The Nevada County picayune., 1917-02-08
PRESIDENT TELLS CONGRESS WHY
 NE HAVE BROKEN WITH GERMANY

tive
 "To this note of the eighth of May the imperial German government made no reply. On the thirty-frSt of Janu' ary. thc Wednesday of the present week, the German ambassador handed to the secretary of state, along with formal note. a memorandum which contains the following statements:
 "'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 bX the entente allies. brutal methods of wal and by their determina. tion to destroy the central powers, and that thc government of the United states Will further realize that the now openly disclosed intentions of the entente allies give back to Germany the freedom of action which she re- served in her note addressed to the government of the United States on May 1. 1916
 Under these circumstances Ger many will meet the Illegal measures of her enemies by foreibly preventing after February l, 1917, in zone around Great Britain, France. Italy and in the eastern Mediterranean all navigation, that of neutralS included, from and 10 England and from and to France. etc. etc All ships met within the zone will he sunk
 T think that yoa 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 i'm pertal governments note of inc fourth of May, 1916, this government has no alternative consistent with the dignity and honor of the United States. hut to take the course which. in it's note of the eighteenth of April, 1916. il an nouneed that it would take in the event that the German government did not declare and effect an abandonment of the methods of submarine warfare which it was then employing and to which it now purposes again to re- sort.
 T have therefore, directed the sec retary of state to announce to his ex- cellency the German ambassador that all diplomatic relations between the United States and lhe German empire are severed and that the American am bassador at Berlin will he immediately withdrawn, and In accordance with fhis decision to hand to his eyeelleney his passports.
 Notwithstanding this unexpected action of the German government. this sudden and deeply depIored re- nuuciation of it's aNSuranceS, given this government at one of the most critical moments of tension in the re- latons of the two governments, re- fuse to believe that il is the intention of the German authorities te do in fact what they have warned us they will feel at liherty to do. l cannot bring myself to believe that they will indeed pay no regard Ia the ancient friendship between their people and our own or to the solemn obligations which have been exchanged between them and destroy American ships and take the lives of American citizens in the Willful prosecution of the ruth less naval program they have an. nouneed their intention to adopt. Only actual overt acts on their part can make me believe 1t even now.
 If this invetcrate confidence on my part in the sohriety and prudent fore. sight of their purpose should unhappily prove uufounded if American ships and American lives should in fact be sacrificed by their naval commanders in needless coutravention of the just and reasonable understandings of ln- ternational law and the obvious die tates of humanity, shall take the lih- erty of coming again before the con greSS. to ask that authority be given me ta Use any means that may he nee eSSary for protection of our seamen and our people in the prosecution of their peacetul and legitimate errands on the mlh seas. l can do nothing less. I take it for granted that all neural governments will take the same course.
 We do not desire any hostile con 9ict with the imperial German govern mcnt. We are the sincere friends of the German people and earnestly de sire to remain at peace with the gov cruWyut which speaks for them We -haIl not believe that they are hostile to a> unless and until We are obliged to believe if, and we purpose nothing more tbau tbc reasonable defense of the uH1ouhted rights af our people. Ne wish To server ne selfish ends We seek merely to stand true alike in thought and in action, to the imme- morial principles of our people which l sought to express in my address to th, senate ou.y two Weeks ago ,eek merely so l#Hli'dte cur r.Shf In hbrrty amt an uuH0ta~tad life. These are the hase~ If peace not war Grant that Ue ,laE nof= r. euaeuged to de frud thcu 6y acfS of 0lml injustice on lhe part of the government of ter. many