Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-04-19


THE 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 be restrained from any extreme &C.
ton or expressed by thoughtful con-
sideration Of the extraordinary cir
! cumstances of this unprecedented war
and actuated in all that it said or did
by the sentiments Of genuine friend
ship which the people of the United
States always have entertained and
continue to entertain towards the
German nation. 1t has Of course &C
cepted the successive explanations and
assurances of the imperial German
government as given in entire SINGER
ity and good faith. and has hoped, even
against hope, that 1t would prove to be
possible for the German government
SO to order and control the acts of its
naval commanders as to square its
policy with the principles of humanity
as embodied in the law of nations. 1t
has been willing to wait until the sig
nificance Of the facts became absolute
ly unmistakable and susceptible of but
one Interpretation.
Only One Interpretation.
THAT point has now unhappily been
reached. The facts are susceptible OF
but one Interpretation. The imperial
German government has not been able
to put any limits or restraints upon its
warfare against either freight or pas
senger ships. 1t has therefore become
painfully evident that the position
which this government took at the
very outset is inevitable, namely, that
the use of submarines for the destruc-
ton OF an enemy's commerce Is of ne
cessity, because of the very character
OF the vessels employed and the very
methods of attacks which their en-
ployment Of course involves, incompat-
ible with the principles of humanity,
the long established and incontroverti-
BILE rights of neutrals and the sacred
immunities Of non combatants.
One Course Open.
i have deemed it my duty, there
fore to say to the imperial German
government that if it is still its pur-
pose to prosecute relentless and in
discriminate warfare against vessels
OF commerce by use of submarines,
notwithstanding the now demonstrated
impossibility Of conducting that war
fare in accordance with what the gov
eminent Of the United States must
consider the sacred and indisputable
rules Of international law and the uni
Tersallv recognized dictates of human
ity, the government of the United
States Is at last forced to the conclus-
ion that there is but one course it can
pursue; and that unless the imperial
German government should now i'm
mediately declare and effect an aband-
onment of its present methods of war;
fare against passenger and freight car
rying vessels, this government can
have no choice but to sever diplomatic
relations with the government of the
German empire altogether.
Reaches Decision With Regret.
This decision l have arrived at
with the keenest regret; the POSSIBLE
ity OF the action contemplated l am
sure all thoughtful Americans will
look forward to with unaffected re-
luctance. But we cannot forget that
we are in some sort and by force of
circumstances the responsible spokes-
men of the rights of humanity and
those rights seem in process of being
swept utterly away in the malestrom
of this terrible war. We owe it to
due regard for our own. rights as ma
ton, to our sense of duty as repre-
sentative of the rights Of neutrals the
world over, and to a just conception of
the rights of mankind to take this
stand now with the utmost solemnity
and firmness
II have taken it, and taken 1t in the
confidence that it will meet with your
approval and support All sober
minded men must unite in hoping that
the imperial German government,
which has in other circumstances
stood as the champion of all that we
are now contending for in the inter
est of humanity, may recognize the
justice Of our demands and meet them
in the spirit In which they are made
Galleries Packed.
Representatives Of the allied coun-
tries filled the diplomatic galleries of
the house. Women ruled In the pub
lie galleries, less than twenty men
finding places in the 900 seats Mrs |
Wilson was in the executive gallery.
In the cabinet party were Secretar-
les Lansing, Baker, Houston and Will
son, Attorney General Gregory and
Postmaster General Burleson. The
vice president and senators arrived
at 1880 and marched in double file |
down the center aisle, members of the |
house rising and remaining standing |
until they were seated.
While the senators were taking their |
seats President Wilson reached the
capitol and waited in Speaker Clark's
Office just outside the chamber. AS
the president entered the chamber |
Just before l o'clock, senator's, repre-