and regulations were promul-
gated TO Suide the countrys news-%
raiers in voluntary censorship pro-
venting publication of details which
might embarrass the government
PRESIDENT IL CLOSE f
rOutH WITH DEVELOPMENTS
With these developments President
Wilson kept in close personal touch. I
Late in tho afternoon, after n walk
through tho Mall, he and Mrs Wilson
went To the state, War and Navy
fuildinG, and paid a visit to Secretary
Enkcr and Secretary Daniels. at their
Offices The talk with the War Secre-
tary lasted nearly an hour.
IN making The awards on dcstroyers
to-day. Secretary Daniels accepted the
maximum estimate OF each of the thres
companies submitting figures. or the
tw"uty-four ordered. nine will be built
under the emergency fund, Congress-
having specifically authorized only fit-
teen. conSidcrabl num Der OF other
builders were In conference with off,;
hcials, however, ana indications nrs
that to-day'S order viii he doubled o.s
ton OF the vessels can be found
kcGardinS the activities OF the War
b"nariment. Secretary Baker made this
statement TO the newspaper men:
"of course everybody knows that tho Z
International situation is tense The
War Department.. like every other de-
partment of the government. is busy
Win a state OF preparation. but with.
hp 7 .
mont or anybody else TO determine
what that preparation is fer. eXcept 10
put our national strength in a state
OF efficiency
POLICY or COZ NTRY
VET TO Hl: DETERMINED
Everybody realizes that this Is a
sort or unnatural situation We are
hahihG preparations and buying sup
Nh"S and all that sort of thing. and 4
Yet the policy OF the country is still
To he determined by the legislative
body aud just what win happen is TO
hc determined by the President and
Congress. n
"AtI that YOU can say OF the war
Department IS that II is pressing ahead
al purchases OF everything that will
be needed TO equip AN army If the q
army Is to he called upon 81
In awarding contracts for the twenty
tour destroycrs on the same day that
bias were opened. tile Navy Depart
ment established Il precedent for quick
action. All OF the vessels. which wiita
duplicate the thirty-ive-kno type al-#
ready building. viii be built on a basis
Of cost plus 10 per cent profit Con- !
tracts for ten went TO the Union Iron Il
Works SAN Franotscoi eight to the
Fore EiNer Shipbuilding Company.
Quincy. Mass. and six to William
Cramp X Sons. Philadelphia
Emergency funds provided for by
Congress are TO be used in hurrying
these and other laval vessels COM
piction builders engaged OH battle-s
cruiser contracts conferred during thes
day Win the compensation board.
which win allot the emergency ap-gl
propriation.
The Council OF Rational Defense ans
York River iiue 60 BaItimore.
N.w Bunct Parlor Car boLwcDn RlrhrrDnd y
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