New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-02
A Vicious Theory

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: 1t is well TO consider the underlying facts
in this submarine matter and to see whether
we have not unwittingly come to endure. if
not to pity and embrace, an essentially
vicious theory Of the use of the submarine.
Two and a half years ago we should all have
agreed that the submarine, the sneak Of the
seas. had It's legitimate place as one element
Of q navy. The war came on; Great Britain,
by her sea power. shut up the German navy
and scared the German merchant marine from
the seas; legitimate warfare but it hurt. and
Germany squesled Germany, having U-boata
that could steal out, conceived the idea oil
pling all the duties Of q full navy upon their
frail decks. and has since steadily tried to
make the world admit this to be legitimate.
But the facts remain as they have always
been. Great Britain undertook to blockade
Germany legitimate war move, If elective
and we must admit. comparing all testImon!
from all sides that II has been reasonably
So But this hurt worse, and Germany mas
ever since been dcnouncng it as llleGitimate
apparently i'm the belief that sticking to lie
will cause it to be accepted as the truth
Germany began a submarine war on the
British navy: sank a few cruisers; three
within an hour; no more since the early days
of the war. Evidently the English learned
very quickly to protect their warships against
the U-boat. Then. and not until then, using
tho blockade as preteYt. Germany began inc
always ;ndefensble policy Of the use Of u
boats against merchant vessels. Have we
forootten the sense of outrage il aroused
We ought not TO forget what our government
said. There came the incidents Of the talaDa'
tho Gulflight. the Lusitania-blOt on Ger
manv's history forever On May 10, 1919, our
Government said to the German governments
ovanife.tly. submarines cannot be used against
,,erchantnen as the last few weeks have SHOWN
without an inevitable violation Of many sacred
principles Of justice and humanity
Rut our government accepted an incomplete
and slyy worded promise, and what was 10
hammer happened. There came the sussex
incident. On April Is, 1916, our government
said TO the German government;
.t, has become painfully evident to it" THE
I-itod states government that the position It tooS
NJ the very outset is inevitable, namely, the use oi
submarines for the destruction Of an enemy con"
mer,e IS Of necessity because OF the very c"',
acter of the vessels employed and the very meInou'
of attack which their employment involves utter!
fIpDm
lonpestablished and incontrovertibe rights oil
neutrals and the sacred inimunities Of non-com-
batants.'
And. as we all remember. the note c'oseu
with the distinct statement that II Germany
persisted we must sever diplomatic relations
Again our government accepted an incomplete
promise Does any one thnh, IT our govern
ment had stood resolutely by that threat we
should have suffered the Ignominy OF seeing
our naval vessels forced for humauty's sake
70 act as accessories after the event at the
sinking Of defenceess merchant vessels OIL
our own shores. and now of being ordered
by Germany to keep out Of our legitimate
lanes of commerce, and Of being graciousIy
normitted to send one ship week to one
British port under Germany conditions
What will the government Of the tn'''u
Stq,cs do2 VIII it wabblc again?
Two things arc plain to the man OF ms iSh',
One. that this move Of Germany rs destined
to nc as futile as her previous ones In set
fling the war: the other that she knows she
must have peace.
The latter is the supreme result to ono VINO
.v.,tcbcs the situation and sees below the sur