Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-02
CHAPTER XVIII
Continued
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'"This Means War"
wildly recall the day the Asso
ciated Press bulletin reached the
White House. I took it Immediately
to the president, who was at his desk
in his private Office. AS / entered he
looked up from his writing, casual in
quiry In his eyes. Without comment
laid the Hateful slip of paper on his
desk and silently watched him as he
read and then reread it. I seemed
to read his mind in the expression
that raced across his strong features,
first blank amaZezment, then in
credulity that even Germany could
be guilty Of such perfidy, then gray
ity and SternneS, a sudden grayness
of color, a compression of the lips
and the familiar locking of the jaw
which always characterized him in
moments of supreme resolution
Handing the paper back to me, he
said in quiet tones: This means
war. The break that we have tried
so hard to prevent now seems in
evitable."
On February he addressed con-
gress, announcing the severance of
diplomatic relations with Germany
and stating his hope that Germany
would pause before it was too late.
On February rs the steamship An
coma, with Americans on board, was
sunk and on the next day the presi-
dent addressed congress, suggesting
the proclamation of armed neutrality
as final effort to apply pressure
to the government of Germany, to
show that the United States was in
earnest and would protect it's rights
against lawless attacks at sea; but
these measures failed, Germany
seemed bent upon a break with us,
and on April 6, 1917, in response to
a memorable address delivered by
the president on April 2, the congress
Of the United States declared solemn
ly that q state Of war existed between
the United States and the Imperial
German government.
In concluding his war message, the
president said:
It is fearful thing to lead
this great, peaceful people into
war, into the most terrible and
disastrous Of all wars, civilization
itself seeming fo be in the bal
ance. But the right is more prec-
ious than peace, and we shall
fight for the things which we
have always carried nearest our
hearts, for democracy, for the
right Of those who submit to au-
thority to have voice in their
own governments, for the rights
and liberties Of small nations, for
a universal dominion Of right by
such a concert of free l.eoples as
shall bring peace and safety to
all nations and make the world
itself at last free. To such
task we can dedicate our lives
and our fortune, everything that
we are and everything that we
have, with the pride Of those who
know that the day has come
when America is privileged to
spend her blood and her might
for the principles that gave her
birth and happiness and the
peace which she has treasured.
God helping her, she can do no
other.
accompanied the president to
Capitol hill on the day'of the deliv-
cry of his war message, and on that
fateful day rode with him from the
capitol back to the White House, the
echo of applause still ringing in my
ears. For a while he sat silent and
pale in the cabinet room. At last he
said: Think what it was they were
applauding" (as he spoke Of the peo'
pie who were lined along the streets
on his way to the capitoD my mes.
sage today was message of death
for our young men. How strange
it seems to applaud that"
Now Burdens of Old
That simple remark is one key to
an understanding of Woodrow Viii.
son. All politicians pretend to hate
and to dread war, but Woodrow VIII
son really hates and breads it in all
the fibers of his human soul; hates
it and breads it because he has an
imagination and a heart; an imagina.
| ton which shows his sensitive per
ception the anguish and the dying
which war entails; heart which
Lyearns and aches over every dying
soldier and bleeds afresh with each
new-naade wound.
I shall never forget that scene in
the cabinet room between the presi'
dent and myself. He appeared like
a man who had thrown off old bur-
dens only to add new ones. 1t was
apparent in his task with me that he
felt deeply wounded at the criticism
that for months had been heaped
upon him for his apparent unwilling
ness to go to war with Germany. AS
he discussed the step he had just
taken it was evident to me that he
keenly felt the full solemnity and
fra eredv of If ALL Turning to me