Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-01

by Press
RECOGNIZES THE
WORST CRISIS
Almost Unanimous in Granting
Situation Is One of Utmost
SoIemnity

New York StN-The note closes for
the present the chapter of altruiStiC en-
beavers and tentatives Of parey into
which President Wilson has written his
idealistic hopes. 1t creates an entirely
new situation of the most practical
sort 50 far as the United States is
concerned and serious in the extreme
in its possibilities of untoward Incl
dents which may put OF the test the
steadfaStness of Washington in its at
titude and assertion Of the principles
which our state department has al
ready enunciatcd.
San Francisco CHRONICLE-Loo
at in Il practical way, and it should be
remembered that none of the bellger-
ents has respected the provisions of
! international laW-Gemany is simply
cutting loose from all restraints and
proceeding on the principle that all is
fair in warfare and that is best which
makes for Victory 1t is a desper-
ate move, but America can and should
do nothing until she is specifically in
jured.
Baltimore SJN-The government is
now facing the most critical situation
of the whole war. We cannot tempo
rize. There must be no more Illegal
killing Of American citizens on the
high seas If ihsistence upon this
means a break with the Central Pow
erS. then the break must come.
Washington POST-Germanys note
will fall upon the American public with
Stupefying effect. No doubt it
was in view of this danger that Pres
ident wilson made such extraordinary
efforts to bring about peace It
is impossible for this government to
tolerate the new rule which Germany
seeks to impose
New York WORLD-There can be only
one answer on the part Of the United
States to the new German submarine
proclamation, and that answer should be
made today. The German ambassador
must receive his passports forthwith and
diplomatic relations must cease at once.
There should he no proCrastinauon until
the hand of the United States govern
ment is forced by prcmcditatcd murder.
we have made every concession 70
Germany that self-respcct will permi>
and all those concessions have proved to
be in vain To acquiescc in assumption
Of ruthless submarine operations II 70
subject ourselves to the losses OF war
while depriving ourselves of the means
Of self-defence That Is intolerahle No
reace is worth the price Of abject ma
tionaI humiliation AL degradation, NO
peace is worth the surrender OF ma
tion's sovereign rights.
N Germany wants war with the United
States. let Germany have war with tPe
United States. our hands are clean.
New York TRIBUNE-Wc have sub
mitted TO outrage long enough Peace
with O,~-anv would be purchased at too
dear n r,-ice if it is to be purchased by
compliance with the kaser's latest n
sulting instructions to us as to how we
shall conduct our commerce with the En-
tente nations.
His western European blockade IS not
a whit more legitimate as war measure
than were his war zone operations m
British and Irish waters. And the feroc-
ity underlying this new pretence of CON
Quoting a blockade consistent with mill
tarv law is far more brazenly avowed
and gloried in. The United States fought
one Wharf.-The war of 1S12-in behalf Of the
princple of the seas. We cannot believe
that it has so far lost its manhood as to
hesitate now that the challenge has come
which may compel it to fight another.
New York HERALD-The major por-
ton of the note published today is for
consumption by the German peoples. The
American people are interested only in
It's fouting of their government in the
trucilent assumption Prussianism that
deprive the United States of all those
rights which have been maintained so
stoutly-in notes.
Springfield. Mass. REPUBLICAN,
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