The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-08-02
u Has Only One Msanlna

The Chancellor's speech to the
Reichstag was a frank confession
that the German Government has
staked everything upon the sub.
marine:
"The submarine War is accomp-
fishing all and more than all it is
expected to. False reports which
found their way into the press as a
result of the secret session of the
Reichstag evoked for a time a GER
tain feeling of disappointment
which ended at a particular time.
They did the Fatherland no SER
vice.
l declare. in fact, that the sub
marine war accomplishes in the
destruction of enemy tonnage what
it should. 1t impairs England 5
economic life and conduct of the
war month to month in a growing
degree so it will not be possible to
oppose the necessity for peace
much longer. We can look forward
to the further labors of the brave
submarine crews with complete
confidence.
If we hold our ground against
enemy attacks until the submarine
has done it's work the war is Won
for us.
Nominally it was the Chancellor
who addressed the Reichstag. Act
ually it was the General Staff that
spoke i'm defense of it's measure
which forced the United States in
to the war and completed the great
coalition of democracies which,
German autocracy now faces.
The contempt expressed by the
Chancellor for the part that the
United States will play in the war
was a further echo of the General
Staff:
We look without serious concern
upon the optimistic sentiment in
the Entente countries caused by
America S intervention. 1t is
easy to reckon how much tonnage
is necessary to transport an army
from America to Europe, how
much tonnage is required to feed
such an army. France and Eng.
land are scarcely able to feed and
supply their own armies without
influencing the economic situation
still further.
This is the theory that has been
ers of Germany since the sinking
held by the present military ma st
of the Lusitania. The Kaiser did
not agree with them. DR.. Won
Bethmann Hollweg did not agree
with them. The readers of Ger.
man finance and commerce did moi
agree with them. But they final
ly had their way. For more than
two years they have insisted that
with ruthless submarine warfare
they could starve England into
subsection. Whether or not the
United States was driven into wal
against Germany was unimportant
in their opinion, because the y.
boats would prevent the transpor
tation Of American troops, supplies
and food tor France, and Geat
Britain would be compelled to sur.
render before this country could
strike effectively, either in a mil.
itary financial or economic way.
1t is essential to the plans of the
General Staff that the German
people should continue to believe
that the submarine is winning the
war for them. and therefore the
first task Of the new Chancellor
was to vindicate the decision that
has arrayed the United States OH
the side of the Entente Powers Is
a billigerent.
Whatever his speech may mean
to Germans it can mean only one
thing to Americans, British
French, Russians. Italians and
Belgians. which is that there will
be no real or worthwhile peace in
this world until the German mill.
tary autocracy is smashed, cost
what it may