The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-04-13
PRESIDENT ASKS CONGRESS To SAY
WAR STATE EXISTS With GERMANY


our peace and security at It's conven-
ience.' That 1t means t o stir up enc
mics against US at our very doors the
intercepted note to the German minis
ter at Mexico City IL eloquent evil
dence.
We are accepting this challenge Of
hostile purpose because we know that
In such a government, following such
methods, we can never have a friend,
and that In the presence Of its organ
lied power, always lying In wait to ac-
complish we know not what purpose,
there can be no assured security for
the democratic governments of the
world.
We are now about to accept gage
Of battle with this natural foe to lib
erty and shall, If necessary, expend the
whole force of the nation to check and
nullify its p~retensions and its power.
No False Pretense.
we are glad, now that we see the
facts with no veil or false pretense
about them, to fight thus for the ulti-
mate peace Of the world and for the
liberation of its people, the German
peoples included; for the rights Of ma
tions great and small, and the priv
ilege Of men everywhere to choose
their way of life and of obedience.
The world must be made safe for
democracy. It's peace must be planted
upon the tested foundations of politi-
cal liberty.
We desire no conquest, no dominion.
We seek no indemnities for ourselves,
nc material compensation for the sac
rifice we shall freely make.
We are but one of the champions of
the rights of mankind. We shall be
satisfied when those rights have been
made as secure as the faith and the
freedom of nations can make them.
Just because we fight, without ran
cor and without selfish object, seek
ing nothing for ourselves but what we
shall wish to share with all free peo-
pies, we shall, 1 feel confident, conduct
our operation on ~belligerents without
passion and ourselves observe with
proud punctilio the principles of right
and of fair play We profess y be fight
ing for.
Regarding the details of wal meas
ures, Mr.. Wilson said:
1T will involve the utmost practi-
cal cooperation in counsel and action
with the governments now at war with
Germany and, as incident TO that, the
extension to those governments Of thC
most liberal credit, in order that oul
resources may be added to theirs.
Resources.
1T will involve the organization ant
mobilization of all the material re
sources of the country to supply tn
materials Of war and serve the inc
dental needs Of the nation in the mos
abundant and yet the most economics
and efficient way possible.
The Navy.
at will involve the immediate fu
equipment of the navy in all respect
but particularly in supplying it wit
the best means Of dealing with th
enemy's submarines.
The Army.
1T will involve the immediate add
ton to the armed forces of the Unite
States already provided for in case o
war at least 10000 men, who should
in my opinion, be chosen upon tn
principle of universal liability TO sery
ice, and also the authorization of sub
sequent additional increment of equa
force so SOC as they may be needles
and can be handled in training.
Finance.
TT will involve the granting ade
quate credits TO the government, sus
tanned, 1 hope, so far as they can equi
tably be sustained by the present gen
GRAFTON, by well conceived taxation
1t seems to me that it woul,
be most unwise to have the credit
which will now be necessary entere'
on borrowed money.
Munitions.
"We should interfere as little a
possible d. with the duty-for
, will be a very practical duty-of SUI
plying the nations already at war wit
Germany with the material which the
can obtain only from US"
Referring once more to the attitud
, of America toward the great Germa
people-as distinguished from th
+ warmad and blood-lusty autocracy, th
president declared:
t To Germans in America.
r We are, let me say again, the sill
e cere friends of the German people, an
: shall desire nothing so much as til
2 early re-establishment of intimate r
? lations of mutual advantage betwee
us. however hard it may be for the
i for the time being to believe that tn
is spoken from u hearts. We hay
e borne with their present governmeI
t through all these bitter months b
cause of that friendship, exercising
r patience and ~forbearance which woul
d otherwise have been impossible.
It We shall, happily, still have an o
~portunity to prove that friendship
+ our daily attitude and actions towal
the millions Of men and women
5 German birth and native sympatf
SO