The Mena weekly star., 1917-03-01
The Star Believes That the Pendulum Started the Swing

m tense silence and grave attention words which carry the American re- public one step further in it's stand against the ruthless sacrifices of American lives and rights, and one step nearer war-if it must be.
 Owing to the gravity of the sit uatiOn, there was no such applause as marked President Wilson's pre- yious appearance.
 President Wilson, in his request, declared:.
 T am not now proposing or con- templating war, or any steps that may lead 10 it. l merely request that you will accord me, by your own vote and definite bestowal, the means and authority to safeguard in practice the right of a great peo- pie who are at peace and who are desirOus of exercising none but the rights of peace, to follow the pur- suit of peace in quietness and good will-rights recognized time out of mind by all civilized nations of the world War can come only by the willful acts and aggression of others"
 Our own commerce is suffering in apprehension rather than in fact, he went on. The president then cited the sinking of the Lyman M Law, and the Housatonic, declaring that the ease of the Lyman NJ. Law was practically the same as that of the sinking of the steamer Frye, for which German admitted its liability
 This case. he said, disclosed a ruthlesness of methods which de- serves grave condemnation, but it was accompanied by no circumstan- ces which might not have been ex- Dected at any time"
 The situation is practically un- changed the president said. No overt act, as described in his pre- vious message, has as yet been eom- mitted.
 But he added while this is happily true, it must be admitted that others have been. Certain ad- ditional indications, and expressions on the part of the German press and authorities. have increased the im- pression that if our ships and our people are spared it will be because of fortunate circumstances
 ''It will be foolish to deny that the situation is fraueht with the gravesi possibilities and dangers It would De most imprudent for us to be un- prepared
 The president asked congress ic authorize me to supply our mer- chant ships with arms and the means of using them, and to em- ploy any other means or instru- mentalities or methods that may be necessary and adequate to protect our ships and our people ill theil legitimate and peaceful pursuits or the seas"
 He also asked for sufficient cred it to enable me to provide adequate means of protection where they arc lacking, including adequate insur- anee against the present war risks.
 Tt is devoutly to be hoped" Pres ident Wilson said. that it will moi be necessary to put armed forces anywhere into action. I am surr the American people will understand the spirit in which | am acting. hope l need give no further proof than l have already given turnout nearly three years of anxious pa- tence that I am a friend of peace and mean to preserve it for America as long as I am able"
 President Wilson said that the American people can trust him to act with prudence and closed his ad- dress with the statement that, while he had spoken of American com merce mainly, it is not of the ma teria interest we are thinking, but of the fundamental human rights"
 All structures, alike of family, state and mankind, must rest upon our liberty" he said. T cannot imagine and man with American principles at his heart, hesitating to defend these things"
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