Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-01
WAR DECLARATION /.
SENTIMENT GROWS
ASU. S. PREPARES
Economic as Well as Military
Readiness Included in Plans
OF Defense Officials.
CONGRESS IS EXPECTED
TO ACT WITHOUT DELAY
Secretary Baker, After Conference
With President, Announces Prop
osition to Raise Larger Army.


1ndicai ons that a wave of sentiment
rs sweeping over the country in favor
of declaration that war exists 10
tween Germany and the United States
came to the White House yesterday. 49,
official Washington prepared itself for
the opening tomorrow Of the extraordi-
nary session of Congress called by
President Wilson to deal with the sit-
uation.
Coincidentally, 1t was learned tliaE
the governments preparations for hose
tihties with Germany, which are exs
pected to follow declaration by Com
gress some time this week that state
of war exists developed important ,
steps in all branches of the national
defense activities of the nation. eco
nomic as well as military 1t was
learned that the question of food sup
plies in case technical war begins has
been occupying a prominent place in
the consideration of officials, one plan
suggested being that of putting Ameri<
ca on ''war-bread" basis at once.
The council of national defense has
abandoned plans for q peace-time mob
illzation and is working on a war
time mobilization. AT the War De.
partmene orders were issued calling
into the federal service 1000 additional
national guardsmen. including the I'd
Infantry. n. G ID. c.
Expect Congress to Act Quickly.
In other ways the government cons
tinued yesterday to bend every effort
TO hurry preparedness measures, and
predictions were general at the Capitol
that the new House of Representatives
Will be organized promptly, so that the
President may deliver his address with.
out delay, and on all sides it was be.
lieved that Congress will quickly, pa
triotically and erwhelmingly approTss
any course of action that the PresiGens
suggests. p
The Indications of wave Of war
sentiment over the country came to the
White House in messages conveying
resolutions adopted at patriotic meet
tnES in different states and in reports
from senators and representatives that
the nation stands ready to back up thos
President. News of the sinking of ssd- {
dltional ships by German submarines
and the resulting loss of more Amer
lean lives increased the tensie1A. pnly
slightly For some time the gEx5Hmll
teel1ng has been that Germany 411l| II,
mas shown utter disregard of Ar1a
rights and actually has. been M
war on the United States. ckXH :
Secretary Baker conferred with
President and afterward anroufIU y
that complete plans for raising a
larger army had been drawn up at the
War Department.
Plans in the navy for securing many
submarine chasers and organizing
them for coast patrol went forward
rapidly.
Message Is Almost Ready.
President Wilson has almost finished =
his message to Congress. He remained
in his study much of the day, and also
was in close touch with the War, Navy
preparedness plans.
1t WAS indicated that tentative plans OF y
the administration for providing men,
money and supplies for war purposes
await action by Congress on the main
question of whether a declaration OF a
state or war is to be adopted. Careful to
observe the war making prerogative Of \
Congress. the President and his advisers \
are desirous OF doing nothing to be con-
strued as an act of war beyond maintains
ing a state of armed neutrality and max.
ing ready for war If il comes.
Pans of pacitists for attempting TO
Keep congress from declaring state OF
war attracted some attention, but most
dicaied that the ration rs a whole be-
lievos that the time for war has come A
statement yesterday by Chairman Stone
of the Senate foreign relations committee
that he would vote against war but would
support the government in any policy de.
cde' upon. was the most noticeable anti
war DEVELOPMENT
Outside of the main question TO he de.
cided, chief attention within the admins.
tration is directed toward guarding
against possible disturbances in tine United
states. That such danger exists was J
generally admitted. but officials bkiles5SiSI
the situation is we'll in hand.
Await Suggestion of Presidents
on the eve of the new session M
senators and representatives professed !
complete ignorance OF details OF the
Presidents plans for action. They were
unanimous in predicting that a dec-
laration of existence of 4 state Of war !
is probable. but beyond this they ap-
pear to have little notion of what Com
gress will do or Will be asked to do.
The first expression of congressional
eminent is expected from the House.
Sucii a resolution as Will he suggest-
ed by the President may include att
emer gency appropriation. which would
have the pass the House first, and in ad :
dtion the moral force of Affirmative
action by the House would give. tb,
resolution greater initial impet
many members believe, than II tNY
Senate should begin the discussion.
Whether the new cloture rule of tho
Senate would be needed in considering
the resolution is speculative. 1t is re-
garded certain that the so-cailed paci-
fist group in the Senate. includinS<|
those who opposed the armed neutrat-
ity measure, will occupy considerable
time in debate. Senator Stone, how
ever. indicated yesterday that hosN
favored SON prompt expression by
rela ions Committee together imme
diateIy after the President delivers
his address.
important Steps Taken