Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-01
REPORTS INDICATE
. COUNTRY IS READY
TO BACK PRESIDENT
Declaration Expected Close
Upon Assembling of
Congress.
PROMPT ORGANIZATION
OF HOUSE PREDICTED
Unless There Is UnIooked-for
Change, Executive Will Deliv-
er Address on Tuesday.
WAR MEASURES BEING RUSHED
Government at Work as Though Act
| ual Conflict Is Imminent
Certainty.
WAR MEASURES BEING RUSHED
Government at Work as Though Act
ual Conflict Is Imminent
Certainty.
I By Associated Press.J

By Associated Press.J
WASHINGTON, March 31.--A declara-
ton that q state or war exists betweenHb
Germany and the United States is gen.
orally expected to follow close upon the
assembling of Congress in extraordf-
nary session on Monday. To-day the
government bent every effort to hurry +
preparedness measures. as though ac- FL
tuai war was an imminent certainty
indications that wave Of war SEM
timent is sweeping the country came
to the White House In messages con-
veying resolutions adopted at patriotic =
mass eetings in different States, and
in reports from Senators and Repre-.
sentatives that the nation stands ready /
TO back up the President
Predictions were general at the Cap-S
ttol that the House Will be organized 4
promptly. so that the President may
deliver his message, making recon-
mcndations for congressional action
Unless. there should be an unlooked-
for change. he Will speak on Tuesday.
News of the sinking OF additional
ships by German submarines and the
resulting loss of more American lives
only increased the tension slightly.
For some time the general feeling has I
been that Germany already had shown
actually was making war on the United 4
States. Es.S
COMPLETE PLANS ron RAISING s~Nss
LARGER ARMY DRAWN Up
Secretary Baker conferred with the
President, and afterwards announced
that more than 1000 additional nationaf
guardsmen had been ordered out for
police duty In different States. He also;
/ RI h.,t NIL ~ til
u larger army had been drawn up atS
the War Department. ~
Plans in the navy for securing many
submarine chasers and organizing therrl
for coast patrol went forward rapid-
ly. and tho National Defense Council
perfected y plan for co-ordinatinE In q
practical way the nations industriats
| preparedness. "a
President Wilson has almost finished
his message TO Congress. lie remained
| in his study much Of tho day. and also
was in close touch with the War. Navy
and Treasury Departments regarding
preparedness plans. 7tS
/ II was indicated that tentative plans
! OF the administration for providing
men, money and supplies for war pur-
/ poses await action by Congress on tho
main question OF whether declara-S
I tioIl " al Staic VI WtT IL 10 DO duOUI6u.s
Careful TO observe the war-making pre-
rogativc of Congress. the President and
his advisers are desirous of doing noth-5
/ ing 10 be construed as an act OF war
1 beyond maintaining a state of armed
neutrality. and making ready for war
| if il comes.
NATION As WHOLE DELIEyES #.
I THAT TIME FOR WAR HAS COME
! Plans OF paciists for attempting to.
/ keep Congress from declaring state
of war attracted some attention, but
most Of tho reports to the administra-s
I tion indicated that the i.ation as q.
whole believes that the time for war
has come. \ statement to day by
Chairman stone, OF the Senate Foreign
/ Relations Committee. that he would
, vote against war. but would support
\ the government in any policy decided
upon. WIS the most noticeable antiwxr
4 development.
Il Outside OF the main question to be
decided chief attention within the Rd-
\ miniStraton is directed towards guard
Ing against possible disturbances in
the United States. That such Il danger
exists .as generally admitted. but Of
tlcials believe the situation is we'll In.
hand.
/ The War Department late to-day
called into the Federal service, for the
purpose "f police protection, about 1000
additional national siardsmen.
/ The organizations named In the order
\ include: sE
Oklahoma Regiment, infantry
Louisiaua-First Regiment. infantry
District OF columbia-Third Rcgi-5
mout, infantry.
Texas Second. Third and Fourth In-s
faniry and the First Separate Squadron
of Cavalry,
Arkansas-First Regiment. infantry
Rhode isiand--Second. Fifth, Twelfth;
and Fifteenth Companies OF Coast Ar.fj
tilicry equipped as infantry.
TEXAS INFASTRYMEN
MAY PATROL B0RnEh]
At the same time. the War Depart
mcnt ordered that the First New Mexico
Militia infantry. which never has at
tanned the National Guard status und,
the new defense act, be mustered o,
of the Federal service,