White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1917-04-06


Monday spoke, in part, as follows:
have called the congress into ex-
traordinary session because there are
serious, very serious choices of policy
to be made, and made Immediately,
which it was neither right nor consti-
tutionally permissible that should as
sumo the responsibility of making.
Ruthless Warfare.
On the third of February last Of
ficially laid before you the extraordi-
nary announcement of the imperial
German government that on and after
the first day of February it was its
purpose to put aside all restraints of
law or of humanity and use it's sub
marines to sink every vessel that
sought to approach either the ports of
Great Britain and Ireland or the west
ern coasts of Europe or in any of the
ports controlled by the enemies Of Ger
many within the Mediterranean.
That has seemed to be the object
of the German submarine warfare
earlier in the war, but since April of
last year the imperial government had
somewhat restrained the commanders
of it's undersea craft in conformity
with its promise then given to us, that
passenger boats should not be sunk,
and that due warning would be given
to all other vessels which it's subma-
rines might seek to destroy, when no
resistance was offered or escape at
tempted, and care taken that their
crews were given at least fair chance
to save their lives in their open boats
Their precautions taken were meager
and haphazard enough, as was proved
In distressing instance after instance
in the progress of the cruel and I'M
manly business, but certain degree
of restraint was observed.
No Mercy Shown.
The new policy has swept every re-
striction aside. Vessels Of every kind
whatever their flag, their character
their cargo, their destination, their err
rand, have been ruthlessly sent to the
bottom without warning and without
thought of help or mercy for those on
along with belligerents. Even hospital
ships and ships carrying relief to the
sorely bereaved and stricken people
Of Belgium, though the latter we're pro-
vided with safe conduct through the
prescribed areas by the German gov
1ipfin UI1i n Q6
by unmistakable marks of identity,
have been sunk with the same reckless
lack Of compassion or principle.
1 was for 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 Interna.
tional law had it's origin in the at.
tempt to set up some law which would
be respected and observed upon the
seas, where no nation had right of do
minion, and where law the free high
ways of the world. BY painful stage
after stage has that law been built up
with meager enough results, indeed
after all was accomplished that could
be accomplished, but always with 9
and conscience Of mankind demanded
This minimum of right the German
government has swept aside under the
plea of retaliation and necessity and
because it had no weapons which il
could use at sea except these, which it
Ia I'm nnccih1n RI ;,
ploying them without throwing to the
winds all scruples of humanity or OF
respect for the understandings that
were supposed to underlie the inter.
course of the world.
Wanton Staying by Submarines.
am not now thinking of the loss of
property involved, immense and seri-
GUS as that it, but only of the wan
tol and wholesale destruction of the
lives of noncombatants, men, women
and children engaged in pursuits that
have always, even in the darkest
periods of modern history, been deem
ed innocent and legitimate. Property
can be paid for; the lives of peaceful
The present German submarine war
fare against commerce is warfare
against mankind. 1t is war against
all nations. American ships have been
sunk. American lives taken, in ways
which it has stirred us very deeply to
learn of, but the ships and people of
other neutral and friendly nations have
been sunk and overwhelmed in the wa
tiers in the same way. There has been
no discrimination. The challenge is to
all mankind. Each nation must decide
for itself how it will meet 1t. The
choice we make for ourselves must be
made with a moderation of counsel
and a temperatures of judgment be-
fitting our character and our motives
as nation. We must put excited feel
ms away Our motive will not be re-
venge or the victorious assertion of
the physical might Of the nation, but
only the vindication Of right of human
right, of which we are only a single
champion.
Have Spies Here.
One of the things. that has served
to convince us. that the Prussian au-
tocracy was not and could never be
our friend is that from the very out
set of the present war 1t has filled
our unsuspecting communities and
even our offices of government with
sn,es and set criminal intrigues
.-r,boro afoot against our national