The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-19


II October 5-Bernstorff promised disa
preaching the keynote of his message,
the announcement of the course he
will pursue. His declaration that Ger
many has made it plain she intended
to continue indiscriminate warfare in
defiance of international law and the
protests of the United States, was fol-
lowed by the statement that this deter
mination had left but one course open
to the United States.
When he pronounced the words of
the ultimatum, declaring that unless
Germany should Immediately declare
and effect an abandonment of indis-
criminate submarine warfare this gov
ernment would have no choice but to
sever diplomatic relations, there was
still no demonstration, only a tense
silence and a reflection of the gravity
of his words.
Cheers Note of Peace.
When he concluded with expression
of hope that Germany would so act
to avert regrettable break with
America the assembly broke into
cheers. 1t was 1:14 o'clock when the
president concluded. He had spoken
Just fifteen minutes. Applause started
from the Democratic side and the Re
publican members then joined
The president said:
Gentlemen of the Congress: A
situation has arisen in the foreign re
lations of the country of which it is
my plain duty to inform you very
frankly:
"It will be recalled that in February,
1915, the imperial German govern
ment announced it's intention to treat
the waters surrounding Great Britain
and Ireland as embraced within the
seat of war and to destroy all mer-
chant ships owned by it's enemies that
that portion of the high seas and that
it warned all vessels of neutral, as we'll
as of belligerent ownership to keep
out of the waters it had thus pre-
scribed or else enter them at their
peril
United States Protested Immediately.
THE government of the United States
earnestly protested. 1t took the posi-
ton that such a policy could not be
pursued without the practical Ger
tainty of gross and palpable violations
of the law of nations, particularly if
submarine craft were to be employed
as its instruments, inasmuch as the
rules prescribed by that law rules
founded upon principles of humanity
and established 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
its protest on the ground that persons
of neutral nationality and vessels of
neutral ownership would be exposed
to extreme and intolerab1e risks and
that no right to close any part of the
high seas against their use or to ex-
pose them to such risks could lawfully
be asserted by any belligerent govern
ment.
'"The law of nations in these matters
upon which the government of the
United States based its protest. is not
of recent origin or founded upon
merely arbitrary principles set up by
convention 1t is based on the CON
| trary upon manifest and imperative
principles of humanity and has long
been established with the approval
and by the express assent of all civil
lied nations
Germany Gave Assurance.
Notwithstanding the earnest pro
test of our government the imperial
German government at once proceeded
to carry out the policy it had an
nounced. 1t expressed the hope that
the dangers involved. at any rate the
dangers to neutral vessels, would be
j reduced to a minimum by the instruc-
tlons which it had issued to its sub
I marine commanders and assured the
government of the United States that
| IL would take every possible precau-
| tlon both to respect the rights of neu-
trails and to safeguard the lives ot
non-com batants
w nat actually happened in the
year winch has since elapsed has
SHOWN that those hopes were not ms
llileu, those assurances insusceptible
OF peing fulfilled. In pursuance OF
| the poncy OF submarine warfare
against the commerce of it's adver-
sarles, thus announced and entered
upon oy the imperial government in
despite OF the solemn protest of this
government, the commanders of Ger
man unoersea vessels have attacked
merchant ships with greater and
greater activity, not only upon the
hlsh seas surrounding Great Britain
enooI+ anu lreland, but wherever they could
encounter them in a way that has
grown more and more ruthless, more
ana more indiscriminate as the
months nave gone by. less and less OBJ
servant of restraints of any kind: and
nave delivered their attacks without
compunction against vessels of every
nationality and bound upon every SORT
of errand
Sinks Ships Without Warning.
vessels of neutral ownership, ever
vessels bound from neutral port tc
neutral port have been DESTROYED
along with vessels of belligerent own.
ership in constantly increasing mum
bers. Sometimes the merchantmen
attacked has been warned and sum
moned to surrender before being firet
on or torpedoed: sometimes passen
gers or crews have been vouchsafeC
the poor security of being allowed t
take to the ships boats before she wa.
sent to the bottom. But again anC
again no warning has been given; M
escape even to the ships boats all veC
to those on board.
What this government foresav