Address of the President of the United States, Delivered at a Joint Session of the Two Houses of Congress, April 2, 1917, Volume 435U.S. Government Printing Office, 1917 - 8 pages President Wilson's declaration of war on Germany. |
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Page 3
... principle . I was for a little while unable to believe that such things would in fact be done by any government that had hitherto subscribed to the 31715 % 3 white House 4-7-17g humane practices of civilized nations . International law ...
... principle . I was for a little while unable to believe that such things would in fact be done by any government that had hitherto subscribed to the 31715 % 3 white House 4-7-17g humane practices of civilized nations . International law ...
Page 6
... principles of peace and justice in the life of the world as against selfish and autocratic power and to set up amongst the really free and self - governed peoples of the world such a concert of purpose and of action as will henceforth ...
... principles of peace and justice in the life of the world as against selfish and autocratic power and to set up amongst the really free and self - governed peoples of the world such a concert of purpose and of action as will henceforth ...
Page 9
... principles of right and of fair play we profess to be fighting for . I have said nothing of the governments allied with the Imperial Government of Germany because they have not made war upon us or challenged us to defend our right and ...
... principles of right and of fair play we profess to be fighting for . I have said nothing of the governments allied with the Imperial Government of Germany because they have not made war upon us or challenged us to defend our right and ...
Page 10
... 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 . 302 OF 13 10.
... 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 . 302 OF 13 10.
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Address of the President of the United States: Delivered at a Joint Session ... No preview available - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
accept accomplished accredited ADDRESS American amongst armed autocratic government belligerents boats bring carried challenge champion character choice circumstances civilized clear concert conduct Congress conquest counsel craft credits dealt defend our right democracy democratic desire distressing dominion duty employ enter this war equitable fact fair February last feeling fight force freedom friendship GENTLEMEN German submarine warfare habitual heart hostile humanity Imperial German Government Imperial Government impossible ineffectual innocent intrigues involve the immediate justice lawless League of Honour lives loyal mankind material meagre ment merchant shipping mind motives nations neighbour neutral never obedience object observed official opinion ourselves partnership peace possible present pretensions principles privileged proscribed proud prove purpose reckless responsibility restrained Russian sacrifice safe seas seek Self-governed selfish serious served to convince spies stir sunk sustained swept sympathy take the liberty taxation terrible things third of February thought United unlawful vessels vindicate wars wrongs
Popular passages
Page 3 - The new policy has swept every restriction aside. Vessels of every kind, whatever their flag, their character, their cargo, their destination, their errand, have been ruthlessly sent to the bottom without warning and without thought of help or mercy for those on board, the vessels of friendly neutrals, along with those of belligerents. Even hospital ships and ships carrying relief to the sorely bereaved and stricken people of Belgium...
Page 5 - I advise that the Congress declare the recent course of the Imperial German Government to be in fact nothing less than war against the government and people of the United States; that it formally accept the status of belligerent which has thus been thrust upon it...
Page 6 - ... universal liability to service, and also the authorization of subsequent additional increments of equal force so soon as they may be needed and can be handled in training. It will involve also, of course, the granting of adequate credits to the Government, sustained, I hope, so far as they can equitably be sustained by the present generation, by well conceived taxation.
Page 4 - International law had its origin in the attempt to set up some law which would be respected and observed upon the seas where no nation had right of dominion and where lay the free highways of the world.
Page 3 - GENTLEMEN OF THE CONGRESS, — I have called the Congress into extraordinary session because there are serious, very serious, choices of policy to be made, and made immediately, which it was neither right nor constitutionally permissible that I should assume the responsibility of making.
Page 8 - One of the things that has served to convince us that the Prussian autocracy was not and could never be our friend is that from the very outset of the present war it has filled our unsuspecting communities and even our offices of government with spies...
Page 10 - It is a distressing and oppressive duty, gentlemen of the Congress, which I have performed in thus addressing you. There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts — for democracy,...
Page 6 - Our object now, as then, is to vindicate the principles of peace and justice in the life of the world as against selfish and autocratic power and to set up amongst the really free and selfgoverned peoples of the world such a concert of purpose and of action as will henceforth insure the observance of those principles.
Page 6 - Neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where the peace of the world is involved and the freedom of its peoples, and the menace to that peace and freedom lies in the existence of autocratic governments backed by organized force which is controlled wholly...
Page 7 - It must be a league of honour, a partnership of opinion. Intrigue would eat its vitals away; the plottings of inner circles who could plan what they would and render account to no one would be a corruption seated at its very heart. Only free peoples can hold their purpose and their honour steady to a common end and prefer the interests of mankind to any narrow interest of their own.