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.
I 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 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 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.