Senate Joint Resolution 153

Title

Senate Joint Resolution 153

Creator

Unknown

Identifier

WWP22340

Date

1918 May 2

Source

Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers, 1786-1957

Text

65TH CONGRESS,2D SESSION.
S. J. RES. 153.
___________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.MAY 2 (calendar day, MAY 4), 1918.
MR. OWEN introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twiceand referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
___________________
JOINT RESOLUTION
Requesting the President to invite the entente allies to declare the rules of international law and require the German Government to accept such rules under penalty of progressive international boycott, and so forth. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,That the President of the United States is hereby requested to invite Great Britain, France, Italy, and Japan and their allies in the present war brought upon them by the Hohenzollerns to enter into a treaty declaring the fundamental rules of international relationship and to bring to the knowledge of the commercial and financial interests now backing the Hohenzollern war that instead of profit out of this war they shall be visited with assured commercial and financial loss so long as they refuse to conform to the reasonable rules of international law and so long as they maintain militarism and defend the immoral doctrine that "might makes right" and deny to smaller nations the right to unembarrassed self-determination.

SEC. 2. That the fundamental principles of international relationship and of international law upon which the future peace of the world must depend are as follows:Every civilized nation has the unquestionable right to exercise full powers of internal self-government, with exclusive control within its own territory over emigration, immigration, exports, and imports, and to complete unembarrassed territorial integrity, but no right to menace other nations by militarism.

That the oceans and high seas and international waterways should be absolutely free and open under international rules to the citizens of all nations recognizing international law.

That the right of access to the sea by shipment in bond without tax through intervening territory should be conceded to all nations recognizing international law.

That all international differences should be definitely and finally settled by arbitration, but no case questioning the validity of the fundamental rules of international law is justiciable.

That the invasion of the territorial integrity of one nation by another on any alleged ground is the highest of all international crimes, and any nation offending this law should be regarded by all civilized nations as an international outlaw.

That subordinate nations or colonies, backward in education and in industrial and economic development, should have their human rights safeguarded on the basis of the principles of freedom and justice by international agreement.

That Alsace-Loraine, Terra Irredenta, and Poland should be assured unembarrassed self-determination under international agreement.

That Germany and Austria must immediately, under the rules of international law, evacuate all territory invaded by them during the present war and make full reparation to Belgium and Serbia.

That progressive reciprocal disarmament of the nations shall be agreed upon as an international rule of conduct to go into effect immediately after the termination of this war to an agreed basis of actual requirements for domestic and international police.

That an international police army and navy shall be established by international agreement after the termination of this war for the purpose of enforcing international law.

SEC. 3. That in order to remove the hope of profit and to establish the certainty of loss upon the commercial and financial forces now backing the German military machine in this war that the international agreement hereinbefore proposed shall further stipulate that if within thirty days after such international agreement be signed the German Government shall not by resolution of the Reichstag and by referendum of the German people agree to the above principles of international law, then and in that event the nations of the world now at war with Germany should solemnly pledge themselves by an irrevocable agreement to enforce the following commercial and financial stipulations until the Reichstag of Germany and the German people accept the proposed principles of international law, to wit:
STIPULATIONS OF BOYCOTT.

First. To refuse clearance to any of their vessels to any German port.

Second. To refuse entry to any of their ports of any vessel under the flag of Germany or a vessel under any other flag engaged directly or indirectly in trade with Germany or owned in whole or in part by any subject of Germany.

Third. To prohibit the exportation, direct or indirect, of any merchandise, goods, wares, raw materials, or other natural products, whether of domestic or foreign origin, to Germany.

Fourth. To refuse to permit the importation, direct or indirect, of any merchandise, goods, or wares, whether of domestic or foreign origin, from Germany.

Fifth. To prohibit the exportation, direct or indirect, to Germany of coin, bullion, or paper money, or securities, or any other form of indebtedness, or bills of exchange, or of other negotiable instruments, or of banking or commercial paper.

Sixth. To forbid any postal, telegraphic or telephonic, or express communication with Germany or with any person in Germany.

Seventh. To prohibit the transfer to their own nationals, either directly or indirectly, of any stocks, shares, mortgages, or other forms of indebtedness owned by a resident subject of Germany, and to confiscate all property, including patents and patent rights, owned in the entente allied countries by German subjects residing in Germany and use the same or the proceeds thereof as an indemnity to their own nationals owning property lost or confiscated in Germany.

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Collection

Citation

Unknown, “Senate Joint Resolution 153,” 1918 May 2, WWP22340, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.