New Britain herald., 1917-02-03
Cannot Believe Germany h. tends to Carry Out Its
 Threat to Wage Indiscrim- mate U-Boat Campaign Promises to Ask Congress for Permission to Use Any Desirable Measures if American Ships Are Sunk.

The president spoke before congress today as follows:
 "Gentlemen of the congress-:
 The Imperial German government on the thirty-first of January, an- nounced to this government and to the governments of neutral nations that on and after the first day of Feb ruary it would adopt a policy with re- gard to the use of submarines against all shipping seeking to pass through certain designated areas of the high seas, to which it is clearly my duty to call your attention.
 Let me remind the congress that on the eighth of April. last. in view of the sinking on the twenty-fourth of March of the cross-channel passenger steamer Sussex by a German sub-a marine without summons or warning and the loss of lives of several cit izens of the United States who were passengers aboard her, this govern ment addressed note to the Imperial German government in which it made the following declarations:
 " If it is still the purpose of the Imperial government to prosecute re- lentless and indiscriminate warfare against vessels of commerce by the use of submarines without regard to what the government of the United States must consider the sacred and indisputable rules of international law and universally recognized die tates of humanity, the government of the United States is at last forced to the conclusion that there is but one course 1t can pursue Unless the 1m- perial government should now imme- diately declare and effect an abandon ment of its present methods of sub- marine warfare against passenger and freight carrying vessels, the govern ment of the United States can have no choice but to sever diplomatic re- lations with the German empire alto- gether.'
 Tn reply to this declaration the Imperial government gave the follow ing assurance:
 "'The German government is pre- pared to do it's utmost to confine the operations of war for the rest of it's duration to the fighting forces of the belligerents, thereby also insuring the freedom of the seas, a principle upon which German government believes now, as before, to be in agreement with government of the United States.
 "Th@ gopernment guided by this
 idea, notified the government of the United States that the German naval force have received the following or der:
 In accordance with the general rules of visit and search and de- struct!t of merchant vessels recog- 7ized ny international law, such ves- sels, both within and without the area declared naval war zone, shall not be sunk without warning and l without saving human lives. unless l these ships attempt to escape or of I fer resistance
 ] "Rut," it added, 'neutrals cannot i expect that Germany, forced to fight l for her existence, shall, for the sake of neutral interests restrict the use of l an effective weapon if her enemy is i permitted to continue to apply at will l methods of warfare violating the rules i of international law. Such a demand ; would be incompatible with the char
 acter Of neutrality and the imperial
 German government is convinced that
 the government of the United States
 does not think of making such a de- i mand owing that the government of the United States has repeatedly de- l clared it is determined to restore the 1 principle of the freedom Of the seas 1 from whatever quarter it has been l violated by
 1 ITO this the government Of the 1 United States replied and accepted the 1 assurances given but adding: l /" The government of the United l Stotes feels it necessary to state that 1 it takes it for granted that the inn perial government does not intend to