Mexico Missouri message., 1917-02-15
PRESIDENT TELLS CONGRESS why
We HAVE BROKEN With GERMANY

son, in an address to a joint session
Of congress, told his reasons for break
ing Off diplomatic negotiations with
Germany. He said:
'To the congress, February 3, 1917.
Gentlemen of the Congress:
"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 list day of Febru-
airy, the present month, it would adopt
a policy with regard to the use of
submarines against all shipping seek
ing to pass through certain designated
| areas of the high seas to which II Is
| clearly my duty to call your attention.
LET me remind the congress that
on the 18th of April last, in view Of
the sinking on the Oath of March Of
the cross Channel passenger steamer
Sussex by German submarine, with
out summons or warning, and the con-
sequent loss of the lives of several
citizens of the United States, who
were passengers aboard her, this gov
eminent addressed note to the In
peTial German government in which Il
made the following declarations:
eff It still be the purpose of the i'm
perial government TO prosecute relent-
less 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 die
tates 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 i'm
perial government should now and i'm
mediately declare and effect an aban-
dCnment Of its 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-
lations with the German empire alto
gether.'
ain reply to this declaration the i'm
perial German government gave this
government the following assurance:
"'The German government is pre-
pared to do it's utmost to confine the
operations of the war for the rest of
its duration to the fighting forces of
the belligerents, thereby also assuring
the freedom of the seas, a principle
upon which the German government
believes, now as before, to be in agree
ment with the government Of the
United States.
"'The German government, guided
Dy this idea, notifies the government
of the United States that the German
naval forces have received the follow
Ing 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 zone,
declared as naval war zone, shall not
be sunk without warning and without
saving human lives, unless these ships
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 per-
mitted to continue to apply at will
methods of warfare violating the rules
of international law. Such q demand
would be incompatible with the char
acter of neutrality, and the German
government is convinced that the gov
eminent of the United States does not
think of making such a demand,
knowing that the government of the
United States has repeatedly declared
that 1t is determined to restore the
principle of the freedom of the seas,
from whatever quarter it has been vio-
lated
ITO this the government of the Unit
ed States replied ON the eighth of May,
accepting, of course, the assurance CIV
en-, but adding:
""The government of the United
States feels 1t necessary to state that
1t takes it for granted that the i'm
perial German government does not
intend it to imply that the maintenance
of its newly announced policy is in any
way contingent upon the course Of re-
suits of diplomatic negotiations be-
tween the government of the United
States and other belligerent govern
ments, Notwithstanding the fact that
certain passages in the imperial gov
ernment's note of the fourth instant
might appear to be susceptible OF that
construction. In order, however, to
avoid any possible misunderstanding,
the government of the United States
notifies the imperial government that
1t cannot for a moment entertain,
much less discuss, a suggestion that
respect by German naval authorities
for the rights of citizens of the United
States upon the high seas should in
any way in the slightest degree be
made contingent upon the conduct of
any other government affecting the