The Sentinel=record., 1917-02-01

ogniziEg this principle Germany would gladly welcome such nations as Ireland and India which do not enjoy the blessings of an Independent state should now obtain liberty.
 Alliances which drive nations into competition for Hegemony and incure them towards any selfish intrigues are likewise refused by the German peo. pie On the other hand it is enthus- iastic for cooperation in all endeav- ors which aim at the prevention of fu- ture wars. The freedom of the seas as d preliminary condition for free and peaceful intercourse between ma tions as well as the open door for trade always have been guiding princi ples of German policy
 "Germsny. the peace to he conclud- cd with Belsium, merely wanted to take precautionary measures SD that country with which the Imperial gov enment wishes to live in good neigh borly relations, could not be exploited by adversaries for the promotion of hostile attempts Such a precaution is all the more urgently needed, since hostile persons in power in repeated speeches and especially in the resolu-
 tions of the Paris economic confer
 ence declared their unveiled intention even after the restoration of peace
 mott to recoqnize Germany as Of equal right but rather continue to fight in systematic fashion
 The attempt ot the four allied pow. CTS to bring about a peace failed on account of the lust for conquest of their adversaries who (do noD want peace Under the proteXt of the prin ciple of nationalities they unveiled as ] their war aims opposition to and dls honor for Germany. Austria. Hungary. Turkey and Bulgaria. To our desire i for reconciliation they opposed their will They want to fight to the last. Thus g new situation has sprung 1 up. which forces Germany also to new decisions For two years and a half England adopted political and naval measures in a critical attempt to l force Germany and Austria Hungary to subjeetion Brutality despite the laws of nations the group of powers marshalled by England not only pro hibits leeitimate trade of it's adyer- saries by reckless pressure on neutral states. it stopped all trade relations agreeable to il or forces them to limit , their tra le according to it's orders
 The American nation knows the means taken in order to move Eng land her allies 10 return 10 the laws of , nations and to respect the law oi freedom of the seas the British gov ernment persists in its war of starva- tion which certainly does no touch the military strength of it's adyersar- ies. but which forces women and ch!l- dren the sick and aged persons 10 un- drso painful privations for thir couu. trys sake, which are harming the na. tional vitality This British imper. iou.ness in cold blood accentuates the suffering of the world without re gard for every command of humanity without regard for the protest of severely damaged neutrals without regard even for the silent longing for peace within the nations of it's own allies. Every day in which the fear ful struggle goes on brings new de yastation new misery. new deaths every day by which the war is shorten ed will preserve on both sides the lives of thousands of brave soldiers, ana sailors and means blessing for the tortured humanity.
 The Imperial government before it's own conscience and before history would be unable to assume the respon aibility i it left untried any one means to hasten the end of the war Together with the president of the United States it has hoped to obtain this aim by negotaions
 "The attempt to establish an un dertaking between the adyersaries having been answered by the anounce ment of intensified warfare, the I'm perial government must now continue the war for existence once more fore ed upon it. by using it's weapons
 The Imperial government therefore is forced to do away with the restric- tions which until now has impressed upon the use of it's fighting means on the sea.
 Trusting that the American people and its government will be alive to these reasons for this decision and for its necessity the Imperial government hopes that the United States will ap- preciate the newest state of affairs from the lofty and exalted standpoint
 of the Imperial (GovernmenD and on
 it's part will also cooperate in order to avoid further misery and avoidahle
 sacrifices of human lives
 "Referring as to details of the plan