The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-27

So, anu ilIIe less than miracle
must now happen to give the car
Constantipople for an soutlet to the
unIrozen seas The British effort tC
enter ConStantinople by way of the
Gall1poH peninsula has failed during
the year, and Great Britain is now
reluctant to undertake a second costly
experiment in southeastern Europe for
Russia's sake. The ease with which
the Teutons and Bulgarians have been
able to overrun Serbia apparently has
been due to Great Britain's disinclina-
ton to risk wasting her strength in g
major Balkan offensive. The odds all
favor the Teutonic allies in the Bal
kanS because of their unimpaired lines
of communication.
British interest in the Balkan cam
paign is primarily due to it's bearing
on the security of Egypt Lord Kitch-
ener's visit to the Ievant during the
latter part of the year and his quick
return, seem to have created a belief
IN London that sEgyptlis not in any i'm
mediate jeopardy. The British now
apparently have concluded that Egypt
can be better defended along the Suez
Canal than in the Balkans. The ad-
vantage of communications, which the
Germans possess in the Balkans
would pass to the British if the Teu-
tons and Turks were to attempt an
offensive by crossing the desert to the
east of Suez.
The Russians, however, are urgently
pressing Great Britain to pursue the
will probably be the wars principal
loser. His own troops. waiting, as the
year ends, to invade Bulgaria by way
of Rumania, can hardly prove equal to
the task unaSSiSted. The TeutOnS,
Bulgarians and Turks have certainly
600 men available for Balkan oper-
atoms and this force might possibly
be increased to a million. Unques-
arisen among the allies during the
year because of divergent Balkan
military policies. The conflicting in
terests have not been reconciled in
detail as the year ends.
Russia's defeat on her OWL soil by
the combined Austro-Hungarian and
German offensives this summer was
not sufficiently decisive to cause the
car to sue for separate peace. The
Grand Duke Nicholas saved the great
er part of his armies, and although he
was removed from his command be
cause of the loss of Galicia and the
Vistula defenses, he prevented the
kaiser from compelling the car to
surrender. The Russian military fail
ure was followed by the suppression of
the Duma, the popular legislative
body, and the council of the empire,
the bureaucratic legislative house. The
car is now governing by fiat as a
complete autocrat. relying neither on
the people themselves nor on the bu-
reaucracy-
The year has seen no change of i'm
portance along the western battle
front. The French in Cha mpagne, and
the French and British in Artois at
tempted to develop a simultaneous
major offensive during the last week
in September. but without success.
The Germans lost a few miles of
trenches, but they were able to check
the enemy before the drives threat
ened to compel q general retirement
toward the German frontier. The re-
suit of the costly experiment showed
that the TeItonic trenches are not i'm
pregnable, but also revealed the fact
that the Anglo-French general starfs
have not solved the problem of follow
ing up one successful attack by an
other in the face Of German artillery.
Italy's entrance into the war this
year has had disappointing results for
Italians, after seven months fighting
have not gained as much territory
as Austria offered to cede last spring
in exchange for Italy's benevolent neu-
tra1ity. The principal factor working
against Italian success has been the
superiority which trench warfare
gives to an army on the defensive.
The Roman government is now facing
serious though subdued criticism at
home As the year ends, there are re-
ports that pressure is being exerted
in favor of the return to power of
the veteran pro-German ex-Premier
Giolitti. Italy has signed an agree
ment with the other members of the
arate peace, but if SignOr Giolitti were
to be made prime minister, he would
undoubtedly use his influence for
peace at the earliest moment.
The financial situation among all
the belligerents has steadily grown
more and more serious as the expenses
of the conflict during the year have
ceaselessly mounted. The total daily
cost of the war is new about SIS, 000,-
600, two-th1rds of which is being paid
by the Quadruple Entente, and one
third by Germany and her allies The
British, who have been most lavish in
their payments, have also been the
most sincere in facing the critical
monetary problems of the war. Great
Britain alone among the belligerents
has begun to shoulder the financial
burden of the conflict by accepting
large war. taxes. Elsewhere the war is
prolonged almost exclusively on Dor
rowed money. Tt is probable that the
exhaustion of golden bullets, and the
accompanying danger of economic dis
aSter will be the principal determining
factors in bringing the war to an enG.
The food situation in Germany and
Austro-Hungary, has become more
serious this year than last. but has not
grown sufficiently hazardous to COM
pei the TeutonS to accept peace. 1t is
a contributing cause, nevertheless, to
the persistent desire for peace which
is more apparent in Germany as the
year closes than anywhere else. A ma
ton which will consent to live on half
rations indefinitely if it is fighting q
defensive war, may refuse a long cur
tailment of food if the government
has offensive purposes in view. AS
this years fighting drew to an end,
DR.. Won Holwegg, the Ger
man chancellor. declared in the
Reichstag that Germany was fighting
a defensive war to prevent herself
being crushed by the allies But, last
August, DR.. He1fferich, the German
minister of finance, announced. also
in the Reichstag, that Germanys war
expenses would be paid by an indern-
nifty collected from. the enemy. The
year is closing without any disavowa1
from Berlin of DR.. Helfferich's init
nation OF conquest.
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