War on and under the Sea (5)

In the latter part of January, 1917, the German government announced
that, inasmuch as they had tried to bring about an honorable peace
(which would have left them still in possession of three-fourths the
plunder they had gained in the war) and this peace offer had been
rejected by the Entente, all responsibility for anything which might
happen hereafter in the war would have to be borne by France, England,
etc., and not by Germany. It was stated that Germany was fighting for
her existence, and that when one's life is at stake all methods of
fighting are permissible. Germany proposed, therefore, to send out her
submarines and sink without warning all merchant ships sailing toward
English or French ports.

In a special note to the United States, the German government said
that once a week, at a certain time, the United States would be
permitted to send a passenger vessel to England, provided that this
boat were duly inspected and proved to have no munitions of war or
supplies for England on board. It must be painted all over with red,
white, and blue stripes and must be marked in other ways so that the
German submarine commanders would know it. (It must be remembered that
Germany insisted that she was fighting for the freedom of the seas!)

Now, at all times, it has been recognized that the open seas are free
to all nations for travel and commerce. This proposal, to sink without
warning all ships on the ocean, was a bit of effrontery that few had
imagined even the German government was capable of.

President Wilson had been exceedingly patient with Germany. In fact, a
great majority of the newspaper and magazine writers in the country
had criticized him for being too patient. The great majority of the
people of the United States were for peace, ardently. The government
at Washington knew this. Nevertheless, this last announcement by
Germany that she proposed to kill any American citizens who dared to
travel on the sea in the neighborhood of England and France seemed
more than a self-respecting nation could endure. The Secretary of
State sent notice to Count Von Bernstorff, the German ambassador, to
leave this country. Friendly relations between the imperial government
of Germany and the United States of America were at an end.