Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-12
The Cause and the Effect.

The Cause and the Effect.
The submarine method OF warfare
that accomplished SO much and be-
came so high in faver among adyo-
Gates of militarism for several
months, seems to be an exploded hope.
The submarine to successfully wage
war in the future must be on a par
with the Jules Verne dream of half a
century ago, the Nautilus" 1t must
have speed. be able to pass through
the hull Of a ship like a needle
through sail CLOTH" have a powerful
eye to the front when under the waves,
as we'll ss marvellous improvements in
periscOpe advantages The "ap-te-
date German submarines seem to
have been swept from the seas.
Probably no form Of warfare has
ever proved SO disastrous to high
class of intelligent operatives as has
the submarine. Its career was bloody
and terrifying to the world while it
lasted, but its fate seems to have been
all that could be wished for a method
that was cowardly. relentless and in
satiable. 1t would be interesting to
know how many men have gone out
from Germany in undersea boats to
prey upon the shipping of enemy and
neutral. have been spared to the Ger
man cause. We believe the toll Of
those who operate .airships to be small
in percentage to that. of the undersea
craft.
But the possibilities Of undersea de-
tense and offense demand the atten-
ton of the best gray matter of
America, in making it an all-powerful
factor in the preparedness" that is
bound to come. Undersea craft of
great speed, amazing strength, capable
of incredible maneuvers up and down
and in and out-all these must be
combined in a new type Of warship to
navigate the deep. America should
perfect it. American labor shouldodo
the work. The American government
should own and control the inventions
and secrets. The American people
can afford preparedness" for defense,
but they should derive all benefits
from the manufacture and the labor it
provides. There should be no con-,
tempt in any part of the world for
American ability to defend itself. And
American defense should be made in
America.
The strongest argument for pre-
paredness" of the United States lies
in the perfidy Of other governments
that have thrown national agreements
to the winds as scraps of paper" and
have openly violated the right Of ma
tions and the sacred principles of hu-
mainly.
Eighteen months ago we had con-
fidence in the governmental pledges Of
all great powers. That confidence has
been betrayed. If we cannot trust the
most powerful military peoples, we
must be prepared to defend ourselves
from their greed. their jealousies and
their possible course because Of fan
cied wrongs. gfK
But preparedness" is as much a
matter Of science as 1t is of wealth, of
numbers, of secret methods. Forts
and gun pits are no longer impregna.
BILE. Undersea boats are entrapped
by nets, and even the deep trenches of
"dug-in" armies are piowed out and
destroyed by the awesome artillery
and bombs Of 1915 warfare. New
methods are met by newer. Where il
the limit?
The only thing that can halt an
ever-increasing preparation for war il
a pooling Of international strength for
the maintenance Of peace. and doing
away with the ornaments of in
dividual nations. AS this cannot be
brought about until the present con>
fiict is ended by exhaustion Of one
group Of allies, or all. and as the
strength Of the United States at that
time may have decisive bearing, 1t 10
necessary for the United States to 90
prepare that her voice in international
affatrss is bound to be heard and re-
spected.