MORE STEPS FOR
PREPAREDNESS
GOVERNMENT MAKES FURTHER
STEPS TOWARD PREPARA
TIONS FOR WAR.
OTHER STATE TROOPS CULLED
j_
Executive Order Issued Directing
That Marine Corps Be Recruited to
• Full War Strength.—Aliens May Be
Registered. Thirty Regiments
Called.
Washington. War prepartlons by
(he Government in 1 railing Into
the Federal service a score of add I
tlonal National Guard regiments for
police service In the Wentern and
Middle Western States and an order
for the Immediate recruiting of the
Marine Corps to full wir strength of
17.400 men
With both the Navy ifhd the Marlin
Corps ordered up to full strength, the
only step remaining to increase the
Navy personnel without aition by Con
Kress Is the calling out of the Naval
militia It ha>- been understood that
the ID lilt ia will be needed to fill out
crews for the many vessels to be add
ed. but no announcement on the sub
Ject has been made
Secretary Baker said no further
i all upon the National Guard was in
prospect. More than thirty two rcgi
menis ha\e been summoned to Feder
al duty to guind Industries or other
property which might be threatened
by Internal disorder growing out of
!he German situatlon
Marine Corps Increased.
The order to increase the Marine
Corps from its present authorized
maximum of 14.981 to 17,400 was mi
bounced ~ By' Secretary Daniels in the
following statement telegraphed to
newspaiier editors whose aid In find
ing the men Is sought :
"The President has signed an exe
cutive order directing that the author
ized strength of the Marine Corps be
Increased to 17.400 men
"He was authorized by Congress In
case of emergency, to direct such in
crease in enlist i..ent
"The I'nited States Marine Corps
Is the soldier brunch of our first line
of defense' Marines serve both ashoiv
and afloat, and are trained as Infa i
try, heavy and light artillery, and m;i
chine gun companies. They Mini the
landing parties from ships of the
Navy, are the first men detailed for
expeditionary duty, aud defend all na
val buses Each capital ship of the
Navy carries one company of murines
There has been u net Increase of over
11,000 In the strength of the corps since
Congress recently, authorized an In
crease but over four thousand more
are needed and needed now.
"Will you please emphasize I lie
needs of this Important branch.of ojtr
naval service by giving special prom
inence In your papers to the Presi
dent's order.
"The marine corps offers exception
al opportunities to young men of grit
and ambition to serve their country
in the first line of denfense.
"In this emergency you have the op
portunity and privilege of performing
this public service, and I am con
fidently- uppeullng to you for your cor
dial and helpful co-operation."
WILL MAKE NO FURTHER
PACTS WITH GERMANY
United State* Declines to Reaffirm or
Extend Treat e» of 1879 or 1828.
Washington In refusing the Her
man proposal to affirm or extend the
agreements of the treaties of 1799 and
1828. the i'liited States government
also said It was seriously considering
Ihe question of whether Germany's
flagrant violations" of these treaties
had not In effect abrogated them The
position of this country became known
definitely ' when the reply to the
-German suggestion Was made public,
having been delivered previously to
Dr. Paul Hitter, the Swiss minister,
now representing the interests of Ger
many in this country.
LINER ST. LOUIS HAS
REACHED DESTINATION
Washington The American liner
St. l>ouis. the first armed ship to cross
the Atlantic, lias arrived safely at her
destination Secretary of the Navy
:>ai>lels was Informed bv offices of the
line in New York. No details of the
trip were given
New York.- The St left an
American port on March 1.7 with -U
vassengerw. of whom 14 were Ameri
can cititens. Among the crew of H94
persons were 131 Americans. . , .
GERMANS CROSS MEXICAN
BORDER FROM UNITED STATES.
Brownsville, Texas.— Two" 1 escaped
members of the interned crews of two
German auxiliary cruisers at the Phil
adelphia Navy Yard crossed the Rio
Grande two miles below Brownsville
and are now at Matamoros, Mexico,
oppoalte here, according to Informa
tion received at military headquarters
at Port Brown here. American mili
tary authorities have taken the matter
up with Mexican officials at Mat*
moros.
EXECUTIVE ORDER
TO PUCE UN ON
RILL WAR FOOTING
NAVY 13 ORDERED RECRUITED
TO FULL STRENGTH OF «7,000
MEN.
MANY NATIONAL 6UARD — 1
! UNITS CALLED TO COLORS
Thla With Naval Conatructlon Al
ready Ordered Mean* Prealdent Haa
Exercised FuM Limit of Authority as
Commander in-Chief to Prepare For
War.
—g
Washington President Wilson took
steps to-place the nation 011 a war
footing
My executive order, he directed thai
the Navv be recruited without delav
to full authorized war strength of 87.-
000 enlisted men. Taken in connection
with emergency naval construction al
ready ordered, this means that the
President has exercised tne full limit
of his legal powers as Cornmander-ln-
Chief to prepare the Navy for war.
For the Army, the President di
rected that two new military depart
ments be createjl In the Atlantic Coast
region. The order means that the
task of organizing whatever Armv
Congress may authorize will be divid
ed among six departmental command
ers instead of four, in 'he Interest of
speed and efficiency In mobilization.
The third step was to assume us n
National duty the tank of protecting
American industries from domestic
disorders In the event of hostilities.
For this purpose, II full infantry reg
Intents, two separute battalions and
one separate company of National
Guards were called back into the Fed
eral service to act as National police
In important districts. Supplement
Ing these troops a regiment of Penn- ]
svlvania Gvard aud two companies of
Georgia Infantry en route home from
IIV border for muster out, were order
ed retained In the Federal service
No Explanations Given.
The, President's orders -were made
known In terse official statements Is
sued by both Departments. No ex
plunution accompanied them except j
the statement thut reorganization of!
the military departments, effective ]
May 1, was designed to facilitate de
centralization of command. Follow'-
log -Is Ihe> Executive order bringing |
the Navy up to war strength
By virtue of the authority vest
ed in the President by Ihe act of
Congress approved August 29,
191 ♦». entitled "an act making up
propratlons for naval service for
the fiscal year ending June .'lO, -
1917. and for other purposes" It
is hereby directed that the au- '
thorlzed enlisted strength of the
Navy be Increased to 87.000 men.
(Signed) WOODHOW WILSON.
The Navy must enroll Immediately
approximately 20,000 men to reach
the required strength. Secretary Dan
iels supplemented It with personal tel
egratns to newspaper editors ell over
the country urging them' to aid the
Department in every way in their
power to obtain the men.
CALL TO COLORS FOR
"TROOPS OF NATIONAL GUARD
Fourteen Regiments are Again Called
to Service for Police Purpoaea-
Washington Calling into the Fed;
eral service of 14 regiments of the
National Guard for police protection
purposes was announced by the war
department.
The department issued this state
ment :
"Many states have deemed It ad
visable to call out the National Guard
for police purposes of protection. As
the necessiiy. tor such stops arise*
from issues which are more National
than local, it has been deemed advis
able by the president to call Into Fed
eral service for the above-mentioned
purposes fourteen organizations of the
National Guard.
"Massachusetts, Second and Third
Regiments.
"Pennsylvania, First and Third
Regimental
"Maryland. Fourth Regiment.
"District of Columbia, First Sepa
rate Batallion
"Vermont, Company B, First Kegi
ment
"Connecticut. First Regiment.
"New York. Second and Seventy
first Regiments.
, "New Jersey, First and*# 1 -Fiftieth
Regiments.
"Delaware, First Battalion. First
Regiment.
"The following organizations which
are now in the Federal service will
not be mustered out:
"Thirteenth Pennsylvania, A and B
Companies of the Fir«» Georgia."
STRONG ADDRESS BY TAFT
TAFT AT NASHVILLE
Nashville, Tenn-—Five thousand
people heard President Taft deliver
a strong address here in the interests
of a World League to Enforce Peace
and Jn explanation and Justification of
the entrance of the United States into
w*r with Germany.
THE ENTERPRISE, WILLIAMSTON, NORTH CAROLINA
SPRING SHOPPING j
(Copyright )
NATION OFFERS IKEOIATION
j
EUROPEAN NEUTRAL MAY TRY
TO AVERT WAR BETWEEN
GERMANY AND U. S.
- " T~
Proposal Probably Another Move to
Confute the Issue ~and Dlvldr Senti
ment Here, It Way Washington Re
gards the Matter.
W'iihliiiik t on Word that a neutral
Kuropean Nation might offer medic
Hon to prevent open war between the
United states and Germany lias come
to the Administration without caus
liik surprise or In any way affecting
the Government's plan* for meeting
the situation forced by. submarine
ruthlesstiess Hil'li h proposal In re
garded here aw notlilng more than »n
other Hcheme fosterert by Germany
Midi the hope of confusing the issue
and possibly dividing sentiment In
thlk country while the destruction of
American lives and whip* on the high
Mean continue.
At the State Department official*
would neither deny nor confirm that
the Government already had been ap
proa died on thin subject, although it
wuh admitted Informally that Home
such move wan not unexpected.
II wan very emphatically Mated that
no suggestion of mediation or dlsi u*-
hlou would »e considered unless It
was accompanied by abandonment of
Illegal assaults upon American ship
ping. a course which there In no rea
son for bellving the Imperial Gov
ernment IN giving a thought.
The feeling In all quarters here la
that the United States has with In
finite patience and forbearance done
everything possible with honor to
avoid the virtual state of war now ex
isting through Germany Aggression.
So long as this aggression continues,
officials sa. there is nothing to do but
adopt measures of defense and no
basis exists for discussion
Suspends Eight-Hour Law.
During the 10 days that must elapse
before Congress assembles in response
to his call, President Wilson will give
close personal attention to the prepar
ations going forward through Ihe War
and Navy Departments. He saw no
callers today, but whs In touch with
both of the Departments. One of the
duties he performed was the signing
of a formal proclamation suspending
the eight hour law as applied to plants
engaged on naval work, as step auth
orized by Congress as a part of the
general plans for speeding up con
struction.
ANOTHER VESSEL FLYING
'AMERICAN FLAG IS SUNK.
Hsaldon Is Torpedoed In North
Without Warning.—Twenty of
Craw Loat.
~ -Washington. - American * Consul
Mahln. at Amsterdam, cabled the State
Department that the American steam
er Healdton, sunk by a submarine off
Terchelling. Holland, was torpedoe;!
without warning, and that 10 of the
e'few were drowned. The Consul's
dispatch follows:
"Standard Oil Ship Healdton. from
Philadelphia for Rotterdam, cargo oil,
torpedoed without warning 8 15 even
(ing of 21st. 25 miles north of Ter
schelllng. Holland. Twenty of crew
drowned. One died of injuries Oth
ers (taken! to north of Holland Sub
marine seen after torpedoing More
details to follow "
The sinking of" the Healdton adds
another grave chapter to the story of
war waged against American ship
ping by Germany to be laid before
!Congress by President Wilson at the
special session be has called for April
BIG DEMONSTRATION
IN NEW YORK CITY
New York. —Led by more than 40
patriotic and civic organizations and
clolege clubs, a crowd that filled Mad
ison Square Gardeu enthusiastically
pledged Itself to the support of Presi
dent Wilson and urged that there be
no more delay on the part of the Uni
ted States in entering the European
war against Germany. Among the
speakers were Elihu Root, who pre
sided; Dr. Jiphn Grler Tllbbon, and
Charles S. Falrchild.
EXTRA SESSION ON APRIL 2ND
CONGRESS EXPECTED TO MAKE
FORMAL DECLARATION OF
WAR ON GERMANY.
President Will Probably Be Clothed
With Authority to Use Armed
Forces of the Country as President
McKlnley Was Empowered to Do
at the Outbreak of the War With
Spain in 1808.
Washington President Wilson m«!
the constantly Increasing probability ,
of war with Germany by summoning
Congress to assemble in extra session
Monday. April 2, two weeks earlier
than the date he hud chosen before
the latest assaults upon American J
rights on the seas
When the President adunsses Con
gress, he Is expected to show how a
state of war actually has existed for
some time because of the unlawful
aggressions of German submarines
Congress Is expected formally to de
dare a state of war existing, vote a
larg .. sum. probably half a billion dol
lars. for National defense, and  lothi* I
the President with authority to use
the armed forces of the United States, |
as it empowered President McKlnley
to deal with the menace of Spain in
1!'» X j
Such action would not be a declara i
lion of war except in a technical sense, |
and whether the United States and j
Germany actually go to war in the 
fullest acceptation of th.e term will de- i
pend on what the Imperial Govern- |
ment does before Congress is assent
'Bled or after It acts. i
Dispatches from abroad declaring
that the German Government expect
ed u state of war within the next 48
hours placed an ominous aspect on
the situation.
Much to change the President's
present intentions or the course of the
Government In the crisis may develop
before April 2. The first American
armed ships will by that time have
reached the war rone. The ruthless ;
destruction of one of them undoubt- j
edly would be an act of war
On the other hand, sinking of a sub- I
marine by one of the armed merchant- |
men probably would be met as an act t
of war by Germany Even the arming j
of American ships with the avowei I
purpose of defending I hem against lT
boats may be declared such an act. \
In any of these events, practically j
nothing would remain except for Con- I
gres to a knowledge a stale of war ex
isting from h certain specified date, j
probably last Sunday, when three
American ships were sunk with loss j
of life
The next few days, until Congress
meets, will be days of tense anxiety,
of eager waiting and watching,
fraught with possibilities of tremei- |
dous consequences to the United
States.
President Wilson and his advisers
In the Cabinet and In* Congress have
no intention that war shall be de- |
clared by the United States. By the |
hostile ucts of German submarines j
they believe the Imperial German
Government is actually making war
on the. United Slates, and that it shall
be recognized as such a state To
meet such a condition, the armed
forcea of the country and all the Na
tional resources are to be put in a
state of readiness. Then whether the
Nation shall enter the war in its full
sense will depend upon how much
further Germany carried her acts, of
aggression.
In laving the' whole situation be-"j
fore Congress, the President is ex
pected to detail fully the warllke acts
of Germany aaglnst the United States,
and to pay particular attention to the
future of the American Government
as the great conflict draws to a close.
It is not improbable tjitt he will
ask Congress to declare a state of
war existing, although there la some
Indication that he may only outline
the situation fully and leave to Con
gress the action.
Meanwhile every preparation for
putting the nation's defenses In con
dition to meet a state of war are go
ing forward. The principal activities
center in the navy, where far-reach
ing preparations are being carried on
to deal with the submarine menace,
whether it Is to be met In the war
zone about the British coasts, or at
the gates of American cities.
iSTOBMSWEEPSOVERi
NEW ALBANY, IND.
TWENTY-FIVE TO FIFTY EBTIMAT- |
ED KILLED AND OVER HUN- i
DRED INJURED.
MASS OE WRECKAGE IN PATH
State Troops Asked For.—Aid Ruahed
From Louisville and JefTsrson.— ,
Work of Devastation Leaves Many ,
I Hemeleaa. '
New Albany. Ind. —Between 25 and i
50 persons were killed and probably
! 10!) or more were injured by a storm ;
' which swept over New Albany, demo!- j
; scores of residences and several (
! industrial plants.
I Twenty-five bodies have been re- J
covered, and It Is expected this num- j
ber will be materially increased when
all the debris if wrecked buildings
has been cleared away.
The lighting system fgr the resi
dence section of the city was put out j
of commission by the storm, and the
j work of rescue is proceeding with
j difficulty
| The storm struck about two miles
I from New Albany and moved south
west Filtering the city at Sta'e t
l-street, near Haly. tt swept through
'three blocks. At the intersection of (
Sliite and Pearl si reels, it left the 1
ground and then struck again at Yin
jiennes street and the Chatiestowu
road nearly a mile away. At that
'point, dwellings in three bloc ks wero
j demolished.
In iis progress along the Corydon i
j'l'lke, the storm uprootted hundreds
of trees and destroyed many small |
I houses, many of whose occupants 1
| were Injured
The streets In the path of the Morm
were a mass of wreckage and It was
soon seen thai outside assistance was
I needed to meet the situation.
An appeal was made to the city -
! authorities of Louisville, who sent «
| large number of policemen to the j
| scene. In addition, every available j
j officer from the Indiana State Itefor- ;
I inatorv al Jeffersonville and from the
j Jeffersonvllle police force were bur- j
I rled to the stricken district. A call
j was made on the Governor for stato
I troops, and It was reported that Ihese |
I were on the way. Numbers of citizens j
I from surrounding towns hastened lo j
! New Albany and offered such aid as
j they could.
PLANS FOR PARTICIPATION
OF UNITED STATES IN WAR.
Preparations Are Talked Over at
Cabinet Meeting.—No Half-Way
Measures.
Washington The American Gov- j
ernnient has decided upon sweeping
measures to be put Into effect, follow
ing the expected declaration by Con- j
gress son after It meets April 2. that j
a state of war exists between the j
I'nited States and Germany.
Fully appreciating Germany's poll- j
cy of acting in war first and talking !
afterwards, the Government has de- |
' termined to provide against every
| possible emergency.
I Questions involved were discussed
| at a Cabinet meeting, to which heads
I of departments carried reports on pre
j paratlons already made and other*
I contemplated.
| Regretfully the Government appar- j
| ently has decided that since Germany j
j is making war upon the United States
| through ruthless killing of Americans I
and destruction of their ships, the '
I issue must be met with steps much j
j more far reaching than mere attemp's
j to protect individual merchant craft. !
j Once a state of war is declared to ex- j
Ist, aggressive measures are expec ted j
to be taken.
As outlined after Friday's Cabinet I
i meeting, the preparations of the Gov- ]
| eriiment are not to be for a short war, i
or a war marked by half way meas- j
ures, A complete program has been 4
prepared so that everything will be ]
I carried out in a systematic manner.
The exact measure of American par
j tlclpatlon In the war Is not expected
to be revealed until after the Presi
| dent addresses Congress and until
I public sentiment crystallzes.
Whether an army will be sent j
1 abroad Is left to the future. But this j
! possibility is being taken Into con- i
! sideration. and the Government pro- j
• poses to be ready for it as soon as
practicable.
Detailed plans requiring Congres
sional action are expected to be com- I
■ plete when Congress meets April 2 j
Prior to that time, the Democratic
and Republican leaders will confer
w'th the President and members of
his Cabinet. Speaker Clark and Rep
resentative Kltchln retur.ied to Wash
ington from the South.
The President has not yet written
his address to Congress, although he
has a general idea of what he will
propose.
The measures decided upou are
military, naval, industrial and finan
cial. They are understood to be most
comprehensive.
The Army plans have been fully
drawn. Their firat object will be to
fully protect the United Stgtes against
any contingency.
The naval program contemplate!
the building of vessels of all classes
as rapidly as possible, and tb« man
ning of them when completed.
SECRETARY DANIELS
• APPEALS FOR RECRUITS
!! Following the President's authori-!!
zation thai the enlisted strength o. ; •
the navy be recruited to 87,000 neu.i
Secretary of the Navy I>anlels u"
making a direct appeal to the na
tion, through the press. for a quid ]
response by young men to the >
{'resident's call. The following
'telegram was received from Seen
,ary Daniels, which 1" self-explan. \
>ry:
Washington. D. C.. March .15, 191
1 To the Editor:
"The President last night signeu
an executive order directing that'
the authorized enlisted strength of ,
the navy be increased to 87 000
was authorized by Cone-ess in ca*e,,
of emergency, to direct such in-'
crease In enlistment. New ships _
and ships in reserve are being fully "
commissioned as rapidly as possi-■
ble and the need is imperative for
a larger enlistment to man them; |
There has been a net increase of
over 6,500 in enlistment since Con
gress recently authorized an in- ,
crease, but many more are needed,
and needed now.
"Will you not emphasize this"
• need by giving special prominence■>
In your paper, to the Presidents ,
order, and also by making an edito- 1
rial appeal for new recruits for the,,
navv?
"The navy offers exceptional ad
vantages to yfning men of stuff and
ambition to serve In the first line,,
' for national defence. In this '
! gency you have the opportunity and >
the privileges of performing this |
.public service, and I am confident-j
1 y appealing for your cordial f
and helpf'il co-oneration ■ f
"JOSEPHCS DANIKLS" I
• 1
SHE CHANCES MADE IN
MILITARY DEPARTMENT
Washington Division of the Unit
ed SiaLea tutu six Instead of the ex •
isting four military departments was
announced by the War Department.
Maj-. Gen, Leonard Wood is trans
ferred from command of the Depart
ment of the Kast to the new Southern
Department, with headquarters at
 harleston; Maj. G«n. J Franklin Bell
from the Western Department to the
Kastern Department; Maj. Gen. Hun
ter Liggett from the Philippines to
the Western Department and Brig
(Jen. Clarence K. Kdwards from the
Canal Zone to the Northestearn De
partment. Major General Barry, of
the Central Department, and Major
General Pershing, of the Southern
Department, remain in their com
mands.
The changes were owflined by tha
Department in the following state
ment :
"To facilitate decentralization of
command, the t'nited States is divided
into six military departments In place
of four now existing. The new or
ganizations become effective May 1.
1917, and comprise the following
"(a I Northeastern Department, to
embrace the States of Main 1 ?. New
Hampshire, Vermont. Massachuett*.
Rhode Island and Connecticut. Head
quarters at Boston.
"(b) Kastern Department to em
brace the States of New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Mary
land, Virginia. West Virginia, District
of Columbia and the ("anal Zone and
the Island of Porto Rico, with the
Islands and keys adjacent thereto.
Headquarters at Governor's Island
"(c) Southeastern Department, to
embrace the States of Tennessee.
North Carolina. South Carolina. Geor
gia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi,
together with the coast defenses of
New Orleans and the coast defenses
of Galveston. Headquarters at Char
leston. S. C.
"(d) Central Department, to em
brace the States_of Kentucky. Ohio.
Michigan. Indiana. Illllnols. Wisconsin.
Minnesota. North Dakota. South De
kota lowa. Missouri, Kansas. Ne
braska. Wyoming and Colorado.
Headquarters at Chicago.
"(e) Southern Department, to em
brace the States of l-ouisisna (except
the coast defenses at New Orleans).
Texas (except the coast defenses at
Galveston). Arkansas. Oklahoma. New
Mexico and Arizona. Headquarters
at Fort Sam Houston. Tex.
"(f) Western Department, to em
brace the States of Washington, Ore
gon, Idaho, Montana, California. Ne
vada. Utah and the territory of Alas
ka. Headquarters at San Francisco.
"Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood will com
mand the Southeastern Department
and Maj. Gen. J. Franklin Bell will
command the Ei.stern Department.
Maj. Gen. Hunter Liggett will com
mand the Western Department and
Brig. Gen. Clarence R Edwards will
command the Northeastern Depart
ment. Brig. G?n. Edward H. Plum
mer will command the troops in the
Panama d'anal Zone. Other Depart
ment commanders will remain as at
present."
BRAND WHITLOCK HAS BEEN
WITHDRAWN FROM BRUSBELS
Washington.—Because of "the Ger
man government's disregard—Of its
written understandings" for the pro
tection of Americans and American re
lief work in Belgium, the state depart
ment announced that American Minis
ter Brand Whltlock had been with
drawn from Brussels, and the staff of
the American Commission for Relief
in Belgium advised that they should
not remain longer in German occupiad
territory-