Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1917-12-08
President Demands War on Austria
Message TO All the World Out
lining Americas Peace Ideal
Congress is Stirred

tions to international affairs, that Il
has been transmitted in advance BY
the Government to practically every
other capital in the world
Immediate declaration of war against
Austria Hungary was recommended by
President Wilson.
The President did not however.
recommend a declaration OF war
against Turkey and Bulgaria At this
time.
The President spoke. as follows
Gentlemen of the Congress:
Eight months have elapsed since
last had the honor OF addressing you.
/ They have been months crowded with
events OF immense and grave sig.
nlflcance for us shall not undertake
to detail or even 10 summarize those
events.
The practical particulars OF the part
we have played in them will be laid be
fore YOU in the reports OF the executive
departments ! shall discuss only our
present outlook upon those vast al.
4
mediate means of accomplishing the
objects we shall hold always in view.
"our Object Is To Win the War"
I shall not 20 back to debate the
causes OF the war The intolerable
wrongs done and planned against us
by the sinister masters OF Germany
have long since become too grossly
obvious and odious to every true
American TO need to be rehearsed But
/ shall ask you to consider again and
with very grave scrutiny our OBJ
jectiyes and the measures By which we
mean to attain them: for the purpose
OF discussion here in this place Is
action and our action must move
straight toward definite aims
Our object il. OF course. to win the
ourselves to be diverted until IL is
won. But Il Is worth while asking and
answering the question, When shall
we consider the war won!
From one point OF view IL Is not
necessary TO breach this fundamental
I T.
can people know what the war Is about
and what sort of an outcome they will
regard as a realization OF their pur.
pose in II. As a nation we are united
in spirit and intention.
"Let Dissenters Strut Their Uneasy
hours"
I pay little heed TO those who tell
me otherwise. hear the voices OF
dissent; who does not? hear the
criticism and the clamor OF the noisy.
thoughtcss and troublesome also
see men here and there fling them.
selves in impotent disloyalty against
the calm. indomitable power OF the
nation hear men debate peace who
understand neither It's nature nor the
way We may attain It with uplifted
eyes and unhroken spirits But
know that none of these speaks for
~, nation. They do not touch the
heart OF anything. They may safely
be left to strut their uneasy hour and
BE- forgotten
Bul from another point OF view
believe that IL is necessary 10 say
plainly what We here al the seat OF
action consider the war to be for and
what part we mean TO play in the set.
Element of its searching issues We
are the spokesman OF the American
people and they have right to know
whether their purpose is ours. They
desire peace by the overcoming OF
evil. by the defeat once for all Of the
sinister forces that interrupt peace
and render IL impossible and they wish
10 know how closely our thought runs
with theirs and what action we pro
pose.
They are impatient with those who
desire peace by any sort OF com
promise deeply and Indignantly I'm
patient-but they will be equally i'm
patient with us IL we do not make il
plain 20 them what our detectives are
and what we are planning for ia seek.
Ing to make conquest OF peace by
arms
believe that I speak for them
when I say two things: F1rst, that this
intolsrable thing OF which the mas
tiers Of Germany have shown US the
ugly face. this menace OF combined in.
trigue and force which We now see so
clearly as the German power. a thing
without conscience or honor or capac
fly for cOvenanted peace must be
crushed and, II IL be not utterly
brought TO an end. at least shut out
from the friendly intercourse of the
nations; and second. that when this
thing and its power are indeed defeat
ed and the time comes that we can
discuss peace-when the German PEG
pie have spokesman whose word we
can believe and when those spokssmen
are ready in the name OF their people
to accept the common judgment of the
nations as TO what shall henceforth be