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

United States cannot but regard as
wanton and without the slightest
colCr of justification. No limit OF
any kind has, n fact, set to the in
discriminate pursuit and destruction
of merchantmen of all kinds and ma
tionalities within the waters, con-
stantly extending in area. where these
operations have been carried on ana
the roll of Americans who have lost
their lives on ships thus attacked and
destroyed has grown month by
month until the ominous toll has
mounted into the hundreds.
'Onc of the largest and most shock
ing instances of this method OF war
fare was that of the destruction OF the
French cross-channel steamer Sus-
sex. 1t must stand forth. as the sink
ing of the steamer Lusitania did. as so
singularly tragical and un1ustifiable
as to constitute a truly terrible eX-
ample OF the inhumanity of submarine
warfare as the commanders of Ger
man vessels have for the past II
months been conducting 1t. If this in
stance stood alone. some explanation.
some disavowal by the German gov
crnment, some evidence of criminal
mistake or wilful disobedience on the
part of the commander Of the vessel
that fired the torpedo might be sought
or entertained; but unhappily 1t does
not stand alone. Recent events make
the conclusion inevitable that 1t is
only one instance, even though it be
one of the most extreme and distress
sing instances, of the spirit and meth
cd of warfare which the imperial
German government has mistakenly
adopted. and which from the first re-
proach of thrusting all neutral right
aside in pursuit of its immediate OBJ
jects.
"rhe government of the United
States has been very patient. AT every
stage of this distressing experience
OF tragedy after tragedy in which Its
own citizens were involved 1t has
sought TO he restrained from any ex-
treme course of action or of protest
by thoughtful consideration of the
extraordinary circumstances of this
unprecedented war, and aCtuated In
all that II said or did oy the senti-
| ments of genuine friendship which the
| people of the United States always
have entertained and continue to en-
| tertain towards the German nation.
| II has of course accepted the sue
cession of the explanations and assur-
| ances of the imperial German gov
crnment as given in entire sincerity
and sood faitn. ana has hoped, even
against hope, that it would prove to
| I've possible for the German so to order
| and control the acts of its naval COM
| iuanders as to square ITS policy with
| the principles of humanity as embod-
| led in the law of nations. 1t has been
willing to wait until the significance
| of the facts become absolutely un-
nistakahle and susceptible of but one
| Interpretation.
THAT point has now unhappily
been reached. The facts are suscep-
| tible of but one Interpretation. The
imperial German government has not
been able to put any limits or restric~
! tons upon its warfare against either
| freight or passenger ships. 1t has,
| therefore, become painfully evident
that the position which this govern
ment took at the very outset is inevl
II table; namely, that the use of sub
marines for the destruction of an enc
mys commerce is. OF necessity. be-
cause of the very character OF the
vessels employed and the very meth
uds of attack which their employ
nlent, of course, involves. ,ncompat-
lille with the principles of humanity,
the long established and mcontrovert-
lille rights of neutrals. and the sacred
immunities of noncombatants
Il have deemed 1t my duty, there
Il fore, to say to the German imperial
pose to prosecute relentless and indis-
cvmnate warfare against vessels OF
commerce by the use of submarines
notwithstanding the now demon
strated possibility Of conducting that
warfare in accordance with what the
government of the United States must
consider the sacred and indisputable
rules of International law and the uni
vcrssily recognized dictates of hu-
manity. the conclusion that there is
II hut one course II can pursue; and
II hat unless the imperial German gov
crnmept should now Immediately de-
clare and effect an abandonment OF
its present methods of warfare against
II passenger and freight carving ves-
sells. this government can have no
choice but to sever diplomatic rela-
tons with the government of the Ger
man empire altogether.
This decision have arrived al
J with keenest regret. the possibility OF