AMERICA AND GERMANY

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16231, 29 March 1917, Page 8

AMERICA AND GERMANY

. .MOHON FOR. CONGRESS. .' 'lO VINDICATE AMERICAN RIGHTS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) . WASHINGTON.- March 27. In tiia House of Representatives the Foreign Affairs Committee _is, preparing a resolution for presentation to the new Congress declaring the time has arrived when the "United States must vindicate her honour and right, and declaring that a state of war with ' Germany exists through German acts. The resolution recommends ' giving the President power to act. The resolution will authorise an increase in the army and navy. CHECKING PRO-GERMANS. AN EXHAUSTIVE CANVASS _ NEW YORK, "March 27. The '"Nation" newspaper states that

wi.dc precautions are-being taken foliowjjig upon the realisation of the necessity to prevent bomb plots and pro-German outrages in the. event of the declaration of •war. 1

■ Local •. Governments, ...aswell >as • the Federal-authorities; r; throiitrhdut., the-.Liiited-States, are ■ co-operating with the -police force in New York, Chicago,: St. Louis and other cities with large German populations, in an exhaustive; canvass, mqking and ascertaining the address and occupations of persons whose sympathies are possibly with the activities of German Americans. They have undertaken also the sur.veillance of ' German rest.nnrn.nts r»nd clubs for the purpose of familiarising . themselves with the scenes of probable opeVat.ioriK in the event of war. The New Yor]? Police have worke/J out elaborate details' to meet any emergencies. . Many sections of New* York -are almost exclusively of German ■ponula-t-:on. These are. tinder. particularly close surveillance with machine guns and motor lorries in castor emergency. The- members of the Cabinet realise the need for rigid precautions for preventing plotting. The first step was the 'decision to call out the National Guards to --- protect the public works. Many 'lending German-Americans are openly declaring their loyalty to America and are. signing a lojralty. pledge. The members of one German club refused to sign,' asserting it- was unnecessary. There has "''been much comment, at this action! ■ The nation's precautions are known to . pro-Germans and are causing them intense, uneasiness. p . knowledge of the Government's intention to inflict- extreme "penalties for plotting is thought likely to have af det-errp.nt effect. The newspapers point' out that the firmest policy is the only .way to prevent outrages. Meanwhile the.remarkab'e rush for naturalisation continues. i Pamphlets explaining how to become an American citizen are sold like wildfire in the streets. ~ LINER CROSSES ATLANTIC UNEVENTFUL VOYAGE. LONDON, March 27 The St. Louis arrived in Liverpool from New York. This is the first American liner armed fore and aft to '.Toss the Atlantic. Many correspondents were aboard. No submarines were, sighted. Barrels with periscopes were set afloat and hit at a two miles range. There were thirty-three passengers, including.five ladies, Lord Furnes's and Mr Joseph Martin, a member of 'the House of Commons. Captain Hartley and -an American, naval officer were on the bridge for seventy-one hours.