The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-02-04

mand, knowing that the government
of the United States has repeatedly
declared that it is determined to re-
store the principle of the freedom of
the seas, from whatever quarter it
has been violated
'"To this the government of. the
United States replied on the eighth
of May. accepting, of course, the as
surances given, but adding:
!" The government of the United
States feels it necessary to state that
it takes it for granted that the i'm
perial German government does not
intend to imply that the mainte-
nance of its newly announced policy
is in any way contingent upon the
course or result of diplomatic policy
is in any way contingent upon the
course or result of diplomatic negO-
tiatiOns between the government of
the United States and any other bel
Hgerent government notwithstand-
ing the fact that certain passages in
the imperial governments note of the
4th instant might appear to be sus
ceptible of that consideration. In
order, however, to avoid any misun-
derstanding the government of the
United States notifies the Imperial
government that it cannot for a mo-
ment entertain, much less discuss. a
suggestion that respect by German
naval authorities for the rights Of
citizens of the United States upon
the high seas should in any way or
in the slightest degree be made con-
tingent upon the conduct of any other
government affecting the rights of
neutrals and non combatants.. Re-
spOnsibility in such matters is single
not joint; absolute, not relative
TO this note of the eighth of May
the Imperial government made no
reply.
son the thirty-first Of January
the Wednesday of the present week,
| the German ambassador handed to
the secretary of state, along with a
formal note, memorandum which
contained the following statement:
4The Imperial government, there
fore, does not doubt that the govern
ment of the United States viii I'M
derstand the situation thus forced
upon Germany by the entente al
lies brutal methods of war and by
their determination to destroy the
central powers and that the govern
ment of the United States will fur
Their realize that the new openly dis
closed intention of the entente al
lies gives back to Germany the free
dom of action which she reserved in
her note addressed to the government
of the United States on May 4th,
1916.
Under these circumstances Ger
many will meet the Illegal measures
of her enemies by forcibly preventing
after February LIST, 1917, in zone
around Great Britain, France, Italy
and in the Eastern Mediterranean all
navigation. that of neutrals included,
from and to England and from and to
France, etc.
CAL ships met within the zone viii
be sunk.
81 think that you will agree with
me that in view of this declaration
which suddenly and without prior in;
timation of any kind deliberately
withdraws the solemn assurance
given in the Imperial governments
note of the 4th of May, 1916, this
government has no alternative con-
sistent with the dignity and honor
of the United States, but to take the
course which, in its note of the 18th
of April, 1916, it announced that it
ould take in the event that the Ger
man government did not declare and
effect an abandonment of the meth
DDS of submarine warfare which it
was then employing and to which 1t
now purposes again to resort.
Il have, therefore, directed the
secretary of state to announce to his
exceIlency the German ambassador
that al diplomatic relations between
the United States and the German