The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-04-29

| DclOTc lue JolHL oeSsiou VI SohSi'
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONGRESS:
| A situation has arisen in the foreign
| relations of the country, of which II is
any plain duty to inform you very
1t will be recalled that in February.
1915, the imperial German government
announced its intention to treat the
| ireland embraced within the seat
of war. and to destroy all merchant
ships owned by its enemies that might
be found within any part of that por-
| ton of the high seas. and that 1t
warned all vessels of neutral. as well
as of belliserent ownership, to keep
out of the waters 1t had thus pro-
soribed or else enter them at their
peril.
Says Gross Abuses Are Certain.
The government of the United States
earnestly protested. 1t took the posi-
| tion that such a policy could not be
pursued without the practical certain
| ty Jf gross and palpable violation of
the law of nations, particularly II sub
its Instruments, inasmuch as the rules
prescribed by that law. rules founded
upon principles of humanity and es-
tablished for the protection OF the lives
OF non -combatants at sea, could not in
the nature of the case be observed by
such vessels.
1t based it's protest on the ground
that persons OF neutral nationality and
vessels of neutral ownership would be
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
OF recent origin, or founded upon
merely arbitrary pr inciples set up by
convention. 1t is based. on the con-
trary. upon manifest and imperative
o
been established with the approval and
by the express assent of all civilized
nations.
Germany DisreEards All Protests.
Notwithstanding the earnest protest
of our government, the Imperial Ger
man government at once proceeded to
carry out the policy 1t had announced.
1t 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 II
had issued to its submarine command
ers and assured the government or the
United States that II would take ev-
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 justt-
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
ers of German undersea vessels have
attacked merchant ships with greater
and greater activity. not only upon
tho high seas surrounding Great Brit
ain and Ireland but wherever they
could encounter them. in way that
has grown more and more ruthless,
more and more indiscrimnate as the
months have gone by, less and less OBJ
servant of restraints OF any kind; and
have delivered their attacks without
compunction against vessels OF every
nationality and bound upon every sort
of errand.
NeutraI-Owned Vessels Destroyed.
Vessels of neutral ownership. even
vessels of neutral ownership bound
from neutral port to neutral port have
been destroyed, along with vessels of
belligerent ownership In constantly-in-
creasing numbers.
Sometimes the merchantmen attacked
has been warned and summoned to
surrender before being fired on or tor
pedoed; sometimes pc assengers or crews
have been vouchsafed the poor secur-
ity of being allowed to take to the
ships boats before she was sent to
the bottom.
But again and again no warning had
been given: no escape even to the
ships boats allowed to those on board.
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 sort. If war
fare 1t be, cannot be carried on with
out the most palpable violation of the
dictates alike of right and humanity.
tion of the imperial German govern
ment. 1t has manifestly proved impos-
attack upon the commerce of its enc
mics within the bounds set by either
the reason or the heart of mankind.
In February of the present year. the
Ir,n al informed
this government and the other. neu-
trail governments of the world that it
had reason to believe that the gov
ernment of Great Britain had armed
all merchant vessels of British owner
ship. and had given them secret or
ders to attack any submarine of the
enemy they might encounter upon the
seas, and that the imperial German
government felt justified in the cir
cumstances in treating all merchant
men of belligerent ownership as aux
iliary vessels of war, which 1t would
have the right to destroy without
warning.
The law of nations has long recog
nized the right of merchantmen to
carry arms for protection and TO use
them to repel attacks, to use them In
such circumstances at their own risk;
but the imperial German COVER ment
claimed the right to set these under
standings aside under circumstances
which it deemed extraordinary.
Evon the terms in which 1t an.
nounced its purpose thus still further
to relax the restraints it had previ
oLsiy professed its willingness and de
sire to put upon the operations of Its
submarines carried the plain implica-
tion that at least vessels which were
not armed would be exempt from de-
struction without warning ana that
personal safety would be accorded
their passengers and crews; but even
that limitation, if it was ever practi-
cable to observe 1t, has in fact consti-
tuted no check at all upon the de-
struction of ships of every sort
Again and again the imperial Ger
man government has given this gov
,.,,, Al. - I..,.