Evening star., 1917-03-21
WAR DECLARATION
BY CONGRESS SURE,
IS OPINION TODAY
No Doubt Expressed That
Lawmakers Will Follow
Presidents Lead.
VOTE OF MONEY AND MEN
TO MEET ALL DEMANDS
Partisanship Apparently Forgotten
in Face of Prospective Con-
Aict With Germany.

a declaration of war, or at least
an announcement that a state of
war exists between the United
States and Germany, is what
members of Congress expect to-
day, Immediately following the
assembly of Congress April 2, at
the call of the President. :.
Prompt Action Expected.
Chairman Flood of the House foreign
affairs committee said he expected Con-
gress would quickly pass n resolution
declaring that a state of war exists and
indorsing the Presidents course.
Congress will declare that state
of war exists. will indorse the Presi-
dents stand and will make whatever
appropriations are necessary to enable
the President to carry forward the war
plans as quickly as possible" said Mr..
Flood.
There probably will be an appro.
priation Of very much more than the
loo.o00,0o0 proposed in. the armed neu-l
trality bill which passed the House and
failed in the Senate. There will not
be any material opposition to fmmedi-
ate legislation along these lines"
Full Support Assured.
Senators now in the city expressed
the opinion that Congress would back
up the President in every step he de-
sired to take in the protection of Amer.
lean lives and American interests.
That state of war exists and has
already existed between the two coun-
tries for some time is the opinion of a
number of the senator's
There was much favorable comment
on the action of the President in issu-
ing call for special session almost
Immediately. =
Chairman Chamberlain of the Senate
military affairs committee, a White
House caller today, said he would re.
introduce the universal military train
ing Dill as soon as Congress convenes,
In the meantime he will confer with
Secretary Baker over the form of the
measure.
Senator Chamberlain did not know
whether call for volunteers was
would be ready to take any steps
deemed necessary by the President.
May Call for Volunteers,
He expressed the opinion that under
the act of 1914. which says that the
President may in the event of war is
sue a call for volunteers, gives him
the authority in the present crisis,
nf
call for whatever volunteers may be
necessary properly to defend the ma
ton. He said he thought that Con-
gress would support such a call. The
National Guard may be called into
service at any time without special
authority.
Senator Chamberlain believes that
volunteers will be recruited as fast as
possible to bring the army up to war
strength and that this will be done
without waiting for any special au.
thorization.
Senator Lewis of Illinois democratic
whip. hurried to the White House to-
day as soon as he was notified of the
Presidents call for an extra session.
Senator Lewis said that he believed
Congress at this time should declare
that acts of aggression had been per-
petrated against the United States roy-
President and commander in chief Of
the army and navy should be author
lied to resist such attacks with all the
power of the government, according to
his discretion.
Predicts Unanimous Action.
Senator Lewis said that he believed
that such authority would be given
and that II would stand a.
a warning to the world that all those
who have had an honest difference with
President Wilson have laid aside all
as one man behind the President when
he is marshaling the forces of the gov.
eminent to national defense.
Senator Lewis warned that's declara-
ton that state of war exists would at
once disrupt all commerce and financial
between the nations, and
would make a traitor of any man at 4
tempting to carry out contracts he may Z
have at this time.
: IT is the conviction of Senator Lewis
that Congress is prepared at this time to E
follow a course similar to that taken In
1893 before the Spanish-American war
vesting authority in the President as
in -chief to take whafever Z
stems are necessary in his discretion for
the defense of the honor of the nation. !
Senator Poiadexter republican, OF 9
said today that Congress 81
will pass quickly a law authorizing
limited war on German submarines"
II expect Congress" he said, TO takesS'
vigorous action immediateIy."
Senator Broussard iOf Louisiana. al
member of the military affairs commit
tee, said that he believed h decIayatton =
Of war would follow the meeting or;
declaration Of war m anuounceme11<5