Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-04-03
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE IN FULL

IT have called the congress into ex-
traordinary session because there are
serious, very serious choices OF policy
to be made, and made Immediately,
which 1t was neither right nor consti-
tutionally permissible that l shon1d
assume tie responsibility of making.
"On the third of February last,
officially laid before you the extra
ordinary announcement of the imper-
ial German government that on and
after the first day of February 1t was
it's purpose to put aside all restraints
of law or of humanity and use its sub
marines to sink every vessel that
sought to approach either the ports of
Great Britain and Ireland or the west
ern coasts of Europe, or any of the
ports controlled by the enemies of Ger
many within the Mediterranean.
THAT has seemed to be the object
Of the German submarine warfare ear
lier in the war, but since April of last
year the imperial government had
somewhat 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 subma-
rines might seek to destroy, when no
resistance was offered or escape at
tempted, and care taken that their
crews were given at least a fair
chance to save their lives in their open
boats.
Their precautions taken were meag-
er and haphazard enough, as was prov
ed in distressing instance after in
stance in the progress of the cruel and
unmanly business, but a certain de-
gree OF restraint was observed.
RESTRICTIONS SWEPT ASIDE.
1.-THE new policy has swept every re-
striction aside. Vessels of every kind
whatever their flag, their character
their cargo, their destination, their err
rand, have been ruthlessly sent to the
bottom without warning and without
thought of help or mercy for those or
board, the vessels OF friendly neutrals
along with belligerents.
Even hospital ships and ships car
rying relief to the s orely bereaved and
stricken people of Belgium, though the
latter were provided with safe con.
duct through the prescribed areas by
the German government itself, and
were distinguished by unmistakable
marks of identity. have been sunl
with the same reckless lack Of com.
passion or principle.
Il was for n little while unable Il
believe that such things would in fac
be done by any government that haC
hitherto subscribed to the human,
practices of civilized nations. Interna
tional law had its origin in the at
tempt to set up some law which woult
be respected and observed upon tn,
seas, where no nation had right of do
minion, and where lay the free high
ways of the world. BY painful stag
after stage has that law been built Ut
with meager enough results, indeed
after all was accomplished that coul,
be accomplished, but always with
clear view, at least, of what the hear
and conscience of mankind demanded
CANNOT PAY FOR LIVES.
This minimum OF right the German
government has swept aside under tn
plea Of retaliation and necessity, anC
because it had no weapons which /
could use at sea except these, which
is impossible to employ as 1t is EN-
ploying them without throwing to tn
winds all scruples of humanity or o
respect for the understandings tina
were supposed to underlie the inter
course of the world.
II am not now thinking of the los
of property involved, immense an
serious as that is, but only of the wan
ton and wholesale destruction OF tn
lives of nom combatants-men, wome
and children, engaged in pursuit