The Ordway new era., 1917-11-09


r.ch nEe ensIienEe IL to all m.nk,,s
II viii r must decide for itself how
viii meet II. The choice we ,,nL "Jw
Ior ourselves must be maaa ,,i,ts make
"toa OF counsel and a temnera
as sness or Judgment beflttinp o'r
yW ana our motives as a natJnn
We must put excited feelInps 49,,
Uur v,n.e motive Will not be revenge or ~
victorions assertion of the nhw,,a,,
might of the nation. but oni, ~ Sieai
,ea. meeat,on OF right. OF human right ~
,,, we are only n single chamnion
nc ! addressed the congress on
.ne Soth or February last I though, =,
muuio '',s.t suhce to assert our neutral ripbts
-. arms. our right to use th,. s...
uni">vfui Interference, our rIxb,
keep our people safe ngninst unIn,S
toi Htoience. But armed neutr,Ii, y,
~" appears. is tmpracticable. R..n,,.s
n""mhriner nrc In effect outIpws xxh.,
use ns the German subm,rIns. r.,
=. ~ e" against merchant shipping
'.possiple to defend ships against
'heir ATTACKS. ms the law Of nutIon. h,.
assumed that mercbontm., ,,n,.I., -.
'end themselves against urivut.crs n.
cr"ners' visible craft giving chn.e nm.
" '"e open Hen. 1t is common pru-
uehce in such circumstances grim nee
's indeed, to endeavor to DESTROY
n pe'ore they have shown their own
On wight. if dealt with at NIL,
lhe German government denies the
r'snt OF n"ntrnls to use arms at all
withih the areas of the sea which II
mas prescribed even in the defense of
rish's which no modern publicist has
.ser before questioned their right to
ueiend. The intmation is conveyed that
the armed guards which we have
placed on our merchant ships will be
'reateu as beyond the pale of law and
subject to be dealt with as pirates
wou'd De. Armed neutrality lis ineTec-
'u"' enough mt hest; In such cIrcum-
stnncc" and In the face Of such preten-
Nohs IL Is worse than ineTectuHI; II In
Hkeiy only 70 produce whnt II was
meant I" prevent; II is practically GER
tain TO drnw us Into wnr without either
the rights or the effectiveness. of the bel
hxcrents. There In one choice we cRn-
not mnke. we are incapable of making,
we VIII not choose the path of submi
sion and suffer the most sacred rights
or our nation and our people to be ig-
nored or violated. The wrongs nEaInst
which we now nrrny ourselves nre no
common wrongs; they cut to the very
roots of human life.
With n profound sense of the solemn
and even trngIcnI character OF the step
] am taking nnd of the grave responsI-
bIiifics which II Involves. but in un-
hesithtlng obedience to what I deem
my constitutional duty. I advise that
the congress declare the recent course
or the Imperial German government to
be In fact nothing less than war
against the government and people of
the United States; that 1t formally ac-
cept the status OF belligerent which has
thus been thrust upon it; and that II
take immediate steps not only to put
the country in a more thorough state
Of defense. but also to exert all its
"a q n
bring the government OF the German
empire to terms and end the war.
What this will involve is clear. 1t
will involve the utmost practicable CO.
operation In counsel and action with
the governments now at war with Ger
many. and as incident to that. the ex-
tension to those governments of the
most liberal financial credits In order
that our resources may so far as pos
sible be sdded to theirs.
It will involve the organization and
mobilization OF all the material re-
sources of the country to supply the
materials of war and serve the incl
dental needs OF the nation in the most
abundant and yet the most economical
and efficient way possible.
II will involve the Immediate fun
equipment of the navy in all respects.
but particularly in supplying 1t with
the best means of dealing with the enc
my's submarines.
1t will involve the immediate addi-
ton to the armed forces OF the United
States. already provided for by law in
case of war Of at least 100000 men.
who should. in my opinion. be chosen
upon the principle of universal liabil-
ity to service. and also the authoriza-
ton of subsequent additional incre-
ments of equal force so soon as they
NAV be needed and can be handled in
training.
II will involve niso, of cOurse, the
xrnntInx Of adequate credits to the
government, sustained, l hope. 80 fnr
ms they can equltnbly he suntnined by
the present Eenerntlon' ny "eh-c""-
ceived taxation.
I say sustained so far as may ne
equitable by taxation. because 1t seems
TO me that 1t would be most unsSise 10
base the credits, which VIII now ne
necessary, entirely on money borrowed.
II 4. our duty, I most respectfully urge
to protect our people, NO far nr we
m1y, against the very serious hnrd-
.hips and evils which would he likely
to arise out OF the imitation which ~ouid
he produced by vast loans.
In carrying out the measures by
which these things are to ne accom-
rlI.hed we should keep constantly In
mind the wisdom Of interfering as lit
.tIe n. po.sibIe in our own preparation
.,d In the equipment of our own MILL
tary forces with the duty-for 1t will
he n very practical duty-of suppiyihE
the nations already at war WIN Ger
mnpy with the materials which thes
c.n Obtain only from us or by our as
.i.tance. They nre In the neid' aho we
-houId helm them in every way to ne
effective there.
shall take the liberty Of .uEEest-
ing, through the several e1ee"se a.
n.rtmeuts Of the government for the
Of your committees.
.n...mres for the accomplishment OF
r1e several objects ! have on msnonea. :.
None that II will be your pleasure 70
them as having been framed
.s.er very careful thought ~ the
bra.ch Of the .over."ent sa.a,is,,,s .pSn E the
-. nd snferuardinE the nation VIII
most directly fall.
WniJe we do these thinEs, these deep
ly momentum things ie. o. =. s, IN.
s.eria. what our motive. and our OBJ.
s.c.. nre, My own thought mas nov