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Relations With Germany Are Broken Off

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Aphrodite
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« on: February 03, 2010, 06:57:52 am »

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Aphrodite
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« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2010, 06:58:39 am »

Relations With Germany Are Broken Off
Break With Austria Too Notice of Her Blockade Arrives as President is Speaking EXPECTS NEUTRAL SUPPORT President Expresses Belief That They Will Follow America's Course STILL HOPES AGAINST WAR Mr. Wilson Unable to Believe That Germany Means to Carry Out Threat
Special to The New York Times

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Text of President Wilson's Address

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Washington, Feb. 3 -- Diplomatic relations between Germany and the United States were severed today. It was President Wilson's answer to the German notice that any merchant vessel which entered prescribed areas would be sunk without warning. Count von Bernstorff, the Kaiser's Ambassador, has received his passports, in other words, he has been dismissed by this Government. James W. Gerard, the American Ambassador at Berlin, has been ordered to return home with his staff.

President Wilson made the sensational answer in a momentous address delivered before the two houses of Congress assembled in joint session this afternoon. Congress appears to be unanimous in a determination to stand by the President in whatever measures he takes. Party lines have been obliterated in the general desire to support the Administration in dealing with a critical situation that most observers expect to result in the entrance of the United States into the European conflict.

War has not been declared. The President in his address said: "we do not desire any hostile conflict with the German Government." But preparations for war are being made. Many yards have been closed to the public. For the present private shipbuilding concerns and other plants engaged in Government work will take their own precautionary measures. Private ship builders have offered to place their establishments under the control of the Government, and a provision authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to do this will be offered by the Naval Committee in the House on Monday.

German merchant ships at American ports are being closely guarded, and some have been seized. Our war vessels are said to have received precautionary orders. Army arsenals have been told to guard against danger. Public buildings here and elsewhere are being guarded also.

Break With Austria, Too

Diplomatic relations with Austria-Hungary are to be severed also. This was made certain by the receipt by the State Department today of a note from the Vienna Government containing notice of adherence to the German submarine blockade policy. President Wilson did not know this when he went to the Capitol. Count Tarnowski von Tarnow, the newly accredited Ambassador of Austria-Hungary, who had reached the United States on Thursday, went to the State Department today to arrange for his formal presentation to President Wilson. Word was brought to him that Secretary Lansing would be unable to receive him. Hardly had the Ambassador gone when the department received a cable message from Frederic C. Penfield, giving the text of the Austro-Hungarian adherence to the German war zone order. As Count Tarnowski has not been formally received by this Government he may not be dismissed in the same way as Count von Bernstorff was, but he will be invited to leave the country, with the members of his suite and embassy staff. Ambassador Penfield and his embassy staff will be ordered home. If war results it will be war with Austria-Hungary and Turkey as well, and possibly with Bulgaria.

Demands Release of Americans

Taking it for granted that war is inevitable, speculation is being indulged in here as to how soon the clash will come. That it will come soon is a general opinion tonight. A German submarine is reported to have sunk the American freight steamer Housatonic. Word came officially today that Germany was holding as prisoners of war sixty-odd American citizens taken from merchant ships by a German raider. This Government has demanded their release immediately. If Germany refuses - and this is expected- the President may ask Congress to authorize him to take measures of reprisal. He will certainly do so if Germany does not spare American merchantman entering the forbidden areas. An important aspect of the situation to which little attention has been attracted is that President Wilson hopes that other neutral nations will join the United States in blacklisting Germany in proclaiming that Government unworthy of association with other nations in the great world family. The President, as his intention is understood, wants Germany "sent to Coventry," not to be spoken to until she has shown herself worthy of recognition again.

The United States stands ready to champion the integrity of neutral rights. Whether this will be done single-handed or with the cooperation of other neutral nations is not known. An exchange of views between the United States and the Foreign Offices of South America and Europe is expected to be in progress by Monday. In Spain's recent reply to President Wilson's note to the belligerent nations that country's willingness to participate in any concert of neutrals was indicated. Other European neutrals are known to be ready to arrive at an understanding with American Government.

The President gave a hint of this intention in the address he delivered to Congress today. After he had indicated that he might find it necessary later on that "authority be given to me to use any means that may be necessary for the protection of our seamen and our people to the prosecution of their peaceful and legitimate errands on the high seas," the President said, "I take it for granted that all neutral nations will take the same course."

Bernstorff Promptly Notified

The note of dismissal handed to Count von Bernstorff was practically a paraphrase of the President's address to Congress. It was signed by Robert Lansing, Secretary of State, and was given to the German Ambassador personally by Lester H. Woolsey, an assistant solicitor of the State Department who does most of the confidential legal work for Secretary Lansing. Mr. Woolsey went to the German Embassy in Massachusetts Avenue at exactly 2 o'clock and was received immediately by Count von Bernstorff. Mr. Woolsey's arrival at the embassy was timed to correspond to the moment when President Wilson appeared in the hall of the House of Representatives to inform Congress that diplomatic relations with Germany had been severed. With the note handed to the German Ambassador by Mr. Woolsey were the passports guaranteeing Count von Bernstorff safe conduct out of the United States. When and how he will depart and where he will go are questions to be determined. Count von Bernstorff is still at the embassy.

The concluding paragraph of the note of dismissal to Count von Bernstorff gives in brief form the action taken by this Government today, which breaks officially for the first time in history the friendly relations existing between Germany or any German State and the United States. That paragraph reads:

"The President has, therefore, directed me to announce to your Excellency that all diplomatic relations between the United States and the German Empire are severed, and that the American Ambassador at Berlin will be immediately withdrawn, and in accordance with such announcement to deliver to your Excellency your passports." And the Secretary of State, whose language was scrupulously courteous throughout his communication, had "the honor to be, your Excellency's obedient servant, Robert Lansing."

Precautions at Capital

Washington is calm outwardly, but under the surface, the excitement is intense. Having recovered from its first shock of realization that the break with Germany which might mean war had come at last, Washington began to discuss the situation and arrived at the conclusion that a break was the only possible outcome of the German notice that ruthless methods of submarine warfare were to be resumed. This of course, applies to Washington generally. Official Washington showed a bit of excitement as the day wore along. It was impossible not to come under the spell of the air of activity in the Government Departments where the wheels were humming in a way suggestive of the period of the war with Spain.

Persons who have been in the habit of passing regularly in and out of Government buildings were stopped at the entrances and told that they could not enter unless they furnished evidence that they were Government employes attending engagements with officials. The great host of clerks who make their homeward way nightly through the White House grounds were politely told by policemen that the grounds were closed to the public for an indefinite period. The gates leading to the footways were closed., and while the gates of the entrances to the driveways were open they were guarded by policemen.

Suffragists bearing banners inquiring of President Wilson how long women must wait for liberty and what the President would do for suffrage kept up their vigil at the White House gates. It was bitterly could, but the women stood their watches cheerfully. The part of the White House grounds closed today has never been closed except for the brief periods of ceremonial occasions.

Joseph P. Tumulty, Secretary to the President, said the grounds had been closed merely out of excess of caution. He thought it well to take that action in a time likely to lead to great popular excitement.

Decision Reached at Night

President Wilson's decision to break with Germany at once was apparently reached in the still watches of the night. When he left the Capitol yesterday evening after consulting with sixteen Senators, he did not indicate what course he intended to follow in dealing with the German Government. All that was known was that the new submarine policy of Germany made a break inevitable. But when it was to come was problematical. The President had been advised by some of his conferees to break at once. Others had thought he should wait for an actual sinking of a merchantman without warning by a German submarine. Some - but they were few - suggested that another diplomatic note should be sent to Germany before a severance of relations. Which of these courses the President would be inclined to follow he did not indicate when he left the Capitol.

It was about 10:30 o'clock this morning that the President sent for secretary Lansing and told him that he had determined that diplomatic relations with Germany should be broken at once. He then arranged for addressing Congress at 2 o'clock. Secretary Lansing went back to the State Department, to make the necessary arrangements for dismissing Ambassador von Bernstorff and recalling Ambassador Gerard.

The scene when President Wilson appeared at the House at 2 o'clock was dramatic. Reports had been in circulation that the President had ordered a break with Germany, but comparatively few persons in that large audience were certain as to what attitude the President had decided to adopt. Floor and galleries were packed and jammed when the President entered the chamber. He got a cordial reception. In the thirty minutes that he stood at the rostrum facing that breathless, eager gathering of men and women, only twice did his hearers become really demonstrative. He had received a round of hand clapping and a cheer or two when he appeared. The audience listened attentively to the President's words as he read from little printed pages.

Draws Volleys of Cheers

The President had sketched the steps the Government had taken to bring Germany to a realization of her responsibility to other nations in the conduct of submarine warfare. It was near the close of the address when the crowd broke into applause over his declaration that he had directed that all diplomatic relations between Germany and the United States should be severed. A moment later there was another outbreak of approval when he said that he refused to believe that the German Government intended to do in fact what it had given warning of intention to do, but this applause was not very marked. When near the very end of the address, the President said he would come before Congress again to ask authority to protect Americans on the seas if Germany carried out her threats, the audience burst into spontaneous cheering.

On the whole the businesslike and direct character of the address brought general commendation from those who heard it and a careful canvass of opinion among Senators and Representatives showed that party lines were obliterated in the patriotic desire to prove to the President that the nation's legislators stood behind him in the most important action he has undertaken in his Presidential term.


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"He who controls others maybe powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” - Lao Tsu
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