The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-03-29
WAR RESOLUTION
BEING DRAFTED
House Committee Is Preparing
Resolution for Congress.
QUICK ACTION IS EXPECTED
Measure Will Be Presented on Tues
day Following Presidents Address
to the Joint Sesslon--Will In
crease Armed Forces.

Washington, March 2S.-The resolu-
ton to be introduced in congress on
April Immediately after President
Wilson concludes his address to the
joint session will declare that the time
has come when the United States must
vindicate decisively its honor and its
rights.
1t viii declare that, by the acts of
Germany, state of war exists, and
that congress places at the disposition
of the president the means of vigor-
ously prosecuting the war, and there
by Fastening the restoration of peace.
Congress viii meet April .. The
president expects one day sufficient for
organization, and will address the body
the following day, Tuesday.
Draw War Resolution.
While President Wilson is complet-
ing his Indictment Of Germany this
week, the house foreign affairs com
mittee is preparing the war resolution.
Anticipating the tread of the presi-
dents Indictment, the committee, ac-
cordiRg TO present plans, will draw the
resolution along the following lines.
That wanton violation of the rights
of persons and property of American
citizens, committed by Germany; her
repeated acts of bad faith and utter
disregard Of solemn treaties have con-
stituted ample. cause for war on our
part.
Extreme Move Justified.
That Germany's acts have been such
as to justify the United States before
the whole world in resorting to rem
edies however extreme.
That, with an anxious desire to avoid
a rupture, we forebore for months to
assert our rights by force and contin-
ued by amicable negotiations to seek
redress for wrongs suffered in the
hope that Germany might yield TO pa.
ciflc counsel and demands of justice.
That in this hope the United States
was disappointed.
That the time has come when this
country must vindicate decisiyely her
honor, right and interest.
That solely by the acts of Germany
a GtoAC VI wal CAiSlS UtlNtu tiidI EON-
eminent and the United States; and
that the congress of the United States
places at the disposition of the presi-
dent the means of prosecuting the war
vigorously and thereby Fastening the
restoration of peace.
Increases Army, Navy.
The resolution will also authorize lib
eral provision for sustaining and in
creasing the army and navy.
Meetings will be held by the commit
tee throughout the week and all emer-
gency legislation for immediate intro
duction into congress will be drawn.
Spy bills, a censorship bill and the
measure authorizing the state depart
ment to employ men not under civil
service in the District of Columbia for
intelligence work are among the legis-
lative plans slated. There is no in
dication yet that the president will
desire any embargo legislation at first.
Paves Way for Internment
Secretary Of State Lansing's state
ment that Germany has dfsregardsl
the provisions Of the Prussian treaty
with the United States is expected TO
pave the way for the internment in
this country in case of war of all Ger
mans who are inimical TO the nations
welfare.
Senate leaders predict that the sen
ate will quickly declare the Prussian
treaty as not binding In view OK The
secretary's statement, made in his
note TO Germany, When the senate
takes this action the way viii be open
to intern any Germans fhe government
may want guarded.
Officials expressed the belief that
there would not be wholesale Intern
ment. Simply those whom the records
of the state, justice and treasury de-
partments show to he enemies of the
nation will be rounded up.