Read the excerpt from President Woodrow Wilson’s speech, “War Message to Congress.” I am not now thinking of the loss of property involved, immense and serious as that is, but only for the wanton and wholesale destruction of the lives of non-combatants, men, women, and children, engaged in pursuits which have always, even in the darkest periods of modern history, been deemed innocent and legitimate. Property can be paid for; the lives of peaceful and innocent people cannot be.
Which statement best describes the main idea of the excerpt?
A- A lot of the nation’s property has been destroyed.
B- The nation has lost an immense amount of wealth.
C- Human lives are worth more than material items.
D- The nation will get back everything that was lost.