The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-04-05
TEXT OF
MESSAGE TO

SdSo TO congress IN part Is DIS AOIAO"o.
"Gentlemen of the Congress:
Il have called the congress into ex-
traordinary session because there are
to be made, n made Immediately.
which it was neither right nor consti-
tutionally permissible that l should as
% the third Of February last. I
officially laid before you the extraordi-
nary announcement OF the imperial Ger
man government that on and after the
first day Of February it was its purpose
to put aside all restraints Of law or of
hun and use its submarines ne to
proach either the ports of Great Britain
and ireland or the western coasts of
b Evr fbs e or nny of of ths popts w eGhfrol Lea
Lives Cannot BE Paid For.
Il am not now thinking of the loss of
property involved, immense and serious
as that is, but only Of the wanton and
wholesale destruction Of the lives Of
dren, engaged. in pursuits which have
always, even in the darkest periods Of
modern history. been deemed innocent
for; the lives of peaceful and innocent
people cannot be.
Tho present German submarine war
fare against is a warfare
1T is a wal against all nations.
Am American shiEs nave been sunk,
has stirred us very deeply to learn of,
but the ships and people of other neu-
trail and friendly nations have been sunk
and overwhelmed in the waters in the
Challenges All Mankind.
The challenge is to all mankind. Each
nation must decide for itself how it
Will meet it.
must be made with a moderation of
counsel and a temperatures of judg-
ment betting our character and our
fnnfiVaC nc a -
I've must put excited feeling away.
Our motive will not be revenge-or the
Victorious miS6f "f th assertion OF the physical
dleation of right; of human right Of
winch we are only a single champion.
Outlaws In Effect.
When l addressed the congress on
the 26th of February last / thought
that it would suffice to assert our neu-
ira thai rig sg With arms. our right to use
against unlawful violence. Sit armed
in ieeuat{r,al it now appears, is imprac-
feet outlaws when used as the German
chant char s5 Sihipping; it is impossible to de-
law Of nations has assume that mer-
chantmen would defend themselves
against privateers or c~ruisers-visible
craft giving chase on the open sea.
1T is common prudence in such cir
cumstances. grim necessity, indeed. to
S1luedVOI " destroy Lnem before thew
nave shown their own intention. They
must be dealt with upon sight, if dealt
with at all.
Denies Rights to Neutrals.
right Of neutrals to use arms at all
within the areas of the sea which it
has prescribed, even in the defense Of
ever before questioned-their right to
defend: The -%intimation is conveyed
that the armed guards which we have
nlaCPd on orr fnaCrhonf ChinS will ho
treated as beyond the pale Of law and
subject to be dealt with as pirates would
Armed Neutrality Futile.
Armed neutrality is Intellectual
ana IN the face Of sSeh pretensiSns i
only to produce what it was meant to
prevent; it is practically certain to
draw US into the war without either the
rights or the effectiveness of belliger-
ents. There is one choice we cannot
make, we are incapable Of making. We
and suffer the most sacred rights Of
our nation and our people to be ignored
or Violated.
array ourselves are no common wrongs;
they cut to the very roots of human life.
with a profound sense Of the solemn
!! am taking. and Of the grave RESPONSE
bilities which it involves, but in unhesi-
tatinE obedience to what I deem my CON
stltutional duty, I advise that the Con-
gress declare the recent course of the
Imperial German government to be in
fact nothing less than war against the
government and the people Of the init
That it formally accept the status
or bel!igerent which has thus been
And that it take immediate steps
f mo- only to s}apPe put It the de Gonntry in a more e
exert all it's power and employ ali it's
resources to bring the government Of
the German empire to terms and end
the war.
What Defense Involves.
What this will involve is clear. 1t
will involve the utmost practicable CO.
fPe aeSsrn in 9eun nenl : and actiGn With
many. and. as incident to that the en-
tension to those governments. Of the
that our resources may SO far as pos
sible be added to theirs.
IT will involve the organization and
materials Of war and serve the Incl
dental needs of the nation in the most
1T will involve the Immediate full
equipment 91f nag1 1c, Of r the n navy s3,n in al ~ respects;
the best means of dealing with the enc
my's submarines.
Asks 100000 Men.
ton to VII the armed armed forces Fore s" Of the U nia,i
states already provided 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 increlnents Of
equal force as soon as they may be need
ed and can be handled in training.
Finances for War.
1T will involve, also. of course, the
granting of adequate credits to the gov
eminent, sustained, I hope so far as
they can equitably be sustained, by the
present generation, by well conceived
taxation.
Must Supply Allies.
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 preparation and
In the equipment Of our own military
forces with the duty-for 1t will be q
very practical duty-of supplying the
nations already at war with Germany
with the materials which they can OBJ
tain only from US or by our assistance.
No Quarrel with German People.
1--WE have no quarrel with the Ger
man people. we have no feeling
towards them but one Of sympathy and
friendship. 1t was not upon their i'm