The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-06-15
German Submarine Raid in Our
Waters Fails to Terrorize
American Nation.
WAR SPIRIT IS STIMULATED
Splendid Work of Yankee Troops In
Hating Hun Drive at the Marine
Enemy's Losses are Appalling
Renewal of Offensive ls
Expected.
BY EDWARD w, PIckARD,

~ %GVNnD W. FISNNn1s
Germany's utter inability to under,
stand the spirit of the nations that
oppose her was never better shown
than in the raids made on American
shipping in American waters by sub
marines. Their purpose could only be
to terrorize the United States and thus
check the flow of men and munitions
to France. Their result, if Germany
but knew it, could only be to inspire
the nation to continue the sending of
its armies across with uninterrupted
speed and in every other way to do
what is necessary to win the war. The
net loss to America is the sinking of a
dozen sailing vessels and two or three
steamships; the net gain Is a renewed
determination to whip the Hun, and
large increase In the number of enlist
ments for the navy.
Germany attempted to terrorize Eng
land by Zeppelin raids on London, and
the Englishmen merely turned out
their lights and rushed by thousands
to the recruiting offices. She tried to
terrorize France by bombarding Paris
with the miracle gum" and the
Frenchmen grltted their teeth and
swore to fight to the finish. Now she
has tried to intimidate the Americans,
and again she has failed miserably. In
truth, the German policy Of frightful-
ness has been a failure everywhere
and from the beginning. Even mutt
lated and ravished Belgium still stands
unafraid and steadfast to the cause
Of decency and righteousness.
la
The appearance of the submarine or
submarineS-their number is not
known-off the New Jersey coast nat
urally revived the talk of the existence
of U-boat bases on the Mexican coast.
This is officially discredited by our
navy department, though there lie little
doubt that Carranza and his crew
would so assist Germany If they
could. Their behavior and known pre-
elections are not such as to delude
anyone into belief in their neutrality.
However, there was evidence that the
raiding submarines had come direct
from Germany, and as they have been
out some time, they probably will soon
return.
la
New York city INDUCED itself in a
small scare over the chance that 1t
might be bombed by an airplane car
ried by the U-boats. There was little
danger Of this, for plane would take
up too much space on the submarine,
and moreover after a raid would be
compelled to return to the vessel, thus
revealing its location to the naval craft
that have been swarming the Atlantic
coast waters looking for It, The sub
marine Is driven by Diesel engines that
give 1t wide radius, and carries guns
with which 1t might shell coast cities.
Probably there will be more of these
raids in the near future, but they must
be accepted as incidents of the great
war in which we are engaged-really
small incidents that can have no in
1uence on the outcome of the struggle.
Some of them are likely to be directed
against our troop transports, but this
need cause little alarm because of the
perfection of the convoy system. To
guard the coast against attacks Secre-
tary Baker has asked congress for
$16,000,000 for establishing balloon and
seaplane stations, thirteen on the At
lantic and three on the gulf.
Ia.
Over in France the kaiser's third
pretentious drive of the year came to
a halt at least for the time being, at
the Marine, the Ourcq valley and the
Disc. Early In the week several at
tempts to cross the Marine were re-
pulsed with severe losses. In these ac-
tons American machine gunners sup
ported by French infantry took prom