The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-03-28
Call of the President
Converting Congress

Washington, D. c., March 22.-The
presidents proclamation follows:
"Whereas, public interests require
| that the congress of the United States
| should be convened in extra session
at II o'clock noon on the second day
| of April, 1912, to receive communi-
cation by the executive on grave CUES
tons of international policy.
"Now, therefore, |, Woodrow Will
son, president of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim and de-
clare that an extraordinary occasion
requires the congress of the United
States to convene i'm extra session at
the capitol in the city of Washington
on the second day of April, 1912, at
II o'clock noon, of which all persons
who shall at that time be entitled to
act as members thereof are hereby re-
CURED to take notice
"Given under my hand and the seal
of the United States of America the
twenty-first day of March, in the year
of our Lord, one thousand nine hum
dred and seventeen, and of the indie
pendence of the United States the one
hundred and forty-first."
~~~o~~-~-~~~~o~~~~~-
in which the United States, the presi-
dent has publicly declared, shall want
nothing for itself and shall seek only
to preserve the rights of civilization
and humanity.
In such a situation the United States
might even become an actual partici-
pant in the hOstilities on the European
Cantinent without becoming a politi-
cal ally of any of the entente powers,
simply casting it's weight of men,
money and moral influence into the
battle against a common enemy.
Ports of the United States will be
opened to warships of the entente
navies, credits from the vast stocks
Of gold, food, munitions and other ma
terials might be extended to all the
entente powers. The American navy
probably would cooperate with the
British and French navies in clearing
submarines from the seas.
In laying the whole situation before
congress the president is expected to
detail fully the warlike acts of Ger
many against the United States and to
pay particular attention to the future
of the American government as the
great conflict draws to a close
1t is not improbable that he will ask
congress to declare a state of war ex-
listing, although there is some indi-
cation that he may only outline the
situation fully and leave to congress
the action which is accepted as una
voidable. So much can develop, how
ever before congress assemblies, that
the president is keeping his plans in
a tentative form. Germany, by her
acts in the interim, may throw all the
plans awry and accept the onus of
having forced the war.
Activities Center in Navy.
Meanwhile every preparation for
putting the nations defense in condi-
ton to meet a state of war are going
forward. The principal activities cen
ter in the navy, where far reaching
preparations are being carried on to
deal with the submarine menace
whether it is to be met in the war
zone about the British coast or at the
gates of American cities.
The army's plans are in less def
mite state because of the uncertainty
as to what part it will be called upon
to play. General staff plans to fit sew
eral contingencies have been worked
out, however, and every step that can
be taken in the present situation has
been taken.
The possibility of Germany extend
ing submarine operations to the At
lantic seaboard has not been under
estimated, but it is recognized that
when she extends her warfare from
the comparatively limited barred zone
to the three thousand miles of board
Atlantic she SO effectively weakens
her starvation blockade of England
that the announced object of the cam
paign of ruthlessness will Of necessity
be abandoned. At the same time the
submarine menace to shipping will
comparatively decrease.