The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-24
u, S, TO CONDUCT
SHARP CAMPAIGN
AGAINST U-B0ATS
Cabinet Discusses Plans for
Participation in Worlds
War.

minute session of the Cabinet yester-
day was devoted entirely to the con-
slderation Of war measures.
Three important phases of the gen.
eral plan of the government, in an
ticipation of hosti1Ities with Germany
covered at the conference between the
president and his advisers, related to
the army and navy and finances es.
sential to the carrying out of any pro-
gram that future developments may
require.
No Soldiers to Go Abroad.
The President revealed to the Cabi-
net his purpose to urge upon Con-
gress on April d. the date he has Sc
lected for his address, the provision
or any and all means to prevent Ger
many from controlling the commerce
of this and other nations. 1t is the
sense of the Cabinet that the United
States should not supply military
forces to cooperate with any of the
armies of the Allied nations fighting
Germany.
The Cabinet, without exception, be-
Heves that the United States not only
should extend credit to the Allied ma
lions but should supply ships of all
kinds as fast as they can be turned
out to keep up a steady supply of mu-
nltlons, equipment and foodstuffs to
help bring about the speedy extermi-
nation of Germany's terrorism Of the
seas.
The prominence which finance is to
play in the prospective war takes on
nestle. 1t was manifest during the
discussion at the Cabinet meeting
that this government will feel itself
obligated to render greater assistance
to the Allied nations at war with Ger
many-particularly England, France
and Russia-than it has ever extend
ed to foreign nation.
Billions to End U Boats.
The President and his advisers fully
appreciate the fact that money will
De more welcome to the enemies of
Germany than troops for land opera
tons. The project most favored by
the Administration and to be proposed
TO Congress is that the President
shall be authrized to use from one to
i've billions of dollars, if necessary, in
assisting the enemies of Germany to
stamp out her war upon the com
merce Of the seas.
A report by Comptroller of the
Currency Williams is understood to
have been considered at the Cabinet
meeting. Figures furnished by him
show that since the beginning of the
war the production of wealth in the
United States has averaged $35, 0OO,-
100000 year, or $4,000, 900
since the beginning of it. The
amount of money given for charita BILE
and other purposes is approximately
S40,000,000. The government itself
has not extended any credit or relief
to the Allied countries
Cabinet officials are convinced that
some means for aiding France with
what she most needs will be, evolved
and that it will include credit for
munitions, supplies and not improb-
ably the loan Of a substantial sum of
gold, 100000 Of which physically
has been transferred to this country
from foreign countries since the be-
ginning Of the war.
Prefer Bonds to Taxation.
Discussion Of prospective domestic
financial requirements today indicat-
ed the preference of the government
for bond issues rather than an ex-
censive system Of taxation, as favored
in Congressional circles. A very
large sum undoubtedly will be realized
from the latter source, but it is more
than probable the executive branch of
the government will recommend an
expansion of it's authority to issue
bonds as occasion requires. Comptrol-
Ter Williams said:
IT believe that if the. government
were to offer through public subscrip-
ton 100000 in 8 per cent. bonds
the issue would be subscribed many
times over. The banks in the coun-
try have more money than ever before
and those east Of the Mississippi river
have increased their cash resources
100000 since January last
On one point the President and his
advisers are fully agreed. This is
that the country will not be compelled
to solicit the assistance Of syndicates
Of private bankers, as foreign govern
ments have been compelled to do in
this country.
The machinery Of the Federal Re-
serve System will provide adequate
agencies for subscriptions to any bond
issues the government may decide
upon. Consequently, it will not be
compelled to pay the extravagant
commissions which private banking
interests have extorted from Great
Britain and France.
Limit to Cooperation.
The methods to be adopted by the
government in protecting commerce
between American and European
ports are admitted to provide for an
informal arrangement with Great
Britain and France for an adequate
patrol of the sea lanes of the Atlantic
in order to restrict the .depredations
Of German submarines.
The plan worked out by the naval
establishment and considered by the
Cabinet limits the cooperation of the
naval forces Of this country with
those Of Great Britain and France to
the safeguarding of commerce, and
does not contemplate joint military
or naval operations of a general char
acter.
The Cabinet had before it a state
ment submitted by Secretary Lansing
showing that since the PRONUNCIATION
of the German submarine decree on
Feb. 1 seven American ships had
been sunk.
Weddin~ RoJJS VIII Soon hf, RINGING