Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1917-04-05
WILSON ASKED
FOR WAR
Germany's Wanton staying of Nom
Combatants No Longer
Endurable.
Delivered Message Monday
Increase Force to Deal With Subma-
rines-Uuiversal Liability to Ser
vice-No Grievance Against the
German People.

German People.
Washington-President Wilson on
Monday spoke, inpart, as follows: !.
have called congress into extra
ordinary session because there are
serious, very serious choices of pol
icy to be made, and made immedi-
ately, which it was neither right MOI
constitutionally permissible that l
should assume the responsibility OF
making. .sdat
Ruthless Warfare.
On the third of February last Of
ficially laid before you the extra.
ordinary announcement of the imp
erial German government that on
and after the first of February ii
was its purpose to put aside all re-
Straints of law or of humanity anG
use submarines to sink every vessel
that sought to approach either the
ports of Great Britain and Ireland OF
the western coasts of Europe or ir
any of the ports controlled by The
enemies of Germany within the
Mediterranean.
That has seemed to be the object
Of the German submarine warfare
earlier in the war, but since April
Of last year the imperial govern.
uent had somewhat restrained the
commanders of its undersea craft ii
conformity with its promises 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 destroy, when no resistance
was offered or escape attempted
and care taken that their crews
were given at least a fair chance
to save their lives in their oper
boats. Their precautions taken
were meager and haphazard enougl
as was proved in distressing in
stance after instance in the progres.
of the cruel and unmanly bushes,
but certain degree of restraint wa'
observed.
NO Mercy Shown.
The new policy has swept every
restriction aside. Vessels of every
kind, whatever their flag, their cha
racter, their cargo, their destination
their errand, have been ruthlessly
sent to the bottom without warning
and without thought of help Oh
mercy for those on board, the YES.
sells of friendly neutrals along with
belligerents. Even hospital ships
and ships carrying relief to the sor.
ely bereaved and stricken people Of
Belgium, though the latterfwere pro
vided with safe conduct through the
prescribed areas by the German
government itself, and were distin-
guished by unmistakeable marks OF
identity, have been sunk with the
same reckless lack of compassion OF
principle.
l was for 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 nat
ions. international law had its
origin in the attempts to set up some
law which would be respected anC
observed upon the seas, where nc
nation had right Of dominion.
BY painful stage after stage has tina!
law been built up with meagel
enough results, indeed, after all was
accomplished that could be accomp.
lished, but always with clear view
of what the heart and mankind de-
manded.
This minimum of right the Ger
man government has swept aside
under the plea of retaliation and
necessity and because it had no
weapons which it could use at sea