ays proceeded from the standpoint of whether U-boat war
would bring us nearer victorious peace or not. Every means, I said in
March, that was calculated to shorten the war constitutes the most
humane policy to follow. When the most ruthless methods are considered
best calculated to lead us to victory, and swift victory, I said then
they must be employed. This moment has now arrived.... The moment has
come when, with the greatest prospect of success, we can undertake the
enterprise."

What changes, he asked, had come into the situation? A firm basis for
success had been established by a considerable increase in submarines;
poor harvests confronted England, France, and Italy, who would find
their difficulties unbearable by an unrestricted submarine war; France
and Italy also lacked coal, and the submarines would increase its
dearth; England lacked ore and timber, her supplies of which would be
diminished by the same means; and all the Entente Powers were
suffering from a shrinkage in cargo space due to the submarines. With
the bright prospect of success afforded by the supposed plight of the
Allied Powers, Germany, he indicated, was prepared to accept all the
consequences that would flow from the unrestricted submarine warfare
decided upon.

So was President Wilson. The German Chancellor made it clear that
after Germany gave her solemn pledge on May 4, 1916, not to sink ships
without warning, she had occupied the intervening months in feverish
preparations to break it and to tear up the pledge like a scrap of
paper and throw it to the winds. On the Chancellor's own words Germany
had been convicted of a breach of faith.

The President considered the crisis for three days. There was no
question of the United States tolerating Germany's disavowal of her
unlawful blockade of American trade with the belligerent countries.
The only questions to be decided were whether to warn Germany that a
rupture would follow her first act hurtful to American life or
property; to demand the withdrawal of her decree by an ultimatum; to
wait until she committed some "overt act" before taking action; or
whether to cease diplomatic relations without any parley at all.

The last-named course was determined upon. On February 3, 1917,
President Wilson addressed the two Houses of Congress in joint
session, informing them that the United States had severed its
relations with Germany. The President reviewed the circumstances which
led to the givin