Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1917 — AMERICA FORMALLY ENTERS WORLD WAR [ARTICLE]

AMERICA FORMALLY ENTERS WORLD WAR

Complete Mobilization of Navy Forces Follows War Entrance—Net is Spread Over Daftgerous Aliens. Washington, April 6. —The United States today accepted Germany’s challenge to war and formally abandoned its place as the greatest neutral of a world in arms. President Wilson at 1:18 p.m. (official time) this afternoon signed the resolution of congress, declaring the existence of a state of war and authorizing and directing the chief executive to employ all the resources of the nation to prosecute hostilities against the German government to a successful termination. Word was flashed immediately to all army and navy stations and to vessals at sea, dnd orders for furthur precautionary steps, withheld until the last moment, were dispatehed. .

By proclamation the president anthe state of war, called upon ail citizens to manifest their loyalty and assured Germans in this country that they would be unmolested as long as they behaved themselves. Orders were issued soon afterward for the arrest of sixty ringleaders in German plots and intrigues. Complete mobilization of the navy, calling all reserves and militia' to colors, was ordered by Secretary Daniels as soon as the war resolution was signed. The war department, already having taken virtually every step contemplated before the raising of a real war army authorized, awaits on congress. Secretary Baker conferred with Chairman Dent of the house military committee and arranged to appear before the committee tomorrow to discuss the general staff army plans and consider the war budget of more than three billions. , The seizure of German ships laid up in American harbors was the subject of interested comment, and legal officers of the government began consideration of the questions of whether the United States con confiscate the ships outright or must pay for them after the war.