Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-23
DON'T END U-BOAT.
WAR, THE PEOPLE
BACK Won TTRPITZ
-Four German Newspapers
Print Manifesto Urging
Ruthless Policy
MANY PETITIONS SIGNED

BERLIN March 23-An "overwhelm-
ing majority" of the German people are
| on the side Of Admiral Won Tirpitz In
| favoring a ruthless prosecution Of. the
| submarine war, according to manifesto
which four leading newspapers-the
| Agrarian Tageszeitung, the National
! Liberal Taegliche Rundschau, the Kreuz-
| zcitung and the Post--publish on their
| front pages calling for debate on the res
| olutions inquirng into the conduct Of the
war.
simultaneously with this publication It
| is has become known that petitions ap-
| pealing to the Government to give the
widest latitude TO the submarine cam
paign and to press II energetically are
being circulated everywhere among the
people
on the other hand, the Social Demo.
cratic members of the Reichstag have
shown that they will stand with the Radl.
Gals and the Centrists in supporting the
Chancellor These parties together Consti.
tute a majority of the Reichstag. and pres
eut indications are that they will prevent
discussion of the resolutions in open ses-
sion. The Chancellor will address the
Relchstag within week, but It Is not
considered probable that he will allude to
the submarine question.
THE MANIFESTO.
The manifesto published in the news.
papers follows.
I'm view of tho treatment which the
resolutions now before the Reichstag re-
garding war against commerce have eN-
pcricnccd owing TO officially inspired ut
terances we feel ourselves compelled in
harmony with a great number of leading
German newspapers to make the following
declaration:
"'The political events Of the last few
days have evoked in the German people
apprehension Of important events. Grand
Admiral Won Tirpltz Is looked on by our
nation not only as n man whose energy
and creative force brought to glorious real
ization the words of our Emperor that
strong fleet was an urgent necessity for
us. but at the same time as the German
statesman who first and most clearly rec
ognzed Englands purpose to destroy her
peaceful German rival and who was de-
termined to meet this purpose with all
force and by ruthless employment of all
means at our disposal
POPULAR MAJORITY CLAIMED.
"The overwhelming majority of our
people feel themselves therein at one with
the creator and organizer of our navy
Although the people repose unshakable
trust in the supreme commanders appre-
tensions are widespread that the retire
ment of the grand admiral is connected
with his attitude on this question; and
statements of newspapers whose connec-
tion with Governmental circles is known
have confirmed this Interpretation.
1T is our conviction that it is the
urgent demand of the hour that ground
for these apprehensions be fully removed
The resolutions before the Reichstag offer
a suitable occasion for this. Therefore we
welcome these resolutions and reject, as
constitutionally ungrounded, the criticism |
meted out in respect to them
by officially inspired organs. We voice the |
inmost feelings and dearest wishes of wide !
circles of the German people when we give |
expression to the hope that the leaders
of the Empire will give these resolutions
the consideration which will do justice to
their patriotic spirit and promise the full. |
flment of their patriotic aims.
I'VE believe that in these days of earn. |
est endeavor II is our duty to the nation |
and fatherland, imperiously demanded of |
us by the national conscience to speak of |
these things openly"
These papers are all Conservative or |
organs, the Liberal Tageblatt pro. |
tests Indignantly against this "antigovern. |
mental campaign to obtain signatures to |
petitions and otherwise to create a tre- !
mendous demonstration in favor of inten- |
sifed submarine warfare. The Tageblatt |
asserts walters in restaurants and cafes |
go from table to table in an effort to OBJ. |
tain signatures.