Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-21


Tense of the nation.
Decision Made To-day
President Wilson's decision to call
Congress earlier than the date first
| fixed for the extra session-April 16-
was announced early to-day. The
Presidents mind finally was made up
I as the result of yesterdays cabinet
meeting, at which practically a unani-
nous opinion was expressed that while
preparations to put the nation in a
full state of armed neutrality were
going forward, COngress-which alone
has the war-making power-should be
summoned.
The President deliberated on the
question until late last night and early
to-day made his decision. He chose
April because he thought 1t would
be impossible for all members of Con-
gress to reach Washington earlier.
In his address at the opening of
the extra session the President will
recite the overt acts committed against
the United States by Germany.
The sentiment in Congress is under
stood TO be Overwhelmingly in favor of
declaration that as n result of Ger
many's acts against the United States
state of war already exists.
The foremost overt act which
brought the President to his decision
was the torpedoing without warning
lancia. with the loss of fifteen lives,
some of them Americans.
The President has not made up his
program entirely for presentation to
Congress, but probably will also dis
cuss universal military training.
The Navy Department is expected
to call for privately owned yachts and
large motorboats for service against
submarines. Tentative contracts for
such craft have already been nego-
tiated in many cases.
1t is known that up to noon yes
terday President Wilson told close ad-
visers he still was of an open mind on
the question of summoning Congress
Immediately, but that he leaned toward
awaiting the extra session called for
April 16.
At yesterdays Cabinet meeting,
however, several of the members went
to the White House determined to
urge strongly on the President an i'm
mediate extra session, which, they be-
lieved, was demanded by the country.
Those Cabinet members who have
been classed as pacifist or with pacifist
leanings, it was said offered no objec-
tions of weight, and the President
without giving any indication of his
decision, merely heard what every
member of his official family had to
say. When the Cabinet meeting was
over some of the closest observers felt
that the extra session would he called
sooner than April Is, but they had
nothing definite on which to base it.
Officials and diplomats have openly
acknowledged that a state of war be-
tween-the United States and Germany
has existed for some time. but that the
situation became most pronounced last
Sunday when three American ships
were destroyed by submarines in quick
succession and some American lives
were lost
Practically all the Presidents closest
advisers at once made up their minds
that Germany was actually conducting
war against the United States and that
the situation must be met Orortptly
The principal arguments oroushc to
bear against the United States taking
a further step toward war were that
practically all that could &C none to
protect American lines ana ships at sea
had been done by the arming OF mer-
chant vessels and that an acknowl-
edged state of war between the two
couptries would give Germany an op-
portunity to carry her submarine war
fare TO this side of the Atlantic.
This latter was somewhat OF Sec
ondary consideration because the navy
feels that it is prepared to meet that
feature of the situation. 1t also was
argued that having kept the country
would be reluctant to enter it now,
when there are indications of develop
ments i'm Europe which of themselves
promise to hasten the end of the con-
fiict.
All these arguments were swept
aside. however, at yesterdays cabinet
meeting when with an opinion describ-
ed by members as the most unanimous
ever known In the Presidents official
family, it was decided that Germany's
acts of aggression against the United
States the seas, her ruthless de-
structiOn of American lives in contra
ventiOn of NIL the principles of law
and humanity had come to constitute
state of war being made upon the
United states, and that there was moth
ing left 10 do but call Congress to deal
with the question.
President Wilson, when he asked
Congress for authority to arm Amer
lean merchantmen, declared that he
was contemplating no step that would
lead to war, and that he was not con-
templating war itself. Nothing ne said
bgt the warlike acts of another nation