Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-18
The German Right to Use Submarines

The German Right to Use Submarines
X CERMANY has reached the point where
VI she mo longer has sufficient food to feed
her people," according to Admiral Behncle.
The ships OF the Allies have drawn n ring
about her, which presses harder and harder
upon her vitality. The futllity and danger
of sensational raids similar to that at Scar
borough have been demonstrated. The In
ferlority of the German battle fleet renders
impossible the keeping open to general trade
of even one port There remains to the Kali
ser, therefore, but one resource, and that is
the employment of submarines in the difficult
and hazardous enterprise of cutting England
off from her supplies, thus striking at the
heart of the Allies. and exposing them In
some wise to the weakening process which,
in the case Of the Fatherland after six
months, threatens to sap its vigor and de-
moralize its land forces.
There can be no just complaint that Ger
many should utilize to the fullest its subma-
rine power 1t is idle to attempt to limit
nation to procedure formulated before sub
marines were practicable and based on con-
dltions which modern invention has entirely
overturned No nation, fighting for Its ex-
istence, whether In the right or wrong, would
fail to employ its full resources in the
conflict. Should a British submarine, for
instance, alone stand to prevent the delivery
of cargo of copper to Germany, 1t would
sink the ship bearing that cargo. The exi-
genoy of the case would require 1t. So the
use of German submarines to isolate Eng
land is defensible. 1t is part Of EnBland's
task to meet this new implement of naval
warfare and oheokmats 1t. Control OF the
seas means real control OF the seas, not con-
troll by technical Interpretation Of vague law.
It was not fair combat when the arnored
Merrimao fought wooden ships, but none
questioned the right of the Confederaoy to
use the Merrimac., When prejudice has
cooled it is likely that the employment OF
submarines by Germany to terrorize and de-
stroy British merchantmen will be accepted
as a legitimate and defensible war measure
But the wanton destruction of neutral ships
is another matter This Government does
not recognize the right of any belligerents to
nonopolize the seven seas and interrupt all
commerce thereon. The oceans belong to all
nations alike. No one Power can fence them
into zones and warn Ill others out. We
have rights to be maintained and privileges
to be conserved. The protection OF our cltl-
zens and our ships is one Of the Government
first duties. 1t has notified Berlin OF our
view and purpose OF what advantage VIII
1t be to the Kaiser to violate single Amer1-
can ship, If he thereby forfeits absolutely any
chance of obtaining from the one possible
source of supply any goods whatever? To
arouse the hostility of this nation would be
to render the British blockade absolutely
effective, though not British ship stood Off
the German coast 1t would be to assure
success for the Allies and overwhelming de-
feat for Germany. There must be some
sound counsel left in Berlin. If there Is, not
one American vessel will be sunk wantonly
by German submarines.