The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-02-07
j. s. BREAKS It's
RELATIONS WITH
GERMAN EMPIRE
ACTION ANNOUNCED BY PRESl-
DENT WILSON I'M ADDRESS
BEFORE CONGRESS.
Won RERNST0RFF is GIVEN
PASSPORTS; RECALL GERARD
Is GAGE or SfYe@:.3g o5 5ipio-
matte eIations-Officials
Hope for Peace.

Washington, D. c., Feb. 5.-Presi-
dent Wilson has broken off diplomatic
relations with Germany and warned
The Kaiser that ruthless sacrifice 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 an
aouncement of his action to the coun-
Try and the world on Saturday at a
Joint session of congress.
Passports have been handed 70
count Won Bernstorff, Ambassador
ierard, with all his staff, and all
American consuls have been ordered
cut of Germany. All German cOnsuls
n the United States are expected to
withdraw, that the severance Of rela-
lons may be complete. American
diplomatic interests in Berlin have
been turned over to Spain; German
diplomatic interests in the United
states have been taken over by Swift
srIand. Foreign diplomatic interests
which the United States had in charge
m Germany have been turned over to
yarious neutrals.
Two years Of diplomatic negotiation,
market with frequent crises, and at
tended with the loss of more than 200
American lives on the high seas, have
eliminated with an act which in all
the history of the world has always
led to war Every agency of the
American government has been set in
motion to protect the country against
acts of German sympathizers. These
moves are of necessity being kept Sc
cret
With the notice of severance of dip
Iomatic relations the United States
sent to Berlin demand for the i'm
mediate release of sixty-four Ameri-
cans taken from ships captured by
German raiders in the south Atlantic.
At the request of the president, con-
gress, Immediately hearing his ad-
dress. began work on new laws framed
by the department of justice to check
conspiracies and plots against the
United sttaes, which can not now be
reached under existing statutes.
The question of conveying American
merchant ships through the submarine
blockade has been taken up and is be-
considered as one of the next moves
by this government
Break Comes With Crash.
The breaking off of relations came
with a crash despite the fact that it
had been discounted, and practically
determined upon Friday night. The
president returned from his night con-
ference with the senators determined
that break in relations was the only
act consistent with the dignity and
the honor of the United States" He
worked most of the night preparing
his address to congress.
At 1920 o'clock Saturday morning it
became known that Ambassador Ger
ard has been ordered home and that
passports had been sent to Count Won
Bernstorff. Although there was no Of
fetal confirmation of the presidents
decision until he formally announced
it himself to congress, the knowledge
spread rapidly
Count Won Bernstorff heard it unof-
fcially while talking with newspaper
correspondent. While apparently
deeply moved, he was not surprised.
His first act was to ask DR.. Paul Rit-
ter, the Swiss minister, to come to the
German embassy and prepare to take
over its affairs. Then he informed his
wife, an American born woman, of the
development, and likewise told the en-
bassy staff. His passports were not
actually delivered until 2 o'clock Sat
urday afternoon. While the president
was addressing congress one of Secre-
tary Lansing's confidential assistants
called at the embassy and delivered
the passports and note in reply to
the German declaration.
President Wilson kept himself in Sc
clusion during the morning, except for
a brief conference with Secretary
Lansing, until he left the White house
for the capitol shortly before 2 o'clock.
In preparation for the history making
event, the senate and house had as
sembled in the hall of the latter body.
Justices of the supreme court had
seats on the floor, the cabinet sat in a
reserved space. Ambassador Jusser-
and of France occupied his reserved
seat in the diplomatic gallery, which
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