The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-04-05

on h open sea. 1t is common pru-
n in such circumstances, grim ne
cessity, indeed, to endeavor to destroy
them before they have shown their
intention. They must be dealt
with upon sight. f dealt with at all.
The German government denies the
right of neutrals to use arms at all
within the areas of the sea which IL
has prescribed. even in the defense of
rights which no modern publicist has
ever before questioned their right to
defend. The intimation is conveyed
that the armed guards which we have
placed on our merchant ships will be
treated as beyond the pale or law and
subject to be dealt with as pirates
would be. Armed neutrality Is in
effectual enough at best; in such cir
cumstances and in the face of such
pretentions 1t is worse than ineffec-
tual: 1t is likely once to produce what
1t was meant to prevent; 1T is pracri-
cally certain to draw us into the war
without either the rights or the effec-
tiveness OF belligerents.
There is one choice we cannot
make. we are incapable of making;
we will not choose the path Of SUBJ
mission and suffer the most sacred
rights of our nation and our people
to be ignored or violated. The wrongs
against which we now array ourselves
are not common wrongs: they cut to
the very roots of human life.
Germany is Waging War.
With a profound sense OF the SOL
emn and even tragical character Of
the step / am taking and. Of the grave
responsibilities which II involves. hut
In unhesitating obedience to wha
do deem my constitutional duty, adj
wise that the Congress declare the re-
cent course OF the imperial German
government to be in fact nothing less
than wal against the government n
people of the United States; that It
formally accept the status of belliger-
enfs which has thus beer thrust upon
it, and That " take immediate steps
not only to put the IN a more
thorough state of defenSe. mne aiso
to exert all its power AMI employ ali
its resources to bring the government
Of the German empire to terms and
end the war.
What this will involve is clear. 1t
will involve the UTMOST practicable CO.
operation In counsel and action with
me Eovernments now at war W..
Germany, and. as Incident to that, the
extension to those governments of the
most liberal financial credits. In or
| der that our la so far as
| possible. be added to theirs. 1t will
involve the organization and mobili-
zation of all the material OF
the country to supply the materials of
war Inc serve the incidental needs of
the nation II the most abundant and
| yet most economical and efficient way
possible. It will involve the immedi-
ate full equipment OF the navy in all
| respects, but particularly in supplying
it with the best means of dealing with
the eneiny's submarines. 1t will in
yolve the immediate addition to the
armed forces of the United States. al
ready provided for by law in case of
in my opinion. be chosen upon the
principal of universal liability to SER
vice and also the authorization of
subsequent additional increments of
equal force so soon as they may be
needed and can be handled in train
ing.
1t will involve also. of course. the
granting of adequate credits to the
government, sustained, i hope. so far
the present generation by well con-
ceived taxation. I say sustained so
far as may be equitable by taxation
because 1t seems to me that IL would
be most unwise to base the credits
which will not be necessary entirely
on money borrowed. 1t Is our duty, /
most respectfully urge. to protect our
people, so far as we may, against the
very serious hardships and evils which
would be likely to arise out of the in
fation which would be produced by
vast loans.
Must Aid Entente Nations.
In carrying out the measures by
which these things are to be accom-
piished we should keep constantly in
mind the wisdom of interfering as lit
tie as possible into our own prepara-
ton and the equipment of our own
military forces with the duty-for 1t
will be a very practical duty-of sup
plying the nations already at war
with Germany with the materials
which they can obtain only from us
or by our assistance. They are in
the field and we should help them in
every way to be effective here.
/ shall take the liberty of suggest
ing, through the several executive de-
partments of the government, for the
considerations of your committees.
measures for the accomplishment OF
the several objects ] have mentioned.
l hope that 1t will be your pleasure
to deal with them as having been
framed after very careful thought by
the branch Of the government upon
which the responsibility OF conduct
ing the war and safeguarding the ma
ton will most directly fall.
While we do these things, these
deeply momentous things. let us be
very clear. to all the world what our
motives and what our objects are. My
own thought has not been driven
from its habitual and normal course
by the unhappy events OF the last two
months and I do not believe that the
thought OF the nation has been alter
ed or clouded by them.
! have exactly the same things In
mind nov that ! had In mind when /
Addressed the Sonata ON the 22nI Of