The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-19
THE MESSAGE.
CONTINUED from page one.l

kNOuLluhc lAOA4 pdBCAUHSsJ a# t
the bound set by either reason or
the heart of mankind"
The President then details the Ger.
man announcement of last February
in which he claims British merchant.
men had been armed and its purposes
to renew submarine warfare, continue
he said:
Again and again the Imperial Ger
man Government has given this Gov
ernment its solemn assurances that
at least passenger ships would not be
thus dealt with and yet 1t has again
and again permitted its undersea COM
mandeT3 to disregard those asur-
ances with intlre impunity.
Great liners like the Lusitania and
Arabic and mere ferry boats like the
Sussex have been attacked without a.
moments warning. sometimes before
they had even become aware that thew
were in the presence OF an armed yes
sci of the enemy and the lives OF nom
Combatant passengers and crew have
been sacrificed wholesale in a man
ner which the Government OF the Unit
ed States cannot but regard as wanton.
and without the slightest color OF JUS
riticatton
no limit OF any kind has in fact
been ser TO the indiScriminate pursuit
and destruction OF merchantmen OF
all kinds and nationalities within the
Writer'S constantly extending in area
where these operations have been car
rieh on. Aud the roll Of Americans
who have lost their lives tht ships
thus attacked and destroyed iias grown
month by month until the Oni:a@us Toll
has mounted into hundreds"
The President again referred TO the
sussex ease and then said THE gov
nrIiment Of the United States has been
very patient and every stage OF this
diStrcSSing experience OF tragedy afte:
tragedy in which it's own citizens were
involved II was sought 10 he restrain
ed from extreme course OF action nT
Of protest by u thoughtful cOnS'dera-
tinn of the extraordinary CirCumstail-
ces OF this unprecedented war and ac-
tuatcd in all that it said or did by
the sentiment of genuine friendship
which the people OF the United States
have always Gntertained and continue
to entertain toward the German ma
tiun.
It has. OF course. accepted the sue
rcSsive explanation and assurances of
The. Imperial German government as
given in entire sincerity and good
faith and has hoped even against hope
that IL would prove to be possible for
the German government SO to order
the acts oil It's naval commanders us
TO a clear policy with the principle
of humanity us embodied In the law
Of nations.
"ItfhuS been willing TO wait until the
Significance OF Tie fact became abso-
lutely uiimistakahle and susceptible
OF hut one interpretation.
That point has now unhappfly been
reached. the Imperial government be-
ing unable TO reach any limit OF re-
straint upon warfare, against either
freight or passenger ships.
have deemed It my duty therefore,
to say to the Imperial German govern
mcnt that II Il is still its purpose to
prosecute relentless and indiscrimin-
ate war against vessels OF commerce
by the use Of submarines, notwith-
Standing the now demonstrated impOs-
sibility of conducting that warfare
IN the sacred and indisputable rule
Of international law and universally
recognized distateS of humanity. the
government of the United States is
at last forced TO the conclusion that
there is but one course to pursue and
that unless the Imperial German gov
eminent should now Immediately de-
clare and effect an abandonment OF
the present method of warfare against
passenger and freight carrying yes
selS. this government can have no
choice but to sever diplomatic rela-
tons with the government Of the Ger
man empire altogether.
The President closed the address
with an expression of regret tEat this
step had been necessary and added:
81 have taken It. in the confidence
that 1t will meet with II aprova!
and support. All sober.minded meu
must unite in hoping that the I'm.
perial government which has in other
circumstances stood as champion of
that we are now contcnding for in
the interest Of humanity may recognize
the justice Of demands and meet them
III the spirit In which they are made.
" ....