Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-04-12
PRESIDENT URGES
WAR AGAINST THE
KAISER'S MACHINE
Tells Congress Germany Has
Forced Fight by Dirty Sub
marine Work.
SAYS WE CAN'T KEEP OUT
mr.. Wilson Advises Use Of All Nations
Strength to Help Entente Allies
Crush Prussian Autoeraey
and Protect Freedom.

FlOhC~h
Speaking before a joint session Of
the senate and house on Monday night,
President Wilson declared that state
Of war already existed between Ger
many and the United States because
of Germany's unrestricted submarine
activities. He asked the legislative
body to make formal statement to
4his effect and to pass laws making ii
possible for the nation TO use all its
resources 10 defeat Germany and bring
m early peace.
He said emphatlcally that Americans
have no quarrel with the body OF Ger
man people, hut that we, as nation,
must join the entente allies to destroy
the autocratic government which seeks
60 dominate and bully the democratic
nations of the world. Regarding actual
war measures, Mr.. Wilson said:
at will involve the utmost practi-
cal cooperation in counsel and action
with the governments now at war with
Germany and, as incident to that, the
extension to those governments of the
AbbNl NIfbllt Ill Aiul Obb
resources may be added to theirs.
Resources.
at will involve the organization and
mobilization of all the material re-
sources of the country to supply the
materials of war and serve the incl
dental needs of the nation in the most
abundant and yet the most economical
apH aHifiapt Nyuy ,,nSCibIa
The Navy.
"It will involve the immediate full
equipment of the navy in all respects,
but particularly in supplying It with
the best means of dealing with the
eneyIy's submarines.
The Army.
at will involve the immediate addi-
fiOn to the armed forces of the United
States already provided for in case Of
war at least 100000 men, who should,
in my opinion, be chosen upon the
principle of universal liability to serv-
ice, and also the authorization Of sub
sequent additional increment of equal
force so soon as they may be needed
and can be handled in training.
Finance.
at will involve the granting ade-
quate credits to the government, sus-
tanned. hope, so far as they can equi-
tably be sustained by the present gen
GRAFTON, by well conceived taxation.
-. II seems to me that it would be
most unwise TO have the credits which
will now be necessary entered on bor-
TOwed money.
Munitions.
1--WE should interfere as little as
possible with the duty--for It will
be very practical duty-of supplying
the nations already at war with Ger
many with the material which they
can obtain only from u.s."
Review of Situation.
Reviewing the development of
trouble between Germany and the
United States, Mr.. Wilson said:
ION the Sd of February last l Off
rally laid before you the extraordi-
nary announcement of the imperial
German government that on and after
the first day of February it was its
purpose to put aside all restraints of
law or of humanity and use its sub
marines to sink every vessel that
sought TO approach either the ports of
Great Britain and Ireland or the west
ern coast of Europe or any of the ports
controlled by the enemies of Germany
within the Mediterranean.
1.-THE new policy has swept every re-
striction aside. Vessels of every kind,
whatever their flag, their character,
their cargo, their destination, their err
rand, have been ruthlessly sent to the
bottom without warning and without
thought of help or mercy for those on
board, the vessels of friendly neutrals
along with those of belllgerents.
Even Hospital Ships.
Even hospital ships and ships car
rying relief to the sOrely bereaved and
stricken people of Belgium, though the
latter were provided with safe-conduct
through the prescribed area by the
German government itself and were
distinguished by unmistakable marks
of identity, have been sunk with the
same reckless lack OF compassion or of
principle.
II am not now thinking of the loss
of property involved, immense and Sc
TiOus as 1t is, but only of the wanton
and wholesale destruction of the lives
of noncombatants, men, women and
children, engaged in pursuits, which
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