The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-02-08
Tells Congress Il
Was Only Course.
ASSURANCES VIOLATED
Says Germany's Note Of Jan. 81
DiSregards All Promises
Heretofore Made.

washington, req. -PreSlue WIZ
son, addressing congress, announced
severance of diplomatic relations with
Germany. He said:
Gentlemen of the congress: The
imperial German government Jan. 81
announced to this government, and to
the governments OF the other neutral
nations, that on and after the first
day of February, the present month,
Ii would adopt a policy with regard
to the use OF submarines against all
shipping seeking to pass through Ger
tain designated areas of the high seas
to which 1t is clearly my duty to call
your attention.
Let me remind the congress that
April Is last, in view of the sinking
on March "a of the cross-channel pas
senger steamer Sussex by a German
submarine, without summons or warn.
ing. and the consequent loss of the
lives OF several citizens of the United
States who were passengers aboard
her. this government addressed a note
to the imperial government in which
1t made the following declaration:
"'If 1t is still the purpose of the
imperial government to prosecute
ruthless and indiscrlminate warfare
against vessels of commerce by the
use of submarines without regard to
what the government of the United
States must consider the scored and
indisputable rules of international law
and the universally recognized die.
tates OF humanity, the government OF
the United States il at last forced to
the conclusion that there is but one
course 1t can pursue. Unless the Ger
mar government should now imme-
diately declare and effect an abandon.
ment of its present methods of sub
marine warfare against passenger and
freight carrying vessels, the govern
ment of the United States car have
no choice but to sever diplomatic re-
lations with the German empire alto.
gether.'"
Quotes German Promises.
The president here quotes at length
the given by the German
government and continues:
"on Jan. 81 the German ambassador
handed to the secretary of state, along
with a formal note, a memorandum
which contains the following state
ment:
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 Unit
ed States will further realize that the
now openly disclosed intentions OF the
entente allies give back to Germany
the freedom af action which she re.
served in her note addressed to the
government Of the United States on
May 4, 1915.
Under these circumstances Ger
many will meet the illegal measures
of her enemies by forcibly preventing,
after Feb l, 1917, in a zone around
Great Britain, France, Italy and in
the Eastern Mediterranean. all navi.
cation, that of neutrals included. from
and to England and from and to
France, etc. etc. All ships met within
the one will be sunk.
Il think that you will agree with me
that, I'm view OF this declaration, in
which suddenly and without prior init
nation Germany withdraws the sol
emn assurance given in the imperiaI
governments note of May 4, 1916, this
government has no alternative com
petent with the dignity and honor oil
the United States but to take the
OF April, 1915, it announced it would
take in the event that the German
government did not declare and effec;
an abandonment of the methods oil
submarine warfare which 1t was then
employing and to which it now pur
poses to again resort.
Diplomatic Relations Severed.
" have, therefore, directed the sec
rotary OF state to announce to his ex
cellency, the German ambassador, tina
all diplomatic relations between thu
United States and the German empir,
are severed, and that the American
ambassador at Berlin will immediate
Il be Withdrawn. and In accordance
With this decision 10 hand to ms ex
cellency his passports. Nothwith
standing this expected effect upol
the German government this suddel
and deplorable Remuneration OF its as
surances given by that government a
one Of the most critical periods Of re
lations between the two governments
] refuse to believe that It II the inter
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