behind
Tirpitz had fought and lost in the three Committee assemblies
called to discuss U-boat policy in 1916.

As the day set for the September meeting of the Reichstag
approached I noticed that Herr Stresemann was growing more and more
excited. "This war is lasting too long," he declared to me in
great agitation. "The Kaiser's most glaring fault is that of
trying to fight Great Britain with one foot in the grave of
chivalry. If the Chancellor continues to sway him, we will wreck
the Chancellor at all costs. The only way to win this war is to
publish again, and this time enforce, the decree of February 4th,
1915, warning all neutrals to keep out of the submarine zone."

"But, according to the '_Sussex_ Ultimatum,' that will cause a
break with the United States," I said.

"We cannot let that deter us," he declared. "Britain is the
keystone of our enemies. If she falls they all fall. We must
attack her where she is vulnerable. _We must starve her out_. As
for America, we have little to fear from her. In the first place,
although she may break off diplomatic relations, she will not enter
the war if we are careful not to sink _her_ ships. As American
ships play a small part in the carrying trade to England, we can
thus refrain from sinking them--although we naturally should not
proclaim this.

"In the second place, if America does declare war upon Germany, it
would have little effect. The war will be over before she can
organise after the manner of Great Britain. Herr Helfferich
(former Minister of Finance and now Vive-Chancellor) feels that we
should do everything possible to keep America out, inasmuch as
thereby we shall be in a better position to conclude commercial
treaties after the war. Herr Helfferich exerted powerful influence
in the meeting at Great Headquarters at the time of the Sussex
Crisis. But our duty to ourselves is to win the war. If we starve
out England we win, no matter how many enemies we have. If we
fail, another enemy, even the United States, would not make our
defeat more thorough. We are justified, for our existence is at
stake. The only way we can escape defeat is by a successful U-boat
war against England. That would change defeat into overwhelming
victory. I am absolutely confident; that is why the slow methods
of the Chancellor make me so angry. It will take at least half a
year to bring England to her knees, and with our increased
privations he may wait too long.