United States, to which country we are bound by
the closest ties, had during the last two years incessantly formulated
energetic protests and claims based on the most elemental principles of
justice in defence of its citizens who were victims on many occasions of
attacks by German submarines; of the liberty of the seas and the respect
due the lives and property of neutrals; and revindicating the right to
navigate and engage in commerce freely, without restrictions save those
sanctioned by international law, by treaties, and by the universal
practise of civilized nations.

"Since February 1 submarines have attacked and sunk without mercy. Such
acts of war without quarter, directed against all nations, to close
down the world's commerce under terrible penalties, cannot be tolerated
without accepting them as legitimate to-day and always.

"Cuba cannot appear indifferent to such violations, which at any moment
may be carried out at the cost of the lives and interests of its own
citizens. Nor can it, without loss of dignity and decorum, show
indifference to the noble attitude assumed by the United States, to
which we are bound by ties of gratitude and by treaties. Cuba cannot
remain neutral in this supreme conflict, because a declaration of
neutrality would compel it to treat alike all belligerents, denying them
with equal vigor entrance to our ports and imposing other restrictions
which are contrary to the sentiment of the Cuban people and which
inevitably in the end would result in conflict with our friend and ally.

"In full and firm consciousness that I am fulfilling one of my most
sacred duties, although with profound sentiment, because I am about to
propose a resolution which will plunge our country into the dangers of
the greatest conflagration in history, but without casting odium upon,
or without animosity toward, the German people, but convinced that we
are compelled to take this step by our international obligations and the
principles of justice and liberty, I appeal to the honorable Congress in
the use of its executive faculties, with full knowledge of all the
antecedents in the case and with the mature deliberation of its
important claim, to resolve, as a result of these unjustifiable and
repeated acts of aggression by submarines, notwithstanding the protests
of neutral governments, among them Cuba, that there has been created and
exists a state of war between Cuba and the imperial German government,
and adop