Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-14
# q Sea Fight Comes.

The present rumor that Germany is preparing to
launch big offensive is the first of its kind;
it is nearer the hundredth or thousandth From the
earliest days of the there have been all man
ner of surmises and predictions to when the
Kaser's fleet would come forth, but never a one
that is yet fulfilled. The HuEs only formidable
dash from Wilhelmshaven, that of May 80, 1916,
was unforeseen save in a general way and develop
ed on uncalculated lines. Whatever may have been
the objective and the hopes of that adventure the
outcome has suffced to this day to keep the Ger
man navy closer than ever under the protection of
it's home shores.
To those observers however who expect an
other and far more formidable dash in the near
future, there plenty of supporting reasons
For one thing, the dwindling power of the U-boats,
now Germany's sole weapon actually employed in
warfare, is doubtless having effect in the
sells and plans of Berlin. The leaders know, how
much to the contrary they tell the German
people, that the U-boat is longer to be consider
ed as a decisive very serious factor in the war
They know that Allied tonnage is being launched
much faster than they destroy and that their
submarines being sunk or captured much faster
than they replace them. Thus threatened with the
virtual extinction of the only instrument with
which they have made any show, they may decide
upon desperate venture by the main fleet. Re-
CARELESS of the submarine failure the crucial stage
upon which the campaign the Western front is
entering may lmpel the German leaders 10 hazard
a great sea battle. Some weeks ago our Govern
ment was advised that Hindenburg was urging
naval cooperation for his land offensive, and Rear
Admiral Cleaves declared in a public address that
word had to the British feet that the Ger
mans were definitely contemplating supreme
test the waves. Evidently they stalking all
their hopes of victory on such efforts they
put forth within the next few months. 1t is not
improbable then, that conditions the West
front more and more critical and the
disappointment of the German people over the de-
feat of the U-boat grows more pronounced, the
Kaisers feet will lift anchor for a last fling with
fate
The Allies ready and confident, America
amongst them. The ocean supremacy, which they
have held from the outset unbroken and save for
the submarine almost unchalenged, has been their
greatest source of strength and endurance. 1t has
sustained England and France alike and is ena-
bling country to throw the full weight of her
power into the trembling balance. 1t is to this
ocean supremacy of the Allies that Germany owes
her direst ills and perils For nearly four years
now it has held her prisoner in spite of all the
cOnquests of her armies; it has reduced
her to starvation fare; ceaseessly it has remind
ed her of unseen yet unrelenting force
against which all the struggles of all her
legions were in vain. Merely to retain this
mastery of the seas would be a decisive contribu-
ton to the winning of the war. But suppose that
in addition the Allies should blot out the
dormant but threatening danger which lies in
the existence of great German fleet. Would not
that go far toward ending the war? And is it not
what we may reasonably expect if ever the British
and American navies come fairly to grips with the
Hun? That is the event to which our own sea
fighters, holding a place of Ligh honor and
responsibility in European waters, look with keen
and longing eyes, And the encounter is on,
we know how gloriousy they will bear their part.