Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-07-18

history The destruction of shipping
If it goes on apace as for the last few
months, will mean that the world will
be too bare of shipping to permit Eng
land to import the foodstuffs and the
munitions absolutely needed for war.
We may throw into France large
. army. but if the submarines destroy
y ships faster than we are building them,
we might find our army without food,
without munitions and absolutely help
less, doomed to destruction. These are
not idle vaporings. They are the
facts, we'll known to Washington and
to all the Allies, and likewise as well
known to Germany land to the ac-
complishment of this purpose Germany
is bending every power of its existence.
If England, by reason of starvation,
should be compelled to give up, it is
we'll known that one of the indemnities
demanded by Germany would be the
surrender of the British and French
fleets, and another would be the sur
render to Germany of Canada, stretch
ing for 5000 miles across our north
ern, border, and with an area equal to
that of the United States.
How do we know that these would be
part of the indemnities required?
In the same way that we have
known for the last two and one-half
years some of the forces that were
moving the world in this fearful con-
flict. You need not expect the inside
diplomatic sources in Washington to
admit these facts; nevertheless, they
are facts, and their reality is fully APP
preciated in Washington as we'll as
: elsewhere.
It might be said that before sur
rendering its feet England would sink
il in the ocean; but this she would not
dare to do, for the reprisal upon her
i people would be so fearful that Belg-
iums destruction would seem as child's
play as compared with the destruction
that would prevail throughout England
If Germany held in its power the
British and French fleets, all of our
t naval building would be in vain, fo1
we would not have an hours show
against such a combination
If Germany had possessed itself Of
l Canada, it would Immediately have
under its control the 500 Canals
through which pass the Lake ores that
feed the furnaces and steel works Of
the United States; and it would be but
few days before it had under its con-
troll the entire ore supply of the
I Lake Superior district. 1t would then
q be impossible for us to fight. With 90
[ per cent of the steel output of the
United States dependent upon these
$ ores, and this supply instantly cut
d off, the vast iron and steel enterprises
I that stretch from the Lake region tC
the Atlantic would instantly shut
down, and with these plants idle there
: would be no possibility of making any
fight against Germany, for we would
be without war making materials, since
H. would take years under the best
conditions to develop iron and steel
: making in other sections to an extent
sufficient to enable us even to begin a
fight.
During the Liberty Loan campaign
e Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo in a
public speech stated that if the Allies
! were defeated, Germany would demand
! an indemnity of at least one-half of
our total wealth, or $4,000, 900, 900;
, and that, instead of subscribing for
Liberty Loan bonds, we would have to
subscribe for indemnity bonds We
shall conquer, but it will be through
S much bloodshed and at terrific cost
e Ct money; but the latter counts not in
d comparison with human lives that must
be lost, and to large extent lost be-