The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-02-08
THE PRESIDENT
OUTLINED VIEW
TOOK CONGRESS INTO HIS CON.
FlDENcE ON cERMANY's
BREAK OF PLEDGE
POINTED OUT ULTIMATE RESULT Of Il
Asked For Power to Use Any Means
Necessary to Protect Our
Rights

On Saturday President Wilson went
before congress and briefly addressed
the members on the grave situation
which at that moment confronted the
nation. Bernstorff had just been hand
ed his passports and the American
Ambassador Gerard had been called
home. Diplomatic relations were thus
severed, and the actors on the scene
were marking time. 1t was a tense
and dramatic moment, and the presi-
dent was fully aware of the import Of
his words.
He spoke as follows:
IL think that you will agree with me
that, in view of this declaration, which
suddenly and without prior intimation
of any kind deliberately withdraws
the solemn assurance given in the
imperial governments note Of May 4,
1916, this government has no alterna-
tive consistent with the dignity and
honor of the United States but to take
the course which, in it's note of April
IS, 1916, it announced that it would
take in the event that the German gov
eminent did not declare and effect an
abandonment Of the methods of sub.
marine warfare which it was then en-
ploying and to which it now purposes
again to resort.
81 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 the American am
bassador at Berlin will Immediately
be withdrawn and, in accordance with
his passports.
Notwithstanding this unexpected
action of the German government,
this sudden and deeply deplorable re-
nunciatiOn of it's assurances, given
this government at one OF the most
critical moments of tension of the rela-
tons of the two governments, | refuse
to believe that it is the intention of
the German authorities to do in fact
what they have warned us they will
feel at liberty to do so. | annot
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 exchanged between
them. and destroy American ships and
take the lives of American citizens in
the wilful prosecution of the ruthless
naval program they have announced
as their intention to adopt. Only ac-
tual overt acts on their part can make
me believe it even now.
eff this inveterate confidence on my
part in the sobriety and prudent for
sight of their purpose should unhap-
PLY prove unfounded; if American
ships and American lives should in
fact be sacrificed by their naval com
manders in needless c~ontravention Of
the just and reasonable understand
ings of international law and the OBJ
vious dictates of humanity, | shall
take the liberty of~coming again before
the congress to ask that authority be
given to use any mean that may be
necessary for the protection of our
seamen and our people in the prosecu-
ton of their peaceful and legitimate
errands on the high seas. | can do
nothing less. / take it for granted
that all neutral governments will take
the same course.
1--WE do not desire any hostile con-
hict with the imperial German govern
ment. We are the sincere friends of
the German people and earnestly de-
sire to remain at peace with the gov
eminent which speaks for them. We
shall not believe that they are hostile
to us until We are obliged to believe
it and we purpose nothing more than
the reasonable defense of the undoubt-
ed rights of our people. We wish to
serve no selfish ends. We seek mere
ly to stand true alike in thought and
in action to the immemorial principles
of u people which ! have sought | n
my address only two weeks ago-seek
merely tn yindicate our right 10 liber-
ty and Justice and On unmolested life.
These are the bases Of peace, not war.
God grant that we may not be chal.
lenged to defend them by acts Of will.
full injustice on the part Of the govern.
mont nj HormanvD