REQUEST FOR A GRANT OF POWER

Message to the 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.

On the 3d of February I officially informed you of the sudden and
unexpected action of the Imperial German Government in declaring its
intention to disregard the promises it had made to this Government in
April last and undertake immediate submarine operations against all
commerce, whether of belligerents or of. neutrals, that should seek
to approach Great Britain and Ireland, the Atlantic coasts of Europe,
or the harbors of the eastern Mediterranean, and to conduct those
operations without regard to the established restrictions of
international practice, without regard to any considerations of
humanity, even, which might interfere with their object.


AMERICAN COMMERCE SUFFERS, BUT OTHER NEUTRALS FARE WORSE

That policy was forthwith put into practice. It has now been in active