The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-26
Continued from page one,

N(onDHueu from page onel
moving thru critical times, during
which it seems to me to be my duty
to keep in close touch with the houses
of congress so hat neither counsel
nor action shall run to cross purposes
between us.
ION the Sd of February, | officially
informed you of he sudden and un-
expected action of the imperial Ger
man government IN declaring it's in
tentions to disregard the promises it
had made to this government in April
last and undertake immediate sub
marine operations against all COM
merce. whether of belligerents or of
neutrals, that should seek to approach
Great Britain and Ireland, the Ats
lantic coasts of Europe, or the har-
bors of the eastern Mediterranean
and to conduct those operations with
out regard to the establish restric-
ton of international practice, without
regard to any considerations of hui
mainly whatever which might inter
fere with their object. That policy
was forthwith put into practice. 1t
has now been in active execution for
nearly four weeks.
Other Neutrals Fail to Join.
Its practical results are not fullV
disclosed. The commerce~of other
neutral nations IS suffering severely
but not. perhaps, very much more Sc
verely than it was already suffering
y
the new policy of the imperial govern
ment was put into operation. We
have asked the cooperation of the
other neutral governments to prevent
these depredationSs but / fear none
of them had thought it wise to join
us in any common course of action.
Our own commerce has suffered, is
suffering, rather in apprehension
than in fact, rather because SO many
Of our ships are timidIy keeping to
their home ports, than because Amer
lean ships have been sunk.
1.-TWO American vessels has been
sunk. the Housatonic. and the Lyman
M Law The case of the Housatonic
which was carrying foodstuffs con-
signed to a London firm, was es-
sentia1ly like the case of the Frye in
which, it will be recalled, the German
government admitted its liability for
damages, and the lives of the crew,
as in the case of the Frye. were safe
guarded with reasonable. care.
Deserves Grave Condemnation.
THE case of the Law which was
carrying lemon box slaves to Palermo,
disclosed a ruthlessness of method
which deserves grave condemnation
but was accompanied by no eircum-
stances which might not have been
expected att any time in connection
/ With the use of the submarine against
merchantmen as the German govern
1nSnL mas uSeQ
Tying Up Commerce Crisis.
! an sum. therefore the situation we
! find ourselves in, with regard to the
| actual conduct of the German subma
rine warfare against commerce and
| it's effects on our own ships and peo-
pie, is substantially the same that il
was when L addressed you on the
third of February except for the tying
up of our shipping in our own ports
| nf of
ship owners to risk their vessels al
sea without insurance of adequate
! protection and the very serious con-
gestion of our commerce which has
resulted, a congestion which is grow
ing rapidly more and more serious
every day.
This in itself might presently ac-
| complish, in effect, what the new Ger
man submarine orders were meant tC
accomplish so far as we are con-
cerned. We can only say, therefore
! that the overt act, which / have ven
| tured to hope the German command
ers would in fact avoid. has not oc
| Cured.
But while this is happily true, i
must be admitted that there have beer
certain additional indications and ex
pressions of purpose on the part of thu
German press and the German au
thoritieS which have increased rather
than lessened the impression that i
our ships and our people are spared
it will be because of fortunate cir
cumstances or because the com
manders of the German submarine
which they may happen to encounter
i exercise an unexpected discretion AM
RESTRAINT rather than because of tn
instructions under which those com
manders are acting.
Must Be Prepared.
''It would be foolish to deny tina
the situation is fraught with the gray
est possibilities and dangers. n