The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-10
ARRIVAL OF GERMAN
JJ-53 NOW RECALLED
LIKE DIRIGIBLE, IT CAME
ON PEACEFUL ERRAND.
u. s. Naval and Military
Strategists See Possible
Dangers Ahead.

Washington, July 10.-(Copyright
by Chattanooga News. arrival of
a dirigible from Europe without mis-
hap has had the same effect on mill
tary and naval strategists as the
coming of the U-53. Both the air.
ship and the merchant submarine set
out on peaceful errands. But the
possible misuse of both weapons by
an INSCRIPTIONS foe was suggested
today by officials of our government
The truth is that an airship like the
RIA could make the journey from
Germany and drop dynamite on the
cities of the United States without
being affected by antiaircraft guns.
For the range of the latter Is insig-
nificant compared to the high 'alti-
tudes at which dirigibles can travel
Now that q heavier than air ma
chine has crossed the Atlantic with
out stopping and lighter-than-air
machine has done the same" said
Secretary Daniels today. I'VE can
hardly say that the ocean Is so much
protection to us. If there ever was
an argument for a league OF nations
to maintain peace, the coming or the
R-34 would seem to be one. 1t so
happens that the airship came from
friendly power, but what Is to pre-
vent other nations from building YES
sells of similar power and lombard
distant countries?
Next War More Terrible.
Indeed, IL there is another war, 1t
will be more terrible than the one
through which we have just passed.
We will not have plenty OF time to
stop invasions as heretofore. Ar
ships will suddenly descend on cities
at,
denly some day and hit the first
blow. Damage that can be inflicted
from the air Is incalculable. Army
officers in France told me that moth
ing had affected the morale of our
troops until aerial bombardment be-
gan. You feel defenseless under an
attack that you cannot answer"
When the U-53 came to the shores
of the United States, some people
said 1t was ridiculous to suppose that
the Germans would ever send sub
marines to attack our coast. But they
did. And the breaking down of the
German campaign on the American
coast was not due so much to de-
fensive measures adopted on this side
of the Atlantic as by our navy in
CO operation with other navies on the
European coast. The general public
mas very lIJle COnCeptlOH IOudy, Sdiu
Secretary Daniels of the tremendous
size of the barrage of mines which
was placed in the English channel
and in the straits between Scotland
and Norway. The northern and
southern exits Of the North sea were
effectively blocked by impedimenta
in which at least ten submarines
were caught. This is believed to
have done as much to undermine the
morale of the German navy as any
thing in the whole war.
Defense Now the Problem.
A defense against attack by airship
is now the problem. Congress, in its
desire for economy, cut down the ap-
propriations for aerial experimental
ton and development, but England
and France are spending hundreds of
millions of dollars. 1t is the great
weapon of offense for the future
Experts point out that navies on the
sea will require aerial defense to pro-
tect them against bombs dropped
from the sky Coasts will need not
only antiaircraft guns, but Zeppelins
and R-34's and other big dirigibles
to fight hostile balloons. Dirigibles
can soar to such attitudes, however
that defense by airship is not going
to be as simple as it might seem.
Airplanes undoubtedly will he used,