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u Iis Ii. Tells Congress Germany's Broken Pledges Have Brought on Break. Can Not Believe That Berlin Has So Far Forgotten Itself as to Force a War Upon a People With Whom it Has No Quar *4 rtl?Will Go Before Congress and Ask for Means to Sup? port American Rights in Case of Overt Act. I flg/nshlngton, Feb. 3.?The severance of diplomatic relations with Germany wos formally announced to the coun? try and the world by President Wilson at a joint seaelon of ocngress today at I o'colck. ' TFervently Invoking the guidance of Almighty Ood in the step he had tak? en, Pvealdent Wilson detailed to the congress why the United States could not continue relations with a warring power which repeatedly Invades jjjmerica'e sacred rights and takes the Area of Its clttsens. vCalm, with a sense of right, the Idant stood in the historic hall the house of representatives, and |th Senator? and representatives be him, spoke ths words which may the country Into the world con? st, not for aggression and not for >wer; only for law and humanity. ? Silent and attentive the grim com Pusy of the nation's lawmakers Iis led with rapt attention while Pres? ident Wilson told of America's course In the bow unsuccessful diplomatic struggle to dissuade Germany from her campaign of ruthleesness. "We wish to serve no eelflsh ends," the president stated. "We eeek mere? ly to stand true alike in thought and In action to the im memorable prin? ciples of our people . . . eeek mere? ly to Vindicate our right to liberty and justice ard an unmolested Me, Those are the bases of peace, not war. Ood grant that we may not be chal? lenged to defend them by acts of wii Uli injustice on the part of Germany.' There was an unusual attendance of mgsnsaata Pra rtleally all ths South Americans erf re represented, and many other neutrals cams to their reserved % Places to listen to the history-making ni| ?MI The gravity of the occasion of the sunrtnns court nag ntambere of the cahlner. A committee representing both sscerted the preeldcnt to the speaker's dais. The assemblage arose as he enter*. 1 the chamber, and then it burst into cheering as the president bowed and began reading very slowly. There was tense silence as he pro? ceeded, outlining first the negotiations with Germany, her pledges to the United States after the destruction of the Sussex and the new naval order of Germany declaring for unrestricted submarine warfare after February 1. The president spoke as follows : "Gentlemen of the Congress: The imperial German government on the 81st of January announced to this government and to the governments of the other neutral nations that on and after the 1st day of Fcbrun ry the present month, it would adopt a policy with regard to the use of submarines against all shipping seek? ing to pass through certain designa ed areas of the high seas to Which It Is clearly my duty to call your attention. "Let me remind the congress on the 8th of April last In view of the einklng on the 24th of March of the cross-channel passenger steamer Sus? sex, by a German submarine, with? out summons or warning and the consequent loss of the lives of several citizens of the United States who were passengers aboard her, this gov? ernment addressed a note to the im? perial German government in which It made the following declaration: "'If it is still the purpose of ho relentless and indiscriminate war? fare against vessels of commerce by the use of submarines without rasj gard to what the government of the United States must consider the sacrecj and Indisputable rules of International law and the universally recognized dictates of humanity, the government of the United States is at last forced1 to the conclusion that there is but one course it can pursue. Unless the imperial government should now] Immediately declare and effect an abandonment of Us present method' of submarine warfare against pas? senger and freight carrying vessels, the government of the United States can have no choice but to sever diplo? matic relations with the German em? pire altogether.' "In reply to this declaration the imperial German government gave this government the following assur? ance: 'The German government is prepared to do its utmost to confine the operations of war for the :rest of its duration to the fighting forces of the beligcrents, thereby also Insur? ing the freedom of the seas, a prin? ciple upon which the German gov? ernment believes now, as before, to be in agreement with the government of the United States. " 'The German government, guid^u by this idea, notifies the government of the United States that the Gor? man naval forces have received the following orders: In accordant with the general principles of visit and search and destruction of mer? chant vessels recognized by interna? tional law, such vessels, both with and without the area declared as naval war zone, shall not be sunk without warning and without saving human lives, unless these ships at? tempt to escape or offer resistance. " 'But,* it added, 'neutrals can not expect that Germany, forced to fight for her existence, shall for the sake of neutral interest, restrict the use of an effective weapon if her enemy is permitted to continue to apply at will methods of warfare violating the rules of international law. Such a demand would be incompatible with the character of neutrality, and the German government is convinced that the government of the United States does not think of making such a de mand, knowing that the government of the United States has repeatedly de? clared that it is determined to restore the principle of the freedom of the seas, from whatever quarterJk has been violated.' $ "To this the governments of the United States replied on the 8th of May, accepting, of course, the assur? ances given, but adding: 'The govern? ment of tho United States feels it nec? essary to state that it takes it for granted that the imperial .JOpfrmun government does not intend pimply that the maintenance of n\ 'ly an? nounced policy is in any way*.contin? gent upon the course, or rosulj?pf*dip lomatie negotiations between ttg gov? ernment of the United StatesiKa oth? er belligerent government, Notwith? standing the fact that certain pas? sages in the imperial government's note of the 4th instant might apperir to be susceptible of that construction. In order, however, to avoid any mi* understanding, the government of the United States notifies the imperial government that it can not for a mo? ment entertain much less discuss, a suggestion that respect by German naval authorities for the rights uf citizens of the United States upon the high seas should in any way or in the. slightest degree be made contingent upon the conduct of any other govern? ment affecting the rights of neu? trals and non-combatants. Respon? sibility in such matters is single, not joint; absolute, not relative.' "To this note of the 8th of May the imperial German government made no reply. "On the 31st of January, the Wed? nesday of the present week, the Ger? man ambassador handed to the secre? tary of State, aiOiiE with a formal note, a memorandum which contain? ed the follow:;..: statement: " 'The imperial government, there? fore, does not doubt that the govern? ment of the United States will under? stand tho situation thus forced upon Germany by the entente allies' brutal methods of war and by their deter? mination to destroy the central pow? ers and that the government of tho United States will further realize that tlie now openly disclosed intention of the entente allies gives back to Ger? many the freedom of the action which she reserved in her note addressed to the government of the United States on May 4, 191C. " 'Under these circumstances, Ger? many will meet the illegal measures of her enemies by forcibly prevent ing after February 1, li) 17, in a tone around Great Britain, France, Italy and in tho eastern Mediterranean, all navigation, that of neutrals includ? ed, from and to England and from and to France, etc. All %ships met within the zone will be sunk.' "I think that yqu will agree with me that in view of this declaration, intimation of any kind, deliberate'.) withdraws the solemn assurance given in the Imperial government's not.- of the 4th of May, 1916, this govern ment has no alternative consistent with the dignity and honor of the United States but to take the course which, in its note of the 18th 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 w hich it was then employing and to which it now purposes again to resort. "I have, therefore, directed the see suddenly and without prloi retary of state 10 announce to Iiis 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 oe 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 re? nunciation of its assurances, given this government at one of the most critical moments of tension in tho relations of the two governments, I refuse to believe that it is the inten? tion of the German authorities to do in fac t what they have warned as they will fool 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 citi- J y.ens in the wilful prosecution of the ruthless naval programme 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 un? happily prove unfounded; if Ameri I can ships and American lives should in fact be sacrificed by their naval commanders in heedless contraven? tion of the just and reasonable un? derstanding of into! national law, and the obvioi s dictates of humanity I shall take the liberty of coming again before the congress to ask that au , thority be given mo to use any means ' that may be necessary for the pro? tection of our seamen and our peo? ple in the prosecution of their peace? ful and legitimate errands on the high seas. 1 can do nothing loas. I take it for granted that all neu? tral governments will ta!<e the same course. i "We do not desire a hostile con? flict with the imperial German gov? ernment. We are the sincere friends of the German people and earnestly desire to remain at peace with the j government which speaks for them. We shall not believe that they are j 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 merely to stand true alike in thought and in action to the immemorial principles of our people which f have sought to express in my address to the sen ate only two weeks ago?seek mereljp to vindicate our rights to liberty and justice and an unmolested life. These arc the bases of peace, not war. God grant that we may not o challenged to defend them by acts of wilful injustice on the part of the govern? ment of Germany." FLORIDA HARD HIT. Cold Wave Has Played Havoc With Jacksonvile, Feb. 5.?Florida fruit and truck growers were hard hit by the cold wave that enveloped the South Friday and apparently reaching its climax in the high winds and snow Sunday in most sections, with con? tinued freezing weather today as far | south as middle Florida. In the north central counties the joss of fruit still on the citrus trees is heavy. Young trees were cut down. The truck growers in some sections lost practically their entire crop. The temperatures in the South this morn? ing, after moderate weather Sunday, reached two below zero at Asheville, five above at Atlanta and twenty-six at Jacksonville and New Orleans. Berlin, Feb. 5.?The Associated Press has learned authoritatively that Cermrr.y will propose the re-ratifica? tion of Prussian-American treaties of 1828 allowing nationals nine months to leave either country in case of wo r. New York, Feb. &.?The American line was notified today that the steami? er New Vork, the first American pas? senger ship to sail since Germany's new submarine order, left Liverpool Saturday. The American liner Phite delphia arrived at Liverpool Sundna and the liner Finland this morning. Washington, Feb. 5.?Henry Ford announced today that in the event of war he will place his factory at the disposal of the government and oper? ate it without profit. * I stand by thn president," Ford said. With the British Armies in France, via London, Feb. 2.?Nearly fifty thousand Americans are fighting for tho allies and nearly four-fifths of this number are with the British. Petrograd, Feb. 2.?Germans dress? ed in white overalls yesterday broke through the Russian first line of trenches southwest of Brzexaay, but were driven back by Russian coun? ter attack, according to the official announcement. Fruit and Truck. 4 a ' I ff? v ANNOUNCEflENT We wish our many friends and the public in general to know that we have purchased the half interest in the D. J. Chandler Clothing Company, formerly owned by the late James H. Chandler, from his estate, and the business will be continued urider the same firm name. The business will be conducted on the same high plane as in the past, and we will strive at all times to merit the continued confidence of the public, giving them the best goods and service possible, whenever they f?vor us with their business. We also wish to thank you for the very liberal patronage that you have given us in the past, and we solicit a continuence of the same generous patronage in the future. The D. J. Chandler Clo. Co. W. Alfred Bryan, Vice Pres. and Manager, Geo. W. Hutchseon, President and Treasurer