The Pulaskian., 1916-04-21
NOTE SENT TO GERMANY DE HANDS IMMEDIATE CHANGE
 IN SUBMARINE TACTICS.
PRESIDENT READS HIS
 MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
Executive of United States Is Listened to Without Demonstration as lie Speaks for IS Minutes, and Is
 Applauded ss He Closes.

Washington Wilson told congress, assembled in joint session shortly after 1 o'clock Wednesday aft ernoon, he had given irrevocable noti- fication to Germany that the United States will break off diplomatic rela- tions if her Illegal submarine cam paign is continued.
 A note, Americas last word, practi- cally an ultimarum and demanding an immediate reply, presumably was in the Berlin foreign office as the presi- dent was speaking. It 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 ica 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,
 ''It will be recalled that in Febru- ary, 1915, the imperial German govern ment announced it's intention to treat the waters surrounding Great Britain and Ireland as embraced within the seat of war, and destroy all merchant ships owned by it's enemies that might be found within any part of that DOT ton Of the high seas. and that it warned all vessels, of neutral as we'll as of belligerent ownership, to keep out of the waters 1t had thus pre- scribed. or else enter them at their peril.
 ssThe government of the United States earnestly protested It 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 it's instruments inasmuch as the rules prescribed by that law, rules founded upon principles of hu- manity and established for the pro tection 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.
 Tt based it's protest on the ground that persons of neutral nationality 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 it's protest. is not of recent origin or founded upon merely arbitrary prin- ciples set up by convention.
 'It is based, on the contrary, upon manifest and imperative principles of humanity, and has iong 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. cd to carry out the policy it had an. nounced.
 Tt 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 it's submarine commanders, and assured the govern n1ent of the United States that il 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 ths year which has since elapsed has shown that those hopes were not ius tified, these assurances insusceptibls of being fulfilled Tn pursuance c the policy of submarine warfar, against the commerce of it's adver saries thus announced and entered upon by the imperial German govern ment in despite of the solemn protes of this government, the commander of German undersea vessels have al tackled merchant ships with greate and greater activity, not only upon tn high seas surrounding Great Britai ~r~~-~-~-~~~-~->-~-~s~~~~-~-~