Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-09
GERMAN SHIPS WILL
NOT APPEAR ON
u. S. COAST
NO AERIAL ATTACK
WRITER SAYS GERMANY FEARS
TO IRRiTATE AMERiCA-DO NOT
WISH TO iNFLAME THIS COUN.
TRY.
BY KARL H. VONWlEGAND.
(Staff Correspondent of the Interna-
tional News Service


(Staff Correspondent of the Interna-
tional News Service.
Copyright 1917 by International
News Service.)
New York, Aug. 9-What are the
chances of an attack by Germany from
the sea or from the air on New York?
This is question that has been often
asked me since my return Forecasts
and an attempt to tell what an enemy
will or will not do are always risky
In answering that question | can only
speak of the sentiment and policy In
Germany when left there
Germany does not want to attack
America nor fight America until abso.
lutely forced to do 1t. That sums
up popular sentiment in Germany as
| found It, Apparently 1t also repre-
sents at least portion OF the senti-
ment in official quarters Hindenburg
told me that Ludendorff repeated 1t.
and II certainly is or at least was, the
view point OF Baron Won Kuehlmann,
the new secretary Of forcing affairs.
Deducing from that. and II It can be
relied upon, the chances Of a submar-
Inc attack upon New York, most GER
tainly In the next few months, would
seem small An attack from the air
is wholly out Of the question. Ger
many has no air ship today, neither
zeppelin nor the new Schuette-Lanb
crafts, large enough to carry a cargo
Of bombs across the Atlantic.
After the U SO incident. the govern.
ment issued positive orders to the
admiralty to keep away from the
American coast. After, the declara.
ton of war by congress, this attitude
of the chancellor and the foreign of.
flee, was re-affirmed. Bernstorf work.
ed up all the liberal elements in and
outside of the Reichstag to bring all
possible pressure to bear upon the
government and military and naval
people to adopt an attitude of utmost
passivity toward the United States.
Don't irritate America was
BarnstOrffs warning.
This policy was adopted It was
dictated by the belief that anything
Germany could do against America in
a military sense would tend only to
arouse and iniame this country. This,
the Germans desired to avoid They
had learned few lessons from the
effect Of the first Zeppelin attacks up
on London The u So was merely In.
tended as a Demonstration. II was
| to show America what Germany can
do" 1t was part of that naval policy
of small but aggressive party. how
rapidly losing influence, who believ-
ed that you can ''intimidate" the 9TH
er fellow by showing what you can
do America did not Scare" Ger.
many knows that
Germany wants to deal cautiously
with America The action of June 25.
in resembling the order that Ameri-
cans must report to the police. and
placing Americans In Germany practi.
cally on the status of neutrals is fur.
ther evidence OF that policy.
Germany knows that day OF nego.
tiations must and will come. Sen
sible men and their number Is in
creasing by bounds frankly admitted
to me that Germany can under no cir.
cumstances defeat America therefore
the only policy to be followed was one
of necessary defense. Under this In
/, terpretation Of Defense" however
they place the attacking and torped
ding of American transports on the
, other side of the Atlantic They re
gard the European side of the ocean
as Germany's naval frontier" where
/, German must defend herself against
; America
If these views continue to prevail
1t would seem that an attack on New
York in the next few months IS high
ly improbable Germany, | think re
alizes that to sink a few ships II
front of New York would only be
slap in Uncle Sans face and make
him real mad