Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1917-03-01
PRESIDENT ASKS CONGRESS
FOR ARMED NEUTRALITY:
Congestion Of Commerce Be.
coming Rapidly More
Serious.

Serious. @
Washington, Feb. 26.-With full
realization of the solemnity Of the oc-
casion the president took his action
today with the calm confidence that
congress and the country will stand
behind him.
The grim-faced body of senators
and representatives who less than 2
month ago heard the president pro-
nounce the words which announced
severance of diplomatic relations
with Germany-an act which in all
the history of frst-class nations al
ways has lead to war-heard today
in tense silence and grave attention
the words which carried the Ameri-
can republic to- step further in it's
stand against ruthless sacrifice of
neutral rights and lives and step
nearer war IL it must be.
President Wilson arrived at the
capitol just before o'clock and
promptly at that hour stepped up
to the4 4lerk's desk in the hall of the
house where both branches of con-
gress, meeting In special joint ses
sion, were assembled! before.
He spoke as follows:
"QeAtlemen OF the Congress-:
II have again asked the privilege
of addressing you because we are
moving through critical times during
which Il seems to me to be my duty
to keep In close touch with the hous-
es Of congress so that neither counsel
nor action shall run at cross purposes
between us.
On the third day Of February I
ofiicially Informed you of the sud-
den and unexpected action of the
imperial German government in de-
clari1g its intention to disregard the
promises IT had made to this govern
ment IN April last and undertake i'm
mediate Submarine operations against
all commerce whether Of belligerent
or Of leatrals -thae chou seek to- ap-,
'pfoltk Great Britain and Ireland, the
Atlantic coast OF Europe or the har-
to conduct those operations without
regard to the established restrictions
of international practice, without re-
gard to any consideration of human
ity whatever, which might interfere
with their object The policy was
forthwith put into practice. It has
now been in active execution for near
ly four weeks.
It's practical results are not fully
disclosed. The commerce of other
neutral nations is suffering severely
but not perhaps very much more Sc
verely than it was already suffering
before the first of February when the
policy of the imperial government
was put into operation. We have
asked the cooperation of the other
neutral governments to prevent these
depredations but I fear none of them
has thought it wise to join us in any
common course of action. Our own
commerce has suffered, is suffering,
rather in apprehension than In fact,
rather because SO many of our ships
are timidly keeping to their home
ports than because American ships
have been sunk.
1.-TWO American vessels have been
sunk the Housatonic and the Lyman
M. Law, the case of the Housatonic,
which was carrying foodstuffs con-
signed to London firm, was essen
TALLY like the case of the. Frye in
which it will be recalled the German
government admitted it's liability for
damages and the lives of the crew,
as in the case Of the Frye, were safe
guarded with reasonable care.
1.-The case of the Law, which was
1Avr h4U cko IN Do
mo, disclosed a ruthlessness of meth
tion but was accompanied by no cir
cumstances which might not have
been expected at any time in conjunc-
ton. with. the use of the submarine
against merchantmen as the German
government has used it.
''If sum, therefore, the situation
we find ourselves in with regard to
the actual conduct of the German
subm1rine warfare against commerce
andits effect upon our: own ships and
people is substantially the same that
it was when addressed you on the'|
third day of February, except for the
tying 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
and the. very serious con-
gestion Of our commerce which has
resulted, q congestion which eis grow
ing rapidly more and more serious
every day.
'This IN itself might presently ac-I
complish, In; effect what the new Ger
man submarine orders were meant to
accomplish, so far as we are concern
ed. We san only say, therefore, that
the overt act which II have ventured
to hope German commanders would
in fact, avoid has not occurred.
.'But, while this is happily true,
it must be admitted that there have
been certain dditional lind lions
and expressions Of purpose on part
Of the German press and German
uthorities which Nave increased
rather thai lessened the impression