Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1917-02-27

rations which may lead the United
States into war.
, But the president made II clear that
America was asking to exercise none
| but the rights of peace; that he was
not proposing nor contemplating war.
/ he was thinking, he said. of the right
of life itself. the rights of humanity.
4 without which there is no civiliZa-
ton rights deeper and more funda-
mental than merely the rights of
Americans.
No course of my choosing nor of
/ theirs said the president will lead
TO war. War can come only by the
wilful acts and aggressions of others
Four weeks of unrestricted subma-
rine warfare. the president told con-
gress, has seen the destruction of at
. least two American ships, American
commerce driven in large measure
from the seas through fear of the un-
derseas peril, and a resulting cOnges-
ton of Americas vital industries
growing more serious every day. The
fact that more American lives had not
| been lost, he said, was due to the fact
that German submarine commanders
had exercised 'an unexpected discre-
ton and restraint rather than because
OF the instructions under which they
{
congress out of session, the president
said would be most imprudent." Con-
sequently he asked for authority TO act.
Standing at the clerks desk in the
/ hall of the house. grave, calm speak
ing earnestly in the attitude now IA
miliar. the president delivered his ad-
dress while congress sat in tense. re-
spectful silence, fully impressed with
| the sobernesS of the occasion. No
| cheers and applause sucn as have burst
out before, punctuated his sentences.
/ BY common consent the members re-
Trained from demonstration. There
Were vigorous mods of approval from
democrats and republicans, who have
been urging forward course; silence
| and indications of reserved thought
from those opposed.
! But at the conclusion OF the address
when the president spoke of the fun
camental rights on which are based
the structure of family. state and lib
erty and said Il cannot imagine a
man with American principles at his
! heart, heSltatlng to defend these
things cheers resounded through the
chamber.
Whatever might have been the opin-
ions of some of those who dissented
from the speakers $ views ii was plain
| that they were touched by his words.
At once the wheels of the congressional
machinery began turning. The pacifist
element took stock of the war making
possibilities of the authority the presi-
dent requested: republicans, reluctant
to leave the next steps to the president
without congress close by to take a
hand, considered means of forcing an
extra session, while democrats who
support the president set about doing
what he asked.
Secretary McAdoo conferred with the
leaders who will have to do with au-
thorizing the bond issue. and Postmas-
ter General Burleson who looks after
lining up administration forces in the
house. was active in conferences The
result was the introduction of a bill,
which was referred to the foreign af-
fairs committee, to be reported to the
house tomorrow, and arrangements for
a meeting of the senate foreign rela-
tions committee to discuss a similar
measure tomorrow.
Tomorrow perhaps, or next day at
the latest, will develop the breadth and
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