The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-03

dreadnaught Arkansas off the Virginia
capes on emergency duty.
perial government gave this government
the following assurance: The German
government is prepared to do its ut
most to confne the operations of war
for the rest of its duration to the fight
ing forces of the belhgerents, thereby
also insuring the freedom of the seas,
a principle upon which the German gov
crnment believes now as before to be
in agreement with the government Of
the United States.
= The German government. guided
py this idea, notifies the government Of
the United States that the German
naval forces have received the follow
ing orders in accordance with the gem
eial principles Of visit and search and
destruction of merchant vessels recoo-
nized by international law. Such vessels
both within and without the area de-
clarcd a naval war zone shall not lie
sunk without warning and without saw
ing lUnan lives unless these ships at
tempt to escape or offer resistance. but
j; addod neutrals cannot expect that
Germany forced to fight for its cxis-
tcncc. shall fer the sake Of neutral in
tcr.st restrict tha use Of an effective
wea: lon if her enemy is permitted to
cont nue. to apply at viii methods Of
WARTIME violating the rules Of interna-
tional law.
To this the government o. the United
States replied on the Nth of May ac-
ccpting Of course the assurances given,
,ut adding in order, however. TO avoid
any i understanding the government
Cf th1 United States notified the i'm
pcriai government that il cannot foI
momcGt entertain. much less discuss
:; ugqe.'ien that respect by German
naval authorities for the right of cit
izcnS u the United States upon the
high seoa should in any way or in tho
slightest degree be made contingent
uHou the conduct of anT other govern
maut affecting the rights of neutrals
and uon-combatants.
''Fa rhiS note % the Sth Of Nay the nm.
rerial German government made no reply
On the 3lst of january the German am
haszador handed t. the secretary o, state
along with a formal note. a memorandum
The uuerial government therefore. does
not doubt that the government ot the
United States viii understand the situa
tion thu, forced upon Germany by the en-
! tente allies brutal methods of war and by
their determination to destroy the cen
trad powers ana that the government o
the United States will further realize thai
the now onenly disclosed intention o: the
entente allies gives back t. Germany tn,
freedom Of action which She reserves il
her note addressed to the government o
the United States OF May !, 1916
Under these circumstances Gelmanl
viii meet the illegal measures Of her enc
5 mics hH forciby preventing. after Feb. /
i 1917, in zone around Great Britain
+ France, Italy and in the eastern Med ter
+ lanean all navigation; that Of neutral
i included from and to England and from
f and TO France. etc. etc. All ehips me
f within these zones viii be sunk
j, Il think that you will agree with M
that IL view Of this declaration. which
suddenly and without prior ntimation o
any kind. deliberately withdIaws the sol
t cmr assurance given in the imperial GOV
e,nment's note Of the 4th Of May, l9lf
9 this government has no alternative con
7 sistent with the dignity and honor Of tn
t United States hut to take the cours
J. which in its note of the 18th of Apr
il 1916, it announced that It would take i
h the event that the German government
h did not declare aad effect an abandonment
! Of the methods Of submarine war1ar
which it was then employing and t
: which it now purposes again 70 resort
Il have therefore. directed the seer
tary Of state to announce to his exec
tho mi SSaIpI t1,ot oil Il
: nlomatic relations between the Unite
= States ard the German empire are severe
: and that the American ambassador at Be
= liz viii Immediately be withdrawn and
accordance with this decision t. hand /
his eXceleney his PASSPORTS
Il In closing the President said:
We do not desire any hostile COZ
e fict with the imperial German govern
ment We are the sincere friends
r the German people and earnestly desil
y to remain at peace with the governmel
a which speaks for them We shall nj
,d believe that they are hostile to
n unless we are obliged to believe it al
w we purpose nothing more than Il
es reasonable defense of the undoubt,
ne rights of our people. We wish to ser,
he no selfish ends. We seek merely
Sc stand true alike in thought and in a
v tion to the immemorial principles of o
Ie people which | have sought to expire
is in my address to the senate only tv
re weeks ago; seek merely to vindicate 0
ne rights to liberty and justice and an u
ed molested life. These are the bases
er peace, not war. God grant that we m;
an not be challenged to defend them
act of willful injustice on the part
IA the government of Germany"