Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1916-04-28
PRESIDENT TELLS
CONGRESS ABOUT
HIS uL1IMATUM
Joint Session Hears of Action
That May Result in Broken
Relations.
germany SHARPLY INDICTED

Mr.. Wilson Sets Forth Progress Of
kaiser's Submarine Warfare, His
Futile Promises and the Final Ex.
haustion Of Americas Patience.
House Of Representatives. the Cap
ltol, Washington, April 20.-Sharply
indicting Germany for its use of sub
marines against merchant vessels,
President Wilson yesterday, before
joint session Of congress. issued pub
lie notice to the world that unless that
United States will have no choice
but to sever diplomatic relations.
The history in the making" was
witnessed by one Of the largest gath
erings that has ever been jammed into
the historic chamber of the house of
representatives. Every single inch
OF available space was occupied, while
literally thousands were turned away.
There was no questioning the seri-
BUSINESS of the presidents position.
His voice, somewhat husky, penetrated
every corner of the room. and the
message was emphasized with an ex-
preston that showed its author was
fearful of the outcome. That serious
ness was shared by the audience. the
usual applause given the presidents
utterances being absent.
The message in every sense was an
ultimatum. True, it contained no time
limit within which reply must Re made.
But 1t fatty insisted that the German
submarine warfare has reached the
stage when this government will no
longer tolerate it.
The German explanations. previous
ly made, have been accepted in good
faith. the president said, in the hope
that that government would finally
be able to so order and control the acts
of its naval commanders as to square
its policy with the position Of human
ity as embodied in the law of ma
tions"
The United States had been willing
to wait the president said. until the
significance of tEo facts became abso-
lutely unmistakable and susceptible
of but one Interpretation" That point,
he said. has now unhappily been
reached"
Text Of Presidents Address.
Following is the complete text Of
the presidents address:
Gentlemen # the Congress-: A stu
alton has arisen in the foreign rela-
tions of the country of which it is my
plain duty to inform you very frankly
1T will be recalled that in Febru-
ary. 1915, the imperial German govern
rhent announced its intention to treat
the waters surrounding Great Britain
and Ireland as embraced within the
seat of war and to destroy all mer-
chant ships owned by its enemies that
might be found within any part of
that portion Of the high seas. and that
it warned all vessels, of neutral az
we'll as of belligerent ownership, to
keep out of the waters it had thus
prescribed. or else enter them at their
peril. The government Of the United
States earnestly protested. 1t took
the position that such a policy could
not be pursued without the practical
certainty Of gross ana palpable viola
tions of the law of nations, particular
ly If submarine craft were t. be en-
ployed as its instruments, inasmuch as
the rules prescribed by that law. rules
founded upon principles Of humanity
and established for the protection CT
the lives Of nonc0mbatants at sea
could not in the nature Of the case be
observed by such vessels. It based
its protest en- the ground that persons
Of neutral nationality and vessels Of
neutral ownership would be exposed
to extreme and intolerable risks, and
that no right to close any part of the
high seas against their use or to ex-
pose them to such risks could lawfully
be asserted by any belligerent govern.
ment. The law CT nations in these
matters. upon which the government
Of the United States based its protest
is not of recent origin or founded upon
merely arbitrary principles set up by
convention. 1t is based. on the con.
trary. upon manifest and imperative
principles of humanity and has long
been established with tho approval
and by the express assent Of all civi.
lized nations
Protest Was Discrepancies.
Notwithstanding the earnest pro.
test of our government, the imperial
German government at once proceeded
to carry out the policy 1t has an
nounced. 1t expressed the hope that
the dangers involved, at any rate the
dangers to neutral vessels, would he
reduced to Q minimum by the instruc