The Benson signal., 1917-03-03
PRESIDENT ASKS
FULL AUTHORITY
Wilson Requests Full Power
From Congress to Repel Sub
marine Menace.
TO use ARMY AND NAVY
Arming of Ships and Conveying
of War Vessels Among Meas
ures Sought.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.


Western Newspaper Union News Service
Washington, Feb. 2S.-President
Wilson appeared before Congress at l
o'clock Monday afternoon and asked
for authority to place the United
States in state of armed neutrality"
to resist the German submarine men
ace. He spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
l have again asked the privilege Of
addressing you because we are NOV
ing through critical times, during
which, it seems to me to be my duty
to keep in close touch with the houses
OF Congress so that neither counsel
nor action shall run at cross purposes
between us.
On. the third of February, officially
informed you of the sudden and uneX-
pected action of the German govern
ment in declaring it's intention to dis
= regard the promises it had made to
this government in April last and un-
dertake immediate submarine opera
tons against all commerce whether of
belligerents or of neutrals, that should
seek to approach Great Britain and
Ireland, the Atlantic coasts of Europe
or the harbOrs of the eastern Mediter
ranean and to conduct. those opera
tions without regard to the estab-
l1shed restrictions of international
practice, without regard to any consid-
eratiOns of humanity which might lin
terfere with their object. That policy
was forthwith put into practice. 1t
has now been in active execution for
nearly four weeks. $s.E&
It's practical results are not fully dis
closed. The commerce. OF other neu-
tral nations is suffering severely, but
not, perhaps, very much more seVerel-
ly than it already was suffering before
the first of February, when the new
policy of the German government was
put into operation.
We have asked the cooperation of
the other neutral governments to pre-
vent these ~depredations, but I fear
none of them thought it wise to join
US in any common course of action.
Our own commerce has suffered, is
suffering, rather more in apprehen-
sion than in fact, rather because so
many of our ships are timidly keeping
to their home ports than because
American ships have been sunk.
Two American vessels have been
sunk, the Housatonic and the Lyman
> NJ. Law. The case of the Housatonic
which was carrying foodstuffs con-
sighed to London, was essentially
like the case of the Frye, in which,
it will be recalled, the German govern
ment admitted it's liability for dam
ages and the lives of the crew, as in
the case of the Frye, were safe
guarded with reasonable care.
The case Of the Law, which was
carrying lemon box slaves to Paler-
!. mo, disclosed ruthlessness of method
which deserves grave condemnation,
but was accompanied by no circum-
stances which might not. have been
expected at any time in connection
( with the use of the submarine against
merchantmen. as the German govern
ment has used 1t.
+ j In sum, therefore, the situation we
find ourselves 5in with regard atossthe
actual conduct of the German sub,
marine warfare against commerce and
it's effects upon our own ships and
people is substantially the same as. it
was when l addressed you on the
third of February except for the ty-
ing up of our shipping in our own
ports because of the unWillingness Of
our ship owners to risk their vessels
at sea without insurance or adequate
protection and the Very serious con
gestion of our commerce which has
resulted, a congestion which is grow
ing, rapidly more and more serious
every day. rms
This in itself might presently ac-
complish, in effect, what the new
German submarine orders. were
meant to accomplish, SO far as we
are concerned. We can only say
therefore, that the overt act which l
have ventured to ehope 4he, German
:. commanders would in fact avoid has
not occurred.
But while this is happily true, it
must be admitted that there has
been certain other additional indica-
tiOnS and expressions of purpose ON
the part of the German press and tho
German authorities which have in
creased rather than lessened the i'm
preston that, if our ships and our
people are spared it will be because
of the fortunate, circumstances or be-
cause the commanders of the Ger
man submarines which they may hap
pen to encounter exercise an uneX-
pected discretion and restraint rath-
er than because of the instructions
under which those commanders are
acting
1t would be foolish to deny that
the situation is fraught with the
gravest possibilities and dangers. No
thoughtful man can fail to see the