South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-17

when the submarine may have a
bomb dropped on it, or be raramed,
is one which our enemy does not
like to face. But these craft must
be used in the zone where subma-
rines operate, and such a zone is
hardly likely TO be extended to the
American coast. German submarines
cannot operate over there effective
ly without a base and am sure that
your magnificent navy will have no
trouble in patrOlling the Mexican
gulf coast on which a base might
exist, while the entrance of Cuba
into the war on the side Of the al
lies deprives the Germans of the
best place they might have secured
for such bases.
II have already warned your
navy department that submarine
mine layers may visit your coast.
dump their cargo and return. But
the damage they do will not prove
extensive, as each boat only carries
about 30 mines. These mine layers
have dropped their mines every
where about our coast, and if I had
the exact fig at hand of the
number we have swept up and de-
stroyed you would be astonished.
Coast Blockade Impossible.
1T cannot be denied that naval
strategy has undergone a vast
change as the result of the illegal
use by Germany of submarines. OF
course, it is also undeniable that
Tl.,ir Iaof4fv,nF11vr no
naval warfare. But the legitimate
change is not so great, nor so diff
cult TO cope with as the illegal use
of submarines. Their advent as a
fighting weapon has made a coast
blockade Of an enemy's coast impos-
sible and has added 10 the difficult
ties we face ON account of the nat
ural features Of the German coast
line for either attack or defense.
Big Ships at Disadvantage.
Against naval Germany. the Brit
ish Isles are tipped the wrong way
One of the disadvantages under
which we suffered during the early
part Of the war was that we had no
harbor in the North sea big enough
TO hold the growing grand feet
where II could be within easy strik-
ing distance Of the enemy. One Of
the most striking results Of the legi-
innate use of submarines has been
TO compel heavy ships. in order to
obtain protection from their attacks
70 be accompanied by destroyers
when when they put 10 sea, and this
fact reduces the radius OF action of
a fleet on account of the limited fuel
capacity Of the destroyers.
The most striking feature Of the
change in our historic naval policy
resulting from the illegal use OF sub
marines and from the fact that the
enemy surface ships have been
driven from the sea. is that we have
been compelled to abandon a defn-
lite offensive policy for one which
may be called an offensive defen-
sive. since our only active enemy is
the submarine engaged in piracy
and murder
I'VE must give our mercantile
fleet a measure of protection which
would not he dreamed Of If the
Germans merely used their l. boats
for legitimate naval warfare and so
many of our smaller warships must
be used for this purpose. that the
Tip and run" raid becomes a posi- /
bility. while our own blockading ef-
forts suffer This again brings Us
back 10 the Importance Of small
craft for the protection OF the mer-
camille marine. But they cannot end
the submarine menace hv merely /
keeping the L boats beneath the
water. We want 20 end the evil by
destroying the boats. and we mean
10 do IL. The solution Of this prob .
lem offers plenty OF scope for the I.
inventive genius Of both nayies."