Arizona republican., 1917-02-05
This ataI Day

This is the fatal February 5, the day set by Ger
many for indscrminate, unrestricted submarine war
fare against the of the world of friend and
foe within the forbidden about the countries
of the entente allies Though the date of the begin
ming in the German note of January 81 was the fol-
lowing day five days of given neutral
ysels which have been entering or leaving those
zones Though many neutras have been sunk within
five days both within and without the zones.
probably the temporary offered by Germany
last summer observed; the vessels pre-
sumably sunk without warning and without giving
passengers and crews an opportunity escape or
unless resistance offered there attempt
escape. In the of the American, Housatonic.
sunk Saturday, that agreement appears have
been observed
But today it may be expected that the agreement
viii be abandoned and that vessels within the desig
mated zones. other than neutral passenger vessels
carrying contraband and bound for a single desig-
mated British port will be sunk without warning
gardless of nationality
Immediately after the rejection by the allies of
President Wilson's peace proposal, Gerard Fennes.
British naval expert and naval writer for the London
Observer contributed article The Submarine
Menace" 1t written weeks before the
by the Germans of their blockade and the
indiscriminate character of the warfare the
tent to which it would be carried But then and long
before there rumors of increased submarine
activity.
Mr. Fiennes wrote:
We may expect with confidence submarine cam
paign commensurate with the belief Of the Germans
that they possess in their underwater fleet weapon
which. ruthlessly used, will bring this her
knees. The attack on shipping outside New York
harbor and the depredations chiefly neutral COM
merce off the Azores and Canares. in the
of dress rehearsas for the coming of the sharp
weapon which Germany believes herself possess.
1t would be folly pretend that the threat is
a serious which will demand all the energies
of the allied navies all the capacity of shpyards
and all the inyentiveness of our seamen to meet
cessfully
The Germans have recently boosted that they have
completed 225 submarines since began, and that
they have seventy five of the largest APP
preaching completion With the thirty they had in
hand before the declaration of hosttes this would
give them $50 underwater craft, inclusive OF losses
These have been heavy, and liberal discount may be
taken off their boast but careful calculation
show that they have in fact. something more than
third of that total actually available considerable
number being large and fast craft capable Of operat
ing great distance from their home bases.
Without taking in the least unduy alarnist
view. and with the fullest possible confidence that
the navy will eventually in getting the upper
hand it is least evident that those responsible
the conduct of the should have their minds
free possible to grapple with the danger; that
every resource which they require should be placed
in their hands, and that the economical pos
sble should be made of combined strength of the
allied naves. Economy in this implies unity of
command and considered employment of all the ton
mage which the different powers possess.
The navy knows sovereign for the sub
marine pest 1t has never possessed The M
mary defeat of the earlier campaign round shores
not brought about by the application Of any
heaven inspired device invention but by the sleep
less Of brains wits cunning courage forethought
imagination, combined with technical skill great in
dustrial resources. ingenuity and experience. None
of these have failed u.s. imagination and fore
thought during eighteen months of regrettable
Violence. The board of admiralty has that leeway
to make and ii will take them all their time. They
will do it, but the steed may starve while the grass
grows unless all concerned with shipbuilding with
ship management and with the regulation of
port put their backs into the job the rapid
requirement of LOSES and the fullest possible use of
the resources