Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-03

Wilson's Wa
II was for a 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 a civilized nation.
International Law Slain.
international law had its origin
in the attempt to set up some law
ed upon the seas where no nation
had right of dominion and where lay
the r highways Of the world. BY
painful stage after stage has that law
been built up, with meagre enough
results, indeed. after all was accom-
plished that could be accomplished.
but always with a clear view, a,
least, Of what the heart and consci-
ence Of mankind demanded.
This minimum of right the Ger
man government has swept aside I'M
der the plea of retaliation and neces-
sity, n because 1t had no weapons
which it could use at sea except
those. which 1t is impossible to en-
ploy as it is employing them without
throwing to the winds all scruples OF
humanity or of respect for the under
standings that were supposed to un-
derlie the intercourse of the world.
Il am not now thinking of the loss
OF property involved, immense ana
serious al 1t is. but only Of he wan
ton and wholesale destruction of the
lives of non-combatant. men, women,
and children, engaged in pursuits
which have always, even in the dark
est periods of modern history. been
deemed innocent and legitimate.
Property can be paid for: the lives Of
peaceful and innocent people cannot
be.
Warfare Against Mankind.
1.-The present German submarine
warfare against commerce is a war
fare against mankind. It is a war
against all nations. American ships
have been sunk. American lives taken
in way 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 over
whelmed in the waters in the same
way. There has been no discrimina-
ton. The challenge is to all mankind.
Each nation must decide for itself
how 1t will meet 1t.
1.-THE choice we make for our-
selves must be made with a moder-
alton Of counsel and a temperatures
of Judgment BETTING our character
and II motives as a nation. We
must put excited feeling away Our
motive will not be revenge 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 q single
champion.
when I addressed the congress on
the twenty-sixth of February last I
thought that it would suffice to assert
u neutral rights with arms; our
right to use the seas against unlawful
interference, our right to keep our
people safe against unlawful vio-
lence.
Armed Neutrality Impraoticable.
But armed neutrality, 1t now ap-
pears. is impracticahle. Because
submarines are in effect outlaws
when used as the German submarines
have been used against merchant
ships against their attacks, as the
law OF nations has assumed that NOR
chantmen would defend themselves
against prtvateers o. cruisers, visible
craft giving chase upon the open sea,
1t II common prudence in such cir.
c~urnstances, grim necessity indeed, ia
endeavor to destroy them before they
have shown their own intention,
They must be dealt with upon sight
il dealt with at all.
THE German government denies
the right Of neutrals to use arms al
all within the areas Of the sea which
1t has prescribed, eve in the defense
Of rights which no modern publicis,
has ever before questioned their righ,
to defend.
"rhe tnttm.tion i. conveyed tina,
| thA 0NvaAH ~,,As1- -AiI -,
placed on our merchant ships will be
treated as beyond the pale Of law and
subject to be dealt with as pirate.
would be. Armed neutrality is in.
effectual enough at best; in such cir.
cumstances and in the face of such
p~retensions, 1t is worse than ineffec-
tual; 1t Is likely at once to produce
what 1t was meant to prevent; it is
practically certain to draw us into
the war without either the rirh ~
the effectiveness of belligerents.
We Cannot Submit.
There Is one choice we canno,
make, we are incapable Of making
We will not choose the path of sub.
mission and suffer the most sacred
rights of our nation and our people
to be ignored or violated.
"The wrongs against which we nov
array ourselves are not common
wrongs; they cut to the very roots
Of human life.
with n profound sense Of the
solemn and even tragical character OF
the step I am taking and OF the
grave responsibilities which it in.
wolves, but In unhesitating obedience
to what I deem my constitutional
duty. l advise hat the congress de.
clare b recent course of the inn.
perial German government to be In
fact nothing e than war against
n government and people Of the
United States; that it formally accenl
the status Of a belligerent which In.
thus beer thrust upon it. and tina
1t take Immediate steps. not only tc
put the country in a more thorough
state OF defense, but also to exert al
Its power and employ all it's re.
sources to bring the government Of
the German empire t terms and enc
the war. 800
What this will involve is clear.
1T will involve the utmost prac,
ucable cooperation in counsel AMI
action with the governments now a,
war with Germany and, Us incidenl
to that, the extension to those gov,
ernments OF the most liberal f1nancia
credits, in order that our resource.
may, so far al possible, be added t.
theirs.
1T will involve the organization ant
mobilization OF all the material re,
sources of the country to supply tn,
materials of war and serve he Incl
dental needs of the nation in tn,
most abundant, and yet the most eco
nomical and efficient way possible.
1T will involve the immediate full
equipment of the navy in all aspects
but particularly in Supplying 1t With
the best means OF dealing with TIN