Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1917-04-06

IenQ themselves against pTlVateoIB Ol
cruisers, visible craft giving eh b, s.
prudence in such circumstances, grim
necessity indeed, to endeavor TO de
stroy them before they have shown
their own intention. They must b
dealt with upon sight, If dealt with 81
all.
Denies Right Of Neutrals to Arm.
The German government denies tn
right OF neutrals to use arms 1t 81
within the areas of the sea which II
has prescribed, even in the defense Of
rights which no modern publicist has
ever questioned their right to defend
The tntimatton is conveyed that the
armed guards which we have placed
on our merchant ships will be treated
as beyond the pale Of law and subject
to be dealt with as pirates would be
Armed neutrality is Intellectual enough
at best; in such circumstances and In
the face of such pretentions It Is worse
than Intellectual; it is likely once tc
produce what 1t was meant to prevent:
1t is practically certain to draw us In
to the war without either the rights OF
the effectiveness Of belligerents.
There is one choice we cannot make
We are incapable Of making; We will
not choose the path of submission and
suffer the most sacred rights of Cul
nation and our people to be ignored CT
violated. The wrongs against W ica
we now array ourselves are not com
mon wrongs; they cut to the very
roots Of human life.
U. S. Accepts Status Of BeIliaerent.
With a profound sense of the solemn
and even tragical character Of the steI
am taking and of the grave responsi
bilities which 1t involves, but in un
hesitating obedience to what l deem
my constitutional duty, l advise thai
the congress declare the recent course
Of the imperial German government
to be in fact nothing less than war
against the government and people OF
the United States; that 1t formally &C
cept the status Of belligerent which
has thus been thrust upon 1t and tina,
it take immediate steps not only t.
put the country in a more thorough
state of defense, but also to exert ali
its power and employ all its resources
to bring the government Of the Ger
man empire to terms and end the war
What this will involve Is clear. 1t
will involve the utmost practicable
cooperation in counsel and action with
the governments now at war with
Germany, and, as incident to that, the
extension to those governments OF the
most liberal financial credits, in order
sible, be added to theirs. It will in.
volve the organization and mobiliza,
ton of all the material resources OF
the country to supply the materials OF
war and serve the incidental needs OF
the nation in the most abundant. and
yet the most economical way possible.
1t will involve the immediate full
but particularly In supplying It Win
the best means Of dealing With the
enemy's submarines. It will involve
the immediate addition to the armed
forces OF the United States already
provided for by law in case Of war, at
least 100000 men, who should. In my
opinion, be chosen upon the principle
also the authorization Of subsequent
additional increments Of equal force sc
soon as they may be needed and can
be handled in training.
1t will involve also, OF course, the
granting of adequate credits to the
government, sustained, hope, SO far
as they can eQuitably be sustained
ceived taxation. say sustained 50 far
as may be equitable by taxation. be.
cause 1t seems to me that 1t would be
most unwise to have the credits which
now will be necessary entirely on
money borrowed. It Is our duty, !
most respectfully urge. to protect our
very serious hardships and evils which
would be likely to arise out Of the
imitation which would be produced by
vast loans.
Our Motives and Objects.
While we do these things, these
deeply momentous things, let US be
very clear, and make very clear to all
the world what natives
objects are. My own thought has not
been driven from its habitual and nor.
NAL course by the unhappy events OF
the last two months, and l do not be.
lieve that the thought Of the nation
has been altered or clouded by them.
| have exactly the same things in
addressed the senate on the 23d OF
January last; the same that had in
mind when l addressed the congress
on the Sd of February. Our object
now, as then, is to vindicate the prin.
ciples Of peace and the justice in the
life of the world as against selfish and
autocrstic power over and and to set up
erned peoples of the world such con.
cert of purpose and of action as will
henceforth insure the observance OF
those principles.
Neutrality Is no longer feasible or
desirable where the peace Of the world
is involved and the freedom of Its
peoples, and the menace to that peace
and freedom lies in the existence OF
autoeratic governments backed by or.
gained force which Is controlled Who'll.
1y by their will, not BY the will Of their
people. We have seen the last Of neu.
trality in such circumstances.
We are at the beginning Of an age
in which it will be insisted that the
same standards of conduct and Of re-
sponsibility for wrong done shall be
observed among nations and their gov.
ernments that are observed among the
individuals Of civilized states.
German People Not to Blame.
We have no quarrel with the Ger.
man people. We have no feeling to,
friendship. It was not upon Their Ina.
pulse that their government acted in
entering this war It was not with
their previous knowledge or approval
It was war determined upon az
wars used to be determined upon In
the old, unhappy days when peoples
were nowhere consulted by their rul.
ed In the interest Of dynasties or OF
little groups of ambitious mon who
were accustomed to use their fellow
men as pawns and tools.
Self-gOverned nations do not MI
their neighbor states with spies or set
the course Of intrigue to bring about
some critical posture of affairs which
will give them an opportunity to strike
and make conquest. Such designs can
be successfully worked only under
cover and where no one has the right
to ask questions.
A steadfast concert for peace never
can be maintained except by a partner.
ship of democratic nations. No auto
cratic government could be trusted to
keep faith within 1t or observe Its
covenants. It must be league Of hon.
or, q partnership of opinion. Intrigue
would eat its vitals away; the plot
tings Of inner circles who could plan
what they would and render account
to no one would be q corruption seated
1t it, very heart Only free peoples
can hold their purpose and their hQn-
or steady to Q common end and prefer
the interests Of mankind to any 1ar>
row interest Of their own.
We are now about to accept gauge
Of battle with this natural foe to lib
erty, and shall, II necessary, spend
the whole force Of the nation to check
and nullify its pretensions and its
power. We are glad, now that We see
the facts with NO veil Of false pretsnse
about them. to fight thus for the ultt
mass peace Of the world and tor the