The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-20

be restrained from any extreme course of action or of protest by a thoughtful consideration of the extraordinary cir cumstances of this unprecedented war and actuated in all that it said or die by the sentiments of genuine friend ship which the people of the United States have always entertained and continue to entertain towards the Ger. man nation.
 "I1 has of course accepted the sue cessive explanations and assurances oi the imperial German government as given in entire sincerity and good faith, and has hoped. even against hope that it would prove to be possible fol the German government so to order ana control the acts of it's naval command CTS as to square it's policy with the principles of humanity as embodied ir the law of nations. It has been willins to wait until the significance of the facts became absolutely unmistakable and susceptible of but one interpreta. tion.
 That point has now unhappily beer reached. The facts are susceptible oI but one interpretation. The imperial German government has been unable tc put any limits or restraints upon it's warfare against either freight or pas senger ships. It has therefore become painfully evident that the position
 
 set said is inevitable. namely, that the use of submarines for the destruction of an enemy's commerce is of necessity because of the very character of the vessels employed and the very methods of attack which their employment oI course involves, incompatible with the principles of humanity, the long estab- ished and incontrovertib1e rights ol neutrals and the sacred immunities oi noncombattants.
 "I have deemed it my duty, there fore, to say to the imperial Ger man government, that if it is still it's purpose to prosecute relentless | and indiscriminate warfare against vessels of commerce by the use of | submarines, notwithstanding the now demonstrated impossibility of | conducting that warfare in accord ance with what the government of 1 the United States must consider the sacred and indisputable rules of l international law and the univer- sally recognized dictates of hu- manity, the government of the United States is at last forced to the conclusion that there is but one course it can pursue, and that unless the imperial German gov ernment should now immediately declare and effect an abandonment of it's present methods of warfare against passenger and freight-car- rying vessels, this government can have no choice but to sever diplo- matic relations with the govern ment of the German empire alto gether.
 This decision have arrived at with the keenest regret; the possibility of the action contemplated I am sure all thoughtful Americans will look for ward to with unaffected reluctance But we cannot forget that we are in some sort, and by the force of circumstances. the responsible spokesman of the rights of humanity, and that we cannot re- main silent while those rights seem in process of being swept utterly away in the maelstrom of this terrible war. We owe it to due regard for our own rights as nation, to our sense of duty as representative of the rights of mankind to take this stand now with the utmost solemnity and firmness.
 T have taken it, and taken it in the confidence that it will meet with your approval. All sober minded men must unite in hoping that the imperial Ger man government, which has in other circumstances stood as the champion of all that we are now contending for in the interest of humanity, may recog- nize the Justice of our demands and meet them in the spirit in which they are made"