South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-17
Daniels Tells Hon. Close America Came To War In 1916 Gives u No
Convoy System And Mine Ba1ra9e Deea16 -od Terro
ICONTINUED on PAGE 22D

passing. The experts across the seas said "o. it is
impracticable."
Admiral Earle, convinced by his experiments that
the thing could done, overcame any doubts his
leagues might have entertained and the general board
the chief Of operations and the Of
the fleet all joined with him in urging and pleading
that effort be made to lay the barrage Prominent
American civilians employed such influence they
could exert TO the same end.
GREAT WORK ACCOMPLISHED.
And last in the fall Of 1917 opposition and
prejudice gave way. Admiral Earle and his associates
had convinced the doubters navy and the
British and reoiced that their plan TO be put
into effect. Admiral Strauss put charge this
the outstanding offensive the world He
mad picked personnel or 1000 officers and men az
stuff and skill Our force laid 56,611 mines; their Brit
sh coworkers laid 1852. Most OF mines of
type. perfected I'm the summer of 1917 The Brit
sh laid the old type Of mine. However both proved
effective Our navy made 1905 mines transported
600 II required ship loads from the United states
involved dangers hardships little realized by
those who not engaged in the perilous task Tho
entire cost OF the American part Of this operation
The first mines placed June 8. and the first
victim recorded June o when a U-boat dis
abled and compelled 10 return 10 is base.
British admiralty officially credits barrago
with the destruction gripping Of % boats Ac-
cording Admiral Earle. chief Of the bureau Of ord
nance, 1T has been established that six submarines
lost in the barrage and three badly dam
aged that they never again put TO sea- This is the
conservative American estimate which the British
possession.
WHAT THE BARRAGE DID.
submarines lost during the brought into the
list missing says Admiral Earle. 'by barrage.
which existed FOR only six cent Of the period OF the
Such results more than justified the effort and
time and funds expended
Admiral Strauss is responsible for the following
opinion. which think has been published:
IF the had continued and the barrago had been
completed the Orkneys. and the barrier
Straits Of Dover had been promptly completed Sc would
ended the submarine n-eracs submarines
going from the North into the broad Atlantic
concerned Also the barrier that We were 70 build
across the Adratic and the Aegean sea, when
completed, would have actually ended the Submarine
operations
Even in its Incompetence IL served It's purpose 10
precipitated the mutnly or the German navy, which
main factor in bringing about the internal COLI
FUTURE OF NINE BARBAGE.
The day may come whom it viii be possible %
the with so many explosives timed 20 60 of az a
given moment fighting will be only the
open oceans-provided the fighting craft reach
them.
Beyond all question such inland seas as Chesapeake
bay the Bay OF san Francisco. the Mediterranean and
the North sea sealed Theoretically by proper
employment enough mines OF the type upon
whose deadhness 70 the enemy we ara steadily improt
But one Of the tasks that mine warfare involves g.
cleaning UP the after the fuss Is IL u.s. %
containers should be left 20 bob around in times OF
peace
AIine-sweeping is more perlous than ulne-layins.
Nov "a 1919 about year after armistice I
~ Nev, York 20 welcome asst OF the mine
force and express 20 them the nations gratitude
Il took so vessels and 1000 men from May s. 1879 %
Sent. sweep up the mines boz the North IT.
was desperately dangerous work. carried without
any Of glamour and stimulus attaching actual
conflict calling for just great heroism and de-
votion duty daring venture on land or sea
against the enemy the who did this work
TWENTY THREE SHIPS DAMAGED
TUenty-three ships were damaged and officers
and nine lost helr lives In swocgng the mines
CONTINUED o. FACE go