Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-20

being fulfilled. In pursuance Of the
policy Of submarine warfare against
the commerce OF its adVersaries, thus
announced and entered upon by the
imperial German government in de-
spite of the solemn protest of this
government. the commanders of Ger.
man undersca vessels have alta .kCd
merchant ships with greater and
greater activity, not only upon the
high sens 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
obscrNant OF restraints of any kind,
and have delivered their attacks With
out compunction against vessels of
every nationality and bound upon
every sort of errand Vessels of neu-
tral ownership, even vessels of own
crship bound from neutral port To
neutral port. have been destroyed,
along with vessels OF bclligorent own
crShip, IN constantly increasing num-
bers. Sometimes the merchantmen
attacked have been warned and sum
noned to surrender before being fired
ON or torpcdoed; sometimes passen-
gers or crews have been Vouchsafcd
the poor security OF being allowed to
take to the ships boats before she was
sent to the bottom But again and
again no warning has been given no
escape even to the ships boats al
lowed 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 circumstances as
To make it grossly evident that war
fare of such sort. IL warfare it be.
can not be carried on without the
most palpable violation of the dictates
of right and humanity. Whatever the
disposition and Intention OF the i'm
perlal German government, 1t has
manifcstly proved impossible for 1t
to keep such methods of attack upon
the commerce OF its enemies within
the bounds set by either the reason or
the heart OF mankind.
Violates International Law.
I'm February of the present year
the imperial German government in
formed this government and the other
neutral governments of the world that
II had reason to believe that the gov
ernmcnt OF Great Britain had armed
merchant vessels of British ownership
and had given them secret orders to
attack any submarine of the enemy
they might encounter upon the seas
and that the imperial German govern
ment felt justified in the clrcum-
stances III treating all merchantmen
of bclligcrent ownership as auxiliary
vessels of war which 1t would nave
the right to destroy without warning.
The law OF nations has long recos-
ni2ed the right of merchantmen to
carry arms for protection and to use
them to repel attack, though to use
in I,.h =
own risk; but the imperial govern
ment claimed the right to set these
understandings aside under circum-
stances which 1t deemed eXtraordi-
nary. Even the terms in which it an
nounccd It's purpose still further to
relax the restraints II had previously
professed its Willingness and desire
to put upon the operations II its sub
marines carried the plain implication
that at least vessels which were not
armed would still he exempt from de-
struction without warning and that
personal safety would be accorded
their passengers and crews; but even
that limitation, If it was ever practica-
BE to observe ii. has in fact conSti-
tuted no check at ali upon the de-
struction of ships of every sort.
Again and again the imperial
German government has given this
government its solemn assurances
that at least passenger ships would
not be thus dealt with, and yet again
and again permitted its undersea
commanders to disregard these as
surances with entire impunity. Great
liners, like the Lusitania and Arabic.
and mere ferry boats. like the Sussex
have been attacked without mo-
mcnts warning. sometimes before
they had become aware that they
were in he presence OF an armed
vessel of the enemy and the lives OF
noncombatants. passengers and crew
have been sacrificed wholesale in II
manner which the government OF the