The Harrison times., 1916-04-29
NOTE SENT TO GERMANY DE-
MANps IMMEDIATE CHANGE
IN SUBMARINE TACTICS.
PRESIDENT READS HIS
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
Executive Of United States Is Listened
to Without Demonstration as He
Speaks for is Minutes, and Is
Applauded as He Closes.

shington-President Wilson told
congress, assembled in joint session
shortly after o'clock Wednesday aft
ernoon, he had given irrevocable noti-
fication to Germany that the United
States will break off diplomatic rela-
tons if her illegal submarine cam
paign is continued,
A note, Americas last word, practi-
cally an ultimatum and demanding an
immediate reply, presumably was in
the Berlin foreign office as the presi-
dent was speaking. 1t was dispatched
Tuesday night, in accordance with the
presidents plan to have it before the
German government at the same mo
ment he was addressing the American
congress.
When he concluded with expression
Of hope that Germany would so act as
to avert regretable break with Amer
lea the assembly broke into cheers.
The president spoke as follows:
"A situation has arisen in the for
eign relations of the country OF which
1t is my plain duty to inform you very
frankly.
ut will be recalled that in Febru-
AIRY, 1915, the imperial German govern
ment announced its intention to treat
the waters surrounding Great Britain
and Ireland as embraced within the
seat of war, and destroy all merchant
ships owned by its enemies that might
be found within any part of that por-
ton of the high seas, and that it
warned all vessels, of neutral as well
as of belligerent ownership, to keep
out Of the waters it had thus pre-
scribed, or else enter them at their
peril.
THE government of the United
States earnestly protested 1t took
the position that such policy could
not be pursued without the practical
certainty of gross and palpable viola
tions of the law of nations, particu-
larly if submarine craft were to be
employed as its instruments, inasmuch
as the rules prescribed by that law,
rules founded upon principles of hui
manity and established for the pro
lection of the lives of noncombatants
at sea, could not in the nature of the
case be observed by such vessels.
Bases Protest on Natural Rights.
1T based its protest on the ground
that persons of neutral natio~ality
and vessels of neutral ownership would
be exposed to extreme and intolerable
risks, and that no right to close any
part Of the high seas against their use
or expose them to such risks could
lawfully be asserted by any belliger-
ent government. The law of nations in
these matters, upon which the govern
ment of the United States based its
protest, is not of recent origin or
founded upon merely arbitrary prin-
ciples set up by convention.
1T is based on the contrary, upon
manifest and imperative principles of
humanity, and has long been estab-
lished with the approval and by the
express assent of all civilized nations.
Notwithstanding the earnest pro
test of our government, the imperial
German government at once proceed.
ed to carry out the policy ii had an
nounced
1T expressed the hope that the dan
gers involved, at any rate the dangers
to neutral vessels, would be reduced
to a minimum by the instructions
which it had issued to its submarine
commanders, and assured the govern.
ment of the United States that ii
would take every possible precaution
both to respect the rights of neutrals
and TO safeguard the lives OF noncom
batants
what has actually happened in the
year which has since elapsed has
shown that those hopes were not iu'
titled, these assurances insusceptible
of being fulfilled In pursuance OF
the policy of submarine warfare
against the commerce of its adver
saries thus announced and entered
upon by the imperial German govern
ment in despite Of the solemn protest
OF this government the commander,
of German undersea vessels have at
tackled merchant ships with greater
and greater activity not only upon The
high seas surrounding Great Britain
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