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The Commoner
OL. 17, NO. 3
12
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IV
Pi-esident Wilson Asks Congress for
Authority to Act in German Crisis
for wliich there is abundant American
dent.
prece-
A Washington dispatch, dated Fob. 26 says:
President Wilson's .address to congress today- in
r-XulI follows:
"I have again asked the privilege of addressing
you because wo are moving through critical
times, during which it seems to mo to be my
duty to hoop in rlnfip touch with the houses of
congress, so (hat neither counsel nor action
shall run at cruss-purposes between us.
On the third of February I officially informed
you of tho sudden and unexpected action of the
imporial German government in declaring its in
tention to disregard the promises it had made
to this government Jn April last and undertako
immediato submarine operations . against all
commerce, whether of belligerents or of neu
trals, that should seek to approach Great Brit- -ain
and Ireland, the Atlantic coasts of Europe
or tho harbors of the eastern Mediterranean,!
and to conduct those operations without regard
to the established restrictions of international
practice, without regard to any considerations
of humanity even, which might interfere with
their object.
"That policy was forthwith put into practice.
, It has now been in ctivo exhibition for nearly
four weoks. Its practical results are not fully
disclosed. c
"The commence of other neutral nations is
suffering severely, but not, perhaps, very much
more severely than it was already suffering be
fore tho first of February, when the new policy
of the imperial government was put Into oper
ation. Wo have asked tho co-operation of the
other noutral governments to prevent these dep
redations, but I fear none of hem has thought
it wise to join ub in any common course of ac
tion. NO OVERT ACT IN TWO SINKINGS
"Our own commerce has suffered, is suffering,
rather in apprehension than in fact, rather be-
s capse so many of our ships are timidly keeping
to their home ports than because American
ships have boon sunk.
Two American vessels have been sunk, the
.Housalonic and tho Lyman M. Law. The case
of tho Housatonic, which was carrying food
stuffs consigned to a London firm, -was essen
tially liko tho case of tho Frye, in which, it will
.be recalled, the German government admitted
its liability for damages, and the lives, of the
crew, as in the case of the Frye, were safe
guarded with reasonable care.
"Tho case of the Law, which was carrying
lomoji box staves to Palermo, disclosed a ruth
lessness of method which deserves grave con
demnation, but was accompanied by no circum
stances which might not Rave been expected at
any time in connection with the use 'bTTn'e sub
marine against merchantmen as the German
government has used it.
"In sum, therefore, the situation we find our
selves in with regard to the actual conduct of
the German submarine warfare against com
merce and its effects upon our own, ships and
people is substantially the same that it was
when I addressed you on the third of February,
excopt for tho tying up of our shipping in our
own ports because of tho unwillingness of our
shipowners to risk their vessels at sea without
insurance or adequate protection, and the very
serious congestion of our commerco which has
resulted, a congestion wliich Is growing rapidly
more and more serious every day.
"This in Itself might presently accomplish, in
effect, what the new German submarine orders
were meant to accomplish, so far as we are con
cerned. We can only say, therefore, that the
overt act which I have ventured to hope the
German commanders would In fact avoid has
not occurred.
'.'But while this Is happily true, it must be ad
mitted that there have been certain additional
indications -and -expressions of purpose on the
part of the German prette and the German au
thorities, which have Increased rather than
lessened tho impression that if our ships and
our people are spared it will be because of for-
,
On February 26, President Wilson
appeared before a joint session of con
gress asking for full power to act in the
present German crisis. His address de-
livered on this occasion appears in full
on this page. ,
The senate foreign affairs committee
met immediately after the conclusion of
tho address and finally agreed on a bill
which would grant the President virtu-
ally the powers he asked. -The bill,
known as the "Armed Neutrality Bill,"
later passed the house by a vote of 403
0 to 13.
The bill was defeated by failure of tho '
senate to act before tlie Sixtyfourth
congress died by limitation at noon,
March 4.
During the closing hours of congress,
a manifest proclaiming to the world they
favored the passage of the measure, was
signed by 76 senators 30 republicans
S and 46 democrats.
President Wilson, following the ad-
journment of congress, issued a state-"
mont commenting on the action of the'
senate. Acting on the decision of Secre-
tary Lansing and Attorney General Greg-
ory, President Wilspn later decided that
he had power to arm American mer-
chantmen for defensive purposes and
issued orders putting that policy into
effect.
'
P)
i
tunate circumstances or because the command
prof the German submarines which they may
happeli to encounter exercise an unexpected
discretion and restraint, rather than because of
the instructions under which those commanders
are acting.
"It would be foolish to dny that the situation
Is fraught with the gravest possibilities and
dangers No thoughtful man can fail to see
that the necessity for definite action may come
at any time, if we are in fact, and not in word,
merely, to defend our elementary rights as a
neutral nation. 'It would be most imprudent to
be unprepared.
"I can not in such circumstances be unmind
ful of the fact that the expiration of the term
of the present congress is immediately at hand
by constitutional limitation, and that it would,
in all likelihood require an unusual length of
tome to assemble and organize the congress
which Is to succeed it.
"I feel that I ought, in view of that fact, ob
tain from you full and immediate assurance of
the authority wh'ich I may need at any moment
to exercise. No doubt, I already possess that au
thority without special warrant of law, by the
,plain implication of my constitutional duties
and powers; but I prefer in the present circum
stances not to act upon general implication. I
wish to feel that the authority and the power of
the congress are behind me in whatever it may
.become necessary for me to do. We are jointly
the servants of the people rfnd must act "" to
gether and in their spirit, so far as we can di
vine and interpret It.
DEFENSE BY ARMED NEUTRALITY
"No one doubts what it is our duty to do. We
must defend our commerce and the lives of our
people in the midst of the present trying cir
cumstances with discretion, but with clear and
steadfast purpose. Only the method and the ex
tent remain to be chosen upon the occasion, if
occasion should indeed arise. J
"Since it has unhappily proved impossible to
safeguard our neutral rights by diplomatic
means against the unwarranted infringements
they are suffering at the hands of Germany
there may be recourse but to armed neutral
ity, which we shall know how to maintain and
necessary to put armed forces anywhere w
action. The American people do not desiro ,?
and our desire is not different from their t
am, sure that they will understand the snirit i
which I am now acting, the purpose I hold nL?
est to my heart and would wish to exhibit
everything I do. I am anxious that the peon n
of the nations at war also should understami
and not mistrust us; ""rsiand
"I hope that I need give no further proofs and
assurances than I have already given throuSr"
out nearly three years of anxious patience that
I am the friend of peace, and mean to preserve
it for America so long as I am able. I am not
now proposing or contemplating war or anv
steps that need lead to it.
"I merely request that you will occord me bv
your own vote and definite bestowal the means
and the authority 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 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 theirs
will lead to war. War can come only by the
wilful acts and aggressions of others.
"You will understand yhy I can make no def-
'ite proposals or forecaste of action now, and
must ask for your supporting authority in the
most general terms. The form in which action
may become necessary can not yet be foreseen.
"I believe that the people 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
I request that you wilj 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 instru
mentalities or methods that may.be necessary
and adequate to protect our ships and our peo
ple in their legitimate and peaceful pursuits on
the seas. X request also that you will grant me
at the. same time, along with the powers I ask,
a sufficient credit to enable me to provide ade
quate means of protection where they are lack
ing, including adequate insurance against the
present war risks.
"I 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.
"It is not of material interest merely that we
are thinking. It is, rather, of fundamental hu
man rights, chief of all the right of life itself.
I am thinking not only of the rights of Amer
icans to go and come about their proper busi
ness by way of the sea, but also of something
much deeper, much more fundamental than
.that.
"I 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 non
combatants, the lives of men who are peacefully
at work keeping the industrial processes of the
world quick and vital, the lives of women and
children and of those who supply the labor
which ministers to their sustenance.
"Wo are speaking of no selfish material
rights but of rights which our hearts support,
and whose foundation is that righteous passion
for justice upon which all law, all structures
alike of family, of state and mankind must rest,
as upon the ultimate base of our existence ana
our liberty. I can not "imagine any man witn
American principles at his heart hesitating to
defend these things."
' V, "
THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT
A Washington dispatch, dated March 5, says:
PresidenWWilson issued a statement rooWJ?J
the defeat of the armed neutrality bill uy w
senate. Tho statement follows:
"The termination of the last session or
Sixty-fourth congress by constitutional mm
tion discloses a situation unparalleled in i
history of the country, perhaps unparalieieu
the history of any modern government. fc
"Imffct immediate presence pi a crisis rraut
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