Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], February 22, 1917, Page 4, Image 4

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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4
WORK IN PLENTY
"WHEN THE WAR ENDS
18 MONTHS NECESSARY
$0 GET TOMMIES BACK HOME
JPlans on foot for Neutralization of
Alsace-Lorraine, Palestine, the
Dardanelles and the Rhine
LONDON. Eng.. February. 1917.
By Norman Hapgood
Copyright, 1917. by Norman Hapgood.
It is estimated that it will take IS
months merely to get the British
army back from France to England
when the war is over. That little de
tail may give us an idea of the size
of the task that follows lite end of
hostilities. When the few big points
are agreed upon the full working out
of the settlement may well take as
' much time as has been occupied by the
war itself. The men who meet at The
Hague or Berne or wherever it may
be will face a puzzle more complex
than confronted those who planned a
new Europe after the overthrow of
Napoleon. Our own country ought to
be preparing itself as rapidly as it
may for its part, official or unofficial,
in working out the many-sided prob
lem. One of the best-known states
men in the kingdom, whoso name is
honored throughout the United States,
said to me yesterday that the one part
of the whole question that he would
like to have left absolutely to the
United States was the most difficult
of all. namely the Balkans. Constan
tinople. and the adjoining ] rt of ,
Asia Minor. Although Great Britain
*s a world state and its inhabitants
are accustomed to thinking of re- !
note parts of the globe, as Americans
seldom do. nevertheless even the Brit
ish are just beginning to realize the
extent of the implications that have
grown out of this struggle. A dis
tincuished expert on the near East. ,
said the other day that when he finds
an American who realizes that Bo- .
hernia is not the same place as But- >
carta hr feels that he has found - -
one with whom it is possibe to con- ,
verse. Another special expert in .
eastern matters was explaining his .
views of the., complications to me the I
other day. and at the end I said: "Tn (
such an immense upheaval T imagine . .
American opinion is of relatively mi
nor importance.” "On the contrary. >
he replied, "ft is all important." He '
expressed himself strongly, no doubt,
but also he expressed a point of ’ !
view that gains strength daily. Ob- ;
viously if our influence is to be so
meat in the future, mir obligation tn .
understand and to prepare is corre- <
■ tpondingly: great.
The attempt to make the settlement
Hone the lines of natiosality is. of
course, natural and right, but its lim
its need to be clearly understood. The
nationality principle is a useful one
when nationalities are. as distinct as
they' are in western Europe. If you
divide Europe in three strip the
word nationality will have a different
meaning for each of the strips. The
western strip contains countries,
which, whatever their origin, have
become so thoroughly settled and ac
customed to the existing situation that
the sense .pf nationality with them
means devotion to the existing politi
cal unit. The central strip, however,
s made up of about two dozer sepa
■ate nationalities many of which do
not feel at home in th- larger pnliti
-al units of which they have been
made part. Unfortunately the outlines
if these subordinate nationalities are
not distinct and their composition is
not uniform, so that if you take part
nf an existing empire away and make
a separate state of it on the principle
of giving independence to the pre
vailing racial elements, vou find vour
new state also with a strong and dis
contented minority. Tn the third strip.
Russia, nationality has still another
meaning. There you have a graduallv
increasing sense of national feeling
among the elements making up the
immense. Inchoate and widely scat
tered nation. So that., if we except
the Finns, the Poles acd tin. Jews
there Is an Increa’ -ig natior fueling
all over Russia in the sense in which
American national feeling has grown
until the separate states and sections
of the country have been subordinat
ed to the Union one and inseparable
It is in Austria that the attempt to
make a settlement on lines of nation
ality alone offers the greatest difficulty.
I have heard it said that the answer
of the allies to President Wilson was
written by the French and submitted
for suggestions to the other principal i
allied governments, and that the lir.-: '
draft did not contain the expression
about the Chekho-Slovaks, which was
cut in later by M Briand. If this is
true, it was a very tactful method of
saying that Bohemia should be treat
ed as a separate unit and Ite given
its freedom, either through absolute
independence or through increased au
tonomy under Austria. What w mid
be included in the new kingdom of
Bohemia would have about 12.000.00
inhabitants. About three million of
those, however, would be Germans, so
vou would again be facing the prob
lem of a separate minority. The
whole situation in Austria is much
like that in Ireland. Practically all of
England at the present time is willing
to give home rule to Ireland, but part
of Ireland is unwilling to be governed
bv the rest of Ireland, and even part
of Ulster is unwilling to be governed
hv the rest of Ulster. It is much as
if New York state should want to
be independent of the United States
and New York city independent of
New York state, and Manhattan In
dependent of the rest of the greater
city, and Murray Hill or the west
side independent of the rest of Man
hattan. There has been an able and
persistent agitation for the Independ
ence of Bohemia carried on for many
years, some people think that M Bri
and was probably led to raise this is-'
sue by the fact that "Lu Nation
Tcheque.” is published in Paris and
many Bohemians have long lived and
worked there. Others think that the
motive was probably otic of political
xatety. the desire. In other words, to
lessen the power of German' after
the war When 1 on ‘“some” and
"others.” J refer to small numbers, as
only a mere handful of men anywhere
might be expected to know that the
change was made. Among those who
give most special study to what is to
be done with ’he Austrian empire,
there are some who think it ought tn
b» entirely broken up. in which case
Bohemia would of course get its inde
pendence. If it should obtain inde
pendence there arc some Poles who
are decMedlv anxious to have it com
bined with Poland- .but the pressure
for this irttnome wH front a small
ptimhcr. What would be absolutely
ewwwr would be an arrangement
between Poland and Bohemia by which
Jfao(wmia should, pbtajja awes* 1 to open
water. The waterways could be made
of great use to her only through co
operation with Poland. Her southern
boundaries, on the other hand, would
probably have to be extended so that
she would have proper access to the
Danube. A good many' people on the
other hand, whatever their sympathy
with the sense of nationality, are
strongly convinced that we also need
the sense of federation^ and that the
breaking tip of the Austrian empire
into a lot of violently nationalistic
small units would create new ambi
tions and new intrigues and would
be a discouragement to those who
look forward to a steady advance
toward a federation of Europe. These
people would seek the solution in
more home rule for the constituent
parts of the Austrian empire, rather
than in the disruption of it. Well-in
formed London is divided more sharp
ly and interestingly on no one point
than on this question of the relation
of Bohemia to the settlement.
The same line of reasoning that
makes some people prefer to keep the
Austrian empire alive, while improv
ing conditions in it. makes them op
pose the attempt to throw the Turk
altogether out of Europe. A few years
ago England obtained possession of a
town she needed on the Egyptian bor
der named Akaba, merely by enabling
the Turks to save their faces. This
process of face-saving is about as im
portant to the Turk as it is to the
Chinaman. The solution for the ac
quisition of Akaba was to have it an
absolute gift with no compensation
whatever, so that the Turkish gov
ernment could say to the people that
they gave it to the British because
it was something they' didn’t want. If
the Turk should be left in Europe the
actual power would all be taken away
from him by some such device as tell
ing him that Constantinople and the
adjoining country' on both sides of the
straits would be managed by a finan
cial commission which would take its
orders from an international commis
sion. The international commission
would carry out treaties entered into
bv the principal powers for the en
tire government of the region. The
Turk being without arms nr fortifica
tion the Russians would have not only,
free passage through the straits in ;
times of peace, but the opportunity to I
get there first in time of war. The
Turk would probably give up Armenia (
without a, wry face, as he would i
scarcely bo aware of the passage of
those little remote villages from un- |
der his sway, but of course he can!
be thrown absolutely out of Constan-!
tinople only after a most severe de
feaf. International government did
not work out satisfactorily in Egypt,
so that country passed under the rule
of England alone, but the arrange
ments on the Danube bn the other
band, have been of great use to Eu
rope. The ultimate plan for Constan
tinople. like the ultimate plan for the
new Serb state, cannot be separated
from the question of the German cor- I
ridor to Asia. It js obvious that;
Germany, like all other trading coun
tries. ought to have access to the raw,
materials of Africa. India and the far i
East, also there is at least a strong
probability that if she were fully oc
-upied building up foreign trade in a
way satisfactory to her. she would be I
ess likely to turn her energy to in-j
treasing her military power with ag-'
iressive design. This outlet for for- i
sign trade may well be accomplished
through free ports. It is cheaper 'o
ship to Turkey. Syria and even Smyr
na.. through Trieste, than by rail
through the Balkans. Certainly no i
railway through the Balkans to Bag- i
dad will be permitted by the governing j
powers among the allies without the
most complete safeguards against its
being used for militray purposes. As
to the question whether the change
at Constantinople and the Dardanelles
is to be made by Russian occupation i
or T>y international occupation, it is
interesting to remember just how
Crispi in his diary quotes Bismarck:
"Russia wants to go to Constantin
ople. Situated as she is now. it is im
possible to attack her. bn the Bos
phorus she would be weaker and
might easily be overpowered." On
July 28, 1908, Mr Lloyd George said:
"Look at the position of Germany.
Her army is what our navy is to us,
her sole defense against invasion
She has not got a two-power stand
ard. She may have a stronger army
than France, than Russia, than Italy,
than Austria, but she is between two
•great powers, who. in combination,
could pour in a vastly greater num
ber of troops than she has.
Don’t forget that when you won-'
der why Germany is frightened at'al
liances and understandings and some
sort of mysterious workings which ap
pear in the press.” Many men who.
in 1908 were anxious to have Ger
many treated With such consideration
that she would cease to be dangerous
have changed their minds since the
fatal move of 1914, but even sb the
bulk of the most intelligent states
men on the side of the allies feel that
the question of the route to Asia must
be so solved as to make a natural
outlet for German energies.
As I have indicated before Poland
needs less explanation to Americans
than any other of the big central is
sues of the settlement. The Germans j
scarcely realize that Dantzig is in
cluded in the plans of the Poles for a
larger Poland, and in my opinion if
Dantzig is put into the United Poland,
it will have to be one of the many
important ports that are made free. |
The Germans would make a big i
enough row over giving up Pokeri, on |
account of its strategic importance. I
but to stretch Poland as far as Dant-I
zig. would be a concession still more j
diffleub for the German government i
to explain to the German people.;
The cnly method that is suggested by
which the Germans might be recon
ciled to go sweeping a concession is on
the theory that. the. United Poland
would be a valuable buffer state
against Russia.
One especially interesting aspect of j
the future settlement involves Palea- j
tine. The whole Jewish question will
come to the front soon. When Parlia
ment met on February 7. one member
raised the question of the Jews in !
Russia. There have been recent anti-
Semitic developments in Gertnany.
France has made claims in Syria and
Russian statesmen have backed these
claims. But the movement grows to
put Palestine under American con
trol. There are many extremely in
teresting features of this situation
which I shall discuss at length next
week.
As to Alsace Lorraine, the argu
ments put forth for the public will
of course, be largely those of senti
ment. notably of language and of local
sympathy. The most important of all
the facts, however, are the potash
salts in Alsace and the coal and Iron
in Lorraine. With the potash Alts
that site already bad, Germany in
1371. through the deposits in Alsace,
obtained a complete monopoly of in
gredients which are essential in chem
icals and notably in explosives. The
extent of the deposits It not yet
known, blit what has already been
discovered would last the whole world,
for several centuries. These salts are
also essential for artificial fertilizers,
soap, matches, photography, printing
1 and 'hundreds of other commercial
purposes. After the present wax
was under way. namely on May 20.
jiUS. the six great industrial and
agricultural associations of the Ger.
man empire sent a secret petition
to ths chancellor in which they said:
"C®tl is the most decisive means for
exciting political influence. The. in-
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1917
> du: trial neutral states are compelled
to submit to thr.se of the belligerents
I who can provide their supply of coal.”
It then France can get the coal,
iron and salts of Alsace Lorraine she
will feel enormously strengthened, and
Germany will be enormously weak
ened. From the point of view of
the Swiss, and indeed of other neu
trals. these big facts may well no
used as an argument for neutralizing
Alsace Lorraine instead of allowing
the provinces to belong to either of
the rival claimants. Neutralization
plus an agreement for free navigation
on the Rhine for the boats of all na
tions would be an outcome which
would be hailed with pleasure by tha
neutral world.
The war may have to last until
autumn. No prophecy of too definite
a kind is worth making. What is
certain is that any crystalization of
opinion on the big points of Austria.
Turkey. Toland. Alsace Lorraine, and
the principles of trade is an unmistak
able and definite step both toward
bringing peace about, and toward
making it stable after it is here.
TOM LAWSON IS VILLAIN
LATEST GRIDIRON FROLIC
Real Bluejackets Appear at Ban
quet and Salute President as
Flag is Unfurled
Patriotic fervor stirred participants
at the closing dinner of the season
given by the Gridiron club of Wash
ington Saturday night, with President
Wilson, members of the cabinet, and
others prominent in government and
business life of the nation, as guests.
In the midst of the dinner a bugle call,
sounding sharp above the clatter of
the banquet hall, caused the guests to
I pause and look up. Then came a word
lof command and the rattle of ac-
I couterments, and through the hall
| swung a platoon of Uncle Sam's blue
jackets from the navy-yard, guns at
j the carry, headed by a young ensign.
Smartly they marched to the cen
i ter of the hall, halting before the pres
lident of the United States. "Present
i arms.” was the command, and as the
; ensign saluted with his sword the
sailors obeyed their order. Just then
a silk American flag was unfurled
and the Gridiron quartet sang "The
Star Spangled Banner.” Three hun-i
dred diners arose in their places, join
ing in the chorus, and winding Up with
a volley of cheers in a great out
burst of patriotism.
Songs that rang out with the spirit
of Americanism and demonstrations
of loyalty to the president were in
terspersed with travesties on the
peace note leak investigation, woman
suffrage pickets at the White House
gates', prohibition for the District of
Columbia. California's part in the na
tional election, with Senator-elect
Hiram Johnson impersonating him
self. and with other satirical allusions
to various phases of national life.
The leak inquiry was caricatured in
several sketches, one of them a musi
cal melange and another a melo
dramtic effusion entitled "The, Waif,”
in which "Administration Leak” ap
peared as the heroine and "Barney (T.
W.) Lawson” as the irrepressible vil
lain. Introducing the musical sketch,
•one of the correspondents with a
uemulo tenor sang "Down on the
leaky way.” which was followed by
another song by a club member in
the character of Representative Wood
of Indiana, whose resolution led to
the congressional investigation into
charges of a leak on the peace notej
message. The impersonator of Rep-j
resentative Wood was presented is
"William Wood, the plumber, the man
who stops the leaks.”
Dr Grayson, whose nomination as
medical director of the navy with rank
of rear-admiral, was another target
for musical shafts to the tune ‘of "Cap
tain Jinks.”
He's an Admiral gteat, in the new Navy, I
His name is Dr Cary G.
And though he'll seldom go to sea.
He’s an Admiral in the Nivy;
And If tire Navy has a drill
Take, a pill, tnke a pill.
No battleship will have the trip
While he's Admiral in the JCavy. i
In initiating a new member of the
club. John Snure. correspondent of
the Des Moines Register-Deader.
pseudo Ellis Island officials conducted
an immigration exatninatibn for ad
mission.
Inspector to applicant sharply:
“Born?”
Applicant: “Yes.;’
“Business?"
“Rotten.” ,
"Foreign country?"
"loway."
"Who is president of the United
States?”
"Woodrow Wilson."
“What does he do?”
"Spends most of his. time dodging
women with yellow flags."
"Who is the vice-president?”
"I don’t know."
"Never mind, neither do we.”
"Who makes the laws?"'
“Woodrow Wilson.”
"If Wilson makes the laws, what
dogs Congress do?”
■‘Squanders money on creeks, rivu
lets and bluffs, mostly bluffs."
"What is the building called In
which Congress meets?”
"A school for scandal.”
"What are the qualifications for a
rear-admiral of the navy?”
“To cure a cold and play a good
game of golf."
"Are you an anarchist?”
"No. I'm a member of the press
gallery.”
Thereupon the applicant qualified
for admission.
LABOR ANSWERS LABOR
German Trades Union President
Tells Samuel Gompers Only Eng
land is to Blame
The Vorwaerts of Berlin, according
to a Copenhagen dispatch to the Lon
don Exchange telegraph company,
publishes the cablegram of Samuel
Gompers. president of the American
federation of labor, to President Le
gien of the German federation of
trades unions, and Wie reply of Pres
ident Lcgien In behalf of the Ger
man workmen.
Mr Gompers cabled. "Can you bring
influence to bear on your government
so that a breach with the United
States may be avoided?"
President Legien replied; ' Since the
war broke out. the German laboring
Classes have worked for pence, and
they are against ■ every extension of
| the war. The refusal of «,e enemy
to consider the sincere German peace
offer, the corftinuatton of the dread
ful war of starvation directed against
our women and children and old peo
ple and the open confession of our
enemies that their war aim is the an
nihilation of Germany—all that han
caused a sharpene4 submarine war.
Influence on our side on the govern--
men* Is possible only if Americans
can persuade England to give up her
war of starvation.”
VIEWS OF BERNSTORFF
GIVEN IN LAST INTERVIEW
He Has Had His Fun and it
Doesn’t Matter Much if He
Goes to the Bottom—Has
Tried to Prevent War
Previous to his arrival last week
Wednesday at Hoboken in his
special train former Embassador
Bernstorft outlined to a repre
sentative of the Associated Press,
bls personal views regarding the
war in Europe, the possibility of
the United States being drawn into it
and the doubts he held regarding his
reaching home safely.
"You ask me,” said Count von
Bernstorf! in reply to a question,
“about my trip, will I get home all
right? Well, you never can tell. Of
course, we will get through the Brit
ish and French blockade, and there
should be no danger from our own
submarines. I guess they will know
we are coming and will let us alone,
even if they should happen to see us.
"However, whether I get home or
not does not really' make much differ
ence. I have had my fun; I have
had my play at politics; I have en
joyed myself and I am no longer as
young as I once was. The only dan
ger. so far as I can see. that is at
tached to this trip is that we mav
strike a mine. You know they float
all around the sea and we may strike
one. You never can tell about them.
But if we do hit a mine and go down.
I am ready to go too. After ail. what
difference will it make? If it has to
come it will come, that’s all.
"The future? That is so indefinite,
too. Of course I shall go directly to j
Berlin as soon as I arrive in Ger-;
many. Maybe they will find something
for me to do and maybe they won’t. I
It is quite probable that my official ca
reer is finished. I may retire for good, i
I have been turned out by your gov-'
ernment for something over which I
had no control and no blame attaches
to me personally. Perhaps this Is a
good time to step down. However. I
am a German and my’ plans may be j
changed by the wishes of my govern-!
ment.”
In regard to the former embassa-:
dor’s views on the possibility of the ;
United States entering the war it!
should be explained that several times,
in the days immediately following the
severance of diplomatic relations, he
indicated his belief that it was only a
question of hours before some overt
act would bring about hostilities. At!
one time he asked. "Do you think I:
will be. able to get-out of the countfy!
before war is declared?"
As the days, passed, however?’and j
no overt act appeared to have been :
committed, the former embassador be-'
eame more and more optimistic., final- i
ly saying". “Maybe it is possible that
war may he averted. The president, is i
represented in the newspapers as bav-:
ing made it clear that the next time
he went to Congress it would, not be
to ask for war but in connection with i
protection to American shippings What j
does that mean? To me. perspnaJly,^
that could mean but one thing, namely,
the convoying of ships.” .
A.nd Count von Bernstorff does, not
believe that ships convoyed" would" be
subject to attack, although he feels .a ’
great element of danger is attache,! to I
such a procedure. Personally, Mhd"
former embassador feels that many ;
Americans have not ..always been,
strictly neutral. He has told his
friends, however, that he believed sen
timent in the United States, was- in
fluenced by commercial conditions .
brought about by the war.
"You have shipped your goods to
the allies because they had command .
of the seas.” he said. “If the condi
tions had been reversed and the Ger
man navy, instead, of the British. haJ
that command, you would have
shipped your goods to us. Naturally,
any person’s sympathies are where i
he does business. You can’t blame I
him for that.
“Det us consider humanity and in
ternational law. There has been a
cry against Germany on the ground
that we have violated the rights of
the former and the principles of the
latter. But it is a poor rule that does
not work both ways. Is it not a vio
lation nf the rights of humanity for
fire British to try to starve out the I
noncombatant population—our women
and our German babies? There is
nothing humane in that. Are not the
principles of international law being
violated every hour by the British?
Even your government, in a most ex
cellent note, has, declared the British
blockade of Germany to be illegal and
indefensible.
“I said maybe it was possible for
war to be averted, didn’t I? Of course
you must understand that is condi
tional upon Germany being able to
bring the entente to its knees before
anything happens to involve the Unit
ed States. The submarine campaign
is bound to increase in Intensity as
the weather gets warmer.”
The former embassador was asked
whether he thought the warning con
tained in the German note announc
ing the new submarine policy, which
was directly responsible for the sev
erance of diplomatic relations, would
serve to keep Americans out of the
danger zone. He replied, hopefully:
"If it only does! Then everything
will be all right. If no Americans are
killed there will be no war. I hope
that war can be averted.”
"Will I ever come back to the
United States?" said Count von
Rernstorff. "I cannot say about that.
Certainly I shall never be embassa
dor here again. That has never been
done in the history of diplomacy. But
I may come back to attend a peace
conference. I do not know whether
I flatter myself, but I do believe that
I am not disliked by people here.
Certainly I have done everything
within the power of mortal man to
keep what has happened from, hap
pening. But there were some things
I could not do. During the Inst days
of my stay I have received hundreds
upon hundreds of letters from people
all over this country. In all (l s them
the writers have expressed their good
wisher. There has not been one bad
letter in the entire lot. Isn’t that
fine’” And the embassador smiled
broadly. These letters, he raid, have
soothed his feelings at being "turned
out" an nothing else could.
BRAZIL WARNS GERMANY
Will Hold Her Responsible if For
mer's Vessel? Now Nearing War
Zone Are Harmed
A wireless dispatch received at Faris
from Berne. Switz., says the Brazilinn
minister at Berlin, by order of
government, has warned Germany
that Brazil will hold her responsible
for the fate of three Rrazlllail vesetda
approaching the war zone. These
vessel* left Brazil for entente conr-
I trie since the declaration by Germany
of her submarine blockade.
END OF LEAK HEARINGS
j”J. L. L.” May Be Specular—New
York Broker Tells Committee
Congressman Bought 50 Shares
of Steel
Leaving further examination of
brokers’ statements at New York as to
their dealings for customers on the
stock exchange during December to a
subcommittee of three, the congres
sional committee investigating the
“leak” on President Wilson’s peace
note Thursday adjourned its public
hearings and most of the members re
turned to Washington last night. This
action came after a statement by the
committee’s counsel. Sherman L.
' Whipple, that he did not consider it
profitable for the full committee to
spend any more time taking oral testi
mony' in view of other more urgent
duties of the members at the capital.
The subcommittee, consisting 'of Rep
resentatives Philip P. Campbell of
Kansas. William S. Bennet of New
York and M. D. Foster of Illinois,
will stay in New York until Monday
examining brokers’ statements, plan
ning to continue their work in Wash
ington after that.
Wall-street gossip was busy after
the close of the hearing Thursday try
ing to deduce the identity of an un
named speculator whose account was
between $7,000,000 and .$8,000,009
when the big break came in the mar
ket after the peace note became pub
lic. Oliver Harriman, a broker, testi
fied that he carried such a big "short"
on his books, his operations dating
from November, but he declined to
divulge that customer’s name.
In connection with that account,
however, there was put in evidence a
telegram dated New York December 20
and sent over Mr Harriman’s private
wires to his Washington office, ask
ing: "Have you heard anything about
the government to issue this after
noon a statement regarding the eco
nomic condition of Europe?” This was
signed “J. L. L.” The answer was
"No.” The fact that the initials cor
respond to those of Jesse L. Liver
more. a well-known speculator, known
to make his headquarters at Mr Harri
man’s offices, was called to the at
tention of members of the committee
at t>ho close of the hearing, but coun
sel explained that question of the
speculator’s identity was not perti
nent.
Through Mr Harriman there was
also brought into the record for the
first time evidence of a public offi
cial at Washington dabbling in the
stock market. Mr Harriman said that
on December 21 he bought for a con- |
gressman 50 shares of United States ;
steel on the long side. He declined •
to give this customer’s name also. I
and Mr Whipple remarked that h» .
did not believe the incident was of ;
any interest to the committee any- j
way.
In announcing the adjournment of j
the pqblic oral hearings Chairman j
Robert L, Henry said that tho com- '
mittee would be ready to reopen such |
hearing^' if the- work of the subcom- i
mittee should bring out facts that •
should be so treated.
HI NTING I -BOATS
i:
The Most Up-to-Datc Methods as r
Known in Our Navy
■(From the Providence Journal.]
’ Rear-Admiral William S. Sims re-I
cepUy appeared before the House!;
committee on naval affairs. He spoke •
regarding submarines as follows: — : 1
I do hot know whether you gentle- I <
wen know how dangerous a sufficient 1 1
number of patrol vessels can make it i'
for submarines. To give you an idea 1
of what the thing means, let me say ;
this: Suppose this table is the English 1
channel. The channel is divided into 1
.sectors, and each sector is in command 1
of an officer. With a sort of central '
board for the whole business. They '
protect the channel against sub- ’
marines. The channel is regularly j
patroled, and that, patrol is kept at ‘
work all the time. The chances for a
submarine to get through that patroi
is very small. Suppose, for instance, a i
submarine was sighted here (illustrat
ing). As soon as the patroling vessel
sees the submarine she has got to go :
down. The commander of the patroling
vessel immediately sends out a wire
less saying the submarine was at such
and such a point at such a time, say G <
o'clock in the morning. By 7 o’clock
the submarine will be within that area
(illustrating), and by 8 o’clock it will I
be within this area (Illustrating). s
J The commander of the flotilla, at this |
point (illustrating), will start out his |
flotilla from this point (illustrating), I
and deploy on a line from there to
there (illustrating) by 8 o'clock, and
if the submarine is there it will be
seen. At the same time aeroplanes go
out. and they begin to look for the
submarine, and look for traces of the
i disturbance on the surface of the wa
ter caused by that body going through
underneath the surface, for although
the submarine may go down 100 or
150 feet, there will be a disturbance
on the surface. The waves are of a.
certain regularity on top. and that
regularity will be disturbed by any
vessel passing beneath the surface. As
soon as the man in the Aeroplane sees
the disturbance on the surface he will
notify the destroyers, and a destroyer
lowers a net in front of the submarine.
This net is about .TOO yards long and
about 100 feet deep. It is made of
wire rope, not much bigger than a
match, and the meshes are about 10
feet square, and when you bundle it
un it makes a very small bundle and
you can put it in a small trough on
the stern of a destroyer. The sub
marine comes along here (illustrat
ing). and this net is put out and it
forms a barrier in front of the sub
marine. The submarine sticks its nose
through out of these meshes in the net
and is caught. Tfm floats of the net
remain on the surface and the sub
marine cannot get away from it.
If a fleet is coming along, it has a
line of scouts out here (illustrating!
and another line there ((illustrating),
and any submarine that sees the line
of scouts knows the fleet is behind
and If the submarine goes down the
commander knows that by the time he
gets to where the fleet is bls ability
to stay under the water will be about
gone.
Th*' submarine on the surface is like
a nowarful gasoline automobile: it
can run as long ns its fuel lasts, but
cannot use Its oil engines when sub
merged, As soon as the boot goes be
low the surface it becomes an "electric
runabout.” being propelled by its elec
tric motors, and when the batteries:
are exhausted he lias to come tn the i
Surface nr go + n the Mlnm
OHIO EDITOR'S PERPLEXITY
[From the Ohio State Journal.]
Homebody around these elegantly
appointed offices, either an undesirable
citizen or a h*+und of the Baskervilles,
linn dropped into the habit of remov
ing the editorial page from the New
York Evening POst before It Is laid on
bur desk, and we find It a little diffi
cult to give that pleasing variety so
much to be'desired In original editorial
work with nothing but The Springfield
Republican to rely on.
[TREATY PROPOSAL TEXT
.—
PROTECT PROPERTY RIGHTS
। Germany Asks That Her Ships Be
Allowed to Go Home in
Event of War
The full text of the explanatory
and supplemental clauses proposed by
Germany' as a protocol to the Prus
sian-American treaty were made oublic
in Washington Saturday at the state
department. Briefly, the protocol am
plifies the treaty so as to place Ger
mans in tills country and Americans
in Germany in case of war. on exactly
the same footing as to all property'
rights, freedom from detention, con
centration camps or sequestration of
property that are applicable to other
neutrals. Nationals of either coun
try might remain fully undisturbed
in tin other country as long as they
please and not for the nine-months’
period provided in the treaty.
Officials at Washington have pointed
out that while Germany’s violation of
several provisions of the treaty may
be taken by this country to have
vitiated the convention, the United
States will still continue to live up
to its spirit. Two proclamations have
already guaranteed that German ships
or private German property will not.
even in case of war, be seized by this
government.
Little interest is shown by the state
department officials in the German
proposal. There is no indication that
any immediate action will ne taken.
Whether the new document consti
tutes In effect a new treaty subject
to ratification by the Senate or
whether it is a mere explanatory pro
tocol is one of the points at issue. If
it is shown to have new provisions
o - to modify the sense of ‘he earlier
document. Senate approval is essen
tial.
Text of Proposal
The text of the German proposal
foiwarded through the Swiss govern
ment is as follows: —
"The American treaty of friendship
and commerce of the 11 th of July.
1799. provides by article 23 lor the j
treatment of the subjects or .-itizens ;
of the two states and their property
in the event of war between the two
states, this article, which is without
question in full force as regards the
relations between the German empire
and the United States, requires cer
tain explanations and additions on ac- ;
count of the development of interna- i
tior.al law. The German government,
therefore, proposes that a special ar
rangement be now signed of which the
English text is as follows:—
“Agreement between Germany and
the United States of Amorita con
cerning the treatment of each coun
try’s citizens and their private proper
ty' after the severance of diplomatic
relations.
"Article 1. After the severance of
diplomatic relations between Germany
and the United States of America and
in the event of the outbreak of var
between the two powers, the citizens
of either party and their personal
property in the territory of the other
party shall be treated according to
article 23 of the treatment of amity
rind commerce between Prussia and
the United States of the 11th of July,
IT.'i:', with the following explanatory
and supplementary clauses.—
‘ Article 2. German merchants in
the United States and American mer
chants in Germany shall, so far as the
treatment of their persons and prop
erty is concerned, be held in every
respect on par with the other per
sons mentioned in article 23- They
shall accordingly, even aftei- the pe
riod provided for in article 23 lias
elapsed, be entitled to remain and
continue their profession in the coun
try of their residence. Merchants as
well as the other persons mentioned
in article 23 may' be excluded from
fortified places or other places of
military importance.
No Restrictions on Nationals
“Article 3. Germans in the United
.States and Americans in Germany
shall be free to leave the country of
their residence within the time and
by the routes that shall be assured
to them by the proper authorities.
The persons departing shall be en
titled to take along their personal
property, including money, valuables
! and bank accounts, excepting ouch
property the exportation of which is
property according to general provi
sions.
"Article 4. The protection of Ger
mans in the United States and of
Americans in Germany of their prop
erty shall be guaranteed in accord
ance with the laws existing in the
countries of either party. They shall
be under no other restrictions con
cerning the enjoyment of their pri
vate rights and the judicial enforce
ment of their rights than neutral
residents. They may accordingly not
be transferred to concentration camps
nor shall their private property oe
subject to sequestration or liquidation
or other compulsory alienation ex
cept in case that under the existing
laws apply also to neutrals. As a
general i ule German property in the
United States and American property
in Germany shall not be subject to
sequestt anon or liquidation or other
compulsory alienation under other
conditions than neutral property.
“Article 5. Patent rights or other
protected rights held by Germans in
the United States or Americans in
Germany shall not be declared void,
nor shall the exercises of such rights
be impeded ncr shall such rights bo
transferred to others without the con
sent of the Person entitled thereto,
providing that regulations made ex
clusively in the interests of th.- states
shall apply.
"Article fi. Contracts made between
Gormans and Americans, either be
fore or after the severance of dlplo
rnntfc relations, also obligations of a.I
kinds between Germans and Ameri
cans, shall not be declared canceled,
vei.: or in suspension except under
provisions applicable to neutrals.
Likewise, the citizens of either party
shall not be impeded in fulfilling their
liabilities arising from such obliga
tions, either by injunctions or by
other nrovislons, unless these apply
to neutrals.
“Article 7. The provisions of the
sixth Hague convention relative to
the treatment of enemy Tier’hr..nt
ships at the outbreak of hostilities
sha'l apply to the merchant vessels
of either party and their cargo. The
(aforesaid ships may not he forced to
I leave port unless at the time they
|he tiven a pass recognied as binding
Ihv nil the enemy sea powers to a
home port or a port of an allied cwn
tr. or to another port of the country
In which the ship happens to be.
Article 8. The regulations of chap
ter 3 of the 11th Hague convention
relative to certain restrictions in the
exorcise of the right of capture in
maritime war shall apply to the enp
talns. officers and members of the
crews of merchant ships specified .»
article 7 and of such merchant ship*
as may We captured in the course of
a poWWle war.
“Artlclo D. This agreement shall
apply also to the colonies and other
foreign possessions of either party.”
SWISS OFFER OF MEDIATION
To Which Germany Consented Only
if Diplomatic Relations Were Re
stored and U-Boat Campaign
maintained
The German official version of the
proposals made through the Swiss
minister in Washington for a confer
ence on submarine questions is given
in the following official telegram, says
Reuter’s Amsterdam correspondent: —
• "What lies at the bottom of this
report is the following: A telegram
from the Swiss minister.in Washing
ton was transmitted to Germany by
Switzerland, in which the minister of
fered. if Germany was agreeable, to
mediate in negotiations with the
American government about the dec
laration of prohibited areas, as there
by’ the danger of war between Ger
many and tne United States might be
diminished.
“The Swiss government was then
requested to inform its minister at
Washington that Germany, as before,
was ready to negotiate with America
in case the commerce barrier against
our enemies remained untouched.
“As is obvious, Germany could only’
have entered into such negotiations on
condition that, firstly, diplomatic re
lations between America and Germany
should be restored, and, secondly, that
the object of the negotiations could
only be certain concessions respecting
American passenger ships.
“The interdiction of overseas im
ports proclaimed against our enemies
through unrestricted submarine war
fare would thus, even if diplomatic
relations with America were restored,
be in no circumstances relaxed.
“The reply of the Swiss minister
at Washington expressed very clearly
that in the resolute carry ing out of
our U-boat war against the entire
overseas import of our enemies there
is for us no turning back.’’
SCANDINAVIA’S PROTEST
AGAINST U-BOAT CAMPAIGN
Norway, Sweden and Denmark De
clare it to Be Illegal and Not
to Conform to Legiti
mate Blockade
Reuter’s Copenhagen correspondent
reports to London that Norway,
Sweden and Denmark have handed to
the German ministers identical notes
protesting against the naval measures
taken by Germany and Austria-Hun
gary. and making all reservations re
garding the loss of life and the ma
terial damage resulting. The follow
ing official communication has been
issued: —
“On Tuesday, the 13th instant, the
Danish, Norwegian and Swedish gov
ernments handed to the German min
isters in their respective capitals notes
identical in tenor, protesting against
the barring of certain sea zones an
nounced by Germany and Austria. The
note begins by recalling the fact that
during the war the governments have
several times found themselves obliged
to formulate formal protests against
serious infringements of the rights of
neutrals involved by measures of va
rious belligerent powers. It then em
phasizes the fact that the govern
ments. whose actions on there various
occasions were, as always, inspired by
the spirit of the most perfect loyal
impartiality, confined themselves to
defending the imprescriptable rights
of neutrals.
"After pointing out that the govern
ments have on previous occasions pro
tested against measures of belliger
ents tending to restrict the free use
of the seas by neutrals, the note pro
ceeds to emphasize that the govern
ments on this occasion are all the
more bound to maintain, in taking
the same point of view, that the ob
stacles placed in the way of neutral
navigation are now more considerable,
in both extent and gravity.
“The note draws attention to the
fact that the only rules of interna
tional law which might be invoked
in support of measures having as
their object the preventing of all com
merce and all navigation with the
enemy, are those relating to a naval
blockade. The note affirms that no
belligerent has the right to prohibit
peaceful navigation through zones the
limits of which are very distant from
many coasts which could be block
aded only in legitimate manner. The
governments recall the universally
recognized law on naval blockade,
namely, that a neutral ship cannot be
captured if it is not making any at
tempt to violate the blockade, and
that in event of a ship being captured
it must be brought before a prize
court in conformity with the general
regulations.
"The governments declare their
anxiety in regard to the measures
which have been announced is ag
gravated further by the fact that the
zones declared dangerous will, it ap
pears. be watched exclusively by sub
marines. whose activity involves great
danger tor neutrals’ subjects, as has
been shown by experience on various
occasions in the course of the war.
“Finally, the note points out that
the measures announced will be all
the more contrary to the principles
of international law if. as the tenor of
the communications of the imperial
governments seems to indicate, they
are to be applied without distinction
to all ships entering the zones de
scribed. and consequently to those not
bound for enemy ports, but. on the way
from one neutral port to another.
"On the ground of the considera
tions sot forth .above the govern
ments formally protest against the
measures taken by Germany and Aus
tria-Hungary and make all reserva
tions with regard to the loss of human
lives and to material damage which
may result from them."
CHINA MAY TAKE PART
Expectation in Japan of Entry
Into the War
In connection witli the Japanese ap-j
proval, now confirmed, of China’s ac
tion in supporting the attitude of the
United States toward Germany on the
submarine question, it. is further stated
that Japan has promised China all
possible support, including the main
tenance of order In China, where Ger
man influence is considerable, says a
dispatch from Tokio. China's protest
to Germany, says the Japan Tinies,
may be taken as a prelude to China's
eventual participation in the war on
the side of the entente. Japan's spe
cial rights and interests in the far
East, a ids tlie newspaper. have been
affirmed by the entente.
“A document written as If for eter
nity,” the ka.iser is said to have called
the Swedish note to the United States
declining to break oft relations. A
Danie! come to judgment! But what
as the new note In which Sweden, along
with the other Scandinavian states,
makes its formal protest against the
submarine decree? Will the German
historians regard that as an immortal
utterance, too?
NEUTRALITY OF SPaTn
EXCITED DEBATE IN CORTES
Premier Interrupted When He Says
America Asked Country to De
clare War on Germany
Spanish neubrality was the subject
of animated discussion in the Cortes
at Madrid Saturday night when sev
eral deputies, including Senors Rodes
and Garcia, questioned the premier,
Count de Romanones, on the attitude
of the government in the war. Deputy
Rodes demanded an explicit statement
on the motives actuating the govern
ment’s policy and upon what it pro
posed to do.
The premier in reply said that the
government was, above all. neutral as
between the two opposing elements
and had shown its attitude very' dis
tinctly in the action taken in connec
tion with several moves by the Unit
ed States—one the invitation to in
tervene for the re-establishment of
peace and anobher an invitation to de
clare war against Germany. Deputy
Rodes, interrupting the premier, said
that this declaration by Count de
Romanones was incorrect, because
the United States had never invited
Spain to declare war.
Amid considerable excitement in Mie
chamber caused by this remark, the
premier replied that in reality the
United States had invited Spain only
to break off diplomatic relations with
Germany, and added: “Spain is tho
friend of all the belligerents and all
neuteals. and for that very reason it
cannot undertake discussions or ne
gotiations which would have the ef
fect of injuring our friendships and
our tranquility.
Eduardo Dato, former premier and
leader of the conservatives, said that
His party would support tho existing
neutrality’ of Spain. Senor Cambo.
chief of bhe Catalonians, made a sim
ilar declaration. Finally Alejandra
Lerroux, chief of the radicals, de
clared in favor of intervention which
would secure attention and respect foi
the opinions of the chamber.
The members of the Cortes listened i
silently and eventually the chamber
declared that in Spain hatred did nob
exist against any country, but that
individual sympathies had been at
tracted toward those countries which
had shown friendship to Spain. Mel
quiades Alvarez, leader of the re
formist paryy. expressed the sympathy
of the reformists with the entente
powers.
The premier closed the debate by
declaring that the government would
maintain with pride its neutrality and
would defend ail points of ita note to
Germany protesting against the sub
marine blockade.
PARIS CHEERS GERARD
Briand’s Luncheon Guests—Re-
called Embassador to Germany
Is Entertained in Company of
Diplomats
James W. Gerard, rw ailed Ameri
can embassador to Germany, was the
guest of honor at a luncheon at the
foreign office at Baris by ‘’ranier
Briand Sunday. A distinguishes
company was present, including the
diplomatic representatives of all the
entente powers having embassadors at
Paris.
Mr Gerard was accompanied by the
American embassador to France, Will
iam Graves Sharp, and both were re
cipients of many marks of cordiality.
While expressing appreciation for the
courtesy extended to him. Mr Gerard
carefully avoided anything in the na
ture of a speech or an expression iff
.political views.
Those in attendance included the
Russian embassador, A. P. Xswolsky;
thoßritish embassador. Lord Bertie;
the Italian embassador. Marquis Kug
gi; the Japanese embassador, M Mat
sui; Jules Gambon, the former French
embassador to Germany and now gen- (
eral secretary to the ministry of for
eign affairs; Gabriel Hanotaux, and
D, W. Bliss, secretary of the Ameri
can embassy.
Embassador and -Mrs Gerard and
Embassador and Mrs Sharp later at
tended a performance at the Troca
dero for the benefit of the Canadian
hospital at St Cloud. Shouts of
“Bravo!” greeted their arrival and us
i soon as their presence became gener
ally known the immense audience re
newed the cheering, al! eyes. being
turned from the stage to the ?mbas
kadorial box. Both embassadors bowed
their acknowledgments and the or
chestra ceased playing in order to
! give way to the band of tlic -epub
lican guard. which immediately
marched on the stage and nlqyerl
“The Star Spangled Banner.” at th
close of which there was another out
burst of enthusiasm.
President Poincare was represented
at the performance by Col Renaud,
and the minister of war by Capt Ech
tern. Mr Gerard, on lo ving the
Trocadero. became the object of most
friendly demonstrations on the part
of the crowds that lined the streets.
YARROWDALE MEN FREED
Berlin Claims Government Was
Misled by Erroneous News Dis
patches «
After it had heroine known tn Ber
lin through the official communication
of tile Swiss minister, says the Over
seas news agency of Berlin, that the
American government had neither
confiscated German ships nor had
made prisoner Mu’ crews of German
ships-—as originally had been reported
in Europe by a news agency dis
patch—the German government! im
mediately ordered the relaase of the
Americans brought to Germany on the
steamer Yarrowdale and asked the
Spanish embassador. Polo de Bernabe,,
officially to Inform the American gov
ernment at Washington of this action.
Three physicians from the United
States. Ill's obitsky. Donzer and Husk,
have put Mexico in Ilie way of more
adequate dealing with typhus fever,
■which has always been more, or less
epidemic there. ft is learned that
the typhus organism is perpetuated
through the medium of the louse. This
is the secret that has long been sought,
and explains why Mexicans crossing
otir border have been put. In baths for
disinfection. The Mexican national
board of health lias been maintaining
a special typhus service which has
produced remarkable results through
Inspection and disinfection. Thereby
a very threatening epidemic, has been
so far Chocked that the situation Is I
said by the health authorities to be,
well In hand. T11U", has the research j
work of Amei'tqans placed Afexico tin- I
der a new obligation to this country, j