The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-02-03
United States Has Broken With Germany
Gerard Recalled -Bemstorff Gets Passport.
WILSON'S
MESSAGE

text Of President wilson's historic ut
terance today before the United States
congress follows:
President Wilson said: "The imper-
tal German government on Jan. 81,
announced to this government and to
the governments Of the other neutral
nations that after the first Of Febru-
ary it would adopt a policy with re-
gard to the use Of submarines against
all shipping, seeking to pass through
certain designated areas OF the high
seas to which 1t is clearly my duty to
call to your attention.
Let me remind the congress that
on April 1S. last In view of the sink
ing, on March "a. of a cross channel
steamer, Sussex, by a German sub
marine without warning and the con-
sequent loss Of lives Of several citizens
OF the United States who were pas
sengers, this government addressed a
note to the imperial government, max
ing the following declaration:
If 1t is the purpose Of the imperial
government to prosecute relentlessly
vessels OF commerce, the use OF sub
marine without regard to what the
government Of the United States must
consider the sacred and indisputable
rules Of international law and the uni
versally recognized dictates of human
ity, the government Of the United
States Is at last forced to the conclu-
sion there is but one course it can pur-
sue. Unless the imperial government
should at once declare and effect an
abandonment Of its present methods
of submarine warfare against passen-
ger and freight carrying vessels, the
government Of the United States can
have no choice but to sever diplomatic
relations with the German empire al
together ~, ..s,--
'In reply to this declaration the.
German government gave this gov.
ernment the following assurances:
1.-THE German government is pre-.
pared to do it's utlfost to connne It's
duration to fighting the forces Of the
belligerentk. thereby also tpsurinEs
freedom Of the seas. a principle on
which the German governments be-
lieves now, as before. to be In .agree-
ment with the government of the
United States
"The German government guided by
this idea notified the United States
that German naval forces had receiv-.
ed the following orders:
=, In accordance with general prin-
ciples Of visit and search and destruc-
ton Of merchant vessels recognized by
international. law such vessels both
within and without the area declared
as naval war zones shall not be sunk
without warning and without saving
human lives unless the ships attempt
to escape or resist but 1t added:
Neutrals cannot expect that Germany,
forced to fight for existence, shall,
for the sake of neutrals restrict the
use Of an effective weapon IL her enc
my Is permitted to continue to apply
at will methods of warfare violating
the rules of international law. Such
q demand would be incompatible with
the character Of neutrality and the
German government is convinced that
the government Of, the United States
does not think of making such de-
mand, knowing that the United States
has repeatedly declared that it s de-
termined to restore the principle OF
the seas from whatever quarter 1t has
been violated
"The government OF the United
States replied May 8. accepting the
assurances but adding that the gov
ernment Of the United States feels it
necessary to state that 1t takes for
granted that the newly announced
policy is not in any way contingent
on the course Of the government, not
the fact that certain pas
sages in the imperial governments
note Of the 4th instant might appear
to be susceptible Of that construction.
I'm order, however, to avoid any
possible misunderstanding the United
States notified the German govern
tertain, much less discuss, sugges-
ton that respect by German naval
for rights Of United States
citizens on high seas should in any way
or in the slightest degree, be made
on the conduct Of any other
affecting the rights or
neunrals and non-combatants. Re-
in such matters is single,
not joint, nor relative.
"To this note the imperial govern
ment made no reply.
"On Jan. 81, the German ambassa-
dor handed the secretary OF state, along
with a formal memorandum, the fol-
lowing:
"'The imperial German government
does not doubt the United States VIII
the attitude thus forced on
Germany by the entente allies, the
brutal methods Of war and by their
to destroy the central
and that the government or
the United States will further realize
that the now openly disclosed inten-
tions Of the entente allies give pacK
to Germany the freedom Of action
which she reserved in her note ad-
dressed 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. /, in a zone around Great
Britain, France, Italy and in the east
ern Mediterranean, the navigation or
all. neutrals included, to and from
England and from and to France. All
ships met within the zone viii be
sunk
II think that you will agree with me
that in view Of this declaration which
suddenly and without prior intima-
tion of any kind deliberately with
draws the solemn assurance given in
the imperial governments note Of May
4, 1916, this government has no alter
native concident with honor OF the U.
S. but to take the course which in it's
note OF the 18th of April last, 1t an
that 1t would take in the
event that German government did
not declare and effect an amandon-
ment of submarine warfare which II
was then employing and to which IL
now PROPOSES again to resort.