The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-03
Striking at Our Doors Shows
Fears of the Kaiser.
Germans Know Americans Will
Turn Battle Tide.
TRY TO BLOCKADE U. S. PORTS
That Is Last Chance To Save
Western Front.
Navy Confident 1t Can Handle
Situation Satisfactorily.

Washington, June 3.-Germany by
striking with her submarines at the
very doors of America has admitted
to the world that the American army
will turn the tide against her on the
battlefields of France. AS first news
of the submarine raid on the Atlantic
coast brought to the navy department
today by Associated Press dispatches,
was followed by official reports, ma
val officials declared that the Ameri-
can anti-submarine forces in home
waters were ample to meet the attack.
All along the coast line, naval fly
ing boats, submarine chasers and num-
berless other naval craft Immediately
got into action.
Ali officials declared that the navy
department was fully equipped to
meet the thrust at the very fountain
head of the flow of American troops
to Europe, and that all it's agencies
were being brought into full force to
find the submarines and destroy them.
This challenge to the fighting forces
of the United States would be met,
officials said, with the same measures
which have driven the submarines to
cover in the war zone, and the steady
flow of American transports to France
would be guarded with the same ef-
fective protection which has carried
them thru the infested waters of the
British Isles and France with a re-
| markably low loss of life.
Move Looked For.
Submarine blockade in the principal
transport lanes and about the terri
| tory of the principal embarkation
ports for the American army has long
been counted upon by American naval
officers as one of Germany's last cards
and preparations have been made to
meet it.
There are indications that the navy
| department has been watching closely
reports of the appearance of enemy
U-boats in unexpected places for some
time and that the possibility of large
| arrival of the craft off American ports
| her. unrestricted submarine warfare
to this side of tie ocean and at least
five vessels have been sunk by sub
marine attacks off the Atlantic coast.
| Some reports say the number of vic
tins already has reached fifteen.
The port of New York was closed to
| outgoing shipping as soon as news of
the presence of hostile craft outside
was confirmed.
Have Base Near By?
1t was apparent, however, that the
! information now available was not
sufficient to show whether a U-boat
base had been established on this side
or that cruiser submarines of per-
haps 1000 tons displacement were
being used. Some officers believe
that a base has been established pos
sibly on some desolate island to the
south or in a hidden bay. Others are
convinced that the submarines are
working out of German bases.
Those officials and others who have
been maintaining that bases had been
established in the Mexican gulf or in
the West indies declared today's raid
fully demonstrated their theory. This
theory was that the submarines which
had participated in Sundays attack
were on their way to the base in the
south, having for their immediate OBJ.
ject the long lines of oil tankers car.
rying fuel oil to the allied navies
from the Tampico district of Mexico
and taking the opportunity to raid
American shipping while on their way
These officers noted that the sub
marines carefully preserved their tor
pedoes for larger and more importan
quarry and destroyed the small Amer
lean ships by bombs or with shell fire
Ihose who hold to this theory sait
they expected that after having
reached southern bases and replen
lshed their fuel. the submarines would
again turn northward and after hav
ing made another raid. return again
for fuel How long this can be KEEP
up they said depended entirely on tn,
effectiveness of the search which tn,
american anti-submarine craft con
duct.
May Be Big Bluff.
| The TACT that the U-boatS wasted al
the value surprise attack in hom,
waters would give them in war or
troop transports attracted attention
J 1t was pointed out that after all the
| present German n1JaiCn T1iOhf
Tor the purpose of creating an i'm
preston that a strong patrol wa!
being established while in fact only {
. few boats, perhaps not more than on,
, or two, actually are engaged.
IC NOT CnNCTITI 1TIONI