The review., 1917-03-01
President Still Desires Peace
But Says There Is Some
thing Greater Than
Peace.

Peace.
MUST PROTECT RIGHTS Of
AMERICANS AND HUMANITY
Text Of President Wilson's Address to
Congress Asking For Authority to
Place United States in State of Arm
ed NeutraIity.-BiII Granting Auth
GRITTY is Introduced by Congressman
Flood.
shington.-President Wilson ap-
authority to place the United States
in a state of armed neutrality to re-
sist the German submarine.
The President spoke as follows:
"Gentlemen of the Congress:
II again ask the privilege of address
ing 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-
tion shall run at cross purposes be-
tween us.
"On the third of February, Off
cially informed you of the sudden and
unexpected 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 subma-
rine operations against all commerce,
whether of belligerents or of neutrals,
that should seek to approach Great
Britain and Ireland, the Atlantic coasts
of Europe, or the harbors of the east
ern Mediterranean, and to conduct
those operations without regard TO
the established restrictions of inter
national practice, without regard to
any considerations of humanity even
which might interfere with their OBJ
ject That policy was forthwith put
into practice. 1t has now been in ac-
tive execution for nearly four weeks.
cts practical results are not fully
disclosed.
"The commerce of other neutral
nations is suffering severely, but not,
perhaps, very much more severely
than it was already suffering before
the first of February, when the new
policy of the Imperial government was
put into operation. We have ask I'd
the cooperation of other neutral gov
ernments to prevent these depreda-
@r
thought it wise to join us in any COM
mon 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 ports than because Amer
ican ships have been sunk.
1.-TWO American vessels have been
sunk, the Houstatonic and the Lyman
NJ. Law. The case of the Houstatonic,
which was carrying foodstuffs con-
signed to a London firm, was essen
TALLY like the case of the Frye, in
which it will be recalled. the German
government admitted it's liability for
damages, and the lives of the crew,
as in the case of the Frye, were safe
guarded with reasonable care.
"In 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 effect upon our own ships and peo-
pie is substantially the same that it
was when I addressed you on the
third of February, except for the ty-
ing up of our shipping in our own ports
because of the unwillingness of our
ship owners to risk their vessels at
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 pres
emily accomplish, in effect, what the
new German submarine orders were
meant to accomplish, so far as we are
concerned. We can only say, there
fore, that the overt act which l have
ventured to hope the German COM
manders would in fact avoid has not |
occurred.
But while this is happily true, it
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, il
our ships and our people are spared,
it will be because of fortunate circum-
stances, or because the commanders
OF the German submarines which may