The Green Forest tribune., 1917-02-09
PRESIDENT TELLS CONGRESS WHY
 WE HAVE BROKEN WITH GERMANY

Responsibility in such matters is single, not joint; absolute not rela- tive
 "To this note of the eighth of May the imperial German government made no reply. On the thirty-first of Janu- ary, the Wednesday of the present week, the German ambassador handed to the secretary of state, along with a formal note, memorandum which contains the following statements:
 The imperial government, there, fore, does not doubt that the govern ment of the United States will under stand the situation thus forced upon Germany by the entente allies brutal methods of war and by their determina- tion to destroy the central powers, and that the government of the United states will further realize that the now openly disclosed intentions of the entente allies give back to Germany the freedom of action which she re- served in her note addressed to the government of the United States on May 4, 1916
 Under these circumstances Ger many will meet the illegal measures of her enemies by forcibly preventing after February 1, 1917 in zone around Great Britain, France, Italy and in the eastern Mediterranean all navigation, that of neutrals included, from and to England and from and to France, etc. etc. All ships met within the zone will be sunk
 q 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 im- perial governments note of the fourth of May, 1916, this government has no alternative consistent with the dignity and honor of the United States, but to take the course which, in it's note of the eighteenth of April, 1916 it an- nounced that it would take in the event that the German government did not declare and effect an abandonment of the methods of submarine warfare which it was then employing and to which it now purposes again to re- sort.
 "I have, therefore, directed the sec retary 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the United States and the German empire are severed and that the American am bassador at Berlin will be immediately withdrawn, and in accordance with this decision to hand to his excellency his passports.
 Notwithstanding this unexpected action of the German government, this sudden and deeply deplored re- nunciatiOn of it's assurances, given this government at one of the most critical moments of tension in the re- lations of the two governments, 1 re- fuse to believe that 1t is the intention of the German authorities to do in fact what they have warned us they will feel at liberty to do. I cannot bring myself to believe that they will indeed pay no regard to the ancient friendship between their people and pui pHii Ol tO lllc SOltlll1 ODlISdIlOnS which have been exchanged between them and destroy American ships and take the lives of American citizens in the willful prosecution of the ruth less naval program they have an- nounced their intention to adopt. Only actual overt acts on their part can make me believe it even now.
 'lf this inveterate confidence on my part in the sobriety and prudent fore sight of their purpose should unhappily prove unfounded; if American ships and American lives should in fact be sacrificed by their naval commanders in needless cOntravention of the just and reasonable understandings of in- ternational law and the obvious die tates of humanity, I shall take the lib- erty of coming again before the con- gross, to ask that authority be given me to use any means that may be nee essary for protection of our seamen and our people in the prosecution of their peaceful and legitimate errands on the high seas. I can do nothing less. take it for granted that all neutral governments will take the same course.
 "We do not desire any hostile con- fict 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 ernment which speaks for them. We shall not believe that they are hostile to us unless and until we are obliged to believe it, and we purpose nothing more than the reasonable defense of the undOubted rights of our people. We wish to serve no selfish ends. We seek merely to stand true alike in thought and in action, to the imme- morial principles of our people which I sought to express in my address to the senate only two weeks ago-seek merely to vindicate our right to liberty and an unmolested life. These are the bases of peace, not war. Grant .h:I+ we shall not be challenged to de. e.: 'lem by acts of wilful injustice on the part of the government of Ger many"
 Swiss Facing Famine Peril.