Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-02-26

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Asks Larger Authority
81 feel that I ought, in view Of that
fact, to obtain from you full and i'm
mediate assurance of the authority
which NAV need at any moment to ex-
ercise. No doubt | already possess that
authority without special warrant OF
law, BY the implication Of my eonstitu-
tional duties and powers, but | prefer
in the present circumstances, net 10 act
upon general implications. / wish ia
feel that the authority and the power
Of the congress are behind me in what
ever it may become necessary for me
to do. We are jointly the servants of
the people and must act together and in
their spirit, so far as we can divine
and interpret it.
No one doubts what it is our duty
to do. We must defend our commerce
and the lives of our people in the midst
of the present trying circumstances
with discretion, but with clear anC
steadfast purpose. Only the method and
the extent remain to be chosen, upor
the occasion, if occasion should indeed
arise. Since it has unhappily proved i'm
possible to safeguard our neutral right.
by diplomatic means against the un
warranted infringements, they are suf
fering at the hands of Germany. there
may be no recourse but to armed neu
trality, which we shall know how tC
maintain, and for which there is abund
ant American precedent.
sit is devoutly to be hoped that il
will not be necessary to put armed
force anywhere into action. The Am
erican people do not desire it and oul
desire is not different from theirs.
am sure that they will understand the
spirit in which 1 am now acting, the
purpose | hold nearest my heart and
would wish to exhibit in everything
do.
Wants World to Know
60 am anxious that the people of the
nations at war also should understand
and not mistrust us. | hope that need
give no further proofs and assurances
than / have already given throughout
| nearly three years of anxious patience
that l am the friend Of peace and meaI
to preserve it for America as long as
| | am able.
81 am not now proposing or contem
plating war or any steps that need lead
to it. 1 merely request that you will ac
! cord me by your own vote and def
mite bestowal the means and the author
| ity to safeguard in practice the right
of a great people who are at peace anC
who are desirous Of exercising none but
/ the rights of peace to follow the pur
suits of peace in quietness and gooC
/ will-rights recognized time out mint
[ t.v bn al -t1izal ttop- Of tho h
No course of my choosing or of their:
will lead to war. War can come only by
the wilful acts and aggressions of 9th
I ers.
You will understand why I cal
make no definite proposals or forecasts
of action now and must ask for you
supporting authority in the most gener
al terms. The form in which action may
/ become necessary cannot yet be fore
seen.
II believe that the people will b,
willino to trust me to act with restraint
| with prudence and in the true spirit o.
amity and good faith that they hay,
themselves displayed throughout thes'
trying months; and it is IN that belle
that l request that you will authoriz'
me to supply our merchant ships will
defensive arms, if that becomes neces
sary and with the means of using them
and to employ all other instrumental
ties or methods that may be necessar,
and adequate to protect our ships ant
our people in their legitimate and peace
full pursuits on the high seas. | reques
also that you will grant ME at the sam
time, along with the powers | ask,
sufficient credit to enable me to pro
vide adequate means of protectio
where they are lacking, including ade
quate insurance against the present wa
risks.
Human Life is First
/ "I have spoken of our commerc
and of the legitimate errands of GU
people ON the seas, but you will not b
misled as to my main thought, tn
thought that lies beneath these phrase
and gives them dignity and weight. l
is not of material interests merely tha
we are thinking. 1t is rather OF funde
mental human rights, chief of all tn
right of life itself ! am thinking, no
only of the rights of Americans to 9
and come about the proper business b
way OF the sea, but also of somethin
mum ueeptE, HucH ldoTe IuHQdHeHtd
than that. am thinking of those right
of humanity without which there is n
/ civilization. Ny theme is of the grea
principles of compassion and protectio
: which mankind has sought to thro,
about human lives, the lives of nor
combatants, the lives of men who ar
peacefully at work keeping the indu,
trial processes of the world quick an
vital, the lives of women and childre
] and of those who supply the laho
which ministers to their sustenance. w
are speaking of no selfish materia
rights, but of rights which our heart
support and whose foundation is tina
righteous passion for justice upo
which all law, all structures alike 0
family, of state and of mankind INNS