The Colorado statesman., 1917-11-10

thelr attacks, as the law of nations hns
assumed that merchantmen would de-
fend themselves against privateers
cruisers, visible craft giving chase up
ON the open sen. 1t is common pru-
dence In such circumstances. grim nee
essity indeed, to endeavor to destroy
them before they have shown their own
intention They must he dealt with up
on sight. II dealt with mt NIL.
The German government denies the
right OF neutrals to use arms at all
within the areas of the sea which II
has prescribed even in the defense OF
rights which no modern publicist has
ever before questioned their right to
defend. The intimation is conveyed that
the armed guards which we have
placed on our merchant ships will be
treated as beyond the pale OF law and
subject to be dealt with pirates
would be. Armed neutrality In inerec-
tunl enough at best, in such cIrcum-
stances and In the fnce of such preten-
Sions II IL worse than inencctuaIi II Is
likely only TO produce what II wns
meant to prevents IL is practically GER
tain TO draw us into yynr without either
the rights or the effectiveness of the bel
iigerents. There In one choice we can
not make, we are Incapable OF mnkIngi
We VIII not choose the path of submis-
sion and suffer the most sacred rights
of our nation and our people to be ig-
nored or violated The wrongs against
common wrongsi they cut to the very
roots of humnn life.
with profound sense of the solemn
and even traEicnI character of the step
! nm taking and of the grave RESPONSE
hiilties which IL Involves, but in un-
hesitating obedience to what I deem
my constitutional duty, I advise that
the congress declare the recent course
of the Imperial German government to
he in fact nothing less than war
no fnef 80
the United States; that 1t formally ac-
cent the status Of belligerent which has
thus been thrust upon it; and that 1t
take Immediate steps not only to put
the country in more thorough state
Of defense. but also to exert all it's
power and employ all its resources to
bring the government of the German
emnire 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 added to theirs.
1t 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.
1t will involve the Immediate full
equipment of the navy in all respects.
but particularly in supplying II with
the best means of dealing with the enc
my's submarines.
1t will involve the immediate addi-
tinn 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-
tion of subsequent additional incre-
ments of equal force so soon as they
may be needed and can be handled in
training.
II will involve also, of course, the
granting of adequate credits to the
government, sustained, hope, NO far
MS they can equitnbly be sustained by
the present generation. by weIi-con-
ceiyed taxation.
say sustained far may be
equitable by taxation. because II seems
10 me that II would he most unwise TO
base. the credits. which Will now be
necessary. entirely ON money borrowed.
II is our duty. most respectfully urge,
10 protect our people, so far ms we
may, against the very serious hard
ships and evils which would he likely
to arise out of the nintion which would
be produced by yast loans.
In carrying out the measures by
which these things are to he accom-
plIshed we should keep constantly in
mind the wisdom of interfering as lit
tie possible in our own preparation
and In the equipment of our own mill
tary forces with the duty-for IL will
be n very practical duty-Of supplying
the nations already mt war with Ger
many with the materials which they
can obtain only from or by our as
sistnncc. They are In the field, and we
I,,Iv hon I'm N he
effective there.
1 shall Ike the liberty of suggest
Ing, through the several executive de-
partments of the government, for the
confederation OF your committees.
measures for the accomplishment of
the several objects I have mentioned.
I hope that II will be your pleasure to
deal with them ms having been framed
after very careful thought by the
branch of the government upon whom
the responsibility of conducting the
,ynr and safegunrdIng the nation Will
most directly fall.
while we do these things. these deep
Iy momentous things, let us be very
cIenr, and make very clear to ali the
world, what our motives and our OBJ
iects are. My own thought has not
been driven from Its hnbitunl and nor
mnI course by the unhappy events of
the last two months, and do not be
Iieye that the thought of the nation
has been altered or ciouded by them. i
have exactly the same things I'm mind
now that I hnd In mind when i nd-
dressed the senate on the 22d of Janu-
nry last; the same that / had I'm mind
when i addressed congress on the Sd of
February and on the 26th OF February.
Our object now, as then, Is to vindicntc
the principles of pence and Justice In
the life of the world against selfish
and autocrntic power, and to set up
among the really free and self-Gov-
armed peonIes of the world such con-
cert of purpose and of action as VIII
henceforth insure the observance of
those principles.
Neutrality Is no longer feasible or
desirable where the pence of the world
IL involved and the freedom of its peo-
pIes and the menace TO that peace and
freedom lies In the existence of auto
cratic governments, backed by organ