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Show CONGRESS IS GIVEN REASONS FOR OUR BREAK WITH GERMANY ; Washington, Feb. 3 President Wilson Wil-son appeared before congress In joint session this afternoon and set forth the reasons which led him to order the diplomatic break with Germany. His address was as follows : "To the congress, February 3, 1917. Gentlemen of the Congress: "The Imperial German government on the 31st of January announced to this government and to the governments govern-ments of the other neutral nations that on and after the 1st day of February, Febru-ary, the present month, It would adopt a policy with regard to the use of submarines against all shipping seeking seek-ing to pass through certain designated areas of the high seas to which it Is clearly my duty to call your attention. "Let me remind the congress that on the 18th of April last, in view of the sinking on the 24th of March of the cross Channel passenger steamer Sussex by a German submarine, without with-out summons or warning, and the consequent con-sequent loss of the lives of several citizens of the United States, who were nassensrers aboard her. this gov ernment addressed a note to the Imperial Im-perial German government in which it made the following declarations: " 'If It still be the purpose of the Imperial Im-perial government to prosecute relentless relent-less and Indiscriminate warfare against vessels of commerce by the use of submarines without regard to what the government of the 'United States must consider the sacred and Indisputable rules of international law and the universally recognized dictates dic-tates of humanity, the government of the United States is at last forced to the conclusion that there Is but one course it can pursue. Unless the imperial im-perial government should now and im-mediatelyideclnre im-mediatelyideclnre and effect an abandonment aban-donment r'ot its present methods of submarine warfare against passenger and freight carrying vessels, the government gov-ernment of the United States can have no choice but to sever diplomatic relations re-lations with the German empire altogether.' alto-gether.' "In reply to this declaration the imperial im-perial German government gave this " 'The German government is prepared pre-pared to do its utmost to confine the operations of the war for the rest of its duration to the fighting forces of 'the belligerents, thereby also assuring the freedom of the seas, a principle upon which the German government believes, now as before, to be in agreement agree-ment with' the government of the United States. " 'The German government, guided by this idea, notifies the government of the United States that the German naval forces have received the following follow-ing orders: In accordance with the general principles of visit and search and destruction of merchant vessels recognized by international law, such vessels, both within and without the area declared as naval war zone, declared as naval war zone, shall not be sunk without warning and without saving human lives, unless these ships attempt to escape or offer resistance. " 'But,' it added, 'neutrals cannot expect that Germany, forced to fight for her existence, shall, for the sake of neutral interests, restrict the use of an effective weapon if her enemy is per- . mitled to continue to apply . at will methods of warfare violating the rules of international law. Such a demand would be incompatible with the character char-acter of neutrality, and the German government is convinced that the government gov-ernment of the United States does not think of making such a demand, knowing that the government of the United States has repeatedly declared that it is determined to restore the principle of the freedom of the seas, from whatever quarter it has been violated.' vio-lated.' "To this the government of the United Unit-ed States replied on the eighth of May, accepting, of course, the assurance given, giv-en, but adding : " 'The government of the United States feels it necessary to state that It takes it for granted that the imperial im-perial Gernmn government does not Intend it to Imply that the maintenance of Its newly announced policy Is in any way contingent upon the course of results re-sults of diplomatic negotiations between be-tween the government of the United States and other belligerent governments, govern-ments, notwithstanding the fact that certalu passages In the Imperial government's gov-ernment's note of the fourth instant might appear to be susceptible of that construction. In order, however, to avoid any possible misunderstanding, the government of the United States notifies the imperial government that it cannot for a moment entertain, much less discuss, a suggestion that respect by German naval authorities for the rights of citizens of the United States upon the high seas should in any way In the slightest degree be made contingent upon the conduct of any other government affecting the rights of neutrals and noncombatants. Responsibility in such matters Is single, not joint; absolute, not relative.' rela-tive.' "To tliis note of the eighth of May the Imperial German government made no reply. On the thirty-first of January, Janu-ary, the Wednesday of the present week, the German ambassador handed to the secretary of state, along with a formal note, a memorandum which contains the following statements : " 'The Imperial government, therefore, there-fore, does not doubt that the government govern-ment of the United States will understand under-stand the situation thus forced upon Germany by the entente allies' brutal methods of war and by their determination determina-tion to destroy the central powers, and that the 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 reserved re-served in her note addressed to the government of the United States on May 4, 1916. " 'Under these circumstances Germany Ger-many will meet the Illegal measures oi ner enemies uy lui ciuiy iji e eucins 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., etc. All ships met within the zone will be sunk.' "I 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 im--perial government's note of the fourth of May, 1916, this government has no alternative consistent with the dignity and honor of the United States, but to take the course which, in its note of the eighteenth of April, 1916, it announced an-nounced 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 resort. re-sort. "I have, therefore, directed the secretary sec-retary 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-; bnssador at Berlin will be Immediately withdrawn, and in accordance with this decision to hand to his excellency ! his passports. "Notwithstanding this unexpected action of the German government, this sudden and deeply deplored renunciation re-nunciation of its assurances, given this government at one of the most critical moments of tension in the relations re-lations of the two governments, I refuse re-fuse to believe that it is the intention of the German authorities to do In fact what they have warded us, they will feel at liberty to do. I 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 obligations which have been exchanged between them and destroy American ships and take the lives of American citizens in the willful prosecution of the ruthless ruth-less naval program they have announced an-nounced their Intention to adopt. Only actual overt acts on their part can make me believe it even now. "If this inveterate confidence on mj part in the sobriety and prudent foresight fore-sight of their purpose should unhappilj prove unfounded ; if American ships and American lives should in fact be sacrificed by their naval commanders in heedless contravention of the jusl and reasonable understandings of in ternntional law and the obvious dictates dic-tates of humanity, I shall take the liberty lib-erty of coming again before the congress, con-gress, to ask that authority be giver me to use any means that may be necessary nec-essary for protection of our seamen and our people in the prosecution ol their peaceful and legitimate errands on the high seas. I can do nothing less. I take it for granted that all neutral governments will take the same course. "We do not desire any hostile conflict con-flict with the Imperial German government. govern-ment. We are the sincere friends ol the German people and earnestly desire de-sire to remain at peace with the government gov-ernment which speaks for them. We shall not believe that they are hostile to us unless and until we are obliged to believe it, and we purpose nothing more than the reasonable defense of the undoubted rights of our people. We wish to serve no selfisli ends. We seek merely to stand true alike in thought and in action, to the Immemorial Imme-morial principles of our people which I sought to express In my address to the senate only two weeks ago seek merely to vindicate our right to liberty and an unmolested life. These are the bases of peace, not war. Grant that we shall not be challenged to defend de-fend them by acts of wilful injustice on the part of the government of Germany." |