The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-02-08

are severed and that the American am
bassador at Berlin will be Immediately
withdrawn. and In accordance with
! this decision to hand 10 his excellency
his passports.
| Notwithstanding this unexpected
action of the German government.
/ this sudden and deeply deplored re-
nunciation of It's assurances. given
this government at one of the most
critical moments of tension in the re-
! latiOns of the two governments, re
fuse 10 believe that II Is the intention
lof the German authorities 10 do in
fact whit they have warned ms they
win feel ut liberty 10 do. cannot
| bring myself 10 believe that they Will
! indeed pay no regard to the ancient
! friendship between their people and
our own or 10 the solemn obligations
which have been exchanged between
them and destroy American ships and
| take the lives of American citizens
in the willful prosecution of the ruth
less naval program they have an
nounced their Intention to adopt. Only
actual overt acts ON their part can
! make me believe IL even now.
viii Come TO Congress Again.
IIf this inveterate confidence on my
part in IIe sohriety and prudent fore
sight Of their purpose should uniIapnily
prove unfOuntled; If American ships
and Americans lives should in fact he
sacrificed by their naval commanders
| in Needless cantravention of the just
and reasonable understandings of in.
| ;ernation3tl law and the ohvious die
tates Of humanity. | shall take the lib.
| erty of comm. again before the con
gress. to ask that authority be given
me 10 use any means that may he nee
essai.y' for prGtectim of our, seamen
and our people in the prosecution Of
/ their peaceful aud legitimate errante,
on the high seas. ! can do nothing
| less. | take IL for granted that III!
neutral governments VIII take the same
! course.
"Ne ,Io NOT desire any hostile con-
| fiict with the imperial German govern.
| ment. We are the sincere friends of
| the German people and earnestly de-
sire 10 remain at peace with the gov
eminent which speaks for them. We
| shall not believe that they are hostile
| TO us unless ana until we are Obliged
| To believe il. and we purpose nothing
! more than the reasonable defense of
| the undouhteG rights Of our people.
| We wish tn serve no selfish ends. We
seek merely 10 stand true alike in
| thought and in action, To the imme.
mortal principles of our people which
| sought to express in my address ia
! the senate only two weeks ago--seek
| merely To ylndicate our right 70 liberty
and an unmolcsted life. These nrc
the bases of peace. not war. Grant
that we shall not be challenged to de
fend them by acts of wiiful injustice
on the part of the government of Ger
many"
Break Made Complete.
PASSWORDS haze been handed Ia
Count won Bernstorff; Ambassador
Gerard, with al his STAFF, and nj
American consGlS have been ordered
out of Germany All German consnl'
In the United States are expected t.
withdraw, that the severance Of rcla
tons may be complete.
American diplomatic interests ii
Berlin have been turned over to Spain
German diplomatic interests in the
United States have been taken over
by Switzerland. Foreign diplomatic
interests which the United States haC
in charge in Germany have beer
turned over to various neutrals.