The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-11-08
PORTIONS OF PRESIDENT SONS WAR
MESSAGE SUPPRESSED IN GERMANY
That Kaiser Did Not Dare Perm Full Text of Address to Reach
His People Shown, 1t Declared, by Distorted
Reports Published

with arms, our right to use the seas
against Unlawful Interference, our right
10 Keep our people safe against unlaw-
Iul violence. But armed neutrality. 1t
now appears. is impracticable. Because
submarfnes are I'm effect outlaws, when
use as the German submarines have
neen used against merchant shipping,
~ is impossible to defend ships against
their attacks. as the law of nations has
assumed that merchantmen would dee
lend themselves against privateers OF
cruisers, visible craft gfvinE chase up
ON the open sea. It is common pru-
dence in such circumstances. grim nee
essity indeed. to endeavor to destroy
them before they have shown their own
intention They must be dealt with up
ON sight, II dealt with at all.
Ihe German government denies the
right OF neutrals to use arms at all
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 pirates
would be. Armed neutrality II inenec-
tunl enough at bestt In such circun,-
stances and In the face of such preten-
Htons II II worse than Intellectually II is
likely only to produce what II was
meant to prevent, 1t Is practically GER
tain to draw ms Into war without either
the rights or the effectiveness of the bel
IiEerents. There IL one choice we can
not make, we are incapable Of n,akaags
| We will not choose the path Of submis-
sion and suffer the most sacred rights
| OF our nation and our people to be ig-
nored or violated. The wroaKs against
which we now array ourselves are NO
common wrongs, they cut to the very
roots of human life.
With q profound sense of the solemn
and even trnKical character of the step
| I nm taking and of the grave responsi-
biltties which IL inYo1ves, but in un-
hesitating obedience to what I deem
my constitutional duty. 1 advise that
the congress declare the recent course
or 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 1t; and that 1t
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
| 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
ha hos Ofd IA in wi
my's submarines.
1t will involve the immediate addk
tion to the armed forces of the United
States. already provided for by law In
case of war. of at least 500.0 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.
II Will involve alss, Of eeurse, the
grantiaE Of adequate credits to the
government. sostaiaeA. I hope, 80 far
a. they can easitably be ssstsisea ~
celved taxat100.
say sustained % far nay be
equitable ~ taxatien, because II seems
t. that II would be most uswise te
base the credits, which will now be
necessary, entirely On money borrowed.
II II our duty, ! most respectfully urge,
10 protect our people, - far a. we
may, against the very serious hard
to arise out of the imitation which would
be preAueed ~ vast loans.
In carrying out the measures Ay
which these things are to be accom-
| pIiahed We should keep constantly IN
mind the wisdom Of interfering - lit
tie a. possible In oar eva preparations
and II the equipment OF our own pnlll-
tary forces with the dsty-for u will
he . very practical duty-of supplying
the nations already at war with Ger
msny with the waterfalls which they
can oktaia only from rs or hy our as-
sista.ce. They are In the neId. asd We
should help then In every way to be
effective there.
lag, through the several executive de-
partmests of the governneat. for the
copsideratlon of your coamitteea.
measures for the Accomplishment Of
the several objects ! have mentioned.
Z hope that It will he your pleasure to
deal with them A. having heea framed
after very careful thought by the
branch Of the government upon whom
the responsibility Of conducting the
war aUd aafeGuardang the nation Will
most directly fall.
while we do these tklsgs, these deep
" momeuteus things, let ua be very
clear, sad make very clear to a11 the
world, what our motives a.d our Oh
iects are. MY own thought has not
Seer driven from its habitual apd nor
nal course by the unhappy events Of
the last two months, and ! do net be-
IIeye that the thought Of the nation
~. beeu altered or cIouded by thew. ]
hnye exactly the same things In mind
sou that I had In misd when I sd-
Sressed the senate on the z2d Of Janu-
ary Insty the same that had In mind
when I addressed cosEress o. the I'd Of
Februnry and the 10th Of February.
Our object now. as then. is to vindicate
the vriaciples of peace and Justice In
the life of the world ~ against selfish
AMIN Nj A0