Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1917-03-02
re- id6nt insists On
Rights Of Ameri-
can Commerce
On Seas.
ASKS CONGRESS TO AUTHORIZES
HIM TO PROCEED TO A COURSE


we are moving through critical
times during which it seems to
me to be my duty to keep in close
touch with the honses of Con-
gress. so that neither counsel
nor action shall run at cross pur-
poses between us.
On the Sd of February l offici-
ally informed you of the sudden
and unexpected action of the i'm
perial German government in de-
claring its intention to disregard
the promises it had made to this
government in April last and UNI
dertake immediate submarine
operations against all commerce,
whether of belligerents or of
neutrals, that should seek to APP
proach Great Britain and Ire.
land, the Atlantic coasts of
Europe. or the harbors of the
eastern Mediterranean, and to
conduct those operations without
regard to the blished restric-
tions of international practice,
without regard to any consid-
erations of humanity even which
might interfere with their OBJ
lject. That policy was forthwith
put into practice. It has now
been in active execution for near
lily four weeks.
Its practical results are not
yet fully disclosed. The COM
merce of other neutral nations is
suffering severely. but not, per-
haps, very much more severely
than it was already suffering be-
fore the LIST of February, when
1.-THE new policy of the imperial
government was put into opera
ltion. We have asked the coop.
eration of the other neutral gov
lernments to prevent these depre-
ldations but so far none of them
Ihas thought it wise to join us in
Iany common course of action.
lOur own commerce has suffered,
is suffering, rather in apprehen-
sion than in fact, rather because
so many of our ships are timidly
keeping to their home ports than
because American ships have
Ibeen sunk.
/ Two American vessels have
been sunk. the Housatonic and
1.-THE Lyman W. Law. The case
lof the Housatonic, which was
carrying foodstuffs consigned to
a London firm, was essentially
like the case of the Fry, in which,
lit will be recalled, the German
government admitted its liability
for damages, and the lives of the
|crew, as in the case of the Fry,
were safeguarded with reason
able care. The case of the Law,
which was carrying lemon box
staves to Palermo, disclosed
ruthlessness of method which
deserves grave condemnation,
but was accompanied by no cir
cumstances which might not have
been expected at any time in con-
nection with the use of the SUBJ
marine against merchantmen as
the German government has
used it.
In sum, therefore, the situation
we find ourselves in with regard
to the actual conduct of the Ger.
man submarine warfare against
commerce and its effects upon
our own ships and people is sub
|stantially the same that it was
when / addressed you on the I'd of
February, except for the tying
up of our shipping in our own
ports because of the unwilling
ness of our shipowners to risk
their vessels at sea without in
snrance or adequate protection,
and the very serious congestion
of our commerce which has re-
suited. a congestion which is
growing rapidly more and more
serious every day.
This in itself might presently |
accomplish, in effect. what the
new German submarine orders
were meant to accomplish, so
far as we are concerned. We
can only say, therefore, that the
overt act which have ventured
to hope the German commanders
would in fact avoid has not oc-
But, while this is happily true,
it must be admitted that there
have been certain additional in
and expressions of pur-
pose on the part of the German
press and the German authori-
ties which have increased, rather
than iessened, the impression
that. if our ships and our peo-
-oo~1> = - e~.~eA - III