Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-15

Deadlock on the proposal to abolish
the submarine has brought to the
front the idea of "humanized subma-
rine warfare at the Naval Conference,
but in this country the idea is accepted
pretty generally as a fiat contradiction
In forms. Some, however, believe that
new methods of fighting undersea boats
will be evolved and that world opinion
may act as restraint upon the violation
of the rights Of non-combatants.
ITO propose to 'humanize' the sub
marine is a travesty," declares the
Omaha World-Herald ut is princi-
pally effective when it violates all of
humanity's laws. 1t is most valuable
when it sinks merchantmen, DESTROYS
commerce, strikes terror among nom
combatants. That paper advises that
"one of the tests of American and
British craftsmanship at the parley will
be the result they gain, or fail to gain.
against this most barbarous tool of
warfare"
Considering a French suggestion In
favor of political guarantees in place
OF undersea boats" the New York Sun
asserts: That the United States
should engage in such compact is be-
yond belief. The proposal to link the
fortunes of the Nation to those of an
other power, to jeopardize its peace in
quarrels with the origin of which 1t
had no concern, is opposed to the poll
icy and practice of the United States"
The French people are reminded by
the Buffalo Evening News that "if
submarines had been eliminated previ-
GUS to 1914, their country would have
derived an incalculable advantage from
the act; that "they has many sub
marines in the war, but those boats
contributed nothing to the defense of
France" The Evening News, however,
adds that the French people will agree
to the humanizing of submarine opera
tons. and they must recognize that sub
marines thus limited in activity are not
worth maintaining"
X X X
eff submarines cannot be abolished,
it will be little use to try to regulate
their employment in war;" AYERS the
Jersey City Journal, while the Duluth
Herald argues: WAR isn't thing
that lends itself TO humanization. Its
purpose being to kill and destroy, those
most likely to succeed in it are those
who are most efficient in dealing death
and destruction. The temptation,
therefore, to throw off rules and limita-
lions, which presents itself to a nation
facing defeat. is likely to prove too
strong to resist" The Chicago Daily
News calls the proposal "a sort of APP
piled idealism that is more praiseworthy
than practical"
THE submarine fights from ambush"
states the Fort Worth Record-T Telegram,
land its greatest value lies in its ability
to clear the surface of vessels ordinarily
treated as exempt. 1t might be inter-
esting reading to construct code for
'humanizing' its operations-but the
recollection of the scrap of paper dec
laration is too acute for it to register
Spokesman-Review warns that France,
in a potential future war, If 1t found
itself hard pressed, would be under
severe temptation to repeat the German
performance and to plead that 1t was
justified in following the German prec-
edent."
"The French stand is not by any
means unreasonable" comedies the Ann
Arbor Daily News, with the explana-
ton: "The practicability of such 'hu-
maniZation' may be questioned, since
opinions might differ as to what con-
stituted heavy armament and also a
nation fighting for her life is likely to
mislay some of her scruples with re-
spect to the use Of any weapon that
happens to be available. Still, the
French counter-suggestion should be de-
liberated seriously. and with full reali-
cation that an attempt is being made
to meet England and America at least
part way on the question"
"Our own preference" states the
Cleveland Plain Dealer, would be to
abolish these undersea hit-skippers;
sharply to curb them is the next best
step to take now. Here we have the
AaNA AAAw e. 20
Conference. The submarine, one hopes.