The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-04
Wilson Speech to Congress
is Heard Around the World

A041OA SAAS " VA ~
imperial German government made no
reply.
ION the 3lst Of January, the wednes-
day 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:
last German Note.
"'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
method Of war and by their determine
ton to destroy the central powers and
that the government Of the United
States will further realize that the
now openly disclosed intention Of the
allies gives back to Germany the free
dom of action which she reserved in
her note addressed to the government
Of the United States on May 4th. 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
One Alternative.
II think that you will agree with me
that. in view Of this declaration, which
suddenly and without prior intimation
Of any kind, deliberately withdraws the
solemn assurance given in the imperial
governments note Of the 4th Of May,
1916, this government has no alterna-
tive 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 Ger
man government did not declare and
effect an abandonment Of the meth
DDS of submarine warfare which it was
then employing and to which 1t now
purposes again to resort.
Relations Severed.
II have therefore directed the Sec
rotary Of state to announce to his ex-
cellency, the German ambassador, that
all diplomatic relations between the
United States and the German empire
are severed and that the American am
bassador at Berlin will Immediately be
withdrawn and. in accordance with this
decision, to hand to his excellency his
passports.
Will She Sink ships7
notwithstanding this unexpected
action of the German government this
sudden and deeply deplorable renunci-
alton OF its assurances, given by the
German government, at one of the
most critical moments of tension in the
tension in the relations OF the two gov
ernments, I refuse to believe that 1t is
the intention of the German authors
ties to do in fact what they have
warned US they will feel at liberty to
do. cannot bring myself to believe
that they will, indeed, pay no regard
to the ancient friendship between their
people and our own or to the solemn
which have been exchanged
between them and destroy American
ships and take the lives of Amer
lean citizens in the wilful prosecution
of the ruthless naval program they
have announced their intention to
adopt. Only actual overt acts on their
part can make me-believe it even now.
II Ships Are Sunk.
1T this confidence on my part in
the sobriety and prudent foresight Of
their purpose should unhappily provo
II American ships and
American lives should, in fact. be sac
rificed by their naval commanders in
needless contravcntion Of the just and
understandings of interna-
tional law and the obvious dictates Of
humanity, I shall take the liberty of
coming again before the congress to
ask that authority be given me to use
any means that may be necessary for
the protection Of our seamen and our
people in the prosecution of their
peaceful and legitimate errands on the |
high seas. l can do nothing less.
take it for granted that all neutral
will take the same course.
UnseIfish Ends.
I'VE do not desire any hostile con-
rlict with the imperial German govern
ment. We are the sincere friends of |
the German people and earnestly de-
sire to remain at peace with the gov
which speaks for them. We
shall not believe that they are hostile |
10 us unless and until we are obliged
10 believe it: and we purpose nothing
more than the reasonable defense of |
the undoubted rights Of our people. We
wish to serve no selfish ends. We seek |
merely to stand true alike in thought |