The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1917-04-06
PRESIDENTS WAR MESSAGE
RINGS TRUE AND STRONG
BreatheS American Sentiment in Every
Line-Approying Echo from All
Parts of the Country

President Wilson, but because the doc
ument is one OF the strongest and most
far reaching in effect we are herewith
limiting the entire message, just as
read before the joint session Of the
United States Senate and House of
Representatives Monday. We COM
mend its careful reading, and reread-
ing, in order to get the full import OF
the document The latter part will
affect our foreign relations for hun
dred years:
IT have called the congress into ex-
traordinary session because there are
serious, very serious, choices Of policy
to be made, and made Immediately,
which it was neither right nor consti-
tutionalIy permissible that should as
sumo the responsibility Of making.
"On the 3rd of February last, Of
ficially laid before you the extraordi-
nary announcement OF the imperial
German government that on and after
the first day of February it was its pur-
pose to put aside all restraints of law or
of humanity and use its submarines to
sink every vessel that sought to ap-
proach 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
Mediterranean. That has seemed to
be the object Of the German subma-
rine warfare earlier in the war, but
since April the imperial government
had somewhat restrained the comman-
ders Of its undersea craft in con-
formity with its promise then given to
to US that passenger boats should not
be sunk, and that due warning would
be given to all other vessels which its
submarines might seek to destroy,
when no resistance was offered or es-
cape attempted, and care taken that
their crews were given at least fair
chance to save their lives in open
boats Their precautions taken were
meager and haphazard enough, as was
proved in distressing instance after in
stance in the progress OF the cruel and
unmanly business, but a certain de-
gree of restraint was observed.
THE new policy has swept every
restriction aside. Vessels OF every
kind, whatever their flag, their charac-
ter, their cargo, their destination, their
erand, have been ruthlessly sent
to the bottom without warning and
without thot OF help or mercy for those
on board, the vessels Of friendly neu-
trails along with belligerents. Even
hospital ships and ships carrying relief
to the sorely bereaved and striken peo-
pie of Belgium, tho the latter were
provided with safe conduct thru the
prescribed areas by the German gov
ernment itself, and were distinguished
by unmistakable marks of identity,
have been sunk with the same reckless
lack Of compassion or principle.
Astounded by German RuthIessness
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 civilized nations. Inter
national law had its origin in the at
tempt to set up some law which would
be respected and observed upon the
seas, where no nation had right OF do
minion, and where lay the free high
ways of the world. By painful stage
alter stage has tnat law oeen quit up'
with meagre enough results, indeed,
after all was accomplished that could
be accomplished. but always with a
clear view, at least, Of what the heart
and conscience Of mankind demanded.
This minimum Of right the German
government has swept aside under the
plea Of retaliation and necessity and
because it had no weapons which it
could use at sea except these, which
it is impossible to employ as it is en-
ploying them without throwing to the
winds all scruples Of humanity or OF
respect for he understandings that