The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-03
Def KAISER!.
ASKS NEUTRALS
TO FOLLOW u. s,

Louder and more widespread cheer
ing greeted the announcement that
the president would come to congress
again to ask authority to use any
means that may be necessary for the
protection of our Seamen and our peo-
pie" should American ships and
American lives be sacrificed by Ger
man naval commanders in needless
contravention of the just and reason
able understandings of international
law and the obvious dictates of hu-
manlty'
When the president concluded, con-
gress rose again and cheered and re-
manned standing while the president
left the chamber.
Conference Follows Speech.
The senate returned Immediately to
its own wing of the capitol. justices
went to the supreme court and cab
met officials filed out. The house re
sumed its routine work as tho nothing
unusual or disturbing had occurred.
The president hurried back to the
White House.
A few minutes after Secretary Baker
went into conference with the presi-
dent at the White House, Secretary
Daniels arrived. Precautiol meas
ures TO be taken were under discus
sion.
Text of Presidents Speech.
Presidents Speech.
The president spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
1.-The imperial German government,
on the thirty-first of January an
nounced to this government and to the
governments of the other neutral ma
lions that on and after the first day
of February, the present month, it
would adopt policy with regard to
the use of submarines against all
shipping seeking to pass thru certain
designated areas of the high seas, to
which it is clearly my duty to call
your attention.
Let me remind the congress on the
Iseighth of April last, in view of the
sinking on the twenty-fourth of March
of the cross channel passenger steam
er Sussex, by a German submarine
without summons or warning and the I
consequent loss of lives of several cit
liens of the United States who were
passengers aboard her this govern
ment addressed a note to the imper-
ial German government in which it
made the following declarations:
If it is still the purpose of the i'm
per1al government to prosecute relent-
less and indiscriminate warfare against
vessels of commerce by the use of sub
marines without regard to what the
government of the United States must
| consider the sacred and indisputable
versally recognized dictates of human
/ ity the government of the United States
/ is at last forced to the conclusion that
/
! Unless the imperial government should
now Immediately declare in fleet an
/ abandonment of its present methods Of
submarine warfare against passenger
| and freight carrying vessels, the gov
eminent of the United States can have
no choice but to sever diplomatic rela-
t1ons with the German empire
Germany's Promise.
| ''In reply to the declaration, the i'm
perial German government gave this
government the following assurances:
| The German government is pre-
pared to do it's utmost to confine the
operations of the war for the rest of
| it's duration to the fighting forces of
the belligerents. thereby also insur-
| ing the freedom of the seas, a prin-
cip1e upon which the German gov
eminent believes now, as before to
be in agreement with the government
! of the United States.
| The German government, guided
/ by this idea, notifies the government
| of the United States that the German
| naval forces have received the follow
ing orders:
| In accordance with the general
/ principles of visit and search and de-
| struction of merchant vessels recog-
nized by international law, such yes
| sells, both within and without the area
| declared naval war zone, shall not
be sunk without warning and without
saving human lives unless these ships
attempt TO escape or offer resist
ance."
| But it added, 'neutrals can't ex-
pect that Germany, forced to fight for
her existence, shall, for the sake of
neutral interest, restrict the use of an
effective weapon, if her enemy is per-
mltted to continue to apply at will,
methods of warfare violating the rules
of international law. Such a demand
would be incompatible with the char
acter of neutrality and the German
government is convinced that the
government of the United States does
not think of making such a demand,
knowing that the government of the
! United States has repeatedly declared
that it is determined to restore the
principle of the freedom of the seas,
from whatever quarter it has been
violated
U. S Reply on May s.
TO this the government of the
united States replied on the 8th Of
May, accepting, of course, the assur-
ances given, but adding:
The government of the United
states feels it necessary to state that
1t takes it for granted that the i'm
perial German government does not
intend TO imply that the maintenance
of its newly announced policy is IN
any way contingent upon the course
or result of diplomatic negotiations
between the government of the United
states and any other bel1igerent gov
eminent, Notwithstanding the fact that
certain passages in the imperial gov