The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1917-04-06
PRESIDENT CALLS FOR WAR DECLARATION (:
Il STRONGER NAVY, NEW ARMY OF 500, 900 MEN,
FULL CO-OPERA TON WITH GERMANY7S FOES

and that in the presence of its organized power al
ways lying in wait to accomplish we know not what
purpose can be assured security for the demo-
cratic Governments of the world. We are now
about to accept the gauge of battle with this natural
foe to liberty and SHALL if necessary spend the
whole force of the nation to check and nullify it's
pretensions and its power We are glad, that
the facts with novel; of false pretense about
them, to fight thus for the intimate peace of the
world and for the liberation Of it's peoples the Ger
man peoples included; for the rights of nations,
great and small, and the privilege of men every
where to choose their way Of life and of obedience.
The world must be made safe for democracy.
Its peace must be planted upon the tested founda-
tions of political liberty We have selfish ends
to serve We desire no conquest, no dominion. We
seek no indemnties for ourselves, no material COM
pensaton for the sacrifices we shall freely make.
We are but one of the champions of the rights of
mankind We shall be satisfied when those rights
have been made secure the faith and the free
dom of nations make them
Just because we fight without rancor and with
out selfish object, seeking nothing for ourselves but
what we shall wish to share with all free pepoes,
we shall, feel confident conduct our operations as
begerents without passion and ourselves observe
with pround punctillo the principles of right and of
fair play we profess to be fighting for.
l have said nothing Of the Governments allied
with the Imperial Government of Germany because
they have not made upon challenged us
to defend right and honor. The Austro-
Hungarian Government has, indeed, avowed its un-
qualified Endorsement and acceptance of the reck-
less and lawless submarine warfare, adopted now
without disguise by the Imperial German Govern
ment and it has therefore not been possible for this
Government to receive Count Tarnwell, the Am
40
the Imperial and Royal Government of Austria
Hungary; but that Government has not actually en-
gagged in warfare against citizens of the United
States the SEAS and take the liberty, for the
present at least, of postpOning discussion of our
relations with the authorities at Vienna. We enter
this war only where are clearly forced into it
because there are other of defending
right.
1t will be all the easir for us to conduct our
selves as begerents in high spirit of right and
fairness because we act without anmus, not with
enmity toward a people with the desire to bring
any injury disadvantage upon them, but only in
armed opposition to an irresponsible Government
which has thrown aside all considerations of human
ity and of right and is running amuck
We are, let say again, the sincere friends of
the German people, and shall desire nothing much
as the early re-estabishment of intimate relations
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, exercis-
ing patience and forbearance which would other
wise have been impossible.
We shall happily still have an opportunity to
prove that friendship in our daily attitude and
actions toward the millions of men and women of
German birth and native sympathy who
live among us and share our life, and we shall be
proud to prove it toward all who are in fact loyal
to their neighbors and to the Government in the
hour of test They are most of them as true and
loyal Americans as if they had never known any
other featy or allegiance. They will be prompt
to stand with in rebuking and restraining the
few who may be of a different mind and purpose.
If there should be disoyalty, it will be dealt with
with firm hand of stern repression; but if it
lifts its head at all, it win lift it only here and
there and without countenance except from a law
less and malignant few.
1t is distressing and oppressive duty, gent
emen of the Congress, which have performed in
thus addressing you There are it may be, many
months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us It
is fearful thing to lead this great peaceful peo-
pie into war, into the most terrible and disastrous
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 have al
ways carried nearest our hearts-for democracy,
for the right of those who submit to authority to
have voice in their own Governments, for the
rights and liberties Of small nations, for a univer-
sal dominion of right by such concert of free peO-
Piles as shall bring peace and safety to all nations
and make the world itself at last free,
To such task can dedicate. our lives and
our fortunes, everything that we and every
thing that we have, with the pride of those who
know that the day has come when America is priv
leged to spend her blood and her might for the
principles that gavesh her birth and happiness and
the peace which she has treasured.
God helping her she can do no more