Show I WILSON ILSON ASKS FOR FOB ARMED POWER I I PRESIDENT RESIDENT DETERMINED TO 1 PROTECT AMERICAN LIVES LIVESt LIVESa a t t. t AGAINST SUBMARINES a Violation of Rights Rights' and Intolerable ble j Blockade Brings Chief Executive r. r t Before Congress Congre s With Appeal f for Authority to Act h Washington President Pre President ident Wilson on February asked Congress for authority authority au au- au j thorl y to use the forces forcE of the United United Unit Unit- ed States to protect American ships unit unit-I and ond lives against the German submarine submarino rine rino menace to put the nation in a state of armed neutrality The The immediate response was tho the Introduction in th the house of of a bill approved in advance by the president empowering him to turn furnish sh guns and i nd d gunners to American merchantmen and mid and to employ such other I instrumentalities instrumentalities' mentalities mentalities' e and methods methods' as may become necessary and nd providing for fora a bond issue to be used In his discretion for for forwar war war insurance to encourage American commerce to brave th the submarine p peril The presidents president's long expected ac nc action action tion while received in- in In inthe the main with expressions of support threatens to force an an extra session of of- congress Standing at the clerks clerk's desk in the hall ball of the house hous grave calm speakIng speaking speak speak- I ing earnestly in in the attitude now fa familiar millar the president delivered his his his' address while congress congress' sat in tense respectful silence fully impressed with the soberness of the occasion No cheers and applause such as have burst out before punctuated his sen sen- By common consent the mem hers bers refrained from demonstration There were vigorous n nods ds of approval from Democrats and Republicans Wh who have been urging a forward course sll silence nce and indications of reserved th thought from those opposed f g But at the conclusion of tl tile the e address ad dr dress ss when the president spoke of the fundamental rights on which which are based the s structure of family stata state stat a and d liberty and said I I cannot Imag Ine Inc a man with principles In lii inh h his s heart hesitating to defend these things cheers resounded through the c chamber For four weeks an unrestricted submarine warfare the pre president ident told congress has seen the destruction of at least east two American ships American commerce driven in a a large measure from the seas through fear o oC the peril and a resulting congestion con con- of Americas America's vital industries growing g mor more s serious lious ev every evry ry day The fact act that more American lives had no been l lost st he said was due to the fact that German submarine commanders com commanders manders had exercised an unexpected ed discretion and restraint rather than because of the instructions under unde which they were acting To be unprepared un uni prepared with congress out of session ses sion the president sa said d would be most imprudent Consequently h he asked for authority to act During the course of his address President nt Wilson Vilson told congress I 1 Iam Iam am not proposing nor contemplating war or any steps that might lead to toa a war ar War can only come toy by the wilful acts and ind aggressions of others I must must ask asle for or your authority authority au in the most general terms We must defend our ur commerce om erce and the lives of our people wIth discretion but with clear and steadfast purpose I request that you will authorize m me to supply our ur merchant ships with d defensive fen Jve arms orm should that become necessary and with th the means of using using us us- ing them and to employ any other instrumentalities in In- or methods method that may maybe maybe be necessary and adequate to protect pro our oui ships and our people In tn their legitimate and peaceful pursuits on the tIle se seas s. s i l request st also a sufficient credit t tenable to enable me to provide adequate means of ot protection where they Uley are lacking Including adequate insurance e against war risk I fe feel l that I ought to obtain from you full and immediate assurance of the authority which I l may need at any moment moment to exercise No o doubt I already al ale ready possess that authority without special warrant of law Our own commerce is suffering rather in apprehension than in fact t because so so many of our ships are tImidlY timIdly timidly tim tim- idly keeping Jo to o their home ports than by ships ships' having been sunk This itself might presently accomplish accomplish in effect ct what the new ew German submarine orders were meant to accomPlish accomplish ac ac- ac so far as S we are concerned The case of ot the Lyman M. M r. r w Ll disclosed dis dis- closed dosed a i of m method thod which receives grave condemnation but was accompanied by no circumstances which might not have havo been expected at any time tim In connection with the use of the submarine against mere mer as s the Germ German n has us d it There may be no recourse but to to armed neutrality which we shall now have to maintain and for which there is abundant American precedent |