New-York tribune., 1918-06-06
U-Boat Raid
Aids Plot to
Sway Mexico
Germans Want to Impress
Carranza, Washington
Experts Assert
Especial Dispateh to Tho T,;buxs,

WASHINGTON, June 5.-There is a
Mexican end to the strategy of the
Atlantic coast submarine attack, ac-
cordlng to observers of Mexican af-
fairs in Washington. Mexico is in
process of organization by Germans
who were already devoted to that task
before the United States declared a
state of war, and by others Who fed
south when this country became un-
healthy for them. They are smart
men, some of these adventures in
political warfare, and indications are
not lacking in the news that comes to
Washington that they have Mexico
pretty we'll under the German thumb.
Two objects are supposed to tempt
German operations in Mexico. The
most immediate, and most closely iden-
tined with the new submarine venture
on Atlantic coast shipping, is the at
tempt to shut eff all crude oil shin
ping for the British navy from Tam
pico. The second is the effort to use
Mexico, not merely to embarrass the
United States in it's war against Ger
many, but actually as starting point
for major operations against the
United States in case the turn of
European events would make it pos
slble. Germany wants a Pacific naval
base, and wants to retain her South
American interests. Both might be
accomplished under proper conditions
through Mexico.
Carranza an Objective
Carranza becomes, therefore, one
objective Of the submarine campaign
in American waters. It Is becoming
more evident now that Carranza would
like to declare an even closer al
legiance to Germany than he has done,
but is afraid to take the step. If
Carranza can be sufficiently i'm pressed
with the power of the German ma
chine, sufficiently assured that his
fortunes lie with Germany, England
tention diverted to the Mexican oil
fields.
The submarine campaign becomes a
great gesture, partly for Carranza's
benefit, an effort to make stouter q
shrinking heart. Along with it go
glimmering promises Of a return Of
Texas and other Southwestern states,
once Mexican, to Mexico.
There is some sApticism here as to
any immediate ending of the Uboat
warfare on the east coast. There is a
greater readiness to believe that it has
just begun. And this line of reasoning
leads inevitably to the fact that Ger
many has submarine supply bases
somewhere in American waters. They
may be sunken tank bases somewhere
off the Keys of the West Indies or
around the Bahamas.
One Central American authority de-
clares he has been warning the Ad-
ministraton for two years against Just
of the oil steamer which set out of
Boston in 1915 for Colombia as an in
stance of the precautions Germany has
been taking years ahead for American
warfare.
Deutschland's Trip
Some naval men in Washington say
that when tae Deutschland came to
Baltimore on it's famous trip it came
by the southern route, riding down the
Atlantic and swinging around and
heading north near the West Indies.
This may have been in the line of ex-
pertinent, or it may have been one move
in the establishment or testing of SUBJ
marine bases.
me laying OF mines along the AT
lantic also points to the existence of
supply bases in the nearby Atlantic
waters. A submarine cruiser equipped
with Diesel engines and burning oil can
carry perhaps fifteen mines. If mine
laying is to become effective against
American shipping, fifteen will have to
be multiplied several times, even for
several submarines. The existence of
bases would make possible a regular
programme, in which several subma-
rines would range along the coast until
their ammunition and floating mine sup
plies were exhausted. They would then
return to the base for further supply
while boats already prepared would con-
tinue the programme of attack and
mine laying