Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-04-20

WASHINGTON. April is.-The presi-
dent In his address to congress on the
issne with Germany said.
"DentleneR q the Congress: A sit
untion has arieen in the foreign rels-
tions Of the country OF which II 10 my
plain duty 10 inform you very frankly.
~ will be- recalled that IN February,
1915 the imperial German government
announced It's intention 70 treat the
waters surrounding Great Britain and
Ireiana ~ embraced within the seat Of
war snd 10 destroy sill merchant ships
owned W is enemies that might be
found within any part Of that portion Of
the hgh seas. and that Il warned all
vessels " neutral M well ar Of bellig-
efent ownership 10 keep out OF the waters
J II had mus prescribed, Of else enter them
nj their peril. The government Of the
United States earnestly protested, II
I took Tho position that such policy could
4 not BE- pursued without tho practical GER
tainty Of gross and palpable violation Of
/ the law Of nations. particularly II sub
4 Murine craft we're 20 be employed as rs
/ ffiBtfUmcnta inaEmuch ns the rules pre-
/ nefibcd by thet law, rules founded upon
pfisciples Of humanity and established
+ for the protection Of the lives Of non
/ eesn satanta o. sea, could not IN the ma
j turr of the case be observed by such
/ vessels.
Basis Of Protest
u based It's protest on ...e ground that
/ peraons Of neutral nationality and yes.
. sells ~ neutral ownership would be en-
pbEed 20 extreme and int0lerable risks,
! ADD that no night 70 close any part Of
/ tho high seBs against their USE Or 10 eNe
= pose them 10 such risks could lawfully
be asserted BY any belligerent govern.
uaent The law Of natioDs IN these mat.
/ tsrs upon which the government ~ the
United States based ~ protest, Ia not
/ az recent origin on founded upon merely
| srbitrary principles set up by conycn.
tfpn II Il based. on the contrary, upon
manifest and imperative principles Of hu.
+ snanlty and has long been established
with tho approval and express assent ~
/ nii CIVILIZED nations.
t'NotwithatandlDg The earnest protest
Of ois government, the imperial German
government AZ once proceeded % carry
sVt the policy II had announced. II *
pfssned the hopo that the dangers In
VOWED. Vt any rate the dangers 10 neu-
frai vesaesa. would be reduced 10 mini
mum w The Instructions which IL had H.
galed ~ it, submarine commanders and
essurfd the government Of the United
stateE thai Il would take every possible
pretausisn both 10 respect the rights Of
neutrais and 10 Safeguard the lives N
noDcombatanis.
Assnra Not Fulfilled.
what has actually happened IN the
year which has since elapsed. has shown
that those hopes we're not justified
those assurances lnsusceplble Or being
fulfilled. In pursuance OF the policy Of
submarine warfare against the commerce.
Of rs advefsaries. thus announced and
eniered upon by the imperial government.
The commanders Of German andersen
vessels have attacked merchant ships
wiih greater and greater activity. not
only upon the high seas surrounding
gv1t Britain and Ireland, but wherever
they could encounter them In q way
that has grown more and more ruthless.
more and more indiscriminate. as tho
months have gone By less and less OBJ
aer~~nt Of reetraints of any kind. and
have delivered their attacks without
compunction against vessels OF every
nationality and bound upon every sort OF
euand,
Neutral Vessels DESTROYED.
Vessels Of neutral ownership. even
vessels Of neutral ownership bound from
neutral port 10 neutral port. have been
destroyed along with vessels Of beIlig-
trsnt ownership in constantly Increasing
numbers. Sometimes merchantmen at
tackled have been warned and summoned
10 surrender before being fired on or
iorpedoed. sometimes passengers Or crews
have been youchsafed the poor security
Df being allowed 70 take TO the ships
boats before II WAS sent 70 the bottom.
But again and again no warning has
been slyen; no escape. even 70 The ships
boats. allowed 20 hose on board. What
This government foreraw must happen
has happened Tragedy has followed
tragody on the seas in such fashion with
such attendant circumstances az 70 fzpese
Il grossly evident that warfare OF such
sort II warfare II be. cannot be car
red on without the most palpahle viola
lion OF the dictates alike Of risht and
humanity Whatever the disposition and
Intention OF the imperial German gov
srnment. IL has manlfestly proved Inn
possible for Il 20 keep such methods OF
attack upon the commerce Of iss enemies
Nithln the bounds act by either the rea-
son OF The heart Of mankind.
New Claim Of Germany.
~ February o. the present year the i'm
rerini German government informed this
government and the other neutral SOW
srnments 81 tho world that Il had res
san to believe that the government q
Great hfitaln had armed 81 merchant
sesaels ~ British ownershlp and hat
given them secret orders 60 attack ans
Submarine Or the enemy they might On.
hounter npan the seas and that the impe
Ehsal German government felt Justified a
nv circumstance IN treating all mer
ahansmen - hclllFsreHl Ownership "a
tuAiilhfy vessels ~ Wat which t Nput
hMAe the rlghf 20 destroy without warn
ng TIRE law ~ nations has lens recas
alstd ihe fieht - merchantmen O. carr
sffns fnf protection and 70 use them e
fsffl attach. ihaHsh 20 uss them % suel
iFfumkiAnfss Al ihsF nWn risks, nu
~ iupsfisl eieymsn government elalwes
hs sisff % - these Hnd9fslaAdius'
aniaf austF circumstances ehifh
isfmsd axtfaofainafg
rsse iha tffma n ehieh a aAnaaRgea
- ppifess lnaa silil fanhtf n rsiss ~
sestfaRis g tah pfes a8aly rgaf6sssa W
stnnsHsss saf desire - pat upaH ~
arstaiiaas 81 ia s4bmAfiNfs raFtiad it.