The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-02-03

because he advocated ruthless sub
marine warfare but because he did
not effectively carry out the campaign
he inaugurated.
From German quarters tonight
came the information that Germany
now has from 800 to 500 submarines
ready for the campaign.
The German views is that the new
policy will improve general prospects
Of an early peace. Germany is rep
resented as still being ready to dis
cuss peace at any time. However, ii
Is declared that German officials both
in this country and in Berlin feel
that the declaration of changed poll
cy should make it clear that Germany
and her allies are in the war to the
last drop of blood.
Unrestricted submarine warfare. 1t
was declared, was determined upon
as soon as the nature of the entente
reply to President Wilson's note be-
came known and before the pres
'ident's address to the senate. The
presidents address, it was said,
authoritatively. came in the midst of
the situation and because of it's ma
ture it appeared for time as if the
new campaign might be postponed.
However, it was explained. much pro-
paration was necessary for the open
ing Of such a campaign and nothing
was to be gained by waiting.
1t is believed here that the policy
was decided upon at q recent confer
ence at. the headquarters Of the Ger
man general staff and that Field
Marshal Won Hindenburg played a
most important part in it's formation.
1t is expected that Austria Hungary
will take action similar to that Of
Germany with regard to the opera
tions of its. submarines in the Meli-
terranean.
Every public intimation from Ger
many in the last few months has been
that an unrestricted submarine war.
fare. almost certain to bring in the
United States, would be adopted only
as last act of desperation. German
papers have said Germany would not
dare oppose neutral opinion unless
she were willing to have the rest OF
the neutral world added to her en-
emies.
Two opposing views of American
hostility have been allowed to pass
the German censors. The first was
that the harm the United States
could do. Germany as an active en-
emy was no greater than as a neutral
supplying munitions and loans to the
enemies and that the scripplins Of Nal-
lied shipping would be- the turning
point Of the war. This apparently il
Ne ytsN nv adopted. Tkss ofhes
Sisw.s known 70 have been held bs
some high ofacials here. was that
Germany might in desperation seek
to involve the United States as an
actual enemy on the ground that her
influence at the peace conference
would be generous one.
Officials here. stunned at the sud
denness OF the German action, do not
hesitate to conceal their disquietud e
over the mental unpreparedness of
the American public for what may be
coming. The recent flood of peace
discussions started by the German Of
fer. increased by the presidents note
and again by the entente reply, are
thought to have turned public opinion
In this country away from the posi-
bility Of war and to have focused at
tention on the terms of a near peace.
A revulsion is expected to take place
in the entente countries. with the re-
suit that the world war will enter q
period Of frightfulness unimagine ed
heretofore. With the massing for
huge offensives by land and the an
nouncement of ruthlessness by sea
officials look forward to at least 8
spring and summer of unprecedented q
slaughter.
The German note sweeps away a
the issues that have previously loomeG
so large, such as what armament
merchant ship can carry, where i
must be located, how it may be used,
whether the ship is chartered, requi-
sitioned or still private, and replaces
them with one clear issue which car
not be broken or ignored. In this
situation President Wilson's previous
policies are the intimation of the fu-
ture. When the channel liner Sus-
sex was torpedoed the president,
threatening q severance of relations.
wrote: