Evening star., 1917-02-27
SEATTLE (WASHo POST 1NTELLI-
GENCER.

Diplomacy having failed to safeguard
our rights. the President proposes re-
course to armed neutrality to check the
unwarranted infringement We are SUI
fering at the hands of Germany Such
a recourse is manifestly justified by the
German submarine operations. now
reaching the overt act climax in the tor
pedong without warning of the Laconla.
CHICAGO HERALD.
The President does not now want war;
Congress does not want war; the natlon
does not want war. But IN the NE "
every people there comes moments when
the desire for peace must be subordlnated
to pitiless necessity. Such moment
may come in 1917 as it came in 1861. Con-
gress should grant the President the
power he seeks. 1t is not declaration
of war. 1t is step nearer war.
SIOUN FALLS Is. d. PRESS.
Knowing his aversion to war. sharing
| with him his present conception OF man
1ly, self-respecting Americanism, the peo-
pie are willing to trust the President TO
go no farther than is necessary and to go
as far as is necessary. Congress should
be equally willing
SIOUX CITY UOWh JOURNAL.
| The President does not fail to mt
mate his fear that war may be lneV-
liable.
NEBRASKA STATE JOURNAL HIN-
| COLND.
| This is not war unless Germany
chooses to make it an occasion for De
claring war. All the millions who. when
war seemed imminent, thought it every
citizens duty. regardless of private
opinions, to stand by the President.
will, of course. stand by the Presi-
dent in this final desperate eHort TO
solve the international crisis without
recourse to war.
MILWAUKEE SENTINEL.
While favoring an extra session. we
are disposed to think that refusing TO
invest the President with the ad in
term authority he asks, and thereby
giving the impression abroad that we
are a divided people on the question
of defending our plain rights, would
be more likely to bring on troupie
than a prompt grant of the authority.
NEW YORK HERALD.
There was nothing dramatic. moth
ing in the nature of an enort TO Duiiu
up a case, nothing of an appeal to pas
sion, neither bombast nor exagSera.
ton, in the Presidents presentation OF
the facts which make 1T imperative
that the nations policy hencetorth
must be one of armed neutrality. III II
fell short in any respect it was in
being too mild a picture of menace
clearly contained in the Prussian
frightfulness, with it's total disregard
of neutral and American rights
NEW YORK JOURNAL OF CON-
MERGE.
Congress ought to have no hesitation
in granting to President wilson the
moderate power for which he asks 1or
maintaining the neutral attitude or our
government If it can be done with due
regard for the rights of our people
and the honor Of the nation.
pIEEAJ.O EXPRESS.
In the circumstances we wish the
President had come out stronger on
the question of arms and had said less
about neutrality and keeping out OF
the war If he acts upon the authority
which Congress will give him our mer-
chant ships will soon be armed ana
sent to sea. Some of them will be tor
nedoed That doubtless Will
mean a declaration of war
PORTLAND ME) PRESS.
Tbere can be no doubt about the ac-
jtion Congress will take. America uoes
Inot seek war. but is prepared 10 insist
upon it's rights on sea ana iana:
recommends, leads to war being made
mon the United States, Its people are
ready to face II.
SPRINGFIELD (MASs) HEPubLiCAN' NJ
The nlan of the President seems to be
.u ,hat the present national eXigency
uould warrant in the. opinion or the
majority of the American people For
IL is based on the principle OF purely
defensive action to be applied soleiy IN
the circu~1scribed maritime area where
the assault on American rights occurs
Congress cannot afford to view the slt-
uation with any lurking desire 10 EN-
harrass the President for partisan ad-
vantage, or to exhibit him to the cen.
trail powers as lacking the support OF
The CONSERVATIVES Of the people.
NEW YORK TRIBUNE.
Congress should not hesitate to grant
President Wilson the power winch ne
asked for Yesterday, in so far as he re-
duced his reouests to concrete form and
in so far as it is possible to embody
thm in clear and precise terms in leg
islation.
NEW YORK sun.
The mystical address delivered to the
Sixty-iourth Congress yesterday throws
no light on the Presidents plans Tor
the protection of American commerce
or for the preservation or the nations
ragged by Germanv's acts on the high
seas - Its (the Presidents ad-
dress) muddle of postponements and
sentimentalities merely aHords aoal-
traordinary powers should be trans
ferred in blank.
PROVIDENCE (R. I) JOURNAL.
The Presidents recital of our rights
and of the violation of those rights Is
unanswerable. Is there any reason
why we should not assert and defend
them? Why should we not protect our
merchant vessels, the crews that man
them and the passengers who wish to
sail in them by arming them or pro-
viding them with conveys. or both?
BOSTON HERALD.
With one assertion of the Presidents
message all observers of the present.
as well as all historians of the future.
must agree. That is where he shows
himself determined to keep America at
peace. We do, BIT If he could, in Mex
leo or in Europe. do anything now to