South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-03
Advises Congress
Decree State of War.

With a profound sense Of the sol
emn and even tragical character Of
the step / am taking and Of the
grave responsibilities which it in
wolves, but in unhesitating obedience
to what L deem my constitutional
duty, I advise that the congress de-
clare the recent course of the inn
perial German government to be in
J fact nothing less than war against
! the government and people of this
United States; that il formally ac-
cept the status of belligerent which
| has thus been thrust upon it and
| that il take immediate steps not only
TO put the country in a more thor
ough state of defense, but also to
| exert all its power and employ all
its resources to bring the govern
ment of the German empire to terms
and end the war.
What this will involve is clear. 1t
Will involve the utmost practical BILE
cooperation i'm counsel and action
with the governments now at war
with Germany and. as incident 10
that. the extension 10 these govern
mems of the most liberal financial
credits. in order that our resources
may, so far as possible. be added 10
theirs. 1t will involve the organiza-
ton and mobilization of all material
resources of the country to supply
the materials of war and serve the
/ incidental needs of the nation in
the most abundant, and yet the most
economical and efficient way pos
sible. It will involve the immediate
| full equipment of the navy in all
! respects. but particularly in supply
/ ing il with the best means of deal
| ing with the enemy's submarines. 1t
Will involve the immediate addition
10 the armed forces of the United
States already provided for by law
| in case of war, at least 500. goo men.
who should, in my opinion, be chosen
upon the principle of universal LA
bility TO service and also the author
ization of subsequent additional in,
crements of equal force so soon as
they may be needed and can be
handled in training.
1t will involve also, Of course. the
granting of adequate credits to the
government, sustained / hope, so far
as they can equitaby be sustained by
the present generation. by well con
ceived taxation. / say sustained SO
far as may be equitable by taxation
because il seems TO me that IL would
be most unwise TO base the credits
which will now be necessary en-
tirely on money borrowed. IL is our
duty I 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 initiation which
would he produced by vast loans
Must not Interfere
With L. =. Preparations.
In carrying out the measures by
which these things are TO be accom-
pHshed we should keep constantly
in mind the wisdom of interfering
as little as possible in our own prep
aration and in the equipment of our
own military forces with the duty
/ for it Will be a very practical duty
( of supplying the nations already at
war with Germany with the mater
/ ials which they can obtain only from
Jus or by our assistance. They are in
/ the field and we should help them
\ in every way TO be effective there.
| I shall take the liberty of sug
( costing through the several eNecu-
! tive departments OF the government
\ for the consideration Of your COM
/ mitteeS. measures for the accom-
plishment OF the several objects ?
/ have mentioned. I hope that il viii
! be your pleasure 10 deal with them
as having been framed after very
/ careful thought by the branch OF
/ the government upon which the re-
lsponsibiuty Of conducting the war
and safeguarding the nation viii
most directly fall.
While we do these things these
| deeply momentous things, let Us be
/ very clear. and make very clear TO
all the world what our motives and
our objects are. Ny own thought has
] not been driven from its habitual
and normal course by the uahappy