The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1917-02-08

Washington.-Thes severance of dip
lomatic relations with Germany was
formally announced to the country
and the world by President Wilson
at a joint session of Congress Satur-
day, February 8, at 2 o'clock.
Fervently invoking the guidance of
Almighty God in the step he had
taken, the President, speaking de-
liberately and with great solemnity,
said:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
1.-THE Imperial German Government
on the 31st of January announced to
this Government and to the Govern
ments of the other neutral Nations
that on and after the first day Of Feb
ruary, the present month, it would
adopt policy with regard to the use
of submarines against all shipping
seeking to pass through certain des-
ignated areas of the high seas to
which it is clearly my duty to call
your attention.
t LET me remind the Congress that
on the 8th of April last in view OF
the sinking on the oath of March of
the cross-channel passenger steamer
Sussex by a German submarine, with
out summons or warning and the
consequent loss of the lives of sew.
eral citizens of the United States who
were passengers aboard her. This
Government addressed a note TO the
Imperial German Government, in
which it made the following declara-
ton:
i "'If it is still the purpose Of the
Imperial Government to prosecut re-
1entless and indiscriminate warfare
against vessels of commerce by the
use of submarines without regard to
what the Government of the United
States must consider the sacred and
indisputable rules of international
law and the universally recognized
dictates of humanity, the Government
of the United States is at last forced
to the conclusion that there is but
one course it can pursue. Unless the
Imperial Government should now i'm
mediately declare and effect an aban-
donment of it's present methods OF
submarine warfare against passenger
and freight carrying vessels, the Gov
eminent of the United States can have
no choice but to sever diplomatic re-
1ations with the German Empire alto
gether.'
Germany's Reply.
"In reply to this declaration, the
Imperial German Government gave
this Government the following assur-
ance:
"'The German Government is pre-
pared to do it's utmost to cOnf1ne the
operations of war for the rest of its
duration to the fighting forces of the
belligerents, thereby also insuring the
freedom of the seas, a pricipal up
on which the German Government be-
lieves now, as before, to be in agree
ment with the Government of the
United States.
"'The German Government, guided
by this idea, notifies the Government
of the United States that the German
naval forces have received the fol-
lowing orders: In accordance with
the general principles of visit and
search and destruction of merchant
vessels recognized by international
law, such vessels, both within and
without the area declared as naval
war zones, shall not be sunk without
warning and without saving human
lives, unless these shops attempt to
escape or offer resistance.
But it added, 'neutrals cannot
expect that Germany, forced to fight
for her existence, shall, for the sake
of neutral interests, restrict the use
of an effective weapon if her enemy
is permitted to continue to apply at
will methods of warfare violating the
rules of internatioal law. Such de-
mand would be incompatible with the
character of neutrality, and the Ger
man Government is convinced that
the Government of the United States
does not think of making such de-
mand, knowing that the Government
of the United States has repeatedly
declared that it is determined to re-
store the principle of the freedom of
the seas, from whatever quarter it has
been violated
No Contingencies.
''TO this the Government of the
United States replied on the 8th of
May, accepting, of course, the assur-
ances given, but adding:
"'The Government of the United