The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-10
PRESIDENT FROM HIS
SICK BED DIRECTS
HISTORIC ORDERS
Pres. Requested to Place Itself
Under Self-lmposed Censor.
ship ss to Manner of Arm.
ing Ships and Their Saihnes
(By E. r. SARTWELL, Inter.
national News Staff Cor
RESPONDENT ~ee

Washington, March g.
American merchant vessels
were tonight ordered armed to
defy the German submarine
zone of death and destruction,
and President Wilson called
the sixty fifth congress to meet
in extraordinary session on
Monday. April 16, to handle
such Legislative business as
this step may render necessary.
With the fateful next step"
to protect American lives and
American rights at sea under
way, the United States tonight
was practically on a war basis
and within six weeks, all of the
machinery of government will
be modified in Washington
prepared for any eventuality
that tho dark doings of the
German war zone may bring
forth.
The presidents order to thu tiavy
department to place naval gurs and
gunners aboard merchant vessel. and
the proclamation calling the new con-
gress came simultaneously. Ere ri his
sick bed 10 the White House the
president on his own responsibility
ordered that the naval power OF the
| nifa1 States Ia. pNarriSaI
american commerce 10 'esurae its
rightful place on the seven sea- His
secretary outlined the presidents
views both AS to armins ships and
as to the need for an extraordinary
session of congress in this statetrent:
Has Power To Act.
Secretary Tumulty stated in ,on-
nection with the presidents call for
an extra session of congress that the
president is convinced that he has the
power to arm American merchant
ships and is free to exercise il at once.
But so much necessary legislation 1.
pressing for consideration that he 10
convinced that it Is in the best In
terests of the country to nave an
early session of the sixty-ffth con-
gress, whose support he will also iced
in all matters collateral to the de-
Tense of our merchant marine
The arming of American mel chant
ships, administration officials declared
tonight, would put the next move in
the grim game up TO Germany.
Gravely ii was admitted tonight
that the sinking of an armed Amer-
can ship by a German submarine, GA
the destruction of a submarine hy an
American vessel would bring the two
nations TO the verge OF an actual pix
steal clash. President Wilson how
ever, feels that the protection Of
America rights al sea is paramount,
and that those rights will be safe
guarded whatever consequences Ger
many may force. He will proceed at
once TO place the nation on a bass OF
self-defense which will provide for any
eventuality.
Whether the president will ask the
new congress to reaffirm and endorse
his step in arming American ner-
chantmen was in doubt tonight 1t
was pointed out that by April Is. when
the congress convcnes, the situation
may be entirely changed by actual oc-
currences in the war zone. Tho call
for the extraordinary session was OF
a general nature and proclaimed I'M
der the hand and seal of the presidGun
that IAN extraordinary occasion re-
quires the congress OF the United
States to convene in extra session. -
Open For All Business.
Under the call any and all legisiA-
tive business can be pressed before
the session. and undoubtedly the sev-
eral big appropriation bills which
failed In the congestion and turmoil
which marked the close of the Last
congress viii lie the irst matters con-
sidered These include the big army
bill. carrying s2I7, 100000 vitality cs-
sential TO the preparedness plane OF
the government: the sundry civil bill.
providing $l3s.0Oo.000 for the civil
esta hlishment, the general deficiency
bin. providing ssS.00Q.00O imperative
for Immediate use In various ltn4o *
al arfixrifss TIA lnA11n