The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-04-19


Wilson told congress assembled in joint
session shortly after l O'Clock this after
noon that he had given Germany irrev-
ocabe notification that the United States
will break off diplomatic relations If her
illegal submarine campaign is continued
| A note, America 5 last word, practically
an utimatum and demanding an mmedi-
ate reply, presumably was in the Berlin
| foreign office as the President was speak
ing 1t was despatched last night in ac-
cordance with the Presidents plan to have
it before the German government at the
same moment he was addressing the
| American congress.
The President asked no action whatever
of congress. He simply informed it Of the
accumulation of facts proving that. Ger
many's assurances to the United States
are being violated, that the submarine
campaign despite The earnest protest of
the United States is being conducted with
renewed vigor in cuntravention of all the
laws of nation and humanity, and that he
means to sever relations unless it is
brought within the law.
Diplomatic history Of the world shows
that such a course is almost certain to be
followed by war
The Presidents note and his address to
congress are final They mark the end Of
diplomatic exchanges continuance Of
the long-standing friendly relations, the
President made clear, depends altogether
upon Germany's conduct
Il have deemed it my duty, therefore, .
the President told congress, TO say to the
Imperial German government that if it is
and indiscrminate warfare the government
of the United States is at last forced to
the conclusion that there is but one course
it can pursue and that unless the German
government should not Immediately de
clare, and effect an abandonment of Its
$ present methods of warfare against passen
g ger and freight carrying vessels this gov
c ernment can have no choice but to sever
: diplomatic relations altogether
n This decision l have arrived at with
; the keenest regret The possibility of the
IS atcion contemplated / am sure all thought
t full Americans will look forward to Will
d unaffected reluctance, but we cannot for
get that we are in some sort and by tn,
force of circumstances the responsible,
5 spokesman Of the right Of humanity ant
l. that we cannot remain silent while thes
n rights seem in process of being swept ut
terly away in the maelstrom of this terri
~ BILE war.
I'VE owe it to due regard for our owl
rights as a nation; to our sense of duty a
a representative of the rights of neutral
IN the world over and to just conception c
ne the rights of mankind to take this stan
- now with the utmost solemnity and firm
y ness. / have taken it and taken it in til
II confidence that it will meet with your al
proval and support
Al "All sober minded men must unite
ne hoping that the Imperial German govern
i'll ment, which has in other circumstance
o. stood as the champion of all that we al
now eontending for in the interest of h
ne manity may recognize the justice of o,
ny demands and meet them in the spirit
which they are made.
During the early part of his speed
the President reviewed at some lengt
the occurrences of last year and ~sai,
a Again and again the Imperial Ge
M man government has given this go
ernment the solemn assurances that
. least passengers would not be tn
dealt with and yet it has again al
again permitted its undersea comman
ers to disregard those assurances wi
entire impunity. Great liners like t
Lusitania and Arabic, and mere fer
,nt boats like the Sussex have been
on tackled without moment s warniI
sometimes before they had even beeo1