" The challenge is to all 'mankind. Each maim mist decide for itself how will meet it. The choice we make for ourselves must be made with a moderation of counsel and a temperate ness of juftment befitting our character and our motives as a nation. We must put excited feelings away. Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious assertion of the phymml might of the nation, but only the vindication of mht, of human right, of which we are only a mee champion.
" When I addressed the Co on Me 264h of February last I thought that it would to assert our neutral nghta with arms, our right to use the seas against unlawful inter ference, our right to keep oar people safe against. unlawful violence. But armed neutrality, it now appears, 111 impsao ticable. Because submarines are in effect outlaws, when used as the German submarines have been used against merchant shippm, it is impossible to defend ships against their attacks as Me law of nations has assumed that mer chant-men would defend themselves against privateers or cruisers, visible craft. giving chase upon the ope.n sea. It is common prudence in such circumstances, gram neeessity indeed, to endeavor to destroy them before they have shown their own intention. They must be dealt with upon sight, if dealt with at all.
"The Ge1112SU government denies the right of neutrals to um arms et all within the areas the eca which it has pro seethed. even in the defence of sights which no modern pub licist has ever before questioned their right to defend. The intimation is conveyed that the armed guards which we have placed on our merchant Elaine will be treated as beyond the pale of law and subject to be dealt with as pirates would be. Armed neutrality is ineffectual enough at best; in such cir cumstances and in the face of such pretensions it is more than ineffectual; it is likely. only to produce what it was meant to t; it is practically certain to draw us into the war wi t either the rights or the effectiveness of .belligerents.
These is one choice we cannot make, we are incapable of making; we will not choose the path ef submission and suffer tbe most sacred rights of our make and our people to be ignored or violated. The wrongs against which we now array ourselves are no °Damon wrongs; they cut to the very roots of human life.
' With a profound sense of the solemn and even tragical character of the step I am taking and of the graVe responsi bilities which it involves, but m unhesitating obedience to what I deem my constitutional duty. I advise that the Ceara:
declare the recent course ce, the Impersal German Goveriennot to be en fad mann{ kss Shan war against the Gmerminsi mut Notts qf the Unded States; that it formally accept the status oy belligerent whisk has thus been thrust upon it; and that it take immedsate steps not only to Pat she country in mire Shcrough state or defence but also to exert oil its power and employ all its resources to bring the gownsiesit of the German Empire So terms and end She war.
" What this will involve is clear. It involve the ut most practicable co-operation in counsel and action with the governments now at war with Germany. and. as incident to that, the extemion to those governments of the most liberal financial credits, in order that our resources may so far as posible be added to theirs.
' It will involve the organisation and mobilization of all the material resources of the coos:day to supply Use materials of war and serve the incidental needs of the nation in the most abundant and yet the most economical and efficient way possible. - - " It will involve the hnmediate full t of the wry in all respects, but particularly in supp ying it with the best means of dealMg with the enemy's submarines.
" It will involve the immecliate addition to the armed forces ci the United States, &heady provided for by law in case of war. of at least 500,030 men, who should, in my opinion.. be chosen upon the principle of universal liability to service. and also the authorizataon of subsequent additional Incre ments of eq.ual fo.rce so soon as they may be needed and am be handled in training.
. " It will involve also, of course. the granting ci adequate credits to the government, a:stained. I hope, so far as they can equitably be sustained by the present generation, by well conceived taxation.
" I say sustained so far as may be equitable by taxation, because it seems to ale that it would be most imwse to base the credits, which will now be necessary, entirely on money borrowed. It is our dutY, I M04 resMotfollY wlito. to Pm' tect our people, so far as we may, agiunit the very serious hardship. and evils which would be likely to arise out of the inflation which would be produced by vast loans.