The Washington times., 1915-08-17
Dr.. Steinmetz, Electrical Expert,
Says U. S. Might Have to
Kill NeutraIs.
Iyi.a.a...
QUESTIONED BY n. Y. PRESS
Calls England Only Nation Which
May Threaten United States
Independence.

noer, has been suggested for appoint
mont to the Naval Advisory Board. Of
which Thomas A. Edison 10 to be chair
man, but from all sides protests have
been registered against the wisdom Of
giving him a place on this all impor-
tant board.
His fitness as a national adviser has
been called into question not only by
leaders in the scientific world. but by
many men in army and navy circles.
Because of his pro-German sentiments,
tho eligibility Of tho scientist has been
seriously questioned. He IL Of German
birth. and by many utterances Of Ger
man sympathy. He has appeared at
public meetings Of the German-Ameri-
can Alliance. the most militant Of tho
propa gandist organizations.
Were such considerations not to be
weighed his election to the board
would be certain. steinmetz. next to Edi-
son. holds the leading place in the elec-
trical field. He has more than 100 in
ventions to his credit. He is consulting
engineer Of the General Electric Com
pany in Schenectady. and his salary Is
said to be in excess Of 10000 . year.
Willing to Serve On Board.
In September the various electrical
organizations meet and name their cam
didates for the advisory board. Stein
metz has confided to his friends that
no would be proud to serve on the
board. So that his true attitude might
be determined in advance OF these NOM
nations. the New York Press put to tho
scientist ten questions.
eteinmetz did not answer the Press
questions Immediately. The reporter
put them in writing Sunday afternoon
at the doctors home and called at his
laboratory" yesterday to get tho an
'Tss; e: most ,,.n,oo,nt %. .,,u. =, s....
fost1's reply 10 the fact that he refused
p answer the first Ave questions epe-
statement. excusing himself On %M the %M
ground that he did not regard It prom
er that he should criticise the actions
Of President Wilson. ~
Thought the sinking Of the Lusltania
Nas Justified he replied with a gues
Eion. asking whether. IN case Of attack
q, = foreisn TOO. would It not be our
chant vessels which we knew were car
11C supplies to our invaders.
0easens, he said. Il do not doubt that
10 dsstrny grtGmptI Y. send every sub
t4e merchant steamers which are the
e4enly ammunition carriers, the shins
Mnieh bring their supply. OF. food and
Shold sserifce r., even Yen. thereby we
oven OF neutrais."
Some Questions Answered.
The five questions steinmets attempt
I'd to cover with one answer were az
follows:
L Was the sinking of tho 1.us,tanla
justified under any circumstances?
4 DID President Wilson err in thought
or action in his notes following the tor
pedoing Of the Lusitania?
Was he president. WILSON, wise in
asking for an apology and further rem
araGon from the German government ,
:. was William j. Bryan wiser or
more practical than the President in his
action on the German noteso
&. Has the general conduct Of Pres,-
gent wilson toward the belligerents
been that OF an impracticable adminiss
traitor: one out Of thought with his
Here follows the doctors answer.
questions one to five are difficult to
enswer, as their wording suggests a
form or criticism of our administrative
1mGiars nrnnsr which Ed does not appea- entirely
proper. FOR instance, the expression
lmpracticable administrator applied in
question five to our Chief Executive
would be most improper. In addition II
would be a rejection on millions Of our
cltlzens who elected President Wilson
10 which no sane man can subscribe.
n,,xu
Tn my opinion. as an American c!ti-
zen. the duty of our nation during the
present war Is:
First: To protest against any and
every violation of interna tional law IV
any of the belligerents. even If we are
neither willing nor able to enforce com
pllance, so that such violations do not
become established law by precedent
and that our nation has proper voice
and influence to remodel international
law after the war.
Second: To carefully guide all our
actions, even If it should result in a
Temporary ten1'srar Inconvenience. 50 that the
which. as pointed out by our President,
Will result from the war. are in the in
terest Of Humanity and more particu-
larly increase the efficiency of our ma
"In an editorial published some weeks
ago have more fully explained this in
reference to the subma rine as a factor
of our national! defense.
The submarine is the newest and
most terrible weapon of naval warfare.
and in its short career it has outraged
humanity and made war more inhuman
than any other engine of destruction.
''1ts first exploit in sinking the three
British cruisers at the beginning of the
war necessitated the order to all ship
commanders never to stop to save life.
but when a ship Is struck to scatter
and leave the crew of the terpedoed snip
to Its fate. This practically means GER
tain death to the crews Of sinking ships
From then on the loss of lives in battle
has tremendously increased.
Old Practices Superseded.
'-The defepselessness of the subma-
rine when seen means that 1t must
strike like the rattlesnake. before 1t is
discovered. and the laws of civilized
warfare. rs they were developed when
the nations fought on the water-and
not under the water and in the air
above the water-are being thrown
aside, made scraps of paper, like many
other things in the present war.
Justly humanity Is outraged and
AGsnucally tries TO stop international