New-York tribune., 1918-09-29
TeutonN nNavyExpert
Collects Alibis to
Defend Submarines
Capt. Persius Has Many Ex-
cuses to Explain Why u. S.
Transports Keep Ahoat
Aircraft Are Blamed
Weather Also Criticised in
Attempt to Mollify the
German Public
Aircraft Are Blamed
The NeW York Tribune
L. D D....


The German press has lately been
worrying over the question why Ger
man submarines cannot sink American
transports. Attempts to answer that
question have cost two Germans theiI
jobs, Won Capelle, the Imperial Minister
of the Navy, and Won Hotzendorff, the
Chief of the German Admiralty. An
other attempt to answer that question,
which is source of growing alarm
to the German militarists, is made IN
blatt," by Captain Persius, the German
naval critic, who writes:
"Why is it that our U-boats cannot
sink troop and transport steamers and
thus prevent the transportation of
soldiers and war materials to the
European battlefronts 90 This ques-
tion has often been asked In contrast
to this, many statements were made
like these; Every ship is under Ger
man control deputy Stressemann);
or The great American army cannot
SWIM across the water, it cannot fly, it
will not come deputy Hergt, January
pletely forgotten that in this fifth
year of the war in spite or the ration
ing introduced on all fields, there is
still no rationing of words and there
are such contrasts IN statements? In
these days, when substitutes are being
generally employed it seems advisable
to substitute the statements of those
irresponsible for their thoughts for
those that can be original in thinking.
The result of that will be that people
will not be talking with a condemninp
q of off
U-boats as it often happens to-day TO
our regret. but that the usefulness of
our u boats Will be recognized and will
rise above criticism.
What our U-boats are accomplish
ing can be fully realized only a. ter
the war is over. In the meantime to-
day 1t can only be stated That an in
exhaustible mass of energy and activ-
ity Is noticeable everywhere and that
we cannot give sufficient expression to
our admiration.
Words Not Facts as Alibi
but, in spite of all that, the expec-
tations Of some Unsuitable people have
not been satisfied, then those people
must be told to look for more in
formation in regard to the factors con
nected with the question before they
dare to express their opinions. which
COUStQQGnCpS
among those who need all the moral
support which we possibly can give
them.
"Only little original thinking is
necessary, and everybody is able to
answer for himself the question. WHY
are our submarines not sinking Amer
lean transrorts?' o
1T is we'll known that for the land
ing CT American troops French ports
are being used as we'll as Italian and
brltlsh. Ihc difficulty, yes. indeed
the impossiblity for our U-boats to
Keep under control all the ships on that
Wlde feld was emphasized in the
'Neue trcic Presse' by Captain Bowed
OF the admiralty staff.
AS to the Transportation Of troons
from England to France a very short
road IS used, and here it is extremely
dlfhcult for the U-boats to make an at
tack, as we have been taught bv expe-
rlence. The troopships travel the short
distance under the cover of nipht in n
lew brief hours. Cruisers. destroyers
and filers are continually keeping guard
on this road in the British Channel, so
that rarely could the U-boats possibly
succeed il attacking a ship
and then, our enemies have been
continually working on the improve
ment of their anti-submarne methods
OF defence. The station chief of Brest
IN recent interview he gave a Zurich
correspondent, explained the organiza-
ton OF the convoy system. In regard
to aviation as employed for purposes
of defence, he said:
Aircraft Beat U-boats
1t is known that the U-boats can
be seen from any height when the sur
face Of the sea is Ouiet Ru Inc en-