The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-15
By JOSEPF4US DANIELS
(Secretary of the NaUy in Wilson's Cabinet)
They Now Call the Disappointment Conference Nation That
Agreed Not to Use Submarines Against Merchant Ships WIFI Keep the
Pledge Until That's What win Make a Scrap of Paper"

tention to Il 30 that you win not be
troubled again. A NEIGHBOR.
What assurance do you suppose the
owner of the garden received from
that letter? Just as much guarantee
Of protection from the chickens a.
any nation may expect to receive
from the declaration that the par
ties to the agreement will not use u
boats to sink merchant shipping. No
adequate limitation Is put upon the
construction Of submarines by the
conference even as to the few ma
lions represented. OF course ma
tons not in the conference are not
bound. They can build ad infini-
tum. And some Of them will fashion
parts and have them ready for as.
sembiing in any emergency.
The truth il recognized by every
body except the majority which
framed this letter. You must be
careful in using your U-boats not
to sink anything except a warship."
Is the new approved formula. A
submarine cannot be effective Tor
the criminal purposes for which 1t
was invented unless 1t acts like a
pirate. 1t is the only protection
against q blockade.
This is said not to Justify the use
of the submarine in numbering men.
women and children on passenger
ships. Far from 1t. No nation. not
even to save its life. can be justi-
fled in piracy on the high seas. The
German government wantonly de-
bauched its sailors when It made
them undersea assassins. 1t forfeited
any claim to civilization when 1t
sunk the Lusitania and other non.
combatant ships. But It taught what
no nation had heretofore under
stood. and that was that the U-boat
is essentially a piratical ship.
We flatter ourselves that Ameri-
cans would not use U-boats as the
Germans did. And We are Justified
in this good opinion Of ourselves. pro
vided-and there comes the rub. We
would not use poison gas or subma-
rine murder upon our own initiative.
All the allied nations were Mortified.
and Justly 90, when the Germans
first stifled and stransed allied SOL
diers by the use Of the new and horfi-
BILE weapons Of destruction. But self
defense counseled the use OF every
chemical that could create havoc
with our enemies, and soon the out
ragged nations were Dragging that
they had a poison gas much moro
powerful than the Germans, and we
boasted that our Lewisite would kill
its ten thousands where German gas
killed its thousands.
Sherman's only trouble about de-
filming war was that he couldn't find
a stronger word. Every nation that
agreed not to use submarines against
merchant ships win keep the pledge
until-and that's what Will make II
a scrap Of paper. When an enemy
uses a U.boat to sink merchant ships
all others will use It to prevent their
defeat. And 90 the chickens will not
heed the reading Of the letter!
The only way to prevent subma-
rine murder In to prevent subma-
rines.
What About China?
The second unanimous solemn
agreement relates to recognizing the
territorial integrity Of China and
preserving the open door. What IL
that agreement worth without guar
antees7 The open door will not stand