The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-02-09
GERMANY DECLARES WAR!

effect. declaration OF war against
the United States.
The imperial government does not
call il war. but war it is. nevertheless.
IN Tesumins the Tirpitz policy of ruth
less submarine warfare. Germany pur-
poses 10 destroy American ships with
out warning. 10 murder peaceful
/ American citizens on the high seas.
ana - subject American life, Ameri-
can property and American commerce
10 the self same hazards TO which the
life, property and commerce of her
enemies are subjected.
: The paltry exceptions to the policy
of frightfuIness which the imperial
government has patronizingly tossed
10 the United Sattes only accentuates
ne wrong and the insult
Speaking to the congress OF the
. [ MED States on April 49, 1915. Pres
dent Wilson said
II have deemed it my duty, there
rof ent that If il is still its pur
rose to prosecute relentless and in
e~Lri1&;a warfare against vessels
o5 commerce by the use Of subma-
no 80 i,hsTan1ing the now DEM
t.d-el in9ossibility Of conducting
r warfare il accordance with what
. ta- government Of the United States
must consider the sacred and indis
yu1~8la rules O. international laW ana
-he universally recognized dictates Of
nus0 enitv. the government cf the nit
j e4 states is al last forced 10 the CON
c.U5.On that there Is bat one course il
AN pursue and shat unless he i'm
pe~ial German government should
now Immediately declare and effect
@n abandonment Of It's present meth
03s Of warfare against pass niger and
rht-carrying vessels this govern
Isn't car have 10 choice but 70 sever
! Diplomatic relations with the govern
y7ent Of the German empire alto
gether."
Germany has now deliberately de-
fed the presidents ultimatuu Of April
/ u and thrown it back into our teeth
The act of notification was commit
/ ted at time when the discussion Of
peace had progressed TO a point at
which the end of the war was in sight.
! Nothing stood in The way OF formal
negotiations except an honest reply
on the part Of Germany TO President
Wilson's note of December is. The
entente powers had definitely an
ncunced their terms. and an equally
frank statement on the part Of Ger
many would have compelled negotia-
tons
Instead. Germany has dealt with
! the presidents proposals in precisely
the same spirit in which she dealt
with Sir Edward Grey's proposals for
a conference in the troubled days i'm
mediately preceding the war When
I q settlement was then possible. Ber-
lin made il impossible When peace
is now possible. Germany again starts
to run amuck. AS he VIZ came like
q bolt out If the blue SO comes the
Prescription Of .hie9s submarine and
fo tiug-miue warfare
There can be only one answer on
/ the part of the United States 20 the
new German submarine proclamation.
and that answer should be made to-
! day The German ambassador must
receive his passports forthwith and
diplomatic relations must cease at
ionce There should be 10 procrastina-
ton until the hand of the United
States government is forced by pre-
meditated murder and depreciation.
The president must carry out the
terms Of his own ulti 1atum. and do
Z so swiftly that Berlin can have no
/ excuse for misunderstanding the pur-
pose and policy OF the American gov
eminent. Having done that. the Unit
ed States must adopt such measures
as circumstances require for the pro-
lection Of the lives and property Of
its citizens on the high seas If this
means actual war with Germany. so
be it.
! We have made every concession TO
Germany mat selfrespect will permit:
and all those concessions have prov
ed to be in vain. To acquiesce in a
resumption of ruthless submarine op-
erations IS to subject ourselves to the
losses Of war while depriving our
selves Of the means Of selfdefense.
-That is intolerable. No peace is
worth the price Of abject national hui
initiation and degradation. No peace
is worth the surrender of a nations
sovereign rights.
If Germany wants war with the
nited States. let Germany have war
with the United States. Our hands
are clean. World.