Grand Forks herald., 1917-02-16
German People, Hungry For Peace, Are
A Unit For Most Desperate War; Count
On Success With U-Boats; to Go Ahead

T The Germans say that they have
500 submarines of the largest type,
equipped for long service far out at
sea. They say that they have ample
supplies of every kind. and especially
oil, thanks to Rumania.
They say that they will destroy one
third Of England's shipping before
summer and will create such a situa-
ton that neutral ships will refuse 10
venture near the prescribed waters,
and sailors will refuse to serve on YES
sells liable to be ordered into the war
zones
That is what Germany's hope is
built on. They have been preparing
for it with the utmost energy for
months.
ON Il recent visit to certain muni-
ton factories 1 personally saw torpedo
tubes in process of construction
enough to equip many new subma-
rines. l saw literally acres of shells,
guns. mines. torpedoes, and torpedo
tubes under construction. Yet that
was only small percentage Of Ger
many's munition capacity.
Many Germans with whom l have
talked speak of the sharpened sub
marine warfare as peace move. They
call it their ultima ratio. their last
resort. They believe or affect to be-
lieve. that it will surely bring peace
summer" is heard everywhere in
Berlin
Will Fight Us. If Need Be.
They don't want any more enemies.
They are not deliberately seeking to
| embroil America. But they are going
to make a last great. determined effort
, with their deadlieSt weapon. If Amer
ica objects. they will fight her also,
and they have what comes very close
|! to contempt for her fighting possibili-
ties.
They know all that such submarine
warfare means to them. They speak
with great show of bitterness about
the terms of outlawry and reproach,
constantly applied to them by their
enemies. Nevertheless they are going
into the submarine warfare now as
the last chance. If America objects,
they say, let her
The war office official illustrated the
case as he saw it by prize ring
smile. Two of us are fighting" he
said. with Uncle Sam as umpire. The
other fellow clinches and begins
clutching us by the throat, trying to
strangle and choke us. The umpire
sees the foul but doesn't blow the
whistle. The other fellow keeps
clinching and choking. The umpire
won't Interfere. We see that the only
the same way ourselves. So we hit
below the belt
Responsibility for the failure is
either England's or Americas. accord
ing to the German explanation. One
nation has just as good right to pro-
claim a war zone in the open sea as
the other. England began by laying
war zone in the North sea. they say.
Now Germany merely does the same
thing in other waters. If it is wrong,
why didn't America compel England
to cease? Not having compelled Eng
land to cease how can America right
fully protest now against Germany
Is Determined to Go Ahead.
Moreover, it is perfectly inexplica-
BILE to any German how President Will
son could urge peace as he did in his
note to the belligerent powers and
his speech in the senate and then take
the attitude he did in breaking off
relations with Germany.
Therefore If America has deter
mined to fight in the event that Ger
many continues her sharpened sub
marine warfare. America had better
put in her best licks getting. ready,
for Germany is going right about that
business with every ounce of her
power.