New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-27
Great Britain Preparing for Long
Hard War.

Lords did not contain direct Il'"'' ''
European war would - three years But MS
remarks we're warning to the people oil '"'
United kingdom and the British Empire that they
must Dee prepared for sacrifices such as they nave
,,,do i'm mo- war since the long struggle against
Napoleon J.
The War Minister spoke of his own term OF sci.
vice as for the duration of the war or for three
wears if the war should last longer than that Ih'i
was variation of the phrase used in the British
al for volunteers. which asked for eulistment> for
three years or for the war. There was some crIu.
cism Of the terms Of the call ON the ground that Of
did not make clear whether or not the volunteers
would be released short of three years if in the
moan time the war had stopped. But the govern
mcnt wisely safeguarded itself against miShap by
maxim the term of enlistment indefinite.
When our Civil War broke ont the authontie,
could not realize that it was soins to be struggle
IN the point of exhaustion. They called for vol
unteers for three months six months and a year
and soon discovered that the work of recruitin
would have 10 be done several times over
usually takes year of field service to turn raw
troops into veterans. The British government has
avoided our mistake 1t viii soon need TO keep AN
army Of 100000 to 10000 men in the field. and j.
cannot afford TO have the strength of that army
sapped at any time 10y ezrirations of service.
Initial German successes Ola the French frontier
have only made the extent of Great Britains task
more definite The sole hope Of escaping long
war lay in a crushing repuISe of the German inva-
sion. Had Germany and Austria-Iuneary been
thrown ON the defensive at the outset. their defeat
would have been pretty neary assured. They
could have been blocsaded and slowly starved in,o
submission without vast strain ON the military
forces of the allies already modelling. But if all
the first battles 20 against the allies i'm the wesr
crn theatre of war and Northern and Eastern
France is oyeuun 10y the Germans Frances de-
fence must bc steadily reinforced by British troops
lust as SPANS defence against Napoleon had to
be kept alive for years 10y the British ezpcditonay
army.
For Great Britain the partial occupation of
France would be only an incident of the first phase
of the great struggle. SO long as they maintain
control of the sea the British viii continue to fight
Germany on Continental soil. and they will have
the cooperation i'm a protractcd war Of the vast
military resources of Russia. As Earl Kitchener
Justly said. Belgium must be recaptured from the
Germans after the integrity of French territory is
assured But To- accomplish these objects Great
Britain must keep on turning ont soldiers until
her field force bears practically the same proper
ton 10 population as do the first line armies Of
the Continental powers.
So far Great Britain has probably sent about
10000 men into France. The regular home army
consists of 9740 officers and $4,000 men, with
reserve of 147OOO men and special reserve of
10000 In addition iooO.O volunteers have becn
enlisted since the present war began. The Terri
torial army has a strength Of $1,000 But il is
intended for home defence and will probably Dee
used abroad only as its units volunteer for regular
service. Canada, Australia New Zealand and
South Africa will undoubtedly furnish 100000
hrst line troops $4,000 having already been organ.
lied. In case of dire need Great Britain might
also draw native troops from the Indian Empire
with Russia, the longer the war lasts the more
reserve strength will be thrown into the balance
\ These two powers will get stronger. while Ger
many and Austua-Hmgary are rapidly using up
their military capital
some of the English newspaper, are already ad.
yocatius conScrpton after the Continental plan
Up TO now there has been no need Of general
draft Volunteering has been very active. Yet
Premier Asquith informed the House Of Common,
yesterday that Earl Kitchener needed 100000 more
men. and the easiest way 10 raise them may Dee
10 couscrpt all those it FOR military duty between
the ages Of eighteen and thirty. The limit for
volunteers is also likely TO Doe raised from thirty
years 20 forty years. The German General star
has always made light Of Great Eritains miitar,
establishment II is amateuriSh compared with
the highly developed military machines of the Con
tineutal nations. Yet the military spirit is moi
lacking iu Great Britain, and if the war lasts more
than year the British government Will probably
Al. Il.