Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-12-06
PRESIDENT URGES
WAR DECLARATION
AGAINST AUSTRIA
Resolution to Be Passed by Con-
gress Friday.
u. S. TO DECIDE PEACE TERMS
Wilson Says HostiIities With Bulgaria
and Turkey, Though Probable, Are
Not Necessary Now-German
Power Must Be Crushed.

Washington, Dec 5.-The senate will
meet Friday to consider a resolution
declaring war on Austria, Senator Mar
tine declared. The house foreign re-
latiOns committee will meet to consider
action, as requested by President Will
son.
Washington, Dec 5. = President
Wilson called upon congress to de-
clare state Of war against Austria
Hungary. Pledging America to war to
victory, and declaring nothing shall
turn us aside, he asked that Austria
Hungary be formally listed among
Americas enemies to remove this "em-
barraSSing obstacle that stands in our
way"
Any peace that America makes must
include delivery of the peoples of Aus
as we'll as northern France and Bel
gium from Prussian domination.
The president suggested remedial
legislation TO meet the railroad and
food situation. The latter, he said,
was based on "seltiShness" at present
rather than on the law of supply and
demand.
He urged legislation for full use of
natural resources and water power of
the country, more drastic laws to pun
ish alien enemies and an amendment
to include women as we'll as men un-
der the alien enemy act.
The president suggested that instead
of contining enemy aliens in comfort
able internment camps they be put in
penitentiaries, where they can be made
to work ''as other criminals do"
Immediate war with Turkey and Bull
garia, Germany'S other allies, the pres
ident told congress, he did not believe
necessary at this time, because they
do not yet stand in the direct path of
necessary action.
Immediate war against Austria, even
though she be only Germany's vassai
and not her own mistress, the preSi-
dent declared, was necessary because
the central powers must be considered
as one and because the war can be
conducted successfully in no other
way.
Giving q plain warning, however,
that he would not hesitate to ask for
declaration of war on Turkey and Bull
garia when he considered 1t necessary,
the president said:
"We shall go wherever the necessi-
ties of this war carry us. but it seems
to be that we should go only where i'm
mediate and practical considerations
lead US and not heed any others"
Peace to Come With Autocracy Defeat.
Peace, the president told congress,
can come only when the Prussian mill
tary autOcracy is beaten down; when
the German people make peace with
the world through rulers the world
can trust; when they make reparation
for the wrongs their present rulers
have done, and when the enslaved
people of Belgium, northern France
and the Balkans have been set free.
Germany's declaration that she is
fighting a war of self-defense against
deliberate aggression, the president, in
ringing words, declared "wantonly
false" and he reiterated anew that no
one is threatening the existence of the
independence of the peaceful enter
prise of Germany.
Of those who speak of peace without
the overthrow of German military au-
tocracy, the president declared:
81 hear men debate peace who un-
derstand neither its nature nor the
way IN which we may obtain it with
uplifted eyes and unbroken spirits. But
I know that none of these speaks for
the nation. They do not touch the
heart of anything. They may safely
be forgotten.
To Block World Conquest
Stating again the war objects of the
| United States and those which he be.
| Heved to be those of the allies, the
president declared:
"I believe that | speak for them
when I say two things: First, that this
| intolerable Thing of which the mas
| ters of Germany have shown US the
| ugly face this menace Of combined in
|
clearly as the German power, a Thine
| without conscience or honor or capac
ity for covenanted peace, must be
| crushed and, if it be not utterly
brought to an end, at least shut ou1
from the friendly intercourse of the
| nations: and, second, that when this
Thing and its power indeed be defeat
ed and the time comes that we can dis
| cuss peace-when the German people
| have spokesmen whose word we car
| believe and when those spokesmen are
| ready in the name of their people Il
| accept the common Judgment of tht
| nations as to what shall henceforth bt
| the bases of law and of covenant fol
the life of the world-we shall be will
ing and glad to pay the full price FOL
| peace and pay it ungrudgingly. w,
know what that price Will be. 1t viii
be full. impartial juStice-justice don.
at every point and TO every nation tha
|