The Washington herald., 1917-04-02
TO CITE GERMAN VIOLATIONS.
SPENDS DAY IN STUDY.

SPENDS DAY IN STUDY.
The President spent much Of his
Sunday in his study, working over
the final details of the history-mak-
ing address which he will deliver to
the Congress. An hour at church in
the morning, and brief motor trim
with Mrs. Wilson during the after
noon, were the only Interruptions.
The President will continue revising
and perfecting the message up to a
short time before II Is delivered
The President had before him reports
from the State Department on the latest
attacks on American shipping IN the Ger
man war zone He likewise had volunIff-
Gus reports on the preparedness plans Of
the War Department and ne Haxy De-
partment, on which viii be based th~
program Of war legislation which Wfr h.
submitted TO Congress Just As soon as
the resolution, making definite ths wxE
posluon OF the nation, Is enacted infu
law. This resolution, IN various forms
TO meet any suggestion the Preside4
may make has already been tentaffyr9S
drafted by Democratic members OF o.
House Foreign Affairs Committee b,ad-
u.
was generally believed that the Pred.
dent VIII ask, and Congress will pass, al.
most unanimously a resolution declarfns
the existence Of a state Of war This vffl
be followed by the preparedness rneass
ures' and financial legislation to make q
huge war credit available.
War Chiefs at DesLs
The chiefs Of the war-maLfng deoarf1
ments were at their desks all dav .nd
well into the night They went over ths
routine order to the military ana naval
forces and the present disposition OF the
nations defense. They likewise worked
on ue Ieglslauon which Congress VIII be
asked to hurry through TO further pre-
Paredness The War Department ana tha
Navy department have made complets
arrangements for the organization of any
additional forces that Congress may wish
to put in the field, and last night viFor-
GUS recruiting campaigns for both the
army and the navy were under way.
The President was given to understand
by Congressional leaders that there would
be no delay in organizing the new Con-
gress. He was told that Congress VIII
be prepared to assemble in Joint session
to hear his epoch-msking war address,
within few hours after the gavels fall
at noon today 1t was suggested that
in view of the urgency Of the occasion.
the President might forego the usual
days delay. and speak to Congress- late
this afternoon. rather than wait until
Tuesday.
Amsterdam. April lon the eve Of
what is now generally, expected to be ac-
tive American entrance into the war,
peace is in the air in Europe-more dis
tinctly so than at any time since August
/. 1914
In every capital. under the glittering
mantle of martial talk and assertions OF
''ight to a finish" peace terms are vhis-
pered.
1t began with the remarkable State-
ments given by the Austrian foreign min
lister, Count Czernin, to a representative
of the Viepna Fremden Blatt Through
out Europe this interview is taken an
the strongest peace "feeler'' vet made
strongest because the situation is gem
orally regarded more opportune now than
ever This is due primarily TO the situA-
ton created by the Russian revolution.
From Berlin tonight came advioes quot
ing a semi-oficial statement which per-
mits of but one Interpretation:
That Germany is ready and willing to
back any peace step made upon the con-
dition that while negotiations are on
hostilities are to continue"
In other words, what the central pour-
ers appear to be proposing through these
strong semi-oficial kites" Is a peace
conference at which the belligerents are
to determine whether the time is rips
for an end to the world conflict.
Once this conference is in session. fhS
central powers are said TO feel an eay4y
understanding is inevitable and actxnn
peace will follow shortly. -