Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-02

PRESIDENT TELLS CONGRESS
WAR is THE ONLY ANSWER

those rights have been as secure as
the faith and the freedom of the ma
tions can make them.
Just because we fight without ran.
cour and without selfish objects. seek
ing nothing for ourselves but what we
shall wish to sharewith all free peo-
Piles, we shall, l feel confident. con-
duct our operations as belligerents
without passion and ourselves observe
with proud punctilic the principles of
right and of fair play we profess TO be
fighting for.
Il have said nothing of the govern
ments allied with the imperial gov
ernment of Germany because they
have not made war upon us or chal-
lenged us TO defend our right and our
honor. The Austro-Hungarian gov
crnment has indeed, aVowed its un-
qualified endorsement and acceptance
of the reckless and lawless submarine
warfare adopted now without disguise
by the Imeprial German government,
and it has therefore notbeen possible
for this government TO receive Count
Tarnowski the ambassador recently
accredited to this government by the
imperial and royal government of
Austria Hungary; but that govern
ment has not actually engaged in war
fare against citizens of the United
States on the seas. and take the lib
erty. for the present at least, of post
poning discussion of our relations
with the authorities at Vienna.
Forced Into War
I'VE enter this war only when we
are clearly forced into it because there
are no other means of defending our
rights. 1t will be all the easier for
us to conduct ourselves as bclligerents
in high spirit of right and fairness
because we act without animus, not
Ii nnnniTV towards n nnnnln with
the desire to bring any injury or dis
advantage upon them, but only in
armed opposition to an irresponsible
government which has thrown aside
all considerations of humanity and of
right and is running amuck.
We are, let me say again, the sim
cere friends of the German people,
and shall desire nothing so much as
the early re-establishments of init
mate relations of mutual advantage
between uS-however hard it may be
for them for the time being, to believe
that this is spoken from our hearts.
We have borne with their present
government through all these bitter
months because of that friendship
exercising Il patience and forbearance
which would otherwise have been inn
possible.
I'VE shall happily still have an on
portunity to prove that friendship In
our uallN ana dCIlOnS TO-
wards the millions of men and women
of German birth and native sympathy
who live amongst us and share our
life, and we shall be proud to prove it
towards all who arein fact loyal to
their neighbors and to the govern
ment in the hour OF test. They are.
most of them, as true and loyal AmeTi-
cans as If they had never known any
other fealty or allegiances. They will
be prompt to stand with us in rebuk-
ing and restraining the few who may
be of different mind and purpose. If
there should be disloyalty, it will be
dealt with with a firm hand of stern
repression; but If it lifts its head at
all, it will lift it only here and there
and without countenance except from
a lawless and malignant few.
Many Months of Trial
'It is o distressing and oppressive
duty, gentlemen of the Congress,
which 1 have performed in thus ad-
dressing YOU. There are. It may be
many months of fiery trial and sacri-
flee ahead of us. II is a fearful thing
! to lead this great peaceful people into
war, into the most terrible and dis
astrous of all wars, civilization itself
seeming to be in the balance. But
the right is more precious than peace.
and we shall fight for the things which
we have always, carried nearest our
hearts-for democracy, for the right
of those who submit to authority to
have a voice in their own govern
ments, for the rights and liberties of
small nations, for a universal do
minion of right by such a concert
of free peoples as shall bring peace
and safety to all nations and make
the world itself at last free. To such
task we can dedicate our lives and
our fortunes, everything that we are
and everything that we have, with the
pride of those who know that the day
! has come when America is privileged
/ TO spend her blood and her might for
| the principles that gave her birth and
/ happiness and the peace which she
/ has treasured. God helping her, she
| can do no other.