The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1917-04-06
Text of the Presidents Address

The German Government denies the right Of
neutrals to arms at all within the areas of the
which it has prescribed even in the defense of
rights which modern publicst has ever before
questioned their right to defend The intimation is
conveyed that the armed guards which we have
placed merchant ships will be treated as be-
yound the pale of law and subject to be dealt with as
pirates would be. Armed neutrality is Intellectual
enough at BEST in such circumstances and in the
face of such pretensons it is than inefectua
it likely only to produce what it meant pre-
vent; it is practically certain to draw us into the
war without either the rights or the effectiveness
Of belgerents There is one choice we cannot make,
we are incapable of making; we will not choose the
path of submission and suffer the most sacred rights
of our nation and our people to be ignored or vio-
lated hTe wrongs against which array our
selves are no common wrongs; they cut to the very
roots of human life.
With profound sense of the solemn and even
tragical character of the step am taking and Of the
grave responsibilities which it involves but in un-
hestating obedience to what l deem my constitu-
tional duty, advise that the Congress declare the
recent course of the Imperial German Government
to be in fact nothing less than against the Gov
emment and people of the United States; that it
formally accept the status of bellgerent which has
thus been thrust upon it, and that it take immediate
steps not only to put the country in more thor
ough state of Defense but also to exert all its pow
er and employ all its resources to bring the Gov
ernment of the German Empire to terms and end
the war.
What this will involve is clear. 1t will involve
the utmost practicable cooperation in counsel and
action with the Governments now at war with Ger
many, and, incident to that, the extension to
those Governments of the most liberal financial cred
itc in rda hat
sible be added to theirs
1t will involve the organization and mobiliza-
tion of all the material resources of the country
to supply the materials of war and serve the in
cidenta needs of the nation in the most abundant
and yet the most economical and efficient way pos
sible.
1t will involve the immediate full equipment of
the navy in all respects, but particularly in supply
ing it with the best of dealing with the
enemys submarines.
1t will involve the immediate addition to the
armed forces of the United States, already provid-
ed for by law in case of war, of at least 100000
men, who should in my opinion be chosen upon the
principle of universal liability to service and also
the authorization of subsequent additional inere-
ments in equal force as they may be needed
and can be handled in training.
1t will involve also, of course the granting of
adequate creulJS 10 Jne Government, sustained
hope so far as they can equitably be sustained by
the present generation by well conceived taxation
say sustaind so far as may be equitable by
taxation because it seems to me that it would be
most unwise to base the credits which will now be
necessary entirely on money borrowed. 1t is our
duty most respectfully urge to protect 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 be accomplished we should keep con-
stantly in mind the wisdom of interfering as little
possible in own preparation and in the equip
ment of our own military forces with the duty-for
it win be very practical duty-of supplying the
nations already at war with Germany the materials
which they can obtain only from us or by our as
sstance. They are in the field and we should help
them in every way to be effective there.
/ shall take the liberty of suggesting, through
the several executive departments of the Govern
ment, for the consideration of your committees,
measures for the accomplishment Of the several OBJ
ects have mentioned. / hope that it will be your
pleasure to deal with them as having been framed
after very careful thought by the branch Of the
Government upon whom the responsibility Of con-
ducting the war and safeguarding the nation will
most directly fall. .
While we do these things these deeply momen-
tous things let us be clear, and make very clear to
all the world what our motives and objects are,
My own thought has not been driven from its habit
ual and normal course by the unhappy events Of the
last two months and l do not believe that the
thought of the nation had been altered or clouded
by them have exactly the same things in mind
now that had in mind when addressed the SEN
ate on the 22nd of january last; the same that
Ahad in mind when | addressed the Congress on the
Srd Of February and on the 26th Of February. Our
object now as then is to vindcate the principles Of
peace and justice in the life of the world as against
selfish and autocratc power, and to set up among
the really free and self-governed peoples Of the
world such concert Of purpose and Of action as