The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1917-04-06
Pre- sid .nt Urges Congress
10 Declare State OF
War Now Existing.
Early Proceedings of the Most Momen
tous Session of Congress
in History.

WASHINGTON, April 3.-President
Wilson, Monday night, urged Congress,
assembled in joint session, to declare
a state of war existing between the
United States and Germany.
In a dispassionate, but unmeasured
denuciatiOn of the course of the I'M
perial German Government, which he
characterized as a challenge TO all
mankind, the President declared that
neutrality no longer was feasible or de-
sirable where the peace of the world
was invOvled; that armed neutrality
had become Intellectual enough at best
and was likely TO produce what it was
meant 10 prevent, and urged that Con-
gTeSs accept the gauge of battle with
all the resources of the nation.
81 advise that the Congress declare
the recent course of the Imperial Ger
man Government to be in fact nothing
less than war against the Government
and people of the United States" said
the President: that it formally accept
the status of belligerent which has
thus been thrust upon it, and that it
take steps not only to put the coun-
try in a more thorough state of de
Tense, 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"
When the President had finished
speaking the following resolutions to
declare a state of war existing were
introduced in the both Houses of
Congress, referred to appropriate
committees, and were debated to-day:
Whereas, The Imperial German
Government has committed repeated
acts of war against che Government
and the people Of the United States OF
America: therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assem-
bled. that the state of war between the
United States and the Imperial Ger
man Government, when has thus been
thrust upon the United States, is here
by formally declared; and that the
PRESIDENT be and he Is hereby author
lied and directed to employ the entire
naval and military forces of the Unit
ed States and the resources of the
Government to carry on war against
the Imperial German Government; and
TO bring the conflict to a successful
termination, all of the resources of the
country are hereby pledged by the Con-
cless of the United States"
Because of his opposition to the
measure, Senator Stone, Chairman of
the Foreign Relations Committee, the
resolution was introduced in the Sen
ate by Senator Martin, of Virginia, the
Democratic floor leader. Representa-
tive Flood, Chairman of the Foreign
Affairs Committee, introduced it in the
House,
The resolution follows:
Joint resolution declaring that a
state of war exists between the Inn
perial German Government and the
Government and people of the United
States and making to prosecute the
same:
Whereas, The recent acts of the
! Imperial Government are acts of war
against the Government and people OF
the United States;
Resolved, By the senate and House
! of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembl-
ed that the state of war between the
United States and imperial German
Government which has thus been
thrust upon the United States is here
by formally declared; and
THAT the President be and he is
hereby authorized and directed to take
immediate steps not only to put the
country in thorough state of defense,
but also to exert all of it's power and
employ all of its resources to carry or
war against the Imeperial German Gov
eminent and to bring the conflict to a
successful termination"