The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-03

clared had forced the United States to
, become a belligerent.
| The wrongs against which we now
arm ourselves" he said, "are no COM
! mon wrongs. They cut to the very
roots of human life"
| Discaiming any quarrel with tho
German people and anything but Il
| feeling of friendship and sympathy for
| them. the president declared their gov
ernmont had not acted upon their inn
| pulses in entering the war nor with
! their previous knowledge or approval.
1T was war;" he said, 'dctermined
upon as wars used to be determined
upon in the old unhappy days when
peoples were nowhere consulted by
their rulers and wars We're provoked
and waged IN the interest of dynasties
or of little groups of ambitious men,
who were accustomed to lise their fell
| low men as pawns and tools"
| In scathing terms the president re-
ferrcd to the German plots against tho
United States.
Spies and Intrigues.
zone of the things that has served
to convince us that the Prussian au-
tocracy was not and never could be
our friend is that from the very out
set of tho present war it has filled
our unsusnccting communities and
even oar offices of government with
spies and set criminal intrigues every
where afoot against our national unity
OF council, our peace, within and with
out, our industries ana our commerce.
1t was evident, the president added,
that the spies were here even before
the war began. That the German GOV
ernment means to stir UP enemies at
the very doors of the United States
was eloauently proved, he said, by tho
revelation of the plot to embroil Japan
and Mexico in war with the United
States.
I'VE are accepting this challenge OF
hostile purpose said the president,
because we know that in such a gov
ernment. following such methods. we
can never have n friend: and that in
the presence Of It's organized power al
ways lying in watt to accomplish we
know not what purpose, there can be
no assured security for the democratic
governments of the world"
Zoe to Liberty"
The whole force of the nation If nee
essary, the president declared would
be spent against this natural foe to
liberty" and to check its pretensions
and power"
Towards Germany's allies, the presix
, dent said, the United States was taxi
ing no action at this time because
they were not engaged in warfare
against Americans on the seas.
The United States, he said. was mov-
ing only against ian irresponsible gov
ernnent which has thrown aside all
considerations of humanity and Of
right and is running amuek"
The president expressed his conf
dencc in the loyalty of naturalized cit
liens and declared that If disloyalty did
lift its head 1t would be only from "a
lawless and malignant few" and would
be sterny suppressed.
Armed Ship Sunk.
ME the president was speaking.
word of the torpedoing without warn
ing of the American steamer Aztec, tho
first American armed ship to be at
tackled in the barred zone, was passed
from mouth to mouth, hut the presi-
dent did not know of it nntil he had
finished.
The president reached the capitol
ABOUT $40 p. m. AS his big motor
swung around before the east front Of
the big building, two troops Of the
Second regular cavalry on guard. sa-
bers glittering under the arclights.
swept the plaza clear while the hum
dreds of people cheered. He was ta-
ken immediately to the speakers room
and then into the house chamher
where the senator's We're just Hllinr a.
Six members Of the supreme coaarN
who had taken seats in front OF the
speakers stand. stood and faced about