The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-05-17
STARTLING ADMISSION OF ADMIRAL SIMS

IF ADMIRAL SIMS is to be believed there is
hentic record of atrocity having been perpe
trated by the commander and crew of German subma-
rine, the Leadville Herald Democrat The press
accounts of the terrible atrocities nothing but
propaganda he is quoted saying, and he to
explain that the British naval records well
are filled with reports showing that German Uboat
manders aided in the Of and passengers of
ships they sunk
This, doubt, will be considered most amazing
statement for the admiral to make in public speech
The trouble be in the meaning might at
tach to the term "atrocity" Generally is
enemy does, and in the last the various new
weapons used by Germany were, according civilized
standards, atrocous But there may be military and
naval standard that the mind of the unintiated
does not understand The mitarst professional
soldier and sailor quick to defend their kind and
believe that the late Lord Fisher British
navy, made such remark that which credited
to our redoubtabe admiral No doubt, a of
propaganda it be considered important create
popular prejudice against the enemy by accusing mill
iary code Of being barbarous it is we'll known
fact that the professionals in dealing with subject
have all subscribed to the doctrine the only way
make war is to make it terrible possible strike
panic and horror into the hearts the noncoatans
Admiral Sims declaration is some form of be-
lated proGermanism 1t is his defense of class 1t
amounts to saying: "The time may when we will
have to go to and to submarines against the
shipping of the enemy. If so, business as a navy
would be to destroy, and humanity will have to look
after itself Germans acted differently than we would
under the same circumstances.
All this is very shocking and very startling to the
average civilian mind that took it for granted in
stance, that the Lusitana incident purely and sim
ply atrocity deep dyed brutal as anything in
the annals of history But Admiral Sims his burst
of confidence that this is all mistake We land
lubbers don't understand the nature of war as it is
practiced We just made to believe the Lusi-
tania affair and the sinking of and other
deeds OF the German subs stir US up to
the fighting pitch, just the Hymn was sung
in Germany and the boys in the training camps
taught to the bayonet
About all that get of the frank statement of
Admiral Sims is the appalling gulf exists between
the mind of the trained professional soldier sailor
and the way of thinking and feeling about
by the being who does belong to this profes
sional class He wants believe is entirely
true, no doubt, that individuals the navy
officers are as humane else but that their
DUTY IN war is to be mercess in the business
structon as one of their torpedoes to litter
the very with wreckage and corpses
There is no need to be disturbed the admirars
statement as to the apparent deception which
tced on the public between 1914 1t is only in
manner of speaking that the admirars mental vision
sees the Lusitana tragedy of war justified by
the rules of the 1t only that living
deceit murder and crimes of every kind what war
actually is and that part of the business of warning
nations is to stir national hate and loathng
enemy by clever propaganda This has been defined
the art of insinuating idea cover of an
other One Of the terrible war is that it has
always been exalted into something that it not
that 1t could be presented to the people something
righteous and justifiable. Whether wars come in the
future depends the sanity the civilized world But
great gain may be made it no longer sails unde,
false coor and is outawed the piracy or Other
crimes So long is petted and egalized adiunc
OF civilization will continue have our admiras ano
generals apologizng for justifyng its atrocities
Grand Junction Daily News
wRECKAGE'