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
single, not joint; absolute, not rels
tive.'
ITO this note Of the eighth Of Mh,
the Imperial German government mad
no reply. On the thirty-nrst Of Jam
airy, the Wednesday Of the preser
week, the German ambassador hande
to the secretary Of state, nlong with
formal note, a memorandum whld
contains the following statements:
"'The imperial government, thep
fore, does not doubt that the goycn
ment of the United States will unde
stand the situation thus forced upa
Germany by the entente allies buh
methods OF war and by their determln,
ton to destroy the central powers, ah
that the government Of the Unite
states will further realize that II,
now openly disclosed Intentions OF II,
entente allies give back to German
the freedom Of action which she n
served In her note addressed to d,
government OF the United States o.
May 4. 1916.
"'Under these circumstances Ger
many will meet the illegal measure
Of her enemies by forcibly preventu
after February /, 1917. in o zou
around Great Britain, France. Ilal,
and in the eastern Mediterranean al
navigation, that Of neutrnls INCLUDED
from and to England and from and b
France. etc, etc. All ships met With
the zone will be sunk
~ think that you viii agree with m,
that. In view Of this declaration. whla
suddenly and without prior intImatle
Of any kind deliberately withdraw
the solemn assurance given I'm the In
perinl governments note of the fourl
Of May, 1916. this government has NJ
alternative consistent with the dlgnIu
and honor Of the United States, but d
take the curse which. In Its note D
the eighteenth Of April. 1915, It 40
nounced that II would take in In
event that the German government dl
not declare and effect IN abandOnmer
Of the methods OF submarine warfar
which II was then employing and d
which It now purposes again to r.
sort.
81 have, therefore, directed the SEQ
rotary Of state to announce to his o.
cellency the German ambassador that
all diplomatic relations between Nh
United States and the German emplr
are severed and that the American ON
bassador at Berlin will be lmmedIateJ
withdrawn, and In accordance wli
this decision to hand to his excelleng
his passports.
Notwithstanding this unexpected
action Of the German government
this sudden and deeply deplored re
n~unclation Of its assurances, Give
this government at one Of the mos
critical moments Of tension I'm the re
lations OF the two governments, | re
fuse to believe that II Is the lntentla
OF the German authorities to do b
fact what they have warned us thg
will feel at liberty to do. I canna
bring myself to believe that they VIII
Indeed pay no regard to the ancleE
friendship between their people 90.
u W or to the solemn ObligatlOn
which have been exchanged betweg
them and destroy American ships 40!
take the lives OF American cltlzen
In the willful prosecution Of the ruth
less naval program they have 40
nounced their intention to adopt. 0nI
actual overt acts on their part ca!
make me believe II even now.
IF this lnveterate confidence on nj
part In the sobriety and prudent fore
sight Of their purpose should unhappy
prove unfounded; II American ship
and American lives should In fact h
sacrificed by their naval commands
In needless contraventlon Of the Jus
and reasonable understandings Of 10
ternatlonal law and the obvious die
tates Of humanity, l shall take the ls
erty Of coming again before the COZ
gress, to ask that authority be Give
me TO use any mean that may be nee
essary for protection Of our seame
and u people In the prosecution d
their peaceful and legitimate erran9
on the high seas. l can do -nothInl
less. l take 1t for granted that 81
neutral governments will take the SAINT
course
ave do not desire any hostile COZ
hlct 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 hostIh
to us unless and until we are ObllSe
to believe 1t, and we purpose nothlni
more than the reasonable defense O
the undoubted rights Of our people
We wish to serve no selfish ends. w
seek merely to stand true alike .
thought and In action, to the lmns
mortal principles Of our people Wild
l sought to express In my address .
the senate only two weeks ago-sea
merely to vindlcate u right to llbeT1
and an unmolested life. These on
the bases Of peace, not war. Graz
that we shall not be challenged to De
fend them by acts of wilful i%njuStlc
on the part Of the government Of GG
many"