RUTHFULLY YOURS

U.S. DECLARES WAR, PACIFIC BATTLE WIDENS

UNITY IN CONGRESS

Only One Negative Vote as President Calls to War and Victory

ROUNDS OF CHEERS

Miss Rankin’s Is Sole ‘No’ as Both Houses Act in Quick Time

By FRANK L. KLUCKHOHN

Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES

Washington, Dec. 8.–The United States today formally declared war on Japan. Congress, with only one dissenting vote, approved the resolution in the record time of 33 minutes after President Roosevelt denounced Japanese aggression in ringing tones. He personally delivered his message to a joint session of the Senate and House. At 4:10 P. M. he affixed his signature to the resolution.

There was no debate like that between April 2, 1917, when President Wilson requested war against Germany, and April 6, when a declaration of war was approved by Congress.

President Roosevelt spoke only 6 minutes and 30 seconds today compared with Woodrow Wilson’s 29 minutes and 34 seconds.

The vote today against Japan was 82 to 0 in the Senate and 388 to 1 in the House. The lone vote against the resolution was in the House that of Miss Jeanette Rankin, Republican, of Montana. Her “No” was greeted with boos and hisses. In 1917 she voted against the resolution for war against Germany.

The President did not mention either Germany or Italy in his request. Early this evening a statement was issued at the White House, however, accusing Germany of doing everything possible to push Japan into the war. The objective, the official statement proclaimed, was to cut off American lend-lease aid to Germany’s European enemies, and a pledge was made that this aid would continue “100 per cent.”

A Sudden and Deliberate Attack

President Roosevelt’s brief and decisive words were addressed to the assembled representatives of the basic organizations of American democracy–the Senate, the House, the Cabinet and the Supreme Court.

“America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan,” he said. “We will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God.”

Thunderous cheers greeted the Chief Executive and Commander in Chief throughout the address. This was particularly pronounced when he declared that Americans “will remember the character of the onslaught against us,” a day, he remarked, which will live in infamy.

“This form of treachery shall never endanger us again,” he declared amid cheers. “The American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.”

Then, to the accompaniment of a great roar of cheering, he asked for war against Japan.

The President officially informed Congress that in the dastardly attack by Japan, delivered while the Imperial Japanese Government was expressing hope for continued peace, “very many American lives have been lost” and American ships reportedly have been “torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.”

Mentioning one by one in staccato phrases the Japanese attacks on the Philippines, American Midway, Wake and Guam Islands, British Hong Kong and Malaya, he bluntly informed the people by radio and their representatives directly:

“Hostilities exist. There is no blinking the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.”

Victory May Take Time, He Warns

It may take a long time, Mr. Roosevelt warned, “to overcome this premeditated invasion,” but of the unbounding determination of the American people and confidence in our armed forces neither he nor they had any doubt. Then he said:

“I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.”

It was to a solemn Congress and to grim galleries that the President mentioned the casualties in Hawaii–officially estimated at 1,500 dead and 1,500 wounded.

Before him, on his left was the Supreme Court, its members clad in black robes. On the right in the front row sat the Cabinet, with Secretary Hull in the ranking position on the aisle. Behind the Cabinet were the Senators and then the members of the House.

Mr. Roosevelt spoke concisely, clearly and to the point to an already convinced audience already stirred to belligerency by the wantonness of the Japanese attack.

Extraordinary precautions were taken by the secret Service to guard the President during his short trip over the indirect mile and a quarter route from the Executive Mansion to the Capitol and back to the White House.

Crowds, solemn but determined, greeted the Chief Executive with cheers from the time he was driven out of the East Gate of the White House until he reached the rear entrance of the House after passing through crowded Capitol Plaza. The same crowds stood silently by as he returned.

Joint Session Is Ended

The two houses split up immediately after the address and passed the war resolution separately without debate, the time consumed being accountable to having the resolution officially introduced and in the physical problem involved.

Stephen T. Early, Presidential secretary, said that nothing official had been received by this government tonight on European reports that Germany and Italy were contemplating declaration of war against the United States. Germany, however, was widely expected to carry out its treaty commitments arranged by Hitler with Japan and to declare war on the United States with her Italian satellite following suit.

Since the Constitution provides that Congress alone can declare war, there was some doubt here as to whether the United States was officially at war with Japan from the time the House adopted the war resolution at 1:10 P. M., ten minutes after the Senate, or from the time the President signed the resolution at 4:10 P. M. Most attorneys consulted inclined to the belief the latter time marked the historic step.

It was just forty-seven minutes, at any rate, after Vice President Wallace affixed his signature at the Capitol until the President affixed his signature without great ceremony in the presence of Senate and House leaders.

The President shook hands with his guests, signed the document with an ordinary pen and promised the pen to Chairman Bloom of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Besides officials, only an exceptionally large number of news reel and other photographers, including one in Army uniform, saw the ceremony.

Present at the ceremony in the Executive office were the following Congressional leaders: Vice President Wallace, Senators Barkley, Austin, McNary, Connally and Glass; Speaker Rayburn and Representatives McCormack, Martin, Bloom, Eaton and Luther A. Johnson of Texas.

The President went to the Capitol cheered by telegrams and messages in tremendous quantity all of which were said by Mr. Early to express “horror at this attack and full loyalty to the President and the government.”

The messages came from Governors, Mayors, religious leaders, heads of civic movements, newspaper editors and radio broadcasters, many offering their personal services.

A Washington taxicab driver named Smith telephoned to the White House late last night, saying he had just finished paying for his cab, but that he offered it to the government and offered, further, to drive free of charge any government official needing transportation.

Alfred M. Landon, Republican Presidential candidate in 1936, telegraphed to the White House:

“The Japanese leave no choice. Nothing must be permitted to interfere with our victory over a foreign foe.”

A committee to escort President Roosevelt into the House chamber was appointed by Speaker Rayburn. It consisted of Representative McCormack, House majority leader, Joseph W. Martin, House minority leader; Chairman Doughton of the House Ways and Means Committee; Senate Majority Leader Barkley, Senate Minority Leader McNary and Senator Glass of Virginia.

The President went from his automobile to the Speaker’s room where he remained until he addressed the joint session at 12:30 P. M.

The President’s Message

Following is the text of President Roosevelt’s war message to Congress as recorded by The New York Times from a broadcast:

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:

Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941–a date which will live in infamy–the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu the Japanese Ambassador to the United States delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And, while this replay stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

Attack Deliberately Planned

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has therefore undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense, that always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

Victory Will Be Absolute

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.
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