The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1917-02-06
President Asks Congress TO
Clear Decks For Action in Case
War is Necessary-8reakw with
Austria=Huneary and All Ger
man Allies Probable.

President Wilson has broken off dip-
tomatic relations with Germany and
warned the Kaiser that ruthless sacri-
fee of American lives and rights
means war.
Similar action is waiting for Austria
when she notifies this government that
she joins in the campaign of unre-
stricted submarine warfare The
President made formal announcements
II this action to the country and ID
The world at a joint session of Con
gress.
Passports have been handed TO
Count Won Bernstorff. Ambassador
Gerard with all his staff and all Amer
Ican consuls have been ordered out of
Germany. All German consuls in tn
United States are expected to with
draw that the severance of relations
may be complete. American diplO-
matte interests in Berlin have been
turned over to Spain; German diplo-
matte interests in the United States
have been taken over by Switzerland
Foreign diplomatic interests which
United States had in charge in Ger
many have been turned over TO various
neutrals
Two years of diplomatic negotia.
lion. marked with frequent crisis. and
attended with the loss OF more than
zoo American lives on the. high seas,
nave eliminated with an act which III
al the history Of all the world has
always lei 10 war Every agency of
he American government has been SET
n motion to protect the countr. :
against acts of German sympathizers
These moves are of necessity being
sept secret.
With the notice of severance of dip
lomatic relations the United States
sent TO Berlin a demand for the imme-
date release of 81 Americans taken
from ships captured by German raiders
n the South Atlantic.
At the request of the President,
Congress Immediately after hearing
MS address began work on new laws
framed by the Department of Justice
20 check oonspiracies and plots against
the United States which can not no v
oe reached under existing statutes.
The question OF conveying America
merchant ships through the submarine
blockade has been taken up and is be
ing considered as one OF the next
moves by this government.
Soon after Count Won Eernstorn >
passports arrived, United States secret
service men threw a guard about the
Ambassador and his suite to make
.ertain that the hospitality of the Unit
ID States is not violated while he re
mains on American soil. The status
Of Count Tarnowski, the Austrian AM
aassador. was undecided, although he
called at the State Department to ar
-ange for presenting his credentials %
President Wilson.
For months. ever since relations
Nth Germany became acute, there
nave been ominous signs of threaten
I'd activities Of German sympathiZerS
md disloyal Americans if diplomatic
relations were broken off. The admin
jstration has rot been unmIndful OF
rhese. Various branches OF the go'-
eminent have informed themselves Oh
the subject far more completely than
might he thought Officials express
themselves as satisfied that thew VIZ,
No able to cope with the situation. in
cs1e army and navy. and in the citizen
shin generally, officials realize that the
.,omnosite character of American ma
,ionality makes il difficult not to find
sor,e persons who will express sym
uathv with the land Of their birth.
The ATTEMPT to sink the torpedo
hoat Jacob Jones at Philadelphia -
vecognized as an instance OF some OF
he things which NAV be expected, Du'
on the whole all the agencies or the
government believe they have mace
generations to meet such eXlgencle'
= are prepared to meet them as the!
-Tise.
The breaking of of relations CAM
,,itb a crash. despite the fact that y
lad been discussed. and pracucally DC
,arrinad upon Friday night. Inc
president returned from his night coli,
terence with the Senators determine
nat a break in relations was the ohiI
oct consistent with the dignity am
-he honor of the United States. ne
grorked most of the night prepat-
ing his address to Congress.
WASHINGTON. d. C., Feb. 5.-lhe
sending home of Won Bernstorh anu
he calling home of Gerard, tne othin'
,,s message which the President was
forced TO carry to Congress, does nor
necessarily mean war. Inc hunluo
Il those in and out of Congress "no
believe il will not. even unoer the
~ums.ances. is surprisingly large. bi'
the one word, "war," is on every hi
nevertheless. =
O@cial ard civil WASHINGTON Is
sobered. but determined, no what the
arnected has come about. In the gray
est neriod known to the nation sine
The day war was declared on Spain
he hone is vet held out that no actudl
var will follow the Presidents al
aress to Congress if the Chief Execu
i've can avoid it. =,
But. however, should an overt ACT OF
such character as this government can
non ignore occur. with no diplomats
channel open through which TO take
Il up. no way will be left open ca