Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-04-19

Of the submarine crow mi9he De
sought and entertained.
s"Recent events make the conclu-
sion inevitable that it is only one
incident Of the spirit and method Of
warfare which the imperial Ger
man government has mistakenly
adopted. sa-
nThe government Of the United
States has been very patient At
every stage Of this distressing ex-
perience Of tragedy sitter tragedy
in which it's own citizens vere in
voIved, il has sought to be re-
strained from any extreme course
. Of action or Of protest by
thoughtful consideration Of tho ex-
a traordinary ysseiredmstances Of this
unpreeedented war, and aetuated in
aif that it said or did by sentiment
Of genuine friendship which the
people of the United States always
have entertained and continue to
entertain toward the German ma
tion.
at has accepted the explanations
and assuranees Of the imperial Ger
man government as given in entire
sincerity and good faith. and has
: hoped even against hope that it
would prove"possibie for the Ger
man government SO to control the
acts of its commanders as t. con-
form with tho principles of human.
ity. t
at has been willing to wait until
the significance Of the facts become
absolutely unmistakabIe.
I. !. "That point has now unhappily
been reached. The facts are sus-
ceptible Of but one Interpretation.
The imperial German government
has not been able to put any limit
or, restraint upon it's warfare
against either freight or passenger
= ships. It has, therefore, become
painfully evident that the position
whieh-this government took at tho
very outset 10 inevitable, namely,
that the use Of submarines for the
Z, destruction Of an enemy's COM
merce is Of a necessity, because of
the very character of the vessels
employed and the very method of
attack which their employment
involves, Incompatible with the
principles Of humanity, the long
established incontrovertibfe rights
Of neutraIs and the sacred i'm
munities Of nom -combatants.
-: ~ have deemed it my duty,
therefore, to say to the imperial
German government, that If it is
still it's purpose to practice indis-
criminate warfare against vessels
O. rS oN$<a,s$ L - l.
impossibility of conducting that
which United States government
considers in violation of interna-
tionaI law, 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 not, declare and
effect an abandonnsent Of the pres
ent methods of warfare against
& passenger and freight carrying
vessels this government can have
no choice but to sever Diplomatic
relations with the government of
the German empire altogether.
"This decision have arrived at
with deepest regret; the possibility
Of. any action contemplated, an
sure, all thoughtful Americans will
look to with unaffected reluctance,
Z but we can not forget that we are
by the force Of circumstances the
responsible spokesmsn Of the
rights Of humanity and we can not
remain silent when those rights
) seem in the prospect Of being ut
terly swept away. " ~
/"We owe It to 4 due regard Of
( our rights as nation, to our
sense Of duty as = representative
Of the rights Of neutraIs the world
over, and to just conception Of
the rights Of mankind to take this
stand now with the utmost SOL
ennity and firmness.
~ have taken II, and am taking
it in confidence that il will meet
with your approval and support.
4 All sober-minded mon must unite
ii hoping that the imperial Ger
man government, which has un-
der other circumstances stood for
( all that we now contend forS may
& recognize the justice Of our de a
mands and meet them II the spirit
Ii which thsy are made.
= ~ ~