The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1917-03-02
R. LEM|RE HEARS
PRESIDENT WILSON

I was told that not since the United
States declared war on Spain has
there been recorded such scenes and
excitement about it's capital building
as when President Wilson appeared
there that day to tell the congress
that diplomatic relations with Ger
many had been severed. Although
it was not known until nearly noon
OF the 3rd that such a momentous
thing had come in the nations his
tory, within thirty minutes after the
issue of papers telling of 1T, thou
sands of persons We're on their way
to the capital Never before has
there been such a struggle for ad-
mission to the House wing of that
historic building. Capital policemen
and special officers were forced to
exert their utmost efforts to keep
marrow line open for entry OF the
president and party. On the outside
Of the capital several thousand per-
sons stood and applauded the presi-
dent as he reached the capital build
ing. Each member of the senate and
house was allotted one ticket af ad-
mission to the gallery. Most of the
tickets were given to their wives and
was fortunate enough to receive
one through the courtesy of Senator
Myers. Attorney James Murray OF
Butte and myself were the only ones
of the severial hundred Montana Wis
itnrs at the capital who heard the
speech.
The galleries filled to the doors in
less than one hour. Persons who were
denied tickets of admission-that is,
the general public--offered fancy
prices for one of the pasteboards and
pleaded with the members of con-
eress to get them into the gallery
somehow. In ninety-nine cases out
of a hundred these pleas were un-
.avalling.
A great outburst of applause met
President Wilson as he entered the
doorway of the capital building.
When he entered the house the oc-
casipn was of such gravity that the
applause was of less than several
minutes duration. But fourteen min
utes were consumed in the reading
OF the epochal address. The scene
was the most inspiring | ever wit
ntsssed. The president spoke slowly,
almost huskily, as he started. He
would halt frequently when inter-
rupted by the outburst of applause,
but he did not smile. His voice was
firm as he announced the severance
and the possible consequences. 1t was
vibrant with suppressed emotion as
he said: God grant that we may
not be challenged to defend them
(American rights) from acts of will
ful injustice on the part of the gov
ernment of Germany"
The president began his address by
g brief outline of the various phases
of the submarine controversy leading
up to the revocation by Germany of
her pledges. He told of the note
which had been sent to Berlin by this
government on April IS, 1916, in con-
nection with the destruction by a
German submarine of the steamer
Sussex. And he read of the warnings
set forth in that note that if Ger
many did not Immediately declare
in effect an abandonment" of her
,i, 60 ut Hor
course would be left open to the
government of the United States but
to sever diplomatic relations with the
German empire altogether
He then told of the German reply,
setting forth the pledges that the
ruthless methods would be abandoned
and of the implied conditions at
tached to the pledges. requiring the
United States to abandon her star
walton blockade of Germany.
These assurances he reminded
congress, had drawn from the United
States reply specifically stating
that acceptance of the guarantees
was not an acceptance of the condi-
tions set forth.
To this reply, he explained, no re-
sponse had come from Germany until
Jan. "a, when notice of the new SUBJ
marine campaign was presented to
Secretary of State Lansing by Count
Won Bernstorf, the German ambass-
ador.
In face of this deliberate with
drawal' of her pledges, the president
said, amidst an impressive hush, mo
course remained but to sever rela-
tions, and forthwith he announced
sing to recall Ambassador Gerard and
that he had directed Secretarv Lam