Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-23
KAISER WOULD FORCE
us. TO TAKE PARTN
WAR, SAYS BERESFORD
Bulldog of British Navy
Believes Germans Would
Torpedo American Ships
to Bring About Crisis.
Would Not Be Accident.
BY EDWARD L. KEEN
Ifnltcd Press stnn Cnrresondent.

copyrighted 1918. by the United Press. Copy
righted In Great Brittany
LONDON, Feb, q.
Germany will sink no American ship
<~unless by design. The German torpedo
Ending as its mark the hull of an Amer
lean vessel will have been aimed and
flred from Berlin. II an American mer-
chantman is sunk It will be for the ex-
press purpose of dragging America into
the war"
The speaker was England's best-known
and best-loved sailor-Admiral Lord
Charles Beresford. His name, probably
more than any other, carries 70 Amerl-
cans the picture Of the typical British sea
fighter. He is to Englishmen what Bob"
Evans was to Americans. Also he Is one
OF the clearest naval thinkers Of the age.
He made the above reply to the greatest
question of the moment here-the one put
BY Americans n hundred times daily:
-Do you think Germany is trying 70 force
America into war;"
His statement is the FIRST in which any
important parsonage connected with
British naval affairs has discussed this
phase Of the war. The Admiral, upon
receiving United Press representative.
explained that he spoke only because.
knowing Americans intimately he has
recognized the danger of q possible mis-
understanding in America because of the
reticence and secrecy forced upon British
official6om- He pointed out that being
n democracy where personal liberty is
reality and military and police authority
is virtually unfelt, England Is more vul-
nerable to German spying than any other
nation excNpt America.
DOES NOT DEsPIsE GERMANS.
.I don't share the opinion Of some of
my countrymen that the Germans are
FOOLS said Lord Beresford. "I don't
favor their having that defense when the
day of reckoning comes. Every move of
any magnitude Germany has made to
date has been made deliberately and
fhinkingly. She must give an accounting
on that basis. The controlling intellects
of Germany know that the sinking of an
American ship, though apparently an
accident. would be an event of the first
magnitude. They know as we'll as you
that 1t would be a shell exploded in the
magazine of American patriotism. They
know the war wave that swept over
America In 1898 with the slogan 'Remem-
ber the Mainer was mere ripple in COM
parlson with what would engulf the Re-
public should an unarmed merchant
ship flying the American flag be sunk by
a German submarine They know that
such an event would bring America into
the war within week
IT don't predict to what extremes Ger
many will go. But l am confident she
will not leave to the judgment of sub
marine commander the issue of whether
or not America is to join the ranks of
her enemies"
What possible motive could the Kaiser
or his advisers have In seeking to involve
American" 1 inquired.
The old sea fighter whose Irish sense
of humor has not been lost in the flood
of honors titles and distinctions he has
received since his fleet commander broke
out the famous "Well done, Condor" at
the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882
paused. Smilingly he searched cloud of
cigar smoke, looking for the answer.
POSSIBLY British psychology isn't the
best in the world at this particular mo-
ment for analyzing Teutonic motives" he
replied. But will venture two possible
answers:
First, with America in the war, Ger
many would be in better position to |
quit. The Kaiser would be able TO save |
his face with his people on the ground |
that the entire world was then against |
him and Germany might hope to go down |
in history as having enacted the under |
dog role. Sympathy for the under dog is |
often given without analyzlng the dogs |
morals or considering the tact that he |
really deserves to be under.
MIGHT GET BETTER TERMS. |
"The second, and 1 believe the likelier |
reason. is the fact that If America should
participate in the war she necessarily |
would participate in the peace negotia-
tlons. It is unlikely your country would |
be invaded or would suffer TO the extent |
aur Allies have. Therefore. America
would enter the negotiations without the
poignant hatred naturally affecting those
countries whose homes have been in
vaded, cities and farms desoIated and
people massacred. Then, too, Americans
don't have the reputation of being re-
yengeful. You are-what shall l call it,
easy. just as we Britishers are.
There can be no doubt now that,
regardless of the time II will take to end
the war. or the toll of men and money to
De exaeted. Germany must ultimately lose,
1t Is obvious that Germanys resources,
In test OF endurance, cannot equal the
Allies combined resources. Under the
circumstances II is not unreasonable to
suppose that Germany already is giving
serious consideration to factors entering
into peace negotiations Sitting at a
peace conference table, America, with
great commercial demands for an early
settlement and relatively lesser griev-
anees, would undoubtedly be a valuable
asset for Germany"