The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-12-09
Creates Sensation On Two
Continents.
ENGLISH PRESS REPOD|ATES
C0bb's Interview, But Almost
Everybody Else Believes
the Kentuckian.
KITCHENER DOES NOT DENY 1T

Irwin s. Cobb, erstwhile of Pa
ducah and Louisville. now of New
York and the world at large, has
fallen afoul of the officin press bu-
reau of England.
As told in the American papers,
Cobb interviewed Lord Kitchener
and obtained an interesting lot Of
statements from the War Lord Of
England, including one to the effect
that the war will last three years at
least. !
Now the English Press associa-
ton has issued statement that
the language is not that of Lord
Kitchener, and that his lordship's
official representative expresses sur
prise that it should have been re-
garded possible that Lord Kitchener
used such expressions"
The official press bureau chimes
in with the following statement:
with reference to a so-called in
terview with Mr.. Cobb:
although Lord Kitchener saw
Mr.. Cobb for few minutes, Octo-
Der 81, nothing in the nature of
special interview was granted, and
the remarks attributed to the Secre-
tary of State are imaginary"
Cobb, in answer, says he saw Lord
Kitchener through arrangement of a
third party for about 40 minutes,
that he reproduced his conversation
with Kitchener as exactly as he
could, and Is sure that he quoted
him correctly.
Those who know Cobb's work as
reporter In Kentucky feel positive
that Lord Kitchener said just the
things that Cobb quoted him as say
ing, and in practically the same
Z words that Cobb used.
1t is noticeable that Lord Kitchen
er does not deny the interview. The
British official press bureau takes II
upon itself to enter a denial. No
doubt the official press bureau is APP
palled by the fact that an American
newspaper man should get an inter-
view with Lord Kitchener contrary
10 the wishes of the official bureau.
Nothing that Cobb himself has
ever written Is quite so funny as the
surprise of his "lordships official
representative that it should have
been regarded possible that Lord
Kitchener used such expressions.
If the matter is referred to Lord
Kitchener no doubt that blunt and
plain-spoken old soldier will surprise
his lordship's official representative
still more.
At any rate. Cobb's Kentucky
friends feel certain that there is
nothing wrong with the interview.
The following is. in part. the in
terview which Lord Kitchener de-
MES having given expression to;
"They (the Germans) are right in
one regard" he Lord Kitchener
said slowly: lit will take longer
than year to end this war. But they
are wrong In another regard; they
are wrong when they think they are
going to win. II indeed in their
hearts they honestly think that.
They are not going to win.
Their campaign in the west is a
failure. 1t is a failure already, and
il will become more and more fail
ure as time passes. When an army
OF invasion ceases to invade. that
army has lost Its principal function.
and has failed in its principal OBJ
ject. when that army hides itself
in trenches. and fights at long range,
il is doing nothing except waste it.
self; and especially is that true
when that army. having reached its
minimum of three years, think
siveness months before. is now los
ing in all those essentials.
This war is going on until Ger
many is defeated. There is no other
contingency"
Lord Kitchener (Cobb) ask
ed. Gin your opinion how long will
this war last?''
mot less than three years" he
said. ut will end only when Ger
many is thoroughly defeated, not be-
fore--defeated on land aud sea.
That the allies will win Is certain.