The Washington herald., 1917-04-15
By somy L BALDERsToN.
ecopsasht. lsr; b N. Meclms Newspaper


sembles, discussion and speculation con-
cerning the intentions Of the United
States have been universal, despite the
enthralling tories Of the Russian revolu-
ton and the German retreat IN the West
Tact prevents public men from giving
interviews on the American question al
this time. bu. during the past weeks
have talked to many Representatives of
all shades OF British opinion. and am
able 10 indicate the general views cur
rent
Comment divides itself into discussion
Of the part the United States may play
In the actual fighting, and into specu
iztion concerning the American attitude
OF the peace conference and the trend
which the foreign policy Of Washing
ton VIII take after the war. On the first
point. there Is genuine and Widespread
relief and gratitude that at last the
United States Is ranging itself definitely
against Germany. the only exceptions
being a few high Tories. who are So
fearful Of the liberalism of American
IDEAS and OF President Wilson that they
would dispense with American afo
through dread of American influence m
Europe-and an insignificant group OF
extreme pacifcists.
So tar as the actual hghting goes. con-
Trajectory ruraors and predictions from
America makes every one chary Of pre-
dieting what President Wilson and Con-
gress are prepared to do. The sub
marine menace still occupies first place
IN the minds of the most thoughtfui.
and perhaps the greatest interest centers
IN the American proposals to inaugurate
q great merchant shipbuilding cam
paign which shall convince Germany that
she cannot starve out the entente by
sinking tonnage. Many Englishmen have
said 70 me. III America will only build
wooden ships as fast as she can, re-
gardless Of the expense. she can win the
war for US If she does nothing else"
To starve England.
It is constantly pointed out that the
submarine war against England. in so
far as It has any chance Of success,
permanent occupation OF Belgium by
Germany would place England ''It is no
longer a question" said a distinguished
retired admiral to me yesterday" "of
Germany's hoping at best for a draw
The Germans believesthere Is a chance.
IL they can hold out on their fronts and
IN their stomachs for another eighteen
months or SO. that England may be
starved into surrender. I believe it is
small chance. but it is chance that the
American people must reckon with. for
II we were starved out, let nobody
imagine that Germany would impose the
mOderate terms she talks about today.
Our empire would disappear. our fleets
would be taken over, and a German
hegemony on the oceans would replace
that control which we have exercised in
peace times merely to insure equal rights
and equal security for all nations.
where would America be then?, 1t Is
as certain as anything can be that Ger
oN fr,f h. af
country that has grown rich out Of the
war TO recoup her tremendous material
losses; it Is also certain that the chauvin-
ism. the desire for world power which in
fused the entire German people in the
first months OF war, would return as
soon as the means for gratifying it were
at hand. Now the Germans are dis
gruntled because, hungry and disillu-
stoned, they know there is but a small
chance that they Will emerge victors.
Hence they talk wheedlingly about fight
ing a defensive war and desiring only Sc
eurfty. But 'laee let them get US down.
and the rest Of civilization would 90 down
IN a few years, leaving Berlin as the
new Rome under a Hohenzollern Caesar
more mighty than any emperor who
ever lived. for there would be no boun-
daries to his rule but the edges of the
world.
lnlS Is UNLIKELY 10 hdppcus SOu say
Yes, we think so, too. But they are
sinking more than half a million tons
of our shipping a month, and the very
fact that they provoked you to wa-
rather than to give up this campaign
Is proof that they think there is chance
of success. however slight We used to
say that our navy stood between Ger
many and the dominion Of the world.
We say now that on our mercantile ma
rxrfFt
yours. II you stand aside, or merely
protect your own shipping and give US
81 money credits, we shall in all Pr =
ability worry through.
But If we did not? There is small
chance that a mans house will burn
down But he insures IL. There is small
chance that the U-boats will force MS
10 our knees. But 10 they do, the in
dependence OF the United States viii dis
appear, and disappear for eternity. for
there viii be no outside barbarians to
overthrow IN the future the new German
hegemony, as Rome was overthrown. You
can insure yourselves and civilization
with you, against the possibility of this
calamity, by spending a few hundred
million dollars, perhaps. a billion. on
Standardized wooden ships, and by 1oiDg
80 you tcsn end the war more quickly
than IN any other way. because Germany
Will surrender Just as soon rs her sta
tisticians demonstrate beyond a doubt
that she cannot succeed. That is the
German way.
Yes, you may print what I have said
on one condition-tbat you make it clear
that my words are not a cau for help
from a distressed mother country, but
simply a summons to Americans to put
all sentiment aside and consider their
own interests. II they see things as they
are. they will act, and act quickly. Time
IS the essence OF the problem. Runania
might, by expending her energy in the
right direction. have won important vic
tories, instead OF which she did the wrong
thing and went under. The United States
might put 1.Qoaooo soldiers under arms
tomorrow and fan to win the war. but
by paying a premium OF 1900. 900, COO
or she can insure herself and the world
against the possibility Of burning down.
II she viii build ships and build them
quick
How many tons could we build for
s1.ooo, oooo. and how long would Il
tais7'' I aEked. AN American expert
has figured" the admiral replied. that
for this sum 100000 tons OF small wood
en- ships. about 100 tons apiece. could
be built That tonnage at the present
rate Of sinking would take the Germans
twenty months TO put down. 1t Is hard