The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-27
WILSON ASKS RIGHT
TO Defend VESSELS
Would Protect American
Ships and Men Against
German Submarines.
ARMED NEUTRALITY
Tieup of Shipping in Allan
tic Harbors asI Effectual
as Blockade.
!" ARMED NEUTRALITY"
CONTINUED From Page One.)

to war. War can come only by the
wilful acts and aggressions of Others"
Two Ships Sunk.
Four weeks of unrestricted SUBJ
marine warfare, the president told
congress, has seen the destruction of
at least two American ships; Amer
lean commerce driven in a large meas
ure from the seas, through fear Of the
underseas peril, and resulting con-
gestion of Americas vital industries
growing more serious every day. The
fact that more American lives had not
been lost. he said, was due more to
the fact that German submarine COM
manders had exercised IAN unexpected
discretion and restraint rather than
because of the instructions under
which they were acting. To be un-
prepared with congress out of session
the president said, would be most inn
prudent" Consequently he asked for
authority to act
Standing at the clerks desk in the
hall of the house, calm, grave, speak
ing earnestly in the attitude now be-
come familiar, the president delivered
his address while congress sat in a
tense, respectful silence, fully i'm
pressed with the soberness of the oc-
casion. No cheers and applause such
as have burst out before punctuated
his sentences. BY common consent
the members RETAINED from demon
stration as if in respect to the dig
There were vigorous mods of approval
from Democrats and Republicans who
have been urging forward course:
silence and indications of reserved
thought from those opposed.
Applause at Close.
But at the conclusion Of the ad-
dress, when the president spoke of
the fundamental rights on which are
based the structure of family, state
and liberty, and said:
II cannot imagine man with
American principles at his heart hesi-
tating to defend these things" the
cheers broke and resounded through
the chamber.
Whatever might have been the opin-
ions of some of those who dissented
from the speakers views, it was plain
that they were touched by his words.
At once the wheels of the congress
sional machinery began turning. The
pacifist element took stock of the war;
making possibilities Of the authority
the president requested; Republicans,
reluctant to leave the next steps to
the president without congress close
by to take a hand. considered means
Democrats who support the president
set about doing what he asked.
Secretary MeAdoo conferred with
the leaders who will have to do with
authorizing the bond issue, and Post
master General Burleson, who looks
in the house, was active in confer
ences.
Bill Introduced.
The result was the introduction Of
affairs committee. to be reported to
the house tomorrow. and {; meeting of
the senate foreign relations committee
to discuss a similar measure.
Tomorrow, perhaps, or next day at
the latest, will develop the breadth
and depth of the opposition the presi-
dent must face, in order, as Senator
Williams recently expressed it, "to un-
fool GERMANY The most serious con-
Germ of the presidents friends is that
out of the situation an impression may
go abroad, as on previous occasions,
that the united force of congress does
not stand behind him.
The armed neutrality which the
president proposes does not look to
war: whether it shall become war de-
Ponds upon those who infringe upon
the rights it seeks to protect. There