Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-16

marine parlcys over the sinking Of
passenger ships and Of neutral mer-
Tha ntmen. Mr.. Bryan resigned. Dir.
Lansing refused to recognize the war
zone. and ON the 2lst Of July the, ad-
nlihistration sent its famous note de-
nning an "unrrlendly act" Tho sink
ing or the Arabic came In August. APP
parentiy Germany was bent on tho IL
,esal use or submarines at any price.
9. suddenly she yielded much ground.
Sount Won Bernstorfr promised that
passenger boats would not be sunk
"itnout warning. An idemnity was
promised In the Arabic case. Subma-
rinc warfare was held down. why
this sudden change of front? II must
DC remembered that at this time Ger
MANY was preparing for her tremen-
aous blow at Verdun. whish she bat
.ereo Tor months In the following
hoped for victory here. to antaEonize
neutrals by submarine warfare would
nave been foolish and needless .'.
(;~rmnnn Yielded Point.
inc German submarine attitude, In
the spring of 1916 was accordingly
compiaisant TO a considerable degree
so yielding that Won Tirpitz. advocate
OF submarine frightfulness, threatened
10 resign. Hut the superpoliticians' held
him in check. The Sussex was sunk
on March "a. Germany limited that'it
might have been a mistake. America
took her sharply to task, and. Ger.
many yielded. She promised not to
SINK neutral vessels in or out of the
war zone without warning. and With
out giving those on board ample on
portunity TO seek safety. This was
triumph for American: and 1t came
while Germany was pinninE her faith
to triumph at Verdun
But They shall not pass" said tho
French. and they did not pass Mt Yer.
dun' The winter was OF course in
active. In the spring of 1917. what
did Germany face? She saw the nu-
merical superiority in highly trained
troops. which she had held from the
beginning. won by the allies. She saw
her advantage in artillery and NUM-
lions go the same way. She saw tho
Russian front holding firm She. saw
Russians and English driving on In
Asia. She saw Cadorna preparing to
take the offensive in Italy And on
the western front. banking like a
thundercloud. she saw the French and
British preparing for the greatest drive
In history. So Germany turned again
to the submarine. And as her need
was greater than ever before. 80 did
she cast OF all restrictions more COM.
plctely than ever before.
The German chancellor who had
three times publicly opposed unre-
strictcd submarine warfare. yielded
completely. TT is a tight for life and
death" he said.
Submarine warfare IS seen in Spain
As desperate stroke with a chance
for success. Some doubt is expressed
as to whether America can organize
quickly enough to defeat Germany.
such Is a typical Spanish view OF tho
submarine qucrtion. and II is the view
or men in touch with many sources
Of Information. They regard tho en-
trance OF America Into the war as an
event of world shaking Importance
Our motives arc sometimes dues-
toned In Spain. There is more friend.
~ feeling toward Germany there than
In most OF the neutral states. and our
own pas, relations with Spain have
not inspired her with any great af-
fcction for US. though there is no bit
ierncss left over the war OF 1898 But
while admitting the American Issue.
the Spaniard asks IL America has no
other motives. DO the Americans want
10 control the destinies OF the world
after tho war: they ask
For thus seriously IL our entrance
into the war regarded. IT is called
an event of world shaking Importance
After thirty centuries OF world domi-
nation. says one authority. Europe to-
day has not even her own fate in her
own hands.