The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-13
THE SUBMARINE pOAr.
An A-sumen. That Its Use ought to he
Prohibited by Civilization.

To THE EplToR OF THE SuN-Sir! Serious
efforts for a world peace all seem to be d.
rected TO the main question OF war as whoie,
and the event seems to prove that the worio
is as Yet no more ready for this change than
for many other reforms. stiliborn before
their time. Meantime, are not the really
unnecessary horrors Of war" increasing In
detail and with little or no serious effort TO
sbate them, when, much might be accom-
plished by turning the growing sentiment for
peaceful methods in more practical duec-
ton for which the times may be ripper Mnst
neutral life and shipping continue TO be ex-
posed 10 the hazards Of the uncontrolled or
derelct floating mine? Can we not eliminate
this pirate one may cali 1t, In the same man
ner that civilization has by agreement de-
stroyed other piracy. prescribed the privateer
and prohibited the explosive bullet. has made
them barbarisms and put them in the past
together with the poisoned arrow and tho
stinkpot?
But most serious OF all, Is peace, too. to be
made he'll. and by such boomerang as Is
the submarine boat? Moreover. will tho
stronger war Powers persist In discounting
their own strength by continuing to accord
to II q place In their warfare, and in so doing
some day find q DAVID Dangerous as Is
this weapon to him who wields it. even In ex-
pertinent. It is as Yet Of uncertain or dis
puted power against an enemy. II merely
oilers anothe means OF making lucky
shot. and In this is unscientihc and at vari-
anoe with the modern principles OF the pro-
fesson Of war. which ore based less on STRAIT
egy and kindred methods and more on care
ful businesslike preparation and attention
to organization and detail than ever before,
OF course, q Power having the exclusive use
Of . new or unusual weapon, or discovering
such during q war. or having to combat IT In
the hands Of an enemy. would not neglect
a. At,$ ah~lN ~,,,b
without question into the armaments OF the
vorlda Should y not be carefully examined
n,as be !, s0E 5a place ss thss power
Their mechanical and lnventlve genius; and
on ali their best. These are drawn together
and by infinite pains are nodded into the
snd dsFsnse nston hn1o1 sEna
this force be degraded BY being made to Try
conclusions In game Of chance with the
wsh III 70 FAN and nohns es III:
gambler, too; 50 far. has nothing to us score
bq II h not WON fao esGe y
In which it had a fair. chance, while It owes
the world the lives of those men who have
fruitlcss experiments. Is not this gambling
in lives as repugnant TO International morals
as the profession Of the lawless Gamester Is
agreement. unless supported BY general di dir
d
the prize at stake and the possession OF war
making power sufficient to win II make is
forget our national morals But we can
eliminate the submarine and save humahiS
the victims the horrors Of such gIewsoWs
can do II with the same certainty that We
have. eliminated the explosive bullet ana
| colors. We can eliminate il with the same
certainty that We have provided the humane
| refuge of the Red Cross. IA,
is Il less worth doing? This proposal, with
| scribe permissible weapons of war. should
be conrcnial to the President, newly
distinguished in the -, sta,esmanshp Of
State. of War and OF the Navy are each and
| all deeply concerned in such proposal; ana
| it s of such importance, aside from its bear
Ing mere re s on y Ss
tive, but of the heads which he himself has
chosen for these departments.
without attempting to catalogue recent
out that the French Farfadet gives us but one
| OF series Of similar warnings which we nave
had even within the past year from the eX-
perience Of several naNies. IN the br,tlsn
one somewhat simln" accident. that one at
tended by a loss of .ife almost. If not quite
as great as in the present case. In our own
almost exactly one 6s avo one D
t aPpr SEdred Y feet eRG athoms and was
brought to the surface with the three officers
and several men then d an9ard 1nlH by she
Of the oficcr in command. comblned WIN
the fortunate circumstance that though
the mechanism Of the vessel was deranged IN
one respect in Al other respects it -s stood "a
excessive depth and abnormal behavior.
Newport. July IL. HENRY H. WARD.