Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-03-30
SeIf-proteCtion Against Four
AutoCraCieS Makes 1t NeC-
essary for United States to
Cast in With DemoCraClts,
WHOLE NATION Is
BACKING PRESIDENT
Congress Not Expected to Do.
Less Than Declare State oil
War Exists With the Gov
ernment at Berlin.


Washington, March 29.-While it is
assumed from the defensive meas
arm of the government that President
arm of the government, President
Wilson in addressing congress next
week will ask for war against Ger
many or "a declaration that a state
of war exists, it is known he Will
speak along broad lines, dealing
lightly with inciocnts leading up to
the present crisis
Officials feel that the time is past
when incidentals should he discussed
and henceforth that only fundamen-
tai questions Of both present and flu
ture American safety should be con-
sidered. AS a result the president is
gathering opinions and suggestions
from all sides as to the sort of an
address to make in the coming cru
Cial hours.
Chancellor's Speech.
The general situation has not been
changed by the speech Of the Ger
man chancellor, Won Bethmann- Holl-
veg, today according to the view to-
night of officials.
Germany, it was said, has consist
entity attempted to lay the blame for
her acts on other nations. on pre-
vious occasions President Wilson has
taken the position that Germany is
in no way justified in carrying on
submarine war ruthlessnesS because
of the British blockade.
Only complete abandonment of un-
restricted submarine warfare could
change the attitude of the United
States, it has been said semi-officially
recently. and press reports indicate
that the German chancellor did not
even discuss that possibility.
Cabinet Meeting Today.
The president will meet with his
cabinet tomorrow for the last time
before beginning the actual writin>
of his message TO congress- and there
fore it is expected that the German
situation will be dealt with very
fully He is hopeful that no time
will be lost in organizing the house,
so that he may deliver his address
as soon as possible after the extra
session convenes
The attitude Of both congress and
public opinion is sought in order to
represent both as fully as possible |
As to the former, the president is
anxious not to tranagress the consi-
tutional prerogatives of congress as
the war-making body. 1t is realized |
that in the ultimate analysis the re-
sponsibility for decision rests there
Public Opinion Firm.
Public opinion, it was said here,
as indicated by clippings from news !
papers III all parts OF the country, un-
mistakably favors decisive action
Belligerency is not confined to the
Atlantic and Pacific sections, if opin-
ions gathered by the administration
are a true index. Demand for action
on the part Of consress and the presi-
dent comes also from the interior
section between the Alleshanies and
the Sierras The views represented
by some midwestern congressman as
to the apathy of their constituencies
are considered more local than gen.
eral.
Must Form Alliances.
The greatest point under considera-
ton by the administration is whether
Germany has not unmistakably
shown, through a long succession of
violations of international law, that
the United States must definitely
unite with the liberal democracies of
the world against the four most COM
plete autocracies, both for its pres
ent and its future safety All hope
has been lost, as shown in the note
to Germany. as to the treaty of 1928.
in the good faith of the present Ger