Omaha daily bee., 1914-11-22
SUBMARINE NOT SUPREME
Under-tbe-wster Fighters Generally
0verrated.
var SHOWING sHORTCOMINas
Popular CRATE Not Highly Effective
In Its Operations, hut More
Spectacular Than Any-
thing Else.


Spectacular Than Any-
thing Else.
fCorrespondence OF the Associated Press)
WASHINGTON. oct sl.--Ever since the
sinking OF the British cruiser Hawke by
the German submarine 10 In the North
Sea. the Navy department has been
4 Ielueed with letters containing suggestions
4 nom individuals all over the country for
H The improvement Of the submarine ana
4 for great extension Of its usefulness.
4 Satisfied that most OF the writer's OF
i these communications had required an ex-
! ageerated idea of the fighting abilities
bf the submarine and that there was very
4 present danger OF serious interference
with the naval building program and per-
haps an almost total suspension OF the
Il construction or additional battleships II
1 erroneous ideas obtain common creience.
shc naval officials have been trying 20
correct this impression They have made
IL point to reply TO each OF the letter
writers. setting out in detail the reasons
why, In the Judgment OF the department
officials. II would be disastrous to abandon
bther naval construction entirely in favor
OF the submarine. and pointing thelimita-
lions which surrounded these little boats.
Views of Navy Ofncers. "a
These arguments have been reduced
to form m the following statement which
II may he said accurately represents the
views Of the technical officers OF the navy
in regard to the merits Of the sub
marine.
THE land operations OF the war have
been so overwhelming, and the naval
conflicts 80 comparatively few that the
81 Importance Of the sea operations OF the
various nations is apt 20 be lost sight OF.
II Is the brilliant feats which strike the
eye. the dash OF the British against Hell
goland. the destruction OK three cruisers
by German submarine, rather than the
slow bearing down by sheer weight OF
the allied fleet against the whole Ger
nsn coast line.
$50 far the submarine has carried off
the honors. and at the same time has
greatly disappointed It's admirers In that
II has not done more. IL was freely
predicted before the war that tho day OF
the drcadnousht was passed; that the
submarine would drive II from the seas
'@rhe destruction Of the three British
cruisers, Hogue, Greasy and Abouklr, by
the German submarine U-9, and later
the sinking OF the Hawke by the same
submarine was taken as proof OF the
impotence OF surface craft
Nevertheless. tho advocates of sub
marines are beginning to evidence signs
Of Impotence at the paucity OF results
They realize that there are over 900 sub
marines IN the navles OF the warning ma
tions. ana so far only one has done any
Fl thing. Not n dreadnought has even been
mcnaceu. The cruisers which were struck
ere old. hastily commissioned with
naval reserve crews. two OF them being
engaged in lowering boats and picking
Up the survivors OF the first when they
200 were torpedoed.
The loss Of these vessels has had no
more effect on the war than the reported
capture Of q German aeroplane by q
British Submarine Nc one would seri-
oDsly advocate submarines as proper
weapon TO use against aeroplanes, but II is
nevertheless. reported that an aeroplanc
which had alighted on the water was
captured by q submarine which emerged
close at hand
s'The ideai conditions for a submarine
attack consist In finding the enemy mo-
sionless In the water: then and only then
can the submarine hope for success.
odds Against Craft.
-But even So tho odds arc against the
submarine n proper precautions are
taken, as Is shown by the actions OF the
allied sea forces which have been Smelling
the German flank for several days. These
vessels have been operating In very re
stricted area for some time. certainly
sufficiently long for a group OF subma-
fines 10 proceed against them from any
German port. Their position has beer
known 70 everybody. and Il would ap-
pear an ideal chance for a few subma-
rinea 20 either destroy them or TO drive
them off But nothing OF the sort hal
happened. These ships have been lef
unmoiested 10 harass the German flank
. 20 prevent their approach to the coas
and TO enfilade their trenches far severa
males inland. They are small vessels O
such low speed that they could not Is
cape from . submarine if attacked
III the submarine IL all that It's admir-
crs believe. Il Is inconceiyahie why thes
vessels have been left to interfere so &c
riously with the major operations of tn
German army. The fact that they hav
been 90 unmolested on an open coas
- fcstisies 70 the power OF the British flee
TO protect itself against all forms Of Al
tack.
War Jsst started.
The war Is only at its beginning 20
and many lessons may be learned hefoE
ils finish. but 30 far nothing has occurre
to encourage the belief that the subms
Fine IL supreme; on the contrary. II
losing prestige daily. Many factors ten
10 make the submarine popular as
means Of defense-the silence and my,
terry Of It's movements. the tremendot
power OF us blows. the almost unlimits
field for imagination among those WI
know least OF its powers and shortcon
iass. the always human sympathy (,
she little fellow the David again
Goilath-all touch chord in the populi
fancy. But the hard facts demonstrate
BY three months OF war show that out
- submarines operating In waters
very restricted extent the results accoE
plished have been practically Mi. Il ",
EehooVea our Navy deDartment 10