however, as has been pointed out above, was qualified by the intimation that England must relax some of her restrictions on commerce; and since the rejoinder of the United States on May 8th to the effect that the rights of American citizens on the high seas could not be made contingent upon the conduct of any other belligerent was not replied to, the German pledge had been accepted unreservedly. This pledgeand likewise the many preceding it—was withdrawn by the decree of January 31st, and his policy with regard to this action President Wilson went on to outline in measured words that deserve to be quoted in full:

"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 Imperial 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 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.

“I have, therefore, directed the Secretary of State to announce to His Excellency the German Ambassador that all diplomatic relations between the United States and the German Empire are severed, and that the American Ambassador at Berlin will immediately be withdrawn; and, in accordance with this decision, to hand to His Excellency his passports.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 deplorable renunciation of its assurances, given this Government at one of the most critical moments of tension in the relations of the two Governments, I refuse to believe that it is the intention of the German authorities to do in fact what they have warned us they will feel at liberty to do. I can not 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 naval program they have announced their intention to adopt. Only actual overt acts on their part can make me believe it even now.

“If this inveterate confidence on my part in the sobriety and prudent foresight of their purpose should unhappily prove unfounded; if American ships and

American lives should in fact be sacrificed by their naval commanders in heedless contravention of the just and reasonable understandings of international law and the obvious dictates of humanity, I shall take the liberty of coming again before the Congress to ask that authority be given me to use any means that may be necessary for the protection of our seamen and our people in the prosecution of 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 with the Imperial German Government. We are the sincere friends of the German people and earnestly desire to remain at peace with the Government 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 selfish ends. We seek to stand true alike in thought and in action to the immemorial 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 justice and an unmolested life. These are the bases of peace, not war. God grant we may not be challenged to defend them by acts of willful injustice on the part of the Government of Germany!"

The same day Ambassador Bernstorff was given his passports, the American diplomatic and consular representatives were ordered to leave Germany, and the United States began to prepare for possible eventualities if Germany committed some "overt act."

CHAPTER XI

OVERT ACTS, ARMED NEUTRALITY, AND WAR

AFTER the break in diplomatic relations every phase of Germany's activities showed that she was unwilling to yield and would insist upon carrying out the program which she had announced. The American representative in Berlin, Ambassador Gerard, did not receive the courtesies to which international law and comity entitled him; it was intimated that his departure and the safety of Americans who were leaving might be made dependent upon Mr. Gerard's agreeing to a revision of the old Prussian treaties so that the United States would be estopped from seizing the German ships in American harbors. Furthermore, it seemed like a studied affront to the United States when the Imperial Government persisted in detaining seventy-two American sailors from the Yarrowdale on the ground that they had