Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-04-05
Submarines Are Impossible
As Commerce Destrovers
From the New Republic.

Controversy over the use Of submarines
AS destroyers has been carried
far enough to justify one radical conclu-
sion. The attempt of the American gov
eminent to regular!zc the practice of com
misunderstanding by vessels possessing the
peculiar strength and the peculiar weak
ness of the submarine must in the long
run fail.
If the submarine survives as q com
merce destroyer it will do so at the eX-
pense of the existing structure of marine
law. If. on the contrary. the existing
structure of marine law is to survive aud
to be enlarged, the practice of commerce
destroying by submarines will V to lie
ruled out.
The analogy between submarines and
pr.vateers is significantly close. The for
mer will be used as destgoyers
only by nations whose regular cruisers
cannot keep the seas. They operate under
practical conditions which provoke appre-
hcnsion and panic in the crews both of
the destroyer and It's possible
victims. They are vessels powerful
enough on the offensive to constitute a
dangerous enemy to a superdreadnought.
while practically their only defense
against attack consists in their ability to
submerge. Their terrific offensive power
makes them feared and hated by their
possible victims, and their Yulnerability
prevents the fear ard hatred from neces-
sarily being impotent.
Promises Will Not Bind a Submarine.
Promises made by governments to OBJ
serve the old rules in submarine warfare
on commerce Will not prevent the fear and
hatred from existing. from getting ex-
pressed. and from being sufficiently justi-
fled. A vessel with a small crew designed
particularly for concealment and for the
determination OF its enemies, which is
subject to dire peril as long as 1t swims
on the surface, cannot be operated so as
to avoid costly mistakes. Its commanders
will be forced to make decisions carelessly
and hurriediy: 1t will capture only to de-
stroy: and In accomplishing its work OF
destruction 1t rarely can safeguard the
lives of passengers and crew.
The mistakes made by the kind Of SUBJ
marine commander who assaulted the
Gulfiight and the Petrolite. who sank the
Ancona with hundreds Of passengers still
on board. who thought or pretended to
think that the Arabic was ramming his
boat. who believed or pretended to believe
that the Lusitania was a part OF the Brit
ish n~avy-such mistakes would become the
ordis.ary incidents of a submarine war
fare against commerce.
Their frequency would no less certainly
provoke the captains Of merchant vessels
to a dangerous chances OF escape and
even resistance. A skillful skipper In
command of a fast boat with one good
gun on board might be able to get the
submarine at least as often as the SUBJ
marine ould get" him.
Means Guerilla Warfare.
u the effect Of submarine attacks on
commerce would be deplorable. The fur
tive lawlessness would breed similar law
l~essness on the part OF the merchant mar
liners. The seas would be violated by q
barbarous guerilla warfare. which would
break down the distinction between trad
ing and war vessels. which would endan-
ger the lives and boats Of neutrals on the
high seas, and which would make It al
most impossible for neutrals not to be-
come involved In the quarrel.
The existing marine law which until re-
Gently has made raw on the ocean COM
paratively safe for non-combatants of all
nations. would be superseded by a kind Of
anarchy that, in case many submarines
could be kept actively afoat, would be-
come intolerable.
Such. 1t must be remembered, is precise
ly the result which the Germans wish to
bring about. They do not at present ex-
pect by means of submarine attacks on
seriously to injure Great Brit
aims carrying trade. What they are hon
has furnished the basis OF marine order
during war.
That law has been written by sea power
for the purpose of totally preventing any
during war advantageous to its
enemies. Its existence is the great OBJ.
stacle to the freedom of the seas In the