The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-04-03

| Il have called the congress into
extraordinary session because there
are serious, very serious, choices of
| policy to be made. and made immedi-
ately, which 1T was neither right nor
constitutionally permissible that
| should assume the responsibility of
making.
"On the third of February last, I
ofhcially laid before you the extraordin-
ary announcement of the imperial
German government that on and after
the first day of February it was it's
purpose to put aside all restraints of
law or of humanity and use it's sub
marines to sink every vessel that
sought to approach either the ports
| of Great Britain or Ireland or the
western coasts of Europe or any of the
ports controlled by the enemies of
Germany within the Mediterranean.
That had seemed to be the object of
the German submarine warfare earlier
| in the war. but since April of last year
the imperial government had some
what restrained the commanders of
its undersea craft in conformity with
its promise then given to us that
passenger boats should not be sunk.
and due warning should be given to
all other vessels which it's submarines
might seek to DESTROY when no resist
ance was offered or escape attempt
and care taken that their crews were
given at least fair chance to save
their lives in their open boats. The
precautions taken were meager and
haphaZard enough, as was proved in
distressing instance after instance in
the progress of the cruel and unmanly
business. but a certain degree Of re-
straint was observed.
1.-THE new policy has swept
every restriction aside. Vessels
of every kind, whatever their FLAG,
&hAIn AZ hal 4LAsn
destination, their errand, have
been ruthlessIy sent to the bottom
without warning and without
thought Of help or mercy for
those on board. the vessels of
friendly neutraIs along with those
ships and ships carrying relief to
the sorely 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 unmis-
taxable marke of identity, have
been sunk with the same reckless
lack of compassion or principle.
Il was for a little while unable to
believe that such things would in fact
be done by any government that had
hitherto subscribed to the humane
practices of civilized nations. Inter-
natlOnal law naQ us origin IN the at
tempt to set up some law, which would
be respected and observed upon the
seas, where no nation had right Of
dominion and where lay the free high
ways of the world. BY painful stage
after stage that law has been built
UP with meager enough results in
deed, after all was accomplished that
could be accomplished, but always
with clear view, at least. of what
the heart and conscience of mankind
demanded.
"This minimum of right the Ger
man government has swept aside, un-
der the plea of retaliation and neces-
sity, and because it had no weapons
which it could use at sea except these.
which it is impossible to employ as
it is employing them without throw
ing to the winds all scruples of hu-
mainly or of respect for the under
standings that were supposed to I'M
derlie the intercourse of the world.
II am not now thinking of the loss
of property involved. immense and
serious as that is, but only of the
wanton and wholesale destruction of
the lives of non-combatants, men,
women and children, engaged in pur-
suits which have always, even in the
darkest periods Of modern history,
been deemed innocent and legitimate.
Property can be paid for; the lives
of peaceful and innocent people cam
not be.