Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-27
WILSON ASKS POWER
TO DEAL IN CRISIS
Executive Requests Authority
of Congress to Declare
Armed Neutrality.
TALKS TO JOINT SESSION

TALKS TO JOINT SESSION
Continued From Page oneJ
theirs" said he, will lead to war.
War can come only by the willful
acts and aggressions Of others
Text Of Address.
The president said:
Gentlemen of the congress: | have
again asked the privilege OF address
ing you because we are moving
through critical times during which
it seems to me to be my duty to
keep in close touch with the houses
Of congress so that neither counsel
nor action shall run at cross purposes
between US.
"On the Sd OF February | Off
cially informed you of the sudden and
unexpected action of the imperial gov
ernment in declaring its intention to
disregard the promises it had made
TO this government in April last
and undertake immediate submarine
operations against all commerce,
whether OF belligerents or of reutrals,
that should seek to approach Great
Britain and Ireland, the Atlantic
coasts Of Europe or the harbors of the
eastern Mediterranean and to conduct
those operations without regard to the
established restrictions OF interna-
tional practice, without regard to any
considerations of humanity which
might interfere with their object. That
policy was forthwith put into prac-
tice. 1t has now been in active exc
cution for nearly four weeks.
cts practical results are not fully
disclosed. The commerce OF other
neutral nations Is suffering severely.
but not, perhaps, very much more Sc
yerely than il was already suffering
before the LII Of February, when the
new policy OF the imperia, German
government was put into operation.
We have asked the cooperation Of
the other neutral governments to pre-
vent these depredations, but fear
none Of them thought 1t wise to join
us in any common course OF action.
Our own commerce has suffered, Is
suffering, rather in apprehension than
in fact, rather because so many of our
ships are timidly keeping to their
home ports than because American
ships have been sunk.
Two American Vessels Sunk.
Two American vessels have been
sunk, the Housatonic and the Lyman
NJ Law. The case of the Housa-
tonic, which was carrying foodstuffs
consigned to London, was essentially
like the case Of the Frye, in which, It
will be recalled. the German governs
ment admitted Its liability for dam
ages, and the lives of the crew, as in
the case Of the Frye, were safeguarded
= with reasonable care.
"The case of the Law, which was
carrying box slaves to Palermo. dis
closed a ruthlessness OF method which
deserves grave condemnation, but was
accompanied by no circumstances
which might not have been expected
at any time in connection with the
use OF the submarine against mer-
chantmen as the German government
has used It.
an sum, therefore, the situation we
find ourselves in with regard to the &C
tual conduct Of the German submarine
warfare against commerce and its eff
fects upon our own ships and people
is substantially the same as 1t was
when | addressed you on the Sd oil
February except for the tying up Of
our shipping in our own ports be-
cause OF the unwillingness of our ship
owners to risk their vessels at sea
without insurance or adequate protec.
ton and the very serious congestion
of our commerce which has resulted
a congestion which is growing rap.
idly more and more serious every
day.
Blockade In Fact.
This in itself might presently &C.
complish, in effect, what the new Ger,
man submarine orders were meant &c
accomplish, so far as we are con,
cerned. We can only say, therefore
that the overt act which ] have ven
tured to hope the German command
ers would in fact avoid has not oc
Cured"
"But while this is happily true I
must be admitted that there have beer
certain additional indications and ex
pressions Of purpose on the part OF tn,
German press and the German author
tiles which have increased rather thar
lessened the impression that II on
ships and our people are spared |
will be because OF fortunate circum
stances or because the commander
OF the German submarines which the,
may happen to encounter exercise al
unexpected discretion and restrain
rather than because of the instruction
under which those commanders ar
acting.
Situation Most Critical.
1T would be foolish to deny tina
the situation is fraught with the gray
est possibilities and dangers. N
thoughtful man can fail to see tina
the necessity for definite action ma
come at any time, if we are in fac
and not in word merely, to defend on
elementary rights as neutral natior
II would be most imprudent to be ur
prepared.
u cannot in such circumstances b
unmndful OF the fact that the expirs
ton of the term OF the present cor
gress is Immediately at hand, by cor
stitutional limitations, and that
would in all likelihood require an III
usual length OF time to assemble an
organize the congress which is to SD,
coed it.
Il feel that ought, in view OF Thu
fact. to obtain from you full and in
mediate assurance of the authoril
may need at any moment to exc
else. No doubt ] already possess TIL
cover without special warrant Of W,
by the plain implication OF my col
stitutional limitations and that