Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-02
Moment Has Arrived, He Says
When Unrestricted Naval
War Gives Greatest Promise
of Success
CHALLENGE Is ACCEPTED
TO BATTLE TO THE FINISH
U-Boats Sufficient to Make
Supplies Question Unbear-
able for Entente, Says Won
Bethmann-HoIIweg
ssY Ass,cinrea Prnsn.n

BERLIN. Jan. 3l.-CVia London, Feb.
1.1-Chancellor Won Bethmann-H oll veg
and other ministers attended an impor-
tant meeting of the ways and means
committee of the reichstag today al
which the entire war situation was gone
over and new steps planned by the CEN
tIal powers were considered.
The chancellor opened the sitting with
q speech of which the keynote words
we're.
we have been challenged to fight to
the end. We accept the challenge. We
stake everything and we shall be vic
torious."
The secretary Of state Tor the admir-
atty spoke Of the situation from the
technical. military and naval viewpoint.
Detailed statistical data in regard to
the e'orcmiC position of the world was
supplied by the secretary of the in
terror and Foreign Secretary thinner
mann replied 10 several special ques-
tions.
HOLD SECRET SESSION.
The committee then went INTO secret
session At which speeches we're made
by representatives of the centris. nation
al. liberal and progressive parties.
In his address today before the reich
stag committee. Chancellor Won Beth
mann-Hollweg explained why in March
and May of last year he had opposed
unrestricted submarine warfare, and
why again in September. according TO
the unanimous judgment of the political
and military authorities. the question
was considered ripe for decision"
The chancellor repeated his previous
nnH Hs~= .arnFar Aaaar h.
ment with the supreme army command
reached the conviction that ruthless
submarine war would bring Germany
nearer a victory the U-boat war would
ne started.
TINE HAS ARRIVED.
This moment has now arrived" he
continued. last autumn the time was
not yet ripe. but today the moment has
come when. with the greatest prospect
OF success. we can undertake the enter
prise We must therefore not wait any
longer.
Where has there been any change in
the situation the chancellor asked.
In TIRE first place. the most important
fact of all is that the number of our
submarines has been very considerably
increased as comDared with last spring.
and thereby a firm basis for success has
been established. The second co-decI-
sive reason Il the bad cereal harvest OF
he world. This fact already confronts
England. France and Italy with serious
difficulties which by means of UNI e.
str!Cted U-boat war will he brought to
a point of unbearableness. The coal
question. too, is vital question in
war. Already il IS critical as you know.
in Italy and France. Our submarines
will make it still more critical"
The chancellor's announcement has
been the subject of discussion at great
headquarters during the last week by the
emperor. the chancellor. the foreign
secretary. the military authorities and
the Austro- Hungarian premier, Count
Czernin.
Although a decision is supposed TO
have been reached last week. Foreign
Secretary zimmerman again Travelled to
great headquarters on Monday. on his
return Tuesday he received the Amer
tcau amba sSadOT. James W. Gerard, and
held 4 lengthy discussion with him.