The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-20

w IASHINCTON, April 19-Folo~ing is the text OF the speech
w President Wilson made to Congress to-day on the relations Of
the United States with Germany:
GENTLEMEN Of THE CONGRESS-: A situation has arisen in the foreign
relations Of the country of which it is my plain duty to inform you very
frankly.
It will be recalled thu. in February. 1915. the Imperial German Gov
eminent announced It's intention to treat the waters surrounding Great
Britain and ireland as embraced within the eat Of war and to destroy all
merchant ships owned by its enemies that might be found within any
part II that portion of the high "a and that II warned all vessels. Of
nsSs' pr. ss Tsa as sr Of .h s s.s,sr' hs swn ., ,ns;r to S. keep out II the "a''T'' had
w.. Tn. oo.srnmeu. Of the Unite! states earnestly protested. 1t took
certainty Of gross and paIpabis violations Of the law Of nations. particularly
rules prescribed BY tho. ,a NV r" + FOUNDED %S ed , upe u principles ss' N humanity "s as
could OF Il" the i nature are Of + S the ess 81 BE- oh Observes ~Ssi by :, . "a vs %Ss u sea-
ceulin's Clos. Ii. High Seas.
and Vessels !. s:i:s ., n n.S Sss.i: sw ," !. 'ss s, "s%;s $: .. ssr,s"; to Of :. 9sS,ssl an. ns' ,sss,.,.
% o 1r 80 s a m m. ,sa m right Tito t. close close any mh p r.ar the high sea against their
...;s :; s q !! s s::'S1 i. n r 'ss'" . .' s OF 9~ sn'': s! 'sf os Q, 's""sss Of ss 'ss
' Ss.s .. %ssT %sS s;s s s: . ,%s;s:s: sj sS ! !, 4: :. ,s ss% .: : ! ! q s s;, ;sss
nations -"
German Government; at s%e G proe Ssss't to to ., carry %4, ' Ss 'r policy !" !, ' nG a",
%""ssrrs to !" neutral sS%sIs Vessels sG "S would '%' be II" rsSae % io " a mru s"r 'n by '% ns i%c
the sss:rn s"s" Of I , i' v ,s';' states i, cts , i%s % " ~Sar S' '" "a sSsrsp ssats as's ps,
Assurances Have Not Been Fulfilled.
shown what ,%ai has i.s ss.u "aS,s h. ssss d, in ,s ,sn yea ,D (Which has ssss' s. .n.sa n.
q the sOs sS%m ssrs.e %, u nn .sv ,sn.n Of h the aSnSu ,sS Ss Ts .n n sn, s~aTt ncn against SH rs
i%psr%, Str 1a S1v p IL Il, ,c sSs%,o , S1 .ns solemn Ss@.. protest 5"s .% Of this
merchant .sss :..r: : h vi" a, s.s'; S1a AND n ,, ss,.I''t sa; 70" ~s sa'y pc ,S the ,s sss
s s"sT1 msss , ,nsi:r N n "a ~. that sSe " months sis"n na "sT son ad by %' Iss r1 "ns ,a. )" OBJ.
SERVANT r.n,, :, T'~ .ss"., o i. 3 Ai IN; land ana have s,n,;rsa { .se, s:. attacks s, %''nsS!
puncu dSuiuSt VESSELS OF every dd pound upon every
sort II GRAND.
Vessels Of neutral OWNERSHIP even vessels NJ neural ownership bound
rom neutral pr: to neutral port, have peer destroyed along with vessels
of bclisercnt ownership N constantly increasing numbers. Sometimes the
merchantmen attacked IA beer warned ad sunnored o surrender before
Seusiu afea , f% po ' sSSrisSo Of s e%s." allowed @a' to tse to % tn sF sEMps SSs been Ss'
saSsn 81" s o "" .sc. .ss', , Sso !" % ts ships ut boats aa". allowed os 1t so those Ss " at board has S f%
this Government forcsaw must happen has happened
Tragedy After Tr. ssdy Q n See.
attendant "a:sf' srr s"nsssS s+'s g TO ON mako s%' it 7s sfo. iii ' SS'sea %'' '%' ~ %%S s'S oh
r%in ! ,s,s s' " W 's dictates ct &c. . Sn"' + r = '. arr # e" ~H'sn' the most
Whatever the disposition and intention Of the Imperial German Govern
ment. II has nmnfesty proved impossible for IT to keep such methods of
attack upon the commerce Of its enemies within the bounds set BY either
the reason o. the heart Of mankind.
In February OF thc present year IN Imperial German Government in
formed this Government and the other neutraiG Governments II tho world
armed all merchant vessels of British ownership and had givcn them secret
orders to attack n submarine of he enemy they might encounter upon
the seas. and tina h Imperial German Government iet Justified in the cir
cumstanccs in treating all armed merchantmen Of bcniScrent ownership as
auxiliary vessels OF a which It would have the right to destroy without
warning.
The law OF nations has lung recognized The right Of merchantmen to
carrya rms Tor protection. Ito use them 10 rrpel attack, though to usc them
in such circumstances at their " risk. but the Imperial German Gov
eminent claimed the right to set hose understandings aside in circum-
stances which it deemed extraordinary.
Even the terms in which it announced its purpose thus sml further
"a relax the restraints it had previously expressed it's willingness and desire
u put upon the operations of IT'S submarines carried thu plain Implication
that at least vessels which were t armed would still hr .xcmp from
destruction without warning. and that personal safety would be accorded
their passengers and crews But vel that Limitation, If it ws yer prac