The Washington herald., 1917-05-12
What Leading Newspapers
Say on the War Situation
No Great Sea- Fight.
New York Times.)

New York Timesl
The German navy, the second in size
In the world, took refuge behind defenses
when the war began and has never come
out since, as whole Parts of it have
come out to attack parts of the British
navy. under conditions favorable for an
attack, but there was only one really
notable fight even OF this kind. It has
been evident from the beginning that the
German navy did not intend to chal-
lenge the British navy to a fight The
evidence has increased as two years and
nine months have gone by with the Ger
man navy still silent, motionless, and
Iandlocked.
1t has been quite understandable. At
the outbreak of the war the tonnage of
the British navy was 2.7l3, ,75G. That Of
the Germany navy was 1.9O4, $40. The Brit
ish navy outnumbered the German more
than two to one. The French navy, with
a tonnage of S99,9i5; the Italian, with
497,S15, and the Russian, with 7Ol. .25S, need
not be added to the British strength,
since they have been employed chiefly in
other waters. 1t was with the British
navy that the German would have had
TO fight II II had cared to ask for a de-
cision at odds of two to one. 1t did not
care to, and the talk about the prospect
of a great sea battle such as the world
has never seen has had no justification.
There was never any ground for the
belief that the German ships would come
out. But now TO the British navy is add
ed the American, which has a tonnage
OF 1.O97,502. The German navy is now
outnumbered nearly three to one. and II
II did not have any stomach for a fight
at the old odds IL most certainly will not
have any for a fight now. The German
navy, which was built up so enthusiast
tically for Just this war. is out of busi-
ness permanently. and the best Germany
can do with her officers and men is to
use them in ambushing merchant ves-
sells and hospital ships.
War Taxes
Boston Transcript
The new war revenue bill reported to
the House of Representatives has at
least the advantage and the recommen=
'dation of being a nonpartisan measure,
and of having been drawn up with a
serious purpose to pay as we co. as
far as practicable. ("
That the bill, by the disproportionate
pressure which it puts upon our larger
and better organized business activities,
does so threaten the sources of supply
must be evident to any one who studies
it closely. 1t is in this respect inequit-
able. The interests so penalized may, OF
course pay. and indeed they must pay
II the bill becomes law in its present
shape. But the process will resemble
Caesarian operation on the goose to get
the golden eggs; and II the patient bird
survives the operation she will be in bad
condition to lay any more eggs. The in
discriminate levy of a 10 per cent duty
on articles of importation now on the
free list, quite regardless of the question
whether the imposition hampers or de-
stroys certain lines of manufacture and
business, Is a case in point. There is
no intelligence In this horizontal and ab-
solutely unreasoned increase in the tariff
on raw materials-no thought as to
whether or not it will destroy an indus
try upon which future revenue and fu-
ture sales of government bonds must de-
pend There is altogether too much hit
or miss in the whole system OF levies rep
resented in the bill.
Censorship and License.
Buffalo News1
Newspapers hitherto OF various opin-
ions on the censorship phase Of the es-
pionaCe bill are gradually meeting on
common ground.
Those that began with hysterical oppo-
sition to a so-called gag rule" are con-
tent now that limited censorship shall
delete such news as gives aid or COM
fort to the enemy.
These journals that originally pussy
footed and bowed to a will that would
obviate war and its fighting from the
news pages Of the day now demand the
right to speak. the right to give the
President and his staff the benefit of in
teIligent criticism.
Newspapers and official sentiment are
gradually equalizing and the probability
is that the censorship, such as il is, will
be agreeable to both elements. an intel
ligent. sane censorship, imposed and regu-
lated by men of experience, tact and
diplomacy.
And we do recognize that license may
breed trouble in preparation and execu-
ton of plans. Hence we are willing to
submit to such reasonable restriction as
the government may impose.
Now let the administration be as gener-
Gus and as conscious of its own duty.
Let 1t quickly relegats inefficient depart
ment heads.
Let It start the machinery Of govern
ment and keep It accelerated.
Let It weed out Incompetence here at
home.
In other words, let the government so
conduct its war affairs. and so divest the
situation of politics that no criticism can
be offered. Then we shall get on famous
ly.
But we can tell the government now
that II there is a recurrence of such de-
ficiencies as have marked other wars 1t
will require more than a censorship to
keep it from the knowledge of the
people.
If there Is another embalmed beef
scandal, regardless Of the censorship, the
decent newspapers OF this country will
show II up.
II blundering statesmen try to hide
behind the curtain of secrecy, censorship
or no censorship the curtain will be lift
ed and the weakling pushed out into the
spotlight.
The government has quite as great an
obligation as the newspapers.
We expect 1t to meet us half way in
the intelligent, safe dissemination Of
news the public is entitled to get.