The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-27


 we are sinking submarines faster than the Germans can build them. and that we are building merchant ships-thdt is, the allies a whole-faster than the Germans can sink them, from all data at present available. The ad; miralty hold the opinion. that in the month of April there was a record of destruction of enemy submarines (Cheers) It was a good month. There was feeling of spring about it that is not official CLaughter) The attack upon them is being carried on with increasing intensity and success echeers), and when you come to the increase in building. the month of Aprii was record since ruthless subma- rlne warfare commenced in more ways than one. For the first time since February, 1917, the output of world. merchant shipping has exceeded the losses of shipping for the world, and there was q net gain in allied and neutral shipping
 u-BOAT NO LONGER A PERIL
 That is not a bad record for a government whose faults are so freely advertised Qaughter), but we have had anxious times. The. submarine is stiil menace-it is no longer a peril loud cheers)-as a means of inf1ictino
  gies which might be better devoted to other purposes. as a means of re. strlctlng our power of transport bur as danger which could cause the win ming or losing of the war vou cap rule out the submarine 04oud cheers, rom that point of view we have deff- nitely and. I think successfully conoa with the deadliest peril we have vet encountered, and the one llnon wbfg1,5 eur enemies built their surest and highest hopes. I will quote two short passages from distinguished Germans upon this topic One Is from q speech
 General Won Hindenburg, of whom E0u nave heard Gaughter). early ia 19l( when he announced Dublicv tb,+ Ine western front must hold fast, while me suDmarlnes won the war This
 ffohth there was speech delivered 'y the secretary of the German navy
 Admiral Von Capelle, and this is whet e said, It was spoken in the Reich
 tag; We therefore have every con -Iuehce Tn our submarines together with our victorious army they vii achieve much Gaughter) That is very different story GangbtarA hey are no longer going to win the var eeheers). and the Germans rea- oshlzed that. and that is what ac. counts for the present offensive in rance. It is directly responsible for snat oftensiye. The enemy have been ,dS uadSen into that offensive as a last resource to secure victory
 EVE OF GREAT ATTACK
 nevertheless, we must not ,Inda,.na ne formidable character of inc oftaa1s we nave to bridge the chasm betv.ee,, Nussla and America a vawnine ana
 errfying gulf There are stil save,.,1
 pans Which have to be constructa1 sil anu we are building under the heaviest y,, ol the war Meanwhile Britaio rance and Italy have to defend +be zap This is not a time for boasti,l.r nave been rebuked for being undi1I, 1ptlmistlc, but I am quite prenared fo Iefend every prediction I have naGa lCheers) What is the good of any rna,, the direction of affairs if every fine mere IS any. difficulty or any reverse be pu's ms heart down? That is the time 70 Keep it up. But we need mol dra[y upon these resources. We are o,, thI eve or very great attack, and no'n1as "iio enters into battle ought to hoa q3 aoout It's results, but I am entitled r. tell you this-that those, and have sea, most or the men who are responsibla for leadership in this great struggle on o,,r slde, and I have the right to fell voI1 @endt @ those who know best what the pro3- the result. (Cheers)
 From the point of view of makinp tio most effective use of the whole forcoc or the alliance, I feel happier than I nave done since the commencement If the war (Cheers) The fact that wo fought as three or four independent armies instead of fighting as one. in- SolVeu great waste of strength and tlghtlng efficiency. I could tell VOL :. good deal about that. but it is not wortA While now going into the past What iz important is to make quite sure that if IS past. Unity of direction. unity of action, real unity, is common sense hut In order to achieve it you have to over come quite natural but deep-rooted pre9uaices; in fact, the deep-rooted l pre1udices always make a bad partner | ship. They are hopelessly incompatible | l tried repeatedly to the best of my power to achieve unity, but I had to approach | II by easy stages, and I am sorry to | say very nearly. upset the government i several times in doing so Now that if | mas been accomplished it is really in- l credible that for many months we had | to fight every inch of the way for unity of direction against potent influences, | but it is now a fact, and there is no doubt it has added to our fighting strength. (Cheers)
 CONFIDENCE IN FOCH
 The commander at the head of the | allied forces General Foch, is one of the brilliant strategists of the day-a man who combines energy, dynamic energy ! With imagination and a profound knowf4 ! edge and experience of his craft. With | both, rare combination, he commands | the admiration, the confidence, and, l 1 may truly say, the affection of allied | soldiers in every army. Now that we | are approaching the third stage of the 1 greatest battle ever fought on this earth | for the greatest cause for which battles l have ever been fought, battle upon the 1 issue of which depends greater conse- | quences for the human race than from | any other battle ever fought, I am glad | to think that we have at the head of the l forces of freedom man of General 1 Fochs commanding genius. (Cheers)
 For all that, until the American army | arrives in strength we shall Alave time 1 of great anxiety. The Germans know as well as we do that their hopes as well as our fears. are concentrated on the | next few weeks. For. them, as well as for us, it is a race between General Hindenburg and President Wilson, and the Germans are straining every muscle to reach the goal first, ere American help be available for the allies. The time inn in front of us is therefore full of care. This is no time to harass men | in charge of the destiny of the nation. Loud cheers.) There ought to be a truce to all these maneuvres, at any rate until this great offensive is over.'
 "PERSONAI VENDETTAS"