The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-12
GAPELLEG GETS
GRILLING IN SUB
CAMPAIGN PROBE

BERLIN, Nov. 10. (By the Associated
Press. )-Vice-AdmAral Eduard Won Ca
pelle, former minister Of the navy. was
bomharded with questions yesterday as
70 why more submarines were not built,
so as to have made the submarine cam
paign successful Hecklers at the ma
uonal assembly subcommittee inVesti-
cation into the war having failed to get
much information as to why the subma-
rine campaign WAS not avoided, changed
their tactics to questioning the former
minister OF the navy on submarine con
struction.
The admiral replied succinctly. in an
endeavor to show why construction WAS
retarded in 1916. n why it jumped
enormously in 1917 and 1918.
a summary Of his contribution to u
boat construction was read by Won Ca
pelle at the start of the session.
Eight hundred and ten submarines
were built before and during the war"
said the former minister of the navy.
"of these As were constructed before the
war, 1856 were built during the admin
istration of Admiral Won Tirpitz, and
5l9 were built by me In the two and a
half years l was in office.
II took office In April, 1916, and in
the nine months remaining in that year
built 80 U-boats. In 1917 ] ordered
$50; and in the nine months l was in
office in 1918 l ordered 220."
1t was here his questioning began.
Why was there such a discrepancy
between 1915 and the two following
years." demanded, Herr Gothein.
Won Capelle replied sharply:
There are a number Of reasons why
so small a number was ordered in 1916
first, the reichstag took an over
whelming stand against the submarine
and ] could not start to build because
l saw myself in opposition to the gov
eminent; second, l had been out of the
4 ~ xyo1 EarrVfna arI xNyau a. n ma ,.a IF cha.
technical improvementH.in U-boat build
ing and had to give Intimate study to
the subject; and third, the S~kaggerrak
battle caused serious damages to our
boats. Their repair held up the con
struction of other boats"
Germany had decided to live up to
international law and not sink mer-
chantmen without warning, continued
Won Capelle. but he said he thought in
the fan of 1915 the admiralty had issued
a second order to attack British ships
because England, poisoned against us, "
had made the work Of U-boats very diff
ficult by mines which covered the en-
tire North sea. There was a demand for
min~e-searchers, torpedo boats, and mo-
tor boats. which further reduced U-boat
construction. he added.
Herr Sinsheimer attempted to elicit
the exact purpose of the submarine
campaign against England-whether it
was the intention to crush England or
merely to compel her to agree to a
disable peace"
Won Capelle replied:
I'VE believed we could force England
to a disable peace within five months"
WAS the submarine war planned to
make feeding of England impossible, and
therefore make impossible the reaching
by England of her goal?' asked Herr
David.
There was no hope in the navy that
go =. -. ,-,stson nn,,1l hn Ennt fro m
England" replied Won Capelle sarcast-
ically. I'VE should have been more sus-
| picious of England"
Herr David asked where the express
sion, force England to her knees"
originated, and what 1t meant.
Won Capelle made an evasive reply
saying:
1.-THE expression can be interpreted in
several ways. / interpreted it to mean
making England pliable and war-ttred, =