The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-12-18

OTttutH Wm JOTWtuuy propose tHe
abolition of the submarine. Admiral
Fullam's pieaos, it may be stated, are
representative of large section Of
I American naval opinion.
BY w. +. FULLAM.
Rear Admiral, United States Navy.
Written for the international News Service.
\ The attention of the world has
been focused on the submarine. Mr..
Balfour frankly admits that the
small coast defense submarine of
short-cruising radius is a weapon of
defense for weak nations against the
aggression of the strong upon the
/. sea, and he also recognizes the great
offensive power of the long-range
cruising submarine in naval war
fare.
u. 8. Must Object.
1t is plain that the great maritime
! nations, with the exception OF the
|. United States, may look with favor
! upon Mr.. Balfour's suggestion; they
have reason to do So and many good
people the world over, recalling Ger
\ man "frightfulness,' would heartily
applaud the complete extinction Of the
submarine.
But we must avoid precipitate
!. action. The legitimate uses Of the
submarine must not be denied. The
charges against 1t have been exagger
ated. 1t is not more inhuman than
!. many other weapons upon which
no restrictions are placed. Interna-
tional law can control the submarine
within limits that the world will
recognize as humane-as humane as
! any weapon that kills or wounds in
wars.
Cites Parallels. r.
Suppose surface cruisers were to
sink merchant ships at sea with or
! without warning. and leave their
crews and passengers in midocean in
small boats? Would that be an argu-
ment to abolish cruisers? Suppose a
! brutal combatant should turn ma
! chine guns upon prisoners or upon
an enemy that is surrounded. helpless,
and crying for quarter? Would that
be a reason for abolishing machine
( guns?
The righteous opposition to cruelty
and to the horrors Of war should not
4 be 80 misdirected as to encourage or
facilitate aggression. Would not
Belgium have been perfectly justified
! In using poison gas in dense clouds,
or bombs or anys other weapon to
resist the brutal invasion by Ger
many3 May not the submarine
similarly protect q weak nation from
/. invasion by sea?
Statistics prove that only $4,000
lives were destroyed by submarines in
the world war. There was greater
and more "inhumanity" in each Of a
hundred battles on land than the total
in submarines during the whole four
years! And there were hundred
times more innocent lives sacrificed
by shells, bombs and other agencies
in land warfare.
Tho inhumane use of submarines
can be condemned and outlawed Just
as other acts Of war are controlled.
/ The rights Of neutrals upon the sea
and the protection Of the innocent
and the helpless can be secured by
extending the limits of territorial
waters and by other regulations as
Z binding as those that forbid the kill
] ing of prisoners or non-combatants
on land.
:. We hear much Of the freedom Of
the seas" Ii 1t not desirable? Is It
( not righteous that the interests of all
= nations, great and small. weak and
|, strong. shall be made secure upon the
!, sea? No one nation or combination
of nations should be permitted to
dominate the oceans and to crush the
J weak.
II all nations, large and small, arc
permitted to use submarines, no one
naval power can dominate the sea-
The greatest navy in the world can
Z not rule the oceans, and 1t IL not too
much to say that no combination Of
navies can do it. The German ~"
boats fought the nav2es of the world,
\ end nearly won the world war under
/. conditions most disadvantageous to
them.
Tho moro we study this subject the
/. moro clearly It appears that the sub
/, 70 be condemned, IL one to be exalted!
Great nations fear 1t; why7 Because
It Stands squarely In the way Of ag-
+, erosion on the sea! Thus, It may
prevent war! A nation with q great
merchant fleet, dependent upon 1t for
her life, may stop and think twice or
thrice before she forces war upon a
nation, however weak, that is pre-
pared to use submarines in self
defense! We find in Admiral Sims
book ample proof of the power of the
mand Of the sea" by a great surface
navy.
( In which subject are the people of
the world most interested just at pres
4 ent-in the command of the scar" or
IN the freedom Of the scar" Do they
wish to aid the offensive or strengthen
/, the defensivef To aid the wear or to
assist the strong? To increase tax
, alton or to reduce It?
& i ALWAYS