The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-03-29
SESSION Of
CONGRESS APRIL z
Instead Of April 16, to Deal With
Grave Questions.
PRESIDENTS PROCLAMATION
Would Have Called Members To-
gether Earlier Than Date Set II He
Had Thought They Could Have
Organized Before That Time.

Washington.-President Wilson We'd
nesday called Congress in extra SEES
sion on April 2.
The purpose OF the extra session Is
to take action on the state Of war
which admittedly exists between the
United States and Germany.
To Consider Grave Questions.
In his proclamation calling Congress
together the President states that 1t
is for the purpose to receive a COM
m%unication from him concerning
grave questions Of international
policy"
The proclamation does not state
specifically that the President con.
siders a state of war exists, but leaves
the question for discussion In his ad-
dress and for action by Congress.
Presidents Proclamation.
The Presidents proclamation fol
lows:
Whereas public interests require
that the Congress Of the United States
should be convened In extra session at
IL o'clock noon on the second day of
April, 1917, to receive a communities
ton by the executive on grave Ques.
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 W. in extra session at
the Capitol in the city Of Washington
on the second day Of April. 1917, at IL
o'clock noon, of which all persons who
shall at that time be entitled to act as
members thereof are hereby required
to take notice.
"Given under my hand and the seal
Of the United States Of America the
twenty-frst day Of March, in the year
Of our Lord one thousand nine hun
bred and seventeen, and Of the indie
pendence Of the United States the one
hundred and forty-frst."
When the President addresses Con
gress he is expected to show how a
state OF war actually has existed for
some time because Of the unlawful
aggressions Of German submarines.
Congress Is expected formally to de-
clare a state OF war existing, vote
a large sum, probably half a billion
dollars, for national defense, and
clothe the President with authority to
use the armed forces of the United
States, as 1t empowered President Nc
Kinley to deal with the enace OF
Spain in 1898.
Such action would not be a declara-
ton OF war except IL a technical sense,
and whether the United States and
Germany actually 60 to war in the full
est acceptation Of the term will depend
on what the Imperial Government does
before Congress is assembled or after
II acts.
Much to change the Presidents pres.
emit intentions or the course Of the
government in the crisis may develop
before April 2. The first American
armed ships will by that time have
reached the war zone. The ruthless
destruction of one of them unquestion-
ably would be an act Of war.
On the other hand, sinking OF a sub
marine by one Of the armed merchant
men probably would be met as an act
of wal by Germany. Even the arming
Of American ships with the avowed
purpose of defending them against
U-boats may be declared such an act.
In any OF these events practically
nothing would remain except for Con-
gress to acknowledge a state Of war
existing from a certain specified date.
United States viii Not Declare War.
The next 10 days, until Congress
meets, will be days Of tense anxiety,
Of eager waiting and watching, fraught
with possibilities Of tremendous conse.
quences to the United States.
President Wilson and his advisers
in the Cabinet and in Congress have