Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-11-13

Gentlemen of 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
II is neither right nor constitutionally
permissible that I should assume the re-
spOnsibiity of making
On the Sd of February last 1 officially
laid before you the extraordinary an
nouncement of the Imperial German
government that on and after the LIST
day of February IL was it's purpose to
put aside all restraints of law or of hu-
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 ea ~lier 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 it's 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 no resistance was offered or es-
cape attempted, and care taken that
their crews were given Mt least n 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 unmanIy business, but q 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
Prrand, have been ruthlessly sent to
the bottom without warning and with
out 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 carrying
relief to the sOreIy 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.
was for n little while unable to
believe that such things would In fact
he done by any government that had
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 upon the
seas, where nation had right of
dominion and where lay the free high
ways of the world. BY painful stage
after stage has that law been built up
with meager enough results. indeed,
kfter all was accomplished that could
accomplished, but always with n
clear view, at least, of what the heart
and conscience of mankind demanded.
This minimum of right the German
government has swept aside under the
plea of retaliation and necessity and
because 1t had no weapons which IT
could use at sea except these, which
It Is impossible to employ as IT is en-
pIoying them, without throwing to the
wind all scrupies of humanity or of
respect for the understandings that
were supposed TO underlie the inter-
course of the world.
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 chill
dren. engaged In pursuits 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 cannot be. The present German
submarine warfare against commerce
is a warfare against mankind.
1t is a war against all nations. Amer
lean ships have been sunk, American
lives taken, In ways which II has
stirred us very deeply to learn of, but
the ships mad people of other neutral
and friendly nations have been sunk
and overwhelmed in the waters I'm tn,
same way. There has been no dis
criminatiou.
The challenge II to all mankind
Each nation must decide for itself how
II will meet IL. The choice we max,
for ourselves must be made with
moderation or counsel and a temper
ateness OF Judgment betting ou
character and our motives as a nation
We must put excited feelings away
Our motive will not be revenge or TIL
victorious assertion OF the physica
might of the nation, but only the win
diCation of right, of human right, o
which we are only a single champion.
When 1 addressed the congress oil
the goth of February last l thought /
would suffice to assert our neutral right
with arms. our right TO use the sea
against unlaw fuI interference, our RICH
to keep our people safe against unlaw
full violence. But armed neutrality, i
now appears, Is impracticable Becaus
eesesesssssssssssssssssss.