The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-04-27
PRESIDENT Tells
CONGRESS ABOUT
HIS ULTIMATUM
Joint Session Hears of Action
That May Result in Broken
Relations.
GERMANY SHARPLY INDICTED
Mr.. Wilson Sets Forth Progress OF
Kaisers Submarine Warfare, His
Futile Promises and the Final EH.
haustion Of Americas Patience.

N5lSeT ouDHldFiHS wa '"'Nf i''S
Futile Promises and the Final ES.
haustion Of Americas Patience.
House Of Representatives, the Cap.
itol, Washington. April 2O-Sharply
indicting Germany for it's use Of sub
marines against merchant vessels,
President Wilson yesterday, before
joint session Of congress, issued pub
lie notice to the world that unless that
government changes its methods the
United States will have no choice
but to sever diplomatic relations.
The history in the making was
witnessed by one of the largest gath
erings that has ever been TANNED into
the historic chamber Of the house OF
representatives. Every single inch
of available space was occupied, while
literally thousands were turned away.
There was no questioning the scri-
BUSINESS Of the presidents position.
His voice. somewhat husky, penetrated
every corner of the room, and the
message was emphasized with an cx-
preston that showed its author was
fearful Of the outcome That serious.
ness was shared by the audience, the
usual applause given the presidents
utterances being absent
The message i'm every sense was an
utimatum True. it contained no time
limit within which reply must be made.
But it fatty insisted that the German
submarine warfare has reached the
stage when this government will no
longer tolerate il.
The German explanations previous
~ made, have bccu accepted in good
faith, the president said, in the hope
that that government would finally
be able to so order and control the acts
Of its naval commanders as TO square
its policy with the position Of human
ity as embodied in the law Of ma
tons"
The United states had been willing
to wait the president said. until the
significance OF the facts became abso
lutely unm.stakable and susceptible
of but one Interpretation. That point,
he said, has now unhappily been
reached
Text Of President Address.
Following is the complete text Of
the presidents address
Gentlemen Of the Congress- A stu
alton has arisen In the foreign rela-
tions Of the country Of which it is my
plain duty to inform you very frankly
1T viii be recalled that IN Febru
airy, 1915, the imperial German govern
ment announced its Intention to treat |
the waters surrounding Great Britain |
and ireland as embraced within the |
seat of war and to destroy all mer-
chant ships owned by its enemies that
might be found within any part OF |
that portion Of the high seas, and that
It warned all vessels, Of neutral az |
well as Ct bolligereut ownership, to |
keen out Of the waters 1t had thus |
prescribed, or else enter them at their |
peril. The government rf the United |
States earnestly protested It took |
the position that such policy could |
not be pursued without tho practical |
certainty Of gross and Talpable viola |
lions Of tho law Of nations, particular.
" If submarine craft were ia bo nm.
ployed as IT'S Instruments. inasmuch as
the rules prescribed by that law rules |
founded upon principles Of humanity !
and established for the protection II |
the lives Of noncombatauts at sea |
could not in the nature Ct the case be
observed by such vessels It based
it's protest on the ground that persons |
Of neutral nationality ana vessels Of