The New Europe/Volume 2/A German Warning from America

A German Warning from America

The Europäische Staats- und Wirtschafts-Zeitung of 31 December 1916, publishes a remarkable unsigned letter, dated 11 November, from New York and posted on board the “Deutschland,” in which, after references to the President’s election, and the desire for peace among the American masses, he emphasizes very strongly the view, “that the sinking of passenger ships without warning is impossible without producing serious conflicts. The President would in such a case probably be content with sending home the ambassador: but the indignation which would follow in Germany would probably unchain a thorough-going submarine war, whose effects here cannot be foreseen. At this moment the Allies have very considerable difficulty in satisfying their needs in America. The huge rise of prices has injured them probably more than the injury due to submarine warfare. This gives rise to serious financial troubles, which are getting steadily more urgent. If there should be a breach between Germany and the United States—even without war—these financial troubles would no longer exist. American industry would be mobilised for the purposes of the Allies in such a way that England would not lose breath for many years, quite apart from the possibility of America in the end entering the war. In the last few days I have had verbal messages from Germany, and I am horrified that the true American situation should still not be realised. It is already a hard enough struggle for us to exhaust England.”

This letter, which was published when the war of Peace Notes was at its height and before the Tirpitz policy of “unrestrained frightfulness” was openly adopted by Berlin, is almost prophetic in the light of subsequent events.