The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1917-04-13
President Wilson's Great
War Speech To Congress

policy to be made, and made imme-
diately, which it was neither right
nor constituHonally permissible
tnat should assume the RESPONSE
bility of making.
On the third of February last /
officially laid before you the ok
traordinary announcement of the
Imperial German Government that
on and after the first day of Febru-
airy it was it's purpose to put aside
all restraints of law or of humanity
and use it's submarines to sink ev-
cry vessel that sought to approach
either the ports of Great Britain
and Ireland or the western coasts Of
Europe or any of the ports controll-
ed by the enemies of Germany with
in the Mediterranean. That had
seemed to be the object of the Ger
man submarine warfare earlier in
the war but since April of last year
the Imperial Government had some
what restrained the commanders OF
its undersea craft in conformity
with its promise then given to us
that passenger boats should not be
sunk and that due warning would
be given to all other vessels which
its submarines might seek to de-
stroy, when no resistance was offer
ed or escape attempted, and care
taken that their crews were given
at least fair chance to save their
lives in their open boats The
precautions taken were meagre and
haphazard enough, as was proved
in distressing instance afair in
stance in the progress of the cruel
and unmanly business, but certain
degree of restrait was observed
The new policy has swept every re-
friction aside. Vessels of every
kind, whether their flag, their char
acter, tneir cargo, their destina-
ton, their errand, have been ruth
lessly sent to the bottom without
warning and without thought of
help or mercy for those on board,
the vessels of friendly neutrals a.
long with those of belligerents. Ev-
EN- hospital ships and ships carry
ing relief to the sorely bereaved
and stricken people of Belgium,
though the latter were provided
with safe conduct through the
prescribed areas by the German
Government itself and were distin-
guished by unmistakable marks of
identity, have been sunk with the
same reckless lack of compassion or
of principle.
| was for a little while unable to
believe that such things would in
fact be done by any government
that had hitherto subscribed to the
humane practices of civilized ma
lions. International law had its or
igin in the attempt to set up some
law which would be respected and
observed upon tire seas, where no
nation had right of dominion and
where lay the free highways of the
world. By painful stage after stage
has that law been built up. with
meagre enough results, indeed after
all was accomplished that could
be accomplished, but always with a
clear view, at least, of what the
heart and conscience of mankind de
manded. This minimum of right
the German Government has swept
aside under the plea of retaliation
and necessity and because it had
no weapons it could use at sea en-
cept these which it is impossible
to employ as it is employing them
without throwing to the winds all
soruples of humanity or of respect
for the understandings that were
supposed TO underle the inter
course of the world. | am not now
thinking of the. loss of property in
volved, immense and serious as that
is, but only Of the wanton and
of non-combatants, men, women,
and children, engaged ia pursuits
which have always, even in the
darkest periods of modern history.
been deemed innocent and legiti-
mate. Property can be paid for;
the lives Of peaceful and innocent
people cannot be The present Ger
man ubmarine warfare against com
merco is . warfare against man
kind
1t is a war against all nations.
American ships have been sunk.
American lives taken, in ways
which it has stirred us very deeply
to learn Of, but the ships and PEG
pie Of other neutral and friendly ma
tons have been sunk and over
-