The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1917-05-10
A SERIOUS SITUATION.

has been in Washington for sew
eral days, attending a meeting of
the National Defense League,
writes very sensationally Of the
war situation. However, the
plain, undispused facts fully JUS
titles every assertion he makes
facts that are vouched for and
approved by the army and navy
departments at Washington.
He says:
Americas task of whipping
Germany and that is our task
is not easy.
We face the most difficult mil
itary and naval problem in hu-
man history.
Unless Germany's submarine
power is crushed we are hope
lessly lost.
Unless the U-Boat5 are sup
pressed the war will be trans
ferred to this side of the Allan
tic within few months.
Unless the United States can
keep German undersea craft
from choking our new found AL
lies to death the German fleet
will certainly lombard, our prln-
cipal Atlantic coast cities.
We must crush Germany, or
Germany will crush us.
England and France admit,
through their official representa-
tives, that they are powerless
against submarine warfare.
If the destruction of shipping
at the rate of 100000 tons per
week is continued, England and
France will soon be starved to
death.
The war has been reduced to a
problem of mathematics and
without going into complicated
statistics. the figures show that
the worlds tonnage cannot long
survive the submarine assaults.
There's an end to all things,
and the summary concluslvely
proves that Germany Is able to
put an end to the worlds mari
time commerce if ships continue
to enter the submarine zone.
To check the work of these
assassins of the sea is a super
human task.
England and France can do no
more than they are now doing,
Both have their offensive and de-
fensive resources are taxed to
the utmost.
tits up to America, a nation of
100000, 900 people, to assume the
most gigantic work of the war.
We must continue sending
food and ammunitions to our al
lies, even if orly one vessel in a
dozen reaches its destination.
In other words, we must build
and load ships for French and
British ports faster than they
can be sunk by German subma-
rines.
1t is officially stated that Ger
many has $50 U-Boats in active
service within or near the sub
marine zone.
There is good reason to be-
lieve that fully twice that num-
Der is either in action or ready
for action.
More are being built in Ger
man, Norwegian and Swedish
shipyards. They are being
turned out ready for action every
day in the week.
Can we build wooden ships
faster than they can be destroy
ed by German submarines?
That's the problem we are up
against-the first, the most vital,
the most important problem OF
this worldwide war. Beside it,
all other phases pale into inslg-
nificance.
It is idle to talk about Ger
many seeking an early peace be-
cause America has entered the
war.
Forget all that for it is sheer
nonsense.
Germany is committed to the
belief that whatever it does is
agreeable in the sight of God.
This is the firm conviction not
only of the powers in control,
but of the German people.
BY the same token, they be-
lieve that whatever the Entente
Allies, including America, and
the balance of the world, may
do, is obnoxious in Bthe sight of
God and therefore destined to
defeat and damnation. The only
God they recognize is the Ger
man God, and His personal rep
resentative on earth is the
Kaiser. 1t is silly to expect sur
render or concession from such
an enemy.
Germany ic nranarod IN h0ht