The Raymer enterprise., 1916-04-27
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONGRESS:

relations of the country. of which il Is
my plain duty to inform you very
frankly.
Ii will be recalled that In February,
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 por-
tton OF the high seas, and that it
warned all vessels of neutral as well
as of beiiigerent ownership. to keep
out of the waters ii had thus pro-
scribed or else enter them al their
peril
says Gross Abuses Are Certain.
The government of the United States
earnestly protested. 1t took the posi-
tion that such a policy could not be
pursued without the practical certain
ty of gross and palpable violation of
the law of nations. particularly II sub
marine craft were to be employed as
Its Instruments. inasmuch as the rules
prescribed by that law, rules founded
upon principles Of humanity and es-
tablished 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 neutral ownership would be
exposed to extreme 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
ent government.
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. IL IL 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.
Germany Disregsrds All Protests.
Notwithstanding tine earnest protest
of our government. the imperial Ger
man government at once proceeded 10
carry out the policy II had announced.
Ii expressed the hope that the dangers
involved, at any rate the dangers to
Neutral vessels, would be reduced to a
minimum by the instructions which II
had issued to its submarine command
ers and assured the government of the
United States that 1t would take ev-
cry possible precaution both to respect
the rights OF neutrals, and to safe
guard the lives Of n-combatants.
What has actually happened in the
year which has since elapsed, has
shown that those hopes were not Justi-
fled. those assurances insusceptible OF
being fulfilled.
In pursuance Of the policy Of sub
marine warfare against the commerce
of its adyersaries, thus announced and
entered upon by the imperial German
government in spite of the solemn pro-
test of this government, the command
efs of German undersea vessels have
attacked merchant ships with greater
and greater activity, not only upon
the high seas surrounding Great Brit
am and Ireland but wherever they
could encounter them, in a way that
has grown more and more ruthless,
more and more indiscriminate as the
months have gone by, less and less oh
servant of restraints OF any kind; and
have delivered their attacks without
cumpunctiun against vessels of every
nationality and bound upon every sort
of erfand.
Neutrai-Owned Vessels Destroyed.
Vessels OF neutral ownership even
vessels of neutral ownership bound
from neutral port to neutral port. have
been destroyed. along with vessels OF
helligerent ownership In constantly In
creasing numbers.
Sometimes the merchantmen attacked
has been warned and summoned to
! surrender before being fired on or tor
fkdoed. sometimes passengers or crews
have been vouchsafed the poor secur-
II, of being allowed to take to the
ships boats before she was sent te
the bottom
But again and again no warning had
been given: no escape even to the
ships boats allowed to those on board
What this government foresaw must
happen has happened. Tragedy has
followed tragedy on the seas in such
fashion. with such attendant eireum-
stances, as to make II grossly evident
that warfare OF such a sort, II war
fare Ii be, cannot be carried on with.
out the most palpable violation of the
dictates alike of right and humanity.
Whatever the disposition and inten-
t!on of tho imperial German govern
msnt. II has manifestly proved impos-
sible for II to keep such methods oil
attack upon the commerce of its enc
mics within the bounds set by either
the reason or the heart of mankind.
In February of the present year, thu
imperial German government Informed
this government and the other neu.
trail governments of the world that II
had reason to believe that the gov
ernment of Great Britain had armed
all merchant vessels of British owner
ship. and had given them secret or
ders to attack any submarine of ths
enemy they might encounter upon tn.
seas, and that the imperial German
government felt Justified in the cir
cumstances In treating all merchant
men of belligerent ownership as aux
ilfary vessels of war. which it woult
have the right to destroy without
warning.
Germany Sets Aside Law OF Nations
The law OF nations has long recog
nized the right of merchantmen Il
carry arms for protection and to us,
them to repel attacks, to use them II
such circumstances at their own risk
but the imperial German government
claimed the right to set these under
standings aside under circumstance.
which il deemed extraordinary.
Even the terms In which II an
nounced its purpose thus still furthel
to relax the restraints II had previ
olsly professed its willingness and de
sire to put upon the operations of II.
Submarines carried the plain implica
tinn that at least vessels which were
not armed would be exempt from de
strucfinn without warning and thai
personal safety would be accorded
their passengers and crews, but ever
that limitation, IL II was ever practi
cable to observe II, has In fact eonsti
tuted no check at all upon the de,
struction of ships Of every sort.
Again and again the imperial Ger
- a.t.H Ia &c