The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1917-11-08


been used against merchant shipping,
II is impossible TO defend ships against
their attacks, the law of nations has
assumed that merchantmen would de-
fend themselves against privateers or
cruisers, visible craft giving chase up
ON the open sea. IT is common pru-
dence In such circumstances, grim nee
essity indeed, TO endeavor 10 destroy
them before they have shown their own
intention. They must be dealt with up
on sight, II dealt with at all.
The German government denies the
right of neutrals TO use arms at all
within the areas OF the sea which it
has 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 IL inefRec-
tuaI enough mt bestj I'm such circum-
stances and I'm the face of such preten-
siOns IL In worse than Intellectually IL II
likely only TO produce what IL was
meant 10 prevents IL II practically GER
tain tn draw US into war without either
the rights or the effectiveness OF the bel
ligerents. There IL one choice we cam
not make, we are incapable of making;
We Will not choose the path of submits
sion and 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
common wrOnEsj they cut to the very
roots of human life.
With profound sense Of the solemn
and even tragicaI character of the steP
I am taking and of the grave response
biIIties which IL involves, but in un-
hestating obedience to what deem
my constitutional duty. l 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 IL formally ac-
cept the status OF belligerent which has
thus been thrust upon IL; and that it
take immediate steps not only to put
the country in a more thorough state
OF defense, but also to exert all its
power and employ all its resources TO
bring the government of the German
empire to 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
dental needs of the nation in the most
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 enc
my's submarines.
1t 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 100000 men.
who should. in my opinion, be chosen
upon the principle of universal liabil-
ity to service. and also the authorize
tion OF subsequent additional incre-
ments of equal force so soon as they
may be needed and can be handled in
training.
IL will involve also, of course, the
granting of adequate credits TO the
government, sustained, I hope, so far
az they can equitabIy be sustained by
the present generation, by WelI-cOn-
ceived taxation.
say sustained so far as may be
equitable by taxation, because IL seems
TO me that II would he most unwise TO
base the credits. which will now be
necessary. entirely money borrowed.
Ii In our duty. I most respectfully urge,
10 protect our people, so far we
may, against the very serious hard
ships and evils which would he likely
to arise out Of the imitation which would
he produced by vast loans.
In carrying out the measures by
which these things are to he accom-
pIIsbed we should keep constantly I'm
mind the wisdom of interfering rs lit
tie as possible I'm our own preparation
md In the equipment of our own mill
tary forces with the duty-fOr IL will
be n very practical duty--Of supplying
the nations already mt war with Ger
many with the materials which they
can obtain only from us or by our ns-
| sIstnnce. They are I'm the field, and we
! should help them In every way TO be
! effective there.
I. shall take the liberty of suggest
| Ing. through the several executive de-
partments of the government, for the
| consideration of your committees,
measures for the accomplishment OF
| the several objects I have mentioned.
| I hope that it Will he 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 conducting the
war and safeguarding the nation will
most directly fall.
While we do these things, these deep
| ~ momentous things, let us be very
clear, and make very clear 10 all the
world, what our motives and our OBJ
jects nre. My own thought has not
been driven from it's habitunl and nor
nal course by the unhappy events OF
the last two months, and 1 do not be-
| Iieve that the thought of the nation
has been altered or clOuded by them.
have exactly the same things I'm mind
now that I had I'm mind when i adj
| dressed the senate on the I'D of Janu-
| ary Insty the same that had In mind
! when I addressed congress o. the Sd OF
| February and on the 26th of February.
Our object now, as then, IN 10 vindicate
! the principles of peace and Justice In
| the life Of the world as against selfish
and nutOcratic power, and TO set up
among the really free and self-gOv-
erned peoples of the world such con-
cert of purpose and of action as will
| hencefOrth insure the Observance OF
those principles.
Neutrality II no longer feasible or
| desirable where the peace of the world
| Il Involved and the freedom OF Its peo-
| Mes and the menace 10 that peace and
| freedom lies In the existence OF auto