The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-11-08
PRESIDENTS WAR
MESSAGE GARBLED
full Text Withheld From People
of Germany by KaiSer'S
Government.
PASSAGES WERE SUPPRESSED
Report of Wolff Telegraph Bureau,
Unofficial Mouthpiece Of Kaiser,
Shows Wilson'S Address
Distorted.


The German people never had an OPP
portunity to read the full text of the
address delivered by President Wilson
before congress on April ?, 1917, in
which the president called upon con
greSs % declare the existence Of the
state of war then being waged upon
the United States by Germany. In the
copies Of this address which were per
mitted to be published in Germany,
many passages We're suppressed, ac-
cOrdng to the committee on public
Information Of the United States gov
eminent The passages suppressed in
Guided those in which the president
told why the United States had been
forced to enter into the war against
Germany in protection of It's rights and
In order to make the world safe for
democracy.
The committee on public information
has issued a copy of the presidents
address, showing the passages which
were suppressed by the Wolf Tee-
graph bureau, which Is under govern
ment censorship and has been consist
entity employed by the German govern
ment for the PRONUNCIATION of It's Off
cia opinions. The following is an Of
fetal copy Of the presidents address
with the passages suppressed by the
Wolf Telegraph bureau shown In bold
faced type
Gentlemen OF the Congress.
] have called the congress into extra
ordinary session because there are Sc
rlous. very serious choices Of policy to
be made. and made Immediately. which
II is neither right nor constitutionaIly
permissible that should assume the re-
sponsibillty of making
on the 30 OF February last I officially
laid before you the extraordinary an
nouncement Of the Imperial German
government that on and after the list
day OF February II was It's purpose to
put aside all restraints Of law or OF hui
manly and use It's submarines to sink
every vessel that sought to approach
either the ports OF Great Britain and
Ireland or the western coasts Of Europe
or any OF the ports controlled by the
enemies Of Germany within the Medi-
terranean. That had seemed TO be the
object OF the German submarine war
rare earlier In the war. but since April
or last year the Imperial government
had somewhat restrained the comman-
ders Of its undersca craft In conform
ity with Its promise. then given 10 MS,
TINT passenger boats should not he
sunk, and that due warning would be
given 10 NIL other vessels which Its
submarines might seek 10 destroy,
when no resistance WAS offered or go
cape attempted. and care taken that
their crews were given at least u fair
chnnce TO snve their lives In theIr open
boats. The precautions taken were
merGer and hnphnzard enough, ms WIS
proved IN distressing Instance nfter
fnstnnce in the progress OF the cruel
and unmnnly business, hut n certain de-
gre" of restraint was observed.
The new policy has swept every re-
strictlou aside. Vessels Of every kind
vhntever their flag, their character
their cargo, their destination. their
errnnd, have been ruthlcssly sent 10
the bottom without warning and with
out thought OF help or mercy for those
on board the vessels ~ friendly neu-
trails along with those ~ beligercntg
Even hospital ships and ships carrying
relief 10 the sorciy bcrenVed and strick-
en- people Of Belgium, though the lat
ter were provided with safe conduct
through the prescribed areas by the
German government Itself and were
distinguished by unmistnknbic marks
of identity. have been sunk with the
same reckless lack OF compassion or
OF principle
wns for little while unable 20
believe that such things would In fact
he done by any government TINT bud
hitherto subscribed Ia the humane
practices Of civilized nations. Inter
nntiouni law had Its origin In the Mt
tempt 10 set up some law which would
he respected and observed upon the
sens where nation hnd right Of
dominion and where lay the free high
ways Of the world. By painful stage
after stage has that law been built up
with mcaRer enough results. indeed
after All was accomplished that could
be accomplished. but always with
clenr view. al least, Of whRt the hcnrt
and conacieDr- of mnnkind demanded,
This min . I'm Of right the German
government has swept aside under the
plea Of retaliation and necessity and
because Il had no pons which II
could use ~ sen except these which
II is Impossible 10 employ az II is EN-
ploving them without throwing TO the
wind al srruplcs 81 humanity or Of
resnect for the Understandings that
were supposed to underlle the inter
course 81 the world.
am not now thinking Of the loss of
property involved Immense and serious
as that !s but only ~ the wanton and
wholesale destruction ot the lives OF
nou-corl bntantH. mon women ma chill
drcn engaged In pursuits which hnse
aIvHys. even In the dnrl,rSi periods Of
modern history, been deemed innocent
snd legitimate. Property cHn he paid
for the iisrH Of prnrefnI md innocent
peopIy cannot be. Tho present German
submarine warfare against commerce
S. q warfare against mankind
II lsa war aKslRR. All nations. Amer
fem ships have been sunk, Anne ricnn
Hives taken. In ways which Il has
stirred us very deeply to learn Of, hut
the ships mad people OF other neutral
and friendly nations have been sunk