TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-02-28
10 THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES:

20 are the majority OF you,
who represent the people.
And yet we stand tiptoe on
the brink of war.
Senators and Representatives,
shall we tell you Why the
country stands on the crumbl-
ing edge Of this abyss Of war
1t is because YOU have not
been faithful to your oaths to
uphold the Constitution of the
United States.
Senators and Representatives,
that is a hard saying, but it is
absolutely true.
The whole world knows that
our dispute with the German
Government is over two radical
" different interpretations of
International law.
The Government Of Germany
contends that a ship carrying
cannon and gunners is an arm
ed ship, and that it can be law
fully sunk without warning.
Our Department Of State
contends that a ship carrying
cannon and gunners declared to
be for use in defense is not an
armed ship and that to sink it
without warning is an offense
against the law of nations.
We all know that submarine
warfare is a new thing, concern
ing which there have been no
a~ntecedent agreements or de-
finition Of international law.
Therefore, when this war be-
gan to develop the use Of SUBJ
marines TO destroy enemy COM
merce, it was necessary that
our Government define what
uses of the submarine wouio
constitute an offense against
the law of nations and what
uses would not be offenses
against the law of nations, in
the opinion Of the United
States.
If the Government Of the
United States defined the sink
ing, without warning and visit,
Of a ship carrying defensive
armament to be an offense
against the law Of nations, then
each case Of that kind would
become a cause of war.
II the Government Of the
United States defined a ship
carrying cannon and gunners
for defense or offense to be an
armed ship, then no case in
which such a ship was sunk by
b submarine without warning
would be a cause Of war.
That clearly and accurately
states the situation, does it not2
Mr.. Secretary Lansing first
notified all the b~eligerents that
our Government was inclined TO
hold that a ship carrying arma-
ment was armed, and could be
lawfully treated as an armed
ship by a submarine.
He subsequently revoked this
decision and notified the belli-
gerents that our Government
would hold a ship carrying
armament for defense only to
be an unarmed ship and would
consider her treatment as an
armed ship by a submarine to
be an offense against the law
Of nations; and that the Incl
dental killing of any American
by such an unlawful sinking
would be an act Of piracy and
felony OH the high seas which
would cause our Government
10 break off diplomatic relations
and seek further redress in its
own way.
This also is a clear and ac-
curate statement of that situa-
ton, is it not?
You agree that it is, do you
Dot7
Well, then, Senators and Re-
representatives., we impeach you
before the high court OF your
ewn consciences, and charge
you before the higher and far
more august court Of the people
Of these United States. with
having openly disobeyed the
Constitution Of the United
States, which you, every one.
swore 10 obey and to uphold
when you took your seats in
the council chambers Of the
Nation
And we charge and affirm
that you have been derelict in
your duty, imposed upon you
hy the Constitution, and that
you have, unfaithfulIy to your
worn obligation, permitted and
endorsed the unlawful exercise