Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-03-10
Declares Diplomatic Means Have
Failed to Safeguard Amer
lean Interests.
cEDTOARMED NEUTRALITY
Arm American Merchant Vessels
and to Use Armed Forces of the
Nation to Defend Rights of
United States Citizens.

Washington, Feb. 27.-President Will
son delivered an address before a joint
session of congress yesterday. He de-
clared that diplomatic means had
failed to safeguard American interests
and that all that is left now is to
adopt an attitude of armed neutrality.
He specifically asked that he be given
authority to arm American merchant
vessels.
The presidents address was as fol-
lows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
1 have again asked the privilege of
addressing you because we are moving
through critical times during which it
seems to me to be my duty to keep in
close touch with the houses of con-
greSS, so that neither counsel nor ac-
ton shall run at cross-purposeS be-
tween us.
ION the third of February 1 officially
informed you of the sudden and unex-
pected action of the imperial German
government in declaring its intention
TO disregard the promises it had made
to this government in April last and
undertake immediate submarine opera
lions against all commerce, whether
belligerents or neutrals, that should
seek to approach Great Britain and Ire
land, the Atlantic coasts of Europe, or
the harbors of the eastern Mediterra-
mean, and to conduct those operations
without regard to the established re-
strictionS of international practice,
without regard to any considerations
of humanity even which might inter-
fere with their object. That policy was
forthwith put into practice. 1t has
ly four weeks.
All Commerce Suffering
Its practical results are not yet
| fully disclosed. The commerce of other
| neutral nations is suffering severely,
| but not, perhaps, very much more Sc
verely than it was already suffering be-
for the first of February, when the new
| policy of the imperial government was
! put into operation. We have asked the
| cooperation of other neutral govern
ments to prevent these depredations,
| but SO far none of them has 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 timidly keeping to their home
|
have sunk.
1.-TWO American vessels have been
sunk, the Housatonic and the Lyman
NJ. Law.
THE case of the Housatonic, which
was carrying foodstuffs to a London
| firm, was essentially like the case of
| the Frye, in which, it will be recalled,
the German government admitted it's
| a Fl 1fx-ae of
| the crew, as ip the case of the Frye,
We're safeguarded with reasonable care.
1.-The case of the Law, which was
carrying lemon-box slaves to Palermo,
disclosed ruthlessness of method
| which deserves grave condemnation,
but was accompanied by no circum-
| stances which might not have been ex-
| pected at any time in connection with
| the use of the submarine against mer-
| chantmen as the German government
| has used it.
| I'm summing up, therefore, the situ-
| alton we find ourselves in with regard
to the actual conduct of the German
| submarine warfare against commerce
| and its effects upon our own ships and
| people is substantially the same that
it was when 1 addressed you on the
| third of February, except for the tying
| up of our shipping in our own ports
| because of the unwillingness of our
| shfpowners to risk their vessels at sea
| without insurance or adequate protec-
| ton, and the very serious congestion
of our commerce which has resulted,
a congestion which is growing 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 TO
accomplish, so far as we are con-
| cerned.
1--WE can only say, therefore, that
the overt act which / have ventured to
hope the German commanders would
in fact avoid has not occurred.
Some Alarming Signs
But while this is happily true, ii
must be admitted that there have been
! certain additional indications and ex
pressions of purpose on the part OF
the German press and the German au
thorities which have increased rather
than lessened the impression that. i
our ships and our people are spared
1t will be because of fortunate cir
cumstances or because the com
| manders of the German submarines
which they may happen to encounter
| ororoiSa on ura~nartad TiSprofi0n auf