by
England coming into the war. The advantage against England of the U-boat
campaign was more than canceled by the entrance of the United States in
the war.

Irvin Cobb says that the trouble with the Germans is that they are not
"good sports and lack a sense of humor. It is impossible to conceive of
a group of German officers playing football or baseball or cricket and
abiding by the rules of the game. If Barbara Frietchie had said to a
Prussian Stonewall Jackson, 'Shoot, if you must, my gray old head,' he'd
have done it as a matter of course."

CHAPTER VII.

THE SLINKING SUBMARINE.

A VORACIOUS SEA MONSTER--THE RUTHLESS DESTRUCTIVE POLICY OF
GERMANY--STARVATION OF NATIONS THE GOAL--HOW THE SUBMARINES
OPERATE--SOME PERSONAL EXPERIENCES.

Almost the entire story of the world war is written around the
development of the submarine. One can scarcely think of the terrible
conflict without bringing to mind the wonderful "underseas" boat which
has made infamous Germany famous. The truth is that, in so far as
America is concerned, the conflict was precipitated by the ruthless
submarine warfare which Germany waged as part of her plan to starve out
England, France, Belgium--and all nations which opposed her.

The slinking submarine proved an efficient instrument, whose activities
clearly indicated the diabolical intent and purpose of Germany to make
the whole world suffer, if necessary, to the end that she might gain her
point and perpetuate the Hohenzollern dynasty. It was not so much that
her submarines wrought havoc--for death and disaster stalk always with
war--but the methods by which Germany waged their warfare and
disregarded all the rules which had been laid down for the guidance of
civilized countries at war proved conclusively that even the innocent
could expect no quarter from her.

The story of the sinking of the brave ocean steamship Lusitania on May
7, 1915, contains in its brief recital a typical illustration of
Germany's lack of humanitarian instincts. The vessel, torpedoed off the
coast of Ireland, went to the bottom of the ocean, carrying to death
more than 1150 persons, many of them prominent Americans. With an
audaciousness which has no counterpart in the history of civilized
warfare, German agents in the United States had caused advertisements
to be printed in the public press, warning citizens against sailing on
the vessel, and advised that she was in danger of being destroyed.

The world