The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-24
STATES
ACCEPTS kAISER'S
GAGE OF BATTLE
President Calls an Extra SessiCn
Of Congress in Grave
Crisis.
NATION IN STATE OF DEFENSE
Cabinet Officers Take Steps to Speed
Up All Work Touching Upon Ma
tionaI Defense Plan-Mem-
bers Are a Unit In Uphold
ing Wilson's Hands.

tlondl OeTenSe Fidn-WeT-
bers Are a Unit In Uphold
ing Wilson'S Hands.
London, March 22.-Reuter's Amstef
dam correspondent reports that 1t Il
rumOred that serious riots have broker
out In Berlin in connection with the
scarcity of food.
Washington, March 22.-The United
States is in a state of defense. The
administration has accepted Germany's
gage of battle. PacifisIn has been
abandoned. By direct orders from
President Wilson the nation is con-
centrating on its defense plans. In
a few words here are the develop
ments:
First-President Wilson called con-
gress to meet in extraordinary session
on April 2-the earliest possible mo-
ment that the total membership can
be brought together-to receive a
communication concerning grave mat
ters of national policy which should
be taken Immediately under considera-
ton"
Speed Up Mobilization.
Second-Cabinet officers took steps
to speed up all work in any way touch
ing upon the national defense program;
Secretary Daniels conferred at length
with the naval board and Secretary
Baker took up with the general staff
plans for securing officers from tie
enlisted peEsopnsI Ct ths gsgplar s. army army
Third trhe Council Of National De.
fense, named committee on mum.
tions,p among whom were the biggest
experts Of the nation on that subject,
to take care of the problem of stand.
ardizing plants to furnish guns and
munitions for force as large as may
be needed.
Cabinet Is United.
Fourth-Cabinet members nailed as
ian absolute falsehood" reports that
the cabinet was not unit in uphold
ing President Wilson's hands in deter
| mining that Germany has created
state of war with the United States
and that the only reply can be made
by congress which, when it assembled.
| will declare that war exists as the re
suit of Germanys aggression and out
RACES against American life and
American property.
Fifth-Secretary Of Commerce Red
field, echoing the sentiment of the ell
tire cabinet, wrote a stinglng rebukH
to the Emergency Peace Federation, !"
which asked him to "staye off war and
| to work for a commission to mediate
;. differences with Germany" by saying
"I believe your organization and doc
trine to be directly promotive of at
tacks upon American citizens and prop
erty. You are those who are
doing more than anyone else to bring
about war;"
i Sixth-Former President William
I Howard Taft, en- route to Richmond
to deliver an address, announced that
the organization Of which he Is the
head, "The League to Enforce Peace
will call off its convention which was
to be held early in May, and every
member will be urged to support the
president in the present crisis.
i Bids for 200 U-Boat chasers.
4 Seventh-Seeretary of the Navy
Daniels opened bids for construction
of 200 additional submarine chasers
which will be built by various shiI
: yards at top speed. At the same time
arrangements were made to standard
: ize certain factories to turn out gaso
line engines for craft Of this type al
a speed never heretofore attempted.
Eighth - Congressional leaders ar
ranged for caucuses of Republican ant
Democratic members Of the new hous'
. before the extra session date in orde
to perfect organization and proven
delays that might be dangerous.
Session to BE Nonpartisan.
Ninth-Senators still in Washington
personally assured the president tina
the deliberations Of the special session
will be nonpartisan land will supper
him in every way.
Washington is not panic-stricker
Oficialdom, firmly convinced that tn
, gage has been cast, is fully countin
the cost. What this nation will hav
to do is already accepted as fac
There is little difference of opinion |
official quarters. Among the measure
now under consideration, most of whic
= are expected to be ordered carried ou
! are the following:
Arrangement Of financial alliane