The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-04-29
PRESIDENT TELLS
! CONGRESS ABOUT
Hts ULT|MATUM
Joint Session Hears Of Action
That May Result IN Broken
Relations.
GERMANY SHARPLY INDICTED

Mr.. Wilson Sets Forth Progress o
kaIser's Submarine Warfare, HI
Futile Promises and the Final Ex
haustlon Of Americas Patience.
House of Representatives. the Cap
itol, Washington, April 20.--Sharply
indicting Germany for its use OF sub
marines against merchant vessels,
President Wilson yesterday, before q
Joint session Of congress. issued pub
lie notice to the world that unless that
government changes it's methods the
United States will have no choice
but to sever diplomatic relations.
THE history in the making" was
witnessed by one OF the largest gath.
erings that has ever been jammed into
the historic chamber OF the, house OF
representatives. Every single inch
OF available space was occupied. while
literally thousands were turned away.
There was no questioning the seri,
business. OF the presidents position.
His voice, somewhat husky, penetrated
every corner of the room, and the
message was emphasized with an ex.
preston that showed its author was
fearful of the outcome. That serious.
ness was shared by the audience. the
usual applause given the presidents
utterances being absent
The message in every sense was an
ultimatum. True, 1t contained no time
limit within which reply must be made.
But II fatty insisted that the German
submarine warfare has reached the
stage when this government will nc
longer tolerate II.
The German explanations, previous
ly made, have been accepted In good
faith. the president said, In the hope
that that government would finally
be able to 80 order and control the acts
OF its naval commanders as to square
it's policy with the position OF human
ity as embodied in the law Of ma
TONS"
The United States had been willing
to wait, the president said, until the
significance OF the facts became abso
lutely unmistakable and susceptible
of but one Interpretation" That point
he said, has now unhappily been
reached"
Text Of Presidents Address.
Following Is the complete text Of
the presidents address:
Gentlemen OF the Congress: A stu
alton has arisen in the foreign rela
lions OF the country of which It is my
plain duty to inform you very frankly
1T will be recalled that in Febru
airy, 1915, the imperial German govern
ment announced It's Intention to trea,
the waters surrounding Great Britain
and Ireland as embraced within the
seat of war and to destroy all mer
chant ships owned by its enemies that
might be found within any part Of
that portion of the high seas, and tina,
II warned all vessels, of neutral a.
well as Of belligerent ownership, tc
keep out of the waters It had thu,
prescribed, or else enter them at theil
peril. The government of the United
States earnestly protested. II tool
the position that such a policy coult
not be pursued without the practica
certainty Of gross and palpable viola
tons OF the law of nations. particular
ly n submarine craft were to be EN-
ploYed as its instruments. inasmuch al
the rules prescribed by that law, rule
founded upon principles Of humanit,
and established for the protection O
the lives of noncombatants at se
could not in the nature Of the case b
observed by such vessels. II base
its protest on the ground that person
of neutral nationality and vessels q
neutral ownership would be- expose
to extreme and intolerable risks, an
that no right to close any part OF III
high seas against their use or to O.
pose them to such risks could lawful
be ASSERTED by any belligerent cover
ment, Tho law of nations in thei
matters. upon which the governmel
OF the United States based It's prote
is not of recent origin or founded upt
merely arbitrary principles set up
convention. II is based. on the co
trary. upon manifest and imperati,
principles Of humanity and has lol
been established with the approx
and by the express assent OF all Ct,
liked nations.
Protest Was Disregarded.
Notwithstanding the earnest pr
test OF our government, the imperi
German government at once proceed,
to carry out the policy It has q
nounced. II expressed the hope tn
the dangers involved. at any rate Il
dangers to neutral vessels, would
reduced to Aluminium By tho instru
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MEN AND MATTERS