[Paleopsych] NYT: Relations With Germany Are Broken Off
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Relations With Germany Are Broken Off
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0203.html
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This event took place on February 3, 1917, and was reported in the The
New York Times the following day.
Relations With Germany Are Broken Off
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Break With Austria Too
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Notice of Her Blockade Arrives as President is Speaking
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EXPECTS NEUTRAL SUPPORT
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President Expresses Belief That They Will Follow America's Course
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STILL HOPES AGAINST WAR
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Mr. Wilson Unable to Believe That Germany Means to Carry Out Threat
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Special to The New York Times
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Text of President Wilson's Address
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W ashington, 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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