UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1917, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

A STATE OF WAR. "UNITED STATES MUST VINDICATE HER HONOR." WATCHING THE GERMANS. Washington, March 27. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives is preparing a resolution for presentation to the new Congress, declaring that the time lias arrived when the; United States must vindicate her honor and rights by declaring a state of war with Germany exists through German acts, and giving the President power to act. The resolution will authorise an increase in the army and navy. New York, March 27.

The newspaper Nation states that wide precautions are being taken, following upon the realisation of the necessity of preventing bomb plots and pro-German outrages in the event of a declaration of war. Local Governments a? .well as the Federal authorities throughout the United State? are cooperating with the police force in New York, Chicago, St. Louis and other cities with large German populations. An exhaustive canvass is being made to ascertain the addresses, occupations, sympathies and possible activities of German-Americans, also surveillance is being exercised over German restaurants and clubs for the purpose of being familiar with their probable operations in the event of war.

The JSew York Police have worked out elaborate details to meet the emergency. Many sections of New York have ail almost exclusively German population. These are under particularly close surveillance, with machine guns on motor lorries in case of emergency,

Members of the Cabinet realise the need of rigid precautions for preventing p.ottmg. Jlie first step is the decision to call out the National Guard to protect public works. j\lan,v leading Ger-man-Americans are openly proclaiming their loyalty to America and signing loyalty pledges. Tiie members of one ("Cinian club refuse to sign, asserting that such a step is unnecessary. Much comment Jus been caused by this action. J lie Nation says that the precautions are known to pro-Germans, and are causing thein intense uneasiness. The knowledge of the intention to inflict the extreme penalties for plotting is thought likely to have a deterrent effect. Tlio newspapers point out that the firmest policy is the only way to prevent outrages. Meanwhile the remarkable rush for naturalisation continues iamphlets explaining how to become American citizens have sold like wiklnri) in the streets.