South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-08-09
GERMANY NOT
ANXIOUS To
ATTACK j. s.
Won Wiegand Says Teuton
Chiefs Want America As
Peaceful As War Per-
mitS-Gotham Safe.
BY KARL H. Won WIEGAND.
Stan Correspondents Of the Interna-
tiOnaI News Service


tiOnal News Service.
NEW YORK. Aug. g.-What are
the chances OF am attack by Ger
many from the sea or from the air
on New York; This is a question
that has been often asked me since
my return. Forecasts and an at
tempt 10 tell what an enemy Will
or viii not do. are always risky. In
answering that question I can only
speak of the sentiment and policy
IN Germany when i left there.
Germany does not want 10 attack
America nor fight America unless
absolutely forced 20 do it. That
sums up popular sentiment in Ger
many as ] found 10. Apparently il
also represents at least a portion of
the sentiment i'm official quarters.
HindenburE told me that. Luden-
dora repeated il, and il certainly is,
or at least was. the viewpoint of
Baron Won Kuehlmann, the new sec
rotary Of foreign affairs Deducing
from that. and if it can be relied
upon. the chances of a submarine
attack upon New York. most GER
seem small An attack from the
air Is wholly out of the question.
Germany has no aifship today.
neither Zeppelin nor the new
Schuette-Lanz crafts. large enough
90 carry a cargo of bombs across
The Atlantic.
Don't Irritatc America"
After the C-53 incident. the gov
eminent issued positive orders TO the
admiralty 20 keep away from the
American coast After the deClara-
ton of war by congress, this attitude
II the chancellor and the foreign
office was reahirmed. BernstOrff
worked up AN the liberal elements
ln and outside of the reichstag. to
bring all possible pressu~- 10 bear
upon the government ana military
ana naval people TO adopt am atti-
rude OF utmost pasisvity toward the
United States.
Don't irritatc America was
BernStorff's warning
This policy was adopted. 10 was
dictated bv the belief that anything
Germany could do against America
I'm a military sense would tend only
r. arouse and iudame this country
This the Germans desired 90 avoid.
They had learned "a few lessons from
the effect Of ti;e first Zeppelin at
taclts upon London The U-5@ was
merely intended as "demonstra-
ton" To was 90 show America
what Germany can do 10 was
u8rt of that naval policy of small
Iut aggressive party now rapidly
losing influence. who believed that
vou can "intlmidate' the other fell
low 10y showing what YOU can do.
America didn't "sCare Germany
knows that
VIII Deal Cautiously.
Germany wants 90 deal cautious
Iv with America. The action OF
June %. On resembling the order
that Americans must report 20 the
police and placing Americans in
t;e-nanv practically on the status
~ neutralS is further evidence or
that policy
Germany knows tEat day Of nee
rotiations must and VIII come.
sensible men. and their number is
Increasing bv bounds. frankly adj
r,itted 20 me that Germany can
tIrder no circumstances defeat
America therefore the only policy
20 be followed was one of necessary
defeuse Under this Interpretation
81 defense" however they place
ire attackinr and torpedoing OF
American transports on the other
side OF the Atlantic. They regard
the European side OF the ocean as
Germany .nava frontier where
Germany must defend herself
pgaiust America
tCopyrieht. 1910