The Holly chieftain., 1916-04-28


again permitted its undersea command
ers to disregard those assurances with
entire impunity.
Refers to the Lusitania Outrage.
Great liners like the Lusitania and
the Arabic. and mere ferry-boats like
the Sussex. have been attacked with.
out moments warning, sometimes
before they had even become aware
that they were in the presence of an
armed vessel of the enemy, and the
lives of -combatants, passengers
and crew have been sacrificed whole
sale in a manner which the govern
ment of the United States cannot but
regard as wantOn and without the
slightest color of justification.
been set to the indiscriminate pursuit
and destruction of merchantmen of all
kinds and nationalities within the wa
where these operations have been car
ried on; and the roll of Americans
who have lost their lives on ships thus
attacked and destroyed has grown.
toll has mounted into the hundreds.
Sussex Case Rivals Lusitanin.
One of tho latest and most shocking
instances of this method of warfare
was that of the destruction of the
French cross-channel steamer Sussex.
1t must stand forth as the sinking of
the steamer Lusitania did as SO sing
ularly tragical and unjustifiable as to
constitute truly terrible example Of
the inhumanity of submarine warfare
az the commanders of German vessels
have for the last twelve months been
conducting 1t.
If this incident stood alone some ex-
planation some disavowal by the Ger
man government. some evidence of
criminal mistake or wilful dsobedience
on the part of the commander of the
vessel that fired the torpedo might be
sought or entertained; but. unhappily.
1t does not stand alone.
Recent events make the conclusion
inevitable that 1t Is only one instance,
even though 1t be one of the most ex-
treme and distressing instances, of the
the imperial German government has
mistakenly adopted, and which from
the first exposed that government to
the reproach Of thrusting all neutral
rights aside in pursuit of its immedi-
ate object.
United States Has Hoped in Vain.
The government of the United States
has been very patient. At every stage
of this distressing experience of trag-
edy after tragedy in which its own
citizens were involved. it has sought
tc be restrained from any extreme
course of action or of protest by q
thoughtful consideration of the extra
ordinary circumstances of this unpre-
i. said or. did by the sentiments of
genuine friendship which the people of
the United States always have enter
tained and continue to entertain
toward the German nation.
1t has, of course, accepted the sue
cessive explanations and assurances Of
the imperial German government as
given in entire sincerity and good
hope. that it would prove to be pos
sible for the German government so
to order and control the acts of its
naval commanders as to square its
nrJy ha prin V,la re l,r,y, t1r
as embodied in the law of nations.
1t has been willing to wait until
the significance of the facts became
absolutely unmistakable and suscept-
ible of but one Interpretation. That
point has now unhappily been reached.
The facts are susceptible of but one
interpretation.
The imperial German government
has not been able to put any limits
or restraints upon its warfare against
either freight or passenger ships.
Demands U-Boat Raids End.
1t has, therefore, become painfully
evident that the position which this
government took at the very outset is
Inevitable; namely. that the use of
submarines for the destruction of any
enemy's commerce is of necessity,
because Of the very character of the
vessels employed, and the very meth
DDS Of attack which their employment,
of course, involves incompatible with
the principles of humanity. the long
eStaDl1SneQ anu lnCOuIEOV0FttDl6 nC6
of neutrals, and the sacred immunities
OF non-combatants.
have deemed it my duty. there.
fore, to say to the imperial Ger:
its purpose to prosecute relentless
and indiscriminate warfare against
vessels of commerce by the use
of submarines. notwithstanding the
fare in accordance with what the gov.
ernment of the United States must
consider the sacred and indissputabis
rules of international law and the uni
ity, the government Of the United
States is at last forced to the conclu-
sion that there is but one course that
1t can pursue, and that unless the i'm
perial German government should now
Immediately declare and effect an
abandonment of its present methods of
warfare against passenger and freight
carrying vessels, this government can
have no choice but to sever diplomat-
IL relations with the government OF tho
German empire altogether.
This decision i have e. arrived at with
the action contemplated, am sure.
all thoughtful Americans will look
forward to with unaffected reluctance:
some sort and by the force of circum
stances the responsible spokesman Of
the rights of humanity. and that we
cannot remain silent while those
utterly away In the mselstrom Of this
terrible war.
We owe it to due regard for our
of duty az a representative Of the
rights of neutrals the world over. and
to Just conception Of the rights Of
mankind. to take this stand now, with
the utmost solemnity and firmnsss.
have taken it, and taken 1t in the
confidence that it will meet with your
approval and support. All obedient
man y,,usf unffe in honinR that fha i'm.