[Illustration: _From a photograph by G. V. Buck, Underwood & Underwood._ President Wilson delivering his war message On the second day of April, 1917 ... while a world waited breathlessly for the verdict of the great nation, President Wilson read his message to the men who represent the people of the United States] “The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquests, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensations for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them.” With the weight of the gravest responsibility an American Congress has ever raised falling upon their shoulders, they gave heed as the chief executive brought to them the issue: “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, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free people as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free. “To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those 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.” The Congress of the United States deliberated, through three days and three nights, while the world waited, upon the question of war. On the 2d of April, the very day of the President’s message, the war declaration passed the Senate with a vote of 82 yeas and 6 nays. On the 5th of April, it passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 373 yeas and 70 nays. America had spoken, and the voice of America thundered this message to Germany: “Whereas the Imperial German Government has committed repeated acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it