Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-02-27
SEA sERPENTs OF TODAY

In the early days Oh naVlgaIioh'
that is when venturesome men sailed
out of sight of the Pillars OF Her
cules (Gibraltar) the belief in sea
serpents was common. Ancient prints
represent these monsters as rising
suddenly from the realms of Neptune
and protruding their hideous heads
on board a ship would swallow sew
eral men at time. No one at present
believes in mermaids, but there never
has been a time when it could DE
said faith in sea serpents had entirely
vanished.
While such monsters undouotdedly'
existed in prehistoric times, as is
shown by skeletons of the aquatic
creation which are occasionally found
and mounted in museums, something
in the shape of sea monsters, Tar
more terrible than the mythical ones
Of antiquity, are loose on the ocean
today and multiplying all the time.
This modern horror is not the handl-
work of the Creator, however, but
the invention of an American, OF the
land of peace and prosperity. They
are the scourge of the high seas,
untamable and difficult of capture OF
destruction.
One of these horrors of civilization
suddenly bobbed up off the Irish
coast last Sunday night and, without
warning, made thrust at the side OF
= the huge Cunarder Laconia, more
deadly than that of a swordfst, anu
in a few minutes one of the largest
and most luxuriously equipped pass
enger ships in the world turned upon
its side and finally settled upon the
oceans floor, leaving its hundreds
of passengers and crew In open boats
so miles from the Irish coast or
laundering in the ocean in mid
winter.
1t is reported that no one was lost,
and, if this be fact, miracle must
have been wrought by the All-Seeing
One who in antediluvian days said,
"Mv spirit shall not always strive
with man."
The German submarine commander
is no respecter of persons. AS was
the case nearly two years ago, when
a giant Cunarder was sunk a short
distance east Of the scene Of last
Sunday nights horror, when about
twelve hundred human beings, In
GLIDING women and children were en-
gulphed in the yawning waters of st.
Georges Channel, men, women and
children, of the Laconia had to shift
for themselves. The cruel sea SER
pent was unconcerned as to who
sank or who swan. The Laconia was
flying the British flag; That was
enough.
The action of President Wilson in
appealing to Congress yesterday 70
empower him to take immediate steps
to protect the lives of Americans on
the nigh seas was opportune. The
time has come when the Tree use
of the ocean is challenged by a ma
ton which plainly asserts that it has
no regard for the rights of others,
and the commerce of the neutral
world is commanded to tie up until
Teutonic war lords conclude to bring
to a close reign of terror unpreced-
ented in the worlds history.
The wanton destruction oil Nor
wegian, Danish and Dutch ships is
going on all the time. The only an
swer to the protests of these smaller
nations from the bully of the deep is
that it is "it is unfortunate"
The German tide has long since
reached its flood and is slowly re-.
ceding. The invading hordes in north
ern France have been thrown back
miles. the allies gaining as great a
victory over their enemies as was
achieved at the battle of the Marine,
The Germans are losing their morale,
finding to their sorrow that other
nations will fight, although their
leaders obsessed them with the delu
sion that nothing could stand before
German arms.
The submarine problem is destinef
to failure as has been German land
movements. The beast is now at bay
and the end of its career is but a
matter of time.
sS&aEsNNEGEsSARY | ALARM. \ /