Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-29
Congress Will Respond

- and INDIGESTION which creep into the
newspapers despite yelled suggestions that
the Middle West may prove rccrcant. The
Times Dispatch has no fear that Congress will
fail tho President and the nation. Freed of
Shackics which have bound ii in the past
the Senate is no longer at the mercy OF dis
loyalty. and the House may be depended on
10 heed the voice of conscience and the voice
OF the people,.
Complete unanimty perhaps. is not to he
expected There will be paciiists in Congress
TO ciamor for further tolerance OF German
wrongs and pro-Germans TO condonc crimes
already perpetrated. There will be hide
bound partisams seeking to discredit "A Demo-
cratic administrations and opaGandists on
0eaNorlng TO extract from the national crisis
an advantage for their particular "caube.'
But they will not prevail When Woodrow
Wilson carries TO the Capt. oil the story OF an
almost infinite patience in the face of pro-
tracied injuries; when he tells again OF our
property destroyed, our people slain our
territorial integrity menaccd our citizenship
corrupted our laws defed and our flag de-
filed: when he shows that diplomatic priv
lcge and immunity have been used 10 cloak
plots against our honor and peace; when
he rccitcs the long aud tragic story of Ger
man lnfamicS. committed as we'll on our own
soil as on the high seas there can be but one
response from CongreSs-and that response
will be made
The great burden OF this hour rests on the
President. The solemn oath which he has
taken makes him in effect, if not in theory
rs in his own writings he has recognized tho
arbiter OF peace and war. That absolute CON
troll OF the nations foreign policies, con led
TO the President by tho Constitution. is the
real war-mak king power. Not in all it's his
tory has Congress declared war: It has merely
recognized. by formal resolution. that a state
OF war existed. History will repeat itself
" no lE al
Monday.
Formal recognition from Congress is all
that is required. for war. waged by Germany
against us. is in progress now. The contest
was not of our seeking. No guilt is on our
hands or in ouNhear,s. No nation ever en-
tered conflict with cleaner motives or
higher purposes. We shall fight to protect
our own people, vindicatc our own honor and
avengc our own wrongs but. so lighting we
shall range ourselves with freedom and dc
mocracy against the dark and menacing
forces OF autocracy and reaction.
For two years and more the patient man
al Washington has strivcn, with wisdom forti-
tndc and hope TO keep his people out Of war
No, pacitist of them ALL as tho country
knows, has uborod earnestly, or suffered
and endured so uncompla iningly or achieved
so largely, as has Woodrow Wilson lie has
Won many battles. but he has lost the cam
paisn. Against his desire and his will the
peace President becomes the war President
lie must justify himself in this new in
carnation The methods of war are no, the
methods OF peace Promptness Of decision
.visor o. execution commanding force OF
leadership arc the country's present needs
When the President rises 10 this new oppor-
lhui'y-as sure he will risc-Con-
Ercss and the pcoplc will answer the call