Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-02
WILL RECITE AFFR0NTS
AGAINST US. by
GERMANY
CLARK IS SPEAKER
MANN Is DEFEATED FOR CON-
TROL OF HOUSE-NOMINAT
SPEECH is MADE BY lNDEPEND-
EMIT REPUBLICAN FOR MIS-
SOURI, LEGISLATOR.
BULLETIN.

BULLETIN.
shngton-President Wilson
will address a joint session Of
congress at o'clock tonight and
then will lay before the nations
war making body recital Of Ger
many's long continued affronts to
the United states.
Washington. April Champ Clark
was elected speaker of the sixty.fifth
congress this afternoon in sensations
al organization fight for control of the
lower house. Representative Mann
was defeated 217 to 205, Root and Gil
lette each securing two votes Clark
was nominated by r representative
Schall, of Minnesota an Independent
Republican, who was counted on to
support Mann Schall declared the
crisis demanded Wilson be backed by
Democratic Congress. Len Root, OF
Wisconsin,, nominated Mann and de-
cared the Democrats should show a
non partisan spirit by permitting Re-
publicans to organize the house and
advise with the president.
Washington April 1.-While the
House was organizing today Represen-
tative Flood, chairman of the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs intro
duced a Joint resolution declaring
that state of war exists between the
} United States and Germany and that
: Germany's course is nothing less than
! war against the government and the
:, people of the United States. The re-
solution authorizes President Wilson
/ to take immediate steps. not only to
put the country in thoro state OF de-
fense. but also to exert all of its pow
ers and employ all resources to carry
on a war against the Imperial German
government and bring the conflict 10
a successful termination. Tie REQ
luton will go before the foreign af-
fairs committee, together with the
Presidents address when delivered.
and will form basis for war resolu-
tions to be later reported to the House
Washington, d. c., Apri. 2-All
branches of the United States govern
ment today were mobilized to consid-
er Germany's aggression against this
nation The sixty-fifth congress, fresh
from the people and rejecting the SEN
| "a. 1C thn
met in extraordinary session. 1t had
been called by President Wilson to
supplement his efforts, diplomacy hav-
ing failed in its efforts to protect
American lives and property from
German ruthless submarine warfare
on the high seas. Congress
sicner under the constitution as the
only body which can declare war
was TO receive from the executive
, branch, represented by President VIII
SON. the account Of the failure Of ev-
, cry step taken TO protect Americans
, and their belongings which culminat-
, ed in a declaration of state OF
armed neutrality which. so far, has
been effective only in the case of YES
sells armed for protection and sup
piled with expert gunners taken
from war craft on which they are bad
ly needed
The next move admittedly was up
to congress. It's members, nearly all
CT whom had reached here long be-
fore noon, the hour fixed for the spe-
1 cial session to assemble accepted
without question the fact that
o they will be asked to declare that a
/. state cf war exists between Germany
r and the United States entirely thru
/. the acts Of Germany There was no
n hesitancy in evidence anywhere Lead
ers in the senate and house Democrat
n ic and Republican alike, we're unani-
7, nous in insisting that when the reply
@ was made, il would be couched in Ian
S guage that no one could mistake.
Later Democratic Leader Kitchin
told Secretary to the President Tum-
ulty that h doubted he ability of tho
u MUST W 'p'lipt'tt ltH oiSuh'N"t''" ~
n time for the President TO appear be-
r. fore joint session today.
n Meanwhi'a tle extraordinary actiy-
r. ity in both branches Of the national
ia defense we're continued All day Sun
" day army and navy chiefs were at
h. their desks working out the defense
/. plans. The orders for both branches
ID are ready for signature. Every pos
sihe move that could be taken in
advance OF specific authority by con
gross had been completed The navy
a. has been active for several weeks.
h Its position at the present time Is at
ID tho time Of tho most etragic value.