Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-09-04
Has the Tide Turned?

If the report that British naval
fishermen have caught so German
submarines in the last 60 days. is
true. one reason for the German as
surance that she will reduce her sub
marine activities is apparent. Other
reports of accomplishments by British
undersea craft promise a new face on
remaining history of the war. Sur
prise has been expressed for months
because of the inactivity of the British
forces; now the friends of the allies
find new hope in the possibilities.
If the German submarine warfare is
to be curtaled or destroyed by in
genious traps. the Teutonic allies will
be at last completely shut off from the
world with little hope of breaking
through the blockade or Of striking
blow at their jailers except on land.
Germany's Zeppelin warfare also
terrorizing the enemy, as attempted.
Only civilians have been slaughtered
by these air raids. Not soldier or
sailor of the allies has been injured.
it is claimed. The New York Sun, in
treating this phase of the war, says:
No British soldier or sailor has been
killed or wounded in the Zeppelin
warfare which Germany has waged
upon England. according to the Home
Office. a report on the subject has
been made to Mr.. Arthur j. Balfour,
first lord of the admiralty. The vic
Tins of the once dreaded dreadnought
Of the air have been civilians. In
raids into England during the first
year Of the war seventy civilian
adults and eighteen children were
killed and 1S9 civilian adults and
thirty one children were injured.
This information, which is official,
sets the stamp of failure upon Zeppe-
lin warfare; Yet the German people
are still dreaming of the destruction
of the city of London by bombs
dropped from the sky. If Grand Ad-
miral Won Tirpitz were to speak out
about this delusion he would rate the
Zeppelin UNNECESSARILY below the
submarine in effectiveness, and the
submarine has not come up to his eX-
pectations as commerce destroyer
and transport sinker.
Lately raids by these great airships
have been made at night. and while a
fortified town was no doubt the OBJ
jective. for the Germans may be ac-
mutt of Iot; al i,to 60
murder nom complaints, and particu-
larly women and children, land
marks" as Mr.. Balfour says. have
proved elusive" and the bombs were
dropped in the wrong place. Difficult
as it is to hit Notifications by daylight
from a great height success must
usually be impracticable in the dark
hours. even with the aid of powerful
eearchlights. The wrong town may
De selected for attack. This must be
known to the raiders, and therefore
they cannot be absolved Of RESPONSE
oility for the murder of non COM
batants
Certainly Zeppelin warfare, of which
60 much was expected. has been a
hasco and costly one. No military
advantage has been gained in the in
vasions of England. and every slaugh-
ter of innocents has been followed by
q rush Of volunteers to the colors.
AS war machine the Zeppelin will
generally be a failure. 1t can take the
air only when weather conditions are
favorable. In big blow the Zeppelin
is unmanageable, and it presents a
conspicuous target for the explosives
of swifter aeroplanes. The latter
have proved the more useful in mod
ern warfare. A flotilla of them can be
built for the cost of one dreadnought
of the air.