Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-04-13
President Asks Congress to
Declare War Against
German Empire.
Asserts That Germany Never Was
Our Friend and That Americans
Must Fight i'm Order to Make
the World Safe.

the Goth of February last, thought
that 1t would suffice to assert our neu-
trail rights with arms. our right to use
the seas against unlawful interference,
our right to keep our people safe
against unlawful violence. But armed
neutrality, IL now appears, is imprac-
ticable. Because submarines are in eff
feet outlaws when used as the Ger
man submarines have been used
against merchant shipping, it is impos-
sible to defend ships against their at
tacks 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
necessity indeed, to endeavor to de-
stroy 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
cumstances and in the face of such
pretensions it is worse than in neutral;
1t is likely at once to produce what
1t was meant to prevent; II is practi-
cally certain to draw us into the war
without either the rights or the effec-
tiveness of belligerents.
There Is one choice we cannot
make, we are incapable of making:
We will not choose the path of sub
mission 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 not common wrongs;
they cut to the very roots OF human
life.
With a profound sense of the SOL
emn and even tragical character of the
step ] am taking and of the grave re-
probabilities which 1t involves, but in
unhesitating obedience to what deem
my constitutional duty, | advise that
the congress declare the recent course
of the imperial government to he in
fact nothing less than war against the
government and people of the United
States; that 1t formally accept the
status of belligerent which has thus
been thrust upon 1t, and that il take
immediate steps not only to put the
In, h1r fnAA Of
defense, but also to exert all its
power and employ all It's resources to
bring the government of the German
empire to terms and end the war.
Army of 100000 Men.
what this will involve is clear 1t
will involve the utmost practicable CO.
operation in council 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. IT 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
thC hdtlch IhC biOcl dDuHudHl dnu
yet the most economical and efficient
way possible, 1t will involve the i'm
mediate full equipment of the navy in
all respects, but particularly in supply
ing 1t with the best means of dealing
with the enemy's submarines. II will
involve the immediate addition to the
armed forces of the United States al.
ready provided for by law In case OF
war, at least 100000 men, who should
in my opinion, be chosen upon the
principle of universal Inability to ser
vice, and also the authorization OF sub
sequent additional increments of equal
force so soon as they may be needed
and can be handled in training.
1T will involve also, of course, the
granting of adequate credits to The gov
eminent. sustained, hope, so far as
they can equitably be sustained, by
the present generation by we'll con
ceived taxation. say sustained sc
far as may be equitable by taxation
because il seems to me that it would
be most unwise to base the credits
which will now be necessary entirely
on money borrowed II Is our duty,
most respectfully urge, to protect oul
people so far as we may against the
very serious hardships and evils which
would be likely to arise out or the in
flation which would be produced by
vast loans.
Help to the Allies.
In carrying out the measures by
which these things are to be accom-
plished. we should keep constantly In
mind the wisdom of interfering as
little as possible in our own prepare
ton and the equipment of our OWL
military forces with the duty-for II
will be very practical duty-ot sup
plying the nations already at wal
with Germany with the materials
which they can obtain only from us oil
by our assistance. They are In the
field and we should help them In every
way to be effective there.