Mexico Missouri message., 1917-11-08

nothing for ourselves but what we shall
wish to share with all free people, we
shall, feel confident, conduct our oper-
atoms as belligerents without passion
and ourselves observe with proud pune
ulio the principles Of right and of fair
play we profess to be fighting for.
1 have said nothing Of the govern
ments allied with the Imperial gov
ernment of Germany because they have
not made war upon US or challenged
US to defend cur right and our honor.
Ihe AuStrO-HunGarinn government has,
indeed, nvOwed it's unqualified indOrse-
ment md acceptance of the reckless
and iawless submarine warfare, adopt
ed now without disguise By the Knaper-
ial German government, and II has
therefore not been possible for this
government to receive Count Tarnow-
SKI, the ambassador recently accredited
10 this government by the Imperial and
Royal government of Austria HunRaFyt
but that government has not actually
engaged In warfare against citizens of
the United States on the seas, and 1
tnke the liberty, for the present Mt
least, OF pOstpOninE n discussion of our
relations with the authorities mt vi
emma. We enter this war only where
we are clearly forced into Il because
there are no other means of defending
our rights.
1t will be all the easier for MS to
conduct ourselves as beIIIEerents In a
nigh spirit of right and fairness be-
cause we act without anlmus, mot with
enmity toward a people or with the
desire to bring any injury or disad-
vantage upon them, but only in armed
opposition to irrespOnsibIe govern
ment which has thrown aside all con-
alterations of humanity and of right
and IL running amuck.
We are, let me say ngnin, the sin
cere friends Of the German people, and
shall desire nothing so much as the
early re-establIshment Of intimate reIa-
hOns OF mutual advantage between MS,
however hard IL 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 bo-
cause of that friendship, exercising n
patience and fOrbenrance which would
otherwise have been impossible.
We shall happily still have an op-
portunity 20 prove that frieudShIp in
our daily attitude and actions toward
the millions of men and women of Ger
man birth and native sympathy who
live among us and share our life, and
we shall be proud to prove It toward
all who are I'm fact lOynl to their neigh
bors and to the government In the hour
OF test They are most of them as true
nnd loyal Americans as IL they had
never known any other fealty or nj
iegiance. They will be prompt to stand
with us In FebukinE and restraining
the few who may be of n different mind
and purpose. II there should be dis
loyalty, II will be dealt with with n
hrm hand of stern repressiOny but If
II lifts it's head at NIL, Il will lift IL
only here and there and without coun-
tenance except from a IawIesH and
malignant few.
1t II distressing and oppressive duty,
gentlemen of the congress, which 1
have performed in thus addressing you.
There are, 1t may be, many months of
merry trial and sacrifice ahead of us.
IL is n fearful thing to lead this great.
peaceful people into war, into the most
terrible and disastrous of all wars, civ
lliSatiOn itself seeming to be in the
balance.
But the right Is more precious than
peace, and we shall flRht for the things
which we have always carried nearest
our hearta--for democracy, for the
right of those who submit to authority
to have voice in their own govern
ments, for the rights and liberties of
small nations, for n universal dominion
of right by such a concert of free peO-
NIL nations and make the world itself
at last free.
To such a task VIC 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 aud 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.