The Washington herald., 1920-04-11
Admiral Won Scheer Recalls
Wilson S Ultimatum After
Sussex Sinking.
RUTHLESS OR NOTHING
German Naval Commander
Against Any ''Mock" Sub
marine Campaign.
(washinston Herald-Public Ledger
Service. Special Cable Dispatch.)

Service. Special Cable Dispatch.)
Berlin. April 1O.-Admiral Won
Scheer. commander of the German
high sea fleet during the greater
part of the war, reveals in a book
of "reminiscences just published here
that the great naval battle of Jut-
land, or Skagerrak, was the direct
result of Americas vigorous action
in the case of the torpedoed channel
steamship Sussex and President
Wilson's ultimatum that diplomatic
relations with Germany would be
broken off unless she Immediately
discontinued the then methods of
submarine war.
Admiral Won Scheer. in a pique
over the backdown of the German
government, Immediately withdrew
all the fleet submarines from the
war against commerce and attached
them to the main fleet. This acces-
sion of strength, he states. en-
boldened him to extend the opera
tions of the fleet and embark upon
the cruise which eliminated in the
historic encounter of the two grand
fleets of the coast of Denmark, May
81. 1916.
Was to Begin April 1.
The ruthless submarine war, Ad-
miral Won Scheer indicates in his
book, was to have been begun on
April 1 of that year instead Of
actually almost a year later. The
tions of the naval party, had on
March issued instructions to that
erect. but owing to the Sussex
crisis and attendant causes that date
was abandoned and on April IS.
after the receipt of the American
ultimatum. the admiralty ordered
that the submarines should operate
only In accordance with the prin-
ciples of the so-caIIed Cruiser war
fare. Merchant ships could be sunk
only after due warning and after
opportunity had been given to place
their crews in safety.
Declaring that submarine war on
that basis promised no success and
merely exposed the submarines to
DANGER. Won Scheer recalled all sub
marines by wireless from their sta
tions around England and an
nounced that the submarine war
against England'S commerce was at
an end. Effort after effort was made
by the admiralty staff and by Ad-
miral Won Mueller. chief of the en-
peror's naval cabinet, to induce him
TO use the submarines against mer-
chantmen in ways to which the
United States would not object. The
admiral writes. however. that he
OAn - Co NINr
such mock submarine campaign
to fool the home public, and insisted
upon ruthless methods or none.
HollweE Opposed Weakening.
Won Bethmann- -HollweE's attitude
toward the submarine warfare at
that epoch is shown by a remark of
his to Admiral Won Scheer on June
80 that he was opposed to any
weakened form of submarine activ-
tiles which would place the des-
tiny of the German empire in the
hands of a submarine commander
Admiral Won Mueller. on the other
hand, the Kaiser's trusted adviser
on naval affairs. tried to induce. Won
Scheer to use the submarine in the
modified form of war by holding out
the bait of a speedy adoption of the
ruthless campaign.
Americas conflict with Mexico
argued Admiral Won Mueller, the
growing bitterness of the neutrals
against the British blockade, good
crop prospects and military sue
cesses on both land fronts were
steps leading to the possibility OF
using the submarines in a war
without warning and without pity
such as ultimately brought the
United States into the conflict.
CCopyright, 1920, By Public Ledger CO..