The Washington herald., 1917-04-21
New York EvenIng Post.

The weekly toll Of British submarine
losses has become so uniform as to give
ground for believing that something like
permanent balance has been establish
ed between the German attack and the
British defeise. For the tenth Of un-
restricted U-boat warfare the figures in
dicate monthly tonnage loss OF about
10000; the daily sailings and departures
from British ports are absolutely nor
NAL, and the proportion OF U-boat hits
to misses Is about the same Every
thing Indicates that there has been gross
exaggeration in the number of subma-
rines which Germany had at her disposal
when she began the new warfare. and
the number Of boats that she turns out
from her shipyards. The number of
British merchantmen sunk or unsuccess-
fully attacked last week was 43. The
number of merchantmen that arrived or
left during the week was 4.710 In other
words, the U-boats got within striking
distance Of about one out of every 100
ships traversing the barred zones, a re-
suit which far from justifies the COM
mon impression Of German periscopes
forming a close wall around the Brit
ish isles As to the weekly output of
three new submarines In the German
shipyards It is to be noted that there
has been no increase in sinkings In the
course of ten weeks, and this In spite
OF the more favorable weather and the
lengthening days
Rewrite the Espionage Bill.
New York world)
Debate in the United States Senate con-
firms the objections offered by The
World to the Espionage bill It is of
doubtful constitutionaIity in its applica-
tion to newspapers; it confers powers os-
tcnsibly upon tie PI esident but actually
upon subordinatcs which may easily be
abused, and In many of its terms it is
indefinite. When Senators Lodge, Borah,
Thomas, Owen, Brandegee, Cummins and
Johnson agree that such legislation is un-
warranted and danserous, 1t is surely
time to call a halt
The proyisos suggested by the Judiciary
Committee either do not meet the Issue
or they intensity It. Every line of clause
c of section 2 OF the bill should be writ
ten by some one familiar enough with
criminal law to appreciate the difference
between guilt and innocence. AS II
stands, there is hardly an inquiry or a
publication or criticism relating to
military plans and operations that may
not be prosecuted as a felony.
a statute in these loosely drawn terms
would be more OF a menace to loyal
Americans than to German spies. There
should be nothing ambiguous In an act
aiuleu at pubic enemies. f1ghting Tor
democracy, liberty and justice abroad.
we must not assail them at home.
should BE Interned.
ATLANTA Constitutiou.)
Herman Fellinger. president of the
German-American alliance, and, until
he rendered h is resignation yesterday,
a member OF the war board of Mayor
Davis. of Cleveland, Ohio, is quoted as
having said at a meeting of that board
last Saturday:
"All German-Americans, while they
are backing America as against Ger
many, are praying for the defeat Of
Great Britain and her allies. It is too
much to expect them to raise food
stuffs for her allies"
II Mr.. Fellinger is backing America
he employs an extremely paradoxical
way of showing it-in refusing to aid
Americas allies, with whom America
is making common cause, and whose
defeat would essentially mean Ameri-
cas- defeat
In this war against Prussianism, II