The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-02
BERLIN CALM.
AS WAR With
U. S. IS NEAR

Berlin, April z, WA AOHoouJ
Never in the history of nations, per.
haps, has there been so little excite
ment on the eve Of war between two
great countries as at present In Ger
many. Everybody knows that within
q few days America will declare war
against Germany, but no one seems
particularly impressed by 1t. Nhe
movement for reform naturally tlb-
serbs all interest here. while the revo-
luton In Russia assumes second place
in the minds Of the people. and war
with America is hardly ever discussed.
It is accepted as an unavoidable vdcts-
situde Of fate that must be borne in
the best way possible.
At the same time It must not DO
supposed that Americas military and
naval power are underestimated here,
nor that respectable persons. or even
the people ut large, minimize the
weight Of moral and financial aid that
she can bring to the support Of Ger
many's enemies. But since the al-
ternative IL to give up the U-boat war
or face an American war, the people
will prefer the latter, for nothing can
change their conviction that the SUBJ
marines will end all wars.
Little News From America Received
The news from America IL exceed-\
ingly scant. the papers publishing
seldom more than 200 or 500 words
daily, mostly extracts from French
papers. the correspondents Of which
seem absolutely ignorant Of things
and ways American Their reports
on Americas war preparations bear
-, - fnx cft %30v
and on6 cannot help suspecting that
Reuter- has surrendered to them the
monopoly Of supplying Germany
with American war news for sin.
lister purposes.
None Of the papers has commented
editortally on the American situation
within the last few days, their coll
umns being filed with sensational
speeches for OF against reform deliv-
cred in the Prussian upper and lower
house, and the Reichstag, which were
In session here until last evening.
Persilas Appraises Our Navy Highly
This evening the Tageblatt prints
an article by Captain Persiuo on 1.-THE
North American Navy He protests
against the idea, which be says is
widely prevalent. that he American
Navy need not be feared much al-
though it is almost as large as the
German navy, since, though compos-
ed Of very large ships. It suffers from
deficiency Of crews. With all due
respect to Captain Persius, I feel
bound to say that competent critics
here, at least, have no such small
opinion OF the American navy. They
are too well informed to permit them
selves to be deceived by attacks on its
efficiency like that Of George Won
Lengerlxe Meyer in The Yale Review,
which they attribute to considerations
of party politics.
Captain Persius, in his article, emu
merates The good qualities Of the
American Navy. especially its strength
in batt1eships and its directive distri-
button Of artillery. He says the crews
proved true to their splendid tradi-
lions in the operations at Santiago and
Cavite. which. however, took place
nineteen years ago. Oae might think,
he says that the American seaman
lacked the strict discipline OF the Ger
man bluejacket, but appearances are
deceiving, and there ara different
kinds Of discipline, suited to national
character. American gunnery. he
says IL known for it's splendid rec
ords, and even If there is a deficiency
Of crews this must not be overesti-
mated. The same thing was said of
the English navy before the war, but,
70 Germany's surprise. there Is no sign
of It now. He remarks that there is
certainly room for improvement, and
it America Is fastening the construc-
ton of her new ships that is only rea-
sonable, she sees in her navy mighty
factor for the preservation Of future
peace.