The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-05-26
SUB NEXT WARS WEAPON.

The next war may see great subma-
rine battles with armadas of U-boats
lighting beneath the surface of the
sea.
This is broadly hinted at by Simon
Lake, inventor of the submarine, in
communication addressed to mem
pers OF the senate, urging broad ex-
tension OF the submarine building
for the United States. Lake disclos-
ed that there are plans now on file
In the secret archives of the United
States navy for warfare by sub
marines against enemy submarines.
The submarine has not yet reached
Its full development" said Lake
There are other features that may
well be added to further their ef-
fectiveness and increase the scope Of
their usefulness.
I'm my humble Judgment it is the
only weapon that can be safely relied
upon to keep foreign fleets from our
shores Every other weapon is visible
and can be met by another Of it's
kind; the submarine is invisible, and
II made noiseless and provided with
noiseless and invisible automobile
torpedoes or with proper mine-plant-
ing facilities, no other type OF ship
that floats en- the sea or in the air
can meet it on equal terms. The cost
of the submarine is slight compared
with other vessels. Did the six hun
dred MILLIONS spent in aircraft get
single German submarine? No. Ac-
ccrding to the official reports, the
best defense against the German sub
marines was other submarines. AS
soon as war was declared between our
country and Germany 1 sent several
plans to our navy department as well
as to some English naval friends. ]
outlined how submarines could y,
used for a defense against attackin.
enemy submarines. Some of these
plans were later put into practice.
They proved effective, but il thv.
had been fully carried out the los,
Of ships near the English coast would
have been very much reduced. These
plans, L presume, are still on file III
the secret archives o. the navy depart
ment where they may remain without
further discussion, SO far as / am con
cerned."
U-Boats Undefeated.
Lake firmly believed that the Ger
man U-boats were not beaten in the
world war
Many people think the submarine
was mastered and driven from the
sea-" Lake declared. Hundreds of
millions were expended and lost on
barrages and large fleets of travellers,
submarine chasers and other ships to
offset the sinkings caused by these
German submarines, and the subma-
rines captured by these vessels were
only one or two disabled submarines
and those sunk were insignificant in
number and cost In comparison to the
surface ships lost. England lost ships,
cargoes and men without number.
Untold fortunes paid tribute to the
awful power Of destruction of the
submarine.
I'm spite OF the expenditures OF
billions on destroyers, submarine
chasers. mines. airplanes and barrag-
es the submarine continued 10 infest
the seas.
THE strategy of war made it good
tactics to claim destruction of sub
marines in unlimited numbers, but
the war history records so much
events as were claimed during hos
tilities. Much has been made OF the
fact that no American transports and
troopships were sunk by submarines
The writer understands that history
records that the Germans felt it bet
ter not to sink American troopships
and saw her error in thinking tha.
she could conquer the world through
frightfulness.
America Was Spared"
ITO quote the statements Of one
high American naval officer who was
active overseas, Germany decided it
was bad policy to sink any Of our
troops, as that would further alien
ate us when it came time to make
peace and resume trade relations so
the orders went out to spare Ameri-
can troopships; in other words, as
this officer stated they could have
sunk our ships if they wished, but
they had lost their CUTS and did not
have the nerve to carry out the for
mer program of frightfulness. Ac-
ccrding to the Bridgeport telegram
of April 90, 1921. Admiral Sims
said: If Admiral Won Tirpitz had
had his way in the high councils of
Germany we would now be speaking
German with decided new England