The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-02-03

we had almost wi =
that President vii etary
Lansing's intimately united
States were near TN ii 1nVol-
untary embodiment european
war may be at any hent accen-
tuated by an officia WannouncemenS
that our government has severed d.
plomatic relations with Germany and
handed Ambassador Won Bernstein
his passport.
In an official note to the United
States and other neutral powers the
German government announces that
in retaliation for England's blockade,
which seeks to starve Germany anu
her allies into subJectlon, ana De
cause of the refusal of the entente
governments to countenance Ger
manv's proposal that a discussion
Of peace terms be opened re-
strictions which have been heretofore
observed in the prosecution OF sub
marine warfare will be discarded on
and after February /, and "all sea
traffic will be forthwith opposed IN
barred zones encircling the countries
with which the Teutonic allies are at
war, The limits OF these zones in
clude mostly a sea space twenty miles
wide. and vessels venturlng within
the prescribed areas are to be sub
iect to attack and destruction without
warning and irrespective Of their ma
tiona]ities.
The traffic of regular American
passenger steamers is to be permit
ted to on unmolested under condl-
tons Which it seems inconcelvable
that Our government can consent,
namely: Falmouth is to be the sole
port of destination; certain specl1leo
courses are to be followed going to
and returning from that port; the
vessels must be painted in alternating
broad stripes of red and white, dis
play large checkered red-and-whlte
flags from every mast and the Amer
lean flag from the stern, and the SHIPS
to be brilliantly and completely IL
luminmted at night; only one steamer
to RI each way per week, reaching
Fala nth on SUNDAYS and leaving on
We sdays, and, plly, the Ameri-
car SEovernment to guarantee that
none of these vessels will carry artl-
cles included in the German contra
band list.
The attitude assumed by the Unit
ed States in the Sussex case is clear
ly set forth in President Wilson's final
contribution to the correspondence
evoked by that well-remembered in
stance of Germany's illegal and inhu-
name submarine policy. The presl-
dent said:
'If it is still the purpose Of the i'm
perial government to prosecute re
lentless and indiscriminate warfare
against vessels Of commerce by the
use of submarines without regard to
what the United States must consld-
err the sacred and indisputable rules
of international law and the unlver-
sally recognized dictates Of humanity,
the government of the United States
is at last forced to the conclusion
that there is but one course 1t can
pursue. Unless the imperial govern
ment should now Immediately declare
and effect an abandonment of its
present methods of submarine war
fare against passenger and freight
carrying vessels, the government OF
the United States can have no choice
but to sever diplomatic relations with.
the German empire altogether. This
action the government of the United
| States conteRplates with the greatest
reluctance, but feels constrained to
take in behalf of humanity and the
rights of neutral nations.
AS the German government has
now formally announced in effect that
it intends not only resumption OF
the kind of warfare to which the Unit
ed States objected, but to prosecute
still more Objectionable and indis-
criminate form of attack upon all
kinds of vessels, irrespective of their
nationality or character, it is diff
cult to see what other course can be
taken by our government than to re-
iterate it's former declaration and 70
follow the word with the deed" at
the first overt act committed by Ger
many in contravention Of the usages
Of humanity and the rights of neu-
trails as heretofore interpreted and
upheld by this government
1t remains to be seer whether Ger
many will deliberately provoke the
United States into a severance of d.
plomatic relations, thus creating a
situation which will indeed place this
country on the verge of unsought
and undesired participation in the
great world-war that has ragged across
the oceans for two years and a half.
AS the Kaiser's country would seem
to have nothing to gain and much to
lose by such an act, it's commission
would apparently justify the conclu-
sion That Germany 6pds herself in q
despa e condition rom which only
the nj t desperate means offer any
hope oGpossible extrication.
Long Grinding Season Concluded.
P. S. Richard, sugar Weigher, and