Mexico Missouri message., 1917-12-20

4
was thinking, and I am thinking now,
not of the smaller and weaker nations
alone, which need our countenance and
support, but also of the great and pow
erful nations, and of our present enc
mics as well as our present associates
In the war. / was thinking, and am
thinking now, of Austria herself,
among the rest, as we'll as of Serbia
and of Holland. Justice and equality
of rights can be had only at great
price. We are seeking permanent not
temporary, foundations for the peace
Of the world and must seek this can
didly and fearlessly. AS always, the
right will prove to be expedient.
Declare War on Austria.
what shall we do, then, to push
this great war of freedom and just to
its righteous conclusion? We must
clear away with thorough hand all
lmpedlments to success and we must
make every adjustment of law that
will facilitate the full and free use of
our whole capacity and force as
! fighting unit.
zone very embarrassing obstacle
that stands in our way is that we are
at war with Germany but not with her
allies. /, therefore, very earnestly rec
ommend that the congress Immediately
declare the United States In state Of
war with Austria-Hungary. Does 1t
| seem strange to you that this should
be the conclusion Of the argument
| have just addressed to you? It Is not.
1t is in fact the inevitable logic Of
what have said. Austria Hungary is
for the time being not her own mis-
| tress, but simply the vassal of the
! German government. We must face
the facts as they are and act upon
them without sentiment in this stern
business. The government Of Austria
Hungary Is not acting upon its own
| initiative or in response to the wishes
and feelings of its own peoples, but as
! the instrument of another nation. We
must meet its force with our own and
regard the central powers as but one.
The war can be successfully conducted
in no other way.
As to Turkey and Bulgaria.
"The same logic would lead also to
declaration of war against Turkey
and Bulgaria. They also are the tools
Of Germany. But they are mere tools
| and do not yet stand in the direct path
Of our necessary action. We shall 60
wherever the necessities of this war
| carry us, but 1t seems to me that we
should go only where immediate and
practical considerations land US and
not heed any others.
"The financial and military meas
ures which must be adopted will sug-
gest themselves as the war and it's un-
dertakings develop, but I will take the
liberty OF proposing to you certain
other acts of legislation which seem
to me to be needed for the support of
the war and for the release Of our
whole force and energy.
1T will be necessary to extend in
certain particulars the legislation of
the last session with regard to alien
enemies; and also necessary, be-
lieve, to create a very definite and
particular control over the entrance
and departure of all persons into and
from the United States.
Legislation should be enacted de-
dning as a criminal offense every wIllful
violation of the presidential proclama-
tions relating to allen enemies promul-
gated under section 4067 of the Re-
vised Statutes and providing appropri-
ate punishments; and women as well
as men, should be included under the
terms of the acts placing restraints
upon alien enemies. 1t is likely that
as time goes on many alien enemies
will be willing to be fed and housed
at the expense of the government in
the detention camps, and 1t would be
the purpose of legislation 1 have sug-
gested to contine offenders among
them in penltentiaries and other sim
liar institutions where they could be
made to work as other criminals do.
Go Further in Fixing Prices.
Recent experience has convinced
me that the congress must go further
In authorizing the government to set
limits to prices. The law of supply
and demand, I am sorry to say, has
been replaced by the law of unrestrain-
ed selfishness. While we have elm
mated profiteering in several branches
of industry, it still runs impudently
rampant in others. The farmers, for
example, complain with a great deal of
justice, that while the regulation of
food prices restricts their incomes, no
restraints are placed upon the prices
of most of the things they must them
selves purchase, and similar iniquities
obtain on all sides.
ut is imperatively necessary that the
consideration of the full use of the
water power Of the country and also
the consideration of the systematic
and yet economical development of
such of the natural resources Of the
country as are still under the control
Of the federal government should be
Immediately resumed and affirmatively
and cOnstructively dealt with at the
earliest possible moment. The press
ing need of such legislation is daily be-
coming more obvious.