Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-07
AMERICA YIELDS
PLACE AS NEUTRAL .
TOF|GHT GERMANY
Great Preparatory Meas
ures Laid Before
Cabinet.
PLANS FOR COOPERATION
WITH ALLIES DISCUSSED
Complete Mobilization Of Navy,
Calling All Reserves and
Militia, Ordered.
ARMY MAKES no NEW MOVE
Negotiations About Complete for .id-
mittancc Of L. 5. Armed Ships
Into Neutral European Ports.
PLANS FOR COOPERATION
WITH ALLIES DISCUSSED
ARMY MAKES no NEW MOVE
INI .N.snciaied I,rcss.

WASHINGTON. April G.-Thc United
states to-day accepted Cicrmauy's chnl- /
lcnGc to war and formally abandoned !.
world in arms. #
Presiden, Wilson at lis (onicial
tmel o'clock this afternoon signed the#
resolution Of Congress declaring tho
existence of a state OF war and author
izinG and directing the chief executive
to employ all the resources Of the na-
tion to prosecute hostilitics against tho
German government to a successful
termination.
Speaker Clark had signed tho resoluS5t
tion soon after it passed the House q
in the early hours Of this morning by
the vote Of 313 To 30. and Vice President 3;
Marshall had signed it soon after the
senate convened ut noon The end
crossed copy was sent at once to the5;
White House. II was waiting for thek
I President when he returned from az
short walk with Mrs. Wilson. -
PRESIDENT TO PRESERVE
PEN WHICH HE USES
The President signed the resolutiona &
with pen handed to him by Mrs.
Wilson. aud which he Will preserves
The act was done in the executive man-sS
sion. The President then went toS
Iurch, and later to tho Cabinet meeting. 2
MI army departmental post come
mandcrs in the United States and in i
sular possessions were notified by tele- II
graphic orders from tho War Depart !:
ment. The message conveyed no n-Ef
structions.
The Navy Department Immediately; I;
wirelessed or tclegra phed all its sta
tlouS wards SbinY "a = follnxys.ii ~
The President has signed an act Of
Congress which declares that state
OF war exists between the United
States and Germany"
By proclamation the President ah-s
nounced the state of war. called upon
all citizens. TO manifest their loynlty,g
and assured Germans in this country
that they would be unmolested as long
as they behaved themselves. Orders
were issued soon aftcrward for the L
| arrest Of sixty ring leaders In Ger-s
man plots and iutrigues. 81
COMPLETE MoBTLIZ>TIoN i
or NAVY ORDERED
Complete mobilization of the navy,
calling all reserves and militia to the Z
colors. was ordered by Secretary
Daniels. The War. Department, already i
having taken virtually every step COM
templatcd before the raising Of real
war army Is authorized. waited ON &
Congress.
The President went over all theiS
great preparatory measures with the
Cabinet. discussing what has been
ACCOMPLISHED and dwelling, it is under
stood. upon arrangements for co-o operas
ton with tho entente allies against the 8
common enemy. Plans for Coz operation
said TO have taken very deiinite#
shape. though there viii be no an
nonnccmcnt on the subject for the$
VprcScnt.
The seizure of German ships laid ups
in American harbors WAS the subject
of interested comment, and legal off,
lircrs OF the government began cons
sidcration Of the question whether the =
United states can coniiscntc the ships
outright or must pay for them after5
the war. In any event. as soon as theyS
can be made scaworihy. The fine mcr-G
chant fleet thus acquired will gives
America a merchant marine that could
not he duplicated in several years and
add more than 100000 to the tonna ge 4
available for the transportation of sup q
plies and munitions to the allies. Il
Both houses OF Congress have adj
their committees may be free to-iE
morrow for preliminary work on war
legislation. d,
Word that King L:eorG" and Presi4s
dent Poincare had dispatched messageS
Of rongratulation to The President vast
received unotiicialiy. Only unotficial in-n
formation, also. came concerning tho
action OG President McnuCal of Cuba, y
in recommending declaration OF wsrg|
against Germany by Cuba, and the a
growing sentimen, for war in Brazii.s !
FOREIGN RELATIONSHIPS
UNDERGO GREAT CHANGEI
Foreign relationships of the UnitcdS1
States to-day underwent the greatestu
change in the country's history. swesnTj
ing away practically all the internas41
tionai questions of the past two yearxS3
and substituting entirely new proas8S
lcms.~ .As result. the state Depart-s1
ment is being entirely reorganized, and5S
the great mass Of routine which hsHta
overwhelmed even tile highest officfafsiSI
is to be redlstributed along new ilnea