Evening journal., 1916-04-20
This Is Americas UIfimafum to Germany
Against Further Submarine Activities

vessels bound from neutral port to
neutral port, have been destroyed
along with vessels OF belligerent own
ership in constantly increasing num-
bers. Some times the merchantmen
attacked have been warned and sum
mOned to surrender before being fired
on or torpedoed; sometimes their pas
sengers and crews have been vouch-
safcd the poor security Of being al
lowed to take TO the ships boats be-
fore the ship was sent TO the bottom.
But again and again no warning has
been given, no escape even to the
ships boats allowed to those on board.
Great liners like the Lusitania and
Arabic and mere passenger boats like
the Sussex have been attacked with
out a moments warning, often be-
fore they have even become aware
that they were in the presence of an
armed ship Of the enemy, and the
lives of nOn-cOmbatants, passengOrB
and crews, have been destroyed whole
sale ana in a manner which the Gov
ernment OF the United States cannot
but regard as wantOn and without
the slightest color of justification. No
limit of any kind has. in fact, been
set to their indescrimnate pursuit
and destruction of merchantmen Of
all kinds and nationalities within the
waters which the Imperial Govern
mont has chosen to designate as ly-
ing within the seat OF war. The roll
of Americans who have lost their
lives upon ships thus attacked and
destroyed has grown month by month
until the Ominous toll has mounted
into the hundreds.
Washington Has Been Patient.
TIE Government of the United
States has been very patient. At
every stage OF this distressing expert
ence of tragedy after tragedy il has
sought to be governed by the most
thoughtful consideration of the eX-
traOrdinary circumstances of an un-
precedented war and to be guided by
sentiments Of very genuine sympathy
for the people and the government
OF Germany II has accepted the sue
cessive explanations and assurances
of the Imperial Government as of
course given I'm entire sincerity and
good faith and has hoped, even against
hope. that II would prove TO be possi-
BILE for the Imperial Government so
to order md control the acts OF It's
naval commanders ns TO square It's
policy with the recognized principles
OF humanity as embodied IN the law of
nations II made every allowance for
unprecedented conditions and has
been willing TO walt until the facts
became unmlstakable and were sus-
ceptible OF only one Interpretation.
II now owes II to a just regard for
lts own rights to say to the Imperial
Government that that time has come.
II has become painfully evident to IL
that the position which It took at the
very outset ls inevitable namely. the
use of submarines for the destruction
OF an enemy's commerce, Is, OF ne
cesslty, because Of the very charac-
ter OF the vessels employed and the
very methods Of attack which their
employment Of course involves, ut
terly incompatible with the princi-
pies OF humanity. the long ng-established
and incontrovertible rights of neu-
trails. and the sacred lmmunities OF
non-combatants.
n II is still the purpose Of the
Imperial Government TO prosecute
relentless and indiscriminate warfare
against vessels of commerce by the
use Of submarines without regard to
what the government of the United