The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-03-29
WILSON, WILL ASK j.
CONGRESS FOR .
MORE AUTHORITY
President Has Taken Every De-
Tense Move Possible. },
soLoNS TO MEET NEXT WEEK
Nations Executive and His Advisors
Concentrating. Efforts for More
Sweeping War steps, for Which
Congressional Authority
Will Be Asked. ~

Washington, March 26-Having Ia.
ken virtually every defense measure
possible before the assembling of con-
gress, President Wilson and his adj.
viScrs in the executive branch of the
government are concentrating their eff
forts TO prepare for the more sweeping
steps for which congressional author.
ity will be sought.
The final step in the defense plans
taken by the president was his decision
to cali out the National Guard from
the eastern states. Other units may be
called out later.
The details Of the steps TO be recon.
mcndcd TO congress are held In closest
confidence, but officials let it be known
that among the rest general military
budget, co-ordiRating many items OF
expense deemed Imperative, Will be
laid before the house and senate When
the extra session begfns'a week from
today
Busy Day Put In.
During the day the council of ma
tioDaI defense held a long conference
With IT'S advisory committee of seven
Industrial lenders who mapped out
mobilization plans for the country's
economic resources: the navy depart
Eidnt awarded contracts for "a de
strpycrs, and called conference OF
steel and other material companies
for next week to consider means Of
speeding naval construction, and the
war department announced that fail
urc Of the army appropriation bill AT
the last session of congress would not
be permitted to handicap the army's
preparations. g.g
Regulations were promulgated tC
guide the country's newspapers in 0
VOLUNTARY censorship preventing publ
cation OF details which might EN-
barrass the government.
Department in Order.
With these developments President
Wilson kept IN close personal touch.
Late in The afternoon, after walk, he
went to the state, navy and war build.
Ing. and visited Secretary Baker and
Secretary Daniels at their offices. The
talk with the war secretary lasted
nearly an hour.
Regarding the activities of the war
department, Secretary Baker mfie
f1lis statement TO the newspaper men:
"Of course, everybody knows that
the International lituatiOn is tense
The war department, like every other
department of the government, Is
busy with state of preparation, but
without attempt on the part of the de.
partmcnt or anybody else to determine
what that preparation is for, except tC
put our national strength in state of
efficiency .
Everybody realizes this is a sort of
unnatural situation. We are making
preparations and buying supplies and
all that sort Of things and yet the pol
ley OF the country is sill TO be de.
tfrmined by The legislative body, and
just what will happen is TO be deter.
mined by the prcsidenr ond congress
IAN that you can say of the war de-
partment is that 1t is pressing ahead
all purchases of everything that will
be needed to keep an army, If the
5rmy is to be called upon"
Supplies Orders Placed.
Contracts for quartermaster's sup,
plies, such as clothing, shoes. tentage
etc, lisve been placed up to the limit
Of available funds. with provision for
the automatic extension of the orders
on a large scale as soon as additional
funds are available.
In this CONNECTION ii was stated Off.
sally that the country was in better
position TO get quickly an adequate
supply of army rifles than ever before
IN its history. .......-.r.
The general military budget TO be
laid before congress IS expected to in.
clude many army measures which
failed at the last session, and which
now are being festudfed and co-ordi.
mated. The nature of any recommend.
atoms has not been, disclosed.
Returning congressional leaders
have begun to fay their plans for what.
ever the president may recommend at
the extra session. and today Chairman
Kitchin called the ways and means
committee to meet next Wednesday.
To day Representatives Flood of vir,
ginia, Ragsdale of South Carolina,
and Harrison of Mississippi, members.
of the foreign atfpirs committee, viii
confer with Secretary Lansing. The
specific questions TO be discussed have
not been reveaieds z 5 nsS 4