The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-16
SPANISH POINT OF VIEW
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORMATION BUREAU
By Frederic j. Haslkin. Director
Washington, ID. @. .

Washington, D. c.. June 16.-Spatn
stands out as the most important of
the European neutrals. She has most
of the diplomatic business of the
world on her shoulders since America
entered the war. No neutral nation
certainly not America-has studied
every step and passing phrase of the
great conflict as keenly and closely as
Spain, from the very beginning. No
neutral had better facilities for obtain
ing information. For all OF which
reasons Spanish views of the war are
entitled to respectful consideration,
and more especially interesting is the
Spanish view of unlimited submarine
warfare, and the American declaration
of the existence of a state of war.
This article does not pretend to ex-
press the official Spanish views. In
deed, there are no such views, strictly
speaking. The powers are divided,
and the cabinet has rendered its
resignation. But voluminous and Oft
en- remarkably keen-sighted studies of
the situation are made by leading
Spanish experts in municipalities, and
such studies are interesting and valu-
able to America today The outsider
sees most of the game.
These Spanish opinions differ on
many points, but they are one in re-
garding the submarine question as a
whole, and very significant whole,
from August 1914 down to the present
day. 1t is regarded as a barometer of
the hopes of Germany, an indicator
sensitive to every military, political
and economic problem that vexes the
Central Powers.
The more active the German SUBJ
marines, according to this view the
more are the Germans despairing of
victory on land. When they made
concessions to neutrals in the past
such concessions came at times when
prospects were bright for their armies
1t IS worth while to consider the rec
ord OF the submarine in connection
with the ups and downs of land war
fare.
AT first there was no question of I'M
restricted submarine warfare, or any,
thing like it. That was when Ger
many expected to win the war with
her armies in three months. On the
9th OF September, 1914, the subma-
rines struck their first blow, when the
U-21 sank the cruiser Pathfinder. In
1914, eight other battleships were
sunk by subs, eliminating in the sink
ing of dreadnought on January l.
1915. All this was in the way of naval
warfare, directed against battleships
Germany was confident of early vic
tory.
1t soon began to be evident that the
war would be long. The allied block
ade was Tightening around Germany
ruary "a, 1915, proclaimed her first
submarine war zone," hesitatingly
and apologetically. The zone followed
the allied coasts for the most part,
ana 1t was announced that neutral
ships would run the same risks as
those of belligerents. In excuse it
was claimed that allied merchantmen
were using neutral flags, and that in
war it is impossible to avoid acct
! dents.''
This proclamation drew forth the
first American note of protest, the
opening crack of the chasm that now
hes between the two countries. Pres
ident Wilson characterized the Ger
man declaration as without pre-
cedent and pointed out that the de-
struction of an American ship would
be an act difficult to reconcile with
friendly relations
Ihlngs were not going well for Ger
many on land, out the situation was
Tar from desperate. So on February
~, Germany was disposed to consider
the American point of view. The
process of consideration was marked
only by the sinking of the Lusitania
distinct, altho closely related issue,
because the Lusitania was a British
snip. Followed the longest of the sub
marine parleys, over the sinking of
passenger ships and of neutral mer-
chantmen. Mr.. Bryan resigned, Mr..
Lansing refused to recognize the war
zone, and on the 21St of July, the ad-
m1nlstration sent it's famous note de-
filming an 'unfriendly act.'' The sink
ing of the Arabic came in August Ap-
parently Germany was bent on the IL
| legal use of submarines at any price.
Yet suddenly she yielded much ground
| Count Won Bernstorff promised that
passenger boats would not be sunk
without warning. An indemnity was
promised in the Arabic case. Subma-
rine warfare was held down. Why this
! sudden change Of front? 1t must be
| remembered that at this time Ger
many was preparing for her tremen-
douS blow at Verdun, which she bat
tered for months in the following
spring and summer. So long as she
! hoped for victory here, to antagoniZe
reutrals by submarine warfare would
have been foolish and needless.
| The German submarine attitude in
| the spring of 1916 was accordingly
complaisant to considerable degree
so yielding that Won Tirpitz, advocate
of submarine frightfulness. threatened
to resign. But the super-politicians
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
Germany 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 op-
portunity to seek safety. This was
triumph for America; and it came
while Germany vas pinning her faith
to triumph at .Verdun.
But They shall not pass" said the
French, and they did not pass at 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 the
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