The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-11-09

GSALleIHen Oh the Congress:
have called the congress into extra
ordinary session because there are Sc
rious, very serious. choices of policy to
be made. and made Immediately. which
1t is neither right nor constitutionaIly
permissible that should assume the re-
sponsibility of making.
On the Sd of February last I officially
laid before you the extraordinary an
nouncement of the Imperial German
government that on and after the 1st
day of February il 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 and
Ireland or the western coasts of Europe
or any Of the ports controlled by the
enemies of Germany within the Medi-
terranean. That had seemed to be the
object OF the German submarine war
fare earlier in the war, but since April
of last year the Imperial government
had somewhat restrained the comman-
ders of its undersea craft. in conform
ity 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 it's
submarines might seek TO destroy,
when resistance was offered or es-
| cape attempted, and care taken that
their crews were given at least n fair
| chance to save their lives in their open
boats. The precautions taken were
menger and haphazard enough, as was
| proved In distressing instance after
instance In the progress of the cruel
| and unmanIy business, but certain de-
| gree of restraint was observed.
The new policy has swept every re-
| striction aside. Vessels of every kind,
whatever their flag, their character
! their cargo, their destination, their
| errand. have been ruthlessly sent TO
| the bottom without warning and with
1 49, al Fnr- ms q
| on board the vessels of friendly neu-
trails along with those of belligerents.
/ Even hospital ships and ships carrying
| relief to the sOrely bereaved and strick-
! en- people OF Belgium. though the lat
| ter were provided with safe conduct
/ through the prescribed areas by the
| German government itself and were
distinguished by unmistakable marks
of identity, have been sunk with the
| same reckless lack of compassion or
| of principle.
believe that such things would in fact
be done by any government that had
| hitherto subscribed to the humane
! practices of civilized nations. Inter
| national law had Its origin I'm the at
tempt TO set up some law which would
he respected and observed upon the
seas, where no nation had right OF
dominion and where lay the free high
wnys OF the world. BY painful stage
after stage has that law been built Ut
with meager enough results, indeed
after all was accomplished that coulc
be accomplished but always with 9
clear view, at least, of what the hear
and conscience of mankind demanded
This minimum of right the German
| government has swept aside under tins
plea OF retaliation and necessity anC
because it had no weapons which Il
could use at sea except these. which
i Ivy as fE saTf
/ pIoying them. without throwing TO tn,
wind all scrHples of humanity or o
respect for the understandings tina
were supposed to underlie the inter
course of the world.
am not now thinking Of the loss o
property involved. immense and serious
as that Is but only of the wanton ant
wholesale destruction of the lives o
non combatants, men. women, and chill
dren. engaged In pursuits which haV'
always, even in the darkest periods o
modern history, been deemed innOcen
aud legitimate. Property can be pai'
for! the lives of peaceful and innOcen
people cannot be. The present German
submarine warfare against commerce
is warfare against mankind,
1t is a war against all nations. Amer
team shfps have been sunk. American
lives taken, in ways which IL ha
sttrred us very deeply to learn OF, bu
the ships mad people OF other neutra
, and friendly nations have been sum
and overwhelmed i'm the waters In IN
same way. There has been no dis
crimIuation.
The challenge Is to all mankind
Each nation must decide for itself hoy
il will meet IL. The choice we max
for ourselves must be made with
moderation of counsel and a temper
J ateness of Judgment betting on
character and our motives as nation
We must put excited feelings away
Our motive will not be revenge or tn
victorious assertion OF the physics
might of the nation. but only the vim
dication of right. OF human right. 9
which we are only a single champion
When I addressed the congress o
the 26th of February last I thought
n would suffice to assert our neutral right
with arms our right 10 use the Ses
against unlawful interference, our rigf
q to keep our people safe against unlaN'
full violence. But armed neutrality.
now appears, is impracticahle. Beeaua