The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-04-19
President Informs
Congress of Note
Continued from Page Four.)

Continued from Page Four)
The of armed vessel of the enemy and the lives
OF and have been sacrificed whole
SAL which the Government Of the United States cannot
regard slightest Of justification No
limit any kind fact been the ndcmnate pursuit
and destruction Of merchantmen all kinds and naionaes with the
constantly extending where these operations have been
carried and the roll of Americans who have lost their lives
ships thus attacked and destroyed has grown month by month until
the omi1ous toll has mounted into the hundreds.
One of the latest and shocking instances of this method Of
warfare that of the destruction Of the French crossChannel
Sussex stand forth the sinking of the
Lustana did sngular agca and unusHabe constitute
truly terrible example of the nhumap submarine warfare
the commanders Of German vessels have for the twevemon
been conducting If this instance stood alone explanation
dsavowa by the German government
wul disobedience the part commander of
the vessel that fired the torpedo might be sought entertained but
unhappily
inevitable that only nsace though be of the
and distressing instances Of the spirit and method of
warfare which the imperial Gema mistakenly adopt
ed and which from the first exposed that the eproah
Of ustng all neutral rights aside pursuit of its immediate objects
THE Of the United States very patient At
every of this distressing experience tragedy after tragedy
which citizens sought restrained
any protest thoughtful
sderaion Of the extraordinary circumstances Of this unprecedented
and aduaed al that said did by the sentiments
une friendship which the people Of the United States have always
entertained and continue entertain towards the German nato
has Of accepted the successive explanations and assurances Of
the imperial German given entire sincerity and
coed faith and has hoped against hope that would
be possible for the German so to order and control the
Of its naval commanders square policy with the ornc
pies Of humanity embodied the lawofnaons has been willing
wait until the significance of the facts became absolutely
taxable and susceptible OF but one Interpretation.
That point has unhappiy been reached The facts
susceptible OF but Interpretation The Imperial German Gov
eminent has been unable to put any limits restraints upon its
warfare against either freight passenger ships has therefore
become painfully evident that the position which this Government
took at the outset inevitable namely that the of SUBJ
marines for the destruction of enemyS of
sy because of the very character of the vessels employed and
the very methods of attack which their employment of in
voves incompatible with the principles of humanity the long
established and ncOntroverbe rights of neraS and the sacred
immunies of nome mbatantS
have deemed it my duty, therefore, to to the Imperial
German Government that if it still its purpose to prosecute
enes and ndcmnate warfare against vessels of
by the of submarines Notwithstanding the demonstrated
mpossby of conducting that warfare in accordance with what
the Government of the United States must consider the sacred
and ndpuabe rules of international law and the universally
recognized dictates of humanity the Government of the United
States at last forced to the conclusion that there but
to pursue and that unless the Imperial German Govern
of its present methods of warfare against passenger and freight
carrying vessels this Government have choice but to
diplomatic relations with the Government of the German Empire
altogether.
This decision have arrived at with the keenes regret the
possibility of the action contemplated all thoughtful
Americans will look forward to with unaffected reluctance
cannot forget that in and by the force Of
circumstances the responsible spokesman of the rights of human
ty and that treman silent while those rights In
process of being swept utterly away the maeStrom of this
be We owe it to due regard for rights
nation to of duty representative of the rights of
neuaS the world and to just conceptions of the rights
of mankind take this stand with the utmost soemny and
have taken it, and taken il in the confidence that will meet
with your approval and support All Sobemnded must unite
other circumstances stood the champion of all tat
contendng for te interest of humanity may recognize the
ce of our demands and meet them in the spirit in which they
made.