Show N JEWS W OF B BEAK EAK TO president tells congress of severance of Diplo malio relations RECITES REMES KAISERS PROMISES say says he to believe submarine will commit overt act acts against american lives and ship ships washington feb 1 president wll wil son 00 oo this afternoon addressed a joint session of coa greni the i event events that led up to the diplomatic break with german lie ito said to the congress february 3 1017 gentlemen of the congress the imperial german government on the of january announced to thil this government and to the govern of the other neutral nations hat that on and after the tie let day of I 1 abru ary the present crowth it would adopt IL policy with regard to tho the uso use of i submarines against all shipping seeking to pass through certain designated arena areas of the high seas to which it to 1 clearly my duty to till your attention ut ine me remind the congress that on he of april lost last in view of the inking sinking on the 1 S alth of march of the croas arc channel passenger steamer sussex by a it german submarine without summons cummons or warning and the con loss lo 10 of the lives of several I 1 citizens of the united S stance tol at were passengers gera aboard award her tills this government addressed a note to the imperial gordnn government in which it mado tu following folio wing declarations declaration oz M it if it still be the purpose of the lap berlat government to prosecute relent iris fit and in criminate warfare against fessele of commerce by tho the uio of submarines without regard to ahat hat the government of the united knust consider the acred sacred and indisputable rules rulea of international law and the universally recognized dictate of humanity liu manity th the government of the united states Is at a tat last forced to the con cluts on hat that there la Is but ona ono course it can pur tu unless the ira im aerial government should now and iro im mod lately declare and effect an abandonment of ita its present methods of bu darlne warfare against passenger and freight carrying vessels 1 the government of tho the united state states can have no choice but to sever diplomatic re iattoni with the german empire altogether rall assurances given 81 B I 1 ermany in reply to this declaration the I 1 imperial m german government cave gave this government the fo following lowing assurance the rho government Is I 1 prepared to do its utmost to confine tho the operations of the q tor for th mt rest of its du duration tation to the fighting forces of the belligerents thereby also ai as suring surins tha the free freedom dotu of tho the seas a principle upon which the german believes bd loven now a kt bet betar rt to be in agree ivet meat with the government of the united state states the german ovorn ment gelded by this idea notices notifies tho the government of the united state states abat 1 the german navel na vat force forces tiara the bolow ing orders in with the general principle principles of visit and starch and destruction pi pf erchant lu t vessels recognized by international law such vessel both within and without tha the aren declared lared as a naval war cone zone declared aa as naval far sono ahall shall not P 10 cuna sunk without and without saying but hulian buttan tan live lives unless these ships attempt to escare or offer resistance rests but tt it adata neutrals canno cannot sect export that germany Clerman jr forced to fight for or er existent exl tenc shall for the sake of neutral interests restrict uie he use of qt an effective weapon it her enemy it permitted to continue to apply at v III wa loda of warace violating the rules of 0 international law such a demand aou be b incompatible with the char chat octet of neutrality and the german government Is convinced that the government ct tha the united states does not think of making inal cing euch such a demand know log that tha the government of ibe the united states has reMt repeatedly edly declared that it Is determined to restore the principle nf the freedom of the seas r from aba bever quarter it has bea been vio tata refused to be B bound by any to xa this the rown Comm ment of 0 the unit ed states on the eighth of may act accepting of course the this assurance as urance i but adliah athe the government of the united feell it to otate that tt it takes it for that the im prid ota does cot not intend it to imply that the maintenance of ita its newly announced policy Is la in any way contingent upon the ib coarse course of re of diplomatic be tabon IDS the government of the united states and other belligerent govern gorem oe fact that cea Str tala pos salts la to the ampt impel loil KOV cov noto no of f the fourth instant might appear to b of that construction jn in order however to avoid any possible ble misunderstanding the of the united states notifies the imperial government that it cannot for a moment entertain much less discuss a suggestion hug that respect by german naval authorities for the rights of citizens ef of the united 1 states upon the high ses seas should la in any way in the slightest degree be marr mar r contingent upon the conduct of any other government affecting the right rights of neu neutrals truls and non noncombatants la in such matter matters Is I 1 ingle single not joint absolute not relative to thio note of the eighth of may tho the imperial german government made arf no reply oo 00 he the thirty first arst of january the wednesday of the present week eek the german handed I 1 to the secretary of along alon with a formal note a memorandum o 0 which contains the following statements the imperial government therefore doea does not doubt that the govern ment of the united states will understand the situation thus that forced upon germany by the entente allies brutal methods of war and by etli to destroy the central power powers and lint that the government of the united states will further realize that the now openly disclosed of the enante allies giro give back to germany the freedom of action which she reserved in her note addre addressed med to th the 0 government of the united unitt d states on may 4 1010 under these circumstances germany will met mett the illegal measures of heren her emles by forcibly preventing after february 1 1017 in a zone around great britain france italy and in n the eastern mediterranean all that of neutrals included from and to Engl englad nd and from and to france etc etc all ship ships met within the zone will be bunk sunk no alternative consistent with country honor 1 I think that you will agree with me that in view cf ct this declaration which suddenly and without prior intimation of any kind deliberately withdraw w a the solemn assurance given clyen in the im fourth berlat governments note hote of the fourth of may 1010 1016 this government has no alternative consistent with the dignity and honor of the united St te but to take the course which in its note of the eighteenth of april 1010 it an on bounced that it would take in the event that the german did not declare and effect no an abandonment of the methods of warfare which it was then employing and to which it now purposes again to resort 1 I have therefore directed ue ito U e secretary of state to u to nis excellency cel lency the german amba ambassador that all 11 diplomatic relations between the united states and the german empire are severed and hB am rn cassador bas at dt berlin will lie be immediately withdrawn and io in accordance with this de decision claton to hand to LIs his excellency his passports cannot betle germany W will carry out threats r notwithstanding thia this u 1 action of the german government this sudden and deply deplored renunciation nun nuncia clation tion of its ass assurances arances given this government at one on nf the most critical moments of benlon ic 15 the relations of tie two governments I 1 refuse to belt bellert eyt that it Is the intention of the german authorities to do in fact what they have warned ua they wilt will feel at liberty to ilo to I 1 canno bring myself to believe that they indeed pay day no regard to the ancient friendship between ther people and our own or to the solemn obligations which have ben been exchanged between them thern and destroy ships and take the blics of if american citizens in the willful Ill ful prosecution of the tho ruth less naval program they aey have an bounced their intention to adopt only actual overt acts on their part can make ake tae me believe elleve it even nor it if this thin inveterate cond confidence dence on my part in the Bobrie ts and prudent foresight of their purpose should unhappily pave unfounded i if american ships and amer can alivs should la in fact tact be sacrificed by tint naval commanders comman deri erg la to heedless ot of the just and reasonable understand lass of international ter national law and the obvious die tat of humanity I 1 take the liberty of coming a aln ain before the congress to ak ask that authority be given raeto meto ost use any means that may be nee eskary emary for protection of our seamen and our people la in the pm cation of their peaceful and legitimate errands the high seas sens I 1 can do nothing irk leac I 1 take it for granted thai that all till neutral vero ment will tave the same courm only OMY odden fIns of america american aa we do not desire any hostile conflict with th the imperial german govern meal we are re the sincero sincere friends of tle lo 10 german people aad and earnestly desire to ramala at peace with the government which ibor th m we shall not believe that they iber are hostile to us unless and until we are re obliged to bellev belleve it and we purpose nothing more man the reasonable defense of tha ui undoubted rights of MX people lie alia to serve erv no selfish aft we seek merely to stand tree true ailko in thought and lu in action to the immemorial In morial giriat principles of ot our people mple which I 1 ought sought to express in my addre to tle only two weeks ato betit mervil to vindicate eur our right to liberty and ad aa an dufft thes these an the bases of bot war grant that we not ta fc challenged to d fend tend by acts seft of wilful injustice on the pirt ft of the government of gov many |