The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-05

ppears Before Joint Ses-
 sion and in Dramatic Re
 cital Presents Review of
 Events That Have Caused
 Severance of Relations
 With Berlin - Galleries
 Thronged With Specta-
 tors.
 Washington, Feb. 5--Severance of diplomatic relations with Germany was formally announced by President Wilson at a joint session Of congress Saturday afternoon.
 Fervently invoking the guidance of Almighty God in the step he had talk en, President Wilson detailed to the congress why the United States could not continue relations with a warning power that repeatedly invades it's sa- cred rights and takes the lives of it's citizens.
 Calm, with a sense of right in what may prove to be the most som- ore moment OI kAIIlcllCdl S1lAotOAys SAlS president stood in the historic hall of representatives, and with senators and representatives before him spoke the words that may carry the country into the world conflict, not for aggres- sion and not for power; only for law and humanity.
 The president spoke as follows:
 "Gentlemen of the congress:
 ~,-1 un orY,r nj on the 31st of January announced to this government and to the govern ments of the other neutral nations that 6n and after the first, day of Feb riiary, the present month, it would adopt a policy with regard to the use of submarines against all {. shipping seeking tofpAsz throug ghgcertain desig- mated areas of the high seas, to which 1t is clearly my duty to call your at- tention.
 Let me remind the Congress that on the 9th of April last in view of the sinking on the 24th of March of the cross channel passenger steamer Sus- sez by a German subnlarine without summons or warning and the conse- Quent loss of the lives of several citi- zehs of the United States, who were passengers aboard her, this govern ment addressed a note to the imperial German government, in which it made the following declaration:
 If it is still the purpose of the imperial government to prosecute re- lentless 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 govern ment of the United States is at last forced to the conclusion that there is but one course it can purpose. Un- less the imperial government should now immediately declare and effect an abandonment of it's present meth ods Of submarine 2, warfare against passenger and freight carrying ves- sels, the government of the United States can have no choice but to sever diplomatic rela with the Ger ! man empire altogetber'
 Tn reply to this decIaration the in- poffal Gefman government gave this government the following assurance:
 " The German government is pre- pared to do its utmost to conf1ne the operations of war for the rest of is du- ration to the fighting forces of the belligerents, thereby also insuring the freedom of the seas. a principle upon which the German government be- 1ieves now. as before, to be in agree. nlent with the government of the United States
 aThe German government, guided by this idea. assures the government of the United States that the German naval forces have received the follow ing order: In accordance with the general principles of visit and search and destruction of merchant vessels recognized by international law, such -.5els, both within and. without the
 declared naval war zone, shall \ be sunk without warning and { without saving human lives. unless these ships attempt to escape or offer resistance.
 z But. it added, 'neutrals cannot expect that Germany, forced to fight for her existence. shall, for the sake s2 of neutral interest, restrict the use of an effective weapon if her enemy ia permitted to continue to apply at will methods of warfare violating the rules of international law. Such a demand would be incompatible with the char acter of neutrality and the German government is convinced that the gov ernment of the United ctates does not think of making such a demand, <, knowing that the government of the United States has repeatedly declar- ed that it is determined to restore the principle of the freedom of the 2 seas. from whatever quarter it has been violated
 ''To this the government of the United States replied on the 9th of May, accepting, of course, the assur- ances given, but adding:
 The government of the United States feels it necessary to state that it takes it for granted that the imperial German government does not intend $ to imply that the maintenance of its newly announced policy is in any way ' contingent upon the course or result ; of diplomatic negotiations between the government of the United States and any other belligFent government, notwithstanding the fact that certain passages in the imperial government s note of the 4th instant might appear to be susceptible of that construct on, In order. however, to avoid any mis- understanding, the government of the United States notifies the imperial government that it cannot for a mo- ment entertain, much less discuss, a suggestion that respect by German