Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1917-12-06
y. S. TO DECLARE
WAR ON AUSTRIA
Republicans and Democrats IL Con-
gress Unite In Endorsing the
President's Action for War
Declaration by To-
morrow

morrow
Washington, D. c., Dec. s.-Con-
gress took up the work of declaring
war on Austria Hungary today with
the expectation Of having tho formal
war resolution passed by Friday
morning.
The senate was not in session but
its foreign relations committee which
will handle the resolution, vas in
conference.
In the house the war resolution
was brought out by Chairman Flood
OF the foreign relations committee.
The committee itself had been called
to meet this afternoon to formally
act upon the resolution and return
1t to the house for passage. The sem
timent for including Turkey and Bull
garia in the list of recognized enc
mics persisted and there was prom
Use Of some attempt to amend the
resolution.
The committee Of both houses. will
however be guided by the state de-
partment in the language of the res
olution and IL the administration has
its way. as It probably will, Turkey
and Bulgaria will beleft Tor the time
when they come directly IN the path
of Americas action, against Germany
% the president expressed It in his
address Wednesday.
While congress ID working ON the
actual declaration of war. the exec
. utive department Of the government
ere setting in melton the machinery
which will make the declaration ef-
foctive.
The department Of Justice began
taking steps for disposition Of the
large number of alien enemies the
war declaration will create.
The Job il much more difficult
than It was in the case with Ger
many. There are In the United States
many subjects Of Austria-Hungary
who are opposed to that government
and sympathize with the United
States. Many of them are Czechs.
Bohemians, and others Of the races
which have been oppressed by the
Austrian government. Many of them
to Join the fight for freedom of their
countrymen and realizations Of ma
tional aspirations. have Joined the
Americans, waving the exemptions
they might have claimed as aliens.
It is evident that some sort Of an
exception will be made for them,
as the government hardly wishes to
treat them as enemies, and still wish
e. to protect itself as Tar as possible.
The department Of labor, which
has custody of alien civilians classed
- enemies. also was making prepara-
lions to care for them a. may be nee
essary. probably in camps such as
those in which German civilians are
confined.
The department Of commerce. the
war trade board and other agencies
charged with the enforcement Of the
trading with the enemy act. laced q
created the machinery for dealing
with such situation q new war dec
laration actually involves extension
Of steps already taken.
To official Washington the dec
laration of war on Austria Is second
airy in interest to President Wilson's
statement of Americas war aims. 1t
Is considered at once q reply to the
peace ideas Of the marquis OF Lans-
dOwne and an announcement to the
world that peace can only come with
the destruction of Prussian autoc-
racy and. reparation for the havoc II
has wrought.
Declaration of war on Austria is
also regarded as the signal for the
extension of American help to hard
pressed Italy. Officials and diplo-
mats believe that It will not only
hearten and strengthen Italy but 1t
also forecasts the sending Of substan-
tial help to them. With a declara-
ton of war on Austria the United
State sis left free to aid Italy a. an
ally in the fullest sense.
The declaration Of a. state of war
with stria-Hungary will be taken
mn In the house tomorrow for vote
either tomorrow or Friday.
To avoid delay, II possible, admin
lstration leaders were hoping to ex-
Z podite action by having an identical
I seeolution reported to the senate
when It reconvenes- and seek immed-
late consideration.