The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-02-06
GERMANY HAS DECLARED
RUTHLESS SEA WARFARE
WILL SINK ALL SHIPS WITHOUT
WARNING - GRAVE ISSUE
RAISED-SURPRISE.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 81
Germany has declared unrestricted
submarine warfare.
A starvation blockade of England,
the like of which the world never has
seen, was announced today in notes
delivered to American Ambassador
Gerard in Berlin and to the state
department here by Count Won Bern
storff.
Thus begins the long-feared cam
paign conceived by Won Hindenberg,
it is said here, on a magnitude never
even contemplated by Won Tirpitz.
May Sever Diplomatic Relations.
Again the United States faces sew
erance of diplomatic relations with
Germany, with all it's eventful posi-
bilities. President Wilson's repeat
ed warnings of "world afre" and
Secretary Lansing's "verge-of-war"
statement are being recalled in the
capital tonight with feelings of ap-
prehension and misgiving.
Germany's action is the super
crisis of all those that have stirred
the American government in two and
a half years of world war.
Peace and means of preserving
peace have gone glimmering.
President Studies Note.
President Wilson, incredulous at
first when the unofficial text of Ger
many's warning was taken to him, at
once called for the official document
which had just been presented to
Secretary Lansing by the German
ambassador. Mr.. Lansing refused to
make comment. President Wilson
began at cnce a careful study of the
document.
The president has the task of de-
Gliding what shall be the course of
the United States. Three immediate
steps appear among the possibili-
ties:
I. The United States might sol
EMMY warn Germany against viola
tiOn of her pledges.
z. 1t might be decided that the
German warning is sufficient notice
of an intention to disregard those
pledges and sufficient warning for
breaking off diplomatic relations.
3. 1t might be decided to await
the results of the blockade and de-
termine the course of the United
States as the actual operations de-
velop.
On almost every side Germany's
drastic action is interpreted as an
open confession of the effectiveness
of the British food blockade. 1t is
regarded as determination to strike
back in kind. German officials in the
United States estimate the food sup
ply of the British Isles will last a
month.
Starvation Campaign.
Admittedly the plan is to carry
starvation to the doors of England
with swift, staggering strokes as a
fulfillment of Germany's announced
determination to use every weapon
and agency at her command to end
the war quickly. She counts on the
operations of an unheard-of number
of submarines to deliver blows to
bring England to her knees within
sixty days.
Renewal of Submarine Blockade.
1t virtually is a renewal and an
extension of the celebrated subma-
rine blockade of the British Isles pro-
claimed on February 4, 1915. Under
1t ships were sunk without warning
until Germany abandoned the prac-
tice and gave her assurances, in the
Sussex case, to abide by International
law. The Lusitania, Falaba and
scores of other ships were sunk un-
der the decree.
American citizens and American
ships are warned from entering the
war zones, although certain precau-
tionary measures are suggested for
Distinguishing American steamers
not carrying contraband. according