Show NATION S NEXT STEP WILL NOT BE WAR WILL TAKE ONLY protective STEPS IF GERMANY COM MITS OVERT ACT I 1 president would go before congress and ask congress to ao P protect I 1 lives ves a and nd property according to cabinet decision washington the course tobe to be taken iby by the united states it if germany compels the use of force to safeguard american lives and rights has been determined it wag was learned authoritatively utter after fridays cabinet meeting that in the event president wilson goes before congress again it w will III not be to ask fora for a declaration of war but to follow literally the words of tho the address in which he be announced the break of diplomatic relations and requests authority to use means deemed necessary to protect american seamen dedmen and people the president denti it was stated Is as anxious iasi asi ever to avoid war var with germany but abut also la Is as determined as ever that american citizens and ships shall ibe ibe tree free to travel the high seas unmolested his next step if 11 taken will be to enforce that right and even then the issue of war oz 01 peace will be with germany any hoe bos tile action will have to come in the form ot of aai an interference with an american right details of the governments plant plans we were not discussed it Is known however that convoying conveying and arming ol of merchant ships are being considered the cabinet met friday with all members present except secretary mcadoo just before the meeting the majority of the members had attended a session of the council for no na lional defense called at the war department part ment to discuss mobilization ot of the nations na tlona resources as a a result ol of many offers from manufacturing and other companies to place themselves at the disposal of the government in the event of trouble practically every member took to the cabinet information about the activities tivi ties of hla his department in connection tiong with the general precautions being taken questions discussed included clouded proposed emer emergency gency lo gisla ton steps for protecting property mall mail problems precipitated iby by the failure of ships to sail from amerl american aia ports for europe economic issues and army and navy preparations |