The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-02-08


knowing that the Government of the
United States has repeatedly declared
that it is determined to restore the
principle of the freedom of the seas,
from whatever quarter it has been Vio-
ted
ITO this the Government of the
United States replied on the eighth of
May, accepting, of course, the assur.
ances given, but adding:
1.-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 maintenance
of its newly announced policy is in any
way contingent upon the course or re-
suit of diplomatic negotiations be-
tween the Government of the United
States and any other belligerent Gov
ernment, Notwithstanding the fact
that certain passages in the Imperial
Governments note of the fourth in
stant might appear to be susceptible
Of that construction. In order, how
ever, to avoid any misunderstanding
the Government of the United States
notifies the Imperial Government that
it can not for a moment entertain,
much less discuss, 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 contingent upon the conduct of
any other Government, affecting the
rights of neutrals and noncombatants.
Responsibility in such matters is sin
gle, not joint, absolute, not relative
No Reply From Germany.
ITO this note of the eighth of May
the Imperial German Government
made no reply.
"On 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 a memorandum which contained
the following statement:
"'The Imperial Government, there
fore, does not doubt that the Govern
ment of the United States will under
stand the situation thus forced upon
Germany by the Entente Allies brutal
methods of war, and by their determi-
nation to destroy the Central Powers,
and that the Government of the Uni
ted States will further realize that the
now openly disclosed intention of the
Entente Allies gives back to Germany
the freedom of action which she re-
served in her note addressed to the
Government Of the United States on
May 4, 1916
Under these circumstances Ger
many will meet the illegal measures
of her enemies by forcibly preventing
after February 1, 1917, in a 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. All ships met within the
zone will be sunk
No Alternative Left Open.
II think that you will agree with me
that, in view of this declaration, which
suddenly and without prior intimation
of any kind deliberately withdrew the
solemn assurances given in the I'm
perial Governments note of the 4th of
May, 1915, this Government has no
alternative consistent 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 would take in the event that
the German Government did not de-
clare and effect an abandonment Of
the methods of submarine warfare
which it was then employing and to
which 1t now purposes again to re-
sort.
"I have, therefore, directed the Sec.
retary of State to announce to His
Excellency the German Ambassador
that all diplomatic relations between
the United States and the German EN-
pire are severed and that the Amer
ican Ambassador at. Berlin will i'm
mediately be withdrawn and, in &C.
cordance with this decision, to hand to
His Excellency his passports.
Notwithstanding this unexpected
action Of the German Government, this
sudden and deeply deplorable renun-
citation of its assurances, given this
Government at one Of the most critical
moments of tension in the relations of
the two Governments, refuse to be.
lieve that it is the intention Of the
German authorities to do in fact what