Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-02
, of the Congress:

Gentlemen of the Congress:
/ T have called the Congress into eX-
traordinary session because there are
serious. very serious. choices of the
nolicy to be made, and made immedi-
ately, which it was neither risht nor
constitutionally permissible that 1
should assume the responsibility Oh
making.
On the third of February last l. OH
cially laid before you the EXTRAORDINARY
announcement of the imperial German
Government that on and after the hrst
dav of February it was its purpose to
,ut aside all restraints of law or of
humanity and use it's submarines to
sink every vessel that sought to ap-
proach either the ports of Great BIZ
tain and ireland or the western coasts
of Europe or any, Oh the ports wi
trolled by the enemies OIL germany
within the Mediterranean. ina nau
seemed to be the object OF the Ger
man submarine warfare earlier IN the
war, but since April of last year the
imperial government had some"hae
restrained the commanders OF us IN
dersea craft in conformity with lts
promise then given to us that pasSen-
ger boats should not be sunk ana Una |
due warning would be given 10 all
other vessels which its submarines
might seek to, destroy, when no resist
ance was offered or escape attempted
and care taken that their crews were
given at least fair chance to save
their lives in their open boats
The precautions taken were naeaSer
and haphazard enough, as was proven
in distressing instance a1ter lhstdhce III
the progress of the cruel ana uh1nahig
business, but a certain degree Oh re-
straint was observed. The new poilcS
has swept every RESTRICTION asiue.
sells of every kind, whatever thelr nag
their character, their cargo .nei 80
tination their errand, have beeh ruin
lessIy sent to the bottom without warn
ing and without thought Oh heiP OF
mercy for those on board, the FtSselS ol
friendly neutrls along win those OF
belIigerents Even hospital shlps ana
ships carrying relief to the sofeiy De
reaved and stricken people Oh beisl UNI,
though the latter were PROVIDED win
safe conduct through the pfoscrlbed
areas by the German government ltseil
and were distinguished by unmlstaka-
BILE marks of identity, nave beeh sunk
with the same reckless lack OF compass
sion or of principle
| was for a little while unable to be-
lieve thatrsuch things would in fact be
done by any government mat had
hitherto subscribed to the human prac-
tees of civilized nations. international
law had it's origin in the attempt to set
IN some law which would be respected
and observed upon the seas. where no
nation had right of dominion and where
Law the free highways of the world BY
painful stage after stage has that law
been built up, with meager enough re-
suIts indeed. after all was accomplished
that could be accomplished, but always
with a cler view, at least, of what the
heart and conscience of mankind de-
manded.
government has swept aside under the
nlea of retaliation and necessity and
because it had no weapons which it
could use at sea except these which it
is impossible to employ as it is en-
blowing them without throwing to the
winds all acruples of humanity or of
respect for the understandings that
were supposed to underlie the inter-
course of the world. ! am not now
thinking of the loss of property in
VOWED, ip1fnense ami serious as that
is. but OILY of the wanton and whole
sale destruction of the lives Of non
combatants, men, women and children,
engaged in pursuits which have al
WAYS. even in the darkest periods of
modern history, been deemed innocent
and legitimate. Property can be paid
for: the lives OF peaceful and innocent
people cannot he. The present German