West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-04-20
U-BOAT SITUATION Is
NOW UP TO THE GERMANS
President Wilson Says "Last Word I'm
Note 10 Imperial Government and
Speech TO Congress Quite Likely
that Break Of Diplomatic Relations
VIII Follow


JOINT session shortly after 1 O'Clock
this afternoon, he was giving Germany
irreyocable notification that the Uni
ted States will break of diplomatic re-
lations il her illegal submarine cam
paign is continued. A note. Americas
last work, practically an uItimatum
and demanding an immediate reply.
presumably was i'm the Berlin foreign
ONCE as the President was speaking.
II was dispatched last night i'm ac-
cordance with the Presidents plan 10
have ii before the German govern
ment at the same moment he was adj
dressing the American Congress.
The President asks no action what
ever OF Congress. He simply inform
ed it of the accumulation of facts
proving that Germanys assurances TO
the United States are being violated:
that the submarine campaign, despite
the earnest protest OF the United
states Is being conducted with renew
ed yigor in contravention of all the
laws OF nations and humanity and that
he means TO sever relations unless II
is brought within the law.
Diplomatic history of the world
shows that such course is almost
certain to be followed by war. The
Presidents note and his address to
Congress are final They mark the
end of diplomatic exchanges. A con
unuance OF the long standing friendly
relations, the President made clear.
alone depends upon Germany's con-
duct.
Secretary Lansing today informed
Count Won Bernstorff, the German am
bassador, that he was ready to dis
cuss the submarine situation with him
and conference probably will be ar
ranged for tomorrow. Yesterday Sec
rotary Lansing informed him he could
not discuss the subject.
At 1921 o'clock the President lef,
the White House for the capitol. Soon
after the President arrived at the CAPT
tol and awaited the moment to 20 t.
the hall of the House where Senators
and Representatives were assembled
The President entered the hall at l
o'clock and in his address said:
"a situation has arisen in the for
eign relations of the country of which
1t is my plain duty to inform you very
frankly. 1t 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 with
in the seat of war, and to destroy all
merchant ships owned by it's enemies
that might be found within any part
of that portion of the high seas and
that it warned all vessels of neutral
as well as of belligerent ownership to
keep out of the waters ii had thus pro
scribed or else enter them at their
peril.
THE government of the United
States earnestly protested. 1t tool
the position that such a policy could
not be pursued without the practical
certainty of gross and palpable viola.
tions of the law of nations, particular
ly If submarine crafts were to be EN-
ployed as 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, could not
in the nature of the case be observed
by such vessels. II based it's protest
on the ground that persons Of neutral
nationality and vessels of neutral own
ership would be exposed to extreme
and intolerable risk 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 government.
The law of nations in these mat.
ters, upon which the government OF
the United States based it's protest, Is
not of recent origin or founded upon
arbitrary principles set up by conven-
ton. II is based on the contrary, up
On manifest and imperative principles
Of humanity and has long been estab-
lished with the approval and by the
express assent of all civilized nations
Notwithstanding the earnest pro-
test Of our government the imperial
German government at once proceed
ed TO carry out the policy It had an
nounced. II expressed the hope that
the dangers involved, at any rate the
dangers to neutral vessels, would be
reduced 20 a minimum by the instruc-
tions which Il had issued TO its sub
marine commanders and assured the
government OF the United States that
IL would take every precaution both
TO respect the rights OF neutrals and
to safeguard the rights Of non-com-
batants
what has actually happened has
shown that those hopes were not JUS.
tilted In pursuance Of the policy OF
submarine warfare against the com.
merce OF it8 adversaries. the com
manders OF German undersea vessels
have attacked merchant vessels with
greater and greater activity, not only
upon The high seas surrounding Great
Britain and ireland but wherever they
could encounter them. in way that
has grown more and more ruthless
more and more iudiscriminate as the
months have gone By less and less OBJ
servant OF restraints of any kind and
have delivered their attacks without
compunct.on against vessels OF every
nationality and bound upon every sort
Of orrand
Sometimes tine merchantmen at.