Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-03-22

sTpn from Amsterdam -Ame7-,,-.,,
journalists in Berlin have heen
warned to this effect by the foreign
ONCE, the dispatch adds.
Washington. March 22-preside,+
Wilson. recognizing that Germany
practically is making war ON the
United States on the seas. called con-
gress TO assemble in extraorCfnarr sas-
sion on April to deal with The sirua-
| ton.
The purpose of the session NOV
| called two weeks earlier Than The dat.
| hrst seD as announced in the praSi-
| dents proclamation is to receive :.
| communication from the chief expcu-
tive on grave questions OF national
| policy which should be taken iau3,di-
atelv under consideration"
The president in his address tn con
| gresS viii detail how Germany p,ac-
! tically has been making war on nh.
| United States by the ruthless dpSrruc-
ZION OF American lives and ships on the
high seas, IN contrayention "a al the
| laws Of nations and humanity.
! Congress then is expected 10 bass .
! resolution that state Of war has ax-
| listed between the United States and
Germany for some time.
Practically War Decree.
Such a resolution in itself will not
be declaration OF war in a technical
sense, although practically il will
amount to the same thing.
As consequence the United States
will take further steps TO protect it's
interests on the high seas and else
where against the Warlike acts of Ger
many, and whether an actual state OF
war will come TO exist in its full sense
will depend on the future acts of the
German government.
Since Sunday when three American
ships were sunk off the British Isles
in quick succession, with loss of Amer
lean iives-bringing the total number
OF Americans lost through German sinh |
marine operations TO more than 300 |
the president and all his advisers have
recognized that q state of war existed |
From al parts of the country have
come calls for the Immediate summon |
ing or congress IN extra session.
Cite inaugural Speech.
President Wilson's conception of |
Americas part in the present world
situation was outlined in part in his |
inaugural address, in which he said:
I'VE may even be drawn on bv cir |
cumstances, not by our own purpose or |
desirs,. TO "a more active assertion of |
enc. --z~'':~ we see ~.enu ana Il ulUre |
Immediate association with the great |
struggle itself.
But nothing will alter our thought |
or our purpose. They are too clear TO |
be ObScured. They are too deeply |
rooted in the principles of our national |
life to be altered. We desire neither |
conquest nor advantage. We wish |
nothing that can be had only at the |
cost of another people. We have al !!
ways professed unseltish purpose and |
we cOyet the opportunity to prove that |
our professions are sincere"
The president outlined the things |
we stand for, whether in war or in |
peace" and declared that the essential |
principle of peaA is the actauaI equal |
ty of all nations in all matters of right |
or privilege; that the seas should be |
equally free and safe for the use of all, |
under rules set up by common agree |
ment and consent: that national arna- |
ment should he limited to the necessi- |
ties of national order and domestic |
safety. and that the community of in |
fereSt and of power upon which peace |
hencefOrth must depend Imposes upon |
each nation the duty Of seeing to 1t |
that all influences proceeding from its
own citizens meant t. encourage or |
assist revolution in other states should |
be sternly and effectualy suppressed |
and prevented"
Call for War Widespread.
Although the president by the prOvi
siOns of the Constitution must leave it |
to congress to make the practical dec |
laratiOn OF war such advices as have |
come TO the White House from mem
bers of congress, governors of states,
public officials and many hundreds of |
citizens have contained statements of |
support Of such a policy in its fullest |
sense.
The cabinet. which urged the move !
upon the president at Tuesdays SEES |
sion. is described by its members as |
being more thoroughly united than it |
has been on any other question that !
has come before it.
The nation now actually comes to |
the point which all the history of cen
turtles Indicated must necessarily fol |
low the severance of diplomatic rela-
lions with Germany February 3.
When the president on that day
handed to Count Won BernStOrtf his
passports and notified congress that he
had severed diplomatic relations alto
gether with the imperial German gov
! eminent the United States was placed
in a position where all the precedent
| OF centuries was pressing it toward
war
| All official Washington openly ac-
| kn0wledged that nothing less than
/ Germany's abandonment Of her newly
announced campaign of submarine
| rurhleSneSS could prevent it. and ne