Evening star., 1917-02-03
BOSTON TRANSCRIPT,

| BOSTON TRANSCRIPT.
| Germany has replied to the American
| ultimatum of last April by action, and
action is the .only answer America car
make if it would conserve it's self-re-
spect or retain the respect of the
world. The latest communication re-
ceived by the State Department from
Count Bernstorff will surely be the last
his e1cellency will be permitted to de-
liver as the imperial German ambas-
sador to the United States. =
The case is simple and the course is
plain.
PROVIDENCE (R. H. TRIBUNE.
The situation has now been made
more acute than it was when the Lusi-
tania incident shocked the whole
American people and 1t must be met
in more effective manner and with a
more solemn sense of national respon-
sibility than by another "strict ac-
countability' note. We cannot in honor
accept the conditions which Germany
now openly declares she will impose on
our commerce..
PORTLAND (ME.) EXPRESS.
If the President will rise to the oc-
casion and assert the rights of Ameri-
cans and defend them continuously
and unflaggingly. the duty of the
American people to support him to the
limit is clear. In the meantime the
hour for temporizing is past.
BOSTON ADVERTISER.
Whether. after so long a period of
hesitancy, of vaccillation and of note
writing on our part. Germany can be
made to feel that we mean business
and can be persuaded to withdraw
her declaration is question. What
ever may be the consequences, how
ever. the Advertiser fails to see how
this country can now do otherwise
than take effective steps to enforce it's
views.
BROOKLYN EAGLE.
The German declaration is the last
desperate recourse of a government that
recognizes impending defeat. The
President has no other choice at this time
but to send Count Won Bernstorff home,
or to swallow his own words. delaying
decision until by an overt act of hostility
Germany destroys American lives. The
dismissal of the German ambassador and
the recall of Mr.. Gerard could well be
followed by brief warning to Germany
That such action on our part Is only a
prelude to sterner mea sures if provoca-
ton be given by German submarines.
NEW YORK EVENING GLOBE.
The note Of the German government is
tantamount to declaration of war
against this country, because it an
nounces that it is the intention of the
war against us. Having made
every possible concession to Germany,
having displayed pacific spirit almost
without equal in human annals, our peo-
pie will sustain the President in all
measures that he may take to subdue
to peace the worlds greatest disturber
The conflict, if il comes, will rest on
foundations of right.
NEW YORK EVENING TELEGRAM.
Count Won Rernstorf must be handed
his papers. The next step is up to the
President. All differences that may have
existed now vanish. The American peo-
pie stand behind him as one man. Those
who are not Americans must be watched.
The position today is that Prussia has
taken her agreements with us and ap-
piled the scraps of paper argument TO
them. And she has flung the scraps into
the country's face.
NEW YORK EVENING Sun.
With our government shelving a reso-
lutte and courageous front and our peo-
pie united behind it, in our best judg-
ment, we have little TO fear We have
little doubt that to some degree, at least,
Germany is experimenting with our tenn
per. When she finds il cannot be tried
too far we still entertain hope that she
will back away within the safety limits.
NEW YORK EVENING POST.
This does not mean that the President
should meet headloug folly with rashness.
Having condemned Germany for ingulf-
ing Europe in war by Il precipitate ulti-
niatuin, it is not for Americans to clamor
for instant hostilities. There need be no
loss of time in making our position abso-
iutely clear, and then. on the first overt
act. we can proceed to the step of which
the President gave warning less than
year ago, namely, to ''sever diplomatic
relations with the German empire alto
gether.'
About all this there is every reason for
the American government and the Ameri-
can people to try to keep a cool head
CINCINNATI TIMES-STAR.
A tremendous weight of responsibility
rests upon Mr.. Wilson's shoulders. The
nation is unimpassioned and cold: there
is practically no popular enthusiasm
for war. AT the same time, on the face
OF the German note. it appears that the
only way the President can continue
friendly relations with Germany is by