rances like the statement to
Russia, the reply to the communication of the Pope, and, most
emphatically, the President's restatement of War Aims on January 8th.
These and other state papers from the early spring of 1917 to
January, 1918, have a significance and value in this collected form
which has been attested by the many requests that have come to Harper
& Brothers, as President Wilson's publishers, for a war volume of the
President's messages to follow _Why We Are At War_.

As a matter of course, the President has been consulted in regard to
the plan of publication, and the conditions which he requested have
been observed. For title, arrangement, headings, and like details the
publishers are responsible. They have held the publication of the
President's words of enlightenment and inspiration to be a public
service. And they think that there is no impropriety in adding that
in the case of this book, and _Why We Are At War_, the American
Red Cross receives all author's royalties.

In the case of the former book the evolution of events which led to
war was illustrated in messages from January to April 15th. In the
preparation of this book, which begins with the second inaugural, it
has seemed desirable to present practically all the messages of
war-time, and therefore three papers are included which appeared in
the former and smaller book, in addition to the twenty-one messages
and addresses which have been collected for this volume.

IN OUR FIRST YEAR OF WAR

IN OUR FIRST YEAR OF WAR

I

THE SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS

(_March 5, 1917_)

My Fellow-citizens,--The four years which have elapsed since last I
stood in this place have been crowded with counsel and action of the
most vital interest and consequence. Perhaps no equal period in our
history has been so fruitful of important reforms in our economic and
industrial life or so full of significant changes in the spirit and
purpose of our political action. We have sought very thoughtfully to
set our house in order, correct the grosser errors and abuses of our
industrial life, liberate and quicken the processes of our national
genius and energy, and lift our politics to a broader view of the
people's essential interests. It is a record of singular variety and
singular distinction. But I shall not attempt to review it. It speaks
for itself and will be of increasing influence as the years go by.
This is not the time for retrospect. It is time, r