Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-02-01
Break Is Again Faced
Continued from Page one)

- SsSsA 40 <A61AAs SsNS0
Again the United States faces sew
erance of diplomatic relations with
Germany with all it's eventual possi
bilities. President Wilson's repeated
Of "a world afire" and Sec
retary Lansing's verge Of war" state
ment are being recalled in the capital
tonight with apprehension and misgiv-
ing.
Gefmany's action is the super-crisis
of all those that have stirred the Amer
lean government in two and a half
years Of world war.
Talk of peace in Europe and
means of preserving peace have
gone glimmerirg. President Will
son. incredulous at first when the
unofficial text of Germany's warning
was brought to him, at once called for
the official docu ment which had just
been presented to Secretary Lansing
by the German ambassador. Mr. Ian
sing refused to make n comment.
Americas Steps
The President has the task of de-
Gliding what shall be the course of the
Unitde States. Three immediate steps
appear among the possibilities. The
United States might solennly warn
Germany against violation of her
pledges: it might be decided that the
German warning is sufficient notice OF
an intention to disregard those pledges
ana sufficient warrant for breaking
relations; it might be decided. to await
the results of the blockade and deter
mine the course of the United States
as the actual operations develop.
On almost every side Germany s
drastic action is interpreted as an open
confession of the effectiveness of the
british food blockade It is regarded as
a determinations to strike back in kind
German officials in the United States
estimate the food supply on the Brit
lsh Isles will last o month.
Admittedly the plan is TO carry star
walton to che doors of England will
swift, staggering strokes as fulfill
ment of Germanys announced deter
mlnation to use every weapon and agen
cy at her command to END the wa
quickly. She counts on the operation
or an unheard of number of submar
ines to deliver blows to bring England
to her knees within so days. one Ger
man official here predicted today tn
war would be over in month.
Conveyed to the world as her answe
to the refusal of the Entente Allies t,
talk peace, Germany's latest warnin:
says:
From February |. 1917. within bar
red zones around Great Britain, France
Italy and in the eastern Mediterranean
all sea traffic forthwith will
be opposed"
Extension Of Blockade
1t virtually is a renewal and an cN
tension of the celebrated submarin,
blockade of the British Isles proclaim
ed on February 4, 1915, and which be
came effective February Is, 1915. Tn
der it ships were sunk without warn
ing until Germany abandoned the prac
tice and gave her assurances in tn,
Sussex case, to abide by nternationa
la-S. The Lusitana. it-iaba and scores
of other ships were sunk under the de
cree.
American citizens and American ship
are warned from entering the wa
measures are suggested for distinguish
ing American steamers not carryln'
contraband. according to the German
list. These conditions in almost th
same form were rejected when proposed
by Germany early in the negotiation
over the Lusitania. At that time Ger
many proposed to guarantee lmmunlt.
from attack to certain specified pasSen
ger ships sailing on prescribed courses
with agreed distinguishing marks an
carrying no contraband. President vii
son rejected the proposal promptly oi
the ground that the United States wa
contending only for its rights.
The new German proclamation brush
es aside all the perpleXing collateTa
issues which have surrounded the sub
marine controversy and brings it bacl
to the point where it was left at th'
conclusion of the Sussex case.
The Announcement
Todays announcement recltlng th'
refusal of Germany's enemies to discuss
her peace proposals and referring to tn
starvation blockade, says
"Thus a new situation has sprung III
which forces Germany also to new dc
csions."
The new decision is exactly the on
forecast when the Sussex negotiation
were closed.
In the note conveying her pledges t
keep submarine activities within interna
tional law, Germany included threat
resumption if the United States did no
succeed in lifting British restrictions ol
commerce to Germany and the Euro
mean neutrals, and the United States II
ran,v expressly warned Germany tina
her pledges must be absolutely uncondi
tional.
"Neutrals. says Germany in the Sus
sex note. '.cannot expect Germany. forc
ad 70 fight for her existence, shall for th'
coke Of neutral interests restrict the u.s.
of an effective weapon If her enemy Il
permitted to apply at will methods o
,,,rf.re violating the rule of interna
.:,, ,.v Should the steps
+alen nv the United States not optali
.ho ohiect to have the laws
~ humanity followed by all belligeren
nations. the German government wouie
then be facing a new situation, IN Whicf
q ,,us+ reserve itself complete liberty o.
decision"