The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1917-03-08

certain additional Indications and ex-
! pressiOns of purpose on the part OF
the German press and the German au-
thoritfes which have increased rather
than lessened the impression that, II
our ships and our people are spared it
will be because of fortunate circtun-
stances or because the commanders OF
the German submarines which they
may happen to encounter exercise an
unexpected discretion and restraint
rather than because of the Instructions
| under which those commanders are
acting
ut would be foolish to deny that the
situation is fraught with the gravest
possibilities and dangers. No thought
full man can fail to see that the ne
cessity of definite action may come at
any time, if we are in fact, and not
in word merely ready to defend our
| elementary rights as a neutral nation
/ 1t would be most imprpdent TO be IN
prepared.
Il cannot in such circumstances be
unmindful of the fact that the ex-
! piration term of the present congress
is Immediately at hand by constitution
| al Limitation, and that it would in all
| likelihood require an unusual length
| of time TO assemble and organize the
congress which is 10 succeed it
II feel that l ought, in view of that
| fact to obtain from you full and i'm
! mediate assurance of the authority
which may need at any moment to
exercise.
Must Act Together.
I'VE are jointly the servants of the
| people and must act together and In
their spirit, so far as we can divine
and interpret it. No one doubts that
| it is our duty to do so.
1--WE must defend our commerce and
the lives of the people in the midst Of
the present trying circumstances, with
! discretion, but with clear and steadfast
! purpose. Only the method and the ex-
tent remain TO be chosen upon the oc-
casion, if occasion should indeed arise.
"Since il has unhappily proved i'm
possible to safeguard our neutral
rights by diplomatic means against the
! unwarranted infringemeEts they are
. suffering at the hands of Germany,
: there may be no recourse but to
! armed neutrality, which we shall know
! how to maintain and for which there
! is abundant American precedent.
! Hopes to Avoid War.
, at is devoutly to be hoped that it
will not be necessary to put armed
/ force anywhere into action, The Amer
! lean people do not desire it, and our
I desire is not different from theirs.
J am sure that they will understand the
spirit in which I am now acting, the
purpose 1 hold nearest my heart and
would wish to exhibit in everything
do.
Il am not now proposing or con-
/ tempIating war or any steps that need
I lead 10 it. 1 merely request that you
will accord me by your own vote and
| definite bestowaI the means and au-
thority to safeguard in practice the
/ rights of a great people who are at
| peace and who are DESTROYS of exercis-
| ing none but the rights of peace to
/ follow the pursuits of peace in quiet
ness and good will-rights recognized
1 time out of mind by all the civilized
nations of the world.
War Only for WiIIfuI Act.
'No course of my choosing or Of
theirs will lead TO war. War can come
only by the wiIlful acts and agrees
sions of others.
| Il believe that the people will be
willing to trust me to act with re-
straint with prudence and in the true
spirit of amity and good faith that
| they have themselves displayed
| throughout these trying months, and it
| is in thar belief that l request that you
will authorize me to supply our mer-
chant ships with defensive arms should
! that become necessary, and with the
I means of using them, and to employ
any other instrumentaIities or methods
that may be necessary and adequate
to protect our ships and our people in
their legitimate and peaceful pursuits
on the seas.
Il request also that you will grant me
at the same time, along with the pow
ers I ask, sufficient credit to enable
me TO provide adequate means of pro-
lection where they are lacking, includ-
ing adequate insurance against the
present war risks.
Speaks for Human Rights
81 am thinking not only of rights Of
Americans to 90 and come about their
proper business by way of the sea, but
also of something much deeper, much
more fundamental than that 1 am
| thinking of those rights of humanity
without which there is no civilization
My theme is of those great principles
of compassion and of protection which
mankind has sought to throw about hui
man lives, the lives of nOncOmbatants,
the lives Of men who are peacefully at
work keeping the industrial processes
of the world quick and vital, the lives
of women and children and of those
who supply the labor which ministers
TO their sUstenance.
I'VE are speaking of no selfish ms
terial rights, but of rights which our
hearts support and whose foundation
is that righteous passion for justice
upon which all law, all structures alike
Of family, of state and of mankind
may rest, as upon the ultimate base
of our existence and our liberty.
81 cannot imagine man with Amer
lean principles at his heart hesitating
to defend these things"
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One Advantage.