The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-24
Meanwhile Preparations Are
Being Rushed Forward.
TELLS NAVY NEEDS
Says Warships Will Be Ready
When They Are Needed.
No Change Has Taken Place in
Austrian Situation.
BY e. r. sARTWELL.

Washington, March 24.-President
Wilson and his cabinet have decided
to wait for congress before making
any definite move against Germany
unless further submarine aggressions
absolutely force the United States to
act. Preparedness was made the chief
duty of every department of the gov
eminent after the president and his
advisers had reviewed the tangled in
ternational situation.
1t was decided to make every en-
deavor to mobilize all of the resources
president, and to have these resources
ready for instant use when congress
copvenes
The congressional leaders with
Speaker Champ Clark of the House at
their head, began to arrive in Wash
ington Friday for the most momentous
session in more than half a century,
many of them declared they were pre-
pared to go to any lengths to back up
the president in his fight for Ameri-
can rights at sea when congress opens
April 2.
Secretary of the Navy Daniels laid
before the cabinet meeting today his
report of what has been accomplish
ed, and what has been planned to
make the nations first line of defense
ready for the impending struggle. 1t
was brief and to the point and it
placed squarely before the president
and his advisers the need for speed in
naval construction and in the enlist
ment of men to man the nations war
ships. Secretary Daniels left the
White House with all the authority
that the executive branch of the gov
eminent can give him to hasten navy
preparedness When congress con-
venes a week from next Monday, it
will find the navy ready to move al
a moments notice
Other Departments Active
Secretary of War Baker likewise
submitted his plans for army activity
and the whole cabinet went over in
detail the need for men to guard the
cities of the Atlantic coast and the
whole country, not only from attacks
from without, but from conspiracies
which might endanger the vital points
of the nations life.
Other members of the cabinet par
ticularly Secretary of Commerce Red
field and Secretary of Labor Wilson
went over the matters in their de-
partment which will aid in modifying
the whole power of the nation for in
slant use. All of the presidents ad-
visers will begin work at once on esti-
mates of needed appropriations and
necessary legislative enactments which
Will De asked Tor Wnen the eXtraOrdl-
nary session of congress convenes.
The cabinet went over the Austrian
situation in detail, but no announce
ment was forthcoming as to what ac-
ton was contemplated.
However, there was a general feel
ing that Ambassador Penfield at Wen
ma and his staff were prepared to
leave the dual monarchy at a mo-
ments notice. The situation of the
thousand or more American refugees
held up at Beirut in Asia Minor also
agitated the administration and it
was stated that peremptory demand
for the relief of these refugees would
be forwarded to Turkey within a short
time. The state department has ex-
erted every effort to relieve these re-
fugeeS and the Turkish government
has SO far failed to secure safe con-
duct thru the Mediterranean barred
zone for the cruiser Des Moines and
the collier Caesar, loaded with sup
plies and ready to remove the ref
ugeeS-