New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-04
No Breath of Partisanship
Follows Presidents Mo-
mentous Address
NATION CONFIDENT
OF FINAL VICTORY
Navy Ready at Moments
Notice, but Army Needs
Eighteen Months
BY STEVENSON Fl. EVANS

German declaration Of a policy OF
f,ightfulness upon the seas, without
regard to neutral rights, international
law or the dictates of humanity, had
left to the government Of the United
States no choice but ITO sever diplo-
matte relations with the German En-
pre altogether" President Wilson must
have been gratifed to find such unmis-
taxable evidence of absolute unanimity
of support. There was no thought or
breath of partisanship.
A cheer shook the historic chamber
Of the House Of Representatives when
President Wilson came to this sentence
in his address:
81 have therefore directed the Sec
rotary Of State to announce to his ex-
cellency the German Ambassador that
all diplomatic relations between Ger
many and the United States are sew
cred, and that the American Ambassa-
dor at Berlin will Immediately be
withdrawn, and, in accordance with
this decision, TO hand to his excel
lency his passports"
Prolonged handclspping followed. 1t
was led by Senator Lodge, Of Massa-
chusetts, and Senator Tillman. of
South Carolina, who sat in the front
row. Chief Justice White, who sat
fifteen feet away, surrounded by
other members of the high court,
Joined in, and kept on clapping when
everybody else was through.
Galleries Drowned Out
Still louder cheers, in which the 500
Senators and Congressman on the floor,
supplemented by members of the Su-
preme Court and Cabinet actually
drowned out the crowded galleries,
came when thirty seconds later the
President said:
Tf American ships and American
lives should, in fact, be sacrifceN
in needless contravention Of the just
and reasonable understandings OF in
tsrnational law and the obvious die
tates of humanity, / shall take the lib
erty of coming again before the Con-
gress to ask that authority be given me
to use any means that may be neces-
sary for the protection Of our seamen
and our people in the prosecution OF
their peaceful and legitimate errands
on the high seas"
The historic address which President
Wilson made to the members OF the
Senate and House to-day, in which he so
clearly outlined the facts OF the crisis
now confronting the country and SO
briefly and with admirable dignity de-
clared to the country and to the world
what this government had done IN
reply to the insolent German note, was
prepared in outline on Wednesday
night, the evening Of the day on which
Count Won Bernstorf presented his
governments declaration OF fnght1ui-
ness.
Country Is Confident
Washington bresthes more easily
now that the suspense OF the last
forty-eight hours is over. The aver
age attitude in the Senate and House
of Representatives, which may De
taken as a more or less truthful re-
Election of the entire country, presents
an interesting study in American psy-.
chology. The actual situation, proba-
bly, one hundredfold more important
than that in 1898, when the United
States declared war on Spain, causes
much less surface excitement. Inc
calmness appears to be based on a Sc
rene confidence that the United States,
unprepared for war, and defenceless as
it Is according to German standards
will be able in maryellously snort
time, IL necessity requires. to strike
mighty blows against its enemies.
There is no Boosting or Dragging on
the one hand. On the other there is
no effort TO minimize the tremendous
exertions which will be needed to get
the country on a war footing. Patriot.
ism. the genuine kind. which works a
thousand times harder than it talks,
already is making itself evident. The
biggest business men in the country
and some Of the biggest manufacturing
plants, plants which quickly can be
turned to the production of military
supplies, have placed themselves at the
service of the government
The navy is probably much stronger
and more efficient than the country be-
lieves. This ann, from which imme-
date service will be required IL war
comes, will give good account OF II
self.
Army Is Handicapped :.
The army, handicapped by the small
size of the regular forces, the GRIM
inallv useless National Guard system
and the fact that the government will
be forced to depend on the volunteer
system If war actually comes, must
be pounded into shape under the ham
mer of cruel necessity. 1t Will take
eighteen months at least TO get to-
gether any sort of fighting land force.
The navy will be called upon i'm
mediately, whether actual war comes
or not, for service in conveying Amer
lean ships through the zone staked off
by the Germans. The destroyers and
the MOSQUITO feet will be supplemented
as rapidly as is possible. No authori-
tative announcement as to convoy
could be obtained tonight. The Sec
rotary Of State took the position that
the matter of convoy was military
matter and that the State Department
ought not even to be consulted. Secre
tary Daniels Of the Navy Department
and mis- assistants were busy on arrang-
ing the details Of transatlantic convoy.
Both Secretary Daniels and Secre-
tatv Baker of the War Department
conferred ut length with the Presi-
dent this afternoon. Preparations are
going forward. Nothing else can be
said.
Wait Break with Austria
Diplomstic Washington is keenly