Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-06
DEEDS, GRIMES IN may,
SEEN TO De BLUNDERs
Reason for Amazing Change in Ger
many's Diplomatic Attitude To.
ward United States.
ARTHUR J. BALFoUR WRITES
First Lord of Admiralty Discusses
Aims and Methods at Sea Of
Kaiser's Fleets-Decisive Success
Not Attained and Not in Sight.


Balfour, First Lord Of the Admiralty.
in letter to the British press. says:
Much has been written about Ger
many's military methods and aims on
land; not so much about her aims and
methods at sea. Yet, in truth, the two
arc so intimately connected that neith-
err can be understood apart from the
other.
I'm 1900, Germany arst proclaimed
her policy of building a fleet against
Great Britain, and from the point OF
view of her own ambitions. the policy
was a perfectly sound one. She aimed
at world Nominations: and against world
domination the British fleet, from the
time of Queen Elizabeth to the present,
has always been found the surest and
most efrectual protection The Ger
mans have every reason to be aware OF
the fact. for without the British fleet
Frederick the Great must have sue
cumbed TO his enemies. and Prussia
would scarcely have shaken off the
Napolconic tyranny.
1T takes time, as well money, to
create a great fleet, and German states
man We're too wise to suppose that they
could at once call into existence a navy
able to contend on equal terms with a
power. which, as they saw clearly
enough. was the most formidable OBJ
stacle 10 their aggressive projects.
They calculated that powerful
fleet. even IL 1t were numerically in
ferior To that of Crest Britain, would
nevertheless render the latter impo-
tent, since no British government
would dare risk conflict, which, how
ever successful. might leave them in
the end with naval forces inferior to
those of some third power.
so far, neither the designs of the
German government nor those Of tho
German Navy League have met with
any measure Of success. The British
fighting fleet has become relatively
stronger than it was thirteen months
ago. and there is no reason to suppose
that during the future course of the
war This process is likely to be arrested.
HOPES FOR SUBMARINES
TO SUCCEED DREADNoUGHTs
ut is indeed plain that, after six
months of hostilities. Admiral Won Tir-
pitt and the government which he
serves arrived at the same conclusion.
They saw that the old policy had brok-
en- down, and that n new policy must
be devised; submarines they thought
might succeed where Dreadnoughts and
cruisers had failed.
The change. no doubt, was adopted
with extreme reluctance, and many
screenings of the heart Even the
most reckless government does not de-
sire to petpctrate unnecessary crimes.
AS to what the German navy must have
felt about the new policy we can only
conjecture. German sailors are gall
liant men. and gallant men do not like
being put on towards Job. 1t can
have been no very agreeable reflection
that the first notable Performance Of
the German fleet should resemble
piracy.
I'VE may. therefore, safely assume
that nothing but hope of decisive
success would have induced the Ger
man ministers to infiict this new strain
upon the honor of their country. Yet
decisive SUCCESS has not been attained,
and does not seem to be In sight 1t
may interest you to know that while
the losses inflicted upon the German
submarines have been formidable.
British mercantile tonnage is at this
moment greater than when the war
began. Many inoffcnsive persons wo-
men and children, as we'll as men neu-
trails as we'll as belliGerents, have been
robbed and killed. But it is not only
the innocent who have suffered: the
criminals also have protected n heavy
toll. Some have been rescued and are
prisoners of war. but, from the very
nature of submarines, II must often
happen that they drag their crews with
them TO destruction.
OFFERS EXPLANATION
OF AMAZING CHANGE
Herein lies the explanation of the
amazing change which has come over
the diplomatic attitude of Germany to-
ward the United States. Men ask them
selves why the sinking of the LUST
tania, with loss of over 100 men.
women and children, was welcomed
throughout Germany with n shout of
triumph. while the sinking of the
Arabic was accepted in melancholy
silence.
is it because. in the intervening
months the United States has become
stronger, or Germany weaker? Ia IT
because German opinion has a last re-
VOTED AGAINST lawless cruelty?
NO! The reason is found elsewhere.
it is found in the fact that the au
thors of the submarine policy have had
time to measure it's effects-that the
deeds which were merely crimes in
May, in September are seen to he
blunders."