The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-04
TEXT OF PRESIDENT WILSON'S HISTORIC
ADDRESS ANNOUNCING BREAK

ment made no reply. on the 3lst
of January, the Wednesday of the
present week. the German am
bassad dor handed 10 the Secretary
of State. along with a formal
note, n memorandum which con-
tains the following statement;
The imperial government. there
fore. does not doubt that the gov
ernment of the United States will
understand the situation thus
forced upon Germany by the en-
tente allies brutal methods OF
war and by their determination
TO destroy the central powers.
and that the government of the
United States will further realize
that the now openly disclosed in
tentions of the entente allies give
back to Germany the freedom Of
action which she reserved in her
note addressed 70 the government
of the United states May 4,
1916
Under these circumsta nces Ger
many will meet the Illegal meas
ures OF her enemies by forfibiy
preventing after February J,
-131I.- in zone around Great
Britain. France, Italy ana in the
eastern Mediterranean all navi-
cation, that of neutrals included.
and to France, etc. etc, All ships
met within the zone will be sunk"
Has No Alternative.
| think that YOU will agree
with me that. III view af this
declaration. which suddenly and
without prior intimation % any
kind, deliberately withdr1Ws the
solemn assurance given in the inl-
perial governments note of May
4, 1916. this government has no
alternative consistent with the
dignity and honor of the United
States but to take the course
which. in It's note OF April Is.
1916, it announced that = would
take in the event that the Ger
man government did not declare
ard effect an abandonment of the
methods of submarine warfare
which II was then employing and
to which il now purposes again
to resort.
] have. therefore, directed the
Secretary of State to announce to
hts eXcellency, the German am
bassador. that all diplomatic re-
,atIons between the United States
and the German empire are
severed. and that the American
ambassador in Berlin will imme-
fiately be withdrawn; and, in ac-
cofaance with this decision. to
hand 10 his excellency his pass
ports.
Notwithstanding this unexpect-
ed action of the German govern
ment. this sudden and deeply de-
plorable remuneration of It's as
surances. given this goyernm ent
at one of the most critical mo-
ments of tension in the relations
OF the TWO governments. refuse
10 believe that it is the intention
OF the German authorities to 10
IN fact what they have warned
us they will feel at liberty to do.
J cannot bring myself to believe
that they will indeed pay no re-
gard to the ancient friendship be-
twee ntheir people and our own
or to the solemn obligations
which have been exchanged be-
tween their people and our own
can ships and take the lives of
American citizens In the wilful
prosecution of the ruthless naval
program they have announced
their intention to adopt. Only
actual overt acts on their part
can make me believe ii even now.
Has Confidence Inveteratc.
lf this inveterate confidence on
my part in the soh.ietv and pru-
dent foresight of their purpose
should unhappily prove unbound
cd; If American ships and Ameri-
can lives should in fact be sacrl-
feed by their naval commanders
in needless contravention of the
just and reasonable understand
ings of international law and the
obvious dictates OF humanity, |
shall take the liberty Of coming
again before the Congress to ask
that authority be given me to use
any means that may be neces-
sary for the protection OF our
xeamen and our people in the
prosecution OF their peaceful and
legitimate errands on the high
seas. | can do naught less.
take il for granted that all neu-
trail governments will take the
same coarse.
We do not desire any hostile
conflict with the imperial Ger
man government. We are the
sincere friends of the German
people and earnestly desire TO re-
main at peace with the govern
ment which speaks for them. We
shall not believe that they are
hostile to us unless and until we
are obliged to believe il. and we
purpose nothing more than the
reasonable defense of the un-
doubted rights of our people. We
wish TO serve no selfish ends,
We seek merely TO stand true
alike In thought and in action
TO the immortal principles of our
people. which I sought to express
in my address to the Senate only
two weeks ago--seek merely 70
vindicate our right to liberty and
justice and an unmolested life.
These are the bases of peace. not
war. God grant we may not be
CHALLENGED to defend them by acts
OF wilful injustice on the part of
the government Of Germany