Messages to the Congress January to April, 1917 by Woodrow Wilson,President of the United States, with the President’s proclamation of warApril 6, 1917 and his message to the American people April 15, 1917.
Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York and London.Published May, 1917
| I. | A WORLD LEAGUE FOR PEACE Message to the Senate, January 22, 1917. |
| II. | THE SEVERANCE OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH GERMANY Message to the Congress, February 3, 1917. |
| III. | REQUEST FOR A GRANT OF POWER Message to the Congress, February 26, 1917. |
| IV. | WE MUST ACCEPT WAR Message to the Congress, April 2, 1917. |
| V. | A STATE OF WAR The President’s Proclamation of April 6, 1917. |
| VI. | “SPEAK, ACT, AND SERVE TOGETHER” Message to the American people, April 15, 1917. |
This book presents in convenient form the memorable messages to theCongress read by President Wilson in January, February, and April,1917. They should be read together, for only in this way is itpossible to appreciate both the forbearance and the logic of eventsreflected in these consecutive chapters of history. While the greatwar message of April 2d is obviously the most momentous, its fullsignificance is not made clear unless it is read as the climax of thepreceding messages and also in connection with the President’sproclamation of a state of war on April 6th and his message to theAmerican people of April 15th. While the approval of President Wilsonwas very naturally requested and obtained for the publication of thesemessages in collected form, the Publishers are responsible for thetitle and for captions. They have felt that they are rendering aservice of permanent value by collecting and presenting these historicdocuments in the same form in which they have published PresidentWilson’s When a Man Comes to Himself, On Being Human, andThe President of the United States.
Gentlemen of the Senate:
On the 18th of December last I addressed an identic note to theGovernments of the nations now at war, requesting them to state,more definitely than they had yet been stated by either group ofbelligerents, the terms upon which they would deem it possible to makepeace. I spoke on behalf of humanity and of the rights of all neutralnations like our own, many of whose most vital interests the war putsin constant jeopardy.
The Central Powers united in a reply which stated merely that they wereready to meet their antagonists in conference to discuss terms of peace.
ENTENTE REPLY WAS MORE DEFINITE
The Entente Powers have replied much more definitely and have stated,in general terms, indeed, but wit