Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-03-22
CABINET MAPS
tLCOURSE FOR u s.
Ruthless U-Boat War Discussed
at Secret Conference.
May CALL CONGRESS SOON
Official Washington Grave After Meet
ing-Germany Expected to Open
HostiIities Moment Con-
gress Is Summoned.

Washington, March 21.-President
wilson and his cabinet spent more than
TWO hours reviewing the incidents of
the German submarine campaign which
brought the United States to the edge
or the great war in Europe.
An added weight of concern ard ap-
prehension hangs over Washington as
the members of the presidents cabinet
said that no change in the attitude of
'le United States toward Germany had
yet been ordered.
Under pledge of secrecy the mem
berS of the presidents official cabf-
net declined to discuss the discussion.
There was no effort to disguise the
gravity of the situation. and several
members made it plain that they be-
HeYe that the events of the past few
weeks have precipitated a Estate of
war" between the two nations"
May Call Congress Now.
Some members of the cabinet init
mate that the extraordinary session Of
congress called for April Is would be
called together at once in order that
the president may have the legislative
branch of the government on hand for
any grim eventualities
1t was stated that an announcement
on this phase of the situation might be
expected soon.
It was learned however, that this
whole question had been carefully con-
Sidered by the cabinet, and that some
cabinet members believed that an i'm
mediate call for congress would be
construed by Germany as practically
declaration of war.
They advised that the president
await the converting of the eXtraordi-
nary session called for next month,
and devote the interim to exerting
every effort to hasten the cOuntry's
preparedness plans through the navy
department and the war department.
An immediate call these cabinet
members asserted would give Germany
an opportunity TO strike more yigor-
ously at American shipping before full
preparations could be made to meet
an attack.
Now in State of War.
On the other hand several members
of the cabinet believe that the cOun-
try is already in Il state of war and
that the serious nature of the situa
ton makes it practically imperative
that congress should be in Washing
ton ready to act at once in support Of
the president. 1t was understood that
A.,
power of the government should be
modified to confront the dangers
which have now become apparent to
every administration official
Both the state department and the
navy department asserted that reports
of a concert of action between the
United States navy and the warships
of the entente powers was absolutely
without foundation.
TWO American Officers Drown.
When the president and cabinet went
into conference they were confronted
by the situation which the president
has declared would lead to the next
step" which is war.
A few minutes prior to the meeting
a dispatch had been received from Con-
sui General Skinner at London which
told of the loss Of American lives in
the torpedoing without warning of an
American ship. the Vigilancia. The
news had been awaited anXiouSly by
officials for nearly fOrty-eight hours.
The dispatches killed the hope that IN
official diSDatcheS of the vessels de-
struction unwarned might not prove
true.
The dispatch announced that two of
the Yigilancia's officers, one native