The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-26

the spirit in which I am now acting,
the purpose I hold nearest my heart
and would wish to exhibit in every
thing I do: am anxious that the
people of the nations at war also
should understand and not mistrust
US. I hope that I need give no fur
the friend of peace and mean to pre-
already given throughout nearly three
years Of anxious patience that 1 am
tn efriend of peace and mean to pre-
serve it for America so long as l am
able. I am not now proposing or
contemplating war or any steps that
need lead to it. I merely request
that you will accord me by your own
vote and definite bestoWal the means
and the auth GRITTY to safeguard IN.
practice the right of a great people
who are at peace and who are deslr-
Gus of exercising none but the rights
of peace to follow the pursuit of peace
in uuietness and good will-rights rec
ognized time out Of mind by all the
civilized nations Of the world. NO
course of my choosing or of theirs
will lead to war. War can come
only by the wilful acts and agrees
sions of others.
You will understand why I can
make no definite proposals or fore
casts of action now and must ask Tor
your supporting authority in the most
general terms. The form in which ac-
ton may become necessary cannot yet
be foreSeen.
st believe the people will be- willing
to trust me to act with restraint, with
prudence and in the true spirit Of
amity and good faith that they have
themselves displayed throughout these
trying months; and it is in that belief
that I request that you will authorize
me to supply our merchant ships with
defensive arms, should that become
necessary, and with the means Of
using them and to employ any other
instrumentalitieS or methods that may
be necessary and adequate to protect
our ships and our people in their le-
ultimate and general pursuits on the
seas. I request also that you will
grant me at the same time, along with
the powers ask, a sufficient credit to
enable me to provide adequate means
of protection where they are lacking,
including adequate insurance against
the present war risks.
II. have spoken of our commerce
and of the legitimate errands of our
people an the seas, but you will not
be misled as to my main thought, the
thought that lies beneath these phrases
and gives them dignity and weight. 1t
is not of material interest merely that
we are thinking. 1t is rather of fun
damental human rights, chief of all
the rights of Americans to go and
come about their proper business by
way of the sea, but also of something
much deeper, much more fundamental
than that.
II am thinking of these rights of
humanity without which there isl no
civilization. My thought is of those
great principles of compassion and of
protection which mankind has sought
to throw about human lives. the lives
of non- combatants, the lives of the
men Who are peacefully at work
keeping the industrial processes of the
world quick and vital, the lives of
women and children and of those
who supply the labor which ministers
to their sustenance. We are speaking
of no selfish material rights but of
rights which our hearts support and
whose foundation is that righteous
passion for justice upon which
all structures alike of family, of state
and of mankind must rest, as upon
the ultimate base of our existence and
our liberty. I cannot imagine any
man with American principles. bis
heart hesitating to defend these
things
After the President left the capitol
meeting of the House foreign af- ]
fairs committee was called for later
this afternoon.
Senator Simmons, chairman of the
ao.nnittee, said he believed
$500 100000 would be sufficient at
this time and that it might be pro-
vided by an amendment to the reve-
nue. bill now before the Senate.
Some Republican senators declared
they did not want to sign a blank
check" for the president and predict
ed a f1libuster against the legislation
he requested for the purpose of fore
ing an extra session of congress
Those Republicans expressed a view
that the presidents attitude was not
sufficiently definite. They would not
say, however that an extra session
which they regard as imperative,
would be used to fight the legislation
the president requested.
The view taken by Democrats is
that the president has made no un-
reasonable request.