(Headlines on the front page)

CALL IOWA TROOPS
MUSTERING OUT OF GUARDS IS SUSPENDED
DUE TO THE ACTION OF GERMANY
New and Aggressive Action Will Be Taken To Protect American Shipping As
a Result of Sinking Unarmed Merchantmen
 

     A Des Moines dispatch in last night's Sioux City Tribune says: "Major Sturdevant, in charge of mustering out of the Second Iowa regiment at Fort Des Moines received an order from the war department late Sunday directing that the regiment be held until further orders."
     The order came as bitter disappointment to the men, who had served eight months on the Mexican border, and were within two days of home. The work of mustering out was practically completed, and the men were to have left for home stations on special trains Tuesday afternoon.
     Gossip at the fort is to the effect that the other Iowa regiments will be called back in service within a week.
     Even thought the order is countermanded within a day or two, it will require another week to muster the men out since everything has been checked up to Tuesday night and all the paper work based on the
supposition that the men would leave for home on that day.
      Last night's papers declare war with Germany seems inevitable and that United States is preparing for aggressive action by striking at German submarines which sunk three American vessels Sunday. The dispatches say:
      "New and aggressive action to protect American shipping against German submarines appears certain as a result of yesterday's sinking of three unarmed merchantmen, with possible loss of American lives."
      Calling of congress in extra session before April 16, loomed as the strongest possibility, although President Wilson was understood to have other courses under consideration.
      With American ships already being armed, the most probably step would be an active campaign to clear submarines out of the shipping lanes. There appears to be no plan to have the United States enter the war in the sense that the European nations have entered it.
      The fact that some American ships are on the other side of the ocean unarmed is a factor in the situation, and as large warships are ineffective against submarines, the problem for the government is to get small submarine chasers. Most of the American fleet is needed at home to guard against operation of German submarines in American waters.

~source: The LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel Newspaper, Plymouth Co., Iowa, Tuesday, 20 March 1917