The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-03-02
PRESIDENT
Asks Power to Protect Lives
and American Ships
Would Supply Vessels with De-
fensive Arms and Requests
Vote Of Credit.

sion, and a grant of sufficient funds
TO meet any emergency to provide all
lacking means of protection to Amer
lean interests in every way, was ask
ed OF congress by President Wilson
today.
The president frankly admitted
that, diplomacy having failed, the
United States must be ready to go
further than IL already has to pro-
tect its rights on the high seas. He
admitted that the overt act" which
was to call forth his next step" still
is lacking. But he made it plain to
congress that, so far as he was con-
cerned, he believed that the time was
ripe when he should be prepared to
take every possible step to restore
American commerce TO the high seas.
In his address, the president, at
the outset, made it plain that he ap-
peared before congress so that nei-
luGI COuubtl dNNlOh oioAA III at
cross purposes. He reviewed the
severences of relations with Germany
and referred to the sinking of the
American vessels Housatonic and Law
as showing that American vessels are
subject to attack. The congestion to
commerce growing out of the action
of ship owners in refusing to risk
their vessels without insurance and
proper protection is growing more
serious daily, the president declared.
He stated, however, that "the overt
act which / have ventuTed to hope
the German commanders would In
fact avoid, has not occurred"
Despite this single fact the presi-
dent said that it would be foolish to
deny that the situation is fraught ,
with the gravest possibilities and ,
dangers"
Crisis at Any Time 9
mo thoughtful man can fail to see }
that the necessity for definite action /
may come at any time" he continued.
He then referred to the fact that con-
gress shortly must adjourn because of
constitutional limitation and stated
that to Te-oTganize the next congress
would take much time. 1t was be-
cause of this fact that the president n
stated that he desired to have all 6
possible authority behind him al =
though, he explained, he believes he
already enjoyed all of the authority .
he asked under existing conditions. =
Soon as the senate was seated, :,
Chief Justice White and Justice Nc
Reynolds of the supreme court, took !,
seats on the floor with Secretaries :,
Redfield, Baker, Daniels, Wilson, ;,
Houston, McAdoo, Attorney General :.
Gregory and Postmaster General =,
Burleson of the cabinet. -
Representatives Kitchen, Fitzger- =
aid, Flood, Mann and Cooper, and =,
Senators KEN, Simmons, Chiffon, ~
and Sutherland were nam " :"
ed to escort the president to the q
chamber.
Greeted by Applause tc
An outburst of wild hand clapping dt
with cheers from the democratic side pI
greeted the executive as he shook S
hands with Speaker Clark and Vice NJ
President Marshall.
The president began speaking at M
1902 o'clock and a vast silence fell e.
upon the crowded chamber. n,
The big gathering was all strained n,
ears and watehful eyes as the chief os
recounted the efforts of the
German campaign of ruthlessness
rom February to the present time. to
His reference to the sinking of the W
1ousatonic and the Lyman w. Law w
vas received in intense silence. si
Not a sound interrupted as the
PRESIDENT demanded clear and definite he
of the authority he may at
my moment find necessary to exc
,ute." Both house and senate sat in TO
,rim and grave silence. Ut
The congress seemed to stir un- OF
,asily as the president stated that his F.
equest must be general rather than 10
lefinite and specific and there was no W
ign of approval or disapproval. ID
As ba t,rned +o laave the chamber ha
IN closing his address shrill rebel ~
ell" from the democratic side Of the
louse led brief outburst of APP
'lause. This was followed by low
oar of conversation as the congress Ue
egan its excited discussion of the 90
ddress.
Slowly the senators, deep in low ~
DICED conversation, filed from the IN,
The history-making speech M.
,as over. and the house resumed its re
reary grind. nj,