The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1917-02-16
German Ambassador Says
Nothing Else For Us TODO''

all its naked simplicity. The
question has been asked, over
and over again, why should the
United States consider the at
tempted German blockade of En-
gland as a possible or probable
cause of war, when it has not so
regarded the British blockade of
Germany? Each threatens a great
people with starvation as a war
measure. Each interferes with
American commerce, denie S
American rights on the high seas,
and is in violation of internation-
al law. Why then discriminate?
Why should we permit the en-
tente to violate our rights in at
tempting to starve Germany, and
threaten Germany with war if, in
the bitter struggle for self pre-
servation, it likewise violates our
rights in a retaliatory blockade?
There are a number of distinc-
tions involved, but the essential
difference is this: The illegal
blockade of German and neutral
ports affects the United States
only in commercial way. The
illegal blockade of English and
French ports is at the cost of
American lives. President Will
son, in his earnest desire to keep
the United States out of the war,
has declared that property losses
can be atoned for after the war
is over by the ordinary and usual
process Of claims for damages.
But there is no such process for
atoning for the loss of life.
The United States has declared
the entente's blockading of Ger
many illegal and intolerable be-
cause it is not effective against
all neutrals alike, and for the fur
ther reason that it is so conduct
ed as to make British property of
the high seas. But it is also so
conducted that it is not necessary
to sink American ships,o destroy
American lives, to maintain it.
If we were to seek a cause for
war it is true that there would be
here a preteXt that all people
would be forced to recognize.
But the adverse effects of this
blockade are not so vital, Presi-
dent Wilson believes, as to coerce
us into war for which we have
no appetite.
Germany, on the other hand,
has only its submarines which it
can hope to use effectively as a
blockadine weapon. And to use
them effectively they must be set
running amuck on the high seas,
sinking neutral ships as we'll as
enemy ships and sending passen-
gers and crew alike to the bottom
of the ocean. This, at least, is
the German contention, and the
policy Germany has now declared.
1t is not denied that Germany
has perfect legal right to estab-
lish a blockade of ENGLAND if it
can do so. But in the pursuance
of that plan Germany has no
right to sink American vessels
without warning and ruthlessly
destroy American lives in the
open waters of the world, which
are the property and the highway
of all nations alike. If Germany
could do as England does-stop
the blockade runner, and take
ship and its cargo, crew and pas
sengers into port, President Will
son would not regard it as a suf
icient cause for war. But it is a
physical impossibility for sub
marines to do this. 1t is a physi-
cal impossiblity, Germany de-
clares, for the submarines always
to provide safety for passengers
and crew. Germany, to win,
must slay American citizens who
get in Germany's way, even il
those Americans are where they
have a perfect right to be. And