River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-11-08
ssentlemen Of the Congress:


have called the congress into extra
ordinary session because there are Sc
Ta0Rs, very serious choices of policy to
De made. and made Immediately, which
II hS neither right nor constitutionally
permissible that l should assume the re-
GpOnsibility of making.
On the Sd of February last I officially
laid before you the extraordinary an
Donncement of the Imperial German
government that on and after the 1st
aGny of February it was its purpose to
peat aside all restraints of law or of hui
ananity and use it's submarines to sink
sVeTy vessel that sought to approach
ssSther the ports Of Great Britain and
Ireland or the western coasts of Europe
for any of the ports controlled by the
hneEnfes of Germany within the Medi-
s1ETTaDean. That had seemed to be the
object of the German submarine war
2are earlier in the war, but since April
sDf hast year the Imperial government
sand somewhat restrained the comman-
SaeTs OF it's undersea craft, in conform
sly with it's promise, then given to us,
4hnt 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,
mkem no resistance was offered or es-
seMpe attempted, and care taken that
sflac1F crews were given Mt least a fair
boats, The precautions taken were
menScer and haph0zard enough, as was
proved In distressing instance after
Instance i'm the progress of the cruel
aMmd unmanly business, but certain de-
gree OF restraint was observed.
The new policy has swept every re-
sgtriction aside. Vessels Of every kind,
whatever their f1ng, their character
lHheHr cargo, their destination, their
sxrrmnd, have been ruthleSSly sent to
1he bottom without warning and with
eDua thought of help or mercy for those
s0n board the vessels of friendly neu-
Erals along with those of bel11gerentS.
zsVen hospital ships and ships carrying
Sre8aef to the sOreIy bereaved and strfck-
zen people of Belgium, though the lat
aer were provided with safe conduct
through the prescribed areas by the
&seBEnam government itself and were
distinguished by unmistakable marks
p1 identity, have been sunk with the
same reckless lack of compassion or
Of principle.
was for a little while unable to
believe that such things would I'm fact
he dome by any government that had
hitherto subscribed to the humane
Rrnctaces of civilized nations. Inter
national law had it's origin in the at
lRRnp9 to set up some law which would
he respected and observed upon the
sweaS. where no natiOa had right of
aaamfniOn and where lay the free high
ways of the world. By painful stage
sarser stage has that law been built up
with meager enough results, indeed,
RfEeg all was accomplished that could
NE. accomplished, but always with a
m1ear view, Mt Ieast. of what the heart
md conscience of mankind demanded.
yhfs minimum of right the German
government has swept aside under the
plea of retaliation and necessity and
because it had no weapons which 1T
sEould use at sea except these, which
u Is impossible to employ as it is en-
raoyimg them without throwing to the
wind all scruples Of humanity or of
respect for the understandings that
were supposed to underlie the inter
,NpmrSe of the world.
L am not now thinking of the loss of
property involved, immense and serious
Na that is. but only of the wanton and
wholesale destruction of the lives Of
,aox-combatants. men, women. and chill
SRren engaged I'm pursuits which have
always, even In the darkest periods OF
saSdern history, been deemed innocent
~nnX legitimate. Property can be paid
kSnrx the lives of peaceful and innocent
weopA<- cannot be. The present German
.ssnbuz2rine warfare against commerce
IS warfare against mankind.
III is war against all nations. Amer
FcxfEr ssiEzsS have been sunk, American
afxeR taker, I'm ways which 1t has
xfsrred ms very deeply to learn of, but
4Ae szsips mad people of other neutral
ama friendly nations have been sunk
nnSs overwhelmed in the waters In the
sxaysse way. There has been no dis
srasaRnntf0n.
TAe challenge is to all mankind
Zach nation must decide for itself how
IA wfHl meet it, The choice we make
&ar ourselves must be made with G
.unnS7eration Of counsel and temper.
sasrness OF judgment betting oul
5xAaracter and our motives as nation
we must put excited feelings away
hDnr motive will not be revenge or tn
Victorious assertion of the physica
tnussyht of the nation, but only the vim
tascaafon of right, of human right, o
kwnlch we are only single champion.
when I addressed the congress OF
taAn z6th of February last / thought !
.wuuld suffice TO assert our neutral right
with arms, our right to use the sea-
knxaanst unlawful interference, our RICH
Ieo Keep our people safe against unlaw
ka.a violence. But armed neutrality,
80 ~Uuoars Is unavoidable. BeC1un