The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-03-28
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

wv v " 1ffftb 1uGGs
BY ARTHUR W.. DUNN.
Washington. March 2G.-tSpecial T.
Aiming merchantmen with crews from
the navy was under discussion not
long since. and a naval officer explain
ed that the submarines were "gun shy
OF any vessel that had sufficient guns
for protection. lie pointed out that very
few merchantmen which were nrm.
ed had been attacked by submarines
and that most Of the naval vessels of
the entente powers had escaped and
said that II was because the submarine
was afraid to come near any ship
equipped to defend herself.
This naval authority said that ofl
GERS of the navy and men OF the navy
were perfectly willing to go on board
merchantmen and would be perfectly
willing To enter the war zone prescrib.
ed by Germany. believing that they
could successfully meet and combat
any submarine attacking.
He went on further to explain that
the submarine was such a frail craft
that any shot which took effect upon
It would disable It and probably cause
1t to sink. las soon as salt water
gets inside of a submarine she Is doom
ed said this officer. ''and every com
mander of a submarine realizes that
1t Is ineffective except against unarm-
ed ships
Where tho Advantage Lies.
This officer went OF further to eY.
plain that the advantage of the armed
merchantmen was I'm the fact that the
mounted guns would DC high above the
water. while a submarines guns were
practically on the level when Ii came
to the surface. He pointed out hat In
the case OF the Algonquin the shots
from the submarine were ineffective
except to drive the crew into the boats
and that the vessel was not sunk by
shots from the submarine, but by
bombs placed on board the vessel after
the crew had left and after the subma
rine had taken possession.
Would Take Their Chances.
This officer also pointed out that a
naval officer and his complement of
men In charge OF a u would not be
intimidated by the threat that they
would suffer the fate Of Captain Fry
att, because 1t was unlikely that they
would be captured. An officer of the
navy stationed aboard a merchant ship
attacked by n submarine would be In
complete charge as soon as the attack
was made. and be would fight TO the
end until either the submarine was
sunk or driven of or the ship itself
was sunk. There would be no ques
ton raised as to the fate OF the gun
crew or the men aboard a merchant
ship, because they would go down or
would secure a victory.
He added that a submarine to be eff.
fective must come to the surface and
get bearings. for the periscope could
not command a sufficient view of the
ocean to enable the submarine to 10.
cate a ship and make its torpedoes
effective at any great distance. He
expressed the opinion that armirg and
equipping merchant ships with naval
crews would be very effective In pre-
serving them from attacks by subma-
rines.
Before Congress Acts.
Il will be at least six weeks and pos
sibly two months before congress can
organize and pass the bill which failed
at the last session Of the Sixty-fourth
congress. giving the president the pow
err which he requested In his last ad-
dress to congress. In the meantime.
however. it is expected that the au-
thority which the president said he
had at that time will be exercised In
the arming and equipping OF merchant
ships to repel submarine assaults.
While this may result In war. il seems
to be the present intention OF the adj
ministration to go ahead with it's pro-
gram OF protecting merchant ships. and
II Is probable that a number of these
ships will sail for destinations within
the war zone marked out by Germany.
and aboard them will be naval officers
with experienced gun crews.
boy" Senators.
There are a number OF senators who
had hoy" regulations. Senator King
Of Utah recalls a time when he was
chief justice OF Utah and an attorney
came In with a rush demand for court
action.
Tell me about It," said King. ''and
will see what can be DONE"
II want one Of the judges" said the
lawyer, mot an office boy
Senator Beckham recalls a time when
o travelling man said to him. Here.
boy. hand me that grip"
Beckham was then governor OF Ken
tucky.
Personal Equation Remains.
Even with limited cloture the per-
sOnal equation In the senate will still
remain a power. 1t will not often hap
pen that the senate will ride r~oughshod
nvor anv cnuatOr who insists unon