Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-03-02
WILSON ASKS FOR
ARMED POWER
PRESIDENT DETERMINED TO
PROTECT AMERICAN LIVES
AGAINST SUBMARINES.
Violation Of Rights and lntoIerable
Blockade Brings Chief Executive
Before Congress With Appeal
for Authority to Act.

February 26th. asked congress for au
thority to use the forces OF the Unit
ed States to protect American ships
and lives against the German subma
rine menace to put the nation in a
state of armed neutrality.
The immediate response was the
Introduction in the house of bill.
approved in advance by the president,
empowering him to furnish guns and
gunners to American merchantmen
and to employ such other instru-
mentalities and methods" as may
become necessary; and providing for
a s100.000,000 bond issue, to be used
In his discretion for war insurance to
encourage American commerce to
brave the submarine peril.
The presidents long-expected ac-
ton, while received in the main with
expressions of support. threatens to
force an extra session of congress.
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
address while congress sat in tense,
respectful silence, fully impressed
with the soberness of the occasion.
No cheers and applause such as have
burst out before punctuated his SEN
fences. By common consent the mem
bers refrained from demonstration.
There were vigorous mods of approval
from Democrats and Republicans who
rCrf rcr md
silence and indications of reserved
thought from those opposed.
But at the conclusion of the ad-
dress, when the president spoke of the
fundamental rights on which are
based the structure of family, state
and liberty, and said, Il cannot mag
Inc man with American principles in
his heart hesitating to defend these
things" cheers resounded through the
chamber.
For four weeks an unrestricted
submarine warfare, the president told
congress, has seen the destruction of
at least two American ships, American
commerce driven in a large measure
from the seas through fear OF the !
underseas peril, and a resulting con-
gestion 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 COM
manders had exercised IAN unexpect. |
ed discretion and restraint" rather |
than because of the instructions under
which they were acting. To be un'
prepared, with congress out of ses-
sion, the president said, would be
most imprudent." Consequently he
asked for authority to act.
During the course of his address,
President Wilson told congress: !
am not proposing nor contemplating
war or any steps that might lead to
war
War can only come by the wilful
acts and aggressions of others.
must ask for your supporting au-
thority in the most general terms. We
must defend our commerce and the
lives of our people with discretion,
but with clear and steadfast purpose
I request that you will authorize
me to supply our merchant ships with
defensive arms, should that become
and with the means of us
ing them, and to employ any other in
strumentalities or methods that may
be necessary and adequate to pro
tect our ships and our people IN their
legitimate and peaceful pursuits on
The seas.
/ request also a sufficient credit to
enable me to provide adequate means
Of protection, where they are lacking,
adequate insurance against
war risk.
feel that ought to obtain from you
hull and immediate assurance of the
authority which / may need at any
moment to exercise. No doubt l al
ready possess that authority without
special warrant of law.
Our own commerce is suffering
rather in apprehension than in fact,
because so many of our ships are tim
dly keeping to their home ports, than
~ ships having been sunk.
This itself might presently accom-
dish in effect what the new German
submarine orders were meant to ac-
,onlplish. so far as We are concerned.
The case of the Lyman NJ. Law dis.
iosed a ruthlessnes of method which
eceives grave condemnation, but was
accompanied by no circumstances
which might not have been expected
L any time In connection with the
Ise OF the submarine against mer
hantmen as the German government
las used it, e.
There may be no recourse but to
rmed neutrality. which we shall now
ave TO maintain and for which there
} abundant American precedent. ,