The Washington herald., 1917-02-28
THE WASHINGTON HERALD WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 2s 1917.
How the Editors View the
Presidents Latest Message

is NOT an act OF aggression. II II purely
defensive. No overt act has accurred.
The declaration of our position
may increase the care taken TO avoid
such an act. The American people fer
vently hoped. But with the. President
they are agreed our rights Of peace must
and shall be defended at any and all
hazards.
Did Not Make Out q Good Case.
Pittsburgh Gssetts Times)
President Wilson, In addressing Con-
gress, did not make out q good case in
support OF his request for dictatorial
powers. President Wilson says ut would
be most imprudent to be unprepared."
That is complete argument against his
desire to go it alone. Adequate prepara-
tion at the present time must include the
presence Of Congress in Washington to
act In conjunction with the President. as
provided for by the Constitution. Mr..
Wilson should summon the sixty-hfth
Congress.
America With It's President.
louisville Herah.)
With discretion the President pledges
himself to use the authority he seeks:
with such restraint as. under the cir
cumstances, may be possible. With a
heart all but broken that patience can
no further go and that the day of peace
may well be drawing to its close, he is
none the less resolute to safeguard and
to vindidate the rights. the lives. the
property OF our citizens. He could not
have done less. To have dallied further
would have been cowardice. America is
with its President.
A Logical, Reasonable AppeaI.
OClereland LeaderJ
President Wilson's appeal to Congress
is a logical. reasonable, perfectly cor
rect step toward war. There is nothing
less which the President might have done
with decent regard for the honor and
welfare of the nation and the highest
dictates of humanity. 1t is to be
hoped that no folly or madness Of the
small but nervy pacifist in this country
will blind the German government to the
real position and purpose Of the nation
for which Woodrow Wilson speaks
His Course Il Justified.
Seattle PostIntsHsenoer)
In such possible contingency as the
President foresees. undoubtedly he should
be equipped. as he Is empowered. TO act
promptly and effectually. not only IN
defending but enforcing American rights
and in protecting American lives. 80.
Diplomacy having failed to safeguard our
rights. he proposes somewhat vaguely
ana tentatively a recourse to armed neu-
trality. Such a recourse falling Just
short of actual warfare is manifestly
justified by the German submarine op-
erations now reaching the overt-act cIi-
max in the torpedoing OF the Laconia.
The country Is behind the President
Must Protect Our Rights.
tsan Francisco Ohronicle)
II this Government defines the rights
OF American citizens on the high seas,
1t is morally bound to provide for the
protection of those rights by whatever
means are found necessary.
Will Not Abuse Power.
tSalt Lake TribuneO
President Wilson says that he asks
no authority and proposes no measures
which need lead to war. He proposes
merely to defend American rights, lives
and property. That should satisfy those
who have protested that they want t.
fight only in self-defense Presi-
dent Wilson LAYS stress upon the dis
inclination Of the American peopIe for
war. and declares that he is just as de-
sirous as they to escape a conflict We
think that up to date he has given the
people Of this country every reason %
trust his pacific intentions. Few will
believe that, If he Is granted the power
necessary to a state of armed neutrality
he will abuse it.
Refusal Might Cause Trouble,
milwaukee sentinel)
While faVoring an extra session, we
are disposed to think that refusal to
invest the President with the ad interim
authority he asks. and thereby giving
the impression abroad that we are a di-
vided people on the question of defend
ing our plain rights, would be more
likely to bring on trouble than a PROMPT
Grant of the authority