Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1916-04-26
America Assured All Preeautlons.

The imperial government, notwth-
policy announced. expressing the hope
that the dangers involved, at any rate
TO neutral vessels, would be reduced 20 q
minimum by the instructions which IL
had issued to the commanders OF Its
submarines and assuring the government
OF the United States that II would take
every possible precaution both to respect
the rights OF neutras and to safes uArd
the lives Of non n-combatants.
In pursuance OF this policy OF subms.
rne warfare against the commerce 81
its adversaries thus announced and thus
entered upon In despite OF the solemn
protest OF the government OF the United
States. the commanders OF the imperial
governments undersea vessels have cars
ried on practices OF such ruthless de-
struction which have made II more and
I by that the imperial government has
found II impractaible to put any such
restraint upon them as 4. had hoped ana
promised TO put. again and AGAIN the
imperial government has given Its SOL
enn assurances to the government OF
the United States that at least passenger
ships would not be thus dealt with and
yet is has repeatedly permitted It's un.
dersea commanders to disregard those
assurances with entire lmpunity. As re-
Gently as February last II gave notice
that II would regard all armed merchant.
men owned by its enimies as part OF
the naval forces Of It's adVersaries and
dea with them as with men -o'-war, thus
at least by Implication pledging itself TO
give warning to vessels which were not
armed and to accord security OF lie 10
their passengers and crews; but even
this Limitation their submarine comman.
oers have recklessly ignored.
Vessels Of Neutral Ownership Destroyed.
! Even vessels of neutral ownership bound
from neutral port to neutral port. have
been destroyed along with vessels OF bel
lgerant ownership In constantly increas-
ing numbers Sometimes the merchant
men attacked have been warned ana
summoned to surrender before being
m nr their
passengers and crews have been vouch-
saied the poor security OF being allowed
!. TO take tc the ships boats before the
ship was sent to the bottom. But again
and again no warning has been gwen
no escape even to the ships boats al
lowed to those ON board. Great liners
like the Lusitania ana Arabic ana mere
passenger boats like the Sussex have
been attacked without moments warn
ing, often oefore they have even becomt
aware that they were IN the presence o
, an armed ship of the enemy and the
lives of non -combatants. passengers anc
, crew have been destroyed wholesale ant
In a manner which the government y
, the United States cannot but regard al
, wanton and without the slightest colo
OF Justification. No limit OF any kln'
, has In fact been set to their indiscrimi
, chantmen OF all kinds and nationalitlei
: within the waters which the imperla
, government has chosen to designate a!
, lying within the seat of war. The rol
|, of Americans who have lost their live'
, upon ships thus attacked and destroyet
, has grown month by month until TN
, ominous toll has faUunted into the nun
, dreds.
The government OF the United State
n has been very patient. AT every stag
y of this distressing experience OF TRACED!
. after tragedy II has sought to be gov
: erned by the most thoughtful considera
tion OF an unprecedented war and to b.
: guided by sentiments Of very genuin
Friendship for the people and govern
/, ment OF Germany. II has accepted tn
= successive explanations and assurance
of The imperial government ne OF cours
n given in entire sincerity and good fait
a and has hoped. even against hope, ina
) II would prove to be possible for the i'm
d perial government so TO order ard con
!. troll the acts of its naval commanders a
@ to square Its policy with the recog
il nized principles OF humanity as embodie
h in the law of nations. IT has made ever
: allowance for unprecedented condition
n and has been willing to wait until tn
n facts became unmistakable and were sus
ceptible OF only one interpretation.
II now owes II to a just regard for Its ow
: rights to say to the imperial governmer
: that the time has come. 1t has becom
: painfully evident TO II that the positio
p which il took at the very outset IL In
s evitable, namely the use of submarine
o for the destruction OF an enemys com
Il merce, is OF necessity because OF tn
$ very character OF the vessel employed an
= the very methods OF attack which the!
r employment of course involves, utterl
d Incompatible with the principles OF hu
e manity the long established and incoi
q trovertible rights OF neutrals and the sa
: cred immunities of non -combatants
II immediate Change or Diplomatic erea'
i II 1t is still the purpose OF the imperii
B. government to prosecute relentless an
4 indlscriminate warfare against vessels
Il commerce by the use OF submarine
j. without regard to what the governmer
II OF the United States must consider th
e sacred and indisputable rules OF intel
d .ationa law and the universally recop
q nized dictates of humanity, the govern
Al ment OF the United States Is at las
o forced to the conclusion that there Is bt
II one course II can pursue. Unless th
d imperial government should now imms
: diately declare and effect an abandon
{. ment OF its present methods OF subma
: rine warfare against passenger an
e freight carrying vessels. the governmer
II OF the United States can have no choit
" but to sever diplomatic relations wit
= the German empire altogether. This nc
i ton the government Of the United state
u contempates with the greatest relut
d tance but feels constrained to take In bs
: half of humanity and the right OF ne,
trail nations.