Notwithstanding this unexpected action of the German Government, this sudden and deeply deplorable renunciation of its assurances, given this Government at one of the most critical moments of tension in the relations of the two governments, I refuse to believe that it is the intention of the German authorities to do in fact what they have warned us they will feel at liberty to do.  I cannot bring myself to believe that they will indeed pay no regard to the ancient friendship between their people and our own or to the solemn obligations which have been exchanged between them and destroy American ships and take the lives of American citizens in the willful prosecution of the ruthless naval program they have announced their intention to adopt.  Only actual overt acts on their part can make me believe it even now.

If this inveterate confidence on my part in the sobriety and prudent foresight of their purpose should unhappily prove unfounded; if American ships and American lives should in fact be sacrificed by their naval commanders in heedless contravention of the just and reasonable understandings of international law and the obvious dictates of humanity, I shall take the liberty of coming again before the Congress, to ask that authority be given me to use any means that may be necessary for the protection of our seamen and our people in the prosecution of their peaceful and legitimate errands on the high seas.  I can do nothing less.  I take it for granted that all neutral governments will take the same course.

We do not desire any hostile conflict with the Imperial German Government.  We are the sincere friends of the German people and earnestly desire to remain at peace with the Government which speaks for them.  We shall not believe that they are hostile to us unless and until we are obliged to believe it; and we purpose nothing more than the reasonable defense of the undoubted rights of our people.  We wish to serve no selfish ends.  We seek merely to stand true alike in thought and in action to the immemorial principles of our people which I sought to express in my address to the Senate only two weeks ago,—­seek merely to vindicate our right to liberty and justice and an unmolested life.  These are the bases of peace, not war.  God grant we may not be challenged to defend them by acts of wilful injustice on the part of the Government of Germany!

REQUEST FOR AUTHORITY

[Address delivered at a joint session of the two Houses of Congress, February 26, 1917.]

GENTLEMEN OF THE CONGRESS: 

I have again asked the privilege of addressing you because we are moving through critical times during which it seems to me to be my duty to keep in close touch with the Houses of Congress, so that neither counsel nor action shall run at cross purposes between us.