The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-02-07

formation concerning the following
ships which, with Americans on board,
were sunk: The EnglisfInan. the Man.
chester Guardian, the Eagle Point and
the Berwindale, all sunk within a COM
paratlvely short time. The German
government replied on April IL, saying
either that 1t did not have sufficient
information to form an opinion, or that
It was doubtful II the sinking was
traceable to a submarine, or that the
ship attempted to escape.
ultlmatum From United States.
Within a week this government re-
piled that the Sussex was uorpedOed,
that this was not an isOlated case, that
1t was clear Germany had made indls-
crimlnate destruction a deliberate pol
icy, contrary to assurances given again
and again, that the United States had
been willing to wait till the course of
Germany was susceptible of only one
Interpretation and that that time had
been reached. 1t added: "Unless the
Imperial German government should
now Immediately declare and effect an
abandonment of its recent methods of
submarine warfare against passenger
and freight carrying vessels the gov
ernment Of the United States can have
no choice but to sever diplomatic rela-
tions with the German empire alto
gether." The next day the president
addressed the congress to the same
effect.
On May Germany replied that she
was alive to the possibility that the
Sussex was torpedOed. admitting in
effect that she was caught in having
made a false statement. Her COM
manders, she asserted, had orders to
conduct warfare in accordance with
visit and search except In the case of
enemy trade ships navigating in the
war zone. As to these she gave no as
surance, and claimed that she had
never given any. She regretted that
the United States did not extend the
same sympathy to the German civilian
population that 1t did to the victims Of
submarine warfare. However, she was
willing to go the limit: "In accordance
with the principles of law German SUBJ
marines will exercise visit and search
before sinking merchant vessels recog-
nized by law If they do not attempt to
escape or resist"
This was promise number four
Violates Solemn Pledges.
On January 81, on the pretext of
acknowledging receipt of the presi-
dents address to the senate, Germany
expressed regret that the attitude of
the allies, their lust for conquest,
made peace impossible. This, she pro-
claimed, created new situation, to
which reference was made in a for
mer note, and called for decision.
That decision was nothing less than
to violate all her solemn pledges, to
extend the submarine zone to Great
Britain, France and Italy, and to sink
all ships. She was confident that this
action would lead to a speedy termi-
stood by the United States. AS a
favor to this country she would per-
NIT 1t to send one steamer week each
way to particular port, Falmouth.
She fixed the day for arrival, Sunday,
and the day for departure, Wednesday.
The ship must be striped with three
stripes, each meter wide, white and
red alternating, and guaranty must
be given that 1t carry no cOntraband.
The president promptly executed his
warning to Germany, severing diplo-
matte relations with the German en-
pire on February 3. Immediately the
president laid the matter before con-
gresS and informed it of his action.
American ships, however, remained in
port as they arrived, as did those of
other neutrals, and Germany was
achieving her ends by menace. On the
same day the HOusatonic, an Ameri-
can steamer, was sunk, and on Febru-
a-y 13 the Lyman NJ. Law. 1t was OBJ
Tlous that further step must be |
taken or this country would be i'm
potent and would be playing into the
hands of the PrusSian autocrats, |
Therefore, on February 26 the presi-
dent asked congress for authority to
arm merchant vessels, and even then
said that war, If it came, could come |
only by the act of Germany.
226 Americans Killed.
In the period from February 26 to
April 2, six American ships were sunk
with loss of many lives. Ships of
other neutrals were destroyed and |
Americans were murdered. In this
whole period, 226 American citizens,
many of them women and children,
were killed. Armed neutrality OBJ
viOuSly was ineffective. The country
was experiencing all the disadvantages
of war without any Of the rights or
of belligerent. Only
one alternative was left.
On April 2 the president appeared
before congress and recommended that
a state of war be declared against the
German government. The congress
accepted the recommendation by vote
Of 1878 to so in the house of repre-
SentativeS and 80 to 6 in the senate.
If We had not accepted the chal.
lenge of the war-mad, desperate, die
tatorial, cOntemptuOus, hypocritical,
and medieval PrusSan militariSts, we
would have had to admit that we were
not a free nation, that we preferred
peace at any price, and were inter-
ested only In the fleshpOts. This coun.
try either had to swallow it's own
words, abdicate it's position as a free
sovereign power, concede that it had
no rights except those which Germany
accorded it, hold its citizens and ships