The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1917. GERMAN ULTIMATUM TO AMERICA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 3 February 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1917. GERMAN ULTIMATUM TO AMERICA.

(With which is incorporated The Taihape Post and Waimarino News).

-- i ■ —— ” ” The great question of the mo me lit is as to whether another great nation is to be forced into the war to defend its rights and its honour. Germany s interpretation cf equal rights for all nations is adverse to the rights and interests ,ci all nations excepting her own. She wants a peace with Belgium in which that country’s rights arc entirely subordinated to German needs and desires. It is futile, however, to discuss the equal rights postulate put forward by Germany, as she has with consistent notoriety made everything cn sea and land subservient to GminSi will first and the rest of the world afterwards. The same object as that for which she went to war stands out clear in all her notes, negotiations, discussions and threats. While demanding equal rights for all nations she is spilling the last drop dr German blood in an endeavour to seize the countries of other peoples, and it is this arrogance of German doctrine of equal right that has brought her into sharp conflict with America. It is not necessary to recount instances of German disiegard of American interests, which ha>e been so frequent and outrageous that it is doubtful indeed whether they would not have caused loss powerful nations to take up armed resentment long before the present stage was reached. Germany now tells the United States President that his ships must net ply over the greater pcition of the much traversed ocean, that he must warn his citizens against shipping their goods to ports wuich have been free since the United States has been a nation; that her ships must not ply the oceans except where Germany pleases, and certainly not the waters about all the Allied countries. If the United States President is so foolish as not lo observe the restrictions Germany has put upon his shipping, then submarines will sink his vessels, seize or destroy his commodities, and send his citizens to the bottom without any notice or the slightest hesitation. These German restrictions were or-

dcrcd by the German Government to become effective from last Thursday, the first of February. President Wilson has calmly viewed United States ships being sunk and American citizen life being wilfully and designedly destroyed by German piracy, making it difficult for the people of the world to give credence to the cable which convoyed the intelligence that open niplure had at last taken place. To what*

ever extreme German-American relations may now be strained, they at least give cause for calm and serious thought. Germany has forbidden absolutely all commerce between neutrals and the Allies, all ships so trading will be torpedoed irrespective of flag or cargo. All ships are given five days in which to return to their own ports. The New York “World,” whicn is anything but a pro-Ally journal, says the German note is a declaration of war, to which' there can only be one answer, and that answer should be given forthwith. Bernstorff must be handed his passports and diplomatic relations must cease. If this means actual war with Germany, says the “World,” so he it. A later message from a high official source states that his passports have been handed to Bernstorff, which, of course, means rupture. The situation is critical; thousands of American lives are in or approaching the danger zone; American ships are remaining in port awaiting a Government announcement; Wall street is panicky; stocks and shares are seriously affected, including wheat and cotton. In fact these

appear to bo all indications that America is to be enveloped in the war. Very few people in either neutral or belligerent countries win, after past experience of President Wilson, believe war possible until it is actually and officially declared, and even then it will be questioned whether it is not a false alarm. Germany has reached a stage of desperation, where it matters little to her whether she has one

nation or the -whole world against her. It seems plain that Germany has sought to draw into the conflict the Germans of America, and President Wilson has so far countered the ef fort. This setting in motion a menace of war has created serious trouble in financial and economic interests, but. the probability is that Germany’s hour is too long and definitely past to allow her to effect what would be little

short of an internecine conflict in America. Germans have sought hospitality and a home in the United States, without taking any part in the struggles on which the nation was built up, and the time has new come when they would not hesitate to murder and plunder those who have succoured them. Whether the President of America will adopt a course which would set up civil war is doubtful; still there is the fact facing America that there is to arise an American militarism or the nation must succumb to German influence and accept German rule. If the unexpected does happen and war is declared, it is difficult to predict just what action America would take.

as internal troubles would to a very great extent be a governing factor. It is not unlikely, however, judging from experience, that open rupture will be avoided.