The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-04-05

3 80 - W. 49,
roug - 81 ne world
! IN rot ruv thinking a the loss
+ - frugeBy !uyc,tei. immense and
ser,. Il ae thal IS. but only OF the
warton and Who'll sole dcstru ton OF
TIE lives OF non -combaiants. men,
women and children. engaged in pnr-
saiis which have always. even in the
darkest periods OF modern history.
been deemed innocent and legitimate.
Property can be paid for. the lives
Of peaceful and innocent people can
no, be. The present German sub
marine warfare against commerce is
warfare against mankind.
War Against All Nations
II ia war against all nations.
American ships have been sunk.
American lives taken. In ways which
II has stirred us very deeply TO learn
Of, but the ships and people OF other
neutral and friendly nations have
been sunk and overwhelmed in the
waters In the same way.
There has been no discrimination.
The challenge 10 TO all mankind.
Each nation must decide for itself
how II will meet II. The choice We
make for ourselves must be made
with a moderation OF counsel and a
temperatures OF judgment betting
our character and our motives as
nation. We must put excited feel
Ing away. Our motive will not be
revenge or the victorious assertion
OF the physical might OF the nation.
but only the vindication OF rights; OF
human rights, OF which we are only
\ single champion.
When ! addressed the congress on
Feb. 26 last, ! thought that II would
sufYice to assert our neutral rights
with arms. our right to use the seas
against unlawful violence. But armed
neutrality. II now appears. is i'm
practicable. Because submarines are
in effect outlaws when used as the
German submarines have been used
against merchant shipping, It is i'm
possible to defend ships against their
attacks, as the law OF nations has
assumed that merchantmen would de-
fend themselves against privateers or
cruisers, visible craft giving chase
upon the open sea
Must Destroy U.Boats
II is common prudence in such cir
cumstances. grim necessity, indeed,
TO endeavor to destroy them before
they have shown their own intention
They must be dealt with upon
sight. n dealt with at all. The Ger
man government denies the right or
nentrals TO use arms at all within the
are"s OF the sea which II has pro-
scribed even in the defense OF rights
which no modern publicist has ever
before questioned their right to de-
fend.
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 sub
ject to be dealt with as pirates would
be. Armed neutrality is Intellectual
enough at best: in such circum-
stances and in the face Of such preten-
sons It is worse than Intellectual. 1t
Is likely only to produce what II was
meant to prevent; 1t is practically
certain to draw us into the war with
out either the rights or the effective
ness Of belligerents.
Cannot Submit TO Wrongs
There is one choice we cannot
make, we are incapable of making.
We will not choose the path OF sub
mission and suffer the most sacred
rights Of our nation and our people
to be ignored or violated. The
wrongs against which we now array
ourselves are no common wrongs.
they cut to the very roots OF human
life.
With profound sense OF the
solemn and even tragical character
81 the step ] am taking and OF the |
grave RESPONSIBILITIES which II in
but In unhesitating obedience /
10 what deem my constitutional
duty, advise that the congress de-
clare the recent course Of the i'm.
perial German government to be in
TACT nothing less than war against
he government and people OF the
United States; that II formally ac-
,ept the status Of belligerents which
las thus been thrust upon Il; and
hat II take immediate steps not only
o put the country in more thorough
tate OF defense, but also to exert all
Is power and employ all It's resources
o bring the government OF the Ger
nan empire TO terms and end the
var.
What this will involve is clear.
I will involve the utmost practicable
% cooperation In counsel and action
With the governments now at war
With Germany, and. as incident to
hat. the extension to those govern
nen's OF the most liberal financial