Evening journal., 1917-12-04
continued from First page.

the executive now she must
WELD it.
Following is the Presidents message
in full:
Gentlemen OF the Congress Eight
months have elapsed since last had the
honor OF addressing you. They have
been months crowded with events of
immense and grave significance for us.
shall not undertake TO detail or even
10 summarize those events. The prac-
teal particulars Of the part we have
played in them will be laid before YOU
I'm the reports Of the executive depart
menis. shall discuss only our present
outlook upon these vast affairs. our
present duties, and the immediate means
Of accomplishing the objects we shall
hold alvtys in view
81 shall not go back 10 debate the
causes Of the war. The iHtolerablc
wrongs done and planned against Us by
The minister masters Of Germany have
long since become too grossly obvious
and od0us 90 every true American 20
need 20 be rehearsed. ] shall ask YOU
10 consider again and with a very grave
scrutiny our ohiectives and the meas
ures by which we mean TO attain them ;
for the purposes of discussion here IN
this place Is action and our action must
move straight towards definite ends.
Our object is. Of course. TO win the
war. and we shall not slacken or suffer
ourselves to be diverted until II Is won.
But IL Is worth while asking-ask-
ing and answering the question. when
shalp we consider the war won2
From one point Of view it IS not
necessary 90 broach this Fundamental
matter ! do not doubt that the Ameri-
can people know what the war is about
and what sort Of an outcome they Will
regard as a realization Of their purpose
I'm II. As a nation we are united in
spirit and intention. pay little heed
TO those who tell me otherwise hear
the voices Of dlssent-whO does not?
hear the criticism and the clamor Of the
noisily thOughtless and troublesome.
I also see men here and there ilinging
themselves in impotent diSloyalty
against the calm. indOmitable power Of
the nation. hear men debate peace
who understand neither It's nature nor
the way in which we may attain il
with uplifted yes and unbroken spirits.
Tor the nation. They do not touch the
heart Of anything. They may safely be
left TO strut their uneasy hour and be
forqttten.
but from another pOint Of view ]
believe that II is necessary 10 say plain
ly what we here at the seat OF action
consider the war 10 be for and what
( part we mean 10 play in the settlement
of its searching issues We are the
spOkesmen Of the American people and
they have a right 10 know whether
their purpose is ours. They desir,
peace by the overcoming Of evil, by thu
defeat once for all OF the sinister forces
that interrupt peace and render II i'm
possible and they wish TO know how
closely our thought runs with their
and what action we propose. They ar
impatient with these who desire pcae
by any sort OF eOmpromise-deepl.
and Indignantly impatient-but the.
will be equally impatient with us !
we do not make Il plain 10 them wha
our detectives are and what we arr
planning for in seeking TO make con
quest Of peace by arms.
81 believe that ! speak for them wher
/ I say two things: First that this in
! tOlerable THING Of which the masters OF
Germany have shown us the ugly face
Lthis menace Of combined intrigue anc
force which We now see 50 clearly az
/ the German power, a THING without
conscience or honor or capacity f0l
covenanted peace. must be crushed and
| If it be not utterly brought TO an end
at least shut out from the friendly in.
/ tercoursc of The nations: and. secon
that when this thing ami its power
are indeed defeated and The time ccmc'
that we can discuss peace when the
German people have sp0kesnen wlas'
word we can believe and when thOs'
spokesmen are ready in The name OF
their people 10 accept the common
Judgment Of the nations ss 60 vha
shall hencef0rih be the bases Of lav
and Of covenant for the life Of The worlC
we shah be willing and glad 10 pa,
the full price for peace, and pay d
ungrudgingly. We know what tha
price will be. II will be full, inpariia
juStice-iustice done at every point an'
to every hatiOn that the final settle
ment must affect, our enemies as vel
as our friends.
"You catch. with me. the voices o
humanity that are in the air. The'
grow daily more audible, more articu
late, more persuasive and they conn
from the hearts Of men everywhere
They insist that the war shall not enc
in vindictive action Of any kind iha
no nation or people shall be rehhe'
or punished because the irresponsible
rulers Of single country have them
selves done deep and abominabl'
wrong. II Is this thought that ha
been expressed in ihe formula no an
nexations, no contributions, no punitive
indemnities. Just because this crud'
formula expresses the instructive iudg
ment as 10 right Of plain men every
where 10 has been made diligent use o.
by the masters OF German intrigue q
lead the people Of Russia astray
the people OF every other country iheh
agents could reach, In order that a pre-
mature peace might be brought abou
|, before autocracy has been taught it
final and convincing lesson and TN
people Of the world put in control o
their own destinies.
Must Crush Autocracy.
But the fact that a wrong use hs'
been made Of a Just idea Is no reasor
why a right use should not be mad'
Of IL. Il ought 10 be brought under th'
patronage Of its real friends. Let i
be said again that autocracy must frs
be shown the utter futility Of it'
claims 10 power or leadership in th'
modern world II is impossible to ap
ply any standard Of Justice so Ions az
such forces are unchecked and unde
feated as the present masters Of Ger
many command. Not until that Ia.