Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-02-09
Wilson Sewers Dip
|onnatiC Relations.
Won BERNST0RFF TO GO
German Ambassador Given His
Passports and Gerard Is
Recalled From Berlin.

Washington, Feb. 3.-Diplomatic re-
lations with Germany have been brok'
On of.
President Wilson, In a personal ad'
dress to . joint session Of congress,
announced the American governments
answer to Germany's declaration OF
ruthless submarine warfare.
Ambassador Gerard has been in
structed to ask the German foreign
ONCE for his passports. Passports
have been sent to Count Won Bern
storff.
Ambassador Gerard's instructions
are to close his embassy, as we'll as
all the consulates in Germany. All
embassy attaches, consuls, consular
agents and their STATS are to be
brought out of Germany This makes
the severance Of relations more COM
plete than is usual in such cases.
The United States has formally de.
manded of Germany the immediate
release Of the Americans who were
taken prisoners on prize ships by the
raiders in the South Atlantic.
In all there were sixty-four Ameri.
cans taken from the steamers Georgia,
Mount Temple and Voltaire Sixty of
tho prisoners are confined In the pris-
on camp at Duelmen in .Westfalen.
Germanys diplomatic interests in
the United States will be assumed by
the Swiss legation. Spain will take
over the diplomatic interests of the
United States in Berlin.
Reasons for the-6reak.
In his address to congress President
Wilson detailed his negotiations with
Germany over submarine abuses and
told of the assurances made by the
German government following the
sinking of the passenger steamer Sus.
sex without warning, resulting In the
loss of several American lives. Con-
corning the German note Of Jan. 81,
1917, declaring for unrestricted use of
the submarine, the president says:
II think that you will agree with me
that, in view Of this declaration, in
which suddenly and without prior init
nation Germany withdraws the SOL
emn assurance given in the imperial
governments note of May 4, 1915. this
government has no alternative COM
petent with the dignity and honor OF
the United States but to take the
course which, in it's note Of the 18th
of April, 1916, it announced it would
take in the event that the German
government did not declare and effect
an abandonment Of the methods OF
submarine warfare which 1t was then
and to which it now pur-
poses to again resort.
II have, therefore, directed the Sec
rotary Of state to announce to his ex-
cellency, the German ambassador. that
all diplomatic relations between the
United States and the German empire
are severed. and that tho American
ambassador at Berlin will Immediate
ly b Withdrawn. and in accordance
with this decision to hand to his OK.
oellency his passports.
Doubts Threat viii Dc Carried Out.
Notwithstanding this expected ef
feet upon the German government this
sudden and deplorable renunciantion
Of it, assurances given by Berlin at
one Of the most critical periods of re-
lations between the two governments.
I refuse to believe that It is the inten-
ton of the German authorities to do
In effect what they have warned us
khey will feel at liberty to do.
r cannot bring myself to believe
that they will indeed pay no regard to
The ancient friendship between their
people and our own or to the solemn
obligations which have been exchang-
ID between them and destroy Amer
lean ships and take the lives Of Amer
lean citizens In the willful prosecution
Of the ruthless naval program they
have announced their intention toI
adopt. Only actual overt acts on
heir part can make me believe 1t even
then.
I'VE wish to serve no selfish ends.
We merely wish observance OF the
mmemorial principles of our people,
which I sought to express in my ad-
dress to the senate only two weeks
ago. God grant We may not be chal-
lenged to defend our rights by acts of
willful injustice on the part Of the
&c vernment OF Germany"
Passed Over President's Veto.
Waahinpfon Fob S-President Will.
sons veto of the immigration bill be-