Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-02-09
WILSON'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS

Washington, Feb. SIN his address
to the members Of congress, breaking
off diplomatic relations with Germany,
Saturday afternoon, President Wilson
said:
Gentlemen Of the Congress-: "The
imperial German government on the
s1st OF January, sannOunced to tl44a
government and to the governments Of
the other neutral nations that on and
after the first day of February, the
present month, it would adopt a policy
with regard 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 on the
9Th Of April last, in view Of the sink.
ing on the 24t Of March of the cross.
channel passenger steamer Sussex by
German submarine without summons OF
warning and the consequent loss of lives
of several citizens of the United States
who were passengers aboard her this
government addressed a note to the i'm
perial government in which it made the
following declaration:
The Sussex Case Note.
"'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 indisput-
able rules of International law and the
universally recognized dictates of hui
manity the government of the United
States is at least forced to the conclu-
sion that there is but one course it can
pursue. Unless the imperial government
should now Immediately declare and ef-
feet an abandonment of its present
methods Of submarine warfare against
passenger and freight carrying vessels
the government of the United States
can have no choice but to sever diplo-
matte relations with the German empire
altogether.
The German Assurance.
"Ln reply to this declaration the i'm
perial government gave this govern
ment the following assurance:
"'The German government is pre-
! pared to do its utmost to confne the
operations of war for the rest of its
duration to the fighting forces of the
, belligerents,, thereby also insuring the
freedom Of the seas, principle upon
which the German government believes
now rs before to be in agreement with
the government Of the United States
&c The German government, guided
by this idea, notifies the government
? Of the United States that the German
naval forces have received the follow
! ing orders. In accordance with the
general principle Of visit and search
and destruction Of merchant vessels
l characterized by international law, sucl
vessels both within and without tht
area declared naval war zone shal
not be sunk without warning and with
out saving human lives unless thes,
> ships attempt to escape or offer resis
tance.
q But, it added, 'neutrals cannot ex
!. pect that Germany, forced to fight fo
e her existence, shall, for the sake O
! neutral interests, restrict the use O
e an effective weapon, if her enemy i
$ permitted to continue to apply at will
l methods Of warfare violating the rule
u Of international law. Such a deman
: would be incompatible with the char
= - acter Of neutrality and the Germa,
o government is convinced that the GOV
: ernment of the United States does no
r think of making such demand, know
y ing that the government of the Unite
States has repeatedly declared that /
e is determined to restore the principl
) OF the freedom of the seas, from what
ever quarter it has been violated
i Assurances Accepted.
'To this the government of th
United States replied on the eighth @
May, accepting, Of course, the assul
ances given, but adding:
}. "'The government Of the Unite