The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-04-27
PARTING
| Of the WAYS

A crisis has at last been reached
IN the diplomatic relations between
|the United States and Germany as
the result OF the wrecking Of the Sus-
sex and the reply Of Herr Won Jagow
10 Secretary Lansing's inquiry re-
earding It.. This fact was made strik-
;ngly evident last week. when Sec
retary Lansing sent vigorous final
note TO Berlin and President Wilson
subsequently informed Congress, spe.
cially convened in joint session, Of
the course he had taken and of the
substance Of his communication 10
the German government,
The address follows very closely
the text Of the note, except as re-
spects the passages in the latter In
which special reference is made to
the circumstances attending the case
Of the Sussex and the evidence fore
,pg the government to the conclusion
that the vessel was torpedoed by
German submarine. Both review
briefly the record Of Germany's sub
marine warfare against merchantmen
since its inception over year ago,
indicate the position taken by The
United States in relation to It from
the outset. refer to the attacks upon
Messenger ships and merchantmen,
and announce that the time has come
40 han tte MT
methods OF submarine warfare, or for
the United States to sever diplomatic
relations with 1t.
Recalling Germany's announce
ment of its intention to destroy all
enemy merchant vessels encountered
in the war zone declared by 1t IN the
waters surrounding the British Isles
and warning neutrals to avoid those
waters. Mr.. Wilson notes in his ad.
dress that the United States govern.
ment earnestly protested against the
adoption of such policy, on the
ground that it could not be pursued
without the practical certainty of
gross and palpable violations Of the
law OF nations, particularly il sub
marines were employed as its instru-
ments. notwithstanding this earnest
protest, he adds, the German govern
ment proceeded to carry out the pol
icy announced by it, though 1t en-
pressed the hope that the dangers in
volved, or at any rate. the dangers
to neutral vessels, would be reduced
\ to a minimum by the instructions Is
sued to its submarine commanders,
and also assured the government of
the United States that 1t would take
every possible prccaution. both to
respect the rights OF nentrals and to
safeguard the rights of non-combat-
ants.
What has actually happened in the
course of the year that has since
elapsed has shown, the President says
that those hopes were not justified,
those assurances insusceptible Of be-
ing fulfilled. The commanders of
German undersea vessels have, he de-
clares. attacked merchant ships with
greater activity wherever they could
encounter them, in way that has
grown more and more ruthless and
indiscriminate as the months have
gone by; have delivered their at
tacks without conjunction against
vessels of every nationality and
bound upon every sort OF errand, and
have destroyed vessels of neutral
ownership, even vessels OF neutral
ownership bound from neutral por'
to neutral port along with vessels o.
belligerent ownership in ever increas
ing numbers. Sometimes, he adds
the merchantmen attacked has beer
warned before attack, sometimes pas
sengers or crews have been allowed
the poor security of being allowed U
take to the ships boats before SIT
was sent to the bottom, but agaii
and again no warning has been CIV
en-, no escape, even to the snip
po"ts, aHoWeu W thosc vi
and the roll OF Americans who nav
lost their lives on ships thus attacR
ed and destroyed has grown mont
by month until the ominous toll Ia
mounted into the hundreds. Refel
ring to the destruction OF the SUSSEX
President Wilson says that II this II
stance stood alone some explanation
some sdisavowal by the German gov
eminent. some evidence OF crimina
mistake or wilful disobedience on IN
part of the commander Of the vess'
that fred the torpedo might D
q sought or entertained. but unhappil
N II does not stand alone, and recen
events make the conclusion inevi