Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-20

| United States might have hoped tina
the submarine commander acted II
violation of his governments solemn
pledges and that the ends of justice
might have been satisfied 10y disa'
vowal, reparalion ana his proper pun
ishment. But. 1t adds. this case nm
happily does not stand alone
| "On the contrary says the note
the government of the United State
Is forced by recent events TO conclude
tnat IT is only one instance even
though one Of the most extreme ana
most distressing instances of the de
| llhcrate method and spirit OF udls-
criminatc destruction of merchant
Vessels of all sorts. nationaltics ANA
destinations which have become more
unmistakablo as the activity of Ger
man undcrscd vessels of war has IN
recent months been puickcncd ana cN-
| tended.
The United States, the c0mmunica
| ton declares, considers the torpcdOlnE
of the Sussex not only proved 10y the
cl lidcncc, but actually substantiatcd
| by the German disclaimer of respon-
sibility.
Oricr Evidence.
Attached To- the American note ~ an
appendix are the facts IN Tie case oi
the SUSSEX they show that three
found in the hull of the damaged snip
not only screw bolts which correspond
In use and Identification marks with
those on German ships Ia possession
Of the French government II inc
naval station at Toulon. but that the
American officers actually lound J"
pieces of metal which they nave ldeh-
tlticd as parts of German torpcdoes.
-Four of them, steel parts of the wal
h.
distinctive red paint common 10 GER
man "warhcads"
Besides this evidence the note con
tends every circumstance either ad-
mittcd by Germany in her disclaimer
or proved 10y affdaNits of persons on
the destroyed liner. proves beyond
question that she was tOrpcdoed with
out warning.
Violated Promises.
In short. the United states pre-
scnts the evidence as the caption to
an accumulation of evidence extend
ing over a period of months. which Is
held to prove irrefutably that Ger
maLys assurances 10 the United
Statse have repeatedly been Wantonly
violated.
Copies Of the American note were
sent to representatives here of ncu-
they are rs much Interested as the
United States in the protection of
neutral rights. The document was
not given to any of the beiligercnt
diplomats. as the controversy is re-
garGcd as being solely between the
United States and Germany
Count Won Bernstorff already has
reiterated to Secretary Lansing that
under no circumstances will Germany
give up the submarine as weapon
OF warfare, because, she contends. II
is retaliation for Great Britain's
food blockade. The ambassador has
declared. however. that his govern
ment will attempt to bring subma-
rinc operations within the law of ma
tions. This the United States Is will
ing to discuss after Germany had
abaE doned her present methods-not
before.
Considers Prom First.
Against that p ,ssibility stands tho
declaration in the American note that
the United States has considered
from the first that the employment
of submarines for destruction of com
merce is by its very nature utterly
Incompatible with the principles Of
humanity. the long established and
inccntrovcrtible rights of ncutrals.
combatants,"
Clearly the presidents demand is
that the use of the submarine shall
lee restricted 10 operations against
warships. Upon that rock tho friend
~ relations between the two countries
may be rent
The crisis now resolves itself into
the waiting stage during which Ger
many Will have opportunity to ac-
COO hn TO hA A aYt, do, Il
fore another week begins settlement
of the long standing issue either will
be assured or Count Won Bcrnstorff
probably will have his passports and,
Ambassador Gerard will be leaving
Berlin.
The president had guarded his plans
with most effective secrecy until 10
o'clock this morning when he dis
closed them at a conference with
Chairman Stone and Senator Lodge
the ranking Republicans of the sen
ate foreign relations committee. and
Chairman Flood and Representative
Cooper the ranking Republican of the
foreign affairs committee of the
house. lie outlined TO them what he
had said in the note dispatched to
Berlin last night ana what he pur-
posed to say To congress today. When
the president had finished reading he
looked up, and, seeing Senator stones
grave face, said;
You look as sad as ] feel
The charman's response was to in
quire OF the president If he had told
them all he had to say The confer
cncc thus ended.
Tho word of the presidents plan
spread quickly through congress and
when he tJok his place at the clerks
desk in the hall of the house promptly
at o'clock he was confronted by an
assembly OF gravely quiet senator's and
who greeted him with
and later hung intcntly
upon every word he uttered and |
rheered him heartily when he fin
.shed.
Asks Nothing.
The president asked nothing OF
congress; he came only to inform II |
ot his action. He did It In 10 minutes |
and congress went back to work sol |
emily impressed with the situation |
which confronts the country. The |
scene had been dramatic. The presi- |
dents demeanor reflected his state Of |
mind and an impartial observer would |
readily say the defneanOr' OF congress I