The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-02-28
H0LLWEG SAYS
U.S.AIDS ALLIES
Submits to British Dicta-
tiOn. He Tells Reichstag
in Explaining Break.
ACTION UNPRECEDENTED
Chancellor Asserts Empire
Will Not Abate in Least Its
Policy of Ruthlessness.

BERLIN Thy wireiess). Feb Elm
his address to the Reichstag to-day
Chancellor Won Bethmann- Hollweg, after
declaring that the successes obtained in
the submarine warfare already had much
surpassed the expectations of the Ger
man navy. made a long statement re-
garding the breaking Off OF relations be-
tween Germany and the United States.
The Chancellor said:
"One step further than taken by Euro
pean neutrals has been made--as is
known-by the United States of America.
President Wilson, after receiving our
note Of January 81. prusquely broke off
relations with US No authentic COM
! munication about the reasons which were
given for his steps reached me. The
former United States ambassador here
IN Berlin communicated only in spoken
words to the State Secretary of the For
eign Office of breaking Off relations and
asked for his passports. This form OF
breaking of relations between great ma.
| tions living In peace IL probably without
precedent In history.
Relies ON News Dispatches.
"All official documents being lacking
| / am forced 20 rely upon doubtful sources
that Is, upon the Reuter- (news agency
| Offices version Of the contents Of the
message sent by President Wilson on
February to Congress. In this version
| the President Is reported to have said
| that our note Of January 81 suddenly
md tv..ll- &.xA-
! tionaliy withdrew the solemn promises
| made In the note Of May, 1916.
'To the United States Government.
| therefore. no choice compatible with
! dignity and honor was left other than
4, the way which had been announced in
her note Of April 90. 1916, covering the
case If Germany should not want to give
| up her submarine method.
| IF these arguments are correctly re-
ported by Reuter-. then ! must decidedly
protest against them. For more than a
| century friendly relations between us
| and America have been carefully pro-
| NOTED. We honored them--as bismarck
once put it--as an heirloom from Fred
! erick the Great. Both countries bene-
fitted by 1t, both giving and taking
Old Principles Overthrowu.
"Since the beginning Of the war
things have changed on the other side of
| the waters. Old principles were over
thrown. On August ~, 1918, during
| the Mexican troubles President Wilson in
| n solemn message to Congress declared
! that he intended to follow the best usage
| or International law by a prohibition of
| the supplying of arms to both Mexica n
| parties at war against each other. One
year later. in 1914. these usages appar-
emily were no longer considered good.
| Countless materials Of war have been
supplied by America to the Entente, and
while the right Of the American citizen
| to travel without hindrance to Entente
countries and the right to trade without
| hindrance with France and England.
| even through the midst Of the battle
| field, even the right Of such trade as
We had to pay for with German blood.
| while all these rights We're zealously
guarded. the same right of American cit
izcns toward the Central Powers did
| not seem to be az worthy of protec-
| ton and as valuable
| Enters strong Protest.
They protested against some meas
urcs OF England which We're contrary
| to international law. but they submitted
to them. Under conditions OF this kind
objection as to lack Of respect makes a
strange impression.
"With equal decisiveness must pro.
test against the objection that We by the
manner In which we Withdrew the assur.
ances given In tho note Of May ~.
Tended the honor and dignity Of ths
United states. From the very beginning
we had openly and expressly declared
that these assurances would be invalid
under certain conditions"
The Chancellor then recalled the last
paragraph of the note of May I. 1915
which he read verbatim, the last clause
being: SHOULD the steps taken by thu
Government OF the United States not at,
tain the object II desires. namely. to have
the laws of humanity followed by al
the beiiigerent nations. the German
Government would then be facing a new
situation. in which It must reserve to It.
self complete liberty OF decision"
"COnditiOns TulnIIcd."
The Chancellor then continued IA
to the Ams rican answer given to thu
| German note, II was so absolutely con
trary to what we In our note had sait
clearly and without any possibility o.
misunderstanding that a reply on oul
part would have changed nothing rs Il
the standpoints maintained by both sides
But nobody even In America could doub
that already long ago the conditions
were fulfilled upon which, according t.
our declaration. depended our regainini
full liberty OF decision.
England did not abandon the isola
tion Of Germany. but, on the contrary
intensified II In the most reckless fash
ion. Our advcrsaries were not made Il
respect the principles of internationa
law, universally recognized before thu
war, nor made TO follow the laws Of hu
manity. The Freedom OF the seas whicl
America wanted to restore in coopcra
ton with us during the war has beer
still more completely destroyed by ou
adversary, and America has not hin
dsred this All this is common knowl
edge.
Gwen AT the end OF January Englan
issued q new isolation declaration for tn
North Sea, and In this period. since Ma