The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-04-06
President Urges Congress
To Declare State of War

special session of congress Monday
evening on the war situation, and
left no doubt in their minds that he
wants the United States to enter the
war aggressively on the side of the
entente allies and refuse submission
to the OutlaWed freedom Of the seas.
While he was speaking the first
news of the sinking of an armed
merchant ship, Americans aboard, by
submarine came to Washington from
Brest. Sixteen of the crew we're
Americans, and some of them report
ed missing. This is the first armed
merchantmen to have been torped-
oed.
The president opened his speech
with an account of the submarine
policy adopted by Germany in de-
fiance of accepted rules of sea free
dom, how the Germans somewhat
surtailed their frightfulness for a
while, and how the new policy casts
mercy to the winds and every restric-
ton aside, warning, saving lives,
everything.
= AS for dealing with the .subma-
rines, the president believes there Is
no way but to sink them on sight.
No Alternative
BE- After declaring that armed neu-
trality is Intellectual and that mer-
chant shipping cannot be defended
from submarine attacks without
striking them before they show any
intentions, the president said:
"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
Help Allies
The declaration of a state of war,
and an aggressive part in bringing
the war to an end, the president con-
tinued, would involve:
"* The utmost practicable CO
operation in council and action with
the governments now at war with
Germany, and, as an incident to that,
the extension to those governments
of the most liberal financial credits.
1t will involve the immedi-
ate addition to the armed forces OF
the United 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
Forced In
eve enter this war only where we
are clearly forced into 1t because
there are no other means of defend
ing our rights"
The president pronounced our &C
ton, If we go into the war, as direct
ed not with enmity for the German
people, but only in armed OPPOSE
ton to an irresponsible government
which has thrown aside all consider
atoms of humanity or right and is
running amuck."
Loyalty Expected
Speaking of the American men and
women of German birth and native
sympathy, the president said we shall
prove to them our friendship in daily
associations, and we may expect them
to promptly stand with us in rebuk-
ing and restraining the few who may
be other minded.
"If there should be disloyalty, it
will be death with with firm hand
Of stern repression"
American Purposes
The closing lines of the presidents
message are a noble restatement OF
Lhe free and humane creed subscrib-
ed to by the founders of this nation
and all who have followed them into
The possession of our wonderful
country with is glorious traditions
and democratic institutions. Here is
The close of the epoch making mes
cage: -...
"And we shall fight for the things
which we have always carried near
,st our hearts-for democracy, for
he right of those who submit to
authority to have a voice in their
,wn governments, for the rights ana
liberties of small nations, for uni
rersal dominion of right by such a
concert of free people as shall BRING
,eace and safety to all nations ana
make the world itself at least free.
70 such a task we can dedicate our
ives and our fortunes, everything
hat we are and everything that we
ave, with the pride of those who
now that the day has come when
america is privileged to spend her
Hood and her might for the prin-
niles that gave her birth and happ1-
ess and the peace which she mas
reasured. God helping her, she can