New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-06
by Cable p, me Tribun.


London Feb. 6.-Germany's threat
"a establish q submarine blockade is
received here with mixed emotions.
Many. including some naval experts,
consider il 2 bluff that Germany is
setting UP . jack O. lantern TO scare
people. While il is admitted that the
exploits of the U-2l in the Irish Chan
mel last week show that some damage
can be done. it is not believed that
the German submarine fotilla is ca
pablo Of causing any total parslyza-
tion Of commerce.
Ships which can make fifteen knots
OF more are protected from submarine
attack by their speed. Slow going
freighters, however. are more vulner-
able.
Americas attitude toward this new
method Of warfare is the subject Of
keenest interest, particularly in view
Of Germany's open declaration Of ruth
lessnesg and disregard of the rules of
civilized warfare. Count Bernstorf's
warning 10 Washington that American
ships might with advantage remain
away from certain places is considered
p piece Of bald cfrontery in view OF
the fact that attacks such as Germany
proposes are so far outside the pale OF
international law.
The New York Tribune's editorial
and Washington dispatch are appre-
ciatively reproduced in all the papers.
THE pompous decree threatening
sudden death 20 all who venture TO ap-
proach the British coasts adds nothing
10 what our enemy has done or has at
tempted 20 DO since the beginning or
the war" saws "The Westminster Ga
zettc' to-day adding:
THE same effort for the last FIVE
months has been made continuously
against our warships and transports
with results that have been almost nil.
From the military point of view, if the
Germans turn from legitimate war TO
the threat of piracy it is merely be
cause in legitimate war they hitherto
have had no success. The use Of sub
marines against British merchantmen
will no more induce the government TO
scatter the fleet for supposed security
again these sea raiders than did Ger
man mines and Zeppelins or the raids
on undefended coast towns"
"Thc Westminster Gazette" which
usually reflects the view of the British
government, infers from this German
/ announcement that the German people
/ are suffering more from the pressure
| Of our sea power than we hitherto have
/ realized"
"The Daily Chronicle" In an edi-
/ toriai, says:
I'VE should be foolish TO be over
! frightened BY the latest threat of the
. German Admiralty because, by being
so. we should achieve its main pur-
pose. The Germans cannot hope that
. their submarines will sink enough OF
/ our merchantmen TO make such a ma
/ terial difference, but they are great be-
1 levers in moral weapons; in other
/ words, in the value OF frightening
| their opponents. II few lines pub
/ lished BY an admiral in Berlin could
! have the effect of raising our marine
| insurance premiums, delaying the sail
ings Of our ships and assisting the
tendency toward higher food price,
1 they would think il ink we'll spent.
Or. Won BethmannH ollweg has told
a Danish interviewer that he cannot
help the injury to neutral interests, be.
cause neutrals are allowing England
to starve Germany In passing we mas
notice that our principle hitherto has
been 10 refrain from interfering with
any food cargoes not shown 10 be des-
tined for the German army, and that il
We now extend our interference il ii
simply because the German govern,
ment. by Communicating the whole OF
the food supply in its country, has de
stroyed the distinction between civil
and military supplies. But the Ger.
man Chancellor continues with invec
tive against English inhumanity, which
seeks to 'starve 100000 people men
women and children
Has no one ever heard OF the siege
Of Paris forty-four years ago? There
were I 100000 people in Paris, and not
4 Cne-third OF them were combatants
. Did the Germans let the non-combat-
ants out? Did they let food 60 into
them? Not they. The city capitulsted
after a four months siege and cspitu-
lated in consequence OF starvation
starvation Of non-combatants. 1t il
hard TO see by what logic the polio,
which the Germans themselves though,
admirable against the French becomes
wickedness when enforced against Ger
many. Equally hard is il 20 see how
neutral states, which scqulesced in
being forbidden TO send food into Paris
are 20 be expected 10 protest II for
hidden TO send il into Germany"