Middletown transcript., 1916-04-29

Washington.-Sharply indicting Ger
many for its use Of submarines against
merchant vessels, President Woodrow
Wilson. in joint session of Congress,
issued public notice to the world that
unless that government changes its
methods the United States will have
no choice but to sever diplomatic rela-
tons.
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 avail
able inch Of space was utilized while
literally thousands were turned away
There was no questioning the seri-
eusness Of the Presidents position. His
voice, somewhat husky, penetrated
every corner Of the room and the mes
sage was emphasized with an express
sion that showed its author was fear
full of the outcome. That seriousness
was shared by the audience, the usual
applause given the Presidents utter
ances being absent.
Following Is the complete text of the
Presidents address:
Gentlemen Of the Congress: A
situation has arisen in the foreign re-
1ations Of the country of which it is
my plain duty to inform you very
frankly.
att will ha ranoJad +b,3 ~, L7ohr,,,r,,
1915, the Imperial German Government
announced its intention to treat the
waters surrounding Great Britain and
Ireland as embraced within the seat of
war and to destroy all merchant ships
owned by its enemies that might be
found within any part of that portion
ot the high seas, and that it warned
al vessels, of neutral as we'll as of
ASltigOrent ownership, to keep out of
the waters it had thus prescribed or
else enter them at their peril.
Protest BY US.
The government of the United
States earnestly protested. 1t took the
position that such q policy could not
b pursued without the practical GER
4ainty Of gross and palapable viola
lions Of the law Of nations, particularly
u submarine craft were to be employ
ed Is its instruments, inasmuch as the
rules prescribed by that law, rules
founded upon principles of humanity
and established for the protection of
the lives Of non-combatants at sea,
could not in the nature of the case be |
observed by such vessels. 1t based its !
protest on the ground that persons Of |
neutral nationality and vessels of neu-
trail ownership would be exposed to ex-
treue and intolerable risks, and that |
no right to close any part Of the high |
seas against their use or to expose |
them to such risks could lawfully be |
asserted by any belligerent govern
ment The law of 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. It is based, on the con
trary, upon manifest and imperative
principles Of humanity and has long
been established with the approval and
by the express assent of all civilized
nations
German Assurance.
Notwithstanding the earnest pro-
test OF our government, the Imperial
German Government at once proceed
cd to carry out the policy it had an
1t expressed the hope that
the dangers involved, at any rate, the
dangers to neutral vessels, would be
reduced to minimum by the instruc-
tions which it had issued to its sub
marine commanders, and assured the
government Of the United States that
It would take every possible precaution
both to respect the rights of neutrals
and to safeguard the lives of non-com-
batants.