The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-09
ny KARL ~. Won wIEGAND.
Copyright. 1915. by the United Press.
1.....L.A..a A.. n...A IlnIanIn

Copyright 1918. by the United Press
Copyrighted In Great Britain.
BERLIN, Feb. 1 (via The Hague ana
London, Feb. S).-"Does any one for a
moment believe that England, in her
determination TO crush Germany by
every means in her power-even at
tempting to starve women and chill
wouldn't use Zeppelns IL she
had them?"
II was Count Ferdinand Won Yep
pelin. creator of Germany's dreaded
fleet or aerial battleships, who spoke.
This was his answer TO protests raised
by Germany's enemies against the use
Of zeppelins and the dropping of
bombs on unfortifed places killing
women and children. And his answer
was "A Justification OF what had taken
place; what will continue to take place
while this world war goes on.
NO one regrets more than / do
and here the voice of the aged solder
and inventor carried genuine note OF
grief that was unmIstakable-"that
on-combatants have been slain. But
have not -Combatants been killed
by other engines OF warfare? Why,
then, this cutlery? Let me tell you
1t is because England fears the Yep
! pelin dirlgibles She realizes that they
promise to destroy her splendid iso-
lation. because, failing to succeed in
building something similar. she hopes
to arouse the world to bring pressure
20. e. ~ Vh. 49,. CO.
many Of these great weapons OF mod
! ern warfare which are unavailable for
her own use.
IF the military effect of the Yep
pelin airships tends toward shortening
this terrible war by only one day,
| thereby saving perhaps thousands OF
| lives; If the Zcppelins, even now only
beginning their development as a new
military arm. should prove 20 | so
effective a weapon in hostilities that
, wars are less likely to recur in the
! future. then their advent will be a
| benefit TO humanity quite aside from
their peaceful usages."
! What is your opinion, Count Won
Zeppelin" ! asked, "of aerial warfare
az represented by Zeppelins, in view
OF the expressions of Indignation in
/ England over the dropping OF bombs
( in the night?"
/ Aerial warfare has come to stay"
was the quick reply. at is as potent
a factor to-day as IL submarine war
/ fare. War in the air must become az
/ vital a factor in the strife OF nations
as any other branch Of the military
and naval service. 1t may become
almost as important as the under sea
warfare, depending of course on the
development Of warships and the new
developments in submarines"
! THE reports received here tell Of
{ the killing of n-combatants: is there
/ any way that this can be prevented"
asked
You see, we cannot always see an
/ object from n great height" he said.
! ia that not also true Of artillery
especially mortars. Don't shells Of
: ten drop in undefended or non-com-
blatant parts OF towns and cities? How
many non combatants have been killed
| in this war by Zeppelins as compared
with other engines of warfare?
How can you tell. for instance, ex-
actly where the shells from mortars
or other artillery will strike? For
instance, the shells from the new
Krupp guns have a reported range OF
F. forty-two kilometers.
The purpose of the Zeppelins as
warCraft is not against non-comba-
tants, but against military forces de-
/ Tended towns and cities, ships, ar
senals and docks. The crews OF the
Heppelins are exposed TO greater dan
/ gers, but they are Just as humane
/ as the other branches OF the service.
/ They have no intention to kill women
and children any more than the off,
GERS and gunners Of the artillery, so
far as lies in their power to avoid
I There Is proof of this. the best
proof possible. 1t is to be found in
/ the uneXploded bombs found in the
English towns. When the Zeppelins
are discovered and come under the
heavy fire OF the enemy IL may be
vital 10 ascend quickly. So II may
be necessary to throw Off bombs tnat
are useo as ballast. Then. whenever
! i Is possible so to do, the explosive
contacts are disconnected so that the
bombs, falling where II is feared there
are on-combatants. will not explode.
THAT is probably what occurred In
these English towns where they say
unexploded bombs were discovered"
From the standpoint OF this latest
factor in modern warfare" | asked,
what in your opinion should define
a city. town or position that would