The Alaska daily empire., 1916-04-24

of ita adyorsario8. thus announced and thun entered upon in npito of the nol- omn protest of tho government Of the United Stnton. the commanderg Of the Imperial governments oubmerslbie ves- seln have carried on practices of such ruthless destruction which have made it more and more evident. as the months have gone by, that tho imper- lai government had found it improcuca- blc to put any such restraints upon them oa .t had hoped ana promised 10
 Again and again tho imperial gov- crumcnt has given ita solemn oasur- nncoB to tho government or tho UnlteH States that ot least passenger steam. CTS would not thus be dealt with, and yet it has repeatedly permitted its un- deraea commanders to dlncGard these assurances with entire impunity. AS recent 0s February last it gave notice that it would rcgord all armed mer- part of the naval forces of it8 adver- sarlcs and deal with thom os with mcn-o of-war. thus, at least by implca- ton. plodging Itself to give warming to vessels which were not armed and to accord security of llfc to their paa- songers and crews. but even this iim- ltation their submarine commanders have recldosaly Ignored.
 Many Killed without Warning
 Vessels of neutral ownership, even vessels of neutral ownership bound from neutral port to neutral port. have bolllgerent ownership in constantly in- crcaaing numbers. Sometimes the mer- chnntmon attacked have been warned and summonded Co surrender before be- Ing fired on or torpedoed; sometimes the passengers and crews have been vouchGafcd the poor security Of being allowed Co taso tho ships boats before tho ship was sent to tho. bottom, but again and again no warning has been eiven no escape even to the ships
 Great liners Ike the Lusitonia and Arabic, and mere ferry boats like tho Sussex. have been attacked without a moments warming, often before they have even become aware that they were in the presence of an armed ahlr of tho enemy, and the lives of non- combatants, passengers and crew have bcon destroyed wholesale and in man ner which the government Of the Unit cd States cannot but regard as wantor and without the slightest color Of Jus. tincatlon.
 No limit of any kind has in fact beer set to their lndiscriminato pursuit ane destruction of merchantmen Of all dndi and natlonallte8 within the waterl which the imperial government hal tho seat of war Tho roll of Ameri' cans who have lost their lives upoI ships thus attacked md destroyed hav' grown month by month until the omin ious toll has mounted Into the hun Patience of the United states
 Tho government of the United Statei has been very patient. At every stag Of this distressing experience Of trag edy after tragedy it has fought to b' governed by the most thoughtful con sideration of the extraordinary circum stances of m unprecedented war anS to be guided by sentiments Of yer, genuine friendship for the people an' government of Germany. It has accept | ed the successive explanations and as aurancea of the imperinl governnen ms Of course given it entire sincerity and good faith. and had hoped, ever 1 against hope. that it would prove C be possible for the Imperial govern ment SO Co order and control the acu of It's naval commanders as Co sduor' lts policy with tho recognized princi ples of humanity as embodied in tho law of nations. lt has made every nl lownncc for unprecedented conditionl and has been willing to walt unu facts became unmistakable md wer' susceptible of only one Interpretation It now owes lt Co just regard for itl l own rights to- say to the Imperial gov ornment that that time has come. I hos become painfully evident to it tha tho position which it took at tho yer, outset is inevitable. namely, the use O submarines for the destruction of ai enemy'a commerce ig. Of necessity, be cause of the very character of the yes 1 sells employed and the very method of attack which their employment O course involves utterly incompatible
 with the principles of humanity. the lonl established and incontrovcrtlble right of neutrais and the sacred immuniuo of noncOmbatants
 Sever Diplomatic Relations
 IT it Ia nfIlI fhn DurnONo Of the inner ial government Co prosecute relentles and indiscriminate warfare against yes sells Of all commerce by tho use O submarines without regard to what th lgovernment of the United States mus consider the sacred and lndisputabl rules of international law and the uni lversally recognized dictates Of human ity. the government of the Unite
 states is nt last forced Go the conclus
 ton that there is but one course it cal pursue. Unless the imperlal govern ment should now Immediately declar and effect an abandonment of ite pres ent methods of submarine worfar against pasrenger and freight corryin vessels the government of tho Unite States can have no choice but to fcvc diplomatic relations with the German empire altogether This action the gov ernment of tho United States cOntem
 plates with the greatsst reluctance, bu
 feels constrained to take in bchalf O humanity and the rights of neutral ma
 tons.
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