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jEECUTIVE ORDER TO PLACE NATION ON FULL W&R FOOTING NAVY IS ORDERED RECRUITED TO FULL STRENGTH OF 87,000 MEN. MANY NATIONAL GUARD UNITS CALLED TO COLORS This With Naval Construction Al ready Ordered Means President Has Exercised Full Limit of Authority as Commander-In-Chief to Prepare For War. Washington.-- -President Wilson took steps to place the nation on a war footing. By exeentive order. lie direeted (lt. the Navy be recruited without delay to full authorized wit strengti of 87. 000 enlisted men. .Taken In connection with emergency naval constrtetion a i ready ordered, this mieins that the President has exercised the full limit of iis legal powers as ('otmniander-in ('hief to prepare Ilie Navy for war. For the Army. the l'resident di rected that two new nilitary depart 1inen 1ts he 0(reted in the Atlantic ('oast region. The order means that the task of organiztag whatever Ariny C'ongress may authorize will be divid ed among six departienta coinnand ers instead of four. in the interest of speed and efficiency In iiobilizat ion. The third stp was to assute as a National duty the task of protectin:: Ainertica industries from donestic disorders in thi' event of hostilities. ''or his purpose. I1 full infantry reg iients. two separate battalions and one separate company of National Guards were ealled back into the Fed eral service to act as National police in importantI districts. Supplement ing these troops a regimant of Penn sylvania Gnard and two companies of Georgia Infantry ena route home frotm tlt border for itister out, -were order ed. retalned in the Federal service. No Explanations Given. The President's orders were made known in terse oficial statements is sued by both Decpartme'nts. No ex planation accompanied theim except the statement that reorganization of the military departments, effective - May 1. was designed to facilitate de ' centralization of command. Follow ing is the l'xecautive order bringing the Navy up to war strength. By virtue of the authority vest ed in the President by the act of Congress approved August 29. 1916. entit-led "an act making ap proprat ions for naval service for the fiscal year ending June :O, 1917, nd for other ltanuposes" it Is hereb~y directed that the au thorized1 enlisted strength of the * ~ Navy be increaisedl to 87,000 men. (Signed) WOODROW WI LSON. The Navy must enroll immediately * ~ approximately 20.000 men to ireach the requireft straength. Secrtartiy Dan Iets supplemenatedl It with petrsonal tel egrams to newspaper editors all over the countruy urging them to aid the D~epatrtment in every way in their powet- to obtain the meni. CALL TO COLORS FOR TROOPS OF NATIONAL GUARC *Fourteen Regiments are Again Called to Service for Police Purposes. W~ashaington.-Ctalling itnto the Fed * ~ eral seirvice of 14 regiments of the National Gluard for police protectiot puriposes was annotuncedl by the wau depart ment. Theiepar-tment issued this state m en t: "Many states have deetmed it, ad visable to call out the National Guaru for police purposes of protection. A the necessity for such steps anise from issues which are more Nationa than local, it has beeni deemedi adlvis able by -the presidlent to ea41 inito Fed eral set-vice for' the above-nientdoned puirposes fourteen organizations of t A National Guard. "Massachusetts. Second andt Tfhit Regiments. "PennsylvanIa, First and Thirt Regiments| "Marylandl. Foutrth Regiment. "Dlstr'ict of Cioltumbia, First Sepa i-ate Blatallion. mon-t. "Connectict, First iteginment. "New York, Second and Seventy ~~ fir'st Regiments. "New Jersey, First and Fiftieth Regiments,. 4 "Delawar'e, Fiirst liatialion, First Regiment. "The following organizations which are now in -the Federal seirvice wIll not be mustered out: "Thirteranth Pennsylvania, A and Il Companies of the'First GeorgIa." STRONG ADDRESS BY *TAFT AT NASHVILLE Nashv'Nie, .Tenn.-Five thotisand poople Mreard President Taft .deliver a strong addre6hthere In the interests of a. WorJd Legg~e to Enforce Pedce and In explanation and Jjstifieation of the entranice of the 'United States into c wr with Gearmany. .STORM SWEEPS OVER N1 ALBAN, IND. TWENTY-FIVE TO FIFTY ESTIMAT ED KILLED AND OVER HtUN DRED INJURED. MISS OF WRECKAGE IN PAril State Troops Asked For.-Aid Rushed From Louisville and Jefferson. Work of Devastation Leaves Many Homeless. New Albany, Ind.-Between 25 and 60 persons were killed and probably 100 or more were injured by a storm which swept over New Albany. demo! ishing scores of residences and several indtst riol plants. Twenty-live bodies have been re covered, and it Is expected this num her will be materially increased when all the debris of wrecked buildings has been cleared away. The lighting system for the resi dence section of the city was put out of commission by the storm, and the work of rescue is proceeding with difficulty. The storm struck about two miless fron Nr-w Albany and moved south west. Entering the (ity at Stat e treet, near I1ay, it swept through Ihree blocks. At the intersection of SItate i nd Pearl streets, it left the '-ounidt and then struck again at 'Vin -elnnes street anid ile (liarilest ow i road nearly a mile away. At that point, dwellings in three blocks were lenolished. In its progress along the Corydon I'ike. the storm uprootted hundreds of ire's and destroyed many small loulses, maniy of whose occupants (re injured. The streets in the path of the storm wvere a mass of wreckage and it was (oon seen that outside assistance was leeded to meet the situation. An appeal was made to the 'city authorities of Louisville, who sent a large number of policemen to the cene. In addition, every available Dfficer from the Indiana State Refor matory at .Jeffersonville and from the Jeffersonville police force were hur ried to the stricken district. A call was made on the Governor for state troops, and it was reported that these were on the way. Numbers of citizens from surrounding towns hastened to New Albany and offered such aid as they could. PLANS FOR PARTICIPATION OF UNITED STATES IN WAR. Preparations Are Talked Over at Cabinet Meeting.-No Half-Way Measures. Vashington.--The American Gov ernment has decided upon sweeping measures to be put into effect, follow ing the expected declaration by Con gress son after it meets April 2, thai a state of war exists between tht SUnited States and Germany. Fully . appreciating Germany's poll cy of acting in war first and talkini afterwardls, the Government has de termined to provide against ever: Possible emergency. Questions Involved were discusse at a Cabinet meeting, to which head of departments carried reports On pre( paratioins already made and other (tctmplaited. ltegretfuilly the Government appai ently lias dec-ided that since German is making war upon the United State through ruthiless killing of American and( destrutition of their ships, thi issue .must be met with steps mac mor-e far-reaching than mere attemp' to protect indiv-idual merchant (-raf Once a state of war is delar-ed to e: tst, aggressive measures are expecte to he taken. As' outlined after Friday's ('abint meeting, the preparations of the Go ernmeiit are iiot to be for a short wa or a war mairked by half-way mea urea.- A complete pr-ogram has bee prepar-ed so that everything will 1: carr-iedl out in a systematic manner'. The exact measure of American pa tIcipationi ini the war- is not expecte to be revealed until after- the PreoF dent add~resses Congress and unit public sentiment crystalizes. Whethei- ain army will be se, abroad is left to the future. But th; possibility is being t'aken Into co: sideration, and the Government pr poses to be ready for it as soon practicable. Detailed plans requiring Congre sional actioni are expectedl to be cor plete when Coiigress meets April Prior to that time, the Democrat and Republican leaders will conft with the President and membeirs< his Cabinet. Speaker Clark and Rie: resentative Kitchin r'eturned to WVas1 inigton from the Setith. Trho President has not yet writte his address to Congress, although h has a general idea of wvhat lie wi propose. The measures decided upon ar military, naval, industrial and finar cial. They are understood to be mos comprehensive. The Army plans have "been full; drawii. Their first object will be t< fuity protect the United States agains any~ contingency. 'lthe inaval program contemplates the 4buliling of vessels of all classe1 as rapidly as possible, and the man ning of' them when completed. (Copyright.) 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 McKinley Was Empowered to Do at the Outbreak of the War With Spain in 1898. Washington.-President Wilson met the constantly increasing probability of war with Germany by summoning Congress to assemble in extra sessior Monday April 2, two weeks earlier than the date he had chosen befort the latest assaults upon America, rights on the seas. When the President addt cases Con gress, h. is expected to show how i state- of war actually has existed to: some time because of the unlawfu aggressions of German submarines. Congress is expected formally to de dare a state of war existing, vote i larg sum. probably half a billion dol lars, for National defense, and cloth the President with authority to us the armed forces of the United State as it empowered President McKinle to deal with the menace of Spain i 1?98. Such action would not be a declare tion of war except in a technical sens, and whether the United States an Germany actually go to war in ti fullest acceptation of the term will d pond on what the Imperial Gover: ment does before Congress is asset bled or after it acts. Germany Expects State of War. Dispatches from abroad declarir that the German Government expec ed a state of war within the next hours placed an ominous aspect c the situation. Much to change the President iresent intentions or the course of ti Government in the crisis may devel< before April 2. Trho first Americs -armed ships will by that time has reached the war zone. The ruthie destruction of one of them undoul I edly would be an act of war. * On the other hand, sinking of a s11 - marine by one of the armed merchai a lie n probably would be met as an a of war by Germany. Even the armi1 -of American ships with the avow, r purpose of defending themi against s boats may be declared such an act. s4 Jn any of these events, practical a nothing would remain except for CC ha gres to acknowledge a state of war a isting from a certain specified da t. probably last Sunday, when thr t- American ships were sunk with 1c di of life. 'rhe next few days, until Congr4 tmeets, will be (lays of tense anxie -of eager wvaiting and watchii rI fraught with possibilities of trem< (Ious consequences to the Unit n States. e Presidlent Wilson and his advis< in the Cabinet and in Congress ha r- no intention that war shall be d clared by the United States. By i- hostile acts of German submarir il they believe the Imperial Gem Government is actually' making v t on the United States, and that it shi a be recognized as such a state. meet suchi a condition, the arn forces of the country and all the Stional resources are to be put in a state of readliness. Then whetheri Nation shall enter the war in its I 5- sense will dependl upon how mti further Germany c'arriedl her acts I- aggression. c In laying the whole situation r fore Congress, the President is ~f pectedl to dletail ft'lly the warlike a, 'of Germany asginst the United Stat - and to pay particular attention to future of the American Governmn u as the great conflict draws to a clo e It is not improbable that he y 1I ask Congress to declare a state war. existing, although there is 301 e indication that ho may only outli the situation fully and leave to C< tgress the action. 'Mean~while every preparation 'putting the nation's defenses in cc ) dition to meet a state of war are t ing forward. The principal'adtiviti center in the navy, where far-rea< ing preparations are being carried to deal with the suamerine mona< whether it is to be met in the w~ sone about the British coasts, or t i VICILANCIA SINKING REPORTED RECEIVED BY STATE DEPART MENT FROM CONSUL GENER AL SKINNER AT LONDON. Survivors Were Adrift In Ocean For Thirty Hours.-Followed For Some time By an Unknown Submarine. Washington.-Consul General Skin ner, at London, forwarded to the State Department a dispatch from the Con sul at Plymouth giving the most com plete official report yet received on the unwarned torpedoing of the Amer scan steamer Vigilancia, with a loss of 15 lives, including several native Am erican citizens. The report follows: "Vigilancia, of Wilmington, Del., from New York for Havre with gen eral cargo of smelter strdietural iron, asbestos, dried fruit and straw. suna without warning on March 16 in lati tude 48.57, longitude 9.34, or about 145 miles from nearest land, by tor pedo from submarine of unknown nationality. -"Two torpedoes fired at ship, first missed, second struck ship on star e board side by third hatch. Ship sunk s, in ten minutes. Weather at time y clear, with moderate sea swell. No n other vessel in sight. Crew of 43 at tempted to abandon ship in two life rs- boats. Ocean -swell, 25 men were washed out of boat. Of these, ten d were saved and 15 drowned. e "Among the drowned are Third -Sngineer Carl Art~eholde, a native American citizen, and Third Officer ?- Neils North, a naturalized America:n citizen. Some of the crew drowned were American citizens. g"Crew adrift in life boats from Fri -day morning 10 o'clock until Sunday 8afternoon 4 o'clock. Submarine of in I o'lc ria'ihtt 'cokSt RCEVE BYnig STbAE DEART-if e"Survivors WadeAdit.M' in aown Thits, -aftr-ufferin Fral rom tmeld wet and Unknow.ne Sman a Spanhiard, pralyzdfro exralSure. b-r aThi Lonoforanrbted th Sttee it- grphonte isc from nane rew etl atin Pmtohgimout theday." om teued GOER orpANNing oFORe ir icataateament ThianTia, Fotvites m.ias Coes.me reorFollows: h tegiWahngtaof.--ilmno. Manin.,o re Svtouth waronina, o caared 16iati-h stuWhe 48.57, nide that, orlthouth 145i miy unto eretlynd, bye tr ty dom hadrom e submrn ofsnkthofun g,|stionalthyfteUntdSatst.r intet inugts. He atder tat tiea yeclerd th imoerate sammonllg Nof , othervessel the casig outw of the a teptena touabdo smmoning to vlu ve waseesd ouno bages.v Of these e tier savedad1.dond a Theon peope dweeda rn or Thir an Americn citizenc, andsid, Oyfice citzen.oSme of the eran dowond alerole Americoand Japanzennsa ToCaaenw adrif nie bats from theri edfcenoGrn s'lokubmarine ivtfs a. boat t ditane f 50io yads frome.0 he RaymoNing SubmViTE andliO ofboashdidntns-pek. t iso a "Surinvoriled Staddresshe Con boameting hfere snurng, gacodyn froma ct noldemnftigue COne Roeman N, Spancard, pfarayzedments exosuhere "Tuisnfomtobandb ee grpoe fo ese.ce --e riglEPC AL EONTO of OFDEAAIO WARAB . S White Hose te Washin gton.-oEarn Ma recog iiofb m. te loe, staid o that anewoghven hn en e ppose the revluro wih r o manya unti frecetly, leeite belieftr ty, tie pand coe :fde usir th perman sh trength spr of thitts ontro, ed Aoreprths immdte suteDeprtngto !C, netetha the Alin outofth Navar ar supportling the Grvsa overnorMnig - an . a eeiceh aib h IEUTRAL NATION TO. OFFERMEDIATION UROPEAN NEUTRAL MAY TRY TO AVERT WAR BETWEEN GERMANY AND U. S. NOTBER TEUTONIC SCHEME roposal Probably Another Move to Confuse the Issue and Divide Senti ment Here, Is Way Washington Re. garde the Matter. Washington.-Word that a neutral Juropean Nation might offer media ion to prevent open war between the hiited States and Germany has come o the Administration without caus ng surprise or in any way affecting he Government's plans for meeting he situation forced by submarine uthlessness. Such a proposal is re arded here as nothing more than an >ther scheme fostered by Germany vith the hope of confusing the issue id possibly dividing sentiment in his country while the destruction of American lives and ships on the high 4eas continue. At the State Department officials would 'neither deny nor confirm that the Government already had been ap proached on this subject, although it was admitted informally that some such move was not unexpected. It was very emphatically stated that no suggestion of mediation or discus sion would be considered unless it was accompanied by abandonment of illegal assaults upon American ship ping, a course which there is no rea son for beliving the Imperial Gov ernment is giving a thought. The feeling in all quarters here is that the United States has with in finite patience and forbearance (lone 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 the War and Navy Departments. He saw no callers today, but was 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. Healdon Is Torpedoed In North Sea Without Warning.-Twenty of Crew Lost. Washington. -American Consul Mahin. at Amsterdam. cabled the State Department that the American steam er Healdton, sunk by a submarine off Terchelling, Holland, was torpedoed without wvarning, and that 20 of the crepw were drowned. The Consul's dlisplatch follows: "Standard Oil Ship Hiealdton, fr'om Philadelphia for Rotterdam, cargo oil, torpedloed without wvarning 8:15 even ing of 21st. 25 miles north of Ter schelling. IHolland. Twenty of crew drowned. One (lied of injuries. Oth ers (taken) to north of Holland. Sub marina seen after torpedoing. More dletails 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 theo special session he has called for April 2. It can cause pro immediate change in the situation. Since the destruction of three American ships last Saturday and Sunday, Adminis'tration officials have considered that a state of war existed, and it is to met this situation that Congress has been summoned to authorize steps beyond the arming of merchantmen. RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IS RECOGNIZED BY UNITED STATES Petrograd.-The Unitedl States is the first nation to recognize foirmally the new government of Russia. Am bassador Francis made a preliminary call on For-eign Minister- Milukoff. Ac companiedl by his staff. including the naval and military attaches, he went to the Mlarinsky palace, where the Coun cil of Ministers was assembled, made the formal recognition and presented congratulations and felicitations on behalf of the United States. BIG DEMONSTRATtON IN NEW YORK C'TY New York-Led by more than 40 patriotic andl civic organizations and clolege clubs, a crowdl that filled Mad ison Square Garden enthusiastically pledged itself to the support of Presi dent Wilson and urged .that there bo. Ino more delay on the part of the Uni ted States in entering the .European war against Germany. Among the speakers were EI.ihu Root, who pre sided; Dr. John Gier Hibbon, and Charles St Fairchild SECRETARY DANIELS APPEALS. FOR RECRUITS Following the President's authori zation that the enlisted strength oi the navy be recruited to 87,000 men Secretary of the Navy Daniels h making a direct appeai to the na tion, through the press, foria quiel. 'respoise by young -men to the President's call. The followint telegram was received from Secr , ary Daniels, which is self-explanA sry: 'Washington, D. C., March ,15, 191 To the Editor: "-The President last night signet.. an executive order directing that the authorized enlisted strength of the navy be increased to 87,000. le was authorized by Congress In case 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-. rial appeal for new recruits for the navy? "The navy offers exceptional ad vantages to young-men of stuff and ambition to servo in the first line for national defense. In this emer gency you have the opportunity and the privileges of performing this public service, and I am confident ly appealing to you for your cordial and helpful co-oneration . "JOSEPfIIUS DANIELS." SOME CHANCES MADE IN MILITARY DEPARTMENT Washington.-Division of .the Unit ed States into 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 East to the new Southern Department, with headquarters at ( harleston; Maj. G( n. J. Franklin Bell from the Western Department to the Eastern Department; Maj. Gen. Hun ter Liggett from the Philippines to the Western Department and Brig. Gen. Clarence R. Edwards 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 outlined by tho Department in the following state ment: "To facilitate decentralization of command, the United 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) Northeastern Department, to embrace the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachuetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Head quarters at Boston. "(b) IEastern Department to em brace the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, D~elaware, Mary land, Virginia, WVest Virginia, District of Columbia andl the Canal Zone and the Island of P0orto Rico, with the islands and keys adjacent thereto. Headquarters at Governor-'s Island, "(c) Southeastern Department, to embrace tihe States of Tennessee, North Car-olina, South Carolina, Geor gia, Florida, Alahama andl Mississippi, together with the c'oast defenses of New Orleans andi the coast defenses of Galveston. Headqiuarters at Char leston. S. C. "(d) Central Department, to em brace the States of Kentucky, Ohio. Michigan, Indliana, Illlinois. Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South De kota Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Ne braska, Wyoming and Colorado. Headquarters at Chicago. "(e) Southern Department, to em hlrace the States of Louisiana (except the coast defenses at. -New Orleans), Texas (except the coast defenses at, Galveston), Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona. Hieadlquarters at Fort Sam H-ouston. TVex, '(f) Wfestern Department, to em brace the States of Washington, Ore-* gon, Idaho, Montana, California, Ne vadla, Utah and the territory of Alas ka. Headquarters at San Francisco. "Maj. Gen. Leonard WVood wvili comn mand the Southeastern Department and Maj. Gen. J. Franklin Beli will command the 10astern Department. Maj. Gen. Hunter Liggett will comn mand the Western Department andi Brig. Gen. Clarence R. 10dwardls will command the Northeastern Depart - ment. Brig. Gen. IEdivard H. Plum mer will command the tr-oops in the Panama Canal Zene. Other Depart ment commanders will remain as at present." BRAND WHITLOCK HAS BEEN * WITHDRAWN FROM BRUSSELS WVash'ington.-Because of "the Ger man governmient's disregard of its wi,tten understandings" for the pro tection of Americans and American re lief work in Belgium, the state depart ment announced that mnerican Minis ter Brand Whitlock had been .with drawn from Brussels, and the statt of the American Commission for Relief n Belgium, advised that they should .it remain longer in German ocupied