Undeterred by the failure of his first effort, the President again, on Jan. 22, took upon himself the role of mediator. This time it was in the form of an ad dress before the Senate. The avowed object of the speech was to specify the conditions under which the United States might conceivably join a league to enforce peace throughout the world, but the real reason for its delivery was to bring the conflict then in being to an end. The effect of the speech, which in the main was admir able in spirit and form, was measurably diminished by the phrase "peace with out victory," which aroused keen resent ment among the Allied nations and met with marked disapproval on the part of a large body of influential opinion in America.
At this juncture came the announce ment of Germany's determination to em bark on ruthless submarine warfare— a most momentous announcement that spelled the doom of the German cause. It burst upon the neutral world with stunning effect. On Jan. 31, 1917, Von Bernstorff handed the text of the Ger man note on submarine warfare to the American Secretary of State. At the same time an identical note was de livered to all the neutral governments. It stated that beginning on the follow ing day, Feb. 1, all merchant ships bound to or from allied ports, found in a prohibited zone, would be sunk with out warning. This revoked the promise that had been made to the United States in the "Sussex" case. The prohibited zone included the waters bordering France, England and Holland, and cer tain sections of the Mediterranean. The one exception allowed to the United States was that once a week she could despatch a ship to Falmouth, England, and have one sail from Falmouth to the United States, provided that the ship bore certain markings, followed a speci fied route and carried no contraband. The justification for the step was given in the statement that since the attempt to come to an understanding with the Entente Powers had been answered by them by the announcement of an inten sified continuation of the war, the Im perial Government was compelled to con tinue the struggle for existence by the full employment of all weapons that lay in its power.
At the same hour that the note was handed to the neutral powers, the Ger man Chancellor, Von Bethmann-Holl weg, in the Reichstag, amplified the sub stance of the note, explaining why he had previously opposed ruthless sub marine war and the steps by which he in common with the German military authorities had come to determine upon its prosecution, and declared in conclu sion that "in now deciding to employ the best and sharpest weapon, we are guided solely by a sober consideration of all the circumstances that come into question, and by a firm determination to help our people out of the distress and disgrace which our enemies contemplate for them."
The sensation produced by this deter riination was prodigious. It deepened the conviction that when the Secretary of State had let slip the statement, pre viously referred to, about this country's being "near the verge of war," he must have had some intimation, either from Ambassador Gerard in Berlin or from the chancelleries of the Allied nations, that ruthless warfare was contemplated. For some days following the delivery of the submarine note, the country was in a fever of excitement. No intimation was given as to what the President would do, although it was known, on Feb. 2, that he had reached a decision of some kind. On that date, he con ferred with the Cabinet, and late in the afternoon consulted with a number of senators at the Capitol. Early on Feb. 3, he announced that he would on that day address both houses of Congress. Before he made the address, however, he informed Secretary of State Lansing that he had determined to break off dip lomatic relations with Germany. At two o'clock that afternoon, he appeared before the joint gathering of Congress. Floors and galleries were packed with members and spectators, in a tense atti tude of repressed excitement and ex pectation. The address lasted half an hour, and was listened to with the most profound attention.
The President reviewed the details of the "Sussex" case that had ended with the assurance of the German Govern ment that it would not henceforth sink merchant ships without warning and without taking precautions for the safety of their passengers and crews. He re called that this Government had threat ened to break off diplomatic relations unless such promise should be given. That promise had now been broken, and the only course left that was consistent with the honor and dignity of the United States was to make good its threat. The President had therefore directed the Secretary of State to an nounce to the German Ambassador that all diplomatic relations between the two Governments were severed, to hand him his passports, and at the same time to recall the American Ambassador from Berlin.