Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-06
LAST DOOR is CLOSED
AGAINST GERMANY'S
SUBSEA POLICY
Ole IS CAST TODAY
EARLY MORNING SESSION SEES
CONGRESS READY FOR BATTLE
WOMAN LEGISLATOR WEEps
AS SHE VOTES mo"
RY JOHN EDWIN NEVlN.
international News Service Staff
Correspondent

international News Service Stan
Correspondent
Washington, ID. c., April 6-The
United States is at war with the I'M
perial German government
Amid scenes that long will be re-
membered, the house this morning
passed the Flood Martin resolution,
declaring that state Of war exists.
Three hundred and seventy three
votes were cast for the meas
ure and fifty were cast against 1t;
nine members were absent, and
Speaker Champ Clark did not vote.
Only the attaching of official sigma
lures remains to complete the act.
Immediately upon the senate conven-
ing at noon today Vice President Mar
shall will sign the resolution and it
will then be rushed by special messen.
ger to the White House. There il will
be signed by President Wilson and
the United States will be in the war
The signatures of Speaker Clark has
already been attached to the docu-
ment
That the United States will wage
war in unison with the allies was not
doubted today. American ships and
! American soldiers will cooperate with
Germany's other enemies. This was
plainly indicated in the dawning hours
of this morning, when the house,
weared by more than sixteen hours Of
fervid oratory, voted down several
resolutions calculated to place Ameri-
ca in an isolated position regarding
the conduct of the war.
One of these-resigned to forbid
American soldiers being sent to Eu-
rope without express consent of con-
gress-was jeered as it went down to
defeat.
Anticipating the passage Of the res
olution, the war bureaus of the gov
ernnsent labored all night preparing
the ways for the nations entrance in
to the wosld conflict. Dawn found
them at their desks.
One of the first war measures OF
the government will be the introduc-
ton in congress of the general staff
army bin providing for selectiye con
scription of young men between the
ages Of ~ and 25 The bill is design.
ed to raise and train GOO. 900 men
within year; 100000 within two
years and 100000 officers to train
them They will be brought into the
, service in units of half million,
, Government officials expect some
opposition TO develop against the
, measure but its passage is assured.
! The financing of the United States
| for the world conflict is already well
+ under way. The brains of the coun-
= trys best financiers have been concen-
4. trated ON this problem for weeks in
5 anticipation OF wars coming. Its ar
Z rival finds the nation prepared.
' Secretary of the Treasurer McAdoo
+ said today there will be little difficult
ty in raising funds. The federal re-
e serve banks alone are in position to
5 take care of $4,000 100000 worth OF
t bonds-more than half the immense
. sum asked for yesterday in estimates
+ sent to congress for the army and
l. navy needs.
Acting under orders from Washing
ton, Federal officers in all American
ports have either seized or are seiz
ing German interned ships today.
Many of these ships are practically
Z useless their German officers having
smashed the priceless machinery The
Others viii be put under control OF
- American commanders and crews anC
y used to fill up the gap in American
" tonnage.
Seize German Ships
In New York, April G,-The United
ss States today began taking over Ger
a man merchant ships ilterned here.
at The Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Ham
De burg. Allemania Prinz Joachim an,
re- koenig Wilhelm II were the frs
ne seized. Two hundred and fifteen Ger