Perth Amboy evening news., 1916-07-10

progressiveness that has called torth
the admiration of even Germany's
enemies. No matter what the out
come of the war may be, the accom-
plishments of the Germans will al
ways stand out as features of the
present great struggle.
Up until now we had always look
ed upon the submarine as purely a
war vessel, a valuable arm of the
navy for making unseen attacks upon
the enemy's feet. Germany has al
ready shown us in a most gruesome
manner how efficiently the under-sea
craft can be used to prey upon the
enemys commerce. Now she has
shown us how the submersible can
be used for carrying merchandise and
rendering ineffective any blockade
the enemy may establish,
There seems to be no reason why
the submarine should not be accept
ed as q merchant vessel. If it car
ries no more arms than the ordinary
merchantmen it has just as much
right to arrive and depart from our
ports at will as any vessel of Great
Britain or France or Russia. The
fact that the new craft is able TO dive
and travel beneath the surface when
any other boat is sighted, does not in
the least affect her status as mer-
chant carrying vessel armed only for
defense. The ability to dive does not
in itself make the craft war vessel.
AS long as the diving is done only for
defense that feature is no more war;
like than the carrying of two small
cannon that are to be used only for
defense purposes. 1t is something
new and startling, to be sure, but the
Germans are getting the world accus-
toned to new and startling things
There is no limit to their Innovations
and boldness.
The contrast between the newest
Deutschland to reach our shores and
the great leviathan, The Vaterland,
that lies interned at her dock in
Hoboken is most remarkable. 1t was
but a few years ago that the big
Vaterland was greeted as the
greatest thing af1oat as she steamed
into New York harbor on her maiden
voyage. Little was 1t supposed at
that time that in so short a time an
other vessel flying the same flag
would enter an American port so
radically different, and yet be like
wise hailed for accomplishing the
greatest feat in the annals of the sea.
1t simply shows how great and
progressive nation can accommodate
itself to circumstances. New condi-
tions arose and the Germans imme-
diately set about to meet those condt-
tions. Their latest exploit appeals to
the Imagination. They deserve all
the credit and praise that is bestowed
upon them.
But the arrival of q submarine as
merchant vessel raises a new prob
lem in international law. If some
submarines are merchantmen and
others are war vessels, how is the
enemy to distinguish them? Accord
ing to international law, merchant
vessel must be visited and searched
before it can be sunk, and the pas
sengers and crew must be taken to a
place of safety. Will 1t be necessary
hereafter for the enemy to visit and
search every submarine before at
tacking her? But If the attack can
not be made at once, owing to the
necessity of visit and search, what is
| to prevent the submarine diving and
making good its escape?
Again, Great Britain is about to
formally declare her complete block
ade of Germany. Heretofore she has
hesitated to do this because she was
unable to prevent Germany trading
with the Scandinavian countries
across the Baltic. But with English
vessels joined with the Russian feet
In the Baltic, the possibilities of a
real blockade became more real.
But just when Great Britain thinks
she has Germany completely bottled
Iup, along comes the submarine mer-
chairman to reestablish commercial
relations with America. The question
Is, can Great Britain now convince
the neutral countries that her block
ade really blockades? OF course, the
submarine merchantmen has only
travelled one way. She has yet to re-
turn safely to Germany with her
cargo. And even then. the success
of the venture is not proven. Never
theless the possibilities that the
arrival of the submarine opens up
complicates matters. and cannot help
but be embarrassing to Great Britain.
Truly these are days of new things
likely to puzzle the wisest men. The
administration at Washington is ac-
cused of being vacillating and with
out any hxity of purpose, but with
such problems arising all the time
problems that have never before con-
fronted any administration, yet which