Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-24
The German Fleet.

Speculation is again astir regarding the lkeli-
hood of German naval offensive. 1t was in this
season. May the thirty-rst, two years that the
Kasers high seas feet venturing for the first time
from its protecting shores, challenged the British
in the battle of Jutland. Whatever the hopes of
that sorte may have been. the results were such
as to persuade the Huns that Wihelmshaven was
preferable to the North Sea; and to Wilhelmshaven
they have chung ever since. But says the expect
ant expert, there special reasons,
special emergencies which may constran them to
make another venture, though desperate one.
Consider, for instance, the recent blocking of
the German submarine bases at Ostend and Zee
brugge. That exploit has done than impede
to greater less extent the Uboat operations di-
rected from the Belgian coast; it has given dra-
matte emphasis to the cumulative failure of Ger
many's entire underseas campaign. The weapon
which Won Tirpitz and the Kaiser promised should
force the Allies to terms within six months after the
beginning of its unrestricted employment, lies
self-evdent failure in far decisive results
concerned 1t has failed not only to isolate England
but also to interfere to apprecable degree with
the increasing movement of American troops
and supplies. The Germans for all their swagger
cannot suppress their anxiety the lengthening
columns of General Pershing's command and his
steady line of transatlantic communication. They
but that if the present trend continues they
will find themselves decisively outnumbered and
outweighed on the Western front.
This situation, so portentous from the German
point of view, has been brought about largely
through the Allied command of the seas. All that
the Hun has accomplished on land-his invasions,
conquests, pillagings and monstrous brutalities-
has not broken or counterbalanced the giant ocean
arm that holds him prisoner 1t is quite conceiv
able, then, that as last resort the German fleet
may be hazarded for the crucial task in which the
submarine has failed. The German public mind,
which cannot be very complacent these days may
naturally question the ard purpose of navy
which hugs its home harhTrs while the enemy
moves undisturbed along th~socean highways, gath
ering from every corner as Che globe the sinews of
final blow for victoSJ- The fifth year of the
great approaches; tS-ast tides of treasure and
blood poured out by the German people for Hohen-
zollern ambition still flow without avail; the AL
lied front grows continually stronger through
Inducements from America; and in the face of all
this, the feet which the Kaiser built with so
thrasonical a gesture and at huge cost to his
subjects lies anchored in the security of Wihelms
haven 1t is not unthinkable that popular senti-
ment, in far there is such a force in Ger
many, will blow the fleet out to action.
The lords, however, may need no urging
to that end Rumor has it that Hindenburg has
asked for cooperation from the feet for the next
great offensive; and number of clear headed OBJ
servers look for simultaneous German strokes on
the Western and Italian fronts and at sea. But
when, and if, the German feet does come out in
force and for real combat, may be fairly
that conditions within that empire indeed des-
perate. Not until they have despaired of their
armys winning victorious inconclu-
peace, will the Huns fling their navy into the
fatefuI balance; for if they lose in that throw,
then indeed is their doom sealed and at hand.