The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-11-03
U-BOATS NOT
MASTERED
Geddes' Speech Shows 1t, the
London Papers
Contend
CONDUCT OF WAR !
IS ASSAILED
More Plungers Are Sunk, but
More Are Built-Praises
American Patrol

London, Nov. 3.--The maiden effort OF
| Sir Eric Geddes, the first lord OF The
admiralty, in the House Of Common:
Thursday is not received wholly favor
ably by the newspapers in their editoria
comment. He is praised for his frank
and businesslike statement-whichd drew
cheers from the commoners--an it is
admitted that he said much which is sat
| isfactory and reassuring.
| Appreciation is expressed particularly
of the new distribution of affairs of the
admiralty, tending towards decentraliza
ton, and also the introduction of young
or men. This, it is commended, ought t.
be justified by results.
The Daily Mail, which has been op.
posed to the present policies of the ad.
miralty, says the speech on the whole
dealt fairly and straightforwardly with
criticisms, but it complains that when
all is said the fact remains that the Ger
mans are forcing the fighting at sea.
| The bulk OF the comment accepts and
| indorses Sir Eric's explanation that the
British feet did not try to enter the
| Baltic and also his statement on the
convoy incident Criticism is directed
chiefly against conduct of the submarine
war and ship construction.
The Times regards his statement con
corning submarine warfare as candid
and encouraging, and says that his re-
port of construction is reasonably salts
| factory. On the other hand the Daily
Telegraph, the Daily News, the Daily
Chronicle and the Daily Express are dis
satisfied on these points. The Telegraph
complains that past ministerial optimis
tic estimates on production have not
been realized and that the shipping sit
uation is becoming graver and graver
The News thinks Sir Eric put too rosy
construction on submarine figures, and
saws the speech did not succeed in remov-
| ing obstinate questions as TO whether
| the utmost use is being made of the ma
| terial and intellectual resources at the
navy's command.
Some of the speakers who followed
the first lord in the House of Commons
frankly disagreed with him. George
Lambert, former civil lord of the admir-
atty, declared the navy was not being
used to the best advantage, and he knew
distinguished strategists agreed with
him. Richard Holt and Robert p. Hous.
ton. prominent shipowners, claiming per-
sonal knowledge Of submarine losses,
challenged Sir Eric's figures concerning
the sinking Of merchant shipping. Mr..
Houston figured that the allies and neu-
trails have lost 100000 tons during the
war. Mr.. Holt refused to accept the
first lords figures and said that the ad-
miralty's policy of concealing was sap
ping the country's confidence in the gov
eminent.
Geddes gave some interesting and anx-
iously awaited figures on the work of
the navy and shipping in general. His
declaration that between 40 and so per
cent of the German submarines operat-
ing in the North sea, the Atlantic and
the Arctic oceans had been sunk, was
not the least interesting of his announce
ments, and there was an indication of
the unceasing war the British and Amer
lean patrols are making on the subma
rine in his statement that during the
last quarter the enemy had lost as many
submarines az during the whole of 1916.
The first lord speaking directly of his
department, said that, in addition to an
increase in the personnel, the services of
Younger officers had been requisitioned
to add strength to the experience of the
older officers on the naval staff.