Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-02-26
His Address in Full
The PRESIDENT s address toIIoWs
Gentlemen of the congress:

- GenJlefneH OF Lle congress.
81 have again asked the privilege
of addressing you because we are NOV
ing through critical times during which
| it seems to me to be my duty to keep
in close touch with the houses of con-
gress, so that neither counsel nor ae-
| tion shall run at cross purposes between
us.
son the third of February 1 official
| Iy informed you Of the sudden and un-
| expected action of the Imperial Ger
man government in declaring its in
| tention to disregard the promises 1T
had made to this government in April
! last and undertake immediate subma-
rine operations against all commerce,
/ whether of belhgerent 'or of neutrals-
that should seek to approach Great Bri-
| tain and Ireland, the Atlantic coasts OF
Europe or the harbors of the eastern
Mediterranean and to conduct those OPP
erations without regard to established
restrictions of international practice,
/ without regard to any considerations
of humanity even which might inter
fere with their object. That policy was
forthwith put into practice. 1t has now
been in active execution for nearly
four weeks.
Commerce is Suffering
'tIts practical results are not yet
! fully disclosed. The commerce OF other
neutral nations is suffering severely,
but not perhaps, very much more Sc
verely than it was Already suffering
before the first Of February, when the
new psliey of the imperial government
was put into operation. We have asked
the cooperation of the other neutral
governments to prevent these depreda
tions, but so far none of them have
thought it wise to join us in any com
mon course Of action. Our own com
merce has suffered, is suffering, rather
in apprehension than IN fact; rathei
because so many of our ships are tim
idly keeping to their home ports thar
because American ships have been sunk
"'Two American vessels have beer
sunk, the Housatonie and the Lymar
M. Law The case of the Housatonic
which was carrying foodstuffs consl9n
ed to o London firm, was essentially
like the case of the Frye, in which, Il
will be recalled, the German govern
ment admitted its liability for dam
ages, and the lives of. the crew, as IL
the case of the Frye, were safeguardeC
with reasonable care. The case OF th'
Law, which was carrying lemon boz
slaves to Palermo, disclosed ruth
, lessness of method which deserves grave
condemnation, but was accompanied
by no circumstances which might no
have been expected at any time II
connection with the use of the subma
rine against merchantmen as the Gel
man government has used it.
Situation Unchanged
"In sum, there. the situation we fine
ourselves in with regard to the actua
conduct of the German submarine war
fare against commerce and its effects
upon our own ships and people is sub
stantially the same that it was when
addressed YOU on the third of February
except for the tying up of our shipping
in our own ports because of the unwlil
ingness Of our ship owners to risk theli
vessels at sea without insurance or ade
auate protection and the very serious
congestion of our commerce which has
resulted in congestion which is grow
ing rapidly more and more serious ev
cry day.
"This in itself might presently ae
| complish, in effect, what the new Ger
man submarine orders were meant to ae'
complisn, SO far as we are concerned
We can only say, therefore, that the
overt act which have ventured te
hope the German commanders would II
fact avoid, has not occurred.
But while this happily is true, il
must be admitted there are certain IT
dications of expressions of purpose on
the part Of the German press and the
German authorities which have inereas
led rather than lessened the impression
that, if our ships and our people are
spared, it will be because of fortunate
circumstances or because the command
ers Of the German submarines which
they may happen to encounter may
exercise an unexpected discretion and
restraint rather than because of the in
structions under which those command
ers are acting. 1t would be foolish to
deny that the situation is fraught with
the gravest possibilities and dangers
No thoughtful man can fail to see that
the time for definite action may come
at an time il we are in fact, and not
in word merely. to defend our elemen
tary RI hts as neutral nation. Ii wonld
be most imprudeRt to be unprepared
~ cannot in such circumstances bs
unmindful Of the fact that the expira