The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-12-03
Must Beat Kaiser Before War
Ends, Lord Kitchener Tells
An American Correspondent
CALLS CAMPAIGN OF
GERMANS A FAILURE
British Secretary Informs Irwin
Cobb His Country is Ready
to Fight Three Years.

| Irwin S. Cobb reports. in the cur
| rent issue Of the Saturday Evening
Post. an interview on the war with
Lord Kitchener. The interviewer en-
countered a man who asked more ques-
tons thun he answered, but having
pumped his questioner dry, expressed
his own views freely in the only talk,
Mr. Cobb declares, which Lord Kitch-
ener has given for publication since the
war began.
THE war will last not less than
three years" Lord Kitchener said. 1T
will end only when Germany is thor
oughly defeated, not before-defeated
on land and sea. That the allies will
win is certain. That for US 10
three years l think probable. 1t might
last longer-this war might. 1t might
end sooner. II can end in only one way
That it will end in a month from
now, or six months OF year, l DO
not think likely; so, to be on the safe
side, l say three years-at least three
years.
Britain Will Fight To End.
IF Germany gives up sooner. so
much the better for Germany and for
us and for all the world. II three
years are required for the undertaking,
or more than three years. the world
will find that we. for our part. are pre-
pared to go on. and ready to go on,
and determined to go on. and certain
to go on. In any event, this war can
have but one outcome-one ultimate
conclusion
THE Germans still think they will
win sad Lord Kitchener. speaking
with the infection that made the re-
mark part plain statement and part
question. Il wonder how long a time
they think 1t will take them to VIM
They are still fully confident" Mr..
Cobb replied. but they have changed
their schedule-their time card
Here Lord Kitchener made use of
the one outright gesture he used. He
brought his fist down hard on the
table in front of him with a thump.
1t was a big. sinewy fst-put It in
glove and It would make you think of
a bucks haunch-and the thump was
audible and solid.
Calls German Campaign Failure.
They are right IN one regard" he
said slowly: 1T will take longer than |
q year TO end this war. But they are
wrong in another regard; they are
wrong when they think they are 60
ing to win-if, indeed, in their hearts /
not going to win.
Their campaign in the west is a |
failure. 1t is a failure already. and il J
will become more and more a failure |
as time passes. When an army of in |
vasion ceases to invade, that army has !
est its principal function and has failed !
In its principal object. When that army /
hides itself in trenches and fights at I
long range. it is doing nothing except !
waste itself: and especially is this true /
when that army. having reached its !,
maximum of strength and efficiency
and aggress!veness months before, is ;
now losing in all those essentials
Paris might be captured, and still /,
the war would go on. England might |
be invaded-though / believe the enc |
my has not yet worked out complete |
plans for that undertaking-and stiIl /
the war would go on. Germany might |
take and keep the other side of the
as she has already taken Ant |
werp, and still the war would go on. /
Belgium might be made a captive prov
ince for the time being, and still the |
war would go on.
This war is going on until Ger
many has been defeated. There is no |
other possible contingency"
Has not the confidence of the Ger |
man soldiers been shaken by recent !
events in the western theater of war, !
and especially by what has been hap
pening in France during the last |