The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-04-03

because IL Udu no weapons WDlCn II
could use at sea except those which
it is impossible to employ as it Is EN-.
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.
81 am not now thinking of the loss Of
the property involved, immense and
serious as that is, but only of the
wanton and wholesale destruction of
the lives of non-combatants, men, w0m-
en- and children engaged in peaceful
pursuits who have always, 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
be.
Challenge to All Mankind"
THE present German submarine
warfare against commerce is a war.
fare against mankind. 1t is a 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 ana
people Of other neutral and friendly
nations have been sunk and over.
whelmed in the waters in the same
way. There has been no discrimina-
tion. The challenge Is to all mankind.
Each nation must decide for itself how
II will meet 1t. The chdipe we make
for ourselves must be made with a
moderation of counsel and temperate
ness of judgment beftting our char.
aeter aud our motives as nation.
We must put excited feeling away.
fDhf'metive viii not be revenge or the
victorious assertion of the physical
might OF the nation, but only the win.
dication OF right of human right OF
which we are only single champion.
When | addressed the congress on
the twenty.sixth Of February last, |
thought that II would suffice to assert
our neutral rights with arms, our right
to use the seas against unlawful inter.
ference, our right to keep our people
safe against unlawful violence. But
armed neutrality, II now appears, is
, impracticdble.
Submarines, AS Used, Are Outlaws.
Because submarines are in effect
outlaws, when used as the German sub.
marines have been used against mer.
/ chant shipping, II is impossible Ia
defend ships against their attacks as
the law Of nations has assumed that
merchantmen would defend themselves
against priyateers or cruisers, visible
craft giving chase upon the open sea
II is common prudence In such circum
stances, grim necessity, indeed. to en-
deavor to destroy them before they
have shown their own intention. They
must be dealt with upon sight, If dealt
with at all.
The German government denies the
right of neutrals to use arms at al'
within the areas Of the sea which II
has prescribed, even in the defense OF
rights which no modern publicist has
ever before questioned their right tc
defend. The intimation is conveyed
that the armed guards which We hav,
placed on our merchant ships will b,
treated as beyond the pale of law anl
subject to be dealt with as pirate,
would be, Armed neutrality is inef
tectual enough at best; in such circum
stances and in the face of such pretop
sions, II is worse than Intellectual: If
is likely only to produce what it (,
meant TO prevent; it is PRACTICAL,
certain to draw us into the war with
out either the rights or the effective
ness OF belligerents.
Incapable Of Submission.
There is one choice we cannot
make, We are incapable Of making
We will not choose the path of sub
mission end suffer the most sacred
rights of our nation and our people I,
be ignored or violated The wrong,
against which We now array ourseye,
are not common wrongs; they cut t
the very roots of human life.
with a profound sense Of the sol
emn and even tragical character of IN,
step | am taking and of the grave re
sponsibilities which II involves, bu
! Continued on rage Nine).
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