The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1917-04-06
PRESIDENT WILSON
ADDRESSES CONGRESS
Urges That a State of War Be Declared-Germany
Has Violated Laws of Enlightened Nations By
Her Ruthless Destruction of Life and
Property-Remarkable Deliverance
Critical Time
Armed Neutrality Not Enough.

Ar"eu INeutTduty NOt EnOugn.
"When I addressed the congress on
the Goth of February, last, l thought
that it would suffice to assert our neu-
trail rights with arms, our right to
use the seas against unlawful inter
ference, our right to keep our people
safe against unlawful violence. But
armed neutrality. it now appears, is
impracticable. Because submarines
are in effect outlaws when used as the
German submarines have been used
against merchant shipping, it is i'm
possible to defend ships against their
attacks as the law of nations has as
sumed that merchantmen would de>
fend themselves against privateers or
cruisers, visible craft giving chase
upon the open sea. 1t is common pru-
dence in such circumstances, grim ne
cessity indeed, to endeavor to destroy
them before they have shown their
own intention. They must be dealt
with upon sight, if dealt with at ALL
The German government denies the
right of neutrals to use arms at all
within the areas of the sea which it
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 as pirates
would be. Armed neutrality is inef-
fectual enough at best; in such cir,
! icumstances and in the face of such
pretensions it is worse than ineffec-
tual; it is likely only to produce what
it is meant to prevent; it is practi-
cally certain to draw us into the war
without either the rights or the eff
fectiveness of belligerents. There is
one choice we can not make, we are
incapable of making: we will not
choose the path of submission and
suffer the most sacred rights of our
nation and our people to be ignored
or violated. The wrongs against
which we now array ourselves are no
common wrongs; they cut to the very
roots of human life.
War Against United States.
"With a profound sense of the
solemn and even tragical character of
the step am taking and of the grave
responsibilities which it involves, but
in unfesitating obedience to what
deem my constitutional duty, I advise
that the congress declare the recent
course of the imperial German gov
ernment to be in fact nothing less
than war against the government and
people of the United States; that it
formally accept the status of belliger-
ent which has thus been thrust upon
it and that it take immediate stems
not only to put the country in more
thorough state of defense but also to
exert all its power and employ all
its resources to 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
cooperation 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 in
volve the organization and mobiliZa-
ton of all the material resources of
the country to supply the materials of
war and serve the incidental needs of
the nation in the most abundant and
yet the most economical and efficient
way possible. 1t will involve the i'm
mediate full equipment of the navy II,
all respects but particularly in sup>
plying 1T with the best means of deal
ing with the enemy's submarines.
at will involve the immediate ad-
| IItInn fn tha i
States already provided for by law in
case of war at least 100000 men, who
should, in my opinion, be chosen upon
the principle of universal liability to
service and also the authorization of
subsequent additional increments of
equal force so soon as they may be
needed and can he handled in train
ing. 1t will involve also, of course,
the granting of adequate credits tc
the government, sustained, | hope. so
far as they can equitably be sustained
| by the present generation by well con
ceived taxation.
Il say sustained so far as may be
equitable by taxation because it seems
to me that it would be most unwise to
base the credits which will now be
necessary entirely on money borrow
ed. 1t is our duty, I most respectfully
urge, to protect our people so far as
we may against the very serious hard
ships and evils which would be likely
to arise out of the imitation which
would be produced by vast loans.
Must Supply Allies.
"ln carrying out the measures by
which these things are to be accom-
plished we should keep constantly in
mind the wisdom of interfering as