Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-08-06
THIS WAR To Be
MOST DESTRUCTIVE
IN WORLD SH|ST0RY

New York Aug. 3.--Gen. Nelson A..
Miles said yesterday that the war in
Europe v-ill be recorded in history as the
worlds most destructive conflict. The
general spoke ut a meeting of the Equity
Congress Of Greater Now York, which
was organized to better the condition of
negroes.
you are lettering conditions in every
part Of the country" General Miles said
to 900 members of the congress and 100
colored boy scouts. at this very hour
100000 % the young men of Europe are
being forced into the ranks to face each
other in war as little called for and
as unjustlnable as any l have ever seen
or read about.
Fortunate, indeed, are you to be living
walled in between two great oceans, en-
joying peace, prosperity and the highest
prospects Of the future"
THINKS MOVE IS TOWARD PARIS.
When after the meeting the general
was told that according to evening news-
papers the German forces had entered
the Duchy of Luvxemburg, and that can
nonading had been heard in the North
sea, he said it would be no surprise to
him if the Kaisers troops would make
their first movement toward the French
capital
while Germany may not have made
an actual declaration OF war against
any nation other than Russia It does
not follow that the troops would have to
wait for such proclamation before
carrying out their program" he said
History shows that n declaration pre-
coded only ten per cent OF the wars
fought. In the Napoloonic wars shots
We're fired before wars were proclaimed.
Armies to be successful must strike
quickly. II the reports are to be be-
llevcd Germany has undoubtedly taken
advantage Of the mobilization of its
troops and Is proceeding I'm the direction
of Paris along the route taken in 1871
1T Is likely that the Germans intend
to give their attention to Franco with
the hope of gaining foothold there be-
fore pushing their military operations
along the Russian border BY striking
at once without giving the enemy an op-
portunity Of invasion Is far moro likely
than by waiting until the formalities Of
a declaration have been gone through.
Should conditions have arisen in the
North sea that made it necessary or ad-
ViSaole for commanders of any Of the
battleship fleets assembled there to open
fire that would in itself be declaration
of war and it is quite natural that the
proclamation would follow.
GREATEST WAR IN HISTORY.
"A war such as Is now in course of
development in Europe will be by far
the greatest military event ever recorded.
armies Of trained men numbering in the
millions and capable of bringing into
play the most intricate death dealing
machinery, been brought together.
THE nations in Europe have for years
prepared for modern war Their
armies have fighting machine, that only
a few years ago were regarded as i'm
possibilities. Aoroplanes, submarines and
the wireless added to powerful guns will
make this a war OF destruction such as
never before has been Witnessed"
General Miles would not essay n guess
ns to the duration of the war
1t all depends on conditions there, and
of course It would be Impossible for me
to say offhand just how we'll provisional
the armies are. And it must be taken
into consideration that the nation or COL
hCtiOn of nations who strike with de-
cision and rapidity are placed at q most
decided advantage In case hostilities be-
come general"