The Detroit times., 1915-02-16

ENGLAND CONFIDENT
SUBMARINES WILL FAIL
Determination to Starve Out
Foes Increased by War Zone
Proclamation S.

y
LONDON. Feb. ls.-Engiand awaits
the coming OF Der Tag (Ths Day.
with supreme confidence. Onicialdom
generally accepts the enforcement OF
the German submarine blockade,
which commences on Thursday. % In
dicating -the beginning or tns end
It IL felt that this will be- Germany's
last great blow. Her Zeppelins hay
Ing failed to come up to expectations
and her fleet being forced to remain
impotent behind her closely guarded
land fOrtificati0ns. the last weapon
ayailable IL her great fleet OF subma-
rin6s. And the British admiralty very
calmly declares that the precautions
already taken will absolutely nullify
any under-seas raid that may be at
tempted.
There IL not single onlcial Of
either the army or the navy but be-
lieves that Germany will mark her
own doom the moment her submarines
unl0ose their torped0es at merchantr
men carrying passengers. They de-
clare the civilized world !. win not
view with eQuanimity the sending to
the bottom of trading ships with their
crews and passengers unwarned and
unable to save themselves.
There II no disguising this belisf.
(, AL Of the British newspapeF1 echo g..
| 1t was openly expreggod on tha 1o0s
i OF the house OF commons. Moreover.
In his declaration last night. that the
navy was ready, Winston Churchill,
speaking for the admiralty, indicated
that IL was possible the British sea
forces would act before the Germans
strike.
It is considered certain today. In
the light Of this speech. that the com
bined British-F French Russian fleets
will enforce what II likely to prove
the most complete blockade ever at-
tempted by belligerents. II y the in
tentiop Of the government entirely TO
cut on all German ports from ship
ping, to drag forth their mines. In all
probability to attempt to force some
Of the weakest Of their defended
harbors.
The newspapers today. commenting
on the German notes TO the United
States declare there 10 no reason to
believe otherwise than that this is
one last desperate attempt ON the
part Of German oflcialdom to .save
It's face" They declare the military
situation was never better. The pos
sibility OF conscription has been abb
|solutely removed by the enormous
number Of volunteers who have. and
who are hooking to the colors. While
the government refuses ngures, It can
be stated a. fact. that there are
now under arms all OF the men that
the government is prepared TO outnt
at the present time and that IN addi-
tion to the million now either ON
French soil or en- route there there
are fully trained and equipped levies
to nh gaps for ae least -tnres
Many OF the Britain newspspers
charge that the German submarine
blockade was planned entirely Tor the
purpose OF invading the United states
and other neutral nations. II they
should be brought into the present
situation German ooiciaidom, the pa
pers say, would be able TO declare
mat with the entire world against her
Germany cannot longer fight and must
make the best peace terms that sne
can. This view. In the opinion OF
the newspapers. is supported by the
present anti-Amsrican agitation In
that the rigid German censorship
could have prevented the printing OF
any or these articles and the very
fact that they have appeared is cited
a. proof that the anti-American agi
tation has the approval Of the govern
ment.
The Pail Mall Gazette today says:
"Our right to adopt the most dras-
tic retaliatory measures springs from
the enemy's contemptnous rejection OF
every law OF conscience and human
|itv. Our power to make them ehec-
tive IN guaranteed by our proven
moral material and the ascendancy or
our men. N the Germans dare face
the issue we shall be best pleased"
The Globe says:
aChrrchilrs announcement is no
IDLE threat. Momentous events are
TRANSMITTING"