Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01
GERMANY'S CHALLENGE

THE intolcrable attempt to dictate to
the United States. conditions under
which it shall use the high seas appar.
emily forces upon the Administration the
choice of one of these two courses of
action:
First. A demand that the German
Government Immediately rescind its order
to submarine commanders for ruthless
warfare, in effect since midnight.
Second. The dismissal of the German
Ambassador, wifi 9ut parlcy
The President, however has undoubt.
| edly followed a line of diplomatic action
of the utmost discretion, patience and
| tact, and it is to be taken for granted
that he will now move without precip.
itate haste. lie doubtless has fun knowl.
edge of the German Governments under
lying motives and may compel a modifica-
| tion of its naval policy through the reg
ular diplomatic channels.
The possibility of a parley which the
first alternative stated above holds out, is
slight but it is evidently the German pur-
pose to force the United States Govern.
ment to bring all pressure to bear upon
England, now or as soon as possible, to
modify its blockade. Germany uses the
Presidents suggestion that the United
States engage positively in European
diplomacy and abandon its negative isola.
ton in the future to compel him to apply
his principles at once, not waiting till after
the war, and to apply them for the benefit
of Germany. 1t seeks to compel him to
abandon his declaration that RESPONSE
bility for the conduct of sea warfare is
absolute, not relative" which meant that
Germany must abandon ruthless sub.
marine warfare detrimental to the United
States without any reference to what
of the British navys conduct.
If he refuses to bring this pressure to
bear upon England, and breaks off
diplomatic relations, Germany hopes to
cut off England from the world and re-
duce it to starvation in few weeks and
possibly before any occasion shall have
been given for open warfare with the
United States. Then it is evidently the
German theory. England will be only too
glad to cooperate with the United States
for the opening of peace negotiations.
Apart from the question as to how
many hours or days the President may
consider it advisable to withhold the full
reassertion of our rights at sea and the
drastic action which that reassertion will
require, the situation hinges upon Eng.
lands belief or doubt that enough food
ships will break through the submarines
to keep its population from starvation
1t is virtually certain that England will
expression from the United States until
it has tested the full force of submarine
blockade. If 1t can weather that storm
and face for an indefinite period the
worst the submarines can do, and if Ger.
many shall then still persist in ruthless
warfare the position of the United States
will be, not only that OF being impotent
to prevent war to finish, but also that
of being exposed, any day, to that final
challenge-an attack upon our property
and citizens at sea-which would require
us to use every force at our command
to bring Germany to terms.
But we cannot wait for that final chal
lenge without taking every means in our
power TO safeguard our ships in those
paths of the sea" which Germany would
so suddenly. with barely eight hours
notice.. narrow to mere paths indeed. 1t
is incumbent upon the navy to protect
our merchantmen wherever they shall
seek lawful passage in waters that are
unlawfully made hostile.
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