The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-26
WILSON ORDERS NAVY
STRENGTH INCREASED;
MILITIA CALLED OUT
Personnel is Raised to $1,000 by Executive Order and
Secretary Daniels Makes Appeal for Recruits Sew
eral Regiments of State Troops Are Ordered Out to
Protect Government and Munitions Properties.

of an investigation made by the gov
eminent which revealed the necessity
for providing greater protection to
government and munition plants IN
the Atlantic Coast states
The President and his advisers have
been convinced for some time that
war with Germany will incite at
tenpts to destroy the property of the
government and manufacturers Of war
supplies on the part of sympathizers
of the Teutonic powers.
| The plan to have such places guard
ed has been under consideration for
some time. Positive proof of the dis
loyalty of persons posing as citizens
of this country has been unearthed
by the Secret Service and the Invest1-
cation Bureau of the Department of
Justice.
Recent developments coming to the
notice of the secret agents of the gov
eminent regarding the activities of
persons Of this character have render
ed it imperative that the government
should without further delay adopt
means to circumvent efforts to destroy
the sources of military equipment
which may be needed within few
weeks.
AS most Of the more important
supply depots and munitions factories
are located in Atlantic Coast states,
the President, exercising his author
ity to call upon the National Guard
to provide police protection. conferred
with the governors of these states
and decided las might to issue the call
which was sent out today.
Gov, Mccall of Massachusetts was
the last State Executive to be consult
ed by the President. The Massachu-
sets Governor was at the White
House on Friday and assured the
President of his cooperation in any
undertaking which the latter might
decide upon.
To Protect Loyal Citizens
In rounding up suspects, the great
est care is to be exercised to prevent
the unjust treatment Of German ciu-
zens engaged in business who are not
concerned in unfrien3Iy acts against
the government There is the very
highest authority for the statement
that the full power Of the government
vii be exerted to protect from moles-
ta!ion citizens Of German origin who
are peacefully engaged in business ard
who are not to be rega1 ded as enemies
until they have provided proof to the
contrary.
All German nationals probably will
Be required to regis.er as matter
| of ordinary precaution. But they will
rot be disturbed as loT1g as trey be-
| have themselves and attend ID their
own business.
A high official of the State Depart
lieEt declared enhpn;nically tina there
| is not the slightest foundation for the
So nsationa, stories published Al a fey
newspapers yesterday and today indj-
| ca ing it to be the purpose of the gov
eminent to take Germans into custody
| by the wholesale and deprive them Of
their liberty.
| 1t is just such stories as these. ac-
col @ing to this official. that the new
censorship regulations were Intended
to place under tho ban, since III ~ at
tribute to the n:stration policies
not even contem :1aieG and are cal
culated t. Go imm .1saranie Esrsl.
| h..,.r istration otf,cia.., want all
Germans and Germ ma acr;cans IN
Ills c.. Try to underst nj ina: III no
sense is it the purpose of the United
States ~ make WI on the German
people, even in Germany to say moth
:ng III those res,d ne in Ills lntry.
In explanation Ct the Presidents
order J.. creasing the enlisted person.
mel of the navy to 5000 men, Secre-
| ta1y Daniels said last nj ,.l!:
| I'VE want these men to man the
ships now held in reserve and new
ships on which construction is being
rushed We are hopeful that the
young men of the country will come
forward and help their country in this
emergency
| The Secretary said that no call for
the organized Naval Militia will be is
sued at present. The Secretary said,
however, that as soon as the reserve
and new ships were provided for he
would call in officers on the retired
list to provide experienced naval COM
| manders Of various grades.
| Reports that the President contem-
plates either changes in enlarging the
personnel of his Cabinet appear to be
based entirely upon speculation. AS
far as can be learned, the President
has not indicated any desire to call to
his aid men prominent in the coun-
ellis of the Republican party
The project of reorganizing the
Presidents Cabinet or a coalition ba-
sis exists solely on gossip among Re
| publican Senators and members of
| Congress who are. naturally of the
| opinion that the President should
strengthen his afficia1 family by sup
planting Secretary of War Baker, At
torney General Gregory and Postmas-
| ter Burleson.
1 There has been a good deal Of talk
regarding the advisability Of placing
Major Gen. George Goethals at the
head OF a Department of Munitions
/ though no conclusion has been reach
ed.
lVICE-CONSUL REILLY