Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1916-04-21

! OF the enemy and the lives Of noncom-
batants, passengers and crew have
been destroyed wholesale, and in 4
manner which tho government of the
! United States can not but regard a.
wanton and without the slightest COL
or Of justification. No limit of any
kind has In fact been set to the indis-
cr1minate pursuit and destruction Of
merchantmen Of all kinds and nation
elfties within tho waters which tho
Imperial Government has chosen to
designate a. lying within the seat Of
war. The roll of Americans, who have
lost their lives on ships thus attacked
and destroyed, has grown month By
month until the ominous toll has
mounted into the hundreds.
America has Been Very Patient.
J The Government Of the United
States has been very patient At ev-
cry stage Of this distressing expert
encs Of tragedy after tragedy, it has
sought to be governed by the most:
thoughtful consideration OF the extra:
ordinary circumstances of an unprec-
edented war and to be guided by SEN
; t1ments OF very genuine friendship for
the people and government Of Ger
many. 1t has accepted the successive:
explanations and assurances of the
Imperial Government as, of course!
given In entire sincerity and good;
faith, and hiss hoped, even against
hope, that it would prove to be posi-
bic for the Imperial Government so to-
order and control the acts OF it's naval
commanders as to square it's policy
with the recognized principles of hui
manity as embodied in the law of ma
lions. It has made every allowance
for unprecedented conditions and has
been willing to wait until the facts be-
came unmistakable and were suscepti-
Die of only one Interpretation.
Time for Action Now.
1t now owes it to a just regard for
It's own rights to say to the Imperial
Government that that time has come.
It has become painfully evident to it
that the position which it took at the.
very outset is inevitable: namely, tho;
use of submarines for the destruction,
pf an enemy's commerce, is, of neces-,
sity, because of the very character:
Of the vessels employed and the very!
methods of attack which their employ:
ment of course, involves, utterly IN
compatible with the principle OF hu-
manity, the long-established and in;
controvertible rights of neutrals and
the sacred immunities of noncomba,-:
tants.
| Only One Course Is Left.
| 1t 1t is still the purpose of the Impo-
, rial Government to prosecute relent-;
less and indiscriminate warfare
against vessels OF commerce by the;
use % submarines without regard to
wh3k the government of the United
States must consider the sacred and:
indisputable rules of international law
and the universally recognized die.
tates of humanity, the government of,
the United States is at last forced to-
the CONCLUSION that there is but ono,
course it can PURSUE Unless the Inn
perial Government should now imme-.
diately declare and effect an abandon
ment Of it's present methods of sub:
marine warfare against passenger and.
freight-carrying vessels, the govern
ment OF the United States can have,
20 choice but to sever diplomatic re-;
lat1ons with the German Empire a.,
together. This action the government;
pf the United States contemplates;
! with the greatest xeluctance, but feels.
constrained to take in behalf of hui
manity and the rights of neutral ma.