Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-04-05
President Sees Democracy
Developing From the War

I i1tf
Presidert Wilson appeared before
thV congress Monday evening and
gave the legislators the benefit of his
knowledge with reference to the sit
uaidcn. Fle expressed the belief that
a state of war exists. The president
saia, il part:
4 have called congress in extraor-
dinarV session because there are very
serions choices Of policy to be made
and made Immediately which it was
ns3tler right nor constitutionally per-
RissibIe that should assume the re-
spcnsibility Of making.
ON the third of February on
eiaiiy laid before you the extraordin-
arY announcement of the imperial
dsrmah government that on and after
the first day Of February it was It's
purpose to put aside all restraints Of
law or of humanity and use its sub
marines TO sink every vessel that
sought to approach either the ports
of Great Britain and Ireland or the
western coast of Europe or any Of
the ports controlled by the enemies
OF, Aermany within the Mediterranean.
1t has seemed to be the object of the
German submarine warfare earlier in
the war but since April of last year
the imperial government has some
what restrained the commander of the
uaderseas craft in conformity with
the promise then given to us that
passenger boats would not be sunk
and that due warning would be given
to old other vessels which its subma-
riAee might seek to destroy when no
resistance was offered or escape at
tempted, or care taken that the crews
were given at least a fair chance to
save their lives in their open boats.
HE precautions .taken were meager
and haphazard enough as was proved
! in distressing & instance after instance,
Ia the g1rss CT the cruel and a,sl:
manly business, but certain degree
OF restraint was observed.
Germans Intended Ruthless Policy
The new policy has. swept every re-
striction aside. Vessels of every kind,
whatever their dag, their character,
their cargo, their destination. their err
rands, have been ruthlessly sent to
the. bottom without warning and
without thought of help or mercy for
those on board, the vessels Of friendly
nentrals along with those of be1liger-
ents. Even hospital ships and ships
carrying relief to the sorely bereayed
and stricken people Of Belgium though
the latter were provided with safe
conduct through the prescribed areas
by the German government itself, and
were disting nguished by unmistakabIe
marks of Identity have been sunk
with the same reckless lack of com
passion OF principle.
II was for 4 little while unable to
believe that such things would in fact
be done by any government that had
hitherto subscribed to the humane
practices of civilized: nations. Inter
national law had its origin In the att
tempt to set up some law which would
be- respected and sacred upon the
seas where no nation had rights 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 In
deed, after all was accomplished but
always with a 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 Secause it had NO Weapons which
it eoald use at sea except these which,
it IS impossible to employ as Ii is 5eIn-
pleying them without throwing to the
wints I'll scruples OF humanity 81 81
respect for the Understandings that
ware supopsed to underlie the inter.
coSrse of the world
4 Question of Human LTD
III am not nov thinking of the loss
ef property invoked Immense ana
serious az that u, but only of The
S' wastoa ana vholesale destruct ction pf