The border vidette., 1917-02-10

eight of May accepting of course the assurance given, but adding: The government of the Unit ed States feels it necessary to state that it takes for granted that the Imperial German gov ernment does not intend to imply that the main tenance of it's new ly announced policy is in any way contingent upon the course or result of diplomatic negOtia- tions between the government of the United States and any other belligerent government, notwith standing the fact that certain passages in the Imperial gov ernment'S note of the fourth in stant might appear to be sus- ceptible of that construction. In order, however, to avoid any misunderstanding. the govern ment of the United States noti- fes the Imperial government that 1t cannot for a moment en- | tertain much less a suggestion that respect by German naval authorities for the rights of citi- zenS of the United States upon ! the high seas should in any way or in the slightest degree be made contingent upon the con- duct of any other government, affecting the rights of neutrals and non- com ba tantS. ReSponsl- bility in such matters is single, not joint, absolute. not relative.'
 ITO this note of the 9th of l May the Imperial German gov ernment made no reply.
 "On the thirty first of January, the Wednesday of the present week, the German ambassador handed to the Secretary of State, along with a formal note, memo randum which contained the fol lowing statement:
 The Imperial government therefore does not doubt that the government of the United States thus forced upon Germany by the Entente allies brutal me- thods of war and by their deter mination to destroy the central powers aud that the government of the United States will further realize that the now openly dis closed intention of the Entente allies gives back to Germany the freedom of action which she reserved in her note addressed to the goverement of the United | States on May 4th, 1916.
 Under these circumstances Germany will meet the illegal measures of her enemies by for cibly preventing, after February l 1st, 1917, in a zone around Great Britain, France, Italy and in the eastern Mediterranean all nav igation, that of neutrals includ ed, from and to England and from and to France, etc. All ships met within the zone will be sunk.
 I think you will agree with me that in view of this daclara- tion, which suddenly and without prior intimation of any kind deliberately withdraws the so- lemn assurance given in the I'm perial governments note of the fourth of May, 1916. this govern ment has no alternative con- sistent with the dignity and hon. l or of the United States but to take the course which in it's note of the 18th of April, 1916, an nounced that it would take in the event that the German govern | ment 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 resort.
 II have, therefore, directed the Secretary of State to an nounce to his Excellency, the l German ambassador, that all diplomatic relations between the United States and the German Empire are severed and that the American ambassador at Berlin, will immediately be withdrawn and in compliance with this decision to hand to his excellency his passports.
 Notwithstanding this unex
 pected action of the German government, this sudden and deeply deplorable renunciation of it's assurances, given this government at one of the most critical moments of tension in the relations of the two governments I refuse to believe that it is the intention of the German author
 ities to do in fact what they have
 warned us they will feel at lib erty to do. I cannot bring my self to believe that they will in
 deed pay no regard to the an cient friendship between their