Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-10-02
at,istrllaneous Beading.
HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?
Lord Kitchener Is of Opinion Fighting
Nav Continue Three Years.

Certain remarks in Lord Kitcheners
recent speech to parliament implied
that in his opinion the war might last
three years There will be serious con-
nicts. he said, which may strain the
forces of the empire and entail much
sacrifice on the British people. He an
nounced that the scale of the field
army now being created is large and
that in the course of six or seven
months it may rise to total of thirty
divisions, six hundred thousand men.
"At this stage l cannot TELL" he add
ed, what will be the limits of the
force required, or what measures may
eventually become necessary to sup
ply and maintain it. The terms on
which l am serving are the same as
those on which some Of the finest por-
tions of our manhood, now so willingly
stepping forward to join the colors, are
engaging. That is to say my term OF
office is for the duration Of the war, or
for three years if the war should last
longer than that. 1t has been asked
why this period has been limited. 1t is
because if this disastrous war be pro-
longed-and no one can foretell for a
certainty it's duration-that after
three years others will take our places
and see this matter through"
On the day of Lord Kitchener's
the empire to prepare itself in mind
and in material strength for a severe
test of its resources. These utterances
were entirely however, coming as they
did after the fall of Nomur, and were
doubtless designed to have SOLDERING
effect upon a public which perhaps,
have unguarded the proportions and
significance of the war. 1t is we'll
enough that Great Britain should real
ize at the very beginning the size and
the hazards Of the task before her;
thus she will be better able to meet
her responsibilities.
General opinion has been that the
present war could not last long. An
overwhelming German victory would
doubtless protract the struggle, Eng
land and Russia would continue fight
ing, regardless of what happened in
France. A German defeat would prob
ably shorten the conflict, for the kaiser
has staked his fortune on a bold, swift
stroke. If he wins, he must win speed
| ily If he loses in France, or is delayed
there for many weeks, the menace of
Russias vast army will become seri
Gus indeed. 1t is to be remembered Of
course, that the German forces invad-
| ing France have proved wonderfully
efficient, and military genius may up
set all calculations and probabilities.
1t is none the less noteworthy how
ever, that no war of large proportions
in the last four decades has been Of
long duration The Franco German
war began in the summer Of 1870 and
ended the following spring. The Rus
so-Japanese war lasted from Febru-
airy 1904 to August 1905. In the ma
ture Of things" says writer in the
New York Times, wars Of the first
magnitude can no longer be strung
out over long periods like that of the
American revolution, the American
Civil war; Germanys Thirty Years war
or the Napoleonic war. The develop
ment Of railway systems permitting
rapid movements of great armies, and
the invention of higher explosives,
heavier guns and deadlier rifles, have
combined to concentrate great cam
paigns into single battles, fought
along a front of hundreds of miles"
Half a century ago the mobilization
Of the troops now engaged would have
required six months or probably a
year. Under present conditions and
with present agencies, all the move
ments of war, are marvelously quick
ened. True, there has never before
been a conflict so stupendous as this
yet its very vaStness would seem to
predestine it's early end.-EXchange