The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-04-25

as so singularly tragical and unjusti-
fable as to constitute truly terrible
| example of the inhumanity of subma-
| rine warfare as the commanders of
German vessels have for the past
twelve months been conducting
it. If this instance stood alone, some
explanation, some disavowal by the
German government, some evidence
of criminal mistake or willful disobe-
dience on the part OF the commander
of the vessel that fired the torpedo
| unhappily it does not stand alone.
Recent events make the conclusion
inevitable that it is only one instance,
even though it be one of the most ex-
| IRENE and distressing instances, Of
the spirit and method of warfare
which the imperial German govern
ment has mistakenly adopted, and
which from the first exposed that gov
eminent to the reproach of thrusting
all neutral rights aside in pursuit Of
it's immediate objects.
THE government of the United
States has been very patient. At ev-
| cry stage of this distressing expert
ence of tragedy after tragedy in which
its own citizens were involved it had
sought to be restrained from any ex-
IRENE course Of action Or of protest
by thoughtful consideration of the
extraordinary circumstances of this
unprecedented war and actuated in
q Nv -
genuine friendship which the people
OF the United States have always en-
tertained and continue to entertain to-
ward the German nation. 1t has, of
course, accepted the successive expla-
nations and assurances of the impe-
rial German government as given in
entire sincerity and good faith, and
mas hoped, even against hope, that it
would prove to be possible for the
German government SO to order and
control the acts of it's naval comman-
GERS as to square it's policy with the
principles of humanity as embodied
IN the law of nations. It has been
willing to wait until the significance
OF the facts became absolutely unmis-
taxable and susceptible of but one in.
depreciation.
THAT point has now unhappily been
reached. The facts are susceptible
of but one interpretation The impe-
rial German government has been I'M
able to put any limit or restraints
upon it's warfare against either freight
or passenger ships. It has therefore
become painfully evident that the po-
sition which this government took at
the very outset is inevitable, namely,
that the use of submarines for the de-
struction Of an enemy's commerce is
OF necessity, because of the very char
acter of the vessels employed and the
very methods of attack which their
employment of course involves, in
compatible with the principles of hui
mainly, the long established and incon-
trovertfble rights of neutrals, and the
sacred 1mmunities Of non-combatants
Virtual Uitimatum Sent.
81 have deemed it my duty, there
fore, to say to the imperial German
government that if it is still it's pur-
pose to prosecute ruthless and indis-
criminate warfare against vessels of
commerce by the use Of submarines,
notwithstanding the now demon
strated impossibility of conducting
that warfare in accordance with what
the government of the United States
must consider the sacred and indis-
putable rules of international law and
the universally recognized dictates of
humanity, 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 government
should now Immediately declare and
effect an abandonment of it's present
methods of warfare against passenger
and freight carrying vessels this gov
eminent can have no choice but to
sever diplomatic relations with the
government of the German empire al
together
This decision | have arrived at
with the keenest regret; the POSSIBLE
ity Of the action contemplated I am
sure all thoughtful Americans will
look forward to with unaffected reluc-
lance. But we cannot forget that we
are in some sort and by the force OF
circumstances the responsible spokes.
man of the rights of humanity, and
that we cannot remain silent while
those rights seem in process of being
utterly swept away in the maeIstrorn
OF this terrible war We owe it to
due regard for our own rights as a.
nation, to our sense Of duty as a pre-
resentative Of the rights of neutrals
the world over, and to a joint concep-
ton Of the rights Of mankind to take
this stand now with the utmost solem-
nifty and firmness.
Il have taken it, and taken it in
the confidence that it will meet with
your approval and support All sober
minded men must unite in hoping
that the imperial German govern
ment, which has in other circum-
stances stood as the champion of all
that we are now contending for in the
interest of humanity, may recognize
the justice of our demands and meet
them in the spirit in which they are
made"
W0RTH kMnNfIh,c