Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-02-09
War Warning Sent Kaiser, Who is
Told That Loss Of American Lives
at Sea Means Hostilities.
Passports Are Handed Count Won Bernstorff, German
Ambassador, and Ambassador Gerard and His Staff
Have Been Ordered Home.-Dignity and Honor,
of Nation Demands STEP Says President.

Washington. President Wilson has
broken off diplomatic relations with
Germany and warned the kaiser that
ruthless sacrifice of American lives
and rights means war.
SIMILAR action is waiting for Austria
We she notifies this government
~ DO Joins in the campaign Of I'M
N tied submarine warfare.
president made formal an
= hcement of his action to the coun.
4 and to the world on February 3
Joint session of congress.
IA Passports have been handed Count
vsP Bernstorff; Ambassador Gerard,
snlh his staff, and all American con
us have been ordered out Of Ger.
x1any. All German consuls in the
drafted States are expected to with.
may\ that the severance Of relations
maticbe complete. American diplo-
turned interests in Berlin have been
matte over to Spain; German diplo.
have fpnterests In tho United States
ulprofbeen taken over by Switzerland.
The gn diplomatic interests which
Oerl United States had in charge In
vart my have been turned over to
T3F neutrals.
% years OF diplomatic negotia-
ION. marked with frequent crises and
attended with the loss of more than
200 American lives on the high seas,
have eliminated with an act which in
all the history of all the world has al
ways led to war. Every agency Of
the American government has been
get in motion to protect the country
against acts Of German sympathizers.
These moves are of necessity being
kept secret.
With the notice of severance Of dip
lomatic relations, the United States
sent to Berlin demand for the i'm
mediate release of sixty-four Ameri-
Cans taken from ships captured by
German raiders In the south Atlantic.
At the request OF the president, con-
gress, Immediately after hearing bis
began work ON new laws
framed by the department OF Justice
TO check conspiracies and plots against
the United States which cannot be
reached under existing statutes.
The question OF conveying Amer.
lean merchant ships through the sub
blockade has been taken up
and IL being considered az one OF the
next moves by this government,
The news Of the torpedoing of the
American steamer Housatonic. coming
, most before President Wilson's
Cords in congress had died away. Gre
Ated a tremendous sensation, but Il
does not necessarily constitute such
an invasion OF American rights as the
president said he would meet by ask
Ing congress for additional authority
TO act.
At 10:30 o'clock Saturday morning
II became known that Ambassador
had been ordered home and
that passports had been sent to Count
Won Bernstorff. Although there was
no official confirmation of the presi-
dents decision until he formally an
1t himself to congress, the
spread rapidly.
Count Won Bernstorff heard 1t I'M
officially while talking with a press
While apparently
deeply moved, he was not surprised.
His first act was to ask DR.. Paul Rit-
ter. the Swiss minister, to come to
the German embassy and prepare to
take over Its affairs. Then he In
formed his wife, an American born
woman. of tho development and like
wise told the embassy staff. His
we're not actually delivered
until o'clock In the afternoon.
President Wilson kept himself In
seclusion during the morning, except
for a brief conference with Secretary
Lansing. until he left the White
House for the capitol shortly before
2 o'clock.
AS usual committee of congress-
men met the president and escorted
him to the speakers dais. The whole
body rose and oheered as the presi-
dent. acknowledging their greeting
without his usual smile. but grim
faced and solemn. took his place at
the clerks desk and began reading
the document which is being heard
"round the world"
Briefly he reviewed how, last April,
ohe United States warned Germany