The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-22
President Calls Extra0rdi-
nary. Session Ahead Of
Time First Set.
ACTION WILL NOT BE
DECLARATION OF WAR
War in Fullest Sense De-
pends on Further Ger
man Actions.

| Washington, March 81. - President
Wilson today met the constantly in
creasing probability Of war with Ger
many by summonng congress TO as
| semblc in extraordinary session Mon
! day. April =, two weeks earlier than
| the date he had chosen before tho
| latest assaults upon American rights
on the seas. "n'
When the president addresses con-
Eress he is expected to show how q
state of war actually has existed for
some time because of the unlawful ag-
gressions of German submarines.
Congress Is expected formally to de-
clare state of war existing, vote ;t
large sum, probably half a billion dol
lars. for national defense and clothe
the president with authority to use the
armed forces of the United States MS
II empowered President Mckinley to
deal with the menace Of Spain in
1898.
| Not Actual War.
such action would not be a dcclara-
| ton OF war except in Il technical
sense and whether the United States
and Germany actually 80 to war In the
fullest acceptance OF the term will de-
pend upon what tho imperial govern
ment does before congress is assembled
/ or after it acts.
Dispatches from abroad tonight de-
claring that the German government
expected 4 state of war within tho next
4S hours. placed an oininous aspect
on the situation.
Much to change the presidents pres
Lent Intentions or the course OF the
government in the crisis may develop
before April =. Tho first American
armed ships will by that time have
reached the war zone. The ruthless de-
struction of one of them unqucstion-
ably would be an act Of war.
Armed Ship Possibilities.
ON the other hand sinking of sub
marine by one of the armed merchant
! mon probably would be met as an act
OF war by Germany. Even the arining OF
American ships. with the ayowed pur-
pose of defending them against U.
boats may be declared such an act.
| In any of these events practically
| nothing would remain except for con-
srcss to acknowledge a state of war
existing from certa,h specified date
probably last Sunday when three
American ships were sunk with loss OF
life.
The next ten days until congress
meets VIII be days of tense anxiety, OF
eager waiting and watching. fraught
with the possibilities OF tremendous
consequences to tho United States.
| Won't Declare War.
President Wilson and his advisers IN
the cabinet and in congress have no in
tention that war shall be declared by
the United States. BY the hostile acts
OF German submarines they believe the
imperial government is actually max
Ing war on the United States and that
1t shall be recognized as such a state.
TO meet such IL condition the armed
forces of the country and all the ma
uonal resources are to be. put in u
state of readiness. Then. whether tho
nation shall enter war In its fullest
sense will depend upon how much
further Germany carries her acts OF
aggression.
On Defense Only.
In every sense war II it actually
comes. will be Il defensive war free
from ambitions OF spoils or territory
In which the United States. the presi- .
dent has publically declared. shall want
nothing tor itself and shall seek only
to preserve the rights OF civilization
and humanity.
In such situation the United
States might even become an actual
participant in the hostilities on the
European continent without becoming
IL political ally OF any OF the entente
powers. simply. casting its weight OF
men, money and influence into the
battle against 4 common enemy.
Ports of the United States proba bly,
viii be opened to warships of the en-
tcnte navies. credits from the vast
stocks of gold, food. munitions and
other materials might be extended to
all the entente powers. Tho American
navy probably would CO. operate with
the British and French navies In clear
t,>., a Z