West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-04-20

KIM.
me President then detailed the Ger
man announcement last February I'm
which they claimed British merchant
men had been armed, and its purpose
20 renew submarine warfare. Contin-
uing he said:
Again and again the imperial Cor
man government has given this gov
ernment its solemn assurances that nj
ieast passenger ships would not be
mus dealt with and yet IL has again
ana again permitted its undersea COM
nanders to disregard those assurances
with entire impunity. Great liners
axe the Lusitania and the Arabic and
mere ferry boats like the Sussex have
been attacked without a moments
warming and sometimes before they
nad become aware that they were I'm
'ne presence OF an armed vessel of the
Enemy. and the lives OF non-combat-
ants, passengers and crew. have been
'acrihced wholesale in a manner
winch the government OF the United
states cannot but regard as wanton
ana without the slightest color OF ius-
elhcation. No limit OF any kind has
IN fact, been set to the indiscriminate
pursuit and destruction of merchant
men OF all kinds and nationalities
within the waters constantly extend
ing in area where these operations
nave been carried on; and the roll
ot Americans who have lost their lives
On ships thus attacked and DESTROYED
las grown month by month until the
1minous toll has mounted into the
hundreds"
The President again referred to the
sussex case and then said:
The government of the United
states has been very patient. At ev-
cry stage of this distressing exper-
'ence OF tragedy after tragedy. in
which its own citizens were involved.
Il has sought to be restrained from
any extreme course of action or of
protest by a thoughtful consideration
d the extraordinary circumstances of
his unprecedented war, and actuated
IN all that it said or did by the senti-
ments of genuine friendship which the
people of the United States have al
ways entertained and continue to en-
-ertain toward the German nation. II
has, OF course, accepted the successive
explorations and assurances of the
imperial German government as given
N entire sincerity and good faith and
las hoped even against hope that IL
would prove to be possible for the
government so to order and control
The acts OF it's naval commanders as
10 square its policy with the principles
Of humanity as embodied i'm the law OF
nations. 1t has been willing to wait
Until the significance of the facts be-
came absolutely unmistakable, and
susceptible Of but one Interpretation
That point has now unhappily been
cached The imperial German gov
srnment has been unable to meet any
limits or restraints upon its warfare
against either freight or passenger
ships.
Il have deemed it my duty therefore
10 say TO the imperial German govern
ment that if it is still it's purpose to
prosecute relentless and indiscrimi-
nate war against vessels of commerce
by the use of submarines, notwith-
standing the now demonstrated impos-
sibility of conducting that warfare in
accordance with what the govern
ment of the United States must con
slider the sacred and indisputable rules
of international law and the UNIVERSAL
ly recognized dictates of humanity
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 govern
ment should now Immediately effect
an abandonment of it's present meth
DDS of warfare against passenger and
freight-carrying vessels, this govern
ment can have no choice but to sever
diplomatic relations with the govern
ment of the German empire altogeth-
err" The President closed his address
with an expression of regret that this
step had been necessary, and added:
Il have taken it and taken il i'm the
confidence that it will meet with your
approval and support All sober
minded men must unite in hoping that
the imperial German government
which has in other circumstances
stood as the champion Of all that we
are now contending for in the inter
ests of humanity, may now recognize
the justice Of our demands and take
them in the spirit in which they are
made"