Mexico Missouri message., 1916-04-27

not be pursued without the practical
certainty of gross and palpable viola
tions of the law of nations, particu-
larly IL submarine craft we're to be
emplty tyed as its instruments, inasmuch
as the rules prescribed by that law,
rules founded upon principles of hui
manity and established for the pro-
lection OF the lives of noncombatants
at sea, could not in the nature Of the
case be observed by such vessels.
Bases Protest on Natural Rights.
at 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 expose them to such risks could
lawfully be asserted by any belliger-
ent government. The law of nations in
these matters, upon which the govern
ment of the United States based its
protest, is not of recent origin or
founded upon merely arbitrary prin-
ciples set up by convention.
"It is based, on the contrary, upon
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 1t had an
nounced.
"It expressed the hope that the dan
gers involved, at any rate the dangers
to neutral vessels, would be reduced
to a minimum by the instructions
which it had issued to its submarine
commanders, and assured the govern
ment of the United States that it
would take every possible precaution
both to respect the rights of neutrals
and to safeguard the lives of noncom-
batants.
"What has actually happened in the
year which has since elapsed has
shown that those hopes were not JUS
titled, these assurances insusceptible
Of being fulfilled. In pursuance of
the policy of submarine warfare
against the commerce of its adver-
saries thus announced and entered
upon by the imperial German govern
ment in despite of the solemn protest
Of this government, the commanders
of German undersea vessels have at.
tackled merchant ships with greater
and greater activity, not only upon the
high seas surrounding Great Britain
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 observant
Of restraints of any kind; and have
delivered their attacks without com.
junction against vessels of every ma,
tionality and bound upon every sort of
errand.
Neutral Vessels Destroyed.
Vessels of neutral ownership, even
vessels of neutral ownership bound
from neutral port to neutral port, have
beer destroyed along with vessels Of
belligerent ownership in constantly in
creasing numbers. Sometimes the
merchantmen attacked has been
warned and summoned to surrender
before being fired upon or torpedoed; ;
sometimes passengers or crews have
been vouchsafed the poor security OF
being allowed to take to the ships
boats before she was sent to the bot
tom.
But again and again no warning
has 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 eircum
stances, as to make it grossly evident
that warfare Of such sort, II warfare
it be, cannot be carried on without the
most palpable violation Of the dictate:
alike of right and humanity. What
ever the disposition and intention o.
the imperial German government, il
has manifestly proved impossible for Il
to keep such methods of attack upor
the commerce of its enemies within
the bounds set by either the reason OF
the heart of mankind.
"In February of the present year tn,
Imperial German government informed
this government and the other neutrA
governments of the world that it haC
reason to believe that the government
of Great Britain had armed all mer
chant vessels of British ownership ant
had given them secret orders to attacl
any submarine of the enemy the!
might encounter upon the seas ant
that the Imperial German governmen
felt justified in the circumstances II
treating all armed merchantmen o
helligerent ownership as auxiliary YES
sells Of war, which 1t would have tn
right to destroy without warning.
"The law Of nations has long recol
nized the right OF merchantmen t
carry arms for protection, to use ther
to repel attack though to use them
such circumstances at their own risk