The Ely miner., 1917-11-09

submarines are I'm effect outlaws, when
use as the German submarines have
been used against merchant shipping,
1t Is impossible to defend ships against
their attacks as the law Of nations has
assumed that merchantmen would de-
fend themselves against prfvateers or
cruisers, visible craft giving chase up
on the open sea. 1t Is common pru-
deHce in such circumstances, grim nee
| essity indeed, to endeavor to destroy
them before they have shown their own
intention. They must be dealt with up
ON sight, II dealt with at all.
The German government denies the
right OF neutrals to use arms at all
within the areas Of the sea which 1t
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 of law and
subject to be dealt with as pirates
would be. Armed neutrality is inefYec-
tual enough at best, In such circum-
stances and I'm the face of such preten-
stOns 1t fs worse than Intellectual, 1t is
likely only to produce what 1t was
meant to prevent, 1T is practically GER
tain to draw us into var without either
the rights or the effectiveness of the bel
lfgerents. There II one choice we can
not make, we are Incapable of making: |:
We Will not choose the path of submis-
sion and suffer the most sacred rights
or our nation and our people to be fg-
nored or violated. The wrongs against
which we now array ourselves are no
common wrongs; they cut to the very
roots of human life.
With n profound sense of the solemn
and even tragical character of the step
L am taking and of the grave RESPONSE
bilitfes which 1t involves, but In un-
hesitating obedience to what I deem
my constitutional duty, I advise that
the congress declare the recent course
of the Imperial German government to
be in fact nothing less than war
against the government and people of
the United States; that 1t formally ac-
cept the status of belligerent which has
thus been thrust upon 1t; and that it
take immediate steps not only to put
the country in a more thorough state
of defense. but also to exert all its
power and employ all it's 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
the governments now at war with Ger
many, and as incident to that. the ex-
tension to those governments of the
most liberal financial credits in order
that our resources may so far as pos
sible be added to theirs.
1t 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
and efficient way possible.
1t will involve the immediate full
equipment of the navy in all respects,
but particularly in supplying 1t with
the best means of dealing with the enc
my'S submarines.
1t will involve the immediate addi-
tion to the armed forces of the United
case Of war. of at least 5000 men,
who should, in my opinion, be chosen
upon the principle of universal liabil-
ity to service, and also the authorize
tion of subsequent additional incre-
ments 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, I hope, SO far
as they can equitably be sustained by
the present generation, by well-cOn-
ceived taxation.
L say sustained so far as may be
equitable by taxation, because 1T seems
to me that 1T would be most unwise to
base the credits, which will now be
necessary, entirely on money borrowed.
1t is our duty, 1 most respectfully urge,
to protect our people, SO far as we
may, against the very serious hard
ships and evils which would be likely
to arise out of the imitation which would
be produced by vast loans.
In carrying out the measures by
which these things are to he accom-
pIished we should keep constantly In
mind the wisdom of interfering as lit
tie as possible In our own preparation
tary forces with the duty-fOr 1t will
be a very practical duty-Of supplying
the nations already at war with Ger
many with the materials which they
can obtain only from us or by our MS
sistance. They are In the field, and we
should help them In every way to be
effective there.
L shall take the liberty of suggest
ing, through the several executive de-
partments of the government, for the
consideration of your committees,
measures for the accomplishment of
the several objects I nave mentioned.
1 hope that it will be your pleasure to
deal with them as having been framed
after very careful thought by the
the responsibility OF conducting the
war and safeguarding the nation will
most directly fall.
While we do these things, these deep
Iy mOmentOus things, let us be very
clear, and make very clear to all the
world, what our motives and our OBJ
jects are. My own thought has mot
been driven from its habitual and nor
NAL course by the unhappy events of
the last two months, and I do not be-
lieve that the thought of the nation
has been altered or clOuded by them. 1
have exactly the same things In mind
now that 1 had I'm mind when 1 ad-
dressed the senate on the 22d c. Janu-
nry last; the same that 1 had In mind
when 1 addressed congress on the Sd of
February and on the 26th of February.
Our object now, as then, Is to vindicate
the principles Of peace and Justice I'm
the life of the world as against selfish
and autOcrat1c power, and to set up
among the really free and seIf-gOv-
erned peoples of the world such a con-
cert of purpose and of action as will
henceforth insure the observance of
those principles.
Neutrality is no longer feasible or
desirable where the peace of the world
is involved and the freedom of it's peo-
pIes, and the menace to that peace and
freedom lies in the existence of auto
cratic governments, backed by organ
lied force which is controlled wholly
by their Will, not by the will of their
people. We have seen the last of neu-
traIity in such circumstances. We are
at the beginning of an age In which 1T
will be insisted that the same stand
ards of conduct and of responsibility
for wrong done shall be observed
among nations and their governments
that are observed among the Individual
citizens of civilized states.
We have no quarrel with the German
people. We have no feeling toward
them but one Of sympathy and friend
ship. It was not upon their impulse
that their government acted in enter
ing the war. It was not with their