The Montgomery advertiser. [volume], April 01, 1917, Image 1

About The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982

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ALABAMA
MUST
FEED HERSELF
Strict Middling .,
Middling .
8t. Law Middling
Cotton Seed .....
VOLUME LXX XVIII
MONTGOMEfRY« ALABAMA* SUKftAY. APRIL 1, 1917~THI»TY-TWO PAGES
* NUMBER 91
TWO BRITISH
VESSELS ARE
SOBTOIMS
Citizens of United States
on Board Both Snowdon
Range and Crispin Given
No Warning
AMERICANS MAY BE
AMONG THOSE LOST
Both Vessels Destroyed
Carried Gutis For De
fense, Consuls’ Messages
Indicate
(Asserts teg Press.)
WASHINGTON. March SI.—Two Brit-,
lab steamers, the Snowdon Range and
the Booth liner Crispin, both • with
Americans on board, of whom a num
ber are unaccoutned for, were report
ed to the State Department today to
have been sunk without warning by a
submarine.
On the Crispin the torpedo which
struck the engine room killed five
men, two of whom are believed to have
been Americans.
Prost Makes Report.
“Crispin. 2.483 tons, Newport News
to Liverpool, (8k horses, torpedoed
without warning fourteen miles off
Hook Head, 7:18 p. m.. 2»th. Sixty
eight out of ship's complement of 112
were Americana. Two boats missing,
not Improbable lost.
“Torpedo struck engine room star
board side, explosion killing five men,
of whom two believed Americans.
“Submarine not seen, but wake of
torpedo seen by Americans.
Carried Gwa, Wireless.
Weasel carried gun and wireless.
Latter was wrecked by explosion.
“Weather moderate, wind, overcast
sky, very heavy swells.
“Vessel sank alowly but return on
board not feasible owing to heavy sea.
“One boat with nineteen survivors
landed at Queenstown, Including cap
tain, chief steward, veterinarian and
Americans. R. H. Elser, Newport
News: Carl Larkenson, Augusta, Ga.:
James Smith, Baltimore; Bland Tins
ley, Philadelphia: R. L. Hays, Coving
ton ....: James Franklin, New York
City; George Keilly, Baltimore; George
St. Armand, Worcester; Harry Davis,
Baltimore; John Williams, Newport
News.
"Other boats believed landing Mil
ford Haven and elsewhere."
Frees Liverpool,
The dispatch from Liverpool report
ing the sinking of the Snowdon Range
follows:
‘British steamer Snowdon Range,
Philadelphia to Liverpool, with general
cargo and powder, one gun aft, torpe
doed without warning at 8:45 a. m.,
March 38, thirty-five miles from Holly
Head. No vessel In sight, sea calm,
weather hasy, no resistance, submarine
submerged at time of attack. Four
killed by explosion, remainder of crew
took to boats Including James Carroll,
Philadelphia! George Alexander, col
ored, 38 Bladen Street. Wilmington, N.
G; Burt Thebalt. Philadelphia, native
born Americans and Paddy McCabe,
naturalised, no permanent address.
Files German Flag.
“Submarine emerged showing Ger
man flag, shelled Snowdon Range, then
boarded and removed provisions and
detachable brass, vessel sunk. Crew
picked up 8 p. m„ taken Holly Head.
A dispatch from Swansea said the
collector of customs there reported
that forty-nine Americans from the
British cattle steamer Crispin had been
landed at MUfordhaven. No additional
details of the sinking of the Crispen
were given.
Negro Killed. •
A later dispatch from Consul Frost
definitely established the killing of one
American, a negro, and said others
probably had been killed.
The Crispin was bound for Avon
mouth.
ORLEANS IS SAFELY
THROUGH^ WAR ZONE
"0J5?J^,IG,rrED OJt VOYAGE TO
FRANCK AND RUSTURN; SHIP
NOT ARMED.
<Associated Press.)
^a,rch SI—The American
steamship Orleans, one of the first ves
sels to carry the United States flag
through the danger sone created by
Germany’s submarine decree of Febru
»ry 1. arrived at an American port to
day, having safely made a round trip
to and from Bordeaux.
Captain Allan D. Tucker reported
that no submarines were sighted eith
er on the voyage to France or on the
homeward trip. The Orleans sailed
from New York. February 10, with a
full cargo of general exports. Her de
parture so soon after Germany had de
clared certain European waters closed
to traffic was regarded an a defiance of
the edict. Her arrival at Bordeaux on
February 24 was made the occasion of
a semi-official celebration and Captain
Tucker and his crew were feted as
heroes. . ,
The ship was not armed. She car
ries a crew of thirty-four men, of
whom eight are American citlxena.
TOEWEATIHmi
Format till t p. sufar.
Far "--‘I--a ad Vicinity i
Iniar. probably increasing
River Forecast.
The Coosa: At Rome will fall rapid
ly; at Oadsden, will fall slowly Sun
day; at Wetumpka. will fall rapidly.
The Alabama: At Montgomery, will
continue to fall and at an increasing
rate; at Selma will begin to fall.
Note—The stages of the lower Coosa
and the upper Alabama rivers are
•ubject to irregular fluctuations, due
to the operation of the dam at Lock
No 11 Coosa river.
HOURLY TEMPERATI RES FOR
MARCH SI. 1917.
7:00 a. m. ... 58 3:00 p. m. ... 8!
8:00 a. m. ... «1 4:00 p. m.* ... 81
9:00 a. m. ... So 5:00 p. m. ... 79
16:00 a. m. ... 69 6:00 p. m. ... 77
11:00 a. m. ... 73 7:00 p. m. ... 74
12:60 noon .... 77 Highest.82
1:00 p. m. ... bn Lowest .. ... 56
1:00 O. m. ... 81 r H. SMYTH,
Meteorologist.
Republicans
Select Mann
For Speaker
Gardner, Declaring He
Will Vote Only for
root,, Bolts Meeti
Party's Leaders
rM
(AhmIiM PnM)
WASHINGTON. March *1.—Republi
can mem hern of the Incoming house in
conference today nominated Repres
entative James R. Mann, of Illinois,
for speaker, named a committee of
seventeen to arrange committee as
signments, and adopted a resolution
to provide for the appointment of a
steering committee to guide the con
duct of legislation without regard to
the outcome of the organisation fight.
Plans to suggest bl-partisan and
temporary - organization of the house
were abandoned just before the con
ference when It became apparent that
most of the republicans wanted a
partisan battle.
Beth Claim Victory
Both regular and progressive repub
licans claimed a victory for their fac
tion. Regulars pointed to the nomina
tion of Mr. Mann and failure to take
up the question of his successor as
floor leadcl as proof of their conten
tion. Progressives declared they won
in the appointment of a committee on
committees and of a steering commit
tee. Heretofore Mr. Mann as republi
can leader has made up committee
lists and has had a big say In the
conduct of business.
None of the five socalled Independ
ents attended the conference. Rep
resentative-Elect Fuller, of Massa
chusetts, progressive, whom the re
publicans hoped would confer with
them, arrived today and announced
that he first would vote for Repres
entative Lenroot, republican fer speak
er.
Gardtaer “Blows Up*
xnere was only on* display or open
Insurgency at the conference. De
claring he would vote only for Mr.
Lenroot for speaker. Representative
Gardner, of Massachusetts, bolted the
meeting after falling to obtain adop
tion of. a resolution to provide that
members present should not toe bound
by Conference action. Representatives
Gray, of New Jersey, and Dalllnger, of
Massachusetts, left with Mr. Gardner,
but Mr. Dalllnger returned later, and
Republicans were hopeful tonight that
they would be able to Induce him to
vote for Mr. Mann.
Immediately after Mr. Gardner's
withdrawal Representative Lqngworth
of Ohio, offered a resolution to bind
the members to vote for the confer
ence nominees, and asked that it be
voted down. This was done by a large
vote leaving the 19S members who
voted for Mr. Mann free to support
whom they please on Monday when
balloting on house organisation be
gins.
Dewee rats Gala Strength '
Tits prevailing Impression that the
democrats will organise the house,
with champ Clark as speaker, gamed
further support today with the an
ndhncement that Representative Hel
gesen, of North Dakota, a republican,
would toe unable to be present. Mon
day. There la at least one other re
publican whose attendance Is doubt
ful, and the democrats declared to
night there was not the slightest
doubt that Speaker Clark would have
the necessary votes to elect. In that
event Representative Mann is expect
ed to be continued as republican floor
leader.
Of the seventeen members of the
committee* on committees named to
day, only four. Nelson of ’Wisconsin,
Anderson of Minnesota, Reavls of
Nebraska and Wood of Indiana, are
considered progreseive republicans by
that faction. The orginal list sub
mitted to the committee of twenty
seven by the progressive element con
tained the names of two other pro
gressively Inclined members, Hayes,
of California, and Kelley, of Michigan
Besides Nelson, Arfderson, Reavis and
Wood the members of the committee
arjs Representative Mann, Illinois,
chairman; Gillett, Massachusetts; Mon
dell, Wyoming, Fordney, Michigan,
Knhn, California, Moore, Pennsylvania,
Longworth, Ohio, Fairchild. New York,
Austin, Tennessee. Browning, New
Jersey, Green, Iowa, Slnnott, Oregon,
and Representative Eiest White,
Maine. Power to name the steering
committee was vested in the commit
tee on committees. It will be named
within a day or two and It la under
stood Mr. Lenroot win be a member of
It.
- Gardner Consumes Time
The meeting today lasted about
three hours and Mr. Gardner consum
ed more than a third of that time.
Representative Hamilton, of New
York, was named whip, and Represen
tatives Farr, of Pennsylvania, Nichols,
of Michigan, and McArthur, of Oe
gon. assistant whips.
While republicans threshed out
their problems today, democrats con
tinued their fight over committee
places. The ten hold over members of
the ways and means committee sat
throughout the day making designa
tions. Their meetings were executive
and great care was taken to prevent
news of the assignments becoming
public.
CAPTURED U-BOATS
HARMLESS TARGETS
(AmmIiM Press)
NEW YORK. March SI—The
mystery of the eighteen submarines
reported captured by an American
warship In an anonymous cabld
message from Panama, said to
have been seen by passengers on
th# 8. S. Advance ofT Watling Is
land was cleared today by the
Rev. Thomas H. Candor, of the
Tresbyterlan board of foreign mis
sions, a passenger on the steam
ship Carrillo, from Panama.
The clergyman said the reported
U-boats were merely a procession
of harmless naval target 'In tow
of sveen warships, each warship
having lines attached to 3 or 3
targets.
The Carlllo, bound for New York
passed the "captured submarines"
off San Salvador, about the time
that the Advance steaming south
ward did likewise.
Three Drink Bay Rum
And Two Now Are Dead
1 Associated Press.)
CONWAY, ARK., March 31.—Homer
Llewellyn, chauffeur, and Orfle Doug
las. mechanic, died here today, and
Andy Francis, a barber, hourly Is ex
pected to die as the result of drinking
i gallon of bay rum which the men
Pought for a "party” at Francis' shop,
rhe hay rum Is said to have contained
i large per cent, of wood alcohol which
mused the men’s death.
Second Motive,
With En
in South
Atlantic Trade Lines
GERMAN
SENDS
SHIPS
FRENCH BARK LANDS
285 AT RIO JANIERO
Sea Terror Loaded With
Mines, Heavily Armed
and Carries Crew Under
Command of Count
(AumIiM Press.)
RIO J AN El KO, March SI.—A new
German raider, slipping past the Brit
ish warships on guard in the North
aea has reached the South Atlantic and
sent eleven or more merchantmen to the
bottom.
According to survivors from the
sunken veshels the raider la the Seead
ler (Sea Eagle), a formidable armed
craft operating with the same success
and daring as its predecessor) the
Moewe. which recently returned to a
German port after playing havoc with
shipping In the same waters.
Victims Reach Pert.
News of the activities of the raider
wae brought to Rio Janeiro by the
French bark Cambronne which arrived
here yesterday. She had on bbard SSS
men from the crews of vessels sunk by
the Seeadler.
The Cambronne encountered the
raider on March 7, at latitude 21 south,
longitude 7 went, a point In the Atlantic
almost on a line with Rio Janeiro, and
about two thirds of the way to the
African coast. After survivors had
been put on the Cambronne she was
ordered to proceed to the coast of
Brasil, a voyage of 22 days.
Coast Vkner Commander.
According to the Journal Do Brasil
the raider was loaded with mines which
explains the destruction of vessels
off the coast of Brasil. The commerce
destroyer is reported to be armed with
two gunn of 106 millimetres and It
machine guns. The vessel has three
masts and is equipped with wireless.
Its crew consists of H men under
the command of Count Ukner,
According to the refugees, the raider
left Germany on December 2), escorted
been **° have
tSe'raider?**They gave^ th^name
the boat as the Seeadler and irtp that
she was provisioned for if months and
had a great eupply of munitions and
explosives. On sighting a merchant*
man the raider hoieted a Norwegian
flag which wae replaced by the German
ensign when her prey was within reach
of her guns.
Among the refugeea are two women,
the wives of two of the captains of the
aunken ships.
Eleven shlpe were sunk by the raid
er before the Cambronne wae sent to
Rio Janeiro with the crews The ves
tels destroyed were:
Antonin, French sailing vessel, 3,071
tons; owned In Dunkirk; 31 men on
board.
British Yeoman, British sailing ves
sel, 1,053 tonra, owned in Victoria, B.
C.; 21 men.
Buenos Aires, Italian sailing vessel,
1,811 tons, owned in Naples; 21 men.
Charles Gounod. French sailing ves
sel, 2,153 tons, owned in Nantes; 24
men. ,
Dupleix. French sailing vessel, 2,206
tons; owned in Nantes, 22 men. „
Gladyra Roy.le, British steamship, 3,
268 tons, owned in Sunderland, 26 men.
Hongarth (or Horngarth), 33 men
(not listed).
Lady Island, (or Landy Island), 4,
500 tons; 25 men. (not listed).
La Rochefoucauld, French sailing
vessel, 2,200 tons; owned In Nantes; 24
men.
Perce, Canadian schooner, 500 tons,
six men, one woman (not listed).
Pinmore, British sailing vesssl, 2,431
tons, owned In Greenock; 29 men.
There were 22 men In the crew of
the Cambronne bringing up the total
of persons who reached Rio Janeiro
to 285.
Hongarth Tries to Escape,
The Hongarth, which was on her
way from Montevideo to Plymouth with
6,500 tons of grain, dlsobsyed the raid
er's order to halt and attempted to es
cape.
The captain Anally surrendered af
ter four members of her Crew, Includ
ing the chief engineer aind his assist
ant had been wounded by machine gun
Are. The Lady Island was loaded with
4,600 tons of sugar, the Antolnine with
4,000 tom of nitrates and the Charles
Gounard with 4,100 tons of grain.
The thoroughness with which the
Germans carried on their work of de
struction is shown by their treatment
of the Cambronne. On deciding to
send this vessel to Brasil with their
prisoners they cut away part of her
masts and destroyed some of her sails,
with the idea of delaying her progress
to Brasil.and keeping secret as long
as possible the presence of the raider
in the South Atlantic. All papers on
the Chambronne were seised and a
large part of her cargo was destroyed
SI Shots at Hoagarth.
The snrvivors who have reached here
can give no definite account of the
movements or mo oeeaaier, although
they aay that moat of the vessels were
sunk off the Brazilian coast. The
Hongarth put up the stlffest fight. It
required 21 cannon shots, fired from a
distance of 2 1-2 miles to sink her.
It is related by survivors that their
reception on the raider was such as
to discourage any attempt to make
trouble.
The Oermans were lined up on the
deck, every man heavily armed as
each new contingent of prisoners was
taken on board.
The Seeadler in a three master square
rigged, with a speed of about 12 knots
She is equipped with a powerful wire
less plant. The apparatus la con
cealed skilfully In the rigging. The
survivors.say It Is Impossible to rec
ognize her as an armed ship. When
she left Germany her guns were con
cesled In the hold while she was run
ning the British blockade. The Beead
ler has two gasoline launches which
ilso were hidden in the hold during the
first part of the voyage.
After the Seeadler was on the high
•eas her guns were mounted. They
were placed on the forecastle and the
gun ports were masked. On account
jf the position of the guns they can
>e fired in only two directions.
The survivors dmcrlbe the Seeadler
(teatlaued ea Face Twaj
4 ..... u *K
r " * ■ . _ . -
Champ Clark to Retain Speakership and
Mann to Lead Republicans, General Belief
Hamp Gtaves
Says Charge
Is Not True
' , ' “T*—
Colonel of Fourth Regi
ment at Nogales Denies
Story Printed in Bir
mingham Paper
Colonel E. H. Graves, Fourth Infan
try, National Guard of Alabama, Sat
urday night denied emphatically a
news article appearing in a Birming
ham afternoon newspaper in which it
was stated that he would face a court
martial on charges of “conduct unbe
coming an officer and a gentleman
and scandalous to the service of the
United States." '
Colonel Graves stated that he had
offered his resignation to the war de
partment, and that it had been ap
proved by the commanding officer of
the Alabama brigade before being sent
to Washington. Colonel Steiner Sat
urday night declined to discuss the
affair, stating that ttio resignation
was filed before he assumed command
of the Brigade and he therefore knew
nothing about it.
The statements of Colonel Graves
and Major Smith, commander of the
third bdttallon of the Fourth regiment,
with which battalion Colonel Graves
travelled from Nogales to Montgom
ery follows
(•raves' Statement
Colonel Graves' statement follows:
"There is not a single word of truth
in the article published in the Birm
ingham Ledger of this afternoon. In
corroboration of this statement I re
fer you to the officers of toe third
battalion, commanded by Major Dal
las B. Smith. As to charges having
been preferred against me, 1 refer you
to the reeords of the brigade which
should and do show the facts;
'It is a fact that 1 have submitted
my resignation, which has been sent*
to the war department with the ap
proval of my brigade commander."
Major 8mith made the following
statement:
Major Smith’s Statement
"The fourth regiment was not trav
eling as a unit birt was divided into
three sections, each In charge of a
major of the fourth infantry. Colonel
Graves was traveling with my section
and I emphatically deny that the
statement in the Birmingham Ledger
of even date is true.
"To be exact no disorder of any kind
occurred on my train during this trip."
The article in full which Colonel,
Graves brands as absolutely false, as
it appeared in an afternoon newspaper
published in Birmingham Saturday af
ternoon is as follows:
The Ledger Story
"Montgomery. Ala., March SI—A
sensation involving officers of the
Alabama National Guard was reveal
ed today.
"It became known that Col. E. H.
Graves, commander of the Fourth Ala
bama infantry, had been ordered tried
before a general court martial on
charges of conduct unbecoming an of
ficer and gentleman and scandalous
to the service of the United States.
“The special chargel s that while In
charge of his regiment en route from
the Mexican border. Colonel Graves
became intoxicated and shot out the
lights on the train. When certain of
ficers remonstrated, it is claimed he
slapped their faces and threatened
them with his revolver.
"The matter was hushed up at the
(tea tinned n Fagc Twaj
STEINER SEEKS DATA
ON MEN NEEDED AS
GUARDS OF PROPERTY
I
Brigadier General of Alabama Troops Asks Railroads,
Cities and Plant Owners Relative to Assignment of j
Guardsmen to Protect Properties Probably Valu
able to Government in Time of Need; Adjutant
General Has Inspected Forbes Place as Possible
Site For Enlarged Camp
With a view of having everything in readiness in the event of any
emergency, General Steiner Saturday morning sent communications
to all railroads operating in Alabama and to cities in which is located
any plant which might be of use to the Government in case of war,
asking how many men they would need to gnard' all public properties!
The commanding officer of the Alabama brigade declared that the
communications which were sent out were on his own initiative so
that in the event the war department would at a later date desire to
have such information he could give it immediately, instead of a delay
being necessary to obtain such data.
According to information obtained at the encampment Saturday
afternoon, the railroads are requested to advise the military officials
of the number of bridges, coal shutes, water tanks and shops that
they will want guarded. The cities are requested to advise the mili
tary authorities the number of men it will take to guard their water
plants and light plants, and the owners of steel, iron and ship plants
are requested to advise what number of men, in their estimation
would be needed to guard their property.
. Because the war department has or
dered the suspending of the mustering
out of the National Guards of practi
cally every state In the Union for
"police duty," It is believed that the
duty of the soldiers in the event of
a declaration of war by congreas will
be to guard such enun^wuted proper
ty, and that of other pffliuts which may
be of some service to the government.
No orders are expected to arrive at
the State mobilisation camp In regard
to any movement before early next
week, for it Is not believed that the
war department will Issue such orders
until congress has deflnitely deter
mined on the policy which will be fol
lowed by the United states. Even
though there Is a possibility of orders
for some movement being received ear
ly next week, General Steiner Instruct
ed the officers of the different units of
the Alabama brigade to grant the live
day furloughs authorised by tha war
department, and there was a full twen
ty per cent of the men. the number au
thorised by the war department to be
allowed furloughs at the* same time,
who left the camp grounds during the
day Saturday, These men will be gone
for five days, and on their return,
twenty per cp.it more will be granted
the furloughs. This process will con
tinue until each man In the brigade
has been granted his five days leave
with full pay.
Hubbard Talks I'mmp Site.
Adjutant-General Hubbard Saturday
stated that the investigation which he
haa made of feasible camp sitee in the
vicinity of Montgomery haa resulted
from a query from the war depart
ment as to whether the present camp
at Vandiver Park is of sufficient capa
city to accommodate the National Guard
o.' Alabama when raised to a maximum
war strength of over nine thousand
li en. The adjutant general states that
the present c/unp would not only be
insufficient for such a purpose, but that
It would prove inadequate for the
troopn now stationed there In case It
should be deetrable that they be kept
here for a long period of time. The
adjutant genera! has notified the war
department to this effect, and his pros
pecting for a new camp site is under
taken. he states, without direct in
structions from the Federal authori
ties. but in order to have a place avail
able in case the war department de
cides that more grornd Is needed
Adjutant Qeneral Hubbard states that
the only place which he hau personally
visited Is the Forbes place, located on
the Lower Wetumpka Hoad, about
one mile beyond the present camp
comprising a thousand, acres.
General Hubbard states that he does
not believe that orders will be Issued
recalling dither the signal corps or
the batteries mustered out In Birming
ham back to the colors.
To Pay <t* This W eek.
Major Scherer, ramp quartermaster.
Saturday alternoon announced that the
paymaster for the State mobilisation
camp. Captain Vaughan. wUl begin the
V nrk of paying the men their March
salaries either Monday or Tuesday,
probably the first named dav. it
could not be aacertained at the camp
Saturday afternoon which unit of the
guard would receive its pay first, but
it wae said that as an Incentive to
make the company commanders pre
pare the papers promptly, the unit
which handed in all pay rolls first
would be the first to be paid. It Is
expected that t^e work of paying off
the men will continue until about Fri
day
While there M no indication that the
passes which the enlisted men we-e
compelled to get when they were In
cymp here last summer again will be
put In vogue, orders were issued from
biigade headquarters Saturday to all
in it commanders to advise all officers
of their command to register at regi
mental headquarters before leaving
the camp grounds. S» far as could
be learned there were no orders Issued
pertaining to enlisted men having to
ItMtisueS-** Page Two.)
SENTIMENT:
FOR ItTIOfl
NATION-WIDE 1
— »
Country Stands Ready to |
Back President in Any
Move He May Make in 1
German Crisis
• . . f
7,000 MORE TROOPS
PLACED IN SERVICE
Congressmen Declare 1
They Are Ignorant of
Wilson’s Plans; Pre
paredness Measures
< Associated Press.,
WASHINGTON, March 31.— A dec-1
laratlon that a state of war exists be
tween Germany and the United States
Is generally expected to follow close
upon the assembling of congress in
extraordinary session Monday. Today
the government bent every effort to
hurry preparedness measures as though
actual war was an Imminent certainty.
Indications that a wave of war sen
timent is sweeping the country, came
to the white house In messages con
veying resolutions adopted at patriotic
mass meetings in different states and
in reports from senators and represen
ts llvea that the nation stands ready to
back up the president.'
Predict Prompt Arties.
Predictions were genera! at the Capi
tol that the .house will be organised
promptly so that the president may de
liver his message making reconunenda- '
tions for congressional action. Unless
there should be an unlooked-for change
he will speak Tuesday.
Nows of the sinking of additional
nblps by German submarines and tho
resulting loss of mors American Uvea
orly increased the tension slightly be
csuss for some time the general feeling M
Ms been that Germany already warn'-1
making war on the United States.
Mere Gsardsmeo Called.
Secretary Baker conferred with the
president and afterwards announced
that more than 7,000 additional nat
ional guardsmen had been ordered out
for polled duty in various statcu. Ho
ulso said that complete plana for rais
ing a larger army had been drawn up
at the war department.
Plans in the navy for securing sub
marine chaaers and organising them
for a coast patrol went forward rap
idly, and the national defense council
perfected a plan for co-ordinating in a
practical way the nation’s Industrial
pieparedness. 4
Message Near Comprtlttss.
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
and treasury departments regarding
preparedness plans.
It was Indicated that tentative plan*
of the administration for providing
men, money and supplies for war pur
poses await action by congress on the
main question of whether a declaration
of a state of war is to be adopted.
Careful to observe the war making
prerogative of congrctss, the president
and his advisers are desirous of doing
nothing to be construed as an act of
war beyond maintaining a state of
armed neutrality and making ready for
war if it comes.
Parlgst Plans Talked.
Plans -of pacifists for attempting to
keep congress from declaring a state
of war attracted some attention, but
mwit of the reports to the administra
tion Indicated that the nation as a
whole believes that the time for war
has come. A statement today 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
was the most noticeable anti-war de
velopment.
Outside of the main question to be
ac-ided. chief attention within the ad
ministration is directed towards guard
ing against possible disturbances in tha
United States. That such a danger
exists was generally admitted, but of
flc.als believe the situation is well in
hr nd.
On the eve of the new session, all
senators and representatives profeissed
complete Ignorance of details of the
president’s plans for action. They
were unanimous in predicting that a
declaration of existence of a s.ate of
vtar is probable, but beyond this they
at bear to have little notion of what
conyreas will do or will be asked to
do.
Hosae Arties First.
The i'njt expression of congressional
aentlmei.t is expected from the house.
8uch a resolution as will be suggested
by the president may include an emer
gency appropriation which would have
to pass the houte first and in addition
the moral force of affirmative action
by the house would give the resolution
greater Initial impetus, many members
believed, than If the senate should begin
the discussion.
Whether the new cloture rule of the
senate would be needed in consideration
the resolution is speculative. It Is
regarded certain that the uncalled paci
fist group in the senate, including those
who opposed the armed neutrality
measure, will occupy considerable time
In debate. Senator Stone, however. In
dicated today, that he favored some
prompt expression by congress, and
would call the foreign relations com
mittee together immediately after the
president delivers his address.
7,000 More Guardsmen
Called Into Federal
Service by Department
WASHINGTON. March SI—The gov
ernment's war preparations developed
Important steps today in all three
branches of national defense.
At the war department orders were
issued calling into the federal ser
vice 7,000 additional national guards
men, and It was announced that de
I t est tamed ea t*age Two.)