The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1916-04-20
WILSON CABLES BERLIN ULTIMATUM
AGAINST ATTACKS ON MERCHANTMEN
President Tells Germany That Alternative Is
Breaking of Friendly Reations-Ad-
dresses Joint Session Congress.

| stratlon the president Shook hands
with Speaker Clark and Vice Presi-
Ident Marshall then bowed to the big
,assemblage.
He Immediately launched into his
i address, speaking slowly and clear.
ly. He began with review of the
| German submarine campaign from
the beginning of the war to date
There was no demonstration to
puncture Wilson's recital of the sac
rrfice of American lives. Not a
sound was heard above the pres:-
dents voice as he spoke the name
.Lusitania. as he went on through the
Arabic case, down to the Sussex
case.
Every head bowed forward as the
president indicated tnat he was APP
preaching the keynote OF his mes
sage and the announcement of the
course he will pursue.
Must Sever Relations.
81 have deemed it my duty, there
fore" the president said at this
point in his message, 'to say to the
imperial German government that if
it is still its purpose to prosecute a
relentless and indiscriminate war
States is at least forced to the con-
clusion that there is but one course
to pursue; and that unless the I'M
perial German government should
now Immediately declare and effect
an abandonment of its present meth
DDS of warfare against passenger
and freight-carrying vessels, this
government can have no choice but
to sever diplomatic relations alto
gether."
When he pronounced the words of
the ultimatum, there was still no
demonstration, only a tense silence
and reflection of the gravity of his
words. When he concluded with, an
expression of hope that Germany
would so act to avert the regrettable
break with America, the assembly
broke into cheers. 1t was 1:14
O'Clock when the president conclud-
ed. He had spoken just fifteen
minutes.
All Applaud Wilson.
Applause started from the Demo-
cratic side and the Republican mem
bers then joined The Democrats be-
San rising to their feet and soon the
entire assemblage was standing. The
applause lasted a minute, and then
as the president passed out of the
chamber died away. Speaker Clark
declared the joint session at an end,
the senator's filed out and the CALLER
les We're quickly deserted. Speaker
Clark referred the address to the
foreign affairs committee
Speaker Clark and Democratic
T l. 10
on the address.
''The sending of the note to Ger
many was as mild a position as the
president could take" said Repre-
sentative Flood, chairman of the
foreign affairs committee. 81 think
it will meet with the approval of
Congress and the country"
Note Reputation.
"The presidents position is COM
plete repudiation of his note of jan
uary is, sent through Secretary Lam
sing, regarding the arming of mer-
chant vessels and submarine war
fare" said Representative Cooper.
of Wisconsin, ranking Republican
member of the foreign affairs COM
mittce. "The whole situation re-
solves itself into a question of
whether the United States will set up
a code of regulations which it may
have to abide by when it's sole de-
fense is the submarine"
81 think the government should be
neutral" said Republican Leader
Mann. "The president never has
been netural He has been on the
English side all the time What he
said about Germany. while grossly
exaggerated. is just a complaint. But
he could say just the same about
England and our shipping"
ut is a mistake to break off dip
lomatic relations with Germany, +"
continued Mr.. Mann. THAT is sim
ply to quit in a pet. 1t is perfectly
evident that the president as a cam
paign dodge, is trying to work up to
a point where he can get into a war
with Germany during presidential
campaign
President Instructs Tumulty
Soon after noon yesterday, just af-
ter the cabinet had departed, the
president summoned Secretary Tu-
multy. He instructed him to go to
the capital at 4:3o-then and not be-
fore-and arrange for a joint ses-
sion of the House and Senate at l
o'clock this afternoon.
The president did not state his pur-
pose to his secretary and ordered
HIM specifically to inform the leaders
he had no knowledge of the presi-
dents designs, further than that i'm
portant affairs We're to be communi-
Gated to congress.
Confcrs With Stone
Promptly at the hour named, the
secretary went to the presidents
room in the capital and sent for
Chairman Stone and Leader Kern
After hurried conference they went
to the House side and talked with
Majority Leader Kitchen
A few minutes later resolution