The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-02-08
PRESIDENT Tells CONGRESS why
We HAVE BROKEN With GERMANY

Responsibility In such matters h
single, not joint; absolute, not reE
tive
ITO this note Of the eighth Of Ma,
the Imperial German government mad
no reply. On the thirty-first Of Jam
airy, the Wednesday OF the preseu
week, the German ambassador handp
to the secretary Of state, Along with f,
formal note, a memorandum whld
contains the following statements:
"'The imperial government. then
fore, does not doubt that the gOyep
ment Of the United States will undg
stand the situation thus forced ubu
Germany by the entente allies bruh
methods Of war and by their determla,
ton to destroy the central powers, and
that the government OF the Unltg
states will further realize that tb
now openly disclosed intentions OF In
entente allies give back to Germuu,
the freedom Of action which she n
served In her note addressed to lh
government OF the United States o.
May 4. 1916.
"Under these circumstances Ger
many will meet the Illegal measure
OF her enemies by forcibly preventln
after February /, 1917, In O zoul
around Great Britain. France. Ital,
and In the eastern Mediterranean Oh
navigator, that Of neutrnls INCLUDED
from and to England and from aud b
France. etc. etc. All ships met with,
the zone will be sunk
~ think that you will agree with M
that, In view Of this declaration. whld
suddenly and without prior lntImatle
of any kind deliberately withdraw
the solemn assurance given In the To-
perial governments note Of the fouri
Of May, 1916. this government has NJ
alternative consistent with the dlgnIJ
and honor OF the United States, but d
take the curse which. in Its note y
the eighteenth Of April. 1915. II 90
nounced that II would take in th
event that the German government dl
not declare and effect IN abandOnmer
Of the methods OF submarine warfan
which II was then employing and d
which II now purposes again TO re
sort.
81 have. therefore, directed the sec
rotary Of state TO announce to his er
cellency the German ambassador that
all diplomatic relations between I'M
United States and the German empIr
are severed and that the American an
bassadOr nj Berlin will be lmmedlateJ
withdrawn, and In accordance witt
this decision to hand to his excelleng
his passports.
Notwithstanding this unexpeCtN
action Of the German %governmen.
this sudden and deeply deplored re
nunclation Of its assurances, glyi
this government at one Of the mOs
critical moments Of tension in the re
latiOns Of the two governments, / re
fuse to believe that II Is the lntentl@
OF the German authorities to do 10
fact what they have warned us thg
will feel at liberty to do. I cannd
bring myself to believe that they VII
Indeed pay no regard TO the ancien
friendship between their people an!
u own or to the solemn obligations
which have been exchanged betwee
them and destroy American ships and
take the lives Of American citlzen
in the wlllful prosecution OF the ruth
less naval program they have 40
nounced their intention to adopt. 0nlI
actual overt acts on their part ca,
make me believe II even now.
IF this lnveterate confidence on M
part In the sobriety and prudent fore
sight Of their purpose should unhappy
prove unfounded; II American ship
and American lives should In fact b
sacrificed by their naval commands
In needless cOntravention Of the Jus
and reasonable understandings Of 10
ternational law and the obvious die
tates of humanity, l shall take the lib
erty Of coming again before the con
gress, to ask that authority be glyei
TO use any means that may be nee
essary for protection Of our seamei
and u people In the prosecution d
their peaceful and legitimate errand
on the high seas. l can do ~nothlnl
less. l take II for granted that al
neutral governments will take the SAINT
course.
1--WE do not desire any hostile con
llct with the Imperial German govern
ment. We are the sincere friends d
the German people and earnestly de
sire TO remain at peace with the gov
eminent which speaks for them. w
shall not believe that they are hostlN
to us unless and until We r obllge
to believe II, and we purpose nothini
more than the reasonable defense o.
the undoubted rights Of Il people
We wish to serve no selfish ends. w
seek merely to stand true alike u
thought and In action, to the imTs
mortal principles Of u people Wild
1 sought to express In my address y
the senate only two weeks ago-sea
merely to vindicate u right to liber1
and an unmolested life. These or
the bases Of peace, not war. Grad
that we shall not be challenged to de
fend them by acts Of wilful injustc
on the part Of the government of Ge
many"