The Benson signal., 1917-04-07
URGE ARMY OF 100000
Brands Germany's Course as War
fare Against ALI Mankind that
u. S. Will Not Tolerate.
HUGE INCREASE IN THE NAVY
Declares That War Must Be Against
Berlin Government and Not the
German People and Asserts United
States Must Guard World Liberty.
western Newspaper Union News Service.


Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington, April 3. = President
Wilson addressed a joint session OF
Congress last night, starting at 1886
He characterized the present Ger
man submarine warfare as warfare
against mankind"
81 advise" he continued, "that the
Congress declare the recent course OF
the German government to be in fact
nothing less than war against the gov
ernment and people of the United
States and that it formally accept the
status of the belligerent which has
thus been thrust upon it and employ
all of it's resources to bring the gov
eminent of Germany to terms and to
end the war"
Full Text of Message.
The address of the President fol
lows:
Gentlemen of the Congress- have
called the Congress into extraordi
nary session because there are ser
ious-very serious-chOices of policy
to be made, and made Immediately
which it was neither right nor consti
tutionally permissible that I should as
sumo the responsibility of making.
On the 3rd of February last l Off
cially laid before you the extraordi
nary announcement of the German
government that on and after the LIST
of February it was it's purpose to put
aside all restraints of law or Of hui
manity and use it's submarines to sink
every vessel that sought to approach
either the ports of Great Britain OF
Ireland or the western coasts OF
Europe, or any of the ports controlled
by the enemies of Germany within
the Mediterranean.
That had seemed the object of the
German submarine warfare earlier in
the war, but since April Of last yeal
the German government had some
what restrained the commanders oil
its undersea craft in conformity with
it's promise then given to us that pas
senger boats should not be sunk and
that due warning be given to all other
vessels which it's submarines might
seek to destroy, when no resistance
was offered or escape attempted anC
care taken that their crews were
given at least fair chance to save
their lives in their open boats.
The precautions taken were meagel
and haphazard enough, as was proved
in distressing instance after instance
in the program of the cruel and un
manly business, but a certain degree
of restraint was observed.
All Restrictions Now Cast Aside.
The new policy has swept every re
striction aside. Vessels of every kind
whatever their flag, their character
their cargo, their destination, their er
rand, have been ruthlessly sent to the
bottom without warning and without
thought of help or mercy for those
on board, the vessels of friendly neu
trails along with those of belligerents
Even hospital ships and ships carry
ing relief to the sOrely bereaved anc
stricken people of Belgium, though
the latter were provided with safe
conduct through the prescribed areas
by the German government itself, anc
were distinguished by unmistakable
marks of identity, have been sunk
with the same reckless lack of com
passion or principle.
X I was for a little while unable tt
believe that such things would in fac1
be done by any government that ha(
hitherto subscribed to the humane
practices of civilized nations. Inter
national law had it's origin in the at
tempt to set up some law, which
would be respected and observed upo1
ho ho6 Tic n
dominion and where lay the free high
ways of the world. By painful stage
after stage has that law been bull
UP with meager enough results, in
deed, after all was accomplished tha
could be accomplished, but always
with clear view, at least, of wha
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 ne
cessity, and because it had no weap
ons which it could use at sea excep
these, which it is impossible to EN-
ploy as it is employing them with
out throwing to the winds all scruple:
of humanity or of respect for the I'm
derstandingS that we're supposed tt
underlie the intercourse of the world
am not now thinking of the loss O
property involved, immense and ser
ious as that is, but only of the wan
ton and wholesale destruction of thu
lives of non-cOmbatants, men, wome1
and children, engaged in pursuits
which have always, even in the dark
est periods of modern history, beer
deemed innocent and legitimate. Prop
erty can be paid for; the lives O
peaceful and innocent people canno
be.
Kaiser Wages War Against Mankind
Tho nrnCnnt German Srhm rinp WA I