Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-26

the midst of the present trying cir
| cumstanceS with discretion but with
| clear and steadfast purpose. Only the
| method and the extent remain to be
chosen, upon the occasion, If occasion
should indeed arise.
'Since it has unhappily proved i'm
| possible to safeguard our neutral
rights by diplomatic means against the
unwarranted infringements they are
suffering at the hands of Germany,
there may be no recourse but to armed
neutrality, which we shall know how
to maintain.
1T is devoutly to be hoped that IL
will not be necessary to put armed
force anywhere into action. The Am
erican people do not desire it, and our
desire is not different from theirs 1
as sure that they will understand the
spirit in which | am now acting, the
purpose l hold nearest my heart and
would wish to exhibit in everything l
do. l am anxious that the people of
the nations at war also should under
stand and not distrust us. l hope that
[ need give no further proofs and as
SuranceS than i have already given
throughout nearly three years of anX-
ious patience that l am the friend of
peace and. mean to preserve it for
America so long as l am able. / am
not now proposing or contemplating
war or any steps that need lead to it.
l merely request that you will accord
me by your own vote and definite be-
stowal the means and the autority to
safeguard in practice the right of
a great people who are at peace and
who are deSirous of exercising none
but the rights OF peace to follow the
the pursuit of peace in quietness and
good will-rights recognized time out
of mind by all the civilized nations of
the world. No course of my choosing
or of their will lead to war. War can
come only by the wilfull acts and ag-
gressions of others.
Asks in General Terms
You will understand why l can
make no definite proposals or fore
casts of action now and must ask for
your supporting authority in the most
general terms. The form in which
action may become necessary cannot
be coreseen. l believe that the peo-
pie will be willing to trust me to act
with restraint, with prudence and in
the true spirit of amity and good faith
that they have themselves displayed
throughout these trying months; and it
is in that belief that | request that
you will authorize me to supply our
merchant ships with defensive arms
should that become necessary and
with the means of using them, and
to employ any other instrumentalities
adequate to protect our ships, and our
people in the legitimate and peaceful
pursuits on the seas. l request also
that you will grant me at the same
time, along with the powers | ask,
sufficient credit to enable me to pro-
vide adequate means of protection
where they are lacking, including ade-
quate insurance against the present
war risks.
For Human Right
Il have spoken of our commerce
and of the legitimate errandS of our
people on the seas, but you will not
be misled as to my main thought, the
thought that lies beneath. these
phrases and gives them dignity and
weight. 1t is not of material interest
merely that we are thinking. 1t is,
rather, of fundamental human rights,
chief of all the right of life itself. /
am thinking not only of the rights of
Americans to go and come about their
proper business by way of the sea, but
also of something much deeper, much
more fundamental than that. / am
thinking of those rights of humanity
without which there is no civilization.
My theme is OF those great principles
OF compassion and of protection which
mankind has sought to throw about
human lives, the lives of noncombat-
ants, the lives of men who are peace
fully at work keeping the industrial
processes fthe world quick and vital
the lives of women and children and
of those who supply the labor which
ministers to their sustenance. We are
speaking of no selfish material rights,
but of rights which our hearts sup
port and whose founda is that right
eous passion for justice upon which
all law, all structures alike of family,
of State and of mankind must rest,
as upon the ultimate base of our ex-
istence and our liberty. l cannot
any man with American prin-
ciples at his heart hesitating to de-
fend these things"
Not n Declaration of War
To ask for authority to use the
forces of the United States to protect
American rights is not in any sense
to ask for a declaration of war, nor is
1t an act of war. 1t is to prepare the
United States for what may be war
like acts by any other nation.
At o'clock he summoned Secre-
tary Tumulty to the White House and
soon afterwards called for Senator
Stone. At $50 the deputy public
printer was called to the EeXecutive
offices and given the manuscript of
the Presidents address. Soon after
Secretary Tumulty made the an
nouncement.