Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-04-06
Urges Congress to
Engage in War. !.
BERLIN. IS TO BLAME
President Asks for Halt Million
Men for Army at Once.

Washington, April 3.-President vii.
son, addressing congress convened In
extra session, spoke as follows:
II have called the congress into ex.
tfaordinary session because there are
serious. very serious, choices of policy
to be made, and made Immediately,
which 1t was neither right nor con-
stitutionally permissible that I should
assume the responsibility of making.
ION the third of February, last, I
officially laid before you the extraor-
binary announcement Of the imperial
German government that on and after
the first day Of February it was it,
purpose to put aside all restraints Of
law OF 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 west
ern coasts of Europe OF. any Of the
ports controlled by the enemies Of
Germany within the Mediterranean.
Germans Promised to Obey Rules.
THAT had 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 its undersea craft in conformity
with its promise then given 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 a fair
chance to save their lives in their
open boats. r.
"The precautions taken were meager
and haphazard enough, as was proved
in distressing instance after instance
In the progress Of the cruel and un.
manly business, but . certain degree
Of restraint was observed.
THE new policy has swept every
restriction aside. Vessels Of every
kind, whatever their nag. their char
acter, their cargo, their destination,
their errand, have been ruthlessly
sent to the bottom without warning,
and without thought of help or mercy
for those on board, the vessels of
friendly neutrals along with those of
belligerents.
Even Hospital Ships Sunk.
Even hospital ships and ships car
rying relief to the sorely bereaved and
stricken people of Belgium, though the
latter were provided with safe con-
duct through the prescribed areas by
the German government itself and
were distinguished by unmistakable |
marks of identity, have been sunk with |
the same reckless lack of compassion |
or principle.
II was, for a little while, unable to
believe such things would, in fact, be
done by any government that had
hitherto subscribed to the humane
practices Of civilized nations.
international law had its origin in
the attempt to set up some law, which
would be respected and observed upon
the seas, where no nation had right of
domain and where lay the free high
ways Of the world. 1 o..
by painful stage after stage has
that law been built up with meager
enough results, indeed, after all was
accomplished that could be accom-
plished that could be accomplished,
but always with clear view, at least,
Of what the heart and conscience Of
mankind demanded. o..
va.s Swept Aside by Germany.
''This minimum Of right the German
has swept aside under the
plea Of retaliation and necessity and
because 1t had no weapons which It
could use at sea except these, which it
Is impossible to employ as 1t is en-
ploying them without throwing to the
winds al scruples Of humanity or of
respect for the understandings that
we're supposed to underlie the inter-
- H.