The Dolores star., 1916-04-28


A situation has arisen in the foreign
relations OF the country. OF which it is
my plain duty to inform you verv
1t win be recalled that in Eshr,
1915. the imperial German goyernme5t
announced its intention to treat the
Taters surrounding Great Britain and
ae,ana as embraced within the seat
OF war, and to destroy all merchant
Sh'pe owned by MS enemies that might
pc FOUND within any part of that nor
.non OF the high seas. and that it
warned all vessels of neutral. as well
as of belligerent ownership, to keen
out OF the waters it had thus pro-
peril 'N'''
Says Gross Abuses Are Certain.
The government of the United States
earnestly protested. 1t took the posi-
ton that such policy could not be
pursued without the practical certain
" OF gross and palpable violation of
.ne law OF nations, particularly II sub
marine craft were to be employed as
Its instruments. inasmuch as the rules
prescribed by that law, rules founded
upon principles of humanity and es-
OF non -combatants at sea, could not in
the nature of the case be observed by
such vessels.
1t based its protest on the ground
tnat 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 to expose them to such risks could
lawfully be asserted by any belliger-
ent government.
The law Of nations in these matters,
upon which the government of the
United states based its protest. Is not
OF recent origin, or founded upon
merely arbitrary principles set up by
trary. upon manifest and imperative
principles of humanity and has long
oeen established with the approval and
by the express assent OF all civilized
nations.
Germany Disregards All Protests.
Notwithstanding the earnest protest
or our government, the imperial Ger
man government at once proceeded to
carry out the policy 1t had announced.
IT expressed the hope that the dangers
involved, at any rate the dangers to
neutral vessels. would be reduced to a
minimum by the instructions which 1t
had Issued to its submarine command
ers and assured the government Of the
cry possible precaution both to respect
the rights Of neutrals, and to safe
guard the lives of non-combatants.
What has actually happened in the
year which has since elapsed has
shown that those hopes were not justi-
fled. those assurances insusceptible of
being fulfilled.
In pursuance of the policy of sub
marine warfare against the commerce
of its adversaries, thus announced and
entered upon by the imperial German
government in spite of the solemn pro-
test OF this government. the command
srs Of German undersea vessels have
attacked merchant ships with greater
the high seas surrounding Great Brit
ain and ireland but wherever they
could encounter them. in a way that
more and more indiscriminate as the
months have gone by, less and less OBJ
servant of restraints of any kind: and
have delivered their attacks without
nationality and bound upon every sort
of errand.
Neutral-Owned Vessels Destroyed.
Vessels of neutral ownership, even
vessels of neutral ownership bound
from neutral port to neutral port. have
belligerent ownership in constantly-in-
creasing numbers.
Sometimes the merchantmen attacked
ss s SsSn be1ore being fired oD or tor
pedoed: sometimes passengers or crews
have been vouchsafed the poor secur-
ity Of being allowed to take to the
ships boats before she was sent to
tho bottom.
But again and again no warning had
been given; NO escape even to the
What this government foresaw must
happen has happened. Tragedy has
followed tragedy on the seas in such
fashion. with such attendant circum-
stances, as to make 1t grossly evident
that warfare of such a sort. II war
fare 1t be. cannot be carried on with
out tho most palpable violation of the
tb %, and nten
ton of tho imperial German govern
ment, 1t has manifestly proved impos-
sibls for 1t to keep such methods of
miles within the bounds set by either
tho reason or the heart of mankind.
In February of the present year. the
imperial German g0vsrn nm Htb Informed
trail governments Of the world that 1t
had reason to believe that tho gov
ernment of Great Britain had armed
ship. and had given them secret or
doris to attack any submarine Of the
enemy they might encounter upon the
ssss and that fst the the nir
cumstances in treating al! merchant
nen Of belligerent ownership as aux:
Hilary vessels Of war. which 1t would
have the right to destroy without
Germany Sets Aside Law Of Nations.
The law of nations has long rscoe-
missed the right of merchantmen to
carry arms for projection and to use
such circumstances at their own risk:
but the imperial German government
claimed the right to set these under
standings aside under circumstances
which # deemed extraordinary.
nounoed its purpose thus still further
to relax the restraints it had previ
Dusty professed II. willinsnte sn, and ID, de- +.
Submarines carried the plain implica-
ton that at least vessels which were
not armed would be exempt from de-
struction without warning and that
neraonai safety would be accorded
Their passengers and crews: but even
that limitation, II 1t was ever practi-
cable to observe It. has In fact consti-
tutsd NO cheek cs,, al az nvs upon sort inc
Again and again the imperial Ger
uan government has given this gov
Ns>. uftii rasa AGAIN at Issue,