The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-03-03

a N, ~ - - sf
E1Duntive Asns Permission u Take
Anv NecessHSy Steps 10 Protect
AEn2G1con R1ghts at Sea--InCludes
AKnpAne a Merchantmen anil Con-
veys = Need Re.
washington. Feb. 2s.--President
Wilson appeared before congress at
4 o'clook this afternoon and asked
Tor aueh0rity TO place the United
oexkes n = state Of armed neutral
N.Y." % rosiHt the German submarin
Onco before. In the infancy OF the
{ lUpuhlic, state Of armed neutrality
Sos proclaimed 60 check predatory
slooouoo~ upon. American rights In
~ war between France and England.
tuH n did not result actually IN war
3 fop ne United Ssates.
Whsther another armed neutranty
vim mean war depends on whether
{, 0ormmny realixes that the uniteo
stoto1 = ready TO protect It's neutral
nehts by whatever means are neces1
VIM : fun realization of the solem-
~ of fho occasion the president
~ ~ action today with the calm
chnfoonco that congress and the coun-
trv WI sand behind him. NJ
N Fron16ont Wilson arrived at tho
<n>,.>oo list before 1 o'clock and
B pvomYely at that hour stepped up to
~ clerks desk In the hall Of the
hoooo. where both branches M con-
+ 49, meeting In special Joint session
Were arDomblsd before him. He spoke
. fo11oWo: af
~0on1>omsn Of the Congress: !
Iaxo oosed the privilege of address
4 ~ you bscarse we are moving
tnpoooh critical times during which
q ootmD - me % be my duty to keep
IN o)ooo touch with tho houses OF
oooytVoB - that neither counsel nor
(q1lciq shall run 81 cross purposes be-
s0s Sks sra os FEBRUARY I on,ciall,
tn1oymed you Of the sudden and un
y >oDo(Hed action Of the imperial Ger.
unau Uoyernmsnt in declaring It's In.
konlkoo to- disreg4rd the promises 4
tnnA 'aoo1o to this government In Apri
loG1 and undertake immediate sub.
tnosire operations against all com
mogte. whether Of lbelligerents or ol
tcottals. that should seek to approach
0goAt Britain and Ireland. the Allan.
" eoasts Of Europe. orNthe harborl
of tlse eastern Mediterranean and I,
condCct those operations without re
Gnrd 20 the esta blished restrictions o
intornational practice. without regar,
10 any considerations Of humanit.
even which might interefer with thei
object. That policy was forthwith pu
tneo practice. 1t has now been In &C
tive execution for nearly four weeks
Its rractical results are not fully dis
closed. ~ ftbfartf
'.rhe commerce of other neutra
nati<sns 10 suffering severely. but no
perhaps very much more severely thar
70 vas already suffering before tn
Int OF February. when the new polio
Of the imperial government was pu
into operation. We have asked tn
cooperAtion OF the other neutral gov
ernments to prevent these depreda
tions but I fear none Of them ma
thought 10 wise to join US in any com
mon course Of action.
sOur own commerce has suffered
ID sxRoring rather In apprehensio
than In fact. rather because so man
Of our ships are timidly keeping l.
their home ports than because Ameri
can ships have been sunk.
Two American vessels have beef
sunk. the Housatonic and the Lymal
-. Law. The case OF the Rousaton
which was carrying foodstuffs con
signed TO London firm was essen
tally like the case of the Frye, Il
which II will be recalled the German
government admitted Its liability 70
damages and the lives of the crew a
In the case Of tho Frye were safe
guarded with reasonable care.
The care OF the Law. which wa
carrying lemon box slaves to Paler
mo. disclosed ruthlessness OF tn,
method which deserves grave con
demnation. but was accompanied b,
no circumstances which might no
have been expected at any time n
connection with the use OF submarin.
against merchantmen as the German
government has used II.
I'm sum. therefore. the situation W.
nnd ourselves I'm regard to the actua
conduct OF the German submarine
warfare against commerce ami Its OF.
fectn upon our own ships and people
u substantially the same thar II was
when I addressed you on the 3rd O,
February. except for the tying up OF
our shippiDg In our own ports be.
cause Of the unwiliingness OF our shir
owners to risk their vessels at sea
without insurance or adequate pro
! tection and the very serious congo A.
tion Of our commerce which has re
suited. congestion which Is grown;
rapidly more and more serious ever,
day This In itself might present.,
accomplish. In effect. what the new
German submarine orders were mean
To accomplish. 90 far as we are con
cernod. We can only say. therefor, E,
that the overt act which I have ven
tured to hope the German commar a