The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-07-31
COMPROMISE IS
FORECAST AS END
Modern Warfare Presents Triumph
Of Defensive Fighting but Often
sive Efforts Fail; Conquest
Becomes Impossible
BY J. w. T. MASON.


New York. July 31.-The first yea
OF the war cries for compromise
From the capitals of belligerent ma
tions come reports of dominating op
timism; but the encouragement is all
based on phantom beliefs in what the
future may have in store. 1t is pitt
full tale each country has to tell of the
past. There is no aspect anywhere OF
hope in the present. Appeals to un-
substantial visions of the future alone
encourage hope in full won victory.
But, the future is so often will-o'-
the wisp that leads to the quicksands
and quagmires. Amid the bold claims
OF success which each nation is max
ing on the first anniversary OF the
war. it is pitifully easy to detect the
wailing note of sorrow trying to dis
guise itself as a paeon Of triumph. In
truth, there will be no triumphant cell
ebrations anywhere in Europe at this
anniversary time Writers may pen
their eulogies Of native heroes, equal
ly among all the belligerents;i drawn
battles may be magnified into brilliant
successes, but the souls OF the warning
people cannot rejoice at these incon-
elusive evidences of success. All the
nations dwell too closely to defeat, and
all know victory is too far away.
Compromise must bring an end to
the conflict. The nations of the world
must learn that all individual life can
not obtain immunity from natures
laws. This is the great lesson of the
first year of the war. France recounts
her success at the Marne; England re
lates the prowess of her fleet; Ger
many tells of her wonderful accom-
plishments on two fronts; the other
belligerents sing their own songs of
victory. But, when the battle maps
are examined. the progress registered
anywhere since the war settled down
to it's present mode OF fighting. is seen
to be infinitesimal.
Modern warfare is proving to be far
more advantageous for defensive than
for offensive fighting. This is the
second lesson Of the years fruitless
efforts by master strategists to over
whelm one another Nations no long
er can be overwhelmed. A great mill
tary machine like Germany's may con-
quer so small country as Belgium;
but apart from such rarely dispropor
tionate antagonists as these, conquest
of one nation by another has become
Defense is more potent
than attack
Every Austro-German offensive in
the eastern war exhaIsts itself long
before a decisive victory becomes pos
sible. The Slavs, too, are unable to
carry the war into the enemys terri
tory. except by temporary drives that
are soon rcpelled. Only minor victor
les are heing won in turn by the bes-
,igerents in the west, each offsetting
the other. 1t is as hopeless for France
and England to dream OF oveTrunning
Germany as for the Teutons TO put
THEN trust in the conquest of France
Even the Anglo-French forces on tho
Gallipoli peninsula are being checked
by the despised Turks, the most inef-
ficiently equipped troops in Europe.
Defence is triumphant at the end OF
the twelve months fighting. Compro-
mise, therefore, becomes inevitable.
The world has split its blood and vast
its its treasures to learn that civiliza-
tion no longer will tolerate conquest.
The year has proved that educated
man has taught himself, instinctively,
and above everything else, the art of
self-protection But among the war
ring nations themselves, the lesson is
not yet fully learned. Each belligerent
realizes the fact. as far as Itself is
concerned, bur is reluctant to concede
O like knowledge TO the opposing side
(Continued on PAGE Tswo.)