The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-02-06
STAkED ALL ON U-BOAT.
GERMAN SECRET DOCUMENTS
DISCLOSE PLANS AND
HOPE OF PEACE.
Amsterdam Newspaper Publishes
Records from German Archives
That Tell Why Unrestricted War.
fare Was Ordcrcd-It Was the Last
Desperate Effort to Defeat England.

desperate Effort to Defeat England
Amsterdam, Feb. 1.-The HandeIs
blad today published q series of docu.
ments obtained secretly from German
archives showing the steps which lee
to the adoption by Germany of her
unrestricted submarine campaign q
year ago. The following is a sum-
mary of the documents:
At the close Of 1915 the German ad-
miralty prepared n memorandum to
show that unrestricted U-boat war
fare would compel Greet britain tc
sue for peace within six months. The
wording Of the memorandum indicate.
that the admiralty already had decid.
ed to adopt this intensified warfare
but desired to convince the emperor,
the imperial chancellor and the for
eign office OF the certainty Of the
good results on economic and general
grounds rather than merely on mill
tary grounds.
Accordingly the memorandum
based its arguments on statistics O.
food prices, freight and insurance
rates in Great Britain. 1t pointed the
effect which even the restricted sub.
marine warfare had shown on prices
OF the essential commodities, on the
balance of trade and on the morale OF
the English people.
The memorandum first was submit
ted to DR.. Won Bethmann Hoilweg.
the imperial chancellor, and then to
DR.. Karl Helferich. vice chancellor.
The latter objected to it on the ground
that it was impossible to set q limit
on England's staying power and the
absence Of authentic estimates of her
stock on hand also because he fear
ed the action which would result from
neutrals, especially the United States
The authors Of the memorandum
then sent a reply in which they point
ed out the gravity Of the internal sit
uation in Germany and assured DR.
Helferich that a desperate remedy
was necessary. They reinforced their
argument as to the seriousness of the
internal state OF affairs by calling in
nine experts representing German
finance. commerce. mining and agri-
culture. These experts included Valid
mar Muller, president of the Dresden
Bank; DR.. Salomonsohn, director OF
the Discont Gesselschaft; Paul
Reusch,. Prussian councillor Of com
merce; DR.. Springorum, an iron and
railway magnate; Max Schinkel, pres
ident Of the Hamburg Norddeutsche
Bank, and Herr Zuckschwerdt. coun-
cillor Of commerce Of Magdeburg.
AS experts these men were invited
to reply to three questions: First,
what would be the effect on England
OF an unrestricted submarine war;
second, what would be the effect on
Germany's relations with the United
States and other neutrals. and, third,
to what extent did the internal con
dition Of Germany demand the use of
this drastic weapon.
All the experts agreed on the first
point that England would have to sue
for peace in six months at most. Herr
Muller said England's supply of food
was smaller than in peace times and
therefore ruthless u-boat warfare
would probably accomplish the pur-
pose in three months.
DR.. Salomonsohn asserted Eng
lend's position was very Vulnerable.
owing to her dependence on foreign
capital and the absence Of a spirit of
self sacrifice among the English peo-
pie. He therefore thought six months
was an excessive estimate.
| DR.. Spingerum said: "Everythin..
depends on the cutting Off of supplies
from Great Britain quickly and thor
oughly."
ON the second questios Herr
[ Reusch said: 1.-THE neutrals despise
our restricted submarine warfare. Ev-
cry ship in British waters, enemy or
neutral, should be torpedoed withou.
warning. The world only respects
those who in great crisis know how
tC make the most unscrupulous use
of their power"
On the second question Herr Mul-
Ter said:
| Unrestricted submarine warfare
VIII cause the wholesale flight Of neu-
trails from the war zone. Their news
papers will abuse Germany but they
will soon tire. The chief danger is
| the United States. but that DANCE,