The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-28


Americans had valued unhampered
traffic in passengers and goods with
Bremen and Hamburg as much as that
with Liverpool and London? II they
mad done so then we would have been
freed from the painful! Impression that.
according to Americas conception. sub
mission to English power and control
Is compatible with the essential char
acter of neutrality, but that It 10 In
compatible with the neutral policy to
recognize German measures OF defense.
VIII Multiply Bloodshed.
Gentlemen. let Us consider the whole
question. The rupture Of relations with
us and the attempted mobilization OF
all neutrals against US do not serve
the protection OF the freedom OF the
seas as proclaimed by the United States.
They must rather have the effect Of
an encouraged attempt to starve Ger
many and multiply the bloodshed.
] we regret the~rupture with q ma
tion which by her history seemed to
he predestined to work with us-not
against lis. But since our honest will
of peace only has been encountered by
cries for war on the part of our enc
mics. there - no more backward
There is only one watchword. ahead q"
/
that England obviously tried to declare
the use of the submarine weapon the
greatest crime OF history. since Eng
land considered herself the ordained
ruler of the oceans and the benefactor
of humanity. The chancellor recalled
an opinion given on July II, 1914, by
| Sir Percy Scott. the greatest English
authority on naval history. Sir Percy
predicted the submarine war exactly
"a akot
and declared that no objection to 1t
was possible on grounds Of laws of
morality Sir Percy. however. in his
description obviously could not con-
slider the possibility that the present
| submarine warfare would only be
German defensive measure against the
! allies and the English starvation block
! ade, the chancellor pointed out.
| Not without Precedent.
The English starvation blockade, lie
asserted. was not without precedent in
English history. Lloyd George himself.
/ the chancellor recalled. protested in
parliament against the cruelty by which
! the British victimized thousands of
women and children of the Beers.
! Lloyd George at that time stated that
the death rate of children under twelve
1 years in the Boer concentration camps
was AIS per cent Austen Chamberlain.
( then English colonial secretary, ad
mitted that the death rate of children
! in the Orange Free state was for
time SIS per cent.
A Policy of DISCRIMINATION.
! These conditions. continued the cham
ce11or, were the result OF A Systematic
policy OF determination under which
! women and children were insufficiently
supplied with food not perhaps because
! there was a lack of food. but for the
deliberate purpose of extermlnating the
Boer people. England at that time
killed from 5000 to 1900 women and
children out of 10000. thus making Il
per cent Of the total victims of the bar
barous English warfare
but now England proposed to vic
timize the women. children. the old and
the sick of nation numbering 10000
600. in order to force them into submits
sion.
War of Nation Against Nation.
! 1T was England who from the out
set wanted to make this war not u
war of army against army. but a war
/ of nation against nation. And af-
| ter she did so, after her leaders an
nounced in the face OF our will for
peace, their will for destruction, moth
ing was left for the German determine
ton of defense. than the enforcement
rudeness must be met with rudeness,'
! with regard to the submarine situa
tion, the chancellor recalled the Eng
fish observation that they would be
the masters OF that danger
Greatly surpnss Expectations.
! But we can await this" he said,
| me anwhile / am able to declare that
the success Of the submarine war al
ready obtained so far greatly sur
/ he - r
can, of course. give no definite figures.
1t was hardly four weeks ago that we
established the barred zones and with
in these four weeks we must figure the
delay of such ships as were on their
way on February l. and therefore could
not be warned. OF large part of our
submarines reports have not yet been
received because they are still on their
way.
But wherever report has been made
the success Ia great The enemies of
course, only admit part OF their Losses.
II all this Is added together, then the
figures published by us up to date In
the newspapers. giving only part of
the sinkings demonstrate that we can
be more than satisfied with the results
obtained Nor are the reports published
in the enemy countries any disappoint-
fment to us
AS IL is generally known we could
not declare a blockade. but only estab-
lish definite barred zones within which
every ship had to count upon Immediate
attack That isolated ships escape
danger. is therefore natural. But this
does not change the total success. This
success we shall be able to obtain.
partly by sinking. partly by discouraG-
ing neutral shipping. which already
has been accomplished in the widest
sense.
Thanks to the Incompatible Draw
cry OF our submarines we are fully
willing to await with absolute conf
dence further developments which will
be on the increase"
The chancellor then dwelt briefly on
the general feeling of the German ma
ton. "A hard winter is behind us.
said he, hard especially for the poor
er population The difficulties of rail-
road traffic increased the difficulties in
supplying victuals and fuel
Have stood the Test.
Women and children proved them
selves heroes. At no time the spirit of
love of country has stood the test as
firmly in the midst Of sufferings and
want
Gentlemen, since my last speech the