Name/Title
StereographEntry/Object ID
2023.055.3.0147Description
A black and white stereograph. Image is of Woodrow Wilson addressing the United States Congress. Above the image "W185 (Star)" is printed, below the image "16770 President Wilson Addressing Congress on Question of International Peace and Imminent Danger of War with Germany" is printed, to the left of the image "Keystone View Company Copyrighted, Manufacturers MADE IN U.S.A. Publishers" is printed, to the right of the image "Meadville, Pa., New York, N. Y., Chicago, Ill., London, England." is printed. On the reverse the following is printed:
16770
PRESIDENT WILSON ADDRESSING CONGRESS
Early in his first term of office President Wilson revived the old custom , long since abandoned, of addressing an occasional joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives. The Senators assembled in the lower House with its members.
The most momentous occasion of this kind occured on February 3, 1917. At this joint session Presiden Wilson announced that at the very hour Count Von Bernstorff was being given his passports to leave the Untied States. This meant that all diplomatic relations with the German government had been severed. Congress and the country at large had expected this move on the part of the President. Just a few days before Germany announced its intention of sinking neutral ships on the high seas, contrary to its promise not to do so made to the American government in May, 1916.
The President is seen reading at the desk right in front of Speaker Champ Clark's stand. The galleries are filled wh interested spectators. The foreign Ambassadors and Ministers have a reserved gallery, as do the newspaper representatives. In addition to the Senators and Congressmen, there were also present the Chief Justice and other members of the United States Supreme Court. That joint session of Congress addressed by President Wilson will go down in history. He found in respone to his speech a united Congress and a untied people.
Copyright by The Keystone View CompanyCollection
Photograph Collection