AMERICAN ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 December 1941, Page 5

AMERICAN ACTION

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT’S SPEECH

JAPAN’S FOUL TREACHERY.

UNPROVOKED & DASTARDLY ATTACK. (Hv Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) WASHINGTON, December 8. President Roosevelt was received with a tremendous ovation of applause and cheering when he attended a joint meeting of both Houses of Congress, st 12.30 p.m., and asked for a declaration of war against Japan. In addition to members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, members of the Cabinet and of the Supreme Court were present. The President said that on Sunday, December 7, 1941, the United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States W3S at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was engaged in conversations with envoys of her Government looking to the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. At the very hour when Japanese aircraft were attacking Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador In Washington and his colleague were handing to the American Government a reply to the United States Note. The reply contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack. The distance of Hawaii from Japan made it obvious that the attacks were deliberately planned many days, if not weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government had deliberately sought to deceive the United States by professions of a desire for continued peace. Having stated that the Japanese attacks had caused severe damage and that many American lives had been lost, and having detailed the attacks made by Japanese forces on American possessions in the Pacific and on Malaya, Mr Roosevelt said the Congress and people of the United States had already formed their opinion and understood the implications to the very life and safety of the nation. As Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces he had already directed that all measures should be taken to defend the nation. He believed he interpreted the will of Congress and the people when he declared their determination, not only to win through to victory, but to make it fully certain “that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.”

“There is no blinking the fact,” said Mr Roosevelt, “that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces and in the determination of our people we shall gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God. I ask Congress to declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.” '