Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-25
Hun Broke Pledges, Killed
Citizens and Destroyed
Property, Forcing
u. S. Into War.
BY ID. r. HOUSTON,
Secretary OF AErlcuIture.

Why is the United States a. war Nth
Germany: Why all this preparation.
expense and leopard" OF thousand. Of
American lives? Are we lighting the
battles of England. France. Italy and
Russia: Arc We in the war to pull
the chcstnuts OF the allies out Of tho
fire? Arc we lighting to help Them
recover lost territory orio acquire new
possessions? VIII? do VIC fight at all?
Why not crnplo:' peaceful means: why
not reGoiia,a:
These questions arc now being asked
no, inf5cquontiy. especially b? German
Dropa g1n6isi*. by few tialoHai ma
tNcs. ANA BY some unirtclligcnt and
unpatriot!c pac!:!S;a. Such people i'm
as!nc that ;he time ,s oppcrtunc. Thcy
iinaS Tc that many Americans are as
founded and r"sentful over the pros
pet OF enormous expenditures. bur
nrns Of taxation. and sacrifice OF life.
They assume that there il. or Wall be.
a rcac,ion--tiat- the people have short
memories. They place reliance on ;he
fac, that the scene OF conflict Is re-
mote. that our people cannot appreciate
that defensive war'can be waged hv
forces at distance. and that aEErcs-
src action may be in the highest de-
gree defensive.
The main answer 10 these enemies
OF America within and without is sim
pic. VIC ar. at war with German" pri-
n,:,vily TO assert and 90 defend our
rights. TO make good our claim that we
ar: free nation. entitled to exercise
rights long recognized by all tho ma
tions OF tho world. to exercise tnexc
rights without restraint or diotation
from ;hc PtuSsian autoc-acY and mill
tariStS. to have the Kind Of inSti:u-
tons W. Wish and to live the kind Of
,.fc Nc have determined TO 1.-Two. We
arc ~ war with Germany because Ger
many mad" war on SANK our ships
ana itillcd our citizens vho wcrc going
chcn, their proper business in places
who're they had right 10 be. travel
!ns as tn" had a right TO travel. We
either had TO fight or to Eecp our citi-
2ens and ship. from the seas around
England, France and Ita!y, or TO have
our ships sunk and our people killed.
GERMANY FIRST MADE
WAN On AMERICA
We d:d not make this war. Ger
after exercising srca, patience and en-
declare this TO be fact. For over
TWO years Germany had committed
hostile acts against our sovereignty.
destroying tho propcrt? and lives OF
our citizens. acts which IL committed
by any smaller power or power nearer
home would have led TO a quick de-
mand from our people for belligerent
response. ny turns. az 1t suited Ger
M oh
contenptuous. conciiiatorv and die
tatorial full OF promises and needless
OF them. finally repudiatinS her most
solemn obligations. In the meantime
while VIC were extending hospitality
TO her diplomats here and representing
her abroad. she was carrying on hos
tile propaganh within our ovn bor-
ders as we'll as abroad. promoting plots
10 destroy our plants. and attempting
to SOW dissenson among our people
Recall the history Of our negotiations
with Germany, OF our attempts to
secure justice by diplomatic. peaceful
means.
February 4. 1915. Germany declared
that on and after February IS, 1915.
ahe would regard the waters around
Great Britain and ireland, including
a
every enemy merchant ship would be
destroyed without possibility of avoid
ing danger TO crew and passengers
She pointed out that it would not al
ways be possible TO prevent neutral
vessels from becoming victims OF sub
marine attack. This action was with
out the color Of =. stiication in inter.
national Law. He: only legitimate
blockade und then. having done SO, to
intercept enemy vessels. discriminating
between enemy and neutral vessels
enemy and neutral carsocs, in the case
OF neutral ships captured TO take to
prize courts only those carrying con-
ira band. to sink vessels only in extra
ordinary circumstances. and in every
case TO give sd fety TO crews and pas
srnEers ard TO preserve ALL papers Of
ships sunk or captured. Because OF
the allied fleets IL was impossible FOR
Germany to do these things by rhe use
OF instruments herctofore employed.
She could attempt them only with a
new device, the submarine.
ADMITTED RIGHT TO DESTROY
SHIPS. BUT NOT CREWS LIVES
Unuucstiona bly,. ncw conditions OF
war had arisen and new means for
w;.Ging 1t had come into existence; and
just as IL was recognized that fleets
could not he held to a close blockade
Of ports. the old thrce-miie bIocka dc.
so it was tacitly admitted that sub
marine could not be expected 10. cap
ture and take a ship into port. bu,
might sink IL, provided. it pra cticrd
visIt and search for purposes OF dis
elimination. safeGuarded the live: Of
crew and passengers anG.. therefore,
gave ample warning to vessels and did
not sink them in places or under con-
ditions in which noncombatants could
not secure safety. These things. I'M
der international law, it was necessarily
;hat Germany have her submarine
commanders do. or that shn set aside
international law and make necessity
the only law, make law to shit hefs;elr
and the desperate conditions int5 which
ehc had brought herself by. her own