The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-12-14
"And be- anal the members Of the

"And beg that the members Of the
house Of representatives viii permit
me to express the opinion that it win
be impossible to deal in any but a very
wasteful and extravagant fashion with
the enormous az preparations Of the
public moneys which must continue to
be made, If the war is to be properly
sustained, unless the house will con-
sent to return to it's former practice
Of initiating and preparing all appro-
priation bills through single commit
tee, in order that responsibility may
be conferred, expenditures standardized
and made uniform and waste and du-
plication as much as possible avoided.
Additional legislation may also be-
come necessary before the present con-
gress again adjourns in order to effect
the most efficient coordination and OPP
Grafton of the railway and other trans
portation systems of the country; but
to that | shall, If circumstances should
demand, call the attention of the con-
gress upon another occasion.
Concentrate on Winning War.
eff have overlooked anything that
ought to be done for the more effective
conduct of the war, your own counsels
will supply the omission. What am
perfectly clear about is that in the
| present session of the congress our
whole attention and energy should be
concentrated on the vigorous, rapid
and successful. prosecution of the great
| task Of winning the war.
/ 1--WE can do this with all the greater
| zeal and enthusiasm because we know
that for us this as war of high prin-
ciple debased by no selfish ambition
of conquest or spoliation; because we
know, and all the world knows, that
we have been forced into 1t to save the
very institutions we live under from
corruption and destruction. The pur-
poses of the central powers strike
straight at the very heart of every
thing we believe in; their methods of
warfare outrage every principle of hui
manity and of knightly honor; their
intrigue has corrupted the very
thought and spirit of many of ouT
people; their sinister and secret diplo
macy has sought to take our very ter
ritory away from us and disrupt the
union of the states. Our safety woult
be at an end, our honor forever sullieC
and brought into contempt were we tt
permit their triumph. They are strtk
ing at the very existence of democracy
and liberty.
Cause Is Just and Holy.
''It is because it is for us a war 0.
high, disinterested purpose, in which
all the free peoples Of the world ar
banded together for the yindication 0
right, war for the preservation Of gu
nation, and of all that 1t has held dea
of principle and Of purpose, that W
felt ourselves doubly constrained
! purpose for its outcome only tn;
which is righteous and of irreproac
l able intention, for our foes as well
II for our friends. The cause being ju
and holy, the settlement must be
4 like motive and quality. For this '
Il can fight, but for nothing less mob
u or less worthy of our traditions. r.
: this cause we entered the war and f
this cause will we battle until the la
:, gun Is fired.
Il have spoken plainly, because Tn
seems to me the time when it is mo'
!, necessary to speak plainly, in ordt
: that all the world may know that eve
in the heat and ardor of the struggl
and when our whole thought Is
carrying the war through to It's en-
: we have not forgotten any ideal {
: principle for which the name of Anne
: lea has been held in honor among tn
= nations and for which it has been OF
: glory to contend in the great genert
: lions that went before US. suprem
: moment of history has come. Th
: eyes of the people have been opene'
and they see. The hand of God is lai
upon the nations. He will show the
? favor, / devoutly believe, only If the
rise to the clear heights of his ow
justice and mercy"