The Washington herald., 1917-03-20
WILSON AND DANIELS CONFER.
FAVOR A DECLARATION.

FAVOR A DECLARATION. 4:
II was known. however, that some
Of the Presidents advisers favor an
official declaration that Germsnys
acts. the submarine zone- -hSYe-
amounted to state of war" Others
in the Presidents Cabinet believe
Congress should be called togcthe~
at once, rather than on April 10, and
that immediate and vigorous steps to
combat the submarine menace should
be taken.
Meanwhile the President withheld
all comment, and dealt with the in
creased gravity OF the situation, only
by augmenting the military and ma
val preparations for a possible state
of war. After the President and his
naval chief had reviewed the situa-
ton the following steps were taken:
Hasten sub Contraction.
An emergency appropriation Of Sis
ooo,Oo0 made by Congress 10 enable the
President to hasten naval construction in
by the President for immediate use. This
is part Of an authorized bond issue OF
$50 ,O00.00. q part OF which is TO be used
for increased submarine construction
Secretary Danreis ordered sixty sub
marine chsscrs' boats. 100 feet
long and with thirty-five knots speed
built at once at the New York Navy Ward.
and announced that bids would be opened
from private shipyards tomorrow sor
some 900 more of this type Of craft. II
was stated that the New York yard will
begin the delivery OF these craft in sixtv
days. All will be paid for out Of the
emergency appropriation.
Orders were issued by the Navy De
partment suspending the statutory eight
hour day on naval construction. both in
private and government yards Work
will be pushed as fast as the men VIII
work. with payment OF time and a hals
for overtime 10 be made out OF the emcT-
gency fund.
speed Up GraduAtIOns.
President Wilson authorized the speed
ing up of Annapolis graduations to pro-
vide additional naval officers The firSt
year class will be graduated on March
-. with IT2 cadets. and the second class
next September. with 49,.
Secretary Daniels declared that the
question OF Communicating shipyards
would not he considered so long as the
private shipbuilding plants kept their "a
Cilities engaged on government work IN
accordance with the plans OF the de-
partment.
Arrangements were made TO secure
from all of the steel mills of the coun-
try. a fixed allatment of their output
for the use of the navy in armoring
and fitting out warships. Sencetary Dan
iels win confer with steel-makers with
i'm tn" next two or three days 10 work
out a definite plan.
All this activity was accepted last night
In Washington as making certain, definite
and aggressive steps to combat German
submarines. Naval operations to clear
the North Atlantic shipping lanes OF
German submarines were among the DOS
sibie moves considered. But il was be-
lieved that the President would adhere
to mis- original determination to allow
! Snnsd American merchant ships to take
care Of the barred zone on their own
, account. and would confine any aggres-
s!ve naval action 10 waters nearer the
United States.
That actual 1 avail operations are immi-
nent no one. doubted. Secretary Daniels
ContentcS with making 81 plain
that the fleet was In a position where it
could best serve the national defense
Orders TO the feet were. OF course. un-
der close censorship.
Immediate steps TO increase the person.
CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.