The Dolores star., 1917-11-09

the 2sth OF February last I thought II
would suffice to assert our neutral rights
WIN arms. ear right 10 ase the seas
s8sinss uaiawfal taeerfereaee. ssF right
% Keep oar people safe against uslaw-
~ Ssesence. But armed neutrality. IL
now appears. is impracticable- Because
sebonrfnes are IN eject 00flaws, Whea
use ~ the German sub9ari.es, have
been used against Rerehnne shsppsng,
II Is impossible to defend ships against
their attacks. ~ the law of natssas hss
assumed that nereAant@ea W0ola de-
fesd themselves agasast Ur1vaseers or
erahaers. vtsible craft givtnG chase ap-
e the ePea SEA. 1t II common pru-
oence In such circumstances. grim nee
essity indeed. to endeavor to destroy
them before they have shown their own
intention. They must he Dealt with up-
% sAghe. ~ dealt with as all.
The German government denies the
within the areas Of the sea which II
mas 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 IN ineaee-
tuai eaoagh at best, In soeh care0m-
stances and In the face Of such pretes-
sions d n worse thaa ineGeetual, Il b.
likely enly to produce what II was
meant to preventy Il b practically GER
tnin to draw ps lnto war without either
the rights or the eRectivenesa Of the bel
nEereuts. There IL ene choice We can
NOT make. We are Incapable Of making,
we VIII not choose the path Of submits
sion md suffer the most sacred rights
OF our nation and our people to be ig-
nored or violated The wronGs against
which we now array ourselves are nO
c"mn'oa wronEs1 they cat TO the very
roots OF human life.
With . profound sense of the solemn
and even trnEical character Of the step
] am taking and Of the grave reaponsi-
bilities which II invalves. 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 II formally ac-
cept the status of belligerent which has
thus been thrust upon II: and that IL
take immediate steps not only to put
the country In more thorough state
OF defense. but also to exert all its
power and employ all its resources to
bring the government of the German
empirafo 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
1.w AL a. - - H..
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 II with
the best means Of dealing with the ene-
my's submarines.
It will involve the immediate addi-
ton to the armed forces OF the United
States. already provided for by law in
case of war. of at least 800. 900 men
who should. in my opinion. be chosen
upon the principle Of universal liabil-
ity to service. and also the authoriza-
tfon of subsequent additional incre-
ments Of equal force SO soon as they
may be needed and can be handled in
training.
II will Involve slss, Of course, the
grantiag Of adequate credits to the
~ they can esuitably be sustained ~
the Drese.t generaties. by welI-esa-
eefved taxation.
say sustaiseA - far ~ may be
equitable by taxation. because II seens
to me that u would be most uswise to
base the credits, which will new be
necessary, entire1y On Money borrowed.
II Ii our duty, I most respectfully urge,
to protect sur people, - far n we
may, aGa1nst the very serious hard.
ships and evils which would be likely
to arise out Of the inAation which wouId
be produced by vast loans.
In carrying out the measures By
which these things are to be accom-
plished we should keep constaatIy n
mind the wisdom Of interferisg ~ It-
tie possible In our own preparatiou
and In the equipmeat of orr own MILL
tary forces with the duty-fer II will
be a very practical duty-Of supplying
the nations already at war with Ger
many with the materials which they
can obtaia only fron us or ~ our as
siRtance. They are In the Geld, and we
shouId help then In every way to be
effective there.
shall take the liberty Of suggest.
ing, through the several executive de-
partments of the governnent. fer the
consideration Of yoar esmmittees,
measures for the aeconplishnseut Of
the several objects ! have mentieneA.
deal with then A. having heea RrameA
after very careful thought by the
branch Of the govePnnent up0n who's
the responsibility Of eonAarting the
war sad safeguardiag the natioa VIII
most directly fail.
While we do these thlngs, these deep-
IL m0mentous things, let ~ be very
clear, and make very clear to all the
world, what osr motives and 0uP OBJ
jects are. Ny ewn thought has net
been driven fron Its habataal aea ner.
mnl course by the unhappy evests Of
the last tive nenths, and I Do net be-
Iieve that the Thought 81 the nation
hz~ been altered OF el0UAeA BY thens. I
have exactly the same things In mind
now that ! had In mind when I ad-
dressed the senate on the 72a of Jknu-
ary last, the same that had IN mind
when addressed eonkress On the - Of
February and On the z0th Of February.
Our object SOW, as thea. In to vindtcnfe
the principles of peace and Justice In
the life of the world ~ against selnsh
AND NEAR