The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1917-11-23
Speech Pleased Audience and Patriotic Point,
Highly Applauded.

then did not drown our men, wom-
en- and children while Germany did |
IN 1915 and 1916. Mr.. Sisson said |
that about 1918, or a short while |
after the close. of the war of 1912,
there was conference of all the |
leading countries of the world call |
ed at the instance of our govern
ment to consider the issues raised
in the war of 1912. As a result
OF that conference, Mr.. Sisson said,
1t was written into international law
that outside of limit of three miles
from the shore of each nation (then
the cannons used shot only one half
mile and the 3 mile limit was fixed
because it was thought to be en-
tirely beyond cannon range) the
seas should be free to all the Ships
of the world, that they should be
allowed to go and come undisturb-
ed and unmolested He said that
Germany was party to that con-
ference and ratified it, that Spain
was the only country that then re-
fused to approve the acts of the
conference but that later, 1881,
Spain did ratify the conference. He
said that by that conference the free
dom of the seas was not only guar
anteed to all nations but that it was
part of this agreement that no YES
sells, even that Of one nation war;
ring against another, were to be
sunk at sea without giving those
aboard chance to escape with their
lives or taking them as prisoners of
war. Mr.. Sisson said that it was
left to Germany to be the first to
break this international statute; that
it was left to the ruthless hand of
o German TO become the first sea
assassin; that it was the cold and
heartless German who was the first
to send pleading women with their
babes in their arms to a watery
grave. He referred to the sinking
of the Lusitania, the great vessel
which had 1900 men, women and
children aboard, and the negotiations
by President Wilson following that
act which brought an acknowledg.
ment from the Kaiser that a wrong
had been committed and promise
to pay for the wrong done and the
lives lost. He then told about Other
vessels being sunk and the repeated
notes from President Wilson to the
German government, thereby show
ing the efforts of the President tt
do everything possible to avoid thu
horrors of war. He then cited thu
promise of the Kaiser, when tn
President got almost to the limit, t.
cease his submarine warfare,
promise, Mr.. Sisson said, that wa
made beca6se the Kaiser only ha'
limited number of submarine boat
and because he thought lying to thl
government was the only way n
, could get the time sufficient to bull
, submarines enough to warrant hin
, in figuratively splitting in this gov
: ernment's face. He then discusse
the Kaiser's note wherein he stat
ed that he had issued an edict TO
s his submarines to begin within z
, hours to sink every vessel within
limit of 400 miles of the coast o
England, France and Italy. he tol
then of the President, following tn
ruthless submarine edict, breaking
off diplomatic relations with Gel
y many and sending the German an
Y bassador home. Mr.. Sisson said thf
d # was at this time that Bernstor
e sent that celebrated cipher messae
Y to Germany that Americans al
p towards and money-getters and WI
e not fight" War. came, it had
IS come, Mr.. Sisson stated. Inc me-
n thing after war-declaration was
d nroyide an army. Here it was th'
r the speaker discussed the volunte'
+ system which in his opinion the
# would have been better, but now
" stated. the combined wisdom of Il
is congress had said that the Selec
70 draft was the best, and it was u
, duty he insisted of every loyal, p
is triotic, American citizen to stand
~ the draft. Mr.. Sisson said that e