Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-02

This moment has now arrived" he
continued. Last autumn the time was
not ripe. but today the moment has
come when. with the greatest prospect
of success. we can undertake the enter
prise. We must. therefore, mot wait
any longer"
Where has there been any change
in the situation?" the chancellor asked.
In the first place, the most impor-
tant fact Of all is that the number Of
our submarines has been very consid-
erably increased as compared with last
spring and thereby firm basis for sue
cess has been established. The second
co-decisive reason is the bad cereal
harvest of the world. This fact already
confronts England. France and Italy
with serious difficulties which by means
of unrestricted U-boat war will be
brought to a point of unbearableness
The coal question. too. is vital ques-
ton III war. Already it is critical. as
you know in italy and France. Our
submarines will make it still more cfit-
! ical."
| On Military Affairs
The chancellor referred to military
/ affairs as follows:
The military situation as whole
permits rs to accept all the consequent
ces which unrestricted C-boat war may
brint. and rs this U-boat war is the
means CT iajuring our enemies most
gricvousiy. il must be done.
! The admiralty staff and the higii
seas ll.ct entertain the firm conviction
"a conviction which has practical sup
port IN the experience gained in U-boat
cruiser NarfaTc-that Great Britain
will bc brought to peace by arms. Our
allies agree with our views. Austria
! Hungary adhereS to our procedure also
in practice. Just as we lay a blockade
area around Great Britain and the west
coast of France. in which we will try
to prevent all shipping traffic to the en-
envy countries Austria-Hungary declares
"a blockaded area around Italy.
| ITO all neutral countries a free path
for mutual intercourse is left outside
the blockaded area. To America we Of
fered, as we did in 1915, safe traffic
under definite conditions even with
Great Britain
| The chancellor here read the note to
the United States and said that cor
responding notes had been sent to the
other neutral states. He concluded as
follows:
NO one among US will close his eyes
to the seriousness of the step we are
/ taking. That our existence is at stake
everyone knows, since Aug. 4, 1914 and
! this has been brutality emphasized by
| the rejection of our peace offer. When
| in 1914 he had to seize and have re-
course to the sword against Russia's
! general mobilization we did so with
the deepest sense of responsibility to-
wards our people and conscious of res
oiute strength, which says: We must
and therefore we can Endless streams
of blood have since been shed. but they
have not washed away the must and
the can
! In now deciding to employ our best
and sharpcst weapon we are guided
solely by sober consideration of all the
circumstances that come into the uues-
ton and by the firm determination to
+; help our people out of the distress and
disgrace which our enemies contem-
plate for them. Success lies in "a high
cr had, but as regards all that human
/ strength can do to enforce success for
the aftherland, be assured, gentlemen,
that nothing has been neglected.
| Everything III this respect will be
done"