The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-12-25
ENGLISH WORRY
GERMAN SOVER
LOSS Of SUBS
BY ED L. KEEN
European Manager. United Pres

European Manager. United Frr~s-l
LONDON. Dec. 25.--The close OF
the year 1917 finds the people OF
Great Britain grumbling as usual.
out--determined as usual.
Despite the war. WEAKNESS which
neccssariiy has affected all tho bel
talk In England today Of stopping
uhort OF decisive finish than there
vas In 1914. The pacifists may be
: bit nolsier. but they are no more
numerous nor consequential than
they ever were.
But other folks are noisier. too.
The chief symptom OF war-wcariuess
IN England Is the steadily increasing
uumbcr OF vociferous amateur strate-
gfstx Most OF them are fault find
IN
Ono very considerable source Of
popular complaint Ii the mystery
which surrounds the anti-snoui1rtne
campaign. Now. there are two main
reasons for the reticencc OF the Brit
Nh admiralty One Is tradition. and
ne other IL Germany.
Tue British navy il doing lot OF
nings these days that would be read
With the utmost interest and profit
" both the British and the allied
public-but with far greater interest
md profit by Germany. This Is
Uhy successive new FIRST lords OF the
iniraity have speedily been per-
-asaded that their previously con.
ypsived notions regarding the desir-
hbiIity Of publicity were all wrong.
II Is difficult for the public to
understand why. for instance. week
b detailed figures Of tonnage losses
- well as the number OF submarines
uInk should not be published You
NY the Germans must know these
!hings themselves. But they DON'T
rhe British secret service IL the
Hncst Of its Kind In the world today
Eyes. better than tho kaiser's ever
vas, even in the days % Bernstorff
land II knows the Germans don't
know. Therefore II Is policy to keep
mem guessing.
The British admiralty Is convinced
hat II would be folly to give the
eerman admiralty opportunity TO
sheck up on the data furnished By
II submarine commanders. some OF
xhom are known 10 BE- a trifle over
Enthusiastic about their own ex
s,oits Likewise. IL Is most useful
% conceal from Germany the fate
n Its submarines. Some are sunk.
prne are mined. some surrender. and
tome are captured. The Germans
bnow how many they have LOST.
tut they don't know HOW they were
Dst- This element Of uncertainty Is
big asset to England. II Is one
reason why some German sailors re
ently have preferred 70 go TO prison
han embark on submarines.
The nearest approach to definite
figures vouchsafed BY the admiralty
was when Sir Eric Geddes told com
mons that between 30 and so per
TENT OF all German submarines com
nissioned for work In the northern
eas since the beginning of the war
lad been put out OF business.
There are no more OF those
poradlc raidings OF the English
poast. which 30 annoyed the British
people in the earlier days Of the war
There was just one regrettable slip.
When two Empowered. speedy Ger
nan cruisers under cover Of a fog
dreaded their way out Of their
HcIigoland mlnefields. sank n con
voy OF Scandinavian merchantmen
pDd their escorting British destroy
prs and got safely back TO their
base
Britain now stands firmly and IN
DitcrabIy pledged with its Western
bllies 10 conduct the war hereafter
IN the basis Of the closest possible
po-ordination and cooperation. All
fronts are now one.