The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-02-07
WAR" ADDRESS
TO CONGRESS

~ VVlVAAIAAA
President Wilson Appears Before
Joint Session Of Congress and
.' Presents Views on "War'
TELLS OF GERMANY's PROMISES
SAYS U. S. Government Takes It fol
Granted Germany Does Not In
| .- tend 10 Live up to Promises
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3-The pres1
dent spoke as follows to congress:
Gentlemen of the congress-: The
imperial German government on the
thirty-iirst of January announced te
this government and to the govern
ments of the other neutral nations thai
on and after the first day of Febru
airy, the present month, it Woulo
! adopt a policy with regard to the use
of submarines against all shipping
seeking to pass through certain deslg
mated areas of the high seas, to which
| it is clearly my duty to call your at
tention.
LET me remind the congress, on
the sth OF April last in view of the
sinking on the Gath Of March OF the
cross channel passenger steamer ots
sex by a German submarine without
summons or warnings, and the con
seuuent loss of the lives OF several
citizens of the United States, Whc
were passengers aboard her, this gov
ernment addressed note to the I'm
Derial German government IN "hlch
it made the following declaration:
"If it is still the purpose or the
imperial government to prosecute re
ientless and indiscriminate warfare
against vessels Of commerce by use
of submarine without regard to the
sacred and indisputable rules OF In
ternational law, and the universally
recognized dictates of humanity, the
government 'of the United States is
at last forced to the conclusion thai
There is but one course 1t can pursue
Unless the imperial government shoulo
now Immediately declare and effect an
abandonment of its present methods
of submarine warfare against passen
ger and freight carrying vessels, the
government of the United States car
have no choice but to sever diplomat
ic relations with the German empire
altogether ,-
"In reply to the declaration the i'm
perial German government gave thlf
government the following assurances
"'The government is prepared to dc
its utmost to confine the operations
| 81 war for the rest of its duration tc
the kht ,hg g aycss ,of tae q eslligsrsnts g,
| the seas, q principle upon which tht
German government believes now al
before, to be in agreement with the
government of the United States.
"'The German government guided
| by this idea notifies the government
of the United States that the German
naval forces have received the follow
| ing orders: In accordance with the
general principles of visit and 'search
and destruction of merchant vessels
recognized by international law, sucf
| vessels both within and without the
area declared naval war zone, shal
| not be sunk without warning and with
out saving human lives unless these
ships attempt to escape or offer re
sistance.
"'But,' it added, 'neutrals canno
! expect that Germany, forced 70 figh
| for her existence. shall for the sake
| of neutral interest, restrict the use o
an effective weapon II her enemy II
| permitted to continue to apply at VII
methods of warfare violating the rule:
of international law. Such demand
would be incompatible with the char
acter of neutrality, and the German
government is convinced that the gov
ernment of the United States does no
| think of making such demand
knowing that the government of the
United States has repeatedly declared
that it is determined to restore tht
principle of the freedom OF the sea:
from whatever quarter 1t has been VI
olated.'
"To this the government of thu
United States replied on the eight
of May, accepting of course the assur
ances given, but adding:
| ""The government Of the unltet
| States feels it necessary to state tha
it takes for granted that the imperia
German government does not lntent
to imply that the maintenance OF it
newly announced policy is in any wa.
contingent upon the course or resul
of diplomatic negotiations betweel
the government of the United State
and other belligerent governments
Notwithstanding the fact that certain
passages on the imperial government
note of the fourth instant might ap
pear to be susceptible of that con
struction. In order, however, to avol'
any misunderstanding the government
Of the United States notifies the i'm
perial government that it cannot TO
a moment entertain much less discus
a suggestion that respect by German
naval authority for the rights OF cit
zens of the United States upon tn
high seas should in any way or i
the slightest degree be made contir
gent upon the conduct of any othe
government, affecting the rights c
Ineutrals and noncombatants. Respor
sibility in such matters Is single, NO
Joint, absolute, not relative
"To this note of the eighth OF Ma
the imperial German government
made no reply. :
"On the thirty-first of January, tn
Wednesday Of the present week. til
German ambassador handed to the se'
retary of state, along with a forms
note. a memorandum which containe
the following statement:
""The imperial government, ther'
| IL