Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-02-27
Concerning Barred zones.

central powers peace offer to the al
lies.
Concerning Barred Zones.
! "Their answer he continued "was
more rude and presumptuous than any
neutral countries could have imagined.
This effect produced by this document
Of barbarian hatred and of jeer is
manifest to the whole world
"Our allies and our front stand firm
er and the German nation is more unit
) ed than ever and none the less reso-
Lutte -
The chancellor then turned his dis
cussion to the establishment of the bar
red zones around England, France and
Italy and to the answers received from
neutrals to the communication made by
/ the central powers.
We by no means undeFvalue the diff.
J ficulties caused to neutral shipping,
he said, ''and we, therefore, try to ale
viate them as much as possible.
For this purpose we made an at
tempt to supply neutral states within
the boundaries of our sea forces with
materials needed by them, like coal and
iron.
But we also know that all these diff
ficulties after all are only caused by
England Is tyranny of the seas.
1--WE Will, and shall, break this en-
slavement of all non English trade
! We must meet half way all wishes
lof neutrals that can be complied with
But in our endeavor to do so, whatever
we can do we WILL except we cannot 60
beyond the limits imposed upon lis by
our irrevocable decision to reach the
aim of the establishment of the barred
zone.
| Wants Freedom of the Seas"
81 am sure that later the moment will
come when neutrals themselves will
thank Us for our firmness
For the freedom of the oceans
which we gain by fighting is of advant
age to them.
Gone step further than the European
neutrals-as has been lsnown--has beer
made by the United States of Amer
lea.
/ "President Wilson, after receiving
our note of January 81, brusquely broke
off relations with us.
l. Authentic communication about tht
reasons which were given for his steI
has not reached me.
"The former United States ambas
sador here in Berlin only communicated
! by spoken word to the secretary Of
state for foreign affairs, in breaking
off relations and asked for his pass
ports,
''This form of breaking relations be
tween great nations living in peace il
probably without precedent in history
All official documents lacking,
am forced to rely upon doubtful sources
that is, upon outer official apparent
ly other official) versions of the con
tents Of the message sent by Presiden
Wilson on February 3 to congress.
Z" In this version the president is re
ported to have said that our note O
,, January 81 suddenly and without pre-
vious idication Intentionally Withdrew
solemn promises made in the note 0.
, May, 1916
| "To the United States government
+ therefore, no other choice compatib
with its dignity and honor was left thai
> the way in which she had announce
; in her note Of April 20, l916--unfes
! Germany desired to give up her sub
marine methods.
If these arguments are correctly re
ported y the chancellor continued
then / must decidedly protest agains
/ them.
:" For more than century friendly re
lations between Germany and Amerie
have been carefully promoted We hoI
ored them as Bismarck once put it-a
an heirloom from Frederick the Great
Both countries benefited by If
both giving and taking.
Since the beginning Of the wa
things have changed on the other sid
Of the waters.
cold principles we're overthrown. 0
August q, 1913, during the Mexca
trouble President Wilson in solem
] message to congress declared that he il
! tended to follow the best usage Of il
: ternational law by the prohibition q
j the supplying Of arms to both Mexica
! parties at war against each other.
Zone year later, 1914, these usage
were apparently no more considere
j good. Countless war material has bee
: supplied by America to the entente an
4 while the right Of American either